Proverbs 19:14 - “A house, and riches, are the inheritance from a father”.
Isn't that interesting? One of the biblical guidelines, or one of the things that the Bible talks to us about, is that fathers would leave something behind financially for their children.
So how do you manage your finances? A lot of people live just week or week, or don't even think about how they're living their life. We've been concerned, as we've travelled a bit and met with people, how many baby boomers just want to spend up all their money - and leave nothing for the next generation.
They're not thinking about how they could use their assets to help the next generation forward - not to meet all their needs, but to just give them a step forward. So in thinking about that, every one of us can consider what we will leave in the area of physical assets, or physical wealth, or finances, or whatever. I'll bring some balance to this in a moment, but here are a few thoughts about it...
It's never going to happen if you don't plan, and manage it; so if you're young, why don't you think now - think ahead about growing wealth and having something that you can invest in the next generation?
Because there will be, for you, a next generation. All these old people here were once young like you, and if they were to look back they'd say: I wish I'd handled my money better - I would have a different life now; I'd have more to give.
When the Bible's thinking about wealth, and the gathering of resources - it's not just that we accumulate it for its own good, but rather that we can invest in others, invest in family, and invest also in advancing the gospel. So plan and manage it.
Think about this: one of the best things you could do would be to just take a percentage, whatever it is, of everything you get coming in, and put it aside to save, and you will have a legacy to leave for the next generation.
Shane spoke of how his father talked to him about putting 10% aside, from when he first earned; and that 10% was always for investment. At this stage in his life, he is now quite wealthy, because he's built investments for a next generation – from putting aside a percentage.
Think about: guarding the issue of debt. One of the greatest issues that people have to face today is the pressure to have everything now, and to get into debt to do it. Most people, when they get into debt, don't think what it really costs them.
I remember talking to one young guy who'd bought a car; I said: what did it cost you? He told me the price; but when we worked out what it was going to cost him - it was unbelievable. He was paying nearly twice what it had on the lot, when he took into account all his time-payments.
So as much as it's possible, live without debt; or reduce debt, or get rid of debt. Live a simple lifestyle. We've found that if you just live a simple lifestyle, you'll find in the simple lifestyle, you can make tremendous savings in all kinds of ways.
We've observed different people, how they run their family, how they run their finances; some people I can think of right now have a lot of money coming in, but it all goes, because they don't think about just living simply, doing things simply.
Honour God in your finances; it helps bring it all into a place of godly order. It's not the only thing to do, the regular giving to the Lord, but it's a part of building finances in our life.
Don't think you can't do that; believe God you can - that you could leave a legacy in some way, by applying yourself.