Financial freedom means having enough to provide adequately for your household and to give generously and joyfully to God's work.

God wants you to be financially free so you can put Him first in your life and be sensitive to His voice, ready to follow Him whenever - and wherever - He leads.

If this is God's plan, why do many Christians live in financial bondage? The reasons are basic. Not understanding or obeying scriptural principles of stewardship, they succumb to the world's philosophy of money. They burden themselves with the material concerns of life and make little or no commitment to God's work.

I believe that materialism is the greatest hindrance to the worldwide propagation of the gospel today. Perhaps in no other area of our lives are we more guilty of rationalizing. When it comes to material possessions, we seem quite capable of not only convincing ourselves that we need them, but that we also deserve them.

This is not to say we shouldn't enjoy life. In fact, Jesus promised an abundant life to all who trust and obey Him. The Spirit-filled Christian enjoys life more than anyone else. What I am asking you to consider is this: What material possessions in your life are consuming too much of your time in order to secure and maintain them?

Materialism is not just a Western problem. People in all countries and cultures - from New York to Paris to Calcutta to Nairobi to remote villages along the Amazon - wrestle with some form of materialism.

Bailey Marks, vice President for International Affairs for Campus Crusade for Christ, relates a story which illustrates this:

One day a friend of mine was visiting a pastor in a remote African village. His house was very plain. Built of sticks and mud, it had only a dirt floor and its sparse furnishings were crudely constructed.

My friend asked the pastor, "What is one of the most difficult problems you face in your ministry?"

Without hesitation, the pastor slapped his hand on the table and exclaimed, "Materialism! If my people have one pig, they want two. If they have two pigs, they want a cow, or several cows..."

When I first heard the story, I had a good laugh. But then I realized how true this is of all of us.

It is in the faithful stewardship of that which God entrusts to you, not materialism, that you find fulfillment and true meaning to life.

Let me share with you six specific things you can do to ensure financial freedom for you and your family:

1. Know and Obey God's Will for Investing Your Money
God's will about money is not a mystery. Biblical principles of stewardship give you a clear revelation of His plan. By basing your decisions on these precepts, you will experience lasting financial freedom.

Every investment of your time, talents and treasure, unless otherwise directed by the Holy Spirit, should be determined by the "sound mind" principle which I mentioned earlier. Additionally, you should seek the wise counsel of godly people who have successfully applied biblical principles in their financial giving.

There will be times in your life, however, when difficult situations arise for which no scriptural principle or human counsel offers specific direction. You may wonder, Which course should I take? How do I know for sure that my decision is right? Even then God makes provision for guidance.

The apostle Paul instructs, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace." What does this mean?

Peace is a gift and a calling. The Holy Spirit guides you by the presence or assurance of peace in your heart. When you make the right decisions, you will sense calm even in circumstances that are very difficult. When your actions do not coincide with His plan, however, you will feel restless and uncertain.

No better way exists for you to know God's will in your financial decision than to base your actions on the principles of His Word, and then to incite God to guide you with His peace from within.

2. Breathe Financially
True financial freedom requires spiritual health. For many years, I have taught the principle of "Spiritual Breathing." In Spiritual Breathing, I explain, you exhale the impurities of sin by confession. The Bible promises that if you confess your sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive you and to purify you from all unrighteousness.

To confess your sins is to agree with God about your sins. This means you agree that your sins are wrong and grievous to God; you recognize that God has already forgiven your sins through Christ's death and the shedding of His blood on the cross; and you repent - change your attitude: Through the strength of the Holy Spirit, you turn from your sins and change your conduct.

Then, I explain, you inhale the purity of God's righteousness by claiming the fullness of His Spirit by faith on the basis of God's command in Ephesians 5:18 and His promise in 1 John 5:14,15. In this way you invite Him to direct, control and empower your life.

As Spiritual Breathing sustains your spiritual health, so "Financial Breathing" preserves your financial freedom and well being.

You exhale financially by confessing your sin of claiming personal ownership of the resources God has entrusted to you and of withholding those resources from God's work - as though, because you earned them, by right they actually belong to you.

You inhale financially by acknowledging His lordship over all your time, talents and treasure and by sharing with others the abundance God provides.

This simple act of faith calls for a total, irrevocable commitment to the ownership of God over every area of your life.

3. Develop a Financial Plan
A written financial plan gives you the framework for your economic decisions and enables you to measure your progress toward financial freedom.

Developing a plan is not difficult. The family budget serves as a starting point. Easily identifying your needs, wants and desires, the plan provides a vehicle for setting priorities and forming strategic short-range and long-range goals to govern your spending. Furthermore, the budget enables you to think before you buy, thus keeping your spending on target, enabling you to live modestly and effectively manage credit.

Let me suggest a sound approach to accomplish this goal:

In developing a budget, you will need to calculate your normal monthly cost of living, including insurance, plus seasonal expenses such as vacation and Christmas and long-term needs such as your children's education and your retirement.

Once you have established a budget, make a commitment before the Lord to live on that amount. Of course, the budget may need to be adjusted from time to time to provide for inflation or changes in circumstances.

Any income over and above what you need according to the budget can be designated as surplus. For example, if you receive a special bonus during the year but you already have enough resources to cover your budget, assume that God has given you this to help others invest in His work. Any salary increases beyond what your needs require can be passed on as well. By setting a limit on personal needs, you will not only begin to enjoy financial freedom, but you will be able to give substantially to the work of the Lord as God blesses you.

I am not suggesting that you set your needs so low that you cannot adequately live in the society in which God has placed you. I caution you, however, to be careful not to mirror the values of those around you for whom increased income automatically means increased spending on self. God doesn't necessarily reward us as we progress in life by allowing us to increase our standard of living without reference to some set guidelines on what our needs are. He blesses us so that we will have enough for our needs with "plenty left over to give joyfully to others." This would, of course, include laying up treasures in heaven to help fulfill the Great Commission.

4. Master Your Credit
Good stewardship requires that you live modestly and effectively manage credit.

Paul admonishes, "Pay all your debts except the debt of love for others." Many Christian leaders take this to mean that one should never be in debt for anything. I disagree. A young couple will frequently incur monthly obligations while establishing their home. Throughout life the purchase of large dollar items - such as a house or a car - usually requires indebtedness. The real danger does not lie in the provision of needs, but in self-indulgence, poor planning, lack of discipline, and the passion to satisfy one's greed.

Satan aims to drive Christians into debt so he can drain them with worry or despair and keep them spiritually impotent and fruitless. For this reason, a faithful steward will never obligate himself to the place where he cannot, through control of his income, make a reasonable payout.

5. Invest in God's Kingdom

Size is approx.

Every Christian should consider how he can give to help win and disciple the largest possible number of people for Christ. But don't be discouraged if you do not have large financial resources to give.

God measures the value of your gift by the total of your resources. As with the widow who gave her two mites, He is pleased and honored when you give sacrificially and will supernaturally multiply your gifts to meet your needs as well as the needs of others. God also is pleased when you give generously out of the abundance He has given you. You can use these resources to give strategically to help take the message of Jesus Christ to millions who have not yet received Him.

Let me suggest giving a minimum of 10 percent of your income to the work of the Lord as a realistic starting point for a steward who wants to honor and glorify God with the resources with which he has been entrusted.

The practice of giving 10 percent is called "tithing," and is common among many Christians today as a systematic method for giving. The word tithe itself comes from an Old English term simply meaning a tenth and usually refers to giving 10 percent of one's income or resources to the kingdom of God. Tithing, or proportional giving of even more, should play a critical role in our stewardship as we seek to obey our Lord's command to help fulfill the Great Commission.

God established the tithe during the Mosaic period of the Old Testament. Many argue against tithing for today on the grounds we are no longer under the law which required tithing but now live by grace. They assert that, if under law the Israelites gave at least a tenth, under grace we should surely do more as God prospers us. On this basis, many advocate proportional giving, but not necessarily a tenth. I agree. For most people, however, a tenth is a good starting point.

Let me illustrate. A friend who was just beginning to experience the reality of his salvation asked his pastor if God would be satisfied with 5 percent of his income instead of 10 percent. The pastor replied, "Would you be satisfied with 50 percent of you salvation and all the other blessing which God has available for you?" From my perspective, it is unthinkable from the standing point of Christ's great sacrifice on the cross that anyone would give less under grace than the Jews gave under law. So in discussing the matter of tithing, I am referring to giving at least a tenth of your income or resources to God's work, not as a matter of law, but as an expression of grace.

The provision of God under grace is based on the principle of the harvest: What we sow we will reap. The apostle Paul says, "If you give little, you will get little. A farmer who plants just a few seeds will get only a small crop, but if he plants much, he will reap much." Giving too little to the work of the Lord would amount to "robbing God" just as much today as it did in Malachi's time. To the children of Israel, the Lord said:

"Will a man rob God? Surely not! And yet you have...robbed me of the tithes and offerings due to me. And so the awesome curse of God is cursing you, for your whole nation has been robbing me.

"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so that here will be food enough in my Temple; if you do, I will open up the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won't have room enough to take it in!"

Although Christ has "redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us," God has His ways of chastening us for lack of giving or rewarding us for faithfulness in stewardship. Consider what He said to the leaders of Judah through the prophet Haggai:

"Why is everyone saying it is not the right time for rebuilding my Temple?" asks the Lord.

His reply to them is this: "Is it then the right time for you to live in luxurious home, when the Temple lies in ruins? Look at the result: You plant much but harvest little."

You have scarcely enough to eat or drink, and not enough clothes to keep you warm. Your income disappears, as though you were putting it into pockets filled with holes!"

Have you ever had that feeling? You seem to be on a financial treadmill. You are working harder, yet getting farther behind. Your checking account seems to have sprung a leak. God has not changed. In the time of Haggai, He considered it a top priority to reestablish His physical presence among the people of earth by having the people of Israel rebuild His Temple in Jerusalem. In the Church Age in which we live, God's physical presence among mankind is spread as His Church grows and spreads. How does this occur? By evangelism and discipleship, by helping to fulfill the Great Commission in obedience to our Lord's command.

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. What is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me in my entire life?
2. What is the greatest thing I can do to help others?
3. Since our Savior came to seek and to save the lost, is the spread of the gospel still a top priority for God today?
4. Does God expect me, as a Christian, to be involved in spreading the gospel to the world and thus help fulfill the Great Commission?
5. If opportunities to give to evangelism and discipleship exist, does God expect me to give to them?
6. If I ignore the opportunity to give significantly to God's top priorities, is it reasonable to believe that He is well-pleased with me?
7. If He is not well-pleased with me in the way I handle the finances which He has entrusted to me, what might He do to get my attention?

Even though we live in an age of grace, the principles of Haggai are still true.

What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. And how do we glorify God? Jesus explains that in John 15:8, "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."

In other words, the most important thing you and I can do as believers is to help take the most joyful news - the good news of God's love and forgiveness through the Lord Jesus Christ - to everyone who will listen through the investment of our time, our talents and our treasure.

Under grace, the love of Christ constrains us. We cannot misuse or abuse our New Testament liberty. We must remain sensitive and accountable to our just and righteous God.

Obedience to His commands in every facet of our lives is the key to experiencing the presence of Christ and the joy of heaven. Jesus says, "The one who obeys me is the one who loves me...I will only reveal myself to those who love me and obey me. The Father will love them too, and we will come to them and live with them.

Are you experiencing the presence of Christ in your life? Do you know His joy, His love, His peace, the sense of His direction? If not, could it be that you are not obeying His commands? When you withhold the resources that God has entrusted to you for His work, He has little with which to bless you, and your life becomes unfruitful and unhappy.

I personally know of no greater joy than that of being an instrument of God to communicate the good news of the gospel to others. And that takes money. We are not our own anymore; we have been bought with a price, the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our time, talents and treasure are our way of expressing gratitude to our great and glorious God and Father for all that He has done to fill us with His presence.

Since under grace everything we have belongs to God, we tithe - or even give a greater percentage - not as a requirement of law, but as an act of loving obedience and worship. I believe that we disobey God when we ignore our responsibility in giving and stewardship. And just as God disciplines His children under grace when they are disobedient because He loves them, the unfaithful steward should be prepared for discipline as well. Let me illustrate.

I love my sons dearly. I remember when I first held them in my arms. I felt my heart attach itself to them as I embraced them. But through the years while they were young, I found it necessary to discipline them. On each occasion before and after their punishment, I explained to them that I loved them and that the correction was for their good.

To make sure they understood, I would ask, "Why did I discipline you?"

Each time through their tears they would respond, "Because you love me."

The fact that I reproved them when they were disobedient did not mean that I loved them less, but more.

So it is with obedience in stewardship. It is vital that we do not allow anything to take precedence over giving our tithes and offerings. I would rather miss my meals and not meet other obligations than to rob God - even though I am under grace, even though I know that He loves me, even though I know that my relationship with Him is vastly different from that of Old Testament believers because of the cross and the empty tomb and the reality of His indwelling presence in my life.

To fail in our accountability to God would be a misunderstanding of grace. Jesus said, "You should tithe." Since everything we have we enjoy as a gift of God, not returning a percentage of what He has given us to the work of the Lord as an expression of our gratitude and love is disobedience and can result in discipline.

Just as in Malachi God promised to abundantly bless Israel for faithfulness in tithing, I believe God will abundantly bless those today who tithe or give more in a regular, systematic way. The New Testament verse, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows," lies in the context of giving to one's spiritual teachers. An attitude of obedience when you tithe - or give generously in a systematic way - softens the soil of you heart for fruitfulness and thereby gives God opportunity to bless you.

I believe this is the spirit of the Malachi principle.

The premise of tithing as an expression of grace is three-fold:

First, tithing acknowledges God as the source and owner of all that we possess. Tithing performs a role separate from that of unsystematic giving, which suggests that we believe we own all that we possess. Through tithing we acknowledge that God created our increase.

Second, tithing is a voluntary act of worship. At Bethel Jacob said:

If God will help and protect me on this journey and give me food and clothes, and will bring me back safely to my father, then I will choose Jehovah as my God! And this memorial pillar shall become a place for worship; and I will give you back a tenth of everything you give me!

If you don't already, you too should consider tithing - or giving more - as an act of worship. Through this act, you keep your focus on the heavenly Father and testify to His kindness and generosity toward you.

Third, tithing teaches us to put God first. Moses said, "The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first in your lives."

Tithing as a systematic, purposeful plan for consistent giving enables you to circumvent the emotions and circumstances that would hinder you from being a faithful steward and , thus, from putting God first in your life. This prioritizing releases you from the tyranny of materialism and clears the channel for God's additional and abundant blessings.

Don Myers, Campus Crusade for Christ Director of Affairs for Southern Africa, relates how he and his wife, Sue, learned to put this principle into effect in their lives.

"During our first two years as Christians, Sue and I devised a plan to become tithers. The plan entailed a one-percent-per-year increase in our giving until we reached the magic 10 percent. Since our giving at that time was an anemic 4 percent, we were looking at a long laborious process. We tried that plan for two years, but it was life pulling a tooth slowly!

"At that point, we made a radical decision to jump our giving from 6 percent to 10 percent in one leap. This proved to be a relatively painless procedure, and it yielded a financial liberty and sense of peace in our marriage beyond our previous experience. We were encouraged to try new 'quantum leaps.'

"As staff members from 1968 to 1972, we managed to maintain a modest 'beyond tithe' level of giving. Then as we prepared for our move to Africa in 1973, we listened to a message at a staff conference that changed our lives. The speaker said that the best faith response to a financial crisis would be to increase one's level of stewardship.

"After prayerfully considering this radical principle, we decided to follow it during our Africa career. We encountered severe financial crises on six occasions during the sixteen years we served in Africa. Each time, by faith, we increased our level of giving. And each time the Lord solved the crisis. By the time we left Africa, our giving level was 38 percent!"

Does the principle of tithing apply equally to your time and talents as it does to money? I am convinced that it does.

Giving at least 10 percent of your time to God is not a burdensome task. Many of God's children give far more.

Opportunities to devote your time and talents are limitless. Do you sing? Play a musical instrument? Bake? Perhaps you are an executive, a professor, secretary, childcare provider, carpenter, landscaper, mechanic or bookkeeper. Ask God to show you how to use your talents for His glory. And check with your pastor of the leaders of Christian organizations in your area for opportunities to invest your time and talents for the cause of Christ.

I challenge you to give generously of your time and talents as well as your treasure for six months to see how God will multiply the fruit of your gifts in the lives of others. What an exciting privilege to watch your resources touch lost and hurting people around the world for the glory of God!

6. Give While You Live
Since everything we possess actually belongs to God and He has made us temporary stewards, we do not leave our money behind when we die; we leave God's money. Then someone else assumes responsibility for our estates and reaps the rewards which God intended for us who accumulated the assets in the beginning.

Many Christians work hard and leave their estates to heirs who are unfaithful to their trust, but a faithful steward, after providing for the present and future needs of his family, invests in God's work while he still lives.

A Christian friend recently shared how he had been appointed the executor of a woman's sizable estate and would be responsible to give her money to Christian ministries after her death. Instead, my friend encouraged her to give the money away while she could observe first-hand the benefits of her investments.

They prayed together, and with his counsel and the help of others, she began to give her money to many worthy Christian projects - to missionaries and mission organizations, struggling churches, and Christian schools. As she gave generously, God blessed her abundantly and made the final years of her life the most exciting and fruitful of all.

The principle of giving while we live applies equally to those with modest means as well. God deals with us individually. I cannot suggest your lifestyle does not give you a specific plan for investing in the cause of Christ. But I do urge you to use your resources for the kingdom while you can direct them in the way God leads you instead of relying on the wisdom of your heirs. Consult an attorney, certified public accountant or financial planner, or trust officer for specific information on how you can give your life savings while you are still alive. Only as a last resort should you leave the responsibility for the distribution of your estate to your heirs or executors. By "giving while you live," you will be involved in winning and discipling others for Christ while you are still alive. As a result, our Lord will manifest Himself to you as He promised in John 14:21.