Christian financial principles are rooted in God's Word

SMI helps “prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature...” (Ephesians 4:12-13).

We focus on teaching Christians how to set and implement financial priorities that are honoring toward God. Therefore, our teaching begins with the principle that the things most worth knowing are rooted in God’s Word:

• “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). It’s worth knowing that we should look primarily to God’s wisdom, not the conventional wisdom, for principles to guide our decision-making. The principles God has given us are practical and personally relevant.
• “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). It’s worth knowing that we must each accept personal responsibility for making knowledgeable, biblically-consistent financial decisions. We cannot look to others to make the tough choices for us.
• “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is a servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). It’s worth knowing that debt is enslaving and that we should avoid it as much as possible.
• “In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has” (Proverbs 21:20). It’s worth knowing that maintaining a proper balance
  between current spending and long-term saving is a sign of wisdom.
• “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5). It’s worth knowing that we should consistently invest from a carefully considered strategy rather than impulsively on a case by case basis.
• “Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth” (Ecclesiastes 11:2). It’s worth knowing that we should rely on diversification—rather than a preoccupation with market cycles—as a means of controlling risk and protecting our capital.
• “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint” (Proverbs 23:4). It’s worth knowing that we must be on guard against greed and spending our energies in a futile attempt to get the highest possible returns.

God has given us protective principles to help make day-to-day financial decisions. By following these principles consistently, you and I can have confidence that, whatever the short-term sacrifices may be, we are making wise spending, saving, and investing choices. That frees us to leave the results with God, knowing that “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).

Inflation History: The Rise and Fall of the U.S. Dollar

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Category(s): Christian Interest, Family Finances, Giving and Stewardship, Investing Principles
Tag(s): Christian interest, giving and stewardship, investing principles

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Christian fiction for kids

This post is a little bit off the beaten path for us, but if you have kids in your household, we want to alert you to something you may be interested in.

Today we're offering an unsolicited book plug, prompted by two events that coincided this week. First, we published an article titled Retirement Issues: How Much Should You Withdraw Each Year? (subscribers' link) in our February Sound Mind Investing newsletter. It was written by financial planner Eric Reinhold, a long-time friend of SMI who has written articles for us several times over the years.

On the same day the February newsletter went to the printer, I was greeted at home by my 11-year-old daughter. She had a form for me to sign indicating that I approved of the book she wanted to use for a presentation in school. The book she selected: a novel titled Ryan Watters and the King's Sword by Eric Reinhold. (Yep, the same Eric Reinhold who wrote our SMI article.)

As I asked her about the book, I learned that this was one of her favorite books ever. My daughter is a voracious reader, so this is pretty high praise.

And my daughter isn't the only one excited about Eric's book. My friend, Fred Beerwart, the chief compliance officer of SMI Advisory Services (the company that runs the SMI mutual funds), also has a young daughter. Here's what Fred wrote to Eric a couple years ago when his daughter first read this book:

When we got your book, because of our schedule, we loaned it to sisters who are very good friends of my daughter. They both loved it. One said it made her want to be sure to read her Bible every day — that is wonderful. My daughter, Abigail (11), is now nearly finished with it and this is the most excited she has ever been about reading.

Thank you very much for putting forth the effort to write this book. The words written here do not do justice to the appreciation we have for your work. The enemy has so much trash out there, it is great to have a high-quality, positive alternative.

If you have any young readers in your household or circle of influence, this book (and its sequel) come highly recommended.

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Category(s): Christian Interest

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Wise saving vs. unhealthy hoarding: where's the balance?

For today's Personal Finance Friday post, we present an excerpt from the new edition of Craig Ford's e-book, The Bible and 21st Century Finances: Thought-Provoking Answers to Nine Common Questions. (Between now and Feb. 8, you can download a free copy — we'll tell you how in a moment.)

Craig is the founder of MoneyHelpForChristians.com, a site that promotes "a frugal, simple, debt-free, and generous lifestyle so Christians can faithfully maximize their resources by putting them at the disposal of God’s Kingdom." He is also a missionary in Papua New Guinea.

In this excerpt from Craig's book, adapted for this blog post, he looks at finding the right balance between saving (which the Bible encourages) and hoarding (which it doesn't).

All of us find ourselves somewhere on the money spectrum below. We squander, save, or hoard money.

But you'll note there are no vertical lines marking the boundaries where the extremes begin. For example, there is no line marking the place where saving ends and hoarding begins. As a commenter to my blog asked, "What is hoarding and what is just shrewd financial management?"

This answer may frustrate you, but there is, quite simply, no final, definitive, or standardized way to answer that question.

However, let me suggest four keys that may help you find the balance between saving and hoarding in your own life.

1. Remember, you are not God's standard. "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:3)

Yes, it is important that Christians hold each other accountable in our actions. But accountability can cross a fine line and become judgmentalism. That is a dangerous line to cross. Your job isn't to monitor the saving habits of others, but to be a faithful steward with what you have been entrusted.

Your particular financial situation is not God's standard. In other words, you cannot say that if someone has more stuff than you they are hoarding. Nor can you say that if someone has less than you they must be squandering their money.

The decision about how much to save (as well as to spend and to give) is one of proportion — proportionate to your income, proportionate to your call, proportionate to your faith, proportionate to your joy, and proportionate to your giftedness.

2. Recognize your God-given limitations. Speaking in reference to third-world missions, missiologist Paul Hiebert wrote, "There are limits to our ability to identify with another culture…. We must identify as closely as we can...but not at the expense of our sanity and ministry."

Taking this principle into the financial area, we all have limitations about what we can do. Some families save money by staying at home and never eating out. They love the experience of preparing meals at home. Other families may eat out often because they strongly dislike preparing meals. Is one family more "spiritual" than another? Absolutely not.

We all need to stretch and grow, but at the same time, we need to recognize that God hasn't created us all alike. We all spend money on certain categories that others would consider extravagant.

3. Consider what gives you joy. I think the key to the question of the right saving balance revolves around this very important word: joy. Consider two believers in very different spheres.

Mother Teresa, by all accounts, was an amazing woman. Though living in the slums of Calcutta, she lived life with joy. Her poverty wasn't a burden. She answered her call, recognized her passions, and lived a life that completely overflowed with joy.

Dave Ramsey, on the other hand, is a financially successful man who is passionate about helping other people build wealth. He recognizes that his wealth is a blessing from God. He also recognizes his passions and lives a life that is, in his own words, "better than I deserve."

4. Check your motives. You might have unhealthy reasons for saving. You might save out of fear or greed. This leads to hoarding. Ultimately, your motivations dramatically impact the end result. Saving becomes hoarding when you do it out of unhealthy motivations.

Remember, saving and giving should always be practiced at the same time. Those who save and do not give exemplify the traits of a hoarder. Saving in excess is a sign of greed, lack of trust, and a love of money (see Luke 12:13-21).

For a free download (through Feb. 8) of Craig's e-book, The Bible and 21st Century Finances: Thought-Provoking Answers to Nine Common Questions, go here for details.

Next Friday: more ideas for making the most of what you have. Have a great weekend!

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Category(s): Christian Interest, Family Finances
Tag(s): hoarding, savings

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"A Savior has been born to you"

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever; his kingdom will never end."

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God."...

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests....

When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took [the child] to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord....

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah.

Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
   you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
   which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
   and the glory of your people Israel.

The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him....

When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

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Category(s): Christian Interest
Tag(s): Christmas

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What would it be like if you didn't own a single thing?

Once a month, we invite a guest blogger to write our Personal Financial Friday post.

Today we're pleased to introduce you to Jason Price of OneMoneyDesign.com, a site aimed at helping people "achieve true financial freedom." The title of his blog comes from three key truths:

• There is One owner of money (God);
• Our job is to manage Money as stewards;
• We can manage wisely if we follow God's Design.

Jason is also a Money Map Coach for Crown Financial Ministries and, in his spare time, he's pretty fair soccer player (so we're told). Jason and his family make their home in Texas — so, we take you now to the Lone Star State and Jason Price!

      No, it's mine!
            MINE, MINE, MINE!
      Give it back to me!
            It's my toy!

If you have small children running around your house, you probably hear these words often. I have two little ones. The two-year-old is now old enough to walk over to his five-year-old sister and take something away from her when she's not looking. Within a few seconds, my wife and I starting hearing all the words I quoted above — and at a pretty loud volume!

Even if you don't have small children running around your house, I am sure you've heard strong claims to ownership. In fact, if you're like most of us, you've probably made such claims yourself.

The sense of ownership ("It's mine! Mine!") is buried deep within our imperfect human nature. Even as adults, we tend to have powerful feelings about owning our money and resources. Do any of these phrases ring a bell?

• "It's my money and I'll do with it as I please."
• "I've worked hard all week — now I'm going to go buy something with my money."
• "I deserve it!"

But let me challenge these assumptions. Is what we have really "ours"? Is it really "our" money to do with as we please? God's Word tells a different story:

To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. (Deut. 10:14)

The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. (Psalm 24:1)

Scripture says God has full ownership of this world. And yes, "our" money is included! A recent Crown Financial Ministries devotional discussed the implications of that truth:

Ownership: God or you?

Once you accept the fact that God owns everything, it's important to manage all you have according to His rules (emphasis added). It's how you manage money that determines how you will manage greater things.

"For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either" (1 Timothy 6:7).

Even though God is the owner, He's entrusted money and resources into our care. He expects a lot from us in this area of life. As the Crown devotional suggests, perhaps he's testing us to see how we might manage greater responsibilities than a paycheck. Consider these verses.

Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:2)

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. (Luke 16:10)

In our personal money management, we prove ourselves to be good stewards of what belongs to God. And Scripture suggests that performing such financial duties faithfully puts us in a position that allows God to entrust us with even greater things.

These "greater things" may or may not be financial. That is up to the Lord. But regardless of the form they take, the Bible says that God looks to his trustworthy stewards to bear even greater responsibilities in His kingdom mission.

Are you claiming to be an owner? Or are you recognizing that you're a steward?

Thanks, Jason!

Hey, if you're a financial blogger and would like to offer a guest post for our Personal Finance Friday slot, we'd love to hear from you. Just send us an e-mail with your idea for a post.

Just one more thing: Be sure to check out SMI's special Christmas offer: a 30-day free trial Web membership (offer good through Dec. 31)!

Spend wisely — and have a great weekend!

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Category(s): Christian Interest
Tag(s): Personal Finance Friday, stewardship

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A Thanksgiving prayer

Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise for all that you’ve done for us. We thank you for the splendor of the whole creation, for the wonder of life, and for the mystery of love.

We thank you for the blessing of family and friends, and for the loving care which surrounds us on every side.

We thank you for our successes, which satisfy and delight us — but also for the disappointments and failures that lead us to acknowledge our dependence on you alone.

Above all, we thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ — for the truth of his Word and the example of his life.

We thank you for his dying, through which he overcame death — and for his rising to life again, in which we are raised to the life of your Kingdom.

Father, may we — at all times and in all places — give thanks to you in all things. Amen.

Posted by Joseph at 4:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Category(s): Christian Interest
Tag(s): gratitude, Prayer

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In God We Trust — uh, don't we?

Have you ever played that game where one person has to close her eyes, fold her arms over her chest, and fall backward into the arms of friends or co-workers? It's called the "Trust Fall." If you're the person falling backward, you have to trust that the folks behind you are going to catch you so you don't hit the ground.

I thought of that game when reading this passage from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6):

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also....

So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

I suspect the reason we tend to worry is that we're just not sure God is going to be there to catch us. We know God is big and strong, but somehow we're just not convinced that He knows our particular address. We think if something happens to us, God may be otherwise occupied with important cosmic events and not notice us.

But Jesus is saying here, "Think of who you're talking about: your heavenly Father. He's not just powerful, He has a father's heart — in the very best sense of the term. He not only has the power (beyond measure) but the love, the care, and the concern to take care of what you need."

Do we believe that?

Jesus also says that when we don't trust God, we act like the pagans — nonbelievers. To them, the idea that God might act on their behalf simply isn't part of the equation. But to us who follow Christ, Jesus says, "Your heavenly Father knows what you need. Trust Him."

Our task is to "seek first" (to focus, to live for) God's "kingdom and his righteousness." We're to make the Kingdom our top priority. We do that by investing ourselves in the Kingdom. We decide, by faith, that the Kingdom is where we're going to invest our time, our talent, our treasure.

It all belongs to God anyway.

Guess what? God already knows whether or not you and I trust Him. 
But how do we know it? It's easy for us to fool ourselves. We can say we trust God, but too often, we're don't trust Him enough to fold our arms, close our eyes, and fall backward, trusting that He's going to catch us.



"But God, I need all of this money. If I give some away, I won't have enough!"

Jesus says, "O ye of little faith. You have a heavenly Father who knows what you need. Trust Him."

Investing in the Kingdom doesn't tell God where our hearts are. It tells us where our hearts are. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

"In God we trust." We do — don't we?

Posted by Joseph at 9:55 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Category(s): Christian Interest
Tag(s): Faith, Trusting God

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Austin Pryor returns to national radio in triumph   :-)

Well, that was interesting. Last night, I went along with son Andrew (SMI's esteemed webmaster) to visit with friend Hugh Hewitt, who was in town (Louisville, Ky.) doing his talk show for the evening. Hugh usually broadcasts from Southern California, and has (according to Talkers magazine) an audience estimated to be about 1.75+ million listeners who tune in at some point during the average week.

Hugh was in town for personal reasons, and was broadcasting from the studios of his local Salem Radio Network affiliate. The drawing card for us was not only a chance to visit with Hugh again, but to also connect with some Young Life friends who head up the YL outreaches in the UK — Tom and Ninie Hammon.

Andrew and I and our wives are friends and financial supporters of the Hammons, and always enjoy our visits to learn the latest about their efforts in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Hugh had invited them to be interviewed on his program last night.

It was really Andrew's deal, but at the last minute he invited me to tag along. Thought it would be fun to see everyone, and also be in a radio studio again. As many of you may know, I was a regular guest on Larry Burkett's call-in program throughout the 1990s, and continued on with Howard Dayton for a few years after Larry went home to heaven.

The last thing I was expecting was to be on the air, speaking off the cuff, to a national audience. But that's what happened. On something of an impulse, Hugh asked if I would be willing to do a segment and talk a little about SMI as well as the market's wild behavior yesterday. No prep time, but being the seasoned veteran that I am, I foolishly agreed.

It was fun, went by quickly, and it wasn't until this morning that I began thinking of how I might have expressed myself better. So I decided to give myself something of a "do-over" and write all about it in the upcoming June issue of the Sound Mind Investing newsletter. Look for my editorial "What I Should Have Said" (working title).

If you'd like to hear what, in fact, I did say, you can listen to that below. The first two segments contain Hugh's interview with Tom Hammon. I believe you'll find it very interesting — Hugh, Andrew, and I sure did. Then I come along in segment three. Those segments cover a total of about 25 minutes.

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Category(s): Christian Interest, Current Market Events
Tag(s): christian investing, missions, radio

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Foolish talk

This is April Fools' Day, but of course we're much too mature at Sound Mind Investing to play silly pranks on each other (ahem). Instead, we have engaged ourselves in a high-minded philosophical discussion of foolishness, recalling famous quotes about fools.

Here are three you'll probably recognize:

• "A fool and his money are soon parted" (English poet Thomas Tusser).
• "Wealth is the slave of a wise man, the master of a fool." (Seneca the Younger).
• "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose" (missionary Jim Elliot, paraphrasing missionary Amy Carmichael).

Of course, the best source for wise talk about fools and foolishness comes from the Bible — and guess what? A lot of what Scripture has to say has clear implications in the financial/investing area.

• "The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice" (Proverbs 12:15).
• "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm" (Proverbs 13:20).
• "Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom?" (Proverbs 17:16).
• "The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure" (Ecclesiastes 7:4, reminding us that our earthly lives won't last forever).
• "[E]veryone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand" (Jesus in Matthew 7:26).

In Luke 12, Jesus told a parable about self-focused foolishness — and again, there is a clear financial aspect:

The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, "What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops."

Then he said, "This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, 'You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.'"

But God said to him, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?"

This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God. (Luke 12:16-21)

Tomorrow is Good Friday, so we'll wrap up with this very appropriate "foolish" Scripture:

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18).

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Category(s): Christian Interest

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In scary times, looking to the God who gives a "sound mind"

Here is an interesting tidbit from former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson's new book, On the Brink: Inside the Race to Stop the Collapse of the Global Financial System.

Back in my temporary office on the 13th floor, a jolt of fear suddenly overcame me as I thought of what lay ahead of us. Lehman was as good as dead, and AIG's problems were spiraling out of control. With the U.S. sinking deeper into recession, the failure of a large financial institution would reverberate throughout the country — and far beyond our shores. It would take years for us to dig ourselves out from under such a disaster.

All weekend I'd been wearing my crisis armor, but now I felt my guard slipping. I knew I had to call my wife, but I didn't want to do it from the landline in my office because other people were there. So I walked around the corner to a spot near some windows. Wendy had just returned from church. I told her about Lehman's unavoidable bankruptcy and the looming problems with AIG.

"What if the system collapses?" I asked her. "Everybody is looking to me, and I don't have the answer. I am really scared."

I asked her to pray for me, and for the country, and to help me cope with this sudden onslaught of fear. She immediately quoted from the Second Book of Timothy, verse 1:7—"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

The Wall Street Journal has a longer version of this excerpt, courtesy of the Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Posted by Joseph at 3:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Category(s): Christian Interest
Tag(s): christian financial, christian investing, investing principles, IRAs & 401ks, retirement, stock market

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What is the recession for?

I don't do a lot of listening to sermons and other material (mainly because I don't focus well on other tasks while I'm listening to something else). Blessed with more than enough to keep busy with at work, a relatively short commute, and a busy family life, that doesn't leave a lot of time to sit and listen.

However, I made time to listen to a John Piper sermon this morning titled What is the Recession For? Wow. Great stuff. Made me feel a little guilty that I haven't been contemplating and writing more along those lines these past several months. The text of the link above is good, but is more of a short summary (not word for word), so I strongly encourage you to listen to it or watch it if you can. (Download and podcast links are also available.)

Piper explores five of God's purposes in this recession:

1. He intends for this recession to expose hidden sin and so bring us to repentance and cleansing.
2. He intends to wake us up to the constant and desperate condition of the developing world where there is always and only recession of the worst kind.
3. He intends to relocate the roots of our joy in his grace rather than in our goods, in his mercy rather than our money, in his worth rather than our wealth.
4. He intends to advance his saving mission in the world — the spread of the gospel and the growth of his church — precisely at a time when human resources are least able to support it. This is how he guards his glory.
5. He intends for the church to care for its hurting members and to grow in the gift of love.

The point of my first paragraph was simply to point out that I don't take it lightly recommending you spend 42 minutes watching or listening to this sermon. But if you can find the time, I think it will be well worth the investment.

Posted by Mark at 11:09 AM | Comments (0)
Category(s): Christian Interest, Economy

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"I will keep on expecting you to help me. I praise you more and more."

These regular posts from the Living Psalms were initiated when the market was at its lows and the economic outlook was grim. As conditions have begun to improve, you may have become a little more optimistic. The soothing words of the Psalms don't seem quite as relevant when the sky isn't falling. We're at the halfway point of the Psalms, and I think this may be a good place to temporarily halt these posts as we wait to see what the summer holds for us. Regardless, our hope, as always, is in the Lord.

Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing of his glorious name! Tell the world how wonderful he is. How awe-inspiring are your deeds, O God! How great your power! ... Let everyone bless God and sing his praises; for he holds our lives in his hands, and he holds our feet to the path. ... Come and hear, all of you who reverence the Lord, and I will tell you what he did for me: For I cried to him for help with praises ready on my tongue. He would not have listened if I had not confessed my sins. But he listened! He heard my prayer! He paid attention to it! Blessed be God, who didn’t turn away when I was praying and didn’t refuse me his kindness and love. From Psalm 66

I will keep on expecting you to help me. I praise you more and more. I cannot count the times when you have faithfully rescued me from danger. I will tell everyone how good you are, and of your constant, daily care. I walk in the strength of the Lord God. I tell everyone that you alone are just and good. O God, you have helped me from my earliest childhood—and I have constantly testified to others of the wonderful things you do. ... Your power and goodness, Lord, reach to the highest heavens. You have done such wonderful things. Where is there another God like you? From Psalm 71

You love me! You are holding my right hand! You will keep on guiding me all my life with your wisdom and counsel, and afterwards receive me into the glories of heaven! Whom have I in heaven but you? And I desire no one on earth as much as you! My health fails; my spirits droop, yet God remains! He is the strength of my heart; he is mine forever! ... I get as close to him as I can! I have chosen him, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful ways he rescues me. From Psalm 73

How we thank you, Lord! Your mighty miracles give proof that you care. From Psalm 75

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Category(s): Christian Interest

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"This one thing I know: God is for me!"

Admit it ... you feel a lot better about your financial life since I started posting these passages from the Living Psalms (the last one is here). Of course it doesn't hurt that the market is up 24% since my first Psalms post on March 10. But even if it were still at lower levels, it's always good to be reassured that our heavenly Father is in control, is utterly faithful to His children, and can be trusted to provide our "daily bread."

When I am afraid, I will put my confidence in you. Yes, I will trust the promises of God. And since I am trusting him, what can mere man do to me? ... This one thing I know: God is for me! I am trusting God—oh, praise his promises! From Psalm 56

O God, have pity, for I am trusting you! I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until this storm is past. I will cry to the God of heaven who does such wonders for me. He will send down help from heaven to save me because of his love and his faithfulness.... O God, my heart is quiet and confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!... Your kindness and love are as vast as the heavens. Your faithfulness is higher than the skies. Yes, be exalted, O God, above the heavens. May your glory shine throughout the earth. From Psalm 57

O God my Strength! I will sing your praises, for you are my place of safety. My God is changeless in his love for me, and he will come and help me.... I will sing each morning about your power and mercy. For you have been my high tower of refuge, a place of safety in the day of my distress. O my Strength, to you I sing my praises; for you are my high tower of safety, my God of mercy. From Psalm 59

How I wish I could go into your sanctuary to see your strength and glory, for your love and kindness are better to me than life itself. How I praise you! I will bless you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. At last I shall be fully satisfied; I will praise you with great joy. From Psalm 63

Posted by Austin at 5:06 PM | Comments (0)
Category(s): Christian Interest

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Interstate Batteries

A friend of mine posted this on his Facebook page. I thought you'd be interested to hear about one of the corporate good guys, since it's usually the bad apples that get the attention.

Interstate Batteries - God's Love Commercial

Posted by Mark at 4:25 PM | Comments (0)
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Go see "The Cross"

I've been posting weekly encouragement from the Psalms ... last week's is here.

This week I want to send another kind of encouragement your way. I've just returned from watching The Cross, a documentary on the life and ministry of Arthur Blessitt. Before going, all I really knew about him was that he had traveled the world carrying a cross. It was a strange ministry, to say the least.

I came away so impressed with his faithfulness, courage, and humility. The film was much more moving and inspiring than I anticipated. If you want to be encouraged this week, go see it. Take others with you. I would think it will also speak to teens. It's hard to imagine a Christian going to see it and not hearing/seeing at least one or two things that they can relate to and apply to their spiritual walk.

As for non-Christians, they would see a loving, living, breathing example of the Christian faith. The gospel is there to be seen, but not in a confrontive way at all. I'd be surprised if they were offended by anything in the film. They may or may not be attracted to the gospel, but they can't help being impressed with Arthur Blessitt.

"The Cross" is slowly being released around the country. You can check out whether it's playing in your area here. Highly recommended!

Posted by Austin at 4:45 PM | Comments (0)
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"I want you to trust me in your times of trouble, so I can rescue you and you can give me glory."

We continue to look to the Lord for wisdom ("I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better" Ephesians 1:17) and the Psalms for encouragement:

But, O my soul, don’t be discouraged. Don’t be upset. Expect God to act! For I know that I shall again have plenty of reason to praise him for all that he will do. He is my help! He is my God! From Psalm 42

O my soul, why be so gloomy and discouraged? Trust in God! I shall again praise him for his wondrous help; he will make me smile again, for he is my God! From Psalm 43

God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble. And so we need not fear... From Psalm 46

For all the animals of field and forest are mine! The cattle on a thousand hills! And all the birds upon the mountains! ... for all the world is mine and everything in it.... I want you to trust me in your times of trouble, so I can rescue you and you can give me glory. From Psalm 50

Earlier weekly selections from the Psalms can be found here: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, and Week 5.

Posted by Austin at 5:02 PM | Comments (0)
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"May the joy of the Lord be given to everyone who loves him and his salvation."

As is our custom, the SMI office is closed today for Good Friday. But I'm dropping by the blog briefly to post our weekly meditations from the Psalms (previous such posts can be found here). Today I've gathered our passages from Psalms 36-40.

Your steadfast love, O Lord, is as great as all the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.... How precious is your constant love, O God! All humanity takes refuge in the shadow of your wings. You feed them with blessings from your own table and let them drink from your rivers of delight. For you are the Fountain of life; our light is from your light. Pour out your unfailing love on those who know you! Never stop giving your blessings to those who long to do your will. From Psalm 36

Be delighted with the Lord. Then he will give you all your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him to help you do it, and he will.... all who humble themselves before the Lord shall be given every blessing and shall have wonderful peace.... Day by day the Lord observes the good deeds done by godly men, and gives them eternal rewards. He cares for them when times are hard; even in famine, they will have enough.... The steps of good men are directed by the Lord. He delights in each step they take. If they fall it isn’t fatal, for the Lord holds them with his hand. I have been young and now I am old. And in all my years I have never seen the Lord forsake a man who loves him; nor have I seen the children of the godly go hungry. Instead, the godly are able to be generous with their gifts and loans to others, and their children are a blessing.... Don’t be impatient for the Lord to act! Keep traveling steadily along his pathway and in due season he will honor you with every blessing.... The Lord saves the godly! He is their salvation and their refuge when trouble comes. Because they trust in him, he helps them and delivers them from the plots of evil men. From Psalm 37

Lord, help me to realize how brief my time on earth will be. Help me to know that I am here for but a moment more. My life is no longer than my hand! My whole lifetime is but a moment to you. Proud man! Frail as breath! A shadow! And all his busy rushing ends in nothing. He heaps up riches for someone else to spend. And so, Lord, my only hope is in you. From Psalm 39

I waited patiently for God to help me; then he listened and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair... and set my feet on a hard, firm path, and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, of praises to our God. Now many will hear of the glorious things he did for me, and stand in awe before the Lord, and put their trust in him. Many blessings are given to those who trust the Lord.... may the joy of the Lord be given to everyone who loves him and his salvation. May they constantly exclaim, "How great God is!" From Psalm 40

Posted by Austin at 4:01 PM | Comments (0)
Category(s): Christian Interest

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Training inmates to become legitimate entrepreneurs

The Washington Times has an update on Catherine Rohr, the woman who quit her Wall Street job and now helps turn prisoners into businessmen. (We first mentioned her in a post last summer.)

In 2004, while helping out with a Prison Fellowship outreach at a Texas prison, it occurred to Ms. Rohr that "the very entrepreneurial skills that landed these drug dealers and thieves in prison might be the very thing that could help them get back on the right track," according to the Times.

[S]he secured permission from the Texas Department of Corrections to launch the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP), where murderers, burglars and drug lords are given the chance to become businessmen....

In five years, the program has graduated more than 400 prisoners. Ninety-eight percent have landed steady jobs within four weeks of release, most making at least $11 per hour. Fifty-eight have started their own businesses, ranging from T-shirt printing to software development.

PEP now has nearly 1,500 volunteers involved in training, including more than 1,000 business executives and 450 MBA students from 24 schools.

Many graduates [from the PEP program] find well-paying jobs, and several become the entrepreneurs they dreamed they would be. While more than half of the nation´s prisoners are rearrested within three years, PEP's recidivism rate is less than 10 percent.

The Times story is a welcome reminder in a world of bad news that good things are happening too.

Posted by Joseph at 4:19 PM | Comments (0)
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"I will praise the Lord no matter what happens. I will constantly speak of his glories and grace."

With the market up 20%+ over the past four weeks, perhaps your anxiety is falling a bit. Nevertheless, our hope is not in the market's recovery but in the faithfulness of our Father in heaven. Here are this week's selections from the Psalms (chapter 34, TLB) to remind us to keep looking up:

I will praise the Lord no matter what happens. I will constantly speak of his glories and grace. I will boast of all his kindness to me. Let all who are discouraged take heart. Let us praise the Lord together and exalt his name. For I cried to him and he answered me! He freed me from all my fears. Others too were radiant at what he did for them. Theirs was no downcast look of rejection! This poor man cried to the Lord — and the Lord heard him and saved him out of his troubles. For the Angel of the Lord guards and rescues all who reverence him.

Oh, put God to the test and see how kind he is! See for yourself the way his mercies shower down on all who trust in him. If you belong to the Lord, reverence him; for everyone who does this has everything he needs. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those of us who reverence the Lord will never lack any good thing.

For the eyes of the Lord are intently watching all who live good lives, and he gives attention when they cry to him. But the Lord has made up his mind to wipe out even the memory of evil men from the earth. Yes, the Lord hears the good man when he calls to him for help and saves him out of all his troubles. The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking; he rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins. The good man does not escape all troubles — he has them too. But the Lord helps him in each and every one.

Earlier selections can be found here: Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3.

Posted by Austin at 11:44 AM | Comments (0)
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"Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need!"

My final blog of last week was a downer, so thought we'd finish this time on an up note. Here's the latest in our weekly series of encouraging passages from the Psalms. This week's selections are from Psalms 21-33 (TLB):

Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need! ... He gives me new strength. He helps me do what honors him the most.... Your goodness and unfailing kindness shall be with me all of my life, and afterwards I will live with you forever in your home. From Psalm 23

Show me the path where I should go, O Lord; point out the right road for me to walk. Lead me; teach me; for you are the God who gives me salvation. I have no hope except in you.... The Lord is good and glad to teach the proper path to all who go astray; he will teach the ways that are right and best to those who humbly turn to him. And when we obey him, every path he guides us on is fragrant with his loving-kindness and his truth. From Psalm 25

The Lord is my light and my salvation; he protects me from danger—whom shall I fear? ... Don’t be impatient. Wait for the Lord, and he will come and save you! Be brave, stouthearted, and courageous. Yes, wait and he will help you. From Psalm 27

Let your favor shine again upon your servant; save me just because you are so kind! ... Oh, how great is your goodness to those who publicly declare that you will rescue them. For you have stored up great blessings for those who trust and reverence you.... So cheer up! Take courage if you are depending on the Lord. From Psalm 31

Let all the joys of the godly well up in praise to the Lord, for it is right to praise him.... For all God’s words are right, and everything he does is worthy of our trust. He loves whatever is just and good; the earth is filled with his tender love.... No wonder we are happy in the Lord! For we are trusting him. We trust his holy name. Yes, Lord, let your constant love surround us, for our hopes are in you alone. From Psalm 33

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Free gift book for blog readers (while supplies last)

In celebration of Christmas 2003, I offered John Piper's The Dangerous Duty of Delight to SMI readers. It's an adaptation of his Desiring God book, one that was wonderfully meaningful to me during some difficult days in the late 1980s. Perhaps this message would be encouraging to some of you during these challenging financial times and/or as an Easter meditation.

It's come to my attention that we have about 50 of these still on hand. I'm offering them to our blog readers on a first come, first serve basis. You can read more about the book, along with reader reviews both pro and con, here.

If you are interested in reading this book and would like to request a free copy, email your request to feedback@soundmindinvesting.com. Please include your name and mailing address (U.S. addresses only) and put "Piper Gift Book" in the subject line. Enjoy it with my best wishes.

Update: Boy, you blog readers are a very spiritual group (or you just like free stuff). One-half of the books were gone within a few hours of the posting, and the rest were claimed overnight. Sorry, but we had more requests than books available. The books are going out today, and should be arriving within the next week. If you asked but didn't receive, take heart ... there'll be another book offer in the next month or two.

Posted by Austin at 11:54 AM | Comments (0)
Category(s): Christian Interest

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"My contentment is not in wealth but in seeing you and knowing all is well between us."

Last week, in a reminder that we are to keep our eyes up, I posted the first in a series of encouraging passages from the Psalms. This week's selections are from Psalms 11-20 (TLB):

The Lord is still in his holy temple; he still rules from heaven. He closely watches everything that happens here on earth.... For God is good, and he loves goodness; the godly shall see his face. From Psalm 11

I will always trust in you and in your mercy and shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord because he has blessed me so richly. From Psalm 13

Save me, O God, because I have come to you for refuge. I said to him, "You are my Lord; I have no other help but yours." ... The Lord himself is my inheritance, my prize. He is my food and drink, my highest joy! He guards all that is mine. He sees that I am given pleasant brooks and meadows as my share! What a wonderful inheritance! I will bless the Lord who counsels me; he gives me wisdom in the night. He tells me what to do. I am always thinking of the Lord; and because he is so near, I never need to stumble or to fall. Heart, body, and soul are filled with joy.... You have let me experience the joys of life and the exquisite pleasures of your own eternal presence. From Psalm 16

My contentment is not in wealth but in seeing you and knowing all is well between us. And when I awake in heaven, I will be fully satisfied, for I will see you face to face. From Psalm 17

Lord, how I love you! For you have done such tremendous things for me. The Lord is my fort where I can enter and be safe... What a God he is! How perfect in every way! All his promises prove true. He is a shield for everyone who hides behind him. For who is God except our Lord? Who but he is as a rock? From Psalm 18

God’s laws are perfect. They protect us, make us wise, and give us joy and light. God’s laws are pure, eternal, just.... they warn us away from harm and give success to those who obey them.... May my spoken words and unspoken thoughts be pleasing even to you, O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer.
From Psalm 19

Posted by Austin at 2:33 PM | Comments (0)
Category(s): Christian Interest

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"Those who know your name trust in you..."

The mood of the market is dark. The mood of many SMI members is darker. Time to raise our eyes and look at our blessings and the One who has promised to protect and provide.

I've been reading in the Psalms (NLT) of late, and have selected various passages to pass along to you each week for a while. My hope is that you will be encouraged and strengthened. This week, from Psalms 1-10:

Oh, the joys of those who ... delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. From Psalm 1

You, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high. From Psalm 3

O God who declares me innocent. Free me from my troubles. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer. ... Many people say, "Who will show us better times?"? Let your face smile on us, Lord. You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. From Psalm 4

Let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy. For you bless the godly, O Lord; you surround them with your shield of love. From Psalm 5

Defend the righteous. For you look deep within the mind and heart, O righteous God. God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right. ... I will thank the Lord because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. From Psalm 7

The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you. From Psalm 9

Posted by Austin at 8:41 AM | Comments (0)
Category(s): Christian Interest

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Musical encouragement?

Everyone can use a little encouragement, so here's a musical first for the SMI blog - a praise song. It was sung at our church recently in connection with a sermon reminding us of God's faithfulness, even in the midst of economic upheaval. Here are the words:

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won't turn back
I know You are near


Chorus:
And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We'll live to know You here on the earth

Chorus repeats:

Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You

Warning for traditionalists: it gets a little loud. Not sure if Matt Redman writes your kind of music, but if you'd like to listen, go here and click on "You Never Let Go" in the music section. (Your browser may need additional plug-ins to play the song. Sorry, we can't troubleshoot that for you.)

Posted by Austin at 3:23 PM | Comments (0)
Category(s): Christian Interest

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Wesley's paradox

Long-time SMI contributor Mike Cave forwarded me an extremely insightful article recently, questioning whether free markets can survive in a secularized world. It begins:

The 18th Century English cleric and theologian John Wesley was troubled by a paradox that emerged as his teaching spread. He, like other Protestant thinkers stretching back to Calvin, taught that one could honor God through hard work and thrift. The subsequent burst of industry and frugality generated by Wesley's message improved the lot of many of his working-class followers and helped advance capitalism in England. But, "wherever riches have increased, the essence of religion has decreased in the same proportion,"? Wesley observed, and subsequently pride and greed are growing more common, he complained.

Wesley could see only the beginnings of this trend; two hundred years later, the world is reaping the full brunt of its aftermath. So where do we go from here?

The meltdown of the financial markets in the last few months has left us grappling with how we can keep markets free and principled at the same time. The only debate so far is between those who want more government regulation - who want to impose from the outside via the regulator's eye the restraint that our institutions once tried to instill in us - and those who think that more government will only undermine our prosperity. Neither side seems to be winning the public debate because most Americans are probably equally as appalled by the shortcomings of the markets as they are by the prospect of more government control of them.

A weighty subject to say the least. Can free markets stay free when the majority of their participants no longer hold to the traditional "Protestant Ethic"? While obviously a return to values like thrift and honesty aren't enough to save a man's soul, is it possible for our society to return to those values short of a widespread religious revival? And if so, will that be enough to allow another run of prosperity for our economy after the current poisons are flushed from the ailing economy's body?

Let's open this up and discuss - your comments on these questions, or any other related thoughts, are invited below.

Posted by Mark at 3:40 PM | Comments (0)
Category(s): Christian Interest, Economy

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On the radio

Ron Blue and Jeremy White discussed their new book, Surviving Financial Meltdown: Confident Decisions in an Uncertain World (Tyndale House) this week on the Focus on the Family radio program.

Part one is here, part two is here.

On Crown's MoneyLife program, Chuck Bentley chats today with Rusty Leonard of Stewardship Partners about "protecting your investments." Details here.

Posted by Joseph at 11:25 AM | Comments (0)
Category(s): Christian Interest, Family Finances

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