Whether you're in middle school, high school, or college, money is a big issue. You may be thinking, "Money? I don't have any. That's the issue." However, what's important about money is not how much you have; it's how you use it.
In the teen-friendly devotional, Charge it on the Master's Card, Charles Hadden Spurgeon writes, "If you want to be a true success, you must not cling selfishly to the money you make . . . Being stingy may be the world's path to prosperity, but it is not God's way." This truth is confirmed in Proverbs 11:24, "It is possible to give away and become richer! It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything" (TLB).
The temptation is extremely high in today's culture to have the latest gadgets, trends, cars, and clothes. But before you rush out and buy that new CD you've been dying to have, stop and ask God what He thinks.
It's not that God doesn't want to fulfill the desires of our heart, but He sees the "big picture," which you and I cannot see. He knows what your needs will be next weekend, tomorrow, and even two years from now. He also knows the blessings-spiritual, emotional, and financial-you'll receive from being a joyful giver.
Maybe you're in college, and applying for a credit card is something you would like to do for "emergency" only. Be sure those emergencies really are crucial-things like your car breaking down in the middle of the night. That's an emergency. However, going out to eat so you don't have to "suffer" through another cafeteria lunch is not vital.
Or perhaps you're in middle school and all your money comes from Mom and Dad. Just because it's not your money does not mean you shouldn't be wise in how you spend it. Instead of comparing your possessions with what your friends have, be honest with yourself and with God. What is it that you really need? Will that object of desire at the shopping mall really make you happy in the long run?
High school, or secondary school, is usually when students gain their first taste of freedom with money. Whether you have a part-time job or extra allowance, spending your money wisely is not natural and it's not easy. Here are some guidelines to help you:
1. Understand that all you have belongs to God. (Haggai 2:8)
2. Be sure your first "purchase" is tithing ten percent of your earnings to your local church. (Malachi 1:6-8, 13; Proverbs 3:9-10)
3. Ask the Father to "sanctify you by the truth" (John 17:17). Basically, that means that you live among friends and family who are concerned with how much they have, what brand name things are, etc., but you don't get sidetracked by such concerns. The "truth" Jesus spoke of is the Word of God.
4. Memorize Scripture that will help you evaluate whether a possible purchase is a "need" or a "want," and whether or not it's God's desire for you.
Above all, remember that the world and its ways, including its commander, Satan, are demanding. You'll be pulled in many directions to go against what you know is right.
However, God has given you His Holy Spirit to help you. So rest assured because Jesus has overcome the world. (John 16:33)
In the teen-friendly devotional, Charge it on the Master's Card, Charles Hadden Spurgeon writes, "If you want to be a true success, you must not cling selfishly to the money you make . . . Being stingy may be the world's path to prosperity, but it is not God's way." This truth is confirmed in Proverbs 11:24, "It is possible to give away and become richer! It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything" (TLB).
The temptation is extremely high in today's culture to have the latest gadgets, trends, cars, and clothes. But before you rush out and buy that new CD you've been dying to have, stop and ask God what He thinks.
It's not that God doesn't want to fulfill the desires of our heart, but He sees the "big picture," which you and I cannot see. He knows what your needs will be next weekend, tomorrow, and even two years from now. He also knows the blessings-spiritual, emotional, and financial-you'll receive from being a joyful giver.
Maybe you're in college, and applying for a credit card is something you would like to do for "emergency" only. Be sure those emergencies really are crucial-things like your car breaking down in the middle of the night. That's an emergency. However, going out to eat so you don't have to "suffer" through another cafeteria lunch is not vital.
Or perhaps you're in middle school and all your money comes from Mom and Dad. Just because it's not your money does not mean you shouldn't be wise in how you spend it. Instead of comparing your possessions with what your friends have, be honest with yourself and with God. What is it that you really need? Will that object of desire at the shopping mall really make you happy in the long run?
High school, or secondary school, is usually when students gain their first taste of freedom with money. Whether you have a part-time job or extra allowance, spending your money wisely is not natural and it's not easy. Here are some guidelines to help you:
1. Understand that all you have belongs to God. (Haggai 2:8)
2. Be sure your first "purchase" is tithing ten percent of your earnings to your local church. (Malachi 1:6-8, 13; Proverbs 3:9-10)
3. Ask the Father to "sanctify you by the truth" (John 17:17). Basically, that means that you live among friends and family who are concerned with how much they have, what brand name things are, etc., but you don't get sidetracked by such concerns. The "truth" Jesus spoke of is the Word of God.
4. Memorize Scripture that will help you evaluate whether a possible purchase is a "need" or a "want," and whether or not it's God's desire for you.
Above all, remember that the world and its ways, including its commander, Satan, are demanding. You'll be pulled in many directions to go against what you know is right.
However, God has given you His Holy Spirit to help you. So rest assured because Jesus has overcome the world. (John 16:33)
