“MANY
AMERICANS ARE HURTING THESE DAYS DUE TO ECONOMIC INVESTMENTS. ESPECIALLY THOSE
WHO INVESTED IN THE TECH STOCKS OF OUR NATION. IS IT RIGHT FOR A CHRISTIAN TO
INVEST AND PLAY THE MARKET?”
I’m Dennis
Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment we’ll talk about it…
…Well now it’s time to begin today’s study of our
topic I introduced a moment ago. Yes, investments these days for many,
worldwide, not to mention Americans surely are risky and often unprofitable.
The American Stock market took a deep dive last summer and has not recovered
since. Many investments of Christians and non-Christians joined in that dive
and left millions who planned to retire, stranded and virtually helpless. Some
Christians have concluded it was a judgment from God telling them they were
not to invest their funds in the stock market. Is this true? Is investing
unscriptural? Well after our first pause for a lovely musical moment, I’ll
return with the Bible’s answer to this modern day dilemma in my message
entitled: KEYS TO GOOD INVESTMENTS, stay tuned…
… First of all friend let me say this as a pastor and
Bible student. Investment of a Christian’s excess funds is NOT unscriptural.
Jesus gave a parable about investment, which can be summed up in one verse
within the parable.
Luke
19:13 (NIV) “So he called
ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’
he said, ‘until I come back.’”
Everyone, especially Christians must learn to invest
wisely, the excess funds we accumulate by God’s grace in this life. Now by
excess funds I mean any money, or valuables that goes beyond our daily needs
in the world in which we live. Daily needs do include not only a roof over our
heads and clothes on our backs, but savings for our necessary periods of rest
we call vacations, the unknown future and emergencies, and even retirement
years. But, if God has blessed us with an abundance above these necessary
areas and many have this, then God requires us to consider “investing”
those funds for His ultimate use and ministry.
Now, how is one to do this in a way that honors God? Well
to accomplish this we must learn to invest in ways that honor God and follow
His basic principles ¾
for, the real purpose in investing God’s funds, given to us as stewards, is
to do His will in this world and advance His kingdom through the means given
to us. Well, I want to share with you some keys to good investment, but first
let’s pause one more time for another moment of music, then I’ll return
with my thoughts on investment taken from God’s wonderful Word…
“Man
must choose whether to be rich in things or in freedom to use them”
so said Ivan Illich. How right he was too. The first
question every Christian must answer is “do the things of this world
control me or do I maintain control?” In the world of money and finance,
this tender balance can easily shift to the place where we who know Jesus
Christ and love Him, can turn away from the good stewardship God wants in our
lives. This is possibly very evident in our prosperous nation and times today.
I believe many Christians are living above the means God wants for them and
poorly investing His wealth. Many today spend their excess frivolously on
themselves, or decadently wasting it in building a kingdom here and now and
not in the hereafter.
Well, let’s begin by answering the common charge that
investing in the stock market is a form of gambling. First off, I think that
is an unfair blanket statement. All “wise” investing is not gambling, and
in order to understand how and what would qualify, let’s list six principles
for every Christian to consider, in investing one’s surplus for God’s
glory and their own good.
1.
BEFORE INVESTING ANY EXCESS FUNDS GOD HAS ALLOWED YOU TO HAVE OR ACCUMULATE,
TAKE TIME TO PRAY FOR GOD’S GUIDANCE
– Indeed everything a Christian does should be bathed in prayer, but
especially how God would want us to invest His funds under our care. The Bible
says,
1
Th 5:17 (NNAS) “pray without ceasing;”
Eph
6:18 (NNAS) “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the
Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and
petition for all the saints,”
Prayer is vital for us to
know God’s daily leading in our lives, especially in what we are to do
with the funds He has provided for us as stewards of His wealth. Secondly,
2.
BE SURE TO EXAMINE ALL INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE WHAT WILL OR WILL NOT
HONOR GOD. – In this area I believe no Christian should
invest in any “get rich quick” schemes or high-risk investment. Now, some
believe if they have excess money it doesn’t matter if they lose it, but if
they gain a huge increase it was worth the risk. Not so! God does not want us
investing in anything that abuses the system of good, hard and honest work.
Some years ago a goodly number of Christian organizations from colleges to
mission ministries were duped into investing in a high interest scheme for an
almost instant doubling of their funds. To their shame and God’s
displeasure, it failed and they lost all their investments. So we must begin
by examining the investment opportunities.
Now here’s a key to a good investment ¾
Does the investment opportunity offer “secure” income that generates cash
with very little risk? Secure and long-term investments are usually government
and bank securities such as treasury notes, savings accounts, CDs, insured
money funds, municipal bonds, mortgages etc. Although they have small growth
income, they are usually stable and come with compounding interest. I believe
a Christian should first invest in these forms of income producing
investments, so that the Lord’s money is secure and any or all interest
earned can be used for God’s kingdom work over a long term too. Third,
3.
IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS FOR FURTHER INVESTMENT BE SURE TO DIVERSIFY
- This means “don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”
The Bible gives this good advice in the wisdom of King Solomon who
said,
Eccl
11:2 (NLT) “Divide your
gifts among many, for you do not know what risks might lie ahead.”
After understanding your investment risks, I do believe
one can further invest in what is called
“growth investments.” These forms of investment go beyond the
safety of secure investments, and offer a better return on your money. For
instance, growth investments may include purchasing undeveloped land, housing,
and mutual funds. By spreading your surplus over a series of stocks, bonds,
and other higher risk businesses, one can hedge any quick losses. Mutual funds
allow you to take advantage of professional advisors who carefully invest in
various blue-chip stocks and bonds. Now remember, there is a greater risk
here, but not outside the limits of the Lord’s call for His children to “put
the money to work… until {Lord} comes back” (Luke 19:13).
Such further diversity might include investing in some
“SPECULATIVE INVESTMENTS.” What are these? Well, they include the common
stock market stocks, bonds, and more aggressive mutual funds and even precious
metals. The downside here is although the investor can gain much more quickly
a sizable profit on his investment, he can also lose it equally. However, if
one enters with a long-term investment mentality, it usually pays off with
good dividends. Someone once said,
“THE SECRET TO STOCK MARKET SUCCESS IS TIME ¾
NOT TIMING!”
Indeed, one must be willing to place his/her investments
in long term growth investments which will in the end usually pay its promised
dividends. Now fourthly …
4.
IF AFTER THIS, YOU STILL HAVE FUNDS TO INVEST I BELIEVE IT IS WRONG FOR A
CHRISTIAN TO INVEST IN HIGH-RISK INVESTMENTS – This is
where I think the concept of gambling comes in. Gambling is the goal to get
something for little to nothing in investment. In order to do this someone has
to lose for the other to gain. “High-risk” investments are all over the
stock market. They offer short-term interest upwards of 50-500% or more. The
can include precious metals, fossil fuels, precious gems, limited
partnerships, penny stocks, commodities futures, hedge funds and now many
technology stocks. The latter,
has recently bitten their investors with losses upwards of 70-100% over the
past year.
Now, what does the Bible say about gambling and get-rich
quick schemes?
Prov
28:20 (NLT) “The trustworthy will get a rich reward. But the
person who wants to get rich quick will only get into trouble.”
Prov
28:22 (NLT) “A greedy person tries to get rich quick, but it only
leads to poverty.”
Prov
13:11 (NLT) “Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly
disappears; wealth from hard work grows.”
We gamble when we try to get money without earning it in
a way that benefits at the expense of another. Therefore, many stocks and
investment schemes that promise quick and substantial returns on your
investment can only do that at another’s expense, if at all possible. If you
determine to invest in more stable speculative stocks,
the key is (1) don’t rush in. Pray, examine and see if it fits in
God’s plans for His investment. (2) Don’t
become a day trader, trying to rush in and out the moment you make
a profit. Long-term investment is the basis of a good economy and protects the
companies who open themselves to your investments.
Lastly I want to speak to a sensitive issue for
Christians only…
5.
CONSIDER INVESTING IN BIBLICALLY BASED STOCKS, BONDS AND FUNDS
– What do I mean? I think it’s important that a Christian consider
investing, first of all in companies that are not involved in societal evil
such as ¾
abortion, pornography, alcohol, and tobacco, gambling or anything Biblically
immoral or harmful to society. As these things are highly displeasing to God
and under His coming wrath, we should not invest our Christian funds, if we
can help it, in such businesses that heavily invest in promoting and
continuing to keep the world supplied with such evil. How can we as Christians
knowingly do this and consider being in God’s good graces?
I know many Christians have never thought about it, but
now you know it’s time to consider where you invest, and if you find your
money is with companies and firms that are majoring in these evil things,
it’s time to get out as soon as possible. Consider the fact that there are
conservative growth no-load mutual funds that carefully avoid investing in any
businesses that do not honor God and His Word. I also believe God will honor
them for doing it too. The Bible says,
1
Sam 2:30 (NKJV) “… for
those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly
esteemed.”
This is a basic principle God wants all Christians to
know. “If” we follow it, God will bless us. If we knowingly ignore it, God
cannot and will not bless us. Lastly, here’s another key to good investments
for a Christian,
6.
EVERY CHRISTIAN MUST BE INVOLVED IN INVESTING FOR THE FUTURE –
Some hearing this broadcast will say. “That’s fine preacher for
those who have money, but I can’t invest in anything, I’m too poor.”
I say to you ¾
nonsense! Every American has something to invest, for it begins with our
offerings to God. Every time you get your paycheck or dividends, you should
put aside a portion to give immediately to God through a Christ honoring local
bible-believing church! Yes, God commands, not suggests that we do this. Now
unlike some of my brother preachers in the Lord, I do not believe God commands
tithing today in the form of 10% of all income to go to the church. That would
be nice. The average church today gets about 1-2% of America’s church going
people’s incomes. BUT… God does tell us to give generously, systematically
and regularly from a willing heart in thankfulness. The amount must be your
personal choice gift given back to God in honor of, “so great salvation.”
I don’t think one can honestly believe it could be less than the 10-23 % the
Old Testament saint was asked to give under the Law. But that’s up to you.
However, if you invest in God’s kingdom work this
immediate way and all Christians can and should, God will multiply the
investment and use it for His glory through that local church and YOU my
friend, will reap the dividends and rewards. The Bible says,
Psa
37:25-27 (NNAS) “I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have
not seen the righteous forsaken Or his descendants begging bread. 26 All
day long he is gracious and lends, And his descendants are a blessing. 27
Depart from evil and do good, So you will abide forever.”
Mat
6:33 (NNAS) “”But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness,
and all these things will be added to you.”
However, one must not give to the Lord expecting great
reward here and now. Some teach this “give to get” philosophy which
promotes the false prosperity Gospel. No, God promises us our greatest reward
will be in heaven.
Rev
22:12 (NNAS) “”Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is
with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.”
Now the most important thing you might come to know on
this broadcast is God is the giver of all things. If you have excess wealth,
it is not because of your greatness. It is because of God’s gifting and
grace. Your mind may have earned it, your skilled hands may have produced it,
but your own health that enabled it all, is not yours to claim ¾
all is because of God’s grace. Yet His greatest grace is not any of these
things. His greatest grace is that God loved us so much that He gave to us all
the opportunity to be saved from our sins. Yes, the Bible says,
John
3:16-17 (NNAS) “”For God so loved the world, that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have
eternal life. 17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge
the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”
Rom
3:23 (NNAS) “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God,”
Rom
6:23 (NNAS) “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of
God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
We are all born sinners under God’s judgment. As such,
none of us will ever find our inner peace, happiness and contentment in the
things of this world. But we can find them when we are reconciled to God, when
we are at peace with Him. The Bible says, man cannot find peace in this life
apart from making things right with God through our sin debt being paid. But
know this ¾
only God can pay it for us, and He has done this through Jesus Christ!
Have you received Him? Have you confessed your sins to God and received the
forgiveness only Christ’s death can bring to us? Again the Bible says,
Rom
10:9-10 (NNAS) “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord,
and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be
saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in
righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”
All the money in the world, all the ownership of stocks,
bonds, commodities and wealth can never buy anyone peace with God. It is
offered only as a free gift to all who will receive it. Listen to the
Bible’s words,
John
1:12 (NNAS) “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the
right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,”
Rom
6:23 (NNAS) “… the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord.”
The key to life’s greatest investment is yours
absolutely free! Yes my friend, free to you if you will take the “key” and
place it in the lock of Heaven itself. That key is to take Jesus Christ into
your heart and life and allow Him to become your Lord God and Savior. When you
embrace Him and this, God will begin the process of giving to you all the
treasures of Heaven and eternity, and friend ¾
that’s the best investment of all! Say, have you invested yourself,
your heart and life in God? Until you do this, life holds nothing that can
match it, nor offers the same security and dividend. God’s Word says,
John
10:27-30 (NNAS) “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,
and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will
never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 “My Father,
who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to
snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 “I and the Father are
one.””
Now that’s security, and it’s that’s simple, and
it’s for you right now to consider. May God grant His blessing here for
Jesus sake, Amen…
…Should Christians invest their excess funds? The
answer is yes, for God is the perfect partner in any investment program,
provided we invest to produce funding for the Lord’s ultimate work. God
promises us if we plant for Him, He will multiply it. But if we hoard it for
ourselves and do not invest it for growth that benefits God’s kingdom, the
Bible warns us of God’s rebuke in eternity. May God grant you wisdom to be a
trader in God’s kingdom investments, for His glory and our eternal good.
- Radio talk #3601
- Broadcast date: September 09, 2001
- Speaker: Dennis L. Finnan, Commentator
- Program: The World, the Word & You! Radio Broadcast
- Address: P.O. Box 40133 Grand Junction, CO 81504
The World, the Word & You! Broadcast is a non-denominational ministry based on the historic fundamental evangelical interpretation of the Scriptures. A copy of our doctrinal statement is available upon request. These weekly radio commentaries are not exhaustive studies of any particular subject due to the time limit of broadcasting. Actual broadcasts can be heard in selected areas around the nation, as funding provides. Dennis Finnan has been the speaker for over
22 years, and serves as General Director.
These transcripts are available free of charge to all who desire them.
Also available are actual radio cassette tapes and printed booklets of each message. A free listing of recent messages is available upon request also.
For further information, reprints, or a listing of all topics, please
write to our speaker, Dennis L. Finnan(dennis@wwy.org),or visit our webpage at http://www.wwy.org/