The Bible speaks quite a bit about money, and rightfully so, as it is a big part of our everyday lives. Under the law of Moses, if you could not pay your debts, you were sold into servitude for seven years. So, it was wise to learn to live within your income, to spend less than what you brought in.

God, as our Father, gives us knowledge and wisdom in His written Word on how to conduct our lives when it comes to money.

There is an interesting thought inside of one of the parables of our lord.

Luke 16:1-3 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.

Perhaps he had a three-bedroom home, two cars and two kids in college. Digging ditches for a living was not going to pay for all those bills and maintain the kind of lifestyle to which he was accustomed.

Your job or work should not only provide enough to pay for your basic necessities but should also allow you to give some and save some. Some people give 10% or their income and save 10-20% in some type of savings/retirement account and with no debt. This is living within your means.

Proverbs 21:20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.

This verse tells us the wise spend far less than they take in. They save; they don’t spend it up.

Many people spend more each month than they take in. Not good! This is why credit card debt is so high.

There is no doubt that God wants us to prosper because we are His children. Buying things or paying for necessities with a credit card is not prosperity; it is bondage. If we need or want an increase in lifestyle, to be better able to take care of our families, we should apply this principle of living within our means.

You may need to sit down and look at the numbers. What is going out each month as compared to what you bring in?

How much do you pay out in interest, penalties and fines each month? What does that add up to in a year?

What would your finances look like if you paid off all your debts?

If you paid it all off and you would still not be able to give or save much, you might want to reassess your situation. Here are some suggestions:

You may need to bring more value to the marketplace as one man said. (Jim Rohn)
You may need to get a better paying job.
You may need more education — some jobs will pay for that and then give you a raise once it is completed!
You may need to expand your business and take on more work with more employees.
This may take a learning curve to learn the ins and outs of having employees.
You may need to work for yourself or start a business that pays more than the one you now have.
You may need to learn how to trade for a living like the men in the parables that traded with their master’s money and doubled it,

You are not stuck in whatever field you are in.

A man I talked to many years ago said he did not think it was right that carpenters could only charge $25.00/hour and that electricians and plumbers were able to charge $100.00/hour. I thought to myself, “No one told you that you had to be a carpenter. Go do the work and get licensed to be a plumber or electrician!”

If you want a better income so that you can better support your family, give and put aside money for future expenses, find some way to bring more value to the marketplace. And remember, God is your Father and He will be with you in everything that you decide to do.

Perhaps the biggest key to increased income is to sit and talk with God and pray and then have the patience to wait as you actively look for the answer.
This is all part of walking with God, learning to apply His Word in our lives, and it is all part of The Prosperous Life.