1. Mahalin ang trabaho. Isa ito sa mga iniutos ng Diyos and He even put it on the 10 commandments: Exodus 34:1 “You are to labor six days but you must rest on the seventh day…” So gusto ng Diyos na mas marami tayong panahon sa paghahanap buhay.
Discuss: Kahit hindi mo pa gusto ang trabaho mo ngayon, hindi ba madali sa Diyos na ibigay sa yo ang trabaho na talagang gusto mo? Pero kelangan ipakita mo muna na karapat-dapat ka sa trabaho mo ngayon. Galingan mo talaga. Magpakitang gilas ka. Maging efficient, reliable at trustworthy. Dahil pag minahal mo ang trabaho mo, baka hindi lang langit ang magpapala sa yo. Pati yang employer mo ngayon, they can even recommend you to other employers who can pay you better, promote you and increase your salary.
Luke 16:10 He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters; since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. – Colossians 3:23
Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense. Proverbs 12:11
All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23
Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Timothy 5:8
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man. A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth. Proverbs 6:10-12
The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 2 Timothy 2:6
2. Mag-ipon
Discuss about the Leny Robredo interview. Would you be running as a president after President Duterte?
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Isa sa mga pagpupuno ng Diyos sa ating mga pangangailangan ay ang pagkakaroon natin ng pera, but it is our job to steward that money well (Matthew 25:14–27).
Ang ating buhay ngayon ay pahiram o ipinagkatiwala lamang ng Diyos sa atin, kasama na dyan ang pera. At ang pag-iipon or saving money ay nag papa kita ng ating pagiging mabuting katiwala or ingat yaman sa mga resources na ibinigay ng Diyos sa atin. Pag may pera ka sa bangko, ang sarap ng feeling…para kang nakasandal sa paper because you know you have prepared for the future, and being prepared for the future is good.
Ang Proverbs 6:6–8 ay nagpapakita na kahit sa mga insekto ay dapat matuto tayo: “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and its food at harvest.” Ang mga tao na nagpa plano para bukas at nag-iimpok ay nagpapadali sa ating mga pangarap and it makes it easier to accomplish goals and allows us to be more effective in ministry (see 1 Corinthians 16:2). Pag wala tayo plano at wala tayong ipon, mas madalas na nagkakautang tayo ng may mataas na porsyento, at itinuturo sa atin ng Diyos na hindi ito magandang gawin (Proverbs 22:7).
Pag wala ka ipon, masakit sa ulo, mainit ang ulo at lagi kang takot sa mga unexpected expenses or emergencies. Make it a habit to save because God wants us to become a good steward of money.
Of course, hindi natin sinasabi that we put money as the centre of our lives. May mga maling paraan din ng pag-ipon at ito ay kung nagiipon tayo because of fear of the future and we make money as our form of security. It shows we do not trust Godthere (see Luke 12:7; 2 Timothy 1:7). Nagiging kayabangan na lang ito at naging hambog ang tao. “The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it a wall too high to scale” (Proverbs 18:11), yet riches “will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle” (Proverbs 23:5). First Timothy 6:10 warns against greed, saying, “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
3. Mag-invest – huwag magpaloko sa mga investment scams kahit mag photos pa yan ng mga kung sino-sinong celebrities at politicians.
Proverbs 21:20 The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.
Huwag mong ubusin ang iyong kita. Tama ang kasabihan “ubos-ubos biyaya, bukas ay nakatungaga.”
Proverbs 13:11 Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.
Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished.
4. Magbigay sa Diyos
Deuteronomy 15:10 – “Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.”
Malachi 3:10 – “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.'”
Luke 6:38 – “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”
Why do Christians give?
– we conquer greed
– it is an act of worship to God
– it shows our spiritual maturity
– it is our way showing our love for God
Ask those people who give to God. Tingnan mo ang buhay nila. Magmasid ka. Makikita mo na iba ang nagiging tapat sa Diyos. Kase ang hinihingi ng Diyos ay 10% lang naman ng ibinigay din Nya sa yo eh. Walang nawala sa iyo dahil may 90% ka pa. But do not forget what God promise sa Malachi 3:10: “Subukan mo ako sa mga bagay na ito, kung hindi ko bubuksan ang mga bintana ng langit para ibagsak sa iyo ang pagpapala walang sapat na kakalagyan.” Diyos ang nagsabi nyan.
Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest; then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine. Proverbs 3:9-10
Hindi sinabi ng Diyos magbigay ka lang ng tira-tira.
5. Magbigay sa iba
You are blessed not for your own greed but so you become a blessing. And it feels good to give than to receive. Masarap din minsan na tayo ang kasagutan sa panalangin ng iba. Kaya mapapansin mo yung mga generous, hindi rin sila pinagkukulang ng Lord dahil sila ang daluyan ng blessings. At masarap din dahil very honourable ka pa sa mga natutulungan mo. At ikaw din naman ang nauunang nakikinabang sa mga blessings na ibinibigay ng Diyos.
There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. –Deuteronomy 15:11
Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Ephesians 4:28