#31 Faith and Finance in Your Business – Planning Your 2018

Faith is a big factor to all of our businesses.   If it isn’t then it should be! If you hadn’t already guest, faith and finances go hand in hand.

We’re doing a miniseries on helping you find the location of your business so you can see how far you’ve come through this year to then plan for the year ahead.

This week, we’re talking all about faith in your business.

Each week we have some homework for you to complete before you move onto the following week.  If you missed last week’s click here.

First off we’re going to look at Faith in your business.

²⁵ Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
²⁶ Give careful thought to the^a] paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.

Proverbs 4:25

²¹ My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
preserve sound judgment and discretion;
²² they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
²³ Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble.
²⁴ When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
²⁵ Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
²⁶ for the Lord will be at your side
and will keep your foot from being snared.

Proverbs 3:21-26

Looking back throughout this year, it’s awesome to see how God has worked in our businesses when we couldn’t see it at the time. We could have been going through something really hard in our businesses, we could have been going through financial stresses or family stress and we’re on our knees asking God what the hell is going on.  We don’t have God vision goggles but once we’re out of the storm you can look back and see how God has worked His goodness.

Questions for this week:

What bible verses did God show you?

What words did He give you for your year?

What storms did you God through and how did God get you through it?

God tells us to constantly seek wisdom, even when it really hurts (Proverbs 4:7).

He’s more interested than your character then your success.

How are you going to grow that wisdom muscle if you don’t put it under any pressure?

¹⁴ “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants^a]and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents,^b] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. ¹⁶ He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ¹⁷ So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸ But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.¹⁹ Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.^c] You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’²² And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²⁴ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’²⁶ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ²⁹ For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matthew 25:14-30

Next we’re going to talk about your finances.

Money is the water flow of our business and without it we can water the seeds in our businesses to help make it grow.

If it’s a dry riverbed, everything is going to dry out and you won’t have a business.

It doesn’t matter how much money your business is making right now (we’re not doing this to condemn you).  We can change things so you can make more money.  What matters is how honest you’re being with yourself about what money you are making and not sticking your head in the sand.

Once you know where your finances stand, you can be strategic with the year to come.

Homework questions for you:

This last year, how much money did your business make? (All together before expenses)

What was your average monthly income? (Before expenses)

What your expense totals monthly and annually?

What was your average monthly profit minus expenses?

What was your annual profit minus expenses?

These are some really simple questions, but important ones for you to know.

Be honest, the numbers don’t lie.