The 5 Jars (part 3)

Good day! Welcome to this week’s notes: We have 4 segments in this message…

If you missed part 2, you can read it by clicking here!

MONEY MANAGEMENT – STUDY YOUR BANK STATEMENTS

If you want to succeed financially, you need to know what is happening with your money.

Do you know what is happening with your money? If you want to break the debt cycle and get your cash flow out of the red and into the positive, you need to know where your money is going. 

Where are you spending your money? Where are you racking up debt? What is stealing your cash flow?

Can I let you in on a little secret? Your bank account statements do not lie.

If you study your statements, you will quickly find out where you are wasting money, what is stealing your cash flow, and what is causing you to be in debt.

After all, Jesus told us, “Seek, and you will find.” (Matthew 7:7)

Review your bank statements. Analyze your spending. 

Once you know where you are spending your money, you can take action to change your habits and stop your debt from spiraling out of control. 

Are you spending too much on clothing? Is it mobile costs? Is it entertainment? Are you buying things you don’t need or don’t really use? What is your weakness? Where is your money going? 

Once you know the problem areas you can do something about it.

Can you downgrade your mobile contract? Can you review your insurance? Do you have debit orders on things you are not even using? Is it worthwhile to keep spending money on that item? Can you cut back on your clothing spending? Can you reduce the money you spend on entertainment? 

When you take a close look at your bank statements, it will help you to identify the problem areas. What needs to be restructured?

Reviewing your bank statements will help you get your priorities in the right order.

Is God reflected in your budget? Are you saving? Are you investing?  

Analyzing your bank accounts will reveal the money stealers that need to be eliminated. What needs to be cut? What can be reduced?

It takes time and effort to study your bank statements, but it will be well worth it. A little short-term pain will lead to long-term gain.

Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty short cuts lead to poverty”.  (Proverbs 21:5)

FINANCIAL FREEDOM – THE POWER OF COMPOUND INTEREST 

Compounding occurs when you invest money and allow it to continuously reinvest itself.

Compounding is the effect of earning interest not only on the money you originally invested but also interest on the interest that your investment has already earned. With this strategy, you will have the potential to generate explosive growth beyond your wildest imagination.

Compound interest gives you the ability to multiply your money over time.

To benefit from compound growth, all you need to do is to invest in a good selection of growth investments over the long term, where you can gain interest on interest and growth on growth. 

Let me give you an example…

If you start investing R600 per month and increased your premium annually to keep up with inflation, investing over the long-term within a diversified balanced growth portfolio, you should generate growth of at least 10% p.a. over time.

• After 5 years you would have around R53 000
• After 10 years you would have around R158 000
• After 20 years you would have around R697 000
• After 30 years you would have around R2 317 000
• After 40 years you would have around R6 924 000

You can GENERATE EXPLOSIVE GROWTH ON YOUR MONEY OVER TIME, but there is no quick fix.

The secret is to give your money time to grow. TIME IN THE MARKET is critical if you truly want to benefit from the power of compounding. You can MULTIPLY YOUR MONEY OVER TIME WITH THE POWER OF COMPOUND INTEREST.

In Proverbs, King Solomon said, “Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.” (Proverbs 13:11 NLT)

Another version of this verse says, “He who gathers money little by little makes it grow.” (Proverbs 13:11 CEV)

I think King Solomon who shared this wisdom knew something about the power of compound interest and growth! What do you think?

Don’t get suckered into a get-rich-quick philosophy. Invest over time. Be patient.

The American economist Paul Samuelson once said, “Investing should be more like watching paint dry” or “like watching grass grow.”

He went on, tongue in cheek, and said “If you want excitement, then go to the casino.”

Start investing today. Continue over the long term and you will benefit from the power of compound interest and growth.

FINANCIAL FEATURE – THE 5 JARS (PART 3)

Jewish people are known to be astute money managers.

So recently while in Israel, I did some digging to find out why this is true. I was interested and inspired to discover that one of the secrets lies with what they teach their children about money. It turns out that from a young age many children a taught a basic money principle using 5 jars, which develops a life-long habit of managing money well.

The golden rule taught using 5 jars is simple…

• Put God first
• Be generous,
• Invest over the long-term
• Save up for short-term needs
• Only spend what is left over

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

Parents have taught the timeless 5 Jars principle to their children from a young age. It has been passed down from generation to generation. By the time young children reach their teenage years, they already have a healthy understanding of how to manage money in a God-honoring way, which also helps to eliminate bad debt, live within one’s means, and build wealth.

In part 1, we unpacked the 5 JAR PRINCIPLE…

• JAR ONE – TITHE JAR
• JAR TWO – BLESSING JAR
• JAR THREE – INVESTING JAR
• JAR FOUR – SAVINGS JAR
• JAR FIVE – SPENDING JAR

Each time the child receives money, they are required to distribute it among the five jars. If a child receives ₪10 Shekels (this is the Israeli Currency), the child is taught to put…

• ₪1 in the TITHE JAR, 
• ₪1 in the BLESSING JAR, 
• ₪2 in the INVESTING JAR, 
• ₪1 in the SAVINGS JAR, and 
• ₪5 in the last SPENDING JAR. 

In part 2, we went a little deeper into JAR 1…

JAR ONE – TITHE JAR

Whenever a child receives money, they are taught to place the first 10% in the Tithe Jar.

By the way, a tithe means one-tenth. Jewish children are taught that the first 10% doesn’t belong to them but to God. 

“A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.” (Leviticus 27:30)

Once a month, this jar is opened and taken to their place of worship where the money in Jar 1 is given to God.

The principle of giving the first 10% of your income and earnings to God helps to teach children not to be selfish, but rather to put God first and love him. It is acknowledging that God is our Father who cares for his children (us).

By putting God first with your money, God remains at the center of all your decisions, and your life!

Children are also taught that giving to God opens doors of opportunity, where God will bless his children for giving their first and best back to Him.

“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” (Provers 3:9-10)

So, the first 10% goes into the TITHE JAR and this is given back to God each month.

Today we are going to drill a little deeper into JAR 2…

JAR TWO – BLESSING JAR

Children are instructed to place 10% into the Blessing Jar.

These are funds set aside to help people in the community who are going through tough times or who are less fortunate.

Being a blessing in your community also helps you to become part of your community. The networks you build by being generous may even lead to business opportunities in the future!

By creating a generosity fund to bless others, you not only can help those in need but it can also help one not to be selfish but to think of others too. 

God calls us to love people. We have a responsibility to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. It should be seen as a privilege to be able to make someone else’s life a little better.

Look at what God’s word says about being generous …

“One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” (Proverbs 11:24-25)

With the first 10% in the TITHE JAR and 10% set aside in the BLESSING JAR, you can start looking after your needs. 

Next week we will look into the mystery behind the other Jars and we will show you how this can lead to financial freedom.

The 5 JAR PRINCIPLE helps people to put God first and to be generous, thereby helping one form a habit of loving God and loving people. 

The 5 JAR PRINCIPLE also encourages people to save, invest and build a business, thereby securing income, building a wealth portfolio, and having cash flow available for short-term needs and opportunities. 

The 5 JAR PRINCIPLE also helps one to take a disciplined approach to one’s money management, which helps to eliminate debt and encourages people to live within their means. 

Why not teach your children the 5 JAR PRINCIPLE to your money management? Why don’t you consider using it yourself?  

By setting up a deliberate plan to train your children, you will be making one of the best investment decisions you can ever make for your children. It will set them up for a fruitful future!

If you stick to the 5 JAR principle, you will learn to honor God and be a blessing to others with your generosity. You will also develop a business mindset and valuable entrepreneurial skills.

Further, you will build a wealth portfolio over the long term, have savings for unforeseen short-term emergencies, and have funds available for opportunities that may arise. You will also learn to eliminate debt, make good money decisions, and live within your means.

Join us next week for part 4 on the 5 JARS ancient investment strategy.

LIFE TIP – INVITE JESUS TO BE YOUR CEO AND FRIEND

We live in a world where we are encouraged to live an independent life. I want you to know that Jesus wants to walk the journey of life with you.

Jesus is the creator. He is the inventor of life. He has all power and authority in heaven and earth. He is in complete control. 

“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.” (Colossians 1:15-16)

This scripture continues telling us about the greatness of Jesus… “He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.” (Colossians 1:17)

Jesus is the glue that holds everything together. He knows what is happening in the world and personally in your life. He also knows what will happen tomorrow and he can do all things. Nothing is impossible for him!

God has all the resources.

“’The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty.” (Haggai 2:8)

We are told that Jesus is a “friend of sinners.” (Matthew 11:19)

Do you realize that although Jesus was God, he gave his life for you and me on the cross to pay the price for our sins and shortcomings?

He died for our sins. He then conquered death and rose victorious. He made the way for you and me to come back into a relationship with God!

Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)

Jesus also told us, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28)

God also wants to help you.

We are told, “Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.” (Psalm 37:4)

He wants an intimate relationship with you and me. 

Now see this…

• If Jesus is in complete control
• If Jesus knows what is happening and going to happen
• If Jesus is all-powerful and has all the resources
• If he even died on the cross to bring us life 
• If he wants to help us through life
• If Jesus wants a close walk with his children…

Then don’t you think it will make sense to invite him into your life to be your CEO and friend?

Why not surrender your life to Jesus and take him as your Lord and Savior?

He offers forgiveness and eternal life. Today you can come into a relationship with God. You can know his leading and his peace.

Jesus told us, “You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” (John 15:14-16)

Today you can surrender your life to Jesus. Invite him to be your Lord and Savior. When you do, he also becomes your CEO and friend.

Seek God first, above all else. Life for him and leave the rest up to him. 

Jesus said, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

If you are not in a relationship with God, what are you waiting for? Call on Jesus. Today you can become a child of God. 

Let us pray…

Dear Lord Jesus, I need you. I know that I am lost and that I have sinned. I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Saviour. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

If you have prayed this prayer, please let us know. We would love to pray for you and send you an incredible eBook to help you on your journey with God.

CONCLUSION:

Live with Jesus at the center.

Review your bank statements so that you can fix your finances.

Get advice and start investing over the long term in a well-diversified balanced portfolio so that you can benefit from the power of compounding.

Apply the 5 Jars to your money management. Teach it to your children.

Invite Jesus to be your CEO and friend.

May your future be fruitful.

God bless you.

Clinton.