By Kevin Farrar

There is a significant amount of evidence that points to the fact that the majority of people are either currently experiencing money problems or headed for financial trouble in the future. Savings rates are lower than they have been in decades. Consumer debt has tripled over the last 30 years. Personal bankruptcy filings remain at record highs and financial problems are often cited as the number one cause of divorce.

Statistics from the US Department of Labor reveal that out of every one hundred people who reach age 65 only two are financially independent, twenty-three must continue to work, and seventy-five out of one hundred have to depend on friends, relatives, or charity for financial support. This evidence alone is enough to prove where many of us are going to end up if we continue to go with the flow and do what everyone else is doing.

Unfortunately financial problems are just as common within the Christian population as they are among non-Christians. When it comes to the area of finances most Christians simply dont have much of a witness. The lack of sound financial management is having a devastating impact on our Christian testimony. There is no doubt that Satan has successfully diluted our value system and diverted the finances God has given us for his own use. The question is what are we going to do about it? After all we are accountable to God for our stewardship and its our Christian responsibility to demonstrate proper financial behavior to those within the body of believers as well as non-Christians.

A flood of credit counseling agencies and other services have saturated the American media. Everywhere we look there is advertising pitching a solution to folks who are frazzled from financial stress. Some of these agencies do offer help while others are just out and out scams preying on people who are willing to grasp onto anything that sounds like a solution to their problem. Some may consider it fortunate that we have these services available but the reality is we have become experts at treating symptoms. We are constantly dealing with financial emergencies yet seldom solving the problems that cause those emergencies in the first place.

The only way to combat the problems that cause personal financial disasters is through education. Fiscal responsibility is not taught in school. Most of us never learn from our parents and many churches shy away from talking about money. If we dont learn how to handle money at church, home, or school, the three areas at the core of our lifetime of learning, where will we learn it? The truth is that it has been left up to us to seek the training that will help us be successful with money. The best way to go about it is to get a biblical based study on personal finances. Set aside time to go through the study in its entirety. Then practice what you have learned on a daily basis until you have mastered the skill of earning, keeping, and multiplying money.

The foundation of our thriving society is built upon debt. Because of this everything we have as individuals and as a nation is at risk of being wiped out by even the smallest crisis. As Christians we need to look at our purchasing habits, work ethic, and waste, then adjust our value system to align with the financial principles taught in scripture. We need to return to Gods Word and build a solid financial foundation by gaining some wisdom for our wallets. We have to learn how to manage our money wisely, erase debt from our lives, and teach others to do the same!

If financial training would benefit you or someone you know Kevin Farrar is the author of Wisdom For Your Wallet. A comprehensive personal financial study covering everything from the basics of money management to dealing with a financial crisis. To access his life changing program go to www.wisdomforyourwallet.com.