The Scriptures help us understand that God wants His people to succeed. Proverbs 28:25 says, for example, "He who trusts in the Lord will prosper" (NIV). And in 2 Kings 18:7 we see the result of King Hezekiah carefully following the Lord: "And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook."

One aspect of prospering is financial, but many of God's people are not succeeding in this regard. They are underfulfilled and overextended.

For a number of years after Wendy and I were married we were hard pressed to pay all the bills. Even though we tried to be frugal, we were locked into a typical mentality: Spend first, then if anything is left over, do some saving and give some to others.

Later, I realized the importance of reversing the order--to think in terms of giving first, then saving, then spending. A valuable rule of thumb is to give at least 10 percent (the tithe) and save 10 percent of income.

Limit spending to 80 percent of income. As a reminder, if you overspend, nothing is left for giving and saving. Now let's expand on these three aspects of the use of money--starting with spending.

1: Spending. When I began earning real money following college, I noticed a subtle temptation to "keep up with the Joneses"--to have the latest and greatest, but I realized I could never win that one. A turning point came when I forgot about unhealthy comparisons and consciously decided to work toward being content--staying within my means.

Another key to controlling spending is to avoid credit card debt. My advice: If you can't pay the credit card bill completely each month, do yourself a big favor and shred the little monster.

2: Giving. I used to scoff at the idea that the more you had, the more difficult it was to give wisely--but now that our family has greater resources, I find it is indeed difficult to give wisely. It takes prayer and real discernment.

A few specific thoughts: I like to plan my giving, although there are times for spontaneity. Give where there's good accountability, where recipients are transparent with their use of funds. Don't give out of indiscriminate routine but as the Holy Spirit leads.

Guard your heart in giving to keep motives pure. Don't be surprised if your financial well-being actually increases. God works in mysterious ways.

3: Saving and investing. The third use of money is saving and investing, and believe me, to do it well takes real wisdom, and often some professional help. I've found most people are too eager for quick results.

It's all too easy to get caught up in following the tip we picked up at the coffee machine. Cooler investing heads usually prevail.

Wise investing can actually be pretty dull, but getting a reasonable return and seeing it compound produces dramatic long-term results. Don't forget to diversify, so not all your eggs are in one basket--and don't be unalterably married to any one investment. Things change. Just ask Enron's ex-employees!

I've learned the hard way to avoid schemes I don't understand. For example, one time I invested in oil well drilling in Crooksville, Ohio, with a fellow named Swindle. A true story! For every buyer there's a seller, and the seller usually knows a lot more than we buyers do.

Odds and Ends

**Buy the better quality item, then maintain it and make it last.

**Be resourceful, making do with the things you have around the house.

**Kids need chores and allowances to help them learn the value of money.

**Travel abroad, and don't stay in five-star hotels. It helps us disengage from "things" and makes us appreciate America more.

**Never gamble, even the lottery. Gambling debases God's resources and often destroys people.

**Finally, take some time to think deeply about success, including financial success. What does it really mean for you? For many, the definition of success changed radically after Sept. 11. Did it for you?

John D. Beckett is the author of Loving Monday: Succeeding in Business Without Selling Your Soul.