Free & Fit Challenge 2017 - Freedom in Finance by Nav Merghan

Free & Fit London formerly Faith & Fitness in London Summer 2015

Introduction

Living in Big cities like London is a challenging life. We often worry about paying bills, mortgage, rent, children’s welfare, etc. Moreover, with our country facing Brexit we are more concerned about our financial situations and economy of the upcoming years as we leave Europe. We also hear the religious pastors preaching for giving at church and seek to give to support where we can.

The matter of financial freedom, in my opinion, is on two aspects: (i) financial freedom from worrying about money in the time of financial troubles, (ii) giving generously and gain freedom from greed.

Freedom from Financial troubles

According to Maslow, humans motivation is through a hierarchy of needs, the basics of which is the need for physiological (physical requirements for survival, e.g. food or shelter) and safety (personal and financial security).

Freedom from finance does not indicate to quit our job, work less, or save money to the extent of worship. God wants us to be free from worrying over the financial troubles. He wants us to be free from bondage of greed. The first thing we can do when we face a financial trouble is to talk to God about it. Trust that He is in control. Take every opportunity that God gives you, be persistent and never give up. We are simply called to do the best we can with what we have.

2- Freedom from Greed

We cannot serve The Almighty and Almighty Dollar at the same time. 16 parables of Jesus are about money: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”. The need to increase our belongings and the balance of our current bank account in this world will lead our heart to belong to this world and not focused on God. When we consider our possessions to be a gift from God, whereby we can manage our finances to prosper, it will be more convenient to spend it wisely. We also need to remember and be considering the social justice to help the poor.

Greed leads to being enslaved to money, as it works by love for self, a deceitful lie that is sold to us daily. The deception of love for oneself enslaves both the rich and the poor: “as soon as I get my business on its feet, I will have more time for my God and my family”. Are promises do not match that of God promises. “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19:24) We must repent, fix our eyes on Jesus and remember what we receive is freely given by God.

Give as God asks you to give. Paul writes, ‘and God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work’ (2 Corinthians 9:8). Giving does not mean handing over financial responsibility to God – but it does mean handing over the worry and the burden of it. (BIOY, day 250)

About the Free & Fit Challenge The Free and Fit course has been created to build strong social skills, charge healthy physical bodies and to instil a well balanced and sound mind. Participants who complete the full course over 12 months will learn how to work effectively with their team members to build strong values of power, love, and self discipline. Free & Fit Vision The vision of free and fit course is to engage, motivate, improve and hence find freedom in a physical and spiritual state. As such the freedom that leads to a peaceful heart; leads to a healthy body. The course is built upon the core value of learning together to be disciplined and motivated in our faith as well as our fitness. Instructions for Group or Individual Facilitator 1. Select a sport and space where you want to exercise, book a date and time to meet and invite your friends! 2. Before exercising ensure the space is safe and that no participants are experiencing any illnesses or injuries. 3. Set up a structure of three different exercise routines which you can introduce, read and reflect upon the selected bible verses. In the welcome and warm up introduce the topic and ask the members what they believe the topic to mean. 4. Read the verses in order before each exercise and ask the group to think about the verses during the three different exercise routines. 5. Reflect on the verses and topic at the end of session during a warm down and discuss the answers to each verse and questions at the end of the workout. Bible Verses for Discussion

1. 1 Timothy 6:10-11 “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.”

Footnote: Money isn’t ours in the sense that we are entitled to it, it is a gift of God. God bestows it upon us to manage it:

2. Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

Footnote: How do we seek to manage our finances in the Godly way?

3. Proverbs 6: 1-56 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,2 you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth.3 So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:Go—to the point of exhaustion— and give your neighbor no rest! 4 Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids. 5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

Footnote: This reminds us to master our finances. In this way, we self- discipline our lives and will not fall in the financial snares (debt, unwise investments). When we have got ourselves into a financial snare, we should do everything to free ourselves from it (Proverbs 6:1-5)

4, Malachi 3:10“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

5. Luke 16:11“And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?” ========== Questions to be asked at the end of each verse

How does this verse relate to this topic? What does this verse mean to you/me? How can we challenge ourselves with the verses we heard during the exercises? Testimony Time of Prayer and Reflection Think about a time of thanksgiving and outward reflection. Simply praise reports and prayer requests.