September 24 , 2006

Our hope is that with God that financial desperation does not have to be you!

More people are desperate over money conflicts and concerns than any one other thing.

T he Bible has a lot to say about the best use of money.

One of the reasons for great financial pain is the fact that we live in a culture that's based on instant gratification. This is what consumer debt is all about.

The Bible says, The borrower is a servant to the lender.

Proverbs 22:7

The best way to use sensible debt is always with as little debt as possible and always manageable debt. In other words, it is within your capability of paying it back without emotional strain and pain. Discipline your spending, and discipline yourself to save first, before you spend.

If you can service wise and reasonable debt, then debt is your servant. But if you cannot, you become the slave of the lender. You lose your financial freedom and you become a slave .

How do you know whether you're a slave to the consumer debt trap?

1. You are living on credit, by not able to pay it off in full every month. If you depend on credit cards, and other kinds of credit, to maintain your lifestyle, you are spending too much. TBS, Let no debt remain outstanding (Rom 13:8) .

2. Delaying payments or paying the minimum due. Proverbs 3:27, Don't withhold repayment of your debts. Don't say "some other time" (LB).

3. You're unable to tithe to God or save for the future.

4. Extravagant spending. Proverbs 21:20, The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets.

5. Debt slavery comes from getting yourself into get-rich-quick schemes . Proverbs 21:5 says, The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.

So how do you get out of debt slavery? How do you become financially a free person?

1. Commit to becoming debt free now. Get everyone in your house on the same page when it comes to spending and saving and tithing.

2. Make only those commitments you know you can keep. Psalms 37:21, The wicked borrow and do not repay.

3. Honor God and save for the future first. It's called the 10-10-80 principle. Give the tithe to God. Save 10%. Live on the 80%.

4. Pray for Godly perseverance to get out of debt and stay out of debt. Proverbs 24:3, By wisdom a house is built and through understanding it is established.

Your problem may not be making money, but managing money.

5. Set up a repayment plan. Consolidate debt and pay it off as soon as you can with as low an interest you can find. You'll never get out of debt accidentally. It has to be intentional. The Bible says in Proverbs 21:5 “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity .”

•  Add no new debt.

Change your slavery way of thinking:

•  pay off everything every month.

•  never use debt to buy something you can't afford.

•  if you violate one of the first two, you get rid of the credit card and any other form of getting into debt!

•  Sticking to your plan means work .

How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest — and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man . ( Prov 6:9-11, NIV)

8. Pray for financial resources that will honor God in your life. The Prayer of Jabez : Jabez cried out to the God of Israel , " Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Let your hand be with me in all I do, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request. (1 Chronicles 4:10, NIV, NLT).

Walk with the Lord in your life. God said, See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands…; then you will live and increase , and the Lord your God will bless you in the land (Deut 30:15-16, NIV)

Seek God and find that He is your Source . God told Jeremiah and us: For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord…” ( Jer 29:11-14, NIV ).

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