The sacred teachings of the scriptures, coupled together with the practical lessons of history, are to be used as guides in making sound decisions to avoid repeating the grave mistakes of the past. And the Bible also teaches us that the history of individuals and nations was chronicled for the benefit of future generations, so that we too may reason soberly from cause to effect, and thus make straight paths for our own feet. There are some very basic and important lessons to be derived from the last great recession, which took the world to the brink of financial collapse, spiritual and temporal lessons that should be applied by us as Christians, so that we do not fall a prey to one of satan’s favorite devices, debt.
Now more than ever, is the time for us to get our houses in order, being governed by scriptural principles alone, and not touching the unclean thing as it pertains to us implementing the customs, practices, methods, and
principles of those who do not fear God.
As a matter of fact, if for any reason we put these vital lessons on hold, we will become mired in debt, from which it may be very difficult to extricate ourselves, for as stated over and over again, God is more practical in His instructions to us than many people realize, and whenever the sacred instructions contained in the scripture are deliberately disregarded, then the laws of cause and effect are often left to run their natural course, and it is often the case that no supernatural intervention is engaged to save us from the results of a wrong course of action that could have otherwise been avoided.
The financial problems of this world, and what we are seeing taking place in Greece, are omens of what will be coming to our shores in the near future, if changes in methods and principles are not vigorously implemented. One of the crucial lessons, which if adopted could have forestalled the last great recession, is that of cultivating the spirit of contentment by living within one’s means. The Bible is full of instruction on this point, and it is high time that we take heed, because any financial system that is based on borrowing, will collapse sooner or later, for there comes a time when the lender himself runs out of funds to lend.
Furthermore, The Lord teaches us that we can make advances in life whilst at the same time practicing the principle of contentment, because prosperity and contentment are members of the same spiritual family, and should never be divorced one from the other. But to live in constant indebtedness results in huge amounts of unnecessary waste, which in our nation’s case, runs into the hundreds of billions in interest each and every year that goes by. Let’s read:
Available Historical Data For Fiscal Year End
Interest payments only:
2014 $430,812,121,372.05
2013 $415,688,781,248.40
2012 $359,796,008,919.49
2011 $454,393,280,417.03
2010 $413,954,825,362.17
2009 $383,071,060,815.42
2008 $451,154,049,950.63
2007 $429,977,998,108.20
2006 $405,872,109,315.83
2005 $352,350,252,507.90
2004 $321,566,323,971.29
2003 $318,148,529,151.51
2002 $332,536,958,599.42
2001 $359,507,635,242.41
2000 $361,997,734,302.36
1999 $353,511,471,722.87
1998 $363,823,722,920.26
1997 $355,795,834,214.66
1996 $343,955,076,695.15
1995 $332,413,555,030.62
1994 $296,277,764,246.26
1993 $292,502,219,484.25
1992 $292,361,073,070.74
1991 $286,021,921,181.04
1990 $264,852,544,615.90
1989 $240,863,231,535.71
1988 $214,145,028,847.73
So let’s study from the word of God, how this unfortunate situation can be avoided or corrected, using Biblical principles. Let’s read:
Proverbs 15:16 Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.
1st Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
The Bible therefore gives us the only workable methods for living contentedly and prosperously at the same time, and it will be well if our families would adopt the wise counsels of an All-wise God. The Bible therefore outlines in great detail, the necessary steps to be taken by us as Christians in implementing the lessons gleaned from the recent great recession, and the failures of those who have gone before.
Lesson (1) Whenever money is earned, the very first deduction to be made should be our tithes and offerings, and this system should be put in place without wavering for any reason, for it demonstrates the manner in which we esteem God and sacred things. No mortgage, or car note, and no electric bill or tuition should cause us to put God’s cause in second place, because our current bills and payments should not even be brought into the equation when deducting our tithes and offerings, no matter how urgent or important they may seem.
When this is done on a consistent basis with a willing and cheerful spirit, God promises to replenish our stores with manifold blessings too numerous to mention, and what takes place literally is that some way somehow, The Lord causes a little to go a very long way, because of the blessing He commands on all that we do. There are what we call “Generic blessings” that are bestowed upon the general public, regardless of whether they acknowledge God or not. For instance, Christians and satanists will both receive sunlight and rain on a regular basis, and when the earth is planted it will bring forth fruit for the righteous and the rebellious also, for God has promised these benefits to the good and the evil alike. Let’s read:
Genesis 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
Matthew 5:45 “Your Father which is in heaven”.... “maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Psalm 68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.
These are not the blessings God is referring to when He bids us return that which is His due. He is speaking of special, tailor-made blessings that are reserved alone for the faithful, who give with a cheerful spirit, that which belongs to God. These blessings are not your average, everyday benefits, but are specifically designed to make the remainder of our income, multiply in ways we know not of, and often causes us to avoid spending money on things which are indispensable to other people. Let’s read:
Deuteronomy 28:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.
3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
7 The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against
thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
8 The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Proverbs 3:9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
Lesson (2) After God’s due is taken out first, a set portion of our income should be put aside for the rainy day that will certainly come, and these funds should not be touched or interfered with for any trivial reason, but should be left for cases of real emergencies only. There are many man-made “Emergencies” which arise whilst window shopping, and things we never needed nor thought of having previously, suddenly become urgent needs on the spur of the moment, when the “Shine eye” syndrome kicks in. Rainy day funds should be left for rainy days, and we should avoid the temptation to spend recklessly, even if large reserves are available.
One of the reasons why we found ourselves on the verge of financial collapse during the last great recession, is because many of our banking institutions were too highly leveraged, meaning that reserve capital for emergencies were all but nonexistent in many cases. Thus, when the cold realities of the housing bubble hit, many banks, and governments, and individuals, and families were caught without sufficient cushion to weather the storm, and as a direct result, many went under, or out of business, never to resurface again.
When Joseph was brought into power through the providences of God, the first thing he did was to build storehouses to store food for the rainy day, and though the Bible tells us that there was an overabundance of food during the seven fat years, yet Joseph was prudent and disciplined enough to resist the temptation to use rainy day supplies prematurely, just because there was plenty. There is a tendency for nations, individuals, and families, and churches to spend wantonly simply because there is an abundant supply of funds, and thus many wants are converted to urgent needs on the spur of the moment, with no thought that a rainy day will certainly come. Hence the reason why the scriptural instructions on this point should be given due attention. Let’s read:
Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant”…. “consider her ways, and be wise:
7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
Genesis 41:46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt”…..
47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.
49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.
53 And the seven years of plenteousness that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.
54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.
56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.
It is worthy of note that at this time, God worked no special miracle to deliver those countries and individuals who had not learned the important lesson of saving for the rainy day, because as stated before, God is much more practical in His instructions to us than many people realize, and as far as He was concerned, sufficient warning had been given so that whosoever would take heed, could make the necessary preparations for the predicted famine. This leads us to our next lesson.
Lesson (3) The unrestrained use of credit cards and other debt instruments, is one of the means by which we are brought into financial slavery, therefore godly wisdom and prudence need to be exercised by the Christian in every area of life, so that we may not fall a prey to the many devices of the enemy, and thus plunge ourselves and our families into financial ruin unnecessarily. Those Nike shoes that cost hundreds of dollars, and those numerous dresses and hats which fill our closets, that are hardly ever worn, and the many trinkets, indulgences and “Bling” which keep us double-dipping into our rainy day fund, must all be laid to rest, because, as was stated before, The Lord is very practical in His instructions, and the laws of cause and effect are often left to run their natural course, especially if we persist in a wrong course of action. Let’s read:
Proverbs 22:7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
Deuteronomy 15:6 For the Lord thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.
“Many poor families are poor because they spend their money as soon as they receive it. When one becomes involved in debt, he is in one of Satan’s nets, which he sets for souls. Abstracting and using money for any purpose, before it is earned, is a snare”. You ought not to allow yourself to become financially embarrassed, for the fact that you are in debt weakens your faith and tends to discourage you. You need to cut down your expenses and strive to supply this deficiency in your character”. [The Adventist home. Pp 392 & 393.]
Lesson (4) Borrowing money to make loan payments is a snare and a deadly cycle that will spiral out of control sooner than later. If a loan or debt cannot be repaid with earned income, then we may know for certain that we are in a death trap that will gradually bind us in shackles from which we will not be able to free ourselves. Greece is currently seeking a loan to make a payment on another loan, a cycle that has become all too common in the developed world, and sadly has had a trickledown effect on families and households.
It’s worthy of note that with all of the previous efforts to pay down our national debt right here in America, that somehow it keeps on growing, and try as we might to make our escape, we seem to be sinking still deeper and deeper in the mire, until such time as the Chinese lender will run out of funds to lend. This cycle however is nothing new, for there is nothing new under the sun, and if the sacred lessons of the past had been adopted and implemented, we would never be in the situation we are in currently. Let’s read:
Nehemiah 5:1 And there was a great cry of the people
and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
5 “And lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.
The godly principle of being content, coupled together with living within our means, will prevent us to a large degree from following in the footsteps of Greece and other developed nations that are currently riddled with mounting debt, and if America does not awake out of slumber to correct these errors, then we ourselves, together with Greece and Puerto Rico will be singing from the same page in the very same choir, with the very same conductor, because the principle of contentment applies equally across the board, to individuals and nations alike.
In addition to these cautions and instructions given in the scriptures, we have the additional information pertaining to the mark of the beast, which will be instituted when the financial systems of earth will have taken a turn for the worse. Then it will be, that all who would be found owing numerous debts will be offered concessions by the adversary of souls, in return for signing on to the powers that be, and if for any reason this course of action is taken in the future, our eternal doom will be forever sealed. Let’s read:
Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding
count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
As the movement for Sunday enforcement becomes more bold and decided, the law will be invoked against commandment-keepers. They will be threatened with fines and imprisonment, and some will be offered positions of influence, and other rewards and advantages, as inducements to renounce their faith. [G.C pp 607]
It is therefore important that we implement the godly principles that are written in the scriptures, so that all unnecessary hardship and financial persecution can be averted as far as possible. Let us then ask God for the wisdom and discipline necessary to rein in and pay off our debts wherever possible, and let us now seek to free ourselves from the many shackles that bind us to this present world. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to do so, and if we ask God He will show us ways and means to “Write Fifty”. Let’s read:
Romans 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us
therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what The Spirit saith unto the churches.
God bless!