Trusting Christ through Economic Chaos
M-1101 / 21 September, 2008
Dr. Russell K. Tardo
The message today is entitled, Trusting Christ in Times of Economic Chaos. It’s just a simple exhortation on trusting Christ even in times of economic confusion and turbulence. I think no one would deny the fact that’s where we are as a nation are right now. I doubt if any of us have seen conditions like this. I am told that not since the Great Depression has anyone seen this degree of bank failure and government bailouts.
22And he said unto his disciples, [His disciples, those that know Him, that follow Him, that trust in Him] Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought [don’t be anxious, don’t worry, don’t be afraid, that’s what it means] for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 23The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. [Luke 12:22-23]
He is saying that we should be thinking about other things. That’s not what it’s all about... and then He tells us to take a field trip.
24Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? [I’d underline that in my Bible, i.e., and God feeds them. How much more precious to God are you than the birds?] 25And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? 26If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? 27Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28If then God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? [Luke 12:24-28]
There are fundamental truths that God’s people must embrace, some of which are beneficial for times of economic turmoil and distress such as are being experienced in this nation. Believers would do well to remember these principles for they are eternal principles that must be recognized, embraced and obeyed if we’re to expect God to bless, provide and protect, etc.
Fundamental #1 - Trust
God is good and graciously gives beauty throughout His creation. He didn’t have to make flowers. He could have made everything gray, i.e., grass, leaves, trees, etc. but He gave us beauty and thereby we get a small glimpse of His nature. Originally, everything was far more vibrant and beautiful than even now. Even after the effects of the fall of man, beauty yet remains a part of God’s creation, with elements of nature still incredibly stunning. If the Lord is so concerned about giving us beauty, color, fragrance and texture, etc., in His natural order, how much more is He concerned about clothing His children? Your Heavenly Father feeds the birds and dresses the fields, so how much more will He provide for you to be dressed? To the Lord, all this concern is just trivial and minor, and it should be to us as well. Man foolishly troubles himself with such concerns as, "How am I going to get school clothes for the children?" "How will I be able to afford work clothes?" God says that as His children, we shouldn’t be worried about these things.
And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what he shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. [Luke 12:29]
This is the Lord speaking to His disciples. He tells them, "You don’t have to worry about these things."
For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. [Luke 12:30]
These are the cares after which the world seeks. Man seeks security in and of himself. Because you are God’s child, God says that He sees and knows your need and He will provide. He then goes on to say what His children should seek after. Not things, not earthly security, because there is no security in clothing, food, money, earthly material goods, etc.
But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. [Luke 12:31]
The Believer’s Privilege
It is the believer’s calling, the believer’s responsibility, the believer’s privilege to seek the things of God. Don’t set your heart on this world, but set your affections on things above. If you seek first God’s kingdom, then all the other things will be supplied. Put the Lord first, live for Him, trust Him, honor Him, obey Him and all this is just a byproduct. God will bless you; He will take care of you and there will be no needs to worry about.
Worry for the child of God is simply lack of trust. If one is a disciple of Jesus Christ, one doesn’t have to worry. For God’s child to worry shows a lack of faith, i.e., lack of faith in God’s promise, His character and His faithfulness. By worrying, one is declaring, "Lord, you said this, but I’m not so sure that you’re going to do it. I’m not certain that you really meant it." Worry is a reflection upon us. It is representative of the smallness or inadequacy of our faith, of our confidence in the Lord. He calls all believers to absolutely trust Him.
It’s a privilege, beloved, to be able to trust God.
There are times in every believer’s life when he feels that doors have closed and there are no options. One can, however, choose to trust the Lord and consider it a privilege to do so. Every believer has the privilege of trusting God, standing on His Word, and seeing Him faithful in what He has promised. No matter what the promise is, you are a privileged people in that He is allowing you the privilege of trusting Him, of standing on that promise whether it’s a promise for finances, a promise for healing, a promise for deliverance, a promise for salvation of your loved ones, etc. Whatever the promise is, you are a part of His privileged people. We should always remember to thank Him for that privilege, i.e., of being able to trust Him. Not everyone has that honor, but to you God has entrusted the privilege of trusting Him, of standing on His Word.
32Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 34For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
[Luke 12:32-34]
If your treasure is invested in the things of this world and these things are suddenly taken away, your heart will sink just like most possessions did in Katrina. Even if your treasure is set upon things above, the loss of earthly possessions is still hurtful. It’s not as though you can shrug your shoulders and say, "Oh well." At the same time, don’t allow it to dissuade you, pulling the rug from under your feet spiritually, but with renewed determination, continue to trust the Lord, serve the Lord, obey the Lord, honor the Lord. He’s faithful through it all. Our security cannot be here anyway. Our security can’t be in this world and if it is, then it will manifest in our response to loss, or even the threat of loss. It would cause one to go into a state of panic, fearful of losing all.
Remember saints, this is not our home. We’re passing through here and the things we have , we have by the grace of God. We’re to remember to hold everything that we own lightly because we can’t keep any of them. They’re ours for the time being. Praise God for them, enjoy them, use them, but hold lightly to them because they are not permanent.
Just this week I watched a TV documentary about a gigantic tornado that swept through a town. That storm was classified F-4, with 250-mph winds, and was a mile wide. It left nothing but destruction in its wake. A swathe a mile wide went right through the downtown area and left nothing. Things like that only reinforce that this is not a safe world in which to live. Some run to the mountains to hide from the hurricanes only to have the mountains crumble and fall. They’re all cracked and broken. They’re falling all the time, hence the signs, "Watch for falling rocks." Where is one to go in this world that’s considered safe? Safety is found in only one place -- under the shadow of the Almighty.
Only in the Lord is there safety and peace, real peace, lasting peace.
Look again at verse 33 where the Bible says to sell what you have and give to the poor, have treasure that doesn’t get old. Keep in mind this is in the context of the parable of the rich fool, i.e., the fellow (verses 16-17) who had abundance of harvest and was unsure what to do about it.
16And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
[Luke 12:16-17]
He could have given some away. He could have helped people who didn’t have much. He could have been a blessing to others, i.e., giving to the poor, giving to the Lord. But what does the rich man do? He decides to hoard his abundance by building bigger storage, i.e., bigger barns. Then what will he do?
18And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. [Luke 12:18-19]
And what was God’s reaction to all this?
20But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
[Luke 12:20-21]
This is the context, i.e., the setting, wherein God tells His people not to worry, thinking they have to hoard, store up. That’s not how God’s child, His disciple, has to live. Now it’s certainly not wrong to be blessed, but it is wrong to be selfish. It is also wrong to think this is one’s security on earth. There is no security in all these things.
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city.... [Prov. 10:15]
The rich man thinks his riches provide him with security. He doesn’t consider that he could die, thieves could steal what he has accumulated, that his goods could rust, rot or decay. Anything could happen. The only true security one has here is found in the Lord. This is the Lord’s warning against that type mentality. One’s security is not in things, not in this world. Believers are admonished to be just the opposite from the rich fool. Where the believer has extra, be a blessing to others, give it away, be generous and help others.
As Christians, we have to have that same attitude. We have to be careful especially during times of economic chaos that we don’t get the idea that the security we have is in our bank accounts. Our banks aren’t safe. It’s going to be in my stocks and bonds. Ha-ha-ha! That’s certainly not safe either. Well, it’s going to be in my land. Yeah sure, land that has lost all of its value, especially what was underwater. There is no security -- not in this world.
Another passage that reinforces that the Lord will never fail to provide for His own is:
19But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. [Phil. 4:19]
One of the most basic and practical of the fundamental Bible truths is:
God is concerned about the needs of all of His children.
God knows what His children have need of. Let’s be reminded today of these essential, very fundamental, practical biblical truths that God will provide. God knows what we need and we don’t have to worry and there are no biblical clauses saying, "except for times of financial insecurity or economic chaos." God doesn’t add small print to His promises. All His promises are in "large print."
If one has been listening to the news over the past few days, there are a lot of worried people out there. The concerns are real, regarding what’s to be the outcome of what’s happening in America. People are uncertain about what it all means, how they will be affected and how the nation will be affected. When the largest financial institutions in the world are crumbling and falling, i.e., banks, mortgage and investment companies, the giants of the industry, one can easily be reduced to a state of anxiety and fear. As one described it when interviewed on television, these financial institutions were so large, they were considered unshakable. Like the Titanic, nothing could cause them to sink. It was said that the Titanic was unsinkable, and similarly, that nothing could affect AIG, Merrill-Lynch, Lehman Bros., etc. These companies, too, were large, monstrous giants of the business world, yet they crumbled before the eyes of all men. These companies were so huge that our government could not take the risk of finding out what the repercussions would be if they were allowed to collapse. That’s how serious it was. There might be no economy in the United States if they allowed these giants to sink. Worldwide effects were felt almost immediately. Asian markets collapsed. Russia actually had to close her stock market, having lost 50 percent of its value. It will not reopen until Monday.
As America goes, much of the world is affected and their financial systems follow suit. What happens in this country affects the world and the word out now is buyout or bailout that could amount to trillions of dollars before it’s all over. My mind is incapable of wrapping around numbers like that. That’s more lunch money than I carry around. No one has seen anything like this since the Great Depression, and maybe not even then. We’re talking about numbers here that are unprecedented in the world of finance. One analyst went so far as to call it a financial Armageddon. There have been predictions, one of which was made by David Wilkerson, that America’s economy would collapse. This could very well be fulfillment of what he predicted. Even with the bailouts in place, no one knows the effects. Everyone is on pins and needles waiting for the stock market to reopen tomorrow. They have high hopes. Perhaps everything will resume and all will be normal. Some are worried about inflation, hyper-inflation. There’s a great deal of concern -- worldwide. Some have said that the actual effects of all this on the average citizen won’t amount to much. That is, of course, unless you have money in the bank, stocks or insurance. Otherwise, it won’t have much effect on you. Did you see the lines in Singapore? People were lined up around the block to withdraw their money from the banks. That’s how much it rocked the Asian economy.
I’m not here to offer banking advice, and aren’t you glad? No one wants to follow my financial advice because I lost everything that I had, but the Lord is still faithful. He always provides and He blesses once again when one trusts Him. When people come to me for investment advice, I tell them, "I’m not so sure that I’m the one you ought to ask."
Can I remind you that it’s not just the economy that’s troubled? Most assuredly, this nation is in a time of economic chaos. It has a lot of people throughout the world very, very nervous. Just yesterday, Iran, once again, threatened to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. Yesterday their chief mullah, i.e., the chief cleric in the nation of Iran, said that their problem with Israel wasn’t just with Israel’s policies, but with the people. What does that do? What does it say when one says the problems are with the people, the citizens? It says the groundwork to justify the attempt to annihilate men, women and children in Israel is being laid. We know that’s what they intend to do as soon as they develop sufficient nuclear capabilities. This is a very real threat. It’s the "sword of Damocles" hanging over the head of Israel. It can no longer be ignored. The sword is hanging by a hair, and anything could set things off. The moment the Iranians have nuclear capability, don’t think they will hesitate to use it. It’s a threat to Israel, a threat to the USA, and a threat to the entire Western world. If you think we won’t be impacted by what’s going to happen over there, then it’s time to awake from slumber.
What if Israel invades Iran -- and are they left with any choice? Let’s be honest, are they left with a choice? They can’t allow Iran to have nuclear weapons. If the hated, despised Jews invade, the Jews who are surrounded by Muslims, what do you think the response of their Muslim neighbors will be? Following in sequence, if America wants to rescue Israel, all the Arabs have to do is turn off the spigot and say, "No oil for you." We think this economic chaos is a problem, we don’t know what a problem is if a war is started and America gets involved in Iran. It would take very little fuel for the Muslim hostilities to be directed against the USA. To further complicate matters, there are terrorists now within our borders that would love nothing more than to set off a nuclear device in the USA.
What I’m saying is that hurricane season has not ended, and the nation is looking down the barrel of an oil crisis, in addition to this ongoing financial debacle. I hope that none of us are foolish enough to think that’s all over. There are greater potential problems that could break at any moment, making this economic upheaval appear minuscule.
As if that weren’t enough, Russia is once again rattling her swords. They invaded Georgia and continue to spew hostile threats. Media are asking, "America and Russia squaring off -- is it a return to the Cold War days?" Christians are wondering, "Is Russia preparing for the Gog-Magog invasion of Ezekiel 38?" There’s so much uncertainty in this world right now. There is, however, one particularly reassuring fact, and that is that there are still some things that remain certain.
God will always provide for His people and our safety, security and shelter
are found under the shadow of the Almighty.
The believer’s hope is not in this world or in any of its institutions. That’s not to say that one can’t observe and remain aware of what’s going on in the world, but keep ever in the forefront the fact there’s no security here. Believers and non-believers alike have no future here. God has set this world aside for firewood, and it will all burn.
Fundamental #2 - Pray
While God’s people remain here, however, they are to glorify Him, honor Him, serve Him, obey Him, trust Him and be a light in this dark place. So while everyone else is in panic, we can be in prayer. While everyone else is surrounded with fear, we are people of faith. The Bible says that specific happenings or occurrences will characterize the last days. Among the events to be expected are crumbling economies, the collapse of nations, and war. Wars also bring such things as famine, peril, disease, plague, etc. Look around -- fear and terror are visible in people’s eyes.
Saints, we must realize that none of us have a future here. This world is going to blow itself apart. I think it would annihilate itself if the Lord didn’t return and destroy His enemies and rescue His people. During these times of economic chaos, military conflict, etc., keep this in mind: Your Father knows what you have need of. He knows you. You are of more value to Him than the ravens and He provides for them. He will see to it that you are cared for as well. He will much more supply your needs. He will see to it that you don’t miss a meal.
Let’s be encouraged knowing that no matter what happens, what the news says, who is in a state of panic, believers can and must remain focused on the Lord, trusting Him with all their hearts.
5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. [Prov. 3:5-6]
Trust in the Lord. Put your faith, your confidence in Him. I don’t have to understand all the dynamics of Wall Street -- stocks, bonds, finance, economics and banking. I do, however, understand that I can safely trust in the Lord, who will look after me and meet all my needs. He will do that for every single one of His children. As tumultuous as the times are now, let’s keep in mind that this is just the way it is on this planet. Things are always going to be in upheaval here. That is a condition that will not change. We live on a fallen planet and there’s not going to be peace here. Currency values will rise and fall and investments will rise and fall. Governments and nations will ascend only to fall in collapse. Life is like a roller coaster ride. One can do a lot of screaming, but that’s not going to help. The important thing to remember is: My trust is in the Lord. I trust Him to look out for me, to protect, to provide, to deliver, to heal, to save, to preserve. We can trust safely in the Lord.
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. [Ps. 37:25]
Saints, the Lord will take care of His own. The psalmist said that he had never seen the righteous forsaken. Let the unrighteous panic, but let the righteous pray. Let the unrighteous flee in terror, but let the righteous trust.
6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. [Phil. 4:6-7]
We can cast our burdens on the Lord. Jesus said:
7Ask, and is shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. [Matt. 7:7-8]
The Lord is concerned with our problems and when they have been committed to Him, believers can then stand in a place of trust, knowing that God is at work. It greatly surprises me when I hear of Christians who are experiencing situations or problems, needs, difficulties, decisions, etc. and when questioned, they acknowledge they have not made it a matter of prayer. Christians should know better. Here they are going through bodily pain, sickness, a problem, a difficulty with their family or at work, etc., and I say, "Brother/sister, have you prayed about this?" Their response is, "Well, not really." Well, that’s the first thing you should do, the very first thing. PRAY -- that’s basic. How are we going to overcome in a time of trouble, instability and chaos in the world if we’re not men and women of prayer, who simply know how to trust the Lord and make requests? We come before Him and He says, "Don’t be worried about anything."
Can I give you the RT paraphrase of verse 6? Don’t worry about anything. Stop worrying about anything, but in everything ... that means, nothing is too big and nothing is too small, in everything by prayer and supplication [petition, to ask, to make request, an earnest plea] with thanksgiving [we should always have thankful hearts, never grumbling and complaining hearts. We should always be thankful for what God has already done and be thankful for what we’re trusting Him to do. Be thankful for the answer before we even see the answer, with prayer, with supplication and with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. Here is God’s invitation to you, "Come and make your request, your petition." The Bible tells us that through the blood of Christ we have access to the very Holy Place.
19Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh. [Heb. 10:19-20]
This is what God calls us to do -- trust Him and pray.
Fundamental #3 - Work
The Bible repeatedly extols the virtue of hard work, of labor, of industry and it actually promises blessing to those who work. The Bible pronounces poverty upon the lazy, upon the slothful, upon the negligent. So one can’t say, "Lord, I’m trusting you for blessing," when one refuses to get a job.
30I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; 31And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. [Prov. 24:30-31]
Here’s a man who has a field, but he doesn’t work it -- he just watches it while he sits on the porch lamenting the fact that he has no money. Why did all this happen? Simple -- because of the man’s neglect, because the man is lazy. He failed to repair the wall that would keep out thieves, hungry critters, etc.
32Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. 33Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 34So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man. [Prov. 24:32-34]
The slothful man, the lazy man makes all kinds of excuses for not doing what he’s supposed to do, i.e., going to work, etc. The picture here is that poverty comes upon one as a robber. Why? Because the individual is slothful, because he doesn’t look after what God has already blessed him with.
The biblical principle of work is revealed in many passages.
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. [Eph. 4:28]
Here is the principle of a Christian work ethic. Let him work with his hands, let him labor. Do something -- work, be employed, have a job, have a trade, have a craft. The idea is to do something that will render an actual service to yourself and to your fellowman. Do something good so that you can not only provide for yourself and carry your own weight, but also be a blessing to others who have legitimate needs. This is the biblical work ethic capsulized here in this verse. Work hard, earn a living, pay your own way and be a blessing to others. That’s it! Work hard and of course, work honestly, doing your work as unto the Lord.
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the LORD, and not unto men. [Col. 3:23]
Develop Integrity
Whatever your work is, if it’s honest, there is dignity in it. Even menial work such as mopping floors has dignity so long as it’s honest. Whatever you do, do it as though you were doing it for the Lord. Don’t just work when the boss is looking, but work all the time doing your job well as unto the Lord. Don’t say, "I’m just a housewife at home taking care of the children." Sisters, that is your work, your calling. There’s no calling higher than that. Take care of those children. Raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
I’m not talking here about those who have worked for years and are now along in age and retired. Since there was no such thing as retirement in biblical days, the Bible does not even address that. If you are so financially blessed and secure that you don’t have to work or if you are retired, this doesn’t apply to you. Continue to work if you like, but it’s not morally or ethically essential unless economic necessity compels you.
On the other hand, those non-retirees who are physically able to work should work. You say, "I can’t find a job." Then pray and trust God. We go back to fundamentals 1 and 2, i.e., trust God and pray. We know it’s God’s will for His people to work. The Bible clearly reveals that. It’s amazing, but people who work hard usually get blessed. The Lord will even use one’s employment to provide opportunities to share one’s faith. When Christians do this heartily as unto the Lord, that means one works responsibly, not just when the boss is watching. Christian workers are punctual and strive for excellence, going the second mile. Never say, "That’s not my job," but go the second mile. It breaks my heart to hear someone say, "No, no, I don’t hire Christians. When a job applicant tells me he’s a Christian, I won’t hire him, because inevitably, they’re the laziest people on the job. They never show up on time. They think they have some special dispensation that they don’t have to work as hard as everyone else." Numerous times I’ve had people tell me that. I even had one man tell me, "I don’t work for Christians, because inevitably, they want something for nothing. They want you to do the job cheaper than anyone else would do it. They’re always looking for extra." That’s a pathetic reflection on a Christian, who is representative of Christ and the church. If someone professes to be a Christian, his word should be his bond. Reliability, punctuality and truthfulness should characterize the Christian worker. He’s representative of his employer’s business, his company. When one hires a Christian, more rather than less should be the expectation.
...this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. [2 Thess. 3:10]
The church is under no obligation to provide for those who are just too lazy to get a job. It’s one thing if someone has been laid off from his job because in this economy, it happens. If a person gets laid off and is diligently looking for a job, knocking on doors, submitting applications, then the church wants to help. However, sitting at home in hopes that the phone will ring simply doesn’t qualify.
If you’re going to survive in a time of economic peril and chaos, upheaval, you must trust God, pray, and work. As a man or woman of integrity, work hard, work diligently. Be a person who keeps his word, a man or woman of character. You’ll be blessed if you are honest in all your dealings, in all your relationships.
The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him. [Prov.20:7]
Integrity means keeping one’s word. It means treating people fairly and honestly. It means being responsible.
Discipline Yourself
Living within one’s means requires self-discipline. Today’s Christian should discipline his spending. This is quite basic. The Puritans preached these qualities frequently. The Puritans preached that one should spend less than one earned. Imagine that! What a profound notion! No one today ever thought of such a concept. The Puritans taught that spending less than one earned was a conviction to live by. It’s certainly a principle for believers to live by today. If one is not doing that, something must be changed. Either earn more or spend less.
Contrary to popular belief, there are ways to cut one’s spending habits. If one is not making a lot of money, find ways to live more cheaply. In the meantime, trust God for increase. Trust Him for promotion, trust Him for a better job, but work! Trust the Lord while disciplining your spending habits. Stop spending money that you don’t have. It’s one thing to spend money that you have, but it’s a terrible thing to make the mistake that many young people have made, i.e., living on credit cards. If you are one who is disciplined and pays the balance at the close of each month, that’s not a problem, but the believer who runs up $10,000, $20,000, $30,000 balances on credit cards definitely has a problem. I personally don’t believe that making a debt is necessarily a sin, i.e., buying something on credit. The Bible does not say that borrowing is sin. It does say, however, that borrowing and not repaying is sin.
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth. [Ps. 37:21]
The man is not wicked because he borrowed, but because he did not repay his debt. That’s the idea about owing no man anything. As a believer, one is to pay one’s debt. Living above one’s means is a sure way to economic collapse, regardless of what economic conditions prevail.
There are ways that Christians can discipline themselves to live on less than what is earned. While it does take discipline, believers can pay their debts, including accrued credit card debt, etc. Trust God, pray, work hard, be honest, and pay those debts. Pay a little here and there, but pay those debts and dig out of a hole of debt that will otherwise smother you. If you have the money to pay the notes on a new car, I have no problem with such purchases. However, if you don’t have the money to repay, then what are you thinking when considering purchasing a new car? Don’t go in debt for the new car; buy a used one. Save your money and buy what you can afford. Simple principles.
Practice Generosity
Even in times of economic chaos, one should practice generosity. Be a giver. Don’t ever think, "I don’t make enough to give." That’s wrong! Everybody can give something. I don’t believe that anyone is under some legalistic law that God will kill or judge if one doesn’t give ten percent. I believe that ten percent is a good place to start, but if one can’t give ten percent, give what you can give. Everyone can give something.
6But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. [2 Cor. 9:6-7]
Let’s remember that no one is under any obligation to give. No one is holding a gun to your head saying, "Give." Your name is not posted in a bulletin saying that "This person hasn’t given anything lately." I don’t know what people give and I don’t keep up with that. I do believe in giving and I believe in giving generously.
...he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. [2 Cor. 9:6]
There’s a principle there. Plant a little, reap a little. That’s New Testament! Be a giver. The believer’s giving should be regular, generous and proportionate to one’s income.
Persevere in all things.
Pray and persevere. Trust God and persevere in faith. Work hard and persevere in that work. Continue to be a man or woman of integrity and persevere. Even if it doesn’t look as though you’re getting ahead, continue to persevere. Trust God and pray. As one does these things and perseveres, one will see God’s faithfulness. These things, however, cannot be omitted if God is to bless. Perseverance, prayer and faith are prerequisites for receiving God’s blessing.
I don’t know what lies ahead economically or financially for America or for the world, and guess what? No one else does either. The entire world is a powder keg and everything could change tonight or tomorrow. Here’s what we do know. Every day in every situation and in every circumstance, we can trust the Lord. We react not with panic, but with prayer, not with terror but with trust, not with fear, but with faith. This is how we live our lives -- trusting the Lord, holding to all our possessions lightly, loving one another, loving God and trusting the Lord to see us all through. We have no reason to fear for the Lord is with us. There’s no reason to panic for He can provide for us manna in the desert. God hasn’t lost His recipe for manna. Praise God! Water from a rock and light in the darkness! Thank you, Lord for that Light.
Father, we look to you today with hearts that are willing, willing to trust You, to provide, to bless, to deliver, to heal, to preserve, to keep -- no matter what the circumstances may be. Father, I pray that You would lift the spirits of all your people, lift our spirits and remind us that You remain in absolute control and we can trust You and find our safety and security under the shadow of Your wings. This is our prayer today, in Jesus’ Name.... Amen.
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