FREEDOM!!!!!!
I remember watching braveheart for the first time and hearing those resounding words in the movie. "The king may can take our life, but he can never take our Freedom!" I remember being stirred to stand up to tyranny if I ever faced it, because what is life without our freedom? no one wakes up excited to be a slave!
Then I remember 15 years ago reading Financial Peace just before getting married and how Dave Ramsey turned my life upside down. Everything I had practiced and known prior to that was seemingly in total opposite of what God wanted for me financially. I remember this all happening just before I got married and it wasn't long after I said "I do" that my wife wondered who she had married. I was on a mission to be debt free and save all I could. I loved listening to Dave to the point I could answer the callers question before Dave did because I knew what he was going to say. And Fridays were the best to hear those people call in and scream out "I'm debt free!!!!"
Then as life went on how quickly things seem to change. I never really wanted to be in debt, but I begin to pull back in my practices. I saw people use line of credits to make some quick turnover investments, so I began to do the same. Suddenly I got caught up in the money making game. And it is an alluring one I must say. But just like the bait is always a preparation for the trap, I got caught.
For several years I was able to make good little investments using my line of credit. Then it stepped up to bigger investments, Then it became all about continuing the lifestyle we had. We did not recognize it for what it was, but looking back now, it was all the allure of the American Dream that finally caught up to us and caused us so much heart ache and grief once that began to slip away. What I failed to notice was the dream was actually right in front of me.
You see, the greatest joy is not really being debt free, it is being obedient. The greatest enjoyment of life is not having the money to cover any desire I have, even if that desire is full time ministry, the greatest enjoyments come from being obedient. I have read the lives of men and seen even today the stories of the poorest people in the world, but yet their joy is unmeasurable because of Jesus! He really is all they need. They have come to enjoy the fulfillment of his promises of being obedient just to what He says! And when you are obedient, the blessings are overflowing.
You see, Israel was invited to live in Egypt as free people (Joseph the slave turned ruler and all his family was invited to enjoy the best of Egypt free of charge.) But it was not long until their lives became content which turned to complacency and when Egypt flipped the switch, they had no where to go. They were slaves to their own desires and had moved so far from following God, they had nothing else to do but become slaves. In order to keep their homes and livelihood, they were forced to do what their new master said. And this went on for hundreds of years until in their hearts the Israelites began to cry out to God for their freedom. And we are told in Scripture that God heard and we know the story.
Today, we, much like Israel have been lulled to sleep by the American Dream. We became allured to the idea of success and the money that would follow that we bought in. Little did we know that Satan was baiting us into his trap. Just like in the garden when the serpent said "Did God really say?" he asked us, "Did God really say "owe no man anything?" or did he mean anything except for a house. Then it became, anything except a house and the needed transportation. Then he added the needs of nice clothes and before you know it, you are like me and borrowing for food on the table to eat. After that, you are now a slave to making money because you owe someone for anything/everything. Then your ability to serve or give when God leads is diminished to the lowest possible amount until you are not free to give at all. Before you know it, just like the Israelites, you have now found yourselves to be a slave who at the whim of your master can have your entire life thrown into uproar!
And who suffers from all this? Those you were trying the hardest to be the best you could be. Your spouse must see less of you because you are a slave to your master. Your kids see less of you because you are a slave to your master. And although you have given your "heart" to Jesus, our American society still has your life because you are slave to your master. Marriages are ruined. Opportunities to invest in your kids are missed, all so they could have a nicer pair of jeans or play a sport for a memory, when what they want the most is you. just like that one bite in the garden enslaved us to sin, that one taste of the "Dream" has led us to sign our names and say, "Money, I am now your slave."
But I hear it more and more in my little circles, the people of God are starting to pray, "Lord set us free." I am seeing Him work in lives around me. I am hearing of his powerful hand. I have seen Him work in my own life and I am now excited as I see him on the move. Gods people, His chosen people, are crying out with deep groans from their current state of slavery and God is starting the work to set them free. And much like Israel, they will have to leave all they know behind to follow Him into the great unknown, and I am sure there will be growing pains along the way, however, I know God desires to set his people free, He has proven it time and again, no more so than when he sent jesus to redeem our souls. But He not only wants us to be free for eternity, he desires for us to live in His freedom today.
I believe He is hearing our cry and He is shouting, "Look to me my dear child for I am her and I long to give you your FREEDOM!"
(ps. All my "sermons" are free. lol)
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Is Debt a Sin?
Let me start by saying this will NOT be a definite answer on this subject. I simply would like to share my thoughts on it for your consideration.
I have been reading again. This time it has been a book about a young African man named Samuel Morris and then on to the amazing Hudson Taylor, missionary to China. Both of these books are about men who lived and are contemporaries with George Mueller. Amazingly, I found some very close similarities in these men, not to mention A W Tozer, another contemporary of these followers of Jesus.
Here is a theme that ran through them all. They each felt as if borrowing money was wrong for a Follower Of Christ. What struck me most though is they did not go into detail as to why it was wrong, only taking Scripture at Face value, "owe no man anything, except the debt of love."
I will not lie. As April 15th approached this year, so did a large bill to Uncle Sam for which we were not ready for. I had my taxes done early so I could at least have an idea what I would owe, but man, blessings that come in a year are also very taxable by "Ceasar" if you know what I mean. We faced a dilemma, pray and wait on God to provide, or borrow money to pay our taxes. Needless to say, my heart trembled a little and wavered wondering what God would do. I knew I could borrow the money, but I still sensed in my heart God did not want us to be in debt.
Right as I was starting to waiver in my heart, God set these book on Samuel Morris, Hudson Taylor, and Waiting on God by A W Tozer in front of me. Immediately my heavenly Daddy answered the question of my heart as he reaffirmed through these men that he wanted us to remain free from the bondage of debt. So we turned to Him in prayer and sought him regarding the tax bill we faced.
Only like God can, He made the provision for our need and in the middle of March our tax bill was paid in full. AMAZING!
So back to the question, Is Debt Sin? Here is my thought on the matter.
I firmly believe God intends His people to be free from debt. Look at these verses God gave me regarding the matter and see how they line up.
"Owe No Man Anything!" Romans 13:8
"The Borrower is Servant to the Lender." Proverbs 22:7
"You Cannot serve God and Money." (Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13)
As I wrestled with this question, I also came across Romans 13-14. In this passage Paul was speaking to fellow followers about giving liberty to each other regarding matter of life (drinking, eating meat offered to idols, etc....). There was one verse that really stood out when Paul said, "everything that does not come from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23) What Paul was saying is if you have doubts in your heart regarding a matter, yet you proceed forward despite your lack of faith, then you have sinned." So what one person may can do in full faith, can to another be sin if they do it without faith.
Well, that is me and debt. I cannot at this point in my life borrow money in faith, therefore, borrowing money for me is a sin because it would not be done in faith.
But why did these forefathers of ours in the faith have such a resolve not to borrow money and that is was wrong. Hudson Taylor separated from his mission society because they started borrowing money. He was quoted as saying, "How can something be wrong for an individual Christian, yet be right for a group of Christians?" George Mueller was adamant that Christians should only look to God for their provisions here on earth and NEVER borrow money. Samuel Morris prayed and waited on God for his provisions as in his very limited education state, he knew Scripture to say "owe no man anything."
George Mueller once was in great need of a large sum of money for the orphanage. He prayed and at the last minute a check came in for the exact amount they needed. However, the lady whom had written the check was known to be in debt to creditors and behind on her payments to them. George wrestled with what to do, but within hours had made the walk to her house, handed her the check and simply said, "You are not free to give to God until you are free from your creditors!"
Wow, what a statement! When I read it I thought, boy, how would that preach in our churches today? Imagine a pastor who said, "Until you are debt free, you are not free to give anything to God!" That is BOLD! However, I believe the verses I listed above is why George could say that! (btw, the next morning God replaced that check in full from another source!)
Look at what God has said through his Son, his Servant, and his wise king.
"Owe no man anything BECAUSE the borrower is Servant to the lender and if you are servant to the lender you can only serve one master and until you are free from the lender you can therefore only serve Money!"
You see the beauty of His divine plan. God says we cannot serve Him and Money. Therefore he commands us through Paul to owe no man anything except the debt of love because he knows that if you borrow money you have just enslaved yourself to be a servant of paying that money back. And since we can only serve one master at a time, owing money to a lender excludes you from service to the One who we are called to serve!
I tried to make that simple. I cannot sit here and say owing money is a sin, HOWEVER, I can say that owing money to any lender, wether big or small, is SLAVERY. If you are a SLAVE (servant) to a lender, then on the words of Jesus we can state we are not then free to serve God until we are free from our slavery to the lender.
I believe with all my heart God wants to free his people from the bondage of slavery to money just as he freed Israel from Egypt. I believe Satan has deceived us here in America and has drawn us into slavery from which many a child of God has suffered great consequences. I believe God wants to provide ALL our needs and bless us beyond all measure, but we must first allow Him to break our self made bondage to slavery to money.
Until next time.......
I have been reading again. This time it has been a book about a young African man named Samuel Morris and then on to the amazing Hudson Taylor, missionary to China. Both of these books are about men who lived and are contemporaries with George Mueller. Amazingly, I found some very close similarities in these men, not to mention A W Tozer, another contemporary of these followers of Jesus.
Here is a theme that ran through them all. They each felt as if borrowing money was wrong for a Follower Of Christ. What struck me most though is they did not go into detail as to why it was wrong, only taking Scripture at Face value, "owe no man anything, except the debt of love."
I will not lie. As April 15th approached this year, so did a large bill to Uncle Sam for which we were not ready for. I had my taxes done early so I could at least have an idea what I would owe, but man, blessings that come in a year are also very taxable by "Ceasar" if you know what I mean. We faced a dilemma, pray and wait on God to provide, or borrow money to pay our taxes. Needless to say, my heart trembled a little and wavered wondering what God would do. I knew I could borrow the money, but I still sensed in my heart God did not want us to be in debt.
Right as I was starting to waiver in my heart, God set these book on Samuel Morris, Hudson Taylor, and Waiting on God by A W Tozer in front of me. Immediately my heavenly Daddy answered the question of my heart as he reaffirmed through these men that he wanted us to remain free from the bondage of debt. So we turned to Him in prayer and sought him regarding the tax bill we faced.
Only like God can, He made the provision for our need and in the middle of March our tax bill was paid in full. AMAZING!
So back to the question, Is Debt Sin? Here is my thought on the matter.
I firmly believe God intends His people to be free from debt. Look at these verses God gave me regarding the matter and see how they line up.
"Owe No Man Anything!" Romans 13:8
"The Borrower is Servant to the Lender." Proverbs 22:7
"You Cannot serve God and Money." (Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13)
As I wrestled with this question, I also came across Romans 13-14. In this passage Paul was speaking to fellow followers about giving liberty to each other regarding matter of life (drinking, eating meat offered to idols, etc....). There was one verse that really stood out when Paul said, "everything that does not come from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23) What Paul was saying is if you have doubts in your heart regarding a matter, yet you proceed forward despite your lack of faith, then you have sinned." So what one person may can do in full faith, can to another be sin if they do it without faith.
Well, that is me and debt. I cannot at this point in my life borrow money in faith, therefore, borrowing money for me is a sin because it would not be done in faith.
But why did these forefathers of ours in the faith have such a resolve not to borrow money and that is was wrong. Hudson Taylor separated from his mission society because they started borrowing money. He was quoted as saying, "How can something be wrong for an individual Christian, yet be right for a group of Christians?" George Mueller was adamant that Christians should only look to God for their provisions here on earth and NEVER borrow money. Samuel Morris prayed and waited on God for his provisions as in his very limited education state, he knew Scripture to say "owe no man anything."
George Mueller once was in great need of a large sum of money for the orphanage. He prayed and at the last minute a check came in for the exact amount they needed. However, the lady whom had written the check was known to be in debt to creditors and behind on her payments to them. George wrestled with what to do, but within hours had made the walk to her house, handed her the check and simply said, "You are not free to give to God until you are free from your creditors!"
Wow, what a statement! When I read it I thought, boy, how would that preach in our churches today? Imagine a pastor who said, "Until you are debt free, you are not free to give anything to God!" That is BOLD! However, I believe the verses I listed above is why George could say that! (btw, the next morning God replaced that check in full from another source!)
Look at what God has said through his Son, his Servant, and his wise king.
"Owe no man anything BECAUSE the borrower is Servant to the lender and if you are servant to the lender you can only serve one master and until you are free from the lender you can therefore only serve Money!"
You see the beauty of His divine plan. God says we cannot serve Him and Money. Therefore he commands us through Paul to owe no man anything except the debt of love because he knows that if you borrow money you have just enslaved yourself to be a servant of paying that money back. And since we can only serve one master at a time, owing money to a lender excludes you from service to the One who we are called to serve!
I tried to make that simple. I cannot sit here and say owing money is a sin, HOWEVER, I can say that owing money to any lender, wether big or small, is SLAVERY. If you are a SLAVE (servant) to a lender, then on the words of Jesus we can state we are not then free to serve God until we are free from our slavery to the lender.
I believe with all my heart God wants to free his people from the bondage of slavery to money just as he freed Israel from Egypt. I believe Satan has deceived us here in America and has drawn us into slavery from which many a child of God has suffered great consequences. I believe God wants to provide ALL our needs and bless us beyond all measure, but we must first allow Him to break our self made bondage to slavery to money.
Until next time.......
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