DEBT

DEBT …is just a symptom

Mark 10: As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good— except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Mark 10: At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 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.” 26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Most of us are rich  If you earn $25,000 or more annually, you are in the top 10% of the world.  If you earn more than $50,000 annually, you are in the top 1%.  If you have sufficient food, decent clothes, live in a house or apartment, and have a means of transportation, you are in the top 15% of the world.  If you have money saved, a hobby, a variety of clothes, two cars, and own your home, you are in the top 5%.

1 Timothy 6: Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Symptoms  DEBT  DISCONTENTMENT  WORRY  OWNERSHIP VS. STEWARDSHIP “ NORMAL IS getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work, and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for, in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes, and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it. ”

Give Generously “The only safe rule is to give more than we can spare.... If we live at the same level of affluence as other people who have our level of income, we are probably giving away too little.” – C.S. Lewis “The best way to make sure money does not have a grip on your life is to give it away.” – K. Birch “Live simply so that others can simply live.” – F. Chan

Keep Eternity in Mind You can’t take it with you. Stuff doesn’t last. Moth and rest destroy… thieves break in and steal. You don’t get credit for what you leave behind. You get credit for what you give.

Practical Steps 1.Pick a percentage 2.Make a giving plan 3.Pray for wisdom to live simply 4.Revisit your plan and increase the percentage 5.Watch and see what God will do!

The best way to make sure money does not have a grip on your life is to give it away.

The best way to make sure money does not have a grip on MY life is to give it away.