Resignation of a Blog:

"Free to Serve" has been posted for about two years now. The number of visitors has dropped to a mere trickle.

It is with some regret that this blog will be retired. I am currently looking for a way to include the entire 'book' as a 'Rich Text Format' document available for download off the internet. When that is done, the majority of the content here will be removed and links to it will be here and at the "Views" blogs.

Great Gift Idea

Just a Reminder...

One of the best gifts one can give one’s self and family, especially at this time of year, is not to increase debt.

It is difficult - we all are tempted to over-extended and purchase beyond our means ‘in the spirit of Christmas’.

Increasing one’s slavery is far greater burden than the gifts one finds under the tree on Christmas morning.

As we celebrate the birth of Christ - let us do so responsibly - and here is a novel thought, obediently.

How much more please is God by our obedience than our lip service?

Merry Christmas…

Still a Slave?

Are you still in debt? Then you are still a slave.

Pastor John Hagee had this to say about DEBT,

“DEBT:
Doing
Everything
But
Tithing.”

From any of the “Anonymous” 12 step programs - Recognizing debt is a problem is the first step…

However; tithing, or giving to God is one of the first and most important steps TO Become Debt FREE.

In other words, it is the first part of the SOLUTION.

Dare to read on...

Slave Nation

Proverbs 22:7b says, “…And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.”

A quick search of the internet (Google U.S. +“national mortgage debt”) will show that Americans are $7 Trillion dollars in debt…

According to ‘Card Trak’ a subsidiary of Cardweb.com, as of May, 2004 the MONTHLY U.S. credit card debt averages $677 BILLION - that is $2311 for every man, woman, and child in the U.S. That is already taking the adjustment downward for cards paid off each month, business cards, and 0% interest cards!

“The national debt clock estimates that if each citizen were to have an equal share of the public debt in this country, we would all be approximately $23,000 in debt.” For-debt.com

“Americans are simply maintaining their lifestyles by going ever deeper into debt. And it's very simple: something that cannot go on forever, will not. For the time being, that debt orgy has gone on for longer than anybody expected, and it is not clear when it will end.” DailyKos.com

Here is a ‘clue’: debt = slavery.
How smart is maintaining a lifestyle if that means being a more of a slave?

Risen Soul recently asked, “Do you believe that there is such a thing as reasonable debt”?

That is what this blog addresses - and the reasons it addresses that question…

Warning & Redirect

As pointed out in "Your Attention Please!" this blog is a 'complete' book online.
It is a book about debt.

For more recent articles on a variety of subjects please visit Views on History, Politics & Religions.

Thank you,
Unchained Slave

Are You a Slave?

Many are and do not even know it. More honestly, refuse to acknowledge it. The second half of Proverbs 22:7 says, “…And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” Some translations use the word servant. It does not matter. The intent is clear, once a person is in debt, their will is not their own, they are at the mercy of their new master the creditor. Slavery might be illegal in the United States, but it is alive and well.

So how did we get there? We are Americans, from the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave. We live in the most prosperous nation in the world, yet the Bible tells us we are slaves. We are not just spiritual slaves to the old nature, and sin, but also physical slaves. We are literally in bondage. How is that possible? It was easy.

Debtors deny it. We say, “Yes, I am in debt, but I am not a slave. I am not at the mercy of my creditors. They do not control what I do!” Want to bet? Look at a Summary of Terms disclosure from a creditor. There is an annual percentage rate. There is usually a higher rate for cash advances. The creditor is telling the debtor to buy goods not get cash. There is a late payment fee. Further, the default rate is even higher. The creditor can invoke the default rate any time the debtor is late, even by a day. There is a fee for pretty much everything. The creditor is telling the debtor what they may and may not buy and do, and what it will cost. The creditor tells the debtor what to buy, when to pay, how much to pay, and punishes any infraction with a fee. There is even a fee for closing an account if not paid in full. If that is not controlling what a person does, what is? Once in debt, the debtor is powerless to alter this arrangement. Further, the creditor (slaver) may alter the arrangement at any time. That is slavery.

One will forever be a slave until one realizes these simple truths. First, one has to recognize and accept, and the Bible states, that debt IS slavery. Second, one is at the mercy of creditors.

Dare to read on!

YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!

This ‘blog’ is actually an online ‘book’. The order of the posts is reversed so that readers can start at the ‘top’ of the page and read down for its ‘entire’ length.

NEWER POSTS ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.

Apologies to any that suffer inconvenience by this change; it just makes more sense to do it this way instead of scrolling down then up then down then up. It also makes sense for those that wish to ‘copy and paste’ this material for their own personal use.

Due to the excessive number of 'spam' comments relating to bankruptcy, debt consolidation, and 'credit counseling' -- comment 'word verification' is now in use here...again I apologize for any inconvenience - I really do want 'legitimate' Comments.

Thank you for your understanding,

Unchained Slave

NEW ARTICLE POSTED: 26 September, 2005 'The Parsimonious Woman Or Enslaving the Slaver!'

Terrifying Truth!

This is an expository/informational blog. While it may not be the most profound, or perfectly written blog, it is also not a journal blog in the sense that it is ‘my daily life’, or musings of the moment.

HERE WE ARE ADDRESSING ONE TOPIC: DEBT
I am a layman. I am not a pastor. I am not a professional writer. I do not have a seminary degree. I am a disabled veteran, American citizen, a Christian, and a freed slave. The reason I began this blog is I recognized that debt has been the GREATEST challenge and biggest diversion from my walk with Christ. Debt has had a greater impact on my ‘walk’ than the loss of loved ones and friends, loss of career, the horrors of combat, or the debilitating injuries sustained in the Military combined.

This is a basic overview of what we are going to cover.
First and foremost is the terrifying truth.
A. DEBT IS SLAVERY. [Proverbs 22:7(b).]
B. DEBT IS SIN. (for three reasons)
1. Debt is commonly a consequence of the sin of envy. [Envy is sin. Ex. 20:17, De. 5:21] [We asked the question: How many things is one in debt for to ‘keep up with the Jones’? We answered with Ro. 12:2 and Ja. 4:2-4]
2. Debt is lack of faith and trust in God. God promises to meet our needs. [Ph. 4:19, Ps. 37 18-19, He. 13:5, Mt. 7:11, Ro 8:32, Mt. 6:25-32] How much of one’s debt is failure to trust that God will fulfill His Promise to meet needs? We used the example of buying a car on credit. By going into debt for a car, one is saying, “God, you can not supply the car I need!”
3. We are commanded specifically NOT TO GO INTO DEBT! We start with Ex. 20:3, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” That verse does not specifically state NOT to go into debt, but take a look at the passage, 1 Co. 6:19-20, and the two SPECIFIC COMMANDS:
1 Corinthians 7:23, “You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.” (referring to the slavery of Pr. 22:7)
Romans 13:8 “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.”

Section 2:
A. Conviction: Recognize debt for what it is: slavery and sin.
B. Confession: Confess the sin. [1 Jn. 1:9]
C. Repentance: Change the behavior and stop sinning. [Jn. 8:11, Pr. 3:7, Ro. 12:1-2, Ph. 1:6 & 4:13 and Jn. 14:18]

Section 3:
The Principles of Becoming and Living Debt Free:
A. Giving
B. Stewardship
C. Contentment

Section 4:
Practical Application:
This is the section where we start taking a practical step by step walk through the “How-to” of getting out of debt and living debt free.
One of the biggest necessities of becoming debt free is to recognize the enemy. Creditors are not friends. Creditors are slavers. They enslave [Pr. 22:7]. They are not friends. They are not interested in one’s welfare. Their only concern is how to enslave, and keep one enslaved.

Before beginning to share what I have learned, both Biblically and experientially, a few things need to be addressed.

The next two posts, “Setting the Record Straight” and “Seeing Black & White in a World of Shades of Grey”, are ‘doctrinal statements. The first is my ‘Statement of Faith’. It is what I Believe based on the Bible and its teachings. I explain that in the introduction. The second is my ‘World View’. It is HOW I try to look at the world, based on my faith. Both these statements are ‘I’ statements. They are the way ‘I’ perceive existence. Obviously MANY people out there will not agree with these statements.
That is understandable. I accept that fact. If one disagrees with these statements, fine…I am always interested in apologetics. However, that should not detract from the purpose of this blog…to discuss debt.

While this blog is primarily directed at Christians…and the substantive ‘proofs’ of my ‘Arguments’ (see the post ‘Love to Argue’) are based on the Bible, there are many principles and practices that anyone can understand to improve their ‘quality of life’ by reducing the ‘Stress’ that debt places on one.

A final note:
This is an ‘Odyssey’ blog. It is a journey through a Biblical discussion of debt. I have previously stated I am not a ‘professional’ writer. I am not a theologian. I am a person that has been convicted of the sin and slavery of debt, and with God’s help have become free. I am no longer a slave to debt. Further, I have been convicted to share my experience and discoveries so that I may minister to others.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

This ‘Odyssey’ is a study of debt from both a Biblical and experiential perspective.
Reader comments are welcome [that is why it is a blog].
If this provides help, let us know so we can share in thanksgiving and blessings.

Additional help with scriptures and experiences are welcome.
“As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” Proverbs 27:17

‘Flaming’ is a ‘hazard’ of blogging, but in Christian love, please do not, just leave…If one has a legitimate ‘argument’ or contention, then we will try to address it.

Sometimes the reaction to CONVICTION is anger.

**Unless otherwise noted: All Biblical quotes in this blog are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Setting the Record Straight.

Before beginning this blog on debt, we need to set the record straight!
It is important for the reader to know WHAT I BELIEVE. (Sometimes called a ‘statement of faith’ and used almost exclusively by churches and ‘religious’ organizations, I believe an ‘Individual’ should have a ‘statement of faith’. The preferred format is written, with Biblical references. This allows individuals to remind themselves of where they stand, so they do not fall prey to the plethora of ‘kind of Biblical’ doctrines abounding today.)

Where Do I Stand?
I start with a quote by Count Zinzendorf, a leader of the Protestant Reformation. The Quote from Count Zinzendorf is “in essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty and in all things charity (love).”
Here is what I believe and live by as the essentials of the Christian faith.

B.L.U.F. – Bottom Line Up Front
Jesus Christ, GOD, the one and only Son of God, crucified, dead, resurrected, reigning….IS My Savior

Zinzendorf’s quote:
In essential beliefs — we have unity:
“There is one Body and Spirit…there is one Lord, on faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of us all…” Eph. 4:4-6.
In non-essential beliefs — we have liberty:
“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters… Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls… So then each of us will give an account of himself to God… So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.” Romans 14:1-4,12,22
In all our beliefs — we show charity (love):
“…If I hold in my mind not only all human knowledge but also the very secrets of God, and if I have the faith that can move mountains – but have no love, I amount to nothing at all.” I Cor. 13:2 (Ph)

GOD
I believe in one living and true God. God is the Creator, Ruler, and Preserver of all things. God is a spirit, and God is love. I believe that God is eternal, infinite, all-powerful, all wise, almighty and unchangeable, yet can be known by humanity and is intensely concerned for His creation. I believe in the unity of the Godhead, which, in the divine mystery, is one substance yet Three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is perfectly just and righteous as well as being gracious and merciful.
Gen. 1:1, 26, 27, 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; I Peter 1:2: 2 Cor. 13:14

JESUS CHRIST
I believe in Jesus Christ as the only Son of God, fully human and fully God. I believe that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. By Jesus’ incarnation, God became one of us to declare best to humanity His Love and Purpose. Jesus walked among us and in his sinless ness, became the perfect sacrifice for our sin. He suffered at the hands of humanity, was crucified, died and was buried and resurrected. The purpose was to restore our relationship with God, which was broken by sin.
He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory to intercede on our behalf with the God. He will return someday to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
Matthew 1:22, 23: Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5: 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15; I Cor. 15:3, 4; Romans 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; I Timothy 6:14,15; Titus 2:13

THE HOLY SPIRIT
I believe in the Holy Spirit as the person of the Holy Trinity who lives within us. The Spirit convicts us of sin, and guides us in repentance. The Spirit offers us comfort, helps us and gives us understanding of God’s truth. The Holy Spirit also gives us the power to live the Christian life and directs us in the discovery and use of our spiritual gifts.
2 Cor. 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16, 17; Acts 1:8; I Cor. 2:12; 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Gal. 5:25; Ephesians 5:18

THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE
I believe that the Holy Scriptures (the Bible) are and shall remain the only source and rule of doctrine, faith and practice. The Bible contains all the necessary truth to lead humanity into salvation. I believe that Christ is present with us in both Word and Sacrament and I decline to determine as binding what the Scripture has left undetermined or to argue about the mysteries impenetrable to human reason. Further, the Bible is God’s Word to us. Human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit, wrote it. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because God inspired it, it is the truth without any mixture of error.
2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 1:13; Psalm 119:105, 160; 12:6; Proverbs 30:5

HUMANITY AND SIN
I believe that God created humanity in His own image, pure and sinless. Yet through sin (disobeying God’s will) all humanity is sinful, having a selfish, rebellious and depraved nature. Being created in God’s image, I have the ability to determine what is right and wrong, as well as having the freedom to choose my own path. I also will be responsible for and held accountable for my actions and choices.
Sin destroys my ability to have a relationship with God. Sin is a way of life that seeks to satisfy wants and desires without regard of God. Sin is both individual acts of resisting, mistrusting and rejecting God’s will and the condition of my existence if I do not allow God to rule and direct my life. I believe that all of humanity is in bondage to sin and all are in need of salvation.
Genesis 1:27; Psalm8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1, 2

SALVATION
I believe that Jesus Christ is the one and only Savior of humanity. Mankind cannot save itself, but Jesus Christ, by dying on the cross for our sins, has mended our relationship with God. Humanity (as individuals) can be restored to that relationship only through acceptance and belief in Jesus Christ and his gift on the cross.
Recognizing Christ as Lord and Savior gives us the free gift of eternal life. Salvation is by grace and not through any human effort. Once I am in God’s grace, nothing can separate me from that eternal relationship. It is possible to fall into sin, but through confession and true repentance, I will find forgiveness and restored fellowship with God.
Romans 6:23; Eph. 2:8, 9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5

ABOUT ETERNITY
God created people to exist forever. We will either exist eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation or face judgment and damnation. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life through salvation. Those that have not been saved will be judged on their works and then be cast into the ‘Lake of Fire’ (Hell). Heaven and Hell are REAL places of eternal existence. John 3:16; 14:17; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:17-18; Revelation 20:10-15; I Cor. 2:7-9

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
I believe that the true spirit of my faith is life-centered rather than creed-centered and maintain that the greatest evidence of a regenerated heart is godly living. I find guidance for living this life of faith in the simplest Christian confession, “Jesus is Lord.”
I believe the Christian Life (Sanctification) is the work of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, making the believer pure in heart and totally committed to God. This work is both instantaneous and progressive. It begins with the birth of faith and continues throughout a person’s life.
The effective Christian life brings the believers to a point where they will denounce a desire to live for themselves and will desire to live totally for God. At this point Jesus will be truly Lord of our lives.
I believe that even though humanity cannot receive salvation through good works, they are pleasing to God and give evidence of genuine faith. Christian living in itself builds faith and gives testimony to God’s will for a person’s life.
Romans 12:1,2; James 5:12; Eph. 5:22-6:4; 1 Cor. 6:1-8; Rom. 12:17-21; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6


MINISTRY IN THE CHURCH
I believe that the Holy Spirit has given spiritual gifts to all believers. The purpose of these gifts are the building up of the Body of Christ (the Church) - and bringing glory to God. I believe in the Priesthood of all believers and that all Christians share in the privilege and responsibility of ministry in the church.
It is the goal of every believer to discover and use his or her gifts of ministry as a witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I believe that the church is called to evangelize the world, make disciples, and offer worthy worship to God. This mission is concerned with the individual souls of all people as well as the structures of the world. The social ministry of the church is one of justice, peace and equality.
I Peter 2:9; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-32; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Eph. 4:11-16

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
I believe that Jesus Christ will return to this world again to receive his believers and to be the righteous judge of God’s perfect justice. The time of His return is unknown, but may be at any moment. This is the glorious hope of all believers. 1 Thess. 4:16-17; 1 Thess. 1:10; Rev. 3:10; Rev. 19:11-20:6

Seeing Black & White in a World of Shades of Grey.

Now that you know what I believe, you need to understand how I view the world.

Some call this a Christian or Biblical World View:

Jesus Christ lived a sinless life: Matthew 1:22, 23: Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5: 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15; I Cor. 15:3, 4; Romans 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; I Timothy 6:14,15; Titus 2:13
Hebrews 4:14-15, “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

God is the all-powerful (omnipotent) and all-knowing (omniscient) Creator of the universe and He rules it now and forever: Gen. 1:1, 26, 27, 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; I Peter 1:2: 2 Cor. 13:14
Psalm 90:1, 2, “Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”

The Bible is accurate in all of its teachings: 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 1:13; Psalm 119:105, 160; 12:6; Proverbs 30:5; Matthew 5:18
Psalm 119:160, “The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”

Ergo: If Jesus Christ is real, God is real, and the Bible is accurate:

Then the following must ipso facto be TRUE:

Salvation (eternity spent with God as opposed to being separated from God in Hell) is a gift…It is impossible to earn. Romans 6:23; Eph. 2:8, 9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5; Revelation 3:20
Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Satan is a real entity. 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 9:11; John 8:44; Acts 5:3
1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

Christians have a Duty to share their faith with other people. I Peter 2:9; Matthew 28:19, 24:14, 26:13; Mark 14:9; Romans 1:8; Colossians 1:6
Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

Absolute Moral truth EXISTS and the Bible defines THAT TRUTH. 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 1:13; Psalm 119:105, 160; 12:6; Proverbs 30:5; Matthew 5:18; Philippians 4:8; 1 Samuel 12:24; 1 Corinthians 13:6; Ephesians 5:9:
2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
John 17:17, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”

**********

The ‘Moral’ TRUTH of the Bible is one of the most assaulted parts of Christian life. We are battered constantly by ‘situational ethics’ and humanism. There is a constant battle to get Christians to compromise that ONE FACT. “You Shall Not Steal.” Means YOU SHALL NOT STEAL! Not,”It is okay if you are not caught.” Not, “They were not using it anyway.” Not, “I just borrowed it.” Stealing is stealing. As Christians, as people living in a corrupt world, we are constantly tempted by ‘little sins’, and ‘little white lies’. “Everybody does it,” is not an answer, its rationalization. Satan is using the world constantly to convince Christians that rationalizing sin makes it not sin. The major purpose of this assault is to get us to compromise. If Satan can coerce us into compromising ONE aspect of Truth…ALL Truth becomes suspect. If we say just once, “The Bible doesn’t REALLY mean that,” then EVERYTHING else becomes compromised. The Bible is not situational ethics; it is True…the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. What is right is right, everything left is wrong. The Bible is definitive…it is absolute black and white, right and wrong. It is not ‘sometimes right’ and ‘sometimes sin’.

There is a line in a movie that goes something like, “When you dance with the Devil, you don’t change the Devil, he changes you.” It is an excellent paraphrase of the importance of standing firm on beliefs. Fortunately, the opposite is true, and promised. When you spend time with God, God changes you! (Romans 12:1-2).

Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Understand it is a life’s endeavor (and Christian duty) to see only black and white in world that Satan wants to be seen as shades of grey.

Love to Argue!

A short note on definitions (of words as I use them):

I use the words ‘argue’ and ‘argument’ often, in their ‘true’ and ‘original’ meaning, NOT as synonyms for fight, quarrel, bicker, row, or squabble.

From the Merriam-Webster online dictionary: LINK

Main Entry: ar-gue
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French arguer to accuse, reason & Latin arguere to demonstrate, prove; Middle French arguer, from Latin argutare to prate, frequentative of arguere; akin to Hittite arkuwai- to plead, respond
intransitive senses
1: to give reasons for or against something: REASON
2: to contend or disagree in words: DISPUTE
transitive senses
1: to give evidence of: INDICATE
2: to consider the pros and cons of: DISCUSS
3: to prove or try to prove by giving reasons: MAINTAIN
4: to persuade by giving reasons: INDUCE

Main Entry: ar-gu-ment
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin argumentum, from arguere
1 obsolete: an outward sign: INDICATION
2 a: a reason given in proof or rebuttal b: discourse intended to persuade
3 a: the act or process of arguing: ARGUMENTATION b: a coherent series of statements leading from a premise to a conclusion c: QUARREL, DISAGREEMENT

I like these definitions better than: ‘Debate’ (a regulated discussion of a proposition between two matched sides) because I am trying to convince you, not just present a ‘differing’ opinion. 'Apology' (a formal justification: DEFENSE b: EXCUSE) and 'Apologetics' (systematic argumentative discourse in defense (as of a doctrine) These are not quite correct, because I am not defending my position and beliefs. I am presenting my position and beliefs, based on experience and Biblical study with the INTENTION of proving, and persuading others to that position.

That being said, when one reads the word ‘argue’ and ‘argument’ here, one should not ‘hear’ - ‘fight’, one should ‘hear’ - ‘persuade’, ‘convince’ and ‘prove’.

Down and Dirty

Why is debt wrong for a Christian?
Let the squeamish Christian run away.
Debt is SIN!
There are three major reasons debt is sin. [Each addressed separately.]
1. Debt is a consequence of the sin of envy.
2. Debt is lack of faith and trust in God.
3. There are direct COMMANDS not to be in debt; therefore going in debt is direct disobedience to God.

Proverbs 3:5, 6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
God will NEVER direct a believer to sin. If a person prays for guidance, be absolutely sure that guidance will not be to sin.

In other words, if a person is praying for a new car, God will not direct them to go into debt to finance one. Rest assured that is a test. 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you, except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” Simply put, do not buy the car if you have to go into debt to get it. God has a better plan.

My mother, a godly, godly, woman is fond of this quote by Ruth Meyers, “God is a God of a million alternatives. We can usually think of one or two.”

When we envy, fail to trust, and disobey, we miss out on God’s plan, and substitute it with our own.

Why Do I Care?

Why am I writing this blog? The bottom line up front is because I NEED to.

There was a plaque in my high school science class. On it was this saying:
“The Wise Learn From Experience – Other Peoples’!”

I’ve never forgotten the saying. I haven’t always applied it, but I still remember it.

Being in debt, living on the edge of homeless indigence, selling off personal property to pay bills and put food on the table is an experience. I would not wish that experience on others. The lessons learned and Biblical teachings about indebtedness come from my experience.

I stated earlier that ‘Debt has had the greatest impact on the ability to walk faithfully with Christ. Debt’s impact has been greater than the loss of loved ones and friends, loss of career, the horrors of combat, or the debilitating injuries sustained in the Military combined.’

I’ve been a Christian for most of my life. I may be Christian, but I am no ‘saint’. Paul’s statement to Timothy (1 Ti. 1:15) “…that Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”, could easily apply to me.
After high school, and a couple of years in college, I joined the Army and became a career soldier. A ‘Training Accident’ ended my career. I spent three years in rehabilitation trying to regain my career. It didn’t happen. I went from a ‘guaranteed’ income, to a partial disability stipend, but I continued racking up debt.
God has a wonderful plan for me. One of the most misunderstood, misquoted, and taken out of context verses in the Bible is Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” So how does being permanently disabled, living in pain, loss of mobility, a host of medical problems, and loss of income work together for GOOD? The answer is in the next verse, Romans 8:29, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” The GOOD is that I might develop a better relationship with God and am more like Christ. That is the GOOD and the PLAN. I fall, I’m human, and I’m not perfect.
When it is a physical tragedy or calamity, like my father dying of cancer, or losing friends and loved ones, or my own disabilities, God is who I turn to. It is not easy. There were times when I railed against God, even hated Him. I have to keep going back to His promises. He promises this is for the GOOD of making me more like Christ if I walk with Him. There is also the promise of 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4, that says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” Part of the GOOD is helping others because I’ve “been there, done that”. This is true of my disabilities, yes, but it is also true of DEBT.

Dealing with disabilities is tough. Debt was a completely different animal. It ‘disabled’ me from walking with God in ways my physical injuries NEVER did. It is a much more insidious (sneaky) way that Satan gets into a believer’s life and disables their walk with God!

I learned that debt was sin. I learned that it interfered with my relationship with God. Christians know that any sin separates them from God. Debt was no exception. It is a much more tangled web. There was the sin that got me into debt and the debt itself caused conflict and separation. I spent untold hours worrying about and paying debt. I carried the burden of debt like a ball and chain. It divided me between worshiping God, and serving creditors.
Since the military, I have been physically unable to keep a full time job. I have had to live on a stipend, minimal work, and the generosity of others. The stipend I received for my disabilities was not a living wage. It could not pay for rent, utilities, and food, much less pay for wants. I went further and further into debt, even though God was constantly (but not always recognized) meeting my needs. I was accepting my disabilities as His will, while getting further away from Him by increasing my debt.
I kept getting ‘hints’ about debt, but I was not paying attention. I don’t always ‘hear’ the prodding of the Holy Spirit. Often God has to get my attention by hitting me upside the head with a piece of lumber. That is what He did with debt.
In 2000, for the first time since the military career ended, I was working almost full time. I was house-sitting for a family that was supposed to be overseas for two years. In the space of two weeks, I ‘lost’ my job, and the family returned early, so I had to vacate their house. There I was, up to my chin in debt, jobless, and on the verge of homelessness.
I called out to God. He answered.
About that time, mom sent me a video interview. The interview was with Pastor Barry Cameron about the book “The ABC’s of Financial Success”. I’ve never read the book. The interview was enough to convict me.
There I was, up to my chin in debt, jobless, and on the verge of homelessness. NOW I was convicted that debt was sin. I studied the Bible trying to find an escape from the inescapable. Everything I studied only made me more convinced and convicted.

Picture the scene. I was physically disabled, jobless, and soon to be homeless. I did not know where I was going to live, work, or how I was going to pay for food much less debts. The huge weight of debt was on my shoulders. Add to that a great big neon flashing sign in front of me, “You Must Get Out of Debt!”
“God, you’ve got to be kidding, right?”
“You Must Get Out of Debt!”
“Yeah, right,” was the reaction.
“You Must Get Out of Debt!”
“Okay, how?”
“Trust and Obey!”
That conversation ended with me asking for forgiveness and deliverance. I was hoping for an instant miracle…You know, a long lost (unknown) relative leaving an inheritance, winning the lottery, an anonymous gift, something like that. It didn’t happen. What did happen was five years of hard work. Even as I stumbled, God provided. Repeatedly. It wasn’t one big miracle. It was many ‘little’ miracles as every day God provided. If it had been one big miracle, I would not have learned anything.
No, it was five years of learning to live, to spend, to save, to budget, to be content, and most importantly, to fully rely on God to meet needs. There was this huge debt weight on my shoulders, but I am convinced, Christ carried most of it. I lived knowing that if I didn’t learn lessons about debt, debt would crush me. I knew I was enslaved. I watched what it was doing to me. Even trying and learning to rely on God, the stress was literally killing me. Debt Slavery affected me mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

Knowing I was doing the right thing, and walking with God, was liberating, to a point.
You can hardly imagine the relief, the liberation, and the rapture of paying off that last debt. How can one describe the indescribable? I have been set free. I am no longer a slave to debt.
I have learned how not to be enslaved again (although that is an ongoing battle).
That’s what this blog is all about! That is why I NEED to tell you about it!
I want, and pray, for you to experience the joy of debt freedom.
I want you to be able to walk with the Creator, unfettered.
Therein is a peace and joy that you cannot imagine, you have to experience!
Getting out of debt is not easy, but with God, it is possible, and it is what HE wants!

Our Wants Enslave Us!

Most of us become slaves to debt by one not so ‘little’ sin. The bottom line is that we go into debt because of envy or we covet. We want. We want to keep up with the Jones’s. We want a newer car. We want a ‘better’ lifestyle. We want new fashions. We want a new ‘toy’ like a motor home or boat or a bigger TV. We want what we do not have and someone else does, or we want something better than theirs. That is envy. Dictionaries define envy as ‘discontent by another’s gains, success, etc. and a desire to have them.’

Debt is consequence of envy. Envy is sin (any ‘good’ Catholic knows that Envy is one of the Seven Deadly Sins). For those familiar with the Ten Commandments, the tenth Commandment says, “Thou shall not covet [want/ENVY] your neighbor’s wife”. That is NOT what the verse says, Exodus 20:17, Deuteronomy 5:21, “Thou shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” Substitute the words for today; neighbor’s house, wife, housekeeper, car, boat, TV, etc.

The Bible defines it as sin. Remember Satan? He envied God’s power (Is. 14:12-14). Cain envied Abel’s relationship with God, and committed the first murder (Gen. 4:7,8 ). Joseph’s brothers envied him and sold him into slavery (Gen.37:11). The priests were envious of Christ, so they had Him crucified (Mark 15:10, Matt. 27:18 ). The Bible is full of instances were envy was the root sin of terrible deeds.

We say, “Now wait just a minute, I’m not envious. I am not killing anyone. I’m not selling anyone into slavery.” Yes, we are. We are killing ourselves, and selling ourselves into slavery. Look at a credit card statement. How many ‘things’ on that statement are really NEEDS?

Truthfully, how many things on that credit card statement are real needs, and how many are things that are just wants? We live in a world of instant gratification. How many TV commercials offer the opportunity to have it now and pay for it later? Every time one succumbs to that temptation, one is living in the world and of the world. Romans 12:2 says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Every time we give in to the ‘now’ mentality, we add another link in the chain that enslaves us.

One will forever be a slave in sin and to sin until one faces reality and accepts that envy debt is a consequence of sin.

When ‘Want’ is Not Sin

Want, does not by definition mean sin. There is nothing wrong with wanting. It is a matter of why.

There are many verses in the Bible that tell us to ‘ask’. The Bible says that we do not have, because we do not ask! (Matthew 21:22, Luke 15:7, John 14:13, 14, 15:7, Romans 8:32, James 1:5, 1 John 5:14, 15, and many more) Most of these instructions are about asking for wants. So how do we know when what we want is sin and when it is not?

Consider the cross. Matthew 26:39 finds Jesus wanting, ‘He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."’ He did not want to die on the cross. However, what was His conclusion? The answer was that God’s will be done.

The first principle of ‘wanting’ is our willingness to be subject to God’s will. Are we willing for God to say, “No” or “wait”?

James gives us even more insight in James 4:2-4. The Message Bible (REMIX) puts it like this: “You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it. You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children each wanting your own way.” Verse 4 spells it out clearly, “You’re cheating God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and His way.” There it is, straight from the Bible, we do not have because we are asking for envious wants and worldliness.

The second principle of ‘wanting’ is our motivation. Why do we want whatever it is we want? Do we want to be worldlier or more Godly?

Paul told the Romans, “It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.” (Romans 14:21) Here the question is how our ‘wants’ affect others.

The third principle of ‘wanting’ is how it affects others. What example are we setting?

A couple of examples of principles applied:
I wanted a toaster. Did God want me to have a toaster? I didn’t know. I asked myself why I wanted a toaster. Was it because my neighbor had a super-deluxe eight slice thermo-matic whiz-bang toaster? No, it was because I like toast. Would having a toaster cause a brother to stumble? I do not think so. We are back to God’s will in the matter. Finances, wise spending and indebtedness are my stumbling blocks. How much cash was available (I’m not about to go into debt for a toaster)? $24 was available for the purchase. I went to the store, firmly set not to spend a penny over $24 for a toaster. If I could not find a toaster for under $24, I wasn’t getting a toaster. Toasters were on sale for $6.47 plus tax. I bought a toaster.

I want a newer car. My car is sixteen years old, while safe to drive; it has a lot ‘character’. The body and engine are in good shape, but I want a car without so much ‘character’. Do I want a newer car because my neighbor just bought one? No, my neighbor gets a brand new car every two years. I want a newer car not a brand new car. My car is not as suited to my uses as when I first got it. Would getting a newer car set a bad Christian example? Maybe. Does God want me to have a newer car? Not now. Why ‘maybe’ and ‘not now’? The only way that I can get a newer car now without going into debt is by divine intervention. The ‘maybe’ is if I go into debt to get a newer car, I’m a hypocrite, that is a bad example. The ‘not now’ is simple, God’s leading is NEVER sin. Since I am convinced debt is sin, then I would have to sin to get a car. God isn’t leading me to do that, even though I just got the ‘0% down, 3.9% for six years - guaranteed car loan approval’ certificate in the mail. That is TEMPTATION. I’ll wait for a newer car until God provides the means without the sin.

Questions to ask about ‘wants’
1. Am I subject to God? Remember, God does not want us to sin. The end (God’s will) never justifies the means (if the means are sin). (If Jesus had sinned, where would we be?)
2. Why do I want what I want? Is it envy or just a simple desire?
3. Will a ‘want’ cause a brother to stumble, or weaken my witness?

Not Alone OR We Are In the Same Sinking Boat

We go back to 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you, except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” “…such as is common to man” is the key today.

It is hard to tell the difference between needs and wants. Everyone faces that challenge, knowingly or unknowingly. Admittedly, there are people out there blissfully ignorant of their own slavery, to them needs and wants are interchangeable. Both are causing them to become more enslaved. Dealing with envy debt requires learning to tell the difference between needs and wants. One has to learn to recognize the sin and temptations.

I remember back when I started college after high school. A good friend went to the same college. Her father gave her a credit card for ‘emergencies’. The first couple of months she was faithful to her responsibility. She did not use the card for anything. Then it happened. She had an emergency. Her car broke down and she had to have it repaired. That was the first time she used the card. After that, it was amazing how many things became ‘emergencies’. That was more than 20 years ago, she learned a lot from that lesson. Now, she is not a slave. More recently, a friend gave his daughter a cell phone ‘for emergencies’. After the first $200 phone bill, he gave her three quarters and told her to learn where the nearest pay phones were.

In talking with others, it appears that each of us has a particular blind spot. There is some area where Satan has a good foothold in keeping us from seeing the needs from envy or covetousness. It might be small or large, simple or complex, but it is there. A friend realized his ‘blind spot’ was presents. He ‘had’ to give the ‘best’ gifts. Whether it was an anniversary, birthday, Christmas or whatever, his had to be the ‘best’. It was a sobering thought when he realized that his giving was his sin. What is more, it really knocked him over when he realized that he was giving so that he was envied.

Consider my friend for a moment. He envied others giving wonderful presents. His answer was to give the best presents so that HE was the object of envy. How often do we do the same ourselves? We envy or covet what someone else has, so we go out and ‘get’ something bigger or better, so that we are the object of envy. Where does it stop? There will ALWAYS be someone that has better, bigger, more, nicer whatever’s. There will ALWAYS be someone we can envy. The question is Do we have to? The answer is no. We need to go back to Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

We are all tempted to covet and envy. Our society revolves around it. Every year a new model, fashion, version, etc. comes out. Satan’s Society tells us we HAVE to have it. It is a constant competition to be ‘one up’ on everyone else. That is envy and covetousness, and it inundates our daily lives.

The first step in dealing with sin is to recognize it for what it is: SIN

Trust & Disobey

We trust God to save our souls, but we do not trust Him with our money.

Bluntly, we trust God with the spiritual, but not with the material. When a person goes into debt, they are saying, 'God, I do not trust you to meet my physical needs."

What does God PROMISE about our physical needs?
Philippians 4:19 “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Psalm 37:18, 19 “The Lord knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.”

Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conduct be without covetousness [envy]; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ”I will never leave you nor forsake you.""

Matthew 7:11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

Matthew 6:25 -33 (The Message) "If you decide for God, living a life of God worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.
Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion - do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.
If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers - most of which are never even seen - don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met."

We keep returning to Romans 12:1, 2. Reviewing this verse and debt, verse 1, has even more meaning. This is how ‘The Message’ Bible puts it, “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”

Nothing says to quit a job, give away all possessions, become homeless, and go sit in a field waiting for God to bring food and shelter. That would be poor stewardship. It does not say, “do not to dress appropriately, nor wear makeup, nor drive a nice car, nor live in a nice house”. What it does say, is that God knows our needs and will meet them IF we trust Him. Matthew 6:33 (The Message) puts it back in perspective, “Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.” Every time we go into debt to ‘get’ a need or a want, we are robbing ourselves, distrusting and disobeying God.
We rob ourselves because we are so stressed out we lose focus. How many times have we ‘bought’ something on credit, like at a restaurant, and the meal is tasteless or lousy, and the companionship is not good, simply because we are preoccupied with the bill? How many things in life are like that? We want, we go into debt, and we get, only to be unsatisfied, and want more or something else.
We distrust, and disobey God, then miss his blessings. Philippians 4:19 “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Read it again, “...according to His riches...” As ‘The Message’ puts it, “You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours...” How rich is God? He can afford anything. He owns everything. Are we REALLY saying that God can not supply us with the vehicle we need? Substitute anything for vehicle, like job, home, clothes, furniture, or toys.

He not only can, He promises that HE WILL!

Dangerous Discovery

Here is what we know and have discovered:
1. Debt is slavery. Proverbs 22:7 says, “...And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.”

2. Debt is Sin.
We know that one of the major root causes of sin is envy and covetousness. Exodus 20:17, Deuteronomy 5:21, “Thou shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

We know that debt is failure to trust in the Promises of God to meet our needs. Philippians 4:19 “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Now for the 'Dangerous Discovery' - Debt ITSELF is SIN!
We have danced around the issue of debt itself being sin. The First Commandment from Exodus 20:3 says, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” It is interesting that the Old Testament constantly talks about ‘other gods’. Most cultures had their own pantheon in those days. In the New Testament, as the Roman conquered the world, many of those pantheons disappeared, but Jesus, and the New Testament authors spoke extensively about MONEY as a god.
Luke 16:13 says, “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” The Message Bible is clearer, “No worker can serve two bosses: He’ll either hate the first and love the second or adore the first and despise the second. You can’t serve both God and the Bank.”

So is it God or money? 1 John 2:15-17 says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all sort of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang.”

One could quickly argue that they are in debt but do not worship money and the things money buys. That may be true. However, we know debt is voluntary slavery from Proverbs 22:7. Our instructions are specifically not to become slaves.
1 Corinthians 6:19, 20 says, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Explicitly it is a command in 1 Corinthians 7:23, "You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men."

As for debt itself, Romans 13:8 specifically states ‘NO DEBT’, "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law."

“WAIT A MINUTE!” some would say, “That’s talking about our 'Spiritual' duty, not monetary debt!” Really? What is the context of the verse? What does the verse before it, Romans 13:7, say? “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.” Chapter 13 starts with, “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities.” That is earthly duty. Paul continues after verse 8 to explain, that by loving others, one keeps ALL the Ten Commandments, specifically mentioned are adultery, murder, stealing, and coveting (envy). It IS a Spiritual duty to OBEY in the physical world.
Romans 13:8 means EXACTLY what it says, “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.”

DEBT BY DEFINITION IS SIN. It is direct disobedience to God.

The saddest verse in the Bible is 1 Kings 18:21, ‘And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.’ (emphasis mine).

How long will YOU falter between two opinions? Will YOU give God an answer?

What Now?

Debt is sin that is a fact. A choice must be made (not choosing is a choice).
There are three possibilities.

One can ignore the sin and go casually on their way. ‘De Nile’ (denial) is the longest river in the world, it winds its way through all of our lives.

One can acknowledge that debt is sin, ask forgiveness, and go blithely on their way. That is not repentance. A person that has an affair can ask God and their spouse for forgiveness. IF they continue the affair or have another affair; they are not repentant, just seeking absolution.

One can acknowledge that debt is sin and repent.
Repent is a verb. It is an attitude (deep sorrow, regret) and two actions, confession, followed by resolution not to continue. When a person repents, they are sorry for something, ask forgiveness, and resolve not to continue.


"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5, 6. Many have heard these verses. What does the next verse say? "Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil." "Depart from evil", means stop doing what we know to be sin.

Many know the story of the prostitute that begins in John 8:1. The Jewish leaders were testing Jesus. They brought him a prostitute, and quoted the Mosaic Law regarding stoning. Most remember the quote in verse 7, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” That is not the end of the story. The story ends in verse 11, “...And Jesus said to her, ”Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."" Jesus forgives her, yes, but he also gives her the command not to do it any more.

The point here is simple, if a person is truly repentant of debt sin. They acknowledge the sin, and beg forgiveness. Then they stop doing it. Will Rogers said, “If you find yourself in a hole the first thing to do is stop digging.” That is true of debt. A person HAS to stop spending money they do not have. It is easier said than done. Getting out of debt is not easy. The only thing easy about debt is going into it.
While God is faithful and promises to forgive our sins if we confess them, sin still has consequences. Not the consequence of eternal proportions - eternal separation from God - but the earthly consequences. A thief, that confesses the sin, must still pay ‘society’ for their crime. A promiscuous person that gets a sexually transmitted disease may confess their sin and change their behavior, but they still have to live with the medical consequences. Debt is no exception. A person can be convicted of the sin and confess it, but they still have to live with the consequences.

Step one is confession.
Step two is repentance.
Step three is ‘stop digging’.
-Dealing With the Consequences-
Step four is get out of the hole.

Step one is straightforward. Confess sin. 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

After step one, it starts getting complicated. It requires we change.


Change is not easy. Becoming debt free requires change. Changes in attitudes, changes in behavior, changes in lifestyle, changes in spending habits, and changes in trusting God are all part of the process. It is not an overnight process, it is a work in progress, in a world that does not want a person to change.
God remains the same. He promises to help make the changes. Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." "...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;" is the promise from Philippians 1:6. Additionally He promises in John 14:18, “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”

God promises to help us, if we will let Him.

Changing Attitude to Action

Step one is confession.
Step two is repentance.

Reviewing,
Confess sin. 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The sin confessed is the debt itself, and reasons for going into debt, both envy and lack of trust.

Step two is repentance.
Stated earlier, repentance involves more than lip service. We have to ask ourselves are we TRULY sorry for the sin, and do we REALLY want to get right with God? The principle that repentance is action is Biblical. Repentance requires an ‘attitude’, and the ‘action’ proves the ‘attitude’ is real.

Proverbs 3:7 “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.”
John 18:11, “...And Jesus said to her, ”Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.""

‘DEPART’, 'GO', and ‘SIN’ (used as a verb) are the actions that ‘prove’ the attitude.

Mark 10:17-25, and Matthew 19:16-24 tell the story of rich man wanting to enter the kingdom of heaven. It is where we find the quote, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” The rich man was sad because he had many possessions. The Major Point in this passage goes straight to Luke 16:13, “...no man can serve two masters...”, but it also shows the principle that repentance requires action. The action of giving away all the worldly possessions - proved that the desire to serve the ONE God was real.

Do not misunderstand, salvation is by grace, and grace alone, Eph 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

The point is that just asking forgiveness, then continuing in the same sin, is not repentance. IF there is no sorrow (attitude) and there is no change (action), then it is not repentance, it is fire insurance.

Matthew 7:20, “Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” Are we showing the ‘fruit’ of repentance, by our actions?

The question one has to ask is, “By what actions, do I show that I know debt is sin, I am sorry for the debt, and I want the sin out of my life?”

Digging Graves

Stop digging your own grave.

Will Rogers said, “If you find yourself in a hole the first thing to do is stop digging.”

Debt is a hole...it is a bottomless pit. A person can keep digging until they go beyond the point where the only way out is to die, then they pass the debt to their family. Their family becomes second generation debt slaves. My father did that. When he died, he passed on debt to my mother, a woman with little formal education, and whose only REAL job had been raising five kids. A child at the time, I did not realize for many years how tough things really were. My mother was a second generation debt slave. She FOUGHT her way out, and now, she and my step-father live in a beautiful home, with nice cars, on the beach...debt free.

I did not learn the lessons about debt from them, even though they tried to teach me. A rebellious and arrogantly obstinate youth, I like many, thought I knew better than my parents did. It has been said, “The older I get, the wiser my parents are.” That is certainly true in my case.

So, how do we ‘stop digging’? The first thing one has to do is stop spending money they do not have. No, duh! It sounds simple. It is not simple. It requires change. We have already noted that change is hard. Let us look at the basics. Any psychologist, behaviorist, and most people will tell us that attitudes drive behavior. One cannot sustain long-term changes in behavior, until one changes the attitudes behind the behavior.

How does one change the attitudes behind debt spending?
We start back with the Bible. Specifically, return to Romans 12:1, 2 as ‘The Message’ Bible puts it, “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”

I like that, “You’ll be changed from the inside out.” - That is: God will work a change in attitudes that will be reflected in actions.

Begin the change by recognizing, confessing, and repenting. Ask God to help change the attitude by reminding one that debt spending is wrong. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” God promises to give us wisdom, so request wisdom in spending! God has our best interests at heart, Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Philippians 1:6, “...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” - This goes back to the ‘Good’ of Romans 8:28. The ‘good work’ in us is to make us more Christ-like. Borrowing from the ‘What Would Jesus Do’ movement, ASK the Question, “What would Jesus DO with a credit card?”

Change requires a decision. A person HAS to make a choice. “Either do, or do not, there is NO try!” is the quote from Yoda, in ‘Star Wars [The Empire Strikes Back]’. The Bible is a little more direct. Revelation 3:15, 16 says, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” Additionally James 5:16 says, “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” Yoda paraphrases it very appropriately.

Not making a choice is making a choice not to change.

It is not easy. It is one of the hardest things I have done. It is still difficult. Every day there is a temptation to go back into debt.

Some bad news:
I will almost guarantee when you decide you want to become debt free, you will get blind-sided. Once you have made the decision, the first thing that will happen will be temptation. IT may be a bad thing, it may be a good thing, it may be a little thing, it may be a big thing...but you will be tempted. God wants to know you are serious, and prove He has the strength to help you. Satan wants to divert you, and help you fail!

Keep 1 Corinthians 10:13 in mind, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” This promise is from God!

Getting Out of the Pit

All right, we made it this far. We have made the ‘mental’ and ‘spiritual’ leap to the choice of getting out of debt.

We know that debt is slavery, sin and a consequence of sin.
We know that to get out of debt requires:
Conviction - Debt IS sin.
Confession - “Father, Forgive me, I have sinned.”
Repentance - “I am sorry, and I do not want to live in sin anymore.”
Choice - “I want to get out of debt.”
Attitude - “Lord, help me change my attitude so my behavior changes.”

Now, “HOW do I actually get out of debt. What do I DO?”

When I was convicted to get out of debt, I did not have a clue what to do or how to go about it. I was convinced that I had to it, but I did not know how. During my military career, my job required that I be self-sufficient, able to survive in any environment, combat or geography with little or no help and support. I was trained to do that. All my money management training was experience in how to get deeper in debt. How could I get the training to become debt free?

The military has a manual to teach one how to do just about anything relating to the job. Additionally, they have schools that reinforce the manuals. I fell back on military training and starting looking for ‘manuals’ on how to get out of debt. Hours of searching libraries and bookstores led me to one conclusion...financial ‘success’ in America today is defined by how to USE DEBT to increase one’s standard of living, and increase one’s slavery. There are books on how to ‘leverage assets’ (use what little one owns to assume more debt), how to ‘maximize resources’ (use debt to get more debt) etc, ad nauseam.

I reasoned through this, and went back to my military experience. I learned far more in the military from other soldiers that had ‘been there, done that’ than I ever did from a manual or a school. Others' experience, passed on, was more valuable than books or training. I started looking around for people that had what I wanted; people that had a debt free life, and contentment. I found very few. It is a very unpopular position; it is almost un-American. In America, we are ‘defined’ by our credit rating and how far into debt we can go.

I went back to the source. I became convicted of the wrongness of debt slavery by the Holy Spirit and the Bible. The thought was ‘if’ the Bible was correct, then it would not only be the manual on how to get out of debt, it would also have the ‘experiences’ of people living debt free lives. IT might not have a ‘step-by-step’ how-to guide on balancing a budget, but it does have the principles of what to do.

I am constantly amazed at how much information on everyday living there is in the Bible. I am not talking about just our ‘Spiritual’ lives; I am talking about the ‘nuts and bolts’ of everyday living. It IS a ‘How-To-Guide’ for living life. The people in the Bible were not just prophets and evangelists. The Bible tells the stories of people from all occupations, from prostitutes to kings, from business magnates to slaves, and people who were all of the above. It is filled with people whose ‘experience’ covers just about everything.

I found the principles and promises on how to get out of debt and live debt free. I also found the ‘How-To’ guide with ‘experienced’ examples! The Bible does not specifically say, “This is how to set up a budget”, but it does tell us how to spend our money.

The Principles of Becoming and Living Debt Free:
Giving
Stewardship
Contentment


Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

I MUST Be Crazy!

Giving to God is the SINGLE most important step in becoming debt free!

The ABSOLUTE first expenditure from any income should be a check made out to God!

Many would say, “Man, you are crazy! I’m in debt up to my eyeballs. I’m already spending more than I earn, that’s why I’m in debt. Now you want me to GIVE some of my money away?”

Yes, but it is not what ‘I’ want it is what God wants!

Do not just give some of your income away, give it to God!
Do not just give some of your money to God, give away the FIRST part of your income to God!

Make a covenant with God to ‘give’ the first part of all income to Him.

‘Giving’ and ‘Tithing’ are often used synonymously. There is a difference. Tithing is an Old Testament ‘Law’, and very legalistic. Christ established a ‘New Covenant’. He said in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Consider what Matthew 5:17 says, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Tithing is redefined AS giving. We are instructed to GIVE, Romans 15:27 says “...For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things.”

Giving is a duty. If one accepts that duty, and makes a covenant with God to give, what is the ‘practice’ of giving? How does one ‘give’?

The 'Principle and Practice' of giving is best defined in 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2, “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.”

Giving should be to the ministry, planned, proportional, personal, and FIRST.

TO THE MINISTRY (God): “...the collection for the saints...” The money is for those in service to the Gospel. 1 Corinthians 9:14 states, “Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.” It is a ‘good work’ to give to charities, like the local library, it is a duty to Give to the Ministry.

IS PLANNED: "...each week...lay something aside..." That is clear. Primary giving is a part of the budget process, not impulsive. There may be times when a person is ‘moved’ to give additionally, but that is secondary.

IS PROPORTIONAL: "storing up as he may prosper" and Acts 11:29 says, “Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea.” A person’s PLANNED giving should be proportional to their income.

IS PERSONAL: There is NO directive on how much that PROPORTION is. That is between an individual and God. The only thing we have is the guidelines of tithing from the Old Testament, falling back on Matthew 5:17. The ‘Law’ on tithing was 10% of all income. Giving 10% is not a rule it is a guideline. Prayer and the leading of the Holy Spirit should determine giving. R.G. LeTourneau, wealthy industrialist and inventor (he owned more patents than anyone did since Thomas Edison), and the founder of Letourneau College, gave 90% of all his personal and business income.

FIRST:
Using guidelines from the Old Testament, tithe was from the first fruits of labor. Proverbs 3:9, “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase;” 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2 reinforces this with the phrase, “On the first day of the week...” Additionally, Matthew 6:20, 21 tell us, “...but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Giving to God is ‘laying up treasures in heaven’.
Answer these questions, “Who is first in my life?” Is it God or is it the bank (Luke 16:13)? “As a debt slave, to whom do I owe the greatest debt?” Wouldn’t that be Jesus Christ? HE paid the price for ALL our sins! How big a debt to HIM is that?

GIVING FIRST REINFORCES THAT GOD IS FIRST
[Then of course, there is the payback...it isn’t just about ‘treasure in heaven’]

Giving TO Get

Giving to God is the SINGLE most important step in becoming debt free!

GIVING FIRST REINFORCES THAT GOD IS FIRST
[Then of course, there is the payback...it is NOT just about ‘Treasures in Heaven’]

Giving to ‘Get’ sounds selfish and ‘un-Christian’. Giving as a way of honoring God, does have rewards. The Attitude that one is giving to God to honor Him, AND to expect an increase in material wealth, so that one may give more, is valid.

John D. Rockefeller, Sr. (the wealthiest man in world, the first billionaire, and who, in inflation adjusted dollars would be worth almost twice as much as Bill Gates) said, “I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithed my first salary, which was $1.50 per week.” (John, SR. used ‘tithing’ and ‘giving’ as synonyms.)

His son, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., said, “Think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege.”
I would add it is a privilege because it means one has an income as source for giving!

Is there some place in the Bible that promises material wealth?
Amazingly, yes the Bible does PROMISE an INCREASE in material wealth.
We have looked at Proverbs 3:9, “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase;” The VERY NEXT VERSE TELLS US WHY: Proverbs 3:10, “So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.” That is talking about possessions...material wealth! That is a promise from God. Visit Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” This is the last item in a list of things to do to live a Godly life, described by Jesus, starting in verse 27 (see also Proverbs 19:17, and 28:27). God promises to give back in ‘good measure’.

AND THE BIGGEE!
Take a look at Malachi 3:10, 11; “"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts;" Take a really close look at the wording in the first sentence, specifically where it says “try Me”. The word ‘try’ is translated from the Hebrew as try, test, tempt, examine, and prove. Malachi 3:10 is the ONLY place I have found, and I have asked Bible scholars for help on this, that God says, “Test ME Now”, "See if I am true to My Word". I asked one of my brothers, a Doctor of Theology, if this was the only place in the Bible where God challenges us to test Him, his answer was, “Once is enough!”
When I first started this odyssey to become debt free, an Unchained Slave, I STARTED with a commitment to give. I purposed to give to God BEFORE committing to being debt free. When I made the commitment, I challenged God. I did, I said, “God I am testing you!” You promise to “open the windows of Heaven” for me, prove it!
Most people would call my circumstances ‘dire’ (see previous blog 'Why Do I Care'). I was living in my other brother’s converted garage, which he had politely asked me to vacate. I was unemployed. My only source of income was a ‘small’ disability stipend. I was close to $30,000 in debt. I figured that was a pretty big test for God. I was wrong.
Three years later, I am truly ‘retired’. I have ZERO debt. My monthly stipend is more than four times as large, and more than adequate for my ‘needs’. I am renting a nice two bedroom house with a garage in an area where the cost of living is twice what it was where I started. I have more money in a savings account than I can ever remember having. I have an investment portfolio, not just a savings account. I have full health, dental, and life insurance coverage.
You want to talk about the ‘windows of Heaven’ opening? I HAVE been blessed as Luke 6:38 promises, in “good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over”.

That is not just a testimony it is a challenge. I committed myself to ‘giving’. I resolved to give faithfully out of all my income. I have done that. There have been times when my faith wavered. There have been times when I looked at that ‘first’ check made out to God, and thought, “this is as a week’s groceries (or more)”. There have been times when living on the edge of homeless indigence I have literally had the change in my pocket, and days to go until the stipend arrived. But I have Given, period. God has honored, and blessed that in ways I never thought in my wildest imaginings.

Giving alone will not get one out of debt, there are other responsibilities, but it IS the place to start

Battling for Bucks

1 Corinthians 7:23, “You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.”
The second half of Proverbs 22:7 says, “...And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.”

Do NOT misunderstand. When I made the commitment to give, I did not ‘instantly’ find myself debt free and solvent. It was a difficult road. II Corinthians 9:6, 7 says, “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”
There ‘appears’ to be a contradiction here. I said there were times it was difficult to give. This verse clearly states not to give grudgingly. I would ‘argue’ (maintain by reasoning...persuade) that once I ‘purposed’ to ‘cheerfully’ give a specific part of my income to God, Satan was allowed to challenge my faith and trust in God.
Moreover, I was tested. Not everything started ‘turning up roses’. There were times during the last couple of years when I was homeless. What earthy belongings I had were stored in a friend’s garage, my mailing address was another friend’s house, and I was sleeping in my car. I was never quite reduced to a cardboard box and a shopping cart, but it was close. I definitely strained the ‘hospitality’ of friends and family. There were times when my disabilities and physical health deteriorated to the point I physically could not work. Through it all, I maintained my commitment to ‘give’.
God brought me through these past years. I have absolutely NO doubt about that. He provided for my needs (Philippians 4:19), even as I was tested to the limits of my strength to endure (1 Corinthians 10:13). Christ carried me more than I walked.
Giving was a constant reminder that I HAD to rely on God.
I had to learn about myself and finances and I had to change. I know Christians that have purposed to give. They set aside a portion of their income every month, and give it. They are paid more than once a month, but they only ‘give’ once a month, out of all their income. That definitely did not work for me. Though I stepped out in faith and trust, I did not have the discipline to follow through. I HAD to ‘give’ as soon as I got, or I found myself tempted and vacillating. I would waver, arguing with myself that I could buy groceries with this check and pay God with the next. I removed the temptation. Simply put, when the pay hit the bank, the check to God was written and mailed. Every time I received any income. In hindsight, it seems silly that I was ‘giving’ so many times a month, but whether it was $2, $20 or $200 income, I was still tempted to put off paying God. It was a matter of faith and trust that God would provide my needs. I am still challenged with that faith and trust issue.

The bottom line is this:
Yes, God promises to honor giving! HOWEVER, He does so according to HIS timetable, not ours. Just because one starts giving to God, does not mean debt will instantly disappear. It does not mean that financial difficulty will become ‘a thing of the past’. He will honor His promises. God does not change. We have to change to be ‘ready’ to receive the gifts He promises.

I had to change before I could truly Appreciate God’s blessings.
I had to learn good stewardship.
I had to learn Biblical principles of financial management.
I had to unlearn unwise spending habits.
I had to re-learn how to spend money.
I had to learn how sneaky and seductive debt slavers (creditors) were.
I had to learn to rely on God to meet my needs.
I had to learn contentment.

Getting the increase in material wealth (as promised) before I learned these lessons and changed my attitude and behavior would have been like ‘pearls before swine’.

God honored His promises to me; but not before I was ready.
I am still not perfect. Rarely does a day go by that I am not tempted in one way or another to fall back into old ‘habits’. Rarely a day goes by that I am not tempted in some way, big or small, to go back into debt.

Two sayings come to mind,
“Lessons are repeated until they are Learned.”
“No one can out-give God.”

The road will not be easy, but the destination makes the trip worth it.

"Into Outer Darkness"

Introduction to ‘Stewardship’

Consider this, God OWNS all the wealth in World... He created it, and in the end, He will destroy it. (2 Peter 3:10)

Do we really believe God is omniscient (knows everything past, present and future)? If we believe that, we have to accept that God knows specifically what our abilities, (He gave them to us) and our limitations are. (How else could He Promise not to let us ‘be tempted beyond our strength’ in 1 Corinthians 10:13?)

What does that have to do with stewardship? What is stewardship anyway?

Merriam-Webster online dictionary: LINK
Defines ‘Stewardship’ as: “the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care”

Stewardship is taking care of EVERYTHING God entrusts to our care, including money!

The ‘classic’ Biblical example of stewardship is called ‘The Parable of the Talents’. Matthew 25:14-30 “"For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. (15)And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.”
“So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’”
“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’”
“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.’”
“'For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'” [all emphasis added is mine]

Pastors frequently preach about this parable, but often overlook a significant point. Take a close look at verse 15, "to each according to his own ability". ‘Own Ability’ - we are not competing with someone else’s ability.

God knows each of our abilities and limitations. He has entrusted to us, ‘each according to his own ability’, exactly as much wealth as we are able to manage! Whenever we go into debt, we are being bad stewards, and taking on more than we are able.

Previously, I stated that I was not ready to receive the gifts He promised. I had to ‘prove’ my abilities, by being a good steward with what little I had, before receiving more. The parable illustrates that specifically. The first two stewards ‘proved’ their abilities, and received an increase. The third proved he was NOT able to handle what he was given. When he failed, he lost all, and then was put 'into the outer darkness'.
While this parable is allegorical ('the kingdom of Heaven is like'), these principles of stewardship are repeated often in the Bible.
I can tell you from personal experience, that there is very little in this world that compares to the depression, despair and ‘outer darkness’ of being homeless, in debt slavery, and hungry. Even with a place to live, and food on the table, the constant nagging anxiety of debt slavery, and the ‘threat’ of losing all because the bills keep piling up is ‘outer darkness’.

Stewardship is taking care of what you are given! Giving it away to debt is bad stewardship and leads to ‘outer darkness’. The ‘outer darkness’ of depression, anxiety, resentment, and because it is sin, interrupted fellowship with God.

Rewards

We now know the results of stewardship, both good and bad.
We know specifically that good stewardship leads to ‘an increase’.
We know specifically that bad stewardship gets us put ‘into outer darkness’.

How often do we experience the stress, depression, anger, and anxiety over debt and making ends meet? How often is our ‘joy’ of fellowship with God ‘interrupted’ by our worry over finances? We know that over 70% of divorces claim to be over money issues. We don’t know how much of that percentage is specifically over debt, but an educated guess would say a significant amount.

So how does one become a ‘good’ steward of money? First, recognize, as Matthew 25:15 states, that each is given 'according to his own ability'. God has given each of us an income equal to our abilities.
Psalm 75:6, 7 says, “For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another.” Some translations use the word ‘promotion’ instead of exaltation. In other words, God gave you the job, and determines your pay raises.

We are concentrating on stewardship. Specifically, what does it take to be a good steward of the money and possessions God has entrusted to us?

The Principles of Biblical Stewardship of Money are:
1. Giving: We have discussed this in detail. A quick review, see Proverbs 3:9-10, Proverbs 19:17, Proverbs 28:27, Malachi 3:10-11and Luke 6:38.

2. Accountability (budgeting): Proverbs 27:23 says, “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds;” Matthew 25:19, “After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.” Luke 16:2, “So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’”

3. Work: Genesis 2:15, “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” Exodus 20:9, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work,” Proverbs 10:4, “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.” 2 Thessalonians 3:12, “Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.” There is an abundance of references commanding us to work.

4. Savings: Proverbs 6:6-8, “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.” Proverbs 21:20, “There is desirable treasure, and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man squanders it.”

5. Indebtedness: Romans 13:8, “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” Proverbs 22:7, “...And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” 1 Corinthians 7:23, “You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.”
DEBT is what this is all about.

The principles of financial ‘good stewardship’ are giving, accountability, work, savings, and NO DEBT.

These are the principles, what are the practices? What is the How-to of good stewardship?

Solving the 'Crime'

Accountability & Budgeting
In practical application, budgeting begins with detective work.
Like they say on television and in the movies, “Follow the Money!”

Becoming a ‘good’ steward requires accountability. How can one be a good steward and get out of debt without knowing where their money is? Proverbs 27:23 says, “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds;”

Initially, we have to become ‘detectives’ and solve the ‘crime’ by answering the question, “Where did the money go?”
Past accountability is important. One cannot change spending habits unless one knows those habits.

A budget is an ‘accountability’ tool. Budgets serve four basic purposes.

1. Budgets explain where the money went (in the past) [The Autopsy Budget].
2. Budgets determine where the money ‘has’ to go (to pay the bills in the future).
3. Budgets ‘show’ where money is being unnecessarily spent.
4. Budgets are a plan to accomplish financial goals (the first of which should be - get out of debt).

The Autopsy Budget - The detective work begins here.
This is the budget that examines were that money has gone in the past.
A question and a quote:
How can one plan for the future without know what has happened in the past?
“Those that do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it!”

It is surprising how many people have budgets, try to ‘stick to them’, but can not ‘explain’ where the money went.
Comb through the past three months of credit card bills, receipts, bank statements, and anything else that ‘explains’ where the money went and record it.

Break down spending into categories of expenses.

1. Giving
2. Mandatory Expenses.
1. Rent
2. Car Insurance
3. Utilities
4. Water
5. Home Phone
3. Expendable Expenses
1. Food
2. Clothing
3. Comfort Items
   
4. Slave Expenses
1. Credit Card Bills
2. Car Payments
3. Cable TV Bill
4. Internet Service
5. Mortgage Payments
6. Cellular phone
   
5. Exigent Expenses
1. New tires
2. Medical
   
6. Unknown (any part of the income that is ‘unaccounted’ for, but definitely spent)

This list is by no means ‘exhaustive’, or written in stone. Some items may be under different headings. For example, a cell phone in most cases is a convenience, but for some, it is a ‘mandatory’ expense. I have a friend that is so tied to his cell phone (he is on call 24 hours a day) he had his ‘home’ phone service discontinued.

I know there are many items on the list, start simple. Start with pay stubs and deposits...One can not tell where the money went without knowing how much there was to begin with. Move to the expenses that are ‘known’, the rent, the utilities etc. That gives one a ‘frame’ to begin with.

This is hard work. It is like filing an income tax return repeatedly. Becoming a freed slave is worth it.

Die With the Most Toys!

By now, a couple of things should be obvious.
Debt is still sin.
Having gone through the steps of creating an ‘autopsy’ budget, one has realized that they probably spend more than they earn. At the very least one has more debt than income.

The saying goes, "Our Yearning will always be more than our Earning!"

Up to this point, this has been primarily a learning process. It has been intellectual. Yes, one is challenged to decide to start giving a portion their income to God and decide to get out of debt.

One is asked to do some difficult things like creating an ‘autopsy’ budget.

HERE, NOW, the true challenges begin.
In order to ‘balance’ a budget, live within one’s income, and get out of debt, one has to change behavior. More specifically, in most cases, one has to lower their standard of living. No one has said this will be easy, in fact just the opposite, it is hard.

One has to answer the question, “How much am I truly willing to sacrifice to obey God?”

Let us face it; America is not a place where we are challenged to make sacrifices for God. We, in general live in a ‘world’ of easy, ‘feel good’ Christianity. We live in a country where ‘televangelists’ preach prosperity (debt) not the Word. We live in country were there is an abundance of churches that ‘preach’ upbeat messages designed to entertain and ‘make people feel good about themselves’.

Sorry, that is not what the Bible says. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?”

To be a Christian, walk with God, and become more Christ-like every day means opposing the World. Christians should feel like they are swimming against the current in an ever increasing deluge of evil. It is not easy to be a Christian...if it is then one is doing something wrong. No, in America, we generally are not ‘persecuted’ for our beliefs - a ‘persecution’ that means jail, torture or death. We do not have to hide our Bibles and worship in secret, hiding in basements. Our ‘persecution’ takes on a different form. We are inundated with amorality. We are seduced into compromise. We are lumped into a derided group. As divided as Christians are in America, by denomination, doctrine, and theology, we are still lumped into one group that is scorned by the media. Almost every day some comedian or journalist abuses Christians for their beliefs. We laugh at their jokes. Like Peter, we deny Christ. No, if asked directly, “Are you a follower of Christ?” most of us would not deny it. However, we do deny Christ in our attitudes, our actions and our lifestyles.

The line from an old campfire song comes to mind, “They will know we are Christians by our love.” What do we love that makes us different? If we love the things of this world, we are no different from them. Therefore, what do we ‘love’ that makes us different?
If “they will know we are Christians by our love,” what do we love?

Loving God and Christ, means we must obey the Word.
About this time, some are asking what the point is.
Simply; obeying the Word in this case is opposite to everything one has been taught, and the World preaches. To get out of debt, requires one to decrease their standard of living...Every bone in one’s body, all the propaganda in the world, and every standard of ‘success’ in the World says just the opposite.
“He who dies with the most toys, wins!” Don’t we use that phrase as our measuring stick?

Again, remember Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?” Add to that 1 John 2:15, 16, in the Message Bible it says, “Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world - wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important - has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him.”

The next verse answers the question, “Why should I get out of debt, and WHY should I lower my standard of living?” 1 John 2:17 (The Message Bible), "The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out - but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity."

“He who dies with the most toys...still dies!” After death, comes eternity. Do you want to be ‘set’ in this world, or eternity?

Privilege of Slavery

Previously one received some bad news. In order to get out of debt one has to lower ones' standard of living. That is a difficult pill to swallow. It goes against almost everything one is taught.
The encouraging passage is 1 John 2:15-17, (Message Bible) specifically verse 17, “Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world - wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important - has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. (17) The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out - but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.”

One was asked to ask the question, “How much am I truly willing to sacrifice to Obey God?” Follow that with this question, “How big a sacrifice is lowering my standard of living compared to the sacrifice of the Cross, or the martyrdom of believers everyday around the world?”

MORE BAD NEWS:
Other than God and I, there are very few in your cheering section that want, hope, and pray fervently that you will be successful in becoming debt free!
But, remember Romans 8:31, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
Changes in attitudes, lead to changes in behavior.
Recognize this; slavers (creditors) are NOT your friends. Slavers are your enemies! Slavers worship money. 1 Timothy 6:10 says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Slavers want two things from a person. They want one’s money, and they want one’s lifetime enslavement.

Why? Luke 16:13, “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Satan wants you enslaved. He knows that while one is serving him as a debt slave, one has extreme difficulty serving God.

One has to recognize the slavers as enemies, and start despising them. As soon as one declares one’s self for God, and determines to become free from debt, a new war starts. One has taken ‘spiritual’ warfare to a new level. What was an ‘idealistic’ spiritual battle becomes a very real material battle, the battle for the money entrusted to one’s care. Do not be deceived for a moment. Satan will use every trick in the book, from seduction to outright physical attacks to keep one enslaved. One is instantly swamped with ‘free offers’ to become a slave. One may suffer physical injury, theft, vandalism, or ‘natural disasters’, like floods and tornadoes in order to stop one from becoming debt free. How often does one take the spiritual battle into the material world? Doesn’t it make sense that Satan does not want it there? Instead of an ‘idealistic’ spiritual battle, one suddenly, possibly for the first time has an actual, material battle against a known enemy. It is like fighting terrorists, when they’re hiding, it ‘feels’ distant and one lowers one’s guard. Once the terrorist attack in the open, one can actually fight them, and SEE victory!
Consider that over 95% of Americans are in debt. It is an epidemic of sin. Satan does not have to work as hard if one is already in his chains.
Okay, I’m being melodramatic. Or am I?
Has one really considered some of the things that one is in debt for?
Think about this for a minute:

ONE IS PAYING FOR THE PRIVLEGE OF BEING A SLAVE!
One goes to a slaver (creditor) and buys a car on credit with 0% down.
Who owns the car? The slaver does.
Who pays for the loan? The slave does.
Who pays the interest on the loan? The slave does.
Who pays for the slaver’s interest in the car (insurance)? The slave does, if the slave does not do it voluntarily, the slaver adds the cost to the debt. (I know it happen to me!)
Who pays for 100% of the upkeep of the car? The slave does.
Who pays for all expenses related to the car? The slave does.
If the car is dispossessed or repossessed and resold, who pays for the difference in value? The slave does. (I know it happened to me!)
If the car is destroyed by an accident who is paid first? The slaver gets their money first.
If the insurance does not cover the amount owed on the car, who pays the difference? The slave does.
So, for the privilege of driving a car that is not owned, the slave has to pay the slaver; principle, interest, insurance, maintenance and upkeep, and for loss.
THE SLAVE is responsible for EVERY expense related to the car! THE SLAVER risks nothing and gets everything!
It reminds one of the t-shirt, “I’m with STUPID”. Who is impressed? God?
The slaver owns the slave, and the REALLY stupid part is, once one FINALLY gets to the point where one actually owns the car, the slaver will convince the free that they need to go back into slavery by getting a NEW car!

SLAVERS ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS - THEY WANT YOU ENSLAVED FOR LIFE

Romans 12:1, 2, (Message Bible), “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”

Change the way you think about the slavers! Be "changed from the inside out".

The American Dream...A Lie

Debt is sin. Proverbs 22:7, 1 Corinthians 7:23, Romans 13:8
Creditors [SLAVERS] are NOT your friends. 1 Timothy 6:10, Luke 16:13

The Great American Dream...Is a LIE.

“And He said to them, ‘Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.’” (Luke 12:15)

The ‘American Dream’ of owning a home is propaganda perpetuated by slavers. Unless one owns 100% of the home, one is a slave...chained to a piece of land.
Let us consider ‘Jack’ and his neighbor ‘Jill’.
Jack lives in a quaint 2000 square foot house, with a yard. Jack purchased the house for $200,000 with $20,000 of his savings and a 30 year fixed rate mortgage at 5.26%. Jack actually ‘owns’ 10% of his house and yard. According to amortization schedules (using a mortgage calculator at Bankrate.com*), by the time Jack pays off the loan on his house, he will have paid $198,000 in INTEREST. That means Jack will pay $398,000 for a $200,000 house. Jack, a slave for 30 years, will PAY for the PRIVILEGE of being a slave. According to Bankrate.com*, “Generally speaking, owning a home imposes larger monthly costs than renting because you need to pay the costs of maintenance, improvements and property taxes, as well as your mortgage.” "Owning a home requires a lot more effort on maintenance than renting does."
What they are saying is that Jack, the slave, has the privilege of PAYING for all associated costs for the home he does not own. Jack pays the property tax, mortgage insurance, homeowner’s insurance, and hazard insurance (this is another $200 to +$500 PER MONTH). Additionally, Jack gets to pay for all maintenance and upkeep. If the water heater breaks, Jack pays to repair or replace it. When the house needs painting, Jack gets to pay to paint it. New carpet, Jack pays. Kitchen remodel, Jack pays. Need a plumber, Jack pays. Roof repair, Jack pays.
Jack IS ALLOWED the privilege of paying for ALL the expenses related to the house while he pays twice what the house cost, to call it ‘his’.... That is the ‘American Dream’.

Jill, on the other hand, rents a house. She does not own it, and she knows that. Her costs are rent, and renter’s insurance. She does NOT pay taxes, mortgage insurance, homeowner’s insurance (renter’s insurance is considerably less than homeowner’s - it covers her belongings, not her belongings AND the house and yard). Jill does not pay for maintenance or upkeep. Water heater breaks call the landlord. House paint, call the landlord. Need a plumber, call the landlord. Need roof repair, call the landlord. While Jill may not get the ‘perfect kitchen’, just the way she wants it, if it does require remodeling, call the landlord. Jill gives up the the ‘American Dream’ dream, and gets freedom. Unlike Jack, she can leave, with appropriate notice, anytime she pleases. Jack is tied to the property until he sells it.
In 29 years, 11 months, and 29 days, Jack will own 99.9% of his house. He will still be a slave to the owner of the other 0.1%. If he fails to make that final house payment, the slaver can TAKE the house from him...legally, leaving him with nothing. That IS the ‘American Dream’.

An acquaintance recently decided to sell his house in California. He was having trouble making ends meet, because his health is failing. He wanted to ‘make a bundle’. By the time he sold his house, and paid off his mortgage, he did not ‘make’ the ‘bundle’ he expected. In fact, he has moved to Nevada so he can afford to go back into debt slavery with a ‘new’ mortgage. He has left friends and family. He has relocated to exchange new freedom for slavery, all so that he can live in a house that he calls ‘his’ but doesn’t own. His equity from his house sale, if invested, plus his ‘stipend’ income, would allow him to rent where he was almost indefinitely. His ‘answer’ to this was his adamant desire to “die in a house I own”. He never will. He will die in a house the bank owns.
Think about it. He had to move to another state for the PRIVILEGE of dying a slave.
IF one does not own 100% of something, one is a slave to whoever owns the rest, whether it is 90% or 0.1%.

Creditors are not your friends they are slavers. When was the last time a ‘friend’ walked up to you and said, “Hey, do want $5000 or $2500 or even $300?” If you need it, don’t you have to humble yourself, and go beg a friend, family or acquaintance to borrow $20? How many TV commercials do you see a week about credit, ‘buy now - pay later’, home loans, refinancing, equity loans, or debt consolidation? How many times a WEEK do you get an offer in the mail for a credit card, mortgage, refinancing, or ‘home equity’ loan? Why would complete strangers offer you money?
Simply, they want to OWN you!
It is seductive it is subliminal it is persuasive and pervasive. It is in the world, and of the world...all for the privilege of becoming a slave. All of this is for the single purpose, to enslave.

*[PLEASE NOTE: Bankrate.com is a SLAVER’s site. Use of their information is NOT an endorsement. The information was used to provide an accurate mortgage example.]

Insanity Unchecked

Debt is STILL sin.
Creditors are slavers NOT friends.

It is insane to equate success with debt. We do it every day. We ‘judge’ people by the color of the credit cards in their wallets.
Capitol One [Capitol One is a federally registered trademark. All rights reserved] has been running an advertising campaign for years with the tag line, “What’s in your wallet?”
It is an interesting question. What IS in your wallet? Think of a credit card as a “Slaver’s Identification Card”. Every credit card identifies a company that enslaves one.

Recently, I received an offer from a ‘friend’. The slaver’s offer had a big bold print banner across the first page of the offer, "GET THE CREDIT YOU DESERVE!"

One might ask, “What credit do I deserve?”
According to the slaver, I deserve:
23.99% Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
23.99% APR on cash advances
29.99% APR for late payments and defaults [that would be $29.99 for every hundred dollars of their money I use]
$100 Account origination fee [I get to pay $100 to become a slave.]
$60 Annual fee [I get to pay $5 a month, every month, in addition to everything else - to remain a slave.]
$5 or 5% Cash advance fee [not only do I get to pay 23.99% interest on the cash advance, I also get to pay an additional $5 or 5% fee for using their cash]
$0.50 Minimum finance charge
0 days Grace period for Repayment of Balances for purchases.
$30 Monthly fee for accounts closed with a credit balance.

If I accept this offer, how does that ‘add up’?
If I use the credit card one time to get $100. How much does it cost?
$100 [to open account]
$ 5 [monthly portion of annual fee]
$ 5 [cash advance fee]
$ 4 [interest (actually $4.19824980)]
$100 [the cash itself]
$214 is the amount I would owe, the first month I use the credit card to ‘get’ $100 cash.

The second month I get another $100 in cash.
$214 [Balance carried forward]
$ 5 [monthly portion of annual fee]
$ 5 [cash advance fee]
$ 6 [interest (actually $6.4772784)]
$100 [the cash itself]
$330 is the amount I would owe (less any payment made) the second month. That means for the ‘privilege’ of using a credit card to ‘get’ $200, I would owe $330! That is what it would cost for JUST two months! What could I do with the $130 that is ‘Given’ to the slavers? If I said, “This is crazy!” and closed the account, it would cost me an addition $30 A MONTH until I paid off the balance!

Creditors are not your friends; they are SLAVERS.

We talked about lowering standards of living to get out of debt. It is true. Most will have to lower their standard of living to get out of debt. However, once one is OUT of debt, and one is living debt-free, one’s standard of living IMPROVES.
Return to the autopsy budget, go through the credit card, car payment, and mortgage documents and just add up the ‘FINANCE CHARGES’ one is paying every month... When one is debt free, those finance charges become cash in one’s pocket. What could one do with JUST the finance charges one is paying every month?

Change the way one thinks about credit cards. Credit cards are Slaver’s IDs. They tell the world who OWNS one. Think about how insane it is that one’s status in the world is based upon how far into debt one can go! A ‘platinum’ card is more ‘prestigious’ than a ‘gold’ card...a platinum card means one can go further into debt.

How insane is it that we equate ‘status’ to depth of slavery?

More Insanity! Or, I’m with Stupid!

Received an ‘Honorable Mention’ slavery offer.

On the outside of the envelope, in big, bold letters, was the sentence, “WE THINK YOU DESERVE MORE CREDIT!” Additional to that, “You’re pre-qualified!” "No deposit required!"

What kind of credit do I deserve?
According to the slaver, I must deserve credit for stupidity.

Here is their offer:
19.5% Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
31.50% Default APR
$150 Annual Fee
$29 Account Opening Fee
$6.50 Monthly Maintenance Fee ($78 per year)

While there is no ‘deposit’ required, a $20 minimum payment is due BEFORE activating the credit card!

In the fine print (grey, 6 pt font) "Your initial credit limit will be $300 and the following fees will appear on your first statement: Annual Fee of $150, Account Opening Fee of $29, and Monthly Maintenance Fee of $6.50 ($78 per year). After making your initial monthly payment of $20, your available credit will be $134.50.

Let me get this straight: The credit ‘I deserve’ is to pay the slaver $20 so that I can owe the slaver $165.50 for the privilege of borrowing $134.50.

That means, pay $20 to owe $165.50 [plus interest and monthly fees] for the privilege of being a slave, even if the card is never used.

If I accept this offer, I DO DESERVE IT!

Freeing the Slave

Recapping
The four uses of a budget as a tool are:
1. Budgets explain where the money went (in the past) [The Autopsy Budget].
2. Budgets determine where the money ‘has’ to go (to pay the bills in the future).
3. Budgets ‘show’ where money is being unnecessarily spent.
4. Budgets are a plan to accomplish financial goals (the first of which should be - get out of debt).

Having created an Autopsy Budget, one can ‘see’ steps 2 and 3. There are certain expenses that ‘HAVE’ to be paid. Or do they? Step 3 is supposed to identify areas where money is unnecessarily spent. One has to take a hard look at necessary expenses.

It is obvious that the rent/mortgage has to be paid. The question is, “Am I paying too much?” Most of us would say that we are paying entirely too much rent. This part goes back to the decision to get out of debt.
What was the decision?
“I am in debt, but that is okay.”
“I am in debt. I want to get out of debt. I’ll work on it, but I’m not making any ‘sacrifices’ to get there.”
“I am in debt. I want to be free. I am willing to make sacrifices to get there, and trust God to meet my needs.” [THE CORRECT ANSWER!]

If one has made the right decision and determined to become debt free and make sacrifices to get there, the question is ‘how big’ are those sacrifices?

One could go to extremes. One could sell everything one owns, their home, car, TVs, clothes, art, and personal possessions to get out of debt. The problem with that approach is that most of us do NOT own enough. Even if we did sell everything at market value, the value would not equal the debt. We could sell everything, pay off what we could and still be in debt. An extreme solution will not really solve the problem. Bankruptcy comes to mind. That is certainly a ‘fast’ way to be rid of the chains of slavery.
Unfortunately, there are three major problems with bankruptcy. Biblically, bankruptcy is wrong. It is bad stewardship. Romans 13: 7, “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.” ‘Render therefore to all their due...’ Bankruptcy does not pay what is due. Proverbs 27:23 says, “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds;” Bankruptcy is not diligence it is avoidance. There ARE times when bankruptcy is the ‘ONLY’ solution. One might be forced into bankruptcy by ongoing series of unwise choices or forced into bankruptcy by creditors. Bankruptcy is a ‘final option’. Bankruptcy, Biblically, is wrong and has consequences. If creditors ‘force’ bankruptcy, then one has to ‘play by their rules’. They are getting their due...as they see it.
A friend recently declared bankruptcy. It was his final option. He made some poor decisions 20 years ago that still ‘haunt’ him. He and his wife both work full time to support their family. A series of circumstances, including ongoing medical problems has devastated them financially. The creditors (slavers) forced them into declaring bankruptcy. He did not like it, he still knows it is wrong, but in his case, “render to all their due:” meant acceding the slavers' demands and declaring bankruptcy.
The other two problems with bankruptcy are much more practical. One does not learn how spend money wisely, live within their means, and live debt-free. The old habits that got one into a situation where one declares bankruptcy still exist. The only thing one learns is the legal system. That is the first problem, and slick slavers are the second. There are slavers (credit companies) that SPECIALIZE in credit for people that have declared bankruptcy. They know that the habits are still there. They know an individual can only declare bankruptcy once every seven years. They stand at the courtroom doors waiting for bankrupt people to walk out, so they can slap chains on them. They know they are going to own a person for at least seven years. Because of the bankruptcy, slavers get to impose usurious interest and all kinds of additional fees to the slave.

Decide on a dedicated commitment to become debt free. Consider doing so in a moderate, responsible manner. A manner that helps one learn to be a 'good steward'.

Baby Steps & a 'Black Hole'

The first practical ‘baby-step’ to getting out of debt is learning to live within one’s income. This, like a baby’s first step is a momentous event. It takes planning (budgeting) and discipline (sticking to the budget). Good stewardship begins with learning, planning and discipline.

Job 36:10 says, “He also opens their ear to instruction, And commands that they turn from iniquity.” Proverbs 16:3, “Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.” Proverbs 3:5 - 6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

Take a very hard look in the mirror, and then look at the autopsy budget, to prepare a ‘new’ budget for the upcoming months.

There are two ‘baby-steps’ to get out of debt. First, live within income...do not spend more than one earns. Second, pay the consequences of the past (pay off debt).

Living within one’s income is a difficult but straight forward task. What is the total income available? That is the bottom line. If one is to live within their means, one cannot spend more than one earns. Let us say that again, if one is to live within their means, one cannot spend more than one earns.

There are expenses that one has to pay. One has to pay rent and utilities. It might be advantageous to move into a less expensive living arrangement, but there are other ways to cut ‘expenses’. When I first did an autopsy budget, I found that there was a ‘black-hole’ in the budget. Money was literally ‘disappearing’ into a ‘black-hole’. There was money spent that could not be accounted for. I had to get very ‘obsessive’ about receipts to find that money.

It sounds a little ridiculous, but I found out that I was ‘innocently’ throwing money away. The first ‘big’ 'expense' I found in ‘black-hole’ money was coffee. I was buying a cup of gourmet coffee most mornings at the corner coffee house. No big deal, right? It is no big deal until I realized that it cost more than $60 a month. That was more than my utility bill, three times my water bill. Going next door to the fast food restaurant cut that bill to $20 a month. There was $40 a month that could pay off debt. No I could not get an espresso-latte at fast food restaurant in a name brand coffee cup, but I did get free refills. So what if my coffee cup was white Styrofoam instead of printed recycled paper! The $40 a month was worth it. (I saved even more when I started making coffee at home, then I could get an espresso-latte, just the way I like it.) The point is, one will be amazed at the amount of ‘black-hole’ money one spends without realizing it, until one puts the effort into ‘finding’ it. Getting a bottle of water at the gas station costs a heck of a lot more than bringing a bottle from home. Little things add up. Benjamin Franklin said, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” This is definitely true. Count the ‘black-hole’ money, find where it is spent, and figure out simple ways to reduce those costs.

Eating in a fast-food restaurant cost two to three times what it would cost to eat at home. Ordering out for pizza costs two to three times what it costs for a ‘fresh-deli’ pizza at the grocery store. One could complain about time, but think about it. Delivery pizza takes 20-30 minutes. A deli pizza from the grocery store requires pre-heating the oven then 10-15 minutes baking time. Where is the ‘savings’ in time? Even with ‘speed-dial’ how much more time does it take to turn on the oven than dial the phone?
Remember, getting out of debt requires a change in attitude as well as a change in lifestyle. That doesn’t mean one can ‘never’ go to a restaurant, it means that it should be the exception, not the rule. The objective here is simply to find ‘black-hole’ money and reduce those ‘frivolous’ expenses. That $40 a month saved on coffee is $480 a year toward debt reduction. How many expenses like that does one have? Follow the money, find it, and spend it on debt reduction!

That is a practical ‘first baby step’ way to begin to live within one’s means.

1 Corinthians 10:31 comes to mind. There has been a big move towards “What Would Jesus Do?” "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren has been a national best seller. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says it all, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” "...do all to the glory of God!"

Learn where one’s money is spent. Start planning to get out of debt, by first planning and then living within one’s means. That brings glory to God.

Neon Warnings

Living within one’s means (spending less than earning) must be learned and practiced. It takes discipline.

We have discussed bankruptcy and the reasons NOT to declare bankruptcy. It is a ‘Last Resort’ option. Leave bankruptcy to the airlines.

Some might consider a ‘debt consolidation’ loan. This also is NOT a reasonable option. There are two reasons not to get a debt consolidation loan, one Biblical, and one practical.

The Biblical reason is simply, sin is sin. God NEVER tells one to sin. Paying the consequences of sin by sinning makes no sense. Mark 3:23, “He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: ‘How can Satan cast out Satan?’”

The practical reason is also simple. IF one has not learned to live within one’s means, and one has not learned not to buy on credit, then all one is doing is digging a deeper grave. Many times people have gotten ‘debt consolidation’ loans, paid their credit cards to a zero balance, and then proceeded to run up their credit card debts again. All they end up with is another slaver 'owning' them. [Personally, I originally thought debt consolidation was a good idea. I found a credit card company that would allow the transfer of balances from other cards and had a high limit. I transferred the balances so I could close the accounts. The plan backfired. I found myself using the old credit cards again, as well as the new one. I had not learned any lessons; all I did was add another slaver.] From a Biblical, practical, and personal standpoint debt-consolidation does not work!

Stop using credit cards. Stop spending more than one earns. There are very few people using credit cards that actually pay off their entire balance each month. It is very tempting and easy to ‘let it ride’ for a month or two or ten. One may say, “I don’t like carrying cash.” One may say, “Writing checks is too much hassle.” Those are both understandable objections although having to write a check is a good time to ponder the necessity of the purchase. There is a reasonable solution, but it comes with two BIG FLASHING NEON WARNINGS.
The reasonable solution is to use a ‘debit’ card. A debit card, available through most banks, is a ‘logo’ card with the Visa® or Master-Card® symbol. (I like the name ‘Master-Card®’, its very name tells one who is master and who is slave.) A debit card (without a credit-line) uses the amount in one’s checking account as the credit limit. This is not a bad alternative to carrying cash or writing checks...BUT there are two big warnings.
First, numerous studies have shown that a person using a charge card (debit or credit) spends an average of 30% more EACH PURCHASE, than a person paying in cash. [Casinos use ‘chips’ instead of cash for this very reason. If a person had to put down a $5 bill every time they made a bet, they would quit much sooner.] Using a debit card requires more discipline to remain thrifty and frugal. The 30% additional on each purchase is ‘black-hole’ money, it is gone and one has a hard time finding it.
Second, one has to maintain good records. Use of a debit card is an easy way to overdraw an account (it is treated the same as bouncing a check). One must record every transaction ‘religiously’ in order to avoid this pitfall. One must keep a ‘check register’ on debit cards because it is drawn from a checking account. Failure to keep accurate records and overdrawing an account has serious consequences. If one decides to use a debit card as a tool to live within one’s means, one must be responsible in its use.
The advantages and responsibilities of a ‘debit’ card should be weighed carefully.

®Visa & Master-Card are registered trademarks of their respective owners...Slavers

Squeeze a Scream OR Throw Up!

Good stewardship requires the right attitude. Good stewardship is taking care of things entrusted to one.

The entire purpose of living within one’s means is to glorify God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says it all, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

Good stewardship of money means living within one’s means and paying the consequences of sin. (Debt is sin and has consequences.) One cannot live within one’s means without a plan. The best tool for that plan is the budget.

‘Black-hole’ money is the money that is not included in the budget, but is mysteriously spent. Find it, and find ways to reduce it.

Practical money management means being both thrifty and frugal. These terms have gotten a ‘negative’ connotation in last couple of decades. Read the ‘dictionary’ definitions:
Thrifty: given to or marked by economy and good management
Frugal: characterized by or reflecting economy in the use of resources

Those that grew up in the ‘Great Depression’ thought of these terms as positive sought after traits. Tell people of that generation they can squeeze a nickel until the buffalo screams (referring to ‘Buffalo’ nickels). They take it as a compliment. To get out of debt we need to cultivate that attitude in ourselves.

For many years, mom has been a speaker, Bible study leader, and teacher. She has been ‘accused’ of being thrifty and frugal. Sometimes even the thrifty learn lessons. One occasion she remembers found her speaking to a group of women at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Broadmoor is like the Beverly Hills Hilton of Colorado Springs. It is ‘big money’. Here is this Godly woman, unemployed, living on the stipend of a deceased husband, supporting two kids at home, speaking in a hotel conference room where a cup of coffee costs as much as week’s groceries. After speaking, one woman asked mom if she would like to go shopping. Mom was a little embarrassed and uncomfortable surrounded by so much wealth. She agreed, thinking of it as an opportunity to minister. They hopped in the woman’s brand new Cadillac to visit what the woman called her ‘favorite’ store. As mom tells the story, she was a little apprehensive because she ‘knew’ who the woman was, and how wealthy. Mom muses that she still wanted to minister, but was nervous about being ‘tempted beyond her strength’ at some ‘Rodeo Drive’ store. Mom’s jaw dropped and she was completely dumbfounded when they arrived. Mom looked at the woman and asked the obvious question, “Your favorite store is 'Goodwill'?” The woman responded confidently, “Yes!” "But, you can afford to shop anywhere you want, I mean you’re RICH!" continued mom. The woman fixed mom with a knowing smile and said, "How do you think we got that way?"

Rich people get wealthy and stay wealthy not only by how much they earn, but also how they SPEND what they have! Being a good steward does not mean earn more, it means spend wisely. The parable of the ‘Prodigal Son’ (Luke 15:11-32) illustrates this point. The ‘spend now, pay later’ attitude, and the ‘I want it now’ attitude are the morals of our time. We live in a world of instant gratification, not ‘good stewardship’.

There have been numerous studies done about ‘Big’ lottery winners. Their fortunes evaporate. The majority of ‘professional’ athletes live at or below the poverty level within five years of retiring. Why? It is not because they did not have huge amounts of money. It is because they do not know how to SPEND money. The 1985 Walter Hill movie, ‘Brewster’s Millions’ is the same thing. There is a line something like, “I’m going to teach you to hate spending money. I’m going to make you so sick of spending money that the mere sight of it will make you want to throw up.”

As ‘good stewards’ we do not have be ‘so sick of spending money that it makes us want to throw up’, but we do need to learn thrift, and frugality.

Can I Have This?

We have asked two questions:
“How thrifty have you become?”
“What is your plan to pay off your debt?”
We ended the last blog with, “We are going to look for some ‘thrift’ to trim the fat from the budget so we can ‘afford’ to pay off debt.”

Examine the first question. This plan (budget) reflects the priority of paying off debt.
1. Giving
2. Pay Off Debt
3. Mandatory Expenses
4. Expendable Expenses
5. Slave Expenses
6. Exigent Circumstances Expenses

Let see if we can find some ways to be thriftier and ‘find’ the money to pay off debt.
Mandatory Expenses include rent, car insurance, utilities, water and phone. There does not seem to be any money to trim out of this, or is there?

One can ‘shop’ for car insurance. There are competing companies out there that ‘promise’ to save money on car insurance. Shopping among ‘reputable’ companies may find a less expensive insurance policy. One expense to eliminate is the finance charge on insurance. If one pays monthly premiums, one pays finance charges. If one plans (budgets) to put aside the money to pay for car insurance in a lump sum, one can save on finance charges. One paying for insurance in 6 month increments can save money by just paying the last two installments at one time.

If utilities and water are not included in the rent, look to them as a source of savings. There are plenty of ‘savings’ tips available, utility companies usually include them in their monthly bills. Tips like turn the water heater down, turn off lights, and use appliances at off-peak hours all save costs. (One ‘favorite’ is the ‘frig. It costs more to cool an empty refrigerator than a full ’frig. If the frig is partially empty, keep a couple of gallons of water in it.) Most utilities have ‘annual average’ programs, where one’s utility costs are averaged over the year, and payments are made on the ‘average’ not on the actual usage. This program is usually free, and coupled with conserving, can help one budget more effectively. [My utility bills ranged $50 high to low, before joining the program. Using the program, and conserving, the first year ended with a $2 utility bill. The money budgeted was obviously higher, it went to pay off debt.] Water is the same. Use conservation recommendations. They really do work. Money saved is money that pays down debts.

Home Phone is a mandatory expense (for most). If one has a cell phone, make a decision. If the cell phone is an absolute necessity, paid for by the individual, and has a service contract, consider discontinuing home phone service. If one has a home phone, discontinue long-distance service. Buy a long distance rechargeable ‘phone card’. One has to dial ‘additional’ numbers to use a phone card, but with today’s ‘speed-dial’ features, one can program a phone with the numbers. Decide how much one can ‘afford’ to spend on long distance every month, and charge the phone card with that amount (phone card recharge rates vary from 3 to 7 cents a minute). Use of a phone card budgets the long distance expense into a ‘known’ quantity. There are no ‘surprises’ when the phone bill arrives. It is amazing how much one can save using a phone card.

Expendable Expenses include food, clothing, and comfort items. There is money one can save, especially in the food budget. ALWAYS eat a meal or have a snack before grocery shopping. Make a grocery list before shopping. Look through the cupboards and ‘frig, to make the list. Once shopping, do not buy anything not on the list. Do not buy anything ’on sale' that one would not ordinarily buy. Warehouse Clubs (clubs like Costco® or Sam’s Club®) are a way to save, but only if one uses common sense. Never buy in bulk what one cannot consume. A 25 lb jar of pickles may be a bargain, but who is going to eat 25 lbs of pickles? Bulk items that make sense are dry goods, canned goods, and paper items (toilet paper, napkins). Buy by the price per lb/oz, not the price tag. Many grocery stores provide the price per lb/oz on the shelf tag, but not all. (The formula is price÷lb = price per lb. Most have a pocket calculator, if not a ‘cheap’, no-frills calculator can be found almost anywhere.) There are some items where bulk is more expensive. (Sugar is a ‘usual suspect’. A 10 lb bag of sugar often costs more than two 5 lb bags). It may take longer to shop until one gets the hang of it, but the savings are worth it.

A special note about children and grocery shopping: If one has a child, if possible do not take them. If one must take the child, feed them first (just like you) and take a bag of ‘treats’ and a disposable ‘fascinating’ toy for them. How many times have we seen a child ‘melt-down’ at the check out stand? All the ‘pretty colored’ candies are within their reach, and the rising crescendo of “Can I have this?” embarrasses the parent into acquiescence. News flash, having worked retail, this is PLANNED! Stores expect it and they want it. They call it ‘impulse buying’, and companies PAY to place products there.

®Costco & Sam’s Club are registered trademarks belonging to their respective owners.

Rose Colored Glasses

One is going to use cash, checks, and debit cards. Put away the credit cards live within one’s income and get out of debt.

A tall order much easier said than done. The reality is much harder to achieve than the vision.

We know one is trying to live within one’s income, and become more frugal and thrifty. To accomplish the task of getting out of debt, on has to have a plan. The plan is the budget.

One might write a budget that looks something like this:
1. Giving
2. Mandatory Expenses
3. Expendable Expenses
4. Slave Expenses
5. Exigent Circumstance Expenses
6. Pay Off Debt

[See the article 'Solving the Crime’]

That is a great place to start. It is not enough. Paying off debt needs to be a priority! If one waits until all other expenses are paid, and one is living within one’s means, there will not be any money left over to pay off debt.

The budget needs to look like this:
1. Giving
2. Pay Off Debt
3. Mandatory Expenses
4. Expendable Expenses
5. Slave Expenses
6. Exigent Circumstances Expenses

Note that ‘Unknown’ is not in either budget. That is because we have already discussed finding and accounting for ‘black hole’ money.

Making ‘Pay Off Debt’ a priority does not mean that one does not meet their other obligations; it means that paying off debt is a priority that one plans.

Where does the money to pay off debt come from? One has already ‘trimmed’ the budget to live within one’s income. That has taken effort and a change in attitude and changes in behavior. Trimming the budget to live within one’s income is a great start, but that does not necessarily provide additional money to pay towards debt. One has to find that money within the existing budget.

At this point many would say, “You’re still crazy - I’m doing everything I can to live within my income and make ends meet. Where am I going to find more money in my budget to pay off my debts?”
The answer is a couple of questions, “How thrifty have you become?” "What is your plan to pay off your debt?"

Thrift has to become a habit, not just a temporary action. Thrift is learned and does not usually come ‘naturally’. Our entire society thrives on waste not thrift. A comment on a blog, pointed out 1 John 2:16, which says, “For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world.” The ‘Message Bible’ puts it like this, “Practically everything that goes on in the world - wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important - has nothing to do with the Father.”

Instead of looking at the world through the ‘rose colored’ glasses of the world, start looking at the world with ‘Christ colored’ glasses and ‘thrift colored’ glasses. ‘Christ colored glasses’ are the glasses of one learning to become more Christ-like, as in Romans 12:1 - 2. ‘Thrift colored' glasses are the glasses of one learning to be a good steward, Matthew 25:14-30.

We are going to look for some ‘thrift’ to trim the fat from the budget so we can ‘afford’ to pay off debt.

Art, a Vacation, & a Nice Wine

Until now, there has been no suggestion to change what one buys, just ways to save by how one buys. There are ways to save additionally by changing what one buys. A friend is a ‘gourmet’. He can COOK. One of his favorite sayings is, “Cooking is the art of experimenting, but baking is science.” The point for him is that he ‘creates’ works of art. The point for us is by experimenting, we can do more for less. Again, start small. For example, if one uses ‘name’ brand chicken broth as stock for a chicken and rice dish, can one REALLY taste a difference between name brand chicken broth and generic chicken broth? Substituting less expensive base ingredients may not significantly alter the taste of the finished dish. Experimenting to find out is worth it. One can save money this way. The question is, “Does the savings ‘justify’ the difference in taste if there is any?” Surprise yourself.

Here, clothing is an ‘Expendable Expense’. The reason for that is that clothing wears out and needs replacing. The ‘with what?’ of replacing clothes is important. Think of clothes shopping as packing for a vacation. What does one take on a vacation? Usually, it is durable, mix and match, multi-occasion wear. Shop for clothes the same way one packs. Many clothes are ‘fashionable’ not fads. There are clothes that do not ‘go out of style’, they may be seasonal, but not out of style. The ‘mix and match’ outfits provide one with many variations. A simple grey business suit with five or six pastel shirts, a couple of striped shirts, and an array of ties is good for years. If one wears a suit every day, but takes off the jacket at the office, buy two sets of pants with the suit at the same time. The pants get more wear and tear than the jacket, so having two pairs of suit pants means the suit lasts twice as long before replacement because the pants no longer match the good jacket.

There is a generally more ‘sensitive’ option. Shopping in thrift or second hand stores for clothes can be embarrassing. Get over it. What are the chances one is going to ‘see’ or ‘be seen’ by someone they know? If one is seen, then they get to share a secret. There are few people that are going to show up at work, or at church, or anywhere else and say, “Hey, so and so was shopping in the thrift store!” Someone will inevitably respond with, “How do you know?” So get over the embarrassment and face the fact. The fact is that one is biased and prejudiced about shopping in thrift stores! Mom is an ‘expert’ thrift store shopper. She invariably brings home something that still has the original ‘new’ store tags on it. It is more common than one might expect. About the only clothes I do not buy in thrift stores are underwear and socks. Again, it usually takes a little longer, but this is about saving money and good stewardship. Thrift store shopping for clothes is definitely the ‘deep end’. It is a big step for someone that does not already do so. It is well worth the savings. Whenever attending an event and ‘complimented’ on attire, one gets even ‘more’ satisfaction from the knowledge it cost a fraction of what others would expect.

There are three notes about clothes shopping.
1. Men, if one has not been TAUGHT how to shop for clothes, ask a woman acquaintance to go along. Preferably, take a spouse, sibling, or ‘good’ friend...not someone being romanced. (The clothes might be around longer than the romance.) Women are generally much better at clothes and fashions than men are. Just make sure that the female understands the goals.

2. Many of the ‘new’ and ‘like-new’ shirts in thrift stores have logos on them. Mom, recently couldn’t wait to show off her ‘brand-new’ 'Islands' shirt and the ‘like-new’ 'polo' shirt she purchased at a thrift shop. Her Islands shirt was nice beige, with ‘purplish’ blotches on it with the Island names. She innocently asked the location of the Island chain. The ‘Islands’ had names like Merlot, Cabernet, Rose and Sherry. She had no idea that they were the names of wines, and the ‘purplish’ blotches were representative of the wines. The ‘polo’ shirt she had gotten for my step-father was nice; she had no idea that its logo identified it as the ‘uniform’ of the bouncers of a strip club. The point is, take a few minutes on the internet to identify an unknown logo on a thrift store purchase. It was a $5 lesson instead of the cost of those shirts new.

3. This is just a suggestion. Men, learn to enjoy, pay attention to, and participate in clothes shopping with women. Go with them, let them try on everything they want to, learn to enjoy it. That does not mean to leave them in the ‘women’s' department, and go look at tools. A man can learn a lot about dressing and shopping for himself by doing so. There are additional benefits, but one truly has to enjoy shopping with women, before they ‘manifest’ themselves.


One can save a lot of money by ‘smart’ shopping for clothes. Buy clothes that are ‘fashionable’ without being faddish, save money. Choose ‘mix and match’ outfits, save money. Shop at thrift and bargain stores, save even more money.

A Little Toothpaste & A Concert In The Park

‘Comfort Items’ includes a range of things. Personal hygiene, entertainment, and recreation are ‘predominant’.

When it comes to personal hygiene, we all want to look and smell our best. We should be interested in taking care of ourselves, like with dental care. (Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”) That does not mean we have to pay top dollar or buy the worldly view on consumption.

How much toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, or shaving cream is used? If one looks at the advertisements (toothpaste for example) one ‘must’ use a huge amount. How much is used and how much gets washed down the drain? Try using 1/3, 1/2, or even 1/4 the amount on the box. Is the job done? Using the toothpaste example, if one uses 1/2 the toothpaste on the box picture, one buys toothpaste half as often, and one saves money. The same is true of shampoo, deodorant, and shaving cream. Start reducing the use of these in small quantities until one finds the balance between ‘enough’ and ‘not-enough’. Again, this will surprise one, and can save money.

[Laundry is here because the principle is the same. Wash clothes in cold/cold water. Use less detergent than is recommended in the instructions. Here we have extremely hard water (hard water rinses soap out faster than soft water). Using half the detergent on the instructions still results in seeing soap suds in the final rinse water. The clothes are supposed to be clean already. At the final rinse, why is there still soap in the water? There is too much soap used. Hot water and soft water are worse. Using half the soap recommended, the clothes still get clean - less is wasted.] We did not say “switch brands”, we said “use less”. Most people become ‘comfortable’ with a specific brand name especially with personal hygiene, so do not mess with the brand name, address the quantity. (There are less expensive ‘store’ brands of items that might bear experimenting with - mouthwash for example. Compare the active ingredients between the name brand and the store brand. Try it out…if it is not liked, finish using it, and then switch back. It does not cost anything extra, and may result in savings.)

Entertainment is an area that may bear attention. Often one is too busy to ‘be entertained’ and it is a treat more than a part of everyday activities. Consider movies, and theaters. How many movies could one rent for the price of admission to a theater? One has to wait until the movie is released to the video market. So what, patience is a virtue. Besides, how many movies are there out there that one really wants to see anyway? How many edify Christ? Really, besides the ‘classics’ like ‘The Ten Commandments’ (already on video) how many movies in the last year, last five years, or even last ten years have truly edified Christ. One, maybe two come to mind. All right, so one has seen some that are not edifying, ask this question, “Would I watch this movie if Jesus was sitting in the theater with me?” He is.
Just about every town has an insert in the local paper or free newspaper advertising free or minimal cost local entertainment. Concerts in the park, school plays, and arts and crafts shows happen year round in most places. Try it, one might have fun. Sports fanatics might actually enjoy watching the local little league soccer, baseball, and football teams, even if they do not have their own children in the game.
Recreation follows the same lines as entertainment. A friend has a ‘turbo-super-fantastic-all the bells and whistles’ ski boat. It looks awesome with that big V-8 engine, and chrome exhaust sticking out the rear. The only place one views it is in his garage. He is so busy paying for it he never uses it. (I admit, I have a couple of ‘toys’ myself that though paid for, have never been used, or at best, I have not gotten my money’s worth out of their use.) Paying to play to be part of the ‘in-crowd’ is never worth it. If others do not accept a person for who they are, then no toys, sports, and stuff in world will change that. Their toys might be accepted, but the person is just used. Do not try to justify or rationalize entertainment and recreation (like golf) as a method of gaining ‘approval’ and ‘promotion’ from peers, bosses or subordinates. Psalm 75:6 says, “For exaltation comes neither from the east Nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another.” Luke 2:52 says, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” There is nothing wrong with, and everything right with praying Luke 2:52 for one’s self. “Lord, I pray you increase my wisdom and stature, in favor with You and men.” James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

Increase your favor with God by obeying Him. Get out of debt. He will continue to take care of the rest.

A Cigarette, a Dime, and a TV!

We are continuing our efforts to find ways to cut expenses. One needs to parse expenses to the minimum to get out of debt.

“Hey, buddy, do you have a spare cigarette?”
“No, this pack only had 20 in it.”

There is no ‘spare’ money in a budget. There are only 10 dimes in a dollar. The goal is to cut expenses so that a dime saved on expenses, is a dime spent on reducing debt.

Here we have addressed ‘Mandatory Expenses’ and ‘Expendable Expenses’. Now look at ‘Slave Expenses’. There is a representative list in the article; ‘Solving the Crime'.

There are Slave Expenses that only reduce by getting out of debt, like credit cards. There are others that MAY be able to be reduced. The big targets are cable (satellite) TV service, internet service, and cell phone. There is a big CAUTION statement here. Get out the contracts for the services, TV, internet, and cell phone. IF one has not fulfilled the minimum term of service in the agreement, canceling or reducing the level of service is a waste of money. One is obligated to pay for the complete term of service whether one cancels the service or not. If one has agreed to a 12 month service contract, and 10 months into the service, cancels, one must still pay the remaining two months (usually the ‘service’ hits the guarantee credit card with the full balance due within two days of cancellation). That said if one has completed the initial term of service, or if one has added services that are not part of the original service, there is room to reduce expenses. It requires some hard choices, discipline, and a continued commitment to become debt free.

How many TV channels can one watch at one time? Having 150 channels of satellite or cable television is a waste. Look at the channel listings. How many channels are regularly used? There are only 168 hours in a week, is it humanly possible to watch one hour of TV from each station, sleep, eat, and work? If the studies are true and the average American watches more than 28 hours of TV a week, it would still take more than a month to watch one hour on every channel. How much would it reduce the monthly expense by cutting service from 150 channels to 50 channels? That is debt reduction money! [When I thought I was getting on my feet, after determining to become debt free, I made a very unwise decision (just goes to show, I am not perfect). After renting a place, I signed a 1 year satellite TV contract. Within a week, I was disappointed with the service. The services I thought I signed up for was not what was received (‘local’ news was from a city 200 miles away). Trying to withdraw from the contract was like running into brick wall. I paid over $500 for a year’s worth of television service. The day the contract expired, I cancelled the service (I was even petty and made them send a check for the 19 cents overpaid). I have not had any TV service for more than two years. I have not missed anything. Occasionally, at a friend’s house the TV will be on. Watching does not change that opinion. I do rent and buy movies, but no watching TV. Some have said I miss the news. No, I do not. If there is something newsworthy, it comes up in conversation. Ten minutes on the internet at two or three news-sites, and I know as much or more than the person that spoke of it in the first place.

I really did not understand the impact of TV until last Thanksgiving. I was invited to spend Thanksgiving weekend with a Godly family. They were having a reunion. Family came from all over the United States to spend Thanksgiving together. It was fortunate to be around such a family and group of believers. The hosts have a rather large home. They have six TVs spread throughout the house. Friday night we were all together in ‘great room’. There were games and conversations going on. The family was enjoying themselves. We were all having fun. Then 8 pm hit. It was as if a bomb had gone off, or the ‘rapture’ had happened. I found myself sitting alone at a table, snacks half-eaten, game pieces left unmoved, and an eerie quiet. Every single person, regardless of where they had come from, no matter that they only saw the rest of the family, maybe once a year, if that, was glued to a TV. All six TVs were in use, all tuned to different stations, so ‘everyone’ could watch their ‘favorite’ Friday night show. For an hour, the ‘tableau’ was unbroken. Then quietly some went off to bed, others to clean up, others still glued to the TV. Here was this Godly family, every one of them I admire for their walk with Christ, forgetting each other. They had come from miles away for a weekend together as a family, and for that hour, each was alone.]

There is a quote, supposedly by J. Edgar Hoover that goes something like, “We don’t need to watch Americans while Americans are watching TV.”

Perhaps Satan has realized he does not need to watch Christians while Christians are watching TV.

Consider TV as a prime source for cutting expenses! Kill two birds with one stone; have more money to pay off debt, and make Satan nervous.

Look out cell phones and Internet service!

Hang up and Look UP!

Ways to trim expenses by looking at the internet and cell phones

Let us reiterate IF one has not fulfilled the minimum term of service in the agreement, canceling or reducing the level of service is a waste of money. One is obligated to pay for the complete term of service whether one cancels the service or not.

That having been said, how many years has one lived without a cell phone? Yes a cell phone is convenience, but at what cost. Mentioned earlier was the friend that bought his daughter a cell phone, and then took it back after she ran up $200 in charges. His daughter never used that phone in an emergency (she never used the three quarters for an emergency either). When one is cutting expenses to relieve debt, one gives up some conveniences. The biggest argument heard about the ‘necessity’ of a cell phone, is emergencies. How many people actually use them for emergencies? Chances are, if one is in an accident for example, that someone else there will have a phone. If one carries a cell phone to ‘be safe’ from abduction or worse, is ‘911’ on speed-dial? How free is ‘free airtime’? If one has a cell phone and the service contract is expired, consider canceling it. If one has a cell phone and the service contract has not expired, read the contract. Use the phone a little as possible, even if one is ‘giving away’ free airtime. It will not be as hard to ‘give-up’ if one has weaned ones self from its use. Consider the alternative of ‘pay by the minute’ cell phones. They work the same way long distance phone cards work. Then it is a budgeted, known item with no surprises.

Internet service is another area where it may be possible to reduce expenses. Again, if the service contract has expired consider alternatives. I can not throw rocks here because I have internet service, but I did shop around to get the best possible deal. It does not mean one has to give up internet service, what it does mean, is look at options. Shop for value; get the best ‘bang for your buck’. Broadband may be less expensive than ‘dial-up’ because ‘dial-up’ may require a long distance call. In many areas, broadband service and TV cable service has one price. Ask if one needs all the ‘bells and whistles’ some service providers charge a premium price for.

In any case consider the TV, cell phone, and internet as ways to reduce the expenses. When one is considering the purchase of a service, think twice. Carefully consider the options. With most service contracts, the cost of minimum service compared to ‘premium’ service seems like a good idea. It is a trap. Do not fall for the sales pitch. Purchase the absolute minimum service. Then upgrade. If one has to have TV, purchase the 50 channel package with the service agreement. Then, later if it is ‘affordable’, purchase the upgrade to 100 or 150 channels. That way, one can decide the additional channels are not worth it. If one purchases the 150 channel premium package, one cannot down grade. One can always upgrade a service agreement, never downgrade until the service term expires. The same is true with cell phones and internet service.

Conservative spending is better stewardship than rampant consumerism.

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Romans 8:5-6.

"Not a Single Luxury"

We have been discussing ways to cut expenses. There are three reasons to do so.
1. To be obedient to God.
2. To live within our means (spend less than is earned).
3. To get out of debt.

This is not easy. It has been maintained that is terribly difficult, especially in a world that promotes debt and slavery to debt. The ‘world’ will condemn us, 1 Peter 4:3-4, “For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.”

Remember, we are not ‘competing’ with the ‘Jones’. God will reward each of us according to our works…not the Jones’s works. (Matthew 16:27, “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.”)

The lyrics to the theme song from ‘Gilligan’s Island’ come to mind when thinking about the difficulties of living within one’s means and getting out of debt.

“They'll have to make the best of things,
it's an uphill climb.
The first mate and his Skipper too
will do their very best,
to make the others comf'terble
in their tropic island nest.
No phone, no lights, no motor car,
not a single luxury
like Robinson Crusoe
it's primitive as can be.”

It is an uphill climb. One has already dug one’s own grave, and is sitting in it. We are not talking about selling everything and moving into a shanty. What we are talking about is making some sacrifices to live within income and to cut expenses to pay off debt. One does not have to move to ‘Gilligan’s Island’ to do it. One does need to become a good steward, thrifty, and spending wisely.

Having gone through the budget, cutting expenses, one is ready for the next step…Pay off debt.

Man With a Plan!

We have talked about budgeting as a way to plan to get out of debt. We have discussed placing ‘pay off debt’ at the top of the budget (after giving). Paying off debt is a priority. We have asked, “What is your plan to pay off debt?”

We are there now, “What is the plan to pay off debt?”

Falling back on military training once again, there is the “5 ‘P’s’”.
Prior
Planning
Prevents
Poor
Performance

If ones just says, “I’m going to pay of debt now.” Without a plan, the performance will be poor. So how does one ‘make a plan’?

1. Evaluate
2. Decide
3. Execute
4. Evaluate

Huh?

1. Evaluate different ways to pay down debt. ‘Look’ at different ‘models’ or strategies to pay the debts.

2. Decide which plan is best suited to one’s own situation.

3. Execute the plan. Do not ‘talk’ about it, do it. Start paying off debt.

4. Evaluate the results. Is the plan producing results? If not, go back to step one. Remember that paying of debt is a long term goal. It does not happen overnight. It may take a couple of months to be able to evaluate results of the plan’s execution. It may take a couple of months to see results.

Pastor Barry Cameron, whose interview first led to this odyssey, took seven years to get out of debt. He includes his house and car in the debt free living.

It took seven years! One is saying, “No way am I going to do this for SEVEN YEARS!”
Think about it for a moment. Would one rather be a slave for 30 years or free in seven? Would one rather serve God with a whole heart NOW, or serve with a divided heart for the next 30 (Luke 16:13)? We know debt is sin! If we are convicted of a sin, and do nothing about it, we are purposely separating ourselves from God. We cannot ‘enjoy’ a full relationship with Him. On the other hand, if we repent, we may be paying the consequences of sin in this life, but we get to enjoy our relationship with Him NOW!

So what is the pay-off for spending the next seven years living within ones income, and paying off debt?
One gets to enjoy a more full relationship with God!
One gets to enjoy being involved with the continual blessings of God, as He meets needs!
One gets to ‘rest’ in the knowledge of the fact one is being Obedient to God!
One gets to ‘rest’ in the fact that ‘doing the right thing’ reduces stress!
One gets to rest in knowledge that in time, one will be completely free from the slavers!
One gets to ‘rest’ in the fact that soon one will be able to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor instead of giving it to the slavers!

Personally, I would rather spend seven years enslaved, with the knowledge of certain freedom, than thirty, separate from God, with No Freedom in sight…

So, let us look at some plans to get out of debt ‘now’.

One Slaver at a Time

‘Evaluate different ways to pay down debt’

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6.

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” Proverbs 16:3.

A plan to get out of debt must include God. It requires strength, discipline, and avoiding temptation.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13.
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13.

That said; there are a number of different ways to approach the plan. One plan is pay a little extra each month on every debt. From experience, this plan is difficult to maintain. It is very hard to see ‘progress’, as such, it is not very encouraging. When one climbs a mountain, it is one step at a time, not ‘all at once’. This is not a plan that is recommended. A plan that eliminates one slaver at a time IS recommended.

An orderly plan, that conquers each slaver, individually, one at a time is more encouraging, easier to see progress, and has the benefit of intermediate satisfaction. It is more encouraging, because one is taking ‘little bites’ that make a difference. It is easier to see progress, because one can actually ‘see’ a difference. There is intermediate satisfaction by achieving the goal of getting rid of one debt at a time. One gets to ‘celebrate’ as one is freed from each slaver.

Evaluate plans. Start by listing all the creditors one has. List the amount owed, minimum monthly payment, and interest rate. These three elements become the basis to form a plan and make decisions. Using the three elements consider options.
1. Largest Debt first
2. Highest Interest rate first
3. Smallest Debt first
(Smallest interest rate first just does not make sense - getting rid of the debt that is costing the least, costs more [unless this happens to be the slaver one is eliminating because of another plan]. There are other possibilities; these three are the obvious ones.)
Remember to keep the ‘plan’ simple. One does not have to put together some elaborate plan to ‘pay the bills’. The more complicated a plan is, the easier it is to mess up.

Paying off the largest debt first (probably a mortgage or a car loan) has some distinct disadvantages. One must still pay all the finance charges to all the other creditors. One does not ‘see’ ‘accomplishing the goal’ as well. There is no ‘immediate’ gratification. Usually the mortgage and car loans usually have the lowest interest rates.

It is recommended that one choose to pay off debt by either highest interest rate or smallest debt first.

Use smallest debt first as an example. One determines to pay each slaver the ‘minimum amount due’. In addition to the minimum amount due, on each of the slave accounts other than the smallest, add $1.00 to the minimum amount due. This is the money that we have ‘freed’ from cutting expenses, and learning thrift. Apply ALL the rest of the ‘freed’ money (preferably more than twice the minimum amount due) to paying off the smallest debt. That means, if the smallest debt has a minimum due of $10 each month, pay at least $20, more if one has managed to ‘free’ more. Apply all of it to the debt. If one has managed to ‘free’ $100 by cutting expenses, and thrift, then pay $110 to the smallest debt each month, until paid in full. Once paid in full close the account¹. Ensure before closing the account to cancel any ‘automatic’ payments made from the account (such as automatic billing for internet subscriptions). When the account is closed, celebrate, praise the Lord, then set your sights on the next ‘Goliath’. Take ALL the money (the $110) that one has used to apply it to the next smallest (now the smallest) slave account. Say that account has a minimum payment required of $25. One has been paying $26 while paying off the first slaver. Now one is paying $136 on this account. Notice the ‘snowball effect’. As each slaver is paid, the amount applied to the next slaver account increases. By the time the last slaver is paid, this amount of money is not only considerable - it becomes ‘disposable income’. (One gets to spend it!)

One has seen the plan for paying the smallest creditor first. Write the plans for paying the largest slaver first and highest interest rate slaver first. Use the template of paying off each creditor, one at a time.

Now, instead of using ‘example’ money, use the actual numbers from one’s budget and creditors. Do this for each plan. Once this is accomplished, evaluate each plan. Determine which plan is the most ‘doable’. Take into account one’s own attitudes, outlook, determination, and desire. One plan will appear more appealing just based on ‘self’. Pray about it.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;” Philippians 4:6.



¹Remember, do not close the account until the payment posts. Use the toll free number or the internet to verify the posting. Many accounts charge additional fees for closing an account where a balance still exists.

Decisions Decisions

Decide on a plan.
Having drawn up the different plans, and evaluated each prayerfully. It is time to make a decision. Decide which plan is most appropriate. Then make the hardest decision…to implement the plan! Decide to accomplish the goal. Make a commitment!

The hardest part of doing anything is making the decision to do it. It does not have to be a perfect plan. There are no perfect plans - except God’s plans.

There is an old military saying (paraphrased slightly).

“A perfect plan executed half-way, is not half as good as an imperfect plan executed ‘all the way’.”

Earlier it was said not making a decision to change, is making a decision not to change.

To quote and earlier passage, “Change requires a decision. A person HAS to make a choice. “Either do, or do not, there is NO try!” is the quote from Yoda, in ‘Star Wars [The Empire Strikes Back]’. The Bible is a little more direct. Revelation 3:15, 16 says, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” Additionally James 5:16 says, “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” Yoda paraphrases it very appropriately.”

One MUST decide to implement the plan. Otherwise, this has been purely an intellectual exercise.

One must decide to implement the plan, and commit to ‘executing’ the plan. Keeping the commitment to execute the plan is the second hardest part. This is not a ‘New Years’ resolution. It can not be a ‘temporary’, unfulfilled promise to one’s self. This lifestyle change goes with the changes one has already made. Some people find it easier to make a commitment when one has ‘accountability’. If that is what one needs to stick with it, then become ‘accountable’. Tell someone that will encourage and pray for one’s success. If necessary, write a ‘Contract With God’. I have heard many testimonies from people that wrote a ‘covenant’ to God, telling Him of there intentions. Then each day, week, month - reviewed the ‘covenant’ - the promise to God. If this is what one needs to choose, and fulfill the commitment - DO IT!

Execution Day!

One has already begun ‘executing’. By living within one’s means, and practicing the elements of good stewardship, thrift and frugality one is already ‘executing’.

Executing the plan to eliminate debt, like the others, is a step in exercising good stewardship. This is not a ‘one day’ event. It has a definite start date, but it continues through to the elimination of ALL debt.

It is not any easy task, but one must keep an eye on the ‘goal’. Executing the plan to eliminate debt is also growing closer to God. By executing the plan one is definitively saying, “I have chosen my master!” One is still owned by the slavers, but is serving God.

“Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:22-24

“not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.” Ephesians 6:6-8.

Pay the bills according to the plan. There is no ‘rule’ that states one can only make one payment to a specific slaver every month. Like giving, sometimes one has to ‘pay’ as soon as one gets to avoid temptation. It may be easier to pay ‘online’ and usually does not have ‘service’ charges attached.¹ Payments by phone usually incur a fee. One may mail more than one payment to a slaver per month without incurring a fee. If one chooses to pay more than once a month by mail, check the statements for the correct mailing address, make sure account numbers are on the check. Additionally, it is recommended that one create a facsimile of the statement’s ‘remittance’ form. On a piece of paper (or on the computer) ‘build’ a copy of the slaver’s remittance form. [This seems like a hassle, but if it removes the ‘temptation’ to spend instead of pay…Do IT!]

One should record the day one began getting paying off the slavers. One should notate the payments made specifically ‘to eliminate’ a debt. When it comes to evaluating the plan, these notes are valuable. Be honest; when one does not ‘execute’ or ‘falls off the wagon’, note it. This is to help one ‘evaluate’ the plan.


¹Caution: Some ‘online’ slavers - charge a fee for ‘same-day’ payments. - Chase® DOES, Chase® also ‘defaults’ to ‘same-day’ payment, automatically incurring the fee. They are not the only slaver to do this - check the fine print.

Does it Work?

Evaluating the plan to eliminate debt, like the execution, is an ongoing process. Initially one will have little data to evaluate. As time goes on, more information will be available to evaluate success.

The simple question is, “Is it working?” If the answer is “Yes”, Hallelujah! Keep up the fight! If the answer is “No”, then one needs to ask “Why not?”

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41

At this point, there is a reminder. No one is perfect. There will be times when one stumbles, and falls. If one has ‘gotten back on the horse’, and is keeping on track, that is not necessarily “No”. That does not mean that the plan is not successful. There will be times, even if the plan is working where it will be, “three steps forward, two steps back”, or even “two steps forward, THREE steps back”.
When asked, “Is it working”, one needs view the ‘big’ picture, not an individual event. "...as the Lord God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged." Deuteronomy 1:21b. “…run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus…” Hebrews 12:1b-2a.

There are a number of questions to ask if the plan is not working. One has to go back to the basics. One has to ask some tough questions and confirm beliefs.

One has to ask, Am I:

Convinced Debt is Sin?
“You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.” 1 Corinthians 7:23

Living a life of covetousness, trying to keep up with the ‘Jones’?
“Thou shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” Exodus 20:17

In Love with Money and the Things Money Buys?
“For the love of money is a root of all sort of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang.” 1 Timothy 6:10

Trusting God to Meet my Needs?
“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

Giving?
“Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase;” Proverbs 3:9

Being a Good Steward?
“Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds;” Proverbs 27:23

If the answer to any of these questions is ‘No’, then one has to go back and re-evaluate that answer. Proverbs 14:12, "There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." In other words, without a solid foundation, trying to get out of debt will be a difficult road.

If the answer to these questions is ‘Yes’, then one needs to look at the plan and its execution. Is the plan flawed? Why is the execution failing? Self-evaluation is always difficult. Is one trying to accomplish too much? If so, back down a little. It is a very stressful thing to get to the end of the month, and not be ‘sure’ one is going to make it. Trust, obey, but do so in good conscience as a Good Steward. Is one not trying enough? Go back through ways to decrease spending to allocate more money to paying debt.

One may have to ‘adjust’ the debt repayment plan a number of times (that is why evaluation is so important). The hardest parts of paying off debt are discipline and perseverance. In this case, Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.”

God honors His promises to us.

Apply, Evaluate, Apply, Evaluate, Adjust, Apply, Evaluate…
The cycle ends when one is debt free…

What is one to do in the meantime?

Another Day

One is following the steps. One is giving. One is being a good steward, by living within one’s means, and paying off debt. What is one to do now? Return to the statement; there are three principles to become and live debt free. Those principles are Giving, Stewardship and Contentment.

Here is a ‘news flash’, contentment is LEARNED!

The Apostle Paul said, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:” in Philippians 4:11. In the next verse he expounds upon his ‘station’, Philippians 4:12, “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” He tells us he has learned to live with (an abundance) and without (in indigence). He goes on to tell us in verse 13 how to do this, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

For me, it was not as easy as quoting a Bible verse. I ‘knew’ what the Bible said, but I did not ‘apply’ what it said. The ‘real’ change in my life occurred when I adopted a new attitude. When I, personally ‘adopted’ an attitude of ‘indigence of spirit’. Indigence defined, “a level of poverty in which real hardship and deprivation are suffered and comforts of life are wholly lacking.” So what does ‘indigent spirit’ mean? I had to conclude that I WAS impoverished. There was nothing I could do to change my station - not physically (by working myself into the grave), not mentally (by coming up with ‘smart’ ways to outwit slavers), not emotionally (by alleviating depression with ‘things’), and not spiritually (by knowing more about the Bible). I could not get out of debt, I could not get the medical or financial support I needed, I could not alleviate the depression of ‘Outer Darkness’, I could not be a spiritual ‘Giant’ by knowing a lot Bible verses. I could do Nothing alone.

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

Mary is referring to Jesus, “His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”” John 2:5

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthian 10:31

“Were you called [to Salvation] while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave.” 1 Corinthians 7:20, 21

““Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:31-33

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” John 15:7


So what does that mean as far as contentment, and an indigent spirit? One can obey the commands of God. One can be ‘giving of the first fruits’, one can be ‘a good steward’ of earthly wealth. One can even be trusting God to meet needs and still not be content.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

So where does contentment come from. We know it is learned, but how is it learned?
One has to live IN a relationship with Christ. Knowledge and Obedience to the ‘Law’ is what condemned the Pharisees. A relationship with the Living God is what separates us from the world, and brings contentment.
Start by recognizing and Practicing these truths:
“it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” You are no longer alive, but Christ is living in you!

“Whatever He says to you, do it” Do the things that God directs through His word!

“do all to the glory of God.” Whatever you do, do it for Him!

You are “Christ’s slave.” That means obedience. Reverence God, He OWNS you! (His claim is greater than any claim by any ‘earthly’ master!)

“seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” Do not just make God your first ‘priority’ with your money, make God your first priority in your LIFE!

““If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you” Spend time with God, through His word.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,” Keep God first, He knows your needs, wants and desires. Thank Him for it.

If one does these things what happens? “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Read that again, “the peace of God”! It does not say God will give you peace. It says God will give you HIS peace…and it will guard you!

Consider that again: God will give you HIS peace…and it will guard you!


It is a simple illustration, but it defines a difference. My beautiful, aged car, with all its character, broke down today. I had to have it repaired…
Here is what I COULD have Done:
I could complain that the car broke down. I could complain that it was not in the budget. I could lament to God, “Why does this always happen to me?” I could worry about when it will be fixed. I could worry about how much it cost. I could complain about the cost.

Here is what I DID DO:
I thanked God it broke down near the garage close to my home. I thanked God that I did not have any ‘necessary’ appointments today, or tomorrow for that matter. I thanked God I was no longer a slave to debt, and have the money to pay for the repairs.

Either way, the car is fixed. The difference is how I dealt with it. Honestly, a year ago, maybe even sixth months ago, I would have reacted how I could have, and ‘blamed’ God. I did not. It is not because I am ‘unchained’ from debt. It is because I am becoming a ‘slave’ to Christ. I am learning His peace is a far better place to live than my worry. I am learning to be content in whatever circumstance. That is an ‘indigent spirit’ attitude. The attitude that ‘I am nothing He is everything!’ I get lessons like this one every day.

A couple of friends came up with two acronyms to describe these lessons - F.O.G. & F.R.O.G. Frequent Opportunities for Growth & Fully Rely On God!

Every day is a FOG, the question is whether you will be the FROG or deal with it alone.


Again: “God will give you HIS peace…and it will guard you!” Claiming that promise is how to learn to ‘be content’.

Savvy Spending?

There was a recent article at MSN® that asked if one was ‘a savvy spender’. The article outlined these tips to be ‘savvy spender’:
Spend less than one earns.
Avoid debt.
Save money.
Give to charity.

Does that sound familiar? It is not surprising that the ‘world’ adopts Biblical principles. Christians have the advantage since we can claim the Promises of God.

We have discussed giving, stewardship, and contentment. Noticeably absent has been the topic of saving. Saving is important. However, consider this; does it make sense to ‘earn’ 4% A.P.R. on $200 in a savings account while ‘paying’ 12% A.P.R. on a $200 debt?
What does one do about an investment portfolio? No one is advocating cashing in a ‘Retirement account’ (IRA, 401K). Planning future retirement is smart and necessary. That does not address a current portfolio. A brother-in-law observed that money in the stock market is ‘virtual money’. While one has invested ‘real’ money into the market, that money is not generating a ‘real’ return even if the stocks gain value.
This is exclusive of dividends. One must ask if the dividends paid on investments are equal or greater than interest paid on debts. If the answer is ‘no’, then one should seriously consider selling the stocks (or other investments) to eliminate debt.




This begins an address of the topic, “What to do once debt is eliminated.”



MSN® is a registered trademark of the Microsoft Corporation

House of the Wise

Now that debt is conquered, give Praise to God that one is no longer a slave. What should the plan be now?

The absolute first thing to do when one has finally been unchained is Praise God! He has delivered one from the “Outer Darkness” of Slavery! The second thing to do is Honor God! One honors God by maintaining ‘good stewardship’. Keep the ‘indigent attitude’ and continue stewardship.

There is a very great temptation to ‘slide’ back into debt, with the thought, “Oh, I know how to get out of this pit. It is no big deal; I can just pay it off in a couple of months.” Beloved, that defeats the entire purpose of becoming free. This trap is especially tempting to one that has paid off a ‘large’ debt like a mortgage or a car. Compared to those debts, a $1000 credit card debt is ‘small potatoes’. Debt is still debt and debt is still sin. Resolve NOT to do that again, ever. Resolve to continue in ‘good stewardship’.

One could immediately start spending all the money one has been using to pay off debt. Would that be good stewardship? No, spending all the money in the budget that has been paying off debt is not good stewardship. “There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it.” Proverbs 21:20 This verse tells us that is not wise.

Therefore, we need to continue in ‘good stewardship’, and determine how to apply it to our new ‘freedom’. The application of continued ‘good stewardship’ requires a new plan. That means a ‘new’ budget. A new budget needs to reflect the freedom from slavery and good stewardship.

We keep coming back to budgeting. It is probably almost sickening, but without a ‘plan’ to maintain ‘good stewardship’, we fall flat on our faces… Remember the ‘Parable of the Talents’ in Matthew 25:14-30 (Into Outer Darkness). Each servant was ‘given according to his ability’. Each servant used a plan for managing their trust. Each one had a ‘budget’. God honored two of the ‘budgets’ because they showed a plan for ‘good stewardship’. So as sickening as re-budgeting may become, stop thinking of it as what one has to do. Start thinking of a budget in terms it being a way to serve God. The budget can become a ‘living’ thing that is evidence of a Living God, and our service to Him. It is a way to show our service, delighting in ways to honor Him.

It sounds a little ridiculous; a budget is a means of honoring God. Think about it. What are we doing when we ‘budget’ to be ‘good stewards’?
We are planning to be ‘living sacrifices’. Romans 12:1
We are planning to be ‘transformed’. Romans 12:2
We are planning to resist temptation. 1 Corinthians 10:13
We are planning to ‘submit to God’ and ‘resist the Devil’. 1 Peter 5:9 and James 4:7, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
We are planning to “be conformed to the image of His Son”. Romans 8:29

The budget of a ‘good steward’ is more than just a plan to spend wisely. We are planning to honor God! We are planning to serve God!

Planning to Serve

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1

Many ‘secular’ money advisors teach, “Pay you first.” This means saving money should be one’s first priority. We know Biblically, giving should be first. Let us look again at the ‘plan’ budget to eliminate debt.

We came up with a ‘prioritized’ budget (‘Rose Colored Glasses’)
1. Giving
2. Pay Off Debt
3. Mandatory Expenses
4. Expendable Expenses
5. Slave Expenses
6. Exigent Circumstances Expenses


We need a new ‘plan’ budget that looks something like this:
1. Giving
2. Pay Off Debt Pay Self - Save Money
3. Mandatory Expenses
4. Expendable Expenses
5. Slave Expenses Unchained Expenses
6. Exigent Circumstances Expenses

We are making two changes to the budget, Pay Off Debt and Slave Expenses. Let us discuss the second, first.
We ‘defined’ slave expenses as:
Credit Card Bills
Car Payments
Cable TV Bill
Internet Service
Mortgage Payments
Cellular phone

In additional to ‘Slave Expenses’, there are expenses in ‘Mandatory Expenses’ that may be affected, like car insurance. One no longer has credit card bills, car payments and mortgage payments. This means that the ‘Mandatory Expenses’ associated with them may also be reduced. Reducing the level of car insurance ‘ordered’ by the slaver may or may not be a wise decision. The decision needs to be based on ‘needs’ and stewardship.

One may continue with Internet and cable TV service. Remember the guidelines of signing the ‘least’ package to make a ‘commitment’, then adding services as they are needed or can be afforded. The first principle to any service contract is it a need or a want, and if it is a ‘want’ does it ‘pass’ the principles for wants (When ‘Want’ is Not Sin). The second principle to any service contract agreement (cell phone, Internet, TV) is it ‘living within ones means’? The third principle to any service contract what happens if there is income decrease? Remember, God promises to provide our needs, Philippians 4:19 “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Psalm 37:18-19; Hebrews 3:5; Matthew 7:11; Romans 8:32). While He does promise to bless us beyond our comprehension, He does not promise to meet all our ‘WANTS’.

Entering into a term service contract for services is a kind of slavery… One must pay the contract or one suffers consequences. Unfortunately, we live in a wicked world. There are some things one cannot have without a term service contract. Carefully consider how much of a ‘need’ is involved. It is suggested that one consider the merits of want/need verses the slavery aspect. The recommendation is that one ‘has’ the price of freedom before one enters the contract. That means if one is going to enter a one year service contract for TV service at $50 per month, that one has $600 in savings. Then one is not enslaved, one can pay the price for freedom at any time.

Leases (for a house or apartment) are also a form of slavery. If one has paid one’s mortgage, and owns one’s home, this is not an issue. However, there are many that ‘rent’ because we do not have the funds to buy a home outright. A term lease for an apartment or home is usually less than a ‘month to month’ lease. That is true. Many places require an initial term lease, and then it becomes a month to month lease. Again, few have the ‘cash’ on hand to pay for a six month or year long lease.
For years, financial planners have suggested having in savings three months expenses in case of emergency (though very few actually do). This is not a bad idea. It does not address the initial questions of ‘lease’ slavery. There is no easy answer to this question. (There is but many do not want to hear it - “Owe no man anything”.) Reality check, one has just spent months and possibly years earning freedom. Yes, it is a hassle to find a place, or save the money to be able to pay off the lease. That does not change the fact that slavery is slavery.
One must fall-back on the promises of God, and then, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7.

God knows what our needs are. God knows what our desires are. God knows what our abilities are. God knows how far we can be tempted and still endure.


TRUST this; “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 If one trusts, God will direct.

Getting Ahead of Myself

Instantly, we went from debts paid, to spend more money… That is a big danger when one finally becomes free, and that is from personal experience… Do not do that!

While discussing the windfall one experiences when one finally gets out of debt, we became sidetracked. That is what happens with our money too. All of a sudden, the money that has been filling the debt pit is now available. The ‘instant’ desire is to ‘catch up’ with all the things we have given up to get out of debt. It is like a person that is ill. While they are ill, many things go undone or are put off. Once they feel well again, they ‘instantly’ try to ‘catch up’. Often times they suffer a relapse. The same is true of debt. It is a sin and one recovers by paying the ‘past consequences’. [It not ‘politically correct’ to say debt is a sickness - debt IS SIN!] However, it is like a sickness in that while one is enslaved one suffers. Once one conquers debt, it is like recovering from an illness. [Again, ‘is like’ is not the same as ‘is’ - Debt is SIN not sickness.] One wants to increase their standard of living, buy new things, and enjoy the ‘fruit of one’s labor’.

This in itself has two distinct dangers. The first is the overwhelming temptation to go back into debt. The second is the subtle trick of Satan. Now that one ‘has’ money one can ‘catch up’ with the Jones. The ‘envy’ sin sneaks back into our lives and we ‘want’.

Freedom from debt slavery does not make us immune to temptation. Having lived so long practicing ‘good stewardship’, it is natural to want to ‘enjoy’ the ‘fruits of our increase’. One should enjoy their freedom, enjoy God’s blessings, and enjoy the ‘newfound’ wealth. Be very careful that one does not fall back into bad habits and sin.

The Commitment to be Debt Free - is a lifetime commitment. One will be constantly tempted, but 1 Corinthians 10:13 is there to remind us that Satan does not have to win. Go back to Romans 12:1-2, continue to be transformed.

The strong suggestion (from personal experience) is that one continues ‘the pay off debt’ plan for a couple of months after becoming free. Instead of sending the money to the slavers - put it into a savings account. Continue with the ‘old’ plan while preparing the new plan. This allows one to continue ‘good stewardship’ and avoid the temptations of ‘instant wealth’. Remember, wealthy people are not wealthy because of how much money they make. They are wealthy because of how they spend money. There is wisdom in that knowledge - It is not how much one makes, It Is how one spends that determines stewardship. Look again at the ‘Parable of the Talents’ (Matthew 25:14-30). Each was entrusted with a certain amount - what they did with the money determined their stewardship.

Before building a ‘new plan’, consider one’s commitment to God. We have discussed how ‘Slave Expenses’ and ‘Mandatory Expenses’ become ‘freed’ when we become freed. We talked about entering into ‘new’ contracts and leases. Where does the money come from? Obviously, one no longer has debts to be paid, and one can reduce (wisely) some of the expenses connected with the debts, like car insurance. That means one can prayerfully consider, as one develops a ‘new’ plan, to increase one’s commitment to ‘Giving’. What better way is there to confirm our commitment to God and His precepts than to honor Him with the ‘new’ first fruits of our labor?

Do not be instantly side-tracked into spending more and ‘upgrading’ one’s standard of living. These actions lead back into ‘the pit’ and slavery.

A New Look At a New Plan

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

This verse takes on a special meaning to one who, through Him, has conquered debt. It bears repeating, when one determines to become debt free, one experiences a renewed relationship with God. Once one actually becomes debt free, there is a joy and a pleasure that rivals even that. The whole world is new - the chains of the slave are cut off.

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

The new ‘plan’ budget looks something like this:
1. Giving
2. Pay Off Debt Pay Self - Save Money
3. Mandatory Expenses
4. Expendable Expenses
5. Slave Expenses Unchained Expenses
6. Exigent Circumstances Expenses

What are the new goals of ‘financial freedom’? Repeating again, the first goal of being debt free is not to fall back into debt. As good stewards, it is a responsible decision to ‘save’ money. How much should one save? There is an ‘old’ financial rule called the 10-10-80 rule, the goes something like this, “Give 10% to God, save 10%, and spend the rest with thanksgiving”. This quote is often attributed to John D. Rockefeller. (Having found no reference to this quote by Sr. or Jr. at the Rockefeller Archives - we will just say it is an ‘old quote’.) It is not a bad strategy. One could ask if ‘10%’ is enough to save. Personally, using the ‘old’ debt relief budget and saving the rest, after giving, sounds like a good (maybe better) plan.
One has ‘learned’ the indigent attitude and ‘good stewardship practices’. The question really becomes, why is one saving money?

Realistically, in today’s society, saving for retirement is almost mandatory. It is almost a necessity. While we earnestly yearn for the return of Christ, we have to look again at the ‘house of the wise’ in Proverbs 21:20. There are four things one ‘needs’ to save money for.
1. One needs to have a fund for emergencies and ‘exigent circumstances’.
2. One needs to plan and save for the future.
3. One ‘should’ have savings to pay for the replacement of ‘needs’ (like replacing that 15 year old car).
4. One ‘should’ save for ‘want’ items (like that new big screen TV or computer).


Emergency funds in savings should include:
One should have 3 - 6 months total expenses (rent, food, mandatory expenses, etc.). That is unless one has a ‘guaranteed’ income (stipend, retirement, etc.) that ‘covers’ these expenses. This money should be ‘available’. These funds need to be accessible, not like Treasury Bills or others one can not immediately access. Additionally, one should have the total of all ‘deductibles’ for car and health insurances.

Funds for plans for the future:
These funds are retirement funds and college funds for children. This author is not an authority on such funds. One should consider ‘reasonable’ advice from learned people and make those savings conservatively. Ideally, any ‘long-term’ funds should grow at the rate of inflation (7-8% annually). These funds do not need to be ‘readily accessible’ like emergency funds.

Funds for replacement of needs and wants:
These funds are just that, replacement funds. One needs to prioritize needs and wants and allocate ‘savings’ accordingly. Consider short term and long term goals for replacements/wants. A new TV can cost as much as a replacement vehicle, but usually is considerably less. Sometimes a want can come before a replacement ‘need’. This is a matter of prayer and weighing costs. Like the toaster in “When ‘Want’ is Not Sin”, the cost of the toaster was considerably less than the cost of replacing a car. The toaster came first. Ensure one reviews the ‘principles of wants’ as one saves for ‘wants’. One may find, as personal experience has shown, that sometimes, once the money is saved for a want, one no longer ‘wants’ it. Other things then become priorities.
If one has not paid a mortgage, one may ‘want’ to buy a house. This is a long term goal. Saving 10% of every paycheck to buy a house will become a very long term goal. If one saves 10% of a $2000 a month income, it will take 83 years before one can buy a $200,000 home (not including inflation). One may have to save more than 10% of one’s income to accomplish goals.

As one looks at the new plan, use the principles of ‘want’, the principles of ‘good stewardship’, the “5 ‘P’s’”, and then the planning model. This seems like a lot of work just to ‘save money’. Remember, not so long ago, one was a slave to debt. It takes practice to become a wise or ‘savvy’ spender. All the principles and practices used to get out of debt are smart practices to become a ‘lender to the nations’.

Here are two ‘great promises’ for one that is keeping the command of living debt free.
“The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.” Deuteronomy 28:12

“For the Lord your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you.” Deuteronomy 15:6

An Ending and A Beginning

Originally stated, these articles were necessary. They are a result of a conviction and a need. The personal experiences and the Biblical study of debt is something that ‘had’ to be shared. It is now at a point where ‘my’ journey of sharing is ending. At the same time, some are just beginning their journey to become ‘Unchained Slaves’ who are ‘Free to Serve’.

Summarizing these articles is difficult because there is a lot here. What do we know?
-Debt is sin. It is sin on a number of levels, envy, lack of trust, and in itself the sin of disobedience.

-Debt is slavery and interferes with our individual relationship with God.

-Trusting God is difficult, but He promises to meet all our needs beyond our expectations, IF we trust Him.

-In order to become debt free, we must recognize, repent and change.

-Getting out of debt seems like a hard sacrifice - until one compares it to the sacrifice of the Cross. Through this ‘odyssey’, we talked about the fact it may take years to accomplish the goal. Consider this: Jesus KNEW for some thirty years on earth what was going to be required of Him! [He knew it from the foundation of the world, but as a human, He knew His entire life how His life would end…compared to that, is the ‘sacrifice’ of getting out of debt such a big thing?]

-Getting out of debt is both physical and spiritual warfare.

-Giving to God is an important step (and a mandate from God) in getting out of debt.

-Living within one’s means is necessary. It requires a change in attitudes and actions.

-Living within one’s means is good stewardship and is learned.

-Budgets are useful tools to establish plans of good stewardship and becoming debt free.

-The world (especially in America) is designed to make one a slave to debt.

-Creditors are not friends, they are slavers.

-Slavers do not want one to become free.

-Budgets are just plans. In order to be of any use, one has to execute the plan.

-We all ‘fall down’. It may take more than one ‘attempt’ to get it right. It is not an ‘overnight’ success story. One can learn from mistakes, and draw closer to the Lord by obedience in becoming debt free.


-There is very little that compares to the ‘joy of the Lord’ one experiences when one becomes ‘free’ from debt.

-Once free from debt, the temptation to become re-enslaved is an ongoing battle. It is a battle one can win with God’s help.


We will continue the ‘summary’ with some admonitions, promises and encouragements.

Un-kept Promises

Back at the beginning of these articles, it was stated, “this [blog] is primarily directed at Christians…and the substantive ‘proofs’ of my ‘Arguments’ are based on the Bible, there are many principles and practices that anyone can understand to improve their ‘quality of life’ by reducing the ‘Stress’ that debt places on one.” ("Terrifying Truth!").

It is true. Many of the principles and practices expounded in these articles will work for anyone that is in debt. However, there is a serious drawback to this approach. If one is not a Christian, one cannot claim ANY of the promises from God. God is very particular about His promises. They are for His children. While one can get out of debt following the advice and plans, one misses all of the ‘guaranteed’ blessings. Additionally, one misses both a personal relationship with God and the guarantee of an eternity of fellowship with Him.

I encourage you to make a commitment to Him. What does that mean? If you are not a ‘Christian’ or if one does not know if one is a Christian, you are encouraged to embrace God’s love and His gift, eternal life, a ‘not guilty’ verdict on judgement day.
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23. That means everyone needs to ‘be right’ with God. One cannot enter into fellowship with Him if one is “short of the glory of God”. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 Jesus Christ bridges the ‘gap’ between what we are (sinners) and what we can be, united in fellowship with God through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ did that by His sacrifice on the cross.

If you do not know that relationship is part of your life, I encourage you to accept the gift of God, His Son’s sacrifice.

“Dear Lord Jesus I am a sinner. I believe that you died for my sins. Forgive my sins. Right now I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I receive you as my personal Lord and Savior. Through the help of the Holy Spirit I will serve you all the days of my life.”

If one is unsure, it is suggested that one read “From the 'Damned' - You Don’t Have To Be!” and the three part series “Judged” at ‘Views on History, Politics and Religion’.

One then becomes an ‘adopted’ ‘child of God’. As a ‘child of God’, one CAN claim all the promises here, as well as all the inherited promises of God. There are promises upon promises for us, and an everlasting unity of fellowship and family.

Welcome to the ‘Family’!

Truth & Consequences
Admonitions - Encouragement - Promises

Admonitions [Things to beware of and be aware of.]:

The saddest verse in the Bible is 1 Kings 18:21, ‘And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.’ (emphasis mine)

How long will YOU falter between two opinions? Will YOU give God an answer?
"Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil." Proverbs 3:7

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” Revelation 3:15, 16: Choose to do the ‘right thing’ and get out of debt!

Debt is slavery, and there are commands not to be in debt or a slave to debt:
“…And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” Proverbs 22:7

“You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.” 1 Corinthians 7:23, (referring to the slavery of Pr. 22:7)

“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20


After all this: Debt is STILL sin and may be a consequence of sin:
“Thou shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” Exodus 20:17, Deuteronomy 5:21,

“You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it. You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children each wanting your own way. You’re cheating God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and His way.” James 4:2-4. The Message Bible (REMIX)

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” We know that debt is failure to trust in the Promises of God to meet our needs. Philippians 4:19

“No worker can serve two bosses: He’ll either hate the first and love the second or adore the first and despise the second. You can’t serve both God and the Bank.” Luke 16:13 (The Message Bible)

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:15-17

“For the love of money is a root of all sort of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang.” 1 Timothy 6:10

“And He said to them, ‘Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.’” Luke 12:15

Other Admonitions:
“...And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”” John 18:11

“Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase;” Proverbs 3:9

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” II Corinthians 9:6, 7

“Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds;” Proverbs 27:23

“He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.” Proverbs 10:4

“Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.” 2 Thessalonians 3:12

“Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.” Proverbs 6:6-8

“There is desirable treasure, and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man squanders it.” Proverbs 21:20

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Romans 8:5-6.

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1

1 Corinthians 10:31 says it all, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”



Encouragement [Things to remember as one struggles to become debt free.]:
(many of these are direct promises also…)

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5, 6

“No temptation has overtaken you, except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

"...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;" Philippians 1:6

“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:18

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

"The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out - but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity." 1 John 2:17 (The Message Bible),

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31

“He also opens their ear to instruction, And commands that they turn from iniquity.” Job 36:10

“Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.” Proverbs 16:3

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;” Philippians 4:6.

“For exaltation comes neither from the east Nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another.” Psalm 75:6

“not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.” Ephesians 6:6-8.

"...as the Lord God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged." Deuteronomy 1:21b.

““Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:31-33

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7


“Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:22-24



PROMISES*: [Promises to claim when becoming debt free.]:
(Promises often require that we claim them AND are given as a ‘reward’ for obedience.)

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” John 15:7

Promises about supplying ‘needs’:
“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

“The Lord knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.” Psalm 37:18, 19

“Let your conduct be without covetousness [envy]; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ”I will never leave you nor forsake you."" Hebrews 13:5

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:11

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32

"If you decide for God, living a life of God worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.
Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion - do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.
If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers - most of which are never even seen - don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met." Matthew 6:25 -33 (The Message)

“Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10

“"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts;" Malachi 3:10, 11

“The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.” Deuteronomy 28:12

“For the Lord your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you.” Deuteronomy 15:6

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17


----------------------------------------------
Beloved friends, hold fast to the promises of God. Diligently pursue a debt-free life. The rewards of obedience far outweigh any ‘sacrifice’ in ‘standard of living’.







* As previously stated, one MUST be a Christian to claim the promises of God. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Eph 2:8-9

Persevere

For the most part, my odyssey is over. I have tried to share Biblical truths, my experiences, and practical steps for the journey to be an unchained slave, free to serve. I fervently pray for you Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”

As you strive to be free from the encumbrance of debt, I urge you to pray for the strength to persevere and endure, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13


I am hopeful that as time goes by, we will be able to ‘add’ success stories, encouragements, and additional wisdom from others running the same race…


I will also occasionally ‘add’ articles as ‘need’ and ‘experience’ arises…
(This ‘farewell’ is a little premature since a couple of ‘topics’ have arisen that should and will be addressed.)


In Christ Jesus,

Unchained Slave
When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say, "Jesus, could You please get that for me?"

Someone Else’s Responsibility

There have been a number of (deleted) comments left here about ‘debt consolidation’ and ‘credit counseling’*.

If ‘debt consolidation’ means ‘a loan’, then there are serious consequences. First, we have already discussed that God never directs us to sin. While these loans ‘appear’ very appealing, all they really are is a way to double one’s debt. Consider; if one gets the loan, and transfers the balances to the loan and does not immediately close the ‘zero’ balances accounts, one is ‘asking’ for trouble. One can immediately ‘charge’ to those zero balance accounts, putting one in twice as much debt. Without learning ‘good stewardship’ (which would generally counsel against a consolidation loan) all one does is ‘become’ slave to a new slaver. It is recommended that this method be dismissed - it is trading sin for sin, therefore has consequences.

If ‘debt consolidation’ and ‘credit counseling’ means going to an ‘agency’ to help consolidate bills, reduce interest rates, and pay off debt, that is another matter. (I) consider this method as the second worst alternative to getting out of debt (bankruptcy being the first).

Why?
“Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” Proverbs 11:14. (Some translations use ‘wisdom’ in place of safety.)
Consider Romans 14:12, “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.”
We must each give an account of ‘ourselves’ to God. In the ‘Parable of the Talents’ (Matthew 25:14-30) each of the stewards were held accountable for their own actions. When one turns their debt over to a ‘credit counseling service’, one is abrogating their own responsibility. If the ‘slavery’ of envy debt (keeping up with the Jones’s) is the number one goal in America, shifting responsibility (I am not to blame) is the number one ‘pastime’.

-- Credit Counseling is another form of slavery. They tell one to send them one’s money. Then ‘they’ decide which slaver is paid, how much, in what order and when. One is still accountable for their actions, without having any say (their actions show up on one’s credit report, not their credit report). (Sounds like slavery.)

-- Credit Counseling services ‘say’ they do not ‘charge’ for their services… Check the fine print. Most do not charge a fee for ‘their service’; however, they do charge a percentage or an administration costs fee to conduct business on one's behalf. (Sounds like adding a new slaver.)

-- Credit Counseling services that do not charge any fees must stay in business somehow. Carefully checking their records, one will find that many of these ‘agencies’ are owned by credit companies. Many of these services are owned by slavers! They want their money! They also want ‘control’ of YOUR money!

By engaging a Credit Counselor, what does one learn about stewardship? What does one learn about responsibility? What does one learn about accountability? One learns nothing.

The reality is, once the ‘service’ pays off one’s debts, one will fall right back into the same ‘old’ sin. With one exception, having used a service, just like in a bankruptcy, ones gets offers from slavers that are ‘usurious’. Slavers can charge outrageously high interest because now one is a ‘credit risk’.


God remains (was, is, and always be) faithful. No matter how dire one’s circumstances seem, there is no challenge ‘bigger’ than God. It means putting ALL of one’s life into His hands. It means deciding to be obedient to Him (not obedient to a ‘Credit Counselor’).
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Let God be one’s ‘Credit Counselor’!


* There are Credit Counseling services that call themselves “Christian”. They are supposedly for, by and with Christians. Having investigated a number of these ‘agencies’, they are no different than any other agencies. The do not teach responsibility. They do not teach accountability. The do not teach good stewardship. They control one’s money, period.

The Parsimonious Woman
Or
Enslaving the Slaver!

This article was deleted - based on the following Scriptures:

“It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.” Romans 14:21

“Can a man take fire to his bosom, And his clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be seared?” Proverbs 6:27-28

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7


My apologies to anyone who read it and was tempted to “play with fire” or “Dance with the Devil”

In Christ Jesus,

Unchained Slave
When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say, "Jesus, could You please get that for me?"