Feeling overwhelmed about paying your bills; celebrate for there is hope!
You might be one of those many Americans feeling overwhelmed by paying your bills. I assure you that this is quite common and for that reason we should be alarmed. We live in a consumer nation that markets itself to consumers by saying if we buy that new car, that new boat, or eat out at the newest restaurant we will feel happy. The question is, are you happy? In 2006, the Federal Reserve reported that record levels of home refinancing occurred [1] . My question is why are so many people are taking money out of their homes when they are so close to being free from that debt? That answer could be as simple as most people are drowning in consumer debt. One side of me seems to feel that we are immersed by sin. That sin has taken over our lives as we begin to blur the lines of being a responsible steward and a successful worldly person. One thing is for sure and that is, sin is shackling us; we are becoming servants to the credit card and mortgage companies.
I remember eight or nine years ago making excuses for carrying so much debt. The major ones were “I don’t make enough” and “debt is the American way.” Since that time I have been convicted of my selfish nature. See: I Chronicles 29:11 [2] for more on this topic. In fact, review the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9 [3] and ask for repentance and to be rescued from the “evil one.” I would like to point out that it is not my intent, nor should it be, to judge anyone for the reasons they are in debt. Everyone’s situation is different and they are the ones that must face the truth. I want to point out that there is a place to look for principles to becoming a wise steward of the resources you have been given. All I want to do is assure people that there is hope!
While we may be only two or three paychecks away from bankruptcy, the word of God gives us that hope. A gift from God has been given to us and that gift is grace, mercy and Salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 “God saved you by his grace when you believed. …. it is a gift from God.” It is a gift and all we have to do is accept this and, by faith, accept Jesus Christ as your savior. I know when I acted as a fool in the past I battled in accepting this truth and now I must battle only with my sinful and selfish nature.
In Deuteronomy 10:14 Moses says “Look, the highest Heavens and the earth and everything in it all belong to the Lord your God.” If we accept this, we must accept that everything we are given isn’t ours but it is God’s. This would also imply that we are merely stewards of these possessions, in addition to our skills and our time on Earth. While the 10% we tithe is important, the other 90% is just as or more important.
If you feel so led to begin life as a new steward or you have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, I invite you to take those steps today, for one day our Savior will return.
In Christ,
BobHughs
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Bible passages and references are from the New Living Translation (NLT), the translation that speaks to me. I encourage you to use the Bible translation that speaks to you.
Hyperlink for Bible passages will take your to www.biblegateway.com.
