Romans 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.
8 Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
The problem of ballooning individual, and national debt will have to be addressed sooner or later, for the principle of borrowing from future incomes, to pay for current needs is a system which is in itself a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure, for if a system does not include replenishing it will crash.
Some boast of us being the richest country on earth, and that may be true, but when you drill down into the claim, you would find a system of highly inflated wealth based on the finances infused by others. Our real worth, in terms of wealth, is that which is ours, minus that which isn’t really ours.
The same is true on an individual level, for your net worth, in terms of wealth is that which is yours, minus that which isn’t yours. When God created the earth, He established the principle whereby the planet can be sustained on an ongoing basis and He gave to us the system of replenishing whatsoever is used.
In that way, whatever resources have to be utilized in sustaining life, must be put back to former levels for wherever outflow is greater than inflow there is going to be a problem. Take for instance, the great Colorado River, and the two massive dams which it feeds.
Currently, lake Mead, and lake Powell are sitting at their lowest level, because a system of replenishing is absent, for various reasons, therefore, if the water resources are not replenished in a timely manner, if outflow is greater than inflow, you will end up with the many problems we have today where states are scrambling to deal with dwindling reserves.
It’s not rocket science; it’s basic math that should be applied to any resources God has blessed us with. In other words, if you do not have a system in place to replenish or restore that which was used, it will just be a matter of time before your system implodes, if tough decisions, and choices are not made to stop the bleeding.
God is more practical and down to earth than many people realize, and even though He won’t condemn us for our failures, He desires that we put systems in place that are sustainable. The Bible study for today will greatly help us in putting such systems in place. Let’s read:
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.
Replenish meaning:
To fill something again or to return it to its earlier level, size, or condition. To make full or complete again by adding back what has been used, lost, or consumed.
So how did we get to where we are today, as far as the national and personal debt goes? Did it happen suddenly, or overnight, or is it the result of a series of choices and decisions which did not include the principle of replenishing?
If we do not know where we came from, we will not know where we are going, and therefore, as we take an introspect look at ourselves, both nationally and individually we would have to put our fingers on the root cause of the problems, which lead to the snare of indebtedness. It never happens overnight, and it never happens suddenly but is a secret undermining of the principles God established in Eden.
Thus, the reason for the urgency of the moment is because it is one of satan’s most successful snares which he lays for individuals, and nations. Here we are, as a nation, trapped in the cycle of borrowing, and to many who sit in the seat of power, it seems as if the only way out is to borrow even more.
But if we keep on borrowing and borrowing, we will only dig ourselves deeper into the hole in which we are already trapped, and if we do not make difficult choices, and decisions to reverse course it will reach a point of no return. This warning isn’t coming from mortal man, it’s the God of heaven who is speaking to the man in the mirror. Let’s read:
Proverbs 22: 7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
[Counsels on Stewardship pp 254] All must practice economy. No worker should manage his affairs in a way to incur debt.... When one voluntarily becomes involved in debt, he is entangling himself in one of Satan’s nets which he sets for souls.
As it stands currently, we are spending between five and $7 billion per day, $306.40 million per hour, $5.11 million per minute and $85,111 per second. Now, we should take some time to digest that. That means that by the end of this Bible study, we would have blown through more than half a billion dollars.
That’s a very expensive Bible study indeed. What is even more alarming is the interest we’re paying out per day, to the tune of about 3.8 billion every day. It is a system that is completely broken, and The Lord is telling us that a day of reckoning is coming, even if smooth talking politicians say otherwise.
So, if we are spending five to seven billion per day, and the interest on our national debt is about $3.8 billion per day, it means that we are taking one step forwards, and two steps backwards and we are not even scratching the surface, as far as the principal payments go.
That is similar to a person having $30,000 in debt, paying daily interest, but spending twice as much as the interest payment alone. It’s a completely broken system of checks and balances, and believe it or not, we will have to face the music one day.
This is the reason why the bond markets are flashing red, because the Bible says that the borrower is the servant of the lender, and the lenders are requiring higher interest yields on their loans to the nation. This in turn will continue to drive up costs for your everyday Joe, as interest payments increase.
In case you haven’t noticed, credit card payments and interest rates on mortgages and car loans are going higher and higher, and this will continue to be the case unless we individually and collectively decide to bite the bullet, and make tough decisions and choices to rein in the runaway train.
The problem is that the model in question has had a trickle-down effect, in that families, and individuals have now subscribed to the philosophy of constant borrowing, and, like the feds, some have come to believe that the only way out of this conundrum is to borrow more and more.
That’s the equivalent of saying that the only way for you to stop sinning is to keep on sinning. It will not work, for it’s a principle that is not self-sustaining.
And, any individual, any community, any church, any family, any state, or any business entity that follows this model is looking at structural defects, and if it is not corrected it will come crashing down one day, as did the Champlain towers on Miami beach. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.
The first statement in our opening passage instructs us to render to all their dues. In the context of debt, all means all including big business entities that may not have done right by John public, also companies that can afford to absorb, late, missed, or minimum payments.
The following are specific problems pointed out by the God of heaven to cause us to understand why we are where we are. Jesus isn’t letting us know these things to discourage us, but rather to awake us out of slumber, as it were. And if we choose to confess and take remedial actions, He will bless our efforts.
The problems:
[1] Spending money before it is earned. That’s the reason why our national debt has ballooned to over 40 trillion dollars, and counting, because as a nation and as individuals, we have not learned the basic fundamental lesson of living within our means.
The use of credit allows persons to borrow money from future income, and institutions that deal with issuing monetary advances have understood, over the years, that it is much easier to borrow than to pay back.
One way to look at credit is like going into another person’s pocket, and taking their money, with your promise to pay them back. It often starts off with the best of intentions, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions, as the song writer says.
And, as is too often the case, when it comes time to pay back that which was used, all of a sudden there are a multitude of reasons and excuses, some valid, and others invalid, and thus the deadly cycle keeps racking up our debts.
In addition, individuals and families should exercise due caution with financial instruments such as lines of equity, and reverse mortgages. They can be used, but do your due diligence before taking the plunge.
[2] If your outflow is greater than your inflow, you’ll have a problem on your hands, sooner or later, for a system like that cannot go on forever, since it is not self- sustaining. Remember that the issue with Lake Mead and Lake Powel is that the outflow is greater than the inflow, that’s all!
[3] Covetousness is the root of all evil, for if we can learn to be content, much of the evils and stress we suffer with can be avoided. It doesn’t mean that we should not shoot for the stars, but being willing to wait while shooting is a great idea, because Rome was not built in a day.
[4] Shabby accounting is one of the problems which often drives persons and nations into debt. Every Christian who is capable, should be aware of inflows and outflows so that at the very least you know how your resources are being spent.
But if you do not know, it could be problematic to make adjustments, and cuts where needed, at such a time as this. Some farmers are discovering that the tractors they use for harvesting can drink more than one thousand dollars in diesel in one gulp.
And because there is no end in sight, many are now finding themselves in a quandary, as to whether the trade they have done all these years, will be a viable option going forward. The Bible encourages us all as Christians to be strict accountants wherever it is possible. Let’s read:
Proverbs 27: 23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.
Genesis 31: 38 These twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.
39 That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bore the loss of it; of my hand did thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.
[5] A lack of discipline. Discipline and disciple come from the same root, and therefore, if one is lacking
discipline it will run as a common thread throughout the fabric of life’s experiences. This applies to debts that are out of control which for various reasons are recurring and multiplying, even though persons may have pledged to themselves to stop the cycle.
It is quite possible to become hooked on spending, so that rational thought and sound judgement give way to impulse and feelings. To spend without any restraint, without time to count the cost, is to follow in the footsteps of the feds.
Hence the reason why we stated earlier, that what is taking place in the higher echelons of society is now having a deleterious trickle-down effect on persons and families. And just like the runaway train we are facing nationally, the adverse results would also be seen and felt on a personal level.
Just for your information, if we decided to stop the bleeding on an individual, and a national level, if we were to make the tough decisions to reverse course, it will cost each of us about $120,000. And, that will continue to climb as long as we put off for another day, the discipline that is needed to make a change.
[6] Unfaithfulness in tithes and offerings. This final, but very important contributing factor is quite often overlooked as one of the root causes of mounting debt. When you have apparently done everything right, when you have listened to all of the financial gurus, and you still seem to make no headway, the cause can be in the area of tithes and offerings.
Just as soon as beneficence is put on hold, just as soon as more is withheld than that which is due, we will often find ourselves slipping into more debt, so that persons will be taking one step forwards and two steps backwards.
As developed countries cut the purse strings which were pledged to help poorer nations, national debt has skyrocketed at the same time. That is because the principles of inflow and outflow, which God has ordained, are being violated, in favor of self-serving principles.
The Bible puts it this way, that when benevolence is restricted, inflows would also be restricted and even that which is received by such entities, or persons is going to be wasted on nothingburgers. Poor choices will be made and funds will be wasted in many ways but the real cause may go undetected for years. Let’s read:
Haggai 1: 5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.
6 You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but you have not enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earns wages earns wages to put it into a bag with holes.
7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.
Some may not understand what The Lord is saying to us individually and nationally, so let us put that phrase: “A bag with holes” into context, using the vernacular of the people so that every person could understand.
“A bag with holes” means higher diesel prices and increasing pain at the pump, higher grocery prices and higher energy costs. And at every turn, when it is time to spend, things just seem not to be adding up for some strange, unknown reason.
One of the main reasons for this phenomenon is that benevolence is being choked off, and all who follow that model of hoarding to preserve self, will discover that it is a losing strategy on every level.
This leads us to our study for today, in which a poor, woman, who is hanging on by her last thread has to make a life, or death decision, since the economic outlook is as grim as you could get. There is a severe food shortage, farmers are out of diesel, drought is taking its toll on reservoirs and lakes, and the price of food, goods and services is through the roof.
Yet, God sends Elijah to this widow woman, to ask her to open up her springs of benevolence, even as she is hunkering down with her last meal for herself and her son. What should she do, because she is on the verge of starvation.
Several pertinent questions must now be answered so that we may explore the ways and means out of our current crises. Should she refuse Elijah’s request on the grounds that it is unreasonable, given her current situation?
Is God asking her to do something that will put her and her son at risk? And if so, is the request of itself inhumane? Should she dial up the department of children and families to report that God’s prophet is trying to eat her lunch?
What would be our most likely response in such a dire situation? Would we seek to preserve self at all costs, our should we serve others first and self-last. Hear the word of The Lord, whenever nations and individuals put themselves first, they will soon end up being last, for this is the law and the prophets. Let’s read:
Matthew 19: 30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
1st Kings 17: 8 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,
9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongs to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
12 And she said, As the Lord thy God lives, I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
14 For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.
15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
Now brethren, consider the following statement the servant of God writes, for it is a very weighted one, in which is the secret of recovery from many of the troubles and debts we find ourselves in, both on the personal and national level. Let’s read:
[Christ’s Object Lessons pp 360] We are to work on the plan of addition, and God will work for us on the plan of multiplication. These littles will become the most precious influences in His work.
Question: In the context of ballooning national and personal debt, what would be the plan of addition?
The plan of addition is encapsulated in the following mantra that nations, families and individuals should live by: God first, others next, self, last. In an era of me first philosophies, this might seem like a stretch, but it could be the beginning of recovery from debts and all of the troubles associated with debt.
The following are a few instructions, coming from The Lord to us and if we humble ourselves and listen to His voice, he will respond by working on the plan of multiplication, as He has spoken through His own servant.
[1] Whatever you do, in your efforts to get out of debt, never ever rob God or His cause. In addition, let the springs of benevolence and love be active, as valid needs might arise from time to time. In other words, let not your debts be the reason why you cannot contribute to God’s cause, or help others.
As financial stresses, burdens and debts take a toll on the Christian, many are resorting to cutting back on what they return to God, or what they give for benevolent purposes. As a result, the estimates are signaling that over 100,000 Christian churches are going to close, or be repurposed within the next ten years in America.
The woman in the narrative gave her last lunch, and the woman in the New Testament gave her only two mites, yet God was honored by their benevolence, and He would take care of you and me, if we follow their lead. Here is the same principle at work in the Scriptures, for it can make all the difference in your efforts to pay down debt. Let’s read:
John 6:5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
7 Philip answered him, two hundred penny-worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,
9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.
[2] If there are tough, but necessary decisions to be made in reining in debt, pray about it first, and ask God to lead out, so that you could avoid the start and stop syndrome where so many persons relapse back into the debt cycle, after making good, noble efforts to escape.
The prince of darkness does not like it when persons escape from his clutches and snares, therefore, you will need God to strengthen you, when it becomes necessary to practice self-denial consistently. When the Christian realizes his or her mistakes and tries to correct course, do not expect that you will not face opposition.
You will, but The Lord promises to be with us when we pass through the fire and the floods, so that we are not overwhelmed. Every single step of advance or recovery in the Christian’s life will be contested, so do not expect smooth sailing as you try to break free from debt. Let’s read:
[LTMS Lt 28, 1892] Satan seemed to contest every inch of the way of progress, and trials and obstacles had to be met and overcome and reproach endured before success crowned our efforts.
[3] Try your very best to avoid spending resources before you earn it, because this will go a long way in addressing the inflow and outflow imbalances which are at the root of indebtedness.
This will call for stern self-denial and there will be times when you will be tempted to splurge on the spur of the moment, without first counting the cost. In addition, you may have to trim and roll back what might be considered “Must haves” because there are things we can certainly do without.
Especially with the holidays coming up, where the spirit of excess would be flitting about, all over the place, be very careful, lest the spontaneous buying habit grabs a hold of you and you find yourself back where you were before.
God is more practical and down to earth in the ways and means, instructions, and principles He gives us to live by, and thus, self-denial has to be practiced, wherever warranted. In fact, according to Jesus, it is one of the most necessary disciplines that must be engaged by every Christian. Let’s read:
Matthew 16: 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
[4] Be consistent and do not become discouraged. Ask God to give you consistency, for anywhere this trait of character is cultivated, you will be victorious and successful at whatsoever you do.
This applies not only to the paying off of your debts, it will also apply to exercise, dieting, losing weight, saving for the rainy day, serving at church, church attendance, work ethic, praying, seeking God every day, and it applies to anything, and everything that you do. Consistency has to run as a common thread throughout the fabric of our lives. Let’s read:
Deuteronomy 4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons.
Deuteronomy 6:17 You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Ezra 7: 23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
Psalms 119: 4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
Acts 18:24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
Luke 4: 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
[The Adventist Home pp 393] Do not falter, nor be discouraged, or turn back. Deny your taste, deny the indulgence of appetite, save your pence, and pay your debts. Work them off as fast as possible. When you can stand forth a free man again, owing no man anything, you will have achieved a great victory.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which would encourage us to keep pressing on, in paying off our debts. God will help and bless us as we make consistent, well directed efforts, for it is not His will for us to be subservient, or subjugated financially if it can be avoided. Let’s read:
Romans 8: 37 In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
God Bless!