Nehemiah 5:1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews. 2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.
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.
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.
Nehemiah 5:5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!