How The Christian Handles Inflation. Part [4] 06/27/2024 (Morning thought)

Nehemiah 5:3 Some also there were that said we’ve mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth. 4 There were also that said we’ve borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

In the above passage we observed that the Jews in the days of Nehemiah were brought very low, so that many of them were forced into insolvency and some were forced to live off of the equity in their homes, until it reached a tipping point, where they couldn’t borrow anymore funds, and many lost their homes to foreclosure as a result.

[Prophets & Kings pp 646] In order to obtain food for their families, the poor were obliged to buy on credit and at exorbitant prices. They were also compelled to raise money by borrowing on interest to pay the heavy taxes imposed upon them by the kings of Persia. To add to the distress of the poor, the more-wealthy among the Jews had taken advantage of their necessities, thus enriching themselves.

Using one’s home as a piggy bank, to live, is a recipe for disaster, and is to be avoided wherever possible, for in the situation which obtained in Nehemiah’s day, the Jews got caught in the deadly cycle of being forced to continually borrow against their assets, without a way to replenish. And wherever that cycle is to be found, it is just a matter of time before folks will implode financially if radical change is not made. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.

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!

How The Christian Handles Inflation. Part [3] 06/27/2024 (Evening thought)

Ecclesiastes 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. 3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

Whatever the financial pressure may be our pledges to God should remain intact, because faithfulness when things are tight prepares the way for God to bless, in response to the giver’s free will offerings. The counsel to move out into the country is not only because of the predicted mark of the beast, it is also because of the extremely high cost of living which is to be found in the bigger cities, making it difficult in many instances, for your average John Doe to make ends meet.

But as it is with all aspects of living, the Bible has counsel that we will do well to observe. The cost of housing, including rent has been on the rise, especially in Miami, New York, and California, and the astronomical cost of the property taxes and home insurance has caused very many families and individuals to be priced entirely out of the market. It could aptly be described as a form of financial gentrification, where, because of those monetary constraints, people have no choice but to move out into more rural areas, where prices are not so high.

And there are adverse ripple effects, in that many skilled workers have been forced out of those areas, thereby placing a heavy load, on those who dare to remain. Financial gentrification has become a reality in the big cities of the world and therefore, we must search the word of God for answers and solutions to the many problems, which are incidental to living at such a time as this.

Genesis 12:9 And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south. 10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.

May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!