Financial Peace of God

Emily and I have recently began what I have affectionately called a "debt blitz." Two months ago we found ourselves overcome by personal pressure to get out of debt. Pressure not brought on by anyone but ourselves. Biblically i find it very disobedient to have debt.

Many of our financial thoughts have been influenced by Dave Ramsey. You should check him out. www.daveramsey.com So many Americans and Christians alike I believe have been negatively effected by an immediate gratification mentality in our culture. 30 years ago credit cards came into existence and have been out of control ever since. Do you remember the days when you saved for what you wanted. Maybe you do, but those days seem long gone. Credit allows me to buy whatever I want now. I don't need to save for it.

The best thing we had going for us was "Layaway." What happened? It went out of style as soon as it came in. Once you could buy something with credit there was no reason to purchase that same item weeks or months later after saving for it.

Jesus said it was difficult for the rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Matt 19:23-24 "Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." His disciples thought it would be impossible "When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

Of course Jesus was talking to a man who had "great wealth." That of course isn't most of us. Or is it? I know you've heard the stats before but I think they need repeating. Those of us who make more than $35,000 a year are richer than over 95% of the world. Did you know that three billion people live on less than $2 per day while 1.3 billion get by on less than $1 per day.

Jesus also said "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." We have to recognize the principle here.

Think about how often we purchase things we won't be able to take to heaven. Most everything. Now before you think I'm over the top here, I'm not referring to literally everything, but what about those CD's we buy or the DVDs, or the new rug we need to go with out living room, or the new phone we just bought because every two years if not more often... we need another. Do you really? I know.... It's a christian CD, or it was just a great movie, or you fill in the blank. It's all called the same thing: justification.

Now don't get me wrong. You won't soon find Emily and I living in the middle of Kansas in a sod home or anything, growing our own crops and away from the world. Although that would be cool. God has placed us in this country. But I do think that we all should seriously reconsider what we believe to be needs and wants. Especially considering those things we go into debt to purchase. I believe it's time that we reconsider how rich we are and how that plays into our full devotion to God.

Though the Bible was set in a different time setting and culture I believe that these principles are relevant throughout time. God is great at that, isn't He?

Davids emotions

Wow! Lately I've just been in awe of God's greatness. In awe of His goodness. I really just love the Lord. I am not sure quite how to explain it any differently than that. Maybe I could say that I really appreciate God, or really care for him in indescribable ways. I just really love the Lord.

One of the things I enjoy so much about David's writings is his sincerity. He writes the way he is truly feeling. When reading through the Psalms it's difficult to find a more genuine heartfelt text in scripture. Look at Psalm 63. David says God "I earnestly seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you." He goes on to say. I will be satisfied with you as I am with the best foods. This is deep stuff. But verse 6 gets to me the most "On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night." Come on now... These are great thoughts. But take an opportunity to read through this Psalm. You'll get a chance to feel what David feels about the Lord.

This is powerful to say these things to God but to say these things to anyone else is a little over the top. Think about it... You can come up to a friend of yours and say "Man I prayed for you last night." He'd say "thanks Man", or maybe "I appreciate that." That's the end of that moment, conversation over. But imagine in your deepest most passionate voice if you said "Bro, I thirst for you, I long for you. Last night while in my bed I couldn't stop thinking of you." It wouldn't be long before you had one less friend. But this is the best way David knows how to show his feelings about God. It's a deep lasting forever type of emotion. I want that. I want to feel that way towards the Lord.

David amazes me at his honesty. He really loved God. God is truly the epitome of all things good, great and loving. Any description of Him won't be enough to explain how great, powerful and merciful He is.

I can't dictate my feelings towards the Lord sometimes. But I know that I owe Him everything.... Everything. It pulls deeply and emotionally at my heart. I really just love God.