Transformation Thursday: Living Debt FREE!

How to live debt free from a biblical perspective.  This is a sermon my pastor, Dr. John R. Adolph preached and I thought I share. Enjoy!

Dear Friends In The Faith:

Debt relief is a problem of national proportions.  There was once a time when the issue of debt free living was only a problem for the poor.  But, in this day and time it is affecting everyone.  The golden coast of California is in need of gold right now as that state is $187 million in debt on a good day and has declared itself in a state of fiduciary urgency as it relates to finding some financial assistance. Wall Street just made it past a multi-billion dollar bail out, the Crystal Cathedral with all of its splendor filed for bankruptcy in 2010, the Republican National Convention, whose mantra is "compassionate conservatism" reported in January of 2011 that it is $23 million dollars in debt, and no matter how much money Toni Braxton makes she somehow ends up in financial ruin and debt.

Debt free living.  It is something that most people in America yearn for, it is what working people rise early and rest late for, and it is what people in the house of God pray for.  But, prayer without faith in God and works that prove it are no good (James 2:17)!  Thus we find the core, crux, and centre' of this lesson.  This devotional is being written for the saint that is tired of being financially strapped and has discovered that no matter how much you "sow" if you do not manage and steward God's resources well you still end up with an empty bank account.  This lesson is for the believers that are tired of hearing the preacher say "it is better for you to give  than it is to receive" and when all of the giving is over the church has a full pot and you have an empty hand.  This missive is for the single parent that works like a Hebrew slave just to make ends meet and at the end of the day you have just enough money not to pay everyone that you owe.  And, this lesson is for the middle income classed saint who lives nice, drives well, and people think that you have it all, but your middle name is "BILL" and you need deliverance right now!     

The Word of God gives a resolve for everyone who wants to live debt free!  It happened to a nameless widow woman when she followed the instructions of the man of God and it is going to happen to you if you but hear the Words that leap from the pages of Holy Writ.  Here is what it says, "Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.  And Elisha said unto her, what shall I do for thee, tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.  Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.  And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.  So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.  And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, there is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.  Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest" (2 Kings 4:1-7, KJV).  Now if this woman who starts with nothing and ends with a surplus can be relieved of her debt with two kids and no government help you can too!  So here's the million dollar question, how can we pay-off our debts and live debt free? 

1.      SEEK WISDOM FROM GOD REGARDING THE LORD'S MONEY-Never take your lesson on persevering from a weak person that always quits.  Never take the advice of a thief on what honesty really is.  And never take lessons on your money from someone that is ungodly and totally broke.  Seek God about the money that He has placed in your possession because it belongs to Him in the end.  This is what this woman does.  She comes to the man of God and says I am broke and things are bad.  And Elijah gives her wisdom that comes from God that is going to turn her life completely around!

2.      START AN ENTERPRISE WITH WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE-This may anger you, but it is true none-the-less.  What the Bible calls "slavery" is now defined as "employment".  If you have a good job, praise the Lord for it and keep it!  But always remember this, jobs come with a financial lid on them.  The only way to take the lid off is for you to take what you have and use it like it came from God, because it did.  All the woman in the passage has is a little oil.  In her eyes it wasn't much.  But, in the eyes of God it was the key to her freedom from her creditors that she could not pay.  Here's a good question to ask right about now.  What do you have that you are not using that came from God?  Get this, if you use it, it will multiply before your eyes.  If you don't, it won't!

3.      SECURE SOME ASSISTANCE FROM PEOPLE THAT WILL HELP-Here's what's deep about this story.  This woman has to borrow what she needs to get what she wants.  The term "borrow" in the passage does not mean to "lend" in the sense of a loan.  But, it means to "give" as it relates to "grace".  Are you shouting yet?  You should be and here's why!  All help is not good help.  But when you get started, the Lord is going to place people in your path that you have not seen yet and perhaps don't know yet that will help you and they will not want anything in return!  Their mission in life is for them to help you! Hold onto this, the vision of your future will be met by the provisions of God.

4.       SHUT THE DOOR ON POTENTIAL INTERFERENCE-Listen, what the Lord is going to do in your life is not for everybody so that means that you will have to close the door. Shut the door on negative, narrowed minded, faithless people that cannot see what God is getting ready to do for you.  This woman closes her door.  This may seem rude, but remember this, it works! 

5.      START WORKING-This should translate like this, "she started her hustle!"  The Bible says "she poured the oil."  It was work it was hard, it tedious, it was laborious, it was time consuming, it was not fun, but she worked!  Okay, let me just come right out and say it, debt free living is not the lazy and the loose!  It takes work!!!

6.      SALE WHAT YOU HAVE-Hear this, the key to poverty is consumption, but the key to financial freedom is what you sale! If you have nothing to sale you will never have anything to gain! Sale a service, an idea, your wisdom, your skill, your labor, or your products!  But, you must sale!

7.      SERVE THE CREDITOR WITH A PAY-OFF NOTICE AND SAVE THE REST-Here it is, pay off your debts!  It happens when the Lord blesses the work of your enterprise and entrepreneurship.  Can you see it yet?  It is going to happen, but you have to do what this sister did and if it works for her it will work for you too!  And here's the shout for the day, God will supply your needs so that it flows onward to your children!  This is why your next faith move is so important, the future of your children depend on it!  Live these principles and watch God bless, increase, and overflow you with financial strength for your faith and stewardship.

Your Friend and His Servant,

 

Dr. John R. Adolph

Keep the Faith!

Until next time,
~E