The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. Proverbs 22:7 (NIV)
Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them. Exodus 1:6-7 (NIV)
Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.” Exodus 1:8-13 (NIV)
They made their lives bitter with harsh laboring brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly. Exodus 1:14 (NIV)
6 Realities of Debt:
Debt makes us a SERVANT to someone other than God.
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. Proverbs 22:7 (NIV)
The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10 (NIV)
The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it a wall too high to scale. Proverbs 18:11 (NIV)
Debt is something God WANTS us out of.
The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. Deuteronomy 28:12 (NIV)
The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. Deuteronomy 28:13 (NIV)
Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them. Deuteronomy 28:14 (NIV)
In the Bible, debt was always LIMITED to seven years.
At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. Deuteronomy 15:1-2 (NIV)
They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the Lord’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. Deuteronomy 15:2 (NIV)
Debt has the possibility of DICTATING our future.
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. James 4:13-14 (NIV)
What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:14-15 (NIV)
Debt can affect our RELATIONSHIP with God, our family and our marriage.
Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf. Proverbs 11:28 (NIV)
Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise. Proverbs 11:29 (NIV)
The Bible never condemns debt; it just says we need to have a TRAJECTORY out of it.
6 Bondage Breakers:
COMMIT to God to get out of DEBT.
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8 (NIV)
Don’t ACQUIRE any more debt.
Put God FIRST in your finances.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Proverbs 3:7-8 (NIV)
Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; Proverbs 3:9 (NIV)
Develop a WRITTEN plan.
Put it on a TIME FRAME.
Adjust your LIFESTYLE.
You have to live like no one else, so later you can live like no one else. – Dave Ramsey
