Biblical Finances · Principles for Life

Growing poorer?

6 min read, approximately

“Now therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages [to put it] into a bag with holes. Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Consider your ways.” (Haggai 1:5-7)

Debts, paying off never-ending loans, drowning in credit cards, buying impulsively, overspending, paying one credit card with another, refinancing cards forever and ever.

“promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he also brought into bondage. For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first.” (2 Peter 2:19-20)

Day after day…

We see more and more families falling into debt, causing countless family conflicts. They become ill because of the situation and lose their family’s well-being… And the saddest thing is to see a family divided because the king and master of the home turned out to be money rather than the Lord.
What happened to asking God what we should do?
Certainly,

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24)

Poverty enters our lives because we lack the Lord’s guidance to make good decisions. Sadly, we think and believe we know everything:

“Now therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Consider your ways.” (Haggai 1:5)

Are there steps we can take to grow wealthier, stop growing poorer, and stop getting into debt? Let us see:

\1. Let us accept the Lord as the center of our lives… Let us long for his rule!

How long have we been at the helm of our lives, only to get worse and worse?

“because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus [as] Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved:” (Romans 10:9)

\2. Let us read the Bible

Isn’t God’s Word full of promises?

“This book of the law shall never depart from your mouth; rather, you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you observe and do everything written in it. Then you will make your way prosper, and everything will go well for you.” (Joshua 1:8)

\3. Let us close our ears to what the world says, listen, and put into practice the counsel of the supremely Wise One

Have we obtained any change by doing what the world recommended to us?

“And thou shalt return and obey the voice of Jehovah, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day. And Jehovah thy God will make thee plenteous in all the work of thy hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, for good: for Jehovah will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers; if thou shalt obey the voice of Jehovah thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law; if thou turn unto Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul.” (Deuteronomy 30:8-10)

\4. Now then… Let us get out of debt!

No more acquiring things as though we had the money… That ends now! Take heed!

“Some pretend to be rich and have nothing.” (Proverbs 13:7a)

Let us refrain from spending, make the sacrifice, arrange our debts from smallest to largest and create a plan to pay each one off. Remember that we are commanded to:

“Render to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute [is due]; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. Owe no man anything, save to love one another: for he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law.” (Romans 13:7-8)

Be very careful! Let us not be counted among the wicked:

“The wicked borrow and do not repay.” (Psalms 37:21a)

\5. Let us save!!

Getting out of debt is not the whole success. It is not time to start spending again:

“Provideth her bread in the summer, And gathereth her food in the harvest.” (Proverbs 6:8)

“And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness: ye being enriched in everything unto all liberality, which worketh through us thanksgiving to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:10-11)

\6. ‘Money, go to work for me!’

It is time to invest!

“Prepare thy work without, And make it ready for thee in the field; And afterwards build thy house.” (Proverbs 24:27)

“Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, yea, even unto eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.” (Ecclesiastes 11:1-2)

Are we going to eat the seed God gives us, or plant it?

\7. Let us thank God and not turn our eyes away

“In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)

So,

“He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack; But he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.” (Proverbs 28:27)

But above all, let us never forget that

“The blessing of Jehovah, it maketh rich; And he addeth no sorrow therewith.” (Proverbs 10:22)

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May God continue to bless you, and may you keep having an excellent day in Christ Jesus!