By Stephen Phinney
There is an unspoken rule operating in God’s reality that necessitates problems, needs, and demands. God only supplies when there is a Heavenly defined need, NOT in times of want or self-imposed need (debt). For every righteous need, there is a righteous supply for that need. For every self-imposed need, there is a self-imposed consequence (Col. 3:25). We can shout “grace” or “prosperity doctrines” all day long, but God clearly laid out the guidelines in the New Testament that reinforce this principle. This does not mean God will not decide to show an act of grace in times of self-imposed need, but it is not to be expected! What is to be expected are the parameters and pre-stated guidelines of the New Testament.
Most Christians would probably agree that going into most forms of debt is a sin. What has puzzled me over the years is why these same believers will turn around and borrow (go into debt) to pay off old debt. This is like a Christian saying that Christians should not be involved in lawsuits, but on the other hand, divorces (which is a lawsuit) his spouse or sues his workman’s compensation insurance company for more cash. There are typically two times when we will see the character of a “Christian” come to the surface: when he is desperate for cash, or when he has too much of it.
Let’s look at five more of the lies in which the Antichrist perpetrates our character.
LIE SEVEN – One has to borrow money to make money. Now there is a financial principle that Satan loves! This is a fancy way of saying this: “You have to gamble in order to have financial gain.” Yes, it is gambling and records show that 90+ percent of the corporate world does it. There is no question that borrowing during a time of inflation increases one’s assets. But financial success is not measured by our assets; but by the freedom from greed, worry, and bondage.
Borrowing is gambling with God’s sovereignty. Loans are based on the false notion that “everything will be better tomorrow; therefore, I will borrow against today.” In reality, we are stealing from our tomorrow. Since God is not going to finance our debt (Prov. 13:13), we can be assured we are taking the resources from our tomorrow, in order to survive for our today. God said He would care for us in our today and our responsibility is to care for and preserve our tomorrows.
Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away (James 4:13-14, NASB).
What if we quoted the opposite of this lie: “You have to become a slave to a lender if you are to make money.” How stupid does that sound? Hummm…
“The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender's slave” (Proverbs 22:7, NASB).
LIE EIGHT – Being my own boss is my lifetime goal. Those of us who have been to the top of this pile don’t quote this anymore. This lie runs counter to the very nature of Jesus Christ’s teachings, on both serving and being successful in life. Jesus was always preaching the mandate of last place: Those who shall be great shall be least, those in first place will be in last, serve those who persecute you, he who loves his life will lose it, and the list goes on from there. Jesus’ goal for us, is not for us to become our own boss, but to be SERVANT UNTO ALL.
"But the greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted” (Matthew 23:11-12, NASB).
I believe some of the greatest leaders in history have been those who mastered the act of serving the common folk. When our focus is on serving others, we may be lifted up and invited to serve in a leadership capacity; but, the goal should always be to remain as a slave – first unto Christ and secondly unto man.
“For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord's freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ's slave” (1 Corinthians 7:22, NASB).
LIE NINE – I have the right and privilege to decide how I spend my money; after all, I’m the one who earned it. Seriously – let us see how this person reacts under unjust management or when someone doesn’t pay him for what he earned. First of all, the one he is expecting payment from is not the final decision maker on the paycheck – God is. God can turn any leader to match His lessons assigned to His children, which includes withholding just payment for a just day’s wages. Secondly, the money we “have earned” does not belong to us. We are only stewards of the allotted money. People who live out this lie are usually in the nasty habit of stealing from God’s storehouse. Yes, those who demand their right to be paid because it is their money are usually the ones who are not consistent in their tithes (10% to the church) and offerings (10% to the needy). That is a grand total of 20% of our “money earned.”
"Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, 'How have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. "You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows” (Malachi 3:8-10, NASB).
LIE TEN – Financial success means overcoming every obstacle that gets in the way of my financial goals. Hummm – what if God is the one putting the obstacles in place? Shall a man be so determined to succeed at the cost of going against the hand of God? I wouldn’t advise trying it. I have watched too many arrogant young men and women attempt this fruitless feat and find themselves sitting in a counselor’s office begging for help. How easy it is for us to forget the ordinances of God:
"Turn to my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you” (Proverbs 1:23, NASB).
“The ransom of a man's life is his wealth, but the poor hears no rebuke” (Proverbs 13:8, NASB).
Many times obstacles are given to us by Him to reprove us. He designs these obstacles so we will turn from our own nasty ways, and willingly follow His Divine and Holy pathway of Truth and freedom.
Many times God has to fix a fix on us, to fix the fix of us always trying to fix ourselves or others. These obstacles could be holy and anointed by God.
LIE ELEVEN – I can build a successful ministry/business with a well qualified advertisement program. In the world of ministry, we call this “a black hole.” The churches, as well as “Christian businesses,” have thrown too much good money into this black hole. Since when does God need to be advertised? Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with getting the word out for announcing times, dates, and topics of ministry/business activities; but to hire a firm to promote, in order to profit – probably not. The old school workers will tell us there is nothing like the promotions of satisfied customers or word of mouth. The more honest and Christ-centered the “product,” the less “advertising” is needed. There is no sin in advertising; it is in the motive behind the advertisement. The Scriptural counsel is that we should not praise ourselves, but we should let others praise us instead.
“Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips” (Proverbs 27:2, NASB).
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