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Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Christianity and Capitalism: Do They Go Together?

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Christianity and Capitalism

Do They Go Together?

Stacks of gold coins. — Christianity and Capitalism: Do They Go Together?

Last November, after barely eight months in office, the Catholic Church's Pope Francis launched a firestorm of controversy with his recent dictum, Evangelii Gaudium, or “The Joy of the Gospel.”
Probably no religious writing in recent history has raised the eyebrows—and ire—of so many for its controversial views on economics and balance of economic power in society. While Catholics do not consider it commanded teaching from the Vatican, the papal exhortation nonetheless spells out the views of the current pope and thus commands respect from Catholics worldwide.
Evangelii Gaudium begins with Francis comparing the joy of receiving the Christian faith and the joy of missionary activity. He calls for reforms in the Catholic Church's missionary outreach—among them a greater emphasis on evangelizing efforts and a renewed call to help the poor.
But the exhortation does not stop there. Francis goes on to call for greater income equality, redistribution of wealth, and fundamental changes to the economic order. This statement from section 204 underscores his concern: “We can no longer trust in the unseen forces and the invisible hand of the market.” And he calls for action “beyond a simple welfare mentality” that “attacks the structural causes of inequality.”
He goes on to call for a redistribution of wealth and reform of economic structures that would ensure greater equality of income and opportunity. The rich, he says, should share their wealth and calls for a new commandment: “Today we also have to say 'thou shalt not' to an economy of exclusion and inequality.”

Pros and cons weigh in

Economists, politicians and pundits from both the left and right have lauded or attacked the pope's exhortation. Some called parts of the document “pure Marxism” and suggested that someone else may have written the papal document for him.
Writing for the conservative Townhall magazine, John Goodman commented that a search of almost any introductory economics textbook would fail to turn up the terms “survival of the fittest,” “trickle down theories,” or “powerful feeding on the powerless,” which he termed “slurs used by the left to cast aspersions on free markets and pro-growth markets” (“Papal Economics,” Dec. 21, 2013). He went on to maintain that free-market economics, far from being a detriment to society, are the single greatest cause of the prosperity millions enjoy today.
Those on the left, predictably enough, lauded the document. In the Guardian, a popular liberal newspaper, Jonathan Freedland said, “Francis could replace Obama as the pin-up on every liberal and leftist wall” (“Why Even Atheists Should Be Praying for Pope Francis,” Nov. 15, 2013). The New Republic praised Francis' stance on economic issues, while attacking his—and the Catholic Church's—views on abortion and homosexuality.
Even prominent Catholics differed in their reaction, some wondering if the pope has gone too far. Robert Sirico, a Catholic priest who cofounded the liberty-oriented Acton Institute and authored the book Defending the Free Market, says in a YouTube video response that while Francis is not motivated by political beliefs, he fails to note that economic prosperity over the past century is largely the result of free market economics.
“How are we to respond to his warnings about mere temporary responses to poverty … with the demonstrable benefits that we see accruing to the poorest of the poor … which were made possible by markets globalizing?” (Acton.org, Nov. 27, 2013). How, he asked, can the pope ignore the reality that millions have greater access to jobs and health care, and have risen out of poverty because of the globalization of markets?
To Francis' concern about the dangers of “markets that are unhampered,” Sirico asks, “Where are these unhampered markets?”—pointing out that markets everywhere are bounded with regulations of every sort.
All of this raises very important questions about Christianity and economics. Is it God's will that poverty be eradicated in this present age? If not, what is Christianity's responsibility to the poor? Does the Bible espouse any one economic system?

Why has God not eliminated poverty?

Poverty and income inequality are as old as mankind. It may surprise you to learn that the Bible has much to say about poverty, the distribution of wealth, and other economic matters.
“The poor will never cease from the land,” Moses was inspired to write in Deuteronomy 15:11. Jesus Christ Himself seemed to echo that reality when the subject of His anointing for burial came up shortly before His trial and death. Asked by His disciples why He approved the use of expensive oil for His anointing rather than having it sold and the money given to the poor, Christ may have shocked the disciples with His answer: “The poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always” (John 12:8).
We know that a powerful and loving God could eradicate poverty at any time. Yet He has not chosen to do so thus far. Is there a reason? The surprising answer is that a time is coming when God will eradicate poverty—but more about that later. The fact is that our Creator has not chosen to do so in this present world.
Yet the Bible is replete with instructions on how to properly treat those less well off. Students of the Bible know that more than 3,000 years ago God began dealing with one nation, ancient Israel. That nation of 12 tribes that descended from Abraham was an agricultural society, and it was given one of the most fertile areas of the Middle East as a result of promises God made to Abraham (Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:14-15).
Those with large landholdings tended to be better off, while many small farmers eked out a modest living. Those without land or marketable skills often found themselves in poverty. But God did not forget the poor of the land and in His laws made provision for them.
For example, God provided a food supply for the poor to gather, telling landowners: “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them to the poor” (Leviticus 19:9). It's noteworthy that the poor had to put forth the effort to gather the food for themselves. They couldn't just go to a warehouse and claim it or have it delivered to them.
It was also widely understood that family members took care of other family members. And if a woman lost her husband, her children were responsible for taking her in and caring for her.

Jesus' teaching and examples

Jesus Christ lived and taught in an area that was under crushing Roman oppression. During His ministry, He taught and showed by His personal example the right attitude toward those less well off.
Matthew's gospel records a time early in Christ's ministry when more than 5,000 men, plus thousands of women and children, flocked to Him to hear the gospel of the Kingdom of God. Many came from considerable distances, and at the end of the day, rather than send them away hungry, Jesus miraculously fed them from five small loaves of bread and two fish. Read about it in Matthew 14:13-21. Not long afterward He repeated the miracle, this time with a slightly smaller group of 4,000 men, plus women and children.
Each of the Gospel accounts relates dozens of miraculous healings that Christ performed, mostly of poor people. Matthew alone relates many of these acts of compassion. Jesus cleansed lepers (Matthew 8:1-4), healed a paralyzed man (Matthew 9:1-6), gave sight to two blind men (Matthew 9:27-31), and even cast demons out of the daughter of a Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28).
Christ certainly showed compassion for the poor, a compassion He taught to His disciples and by extension to us, both by word and example. Just before His betrayal and death, He summed up what our attitude should be toward those suffering from sickness, isolation and poverty: “In as much as you did it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you did it unto Me” (Matthew 25:40).
Christ's disciples didn't forget those examples, and carried on His example of mercy and compassion. Notice Acts 3:2-9. The apostle Peter didn't have gold and silver to give to a lame man who asked for alms. But he was able to give the man something of far greater worth, telling him, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk” (Acts 3:6).
The New Testament teaching is clear. Today God is not performing such dramatic miracles before the public through His people (though He still does miraculously heal, and we should pray for that). But when we see needs and have the ability to do something to help, it is our duty to respond. That's what our Savior commanded.
Does this mean we literally sell all that we have and distribute it to poor people around us? Many will point to Christ's encounter with a rich young ruler as proof that income redistribution is the duty of all Christians. But let's take a close look at Matthew 19:16-23. Christ told the rich young ruler to “sell what you have and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21).
When the young man went away sorrowful “because he had great possessions,” Christ used it to illustrate the point that it is often difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. He didn't tell His disciples to proclaim a gospel of income equality, but to understand that devotion to material wealth can be a major hindrance to spiritual growth.
Indeed, the young man here was placing his wealth before God, which is precisely why Jesus told Him to give it away. This wasn't a rule for every person, for some are able to possess wealth while maintaining proper perspective and living by love toward God and neighbor.
The early Church was characterized by wide spreads of income. Some Christians were wealthy and powerful, as was the case with Philemon, to whom the apostle Paul wrote. Others, such as Philemon's slave Onesimus, were certainly much poorer. Yet Paul never condemns wealth. His concern was for people's spiritual, not physical, wealth.

Does the Bible reveal a proper economy?

The Bible reveals that God has much to say about money and wealth. Many of the most famous personalities of the Bible were clearly quite wealthy. Genesis 13:1 tells us that “Abraham was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.” His son Isaac inherited much of his father's wealth and increased it. Genesis 30 relates how Isaac's son Jacob was blessed with vast herds of cattle, sheep and camels, so many that he had to come up with a method for distinguishing his large herds from those of his uncle, Laban.
Centuries later, King David became wealthy during the time of peace he was able to bring to Israel. But it was his son Solomon who became one of the richest men of all time. We find a detailed account of Solomon's wealth and power in 1 Kings 4.
When God gave Israel the Promised Land, it was to be divided up so families received property portions relative to their size (Numbers 26:54, Numbers 33:50-54). Even if land ownership changed hands due to economic or other hardship, title to the land reverted to the original families every 50 years (Leviticus 25:10, Leviticus 25:13-17). This provided for a generally even playing field economically, and prevented individuals from permanently amassing huge amounts of land at the expense of others.
It's clear that God does not condemn wealth or the acquisition of wealth. The fact of wealth means inequality of income. Many today accept that fact but attack the methods used to attain wealth. Throughout history, much wealth has been attained through trade, business and investing. Are these activities wrong? Notice what Jesus Himself taught about the value of increasing wealth through proper investments.
Shortly before His death, Christ gave some final teachings to His disciples. In the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30, He tells of a man taking a trip to a distant country. Before he leaves, he apportions his goods to each of three servants, with the understanding that they will try to increase what they are given.
Those who received five talents and two talents (a talent was about 6,000 denarii, probably ten years' average wages at the time) went out and through various business dealings managed to double their money. A third servant, who received only one talent, dug a hole in the ground and hid it.
What did the wealthy man do on his return? He praised the actions of the two servants who had doubled their money. But his reaction to the lack of return of the third servant was far different. “You wicked and lazy servant … you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my return I would have received back my own with interest” (Matthew 25:27).
It's difficult to make a case that Jesus condemned wealth or legally acquiring it. He did teach on several occasions, however, that wealth and the pursuit of wealth can be a snare that distracts us from the pursuit of righteousness. What this parable teaches is that we should exercise and build on our spiritual talents, skills and abilities, which to God is infinitely more important than our material wealth.
The Bible does make a case for a liberty-oriented economy—what we would today call true capitalism or, perhaps better put, private property and free exchange.
What then are we to make of the time when the early New Testament Church practiced a communal economy? Notice this in Acts 2:44-45: “Now all who believed were together and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.”
Does this teach that Christians should practice a communal economy and way of life? First of all, we must understand that this was a completely voluntary sharing of resources (see Acts 4:32;5:4)—not to be confused with a communist system wherein shared ownership is mandatory, amounting to theft of private property.
Secondly, this was a temporary circumstance during a time of persecution and of thousands of new converts in Jerusalem, many from foreign lands who were remaining for a while to learn from the apostles. Sharing took care of an immediate need. The account in Acts shows that these disciples were soon scattered to other regions (Acts 8:1, Acts 8:4). Later writings give us no indication that this short-term experience with communal living lasted very long.

Universal prosperity will come

For centuries, mankind has tried various systems to arrive at prosperity for all and the elimination of poverty. Monarchies, socialism, Marxism, fascism—all have failed. So-called capitalism, too, despite some free-market benefits, has left millions in its economic wake—being a system of government overregulation and cronyism in which government colludes with business.
What has not been tried is true economic liberty through the government of God and God's economic system. While on earth, Christ's mission was to preach the gospel (good news) of the Kingdom of God. This gospel foretold a time when Christ would return to earth to set up His Kingdom. Longtime readers of The Good News know this has always been the major focus of this magazine.
The good news is that the universal prosperity, greater equality of income, and lives free from want that Pope Francis writes about will come. But it won't come through man's political parties, papal encyclicals, the churches of today's world or other human organizations. It won't come through political movements calling for redistribution of wealth, for “taxing the rich” or a higher minimum wage.
Your Bible makes hundreds of references to that coming time of peace and prosperity unparalleled in human history. Bible prophecy foretells a time when Christ Himself will return to the earth to rule.
God's Word gives us a few hints about the economy of this future Kingdom. It will be an economy that values and preserves private property rights, a hallmark of a capitalistic economic order: “Everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid” (Micah 4:4).
Those privately owned farms will produce abundant harvests: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it” (Amos 9:13).
This economic order will allow those who work and profit to enjoy the fruits of their labors, but it will also ensure a level economic playing field that gives everyone a just opportunity to prosper.
God will then pour out His Spirit on the nations, and people the world over will receive the loving character of God, meaning that the way of the world will then be to help others in need. This will be accomplished not through government taking from some to give to others, but through an internal change in the hearts of people everywhere to motivate them to generosity and showing true concern for their neighbors. Best of all, God invites you to be part of this exciting future!

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Dealing With Money Problems

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/ or call 1-888-886-8632. Please follow this site here.

Dealing With Money Problems

Money in one form or another has been around and valued highly by most for thousands of years. But money, debt and finances have also been the source of many personal and family problems over those years. What does the practical wisdom of the Bible teach us about how to deal with money problems?
Skip, a Christian from California, relates this story:

"We were not making enough money to cover our needs. My wife had quit her job because I thought that I was the one who should be the principal income maker. Our income went from $14,000 per year in 1971 to $6,000 a year in 1972. We needed help.
"The first thing we did was to seek counsel. After that we both sat down and admitted that this would have to be a mutual effort. Together we would succeed or fail. Then we prayed, together.
"At this point we wrote down everything that we really needed to live. Since I had a job, I needed to get to work. I had a car and it needed gas, but I didn't need to stop before work for coffee. We wrote down exactly what we needed and did not need and discussed this with each other.
"Many things then became wants and not needs.
"We had no children yet, so we could evaluate a bit more ruthlessly on items like food. All expensive items were eliminated; basics became normal. Shopping is not a pastime if you are in survival mode! Soups and casseroles were standard, and nothing was wasted. Lunch was often leftover dinner from the night before.
"If you have a job, thank God and tithe on your increase! We did. I had trained and studied to become a teacher, but there were few, if any, openings in 1976 and 1977.
"It became disheartening, but with my God-given, vigorous good health and working at all the labor jobs that I could find, we managed to almost scrape by—actually going into the hole a little each month. Things got worse before they got better.
"And then that recession was over, and school districts started hiring again. I had gotten my credentials in 1975 but hadn't even looked for a teaching job that year. But as soon as I interviewed for a teaching job in 1978, I was told that one awaited me at the beginning of the spring semester 1979.
"Were there lessons I needed to learn before God answered yes to our prayers for a good job? They are too numerous to recite! But in retrospect, not having much money was a valuable training program for when we were blessed with more money. You can't really remember what you never went through."

Share Your Story

What Does the Bible Say About Money?

How long has money been around? Probably ever since there were more people than one extended family. The Bible tells about various financial transactions Abraham made about 4,000 years ago (Genesis 13:2; 14:20; 20:16; 23:9). It is obvious Abraham was a rich man, but he was also a generous, good man.
Does God object to riches?

Proverbs 10:22
The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.

If God gives riches, obviously money isn't bad in itself, and He does not object to wealth.
What isn't good in God's sight?

Matthew 6:24, 33
"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon...
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."
1 Timothy 6:9-10
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Trusting in riches or wealth is wrong. Serving mammon (the New International Version translates this "Money") and not God is wrong. Greediness is absolutely wrong. But can we enjoy both God and the correct bounty of this world? We can if we do things God's way. Matthew 6:33 indicates that God can and will bless us abundantly if we get the right perspective in our mind.
Why aren't many of God's people rich or wealthy?

1 Corinthians 1:26, 29
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called...
that no flesh should glory in His presence.
1 Timothy 6:17-19
Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

God has not chosen to call many of the "important" or famous people of the world now, but to use the weak and the poor to demonstrate that it is God who makes a difference in our lives. "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:31).
Paul's instructions to Timothy tell us that some Christians were rich. But his warnings give some hints about the spiritual problems being wealthy can cause. Unfortunately when and if we strike it rich, we tend to take credit ourselves and not give credit to God. On the other hand, if we have had to struggle a bit, we have a much better chance of learning that the race is not always to the swift. As a result, we just might more easily and readily thank God.
Can there be real problems with having more than enough money?

Mark 10:21-27
Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."
But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"
And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! 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."
And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"
But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."

What if God asks us to give up the good life? This parable shows a real challenge that a wealthy Christian could face.
The world around us bases financial decisions on self-interest—and even blatant greed. But what underlying attitude does the Bible teach?

Acts 20:35
"I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

The apostle Paul showed by his own example and by a quote from Jesus Christ that we should live a way of give, rather than basing all our decisions on what we can get. We can give to others in need and give gifts to show our love. We are also instructed to give tithes and offerings to God, since everything we have comes from Him in the first place (Malachi 3:8-9; Matthew 23:23). Offerings state to God that we know where our blessings really come from.

Using Money Wisely

Is there a correct sequence for living life?

Proverbs 24:27
Prepare your outside work, make it fit for yourself in the field; and afterward build your house.

The New Living Bible translates this: "Develop your business first before building your house."
God anticipated that people could become infatuated before they had established a trade or profession. Worrying about having a good, solid job might seem somewhat mundane when you're in love, but you still need to earn a living! Get a good education, the best that you can, but don't end up being a perennial student with lots of smarts and no real wisdom.
Having good skills and good work habits will help in finding and keeping a good job. And work is a vital aspect of the training program God has for us in this life. See also our lessons on "Job Satisfaction and the Value of Work" and "Dealing With Unemployment."
What should we do to avoid money problems? How can we make sure we spend our money correctly?

Proverbs 22:3
A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished.
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

A major part of financial wisdom involves planning. Have a budget and follow it. We publish a practical and helpful booklet titled Managing Your Finances that will help you begin to formulate your own personal plan or budget. Seeking wisdom from God, His Bible and wise counselors can help us avoid problems or map out a way through those problems.
Does God encourage saving?

Proverbs 13:22
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

Saving for a rainy day (Proverbs 6:6-11) and providing an inheritance are two things for which God encourages us to save money.
What do we need to do to improve our financial situation and prepare for the future?

Proverbs 27:23-27
Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds; for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations.
When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in, the lambs will provide your clothing, and the goats the price of a field; you shall have enough goats' milk for your food, for the food of your household, and the nourishment of your maidservants.

God encourages us to be diligent in our work and in attending to our personal property and financial situation. When we do, our fleeting life will not become a mad scramble to meet our needs in the retirement years.
What are some specific financial steps to take to avoid problems?

Romans 13:1-2, 6
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves...
For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing.
Exodus 21:33-34
"And if a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls in it, the owner of the pit shall make it good; he shall give money to their owner, but the dead animal shall be his."

God expects us to pay taxes and obey the laws of the land we live in. We should also work hard to avoid accidents (usually involving cars, not oxen, today). But it is also wise, and often required, to have insurance in case of accidents. Insurance is also a cost that proves its value should you somehow run afoul of a litigious person who intends to sue you for everything you've got.

Avoiding Pitfalls

What does the Bible say about debt and credit?

Proverbs 22:7
The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Why does God state that "the borrower is servant to the lender"? Because it is simply true! Become frugal and ignore the pleas on TV that state, "You owe it to yourself!" You will end up owing everybody who talks you into believing that lie. If you don't need it, don't buy it. If you do need it, look for a sale. Sometimes, like waiting 15 minutes after a meal to have dessert, you find you don't really want it at all.
What is a credit card? A device that unlocks your personal wealth and gives it to others. Okay, most people in the Western world need at least one credit card to rent a car or establish a solid financial history. Credit cards can also be helpful to cover short-term costs for a legitimate emergency. But do not ever think that the company who gave you the credit card has your best interest at heart. Unless it is the interest you will pay!
If you are in debt, make a plan for getting out of debt as quickly as possible. Managing Your Finances has practical information on paying off credit-card debt, avoiding debt, a "buying self-test" and a sidebar on "credit counseling services."
Can money can be a test?

Luke 12:16-21
Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.
"And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'
"So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.
"'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."'
"But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'
"So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

In this parable the person obviously was successful, but instead of thanking God for such a blessing and sharing it appropriately with others, he chose to really protect his investment like Fort Knox. God saw his plan and changed it by simply requiring that man's life that night.
All we have said about planning and even saving is true, but if it is all only for self, as this man's plan was, it can be all for naught. "One's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15).
What is it that people really want that money can't buy?

Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Our consumer culture emphasizes what we don't have, but God wants us to recognize and be content with what we do have (Philippians 4:11-13). Being content, thankful and reliant on God will help us to have peace of mind. And isn't peace what people really want? You can have peace of mind and satisfaction that you have lived your life as God intended.
If we seek God's Kingdom first and foremost and if we diligently search God's Word daily, asking God to help us understand His truth, then we will be given resources now, brimful and overflowing, and eternal life later.
That is certainly more than money can buy.

Apply Now

There is much more to this subject than we could cover in this lesson. Our free booklet Managing Your Finances gives even more practical information that can really help. Click on the link to read, download or order a printed copy now.
Please especially read the practical and helpful chapter "Keys to Successful Money Management" and use the accompanying charts, "Determining Your Net Worth" and "Monthly Income and Expense Worksheet," to help you plan and manage your budget. Even if you have never planned a budget before, these tools can help make it simple and effective.
Also, if you are having money problems, then let our heavenly Father know about it now. Yes, He already knows, but He appreciates hearing your sincere prayer. And don't reject His response! Humbly work at what you can until your plans for financial success begin to pay off.
Questions about this lesson? Feedback about this lesson?
Related Resources:
Managing Your Finances
Managing Your Finances in Tough Times: Five Steps You Can Take
Five Steps to Teach Your Children Money Management
How can I avoid credit card traps and eliminate debt problems?
What can I do to increase my job security in an uncertain job market?
Successful Failure
Getting Control of Your Money
The Debt Trap: How Do I Get Free?
Will Global Economic Turmoil Precede Jesus Christ's Return?
Your Best Investment for Financial Security

Friday, November 14, 2014

This Is the Way... For Such a Time As Now

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/ or call 1-888-886-8632. Please follow this site here.

This Is the Way... For Such a Time As Now

article by Robin Webber

During the recent showdown between the legislative and executive branches of government, there was often the reference to the impeachment of Andrew Johnson as a guide of how to proceed methodically, judiciously, and with an eye towards the end goal.

The issue of impeachment, unlike any other political challenge, allows the people of America to truly focus on those principles that they consider essential for the present and future well being of their country. The pressures to stand up and speak up for what you hold near and dear can be immense-especially when you are in the minority. During the recent showdown between the legislative and executive branches of government, there was often the reference to the impeachment of Andrew Johnson as a guide of how to proceed methodically, judiciously, and with an eye towards the end goal.
Let's go back in time and personalize that event of long ago through the life and sacrifice of one individual named Edmund G. Ross. He was the freshman senator from Kansas who cast the pivotal vote of "not guilty" which ultimately derailed any possible conviction of President Johnson. Historian Santyana is often remembered for his famous maxim: "Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them." This is sobering advice to serious students of history and prophecy, recognizing both these elements have a common seam.
In 1955, then Senator John F. Kennedy wrote a book entitled Profiles In Courage . The book contains a number of short stories that depict Americans who made a difference in their time. Kennedy opens this profile by focusing the reader "on a lonely grave, forgotten and unknown, [where] lies 'the man who saved a President.'"
The Die is Cast
Let's understand the times and the man. The Civil War was over. The victorious North through the "Radical Republican" majority of Congress was in the process of imposing a harsh peace on the vanquished Southern Confederacy. Kennedy states that "Lincoln prior to his death had already clashed with extremists in Congress, [which] had opposed his approach to reconstruction in a constitutional and charitable manner and sought to make the Legislative Branch of the government supreme."
The main target was none other than a courageous, if less than tactful, Tennessean (Johnson) who had been the only Southern member of Congress to refuse to secede with his state. Johnson had committed himself to the "policies of the Great Emancipator to whose high station he had succeeded only by the course of an assassin's bullet."
The flash point issue was the recently passed "Tenure-of-Office" bill, which essentially gave Congress the power over the President concerning removal of government personnel. The pivotal act of no return on Johnson's part was the firing of Secretary of War Stanton, whom he had inherited from Lincoln, but whom he considered a tool of the "Radical Republicans" and a near-military dictator of the conquered South. Initially, this act of Congress was not specified to include cabinet members. Stanton, sensing the moment and the mood of Congress and the American people, barricaded himself in his office and there remained. The die was cast.
The political atmosphere was incredibly tense and threatening. Senator Thaddeus Stevens, master of the House of Representatives "with a mouth like the thin edge of an ax" coldly stated, "Let me see the recreant who would vote to let such a criminal escape. Point me to one who will dare do it and I will show you one who will dare the infamy of posterity." As the trial moved forward "the chief interest was not in the trial or the evidence, but in the tallying of votes necessary for conviction."
The numbers game became the all-telling focus. It would take a two-thirds majority to convict. The Democratic senators' vote was taken as lost. The Republicans could only afford to lose six of their own party member's votes. Six Republicans had already stated they would vote "not guilty." "Infamy!" cried the Philadelphia Press; "the Republic has been betrayed in the House of its friends."
But what about Edmund Ross? He was the only man who had not declared his vote, and it would be his vote that would make the difference in American history.
"I Look Down into My Open Grave"
Initially, Ross had been considered a sure vote towards conviction. Here was a "Kansas man" who had been pro-abolition, a major in the army, and had voted negatively towards every Johnson initiative to this point. He had condemned Johnson's treatment of Secretary Stanton. He neither liked the man personally or politically. Yet, he was openly condemned for not announcing his conclusions in a preliminary poll.
Ross generated deep concern with his words to Senator Sprague of Rhode Island. "Well, Sprague, the thing is here; and, so far as I am concerned, though I am Republican and opposed to Mr. Johnson and his policy he shall have as fair a trial as an accused man ever had on this earth."
Kennedy shares the intense pressures by stating, "Ross and his fellow doubtful Republicans were daily pestered, spied upon and subjected to every form of pressure. Their residences were carefully watched, their social circles suspiciously scrutinized, and their every move and companions secretly marked in special notebooks. They were warned in the party press, harangued by their constituents, and sent dire warnings threatening political ostracism and even assassination."
Kennedy quotes from Dewitt's Impeachment of Andrew Johnson: "The full brunt of the struggle turned at last on the one remaining doubtful Senator, Edmund G. Ross." Firing back at a threatening letter by a Kansan constituent, Ross laid the gauntlet down by declaring: "I have taken an oath to do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws, and trust that I shall have the courage to vote according to the dictates of my judgement and for the highest good of the country."
Then the moment of truth came. Ross would freeze-frame the dramatic moment years later by reminiscing, "It was a tremendous responsibility, and it was not strange that he upon whom it had been imposed by a fateful combination of conditions should have sought to avoid it, to put it away from him as one shuns, or tries to fight off a nightmare.... I almost literally looked down into my open grave. Friendships, position, fortune, everything that makes life desirable to an ambitious man were about to be swept away by the breath of my mouth, perhaps forever."
Ross' lament reminds one of another time and place when Mordecai warned and encouraged Esther by stating, "Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king's palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this"(Esther:4:13-14). At times like this, one must dig deep, dig true, and yes, seemingly alone.
Ross' hero, Abraham Lincoln, once stated, "I desire so to conduct the affairs of this administration that if at the end, when I come to lay down the reins of power, I have lost every other friend on earth, I shall at least have one friend left and that friend shall be down inside of me."
Lincoln was a reader of the Bible. Perhaps, in the challenging moments of life and leadership he had pondered what Christ had stated in Matthew:16:25-26: "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man exchange for his soul?"
"How Say You?"
In the day of judgment, the Chief Justice finally came down the roll call to Ross and inquired, "How say you? Is the respondent Andrew Johnson guilty or not guilty of a high misdemeanor as charged in this article?"
Kennedy sums up the dramatic moment, "Every voice was still; every eye was upon the freshman Senator from Kansas. The hopes and fears, the hatred and bitterness of past decades were centered upon this one man." In a determined voice, Ross stated, "not guilty!" For all practical purposes the trial was over and the conviction lost.
What were the thoughts behind these two simple words from a man who personally and politically disliked the man on trial? Years later, Ross would write in magazine articles that, "in a large sense, the independence of the executive office as a coordinate branch of the government was on trial.... If...the President must step down...a disgraced man and a political outcast...upon insufficient proofs and from partisan considerations, the office of President would be degraded, cease to be a coordinate branch of the government, and ever after subordinated to the legislative will."
One thing was for sure. The vision of the "open grave" was real. Ross immediately began to receive threats and insults. One stated, "Kansas repudiates you as she does all perjurers and skunks." A Kansas Supreme Court Judge sent him a wire stating, "the rope with which Judas Iscariot hanged himself is lost, but Jim Lane's pistol is at your service" (Jim Lane, a suicide victim, had been the previous senator of Kansas whom Ross had replaced).
Ross would serve out his term and would often during that time be referred to as "traitor." Secretary of War Stanton would come out of his self-imposed office barricade, President Johnson would later serve as a senator from Tennessee, but Ross and each of the other six Republicans would never return to elected office. Politically, they were through.
It would take the country 20 years to catch its breath from the Civil War period and come to its senses. The "Tenure-of-Office Act" was found unconstitutional. Kennedy states, "those Kansas newspapers and political leaders who had denounced him in earlier years praised Ross for his stand against legislative mob rule." They went on: "By the firmness and courage of Senator Ross, the country was saved from calamity greater than war, while it consigned him to a political martyrdom, the most cruel in our history.... He acted Right " [Emphasis added].
Difference Between the Holy and Profane
Why should Edmund Ross's example be important to us? Revelation:5:10 states that God is in the process of making us "kings and priests." Ruling within government, and making sound judgments and decisions is part of the future of the resurrected Christians who will assist Christ in the literal kingdom of God on this earth. In 1 Corinthians:6:2-3, Paul states, "Do you not know that saints will judge the world...and that we shall judge angels?" Both of these functions require decision making that may affect human life and the well being of future generations.
In Ezekiel:44:23-24, God offers this job description of priests by stating, "They shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. In controversy they shall stand as judges, and judge it according to My judgments." What is the difference between the holy and the profane? In one sense the things that are holy are those matters which stand the test of time, because they are godly in nature. They are matters that move beyond convenience, haste, emotion, and a rush to judgment. The unclean and profane items may seem good for the moment, offering instant gratification to and winning the applause of sincere people.
Values Over Feelings
Yet, God is not nearly as interested in feelings, as in the values that ultimately shape society. Ross lived in times that were emotional, dizzy and dismaying. The country had just experienced the greatest single conflict of its brief history-a war that pitted brother against brother. Proverbs:29:18 so aptly states, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." On principle, Ross recognized that an erosion of presidential power by a vengeful Congress would not only pave the path to an even harder reconstruction, but jeopardize all future presidents facing matters of vital national interest. In one of the darkest episodes of our political history one man stood out as a light of reasoned principle.
Zechariah:8:23 prophetically indicates that in God's kingdom people of vision and principle will be in demand because such values will be immediately recognized as precious, not 20 years later as was the case for Ross' wisdom. Notice what it says: "Ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man (a godly man), saying, 'Let us go up with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'" Values, convictions, courage are like lighthouses in a dark world. Perhaps even now, you are facing situations in which you seem to "stand alone" on principle.
We read examples like Esther and Edmund Ross to know that we are not alone. Ultimately, what is most important, is not what we know, but what we do-starting today. Edmund Ross' courageous example during the trial of his century certainly exemplifies the millennial refrain of Isaiah:30:21, "this is the way walk you in it." But his time and trial is past. Let's move forward toward our present and future trials with the same moral fortitude. WNP

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Thursday, November 13, 2014

How Did We Get Into This Mess?

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How Did We Get Into This Mess?

by Scott Ashley

Submitted January 3, 2013

I suppose I should be happy that America's leaders have averted the "fiscal cliff" originally slated to hit Jan. 1. At least that's what I'm told I should feel.
For some reason I don't feel much like celebrating when the last-minute deal struck by congress to supposedly help put the nation's financial house in order will in reality add about $4 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade—and will add $41 in taxes for every $1 cut in spending.
So how did we get into this mess?
Consider a few facts:
• The U.S. government is like a family with a $21,700 annual income spending $38,200 a year, with $16,500 of that put on credit cards—when the family already owes $142,710 on those credit cards!
• The U.S. government currently borrows 40 percent of all that it spends. That means it borrows and spends $10.4 billion each day, $433 million per hour, $7.2 million per minute, and $120,370 per second! (And this isn't all that it spends—merely what it borrows to spend.)
• For four consecutive years the federal government has amassed a trillion-dollar deficit. It took the United States 200 years to accumulate its first trillion dollars in debt. Now it takes about 10 months!
• We have already spent the money that will be paid in taxes by the next generation of Americans, and more—stealing wealth from them to maintain our standard of living through massive borrowing.
• Each American's share of federal government debt is about $45,000—and expected to grow to almost $75,000 by 2020, only seven years away.
• Shocking as these figures are, they in fact vastly underestimate the scope of the problem. When we factor in unfunded liabilities—the amount needed to fully fund government promises for Social Security, Medicare, military and government employee pensions and health care, the real debt load then jumps to five to ten times the $16 trillion current deficit! And that doesn't even include similar unfunded liabilities for the 50 individual states and hundreds of American towns and cities.
The fact is, America has already run off the fiscal cliff. The real question is, how long until we hit bottom?
But again, how did we get into this mess?
You need to understand the answer. You may be surprised to learn that it was foretold several thousand years ago in the pages of your Bible!
You need to understand what's prophesied to happen to America, and much of the rest of the Western world. More importantly, you need to understand why.
That's why we call The Good News "a Magazine of Understanding." We want to help you make sense of this world that's rapidly changing around us. And the keys to understanding that are found in the Bible.
We hope you'll carefully read the articles in this next issue, which is dedicated to the crucial question of "Where Does America Go From Here? " You need to know! Your issue should be arriving in your mailbox any day now (if it hasn't already). Or you can download a digital version of this issue .
Either way, you need this crucial information!

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Tuesday, September 22, 2015