Get Out of Debt (day100/365)

George S.Clason covers what seems to be a forever needed subject in his book “Richest Man in Babylon”.

So many of us get into debt and seem to not find our way out. Well here’s help. Probably a timely reminder for many of us.

Make a written plan of the following and follow it exactly.

10% of all income is to be SAVED! Put aside first, before we even look at the rest of the picture. The discipline of saving and building a future nest egg does a lot to build our self respect.

70% of all income is for LIVING on. Tithing, house, food, clothing, entertainment, insurances etc.

20% of all income is for paying off debt. Do a stocktake of exactly where we stand. How much do we owe? Who do we owe it to? If 20% of income is not enough to make all payments then negotiate with debtors to reduce payments so all debtors are paid a share each month. Explain how long it will take (according to your calculations – be honest; if it will take five years say so) and your sincerity in wanting to pay your dues. Keep a list, make a graph, whatever it takes to keep track and keep focused.

DO NOT INCUR ANY FURTHER DEBT! Once debts are paid, save the money. Some can go into investment(add to 10%), some can go into savings for emergencies, travel, car, etc. Pay cash for things instead going into debt. Be disciplined. We are now used to living on 70% of our income remember.

Five Laws Of Gold (day99/365)

From “The Richest Man In Babylon” by George S. Clason we benefit from the Five Laws Of Gold.

1/ Gold cometh gladly and in increasing quantity to any man who will put by not less than one tenth of his earnings to create an estate for his future and that of his family.

2/ Gold laboreth diligently and contentedly for the wise owner who finds for it profitable employment, multiplying even as the flocks of the field.

3/ Gold clingeth to the protection of the cautious owner who invests it under the advice of men wise in its handling.

4/ Gold slippeth away from the man who invests it with businesses or purposes with which he is not familiar or which are not approved by those skilled in its keep.

5/ Gold flees from the man who would force it to impossible earnings or who followeth the alluring advice of tricksters and schemers or who trusts it to his own inexperience and romantic desires in investment.

I have read this book many times over the years and every time enjoy the stories of the men of Babylon as they seek to learn the mysteries of growing wealth.

Seven Cures For A Lean Purse (day98/365)

In an extraordinarily interesting manner, George S. Clason shares wealth creation tips in “The Richest Man in Babylon”.

Seven Cures For A Lean Purse.

1/ Start thy purse to fattening. 10% of what you earn is yours to keep.

2/ Control thy expenditure. Desires will always outweigh income. Learn to distinguish between necessities and luxuries.

3/ Make thy gold multiply. Invest wisely.

4/ Guard thy treasures from loss. Invest only where principal is safe.

5/ Make of thy dwelling a profitable investment. Own your own home.

6/ Insure a future income. Protect your family. Take out life insurance.

7/ Increase thy ability to learn. Become more skillful, wiser.

Simple but powerful.

Power and Ungrace (day97/365)

Philip Yancey in “What’s so amazing about grace?” asks “How is it that Christians called to dispense the aroma of grace, instead emit the noxious fumes of ungrace?”

His answer is that the church has let itself get swept away in political issues, playing with rules of power, which are rules of ungrace. C.S. Lewis also observed Christian crimes came about when religion was confused with politics.

We could take a lesson from Jesus and from Paul who both concentrated on the kingdom of God, rather than the pagan kingdom around them.

Do we use our time fulfilling the great commission, bringing grace to our fallen world, or do we still today insist on fighting bravely on moral fronts?

Yancy lists three conclusions about church/state relations.
1/ Dispensing God’s grace is the Christian’s main contribution to the world.
2/ Commitment to this grace does not mean Christians will live in perfect harmony with the government.
3/ A coziness between church and state is good for the state and bad for the church.

So lets get back to how Christians can dispense grace. Where the world despises and destroys a sinner, cuts aid to the poor and suffering, shames the social outcasts, seeks profit and self-fulfillment, demands retribution, splinters into factions; the church loves them, offers food and healing, proclaims God’s reconciling love, seeks sacrifice and service, dispenses grace and joins together in unity, love being the one thing that cuts across the political lines.

We can receive the love and grace from our holy God who loves each of us despite our defects. We can then see others as God sees them – through grace filled eyes.

Who Am I To Judge? (day96/365)

Philip Yancey challenges us in “Whats so Amazing About Grace” to consider our judgment of others when determining or categorizing sin.

He tells a story of his friend who admited to being gay, and the scandal it caused.

While in these days abortion and homosexuality rank high on the list of judged sin, you might realise that over the years, the list has changed. Not so long ago divorce and being alcoholic topped the list. Prior to that sexual sins (Victorian era); gluttony, envy, slothfulness before that. In the middle ages, charging interest was perceived to be the worst possible sin.

So why is it that we look at some sin and think it is acceptable and other sin and think it is not. What is the difference between hatred, materialism, murder, lust, divorce, stealing, adultery, dishonouring parents etc.

It is all wrong and the only answer for any of it is to repent. We can be a sinner who admits our sins or a sinner who denies our sins. Denial however blocks grace. We need to admit our need for grace. It is freely given. Christ accepts us as we are.

We cannot remain as we are however. Accepting grace changes our hearts forever. When we die to sin, how can we live in it any longer? Sin has the stench of death about it. Why would we want to continue living in it?

Grace Begets Grace (day95/365)

In “What’s So Amazing About Grace” by Philip Yancey, he quotes a statement made by Will Campbell when he was asked “In ten words or less, what’s the Christian message?”

The answer, “We’re all bastards but God loves us anyway.” Spiritually we are all illegitimate children, invited despite our paternity, to join God’s family.

For many of us, it was at our worst that we came face to face with God’s love. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. All of us! No matter what we have done, no matter where we have been. Jesus knows that we are oddballs, but he loves us anyway.

Jesus knows we are sinners, defective, unclean, sick, maimed, but he extends mercy to each of us. We are called then to extend that same grace to others.

When we understand that Jesus came for the sick, not the well, for the sinner, not the righteous, that he hated evil, but stood ready to forgive, that he was a lover of sinners; can we be convicted to do the same?

Is it true that we really only love God as much as we love the person we love the least?

Ungrace – What to do about it. (day94/365)

Philip Yancey explains in “What’s so Amazing About Grace?” how ungrace is what we have when there is a shortage of grace.

Ungrace is what causes cracks to fissure open in relationships between you and I, them and us. Left alone, cracks widen making ever increasing chasms of ungrace. The only remedy – the frail rope-bridge of forgiveness.

Yes, forgiveness is the unnatural act of blatant unfairness. It is undeserved and unmerited, but it is the only way to break the cycle of ungrace.

We need to learn to take the initiate to forgive others, to act in faith, to trust God to be a better justice-maker than we are. It is only then we can receive the forgiveness we desire, to live in the stream of grace we desire.

If we fail to forgive, we remain bound to the people we cannot forgive, held in their vise grip. Not to forgive, imprisons us in the past and locks out potential for change.

When we forgive, we are healed. We are released from the stranglehold of guilt. The blame cycle is broken. We start to see that person who hurt and alienated us, as a person who needs us, who belongs to us, a person weak in his needs.

Can we do as God himself does? and ….
Rediscover the humanity of the person who wronged us?
Surrender our right to get even?
Revise our feelings towards others?

Do we not destroy our enemies when we make them our friends?