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Simple Finances - Get out of Debt

Rick Overturf gave a sermon entitled “Simple Finances – Get out of Debt” in which he encouraged the church to gain a conviction about our use of God’s money and to get out of debt. Debt is the most common way that most of us get our families into financial bondage.

In an article entitled “Money Management for the Christian – A Bible Study to Financial Freedom”, the author points to statistics that indicate that nearly 75% of the problems in Christian homes are directly related to family finances. He further states that God gives every Christian the opportunity to walk in His freedom and blessing. In order to turn this opportunity into reality, we must make a choice to learn God’s principles and apply them to our lives. Through a changed attitude, we will begin to actually experience the wonderful blessings of God in every area of our lives. But where and how do we start? It is important for us to first realize that our problem is spiritual. We need to understand how God fits into our finances, or better yet, how God wants us to spend the money He has given us. Are we giving to God first? Are we wasting God’s money in interest payments? Are we squandering the blessings that God has bestowed upon us? Deut. 8:18, 1 Chron. 29:12, Eccl. 5:19, 1 Tim. 6:17-18 will help us get a perspective on where our wealth comes from and consequently how we ought to treat it.

We need a conviction to regain the freedom that God has blessed us with and a plan of action to guide us to freedom. The conviction will come through our study of the word of God and prayer. Below, we present a few web links that can help with the practical aspects of planning a way out and staying out of debt.

  1. Smart Buy: Provides advice on saving and debt management
  2. Suze Orman: Provides useful information on debt management and general financial discipline. The site also provides worksheets for budgeting and other financial planning
  3. Smart Money: Provides useful information on debt management and general financial discipline
  4. Clark Howard: Provides advice on various consumer issues. There is a discussion group and a message board that deals with various consumer issues. There is also a free advice hotline that can help you research financial problems. In the Triangle and Triad areas of North Carolina, Clark Howard can be heard on WPTF (Weekly from 9:00AM-12:00PM) and Talk FM 101.1 (Weekly from 1:00PM-4:00PM)
  5. Saving and Debt: Deals directly with advice on how to take control of your debts

As with any advice, please make sure it is in line with the convictions from your study of God’s word. As we work towards gaining our freedom from debt, let us consider these simple principles:

And yes, we will live without DEBT!

The Deacons of Finance