By Matthew R. Legere

Within the Christian community, specifically among high school, college aged, and young married individuals, there are some areas of concern where Satan has sought to blind our eyes.  The enemy has sought to keep the church in financial bondage so that the members can’t be submissive to the Spirit’s leading.  If Satan can constrict a believer while (s)he is young, it will make it much harder to overcome it later.  Satan desires to keep him/her in financial bondage so that (s)he is unable to be responsive to the voice and the will of God. 

 

Financial Issues Infiltrating Christian Minds

Like all Americans, Christians are being increasingly affected and targeted by:

• Materialism - The dictionary defines materialism as “preoccupation with or emphasis on material objects, comforts, and considerations, with a disinterest in or rejection of spiritual, intellectual, or cultural values.”  This is a two-step process.  Not only is there an increased focus on the physical things of this world, but it also can eventually turn into a rejection of spiritual values or ideals.  When we focus more efforts on trendy clothes, the latest brand of musical instruments, CD’s, iPods, and where to go out to eat than on helping to further the gospel both internationally and domestically, there is a problem.  There is nothing intrinsically wrong with these aforementioned items - it’s a matter of priorities.  God doesn’t mind our having nice things, but He doesn’t want us to use credit card debt or lose spiritual values to get them.

• High Debt Levels – Everyone seems to be in a hurry to get a credit card.  Instead of making the conscious decision themselves, some people wait until Visa or MasterCard say they are ready to get one. 

 

Teens or 20somethings are also quick to commit to borrowing as much money as the banks will allow so that they can continue to identify themselves as someone who is in touch with the culture and as someone who has the latest and nicest of everything.  However, these decisions should be based on what resources that God has given to you instead of what worldly institutions claim.

 

• Lack of Independence (i.e. increased dependence on parents) - It’s not God’s desire for young adults in their late 20’s to still be living at home mooching off their parents due to their poor financial planning.  I understand that there may be certain situations that should be considered on a case-by-case basis, however, when a young person is in debt and/or has a lack of financial resources set aside, it increases the probability that they will not leave the nest (a.k.a. “the comfort zone”) as that would require them to account for their actions.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of those 18 to 34 that live with their parents has increased 48 percent since 1970. 

 

• “Take no thought for the future” - Many young people take the Scripture that speaks of “take no thought for your life, what you shall eat or drink” and twist those words into a loophole that excuses them from being responsible in the present world.  I’m not advocating that we hoard piles of money for personal consumption.  I am advocating that we live like Jesus is coming today and plan like He is coming tomorrow.  Let’s trust the Lord and not be weary or fearful about our future, but let’s also be good stewards of what God has given so that we can be responsible to what He wants to accomplish in this end-time revival.

 

• Misplaced Priorities - It seems almost humorous that many Apostolics will not give even a second thought to that irresistible question, “Do you want to go out to eat with us?”  They agree regardless of whether they can afford it or not.  They will spend liberally on things of the world.  If they don’t have the cash, they just charge it. 

 

However, when it comes time to give in the offering or give for a special need for foreign missions, they suddenly start to count the cost and say things like, “Sorry, I can’t afford it.”  (Maybe if we placed ATM machines or Credit Card Transaction Centers at the front of our altars, they would feel comfortable enough to give.)  Don’t use the offering time at your church as the proper time to take a bathroom break; give liberally to the Lord and step back and watch what the Lord will do.

 

• Peer / Societal Pressure - Another tool that Satan loves to use to keep us in bondage is peer pressure.  As Apostolics, we don’t want our society to dictate to us what we should do for entertainment, what we should drink, or how we should dress, but we are so willing to allow our society to dictate to us how we should spend our money.  Once you begin to get your expenses under control, there will inevitably be people who will not have the same mindset as you. You will find this out the first time that a group is going out to eat and you say, “No, thanks, I can’t afford it.”  You might get funky looks, you may get teased, and you will also get hit with enough “cheap” jokes to make you ready to ditch your new plan.  However, perseverance is the key.  When those same people are in their late 30s with four kids and are trying to stuff them into a 1981 Chevy Nova while you are experiencing the blessing of financial freedom and are doing the Lord’s will, it won’t seem like such a large sacrifice. 

 

Long-Term Thinking

These problems are not short-term problems, but rather they are long term.  People struggle for years and years to get out of debt.  Just think of the long-term impacts of not being able to respond to the will of God.  These issues can affect your future spouse, it can affect your future finances, it can affect your ability to send your children to Christian school, and it can affect souls. 

 

The reason that it is important to get this part of your life under subjection early is that your life has a way of moving fast!  If you get your life started out on the wrong foot it’s not easy to go back and fix it.  It can be done, but it makes it that much harder.  I know this from personal experience (this story will be told next week).

 

There are people that God wants to call to do certain things, but they are unable to do so due to too much debt or lack of funds.  God certainly can bless, but we must be good stewards of what He’s given to us.  How horrible it would be to get to heaven and find out that we could have accomplished so much more if we had trusted the Lord more and had been better stewards.

 

Closing Arguments, Your Honor

Most importantly, one day you will stand before the King of all Kings and the Lord of all Lords – Jesus Christ.  There will be no one else beside you, behind you, or in front of you.  It will be just you and Him.  He will look into your eyes and will want to see how you’ve handled the resources and talents that He has entrusted to you.  Can you look Him in the eyes and explain how that special vehicle was more important than the 100 souls that could have been reached if you had obeyed His voice and given that money to missions? (The very thought makes me squirm in my chair as I’m typing.)

 

It’s been said, “It’s not wrong to have nice things so long as those nice things don’t have you.”  So long as we do our part to be good stewards and keep our connection with God, He will lead us in all areas of our lives so that we can be our most fruitful for the Kingdom.

 

You may want to fly in the spirit (and that’s admirable), but allow God to help you build a proper foundation.  God doesn’t want us to be bound by anything (including debt) that affects our ability to be responsive to the voice and Spirit of God. 

 

Next Week: My Story, My Passion

 

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© 2006, Matthew R. Legere

 

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Matthew R. Legere, his wife Heidi, and his son Connor reside in Bristol, CT.   He is currently working full-time as a Senior Underwriter, attending online classes at Great Lakes University , and pursuing his local UPCI minister’s license.  He realizes that sleep will probably escape him until he reaches the Heavenly gates and that he’ll be told that there will be no sleeping there either.