While the White House and the Senate posture about the government shutdown due to the Republican led Congress refusing to ignore their constituents concerns about the implementation of the Affordable Health Care Act, a much more ominous problem is just sixteen days away.
Approximately every ten seconds the U.S. Government adds $100,000.00 to its debt. On October 17th, 2013 the Federal Government will reach its seventeen trillion dollar debt limit. After that the Washington Post states that government will have approximately 30 billion dollars cash on hand. Since the government spends up to 60 billion every day, there is a possibility of a government shutdown that will make our current situation seem like a trivial matter. Forget new health care acts, the government on paper will go default on its ability to pay its debt.
While it is probable that the debt ceiling will be increased once again, there is a time coming when the bubble is going to burst and it is going to be a very big pop.
Click here to see a short video from the Washington Post that will give a brief summary of the upcoming debt limit.
As a Christian, how should we approach this coming crisis? The first is to remember the promise from Jesus Christ telling us not to worry. In Matthew 6:25-34 He states:
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, [will He] not much more [clothe] you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day [is] its own trouble. (NKJV)
What does a trillion dollars look like? Click here to find out. After you see this, remember we are at about 17 trillion dollars in debt!
As we look through history, we have seen government after government rise and ultimately fall under its own internal corruption. Kingdoms and governments that started righteous and upright, have crumbled within one generation of rule by the ambitious and selfish who follow after their hearts wickedness (Jeremiah 17:9) rather than God’s precepts. We also know that in the last days, there will be a global financial crises that will force people to choose between serving God or receiving the mark of the beast in order that they may buy, sell, or trade. It is tragic that many people will choose an eternity in hell in exchange for a temporal promise of food and security. (Rev 14:9-11)
If you ever find yourself one day in this situation, choose to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior! (John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10) Even if you face death or the death of a loved one, taking the mark of the beast is not worth your eternal soul. Read the rest of Matthew 6:1-24 to see how to find true eternal treasure that cannot be taken away or destroyed.
In conclusion, the Bible shows us that although the times we live in may be tough, through faith in God, Prayer, and daily Study of His Word the Bible, we can have peace in the storm.
The following article “Financial crisis – what’s a Christian to do?” from www.GotQuestions.org also gives some insight on how a Christian can navigate life in times of financial uncertainty:
We have all seen the headlines: multiple bank and business bailouts, rising home foreclosures, jobs lost and firms downsizing, 401ks and IRAs dropping in value, rising utility, grocery, and gasoline prices. What are Christians supposed to do when we’re hit by a national or personal financial crisis?
How we weather a financial storm depends mostly on our attitude about whom the money belongs to in the first place. Do we view our money as ours? Or do we view it as coming from and belonging to God? If we see our income as being from the Lord, it makes it much easier to navigate the turbulent waters of economic downturns and tough financial situations. Whether we lose or make money, it is all His and under His control, and that is a truly freeing concept.
The Lord created all of us with certain talents and gifts which we are to use to not only make a living, but to also help us live our lives in such a way as to bring glory and honor to Him (Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:20). So while we grow up, follow our individual career paths into adulthood, and begin our lives as contributing members of society, making money and accumulating possessions along the way, we are also to serve and worship the Lord with every fiber of our being. We cannot do that if we consider it all ours and not His.
We will always find ourselves serving what we treasure the most, whether it is wealth, power, fame, or the Lord. The Bible shows us that Jesus well knew the lure of money and possessions because during His earthly ministry He actually spoke more on the subject of finances than on heaven and hell combined. Luke 12:15-34 is an excellent passage on the attitude we should have toward our money and possessions and is well worth taking some time to prayerfully read and study.
Our sovereign God placed us on the earth at just this time in history, and these tough economic times come as no surprise to Him. Since He knows every single detail of our lives, down to the exact number of hairs we lost to our hairbrush this morning (Matthew 10:30; Luke 12:7), we can absolutely trust Him to help us through a time of financial crisis. Let us make sure we are living prudently to begin with, staying within our means and not accumulating too much debt, and every day prayerfully entrusting it all to the Lord. Then we can encourage each other with Paul’s words in Philippians 4:19, as he gives glory to God, trusting Him in every situation, “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/financial-crisis.html#ixzz2gXQHHWMk