Keepers of the Kingdom - Standing Strong in Today's Battle for Truth. July 14-18, from 9 - 11:45 AM at Niles Westside Adventist Church (1105 Grant St, Niles) for kids in Pre-K (age 4) - 6th grade. Please register early online at www.nileswestside.org. Email nileswestsidevbs@gmail.com or call 269-683-5998 with questions.
How to Survive the Coming Economic Crisis
He Is Risen–Breaking the Chains of Financial Bondage
Speaker
Dwight K. NelsonDwight Nelson served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University from 1983 to 2023. During his time at Pioneer he spoke on the “New Perceptions” telecast, taught at the theological seminary and has written books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.
Offering
More In This Series
"How to Survive the Coming Economic Crisis:
He Is Risen—Breaking the Chains of Financial Bondage"
www.newperceptions.tv
» The Story
• Luke 24:1-8
» The Stats
• At the end of last year million Americans had a credit card(s).
• The average credit-card debt per borrower is $—up about 7.5 percent from 2015.
• If you paid only the minimum payments on a $5000 credit card debt, you would be in debt for more than years and end up paying $ in interest based on national averages.
• According to a NerdWallet study, the average American household has more than $ in credit card debt.
• Millennials (18-34) carry around $ in debt (student loans, credit cards, mortgages).
• Total student debt now exceeds $ .
• Thus % of Americans live from paycheck to paycheck.
• More than have less than $1000 reserved for emergency purposes.
• According to USA Today some million Americans—or 16% of the adults—think they will miss at least one credit card due date in 2019.
• www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/02/27/student-loan-debt-4-things-keep-...) (www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2019/03/12/national-debt-ri...) (www.investopedia.com/investing/early-warning-signs-next-financial-crisis/)
» The Scripture
• "'The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of , be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'" (Luke 24:8)
• Isaiah 53:6—"And the LORD has laid on Him the of us all."
• 2 Corinthians 5:21—"God made Him who had no sin to be for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."
• He died a Debtor, so that we might live free.
• 2 Corinthians 8:9—"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was , yet for your sake He became , so that you through His poverty might become ."
» The Steps
• Jesus: "Seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33)
• #1—Perform what Dave Ramsey calls a " ."
• www.thriventcu.com offers this practical counsel: (1) Do not use debt (credit cards) to buy short-term consumer goods, such as clothing, entertainment or electronics; (2) avoid debt over items with a short life span and little resale value; and (3) avoid debt which comes with a very high interest rate.
• Dave Ramsey: "There is NO positive side to credit card use. You will spend more if you use credit cards instead of cash. If you 'have to' use plastic, I suggest a debit card. I use them for travel and the occasional convenience of ordering something over the Internet or phone. Other than that, I use ." (www.daveramsey.com)
• #2—Always pay more than the .
• #3—Pay off your credit cards beginning with the lowest in order to experience success as soon as possible.
• #4—Reduce the rate.
• #5—Beware of debt settlement companies.
• #6— to somebody.
• James Scurlock: "Maybe it’s because of what Dave Ramsey calls the intense that everybody feels about debt—the false certainty that everyone else has got it together. Or maybe it's what Bob, the Debtors Anonymous member I interviewed, told me: debt is simply not a socially acceptable topic; one can talk about one's sex life or even one's drug addiction as though it were fashionable, but owning up to one's financial troubles means being ostracized from the world of polite conversation." (Maxed Out 123)
• National Foundation for Credit Counseling (800-388-2227)
• #7—When you make God . . . He will make it .
• Malachi 3:10-12
Make God First
Michigan Advance Partners
Author Melvin Santos Speaking: For the longest time, in my early years, I quietly disagreed with this Bible passage in Acts 20, “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.’” (Acts 20:35, NKJV).
I wondered how people can say, “I receive a blessing when I give.” On the contrary, in my younger years, I always enjoyed receiving gifts. To pay for the gift and give it to someone wouldn’t bring me joy. That would cost me time and money.
When I fell in love, got married, and had children, I finally learned that when you’re in love, there is a greater joy in giving gifts to your wife and children. I would do anything for them because I love them.
Then I understood that this is the Spirit of Christ, who sacrificed all to share His love with us. When I participate in giving, or helping someone in need who cannot reciprocate the deed or pay me back, I’m sharing the love of Jesus. Now, that’s the heart of Jesus.
Just seeing the smiles on my family’s faces was enough for me to experience this passage, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Today, let’s share our gifts with a generous heart.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries