First...read this:
Dear friends, what is going on financially in America is MUCH bigger than a "cliff." The numbers in that linked article stagger the imagination. Truly.
I don't know what is going to happen financially as America tries to dig out of this mess, but I do have a bit of humble knowledge on how to help God's people prepare to be Kingdom savers and givers in the days ahead. It doesn't take a prophet to see that taxes will likely go up (on everyone) and entitlements need to be reformed over the next decade or so. This WILL mean less government services and benefits for future generations at some point. It has too mathmatically.
God's people must return to God's Word on handling money. The essence of the prophetic voice is "turn, repent, God back to God's Word!" That is what we must do with money. One of the "planks" of our strategy of Restoring the Prophetic Voice of the Church in America is:
Readying the Church through Stewardship
In addition, please read A Biblical Perspective on Wealth.
IMHO, here is the bottom line:
- We must get out of debt (Prov 22:7)
- We must see the multigenerational aspects of work (Deut 8:18; Prov 13:22), and think again of how to include family (Deut 6:1-12)
- We must save (Prov 21:20) without making idols of the savings (Matt 6:19-20)
- We must give (Prov 3:9-10; 2 Cor 9:6-7; 1 John 3:17)
- All of this takes contentment (1 Tim 6:8), realizing that "rich" isnt the goal (1 Tim 6:9), but being a blessing to family and others is the goal (1 Tim 6:17-29).
Christians, we must break the cycle of "stuff and more stuff" and get our financial houses in order. Now. :)
