Are You Wicked?

Before the end of this year, I had a very interesting conversation in one of my dreams. I was talking to 

someone, I don't remember who it was, or the person's name because it wasn't that important. But I do clearly remember the conversation as this was what i was supposed to remember.

We were talking about Christians and debt, and how according to the Bible we should approach it. "Well," I said,"  borrowing money in itself is not a sin, but not repaying it is as the Bible teaches us that it is the wicked who borrow and do not pay back."

"Then, the large portion of Christians in the Western church are wicked." The other person answered. I woke up the next morning thinking about this conversation and its implications. Personally, me and my husband were convicted many years ago to pay of all our debts, even the ones that have been "forgiven" us by the credit card companies, which we were not really required by the human law to do, but which we felt we had to do to obey the Lord.

I believe that this act restored blessing of God on our finances, which improved dramatically since then. We continue to live by this principle. Before we were always struggling, never having enough sometimes even for our needs, and unable to help those in real need. Now, not only we don't worry about our finances, but we are better able to help those who really need our help too, which is exactly what the verse displayed here says, that the righteous give. They give because they can give, because they do not suffer  constant lack like the wicked do.

Even apart from spiritual side of this principle, the common sense and logic shows why not paying your debts back is in fact wicked. The economy works well only when debts are being repaid because if too many people borrow and do not pay it back into the system, that system will eventually collapse, so not paying your debts back is in a way a form of stealing because it forces someone else to pay from the money they work hard for for your  financial recklessness.

Imagine how great it would feel, if you did not owe anyone anything, if you did not had credit card and other bills with interest eating away all your resources. It is possible. Take the debt you have with the highest interest and begin paying it back with the highest amount you can. Look at what you spend your money on that you really do not need to spend on and use it to pay your debt, until eventually it is all paid off. Remember that after you do that, the money you used to have to pay for your debts will be yours to keep, for your needs and for helping others in need.

In the next few years, it is likely the that interest rates on debts will rise, and borrowing will become more and more expensive. If you put your financial house in order now, you will not be affected by it later, but if you will not, you might lose everything you have that you did not  fully pay for. I believe that the Lord wants us to be blessed and be a blessing to others, and not suffer lack with the wicked.

The Looming Global Financial disaster:We Have Four Years To Set Financial House In Order

Normally, I write about different global events and issue warnings from biblical and prophetic

perspective. This warning, however, comes based simply on demographic facts and common sense.

For number of years now, my husband and I have had a conviction to set our financial house in order. We began to live not only within, but also way below our financial means. We also paid off all our debts and have been living debt free for the past four years. We have no mortgage or credit card debt and as a matter of fact, credit card company that we use is paying us for using their card, and we have no other types of loans, while our savings have been growing.

Due to the current housing bubble in our country, we decided not to buy a house at this time, and now we fully understand why. Last summer, we read a very interesting book about geopolitics where author, Peter Zeihan, mentioned a very simple demographic fact that will have a huge impact on global economy. This impact will be of such magnitude that there will not be a single person untouched by what is coming.

 According to Peter Zeihan, beginning in the year 2022, the largest portion of the biggest demographic boom in history is going to retire. They are called "the baby boomers."  They are the generation born shortly after the horrors of the Second World War. As they have gone through various stages of their lives, because of their sheer numbers, they have driven the global economy for decades. They are behind the latest and the longest economical boom in the world history. Most of that generation is residing in developed well to do countries and is very well off too. As they began nearing the retirement age, they started pouring trillions of dollars into world economy in the form of high interest retirement investments, thus creating a tsunami wave of money flooding the  economy, making cheap credit available for everyone, and keeping the normal economical busts mostly at bay.

But as majority of them retire between 2022 and 2026, and  not only stop contributing all these money, but begin withdrawing it, it will create a reverse effect.  This receding tsunami wave will begin to cause the collapse of that artificial  global financial bubble. Interest rates will begin to rise and financially ruin those who have unsustainably high levels of debts, so if you don't want to be one of those people, you must do anything possible to pay off your debts and stop living above your means. Life is about to get hard for those who did not prepare. There will be chaos.

 According to Statistics Canada,  as of 2017 only 19,663,000 were employed and thus paying taxes for healthcare and other services that the Canadian government provides for Canadians. That is roughly 54% of Canadians working and supporting the other 46% of Canadian population. As the boomers retire on mass over the next few years, there will be fewer Canadians working and paying taxes than those who do not because they are children, unemployed, retired, or on a disability. That means many of those government services that we take for granted today will be cut, and we will have to either pay for them from our own pockets or go without...

Most of the other developed countries face the same problem. Things will only get progressively more and more difficult. We will need a lot of wisdom to navigate those times.We need to use what we have now to prepare for that.

Why I Am Not Worried About Rising Interest Rates

On Wednesday, the Bank of Canada raised lending interest rates for the very first time in 7 years, and while there is a lot of concern about that among the financial experts and a lot of fear among those who have  high debt levels, people like myself are not worried at all right now because we do not have any debt.

We did what was right in that we learned how to live below our means, but we were continually being punished for it by low interest that was paid to us for our savings, and by high real estate prices.

So, the rising interest rates are bad news for people who are irresponsible and greedy, but very good news for those who are content. That is why truly contentment is a great gain in the long term.

But if you are the one who is in debt, don't panic. There is still time for you to bring your house in order, but that time gap is rapidly growing. The rise in interest rates was very small, but it will continue in the future. Being in debt is never good for you regardless of whether the credit is cheap or not. The borrower is always a slave to the lender. Don't be a slave.

The key to your freedom is contentment, because if you are content with what you have, you will not be greedy for more, and you will not be buying the things you don't need in order to impress the people you don't like. You will be free and you will not be wicked as only the wicked borrow and do not pay back. Cut down on your expenses now and pay your debts as soon as possible.

It feels truly great when you don't owe anything to anyone except love.  You are free from any financial anxiety.  And it is especially true if you are a Christian. You were bought at the great price to be free and not to be slave of people, especially of those who run the banks and you will be more free to give to causes that advance the kingdom of God instead of making the wicked system of this world that  is ruled by the devil rich. You cannot serve both God and mammon. Serve God. Pay your debts, give, and be blessed.

Author's Note: Image the courtesy of versaday.com