Debt No More! - Saturday July 9th, 2005 -- The Body Builders Forum

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Date Posted: 08:55:18 07/09/05 Sat
Author: JR Smith, c.f.t., s.p.n., s.f.t., c.b.c.
Subject: Debt No More! - Saturday July 9th, 2005

DEBT NO MORE

"The borrower is servant to the lender."

Proverbs 22:7 and Romans 13: 8-10

Debt in America is destroying our ability to do God's work.

Satan has a 2 fold plan to shut down the Gospel from going out and from the American church. And by the looks of things we are letting him do his job and win.

First, we have fallen into the obesity trap. Obesity is working hard to become the number 1 cause of death in the US. Approximately about 35% of all Americans are either overweight or obese.

Obesity causes sickness and immobility. If forces us to stop doing what we were called to do and focus on ourselves which is in direct opposition to what the Personal Great Commission is all about - OTHERS.

Obesity is a self inflicted wound in the battle of life, both physically and spiritually. And when we get sick, it does cause us to be selfish in order to get healthy. That takes us out of the spiritual battlefield in which we must march on everyday of our life to save others.

Debt is what I like to call "Financial Obesity". We are so loaded down with credit card and auto loan debt that our finances are sick and dying. Not only are we heavy and weighed down but we cannot give to the Lord's work which is another tool of Satan to stop spreading the Gospel.

Please understand this: Satan doesn't give a hoot about your personal salvation once you are saved but he certainly doesn't want you sharing it with others and he will do whatever he has to do to stop that. He doesn't want to lose his possessions which are all the lost souls.

You have been called on a mission: a Personal Great Commission Mission and this Mission is not Impossible.You have joined the army of God volunatrily and now it's time for your first mission: Boot Camp. You must be ready to go. You must be prepared in every way to do the work of the Lord.

So how do you go about breaking free and preparing for your PGC (personal great commission) if you are in the 2 fold bondage of Satan?

The solution is always easy: The Word of God. It' the follow through that can be rough.

Jesus said His yoke was easy and His burden light. (Matthew 11:28-31) How does the burden of debt feel on your right now? Is it about to kill you? Has it robbed you of your joy and rest? Doest it take you away from always seeking God first? Has it prevented you from going on a mission trip or sowing into the kingdom of God? What about obesity? It can do the exact same thing. Imagine if you are fighting both of these bondages? Are you?

That is what Satan wants: you in bondage.

Freedom from financial bondage is not going to be easy and it may take some time, but it should first and foremost be prayed about, then planned and execute much discipline and restraint in sticking it out and not spending money on useless things.

Here are some suggestions to steps to financial freedom. They are simple but God's Word is not about complications.

1. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.

2. Begin tithing. Ten percent of your income is best but give ten percent of what you can if it is only a dollar. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. As you begin to prosper a little more, increase your tithe.

3. Pray over your seed tithe and give it an assignment. Don't just give it to the church and say in your mind, "Well I did it...now what?" No, you should give that financial seed an assignment. God will know what to do with it. The farmer when he sows seed in the field, he doesn't sow beans and hopes to get corn. He sows the right seed to reap the right harvest. If you need financial increase in order to get out of debt, then declare your seed to be a financial harvest in order to be delivered out of debt. Remember, each seed reproduces after its own kind.

Look at what Malachi3:10 and Hebrews 11: 6 says about God blessing your tithe.

4. Partner with your pastor, church, minister or missionary that you trust and has a true vision from God then sow into that particular ministry. You have to partner with a ministry in order for God to bless your tithe. That is what Paul was speaking of in PHilippians 4: 14-19.

5. Be active in ministry in some capacity. Don't just sit back and do nothing. Even the farmer works his fields after sowing the seeds in order to keep the weeds from choking out the harvest.

6. Seek godly wisdom from someone such as a minister in Crown Financial Ministries. Don't ask or seek wisdom in any way from the world's way for anything you do. If there is a ministry available then go that way first. Seek first the kingdom of God....Remember?

Next: Obesity

You would be surprised at how much your LUST for food controls your spending habits. Let me ask you this. How many financial counseling or investment commercials do you see in comparission to fast food commercials?

Gaining control over obesity is going to require some real change in your life. You are going to have to develop discipline and recieve counseling. Then you are going to have to be a good steward with the rest. But God will give you the help through His Holy Spirit. Read what Acts 1:8 says, " YOU will recieve POWER when the Holy Spirit comes upon you......." The ability is there but you have to be willing to recieve it.

Here are some issues those who are obese are going experience and deal with:

1. Your taste buds are going to have to be reprogrammed and adjust to the taste of good, healthy and Godly foods.

2. You are going to have to face and defeat the spirit of lust and the lust from your own flesh.

3. You are going to have to develop discipline. A righteous man falls 7 times, but each time HE GETS BACK UP.

4. You will have to practice financial responsibility over your food spending.

5. Fight slothfulness. Begin to move and exercise. Don't just sit there...DO SOMETHING.

6. Be accountable with others about your problem. Don't hide it. Satan loves secrets.

7. Keep this before God at all times. Lay it on your own personal altar at home in your prayer time. Pray over your food purchases, pray without ceasing!

So what steps do you take to physical freedom from obesity? Some are similar to the financial freedom.

1. Again, seek first the kingdom of God

2. Declare a fast for yourself. You don't need the preacher to do this for you. Let God show you for how long it should last. Ge the book, The Meal that Heals, from pastor Perry Stone.

3. Seek out a professionaly certified trainer and nutritionst that is serving the Lord with their talents. Let them help you. Make the investment in this. You certainly wouldn't go to a high school biology student for medical help would you? Then why go to someone that has no idea about how to help you exercise and eat right?

4. Don't try chaning everything in one day, one week, one month or even one year. Let God work with you."He who started a good work in your will complete it."

5. Stay away from ALL commercial diet plans and diet pills. Focus on eating according to the will of God. Read the Maker's Diet. It will really open your eyes.

6. Exercise - GET MOVING

7. Be and stay accountable to your pastor, support group, trainer, nutrition coach and to God.

8. Sow a special "Fat Free" seed into your church or whatever ministry you feel the Lord leading you to and ask God to bless that seed and bring the one hundred fold harvest to you. Hebrews 11:6 says that God will reward anyone who is seeking Him. You are honoring God with your body and seeking Him to help you bring it under control.

Don't rush into this seed giving emotionally. Use wisdom. Get a professional to give you a bodyfat assessment. Then if you need to lose say, 25 lbs, then you could give a $25 fat free seed offering to your church or ministry and declare before God "This is my fat free seed offering - Obesity NO MORE in the name of Jesus."

Allow God to lead you in this matter as what I'm giving you are simply suggestions to keep you accountable before God. God cannot be bought so the seed is not a bribe,but only an offering of your sacrifice .

The important thing to remember is that debt is bondage and bondgage will eventually destroy anyone in it.

Jesus said, " I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly."

We must live the abundant life in order to share the Gospel and abundant life with those who are lost and dying. The world has offerd its own solutions and so far, matters have only gotten worse.

Why don't we try it God's way now?

I pray this message will bless you and if necessary bring strength and encouragement in the midst of any bondage you may be facing today.

Christ is the only way out of any bondage since it was He who set the captive free. Trust Him for everything.

If there is anything I can do to help you in anyway, please don't hesitate to contact me either by email or by cell phone.

May God bless all the works of your hands this week. And remember, give someone someting to eat, a drink of water, visit them in jail, clothe them, fix someone's leaking roof, help someone who is in sexual bondage or drugs. Sit next to someone in church that looks out of place and bless them. Be Christ to someone this week!

I love you all in Christ. Continue to pray for me as I pray for you all.

Have a grea week.

JR Smith,

PowerLife Ministries

Hebrews 12:12 / Galatians 6:9

606-271-0981

purposeandpower@hotmail.com

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