When I graduated from college and received my first paycheck, I felt rich! I had been living in poverty for so long I decided to celebrate! So I bought and heavily financed a brand new Monte Carlo. Six months later I sold my beloved car at a deep loss due to the consequences of too much debt. I was devastated! ...
While in banking, I inherited a past due loan. Foreclosure on this cattle operation seemed likely so a credit analyst and I went to inspect our customer’s livestock. Our customer drove us into a small fenced area where most of his cattle resided. My credit analyst counted thirty cows in this one pen. I also counted thirty. When the rancher ...
A struggling business owner once called me to ask if bankruptcy is a sin. He had been talking with a bankruptcy attorney due to his company’s debt load, and his biggest concern was his desire to please God. Bankruptcy is a legal maneuver that sometimes cannot be prevented, especially if multiple creditors force someone into involuntary bankruptcy. Therefore, bankruptcy is ...
Over 20 years ago, when Kathy and I first committed to become debt-free we started by eliminating our automobile debt. The real test came, however, when Kathy’s car was involved in an accident and we had no cash reserves! We had to decide if we were going to trust God, and honor our commitment, or borrow money. It was scary, ...
When I was in banking, Jim wanted a loan to buy a business. The business was risky and Jim lacked enough collateral for the loan. To protect the bank I requested his home as additional collateral. Jim was ready to sign over his home that instant, but his wife needed to agree as well. She quickly squelched the loan when ...
You have to admire Christopher Columbus’ adventurous spirit. He persistently pursued his dream of sailing to what he believed was the West Indies. Although he set sail with faulty assumptions of the circumference of the earth, it still took a great deal of courage to set out on a journey no one had yet traveled. According to Brainyquote.com Columbus wrote, ...
This week we’re discussing God’s view on civil disobedience. In general, God demands that we obey the law, but there are exceptions. In Daniel 1, Daniel has been required to eat food likely sacrificed to the king’s idols. Rather than refuse directly and suffer the consequences, Daniel wisely developed a win/win strategy, without violating his conscience. In verse 12 Daniel ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
