Читать книгу Upside Living in A Downside Economy - Mike Slaughter - Страница 6

We have an incredible God who cares about the little details in our lives. One of the mistakes people often make is that they think God cares mostly about "later," as in eternity. But God also cares about the success of God's children in this life. The Greek word sozo, which we translate "salvation," means "wellness." God desires wellness in every area of our lives.

Not long ago I received my 401(k) statement in the mail. As a pastor, I am self-employed. So I have no pension apart from Social Security and what I can do in my 401(k), in which I have been investing since 1972. I was a little afraid to open the statement. All I can say is that what I saw was ugly. I realized that the statement was only through the end of September and did not even include what have been, to date, the worst months in the history of the stock market.

Perhaps you have had a similar experience in recent months. Our response to the current financial crisis tends to be reactive, coming out of the twin emotions of fear and worry. Yet we must remember that those emotions are not logical. No matter what industry does, there is only one thing that can create a downturn in the stock market, and that is fear and worry. Unfortunately, it seems there is plenty of that to go around these days.

The current financial crisis is impacting every age group.Twenty-five- to thirty-four-year-olds hold the second highest rate of bankruptcy. Baby-boomers, who are now fifty-six to sixty-five years old—years that should be a critical saving time—are continuing to live like Americans with a negative savings rate. Those of us who are in this age range continue to spend more than we earn. The average baby-boomer has over $40,000 in consumer debt, and that does not include a home mortgage.

Not only is this current crisis combining with poor money habits to create the toxic emotions of fear and worry, but it also is a source of incredible conflict in relationships. Studies show that more than half of all divorces are the result of financial tension.

Don't just believe what God says in the Bible; trust what God says, and then put it into practice!

My aim in this book is to help all of us live beyond these challenging circumstances and experience the abundant life for which God created us. I want to challenge followers of Christ to be a redemptive influence in the world through our own biblical priorities and practices, so that we could be a community offering hope in the lives of others during this turbulent economic time. In each chapter we will look at a passage from the Book of James, a book of practical, applicable faith for hard times. The New Testament churches to whom James wrote were dealing

with harsh economic conditions as well as severe persecution. James' teaching is applicable today in learning how to live above our situations as well.

I challenge you to make a commitment to action. Don't just believe what God says in the Bible; trust what God says, and then put it into practice! I am passionately convinced that you can live upside in a downside economy when you put your faith into action by practicing the timeless biblical principles addressed in this book.