¤ [Theme Music - ¤ ¤
 Bold and Dramatic] ¤
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It has stood the test of time.
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God4s book, the Bible.
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Still relevant in
today4s complex world ......
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It Is Written,
sharing hope around the globe.
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Thanks for joining me
today. If there4s one subject
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the Bible speaks
about more than any other,
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what do you think it
is? Alright. I'll tell you.
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The Bible speaks about money,
about finances more than it does
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about any other single subject,
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which ought to suggest to us
that the subject of finance and
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money and money
management is important
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and is important
in the sight of God.
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Today I am in Eastern Tennessee
and my guest is Ed Reid,
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who has written the
book about money management.
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Ed, thanks for joining me today.
ER: Well, it's a pleasure to be
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with you, John. JB:
Let's start by asking you
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why you think there's not a lot
of time left for planet earth.
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Why are these the last days?
ER: Well the Bible gives two
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ways for us to know.
The first one is the great
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prophetic timeline and we
see the time is running out
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and then the other one
are signs that Jesus gave us
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that we would see
near the end and they're in
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abundance today. JB: Such as?
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ER: Well,
earthquakes, for example.
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Matthew, Mark, Luke and John,
especially Matthew, Mark and
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Luke talk about the
synoptic gospels, earthquakes in
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different places near the end
as an indication of end-time.
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JB: Okay, now, Devil's
advocate. There have always been
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earthquakes. They had them back
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in Bible times. Why
should we be concerned
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when another
earthquake strikes today?
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ER: Five of the largest
earthquakes ever to occur on the
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earth have happened
in the last 50 years,
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over a 6 thousand year history.
JB: Jesus in Matthew 24 said
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these signs would be
like birth pains, didn't he?
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ER: Yes. JB: Which
indicates that they
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would become more
frequent and more intense.
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ER: Indeed. JB: You think
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we are seeing
that? ER: I do, indeed.
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Yes. JB: Okay, alright.
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Now if true that
we are getting close
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to the end of
time. I believe that.
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I believe that and many,
many people watching today are
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totally convinced of that.
The Bible talks an awful lot
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about money and finance.
Clearly a very important
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subject, and very important God.
It's important to all of us.
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If we don't
have it, life becomes
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a difficult proposition.
How, then, should people of
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faith who are convinced that
Jesus is returning some time
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soon, and I know that
word soon is a relative word,
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how should people be approaching
their finances keeping in mind
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the end might be near. ER:
Well I think the first thing
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to do is to put
God first in your life.
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I could give you a long
time recitation of things to do,
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you know,
budgeting, and all that.
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But I think - the Book of
Proverbs, the third chapter,
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talks about honor the Lord with
your possessions and with the
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first part of all your increase
and your barns will be filled
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with plenty and your
vats with new wine and so on.
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Those are written to farmer
people but they apply to us
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in the same way. And
it says "don't be wise in
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your own eyes. Fear
the Lord and depart from
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evil" and so on, so I
think putting God first.
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JB: Okay now, let
me ask you a question.
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Right there in
Proverbs 3, Honor the Lord
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with your substance. ER: Yes.
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JB: What does that mean?
ER: Well, I use the New King
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James version, and it
says "your possessions",
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"your stuff", we would say.
Honor the Lord with your stuff.
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And this means,
well,@ you mentioned that
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the Bible talks more about money
than about any other subject
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- any other single subject
- and more than two thousand
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verses talk about it.
Somebody asked me, well,
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what is your favorite one?
Well, it's not even a money one,
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but Genesis 1:1 says "In
the beginning, God created
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the heavens and the earth."
So if God is the Creator,
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I'm a creature. If
he's the Creator He's the
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Owner, I'm just a manager.
So the way I manage God's money@
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is a very, very
important situation.
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I believe that we
are saved by faith alone.
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The great Protestant tradition.
But the fact is we're not saved
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by our money management but
we can manage away from God.
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Do you get what
I'm saying by that?
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We could move
away in our management.
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JB: Certainly. ER:
Thinking in terms of
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selfishness and so on. In
fact, one of the signs of the
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end is in 2 Timothy, the third
chapter, where it says "in the
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last days perilous times will
come and men will be lovers of
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themselves [they're
selfish] and lovers of money".
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That's an amazing one.
And then also, the 5th chapter
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of James, in the first five
verses says "The rich will heap
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up treasures for the last days.
It's all going to get burned up.
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That's the amazing thing.
But the interesting thing is
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they are doing it. Let
me give you an illustration
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of last day stuff. JB: Sure.
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ER: If I am a professional
person with advanced degrees and
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I could earn about a
hundred thousand a year,
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in my entire lifetime
- and this is amazing -
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of 40 years of
working, I will make
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four million dollars.
Recently, even during the
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economic downturn, some of the
Wall Street bankers got bonuses
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of 40 million dollars
which is 10 times more than
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a professional person will
make in his entire lifetime
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of hard work. Now
this is incredible.
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Do you understand? The
rich are saving up for the
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last days. JB: Sure
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ER: There could not be
a better example of that,
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in my opinion. JB: So
now, we're talking are
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honoring the Lord with our
substance, with our possessions,
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our stuff. ER: Yes.
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JB: Planning for the
last days of earth's history.
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Now, I don't expect that
you are going to be an extremist
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on this. I don't
think you're going to be
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a radical on this.
How do we go about that?
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What should we be thinking?
ER: The very first thing I am
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telling people now is ...
people say, well, is it time to
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get back into the market?
Should we start investing again?
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And I tell people, if you have
any debts at all, investing in
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your own debt is the
best thing you can do.
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Guaranteed returns, better
interest rate that you can get,
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even if your money is in there.
Better than the stock market
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where you could lose it -- many
people have, as you may know.
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And the amazing thing about it
is that people, even on credit
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card debt, the average year
now, 915 billion dollars a month
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is not paid off on credit cards
that are carried over from month
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to month. Minimum
10% and probably many of
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those up to 27%. People
are paying on those kinds
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of balances and not
paying off those credit cards.
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So I would say, after putting
God first in your life, which is
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managing from God's perspective,
and that would include the tithe
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and so on, but then the
very best thing you can do -
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practical management - do your
very best to get out of debt.
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JB: Okay. You
mentioned credit card debt.
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What other debts
are people carrying?
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ER: Well, I'll just give
you, for example, automobiles.
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Almost everybody who is making
time payments on a car actually
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owes more on it than
it's worth. So I'm suggesting,
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and I practice this myself,
to drive your car at least
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10 years and then you get
twice its value out of it.
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Take care of it. Manage it.
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You know, instead of
having to have a new one.
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Many new cars are sold on looks,
as you know, somebody on TV
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you see them driving down the
neighborhood and everybody runs
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up to the porch to
see somebody's new car.
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It doesn't tell you what kind
of mileage it gets, how long it
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will last, or
anything. It's just well,
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we need a new car. The
bottom line is take care of
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your car and drive it a long
time then you're not upside down
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on the mortgage. JB:
Now, now you're suggesting
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now, you're suggesting ...
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I want that new car, man ...
You know, you're suggesting that
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I might need to take a look at
how I'm ordering my priorities
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and and and and
yeah, I might want that.
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I really want that new car,
Ed. ER: You told me not to be
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radical but I am going
to be radical in one thing.
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In an ideal world, people
would pay cash for their cars.
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So, once you get your car
paid off if you save up the
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equivalent of the car
payment until you have enough
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to pay cash - by the
way, if you pay cash,
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you are really going to
think twice about "do I really
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want to spend $30,000
of my money on this car?
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Do you see what
I'm saying? JB: Yeah.
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Whereas if you're putting down
a down payment and paying it off
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over 10 years, it doesn't seem
quite so painful when the actual
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fact is it's way more payments.
ER: Yes, it's might be 50% more
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by doing that
over time. JB: Okay.
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We looked at a
couple of things right now.
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One of them -
getting out of debt.
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Looking after yourself by
paying down your debt and being
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free from debt.
We talked about cars.
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I'm sure we are going to talk
about more things in a moment.
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Money management, stewardship as
the approach of Jesus is near.
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Thanks for joining
me today. Don't go away.
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I'll be back in just a moment.
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¤ [Gentle
Music] ¤ In Matthew 4:4
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the Word of God
says "It is written
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'Man shall not live
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every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God'."
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Thanks for being with me today.
I am joined today by Ed Reid
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who has literally
written the book on
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money management
and on Bible prophecy.
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And today we are looking at how
a person should plan financially
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keeping in mind that
Jesus' return is near.
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JB:A moment ago, Ed, we were
talking about how important it
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is that a person should
want to get out of debt.
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We looked at what some
of those debts might be.
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You mentioned
clearing car payments.
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ER: Credit cards. JB:
What are some other....
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and credit cards, thanks.
What are some other areas that
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people typically carry debt on
that they might and perhaps even
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relatively easily, clear
those debts and get out of debt?
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ER: Well, a lot of people don't
think about this but I actually
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encourage people to prepay
the principal on their home
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mortgage. Houses
cost so much today
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because there is credit
available so we almost always
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have to get a loan. Very
few people have the cash to
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do it so I encourage people to
get an amortization schedule and
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prepay principle, like when
you make a regular payment make
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another payment's principal, if
you can, each month if you can,
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and pay your house
off in half the time.
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JB: Okay. Explain
that a little more
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slowly. ER: Alright.
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If you have an amortization
schedule, it has like 5 columns
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in it and one of them is
the number of the payment like
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1-360, and then it's how
much the payment itself is,
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how much goes to
the bank for interest,
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how much of that is principle
and what your balance is.
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And every time you make one
regular payment, which you have
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to do every month, add next
month's principal payment, which
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is a much smaller
sum (for some people
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it will be like $150).
When you do that, you've paid
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two payments in one and the
next time the third payment.
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So you can pay it
off in half the time.
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That's incredible.
I've done that two times
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in my life. JB: So
you can pay it off in
00:10:26.65\00:10:28.36
half the time without
paying twice as much money.
00:10:28.36\00:10:30.26
ER: Oh yes. That's incredible.
00:10:30.26\00:10:32.26
It's amazing,
really. You save thousands,
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literally thousands. JB:
Okay, someone is writing a
00:10:34.63\00:10:37.93
note furiously to themselves.
They are trying to remember
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what you said. Let's
make it easy for people.
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If someone wants to review
this, that information you gave,
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how can they find that
information real quick?
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ER: Well you can just look
at an amortization schedule.
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You can find the amortization
schedule for your loan on-line,
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for example, print it off
and then you can easily see what
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I've just said. JB:
Are banks happy when
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people choose to do
this? ER: I don't think so.
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JB: But that's not
really the point here, is it?
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ER: No. As long as there is no
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prepayment penalty and most
loans today don't have one and
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you can do that very easily.
JB: Okay, talking about getting
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out of debt, because I don't
think that it would be wise to
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be carrying a whole bunch of
debt into troublesome times that
00:11:07.76\00:11:11.03
are coming. ER: Yes.
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JB: How is a person
supposed to get out of debt ...
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if, say they are
wanting to buy a house.
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Like you said, not everybody
can go and pay cash for a house.
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You pretty well have got to
borrow money to buy a house.
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What is the right approach?
ER: I would suggest a couple of
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things. One of
them is to make sure you
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put 20% down so you don't
have private mortgage insurance
00:11:27.78\00:11:30.15
to pay. That is
something that just
00:11:30.15\00:11:31.82
guarantees your
loan to the bank.
00:11:31.82\00:11:34.66
It does not
benefit you in any way.
00:11:34.66\00:11:36.26
So have a 20%
down payment minimum.
00:11:36.26\00:11:39.26
In addition to that,
every time you prepay a payment,
00:11:39.26\00:11:42.83
it builds your own net worth.
If the economy were to tank
00:11:42.83\00:11:46.03
really bad, most people that
don't prepay are upside down on
00:11:46.03\00:11:49.60
their mortgage, which means they
owe more on it than it's worth.
00:11:49.60\00:11:52.07
But if you have prepaid, that
should not be a bother to you.
00:11:52.07\00:11:54.58
So, it's better to
do that in my opinion.
00:11:54.58\00:11:56.91
And I will just tell
you that right now, today,
00:11:56.91\00:12:01.28
aside from end-times,
we are having 10 thousand
00:12:01.28\00:12:04.29
Americans retire every day
of the week, starting this year,
00:12:04.29\00:12:08.89
and this will last
for 10 years in a row.
00:12:08.89\00:12:11.49
This is the baby
boomer generation.
00:12:11.49\00:12:13.50
And people know they are ready
to retire when they have their
00:12:13.50\00:12:15.96
debts paid off, including their
home mortgage, when they have a
00:12:15.96\00:12:18.77
reasonable income stream,
and they have health insurance.
00:12:18.77\00:12:22.00
So, just to prepare for end
times would be the same thing,
00:12:22.00\00:12:26.07
in my opinion. Try to
be debt-free so that no
00:12:26.07\00:12:28.44
matter what comes in
the future, it does not
00:12:28.44\00:12:30.11
adversely affect you. JB: Okay.
00:12:30.11\00:12:33.38
Give me some more.
What are the principles
00:12:33.38\00:12:35.28
of money management,
wise financial planning
00:12:35.28\00:12:37.59
stewardship? Should
people be entertaining
00:12:37.59\00:12:40.12
when they are thinking
Jesus is coming back soon?
00:12:40.12\00:12:41.76
Because I've heard people
say "The Lord is coming back
00:12:41.76\00:12:44.23
and it doesn't
matter. Let's rack up debt.
00:12:44.23\00:12:46.06
Let's do - just go nuts because
the Lord is coming back and we
00:12:46.06\00:12:49.20
don't have to worry
about it. That's irresponsible.
00:12:49.20\00:12:51.17
ER: I've heard that as well.
But I really believe that the
00:12:51.17\00:12:53.54
Bible says in Psalms
37:21 "The wicked borrow
00:12:53.54\00:12:57.34
and do not repay."
00:12:57.34\00:12:58.61
It is not a Christian
perspective to rack up debts
00:12:58.77\00:13:01.01
and walk off from them.
In addition to that, before
00:13:01.01\00:13:03.65
God's people are taken to
heaven, we are going to have a
00:13:03.65\00:13:06.01
time of trouble such as never
was since there was a nation and
00:13:06.01\00:13:08.85
the people that are
in debt are going to have
00:13:08.85\00:13:10.39
the worst time of it.
Essentially, losing everything.
00:13:10.39\00:13:12.95
So I think we need to have
a focus away from this earth
00:13:12.95\00:13:15.42
and toward our Kingdom. I
would suggest very sincerely
00:13:15.42\00:13:19.46
that the more we can we should
support ministries like It Is
00:13:19.46\00:13:22.46
Written and others with any
available cash, it's not going
00:13:22.46\00:13:26.23
to be good in sometime in the
future and all the stuff we have
00:13:26.23\00:13:29.14
is going to get
burned up some day.
00:13:29.14\00:13:31.14
JB: It's true, isn't it?
Now we have an opportunity to do
00:13:31.14\00:13:34.14
something with our funds that
one day we are simply not going
00:13:34.14\00:13:36.34
to be able to use. ER: Yes.
00:13:36.34\00:13:37.85
Think of all the money that
was lost in the downturn in the
00:13:37.85\00:13:39.75
economic markets
from 2008 and 2009.
00:13:39.75\00:13:42.92
If that money
alone that people lost
00:13:42.92\00:13:44.69
had been put into ministries,
we would have more money
00:13:44.69\00:13:46.76
than we knew what to do with.
00:13:46.76\00:13:48.06
We are talking millions, even
billions of dollars lost in the
00:13:48.06\00:13:50.89
portfolios of many Americans.
00:13:50.89\00:13:53.16
JB: Okay. Financial stewardship.
00:13:53.66\00:13:55.03
Looking toward to
the return of Jesus.
00:13:55.03\00:13:57.47
Take us a step
further with this.
00:13:57.47\00:13:58.77
ER: Well, another thing that
I would say is right now we have
00:13:58.77\00:14:01.14
very high unemployment. We
need to be employed so that
00:14:01.14\00:14:04.17
we can help support our
families and do the work of God.
00:14:04.17\00:14:07.68
So I would suggest do
all you can to stay employed.
00:14:07.68\00:14:12.11
In other words,
be a diligent worker.
00:14:12.11\00:14:14.22
And it's interesting.
Proverbs 22 talks about
00:14:14.22\00:14:18.22
"Show me a man who
is diligent in his work
00:14:18.22\00:14:20.62
and he will stand
before kings, not mere men."
00:14:20.62\00:14:22.82
Be the best employee that
you can be - that's important.
00:14:22.82\00:14:25.93
And if you don't have a
job, I would suggest that
00:14:25.93\00:14:28.60
you take any job that
you can that does not violate
00:14:28.60\00:14:31.57
your conscience. You
would not want to be a
00:14:31.57\00:14:33.90
"go-go dancer" or a bartender
or something, but most any job
00:14:33.90\00:14:36.74
would be of value to you
if you didn't have a job.
00:14:36.74\00:14:40.08
JB: It is important, isn't it,
that people put themselves in a
00:14:40.08\00:14:41.71
position - and I say this kindly
because I know some people
00:14:41.71\00:14:44.35
are out of work and
would do anything they could
00:14:44.35\00:14:46.11
to change that. It's
important to make yourself
00:14:46.11\00:14:49.42
as employable as
possible. ER: Oh yes.
00:14:49.42\00:14:52.02
JB: What are some simple things,
just very simple things somebody
00:14:52.02\00:14:53.82
can do to enhance
their employability?
00:14:53.82\00:14:56.46
ER: Well, you can find out, for
example, what kind of jobs are
00:14:56.46\00:14:58.66
available now. For
example, health care
00:14:58.66\00:15:01.96
in the economy right
now, go to a hospital
00:15:01.96\00:15:03.83
parking lot and you can
hardly find a place to park.
00:15:03.83\00:15:05.87
Very few healthcare
workers have lost their jobs.
00:15:05.87\00:15:08.30
There is not very much
unemployment in that area.
00:15:08.30\00:15:10.84
Train yourself for
some level of health care.
00:15:10.84\00:15:12.87
You know, nursing,
inhalation therapy,
00:15:12.87\00:15:14.48
whatever it might
be, lab tech, whatever.
00:15:14.48\00:15:16.85
Those are things
that are important.
00:15:16.85\00:15:18.41
Computers are still important.
Everybody gets their stuff on
00:15:18.41\00:15:20.85
their cell phones and
their computers and so on.
00:15:20.85\00:15:23.28
Computer guys are
staying busy and they are making
00:15:23.28\00:15:24.92
good incomes, much
more than preachers,
00:15:24.92\00:15:26.86
as you may know. JB: Yeah, yeah.
00:15:26.86\00:15:29.26
Moving right
along, what other advice
00:15:29.26\00:15:31.99
can we give people that are
thinking about the end of time
00:15:31.99\00:15:34.20
and wondering what to do,
how to manage their finances
00:15:34.20\00:15:36.46
wisely. ER: I would say,
00:15:36.46\00:15:38.00
live within your
means. Make a budget.
00:15:38.00\00:15:40.77
This is kind of like
going on a diet and most people,
00:15:40.77\00:15:42.77
they don't' want to do
that. Make a simple budget.
00:15:42.77\00:15:44.87
Here's what my income
is. Here's what my expenses
00:15:44.87\00:15:46.98
are each month.
Live within your means.
00:15:46.98\00:15:48.98
Let me give you a
simple illustration.
00:15:48.98\00:15:51.05
Because of the bombardment
of advertising today,
00:15:51.05\00:15:54.18
most people think
they need more stuff
00:15:54.18\00:15:56.79
but most of us can get
along just fine with the stuff
00:15:56.79\00:15:58.55
we already have. In
fact, I ask people, how many
00:15:58.55\00:16:01.09
of you think you have stuff you
will never use as long as you
00:16:01.09\00:16:02.89
live? And most people raises
00:16:02.89\00:16:04.13
their hand. Have a yard sale.
00:16:04.13\00:16:05.56
Sell off stuff. Put
that money on your debts and
00:16:05.56\00:16:07.73
so on. But if you
don't think that you
00:16:07.73\00:16:09.60
can live within your
means or too poor to save,
00:16:09.60\00:16:12.70
visit a third world country
like Haiti or Central India,
00:16:12.70\00:16:16.71
or some of those
places, and you will realize
00:16:16.71\00:16:18.81
that you are very
rich. If you have a car,
00:16:18.81\00:16:21.98
in any condition, you
are in the top 5% of people
00:16:21.98\00:16:24.95
in the whole world. So,
let's just learn to live
00:16:24.95\00:16:27.15
within our means and that is
going to be a very helpful thing
00:16:27.15\00:16:29.38
near the end-time.
You can't afford to get
00:16:29.38\00:16:31.45
further in debt. This
is kind of a tail onto the
00:16:31.45\00:16:34.06
one of getting out of
debt, but certainly don't go
00:16:34.06\00:16:35.86
further in debt.
JB: A simple idea.
00:16:35.86\00:16:38.26
Live within your means.
Yet, so many people find it
00:16:38.26\00:16:40.96
very, very difficult to do
that. We are talking today about
00:16:40.96\00:16:44.20
financial management,
stewardship, money management,
00:16:44.20\00:16:47.67
keeping in mind that
Jesus is coming back soon.
00:16:47.67\00:16:51.04
I'll have more with
Ed Reid in just a moment.
00:16:51.04\00:16:53.58
¤ [Thoughful Melody] ¤ It
is written is dedicated to
00:16:53.88\00:16:56.41
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00:16:56.41\00:16:58.71
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00:17:11.13\00:17:14.30
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00:17:14.30\00:17:17.03
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00:17:17.03\00:17:21.50
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Visit our website
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00:17:27.74\00:17:32.61
JB: Thanks for joining
me today on It Is Written.
00:17:34.65\00:17:36.62
My guest today is Ed
Reid, an accomplished speaker
00:17:36.62\00:17:39.15
and author and - you
may not want me using
00:17:39.15\00:17:42.29
this word, Ed, but an
"expert" in the fields of
00:17:42.29\00:17:45.76
financial
management and Bible prophecy.
00:17:45.76\00:17:47.60
We are talking today about
how believers in Jesus should
00:17:47.60\00:17:50.70
approach finances keeping in
mind that Jesus is returning -
00:17:50.70\00:17:54.40
we believe - soon!
Now, the last thing we spoke
00:17:54.40\00:17:57.17
about you know, really, this
is the sort of thing we can talk
00:17:57.17\00:17:59.71
about all day, how important it
is for a person to live within
00:17:59.71\00:18:02.74
their means. ER: Yes.
00:18:02.74\00:18:04.55
JB: If you have
$10 don't spend $11.
00:18:04.55\00:18:07.08
Which means that if I have an
income of X and I want to buy an
00:18:07.08\00:18:10.25
automobile that really belongs
to someone who has an income of
00:18:10.25\00:18:16.52
Y or X times 3, I
might want to scale back
00:18:16.52\00:18:19.49
my expectations a
little bit, right?
00:18:19.49\00:18:21.00
ER: I think so. Yes.
00:18:21.00\00:18:22.43
And let me just suggest also
that it is a good idea to have a
00:18:22.43\00:18:25.53
little savings, even if
you have a smaller income
00:18:25.53\00:18:27.77
than you would like,
I would suggest saving
00:18:27.77\00:18:30.21
something out of every paycheck
and this not for retirement.
00:18:30.21\00:18:33.91
What I am talking
about here is doing something
00:18:33.91\00:18:36.54
for emergency's sake.' JB: Okay.
00:18:36.54\00:18:38.21
Now someone, she is sitting
here watching our program.
00:18:38.21\00:18:40.82
She is at home raising
her two and a half kids,
00:18:40.82\00:18:44.25
and dad has a job,
it's not a high paying job
00:18:44.25\00:18:47.46
and she's saying
"this guy is saying save?
00:18:47.46\00:18:49.39
I can't even get the
groceries paid for each week".
00:18:49.39\00:18:52.19
ER: I would budget savings just
like groceries or utilities.
00:18:52.19\00:18:55.83
It could be a small amount, like
$50 every paycheck or something.
00:18:55.83\00:18:59.47
But when you can build that
up, many financial counselors
00:18:59.47\00:19:02.90
suggest having at least a $1,000
for emergency and try to have ..
00:19:02.90\00:19:06.41
the general savings is three
to six months equivalent of
00:19:06.41\00:19:10.85
living expenses in an
emergency savings fund
00:19:10.85\00:19:13.75
that you can draw upon
should you have transmission
00:19:13.75\00:19:16.48
problems with your car,
your refrigerator goes out,
00:19:16.48\00:19:18.29
you have a health
emergency that your insurance
00:19:18.29\00:19:20.62
doesn't cover. JB:
This isn't for a trip to
00:19:20.62\00:19:22.69
Disneyland? ER: No, no, no.
00:19:22.69\00:19:24.26
And the real interesting
thing I would tell you is,
00:19:24.26\00:19:26.56
even eating out is
kind of incredible.
00:19:26.56\00:19:30.30
I would suggest that if you
eat out once a day, it doubles
00:19:30.30\00:19:33.37
your family's food
budget for the month.
00:19:33.37\00:19:35.97
So eating out should be a
special occasion, you know,
00:19:35.97\00:19:38.51
for a special thing,
birthdays, anniversaries,
00:19:38.51\00:19:40.58
that kind of thing. And
the most amazing thing to
00:19:40.58\00:19:43.31
show you that
Americans need that, go to any
00:19:43.31\00:19:46.21
well-known restaurant and
you have to wait to get in,
00:19:46.21\00:19:50.12
even though there is a
downturn in the economy,
00:19:50.12\00:19:51.65
people are still eating
out. JB: I have wondered.
00:19:51.65\00:19:53.32
I have marveled, as a
matter of fact, many times that
00:19:53.32\00:19:55.12
the economy is
apparently in such bad shape
00:19:55.12\00:19:56.93
that the restaurants are full.
ER: Yes, isn't that incredible?
00:19:56.93\00:19:59.13
JB: Yes. That's not
something you have to
00:19:59.13\00:20:00.36
do-eat out. But it
is something you could,
00:20:00.36\00:20:03.23
perhaps, but you could work
that another way, couldn't you?
00:20:03.23\00:20:05.07
ER: Lack of savings is the
biggest reason people go in
00:20:05.07\00:20:08.17
debt. They don't
intend to go in debt
00:20:08.17\00:20:10.64
but something happens to their
car, or you know something like
00:20:10.64\00:20:13.38
that. They have
to go then and put it
00:20:13.38\00:20:15.11
on a credit card and then they
pay for it two or three times
00:20:15.11\00:20:17.55
over. JB: Now
what about investing?
00:20:17.55\00:20:19.98
I know we gotta be careful
here. We can't tell people
00:20:19.98\00:20:21.72
what to invest in and
what not to invest in.
00:20:21.72\00:20:23.15
ER: Yes. JB: How should a person
00:20:23.15\00:20:24.82
approach investing? ER:
Well this is a very good
00:20:24.82\00:20:27.16
question because obviously,
wise and prudent people don't
00:20:27.16\00:20:30.63
spend everything they
make. As I said before,
00:20:30.63\00:20:33.46
live within your income.
But you would have to think in
00:20:33.46\00:20:36.00
terms of the future. When
you can't work as gainfully
00:20:36.00\00:20:39.17
as you used to, or should
you lose your job or whatever.
00:20:39.17\00:20:41.97
So I would
suggest, first of all,
00:20:41.97\00:20:43.64
invest in your own debts.
That's the very best investment
00:20:43.64\00:20:45.74
anyone can make.
Guaranteed return.
00:20:45.74\00:20:49.21
For example, if you have money
in a CD, you might be getting
00:20:49.21\00:20:52.41
1% or 2% but if
you are paying off
00:20:52.41\00:20:55.38
your credit cards,
you're making 10% or 27%
00:20:55.38\00:20:58.19
so that's an investment
that I would recommend.
00:20:58.19\00:21:00.49
But another thing is,
in these unusual times
00:21:00.49\00:21:03.53
- and by the way, your
question is so good that I
00:21:03.53\00:21:05.43
want to insert this - BEWARE of
00:21:05.43\00:21:07.83
get rich quick schemes.
There are hucksters out there
00:21:07.83\00:21:10.60
that want to get your money.
And so I would suggest that
00:21:10.60\00:21:13.27
people always counsel with
someone else before investing
00:21:13.27\00:21:16.07
somewhere. This
great thing comes along -
00:21:16.07\00:21:19.27
by the way, most get rich quick
schemes are introduced to people
00:21:19.27\00:21:21.84
by their friends who sincerely
believe they are doing their
00:21:21.84\00:21:24.78
friends a favor.
But you have to really
00:21:24.78\00:21:26.92
look at it.
Something you don't understand,
00:21:26.92\00:21:29.05
you have to invest quickly,
you know it's gonna promise
00:21:29.05\00:21:31.55
high returns, all of that.
And I'm just going to tell you -
00:21:31.55\00:21:34.79
AVOID those at all cost.
Even if it makes you so you are
00:21:34.79\00:21:39.96
not friends with that person
because you are going to end up
00:21:39.96\00:21:42.36
not being friends anyway.
JB: Typically with investing,
00:21:42.36\00:21:44.47
isn't it true, if something
seems too good to be true...
00:21:44.47\00:21:46.47
ER: Oh Yes. It almost always is.
00:21:46.47\00:21:48.34
That's true. And the
real interesting thing
00:21:48.34\00:21:50.34
about investments, I would say,
even though the government is
00:21:50.34\00:21:53.48
trillions of dollars in debt,
probably the safest investments
00:21:53.48\00:21:57.71
are
government-backed securities.
00:21:57.71\00:21:59.65
Because the government has the
unique ability to print money
00:21:59.65\00:22:01.72
if they need to. But you know,
00:22:01.72\00:22:03.59
it's kind of the standard.
So I would suggest, if you have
00:22:03.59\00:22:06.45
to put money away that you're
not investing in your debts,
00:22:06.45\00:22:09.29
put it in a secure position.
Because if you could make more
00:22:09.29\00:22:12.36
in the stock market, the higher
the level of income offered,
00:22:12.36\00:22:16.16
the greater risk it is.
That's always true whether the
00:22:16.16\00:22:18.50
people telling
you believe it or not,
00:22:18.50\00:22:20.34
whether you believe it or not,
whether it seems possible even.
00:22:20.34\00:22:23.04
The higher the interest
promised, the greater the risk.
00:22:23.04\00:22:25.71
It's always true. JB:
Now if Jesus is coming back
00:22:25.71\00:22:28.31
soon, if the end is
near, and I don't' say that -
00:22:28.31\00:22:31.05
in fact, I don't say
that as a doom merchant,
00:22:31.05\00:22:32.71
I say that full of hope.
ER: Aren't we all excited?
00:22:32.71\00:22:36.18
JB: How important is it that
a person really keeps an eye on
00:22:36.18\00:22:38.15
the future? ER:
Well I will just tell you
00:22:38.15\00:22:39.75
this. Christian
Bible believers have
00:22:39.75\00:22:42.42
inside information.
Now in the investing world,
00:22:42.42\00:22:45.23
that's not a good idea
of having, as you know.
00:22:45.23\00:22:47.60
But we have inside information
and it's in 2 Peter 3:10,
00:22:47.60\00:22:52.13
that when the Lord returns,
the earth will get burned up
00:22:52.13\00:22:54.70
and all the works of
men and as I tell people,
00:22:54.70\00:22:57.31
that will reduce
its value considerably.
00:22:57.31\00:22:59.01
All the stuff gets burned up.
So I would say as a Christian,
00:22:59.01\00:23:02.08
you know, get rid of the
stuff that you don't need.
00:23:02.08\00:23:05.88
A lot of the us have things
we've carried around for years
00:23:05.88\00:23:07.75
that we really don't need.
Divest yourself of the stuff you
00:23:07.75\00:23:09.95
don't need. Sell
it at yard sales.
00:23:09.95\00:23:11.95
Now here's the real story.
Christians are going to work
00:23:11.95\00:23:14.82
together for the greatest event
ever and that's to work together
00:23:14.82\00:23:18.03
to finish the work
of God on this earth.
00:23:18.03\00:23:20.10
It is not going to be
free. God is going to ask us to
00:23:20.10\00:23:22.66
utilize stuff he has given us.
Remember, "honor the Lord with
00:23:22.66\00:23:25.40
your possessions", your stuff
and that's the way we help him
00:23:25.40\00:23:28.80
do it, helping Him to
finish the work of God.
00:23:28.80\00:23:30.61
So I think another thing.
This earth is not our final
00:23:30.61\00:23:33.81
home. We have dual citizenship
00:23:33.81\00:23:36.01
as Christians, citizens here of
00:23:36.01\00:23:37.68
whatever country we are
in and citizenship in heaven
00:23:37.68\00:23:39.88
when we accept Christ. So
we are moving from one to the
00:23:39.88\00:23:42.88
other and we want to move
our@ assets from here to the new
00:23:42.88\00:23:46.82
earth so that we can be
blessed and to bless others
00:23:46.82\00:23:51.29
at the same time. JB: Okay.
00:23:51.29\00:23:52.76
Let's go to the Bible. A
couple of verses, a couple of
00:23:52.76\00:23:54.40
Bible verses that you
believe are especially helpful,
00:23:54.40\00:23:57.43
especially pertinent to people
as they are wanting to honor the
00:23:57.43\00:24:00.14
Lord with what they
have, keeping in mind
00:24:00.14\00:24:02.07
the time is short.
ER: Well, I would think of
00:24:02.07\00:24:03.64
1 John. That's a
very interesting one.
00:24:03.64\00:24:06.68
Chapter two. I
believe I have it marked here
00:24:06.68\00:24:09.61
in my Bible so I can find
it quickly and verses 15 to 17
00:24:09.61\00:24:14.08
says something similar to 2
Peter that I just mentioned.
00:24:14.08\00:24:16.65
Don't love the world or
the things in the world.
00:24:16.65\00:24:18.72
If you do, the love of the
Father is not in you because all
00:24:18.72\00:24:22.22
that is in the world, the lust
of the eyes and so on, is not of
00:24:22.22\00:24:24.56
the Father but is of the
world. And that's just giving
00:24:24.56\00:24:27.66
this point. The
world is passing away
00:24:27.66\00:24:31.17
and the lust of it. But
he that does the will of God
00:24:31.17\00:24:33.57
abides forever. 1 John 2:17.
00:24:33.57\00:24:36.64
So what that says to me is
it's not going to pass away,
00:24:36.64\00:24:40.71
it is in the
process of passing away.
00:24:40.71\00:24:43.45
With all of the natural
disasters and things, the world
00:24:43.45\00:24:45.95
is waxing old like a garment,
is what it says in the Bible.
00:24:45.95\00:24:49.15
And we have to understand.
I believe in ecology.
00:24:49.15\00:24:52.25
I believe in separating my trash
and all that kind of stuff.
00:24:52.25\00:24:54.96
But we are not
going to save the planet.
00:24:54.96\00:24:56.73
The Bible is clear that it is
passing away and the lust of it
00:24:56.73\00:24:59.93
but he that does the
will of God abides forever.
00:24:59.93\00:25:02.13
So I would say that as you read
through the Scripture, look for
00:25:02.13\00:25:04.37
the will of God, put
that part in your life.
00:25:04.37\00:25:07.27
JB: How about if we pray
together because a lot of people
00:25:07.27\00:25:08.80
are taking on board what
you have said today and they are
00:25:08.80\00:25:10.67
saying, Lord, some things
have got to change around here.
00:25:10.67\00:25:12.47
ER: That's true. JB:
I've got to get it right now
00:25:12.47\00:25:14.38
and it's not going to happen
unless people are praying their
00:25:14.38\00:25:16.04
way through this. Let's
pray together, shall we?
00:25:16.04\00:25:17.88
ER: Okay. JB: Our
Father, we thank you in
00:25:17.88\00:25:20.78
the name of Jesus that you are
willing to guide us in some of
00:25:20.78\00:25:25.32
the most practical and
important areas of our lives.
00:25:25.32\00:25:28.69
There are a few
things more practical
00:25:28.69\00:25:30.43
than our daily finances.
We are all confronted with the
00:25:30.43\00:25:34.46
importance of them and
sometimes confounded by them.
00:25:34.46\00:25:37.43
As we have
talked today, Ed and I,
00:25:37.43\00:25:38.87
I pray that you would guide
us all as we seek to honor you
00:25:38.87\00:25:43.64
with our stuff,
and our possessions
00:25:43.64\00:25:45.94
and our finances,
as we seek to plan
00:25:45.94\00:25:48.34
prudently with the
return of Jesus so imminent.
00:25:48.34\00:25:52.51
I pray your Holy Spirit
will guide us and keep us.
00:25:52.51\00:25:55.48
Let your will be done.
Please be first in our lives and
00:25:55.48\00:25:59.45
let us face the future
with confidence, confidence that
00:25:59.45\00:26:01.66
comes from knowing
we are honoring you.
00:26:01.66\00:26:03.96
In Jesus' name we
pray, Amen. ER: Amen.
00:26:03.96\00:26:09.40
¤ [Musical Interlude- Gentle] ¤
00:26:16.91\00:26:20.61
¤ [Thoughful
Melody] ¤ Today we have been
00:26:27.28\00:26:28.38
talking about crucial financial
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00:26:28.38\00:26:31.59
Our goal at It Is Written is to
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00:26:31.59\00:26:34.22
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00:26:37.83\00:26:42.13
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00:26:42.13\00:26:45.10
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00:26:45.10\00:26:48.64
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00:26:48.64\00:26:52.11
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00:27:50.30\00:27:52.03
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