June 2008 Newsletter


"Tighten Your Belts"

By: Craig Rippy

Michael Haberman called recently telling me the high price of propane fuel. Wow, the price is skyrocketing! Also, $3.58 plus per gallon of gas for our vehicles, grocery prices on the rise, property tax increased recently, and the Church is asking for more gifts. How can we expect to live as we have the last several years?

Recreational vehicles, bass boats, trips to our favorite vacation spots, eating out, leisurely shopping trips to the city, having the temperature just right at home, office and church. My, oh my, it is going to hurt, as we cut back.

I think we better prepare ourselves for the worst, as the nation bankrupts its common citizens. If you don't have a budget, its time to develop one. If you don't have to drive, don't. I have found myself curtailing my driving. We haven't turned on the air conditioning at home. Shopping the week by week way may turn into the monthly trip.

We might have to cut back on the non- essentials: Television, Cellular Telephones, perfect temperatures, the extra vehicle, the property taxes on the boat, internet usage, eating the best cuts of meat, taking the newspaper or magazines, drinking the expensive soft drinks, buying our lunches, making unnecessary purchases on e-bay and the Shopping channels, or even suspending the Lottery chase.

God wants us to be good stewards of what He has blessed us with. I think the circumstances are going to force us to be better money managers. It's a shame it takes difficult times to shake us up enough to recognize the importance of something God has counseled us to do.

As I consider the economy and governmental restraints upon the national oil industry, I wonder what cosmic battles are being played out around us. Satan has a plan to destroy the church of Christ. He will use whatever tactic he can to see the body of Christ weakened and defeated. Yet, the Church is Christ's power against the forces of evil on earth.

Demonic strategy would undercut the whole nation to stop the greatest missionary force in the world. The congregations of God's people and Christian organizations send out more missionaries than any other country. If our economy weakens, Satan believes, the average Church member is going to cut back on their giving.

Christ said, I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18 - KJV). The reason Christ and His Church wins is that we follow Christ. Simple, ah? We follow Christ's teaching and we remain in His grace.

Whether a time of plenty or a time of famine the church of Christ wins. The people of God know the necessary things of life. We cut on the non- essentials to make sure the essentials of the family and God's Kingdom are supplied. [ 2nd Corinthians 8:1-7 ]