Chapter 1: Building Your House On The Word of God
Joan Boney ... Amazon.com ... e-book and paperback
*****
To get out of debt, we keep the scripture showing to us get out of debt before our eyes and we sincerely pray, asking God to help us to get out of debt. And we follow the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth and guides us continually when we are of God.
It is amazing what happens when you keep a scripture before you day and night, thinking upon the goals, instructions, set forth through that scripture.
In time, you find you have strength to do that instruction. It may take a week, a month, a year but it will come to pass when you think upon that scripture, making it your goal in life to do it. So much of the strength we have in God lies on meditating in the Word of God with a desire to do that verse of scripture.
*****
God gave instruction to Joshua whereby he could replace Moses and lead HIS people into the promised land.
Our assignment differs from Joshua's assignment, but the path to success is identical for Joshua and for us.
Joshua 1:7-9 ... Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Have not I commanded thee? (Isn't this the will of God for you?)
*****
You see what we have here ... God's path to success ...
- Keep that Word from God before you day and night and think on that instruction
- Do all that you see to do toward the fulfillment of that instruction
- Isn't it the will of God for you?
- Keep that Word from God before you day and night and think on that instruction
- Do all that you see to do toward the fulfillment of that instruction
- Isn't it the will of God for you?
*****
As I began working on getting out of debt, keeping that Romans 13:8 instruction before me to give me motivation and strength ... courage ... I made various "small" adjustments in my life daily.
I recall choosing not to buy a second comb for my hair, but to get by with the one I already had.
This is a very small issue but important in that it helped set a path for me.
I remember choosing not to purchase drinks with my meal. I would just drink water when eating out.
By my actions back then, I wasn't trying to save money ... I just didn't over indulge needlessly.
I'm sure there were many other things daily I did but I can't recall them.
Certainly my small cut back didn't make a dent toward paying my debt but it reconstructed my thinking, which was probably the first need toward the goal.
You must remember that all this time, I am focused on that scripture to "owe no man anything" (Romans 13)... and I am praying daily, asking God to help me to get out of debt ... and I am trying daily to do what I believe I'm led to do by the Holy Spirit.
Obviously that is going to work!
I recall choosing not to buy a second comb for my hair, but to get by with the one I already had.
This is a very small issue but important in that it helped set a path for me.
I remember choosing not to purchase drinks with my meal. I would just drink water when eating out.
By my actions back then, I wasn't trying to save money ... I just didn't over indulge needlessly.
I'm sure there were many other things daily I did but I can't recall them.
Certainly my small cut back didn't make a dent toward paying my debt but it reconstructed my thinking, which was probably the first need toward the goal.
You must remember that all this time, I am focused on that scripture to "owe no man anything" (Romans 13)... and I am praying daily, asking God to help me to get out of debt ... and I am trying daily to do what I believe I'm led to do by the Holy Spirit.
Obviously that is going to work!
*****
Several months of this type of following God continued in my life.
I always prayed for God to lead me when I would go out to buy art objects for my business. I spent only the amount of money I had accumulated from sale of previous merchandise, avoiding debt.
(Some people of this world would say, "Borrow money from bank to buy even more merchandise and make even more money, and to avoid extra trips to reservation to purchase items" ... but this is not what I chose to do. I chose to buy only that for which I had money to pay that day.)
Later, one of my best friends was a woman from radio audience in Dallas, who was a vice-president with Braniff Airlines. She said she had never heard of anyone running a business the way I ran my business. She said everywhere she had been they had taught her to use other people's money to make money. Within a year or so, Braniff Airlines filed for bankruptcy.
I always prayed for God to lead me when I would go out to buy art objects for my business. I spent only the amount of money I had accumulated from sale of previous merchandise, avoiding debt.
(Some people of this world would say, "Borrow money from bank to buy even more merchandise and make even more money, and to avoid extra trips to reservation to purchase items" ... but this is not what I chose to do. I chose to buy only that for which I had money to pay that day.)
Later, one of my best friends was a woman from radio audience in Dallas, who was a vice-president with Braniff Airlines. She said she had never heard of anyone running a business the way I ran my business. She said everywhere she had been they had taught her to use other people's money to make money. Within a year or so, Braniff Airlines filed for bankruptcy.
*****
Before going on buying trips, I prayed for God to have the artists make the items before I got there. I prayed for God to show me which items to buy. I prayed for God to send out HIS angels to bring in the customers to my shop to buy those items.
Everything I bought sold!
This is how I ran my business.
Everything I bought sold!
This is how I ran my business.
*****
On one buying trip, I noticed an Indian rug. I knew nothing about rugs. My main knowledge was jewelry.
But I have learned that God often leads us by causing us to have an interest in something.
I just couldn't get that rug off my mind. I think it cost about $500. (this was in approximately 1976)
I bought the rug. I took it to a very good appraiser of Indian rugs. She said to me, "You are really very fortunate. Usually these old rugs are worthless but this rug will be of value in time, so when you return to your store, put a very high price on it so it will not sell." (she appraised it at $1500 at that time)
But I have learned that God often leads us by causing us to have an interest in something.
I just couldn't get that rug off my mind. I think it cost about $500. (this was in approximately 1976)
I bought the rug. I took it to a very good appraiser of Indian rugs. She said to me, "You are really very fortunate. Usually these old rugs are worthless but this rug will be of value in time, so when you return to your store, put a very high price on it so it will not sell." (she appraised it at $1500 at that time)
*****
In route back to Dallas, I stopped at my mother and dad's overnight. My dad saw that rug and said, "You'll never sell this."
The day after I returned to Dallas, a man came to buy jewelry. He saw that rug rolled up at the side of the wall and he asked, "What's that?"
I told him it was just an old Navajo rug.
He said, "Let me see it."
(I tried to discourage him but he insisted on looking at it.)
After seeing it, he asked, "How much?"
I replied: "Five-thousand-dollars."
Without any hesitation at all he said: "I'll take it."
I was horrified! I tried to talk him out of buying this rug. I knew I had overpriced the rug by the current appraisal in the 1970's. He kept insisting on buying it as he was writing out a check for $5,000.
I said to him, "I'm not going to cash your check for a week. If you decide to return the rug during that time, I will give you your check back."
I never heard from him again.
I used his money to pay my debt.
Three important things:
- Keep the scripture before you day and night to give you strength and purpose
- Pray continually for help from God
- Pay attention to strong interests that are inside you (God often leads us this way.)
I receive several emails throughout the year from men who say they are ministers. They tell of their many works and ask me for money or Bibles.
I do not send money nor Bibles.
I know when a work is authored by God, we do not have to beg people for money, as these men are doing.
Psalm 37:25 ... David says ...
I have been young, and now am old;
yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken,
nor his seed begging bread.
The day after I returned to Dallas, a man came to buy jewelry. He saw that rug rolled up at the side of the wall and he asked, "What's that?"
I told him it was just an old Navajo rug.
He said, "Let me see it."
(I tried to discourage him but he insisted on looking at it.)
After seeing it, he asked, "How much?"
I replied: "Five-thousand-dollars."
Without any hesitation at all he said: "I'll take it."
I was horrified! I tried to talk him out of buying this rug. I knew I had overpriced the rug by the current appraisal in the 1970's. He kept insisting on buying it as he was writing out a check for $5,000.
I said to him, "I'm not going to cash your check for a week. If you decide to return the rug during that time, I will give you your check back."
I never heard from him again.
I used his money to pay my debt.
*****
Three important things:
- Keep the scripture before you day and night to give you strength and purpose
- Pray continually for help from God
- Pay attention to strong interests that are inside you (God often leads us this way.)
*****
I receive several emails throughout the year from men who say they are ministers. They tell of their many works and ask me for money or Bibles.
I do not send money nor Bibles.
I know when a work is authored by God, we do not have to beg people for money, as these men are doing.
Psalm 37:25 ... David says ...
I have been young, and now am old;
yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken,
nor his seed begging bread.
*****