"Don't Spend Tomorrow's Happiness Today!"

by Mike Davis  

     Did you ever wonder why a person would stick a needle in their arm and "Shoot Up" heroin or other drugs?  It sounds repulsive doesn't it?  Yet the truth is that there is tremendous pleasure in the use of heroin, for a while.  A heroin high is euphoria.  A heroin high is, I suppose, many weeks of pleasant feelings and thoughts multiplied to the user in just a few hours.  It is one of the greatest feelings on earth, for a while. But no one gets something for nothing!  

     For the heroin addict those few hours or days or weeks of pleasure and euphoria are paid for in full by hours and days and weeks and years of pain and heartache and misery.  What goes up must come down.  We can enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season but payday will come.  A heroin addict is using up all of tomorrow's pleasure and joy and fun today but mark it down, he will pay for it.  

     Are people really that foolish that they would borrow all of tomorrow's happiness to live in a few moments of euphoria today?  I am afraid I was one of them.  I found out that there is a price to be paid for borrowing on tomorrow for pleasure today.  Though many of you who read these words would never use heroin, I'm afraid this principle of enjoy now-pay later is pulling you down also today.  "What do you mean preacher?"  I'm talking about credit.  Now I realize you were taught that credit is good and you probably are insulted that I would link heroin addiction and indebtedness, but let's think about it.  

     My Dad taught me to work and to value a dollar.  He also taught me that when I got out of High School I should establish credit.  This is the way to live, he taught, and this is exactly what I did.  As I learned to use credit I learned that I could almost instantly fulfill my whims and desires by acquiring now and paying later.  This I did over a period of years until one day I realized that my spending on credit yesterday was limiting my ability to function today.  To put it plainly, I was bound by my bills and loans and payments.  The pleasure of spending and buying from yesterday had caused me to be burdened down and unhappy today.  

     Does this sound like you?  When you look at your payment books and monthly bills from department stores and credit cards do you feel closed in?  Many a marriage is in trouble today because of financial pressure brought on by yesterday's overspending.  It is a terrible thing to be in debt and yet this is the course that millions are pursuing today in America .  Because of credit we buy many unnecessary things.  We spend money that we do not have.  Are we deceived into thinking that we can spend, spend, spend and payday will never come?  I'm afraid that credit is ruining many lives today in America .  

     The Bible perspective on this subject is clear.  Prov.22:7B says, "The debtor is servant to the lender."  In other words many of you have sold yourself into slavery by credit.  You are in bondage to the things you have borrowed to get.  In many cases these things are worn out or broken and the pleasure is gone but you are still in bondage.  God warns His people in Deuteronomy 15:6 and 28:12 not to borrow.  It is not God's will that we be in debt.  

     I realize that to buy a house today we must, in most cases use credit, but in reality if we had to, we could sell the house and pay off the debt.  The bad thing is to charge things which are used and gone.  I'm not saying we should not buy homes but rather, be cautious about debt.  We live in a day when people are buying on credit; clothes, TV’s, DVD's, pleasure machines, trips and vacations and everything under the sun.  Are you enjoying tomorrow's happiness today?  Payday is coming!  

     You can live without credit.  I have done this for years now.  It is a good feeling to know your bills are paid.  There is a peace of mind being debt free.  You can do this too if you will work at it.  Stop all credit buying today.  Cut up those plastic cards.  Only buy those things you need and don't become a slave to some loan institution.  Don't spend tomorrow's happiness today!  Thank you for spending time with me.

PULPIT PERSPECTIVE - By Pastor Mike Davis, Director of  EBRM