William Earnhardt’s Financial Bailout Plan

I am writing from my comfortable apartment in beautiful Tampa Florida.

 

William Earnhardt’s Financial Bailout Plan

 

Okay, we all know I am no economic expert, but I think what we are discovering here is that we don’t have any economic experts! The reason we are having a world financial crisis is because the world’s financial policy is the exact opposite of Biblical financial policy.

 

Jesus says “The meek will inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5

The world says the greedy will inherit the earth. Sorry I have to go with Jesus on this one. And Jesus was not making a dictatorial decree when He said that. He was just revealing a law of nature. A law Wall Street will never learn, thus our financial dilemma today.

 

My bailout plan includes forgetting about yourself, and living to benefit others.

 

[Let] nothing [be done] through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Philippians 2:3-4

 

 

 

The Bible says, “If thou lend money to [any of] my people [that is] poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.” Exodus 22:25

We have a big problem here because the world banking business makes its profit from something that is strictly prohibited in the Bible-charging interest. Again I understand I am no financial expert here, but I can’t help but see red flags when your financial game plan is strictly prohibited in the Bible. Not that God will curse us for going against His plan, but God warned us against charging interest because He knew where it would lead to. By now we should see that too.

 

My bailout plan includes doing away with charging people interests on their loans. I know economy majors are laughing at me right now, but I don’t see anyone laughing on Wall Street right now, and once again I have to go with the Bible here again.

 

A couple thousand years ago a prophet hanging out near the Jordan River said, “be content with your wages.” Luke 3:14 

The world tells us if we don’t make enough to get what we want then charge it or borrow money for it. (while creditors should not be charging interest, borrowers should not be borrowing money just to keep up with the Joneses.) I know it sounds crazy, but I have to go with the prophet hanging out down by the river instead of those Wall Street gurus.

 

Borrowing money is actually lying. We lie to ourselves when we tell ourselves our credit level is actually money that we have. It is not our money it is the banks money. When we are content with our wages we develop something essential for survival, and that is self control and character. In the 30s people survived the depression with their self control, character and creativity. Credit cards and rotting our brains watching TV have all destroyed our character, self control and creativity. I shudder to think what a depression will be like this time.

 

I remember as a little kid in the late sixties and early seventies going to a little Mexican restaurant in Tulsa. We went on Wednesdays when their enchilada dinner was a dollar off. I remember asking my parents, ‘Can we go to the Monterey House today?” And my mother would answer, “No it is not Wednesday and they do not have their dollar off the enchilada dinner today.” I have not seen that kind of reasoning in years. My parents have always been generous towards others and thrifty with themselves. Frankly they have seen good times and bad times financially, but to be honest I can’t really recall exactly when they were rich or when they were poor because in either case they have always practiced, character, self control and creativity.

 

Again I am no financial wizard so it took me years to wake up and make this observation. Poor people are poor because they live like they are rich and rich people are rich because they live like they are poor. Sure there are exceptions, but it all comes down to character, self control and creativity. My mother was creative and would make us tuna gravy on toast. I loved it! It was not till a few years ago my mom said she made that just because we did not have a lot of money. I had no clue. I thought she was making it because it was delicious!

 

Fifty years ago you saw someone driving a Porsche and you thought, “Man they are rich!” Today you see someone driving a Porsche and you think, “Man are they in debt!”  

 

My bailout plan includes making character and self control the fabric of our lives again.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Matthew 6:33  Wall street is now missing “all these things” because they never sought “His righteousness”. Again Jesus was not being dictatorial in Matthew 6:33, He was just trying to explain to Wall Street another law of nature.

 

Malachi 3:10 says, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it].”

 

I am no economics major but I have a message for Wall Street. The tithing system cures the greed that has brought on your recession. I have another message that will baffle math experts as well as economists. After you tithe, 90% of your pay check goes further than 100% of your pay check without tithing. Tithing is a systematic way to overcome greed. Greed is what has lead people to borrow more money than they can pay back, thus causing banks to go under. Greed is what has led people to spend more money than they have so they can live the lie that they are richer than they really are. You may think I am crazy Wall Street, but I believe the tithing system will cure the character problems that have brought about our economic decline. Sounds crazy I know, but I dare you to try it! At this point, what do you have to lose?

 

My bailout plan includes systematically returning tithes and giving offerings. This will help us develop the character, self control and creativity that will help us survive what is ahead for us as a nation.

 

God Himself says, “And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth [day] of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout [all] the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.  A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather [the grapes] in it of thy vine undressed. 

 For it [is] the jubilee; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field. In the year of this jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession. 

And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest [ought] of thy neighbour’s hand, ye shall not oppress one another: According to the number of years after the jubilee thou shalt buy of thy neighbour, [and] according unto the number of years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee:   According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for [according] to the number [of the years] of the fruits doth he sell unto thee. Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I [am] the LORD your God.  Leviticus 25:8-17

 

Forgiveness!! Debts forgiven! Wall Street will never go for this especially the more they themselves are in debt but I am going out on a limb here in allowing people to question my sanity by saying this, if you want to get out of debt, then cancel the debts of your debtors. Wall Street will tell you the first step out of debt is to collect all that is owed to you so you can in turn pay your debtors. Wall Street will never accept a “year of jubilee” where all debts are cancelled and debtors are not oppressed but set free. Therefore Wall Street will never be a sound infallible financial institution.

 

My bailout plan includes canceling the debts that are owed to me so that I can get in on God’s financial plan which is the only sound plan there is. Again there is a natural law that the Merciful will obtain mercy and forgiving people will be forgiven. Wall Street may not buy into it, but there is One who over rules Wall Street.

 

The Republicans are accused of having their eyes on Wall Street while the Democrats say let’s watch Main Street. My bailout plan has nothing to do with where Wall Street or Main Street is. Lets follow the plan that comes from Gold Streets!  Hhhhmmm…. Think about it, my plan comes straight from a place that is so financially sound they pave the streets with gold. Brave enough to try my plan?

William Earnhardt’s Speaking Schedule for 4th Quarter 2008

Here is my speaking schedule as it stands now for the rest of 2008.

 

Wednesdays at 11am and 7pm “Bible Marking Class.” Tampa 1^st SDA Church  Chapel

 

Click here for the topics and hand outs for this class.

 

Sabbath mornings at 10:25am “Seekers’ Class” for those who want to learn more about Jesus and the teachings of the SDA church. Click here to view our curriculum for this class. (Pastor Luis will be our guest lecturer October 18, and there will be no class on the 25^th of October due to the church retreat.)

 

December 27 2008 and January 3 2009 I will be preaching at both the first and second services of the Tampa First SDA Church. First service is at 9am and second service is at 11:30am.

Kevin Craig Gets Hole-In-One!

 

Kevin Craig receiving his baptismal certificate last February.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin holding the ball and six iron he used for his 150 yard, par 3 hole in one!

 

This morning, our small golf group at the Tampa First SDA Church witnessed one of the rarest sports feats, a hole-in-one! Kevin Craig, who was baptized just last February, came for the first time to our small golf group. Besides picking up a club a time or two in England this was his first golf game. We took a couple minutes on the driving range with Richard who was making his first appearance too. Then on the second hole the unbelievable happened! Using his 6 iron, 150 yards away on a par 3 Kevin hit the ball up onto the green. We were not sure where it was exactly but we knew it was on the green. As we approached the green we were puzzled because we could not see the ball. The thought of someone getting a hole in one on the second fairway they ever played on never entered our mind. But it happened! There the ball was in the cup, a hole in one!  Amazing!

 

The rest of us were very excited but Kevin did not at first really realize what he did. He was excited but did not realize just how rare a hole in one is. It is rarer than a triple play or inside the park homerun in baseball. It is about the rarest feat in all of sports! Few people have ever had a hole in one. Many play their entire lives and never get a hole in one and today Kevin got one on the second hole he ever played on! It is also the first hole in one I have ever seen. I would love to hit my own one day, but today it was exciting just to see Kevin get his! Way to go Kevin! Click here for more pictures and stories about Kevin and our small golf group today.

 

 

 

Red Sox Fans Invade Tropicana Field

Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.  John 14:1-3

 

Last Tuesday I went with a friend to The Tampa Bay Ray’s stadium, Tropicana Field, where we watched the first place Rays defeat the second place Red Sox 2-1. It was a great game and the Rays did not win it until the bottom of the ninth, when our catcher, Dioner Navarro hit in the winning run.

 

While at the game I noticed several Red Sox fans. You could easily spot them with their Red Sox shirts, caps, and jackets. I even sat by one. He assured me that the long fly that Ortiz hit to deep right center for an out would have been a homerun at Fenway Park, where the Red Sox play their home games.

 

I noticed something about the Red Sox fans. They came into our home ball park but still dressed and acted like they would at Fenway. They did not buy the Tampa Bay Rays t-shirts and caps and try to blend in at all. While most of them were very polite and pleasant to be around they still made it clear that Tropicana Field was not their home and the Rays were not their team. They did not mind looking like visitors. They did not mind that they dressed and looked different. They were proud of their team and where they were from.

 

As Christians, let’s let the world know earth is not our home. While being as polite and pleasant to be around as possible, let’s still let it be known our home is in heaven, not here. We do not blend in with the world because we are not a part of this world. Let’s not be afraid to look different and act different. Let’s be as proud of where we belong as the Red Sox fans were proud of where they belong.

 

Check out more Studies, pictures and articles at my personal website In Light Of The Cross

Candace Does it Again!

Candace (second from left) is pictured below with her family and me.

 

Candace Eliahu has just had her second story published in Guide Magazine! Candace and her family are members of the Tampa First Seventh-day Adventist church. Candace is a model pathfinder and wonderful all around young lady. I was privileged to study with Candace and her sister before they were baptized a couple years ago. A while back Candace wrote a story that was published in Guide Magazine and now recently, at the age of 12 Guide has now published her second story. Candace also has a story that has been published in a story book. Below is Candace’s recently published story. Go Candace!

The New Girl - Candace took a chance and discovered a new friend

By Candace Eliahu

 

“Good Morning, class. Our focus today is on page four.” Mrs. Stewart’s voice echoed across the room. It was just before lunch on Tuesday and I was in a math class with Mrs. Stewart. “Tomorrow we’ll have a test on exponents and values, so I suggest you study tonight.”

Brrrring went the bell for lunch period. Everyone stormed out of the room and spilled into the hallway. Julie, a classmate, caught me on my way to the lunchroom. “Hey, Candace, what’s up?” She asked. “Nothing much. How about you?” I replied.  “Haven’t you heard there’s a new girl in school?” Julie chuckled. “What is she like?” I asked. “Oh, she’s a total geek; you should have seen the clothes she woe today,” Julie said.

Julie was a girl who always had to make herself look good. She wore expensive clothes, makeup, and other accessories. When it came to new students who didn’t have what she had, she was the first to pick on them. I, on the other hand, tried had to welcome new students into our student body. “Well, it’s not just the looks that matter,” I said. Julie looked at me like I was psycho, which she always did when I said something to oppose her.

Inside the lunchroom Julie suddenly shouted, “Ohhhhh, there she is. Just look at her!” She laughed and pointed to a girl in the back of the crowd, who I guessed, was the new girl. I looked at Julie with a sad expression and walked away, leaving her confused. Approached the lonely girl in the back corner and introduced myself in a sympathetic voice, “Hi, my name is Candace. I just noticed you were sitting here …”

“I don’t need your comfort or anyone else’s right now,” the girl retorted before I could finish my sentence. I was shocked at the way she angrily cut me off. As was about to walk away in disappointment, she turned to me and said, “I’m sorry …” I saw that she was crying. “My name is Sarah, I just moved here from Washington, and I feel so out of place! Nobody like me and all they do is pick on me for no reason. I hate it!”

We were silent for a moment. Two boys paused, looked at Sarah, then snickered and walked away. I interrupted the silence. “Sarah, I can be your friend.” She looked at me with unbelieving eyes. “Really, you want to be my friend?” “Yeah, come on, let’s get some lunch,” I said. She agreed. I soon remembered a Bible verse: “And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise” (Luke 6:31, NKJV).

The following days saw us becoming close friends. We attended several classes to together, and I soon discovered how brilliant Sarah is and how much we have in common. We both were Seventh-day Adventists, both are A-plus students, both like the same colors, and both like similar books, and most of all, we both love Jesus!

After six months, Sarah ran for Student Council president and won! She had the opportunity to tell everyone about Jesus from her influential position. The school principal heard Sarah’s speech about Jesus and visited our church. Nobody picked on Sarah anymore – including Julie.

I look back on the day Sarah and I met, and I would never trade anything for being friends with the “new girl.”

 

 

Please check out my Bible Study Guides and more at my personal website, In Light Of The Cross!