Unfortunately we have and are living this out in our lives.

Debt has put us in a straight jacket. We did not remain flexible; so we have had to stretch to get back our flexibility.

Have we repented? Yes. Repenting doesn't just mean saying, "I'm sorry," but trusting God and changing.

Has it disqualified us? No. Repenting means that God cleanses us and still fills us with his presence.

But it does cause us to not be in a spot that allows complete reckless abandon. 

The most frustrating part is that is not the place where God wants us to be.

Bit by bit, we continue to chip away while continuously praying for complete flexibility.

Use our example to stay or get flexible financially.

What I am NOT saying about debt is that it has to be fatal to what God wants for your life. It is fatal only if you don't repent and deal with it.

Debt may delay what God wants, but it doesn't have to end his mission for us.

What is the remedy?

Trust Jesus when he says, "Where your treasure is, your heart will be also." What does that mean? Where your money goes is where your heart--or trust--is. If we are racking up debt, our heart is trusting in stuff or the American way or keeping up with the Joneses to get through life. Instead of going into debt for stuff, pay for it outright.

Trust Jesus when he says, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things [basic needs] will be provided." What does that mean? If we are solely concerned with what God says, and not what money or culture says, then he will make sure all of our needs are provided.

Trust Jesus when he says, "You cannot be slaves of God and of money." What does that mean? God or stuff will have control over us. We have the opportunity to choose our master.

This is pretty straight forward. So does this mean I'm perfect in this? Far from it.

So what happens if you don't remain financially flexible?

When God calls you to do something like touch your toes, you can't.

Imagine being strapped down with debt, credit card and even student loan debt. Then you start to sense that God wants to do something big. Something you didn't expect when you went to college. 

Situations start occurring that confirms the call that you are experiencing. He wants you to move to an inner city and start a ministry with kids. However, you have this debt. The debt our society even says is good. Now the credit cards AND the student loan gets in the way of you completing what God wants with your life. 

You start paying it off as quickly as possible, but you know that you are not exactly where God wants you to be. 

If only you had spent the early part of your life training to be flexible, you could be flexible now.

I got the privilege to spend just under 3 weeks in China one summer. During that time we watched a show (I believed they called it an opera) with children at a school. This school only focused on the performing arts. We were curious how these Chinese acrobats were so flexible. The answer was simple but amazing.

They remained flexible because the children remained flexible from early childhood.

I can bend all of my boys in half and it not affect them. Do that same thing with me and I'll be in the hospital for a year. These children started a flexibility and stretching program from early childhood and never lost that flexibility.

You want to remain financially flexible at 20, 30, 40, 50...okay you get the idea?

Get on a flexibility and stretching program now. 

Whatever you receive, tithe then save. The more you save, the more flexibility you have, even at a young age.

Simple, but amazing.

Here is the main idea for this week:

Debt will be the straight jacket to fulfilling the vision God has given you for your life.

If you are a follower of Christ, you function under the economic system of God's Kingdom. His economics is very different than America's.

In God's economic system, he wants us to have flexibility, but debt ends up being a straight jacket to that flexibility. Chinese acrobats are flexible in ways 99% of humans could never be, but put them in a straight jacket and even they can't touch their toes.

This week, I want to lead us to get out of the straight jacket...or even better...never put it on in the first place.