Rick Warren's Daily DevotionalSample

Become Debt Free My hope for you is that you will be debt free by the end of this decade. It is possible, if you are disciplined. Let me say, if you've never been debt free, you have no idea the freedom you will experience when you no longer owe anybody anything. And this is why it is important -- If God told you to go do something right now, some of you couldn't do it because you are in such financial bondage. The Bible says we should not withhold the repayment of your debts, that we should let no debt remain outstanding. What does that mean? If you are only paying the minimum on your credit card, you are letting a debt remain outstanding. The Bible says don't do that. God is not going to bless that. You need to set up repayment. You may be thinking that would be hard. It is hard! That's why most people are in debt. If it were easy, everybody would be rich. The fact is, most people do not have the character and the discipline to do what God tells them to do. First, give 10% to God; second, put 10% into savings; then, set up a repayment plan. You say, "Wait a minute. Are you telling me to save before I pay off my debts?' That's exactly what I'm telling you to do -- because if you wait until you get all your debts paid off to start saving or tithing, you will never do it. You may think you can't afford, but the truth is, you can't afford not to do it God's way.