Recession-Proof Living

-Patrice Tsague, RCE Partner

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Romans 8:35

A recession is a significant decline in general economic activity that extends over a period of time, usually two consecutive quarters. The US economy faces recessions almost every 10 years but they do not last long. Signs of recessions include: an above the norm increase in the unemployment rate, two consecutive quarters of declining GDP, less business activities that last at least three months, personal income decline, and increase in the prices of consumer goods. If not dealt with, a recession can turn into a depression.

To protect yourself from financial failure during an economic recession you must minimize your spending, increase your saving, remain consistent in your giving, pray without ceasing, and stay in the Word of God. Though Christians are not immune to economic recessions, we have a competitive advantage since we can tap into the supernatural.

Worse than a natural recession though, is a spiritual recession. A spiritual recession is a significant decline in spiritual activities over a period of time. The fruit of this recession is often anxiety, fear and doubt. Like the economic recession, if not dealt with, a spiritual recession can turn into a depression. A spiritual depression is a spiritual and mental state characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a loss of hope. Avoid a spiritual depression at all cost. To avoid it, you must make sure you do not get into a spiritual recession; if you do, you must deal with it as soon as possible.

The signs of a spiritual recession are: decline in your devotional life and prayer, decrease in your giving and church involvement, and a longing to isolate yourself from other believers. How do you have a recession-proof life? If you live a spiritual recession-proof life, you will not have to worry about the economic recession because you will either be immune to it or prepared to handle it.

Here are 7 things to do to live a recession-proof life:

1. Stay in the Word

The Word of God will give you hope, wisdom, clarity, and insight to deal with every situation that you face in every aspect of your life. Maintain a daily devotion that is designed to get the Word of God into your spirit. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8

2. Pray without ceasing

Prayer is direct communication to the throne room of God to make petitions and requests and give thanks for all He has done and is doing in our lives. It is essential because it enables us to address current problems and future problems before they occur. Pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thessalonians 5:17-18

3. Take care of your family

You may say, "What does taking care of my family have to do with living a recession-proof life?" Well, the reality is, if God views you as worse than an unbeliever you will not be in favor with Him. If you are not in favor with God then you are in trouble. Also at the end of the day, the only people who will be there for you through thick and thin are members of your family. If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
I Timothy 5:8

4. Do not forsake assembling with other believers

It is amazing how the devil uses isolation as a strategy to trap and manipulate believers and bring confusion into their lives. No matter how you feel, never isolate yourself from others; stay committed to a local assembly and to a network of other believers with like minds and common interests. Human beings are relational beings. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:25

5. Exercise and eat healthy

Most believers get so focused on eternal things that they forget they live in a physical body. Some even believe that exercise and maintaining a proper diet is not an important spiritual activity. Scripture puts a greater emphasis on spiritual virtues such as the fruit of the Spirit than it does on our bodies, but it recognizes the importance of taking care of our bodies through exercise and proper diet. The lack of exercise and maintaining a proper diet will lead to physical and mental health issues which will contribute to a spiritual recession. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. I Timothy 4:8

6. Know the state of your resources

Nothing can bring us into a spiritual recession like finances. Some people are so heavenly minded that they have become no earthly good. You need finances to handle most things here on the earth. Finances are as critical to your participation in the daily economy as blood is to your body. The lack of finances can bring you into a spiritual recession. Take proper control over your finances and become the steward God intends you to become. Do not ignore this area. Do not think that as long as you are praying and reading your Bible it will take care of itself. God has given you a mind, use it. Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations. Proverbs 27:23-24

7. Count the cost and finish

Believe it or not, unfinished projects and activities are a great cause of recessions. You were created to fulfill your vows, you were created to maintain integrity, you were created to finish, and you were created in the image and likeness of God. Just as God cannot ignore unfinished projects without violating who He is, neither can you. Many people fall into recessions because they are overwhelmed by the amount of unfinished projects and activities that require their attention. To avoid this, you must count the cost. Make sure that before you commit yourself to anything, you have enough spiritual and physical resources to finish it. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish. Luke 14:28-30

Patrice Tsague is the founder of Nehemiah Project International Ministries (NPIM)

Joyce Ndugo, at RCE for 6 weeks

Joyce Ndugo has been working and learning here with us at the Center for Entrepreneurship for 6 weeks. She came to the States 10 months ago on a Humphrey Fellowship, and was at UNC for most of her program. It has been great to have Joyce with us, but the time has flown by and now she is preparing to return to her home in Nairobi, Kenya, this Sunday!

Here is a portion of a letter Joyce wrote to us introducing herself and asking if she could join us for her professional affiliation:

In my country I work as a program officer for an organization called the Association of Local Government Authorities of Kenya (ALGAK). My passion for business has led me to write to you. Actually this started seven years ago when I started getting very interested in business issues. Because I am a Christian believer, I have been asking God to direct me.

Since my arrival to the University of North Carolina, I have been encouraged by my program director to use my Humphrey year to pursue my passion. That, she says, is what the program is all about. I have consequently attended some classes on Family Business with an aim of eventually pursuing my business passion when I go back to Kenya in June.

A part of the Humphrey Program comprises professional affiliation of one's interests. I am writing to you to express an interest in joining your organization for about six weeks. My objective is to actualize the business passion I have had, and to do so on Biblical principles.

From your Website I have been encouraged to read about how your center views business as a mission for God's kingdom. I would like to extend the same perspective to Kenya through being affiliated to your organization. My business ideas include the manufacture of food storage plastic paper for Kenyan families, or recycled paper for hotels to international export and import business under the framework called the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

We have been blessed to have Joyce become a part of the Center's team, even for such a brief time, and look forward to seeing how the Lord leads her forward to bless her nation through kingdom business!

Godly Contentment: "A Learned Behavior"

by Patrice Tsague, RCE partner

"Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I'am, to be content:" Philippians 4:11

Contentment is an interesting concept in an entrepreneur's world since all entrepreneurs are looking for more business, more customers, and more money.

How do we remain content in a process that rewards the pursuit of more and views lack as defeat and failure? We find ourselves in a market place environment that rewards the pursuit of more and puts no limitation on how to achieve it except to not get caught. The reality is that in order to understand godly contentment, we must first change our paradigm of business. It is impossible for us to be content with the world's approach to business because it uses discontentment as a tool to motivate people to be innovative and productive.

A new Biblical Entrepreneur Certified Instructor told me that his supervisor in a company he once worked for took him to a dealership to finance a brand new car in order to motivate him to increase his sales. TV advertisements are full of images that are designed to cause us to be discontent with our current circumstances so that we want more. Contentment is not something we are born with, nor does it come automatically with the born again experience. It is a learned behavior. I read of a Quaker who placed a sign on his house that stated, "I will give this house to any man who can prove to me that he is content." After some time, someone came knocking at the door and said he saw the sign and wanted to claim the house, he stated that he was perfectly content. The Quaker asked what he meant. He said, "I have everything I want, all the money I need, everything in life that could satisfy me. I am perfectly content. "The Quaker said, "Friend, if thee so content what does thee want with my house?" Many of us are like that man; we claim to be content while still seeking for more.

What does it really mean to be content? Contentment is the Spirit-led ability to accept God's will for our lives no matter what our circumstances. It is a learned behavior that gives us the ability to achieve great gain in Christ. I love the definition Ray C. Stedman gives; he defines contentment as only wanting what you have. This is a great way to view contentment. Since most of us are always looking to get what we do not have, Stedman reverses it and gets our focus on what we do have. Remember, if you do not want what you have, you will not appreciate it, if you do not appreciate what you have you will not take care of it and if you do not take care of it then you may eventually loose it. While if you want what you have, you will appreciate it, take care of it and if you take care of it you will have more. The key then to getting more is wanting what you have. How do you achieve godly contentment? How do you get to the point where you only want what you have and no longer focus on trying to keep up with the Jones' or the Gates', especially as an entrepreneur.

To achieve godly contentment you must keep the following seven things in mind:

1. Recognize that you have brought nothing into this world and you will carry nothing out. I Timothy 6:7, Job 1:21 2.

2. Recognize that both riches and poverty are from God. 1 Samuel 2:7 3.

3. Learn the lessons taught in the times of lack. James 1:2-4 4.

4. Master the art of stewardship. I Corinthians 4:2, Luke 16:1-13 5.

5. Learn to appreciate every blessing no matter how great or small. I Thessalonians 5:18 6.

6. Put your trust in Christ and not in your resources.
Matthew 6:33 7.

7. Guard against the love of money. I Timothy 6:10, Luke 12:15-21

Recognize that implementing these things cannot be done by might but must be done by the Spirit. You cannot will yourself to be content; Christ must empower you and give you the grace to achieve contentment. The dangers of not aspiring towards this virtue are great. I Timothy 6:9-10 explain it best: "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

Therefore, pursue contentment and with it, godliness and you are assured to avoid great failure and have great gain in Christ.