Hi Imani,

I'm so sorry for what your friends have done to you. Is it fair no it sure is not, but you asked what what Jesus do and we can find that answer in the book of Luke in chapter 6 verses 29-31.

To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who ask of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And Just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them like wise.

When someone has wronged you it's never easy to back down, but this time Jesus says if they take do not ask them to give it back...place this in the hands of our Lord and Savior do not let satan take away your joy my sister and friend in Jesus...and know this your reward is great in heaven.

My prayers and thoughts are with you in this matter! If you ever need to talk you can pm anytime at all. God bless

AA

imani

I will be praying for you.

You should not lend money to anyone. I lend lots of things but I do not lend money. Money represents my time, my labour, my life etc. These things are very expensive and cannot be traded.

Psalm 118 v 8. Is the central verse in the bible.

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in men. It is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in Princes"

i.e. Trust no one.

Keep pestering them for your money back. I will be praying for you.

God be with You.

Nobody is your source.

What would Jesus do? I just can't let go all that money easily. I think that I am never ever going to lend any one money again. In case you read this and you owe people money just call them up and atleast make a pledge to pay back other wise its not good for you to exploit other people.

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My wife and I just had the same situation. We let a girl live with us for several months, we gave my daughters bed room to her so that she could have privacy, my daughter just slept in our room.

This girl said God told her to pay us a certain amount each month, and she never gave us a dime. That was the agreement, and she did not keep it.

She left a few days ago, and we handled that whole situation wrong. I should have booted her long ago.

God is our source, not man. I never give money to anyone and expect them to pay me back. I sow it to them. Forgive them, and move on. God will repay. It's not worth having that on your heart.

Jesus Is Lord.

You should not lend money to anyone. I lend lots of things but I do not lend money. Money represents my time, my labour, my life etc. These things are very expensive and cannot be traded.

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Whoa stephen!

your time, your labor, your life, aint yours.

know`m sayin? :wink:

"When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something, lend it to him."
- Jesus (Matthew 5)

imani, think of your 'loan' an offering to God, you will find you won`t be nearly as upset about when or how you will be repaid.

Lord Jesus, allow your peace so supernaturally calming to cool down Imani's feelings for the dishonesty that has happened. Dishonesty of sin from Satan is so poisonous all over the world, you wonder why people feel such pain and rage that will not go away.
That's why our Christian communities are there to help those who have been deceived, such as the Salvation Army, to give away free food, clothing or goods from generous donors. Allow your supernatural wisdom to keep Imani open-minded about the poverty in parts of Uganda and other local areas in other nations, where this spiritual disease of sin is never-ending, and can easily bring dishonesty to people who want to survive and who wished they had the money to pay back what they owe.

We Christians can only give Christian advice where the spiritual wealth of Christ far exceeds the material wealth of man by reading our holy bible that gives us eternal feelings of positive joy that is beyond human explanation: the healing of Christ is real to those who hunger for it, ask and you shall receive the forever spiritual pure waterfall of the love of Christ that washes away the damaging effects of sin on the mind and body.
I hear on the TV news of people being made redundant in this time of crisis, where Jesus is our Christ savior to rescue us from Satan's detrimentrally cruel power of sin anytime, anywhere, anyhow - Jesus will always be our miracle lifesaver.

We Christians in our global community wait patiently for the coming of our victorious Lord Jesus, hopefully very soon in the future, so that Satan can be defeated and sin can be deleted once Jesus has transformed our old earth-born selves to new glorious minds and bodies of Christ...
As we socialize together as brothers and sisters of Christ in God's most massive and most modern place of Community: the Kingdom of God on a new oceanless planet Earth where Christ's supernatural joy will be so over-joyous, our hearts will be so very positive and our faces so very always smiling.:*:.

Hey friends...

Thanks for your advice, I shall be weighing all the options this week.
you won't blv between the time I sent this post and now

Two people have already called me asking for money. Another friend has just told me she totally doesn't know what to do with her debtors. Luckily, I have read your advice and I shall share it with her.

Technically if I had that money I would have completed a building project and at least pay my advance in rent. But I am now operating from hand to mouth as if I never had money of my own. I feel that it is so unfair and I need the grace to put many things to perspective. I am glad that I haven't thought about this for most of the day but when I do, I get almost depressed and distraught.

Well I am just going to fight through this one with prayer and resisting any strategies to kill my joy. In my view If God gave me what the purposes of the money was for today, may be I would give the debts up?
Please keep praying that whatever I do shall be in God's will

Lending Money.

Stephen

You should not lend money to anyone. I lend lots of things but I do not lend money. Money represents my time, my labour, my life etc. These things are very expensive and cannot be traded.

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Coconut:

Whoa stephen!

your time, your labor, your life, aint yours.

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Well, I never Lend Money myself. Money is the big test. Money can be top priority for the most poor, and for the most rich. Being focused on it because you can't pay bills, or being focused on it because you want to bank Millions for yourself is not good.

Money is just a tool, it translates to any other tool, like a lawnmower.

Being a tool, and the test of faithfulness, showing where your heart is, I sow, and give money without a thought to what I have to pay. I tithe faithfully 10% before anything gets considered as a need on my end, and hear God if I need to bless someone else.

We have never run out, it just comes in somehow.


We stopped hinting about any need we have, and asking others. If my needs are not met, or I am starving, then I am out of line with God somewhere, and need to see it, and get it fixed. His seed will never beg for bread if you doing what God has told you to do, and your where God told you to be.

People need to stop enabling disobedience.

===============

imani

If you had millions, would you be concerned about that money not getting paid back right away, or ever getting paid back?

Or is it your in need yourself, and need it paid back so you can meet your own needs?

Jer 17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

It's a curse to look to others to supply need, that curse will keep you in poverty.

Jesus Is Lord.

Psa 37:21
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

you can pray that you'll have your money back.

i wouldn't ever borrow except to assuming to never receive it back.

but if you do receive things back the hand of God has been in play.
so you can pray.. and hope.
but best not to think about it too much, and move on with your life.

you will receive them back if Lord wills it.

God repays

I have just been reading some Spurgeon....and thought this may be helpful.


God Repays

He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will He pay him again.
Proverbs 19:17

We are to give to the poor out of pity. Not to be seen and applauded, much less to get influence over them; but out of pure sympathy and compassion we must give them help.

We must not expect to get anything back from the poor, not even gratitude; but we should regard what we have done as a loan to the Lord.

He undertakes the obligation, and, if we look to Him in the matter, we must not look to the second party. What an honour the Lord bestows upon us when He condescends to borrow of us! That merchant is greatly favored who has the Lord on his books. It would seem a pity to have such a name down for a paltry pittance; let us make it a heavy amount. The next needy man that comes this way, let us help him.

As for repayment, we can hardly think of it, and yet here is the Lord's note of hand. Blessed be His name, His promise to pay is better than gold and silver.
Spurgeon




Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these My brethren, you have done it unto Me
Matthew 25:40

Brother Mike said:

Well, I never Lend Money myself.

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And all I read was "But But But..."

K, guess i`ll leave you men sputtering

Its a catch 22

Brother Mike,
I gave the money to people who I expected to pay back. I usually give money and I expect not to get it back but these few are isolated cases where it was purely business.
The people I lent were not poor or needy they just needed some boost for their business and that is where the problem is. I just think that am not their priority anymore. Which is different from where someone is genuinely in lack.
Now I need the money to use it for my own projects and I feel that am running out of time. If I had more money then I wouldn't even ask them to help. But I also learn my lessons not to lend if I expect it back and to also try to weigh my strategies with money and be wise at it.

I tithe and bring my offering and make pledges to God and I know he will and does reward me. But this experience am going through is quite complex and certainly I need God to make more things clear to me.
.

Let's Make this simple..........

Thank you Sister.

It's simple.

It's not about the money, It's a trust issue.

Rom 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Pro 25:21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
Pro 25:22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.

If God told you to start your projects, and it's God's plan, then nothing on the Earth can stop them from being completed. The only thing that can stop it is your faith in God's ability to perform it.

It would be nice for them to honor you and God and fulfill their obligations. If they don't though, then no big deal. It's not about the money, God can get in your hands in one day everything you need. If you fret, about the money, then there is no faith that God won't reward you or repay you. Your looking at man to pay you back to get the job done.

A few years back, I chewed tobacco. I was in prison, so I had no money, but still wanted my tobacco. Another prisoner wanted some Nice ink pens I had gotten from another prison because he was an artist. He told me that he would buy me a can of tobacco, if I gave him my ink pens.

We are talking about a Christian chewing tobacco here...... Not a good thing really.

I gave him my pens and in a few days when this prisoner was allowed to go to the prison store, he would bring me my can of tobacco.

Well, that day came, and the prison came back without my tobacco. I waited two whole days for this. (Addiction is rough) He went back on his word to me.

He told me I was a punk, and he was not going to pay me back, and told me to get lost.

Now this guy was half my size, and it crossed my mind to beat him down right there. It's prison, and we did things a little rough at the time. However, I just walked away very angry, and did not say a thing.

I told the Lord that I was going to forgive his debt, though he made me look bad in front of the other prisoners, and that I was sowing those pens into his life, and I told God I knew he would repay me.

I forgave, and sowed those ink pens to him in front of God. 1 can of Chewing tobacco was a big deal at the time to me. Petty now looking back, but God cares about what we care about.

2 Months Latter:

I quit chewing tobacco. I was in the Laundry room doing my prison Job for the kitchen. Some prisoner came in the laundry room and said. "Hi, you don't know me, but are your Mike?"

I never met this guy before, I said yes I am. He then told me that this is going to sound strange, but he said "I was praying in tongues and the Lord showed me you in this laundry room, gave me your name and told and told me to buy you two cans of Chewing Tobacco."

He handed me two cans of Chewing Tobacco. He then said, "It don't make sense to me, but I do hear God."

He walked away, and I never saw him again.............

I sat there with two new cans of Chewing Tobacco in my hands. I just quit chewing.

I said Lord, what is up with this? You know I quit.

The Lord spoke to me, not a voice but inside: He said. "Son, you forgave and honored me, you also trusted me. I am always faithful to perform my word, I said I would repay!!!!"

Now, if God cared enough to repay me back two cans of Tobacco in which he delivered me from. If he went to those lengths to keep his Word, to me. Think about how much more you will also be paid back and more.

Jesus Is Lord.

some peace

Hey friends,

Over the weekend I placed this issue in God's hands. I surrendered to his will and I think that is why I have some peace. I know God has a plan and so I shall continue in this way.

Brother Mike after such a great tobacco experience wonder why you never lend?

I sow.........

If the Lord asked me to lend for payment later, I would have no issue with that, but I would have to hear God on it first.

God is not against borrowing, or Lending. It's charging Usury (Interest) God had an issue with.

Now if I am not paid back, no issue to me, because A) Lord told me to do it in the first place. B) People are not my source, God is.

Long ago I stopped hinting to others about a bill I needed paid, or asking others to meet my needs.

I would rather Sow to someone as a seed. That means I get a harvest back, and sowing it into the Lord's Hands.

I would never sow to those that do not serve God, though I have given to food banks and shelters. I just can't enable someone with what the lord has given to me to do wrong or not serve God with it.

The Lord is faithful though, if we cast our care on him, then he can move mountains on our behalf. If we decided to carry the care, and think about it constantly, fretting over something, then the Lord never Got it from us to do anything with it.

It's like needing your car fixed, but never taking it to the shop to get it repaired. Yet you fret all the time about it not working right, making you late, getting stalled in traffic, yet you never cast it into the repair shop.

Just talking to the mechanic about fixing your car is not enough, the mechanic needs the actual car so that they can fix it for you.

1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.



Jesus Is Lord.

Imani, you did the right thing by surrendering it to the Lord. He granted you peace. How sweet is that?

I've been through similar experience with money on a very large scale for me at the time. Was I repaid? No. Betrayed by a family member, an old friend, ex-wife. How's that for some experience? All this happened in a matter of about 5 years.

However, GOD does repay on His timing according to His will. He has not forgotten you.

Hi Imani. I sure do not know of anyone who has been so kind,only to have that kindness returned back with nothing! OR is it nothing???I to, like you when I first came to Jesus had some lessons in this area to learn.

In prayer Holy Spirit said,mark? Did Jesus ask you to bleed to return his blood he shed for you? When you gave,you do not expect anything in return,or else why give it out? At Christmas time, when you received gifts, did anyone ask you to return that gift back to them??

Now you are understanding what giving truly is! Not an easy lesson is it!! I know! A couple of scriptures to look at here,that have sure helped me. 1. Acts 20:35 It is more blessed to give then to receive.Do you know why?? Because what we do receive we receive from our Father in heaven!! So we know that what he gives us back!! You have lended unto the Lord!! ( Proverbs 19:17!!) And HE!!!( meaning Jesus not may,but WILL!!! repay!! a promise made directly unto we who have given!

So the question becomes this for us,do we need to be repaid by the world,or would we rather be paid back by the Lord himself? if we seek to be repaid from those we gave,then the enemy gets an opportunity.( eph 4:27) he says things like see!! You were so kind and look what they did to you in return!! Some friend they are!! You should stay angry at them for all time now!! SEE!! the thief in him??( john 10:10) looking to always rob us!!Bad enough we gave something out,but he wishes to take away your peace as well! stirring up bitterness, and hatred! Then where are we?? You see where we can become!! This is a lesson we all must learn. I hope this helps you understand. Not an easy lesson to be sure!! but a lesson I sure was glad to gain wisdom in the Lord from!! amen!( Luke 6:33-35!!!)

Most of us older folks "have been there and done that" sad to say experience is a hard teacher.

Here is a suggestion. Never loan money. Just give it. If you can't afford to give it than you have no business to loan it. When you loan money you become in many people's eye a bank, and most banks are really not friends. When people barrow money they feel guilty, and if they have some reason for not paying on time they usually try to avoid you to save face. When someone who avoids you that makes you upset, and that hurts friendship. When you feel offfended that eats ate you inside. After calling them and no response that is where everyone is hurt and upset.

So the solution is don't loan money, give it away. That way the Lord can bless you and there is no hurt or problems with friendship. Bess you friend.

$ome light

hey Brother Mike, Farout, Chad and Brighthouse... et al! I am grateful for your words of wisdom. Major lesson... give don't lend. If you lend don't expect it. Above all trust God.(well do any of you have debts? how are you handling them?)
Now on to the testimony- thanks for your encouraragements
So this one week as I rested at the feet of the most high he was working something for me. I got a call from my business partner who has been outside the country. He was coming to look at how far the project had gone. I would have been worried about it,but thank God I didnt. We met today and it was quite a relieving meeting. He understood when I explained to him about the money. But most of all he committed to finance the next phase of the project. He asked me to take a break from this till I finally get sorted. Well! To God be the Glory for this great thing he has done. Thank you God for this wonderful Easter gift.

Glory to God!!!

Well, that's a lot better than my Chewing Tobacco testimony.

The Principles are still the same though, fret, worry, not at rest stops the power of God in our life.

Faith in what God said, resting in him, trusting, and I have never seen the Word of God fail anyone that will do as instructed to do. Some think God failed, some think it was not his will to help, some think I prayed and prayed, and nothing happened anyway. (Praying and praying about something is called Worry!!!!)

It's the Word that tries us, tries our faith, we have never did what the Word said and seen failure, nobody has.

Awesome testimony Sister I am rejoicing with you!!!! However, what you experienced here, the bible says produces Hope........ Faith is a substance of what we are hoping for!!!



So your in position to receive more!!!! You passed!!! Now God can trust that he can put more into your hands, knowing you can handle it, not looking at the cost but at him to perform. Congrats!!!

Jesus Is Lord.