THE PROFIT OF THE EARTH IS FOR ALL! (Ecclesiastes 5:9)   Scriptural Foundation Do not charge your brother interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest. (De 23:19) Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them? (Ec.5:10-11) Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven... For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:19-21) And all that believed were together, and had all things common; All the believers were together and had everything in common. And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. (Acts 2:44-45) All the believers were one in heart and mind. No-one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. (Acts 4:32) If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a money-lender; charge him no interest [Usury]. (Exodus 22:25) He lends at usury and takes excessive interest. Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he will surely be put to death and his blood will be on his own head. (Eze 18:13) Debt Relief in the Bible From the Fifth Chapter of Nehemiah: And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren... Some said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth. Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our countrymen and though our sons are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.” When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. I pondered them in my mind and... rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother... What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let the exacting of usury stop! I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury. Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the usury you are charging them--the hundredth part of the money, grain, new wine and oil.” Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them. Christians in Action fortunately, many good christian organisations have been involved in debt-relief operations throughout the world: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debt_relief for more info.   SUBMIT AN ARTICLE posted: March 18, 2007