Bible Studies

---

The Big Deposit

I can remember the day we deposited $100,000 into our bank. We had done a cash-out refi with a mortgage broker in order to lower our rate, spruce up the house, and have some money to invest. For some reason, mainly my own stupidity, all of the money went into the market. Since our on-line broker would not accept a personal check for that amount, the money was wired to St. Louis. A few days later, I bought several hundred shares of the original cable modem provider, At Home, for about $108 per share. I remember thinking about how that deposit would allow us to become financially secure by giving me the capital to make scads of money. When I did that, then Connie could retire from teaching.
The first snag in my plan happened immediately. After I purchased ATHM, the bank called to say the $100,000 wire transfer had bounced. After a few tense hours, it turned out that the title company had stopped the check because it was in a group of checks that they thought had been stolen. After a short meeting, they sent a new check to our bank, which included the margin fee charged for using over $30,000 of the broker's cash to buy the stock.
It was January, 1999, and the market was screaming heavenward. The Internet was taking the world by e-storm, and Internet companies were hot commodities. At first, everything I purchased went up. I was making up to 22 trades per day and averaging $500 per day that year and the next. One day, while a company was pruning our oak trees, I earned the $700 to pay them in less than 2 minutes, with money left over. I thought, Can I trade or what?
At the same time, our stock club was earning 77% on our principal. I remember a discussion on whether we should sell some of our holdings, but greed ruled the day. We were all looking for more. Everyone was bubbling with enthusiasm - except Alan Greenspan. He called it irrational exuberance. We called him a bonehead. He was right!
Like a deer caught in the headlight of an oncoming freight train, I watched as the market went south in 2000. The Internet bubble popped, yet I kept thinking the NASDAQ would bounce back as it always had. It made small moves upward, pacifying my fear, but those rallies were short-lived. Time to hold, I guessed, but with margin calls and rising interest rates, I was forced to sell. Money flew out of the account - literally. What a painful time.
Fortunately, when God deposits His Holy Spirit into us, there is no chance of us losing Him. Jesus is quite clear on the matter, and so is the Apostle Paul. For it's not our glory at stake, but God's. As He stuck with Israel through all their idolatry, He will stick with us for the praise of His glory. We can take His word to the bank, for He has a buy and hold discipline. That means He purchased us with His blood and will keep us forever. To Him be glory evermore as He moves to bring His plan to completion. Enjoy the foretaste!

M o u n t a i n T i m e M o m e n t

who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption
of those who are God's possessionÐto the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:14

Complete article with verse links in blue at:
http://home.comcast.net/~philemon25/Ephesians114.pdf

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE