Participants:
Series Code: SSP
Program Code: SSP180011A
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00:01 The Bible tells us, "In the beginning was the Word,
00:03 and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." 00:07 It says, "To receive with meekness 00:10 the implanted Word, 00:11 which is able to save your souls 00:13 and to be diligent to present yourself approved to God, 00:17 rightly dividing the Word of truth." 00:20 Join us now for the 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 00:25 Our study today is 00:27 "Stewardship, Motives of the Heart." 00:32 Hello, friends, and welcome to our 00:34 3ABN Sabbath School Panel, 00:36 it's always a blessing to have you 00:37 come into our home, as we come into your home 00:40 or wherever you may be viewing this program from, 00:42 and it's always good to have a wonderful panel. 00:44 I always like an amen. Amen. 00:46 And it's good to see you Jill, and Mollie, 00:48 and Pastor Kenny, and Shelley. 00:50 And we're continuing in this dynamic study, 00:53 "Stewardship, Motives of the Heart." 00:55 Hasn't this been a dynamic lesson? 00:56 Yes, it has. 00:57 I mean, I've learned, it's hard to include ourselves 01:01 in a study like this and not say, 01:03 "We've learned something that the Lord 01:05 had not revealed to us before." 01:06 That's right. 01:07 And so, if you have your Bibles and your pens, that's good. 01:10 But if you like a copy of the lesson, 01:11 go to this following website, 01:14 ABSG.Adventist.org 01:17 and download a copy of the lesson 01:19 or if you already have one, 01:20 just go to lesson 11, Debt a Daily Decision, 01:25 or if you don't have one, 01:26 look for a local Seventh-day Adventist church, 01:28 and I'm sure they'll be glad to include one, 01:30 to give you one, to be part of their fellowship. 01:33 And anytime you can find a Bible study church like that, 01:36 the Lord is calling you to take you a step higher. 01:40 But before we go any further, 01:42 we always like to begin with prayer. 01:44 And, Jill, would you have prayer 01:45 for us this morning? 01:46 Absolutely, let's pray. 01:48 Holy Father, we come before You in the name of Jesus. 01:50 And we thank You, first of all, 01:52 that You paid our debt that we could be free. 01:56 We ask right now as we open up Your Word 01:58 and study principles from it. 02:01 That You would enlighten our minds 02:02 and understandings 02:04 and that we would make choices 02:05 that bring honor and glory to You. 02:07 And we thank You in Jesus' name, amen. 02:10 Amen. Amen. 02:12 Now each one of us has a different data cover, 02:15 and as I mentioned before the title of this lesson 02:17 for this particular day 02:19 or for this particular week March 10 to 16 02:22 is Debt a Daily Decision. 02:24 Every day we make decisions about whether or not 02:27 we want to go deeper in debt 02:30 or we want to eliminate some of our debt. 02:31 And debt is an easy thing to get involved in. 02:34 I think of the sales, 02:36 you know, whenever you get to holiday seasons... 02:38 And I think in America more of our holiday seasons 02:40 are surrounding ways of trying to get us more in debt. 02:43 Yes. 02:45 Even when you have good credit, 02:46 credit car companies are sending you letters, 02:49 they want to give you refinance, 02:52 zero percent for the next 6 months, 02:54 and all of a sudden it goes to 24%. 02:57 And in the small print... 02:58 I've seen some of those contracts. 03:00 Have you seen those credit card contracts? 03:02 When you open a credit card contract, 03:04 they find the smallest font, I think three point, 03:06 you can't read it. 03:08 And even when you go to the website, 03:10 you know, scroll all way down it's like, 03:12 you know, war and peace, and they say, 03:14 "Click here if you agree with all the conditions." 03:16 And when you get the first bill you said, 03:18 "I didn't agree with those conditions." 03:19 It said what's in the fine print. 03:21 And as we have said before when it comes to credit, 03:24 the devil is in the details. 03:26 But I looked up a couple of statistics just to side them 03:30 but before we do that, 03:32 let's read our memory verse together. 03:33 If you have your Bibles, 03:35 it's the New International Version 03:36 for this particular memory text. 03:38 And it's Romans 13:7, 8. 03:41 Let's read this together. 03:43 "Give to everyone what you owe them. 03:46 If you owe taxes, pay taxes, if revenue, then revenue, 03:50 if respect, then respect, if honor, then honor. 03:55 Let no debt remain outstanding, 03:58 except the continuing debt to love one another, 04:02 for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law." 04:06 I would haste to say that 04:08 whoever was a part of the committee 04:09 that transition, this was in a modern setting 04:13 because some of these words 04:16 you can see are focused on really how we deal 04:19 with life from day to day. 04:21 Very interesting, I went to credit.com to come, 04:23 to find out just 04:25 some basic questions about debt in America. 04:28 And in America, 04:29 we have statistics for everything. 04:33 In America we have a name for every disease. 04:35 We have conditions 04:36 that don't exist in other countries. 04:38 I remember years ago when we talked about... 04:42 What's that disease in America 04:44 that we have when people have a learning disability? 04:49 Okay, I caught you all up... 04:50 Learning disabled as all I can think of I don't know. 04:52 Well, dyslexia. Oh, yeah. Okay. 04:55 Dyslexia, reading disability. 04:57 Well, I found out in Japan they don't have dyslexia, 05:00 there's no such word 05:02 that may be why they learn so quickly. 05:05 Because in that society 05:06 they have not embraced this idea that you cannot read. 05:10 And some of the greatest inventions, 05:12 some of the greatest technological inventions 05:13 come out of those countries 05:15 where they don't have words to foster your inabilities. 05:19 But in America 05:20 we have statistics for everything. 05:21 For example, 05:23 according to credit.com as of August 3, 2015, it says, 05:27 "The vast majority of Americans are in debt. 05:30 According to a report 05:32 from Pew Charitable Trust published in July, 05:36 for the most part that debt comes 05:39 from what many people would call a good thing, 05:42 home ownership. 05:44 Of the 80% of Americans with debt, 05:47 44% have mortgage debt." 05:50 And that is a debt 05:51 that I think it comes into the acceptable category 05:55 except when you had what happened in 2008, 05:58 the market downturn 05:59 and then in some states like Texas 06:01 and many other, California, 06:04 thousands and thousands of homes were available 06:07 because people got into debt with variable rates. 06:10 You know, they got into a home with maybe 4% interest. 06:14 And they said, "Well, that's going to change." 06:16 And before they knew it 06:17 two years later, they were at 24%. 06:19 Some 31% interest. 06:20 And they just walked away from their homes. 06:22 Left entire neighborhoods like ghost towns. 06:26 But so you have to be very careful, 06:27 the other thing that was pointed out, 06:30 it says, "Americans may soon have 06:32 as much credit card debt 06:34 as they did during the great recession. 06:37 The average US household owes $16, 061 in credit card debt 06:42 up from 10% from $14,546 in 2006." 06:47 According to analysis released 06:49 by personal finance company NerdWallet. 06:53 And that was the company that traces debt. 06:56 But the Lord never intended for us to be in debt, 06:59 yet at certain intervals in our lives 07:01 everyone needs a helping hand. 07:05 It's amazing how statistics often become important to us 07:08 when we get older. 07:09 I read a statistic that I wish I would knew when I was 14. 07:12 It was pointed out 07:13 that if you put away $100 a week, 07:17 and don't touch it for 30 years, 07:20 you'll have over million dollars saved. 07:22 It's just $100 a week. 07:24 If I had known that at 14 years, 07:25 well, I'd been a millionaire now. 07:26 How many of us would have been in the same category. 07:29 Hundred dollars a week, don't touch it, 07:30 just put it in the bank, let it draw interest, 07:32 and you have over million dollars in cash. 07:34 And that's it. 07:36 That's 30 years later, so by the time you get 40, 07:38 you could be a millionaire. 07:39 But according to the scriptures, 07:41 there are number of principles bought out 07:43 in Sunday about borrowing and spending. 07:46 Well, wonderful examples. 07:48 But what is borrowing? 07:51 Couple of examples, 07:52 using something that belongs to another person 07:55 or another institution. 07:56 Debt in fact is when you don't have someone, 08:00 or some institution, some bank, some lending company 08:04 will in fact extend credit to you. 08:07 And there is some people that 08:09 they're driven by the next greatest thing. 08:13 I've known them, some cases where people say, 08:15 "My car is fully paid for, but I want to go on a vacation. 08:19 So I'm going to go ahead and get a loan 08:21 and put my car up as collateral." 08:23 "Or I want to start a business now 08:24 I put my home up as collateral." 08:26 They put those things that are secure on the line 08:30 and they put it at risk 08:32 because of something that they desire to have. 08:34 So let's look at couple of passages in the Bible. 08:37 "A borrowing is also increasing 08:38 your responsibility to another individual 08:41 or creating an indebted relationship with someone. 08:45 One of the principles we have, my wife and I have is, 08:49 if somebody in our family ask for money, 08:51 we just give it to them. 08:53 That's right. Yes. 08:54 Because it's nothing more uncomfortable 08:56 than being around a family member 08:57 that owes you money. 08:59 'Cause, "How you're doing, Jill? 09:02 I'm looking for that money you owe me. 09:04 Don't worry, I'm not upset with you." 09:07 And every time they see you, 09:08 "Don't worry, I didn't forget you, 09:09 I'll pay you, I promise. 09:11 I give you $20 this week 09:13 and if I could work something out, 09:14 I mean, when my taxes come in." 09:16 Whenever a family member 09:18 or somebody you can sit close enough 09:20 has a need do like the New Testament Church. 09:24 Don't consider yours, bear their burden 09:27 if the Lord has blessed you in such a way. 09:29 But some of the scriptures in the Bible 09:30 that point out the diabolical nature of debt. 09:33 Let's look at Psalm 37:21. Psalm 37:21. 09:38 And there are so many kinds of debts 09:40 that we can get into as you turn there, 09:41 I was thinking of credit card debt, car loans, 09:43 home loans, student loans, store credit cards, 09:46 equity loans, refinancing, variable rate mortgages. 09:50 And in our world today, 09:51 it's almost impossible in America or around the world 09:54 to do anything get on any airline, 09:56 travel to any hotel, 09:57 rent any car without a credit card. 10:00 When it was supposed to be something 10:01 that was optional, when I was growing up. 10:04 Psalm 37:21, do you have that, Shelley? 10:06 Yes. 10:08 "The wicked borrows and does not repay, 10:10 but the righteous shows mercy and gives." 10:13 All right. 10:14 Now that text kind of makes it... 10:17 It's talking about the wicked that borrow 10:19 but not everybody that borrow is wicked. 10:21 Yes. 10:22 Okay, so I, kind of, put that together 10:24 because we've all borrowed at one point or another. 10:27 We don't get a loan with a gun to the prick, 10:28 "Give me that money, 10:30 and I'll pay it back if I want to." 10:31 But it says it's talking about the ones who are wicked 10:34 and they borrowed, they don't want to repay. 10:37 There you go. They don't want to repay. 10:39 And some people that borrow, 10:41 you'll never hear from them again. 10:43 They just leave town or... 10:44 "What happened to so and so?" "I don't know." 10:45 "Are they still alive?" 10:47 That's the wicked that borrow and do not want to repay. 10:50 Ecclesiastes 5:5 is another very powerful text 10:53 about avoiding the pitfalls of borrowing. 10:56 Avoiding the pitfalls of borrowing. 10:59 Let's see whoever gets to that. Looks like Jill got there. 11:02 Ecclesiastes 5? Ecclesiastes 5:5. 11:05 "Better not to vow than to vow and not pay." 11:09 Matter of fact, read verse 4 11:11 because that has the scenario, all right? 11:13 "When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it, 11:15 for He has no pleasure in fools. 11:18 Pay what you have vowed. 11:19 Better not to vow than to vow and not pay." 11:22 And in the next verse, I think what does it say? 11:23 "Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin." 11:26 Wow. 11:27 And say before God it was a mistake. 11:29 That's right. Right. 11:30 So people will say... 11:32 And I've talked about this before, 11:33 I think I mentioned this maybe in one of our programs 11:35 or whether on air or not, 11:37 but you also have to be careful in making pledges. 11:40 Amen. 11:41 Because pledges is just as 11:45 a level of accountability when you make pledges. 11:48 For example, churches they're saying, 11:50 "We have to pay our mortgage off." 11:51 And so people say, 11:53 "I'll give a $100, I'll give $200." 11:55 And then the other one says it 11:56 without consulting the husband or the wife, and they say, 11:59 "Do you realize what you just did? 12:01 We can't afford $200 a month." And you put yourself in debt. 12:04 But if you do that 12:06 don't be an Ananias and Sapphira 12:08 if you don't know who they are... 12:09 I think it's in Acts 5, a horrible story. 12:12 They made a pledge and when God prospered them, 12:15 here is what's you can get the grantee. 12:17 Whatever you give to the Lord out of an honest heart, 12:19 He's going to bless. 12:21 But if you give to the Lord, He's going to bless. 12:23 But don't give to the Lord out of a desire to be gratified 12:27 or to be praised publicly 12:30 but privately you really want 12:32 just your own personal financial gain. 12:35 I began to look up that story and I thought if this way, 12:38 if the Lord dealt with people 12:39 that did what Ananias and Sapphira had done 12:42 there'll be so many dead church members. 12:44 I did a sermon once called heart attacks in holy places, 12:46 and it was about Ananias and Sapphira. 12:48 I remember. 12:49 But I read... 12:50 And Ellen White pointed out, she says the reason 12:52 why the Lord dealt so strictly with them 12:55 at the establishment of the church, 12:57 He wanted us to understand 12:59 that when we make a financial pledge to God 13:02 don't think that He's taking that lightly. 13:05 Because you're affecting the work, 13:07 and you are not being honest before God, as Peter said, 13:10 "You've lied to the Holy Spirit, 13:11 you've lied to God." 13:13 And they had a burial that day. 13:15 You know what, I just thought about it 13:16 that might be why so many churches 13:18 have a cemetery on their backyard. 13:21 It may be still happening, I don't know. 13:23 But look at another one, Deuteronomy 28:44, 45. 13:28 I've seen a lot of churches out here on the country 13:30 with cemeteries with increasing membership. 13:33 That's true. Mollie, you have that one? 13:36 Yes, I do. 13:37 "He shall lend to thee, and thou shall not lend to him. 13:41 He shall be the head, and thou shall be the tail." 13:44 Verse 45," Moreover all these curses 13:47 shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, 13:50 and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed 13:53 because thou hearkenedst not 13:55 unto the voice of the Lord thy God, 13:57 to keep His commandments and His statutes 14:00 which He commanded thee." 14:02 It talks about when you lend and he lends, 14:05 let there be an honest fiduciary relationship 14:08 between you and the other individual. 14:10 And in all you're purchasing, 14:12 "Owe no one anything except to love one another." 14:14 Romans 13:8. 14:16 Amen. Ms. Jill? 14:18 It's your round. Thank you, Pastor John. 14:19 It's wonderful. 14:20 God calls us, you know, the area of stewardship impacts 14:24 every aspect of our lives, you know? 14:26 It's who we are as Christians, 14:29 it's not only our time and our talents and priority 14:31 but the money, and it comes into everything. 14:33 My day is Monday, 14:35 which is stewardship and instant gratification. 14:38 You know when I was... 14:39 Wow, what a topic. It is. 14:41 When I was a kid, we didn't have cell phones. 14:45 But I have my cell phone sitting right here on the set. 14:47 And when I got my cell phone, 14:49 and then you kind of become joined at the hip 14:51 with your cell phone because of emails, 14:53 and texting, and work related stuff. 14:55 If I'm trying to send an email, and it's not going, 14:58 and you're trying to refresh it and hurry up, 15:01 or you're trying to Google something, 15:03 and it's taking time to load. 15:05 Sometimes I'm like, "Hurry up. Hurry up. 15:08 What's wrong with you?" 15:10 Now when I was a kid... 15:11 You're not addicted, are you? 15:12 I'm just... 15:14 So when I was young, Pastor John, 15:17 I could not have gotten information that fast. 15:19 That's true. 15:21 If I had wanted to correspond with someone, 15:22 I would have had to send a letter 15:24 or in the days when then we developed emails 15:28 but now you can text someone instantly. 15:29 If you wanted information instead of going to Google, 15:32 you would have to open up 15:33 the dictionary or the encyclopedia. 15:35 We are in a culture of instant gratification. 15:38 And you wonder why 15:40 they don't get back to you right away. 15:41 Absolutely. See, that's right. 15:43 So anything today can be delivered. 15:45 We deliver food, people deliver flowers, 15:48 people deliver furniture, 15:49 they can even deliver clean laundry 15:51 if you don't want to do your laundry. 15:53 They deliver groceries to your doorstep, 15:57 they deliver instant answers on Google 16:00 or on your phone or your computer. 16:02 People don't want to wait in line. 16:04 You know, if you go to Disney World 16:05 if you pay more, you don't have to wait in line, 16:09 and you can go right to the front of the line 16:10 if you're willing to pay more. 16:12 People are willing to pay more for faster internet 16:14 so they don't have to wait for their YouTube video 16:17 or whatever they're watching to load. 16:19 We live in that age of instant gratification. 16:22 Now you might say, Ms. Mollie, this is a current thing, 16:25 but I think instant gratification 16:26 goes all the way back to the beginning. 16:28 You think about Genesis 3, the entrance of sin. 16:33 And we won't turn there 16:34 but in verse 6 it talks about Eve, 16:36 and she saw... 16:38 Remember, she coveted the tree, she saw that the food was good, 16:42 she wanted to be made wise, 16:44 no it was the lure of being wise, 16:46 it wasn't reality but she wanted that. 16:49 And she took and she ate. 16:52 So what caused that desire in her 16:55 to give in to that sin of instant gratification? 16:59 It was the desire for food and pleasure, 17:01 maybe the lure of what she thought 17:03 she'd become wise. 17:04 But I would say it was giving in 17:06 to emotions and feelings. 17:08 If you think about David with Bathsheba. 17:11 2 Samuel 11, remember, he looked, he looked again, 17:15 and lingered, and then he took. 17:20 So what caused his fall in that same thing 17:24 with that instant gratification. 17:25 Now maybe it could be his desire for pleasure 17:28 or maybe it could be his lingering, 17:30 but really he's giving in 17:32 to his emotions and his feelings, 17:35 the same thing as Eve. 17:36 Let's look at another, Jacob and Esau. 17:38 And let's look this up. Genesis 25. 17:41 This is when Esau sold his birthright 17:44 to his brother Jacob. 17:46 Genesis 25, we'll start in verse 29. 17:51 Genesis 25:29. 17:56 Jacob cooked a stew, 17:58 and Esau came in from the field, 17:59 and he was weary." 18:01 In the Hebrew it means exhausted, faint, 18:05 he literally was weary. 18:08 "And Esau said to Jacob, 'Please feed me 18:10 with that same red stew, for I am weary.' 18:14 Therefore his name was called Edom. 18:15 But Jacob said," 18:17 Jacob is taking advantage of a situation here, 18:19 'Sell me your birthright as of this day.' 18:22 And Esau said, 'Look, I am about to die, 18:25 so what is this birthright to me?' 18:28 Then Jacob said, 'Swear to me as of this day.' 18:30 So he swore to him, 18:32 and sold his birthright to Jacob. 18:34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils.'" 18:37 Then we see four quick action verbs 18:40 taking place here with Esau. 18:41 "He ate and drank, arose, and went his way. 18:47 Thus Esau despised his birthright." 18:50 Because gave in to instant gratification. 18:54 You could say it was because of his weariness, 18:56 you could say because of his desire for food, 18:59 but really what happened there 19:00 is the same as what happened with Eve and with King David, 19:04 he gave in to his emotions and his feelings. 19:09 By contrast, we look at delayed gratification. 19:14 Think about Moses. 19:16 Hebrews 11:25, 26. 19:21 Moses choosing rather to suffer affliction 19:24 with the people of God 19:25 than to enjoy the passing pleasures 19:28 of sin for a season. 19:29 As steaming the reproach 19:31 of Christ greater riches 19:32 than the treasures in Egypt 19:34 for he looked to the recompense of the reward. 19:37 So Moses could have said, "Well, it's easier in Egypt." 19:42 It feels good for me right now, 19:46 but he pushed aside his feelings, 19:49 he made a choice of his will, and he chose God's way 19:52 which was painful at the moment 19:54 but the reward was out of this world. 19:58 I think about Jesus. Literally. 20:00 Literally. See, that's right. 20:02 You think about Jesus in Matthew 4, 20:06 remember the three temptations when Satan came to Him. 20:10 There was appetite, and you think Jesus was hungry. 20:14 Now Esau, when he ate his bowl of lentils 20:18 so he was weary, 20:19 yes, but Jesus had fasted 40 days and 40 nights. 20:25 So he was literally starving much more than Esau 20:29 was just when he came in from the hunt. 20:31 And yet Jesus chose to delay his immediate gratification, 20:36 He chose to delay that because of the sin of that. 20:40 He overcame an appetite, we have the presumption, 20:42 we have the worship. 20:43 Remember, Satan said, "I'll give you all of this 20:45 if you just bow down and worship me." 20:47 So what caused Jesus to be able to lay that desire 20:51 for gratification, obedience to God's Word, 20:55 knowledge of God's Word, 20:57 He made a choice and really you could say 20:59 He did not rely on his emotions and His feelings. 21:02 To me that's the difference between instant gratification. 21:06 I see it, I want it... 21:08 We did a lesson before on that, 21:09 I see I want to take that would be instant, okay? 21:12 I just give in to my feelings at this moment 21:15 where if we delay something, I'm not acting on impulse, 21:19 I'm not acting on emotion, 21:21 I'm making a choice on principle, 21:25 that's the principle of delayed gratification. 21:29 Let's look at how we can learn delayed gratification, 21:32 five keys that I need to learn in my own walk 21:36 for delayed gratification. 21:38 And let's see if each one of you, 21:39 could you take a scripture here? 21:40 Sure. 21:42 Pastor John, I give you Matthew 16:24, 21:45 Mollie, Matthew 6:33, 21:47 Pastor Kenny, Luke 14:28, 21:52 and then, Shelley, I'll give you Hebrews 11, 21:55 we read that before Hebrews 11:25, 26. 21:58 So how do we learn delayed gratification? 22:01 Pastor John, Matthew 16:24. Matthew 16:24. 22:04 I'm sorry. No problem. 22:06 Not you. Matthew 16:24. 22:09 All right. 22:10 "Then Jesus said to His disciples, 22:12 'If anyone desires to come after Me, 22:14 let him deny himself, 22:17 and take up his cross, and follow Me." 22:19 Yes, so the first step to delayed gratification 22:22 is to deny ourselves. 22:23 That's right. 22:25 We talked about giving in to feelings and emotions 22:28 but when we learn delayed gratification, 22:30 we choose to deny ourselves. 22:33 Number two, Mollie, you have Matthew 6:33. 22:36 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, 22:40 and all these things shall be added unto thee." 22:43 So I call this step number two, prioritize. 22:46 Prioritize what really is important in your life. 22:49 Now, is eating this ice cream right now important? 22:53 Or is me choosing, 22:54 maybe I'm trying to lose weight. 22:56 And I'm saying, 22:57 "I'm going to give this up because this, 22:59 the end goal is more important to me." 23:01 Prioritize what is important to you. 23:03 Pastor Kenny, you have Luke 14:28. 23:08 "For which of you, intending to build a tower, 23:11 sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, 23:14 whether he have sufficient to finish it?" 23:17 So number three is plan. 23:20 We need to plan, 23:21 we need to deny ourselves prioritize 23:24 and then make a plan. 23:26 And, Shelley, if you could read Hebrews 11:25, 26? 23:29 Speaking of Moses, 23:31 "So he would choose rather to suffer afflictions 23:33 with the people of God 23:35 than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 23:38 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches 23:41 than the treasures in Egypt, for he looked to the reward." 23:45 So number four is to understand the reward. 23:48 You know, we never deny ourselves anything 23:51 if we don't understand what's coming in the future. 23:54 And the reward we have as Christians, 23:57 as following the Lord Jesus is truly out of this world. 24:01 So the peace, the joy, the eternal life, 24:03 and so to me we look forward to that. 24:06 And then number five, Galatians 6:9. 24:09 I want to quote it from a different version, 24:11 I love this version. 24:12 Greg and I claim this actually before we were married. 24:14 It says, "Don't get tired of doing 24:16 what is good. 24:17 At the right time you will reap a harvest, 24:20 the blessing if you don't give up." 24:22 So number five is to practice patience. 24:26 Excellent. 24:28 You know, Pastor Lomacang, 24:29 I looked at some statistics also, 24:31 and I'm afraid some of yours kind of, 24:33 mine in yours kind of cross. 24:35 That's okay. 24:36 But, Jill, that instant gratification, 24:38 one of the things 24:39 that in my looking up the statistics 24:42 that I found was that all the pictures taken 24:47 in the 19th century, 24:49 every picture that was taken in the 19th century, 24:52 every two minutes we take that many pictures today. 24:55 Wow! 24:57 Isn't that amazing how things have escalated? 25:01 Changed, yeah. Changed. Okay. 25:03 I've got Tuesday. 25:05 And Tuesday is living within your means. 25:09 Now to be a good steward, 25:11 one must live within their means 25:13 that seem like obvious. 25:17 Remember what a steward is. 25:20 A stewardship is utilizing 25:23 and managing all resources God has provided us. 25:27 Now, have you ever heard this saying, 25:31 "If your outgo exceeds your income, 25:37 your upkeep will be your downfall?" 25:40 So we're talking about living within our means. 25:43 If more money goes out of your bank account 25:47 than comes into your bank account, 25:49 there is a thing called overdraw, 25:53 you're going to overdraw that account. 25:55 And, you know, 25:56 I haven't overdrawn, thank for Lord, 25:58 my account in years, 26:00 but I can remember early marriage... 26:01 Remember back... 26:03 Maybe y'all don't. 26:04 We were so broke, we couldn't even pay attention. 26:07 And so we, you know, and there were times 26:09 when we would overdraw our account 26:11 and the cost to overdraw your account is astronomical 26:15 for them to cover a check for you. 26:17 Yes. 26:19 People could spare themselves 26:21 a world of hurt and pain and agony 26:24 if they would just follow this one basic principle. 26:28 Don't spend more money 26:29 than you make, live within your means. 26:34 Now, when we don't live within our means, 26:37 the result is what we've been, 26:39 Pastor John talked about so much, we go in debt. 26:44 And one of the easiest ways we fall into the trap of debt 26:48 is through credit cards. 26:50 Now, a credit card creates an allusion. 26:55 You get a credit card, 26:56 and let's say that it's for $300. 27:01 And, you know, what you automatically think. 27:03 "Ah! I've got $300." No, you don't. 27:07 You don't have a penny more than you had before, 27:10 it creates an illusion. 27:13 It's good. 27:14 Of wealth and... 27:17 And that credit card, 27:18 you know, you can use a credit card to pay 27:20 for anything whether you need it or not? 27:24 That credit card doesn't have a mind, 27:26 you're the one 27:27 that has the control over that credit card. 27:29 So you go and you buy something you don't need, 27:32 that credit card doesn't care, it will pay for it. 27:37 A person with a salary 27:39 of $40, 000 can spend 27:43 as if they're making $60,000 to $70, 000 for a while. 27:49 Yes. 27:50 Credit card debt can be like 27:54 thrashing around in quicksand. 27:57 What happens 27:58 when you thrash around in quicksand? 28:01 You get in deeper and deeper, you're trying to get out 28:06 when you're thrashing around in that quicksand, 28:09 but all you do is get in deeper, 28:12 and deeper, and deeper. 28:13 Credit cards can be 28:15 a stumbling block to even the one 28:18 with the best of heart, 28:21 best meaning in your heart of what you want to do. 28:26 Now let's talk a little bit about human nature. 28:30 Most of us tend to want what we see. 28:34 We are controlled... 28:36 I see it, what was it, Jill? I see it, I wanted, I take it. 28:41 So we tend to have that weakness, 28:47 lust of the flesh. 28:49 And we want it whether we can afford it or not, 28:52 we are visually driven. 28:54 And the advertising industry is very aware of that. 28:59 And do you know what that is when you see something 29:02 and you wanted whether you need it 29:04 or whether you can afford it? 29:06 That's called covetousness. Covetousness. 29:09 Now, I want all of us 29:13 to turn to Hebrews 13:15. 29:17 Hebrews 13:15, I want us to look at this 29:22 because here is some amazing council. 29:26 Remember, what we're looking at today 29:29 or this whole week was debt, a daily decision, 29:35 not just a weekly or monthly decision 29:37 but a daily decision. 29:39 And today, I'm looking at living 29:42 within your means. 29:44 Amazing council, Hebrews 13:15. 29:49 Jill, if you're there, Hebrews 13:15. 29:52 "Therefore by Him let us continually offer 29:54 the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, 29:58 giving thanks to His name." 30:00 Okay. 30:01 Now I must have given 30:03 the wrong scripture, Hebrews 13:15. 30:06 So I've got the wrong scripture copied down. 30:08 Let me give you the scripture that I meant. 30:11 "Let your conduct be without covetousness." 30:14 So if somebody will look up 30:15 and find where that scripture is, 30:17 I've put it down wrong. 30:19 "Let your conduct be without covetousness, 30:22 be content with such things as you have." 30:26 So conduct without covetous, 30:30 that is living within your means. 30:34 So I had that as Hebrews 13:15, 30:36 that's obviously not where that scripture is. 30:39 So we are to live without covetousness 30:42 and to live within our means. 30:45 So now we are in debt. 30:49 And Pastor Lomacang used 30:52 some of my statistics which was... 30:54 See, every household doesn't use credit cards. 30:59 And some households use credit cards, 31:02 but they pay them off every month, 31:04 then you know, you can use a credit card wisely 31:07 and pay it off every month, 31:09 that way you never have to pay interest. 31:12 But the average household, Pastor, 31:14 as you said 31:15 that uses a credit cared with a balance. 31:18 The balance of the household is over $16,000. 31:23 The average interest rate is over 16%. 31:28 Do you know how much interest you pay on that? 31:32 It's over $2,600. 31:36 And here is something that is just astounding. 31:39 As of the second quarter of 2017, 31:43 Americans were carrying a total 31:46 of $936.1 billion 31:53 in credit card debt. 31:55 Our economy is inflated 31:59 because people have bought that and it's on credit, 32:02 they don't have money to pay for it. 32:04 Now has someone looked up the scripture for me. 32:05 Hebrews 13... 32:07 13:5. Yeah. 32:08 13:5? Hebrews 13:5. I'm sorry. 32:11 Hebrews 13:5, 32:12 "Let your conduct be without covetousness 32:16 and be content with such things as you have." 32:21 Now I want all of us to turn to Proverbs if you will, 32:24 I've got some scriptures, 32:25 I want to still look up in Proverbs. 32:28 Pastor Lomacang, 32:29 will you look at Proverbs 22:7? 32:34 Sure. And, Jill, Proverbs 28:6. 32:38 Okay. Pastor Kenny, Proverbs 19:1. 32:44 And, Shelley, Proverbs 21:20. 32:48 Okay, Pastor Lomacang, are you there? 32:50 Sure. 32:51 It says, "The rich..." 32:52 What is the scripture? Proverbs 22:7. 32:55 Proverbs 22:7. 32:56 It's right after that favorite one we like, 32:58 train up a child. 33:00 It is amazing how it follows with that very same counsel. 33:02 "The rich rules over the poor, 33:04 and the borrower is servant to the lender." 33:08 Debt brings us into servitude to those that we owe. 33:12 Now, let me ask you a question, and this is, 33:16 goes with the scriptures that you and Pastor Kenny had. 33:19 Would you rather be a poor man with integrity 33:23 or a rich perverse fool? 33:25 And that's not a true question. 33:28 Integrity... 33:31 Jill, if you read Proverbs 28:6. 33:32 "Better is the poor who walks in his integrity 33:35 than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich." 33:38 And, Pastor Kenny, Proverbs 19:1. 33:43 19:1. 33:47 "Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity 33:50 than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool." 33:54 You know what a fool is. 33:55 A fool is someone who lacks judgment 33:58 or good sense. 33:59 Integrity is doing the right thing 34:01 just because it's the right thing. 34:03 And, Shelley, Proverbs 21:20. 34:08 Proverbs 21:20. 34:10 "There is desirable treasure, 34:13 and oil in the dwelling of the wise, 34:15 but a foolish man squanders it." 34:18 What does this foolish man that lacks good sense do? 34:21 He squanders it. 34:22 You know, you can be a rich person 34:24 that squanders or a poor person that squanders. 34:27 I wanted to leave us with this scripture, 34:30 and it's Psalm 36:25. 34:34 And we are to live 34:35 within our means, and we may say, 34:37 "No, I need to be in debt because I need something." 34:40 Proverbs 36:25. 34:43 "I have been young, and now am old, 34:46 yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, 34:50 nor his seed begging bread." 34:53 Trust God, He will take care of you. 34:56 You can live within your means. Amen. 34:58 Pastor Kenny. Praise the Lord. 35:00 Well covered. Praise the Lord. 35:02 All of our lesson is dealing with debt 35:04 and basically how to stay out of debt. 35:06 And I was kind of wondering why I got this one here 35:08 that's talking about, "Say no to debt." 35:10 Now, well maybe this is Lord speaking to me. 35:14 But let's maybe start out with a question, 35:16 I'm not sure that the answer we would have it in the sense 35:19 that some people will say to others, 35:22 "You are in big debt." 35:24 Now what does it really take to, 35:25 you know, make a debt or have a debt? 35:28 Let's say for instance 35:29 that the Pastor John buys him a house at $100,000. 35:34 You buy the house. 35:36 You have it appraised later and it appraises for $300,000. 35:40 Now would you call that a debt 35:44 or would you call that really that you have 35:45 actually made money on that house? 35:47 Yeah, a profit actually... 35:49 It's a profit but yet in a sense I look at it 35:52 and I said yes or no. 35:54 You know, I bought a lot of houses 35:55 over the years and sold lot of houses over the years, 35:57 it is a debt in a sense that you owe the $100,000. 36:01 So you still are obligated to pay it, 36:03 but yet it's, I want to say it, it's a good debt. 36:07 It's good because you have a profit of $200, 000 to back 36:11 that up with something you had to sell it quickly, 36:14 you could sell rather quickly for that easily 36:17 or you'll make it little less. 36:18 An asset. Yeah. 36:20 So we have to look at debt, is there a time 36:23 that we should or could go into debt 36:25 and it will be okay. 36:27 'Cause here it's like we never go into debt 36:29 because it's wrong and it is sinful to do it. 36:32 There are times, 36:33 which is acceptable to maybe borrow something 36:37 but, again, it's like been brought out here, 36:39 you want to make sure you'd be able to pay it back 36:41 by the grace of God at least the best you can see 36:43 and understand 36:44 it's been a wise choice and decision. 36:46 So we're going to say no to debt. 36:47 What is debt? 36:49 It's been discussed here something 36:51 that's owe to what? 36:52 Another person, you owe it to them, 36:54 you have to pay it back and there are conditions 36:56 in an owing, 36:57 you are obligated to pay it back. 36:59 If you don't, 37:00 somebody will come and get your attention 37:03 if you're not paying it back. 37:04 You know that, you get the cards, and letters, 37:05 and someone will knock at your door. 37:08 Webster dictionary says... 37:09 I thought it was interesting, 37:11 it said this when it talked and gave a definition of debt, 37:14 it just said theology, sin. 37:20 I thought it is fascinating. 37:23 In theology, sin. 37:26 Oh, wow, that's kind of an interesting thought 37:28 and kind of deep even for Webster's. 37:32 Anyway, how do we get into debt same way 37:35 everybody brought out. 37:36 Same way as the government is in debt. 37:38 They spend a whole lot more than they bring in, 37:40 that's the same way with us, 37:42 that's how we get in this mess simply 37:43 put what we're talking about everyone. 37:45 Deuteronomy 28:12. 37:47 I think someone read that so, 37:49 "Thou shalt lend unto many nations, 37:51 and thou shalt not borrow." 37:52 I think the main thing here 37:54 is what I'm gonna try and cover quickly as we can is 37:56 that God has a plan 37:57 that we do not have to go into debt, 38:00 saying no to debt because He says in bottom line, 38:03 "I'm going to bless you, 38:04 I'm going to bless everything that your hands do." 38:07 And when I bless you, 38:08 and I give you all these things, 38:09 there's no need for you to have to borrow. 38:11 You will be able to loan to other people to show 38:13 the blessings 38:14 that you're receiving from heaven. 38:16 So as we read so many things, 38:17 hopefully it will come in into being here with us. 38:19 The part of Deuteronomy 28:12 says, 38:22 "God gives a promise." 38:24 Now what does it say, 38:25 "Thou shalt lend unto many nations, 38:27 and thou shalt not borrow." 38:29 That's the last part of it. 38:30 Let's go back to the other part. 38:31 It said, God gives a promise here. 38:33 He says, "I'm going to open, 38:35 I will open up 38:36 His good treasures, think about, 38:38 I'm going to open up some treasures for you." 38:40 And Psalm 33:7, someone read that. 38:42 It's His storehouse, it's His treasure house, 38:45 He's going to open for each and every one of us. 38:47 It says, here is Psalm 33:7, 38:49 "He gathereth the waters of the sea together," 38:52 notice this, "as a heap, 38:54 He layeth up the depth in his storehouses." 38:57 Notice this, God says He will bless all, 39:01 we're talking about material things here, 39:02 material things. 39:04 And then He make sure, 39:05 we're going to have in abundance 39:07 according to Deuteronomy 30:9. 39:09 There's going to be an abundance of it 39:11 if we are in obedience to what He ask us to do. 39:14 That way we would have no need to borrow. 39:17 I mean to me that makes sense. 39:18 There's an abundance, God's blessing, 39:20 why would we need to borrow 39:21 if we have an abundance of these things. 39:24 Deuteronomy 15:6, someone read that. 39:26 I think they read it before, 39:28 it says, "For the Lord thy God blesseth thee, 39:30 as He promised thee, 39:31 and thou shalt lend money unto nations, 39:34 but thou shalt not borrow, 39:35 and thou shalt not reign over many nations, 39:38 but thou shall not reign over thee." 39:40 Thou shalt reign over nations but none is to rule over us. 39:43 That's in I think Deuteronomy 15:6. 39:45 So He's promising 39:47 what is God's plan for us as His children. 39:49 We're not to be in subjection to any other nations, 39:52 or to some, or to banks, or to other people 39:55 because we are in bondage, and we're in what? 39:57 It puts us in a form of slavery when we have an obligation. 40:01 I remember when I bought my first house and the banker, 40:03 I didn't get it through my head until he shook. 40:04 He shook my hand many years ago, and he said, 40:07 "Well, buddy, we're partners now 40:08 for the next 20 years." 40:10 You know, I really didn't want to be a partner with him 40:12 for 20 years but looks I am. 40:14 That's when you're young and foolish, 40:16 you didn't realize that, but I think he let me know, 40:17 "We're in partnership, 40:19 I'll be seeing you for the next 20 years 40:20 unless you pay this thing off." 40:22 Here, again, is a promise, God gives us of surety 40:24 that if Israel should have obey if we obey Him, 40:27 He's going to bless us with the material 40:29 and financial things, that's good. 40:32 We read Proverbs 22:7 said, "The rich ruleth over the poor, 40:37 and the borrower is servant of the lender." 40:39 That just makes sense to us for sure. 40:41 This is God's plan for His people, 40:43 it's always been for Israel and it's for us. 40:45 Deuteronomy 28:1, notice this, 40:48 "And it shall come to pass, 40:50 if thou shalt hearken diligently 40:51 unto the voice of the Lord thy God, 40:53 to observe and to do all His" what? 40:56 "Commandments which I command thee this day," 40:58 Deuteronomy 28:1, 41:00 "that the Lord thy God will set thee on high 41:03 above all nations on the earth." 41:05 This is what God wants to do for us, 41:08 He wants to set us on high. 41:11 Remember, God was telling them, 41:13 your eternal, He's telling us today, 41:15 "Your eternal destiny is in your hands." 41:18 We have freewill, don't we? 41:20 And God is telling us that, 41:21 "Your eternal destiny is in your hands right now. 41:23 And, in fact, when you make a choice you tie My hands." 41:27 Sounds kind of odd that we could tie God's hands, 41:29 put Him in that position. 41:31 So He rewards man 41:32 according to certainly the deeds that he's done. 41:34 Someone read, I think it was Matthews 6:33, 41:37 "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, 41:38 and his righteousness, 41:40 all these other things will be added unto him." 41:42 So if we borrow and I think probably everyone here 41:46 probably have it one time or the other, we borrowed. 41:50 But we had the good intentions, 41:51 you had stability in order to pay this debt back, 41:55 you know, that's what we should be doing, 41:57 that's what God wants us to do. 41:58 And that's what 42:00 I wanted always come by, always said well, 42:01 you know, God wants us to be the what? 42:02 The head and not the tail. 42:04 And I thought, well, that's kind of interesting 42:06 because that's what 42:07 He's telling us here in Deuteronomy 42:09 and that's what He says in Deuteronomy 8:13. 42:12 You be the head and not the tail. 42:13 And I like part of the passage it says, 42:15 you're to be above only and not beneath. 42:20 That makes it pretty clear 42:21 what God says when we go into debt, 42:22 then we put ourselves on the bottom as it were 42:24 and things can happen. 42:26 Counsels on Stewardship, 42:27 this is on page 272 begins with his message on debt. 42:32 It's clear, I think it's in our lesson here, 42:34 it says, "There must be a strict regard to economy 42:37 or a heavy debt will incur." 42:38 Makes sense what you've been talking about. 42:41 "Keep within your bounds." 42:42 This is harder to do than, at least, for me 42:45 it's little harder to do than what, 42:46 you know, to stay within your boundaries, 42:48 it's saying here, 42:49 "Shun the incurring of debt as you would shun leprosy." 42:53 Well, that make it pretty plain to me. 42:55 Strive to owe no man, what? 42:57 Bible said, don't owe no man anything. 43:00 Someone mentioned buy now, pay later. 43:01 Man, that's the way that got us in this mess 43:03 that we're in. 43:05 And we realize that credit cards, 43:06 and we're just talking $15,000 average household, 43:08 individually it's $5,000, $6,000 a piece. 43:11 Average household, 43:12 that person at 33% has at least two credit cards, 43:16 18% has 3 to 4, 43:19 10% has 5 to 6, and more credit cards. 43:23 So they're putting this debt upon, 43:25 you know, as fast as they can go out 43:27 and see something they want, they buy it. 43:29 Here we see in our last minute or so here, the US debt, 43:34 we've learned to go in debt and be in debt 43:35 because ever since this situation started 43:38 the government had a fluctuating debt. 43:40 You realize when they started to keep in track of it in 1789 43:45 and every year 43:46 since then except one year 1935 and 1936 43:50 we were spending more than we came in. 43:53 We've been in debt as a country 43:55 ever since this started in 1789. 43:58 We are over $20 trillion in debt. 44:02 If you ever look some of that up on, 44:04 shown on that debt clock, you better look that up, 44:06 on the debt clock you can actually look at that. 44:08 You cannot write down 44:10 how fast we are going into debt, 44:12 it moves so fast, so quick by the tens 44:13 of thousands of dollars, you can't. 44:15 I tried to write down, I can't do it. 44:17 Over $20 trillion. 44:19 In 1980, we were only $900 and some billion. 44:23 Look at how it's changed. Only. 44:24 Only. Thank you. 44:26 And we're paying... 44:28 See, we've learned this thing called debt and get in debt 44:30 because that's the way it is our country, 44:31 there's some people use as, 44:32 "Well, I can do it because the country is." 44:34 Now that's not good reasoning at all. 44:35 God says stay out of it. 44:38 We realize here that we pay 44:39 or probably about $250 billion 44:44 a year in interest alone. 44:47 We're in a point now, 44:48 we almost can't payback 44:50 the interest on our national debt. 44:51 And, Pastor John, 44:53 they're holding you accountable, 44:54 they're holding you $67,000 individually. 44:57 If you're a tax payer, they say you owe $170,000. 45:02 Interesting how they do that. 45:04 They break it down to say we are each accountable. 45:07 So we want to make sure by God's grace, we do what? 45:09 Owe no man anything, stay out of debt. 45:11 If we are by God's grace, do what? 45:13 Pay it back as soon as you can 45:14 and, you know, don't let the enemy 45:16 come in and get away, 45:17 we can't give this 'cause of God. 45:18 Okay. My day is saving and investing. 45:22 Here's something interesting that I looked up. 45:24 Okay. 45:26 In the Bible 45:27 there are over 2, 350 verses 45:33 on money and finances. 45:35 Wow. 45:37 Fifteen percent of the Bible 45:38 is talking about money and finances, 45:41 more than any other topic, more than hell, 45:43 more than heaven, more than prayer. 45:47 So we see how important money is. 45:51 Please open your Bibles to Proverbs 6, 45:55 we're going to look at 6 through 8. 45:57 And I hope to have time to give you 45:59 some practical ideas today. 46:02 We'll see. 46:03 Proverbs 6:6-8. 46:08 It says, "Go to the ant, you sluggard! 46:11 Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, 46:15 overseer or ruler, 46:17 provides her supplies in the summer, 46:21 and gathers her food in the harvest." 46:24 See, ants work to lay aside provision for the winter. 46:29 And if we are wise enough to save money routinely 46:35 for a specific purpose, 46:37 we are following the ants example. 46:40 So what when we're talking about saving, 46:43 I want to talk about having enough money 46:46 to meet your financial needs, 46:48 not hoarding, not becoming selfish, 46:50 not letting the love of money overcome you 46:53 but providing for your family 46:56 and having enough to meet your needs. 46:59 If there's anything 47:01 that I could tell you as a parent 47:02 or as a grandparent, 47:04 teach your children to tithe and to save. 47:10 I mean, that first 10% belongs to the Lord, 47:12 return it to the Lord 47:14 because it is absolutely amazing. 47:16 And I wish I had time to tell you the stories, 47:18 but 90% that is blessed by God 47:22 goes a whole lot further than 100% 47:24 that doesn't have His blessing. 47:26 Yes. That's right. 47:27 But the second thing that I would tell parents 47:30 and grandparents to teach your children 47:32 is to save 10% of your income. 47:36 First 10% goes to God, 47:38 second 10% goes into a savings account, 47:41 and you might think, "There's no way 47:43 I could live on 80% of my income." 47:45 Not if you've already gotten into debt, it's very difficult. 47:49 But we should have, we used to save three months 47:53 set aside as an emergency fund. 47:55 Whatever your income is, if you make $3,000 a month, 47:58 you should have $9,000. 48:00 They used to say three months, now they're saying six months. 48:03 You don't know if you'll be sick 48:04 and not be able to work, 48:06 you don't know what's going to happen, 48:07 you need to have that emergency fund 48:10 so that your family will be protected. 48:14 What you need to do is create a goal 48:18 and then make a plan and work your plan. 48:23 As I said three to six months, 48:25 that's kind of setting aside for emergencies. 48:29 But if you have children, 48:31 you know, there's something 48:32 that's fascinating about interest, 48:36 interest can either be your enemy 48:39 if you're in debt because you're paying it. 48:41 But if you're saving compound interest 48:45 makes your money grow exponentially in a hurry. 48:49 There is a rule in kind of a simplified way 48:53 of telling you how to know, 48:56 how fast your money will take to double 48:58 if you are investing your money, 49:00 and they call it a rule of 72, 49:02 there's other rules, and this is close. 49:04 But it's essentially saying 49:06 what ever you would earn on an annual basis. 49:09 Let's say you find an investment 49:11 that's 10% a year, 49:13 good luck finding that but if you did, 49:15 then you divide 72 by that interest 49:18 and if you took 72 divided by 10, 49:21 what do we got, 7.2. 49:23 That means if you were investing 49:26 $10,000 or a $1,000, 49:28 let's just go with a $1,000, a $1, 000 at 10% 49:32 that will double in 7.2 years. 49:37 You would have $2,000. 49:38 So if you start early when your children are young... 49:42 Let me tell you, 49:43 they don't need all the toys that they've got, 49:46 you know, you need to teach your children 49:48 to start saving too and put toward a college fund, 49:52 and when you start when they're little, 49:54 instead of people buying them a bunch of junk 49:56 for their birthday or Christmas, 49:58 take money, if they give us money, 50:00 and you put that $50 away. 50:03 And I'm telling you, it's going to be amazing 50:05 how much money you have 50:06 when it's time to go to college. 50:08 Same thing for once you've got 50:09 that three to six months set aside 50:12 for your emergency fund. 50:14 If you continue to save 10% a year, 50:17 what you'll find is that for your retirement, 50:20 you're not going to be worried about whether or not 50:22 Social Security is still available. 50:26 I wanted to read this quote, I thought it was great. 50:29 This is from Randy Alcorn 50:31 his book Money Possessions and Eternity. 50:33 He said, 50:34 "Money needlessly spent is a double loss. 50:38 Not only is it gone, 50:39 but its potential for earnings is also gone. 50:43 Had we set it aside, 50:44 it could have been multiplying on earth 50:46 through savings or in heaven through giving... 50:50 Saving is a discipline 50:51 that develops authority over money." 50:54 It says money have authority over you 50:56 or do you have authority over your money. 50:59 You'll have authority over your money 51:01 if you learn to be disciplined enough to save. 51:03 "Instead of letting money take us 51:05 wherever our whims incline, we take control." 51:10 All right, if I were counseling, 51:13 when we counsel with young people, 51:15 I always tell a young couple before they get married. 51:18 JD and I do quite a bit of marriage counseling. 51:23 And you don't have to just be getting married 51:26 but this is great advice to begin with, 51:28 but if you're finding 51:29 that your spending is out of control, 51:32 make a budget and learn to live within that budget. 51:36 Track your spending. 51:38 See where you are, where you can make changes, 51:42 and learn to save in little ways. 51:45 One thing that JD and I, 51:48 when we married our business partner 51:50 put us $250,000 in debt. 51:51 Mercy. 51:52 So we were living off $100 a month in Dallas, Texas 51:56 for that was all I had for groceries, and toiletries, 52:01 and all of that. 52:02 I was the coupon collecting queen. 52:04 But anyway, 52:06 I had a very, very strict budget. 52:09 We did not eat out for several years 52:12 but then when we did, 52:13 it was maybe a pizza or something. 52:15 You know, we got into the habit of drinking water with lemon, 52:18 it's healthier for you. 52:20 But it just amazes me when I see people 52:23 that I know are broke will go out to eat. 52:26 And I'm not saying, we all need a treat sometimes, 52:29 but they'll order a drink that's $4, 52:32 and I'm thinking that's just a waste. 52:35 They're ordering some kind of a drink 52:37 to go with it, learn to save, 52:39 don't overbuy at the grocery store. 52:41 You know, a lot of food goes to waste. 52:43 The statistics on what America throws away is pitiful. 52:47 So don't overbuy fruits on sale, 52:49 don't overbuy it if you're not going to eat it, 52:51 or learn to freeze it and put things away. 52:55 Avoid paying interest when possible. 52:57 When I'm talking about saving, 52:59 I want to give this little bit of counsel. 53:01 If you are in debt 53:03 and you have a credit card with a high interest, 53:06 it is better to put the money once you've got 53:09 three months at least set aside, 53:11 it's better to pay off 53:12 your high interest credit card debt 53:14 than it is to put money in savings 53:15 because even though 53:17 you're putting money in savings, 53:19 it's being drained by that interest. 53:21 Don't use your credit cards, 53:23 we've already talked about for items 53:25 that you don't need because you think, 53:27 "Oh, I'm getting this on sale, I'm saving $100." 53:33 If you're paying minimum payments, 53:34 by the time that item gets paid off, 53:36 you've paid double for it. 53:38 Yes. 53:39 So let me just skip because there's. 53:41 Oh, in Proverbs 21:5, it says, 53:44 "The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, 53:49 but those of everyone who is hasty, 53:51 surely to poverty." 53:53 So you have to diligently plan 53:55 and work hard doing it as unto the Lord. 53:59 And if you're a young couple, 54:00 the other thing I would say is, do... 54:04 If you're both working and you have no children, 54:06 learn to live off one spouse's salary, 54:09 bank the entire other salary 54:12 so that you'll have a good down payment for a home. 54:15 And I do think a home is acceptable debt 54:17 but don't buy more home than you can afford. 54:20 Recently I had a young man called me, he said, 54:23 "Oh, we finally found a home." 54:25 And I said, "What percentage of that..." 54:28 The payment, what percentage? 54:29 He said, "Oh, good interest rate." 54:31 What percentage of your income is that?" 54:33 "Thirty eight percent. 54:35 Everybody's saying what a great asset this is." 54:38 And I said, "Absolutely, not. 54:39 If it's more than 25% of your income, 54:42 that's too much house for you." 54:43 And they ended up taking 54:45 that advice buying a different home 54:47 and now they're finding 54:48 that the cost of upkeep is amazing 54:50 so that was good. 54:53 I've got so much. I'm talking too much. 54:55 Managing money requires wisdom, budgeting, and discipline. 55:00 But if all we do is save for ourself, 55:02 then we're pilfering from God, 55:03 you know, we're supposed to be good stewards of our mind. 55:07 I liked what the... 55:09 The quarterly says, "When we accept Christ, 55:14 we've opened up an account." 55:15 When we're returning tithe, 55:17 we're putting that money into that account. 55:19 But we need to always keep our focus 55:23 as 2 Corinthians 4:18 says, 55:26 "While we do not look at the things which are seen, 55:29 but at the things which are not seen. 55:31 For the things that are seen are temporary, 55:33 but the things 55:35 which are not seen are eternal." 55:37 So keep your eyes focused on the Lord. 55:38 Wow. 55:40 You know, the one thing 55:41 that I've learned about this lesson 55:43 is it never gives us enough time. 55:44 Oh, no. 55:45 I like the way that all things went, 55:47 we were very scriptural, 55:48 very biblical, very practical, Shelley, 55:50 that was a financial seminar right there. 55:53 And if I could summarize what you said, 55:54 you're practical, frugal, plan, be realistic, 55:57 and just live like a person 55:59 who just wants to avoid debt, and you come out of it. 56:03 It's amazing how much we learn by our own mistakes. 56:06 I think the best counsel is an older person. 56:09 Yes. That's gone through it all. 56:11 One person even said, I was very young person 56:12 I was married, "When you get to my age, 56:14 then come back and give me counsel." 56:16 Jill, summarize what we talked about today 56:18 in your particular seminar. 56:19 Give me a few seconds here. 56:21 I think make choices by principle, 56:24 instead of choices by emotion or feeling. 56:26 Okay, Mollie? Live within your means. 56:28 If your outgo exceed your income, 56:30 your upkeep will be your downfall. 56:32 Live within your means. Yes. 56:34 That's right. Pastor Kenny? 56:35 I think we can learn to be better stewards, 56:37 specifically if we eliminate debt. 56:40 Amen. Shelley? 56:42 I would just say that when we give to the Lord 56:44 where we are... 56:47 It's something that we have a purse 56:49 that doesn't have holes in it but when we get into debt, 56:52 it's just like you've cut holes into your purse. 56:55 Wow. 56:56 I've been looking at some proverbs, 56:58 you know, Chinese proverbs, Arabian proverbs. 57:00 The one that stuck out to me was this Estonian proverb, 57:03 it says, "When death comes, the rich man has no money, 57:07 and the poor man has no debt." 57:10 You know, the Lord doesn't want us 57:11 to live like paupers, 57:12 every good and every perfect gift 57:14 God will supply all of our need, 57:16 promises to do that. 57:18 But make wise decisions about whether or not 57:22 you want to be a slave of debt or servant of God. 57:27 May the Lord bless you, until we see you again. |
Revised 2018-05-17