On Take It to the Bank,
00:00:01.36\00:00:02.70
you'll find ways
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00:00:02.73\00:00:05.53
solve your credit card problems.
00:00:09.70\00:00:14.54
How to make and
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00:00:14.58\00:00:19.71
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00:00:19.75\00:00:21.58
buying or selling a home,
00:00:24.79\00:00:26.96
and many more financial
matters on Take It to the Bank.
00:00:26.99\00:00:31.09
Hi, my name is Cordell Thomas,
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and I welcome you
to Take It to the Bank.
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I'm interested in
this specific topic
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that we'll be talking about,
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because many people wonder
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whether or not it's
how much money you make
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that creates wealth.
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And it's interesting,
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I was just having a
conversation about it,
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if you look at an individual
whose budgets are in order,
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whose system is in order,
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whose finances are in order,
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you can see a sense
of peace on their face.
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You can sense
that they are okay,
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because things
are in good order.
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For example, if you
make $10,000 a year,
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if you make $50,000 a year,
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and you save a
good portion of that,
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and all of your
bills are paid and,
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and you don't have any debt,
you're in a lot better setting
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than if you make
$1,000,000 a year,
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and you're spending
that $1,000,000 a year.
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So it's all about
how much you make.
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But, you know,
before we start the program,
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what I would like
to do is get a context
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of what some of our
young people are thinking
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about this thing called money.
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So we ask them
the question about,
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"What type of salary
would make you happy?"
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And here is what they said.
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An annual salary
that will make me happy,
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I would say maybe
45 to 50 enough to,
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I'm single,
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so that would probably be enough
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to cover my
personal expenses of rent,
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things that carry me along
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and then just allow
me to pay here and there.
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Again, I'm a
little off on estimation,
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so I'm thinking
that should be okay.
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I don't really ask for more,
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but I do like to
live a comfortable life
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where I don't have to like,
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that stress of money is not
like over me, the whole time.
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So I wanna say like at
least, $80,000 will be fine,
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because then I can
afford a little car,
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I can rent a small apartment,
maybe buy a small home,
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and it will give me enough money
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for me to pay off my
debt, and save money for,
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to have a family in the future.
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An annual salary that
would probably make me happy
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would be between, you
know, 40,000 to 50,000 a year.
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I think with my
short experience,
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I believe that
would be a, you know,
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a perfect salary so
that I can live comfortably.
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You know, have my car,
perhaps be making payments on,
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you know, a small house
or, you know, giving my tithes,
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you know, anything, I think 50,
40 to 50 grand would be great.
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I don't know, I guess,
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I don't have
certain numbers in mind,
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just something that gets me,
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something that
will have me keep going
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and I'll be satisfied.
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Just...
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Numbers don't really count
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as long as I
have food on my table,
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I have my bills
paid, and I have a job,
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a good paying
job, then I'm fine.
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The numbers don't
really matter to me.
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To me, it doesn't really matter
as long as I get my bills paid.
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Like...
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Get to pay everything
and then, you know, get,
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everybody's
happy, like enough food,
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enough everything.
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I'm good.
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Five hundred grand
would be good, would be nice.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, would be really happy.
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I'd say, just go
back to Afghanistan,
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but this time, be a contractor,
make about $120,000 a year,
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and I'll be fine with that.
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One million dollars.
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One million dollars.
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I had a ball
watching those responses,
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anywhere from $40,000 a year,
all the way up to $1,000,000,
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"That would make me happy."
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Would that make you happy?
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And what would be the figure
that would make you happy?
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And did you know there
are statistics out there
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that show that there are
lot of unhappy millionaires
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that make a $1,000,000
and spend a $1,000,000.
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There are lot of millionaires
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that are going
through foreclosure crisis
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in specific
markets around the country.
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There are lot of individuals
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who are making
$40,000 to $50,000 a year,
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who are very happy individuals
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because the
happiness that they have
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comes from their giving,
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their tithing, their being.
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They're
supporting specific things
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or agencies or organizations
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that are about
helping other people.
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And I think that's the context
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of what we'd like
to start with here.
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Because the
responses of those young people
00:05:02.80\00:05:05.47
are quite interesting.
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The young lady that said,
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"$40,000 to $50,000 a
year would make me very happy."
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A roof over my head,
food on the table, you know,
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everything is in line,
where my budget is in order,
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I have no
expenses that are outside
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of the typical
things that I would have.
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I don't have any
credit card debt,
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life is good.
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And that's one
of the simple ways
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of looking at happiness.
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Because, remember,
happiness is not about
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how much you make,
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it is about how
you utilize the funds
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that you are given the
responsibility of managing.
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We talk about
happiness around the globe.
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And do you know
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what the happiest
country in the world is?
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It just took over number one
00:05:49.38\00:05:50.91
and it's not one of
the wealthiest countries
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in the world,
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but when you talk
to the people there,
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you can see the sense
of happiness on their face,
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how they glow, how
they welcome their visitors
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who come in as tourists.
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And as they live in groups,
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and live with family
members in their countries,
00:06:04.06\00:06:06.76
that number one
country is Costa Rica,
00:06:06.80\00:06:09.43
took over that
number one position
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from Denmark.
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The top six of
the top ten countries
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are from Latin America.
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Jamaica is
number six on the list.
00:06:18.87\00:06:20.81
Guatemala is
number nine on the list.
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You begin to see that,
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it's not about the
wealth of the country
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that makes them happy people,
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it's about how
they live their lives,
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and what they do,
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and how they handle the
experiences that they have.
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Did you know also
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that wealth is not
about an happiness in life,
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not about the
wealth but it's about
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how you spend your time?
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Many people think that,
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"I'm happy if I make
enough to buy that big car
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or if I have enough
to buy that big home."
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And it's not really
about the luxury items
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that you purchase,
00:06:53.21\00:06:54.54
it's about the quality of
time you spend with family,
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the quality of time you spend
with friends, going on a trip,
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going on a walk, and giving.
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They find that
the personal happiness
00:07:03.02\00:07:04.75
each one of us have,
00:07:04.79\00:07:06.49
is about spending
money on other people
00:07:06.52\00:07:09.56
and not spending
money on ourselves.
00:07:09.59\00:07:12.09
It's interesting as we did
a lecture back in Riverside,
00:07:12.13\00:07:15.46
we talked to a bunch of
kids and some of the questions
00:07:15.50\00:07:17.77
that we asked them about,
00:07:17.80\00:07:19.20
"What would you do if
you made a $1,000,000?
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What would you do if
you made a $100,000?"
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And it's quite
interesting, their responses.
00:07:25.61\00:07:27.58
And there are some
steps we take kids through
00:07:27.61\00:07:30.01
when we randomly label them
a specific type of occupation,
00:07:30.05\00:07:34.15
and then we say,
based on that occupation,
00:07:34.18\00:07:36.45
the average salary
is this amount of money.
00:07:36.48\00:07:39.72
How will you navigate
the experiences in your life
00:07:39.75\00:07:44.49
when it has to do with money?
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For as little as
$80,000 or $90,000 a year,
00:07:47.66\00:07:51.20
these numbers seem
big to young people
00:07:51.23\00:07:53.94
and they would comeback
with interesting responses.
00:07:53.97\00:07:57.44
For example, this young man
labeled a very expensive car,
00:07:57.47\00:08:01.08
that if he
researched how much it costs,
00:08:01.11\00:08:03.24
that it was approximately
$270,000 to $300,000,
00:08:03.28\00:08:07.48
just to purchase the vehicle.
00:08:07.52\00:08:09.55
And then, of course,
00:08:09.58\00:08:10.92
the young person
wasn't even thinking
00:08:10.95\00:08:12.29
about the insurance necessary
and other type of things.
00:08:12.32\00:08:15.26
Do you know what
cap of gas mileage
00:08:15.29\00:08:17.16
a car like that gets?
00:08:17.19\00:08:18.53
And many of us don't think
about that from the standpoint
00:08:18.56\00:08:20.60
of how we
research the acquisition
00:08:20.63\00:08:22.53
of different
products and to their services
00:08:22.56\00:08:24.63
that we are...
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Deem necessary in
getting involved with.
00:08:27.54\00:08:29.80
The same kind of
topics that are brought up
00:08:29.84\00:08:32.07
in these kind of
conversations are those
00:08:32.11\00:08:33.98
that these young people
have enlightened us about
00:08:34.01\00:08:36.08
how they make decisions.
00:08:36.11\00:08:38.21
Did you know
that your young person
00:08:38.25\00:08:41.02
is watching
everything that you do?
00:08:41.05\00:08:43.82
And then he goes back
to many of the studies
00:08:43.85\00:08:45.49
that we hear about,
00:08:45.52\00:08:46.86
that this thing called
poverty is generational,
00:08:46.89\00:08:49.62
there is a cycle called poverty
00:08:49.66\00:08:52.26
because the kids are
going to do what the parents do,
00:08:52.29\00:08:55.73
they watch, they
emulate those experiences.
00:08:55.76\00:08:58.17
And one of the
things we're trying to do
00:08:58.20\00:09:00.07
with our
contracts out in California
00:09:00.10\00:09:02.74
is to talk to the young people
with the parents in the room.
00:09:02.77\00:09:06.98
The parents have to stay
silent to a certain extent
00:09:07.01\00:09:09.84
because we want to really
engage with this conversation
00:09:09.88\00:09:13.18
and motivate young
people to become these people
00:09:13.21\00:09:17.42
that you would
consider producers.
00:09:17.45\00:09:19.45
What's a producer?
00:09:19.49\00:09:20.82
It's an individual
that has a certain income
00:09:20.86\00:09:23.66
and spends less than he
makes, it's an individual
00:09:23.69\00:09:26.76
that takes the savings
that he has and invests it
00:09:26.80\00:09:29.80
into buying
things that he can retail
00:09:29.83\00:09:33.17
or become a business owner.
00:09:33.20\00:09:35.14
Now, do you have
to have a business?
00:09:35.17\00:09:37.27
Or can you just
manage the assets
00:09:37.31\00:09:40.64
that you have or the income
00:09:40.68\00:09:43.14
that you have coming
into your personal household?
00:09:43.18\00:09:47.05
It doesn't matter.
00:09:47.08\00:09:48.42
All that matters is
you've begun the process
00:09:48.45\00:09:51.02
of setting your goals
of paying off your debt.
00:09:51.05\00:09:53.15
Number two, it matters
that you have set up a budget
00:09:53.19\00:09:57.13
and that budget
you follow religiously.
00:09:57.16\00:10:00.00
Number three, it matters
that you have a savings account
00:10:00.03\00:10:03.37
and that savings you
put towards retirement,
00:10:03.40\00:10:07.10
towards investments,
00:10:07.14\00:10:08.47
towards a personal
emergency savings account.
00:10:08.50\00:10:10.74
And then, of
course, to this extent
00:10:10.77\00:10:13.14
that you would like to do so,
00:10:13.17\00:10:14.74
you invest and you use the money
00:10:14.78\00:10:16.81
to bring in more money.
00:10:16.85\00:10:18.78
And additionally, most
happy people in the world
00:10:18.81\00:10:22.25
are those that have
no unnecessary expenses
00:10:22.28\00:10:25.89
so that they can
give, they can give.
00:10:25.92\00:10:29.26
They are those individuals
00:10:29.29\00:10:30.63
that don't live
grandiose lifestyles,
00:10:30.66\00:10:34.33
that live simply,
live in their home,
00:10:34.36\00:10:36.67
and stay in the
same type of home
00:10:36.70\00:10:38.17
that they grew up in.
00:10:38.20\00:10:39.53
They don't have to every time
they get a promotion at work,
00:10:39.57\00:10:41.94
buy a new house,
buy a larger car,
00:10:41.97\00:10:45.31
or those type of things.
00:10:45.34\00:10:47.24
Some of our wealthiest Americans
00:10:47.28\00:10:48.88
are less likely to buy a
new car right off the lot.
00:10:48.91\00:10:52.15
They will buy a
two year new car.
00:10:52.18\00:10:54.45
These are type of
things that you think about
00:10:54.48\00:10:57.52
but never really
consider when looking at new car
00:10:57.55\00:11:01.32
or new product sales.
00:11:01.36\00:11:03.63
Now why am I
mentioning all of this?
00:11:03.66\00:11:05.49
Because we heard
young people are telling us,
00:11:05.53\00:11:08.23
"Look, I'm comfortable making
a certain amount of money."
00:11:08.26\00:11:10.97
We hear from the
media, we see in the media,
00:11:11.00\00:11:13.94
we see all of these
influential individuals
00:11:13.97\00:11:17.44
who are dictating what
our kids should become.
00:11:17.47\00:11:20.98
And our kids are
beginning to emulate
00:11:21.01\00:11:22.61
what they see in society.
00:11:22.64\00:11:24.01
So it's all about the
car, all about the clothes,
00:11:24.05\00:11:27.95
all about the bling that
people seem to get caught up in
00:11:27.98\00:11:33.86
and don't realize
it's not necessary.
00:11:33.89\00:11:36.56
Did you realize
another tip from the wealthy?
00:11:36.59\00:11:38.99
Most of them, you
would never know are wealthy.
00:11:39.03\00:11:42.10
The people walking beside you,
00:11:42.13\00:11:43.70
the people that do
certain things alongside you,
00:11:43.73\00:11:47.04
are probably
business owners or individuals
00:11:47.07\00:11:49.94
that have money invested.
00:11:49.97\00:11:52.07
One of the things that we do
in our lectures here, is this.
00:11:52.11\00:11:54.84
We have several
different documents
00:11:54.88\00:11:56.34
and there's one
of a young person
00:11:56.38\00:11:58.51
that is between 28
and 32 years of age
00:11:58.55\00:12:02.55
and she has her information,
00:12:02.58\00:12:04.95
she's provided her
information for the public.
00:12:04.99\00:12:06.99
So what we have is,
we take out the names,
00:12:07.02\00:12:08.89
we take out where they work,
00:12:08.92\00:12:10.26
they take out a
lot of information
00:12:10.29\00:12:11.63
but put up specific
type of information.
00:12:11.66\00:12:14.23
This person, as
we are, lure the kids
00:12:14.26\00:12:17.20
into this conversation
is, we say, how much you...
00:12:17.23\00:12:20.14
What type of car do you
think this person drives?
00:12:20.17\00:12:22.97
Well, obviously,
00:12:23.00\00:12:24.34
the first
question you would ask is,
00:12:24.37\00:12:25.71
"Well, then, how
much money does she make?"
00:12:25.74\00:12:27.31
I threw up the
slide and the slide said,
00:12:27.34\00:12:30.41
she made $95,000.
00:12:30.45\00:12:32.51
Well, $95,000 a year, a
month, every six months,
00:12:32.55\00:12:37.09
whatever the case
is, $95,000 will put her
00:12:37.12\00:12:39.82
on the higher
end of middle class,
00:12:39.85\00:12:42.69
if that was a yearly figure.
00:12:42.72\00:12:44.29
But, no, when they found out,
later on in the presentation,
00:12:44.33\00:12:47.23
that this person
actually made $95,000 a month,
00:12:47.26\00:12:51.27
it shocked them, number one.
00:12:51.30\00:12:52.87
And, number two, they
came out with things like,
00:12:52.90\00:12:55.34
she's got to
drive a luxury vehicle,
00:12:55.37\00:12:58.17
she's got to
drive this type of car,
00:12:58.21\00:13:00.24
she's got to do
these type of things.
00:13:00.28\00:13:02.51
And then at the
end, when I shared
00:13:02.54\00:13:04.01
what type of car
she actually drives,
00:13:04.05\00:13:06.78
which she actually
doesn't drive a car.
00:13:06.82\00:13:08.68
In her budget, she has no funds
going out for a car payment.
00:13:08.72\00:13:13.02
She has funds going out to
pay for bus passes and taxies.
00:13:13.05\00:13:16.93
She doesn't own a car,
but she lives in an area
00:13:16.96\00:13:19.83
that has a wonderful bus system
and she utilizes that system.
00:13:19.86\00:13:23.77
But yet, you would
walk beside this individual
00:13:23.80\00:13:25.67
and you wouldn't know
00:13:25.70\00:13:27.04
that he or she has
1.6 million dollars
00:13:27.07\00:13:30.27
in accessible funds in
her cash checking or CDs
00:13:30.31\00:13:34.34
that she can get access
00:13:34.38\00:13:35.71
to in a relatively
short period of time.
00:13:35.74\00:13:37.55
We don't know that
she also has probably
00:13:37.58\00:13:39.71
the equivalent amount of money
00:13:39.75\00:13:41.82
put away in
long-term investments,
00:13:41.85\00:13:43.59
that she's already
a millionaire with.
00:13:43.62\00:13:46.25
And then we don't know
that she also owns a home
00:13:46.29\00:13:49.69
in a certain affluent community
in the area that she lives.
00:13:49.72\00:13:53.29
And then you take a
step back and realize
00:13:53.33\00:13:55.46
that the wealthy
are beginning to learn
00:13:55.50\00:13:57.23
that it's not important
about letting everybody
00:13:57.27\00:13:59.77
know about your wealth.
00:13:59.80\00:14:01.14
And there are several
reasons why that matters.
00:14:01.17\00:14:04.34
So when we consider
this issue on salary,
00:14:04.37\00:14:07.44
and how much you make,
00:14:07.48\00:14:08.81
that really isn't the big issue.
00:14:08.84\00:14:11.45
What is relevant is
how you manage the funds
00:14:11.48\00:14:15.18
that you have.
00:14:15.22\00:14:16.55
And it was quite interesting
00:14:16.58\00:14:17.92
to see the look
on the kids' faces
00:14:17.95\00:14:19.29
if they ask,
"Well, what does she do?
00:14:19.32\00:14:21.32
Who is she?
00:14:21.36\00:14:22.69
Where is she from?"
00:14:22.72\00:14:24.06
I don't think I can
give that information
00:14:24.09\00:14:25.43
but you get a
context of what this thing
00:14:25.46\00:14:27.80
called Money
Management is all about.
00:14:27.83\00:14:32.33
Here is the key.
00:14:32.37\00:14:34.37
What we're looking
at, in all of this,
00:14:34.40\00:14:37.51
is teaching a
simple thought process.
00:14:37.54\00:14:42.58
If you are going to
live a comfortable life,
00:14:42.61\00:14:48.78
I don't care how much you
make, the simple answer is,
00:14:48.82\00:14:54.46
spend less than you make.
00:14:54.49\00:14:58.16
If you do that, you're
in a way better setting
00:14:58.19\00:15:01.60
than the majority,
00:15:01.63\00:15:02.96
the vast majority of
middleclass Americans.
00:15:03.00\00:15:05.57
Because they are
living paycheck-to-paycheck
00:15:05.60\00:15:07.90
and as you live
paycheck-to-paycheck,
00:15:07.94\00:15:09.60
you begin the process
of understanding the stress
00:15:09.64\00:15:12.67
that can happen
in a person's life,
00:15:12.71\00:15:14.88
even though they're making
$80,000 or $90,000 a year,
00:15:14.91\00:15:19.61
and therein is the key.
00:15:19.65\00:15:21.68
So the question came up about,
00:15:21.72\00:15:23.42
what type of job
did this person have?
00:15:23.45\00:15:26.55
Who did she work for?
00:15:26.59\00:15:27.92
How is she making
all of that money?
00:15:27.96\00:15:29.76
The fact of the matter is,
she doesn't work for anyone,
00:15:29.79\00:15:32.29
she works for herself.
00:15:32.33\00:15:33.66
She has her own business.
00:15:33.70\00:15:35.03
She is into music licensing
and all of these other things
00:15:35.06\00:15:39.60
and she knows
how the system works.
00:15:39.63\00:15:42.57
So she has learned
dramatically from her parents
00:15:42.60\00:15:46.51
and emulates what they do.
00:15:46.54\00:15:50.15
The other thing
that is very interesting
00:15:50.18\00:15:52.55
about how the
affluent live is the fact
00:15:52.58\00:15:54.98
that they've prepared
00:15:55.02\00:15:56.42
for those
experiences in our life
00:15:56.45\00:15:59.32
that we're not
expecting, such as,
00:15:59.35\00:16:01.72
they're not expecting passing
of a father and or mother,
00:16:01.76\00:16:04.89
they are also utilizing
00:16:04.93\00:16:06.70
some of that
funds that they have,
00:16:06.73\00:16:09.03
that could go into savings,
as investing in insurance.
00:16:09.06\00:16:12.73
And many of us don't
think about insurance
00:16:12.77\00:16:15.40
as an important
part of our lives
00:16:15.44\00:16:17.57
because how many
times do you see families
00:16:17.61\00:16:20.31
who are dealing with
these difficult situations
00:16:20.34\00:16:23.48
and they don't have the
funds to actually take care
00:16:23.51\00:16:26.38
of those loved ones
that they used to have.
00:16:26.41\00:16:29.18
There are many issues
that are out there as we talk,
00:16:29.22\00:16:32.95
about the
simplicity of understanding
00:16:32.99\00:16:35.02
that how much money that
you make is not the issue,
00:16:35.06\00:16:39.79
it's how you take
care of the funds.
00:16:39.83\00:16:42.10
So, as we talk about this,
00:16:42.13\00:16:44.33
let's talk about
how happy you will feel
00:16:44.37\00:16:47.60
when you've taken care
of those first few steps.
00:16:47.64\00:16:51.07
The first steps
are setting goals,
00:16:51.11\00:16:53.34
paying off debt.
00:16:53.38\00:16:54.71
Two is, setting up that budget.
00:16:54.74\00:16:56.51
Go online,
download the spreadsheet,
00:16:56.54\00:17:00.22
and then fill it
in, take a look at that.
00:17:00.25\00:17:02.78
How much money
do I have coming in?
00:17:02.82\00:17:04.55
And what do I have going out?
00:17:04.59\00:17:06.65
And see how you can
cut back on certain things
00:17:06.69\00:17:10.46
that might save you money.
00:17:10.49\00:17:13.03
One of the biggest items
in our everyday lives today
00:17:13.06\00:17:18.00
that is impacting our
budgets, on a dramatic basis,
00:17:18.03\00:17:22.37
is technology
called the smartphone.
00:17:22.40\00:17:24.84
Oh, think about it,
00:17:24.87\00:17:26.21
a family that
has two smartphones,
00:17:26.24\00:17:28.14
that pay one bill to a company,
00:17:28.18\00:17:29.84
they're paying probably
between $100 to $150 a month.
00:17:29.88\00:17:33.62
You have kids in there,
you have these shared plans,
00:17:33.65\00:17:35.78
it can get well over
$180 to $200 a month.
00:17:35.82\00:17:38.82
So on a yearly
basis, you consider,
00:17:38.85\00:17:40.66
that's approximately
between $2,000 and $3,000
00:17:40.69\00:17:44.03
of money going
out from a budget.
00:17:44.06\00:17:47.00
And then we begin the process
of considering the fact that
00:17:47.03\00:17:50.13
this is an item
that I can't do without.
00:17:50.17\00:17:53.54
Can you do without it?
00:17:53.57\00:17:55.30
There are many times
that I now take a moment,
00:17:55.34\00:17:58.74
and try to live
without any technology,
00:17:58.77\00:18:01.38
go a couple of
days without technology,
00:18:01.41\00:18:03.24
go without
getting on the internet.
00:18:03.28\00:18:05.01
And my wife just
loves that kind of thing
00:18:05.05\00:18:06.88
because she thinks
I'm too engaged in it
00:18:06.92\00:18:08.82
because I'm trying to search out
00:18:08.85\00:18:10.95
new stories and new things
00:18:10.99\00:18:12.32
that can be relevant
in our conversations.
00:18:12.35\00:18:14.62
But it teaches you
00:18:14.66\00:18:16.32
that you don't
have to be reliant
00:18:16.36\00:18:18.43
on all of those type of things
00:18:18.46\00:18:19.79
and you can
actually cut back the usage
00:18:19.83\00:18:22.26
that you have on your
minutes shared in the plan
00:18:22.30\00:18:26.90
and cut back on how much
you actually spend on a monthly
00:18:26.94\00:18:30.14
and or yearly basis.
00:18:30.17\00:18:31.87
One of the biggest
impacts to people's budgets
00:18:31.91\00:18:34.94
is that smartphone.
00:18:34.98\00:18:36.75
So watch that very carefully.
00:18:36.78\00:18:39.11
Now as we talk about
wealth, we talk about happiness.
00:18:42.72\00:18:46.32
What salary
would make you happy?
00:18:46.35\00:18:48.36
It doesn't
matter. That's my answer.
00:18:48.39\00:18:50.33
It doesn't matter.
00:18:50.36\00:18:51.69
It matters how
you manage the money.
00:18:51.73\00:18:54.63
But then, again, we find out
00:18:54.66\00:18:56.36
that happiness is
ingrained in people who give,
00:18:56.40\00:19:01.00
so there is a kind of
legacy effect on people
00:19:01.04\00:19:05.07
who feel it more
appropriate to give and to do,
00:19:05.11\00:19:09.31
so that other
nonprofits can do very well.
00:19:09.34\00:19:13.82
And so now, I had an opportunity
00:19:13.85\00:19:15.92
to talk to a brother
of mine, a friend of mine,
00:19:15.95\00:19:17.85
who is an Adventist and
does some work in the ministry,
00:19:17.89\00:19:24.09
his organization
called Little Light Ministries
00:19:24.13\00:19:27.00
is one that I'd
like to focus on now,
00:19:27.03\00:19:29.63
because we talked
about certain things
00:19:29.66\00:19:32.60
and we talked about
00:19:32.63\00:19:33.97
what it is about
the legacy of giving.
00:19:34.00\00:19:37.31
So I would love it
00:19:37.34\00:19:38.67
if we could bring on the segment
00:19:38.71\00:19:42.68
that I had with Scott Mayer,
00:19:42.71\00:19:46.08
and he will begin
by answering a question
00:19:46.11\00:19:48.88
that I asked, "Why is it so
important in these last days
00:19:48.92\00:19:53.12
that we give, and the
importance of ministry?
00:19:53.15\00:19:56.73
And here is what Scott said.
00:19:56.76\00:19:59.43
Advertising is a very effective
way to make people aware
00:19:59.46\00:20:03.67
of different ministries or
different pieces of content
00:20:03.70\00:20:07.74
that you're producing.
00:20:07.77\00:20:09.57
So I think it's very important
00:20:09.60\00:20:12.21
that we make these
different ministries
00:20:12.24\00:20:15.71
that are out there,
available to the public
00:20:15.74\00:20:20.08
and, you know,
more specifically,
00:20:20.12\00:20:23.28
what kind of projects
each one is producing.
00:20:23.32\00:20:26.12
And then as we talked
00:20:29.92\00:20:31.26
and we're engaged
in this conversation,
00:20:31.29\00:20:32.63
I asked a second
question what was,
00:20:32.66\00:20:34.96
"What are the
results of our engaging
00:20:35.00\00:20:37.83
with organizations like yours,
00:20:37.87\00:20:39.63
supporting
organizations like yours?"
00:20:39.67\00:20:41.80
And here is his
comment from that standpoint.
00:20:41.84\00:20:45.81
A lot of the support
that our ministry has received
00:20:45.84\00:20:48.74
has allowed us
to hire more help,
00:20:48.78\00:20:52.21
and really allowed us to
spread our message a lot faster
00:20:52.25\00:20:56.92
than if we obviously
didn't have those resources
00:20:56.95\00:21:00.79
or help.
00:21:00.82\00:21:02.46
It's very important.
00:21:02.49\00:21:04.59
The world takes money
00:21:04.63\00:21:06.49
and that's just what it
takes to do a lot of this work.
00:21:06.53\00:21:11.33
I think, yeah,
there's a big misnomer
00:21:11.37\00:21:12.77
that video work
00:21:12.80\00:21:14.17
doesn't really
cost a lot of money,
00:21:14.20\00:21:15.60
but the video
equipment is very expensive,
00:21:15.64\00:21:17.37
people's time is very expensive.
00:21:17.41\00:21:19.37
And you can actually share a DVD
00:21:19.41\00:21:22.68
around the world a lot faster
than somebody could go around
00:21:22.71\00:21:25.38
and speak in the entire world.
00:21:25.41\00:21:27.68
So there's a big need for media
and even though it's expensive,
00:21:27.72\00:21:32.09
you actually have much
more of a reach with it.
00:21:32.12\00:21:36.42
It's quite
interesting what he said.
00:21:36.46\00:21:37.96
He is using
technology. Does that...
00:21:37.99\00:21:40.36
What comes to mind,
00:21:40.40\00:21:42.06
when you think about
the use of technology?
00:21:42.10\00:21:43.87
Think about what 3ABN is doing
with the satellite ministries,
00:21:43.90\00:21:46.70
reaching different
countries, different people,
00:21:46.74\00:21:49.77
and connecting with
them about the gospel,
00:21:49.80\00:21:52.21
and that's what he is doing.
00:21:52.24\00:21:53.91
He is using the same technology,
00:21:53.94\00:21:55.94
so he can reach more people
a lot quicker by supporting,
00:21:55.98\00:22:00.78
and engaging, and in giving,
that's what legacy is about,
00:22:00.82\00:22:04.45
that's what happiness is about.
00:22:04.49\00:22:06.35
When you know you have
changed a life for the better.
00:22:06.39\00:22:09.42
And so I followed
up the conversation
00:22:09.46\00:22:11.23
with another question.
00:22:11.26\00:22:12.59
"What were the one or two
top results from his ministry
00:22:12.63\00:22:17.53
in reference to what
they do and what they share?"
00:22:17.57\00:22:20.34
And here is his response.
00:22:20.37\00:22:24.34
I would say one of
the most impactful ways
00:22:24.37\00:22:26.78
our ministry has influenced
people with our material
00:22:26.81\00:22:31.41
is probably in making people
aware of some of the dangers
00:22:31.45\00:22:37.99
of the entertainment industry,
00:22:38.02\00:22:41.12
how to put good
things into their minds,
00:22:41.16\00:22:43.39
and, you know, if
you really want to
00:22:43.43\00:22:46.73
focus on your
relationship with Christ,
00:22:46.76\00:22:49.16
then, you know,
focusing your life,
00:22:49.20\00:22:52.83
and building your
character with positive things
00:22:52.87\00:22:57.04
rather than soaking in
00:22:57.07\00:22:59.97
worldly things
or negative things,
00:23:00.01\00:23:02.41
has made a big impact
upon people's spiritual lives.
00:23:02.44\00:23:05.65
So that's one of the ways
00:23:05.68\00:23:08.02
that our ministry
has influenced others.
00:23:08.05\00:23:11.09
Interesting.
00:23:14.29\00:23:16.16
I love what he does.
00:23:16.19\00:23:17.96
I've watched a lot of his work,
00:23:17.99\00:23:20.36
and it's been very
impressionistic on me,
00:23:20.40\00:23:22.93
as well as other
people that I have talked to.
00:23:22.96\00:23:26.30
What I followed up was
with one last question,
00:23:26.33\00:23:29.14
"How can we best be of support?
00:23:29.17\00:23:31.87
How can we help?"
00:23:31.91\00:23:33.24
And this can apply to
not only his organization
00:23:33.27\00:23:36.01
but to many other
Adventist organizations
00:23:36.04\00:23:39.41
on a global basis,
00:23:39.45\00:23:40.78
of how we can help
them spread the gospel.
00:23:40.82\00:23:43.62
Here is what he said.
00:23:43.65\00:23:46.89
Obviously, resources is
probably one of the best ways
00:23:46.92\00:23:51.06
to support a
ministry such as ours.
00:23:51.09\00:23:53.76
We have a Roku channel
which costs us $1,000 a month
00:23:53.80\00:23:57.40
and we try to put
our material on there,
00:23:57.43\00:23:59.17
so that people can enjoy it
for free but that costs money.
00:23:59.20\00:24:03.27
So if we could get supporters
00:24:03.30\00:24:06.94
that would help support
this work to continue forward,
00:24:06.98\00:24:11.21
then we can
obviously spread the message
00:24:11.25\00:24:13.82
that much more effectively
and that much quicker.
00:24:13.85\00:24:16.52
There is something
dramatic and amazing
00:24:20.79\00:24:22.76
that happens in our
lives when you become a part
00:24:22.79\00:24:25.73
of something
bigger than yourself.
00:24:25.76\00:24:28.33
When you begin to understand
that it's about others,
00:24:28.36\00:24:30.93
it's about something
bigger than who we are
00:24:30.97\00:24:33.84
because it's all about God,
00:24:33.87\00:24:35.44
and He wants to
give us an opportunity
00:24:35.47\00:24:38.17
to be a part of
this grandiose process
00:24:38.21\00:24:41.91
of bringing people to
know Him in a better way,
00:24:41.94\00:24:44.38
and about giving of ourselves.
00:24:44.41\00:24:46.61
And then we begin to
minimize all of these things
00:24:46.65\00:24:50.69
that we get involved
00:24:50.72\00:24:52.19
and the new
acquisitions that we have,
00:24:52.22\00:24:54.76
the ideas of going and
sitting in line for a long time
00:24:54.79\00:24:59.49
to buy all of these
sales items for ourselves.
00:24:59.53\00:25:03.57
It becomes a
bigger and better thing
00:25:03.60\00:25:07.77
when we can give to others.
00:25:07.80\00:25:10.71
And you find that's
the case from happy people
00:25:10.74\00:25:14.48
because they know, that,
"I don't need more things,
00:25:14.51\00:25:19.28
all I need to do is
manage what God has given me,
00:25:19.31\00:25:23.39
is manage those
assets that I do have,
00:25:23.42\00:25:26.65
is manage the income that comes
into me on a monthly basis,
00:25:26.69\00:25:30.13
and budget,
budget in a detailed way
00:25:30.16\00:25:32.83
so I know that I can have
an account, a savings account,
00:25:32.86\00:25:36.67
that can be used
for other things."
00:25:36.70\00:25:39.77
It can be used for investments,
can be used for savings,
00:25:39.80\00:25:43.30
can be used for emergencies,
00:25:43.34\00:25:45.01
can be used for
long-term planning,
00:25:45.04\00:25:46.98
and it can be used to give away,
00:25:47.01\00:25:49.44
to give to others,
00:25:49.48\00:25:50.81
so that others
have access to resources
00:25:50.85\00:25:53.58
that they would have never had
00:25:53.62\00:25:55.25
unless you would
have done something.
00:25:55.28\00:25:57.45
And that now begins the process
of us understanding better
00:25:57.49\00:26:03.99
that the salary
that makes us happy
00:26:04.03\00:26:06.49
is not necessarily a number.
00:26:06.53\00:26:09.10
What makes you happy
00:26:09.13\00:26:10.90
or should make you
happy is two things.
00:26:10.93\00:26:14.90
One is, managing the
wealth that God has given you,
00:26:14.94\00:26:20.28
spending less than you bring in,
00:26:20.31\00:26:23.08
and utilizing the
money for specific things
00:26:23.11\00:26:26.58
that are beyond us,
giving to other people,
00:26:26.61\00:26:30.02
that creates happiness.
00:26:30.05\00:26:32.72
And number two is, planning,
engaging with your family,
00:26:32.75\00:26:37.79
yourself and your spouse,
00:26:37.83\00:26:39.69
sitting down and
working on a budget,
00:26:39.73\00:26:42.20
working on the details of
where you would like to be,
00:26:42.23\00:26:45.60
and how quickly you would
like to get to those goals
00:26:45.63\00:26:48.47
and objectives.
00:26:48.50\00:26:49.84
Because if you sit
back and look at your life,
00:26:49.87\00:26:51.77
and you look at
what Psalms 90:12 says,
00:26:51.81\00:26:55.34
it says, "Teach us,
Lord, to number our days,
00:26:55.38\00:26:58.58
so that we can gain
access to some of the wisdom
00:26:58.61\00:27:01.82
that You can provide us."
00:27:01.85\00:27:03.32
Teach us to number our days.
00:27:03.35\00:27:04.89
We realistically
are not here very long,
00:27:04.92\00:27:07.99
70 or 80 years if
given that opportunity
00:27:08.02\00:27:11.56
and it is what we do
in the years we are given
00:27:11.59\00:27:15.63
that acts as a
blessing and creates a happiness
00:27:15.66\00:27:18.63
and a sense of satisfaction
that we've done everything
00:27:18.67\00:27:21.87
that we
possibly can, for Christ.
00:27:21.90\00:27:24.67
So asking the same
question, let me ask you,
00:27:24.71\00:27:28.78
"What salary
would make you happy?
00:27:28.81\00:27:32.11
What number comes to mind
00:27:32.15\00:27:34.28
that would create a
sense of happiness?"
00:27:34.32\00:27:36.72
And if you think
about a large number
00:27:36.75\00:27:39.55
and you forget
what really matters,
00:27:39.59\00:27:41.89
then you, no
matter how much you make,
00:27:41.92\00:27:45.09
will never be wealthy
and will never be happy.
00:27:45.13\00:27:48.10
Remember, it's about
how you use the money,
00:27:48.13\00:27:51.33
not how much money you have.
00:27:51.37\00:27:53.80
And with that,
please Take It to the Bank,
00:27:53.84\00:27:56.71
and save.
00:27:56.74\00:27:58.07
God bless.
00:27:58.11\00:27:59.44