1 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:04,920 Crossing family, it is so good to be with you. 2 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:07,600 I want to welcome those of you joining at all of our different 3 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:10,280 locations, those of you watching online and those of you who are 4 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:14,120 part of the crossing inside. I also want to welcome those of 5 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:18,200 you who are here for the first time or the first time in a long 6 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:19,880 time. And I want to talk specifically 7 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:23,200 to those of you who are here for the first time in a long time. 8 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:26,040 I've been in ministry a long time. 9 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:28,800 And so, you know, there are times where people kind of get 10 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:32,680 bumped off track and they go through a season of despair or 11 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:36,600 frustration or pain, and all of a sudden, for some reason, their 12 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,800 spiritual trajectory kind of got bumped and they found themselves 13 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:41,680 in a spot that they never thought that they would find 14 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:44,160 themselves in. And I know that sometimes it 15 00:00:44,160 --> 00:00:47,560 takes a lot of courage and a lot of strength to be able to come 16 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:49,040 back. And I just want you to know that 17 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:52,080 as a church, we're just rooting for you every time you decide to 18 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,320 do it. I come in on Thursdays and I 19 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:58,080 kind of run through the sermon in the early afternoon and then 20 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:02,280 I takes time from 4:00 to 4:45 is just kind of an opportunity 21 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:04,000 for me to kind of get a meet with different people. 22 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,440 And I got a meet somebody this week who used to be a part of 23 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:09,760 our church a long time ago and kind of going through an awful 24 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:13,040 lot of hurt and heartache. And this weekend is going to be 25 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:15,920 their first weekend back. And so when I welcome those of 26 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:17,760 you joining for the first time or the first time in a long 27 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:20,040 time, I'm thinking about you. You know who you are. 28 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:23,040 You have one of the sickest wrist tattoos of anybody I've 29 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:25,240 ever seen at one of our campuses ever. 30 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:27,640 Is me looking at wrist thinking, I wonder if this is the person. 31 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:30,760 If I had a cooler wrist, I'd rock one too. 32 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:33,000 He was sick. I'm glad you're here. 33 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:35,160 And I want you to know our church is rooting you on. 34 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:38,080 I also want you to know I come to you today with kind of a, a 35 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:40,480 pretty, pretty messed up self esteem. 36 00:01:40,960 --> 00:01:44,240 I found out on Thursday night that Joe Biden's a better golfer 37 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:48,560 than me. And that's just, that's just 38 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,520 hard to take the end. But when I said I was bad, I'm 39 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:56,160 28 strokes worse than him. So that's a real, that's a real 40 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:58,840 humdinger. OK, but we are in a two week 41 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:03,840 sermon series called Map Makers charting a path to better 42 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:07,320 stewardship, less stress and greater impact. 43 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:11,680 And the statistics are in. People are stressed out and in 44 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:13,440 large part due to financial pressure. 45 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:17,440 Marriages are ending in divorce in large part due to financial 46 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:21,080 pressure. I think at our core, we want to 47 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:25,360 chart a path to better stewardship so we can honor God 48 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:30,240 and love people and love God. We want to chart a path to less 49 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:34,080 stress because we are sick and tired of financial pressure. 50 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:38,920 We want to chart a path to greater impact so we can do so 51 00:02:38,920 --> 00:02:41,160 with our lives and with our money. 52 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:45,720 The good news is that the God of the universe, the Savior of the 53 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:49,960 world, has a plan. God is big enough to make the 54 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,920 heavens and the earth strong enough to put them in orbit and 55 00:02:52,920 --> 00:02:55,600 determine their rotation. Smart enough to create an 56 00:02:55,680 --> 00:03:00,480 ecosystem to sustain us, a brain to guide us, a heart to inspire 57 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,800 us. And yes, he has a plan for our 58 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:06,720 finances. As I say to this series was kind 59 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:09,760 of born out of a broken heart because I came across these 60 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:15,880 statistics. 48 .6% of Americans consider themselves to be broke. 61 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:18,960 If they were to define themselves financially, the word 62 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:26,680 they would use is I'm broke. 66.2% of Americans feel like 63 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:29,200 they are living paycheck to paycheck. 64 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:36,560 If these statistics are true of America, if we were to put them 65 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,680 at those who call the crossing home, to the people who are 66 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:42,760 listening to the sound of my voice, if I were to run those 67 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:46,440 numbers against how many people participated with the crossing 68 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:51,680 last weekend, here's what that means. 5546 of you would 69 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:58,160 consider yourself broke. 7555 of you feel like you are living 70 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:03,080 paycheck to paycheck. I don't want anybody at the 71 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:06,600 crossing to be in that state of life or that state of mind. 72 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:11,240 I don't want anybody that you love to see themselves as 73 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:15,640 having, seeing themselves as being broke or having to deal 74 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,240 with the stress of living paycheck to paycheck. 75 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:21,320 You've heard me say this over and over and over again, and 76 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:24,160 you're going to hear it as long as you come here over and over 77 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:27,760 and over again, that I genuinely believe that God's way is the 78 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:32,320 best way in absolutely every area of your life. 79 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:35,320 And this includes how we handle our finances. 80 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:39,880 You've also heard me say that God blesses obedience. 81 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:44,960 We cannot expect God's blessings in an area where we are 82 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,040 rebelling. The challenge of following God's 83 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:52,080 plan for our money and God's plan for our finances is that 84 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:57,480 God's plan requires a great deal of faith. 85 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:03,800 But remember, without faith it is impossible to please God. 86 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:08,680 Psalm 24 verse one says this. The earth is the Lord's and 87 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:13,120 everything in it, the world and all who live in it. 88 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:16,480 The first plan for God that God has for you financially is to 89 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,520 realize that everything you have comes from Him. 90 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:23,400 Everything belongs to Him. He's the one who has given us 91 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:25,280 absolutely everything that we have. 92 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,960 The breath in our lungs, our family, our bodies, our money, 93 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:32,520 our ability to produce wealth, all come from Him. 94 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:37,720 You and I are simply stewards of what God has given us. 95 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:43,240 And a good steward does what God wants us to do with what He has 96 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:46,120 given us. And a bad steward does whatever 97 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,080 they want to do with what God has given them. 98 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:55,160 And God calls bad stewards robbers in Malachi chapter 3. 99 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:59,200 So after we recognize that it all belongs to God, the second 100 00:05:59,280 --> 00:06:02,240 thing that we're supposed to do is we're supposed to bring God a 101 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:06,200 tithe. A tithe means a 10th or 10%. 102 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:10,800 Malachi chapter 3, verse 10, bring the whole tithe, all 10% 103 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:13,560 into the storehouse, the church, that there may be food in my 104 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:16,240 house. Test me in this, says the Lord 105 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:19,640 Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of 106 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:22,200 heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be 107 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:25,600 room enough to store it. God's blessing. 108 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:29,800 The pouring out happens after obedience, the bringing of the 109 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:33,600 tithe into the storehouse. Remember, blessings flow in the 110 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:38,080 direction of obedience. This is actually echoed in 111 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:41,360 Proverbs Vice us when Solomon is talking to his son. 112 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:44,600 Now Solomon, for those of you who aren't church people, is the 113 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:46,400 wisest man born of natural birth. 114 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,240 So you have Jesus and then you have Solomon. 115 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:52,480 As far as on the wise meter of people who have lived, look what 116 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:54,920 he says in Proverbs chapter 3, verse 9 and 10. 117 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:59,840 Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all 118 00:06:59,840 --> 00:07:02,360 your crops. Then your barns will be filled 119 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:05,840 to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine. 120 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:10,280 The blessing comes after the obedience. 121 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:13,600 Now some of you are church people and you're going Proverbs 122 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:16,520 chapter 3. That sounds familiar. 123 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:20,040 I feel like I've heard something from Proverbs chapter 3. 124 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:22,960 You would be right. In fact, one of the most well 125 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:26,840 known verses in all of scripture is found in Proverbs chapter 3, 126 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:30,960 just a couple of verses before the one we just read. 127 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:32,600 You know what it is? As soon as I open it up and be 128 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:33,720 like Oh my goodness you're kidding me. 129 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,280 Watch. Trust in the Lord with all your 130 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:40,760 heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways. 131 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:44,560 Submit to Him and He will make your path straight. 132 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:47,640 And then a couple more verses he starts talking about bringing 133 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:51,760 stuff to the store or house. You see, we are to trust God 134 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:57,080 with absolutely everything and to lean not on our own 135 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:59,800 understanding. Now look at the blessing follows 136 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,640 obedience and all your ways. Submit to Him, that's obedience 137 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:05,960 and He will make your path straight. 138 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:09,720 That's the blessing. God's blessings flow in the 139 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,520 direction of obedience. Now, this is one of the reasons 140 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:15,200 why we tithe. Now there's lots of reasons why 141 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:16,920 we tithe. We tithe because God commands 142 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:18,800 it. We tithe because God deserves 143 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:20,600 it. We tithe because we love God. 144 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:23,640 And we've talked about this before, that you can give 145 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:27,800 without loving, but you cannot love without giving. 146 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:33,880 And we want to be in alignment with God and God will not make 147 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:38,640 straight an area of your life where you are not submitting. 148 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:42,880 Sir John Templeton, one of the world's most respected investors 149 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:47,200 and investment counselors, who was the creator of the Templeton 150 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:48,920 Growth Fund. Some of you may actually have 151 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:52,880 money in the Templeton Growth Fund was once asked what is the 152 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:56,240 best investment? And he said, I'm quoting him 153 00:08:56,440 --> 00:09:00,720 that he never hesitated to offer this simple and surprising 154 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:02,320 answer. Here's what he said. 155 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:06,800 In all my 52 years before I retired as an investment 156 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:10,400 counselor, we were helping people, literally hundreds of 157 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:12,840 thousands of people with their wealth. 158 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,760 And in all of those years there was only one investment which 159 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:21,320 never proved faulty, and that was tithing, giving at least 10% 160 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:24,680 of your income to the church. He goes on to say in all my 161 00:09:24,680 --> 00:09:28,040 history, I have never seen a family who tithes for as long as 162 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:31,960 10 years that didn't become both prosperous and happy. 163 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:36,080 That is the best investment anyone can select. 164 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:40,320 So whether you make $100 a $1000, a $100,000 or $1,000,000, 165 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:44,480 every time you experience an increase, God tells us to tithe. 166 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,440 If you're self-employed or you own your own business, or maybe 167 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:49,720 you're a farmer, you're going, hey, this is a little bit more 168 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:51,480 complicated. You're 100% right. 169 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:54,000 And the people that I've sat across the table from that have 170 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,840 asked for help in this area. Here's what I've just told them 171 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:00,120 to do and how to navigate it. Every time you pull out money 172 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:03,000 out of the business for you and for your family, you just pull 173 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:05,440 out an extra 10%. So that way you can give to God. 174 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:08,040 So if you're getting ready to pull $10,000 out of the 175 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:11,880 business, you pull out 11,000, you give $1000 to the Kingdom of 176 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:14,400 God, and you keep the 10,000 for you and your family. 177 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:15,760 Do whatever you were wanting to do. 178 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:18,480 And then at the end of the year, when you're trying to get right 179 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:20,880 with the government, you use that time to make sure that you 180 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:23,120 get right with God if there's any adjustments, because that's 181 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:25,680 usually when you're getting ready to buy a work vehicle or 182 00:10:25,680 --> 00:10:27,400 you're trying to explore tax benefits. 183 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:30,280 So that's the perfect time for you to fine tune things and get 184 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:33,160 things right. So we're supposed to remember 185 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:35,040 that everything that we have belongs to God. 186 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:36,640 Second thing we're supposed to do is we're tithe. 187 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:38,320 So what do we? What's the next step? 188 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:40,280 What's the very next thing that we're supposed to do? 189 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:42,400 And this one, you guys are going to be like, what? 190 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:44,600 You got to be kidding me. But listen, I'm not kidding. 191 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:49,760 The next step in your financial plan is to spend less than you 192 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:56,670 make. I know this is like rocket 193 00:10:56,670 --> 00:10:57,790 surgery. Ready. 194 00:10:58,470 --> 00:11:04,480 Proverbs 21, verse 20 In the House of the wise are stores of 195 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:10,800 choice, food and oil. But a foolish man devours all. 196 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:16,120 He has two kinds of people. You know how you can tell if 197 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:19,560 they're a wise person? There are stores of decent stuff 198 00:11:19,560 --> 00:11:24,880 all around the house. A foolish person devours 199 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:28,920 everything they have. In other words, a wise person 200 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:36,080 spends less than they make. A foolish person devours, 201 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:39,640 consumes everything that they make. 202 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:45,240 And in most cases in America, we are consuming more than we make. 203 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:49,680 We are living on 105% of our income. 204 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:51,920 Now I'm going to show you three areas where we kind of get 205 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:54,880 tripped up and then I'm going to tell you a little bit about me 206 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:57,400 and then hope at the end I'll tie it all together. 207 00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:59,760 But we're going to kind of go on like a weird rabbit trail 208 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:01,360 together. And what I want to do is I want 209 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:05,280 to show you like 3 areas where we can sometimes get ourselves 210 00:12:05,560 --> 00:12:09,520 put in a spot that add an A crazy amount of financial 211 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:12,920 pressure on us, which puts strain on our parenting and 212 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:16,120 strain on our marriages. OK, here's the first one. 213 00:12:17,560 --> 00:12:23,000 Cars. The average car new is $40,000 214 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:29,200 and the interest rate 7% financed for 72 months. 215 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:31,480 For those of you who aren't math people, that's six years. 216 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:36,240 It's a long time. The total amount of interest 217 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:41,920 that you're going to spend over that six years is $9101.14. 218 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:50,400 The good news is in six years you will have spent $50,000 and 219 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:54,680 that car will be worth 24. You know what? 220 00:12:54,680 --> 00:12:58,680 That's called a bad financial investment. 221 00:12:59,560 --> 00:13:04,280 Oh yeah, we're going to spend 50 grand and it'll be worth 24. 222 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:12,760 But we do it all the time. If you were to take the amount 223 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:16,360 of money and set, if you were to just buy a cheaper car and pay 224 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:19,320 cash for it and you were to have the bank give you the $126. 225 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:22,480 And you're saying instead of spending $126.00 a month on 226 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:26,160 average on my interest on paying for a car that I couldn't 227 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:27,840 afford. And you were to put that into a 228 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:29,840 savings account. At the end of those six years, 229 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:34,280 you'd have $12,500 in the bank and you would have earned $3500 230 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:36,520 in interest. In other words, if I was a used 231 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:40,000 car sales, and this is what I would say pay cash and buy this 232 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:45,480 car and it comes included with a free all inclusive vacation for 233 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:51,320 your family. I'd be, I'd be inking deals all 234 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:54,120 day. Like just give me the 126 bucks 235 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:57,400 a month and in six years you get to go on vacation. 236 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:01,240 We end up spending more than we need to know. 237 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:03,400 Listen, there's nothing wrong with having a new car. 238 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:05,280 There's nothing wrong with having a nice car. 239 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:08,480 There's nothing wrong with having an expensive car if you 240 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:12,360 can afford it. But most of us are not asking 241 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:14,640 ourselves the question, can we afford the car? 242 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:17,560 We're asking ourselves, can we afford the payment? 243 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:20,920 And then we're wondering where all of our money went. 244 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:23,960 I can't wait to drive a new vehicle. 245 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:29,320 Oh, I'm always spending money trying to give my car the new 246 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:34,200 car smell. I can't wait till at least one 247 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,720 day in my life. It just comes with it. 248 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:44,120 I want to know how long the driver's seat lasts when my 249 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:46,920 booty is the only booty that broke in that leather. 250 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:49,160 You know what I'm talking about. Like, you get in there. 251 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:50,440 Like, what was this person doing? 252 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:53,080 Like, why is it always right next right when you open the 253 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:55,400 door that all that part always rips out. 254 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:58,480 Like, does somebody have a saw in their pants when they're 255 00:14:58,480 --> 00:14:59,840 getting in the car? Yeah. 256 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:02,800 I just can't wait. Can't wait, But I'm not there 257 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:04,840 yet. Here's another area where we're 258 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:07,120 getting bit pretty hard consumer debt. 259 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:10,680 Here's the average credit card balance by generation. 260 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:12,200 And this is what you guys do. I know you. 261 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:13,080 You. I've already heard you. 262 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:15,080 You are going to look at this and you're like, hey, we're 263 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:16,360 doing better. And then some of you are doing 264 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:17,320 worse. And those of you who are doing 265 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:21,040 better, like you're like pinky high five and like we're going 266 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:22,160 to make out later. OK. 267 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:24,160 Gen. Z Gen. 268 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:27,440 Z has $3200 in a credit card balance. 269 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:33,000 Millennials 6500 Gen. X $9000 on credit card debt, 270 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:39,360 Baby Boomers $6600 Silent Generation 3400 dollars. 271 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:41,720 You're like, where are they putting it? 272 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:43,720 Well, they're putting it on a bunch of different credit cards. 273 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:45,080 Look how many credit cards they have. 274 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:49,560 Silent Gen. has 3.5 credit cards, Baby Boomers have 4.3, 275 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:52,200 Gen. X has 4.3, Millennials have 3.5, 276 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:54,360 and Generation Z has two credit cards. 277 00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:59,920 The average consumer in America today has $6200 in credit card 278 00:15:59,920 --> 00:16:03,000 debt, which means that the average household in America, 279 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:09,040 husband and wife, are sitting on $12,000 in credit card debt with 280 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:12,960 an average interest rate of 22.6%. 281 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:17,960 Which means that it is requiring the typical family in America to 282 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:23,920 spend $430 a month on interest on the stuff they've already 283 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:26,960 purchased. Here's the 3rd place we get bit. 284 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:30,760 We get bit in the houses that we buy. 285 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:34,000 I have purchased two homes in my life. 286 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:37,800 I still own both of them. The 1st house I bought when I 287 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:42,240 lived in Macomb and then things changed in Macomb and so my 288 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:45,640 house was no longer worth what I purchased it for. 289 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:49,680 And so I could not sell it. And so I rented out. 290 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:52,520 And if you're watching, keep it nice. 291 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:57,400 OK, 15 more years and I'll just give it to you. 292 00:16:57,400 --> 00:17:00,080 But I got to get out of it all right? 293 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:04,160 Now, both times I've gone in and I've sat across from the bank, 294 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:06,920 they've told me what they would loan me for a house. 295 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:11,760 And both times, the number that they gave me made me sick to my 296 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:15,240 stomach. Because what a bank will give 297 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:20,920 you is a lot more than they probably should give you if you 298 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:26,359 want to live a life that is low on stress and high on impact. 299 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:30,720 So here is kind of how I've always navigated house buying. 300 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:37,480 Jennifer and I both work, but I I don't count on her income in 301 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:40,280 case she changes her mind on what she wants to do. 302 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:45,080 I don't want that burden on her. Like she has to work for us to 303 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:47,720 be able to make things work. Does that make sense? 304 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:50,120 So I take her out of the equation. 305 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:52,320 OK. And if she's listening right 306 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,520 now, I love you. I'm so thankful for you. 307 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:57,400 OK. Now then on the other side, I 308 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:02,920 just take my income, just what I make and I times it by three and 309 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:06,880 that is the maximum that I allow myself to purchase in a house. 310 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:10,720 Now here's why I do that. That means that I am buying a 311 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:15,440 house that is less than what I make, which means that making my 312 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:19,560 house payment is never a stress point in my life. 313 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:22,920 That means I don't have to worry about am I going to get behind. 314 00:18:23,360 --> 00:18:28,480 It means that my payment is incredibly reasonable when I do 315 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:30,200 this. A typical bank, if you were to 316 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:32,480 go to a bank tomorrow and say how much money will you give me, 317 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:37,440 they're going to probably say in really cool terms 45% of your 318 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:40,760 debt to income ratio. So they're going to say add up 319 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:44,280 all the payments that you have towards debt and we're going to 320 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:47,120 give you 45% Max on what you make. 321 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:50,960 So if you made $10,000 a month they would say we will give you 322 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:55,160 enough money that you can finance up to $4500 a month. 323 00:18:55,360 --> 00:18:59,280 Which means that just that just leaves you with 55% left for 324 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:04,000 everything else. And if you do that you will put 325 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:06,400 yourself in a spot where you have no wiggle room. 326 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:11,480 Here's what now I want to be clear, I am not a you have to 327 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:13,480 live your entire life debt free guy. 328 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:16,480 Although there are strong biblical principles about being 329 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:18,960 debt free and I plan on getting there, just not there yet. 330 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:23,360 But I have a car payment on my truck, I have a house payment on 331 00:19:23,360 --> 00:19:27,480 my Macomb house and that's it. And what I try to do, and this 332 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:31,000 is for a long time, I try to keep my debt to income ratio 333 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:35,560 below 20%. Now I could go way higher, I 334 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:39,080 could drive way nicer vehicles and live in way nicer houses, 335 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:45,320 but I intentionally live on less because Can you imagine me 336 00:19:46,120 --> 00:19:51,600 stressed? Can you imagine being married to 337 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:54,920 this guy if he was stressed? Can you imagine what kind of dad 338 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:58,600 I'd be if I was stressed? By keeping my debt to income 339 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:03,000 ratio very low, I increase the margin in my home. 340 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:07,680 When I increase the margin, I decrease the stress. 341 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:12,600 See what happens? You know what else I do before I 342 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:14,920 make big purchases? This is going to sound crazy. 343 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:20,480 I ask people to speak into it. I want people on the branch. 344 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:23,120 I want counsel about what I purchase. 345 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:26,840 Now I don't want to brag, but I buy some stuff without asking. 346 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:31,480 Like I bought some tea tree shampoo this week, didn't ask a 347 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:34,000 person about it. You do like eucalyptus. 348 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:35,920 You know how you kind of get like that brain freeze when you 349 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:37,720 use that? You guys will be buying tea tree 350 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:39,160 stuff, Amazon will be delivering. 351 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:41,480 And I bought the beard wash that matches it. 352 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:43,840 So I got 3 little pump things. I didn't ask Jennifer. 353 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:47,000 I just went out and did it. Yeah. 354 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:50,240 I'm the man of my house. I can buy $9 things anytime I 355 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:55,560 want without her approval. But when I got, I also bought BB 356 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:57,920 guns that are automatic this week for the boys. 357 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:01,560 Didn't ask for opinion on that. And she was not happy. 358 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:07,320 She wasn't. She was not happy at all. 359 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:10,840 But you couldn't pull the corners of my boys's mouth out 360 00:21:10,840 --> 00:21:15,040 of their ears because when they started, like, yeah, Dad's rule, 361 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:19,200 Mom's drool. And but in every other purchase, 362 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:22,240 Mom's, I'm joking. Gee whiz, we met her too. 363 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:24,480 I was just. Did you buy your kids ABB gun? 364 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:26,120 No, you didn't. That's why dads win. 365 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:30,840 Now when I get ready to buy a house, I invite people in and I 366 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:33,680 go, hey, do you think this is a wise financial move? 367 00:21:34,360 --> 00:21:35,680 When I get ready to buy a vehicle? 368 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:37,440 I actually pulled some leaders in our church together and I 369 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:39,560 said, hey, guys, I'm thinking about doing this. 370 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:41,040 Do you think this is a wise move? 371 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:44,520 I want to be careful that I don't put myself in a position 372 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:48,960 where I'm strapped, where I'm struggling, where I'm stressed. 373 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:52,960 And when you invite people in, it changes how you behave 374 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:54,840 financially. I want to make sure that I'm 375 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:57,120 being a good steward. I want to make sure that my 376 00:21:57,120 --> 00:22:02,560 present desires don't rob me of my future impact. 377 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:04,680 First Timothy Chapter 6 says this. 378 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:09,200 For the love of money is a root. So money's not bad. 379 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:13,400 The love of money is a root, not the root. 380 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:16,320 It's a root of all kinds of evil. 381 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:22,280 Some people, eager for money and stuff, have wandered from the 382 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:26,960 faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 383 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:33,080 We buy and we buy and we buy with money we don't have. 384 00:22:33,360 --> 00:22:36,440 And what we find ourselves is, is we're weighed down and we're 385 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:42,000 pierced with many griefs. I want to keep myself in a 386 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:46,640 position where I'm not pierced with many griefs. 387 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:50,480 I was talking to a staff member who used to be in the banking 388 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:55,480 industry and the car industry and he said so many people have 389 00:22:55,480 --> 00:23:00,120 so little margin, so little wiggle room that they can't do 390 00:23:00,120 --> 00:23:02,200 the things that they want to do for God. 391 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:06,240 They can't go on a mission trip, they can't go into ministry, 392 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:10,840 they can't do big things for God because their past and present 393 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:16,200 self have robbed them of the margin, the flexibility and the 394 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:19,880 freedom that their future self desires. 395 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:25,040 Right now many of you are navigating decisions that old 396 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:29,480 you made and if you could go back in time, you would kick old 397 00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:33,840 you's butt. What were you thinking right 398 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:36,000 now? Here's the tougher question. 399 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:41,840 What are the decisions that present you is making so that 400 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:50,720 future you will high five you? Hebrews chapter 13 says this. 401 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:57,040 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content 402 00:23:57,040 --> 00:24:01,200 with what you have because God has said never will I leave you, 403 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:06,120 never will I forsake you. Keep your lives free from the 404 00:24:06,120 --> 00:24:12,760 love of money. A 2006 study found that somebody 405 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:18,000 making $20,000 a year will be happier than somebody who's at 406 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:21,840 the poverty level because they're not worried about where 407 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:24,600 their next meal is coming from and whether or not they're going 408 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:27,720 to have shelter. But more money does not 409 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:32,360 determine a person's level of happiness. 410 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:39,400 Someone who makes $100,000 more or $100,000 annually is not all 411 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:43,600 that much happier than somebody making $20,000 a year. 412 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:49,400 There is a huge difference in salary and a minimal difference 413 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:53,080 in happiness. The study go went on to conclude 414 00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:57,240 that as a matter of fact, the wealthier people become, the 415 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:01,800 less happy they become because they spend less time pursuing 416 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:07,160 enjoyable activities. They went on to say the belief 417 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:13,280 that a high income is associated with happiness is mostly false. 418 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:22,040 Today, Americans, American Christians, are in a constant 419 00:25:22,040 --> 00:25:28,240 state of buying things we don't need, to impress people we don't 420 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:36,720 like with money we don't have, because in so many ways we have 421 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:42,120 been broken to see our worth through the lens of our net 422 00:25:42,120 --> 00:25:46,960 worth. I think I've told you the story, 423 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:51,800 but a long time ago I worked at a place out in Oklahoma, and I 424 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:54,600 worked there many years, But for the first two years, I was a 425 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:56,760 Wrangler. So every morning I got up. 426 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:57,840 I know. Picture this. 427 00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:02,920 And I saddled 30 horses, and I trained kids on how to ride 428 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:04,320 horses. And then I took them on trail 429 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:07,080 rides. I had boots and everything, 430 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:09,720 guys. Yeah. 431 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:13,440 And my feet were dragging the horse when I was riding the 432 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:14,920 horses. My feet were just dragging 433 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:19,040 trails in the dirt. And but during the during the 434 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:21,120 afternoons, we got an opportunity to go play with 435 00:26:21,120 --> 00:26:23,640 everybody else and we were getting ready to go on to the 436 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:26,920 rec field. And I went to go grab my shirt 437 00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:28,920 and put my shirt on because there's a girl I liked. 438 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:32,000 And I'd, you know, and I, I wasn't as dialed in as I wanted 439 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:34,400 to be. And I went to put my shirt on 440 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:36,360 one of the guys who was a couple years older than me. 441 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:38,120 So what are you doing? I said, oh, well, I'm putting a 442 00:26:38,120 --> 00:26:40,400 shirt on because, you know, I'm not as dialed in as I want to be 443 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:44,400 for so and so who's out there. And he goes, Clayton, the kind 444 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:47,840 of woman you want to marry won't care what you look like with 445 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:51,240 your shirt off. And that was like one of those 446 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:54,600 light bulb moments for me. Like what are the things that 447 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:56,720 are actually going to matter in my life? 448 00:26:57,680 --> 00:27:00,280 It made me think back to when I was in high school. 449 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:03,640 I'm going to share a little bit more about this next week. 450 00:27:04,360 --> 00:27:08,720 But all the all the fun, cool people in high school were 451 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:10,680 wearing Abercrombie and Fitch. I don't even know if that's 452 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:12,160 still a thing, but it was a thing. 453 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:16,480 And if you know, you know, and I wanted Abercrombie and Fitch 454 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:20,160 clothes. And if you know Abercrombie and 455 00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:23,160 Fitch, you know that I'm not their demographic. 456 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:29,640 Their demographic is like 5-2 and malnourished. 457 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:33,840 And so like I walk into the store and they've got their hip 458 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:44,640 little guys and I walk in there like me and we were looking all 459 00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:47,400 over the store for something that would fit a guy like me. 460 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:52,680 And to give you context, their their 2X is like a Carhartt 461 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:56,440 small if you guys trying to make sure this makes sense to you 462 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:59,040 guys. And so I bought a sweater. 463 00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:04,240 It was, I think it was about 7580 bucks in 2001. 464 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:09,560 And I put it on and it was basically a crop top. 465 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:14,880 And the shirts, the sleeves on this long sleeve sweater stopped 466 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:22,280 like right here and now just wear it to school in May. 467 00:28:22,280 --> 00:28:25,160 Just sweating trying to get this thing to fit. 468 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:30,240 I remember wanting Jinko jeans. Glad I didn't buy any of those. 469 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:32,120 I'd I'd hate myself if I wore Jinko's. 470 00:28:32,120 --> 00:28:34,640 But if you did, don't tell anybody, OK? 471 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:38,360 You can still come here. Just don't tell anybody because 472 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:43,000 deep down inside I was willing to spend an ungodly amount of 473 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:46,160 money to fit in with certain people. 474 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:50,760 And that is what the world has conditioned us to believe. 475 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:57,400 It conditions us to think that if we have the stuff, we will 476 00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:59,520 finally have everything else that we're chasing. 477 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:04,120 It will constantly over promise and under deliver because no 478 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:06,920 amount of money and no amount of stuff can fill the hole that is 479 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:10,560 in your heart. Ecclesiastes chapter 5 verse 10. 480 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:14,680 Whoever loves money and stuff never has enough. 481 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:19,440 Whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. 482 00:29:19,640 --> 00:29:22,400 Said another way, if you love money, you will never be 483 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:25,320 satisfied. If you long to be rich, you will 484 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:30,800 never get all you want. When we went through the sermon 485 00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:33,000 series, Weeds in My Garden, you guys, some of you may remember 486 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:34,280 that we did it a couple years ago. 487 00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:39,360 And when we were going through that series, I had a weed in my 488 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:42,240 garden. And on Hope Weekend, we had 489 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:44,760 everybody come up and kind of write their thing down. 490 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:47,160 And I had a thing to write down too. 491 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:50,280 And I'm going to go more in depth about this in a future 492 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:54,440 series, but the thing that I wrote down was that I cared too 493 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:59,800 much what of what people think about me and not nearly enough 494 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:02,280 about what people think about God. 495 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:09,240 I care more about approval from men than I do the approval of 496 00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:12,320 God. And a lot of us have found 497 00:30:12,320 --> 00:30:17,840 ourselves in a similar trap. And so we buy things so we fit 498 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:20,280 in. We do things that way. 499 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:22,760 We look like we got it all going right. 500 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:26,960 But if your friends are only your friends with you because of 501 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:34,320 how you look, what you wear, what you drive, where you live, 502 00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:37,640 those people are not your friends. 503 00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:43,800 They're blood sucking leeches who are going to pull the joy 504 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:48,880 and happiness out of your life. And we know this to be true 505 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:52,120 because we see it in our kids and we go, well, that person is 506 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:54,840 not your friend and our kids can't see it. 507 00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:58,760 But when it comes to us, we find ourselves trying to keep up with 508 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:03,480 the Joneses, whoever they are. And if you are a Jones, come 509 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:05,120 back. It's just, you know the saying, 510 00:31:05,120 --> 00:31:06,800 and I can't help that. That's the name you got. 511 00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:09,520 That's not I didn't, I didn't name you. 512 00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:16,720 So it's your family, actually. But so much of our worth has 513 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:21,080 been tied up in our net worth. And the God of money wants us to 514 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:24,360 believe that our significance comes from what we have made of 515 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:27,440 ourselves. But for Christians, our true 516 00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:30,480 identity is what Christ has made in US. 517 00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:35,720 Our value is found on the cross when Jesus died for us. 518 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:39,480 But when you worship the God of money, a person's worth is no 519 00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:43,440 longer determined by the cross. Their worth is determined by the 520 00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:49,120 symbol of a dollar sign crossing family. 521 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:55,720 The God of consumerism will kill you, but the God of heaven was 522 00:31:55,720 --> 00:32:01,000 killed for you. If you try to worship the God of 523 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:06,000 consumerism, he will kill you because he will take all you 524 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:10,160 have. He will steal your future, He 525 00:32:10,160 --> 00:32:13,560 will steal your kids future, He will steal your marriage. 526 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:16,040 He will steal all the margin that you have. 527 00:32:16,280 --> 00:32:18,160 He will consume all that you offer him. 528 00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:23,880 But conversely, the God of heaven came on your behalf. 529 00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:29,360 That means that my value, my purpose are found in a God who 530 00:32:29,360 --> 00:32:33,360 was rich in mercy, So rich in mercy that he was willing to 531 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:36,600 send his Son on my behalf to die on the cross. 532 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:40,320 People have walked out on me because of what I've done, but 533 00:32:40,400 --> 00:32:43,800 Jesus ran towards me. People have abused me, ridiculed 534 00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:46,640 me, mocked me. But Jesus was abused for me, 535 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:48,640 ridiculed for me, and mocked for me. 536 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:51,160 People told me that I have to change in order to be with them, 537 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:54,360 but God changed for me. You see, He left his palace in 538 00:32:54,360 --> 00:32:57,080 heaven, took on the very nature of a servant being found in 539 00:32:57,080 --> 00:33:00,480 human likeness, and humbled himself and became obedient to 540 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:03,120 death, yes, even death on a cross. 541 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:05,640 John first John chapter 3 says this. 542 00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:09,720 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we 543 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:12,680 should be called children of God, and that is what we are 544 00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:15,720 lavished is. How do I explain lavished? 545 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:20,680 Hopefully you've all been to Texas Roadhouse and you've had 546 00:33:20,680 --> 00:33:23,880 the rules. People who hate God don't eat 547 00:33:23,880 --> 00:33:27,800 the bread. People who pretend like they 548 00:33:27,800 --> 00:33:32,640 love Jesus put just a little bit of butter on their bread on 549 00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:35,160 their roll. But people who've been saved, 550 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:39,480 people who've been sanctified, people who have the Holy Spirit 551 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:42,040 in their life, they know what it is to lavish. 552 00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:45,560 You start piling that that butter on that bread until you 553 00:33:45,560 --> 00:33:48,680 can't see the bread, am I right? And then you let a little bit 554 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:50,680 fall off into your hand, a little bit of butter. 555 00:33:50,960 --> 00:33:54,200 So that way when you eat it, you get like a butter chaser 556 00:33:56,400 --> 00:34:02,560 lavished. Now, can I contrast two things 557 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:05,880 for you? Look at how awesome I am. 558 00:34:06,040 --> 00:34:12,800 My house has three floors. God knows the number of hairs on 559 00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:16,800 my head. He knows what how much hair I 560 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:26,120 had before the shower, ladies. And after the shower, That's I'm 561 00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:28,880 awesome because my vehicle's super cool. 562 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:39,440 Is it when a Sparrow falls out of a tree, our heavenly Father 563 00:34:39,440 --> 00:34:42,560 takes notice of it. How much more will he take 564 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:46,520 notice of you? I go on super cool, epic 565 00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:48,000 vacations. Totally fine. 566 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:51,159 But if your identity is found in your ability to go on awesome, 567 00:34:51,159 --> 00:34:53,760 super epic vacations, what happens to your identity when 568 00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:55,080 there's a downturn in the market? 569 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:58,960 What happens to your identity when there's a change in the 570 00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:02,760 interest rate? What happens to your identity 571 00:35:02,760 --> 00:35:07,400 then? My identity is found in a blood 572 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:10,600 stained cross. The Bible says at one point in 573 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:17,240 time I was an enemy of God, an enemy, and in my state of being 574 00:35:17,240 --> 00:35:21,120 an enemy, He sent his Son on my behalf. 575 00:35:21,120 --> 00:35:25,320 That's how much value I have, that not only did He cleanse me 576 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:30,600 of my sin through his son Jesus, but He also made me an heir to 577 00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:33,400 the Kingdom and he made me his child. 578 00:35:33,600 --> 00:35:37,080 That is how much He has lavished his love on me. 579 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:41,280 So my identity is not found in my stuff. 580 00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:45,920 My identity is found in my Savior who has purchased me, 581 00:35:46,120 --> 00:35:49,400 ransomed me, and rescued me. Do you see the difference? 582 00:35:49,560 --> 00:35:53,280 When my identity is found in Him, you can't give me anything, 583 00:35:53,680 --> 00:35:56,520 because all I could ever need is in Him. 584 00:35:57,000 --> 00:36:00,600 If your identity is in your stuff, your identity is found in 585 00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:07,840 things that can be lost, taken away, rust, destroyed, But this 586 00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:12,000 is found in the identity of an unchanging God who holds the 587 00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:14,880 world together, who holds me together. 588 00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:22,080 He is offering us to find our identity in him and when your 589 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:26,760 identity is found in him, you don't need as much of the other 590 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:29,640 stuff. I want you to think about that 591 00:36:29,920 --> 00:36:31,280 as we're moving to this time of decision. 592 00:36:36,880 --> 00:36:40,480 There are some of you here watching online and, and you're, 593 00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:44,240 you haven't started an intimate personal relationship with Jesus 594 00:36:44,240 --> 00:36:47,080 yet. I just want to level with you. 595 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:51,480 Instead of spending all of your time and all of your energy to 596 00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:55,080 buy stuff that you can wear around so that way you feel 597 00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:57,000 cool, look cool and all that stuff. 598 00:36:57,480 --> 00:37:00,360 What if you were to do what Galatians says, and I know this 599 00:37:00,360 --> 00:37:01,920 is going to sound weird, but I'll make it make sense in a 600 00:37:01,920 --> 00:37:04,680 second. Galatians chapter 3 says for all 601 00:37:04,680 --> 00:37:08,760 of you who are baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves 602 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:12,040 with Christ. What if you were to find your 603 00:37:12,040 --> 00:37:14,320 identity not in your stuff, but in a Savior? 604 00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:18,520 What if you were to clothe yourself as Galatians says in 605 00:37:18,520 --> 00:37:21,120 Christ? Being clothed in Christ is like 606 00:37:21,120 --> 00:37:23,960 the letter jacket of the saved. You guys remember letter 607 00:37:23,960 --> 00:37:26,240 jackets, ladies, You remember that guy? 608 00:37:26,240 --> 00:37:27,960 He had a letter jacket. You're like, Oh my goodness. 609 00:37:28,520 --> 00:37:31,560 He's like, you know, he's was a letter winner in all four sports 610 00:37:31,560 --> 00:37:34,000 all four years. Well, he's fat now, isn't he? 611 00:37:34,680 --> 00:37:36,800 Right. He was me. 612 00:37:36,840 --> 00:37:39,760 You should have seen him, but now he's got gout, right? 613 00:37:43,200 --> 00:37:47,000 You have a choice. We can clothe ourselves in 614 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:54,560 things that will fade away. We can clothe ourselves in 615 00:37:54,560 --> 00:37:59,880 things that will change over time, or we can be clothed in 616 00:37:59,880 --> 00:38:03,200 Christ in a couple months. We're going to get we're going 617 00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:06,040 to unpack this at like a way deeper level, but this is 618 00:38:06,040 --> 00:38:09,880 functionally what's happening. God is allowing you when you get 619 00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:12,040 baptized to be clothed in his son. 620 00:38:12,560 --> 00:38:18,800 You put on his son. Jesus is holy, righteous, pure, 621 00:38:19,360 --> 00:38:23,760 good, kind, faithful, self controlled. 622 00:38:23,960 --> 00:38:29,760 You're putting on him. So when God looks at you, the 623 00:38:29,760 --> 00:38:33,720 Sinner that you are, the Sinner that I am, he doesn't see the 624 00:38:33,720 --> 00:38:37,840 sin, he sees his son. And so when God looks at you, 625 00:38:38,720 --> 00:38:42,400 when your family looks at you, when your wife looks at you, 626 00:38:42,920 --> 00:38:46,800 when your husband looks at you, you have been clothed in Christ. 627 00:38:46,800 --> 00:38:53,360 So you are equipped to be holy and righteous and good and 628 00:38:53,360 --> 00:38:56,520 caring and kind and self controlled. 629 00:38:56,760 --> 00:39:00,280 You have been clothed in him. And some of you are going, yeah, 630 00:39:00,280 --> 00:39:03,040 that sounds great, but I got to get some stuff figured out 631 00:39:03,040 --> 00:39:08,360 first. If you could fix you, God 632 00:39:08,360 --> 00:39:11,240 wouldn't have sent his son to die on your behalf. 633 00:39:12,680 --> 00:39:16,440 This is not about you stitching together a new outfit. 634 00:39:18,400 --> 00:39:21,200 This is about you going, I'm done dressing myself. 635 00:39:23,400 --> 00:39:27,560 I'm ready to be clothed in him. And if you're here today and 636 00:39:27,560 --> 00:39:30,000 you've never started an intimate, personal relationship 637 00:39:30,240 --> 00:39:34,000 with Jesus Christ, you can begin that journey today. 638 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:36,440 You might have questions that you want asked. 639 00:39:36,640 --> 00:39:41,160 Ask them today. And in just a few moments, when 640 00:39:41,160 --> 00:39:43,560 the people around you start to stand and sing and some of them 641 00:39:43,560 --> 00:39:46,360 come to the steps and pray, I would encourage you to walk 642 00:39:46,360 --> 00:39:49,160 right over there underneath that screen next to the baptistry. 643 00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:51,320 And there'll be somebody there who would love to talk to you 644 00:39:51,320 --> 00:39:54,960 and answer some of the questions that you have to those of you 645 00:39:54,960 --> 00:39:57,440 who already have a relationship with Jesus Christ. 646 00:39:58,200 --> 00:40:02,720 The God of money will keep you from all that God has for you. 647 00:40:03,320 --> 00:40:08,560 And all that God has for you to do, the God of consumerism will 648 00:40:08,560 --> 00:40:11,600 kill you. But we can rejoice in the fact 649 00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:14,080 that the God of heaven was killed for us. 650 00:40:15,920 --> 00:40:19,800 And as Christians, we need to live our lives in such a way 651 00:40:20,240 --> 00:40:24,160 that we don't just honor God, but we reach people for God. 652 00:40:25,520 --> 00:40:29,600 And for a lot of us, the statistics are in most people 653 00:40:29,600 --> 00:40:32,360 who call themselves Christians are not functioning the way God 654 00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:34,360 wants them to function financially. 655 00:40:34,840 --> 00:40:38,000 That has spiritual implications on their relationship with God, 656 00:40:38,160 --> 00:40:40,360 and it has spiritual implications about whether or 657 00:40:40,360 --> 00:40:42,840 not other people will ever find God. 658 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:47,760 And I think that should change. And so if you're here today and 659 00:40:47,760 --> 00:40:50,120 you're a Christian and you've already been on this journey, 660 00:40:50,120 --> 00:40:53,720 you're already being obedient to God's plan financially, I want 661 00:40:53,720 --> 00:40:56,280 you to pray for people. Maybe you want to come up to the 662 00:40:56,280 --> 00:40:59,640 steps and pray for them because you know the challenge that 663 00:40:59,640 --> 00:41:02,120 they're facing the the step of faith that they're getting ready 664 00:41:02,120 --> 00:41:06,200 to make others of you. You've got serious pain and and 665 00:41:06,200 --> 00:41:09,400 sorrow and struggles and strife going on in your life. 666 00:41:10,160 --> 00:41:15,840 You've got worries and fears. I'm going to tell you, spend 667 00:41:15,840 --> 00:41:18,680 some time on your knees praying that God would give you wisdom 668 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:22,960 and direction about whatever it is that you're facing, that God 669 00:41:22,960 --> 00:41:25,480 would clearly show you what it is that you're supposed to do, 670 00:41:26,120 --> 00:41:27,960 and then give you the courage to walk it out. 671 00:41:28,400 --> 00:41:34,520 Would you guys stand with me? God, right now I'm just trusting 672 00:41:34,520 --> 00:41:42,520 you, begging you to do what only you can do in ways that only you 673 00:41:42,520 --> 00:41:44,680 can do it. You know exactly what every 674 00:41:44,680 --> 00:41:50,320 person needs right now. So, God, I'm asking you to take 675 00:41:50,320 --> 00:41:58,600 the ground that only you can take to do a work in US and do a 676 00:41:58,600 --> 00:42:02,400 work through us. You know my pray. 677 00:42:03,200 --> 00:42:03,600 Amen.