Major Mistakes We Make With Our Money - Part 1 Series

Major Mistakes We Make With Our MONEY

A man in a bar sees a friend at a table drinking by him self. Approaching the friend he comments, “You look terrible, what’s the problem?”

“My mother died in June,” he said, “and left my $15,000.”

“Wow, I am sorry to hear that,” the friend replied.

“Then in July, my father died leaving my $50,000,” the man said.

“Wow, Double tragedy, I can see why you are really hurting,” the friend mentioned.

“And last month my aunt died and left me $10,000,” the man said in tears.

“I don’t know what to say, three tragedies so close together,” the friend said as he put his arm around the man’s shoulders.

“Then this month,” continued the man, “NOTHING!”

INTRODUCTION

Malcom Forbes

Failure is success if we learn from it

My idea of a good education is learning from someone else’s mistakes!

I have heard about my Grandfather’s mistakes, I talked to my dad about his mistakes. I have made some myself. We all will make mistakes with money. The goal in talking about mistakes with our money is to spare you from making them. If I spare you from making just one or possible two mistakes – that would be awesome! That’s my goal.

Messages from the pulpit need to lift us in our understanding of spiritual principles. They also need to address the issues of life. I have never impressed an unbeliever with my understanding of justification or atonement, but they are all ears when you tell them you can help them dump 10,000 dollars of debt in a year.

Money is a huge deal in everyone’s life. And God’s Word teaches us a lot on this subject. I learned more in church about how to handle my personal finances than I did in 4 years of accounting in college.

I learned that God’s Word will only work if I work it. But that His Word will work against me if I don’t.

My desire is to see you walking in victory in every area of your life. There are so many who are really struggling and hurting because of money today – I want to throw a life preserver to those who are drowning.

In a survey in a Worth Magazine poll, couples surveyed said the number one thing they fight about is money and 56% think more often about money than sex. Whoa you know that is serious. I wonder if they surveyed any guys?

1. Instead of Russian Roulette you Play American Too Much Debt

(Illustrate with Chains - wrap around wrist)

a. A young man graduates from high school and there now comes his inalienable rights. He has to have stuff. So he goes out and starts his stuff quest.

i. The first addition to his life is music. We know that’s what makes the world go round and it has to be loud. So off he goes to some discount store looking for bass galore and he comes home with packages in hand and a contract he really doesn’t understand. (Wrap around one arm)

ii. His next area of his life that is very incomplete is his transportation. All he can afford is a shake, rattle and roll, but he really looked good in a Nissan Patrol. He was well on his way to being complete. Completely tied up that is. (Wrap chain around other wrist)

iii. His job wasn’t helping meet his daily needs so off to college he goes with greed. Money is not a problem, Student loans are offered to him. (Wrap chain around one leg)

iv. All I now he needs a house. He is making $50,000 thousand so he can afford that $200,000 house with little to no money down. (Put chain over the back of your neck)

b. I don’t know about you, but it is a little hard to get around like this. Debt is not freedom it is bondage.

c. 52 % of marriages end in divorce and 90% say the main reason is $$

d. Romans 13:8 (MsgB) Don’t run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other…

e. Proverbs 22:7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. NIV

f. A man often walked through a cemetery on his way home. One night, though, unaware that a new grave had been dug in his path, he tumbled in. For some time he struggled to get out of the 7 foot deep grave, but finally gave up and settled down for the night.

An hour later, a farmer out possum hunting came walking through the cemetery and he too fell into the grave. He began a desperate attempt to get out, unaware that there was anyone else in the grave. The first man listened to him for a few minutes, then reached over in the pitch darkness and laid a hand on his shoulder. "You can’t get out of here," he said... but he did.