“SOLID INVESTMENTS”
By
District Elder M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
Matthew 6:19-21 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”.
OPENING: - Solid Investments is something that most people consider at some point in their life. No doubt many of us have at some point in the past have taken money and invested it in some stock or mutual fund in order for it to grow and be available for us to use in the future. For example on my job I have what is called a Thrift Savings Plan or TSP for short, it’s similar to a 401K. What I do with this TSP is every payday a certain amount of my check is applied to this TSP. What I have done and am able to do is to decide where I want to put this money or any portion of this money on certain investment options. Some of the money I have going into options that are high risk, they are unstable options that don’t always yield a return, more often then not they loose value, but when it does yield a return the return on them is wonderful. On other options I have they are not high risk and the return is not all that great, but the return on them is more likely to happen then not, these are called solid investments.
Now we understand that there are evidently, some risk involved when we invest money. We could easily loose part or even all of our investment leaving us financially worse off than we were when we initially made the investment. Investments are similar to the lottery in the fact that when a person invests money into the stock market they are actually taking a chance that they will get something in return.
Investments are made for many different reasons ranging from getting ready for retirement, college for the kids, the fear of not having anything in our later years in life to the ultimate reason like the “Brothers Johnson” song said I want to be rich, I want the pie in the sky.
For the most part people try to invest wisely. Some people do extensive research on where to invest their money and try to do it themselves with self-investing companies like e-trade, Scottrade and many other self investing programs. Others seek people that have experience in investing and ask for their advice. While some go to a person that has been trained in financial investments, known as a financial planner or stockbroker.
Regardless if you do it yourself or have a professional investment broker help you understand that the key to investments is to try to minimize your losses and maximize your gains. Sometimes people are successful in doing this other times they say as Will Rogers once said, “I’m more interested in getting a return of my money than a return on my money”. Investing can be a very tricky and is a very unstable thing.
Before we get too far into this message let me make sure, you have an understanding of investments. The root word of investments is invest. Invest means to commit (money) in order to earn a financial return, to make use of for future benefits or advantages. The word solid means being without an internal cavity or flaw, having no break or interruption, uniformly close and coherent texture. Therefore, “Solid Investments” is to make use of something strong, without flaw in order to produce future benefits or advantages that are strong and firm. I am talking about “Solid Investments”.
TEXT: - According to Forbes.com, there are some 470 billionaires in the world. It is said that 276 of these billionaires live in the United States of America. Also more than 2500 households have a net worth that exceeds 100 million dollars. There are more than 250,000 individuals with a net worth of more than 10 million dollars and yet still another 500,000 (a ½ a million) people that have a net worth in excess of 5 million dollars. Reportedly, it is said that Americans own approximately 40% of the world’s wealth yet make up only 2.5% of the world’s population. Some 40% of the wealth in America is only held by 1% of the people. Regrettably, 80% of American families are finding themselves in financial adversities.
America the country that was at one time the wealthiest, most industrious and most prosperous country in the world has now been reduced to third world status. Our economy is in turmoil. As a nation, we have a 10.6 trillion dollar deficit and that is ever growing bigger and bigger by the day. Over a billion dollars a month is being spent fighting a war and trying to rebuild a country we have no business being in the first place. We have people that go to work every day in decent jobs that yet still are not able to afford health insurance. Many people must struggle with making a choice rather to eat or get their medications. Houses are being foreclosed upon at an alarming rate on both sinners and church folk. Oil prices are once again on the rise seems like every time the wind blows the price of oil goes higher and higher because people-INVESTORS- fear that a hurricane will cause damage to (their investments) the oilrigs in the Gulf Coast. I’m so glad God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind 2 Timothy 1:7.
Recently Lehman Brothers, a global investment bank and a Fortune 500 company announced it had filed for bankruptcy. Merrill Lynch another Fortune 500 company was bought by Bank of America because it was in financial trouble. Anheuser Bush the once largest beer producing company was sold to the Chinese just a short time ago. American International Group, better known as AIG, one of the world’s largest insurance companies had to get an 85 billion dollar loan in order to be resuscitated because of unstable investments. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac the two largest mortgage lenders that specialize in helping lower income, first-time home buyers, and minorities to be able to purchase a home was seized by the government saying that they could no longer back risk mortgages causing a panic in the mortgage community. The government has come up with a so-call bailout for these investment companies, it is a 700 billion dollar loan plan to be given to these investment companies all because the movers and shakers of Wall St. messed up.
Sadly companies can’t make payroll. Consumers and small business owners are not able to get loans. Housing prices are falling at a rapid rate. People who bought a house last year at say $100,000.00 can’t even get $70,000.00 for it this year they lost $30,000.00 on an investment the American Dream is now an American Nightmare. The (AP) Associated Press – Columbus- said “Declining property-tax revenues, high energy prices and other financial headwinds will create greater economic hardships in 2009. 4 out of 5 budget officials say that in 2009 things will be even worse then they are right now.
Cities are literally declining, in Columbus, Ohio the city is facing a 75 million dollar budget hole and planning 100 job cuts and another 40 layoffs of city workers by the end of the year. In Palm Bay, Florida officials eliminated 32 jobs out of 850 and cut all public pleasing events, (i.e.: Feast of the Flowering Moon, Gus Macker, Easter Egg hunts, and the closing of city pools and parks). In Indianapolis a proposal to hire 100 new police officers has been tabled and in next year’s budget 1.5 million dollars is cut from after school programs and parks, this means that the after school programs for the young people will be eliminated.
WATCH THIS: - In the Book of Proverbs by H.G. Bohn in 1855, not the Proverbs in the Bible, this famous Proverb is found “An idle mind is the devils workshop and idle hands are his tools”. People of God if you begin to cut activities out of school programs that keep young minds and hands active they will become idle and fall victim to the devils vices causing mischief and discontentment. O Zion what’s the matter now.
These are perilous times! The stock market is going through stomach turning ups and downs. The social security system is in a panic saying that it will not be able to pay all of the benefits promised to the baby boomers. Health insurance is almost impossible to get. Gas prices are astronomical. A gallon of milk is about $4.00. People are committing suicide because of financial devastation. Men are struggling with demons because they feel like a failure because they are not financially able to take care of their families. Churches are loosing people by the multitudes because families must leave trying to find employment in other places. Marriages are being torn apart because of financial stress. Mothers are selling their bodies trying to food for their children times are hard and this is not the Tribulation Period yet. The devil is a lie.
Understand something people of God financial worries come because of unstable investments. Money is a terrible god to serve. I know money answereth all things, but the love of money is the root of all evil. Remember what the Ojays said “Some people got to have it Some people really need it Listen to me they do bad things with it you wanna do good things with it talking about cash money dollar bills ya’ll For the love of money people will steal from their mother For the love of money people will rob their own brother For the love of money People can’t even walk the street Because they never know who in the world they’re gonna beat For that lean, mean, mean green Almighty dollar For the love of money
People will lie, Lord, they will cheat For the love of money People don’t care who they hurt or beat For the love of money A woman will sell her precious body For a small piece of paper it carries a lot of weight Call it lean, mean, mean green Almighty dollar I know money is the root of all evil Do funny things to some people Give me a nickel, brother can you spare a dime Money can drive some people out of their minds Don’t let, don’t let, don’t let money rule you Money can change people sometimes Don’t let, don’t let, don’t let money fool you Money can fool people sometimes People! Don’t let money, don’t let money change you, it will keep on changing, changing up your mind For the love of money.
That’s why we are in the situation that we are in right now is because of the love of money. Money is indecisive, its inconsistent, its erratic, and very unpredictable. Money is here one minute and gone the next, the Word of God says in Proverbs 23:4-5 “Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven”. See it’s the love of money that has caused this financial malady (mal-a-dee) the Bible says where your treasure is there your heart will be also. People’s hearts are failing because they have placed their treasure in mammon, they become full of terror if the interest rate dips just a fraction of a point. When the stock market crashes their heart fails because their treasure is failed.
Glory to the Lord God Almighty, we can say as David said in Psalms 73:26 “My flesh and my heart faileth: [but] God [is] the strength of my heart, and my portion forever”. God is the strength of my heart and since God never fails my heart will never fail because He is my treasure.
The world may be in a panic situation unable to have peace because of the financial dilemma it is facing right now; however, I find in His word God said I’ll give you peace that passeth all understanding. The stock market may never get right again, gas prices may continue to climb, financial devastation may never loosen its grip on society, but I know that I know that I know I will have peace and will be kept in perfect peace. The world cannot understand it but I remember a song we use to sing a long time ago that simply said this peace that I have the world didn’t give it to me and the world or the situation of the world can’t take it away.
Everytime you turn on the news or pick up a paper you find headlines that sensationalize the chaotic and dramatically express financial doom. You find things like Wall St. has clasped, A Financial Pearl Harbor, Our entire economy in danger, Bank fails and takes elderly woman’s 20k with it, Gas pumps empty, oil price rise again, economic crisis critical. You have the Republicans blaming the Democrats and the Democrats blaming the Republicans. Chaos is everywhere. Wrong is being called right and right is being called wrong. You don’t know who to believe and you can’t trust anyone. Panic fills the airways doom seems inevitable. People are pulling their money out of banks panicking wondering what’s next. Peace seems to have gone right out the window right along with low gas prices. People are wondering what must we do. They are saying things like if I had more money I would have peace. If I had another job I would have peace. So people are looking for peace in the bottle. Some are looking for peace in drugs. Some are looking for peace in sexual promiscuity. They are searching for peace unable to find it because they are looking in all the wrong places.
If you want to find peace during this financial recession or what ever term they are calling this time then you must put your hope in God. On Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand. Wall St is unstable, the Dow-Jones and Nasdaq is on a downward spiral – but my hope is built on nothing less then Jesus Christ and righteousness I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus name. Like the commercial use to say “Get a piece of the rock” I want to change it a little and say “Get PEACE of the rock” P.E.A.C.E. the peace of God that passeth all understanding”. His peace passeth all understanding and He is the rock of my salvation.
ANYBODY WANT PEACE THAT PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING.
GET PEACE OF THE ROCK
I am reminded of a commercial that was out in the early 80’s about a man named E.F. Hutton. The commercials went something like this 2 people would be in a crowded room or gym or something, there would be all kinds of commotion and noise going on 1 of the people would say well my broker is E.F. Hutton and E.F. Hutton says. The room would become quite and everyone would lean in to try to hear what E.F. Hutton said, because when E.F. Hutton speaks people listen.
Well I’m no E.F. Hutton, but I represent an invest firm that’s out of this world so he that hath an ear let him hear.
The Bible says in Matthew 6:19-21 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”. What are you talking about preacher “For where your treasure is, there your heart be also”. If you focus on money all the time because money is an unstable investment your heart is unstable riding and emotional roller coaster. When money is up your self esteem is up but when it’s down your self esteem is down because your heart is focused on money and not on God. The 24 verse of this chapter says “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon”. You must make a choice and invest correctly.
Now as a representative of the Eternal Investment Firm I want to talk to you about making “Solid Investments”. Now understand people of God there are 3 options that you can decide on what you want to do.
1.) You can waste your life living for the moment investing in all kinds of sinful activities. You can do drugs, drink alcohol, having no kind of sexual regard or limitations. You can party all the time and live contrary to the will of God. But understand that these things are temporal soon cut down like grass and wither away as green herb. WATCH THIS:- The return on this investment is you shall be as the burnings of lime as thorns cut up you shall be burned in the fire. Isa 33:12.
2.) You could spend your life trying to reach what man calls the best. You can grasp the brass ring of life only to find that it turns your heart green with envy, lust, distrust, and discontentment why because these are unstable investment that are here today and gone tomorrow. WATCH THIS:- The return on this investment is temporal and will be destroyed for the Bible says in Job 34:25 “Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth [them] in the night, so that they are destroyed”. Remember only what you do for Christ will last.
3.) You can build your hope on thing eternal and invest in God’s stock market. Sure you will not find it on the NYSE; it has nothing to do with Wall St. Its streets are paved with Gold. Eye hath not seen, hear hath not heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man the things God has in this investment plan. WATCH THIS:- The return on this investment is out of this world. John said a door [was] opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard [was] as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband Having the glory of God: and her light [was] like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal And had a wall great and high, [and] had twelve gates On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates And the wall of the city had twelve foundations And the building of the wall of it was [of] jasper: and the city [was] pure gold, like unto clear glass And the foundations of the wall of the city [were] garnished with all manner of precious stones The first foundation [was] jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst And the twelve gates [were] twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city [was] pure gold, as it were transparent glass And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. These are those that made “SOLID INVESTMENTS”
QUESTION:- If someone came to you and gave you an investment tip that was guaranteed to give you a positive return on your investment, they said there is now way possible that you could loose, this stock is insured and will continue to increase regardless of what happens on Wall St. would you invest in that? Well – as your agent representative let me tell you of some of the commodities you can invest in God’s stock market. The investments you make in this market will produce a 30, 60, or 100 fold return guaranteed, these are Solid Investments.
1.) The first investment is in the Kingdom of God. The Bible says in Matthew 6:33 “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you”. In the natural or worldly economy the investments you make are a selfish investment that is to benefit me or you, but an investment in the Kingdom of God is not about us but it’s about Jesus. For God I live and for God I die blessed be the name of the Lord.
2.) The next investment is to invest in prayer. 1st Thessalonians 5:17 says “Pray without ceasing”. James 5:16 says “… The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much”. WATCH THIS: - Avail means to produce a benefit or advantage. If you recall that is the definition for invest as well. To produce a benefit or advantage. When you add the “ETH” it becomes a continuous action. Therefore, when we invest in prayer we are making an investment that continually benefits and gives advantages or FAVOR if you will to those that have invested. There is no risk of loss in this investment. It guaranteed to produce much – for the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth MUCH. Prayer is our communication line to our investment broker Jesus Christ. There is a commercial for Charles Schwab investments that says “Talk to Chuck” Prayer is the phone not to Chuck, but to Jesus. Remember the song we used to sing “Jesus on the main line call Him up and tell Him what you want”. Prayer is how we work this stock market in God’s economy. In the natural you have to call your broker and say I want you to sell or buy so many shares of this stock, move this money here and do this. Well prayer is just that I call Him up on the prayer line and say God I need you to move right now, I need a door open, I need a breakthrough. Invest in prayer and call Him up.
3.) The next investment is to invest in worship. Worship delights the heart of God. WATCH THIS: - The word delight means to make joyful. The Bible says the Joy of the Lord is my strength. Look at the return on this investment – I’m stronger, I’m wiser, I’m better so much better. Lord I worship you. I’m standing in your presence on Holy Ground and I worship you simply because of who you are. My worship delights His heart and He gives me strength. Strength to make it, strength to take it, I’m stronger. Who wouldn’t invest in worship.
4.) The next investment is to invest in Christ-like character. This investment is the meaning of the term Christian. What better return on an investment can there be but to be called like Christ. 1st Peter 3:8-9 says “Finally be ye all of one mind having compassion one of another, love as brethren be pitiful, be courteous, not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing, knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing”. Let me tell you how this investment works: - everytime you show love over hate you are working on that investment. Everytime you tell the truth instead of a lie you’re working on that investment. Everytime you choose purity over immorality that’s and investment. When you are polite rather then rude that’s an investment, everytime you forgive instead of holding a grudge that’s an investment. Everytime you give instead of being greedy that’s an investment. Anyone want to make an investment. I wanna be I wanna be I wanna be like Christ.
5.) The next invest is one of the biggest investments you can make. The return on this investment is unlimited. This investment is the investment into people for this is what this church thing is all about. Galatians 5:13 says “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve (MINISTER TO) one another”. Investments in people increase our Christ-like character. Investing in people is investing in Jesus Christ Himself. Matthew 25:34-45 talks about the king. The Bible says “Then shall the King say – (Who is the King of Glory the Lord God Almighty – we are talking about investing in people is investing in Jesus) unto them on his right hand (These are those that have made Solid Investment)WATCH THIS:- Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (This is the return on your investment). He goes on to say when I was hungered ye gave me meat, when thirsty ye gave me drink, when naked ye clothed me, when sick ye visited me, in prison ye visited me for as much as ye have did it unto the least of these ye did unto me. So investing in people is investing in Jesus. To invest in people is to develop an intimate relationship with God.
Someone might ask well how can I invest in people. There is a song by “Geron Davis” that says it best it is called “GO” This is putting investment into action. We have been given the ministry of reconciliation and we have the Word of God and the Spirit of God in us and we are to be good stewards of what God has entrusted us to have. In order to be good stewards we must take action and invest it.
WATCH THIS: - To invest we must go and tell people that Jesus loves them and that He will save them for the only way they will know is if we go and invest that which He has given us to be stewards over. See it’s more than just coming to church on Sunday and Wednesday, it’s not limited to the four walls of this building but it’s in the market place, it’s in the work place, it’s everywhere you go for you and I am the lights of the world. See if we come to church and that’s all well here it’s light with light for the most part, but in the world you might be the only light and we got to shine so that men, women, boys, and girls will see God in us and glorify Him.
The parable of the talents in Matthew 20 gives us example of what we are supposed to do with what God has given us. If we take what God has given us and obey His command to Go and invest in people that investment will multiply and when the master returns He will see that we have put what was given us to the exchangers (who are the exchangers - the sinners that have changed ashes for beauty, mourning for the oil of joy, the spirit of heaviness for the garment of praise). And at His coming will say well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make you rulers over many enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. But if you make unstable investments or don’t invest at all you will hear “Thou wicked and slothful servant from thee shall it be taken away depart from me ye worker of iniquity I know ye not”.
IN CLOSING: - Imagine in your spiritual mind (HOWEVER THIS IS TRUE) that you have been given great wealth and you are now talking with your investment broker J.C. of Galilee. Jesus Christ if you missed it. He points out one investment opportunity and says don’t invest in that company called World.org their stocks are meaningless, their security is non-existent, their future is condemned, and their hope is gone. However, He shows you another company called Heaven.glory their assets are limitless and backed by the one and only true and living God. Their security is flawless, their performance is above reproach, they have never lost a single investment, their market has never crashed, and their return is out of this world. Would you invest with Him?
If you are serious about laying up treasures in heaven then it starts right here for heavenly living begins here on earth and is completed in glory.
We must understand the true principal of stewardship is God owns we manage or rather invest what God owns.
Are you making Solid Investment with what God has given you?
District Elder M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
Southern Ohio
Assistant Pastor
