Want to start new series- How to be Rich.
Adapted from-series by Craig Groeschel-lifechurch.tv
With the beginning of a new year and in light of the current financial difficulties (challenges),
I thought it would be prudent- talk about money
In particular, may seem strange- How to be Rich.
We have people going through some difficult times financially- but the principles true- for majority.
Even those in financial difficulty- better off than most of the world- important keep things in perspective
The Bible was not written just for citizens of USA.
Often we have a very narrow perspective of what conditions are like in the rest of the world.
How to be Rich
Not about- How to Get Rich, but How to be Rich.
How many as a kid hoped they would grow up rich and have lots of money?
How many know/know of someone who is super rich?
Have you ever thought …
If I were rich I could do a better job of being rich. They spend money on stupid things.
How many- consider themselves to be super rich?
Not many here who would say they are super rich.
We have people here that …
are rich- do not know that they are rich, others
are rich- do not feel rich because they know someone richer than they are.
We have all seen people- we would say are poor.
We have seen people who we would say are rich.
Problem- we do not know where the rich line is.
Many will cross that line at some point- but because- they do not know where the line is, they are not
going to wake up someday and say- I am rich
Chances are- when you get your next pay check- you are not going to say …
I was not rich but now I have crossed the line and I am rich.
I want to look at how to be rich in a way that allows us to honor God.
Because we do not know where the rich line is, when- Bible talks about the rich- does not apply to me.
Here is what is important- if I know where the line is and I cross it, then, when the Bible talks about
the rich, I know it is talking about me.
If I am going to be rich, I want to live- to honor God.
1 Timothy- Paul instructs Timothy about the rich …
1Tim 6:17-19 NLT
Paul’s counsel is so the rich can take hold of the life and purpose that God has for them.
What is Rich?
Let us ask the question, What is rich?
The problem is, is that rich is moving target.
What you thought was rich a year ago, you may not consider rich today.
Perhaps you make $20K a year and know someone who makes $40K a year.
You would consider that person to be rich.
If I could just earn $40K a year I would be rich.
Then, perhaps you have six kids.
Now what happens- $40K is no longer rich.
Gallup poll …
Asked people- What they would need to earn to be rich? When he asked those who made $30K or less per year, the average answer was $74K.
Some here- make $74K- but you do not feel rich.
Yet those who make $30K look at you and say you are rich, even though you do not feel rich.
Why? Because rich is a moving target.
Gallup asked people who make $50K a year what they would need to earn to feel rich. Most common answer was $100K per year.
Some here might have a combined income of $100K.
You would say- I do not feel rich after …
taxes, mortgages, college, braces, car loans, etc.
Here is the challenge ...
If we do not feel rich
then we will never learn how to act rich,
so we will continue to try and get rich, and
we will not recognize that we are already rich, so we will never learn how to be rich.
Let us look at some good news and some bad news.
Good news: You are rich!
Why is that good news?
Because we have many rich people opportunities.
Live in houses- A/C, electricity, running water
Some of you can put- children in private school
Most all of us have one or more cars
Many have opportunities to travel-take vacation
Many have internet, cell phones, computers, etc
Here is the really good news …
God has made you rich so you can use the resources that you have to make a difference.
Have we learned to enjoy-blessings God has given us?
Eccl 5:19 Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. NASU
Now- I know we are in a difficult season financially.
there some w/o work, or
you are a single mom/children- low paying job
There are some very significant needs in the church.
Consequently most of us to not feel rich.
However, even those who do not feel rich- watch cable TV and eat pizza delivered from Dominoes.
When- read about rich people in- Bible- it is not talking about me, because I know someone richer.
When God is speaking through scripture about being rich, speaking to the world, not just USA.
Most people in the world today, would look at our lives and the way we live- would say we are rich.
But most of us would say that we do not feel rich, because rich is a moving target.
One reason we do not feel rich is because we tend to consume everything that God gives us.
This is not really how to be rich, but how to be selfish.
Unless we recognize that we are rich we will never learn how to be rich in a way that honors God.
Illustration: take two $1 bills, crumple them up, throw them down. No one is scrambling after those $1 bills. It is not big deal to us. Yet over 3billion people will work all day long to earn less than I just threw down on the ground.
Let’s say- average salary- COTRM- $37K per year-
in top 4percent of people earning money today.
Look at slide- there is a website- globalrichlist.com- enter income- shows your standing in the world.
Let’s say your combined income is $48K-
in top 1% of people earning money today.
If we are going to be good at being rich, we first must admit that we are rich.
There is a stigma among Christians about being rich.
Financial blessings is one of the few blessings that we make apologizes for.
If someone tells me I am blessed w/my house, I will explain how I could never have bought it w/o selling my old house/my mother’s house. When we got our car a few of years ago, I would explain how we had saved $10 a week for years.
We should not feel guilty about financial blessings, but grateful that God has blessed us.
Most of us should be able to say this …
God has blessed me
with more than I need,
I am truly rich.
Bad News: You are Rich!
Now let’s look at the bad news: You are rich.
Jesus- had an encounter with a rich man
…
Lk 18:18-30
Jesus is talking about- how hard is it for the rich, you and me, to enter the Kingdom of God.
It is hard for us to “see it” and “believe it” because we have so much stuff that we do not need God.
In many ways- do not understand what it means to fully give ourselves to God- we have so much.
Three problems with being rich …
1. It is harder for us to depend on God
Most of us have not had to pray for our daily bread.
Many have retirement income, insurance, health care.
Therefore, when things get truly difficult we find it hard to trust God fully - we get fearful and panic.
2. It distracts us from God’s priorities
We have so many opportunities …
We have our children in so many activities, multiple cars, we can travel, sprinkler system, alarm systems, TV, telephones, internet, yard people, computer games, Disney world, etc.
… that it messes up our priorities.
One reason we encourage people to go to Guatemala-
You will see people, who by our standard, have nothing, living on dirt floors, have three walls in their house, no a/c, intermittent electricity- and yet- many of these people are full of life.
3. We have a far greater responsibility
God did not make us rich so we could consume it all?
Lk 12:48 … From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more. NASU
That is bad news because- far more is expected of us since God has made us rich.
When- read- Bible about rich people, it applies to us.
Conclusion
We need to learn to …
trust God instead of things we own/resources
prioritize our lives so as to bring glory to God
to be truly rich in good deeds
We should be able to say …
God has blessed me
with more than I need,
I am truly rich.
I pray- God would give us a …
passionate desire for the things- last forever and
reduce our desire for the things- will burn up.
How many would be willing to say now, I am rich?
How many would say they want to be rich in a way that blesses people and honors God?
Rev 3:14-18
Many are rich in the natural, but spiritually bankrupt.
Do we have a lot of the world and a little bit of God?
Can we be lukewarm and truly be a Christian?
Have I fully committed by life to the Lord?
Jesus has come to give- abundant life, to set the captives free.
He was crucified, His blood was poured out, and He was raised from the dead to set us free.
To follow Him, however, we must be ready and willing to deny ourselves.
The things of this world do not matter eternally.
Do not just make God your Savior, make Him your Lord, surrender your life completely to Him.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly father, I am a sinner and need a Savior. Jesus, save me from my sins and from my pursuits of this world. Make me new, fill me with your Spirit so I can know you and follow you. Give me your life, your heart, and your call for my life.
