INTRODUCTION
• VIDEO CLIP
• SLIDE #1
• That clip makes me laugh every time I see it. It is funny because I wonder if a lot of people do not get it.
• When you look at some of the crazy things we do with our finances, it almost seems as we at times have been as clueless as Steve Martins character in the skit.
• A lack of knowledge or understanding in any area of life can lead to problems for us.
• If we lack understanding, it becomes easy for us to fall prey to allowing our finances to be driven my myths instead of reality.
• This morning we are going to examine a few of those myths together and we will touch on a few of the scriptures that will shine the light of truth on the myth so that we do not fall into the trap of blindly following the myth.
• Never forget that if Satan can keep you in bondage and broke, he can help you keep your mind off of your relationship with Jesus.
• Remember over the last two weeks we looked at the area of finances because it is the second most talked about subject in God’s Word. This message will conclude this series.
• I hope that you see the blessings God wants you to have as a result of submitting yourself to His lordship in this area.
• Let’s begin our journey this morning by looking at myth number 1
• SLIDE #2
SERMON
I. It’s my money.
• How many of us are living out this myth. It is the attitude that it is MY money, so I can (waste it) spend it or do with it was I see fit.
• This attitude will hurt us because we are telling God that we do not need Him.
• In Deuteronomy 8, God is reminding the still wandering Israelites that when they get into the Promised Land that they were not to forget from WHERE and WHOM their blessings came from.
• SLIDE #3
• Deuteronomy 8:17-18(ESV) 17Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ 18You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
• Now why would God want the people to remember how they got what they did and from whom it came from?
• Is God just looking for pats on the back?
• No, it goes much deeper than that. God knows that when we forget where our blessings come from we will live like we forget who our God is.
• SLIDE #4
• Deuteronomy 8:11-14(ESV) 11“Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, 12lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery,
• If we want to experience the full blessings from God it is important that we always realize what we have comes from God.
• Athletes of all people should realize this, you do not learn to throw 100 mph or run a 4.3 40, that is a gift from God. Your intellectual capabilities are from God.
• We are stewards (or a manager) of what God gives us; passage after passage that tells us this.
• Think about this, IF we think what we have is of our own doing, do you think that thought pattern is reflected in the rest of our life?
• Living under myth #1 will cause us to miss many great blessings and it will cause us undo worry because when things get tough, we will look within ourselves for the answer instead of God.
• Let’s consider myth #2
• SLIDE #5
II. There’s more joy in more money.
• I KNOW none of us are taken in by this myth.
• Now as we look at this one, we have to tread carefully because we know that more money CAN possibly make things a bit easier BUT more money does not necessarily mean more JOY.
• Look at Ecclesiastes 5:10. Remember the author of this book is Solomon who was one of the wealthiest people to ever live.
• SLIDE #6
• Ecclesiastes 5:10(ESV) 10He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.
• What is being said here is that money is NOT the source of joy in one’s life. As a matter of fact when one’s love is money you will NEVER be satisfied.
• When we fall for the more money more joy myth, we will sacrifice everything in the pursuit of more thinking it will fill the hole in our life.
• In the extreme, the love of money can cause one to go down a dark path.
• SLIDE #7
• 1 Timothy 6:10(ESV) 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
• Money is not evil, it is a tool to be used, but the love of money can lead people down the path of evil.
• Jesus said in Luke 12:34
• SLIDE #8
• Luke 12:34(ESV) 34For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
• Are you storing up treasures in heaven or is your first love the almighty dollar?
• There are a lot of wealthy people who are not filled with joy.
• Last week we talked about contentment, once you experience it, your life will never be the same!
• When we love money over our Lord, our life will never be blessed as God wants it to be.
• Those who live under this myth are doomed to a lifetime of being let down and taken to the extreme, an eternity that they do not want.
• Myth #3!
• SLIDE #9
III. Money brings security.
• This is an easy myth to fall into, thinking that our security is found in money.
• Look at Proverbs 11:28
• SLIDE #10
• Proverbs 11:28(ESV) 28Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
• This myth can be debunked if we keep in mind where our true security comes from.
• Money can bring some level of security, but it does not afford us true security. Our security is found in our relationship with God.
• Sometimes when we think we have it all together, all is secure, something can happen to take that security. All the money in the world does one no good if they are about to die.
• Is all the money worth the loss of relationship with family?
• SLIDE #11
• Luke 12:16-21(ESV) 16And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ 20But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
• The guy thought he had security only to find what he thought was his security actually gave him none!
• Myth #4
• SLIDE #12
IV. You are what you own.
• Many people in America fall into this one, life becomes about what neighborhood we live in, what brand of clothing we wear, and what car we drive.
• When our self esteem is derived from these things we have a problem.
• In the passage we just looked at, Jesus told the parable to address this issue.
• Look at verse 15
• SLIDE #13
• Luke 12:15(ESV) 15And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
• People will work themselves to the bone to get more and more and more. More hours at work, less time with the people you love. Where we lived before there was a small town up the road with a lot of very high dollar houses.
• I was told there was a percentage of those nice homes with very little furniture because the folks could not afford the furniture for the house.
• Why would people do something like that? STATUS, self-worth.
• Our esteem should come from our relationship with Jesus.
• How many folks have bought something they thought would make them who they are only to find what they bought was UGLY. Have you seen some of the tennis shoes out there?
• Myth #5 is actually more of a reality than a myth, but it is something that MANY people live under and never seem to get out from under.
• SLIDE #14
V. ‘til debt do us part.
• The result of poor priorities with our finances will lead to this being a reality!
• The myth of this point is, “If I can make the monthly payment, I can afford it.”
• Remember the video clip?
• SLIDE #14
• Proverbs 22:7(ESV) 7The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
• We need to realize that being in debt is putting us in bondage to our lenders.
• DO you want to recession proof yourself? Get out of debt.
• Pay cash for as much as you can, if you cannot afford something DO NOT BUY it hoping you get the money.
• As a nation we need to wake up SOON because what has been a GREAT nation we no longer be if we allow the politicians D R or I to put us deeper and deeper in debt.
• Look at the verse on the screen, let it sink in; ask yourself, does God know what He is talking about?
• I believe He does.
• We can only control government by voting and using our great system to invoke change, but as far as your personal economy, you for the most part have control of that.
• There are instances where we may need to borrow, but do not get caught in the can I afford the monthly payment trap. Calculate the cost.
• Being in debt is akin to being in bondage.
• If you cannot afford it, do not buy it. Very simple, very hard to do at times.
CONCLUSION
• Life is not about money, it should be about or relationships, our relationship with Jesus and our relationship with others.
• How many of us are willing to sell out one of both of those in the pursuit of money?
• My prayer is that the last three messages have been an eye opening blessing to each one of us.
• I hope we can see how our priorities should line up and the blessings that come from a proper alignment of those priorities.
• I will guarantee that if you will make Jesus the Lord of your finances, you will see the blessings! You will live the blessed life.
