Trinity Baptist Church

 

Today we are going to talk about how to have Fantastic Family finances. Life has gotten a little difficult for some. We have some right here in our church who have been affected by job loss, and most all of us have felt the effects of this recession at the gas pump and grocery store. 

 

It has also been frustrating to watch the government’s approach to dealing with the issue by giving away all this stimulus money. I told someone the other day, “If I ever go crazy I hope it's in Washington DC so I won't' be recognized.”

 

 We have now created a situation where they are estimating between one and four trillion dollars that your grandchildren and great grandchildren are going to have to deal with.

 

Politics is involved in every dime that goes out. And they all say it's going to be different and every time when they finish four years or eight years we owe more than we've ever owed and the government gets bigger and bigger and controls more and more and more of our lives. I thank God for men of integrity like Tom Coburn who try to reign it in, but government is obviously in over its head and too eat up with corruption to fix the problem. 

 

And this current financial mess is having a profound impact on families. The Wall Street Journal reported this week on the numbers of adult children who are going to their parents for help. 

 

The most alarming part of the report was the numbers who are trying to take control of their incapacitated parent’s assets. 

 

So what is the solution? Well, first of all I want to remind you that, as believers, we need not panic because our confidence in the first place is not in the government or economy. It is in a sovereign God who knows what is happening, who is still in control and who has promised to take care of us.

 

What does He have to say about managing our money? How can a family develop fantastic finances?   . 

 

How many of you feel like the former pro golfer from Georgia, Doug Sanders, who said this,

"I am working as hard as I can to get my life and my cash to run out at the same time. If I can die right after lunch on Tuesday, everything will be fine."

 

I am sure that it does for more than a few people, because there is one thing I am absolutely convinced of and that is the average person in America has no clue in how to manage money. Just consider this:

 

* Consumer debt has tripled since 1980. 

* The average American household has over $35,000 in consumer debt.

* The average amount of credit card debt in households with more than one card is now more than $8,000 according to CardWeb.com.

* About 43% of American families spend more than they earn each year.

* Personal bankruptcies have doubled in the last 10 years.

 

Many people have more month than they do money. They have more bills to pay than bills to pay them. 

 

Gallup reports that 64% of all couples worry about money. It is also now the number one cause of divorce - 51% of all spouses that call it quits had something to do with their finances.

 

What makes all of this even more amazing to me is that compared to the world, most of us are filthy rich. Do you realize if you own your home, have two cars and any kind of retirement plan, you have more wealth than 98% of the world's population. You were in the top 2% of the world's richest people. Even those of us who claim to be relatively poor are in the top 10% of the world's richest people regardless.

 

According to the Census Bureau, the average family in this country last year made $40,816 dollars. With no raise, that means the average family will make $2 million dollars in a working lifetime and yet the vast majority can not manage their money enough to even have a really decent retirement.

 

I want to destroy a myth in this message. Most money problems are not because people don't make enough money it is because they don't manage the money they make. I want to give you some encouraging words today. Money management is easy if your priorities are right and you have discipline.

 

 

 

 

There are only 3 things you can do with money. 

(1)    Spend it

(2)    Save it

(3)    Share it

 

In fact, I just described to you how the average person manages their money and they do it in that same order. First they spend it, either by buying things, paying off debt or paying taxes. Then, if there is any left over, they may save some and then if there is any left over, they may give to the church or to charity.

 

I want to share with you 4 keys to money management from the greatest money management expert in the universe - God Himself. The principles I am going to give you cannot fail, because you have God's guarantee they will work.

 

 

Listen to I Timothy 6:7                               

 

Think about that statement: When you were born, you brought nothing into this world and when you die, you will carry nothing out of this world. 

 

That raises the question, who did "it" belong to in between?   Who owns the money that you have? Who owns the cash in your wallet? Who owns your paycheck? Who owns your bank account? Who owns the equity in your house? Who owns your stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and investments? In other words, whose money is it?

 

 

 

If somebody asked you this question on the street you would have said something like this, "Well, it's mine. It is in my name. I work for it. I earned it. It is mine." Not so fast. 

 

What if someone else actually owns it and he has given it to you to manage for him? It makes a huge difference who really owns your money, because if the money belongs to you then you can do with it whatever you like, but if the money is really someone else's and you are only managing it, then you not only have to handle the money the way the owner wants you to, you will have to answer to the owner for how you manage his money.

 

The truth about money is this: You don't own a single penny and neither do I. The reason why you didn't bring it into the world and why you can't carry it out is because it doesn't belong to you to begin with. Whether it is gold, silver, copper or greenback, all of it belongs to God. It is His money and it is not ours to hold. It is His for us to manage.

 

When Lynden Johnson was the President of the United States, he was out on the tarmac of an air force base being escorted to his helicopter. The only problem was there were scores of helicopters on the tarmac and he wasn't sure which one was his. The young air force corporal thought he would help President Johnson find his helicopter and he pointed to one and said, "Mr. President, this is your helicopter sir." President Johnson looked at him and said, "Son, they are all my helicopters."

 

 

 

 

But see, even presidents can be wrong. What Johnson needed to realize was he didn’t own any of those helicopters. They belong to the tax payers, and he was simply allowed to manage them for a brief time. 

 

You will never be able to manage your money properly until you understand it is not your money. It is all God's money. We have an upside down view of money. We figure the money is ours and God's money is just what we may give Him on Sunday. God's view is right side up.   It is all His money.  

 

Psalm 24:1 says,

"The earth is the LORD's and everything in it, the world and all who live in it."

 

In Old Testament times, one part of worship was bringing animal sacrifices. There were times that people were tempted to think that God somehow needed these animals and that they were doing God a big favor by taking one of their herd and sacrificing it to God. 

 

This is what God said to these people.

"But I want no more bulls from your barns; I want no more goats from your pens. For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. Every bird of the mountains and all the animals of the field belong to me. If I were hungry, I would not mention it to you, for all the world is mine and everything in it." (Psalm 50:9-12, NLT)

 

 

 

This is the key question you have to answer and answer correctly or else you will never be able to handle your money properly. Is it my money or is it God's money?

 

 

Listen to how Paul continues: 

 

I Timothy 6:9-10

 

The reason why the scripture talks about the love of money and not just money itself is, if you ever grow to where you love money, you will not only see money as your money, but it will become increasingly difficult for you to give any of it away. 

 

Let me ask you a question. Do you love money? Don't answer this question too quickly. If you get more joy out of getting money than you do out of giving money, then you love money, which is exactly why Jesus said these words,

"You are far happier giving than getting."                               (Acts 20:35, MSG)

 

You remember how I told you that the average person handles his money in this order? First he spends it, then if there is any left over he saves it and then if there is any left over from that he might share it? I am about to shock some of you, but the key to financial freedom and the secret to managing money properly is to flip the order. God's way of managing money is this.

 

(1) Share it

(2) Save it

(3) Share it

 What most people do with God is this. They give God the leftovers. Do you like leftovers? I love to cook, but I have discovered, I don’t care much for leftovers. And I can tell you this: If I invite you over, I can prepare you a meal that will knock your socks off. Homemade breads and desserts are what I enjoy making the most. 

 

And I promise you this: I would never dream of serving you leftovers. And if I were given the opportunity to entertain some dignitary or hero of mine, I would prepare the very best I could, wouldn’t you? Well let me ask you this question: If we would not serve our guests leftovers, why would we give God our leftovers when it comes to money? 

 

They way we manage our money is this - we buy what we want, pay what we owe, give what the government demands and if there is anything left, we might give God something.

 

Here is what is wrong with that line of thinking. When you put God first, you put giving first. When you put giving first, God responds to your giving by getting personally involved in your finances.

 

It is very simple how it works. 

 

Proverbs 3:9-10 says,

"Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to over flowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. (Proverbs 3:9-10, NIV)

 

If you were a farmer in Old Testament days, you gave God the first fruits. The first fruits were the first 10% of your crop. 

That is, before you sold any of it to make money before you stored any of IT; you first gave 10% of it to God.

That 10% is what the Bible calls the tithe. It is a word that simply means "tenth". The scripture says that we ought to begin our money management off the top by giving God 1/10th of our income.

 

I know when I talk about tithing some of you just got very suspicious of my motives and I really can't blame you. You are sitting there thinking, all this man wants is my money. All he wants to do is to line the coffers of this church with my hard earned money. Please hear what I am about to tell you. 

 

I will tell you that it takes money to operate the ministries and do the missions and provide for the buildings and all that, and we just barely get by through the summer months. And we are there again this summer, and I would be amiss if I didin’t remind you of that. 

 

But just so you understand: I’m not trying to get your money, because remember it is not your money. Just in case you think I am, let me take you off the hook - Don't give any. If you think you can put God out of business by not giving, you’ve got another thing coming. 

 

Listen: the truth is - I am not trying to get money out of you I am trying to get you in on God's blessing.

 

I am saying this realizing that the more prosperous America becomes, the more stingy she becomes. 

 

In 1933, at the height of The Great Depression, church members gave an estimated 3% of their disposable income to the church. In the year 2000, members gave 1.94% of their disposable income to the church. You need to know the vast majority of people don't tithe. The majority of this church doesn’t tithe. 

 

You say, “How do you know? Do you check the giving records? No, I’ve got enough to be upset about without looking at those. But I don’t have to look at individual giving records. I can look at the total giving and look at the number of families in church and do simple mathematics. 

 

And I am convinced that is one of the reasons the vast majority of people cannot manage their money because they don't have God involved in their finances. When you tithe it is an act of commitment, an act of thanksgiving, and an act of faith. 

 

It is an act of commitment because when you give that tithe, you are saying the 90% belongs to God as well and you are going to use it for Him. 

 

It is an act of thanksgiving because when you give that tithe, you are telling God thank you for being the one who gave it to you to begin with.

 

It is an act of faith, because when you give that tithe, you are trusting that God and you together can do more with the 90% that is left over than you can do with 100% by yourself.

 

You will only give first when you put God first. When you put God first, He gets involved and here is what He promises.

"Give and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure--pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."

 

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this, says the LORD of hosts, 'if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.'"

 

Be Correct in How You See Money

Be Committed in How You share Money

 

 

Notice verse 8

 

If we could just learn to be content with having enough food, enough clothing and a roof over our head, then we could learn another little secret about money management and that is after you pay God, pay yourself.

 

It is rather shocking to learn that the personal savings rate of disposable income in this country is roughly 1%. Every three years, the Federal Reserve conducts the Survey of Consumer Finances and found that 61% of all workers between the ages of 24 and 64, (that is 66 million people) do not have a retirement savings account. That is no IRA, no 401(k), no KEOGH plan, no Roth IRA, no 403(b), nothing. They just all share a strong belief in the tooth fairy!

 

Did you know that 85% of Americans end up with less than $250 dollars in cash savings when they reach the age of 65? Do you know why? Because all those years, they were paying everybody but themselves. 

 

A husband had been sitting at a calculator for about 3 hours not saying a word. Finally, he looked up and said to his wife, "Honey, if we continue to save at our present rate, by the time I retire we are going to owe $700,000 dollars!"

 

The reason this is so important is that Money Magazine says, 78% of us will have a major negative event in a given 10 year period of time (maybe a job loss, an unexpected pregnancy, the car blows up, the washer and dryer are bombed by terrorists), but you are going to have a negative event. Couple that with the fact that 49% of Americans could cover less than 1 month expenses if they lost their job and we have a lot of disaster waiting to happen.

 

That is why after you pay God first, you ought to pay yourself second. Most people recommend saving at least 10% of your income. If you can't afford 10%, start with 5%. If you don't think you can afford that, just add up for 1 month all the money you spend that you really don't have to - whether is it at Starbucks, The GAP, McDonald's, or Best Buy and just see how much you could begin to save.

 

One final thing:

 

Verse 6

You know a lot of us have spending habits that could be cured with one word - "contentment". You see a lot of people think that once you give God your tithe, you can spend the rest of it any way you want to, but I want to remind you, all of it belongs to Him. The other 9/10ths constitute an expense account given to us by God that we will one day have to justify before Him.

 

You can be rich in 1 of 2 ways - in how much you have or how little you want. Most of us need to learn to be satisfied with more of what we have and with less of what we want. Ecclesiastes 6:9 says,

"Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have."                               (Ecclesiastes 6:9, NLT)

 

The average person spends money quickly, impulsively, and foolishly. We finance things that are immediately worth 10-20% less the minute we exit the store. We have become slaves to financial institutions, who don't even know our name. Yogi Beara once said, "Why buy good luggage? You only use it when you travel."

 

Just because you can make something work financially doesn't mean you should. Just because you can afford something doesn't mean that you should. Just because you can borrow that money doesn't necessarily mean that you should.

 

 

 

Remember, the only person looking out for your best interest is you. The credit card industry isn't looking out for your best interest. They are looking out for their best interest. The retail industry is not looking out for your best interest. They are looking out for their best interest. 

 

One of the best things you can do if you have credit card debt is as expeditiously as you can, after you give to God what belongs to Him, and hopefully after you have saved some money, is dump your debt. Pay off that credit card debt and then do some plastic surgery. Cut those cards up and throw them away if you can't handle them.

 

Plan your spending. Proverbs 21:5 says,

"Plan carefully and you will have plenty. If you act too quickly, you will never have enough."                    (Proverbs 21:5, LB)

 

That is why I say, be cautious in how you spend money.

 

I can tell you this - if you have shared your money faithfully and saved your money diligently, then you will be able to spend your money more wisely, because you won't have money left to spend in a frivolous way.

 

There is one other question that I have to raise in this message or you really won't get it. The real question is not - who owns the money? The real question is - who owns you? 

 

A missionary was talking to a chief of a tribe in a far away land about Jesus Christ, the chief tried to impress the missionary with gifts of horses, blankets and jewelry. The missionary looked at the chief and said, "My God does not want the chief's horses, blankets or jewelry. My God wants the chief himself." 

 

The chief smiled and said, "You have a very wise God. For when I give myself to that God, He will also get my horses, my blankets, and my jewelry.

 

Jesus Christ has a claim on you. He signed it in His own blood. He died on a cross to pay for your sins and not just to pay for your sins, but to pay for you. He was raised from the dead that He might come into your heart and not just help you manage your money, but to help you manage your life. The God who owns it all wants to own you as well.