Rev. David Holwick Z Family Concerns #8
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
August 24, 2008
Proverbs 6:6-11
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I. Finances around the world.
A. Haiti takes the minimalist approach.
1) They earn at most a few bucks a day; nothing on most days.
a) Good homes are maybe 300 square feet.
b) Almost all the clothes are cast-offs from America.
2) We wonder how they survive, yet they seem quite contented.
a) Is this a classic case of happy, innocent natives?
b) I think they would agree with my assessment -
they could use some more dough!
B. Ledgewood is typically American.
1) Some of us are doing okay, working hard, saving diligently.
a) Others are struggling, and have for some time.
b) Layoffs, illnesses, and emergencies can throw our
finances into a tailspin.
2) The Holwick family: earning more, but saving less.
a) It is not necessarily due to a wild lifestyle - our
kids are in a special time in life. (an expensive one)
b) Many other Americans are in the same boat.
Some 40% of American families annually spend more than they earn.
Average per household debt in the U.S., not counting mortgage
debt, is about $14,500.
Before the 1930s, most middle and working class people had
NO major debts.
Average credit card debt among all American households is $8,400.
The average personal wealth of a 50-year-old American, including
home equity, is less than $40,000.
#30747
C. Money is an important issue for Christians.
1) Some Christians disdain money; others seem to worship it.
2) I think God wants us to handle it correctly.
a) It involves self-control, discipline and spirituality.
b) Are you being a good steward with it?
II. Fallacies about money.
A. We hope it will bring us more satisfaction.
1) Money is not a guarantee of contentment.
Thirty years ago, 36 percent of Americans said that they
were "very happy" and another 53 percent called
themselves "pretty happy."
In 2006, the percentages were about the same - one was down
4 points, the other was up 2 points.
Our sense of happiness has barely budged despite increased
prosperity and even greater improvements in our standard
of living.
What's more, people aren't any happier during boom times
than they are during recessions.
The disconnect between money and happiness is even more
pronounced from a global perspective.
A few years ago, NEW SCIENTIST magazine asked the residents
of 65 countries how happy they were.
The survey found that Nigerians, followed by Mexicans,
Venezuelans, and Salvadorians, were the happiest people
in the world.
Obviously, prosperity didn't play much, if any, role in the
happiness of these countries.
Cornell economist Robert Frank argues that while increased
prosperity can't make you happy, it can, ironically,
contribute to unhappiness.
Rising standards of living also raise our expectations.
Since we can never fully meet our expectations, we are
always going to be less than happy.
Our attempts to "keep up with the Joneses" leave us feeling
unsatisfied.
#14875
2) Only God brings true happiness.
a) If you are dissatisfied in life, seek God's Kingdom
first.
b) He will see that you get the material stuff you need.
B. We hope it will bring us more significance.
1) It is true that we are fascinated with really rich people.
2) But money is not the same thing as success.
3) You can be rich and a jerk at the same time.
C. We expect it will make us more secure.
1) More money creates three issues, according to Ecclesiastes.
a) It creates more expenses. Eccl 5:11
b) It creates more worries. Eccl 5:12
1> Blue-collar workers have fewer worries.
c) It creates more pain. Eccl 5:13-14
2) Security comes from your heart, not your wallet.
III. Signs you are financially failing.
A. Living on credit instead of paying in full.
1) Credit cards are convenient, but dangerous.
a) Studies show that if you use a credit card, you'll
spend 23% more money than if you use cash.
2) If you fall behind on payments, it is hard to catch up.
a) Are your balances going up, or down?
b) If you depend on credit to maintain your lifestyle,
you're spending too much.
c) Living on credit shows a lack of contentment in your
life, and it presumes upon the future.
B. Delaying payments.
If you're missing payments, if you're making late payments,
if you're paying the minimum due on that credit card,
if you find yourself bouncing checks because of insufficient
funds, you are in the debt trap.
It can happen to smart people, too.
Matt and Suzie Peterson live the American Dream..
Matt is a software engineer and the family income is $105,000
a year. Not too shabby.
They live in an upscale California neighborhood in a
4,000-square-foot home with a pool, a walk-in wine cellar
and even its own movie theater.
They drive nice cars and own a second home and two vacation
time-shares.
How do they do it?
They're in debt up to their eyeballs.
Their monthly household income of $8,750 isn't enough to cover
all of their expenses, which total $15,000 a month.
For over a year, the Petersons have relied on credit cards to
keep afloat financially.
Using one card to pay off the other, their credit card balances
eventually ballooned to $60,000.
Their Bank of America Visa alone has a balance of $19,000, at
an interest rate of nearly 33 percent.
The Petersons were able to crawl their way out of debt, but
it involved sacrifice and many painful choices.
#35418
C. Unable to pay God or pay yourself.
The Bible tells us "The wise man saves for the future, but the
foolish man spends whatever he gets."
If you're not saving any money, if you're not tithing, you're
spending too much.
If you can't do these two things, it's a warning sign that
you're in the debt trap.
D. Unable to pay your taxes.
The Bible says in Matthew 22:21, "Give to Caesar what is
Caesar's and to God what is God's."
If you get to April 15, and you don't have the money to pay
your taxes, you're spending too much money.
You are in the debt trap.
E. Extravagant spending.
Proverbs 21:17, "He who loves pleasure will become poor;
whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich."
When you buy things just because you can afford it, watch out.
You are headed square into the debt trap!
When you buy things you don't need, with money you really
don't have, or even if you do have it - the Bible says
that's not being a wise steward.
You won't ever achieve any measure of wealth if you waste it
on superficial things.
F. Get rich quick ideas.
"Dilbert" cartoon on Saturday - a worker is going to a "How to
be a millionaire" seminar and his buddies are mocking him.
The seminar gives sound advice, however - just invest $100 at
5% interest for 109 years.
IV. Steps for becoming financially fit.
A. Work like an ant.
1) Work hard.
a) Ants don't it all at once - they take tiny grains
one by one until they have built a hill.
b) Ants do what they are good at.
1> One ant doesn't do it all.
2> Each one has a special talent and they stick to it.
3> What is your talent or skill? Work at it!
2) Work independently.
a) Proverbs 6:7 says ants have no commander.
Apparently this is true - they operate out of instinct.
An ant sees something that needs to be done, and jumps
right at it.
Just stick your finger in a fire ant mound and you'll
find out what I mean.
b) Christians should take charge of their work lives.
If you want to improve your life, don't wait for
someone else to tell you what you should do.
Figure it out yourself.
You are never just a cog - even in a large corporation
you should take pride in your job and do it to the
best of your ability.
Your biggest concern is for your boss - your heavenly
one.
3) Work cooperatively.
a) Ants always work as teams.
1> It is fascinating to watch them carry stuff in long
lines.
2> Humans do best in teams as well.
b) The modern American standard is two-income families.
1> This is not a bad thing - not all your eggs are in
one basket.
c) Make your kids part of family finances.
1> Make tithing decisions together.
2> (adopt a Compassion kid, etc.)
d) Don't see your money as just your own.
B. Start paying God and yourself first.
When that paycheck comes, give the first 10% back to God, and
the second 10% (or 5% to start with) to yourself in a
savings account.
If you are working hard to make money, why not pay the two
entities that are most responsible for your ability to
make wealth?
1) Don't neglect God.
People say, "I can't afford to tithe, I can't afford to save."
Can you really afford not to?
If you want God's blessing on your finances, you have to do
it God's way.
The Bible says that the purpose of tithing is to teach us
to put Him first place in our lives.
2) Plan for your own future.
a) Ants think winter in the summer.
1> Think how big their brains are, just they have
figured this out.
2> Many Americans have not.
46% of all Americans have less than $10,000 saved
for retirement.
Winter is coming!
b) Start storing retirement and emergency funds.
1> One comes before you know it.
2> The other is needed when you least expect it.
The average Japanese person saves 25% of their income.
The average European family saves 18% of their income.
The average American family is saving 5% of their income.
c) We can never be totally prepared.
1> Ultimately, our lives are in God's hands.
C. Get a handle on your debt.
1) Do it now.
Not tomorrow, not next week, not next month - commit to
being debt free now.
Psalm 37:21 -- "The wicked borrow and do not repay."
God says, if I don't pay my debts, it's wicked ... not just
wrong, but a sin.
Bankruptcy is legal in America, but it is not moral.
It is wrong to stiff other people for bad decisions you
made yourself.
2) Don't add new debt!
Most people get into debt for one reason.
They spend more than they make.
You've got to stop that right now!
The key to adding no new debt is found in Hebrews 13:5 --
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content
with what you have, because God has said,
'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'"
3) How NOT to be delivered from debt.
Officials from the Federal National Mortgage Association
were almost speechless when Norman and Melissa Cameron
told them why they didn't plan to pay their $54,000
mortgage.
The Camerons' response to foreclosure proceedings on their
Hartford, Connecticut, house: they claim God told them
they didn't have to pay.
They told the court overseeing the foreclosure, "It was our
desire to be free from this mortgage debt.
Therefore we asked God our Heavenly Father in the name of
Jesus Christ.
He heard us and he freed us from this mortgage bondage."
How do you think the court ruled?
#3189
a) Magical thinking won't cut it. Come up with a
realistic, long-term plan for your finances.
b) If finances are a struggle for you, make a literal
budget and stick to it.
1> Our Daniel and his budget woes. (car insurance
got deducted from his account twice)
c) Get help from other Christians you respect.
V. Your finances reflect your faith. #1610
A. Money is a tool used by God to teach you spiritual lessons.
1) Contentment.
2) Simplicity.
B. Money is a test of where your true love is centered.
C. Money is a testimony of what is most important to you.
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
Points III and IV are derived from the sermon "Fiscal Fitness" by
Rev. Ron Kocher, New Community Church (Free Methodist); Blue Springs,
Missouri; http://www.newcommunityfmc.org; September 29, 2002;
Kerux sermon #9506.
# 1610 "Money: Do You Know What It Really Is?" by Larry Burkett,
Baptist Press, http://www.baptistpress.org, July 10, 2003.
# 3189 "My Father's House," by Randy Cassingham, This Is True e-mail
newsletter, August 29, 1999.
#14875 "C'mon, Get Happy!: Small Wonder Americans Are Less Happy," by
Charles Colson, BreakPoint Commentary, July 30, 2007.
#30747 "25 Fascinating Facts About Personal Debt," by Paul Banister;
Bankrate.com (excerpt), http://www.spendonlife.com/content/~
creditcarddebteliminationandfactsaboutdebtinamerica-1-223-3.ashx.
#35418 "One Family's Struggle to Stop Spending and Stay Afloat Financially,"
by Lee Hoffman, Joneil Adriano, and Jessica Hornig, from the
television program "20/20". http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?~
id=2804927; January 19, 2007.
These and 30,000 others are part of the Kerux database that can be
downloaded, absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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