You're Rich

Let's talk about MONEY

This is difficult topic for a preacher to talk about because… Some people think preachers talk about it too much. Some people think that’s all churches care about. But really, the truth is many people don't want to talk about money because in their lives they are so messed up in this area they don’t want to think about it, or talk about it, or be forced to look at it.

So let me set this up - We live in a culture that is constantly telling us and enticing us with the concept of HOW TO GET RICH. We are constantly being baited to feel like we need more. We are constantly being told that we can have more or that we deserve more. We are constantly being reminded that we should not be happy until we have it ALL. Basically, We live in a society that is all about promoting - THE WANT TO be rich. And the problem is, nobody is saying anything about how to BE rich. In other words – once you get rich – how do you be rich and be healthy and happy and content? How do you not let money become the central driving force in your life? How do you fight the tendency to put all your trust in your riches? How do you have money but not let money have you? How do you tell money what to do instead of money telling you what to do.

Now I know some - no, many - people saw the title of this blog and they saw the word “rich” and they said to themselves, "that’s not me, So this ones probably not for me. Here’s the deal though, how do we know who’s rich and who’s not? There’s not a line that when you cross it you go, "WOHO – I made it, I’m rich – finally I crossed the line". And so here’s what happens, no one thinks they are rich and so no one is trying to learn how to BE rich We’re all stuck in the striving to get rich. Praying to be blessed. Working and stressing and scheming to get a little more. And no one is stopping to realize and value or be thankful for how financially blessed we really are. No one recognizes that maybe we are rich people.

Track with me here – many of us here today are rich and we don’t accept it. And so we are living with a financial concept or in a financial system that says we need just a little bit more. When really we should be living in a financial system that is asking how do we find contentment. Isn't this how it is for most people. The poor guy says he needs $1000 dollars more. The middle class guy says he needs $10,000 more. And the upper class guy is trying to get $100,000 more. everyone is after just a little more. When what we should be doing is trying to find contentment right where we are right now. The peace that the bible offers is not found in the pursuit of "a little bit more". No, it's found in discovering contentment in your present circumstance and situation.

Look at the truths the Bible tells us when it comes to money. Look at the wisdom the Bible is trying to impart to those of us that are blessed with money. But also look at some of the intense warnings it gives

1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Ecclesiastes 5:10
Those who love money will never have enough. How absurd to think that wealth brings true happiness!

Proverbs 23:4 (NIV)
Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NIV)
17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

I challenge you to get off the run-away, never arriving, always filled with temptations train called the world's system to financial prosperity. Which tells it's riders that what they need is "a little bit more". And I invite you to board God's train that will take you to a place called financial contentment. If you'd like to learn more here's a good place to start

http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu

Dave Ramsey's - Financial peace University

God's Family System

No other passage in the Bible defines the families role as clearly as Deuteronomy 6. Moses stands before the entire nation as a grandfather and leader to position the family as God’s primary conduit to tell his story of redemption and restoration. Moses highlights values that should transcend time and culture. They are this

#1 We have to GET RID OF ALL THE COMPETITION - Deut 6:4

#2 We have to MAKE IT PERSONAL - Deut 6:5-6

#3 We have to CREATE A RHYTHM - Deut 6:7-9

#4 We have to FIGHT FOR THEIR HEART, SOUL AND MIND - Deut 6:20

#5 We have to WIDEN THE CIRCLE of Influence - Deut 6:4a

The fight for the hearts and minds of our children is raging all around us. The Good news is this, God has given us a system to follow. A plan that will lead to success. The Bible says it like this;

Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)

There is a "way", a God ordained system that will lead to passing from one generation to the next the principles that matter most. Raising healthy, godly families is not a hit or miss, do your best, no one really knows adventure. It is a rewarding privilege that God wants to partner with us in. But, for that to happen we have to accept and follow God's system, His way, His path, His principles.

Reggie Joiner in His book, Thinking Orange, issued this warning and insight that I think is so important;

"Please don’t get this confused – this is not a debate about family values. Many leaders are fighting for their definition of family values, but often they have forgotten what it means to actually value their families. Have you ever considered the possibility that how families treat each other may have far greater consequences on children than where we draw the line on the issues of the day? It’s one thing to stand up for what you believe, but it’s easy to lose sight of the root issues that genuinely affect a family. While numerous organizations have waged a war for family values, family relationships continue to break down"

The point is, we have to get and stay focused on living out and following God's plan. We have to fight the right fight and spend our limited time and energy keeping in place the right system. And, that is easier said than done. For that reason the church and the family need to partner together. The church and the family need to both be pushing in the same direction and with the same purpose. I encourage you to make it a priority to learn what it really means to "Think Orange" - that's our new, church and family partnership strategy phrase. I implore you to avail yourself of the many opportunities to live out God's family system outlined for us in Deuteronomy 6. That's what our church is attempting to create. So get on board, prepare yourself for change and let's teach the greatest commandment to the next generation

Mark 12:29-31 (KJV)
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Like Joshua of old, I stand up and proclaim:

if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Josh 24:15 (KJV)

Will you join me?

Thinking Orange

Chap Clark made this statement, while offering some strong insights about creating a healthy structure within our families;

"Moms and dads need to see their parental role as a marathon, recognizing that building a relationship in which their child trusts them is even more important than whether they can trust their child regarding the immediate issues of the day".

Reggie Joiner commented on that statement by saying;

"Although it may seem intuitive, intentionality is required for consistency in my actions and relationships with my kids. It's ironic that sometimes my reaction to what I see as broken trust on their part can affect their confidence in me. The truth is that their trust in me is affected when I...

• discipline in anger
• use words that communicate rejection
• ignore their voices
• don't try to understand who they really are
• break my core promises"

For me, I notice that it easier to get hyper focused on my child's need to earn my trust and measure up to my expectation than it is for me to actively pursue building up their trust in me as their parent. The reason, I have discovered for that is this, to often I see myself as the mature one and they as the ones in development. I tend to get so absorbed with molding them into what they should be that I forget my need to develop consistency in how I respond to them.

To be honest with you, it has taken me a long time to finally own up to this aspect of my responsibility in the equation. It has taken me a long time to finally realize that...

• how trustworthy I am at this stage is more important for their growth than how trustworthy they are.

Listen to what The ReThink Group discovered;

"In interviews with hundreds of teenagers and college students, the wounds that go deepest are those connected to the issue of trust. When parents fight for the hearts of their children, they establish a lifestyle of proving that they can be trusted. Parents need to recognize how important it is to build trust with each of their children individually-It is the relational glue that seals intimacy and love."

If any aspect of this article has stirred your heart and/or challenged you as a parent, I encourage you to join our church as we begin the process of "THINKING ORANGE". It's more than just a church Sunday School curriculum, It's a strategy that connects the church and the family to make a lasting impact in the lives of our children.