Inland Empire: Riverside
Financial Wisdom - Audio
Everybody excited No, and my talk a little bit about finances and instead Doug's gonna share a lesson I people started getting out their notebooks and their pens and their papers. They want to make sure they miss a thing, man Get all these notes down Go ahead and hold them up you guys that have your pens and your notepads and I told you you think I'm making this stuff up You know you can't make this stuff up But if you don't have any pen and paper I would encourage you just as a general rule to always bring pen and paper to church every church service to every midweek and You don't just shut down a few notes because you know you want to be able to go back over those and God will be able to You can show you new things as you're going over those and so I really want to encourage you to do that I know it's something certainly in our earlier history It just kind of was standard right you know everyone you know if you didn't have it Somebody always have something there for you And if you didn't bring a pencil and a paper or pen and paper It was because you forgot not because that's not what you did and so I just want to encourage you to really get back in the habit of taking notes at church and No one's gonna look down to you if you don't and if you didn't bring something tonight Don't know worries just in the future You know start bringing that and and I think it also shows a great sense of of you know I don't come just to hear what they say and then go home I really want to learn I want to retain this stuff and so I want to encourage you with that amen, but Mike's sure a little bit about it, you know It's been a significantly Challenging since the summer hit we were doing We had a few issues early in the year financially we came out of that, you know, brilliantly Church was giving in a great way in the summer hit and we've been averaging You know some of you looked I mean, you know some of our friends have come up to hand tonight and said we've been looking at this We're concerned, you know, are we okay here? And then Steve allowance very had some of the single leaders brothers come up to him recently and say we're very concerned about this These numbers are very low, you know, and and we had a plan to do this this Autumn anyway a somewhat of a financial teaching and workshops and quiet times and we're gonna be emailing about a couple of quiet times out to you They're not just about that But they're about stewardship and the whole overall overall thing we planned on dueling and certainly I guess the Lord, you know Solvus coming and so we put that on our hearts that we would wait until the autumn to do that and as you know Summer is over and so the autumn is here and so but you can see there at three or four thousand dollars a week Coming up short our budget is 18 and a half. I believe is what it is and we've been averaging probably 15 over the last, you know 15 20 weeks and so you can kind of you know you do the math and you begin to realize wow, that's that's really putting a hit and so I hope you understand the spirit which we share this it's always a challenge to be a minister of a church and talk about money I know sometimes people think it's really easy for us and we just like talking about it and you know The money doesn't go directly in our pocket certainly it helps pair salaries and everything that goes into building the church But I hope you know the spirit of the ministry staff here You think we're greedy or whatever definitely, you know We want to talk to you about that and you share with us what you see or whatever But we really want to have a great heart in our own lives about money about being great stewards And we do help each other with those things we talk about those things. Nothing's off limits And so I just want to reassure you of that, but I also I really want to help you understand the spirit which we share this We we want the church to grow. I know you do I have no doubt about that overall You're you're very sacrificial church We need to hear that because we've we've seen other situations in our movement even in our very own LA church where you know Year after year you've consistently given and we haven't had to lower not only have we not had to lower our budget We've been able to raise it and we desperately need someone to lead in our Latino ministry We need funds to be able to do that and certainly the trend we're having now is putting us further from that instead of closer We have other ministry needs where we'd love to be able to hire some people there and You know, I mean Geremo and Pamela, you know and all the other Latinos in that ministry they they work their tails off You know trying to grow that ministry, but you know, they're driving to and from Orange County every day and coming back and trying to leave You know, it's just a lot of work. It's a lot of time. It's a lot of energy and More money is allow us to be able to do things that we can't do at this point in time So that's the spirit. We're sharing it. I know most of you know that I just really want to encourage you with that And as always any questions concerns or whatever, please talk to us I encourage you even to talk to us more than you know amongst yourselves if you don't have right answers I'm not saying don't talk to each other But make sure you let us know what you're thinking and what you're feeling because we want to do things right in the side of God More than anything else. We want God to glorify. We want to make sure that we're doing everything we can do to build God's kingdom. Amen Amen Church You know one of the kind of scariest quotes I've ever heard some of you've heard it to you, but It goes some to the effect of the way we handle our money is perhaps the truest indicator of the spiritual condition of our heart So the way we hand our money and not just the way we give to the Lord Although that's certainly how we handle but the way we handle our money our money in general is perhaps one of the truest indicators Of where our spiritual or where our heart is at spiritually and you've heard all the things know Jesus talked more about money than he did Heaven and hell and all those things but You know there were five hundred references in the Bible to prayer Almost 500 references to face, but there are more than 2,000 references to money and possessions Out of the parables Jesus gave the 38 in the four gospels 16 of those are about money and possessions So almost half the parables that Jesus taught were about money and possessions Starting Jesus said you know or one out of one out of every ten verses in the gospels deals with money or possessions 288 verses in the four gospels and so you know you say well, why do you say that what well the point is obviously God thought it was really important and he just talked about it over and over and over and over and over and over again in the New Testament and I think if we're if we're really just honest with ourselves what we know why was it because Jesus was concerned that you know The church wouldn't have enough money was it Jesus concerned that he wouldn't be able to eat was it? No, the point Jesus was concerned about was our hearts Jesus was concerned that that that you and I you know would lose sight of what really matters that you and I would put our hope and money How many of you you know I've ever been in a situation where you were doing a lot better financially than maybe you are right now Okay See I've been in the ministry all my life, so it's just the same for me But some of you know, that's like and some of you hopefully you could raise your hand and go I'm doing the best I've ever done I know I want to make you raise your hand because then everybody would be all over you Can you brother up right I mean amen But But you know that if you think back to those times I mean, you know, it's funny because when you were in those times, you know life was good in the sense But you still had problems you're still issues You know your kids weren't doing what you hoped they would do or your marriage was as good as it you hoped it'd be or this Or there's always different things And so you know, but but of course once we get into financial difficulties and we always we look back and we go man It was so good then Why can't it be like it was but really in some ways We're saying I should have been more grateful than and sometimes that that that's that's what we can see is that maybe I should have been more grateful than right and But God talks about that so much because it's such an issue You know lives. I just want to read, you know several scriptures. How many of you guys were able to attend? Ground financial three years ago Okay, how many you guys thought that was really good? Okay, how many of you guys would advise anybody any time to go to that? Okay, how do you guys who who who went to that, you know would never go again? See nobody I mean we loved it, you know, it's such a well done thing But it was a full day when we talked about nothing but money And you know what the people went nobody had a problem with it. Nobody had an issue. Nobody felt suspicious nobody because it was just biblical You know now when they tried to do that, you know the salvation part of it We took over there for 30 minutes and said you don't need to do that part. We'll handle that ourselves and then so And and we did we handled that ourselves and you guys went there safe and you left there safe So that's a beautiful thing for you But the rest it was just fantastic Fantastic, you know and so I Want to share some of the things from that look over your Bibles in Deuteronomy chapter 10 and we're gonna go through several verses here, okay Is it okay with you guys? I Do bring your greetings back from the Sacramento church had a great time there But no you really do you know some of you like we go to other churches sometimes and we we see cool things every though Oh, we need to do that. I'm a Rick went to church in Atlanta or someplace back in the south Things that they were really good at this and other people said this church, but mostly, you know We just miss being at home, you know, it's like, you know for the most part We know that we don't have it all figured out, but we know what's going on here We like what's happening here most of the people quite honestly guys that visit our church. They love it You know, I mean, I think maybe I can take it for granted sometimes and but somebody'll come visit and they'll go man I wish I could bottle this up and take it back home and I'm like, oh, oh, yeah, you're that's right. It is awesome Here isn't it, you know, I mean, but it's easy when you're in the middle of you go You know, we've been doing this or that for a while We always do something, you know, and we need to change things up to Casey Which is good, but I think that's what Mike was sharing early. We need to be really grateful for what God has given to us You know, and I think what God has given us is each other. I mean, we we've got so many areas that we can grow in There's no doubt about that, but we're such a great church God has blessed us so richly and with each other and you know, the boundary lines have fallen in sweet places, you know For us and I hope you feel that way and and whatever you have that you think will make it better I know you'll let us know but in Deuteronomy Chapter 10 and verse 14 The Bible reads To the Lord your God belong to heavens even the highest heavens the earth and everything in it now looking Psalm 24 one So I'm 24 one And if you want to just write them down and not try to turn because we're going to several passages tonight That's totally fine as well, but Psalm 24 and verse one The earth is the Lord's and everything in it The world and all who live in it, but he founded it upon the season established it upon the waters Who may send the Hill a Lord who may stand in his holy place? So it says the earth is the Lord's and everything in it earlier He established the heavens and the skies and the season so who does everything belong to? Who who owns my possessions? So if God owns my possessions, right? Who owns my house? Huh? Well, no that you guys the church. I didn't tell you but you guys bought my house, so I owned that but I'm kidding Okay, the Lord owns my house and who's second in line to the Lord me or? The bank right Bank of America, right? V of a you know, it's funny they own my house, but I don't think they really paid for it I who do they give the you know the 200 250 grand to you know who they who gets that? I need to I want to learn more about banking at some other time Because I know they own my house I just don't understand did they write a check to somebody or you know because the last house I own it was like went through four different mortgages or whatever, you know, it's like next by the time I went to sell I don't even know who I'm paying my checks to you know, it's like Kevin knows he'll explain to me after church. I'm sure so But you know God says look, it's all mine And I think that's so easy for me to forget that this stuff isn't mine It's my car my house, you know, my yard my that you know, it's really God And I have to remind myself I had to be reminded by other people I have to you know We need to be reminded by people preaching right. That's why God says we need to hear preaching We need to be reminded of different truths, and so it's all God's But we have to ask ourselves who we really live every day knowing this is God stuff I'm just a steward of what God has given me so I really want us to you know In the next several days is where you get these quads quiet times to really prayerfully evaluate your attitude of ownership toward your possessions You know do we consistently recognize that it's God that owns those Those possessions amen and maybe sometimes we can visualize God actually giving us our paycheck or God You know because it's it's coming from him amen church. We know that's true looking first chronicles 29 First Chronicles 29 11 and 12 thanks rich Well certain 10 David praise the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly Saying praise me to you. Oh Lord God of our father Israel from everlasting never lasting Yours oh Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor for Everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours. Oh Lord is the kingdom you are exalted as head Overall wealth and honor come from you You are the ruler of all things in your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all Now our God we give you thanks and praise your glorious name I'm gonna reach you saw 135 six go and write that one down Okay These are great verses aren't they Psalm 135 and verse 6 the Lord does whatever pleases him Sometimes they can be said of all of us right Well, Doug just does whatever pleases him, you know and that wouldn't be a good thing if they were said about me or you But when it said about the Lord, it's just how it is, right? The Lord does whatever pleases him in the heavens and from the earth in the seas and all their depths So what do these verses say about God and his control? That God is all powerful, right? He truly is omnipotent. It's not just a cool word. It's it's true God is omnipotent. I mean he is in control of Everything he controls it all and we need to really understand that that God does according this verse whatever he pleases And you know, it's cool because sometimes in that attitude, you know, we like I said, it's something we talk about someone doing whatever pleases It's not a story of positive connotation But we know so sometimes we can transfer that to God and when we read something where it says God does whatever he pleases We might even go see I don't know if I feel good about that and you know what? And yet because we forget that God is good that God can't do anything wrong or bad or negative Because God is God. Yes How many of you know that God is good? Hey, man, and I'm not asking how many how many you feel every second of every day how good God is we don't always feel it But we know it's true. Yes How many of you know that show me you see God is good and so whatever God does with he does whatever pleases him We need to be peace with that and we've been talking, you know You know, we told you that Mike and John read a you know important meeting for the LA church You know a couple weeks ago up in the mountains with the brothers up there Just praying and asking God for wisdom and we've been talking about it and what we figured out is that you know, you'll be shocked about this, but everyone on staff has their own opinion and Some of those guys in that room. I won't say who have strong opinions Okay, and it would be fair carrias in the other room and so I don't even I'm not gonna name name names But you know what we're all trying to come to is it's like, okay, look whatever it is we have to trust God We talked about that this morning, you know, Mike do a little less a week. Oh, yeah, trust God We got to know that God's gonna do whatever he pleases and Whether it works out best for this person or that group or this it's that's how God wants it And I'm I'm a big, you know, maybe because I'm an orphan or whatever it is But I have this, you know equity issue things need to be fair and I know life's not fair But I don't like it when Christians say hey life's not fair get over it. Well No, I mean if it's not fair because we're doing it, you know, that's not but yeah on the other hand, it's like It's like it's not about being fair. It's about righteousness. It's about justice It's about sin and good and evil versus right and and God being in control And that's what we got to be at peace with that, you know And ultimately I usually find that may take me a longer times than others But usually I can get there like you know at the end of the day And that's kind of how I feel so much more resolved about just whatever, you know, I just gotta trust God Because God is good and God loves me Right and so right God loves me, right? I mean you think you're pretty convinced that God loves me, right? Right Sylvia got right. Okay, because we don't smile. I don't know what he's thinking Even me Yeah, that's gonna make up the rest you feel pretty good, right? You're like, you know what? I just feel a lot better. God does love him and if he loves him God really is good or Blind or something amen But do we always recognize that God is in control of all events? Right if we're honest most of us have wrestled or do wrestle at times when quote-unquote bad things happen to good people or Bad things happen to what we might deem or whom we might deem deem to be innocent people Why we can wrestle with that, right? And that's where it's really good to stand our scriptures and to read books about you know when bad things happen to good people to really get an understanding that even through the God is in control of all that and That's where a lot of people that don't believe in God really can struggle, right? So God is in control of the typhoon that wipes out God's in control of the guy in the airplane that you know Misunderstanding and that's not really tonight's lesson is about but it's a great study to really try to figure out Okay, what's the difference between God allowing things and causing things that sometimes God causes things right other times God just allows things We don't always understand why and the reality is you know sometimes I heard people say well once we get to heaven We'll understand it all. I'm not so sure that's true because I think once we get to heaven. We won't care And not because we're bad-hearted. It just it won't matter the stuff we don't know now that drives us crazy We won't even we won't care Right, it's like when you're in a lot of pain and and someone you know does something or you get an injection or legally You know and the pain the pain goes away. You're not sitting there. You're not sitting there going Now why did that happen a Minute ago I was in severe pain and not what just took place inside, you know, we were just like oh, thank you Jesus, right? I kind of think that's how heaven's gonna be all these things that drive us crazy and worry us and then you know Come bread. We're gonna be in heaven and not be worried about it But do we really understand? I mean I know that if I ask you to say a minute if you understand God's gonna show you'll say amen But do we really live that way? See that's what I have to think about is okay. I know that's true and I'll preach it to you Don't mess with me, Jim. God's in control of everything. All right But am I living that way every day? Do I do when things don't go my way? Do I stop and go? I know God's in control. I'm just think maybe you're not letting control you right now, brother right We got to help each other, but we got at the end of the day recognize that God's in control of all events And that God is good, and that's the only way to to reconcile this stuff is that God is good We will not waver on that God is good. God loves us. We're the apple of his eye the apple of creation You know where we're everything in God's eyes, and so God is good, and so even when bad things happen God is still good And he's in control and therefore there's something we don't know someday. We'll understand Even when we're going through difficult things We know that God's in control and if for no other reason you're going through that so that when you do finally come out on the other Side you'll be a comfort to people that you could have never been otherwise You'll be a light to people you'll be a you'll be a hope to people you'll be a sense of reason you'll be With those lessons you've learned you'll be able to share and people won't be able to say to you well You don't know what it's like right and you know I know that you know I Gamefully employed for you know many years and then you know had about a year to a year and a half where I wasn't and Really didn't make any money and had to live off. You know What was then sterling credit and and you know that got eventually got nuked and debt you know raised up and you know I had a lot of debt You know some of you own a house and you have kids you ever you can imagine trying to live a year off credit versus money You know how fast that can add up and so we got the financial thing this really helped me this stuff guys That was like three and a half years ago and now we're out of debt I mean you know it it it's almost a miracle, but it takes a lot of you know hard I mean you might can tell you we fought about it. Oh, well. What do you mean there's a way to even we wrestle with this stuff? But we have to do the day realize that God's in control of it. Look over in Genesis 45 You're like sounds like he's preaching to himself tonight sometimes we got to do there, right? Genesis 45 Versus 4 through 8 we'll read here Then Joseph said his brothers come close to me when they'd done so he said I am your brother Joseph The one you sold into Egypt and now do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves For selling me here because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you For two years now there has been famine in the land and for the next five years. They will not be plowing and reaping Sounds familiar done it. This could have been prophesied to us about three years ago in our country, right? But God sent me ahead of you to preserve you for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance So then it was not you who sent me here, but God he made me father to Pharaoh Lord his entire household and ruler of all Egypt And of course you're very familiar with Romans 8 in verse 28, right? Basically no matter what happens to the godly God will bring something good out of it No matter how difficult a trial how difficult of situation God will bring something good out of that this verse Joseph is Explaining to his brothers. He's saying look there's a terrible thing happening in the land and It seems you know, where is God in this? Right you have to know that the Israelites must have been there not only and you know They're not in bondage yet, but they're at the point now where they're starving and they've been serving and loving God and you know Of course their father, you know Jacob Isaac, you know and Abraham is in their lender. They're thinking They can't figure it out. They don't have an answer Have you ever been in a situation that you just can't figure out what's going on? This doesn't seem right This doesn't seem like a god of love Right we felt that way. Yes, and so you can imagine they must have felt that way and and Joseph's was kind of strange That God did this so there could be a great deliverance And that's beyond a suit. We're kind of like well. I don't need a great. Just give me a little deliver Right, but always saying God want to do something great and here we are you know thousands of years later Still preaching about and talking about what God did how you know, Joseph and Mike did a great lesson on it several months ago But you know, there's no way to see God in that he gets sold in the slavery by his brothers who were really gonna kill him But then they decided we won't get any money if we kill almost sell him So they you know and then he gets sold in slavery and the whole thing apart of his house And he gets sown in the dungeon, you know, and then the cup bearer, you know gets out and says don't worry I'll get you out here by tomorrow basically and forget, you know, he's in there for two more you and you're like, where is God? But Joseph the guy who went through all that at the end of all said look God you you minute for harm but God minute for good and God puts this in the scripture so that you and I we're going through it we can take comfort and courage from this Because we know if God's not that's the same God today. Yes, and so God may allow bad things to happen in our lives today For a great deliverance You're right and some of us are going dug that sounds great therefore. I must be set up for a miracle, you know, I mean And that may be the case the Romans 8 28 says if you stay spiritual through this something good will happen and that Sometimes we're so focused on ourselves. Sometimes it's good things will happen for other people And we got to be able to see that too. Sometimes it's not always gonna You know good things are the best things may not come to us but because what we're going through somebody else might be greatly blessed and we have to in a sense to learn to mature in our Faith where we go. That's just as good But that's a struggle, isn't it? We're like really him? Wow Lord What do you see that I don't see I thought, you know, come on You know what am I doing here, right? And the staff should definitely feel that way because kidding kidding But we all feel that way sometimes but God is moving God is doing something and Joseph reminds us of that And Paul reminds us that when he writes to the church in Rome and says look if we're spiritual through this something good will come a blessing probably to you And and maybe maybe not but definitely to somebody if something good will come out of this But I think our experience tells us that even through our difficult trials something good usually happens for us You know had I went through the hardest time of my life. I wouldn't be here and Just so you know to me. It's a good thing to be here That's how I feel I feel blessed to be I feel blessed to be your minister to be able to one of your ministers to be able to To be a part of this church. I really feel blessed You know what I mean? I struggle some but I feel blessed. I don't want to be anywhere You know you understand I'm saying and I go to Sacramento. I go bless our hearts great church or whatever, but I'm home You know I hit I hit the Ontario Airport and I'm I'm back at my church now. I Love those people amen God take care of them do something awesome for them. I'll send them a card, but I'm home here, you know You know what I mean because I feel blessed in that in that way, but I can look back at my Recent history and know if this hadn't happened and that hadn't happened what which we're at the time horrible things For me horrible painful unbelievable. Why is this happening? This is incredibly unfair type things I wouldn't be here And so but I couldn't see that then But I had to get to a point even then where I just had to hold on to God and say okay God you know You're doing something. I can't fight you anymore. I just have to let you do what you do and And trust that and I think we all agree that you've been blessed in your lives by God Putting you through difficult times Right, I mean when you're in the middle you if you're in the middle right now. You're going okay, amen But sometimes you know guys about two difficult times difficult things before and we get through the other go Okay, now I see the blade. Okay. Okay. Amen. It happens again. I don't know. I don't know this one this one seems worse than last one And then and then I think sometimes this is human beings guys sometimes we start withholding from God a little bit We start going I can't really give God a tithe here. I just I can't You know, I mean You know I'm saying and then sometimes we get really heady about it We go well if God really wanted me to be able to he knows my heart is to do it. So he'd work it out so I can't That's a false argument from Satan, you know, and they're all those rare situations where you literally you can't tie That's blood out of term kind of thing But we can always give something and quite frankly most of us can give even more and and I don't you know to me I think it's just a bad argument just said well the New Testament says we don't have to I don't think it says we don't have to but I could agree in most instances that it doesn't say you do have to but when Jesus talks about it He's always talking, you know His examples are always people giving everything they have or even more and you know and so I just think that our heart needs to be You know, yeah, we live in America America's going through a tough time for as far as most of us in our lives This is about as tough as it tough as it tough as it's been and then we went through this when Jimmy Carter was president But you know most of you like me were just a kid then But we don't you know I'm saying so this is the toughest time force, but wow even still compared to everyone else Right, we're so blessed You know, I went through all those financial difficulties and and never missed a meal And but from the standpoint of we just we have no money and no one will give us any food You know, we just can't eat until God it never happened. I Never once you know had to spend the night on the street You know, I'm saying it's incredible when I think about it because for a while we literally had no money But something always worked out You know and so I think you know And we made some mistakes here in that time that even led to some of the debt that we ended up in you know And so God always will take care of us if we allow them to do that But I think we have to see that it's all God's God's the control of everything no matter how difficult your circumstances right now But he never changes the standard according to the circumstances of our lives He never allows us to love him less or to be less committed to him or to do you understand what I'm saying? And so I really want to encourage this church. I you know I'll be very fit, you know, I will just be honest with you I don't think the reason that the contributions lows because it's not there We just because we just don't have it. I believe it's because a lot of us aren't giving sacrificially And you know what I that's not a guess. I know that's true I can look at the numbers and see I know people live much better than $20 a week and much better than even some 40 You know I'm saying like it's just nowhere near Giving the way God's giving to you It's nowhere near having the heart to bless others the way God has blessed you It's nowhere near having the heart that God says Giving a gift opens the door to the giver and so We're not open We're not even allowing God to open doors to us because we're not giving a true gift to God a true sacrifice to God And there are a lot of people that are you know Kevin is understands our fans that you know some of you guys Please don't you know there are not only be appropriate to name names But sometimes we see certain people and we go they're really blessed every you know You have no idea how much they sacrifice how much they shift You know it sometimes it coincides and so I just think I want to encourage this guys that we are trying to build a church Here we're not just trying to make a budget. We're not just that budget has nothing to do with money overall It has to do with building the church We have that budget because those are those are the needs and Yeah, we you know we're all make sacrifices. I know you're making sacrifices in your life in different areas But we don't want a shortchange God Right and and and I just want to encourage us. We'll talk more about this in ensuing weeks We'll send you out some quiet times, but I really want us to remember that that you know what God's gonna control here I'm just gonna do whatever I can to give everything I can to God And and if I don't know how I can do it I'm gonna give somebody to sit down with me my finances And if they can show me a way where I can really give more sacrificial to God than I'm gonna do it And if they look at my budget and they go, you know what you're in the situation You're in you probably need to do some things here first and then and that's I just want to be an obedient good heart of the cycle I want to be someone where where it's not just me saying things, but God knows my heart is to give to him first Because I truly believe that God has given me everything that I have and that God's in control of every circumstance in my life And that ultimately it's all good because God's a control and God is good Amen, so I hope you I hope you remember this even this Sunday I pray that just from tonight We'll see a difference in our in our offering this Sunday and not just this Sunday But the following Sunday that there will be some repentance in here and that the people that aren't sure what they need to be doing We'll get some input to make sure they're you know doing what they need to be doing in God's eyes Amen amen church, so we'll go ahead and go We have a little time to go in our G groups and then as always when you pick up your your babies and kids kingdom, please
Midweek lesson by Doug Wens