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Welcome, YouTube family. My name is Joanna. [music] Thank you for tuning in today. If you haven't already, please subscribe to our YouTube to stay up-to-date each week. We believe God has a powerful word for you today. So, [music] let's dive into this amazing message.
>> All right, if you're taking notes today, the title of my sermon is managing money. >> Managing money. Uh, we talked about mastering money two weeks ago. Today, we're going to talk about managing money. Now, one thing that we know is we know that money can't bring happiness, but you better believe money can bring headache. >> It can't bring happiness, but it can bring a headache, which means that having money won't make you happy, but not having money can give you a headache. >> Wow. >> And the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils, but the lack of money is the root of all kinds of anxieties. When you do not have money, you are more prone to anxiety. You're more prone to fear. You're more prone to worry. You're more prone to frustration. Uh, you're walking on eggshells. "I hope the tire don't go out. Can't afford another one. Hope nothing goes wrong on the car. Hope nothing goes out on the house. Hope the AC don't go down." And you're living this anxious life because you're living afraid, because you're like, "If anything goes wrong, I don't know what I'm going to do." >> "If anything goes south, I don't know what I'm going to do." So, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils, but the lack of money is the root of all kinds of anxieties. Typically, when people are struggling financially, they are anxious because >> the earth runs our our ecosystem, it runs off money. You can't do nothing without money. You can't leave the house without money. Do you know it cost you money to come here today? >> And if it didn't cost YOU money, it cost somebody money to get you here. Everything costs money. The moment you brush your teeth, that costs money. WHEN YOU WASH YOUR FACE, the water you're using to wash your face costs money. The heat that you're that you have in your home right now, some of y'all just cold and you got the heat on. I run the AC all year long. What's up? What's up? 365. I don't care what the weather is, that AC going to be on. All y'all that's running heat right now, don't invite me over. >> But every aspect to just exist costs money. >> Like the land you're standing on, taxes. You're like, "Can I even stand here without paying?" Like, everything costs money. I was in California and I was at Walmart shopping, and they was charging FOR BAGS. I'm like, "Bags cost money now? Like, what's going on here?" Everything costs. And the crazy thing about everything costing is this: because everything costs, you spend a third of your life at work. >> A third of your life. Which means eight hours a day you're at work. So if you sleep 8 hours and you spend eight hours a day at work and you're intrinsic and stuff, you probably only have 6 hours to actually live your life, >> which means most of your life is given away to sleep and to the earning of money. >> So many people aren't able to fully live the lives that they want to live because you have to live the life you have to live so you can pay the bills, take care of the family, and take care of the kids. So much is consumed around money, money, money. Everything is running off of money. And what you have to learn how to do first is master money. So, so you're not controlled by money. You actually control money. And then secondly, you have to learn how to manage money. You have to learn how to properly manage money the way that God has called you to manage money. And if you manage money the way God has called you to manage money, you will be financially free. You will be financially blessed. And you will be financially released. A lot of what you guys ARE CALLING SPIRITUAL WARFARE is actually financial warfare. >> You're in the fight with your money. YOU'RE IN THE FIGHT WITH YOUR BILLS. YOU'RE IN THE FIGHT WITH YOUR MORTGAGE. You're in a fight with YOUR CAR NOTE. YOU'RE NOT IN spiritual warfare. You're in financial warfare. But today, I'm going to tell you how to break the chain, break the yoke, and take dominion over the enemy. Come on, somebody. [cheering] >> Today, we're going to learn how to manage money. If you got your Bibles, go to Proverbs chapter 27, verse 23. >> Yeah, let's do it. And the Bible says, "Be diligent to know the state of your flocks and attend to your herds." What is the Bible saying? The Bible is saying, "Be diligent." And it's saying, "Know the condition of your flocks." Uh, what, what's, what that simply means is this: the Bible is saying be diligent. Uh, to be diligent means to to give consistent attention to, to give consistent attention to. God is saying give consistent attention to your flocks. Give consistent attention to them. He's saying, "Don't let up on this. Be diligent. Don't just do this one time. Don't just do this one week. Don't just do this one month. Every week, every month, every quarter, every year, you need to give attention to your flocks." >> Why did he say give attention to your flocks? Because back in that day, flocks were currency. Your flocks and your livestock was your currency. The way we would trade with money is how they traded with livestock, animal, and grain and wheat and all the different things. So he said, "Hey, you have to be aware of your livestock. You have to give attention to them. You have to be diligent. You have to be consistent. You have to give attention to your money. You have to give attention. You got to know how much you're bringing in, how much is going out, how much is the bills, how much is the debt." Because if you don't tell YOUR MONEY WHERE TO GO, YOU'RE GOING to wonder where your money went. >> And every dollar needs a name. You have to name every single dollar because if you don't name your money, accidents will name it. Mistakes will name it. Your kids got a a name for your dollar that you don't. >> They got a name for it. ANY TIME YOU WON'T NAME YOUR MONEY, somebody else will. Your bill collectors got a name for your dollar. Everything in life has a name for your dollar. You better make sure you got a name for it, too. >> You better have a category for it, too. So you have to be diligent with your finances. IN OTHER WORDS, FINANCES IS WORK. >> YEAH. >> It is work that you have to keep. It is work that you have to keep. Finances, every single person, you have to learn about money. It's a part of life. The earth runs off of money and runs off of currency. It runs off of resources. You cannot sit back and not know money anymore. You have to learn about money and give attention to your money. You have to give attention to your flocks. You have to be diligent and you have to pay attention and you have to measure your money consistently. Yeah. Come on. >> And then the Bible goes a little deeper. It goes a little deeper. It says that that it says also attend to your herds. Attend to your herds. So, how do I attend to my herds? If I'm attending to my herds, I got to count my herd. I got to know how many how many livestock I have. If I'm giving attention to my herd, then guess what else I have to do in my herd? I have to make sure my herd is growing. I have to make sure I'm feeding my herd to make sure it's growing. Are you feeding the principles in your life to make sure your money is growing? I also have to make sure I'm feeding my herd. And then I have to make sure that I'm breeding my herd to make sure that my herd is reproducing. Are you breeding your herd? In other words, are you investing your money to make sure it's reproducing? Is there a return, a kingdom return on your money? Because the same way they was uh breeding their livestock, you have to breed your income to make sure it brings more. When you breed two livestock, more babies come. When you invest your money, more money comes. You have to give attention to your herds. >> You have to be you have to be in you you have to be deliberate with this. You have to be diligent with this. You have to pay attention. You have to lean in. You can't be haphazard with this. You have to have a plan for your money. You have to have a budget. A budget. Some of you guys hate the word budget, but you have to have a budget. Um, when I start getting towards the end of the year, towards the end of October, I spend a ton of time budgeting, months budgeting out for our church and for our company and for our personal lives. We spend a lot of time in budget because you have to have a plan. "Many are the plans in the man's heart, but the Lord's purposes prevail." How can His purpose prevail if you ain't even got a plan? >> That's so good. >> And if YOU DON'T [screaming] PLAN WITH YOUR MONEY, you have just planned to fail. >> How are you mad that you don't have enough money when you don't even know how much money you have? You don't even know your percentages. You don't even know your margin. YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT you need. How can you pray to God about finances and you don't even know what you need? >> Yeah. >> You don't even know what you don't need. So, you have to be aware of your money. You got to begin to decide, how much debt do I have? >> How much does it cost me to live? How much do I make? Do you even make enough? Some of you guys WILL TAKE A JOB THAT can't pay your bills. >> And you didn't even know. You're like, "I just can't pay my bills every month." Then you sit down with me. I'm like, "Uh, you don't make enough money." "Oh, really?" "Yeah. Yeah." >> "Did you ever add up both columns?" >> Pay attention to your herds. You have to pay attention to your money. You have to be deliberate with your money. The kingdom of God is not ran off of emotion. It's ran off of management. >> And too many of us want a blessing because we're sad. We want a blessing because we're hurting. We want a blessing because we're struggling. And God says, "I don't just bless your struggle. I'll bless your management." Yeah. >> You can struggle all day, but until you learn how to manage, God can't bless you. God, there's four things that you have to do biblically. I was searching this this week. Four things you have to do biblically to be blessed by God. To be blessed by God. Four things you got to operate. Some of you guys in the room, you're like, "Okay, I give. I give, but I'm still not blessed. I give. I give, but I still don't have enough." Well, giving is just one of four things. Yes. I'll give you the four things. The first thing is seed. Seed that's given. It's what you sow. Do you know earth and heaven both runs off of seed? >> Earth and heaven both runs off of sowing. So you have to sow seed into the ground. Everything you see. Do you know that even you came from a seed? Somebody sewed a seed to get you here. Everything in this earth that reproduces and multiplies comes from a seed. So you have to put seed into the ground. But secondly, surrender. God won't bless a plan He didn't come up with. >> You have to surrender. God won't bless a plan He didn't come up with. And He won't bless you to be more disobedient to Him. And He won't bless you to run you off from Him. >> Some of you guys are thinking about how how you want God to bless you so you can leave Him. >> He's not going to bless your mess. >> It's true. >> No, He's not going to bless YOUR MESS. IF GOD BLESSED YOU, He would actually be cursing you because His blessing to you would mean your exodus from Him. >> My God. >> So until you surrender, God can't release to you. The third one is sight. What do you see? What is your vision? WHAT DO YOU SEE? SIGHT. GOD DON'T JUST bless you. Because one of the things that aggravates God, it's not that you get nice things or you providing for yourself or you providing for your family, but when you start getting careless and stupid with money. There's a guy in the Bible and he ran God hot. HE HAD THIS NICE barn and he had all this money and these resources. He looked at his barn. He said, "You know what? I'M GONNA TEAR DOWN MY BARNS AND BUILD BIGGER BARNS SO I CAN SAY, 'Look at you, you awesome man.'" And God said, "Fool, tonight your soul will be taken from you." That's how much it aggravated God. Because God said, "I didn't make you abundant. I didn't bless you and give you overflow just so you can just tear down barns and build bigger barns and tear down barns and build bigger barns and and get rid of cars and get new cars and get rid of homes and get new homes. He doesn't have a problem with you getting nice things. But for you to just waste money when there's hungry people in this world, for you to just waste money when there's struggling people in this world, for you to just waste money WHEN IT BELONGS TO GOD, HE HAS A PROBLEM with that. SO IF YOU DON'T SEE SOMETHING FOR YOUR MONEY, you probably don't want to ask for it >> and you probably don't need it because God gives provision to a vision. >> And what's so sad is many people WANT PROVISION WHO AIN'T GOT NO VISION. >> GOD, I WANT a million dollars. Why? I don't know, really. How about you go figure out what you can do with a million dollars and then come back and begin to do it on a small scale and watch God grow you and expand you. But for you to just want more so you can feel good about yourself. God isn't into ego stroking. He's not into it. Number four, stewardship. Whatever you don't manage, you will lose. Everyone say it with me. Say, "Whatever >> Whatever >> you don't >> you don't >> manage." "You >> You >> will >> will >> lose." >> And this is anything in your life. If you don't manage your marriage, guess what's going to happen? You will lose it. If you don't manage your car, guess what's going to happen? You will lose it. If you don't manage your health, guess what's going to happen? You will lose it. If you don't manage your money, guess what's going to happen? You will lose it. The kingdom of God runs off of management. Anything that's not handled and managed, you will lose. Do you want to know the fastest way to a new car? If you need a new car in here, you want to know the fastest way to a new car: taking care of your old one. >> You want to know the fastest way to a new home? Taking care of your current one. Do you want to know the fastest way to a new job? Stewarding the job you have. Do you want to know the fastest way to financial freedom is using your money now properly? It's what you have in your hand now that's going to produce what you're praying for next. And so many times, we want God to take us somewhere when we're in the moment, not doing nothing with where He's already brought you to. Right now, you are living in the prayer that YOU ONCE PRAYED. YOU'RE LIVING IN A SEASON THAT YOU ONCE DESIRED AND YOU ARE SQUANDERING IT AND WASTING IT WHILE YOU ASKING God for more all along. God said, "We don't work like that. WHEN YOU SERVE YOUR NOW SEASON, I WILL BLESS YOUR next season. But if YOU DON'T SERVE YOUR NOW SEASON, I WON'T TAKE YOU TO YOUR next season." >> So good. >> So you have to manage. The way to more is manage. The way to more is manage. You will never get more until you manage. Um, I had a friend once and I worked out with him and before we worked out, I was like, "Man, how much weight can you lift?" "Ah, about 400." I'm looking at him. I'm like, "Boy, please." But okay. So, we go to the gym and I'm playing. I already know he can't lift 400. So, I'm like, "Man, I'm going put that 400 on there." I just start off with 135 to get me warmed up. Let me get me warmed up. Let me get me warmed up. We put 135 on the bar, y'all. The man's arms are shaking like he in a car wreck. Arms shaking, neck shaking, veins popping out like he foaming out the mouth on 135. BARELY GETTING IT UP. BARELY GOT IT UP two or three times. And then he gets up. I'm like, "So, you can lift 400?" He's like, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah." "You're lying. Who in here believes he can lift 400?" >> "If you believe he can lift 400, come on." "You believe it?" >> "No." Nobody believes he can lift 400. Why do we believe he can't lift 400? How can you lift 400 lb when you can't manage 135 lbs? >> And if and and it wasn't the lack of weight that proved he couldn't lift 400 lb. It was his inability to manage less that proved he couldn't handle more. Ah, because someone that could REALLY LIFT 400 POUNDS, THEY THROWING 135 UP LIKE IT'S LIKE IT'S A CAKE. THEY THROWING it up in the air like it's a donut. LIKE THEY TOSSING IT. WHY? Because it's so beneath what they can actually manage. AND THE PROBLEM WITH THE CHURCH IS YOU'RE PRAYING FOR A 400 LB blessing when you can't even manage a 135 LB BLESSING. GOD SAYS, "IF you can manage the little thing, I can give you the bigger thing." But you THINK YOU CAN MAX OUT AT 400 WHEN YOU CAN'T EVEN MANAGE 135. >> So good. >> I DON'T NEED TO SEE YOUR MAX. I CAN WATCH YOUR MANAGE AND PREDICT YOUR MAX. GOD SAYING YOU CAN'T MANAGE A THOUSAND. OH, BUT YOU BELIEVE YOU SHOULD GET 10,000. You can't manage 10,000, but you believe you should GET A 100,000. HE DON'T NEED TO SEE YOU WITH A 100,000 BECAUSE YOU'RE STRUGGLING WITH 10. The greatest indicator of your management next is your management now. >> What you do with $10 is what you would do with $100. And what you do with $100 is what you would do with $1,000. And what you do with a thousand is what you would do with 10,000. And what you do with 10,000 is what you would do with $100,000. And what you do with a hundred And what you do with $100,000 is what you would do with a million. Which means whenever God gets ready to bless you, He finds your comfortable manage weight >> and He blesses you according to that. >> And I don't know where you are in this room. Maybe you're in the financial bracket and you're like, "Hey, this is all I want. This is where I want to be." And if that's you, great. But if you're in here and you feel like you would like to manage and steward more, that's awesome. And we're going to teach you how to get there. But here's what I want you to know: What you currently have >> is what God feels like you can currently handle. >> God don't bless you because you feel like you should be blessed. >> Wow. >> And He don't bless you because you feel like you can handle more. God blesses you according to what you can handle. Which means what you have is what God feels like you can handle. >> So I just WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT. SO SO ALL YOU GUYS HAS BEEN STRUGGLING AND YOU PRAYING AND YOU LOCAL MASTETIC A AND YOU WALKING AND AND YOU PACING AND YOU'RE going back and forth. I just want you to know how God feels about your management. >> Whatever you have IS WHAT GOD feels like you can handle. Somebody say, "You just made me mad at God." I should have just made you mad at you. But we know how that go. >> Let's go to Matthew 25. We going to get started now. >> I ain't going to preach long today, but I'm going to preach strong. Matthew 25. You guys enjoying this? >> If I step on your toes, I still love you. I promise. We going to get you right. >> Matthew 25:14. I'll give y'all a second. Matthew 25:14. Uh, we got a lot of Bible reading. A >> lot of Bible reading. All right, let's get it. Matthew 25:14, it says, "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability." Listen. To each according to his own ability. Wow. >> So what talent you got is according to you, not to God. >> Come on. >> And immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them and made another five. And likewise, he who had received the two gained two more also. But he who had received one went away, dug into the ground, and hid his Lord's money. A talent is an amount of money. >> Verse 19. After a long time, the lord of these servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, "Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Look, I have gained five more talents beside them." His lord said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord." Verse 22. He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Look, I have gained two more talents beside them.' His lord said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord." Verse 24. Then he who had received one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what's yours. Here, I'm returning your talent.' But the Lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I will have received back my own with interest.' Therefore, take the talent from him, and give it to him who has 10 talents. For everyone who has more will be given, and he will have abundance. But from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away, and cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.' Oh my gosh. My my my my. So, the thing that's so crazy about this, the man got thrown where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth over how he managed money. >> I'm like, I don't even know what that means. No one preaches about it. That's kind of scary there. I don't even know how to interpret that. Yeah. >> Jesus is telling a story about money management that got a man thrown into hell. So, [laughter] I MEAN, THAT'S YOUR BIBLE, RIGHT? LIKE, I'M JUST Don't shoot the messenger. I'm just saying like >> going to heaven. Are you sure? I just, you know, I don't know. Like, did your word says this man was thrown where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth? He was called wicked and lazy. But anyways, we'll come we we'll come back to that in a second. The first thing I don't want you to miss about this parable is this: The Bible says the kingdom of heaven is like >> the kingdom of heaven is like. The thing that we get lost in these parables is you have to watch the introduction to the parable before you read the parable. Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like." What is Jesus doing in THIS PARABLE? HE'S TRYING TO show you what the kingdom of heaven IS LIKE. YEAH. >> SO, HE'S SAYING, "HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY. I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE AN opinion based on the kingdom of earth, and that's cool, BUT I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT THE KINGDOM [laughter] of heaven IS LIKE. >> THIS IS HOW THE KINGDOM RUNS. This is how the kingdom functions. THIS IS HOW THE kingdom operates. This is how the kingdom of heaven is like. The kingdom of heaven is like this. This is what the kingdom is like." So, what you have to notice about this story more than anything else is what the kingdom is like. Amen. >> Okay. So, we have that. So, we we're understanding what the kingdom is like. But then >> what we got to realize is we expect to thrive in a kingdom that we don't even understand. >> How can you thrive in the kingdom of heaven if you don't know what the kingdom of heaven is like? You have to know what the kingdom is like. And He's showing us that the kingdom runs off of management and the kingdom runs off of stewardship. The kingdom of heaven determines management and stewardship determines if you get promoted and you're given more or if you get demoted and what you have is taken away from you. The kingdom of heaven is like. Now, if I ask most of you guys in this room, when you meet the Lord, do you want to hear, "Good and well done, faithful servant"? >> "Good and well done, faithful servant." >> "Good and well done, faithful servant." Would you say yes to that? Yes. >> Well, I studied your whole Bible and I noticed the only time God said, "Good and well done, faithful servant," is according to how you manage money. >> I thought if YOU WENT TO CHURCH, I THOUGHT IF YOU SERVED, I THOUGHT IF IF YOU LIVE THIS GODLY AMAZING LIFESTYLE THAT GOT YOU GOOD AND WELL FAITHFUL SERVANT. You see people mopping the floor, pastor, I just went in here, good and well FAITHFUL SERVANT. AND IT'S LIKE HE SAID THAT ACCORDING TO HOW YOU manage your money. >> Wow. >> Not how you mopped the floor. >> Wow. >> I read your whole Bible. AND THE ONLY TIME HE SAYS, "GOOD AND WELL DONE, FAITHFUL SERVANT," IS ACCORDING TO HOW MONEY WAS MANAGED. >> SO YOU WANT TO HEAR, "GOOD AND FAITHFUL, GOOD AND WELL DONE, FAITHFUL SERVANT," AND YOU DON'T EVEN PAY YOUR TITHES? [crying] >> You don't even manage your money. YOU DON'T EVEN INVEST your money. All you do is waste your money. All you do IS BUY LIABILITIES, NEVER ASSETS. But you want to hear, "Good and well done, faithful servant." >> So I just want you to know that all the things that you think >> ain't what He thinks because the kingdom of heaven is [clears throat] like >> So you have to know what His kingdom is like. So what is a talent? Let's dig into this. What is a talent? Um, a talent was an amount of denarius. Denarius was the form of currency that they used. It was an amount of denarius. In today's modern American dollar, a talent would have been equivalent to $1 million. >> So if you had one talent, the guy got one talent. You see, you thought he was done wrong. Why you just give him one? Why he get DONE SO BAD? HE HAD A MILLION DOLLARS. WHEN THE LAST TIME YOU HAD THAT? >> And then THE GUY WITH FIVE TALENTS had $5 million. And the guy with two talents had $2 million. So I'm going to give you context. So He gave one a million dollars, one $2 million, and one $5 million. And He gave it to them, and He left on a journey. So He gave him this talent, and He went, He left on the journey. And when He came back, He came back to settle accounts. >> I want you to know this about God: When God comes back to settle accounts, He don't want to hear excuses. When He comes to settle accounts, He does not want to hear excuses. >> So the one that He gave five, invested and traded and he got five more. So when his master came, he said, "Master, you gave me five, I got you five more. Here's 10." And his master said, "Hey, come enter into the joy of your Lord." Then the one He gave two, he said, "I traded and I invested. Now I got two more. I got a total of four." And his master said, "Good and well done, you faithful servant." To both of them, "Come enter into your master's joy." But then the third guy, everyone say, "The third guy." >> He came AND YOU ALREADY KNOW YOU YOU KNOW HOW IT IS CUZ YOU DON'T DO WHAT YOU DO. YOU BUTTERING UP. "Hey Lord. Lord. Hey Lord." NO. WHY YOU GOT TO WHY YOU GOT TO GREET ME? WHY CAN'T WE JUST SETTLE ACCOUNTS? LIKE, WHY WE SEE LORD? WHAT HAPPENED WAS SEE WHY WE GOT TO SEE WHEN YOU DON'T DO WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. NOW you need a speech, a lie. Now you finessing, you doing all THIS EXTRA STUFF INSTEAD OF JUST SETTLING ACCOUNTS. >> He didn't come to hear your story nor your excuse. He came to see your account. >> He came to see your account. >> So he said, "Lord, >> I know you're a hard man. >> I said, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE REAPING WHERE YOU DID not sow and you're gathering where you have not scattered." >> "And I was afraid. >> I was afraid, Lord. So, I went and I buried it and I hid it. I DIDN'T LOSE IT. I didn't waste it. I DIDN'T SPEND OUT OF IT. I hid it cuz I was scared. Because I didn't want to disappoint you. I didn't want to mess nothing up. I didn't I didn't want to I didn't want to make a mistake." >> Now, most of you will look at this guy and you will kind of see this fella for not too bad of a fella, right? >> I mean, let's think about it. >> He didn't steal a penny. He didn't waste a penny. He didn't use a penny. >> He saved 100% of it. >> He didn't invest cuz he was afraid. >> And he didn't want to waste his master's money and make a mistake. You would look at him and you would be like, "Pastor, he ain't that bad." Right? He ain't that bad. Because most of you guys have asked me if you wanted a million dollars. Guess what you would say? Yes. And if I said, "What would you do with it?" You would say, "I would save it." Most of you guys would say, "I would save it." Unless you got a plan or a business or somewhere to put it, maybe you know how to trade or invest. Most of you guys would say you would save it. If you didn't know what to do with a million dollars and it was handed to you tomorrow, you would say you would save it. So, what's so evil about this guy? All he did was save his master's money. Do you think that Jesus kind of went a little overboard? I mean, just look at it. Hey, you gave someone to trade something, they just saved it. They didn't waste it. They didn't steal it. And then Jesus CAME BACK. "YOU WICKED AND LAZY SERVANT. YOU NEED TO BE THROWN IN OUTER DARKNESS WHERE THERE'S WEEPING and gnashing of teeth." >> Wow. >> That's a little extreme >> for somebody that didn't steal your money and just saved it. I mean, so, so what's the problem here? >> Why is Jesus so hot at someone that did not steal and just saved? >> Many of y'all like, "All I do is save. I'm scared now. What we need to [laughter] what we need to do? I'm trying to save more." Like, like what, what we, where we at? Why would Jesus be so angry? All right, we're going we're going we're going to dig in and I'm going to show you what was the foul on the play and what made Jesus so angry. The first thing that made Jesus so angry was the man didn't give an account. He gave an excuse. >> He gave an excuse. Now, many of you guys, if you read the story fast, you would actually see his excuse as a compliment, but his excuse was actually an insult. >> Come on, pastor. >> So, let's slow down his excuse. >> He said, "Lord, you are a hard man." What is he saying? He's saying, "You are hard to please. >> You have high expectations and you have a high demand on us. You're a hard man." In other words, you're not an easy, good Lord. You are a hard Lord. You are a hard man. YOU MAKE IT VERY HARD AND VERY DIFFICULT ON US. >> SECONDLY, he's saying, "And also I see you reaping where you did not sow." What is he saying? He's saying, "You didn't even sow a seed, but you get to reap one. >> You didn't sow a seed, but you get to reap the harvest. >> WE'RE DOING THE WORK, BUT YOU'RE DOING THE REAPING. YOU'RE GOING ON VACATION WHILE WE'RE WORKING OUR BUTTS OFF AND YOU'RE COLLECTING THE BIGGEST CHECK." >> And then he's saying, "And then he also saying, 'And you're also gathering where you did not scatter.'" We scattered, and you gathered. >> Wow. >> YOUR HEART, YOU HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS. YOU PUT A HIGH DEMAND ON US. You get TO REAP WHAT YOU DID NOT SOW AND YOU GET TO GATHER WHERE YOU DID NOT SCATTER. >> WOW. This was the posture of the man's heart. See, SO THIS WAS THE POSTURE OF HIS HEART. AND JESUS IS SAYING, "NO, I'm not going TO MISS THE HEART BEHIND THESE WORDS. I'M GOING TO JUDGE YOU BASED ON what you said." >> And you said, "I'm unjust. I'm unfair. And I get to receive and reap what I did not sow, and I get to gather where I did not scatter." That was the heart of the man. >> WOW. >> SO HIS HEART WAS WICKED, and his hand was lazy. He didn't do nothing with his hand. He had a lazy hand and a wicked heart. AND JESUS SAID, "IF THIS IS HOW you treat your Lord, then depart from me, you evil servant. YOU NEED TO GO INTO UTTER DARKNESS AND DEPART from me because you have a wicked heart. You didn't want to invest my money because you COULDN'T DEAL WITH THE FACT THAT I was winning while you felt like you was losing." >> God. >> And the issue is this: YOU FELT LIKE I WAS REAPING where I did not sow. AND YOU MYOPIC SERVANT, YOU DIDN'T SEE THAT. YOU would have reaped with me. YOU WOULD HAVE SCATTERED with me and gathered with me. You would have got increase WITH ME. YOU WOULD HAVE GOT MORE WITH ME. BUT YOU COULDN'T SEE THAT BECAUSE YOU WAS MYOPIC. YOU HAD SHORT VISION BECAUSE YOU'RE WICKED at heart. >> AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I NEED YOU TO GET AWAY FROM ME AND GO AHEAD AND HEAD INTO outer darkness. >> So he was wicked and lazy. And we know he was wicked because that was the intent of his heart. Now, can I go deeper? >> Now, some of you guys will say, "Well, he still didn't waste none of his master's money. He saved it all." Well, hold on. Slow down. >> Slow it. Slow your roll. Because inflation always existed. What is inflation? Inflation means that the value of the dollar decreases every year. In America, our inflation is usually around 2.5 to 3%. That's the inflation rate, which means that your money doesn't change, but your purchasing power does every year, which means that what a million dollars can do in one year, it can't do in the next year. The purchasing power decreases. So, let's say inflation is 3%. He gave this guy a million dollars. And if it's an American economy, inflation is 3%. That means every year you put a money inside of an account and it's not touched and it's not used, you lose 30 grand a year. >> If you did this for five years, you would lose $150,000. The Bible said the master was gone for a LONG TIME. SO LET'S JUST SAY I DON'T HAVE THESE EXACT NUMBERS. Let's say if he was gone for 5 years, that means $150,000 of his money was lost in purchasing power, which means TO SAVE IT WAS ACTUALLY TO lose it and squander it. BECAUSE WHEN MONEY'S NOT INCREASING, MONEY'S DECREASING. >> [applause] >> SO HE WAS WASTING HIS MASTER'S MONEY TO INFLATION WHILE IT WAS BURIED. INFLATION WAS EATING THE DOLLARS. >> Then on top of that, Jesus was saying, "Hey, if you know that I've reaped where I have not sown and I' AND I'VE GATHERED WHERE I HAVE NOT SCATTERED, IN OTHER WORDS, YOU SAYING YOU KNOW HOW I operate. My God. >> WELL, IF YOU KNOW HOW I operate and if I'm a hard man that that don't give no grace and if I'm just reaping where I have not sown and if I'm GATHERING WHERE I HAVE NOT SCATTERED, THEN WHY WOULD YOU WASTE MY MONEY? >> He said, at the very least, if you wasn't so wicked, you could have at least went to the bank and put it in there and collected interest. What was Jesus saying? It's called a high yield savings account. They have them now. If you don't know about it, then you're probably wasting God's money. A high yield savings account. What is that? That's an account. In America, our high yield savings accounts get G get they give a return between four and 5%. Is what you get from a high yield savings account. And in a year, it gives you about four to 5%. So, if he would have put it inside of the banking system, he would have made $50,000 on interest a year, which means that it would have covered the $30,000 in inflation and earned his father an extra $20,000. >> I'm a math guy, so I know that's a lot. >> So, what you have to understand is this: Jesus was saying, I if you IF YOU DIDN'T WANT TO INVEST AND TRADE AND BRING A RETURN, you could have at least PUT IT IN A HIGH YIELD SAVINGS ACCOUNT. BUT YOU COULDN'T EVEN DO THAT BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T WANT TO SEE ME WIN. YOU WANTED TO SEE ME LOSE BECAUSE YOU'RE A HATER AND YOU'RE WICKED AND YOU'RE JEALOUS. >> Wow. >> Wow. >> Lazy servant and you lazy. >> This is going to get a lot deeper. I'm just getting started. Can I go deeper? >> Okay, I'm going to go deeper. And so here's the issue: God doesn't reward preservation. He rewards multiplication. >> He doesn't reward preservation. He rewards multiplication. GOD DON'T WANT YOU TO PRESERVE WHAT He gave you. HE WANTS YOU TO MULTIPLY IT. HE DON'T WANT YOU TO PRESERVE your time. He wants you to multiply it. HE DON'T WANT YOU TO PRESERVE your gift. He wants you TO MULTIPLY IT. HE DON'T WANT YOU TO PRESERVE YOUR MONEY. HE WANTS YOU TO MULTIPLY IT. GOD WANTS MULTIPLICATION, NOT PRESERVATION. >> What are you multiplying? Because if you're not bringing increase, it means that you're a bad manager and a bad steward. Because a good steward always brings increase and it BRINGS MULTIPLICATION. WHATEVER TALENT GOD hands you, if you don't hand Him back more talents, that means you're wasting talent. And God doesn't sow and invest into waste. >> Is this good? Are you guys getting this? Are you guys catching it? >> Okay. So, here's what you got to see: God didn't give equal amount, but He gave equal opportunity. >> Didn't give equal amount, but He gave equal opportunity. Because the problem is, most of you guys would have failed at God's distribution. >> This person gets five, two, one. YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN, "WELL, I ONLY GET ONE AND WHY THEY GET MORE THAN ME AND LOOK AT ALL I DONE AND AND WHY THEY GET FIVE AND I ONLY GET TWO?" And you probably would have just lost it there. You would have lost it. SEE, WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE BACKDROP TO THIS MAN'S HEART, BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW HE wasn't mad because he had less? >> How many of you guys look at the people around you with more and you get mad because you feel like you have you should have more and you should have what they have and you should be able to do what they do and you can't compare yourself to others. The Bible said it's not wise because you WILL BE SO BUSY COMPARING YOUR BLESSINGS to someone else's THAT YOU WILL SQUANDER what God gave you. Waste the talent that GOD GAVE YOU. BURY THE TALENT GOD GAVE YOU BECAUSE THEY GOT FIVE AND YOU GOT ONE. AND GOD SAYS, "YEAH, BUT IF YOU WOULD HAVE WORKED THAT ONE, IT COULD HAVE BECAME TWO. AND TWO COULD HAVE BECAME FOUR. AND FOUR COULD HAVE BECAME EIGHT. AND EIGHT COULD HAVE BECAME 16. And 16 could have became 32. AND 32 COULD HAVE BECAME 64. YOU WOULD HAVE WORKED IT. IT COULD HAVE INCREASED. BUT YOU DIDN'T EVEN WORK IT. I'VE SEEN PEOPLE WITH ONE TALENT. BUT IF YOU START WORKING THAT TALENT, YOU'LL PASS GOD WITH FIVE. YOU'LL PASS GOD WITH 10. IF YOU WORK WITH WHAT YOU GOT, >> BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO TRUST THAT GOD IS JUST AND HE'S GOING TO GIVE TALENT ACCORDING TO ABILITY. BUT BECAUSE YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE SMARTER THAN GOD, YOU RESENTED God and the people that He blessed. And all along YOU WAS CURSING WHAT YOU GOT, WANTING WHAT THEY GOT. >> That's good. >> He doesn't give equal amount, but He gives equal opportunity. Now look at the brilliance of the Lord. Look at His brilliance. Now watch this. Watch this. Watch this. Many people miss this in the story. You miss it. Watch it. He gave one guy five. Isn't it crazy that the guy that He gave five actually got five more? >> He gave one guy two. Isn't it crazy that the guy gave two, he got two more? >> Yeah. Which means they both had 100% ROI, which is kingdom return on investment. Both of them got 100. And God gave them both the same reward. Why? Because He don't judge you based on what someone else did. He judges you based on your capacity. [applause] >> And God is saying that, hey, if I gave you one, if you can give me a 100% return like the guy gave five, you get the same reward as him even though you had less. >> This I don't judge myself by pastors with bigger churches. You might have 2,000 and you have to give an account for 2,000. If I got 800 to a thousand, I got to give an account for 800 to a thousand. I can't judge based on what you got. I don't know why. I don't know the circumstances. I I DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE, BUT I KNOW WHAT IS THE RETURN I'm giving God with what He gave me. [applause] >> And I can share the same blessing as someone with more as long as I give a full return on what I got. >> I can't worry about who got two. I can't WORRY ABOUT WHO GOT FIVE. I GOT ONE. AND IF I GOT ONE, AM I BRINGING A 100% RETURN? BECAUSE THOUGH THE TALENTS WOW. >> TALENTS were different, those two guys had the same return >> on investment. >> Now, the guy with one was mad to have one, but what he didn't account for was his Lord was perfect. >> His Lord was perfect. >> Which means He GAVE THE GUY FIVE. AND THE GUY'S CAPACITY WAS ACTUALLY FIVE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HE BROUGHT BACK. He gave the guy two. THE GUY'S CAPACITY WAS TWO BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HE BROUGHT BACK. AND ALL ALONG THE STORY STARTS BEFORE THE STORY STARTS because the third guy, his capacity was none. >> But in the kingdom of God, when you pray to God, you go to God and you pray to God for options. God don't give you options. He gives you opportunities, and you turn opportunities into options. >> And God said, "I KNEW THE GUY WITH FIVE COULD BRING FIVE BACK. I KNEW THE GUY WITH TWO COULD BRING TWO BACK. And I knew the guy with one would bring nothing. But I still had to give him one because I don't give options. I give opportunity. EVEN IF YOU'RE GOING TO SQUANDER IT, I STILL GOT TO GIVE IT to you BECAUSE I'M A GOOD, JUST GOD. [cheering] >> BUT I'M ALSO A WISE GOD. THINK OF IT NOT STRANGE THAT GOD ACTUALLY GAVE THE THE ONE THAT WOULD WASTE IT the least. >> WHY DIDN'T GOD GIVE THE ONE THAT WASTED FIVE? BECAUSE GOD WAS watching before He started giving. Yeah. >> HE WAS WATCHING BEFORE HE GAVE. And he must have been around wherever. He must have been around the field wasting seed, wasting crops, wasting fruit, wasting vegetation, wasting livestock. And the other guy that had five.
was killing it. And the God that had two was killing it.
AND GOD SAYS, "I know you ain't going to kill it, but I still have to give you an opportunity." Why? Because I'm the God of opportunity. I give everyone opportunity. I'm an equal opportunity God. EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T DESERVE NOTHING, I'M STILL GOING TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING BECAUSE I AM A OPPORTUNITY GOD.
AND THIS IS WHAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS LIKE. IT'S LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY. EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T DESERVE IT. BUT IF YOU WOULD TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY AND INVEST THAT OPPORTUNITY, IT WILL CREATE MORE OPTIONS.
>> Is this good?
>> So what happened?
SO THE GUY WITH FIVE TURNED IT INTO 10. And then here's what the scripture says. And it used to bother me until I got revelation. The Bible says Jesus said he'll take from those that don't have >> and give to those that have more. I didn't like that verse. I'm like, why would you take from someone that barely has some?
>> Yeah.
>> And take what they got and give it to someone that has more. In other words, Jesus would take $5,000 from a man that's struggling and give it and give it to a man with 50 million.
>> And that seems unjust.
to somebody that don't own it.
>> Wow.
>> See, you feel like it's okay to waste because it's not yours. The earth and the fullness thereof is is the Lord's. He wants a return on his investment.
>> So, what did he do?
He took the one talent from the guy.
>> And who did he give it to?
He gave it to the one with 10.
>> He didn't give it to the one with two, though he could have handled it. Jesus gave it to the one that had the most capacity.
>> Which means if you want more, you need to get more capacity.
>> I've never prayed for church growth ever. I just pray for capacity. I've never went to God and said, "God, make our church bigger." I go to God and say, "God, make me better." Because if I get better, our church will get bigger. [applause]
>> I never went to God and said, "Make my business bigger." No, I say God, make us better. Because if we get better, the business will get bigger. [applause]
>> Are we able to serve? Are we able to love? Are we able Are we able to feed? Are we able to assist? Are we able TO HELP? BECAUSE BASED ON OUR capacity is going to determine what God vetos and gives to us. Oh, can we give him a shout of praise in this place?
So, he's a God of opportunity. And here's the danger. Here's the biggest danger. Here's the biggest danger. Here's the worst part of it all. The master gave and then the master left. He left. Let me tell you what's so deadly about God. God will give something to you and then he'll just leave.
>> Gone.
Now he never expressed his expectations.
>> He never said, "Hey, I want to return. Hey, double this. Hey, increase it." He just gave and left.
>> But he came back with expectation of return.
>> Here's what's so scary right now. How do we know that he hasn't already given talents to you? And he's coming back for a return.
>> And when he comes back, you have less than what he gave you.
>> You worse than his wicked servant. At least HE KEPT HE MAINTAINED YOU got less than what God gave you.
>> And why do you have less than what God gave you? Because you couldn't discern
>> the opportunity.
>> Wow.
>> And this is why people fail in life.
>> This is why people don't increase. This is why they don't grow. This is why they don't become greater in life is because they they they misappropriate opportunity. They don't see it.
>> They don't see it. MOST PEOPLE THEY SQUANDER. YOU DON'T SEE THAT JOB WAS JUST AN OPPORTUNITY. IT WAS just a chance. YOU DIDN'T SEE THAT BLESSING WAS JUST an opportunity. It was just a chance. YOU DON'T SEE YOUR CURRENT FINANCIAL BREAKDOWN AS AN OPPORTUNITY. It's just a chance. AND BECAUSE YOU DON'T SEE IT, you become like the lazy wicked servant.
>> Because guess what he could have been think? He could have been thinking like you. Well, I only got one talent. I mean, what kind of return can I get on one talent? I mean, he got five. He's going to get a bigger return. Some of you guys like, man, I only got $100. Like, why would I save with a $100? That's not no money. Why would I get a high yield savings account and get a four to 5% return on my money? I mean, that's only going to be like $50 at the end of the year. When I get more money, then I'll put all the energy into that. You lazy, wicked servant.
>> YOU'RE DESPISING WHAT YOU HAVE NOW.
>> Coveting what you should have next, wasting what you have now. So until you get serious about the hund, the thousand, the 2,000, the 10,000, you will never see any more. Because if you're not faithful with little, guess what? You won't be rewarded with much. When they were faithful and they brought increase on what they had, what did he say? He said, "Because you've been faithful with little, I will reward you with much." If you haven't been rewarded WITH MUCH, YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T BEEN FAITHFUL WITH LITTLE.
>> WOW.
So you did this.
>> You mismanaged this. You squandered this and you blamed God and you hated on people that had more than you because you wouldn't be a good steward and you wouldn't be a good manager. But that changes today. We're going to steward what God has given us and manage what he's given us. Come on, let's give him a shout of praise. [cheering] [applause]
>> Because a mismanager will always despise a good manager. A mismanager will always hate on a good manager. What are you managing? Someone that that don't manage time well will hate on someone that does manage time well. Someone that don't manage their gift well will hate on someone that does manage their gift well. Someone that don't manage their money well will hate on someone that does manage their money well. Someone that don't manage their marriage well will hate on someone that does manage their manage manage their marriage well. Quit hating and start participating and start managing.
>> You can manage too. You can bring increase too. You can bring a return too. But you can't be lazy. You have to be a diligent. Give attention to your flocks. Give attention to your hurts and put in the work.
>> You have to put in the work. And the thing you have to know is this. You have to know that whatever you don't manage, you will lose. He didn't manage the one talent. And guess what happened? He lost it.
>> You have to fight anything that stops you from managing. He claimed to be afraid. I don't even know if that was the truth. He could have been lying. But even in fear, if you notice in the story of the If you notice in the story of the talents, guess what we never saw? We never saw the devil, which means don't blame him for your mismanagement.
>> We never saw a hater, which means don't blame them for your mismanagement. All we saw was fear generated by him. So don't be afraid. Trust God, have faith, and manage what God has given you. Because money don't come to emotion. It comes to alignment.
>> Wow.
>> Provision follows position. Come on. Come on.
>> Most people spend their lives chasing money. But if you ever got in alignment, money will chase you.
>> And guess what? Money is never wicked. Only the people that manage it are.
>> Come on now.
>> The guy with more money was called good. The guy with the least amount of money was called wicked. Watch it.
>> Watch it.
>> Don't think someone's wicked just cuz they got more.
>> Because you can be wicked and don't have none. And the little bit you got probably going to get tooken and given to the guy that you think is evil when you the evil one all along. Aha.
>> I don't like this church. He's just too real for us. But hey, got to preach this word.
>> There's not one word I've spoken that's not directly from your Bible. So take it up with God. But but the thing is you have to understand and I'm going to go to my last point. I'm going get it close. is the thing you have to get and the thing you have to understand um [clears throat] when it comes to all this is you have to be a faithful servant and being faithful isn't fruitless. There's a return on being faithful. There's a return on being faithful. Being faithful isn't being fruitless. There is a return on being faithful. When you're faithful, God's going to come. He's going to bring a return. He's going to give you much. He's going to bless you. He's going to water you. He's going to let you share in his joy. You know in the Bible when he said um good and faithful servant, come share in the master's joy. What he was saying was come sharing my blessing.
>> Come share in it. Because you were faithful and you sowed, you can now come share. He was they were called to enter into the joy of the master. Enter into the blessing. See, he was saying he was so busy saying that, hey, you're reaping what you did not sow. He didn't know that if he would have sowed, God would have let him reap.
>> Yeah.
>> If he would have scattered, God would have let him gather because the master is so just, he welcomed the servants to enter into his joy.
>> Yeah.
>> But he never said any of that because he was testing the heart.
>> If you were a good servant, I don't have to tell you to sew. You would just do it. I don't have to tell you to trade. You would just do it. I don't have to tell you to do right. You would just do it if your heart's right.
>> So, don't miss the story. Don't miss it. Don't miss it. Know when you do God's work, God will always do your work. When you take care of his house, he will take care of yours. when you take care of his kingdom, he will take care of your kids. He sees you and he has a purpose and he has a plan. But the thing you got to know about God is this. All of these guys according to what God could do was given little. According to what God can do was given little. Because this is what he said to him. He said, "Hey, because you've been faithful with little, I will now make you ruler of much.
>> Even five talents was little to God.
GOD, >> I GOT 500,000 TALENTS. DON'T PLAY WITH ME. THE EARTH IS MINE.
>> I GOT THE CATTLE ON A THOUSAND HILLS. DON'T PLAY."
>> SO, even the five was little to God.
>> Yeah.
>> Even the five talents was little to God. WHAT GOD CAN DO, GOD GOT TALENTS that can't even be counted.
>> Yeah.
But God was saying, "I need you to have management.
>> I need you to have management." Because here's what you miss in the story. These guys were servants.
>> They were just servants. Little workers, little servants. And now they shift from servants to stewards.
>> And the thing about a servant is this. A servant don't even have the infrastructure
>> to handle a million,
>> two million, five million. They don't even know how to invest it, where to go, where to trade, what to do, how to handle it. So the problem is this, they're coming from being servants and now they're shifting into being executives. And the issue is when you shift from servant to executive, you don't have the executive pedigree to handle the executive blessing because you live like a servant.
>> How can you be an executive but it's still and you still got a poverty mindset?
>> I remember when I first started getting a little money, I was terrified of it. I was scared. I was so scared. I still like to look at my bank balance. Let's check it every day. Like, and anytime I sp any anytime it went down, I just got afraid. I was scared. I didn't want to put in nothing. I was terrified because I was a servant.
>> Yeah.
>> And God was saying, "I got to slowly ease you out of being a servant and poverty minded and poor and scared where you HIDE ALL MY STUFF AND don't do nothing with it and I have to ease you into becoming an executive."
>> So, as these guys working to fill their service, he's easing them into executive status. And based on that status, he was given talents. And guess what? The one that had one apparently wasn't making the shift.
>> He stayed poverty-minded. He stayed scared. He stayed afraid. That's why he got the smallest portion.
>> Check yourself.
>> Check yourself.
>> Ah man.
>> I got one last point and then I'mma close here.
>> Oh, I got so much. I'm gonna have to just do like a video. I got so much to share on this. I'm going just have to do like an online video for y'all. But
>> let me share this one. Another thing I want to say to you guys is debt is the antithesis of stewardship.
>> If you have debt, you need to deal with it quickly because the borrower is slave to the lender.
>> Now, there are some occasions where you might get a a loan for your mortgage or something and that's acceptable debt. You know, it's an it's an asset. It can increase over time. There are some occasions where you might take a little debt to get a vehicle or something like that, which I would advise against that. But again, I would say save and then pay for it cash. You you can do it. You are paying for it three times over with your loan. Why not just put it in the bank, a high a high yield savings account, and then pay for it outright or most of it outright? You know, if I ever get a loan, it's always 12 months where I can finish paying something off.
>> Um, and I learned this the hard way. I learned this the hard way. So, Proverbs 6 and 3, I just want you to see a biblical perspective on debt because some of you guys got debt and you need to kill your debt because here's the danger of your debt. I'll say this before I read the Bible. The danger of your debt is this. If I'm debtree and I go and make a financial purchase and it's stupid,
>> I only have to face it once.
>> You go buy a dumb car you can't afford, every month you get punched in the face by your stupidity. every you go get a 60mon loan on a car you can't afford for 60 months you're going to be punched in your face you're going to be gut punched and every time you get in that car you're going to want to kick it because it has just made you a slave
>> so I like to make decisions that'll slap me once not 60 months
>> you see what I'm saying so so when you have when you have debt you can't enjoy what you got on debt you got a couch on debt but every time you lay on that couch it's kicking you in the back of your because you keep having to pay for it, not once but over and over again. And the issue is this. The danger of debt is debt gives you the opportunity
>> to rob your financial future.
>> So when you have debt, here's what you said.
>> You said, "Hey, I'm going to be enslaved for 60 months." Which means the next 60 months debt is in your future before you even get there waiting on you.
>> Wow.
It's waiting on you. So when you get to 20, when you get two years from now, guess who waiting on you? Debt.
>> 3 YEARS FROM NOW, GUESS WHO'S WAITING ON YOU? DEBT.
>> 12 24 MONTHS FROM NOW, GUESS WHO'S WAITING ON YOU? DEBT. And now you can't get financially free and you can't even breathe. And now you're in a chokeold. AND NOW YOU GOT TO FIGHT. AND NOW YOU GOT TO EARN MORE. AND YOU GOT TO TWIST MONEY. YOU GOT TO ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL. BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT YOU BRING IN OR WHAT YOU MAKE, DEBT IS HANGING OVER YOUR HEAD CALLING YOU A SLAVE.
>> [cheering]
>> WOW.
>> Pastor Caseia, how do you know?
>> Because I lived it.
>> And I'll never live it again. The smartest thing I did was get debt free.
>> Yeah.
>> There is spiritual warfare and there's financial warfare. And I don't know which one worse.
>> I don't know.
>> Got rid of that debt. I can sleep at night.
>> I can sleep. Here's what the Bible I'm I'm going to show you the Bible on debt and then we're going to close right here. I preached too long. I'm sorry. Proverbs 6:3, it says, "So do this, my son to free yourself
>> since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands. You're in debt. Go to the point of exhaustion and give your neighbor no rest. Allow no sleep to your eyes, NO SLUMBER TO YOUR EYELIDS. FREE YOURSELF LIKE A GAZELLE FROM THE HANDS OF A HUNTER AND LIKE A BIRD FROM THE SNARE OF THE FOWLER.
>> THIS IS THE BIBLE'S EMPHASIS ON DEBT. IT IS SAYING DON'T DEBATE WITH DEBT. DON'T PLAY WITH DEBT. ATTACK DEBT. RUN INTO DEBT. HANDLE DEBT. ELIMINATE DEBT. KILL DEBT. FIGHT DEBT. WAGE WAR ON DEBT.
>> And debt is such a deceiver because you have debt. And because you can pay the minimum balance on your debt, YOU'RE STILL GETTING MORE STUFF WHEN YOU AIN'T PAY FOR THE LAST STUFF.
>> Some of you guys, if I ask you, "How much money do you got?" You like, "Oh, I got 30,000." Are you sure?
>> Because you got to add the debt to that 30,000. You may have negative 50,000.
>> You may be poorer than the person you stunting. Oh my god. [laughter]
>> THE BIBLE SAYS GAZELLE INTENSITY. WHEN YOU'RE GETTING OUT OF DEBT, YOU GOT TO HAVE GAZELLE INTENSITY. WHAT IS GAZELLE INTENSITY? DO YOU KNOW WHEN A GAZELLE is being hunted by a lion that when it's escaping a lion, it uses every ounce of his strength? Every ounce of his being, HIS HEART RATE SHOOTS up an unrealistic POINTS. THE THE HIS BODY HEAT GETS SO HOT THAT IT ALMOST BURNS his organs. DO YOU KNOW THAT HE IS INCHES AWAY FROM DEATH by the time he escaped the lion? THE BIBLE IS SAYING THAT'S HOW YOU GET AWAY FROM DEBT TO THE POINT OF EXHAUSTION TO WHERE YOUR HEART IS BEATING. DON'T WALK OUT OF DEBT. YOU RUN OUT OF DEBT. YOU FIGHT OUT OF DEBT. YOU CRAWL OUT OF DEBT. YOU GET OUT OF DEBT. [applause]
>> BECAUSE LIKE A LION, IT WILL DEVOUR YOU. IT WILL OVERTAKE YOU. IT WILL SUFFOCATE YOU.
>> And for years when I was in debt, took me a couple years to get out of it. The only thing I desired in life, me and my wife, we set up, and I give you guys more practicalities. We set up this system where we had this check marks, when something was paid off, we did the debt snowball. And and we we went from the smallest to the biggest. Every time we killed some in debt, we checked it. We killed some in debt, we checked it. I didn't want I didn't want anything. I [clears throat] didn't want no clothes. I didn't want a vacation. I WANTED NOTHING. I WANTED OUT OF DEBT. [screaming] so I can have financial freedom.
>> That's it.
>> And boy, when you get out of debt because you're stewarding right and you're managing right, your finances grow so fast. Your increase come so fast. Your money comes so quick. [applause] Just think of THE POWER YOU GOT A $60,000 CAR OVER SIX YEARS. WHAT would happen if you had no car and you was putting that into an investment over six years
>> or into a company over 6 years or just allowing it to go into a high yield savings account over six years at the very least you would see a return on investment. You would have a ton of money and a ton of capital. And this is why even the Lord asks us to tithe. He asks you the tithe because you should be able to.
>> You should be able to. We'll get into that more later. So, escape debt, fight debt, kill debt, stop borrowing. You don't need it. Stop. You don't need a $40,000 car. Get a $10,000 car. You don't need more debt BECAUSE THE BORROWER will always be a slave.
>> Wow, what a powerful message. We hope it blessed [music] you. Make sure to share with your friends, your family members, and your co-workers so that they can be blessed as well.