The ElephantThe Elephant

In My WalletIn My Wallet

Jesus has a PR problemJesus has a PR problem

Enslave?Enslave?

Jesus has a PR problemJesus has a PR problem

Enslave?Enslave?Or Set Free?Or Set Free?

Are you free?Are you free?

What determinesWhat determinesYour freedom?Your freedom?

““If you abide in If you abide in my word,my word, you are you are truly my truly my disciples,disciples, and you will and you will know the truth, know the truth, and the and the truth will set you free”truth will set you free”- John 8:31-32- John 8:31-32

Jesus= completely freeJesus= completely free

Free to care when hatedFree to care when hatedFree to speak difficult truthFree to speak difficult truthFree to hide without egoFree to hide without ego

Are you free?Are you free?

What determinesWhat determinesYour freedom?Your freedom?

Freedom has a costFreedom has a cost

Jesus' Blood= CrossJesus' Blood= CrossOur obedience to his WordOur obedience to his Word

Paradox: Involves SurrenderParadox: Involves Surrender

The things we hold tightestThe things we hold tightestEnslaves us mostEnslaves us most

Identity, Ego, ImageIdentity, Ego, Image

“But this is who I am…”“But this is who I am…”“If I’m not…then who am I?”“If I’m not…then who am I?”

“What will it do to “What will it do to How people perceive me?”How people perceive me?”

RelationshipRelationship

“I have to have her in my life…”“I have to have her in my life…”“I can fix it”“I can fix it”“I’m ruined because of it”“I’m ruined because of it”

Even our beliefs aboutEven our beliefs aboutHow things should beHow things should be

Based on what we’ve heardBased on what we’ve heardOr been taught by our cultureOr been taught by our cultureCan enslave usCan enslave us

"If I follow Jesus"If I follow JesusThings will get easier and easier"Things will get easier and easier"

The things we hold tightestThe things we hold tightestEnslaves us mostEnslaves us most

Jesus may be gentleJesus may be gentleBut he’s relentlessBut he’s relentless

In fighting for your joyIn fighting for your joyAnd your freedom in HimAnd your freedom in Him

Shift: Ownership of everythingShift: Ownership of everything

Biblical view of moneyBiblical view of moneyAnd the churchAnd the church

HUGE ElephantHUGE Elephant

"They just want my money""They just want my money"

"If you give, you'll get rich""If you give, you'll get rich"

"God wants us to prosper "God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of financially, to have plenty of

money, to fulfill the destiny he money, to fulfill the destiny he has laid out for us"has laid out for us"

- False Teacher- False Teacher

"There's just something about"There's just something about$1,000 that releases God's $1,000 that releases God's power to work in your life"power to work in your life"- False Teacher- False Teacher

"I have suffered the loss of all "I have suffered the loss of all things. And count them as things. And count them as

excrement. That I may excrement. That I may gain Christ"gain Christ"

- Paul, Philippians 3- Paul, Philippians 3

God wants you rich, so…God wants you rich, so…give! give! Other side…Other side…

We don't expect- or believe-We don't expect- or believe-God would be involved God would be involved In issues of moneyIn issues of money

God would never useGod would never useMy willingness to My willingness to

Release my hold and follow HimRelease my hold and follow Him

As a path to meeting my needsAs a path to meeting my needs

Assumption:Assumption:All of us All of us struggle with holdingstruggle with holdingTightly to moneyTightly to money

- Have it or don’t have it- Have it or don’t have it- Tithe or “from the heart”- Tithe or “from the heart”

Upset? Why?Upset? Why?

- No special offering- No special offering- No pledge statements- No pledge statements- No appeals for your money- No appeals for your money- The appeal is for your heart- The appeal is for your heart

The things we hold tightestThe things we hold tightestEnslaves us mostEnslaves us most

And it did back then, tooAnd it did back then, too

"Go and sell, give to the poor. "Go and sell, give to the poor. Come, follow me and you'll have Come, follow me and you'll have treasure in heaven"treasure in heaven"- Jesus- Jesus

Sad, downcast, depressedSad, downcast, depressed

Why, if he has all that money?Why, if he has all that money?Because it has him. Because it has him.

He's enslaved to the very thing He's enslaved to the very thing he thinks makes him freehe thinks makes him free

Jesus is relentlessJesus is relentless

In fighting for your joyIn fighting for your joyAnd you freedom in HimAnd you freedom in Him

Christ's words to youChrist's words to youAnd to meAnd to me

Do not lay up for yourselves Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where treasures on earth, where

moth and rust destroy moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and where thieves break in

and stealand steal

……but lay up for yourselves but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not and where thieves do not break in and stealbreak in and steal

"Make your treasure"Make your treasureSomething that will last"Something that will last"

For where your treasure is, For where your treasure is, there there your heart will be alsoyour heart will be also

Strange "eye" moment…Strange "eye" moment…

You cannot You cannot serveserve God God and moneyand money

ThereforeTherefore I tell you, I tell you, do not be do not be anxiousanxious

Jesus wants you freeJesus wants you free

ThereforeTherefore I tell you, I tell you, do not be do not be anxiousanxious about your life, what about your life, what

you will eat or what you will you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what drink, nor about your body, what

you will put on…you will put on…

If you stopped worrying about If you stopped worrying about money-related issues todaymoney-related issues today

How much more free How much more free Would you be?Would you be?

What did Jesus just say?What did Jesus just say?

ThereforeTherefore I tell you, I tell you, Don't be anxious Don't be anxious

The things we hold tightestThe things we hold tightestEnslaves us mostEnslaves us most

Jesus is relentlessJesus is relentless

In fighting for your joyIn fighting for your joyAnd freedom in HimAnd freedom in Him

But But seek first seek first the kingdom of the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and God and his righteousness, and

all these things all these things will be will be added to youadded to you

You cannot serve God and You cannot serve God and money…(so) money…(so) seek first…seek first…KingdomKingdom

When we really seek When we really seek God's Kingdom, money becomesGod's Kingdom, money becomesA stewardship, not a goalA stewardship, not a goal

Set free!Set free!

““ThereforeTherefore do not be anxious do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow about tomorrow, for tomorrow

will be anxious for itself. will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is Sufficient for the day is

its own troubleits own trouble- Matt. 6- Matt. 6

Lay up treasuresLay up treasuresYou can't serve God and moneyYou can't serve God and money

Instead, seek first his KingdomInstead, seek first his Kingdom

You do not have to worryYou do not have to worry

What does Jesus promise?What does Jesus promise?

What does Jesus promise?What does Jesus promise?Freedom from financial Freedom from financial worryworry

Anyone here Anyone here Experience that 24/7?Experience that 24/7?Why?Why?

The things we hold tightestThe things we hold tightestEnslaves us mostEnslaves us most

Same ContextSame ContextParallel PassageParallel Passage

- Luke 12- Luke 12

Someone in the crowd Someone in the crowd said to him, said to him,

“Teacher, tell my brother to “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me”divide the inheritance with me”

But he said to him, But he said to him,

“Man, who made me a judge “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?”or arbitrator over you?”

And he said to And he said to them,them, “Take care, “Take care, and be on your guard against all and be on your guard against all covetousness, for covetousness, for one's life does one's life does not consist in the abundance of not consist in the abundance of his possessions”his possessions”

Very different from: Very different from:

"God wants us to prosper "God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of financially, to have plenty of

money, to fulfill the destiny He money, to fulfill the destiny He has laid out for us"has laid out for us"

So God says, So God says,

"Let go of that excrement. And "Let go of that excrement. And pursue me instead. And quit pursue me instead. And quit worrying about it"worrying about it"

But is that it?But is that it?Is faith not tied to giving?Is faith not tied to giving?

Does God not lead?Does God not lead?

Does God not flex and blessDoes God not flex and blessAs we follow?As we follow?

"I am so THANKFUL right now! "I am so THANKFUL right now! After Michael's surgery (to the After Michael's surgery (to the

tune of $20,000) and paying tune of $20,000) and paying $2,000 out of pocket already, $2,000 out of pocket already,

we were left with a $3,000 bill we were left with a $3,000 bill (after both insurances)(after both insurances)

I filled out a charity care I filled out a charity care application and wrote an application and wrote an accompanying letter, accompanying letter, hoping to get a portion hoping to get a portion knocked offknocked off

I received a bill this weekend I received a bill this weekend stating we were past due and stating we were past due and

further lateness would further lateness would result in collectionsresult in collections

I called this morning to set up a I called this morning to set up a payment plan and they payment plan and they couldn't find the bill! couldn't find the bill!

I called the other numbers…I called the other numbers…

……and finally the last lady I spoke and finally the last lady I spoke to informed me the bill had to informed me the bill had

been covered 100% been covered 100% as of Fridayas of Friday

The most awesome part of this The most awesome part of this is that Friday I was debating is that Friday I was debating whether to write our tithe whether to write our tithe check for this week or hold check for this week or hold the money for a payment the money for a payment towards this debttowards this debt

I opted to write the check and I opted to write the check and prayed over the money and I prayed over the money and I

certainly got confirmation certainly got confirmation about it todayabout it today

……Now that is seeing your Now that is seeing your God show up y'all"God show up y'all"- Danielle- Danielle

Faithfulness came Faithfulness came BeforeBefore blessing blessingAnd And outside of a promiseoutside of a promiseOf specific blessingOf specific blessing

Anecdotal…Anecdotal…Does this follow scripture?Does this follow scripture?

Context= offering for the poorContext= offering for the poor

…whoever sows sparingly will …whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap sows bountifully will also reap bountifullybountifully

Just because it's misusedJust because it's misusedBy false teachers and charlatansBy false teachers and charlatans

Doesn't mean it's not trueDoesn't mean it's not true

When God leadsWhen God leads

Each one must give Each one must give as he has as he has decided in his heart,decided in his heart, notnot reluctantly or under compulsion, reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a for God loves a cheerful givercheerful giver

Giving is worshipGiving is worship

And God is able to make all grace And God is able to make all grace abound to you, abound to you, so that having all so that having all

sufficiencysufficiency in all things at all in all things at all times, times, you may abound in you may abound in

every good workevery good work

……You will be enriched in every You will be enriched in every way way to be generousto be generous in every in every way, which through us way, which through us will will produce thanksgivingproduce thanksgiving to Godto God- 2 Cor. 9- 2 Cor. 9

Danielle trusted GodDanielle trusted GodWhen it made no senseWhen it made no sense

And it welled up into praiseAnd it welled up into praiseOn her behalf and a witnessOn her behalf and a witness

On her Facebook wallOn her Facebook wall

Philippians- contentmentPhilippians- contentment

Not that I seek the gift, but I seek Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases the fruit that increases to your to your credit…credit…

And my God And my God will supply every will supply every need of yours need of yours according to according to

his riches in glory in his riches in glory in Christ JesusChrist Jesus

- Philippians 4- Philippians 4Context: Spirit-led GivingContext: Spirit-led Giving

……your partnership in the gospel… your partnership in the gospel… he who began a good work in he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christat the day of Jesus Christ- Philippians 1- Philippians 1Context: Spirit-led GivingContext: Spirit-led Giving

What does God promise?What does God promise?

God will supply as I giveGod will supply as I giveSo that I can continue to serveSo that I can continue to serve

I will grow and produce fruitI will grow and produce fruitAnd he will be glorifiedAnd he will be glorified

I will not "release my faith"I will not "release my faith"And "claim my harvest"And "claim my harvest"

But I'll follow by faithBut I'll follow by faithAnd see him set me freeAnd see him set me freeTo trust him moreTo trust him more

How do I feel right now?How do I feel right now?

That which we hold tightestThat which we hold tightestEnslaves us mostEnslaves us most

PrayPray

- Am I holding tightly to money?- Am I holding tightly to money?- Am I trusting it as my security?- Am I trusting it as my security?- What do You want me to do?- What do You want me to do?- How do I step out in faith, God?- How do I step out in faith, God?

As a churchAs a churchWe will make a differenceWe will make a difference

Around the worldAround the worldAnd in our Valley for JesusAnd in our Valley for Jesus

By giving away what By giving away what Belongs to JesusBelongs to Jesus

Because Jesus wants us freeBecause Jesus wants us free

Q and AQ and A

Food Fill-UpFood Fill-Up

BaptismBaptism

LeadershipLeadership

Sept. 28Sept. 28

How Many Services?How Many Services?How Soon?How Soon?

Charlotte Bike TripCharlotte Bike Trip

Saturday, Sept. 20Saturday, Sept. 20

Craft BazaarCraft Bazaar

Guest CardsGuest Cards