Ken Currie on $

Ken Currie gave the talk about money at the March 27th Senior Connection.  He provided very helpful perspective and his notes are below.

“Finances”

1.  Reality

You are likely to make more money in the coming year than you have ever made in your life.

Jesus talked more about money than he did about hell

2.  Bad news:

Money will continue to tug at your heart, seeking to deceive you that you never quite have enough, that it can give you security in this life and even joy in itself.

Money will be one of your life’s companions. From school loans to cars, housing, health care costs, leisure activities, gadgets, food, weddings, and then children and their needs, inflation, retirement, insurance, vacations, rent or own, buy new or used, high or low quality, and on and on. Like a spoiled child it will demand that you pay attention to it. If you don’t it will cause everything from anxiousness to all out panic. If you let it (or, rather, the desire for it within you) it will dominate your mind and heart and you will be all but unable (w/o God’s grace) to break free from your love of it. Virtually every relationship will be impacted by money. Yes, including and especially those you are closest to.

Money will limit your friendships. You will be unlikely to build deep significant friendships outside the socio economic strata that you occupy. Lack of money will threaten to stress the faith out of you. Abundance of money will threaten to numb the faith out of you.

3.  Good news: There’s no money in heaven, there is no need for currency

4. Scriptures relating to $

Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. 5 When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.  Prov. 23:4-5

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust [5] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matt 6:19 – 21

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. Eccl 5:10

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Mt. 6:24

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. I Tim. 6:10

For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy..II Tim. 3:2
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Heb. 13:5

5.  Theological Perspective

Stewardship – not abject poverty or affluence

Everything is God’s. All physical possessions. Every enjoyable relationship and experience.

The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, Ps. 24:1

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Cor. 6:19-20

Life is a vapor

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Cor. 9:7 – poor, missions

“War time mentality”

Debt - a great tool with great danger

“Buy what you can afford” video

The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender. Prv. 22:7

Debt and You

You are the only person who will think for your good regarding debt. Do not trust in the lending companies. They are in business to make money off of you, not for your good

You are spending tomorrow’s income. When you get to ‘tomorrow’ it won’t be there for you will have already spent it. Be careful!

You are committing to paying more than the value of the item because of interest. Not only will the money not be there in the future (you have already spent it) but you will pay extra

Be VERY CAREFUL about using debt to purchase depreciating assets. Not only are you spending tomorrow’s money and you are spending extra (interest) the assest will be worth less when you get there

When possible use savings to make interest work for you.

6.  In Summary

Answer to Money Struggles: The Gospel

Usually rooted in a bigger issue:

1.  Trusting God and His best for you.

2.  Comparison

3. Validation to others (family, friends, phantoms)