Why Better Things Don't Always Make Things Better, Part 2

Dave Deway: Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram.
Chip Ingram: What does God think about money? Better, what does God think about the amount of money that you have? I mean, how much is enough? Is God down on people with money? Is being poor a curse? Is being wealthy a blessing? How does it all really work? If you want to understand what Scripture says about you and money, and you might be surprised at the answer, stay with me.
Dave Deway: Hello, I'm Dave Deway and this is Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. Recently in our series called Building Authentic Community, Chip warned us about four wrong ways to handle money straight from James chapter 5. Today he flips it around and gives us four positive practical commands for using the wealth God has entrusted to us and shows us why God is looking for people who will be rivers instead of reservoirs. Remember, you can always revisit these messages anytime at livingontheedge org. Well, now here's Chip with today's message titled Why Better Things Don't Always Make Things Better.
Chip Ingram: Let me give you four commands right out of Scripture on the right uses of wealth. So when we walk out of here, instead of feeling lonely and bad and guilty about our wealth, we can say, hey, here's a practical systematic way that we can use the God-given wealth for good. So with that, are you ready to roll? Good. Command number one is save it faithfully. Although hoarding is condemned, God does say that wisdom demands that we plan for the future with our excess wealth. Notice what it says in Proverbs 21 20. The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets. Biblical savings is about stewardship, not about security. Do you see the difference? The second positive way to use your wealth is make it honestly. This is how we're supposed to gain wealth. Notice what it says. Work brings profit. Talk brings poverty. We're to work hard instead of steal it. Notice work hard instead of the get-rich-quick schemes. Proverbs 13 11. It's not in your notes, but you might want to jot that down. It says wealth from gambling or the idea of getting rich quickly disappears, but wealth from hard work grows. Or the classic New Testament passage in is Ephesians 4 28. Let him who steals, literally it's happening in the church. The grammar here is literally stop stealing. Let him who steals steal no longer, but rather what? Let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good in order that he may have something to share with him who has need. Work hard but wisely. I love Proverbs 23 4. It says don't wear yourself out to get rich. Have the wisdom to show restraint. Work hard. That's how you gain it. You know, I know when you can't sleep, it's now 3 33 in the morning. You're now thinking what a terrible day it's going to be and maybe I could watch some mindless thing on TV. It'll help me sleep. And so you turn on the TV. The quality program between about 2 30 in the morning to 5 will blow your mind. And what is it? With no money down, I'll show you how to buy real estate like you've never dreamed, right? Or for 19 99 seven payments of 19 99, this book has the magic formula where you can be a millionaire. And then they have these guys with all these testimonies. And I love the guy the one guy, you know, he's in the boat with all the babes and the bikinis in the back on, hey man, I'll tell you what I did. I went to this course and what is it? It's a lie. It's just a lie. There are no quick fixes. God says there's nothing wrong with wealth. In fact, God says he gives wealth to the godly and he adds no sorrow to it. He says try this. Just work for it. Quit quit quit trying to get I I don't know how many believers, even Christian organizations, about 10 12 years ago, a Ponzi scheme soaked tens of millions of dollars promising if it sounds too good to be true, just take it. It's too good to be true. People who promise 20% return and this return and that return, something smells. Don't go there. There is no free lunch. Work hard. Save it. Make it honestly. And before I get to the next one, I I want to ask you a question because this is always lingering in the back of people's minds. People ask me, so how much money can a godly person make? I have an answer. Now this is Chip Ingram. We were in James before. You're going to get Chip Ingram so you can say I like this, I don't like this. I'll weigh it. My answer, as much as you want. Of course, there's an end to it, you know. You ready? That's not the whole answer. As much as you want, as long it doesn't hurt your health, your family, others. And then here's the key test. As long as your spiritual growth is outpacing your financial growth. That's the test. Cuz money will always reveal your heart. You can make as much money as you want as long as your spiritual growth is outpacing your financial growth. I think God is looking for people that he can trust great amounts of wealth too and they're few and far in between. People who as one guy says, can't remember who it was, God is looking for people that will be rivers instead of reservoirs. People that he can put it in here and it loosely will go through and make it to lots of other people and do lots of good instead of going to something where it all gets accumulated. Wealth is not a bad thing. Wealth can be a great thing, but I would suggest it's a dangerous thing. I don't think we take that seriously. Mark chapter 4 when Jesus talks about the four seeds that go into the ground. You remember seed number one, Satan takes away. Seed number two, persecution. Do you remember what seed number three is? The worries of the world, the thorns, the deceitfulness of riches choke out the word of God. It is so hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God because rich people, that's us, don't recognize our desperate dependency. Poor people are rich in faith because they pray and expect and ask because they desperately need God. When you have enough wealth to take care of yourself, you have to willfully be dependent. And the thing about wealth is it is deceitful. And the definition of deceitful is when it is affecting you, the person who doesn't know it is you, right? I mean, when you're deceived, it's like you think things are going right. I'm really walking with the Lord. Everything's fine and I feel good and when I sing those songs, I have happy feelings in my heart. I'm actually reading my Bible. I'm serving at my church. Let me tell you, God's going to say let me see your daytimer and let me see your financial statement and I'll tell you how you're doing with me. Because according to Jesus, if you want to see a person's heart, his spiritual X-ray machine, the spiritual MRI is your financial statement. Because according to Jesus, there's here's your heart and there is a chain and the chain is connected to your wallet. And wherever your wallet is, that's where your heart follows. And if we want to know where your heart really is, what you know, what are you passionate about? All we got to do is look at where your money goes. If it's to golf clubs, vacations, remodeling, this this this this, you can love God, sing hymns, read your Bible, serve in your church, but your heart is in those things. If your money is toward kingdom purposes, being generous to people after taking care of your responsibilities, then your heart is about an eternal perspective in loving God. It is that simple. And so you can have as much money as you want, but just make sure that your spiritual growth outpaces your financial growth. Notice number three. Spend it wisely. Save it. Work for it. Spend it wisely. Notice what it says in 1 Timothy 6 17 and 18. Command those who are rich in this present world, that's us, not to be arrogant or put their hope in wealth. Why? See the it's God's not done on us. Why? Which is so uncertain. God doesn't want you to put your hopes in something that today is, you know, getting $55 a share and tomorrow is going to get $2 a share and bang, you're gone. He says don't don't don't don't have them do that which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God who does what? Richly provides us, circle the world with everything. Circle that phrase. Who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Will you circle that word too? God provides us with everything. Then command them to what? To do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. The reminder is 100% of it belongs to God and it's not just the part you give. People people I know people say I'm going to tithe and here's God's part. There's the 10%. If you're a tither, here's just a little eye-opening moment. The 10% is his and it belongs to him and the 90% is his and belongs to him. And I will be evaluated for the 10% or the 12% or the 20% or whatever God leaves me to. And I'll also be evaluated what do I do with the 90%? Am I a wise steward of it? See, it's not mine. I'm his money manager. I mean, read Luke 16. When Jesus wanted to teach, he talked about the unrighteous shrewd servant. And he says this guy was really smart because he understood he was going to lose his job and so he's going to lose his job. He brought in all the creditors and he changed all the books. Why? Do you remember he said Jesus said this guy is shrewd. He took a bad example and made a good moral principle, a spiritual principle. This guy understood that his present situation was going to dry up so he used his present position platform and money to create an avenue so that when that dried up, he would have friends who would receive him. And Jesus says that the children of the darkness are more shrewd than the children of the light. He says what smart Christians do, what smart Christians realize is this money, this world is going to dry up. It's like Confederate money. I mean, you know, when when the Union came, you could have all those Confederate dollars. You just couldn't spend them. All the dollars that you have, you can't spend in heaven. So you take the money that you have and you realize it's going to be a short time and you take the money and you leverage it into the future so that what did Jesus say? You'll be welcome into eternal dwellings by people who say man, I was one of those hurricane victims. Thank you so much. You gave 10 grand and it helped this church and shared the Gospel and I heard from these angels that you were behind it. I wanted to thank you. And people line up in heaven and talk to you about how you transformed their life. And someone from Kenya comes up and someone from Australia comes up and someone you know, man, thank you so much because you gave to that mission and this is and I'm here because of that's the point. And so but notice the balance here. He says not only is it about good deeds and giving richly, command them to do good. 100% belongs to God. We're going to be stewards of it, but there's this amazing balance. This is why we people can't tell us what to do with our money. There's this amazing balance. Doesn't it say who gives us all things richly to enjoy?
Dave Deway: You're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram and we'll get back to today's message in just a moment. Did you know Chip isn't just on the radio? He's on YouTube too. Just search Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram and hit subscribe. You'll find full length video teaching from Chip on marriage, parenting, leadership, and a whole lot more. Ready to watch whenever it fits your schedule. It's also a great way to share a message with a friend who needs it. All right, now back to our message.
Chip Ingram: I think there should be tension in every believer's heart when it comes to money. And the tension ought to be how can I be radically sacrificial and at the same time radically and deeply enjoy without guilt the good gifts of God. When I talk to most Christians who have a nice car, you know, well, I got it on sale and you know, it's because you know, I I help out at the church with funerals or we have the swimming pool and I know this is really nice. I also swimming pool for baptisms. It was we would put it in for for baptisms. How about the good hand of my God has been upon me and he's lavished his grace upon me. I can't give it away fast enough. I have a beautiful home. I have a nice car. I'm able to enjoy these rich gifts from a from a God and I remember when I was a young man, I started out at 10 % and then as when I got older, it was 20 % and as God has blessed my business, I I have a I have a a personal friend that after his 21st birthday, he started giving one more % every year to the Lord. A minimum of that. He's been married 55 years now. You do the math. But but guess you know, something happened. God found a river. So he probably gives up 75 85% of his income, but he owns real estate all over Michigan, Florida, everywhere. See, when when God finds someone like that, he he just he just delights. God is not uptight with people being wealthy. God's uptight with people thinking wealth makes you significant, will bring security, will give you power, makes you a someone. And when they waste it and abuse it and don't use it the way he wants them to, I think God wants probably more people to be wealthy if he could entrust it where it wouldn't literally choke out the spiritual life in their heart. Takes huge maturity to be wealthy, huge maturity. But I think we have to balance the sacrificial with what what's the passage say? Who gives us all thing richly to feel guilty about? Doesn't it say who gives us all thing richly to enjoy? Enjoy. My priority's in line. I've prayed. My bills are paid. I have saved for an emergency fund. I'm putting away X amount of dollars for my retirement and I've done the math and I'm I'm not going to have a big you know, the goal is when I retire, I'll have for this many years and then I 've got it all planned out so that that money will be dispersed to good places, to good people that does a lot of good and I won't ruin my kids. And by the way, I 'm taking steps of increasing faith. I proportionally give and this year we're going to give a little more and this year we'll give a little more, this year we'll give a little more, and I 'm going to test God. And as you do that, here's what happens. He just keeps he just keeps doing wild stuff like giving you more. And so he says save it. He says earn it with hard work. He says spend it wisely. And then finally we've touched on it. He says give it. Give it generously. Proverbs 11 says one man gives freely. You know, he's generous, yet gains even more. Another withholds unduly or literally what is justly do but comes to poverty. I love this verse 25 of Proverbs 11. A generous man will prosper and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. The Bible is clear on money and the Bible is clear on giving. And you know why? Is because option A, Jesus is the Lord of my life. Option B, mammon or materialism and all that it represents is the Lord of my life and I can't have two masters. It's either this one or that one. There's no middle ground. And the antidote according to Jesus, Jesus talked more about money than heaven and hell combined. And the antidote to greed according to Jesus is to be generous. The only way it won't stick to you is if you give it away. And so he says be generous. It's the antidote to greed. It's the only way to live under the lordship of Christ. I mean, you work work work all these hours, right? You get a paycheck. That paycheck represents who you are, what you've done, is who you are and what you've done under the lordship of Christ. It all belongs to you. So I take the first portion off the top and I say this is a reminder. It's all yours and I give and then I do all the things I 'm supposed to do and then I look for opportunities to say, okay, now I would like to give more because I love you. Not duty, not guilt. Lord, I love you. What what you've given me everything. I I want to help people. I I want to care. I just I'm only going to go around once and and whatever I can accumulate. The lie is X amount of dollars and X amount of accounts and X amount of things don't make me powerful. They don't make me significant and they don't make me secure. God says, you know something, money can't deliver. That's the lie. I'm your source. Jesus said it's more blessed to give than to receive. Giving is God's divine vehicle to protect my heart. It's his divine means to crush greed and the thorns that will choke out the spiritual life. And it is his means for every believer to support his church to accomplish his mission in the world. And he says you get to be in on an eternal investment as you learn to give and to give generously. Jesus said blessed. The word means happy, fulfilled, significance, security, joyful comes more in giving than in accumulating or receiving. And I'd like to wrap it up with a question and the question would be this one. The first one was if I had more money, I'd be more happy. And pragmatically our lifestyles say true. But the Bible says is false. In fact, pragmatically if you do research, have you read any of those books about following the lives of people who won the lotto? Oh my. It's like one thing you don't want, don't win the lotto unless you want to divorce and have all kind of relational problems and struggle probably for the rest of your life. That was the first question. Here's the last question. If I gave away more money, I would be more happy. True or false? It's true. Wouldn't it be just an amazing application if we we just all you think it just the you know, what if we all said, you know, let's just start giving away more money. Let's just let's just start giving away more. Let's just love people. Let's get radical. Just just kind of start giving it away and kind of incrementally and see what God will do and if he you know, if he gives you more then give a little bit more and what wouldn't it be amazing thing? Here's what I'll tell you will happen in your heart. The happiness that you think, the clothes, the car, the watch, all the advertisement that tell you that makes you somebody, you start giving your money, your time, your heart, your energy. You'd just be about the happiest person. It'll just get sickening. I mean, I'm serious. The given will be given unto you isn't just about dollars. It's a lifestyle of generosity. It's a lifestyle of walking into a room, walking into a situation and asking the question, what could I give instead of what do I need? And those kind of people are the kind of people that I line up to try and get time with just to be around, don't you? And you know what? Most of us, you know, if you want a you want a friend, give friendship. You want more time, give time away. There's an axiomatic principle of the kingdom. Whatever you really need, generously give it to others and it will come back good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over back into your lap. The empirical evidence here is very very clear that more things and better things don't make us happy and that money always reveals our heart. And then here's the summary. Until you get your financial house in order, your relational life will always be in chaos. Until you get your financial house in order, your relational life will always be in chaos. And so ask yourself, am I saving faithfully? Am I earning honestly? Am I spending wisely? Am I giving generously? And if so, high five the Lord, thank him for what he's taught you. And if not, just choose one of those and say, Lord, I'd like to obey you in this. And he will give you grace like never before.
Dave Deway: You're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. And the message titled Why Better Things Don't Always Make Things Better. You can revisit today's lesson and find more of our current series called Building Authentic Community by going online to livingontheedge org. Know someone who's wrestling with money or always chasing more? Well, share today's lesson with them from the Living on the Edge podcast. And for encouragement all week long, follow Living on the Edge on Facebook and Instagram. You know, money always follows the heart and a heart that's decided to love will always find a way to give. That's the message of Chip's book, I Choose Love. Chip makes the case that real biblical love isn't a feeling you wait around for. It's a daily decision to give, to serve, and to put somebody else's best interest ahead of your own comfort. Here's an idea to get that started. Get a copy of Chip's book for yourself and a second copy for someone else in your life and invite them to read it with you. You can get your copies of I Choose Love at a special price online at livingontheedge org offers. Chip said today that giving is God's divine way of protecting our hearts and it's also how this ministry reaches the next person who needs to hear the truth. If you'd like to be a river instead of a reservoir, we invite you to give today. A gift of any size helps carry practical biblical teaching into homes, cars, and workplaces all across the country. Give online at livingontheedge org or call us at 888 333 6003. You can also give through the mail by writing to us at Living on the Edge PO Box 3007 Suwanee, Georgia 30024. Well, now here's Chip Ingram.
Chip Ingram: At the end of today's broadcast, I made a statement and I hope you caught it, but I want to repeat it. Until you get your financial house in order, your relational life will always be in chaos. And you say, well, what do you mean your financial house in order? I mean what the passage said. I mean you save it faithfully and regularly. You earn it honestly. You spend it wisely and you give it generously. Is that true of your life? If you're not doing that, I will tell you as a single person, you will have ups and downs and relational chaos because those things are reflectors of values out of whack. If you're not doing that, I can almost predict what's happening in certain areas of your marriage and how some of your kids are turning out. They need to learn how to save, how to work, how to give. And they will learn that not so much from books, but from by watching you. Two great misconceptions exist in the church today. There are those who would say that abject poverty and having nothing makes you spiritual and the Bible doesn't teach that. And the other extreme is that if you love God and can think in certain ways and kind of believe things into existence that spirituality will be demonstrated by financial prosperity with the false belief, with the lie that somehow more money is going to make your life right. The richest people on the face of the earth have the greatest relational problems because it impacts their relationships in ways that most of us cannot even imagine. So if you want to have great relationships, it's hard, but get your financial house in order.
Dave Deway: Next time Chip exposes the fifth and final lie in this part of our series you don't want to miss. That's next time on Living on the Edge. Today's program is produced and sponsored by Living on the Edge.