WEBVTT 00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:14.179 Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:17.960 One of the biggest problems and sources of our 00:00:17.960 --> 00:00:20.760 biggest arguments in our marriage was about our 00:00:20.760 --> 00:00:24.320 finances. We just couldn't get on the same page 00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:26.899 when it came to money and budget and where it 00:00:26.899 --> 00:00:29.940 went. Do you have some financial struggles with 00:00:29.940 --> 00:00:32.759 your mate and want some help? Well, if that's 00:00:32.759 --> 00:00:37.039 you, stay with us. That's today. Welcome to Living 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:39.960 on the Edge. I'm Dave Drewy. And today, Chip 00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:42.259 Ingram tackles the number one source of conflict 00:00:42.259 --> 00:00:45.859 and divorce in America, money. But here's what 00:00:45.859 --> 00:00:49.000 most couples miss. Financial problems are rarely 00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:52.060 about the money itself. They're symptoms of deeper 00:00:52.060 --> 00:00:55.060 issues, different values, different priorities, 00:00:55.280 --> 00:00:58.179 different backgrounds. In our series, Choosing 00:00:58.179 --> 00:01:01.689 Love, Chip returns to Colossians Chapter 3. to 00:01:01.689 --> 00:01:04.329 show how biblical principles transform not just 00:01:04.329 --> 00:01:07.390 how we handle conflict, but how we steward everything 00:01:07.390 --> 00:01:10.870 God has entrusted to us. Here's Chip Ingram with 00:01:10.870 --> 00:01:13.790 today's teaching, Managing Your Finances Together. 00:01:14.370 --> 00:01:16.829 If you'll pull out your notes, skill number four 00:01:16.829 --> 00:01:20.370 is how to biblically manage your finances together. 00:01:21.230 --> 00:01:23.810 The number one source of conflict and divorce 00:01:23.810 --> 00:01:27.590 in America is issues and problems around money. 00:01:28.189 --> 00:01:30.069 And really, it's the symptom, as we learned. 00:01:30.129 --> 00:01:31.909 It's different values, different priorities, 00:01:32.129 --> 00:01:35.049 different styles. Almost every marriage has a 00:01:35.049 --> 00:01:38.150 spender and a saver. Different family backgrounds, 00:01:38.269 --> 00:01:42.170 your whole view of money, wealth, spending, saving, 00:01:42.390 --> 00:01:46.629 investing, risk. You grew up in a family, and 00:01:46.629 --> 00:01:50.349 it's in your thinking, it's in your nerves, and 00:01:50.349 --> 00:01:53.329 you just have preconceived ideas about those 00:01:53.329 --> 00:01:56.430 things. And then some of you, because of circumstance 00:01:56.430 --> 00:01:59.780 or situations, entered your marriage with debt 00:01:59.780 --> 00:02:03.120 or challenges or have had huge hardships that 00:02:03.120 --> 00:02:05.700 have created financial problems. All I'm saying 00:02:05.700 --> 00:02:08.020 is all that does is this, it creates incredible 00:02:08.020 --> 00:02:12.639 pressure. Just incredible pressure. And incredible 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:17.500 pressure brings things to the surface where because 00:02:17.500 --> 00:02:20.159 we're human, we figure out primarily how to blame 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:23.240 the other person. Okay, you still have your passage? 00:02:23.500 --> 00:02:27.900 We're still in Colossians 3, 12 through, 17. 00:02:28.580 --> 00:02:31.219 So in context here, it says, as those have been 00:02:31.219 --> 00:02:33.759 chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:36.460 of compassion, kindness, humility, patience, 00:02:36.759 --> 00:02:39.800 bearing with one another and forgiving each other, 00:02:39.860 --> 00:02:42.360 whoever has a complaint against anyone, just 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:44.900 as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 00:02:45.139 --> 00:02:47.419 Beyond all these things, put on love, which is 00:02:47.419 --> 00:02:49.759 the perfect bond of unity, and let the peace 00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:52.319 of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed 00:02:52.319 --> 00:02:54.759 you were called into one body, and be thankful. 00:02:55.400 --> 00:02:58.099 The very first line says, this is how God sees 00:02:58.099 --> 00:03:01.340 you. This is who you are. What I just read after 00:03:01.340 --> 00:03:04.479 that is this is what we're to do in our relationships. 00:03:04.860 --> 00:03:08.900 And then notice verse 16 is a resource. Let the 00:03:08.900 --> 00:03:12.560 word of Christ richly dwell within you. How? 00:03:12.780 --> 00:03:15.319 With all wisdom. That means at the right time, 00:03:15.319 --> 00:03:17.680 at the right way, sharing it for the right purposes, 00:03:17.919 --> 00:03:21.159 teaching and admonishing one another. Well, how? 00:03:21.240 --> 00:03:24.800 With truth. Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, and 00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:27.080 then this idea of regardless of our circumstance, 00:03:27.400 --> 00:03:29.919 singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:35.039 And then in verse 17, he's going to say, this 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:38.840 is how I want you to behave. Whatever you do 00:03:38.840 --> 00:03:42.780 in word or deed. Now just pause for a moment. 00:03:43.199 --> 00:03:45.879 Can you think of anything that's outside of word 00:03:45.879 --> 00:03:54.750 or deed? Thought. That's good. Whatever you do 00:03:54.750 --> 00:03:57.590 in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord 00:03:57.590 --> 00:04:00.310 Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. 00:04:01.650 --> 00:04:04.449 The command here is that all of our words and 00:04:04.449 --> 00:04:07.030 all of our actions are be done in Jesus' name. 00:04:07.729 --> 00:04:10.090 And in Jesus' name simply means two things. It 00:04:10.090 --> 00:04:12.849 means you do it as a representative of him. So 00:04:12.849 --> 00:04:17.769 I'm speaking or I'm behaving or I'm acting as 00:04:17.769 --> 00:04:20.819 his representative. And it also has the idea 00:04:20.819 --> 00:04:24.240 of being empowered by him to speak whatever he 00:04:24.240 --> 00:04:26.319 wants you to speak or to do whatever he wants 00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:31.040 you to do. The two most accurate mirrors of our 00:04:31.040 --> 00:04:34.560 heart and our lives are our words and our money. 00:04:36.199 --> 00:04:38.120 The good man out of the good treasure of his 00:04:38.120 --> 00:04:42.199 heart, Jesus said in Luke 6, verse 45, brings 00:04:42.199 --> 00:04:44.839 forth what is good and the evil man or the evil 00:04:44.839 --> 00:04:48.870 woman. Out of the evil treasure brings forth 00:04:48.870 --> 00:04:51.670 what is evil, for the mouth speaks from that 00:04:51.670 --> 00:04:55.209 which fills the heart. If you ever want to know 00:04:55.209 --> 00:05:00.670 where you're at, the MRI of your soul. I mean, 00:05:00.689 --> 00:05:03.050 I can intend, I can think, I can lift my hands, 00:05:03.149 --> 00:05:06.970 I can sing, I can say I love God, but my words, 00:05:07.110 --> 00:05:12.750 my words reveal what's really in my heart. And 00:05:12.750 --> 00:05:16.379 that's why our speech is so important. Anytime 00:05:16.379 --> 00:05:19.339 that's true, the other thing is your words, you 00:05:19.339 --> 00:05:22.980 can go into training so that you deal with issues 00:05:22.980 --> 00:05:25.379 so that what comes out of your mouth reveals 00:05:25.379 --> 00:05:28.660 what you want to be in your heart. The second 00:05:28.660 --> 00:05:32.939 greatest revealer is our money. Jesus said, do 00:05:32.939 --> 00:05:35.759 not store up yourself, underline in your notes 00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:39.139 if you would, for yourself, treasures on earth 00:05:39.139 --> 00:05:42.259 where moth and rust destroy and where thieves 00:05:42.259 --> 00:05:45.689 break in and steal. Why? Why would he say that? 00:05:46.490 --> 00:05:48.389 He doesn't want you to have nice things. He wants 00:05:48.389 --> 00:05:50.430 to keep something from you. What's true about 00:05:50.430 --> 00:05:54.689 moth, rust, and thieves? They can take it away. 00:05:55.250 --> 00:05:59.470 In other words, it's vulnerable. But store up, 00:05:59.490 --> 00:06:01.490 now underline again, will you? For yourself. 00:06:01.829 --> 00:06:05.470 This is for your benefit. Treasures in heaven 00:06:05.470 --> 00:06:09.350 where neither moth nor rust can destroy and where 00:06:09.350 --> 00:06:12.050 thieves do not break in. And then here's the 00:06:12.050 --> 00:06:15.069 purpose clause. Why? For where your treasure 00:06:15.069 --> 00:06:19.750 is, there your heart will be also. Wherever, 00:06:19.850 --> 00:06:23.649 if you want to know, I mean, if you really wanted 00:06:23.649 --> 00:06:26.449 to know, Lord, how am I really doing? From heaven, 00:06:26.610 --> 00:06:29.649 all pretense, what anyone else thinks, in my 00:06:29.649 --> 00:06:32.970 own denial, in the deceitfulness of my own heart, 00:06:33.029 --> 00:06:35.870 if I really wanted to know, where am I really 00:06:35.870 --> 00:06:38.569 at? If I took a tape recorder and listened to 00:06:38.569 --> 00:06:40.750 my words for a week and then sat down and listened 00:06:40.750 --> 00:06:44.319 to it. the tone of voice, the anger, the sarcasm, 00:06:44.379 --> 00:06:47.800 the hurt, the swearing, the thanks, the praise, 00:06:47.899 --> 00:06:51.060 I would get a really good idea of what's in my 00:06:51.060 --> 00:06:54.560 heart. That would be a pretty challenging thing 00:06:54.560 --> 00:07:00.060 to do. A little bit easier way, if you would 00:07:00.060 --> 00:07:02.860 take all your financial statements, all your 00:07:02.860 --> 00:07:05.720 credit cards, and see where all your money was 00:07:05.720 --> 00:07:07.879 spent in the last year or two years or three 00:07:07.879 --> 00:07:11.139 years or four years. What you saved and why you 00:07:11.139 --> 00:07:14.079 saved it and where you gave money, both formally 00:07:14.079 --> 00:07:16.560 and informally, it would tell you more about 00:07:16.560 --> 00:07:20.019 your life than almost anything you can imagine. 00:07:20.939 --> 00:07:25.860 Because wherever your treasure is, that's where 00:07:25.860 --> 00:07:29.839 your heart really is. That's why Jesus talked 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:31.779 more about money than heaven and hell combined. 00:07:32.680 --> 00:07:36.259 He doesn't need or want our money. In fact, I 00:07:36.259 --> 00:07:39.680 bet I was a pastor for 10 years. And I thought 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:43.040 life was like this. There's Jesus, right? There's 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:45.800 the Godhead, and then there's the enemy, Satan. 00:07:47.300 --> 00:07:50.399 That's not what the Bible teaches. Jesus says 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:54.879 there's two gods. There's God, and there's mammon. 00:07:56.300 --> 00:07:59.180 Wealth, greed. Money promises to do everything. 00:07:59.319 --> 00:08:02.759 Money promises to protect, provide, make you 00:08:02.759 --> 00:08:06.639 a someone. Jesus said... This is one God. This 00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:09.399 is the other God. Satan is just the enemy to 00:08:09.399 --> 00:08:12.759 get you to believe that that will deliver. And 00:08:12.759 --> 00:08:15.480 the world system is created to tell you your 00:08:15.480 --> 00:08:18.180 possessions, your power, your fame, what you 00:08:18.180 --> 00:08:21.000 can buy, what people think. That makes you a 00:08:21.000 --> 00:08:25.939 somebody. So Jesus says money isn't neutral. 00:08:27.420 --> 00:08:31.680 He says it's powerful. It's deceptive. It's not 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:34.740 bad in and of itself, but it's the other God. 00:08:36.120 --> 00:08:39.820 And so if you want to know what's going on in 00:08:39.820 --> 00:08:41.940 your life or if you want to direct your life, 00:08:42.139 --> 00:08:48.019 money is a revealer. Let me give you a very brief 00:08:48.019 --> 00:08:51.480 overview of biblical finances. And I mean, I'm 00:08:51.480 --> 00:08:53.539 going to go really quick. And I'm only going 00:08:53.539 --> 00:08:55.799 to give this because this is the context in which 00:08:55.799 --> 00:08:58.559 I'm speaking. And it's the context, in my experience, 00:08:58.600 --> 00:09:01.549 most Christians don't have. Money is sort of 00:09:01.549 --> 00:09:03.730 like a side thing over here. It's a problem to 00:09:03.730 --> 00:09:06.590 deal with. It's like, you know, we know we need 00:09:06.590 --> 00:09:09.549 some money or the matter of giving is sort of 00:09:09.549 --> 00:09:11.149 like, well, maybe there's some law and, you know, 00:09:11.190 --> 00:09:13.990 I'm supposed to give 10 % and either begrudgingly 00:09:13.990 --> 00:09:15.830 or semi -begrudgingly, it's like paying a bill 00:09:15.830 --> 00:09:17.870 and I should do that because I was taught to. 00:09:17.990 --> 00:09:21.230 And the whole teaching of generosity in your 00:09:21.230 --> 00:09:23.850 heart and the purpose and how money fits into 00:09:23.850 --> 00:09:26.450 the development of your spiritual life in my 00:09:26.450 --> 00:09:29.009 experience is often missed. So what the Bible 00:09:29.009 --> 00:09:32.169 teaches, and I mean quick overview, is that God 00:09:32.169 --> 00:09:36.950 owns it all. The earth is mine, Psalm 50. And 00:09:36.950 --> 00:09:38.809 the fullness thereof, every good and perfect 00:09:38.809 --> 00:09:41.889 gift, James, comes from God. Second, we're stewards, 00:09:41.909 --> 00:09:44.730 managers, and trustees, Luke 16. You don't own 00:09:44.730 --> 00:09:47.029 anything. You don't have a car. You don't have 00:09:47.029 --> 00:09:49.750 a home. You don't have any investments. You don't 00:09:49.750 --> 00:09:53.230 own anything. It's 100 % him. What do you have, 00:09:53.269 --> 00:09:55.370 the apostle said, except what you have received? 00:09:56.539 --> 00:10:00.220 My money, my house, my investments, my wife, 00:10:00.360 --> 00:10:03.980 my children, I'm a steward. And a steward or 00:10:03.980 --> 00:10:06.820 a manager is someone who is entrusted with certain 00:10:06.820 --> 00:10:09.179 things to make good use of them for their master. 00:10:09.899 --> 00:10:13.700 That changes your whole world. That means, okay, 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:16.480 the market goes up or the market goes down. Lord, 00:10:16.580 --> 00:10:18.000 you're losing a lot of your money right now. 00:10:23.059 --> 00:10:26.029 We laugh. People have been jumping off of buildings 00:10:26.029 --> 00:10:30.649 and off of bridges. Anxiety, depression, fear, 00:10:30.850 --> 00:10:35.429 overwhelmed. The American view of money, we are 00:10:35.429 --> 00:10:39.450 living the last 50 years, 70 years, we're living 00:10:39.450 --> 00:10:42.830 in America with a level of affluence that only 00:10:42.830 --> 00:10:45.370 the greatest kings in all the world ever experienced 00:10:45.370 --> 00:10:51.509 historically. And yet... In this affluent world, 00:10:51.629 --> 00:10:54.750 we have more anxiety, more suicides, and more 00:10:54.750 --> 00:10:58.690 problems than I could take you to multiple third 00:10:58.690 --> 00:11:00.549 world countries where they have very little and 00:11:00.549 --> 00:11:02.490 the people are very happy and no one's taking 00:11:02.490 --> 00:11:06.269 drugs. The most recent research, but now by the 00:11:06.269 --> 00:11:08.889 way, when you're in abject poverty or you're 00:11:08.889 --> 00:11:11.730 really poor, there's financial issues, does money 00:11:11.730 --> 00:11:13.610 solve all your problems? No, but it sure helps. 00:11:14.149 --> 00:11:16.529 And what the secular researchers say is that 00:11:16.529 --> 00:11:20.360 basically, Right up to about $75 ,000 to $85 00:11:20.360 --> 00:11:23.940 ,000. If you're below that in the current economy, 00:11:24.059 --> 00:11:26.919 if you get in about that area and without debt, 00:11:27.080 --> 00:11:30.100 money really helps. And all the dollars after 00:11:30.100 --> 00:11:32.080 that is sort of diminishing returns in terms 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:37.000 of quality of life. The saddest, most miserable, 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:43.399 most problems in families in all my life have 00:11:43.399 --> 00:11:46.179 been the wealthiest people that I know. Why? 00:11:47.919 --> 00:11:50.379 Because money can't solve the problems. In fact, 00:11:50.440 --> 00:11:55.600 it creates incredible entitlement, lack of responsibility. 00:11:57.320 --> 00:12:00.259 We'll give an account for our stewardship. God, 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:02.580 according to how he's made you and purposes, 00:12:02.620 --> 00:12:05.480 has given us all different talents, different 00:12:05.480 --> 00:12:08.559 resources, and I'll give an account of what I 00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:13.590 do with his money, what I do with his time. You're 00:12:13.590 --> 00:12:16.169 listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram, 00:12:16.210 --> 00:12:19.110 and we'll continue in just a moment. Today's 00:12:19.110 --> 00:12:21.830 teaching is available for listening anytime over 00:12:21.830 --> 00:12:25.429 on our website, livingontheedge .org. Whether 00:12:25.429 --> 00:12:27.549 you want to listen again or share it with someone 00:12:27.549 --> 00:12:30.049 who needs encouragement, you'll find this message 00:12:30.049 --> 00:12:33.269 and hundreds more online. Plus, discover small 00:12:33.269 --> 00:12:36.169 group resources and practical relationship tools 00:12:36.169 --> 00:12:39.669 designed to help you choose love daily. Check 00:12:39.669 --> 00:12:44.000 it all out at livingontheedge .org. Now let's 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:46.500 get back to Chip's message. I had a card for 00:12:46.500 --> 00:12:50.120 years that I wrote down. You know, I do this 00:12:50.120 --> 00:12:52.340 thing a lot with my thinking. I mean, I really 00:12:52.340 --> 00:12:55.440 believe as a man thinks in his heart, so he becomes 00:12:55.440 --> 00:12:57.259 the mindset on the flesh, death, the mindset 00:12:57.259 --> 00:12:59.399 on the spirit, life and peace. Set your mind 00:12:59.399 --> 00:13:01.539 on the things above. I'm absolutely, I mean, 00:13:01.580 --> 00:13:04.559 I'm like over the top on, boy, what comes into 00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:06.779 my mind. There's a huge filter and what I put 00:13:06.779 --> 00:13:09.360 into my mind because life change happens not 00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:12.629 by behavior or emotions or trying hard. Life 00:13:12.629 --> 00:13:14.850 change happens. First and foremost, you renew 00:13:14.850 --> 00:13:17.590 your mind. And as you think differently, all 00:13:17.590 --> 00:13:19.210 of a sudden that's not a temptation because it 00:13:19.210 --> 00:13:21.230 doesn't look very good. You think differently 00:13:21.230 --> 00:13:24.250 and emotionally things change because the news 00:13:24.250 --> 00:13:26.710 is like poison. And the more and more I watch 00:13:26.710 --> 00:13:29.169 of news and people being blown up and these people 00:13:29.169 --> 00:13:31.429 hate these people and those people, then what 00:13:31.429 --> 00:13:33.570 it does is it creates all kinds of things inside. 00:13:33.830 --> 00:13:37.029 And so I keep aware of what's going on, but I'm 00:13:37.029 --> 00:13:39.990 real careful about what I let in my mind. And 00:13:39.990 --> 00:13:42.480 then what I know is that When I struggle with 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:45.600 areas, I've got to change my thinking. So coming 00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:48.259 from my background, giving away money and being 00:13:48.259 --> 00:13:51.679 generous did not come naturally. And so I had 00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:54.940 a card that I wrote, Lord, I desire to be more 00:13:54.940 --> 00:13:58.679 generous with my time and my money this year. 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:01.799 And I would just read it over. I'd just read 00:14:01.799 --> 00:14:03.960 it over, read it over, read it over, read it 00:14:03.960 --> 00:14:06.480 over, and I just found there were opportunities. 00:14:06.539 --> 00:14:10.070 They were probably always there. But I noticed 00:14:10.070 --> 00:14:11.830 him and I would be a little bit more generous 00:14:11.830 --> 00:14:13.789 and then a little bit more generous. And then 00:14:13.789 --> 00:14:17.570 I reviewed that card for like five years. And 00:14:17.570 --> 00:14:21.289 then I was studying and I just realized that's 00:14:21.289 --> 00:14:25.009 not accurate. That's wrong, Chip. So I put an 00:14:25.009 --> 00:14:28.450 X through the card in certain places. God, I 00:14:28.450 --> 00:14:31.710 desire to be more generous with your money and 00:14:31.710 --> 00:14:35.090 your time this year. And that's what I just realized. 00:14:35.250 --> 00:14:37.210 Whatever I've got in my pocket, whatever I've 00:14:37.210 --> 00:14:38.990 got in the bank account, whatever kind of car 00:14:38.990 --> 00:14:41.250 I drive, whatever I have, it's yours and I'm 00:14:41.250 --> 00:14:43.789 going to give an account for it. Money is powerful 00:14:43.789 --> 00:14:46.850 and deceptive. Mark 4, you know the parables 00:14:46.850 --> 00:14:49.210 of the seed and the sower, right? The seed is 00:14:49.210 --> 00:14:51.990 God's word. It goes into the earth. You know, 00:14:51.990 --> 00:14:55.950 the hard soil, Satan takes it away. The shallow 00:14:55.950 --> 00:14:58.850 soil, it grows up, but persecution and difficulty 00:14:58.850 --> 00:15:04.220 fades away. The thorny soil, it grows up. And 00:15:04.220 --> 00:15:06.799 then the desires of this word and the deceitfulness 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:10.659 of riches choke out God's word. By the way, the 00:15:10.659 --> 00:15:13.899 deceitfulness of riches. You do understand the 00:15:13.899 --> 00:15:16.840 word deceit means this. When you are deceived, 00:15:17.100 --> 00:15:20.360 you don't know it. And the subtlety and deception 00:15:20.360 --> 00:15:24.980 of money is... It takes you down a path. It's 00:15:24.980 --> 00:15:27.059 like being in water where you go out. If you've 00:15:27.059 --> 00:15:28.899 ever been at the beach, you know, and you're 00:15:28.899 --> 00:15:30.879 having fun. And, you know, you've got the sand. 00:15:31.019 --> 00:15:32.340 And if you have a family, you've got a couple 00:15:32.340 --> 00:15:33.899 kids here. And you've got the blankets. And you're 00:15:33.899 --> 00:15:35.659 going to have lunch and stuff. And they go out 00:15:35.659 --> 00:15:37.960 and play. And you're playing. And then you're 00:15:37.960 --> 00:15:40.620 playing. And you're playing. And nothing happened. 00:15:40.659 --> 00:15:42.259 But the current's doing this. And you look up 00:15:42.259 --> 00:15:44.299 and you realize, my lands, how did we get that? 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:47.980 I mean, hey, where's mom and dad? That's what 00:15:47.980 --> 00:15:52.169 happens to us with regard to money. Money is 00:15:52.169 --> 00:15:54.490 the other God, according to Jesus. We can't serve 00:15:54.490 --> 00:15:57.289 both, Matthew 6. Giving is God's antidote to 00:15:57.289 --> 00:16:01.129 greed and the dangers of idol worship. We're 00:16:01.129 --> 00:16:04.070 commanded, instruct those who are rich in this 00:16:04.070 --> 00:16:05.730 present world, and biblically, that's all of 00:16:05.730 --> 00:16:09.289 us, not to be conceited or fix their hope on 00:16:09.289 --> 00:16:13.610 the uncertainty of money or wealth. Notice that's 00:16:13.610 --> 00:16:15.970 the reason, because it's uncertain. He wants 00:16:15.970 --> 00:16:18.830 to protect us. but fix their hope on God who 00:16:18.830 --> 00:16:22.669 richly supplies us with all things to... In other 00:16:22.669 --> 00:16:24.850 words, when your priorities are right, when it 00:16:24.850 --> 00:16:27.529 comes from God, he's gracious and kind and loving. 00:16:27.690 --> 00:16:30.870 So you're not overwhelmed in debt. You're not 00:16:30.870 --> 00:16:33.409 compensating by buying things or going places 00:16:33.409 --> 00:16:35.690 you really can't afford. Your priorities are 00:16:35.690 --> 00:16:38.230 right. And he says, don't fix your hope here 00:16:38.230 --> 00:16:40.269 on the one hand. So you want to be generous and 00:16:40.269 --> 00:16:43.250 be wise. And then when he blesses, you don't 00:16:43.250 --> 00:16:44.610 have to say, well, the reason we have a swimming 00:16:44.610 --> 00:16:46.850 pool is we're doing baptisms for the youth group. 00:16:48.750 --> 00:16:51.379 You know, that mission trip. You know, that we're 00:16:51.379 --> 00:16:58.519 taking to New Zealand and Hawaii. You know what? 00:16:58.779 --> 00:17:01.220 If you want to go to Hawaii and the Lord has 00:17:01.220 --> 00:17:03.220 blessed your life and your priorities in order, 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:06.259 here's what you ought to do. Enjoy it. If God 00:17:06.259 --> 00:17:09.019 gives you a swimming pool and your priorities 00:17:09.019 --> 00:17:12.059 in order and he's led you in that way and maybe 00:17:12.059 --> 00:17:14.180 it's especially great for the season of your 00:17:14.180 --> 00:17:17.799 kids, why don't you enjoy it? But what we do 00:17:17.799 --> 00:17:21.589 is we play lots of games. God wants us to richly 00:17:21.589 --> 00:17:23.890 enjoy all that he's given us and at the same 00:17:23.890 --> 00:17:28.029 time realize that thing, that wealth, that idol 00:17:28.029 --> 00:17:31.450 wants to take over your soul. Debt is dangerous 00:17:31.450 --> 00:17:35.349 and to be avoided. I think the best counselors 00:17:35.349 --> 00:17:39.569 I know say it's not wrong to have some debt, 00:17:39.750 --> 00:17:42.250 appreciable items. It's way better not to have 00:17:42.250 --> 00:17:46.029 any. And we're to be accurately aware of our 00:17:46.029 --> 00:17:48.880 financial condition. Now, this would be interesting. 00:17:49.019 --> 00:17:50.720 I will not do this because I would not want to 00:17:50.720 --> 00:17:54.079 embarrass anyone. But if you all lined up and 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:55.480 I could meet with couples, couples, couples, 00:17:55.559 --> 00:17:59.359 couples, and then I would just separate earphones 00:17:59.359 --> 00:18:02.220 so she couldn't hear, he couldn't hear, and I 00:18:02.220 --> 00:18:05.140 would ask the man, in general, how much debt 00:18:05.140 --> 00:18:07.519 do you have? How much money do you have in savings? 00:18:08.660 --> 00:18:11.519 How much is on your credit cards? How much short 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:13.200 -term, long -term, or any investments that you 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:14.640 have? I mean, just a ballpark. I don't want the 00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:17.730 exact numbers. You're aware of basically your 00:18:17.730 --> 00:18:20.250 finances. What I would find in most couples, 00:18:20.369 --> 00:18:22.549 one person would have a vague idea and the other 00:18:22.549 --> 00:18:25.130 would be like, he takes care of all that or she 00:18:25.130 --> 00:18:27.690 takes care of all that. Or they would both fumble 00:18:27.690 --> 00:18:29.750 around a lot and not have a very accurate. The 00:18:29.750 --> 00:18:31.869 Bible says, know well the condition of your flock. 00:18:33.390 --> 00:18:36.710 You need to know this is our level of debt. Currently, 00:18:36.710 --> 00:18:38.529 right now, this is how much we've set aside for 00:18:38.529 --> 00:18:40.910 an emergency. This is a fund that we've developed 00:18:40.910 --> 00:18:43.869 for. We're saving for the next car that we're 00:18:43.869 --> 00:18:46.190 going to buy because we want to pay cash. This 00:18:46.190 --> 00:18:48.250 is what we're doing in terms of long -term and 00:18:48.250 --> 00:18:50.869 investment or retirement, and you kind of know 00:18:50.869 --> 00:18:54.430 where you're at. And by the way, your body language, 00:18:54.569 --> 00:18:57.670 I'm talking really fast. I'm going to pause for 00:18:57.670 --> 00:19:02.869 a minute. The reason you're feeling the way you're 00:19:02.869 --> 00:19:05.890 feeling is because of the deceitfulness of riches. 00:19:07.589 --> 00:19:12.369 Do you realize 50 % of all the people that graduate 00:19:12.369 --> 00:19:15.259 from college, I read a statistic, File bankruptcy? 00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:18.140 You know, you go to college, they give you a 00:19:18.140 --> 00:19:20.900 t -shirt, here's a credit card. But by the time 00:19:20.900 --> 00:19:23.420 they're out, there's literally, we have a whole 00:19:23.420 --> 00:19:25.299 generation, some Christian, some non -Christian, 00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:28.599 that they think this is money. I remember one 00:19:28.599 --> 00:19:30.660 of my grandkids, we were taking them out for 00:19:30.660 --> 00:19:32.119 something and we're having a pizza or something 00:19:32.119 --> 00:19:33.500 like that. And you know, they're six, seven, 00:19:33.500 --> 00:19:35.880 eight, nine, 10 at the time. And we were here 00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:38.279 and, oh, do you want to get something like that? 00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:42.859 I said, oh, I don't have my wallet. I said, I 00:19:42.859 --> 00:19:44.900 don't know what to do. And one of my, I forget, 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:46.539 one of my grandkids says, oh, just use one of 00:19:46.539 --> 00:19:49.259 those cards. In other words, it wasn't, you don't 00:19:49.259 --> 00:19:51.559 need money. There was no connection between money 00:19:51.559 --> 00:19:56.240 and a card. But here's, okay, okay. Now I'm going 00:19:56.240 --> 00:20:01.619 to be really, really gentle here. If you want 00:20:01.619 --> 00:20:04.400 to get hold of your life, if you want to get 00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:06.640 hold of your values, if you want to get hold 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:10.019 of your future, you have to get a hold of your 00:20:10.019 --> 00:20:16.980 money. in your time, in your thought life. This 00:20:16.980 --> 00:20:19.740 is Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram, and we're 00:20:19.740 --> 00:20:22.839 continuing our series, Choosing Love. Today's 00:20:22.839 --> 00:20:25.339 message gave us a biblical framework for managing 00:20:25.339 --> 00:20:28.980 money, not as owners, but as stewards. Chip will 00:20:28.980 --> 00:20:31.819 be back in just a moment. Want to go deeper into 00:20:31.819 --> 00:20:34.319 what biblical love really means? Chip's newest 00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:37.950 book, I Choose Love, is your next step. Here's 00:20:37.950 --> 00:20:40.549 the core truth. Love isn't something you stumble 00:20:40.549 --> 00:20:43.950 into. It's something you choose. Drawing from 00:20:43.950 --> 00:20:47.250 Philippians chapter 2, Chip unpacks agape love, 00:20:47.509 --> 00:20:50.589 the kind God has for us. This love isn't based 00:20:50.589 --> 00:20:53.250 on feelings that come and go. It's rooted in 00:20:53.250 --> 00:20:56.609 sacrifice, in deliberately choosing another person's 00:20:56.609 --> 00:21:00.069 best interest above your own. I Choose Love shows 00:21:00.069 --> 00:21:03.150 you how this transformative love operates, how 00:21:03.150 --> 00:21:06.130 it gives without counting the cost, serves without 00:21:06.130 --> 00:21:08.609 resentment, and cares beyond what's convenient. 00:21:08.990 --> 00:21:11.930 When you understand and practice agape love, 00:21:12.190 --> 00:21:15.109 it revolutionizes your marriage and every other 00:21:15.109 --> 00:21:18.390 relationship you have. Get your copy today at 00:21:18.390 --> 00:21:22.269 livingontheedge .org. And friend, this teaching 00:21:22.269 --> 00:21:25.250 exists because listeners like you believe God's 00:21:25.250 --> 00:21:28.089 Word changes lives. When you support Living on 00:21:28.089 --> 00:21:30.349 the Edge, you're helping couples move from financial 00:21:30.349 --> 00:21:33.329 chaos to biblical stewardship, from constant 00:21:33.329 --> 00:21:36.349 arguments to united purpose. Your partnership 00:21:36.349 --> 00:21:40.089 makes that possible. Will you give today? Visit 00:21:40.089 --> 00:21:43.490 livingontheedge .org to give, or call us at 888 00:21:43.490 --> 00:21:48.829 -333 -6003. Even easier, use our mobile app. 00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:52.220 Just click on the heart icon and follow the instructions. 00:21:52.660 --> 00:21:55.180 And don't miss the Chip Ingram Sermon Podcast, 00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:57.819 a new feature where you can hear Chip's complete 00:21:57.819 --> 00:22:01.039 unedited messages. Just subscribe to the Living 00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:03.539 on the Edge podcast on your favorite podcast 00:22:03.539 --> 00:22:07.900 app. Well, now here's Chip. For years as a pastor, 00:22:08.059 --> 00:22:10.700 I have to tell you, I thought that it was God 00:22:10.700 --> 00:22:14.559 against Satan. Jesus didn't teach that. He says 00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:17.819 that there's two gods. There's him. and there's 00:22:17.819 --> 00:22:21.559 money. And Satan is evil, and he uses money and 00:22:21.559 --> 00:22:24.859 multiple other things to try and lure or seduce 00:22:24.859 --> 00:22:27.619 us away from our relationship with Jesus Christ. 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:31.059 Now, money isn't necessarily evil in and of itself, 00:22:31.079 --> 00:22:36.180 but the desire for to become rich. Money promises 00:22:36.180 --> 00:22:39.000 security and significance, and that's why it's 00:22:39.000 --> 00:22:42.019 the other God. And so it's not neutral. It's 00:22:42.019 --> 00:22:45.420 powerful because money reveals your values. Money 00:22:45.420 --> 00:22:48.200 reveals who is really the Lord of your life. 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:50.140 You want to know what's really going on inside 00:22:50.140 --> 00:22:52.640 your heart and your soul. It's not about the 00:22:52.640 --> 00:22:55.079 words that I say or lifting my hands when I sing 00:22:55.079 --> 00:22:57.779 a song or having a warm feeling towards God. 00:22:58.019 --> 00:23:01.660 My money reveals where my real treasure is, who 00:23:01.660 --> 00:23:04.819 my real Lord is. And so that's why it's so critical 00:23:04.819 --> 00:23:08.160 as a couple to get on the same page. Lesson number 00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:12.019 one, and this is hard, God owns it all. I am 00:23:12.019 --> 00:23:15.619 the Lord. That is my name, right? The earth is 00:23:15.619 --> 00:23:17.980 mine and the fullness thereof. All things are 00:23:17.980 --> 00:23:21.380 by me and for me and through me. So the question 00:23:21.380 --> 00:23:25.759 is not, what do I do with my money or even my 00:23:25.759 --> 00:23:31.059 time or my house? It's Lord. What do you want 00:23:31.059 --> 00:23:33.599 me to do with the money that you've entrusted 00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:36.140 to me, with the time entrusted to me, with the 00:23:36.140 --> 00:23:39.339 resources or house entrusted to me? There's these 00:23:39.339 --> 00:23:43.779 open hands. And that's why giving is the antidote 00:23:43.779 --> 00:23:46.259 to greed. God doesn't want us to give because 00:23:46.259 --> 00:23:49.980 he needs it. He wants us to give because we have 00:23:49.980 --> 00:23:54.240 to constantly attack this God of money. And so 00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:58.019 this is why it's so critical. as a couple, to 00:23:58.019 --> 00:24:01.460 say, let's study what the Bible says about money. 00:24:01.940 --> 00:24:04.900 Let's not allow any idols to get into our lives. 00:24:05.319 --> 00:24:09.119 And you know what? It's so easy to blame your 00:24:09.119 --> 00:24:11.700 mate. Well, she does too much shopping. Well, 00:24:11.720 --> 00:24:14.140 he plays too much golf. Well, all he wants to 00:24:14.140 --> 00:24:16.740 do is, you know, put money into cars and hobbies 00:24:16.740 --> 00:24:18.940 and this and that. All she wants to do is fix 00:24:18.940 --> 00:24:22.779 up the house. And ask yourself, how much is coming 00:24:22.779 --> 00:24:26.460 in? What is our level of debt? And in our next 00:24:26.460 --> 00:24:29.180 broadcast, I'm going to walk through, I mean, 00:24:29.180 --> 00:24:33.099 a nuts and bolts approach to help you get a handle 00:24:33.099 --> 00:24:35.519 on your money so you can get a handle on your 00:24:35.519 --> 00:24:40.579 life. God or money? You can't serve both. Tomorrow, 00:24:40.700 --> 00:24:43.180 Chip Ingram explains why getting control of your 00:24:43.180 --> 00:24:46.279 finances is really about getting control of your 00:24:46.279 --> 00:24:49.539 heart. I'm Dave Drury, and we'll continue choosing 00:24:49.539 --> 00:24:55.599 love tomorrow on Living on the Edge. Today's 00:24:55.599 --> 00:24:58.099 program is produced and sponsored by Living on 00:24:58.099 --> 00:24:58.619 the Edge.