Financial Freedom in 2009 (Part 1)

“FINANCIAL FREEDOM IN 2009”

This week President elect Obama announced that over the next several yeas our country will have deficits of over $1 trillion per year. And that we could further expect double digit unemployment.

In August of last year I shared with this congregation that our national debt (what our government owes to us and to other nations) was $9.5 trillion. Since that time 5 short months our national debt has increased to $10.7 trillion - that translates to $240 billion a month or $8 billion per day, or $300 million per hour or a staggering $5 million per minute. In fact the time it took me to share this introduction our government went in debt another $3.5 million dollars in debt.

From the beginning of this year I have felt the Lord directing me to instruct His people on how to experience financial freedom in the year 2009 and to come out of the bondage of debt. Today we begin that series of sermons.

How did we get in this mess? We chose our own selfish way verse God’s way.

Our FINANCIAL bondage was CREATED by our SELFISHNESS.

Illustration:

Catching Wild Pigs

A chemistry professor in a large college had some exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab the Professor noticed one young man (exchange student) who kept rubbing his back, and stretching as if his back hurt.

The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist government.

In the midst of his story he looked at the professor and asked a strange question. He asked, 'Do you know how to catch wild pigs?'

The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The young man said this was no joke. 'You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in the last side. The pigs, who are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat, you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd. Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity.

The young man then told the professor that is exactly what he sees happening to America. The government keeps pushing us toward socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP), welfare, medicine, drugs, etc.. While we continually lose our freedoms -- just a little at a time.

It’s time to tear down the fence. As former President Reagan told Gorbochav to tear down that wall we need to tell the devil “tear down that wall!”

Freedom from slavery is never easy but it can be done and it is worth it.

FREEDOM from SLAVERY is never EASY.

Examples: quitting smoking

People who have quit drugs

Whatever controls you!

I believe “freedom” is worth it!

How many of you want to have financial freedom?

Someone once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over again and expecting different results.”

INSANITY is doing the same thing OVER and OVER and EXPECTING different RESULTS.

So if you want to experience Financial Freedom you’re going to have to make some choices.

First, there’s your way and 2nd there’s God’s way. In the 57 years I have lived on planet earth I have found my way doesn’t work! My way is filled with SELF – selfish ambition, pride, greed, coveting – self, self, self!

There are two SOLUTIONS to this PROBLEM: GOD’S way and YOUR way.

But God’s way is different. The bible has the answer and the Bible teaches God’s way.

Jesus said,

John 8:32 (NKJV)

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Matthew 6:24 (NKJV)

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

1 Timothy 6:10 (NKJV)

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Proverbs 16:25 (NKJV)

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

Mark 8:36 (NKJV)

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

Hosea 4:6 (NKJV)

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

Isaiah 1:19-20 (NKJV)

If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;

20But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword";

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Paul’s experience,

Philippians 4:19 (NKJV)

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

GOD’S promise is to PROVIDE your NEEDS.

Jesus told us how,

Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

There it is plain as can be – “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” then “all.”

Proverbs 13:22 (NKJV)

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

Last Sunday I shared on God creating a new year for the children of Israel. Exodus 12 the month of Abib or our month of late March early April. God was teaching them that He is the God of the “new” and that they needed to leave the “old” behind and pursue the “new” kingdom He had prepared for them.

So as I was reading this week again in Exodus.

Exodus 38:21 (NKJV)

This is the inventory of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the Testimony, which was counted according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest.

Now people say, “What does this have to do with me?” Just listen.

Exodus 38:24-25 (Living)

The people brought gifts of 3,140 pounds of gold, all of which was used throughout the Tabernacle.

25The amount of silver used was 9,575 pounds,

We’re talking about 1 ½ tons of gold and 4 ¾ tons of silver. Calculate out that is $43,000,000 in gold and $1,700,000 in silver.

With everything else included Moses collected over $50 million worth of materials to a nomadic people out in a wilderness!

God’s PROVISION can even be FOUND in the WILDERNESS.

In fact the Bible tells us that they brought so much that Moses had to stop them from giving.

Exodus 36:4-7 (NKJV)

Then all the craftsmen who were doing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from the work he was doing, 5and they spoke to Moses, saying, "The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the Lord commanded us to do." 6So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, "Let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary." And the people were restrained from bringing, 7for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done--indeed too much.

This is from a people who were in bondage whom God had set free. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty as well as liberality.

The truth is the sinner’s wealth is set aside for the righteous but how was it appropriated - by their obedience to God.

God said when I take you from bondage into freedom you will not go out empty.

Exodus 3:21-22 (NKJV)

And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed. 22But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians."

Now God brings His Word to pass.

Exodus 11:1-3 (NKJV)

And the Lord said to Moses, "I will bring yet one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether. 2Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, articles of silver and articles of gold." 3And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people.

But because God had done this there was an obligation of God’s people.

The first fruits belong to Him.

Exodus 13:1-3 (NKJV)

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2"Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine."

3And Moses said to the people: "Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.

The principle that is brought forth has not changed. God says the “first fruits” belong to Him.

The PRINCIPLE of FIRST-FRUITS has not CHANGED; the FIRST-FRUITS belong to GOD.

God is not going to take you out of bondage and leave you empty handed but God is also going to ask you for the first fruits of His blessing to you.

Exodus 13:8 (NKJV)

And you shall tell your son in that day, saying, 'This is done because of what the Lord did for me when I came up from Egypt.'

We give to the Lord not to get but because of what He has done for us. But God is faithful even when we aren’t, to Him be all glory, honor and praise.