John K. Jenkins Sr - Financial Freedom Series: Budgeting

Anyway, let me get into our series today about money. Amen. This is finances. I don’t know what number we are on, but whatever part it is, uh, is it 4? Okay, yeah. So, we’re probably going to keep going until Jesus comes back. Ecclesiastes 10:19, the latter part of verse 19, says, «Money answers everything.» Today, I want to talk about money again. I want to discuss finances and spend some time challenging us to make some choices about how we spend money. How many of you have ever misspent or mismanaged money? Please put your hands down and don’t confess it. I believe God has blessed our church because of how we manage money. I believe it, I believe it, I believe it. In fact, since I’ve been the pastor of this church, we have paid off two mortgages. Amen! I celebrate that! We paid off this building and built the Family Life Center with cash-$25 million-with cash. I want to thank the elders for trusting my leadership, encouraging me, and joining me in how we manage money.

What I want you all to understand is that what God does for this house, He can do in your house. Can you tell that the claps are getting lower and lower? I can tell. Yes, what God has done for our church, He can do in your house, and He wants to bless you and favor you. But I’m going to be spending these next few months talking about principles that we have put in place that I believe will make a huge difference in your life. God has blessed us tremendously, and one of the reasons I feel God has blessed our finances is because of how we manage them. Today, I want to talk to you about managing money, and the topic is budgeting. Somebody say «budget.» Look at your neighbor and ask, «Do you know what that is?» Some of you have never seen a budget; you don’t know what a budget is. When I became the pastor of this church, it had never had a budget in its history. Never! Prior to 1989-1990, the church had never had a budget. Since 1990, since I’ve been here, we operate on a budget, and we’ve seen God’s favor.

Now, hold on. Don’t clap yet! Some of you have never had a budget; you kind of know generally what your expenses are, but you need to be more specific. Amen! You have to be clearer. Somebody look at your neighbor and say, «He’s talking to you!» When you have a budget-okay, let me boil down what I’m going to talk about today. It’s two words, really one thing, but I’m going to put it in two thoughts: budgeting and planning. So, God favors us because we plan. God favors us because whatever we conservatively anticipate our income to be, we plan to spend 10% less than that. See how the claps are getting lower and lower? That’s because you aren 't doing that. Amen! You aren 't doing that, and that’s why you’re in financial trouble because you don’t plan to spend less than you take in. Amen!

In fact, some of you may be talking about how the Lord will make a way, but you obligate yourself and your money and your expenses above what your income is. That 's ungodly! I forgot to tell you that I was going to hit you with the truth today. It’s ungodly. It’s ungodly for you to spend $660,000 a year when your income is only $50,000. I know I’m in people’s faces; I’m in your grill, and I’m trying to help you. God wants- I’m trying to help you! So, you 've got to shift that; you’ve got to change that. You have to develop a budget. Somebody say «a budget.» Look at your neighbor and say «a budget.» Look at the person behind you and tell them «budget.»

I have four budgeting points. Number one: Luke 14:28–30. Turn to Luke 14:28–30. Listen to this verse-this is Jesus telling a parable. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it? Less, after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, «This man began to build and was not able to finish.» There 's a sign over some of your bank accounts that says, «You can’t finish.»

Now, let me come back here to the session in the back. Are you all listening to me? Now, if you were to tell the truth, Black people like to spend money that they don’t have. Let me finish this statement: we like to spend money that we do not have with the hope that somehow the Lord is going to make a way. Here 's what the scripture says… huh? I said, «Don 't put me on the spot!» I’m not going to put you on the spot; I’m just saying what the Lord is saying. He 's talking directly to you!