John K. Jenkins Sr - Financial Freedom Series: Debt

Alright, let me get into the word today. Look at your neighbor and say, «You 're not going to like it.» Now look at the person on the other side and say, «He’s coming down your street right now; he’s about to talk about you.» I want to remind you that I started off this financial series, so today is part whatever it is-part five or six or whatever. I don’t even know what part it is, but I’m continuing in the finance series.

I want to remind you that this is going to be one of those days when I’m going to talk about something that is contrary to what culture promotes and what society promotes, and probably contrary to what you have practiced. I’m about to jump in your grill! Go ahead, look at your neighbor and say, «He’s about to get in your face.»

Let me remind you that Jesus said the word in Isaiah 55: «God says, 'My ways are not your ways; my thoughts are not your thoughts. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.'» God’s ways are different from ours.

So, I want to talk about this; this part is going to be a two-part deal. I’m going to talk about debt. Yes, I knew y’all would be excited about that. I gave you twice the opportunity to affirm that, but it’s okay. Y 'all want to talk about debt because that’s what’s killing us; that’s what’s tearing our families apart- debt. We have so much debt and we’re putting ourselves under so much stress. The average American has $104,000 worth of debt; the average family, the average person has $104,000 worth of debt. People are now in debt in a major way, and we…

Hold up, slow down. Let me just slow down. I don’t want you all to hear me say today that all debt is wrong. Let me start off by saying that, but most of the debt you have is wrong. It’s not that you borrow; it’s what we borrow for. Very few of us in this community are going to have enough money to buy a house outright or pay cash for a house. Very few of us will be in that kind of situation.

So, borrowing for a house — by the way, a house is an appreciating asset. There you go, an appreciating asset. It appreciates in value. A car, on the other hand, is not an appreciating asset. The moment you drive off the lot, and you haven’t even gone a mile, the car is now worth less than what you still owe on it, a brand-new car.

I can see where this is going. This is going to be a tough one today. I knew it would be; it’s okay. Oh, by the way, bring me the credit card things. Let 's bring that out here because I’ve been collecting and cutting up credit cards for 30 years right here. I’m working on my second one, and with credit cards today, here’s what they’re starting to do: they’re trying to make credit cards out of metal! So, I got some-it’s a shout -out for that. That 's what we’re going to do now!

Anytime while I’m preaching, y’all can come up and cut up your credit cards. I know it’s a tough deal for people to recognize that they shouldn’t live on credit, but that’s what’s killing most of us. By the way, the average interest rate on a credit card today is 24,8%. That 's almost 25%! What does that mean? That means for every $100 you borrow, they’re going to charge you $25. And if you keep making the minimum payments, you will be paying on that debt until Jesus comes back! Do y’all hear that? Do y’all understand that?

Yes, sir. It’s the debt we have that’s killing our families. It’s the debt that we have. What I’m trying to do is give you a different way of living. I want to get you on a different path, and you have the opportunity to get out of debt. As a matter of fact, today, I’m going to talk about-if I could-trying to deter you from living on debt. I know they tell you to use other people’s money (OPM), but I’m trying to tell y’all, God doesn 't need other people’s money.

Notice the claps are getting lower and lower. So, I’m trying to get you to have a different mindset about that. I want you to recognize today that God has another way, and the favor that’s on our house-look at your neighbor-because we ain’t got no debt! Look at your neighbor and say, «We ain’t got no debt!» The favor that’s on this house, God wants to put on your house. Hallelujah! Amen!

So, here’s what Romans 12:1-2 says: «Be not conformed to this world.» In other words, don’t do the same things that the world is doing. «Be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.» Here 's what that means: have a different way of thinking. That 's what I’m after. I’m in pursuit of getting you to think differently, and I want to start today. I’m going to talk about debt, and the next time, I’m going to talk about how God will help you to get out of debt supernaturally.