John K. Jenkins Sr - Financial Freedom Series: God's 4 Purposes for Money

I started a few weeks ago a series on finances from Ecclesiastes chapter 10. Turn your Bibles to Ecclesiastes 10: 19. So I’m about to get in your grill and into your business. Go ahead, tell your neighbor it’s going to be tough but receive it. Tell them to go ahead and receive it. Here 's what Ecclesiastes 10:19 says: «A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry, but money answers everything.» How true that is! So many of our challenges and issues in life can be resolved with money. We can either solve a problem with money or reveal our problems based on how we manage it. I’ve ended the series on finances and money, and I want to reiterate that I don’t have time to go back through everything we’ve covered so far. In fact, I’m likely going to be talking about money probably until Jesus comes back. Somebody look at your neighbor and say it’s going to be a long time; it might be the rest of this year. I recognize that money plays a significant part in our lives, and because of what I’ve covered in the past, I don’t have time to revisit those principles. But here’s one thing I want to highlight and reiterate to you today: God says, «My ways are not your ways, and my thoughts are not your thoughts.» The reason some of you are in financial trouble is that you have operated contrary to the way God wants us to function regarding money. Thank all 15 of you for that rousing affirmation. I want to start off by talking about this chair right here. Y’all see this chair? Come over here real quick. You see, this chair is designed a certain way; it’s meant for you to sit comfortably with the seat down. Now, if you sit on this chair like this, you’re abusing it because this is made for arms, not assets. Can y’all agree with that? That 's abuse when you use something other than the way it was designed. I’ve seen people sitting on the arms of the chair, and I’m trying to get us to take care of these chairs and keep them for as long as we can. So anytime I see someone place their assets on this, I go over and say, «That 's abuse of the chair .» Right? That 's right, Pastor. And I also see people sitting in the chair like this; it wasn’t made for that! Some of you are abusing the money that God has given you. I know you’re having a tough time with this, but it’s okay, and my intention is to teach you today. Some of you have abused the money that God has given to you. As a matter of fact, look up and down your row; somebody on your row is guilty of abusing money! Go ahead, look to see if you can figure out who it is. It’s probably the person who is looking straight ahead and doesn 't want to feel something over here in this section. We need a blessing. So, I want to talk about that today. Look at your neighbor and say, «The pastor is about to tell you God’s purposes for your money.» He gave you money for a particular reason and use, and some of you have abused it. Here 's the first reason: I’m just going to hit you hard; I don’t have time to sweeten it. I’m going to BAM hit you right in the face! Don 't get mad or upset; if nobody else is with me, I know Michelle Singletary and Kevin are with me. I love them! Here 's the first reason: God gives you money to meet basic needs. Somebody say «basic needs.» God gives you money to meet basic needs. Matthew 6: 26-30 says, «Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you, by worrying, can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?»