Keith Battle - Finance, Fall Outs, and Falling Into Sin

This is part 4 of a series called «Fall,» and today I’m going to compress some of the information because our preaching schedule has changed. I want to cover a couple of things regarding the word «fall.» I want to talk today about falling on hard times financially. Has anyone ever experienced that? Say «right now, right now, right now.» Mm-hmm. Let’s discuss it. I also want to talk about falling into sin. I probably won’t get a lot of yelling on that one. Then there’s the topic of experiencing a fallout in a relationship. Let’s start with the financial part; let’s begin with finances and money.

When it comes to finances, having a financial system is very important. Everybody say «financial system.» What is your financial system? Your financial system is the methodology you use for managing your money. How do you manage the money and resources you have? Every single person has a financial system, whether you’re conscious of it or whether you wrote it down or not. We all have a financial system, the way in which we manage our resources. Systems are important, and a financial system’s quality will determine whether or not you’re prepared for or vulnerable to financial hardship. Every single person experiences financial hardship. It doesn’t matter how much money you make; you can earn a million dollars an hour or just a thousand dollars a year. Every human being, regardless of net worth or income, will always experience—or periodically experience—times when you have more expenses than expected, and sometimes, less revenue than you anticipated. That gap is something everyone experiences at every level.

The way you manage it and how well you manage it is based on your system. Systems matter. In the world of sports, you can look at some of the best teams, and every year, they matter. Every year they’re right there at the end. You don’t have to like the New England Patriots, but you have to respect their system. The system is so good that their quarterback can be suspended, yet the system still works. It functions through injuries, free agency, and suspensions. You don’t have to like the San Antonio Spurs; their brand of basketball may seem boring, but you better respect their system. They have a system that can take mediocre players, or those ineffective on other teams, and make them great because of the system.

So, it’s true in your financial life: your financial system matters. What’s your financial system, you might ask? You might say, «Well, Pastor, when I get paid, I spend whatever I earn.» That’s the system. You earn it, you burn it; you make it, you spend it. If you make $100, you spend $100. If you make $300, you spend $300. You just have more stuff to buy. That’s your financial system. It won’t protect you from a famine. A famine is a financial period of lack, and everyone faces periods of famine. The system you have doesn’t prepare you for financial hardship.

Another person might say, «Well, Pastor, my system is that when I get paid, I use that money to pay bills. The first thing I do is start paying bills. I like having a roof over my head, transportation, and lights when I flip the switch.» So, you get paid and you pay bills. That’s your financial system. By the way, those two financial systems—a person who spends their money and another who pays their bills first—will not protect you from financial hardship. Famine will eat you alive. You may be very good-hearted, but that doesn’t matter. It’s all about the system.

Here’s the good news: God has created a system that is famine-proof. Here’s how it works: from a financial standpoint, the proper way to handle finances is whenever you receive income, you should take the first 10% and give it back to God. «Nate, yeah, you can. Yeah. Are you talking about my money? I don’t care what you earn; you need to give it to someone. You shouldn’t keep it. It’s called charity and is 100% tax-deductible. But what it shows is that, 'God, you own 100% of my money; it comes from you, and this tithe represents my love and appreciation for you for the other 90%.'» So, I start with giving to God because I want God involved in my money.

Everyone I know who is wealthy is also benevolent, generous, and philanthropic. It’s hard to be prosperous when you’re not generous. So, it starts with giving; wealth begins with giving. The second thing you do is take the second 10% and save it. You don’t pay bills; you save that second 10%. This becomes your store for the feast. You always feed your family from your feast; you do not prepare for a family when it arrives. You prepare for a family with your stored feast, setting aside part of it to withstand the famine when it comes. But if you have nothing saved up, you have nothing to resist the famine.

Here’s Roland: do I need five people up?