United States Personal Prosperity

  1950's* 2000's*

Median Family Income $3,319 $52,275

Housing with basic plumbing 64% 99%

Housing with telephone 78% 95%

Average House square footage 983sf 2225sf

Houses with 2 1/2 baths or more 1% 53%

Median Home Price $11,000 $195,700

House square footage < than 1200 sq. ft. 62% 7%

House square footage > than 2000 sq. ft. < 1% 52%

Houses with 2 bedrooms or less 66% 12%

Houses with 4 bedrooms or more 1% 34%

Houses with NO garage or carport 53% 12%

Houses with 2 or more car garage < 1% 81%

The Other Side

  1950's* 2000's*

Savings Rate 12% 3%

Bankruptcies/Year <100,000 >1.66 million

(2003)

Government debt $257 million $7.4 trillion

Number of Credit Cards per person 0 16.7

Total Credit Card Debt 0 $600 billion

Individual Credit Card Debt 0 $8,367 / person

Divorces / year 385,000 1,182,000

*Most statistics noted are referenced in Doug Hagedorn's book "Ease the Squeeze".  Many of the housing statistics are actually from 1999.  Dough heads up a financial ministry called Financial Foundation Builders.  Used by permission.

The State Of The Union

US National Debt as of June 25th, 2011 = $14.451 Trillion

Total Personal Debt = $16.07 Trillion

After the 1950’s, credit became a marketing tool by companies who wanted to convince consumers to buy even affordable items on credit.

Message of credit is, “Enjoy now and pay for it later.”

Money Issues In America

To illustrate the point that we always tend to live beyond our income, no matter how large that may be, someone quipped, “To figure the cost of living, just take your income and add 10 percent.” —Bits & Pieces

Today, 70% of households live paycheck to paycheck.

What Spending Reveals

A U.S. News and World Report (12/8/97) article titled “The Junk Mail Deluge” says: “The people who fill your mailbox with 34 pounds of junk [mail] each year know what you paid for your moose-hide slippers and whether you paid by credit card or check. They know how much you owe on your house, whether your hobbies are fly-fishing or fiddling, whether you buy used golf balls … they may even know whether you’re straight or gay, and what chronic illness you have. They know all this, simply, because it is their business to know. … Direct mail is a booming industry because it targets us with scientific precision.” The junk mail moguls have discovered something that Jesus taught long ago when he said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6). The way we use money (as evidenced by the thousands of transactions we make each year by check, cash, or credit cards) gives the best evidence for the things we value and cherish most. —Jonathan R. Mutchler. 

Where is our Treasure?

(Matthew 6:19-21) "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (RSV)

The Disease of “Stuffitis!”The human spirit was not created to attain peace, contentment, or fulfillment by gathering more stuff!

Money Myth #1

You are what you own! (Luke 12:15) And he said to

them, "Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." (RSV)

James 2:1-9 – No partiality with God!

We often hear, “He owns a lot of money,” but it is often true that a lot of money owns him!

Money Myth #2

“It’s My Money!” Deuteronomy 8:11-18 (Psalms 50:10-12) For every beast of

the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the air, and all that moves in the field is mine. "If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world and all that is in it is mine. (RSV)

1 Corinthians 4:2 Written Budget Live on less than you make Spend – Save - Give God owns it all We will give an account!

Money Myth #3

“Some Money Debt is Good!” (Proverbs 22:7) The rich rules

over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender. (RSV)

“The only good debt is the debt that has been paid off.”

Debt = Risk People burdened down with

debt cannot help others. (Eph. 4:28)

Money Myth #4

“Money Brings Security!” (Hebrews 13:5) Keep your life

free from love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, "I will never fail you nor forsake you." (RSV)

Psalms 33:10-22 – Our hope and trust should be in the Lord!

1 Peter 1:18,19 – We have been ransomed by the precious blood of Jesus! Our security can only be in Jesus!

Money Myth #5

“Money Is Evil!” (1 Timothy 6:10) For the love of

money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs. (RSV)

(Ephesians 4:28) Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need. (RSV)

1 Timothy 6:17-19

Money Myth #6

“More Money…More Happiness” (Ecclesiastes 5:10) He who

loves money will not be satisfied with money; nor he who loves wealth, with gain: this also is vanity. (RSV)

(Philippians 4:11) Not that I complain of want; for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. (RSV)

James 5:3 “God wants us to have wealth.

We must be careful not to settle for money.” —Max Anders

The Disease We All Have In America…

We live in the most marketed-to society in the history of the world, and the very essence of marketing is to disturb your peace. “I’ll be happy when I get that boat” “I’ll be happy when I get that china cabinet” “I’ll be happy when I get that house” Or, or, or, or!

NOT TRUE! Fun can be bought with money, but not happiness! We live among a bunch of people who are deeply in debt

and have no money saved because their emotions were tricked.

Just like drug addicts, they believe that happiness will come with the next purchase!

The Most Important Financial Principle:

Contentment

Learning Contentment

(1 Timothy 6:6-10) There is great gain in godliness with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world; but if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs. (RSV)

Be Good Stewards!

“We are stewards and must give an account to God, and it is required in stewards that they be found faithful. At the judgment the Lord will demand an account of the way we have used our time, talent, money and everything that God has entrusted to us.” (V.P. Black)

Conclusion

Rules for Money – “Get all you can without hurting your soul, your body, or your neighbor. Save all you can, cutting off every needless expense. Give all you can. Be glad to give, and ready to distribute; laying up in store for yourselves a good foundation against the time to come, that ye may attain eternal life.” —J. Wesley

Where Is Your Treasure Tonight?Matthew 16:19-21

Resources

Rust As A Witness by V.P. Black Outline by Steve Higginbotham The Money Answer Book by Dave

Ramsey. Quick Verse illustrations