Series: Recession Proof
Sermon: Desire Deflation
Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:17-19
ICE BREAKER: What was your first job?
REVIEW:
This week we kicked off a new series, "Recession Proof," to help us learn how to manage our finances in a way to protects us during economic downturns and allows us to thrive during economic stability!
The United States is technically in a recession due to 2 consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth. Inflation is sky-high and everyone is feeling it in their bank accounts!
How has the current economic climate challenged you?
What worries has it created in your life?
To begin our conversation, we started with our DESIRES.
DESIRES = WANTS that are so strong they feel like NEEDS
Desires compel us to purchase! They convince us that non-necessities are vital to our survival! The truth is, OUR DESIRES WERE INFLATED LONG BEFORE THE ECONOMY!
HERE’S The problem:
Our out of control desires are taking up all of our financial Capacity. We aren’t focused on WISDOM, we are focused on WINNING. The bottom line for today’s discussion is:
YOU DON’T HAVE A MONEY PROBLEM
YOU HAVE A DESIRE PROBLEM
This is largely not your fault! We live in a culture that has expertly curated our experience to inflate our desires. This happens primarily through COMPARISON, FEAR, and INSECURITY. Billion dollar businesses spend countless resources working on your conscious and subconscious to convince you that you can not live without what they are selling!
No matter where you are at financially, or what frustration money has brought into your life, we can all take a massive step toward recession proofing our life is we can deflate our desires!
HOW TO DEFLATE OUR DESIRES:
1. PROPER PERSPECTIVE
2. PROPER PRIORITIES
3. PROPER PURPOSE
We find these truths in 1 Timothy 6:
17 Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy.
18 Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share,
19 storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of what is truly life.
APPLY:
Proper Perspective on our wealth makes it evident that we are RICH by every standard of human history! Until we recognize just how much affluence we already have, we will crave more and more things that we don't truly need!
Proper Priorities point to the image of God imprinted on us! We are made for GOOD WORKS! However, good works require personal CAPACITY - and our improper Priorities have fed Desires that have left NO ROOM in our lives to do what we were made to do!
Proper Purpose reminds us that our lives are not lived solely for today. We are eternal beings storing up treasure in the life AFTER this life. Proper Purpose requires a daily focus on eternity!
It is OK to have Desires! However, it is not ok for our desires to have us! We should be in the drivers seat and we do that by deflating our desires and opening up capacity for what God wants in our life!
HERE IS THIS WEEK'S APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
What Desires in your life are eating up your financial capacity?
How can you practically use the lessons in this week's sermon to Deflate your Desires?
What difference will new perspective, priorities, and purpose make for you?
Be sure to sign up for the One-Day Financial Workshop! This event will give you REAL tools to put these sermons into action!
PRAY:
Spend time asking the Holy Spirit to show you the areas where Desires are driving your life. Pray for strength to do the work of deflating your desires and getting back the capacity you need to Recession Proof your life!
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