United States Personal
Prosperity
1950's*
2000's*
$3,319
$52,275
Housing with basic plumbing
64%
99%
Housing with telephone
78%
95%
983sf
2225sf
1%
53%
$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%
Median Family Income
Average House square footage
Houses with 2 1/2 baths or more
Median Home Price
The Other Side
1950's*
2000's*
12%
3%
<100,000
>1.66 million
(2003)
$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
385,000
1,182,000
Savings Rate
Bankruptcies/Year
Government debt
Divorces / year
*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