Life.Church with Craig Groeschel - 4 Lies Culture Tells About Money

Episode Date: March 21, 2021

Sometimes the reason we struggle with our finances is because we’ve been told lies about money that give us a false perspective. This week, we’re learning what the Bible says so we can apply God's truth to our finances.ABOUT THIS MESSAGEWhen life’s circumstances force you to rethink your finances, where do you turn for answers? No matter where you are on your financial journey, it’s possible to honor God with your money. Together, let’s learn what the Bible says about finances and gain some practical tools that will give us the freedom to say, “Keep the Change!” Learn more about Keep the Change: life.church/keepthechangeStart the Keep the Change Bible Plan: www.go2.lc/changeWE’RE OPENTo ensure safety at all of our Life.Church locations, our weekend services have been redesigned to create a sanitary, touchless environment that allows for physical distancing. Learn more about everything we're doing to keep you safe and how you can help by using hand sanitizer, washing your hands often, and more: https://www.life.church/updatesFind a time and attend a service with us: http://www.life.church/locationsNEXT STEPSHave you made a decision to follow Jesus? You may be wondering what’s next on your journey. We want to help! Let us guide you to your next steps in your walk with Christ: https://www.life.church/nextABOUT LIFE.CHURCHWherever you are in life, you have a purpose. Life.Church wants to help you find your next step. Our hope is that your journey will include joining us at a Life.Church location throughout the United States or globally online at https://www.live.life.church. Find locations, videos, and more info about us at https://www.life.church or download the Life.Church app at https://www.life.church/app. FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/life.churchInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/life.churchTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/lifechurchCONNECT WITH PASTOR CRAIGYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIIdiIO-Y20hRW9niR0CA8AFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/craiggroeschelInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/craiggroeschelTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/craiggroeschel#lifechurch #craiggroeschel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Oh, thank you. Thank you all. Well, it is such an honor to be here with you and all of you watching at home. And yes, you heard from my dad last weekend, so I'm following him. And I know a lot of people have in their head the question, gosh, what was it like growing up as Dave Ramsey's kid? And people assume that we had mutual funds birthday parties. and like budget camps every summer. And we were obsessed with money because it was Dave Ramsey, you know.

But thankfully that was not the case. Mom and Dad were very intentional with teaching us how money works. And not just how it works, but specifically what God says about money. And because of that, my whole life has changed. I was actually born the year they filed for bankruptcy. that was born in April, and they filed in September. So my entire life, I had almost this front row seat of them figuring out God's ways of handling money.

And because of that, again, my whole legacy is different because of that. And the gratitude within that is it overflows me. And that's why part of my passion is to be able to write and speak and do podcasts, all the things to get this message out. because here's the deal. If you do what culture says when it comes to money, you're going to get culture-like results. But if you do what the Redeemer says to do with money,

you will get redeemed results. So today, so today I want to walk through four lies that our culture tells us about money versus what God says. And John, Jesus says, I'm the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. And when I think about money in our world today, it is a dark topic for a lot of people. Sadly, it is a place of bondage for people. It's a place of shame.

It's a place of guilt. It's a place of looking back in embarrassment of mistakes maybe they've made. but again, when we filter everything we're talking about through the lens of scripture, it changes. And there is a light. And that's what money is, you guys. It is a tool for us to use for good for God's kingdom. So the first lie that culture tells us about money, it says, you'll be happy when you buy

blank. You will be happy if you could just get a newer car. If you drove a newer car, you'd be happy. be good. If your house was just a little bit bigger, you'll be happy. If you could just buy that jacket this winter, you'll be happy. If you can just buy blank, you will be happy. And it's this lie that has completely taken over our culture because we live in a culture that worships stuff. And we really do believe that the newness of stuff, it drives our happiness. And if that is your foundation, you're going to be a rat and a wheel for the rest of your life. And what's interesting

is you see in scripture that God talks about money more than heaven and hell combined. And the majority of scripture around money, whether it's parables or it's in the Old Testament, it's a lot of warnings. There's a lot of flashing caution signs around, right? You think about the rich young ruler. You think about the man in Luke Jesus talks about who builds bigger barns. them a fool. In fact, it's one of the only places in scripture that Jesus calls someone a fool. It's the guy that built Billger Barnes. When you're studying James, you'll know toward the ends of James that Paul is calling out the elitist within Jerusalem because they've forgotten the poor and they're just hoarding their wealth. So there's a lot, a lot of caution lights around the subject of stuff,

of luxury, and of money. Now, I'll say this. I am not against stuff by any means. So I always say it's okay to have nice stuff. Just don't let your nice stuff have you. And it can have you when you go into debt for it, number one, because at that point, your stuff owns you. You are in bondage to it. And last week again, Dad used this example, but it's true. And when Proverbs says that the rituals over the poor

and the borrower is slave to the lender. So when you go into debt and you buy things you can't afford, there is a level of financial bondage you are in. And when you're in this kind of bondage, you guys, you don't have choices. You don't have options. I have talked to countless people who longed to go do something with their life, and they can't because of their dang student loan payment or their car payment.

They don't have the margin to make different choices with their life because their stuff is owning them. And your stuff can own you when your identity, your contentments, your joy, your peace, all of that you believe is in stuff. Your stuff can own you at an emotional and a heart level. And Matthew, Jesus says, no one can serve two masters. You'll either hate one and love the other

or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. So what do we do with this? What do we do with this? Because again, we live in this culture, in this world that says, yeah, your stuff, it's your everything. It's your everything. and when that becomes that foundation, what creeps in slowly that you may not even catch it at times,

but you look up and you'll see the root of comparison lays a seed in your heart. Because if you think if I could just have this, what they have, if I could just go on that vacation, everything will be fine. Pastor Craig actually has one of my favorite quotes about comparison. He says that comparison will either make you feel inferior or superior and neither honors God. How good is that? So again, when you're looking at everyone else and seeing what the Joneses are doing, and newsflash, you guys, the Joneses, they're broke. They don't have money.

78% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. 40% of Americans can't cover a $400 emergency in cash. So you're comparing your life to people that can't afford the life that they're living. And then you topple social media on top of it, right? and it's like steroids. It's just, oh, it's insane. Everything is magnified. And we carry the Joneses around with us

in our back pockets on our phones. And you compare not just your lifestyle, but every other part of your life. I mean, it's bizarre. I remember scrolling through Instagram, this specific story, I scroll through it too much, probably even now. But I remember a few years ago scrolling through

and seeing one of my friends, and she was out with her four kids. At the time, I had two kids. I now have three. I had two. So when you look at anyone that has a kid more than you, you think, how do they do it? Right? How are they doing this? She had four. And there they are, having a picnic at the park.

And there was this picnic blanket and this wicker picnic baskets. And all four kids are in matching outfits. And I'm from Nashville, the South, so everything's monograms. And they're eating these homemade, non-GMO, gluten-free, grain-free snacks. And all four kids are in the picture, looking at the picture and the sunlight is just beautiful. I mean, the beaming of it. And all four kids are just laughing. And she says, you know, beautiful day at the park with some homemade goodies. And at the time I look over and my nine-month-old is taking off her diaper and my three-year-old's

eating Cheetos. And I was like, oh, my gosh, I'm a terrible mom. You know, you've got to feel this way. How does she do it? How does she do it so effortlessly? And it feels like such a struggle. How? Or maybe you're scrolling through Facebook and you see, you know, you're going to be a little.

your friends have just redone their kitchen. And it's the beautiful countertops and the the gold pools on the cabinets and their shiplap. You know, they're in the kitchen. It looks like a farmhouse, but you live in the suburbs, but it looks like a farmhouse. It's like Joanna Gaines just walked in and waved her little wand and, oh, there it is. And you think, man, I would love a new light, airy kitchen. Or Christmas time comes around. And that's always my favorite. Everyone's posting where they're going or what they got. And I went through this one girl and she's in front of a Mercedes. And the caption says, always wanted a Mercedes. And there she is. And you think, man, you don't see the kids running around the restaurant screaming. Right? You see the four beautiful kids in the picnic.

You don't see them running around freaking out. That's not on the Instagram. story, you don't see possibly the second mortgage that was taken out on that home to redo that kitchen. And now the husband's lost his job and they are stressed out and they are freaked out. And you definitely don't see a 1990 Honda Civic with 300,000 miles, put it on Facebook. Oh, look what my hubby just bought me. Hashtag blessed. No, you don't see that, but that is real life, you guys. And I know you know this. I know we've had social media long enough. But it's a reminder, remember,

because all of us can fall in that trap. And so when you compare your life to all of that and your lifestyle, I'm telling you, there's a level of emptiness because it's make-believe. It's a fairy tale. But people will spend money

and spend money they don't have to keep up that lifestyle that they think everyone else is living and they're missing out on. So how do we break again, not just the comparison cycle, but what the world says, if you can just have blank, you will be happy. And the first step in this is gratitude. Christine Kane says, which I love, that gratitude is not just what he has given us, it is what he is entrusted to us. And I love that

because that is the truth, right? When it talks about stewardship and scripture, a steward is a manager. That is what it means. We are managing it for him. So whether it's your job, whether it's your investments, it's your income, whether it's your kids, whether it's your education. I don't care what it is. Your life, you are managing for him. He has entrusted these things to you. And when that goes from your head to your heart and your soul, it changes the way that you view your stuff and your money and luxury. You suddenly do this. You live a life with an open hand because you don't own it. It's not yours. So if he tells you, give it away. You give it away. If he tells you enjoy it, enjoy it. Like, it's his.

He's the one that directs and tells you. That's why it's so important, you guys, to be walking with the Holy Spirit, to discern and to know what he is calling you to do. Because, again, we so easily, we can do this so easily to live your life here. So when you can have gratitude for what he's entrusted to you, the next thing you can move into is humility.

And Rick Warren says, humility is not thinking less of yourself. It's thinking of yourself less. So it's not humiliation, it's not putting yourself down, but you start to realize, okay, it's not all about me. And we live in a world and a culture where it is, isn't it? It's all about you and your happiness. It's like the axis of the world runs right through the top of your head,

and it's all about me, me, me, me, me, me, me. I mean, even our phones have a camera on this side to take pictures of me. Like, it's, it is so wild. We are such a me-centered culture. But what humility does is it makes you look up and look out and see others. Because when you live with humility, it's not all about you.

It's actually about serving and giving others. And when you look to see how we are created, and Genesis, it's clear that we were created in the image of God. And God is the biggest giver of us all by giving us his son so we can have relationship with the perfect and holy God. So if we were created in his image and he is a giver, we were created to be giving and to be serving.

That is who we are. That is the DNA of us as believers. So when you can go from gratitude for what he's entrusted to you to now be able to look up and see what you can do for others, that next and final step I really do believe is contentment. And contentment is not apathy. Contentment is not laziness. You can still have goals.

You can work hard. You can strive. But you can be content. contentment is a peace that the Holy Spirit brings to your soul and your heart and your spirit where you say, I am here for a reason. And First Timothy, it says, godliness with contentment is great gain. And we live in a culture that has not gained a lot because they are still running and chasing. But when you have godliness with contentment, oh, it is great gain. And what a beautiful thing it is. So when culture says, if you can just have this, you'll be happy. We can

I know actually I'm going to have godliness with contentment, and that's going to bring me peace and joy. The next lie that culture says is that you don't need anyone else. In America, you all, we applaud self-sufficiency, don't we? If you go and do it on your own, people are there ready to applaud you. But when you look at scripture, you know, not only are you known by God, you're not doing it by yourself. He knows you.

He knows every single part of you. You are known by your creator and what a gift that is. But scripture also says to be known by people, have community, other believers that you are walking life with. And I'll say this, if you are married in here, how many are married in here? Okay, yes. And all of you watching, if you are married,

your spouse is that number one person not to do this alone with. we have this idea in our heads specifically i'll speak for this country america the most but we're told yeah you can still have your independence when you're married there's still this level you can keep over here and with your money yeah yeah yeah you can still have yours it's your money it's his money it's her money it's this it's this separate way and people are not combining they're not unifying they're running on two separate tracks and it is really hard to win financially when you're married and you and your spouse are on two separate tracks. It's very difficult. The problem is, again, we live in a world and it says, yeah, well, I work hard, so I deserve it.

I make more money than my spouse, so I get to do what I want. I work, she stays at home with the kids, I get to decide. And in the very thing that separates us is the one topic I think in life that can unify you in a great, powerful way. So if you, you, you can you. So if you, you, you, you, you're married out there, work together. And a few tactical ways to do that. Number one, join your checking accounts. I say some pretty countercultural stuff in the world when it comes to money. Like, don't live without credit cards. If you go to school, actually pay cash. There's a way to do it. You know, I say these things that people are like, oh, no, Rachel, I don't know. But when I say this, would I go on Instagram and I said, yeah, if you're married, you need to have one checking account.

you would think I took my car and ran over the family dog. Like, I mean, they think I'm a monster. I mean, they, it's the number one thing that I get hated on the most. They cannot, how could you, Rachel? How could you? I'm a woman. I don't need to depend on a man. Listen, when you get married and the pastor says you are one,

you are one in every area of your life, including your money. And I think it's a work of the enemy where he puts this wedge. and the very thing that is hard and causes conflict, because it does, it's one of the leading causes of divorce in America today. So I get it. I'm not saying it's all going to be like flowers and roses. It's going to be hard. But the very thing that causes that conflict that makes people say,

it's just easier if we separate, is the very thing that you need to press into. Because in marriage, when you start avoiding one thing over here, that habit goes through your entire marriage, and you're going to look up in a few years and think, I don't know, how are we not even talking about this? So the thing that brings the conflict is the thing you need. to dig into. It's uncomfortable. It's not fun, but do it. And combining those accounts is the first step.

Also, budget together. I know dad talked about budgeting a little last week, but do it together. Sit down. And then you get to embrace the differences. And that opposite's attractive marriage, don't they? One of you is watching this right now and you're thinking, oh, she brought up budget. I love her, the Holy Spirit is moving. I'm going to get Excel out. and make my husband or wife sit right here, and we are going to do a bunch. I can't wait, I'm so excited. We call those people the nerd in the relationship.

And then you always have a free spirit who says, oh, you know, I'm good. Budget actually kind of feels like, ooh, I'm suffocating a little. It feels like I can't have any fun. And that's me actually in our relationship, which is funny. I'm the free spirits. My husband's the nerd. But you have that.

You have spenders versus savers. You have people that want to spend on experiences. You have the other spouse that wants to spend on actual things. I mean, you start to see it, but the beauty, the beauty of working together through that budget, because what you get to do next is you get to have empathy. And you actually get to say, okay, I'm going to stop, you know, doing my little agenda and actually listen and hear them out. Because you may start to hear fears.

You may start to hear dreams. You may start to hear things out of your spouse because money's a tool. It's like this magnifying glass. It shows you what's going on. And having that conversation with your spouse is key. and having that budget conversation and the empathy and praying together. And I don't say that lightly. I mean, honestly, again, it is a point of, of tension for a lot of couples.

So bring it before the Lord and say, how can we get on the same page? Even if it's a third party, you bring in a counselor, it doesn't matter. Like talk to people and get on the same page, you guys. Because when couples specifically who are running after Jesus and their tools and their resources and everything is pointed towards the kingdom of God, amazing, beautiful things can happen. So don't let this separate you guys. Don't let this tear your marriage apart.

And if you're single and you're watching this, you have to be known as well, be known, obviously in life, but with money. So have someone in your life who is good with money and talk to them about it and say, hey, I'm struggling here. Like I am on Amazon too much. Definitely, because I'm bored or I'm stressed, you know, whatever it is, but to be able to talk about it

because my friends that are single when I hear them, I'm like, man, there's a lot of responsibility when you are single and specifically a single parent because you're the one that's in charge of thinking, is there enough milk in the refrigerator, right? Or when's my oil need to be changed? I mean, to have two brains thinking about your money specifically, that is a gift. That is a gift. So bring people, be known in this subject in life, you all. Be known in it. So when scripture says, yeah, you don't need anyone else. Bring community. bring it in. The third lie that culture says is that you are your mistake, that you are your mistake, where 2 Corinthians says, therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come,

the old has gone, and the new has come. And with money, if you're over five years old and here or watching, you've made a mistake with money. Money mistakes are part of the gig. It's going to happen. And the hard thing is that some people's money mistakes, they have more zeros at the end than others. And that money is one of the only things in our life that we have a scorecard for.

I could tell you, yeah, I mean, Winston and I, like our marriage is we are in such a good spot. But there's not a score for that. You know, I could tell you, yeah, spiritually, I'm just, I'm not, I'm feeling kind of dry this season, but there's not a score for that. Like, you don't have scores for these things in life. But money, you have a number.

Like, that net worth, what you own minus what you owe is a number. And that number in our world today, your net worth sadly has become your self-worth. And that has to flip. Your self-worth is not your net worth. And that mistakes that have been made, those mistakes you have made do not define or identify. who you are. And so going back and knowing that you are a child of God, a new creation has come. He sees you through the blood of Jesus. You are not your mistake. You're not your money mistake. And mistakes, again, they're going to happen, you all. They are going to happen. After I had my third and last baby,

November or October of 19, right before the pandemic, we realized that we needed new car seats and in a new car and all that because the three car seats as I put it in didn't click and it was too small, this whole thing. And so I did something I never thought in my entire life I would do. But I bought a minivan. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Two things will radically change your life. Walking with Jesus and owning a minivan. I'm telling you, I could work for Honda. Like, it is the most amazing car I've ever been in. I'm like, this thing, it's, I can't even tell you the seats. I won't even get into it.

It's amazing. So Winston and I, we do the whole plan, right? So we saved up. We had the cash, went down to the Honda dealership. We bought the new van. We were very excited about it. It was on a Monday night. Tuesday morning, I'm leaving to take my oldest to preschool. We get in the van, and I'm like, you know, you get in and it's just, oh, my adrenaline is kind of pumping. I was like, oh, it's all new. I mean, it's just so, it is fun, right? It's okay to have stuff. Remember? I'm not letting this van have me. I'm really trying, but it's fun. And I start pulling out of the garage. and I hear a crunch. And my daughter was like,

Mom, what was that? What was that? And I thought, I don't know. I don't want to know. I don't want to know what that was. Surely out of two decades of pulling out of a garage in my life, surely nothing like what I just heard just happens. So I get out of the van and apparently those little fins that are on top of cars or vans,

It looks like a dolphin fin if you see them. I've never really noticed them. Yeah, they're not there for decoration. No, they have computer chips inside of them. Mm-hmm. Yep, things like your satellites and your GPS and your radio. Technology apparently is in that little thin. And did I slice that fin right off?

Yes, I did. There were computer chips all over our garage, and I thought, oh no, and I look up and there was a hole in the top of the van with wires like sticking out. And I thought, oh. So I text my husband, because Winston, if you knew us, we actually won the newlywed game last year because of this question. What's your biggest pet peeve about your spouse?

They asked me to ask for Winston. And I said he drives slow. And Winston wrote, I drive slow when we won the game. Like we know this about each other. He drives slow. So I thought this would have never happened to Winston. He, of course, would have let the garage door go up all the way. way before he pulled out of the garage. So I texted him and I said, babe, something happened. He said,

is everyone okay? Are you good? Or the kid's good? I said, oh, yeah, everyone's great. The van? Not so much. He said, what? And I said, I kind of broke the van. Uh-huh. I broke the van. So, of course, he comes home and he was like, hey, it's okay, it's okay. But I felt sick, guys. I mean, I was like, what? I cannot believe I just did this. I mean, you just feel like I just wish I could rewind, rewind time. It was so frustrating. You've got to take it to the, not even just the dealership to redo it. You had to take it to like the auto parts place and they had to completely do the new roof, everything, everything. And it just makes you think. I mean, the guy that got in that was helping me, he gets in the driver's seat, turns it on and he said, oh, there's only 36 miles on

this. I was like, I know. I know. It's terrible in insurance and our insurance. It was all of it, right? But you know what? It was a mistake. It was a mistake. Things are going to happen. So when money and mistakes happen, do not let them identify you. Don't enable yourself either or others in your life by just saying, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay, don't be legalistic where the rules trump the relationship, because that's an exhausting place to be, but find that grace in the middle, knowing that, okay, there is grace, I am not my mistake. And then the fourth and final lie that our culture tells us is they say it's this mindset, YOLO, you only live once, which is true, like we do, right? We only live once. But when that's your

mindset, that instant gratification, I want to just do what feels good in the moment, completely takes over your life, where in Proverbs it says a good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children. When you are a good man, when you're wise, you are thinking about the generations beyond you. because the generations beyond you are going to know how you handled this. Your kids are watching you. If you have grandkids, they're watching you. So what are you passing down to them? This isn't a money specific.

It can be, and I pray you're in a position where you're able to do that. I think that's a blessing, but it's also how you handle. Your relationship with money will outlast you. Does it own you or do you own it? Do you serve God or do you serve money? These questions are asked. and so knowing that your legacy, it's a big part of this as well

where our culture doesn't think that long term. They think instantly. Growing up, my parents used this analogy of a rope. So the idea of the rope was that we were tied to one end of the rope as kids and they had the other end. So depending upon how well we made decisions in life, how trustworthy we were,

they would let this rope out and we could make more and more of our own decisions. But if we made a bad decision, they would pull the rope back in. So I remember being probably 14 years old, dropped off at the movies with some friends in middle school, and we decided not to see the movie. We decided to go across the street to McDonald's and get ice cream. And when dad came to pick me up, I wasn't there.

It was kind of this whole ordeal. And I remember sitting in the living room because we had a family meeting that night, a.k.a. Rachel's in trouble again. And I remember dad said, Rachel, if you want to be treated like an adult, you got to act like an adult. And an adult has responsibility. And they go to the payphone, because we didn't have cell phones back then, you go to the pay phone and you call. And you know, I probably would have let you walk across the street to McDonald's. I think that's fine. But you weren't responsible enough to communicate that. So now I'm going to have to pull the rope back in.

Now, fast forward a year, I was at a party and some adult beverages were all around. And I remember thinking, if I am caught at this party, my life is over forever. And so I called my mom and said, hey, well, you just come pick me up. And I got into the front seat. And she said, Rachel, really wise decision. She said, I so appreciate you calling me. You get lots of rope, Rachel. Lots of rope.

Great job. And so when my older sister, Denise, was graduating high school and going off to college, if you've had your first one leave home, you know, it's a big deal. And so the night before she left, we had this big figure. family dinner. My mom made this huge homemade meal. We ate off the fancy plates that you only eat off of Thanksgiving and Christmas. We had cloth napkins. It was this wonderful big meal. And we were telling stories about Denise and we were laughing and crying. It's like she was dying or something, but she wasn't just moving two and a half hours away. But towards the end of that dinner,

our dad pulled out this gift bag and he pulled this out of it. a rope. And he said, Denise, tomorrow you move away, you go to college. And your day-to-day decisions now, they are up to you. And our rope doesn't reach from Nashville to Knoxville, Tennessee. And so it's up to you. And so he tied these different ribbons around the rope, symbolizing different areas of her life. And white was for her purity. Orange was because she was going to the University of Tennessee, Govalls. Purple was her academics, red was her spiritual walk, and yellow was if she ever needed to come home. And he said, Denise, tomorrow you become an adult. He said, and here's the rope. And we all just cried. I'm like, Denise is never coming home again.

She has the rope. No, I'm the middle child of the Ramsey family, so they neglected and abused child. and the night before I went to college, we had pizza on paper plates. It was great, very fancy. And I remember going to bed that night, and dad, as I was walking up the stairs, he yelled through the house, Rachel, Rachel, you need a rope, don't you? Went to the garage? He only caught me that. I'll let you decide which child is their favorites, but I think we know.

No, but I see this rope as my legacy that my parents have passed to me. Of parents who have made the mistakes, so much so they filed bankruptcy, but chosen to live a life not by what culture says about money, but truly the fulfillment of what Scripture says, not what culture says what Scripture says about money. And because of that, I mean, I do. I see this as my legacy. It's a legacy of life.

Not that they were perfect, not that I am perfect with the subject, but one that through the lens of our decisions, praying that godliness with contentment is great gain, a legacy of life. And I'm so thankful they passed me this legacy versus this legacy. In Deuteronomy, it says, I have called heaven and earth as witness today against you, that I have set before you life or death, blessing or cursing.

So choose life that you and your descendants may live. Thank you, guys. It's pray. Thank you. I'll close us in prayer. God, thanks so much for this time, the honor and the gift and privilege it is to be here at Life Church. And God, I pray that everyone watching, everyone here today,

that this topic that can rule over, us and we can believe the lies the culture says. I pray that you give us a way, that we can be in your word, know your scripture, and know the truth about how to handle this topic of life that can be so hard, can be so damaging, so all-consuming God. But you have given us light and we are a new creation because of you. We are so thankful, so thankful for that gift. In Jesus' name, amen. As we continue in an attitude of prayer with every head bowed and every eye closed, there are those of you here today that you came here and honestly you've been searching for things to fill that void in your life you've tried to fill something in your heart with material things with relationships

with substances and nothing fills that void and you're here today for this very next moment a moment where you recognize that there is nothing in this world that can fill that void the only one that can fill that void is jesus and you see here's the problem is if you're and I sat down to just talk and just have a conversation. And I asked you, hey, where do you stand with God? You might even say, you know what? I don't know, man. I don't really know where I stand with God. In fact, I don't know that God could ever love someone like me. I've made so many mistakes. I've sinned against God. And I would just tell you, you're right. None of us. None of us are perfect. We all sin. You've sin. I've sin. And that sin creates a debt that we can't pay.

but you need to understand something. God loves you so much that he did something for us in his son Jesus. He sent his son Jesus, who lived a sinless and perfect life. And he died on a cross for the forgiveness of our sins, paying our debt. But he didn't stay dead after three days. He rose again so that anyone, and this includes you, anyone who calls on the name of Jesus would be saved, would be forgiven, would receive a brand new life and freedom through Christ.

And so here's the deal in this next moment. It's time for you to surrender your life to Jesus. You are ready to receive the gift of grace and forgiveness of your sins. So I'm going to count to three. And when I get to three, if that's you, you say, I need Jesus. I need his grace. I need his forgiveness. When you say yes to Jesus, he forgives you and he makes you new.

So when I count to three and I get to three, if that's you, I want you to shoot your hand up at all our life church locations online. Just say it in the chat. I'm giving my life to Jesus. One, God loves you. He's here for you, ready to forgive you. Two, don't wait for tomorrow. Tomorrow's not promised to anyone.

Today is your day of salvation. Three, come on, shoot your hand up in the air right now. There's hands going up at all of our campuses. God bless you. Put it in the chat right now. Say I'm giving my life to Christ. Church family, would you pray with me? Pray together with those.

around you, everyone praying out loud. If you're watching online, just repeat this prayer with us. Say, Heavenly Father, I give you my life. I surrender my heart. Forgive me of my sins and make me new. Fill me with your spirit so I can follow you and serve you all the days of my life. No more guilt, no more shame. My life belongs to you. Thank you for forgiveness. Thank you for your grace. And thank you for new life. It's in Jesus' name, I pray. Can you celebrate with those around you today? Welcome to the family of God.