In my final years of college the front door to the townhouse I owned looked out on a sheep farm.  I often sat

and watched those sheep and despite being fenced in, they seemed to just wander about for no apparent reason.  The herd would follow one sheep that wandered off ahead and then start following some other sheep.  They looked almost like a bunch of pin balls bouncing from one side of the fence to another.  Of course, out in open country without fences that could lead to all sorts of big problems for the sheep.  Falling off cliffs, getting eaten by bears or  lions, or just getting lost.  That’s why the shepherd was so important.  He led the sheep to food and safety. 

The way we often manage our time, talents, and treasure (possessions and money), is much the same as those silly sheep.  Our hearts lead us astray as we are attracted to the latest marketing scheme.  How many advertisements do you think you see in a single day?  100?  200?  Well, depending on where you live (city or country) you could see up to 5,000 ads in a single day!  Seriously?  We don't even realize how inundated we really are!  

I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for sale!  That's why I love Groupon!  When you see that 4 letter word in a store front window, they've already got your attention.  If we see something on sale, all of the sudden we think we need it!  Where they really get you is when they offer you a sale and then give you an extra 15% today if you sign up for their credit card.  That way you can’t use the excuse, “well I don’t have enough money.”  Not only do you now "have" enough money, but you are also saving money!  What a deal! Or so you think.  

How do credit cards really work?  Are they really that bad?  I see my parents use them all the time.  Well,

first of let's make an important point.  There's a difference between "using" a credit card to purchase something and purchasing something "on credit."  It all comes down to when and how you pay the bill.
Most debt situations are bad.  However, many people have to take on debt to do things like go to school and buy a house.  These low interest debts might be necessary for you to make a living and/or provide the basic necessities for your family.  However, debt in our country is an epidemic.  

Proverbs 22:7 says, “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.”  

It's true, debt makes you a slave.  But slavery in the OT time period was not like the 20th century slavery that we often think of.  Whether slavery is a good thing or not depends a lot upon one thing:  the master.  So,

there are some like Dave Ramsey that say all debt is bad.  However, if have to choose debt over not being able to provide for my family, I'm likely going to choose debt every time.  So, some debt, under the right circumstances might now be so bad.  A good rule of thumb is if you can pay cash for something, do it.  If you really NEED to have something, like a house or an education, then a loan might be an OK solution if you can manage the payments.

Bottom line is we need a shepherd and some guidelines to help us manage it all properly.  Luckily Jesus talked a lot about money.  In fact, he talked more about money more than any one thing, even more than love.  Why, because it was a real issue in Jesus' day, and it’s a real issue now.  

What You are Someday Going to be You are Now Becoming!

It's a simple principle, yet it's not an easy one.  It's simple in the fact that it makes perfect sense.  It's not easy
because it's difficult to carry it out.  What am I talking about?  Forming good habits now that will have a profound effect on who you will be someday.  What you are someday going to be, you are right now in the process of becoming.  In that light, even though you may be young or old, the things you chose to down make a difference.  This is an important principle of good stewardship.

We are often waiting...waiting to see what's next.  Middle school students are waiting until they get to high school; that's when life really starts.  High school students are waiting until they graduate; that's when they can begin their future.  Graduates are waiting until

they get that career job; that's when they can start living life to the fullest.  Those with good jobs are waiting until they get married; that's when they can finally share life with someone else.  And the waiting game goes on and on all through life.  Even for those who have "done it all," are seemingly waiting for something more.  What are you waiting for?  It's time to start now.

"Think of giving not as a duty...but a privilege"

Whether you are a millionaire or have very little, good stewardship is important.  Jesus says in Luke 16:10, “If you are faithful in the little things, you will be faithful with the larger things.”  What’s the opposite of that?  If you’re NOT now faithful with the small things, then you will NOT be faithful with the larger ones later.  That's why forming habits now, even with just a little, is so important!  J.D. Rockefeller had to form habits of saving and giving when he had very little in order to become the philanthropic billionaire that he was.  

Are you saving now?  What makes you think that you will ever save money if you are not right now doing it?  Are you giving money away?  What makes you think that you will ever be a cheerful giver if you are not now forming the habits of giving a portion of what you get.  

Of course good stewardship is more than just managing your money.  It's about managing all that God has giving you:  your possessions, your talents and gifts, even your physical body.  Are you managing these things well?  If you are not now, what makes you think you ever will?  Start now!  This very minute.  Don't wait another second.  Ask for help.  Bring people into your lives that can love and support you in your new goals.  And above all, pray through Jesus Christ that God would give you the strength to be faithful in the little things.  For when we abide in him, we shall bear much fruit (John 15:5).  

Contentment and Stewardship

Everyone loves to have a little bit of money in their pocket don't they!  In fact, if I offered you a crisp new 20 dollar bill right now with no strings attached, I'm sure you'd all take it.  But what if I crumpled it up?  Would you still want it?  What if I threw it in the dirt and stomped on it?  Would you still want the 20 dollar bill even then?  Most of us would say yes because the paper bill is still worth $20.  It didn't lose its value when it got crumpled up and stomped on in the dirt.  

  The same is true of all of us.  No matter how many times we go digging in the dirt, or someone else stomp

s on us, or we get crumpled up and thrown by the wayside we are still worth the same amount to God as before!  In fact Matthew 10:28 says,

Matthew 10:28-31  ²⁸ Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.  ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.  ³⁰ And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  ³¹ So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

You are worth more than many sparrows yet not one of them falls to the earth apart from God.  God is in control of all things and he made you and formed you for a purpose.  In Jeremiah 1:5 God tells a young Jeremiah that he is valuable and that his life has purpose:   "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart"

Our value, who we are just the way God made us, is immeasurable!  Our Value comes from what God says about us, not from what everyone else says about us!

Over the next few weeks we are going to be talking about money; how to handle it, manage it, and have control over it rather than it having control over us.  To understand how to handle our money, we have to first understand our value in Christ and be good stewards of what God has given us already.  That includes our time, our bodies, our minds, and our possessions.  

Here are some of the questions we asked the students in discussion groups:

1.  How content are you?  (most said they were either somewhere in the middle or lower)  

2. How content are you with you are? (not just with what you have)

3. What are some of the things culture says about teenagers?  (Lazy, entitled, too plugged in, can't communicate, unmotivated, self-absorbed...)  

4.  What is your perspective on teenagers?  Are they really like this?  (sometimes, but not everyone)  

5.  What are the qualities you want to see in your generation that could lead to good stewardship and financial peace? (Motivation, follow their dreams, boldness, courage, faith, contentment)

6. What does Jesus mean when he says, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Luke 12:34)?  (Your heart is prone to follow after worldly desires which do not bring peace or contentment)

7.  What does Dave Ramsey say is the most powerful financial principle?  (Contentment) 

8.  How does contentment bring about Financial Power and Financial Peace?  (You won’t spend more than you have because you are content with what you have, therefore you won’t be in debt.  When you’re not in debt you have financial power.  When your not in debt you don’t worry.  When you’re content with what you have you don’t waste time and money keeping up with the Jones.  When you’re content you don’t spend money on worthless things that are obsolete in a year or that you forget about in a month therefore you are able to save.  When you save you have money in the bank and don’t have to live paycheck to paycheck and that brings peace)  

Take away principle:  Dave pointed out, the world is always trying to tell us what we should value.  The problem is that the world’s opinions about what is valuable is always changing.  It’s impossible to keep up.  Chasing the world’s values just leaves us wanting more and feeling empty, unsatisfied, and discontent.  The only way to be content is to treasure what God says is valuable.  Then our hearts will be satisfied and we will be fulfilled.