WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:02.399 A weird thing happened to me. 00:00:05.839 --> 00:00:15.759 I did very well starting from nothing, graduating from college with nothing, got married with nothing, and got rich. 00:00:16.480 --> 00:00:19.120 At least by a kid from Antioch, Tennessee standards. 00:00:19.359 --> 00:00:23.359 I had about four million dollars worth of real estate by the time I was 26 years old. 00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:29.519 But I borrowed too much money, and I did some stupid things, and I lost everything. 00:00:30.879 --> 00:00:40.240 In the process of losing everything, and having to start over, I discovered God's ways of handling money in the Bible. 00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:46.240 From people like Larry Briquette and Ron Blue and people that were writing in those days. 00:00:46.399 --> 00:00:49.039 That was 25 and 30 years ago. 00:00:49.520 --> 00:01:00.880 And as a person with a finance degree, the academic underpinning and all the letters and licenses after my name, learning what God's word said about money was really interesting to me. 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:07.200 It was a natural gravitational pull for me in my spiritual walk. 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:09.280 I was a baby Christian at that time. 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:22.000 And so I went from having nothing to having a lot to having nothing, to starting to apply these principles, and they worked. 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:28.400 And that started to create a problem for me. 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:39.120 Because as I started to build wealth the second time as a Christian, I started having these worries and these thoughts. 00:01:39.920 --> 00:01:43.920 I didn't want to be that guy. 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:47.280 You know the one I'm talking about. 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:52.480 Have you ever worried that if you got enough wealth that it would ruin your life? 00:01:52.640 --> 00:01:55.120 Because you've seen other people have that happen. 00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:55.920 Say yes. 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:07.599 You've watched people who got wealth either suddenly or over time or inherited, but whatever reason, they were okay and then they got money and they weren't. 00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:10.080 It was not a blessing. 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:11.759 It ruined their life. 00:02:11.919 --> 00:02:12.479 Say yes. 00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:14.960 I didn't want to be that guy. 00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:19.759 I'd already been through one ride up and down because I was stupid. 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:21.759 Not because I was arrogant, I was just stupid. 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:24.560 I was arrogant and stupid, but mainly because I was stupid. 00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:27.759 And I just didn't want to be that guy. 00:02:27.840 --> 00:02:32.960 And worse than that, when you do God's ways of doing things, did you know they work? 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:38.240 And so I'm doing God's ways of handling money, and it's working. 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:41.840 So I'm starting to have some money. 00:02:42.319 --> 00:02:45.520 I'm out of debt, I got an emergency fund. 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:48.159 I'm investing for the future, the mutual funds are building up. 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:49.439 I'm starting to have some money. 00:02:49.520 --> 00:02:52.400 And so I'm worried about am I gonna mess me up? 00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:55.280 That's a real concern. 00:02:56.080 --> 00:03:02.319 Worse than that, I kind of got past that after a while, but I started worrying, this is gonna screw up my kids. 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:04.879 Because you wanna see some screwed up kids? 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:10.800 Let me tell you, there's two types of rich kids: screwed up and not. 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:14.479 There is no middle ground. 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:19.280 They're freaks or they're the best on the planet. 00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:22.800 And I've met them, I've met generational wealth families all over this country. 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:32.960 I know a bunch of them, I know a bunch of them that are Christians, and there are some incredible third, fourth, and fifth generation young people out there walking in wealth. 00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:35.439 And there's some fruit loops. 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:37.919 Y'all see them. 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:40.159 It's called reality TV, isn't it? 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:44.800 And so I start asking myself my question. 00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:49.199 And you know, I found out as I read into it that I wasn't the only one that had asked the question. 00:03:49.360 --> 00:04:01.759 The great evangelist Martin Luther, that led one of the biggest revivals in American history, and certainly in the history of the UK, said he said a couple things about money, but one of them he said was make all you can, save all you can, and give all you can. 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:13.360 But later in his life, he lamented that as he led people to Christ, the very character of Christ and learning about God's ways of handling money caused them to become wealthy, and in some cases it caused them to stray from the faith. 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:16.240 Because they became dependent on their money rather than on the Lord. 00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:24.240 And he lamented that it seemed like the gospel would, in some people's lives, it didn't, it because they didn't get it, I guess. 00:04:24.319 --> 00:04:26.160 It wasn't the gospel, they didn't get it. 00:04:26.399 --> 00:04:32.879 And so the as they prospered as a result of their positive character change, it caused them to turn and go back the wrong way. 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:34.000 It was very weird. 00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:36.240 And so I didn't want that to happen to me. 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:48.879 And so I started studying scripture and I started saying, and I started looking at, now we've been doing financial coaching through the Bible in our organization, nationwide, on radio and in classes and in one-on-one sessions for 25 years. 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:51.519 And so we do this stuff every day. 00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:54.079 I mean, we are, we we got our hands on it, we know what's going on. 00:04:54.160 --> 00:04:59.600 And so I started seeing these people progress through the process from broke to not. 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:09.519 And I started wondering really, what does the Bible say about this natural progression, this wealth evolution, if you will, that I was observing. 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:12.720 And I think I figured it out. 00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:14.160 I'm gonna share it with you. 00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:16.000 Then you can decide if I figured it out. 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:24.399 But I'm pretty sure I've discovered a biblical pattern for wealth and how it's supposed to work in your life if it's gonna be a blessing. 00:05:24.720 --> 00:05:28.000 The first thing that happens is you start with what we call now. 00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:33.360 Now is I kind of got my head down, I'm paying my bills, I gotta pay the light bill, I gotta put food on the table. 00:05:33.519 --> 00:05:36.000 Thank God it's Friday, oh God, it's Monday. 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:38.560 Y'all know what I'm talking about. 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:40.399 All the money comes in, all the money goes out. 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:42.399 I'm just paying payments and I'm working. 00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:44.160 And it's not working. 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:46.079 I just feel like a rat in a wheel. 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:47.759 And that's where a whole lot of people are. 00:05:47.839 --> 00:05:49.199 They're stuck in there now. 00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:51.360 They just run, run, run, run, get nowhere. 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:56.399 But but then when you insert biblical principles into their lives, they start to win. 00:05:56.720 --> 00:06:05.920 And it's okay, by the way, that you started with now because the Bible says, take care of your own household first, or you're worse than an unbeliever. 00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:12.399 You're supposed to take care of your kids before you have some grandiose ministry thing over here. 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:14.480 You're supposed to feed your kids. 00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:17.040 That's not wrong. 00:06:17.279 --> 00:06:29.439 And anybody who guilt trips you and says, don't pay your light bill, so that you can give to their thing, that's not a biblical admonition. 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:33.839 You're supposed to take care of your family first. 00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:37.920 That's what the Bible says. 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:40.720 So I'm gonna release you to do that. 00:06:41.839 --> 00:06:46.639 You need to start with right now. 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:55.600 Now, while you're in the now, you're functioning and you need to be really leaning into the basic biblical financial principles. 00:06:55.920 --> 00:06:59.120 It's get out of debt because the borrower is slave for the lender. 00:06:59.199 --> 00:07:02.720 It's get on a budget because Jesus said don't build a tower without first counting the cost. 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:11.040 It's live, it's save money because in the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, and it's live on less than you make because a foolish man devours all he has. 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:14.160 And it's give because God loves a cheerful giver. 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:23.680 And so you lean into these basic biblical principles of saving, getting out of debt, living on a plan, and you're impacting your money instead of the lack of it impacting you. 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:26.399 And the more you do that, margin starts to occur. 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:33.600 And you start to say, all right, I really do believe the borrower is slave to the lender. 00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:39.199 And I'm really gonna work my tail off and sell so much stuff the kids think they're next. 00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:40.879 I'm getting out of debt. 00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:46.240 I'm not kidding about this Bible stuff. 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:48.560 This is real. 00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:53.040 Master card has ruled my life for too long. 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:54.240 I'm done. 00:07:54.879 --> 00:08:03.120 And you lean into this and you work like a crazy person and you do what you can do, and God looks down and says, hmm, that one's growing a brain. 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:07.519 That one can be trusted. 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:16.399 And so you not only get yourself out of debt, you're on a plan, which is what intelligent, wise people would do with money, and almost no one does. 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:20.560 So not a lot of intelligent, wise people with money. 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:23.279 You have a written plan every month. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:38.480 And you start living these things, and as soon as you do that, you get rid of the debt, and you bring in savings, and you're on a plan, and you're giving, and you're living on less than you make, all of a sudden what happens is you don't have to worry about right now because there's wiggle room in there. 00:08:38.879 --> 00:08:40.399 Margin starts to occur. 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:42.720 You don't have the payments and you got the savings. 00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:47.919 You can kind of breathe, and what happens is you look up and you go, wow. 00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:51.600 Because you had your you had your nose down. 00:08:51.759 --> 00:08:52.720 You had to. 00:08:53.200 --> 00:08:54.559 And that's okay. 00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:57.840 But the natural evolution is your head comes up. 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:01.200 And as your head comes up and you look, you'll look towards the future. 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:05.919 And we call this now, we call looking towards the future, then. 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:07.600 Now, then. 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:13.440 And it is good to look towards the future because the Bible does say in the house of the wise are stores of choice of food and oil. 00:09:13.600 --> 00:09:18.240 The Bible does say where there is no vision, the people perish as in die. 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:25.279 You will retire with nothing if you don't start investing towards the future. 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:28.720 Now, when you're trying to eat, you can't worry about stuff like a Roth IRA. 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:29.840 That's a theory. 00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:40.399 But when you get the wiggle room, as soon as you got the emergency fund in place, you got the debt cleared, your head comes up and you say, Hey, we're gonna start investing so we can retire with dignity. 00:09:40.559 --> 00:09:46.799 Instead of my game plan is, I'm gonna work all my life and hope the government, which is well known for its ability to handle money, will take care of me. 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:54.000 My game plan is when we grow old, we're gonna buy a cookbook, 72 Ways to Prepare Alpo and Love It. 00:09:55.120 --> 00:09:57.679 I'm gonna live on social insecurity. 00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:04.320 No! Once I get past my now, I go to then and I start thinking I'm gonna invest for the future. 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:07.279 And that is faith. 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:09.759 Because I just gave you the scriptures. 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:16.000 God says you're supposed to plan and think and have a vision. 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:22.639 It's not faith to live hand to mouth your whole life and call that faith. 00:10:23.679 --> 00:10:26.879 That is not proper biblical stewardship. 00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:30.000 In the house of the wise are stores of choice food. 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:37.919 Well, see, if you if you're 30 years old and you save 15% of your income, the average household income in America right now is about$48,000. 00:10:38.320 --> 00:10:40.159 15% of that is$7,200. 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:48.399 If you save$7,200 a year into a growth, into a decent growth stock mutual fund in a Roth IRA from age 30 to age 70, you'll have$7.4 million. 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:54.159 Say wow! I mean, what if I'm half wrong? 00:10:57.600 --> 00:10:58.879 Seriously. 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:02.399 Where there is no vision, the people perish. 00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:10.080 $100 a month saved from age 30 to age 70s,$1,176,000 in a Roth IRA and a good growth stock mutual fund. 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:12.000 A millionaire. 00:11:13.120 --> 00:11:15.519 Where there is no vision, the people perish. 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:17.679 But you can't look at that till you get this done. 00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:22.000 And as soon as you get this done, it is a natural biblical progression to look at that. 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:24.240 That should be your next step. 00:11:24.639 --> 00:11:26.320 And you start thinking about your kids' college. 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:28.720 How many of you got kids you'd like to send to college? 00:11:29.759 --> 00:11:32.639 You gotta be everybody talks about it, nobody does it. 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:42.559 $166.67 a month, which is$2,000 a year, fully funds an ESA, an educational savings account, which grows tax-free. 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:45.679 It's like the Roth IRA of education. 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:55.440 If you started that when you had the child at zero, zero to eighteen, two thousand dollars a year, thirty-six thousand dollars goes in, but that account will be$126,000 when they turn 18. 00:11:56.159 --> 00:11:58.879 And they can go to school without a student loan. 00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:01.039 Anywhere they want to go, pretty well. 00:12:02.480 --> 00:12:03.840 See, that's then. 00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:05.840 Then. 00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:22.240 Now, as soon as you kind of got those things going and you can see those equations that I just spit out like rapid fire, and you say, in other words, I'm gonna retire with dignity, my kids are going to school, today's bills are paid, you you got I got now, I got then, the next thing that happens is you go to us. 00:12:23.279 --> 00:12:27.360 And us is when you look around out of your peripheral vision and you realize I've got kids. 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:35.519 And you start to think about, I need to, I want to change my family tree. 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:42.799 Because the Bible says a good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children. 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:52.559 It is biblical, assuming your kids have a brain and you've taught them proper spiritual stewardship that they don't own it, God owns it. 00:12:52.799 --> 00:12:56.879 It is biblical to create this idea of generational wealth. 00:12:56.960 --> 00:13:03.279 It is biblical to create this idea of changing my family tree. 00:13:04.399 --> 00:13:06.159 That is not evil and it's not wrong. 00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:09.679 It's in the Bible a lot, as a matter of fact, as you start reading it. 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:11.600 Nobody talks about this stuff much. 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:13.600 Some of you are going, hmm, I've never heard this. 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:15.039 It's because nobody talks about it. 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:17.919 It's almost not allowed to be talked about in our culture. 00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:19.919 Because money's like evil. 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:21.840 Wealth is evil, right? 00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:24.480 So now I take care of my bills, everybody's okay with that. 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:26.960 I start building some wealth for the future, and most people are okay with that. 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:28.320 I start talking about changing my family. 00:13:28.480 --> 00:13:29.840 Three people get freaked. 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:32.480 But that's your legacy. 00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:35.600 What's your legacy gonna look like? 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:44.159 It's fun to look back into your heritage and find family members. 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:47.600 My grandmother passed away a few years ago. 00:13:48.159 --> 00:14:02.320 And um, I already had the memoirs that were typed out, she had typed them out, handed them to us, and I had them printed and published and given to each of our family members of her grandfather, my grandmother's grandfather. 00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:06.159 That would make him my great-great-grandfather, I think. 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:08.000 He's old. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:15.200 When he was 16 years old, I'm from the South, he was a Yankee, he fought fought on the wrong side. 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:17.919 The side that won, by the way. 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:22.080 But he he he he when he was 16 years old, he fought in the Civil War. 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:31.360 He was a member of the Ohio Infantry, and so he came through the South during those battles. 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:47.919 When he went back home, he studied for and went into the ministry and became what we later called a carpetbagger, which were preachers that came from the north to evangelize people in the south and to lead people to the Lord in the South. 00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:53.519 Like nobody in the South knew the Lord, but some of them did need to know the Lord, I'll just tell you. 00:14:53.919 --> 00:15:01.039 And when my grandmother passed away, I found in her stuff his Bible. 00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:14.000 He carried this Bible in saddlebags on his horse and rode and spread the gospel in the South. 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:18.879 I bet you those were some hellfire brimstone sermons. 00:15:19.919 --> 00:15:23.360 Even got a sermon notes, a little antique paperclip in there. 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:26.320 This might be one of my favorite possessions. 00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:29.279 Because it represents legacy, doesn't it? 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:37.919 My great-grandfather, my great-great grandfather was a mighty man of God. 00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:42.159 That matters. 00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:46.960 That's a great legacy. 00:15:50.159 --> 00:16:06.799 And I start thinking about my grandkids, my great-grandkids, my great great grandkids, who I obviously will never meet. 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:08.720 This side of heaven. 00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:10.960 And I think about legacy. 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:18.799 And I think about what does it take to change my family to a tree? 00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:23.759 If that doesn't inspire you, you don't have blood in your veins. 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:28.879 If you got kids and that doesn't get you moving, something's wrong. 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:32.960 You're just self-centered and dysfunctional. 00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:41.679 Because as soon as you get the now taken care of and the then taken care of, the natural progression is we go to the us. 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:44.159 Now, I don't want to just leave money to my kids. 00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:46.080 It'll screw up their lives if they have no character. 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:54.559 So how do I keep money, how do I safeguard us and keep us from blowing up? 00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:56.240 Well, I think it starts with me. 00:16:57.440 --> 00:17:02.000 And we look at wealth as a reminder and as a safeguard through three different lenses. 00:17:02.080 --> 00:17:08.880 One is we want to remind ourselves that whatever you are, when you become wealthy, it will be magnified. 00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:13.759 If you're a jerk and you become wealthy, you're gonna become a colossal jerk. 00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:20.079 If you're a giver and you become wealthy, you will become what we know as a philanthropist. 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:25.920 Whatever you are, when you get money, you become if you have a temper, you're gonna be a rage a holic. 00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:28.160 When you get money. 00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:35.599 If you're kind and patient, your patience will be legendary when you get money. 00:17:35.839 --> 00:17:38.079 It magnifies whatever you are. 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:41.519 And so I gotta need to be real careful about what I are. 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:48.559 If I'm gonna be on this progression to build wealth biblically. 00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:49.920 Because it's dangerous. 00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:56.160 When people aren't don't have the character to carry it and they get the money, it destroys their life. 00:17:57.200 --> 00:17:59.839 I go in and I speak sometimes to sports folks. 00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:03.359 I was at a rookie camp at the NFL not long ago, and I was trying to explain to those young men. 00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:05.200 NFL stands for not for long. 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:10.880 The average NFL career is 3.7 years. 00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:16.000 But nothing's brighter than a 22-year-old except a 22-year-old that got a$10 million signing bonus. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:19.759 And I'm trying to go, wake up. 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:25.440 Because what you are just grew up and just blew up. 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:28.640 And we get to see you in the news if you are stupid. 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:32.000 Because now you got the money to do stupid on steroids. 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:34.559 Y'all know what I'm talking about. 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:36.400 You magnify. 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:46.960 The second thing, if I remember that, that I that it helps me stay and helps people that I've met who do a good job with their character as wealth comes on board, is they remember who owns it. 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:48.240 God owns it all. 00:18:49.599 --> 00:18:53.359 And so if you start going, I've got$10 million, you're messed up. 00:18:54.160 --> 00:18:56.799 God's got$10 million, I happen to be managing it. 00:18:56.880 --> 00:18:58.559 Well, why'd he let you manage it instead of me? 00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:00.720 Because apparently I was better at it. 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:04.400 Why'd he let somebody else manage a billion instead of me? 00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:05.839 Apparently they were better at it. 00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:08.400 So that's his deal. 00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:10.559 He's God, he gets to make these decisions. 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:14.000 And I don't have to, thank goodness. 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:23.279 But I do know whatever I'm in charge of, those cars, that house, those mutual funds, that business, those kids, that dog. 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:25.920 Those are God's. 00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:29.599 And I'm managing them. 00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:36.000 And if I can keep that emotional disconnect there that I don't own it, it's not mine. 00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:44.079 If I don't get that ugly spirit in my heart, then it helps me to manage any amount of money. 00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:44.799 Because you know what? 00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:48.640 It's easy to manage other people's money without emotion. 00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:52.960 It's also easier to give away other people's money. 00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:56.400 And when you take ownership, it makes it hard to give. 00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:59.759 But when you're just managing it for God, you're giving away somebody else's money. 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:09.680 If I walk out here and I give one of you guys this$1,000 that's in my pocket, and as soon as I hand it to you, I say, you have to give away$100 of it immediately to someone near you. 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:11.039 You go, okay, let's see. 00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:13.200 You just gave me$10, I give them one, I keep nine. 00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:14.240 I said, Yeah, that's the deal. 00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:14.960 Oh, no problem. 00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:16.400 Can we do that again? 00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:22.000 Because they didn't have the money in their hand long enough to have become emotionally attached to it. 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:30.079 But but if I let you carry it around for a week and I say, hey, that money I'll let you hold for me, I want you to give a hundred of it away, you go, wait a minute, hold for you. 00:20:30.160 --> 00:20:31.039 I thought you gave it to me. 00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:31.680 It's mine. 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:34.079 You suddenly took ownership of it. 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:36.000 You're going, I don't know about this thing giving some of that away. 00:20:36.079 --> 00:20:36.960 I'm I kind of got plans. 00:20:37.119 --> 00:20:41.200 Uncle Benjamin mean, Uncle Benjamin and me, we're like best friends now, right? 00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:45.920 So you see what happens when you become an owner. 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:58.480 The other day we were doing a thing at my office, and I've got a an accounting staff at my office among my 400 team members, and and we were making a donation to a thing, and I walked back to my controller and I said, I need you to write a check for$10,000 to this ministry. 00:20:58.559 --> 00:21:01.440 And I'm not bragging, it's just something that's part of what God's plan was. 00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:05.119 And and, you know, I didn't notice her going,$10,000? 00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:06.160 That's so much. 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:07.839 Are you sure you want to do that? 00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:10.240 She's like, okay. 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:14.079 It really wasn't hard for her to give away my money. 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:24.720 If you can maintain that ownership perspective that you don't own it, you just manage it, it changes your generosity, but it also changes your ability to handle wealth without the wealth screwing you up. 00:21:29.119 --> 00:21:32.160 And then, of course, you need community around you. 00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:34.799 And the multitude of counselors' safety. 00:21:35.599 --> 00:21:37.440 You need people that love you around you. 00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:41.440 And you need to be careful who you're hanging out with, because you become who you hang around with. 00:21:42.400 --> 00:21:46.480 You don't let your kids hang around with Johnny the drug dealer, because you know they'll become drug dealers. 00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:52.000 So you're gonna talk like, walk like, dress like, and make the same incomes of the people you run around with. 00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:55.920 You need to be real careful before you spend your T I M E. 00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:59.759 Now it's okay to do outreach and minister to people who you don't want to. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.440 Be like, and you're trying to lead them to Jesus, that's a different thing. 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:08.799 But in terms of your buds, who you run with, you're one of them. 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:13.119 In a scary way, you're one of them. 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:25.920 Even the way you roll your R's when you speak, so be careful of your community, because that'll help you to manage wealth from a proper spiritual perspective. 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:31.519 Now, once I've done that for me, then I need to do that for my marriage because my marriage is going to be magnified. 00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:36.160 The problems in your marriage, when you get money, they're going to be problems. 00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:38.720 It's going to be Mount Vesuvius. 00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:42.640 It doesn't get better. 00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:44.319 Everything doesn't get better with money. 00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:47.359 Everything that's bad gets worse, and everything that's good gets better. 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:51.039 It's not going to solve your marriage problems because you get money. 00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:54.160 It's going to make them worse. 00:22:54.400 --> 00:22:58.640 The divorce rate among lotto winners is fourfold the national average. 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:02.400 They got money and they said, I'm out of here. 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:04.799 It blew up. 00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:06.079 Interesting. 00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:09.039 Sudden wealth is really scary. 00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:13.440 And then if I'm going to do that with me and I'm going to do that with my marriage, maybe I ought to do that with my kids. 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:15.759 I'm going to start with my kids. 00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:22.319 I'm going to say, my kids, whatever they are, they're going to be more of it when they inherit this wealth. 00:23:22.640 --> 00:23:25.200 So they're doing drugs, they don't get to inherit the wealth. 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:27.279 They're out there running a life of prodigal sin. 00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:30.000 They don't get to inherit the wealth because they're not going to be a good manager for God. 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:31.440 And it's not my money anyway. 00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:32.799 I'm managing it for God. 00:23:32.880 --> 00:23:36.880 So I what kind of manager would give it to a drug dealer, even if it's your kid? 00:23:38.480 --> 00:23:39.039 None. 00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:40.640 So my kids are real clear. 00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:42.160 Walk with Jesus, stay in the will. 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:44.240 Don't walk with Jesus, out of the will. 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:53.440 And that's not because I don't love them. 00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:55.279 It's because I do love them. 00:23:55.839 --> 00:24:00.720 Because if they're doing heroin, I don't want to fund it at my death. 00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:05.680 But if they're welcoming Jesus, wow. 00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:07.039 And how do I help them do that? 00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:09.039 Well, I teach them that magnification principle. 00:24:09.119 --> 00:24:11.119 I also remind them ownership principle. 00:24:11.279 --> 00:24:12.160 You don't own it. 00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:15.119 You ask my kids who owns the Ramsey wealth. 00:24:15.359 --> 00:24:18.160 They're all grown, two of them married now, they'll tell you. 00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:26.000 Because we have family meetings about this to remind you that this wealth is a responsibility. 00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:32.240 It is a blessing, but most of all, it's a responsibility. 00:24:32.480 --> 00:24:33.599 Because we've been blessed. 00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:35.839 We're way past just paying our bills. 00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:38.079 And this stuff will ruin your life. 00:24:38.240 --> 00:24:41.200 And our kids, man, it was tough being a Ramsey kid growing up. 00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:44.799 Because I made them work in the salt mines. 00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:50.720 One of my kids, we finally went from a hoopty when we were broke, finally got a nice car. 00:24:50.799 --> 00:24:52.880 One of my kids kicks back in that car. 00:24:53.039 --> 00:24:54.160 And he's looking around. 00:24:54.240 --> 00:24:58.000 He's about 12 years old, and he goes, We're doing pretty good, aren't we, Dad? 00:24:58.640 --> 00:25:00.480 I said, We aren't doing anything. 00:25:00.640 --> 00:25:01.759 You're broke. 00:25:04.319 --> 00:25:05.920 I'm doing pretty good. 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:07.440 You got nothing. 00:25:12.319 --> 00:25:16.160 I don't want this kid rolling into school, tough blowing off at his mouth about that. 00:25:16.319 --> 00:25:16.880 Do you? 00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:19.440 I don't want him to be that guy. 00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:22.640 So, man, we were tough on him. 00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:24.000 Dad, you're tough on us. 00:25:24.160 --> 00:25:26.799 Yeah, because you have tremendous responsibility. 00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:30.640 You're gonna have to be able to carry some weight. 00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:37.519 Now, then, us. 00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:41.119 Us. 00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:43.920 Now, us works like this too. 00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:48.000 How do you work with your kids on this? 00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:51.920 You think like David, King David. 00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:55.920 Solomon, his son, built the temple. 00:25:56.640 --> 00:26:01.759 David was permitted, was prohibited from building the temple because of an adulterous affair with Bathsheba. 00:26:01.920 --> 00:26:04.880 He saw a UFO, an unclad female object. 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:10.640 Right? 00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:13.119 So God says, you don't build the temple. 00:26:13.440 --> 00:26:18.319 Solomon builds the temple with David's money. 00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:32.480 My friend Robert Morris, who wrote one of my favorite books on generosity, The Blessed Life, says in that book that biblical economics has dictated that the temple in today's dollars would be$21 billion to build. 00:26:33.200 --> 00:26:34.480 That was built. 00:26:35.839 --> 00:26:38.000 That's Bill Gates' kind of money. 00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:42.319 $21 billion to build the house of God. 00:26:42.480 --> 00:26:45.920 Solomon inherited that from his dad, David. 00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:52.480 But he also inherited the understanding that it wasn't his money, it was to be used to build the temple. 00:26:54.400 --> 00:27:00.799 Now neither one of those men were perfect, but both of them are prominent in Scripture for a reason. 00:27:01.119 --> 00:27:07.440 And so what happens is, I love the scripture in Deuteronomy. 00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:12.000 It says, I call heaven and earth as witnesses today. 00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:14.000 Take that back, please. 00:27:14.559 --> 00:27:18.640 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you. 00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:20.400 I don't have it memorized, I'm sorry. 00:27:21.119 --> 00:27:24.400 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you. 00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:28.480 That I have set before you life and death. 00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:33.279 Blessings and cursings. 00:27:33.759 --> 00:27:35.279 Therefore, choose life. 00:27:36.160 --> 00:27:41.920 That both you and your descendants may live. 00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:47.440 Choose life, not death. 00:27:49.279 --> 00:27:50.720 Something to think about, you guys. 00:27:51.920 --> 00:28:04.559 Now, what happens then is once we've done now, then, us, the next thing and the last step of the progression is your vision broadens beyond your family tree once you know you've got that done, to them. 00:28:05.920 --> 00:28:06.480 Them. 00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:12.640 And them is all the needs of the world that God is going to put in front of you and assign you to do. 00:28:12.799 --> 00:28:15.359 Did you know$7,000 will drill a well in Haiti? 00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:26.079 And it changes not only the village, it changes women's rights, it changes education, it changes marriage, it changes life and death because they die from dirty water. 00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:30.240 $7,000 changes an entire village generationally. 00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:33.200 $70,000 will do that for 10 villages. 00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:37.599 A handful of mosquito nets changes people's lives in Africa. 00:28:38.319 --> 00:28:43.920 There are people within 20 minutes of your house, a lot of them that are hungry. 00:28:47.359 --> 00:28:49.440 $10,000 will change their life. 00:28:49.599 --> 00:28:54.640 A$1,000 hoop-dee car will change the life of a single mom who's catching the bus. 00:28:58.640 --> 00:29:04.880 You're going to grandma's house on Thanksgiving, and you stop at the Waffle House. 00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:09.039 Let me tell you who's working at the Waffle House on Thanksgiving. 00:29:09.359 --> 00:29:12.160 Somebody that needs a job. 00:29:12.559 --> 00:29:13.200 Bad. 00:29:13.599 --> 00:29:15.519 They're at Waffle House. 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:17.680 And it's Thanksgiving. 00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:19.680 Two indicators. 00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:21.279 They need a job. 00:29:21.599 --> 00:29:22.240 Bad. 00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:28.319 Be sure you leave a$200 tip. 00:29:30.079 --> 00:29:32.720 And just for fun, sit in the car and watch. 00:29:36.720 --> 00:29:39.599 Don't leave them a track on how to meet Jesus. 00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:47.359 Don't be one of those people that servers hate to wait on on Sundays because some Christians are cheap. 00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:49.359 Don't be that. 00:29:51.039 --> 00:29:54.000 Just leave them a couple, Uncle Benjamin, smiling at them. 00:29:54.960 --> 00:29:56.640