Re-Defining Rich

We're going to go to Luke chapter 12. I'm going to start at verse 13. And this is what it says, "Then someone called from the crowd, teacher, please tell my brother to divide our fathers estate with me." Jesus replied, "Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?" Then he said, "Beware, guard against every kind of greed, life is not measured by how much you own. Say that again, life is not measured by how much you own." Then he told them a story, "A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, 'What should I do? I don't have room for all my crops. Then he said, 'I know. I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods, and I'll sit back and stay to myself, my friend. You have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy. Live the American dream, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said to him, 'You fool, you will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?' Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth, but not have a rich relationship with God." Tell the person next to you the title of my sermon for the next nine weeks. I'm committed to this. Look at him. Look him dead in the eyes. You don't even know this person. Doesn't matter. Say, "You better get rich or die trying." They don't get it. They don't get it. They look broke. Find somebody else. Find somebody else. Say, "Get rich or die trying." Now let's pray because some of y'all went back. You know where you went, so we need to redeem this. Some of y'all are like, "Oh, I know what you heard about me." We know. We know what she was doing last night.

We know you smell hungover. We're just glad you're here. We don't say nothing. We don't say nothing. Let's pray, let's pray, let's pray, let's pray, let's pray, let's pray, let's pray. Holy Spirit, we invite you to do whatever it is that you desire in our hearts and our minds. Let this moment, let this moment that we're giving to you, God. Let it be a moment that completely changes the directory of our life and causes us to leave here looking more like Jesus and less like us. In Jesus' name we pray, amen, amen, amen. You can be seated. Thank you. Double anointing to keyboardist, let's go. And Gus and Tristan in the back, we're killing today. One, first of all, I'm just so proud you came to church today. Every Sunday that you gather with us, we're blown away. You have so many things, so many places you could be. So the fact that you would choose to be at legacy, we honor and we appreciate that. I just want you to know, just in case you're like, man, it's a little crowded in here. We are inviting people to make the first mission trip of the year and go from the 9.45 to the 8 o'clock all the way to the 8 a.m. And you can be like, wow, I'm a missionary this year simply by waking up an hour and 45 minutes earlier. And then right now, you could be having brunch. I'm just saying. But if you choose to be here, I'm just glad you're here. I just want you to know, there's room at the 8. Okay. There's room at the 8 and we invited 100 people to commit. And a lot of them already responded like it was the 8 was a vibe. And y'all don't know this. They give out free donuts at the 8. They charge at the 9.45. But at the 8, they just, you get a donut, you get a donut. I'm just saying it's a different anointing at 8. So if you're like, man, how do I save money and have my kids be motivated to come wake up early? Sugar and the Holy Ghost is your friend. Get rich or die trying.

I think the first thing we have to do is we have to make a decision to redefine rich. That's actually what I want to talk about today is redefining rich. I don't know your background and perspective. So let's first start off on the same level of how we define rich. Rich, according to Google, is having a large amount of money, valuable property, or an abundant supply of something useful. Having a large amount of money, valuable property, or an abundant supply of something useful. Now, that's Google's definition. Let me define for you God's definition, according to Romans 14 verse 17. The kingdom of God is not eating in Everybody say righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you erase like me, you don't call it the Holy Spirit, you say the Holy Ghost. Come on. Now, if we're going to identify that that is how God defines rich, then we need to have a clear definition for kingdom rich. And you can't Google this because I made it up this weekend. Having a large amount of righteousness, peace, and joy and being filled with the Holy Ghost. That's kingdom rich. Ask the person next to you, do you want to be rich? Or kingdom rich? They don't know yet. Give me 30 minutes. Okay. I remember in high school, I'm getting closer and closer to like my 20-year reunion, which is crazy because I look like I can still go. I look like I'm still in there. It's not that funny. But I remember in high school, there was this guy, he was the man. He was like him, every man. You never saw him in class because he was always just walking the halls, still past every class and was eligible for sports. I don't know how. Just talk to all the girls. He was he was the man. And I remember how interesting it was after high school when he was trying to convince me, you know, in high school, he was going to the league. First he was going T1, then he was going to the league. But after high school, he was telling me

phones at Verizon trying to convince me to leave T-Mobile. That's not a negative. That's just not what I envisioned after he was the man for four years. And I thought I needed to be more like him. And he was like, you're a nerd. I was like, well, you know, it's just crazy how those four years didn't last that long. How many of y'all have been out of high school longer than four years? Ten years. We'll stop there. It's a safe space. You look like you could still be in there. How sad it is that some of us are still trying to be the man in high school. How sad is it that the Bible says that life is but a vapor. It's here today going tomorrow. And some of us are prioritizing a life that will actually in equipment when you equate it to eternity lasts about four years. And we wasted a lifetime. When I was growing up in my area of demographic, we started a term we call people hood rich. You know, no hood rich? So I'm not familiar with the term. Let me show you. This is hood rich. Hood rich is when you got bands on bands, but you and your baby, mama, let's share a studio on section eight. And it just doesn't make sense. It's when your car is worth more than your house. And it just, it don't, it don't make sense. That's, that's hood rich. That's, that's hood riches. What's funny is some of y'all like, can't, can't relate. I live in the East Valley. But hood rich doesn't have a zip code. It's a heart posture. Some of y'all don't even know you live in the projects because you're projecting an image of success. You, you, you, you post Dominic Sumastros and the LB bag. Not understanding or also posting that you are everybody money. And that thing is borrowed. Not yours that he gave that to you to break up with you. He didn't want to do it. You know, Mario is cheaper to just give you a bag than give you his life. It was easier to just Some of us, we got, we finance vacations. We post everywhere we go. But there's an interest rate on that because you couldn't afford it in the first place. So you should have staged your little butt in Chandler and learn how to stay patient.

Some of us have this image of, uh, well, if I dress the part, I'll feel the part, not understanding that there's not enough brands to bear, bear brokenness. And so we've learned to adapt this hood rich mentality of as long as I project it, as long as they think it, as long as I feel it, then it's real not understanding that we can be rich and poor at the same time. Matter of fact, that's what the man came to Jesus saying. He was like, Jesus, I got this brother and he came up with some money and he not trying to share, make my brother share the money with me. She's like, friend, which is polite. He's like, respectfully, I did not come here. I got three years. I'm not worried about you arguing over your daddy's money. Matter of fact, you're missing out on the real thing, right? You need to guard your heart against greed. I've seen money break up family faster than any offense. And Jesus then goes into this story, this parable talking about a man who was rich. Now, I do want to be clear. Jesus never demonized the man's richness or wealth. and we were working at a church in Scottsdale and I would meet other people like, oh, you guys are in Snobsdale. I'm like, what's that? They're like, oh, people in Scottsdale are Snobby. I was like, first of all, people in East Oakland are Snobby. You just sound broke and bitter. Because some of the most generous people I ever met lived in Scottsdale. Some of the most generous people I met had that helped fund this ministry lived in zip codes that were very affluent. That didn't make them negative. That wasn't a bad thing. The problem, look at verse 12, or chapter 12, notice the language the man used. He says a rich man had a fertile farm

that produced fine crops. That's a blessing. The Bible says that it is God that gives men the ability to produce wealth. So you can't control that economy. You can't control crops. God did that. The problem was in verse 17, where he said to himself, what should I do? I don't have room for all my crops. Then he said, I know, I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll have enough room to start all my wheat and other goods. And I'll sit back and say to myself, my friend, which is weird. You know you ain't got no friends when you talk to yourself and be like, my friend. You're crazy. I got us. So then he says, my friend, you have enough and stored away for years to come. Now take it easy. Eat, drink, and be married. But God said to him, you fool. You will die this very night then who will get everything you worked for. Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth, but not have a rich relationship with Jesus. You're not a fool for being smart.

You're not a fool for being a good steward. You're not selfish for being wealthy. He's saying you're missing the point if you only store up wealthy riches and don't have a rich relationship with God. You're rich poor. Because one last four years, the other one lasted for eternity. And so what I want to caution us and encourage us is to make sure that we don't end up looking hood rich to God. Where we think because we wear nice blue tailored suits, we have it all together. Not understanding and knowing that there was so much life is so much more than eating, drinking, buying, posting, flexing, traveling. None of those things are inherently evil, but my God, if you're robbing yourself of actual wealth, you're a fool. I want to show us a few things. First of all, poverty is generational, not just personal. Have you ever heard of generational poverty, generational cycles of poverty? Do you recognize that you could, that is not restricted again to an area code, zip code? That is a mindset that is actually caught, not taught. Meaning, if I show my children that we are wealthy or rich because of what we have or what we own or what we can do, then they will live a life trapped in a cycle of poverty

'cause they will keep chasing something that they can never fully attain and that someone else always has more of and that someone else can always control. So if you do not disciple your children into what it looks like to accumulate and pursue heavenly riches, you will give them an American dream that is a heavenly nightmare. I remember when we first had our first born, after we got married, we were doing the baby dedications and we were at the small storefront church and I think we were the only family dedicating a child that day so they could bring us up and the pastor hands my wife a microphone, which I was like, why? I don't got nothing to say, I'm just trying not to drop this thing. Like, and she just starts to pray and prophesy and I remember, you know, I'm just looking at my daughter, Genevieve, and I'm just like, I can't believe she's mine and I hear my wife talking and I'm also like, I just want to get off this stage, I'm so nervous and all of a sudden, all remember nothing else, I remember her saying, and I don't care, she ends up working at McDonald's as long, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, cover your ears, what? What are you talking about?

And she's like, I just wanted to know the Lord and I'm like, she can know the Lord and have a 401k, like. (audience laughing) a young age we were 22 at the time who understood how to eternal perspective not a tear. I'm so grateful my wife never pressured me to get her every bluey bag or YSO bag or I'm just grateful to have a Proverbs 31 woman that was like I just want a family any men that are grateful that I got a wife that isn't pressuring me to look rich or make her feel rich but she's rich because of what we have and who we are and I was so blessed still didn't fully agree with her but I was still blessed and here's what I have found you can't buy your child out of depression but you can fight against demonic oppression and lead them out of it you can't buy peace in your marriage but you can walk in it through prayer and the power of the gospel you can't buy healing but you can choose to speak life and over death and move mountains with your faith like the Bible describes well so much differently than Google. Matter of fact in James chapter 1 James says I desire that your pressure variants make you to be perfect and complete lacking nothing. Some of y'all are real rich to the bank account gets real low. Then Proverbs 13 says there is one who looks rich but has nothing there is one who looks poor but has everything. Philippians 4 19 I love this one and I know that my God will supply all of your needs according to his riches and glory meaning that I don't want to depend on my bank I want heaven spank pouring out for me. It's just different levels of rich. God does not desire us to be hood rich meaning what we drive and where we live is worth more than where we're going and how we're living. He desires us to lack nothing meaning don't be rich in followers but broken friendships. Don't be rich in titles but broken spiritual authority. Don't be rich in godly words but poor and godly works. Get rich or die trying but understand what Jesus said in Luke chapter 12 life is not measured by how much you own. What's interesting is that scientific research has finally caught up to scripture in discovering this truth. Write this down. Money is an amplifier not a cure. Meaning it's great to be rich on earth but please do not be poor in anything that matters in eternity. Have you ever heard the quote money changed them? That's a lie that's a dumb quote money doesn't change you it exposes you. Some of us we ain't ugly we just broke. Jay Z said it ain't no such thing as an ugly billionaire. Beyonce said amen.

All right all right all right let me show you research let me show you research research research come on 945 you got to go to the A. Y'all ain't saved enough for me y'all you're a negative influence on me okay come to the A. This is why research shows researchers split people into three groups by how they were doing emotionally before looking at income here's what they found if you were doing fine before the money the money kept helping if you weren't it helped for a while then quit on you right around making a hundred thousand dollars and never came back because your problem was never money. Here's what they also found a million dollars doesn't retire the stress 29 percent of investors holding over one million dollars still report significant financial stress and listen to this 48 percent of households earning between a hundred and a hundred fifty thousand a year report financial stress versus only 45 percent of those earning under a hundred thousand dollars more money more but here's what's interesting about it the problems weren't new you just you just found a nicer place to have the same problems. Here's also what happened in research this year Gallup did a poll this year and for the first time ever under 30 percent of us adults call their mental health excellent that's down from 43 percent six years earlier meaning Gen Z and millennials each fell about 15 points in an excellent mental health what does that mean it means the wealthiest generation is the most unwell generation but we've made all these decisions because we want to give our kids a better life let's talk about that number two affluent kids are a documented at risk population what do you mean well she found the depression and anxiety are 1.5 to 2.5 times higher than national norms among wealthy adolescents with substance use even higher still. And here's what's crazy. She discovered this by accident. She was trying to use the upper middle class group as the control for inner city kids. Meaning she was looking for a flu and kids was like, hey, if you can get your out of this poverty mindset, this could be you. And then she looked and was like, oh, shucks. Y'all are more jacked up than they are. Why? Because more access without accountability and direction just brings more problems. Which also reminds us that this is not just about us. It is about our children because if we do not disciple them into stewarding kingdom riches, they will fall into the mindset of American wealth, which is actual property. If we don't disciple them, the world will. Here's the third thing you need to know. America is hood rich. What do you mean by that? 831 million people worldwide survive

on under $3 a day. And an American household at the federal poverty line still sits in roughly the top 15% of global income. Meaning if you can afford Starbucks, you've already made more money than 831 million people that day. What is all this data showing us? It says that the American poor are globally rich. The American rich are globally and emotionally poor and that the game we're playing is rigged. You'll never win. It'll never be enough. And here's the thing in case you think, well, I don't really care about money. Oh, Jesus said, guard your heart against every kind of greed. Oh, money is just a street. It ain't the whole neighborhood. The greed of it's never enough. I never get enough attention. I never get enough time. I never get enough affirmation. I'm never seeing it. I'm just not valued enough. I'm not enough. I'm not enough. I just don't feel enough. Like that is a hard issue that if you are not careful, it will drive you into a direction of mental, emotional, and spiritual poverty. So when Jesus is telling the man, guards your heart, when he's giving him the illustration of the rich farmer, notice that that rich farmer, he said, I 10 times, I, my, myself, hey, friend, like just not once he said, God, what do you want me to do? Not once he said, God, how can I use this to change the lives of the people around me? Obviously, it's too much for me. Like, well, how can I be a steward, not a owner? Matter of fact, how can I make sure that the wealth doesn't own me? And so if you have that same question, like, well, how do I combat the natural tendency to only grow rich in areas that are temporary and neglect the eternal, then I want to give you four keys. First, everybody say automate. You got to automate your contributions. You have to make reflection and repentance a daily practice. You see, the problem is we become so complacent in thinking that since things are working out, I must be doing the right things. If everything is up into the right, I must be living right. No. You think when the Bible says that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, he's not talking about your money. He's talking about your attention. He's talking about your joy. He's talking about your purpose. Like, that's what he comes to. If he can give you more money and keep you distracted from God, then he'll just give you more money. And so you have to daily say, God, show me me. That's why I love the Psalmist Psalms 51, where David says, God created me a clean heart, renew a loyal spirit within me. Why? Because he knows my heart ain't loyal. These hearts ain't loyal. 945. So when David says, creating me a clean heart, it's because he understands that the scripture says the heart is wicked and deceitful who can trust it. And David is not speaking from a place of

poverty. He actually is the wealthiest. He has the most authority. He's the king. He has the most women. He has it all. And he's saying, I recognize it when I chase it all, I lose everything that matters. You like, because at what point is a new ambitious? No, no, no, no. But just be careful that you're stewarding it because the same drive that caused David to kill Goliath was the same drive that caused David to kill Uriah to take his wife. You can't let your heart lead you. So you got to automate on a daily God. Show me me and I repent. If there's anything in me that is not of you, I want to be loyal to you, not things. Don't just automate. Everybody say diversify. You got to diversify your holdings. What does that mean? Sacrificially give up your time, talents, and treasures. I remember I was a youth and young adult pastor at a time and we were getting ready for youth camp. We had all these students ready to go to youth camp and I didn't have enough qualified adults to shop around them. And so I was recruiting our young adults at the time like, Hey, why don't you come to camp and help me watch all these babies kids? Because like, I don't want to be responsible for all these people. And I remember one guy was like, Hey, can I talk to you afterwards? I was like, Oh, sure. And I'm so I'm excited. I'm like, Oh, cool. He's gonna help sign up. He's a mature guy, really successful, like be a good role model. And he says, Hey, I'm appreciate you trying to peer pressure me in a giving my weekend away. I give a lot of money to this church. Oh, I didn't know that giving in one area excluded you from having to give in any other area. That'd be like being in a marriage like I gave you a house what else do you want? I gave you a car. What else do you want? I gave you my body. What else do you want? Like, I want all like, I want I want you to love me. Like, I want I want this not

to be a house. I want it to be a home that means we need to be present. And we need to have communication needs to be peace. Like you I got want like what? And when Jesus says you must love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. He's equating it to all your time, talents and treasures. Meaning you can give as much money as you want. Okay, now you can't pay kids away. That's a negative habit. And well, I pay for a lot of their things. No, no, they still need presence that like a flu and kids are in at risk community. And I realized if we do not diversify, if we are not diversifying our holdings, if we're just like, well, I give my time so I don't need to tie. Oh, so you're saying there's still a area of your heart that God does not have. You matter of fact, you'll choose to give the easiest thing that's not sacrificial. That's why you have to do all time, talent, treasure, because I'm teaching myself that nothing belongs to me. Everything belongs to him. And I am a steward. And this is uncomfortable. That's why it's called a sacrifice. When's the last time you made a sacrifice? Come to the eight, it might be a sacrifice. Okay. Here's the next one. Here's the next one. Here's an expert diversify your holdings. Everybody say reinvest, reinvest your dividends. What does that mean? Serve the house and look for ways to spread the gospel. Do you know it is not my job to get your co-worker saved? It is not my job to preach the gospel to your family and your friends. It is your job. You know, technically my only job as a pastor is to equip you to do the work of the ministry. You are in full time ministry. You just don't get paid by a church. You are in full time ministry. If you accept Jesus, you accept, you set it yourself, therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg

you to lead a life worthy of your coming because you have been called by a guy. Well, we'll do it. It's easy to say it for 30 seconds on a Sunday, but like go. Who's the last person I found Jesus because of you? Not only that, but why do you even come to church? I just need a good word. Pastor better have a good word. Well, I'm trying. I'm really working my butt off. You know what I mean? And if it's not good, the donuts are. So, you know what I mean? Like, but what if you didn't come to church to get a good word? What if you came to church to become a good word? What if every time you came, it's because I want to apply this and I want to go redirect this back into the community, back into my family. What if I want to be the person that reinvests everything that is thrown into me back into the people that God has placed me in or no round? So, that's why we say serve the house. Why? Because what you invest in, you look, I'm invested in. You know, I could care less right now about Tesla because I sold my Tesla. Careless. You know what I care about? I still have Tesla stock. I do care about Tesla. I just don't drive it. But, but you hear my like, whatever you invest time, talent and treasures in, that's what you start to care about. Some of you can walk away from your relationship because you were never invested in it. You just took the dividends. It's easy way to walk away from a woman you were never invested in. It's easy to walk away from a family you were never invested in. It's easy way to walk away from a church that you were a consumer, not a contributor. But when you've been serving the house of the Lord, the pastor can take you off, you're like, "But ask for me in my house, we gonna stay planted."

And he's just gonna get an email. (congregation laughing) But do you hear? We went to a wedding last night, and it was beautiful because the couple met at Legacy. And their story was that they both met, when we first started the church, they both committed to helping build the church at a YMCA, and they met there. And they weren't planning on anything like it, but four years later, their story all tied back to, not only did they put Jesus first, but they built his house together. And since they built God's house, God built theirs. (congregation clapping) Reinvest your dividends. Here's the last one. Manage, everybody say manage. Manage your behavioral risk. What does that mean? Guard your heart from fear, pride, and selfishness with love, submission, and sacrifice. You know what's healthy about serving? It reminds you that your life is not just about you. It's good to be in a position where someone else is giving you directions, and you have to make a conscious decision. To even though I feel like I know better, I'm gonna submit. 'Cause then when I'm in my marriage,

it's easier to submit. And then when I'm in a situation that I like, it starts to develop my heart, to guard me against fear, pride, and selfishness. I want you to recognize fear, pride, and selfishness. They don't show up as the Amazon package as your front door. They show up in the heat of an argument. They show up in a high stress environment. They show up when you're so certain that if you don't do something, then it won't work out. So matter of fact, I want you to ask yourself this question. The last time I made a decision I regret, the feeling driving it was what? Think about it. You shouldn't have to think that hard. One's the last time you did something you regret. One's the last time you said something that didn't need to be said, but you needed to get the last word in. One's the last time you bought something you really didn't need, but you wanted to feel better about yourself. And so you've been equated to possessions as a self-esteem, not understanding that if God can't fulfill you, can't fulfill you, nothing else that you fill up your time or money with will. I just want us to be careful, Church. Acts, chapter three, is one of my favorite passages in scripture because I think it demonstrates what it looks like to walk and live with kingdom riches.

And that's sort of a story. I want to show it to you. It says this, "One day Peter and John "were going up to the temple at the time of prayer "at three in the afternoon. "Now a man who was lame from birth "was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, "where he was put every day to bed from those "going into the temple courts. "When he saw Peter and John about to enter, "he asked them for money. "Peter looked straight at him as did John. "Then Peter said, 'Look at us.' "So the man gave them his attention, "expecting to get something from them. "Then Peter said, 'Silver or gold, I do not have, "but what I do have, I give you. "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. "Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, "and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. "He jumped to his feet and began to walk. "And then he went with them into the temple courts, "walking and jumping and praising God. "When all the people saw him walking and praising God, "they recognized him as the same man "who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful. "One of my favorite sermons that I preached "is 'Don't get used to who I used to be.'" But that's not today's sermon. So they were filled with wonder and amazement

at what had happened to them. And while the man held onto Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade. I want you to really understand what we just read about. Like, this is a man who has been lame from birth, not high school, birth. Like, can't help himself. And every day, he's brought by people, probably with good hearts, good intentions. And they say, well, take you to the temple so that everybody'll walk and by, they can help you with some money. But think about how damaging, think about what that does to your psyche, that from birth, from a young age, you've been dropped off in front of a church just to try to get money to help your situation. Think about how transactional that must feel, that I'm not healthy enough, good enough to get into the gate. I gotta stay outside of the temple called Beautiful, but it doesn't feel beautiful. 'Cause every time I'm at this gate, I'm reminding that I'm broken and I'm broke. And everybody else going in there has it all together, so maybe they can spare a little change. And so after years of being in this condition and going through these motions, the Bible says that Peter and John and the Bible says Peter turns around and John looks at him and says look at us now why would

you have to say look at us if he just called out to him because it apparently had gone to the point where the man would see people ask for something and then put his hand head down because he was already prepared for either rejection or to be ignored so whether rather than fill the guilt and shame of being rejected he just says things as a formality without an expectation of anything actually changing. I wonder how your prayer life has changed based on your expectations and experiences. I wonder if you're just staying prayers as a formality without actually having an expectation of something beautiful changing in your life. I wonder if you've gotten used to going through the motions of prayer and going through the motions of church to where you come to the temple called beautiful and it looks beautiful but it doesn't always feel beautiful because you still feel broken and there's a broken area in your life and what's even more fascinating about this location is that the Greek term the Greek translation for this place it means up an appointed time like a specific time meaning that every time that this crippled man this lame man showed up to a specific time moment to a specific time location he was only positioning himself for temporary change but then Peter and John walk up and Peter says look at us and then he says silver and gold I do not have and I bet you the man was like dang it lowered his expectation started feeling the disappointment again and I wonder how much disappointment you've been holding in because the thing you prayed for God said at this time I don't have that for you but you don't stay around long enough to hear the rest of the sentence where God says but what I do have I give to you in the name of Jesus get up and walk I love that because this man almost settled for getting changed instead of being changed and this man almost settled for a hand out instead of a hand up because if he would have accepted silver and gold he would have still had to come back to that place the next day but since Peter said silver and gold I do not have but what I do have I Peter said I don't got silver and gold but I'm rich and don't get it twisted because the thing I do have is better than the thing you want and I came to tell somebody the thing that God has for you is better than the thing you've been asking him for and maybe if you would change your prayer request and change your perspective to get a deeper revelation understanding that when Jesus shows up, silver and gold is the bottom of his blue chart, it's the bottom of his orange chart, it's the bottom of his priorities because he knows if he gives you silver and gold, you'll still come back to

silver and gold, but if he gives you healing, if he gives you a holdness, if he gives you the ability to get up and walk, walk out of that mindset, walk out of that situation, walk out of that environment, walk out of that mentality, walk out of that depression, walk out of that oppression, if he gives you the ability to walk, all of a sudden silver and gold is not what made you rich, but the man who told you get up and walk, and know what I really didn't understand until reading it this weekend, go back to the last verse, it said, "While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's colonnade." Chris, you know what I liked about that? Two things, number one, it said that once the man was healed, after he tested everything, I once he was walking and jumping and crit walking and praising God, doing all the things, it said after that, he held on to Peter and John, why? Because he didn't want to forget who healed him. I wonder when's the last time you held on to God after he blessed you, or did he answer the prayer and then you went back outside? You were at the gates, prayed, came to the altar, he did it, now you're back outside. This man said, "No, I'm holding on, I'm holding on, I'm not letting go, I know where my riches came from, I'm not letting go." And it says, he held them, but then it says, "The people watched them as he went to Solomon's colonnade." You know Solomon, he preached to the students about Solomon, Solomon wrote all of Proverbs almost, he was the wisest, but not only was he the wisest, he was the richest. The Bible says Solomon was the richest in all the world. He was so rich that now Solomon's colonnade, the temple of God, And now all of a sudden, this lame beggar has redefined rich, because now when people see rich, they are not thinking of Solomon. They are thinking of the man who used to sit begging, but now he is walking and leaping and praising God. Real richness is not what do I own, but who owns you to where you can get out of a situation that had owned you since birth? And I need you to redefine rich, because the enemy will convince you that you are poor and broken, because you do not recognize that you have access to. Write this down. What you do have in Christ is greater than what you don't have without him. Silver and gold, I do not have, but what I do have, I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ, if he gave him silver and gold,

he would have said Peter made me rich, but he said in the name of Jesus Christ, get up and walk, now God gets the glory, not your career, not your crops, not your plan, not your vision, not your talents, God gets the glory, because God helps you get up and walk. Write this down. Real wealth is the supernatural ability to go into poverty-stricken environments and add value to them. That's real wealth. Sometimes it's with resources, sometimes it's with your presence, sometimes it's with your prayers. You know, after my wife prophesied Mickey D is anointing over my daughter, you know, I was determined to prove it wrong, so I would always work so hard to try to make sure we, you know, I want it, I want it the best life possible for my family, and so I was working hard and multiple jobs and doing all these things. And I just wanted more and more. And I remember when Christmas, I won't even talk about it. I got a great Christmas present, and apparently it wasn't that great, but it's all good. But I'll never forget, finally, we finally buy our first house, and I finally get my dream car, and we finally feel like, all right, we're good now. We can breathe now, like things are good. We made it. We know we're still not done, but we're good now. And I remember in the house that we bought, my oldest daughter one night was just struggling heavily with anxiety and panic attacks. And I remember one night, she just couldn't sleep, and she's just in a room crying, and we remember my wife were in there for for over an hour, just praying, and baby, just pray, just speak Jesus, and she couldn't, she couldn't pray, we put on worship music, she couldn't sing a song. I'm just like, just say this, she couldn't stay, she was sobbing. I realized in that situation nothing I own could change this situation. So I just kept praying, she couldn't pray, I prayed for her. I wonder if men, if you're in a position where if your wife or your kids can't pray, you will pray for them. You will speak the words over them. You will have you have you invested enough in your spiritual health and your spiritual wealth to where there's an overflow out of you when everyone else is in poverty. You fast forward some years, we prayed that night and things changed, but you fast forward a couple years, actually to last week, last week, you know, we sold that house and now we're in this rental house and it's not what I want. I'm still trying to figure out what's next, but I was in this, I was preparing for something, it's late and I was like 10, 30 at night, and I heard all this noise coming from upstairs. So I go upstairs and I hear that my daughter's room is loud. I'm like, you know, school the next day. So I'm about to go to our room until like turn off Alexa, like go

to bed. And I recognize that that is not Alexa, that is her. And I put out my phone and I started pushing record and I didn't play the video because I didn't get a permission yet. Y'all ain't worth me disappointed my daughter. But for over two minutes, I'm recording her singing worship songs louder than Alexa. And it was a simple song. It was just it's your breath in my lungs. So I pour out my praise and I pour out my praise. And it took me back to the room to that night in the room where she couldn't say a word, she couldn't sing a note. And she was overcome with anxiety, but you fast forward a couple years to where all of a sudden she's leading worship from her room. And I'm like, I can't tell her to stop. I can't tell her that I don't know what she's going through. I know what she's thinking, but I recognize I'm rich because I got a daughter that understands where her health comes from. I got a house where the presence of God is evident. I got told in that understand that even if that can't pay for it, I can pray for it. I can bring the presence of God into my room because it's his breath in my lungs. So I'm rich to the person next to I'm rich. I'm rich in faith. I'm rich in favor. I'm rich in anointing. I'm rich in grace. I'm rich in the power of the Holy Spirit. I'm rich in the favor of God. I understand that even if it's not working out the way I want, good. So here's what I want to leave you with. Four questions to reflect on. What did I avoid this week because I was afraid of how it would go? What conversation did you avoid? What situation did you avoid because you were afraid of the outcome? Here's the truth to combat that. There is no fear in love but perfect love drives out fear. You need to remind yourself God loves me and since he loves me he has good plans for me and even if I respond in wisdom and it all turns to foolery I will not live in fear. I know that he'll work it out. Here's the next one. Tried. What did I do this week to look good or feel validated that wasn't needed? What's driving you? What's driving what you buy? What's driving what you post? What's driving? Why do you always have to have the last word? Just shut up. I'm sorry I can't say that anymore. Be quiet. Why? Because the Bible says in James 4 God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Maybe if we could walk in more humility we would see the grace of God show up more but since we want to be in control since we're always right. When's the last time husband you said I was wrong? I'm sorry. What if your spouse

heard you say I'm sorry more than they heard you say I told you so. Here's the last one. Selfishness. Who needed something from me that I didn't give because I was distracted or more focused on myself. There's so many areas that God has positioned you in to be a blessing but all you want to do is pray for blessings. What if you just started saying every time I show up to work how can I be a blessing? Well they don't pay me enough to be quiet. How can humility? They'll never pay you enough for what you're worth. You're priceless. You were shaped in the image of God. They can know the fact that you have a number that you think is enough is the problem. But what if you just walked at humility and the grace of God flooded your co-workers space and your in your in your teams and your classrooms and your and your homes. What if the grace of God followed you because you were humble before him? Here's what Jesus says if you try to hang on to your life you will lose it but if you give up your life for my sake you will save it. Who can you serve today? Who can you sacrifice for today? Without any ROI attached just because God's called you to. Here's the the last thing I wanted to do before we transition. I just felt a stirring this weekend to cover our athletes in prayer because I think I know I always joke a lot about athletes and sports but it's not because I don't believe in it I just want to make sure that you don't believe more in your sport than you do believe in your savior and I want to just fight against because I think I think sports is the new God especially in suburban environments even in hooded like they're there we bank all our hopes on making it to the next level as opposed to understanding that there's no level greater than grace and favor in salvation but I do want to cover our athletes in prayer because I believe that they have a a window of influence they got four years maybe eight or if you're in that COVID cycle maybe 15 I don't know what you're doing reclassifying but but I want them to use that window for the glory of God so if you're an athlete stand up stand up I want to pray over you if you're an athlete or a coach stand up not many okay oh oh there we go okay church can we just stretch our hands toward them we just want to cover them

in prayer God I pray right now for every single athlete every single coach I pray right now for protection over their body protection over their mind protection over their heart protection over their spirit I right now come against any plan the enemy I try to discourage them I try to rob them of joy or identity or purpose because of an outcome of a game or because of an injury or because of a derailment God or because of rejection a man or a coach or a team I thank you that their identity is found solely and only in you I think you got that no weapon formed against them can prosper and I think you got when they walk into the locker room when they walk into the court when they walk into the field that they are image bearers of God the imago day when people see them they see Jesus I pray right now that salvation comes into the locker rooms that teammates come to faith because of these players because of these coaches I pray God that they understand that their their their sport is actually an act of worship as long as they redirect it to you and they don't worship the sport I come against identity, but I do come in agreement and alliance with stewardship. Let them steward their sport, let them steward their bodies, let them steward their time in a way that honors and glorifies you, God, and let them know that because you are with them, greater is he who is in them than any referee that's cheap, any coach that doesn't appreciate, and any teammate that is jealous, any opponent that would try to overtake them, God, I thank you that you are greater. So be greater in their perspective, be greater in their lives, be greater in their hearts. In Jesus' name, let them be rich in relationship with God. In Jesus' name, amen.

Amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen. Hey, if you're still watching at this point, I believe that it's not an accident. I believe that if you're feeling something in your spirit, that is God trying to get your attention and invite you into a deeper relationship with him. And so if you're ready to take that step, I wanna walk you through what that looks like. It's simple, we're gonna say a prayer together, and it's just you acknowledging that you believe that Jesus is who he says he is, and that you're willing to commit your life to following him and learning to what it means to be a son or daughter of God. So repeat after me if you can. Jesus, here I am. I believe that you love me, that you died for me, and that you want a relationship with me. I acknowledge that I'm a sinner and I need a savior. And I'm committing to learning what it means to be a follower of Jesus. If I mess up, I will not quit because you've never quit on me. I invite your Holy Spirit to lead me and guide me in your truth from today on. In Jesus' name, amen. Hey, we're proud of you. That's a huge decision. And we don't want you to feel like you have to figure it all out on your own from this point.

We have a value, a legacy that says we follow Jesus for ourselves, but not by ourselves. So I would invite you to text the number below, follow the instructions. And we're gonna send you resources so you can learn what it means to be a follower of Jesus and be on this journey of faith. Congratulations, your life will never be the same. - Thank you for watching. Hope you enjoyed the online experience. - Hey, if this message impacted you, make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and share it with the friends so we can continue to share the gospel. Hey, here at Legacy Prayer is our priority. You have any prayer needs. You can send them to [email protected]. If you'd like to financially partner with Legacy, you can text any dollar amount to 84321. You can also download the Church Center app, visit our website at legacyaz.church. Click on "Waste to Give." You'll find links to support Legacy Church. - You can find us on social media. Otherwise, go out in love, live in-- - We like Jesus. - We'll see you next week.