Why Does More Never Feel Like Enough?

Hey, we're Todd and Julie Mullins, Senior Pastors here at Christ Fellowship Church, and we're so glad that you're tuning in for service today. Yeah, Christ Fellowship is one church that meets in lots of different locations, including right here with you. Yeah, and our prayer for you today is that you would sense God's love for you. See, I don't personally know all that you're going through today and what you're up against, but God does. And He hears your prayers, and He knows your name, and He's right here for you today as you call out to Him. Yeah, thanks again for joining with us today. We love you, and we're praying for you. So that we could experience life and life to the full. Well, good morning, church. It is a good day to bless the name of our God today. Everybody joining us online, everybody in the room, Psalm 103 says, Bless the Lord, O my soul, all that is within me. Bless His holy name. Forget not the benefits that you have today, that He forgives all your iniquities, heals all of our diseases, redeems our life from the pit, and then crowns you with steadfast love and mercy. This is the God we worship today. So all across this room with one voice, let's bless His name. Come on, He is worthy. Come on, we pray. He is worthy of all our praise. Yes, He is. He is worthy. Give it all for Jesus and for Him only. Oh, Jesus, all for Your glory. Come on and praise the Lord with me.

Sing if you love His name. Come on and lift Your voice with me. ♪ He's worthy of all of His way, His way ♪ ♪ Come on and raise your offering ♪ ♪ Sing His guilt, all His grace ♪ ♪ Come on and lift up your holiness ♪ ♪ He's worthy of all our praise ♪ ♪ Bless God in the sanctuary ♪ ♪ Bless God in the fields of plenty ♪ ♪ Bless God in the darkest valley ♪ ♪ Every chance I get I bless Your name ♪ ♪ Bless God when my hands are empty ♪ ♪ Bless God with the praise that calls me ♪ ♪ Bless God when nobody's watching ♪ ♪ Every chance I get I bless Your name ♪ ♪ Bless God when the weapons falling ♪ ♪ Bless God when the walls are falling ♪ ♪ Bless God when He comes before me ♪ ♪ Every chance I get I bless Your name ♪ ♪ Bless God for He holds the victory ♪ ♪ Bless God for He's always with me ♪ ♪ Bless God for He's always worthy ♪ ♪ Every chance I get I bless Your name ♪ ♪ Every chance I get I bless Your name ♪ ♪ Every chance I get, come on and praise the Lord with me ♪ ♪ Sing if you love His name ♪ ♪ Come on and lift your voice with me ♪ ♪ He's worthy of all our praise ♪ ♪ Come on and bring your offering ♪ ♪ Sing if you love His name ♪

♪ Come on and lift up your holy hand ♪ ♪ He's worthy of all our praise ♪ ♪ He's worthy of all our praise ♪ ♪ Every season He is worthy of all our praise ♪ Come on, can we praise Him in the sanctuary? And it's more than a song today. This offering, a sacrifice to Him who made us, created us, lavishes you with kindness and grace today. Come on, this is our surrender all over this room. Join in our line, let's sing together. ♪ Here is where I lay it down ♪ ♪ Every burden, every crown ♪ ♪ This is my surrender, this is my surrender ♪ ♪ Here is where I lay it down ♪ ♪ Every lie and every doubt ♪ ♪ This is my surrender ♪ Can we make room today? ♪ Yes, I will make room for You ♪ ♪ To do whatever You want, You ♪ ♪ To do whatever You want, You ♪ ♪ Yes, I will make room for You ♪ ♪ Oh, have Your way to do whatever You want, You ♪ ♪ To do whatever You want, You, yeah ♪ ♪ Here is where I lay it down ♪ ♪ Every burden, every crown ♪ ♪ This is my surrender, this is my surrender ♪ ♪ Here is where I lay it down ♪ ♪ Every lie and every doubt ♪ ♪ This is my surrender, oh, this is my, oh Lord ♪ ♪ So I will make room for You, yeah ♪

♪ To do whatever You want, You ♪ ♪ To do whatever You want, You, Lord ♪ ♪ Yes, I will make room for You, oh, yeah ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to do ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to do, yeah ♪ Come on, church, give Him the invitation today. ♪ Oh, whatever you want to do ♪ ♪ Do whatever you want to do ♪ Let's sing together. Sing, shake up the ground ♪ Of all my tradition, break down the walls ♪ ♪ Of all my religion, Your way is better ♪ ♪ Your way is better ♪ ♪ Oh, shake up the ground of all my tradition ♪ ♪ Break down the walls of all my religion ♪ ♪ Your way is better, Your way is better ♪ ♪ Your way is better Your way is better ♪ For us, shake up the grounds ♪ Shake up the ground of all my tradition ♪ ♪ Break down the walls of all my religion ♪ ♪ Your way is better, Your way is better ♪ ♪ Your way is better Your way is better ♪ ♪ Your way is better Your way is better ♪ ♪ Your way is better Oh, I said I will make room for you ♪ ♪ For you Oh, every voice today ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to do whatever you want to do ♪ ♪ Oh, I will make room for you Oh Lord ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to do whatever you want to do ♪ ♪ Whatever you want to do As we were singing this song, this scripture, this invitation that we're singing,

this declaration of surrender to the Lord, this thought came to me and it comes out of Matthew 6 after Jesus, he teaches his disciples how to pray. And then he begins to wrap people's mind around the kingdom of God, where he says, I don't want you to be worried about today. Look around you, look around, look how God cares for the birds and look how he takes care of the flowers. How much more does your God love you? And then he takes them into this phrase here. It says, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, his right standing, his right path. And all these things will be added to you. He says, don't worry, God told you and he takes care of you. And so this is what we're here to do. We're here to seek first his kingdom, his ways, they are better, they're better. And so today, one of the ways that we seek God is through prayer. And so I'm inviting our prayer team forward right now. Today, if you came into this room and you're saying, God, I'm gonna make room for you. If you are online, you wanna make room for him. Places where I've inserted myself, put myself in. God, I'm making room for you, I need you today. If you've got a prayer request, however big or small today, you may be sitting all the way in the back as a family,

you've got a prayer request. I pray that God would give you courage today to come forward and let us pray over you today in faith. And you can even come right now as I'm praying for us and setting us up today. Joining us online, you can write your prayer requests out. We've got teams ready to pray for you right now. Father, we're seeking first your kingdom today. That all the things that tend to have us wander and look away to other sources for strength and peace. God, would we turn back to you? Would we seek first the kingdom of God? Your name is better. Your ways are better. Your house is better. Your presence, it is better today. And we thank you for it as we pray in Jesus' mighty name. Let the church say amen as we continue to sing. Come on, let's make this a house of worship. Can we sing that again, I will make room? Sing, I will make room for you. Oh, do whatever you want to. Do whatever you want to. Just do whatever you want to, yes. I will make room for you, yes. Just do whatever you want to. Sing, Your way is better. Your way is better. Oh, Your way is better. Your way is better.

Oh, Your way is better. Sing Your way is better. Your way is better. Oh, Your way is better. Your way is better. Oh, Your way is better. Thank you for the ways of the Lord Thank you for the ways of the Lord Thank you for the ways you provide Thank you for your ways Thank you for your ways Thank you for the ways that you provide Thank you for your kindness You are mindful of us today Remind us over and over again All my words fall short I've got nothing new How could I express all my gratitude I could sing these songs as I often do Every song must end and you never do So I'll throw up my hands and praise you again and again All that I have is a hallelujah, hallelujah And I know it's not much, I'm nothing else Except for a king, except for a heart singing Hallelujah, hallelujah I've got one response, I've got just one blues With my arms stretched wide, I will worship you So I'll throw up my hands and praise you again and again All that I have is a hallelujah, hallelujah And I know it's not much, I'm nothing else Except for a king, except for a heart singing Hallelujah, hallelujah He crowns you and satisfies the desires of your heart Come on, let's stir up some praise in us today Oh come on my soul Oh don't you get shy on me Lift up your song Cause you've got a lion inside of those lungs Get up and praise the Lord Oh I'm speaking to my soul today Oh come on my soul Oh don't you get shy on me Lift up your song Cause you've got a lion inside of those lungs Get up and praise the Lord Oh bless the Lord, bless the Lord Come on my soul Oh don't you get shy on me Lift up your song Cause you've got a lion inside of those lungs Get up and praise the Lord Oh lift up your hands So I'll throw up my hands and praise you again and again All that I have is a hallelujah, hallelujah

Oh I know it's not much, I'm nothing else Except for a king, except for a heart singing Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ We've got nothing else. There's nothing that we can offer him, but praise God that he still loves us right where we're at. Whatever it is you're facing today, there's nothing in our own strength that can fix it, but praise God that he's here and he's present, he's with us, he's willing and he's able. God, I'm so grateful that you are all powerful, but God, you are so personal. God, you are a God who breathes stars into existence, but at the same time, you choose to walk each and every day with us through the power of your Holy Spirit. So God, today we submit whatever it is that we're facing, whatever storm we might be in or whatever prayer request that's burdening us, whatever's heavy on our heart today, God, it's heavy on yours as well. God, thank you for being so close, so personal, but God, we know you're powerful. So God, I pray for every person in the room today, whatever it is they're facing, God, it's maybe depression or anxiety that joy would take place today in Jesus' name. God, I'm praying for relational tensions or maybe even a divorce that seems imminent. You can heal, you can redeem. I pray for bodies that might be weak or diseased

that today they can be healed by the power of the name of Jesus. And we're gonna give you all the praise and all the glory. And the church said, amen, amen. Come on, can we give Jesus all the praise today? Hey, so glad to have you here at Palm Beach Gardens and everybody joining us online. Those that are watching in Orlando as well, we love you so much, so excited for you. And hey, no place I'd rather be than right here with you on a Sunday. We're in this week three of Pressure Points. I'm loving this series that we're in. Pastor Todd's got an incredible message for us. But before we jump into that, why don't you turn to one or two people around you, give them a high five, shake their hands, and you can grab their seats today. ♪ I could sing your name for all my life ♪ ♪ And still find more to love each time ♪ ♪ Jesus be the name ever on my lips ♪ ♪ It's sweeter every time that I'm going lonely ♪ ♪ There's just something about Your name ♪ ♪ There's just something about Your name ♪ ♪ There's just something about Your name ♪ ♪ That makes me cry holy ♪ ♪ There is no other name, there is no other name ♪ ♪ There is no other name, Jesus You're worthy ♪ ♪ You have been the friend who never left ♪ ♪ I won't forget Your faithfulness ♪

♪ Jesus be the name and we're all by this ♪ ♪ It's sweeter every time that I go along ♪ ♪ There's just something about Your name ♪ ♪ There's just something about Your name ♪ ♪ There's just something about Your name ♪ ♪ That makes me cry holy ♪ ♪ There is no other name, there is no other name ♪ ♪ There is no other name, there is no other name ♪ ♪ Jesus You're worthy ♪ ♪ There's just something about Your name ♪ ♪ There's just something about Your name ♪ ♪ There's just something about Your name ♪ ♪ That makes me cry holy ♪ ♪ There is no other name, there is no other name ♪ ♪ There is no other name, Jesus You're worthy ♪ ♪ You're worthy ♪ ♪ I will lift up the name of Jesus ♪ Come on, all of course, this is real. Would you stand for a moment as we proclaim the name of Jesus in this place? ♪ Jesus, Your name is like the morning light ♪ ♪ The one the darkness can't deny ♪ ♪ The resurrection and the life, Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus, Your name can save, Your name can heal ♪ ♪ Your name can make the stormy still ♪ ♪ You never will, You never will, Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus, Your name is like the morning light ♪ ♪ The one the darkness can't deny ♪ ♪ The resurrection and the life, Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus, Your name can save, Your name can heal ♪

♪ Your name can make the stormy still ♪ ♪ You never will, You never will, Jesus ♪ ♪ Oh, Jesus be the name, Jesus be the name, oh yeah ♪ ♪ Jesus be the name that gets all the glory, oh yeah ♪ ♪ Jesus be the name, Jesus be the name, oh yeah, oh yeah ♪ ♪ Jesus be the name that gets all the glory, oh yeah, oh yeah ♪ ♪ Healing in the name, there's healing in the name, oh yeah ♪ ♪ There's healing in the name, we're gifts of the glory, oh yeah ♪ ♪ Healing in the name, there's healing in the name, oh yeah ♪ ♪ Healing in the name, there's healing in the name, oh yeah ♪ ♪ Healing in the name, we're gifts of the glory, oh yeah, oh yeah ♪ Come on, let Jesus pray, come on, give Him praise today. Jesus, You deserve all the glory. Your name is above every name. We gather in Your name today. We declare Your name over every situation, every person, every family represented here today. It's in Your name that we worship You and gather and pray these prayers and sing these songs. And everybody said, amen, amen, amen. You can be seated today, church. We are so glad You're with us. Wanna welcome everybody joining us at all of our Christ Fellowship locations, everybody here at Gardens, everybody online. Big shout out to the men and women of the United States Armed Forces that join with us every week. And before we jump in today, we wanna thank God for protecting our president

and everybody up in Washington, D.C. And we are continuing to pray for the peace of God to reign and rule over our country, amen. We need Jesus so desperately in our land today. Well, we are in the middle of a series called Pressure Points. And the reason we are in this series is because we all deal with pressure. We all feel it pressing down on me, pressing down on me. Like I feel it coming in in different, many different areas. In fact, I just read this report that said 60% of American adults are experiencing daily stress. 83% of that stress is coming from finances and money. 49% are stressed over family issues or their family spending all their money. I added that in. 60% are stressed over work-related issues. 65% of Gen Z and Gen Alpha are dealing with stress and anxiety to a point that it's messing up their future. And 75% of Americans report experiencing physical and emotional symptoms because of stress. We are a stressed out people. And although we all have to deal with it, you don't have to be destroyed by it. Do you know that psychologists say that one of the best ways for you and me to deal with our stress is picking the right environment to be in? That our environment can actually lower our stress. And these secular researchers actually point out

that what you are doing today actually is lowering your stress by being here in church because this is one of those environments where these five things that lower stress are happening. Number one, purpose in life. You got purpose in life, good relationships, personal growth and development, you're being changed, a positive attitude where you're looking up and a sense of competence that you're feeling equipped and empowered. So good job. You're already lowering your stress this morning. Still, you've got the whole week ahead of you. This is great. The truth is, we can't control what comes at us and what is going to happen to us this week. We can't, we don't even know what that's gonna be, but we do know the one who holds it all together. We do know the one that is working all things together for our good. We do know the one that is able to complete that good work in you that he has started. We know the one that will supply every need according to his riches in glory through Christ Jesus. So you may not know what tomorrow holds, but you know who holds tomorrow, and he holds you right in the palm of your hand. Well, today I wanna talk about a pressure that we all feel.

No one is exempt from this pressure. Doesn't matter if you're young or old, rich or poor, black, white, brown, or something else in between, we all deal with this pressure. We all have to face financial pressure. Now, some of us face financial pressure in the sense of financial struggle because there's a lack, or I don't think I have quite enough, or we are dealing with debt. In fact, the report I read also said that 77% of all Americans have some debt. That's not surprising, but half of Americans have a debt that is so heavy and intense that it keeps them up at night. There is over $1 trillion in credit card debt at a 22% compounding interest rate. That should keep you up at night, right there, right? There's $1.6 trillion in student loan debts in America alone that the report says that it's keeping young adults from being able to step out and go after the life they wanna live, or get married, or start a family. They can't because they're just shackled by this debt. And the current realities that we're all facing, when you think about it, just what's going on right now from gas to groceries.

Everything just seems, it's like the pressure is just building, and building, and building. So maybe you're feeling that. Or maybe you're here today and you're not struggling. You got enough coming in, but man, as soon as it comes in, it's gone. Like you don't even know where it went. Like you're okay, but there's not much left over, right? And I read into this verse in Proverbs 23 this week, verse five, it says, "'Riches disappear in a blink of an eye. "'Wealth sprouts wings and flies off.'" Look at that, "'Into the wild blue yonder.'" Woo, there it goes. It's gone, it was here, now it's just, it's gone. And maybe others of you aren't dealing with the pressure of lack, but you're dealing with the pressure of surplus. There is actually a pressure that comes when God entrusts you with much, because that means there's people depending on you. Maybe on your company, or your business, or the employees that you help lead, and their families, or decisions that you will make, or investments that you have to manage for yourself, your family, generations, other people. There's a pressure that comes with all of that. So it doesn't matter what tax bracket you fall into, at some point or another,

we're all gonna face financial pressures. But what if I told you it didn't have to be that way? What if I told you that you never have to be under the weight of financial pressure ever again? You might say, well, Todd, I don't even know if that's possible, because of all the things you just listed, right? I mean, is that even possible? Well, look at verse, Psalm 119, verse 45, says this. "'I have gained perfect,' that word perfect means complete freedom. How? Why don't you say it out loud with me wherever you are. By following your teachings, I have found you can find complete freedom by following God's teachings, his ways.'" God has a way that leads to freedom. God has a way that leads to life, because God knows more than we know. He sees things that we can't see. And when we follow his ways, and follow his teachings, it actually brings freedom into every part of our lives. Now, you've heard me say this before, but in the Bible, there are about 500 verses on prayer, what to pray, how to pray, and prayer is important, because it connects you to God. There are approximately 500 verses on faith, how to have faith, what faith is, how to give more faith. The Hebrews, it says, without faith, it's impossible to please God.

But you've also heard me say there are over 2,000 verses in the Bible on money and possessions, do the math. Does that mean that money and possessions are more important than faith and prayer? Absolutely not. But what it does mean is that God understands that if we don't get our mindset about money right, it's gonna mess us up. The money has the opportunity, and the... a chance to actually stress us out and mess up our life. So Jesus spent a lot of time talking about money. And one of the places where Jesus spends a lot of time is called the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter six. I'm gonna look at a few verses there. And this is all about being stressed out. And this is what he says. Therefore I tell you, verse 25, don't worry about your life, what you will eat or drink or about your body, what you will wear. Is life not more than food and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air. They don't sow or reap or store away in barns and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See the flowers in the field, how they grow.

They do not labor or spend. Yet I tell you that even Solomon in all of his splendor was not dressed like one of these. And if that is how God, your father, clothes the grass of the field which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So don't worry saying, what shall we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we wear for the pagans run after all these things, people that are godless, people that don't know God. And your heavenly father knows that you need them but seek first the kingdom, his kingdom and his righteousness. That means being in right relationship with him. And all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, don't worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own and everybody said amen, right? Now it's important to know the right before this passage in verse 25 that we just read where Jesus said don't worry, he's talking about money. If you were to jump up to verse 19, it says, don't store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and vermin destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but instead you can store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. And then the next verse, Jesus says,

for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. And then two verses down in verse 24, he says, no one can serve two masters. You cannot serve both God and money. So don't miss the context of what Jesus is saying here about stress and worry. He's saying it has to do when it comes to the finances and money and possessions and things of this world. He's saying, don't worry about it, right? Now, when he says, don't worry about it, you might be in a season of need right now going, well, that's easy for you to say, Jesus, I got some bills to pay. I got some things in front of me that I don't even know how I'm gonna get through that. I don't even, I don't know what I'm gonna do or I've got some big decisions to make for my company and the business that I represent. How do I not worry? But Jesus says, don't worry. And look what he says, don't worry about. He says, don't worry about what you'll eat or drink. That's your survival. And don't worry about what you will wear. That's your status. Isn't it funny that over 2000 years later, we're still worrying about what we're gonna eat or drink and how we look, right? We feel the pressure to provide and the pressure to prove, hey, that we've arrived, right?

It's still the same today. And we have the extra added pressure of posting about it, right, because we gotta post about it. Look at me and what I got going on, right? But Jesus says, don't worry. But he doesn't just say, don't worry. He tells us why not to worry. And then he gives us a plan to escape the pressure that comes in this area. And I see three instructions in this passage for us today that will help all of us escape the financial pressure, regardless of where you are in and with your finances today. The first is this, Jesus says, change your perspective. Change your perspective. In verse 26, he says, look at the birds of the air. They do not sow or reap or store away in barns that your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they are? You may be thinking, birds? Why is Jesus talking about birds? I got bills. Like, I ain't looking at birds, Todd. I mean, what am I worried about birds for? Well, he's trying to help you understand your value. He says, you're better than a bird. God, if God, your heavenly father, knows how to care for the birds, they don't sow, they don't plant, they don't work, they don't store. If God knows how to care for them,

how much more valuable are you to God than they are? Birds don't have a five-year plan. Birds don't have a resume. Birds don't have barns. Yet God takes care of them day by day by day. And isn't that exactly how Jesus taught us to pray? Give us this day our daily bread. I look to you to provide for me today. Now, that doesn't mean you shouldn't save up. That doesn't mean there's, we could go. A bunch of other verses that talk about how the wise people save up. That's okay, that's good to save, have a plan, financial plan. In fact, we have classes here at the church that help you understand how to get out of debt, how to save up, how to steward what God has put in your hand so it doesn't negate any of that. It's just saying don't find your security in any of that, find it in God. I wonder how often we forfeit today's peace because we're worried about tomorrow's provision. We're worried about, we forfeit it today because we're worried about tomorrow. I mean, you're worried about paying for your kid's college and they're four. It's like, calm down, right? Gotta get a five, nine, 29, I gotta walk. Or you're worried about, am I ever gonna afford a house in this market?

I understand living in South Florida, it's a real struggle, but I'm pretty sure you had a roof over your head last night. God provides. He cares about you. He'll make a way. See, pressure comes when we worry about tomorrow's provision today instead of just trusting God today. So Jesus says, look up at the birds. Then he says in verse 28, look to the flowers. See how the flowers of the field grow. They don't labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all of his splendor was dressed like one of these. And if that's how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Think about it. The flowers aren't straining, spinning, or stressing. They're just stunning. Right, Jesus tells us to look to places. He says, look up to the birds and look down to the flowers. Look up to the birds. Look down to the flowers. But he never says, look around. And yet most of us, what do we do? Look what they're driving. Look what they just bought.

Look at the vacation they just went on. We need to go on a vacation like that too. We need to post about it. Look what, if our neighbors got a new car, well then I probably need a new car because my minivan is real, right? We're looking around. Anytime you, God didn't tell you to look around. Anytime you look around, what does it do? Creates pressure. Because comparison creates pressure. So you've gotta change your perspective if you wanna go from pressure to peace. You gotta look up to the birds and look up to God. The one that is taking care of you. Look up and realize, are you not much more valuable than they? Change your perspective. The second instruction I see from Jesus in this passage is he says, check what's first. Check what's first. Who or what in your life is first? Jesus says in verse 33 of this passage, but seek first his kingdom, God's kingdom, his rule in your life. That's what that means. Seek first him ruling in your life. Him being the king of your life. Seek first his righteousness. That means being in that right relationship with him.

Everything about you is seeking him first. And then all the other things that you and I need, Jesus said, will be given to us. Now Jesus could have said, seek God's kingdom. And I would say, all of us here today are seeking God's kingdom. Or you would not be in church on a Sunday or joining us online, wherever you are today. You would be like doing something else, right? But you are seeking God's kingdom. So a lot of people, a lot of people seek God. But that's not what Jesus said. He said, seek first. Seek first. First, that word has to do with priorities. And Jesus knew that both peace and pressure come from where our priorities are. When our priorities are right, it results in peace. When our priorities are off, our life is off, something's missing, and it results in pressure. It's like Jesus saying, when you put the wrong thing first, it's gonna feel like something's wrong, because it is. So put God and everything about God first. The Bible teaches the theology of preeminence. The theology of preeminence. And this is basically that God is preeminent. First, that word preeminent in the Greek actually means to be paramount in importance and above all else. There is nothing higher than God.

God is preeminent. He cannot be second. Now, I can make him second in my life by devaluing him or not giving him the place of authority over my life, but he can't be second. That's impossible, right? See, when I don't recognize God's lordship in my life over any area of my life, I'm essentially putting God in second place, which is incompatible with who he is. His very nature. So that's why God can't bless any area that I put him in second place. Don't miss this. This is relationships, this is marriage, this is business, this is finance, this is sexuality, this is everything. When I put God in second place, he can't bless it because he can't be second. He can't work in that, it's against his nature. He's not mad at us, he just can't operate outside of his nature. It's not that God won't bless you, it's that he can't bless you when we don't do things his way. It says in 2 Timothy 2 that he cannot deny himself who he is. It says in John 1 that the word and God are one, so if the word teaches it, then we have to apply it and live it in our lives.

So when I accept the lordship, the preeminence of Jesus in any area of my life, it puts me and you in a position, it aligns us so that we can receive a blessing of God in our life in that area. Let's say for a minute that this bread represents your bread. That should be easy, your income. This is your income, it hits your account on the 15th or the 30th or whenever or however you get paid, you get this bread. And most of us are trained to spend it by the world we've been raised in and we go all the first, you know, first little bit goes to our living, like we got our mortgage and if you live in South Florida, that's more than one piece of bread, that's probably two in rent. And we got utilities because we need power in the house and we got a car payment, maybe two car payments we gotta go through. We gotta get groceries and if you have teenagers, that's another piece. And then kids, I mean kids are really expensive. We got a lot going on with kids and then dear God, we need a vacation from all the stress that we're under and then we got subscriptions. Yeah, we've got Netflix, we got Hulu, we got Disney Plus, we got it all, right?

Yeah, and then we go on Amazon, woo, and then we gotta pay the Visa bill and then we gotta pay the Amex bill and then we got so much cost in this thing and then we're down to the last little piece of bread and you're like, oh, that's right, I gotta pay for the kids' field trip. And then that medical bill that just came in this week, I gotta pay for that. And now Todd's talking about giving to God, putting God first, okay, okay, I know what I do. Yeah. God. And we actually think that that is putting God in our finances when actually what's it doing? It's actually giving God our leftovers if there's anything left over. And Jesus said he's supposed to be first. It's not necessarily the biggest slice, just the first slice. In every area of our life, God wants to be first. In fact, there's a verse of Scripture in Deuteronomy chapter 14, 23, that says the purpose of tithing is to get your attention. The purpose of tithing, say it out loud with me, is to teach us to put God first in every area of our lives. So there is a divine purpose on tithing, tithing, giving God that first portion, that first 10th. It's to teach us because we need to learn it. And we need to relearn it because our tendency

is to go back and keep holding on to what we got. Now remember, let me just pause and just say this. Anytime that we talk about giving or God talks about giving in the Bible, it is not what God wants from you, it's what God has for you, always. That is always the key. God doesn't need anything from you. God has it all, God made it all, God created it all. If he needed something, he can just go, and he'd create more of it, right? That's not, so the thing is God doesn't need anything. In fact, it says in Psalm 24, verse one, the earth is the Lord's and, what's that word? Everything, everything, everybody, everything in it. In Haggai chapter two, God speaking, he says the silver is mine, the gold is mine, it's all mine, I got it all. So he doesn't need anything. But he wants our hearts. He wants your heart, he wants my heart. Jesus said, where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. And we know this is true. Have you ever bought a new car and the paint job is perfect, right? When you go into public parking lot, you do not just jam it in between two big trucks, do you? No, no, you park way, have you seen those people that park way, way, way, way back here, right?

They don't want any carts or doors. bumping into it, because it's not bad, I've done that too. Your heart's just a little more attached to it, that's all right. Or you buy some stock, or you invest in gold and silver because you think precious metals is the way to go, and then all of a sudden you're watching, why is it going up, why is it going down? What's happening in the market? Your heart's attached to it, not bad, it's just a reality. And so Jesus says, I want your heart attached to the things that are eternal. I want your heart attached to the things that are godly. And if you give to God first, your heart's actually gonna be connected. Remember Jesus said, where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. He's talking about in this context of seeking first God's kingdom. So, what if, what if we flip the loaf? And what if, sorry Lord, we're gonna do better. What if we give the first piece to God? Not the biggest piece, but the first piece. We give that to God, and then we take care of housing, and we take care of cars, and we take care of insurance, and we take care of, you know, going on vacation or doing the other things we gotta do for the kids, and everything we gotta do, but then you get to some of this, and you go, do I really need,

do I need to go to Starbucks every day? No, I don't need, do I really need to order from Uber Eats every, no. Do I need to go on Amazon and get, no, right? And so you begin to go, not everything I see do I need. Not everything I want do I need. And this doesn't matter if you have a lot or a little, but not everything that you want do you have to say yes to. In fact, it is important that we learn a very small, powerful, sometimes painful word. Anybody guess what it is? Port St. Lucie, can I hear you, boy? No, no, yeah, I mean, yes, you're right, no. No is the word. We gotta learn to say no. In fact, why don't we practice it together, because some of us have not said it in a while. One, two, three. No. Do you need iPhone 26? No. Do you need another outfit, Todd? No. Do you need another pair of shoes, Julie? No. I always tease her, and she's always like, you got as many shoes as I do. Okay, yeah, right, okay. But we gotta learn to say no,

and here's why that's important. Because what we say no to today determines what you can say yes to tomorrow. And one of the most holy things you can do, one of the most holiest decisions you can make is to say no to something that is temporary so that you can say yes to something that is eternal. So we gotta learn, Jesus said, to choose what's first. And the third instruction that I see from this passage of Scripture that will help us experience peace instead of pressure is that we've gotta choose to trust, to trust God. Not ourselves, but to trust God. See, right after, don't miss the connection here, right after Jesus says, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, he says, then all these things that you have need of will be given to you by God. That's what he's saying. So at some point, you and I have to decide where you're gonna put your trust. Is it gonna be in yourself or in God? Is it gonna be in your paycheck or in your provider? In yourself or your sustainer? You've gotta choose. Remember, just a few verses right before this, Jesus said, no one, in verse 24, no one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve both God and, what's that word? Money. Now, if you've been around Christ Fellowship long, you've known that that word money doesn't mean money, that the people that translated the Bible, they put money in for the word mammon because if you read, you cannot serve God in mammon, you would just skip right over that and go, well, I'm not serving mammon, I don't even know what mammon is, so I'm gonna move on from that word. But when he says God and money, you're like, money? Really? You would say, I'm serving God or money, what's actually mammon? And mammon is more than money. Mammon is actually a spirit, a demonic spirit that can get on money. It's the name of a Syrian God of wealth and riches out of Babylon. And mammon, by definition, actually means that in which one trusts. That in which one trusts. And mammon tries to get you to trust in it. Mammon tries to convince us that the more money we get, the happier we'll be, our problems will go away, our marriage will be better, the stress will go down, if I just get more money, just a little bit more, I don't know what it is, but just a little bit more than I got,

I'm gonna, woo, we'll be good. Money tries to tell you that that's gonna give you what you need. It wants to be the one in which you trust. And Jesus is. saying, don't miss this, that money and what it tries to promise you is gonna be the number one competitor for your heart. You cannot serve both God and mammon, what it tries to promise you. So this doesn't have to do with how much you have or how much you need. All of us, because these are the words of Jesus, are gonna have to recognize that this is a competition for our heart. And we have to recognize that only God is able to give us what we need. Only God can give us a better marriage or peace of mind or joy or happiness. Only God can give us security. Only God can watch over our family. Only God can do all those things. So God is saying, trust me to be your provider. Don't trust it, trust me. It's all from me, so trust me in it and with it. See, I believe the goal is not that we have enough, but we trust the one who is enough, who's more than enough, that we learn how to trust him. And when we trust him in this area,

we learn to know him in a way that we've maybe never known him before, because we see him as a provider and our caregiver and our sustainer and our resource. And we don't have to try to do it on our own power and our own strength. And let me just say this. This is an area that many, many people have a hard time trusting God in. Many Christians have a hard time trusting God in it. So if you're still struggling in this area, you're not alone. Many of us still struggle in this area. And I think it's something that we'll always struggle with. Even me, I struggle with this. I mean, Julie and I tithe, we give to God, we give extra, but I still have this tendency to think I've gotta make sure I prepare for Jefferson and the future and now our grandbaby Eli, and then I've gotta make sure, and with the church and the giving, and I've gotta make sure that all of it is, I gotta make sure it's all, as if I could control any of it. Think about if we either trust God or we trust ourselves. Think about the alternative, trusting ourselves. How much can you control? You can't control that much. You can't control the economy.

You can't control inflation. You can't control NASDAQ. You can't control what's happening up in Washington, D.C. You can't control what's happening in the Strait of Hormuz, wherever that is. You can't control none of it. You can't control your boss. You can't control your coworkers, although you wish you could. You can't control none of it, right? You can't control any of it, but we can trust in God, our Savior, the one who will never fail, the one who neither slumbers nor sleeps, the one who watches over us. That's who we can trust. And man, when you trust him, he brings peace into a place that oftentimes is filled with panic or pressure or expectation, and he brings peace into that area. And can I tell you, as your pastor, that's what I want for you. I want you to have peace in an area where there has been pressure and panic and stress and strain, and that you would sense God's presence there because you're actually inviting God's presence there. When you put God first, it actually gives him permission to step into it

and bring order out of chaos, to bring abundance out of lack, brings clarity to decisions you have to make with your business or your company. You're just inviting him into the middle of it. So here's my challenge for you this week. The first challenge I would give you is to think about this this week. Just think about all of this. I would even encourage you to go back and listen to this message again and look these scriptures up and study it for yourself. Don't take my word for it. Just look at the word of God and ask God the question, God, is there any area in my life where you're not first, preeminent in my life? Some of you, maybe when it comes to the area of finances, you just don't know where all your money's going. You just know it's gone. Like that scripture about the birds of the air, it's gone, right? I would encourage you to get a plan and let us help you get a plan. Do you know that our church has helped over 20,000 people and families find financial freedom by just walking through what the Bible says. They paid off credit card debts. They paid off car debts. They paid off college loans.

They started saving. All those principles are in the word of God. Let us help you do that. We have a class. I've asked all of our campuses to start back up this class, My God, My Money, that will help you get started to find either freedom or godly perspective, because maybe you're not under debt today, but you need a godly perspective on what we're talking about. And so you can go online, tap the disc in the seat back in front of you, whatever you gotta do, get information about the class. We also have a Keep Talking experience happening this week, Wednesday night, live on YouTube, where we're gonna go deeper in some of the things that we couldn't even talk about today, but this will bring freedom if you'll step into it. And for some of us, I would say, the next step is just to put God first. Take a step in this area. And you may say, well, Todd, you know, a tenth, whoo, that's a lot. I don't know if I can do it. Okay, well then, make it a fifth. 5%, 3%, start somewhere. And you may say, well, or someone say, well Todd, isn't that partial obedience?

I don't think so. I think that's a step towards God. And James chapter four says, you move towards God, God moves towards you. And so just take a step, take a step in trusting him in this area and ask him to help you get over any fear or anxiety you have in this so that you can experience the peace that he has for you. Two prayers we wanna pray today. I wanna pray that all of us, no matter where we are on our spiritual journey and no matter where you are in your financial journey of trusting God, that all of us will take a step to know God better in this area as our provider. And the second prayer I wanna pray are for those of you that you need freedom in your soul today. I mean, all of this is great, but if you don't get your heart right with God, you're never gonna have the peace that he wants to give you. And so that comes when you step into the right relationship with him and invite Jesus to be the Lord of your life. And so if that's you today, that second prayer is gonna be for you to get your relationship with Jesus right. You don't need to worry about giving him anything except your heart today.

And when you do that, he comes in and makes everything new. Let's pray. Father God, we thank you for your word that reminds us what is right, helps us know when we are wrong. I pray today, God, you would speak life into every person here today. Help us all experience the peace that you have where pressure has been. As we continue to pray with every head bowed, if you're here today and you would say, Todd, I need to get my relationship with Jesus right because it's not where it needs to be today and he's not first in my life. My friend, the first thing you do is just surrender your life to him, open it up, and he'll step in and make everything new. And so I'm gonna pray this second prayer. And if you would say, Todd, include me in this prayer, then right where you are, would you just lift a hand up in the air? Yeah, that's it, hold it up high, hold it up high. You're not ashamed, you want everything that Jesus has for you. Yeah, yeah, all across all our campuses, even online. We're gonna pray this together. Everybody pray this out loud. Say, dear Lord Jesus, come into my life. Forgive me of all my sins. Make me a new person from the inside out.

And I'll follow you all the days of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. Come on, let's thank God today for all those who have made that decision.