Finances & Giving | Presumption (What Gets Us into Trouble: Strapped - Part 1

PRESUMPTION (What Gets Us into Trouble)<br/>Strapped - Part 1<br/>Springcreek Church | Senior Pastor Keith Stewart<br/>July 23, 2023<br/><br/>https://www.springcreekchurch.org/<br/>#realspringcreekchurch  #strapped #presumption #finance #money #trouble<br/><br/>In this message, Pastor Keith takes the ever-popular Serenity Prayer and uses it as a lens through which to view our finances. Specifically examining the things we can’t control versus the things we actually can. This message is chocked full of practical wisdom for navigating challenging financial times. <br/><br/>SERIES: Strapped<br/>We experienced two years of a global pandemic with the accompanying upheaval to supply chains, jobs, and uncertainties about the future. The US and nations all around the world have endured a stretch of runaway inflation when wages could not keep pace with skyrocketing prices. If there’s any word that describes the present reality in many American families, it’s strapped. Many have tapped into what meager reserves they had, others have raided 401k’s, and others have gone deeper into debt. We need help. We need a way out of this mess & into the future. This new series is designed to address these core issues and leave you with a plan that better prepares you for the future regardless of what it may hold. Move you from feeling strapped to being set free.<br/><br/>DISCUSSION QUESTIONS<br/><br/>1. As you get started with today’s message, take some time in your group or if you’re alone, some time to reflect on why it is we are so adverse to talking about money. Share your reflections with the group or write them down.<br/><br/>2. Beginning with the things we cannot control when it comes to finances, Pastor Keith mentioned the two biggies; unexpected life difficulties and unpredictable economic conditions. What have been your experiences in both of these areas? How did you handle it? What advice would you have for someone enduring a financial crisis? What resources are you aware of that can help people? Are there other things we can’t control financially that can have a real impact on us?<br/><br/>3. We often make presumptions in regard to the future. These are suppositions we hold that may not be entirely true or dependable, yet we build our future on them anyway. Not the least of which is presuming that life will be without major problems, setbacks, or challenges that require pre-planning. What are some of the things we presume about the future especially as it relates to finances? How does that affect our financial behavior?<br/><br/>4. In keeping with the Serenity Prayer, the path to peace is one of acceptance of reality – the things I cannot change. But also doing what I am capable of doing – the courage to change the things I can. In terms of what we can do to prepare for the inescapable reality of the unexpected and unpredictable, Pastor Keith offered three suggestions;<br/><br/>a. Construct a safety net – ie. have an emergency fund, a financial buffer, or cushion between you and a crisis.<br/><br/>b. Question the narrative – ie. not buying as much house as you can afford and not buying brand new vehicles that depreciate in value so rapidly in the first three years of ownership.<br/><br/>c. Live beneath your means – ie. we often think of living within our means which translates to spending all that we have. Unless we intentionally live beneath our means, we won’t have margin in our finances which means living with greater stress.<br/><br/>Just these three principles put together make life more manageable, reduce stress, create margin, and free us up to live. Have you implemented any of the above-mentioned principles into your financial life? What has been your experience? Can you think of other principles that help people in financially uncertain times? If you haven’t implemented any of the above, what steps could you begin taking in that direction so that over the course of time, you are able to create margin and a greater sense of se