Overcoming the Inflation Illusion: Finding Financial Peace in God's Truth
In the opening episode of 'Truth Unveiled with Ralph,' the host Ralph Estep Jr. addresses the tumultuous nature of contemporary life, marked by economic fluctuations and societal upheaval. The discourse encapsulates the pervasive feelings of disorientation and anxiety experienced by many, particularly in the context of rising inflation. Ralph articulates a vision of clarity, inviting listeners to seek biblical truths that provide stability amidst the chaos of daily headlines and financial pressures. Join Ralph as he explores overcoming the inflation illusion.
The episode centers on the concept of inflation, which Ralph describes as not merely an economic issue but a source of emotional turmoil that can lead to despair and insecurity. He introduces the term 'inflation illusion,' which encapsulates the false narrative that one’s worth is intrinsically linked to financial assets. This perspective is countered with scriptural insights that remind listeners of their true identity and worth as defined by their relationship with God rather than their material possessions. Ralph emphasizes that true security is found in the eternal promises of God, which remain unaffected by economic downturns or market fluctuations.
Moreover, Ralph encourages practical engagement with scripture and proactive financial stewardship as means to combat the fears and worries that inflation may induce. He advocates for a faith-based approach to budgeting and financial planning, suggesting that prioritizing giving and saving can serve as tangible expressions of trust in God’s provision. The episode culminates in a powerful reminder that regardless of external circumstances, individuals can find peace and stability through faith, ultimately framing the discussion as an invitation to redefine what it means to be truly wealthy.
Takeaways:
- In an era marked by overwhelming headlines, we must seek God's unchanging truth for genuine peace.
- The podcast emphasizes the importance of biblical discernment in navigating personal faith and financial challenges.
- Inflation is described as an illusion that distorts our perception of worth, tethering our security to material wealth.
- True security and worth are found in a relationship with God, not in the fluctuating values of money or possessions.
Ready for an Eternal Connection?
If you heard Ralph's invitation for salvation at the end of this episode and felt a stirring in your heart, we celebrate with you! To learn more about starting a relationship with Jesus Christ, or to share your decision, please reach out to a trusted Christian friend, a pastor, or connect with us directly. We’d love to help you take your next steps in faith.
About Your Host: Ralph
Ralph is a trusted guide dedicated to helping Christians navigate the complexities of life with unwavering faith and practical wisdom. As the founder of the Ask Ralph Media network, he brings profound biblical insight and actionable strategies to empower you in your spiritual walk and financial journey.
Connect with Ralph & Ask Ralph Media:
- Visit our website for all episodes & show notes: TruthUnveiledWithRalph.com
- Also from the Ask Ralph Media Network:
- Financially Confident Christian: Your daily dose of biblical wisdom for financial freedom and spiritual growth. Learn more at FinanciallyConfidentChristian.com
- Grit and Growth Business: Biblical strategies and insights for Christian entrepreneurs and business leaders. Learn more at GritAndGrowthBusiness.com
- Visit the main Ask Ralph Media hub: askralph.com
- Explore Ralph's Books:
Buy Ralph's Book - Mastering Your Finances!
Buy Ralph's Book - Gospel of Entrepreneurship: Following Jesus in Your Business Journey
Buy Ralph's Book - How to Become a Financially Confident Christian
Support the Ministry:
If this podcast has blessed you, consider supporting our ministry to help us reach more people with God's truth. Click here
00:00 - Battling the Inflation Illusion
00:00 - Introduction to Truth Unveiled
01:13 - The Inflation Illusion: Understanding the Real Impact
04:17 - The Inflation Illusion
07:06 - Biblical Wisdom on Wealth and Security
10:50 - The Illusion of Security: Treasures on Earth vs. Treasures in Heaven
18:58 - God's Perspective vs. Cultural Pressure
21:38 - Trusting in God's Unchanging Promises
22:26 - The Illusion of Inflation and God's Truth
23:09 - Living Out God's Financial Principles
23:54 - Living in Trust: The Biblical Perspective on Money
25:36 - Creating a God-First Budget
30:20 - Investing with Eternal Purpose
34:26 - Daily Gratitude as a Spiritual Strategy
34:26 - Starting with Gratitude: A Spiritual Strategy
37:38 - Anchoring Your Soul in God's Promises
43:05 - Invitation to a Deeper Relationship with Christ
43:05 - Finding Lasting Peace in God
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Feeling lost in today's headlines, seeking God's truth for our chaotic culture.
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Welcome to Truth Unveiled with Ralph.
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We'll cut through the noise guiding you to biblical discernment for your faith, your finances, and your life.
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Now, here's Ralph Estepp Jr.
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Hello there.
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Welcome to Truth Unveiled with Ralph.
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I'm Ralph, and this is a new podcast from the Asgraph Media Network.
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My main goal with this show is.
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Is to take the everyday headlines.
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You know, there's certainly a great deal going on these days, and that stuff that can make you scratch your head or even tie your stomach in knots.
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We're surrounded by so many crazy things going right now, and I just want to simply lay it next to the timeless, comforting and the incredible powerful truth of God's word.
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That's what this is all about.
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We're not just here to learn stuff.
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We could do that, but it's going to be so much bigger than that.
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We're here to try to figure things out.
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We're here to build up our faith and to find a real kind of freedom that really does last.
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And that freedom, not just in our bank accounts, but deep down in our hearts.
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We're going to bring the worlds of faith and finance and all kinds of other things, technology, together.
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And today, I just wanted to start by talking about something I know is probably hitting close to home for you right now as you're listening.
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Inflation.
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Think about it for a second.
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You're standing at the grocery store, right?
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Most of us can relate to that.
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We've been to the grocery store.
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And you go in to grab that milk and those eggs, and all of a sudden you see the price.
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This is insane.
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And you do a double take.
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You see to yourself, they're how much?
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And that little knot in your stomach starts to form.
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Yeah, the one, you know, the one I'm talking about.
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And what used to feel normal.
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I'm just going to the grocery store, pick up a couple things.
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It'd be a little bit of money.
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Now it just feels like an absolute punch in the gut.
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Or maybe your favorite still, you've been eating it for years.
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You look at that box and it just feels smaller.
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And when you open up the box, it feels like there's less in it, but the price is certainly more even a lot more in some cases.
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Or maybe you're listening right now and you run a small business, and every time you open up a bill for supplies, your heart just sinks, doesn't it?
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Because you're looking at the numbers and you're thinking, hey, how much more can I charge my customers without losing my customers?
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How much more am I going to have to charge to do the work that I've been doing for years, and now it just costs more and more and more to offer those services?
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Or you might be saying, look, I can't even pass it along to my customers, Ralph.
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How much more can I just absorb without even hurting my own family?
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I'm already barely making it.
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Now, maybe you're listening right now, and you're at the gas pump.
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You're watching those numbers just fly by.
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And as you're watching, you're doing the quick math.
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There's an hour.
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Well, there's another hour and yet another hour of money just to fill that tank of gas.
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You're quietly saying to yourself, how am I ever going to save for that vacation?
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Or, hey, that idea of retirement, that ain't going to happen.
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Maybe you've been wanting to pay off those credit cards or build that emergency fund, but every single thing around you just keeps getting more and more expensive.
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And if you're like me and you work so hard, you watch every penny and you try to be smart with your money, but even with all of that effort, even when you're doing all the right things, you're making all the right decisions.
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Let me ask you, do you ever feel like you're on this relentless treadmill, just running faster and faster and faster, but you're only falling further and further behind?
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It's totally exhausting, isn't it?
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And it can feel completely defeating.
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Maybe you're listening right now.
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Are you feeling defeated?
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And then it brings a sneaky worry into your evenings, keeps you up at night as you wonder, will I ever get ahead?
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Can I really give my family the security that I want to give them I work so hard for?
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And then you ask the next logical question, Ralph, what if this just keeps getting worse?
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I get it.
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See, this feeling, that constant pressure, this sense that your money's values just keep slowly slipping away.
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Well, that, my friend, that's what I call the inflation illusion.
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You might be saying, oh, Ralph has really lost his mind at this point.
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If you listen to my daily show, you know, I talk about Christian faith and Christian finance, but I really do believe that this inflation is an illusion.
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Is it real?
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Yes.
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But it's an illusion because it tells us a lie.
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See, that's what this show is more about.
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I'm going to get into the details.
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I'm going to get down underneath of the surface.
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This illusion, it's because it tells us A lie.
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It tells us a sinister lie.
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That lie is this.
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It's telling us that our real security, our deep peace and bigger than that, our worth, are all somehow tied to how much money we have or what that money can buy.
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And here's the truly sinister part.
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Think about that for a second.
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So if it's tied to that, if money loses value, guess what?
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It tells us?
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Our hope does too.
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Our hope loses value.
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Think about that for a moment.
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The lie, if it's really true, then your worth is connected to how much money you have.
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And if the value of what the money is you have, it goes down, then you're basically worthless.
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That's what the world is saying to you.
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And see, we live in a culture right now that screams at us to chase more, to pile up more, to worry constantly when the numbers don't add up to that.
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That's what the world is telling us.
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It's screaming it to us, pile up more.
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And to constantly worry when the numbers don't add up.
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And it's this never ending message that feeds on fear of not having enough.
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That fear of scarcity, a constant hustle that just at the end of the day, and you're probably feeling this right now, it just leaves us tired and just plain worn out.
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But now we have to pause for a second, ask is that really the truth?
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Is our hope actually found in something as up and down as market prices or the value of a dollar?
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Is it really that dark and dire?
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And is that really where we are?
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Because this is the question you've got to answer right now.
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As you're listening, is that really the truth?
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Is that illusion really the truth?
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Or on the other hand, is there a deeper, stronger truth from God himself?
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Even when the world's money seems so unstable?
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My friend, I want you to hear this loud and clear.
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The answer is yes, there is.
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And it's a truth that can set you free from this heavy burden.
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Are you ready to be set free today?
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Well, let's open God's word together.
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The best place to find real stability and comfort and hear what he says about chasing money and finding security.
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So if you've got a Bible, I want to encourage you to follow along.
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Go and grab your Bible and open it up first to Proverbs, chapter 11, verse 28.
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I love the book of Proverbs.
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I use it on my daily show all the time because it's really God's ancient and true wisdom.
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And it says this.
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Proverbs chapter 11, verse 28 says this.
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Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
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Let's think about that for a second.
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Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
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See, the world yells, trust your investments, trust your savings.
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Go for that big promotion.
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It yells it so loud sometimes it's hard to hear God's little whispering voice.
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But God's wisdom says something different.
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God's wisdom reminds us.
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No, no, wait a second.
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No, no, no.
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Anyone who trusts in their money, no matter how much they have, will eventually fall.
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It's right there in the scripture.
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Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
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See, that's God's wisdom.
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But take it to the next level.
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But those who trust in God, see, that's a decision to trust in God.
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What does it say?
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They will thrive like a healthy green leaf.
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Think about the nicest plant you've ever seen.
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Big, healthy green leaves.
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That's what God is promising us.
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And even when the economy around us feels dry and difficult, and like you said, everything just costs more and more and more, more.
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Scripture tells us, but those who trust in God, they will thrive like a healthy green leaf.
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But now, let's think about this from scripture, what Jesus himself, our Savior, said.
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This is from Matthew, chapter 6, verses 19 to 21.
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And you can't get much more direct than this.
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He tells us this directly.
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Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth.
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Why?
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Where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.
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But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moss nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
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And you ready for the big moment of this?
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And this is the big takeaway as we're going so far.
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For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
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For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
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Wow.
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Jesus himself saying to us, don't store up for yourselves things of the earth.
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And we live in this consumerism culture which, oh, go buy this.
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You gotta have this.
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More, more, more.
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You think that's your treasure, But Jesus is saying, he's looking right in the face and going, no, that's not where your treasure is.
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Your treasure is in heaven.
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Your treasure is where your heart is.
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Where's your heart?
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And see if you can embrace that.
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You can feel the weight lift off of you as you hear those words.
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See, Jesus doesn't say, hey, go try to beat inflation.
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Doesn't say that.
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What he says instead, don't even try to put your ultimate security here on Earth.
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This isn't your permanent home.
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This is your temporary home.
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So don't even try to put your ultimate security here on Earth.
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Okay, Ralph, why I'm here on Earth, the God of put us here on Earth.
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Why is Jesus saying to us, don't even try to put your ultimate security here on Earth.
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We already answered the question.
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Because everything on earth can decay.
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I'm going to go a little steeper than that.
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Everything on earth actually will decay.
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Moths are going to eat it, rust is going to take over, thieves are going to steal it, economies are going to crash.
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And yes, inflation keeps chipping away.
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And yes, your hard earned dollar today is literally worth less tomorrow.
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Not worthless, but worth less.
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Less tomorrow.
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Here's a truth bomb.
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Your investments can go up and down like a roller coaster.
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They can, they will.
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It's going to happen.
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But the treasures you store up in heaven, hey, let me just tell you right now, you don't need a FDIC insurance in heaven.
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You don't need it.
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Because the treasures you store up there, they are totally safe, untouched by any earthly problem, completely immune to inflation.
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Think about that for a second.
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And here's the real kicker.
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Wherever you put your treasure, that's where your heart will be.
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Yeah, that hurts, doesn't when you think about it, Ask yourself right now, just pause for a second.
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Where's your treasure?
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That's piercing, isn't it?
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Because if your treasure is in this shaky world, guess what?
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Your heart will feel shaky too.
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Always looking for a stability that just isn't there.
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The Lord himself said it.
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It's not here.
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And listen to another clear message from Jesus.
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Look at the book of Luke, chapter 12, verse 15.
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He warns us personally, be careful and guard against all greed for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.
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Be careful, guard against.
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Does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.
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Gets right to the point, doesn't it?
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See, it's that feeling like you need just a little more to feel safe.
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Oh, I just need a little bit more in my savings account.
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I need a little bit more stuff.
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I need a little bit more in my retirement account.
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I need a little bit more house.
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I need a little bit more.
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This I need.
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You just need a little more to feel safe, to feel good enough to keep up.
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But Jesus says something very different than he says, watch out for that.
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Be on guard.
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Your life, your true value, your deep security is not found in how much stuff you own.
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Hear me on this.
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It's not found in your bank account size.
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It's not found in your car, it's not found in your house.
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See, because that's what the world defines as life.
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But it's absolutely, unequivocally not God's definition.
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Let's finally take a look at this powerful truth from First Timothy, chapter 6, verses 6 to 10.
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Because this cuts right to says this.
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But godliness with contentment is great gain.
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For we brought nothing into this world.
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We brought nothing into this world.
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And we cannot take anything out of this world.
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But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
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But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
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For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
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It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
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Think about the power in that verse of the Bible, those verses of the Bible.
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For those who desire to be rich fall into temptation.
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It's a snare, it's a trick, it's an illusion.
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Many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
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Hey, I don't know how much clearer you can say it.
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For the love of money.
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Now, he's not saying.
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In my opinion, he's not saying you can't have money, but the love of it.
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Is that where your heart is?
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See.
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Cause that's a lot of people talk about, oh, money is the root of all.
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It's not what it says.
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It says the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
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Because that's where your heart is.
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And if your heart is in this earth, guess where it's not?
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It's not in heaven.
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And that craving that we all are surrounded with, that craving have led people to wander away from their faith.
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And look at.
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I love this part of it.
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And pierced themselves.
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The world didn't pierce them.
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Catch that?
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It's a very important distinction here.
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Pierce themselves with many sorrows.
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See, my friend, this is a total game changer.
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It's completely opposite what culture tells us.
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And that right there can set you and set your soul free.
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Because the world again yells, more money, more happiness, more stuff.
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More happiness, more this, more that, more happiness.
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Get, get, get.
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And it's loud, it's noisy, it's going on all around you and everything that you ingest into your body, into your ears, into your mind, into your eyes.
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But then God, through his word is just gently whispering.
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And see, I say this to people all the time.
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Sometimes we gotta shut up long enough to Hear God talking to us.
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But God, through his Word, whispers, this godliness with contentment is great gain.
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Godliness with contentment is great gain.
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See, real wealth isn't just piling up stuff.
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You're never gonna have enough stuff.
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There's always gonna be something else.
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Somebody else has this somebody, oh, they got a nicer car, they got a nicer house.
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Real wealth isn't piling up stuff.
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It's a deep, settled peace.
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See, that's what real wealth is.
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Real wealth is peace.
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And that peace comes from being right with God, no matter how much you have materially.
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See, that's countercultural.
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The world will say, oh, no, you gotta have material stuff.
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You gotta have that, because that shows you what your worth is.
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But that's not peace.
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That's not peace with God.
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And it's realizing that true treasure, true treasure isn't what you hold in your hand.
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You can't hold this in your hand, but rather it's who you are in Christ.
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But bigger than that, the most beautiful part of this and whose you are.
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And I want you to hear me loud and clear on this, because this doesn't mean we shouldn't try to be good with our money or manage our resources wisely.
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So many people say, okay, Ralph, what you're saying then is, oh, it's all up to the Lord.
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The Lord will provide.
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I'm just going to sit on my hands and do nothing?
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No, that's not what I'm saying at all.
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I'm exactly saying the opposite of that.
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You've got to manage your money.
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You've got to steward your money.
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But it does totally reset our hearts.
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When we embrace this.
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It changes everything.
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And it all starts at putting our faith and trust in God himself.
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Well, let's really talk about the difference between what culture pushes and the way, the better way.
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I'll say that Christ lovingly shows us, especially when we're dealing with something like inflation.
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And I'm going to get to call it the inflation illusion.
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Yes, it's real.
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But let's start by looking at culture's way.
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See, with culture, when inflation hits, it tells us our problem is simple.
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I don't have enough money or my money isn't worth as much.
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That's what the world is.
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That's what culture is saying.
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What does that do?
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It makes us frantically try to get more and compare ourselves to our neighbors, compare ourselves to others, to live with this constant fear of not having enough.
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Culture is telling you to live in fear.
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And that broken path often leads to worry.
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It leads to greed and it leads to feeling defeated.
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Because we're always chasing something that just keeps moving farther and farther away.
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It's like you're running for a touchdown and you see the goal line in front of you, but yet you continue running and the goal line just moving farther and farther away.
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And that cultural, worldly wisdom pushes us to trust only in ourselves.
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Just trust in yourself, earn more, invest better.
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You can do this.
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It's all about you.
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Hey, be the best person you can be.
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That's what culture says.
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It promises security.
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There's no security, but only gives us endless tiring struggles.
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That's worldly wisdom.
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That's what worldly wisdom is leading us to.
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But my friend, we've got something far better.
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We've got God's way, or what I'll call biblical truth.
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See, when you have that feeling, when you're living in biblical truth, we have this view.
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We have a view.
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When inflation hits, God understands the real financial pressure that we're feeling.
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He gets it.
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God understands it, he's not ignoring it.
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But then when you feel that pressure, gently and lovingly, it points you inside and up to him because you say, look, I know I can't do this myself.
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It says this.
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It says your ultimate security, your deepest peace, your true joy, and what wealth really means for you.
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None of that can be based on something as weak and as fleeting as earthly money or unstable markets.
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There is no stock market that compare to the market that God has given us and God has promised us.
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That's a radical, beautiful invitation to trust in God who never changes.
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God's promises are never affected by inflation.
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And he will care for you endlessly and forever.
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And that path right there, that path brings deep contentment, generous giving and a hope that nothing can shake.
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You can't shake that.
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Why?
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Because it rests on the solid, unchanging foundation of God's perfect character, not the shifting sands of the world's economy.
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This truth, this truth, my friend, frees you from that never ending chase for more money and helps you live for what truly lasts.
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See, the inflation illusion wants you to be scared.
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It wants you to live in fear and to use all your energy chasing after things that break down, they lose value, and yes, it says it in the scripture, and finally fail.
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They fall.
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That's what the illusion wants you to do.
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It wants you to be scared, live in fear and chase and chase and chase and just wear yourself out till you break down and fall.
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But God's truth is something so much bigger.
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God is inviting you to unshakable peace, a deep contentment, and a totally different kind of investment.
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But that investment brings eternal joy.
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And again, I said it earlier.
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This doesn't mean that we ignore our money or act carelessly.
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So many people don't understand that as good managers of God's gifts.
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And that's what they are.
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They're not ours.
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God has given them to us.
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But we are absolutely called to be smart, and we're called to be careful, smart and careful managers.
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But it does mean it's your ultimate hope, your deep peace and the real security and what truly flourishing means to you.
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It's got to be rooted in something way more solid, way more solid than those changing interest rates or those economic reports that make you wonder, hey, do I have anything left in my retirement?
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Is there anything left in my 401k?
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Because in the storm, your anchor, your security is in God himself.
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Because he's the same yesterday, he's the same today, and guess what?
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He's going to be the same forever.
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And his kingdom, there's no shaky ground there.
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It is totally solid.
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It's completely untouched by any earthly inflation or crisis or market downturn.
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It is completely solid.
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And you can trust in that.
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So now you're asking, Ralph, how do we actually live out this freeing truth when the grocery bill shocks us, Ralph, we still have to go to the grocery store.
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We still got to buy the milk and the eggs, and we still got to sit there and pay for this stuff, Ralph.
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Or maybe when those business costs jump or that worried feeling starts to sneak in.
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Listen, I've been there.
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It does scare you.
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You might be listening right now.
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You're trying to figure out, how am I going to pay next month's mortgage payment, or how am I going to pay the rent, or how am I going to make that car payment?
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How am I going to find money for my kids to eat?
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And I'm promising you this hope.
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So you're asking, how do we find that unshakable hope and actually take concrete, faithful action when the world feels financially shaky?
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The good news is you're recognizing that.
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That the world is financially shaky.
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So I want to give you some real actionable steps for both your money and your faith to help you see past that illusion of infl and start building wealth that truly lasts.
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I got the answers for you right now, and that's what I'm going to talk about every week on this show.
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Let's start with this.
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Let's start with some money steps.
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These are some financial actionable Steps.
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Number one thing, make a God first budget and stick to it.
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Now, I know.
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Budget yourself.
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Oh, Ralph, here we go with the budget things.
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Oh, how boring is that?
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A bunch of restrictions, but it's a powerful way to live out your faith.
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See, that budget is a demonstration of your faith, your trust, living out the management skills that God is asking you to live out.
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So I'm just going to encourage you this week, set aside some quiet time and really look at your income and what you spend.
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Look at the data.
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And it's easy to look at the data.
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But I'm going to tell you to go one step further, because when you're done that budget.
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Here's the thing a lot of people don't want to talk about.
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Your budget should show what matters to you and to your faith.
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When I look at somebody's budget, I look at the first thing on their line.
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And if it doesn't say giving tithes, offerings at the very top, I'm questioning and I'm not judging.
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Don't misunderstand me.
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I'm not judging.
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What goes at the top is what matters to you and your faith.
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So I'm going to encourage you.
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Put giving at the top.
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Start it at the very top.
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The Bible talks routinely about giving your first fruits back to God.
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Hey, listen, I've said it on my other show a million times.
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It's not yours to begin with.
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You're just there to manage it.
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Second thing, put savings for emergency.
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Your second item, giving first, saving for emergency second, and paying off debt third.
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You're like, wait a minute, Ralph, how do I get to my everyday living expenses?
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Yeah, that's number four.
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You're like, wait a minute, Ralph, that doesn't make any sense.
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Oh, it will make sense.
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Trust me.
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Giving, saving, paying off debt, and then your everyday living expenses, you might be.
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Okay, great, that sounds good.
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Rap.
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But a budget?
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You talk about budget all the time.
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But why do I start with something like a budget?
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Because this isn't just about managing money.
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That's part of it, but there's a much deeper, more important part of it.
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See, a budget is about telling God that you are my ultimate provider.
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Especially when it starts with giving.
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Think about that saving.
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And it's saying to God that your kingdom comes first in my life.
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And see, when you honor him first, even if it feels a bit tight.
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And trust me, I've been there, Ralph, I'm struggling to pay my bills, dude.
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And you're saying to me to give first?
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Yes, I'm saying that to you.
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It's going to take a little faith.
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But when you do that, even when it feels tight, you're leaning into his amazing promises to take care of you.
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And I'm going to tell you right now, you will never out give God his resources are unimaginable.
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But it's a real step of faith that breaks.
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And it breaks the hold of that inflation illusion on your heart.
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See, the inflation illusion tells you scarcity is real, but it's not when you truly put God first.
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And I'm.
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Listen, I'm not some, hey, prosperity preacher.
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It's not what I'm saying.
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You never heard me one time say not to manage your money.
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But I did say put him first.
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So now you're saying, okay, Groff, that sounds good.
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How do I even do a budget?
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I don't even know what that looks like.
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And I'm going to tell you right now, you don't need any fancy tools.
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You don't need the.
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No Excel or whatever number, whatever.
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I don't care what it is.
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Even a simple spreadsheet, a budgeting app, or listen, this is real simple.
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Just a pen and paper.
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And then you just got to be honest about where your money goes.
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You got to put it up there, then pray it.
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Pray about it.
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Find one or two areas where you can intentionally cut back.
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That's the way that you start to put God first in your budget.
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Maybe that means fewer meals, eating out, they're expensive, or canceling a subscription.
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You don't really use.
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Oh.
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To free up money for giving and savings.
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And see, this isn't about going without.
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It's not about restriction.
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But it is about intentional prioritization that's rooted in your faith.
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And guess what?
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It's designed to.
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It's designed for freedom.
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Second thing I'm going to encourage you to do and a lot of people.
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I'm going to lose some people right now when I say this.
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Look at your investments with God's big picture in mind.
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Now, if you've got investments, stocks, bonds, maybe you own a small business or you own some property, some rental properties, I want you to take some time and pray about their real purpose.
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What did he just say?
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Yeah, their real purpose.
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Ask yourself this.
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And again, this takes a little courage.
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Ask yourself, are they just for me to get richer?
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Or.
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Or can they be used as a powerful tool for God's glory and his work in the world?
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Are they just for me to get richer?
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Stocks, bonds, family business, small business, property.
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Are they just there for me to get richer?
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Or is God giving Me these to use as a powerful tool for his glory and his work in this world, you may say, Ralph, why are you asking it?
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Well, I'm asking it because look at Matthew 6.
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What did it tell us to do?
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It reminds us to store up treasures in heaven, not just on earth.
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And listen, it's good idea to manage our earthly money wisely, but that cannot be our main investment account.
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Our main investment account always needs to be in things that last forever.
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And guess what?
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This world is going to pass away.
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So we've got to be putting things that last forever, things that make an eternal difference.
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And see, once you start to have that mindset, that way of thinking helps you stop just trying to beat the market and start serving a bigger, more important purpose.
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And now you're saying, okay, Ralph, that's great, but how do I make that happen?
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How do I even invest this way?
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One of the things you got to really think about doing is maybe you need to pray about how to use your profits to bless others.
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Go back to that budget.
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Are you giving generously?
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Are you supporting ministries, doing God's work?
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Hey, maybe you're not even researching the companies that truly line up the biblical values for your investments.
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You may have to make a decision to move away from simply looking at the returns.
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Oh, this route, this guy got me set up with this investment.
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It's given me a 10% return.
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Return, earn 12% return.
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But have you ever looked at their values, the values of the companies you're investing in?
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You have them in high regard.
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But are your values being destroyed?
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Let me be frank.
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And this is going to be something that's a bit controversial, but I'm going to say something bold and I'm going to say it straight up.
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Now, as a Christian, if you say to me, ralph, I am a Christian, you should not be investing in companies that openly support sin, that openly support false doctrine or any other stand which is clearly against the true word of God.
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Yes, that's bold.
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But these times call for bold action.
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I said at the beginning, we're surrounded by all kinds of craziness.
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So ask yourself, are you investing in companies that openly support sin, that teach false doctrine, or stand on which is clearly against the truth word of God.
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I know that's bold, but it takes boldness to break this cycle and truly stand with the good Lord himself.
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See, the main idea here is to hold your money with an open hand.
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You're like, what does that mean, Ralph?
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Well, if your hand is open, you're ready to use it as God.
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Leads you instead of clinging to it out of fear, like you're so afraid you're going to lose it.
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Because, my friend, what you can do is let your investments be a way to worship God.
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Now, I told you, I talk about money.
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Let's talk about things that aren't related to money.
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Let's talk about some faith steps, because that's the reason I really wanted to do this new show.
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I wanted to share some faith actionable steps, and I want to encourage you.
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Here's one of the things I'm going to encourage you to do right away.
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And this one will sound sort of counterintuitive at first, but I want you to make a daily gratitude a spiritual battle strategy.
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Make daily gratitude your spiritual battle strategy, because this is powerful, friend.
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I want to encourage you at the beginning of each day and at the end of each day, I want you to consciously, out loud or in a journal.
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Hey, I even better go shout at the rooftops.
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I just want you to think about three, four, or five things that you are genuinely thankful for.
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Do we ever take the time to do that anymore?
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I want you to especially focus on how God has taken care of you, no matter how small or how obvious it seems.
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The food you have, the roof over your head, a steady job, clean water, your family.
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Every single one of these is a precious gift that you didn't earn.
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Wait a minute, Ralph, I might work.
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No, you didn't earn it.
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God gave it to you.
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And now you're asking, Ralph, why start with gratitude?
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Because this is a superpower.
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See, gratitude is the strongest weapon I know against fear.
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It's a strong weapon against discontentment.
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It's a strong feeling against that feeling of not enoughness.
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Because that's what the inflation illusion loves to sell you.
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Gratitude is being intentional.
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And it powerfully shifts your focus from what you feel is missing.
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It's so easy to talk about, well, I don't have this and I don't have that, and this one has this and this one has that.
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But see, gratitude, it shifts that focus and moves it away from what you're missing or what's losing value to what God has already faithfully and amazingly provided to you.
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You just have to look around and say, thank you, Lord.
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I see it.
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Thank you.
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And that, my friends, is a daily choice to pick joy over worry and trust over fear.
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And if you want to beat this, this is critical.
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And now you're saying, okay, Ralph, I agree with you.
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You sold me.
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I want to buy it, but how do I do that?
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And that really is a great question because I don't want to encourage you to do a few things.
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I think one of the things that you can definitely do is keep a small notebook by your bed or in your kitchen or maybe call it your gratitude journal.
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Maybe you've always got your phone in your hand.
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Use a notes app and just tend a few quiet minutes praying and thanking God for these blessings.
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Do it twice, three times a day.
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Because I will assure you of something that simple habit can totally change how you see things.
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It is powerful and it will totally see how you change things one day at a time.
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Second thing, as it relates to non financial things, I want to ask you, how do you anchor your soul?
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How do you anchor your soul?
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Is your soul anchored in earth or is it in God?
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See, because God has an unchanging character and promises.
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I ask you again, how do you anchor your soul?
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Okay, Ralph, what does that mean?
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Well, I want you to set aside dedicated quiet time each day, or maybe a few times a week to read the scriptures.
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Not just read them like, oh, I got through this verse, I got through this one.
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I read.
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I was.
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I said I was going to read the whole chapter, but not just read it, but really think about it and be bold.
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Say scriptures out loud that talk about God's steady faithfulness, his endless ability to provide and how he never ever changes.
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And now you're saying, ralph, why do I do this?
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Well, here's why.
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Because when the world feels crazy, when it feels shaky, and trust me, if you're riding along the same bus I'm on, it feels shaky.
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And when the world feels financially uncertain, our hearts are crying out for some rock solid, unmoving anchor.
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And I know what that anchor should be for your life.
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See, God's promises are not affected by inflation.
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God's promises are not affected by bad economies or world events.
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Yes, they're all going on around us.
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As I said earlier, he's the same yesterday, he's the same today, and he'll be the same forever.
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And that truth right there will give you a peace that cannot be shaken, no matter what's happening around you.
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Focus on verses like the 23rd Psalm, the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
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Or Philippians 4:19, and my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches and in glory.
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In Christ Jesus.
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Or Lamentations, chapter 3, verses 22 and 23.
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The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.
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His mercies never come to an end.
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They are new every morning.
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Great is your faithfulness Now, I went through those fast.
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I'm going to encourage you.
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Don't just read them fast.
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Let them sink deep into your spirit, deep into your soul, especially into those anxious part of your heart.
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What do we say?
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Where your heart is, where your treasure is.
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Don't be afraid to talk to God about them.
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Look up and say to him, God, I'm scared.
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Tell him your fears.
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Tell him your fears.
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And then intentionally replace those fears with these God loving truths.
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God truly wants to hear from you.
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God wants to bring you to a place of peace.
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And he wants to bring you to a place of peace where all your trust is firmly placed in Him.
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Listen to me.
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The inflation illusion is a real heavy pressure that tries to steal your peace and it tries to steal your hope.
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It tells you to measure your worth and your security by numbers that are constantly changing, by money that buys less and less.
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But as a beloved child of God, you are called to live by a far bigger, far more amazing truth.
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And as I said earlier, yes, you're called to be smart with your money, to work hard and to manage it wisely.
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But most importantly, hear me on this.
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You're called to put your complete trust in a God whose wealth never goes down, whose promises are never affected by inflation, and whose loving presence is your greatest, safest and most abundant treasure anywhere.
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And I want you to know this.
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You are absolutely not alone in this fight.
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God sees your worry.
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God sees your hard work, and he knows your deep desire to take care of your family.
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And what he's offering you is not some quick fix, quick, oh, overnight success.
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It's not what God's offering, but what he is offering is a hope that lasts forever and cannot be shaken.
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He offers you a way to thrive, like that healthy green leaf in the book of Proverbs, even when the world around you seems to be wilting.
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So I just want to encourage you today, let's choose today, together, to see past this illusion.
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Let's choose contentment that makes no sense to the world, crazy generosity that shows his heart and a steady faith, knowing deep down that your true worth and your true wealth are not measured by a dollar that goes up and down, but by your eternal, unbreakable relationship with the one who owns everything.
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This week, friend, be brave.
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I encourage you.
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Just take one of these steps.
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Maybe it's starting that daily gratitude journal.
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Or maybe it's just sitting down and truly faithfully putting giving first in your budget.
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And as you take that one step of faith, just one, even a small one, I'm praying That you'll feel a huge shift in how you see things.
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And you'll find a peace that goes beyond the headlines and a real sign of God's amazing faithfulness in your money and deep into your soul.
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And as we finish up today, friend, I wanted to talk to you about something even deeper than our money.
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Something that's far more important than any problem or inflation.
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If you've been listening today, perhaps you're feeling a heavy weight of the world on you.
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You're feeling that emptiness deep inside that no amount of money or trying harder can truly fill.
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Maybe, just maybe, your heart's been nudged to realize that the only real lasting security and peace comes from God himself.
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And right now, perhaps you've never truly given your whole life to Jesus Christ.
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You might have heard about him, but haven't really taken that step of trust and taken that step of trusting him completely.
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Let me tell you about Christ.
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See, he's the one who beat sin.
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He's the one who beat death.
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And yes, he even beat the worries of this world.
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And he offers not just good money advice, but eternal life and a relationship with God that absolutely nothing can shake or nothing can steal.
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And friend, if you're listening right now, you feel that gentle push, that feeling in your heart right now, is your heart saying yes.
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I want to invite you to pray this simple prayer with me right now from the deepest part of your heart.
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Just say this.
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Dear Heavenly Father, I know I'm a sinner and I really need your forgiveness.
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And I believe with all my heart that Jesus Christ is your son, that he died on the cross for my sins and that you powerfully raised him from the dead.
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And I confess my sins to you right now and I humbly ask you to come into my life.
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Forgive my sins.
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I give my life to you today completely.
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I choose to follow you, Jesus, as my Lord and my Savior, starting now and forever.
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Thank you for your amazing love and for the precious gift of eternal life.
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Amen.
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Wow.
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If you prayed that prayer or even if you're just thinking about it, please know, friend, that heaven is celebrating your decision right now.
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There is a huge party going over and in heaven right now because your decision, you're now a loved child of God and your real wealth is safe with him and it's safe with him forever.
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And I want to encourage you to share that decision with a trusted Christian friend.
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Maybe you've got a friend who's a pastor or a church or do me a favor, you can also reach out to us.
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You can go to truth unveiled with Ralph.com decision I'd love to hear from you.
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I want to help you figure out your next steps in faith because here's the truth Truth Finding a good Bible believing church home is super important for you to grow in Christ and I want you to grow in Christ.
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And I just want to thank you for joining me on this initial episode of Truth Unveiled with Ralph.
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I truly hope it's been a blessing for you.
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It's truly been a blessing for me to share this time with you.
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May God richly bless you.
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May he richly bless as you live and live for him in every part of your life, finding your peace and how he takes care of you in Him.
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And I'm just going to encourage you again.
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Join me next week as we keep unveiling God's truth in a world full of questions.
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Until then, I encourage you walk in faith, learn with wisdom and live financially confident in Christ.
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May God bless you.
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God bless you.
