Why We Worry About Money

March 15, 2026

Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Amen.
So let's go ahead and look atthis last word that I believe
the Lord has laid on my heart tohelp us address this money
issue.
Our meditation text comes from 1Peter chapter 5, verse 7.
If we can read that together,here we go.
Cast all your anxiety on himbecause he cares for you.

(00:27):
Amen.
Tell your neighbor, he cares foryou.
Amen.
Then our main text comes fromMatthew 6, verses 25 through 34.
And here's what our Lord says.
Therefore, I tell you, do notworry about your life.

(00:49):
What you will eat or drink, orabout your body, what you will
wear.
Is not life more than food andthe body more than clothes?
Look at the birds of the air.
They do not sow or reap or storeaway in barns.
And yet your heavenly fatherfeeds them.

(01:10):
Are you not much more valuablethan they?
Can any of you by worrying add asingle hour to your life?
And why do you worry aboutclothes and fashion?
That's an archery translation.
See how the flowers of the fieldgrow.

(01:30):
They do not labor or spin, yet Itell you that not even Solomon.
In all his splendor was dressedlike one of these.
You of little faith.

(01:52):
So do not worry, saying, Whatshall I eat?
What shall we drink?
What shall we wear?
For the pagans run after allthese things, and your heavenly
father knows that you need them.
But seek, I'm gonna say like theKing James, but seek ye first.
The kingdom of God and hisrighteousness and all these

(02:15):
things will be added unto you.
Amen.
Therefore, do not worry abouttomorrow.
For tomorrow will worry aboutitself.
Each day has enough trouble onits own.
Say amen.
He was right on that one, wasn'the?

(02:38):
Yes, Lord.
I want to talk a little bittoday about why we worry about
money.
Why we worry about money.
You just answered question Aalready.

(02:58):
But let me say this at theonset, getting all in my sermon.
Slow down, bruh.
I love it.
But let me say this obviously,as we deal with worry, it's the
same word used of anxiety.
And though I will say a fewwords about anxiety and money, I

(03:19):
am not at all suggesting thatanyone should not take their
mental health seriously.
So let me say that at theforefront.
Not saying that anyone shouldcease any sessions they might
have with therapists ordiscontinue any medication that
your mental health provider mayhave prescribed to you.

(03:41):
We take your mental health hereseriously.
We have an outstandingcounselor, Reverend Jada
Jackson.
Amen.
Who is licensed to handle mentalhealth.
Every month, every year in themonth of May, during mental
health month, we always dosomething, a conference or

(04:03):
something, some kind of emphasison mental health.
So hear me well.
If you're seeing someone oryou're being prescribed a
medication, listen to me.
I know a lot of crazy Christiansout there say a lot of crazy
things.
You have not sinned.
You have not sinned.
You have not dishonored God.

(04:25):
If anything, you've honored himthat he provides other means by
which you can get well.
So stay with the process.
Amen.
Having said all that, I dobelieve the text does raise an
important question.
Why do we worry or why do we getanxious about money?

(04:45):
And one person has alreadyanswered it because we don't
have enough.
Can I get an amen for the notenough crowd?
But since some of our people areso smart, that does raise
another question.
How much is enough?

(05:07):
Is there enough money to keep usfrom worrying?
And I raise that because a fewyears ago they did a survey, a
study in the wealthiest countiesin this country.
These are your high-incomeearners.
Counties like Highland Park,Orange County.

(05:29):
We're talking about those kindsof counties.
And they did a survey aboutmoney in those counties.
And the survey, the response,indicated that those individuals
living in the wealthiestcounties in America said they
needed about 40% more income tobe happy and not worry about
money.

(05:50):
So, how much is enough?
And we know these billionaires,they get 50 billion, they feel
like they need another 50billion on top of that.

So I asked my original question: why do we worry about money? (06:00):
undefined
And it's almost as if Jesuscould see it 2,000 years ago.
Because in this text, four timeshe says, do not worry.
And the context is dealing withmoney.

(06:25):
Someone said it so well intrying to describe how anxiety
works.
Um, how many of y'all rememberthe movie?
Well, I shouldn't say remember,maybe heard of the movie Jaws.
For you young folk ain't heardof Jaws, you may have to Google
it.
But somebody described worry asthe song, the theme song of

(06:49):
Jaws, constantly playing in thebackground of your mind.
You find yourself anxious andlooking for a shark fin as if
something in life is about todevour you.
Rick Warren, former pastor ofSaddleback Church, has a great
definition.
He describes worry as this hesays, worry is negative

(07:12):
meditation.
Psalm 1-2 says, He meditates onhis word day and night, and he
shall be like a tree firmlyplanted by the river waters.
If I meditate on God's word, orif I meditate on the person, the
nature, and the presence of God,it causes me to flourish.

(07:33):
It gives me peace, it gives me asense of calm.
And the contrary to that, or thecontrast of that would suggest
if I'm always worrying about thenegative, it will cause me
anxiety.
It will cause me worry.

(07:55):
Worried about my family, worriedabout my money, worried about my
job, my business, my career.
That worry will overflow intoanxiety and worry.
And thus, theologicallyspeaking, if I want to change
how I feel, I gotta change how Ithink.
Change how I think.

(08:15):
So the question is why do wereally worry about money?
And there's only one reason.
I want to explain it with aprinciple that I gave years ago
in a sermon, but it fits righthere again.
And we have to understand, firstof all, how worry works, at
least theologically.
And again, those of you who aredealing with it psychologically,
stay with what lane God has youin, not trying to push you out

(08:36):
of that lane, but I do want youto understand it theologically.
So, so how does worry worktheologically?

And here it is (08:42):
anxiety, worry, and frustration is the
difference between what I expectand what I experience.
Why do I worry?
Why do I get anxious?

(09:04):
Because it's the differencebetween what I expect to happen
and what actually happens orwhat I experience to happen.
So put it another way.
I expect to receive love in acertain way when I'm in a loving
relationship.
And when my expectations are notmet, that becomes my experience.

(09:30):
And the gap between what Iexpect in terms of love and what
I actually receive in lovetranslates into worry, anxiety,
and sometimes frustration.
The same can be true with mychildren and my family.
I expect a certain behavior andstandard with my family and my

(09:52):
children.
But sometimes I don't always getwhat I expect.
I experience somethingdifferent.
Therefore, the differencebetween what I expect and what I
experience, there's thisdifference, there's this gap.
And that's what causes anxiety,worry, and frustration.

(10:12):
And the same thing is true withmy money.
I expect my money to be here.
It should be here.
All the hours I've worked, allthe schooling I've been put into
it, all the training and theeducation.
I expect my money to besomewhere over here.

(10:34):
But with this crazyadministration in power now, I'm
trying to preach this as kindlyas I can.
This is my experience.
Thus, the gap between what Iexpect and what I experience is
the cause of the frustration,the anxiety, and the worry that

(10:56):
I feel.
Now, let me tell you how itreally works sometimes.
Because how many of y'all knowGod is good?
And He'll show up.
Sometimes what I expect, Godwill let me experience the same
thing.
Matter of fact, I'll expect onething, and God will let me

(11:19):
experience more than what I'mexpecting.
Do I have a witness in thehouse?
I call that John.
That ain't anxiety, that's job.
I expect one thing, and God hasa way of showing up in my life,
blowing my mind, and giving memore than what I'm doing, one
witness?
You asked God for one thing, andHe gave you all this.

(11:47):
Watch it now.
Watch it.
I'm about to flip it though.
So I expected God to give me afive-bedroom house.
And God put me in aseven-bedroom house.
How many of y'all know?
How many of y'all know God isgood?
So my expectation there actuallyexceeds what I experienced.

(12:12):
But then my friend gets afifteen-bedroom house.
All of a sudden, my expectationsstart moving.
And what I used to expect is notwhere I experienced.

(12:35):
Now my expectation has moved allthe way over here, and my
experience is over here, and I'mback to what I was before.
I got anxiety and frustrationbecause I was looking at
something I hadn't.
Oh, y'all don't hear me today.
So, what's the real issue?
Why why do we worry about money?

(12:56):
Here it is.
Here it is.
And Janet Jackson tried to tellus.
Oh, y'all don't know who JanetJackson is.
Control.
That's the issue.
Janet says she got tired of folktelling her what to do, so she
had to take control of her life.

(13:18):
And the truth is, I can have anexpectation.
And I can have an experience.
And the reason why I have somuch anxiety, I can't control
what I expect.
Sometimes I can control what Iexperience.
But watch this.
God won't let me control what Iexpect.
Why?
Because if I can control all ofit, why do I need him in my

(13:40):
life?
You don't hear me.
You don't hear me today.
You don't hear me.
So God loves me far too much tolet me have total control.
So listen to me this morning.
Here, listen to me.
So he says, seek ye first thekingdom of God and his
righteousness, and all thesethings shall be added unto you.
What is he saying?
Trust my way of life.
Trust me.

(14:01):
Surrender control.
Surrender control and let meworry about what you can't
control.
When you watch this, when yousurrender what you expect, I can
worry about the stuff that youworry about that you expect.
You surrender the worry, yousurrender the anxiety, you

(14:22):
surrender all the frustrationwhen you surrender control to
me.
So here's my thesis statement.
God uses giving to teach us tosurrender control.
That every time I give to God,it's a reminder that God
ultimately is in control, notjust of what I experience, but

(14:44):
also of what I expect.
And all the stuff that I can'thandle.
And when I put it in God's hand,I put my pain in his hand.
I put my frustration in hishand.
I put my anxiety in his hand.
And I put my worry in his hand.
That's what Peter's trying tosay to us.

(15:05):
He said, Cast all your anxiety.
I can't get rid of all theanxiety unless I can surrender
control of everything.
Because it's the things thatcauses the anxiety.
Struggle to surrender.
So many of y'all know I've had anumber of surgeries on my eyes.
And I had one actually this pastlast October, had one on my

(15:29):
right eye.
And so I gotta put extramedications in it.
And I can see y'all.
I can see.
I really can.
I know it don't look like it,but I can.
And so I told my doctor lastminute, you know, I'm getting a
little frustrated with all thesemedications you got me.
I feel like I'm going to bad toworse.
She said, No, Mr.

(15:50):
Archer, you're doing well.
You're doing well.
She said, I is really doingwell.
I mean, it could have been a lotworse.
You're hanging in there.
She said, watch this.
But if you want to get theoptimum care and result in the
eye, you have to stay with theprocess.
And what she was trying to tellme is that though there's a

(16:10):
little bit of discomfort withthe process, it's better than
not having sight at all.
I'm trying to help somebodytoday.
I know it's a little bitdiscomforting when we come to
the offering time.
I know sometimes the life offaith can be a little bit
discomforting, but if yousurrender to the process, is
anybody know that God can make away out of nowhere?

(16:32):
God can bless you in a way thatyou would not have had you not
surrendered to the process.
Let me move on on this thing.
So, how do we overcome worrywith our money?
Let me walk through this textvery quickly.
Number one, here it is.
We can always trust God andovercome worry when we trust the
sovereignty of God.
When we trust his sovereignty,Jesus here is talking about the

(16:55):
sovereignty of God.
God providentially cares for usevery single day.
He says, look at the birds ofthe air.
They do not sow or reap or storeaway in barns, they don't have
savings accounts, they don'thave bank accounts, they don't
worry about tomorrow, and theygot people, they just go on

(17:16):
about their business becausethey know God is gonna take care
of them.
They know God is providentiallyinvolved in their lives.
I've been doing some of mydevotion in the book of Ruth.
And you know, Ruth, if you knowthe story, she was an immigrant
in a foreign country thataccepted her in spite of her

(17:39):
immigrant status.
They welcomed her.
They wasn't trying to put herout of the country, they told
her, Come on in.
I'm trying to preach this.
Welcomed her because Yahweh saidyou're to treat the immigrant
the same way you treat acitizen.
Because you at one time was onthe outside.
How dare you treat an insider,an outsider like an outsider?

(18:03):
You used to be an outsider.
Let me get off that horse.
And so she she comes to Israeland she comes back to Bethlehem
with her with her mother-in-law.
They're broke and don't know howthey're gonna provide, and
they're so poor they had to gothrough the welfare system,

(18:24):
which was to glean someone'sfield for food.
And and and and so it wouldhappen, or the King James would
say, and it came to pass.
I like that phrase.
Ruth found herself gleaning inBoaz's field.
And and and what the writersaid, God can providentially put

(18:46):
you in a place when you thinkyour life is over.
Anybody know God hasprovidential care?
You you didn't even know thatone connection would lead to
another.
God can connect the dots, andyou don't even have a pencil or
a pen to connect the dots with.
Anybody know God can do allthat?
He providentially cares for us.

Now, here's what I want to say: don't confuse limited (19:09):
undefined
sovereignty with absolutesovereignty.
Let me say that again.
Don't confuse limited orrestricted sovereignty with
absolute sovereignty.
Let me work on this thing for aminute.
So put here Genesis 1, verse 27through 28.
And I'm gonna read the NIVversion.

(19:30):
Here's what it says.
So God created mankind in hisown image, and the image of God
he created them, male andfemale, he created them.
God blessed them and said, Befruitful and multiply, fill the
earth and subdue it.
Rule over the fish of the sea,rule over the birds in the sky,

(19:51):
rule over every living creature.
He made male and female.
I'm trying to move through this,but the text is begging me to
say something else, okay?
He said, let them rule over thebirds and the fish and the

(20:13):
animals.
It never says, let them ruleover other people to oppress
them and to indoctrinate themfor your own anger and
advisement.
No, you're to rule over creationfor the benefit and the blessing
of the people, and it says, letthem rule, not let him rule.

(20:42):
Or let her rule.
Y'all getting quiet on me rightthere.
I'm preaching the Bible.
God's intent from the beginningwas that leadership and
rulership was for the benefit ofthe people who were in a
position where they couldn'tlive and lift up themselves.
It was never for the benefit ofthe rulers.

(21:04):
That is oppression andinjustice.
And God raises up preachers andprophets to speak truth to
power.
Okay, let me get off that horse.
Here it is.
But God made us with the needfor limited sovereignty.

(21:25):
God made you and I with a needto run something.
Limited.
Not absolute.
Tell your neighbor, don't lookat me crazy.
But I was made to run something.
Okay?
Don't look at me crazy.
I know you have an issue when myleadership side showed up, but I

(21:47):
was destined to lead something.
I was destined and made to havelimited.
Sovereignty over my domain.
That's what God made me for.
He gave me the need to rule.

(22:11):
Not with absolute sovereignty,but with limited sovereignty.
So I ought to be able to rulesome measure of authority over
my home, my family, and mymoney.
Because God gave me that need inmy life.
Not absolute, but limited.

(22:31):
But understand, limitedsovereignty is not absolute
sovereignty.
God is the only one who hasabsolute sovereignty.
And some people get thatconfused.
You can be in charge, but you'renot completely in charge.
That's why I have a problem withfolk who think they have
absolute authority.

(22:52):
God has never given anybodyabsolute authority.
He's the only one with absoluteauthority.
Grandmama would say right here,he's God all by himself.
And he sure don't need our help.
So limited authority to controlwhat I experience.
Absolute authority is to controlwhat I expect and what I

(23:14):
experience.
God says, No, I have absolutecontrol over all things.
And so probably the best exampleof this is the story of Joseph,
son of Jacob.
When his brother sold him outfor chicken change, tricked him
and sold him into slavery.
Because his daddy was showing somuch favor to him instead of the
rest of the brothers.

(23:35):
And so they sold him intoslavery.
The Bible says, in spite ofthat, the favor of God was on
his life.
Because how many of y'all know,no matter how bad people treat
you, anybody know God or turnthat thing around?
And Joseph, he didn't stew overwhat his brothers did.
He trusted God for what he hadfor his future.

(23:57):
And God would not only bring himout of prison, but God would
raise him up to be second incommand in all of Egypt.
And then God would use that tobring deliverance to his entire
family.
The very folk who betrayed him,God would use him to deliver
them out of their own troubles.
Now that's that's real loveright there.

(24:17):
Don't tell me God's not real.
When you got to deliver your ownenemy, say amen right there.
And that's why he can say, Youmeant it for good.
You meant it for evil.
But God did what?
He meant it for good.
And he delivered that family.
Great story.
But notice in the text, noticein the story, God never elevated

(24:40):
him to number one.
Have you ever wondered aboutthat?
Because if we had, as Americans,if we had written the Hollywood
script, he'd have become theking of Egypt and he'd have
wiped up all his men.
And it ain't wiped out hisbrothers and raised up a whole
new family.
Because God wanted him to knowfor all time.
Now, I did put you in charge,but you have limited authority.

(25:04):
You are second in command.
So I'm speaking for myself.
So every time I bring anoffering to God, God reminds me,
He says, Altre, you are secondin command.
You may be the lead pastor ofChrist's community, but I'm the
lead pastor of the entirekingdom.
When you bring your offering,remember that you are second in
command.
You may be the head of yourfamily, but God is the head of

(25:27):
all creation.
You may be the head at yourcompany, but God is the head of
the entire industry and thecosmos.
You may be the signer on yourcheck, but God is the number one
signee on that check as well.
Don't forget who's number onesovereignty of God.
Secondly, the love of God.

(25:48):
We can trust Him because of thelove of God.
Why do you worry about clothes?
Flowers of the field.
Eugene Peterson said, Why do youworry about fashion?
Calvin Klein and Gucci and allthat kind of stuff.
It's not in the text, y'all.
It's not there.
They do not labor a spin.
Yet I tell you that not evenSolomon in all his splendor was

(26:10):
dressed like this.
And again, it's a word about howmuch God loves us.
He values us.
We are the apex of his creation.
We are made in the image of God.
He values us so much.
Watch this.
He says, Seek ye first, it's animperative, the kingdom of God.
What does that mean?
It's a word about how much Godloves us.

(26:30):
How much does God loves us?
Here it is.
It's still my choice.
God says, I have a plan for you.
This is the path I want you towalk, but I'm not going to force
you.
I'm not going to threaten you.
I still will leave it in yourhands.
It's your choice.

(26:50):
It's still my choice.
God says, I will try to convinceyou of my way, but I'm not going
to coerce you.
God says, I'm going to try topersuade you, but I'm not going
to pressure you my way.
God says, I want you to trust meby faith, but I'm not going to
intimidate you to do somethingby faith.
How do I know God loves me?

(27:12):
It's still my choice.
It's still my choice.
Still my choice.
God loves me and values you andI enough to say it's your
choice.
Watch this.
If I have to, I'll do it yourway.
But watch what God says.

(27:33):
When I do it your way, I'm goingto step out of the way.
God says, I love you so much,I'll even let you do it your
way.
But when you do it your way, I'mgoing to step out of the way.
And let you do a Burger Kingthing and have it your way.

(27:57):
And here's the problem withthat.
My way usually, matter of fact,all the time, is never better
than God's way.
Let me flip that.
God's way is always better thanmy way.
That's the problem.
Anybody willn't admit that?
Okay, let me help you.
Kind of like Jacob.

(28:17):
Took one look at Rachel, had tohave her.
Couldn't tell him nothing.
My, my, my, my, the generationbefore me would say his nose was
wide open.
I don't know what they saidtoday.
They used to say he was sprung,right?
I don't know what they saytoday.
Maybe he hooked.
I don't know.

(28:38):
But he had to have her.
And you couldn't tell himanything.
He wanted Rachel.
But he had a wicked uncle namedLaban.
And you think you got wickedfamily members.
He had a wicked uncle namedLaban.
And Laban tricked him.
And he went that night of thehoneymoon.
He thought he was gettingRachel, but instead he got the

(29:02):
sister Leah.
He went in thinking he was gonnaget one thing, but instead he
got something else.
And I'm speaking for me, I can'tspeak for you.
But whenever I do it my way,usually I'm thinking I'm getting
one thing, but nine times out often, it's something else.
So I've learned a long time ago,it's best to do it God's way.

(29:25):
Listen to what the Proverbwriter said.
He says, Trust in the Lord withall your heart.
Lean not on your ownunderstanding, and all your ways
acknowledge Him.
That word acknowledge in Hebrewis Yada.
It means know his ways.
His way is better than our ways.
Even though he loves me enoughto let me have it my way.

(29:50):
Tell your neighbor, do it hisway, do it his way.
Let me give you the last one.
I'm out your way.
We can always trust the presenceof God.
We got his sovereignty, we gothis love, but more importantly,
he never lets us do it byitself.
We have his presence.
That's what he means when hesays, do not worry about
tomorrow.
Tomorrow got enough worry all byitself.

(30:11):
Each day is enough trouble onits own.
What does that mean?
God says, I'll be with youthrough the trouble.
I'll walk with you.
I'll face it with you.
I'm not gonna forsake you.
I'm gonna be with you all theway.
Let me close with this.
And so my wife would have beenhere today, but she got back

(30:32):
late from a trip to Africa, Côted'Ivoire, Africa.
She was there for a missionsconference.
Great conference.
Seeing how our missions work,where we spend our money, all
that kind of stuff.
We're learning that,particularly in those Muslim
areas, Christianity is beginningto take a foothold.

(30:55):
The Lord is moving.
I know it's crazy on this side,but how many of y'all know God
can still work on the other end?
But there's huge opportunitiesfor people coming to Christ in
those places that people areinterested in the gospel in
places in which Christianitywasn't even allowed to exist.

(31:16):
And so she was a part of aconference that talked about
that.
We're supporting groups that goover there.
And so, with her being out oftown last week, that meant that
once again I was in charge ofthe plants.
And just like y'all laughing,the plants started trembling

(31:37):
again.
But surprisingly, surprisingly,when my wife came home last
night, she looked at the plantsand she said, Oh my goodness,
they're so full of life.
I was because I told her beforeshe left, I said, I need you to
lay out all the instructions.
Everything I need to do, what Ineed to do when I get up, what I

(31:58):
need to do before I go to bed,what time to do this, lay it all
out.
And she laid it all out.
And so she got there and saw theplants late last night.
She said, Man, you did such agreat job.
Maybe you need to do this moreoften.
I said, I said, I actuallyenjoyed it.
And um, so she asked me thequestion.
She said, Well, did you go outand buy new plants?

(32:21):
I said, that's a good idea, butI didn't do it.
But I'll tell you what I did.
I said, you know, because lasttime I really wanted to get it
right, and I just didn't.
So I laid the instructions outand put what I need by in the
kitchen.
So along with what I would do, Iwould plug in my coffee, get my
coffee going, and while I wasgetting my coffee going, which

(32:42):
would take about five minutes, Iwas taking care of the plant.
And so I kind of got a routineof doing it.
Water, this plant, this much,this much water, and that plant,
and this water, this plant getthat much water, and then make
sure you open the blind.
So by the time I finished allthat, you know, the coffee was
ready.
So I worked it into my routine.

(33:04):
I'm going somewhere.
I worked it into my routine.
And and so, and so about thethird or fourth day, I kind of
started looking forward to this.
Because when I started wateringthem, I can I could smell the
freshness of the flower frombeing watered the day before.
Because there were times when Ididn't water it, it just like,

(33:26):
ugh, you know, it didn't, itjust paid me no attention.
And just seemed like a freshnesswas coming from the flowers.
And and then one morning Iwatered them, seemed like they
were saying, hey, our tree, hey,what's up, what's up?
I said, hey, what's up?
And then and then there's asmaller one next to the big one,
and when I would water the bigone and I walk away to get more

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water for the little one, Icould hear the little one say,
Don't forget about me, don'tforget about me.
So I'd come back and water them.
And so by the time she cameback, I had gotten into a
routine.
And so she said, Well, why didyou keep water them?
I said, Well, you know what?
What I kept pouring into themseems like I was getting

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something back that I didn'teven realize was possible.
I'm trying to go somewhere.
I dare you to pour into what Godcalls you to pour in in terms
of.
Does anybody know he'll poursomething back into your life?
Does anybody know he'll make itoverflow into your life?
Press down, shaking,overflowing.

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Anyone know he'll pour it backinto your life?
That's my word.
Trust God with your giving.
Trust God with your life.
God knows what you're goingthrough.
He's sovereign of your life.
He loves your life.
His presence is always with you.
He will lead you throughwhatever you're going through.

(34:58):
God bless you.
May God keep.