Pastor Brie’s Introduction

• Thank you for being a God that heals us and sticks close to us. We stand in awe that You sit on the throne of heaven and yet still know how to be close to us. Thank you for being all powerful, all knowing, and yet near us. We love you so much, Amen
• What God is doing here at TC is nothing short of a miracle
• If this is your first time, we consider you a V.I.P. Text VIP to 82828 and TC will send you some more information
• We believe in generosity, we give just to give, Text GIVE to 828282 / TC App or Website – we’re so grateful for everyone that has given. Transformation Church (TC) is in Tulsa, OK, and the weather in Southern America has been bad. We haven’t seen whether like this in OK in over 10 years. Our homeless community needed some help during this time
• Your generosity allowed us to partner with the Be Heard Movement and help over 300 families this past week because of your generosity and giving. We provided care packages and over 50 different hotel rooms for 50 different families. Thank you! Thank you for believing in what God is doing and sowing seed, knowing that your giving isn’t going in vain
• We knew our work wasn’t done yet. Today, Evan can expect a check in the mail of $10,000 from TC
• We’re so grateful for the opportunity to do this to help get new living quarters for that homeless population
• When we give to those in need (the Bible says the least of these), we are giving to Him
• We are being the love of God on this Earth by helping somebody else
• Thank you for trusting us with your seed and knowing it is going into good ground and a harvest

Pastor Mike Todd’s Introduction

• God is in the business of touching your situation – TC prayed for you this week – put your prayer request in the YouTube comments section
  • The fervent effectual prayers work – they avail. Prayer needs to go forth. Father, in the name of Jesus, I believe that you are the healer and you are the God that answers your children’s prayers. We are inviting you into every single situation. You are omnipotent, you know everything. God I am asking you to be a miracle working God, that by tomorrow, some of the reports are going to turn around, by next week, and within an hour. In the name of Jesus, we’re asking that every person dealing with depression and anxiety, we curse you at the root. We command that doubt gets out in the name of Jesus. Father God, I declare the peace of God to come into that marriage. That the joy of the Lord will come into families that have been at each other’s throats. That you will be a comforter to the isolated and the lonely. Father, thank you for your love to make us whole and make us new. Father, please put a burden on us as the church to pray to you in faith, and to give you all the glory, honor, and praise. We agree, we expect – Amen.

There’s no distance in prayer. Today is week 1 of a series we’re calling Paper Chasers. Mike is excited because this series changed Mike’s life. One of the crazy things about this series is because it’s about a topic that people don’t want to talk about because it’s a real element of their life. If you haven’t watched the vision series, go back and watch Anchored. As we get anchored, we needed to talk about stewardship and generosity.

If we’re going to be successful, we cannot negate how God has set us up to deal with our finances. This subject affects everybody’s household and peace.

God speaks about money is His word as the number 2 topic in the whole Bible. Only one other thing does God speak about more than this.

This series is to fight through some of the generational cycles of poverty and selfishness. This can change your life.

Pastor Mike is passionate because this changed his life. Pastor Robert Morris wrote a book named, “The Blessed Life”.

• Pastor Mike used to be a pastor with a poverty mentality. Some of you are parents and politicians with a poverty mentality
• Just because you have a position, doesn’t mean you have the right perspective.
• Some of your positions are outweighing your perspective. That’s God’s grace giving you a position to grow into. Will you have the humility to learn how to grow into the position that God called you into?
• Your perspective needs to change to match the position that God gave you.
• Mike realized that at the time he read the book, his perspective didn’t match the position God was calling him in for people’s lives
• When Mike read “The Blessed Life” by Pastor Robert Morris, he was being challenged about his perspective, he found that there was some greed and that he wasn’t honoring God in a lot of ways (money, time, a lot of things)
• God told Mike the next series would be “The Blessed Life” and Mike thought he would have to fake it for the people
• Mike had negative bank accounts the first time God was calling him to preach The Blessed Life. Mike had so much debt. He had only 2 weeks earlier gotten out of a lien situation his house was in. God said, go and give the people the blessed life – it was an opportunity to be humble before the people God wanted him to lead, not to teach in pride about something that he didn’t have under control yet
  • God said, you would be lying and they would be hurt
• God told Mike that Pastor Robert would need to teach it by video and that Mike would need to sit in the front row and learn it with everyone else
  • God said it didn’t matter if the church didn’t believe in Mike, but if Mike would obey God
• Pastor Robert is white, “white-white”, dry comedy etc. and Mike thought that maybe the people wouldn’t get it – God said that even if they didn’t Mike needed to get it
• Mike sat in the front row with his church and that changed everything in their ministry
• It unlocked something in Mike’s heart and transformed the level of belief Mike had in God
• It allowed Mike to walk into business meetings knowing he didn’t have enough, but knowing who his provide was. To look at generation cycles of poverty and debt ad say that that was the last time that would be associated with his household
• God gave Mike a revelation that was transformation – and that’s what the belief is for you in this series – that God will give you a revelation in the next 5 weeks to be a revelation for your transformation
• Since that day, Mike can stand here 5 years later and let you know that it was a hard obedience step every year
• 2015, Mike preached none of the blessed life
• The next year, God only allowed Mike to preach one message in the series and the rest were video
• The next year, same thing – God only allowed Mike to preach two messages in the series – God was working something in him
• The journey is about progression, not perfection – He may be working something so deep in you that you will not be thrown off when you get the blessing
• Mike can stand here 6 years later now and say with truth, that he is living a blessed life now – and he can preach every message now and he has proof
• Mike is proof that tithing works, Mike is proof of the benefits of generosity, Mike is proof that God is a provider and in the middle of the darkness He will send anybody to provide for your needs
• Mike has a burden today and for the next 5 weeks – Mike feels spiritually pregnant for you. This series has been in him growing and it has to come out for you. This series is not an option for anyone going to the deep. This series is preparation.
• God blesses what you prepare for, not what you hope/wish for. God blesses what you prepare for
• Preparation is one of the biggest faith steps you can make – i.e. knowing the information before it happens – opening the bank account before it happens
• There is a wealth transfer that is happening in the universe and over the next 24 months, Mike sees God looking at who He can trust with resources to be able to fund the kingdom work that He has called to get done on the Earth
• The sign of your ability and availability will be preparation
• Mike is speaking over all of us watching right now, that there will be a divine passion for preparation – that people will begin to make budgets, and see lists, and study new ideas, and be able to understand currencies and technology – that God will be able to look at our preparation and see how much we can handle
• God, thank you that stewardship will become our new lot in life… that we will look at a little and see that it is preparation
• Transformation Nation will be prepared in Jesus name

Proverbs 11:24 The Message (MSG)

24 The world of the generous gets larger and larger;

    the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.

This is counter cultural; Culture tells you to keep it to have it, the kingdom tells you to give it to get more.

The key to getting to a next level is becoming a river, not a reservoir.

A problem for many of us is that when it comes to us, it stops with us. God wants to find a group of people where if it comes to you, then it goes through you – for it to be more blessed for you to give than to receive.

Your world can get smaller and smaller because of stinginess. That’s why it’s hard for some people to say this.

Proverbs 11:24 The Message (MSG)

24 The world of the generous gets larger and larger;

    the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.

We need to be anchored in finances and generosity because this is the area that can take people out. You can be spiritually on fire and one financial thing can take you out. One debt collection can throw your whole faith walk off.

Statistics show that the average American household is $7,000 in credit card debt. $190,000 in mortgage debt, $27,000 in auto loan debt, $56,000 in student loans or higher education debt, don’t have more than $1,000 in savings, and are one paycheck away from being broke.

Looking at these statistics and comparing to Deuteronomy 28:12 which says, “You will lend to many nations,” but you will never need to borrow from them – one is culture, and one is kingdom culture.  

Deuteronomy 28:12 New International Version (NIV)

12 The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.

One is being in debt up to the eyeballs, and the other is being able to lend without having to borrow.

You haven’t heard this message with this oil. You don’t need the information, you need an impartation. This is fresh oil.

We will give forever truths with fresh revelation.

To be clear, this is about a blessed life, not a blessed wallet. This is not about money, but your life.

Mike began to look at our culture – hustling, scheming, plotting, manipulating, tired, missing out what matters, forfeiting their family, etc. God told Mike that these people are paper chasers – i.e. chasing after something that God gives to people who are in purpose. They are using all their efforts and energy to chase something God would give to them if they would get in His will for their life.

In scripture, Mike couldn’t find one significant man or woman of God where God used them to their fullest capacity where their priority was the paper – where the mountain to was money, where the king was cash, or where they were committed to the coin. He always used people who were committed to the kingdom.

Matthew 6:33 New King James Version (NKJV)

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

The money, the connections, the network – everything else will be added if you would seek the kingdom of God first.

God doesn’t have an issue with paper, He has an issue with priority. When you paper chase, it makes something else the priority.

God is trying to see where your priorities are. For many, the paper is above parenting. Your kids haven’t seen you in 2 weeks. Netflix, YouTube, and Disney+ are parenting them.

Somewhere along the way, you bought into the lie that paper was more important than parenting. You think that affording to take them to Disney World now will make up for the affirmations they needed when they fell.

You chose the paper for a 401k plan, but the issue is your priorities. Your marriage is more important than the money. Your priorities could put you in a place needing to divorce your wife 10 years later and she’ll get 50% anyway because you didn’t have a prenuptial agreement – you chose the paper as your priority.

If you chose the avenue where you have to travel every week, now pornography is the priority. If we have chosen how we look, and how people perceive us, over the kingdom of God and the purpose He has for us.

1. Money Should Never Be the Focus, It Should Always Be the Fruit 

It should be the byproduct. Seek God’s purpose and He’ll make you fruitful.

Matthew 6:33 New King James Version (NKJV)

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

He will make you fruitful. Mike is a living testimony of sacrificing his plan and seeking God’s kingdom first. Now, God has said, “okay, you want to be a producer, I’ll do that too, you want to perform on this, I’ll do that too, you want to be an author, I’ll do that too, you want to make a movie, that’s in the works.”

Seek first the kingdom of God. It’s not about paper, it’s about priority.

If we make money the focus, then we get bad fruit.

That’s why people can have 50 million dollars in the bank and then kill themselves. When money is the focus, you get rotten fruit.

Is money the fruit? You can look at your bank account and closet and tell.

How in the world do you have a Mercedes Benz and nothing else? You don’t own a home, yet you have a $100,000 car – something is out of priority. You have every new shoe that came out, but you still live with your mother – something is out of priority. You stand in line for a video game that will be outdated in a year but won’t honor God with the increase of your hands – something is out of priority.

We can’t focus on the money, that has to be the fruit.

TC is blessed because it decided in the dark that they would not focus on finance. The focus is to transform lives, to give people encouragement, to give people Jesus, telling people they can make it, helping homeless people, being the hands and feet of Jesus – then resources and finances become the fruit.

Line up with the vision of God – which is to seek God and His purpose first.

Message Title: ARE YOU A PAPER CHA$ER?

Are you using all of your effort and energy to go after something that God will give you if you get in the right positioning?

If you’re in that place, Mike can identify with you because he used to be a paper chaser. Mike used to think it was his job to provide for himself – so the gifting and the talent that God gave him was “it”. i.e., “these are your tools, now go and make a name for yourself.”

Culturally, as an African American male, men are taught historical (not biblical) lessons like, “you’re a black male, you need to work 2 and 3 times harder”, and Mike got this thing on the inside of him that became very performance based – to be the best – walk the best – do the best – have no sleep – outperform – and it robbed him of what he was doing in the moment.   

God challenged Mike to give Him back his wrong ideas and transform him by renewing his mind.

Disclaimer: During this series, there will be no second offerings. We are not in a building campaign. We are not asking anybody for any money. As a matter of fact, because of the generosity of the people who have already bought into the blessed life in Transformation Nation, during this series for the next four weeks, we’re going to give away over $500,000. In the word, it said that we will lend, and because we don’t need it back, we can just give it to you. Our culture says that we give, just to give. Mike is not trying to get something from you, but to give something to you. We’re going to help different organizations, different people, and different ministries.  Every week we will give away money because it’s about you getting something (not TC) – something to change you family, your children, and the trajectory of your life.

God revealed that you can either fall into two categories:

2. You are Either a Paper Chaser or a Purpose Chaser

You are either a purpose chaser or a paper chaser.

Anecdote: there was an old man with a dollar on a fishing line and woman kept trying to get in a nonchalant way – God said, Michael, this is a representation of what many of us look like year after year, and week after week because we’re chasing paper instead of chasing purpose.

How many of us are doing something we hate doing because of the paycheck?

How many of us have given up what God told us to do because we didn’t see the financial lucrativeness of it in the moment? God said it was 6 months up the road but you needed to commit when it looked like nothing – you were looking at the seed when God was looking at the harvest. Now, you can’t experience what God had for you because you were a paper chaser instead of a purpose chaser.

TC looked nothing like this when God asked Mike to commit to it. None of us were here, people were talking about him. Nothing looked like this. No LED etc. Mike decided he wasn’t going to chase the paper.

Anecdote: Practically, Mike had skills in his hand in that he could have gone and chased paper. When Mike was 22 years old, he was offered a 100k contract to produce for a major record company. He had the presence of mind to pray. He was engaged to be married to Natalie. He had to talk to God first because he could convince people that it was God when it wasn’t. Just because it’s a good opportunity, doesn’t mean it is purpose or God. Some of us have chased the paper because it looked good. The Holy Spirit said, if you do this, you will be successful, but I’ll take my hand off it. The scariest place to be is in any place that God isn’t.

Decide to be purpose chasers and go after God.

Luke 16:10-13 New King James Version (NKJV)

10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own? 13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

How you deal with what you have now is a preview of what you’ll do with what you get later.

You will either be a paper chaser or a purpose chaser. You cannot serve God and mammon. It is so much deeper than just money.

Mammon: an Aramaic word that Jesus uses only one other time to directly contrast himself to something else. When it comes to this word mammon, He wants us to know that we can’t serve both Him and mammon. It means riches. In Syria, it was a Syrian God the people worshipped. You cannot worship the God of riches and the God of the universe.

It came from Babylon, which comes from the tower of Babble. In Babylon there was a group of people that felt like they could get to God on their own.

Sprit of Mammon: A belief that we don’t need God if we have riches.

God has no problem with paper. He has a problem with paper replacing Him. Some of you stop praying when you get the check, some of your house is no longer holy once he gives it to you, and some of your relationships with God cut off when he gave you a relationship. That is a spirit of mammon.

The spirit of mammon is an arrogant/prideful spirit. It looks to riches and money other than God.

3. Mammon Promises Everything Only God Can Deliver

That spirit that tells us we can handle everything if only we had more money. Whether it be our families or crisis.

It promises identity – “if I have money, then I’m somebody.” When you get paid or a fresh hairdo, you feel fancy and so good. There’s nothing wrong with that, but did you pray on that day? Two days later you needed God when you had only ramen noodles. That spirit of mammon comes to say that you’ll have identity.

It also tells us we’ll have security. It tells us that money will give us significance. People with the spirit of mammon think that the zeros in the bank make them significant.

It promises happiness when only God can give joy.

The lie of mammon tells you that if you have more money, then people will listen to you.

It lies and tells you that you will be loved. This is a horrible lie of the enemy. Just like you are right now, He loves you. All you have to do is turn to God. The culture will let you think that you’ll be loved and accepted if only you had more money/riches.

It promises acceptance.

Everybody has been influenced by the spirit of mammon – think of the saying, “I either need God to come through or I need someone to give me some money” – you still need God to come through even if they give you some money. Who gave you that breath? Who gave you the ability to move your limbs? Money can’t buy that. There are people who would pay millions to raise their hands again. God supplies all of our needs.

We have to get rid of the spirit of mammon and being a paper chaser. We have to double down and get anchored at being purpose chasers.

4. Money is Not the Answer to Your Problem, God is Always the Answer to Your Problem

When you get that monkey off your back, you’ll realize that you will still need God every single day of your life.

People have bought into the lie that if somehow I have enough, then I don’t need God.

5. Just Because You Have Experienced Prosperity Does Not Mean You Are in Purpose 

You can be very successful at the wrong thing.

You can be rolling in the dough out of God’s will. You have your degrees or you may have just got your dream job, but God told you 6 years ago that you didn’t need to be doing that anymore.

You knew you were supposed to be in a different field. Now that God is calling you to do something different, you’re trapped in a prison that you made with your own words. God is saying, my grace is here for you. Will you divorce the things that you said and commit to chasing purpose?

Anecdote: Thinking about our executive pastor over ministry at the church, Amberley Bell, she was the most successful real estate broker in all of Oklahoma. She got awards, bonuses, etc., but she was successful out of purpose. She left security, advancement – more than enough. God called her into ministry not after hitting rock bottom, but at the mountain top.

Most of us obey God when we hit rock bottom. R&B singers love to come back to God and sing in the choir after a 50 year career but only because they’re trash now.  Where are the people with the skills and talent to do it right now? Who will keep their clothes on? Who will follow purpose?

This is unpopular opinion but you may need to walk from things that look good.

Amberley walked away from the paper to pursue purpose.

Proverbs 19:21 New Living Translation (NLT)

21 You can make many plans,

    but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.

How many of you paper chasers are fighting God right now?

It must be tiring – it must be exhausting to continue to go against God.

You know the integrity of the people you’re working with don’t line up with what God has called you to. Nevertheless, because the check is good, you keep taking being marginalized, talked down to, letting your voice be stifled, getting sexually harassed, all because the paper is right. God says to stop fighting Him.

Proverbs 19:21 New Living Translation (NLT)

21 You can make many plans,

    but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.

6. The Paper with No Purpose is Pointless 

If you don’t have God’s purpose, the paper ends up being pointless.

Think about celebrities – so many of them have so much paper but have lost sight of purpose – can the money bring your child back? Can the cars replace the loneliness? Can the Xanax bring you peace enough to go to sleep? The paper is pointless if it does not have purpose. How many inebriated interviews do you have to do? How many times do you have to go to that website to maintain and sustain you outside of purpose? Can you please just step into purpose?

Paper follows purpose. Be a purpose chaser and the paper will chase you. As soon as you get in your spot and do what God called you to do, it might not even come from your job, you might be in somebody’s inheritance right now who has watched what you’ve done in a job that didn’t pay you what you deserve, and they put you in their will because you were in ‘His will’.

In December, Mike write “Paper Follows Purpose” but God changed it up this morning, to “Provision Follows Purpose” because it’s not just paper that follows purpose. God is bigger than paper.

7. Provision follows Purpose 

It’s not just paper. We don’t just need money, we need provision. The blessed life is not just about paper. It’s about provision. It’s about “my child needs a miracle” – it’s not about money – we need God as a provider.

Mike doesn’t need paper, he needs provision for MJ. When you’re in purpose, provision follows purpose.

Provision – that’s the God we serve. He is a God of provision. You’re facing some things right now and thinking about going back to old ways to make a way for yourself but you serve a God of provision. He will speak to someone you owe and tell them to cancel the debt. We serve a God of provision.

Many of us need the raven revelation. Look at:

The Raven Revelation

Nobody posts pictures of ravens. Nobody has a pet raven.

In the bible, ravens were considered an unclean bird. The least of…but God uses the ravens to show his provisions to people.

He said, “Look at the ravens”. He could’ve said a peacock, a parrot, a robin, etc. – beautiful birds  

Luke 12:24 New Living Translation (NLT)

24 Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!

God feeds the ravens. He specifically speaks to you and you are far more valuable to him than any birds.

Job 38:41 New Living Translation (NLT)

41 Who provides food for the ravens

    when their young cry out to God

    and wander about in hunger?

God provided for the dirty bird. Job 38:41 shows that He provided for the raven and for the raven’s children.

1 Kings 17:2-6 New Living Translation (NLT)

2 Then the Lord said to Elijah, 3 “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. 4 Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.” 5 So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook.

Elijah is told to not chase provision, not to try to get food, not to go after the paper, but to go to the purpose God placed him in. Get to the place God has purposed you to be – the job, the website, the school, the place God has purposed for you to be.

The first Uber Eats in history was a raven.

This is the revelation you need to get today. God will provide – Even if you feel like the least qualified, not worthy of it, God provided for the raven and for the raven’s children and blessed the raven so much that he could provide for God’s servant.

God doesn’t just want to give you paper. God wants to give you provision.

Provision follows purpose.

Don’t miss any of the messages in this series. This will help you to become a purpose chaser instead of a paper chaser.

Jesus is looking for the people he’ll rock with (walk with) for the next three years of His ministry.

Matthew 4:18-20 New Living Translation (NLT)

The First Disciples

18 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 20 And they left their nets at once and followed him.

They had a job making paper. Jesus walks by and invited them to purpose. Look at their response: They left their nets at once and followed him on their most successful day. If it were you, would you follow purpose or stay faithful to the paper?

“If they give me this, but God said no, would I follow the paper and hope God would bless it, or would I follow purpose?”

8. It’s Going to Take Crazy Faith to Be a Purpose Chaser 

This is Jesus’ pattern… For purpose chasers, you’ll see His patters in His word.

Matthew 4:21-22 New Living Translation (NLT)

21 A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. 22 They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.

Their Dad may have not been comfortable or happy with what they were going to do.

Sometimes to become a purpose chaser you’ll have to break family norms. When it works out and God begins to bless you, everybody’s story will change, “we saw it the whole time” even though they didn’t believe – and that’s okay because you believe in God.  

Don’t chase the paper; chase purpose.

Sadly, God gave the same opportunity to another man named, referred to as the rich young ruler.

Mark 10:17-27 New Living Translation (NLT)

The Rich Man

17 As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’[a]”

20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”

21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” 24 This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard[b] to enter the Kingdom of God. 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

26 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”

Footnotes:

1. 10:19 Exod 20:12-16; Deut 5:16-20.
2. 10:24 Some manuscripts read very hard for those who trust in riches.

“Come, follow me” – it was the same thing asked of the disciples. God had no problem with this man’s possessions. He had a problem with the priority that the possessions had in this man’s life.

God has no problem with giving you the paper. He has no problem with you owning possessions. His only problem is when the possessions own you.

This young man didn’t even try because he knew he had a lot and “the a lot” had him.

9. God is Not Concerned with Possessions, He is Concerned with Priority 

Some of us, you don’t own the house, the house owns you. Some of you, the shoe collection owns you. You may leave the faith if God asked you to give away all of your shoes. If God asked you to downgrade your home to steward – would you assume because it was a blessing that God wouldn’t ask that?

Ask Abraham what God asked him back for. It was the promise he waited 25 years for (Isaac). Abraham was a purpose chaser though. He wasn’t going after the thing that God gave him, he wanted God. Since he could have God, God said send the ram and made a way for him to not sacrifice what he had been promised because he was willing to give it up for purpose.  

What are you willing to give up to stay in the purpose that God has for you?

Don’t be a paper chaser, but a purpose chaser.

Some of you don’t own investments, your investments own you.

You don’t own a vacation home, your vacation home owns you.

You don’t own a Louis Vuitton purse, your Louis Vuitton owns you. You would give up a friendship over thinking someone took your bag.

There are people with makeup collections more important than the people God put around them. You don’t MAC or Fenty, they own you.

You don’t own social media accounts, the monetization owns you.

You have given up your character to make some coins.

You are literally exposing everything laid out for the man/woman of God you’re supposed to be with for a few thousand dollars. Your great grandchildren will see this and have to reconcile how the person who in a different season is now telling me to live a different way. They gave up the cookie for some coins. – It might mean you’re a paper chaser.

10. Would You Be Willing to Part with Possession to Follow Purpose 

Anecdote: This is what God had to ask Mike: “Michael, I want you to be a pastor.” Mike asked, “Is this your purpose for me God? Pastors are broke. Pastors don’t seem to really enjoy their lives. Is this your purpose for me God” – God said, “Yes” – Mike asked, “How do you want me to do it?” – God said, “Represent; Represent it; Be in a place where you are so committed to purpose in my kingdom that everything that happens after…” – there’s no way Mike knew that Relationship Goals would be a #1 New York Times bestseller. Mike would have never written a book had he not preached the message, had he not been a pastor, had he not said yes to God in  Best Western in 2014 at 2AM. All of those steps were purpose that now has the paper chasing Mike.  

Mike’s entire financial situation has changed after God allowed him to release that book. Mike is debt free now. Two years ago that wasn’t his testimony. This last year, he paid off his house. He was able to bless somebody close to him for their home down payment. God has allowed him to bless the people around him because he settled into purpose instead of chasing paper.

This is an invitation to the blessed life – to get off of the treadmill of chasing paper, identity, and significance, and to come to the place of doubling down on purpose. God has no problem with paper if it has the right priority – under Him.

Nobody can serve God and mammon.

God is full of grace – even when you’re a paper chaser, His love still looks at you in the best light.

Mark 10:21 New Living Translation (NLT)

21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him.

Jesus felt genuine love for that man.

If this message has exposed you as a paper chaser, your actions reflect it, your lifestyle, or how you feel internally, know that God loves you.

This young man was a paper chaser and the only thing God could see was love for him.

This is your invitation into transformation.

Mike is believing that over these next four weeks, everywhere on the inside of us with a little chase (you might not be sprinting), but that every little bit of strive, that God will give us the pace of grace to say, “if this where you want me, this is where you want me to steward, if the position only makes this much” for purpose – that we will decide that we will seek first God’s kingdom, His purpose, His plan – which will prevail despite our plans. Today, I am committing that I will no longer be a paper chaser.

This might be an uprooting for you because it’s why you chose your career and earned your degrees.

God is saying will you submit that back to Him and commit that you will no longer be a paper chaser, but a purpose chaser.

Prayer: Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray that the same audacity that the disciples had to say, “whatever you want us to do God, I’ll follow you”. I pray that over every person. Father God, the lies that the spirit of mammon have tried to convince us of Father God, that somehow if we have money we don’t need you – I bind that spirit in the name of Jesus and I release the spirit of trust and dependence on our provider – the one who sees and meets every one of our needs. I declare and believe that today Father God is just the first step in people’s minds, hearts, and lives being unlocked to live a blessed life. I declare Father in the name of Jesus that people will be so enamored with purpose, that it would not matter how much paper. Father I thank you by your grace that you will allow the paper, the resources, the connections, the networking – Father everything that is added Father, I thank you that it would be added because they sought first the kingdom. Let Matthew 6:33 rise up on the inside of your church. Father, let us know you as Elijah knew you, Father God, as one that believed you to provide. Father, let us get the raven revelation, that Father if you provide for things that are less than us, how much more will you do for us God? I thank you for the person facing eviction right now, for the person whose car is getting repossessed right now, I pray that people know that at the most embarrassing, darkest, deepest moment of their financial crisis, you look upon them with love and you don’t see them for the debt they made because you are the God that paid the debt for us. Father, right now I thank you – that somebody will receive your love because of what you did on the cross by stretching out for us Father God. Every mistake we would make financially, every credit card we would max, every wrong decision we would do Father, you’re not looking at us waiting for us to fix that on our own. You’re the God that cares about the details of our life. That you are the one that wants to get down in that thing with us if we would allow you to. Thank you that our heart is open to invite you in to everything Father God so that we can truly live a blessed life and walk in stewardship and generosity. I speak it by faith, that every person that gives this word a space – correction, a priority – in their life, in the next season of their life, they will reap a harvest that was sown in preparation. Thank you for being our provider. We trust you, we believe you, we need you, we honor you, and we thank you for being good, in Jesus name, we agree, we expect, Amen.

Altar Call: If you’re watching this right now and your heart started moving, that’s God knocking at the door. He wants to come and help you. If you’re asking the same question as the young rule, “how do I get eternal life?” He has now provided everything that you need for eternal life. All you have to do is believe and receive. Today, you’re being offered Jesus – the opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and savior and to be the provision that we all needed – the ultimate provision – the thing that took Mike from being a liar, a manipulator, addicted to pornography, with dark places in the heart, and greedy – just 5 or 6 years ago, but God is saying I’ll get in there with you. If you want to invite the Holy Spirit, we’re about to say a prayer, and on the count of three, just lift your hand up. If it’s you, today is the day of salvation, not tomorrow or next week – that’s not promised to us. God has aligned your life at this moment. Regardless of how you got here, or what’s in your life – God looks on you with love and asks you to receive it. Today, on the count of three, slip your hand in the air regardless of who’s with you or around you. Make a decision for your eternity. 1. This is the greatest decision you could ever make. 2. I am so proud of you, but more important than that, your name will be written in the lamb’s book of life. 3. Shoot your hand up in the air.

We’re rejoicing with you! Transformation church is a family so we pray together.

Let’s Pray Together: Lord, thank you for sending Jesus, as my provision. Today, I admit that I need you as my lord and savior. I believe you lived and you died, just for me, so today, I give you my life, I’m chasing purpose with you, change me, renew me, transform me, I’m yours. In Jesus name, Amen.

Heaven is turning up right now. God rejoices over one soul and we rejoice with you!

• Text ‘Saved’ to 82828 so that we can walk with you. We won’t harass you – we’ll help you. We will send resources for your journey. We will always be here to help you and remind you that it’s about progression and not perfection. We will challenge you to go into the deep and to stay anchored on the word of God. We love you, believe in you, and are excited for you!

This is just week 1! By the end of this, there will be an army of purpose chasers that know how to steward over what God has placed in their hands right now and will qualify us for so much more in the blessed life.

Thank you everyone that has watched today. Thank you for your Holy Spirit invading spaces and changing hearts and making us purpose chases. Any bad news is just an opportunity for you to be a provider. We will stay anchored in You as we trust You. Go out and live a transformed life!

You can still get “Relationship Goals” the book and study guide today for additional support:

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SUMMARY NOTES

1. Money Should Never Be the Focus, It Should Always Be the Fruit
2. You are Either a Paper Chaser or a Purpose Chaser
3. Mammon Promises Everything Only God Can Deliver
4. Money is Not the Answer to Your Problem, God is Always the Answer to Your Problem
5. Just Because You Have Experienced Prosperity Does Not Mean You Are in Purpose
6. The Paper with No Purpose is Pointless
7. Provision follows Purpose
8. It’s Going to Take Crazy Faith to Be a Purpose Chaser
9. God is Not Concerned with Possessions, He is Concerned with Priority
10. Would You Be Willing to Part with Possession to Follow Purpose

Pastor Demario Tucker:

Anyone dealing with fear, know that perfect love drives out fear… we bind up the spirit of fear that would keep people from chasing purpose and chasing paper.

Pastor Julia Tucker:

Invite other people to be a part. Lean into this moment. This is an impartation. Whatever screen/device/whenever you’re watching this, this is transferring into our hearts. God is always first and it is our responsibility to acknowledge Him first.

Link to full Video (share this message💕): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfy3MchEfoQ 

Join TC for prayer every Monday night at 6PM (CST). 

Text SHARE to 82828 to share your story via the TC video booth.

Transformation Church would love to hear how God is touching your life through this ministry!  Tell us your story by emailing mystory@transformchurch.us!

If you would like to support TC financially you can give through the TC app, or online through the website by clicking here https://transformchurch.us/give/.  You can also Text ‘TCGIVE’ to 77977.

If you need prayer, email prayer@transformchurch.us!

For more information about Transformation Church, visit https://transformchurch.us/.

To join a Belong Group, visit https://transformchurch.us/BELONG/ or text BELONG to 828282

The D.I.G. stands for Deeper In God and it is a conversation where we dive deeper in God. Join us this Wednesday at 7pm (CST)! — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYv-siSKd3Gn9IsliO95gIw