Over-Consume

Welcome to Returners & Easter Recap

Hello and welcome to Prairie Lakes! We’re really glad you’re here this weekend, either in person or online—especially if you’re someone who is coming back to church after joining us for Easter last weekend. Maybe last week was something that you never really experienced before or was different than you expected (hopefully in a good way!)—and you’re feeling nudged to just keep coming. Maybe you made a pretty significant decision.

Either way, that’s great. Wherever you’re at on the journey, we’re really glad that you’re here.

(Easter faith-line stats/stories)

Series Intro: Upside Down

Alright. So, this weekend we’re kicking off a new series that I’m really excited about—because it’s a series that I feel like I need and that a lot of us probably need. We’re calling it “Upside Down.”

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Show Upside Down Series Graphic

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Now, we’re not just talking about physics—like, when things are literally turned upside down. That’d be a pretty boring series. Just… several weeks of showing you things upside down.

Not like that. More like when we’re...

“Upside down” in our finances—you know, when more is going out than is coming in. We’re upside down.

Or maybe we’re “upside down” in our... calories—like, way more going down our gullets than being spent on exercise. We’re upside down. Things aren’t going the right direction.

Or you’re studying hard but can’t seem to raise your grades. Or you’re working 50 and 60 hours a week but you’re still way behind.

That kind of upside down.

Now, this might sound like a super depressing series:

“Hey everybody… let’s spend a few weeks talking about how we spend too much and eat too much. How about it?”

I promise you—I promise you: it won’t be that.

But here’s the deal:

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When it comes to feeling upside down...

It’s pretty discouraging—but pretty common.

We have a tendency to hide it or hide from it—because there’s no easy fix.

But there’s always a way through and a way out.

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(Explain.)

Alright. So here’s the topic for this weekend. Here’s how you, me, a lot of us are probably upside down:

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Upside down: Over-Consume

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We over-consume. That’s one way that a lot of us are upside down. We over-consume.

Ok. Let’s just get some of the easy targets out of the way. Here’s how a lot of us over-consume.

Easter was just last weekend. I’m betting you, like me, if you went to church, went somewhere with someone after that involved...

Ham...

Scalloped or baked or mashed or cheesy potatoes (or ALL of those, because the risen Jesus likes variety).

Maybe your Easter plate also had something that was called a “salad”—but only by the midwestern definition of that term. Like it had… a little bit of fruit in it… but also a lot of whipped cream or Oreos or Jell-o… you know, that kind of salad.

Obviously, the first place a lot of us over-consume is when it comes to… food. Caloric intake. Pretty easy target.

But this is an especially American and even Iowan problem.

Let me just give you some stats here:

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Globally, 13% of adults are obese.

In the U.S., it’s 41%.

Iowa is the 11th most obese state.

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It’s how we comfort ourselves in the winter and how we reward ourselves for surviving the summer.

Now, fear not: this isn’t going to be some sort of “just pray the fat away” kind of message.

But if you could, create a mental file folder called “over-consume” and just file some of these away. First paper in that over-consuming file is “calories.”

Let’s get to another one:

Money.

Here’s some more stats:

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68% of Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck.

The average American holds $102,000 in consumer debt.

Millennials (26-41) increased their credit card balance in 2022 by 23% ($5600).

Generation Z (18-25) increased their credit card balance in 2022 by 25% ($2900).

42% of Americans have less than $1000 in savings.

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Now, those numbers might be validating for you because you’re not upside down—or maybe not as upside down—as some of your fellow Americans. And usually, those of us who live in Iowa aren’t as upside down in this category. We usually do a little better.

But my guess is at least one or two of those numbers reflects you. Maybe you’re feeling the pressure of more going out than is coming in. ($6 eggs didn’t help.)

But of all the stats that I could throw your way to help you get your mind around this over-consumption, here’s the one that I think is most compelling:

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Around 70% of our GDP relies upon consumer spending.

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Now, I’ll be the first to say: I’m not an economist, and am not trying to pretend like I am.

But, from my vantage point, this does explain why we...

Panic when people slow down their spending—on houses, on cars, on phones, food, whatever. We panic when consumers slow down.

People aren’t going to Applebee’s like they used to! Sound the alarm!

Why?

Because so much of our lives now rests on people | spending. Consuming. Something. Everything.

And if they backed off this month, if they spent a little less, well… what’s next month going to be like? And the next?

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Around 70% of our GDP relies upon consumer spending.

We have built a culture on consuming.

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More and more of our economy and feelings of well-being and security rest on spending. Consuming.

To the point where, right now, a lot of economists are going, “I dunno.” Dunno what’s going on.

Because inflation continues to run high,

Interest rates continue to go up,

Lots of people are feeling the squeeze,

Nevertheless:

Lots of people continue to not only spend, but spend at a higher rate than they did the previous month.

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We consume like our lives depend on it—because they (kind of) do.

So we don’t just consume. We over-consume.

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I mean, listen… if you’re upside down in any of these areas, friends, it’s no wonder. Just about everything in our part of the world pulls on us to do exactly that.

And I’d be remiss if I didn’t add at least one more area that we are probably upside down on these days:

Screen time.

Here’s some stats:

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Average Screen Time Consumption:

Internet Usage: 48 hours/week (20 years of your life!)

Watching TV: 24 hours/week (10 years of your life!)

Social Media: 17 hours/week (7 years of your life!)

News: 14 hours/week (5 years of your life!)

The average TikTok user spends 95 minutes per day on TikTok.

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Now, remember what we said:

When it comes to being upside down, we have a tendency to either hide it—or hide from it.

So check yourself right now. If you see those stats, and your first thought is… “No way. What an exaggeration. You can make stats say anything you want them to say.” Or even, “That might be the average—but not for me.”

If that’s you, I want to just remind you:

All of these stats that I’m sharing here were from our Digital Pastor, Cody Caraway, when he and I talked about this at the beginning of 2022 in a series we called “Attention War.” And if you were there that weekend, you’ll recall that we showed you that your phone—doesn’t matter if it’s Android or Apple—your phone tracks how much you use it, and how you use it. And you can see it.

And I remember after we got done that weekend, pockets of people in the worship center were huddled in their seats, checking their screen time stats, comparing it with those around them… shocked. Shocked. “No way am I spending that much time.” Turns out… yes, yes you are.

Transition

Okay. So… we over-consume. We’re upside down there. Maybe it’s food, maybe spending, maybe screen time. We all got something. Guilty as charged.

But here’s the thing:

This isn’t just a 2023 problem.

It didn’t start with a consumer economy.

It wasn’t invented by Big Tech or the TV networks.

This problem actually originates from inside of us—and has for some time.

The problem is us. Something in us is drawn toward over-consuming—and has been for some time now.

Turn in your Bibles with me to 1 Kings 3.

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1 Kings 3

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(Explain where to find 1 Kings… story of Solomon.)

Let’s start in chapter 3, verse 4:

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1 Kings 3:4-5 “The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

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Alright. So, if you’ve been in church for awhile and in the Bible for awhile, nothing about those two verses probably tripped you up.

But if not...

What’s a high place?

A thousand burnt offerings?

And I’m expected to believe that the God of the universe appeared to a dude in a dream 3000 years ago?

Granted. Kinda sounds weird or confusing.

And I’m not saying that you have to believe that or know for sure if God still does that today or whatever.

But the author of the text believes God did. And so do I, for the record.

But I’m just going to invite you to imagine that this is true, even if just for the sake of the story. Imagine that the God of the universe came to you, given all that you’re managing, and all that you’re hoping for, and he says:

Consider me your genie in a bottle. One wish. Anything. Go.

(And no, you can’t wish for infinite wishes.)

What would you say? How would you respond? What would you ask for?

Verse 6:

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1 Kings 3:6-9 “Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

“Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.

So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

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Of all the things in the world, Solomon asked for wisdom to do the thing that God had called him to do: Rule justly.

Take a look at God’s response:

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1 Kings 3:10-13 “The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked.

I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.”

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Bonus wish granted! What a great deal!

So, that’s how Solomon started out as king. He passed the test, so to speak. Not in it for himself. Great.

And his first task that God entrusted to him was to build a temple—the first permanent place of worship for God and his people. Up to that point, it had been a tabernacale—or a big tent.

And if you read through 1 Kings, you’d see that there was very specific guidelines for how it was built, and it was wonder-of-the-world-level beautiful by the time it was done.

In fact, here’s how 1 Kings describes it:

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1 Kings 6:38 “In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details according to its specifications. He had spent seven years building it.”

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Seven years. Great biblical number. Perfect. Complete. Exactly how God had said to build it.

But then literally the next verse says this:

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1 Kings 7:1 “It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace.”

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Awkward...

Yeah, that’s a pretty nice house, God. But wait til you see mine...

And this wealth that God blessed Solomon with… well…

He starts to chase after it.

In chapter 10, we’re told that he received about 25 tons of gold annually. He made them into 500 shields.

And then he makes a throne of ivory overlaid with gold.

And goblets of gold.

And then he accumulated 1400 chariots and 12,000 horses.

You can just see this guy has an appetite to accumulate, and consume, and over-consume.

And eventually these appetites lead him to do this:

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1 Kings 11:1-4 “King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.”

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In fact, as the story goes on, Solomon—the guy who started out humbly asking for wisdom—becomes the king who follows after foreign gods that were worshipped through sex and even child sacrifice.

And so here’s the painful truth from Solomon’s story—and really, for any of us who are allowing our appetites and over-consumption to rule our lives:

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Wherever we’re giving into our desire to over-consume,

We’re placing something over God and what he desires for our lives.

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Now, listen:

There’s a lot in our culture that would push against that statement.

Because what that means is if you’re over-consuming food…

Or chasing after more...

Or spending more than you earn...

Or on your phone way too much...

Whatever you might be upside down in, is it really fair to frame that up as a...

Sin? Like, I’m putting something ahead of God?

Because so much of us already have so much shame and insecurity built up around these upside down areas of our lives that the idea of adding “God’s disapproval” to all of it makes us wanna...

Well...

Drown our sorrows in one or two (or a sleeve) of Oreos.

Hey:

I’m not at all trying to add to your shame. And I don’t think God is, either.

But I do want to invite you to consider the true nature of our over-consumption—not only in what it’s doing to our lives, but our hearts.

Because:

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Whenever we place something over God in our lives, we’re really putting ourselves in danger.

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Solomon chased after gold, and wealth, and fame, and sex, and all of it...

And it ended up costing him everything. And a bunch of other people as well.

And you might not think your poor choices in diet or money or screen time or whatever are going to cost you nearly as much...

But you also might be wrong about that.

And really, I don’t think that in your heart of hearts, you want that for yourself.

Sure, we’ve got these compulsions or this desire to over-consume… but I don’t think that we ultimately want to be ruled by those.

And I know God doesn’t want that for you, either.

Transition

So, remember where we started:

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When it comes to feeling upside down...

It’s pretty discouraging—but pretty common.

We have a tendency to hide it/from it—because there’s no easy fix.

But there’s always a way through and a way out.

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And let’s get to that last line here before we walk out.

What’s the way out and the way through? How do we start moving this over-consuming deal in a different direction, so that we’re right-side up?

Ways Out of Over-consuming

Let me suggest a few things:

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The Way(s) Out of our Over-Consuming:

Confront the brutal facts (start tracking!).

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This comes out of a book called “Good to Great” written by Jim Collins. A bunch of us have read it. But it’s one of his principles about great leaders and great organizations:

They “confront the brutal facts.” Now, in his book, he’s careful to clarify that you also can’t lose faith or give up hope.

But what he’s saying is that a lot of times we’ll wave faith or positivity or whatever around when really, we should allow ourselves to be confronted with reality first—even when it feels kind of brutal.

I think it’s true that | for these areas of our lives that we’re upside down because we’re over-consuming | we have a tendency to either hide it or hide from it. The last thing we want to do is confront it.

And I get that. Because in the area of my life that I probably wrestle the most with being upside down—my weight—I feel that every time.

But the way out—the way through—is getting on the scale every day, tracking what you eat every day, and getting some regular exercise.

Is it brutal? Yes.

But at this point, I’ve tracked like 130 meals in a row, got regular exercise, weighed myself a bunch of times… and things are headed in the right direction.

Step one: stop hiding it or hiding from it. Start tracking how what you’re doing is making you upside down. Confront the brutal facts.

Here’s another one for you to consider:

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The Way(s) Out of our Over-Consuming:

Confront the brutal facts (start tracking!).

Practice telling yourself “that’s enough.”

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I know. Novel idea, right?

But I think it requires practice. In a world of convenience, making consuming something easier and quicker and more seamless, what if you started to simply try and tell yourself...

That’s enough.

This doesn’t have to be in your upside down/over-consuming area in your life, by the way. You can try it in any area of your life.

I’ve been scrolling for awhile now… wonder what amazing deals might be on Amazon?

That’s enough.

You know, the bag says that “8 chips” is 1 serving, but I’ve never actually counted out what 8 chips looks like on plate. Here goes. And...

That’s enough.

I’ve got this streaming service, but they’ve bundled that one now, and it comes with this cool tote bag as a free gift. But maybe...

That’s enough.

Take a look at this verse from Proverbs:

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Proverbs 25:16 “If you find honey, eat just enough— too much of it, and you will vomit.”

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There’s a difference between consuming and over-consuming, right? Define enough, and practice telling yourself: “that’s enough.”

Alright. Last one:

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The Way(s) Out of our Over-Consuming:

Confront the brutal facts (start tracking!).

Practice telling yourself “that’s enough.”

Spend on others first—before you spend on you.

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Sometimes the root of our over-consumption is misplaced priorities. I spend on me first—the things that I need, then the things that I want, then the things that I don’t need but want anyways, and then there was a great deal on that thing for the kids, and wow it’s been a long time since we took a real vacation, and the cost of everything has gone up, and so...

Not a lot left over after me.

What if you decided to spend on others first? What if before you spent anything, consumed anything, you set something aside to bless others? Could be giving to charity, could be giving to church, could be a secret fund that you don’t touch that you use whenever a need arises in someone else’s life. Doesn’t matter.

Here’s the principle, again from Proverbs:

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Proverbs 3:9-10 “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”

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First fruits is an agricultural term. Back then, it meant that when you harvest your crops, instead of storing it or selling it, give some away.

And it’s not a “give so you can get” kind of magical thing, but a principle:

Start with generosity first, and you’ll experience a really generous life.