1 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:05,680 You're listening to Key Life Fellowships Pulpit ministry 2 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:08,880 podcast. We thank you for tuning in as we 3 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,280 learn from God's Word together. If you would like more 4 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,720 information regarding Key Life or to speak with one of our 5 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:20,920 pastors, please visit us at keylifefellow-ship.com. 6 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:27,800 Praise the Lord, how many of you are thankful for the treasure 7 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,080 that we have been given in Christ? 8 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,760 I pray that the rest of you will get that. 9 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:44,840 How many of you are thankful for the treasure that we do have in 10 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:52,280 Jesus Christ? One thing I will not. 11 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:57,400 Do is be a cheerleader? You're either overwhelmed with 12 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,120 praise because of Christ, or you're not yet overwhelmed with 13 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:01,720 praise because you don't know Christ. 14 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:05,560 What a treasure we have been given in. 15 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:11,400 Christ, all of the riches of this world fade away, and we see 16 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:14,320 the blessings of Christ. You have your. 17 00:01:14,320 --> 00:01:16,040 Bibles if you would open the first Timothy. 18 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:20,480 Chapter 6 today. Is we will talk much about 19 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,360 riches in our message this morning. 20 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:29,760 Most importantly, we will talk about how to handle our. 21 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:35,000 Riches in a Message entitled How to handle worldly riches 22 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:38,840 Biblically? Now for those of you who would 23 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:41,920 say immediately, well, I don't have to worry about that because 24 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:46,280 I'm not rich, let me just give the American. 25 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:47,920 Church a statistic that they need. 26 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:51,560 I'm a stat man. Stats don't lie. 27 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:59,080 Did you know this? That the median income of the 28 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:04,320 entire world, if it were measured in U.S. dollars, do you 29 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:06,480 know what the median income would be? 30 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:15,640 3 to $5000 per year. I dare say that most of you make 31 00:02:15,640 --> 00:02:21,080 a little bit more than that. Why do I bring this fact of why 32 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:25,080 would I throw you a statistic? Why would I throw you a number 33 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:31,240 at the beginning? Of this sermon the reason is 34 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:33,960 because Paul is. Going to address those who are 35 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,360 rich there at the church at Ephesus. 36 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:40,080 He's going to tell Timothy to command those who are rich. 37 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:44,040 And So what we have to assume is that they're at Ephesus. 38 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:47,720 There were in that body of believers, some people who were 39 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:52,800 well off, who were by the world standards rich. 40 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:56,480 And I give you that statistic this morning that the the 41 00:02:56,480 --> 00:03:02,800 world's economy says that the median income and the entirety 42 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:07,200 of the earth is 3 to $5000 annual salary. 43 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:10,600 So that all of you Americans are spoilt. 44 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,320 Americans here in this country that has been overwhelmingly 45 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:17,560 blessed by God would realize that every single one of us are 46 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:18,840 rich. And why do I want you to 47 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:20,920 understand that you're rich? So that when we read this 48 00:03:20,920 --> 00:03:25,840 passage, you don't tune me out. So that you will realize that 49 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:28,320 everyone in front of you, everyone behind you, everyone 50 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:31,280 around you in this congregation this morning by the world 51 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:35,280 standard is rich said, well, Kirk, I don't feel rich. 52 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:38,040 Let me just tell you what the median annual income in the 53 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:40,760 United States of America is measured out in dollars. 54 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:48,520 It is 82 to $85,000 per year. And you think you're not rich? 55 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:51,320 You asked of that man in that thatched roof Hut without any 56 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:57,720 electricity in any water, who at best makes 3 to $4.00 a day if 57 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:02,600 he doesn't think that you're rich with your 82 to $85,000 a 58 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:07,000 year for your salary. So I say that so that we'll pay 59 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:11,600 attention to this because I know what happens when a preacher 60 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:13,440 gets up and he's going to preach something. 61 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:16,360 That has to do with worldly riches and God forbid that when 62 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:19,079 we get to the part where we get get to it where it says that 63 00:04:19,079 --> 00:04:21,920 we're to be generous with them actually give them away there's. 64 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:26,920 Going to be someone who gets upset. 65 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:31,680 You're going to lie to yourself and say I'm tired of that 66 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:33,360 preacher talking about giving all the time. 67 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:35,200 I can tell you. I bet you I can count on one 68 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:38,040 hand how many sermons I've ever preached on giving. 69 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:42,160 I only preach on it if I. Get to the topic here I am. 70 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,640 I'm at this topic dealing with worldly riches. 71 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:49,840 How are we to handle? The riches that God has blessed 72 00:04:49,840 --> 00:04:53,000 us with as a country, as a church, as individuals. 73 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,600 However it may fall upon you today, I pray that you would pay 74 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,040 attention to it. We jump right into the scripture 75 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:01,440 here. First Timothy chapter 6, verse 76 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:04,000 17. We'll be looking for 7 from 17 77 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:05,560 all the way through 19 this morning. 78 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:10,600 Paul tells Timothy this. He says command those who are 79 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:15,480 rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put up put 80 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:19,040 their hope in wealth which is so uncertain. 81 00:05:19,840 --> 00:05:23,280 But to put their hope in God. Who richly provides us with 82 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:27,360 everything for our enjoyment. Please underline or highlight 83 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:33,520 that word enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be 84 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:38,160 rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 85 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:42,400 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a 86 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:47,680 firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold. 87 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:53,400 Of the life that is truly life. Let's pray together and ask that 88 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:55,200 God would give us insight into this passage. 89 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:56,520 Lord, we thank you for your word. 90 00:05:56,920 --> 00:06:00,120 We thank you that it is true. Our feelings are not true. 91 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:02,320 Our philosophies are not. True. 92 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:06,320 Your word is true. God, I pray as the truth goes 93 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:09,320 out today that You would accomplish that which You set 94 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:11,880 out to accomplish through your truth. 95 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:17,760 That You would deliver those who are greedy and stingy from their 96 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:21,440 greed. God, that you would raise up for 97 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:24,960 yourself and Your namesake givers who would give generously 98 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:29,640 storing up treasures in heaven. God, that You would cause us all 99 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:33,960 to have an eternal mindset, to not think about the things of 100 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:38,320 this earth and the stockpiles that we have here, but to dwell 101 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:42,920 on our heavenly home. To long to be with you and to 102 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:46,560 long to enjoy in your presence that inheritance that you keep 103 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:50,360 for us in heaven. God, I pray for the lost soul 104 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,680 who's here today, who does not know Christ, who's wasting 105 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:58,560 everything in his life, the pleasures of his flesh, lust, 106 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:02,760 lust, and passions of His unregenerated heart. 107 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:09,880 I pray today that you would rebirth him into Christ, that 108 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:12,400 you would give him or her faith to believe and to trust in 109 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:15,320 Christ as you show them their need for a Savior and you show 110 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:20,520 them Christ is that Savior, that they would lay it all down 111 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,120 today, turning from sin and self and turning to Christ. 112 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:25,280 They would be saved according to your word. 113 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:30,440 God, we thank you for this time. We ask that you, our great 114 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:34,120 Teacher, Good Shepherd, lead us and teach us this morning 115 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:37,000 through the Scriptures, and we pray these things in Christ's 116 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:42,320 name, Amen. So we get to the topic of 117 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:46,640 riches, and I want us to begin this right where Paul begins it. 118 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:49,080 He says command those who are rich in this present world not 119 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:53,680 to be arrogant nor to put their hope and wealth which is so 120 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:57,480 uncertain. But to put their hope in God. 121 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:03,000 Who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 122 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:07,960 I told you to underline or to highlight that word enjoyment. 123 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:11,440 I had a purpose in doing that because I want to make something 124 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:14,080 crystal clear to you today. I want to make something so 125 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:16,520 clear that you really understand it. 126 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:22,720 God's Word never ever, ever caused Christians to desire to 127 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:29,400 be poor through some kind of vow of vow of poverty or some type 128 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:33,000 of asceticism that would somehow bring us closer to God. 129 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:35,440 There are many throughout the ages who have thought this 130 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:40,600 incorrectly, but the Word of God plainly says here that the 131 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:46,840 riches that God has provided for us, we are to enjoy. 132 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:50,880 I say that because there are many people who feel bad about 133 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:54,680 ever enjoying that which God has blessed them with. 134 00:08:55,680 --> 00:09:00,040 And I say this, don't do that. Don't fall into that trap of 135 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:02,880 legalism. Don't let it happen. 136 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:08,240 Know that every good and perfect gift comes from our Father. 137 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:12,320 And if He has blessed you with riches, He has blessed you with 138 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:15,360 riches because He wants you to have them. 139 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:22,040 And God's Word clearly says here he wants you to enjoy them. 140 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:25,040 Now there are ways that we are to enjoy them, and there are 141 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:30,280 ways that we are not to. Enjoy the riches of this world 142 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:34,160 and nevertheless we're to enjoy them. 143 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:38,280 We're to see that a sovereign God has chosen to bless us with 144 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:43,760 the financial income that we have for His purposes, for His 145 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:49,200 glory. For our good and even for us to 146 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:56,040 enjoy while we are here on this earth and also to enjoy, if 147 00:09:56,040 --> 00:10:00,000 handled properly, for all eternity. 148 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:04,160 So we don't have to feel bad, right when we put those 149 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:06,160 statistics out there. We don't have to feel bad 150 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:09,440 because our salary is more than three to $5000 a year. 151 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:15,000 Perhaps you are a closer to the average of the US 82 to 85,000 152 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:16,360 and God has blessed you with that. 153 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:18,480 You don't need to feel bad about it. 154 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:20,920 You need to humbly kneel before Him and you need to say thank 155 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:21,560 you. Lord. 156 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:25,080 My hope is not in these riches. My hope is in You. 157 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:28,280 Let me be content with with wherever I am. 158 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:30,280 If I have a little, let me be content. 159 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:31,640 If I have a lot, let me be content. 160 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:35,920 But let me enjoy these things because they came directly from 161 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,680 Your sovereign hand into my life. 162 00:10:39,680 --> 00:10:42,760 That's the right. Perspective because worldly 163 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:48,200 riches to the believer are a blessing to be enjoyed, and I 164 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:54,640 want you to get that today that we can enjoy God's blessings we 165 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:58,760 can enjoy them because they are a blessing to be. 166 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:03,280 Enjoyed. And so for us to not enjoy them 167 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:07,880 is to neglect to see what Scripture has commanded. 168 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:13,880 Note that that he says command those who are rich in this 169 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:17,480 present world not to be arrogant in order to put their hope and 170 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:21,480 wealth which is so uncertain, to put their hope in God who richly 171 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:26,160 provides us with everything for. Our what enjoyment. 172 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:32,400 So what are the stipulations? Well, they're contained right 173 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:35,080 there in that one powerful verse. 174 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:38,120 There in verse 17, we can enjoy God's blessing. 175 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:42,880 And you can write this down #1 as long as you aren't 176 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:48,240 condescending due to riches. He says command those who are 177 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:51,240 rich in this present world not to be arrogant. 178 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:54,640 That word arrogant means to be haughty. 179 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:57,880 He's he's talking about that type of person that we see in 180 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:02,000 James chapter 2. James chapter 2, a very familiar 181 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:06,320 passage of Scripture, I'm sure to all of you, but he tells 182 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:08,880 James that he, James tells the people, excuse me, that we're 183 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:14,040 not to to show a favoritism. And by doing this, he uses an 184 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:15,640 illustration. If someone comes in and they 185 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:17,680 have shabby clothes on and they're obviously poor, you 186 00:12:17,680 --> 00:12:20,160 can't treat them differently than you treat the person who 187 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:22,680 comes in and they're dressed nicely and they're obviously 188 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:24,360 rich. You can't give them a better 189 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:26,800 seat and look down on the person who doesn't have as much. 190 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:32,440 That's that haughty, arrogant attitude that Paul is commanding 191 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:35,680 Timothy to teach against. And it can be very easily, 192 00:12:35,680 --> 00:12:37,920 especially in our American culture. 193 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:40,200 Can it? Because we have been rich. 194 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:43,160 We have been rich beyond measure. 195 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,160 We've been blessed, made rich by God. 196 00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:51,840 As long as we're not condescending due to this, we 197 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:54,720 can enjoy it. How do we do? 198 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:59,880 That well, I think we have to remember something, many things, 199 00:12:59,880 --> 00:13:01,960 but one thing that we have to remember is this. 200 00:13:02,560 --> 00:13:07,080 All things come from God, so we have no right to be arrogant 201 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:10,160 about it. Now I know what many hardworking 202 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:12,120 Americans say to that. Well, you don't understand. 203 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:15,000 I worked hard all these years. My blood, sweat and tear and the 204 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:16,640 only way that you were allowed to do. 205 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:21,120 That is because God sovereignly preserved your health, gave you 206 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:23,280 the strength that you need, gave you the wisdom, the intellect 207 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:26,280 that you have, the money making skills that you have. 208 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,080 You were allowed to do that because God allowed you to do 209 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:30,960 that. Give credit where credit is due. 210 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:34,720 So there are none of us who can walk around arrogantly looking 211 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:38,120 down on others with haughty attitudes simply because we have 212 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:40,680 a lot of money in our pocket, or a lot of money in our bank 213 00:13:40,680 --> 00:13:44,200 account, or stacks of cash in our save, or huge 4-O1K. 214 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:54,080 Program We're never to become arrogant, putting our hope and 215 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:57,760 wealth looking down in a condescending way to others. 216 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:01,400 We must humbly remember that it all comes from God. 217 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:06,360 Deuteronomy 818 God's Word gives us insight into this, that God 218 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:09,480 gave the Israelites ability to produce wealth. 219 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:11,680 How did they receive this ability? 220 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:15,560 God gave it to them. How do you have the ability that 221 00:14:15,560 --> 00:14:17,200 you have? How is this country blessed the 222 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:18,920 way that it is? Because God has allowed it to 223 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:23,080 be. So we must humbly approach this 224 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:26,840 as scripture is telling us to do, not with an arrogant 225 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:28,280 attitude. We we must humbly approach 226 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:32,200 others in the same way to look down on someone simply because 227 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:38,480 they are lesser off than you. Is a detestable thing to God. 228 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:44,680 Proverbs chapter 6 tells us in the 16th verse that there's six 229 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:48,160 things the Lord hates 7 that are detestable to him. 230 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:51,320 The first one that he. Mentions there in 17 is this 231 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:58,080 haughty eyes. That's where the wealthy cast 232 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:01,640 their eyes down to those who might not be as wealthy as if 233 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:06,120 they have somehow attained some status that that other person 234 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:10,080 was not able or capable to attain. 235 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:16,600 May I remind you, ma'am or Sir, everything that you have comes 236 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:21,840 from God and everything that you have that came from God can be 237 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:28,080 taken away by God just the same. So never approach it with an 238 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:30,960 arrogant attitude that you have built your fortune or you have 239 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,640 built your success, or you have built your future or the future 240 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:35,200 for your children or your grandchildren. 241 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:41,360 Is God who has done all of this, so you're never in a position to 242 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:44,200 look down on someone else because you think that you have 243 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:48,800 arrived financially? Why do I say this? 244 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:51,480 Because God opposes the proud, but he shows favor to the 245 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:55,040 humble, just as James declares in James chapter 4 verse 6. 246 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:59,400 So we have to approach riches and the blessing that they are 247 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:04,760 in this life with great humility so that we're not arrogant in 248 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:08,640 this present world. So we can enjoy the riches that 249 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:11,720 we've been given as long as you aren't condescending due to 250 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:14,640 those riches. He said well, I would never do 251 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:16,000 that. Well, you might not ever do 252 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:21,720 that, but you might. Or you may have in the past, or 253 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:24,000 you may have been on the other end of that. 254 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:27,320 We all know that. It's a reality that exists. 255 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:32,640 The rich, often with condescension, look down on the 256 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:36,000 poor and in the church it should never be that way. 257 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:41,240 So we can enjoy them as long as we're not condescending due to 258 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:44,120 those riches. Secondly, we can enjoy them as 259 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:47,920 long as you aren't controlled by riches. 260 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:51,320 We all know what Jesus taught. We don't have to rehash this, 261 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:53,840 but he taught this and we saw it just a few weeks ago. 262 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,000 I'm talking about those false teachers who were greedy and 263 00:16:57,000 --> 00:16:59,040 chasing after money. You can't. 264 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:05,000 Serve both God and money. You can't serve 2 masters and so 265 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:07,920 you can't be mastered by your riches. 266 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:11,119 And as long as you aren't mastered by your riches, you can 267 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:14,119 enjoy them. How do we prevent? 268 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:21,079 This, well, it's very simple. What doesn't belong? 269 00:17:21,079 --> 00:17:25,760 To you should never control you. And so it's the right 270 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:27,800 perspective. If I realize that the riches I 271 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:32,080 have are not mine, you say, well, Kirk, yes, they are mine. 272 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:33,880 They're in my bank account and it has my name on it. 273 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:37,640 And that's the problem. You still think they're yours. 274 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:40,600 But the psalmist hit the nail on the head when he says this in 275 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:43,920 Psalm 24, verse 1. He says very plainly the earth 276 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:48,480 is the Lord's and everything in it, the world and all who live 277 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:54,640 in it. When we realized that nothing in 278 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:59,720 this. World belongs to us and nothing 279 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:00,960 in this world will control. Us. 280 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,960 That's your finances, that's your success, that's your career 281 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,000 with all the other idols that you could potentially chase. 282 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,800 In this world, everything belongs to God. 283 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:20,880 Your home, your cars, your children, your grandchildren, 284 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:26,680 every dime to your name, it's His. 285 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:30,840 It belongs to him. And we need to realize that so 286 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:33,800 that these things don't become ours, because when they're ours, 287 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:35,480 we think we're in control of them. 288 00:18:37,360 --> 00:18:39,920 But isn't it true that job that you have, that God has given 289 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:43,040 you, that requires your health, could be stripped from you 290 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:46,520 tomorrow as your health is stripped from you? 291 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:50,560 So let us pay close attention to this. 292 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:57,120 We own nothing. We, in fact, are owned 293 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:00,200 ourselves. Oh, the Christian has forgotten 294 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:03,840 that you are not your own. You were bought with a price. 295 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:06,480 The price of Jesus Christ purchased you. 296 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:12,480 He is the owner you. My friend, are but a mere 297 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:17,640 manager, a steward, a manager of your life, a steward of your 298 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:23,160 life, a manager of your riches, and a steward of your riches. 299 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:27,000 When we get. This in our heads and in our 300 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:30,720 hearts. Oh, it helps us in not being 301 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:34,760 controlled by the things that don't belong to us, because we 302 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:37,680 understand that principle. Stewardship is not ownership. 303 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:42,160 So none of this money is mine. Isn't that a good feeling? 304 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:47,080 None of this money's mine. None of the things that I 305 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:50,560 possess are mine. It all belongs to the Lord. 306 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:54,760 So then it poses this question, are we stewarding our master's 307 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:57,680 resources the way that we should? 308 00:19:59,120 --> 00:20:02,440 Are we stewarding the master's resources according to the 309 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:04,400 guidance that the master has provided? 310 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:06,040 He's provided some guidance right here. 311 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:10,760 We're going to see that. Are we stewarding our resources 312 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:14,720 according to the word of God, the wisdom from the word of God 313 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:17,840 Are we stewarding our resources as we walk in the. 314 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:19,720 Spirit. As the Spirit indwells us and 315 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:22,720 leads us into the way, God would have us to do things according 316 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:25,680 to His Word. So as long as you're not 317 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,440 controlled by riches, enjoy. Them. 318 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:34,480 If they're not your master and Christ is your master, you will 319 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:37,280 enjoy them in Christ. You will put them to good use 320 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:40,600 for the glory of. God, you will enjoy the blessing 321 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:42,480 of that. I can promise you that, and I 322 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:44,760 can show you that in Scripture over and over and over again. 323 00:20:45,360 --> 00:20:47,840 For the people of God enjoyed the blessing of God because they 324 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:50,560 knew where that blessing came from and they weren't afraid to 325 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:52,200 only steward it and never own it. 326 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:59,680 Because if we realize that if we ever lose it, it won't be the 327 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:05,280 end of the world because we still have Christ and He's our 328 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:08,160 master. But for the poor soul who's 329 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:13,640 mastered by their riches, if they lost them today, brace 330 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:18,960 yourself American. If the American dream faltered. 331 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:22,280 And it will, because it's a man made idea. 332 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:28,680 You won't lose. Hope if you realize that you're 333 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:31,120 just a steward of these things and that there is a greater 334 00:21:31,120 --> 00:21:32,920 master who is truly the treasure. 335 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:35,320 So as long. As you're not controlled by 336 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:38,480 riches, enjoy them. Stop feeling bad when you spend 337 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:40,800 money on something because God has blessed you with money. 338 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:44,240 Now listen, don't live an extravagant lifestyle. 339 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:47,120 Don't buy things just for the sake of buying things. 340 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:50,960 But also, when God blesses you with something, thank Him for 341 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:54,440 it. Give credit where credit's due. 342 00:21:56,920 --> 00:21:58,800 So worldly riches are a blessing to be enjoyed. 343 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:01,720 As long as you're not condescending due to those 344 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:03,720 riches, looking down on others with haughty eyes. 345 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:06,760 As long as you're not controlled by the riches, you understand 346 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:09,840 that the Lord owns it all. He's the Master of all things. 347 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:14,240 And thirdly, as long as you are content in the Lord. 348 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:17,040 He says command those who are rich in this present world not 349 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:19,680 to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth which is so 350 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:23,560 uncertain, but to put their hope in God who richly provides us 351 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:24,920 with everything for our enjoyment. 352 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:29,240 He says if your hope is in God, then enjoy what He's given you. 353 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:34,760 You're doing nothing wrong as long as you are content with the 354 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:38,680 Lord and content. In the Lord isn't that. 355 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:41,480 Where our hope ought to be anyways? 356 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:44,960 Should our hope be in God alone and not the riches of this 357 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:46,720 world? The riches of this world are 358 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:48,600 just tools. It's just a thing. 359 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:52,680 None of them will. Last, as they are in their 360 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,200 earthly form. So we can't put a whole lot of 361 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:57,360 hope and a whole lot of trust in that. 362 00:22:57,360 --> 00:23:02,600 In fact, when we do, we err. Proverbs 11/28 says this. 363 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:05,920 Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous 364 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:11,040 will thrive like a green leaf. We place our hope in our own 365 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:15,480 riches, our own. Thought riches, God's word 366 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:19,600 predicts a fall. It's going to be your fall, that 367 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:24,840 which once was your foundation. So don't build your foundation 368 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:27,600 upon the sand, the shifting sand of this earth. 369 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:30,960 Build all foundations upon Christ. 370 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:34,560 So we must be content. And as long as you're in content 371 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:40,400 with the Lord, your hope is in him, you can enjoy these 372 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:44,880 blessings as long as you're content with God being the 373 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:49,200 supply in your life. You never walk in covetousness 374 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:51,920 or discontentment. And we struggle with that in the 375 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:55,840 American church and in the world that we live in covetousness and 376 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:58,400 discontentment. We covet other people's things. 377 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:00,600 We covet their riches. We covet their bodies. 378 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:06,720 We covet their facial features. We're discontent with everything 379 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:10,360 that God has done for us. It shouldn't be that way. 380 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:13,480 As long as we are not walking in these things, but walking in the 381 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:16,760 Spirit, we can enjoy the things of God content in him. 382 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:20,680 First Timothy 6 verse 6 says But godliness with contentment is 383 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:22,680 what, as Paul taught us a few weeks ago, great. 384 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:26,080 Gain. You gain so much when you're 385 00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:28,480 just content with that which God has given you. 386 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:32,680 If it's a lot, be content and enjoy it. 387 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:36,600 If it's not much, be content and enjoy it. 388 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:40,840 Because in all reality, you're enjoying the blesser and not the 389 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:45,560 blessing. You see it for what it is, a 390 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:47,400 walk in covetousness or discontentment. 391 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:52,200 Philippians chapter 4, Paul gives us a great lesson on this 392 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:56,720 and verse 11 he says I am not saying this because I am in need 393 00:24:56,720 --> 00:25:00,800 for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 394 00:25:02,360 --> 00:25:04,760 We could probably just highlight that right there and it would 395 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:07,320 preach volumes to us, wouldn't I've learned to be content 396 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:11,200 whatever the circumstances. Paul then says I know what it's 397 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:14,080 like, what it is to be in need. He says I know what it is to not 398 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:16,760 have a lot. And then he says, and I know 399 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:19,720 what it is to have plenty. He doesn't say either one of 400 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:23,600 them are sinful or wrong. Says I know what it is to have 401 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:26,120 both of those things. And I've learned the secret to 402 00:25:26,120 --> 00:25:29,160 being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or 403 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:31,320 hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 404 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:36,440 Here's the most out of context taken verse in all of the world. 405 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:41,120 He says I can do all things to him, talking about Christ who 406 00:25:41,120 --> 00:25:44,360 gives me strength. What is Paul saying there? 407 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:47,480 Well, he's not saying as this verse. 408 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:49,720 Is often misquoted. I can do anything that I want to 409 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:53,560 do because Jesus. No, he's saying I can be content 410 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:56,200 in every situation because my true riches are found in Christ. 411 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:58,280 If I have little in this world, that's fine, I'm content in 412 00:25:58,280 --> 00:25:59,520 Christ. If I have a lot in this world, 413 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:01,760 that doesn't impress me much because I have the treasure of 414 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:07,160 Christ and I'm content in Him. And so worldly riches are a 415 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:09,760 blessing to be enjoyed as long as you are. 416 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:15,480 Content in the Lord first, because when we find our 417 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:20,080 contentment in the Lord, there's really nothing lacking, is 418 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:22,400 there? No matter where we are. 419 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:25,760 Hebrews 13 five it says keep your lives free from the love of 420 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:28,680 money and be content with what you have. 421 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:31,120 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content 422 00:26:31,120 --> 00:26:31,760 with what you have. Why? 423 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:33,680 Because if you're loving the Lord with all your heart, soul, 424 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:34,800 mind, and. Strength you don't have time to 425 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:39,760 love money you'll be content right where you are in him 426 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:42,720 whether you have a lot by the world standard or whether you 427 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:44,480 have a little by the world standard. 428 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:49,320 Jeremiah Burrows, he authored a work called The Rare Jewel of 429 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:52,200 Christian Contentment. It was a life changer for me as 430 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:56,960 I read that book and it talked about being content in Christ. 431 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:00,840 And he said this the comforts of the world are but streams. 432 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:06,400 God is the fountain. I would to God that we would 433 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:10,440 understand that that. All streams of blessing flow 434 00:27:10,440 --> 00:27:15,320 from God, and he decides how much comes down the stream, how 435 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:20,000 wide the stream is, how deep the stream is, and he decides that 436 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:22,840 according to his good, pleasing and perfect will. 437 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:26,720 What do I mean by that? Whatever comes into your life as 438 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:31,640 a child of God, it. Flows from God and you must be 439 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:37,040 content with that. And if it is richest, you are 440 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:41,320 free to enjoy those riches as long as you are content. 441 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:45,240 And where those riches come from, From the throne of God, 442 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:48,120 You are content in Him. So worldly riches should be 443 00:27:48,120 --> 00:27:50,400 enjoyed. We should be thankful to God for 444 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:52,120 all the worldly riches that He has given us. 445 00:27:52,120 --> 00:27:55,800 So we don't place our hope in them, though we rejoice in every 446 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:57,760 situation and we're content in every situation. 447 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:01,160 I want you to understand what Paul is telling Timothy here. 448 00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:08,080 Command those who are rich not to take some vow of poverty, not 449 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:10,760 to equally distribute it among people. 450 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:19,280 He's just to enjoy it, but to enjoy it biblically, the right 451 00:28:19,280 --> 00:28:21,960 way, a way that's honoring to God, a way that's pleasing to 452 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:23,880 God, a way that brings God glory. 453 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:31,480 And so our earthly riches are to be enjoyed as a blessing that 454 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:35,040 comes from God. Secondly, our riches according 455 00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:36,600 to what the Word of God teaches here. 456 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:40,880 Let us remember this are a grace. 457 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:44,240 To be extended, he says, command them to do good. 458 00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:46,360 Here's that word, command again. You know what Paul is not 459 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:48,600 telling Timothy to do? Ask them what they should do 460 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:52,360 with their riches. These are strong words. 461 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:55,840 He says command them. And then he says again, command 462 00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:59,680 them to use the riches in this manner. 463 00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:02,800 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be 464 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:06,840 generous and willing to share. So our riches are a grace to be 465 00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:09,760 extended. God wants the recipients of his 466 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:12,600 grace to show that same kind of grace to others. 467 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:15,880 How many of you that in this room have been blessed beyond 468 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:18,000 measure? Let me just answer it for you. 469 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:23,280 All of you, all of you, you are here. 470 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:25,840 You have life, you have air in your lungs, your heart is 471 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:28,440 beating. Most of you have beautiful 472 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:33,240 families, loved ones, most of you here have Christ. 473 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:37,400 I I pray so you're lacking nothing and you've been blessed 474 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:39,800 beyond measure with the grace of God that we. 475 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:45,200 Can't even begin to fathom. So we received a lot. 476 00:29:48,360 --> 00:29:52,200 God gives us all of these blessings, not so that we can 477 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:56,800 hoard them unto ourselves. Your worldly riches should never 478 00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:59,720 be hoarded for you and you alone. 479 00:30:02,280 --> 00:30:05,960 Remember, we're stewards, not owners. 480 00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:10,600 God's Word reminds us of this in Luke chapter 12. 481 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:13,160 He says from everyone who has been given much, much will be 482 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:16,360 demanded, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, 483 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:21,600 much more will be asked. I I learned that verse in a 484 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:23,960 different translation. To whom much is given, much is 485 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:28,360 required. We can all say confidently here 486 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:31,200 today we've been given much grace. 487 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:37,320 May I invite anyone, if you would like to stand and explain 488 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:42,360 to me while you think you haven't been given much grace? 489 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:44,400 Well, we'll stop and we'll entertain that thought for just 490 00:30:44,400 --> 00:30:48,240 a moment. And if and if anyone would be so 491 00:30:48,240 --> 00:30:54,640 bold as to do that, you would be sadly upset when I remind you 492 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:57,160 that the only reason that you were able to stand and you were 493 00:30:57,160 --> 00:31:01,880 able to breathe, to get a word in your mouth to even try to 494 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:04,160 deny that God has been overly gracious to you. 495 00:31:04,360 --> 00:31:06,240 It's because God has been overly gracious to you. 496 00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:11,200 And so you would be a. Fool to stand and make that 497 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:14,640 claim. For even the lost and the 498 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:18,080 unbelieving have no idea of how gracious God has truly been to 499 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:19,520 them. Until they are in Christ. 500 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:22,880 Their eyes can be open to see the truth of how gracious God 501 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:26,000 has been. And so if he has been gracious 502 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:31,520 to us in return, we ought to extend grace to others. 503 00:31:31,960 --> 00:31:34,920 Our riches are grace from God, and that grace is to be 504 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:37,840 extended. That means you're going to have 505 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:40,840 to open up your tight hands and let it go. 506 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:49,720 And to release it for Kingdom use, for the glory of God, so 507 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:52,400 through the riches that God has given us graciously. 508 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:55,320 And again, this is not up for debate. 509 00:31:55,840 --> 00:32:02,720 You are all rich. People and the blessings that He 510 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:06,200 has graciously given us or ought to be offered to others. 511 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:09,680 How do we do that? He says command them to do good, 512 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:12,720 do good. This is talking about goodness 513 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:16,160 as a believer, using the treasures that you have been 514 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:22,160 given by the hand of God. His grace to display God's 515 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:27,440 goodness to others. Oh, don't you dare steal from 516 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:30,400 God and take his glory when people notice that you've been 517 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:33,360 blessed with riches. Oh, don't you dare say that's 518 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:36,640 because of my hard work and my dedication, my long hours. 519 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:41,280 Why would you steal the glory from God? 520 00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:45,000 Why would you not tell of his goodness? 521 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:47,280 Why would you not say it's all from God? 522 00:32:47,280 --> 00:32:51,720 And the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away, and blessed be the 523 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:54,600 name of the Lord, my hope is in him. 524 00:32:56,640 --> 00:33:04,720 He says command them to do good, to use every dime that you have. 525 00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:12,120 For goodness, Proverbs 327 says this, Do not withhold good from 526 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:16,160 those to whom it is due. When it is in your power to act. 527 00:33:16,160 --> 00:33:18,680 Do not say to your neighbor, Come back tomorrow and I'll give 528 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:21,400 it to you when you already have it with you. 529 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:25,040 Oh, what words of wisdom from Proverbs there, Because we've 530 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:26,520 all fallen into this trap, haven't we? 531 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:30,280 Where the Lord prompts us in our heart to give now. 532 00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:35,680 Immediately and we delay. And the only reason that we 533 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:37,920 really delay if we were to get down to it is because we really 534 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:39,720 wanted to hold on to it. Maybe we wanted to hold on it 535 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:41,320 for one more day, one more week, one more month. 536 00:33:41,320 --> 00:33:42,680 We really wanted to hold on to it. 537 00:33:44,120 --> 00:33:45,680 I know none of you have ever been there, but I'll be the 538 00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:47,080 honest guy in the room. I've been there. 539 00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:52,640 I knew that I should show God's goodness to someone else because 540 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:54,720 I have received so much goodness from God. 541 00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:58,600 And I held it in my hand and I held it in my hand maybe for an 542 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:00,560 hour. Maybe for two hours, maybe for 543 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:02,720 24 hours. I held it when I should have 544 00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:06,080 released it immediately. I should have let it go. 545 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:09,239 And I tried to justify my flesh didn't getting involved. 546 00:34:09,239 --> 00:34:13,120 You've all been here. My flesh getting involved. 547 00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:15,560 Well, I. I felt like I should give them 548 00:34:15,560 --> 00:34:18,239 $1000, but you know what? I instead, I think I'm going to 549 00:34:18,239 --> 00:34:20,719 give them 900. And if I keep thinking about it, 550 00:34:20,719 --> 00:34:23,440 it's going to go to 800 and then it's going to go to 700 and then 551 00:34:23,440 --> 00:34:24,600 it's going to, you know how it works. 552 00:34:24,679 --> 00:34:34,570 There's no goodness to others, as God prompts us to do that 553 00:34:35,929 --> 00:34:40,170 display His goodness that we've received as a blessing to other. 554 00:34:40,170 --> 00:34:43,570 People when you know that someone. 555 00:34:45,639 --> 00:34:50,280 Struggling financially and you're not. 556 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:57,200 As a believer, we ought to contemplate goodness then, 557 00:34:57,200 --> 00:35:01,640 shouldn't we? Did you receive goodness to God 558 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:05,800 when you were a pauper? Did you receive goodness from 559 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:10,240 God when you were bankrupt and ravaged by your own sin? 560 00:35:11,880 --> 00:35:15,680 Then it is goodness that we are to share to others as well, he 561 00:35:15,680 --> 00:35:19,200 says. To do good, To be rich in good 562 00:35:19,200 --> 00:35:21,720 deeds. Good deeds, What is he saying? 563 00:35:21,720 --> 00:35:23,480 Using your riches to fund good works? 564 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:26,640 Using your riches to fund gospel works to do things globally 565 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:29,360 through the blessings that you have. 566 00:35:32,160 --> 00:35:35,880 Like the Good Samaritan did in Luke chapter 10, the Good 567 00:35:35,880 --> 00:35:41,920 Samaritan sees the man in the ditch who had been robbed and 568 00:35:41,920 --> 00:35:45,680 left for dead. What did he do? 569 00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:49,720 All the other religious people passed by. 570 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:56,560 Had no true pity on him, never showing him any good work of 571 00:35:56,560 --> 00:35:58,680 giving anything of themselves to him. 572 00:35:59,720 --> 00:36:05,040 Be at the Good Samaritan took him and he cared for him and he 573 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:07,760 nurtured him. He gave him a place to 574 00:36:07,760 --> 00:36:10,200 recuperate in that inn. And you know what? 575 00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:14,240 It was at the good Samaritan's expense. 576 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:19,440 He paid for it all out of the riches that he steward, that 577 00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:22,160 stewarded, that actually belonged to God. 578 00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:28,200 Displaying for us what a true neighbor ought. 579 00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:35,040 To look like but unfortunately many times hoard our money. 580 00:36:36,480 --> 00:36:38,840 We hold on to it instead of using it. 581 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:42,920 See the gospel expand in the Kingdom of God to grow. 582 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:52,680 Please know this Christian when we fund gospel work throughout 583 00:36:52,680 --> 00:36:59,360 this world. When we give cheerfully toward 584 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:03,880 the work of the gospel, and I'm thankful we do that here. 585 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:09,800 You are allowing people in other countries that you'll never 586 00:37:09,800 --> 00:37:12,160 meet, you may never see them face to face. 587 00:37:12,160 --> 00:37:14,760 You're allowing them to do the work of ministry. 588 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:18,600 Giving them the resources that they need. 589 00:37:20,240 --> 00:37:21,920 You can think what you want to think. 590 00:37:21,920 --> 00:37:26,000 You can create all kind of illusions in your mind that 591 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:29,320 ministry doesn't cost money. Ministry always has and always 592 00:37:29,320 --> 00:37:34,040 will cost money. Jesus himself had a money bag 593 00:37:34,040 --> 00:37:37,080 that his disciples lived off of as they were doing the gospel 594 00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:43,040 work and cost money today and. When you're not greedy with your 595 00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:47,840 money, when you extend grace and good deeds, doing for others are 596 00:37:47,840 --> 00:37:52,360 giving so that others can do for others, you're funding. 597 00:37:52,360 --> 00:37:57,240 God's work. You're using your finances 598 00:37:57,240 --> 00:38:02,800 properly. Matthew 19, 21 Jesus in a 599 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:05,760 conversation with a young man says if you want to be perfect, 600 00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:07,880 go sell your possessions and give to the poor and you will 601 00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:11,160 have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me. 602 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:15,800 What was Jesus saying here? When we do good deeds for those 603 00:38:17,880 --> 00:38:23,320 who are in a lesser state than us, it equates to literal 604 00:38:23,320 --> 00:38:26,240 treasures that are stored up for us in heaven. 605 00:38:26,240 --> 00:38:29,000 That he has already said in Matthew chapter 6. 606 00:38:29,440 --> 00:38:33,200 Ross. Moths and rust will not corrode 607 00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:36,360 or eternal. So see the benefits of your good 608 00:38:36,360 --> 00:38:42,280 deeds. There are grace to be extended 609 00:38:42,280 --> 00:38:46,040 through goodness, through good deeds, then through generosity. 610 00:38:47,080 --> 00:38:51,040 And I know we don't quite like this topic, the topic of 611 00:38:51,040 --> 00:38:53,400 Christian generosity, Christian giving. 612 00:38:56,440 --> 00:38:58,240 There are many. I am afraid we'll leave here 613 00:38:58,240 --> 00:39:04,160 today and ridicule me because I even tackled this topic, but I'm 614 00:39:04,160 --> 00:39:06,400 going to tackle it because it's here in the Word of God. 615 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:16,720 He says and to be generous and willing to share those of you 616 00:39:16,720 --> 00:39:19,400 who are rich. And again I remind you, that's 617 00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:25,560 all of you. You are to share with those who 618 00:39:25,560 --> 00:39:29,360 are in need. Second Corinthians Chapter 9 We 619 00:39:29,360 --> 00:39:31,440 see here an instance of an offering being taken in the 620 00:39:31,440 --> 00:39:32,880 church. Verse 7. 621 00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:34,960 It says each of you should give what you have decided in your 622 00:39:34,960 --> 00:39:38,120 heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God 623 00:39:38,120 --> 00:39:40,720 loves a cheerful giver. What a statement. 624 00:39:40,960 --> 00:39:45,560 God loves a cheerful giver when you obediently give with a 625 00:39:45,680 --> 00:39:50,000 cheerful heart to the work of God for the glory of God, 626 00:39:50,120 --> 00:39:53,880 Scripture says. God loves this kind of giver, 627 00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:58,760 one who doesn't hold on. To their worldly riches with a 628 00:39:58,760 --> 00:40:04,920 stingy or greedy heart, one who opens his hands so that his 629 00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:07,360 riches can be poured out to others. 630 00:40:08,520 --> 00:40:15,120 That's the giver that God loves. Acts, chapter 20, verse 35. 631 00:40:17,600 --> 00:40:20,680 We see a statement here. It says it is more a blessed to 632 00:40:20,680 --> 00:40:26,200 give than to receive. Well, blessed to give than to 633 00:40:26,200 --> 00:40:27,920 receive. I know you thought that was only 634 00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:33,520 for Christmas time. Christian, that's all the time. 635 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:37,880 And have you received much from Christ? 636 00:40:39,920 --> 00:40:49,160 Then give much for Christ, Be generous, willing to share, be 637 00:40:49,160 --> 00:40:52,640 rich toward God like Jesus spoke of in Luke chapter 12. 638 00:40:53,440 --> 00:40:59,720 Where he gave us an instance there of a person who he became 639 00:40:59,720 --> 00:41:02,760 greedy with his riches. It says this in verse 15. 640 00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:04,920 Then he said to them, watch out, be on your guard against all 641 00:41:04,920 --> 00:41:06,680 kinds of greed. Life does not consistent in 642 00:41:06,680 --> 00:41:10,120 abundance of possessions. And he told them this parable. 643 00:41:11,800 --> 00:41:14,360 He said they're they're on the ground of a certain man, a rich 644 00:41:14,360 --> 00:41:17,640 man yielded an abundant harvest. And he thought to himself, what 645 00:41:17,640 --> 00:41:19,720 shall I do? I have no place to store my 646 00:41:19,720 --> 00:41:21,160 crops. It never crossed his mind. 647 00:41:21,160 --> 00:41:26,160 I should give them to others who have none, who are suffering A 648 00:41:26,160 --> 00:41:28,800 drought, who are less fortunate and have no land. 649 00:41:28,800 --> 00:41:33,960 He didn't think like that. He thought in much. 650 00:41:33,960 --> 00:41:39,000 Consistency with the American Dream 7 verse 18 where we should 651 00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:40,280 we say the American? Nightmare. 652 00:41:41,600 --> 00:41:43,520 Then he said. This is what I'll do. 653 00:41:44,440 --> 00:41:47,280 I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I 654 00:41:47,280 --> 00:41:51,160 will store my surplus green. And I'll say to myself, you have 655 00:41:51,320 --> 00:41:52,920 plenty of grain laid up for many. 656 00:41:52,920 --> 00:41:56,600 Years take life easy, eat, drink and be merry. 657 00:41:58,040 --> 00:42:05,680 But God said to him, You fool. You fool, this very night your 658 00:42:05,680 --> 00:42:08,480 life will be demanded from you and then who will get what you 659 00:42:08,480 --> 00:42:09,920 have prepared for? Yourself. 660 00:42:11,040 --> 00:42:13,600 This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for 661 00:42:13,600 --> 00:42:17,400 themselves but is not rich toward God. 662 00:42:18,400 --> 00:42:24,920 Oh, you're storing up much for yourself, ma'am, Sir, living out 663 00:42:24,920 --> 00:42:27,720 your dreams and fantasies upon this earth. 664 00:42:30,200 --> 00:42:34,320 But could it be that in doing that, you're neglecting the 665 00:42:34,320 --> 00:42:38,000 generosity that God desires for His people to have? 666 00:42:38,600 --> 00:42:44,520 Extending grace to others as grace has been extended to us. 667 00:42:46,800 --> 00:42:52,360 I pray that we would be rich toward God, not building bigger 668 00:42:52,360 --> 00:43:00,960 barns, but asking for bigger hands to give out that which God 669 00:43:01,520 --> 00:43:05,760 has given us. Delighting in the fact that He 670 00:43:05,760 --> 00:43:10,600 allows us to share just as Christ has shared with us. 671 00:43:11,880 --> 00:43:15,800 Hebrews chapter 13 verse 16 it says and do not forget to do 672 00:43:15,800 --> 00:43:19,040 good and to share with others for with such sacrifices God is 673 00:43:19,040 --> 00:43:21,400 pleased. This Christ who gives us the 674 00:43:21,400 --> 00:43:24,080 picture of that ultimate sacrifice, isn't it, where he 675 00:43:24,080 --> 00:43:26,640 sacrificed himself on a cross for others? 676 00:43:26,800 --> 00:43:29,160 He. Who knew no sin became sin so 677 00:43:29,160 --> 00:43:31,840 that we might become the righteousness of God and then 678 00:43:31,840 --> 00:43:35,080 for us to only turn around and be stingy with grace that we 679 00:43:35,080 --> 00:43:39,120 give to other. May it never be so. 680 00:43:40,840 --> 00:43:43,560 Proverbs 1917. Whoever is kind to the poor 681 00:43:43,560 --> 00:43:48,040 lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have 682 00:43:48,040 --> 00:43:51,160 done. So whoever is kind to the poor, 683 00:43:51,160 --> 00:43:54,160 does it unto the Lord. Now watch this. 684 00:43:55,520 --> 00:43:58,520 Whoever stingy to the Lord does it unto the Lord as well. 685 00:44:00,600 --> 00:44:02,240 Pay close attention to those things. 686 00:44:04,760 --> 00:44:07,280 Pay close attention to those scriptures that we can turn the 687 00:44:07,280 --> 00:44:10,840 other way and see the whole truth of it just like that. 688 00:44:13,040 --> 00:44:16,920 Be kind because the Lord has been kind to you. 689 00:44:18,120 --> 00:44:20,920 Proverbs 1431 says whoever oppresses the poor shows 690 00:44:20,920 --> 00:44:25,440 contempt for their maker, but whoever is kind to the needy 691 00:44:26,200 --> 00:44:31,920 honors God, so our riches. Are a grace to be extended so 692 00:44:31,920 --> 00:44:37,080 that we may honor God through goodness, good deeds and 693 00:44:37,080 --> 00:44:40,400 generosity. Worldly riches have been given 694 00:44:40,400 --> 00:44:42,440 to us. American Christian, listen to 695 00:44:42,440 --> 00:44:44,080 me. They have been given to us not 696 00:44:44,080 --> 00:44:46,280 so that we can build bigger barns. 697 00:44:50,080 --> 00:44:53,120 So that we can show other people the grace that we have received 698 00:44:53,520 --> 00:45:00,760 in Christ. Thirdly, as we continue on the 699 00:45:00,760 --> 00:45:05,000 ever so popular into entertaining subject of how to 700 00:45:05,000 --> 00:45:10,880 handle worldly riches, let me just stop for a moment and pause 701 00:45:10,880 --> 00:45:14,880 and tell you this. If you're convicted already, 702 00:45:14,880 --> 00:45:21,760 rightfully so, rightfully so, may your conviction lead to 703 00:45:21,760 --> 00:45:26,120 obedience. Thirdly, our riches are an 704 00:45:26,120 --> 00:45:29,560 investment for all eternity. Here's what we're to do with our 705 00:45:29,680 --> 00:45:31,360 riches. We are to invest them. 706 00:45:33,040 --> 00:45:36,720 Not in this world. Don't think for a second that 707 00:45:36,720 --> 00:45:38,480 you're going to get any return on that. 708 00:45:38,480 --> 00:45:43,680 You may get a return in your short life, but eventually 709 00:45:43,680 --> 00:45:45,880 someone is going to fight for your riches and they're going to 710 00:45:45,880 --> 00:45:51,920 squander them away. Or ultimately they will perish 711 00:45:53,200 --> 00:45:54,920 and burn with the fire of the Lord. 712 00:45:56,280 --> 00:45:59,040 But yet, when we store for ourselves treasures in heaven, 713 00:45:59,800 --> 00:46:03,160 as he says here, in this way, they will lay up treasure for 714 00:46:03,160 --> 00:46:06,800 themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age. 715 00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:09,560 He's talking about eternity. That's what the coming age is, 716 00:46:09,840 --> 00:46:14,200 so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 717 00:46:14,200 --> 00:46:17,800 He's talking about taking hold of that which has already taken 718 00:46:17,800 --> 00:46:19,840 hold of you. We've already spoken about. 719 00:46:19,840 --> 00:46:23,600 This Paul's language and what he has said to the Ephesians here 720 00:46:23,600 --> 00:46:27,200 addressing Timothy. We say the same thing about our 721 00:46:27,200 --> 00:46:29,680 riches. We're commanded by God to invest 722 00:46:29,840 --> 00:46:37,240 our riches in eternity, to use our earthly resources to build a 723 00:46:37,240 --> 00:46:41,280 lasting inheritance for you and for those who will come to know 724 00:46:41,280 --> 00:46:49,400 Christ through your generosity. Our riches are an investment. 725 00:46:49,400 --> 00:46:53,000 We need to see it in the right manner. 726 00:46:54,440 --> 00:46:57,880 We are to be investing where our heart should. 727 00:46:57,880 --> 00:47:00,760 Be. And I'm not saying where your 728 00:47:00,760 --> 00:47:05,240 heart is, because obviously some of you, your heart's not where 729 00:47:05,240 --> 00:47:08,680 it should. Be Jesus made very clear in 730 00:47:08,680 --> 00:47:10,440 Matthew 621 in our scripture reading. 731 00:47:10,440 --> 00:47:13,880 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 732 00:47:18,200 --> 00:47:24,280 Where's your heart? Is your heart set in heaven and 733 00:47:24,280 --> 00:47:28,400 set on heaven? Because if your heart is set on 734 00:47:28,400 --> 00:47:31,520 heaven, you don't mind. Storing up treasures there 735 00:47:34,200 --> 00:47:36,480 doesn't bother you at all, because you know one day you and 736 00:47:36,480 --> 00:47:41,080 those treasures will meet again in the presence and in the glory 737 00:47:41,080 --> 00:47:44,400 of the Lord. But many don't want to invest in 738 00:47:44,400 --> 00:47:49,680 heaven simply because their heart is here on this earth. 739 00:47:51,640 --> 00:47:54,120 And that goes exactly. Along with what Jesus was 740 00:47:54,120 --> 00:48:02,560 saying, if your heart is truly an eternity, then that's where 741 00:48:02,560 --> 00:48:03,920 you're going to want to invest your money. 742 00:48:05,400 --> 00:48:08,000 But if your heart is here. I know this is difficult. 743 00:48:11,200 --> 00:48:18,120 If your heart is here, you're going to invest here, and 744 00:48:18,120 --> 00:48:22,080 congratulations, you will die a rich man or you will die a rich 745 00:48:22,080 --> 00:48:27,760 woman, but you will die, and so will all of your earthly riches. 746 00:48:29,360 --> 00:48:31,800 But those who are in Christ, whose heart is in the right 747 00:48:31,800 --> 00:48:37,200 place, their souls and the treasures that they store up for 748 00:48:37,200 --> 00:48:43,480 themselves in heaven, will live eternally well. 749 00:48:43,480 --> 00:48:47,720 I know it's difficult in today's Christian culture to actually 750 00:48:47,720 --> 00:48:51,880 attempt to even have eternal minds because we've been so 751 00:48:51,880 --> 00:48:54,760 reprogrammed in the so-called church for so long to have 752 00:48:54,760 --> 00:49:00,040 earthly minds. But I pray right now that the 753 00:49:00,040 --> 00:49:02,360 word of God in the heart of the true believers, reprogramming 754 00:49:02,360 --> 00:49:08,120 your mind, renewing it in Christ Jesus this very moment. 755 00:49:09,440 --> 00:49:12,200 So that you'll. Be investing where your heart 756 00:49:12,920 --> 00:49:16,560 should be in heaven, storing up treasures there. 757 00:49:18,080 --> 00:49:21,840 Not only investing where your heart should be, we're also to 758 00:49:21,840 --> 00:49:25,600 be investing where our home, our eternal home is. 759 00:49:25,600 --> 00:49:28,560 That's. What he's talking about taking 760 00:49:28,560 --> 00:49:31,600 hold of that which has already taken hold of you, true life in 761 00:49:31,600 --> 00:49:34,480 Christ. Are you investing in your 762 00:49:34,480 --> 00:49:39,080 eternal home now? If you were purchasing a home 763 00:49:39,080 --> 00:49:40,960 right now, you were in the middle of that process. 764 00:49:42,320 --> 00:49:46,440 You're a month out from closing, closing on the sale of the house 765 00:49:46,440 --> 00:49:49,880 that you live in now and closing on the sale of your new home. 766 00:49:51,360 --> 00:49:55,000 You would be a fool to invest a whole bunch of money in that 767 00:49:55,000 --> 00:49:56,680 house that you're about to be leaving. 768 00:49:57,920 --> 00:50:00,720 In fact, we know this. No one would do that. 769 00:50:01,400 --> 00:50:04,600 If you were going to invest any money into any home, you would 770 00:50:04,600 --> 00:50:07,640 invest it in the home that you were moving to, correct? 771 00:50:11,720 --> 00:50:14,360 Let us not forget that we have a home that awaits us that's not 772 00:50:14,360 --> 00:50:19,160 in this world. Let us stop investing in the 773 00:50:19,160 --> 00:50:23,600 home here. And invest in the home where we 774 00:50:23,600 --> 00:50:28,560 will live for all eternity. In case you don't know how long 775 00:50:28,560 --> 00:50:34,640 that is, that is forever. And then when forever ends, it's 776 00:50:34,640 --> 00:50:37,200 forever again. And then when forever ends, it's 777 00:50:37,200 --> 00:50:39,360 forever again, and so on and so forth. 778 00:50:39,360 --> 00:50:46,320 That's what eternity is. Are you investing in that home? 779 00:50:48,360 --> 00:50:50,640 Are you a recipient of eternal life? 780 00:50:51,880 --> 00:50:54,200 Investing in your eternal. Home. 781 00:50:54,480 --> 00:50:59,560 Isn't that a good question? Are you fixing your eyes upon 782 00:50:59,560 --> 00:51:02,480 that home? 2nd Corinthians 418 So we fix 783 00:51:02,480 --> 00:51:05,040 our eyes not on what is seen, but what on is on what is 784 00:51:05,080 --> 00:51:08,920 unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is 785 00:51:08,960 --> 00:51:11,160 eternal. Are you investing in temporal 786 00:51:11,160 --> 00:51:14,680 things, or are you investing in the unseen eternal things? 787 00:51:14,840 --> 00:51:19,280 I know it sounds crazy to the unredeemed mind, but pardon me, 788 00:51:19,400 --> 00:51:21,800 I thought I was talking to regenerated people. 789 00:51:23,160 --> 00:51:25,800 The redeemed, those who are in Christ. 790 00:51:26,720 --> 00:51:28,520 And if you're in Christ, you're a new creation. 791 00:51:28,960 --> 00:51:31,800 If you're in Christ, your citizenship is no longer. 792 00:51:32,960 --> 00:51:35,680 In this earth or on this earth, How do I know this? 793 00:51:35,680 --> 00:51:39,640 Philippians 320 But our citizenship is in heaven, and we 794 00:51:39,640 --> 00:51:41,560 eagerly await a Savior from there. 795 00:51:41,600 --> 00:51:45,280 The Lord Jesus Christ, Stop investing in a place that is not 796 00:51:45,280 --> 00:51:52,600 your forever home. Store treasures in heaven. 797 00:51:55,000 --> 00:51:56,840 It's a firm foundation for the coming age. 798 00:52:00,360 --> 00:52:04,200 Are you investing in your eternal home where your 799 00:52:04,200 --> 00:52:07,480 citizenship lies? Are you investing where your 800 00:52:07,480 --> 00:52:11,040 heart should be in heaven? And thirdly, investing in the 801 00:52:11,040 --> 00:52:13,920 security of what you hold, you hold. 802 00:52:14,240 --> 00:52:17,120 Eternal life. Eternal life is found in Christ, 803 00:52:17,120 --> 00:52:19,760 and because you are in Christ, you now hold eternal life. 804 00:52:21,640 --> 00:52:24,280 And so why would you invest in the eternal, I mean in the 805 00:52:24,280 --> 00:52:27,160 temporal, when you can invest in the eternal which you hold. 806 00:52:27,360 --> 00:52:33,080 Prior to Christ, you held no eternality but in Christ. 807 00:52:33,080 --> 00:52:36,760 You. Hold the eternal because you're 808 00:52:36,760 --> 00:52:39,680 held by Christ. That's what he's saying here, so 809 00:52:39,680 --> 00:52:43,280 that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 810 00:52:46,000 --> 00:52:49,920 Are you taking hold of that? Are you holding that which you 811 00:52:49,920 --> 00:52:53,560 don't yet hold, knowing that it's as good as if you were 812 00:52:53,560 --> 00:52:57,680 holding it? It's interesting that all of you 813 00:52:57,680 --> 00:53:03,120 folks would claim to have eternal life, but you settled 814 00:53:03,120 --> 00:53:06,360 for storing up temporary treasure. 815 00:53:10,080 --> 00:53:16,280 It makes no sense, does it? Investing in the security of 816 00:53:16,280 --> 00:53:19,040 what you hold. How secure is your eternal life? 817 00:53:20,080 --> 00:53:23,600 I'll tell you how secure it is. If you were to be able to lose 818 00:53:23,600 --> 00:53:25,560 it, Christ would have to come back to this earth and somehow 819 00:53:25,560 --> 00:53:28,400 undo his sacrifice, because that's what holds you secure, 820 00:53:31,040 --> 00:53:34,840 and he won't do that. Therefore, you are secure for 821 00:53:34,840 --> 00:53:38,160 evermore in Christ. And so because you are eternally 822 00:53:38,160 --> 00:53:43,960 secure in Christ, and your eternal dwelling is secure in 823 00:53:43,960 --> 00:53:51,400 Christ, perhaps we should contemplate ceasing to invest in 824 00:53:51,400 --> 00:53:57,680 the temporary and investing in the eternal, because the 825 00:53:57,680 --> 00:54:01,920 temporary is fleeting and it's fading, just as we saw in first 826 00:54:01,920 --> 00:54:03,760 Timothy chapter 6 verse 7. When we were, therefore we 827 00:54:03,760 --> 00:54:05,680 brought nothing into this world and we can take nothing out of 828 00:54:05,680 --> 00:54:08,960 it. You know the old adage, the old 829 00:54:08,960 --> 00:54:11,760 American proverb. I've never seen a U-Haul behind 830 00:54:11,760 --> 00:54:17,800 hers, and you never will. You're not taking any of this 831 00:54:17,800 --> 00:54:19,920 with you. This is not where you belong. 832 00:54:21,440 --> 00:54:24,200 You have an eternal Kingdom that has been prepared for you 833 00:54:24,200 --> 00:54:26,120 according to what Jesus has promised. 834 00:54:26,320 --> 00:54:31,720 John chapter 14. Are you investing in that? 835 00:54:32,640 --> 00:54:36,040 What is the cure, investment investments of this world as we 836 00:54:36,040 --> 00:54:41,840 saw Matthews 619 through 20. They spoil and they fade. 837 00:54:43,440 --> 00:54:48,040 We invest in heaven. It's secure forever. 838 00:54:50,400 --> 00:54:54,560 John Bunyan once wrote this in the second part of the Pilgrims 839 00:54:54,560 --> 00:54:58,840 Progress, which was the journey of Christiana and his family 840 00:55:00,080 --> 00:55:02,440 from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. 841 00:55:02,560 --> 00:55:04,280 He said this. He said there was a there was a 842 00:55:04,280 --> 00:55:05,880 man. Some called him mad. 843 00:55:06,640 --> 00:55:09,520 The more he gave, the more he had. 844 00:55:10,400 --> 00:55:12,920 I was talking about a particular character there who was giving 845 00:55:12,920 --> 00:55:15,000 to the Lord, and all the others around him thought he was 846 00:55:15,000 --> 00:55:19,120 foolish to give away so much. But he understood this 847 00:55:19,120 --> 00:55:21,320 principle. The more that I give toward the 848 00:55:21,320 --> 00:55:24,320 Kingdom of God, the more that I give toward eternal things, 849 00:55:24,440 --> 00:55:27,840 though, I lose in the eyes of the worldlings. 850 00:55:30,600 --> 00:55:36,400 I gain in the Kingdom of God. I store up for myself eternal 851 00:55:37,120 --> 00:55:43,960 treasures that will never perish, spoil or fade, kept for 852 00:55:43,960 --> 00:55:48,920 me in Christ Jesus. And those who take hold of 853 00:55:48,920 --> 00:55:56,360 eternal life, who really do. They will have an eternal 854 00:55:56,360 --> 00:56:02,680 outlook on how they give an eternal outlook on their riches 855 00:56:02,680 --> 00:56:04,800 and how they invest for all eternity. 856 00:56:04,800 --> 00:56:08,920 Because I can tell you this, you can give me. 857 00:56:10,440 --> 00:56:13,600 A gazillion dollars, if that's even a real amount. 858 00:56:15,640 --> 00:56:20,800 You get what I'm saying. And it would shrink into, in 859 00:56:20,800 --> 00:56:32,600 comparison to this, the day that I enter into heaven and as I'm 860 00:56:32,600 --> 00:56:36,080 worshiping around the throne of God, someone comes up to me who 861 00:56:36,080 --> 00:56:42,040 I've never met, never seen, and introduces themselves to me. 862 00:56:44,360 --> 00:56:50,480 They began to tell me the testimony of how they came to 863 00:56:50,480 --> 00:56:58,450 know Christ. They tell the story of how they 864 00:56:58,450 --> 00:57:04,570 were in some third world country that I never visited, but God 865 00:57:04,570 --> 00:57:07,570 urged me and my heart to give to the mission and the ministry 866 00:57:07,570 --> 00:57:09,090 that was going on in that country. 867 00:57:12,400 --> 00:57:17,080 They began to proclaim that they are there because of the work of 868 00:57:17,080 --> 00:57:20,680 the gospel that was able to go on in that country. 869 00:57:21,680 --> 00:57:23,160 Now we know. Ultimately, they're there 870 00:57:23,160 --> 00:57:24,680 because God sovereignly saved them. 871 00:57:24,680 --> 00:57:27,800 But how would they know, lest the preacher tell them? 872 00:57:29,160 --> 00:57:30,640 That's all set up by God's design. 873 00:57:30,760 --> 00:57:32,360 He wants us to be a part of this. 874 00:57:32,400 --> 00:57:35,240 Why, What a blessing. A gazillion dollars would 875 00:57:35,240 --> 00:57:38,440 quickly fade When I embrace that person and I know that they're 876 00:57:38,440 --> 00:57:41,760 there because I was no longer stingy with my riches. 877 00:57:45,880 --> 00:57:47,160 Well, that's thinking eternally I. 878 00:57:48,440 --> 00:57:50,400 Don't say those things to pull your heartstring. 879 00:57:50,400 --> 00:57:53,000 I'm not asking you at the end of this service to give an offering 880 00:57:53,000 --> 00:57:54,480 to missions. I pray that you would do that 881 00:57:54,480 --> 00:57:59,560 constantly. I'm saying that because that's a 882 00:57:59,560 --> 00:58:04,640 reality. If I have truly taken hold of 883 00:58:04,640 --> 00:58:07,000 eternal life, I want to invest eternally. 884 00:58:09,200 --> 00:58:12,640 I want to along with Jesus and all the Saints who go before me. 885 00:58:12,640 --> 00:58:15,600 I want to enjoy these riches in His presence. 886 00:58:15,600 --> 00:58:21,680 And He promises us that we can. Know what a day that will be? 887 00:58:27,720 --> 00:58:34,520 When the rich who were rich in Christ get to see their 888 00:58:34,520 --> 00:58:38,720 investment for the first time in the presence of their Savior, 889 00:58:43,440 --> 00:58:46,000 there should be no such thing as a stingy St. 890 00:58:47,480 --> 00:58:49,640 In fact, that's a total oxymoron. 891 00:58:54,120 --> 00:59:00,120 Should be generous, gracious, investing in eternal things and 892 00:59:00,120 --> 00:59:03,000 leaving the temporal things of this earth because they will 893 00:59:03,000 --> 00:59:07,800 perish. That inheritance, that 894 00:59:07,800 --> 00:59:11,920 foundation that we secure in Christ, that has been secured 895 00:59:11,920 --> 00:59:18,760 for us, the riches that we give in response to that will be sort 896 00:59:18,760 --> 00:59:27,800 out for us for all eternity where we see the importance and 897 00:59:27,800 --> 00:59:32,840 the stewardship of our earthly riches through the word of God. 898 00:59:32,840 --> 00:59:37,520 This morning to the believer, as we prepare to close all of you 899 00:59:37,520 --> 00:59:43,200 in this room, the rich people, are you being rich toward God? 900 00:59:46,160 --> 00:59:49,160 Are you behaving like all your other Pagan friends, storing up 901 00:59:49,160 --> 00:59:52,280 wealth in a place that will be destroyed by fire? 902 00:59:53,880 --> 01:00:01,480 The Word of God has spoken. Be convicted, be humbled, be 903 01:00:01,480 --> 01:00:05,920 broken. But May God use this message so 904 01:00:05,920 --> 01:00:12,320 that you will use your riches for His glory, so that His name 905 01:00:12,320 --> 01:00:18,960 will be made known, His praises will resound, and unbelievers 906 01:00:19,360 --> 01:00:23,400 will come to know Christ. To the unbeliever who's here 907 01:00:23,400 --> 01:00:29,000 today, those who are not in Christ, before you can ever 908 01:00:29,000 --> 01:00:34,000 realize that everything belongs to God, you must belong to God. 909 01:00:35,120 --> 01:00:37,440 And right now, frankly, you don't. 910 01:00:38,880 --> 01:00:40,760 You're not a child of God. You're a child of Satan. 911 01:00:40,760 --> 01:00:43,840 You're a child of sin. I don't say that to be harsh or 912 01:00:43,840 --> 01:00:45,400 to be mean. I say that because that is the 913 01:00:45,400 --> 01:00:49,880 gospel truth. Unless you turn to Christ in 914 01:00:49,880 --> 01:00:53,560 repentance and faith, believing in His sacrifice is the only way 915 01:00:53,560 --> 01:00:58,640 to be reconciled to God the Father, you will remain an enemy 916 01:00:58,640 --> 01:01:02,400 of God because of your sin. You will spend an eternity 917 01:01:02,400 --> 01:01:06,760 facing the wrath of God in hell. And again, I say that because I 918 01:01:06,760 --> 01:01:10,120 care about your soul enough to tell you the honest truth. 919 01:01:11,240 --> 01:01:15,480 You will never understand what it means to belong to God and 920 01:01:15,480 --> 01:01:18,520 your riches to belong to God until you yourself belong to 921 01:01:18,520 --> 01:01:20,160 God. I would implore you today, 922 01:01:20,160 --> 01:01:22,800 surrender to Christ as Lord and Savior. 923 01:01:24,040 --> 01:01:27,520 Turn from your sin, turn from yourself and your own self 924 01:01:27,520 --> 01:01:33,400 destruction yourself deceit. Call upon the name of the Lord 925 01:01:33,480 --> 01:01:38,840 Jesus, and those who call upon the name of the Lord shall be 926 01:01:39,480 --> 01:01:46,120 saved. Then live your life surrendered 927 01:01:46,120 --> 01:01:50,880 to Christ, all of you, your heart, your soul, and all of 928 01:01:50,880 --> 01:01:54,240 your riches belonging to Him. And for His glory, let's pray 929 01:01:54,240 --> 01:01:55,680 together. Father, in the name of Jesus, we 930 01:01:55,680 --> 01:01:57,200 come to you, thanking you for your word. 931 01:01:59,520 --> 01:02:03,840 And I pray as it has gone forth, that it does exactly what you 932 01:02:03,840 --> 01:02:08,000 seek for it to do this day. That it would convict hearts, 933 01:02:09,080 --> 01:02:13,440 that it would cause sinners to see their need for Christ, that 934 01:02:13,440 --> 01:02:17,160 they would run to Jesus for salvation, knowing that He is 935 01:02:17,160 --> 01:02:20,800 the only name under heaven whereby men must be saved. 936 01:02:20,800 --> 01:02:23,760 And they would cry out, calling upon that name, turning from 937 01:02:23,760 --> 01:02:28,440 sin, believing on Christ. God, I pray for each believer 938 01:02:28,440 --> 01:02:31,960 who's here today, those who struggle with the stinginess of 939 01:02:31,960 --> 01:02:35,800 their flesh. God, I pray that they lay that 940 01:02:35,800 --> 01:02:39,880 down, that they call it the sin that it is, that you would birth 941 01:02:39,880 --> 01:02:45,480 in them a generous heart, heart that desires to store up 942 01:02:45,480 --> 01:02:49,360 treasure in heaven, to be rich toward God, and we'll give you 943 01:02:49,360 --> 01:02:53,480 all the glory and all the praise for it in Jesus name, Amen. 944 01:02:56,080 --> 01:02:59,120 You've been listening to Key Life Fellowships Pulpit Ministry 945 01:02:59,120 --> 01:03:01,920 podcast. Join us each week for more 946 01:03:01,920 --> 01:03:03,520 teaching from God's Word.