1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,920 Would you stand please? 2 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:07,920 Thank you, George. 3 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:11,320 I'd like to ask you to reach around and welcome those near you. 4 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:15,600 We want to have a friendly church, and sometimes it's hard to know who the visitors are, but 5 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:38,560 welcome all of those near you and thank them for coming this morning. 6 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:45,200 Thank you for doing that. 7 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:49,520 As we grow larger, we want to maintain that friendly spirit and that sense that we belong 8 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:54,200 together and even though there are many people here you may not know, we want you to feel 9 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:56,840 like there are some that you know and you know well. 10 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:00,040 That's part of the purpose of the small churches, by the way, and we hope that you're involved 11 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:01,040 in one of those. 12 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:05,200 But on Sunday morning as we gather together, make sure that those around you sends us a 13 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:07,920 sincere welcome to the service. 14 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:13,120 Now I've heard that there may be a football game on television this evening, and if you're 15 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:17,360 planning to stay home and watch it, I just have a warning for you. 16 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:22,080 If there is a knock at the door, be careful opening it because there may be a herd of 17 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:25,400 yaks that will come through your living room. 18 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:29,400 That might be disastrous, so just be careful of that, will you? 19 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:35,260 First Corinthians, chapter 16 will be the focus this morning as we continue our series 20 00:01:35,260 --> 00:01:43,960 on the dollars and cents of finances. 21 00:01:43,960 --> 00:01:53,040 Number of years ago now, a board of elders voted to give their pastor a raise. 22 00:01:53,040 --> 00:02:00,120 Because of his writings, he was receiving a good deal in royalties and he said to his 23 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:07,200 men serving with him on the elder board, I don't need it. 24 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,720 And their response to him was, we know that, pastor, we just want to see what you're going 25 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:15,280 to do with it. 26 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:21,240 You know, I wonder if that isn't God's attitude as he blesses us with more than we need. 27 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:25,520 He wants to see what we're going to do with it. 28 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,760 Our finances are stewardship. 29 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:34,360 God is the owner of all that we have and he has made us the trustees. 30 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:41,200 We are therefore responsible for the management and the use of all that he's given to us. 31 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:45,420 The Bible teaches us about the basics of money. 32 00:02:45,420 --> 00:02:49,480 We might call it biblical economics 101. 33 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:53,160 In the first place, God wants you to have money. 34 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:59,120 Secondly, God wants you to think properly about your money. 35 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:04,160 And thirdly, as we've been discussing together most recently, God wants you to manage your 36 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:06,880 financial stewardship well. 37 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:07,880 How do we do that? 38 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:13,380 Well, as we began saying last week, we do that in the first place by recognizing that 39 00:03:13,380 --> 00:03:20,940 our first responsibility is to God in the management of our stewardship. 40 00:03:20,940 --> 00:03:26,280 And that God wants us to bring to him free will offerings. 41 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:30,960 God has not established a legalistic tithe that we are to bring. 42 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:34,920 We discussed that last week in a biblical context. 43 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:44,400 But God wants us to bring to him an offering out of the love of our hearts freely to him. 44 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:49,940 In 1 Corinthians 16 verse 2 it says, and on the first day of every week, let each one 45 00:03:49,940 --> 00:03:58,160 of you put aside and save as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come. 46 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:01,680 And we noted here in this verse that there are certain principles that are given to us 47 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:03,360 regarding these free will offerings. 48 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:08,040 In the first place, we're to give regularly or systematically. 49 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,960 He says on the first day of every week. 50 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:14,660 The idea is that our giving is to be planned. 51 00:04:14,660 --> 00:04:16,940 There is to be a certain spontaneity about it. 52 00:04:16,940 --> 00:04:23,180 But on the other hand, God wants us to think ahead of time and to plan for our giving. 53 00:04:23,180 --> 00:04:28,240 We are to make that a systematic, habitual part of our lives. 54 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:29,920 Not a thoughtless part of our lives. 55 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:31,200 We're to give thought to it. 56 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:37,040 But it is to be a habit that we get into, that we bring to him systematically our free 57 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:38,040 will offerings. 58 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:41,720 And then we notice that it's universal. 59 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:45,920 Every one of you, also individual. 60 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:53,520 And as all of us are expected by God to participate in this, and each one of us, without any exceptions 61 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:56,600 as far as the Scriptures are concerned. 62 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:02,580 And we notice well that we're to bring our gifts proportionately to our prosperity. 63 00:05:02,580 --> 00:05:10,320 As God prospers us, in proportion to the way he prospers us, we are to bring our gifts. 64 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:15,880 Now the language here also suggests that as we do this, we are to lay aside these gifts 65 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:16,880 in store. 66 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:20,440 That is, we are to bring them together to the church fellowship. 67 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:24,000 He says that there be no collections made when I come. 68 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:28,640 And so the believers were to lay aside their money and bring it together to the local church. 69 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:36,320 And there it would be kept until the purpose for which it was intended arrived. 70 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:41,240 It is important, I think, to teach stewardship in a local church. 71 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:44,840 That's one reason I'm doing this brief series now. 72 00:05:44,840 --> 00:05:49,600 This is a priority of which we have established as leadership during 1988, that we want to 73 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:54,440 better teach the principles of stewardship throughout our church. 74 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:58,960 For that reason, we are going to begin taking offerings in the Sunday school classes of 75 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:00,840 the church. 76 00:06:00,840 --> 00:06:06,360 Because boys and girls need to know that we bring offerings to the Lord. 77 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:08,320 Some classes do that now, but not all of them. 78 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:11,080 But we're going to begin that across the board. 79 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:14,760 We're also going to begin taking offerings in small church because there are some who 80 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:20,160 do not come to large worship service and do not participate therefore in the offerings 81 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:21,160 here. 82 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:25,820 We want to give them an opportunity to learn stewardship in the small church. 83 00:06:25,820 --> 00:06:30,560 We believe that's a priority for us as a local body of believers. 84 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:35,960 Now as we talk about stewardship, there are frequent questions posed by those seeking 85 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:40,640 to sincerely apply these principles. 86 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:45,400 There's someone who might say, but I'm to give proportionally, but how much should 87 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:48,400 I give? 88 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:52,400 In some respects, it would be easier, wouldn't it, if God had said, bring seven and a half 89 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:57,920 percent or 10 percent or 30 percent. 90 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,660 Because then we would all know how to calculate that if we passed simple mathematics in high 91 00:07:01,660 --> 00:07:03,860 school or grade school. 92 00:07:03,860 --> 00:07:07,560 It would not be hard at all for us to figure. 93 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:09,100 But God hasn't done it that way. 94 00:07:09,100 --> 00:07:13,560 He wants it to be a matter of a heart attitude, a spirit that we have. 95 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:19,200 Zacchaeus, for example, gave 50 percent of everything that he had to the poor. 96 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:23,280 Now he didn't do that every week. 97 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:29,240 But after his conversion, he was so overjoyed and so freed from the covetousness of his 98 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:36,040 heart, the greed was so dealt with in him that immediately he made provision for 50 99 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:39,800 percent of all that he had to go to the poor. 100 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:47,460 And not only that, he said, if I have wronged any person, I will repay him fourfold, keeping 101 00:07:47,460 --> 00:07:48,560 the law. 102 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:54,080 His heart desired to obey what God had told him to do. 103 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:55,240 It's a matter of the heart. 104 00:07:55,240 --> 00:08:00,000 Maybe the question instead, how much do I have to give, should be, how much should I 105 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:02,760 keep? 106 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:10,560 The fact is that only you can answer that for yourself, for your family. 107 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:16,140 But then someone says, well, what if there really isn't enough money? 108 00:08:16,140 --> 00:08:23,640 What if the money that we receive is not enough to meet our basic bills? 109 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:25,920 There are some people in that circumstance. 110 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:30,880 What are they to do with regard to the teaching of the scripture about giving? 111 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:39,080 Well, if there is no money, even for the needs that I have in my life, I need to examine 112 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:42,800 my needs. 113 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:49,440 I need to see where my money is going and be sure that those in fact are needs. 114 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:56,280 It may be that what I'm calling a need is actually a bill that I have accumulated, and 115 00:08:56,280 --> 00:09:02,120 now it's become a bondage to me, and I have to pay that off. 116 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:07,280 What am I to do if I'm in a situation where I have to pay a creditor and I have no money 117 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:10,320 left over for giving? 118 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:14,160 Well, there are several thoughts about that. 119 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:19,280 First of all, I need to do what I can to reduce my out go. 120 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:24,640 And then I need to do what I can to increase my income. 121 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:27,560 I may need to look for another job that pays better. 122 00:09:27,560 --> 00:09:34,480 I may need to get a second job for a period of time. 123 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:38,280 With regards to giving, I think if I'm in that predicament, what I need to do is determine 124 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:42,920 what I can sacrifice so that I can give to God. 125 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:47,960 I may not be able to give to God as much as I want to, but I can give something, even 126 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:54,640 if it's just lunch money from one day during the week, or just if it's the price of a 127 00:09:54,640 --> 00:10:00,280 magazine that maybe I buy once a month. 128 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:06,660 If I'm in a situation where I'm actually in financial bondage, then I need to still 129 00:10:06,660 --> 00:10:11,960 remember that I have a responsibility to give to God something at least to indicate the 130 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:16,080 sincerity of my heart. 131 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:20,160 I think the best advice I could give to a person who is in that kind of predicament, 132 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:27,200 and that's not uncommon, is that you seek out someone who would be able to help you 133 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:29,360 get reestablished financially. 134 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:36,120 I don't mean by giving you money, but I mean by helping you to budget and perhaps reorder 135 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:44,640 your priorities in spending, perhaps even to renegotiate those loans that you have 136 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:49,360 so that you can get that payment down where you can handle it, as we said before, at the 137 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:53,080 same time cut up the credit cards. 138 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:56,480 If you're in financial bondage today, there's hope for you. 139 00:10:56,480 --> 00:11:01,560 God has an answer for you, but it's very difficult in a large group like this to give 140 00:11:01,560 --> 00:11:03,500 specific answers to your problems. 141 00:11:03,500 --> 00:11:05,360 There are those who can help you. 142 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:07,080 I want to encourage you to seek them out. 143 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:10,640 If you say, I don't know where to go, I don't know who to approach, then call our 144 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:16,960 church office and we can put you in touch with some people who can help you. 145 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:19,560 Someone says, well, should I borrow to give? 146 00:11:19,560 --> 00:11:20,800 I don't have enough coming in. 147 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:25,760 Should I go out and borrow some of my visa so that I can give to the church? 148 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:31,320 Of course, there are some churches and parishes now which are making it possible for people 149 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:35,980 to give with visa or MasterCard. 150 00:11:35,980 --> 00:11:40,080 I don't believe, generally speaking, that it is a principle of God's Word that we should 151 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:42,440 borrow in order to give. 152 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:47,680 Now, there may be some exceptions to that or some situation where it might be appropriate 153 00:11:47,680 --> 00:11:54,560 to borrow short term in order to give a gift today, which will be covered almost immediately 154 00:11:54,560 --> 00:11:58,440 with some income that you know is coming. 155 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:00,240 But the general principle is no. 156 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:05,920 God does not want us to borrow money to give, but He wants us to give according to what 157 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:07,280 we have. 158 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:12,700 He doesn't expect us to give according to what we don't have, but He does expect us 159 00:12:12,700 --> 00:12:17,040 to give according to what we have. 160 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:23,120 Then someone may legitimately ask, well, if I am to give my money through the church, 161 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:26,000 what do I do about the other opportunities that come to me? 162 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:30,880 I've got friends who are going to campus ministries or I have friends who are going with missions 163 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:35,160 and they write letters to me wanting me to support them. 164 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:40,240 What do I do about those letters that come from radio programs or broadcasts that are 165 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:41,840 appealing for funds from me? 166 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:43,840 How do I handle all of that? 167 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:48,800 Well, you need a special file in your home in the first place to handle a lot of that. 168 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:52,320 It's a circular one about that big, about that deep. 169 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:57,200 Now, I don't mean to be callous toward those that are good ministries and which legitimately 170 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:01,840 need support, but obviously we have to be careful where we give our money. 171 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:07,280 That's one of the advantages of God's plan in giving through the local church because 172 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:12,880 we trust together as a church that we have wisdom where the money should be invested. 173 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:19,160 We are less prone then to impulse or to emotional appeals. 174 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:21,840 There are certain basic principles regarding giving. 175 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:27,440 One is does the person or the organization asking for my funds believe what I do and 176 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:30,740 practice what I do? 177 00:13:30,740 --> 00:13:34,800 There are some very clever organizations out there today that are appealing for funds from 178 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:40,360 evangelicals when they themselves actually do not believe what we believe. 179 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:45,600 They don't teach what we do and they don't practice a lifestyle that we believe in. 180 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:53,000 They know that evangelicals, some evangelicals are soft touches and can be appealed to emotionally 181 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:59,080 to respond because we want to be generous people and they know that and they try to 182 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:01,020 take advantage of it. 183 00:14:01,020 --> 00:14:04,760 So I need to know to whom I am giving and search out that organization. 184 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:07,480 I need to know that person before I give anything. 185 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:13,980 Then I need to ask the question, is there a sufficient accountability with that person, 186 00:14:13,980 --> 00:14:20,000 with that organization so that I can trust that my money is being used properly? 187 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:30,360 There are several organizations these days trying to keep track of parachurch ministries. 188 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:38,440 Local churches keep track of themselves through meetings like we have tonight. 189 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:49,720 The third principle is that I need to avoid pressure tactics, promise recognition, impulses 190 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:52,160 in my giving. 191 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:57,680 I need to avoid giving because I am going to get a plaque in return to hang on my wall. 192 00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:02,920 If I do that then I have my reward, don't I? 193 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:08,360 I want to give because God lays it upon my heart to give. 194 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:14,480 In our family we practice bringing nearly all of our gifts to the church. 195 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:20,160 But we do send some monies outside of the church to organizations primarily that we 196 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:23,280 know and trust and that we love. 197 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:26,120 We believe God wants us to do that. 198 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:34,240 I encourage you to do that as God lays that upon your heart. 199 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:39,400 If a church is already supporting an individual, in fact we practice this in our church, if 200 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:44,000 we are supporting a missionary as a church, we discourage that missionary from approaching 201 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:46,720 people in our church personally. 202 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:53,120 Unless it be very close friends or family because already we are giving once. 203 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:58,000 For someone to come back to us personally and appeal for funds is not right. 204 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:04,800 We really disallow that of those that we support as a church. 205 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:09,040 Someone says, well I give to the Lord but I pay the tuition in my Christian school or 206 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:12,200 I pay for the retreats for my kids. 207 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:18,160 You know when I use my money in that way I am not really giving to the Lord. 208 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:24,040 Maybe good uses of money and even necessary uses of money but I shouldn't really call 209 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:28,360 that giving to the Lord. 210 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:32,040 Someone says, well can't I give my time or talent instead of money? 211 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:38,320 This is very popular today especially among the baby boomers because we learn that time 212 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:43,120 is money and therefore if I give time I am giving money, right? 213 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:47,720 Well certainly you are giving something that is valuable when you give time and time is 214 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:48,720 critical. 215 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:49,720 We need to give time to the Lord. 216 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:56,520 We need to give our talents to the Lord but we cannot allow that to be a substitute for 217 00:16:56,520 --> 00:17:03,480 money for the ongoing expenses of ministry, the support of missionaries, etc. that cannot 218 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:07,680 be supported by my time alone or my talents alone. 219 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:11,960 I need to bring my treasure to the Lord. 220 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:16,080 John MacArthur said, giving is not God's way of raising money. 221 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:20,200 It is God's way of raising children. 222 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:23,200 That's a good perspective. 223 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:28,880 So if I am going to manage my financial stewardship well it begins by my understanding my responsibility 224 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:31,960 to God which is first. 225 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:38,280 But then also I need to recognize my responsibility to my family. 226 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:44,540 Would you turn please to 1 Timothy 5 and verse 8 for what is a key verse in the New Testament 227 00:17:44,540 --> 00:17:45,540 regarding this. 228 00:17:45,540 --> 00:17:49,840 1 Timothy 5 and verse 8. 229 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:58,480 Now in the context of caring for widows within the church the apostle says in verse 8, but 230 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:05,120 if anyone does not provide for his own, that is his own loved ones, his own family, and 231 00:18:05,120 --> 00:18:11,360 especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an 232 00:18:11,360 --> 00:18:13,800 unbeliever. 233 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:18,360 And so in the strongest kinds of terms the apostle tells us that we are responsible to 234 00:18:18,360 --> 00:18:21,080 care for our families. 235 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:23,000 That really is a built in part of us. 236 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:26,240 We know that we are to do that. 237 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:33,200 And it's important because children interpret the faithfulness of God by the way their parents 238 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:38,160 provide for them in meeting their needs. 239 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:42,760 That does not mean that we should be lavish with our children necessarily, that we should 240 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:46,200 squander money on them. 241 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:52,200 Moms and dads we need to realize that children as they grow up see and perceive God's provision 242 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:56,840 for them through you. 243 00:18:56,840 --> 00:19:02,440 And they understand God's faithfulness as they see how faithfully you provide for their 244 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:04,520 needs, their genuine needs. 245 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:13,320 Now frankly the pressure that all of us face is toward materialism in our culture. 246 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:23,040 We are educated from the cradle on up that we need things in order to be happy. 247 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:28,320 And some of the highest pressure comes on Saturday mornings during the time that the 248 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:32,080 children are watching television. 249 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:38,760 We are a culture that is given to things, material things, thinking that that will bring 250 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:43,160 satisfaction, fulfillment, and joy in living. 251 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:46,680 Now we know that that is a lie. 252 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:52,680 And yet we are prone to fall into that kind of a lifestyle, that kind of a trap. 253 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:58,760 We need to control our own expectations in life. 254 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:09,280 The danger is that if we are carelessly lavish with our children, that if they grow up having 255 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:18,200 every want met, that they will think as they become adults that society owes them the same 256 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:20,900 thing. 257 00:20:20,900 --> 00:20:27,840 Children need to learn as they grow up that not everything can be had, at least when you 258 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:30,240 want it. 259 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:34,840 That there are some things that are worth having and there are some things that are 260 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:37,800 not necessary to have. 261 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:44,480 Children need to learn value, not just the price of things. 262 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:51,360 Regarding this matter of expectations, Tim Kimmel writes a book called Little House on 263 00:20:51,360 --> 00:20:56,520 the Freeway, which is quoted and focused on the Family Magazine. 264 00:20:56,520 --> 00:21:03,560 He says this, When we lose control of our expectations, we are guaranteed to be robbed 265 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:05,960 of rest. 266 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:11,440 Yet the culture in which we live makes losing control a foregone conclusion. 267 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:17,440 If I have any hope of enjoying the rest God intends for me, I have to remind myself that 268 00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:23,960 I am in a constant struggle with my environment to maintain a sense of satisfaction. 269 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:28,800 When people fail to discipline their desires, they feel incomplete. 270 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:32,600 A gloomy cloud of inadequacy follows them around. 271 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:36,520 It's difficult to maintain deep relationships with such people. 272 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:41,920 Their feelings of inadequacy drain their emotions. 273 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:47,840 When people fail to discipline their desires, they place unbearable demands on a marriage. 274 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:52,720 Their partner is quick to realize his or her dissatisfaction, and if the partner can't 275 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:57,200 apply all that he or she wants, the partner feels a sense of failure. 276 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:02,160 When people fail to discipline their desires, they compound stress in their children. 277 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:07,180 An environment where the best is always in the future breeds an attitude that makes the 278 00:22:07,180 --> 00:22:09,760 present look cheap. 279 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:14,400 When people fail to discipline their desires, they accommodate the powers within the world 280 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:17,480 system that desire to control them. 281 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:25,160 A heart that finds it hard to accept its position in life is putty in the hands of the powers 282 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:27,160 of darkness. 283 00:22:27,160 --> 00:22:34,280 What Mr. Kimmel is saying is that we need to learn to discipline our desires, to control 284 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:41,320 our expectations, to be content with what God has provided for us. 285 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:46,160 But out of that which he provides for us, we are to be sure that our family is cared 286 00:22:46,160 --> 00:22:54,040 for with regard to its essential needs. 287 00:22:54,040 --> 00:23:00,100 If I am to manage my financial stewardship well, I am to recognize that my responsibility 288 00:23:00,100 --> 00:23:08,100 is first to God, and then to my family, and third, I need to recognize that I do have 289 00:23:08,100 --> 00:23:12,480 a responsibility to the poor. 290 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:20,720 Would you turn please to the book of James in the second chapter. 291 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:27,800 In this chapter, James warns us about being partial toward those who are rich. 292 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:33,360 He says that we should not discriminate against the poor. 293 00:23:33,360 --> 00:23:40,880 And he says in verse 15, if a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 294 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:47,720 then one of you says to them, go in peace and be warmed and filled, and yet you do not 295 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:51,200 give them what is necessary for their body. 296 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:54,420 What use is that? 297 00:23:54,420 --> 00:23:59,000 What kind of faith, he's saying here, would do that to a brother or sister? 298 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:07,520 Turn over to John, 1 John chapter 3, and look at these strong ethical words of the apostle 299 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:10,840 of love. 300 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:20,560 He says in verse 16, we know love by this, that he, Christ, laid down his life for us, 301 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:24,720 and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 302 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:31,160 But whoever has the world's goods and beholds his brother in need, and closes his heart 303 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:32,880 against him. 304 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:35,840 How does the love of God abide in him? 305 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:43,240 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 306 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:50,080 Clearly, God expects us to care for those who are poor and cannot care for themselves. 307 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:58,120 Indeed, the word of God teaches us that God himself is the defender of the poor. 308 00:24:58,120 --> 00:25:04,440 He condemns those who oppress the poor. 309 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:09,880 Only in the terms of the Bible, the primary focus of our attention for the poor should 310 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:13,740 be upon brothers and sisters. 311 00:25:13,740 --> 00:25:21,360 Not to the exclusion of the world's poor, but the primary thrust of scripture, both 312 00:25:21,360 --> 00:25:26,320 in the Old and the New Testament, is that we as the people of God are to care for the 313 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:30,880 poor who are among us. 314 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:35,080 We have various ways of doing that as a church. 315 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:39,360 We provide food for those who need it. 316 00:25:39,360 --> 00:25:43,800 We have found that a clothing shelf really isn't necessary, apparently, in our area, 317 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:47,560 because we had lots of clothes and no call for them. 318 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:54,960 And so we made them available to other organizations that had outlets for that sort of help. 319 00:25:54,960 --> 00:26:01,440 We maintain an elders fund as a church, toward which we give after communion when we observe 320 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:03,320 it. 321 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:09,520 And that fund is used to financially help those who are going through tough times. 322 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:14,560 But the fact is that's only the tip of the iceberg. 323 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:19,360 Because throughout our church family, week after week, there is caring for the poor going 324 00:26:19,360 --> 00:26:20,360 on. 325 00:26:20,360 --> 00:26:26,360 Now, these may be poor who are out of work at the moment, or family that's gone through 326 00:26:26,360 --> 00:26:33,780 some kind of a crisis financially and needs help in that instance. 327 00:26:33,780 --> 00:26:37,840 We provide help for those who are habitually poor. 328 00:26:37,840 --> 00:26:40,880 The need of those is not primarily financial. 329 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:45,920 It is counsel. 330 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:52,320 It is a need to help them to learn to live on what they have. 331 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:59,000 But as you and I become personally aware of those who have need, God wants us to give 332 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:01,640 them the right kind of help. 333 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:07,560 As I say, that may not always be a check or a bill. 334 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:10,160 It may be something else that we can do. 335 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:12,500 But God wants us to provide for the poor. 336 00:27:12,500 --> 00:27:19,800 It's part of our responsibility, especially for those in our fellowship. 337 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:27,840 The Word of God teaches that your money and mine can be a curse or a blessing to us. 338 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:33,300 Whether we feel we have little or we feel we have much, what we have can either be a 339 00:27:33,300 --> 00:27:36,460 curse or a blessing. 340 00:27:36,460 --> 00:27:41,500 It depends upon our attitude toward what we have. 341 00:27:41,500 --> 00:27:49,480 It will be a curse to us if we allow a spirit of covetousness to dominate our hearts. 342 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:57,080 The Bible so warns against covetousness that it says that it's equal to idolatry. 343 00:27:57,080 --> 00:28:05,840 When I am greedy and covetous and selfish, I am bowing down before the God of things 344 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:12,940 or of mammon and am no longer worshiping the Lord. 345 00:28:12,940 --> 00:28:20,140 Our money can become a curse to us if we are like Achan, who brought judgment upon the 346 00:28:20,140 --> 00:28:25,120 whole nation of Israel because of his covetous spirit. 347 00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:31,640 Or if we are like Ananias and Sapphira, who allowed hypocrisy to come into their lives 348 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:36,760 because of their covetous spirit and for that they were judged. 349 00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:42,180 Our money becomes a curse to us if we allow ourselves to be like Judas and sell out our 350 00:28:42,180 --> 00:28:46,660 Lord for the price of silver. 351 00:28:46,660 --> 00:28:51,700 But on the other hand, our money becomes a blessing when we use it well. 352 00:28:51,700 --> 00:28:59,020 It was our Lord Himself who said, it is more blessed to give than to receive. 353 00:28:59,020 --> 00:29:04,700 I believe that you and I can't help but give when we realize what God has given to 354 00:29:04,700 --> 00:29:05,700 us. 355 00:29:05,700 --> 00:29:12,660 Dr. MacArthur writes, God made the sun, it gives. 356 00:29:12,660 --> 00:29:15,920 God made the moon, it gives. 357 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:19,200 God made the stars, they give. 358 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:22,040 God made the air, it gives. 359 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:25,340 God made the clouds, they give. 360 00:29:25,340 --> 00:29:28,520 God made the earth, it gives. 361 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:31,880 God made the sea, it gives. 362 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:35,560 God made the trees, they give. 363 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:38,960 God made the flowers, they give. 364 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:42,840 God made the animals, they give. 365 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:49,880 God made man, does He give? 366 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:57,320 Let's bow together. 367 00:29:57,320 --> 00:30:05,360 God has made us to be a giving people with hearts that are wide open toward Him and toward 368 00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:07,800 others. 369 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:11,200 We are to flee idolatry. 370 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:17,400 We are to flee covetousness. 371 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:18,780 God wants us to have money. 372 00:30:18,780 --> 00:30:24,960 He wants us to think about it properly and He wants us to use it rightly. 373 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:31,560 As you think about the stewardship of your financial resources, which God has entrusted 374 00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:47,120 to you, are you today living in light of what God says about it? 375 00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:52,120 What do you need to do to bring yourself perhaps into line, to get in step with God, His plan 376 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:54,720 for you? 377 00:30:54,720 --> 00:31:01,000 For this part of our life will one day, too, be examined at the judgment seat. 378 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:05,640 We must give account of ourselves to Him who is our Lord and who bought us with His own 379 00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:11,560 blood, who gave Himself for us. 380 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:20,160 Father, we are mindful that your principle is that we would first give ourselves to you 381 00:31:20,160 --> 00:31:24,920 and then bring our gifts. 382 00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:32,160 I pray that today we will do that, that you will liberate our hearts from whatever may 383 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:35,800 restrain us. 384 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:50,920 I pray that you will work into us a genuine spirit of love and generosity and giving. 385 00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:58,360 I pray today for that one, or perhaps several, who may be here, who perhaps is thinking that 386 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:07,480 by giving he or she might be found acceptable with you. 387 00:32:07,480 --> 00:32:12,760 I pray that they might see today that money has nothing to do with the gaining of heaven, 388 00:32:12,760 --> 00:32:16,920 but that heaven is a free gift. 389 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:26,840 And, oh, may they reach out in faith and trust in the Savior who gave Himself for them. 390 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:32,320 Since we have received that gift, oh God, make us givers. 391 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:36,920 Make us givers, I pray. 392 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:57,320 In Jesus' name, Amen.