1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:13,840 I'm going to continue talking today about the matter of stewardship. 2 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:18,640 People hear that term, and they almost always think of money. 3 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:23,720 We don't want to disappoint anybody, so today we're going to talk about what you're thinking 4 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:24,720 about. 5 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:30,520 We're going to talk today about this aspect of stewardship, not that it's the only one, 6 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:31,520 it's not. 7 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:35,960 I hope you've seen already that stewardship is a much broader thought and teaching than 8 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:36,960 just money. 9 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:47,160 But today we are talking about that as we speak about the dollars and cents of finances. 10 00:00:47,160 --> 00:00:49,640 A preacher went to visit a farmer. 11 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:59,680 He said to the farmer, if you had two farms, would you give one of them to the Lord? 12 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:04,680 The farmer bowed his head and said, oh, preacher, you know I would. 13 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:13,760 The preacher said, well, farmer, if you had $2,000, would you give $1,000 of that to the 14 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:14,760 Lord? 15 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:21,320 The farmer bowed his head again and said, preacher, of course, you know me, you know 16 00:01:21,320 --> 00:01:22,320 I would. 17 00:01:22,320 --> 00:01:30,320 The preacher said, well, if you had two pigs, just a minute, said the farmer, that's not 18 00:01:30,320 --> 00:01:33,320 fair, you know I have two pigs. 19 00:01:33,320 --> 00:01:38,680 Aren't we all that way? 20 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:42,760 Notice Jesus' words in Luke chapter 16. 21 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:51,440 Now he was also saying to the disciples, to the disciples, do you notice that? 22 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:57,960 There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and this steward was reported to him and squandering 23 00:01:57,960 --> 00:01:58,960 his possessions. 24 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:03,960 And he called him and said to him, what is this I hear about you? 25 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:08,960 Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward. 26 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:15,960 And the steward said to himself, what shall I do, since my master is taking away the stewardship 27 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:16,960 from me? 28 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:21,960 I am not strong enough to dig, I am ashamed to dig. 29 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:26,960 I know what I shall do, so that when I am removed from the stewardship, they will re-seize 30 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:27,960 me into their homes. 31 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:33,960 And he summoned each of one of his master's debtors, and he began saying to the first, 32 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:36,960 how much do you owe my master? 33 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,960 He said, a hundred measures of oil. 34 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:44,960 He said to him, take your bill and sit down quickly and write fifty. 35 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:47,960 And he said to another, how much do you owe? 36 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:50,960 He said, a hundred measures of wheat. 37 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:55,960 And he said to him, take your bill and write eighty. 38 00:02:55,960 --> 00:03:03,960 And his master praised the unrighteous steward, because he had acted shrewdly. 39 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:09,960 For the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of 40 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:11,960 light. 41 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:18,960 And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the mammon of unrighteousness, 42 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:25,960 that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. 43 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:31,960 He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much. 44 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:36,960 And he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. 45 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:42,960 If therefore you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteousness, who will entrust 46 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:46,960 the true riches to you? 47 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:51,960 And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another's, who will give 48 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:53,960 you that which is your own? 49 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:58,960 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or 50 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:01,960 else he will hold the one despise the other. 51 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:05,960 You cannot serve God and mammon. 52 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:09,960 Jesus is not telling us here that the steward was righteous. 53 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,960 In fact, Jesus called him unrighteous steward. 54 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:15,960 But the point of the parable is this. 55 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:17,960 The man acted shrewdly. 56 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:22,960 He used what he presently had to make provision for the future. 57 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:29,960 Jesus says that in that respect he is smarter than the sun's light, because he is taking 58 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:35,960 what he has now and realizes how it can impact the future for good. 59 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:42,960 And so he says, make use of the money of unrighteousness now so that they may receive you into eternal 60 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,960 dwellings, they being those who are impacted by your money. 61 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:51,960 What Jesus really is saying is use your money to minister to people that they may be one 62 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:58,960 to Christ, and when you get to heaven they will be there to welcome you in. 63 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:03,960 And he further says, if we don't know how to use money, then how can we expect that 64 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:07,960 God is going to entrust to us true riches? 65 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:13,960 In other words, spiritual responsibilities. 66 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:19,960 Every aspect of stewardship is a test of faithfulness, but as Irvin Lutzer put it, 67 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:25,960 our attitude toward money is an especially accurate barometer of our relationship to 68 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:28,960 the world. 69 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,960 God says a lot about money in the Bible. 70 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:36,960 Over 700 verses deal with that topic. 71 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:45,960 Did you know that 80% of the waking time of the average individual is spent thinking about, 72 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:48,960 talking about, or working for money? 73 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:53,960 80% of your day is your average individual. 74 00:05:53,960 --> 00:06:00,960 The use of one's finances has a great bearing on his spiritual life and his fruitfulness. 75 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:03,960 Therefore, it's important that we talk about it this morning. 76 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:06,960 There are three statements that I want to make about finances. 77 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,960 We're going to limit ourselves to these statements. 78 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:13,960 I hope that you will follow along with me in your outline. 79 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:19,960 Statement number one, God wants you to have money. 80 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:23,960 Some of you don't believe that, but it's true. 81 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:26,960 That is part of God's plan for your life. 82 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:31,960 The four spiritual laws begin by saying God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life. 83 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:34,960 This is part of God's plan to have money. 84 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:40,960 Some of you just took a new interest in the four spiritual laws, didn't you? 85 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:48,960 God wants you to have money, and God has given you the ability to earn money. 86 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:52,960 We begin by understanding that all money belongs to God. 87 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:59,960 In Haggai 2.8, the silver is mine and the gold is mine, declares the Lord. 88 00:06:59,960 --> 00:07:06,960 And if you look at the context, he's talking about the silver and the gold of the nations of the world. 89 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:10,960 He's saying that Fort Knox belongs to him. 90 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:18,960 All of the silver, the gold, the resources of the nations are his, and he has committed them to men. 91 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:24,960 And God gives to us the ability to work to gain wealth. 92 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:30,960 By the way, when I talk about money and wealth today, I'm not saying that God wants everybody to be a millionaire. 93 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:39,960 I'm saying simply that God wants us to have money so that our needs are met and we have excess beyond that. 94 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:44,960 So when I talk about wealth and money, please understand it in that context. 95 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:50,960 In Deuteronomy 8.18, it says, The Lord gives you power to make wealth. 96 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:56,960 Now that was written to Israel, but it's a principle that's true of us and really of all men. 97 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:02,960 Proverbs 10.22, it is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich. 98 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:10,960 1 Timothy 6.17, God richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 99 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:13,960 God does not condemn money. 100 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:16,960 God does not condemn the making of money. 101 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:20,960 In fact, he gives the ability to make it. 102 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:22,960 Now there's some objections to this, I'm sure. 103 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:27,960 I can hear somebody say, well, that sounds like a capitalist pig. 104 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:37,960 Using his religion as an excuse, I think we should share in common like they did in the early church. 105 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:48,960 And that is a reference to what is said in Acts 2 and Acts 4 about something that took place, by the way, only in the Jerusalem church, as far as we know. 106 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:54,960 It was nowhere it says it had taken place. What did take place was very interesting. 107 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:59,960 It was not that everybody sold everything they had and put it in one pot. 108 00:08:59,960 --> 00:09:01,960 That is not what the language says. 109 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:14,960 What it says there is that as needs arose, they were so filled with the Spirit of God and with love that those who had land would sell them and bring them money to the apostles and they would give to those who had needs. 110 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:19,960 They provided for the needs of one another. That's what it says there. 111 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:23,960 It was a voluntary thing. 112 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:31,960 I can hear somebody else say, oh, God doesn't want us to have money. Why, money brings temptation. Money is evil. 113 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:36,960 God doesn't say that. I think he should know. 114 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:40,960 God nowhere says that money is inherently evil. 115 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:47,960 In fact, if you consider it, some of God's greatest men of history were very wealthy men. 116 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:51,960 Abraham, his descendants inherited that. 117 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:54,960 Isaac, Jacob. 118 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:59,960 People talk about Jewish people having a knack for making money. 119 00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:03,960 I think that may be true. 120 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:08,960 They certainly inherited a lot from their ancestors. 121 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:13,960 They seemed to have that natural ability, but there are others as well. 122 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:16,960 Consider Job. 123 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:19,960 Job was fabulously wealthy. 124 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:21,960 What about David? 125 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:23,960 Solomon. 126 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:30,960 All these men were extremely wealthy under the blessing of God. 127 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:36,960 Now there are certain biblical principles that are designed by God to help us to gain wealth. 128 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:39,960 There are three of them I want to talk about briefly. 129 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:45,960 These are principles that God has put in His words as to how you and I should gain wealth. 130 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:48,960 Principle number one, work. 131 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:51,960 Now there's a four-letter word for you. 132 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:54,960 Work. 133 00:10:54,960 --> 00:11:04,960 In fact, back in the Garden of Eden, God said to Adam, by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread. 134 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:08,960 In other words, from that point on, Adam, get the hell out. 135 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:10,960 You're going to work. 136 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:13,960 And it's going to provide for your needs. 137 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:19,960 Proverbs 14.23, in all labor there is profit. 138 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:24,960 In writing, the Thessalonian church, which had some freeloaders in it, 139 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:31,960 the apostle says, if any among you will not work, don't let him eat even. 140 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:36,960 The word is a basic principle by which men are to provide. 141 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:43,960 By the way, I think that is the fatal flaw in the welfare system. 142 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:51,960 Another aspect of that is that people need to have self-esteem and dignity, and work gives that to them. 143 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:59,960 The welfare system that we have designed in this country destroys their self-esteem, as well as their mission. 144 00:11:59,960 --> 00:12:04,960 The basic principle is that of saving. 145 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:08,960 Proverbs 21.20. 146 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:16,960 The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets. 147 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:19,960 That's the living by paraphrase of that. 148 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:26,960 I don't often quote that paraphrase, but in the book of Proverbs, sometimes it's helpful to get a new insight into it. 149 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:32,960 The wise man saves for the future. 150 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:37,960 And the third principle of gaining wealth is that of planning carefully. 151 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:42,960 God says work, he says save, and he says plan carefully. 152 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:53,960 Proverbs 27.23 and 24 says, riches can disappear fast, so watch your business interests closely. 153 00:12:53,960 --> 00:13:02,960 The writer in the latter part of Proverbs, Agur, says that we are to look at the ant, for example. 154 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:16,960 Small insect, that insect is very wise, because she plans carefully, and while it's summer, she gets food for the winter ahead. 155 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:18,960 We are to follow the wisdom of the ant. 156 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:22,960 Again, Proverbs 24 verses 3 and 4. 157 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:33,960 Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts. 158 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:43,960 There are some people who have inherited great amounts of money, and who, because of carelessness, have wasted it all. 159 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:49,960 They have failed to follow this principle, to plan carefully. 160 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:53,960 One doesn't have to be wealthy either to fail to follow it. 161 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:55,960 It involves having a budget. 162 00:13:55,960 --> 00:13:59,960 I think that's a part of the idea here. 163 00:13:59,960 --> 00:14:03,960 At least knowing what priorities are. 164 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:10,960 You see, God wants you to provide for your needs, but he wants you to have more than what you need as well. 165 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:24,960 Now that margin above what you need and what he supplies will increase or decrease according to our faithfulness to the principles and according to what he sees we can handle. 166 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:31,960 But God wants us to have a margin to work with so that we can be free to give to meet others' needs as he directs. 167 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:35,960 That's why we have excess. 168 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:41,960 Not so that we can live luxuriously, but so that we can meet the needs of others. 169 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:49,960 John the Carthaginian said that a Christian should always be free enough to respond to whatever God wants him to do at any moment. 170 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:54,960 We need to have a pillar mentality. 171 00:14:54,960 --> 00:15:01,960 But so many of God's people are in financial bondage because they have not followed biblical principles. 172 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:06,960 And so there undoubtedly will be those today who will say, but I don't have enough money to meet my needs. 173 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:08,960 What's wrong? 174 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:13,960 If it's true that God wants me to have money, then why don't I have any? 175 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:17,960 Well, if that's the case, then there are four questions that need to be answered. 176 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:21,960 Question number one. 177 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:30,960 If I say I don't have enough money to meet my needs, do I really need more or do I just want more? 178 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:36,960 Do I really need more money? 179 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:40,960 If I'm obedient to God's word, he's promised to meet my needs. 180 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:42,960 Question number two. 181 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:45,960 Is God testing my faith? 182 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:48,960 That could be a part of it. 183 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:59,960 Is God right now putting me through a test that's going to expand my faith so I will learn to trust him for something so practical as this or that? 184 00:15:59,960 --> 00:16:02,960 Of course, money needs you by. 185 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:07,960 You know what the greatest return to growing faith is these days? 186 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:12,960 A little plastic card about that wide, about that high. 187 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:21,960 Because it is man's short-cuts to God's lessons in faith. 188 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:24,960 Principle, or rather question number three. 189 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:28,960 Have I wasted what God has already provided? 190 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:31,960 That's possible. 191 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:40,960 I have a need now, perhaps the reason I have that need is because yesterday or last week, God provided and I wasted that. 192 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,960 Now I'm top-short. 193 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:45,960 Question number four. 194 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:51,960 Have I violated a biblical principle so that God will not provide for me right now? 195 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:54,960 What kinds of principles are we talking about? 196 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:58,960 Can we just be suggestive here, not completely thorough? 197 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:09,960 By the way, I would encourage you to go through the book of Proverbs and to underline or write down every verse that deals with some of the riches of poverty. 198 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:13,960 It will be one of the greatest studies you've ever done. 199 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:18,960 And then to categorize what it says there. 200 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:20,960 Here are some of the principles, though. 201 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:23,960 These are from Proverbs. 202 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:26,960 Principle of buying on impulse. 203 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:30,960 Are you an impulsive buyer? 204 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:32,960 I am. 205 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:34,960 I have to watch that. 206 00:17:34,960 --> 00:17:38,960 I am a sucker for every salesman. 207 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:45,960 When I know a person is a salesman, I need to take one step back. 208 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:53,960 It's a good thing I'm not an Eskimo and need a refrigerator. 209 00:17:53,960 --> 00:18:01,960 In Proverbs 13, it says, poverty and shame will come to him who neglects discipline. 210 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:07,960 If I break the principle of impulsive buying, then God may not provide for me. 211 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:11,960 Then the principle of fraud. 212 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:16,960 Wealth and pain by fraud dwindles, says Proverbs. 213 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:22,960 In other words, if I scheme and cheat in order to gain wealth, God is not going to provide for my needs. 214 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:28,960 And what I get by fraud is going to dwindle, and I will be impoverished. 215 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:32,960 Principle of laziness. 216 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:38,960 Do not love sleep lest you become poor. 217 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:41,960 Have I broken the principle of indulgence? 218 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:44,960 Proverbs 23, 21. 219 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:49,960 The heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty. 220 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:53,960 God provides for me and I live indulgently. 221 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:57,960 It's going to be shut off. 222 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:00,960 Principle of carelessness. 223 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:02,960 Proverbs 20, 19. 224 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:09,960 He who follows empty pursuits will have poverty and plenty. 225 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:15,960 In other words, if I am careless with what I do, and I'm following empty pursuits all around, 226 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:20,960 jumping from this and that, not planning, God's going to shut it off. 227 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:25,960 Until I learn to live by the principle that's involved in it. 228 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:29,960 So the first statement is this, that God wants you to have money. 229 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:35,960 And to have money in excess so that you can be used as His instrument to meet the needs of others. 230 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:37,960 Principle number two. 231 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:40,960 God wants you to think properly about money. 232 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:41,960 Or statement number two. 233 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:44,960 God wants you to think properly about money. 234 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:46,960 How does God want me to think about it? 235 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:51,960 Well, first of all, God does not want you to love money. 236 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,960 1 Timothy chapter 6, right? 237 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:58,960 I remember the first time I preached. 238 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:00,960 I had three messages I took to the Pope that evening. 239 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:04,960 He preached all three of them in ten minutes. 240 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:08,960 Some of you have been through that. 241 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:16,960 And one of the blessed points I made in the sermon was that money is the root of all evil. 242 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:21,960 And my pastor very kindly, gently got up after me and corrected my foolishness. 243 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:26,960 Because it does not say the Bible that money is the root of all evil. 244 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:31,960 What it does say though is that the love of money is the root of all evil. 245 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:33,960 That's the way you think about it, you see. 246 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:39,960 And 1 Timothy, I'm sure 1 Timothy is still in my Bible here if I can find it. 247 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:41,960 1 Timothy chapter 6. 248 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:43,960 Let's begin reading verse 6. 249 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:49,960 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 250 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:52,960 Boy, that's a great word. 251 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:57,960 We have brought nothing into the world so that we cannot take anything out of it either. 252 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:02,960 How well off we would be if we could just remember that verse. 253 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:05,960 Maybe we ought to memorize it. 254 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:09,960 And if we have food and covering with these, we shall be content. 255 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:16,960 As God already promised to meet our food needs, our clothing needs. 256 00:21:16,960 --> 00:21:21,960 If we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all of these things will be added to us. 257 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:24,960 So would that be content. 258 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:30,960 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and smear, 259 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:36,960 and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 260 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:40,960 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, 261 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:47,960 and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many a pain. 262 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,960 Those are powerful words. 263 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:53,960 There are three reasons why God tells us not to love money. 264 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:57,960 Reason number one, it will destroy our lives if we do. 265 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:02,960 We will pierce ourselves through with arrows of sorrow and pain. 266 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:06,960 We will be plunged into ruin and destruction, 267 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:11,960 and even run the risk of wandering from the faith if we love money. 268 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:16,960 It will ruin us. 269 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:21,960 The second reason why I should not love money is that it makes me useless to God. 270 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:23,960 In our text that we read earlier, Jesus said, 271 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:27,960 You cannot serve God and man. 272 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:29,960 In other words, money. 273 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:31,960 You cannot serve God and man. 274 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:34,960 Just believe that Jesus said it. 275 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:39,960 It makes me useless to God if I am going to love money. 276 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:44,960 And the third reason, it will leave me to compromise. 277 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:51,960 There are few things that will leave a person to compromise his principles as quickly as the love of money. 278 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:54,960 You see, everybody's got a price for it. 279 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:57,960 That's what they say. 280 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:02,960 If you have a price, the devil will find out what that price is, and he'll eat it. 281 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:08,960 I'll guarantee he will meet it. 282 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:11,960 I listened to a tape of John McArthur this last week, 283 00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:16,960 and he told an illustration of this that gets the point across. 284 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:21,960 There was an author who attended a function in New York City, a banquet, 285 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:24,960 a beautiful sumptuous meal. 286 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:32,960 And this author, whoever he was, sat down beside a beautiful, beautiful lady. 287 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:36,960 And in the course of the evening, he leaned over to her, 288 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:47,960 and the author said to this beautiful woman, would you spend the night with me for $100,000? 289 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:58,960 She blushed and put her head down, stand with her words, and finally said yes. 290 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:02,960 He said, would you spend the night with me for $10? 291 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:04,960 She slammed her fork down. 292 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:06,960 I said, what do you think I am? 293 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:14,960 He said, we've already established that one is dependent on the price. 294 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:17,960 What's your price? 295 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:21,960 The love of money will make you compromise. 296 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:28,960 Whatever price you set, the devil will meet it, and you'll compromise. 297 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:34,960 So none say your price tag is the point where Matthew 6.23 starts operating. 298 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:38,960 You think of that. 299 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:41,960 How does God want me to think about money? 300 00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:44,960 Well, secondly, He wants me to be aware of His nature. 301 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:46,960 First of all, it's deceitful. 302 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:51,960 In Mark 4.19, Jesus spoke about the deceitfulness of riches, 303 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:57,960 and He says that the deceitfulness of riches is that it will choke out the word in your life. 304 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:03,960 And there are people who have gone down the tubes spiritually because riches have deceived them. 305 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,960 And then riches are temporary. 306 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:08,960 Here in 1 Timothy, we see it said, 307 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:11,960 we are not to fix our hope on the uncertainty of riches. 308 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:14,960 Here's a great image of this, by the way, back in Proverbs. 309 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:16,960 Just turn back one minute. 310 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:18,960 Chapter 23. 311 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,960 I love this. 312 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:23,960 It's so true. 313 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:30,960 Proverbs 23, verses 4 and 5. 314 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:33,960 Do not weary yourselves to gain wealth. 315 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:35,960 Cease from your consideration of it. 316 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:40,960 In other words, don't make making of money your aim of life. 317 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:41,960 Verse 5. 318 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:46,960 When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. 319 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:49,960 That's like the pulliades up there. 320 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:52,960 That little constellation up there in the heavens. 321 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:53,960 You can see it. 322 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:55,960 The minute you look at it, it's gone. 323 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:57,960 Money's like that. 324 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:00,960 For wealth certainly makes itself wings, 325 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:03,960 like an eagle that flies toward the heavens. 326 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:04,960 You can just see a dolly bill, 327 00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:07,960 sprouting wings and flying off into the sky. 328 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:10,960 Money's like that, isn't it? 329 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:14,960 It's uncertain. It's temporary. 330 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:17,960 And so we're wise if we are aware of its nature. 331 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:19,960 That's how God wants us to think about it. 332 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:21,960 To know that it's deceitful. 333 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:22,960 Don't get tripped up by it. 334 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:23,960 And it's temporary. 335 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:24,960 It's uncertain. 336 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:26,960 So don't fix your hope on it. 337 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:31,960 And thirdly, God says we're to make it our servant 338 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:35,960 instead of us being the servant of money. 339 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:37,960 That goes back to our text. 340 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:38,960 Where Jesus said, 341 00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:45,960 Make to yourselves friends by the means of money, 342 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:50,960 so that they will welcome you into eternal habitations. 343 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:53,960 In other words, you, the wealth that God has given to you, 344 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:58,960 invested in people, that people may be saved, 345 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:01,960 so that someday when you arrive at the gates of heaven 346 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:03,960 there are going to be people there who will welcome you 347 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:08,960 because you were a part of the process that led them to salvation. 348 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:11,960 There are some of you that have given to missions for years and years, 349 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:13,960 and the only thing you've ever seen is flies 350 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:15,960 that missionaries have brought back. 351 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:16,960 Thank God for those. 352 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:20,960 You've never seen a single person in that country. 353 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:23,960 Someday in heaven I see them. 354 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:24,960 And they're going to say to you, 355 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:30,960 Welcome! I'm here because you invested wisely. 356 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:32,960 That's Jesus' point. 357 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:34,960 We're to make money, our servant. 358 00:27:34,960 --> 00:27:41,960 Proper handling of finances is a key to spiritual fruit in one's life. 359 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:52,960 God will not entrust us with a ministry if we cannot handle money. 360 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:54,960 Statement number three. 361 00:27:54,960 --> 00:28:01,960 God wants you to manage your financial stewardship well. 362 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:03,960 God wants you to have money. 363 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:05,960 God wants you to think about it properly. 364 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:10,960 And God wants you to manage that stewardship well. 365 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:12,960 How can we do that? 366 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:18,960 First, by recognizing that your primary responsibility is to God. 367 00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:21,960 I don't fully agree with it, but it kind of gets the point across. 368 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:25,960 God is your first predator. 369 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:29,960 In the book of Malachi, chapter three, Malachi speaks as God's voice, 370 00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:34,960 and he tells them that they have robbed God. 371 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:39,960 And the people in shock say, Where have we robbed God? 372 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:43,960 And he responds, in your tithes and your offerings. 373 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:45,960 Now tithing is not an issue with me. 374 00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:47,960 Some people will agree with me on this, 375 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:52,960 but personally I don't believe that tithing is God's standard in this age. 376 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:59,960 The concept that tithing is 10% is God's and 90% is mine is unbiblical. 377 00:28:59,960 --> 00:29:06,960 100% is God's. 378 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:13,960 The idea that the Jews gave 10% and were free of responsibility is a misconception also. 379 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:19,960 There were two annual tithes, and then there was another tithe, 380 00:29:19,960 --> 00:29:21,960 and it's required every three years. 381 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:30,960 An average doubt about 23% every year went to the temple. 382 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:33,960 Some people feel they give God a dog and then God a favor. 383 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:38,960 Some people say your other things they give a tithe have done their job for God. 384 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:42,960 My friend is much more personalized with that. 385 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:44,960 It's much more personal. 386 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:51,960 How much should we give is between you and God? 387 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:54,960 Someone has said perhaps we should follow the example of Zacchaeus. 388 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:59,960 After he got saved he became 50% immediately taller. 389 00:29:59,960 --> 00:30:03,960 Zacchaeus is wealthy enough to do that. 390 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:08,960 And there are some people who are wealthy enough that they can give 50% of their income every month to the Lord 391 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:14,960 and still live well. 392 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:15,960 How are we to give? 393 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:20,960 What is the pattern that God wants us to follow in this age? 394 00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:24,960 Every time that tithing could have been mentioned as God's standard for this age, 395 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:27,960 it's not in the New Testament. 396 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:33,960 It's not mentioned in the New Testament, but only in passing in reference to the law. 397 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:37,960 I realize it happened before the law. 398 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:41,960 What I'm simply saying is that in this age, every time that God could have established 399 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:46,960 hiding as the set 10% figure, he doesn't do that. 400 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:53,960 Turn over to 1 Corinthians chapter 16 for part of the answers to how we should give. 401 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:56,960 By the way, I believe we should give to the church. 402 00:30:56,960 --> 00:30:59,960 I'm not saying that because we need money. 403 00:30:59,960 --> 00:31:02,960 That's just God's plan. 404 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:08,960 I have a terrific sermon on storehouse hiding. 405 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:11,960 Some of you will know what that concept is all about. 406 00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:12,960 I've told that a way. 407 00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:15,960 I know I haven't really, so I'm going to file, but I don't intend to preach it again. 408 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:18,960 I don't believe that anymore. 409 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:21,960 I don't believe that the local church is God's storehouse in this age, 410 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:30,960 but I do believe it is God's plan for us to give to the church and the ministry that way. 411 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:36,960 Then I believe that we also want to give to others as God directs us. 412 00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:40,960 We ought not to be too concerned about whether it's tax deductible. 413 00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:44,960 Because frankly, I think the day will come in our nation when our giving to the church 414 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:50,960 will not be tax deductible anymore, and that they may be closer to the same. 415 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:52,960 That should not really be the issue. 416 00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:57,960 We should simply give as the Spirit of God prompts us to give, irrespective of other things. 417 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:04,960 Here in 1 Corinthians 16, it says in verse 2, regarding the collection that we get together, 418 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:09,960 on the first day of every week let each one of you put aside and say, 419 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:16,960 as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come, says the apostle. 420 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:19,960 So here are some standards. 421 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:21,960 Here's part of the pattern. 422 00:32:21,960 --> 00:32:25,960 He says, first of all, that our giving should be regular and systematic. 423 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:29,960 It's not to be haphazard. 424 00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:33,960 The idea seems to be that as they met together on the first day of the week for fellowship, 425 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:40,960 as God prospered them the last week, they were to lay aside in store some of that 426 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:45,960 for the collection that was coming up when Paul would come. 427 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:47,960 So it was a systematic way of doing it. 428 00:32:47,960 --> 00:32:49,960 Some people that means every week, you're paid every week, 429 00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:52,960 some people means every two weeks, some people once a month, 430 00:32:52,960 --> 00:32:56,960 or some salesman's commission, whatever comes in. 431 00:32:56,960 --> 00:33:00,960 The point is, systematically as I'm prospered, I am set aside. 432 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:02,960 It's a regular thing in my life. 433 00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:06,960 It's my first priority in my financial stewardship. 434 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:09,960 And then notice he says to each one of you, he does not say those of you who are wealthy, 435 00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:13,960 those of you who own land, those who have gold jewelry. 436 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:20,960 He says each one of you should participate in this. 437 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:24,960 It's to be universal as well as individual. 438 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:27,960 And then he says, as he may prosper. 439 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:33,960 In other words, it is to be proportionate giving. 440 00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:42,960 Part of our stewardship enrichment campaign has on it not equal gifts, but equal sacrifice. 441 00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:45,960 You see, that's the point. 442 00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:51,960 Equal gifts will say, I give $100 and everybody else gives $100. 443 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:57,960 But equal sacrifice says, I give as God prospers me. 444 00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:03,960 And that widow may give two mites, whereas I may give $2,000 445 00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:05,960 and somebody else may give $20,000. 446 00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:10,960 It's equal sacrifice for all of us because we're giving proportionately. 447 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:12,960 You see that? 448 00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:15,960 And it's not an automatic 10% that I mop out and say, well, there's God. 449 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:18,960 This is mine. 450 00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:25,960 But it's simply getting before God and saying, Lord, this is all yours. 451 00:34:25,960 --> 00:34:31,960 How much do you want me to keep to live on? 452 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:37,960 Turn over to 2 Corinthians chapter 9 and see something else. 453 00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:40,960 2 Corinthians 9, 7. 454 00:34:40,960 --> 00:34:43,960 I'll back up to verse 6 because there's an important principle. 455 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:48,960 He says, Now this I say he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly, 456 00:34:48,960 --> 00:34:51,960 and he who sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 457 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:56,960 Simple law of agriculture as well as giving. 458 00:34:56,960 --> 00:35:01,960 And then he says, Let each one of you do just as he has purposed in his heart, 459 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:07,960 not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 460 00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:12,960 A person can be as faithful, tithing, and grudge every penny that he can. 461 00:35:12,960 --> 00:35:18,960 Or feel the compulsion to give out of guilt. 462 00:35:18,960 --> 00:35:22,960 And my friend, God is not pleased when we give out of guilt. 463 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:26,960 One of the principles we see here is that God wants us to give joyfully. 464 00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:32,960 If I give because I feel coerced, or my arm is twisted, or I feel guilty if I don't, 465 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:38,960 or God is going to send some plague upon my family, we might as well not give it. 466 00:35:38,960 --> 00:35:41,960 God is not pleased with that. 467 00:35:41,960 --> 00:35:44,960 God wants us to give joyfully, cheerfully. 468 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:51,960 God wants us to break out in laughter as a real thought, as a man of joy of giving. 469 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:54,960 He says we also should give purposefully. 470 00:35:54,960 --> 00:36:01,960 In other words, I am to purpose in my heart how much I should give. 471 00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:04,960 Not because somebody says I should give them too much, 472 00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:12,960 but because as I pray and God speaks to me, I purpose before him that I want to give this amount. 473 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:17,960 And finally I'm to give sacrificially. 474 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:19,960 We've suggested that already. 475 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:22,960 Look back at 2 Corinthians 8.3. 476 00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:28,960 The apostle, as he talks to the Corinthians, points back to what the Macedonians have done before them, 477 00:36:28,960 --> 00:36:30,960 to use them as an example. 478 00:36:30,960 --> 00:36:37,960 And he says, I testify that according to their ability and beyond their ability, 479 00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:46,960 they gave of their own accord, begging us with much entreaty for the favor of participating in the support of the saints. 480 00:36:46,960 --> 00:36:51,960 When was the last time you heard a person beg to have the offering plate on the front? 481 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:53,960 Usher, stop, stop. 482 00:36:53,960 --> 00:36:57,960 Send the plate down this way, please. 483 00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:00,960 That's what the Corinthians were doing. 484 00:37:00,960 --> 00:37:02,960 They begged to have it part. 485 00:37:02,960 --> 00:37:05,960 Paul was saying, hey folks, folks, you're giving it up. 486 00:37:05,960 --> 00:37:09,960 No, Paul, please, let us give. 487 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:13,960 He says they gave what they were able to give and they gave beyond that. 488 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:15,960 Sacrifice. 489 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:18,960 Sacrifice. 490 00:37:18,960 --> 00:37:25,960 You know, the real point at the judgment seat of Christ when we are examined for our financial stewardship 491 00:37:25,960 --> 00:37:32,960 may not be how much we've given, but how much we've kept for you for ourselves. 492 00:37:32,960 --> 00:37:40,960 That may be the middle test. 493 00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:53,960 I'm also to recognize that God wants me to give to whom I know and to whom I can trust. 494 00:37:53,960 --> 00:37:57,960 Folks, there are a lot of charlatans around these days. 495 00:37:57,960 --> 00:38:03,960 There are people who are making merchandise as people of God. 496 00:38:03,960 --> 00:38:08,960 You turn on some Christian radio programs or television stations, 497 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:14,960 and if you have any sense of what the Word of God teaches, you get sick, you're stung with some programs. 498 00:38:14,960 --> 00:38:17,960 I mean, you literally get nauseated. 499 00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:19,960 I've said it before and I'll say it again. 500 00:38:19,960 --> 00:38:25,960 Some Christian television programs make an unbelievable route out of your life. 501 00:38:25,960 --> 00:38:29,960 Making merchandise of God's people. 502 00:38:29,960 --> 00:38:36,960 When you give a gift, know to whom you give that gift and that they are trustworthy. 503 00:38:36,960 --> 00:38:38,960 If you don't know it, then you write to them. 504 00:38:38,960 --> 00:38:40,960 You ask for a financial statement. 505 00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:44,960 You write to references they may give and find out about that organization. 506 00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:51,960 I could name for you this morning a man who teaches false doctrine on the radio cast for years. 507 00:38:51,960 --> 00:38:59,960 If Christians would shut off their support to him, he would be out of business in a month. 508 00:38:59,960 --> 00:39:01,960 But there are Christians who don't know what they're giving to, 509 00:39:01,960 --> 00:39:06,960 but they're impressed with his elegance and with his voice and they're just caught up with his nice words 510 00:39:06,960 --> 00:39:12,960 and they give and the man goes on teaching his heresy. 511 00:39:12,960 --> 00:39:16,960 We'll give account for that kind of waste. 512 00:39:16,960 --> 00:39:20,960 John Carthage said in the tape I listened to, and I like this, 513 00:39:20,960 --> 00:39:24,960 giving is not God's way of raising money. 514 00:39:24,960 --> 00:39:27,960 It's God's way of raising children. 515 00:39:27,960 --> 00:39:31,960 Isn't that powerful? 516 00:39:31,960 --> 00:39:35,960 I'm recognized too my responsibility for my family. 517 00:39:35,960 --> 00:39:41,960 God says if I don't provide for my family, I'm worse than an unbeliever. 518 00:39:41,960 --> 00:39:47,960 And I have a responsibility for the poor. 519 00:39:47,960 --> 00:39:52,960 I do not believe the church is going to take the welfare program of our nation, 520 00:39:52,960 --> 00:40:00,960 but I do believe that we have a primary responsibility for the poor among us, those who have needs. 521 00:40:00,960 --> 00:40:05,960 And as we can give to the poor in our community, 522 00:40:05,960 --> 00:40:10,960 and at the same time bring spiritual truth to them, 523 00:40:10,960 --> 00:40:15,960 then that too can be a legitimate ministry. 524 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:19,960 We need to be careful of the social gospel, 525 00:40:19,960 --> 00:40:22,960 which says that doing bad is giving them the gospel. 526 00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:24,960 It's not. 527 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:28,960 But we have a responsibility to the poor. 528 00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:34,960 Someone has said if you won't give me five minutes, you won't give me an hour. 529 00:40:34,960 --> 00:40:40,960 If you won't give me a nickel, you won't give me a dollar. 530 00:40:40,960 --> 00:40:47,960 If you won't give me a pocketbook, you won't give me your life. 531 00:40:47,960 --> 00:40:52,960 Does God have your life? 532 00:40:52,960 --> 00:40:56,960 Of the Macedonians, the Paulists of Paul said this, 533 00:40:56,960 --> 00:41:01,960 they first gave themselves to the Lord. 534 00:41:01,960 --> 00:41:02,960 That's the point. 535 00:41:02,960 --> 00:41:05,960 Are you the Lord's? Are you saved? 536 00:41:05,960 --> 00:41:09,960 If saved, are you living obediently? 537 00:41:09,960 --> 00:41:14,960 Are you following God's plan in your life? 538 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:18,960 Are you practicing the principles that we've talked about this morning? 539 00:41:18,960 --> 00:41:21,960 Will you? 540 00:41:21,960 --> 00:41:28,960 Heavenly Father, may we be not only hearers but doers of the Word. 541 00:41:28,960 --> 00:41:32,960 If there are some of us who have broken principles in the past 542 00:41:32,960 --> 00:41:35,960 and find ourselves today in bondage, 543 00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:42,960 I pray that you will give us a counselor 544 00:41:42,960 --> 00:41:46,960 that we may have understanding of how to get out of financial bondage 545 00:41:46,960 --> 00:41:51,960 and to get to the place of good stewardship. 546 00:41:51,960 --> 00:41:53,960 Thank you for what the Word teaches us. 547 00:41:53,960 --> 00:41:57,960 And may we now be able to respond as we ought. 548 00:41:57,960 --> 00:42:12,960 In Jesus' name, Amen. 549 00:42:27,960 --> 00:42:29,960 Amen.