Latest / Mount Eaton Church / Love GOD: Where Your Treasure Is…. - Matthew 6:19-34

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Love GOD: Where Your Treasure Is…. - Matthew 6:19-34 · Mount Eaton Church

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All right. You guys would please grab your Bibles,
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turn to Matthew 6. Also, we're going to do the
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scripture, the doctrinal focus. Let's read the
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question and then you guys will read the answer.
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What does it benefit us to know that God has
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created all things and still upholds them by
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his providence? We can be patient in adversity,
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thankful in prosperity, and with the view of
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the future, we can have a firm confidence in
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our faithful God and Father. that no creature
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shall separate us from his love. For all creatures
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are so completely in his hand that without his
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they cannot... Excellent. Thank you very much.
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All right. So, this is not going to be an easy
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sermon. You guys just don't know how providential...
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Welcome back is. It's quite cool, actually. We
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have to address this issue. So I'm going to be
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very frank and open with you. And then I'm going
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to deal with this very biblically. We are going
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to be doing a series over this next month, a
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four -part series. Love God, love his word, love
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his ways, love his things. If you haven't had
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a chance, go downstairs. You'll see on the above
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the double door. Thank you, Pam. I forgot what
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that machine is. Cricket. She cricketed it. Cricketed
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it. And that's really our purpose is to love
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God, love his word, love his ways, love his things.
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And so we're going to be dealing with those four
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parts, those four things over this next month.
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And so the first issue is to love God. And there
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is a very practical, simple, biblical way that
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God determines love, right? One. Love is obedience.
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I'll prove that. Two, it's seen in your wallet.
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Now, I don't like preaching on money messages.
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You guys know that. I've been here three years.
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We talked about money once, I think. And it was
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not even like that kind of like a giving thing
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because we were fine. But I'll make it really
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frank with you like I did with first service.
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Financially, we're in trouble. So when I got
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back, I got a phone call from finance department,
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finance. Yeah, pastor. We only got like $7 ,600
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in the bank. When we started the year, we had
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$30 ,000 in the bank. In four months, we've lost
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$25 ,000. So what's the first question I'm going
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to ask? How are we spending our money? Good news
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is it's not a spending issue. The deacons have
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done a phenomenal job in stewarding the money.
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It's not a spending issue. It's not because we're
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overspending on electric. It's not because we're
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overspending on other things. It's a giving issue.
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We have lost $10 ,000 a month in giving. So how
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does a pastor address this? Does he do like other
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pastors do? Lock the doors and, you know, got
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to pay the electric bill. It's $1 ,000. Come
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on, who wants to help? Have guys stand up here
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and people walk up and then count the money and
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then they go, oh, we're $500 short. We need to
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do five more. I'm not going to do that. Or do
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we do a marketing scheme like the rest of these
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quote -unquote churches do, put on concerts and
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fundraisers, and is that the way church is supposed
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to work? Do we create marketing schemes in order
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to raise money? No. We deal with it biblically.
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We deal with the issue biblically. There are
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three types, three people within the church when
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it comes to money. Those who give out of ignorance.
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In other words, they don't know that they're
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supposed to give and they don't know how they're
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supposed to give. And so they just don't know.
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They haven't been taught. They're new in the
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faith. And giving has a stigma to it because
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churches, bad churches, have presented giving
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in such a way that it makes it look like churches,
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all they want is money. That's not our church.
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And there are those who just don't give. They
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know they should give. They just don't give,
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and as a result of them not giving, they're living
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disobediently. And then there are those who give
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faithfully, and within that faithful group, there
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are those who give abundantly. They are generous,
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and then there are those who are not. They just
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give a little and say, I did my deed. Well, God
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deals with it in a very practical way, and that's
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how we're going to look at this today. I will
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tell you. It's sin. There is sin that leads to
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death, and there is sin that does not lead to
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death. The sin that does not lead to death is
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sin out of ignorance. I just didn't know. After
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today, you'll know. Then there is sin that is
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rebellious, that leads to death. Purposeful sin,
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unwilling to be generous with their lives. Because
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they place a value on a dollar, and they compare
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that dollar to the value of the sacrificed Son
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of God, and say, that's how much it's worth.
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And so here we go. Are you ready? We're going
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to handle this on a biblical way. I told you
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that. We talked about this in our deacons meeting
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and elder meeting. And I told them I will address
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it immediately because we can't go another month.
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If we don't change this now, the church will
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start to desize. Here's what will happen. I'm
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going to make it very clear with you what I told
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the deacons and the elders agree. We would then
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lay off the non -essential staff. After the non
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-essential staff, if things don't change, then
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we lay off Jody. After Jody comes Marilyn. After
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Marilyn comes me. After me, we sell the church.
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That is what disobedience will do. Just being
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very real with you. This church will not close.
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I am fully convinced that the Lord has established
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her for 142 years for a reason. But in order
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for us as a people of God to get to where we
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need to be spiritually with him, in the total
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surrender of our lives, we must learn to surrender
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the very thing that has the least value. But
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the thing that has the least value is the one
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thing we hold on to tighter than anything because
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we think that without it, I will not survive.
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So I will share biblically how God handles this
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issue, okay? If this was not an issue, even then,
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Christ would have never addressed it. God would
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have never addressed it. God addressed it in
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the tithe. Christ addresses it in the sacrifice.
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Either way, we must learn to give sacrificially.
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So here we go. Matthew 6. Verse 19 through 34.
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Now one of the things I want you to notice concerning
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Matthew 6, verse 19 through 34, is please be
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quick to get rid of the headings. The headings
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mean nothing. This is a continual thought that
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Christ is clearly articulating concerning the
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heart of his people. One, before he deals with
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the issue of the treasures in heaven, he deals
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with the issue of fasting. That means, am I willing
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to give up my physical body for the sake of Christ
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and to be holy and to really understand the importance
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of why I do fast? But he gets to the point where
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he deals with the treasure. And this thought
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continues from verse 19 through 34. It's a continual
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thought, not different thought, continual thought.
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You're going to see that in a minute. Here we
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go. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on
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earth. Where moth and rust destroy, where thieves
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break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves
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treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust
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destroys or thieves break in and steal. For where
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your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
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Father, I want to thank you that you are good.
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That you want our heart. You want our entire
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being. You want everything of us. as stewards
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of all that you've given. We are not the owners.
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We are the stewards. Help us to see our responsibility
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to turn our hearts towards you in obedience,
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to live rightly before a holy and mighty God,
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and to love you supremely in Jesus' name. Amen.
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The eye is the lamp of the body. So if the eye
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is healthy, your whole body will be full of light.
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But if your eye is bad, your whole body... Do
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you see the thought here? Why does he deal with
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the eye? Because we have placed our affection
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on our wallets. Therefore, That when you see
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a therefore, it's therefore because it's there
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for you to pay attention. Hope you like that
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one. That's kind of a new one. Everyone else
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usually says the same thing. I just want to be
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slightly different. I am different. Therefore,
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I tell you, do not be anxious about your life,
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what you will eat or what you will drink, nor
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about your body, what you will put on. Is not
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life more than food and the body more than clothing?
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Look at the birds of the air. They neither sow
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nor reap nor gather in the barns, yet your heavenly
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Father feeds them. And are you not more value
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than they? And which of you, being anxious, can
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add a single hour or span of life? And why are
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you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies
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of the field, how they grow. They neither toil
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nor spin. Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all
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of his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
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But if God so clothes the grass of the field,
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which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into
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the oven, will he not much more clothe you? And
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you, O you of little faith, therefore do not
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be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? Or what
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shall we drink? Or what shall we wear? Do you
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hear that? Don't hold on to your money because
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you're afraid you're not going to be able to
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pay a bill. Don't hold on to your money because
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you're afraid I've got to feed my family. Don't
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hold on to your money because I need new clothes.
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Or my kids might need sneakers. Don't hold on
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to your money because you think you're not going
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to make it. What's he say? Seek first the kingdom
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of God and his righteousness and all these things
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shall be added unto you. I am a personal testimony
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of that. When you start ministry off at 200 to
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400 and 800 hours a month for two years with
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a family of four and you're wondering how am
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I going to feed my family? When you don't have
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the money to buy the food and you give your tithe
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anyway, watch what God did. He fed, we lived
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like kings. Why? Because we didn't care. We wanted
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the kingdom of God. That's what we wanted. Therefore,
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do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow
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will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the
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day is its own trouble. Stop living for tomorrow.
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Live now. Tomorrow will take care of itself,
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and God will take care of everything. You're
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like, well, pastor, why are you talking about
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this stuff? Because people stop giving because
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they're afraid they're not going to be able to
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make their ends meet. Here's why. God owns it
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all. Literally everything. It all exists, and
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you exist for his good pleasure. You don't exist
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because you own yourself. God owns you. He owns
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the saved and the unsaved. He owns it all. Everything
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is his. You're like, what's the point of living?
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Because he is God and he deserves glory. That's
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why we live. Philippians 2 .13 clarifies the
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reality that everything exists for his pleasure.
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Colossians 1 .16 -17. On earth, visible, invisible,
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whether thrones, dominions, or rulers, or authorities,
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all things were created through him and for him.
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Who created America? Jesus did. America didn't
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exist because we wanted our freedom. America
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exists because God wanted her to exist. He established
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her. Our responsibility is to steward it. Have
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done a good job. Here we go. Verse 17 says, And
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he is before all things, and in him all things
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hold together. The literal existence of the earth
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and you being here is God literally keeps you
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from exploding. It's literal. Psalm 24. Verse
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1 and 2. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness
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thereof. The world and those who dwell therein.
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Are whose? The Lord's. Why? For he has founded
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it upon the seas and established it upon the
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rivers. Psalm 50, verse 10 through 15. For every
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beast of the forest is mine. The cattle on a
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thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills
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and all that moves in the field is mine. If I
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were hungry, I would not tell you. You think
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God needs to come to you and go, you know, I'm
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really hungry right now. Would you please give
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me something to eat? Do you think God comes to
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you and says, you know, I have a bill I have
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to pay for. I really need your help for me to
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pay it. So when I tell you that God doesn't need
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your money, He doesn't need your money. He's
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not in need of anything. He is completely self
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-sufficient and fully self -governed. He is in
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need of nothing. He is completely and totally
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satisfied within himself. There is nothing that
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God needs. Why does God do anything for his glory?
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If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the
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world and its fullness are mine. Do I eat the
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flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? No.
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Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving. When
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we give to God, it's because thank you. Everything
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I give you, everything to thank you. And perform
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your vows to the Most High. So when God calls
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us to give, it's to give a sacrifice of thanksgiving
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and to fulfill a vow that we've promised. And
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call upon me in the day of trouble. I will deliver
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you and you shall glorify me. Do you see that?
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It's not just for your benefit. He will deliver
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us and we shall glorify him in our acts of giving
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towards him. Why? God has called and made us
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alive in Christ to love. To love him specifically.
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Why do we give? Because God loved us first. God
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gave first. God gave the most valued thing first.
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We are created to love him and serve him. 1 John
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4, 7 -9 Beloved, let us love one another for
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love is from God and whoever loves has been born
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of God and knows God and anyone who does not
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love does not know God because God is love. In
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this the love of God was made manifest among
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us that God sent his only son into the world
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so that we might live through him. Do you see
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what God gave? For God so loved the world that
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he gave his only begotten son. Do you think a
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dollar is worth Jesus? Think about that. Matthew
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22. And he said to them, you shall love the Lord
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your God with all your heart and with all your
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soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest
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and first commandment. And the second is like
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it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
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On these two commandments depend all the law
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and the prophets. The entire word of God hangs
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on the command to love God and love others. Why?
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Because Christ commands us to love him. Obedience
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is not an option. It's a command. Giving is not
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an option. It's a command. God commands you to
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give. Christ commands us to love him, and the
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proof of that love is in obedience. John chapter
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14, verse 15 and 21. John 14, verse 15 and 21.
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If you love me, let me say it again. If you agape
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me, he says. If you love me, you will keep my
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commandments. Look what it says in verse 21.
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Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, it
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is he who loves me. And he who loves me will
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be loved by my father and I will love him and
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manifest myself to him. How do we know that we
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are in him and that he has manifested himself
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to us? It's because I love him and I want to
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be obedient to him. The fact that I love God,
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And I want to obey him as the reality of his
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manifestation to me because he made me love him.
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Here's the proof. 1 John 2, verse 3 through 6.
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And by this we know that we have come to know
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him if we keep his commandments. Whoever says
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I know him but does not keep his commandments
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is a liar and the truth is not in him. But whoever
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keeps his word, in him truly the love of God
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is perfected. By this we know, we may know that
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we are in him. Whoever says he abides in him
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ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
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Do you think Jesus needed anything? No. Jesus
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said, the son of man has no place to lay his
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head. Did he ever ask for a house? No. As a matter
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of fact, do you remember this little story? There's
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a bunch of people gathered outside. They're all
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sitting down and Jesus was talking. And Peter,
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you know, brave. Peter, you know Peter. He opens
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his mouth and gets himself in trouble, I think.
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He's like, hey, Jesus, I think we should send
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these people home because it's getting late and
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they need to eat. Did Jesus go, oh, my gosh,
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I need your help. What did he say to them? He
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said, you give them something to eat. It'd take
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an entire week's of work to get enough money
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to buy food for these people. And plus the next
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market is like 50 miles. I'm just being, I'm
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adding, I'm being a little bit. It wasn't like
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50 miles. I'm just saying. No, Jesus goes, you
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feed them. And what does he do? Peter goes, oh,
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okay. He said, go find some food. So he walks,
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finds a little boy. The little boy has what?
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Five loaves and? What did Jesus do? Thank you,
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Father, for all your provision. And he fed 5
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,000 people and then had 12 basketfuls left over
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eat one basket for each disciple. Do you think
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Jesus needs anything? Not at all. Look what it
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says. 1 John 5, 1 through 5. Everyone who believes
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that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.
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And everyone who loves the Father loves whoever
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has been born of him. By this we know that we
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love the children of God. I want you to hear
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this. By this we know that we love one another.
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You ready? I bet you didn't see this here. When?
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We love God and obey his commands. You mean I
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love you when I'm obedient? Yes. When I'm disobedient,
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do you think it doesn't affect you? It's like
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a ripple. Take a stone, throw it in the lake.
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What happens to the ripple? All the little secret
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things we all do behind the doors, don't you
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think that doesn't affect the church? All of
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us are affected. And I'll give you an example
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of what God dealt with me on my sabbatical. You're
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going to notice that I will no longer be on Facebook
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anymore. Facebook will be deleted officially
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on the 27th of this month. It will no longer
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exist. Almost 20 years of memories will be wiped
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out in a matter of a second. All the pictures,
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784 pictures, will be deleted. Why? Because no
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memory is worth the testimony of my life concerning
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the redemption of Christ upon me. Facebook isn't
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worth a single iota of sexual porn. That's what's
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filled with Facebook now. Gone. Done. Not supporting
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it and I don't want it. Because it's not going
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to hook me and drag me down like other men of
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God. My point, I love God. I love God. I want
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to obey him. Why? Because he lives in me. Obedience.
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Bye bye Facebook. That's good because I don't
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have any more social medias. I don't have to
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worry about it anymore. Worry about all the weird
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stuff too. For this, Is the love of God. Verse
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3. That we keep his commandments. Do you hear
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that? This is the love of God. That we keep his
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commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
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For everyone who has been born of God overcomes
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the world. And this is the victory that has overcome
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the world. Our faith. Who is it that overcomes
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the world? Except the one who believes that Jesus
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is the son of God. Two stories. I'm almost done.
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It's going to be a long. It's okay. It's church.
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Two stories I want you to see, and I want you
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to be able to see it biblically. A great act
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of love and obedience versus a great act of selfishness
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and disobedience. First, Matthew 19, verse 16
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through 22. Pay attention to the sign of disobedience.
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Here we go. And behold, a man came up to Jesus,
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came up to him saying, Teacher, what good deed
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must I do to have eternal life? Really? Which
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one should I do? Interesting statement. And he
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said to him, why do you ask me about what is
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good? There is only one who is good. If you would
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enter life, keep the commandments. That's not
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rocket science. He's a Jew. The young man said
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to him, which ones? That's what I thought. All
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of them. Like, which ones should I do? I don't
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know. Which ones feel good? Doesn't that make
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sense? And Jesus said to him, you should not
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murder, and you should not commit adultery, and
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you should not steal, and you should not bear
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false witness, honor your father or mother, and
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you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Isn't
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it interesting that the commandments that Jesus
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gives are the ones that are relational to you
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and me? How about if you love your neighbor first?
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How about if you do the last six? He uses all
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those. Do these last six. Because remember, what
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it says is if I'm loving you, I'm being obedient
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to the word. Look what it says here. Verse 20.
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The young man said to him, all these I've kept.
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What do I still lack? I should do it in like
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that rich voice. Oh, I've done all these. What
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do I lack? Doth I lack anything? Watch what Jesus
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says. It's so cool. And he says to him. Jesus
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said to him, if you would be perfect, go sell
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all. Go sell what you possess. Go sell your stuff,
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all of it. He doesn't go 10%. He doesn't say,
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hey, you know, just sell 10 % and then come follow
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me, and you keep 90. You notice that? So it's
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more than a tithe. The idea is that God wants
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all of it. He wants all of you, every ounce of
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you, every single cell. Everything. He wants
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his heart. And he says, go sell your possessions.
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Why? Because he loved his possessions. And give
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it to the poor and you will have treasure in
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heaven. Give away your stuff. Store your wealth
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up there. Come follow me. Isn't that interesting?
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Come follow me. Sell your stuff. Come follow
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me. And when the young man heard this, he went
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away sorrowful for he had great possessions.
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Disobedience. Did he obey the commands? No. Why?
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Because he loved his value, which was in his
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back pocket, more than he loved God. Luke 21,
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1 through 5. Jesus looked up and saw the rich
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putting their gifts, putting their money into
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the offering box. And he saw a poor widow put
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in two small copper coins. And he said, truly
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I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than
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all of them. For they all contributed out of
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their abundance, but she, out of her poverty,
26:20
put in all she had to live on. So it does not
26:26
matter if the government takes away your Medicaid.
26:30
Doesn't matter if it takes away your Medicare.
26:34
Doesn't matter if it takes away your SNAP. It
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doesn't matter. She gave everything she had.
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In other words, this is what she did. You know
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what? I'm really hungry today. I'm not going
26:44
to go food shopping. I'm going to give my money
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to God. And Jesus notes that. She gave all she
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had to live on. You know what that means? I'll
26:54
put it this way. Mark puts it this way. Mark
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chapter 12, verse 41 through 44. Now Jesus sat
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opposite the treasury. Interesting, it's his
27:02
treasury. He was like sitting outside of his
27:04
bank. He was like, that's kind of cool. And saw
27:07
how the people put money in the treasury. And
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many who were rich put in much. Then one poor
27:13
widow came and threw in two mites, which make
27:17
a quadrants. So he called his disciples to himself
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and said, Assuredly, I say to you that this poor
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widow has put in more than all those who had
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given to the treasury. Everyone who put money
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in, all of that money doesn't compare in the
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economy of God, the value of this woman. Watch
27:40
what it says. For they all put in out of their
27:44
abundance. But she, out of her poverty, put in
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all that she had. Her whole livelihood. That's
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giving. God doesn't need your abundance. He wants
28:00
all of you. That's what he wants. 2 Corinthians
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chapter 2. Now, I'm going to summarize this.
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Because it's a long chapter. So here's what happens.
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So Paul writes a letter to the Corinthians and
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says, hey, do you remember the church in Jerusalem?
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They need your money. And you made a vow that
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you would give a gift, financially support them
28:27
so that they're not struggling. I'm calling you
28:30
on your vow. So what he does is he sends men
28:33
out there. To let them know ahead of time because
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he doesn't want to go there with the people of
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Macedonia and then find out that they weren't
28:41
ready and that it makes him look bad. And so
28:44
he's like, I want to do that. So I'd rather send
28:47
some dues for you so you can get ready because
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we're going to come and we're going to collect
28:51
the money that you promised. You made a vow to
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do it. Verse 6, 2 Corinthians 9, verse 6. The
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point is this. Whoever sows sparingly will also
29:03
reap sparingly. Whoever sows bountifully will
29:05
also reap bountifully. Each one must give as
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he's decided in the heart, not reluctantly or
29:10
under compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.
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And God is able to make all grace abound to you
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so that having all sufficiency in all things
29:21
at all times, you may abound in every good work
29:24
as it is written. He, God, has distributed freely.
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God was generous to you. He has given to the
29:35
poor. His righteousness endures forever. So he
29:38
who supplies seed to the sower, God, and bread
29:41
for food will supply and multiply your seed for
29:46
sowing and increasing your harvest for your righteousness.
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In other words, whatever you give, God will give
29:53
to take care of you. The point is, he calls them
29:56
out to hold the vow that they made. They made
29:59
a vow. This is what we're going to do. And Paul
30:02
says it's time to pay. Look what it says, verse
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12. For the ministry of this service is not only
30:10
supplying the needs of the saints, but also overflowing
30:14
in many thanksgivings to God. Your giving supplies
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the needs of the saints and is a sacrifice of
30:22
thanksgiving to God. That's what he means here.
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Why do I say that? You made a vow. You made a
30:29
vow in October. Article 5, membership, section
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3, membership responsibility. Members shall strive
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to attain the maturity in Christ by the increase
30:39
in the knowledge of the Son of God to keep...
30:42
The unity of the faith to speak the truth in
30:45
love, to grow in every way into him who is the
30:48
head so that the church builds itself up in love.
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Do you hear that? Your responsibility as a member
30:53
is that you're going to commit to walking in
30:55
obedience through the work of sanctification.
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That's what this means. You notice we deal with
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the issue of obedience first. That's the important
31:03
part. They shall constantly strive to walk worthy
31:08
of their high calling and seek control. Seek.
31:11
control of every unholy disposition. The honor,
31:15
stability, and effectiveness of the church is
31:18
dependent upon the prayers, labors, and financial
31:23
support of its members. All members, therefore,
31:27
are expected to faithfully bear a just portion
31:30
of the necessary expenses of the church and contribute
31:34
regularly to their means in proportion as God
31:38
has prospered you. Envelopes will be provided
31:41
and online giving options are available for this
31:43
purpose. You vowed that when you voted on this
31:47
Constitution. That's your vow. It's not mine.
31:49
It's mine because I took it. It's a vow you made.
31:52
I'm holding you accountable to your vow. Here's
31:54
the promise. You know what the promise was that
31:57
we all made? Unanimously, mind you. It's called
32:01
the budget. We promised to provide enough money
32:05
for a budget of $306 ,000. Let's take Knowlton
32:09
out. Let's get rid of Knowlton since they're
32:12
not going to be here. It's actually $285 ,000.
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That's the budget promise you made. In order
32:18
to meet that budget, we must be at $25 ,000 a
32:21
month. We are getting $2 ,400 a week, $9 ,000
32:28
a month. You know what that covers? Look in your
32:31
budget. You'll know. We can pay our regular bills
32:36
with that. But staff, not possible. So that's
32:40
the promise you made. I'm holding you accountable
32:43
to your promise. As a pastor, you know what?
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Most pastors avoid this stuff because they're
32:48
afraid. I'm not. I've got to manage my house.
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I've got to manage this house. When things are
32:54
rough at home, we have to have a discussion.
32:57
Sometimes it gets a little, huh, it's about money,
33:00
right? We don't want to always agree. But we've
33:03
got to do what we've got to do because if we
33:05
don't. The house folds. We can't do that. As
33:08
a pastor, I'm not going to do that. I'm not going
33:10
to do that. I'm not going to be like the rest
33:11
of these false teachers out there begging you
33:13
for money, trying to create some scheme. I'm
33:16
going to hold you accountable to the things that
33:17
God holds me accountable to. If he's going to
33:20
hold me accountable to his word and being obedient
33:22
and giving, I'm going to hold you accountable
33:23
to it. Why should I have to be held at a higher
33:26
standard than you? God holds us all at the same
33:28
standard. And as a pastor, I have to rebuke you
33:31
sometimes and also build you up. All scripture
33:34
is... God breathed and is useful for? Rebuke,
33:37
correction, teaching, and training in righteousness.
33:40
So let's keep reading. Here's what R .C. Sproul
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has to say concerning this. God instituted in
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order to support the Levites who had no tribal
33:50
allocation of land, the Levites were set apart
33:55
to take care of the spiritual and educational
33:57
responsibilities of the nation. And their work
34:01
and physical necessities were paid for by the
34:04
tithe. The labor is due his wages. So when you
34:08
don't give like you promised you would give,
34:10
it not only affects our ability to preach and
34:13
proclaim the gospel, it affects the livelihood
34:16
of the pastors. Not good. Under the new covenant.
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The tithe, that's in Numbers 18. Under the new
34:25
covenant, the tithe continues to support the
34:27
work of the building up of the people in the
34:29
truth of God and reaching sinners with the gospel.
34:32
Christ works through churches, seminaries, parachurch
34:36
organizations, missionaries, and many others
34:39
to build and grow his kingdom. Guess who will
34:43
be affected if we don't give? All the missionaries
34:47
we have. Most important investment. we can ever
34:51
make is in the kingdom of God because it has
34:54
eternal returns. Don't store up treasures on
34:57
earth, store up treasures in heaven. Your return,
35:01
eternal return, is greater than anything any
35:04
man could ever give you. These returns, quote
35:07
unquote, these returns are not just for us, but
35:10
also for our family, our children, and our grandchildren.
35:14
This generation of Christians must invest in
35:18
the things of God for the sake of the next generation.
35:21
If you don't do it now, your children won't do
35:24
it. And you wonder why churches are closing and
35:27
why other churches are opening. Because they
35:30
have marketing schemes. Know what their marketing
35:32
scheme is? Minister to the gays. Because they're
35:35
loaded. Give them a place where they feel accepted
35:39
to be exactly as they want to be. Never really
35:42
dealing with the condition of the heart. Letting
35:44
them die in their sin. That's a marketing scheme.
35:47
Not really dealing with the spiritual reality
35:49
of the eternity. They're dying without Christ,
35:53
thinking they're going to heaven because they
35:54
go to a church. This article is written by R
35:58
.C. Sproul in 2024 at Ligonier .org. Articles,
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stewardship, tithing, and giving. So why do I
36:07
share this? Because eventually all of this will
36:11
affect our ability to do ministry. And it affects
36:14
people. And our church needs to get to the next
36:16
place it needs to be. I don't think God's closing
36:19
our doors. Honestly. You know what I think God
36:22
is doing? He's disciplining us. He's turning
36:26
our heart toward him. Because the world is changing.
36:30
Changing drastically, very fast. Everyone else
36:34
will fold. But if we love God. and are obedient
36:37
to him, and do what his word says, we will survive
36:42
and last. That's what I think he's doing, okay?
36:46
So that's my challenge to you. Very frank, very
36:50
straightforward, very to the point. I hope and
36:53
pray it hit on the right heart, and I didn't
36:57
come out condemning because that wasn't my goal,
36:59
but I did want to come out and rebuke and deal
37:02
and love you. If I did not love you, I would
37:06
have lied to you and just kept on doing our same
37:08
thing. It's okay. But that's not the kind of
37:11
guy I am, nor the pastor I am. Okay? So let's
37:15
lock arm in arm, and let's continue working for
37:18
the kingdom of God, seeking first his kingdom.
37:20
God will take care of us, and he will take care
37:23
of you personally. Stop worrying about it. Trust
37:27
him. He will do it. And there are testimonies
37:30
upon testimonies, which we'll probably share
37:32
next week. Okay? Do a little bit of testimony
37:35
time next week on how God has done great things
37:38
through his word. Okay? All right. I love you.
37:42
Thank you. Thank you. It's a rebuke. It's a correction.
37:46
It's a training. I mean, it's a teaching. Now,
37:48
go train. Go practice. Follow the word of God.
37:51
You'll be good. Trust me. Trust him. Don't trust
37:54
me. I shouldn't have said trust me. Trust God.
38:00
All right. Father, I want to thank you so much
38:01
for your goodness and faithfulness to you. Be
38:03
honor and glory forever in Jesus' name. Amen.