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Stewarding Our Money · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Money, possessions is a hot and dangerous subject in the church sometimes.
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! It ought not to be though, but just a disclaimer,
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I'm just going to be faithful to read the Word and try to expound on what it says.
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If something is my opinion, I'll make it clear that it's my opinion.
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And if you have a problem, I guess, with what the Word says,
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like if you're going to throw something at me, you're going to hit Jesus.
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I'm just going to try to do my best just to say what the Word says.
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And let it fall.
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Because it's really tempting on this particular topic just to give you a bunch of rules and laws.
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Like, give this much, go and do this.
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And I don't think that that's the goal of what Jesus is aiming at.
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But I'm still learning, I'm still wrestling with this topic.
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Feel free to continue to do that.
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So I have three points for you as we walk through Matthew 6.
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Let's read the text together.
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Matthew 6, verse 19.
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Jesus says,
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If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light.
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But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.
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If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness?
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No one can serve two masters.
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For either he will hate the one and love the other,
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or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.
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You cannot serve God and money.
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Just join me in a quick word of prayer.
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Father, we just offer up this time to you again.
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Just work in through me, Lord, if you would be pleased.
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Help us to see the meaning of what you have inspired here in your holy word.
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And help us by your spirit, Lord, to apply this to our hearts.
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Give us eyes to see and ears to hear.
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In Christ's name, amen.
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Amen.
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So point number one.
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Point number one.
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Walking through this text.
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And it just comes right out of the text.
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But very clearly, point number one.
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There are two kinds of treasures.
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There are two kinds of treasures.
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He said,
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Do not lay for yourselves treasures on the earth where moth and rust destroy,
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and where thieves break in and steal.
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But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.
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So really quickly, without like over-defining this word,
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the word treasure just simply means what you love, what you treasure,
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what you value, what you cherish.
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Right?
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That's what you treasure.
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It's what your heart takes delight in.
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It's what gets you out of bed every morning
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and keeps you going throughout the day.
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Our English word, worship,
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is connected to this idea of what we hold to be the most worthy thing.
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We worship what we have the greatest focus on as our worth.
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The worth or value of something.
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And everyone has a treasure.
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Now notice that Jesus says,
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We shouldn't have a treasure.
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He doesn't say that.
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He just says,
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Be careful to choose wisely what that treasure is.
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Okay?
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So he doesn't forbid treasure.
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He just wants us to be careful at what we choose to make our treasure.
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And so the first kind of treasure that he mentions here is earthly.
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Right there in verse 24,
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he refers to treasures in verse 24 as mammon.
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Okay?
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That's just a Semitic word for money or material possessions.
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It's what's in your bank and your wallet and your purse
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and what's all the stuff that you've accumulated.
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But today in America,
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I think I can say this with a great deal of confidence.
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I'm not, you know, I don't know everything.
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But as a history guy,
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I can tell you that we live in one of the wealthiest, affluent,
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prosperous countries in the history of the world.
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It's just true.
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Even if you're a college student,
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you have more money than most of the rest of the world does.
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I think you're in the top 1 or 2% of the wealthiest people,
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which is shocking to us, right?
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But in America,
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money, possessions, wealth, comforts, luxuries
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are what we have in our civilization all around us.
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In short, though,
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earthly treasures are what are seen
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and what are temporal.
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Okay?
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An earthly treasure is what we can see
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and what is temporal,
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something that's actually not going to last forever.
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The second treasure,
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very clearly, just right out of the text,
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is a heavenly treasure, right?
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So, heavenly treasure is not just
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a heavenly version of mammon.
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It's not big houses or riches or toys or stuff
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to play around with when we get to heaven.
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No.
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The Scripture reveals
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that heaven will have something
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far greater than all these things.
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Scripture clearly teaches us
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that the treasure of heaven
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is the king of heaven.
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It's not the stuff that we get to do in heaven,
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the toys that we get to play with.
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It is, heaven is synonymous
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with the presence of God.
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All right?
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So, when we talk about the gospel,
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we're not talking about just getting people
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to not go to hell
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and go to heaven.
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We're talking about saving people
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unto God,
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unto His presence.
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He is the king of heaven.
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Psalm 16.
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Many of you know this.
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You make known to me the path of life
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and in your presence
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there is fullness of joy.
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And at your right hand
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there are pleasures forevermore.
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This is why Paul could say,
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after considering everything he's done,
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everything he's had,
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he says,
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I can count all things lost
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in comparison to knowing
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Christ Jesus my Lord.
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Right out of Revelation 21,
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verse 3,
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towards the end,
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when the new heaven
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and the new earth have come,
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you want to get a glimpse of heaven,
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this is it.
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John says,
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I heard a loud voice
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from the throne saying,
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Behold,
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the dwelling place
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of God
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is with man.
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Right?
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Remember this?
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He will dwell with them
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and they will be His people
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and God Himself
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will be with them
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as their God.
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This is a picture of it.
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It's a picture of
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presence and fellowship
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with God forever.
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And remember,
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Jesus prayed
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in John 17,
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praying to the Father.
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He mentions this.
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This is eternal life.
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Okay,
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so what is eternal life?
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Right?
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It's not just living forever
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and not dying.
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It's more than that.
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Jesus says,
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eternal life
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is that they know you,
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the only true God
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and Jesus Christ
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whom you have sent.
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Shortly after that,
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in verse 24,
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He prays,
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Father,
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I desire
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that they whom you've given me
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may be with me
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where I am
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so that they may
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see my glory
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that you have given me
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because you love me
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before the foundation
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of the world.
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So all these images
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of heaven
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that we have
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throughout Scripture
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are more about
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the fall
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being restored
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and regaining
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what was lost
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because of sin
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and being in God's presence
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forever.
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A period of many years ago,
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it might be attributed
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to Richard Baxter
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possibly,
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but I've always
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really loved this quote.
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He says,
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a believer's life
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is very different
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from an unbeliever's life.
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So also,
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a believer's death
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is also very different
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from an unbeliever's death.
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The believer
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prefers
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heaven to hell.
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Excuse me.
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The unbeliever
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prefers heaven to hell.
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The believer
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prefers heaven
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over earth.
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See that?
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The believer desires
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heaven above earth.
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The unbeliever
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prefers heaven
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only over hell
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because he cannot
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imagine anything
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more blessed
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than this life.
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But,
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the believer
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prefers heaven
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over earth
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because the believer
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cannot imagine
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anything
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more blessed
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than life
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with God.
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And that's it.
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Though heaven
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there has many blessings
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to be in God's presence
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forever
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is the greatest
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thing
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possible.
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So,
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Jesus means
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to devote your life
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to accumulating
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treasures
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that are in heaven
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and not
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on the earth.
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Alright?
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So,
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Scripture
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gives much attention
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to the teachings
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on money
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and possessions.
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Much.
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just looking
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at the Gospels
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alone,
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it's said
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that nearly
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15%
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of everything
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that Jesus
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said
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connected
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to this topic.
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He used money
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in some way
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more than even
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teaching on
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heaven and hell
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combined.
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So,
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interesting enough
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though,
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tithing,
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which is the
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Old Testament
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maximum,
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or should I say
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minimum,
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of your income,
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Jesus only refers
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to it one time
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and that's it.
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And this is what
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he says,
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you tithe
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even your spices,
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he said to the
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Pharisees,
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that's right,
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you should,
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but you have
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neglected the
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weightier matters
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of the law,
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justice and mercy
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and faithfulness.
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So,
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in other words,
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you're just doing
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what's required
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of you
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and nothing more.
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You're not really
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getting at the
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heart of the law.
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And so,
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I have another
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thought or opinion
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on the tithe,
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but I always,
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just really quickly,
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I say,
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it's a good
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starting point
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for giving,
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but not a law
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that translates
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into the new
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covenant,
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I would say.
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Come talk to me
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later.
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So,
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our hearts
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and our treasures.
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Why does the
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Bible talk so much
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about money
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and possessions?
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Like,
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why?
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Jesus gives us
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an answer.
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He just says,
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from where your
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treasure is,
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there your heart
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will be also.
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It talks about it
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a lot because
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there's a real
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fundamental connection
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between our
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spiritual lives
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and what we think
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and how we use
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our money.
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It's just there.
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It just reveals
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where we are.
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Jesus says,
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your desires
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show you
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what you love
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and you treasure
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and you worship.
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Your desires
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reveal that.
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So,
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what you treasure
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will show you
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who your God is.
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who you ultimately
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treasure
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will show you
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who your God is.
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Many years ago,
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many years ago,
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when I was in college,
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myself,
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Nathan,
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and Wes Shelnut
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would drive down
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and we would hear
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Louis Giglio preach.
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Not a perfect guy,
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but I appreciate
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what I've learned
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from him over the years.
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But,
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he says,
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how do you find out
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what you worship?
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How can you know
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what you worship?
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He says,
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you simply follow
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the trail of your time,
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your affection,
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your money,
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and your loyalty.
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At the end of that trail,
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you will find a throne.
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And whatever
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or whomever
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is on that throne
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is what is the highest value
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to you.
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Okay?
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So,
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you follow that trail
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wherever it is.
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That's where it leads,
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right?
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So,
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what does the issue
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of money and possessions,
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why does it make us
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so uncomfortable,
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right?
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Well,
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evidently,
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it just reveals
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how we live.
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What's on that throne
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of our lives?
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Do we live with a view
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of the goal of life
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as just to accumulate things?
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Or,
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do we accumulate things
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that will have
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an eternal value
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one day?
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Jesus says,
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right,
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that a mark
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of a true believer
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means that his eyes
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are on heaven.
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they're on the eternal,
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in the unseen,
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not the temporal.
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He also says here
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clearly
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in our text
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in verse 24
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that there's no middle ground.
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Because some people
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want to be able
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to say,
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can't we store up
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treasures in both places?
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Is that an option?
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Can we like have
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a lot here
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and then a lot there?
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And,
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I hate to disappoint
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myself and you,
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but Jesus says no.
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I mean,
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you can have
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some treasures
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here on the earth
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and store up
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some treasures
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in heaven,
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right?
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But,
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clearly,
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he says,
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no one can serve
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two masters.
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For one will either
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hate the one
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and love the other,
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or,
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he will be devoted
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to one
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and despise the other.
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Then,
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he gives us the answer.
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You cannot
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serve God
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and money,
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right?
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And,
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he uses the word,
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the servant here idea
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is this word
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of a slave.
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Not an employee,
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right?
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But a slave.
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A slave's soul
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is the sole property
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of one master,
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okay?
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And his service
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is exclusively
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for that one master.
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So,
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either you will be
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mastered by money,
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ignore God,
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and seek to make him
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a servant of your
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earthly kingdom,
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or,
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you'll be mastered
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by the living God
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and make money
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a servant of his kingdom.
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It's not,
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you can't have it
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both ways.
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This is why Jesus said
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it's hard for a rich man
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to enter the kingdom
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of heaven.
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It's very hard.
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Okay?
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And so,
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in this culture,
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though,
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it was wrongly taught
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that if you were poor,
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or you didn't have a lot,
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then somehow you weren't
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really as pleasing to God.
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But if you had
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a lot of wealth
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and a lot of affluence,
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that's why the religious
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leaders just thought
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that they were A-OK
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with God,
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it meant, like,
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God's blessing you.
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Look at your life.
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Like,
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how could he not be
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happy with how you live?
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Spurgeon once wisely said,
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if earthly goods
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were of much value,
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the Lord would not give
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so large a measure of it
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to those who have
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the least of his love.
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Very heavy.
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If earthly goods
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were of much value,
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the Lord would not give
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such a large measure of it
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to those who have
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the least of his love.
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So it's not a good indication
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of whether or not
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you're living a life
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pleasing to God or not.
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Right?
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Then he goes down
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and he mentions the eye
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being the lamp
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of the body.
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The eye is similar
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to the heart.
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It reveals the qualities
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of someone's inner life.
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Right?
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A healthy eye
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or a clear vision
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suggests loyalty
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and devotion to God.
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While a bad eye
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or like an impaired vision
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means sinful corruption.
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So which treasure
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are you seeking?
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Which one am I seeking?
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Which will master you?
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It will be evident
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in your life.
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Our lives show these things.
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In Matthew 5, 22 there,
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he says,
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the eye is the lamp
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of the body.
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If it's healthy,
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your whole body
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will be full of light.
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But if your eye is bad,
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your whole body
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will be full of darkness.
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If then the light
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is in you as darkness,
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how great is that darkness?
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So,
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this gets on to point number two.
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So there's the admonition.
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There's two treasures.
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An earthly one
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and a heavenly one.
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Point number two.
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Don't
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set your heart
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on things
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that won't last.
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Don't set your heart
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on things
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that won't last.
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Right out of verse 19.
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Do not lay up
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for yourselves
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treasures
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on this earth
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where moth
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and rust
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destroy
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and where thieves
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break in
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and steal.
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So,
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Jesus is warning us
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against making
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these things
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that are temporal
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and seen
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to be the ultimate things.
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To be our ultimate treasure.
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Don't spend your life,
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your life,
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your goal,
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the focus of your life
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just set on storing up
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money and material possessions
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because they will rot.
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They won't last.
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You can't take it with you.
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Nothing will be taken with you.
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Nothing goes on
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to this next life
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that is from this world.
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It will all stay here.
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You'll find
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no U-Hauls behind
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somebody may know that.
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No U-Hauls behind the hearse.
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Right?
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Proverbs 23 verse 4.
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Do not toil
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to acquire wealth.
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When your eyes light on it,
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it is gone
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for it has suddenly
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sprout swings,
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flying like an eagle
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toward heaven.
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So,
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in this life,
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money will just disappear.
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Scripture never says,
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again,
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that money in and of itself
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is evil.
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So,
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don't hear that.
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Scripture very clearly says
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the love of money
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is the root of all evil.
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Money is just a tool.
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But sadly,
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our sinful hearts
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use it
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to attain
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our idols,
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use it to obtain
18:33
things that we
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pursue
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inordinately.
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So,
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Paul says,
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money isn't evil,
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but we have to be
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very,
18:41
very careful
18:41
and cautious
18:42
dealing with it.
18:44
Because it's a powerful
18:45
thing that can
18:46
master us.
18:48
I'm trying to limit
18:49
the number of times
18:49
you have to turn
18:50
for sake of time,
18:51
but turn,
18:51
hold your hand there,
18:52
but turn to 1 Timothy
18:53
chapter 6
18:55
really quickly.
18:57
1 Timothy
18:58
chapter 6
18:59
and go to
19:01
verse 6.
19:07
1 Timothy
19:08
chapter 6
19:09
verse 6.
19:09
Paul writing to
19:10
his apprentice
19:11
Timothy.
19:12
He says,
19:13
but godliness
19:14
with contentment
19:15
is great gain.
19:18
Here it is.
19:19
For we brought
19:19
nothing into the world
19:21
and we cannot
19:22
take anything
19:23
out of the world.
19:24
but if we have
19:26
food and clothing,
19:28
with these
19:29
we will be content.
19:31
But those
19:31
who desire
19:32
to be rich
19:33
fall into temptation,
19:36
into a snare,
19:37
into many senseless
19:38
and harmful desires
19:39
that plunge people
19:40
into ruin
19:42
and destruction.
19:44
For the love
19:45
of money
19:45
is the root
19:46
of all kinds
19:47
of evil.
19:48
It is through
19:49
this craving
19:50
that some
19:50
have wandered
19:51
away from the faith
19:52
and pierced
19:53
themselves
19:54
with many
19:54
pangs.
19:56
So in short,
19:58
if you are
19:58
pursuing an
19:59
earthly treasure,
20:00
it will be
20:01
a diminishing
20:01
return.
20:03
So stop
20:04
thinking that
20:05
mere accumulation
20:06
of money
20:06
and material
20:07
junk is going
20:08
to satisfy.
20:09
It won't.
20:11
And most of us
20:12
who have lived
20:12
longer,
20:13
we know that.
20:14
We're like,
20:15
it never ever
20:16
delivers on
20:17
what it promises.
20:18
Ever.
20:19
No matter what it is.
20:21
Whether it's money
20:22
or any kind
20:22
of possession,
20:23
I once dug up
20:24
a list of things
20:25
that I wanted
20:25
to obtain
20:26
when I was
20:26
in high school.
20:28
I was working
20:28
a job
20:29
and getting paid
20:29
$8.50 an hour,
20:30
which was huge
20:31
back then.
20:32
And I thought,
20:32
man, I want this,
20:33
I want that,
20:34
I want that.
20:35
And I'm pretty sure
20:37
I attained all those
20:38
things,
20:38
and man,
20:39
it did not bring me
20:41
the satisfaction
20:42
I thought it would.
20:44
And so,
20:46
we need to beware
20:48
of making all
20:49
the junk and toys
20:50
of this temporal
20:51
life our treasure.
20:53
They are not.
20:56
Scripture,
20:56
and I'm pretty sure
20:57
history just teaches,
20:58
there is no positive
21:00
correlation at all
21:02
whatsoever between
21:03
joy and material things.
21:06
None, right?
21:08
It's foolish
21:09
and it's damning.
21:10
That's what Jesus
21:10
says here.
21:12
He says,
21:13
in another part,
21:14
it's easier for a camel
21:15
to go through
21:16
the eye of a needle
21:17
than it is for a rich man
21:19
to enter the kingdom
21:19
of heaven.
21:21
Why does he say that?
21:22
Because a rich man
21:23
is tempted to focus
21:24
on the gift
21:25
and forget the giver.
21:27
The rich man
21:28
is tempted to find
21:29
some security
21:30
or some kind of
21:31
fickled happiness
21:33
in his riches.
21:35
There is nothing there,
21:36
no positive correlation
21:37
at all.
21:39
I think if
21:40
one text lands on us,
21:43
lands on me,
21:44
I'm including myself,
21:45
I think it would be
21:47
Luke chapter 12
21:49
where Jesus
21:52
very clearly teaches
21:53
on this.
21:53
I think this is just
21:54
such a picture
21:55
of the way we are
21:58
in the West.
22:00
And it's been this way
22:00
for a long time.
22:01
Luke 12 verse 13,
22:04
if you want to turn there.
22:06
Someone in the crowd
22:07
said to him,
22:07
Teacher,
22:08
tell my brother
22:09
to divide the inheritance
22:11
with me.
22:12
But he says,
22:13
man, who made me
22:15
a judge
22:15
arduber over you?
22:18
He said to them,
22:19
take care
22:19
and guard yourself
22:20
against all forms
22:22
of covetousness.
22:23
And here's this phrase,
22:25
listen,
22:26
for one's life
22:27
does not consist
22:29
in the abundance
22:30
of his possessions.
22:32
And he told them
22:33
a parable saying,
22:35
the land of a rich man
22:36
produced plentifully.
22:38
And he thought to himself,
22:40
what shall I do
22:41
for I have nowhere
22:42
to store up my crops?
22:44
And he says,
22:45
I'll do this.
22:46
I will tear down my barns,
22:48
build larger ones,
22:50
and there I will store
22:51
all my grain
22:52
and my goods.
22:53
And I will say
22:54
to my soul,
22:55
soul,
22:56
you have ample goods
22:58
laid up for many years.
23:00
Relax,
23:01
eat,
23:02
drink,
23:03
be merry.
23:05
This kind of sounds
23:06
like what we do
23:07
in the West,
23:08
isn't it?
23:08
But God said to him,
23:12
fool,
23:13
this night
23:14
your soul
23:15
is required of you
23:16
and the things
23:18
you have prepared,
23:19
whose will they be?
23:22
And then he wraps it up.
23:23
Jesus says,
23:24
so it is
23:24
the one who lays up
23:25
treasures for himself
23:27
and is not rich
23:29
toward God.
23:32
Very hard.
23:35
Very convicting.
23:36
I'll skip this part
23:38
for the sake of time,
23:39
I think,
23:40
but in Ecclesiastes
23:41
chapter 5
23:42
verses 10 through 15,
23:46
this is where
23:47
we believe that Solomon
23:48
more than likely
23:49
was Solomon,
23:51
is reflecting on
23:52
money
23:53
because he had
23:54
a ton of it
23:54
and he basically says
23:56
it's vanity.
23:57
It doesn't satisfy.
23:59
It never is enough.
24:01
It only seems to take life
24:02
more than anything.
24:03
So,
24:06
this just jumps
24:07
to point number 3.
24:10
Point number 3
24:12
is set your heart
24:16
on things
24:17
that will last forever.
24:19
Set your heart
24:20
on things
24:20
that will last forever.
24:23
That's in verse 20.
24:24
Jesus says,
24:25
lay up for yourselves
24:27
treasures in heaven
24:28
where neither moth
24:30
nor rust destroys
24:31
and where thieves
24:33
do not break in
24:34
and steal.
24:36
So,
24:37
the treasure in heaven
24:38
will not rot
24:39
and will not rust
24:40
and no one can steal it.
24:42
So,
24:42
we,
24:43
as believers,
24:44
those who have been
24:45
reconciled to Christ,
24:46
reconciled to God
24:47
through Christ
24:48
who belonged to Him,
24:50
we can make
24:50
spiritual deposits
24:52
for life
24:53
in eternity.
24:55
in Colossians chapter 3,
24:58
Paul says,
24:58
if you have been
24:59
raised with Christ,
25:01
seek the things
25:02
that are above
25:03
where Christ is,
25:05
seated at the right hand
25:06
of God.
25:07
Set your minds
25:08
on things
25:08
that are above,
25:10
not on things
25:11
on the earth.
25:13
For you have died
25:14
and your life
25:15
is hidden
25:15
in Christ Jesus.
25:18
Right?
25:18
So,
25:20
that's a command,
25:21
right?
25:21
It's not like,
25:22
maybe,
25:24
I'm going to encourage you to.
25:25
It's a command.
25:26
Seek the things
25:28
that are above.
25:29
Set your minds
25:30
on the things
25:31
that are above
25:32
and not on the earth.
25:35
So,
25:36
what is the remedy,
25:38
then,
25:39
for what we would say
25:40
is greed
25:40
or hoarding?
25:42
The remedy
25:43
is giving.
25:45
That's God's remedy
25:46
to keep that idol
25:48
in check,
25:49
to keep our money
25:50
from overcoming us.
25:52
We're to distribute
25:53
and not accumulate.
25:56
Jesus says,
25:57
possessions on earth
25:58
are not for accumulating
25:59
but for distributing
26:00
in ways
26:01
that honor Christ.
26:04
Right?
26:05
And that increase
26:06
our joy
26:07
that are in heaven.
26:09
So,
26:10
the remedy
26:10
for hoarding
26:11
is giving.
26:12
Proverbs 22,
26:13
verse 9,
26:14
He who is generous
26:15
will be blessed.
26:18
Acts 20,
26:19
35,
26:19
it is more blessed
26:20
to give
26:21
than to receive.
26:24
So,
26:24
God,
26:26
I'm trying to remember
26:27
who I once heard this from
26:28
but it doesn't matter.
26:31
God blesses us
26:32
with money
26:33
and possessions
26:33
so that we might
26:35
use them
26:36
in a way
26:37
that shows
26:39
they are not
26:40
our treasure
26:41
but God is.
26:43
Okay?
26:43
to make
26:45
intentional
26:46
decisions
26:47
that show
26:49
that Christ
26:50
is our treasure.
26:52
Jesus says
26:53
in Luke 12,
26:54
33,
26:54
Sell your possessions,
26:56
give to the needy,
26:57
provide for yourselves
26:58
with money bags
26:59
that do not grow old
27:00
with a treasure
27:01
that is in heaven
27:02
that does not fail
27:03
where no thief
27:05
approaches
27:05
and no moth destroys
27:07
for where your treasure
27:07
is that your heart
27:08
will be also.
27:09
So,
27:11
I want you to think
27:14
about where your
27:15
true home is.
27:17
Okay?
27:17
My wife and I
27:18
just moved into
27:18
a new house.
27:21
Where is
27:22
your true home?
27:26
Often,
27:26
our single
27:27
greatest deterrent
27:28
to giving
27:28
and living more
27:30
simply
27:31
is this illusion
27:31
that this world
27:32
is our home.
27:34
You're full,
27:35
you're fickled.
27:36
That's what causes us
27:37
to think that.
27:40
Where we choose
27:41
to store up
27:41
our treasures
27:42
depend largely
27:43
on where we see
27:43
our home.
27:45
The believer,
27:47
the child of God,
27:48
heaven is our home.
27:51
Scripture says
27:51
that we are pilgrims,
27:53
strangers,
27:54
aliens.
27:56
We're not settlers.
27:58
Alright?
27:59
That's Hebrews 11, 13.
28:01
We're ambassadors
28:02
representing
28:03
our true country
28:04
and our true king.
28:05
2 Corinthians 5.
28:08
Philippians 3.
28:09
Our citizenship
28:10
is in heaven.
28:12
We are citizens
28:13
of a better country,
28:15
a heavenly one.
28:16
Hebrews 11, 16.
28:19
So I'll try to
28:20
give you this analogy
28:21
without taking up
28:21
too much time.
28:23
Let's say
28:24
that someone
28:25
from England
28:27
moved over here
28:29
for a job.
28:31
And in that job description
28:32
they said
28:32
you can make
28:33
a ton of money
28:34
in this job.
28:35
Alright?
28:36
But you're only
28:37
going to be here
28:37
for an indefinite
28:38
amount of time.
28:39
We don't know
28:39
how long
28:39
this job
28:40
is going to take
28:40
so there's uncertainty.
28:42
And you're going
28:43
to make a ton
28:43
of money here
28:44
but just keep
28:44
this in mind.
28:45
Whatever you spend
28:46
here stays here.
28:47
You can't take
28:48
any material stuff
28:49
back to England
28:50
with you at all.
28:52
So,
28:53
but you can
28:55
wire your money
28:56
back to England.
28:58
Right?
28:58
You see the difference there?
29:00
So if that was true
29:01
you probably would
29:01
just like
29:02
live in somewhere
29:03
that didn't cost
29:04
too much money.
29:05
You would just keep
29:06
you would just spend
29:07
your money on the
29:07
bare necessity
29:08
and you would send
29:08
a ton of money back.
29:10
Right?
29:10
Because you can't
29:10
take anything with you.
29:12
You can't take
29:12
anything back overseas
29:13
when you leave.
29:16
And very similar
29:17
we do not know
29:18
how long
29:19
we are going to be
29:19
on this earth.
29:20
We don't know.
29:22
But we can
29:22
store up treasures
29:23
that are in heaven.
29:25
We can push that
29:26
forward.
29:27
Right?
29:27
It would be foolish
29:28
to spend so much
29:30
of it here.
29:32
It would be foolish.
29:34
So don't spend
29:35
too much time
29:35
and money
29:36
and energy
29:36
on all the things
29:38
of this world.
29:40
Hebrews 13
29:41
keep your life
29:42
free from the love
29:43
of money
29:43
and be content
29:44
with what you have.
29:47
For he has said
29:48
to us
29:48
I will never
29:49
leave you
29:50
or forsake you.
29:52
That is Jesus
29:53
speaking to us.
29:54
So the best thing
29:55
I can do
29:56
I think
29:57
is to give you
29:57
some examples
29:58
of what this
30:00
looks like.
30:01
It is better
30:01
to give you
30:02
pictures of it
30:02
than to give you
30:03
a bunch of
30:03
rules and regulations.
30:07
And these
30:08
have challenged
30:08
me
30:09
over the years.
30:11
I will give you
30:12
one from history
30:13
and then
30:13
a present day
30:14
a couple
30:15
present day
30:15
examples.
30:16
Okay?
30:20
In Cairo,
30:21
Egypt
30:21
there is
30:23
an exhibit
30:23
of King Tut
30:25
in the Egyptian
30:26
National Museum.
30:27
He was known
30:28
as the
30:28
Boy King.
30:29
He died
30:30
when he was
30:31
17.
30:32
He was buried
30:33
with a solid
30:34
gold chariots,
30:37
thousands of
30:37
golden artifacts,
30:39
tons of gold,
30:41
and a coffin
30:42
that was made
30:43
with gold.
30:45
And so
30:45
it was uncovered
30:47
nearly 3,000 years
30:48
or from 3,000
30:50
years ago
30:51
in 1922.
30:53
He had all that
30:54
gold but he was
30:55
just lying there
30:56
a corpse.
30:58
Right?
30:59
Untouched
31:00
for 3,000 years.
31:02
All this
31:03
treasure
31:04
just sitting
31:04
there in his
31:05
tomb
31:05
that he clearly
31:07
took none of it
31:08
with him
31:08
wherever he went.
31:11
But if you
31:12
walk down
31:12
a dusty
31:14
back street
31:15
of Cairo,
31:16
same city,
31:17
there's a tiny
31:18
insignificant
31:19
cemetery
31:20
of American
31:21
missionaries
31:21
that were
31:22
there.
31:22
one tombstone
31:24
reads William
31:25
Borden,
31:27
1887
31:28
to 1913.
31:31
Borden
31:31
was heir
31:32
to great wealth
31:33
and privilege
31:33
here in America.
31:35
But he gave
31:36
it all up.
31:37
He gave
31:38
tons of his
31:39
money to
31:39
reaching Muslims
31:40
abroad.
31:42
And then
31:42
finally he
31:43
himself went.
31:45
Borden
31:45
gave so much
31:46
of his wealth
31:47
and prosperity.
31:48
But only after
31:48
coming into
31:50
Egypt for
31:50
four months
31:51
he died.
31:54
He contracted
31:55
spinal meningitis
31:56
and died
31:56
at the age
31:57
of 25.
31:59
But listen
31:59
to this.
32:00
On his
32:00
epitaph,
32:02
right,
32:02
on his
32:02
tombstone,
32:04
describes his
32:04
love for God
32:05
and the Muslim
32:06
people.
32:07
It says
32:08
on this,
32:09
apart from
32:10
faith in
32:11
Christ,
32:12
there is no
32:13
explanation
32:14
for such a
32:15
life.
32:17
Apart
32:17
from faith
32:18
in Christ,
32:19
Christ,
32:19
there is no
32:20
explanation
32:21
for such
32:22
a life.
32:24
So you have
32:25
this Egyptian
32:25
king who
32:27
took none
32:27
of his
32:27
goal with
32:28
him and
32:28
you have
32:28
this American
32:29
missionary who
32:30
died very
32:31
young and
32:32
they just
32:33
said,
32:33
like,
32:33
this doesn't
32:33
make sense.
32:34
Apart
32:34
from,
32:35
like,
32:35
the work
32:35
of God,
32:35
this doesn't
32:36
make sense
32:36
why he
32:37
would do
32:37
what he
32:38
did.
32:40
One other
32:40
example,
32:42
I think I
32:43
have time
32:43
for maybe
32:44
two and
32:44
I'll quit.
32:44
I have
32:46
a really
32:47
good friend,
32:47
friends,
32:48
I should
32:48
say,
32:48
that live
32:48
up in
32:49
Hiawassee,
32:49
Jason and
32:51
Lorenda.
32:51
They went
32:52
to North
32:52
Georgia back
32:53
in the
32:53
90s.
32:54
He was
32:55
in the
32:55
Corps.
32:55
I think
32:56
she was
32:56
in KD.
32:58
Funny
32:58
enough,
32:58
those existed
32:59
in the
32:59
90s.
33:00
And he
33:02
is a
33:02
dentist up
33:03
in
33:04
Hiawassee.
33:05
I've known
33:05
him for
33:06
probably
33:06
about 20
33:07
years.
33:09
And this
33:09
guy,
33:09
like,
33:09
loves the
33:10
Lord.
33:11
Really
33:12
loves the
33:12
Lord.
33:12
Lord,
33:14
he's,
33:14
but when
33:15
I first
33:15
met him,
33:16
he definitely
33:17
was all
33:17
about accumulating
33:18
money for
33:19
the here
33:19
and now.
33:20
He had,
33:21
I think,
33:21
three different
33:22
homes,
33:22
a lake
33:23
house,
33:23
a family
33:24
farm,
33:24
and some
33:25
other stuff,
33:26
and a
33:26
bunch of
33:26
other toys
33:28
and gadgets,
33:28
boats,
33:29
cars.
33:31
And I
33:32
really
33:32
believe that
33:33
it was
33:34
just more
33:34
of a result
33:35
of just
33:35
not having
33:35
good teaching
33:36
on money.
33:38
Nothing
33:38
to do
33:38
with,
33:39
like,
33:39
his lover
33:40
of God.
33:41
So,
33:42
I actually
33:42
will recommend
33:43
a book
33:43
to you.
33:45
A small
33:46
book,
33:46
for those
33:46
who don't
33:46
want to
33:47
read a lot,
33:47
but it's
33:48
called The
33:48
Treasure
33:49
Principle
33:49
by Randy
33:51
Alcorn.
33:53
The Treasure
33:53
Principle.
33:55
So,
33:55
I actually
33:56
just kind
33:56
of slipped
33:57
Jason a
33:57
copy of
33:58
that book
33:58
and just
34:00
let him
34:00
read it,
34:01
and he
34:01
came back
34:01
and he
34:02
was like,
34:02
dude,
34:02
that book
34:03
just rocked
34:03
my world.
34:05
And the
34:07
result was
34:08
he sold
34:10
two of the
34:11
places that
34:12
he owned.
34:13
He sold
34:14
a lot,
34:14
I think he
34:15
had four
34:15
vehicles,
34:16
he ended
34:16
up selling
34:17
like most
34:17
of them.
34:19
And he
34:20
basically
34:21
folded it
34:22
all back
34:22
into living
34:23
on the
34:23
family farm.
34:25
And today
34:27
he gives
34:27
tons of
34:28
money to
34:29
missions,
34:30
tons of
34:31
money to
34:31
people that
34:32
are just
34:33
advancing the
34:34
cause and
34:34
unreached
34:35
peoples.
34:36
And he
34:36
and his
34:37
wife both
34:37
have gone
34:38
on medical
34:38
missions to
34:39
do things.
34:41
And he
34:42
doesn't want
34:42
any kind
34:43
of glory or
34:43
attention for
34:44
it, but he's
34:45
just one of
34:45
those guys
34:46
who, when
34:47
he knows
34:47
what the
34:48
command of
34:48
God is, he
34:49
prays for the
34:50
grace to do
34:50
it, and
34:50
then he
34:51
does it.
34:52
And again,
34:54
apart from
34:54
faith in
34:55
Christ, there's
34:55
no explanation
34:56
for such a
34:57
life.
34:58
He's like, I
34:58
just want to
34:59
store up
34:59
treasures in
34:59
heaven.
35:00
I do not
35:00
want people
35:02
to look at
35:02
my life and
35:03
be like, wow,
35:03
he is all
35:04
about the
35:04
here and
35:05
now.
35:05
And finally,
35:08
I have
35:08
another friend,
35:10
one of my
35:10
mom's really
35:11
good friends.
35:13
Her name is
35:14
Mary.
35:15
She grew up
35:16
watching me and
35:17
my brother
35:17
grew up, my
35:19
parents are
35:19
really good
35:20
friends of
35:20
her and her
35:20
husband.
35:22
But sadly,
35:23
her husband was
35:24
not a believer
35:24
and ended up
35:26
passing away and
35:27
leaving a great
35:28
deal of money
35:29
to Mary.
35:32
And now she
35:32
has all these
35:33
resources at
35:34
her hand.
35:35
And every
35:36
day she
35:36
just prays
35:37
like, God,
35:37
how would
35:38
you have
35:38
me use
35:39
this money?
35:40
How?
35:42
And I'm
35:44
one of the
35:44
beneficiaries.
35:45
I raise
35:46
support in
35:47
addition to
35:47
receiving some
35:48
income here.
35:50
And I
35:51
asked her to
35:52
write something
35:53
in relationship
35:54
to this.
35:55
And this is
35:55
what she
35:55
said.
35:57
She said,
35:58
I know
36:00
that my
36:00
financial
36:01
resources are
36:02
a gift from
36:02
God.
36:03
God, when
36:04
our finances
36:05
exceed our
36:06
normal living
36:07
needs, then
36:09
God allows us
36:09
to help others
36:10
as he brings
36:11
their needs to
36:12
our attention.
36:13
I am
36:14
privileged to
36:15
experience someone
36:16
giving me a
36:17
gift, and if it
36:19
made such a huge
36:20
difference.
36:21
It was the
36:23
difference in my
36:24
going forward or
36:25
my not knowing
36:26
if forward was
36:27
possible.
36:28
through another
36:30
person, I saw
36:31
God's provision.
36:32
When we are
36:33
able to give to
36:34
others, it is a
36:35
privilege.
36:36
We are then
36:37
connected to
36:38
God's miracle in
36:39
someone else's
36:40
life.
36:41
We give, we
36:43
receive much
36:44
more than we
36:44
ever could
36:45
imagine.
36:46
And this is
36:47
how God
36:47
works.
36:49
It is one of
36:49
his fundamental
36:50
principles.
36:51
Believe it.
36:52
Giving is a
36:53
privilege.
36:53
church.
36:55
And so, I'm
36:57
really hoping
36:57
that you're
36:59
catching on to
36:59
some of these
37:00
very clear
37:01
principles that
37:01
are in
37:02
Scripture.
37:03
That you will
37:03
run your
37:04
decision making
37:05
with your
37:06
money and your
37:06
finances and
37:07
your stuff
37:08
through these
37:09
principles.
37:12
And there are
37:14
many great
37:14
things to give
37:15
to.
37:15
The church is
37:16
one.
37:16
We could
37:16
definitely use
37:17
more here.
37:20
I would say
37:20
start here and
37:21
then move
37:22
outwards.
37:22
right?
37:25
Let's just join
37:26
together in
37:27
prayer and just
37:27
ask God to do
37:28
a work in our
37:28
hearts.