Participants: Doug Batchelor
Series Code: AFP
Program Code: AFP000137
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00:03 AMAZING FACTS MINISTRY.
00:12 >>SO THIS IS THE TENTH COMMANDMENT: YOU ARE NOT TO HAVE 00:14 AN ILLICIT DESIRE FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR'S POSSESSIONS, 00:19 POSITIONS, OR PERSONS. 00:25 >>FOR OVER 40 YEARS AMAZING FACTS HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO 00:29 SHARING GOD'S WORD THROUGH MEDIA. 00:31 THIS PROGRAM FEATURES HIGHLIGHTS FROM SOME OF OUR BEST 00:34 TELEVISION BROADCASTS. WE INVITE YOU TO SIT BACK AND 00:37 ENJOY THIS EDITION OF AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS. 00:46 >>WELL, HAPPY SABBATH, FRIENDS. AGAIN, I WANT TO ISSUE A SPECIAL 00:51 WELCOME TO ANY VISITORS WE MAY HAVE HERE TODAY. 00:54 AND IF YOU HAVE BEEN COMING LATELY, OR IF YOU'RE ONE OF OUR 00:57 REGULAR MEMBERS, YOU'LL KNOW THAT WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A 01:00 SERIES WHERE WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THOSE LAWS OF LOVE 01:06 - THE TEN COMMANDMENTS - AND THEY'RE ALSO LAWS OF LIBERTY. 01:10 BUT TODAY WE ARE DEALING WITH THE SUBJECT OF THE TENTH 01:14 COMMANDMENT AND I'VE TITLED IT 'A GREEDY HEART'. 01:18 IT'S THE MYTH OF MORE, YOU MIGHT SAY. 01:23 WE ARE BOMBARDED IN OUR DAY AND AGE WITH MATERIALISM - 01:29 HYPER-MATERIALISM. IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE JUST 01:33 SNIFFING IT, WE'RE MAINLINING MATERIALISM. 01:37 THERE IS NO TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD - NEVER BEFORE HAS 01:41 THERE BEEN A CULTURE THAT HAS HAD TO INGEST SO MUCH 01:46 ADVERTISING THAT IS DESIGNED - THE BRIGHTEST AND THE BEST AND 01:52 THE MOST POWERFUL MINDS IN THE WORLD ON MADISON AVENUE INVEST 01:56 BILLIONS OF DOLLARS - APPROXIMATELY 500 BILLION 01:59 DOLLARS EVERY YEAR IS SPENT ON MARKETING IN NORTH AMERICA - 02:04 ENCOURAGING YOU TO BE DISSATISFIED WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, 02:10 OR THE BRAND THAT YOU HAVE, OR HOW MUCH YOU HAVE, OR WHO YOU 02:15 HAVE, AND YOU ONLY THINK HAPPINESS WILL COME FROM GETTING 02:20 MORE OR SOMETHING DIFFERENT. YOU'RE BEING TOLD OVER AND OVER 02:24 AGAIN THAT THE GRASS IS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE. 02:28 A LOT OF US, IN OUR HEARTS, ARE DISSATISFIED. 02:32 THE STORY OF ONE SUCH PERSON IN THE BIBLE - YOU WOULD THINK IF 02:35 YOU WERE KING FOR A DAY YOU'D BE HAPPY. 02:38 BUT SOMETIMES EVEN KINGS AREN'T HAPPY. THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH. 02:42 TURN IN YOUR BIBLES TO 1 KINGS CHAPTER 21 AND WE READ THERE 02:52 ABOUT A KING BY THE NAME OF AHAB. 1 KINGS CHAPTER 21 - 02:59 YOU START WITH THE FIRST VERSE, "AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THESE 03:05 THINGS THAT NABOTH THE JEZREELITE HAD A VINEYARD WHICH 03:10 WAS IN JEZREEL, NEXT TO THE PALACE OF AHAB KING OF SAMARIA." 03:14 SO ADJACENT TO THE PALACE, NABOTH - WHO WAS ONE OF THE 03:18 CITIZENS - HE WAS A - PROBABLY HAD A LARGE FAMILY, AN OLDER 03:22 GENTLEMAN - HE HAD A FIELD WHERE HE HAD A NICE VINEYARD. 03:26 VINEYARDS WERE THE PRIZE - THAT WAS THE BEST THING, IF YOU HAD A 03:28 GOOD VINEYARD. AND SO AHAB'S LOOKING OVER HIS 03:32 WALL THINKING, 'WELL, I MIGHT HAVE A PALACE AND I MIGHT HAVE 03:35 MY OWN BARNS AND VINEYARDS BUT I DON'T HAVE THAT ONE. 03:41 I'M JUST NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY UNTIL I DO HAVE THAT ONE - "SO 03:47 AHAB SPOKE TO NABOTH, SAYING, 'GIVE ME YOUR VINEYARD, THAT I 03:49 MAY HAVE IT FOR A VEGETABLE GARDEN.'" - WHAT A SHAME TO 03:52 PLUCK UP VINES THAT TAKE FOREVER TO GROW AND PUT TURNIPS IN - 03:57 "GIVE ME YOUR VINEYARD, THAT I MAY HAVE IT FOR A VEGETABLE 04:00 GARDEN, BECAUSE IT IS NEAR, NEXT TO MY HOUSE;" - IT'LL BE 04:02 CONVENIENT - "AND FOR IT I WILL GIVE YOU A VINEYARD BETTER 04:04 THAN IT. OR, IF IT SEEMS GOOD TO YOU, I 04:06 WILL GIVE YOU ITS WORTH IN MONEY." - 'WHAT DO YOU WANT? 04:08 I NEED TO HAVE IT.' WELL, THERE'S A PROBLEM. 04:10 ACCORDING TO JEWISH LAW YOU'RE NOT TO SELL YOUR FAMILY'S 04:13 INHERITANCE FROM YOUR TRIBE TO A DIFFERENT TRIBE. 04:18 "BUT NABOTH SAID TO AHAB, 'THE LORD FORBID THAT I SHOULD GIVE 04:22 THE INHERITANCE OF MY FATHERS TO YOU!'" - 04:25 WELL, WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS? 04:27 "SO AHAB WENT INTO HIS HOUSE SULLEN" - HE WAS DEPRESSED THAT 04:33 MEANS - "AND DISPLEASED BECAUSE OF THE WORD WHICH NABOTH THE 04:36 JEZREELITE HAD SPOKEN TO HIM; FOR HE HAD SAID, 'I WILL NOT 04:40 GIVE YOU THE INHERITANCE OF MY FATHERS,' AND HE LAY DOWN ON HIS 04:43 BED, AND TURNED AWAY HIS FACE, AND WOULD EAT NO FOOD." 04:47 - THAT'S CALLED A FULL-GROWN TANTRUM. NOW, I KNOW THAT JUST 04:52 WAS PECULIAR WITH HIM. NO OTHER ADULTS DO THAT WHEN 04:55 THEY CAN'T GET WHAT THEY WANT. SO JEZEBEL COMES HOME. 05:02 SHE'S WONDERING, 'WHY IS YOUR SPIRIT SO DEPRESSED? 05:04 WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?' "I SPOKE TO NABOTH THE 05:07 JEZREELITE, AND SAID TO HIM, 'GIVE ME YOUR VINEYARD FOR 05:10 MONEY; OR ELSE...AND HE ANSWERED, 'I WILL NOT GIVE YOU 05:15 MY VINEYARD.'" - AND SHE SAID TO HIM, 05:16 "YOU NOW EXERCISE AUTHORITY OVER ISRAEL! 05:18 ARISE, EAT FOOD, AND LET YOUR HEART BE CHEERFUL; I WILL GIVE 05:22 YOU THE VINEYARD.'" HE HAD A TANTRUM AND HIS LITTLE WIFEY WAS 05:25 GOING TO HELP HIM GET WHAT HE WANTED. 05:27 WELL, WHAT THAT MEANT WAS SHE PROCLAIMED A FEAST AND HIRED TWO 05:33 FALSE WITNESSES TO SAY THAT NABOTH WAS GUILTY OF CURSING GOD 05:38 AND CURSING THE GOVERNMENT AND ON BOTH FRONTS - BY THE WAY, 05:42 THAT'S WHAT THEY DID WITH JESUS, THEY SAID THAT HE WASN'T OBEYING 05:46 THE LAWS OF GOD OR THE LAWS OF CAESAR AND THEN THEY IMMEDIATELY 05:50 TOOK HIM OUT BEFORE THEY COULD HAVE MUCH OF A TRIAL - OUT OF 05:53 THE CITY - AND THEY STONED NABOTH. 05:55 THIS INNOCENT MAN DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. 05:59 THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE MAFIA - YOU DON'T GIVE THEM WHAT THEY 06:01 WANT, THEY HAVE WAYS OF GETTING WHAT THEY WANT. 06:04 AND JEZEBEL, THAT'S HOW SHE OPERATED. 06:08 SO NOW AHAB IS FINALLY GOING TO BE HAPPY. 06:11 JEZEBEL COMES HOME AND SAYS, 'I'VE GOT GOOD NEWS. 06:13 GO TAKE POSSESSION, THE VINEYARD IS YOURS. 06:17 YOU'RE GOING TO GET WHAT YOU WANT. 06:18 NOW YOU'LL BE HAPPY.' SO AHAB DOESN'T WANT TO ASK ANY 06:22 QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW SHE WORKED THAT OUT. 06:25 HE SUSPECTS THAT THERE WAS FOUL PLAY BUT, AS LONG AS HE GETS 06:28 WHAT HE WANTS. SO WHILE HE'S WALKING AROUND AND 06:31 SURVEYING NABOTH'S VINEYARD AND THINKING, 'I'LL CUT THAT DOWN 06:34 HERE AND I'LL PUT THE VEGETABLES HERE AND I'LL HAVE THE FOUNTAIN 06:37 OVER...' GUESS WHO SHOWS UP AND SPOILS HIS PARTY? 06:42 HIS OLD NEMESIS ELIJAH THE PROPHET. 06:45 AND ELIJAH CAME DOWN - HE SAID - AS SOON AS AHAB SEES HIM HE 06:51 SAYS, 'OH, HAVE YOU FOUND ME MY ENEMY?' 06:54 HE SAID, 'I'M YOUR ENEMY BECAUSE YOU SOLD YOURSELF TO WORK 06:56 WICKEDNESS AND YOU KILLED AN INNOCENT MAN AND TOOK HIS 06:59 VINEYARD.' AND HE SAID, 'NOW, BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE THIS' - 07:02 WELL, LET ME READ IT TO YOU OUT OF THE BIBLE, "BEHOLD, I WILL 07:06 BRING CALAMITY ON YOU. I WILL TAKE AWAY YOUR POSTERITY 07:09 AND WILL CUT OFF FROM AHAB EVERY MALE IN ISRAEL, BOTH BOND AND 07:12 FREE. I WILL MAKE YOUR HOUSE LIKE THE 07:14 HOUSE OF JEROBOAM THE SON OF NEBAT, AND LIKE THE HOUSE OF 07:17 BAASHA THE SON OF AHIJAH," - THEY WERE WIPED OUT. 07:20 THEY WERE TOTALLY ELIMINATED - "BECAUSE OF THE PROVOCATION WITH 07:24 WHICH YOU HAVE PROVOKED ME TO ANGER, AND MADE ISRAEL SIN." 07:27 IT SAYS THERE WAS NO ONE LIKE AHAB - VERSE 25, "WHO SOLD 07:31 HIMSELF TO DO WICKEDNESS IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, BECAUSE 07:34 JEZEBEL HIS WIFE STIRRED HIM UP." 07:35 - VERSE 27, "SO IT WAS, WHEN AHAB HEARD THOSE WORDS, THAT HE 07:41 TORE HIS CLOTHES AND PUT SACKCLOTH ON HIS BODY, AND 07:43 FASTED AND LAY IN SACKCLOTH, AND WENT ABOUT MOURNING." 07:46 NOTICE, THE CHAPTER BEGINS BY HIM THINKING, 'I'LL NEVER BE 07:49 HAPPY UNLESS I GET NABOTH'S VINEYARD.' HE WAS COVETING 07:53 ANOTHER MAN'S FIELD AND WHEN HE FOUND OUT HE COULDN'T HAVE IT HE 07:58 THOUGHT, 'I'M GOING TO TAKE IT. 08:00 BY HOOK OR CROOK I'VE GOT TO HAVE IT.' WHEN HE FINALLY GOT 08:03 IT, NOW HE'S HAPPY. IS HE HAPPY? NOW HE'S MORE UNHAPPY. 08:08 HE TEARS HIS CLOTHES AND GOES ABOUT MOURNING. 08:11 WHEN YOU COVET WHAT YOU SHOULD NOT COVET, SHOULD YOU EVER GET 08:16 IT, THE LORD WILL NOT BLESS AND YOU WILL NOT HAVE HAPPINESS. 08:22 A MAN'S LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST IN THE ABUNDANCE OF THINGS THAT HE 08:26 POSSESSES. PSALMS 119, VERSES 36 AND 37, 08:30 "INCLINE MY HEART TO YOUR TESTIMONIES, AND NOT TO 08:34 COVETOUSNESS. TURN AWAY MY EYES FROM LOOKING 08:37 AT WORTHLESS THINGS, AND REVIVE ME IN YOUR WAY." 08:43 WE MAY NOT THROW OURSELVES ON THE GROUND AND HAVE A TANTRUM 08:46 BUT, IN OUR OWN WAYS, MANY HAVE 08:49 GREEDY HEARTS AND WE'RE NOT SATISFIED. 08:52 NOW THE TENTH COMMANDMENT - I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU KNOW WHAT THE 08:55 TENTH COMMANDMENT IS, BUT LET ME READ IT TO YOU AND YOU'LL FIND 08:59 IT NOT ONLY IN EXODUS 20, VERSE 17 - YOU'LL FIND IT AGAIN IN 09:02 DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 5, VERSE 21 AND VARIOUS AND SUNDRY PLACES IN 09:07 THE NEW TESTAMENT AND OTHER PARTS OF THE BIBLE. 09:10 AND WE READ - EXODUS 20:17 - THESE WORDS THAT GOD SPOKE: "YOU 09:15 SHALL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE; YOU SHALL NOT COVET YOUR 09:19 NEIGHBOR'S WIFE, NOR HIS MALE SERVANT, NOR HIS FEMALE SERVANT, 09:24 NOR HIS OX, NOR HIS DONKEY, NOR ANYTHING THAT IS YOUR 09:28 NEIGHBOR'S." SO THIS IS THE TENTH COMMANDMENT: DO NOT COVET 09:33 ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DESIRING. 09:38 IT IS PROBABLY THE MOST UNIQUE OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND I 09:43 SAY THAT FOR SEVERAL REASONS. FIRST OF ALL, MOST OF THE 09:46 COMMANDMENTS HAVE TO DO WITH OUTWARD BEHAVIOR OR CONDUCT. 09:50 THE LAST COMMANDMENT POINTS BACK TOWARD THE SOURCE OF ALL SIN. 09:54 IT'S SOMETHING ON THE INSIDE. IT'S SOMETHING GOING ON HERE. 09:58 YOU CAN BE COVETOUS - YOU CAN BE JUST A RANK COVETOUS PERSON AND 10:04 OUTWARDLY YOU CAN LOOK LIKE THE FINEST CHRISTIAN. 10:08 JESUS TALKED ABOUT PEOPLE WHO PRAYED LONG PRAYERS AND THEY 10:10 WENT TO CHURCH BUT THEY DEVOURED WIDOWS' HOUSES. 10:14 THEY WERE COVETOUS - BUT THEY WERE VERY RELIGIOUS - BECAUSE 10:18 IT'S LOOKING ON THE DESIRES OF THE HEART. 10:20 IT'LL EVENTUALLY PLAY OUT IN THE LIFE. 10:22 EXODUS 18:21 - WHEN THEY WERE TO PICK JUDGES, "MOREOVER YOU SHALL 10:29 SELECT FROM ALL THE PEOPLE ABLE MEN, SUCH AS FEAR GOD, MEN OF 10:33 TRUTH, HATING COVETOUSNESS." - AND MAKE THEM RULERS - 10:38 THAT WAS THE CRITERIA - THAT THEY WERE TO HATE 10:40 COVETOUSNESS. THAT GREED FOR WHAT OTHERS HAVE - IF THEY'VE 10:44 GOT THAT IN THEIR HEARTS THEY'LL BE VERY SUSCEPTIBLE 10:47 TO BRIBES AND TWISTING JUDGMENT. 10:50 NOW, AS WE DEFINE COVETOUSNESS, I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IT 10:56 IS NOT WRONG TO DESIRE SOMETHING OR SOMEONE. 11:00 YOU WOULD BE HOMELESS AND SINGLE RIGHT NOW - ALL OF YOU - IF YOU 11:05 DIDN'T AT SOME POINT DESIRE OR COVET SOMETHING OR SOMEONE. 11:10 IT IS NOT WRONG TO WANT A HOUSE. IT IS NOT WRONG TO WANT A FIELD. 11:14 IT IS NOT WRONG TO WANT AN OX OR A DONKEY OR A CAR OR A SPOUSE. 11:19 MATTER OF FACT, IT IS RIGHT TO WANT THOSE THINGS. 11:21 GOD PLACED THOSE DESIRES IN YOUR HEART. 11:24 THE BIBLE EVEN TELLS US THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE ARE COMMANDED 11:26 TO COVET. SO IT'S NOT THAT COVETING IS WRONG. SOMETIMES YOU 11:32 TAKE HALF A COMMANDMENT AND YOU GET THINGS ALL MIXED UP. 11:36 THE COMMANDMENT SAYS, 'DO NOT MAKE UNTO THEE THE LIKENESS OF 11:40 ANYTHING IN THE HEAVEN ABOVE, OR THE EARTH BENEATH OR THE WATER 11:43 UNDER THE EARTH' AND PEOPLE STOP RIGHT THERE. THEY SAY, 11:46 'DON'T HAVE A PHOTOGRAPH, IT'S A LIKENESS OF SOMETHING. 11:48 DON'T HAVE A PAINTING OF FLOWERS ON YOUR WALL. 11:50 IT'S A LIKENESS OF SOMETHING.' AND PEOPLE HAVE NO ART. 11:53 THEY HAVE NO PHOTOGRAPHS OF THEIR KIDS BECAUSE IT'S 11:55 IDOLATRY. THEY DON'T READ THE REST OF THE 11:57 COMMANDMENT THAT SAYS, 'AND BOW DOWN TO THEM.' RIGHT? 12:02 SAME THING WITH THE COVET COMMANDMENT. 12:03 IT DOESN'T JUST SAY 'DON'T COVET ANYTHING' - IT SAYS 'DON'T COVET 12:07 THINGS THAT YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DESIRE.' SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? 12:12 SO, WHAT IS COVETOUSNESS? OH, BY THE WAY, I WAS GOING TO 12:17 GIVE YOU A VERSE - 1 CORINTHIANS 12:31 - WHAT CAN YOU COVET? 12:20 HE SAYS, "BUT COVET EARNESTLY" - WE'RE COMMANDED TO COVET 12:24 EARNESTLY - "THE BEST GIFTS: AND YET SHEW I UNTO YOU A MORE 12:28 EXCELLENT WAY." IF YOU'RE GOING TO COVET 12:30 SOMETHING, THE BEST THING TO COVET - TO LONG AFTER - TO CRAVE 12:33 - IS THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS - THE BEST GIFTS - THE GIFT OF LOVE IS 12:36 WHAT HE MENTIONS. WHAT IS COVETOUSNESS? 12:40 IT IS A FORBIDDEN DESIRE; AN ENVIOUS EAGERNESS TO POSSESS 12:44 WHAT IS NOT LAWFULLY OBTAINABLE; EXCESSIVE AND CULPABLY DESIROUS 12:49 OF THE POSSESSIONS OF ANOTHER; INAPPROPRIATE OR INORDINATE 12:53 DESIRE FOR THE POSSESSIONS, POSITIONS, OR PERSONS THAT 12:56 BELONG TO SOMEONE ELSE. SOMETIMES WE COVET A PERSON'S 13:00 POSITION. SOMETIMES WE'RE COVETOUS BY COMPARISON. 13:08 COLOSSIANS 3:5, "THEREFORE PUT TO DEATH YOUR MEMBERS WHICH ARE 13:12 ON THE EARTH:" - AND HE'S TALKING ABOUT THESE FLESHLY 13:14 SELFISH DESIRES - "FORNICATION, UNCLEANNESS, PASSION, EVIL 13:19 DESIRE, AND COVETOUSNESS, WHICH IS IDOLATRY." 13:23 HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT THAT COVETOUSNESS IS IDOLATRY? 13:27 YOU'D NEVER BOW DOWN TO AN IDOL, BUT SOME OF US BOW DOWN TO THE 13:30 IDOLS OF FASHION. SOMEONE SAID - I THINK IT WAS A PASTOR HADDON 13:39 R.W. ROBINSON, 'COVETOUSNESS IS SIMPLY CRAVING MORE OF WHAT YOU 13:44 ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH OF.' COVETOUSNESS IS SIMPLY CRAVING 13:48 MORE OF WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH OF. BUT WE'RE NOT HAPPY. 13:54 I'M NOT DONE WITH MY VERSE IN COLOSSIANS 3, "COVETOUSNESS, 13:57 WHICH IS IDOLATRY. BECAUSE OF THESE THINGS THE 14:00 WRATH OF GOD IS COMING UPON THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE." 14:03 IT'S - IT REPRESENTS AN UNCONVERTED HEART WHEN WE'RE 14:07 CONSTANTLY DISSATISFIED. IT'S NOT ONLY COVETING POSITION 14:13 AND POSSESSIONS, IT'S PERSONS. 'I'M NOT HAPPY WITH WHO I HAVE.' 14:23 COVETING WHAT YOU SHOULD NOT WANT NEVER BRINGS SATISFACTION. 14:29 AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A VERY RELEVANT MESSAGE IN OUR DAY AND 14:32 AGE BECAUSE THERE IS A WHOLE BRANCH - IT'S MUCH BIGGER THAN 14:38 ANY ONE DENOMINATION - THERE IS A WHOLE BRANCH OF CHRISTIANITY 14:42 IN NORTH AMERICA THAT'S CALLED 'PROSPERITY PREACHING' - THE 14:46 PROSPERITY GOSPEL - HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THAT? 14:49 THERE'S A WHOLE CADRE OF PASTORS, AND EVEN DENOMINATIONS 14:53 OUT THERE, THAT HAVE BOUGHT INTO THIS IDEA THAT YOU FOLLOW JESUS 14:59 YOU TAKE UP A GOLDEN CROSS AND YOU FOLLOW JESUS. 15:03 AND HE WANTS YOU TO BE HEALTHY, WEALTHY AND WISE. 15:05 AND IF YOU'RE NOT HEALTHY, WEALTHY AND WISE AND IF YOU'RE 15:07 NOT BLESSED IN EVERY WAY, THEN YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING WRONG. 15:10 BUT IS THAT WHAT JESUS TOLD US? IT SAYS IN LUKE 5:11, CHRIST 15:19 CALLED THEM TO FOLLOW HIM, "SO WHEN THEY HAD BROUGHT THEIR 15:22 BOATS TO LAND, THEY FORSOOK ALL AND FOLLOWED HIM." 15:28 HOW CAN YOU MARKET A GOSPEL LIKE THAT IN SUCH A MATERIALISTIC 15:30 CULTURE? FORSAKE EVERYTHING AND FOLLOW JESUS? 15:34 WHEN WE'RE BEING PROGRAMMED TO BE DISSATISFIED AND WANT MORE? 15:40 PAUL SAID, IN 1 TIMOTHY 6:9 AND 10, "BUT THOSE WHO DESIRE TO BE 15:45 RICH FALL INTO TEMPTATION." WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IF WE 15:48 NURTURE - IF WE FEED THIS DESIRE TO BE RICH? 15:54 I HAD AN INVESTMENT ADVISOR TELL ME ONE TIME - I SAID, 'OH, I 15:56 HEARD ABOUT THIS INVESTMENT OVER HERE AND BOY YOU CAN GET, YOU 15:58 KNOW, TWELVE PERCENT.' AND SHE SAID, 16:02 'HOGS GET SLAUGHTERED.' HOGS GET SLAUGHTERED. 16:08 PEOPLE THAT WANT TO MAKE TOO MUCH TOO FAST - 16:10 IT DOESN'T END WELL. 16:11 AND THAT'S ALSO TRUE IN THE CHRISTIAN REALM - THIS IDEA THAT 16:14 'I'M GOING TO COME TO JESUS BECAUSE A PREACHER TELLS ME THAT 16:17 IF I ACCEPT JESUS AND IF I MAKE THIS BIG DONATION, ALL OF A 16:20 SUDDEN WINDOWS OF HEAVEN ARE GOING TO OPEN AND I'M GOING TO 16:22 HAVE ALL THIS PROSPERITY AND I'M GOING TO BE DRIVING" - AND A LOT 16:27 OF PREACHERS HAVE TURNED INTO POSITIVE THINKING MOTIVATIONAL 16:30 SPEAKERS THAT TELL PEOPLE ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU'RE GOING TO GET IF 16:34 YOU FOLLOW JESUS IN THE WORLD. IF THAT'S YOUR REASON FOR 16:37 FOLLOWING JESUS THEN YOU SIGNED UP FOR THE WRONG GROUP BECAUSE 16:42 YOU'VE GOT TO FOLLOW JESUS BECAUSE YOU LOVE HIM AND YOU 16:44 WANT YOUR SINS FORGIVEN. YOU WANT TO BE WITH HIM FOREVER. 16:46 GOD CAN BLESS PEOPLE - DON'T MISUNDERSTAND - 16:49 BUT PLEASE GET THE PERCENTAGES RIGHT. 16:54 HERE'S THE PERCENTAGE - IT IS EASIER FOR A CAMEL TO GO THROUGH 16:58 THE EYE OF A NEEDLE THAN A RICH MAN TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF 17:02 HEAVEN. CAN IT BE DONE? YES. 17:05 IS IT THE RULE OR THE EXCEPTION? JESUS SAID IT'S THE EXCEPTION. 17:09 IT IS HARD FOR A RICH MAN TO BE SAVED. 17:12 THOSE ARE THE WORDS OF JESUS - TAKE THAT UP WITH HIM. 17:15 THAT'S NOT WHAT THESE PASTORS ARE TEACHING PEOPLE. 17:18 THEY'RE TEACHING PEOPLE THAT JESUS WANTS YOU ALL TO BE RICH. 17:22 WHY WOULD HE SAY IT'S SO HARD FOR YOU TO BE SAVED IF YOU'RE 17:23 RICH AND TELL EVERYBODY HE WANTS THEM TO BE RICH. 17:26 YOU KNOW, THAT COULD BE WHY THE GOSPEL IS SPREADING THE FASTEST 17:30 IN THE POOREST COUNTRIES AND IT COULD BE WHY, SPIRITUALLY, WE'RE 17:34 SO LUKEWARM IN THE PROSPEROUS COUNTRIES WHERE THERE'S SO MUCH 17:38 MATERIALISM IT BECOMES A GOD. PROSPERITY PREACHING. 17:43 YOUR COVETOUSNESS WILL PLAY ITSELF OUT AND YOUR KIDS WILL 17:47 TYPICALLY PRIORITIZE THE WAY YOU DO. IF YOU GIVE AND YOU'RE 17:52 GENEROUS, THEY'LL OFTEN SEE YOU MODEL THAT AND THEY'LL DO THAT. 17:55 IF YOU'RE GRASPING AND YOU THINK EVERY TIME YOU'RE DEPRESSED THE 17:58 ANSWER IS TO GO SHOPPING, THEY'LL THINK THAT TOO - THAT 18:02 HAPPINESS COMES, SOMEHOW, THROUGH MATERIALISM - AND IT 18:05 PERPETUATES ITSELF. WE KNOW THE STORY OF GEHAZI - 18:10 YOU FIND THIS IS 2 KINGS CHAPTER 5. 18:13 WE ALL KNOW ABOUT NAAMAN, THE LEPER WHO WAS HEALED, RIGHT? 18:17 AND AFTER HE'S HEALED HE'S SO THANKFUL - HE'S CLEANSED FROM 18:21 HIS LEPROSY IN THE JORDAN RIVER AND HE JUST WANTS TO GO BACK AND 18:26 HE WANTS TO BLESS THE LORD AND HE SAID, 'OH GOD'S GIVEN ME SO 18:28 MUCH.' YOU KNOW, HE TOOK MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF 18:30 GOLD AND SILVER AND CLOTHES TO PAY FOR HIS PROPHET - THE 18:36 PROPHET HEALING HIM - AND WHEN HE COMES TO ELISHA AND SAYS, 18:39 'TAKE A BLESSING, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEALING ME.' ELISHA 18:42 SAYS, 'NO, THIS IS ON THE HOUSE.' 'OH NO, NO, NO.' HE 18:46 SAYS, 'NOPE.' NOW GEHAZI, THE SERVANT OF ELISHA IS STANDING 18:49 THERE AND HE'S THINKING, 'ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? 18:51 THIS GUY - LOOK AT ALL HE'S GOT - LOOK AT - WELL, WE COULD HAVE 18:54 A BETTER HOUSE. WE COULD HAVE A BETTER CHARIOT. 18:56 WE COULD HAVE A BETTER EVERYTHING. WE COULD HAVE 18:57 SERVANTS - IF YOU'D JUST TAKE HALF OF WHAT HE'S OFFERING. 19:00 YOU'RE SENDING HIM AWAY?' HE DOESN'T SAY THAT BUT HE'S 19:03 THINKING IT IN HIS HEART. ELISHA KNEW THAT HE COULDN'T 19:09 CHARGE NAAMAN BECAUSE HE'S GOING BACK TO SYRIA. 19:12 HE WANTED THEM TO KNOW THAT THE GIFTS OF GOD ARE FREE. 19:15 YOU DON'T PAY FOR THE HEALINGS THAT GOD - 19:17 AND THE MIRACLES OF GOD - DID ANYONE EVER PAY JESUS 19:19 FOR A MIRACLE? AND ELISHA WAS A TYPE OF CHRIST. 19:22 IT WAS SO IMPORTANT NOT TO TAKE NAAMAN'S MONEY. 19:26 AND THAT HE TOOK THAT MESSAGE BACK TO HIS PEOPLE. 19:28 AND AFTER NAAMAN RODE AWAY WITH ALL OF HIS MONEY, THE BIBLE SAYS 19:32 GEHAZI SAID WITHIN HIS HEART, 'I'M GOING AFTER HIM.' AND AS HE 19:36 RAN TO HEAD HIM OFF ON THE ROAD, HE FORMULATED AND CONCOCTED SOME 19:42 STORY AND HE SAID, 'YOU KNOW, RIGHT AFTER YOU LEFT SOME POOR 19:45 PROPHETS CAME TO VISIT US AND THEY'RE SONS OF PROPHETS AND 19:48 THEY HAVE NOTHING AND ELISHA SENT ME AND HE SAID, 'YOU KNOW, 19:51 IF YOU DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CLOTHES AND GOLD OR SILVER WE 19:54 CAN GIVE THEM, THAT'D BE GREAT.' AND NAAMAN SAYS, 'SURE. 19:57 GREAT.' HE'S HAPPY - HE'S GOT A LIFE. HE WAS DYING OF LEPROSY. 20:00 HE SAID, 'I'LL GIVE YOU WHATEVER YOU WANT. 20:01 HERE, TAKE TWO.' WHICH ALSO SHOWS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE 20:04 SALVATION YOU'RE GENEROUS. YOU WANT TO GIVE. 20:07 AND SO GEHAZI, HE TAKES THIS STUFF - I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW HE 20:11 CARRIED IT ALL - HE SLINKS BACK TO ELISHA'S HOUSE. 20:15 HE SQUIRRELS IT AWAY IN A BARN SOMEWHERE AND HE COMES IN 20:18 TO SEE ELISHA AND - CAN YOU HIDE ANYTHING FROM A PROPHET? 20:23 AND ELISHA SAYS, 'GEHAZI, WHERE WERE YOU? 20:26 'OH, I WASN'T ANYWHERE.' OH, HE SAID, 'DID NOT MY HEART GO OUT 20:33 AFTER YOU WHEN YOU FOLLOWED AFTER THE MAN AND HE CAME DOWN 20:36 FROM HIS CHARIOT TO MEET YOU?' HE SAID, 'IS IT A TIME TO GET 20:39 OLIVE YARDS AND VINEYARDS AND MANSERVANTS AND MAIDSERVANTS?' 20:42 ELISHA BEGAN TO RECITE EXACTLY THE THINGS THAT GEHAZI WAS 20:46 THINKING HE WAS GOING TO BUY WITH THAT MONEY. 20:49 HE SAID, 'NOW, BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE THIS THING, THE LEPROSY OF 20:53 NAAMAN WILL CLING TO YOU AND YOUR SEED FOREVER.' AND HE WENT 20:57 OUT OF ELISHA'S PRESENCE A LEPER WHITE AS SNOW. 21:01 DID HE STILL HAVE THE GOLD AND SILVER? 21:03 YEAH. WAS HE HAPPY? NO. IT DIDN'T END WELL, DID IT? 21:11 A MAN'S LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST IN THE ABUNDANCE OF THINGS THAT HE 21:14 POSSESSES. YOU KNOW, THE ESSENCE OF THE MESSAGE ABOUT 21:21 COVETOUSNESS IS 'BE CONTENT'. UNBIBLICAL - OR WHEN I SAY 21:29 'UNBIBLICAL' I MEAN COVETING THINGS THAT ARE FORBIDDEN IS 21:31 REALLY DISSATISFACTION AND THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT 21:35 HAPPY AND THEY THINK THAT GETTING SOMETHING OR SOMEONE 21:38 ELSE IS GOING TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS. 21:40 IF THEY GET THAT PROMOTION, THAT POSITION, THOSE POSSESSIONS, 21:43 THAT PERSON - EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE BETTER. 21:45 1 TIMOTHY 6, VERSE 6, "NOW GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT IS 21:52 GREAT GAIN." THAT'S A GOOD VERSE FOR US TO 21:54 REMEMBER: "GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT IS GREAT GAIN." 21:58 FOR WE BROUGHT NOTHING INTO THIS WORLD AND IT'S CERTAIN WE'RE 22:01 GOING TO CARRY BRING NOTHING OUT. WHAT DID JOB SAY? 22:03 'NAKED I CAME INTO THIS WORLD. NAKED I'M GOING OUT.' AND HAVING 22:05 FOOD AND CLOTHING WITH THESE, WE SHOULD BE CONTENT. 22:09 IF YOU'VE GOT THE BASICS THEN BE SATISFIED BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT 22:14 SATISFIED WITH THE BASICS - SOMEONE WAS ASKING - WHO WAS IT? 22:17 - NELSON ROCKEFELLER - VERY WEALTHY FAMILY, THE ROCKEFELLER 22:21 FAMILY - HOW MUCH MONEY DOES IT TAKE FOR A PERSON TO BE CONTENT? 22:26 HE SAID, 'A LITTLE MORE.' IT'S ALWAYS A LITTLE MORE. 22:31 PEOPLE ARE NEVER SATISFIED. PHILIPPIANS 4:11, "NOT THAT I 22:36 SPEAK TO YOU IN RESPECT OF WANT: FOR I HAVE LEARNED, IN 22:40 WHATSOEVER STATE I AM, THEREWITH TO BE CONTENT." IT'S OKAY, 22:45 YOU KNOW, IF GOD'S BLESSED YOU AND YOU'RE CONTENT, GREAT. 22:48 IF YOU DON'T HAVE MUCH AND YOU LEARN TO BE CONTENT - "I HAVE 22:54 LEARNED BOTH TO BE FULL AND TO BE HUNGRY, BOTH TO ABOUND AND TO 22:57 SUFFER NEED. I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS 23:00 ME." WELL, THIS IS A TOUGH 23:02 COMMANDMENT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I CAN PROBABLY SIT ON MY HANDS ALL 23:05 DAY LONG AND SAY, 'WELL, I'M NOT WORKING ON THE SABBATH. 23:08 I'M KEEPING SABBATH. I'M NOT WORKING. 23:09 WE'D BE TWITCHING BUT HOW DO YOU KEEP THE COMMANDMENT ABOUT 23:14 COVETOUSNESS? IT'S REALLY A CHANGE OF HEART. 23:18 IT'S REALLY SAYING, 'LORD, CHANGE MY ATTITUDES. HELP ME TO 23:22 BE SATISFIED WITH JESUS AND WHAT HE'S DONE FOR US.' AMEN? 23:27 IT BOILS DOWN IN LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR - LOVING THE LORD. 23:32 ROMANS 13:8, "OWE NO ONE ANYTHING EXCEPT TO LOVE ONE 23:36 ANOTHER, FOR HE WHO LOVES ANOTHER HAS FULFILLED THE LAW. 23:41 FOR THE COMMANDMENTS, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL 23:44 NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE 23:46 WITNESS, YOU SHALL NOT COVET," - HE ENDS WITH THAT AND HE SAYS, 23:49 "AND IF THERE IS ANY OTHER COMMANDMENT, ARE ALL SUMMED UP 23:52 IN THIS SAYING, NAMELY, '...LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'" 23:56 WHEN YOU REALIZE HOW POISONOUS COVETOUSNESS CAN BE, WE NEED TO 24:01 BE ON OUR GUARD ALL THE TIME BECAUSE IT'S REALLY A CHANGE OF 24:04 ATTITUDE, OF MIND, OF HEART - NOT BEING JEALOUS 24:07 FOR WHAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS AND JUST 24:11 ASKING THE LORD TO BLESS OTHERS - BEING THANKFUL 24:14 FOR WHAT WE HAVE, PRAYING GOD WILL GIVE US SATISFACTION - 24:18 ASKING GOD TO HELP US BE CONTENT AND REMEMBERING THAT IT WAS 24:24 COVETOUSNESS THAT PUT JESUS ON THE CROSS. 24:28 JUDAS COVETED SILVER AND HE WAS WILLING TO SELL THE SAVIOR. 24:35 HE COVETED A HIGHER POSITION IN THE KINGDOM. 24:38 THAT WHOLE SPIRIT OF NOT BEING SATISFIED - WAS HE HAPPY IN THE 24:42 END OR DID HE THROW IT ALL DOWN AND HE WENT OUT AND HUNG 24:46 HIMSELF? SATISFACTION, HAPPINESS WILL 24:50 NEVER COME FROM THESE THINGS. IT'S GOING TO COME FROM A LOVE 24:53 RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS. GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT IS 24:57 GREAT GAIN. YOU BELIEVE THAT FRIENDS? AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO, 25:01 BY GOD'S GRACE, PRACTICE THAT IN YOUR LIVES? 25:05 >>STAY TUNED. PASTOR DOUG WILL BE RIGHT BACK 25:08 WITH THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL FREE OFFER. 25:13 >> AMAZING FACTS OFFERS SOME OF THE BEST 25:15 CHRISTIAN RESOURCES FOR ALL AGES. 25:17 WE HOPE OUR PRODUCTS WILL ENRICH YOUR LIFE AND YOUR WALK 25:20 WITH THE LORD. 25:22 "365 AMAZING ANSWERS TO BIG BIBLE QUESTIONS," IS PASTOR 25:26 DOUG'S BRAND NEW DAILY DEVOTIONAL. 25:28 EACH DAY'S READING IS DESIGNED TO BRING YOU CLOSER TO JESUS AND 25:31 HELP YOU DISCOVER THE BIG ANSWERS IN YOUR LIFE. 25:34 >> GET YOURS TODAY BY CALLING 800-538-7275 25:39 OR VISIT AFBOOKSTORE.COM. 25:43 >> DID YOU KNOW THAT NOAH WAS PRESENT AT THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM? 25:46 OKAY, MAYBE HE WASN'T IN THE ROOM BUT HE WAS ALIVE AND 25:49 PROBABLY TELLING STORIES ABOUT HIS FLOATING ZOO. 25:53 FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD TO THE LAST DAY EVENTS OF 25:56 REVELATION, BIBLEHISTORY.COM IS A FREE RESOURCE WHERE YOU CAN 26:00 EXPLORE MAJOR BIBLE EVENTS AND CHARACTERS. 26:03 ENHANCE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIBLE AND DRAW CLOSER TO GOD'S 26:06 WORD. 26:07 GO DEEPER, VISIT THE AMAZING BIBLE TIMELINE AT 26:11 BIBLEHISTORY.COM. 26:15 >> CAN'T GET ENOUGH AMAZING 26:17 FACTS BIBLE STUDY? 26:18 YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK TO ENJOY MORE 26:21 TRUTH-FILLED PROGRAMMING. 26:23 WATCH AMAZING FACTS TELEVISION BY VISITING AFTV.ORG. 26:29 AT AFTV.ORG, YOU CAN VIEW AMAZING FACTS PROGRAMMING 24 26:34 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK RIGHT FROM YOUR COMPUTER 26:37 OR MOBILE DEVICE. 26:39 WHY WAIT A WEEK? VISIT AFTV.ORG. 26:42 IT'S THAT EASY. 26:48 >> SO WHAT IS THE TRUTH? 26:50 WHERE DO WE GO TO FIND THE ANSWERS REGARDING 26:52 THE PURPOSE OF LIFE? 26:53 I SEARCHED, TRYING EVERYTHING I COULD FIND. 26:56 I LOOKED THROUGH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT RELIGIONS, AND WHAT 26:59 REALLY MADE THE DIFFERENCE FOR ME IS WHEN I FINALLY 27:02 PICKED UP A BIBLE. 27:03 I THOUGHT IT WAS A COLLECTION OF FAIRY TALES. 27:06 I CAME TO FIND OUT THERE'S A REASON THIS IS THE BEST SELLING 27:08 BOOK IN THE WORLD. 27:10 AND WE'D LIKE YOU TO KNOW WHY THE BIBLE IS STILL 27:12 CHANGING LIVES TODAY? 27:14 I HAVE A BOOK I'VE SPECIFICALLY WRITTEN ABOUT THE BIBLE, HOW TO 27:17 STUDY THE BIBLE AND UNDERSTAND IT, AND GET THE MOST OUT OF IT. 27:21 IT'S CALLED, "THE ULTIMATE RESOURCE." 27:23 IN IT, YOU'LL FIND LOTS OF VALUABLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE 27:26 HISTORY OF THE BIBLE AND HOW TO APPROACH BIBLE STUDY. 27:30 IF YOU'D LIKE A FREE COPY, JUST GO TO THE WEBSITE ON THE SCREEN, 27:33 AMAZINGFACTS.ORG, OR CALL THE PHONE NUMBER 27:37 AND REQUEST OFFER NUMBER 104. 27:39 IF YOU'D LIKE TO RECEIVE THIS OFFER IMMEDIATELY AS AN E-BOOK, 27:42 YOU CAN SIMPLY USE YOUR SMARTPHONE AND TEXT THE WORD 27:45 "BIBLE" TO 99000. 27:49 I CAN PROMISE YOU YOU'LL NEVER BE THE SAME AND YOU WILL BE 27:51 ENCOURAGED AND COMFORTED BY THIS STUDY, AND THAT'S WHY WE DO WHAT 27:55 WE DO HERE AT AMAZING FACTS BECAUSE GOD'S MESSAGE 27:59 IS OUR MISSION. 28:02 >>THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS WEEK'S 28:05 SPECIAL FREE OFFER. THERE IS NO COST OR OBLIGATION. 28:08 JUST CALL THE TOLL-FREE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN AND BE SURE TO 28:12 NOTE THE OFFER NUMBER WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR REQUEST. 28:24 >>THIS PRESENTATION WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FRIENDS OF THE 28:26 AMAZING FACTS MINISTRY. |
Revised 2015-07-16