Participants: Mike Lemon (Host)
Series Code: HDL
Program Code: HDL000006
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00:38 Hello and welcome to Help in Daily Living.
00:40 Today we are going to be looking at a very important 00:42 topic, the topic of wages. 00:44 What does the Bible has to say about wages? 00:46 Well when Jesus called His disciples, it says, like in 00:50 the case of Matthew, and I'm sure he was making a pretty 00:54 good income he was a tax collector. 00:55 It says that immediately he left all and he followed Jesus. 01:00 Also in the case of Peter and his companions, they left 01:04 their boat and their nets, they left all and they followed Him. 01:08 So how do we relate to wages as Christians? 01:12 Is the question of compensation supposed to be uppermost 01:16 in our minds, or can we trust that with God? 01:19 Let's start with the word prayer, I'm going to ask you to 01:22 pray for as Carmen. 01:25 Dear God, thank you so much for this beautiful day through 01:28 Your nature out here Lord. 01:29 Thank you so much that You promised to be with us always, 01:34 and to provide for our every need. 01:35 And God I just want to ask You Jesus now as we have our 01:38 discussion to help us to focus on You. In Jesus name, Amen! 01:44 A couple of months ago, my family had an amazing 01:47 experience. My mom had been just about to make lunch 01:49 and she thought she would invite the neighbors over. 01:52 When my dad asked them over, they said they had already 01:55 planned to go out to eat. 01:56 So my mom cooked just enough soup for my family. 01:58 They prayed over the food and then they heard a knock at 02:01 the door, the neighbors had changed their mind and had 02:04 come over to eat. 02:05 My mom knew there wasn't enough food but she gave them 02:07 what she had. 02:09 One by one everyone filled up their bowls, eventually 02:12 someone headed back to the kitchen for more. 02:14 My mom thought the soup was gone, but they soon returned 02:17 with another full bowl. 02:19 Again and again our neighbors went back for more until 02:22 everyone had had enough to eat. 02:23 My mom was so confused, she had only made enough for my 02:27 small family, but the pot of soup never seemed to end. 02:30 Just like Jesus multiplied the fish and loaves to feed 02:34 5000 people, God gave my family a pot of endless soup. 02:37 They gave the little they had to their guests and God 02:40 multiplied their sacrifice many times over. 02:43 God is faithful in everything and though I can't even 02:46 begin to imagine how my heavenly Father will satisfy 02:49 my needs, I can still have faith and know that 02:52 He will always provide for me. 03:02 ¤ [music playing] 03:24 My Father is rich 03:30 in houses and lands 03:36 beholdeth the wealth of 03:42 the world in His hands 03:47 of rubies and diamonds 03:53 of silver and gold 03:59 His coffers are full 04:05 He has riches untold 04:15 ¤ [music playing] 04:41 My Father's own Son, 04:46 the Savior of men 04:51 once wandered on earth 04:57 as the poorest of them, 05:02 But now He is pleading 05:08 for sinners on high, 05:14 He will give me a home 05:21 When He comes by and by. 05:29 I'm a child of the King; 05:35 A child of the King, 05:41 With Jesus my Savior, 05:48 I'm a child of the King. 06:01 ¤ [music playing] 06:13 I once was an outcast 06:18 A stranger on earth 06:24 A sinner by choice, 06:29 and an alien by birth; 06:35 But I've been adopted, 06:41 my names written down, 06:46 All glory to God 06:52 I'm a child of the King 07:02 I'm a child - I'm a child 07:06 a child of the King 07:13 with Jesus my Savior, 07:20 I'm a child of the King. 07:27 ¤ [music playing] 07:39 I'm a child of the King! 08:02 We really are children of the King, God is our Father and 08:07 He can provide for all of our needs. 08:10 In Psalms 84:11 it says, "no good thing will He withhold 08:13 "from those who walk uprightly." So we can trust Him. 08:16 But when you are talking about your future and you are 08:20 a senior now, Wesley, how do you relate to that in wages? 08:23 It is hard being a senior in high school and trying to 08:27 figure out what I am going to do as a career. 08:29 Throughout my entire life I have heard the question, 08:32 What do you want to be when you grow up? 08:33 I've never had to take it that seriously but now it is 08:36 a totally different story. 08:38 You're just about there? 08:40 Yeah things I've only thought about are legitimate career 08:43 options, honestly it is kind of scary to be planning 08:46 something so pivotal. - Right! 08:48 And in such a short amount of time for my own life. 08:52 You know every single job that I think of, the question 08:56 always seems to pop up in my mind is, will I be making 09:00 enough money to support my future family? - Yeah! 09:02 It is a good thing to be planning, you know for a family 09:06 but if I plan my whole future around the amount of money 09:10 that I make, I'm planning with the wrong motive. 09:13 In Luke 16:13 it says, "no servant can serve two masters, 09:18 "for either he will hate the one and love the other, or 09:21 "else he will hold to the one and despise the other, 09:24 "ye cannot serve God and money." 09:30 So you know, putting God's will before my own in my life 09:32 is something that I really have to work on. 09:34 But I know that God knows my future more than I ever will. 09:37 He knows the end from the beginning, and He knows what 09:40 is going to be best for me. - Yeah! 09:42 No matter how much money I make, I know if I trust Him 09:46 and put my life in His hands the income I will make 09:50 will last forever. 09:51 That is really the difference between a job and a career, 09:54 I mean a calling. 09:56 When God has called you, you know you can trust Him. 09:58 When you are just doing a job for the money, it is not 10:01 really that fulfilling is it? 10:05 I love to go walking out in nature with my daddy. 10:08 The land surrounding our home which is nestled in beautiful 10:11 Fraser Canyon offers many different trails 10:13 to go walking on. 10:14 Like this beautiful garden, the gorgeous scenery is 10:17 so good for my soul. 10:18 While we are walking my dad and I like to talk. 10:21 Some of the things we like to talk about are our plans 10:23 for the future, things that are going on in my life, 10:26 and the struggles I may be experiencing. 10:28 What ever I talk about, he always has words of wisdom 10:31 and encouragement, he helps me to sort out the things 10:35 that are on my heart and mind. 10:37 Because of this my life gets easier. 10:40 Now my heavenly Father wants to have a similar 10:43 relationship with me. 10:45 He is willing to listen to whatever I have to say. 10:47 He is just waiting for me to share my burden with Him 10:50 and He is more than willing to give comfort and advice. 10:55 In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus said, "come unto me all ye that 10:58 "labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." 11:02 How comforting to know that I can meet with my heavenly 11:05 Dad alone, I can just come out here in the garden and 11:09 walk with Him and talk with Him. 11:11 You know I can talk with Him in my room too, but it is 11:15 not the same. Out here in the beauty of creation, 11:18 I can really just pour out my heart to Him. 11:21 Jesus invites you too, to come and spend some 11:24 time alone with Him. 11:32 ¤ [Music playing] 11:44 I come to the garden alone 11:52 while the dew is still on the roses 12:01 and the voice I hear, 12:05 falling all my ear 12:10 the Son of God discloses 12:24 and He walks with me 12:29 and He talks with me 12:34 and He tells me I am His own 12:43 and the joy we share as we tarry there 12:53 none other has ever known 13:10 ¤ [music playing] 13:18 He speaks and the sound of His voice 13:25 is so sweet the birds hush their singing 13:35 And the melody that He gave to me 13:44 Within my heart is ringing 13:54 And He walks with me 13:59 And He talks with me 14:04 And He tells me I am His own 14:12 And the joy we share as we tarry there 14:22 None other has ever known 14:47 I'd stay in the garden with Him 14:57 'Tho the night around me be falling 15:07 But He bids me go; through the voice of woe 15:16 His voice to me is calling 15:27 And He walks with me 15:32 And He talks with me 15:37 And He tells me I am His own 15:46 And the joy we share as we tarry there 15:55 None other has ever known 16:19 ¤ [music ending] 16:38 So you sing that song Laura, I Come to the Garden Alone? 16:41 What is that song about? It's about going out in nature 16:45 and getting to know God more, and spending time with Him, 16:48 and being still and knowing He is God. 16:51 We are talking about wages now, how does that relate to 16:55 going out into nature, God, and the garden? 16:59 To answer that question I should tell you 17:02 what my parents taught me. 17:04 When I was about seven years old they decided that they 17:08 wanted to take me away from the influences of the city 17:11 and raise me in a country environment so that 17:16 I could get close to God. 17:17 So they put our house on the market and quit their job. 17:24 That is really an act of faith. - yeah! 17:26 We had no idea where we were going to go, where we would 17:29 live, or my dad would work for anything. 17:30 But they stepped out in faith and we made the move to 17:33 Montana, out in the middle of nowhere. 17:36 We had at least a year or so of complete dependence upon 17:41 God, we didn't know sometimes where our next meal would 17:45 come from, we didn't know where my dad's next job would be. 17:52 One of the situations that I remember that sticks out the 17:55 most in my mind is that my parents had asked the church 17:58 that we went to if they wanted to buy our piano? 18:01 They said they didn't need it at the time, and so a couple 18:06 weeks later my dad was walking aimlessly through the 18:08 Office Max and we had no food at all. 18:11 We didn't know where we were going to make any money. 18:15 This lady randomly came up to him and handed him a $1200 18:18 check and said we would actually like the piano. 18:21 It was just the amount we needed, it strengthened our 18:27 faith in God's timing, He always provides. 18:29 Because my parents were willing to go through all of that 18:33 I was able to be raised in the country and to have that 18:38 time to spend with God and get to know Him more. 18:40 I'm sure that was a character building experience for you, 18:45 for your parents, and trusting Him. 18:48 You learned it as a child and you don't have to worry 18:52 about your own future, you know that He will provide. 18:55 There's a quote now that has come to be one of my favorite 19:00 quotes, it's in Help In Daily Living, it says that " the 19:03 "glory is Mine and you cannot discern the future. But 19:07 "Jesus sees the end from the beginning, and in every 19:09 "difficulty He has His way prepared to bring relief." 19:12 He also goes on to say, "our heavenly Father has a thousand 19:15 "ways to provide for us in which we know nothing." 19:18 Looking back on that experience I completely know that is true 19:22 and I can remember that as I experience more. 19:25 So where we can't see anything and we are worried about it, 19:28 He has a thousand ways He can see and we can see nothing. 19:32 Wow, what a powerful testimony that is. 19:39 Have you ever bought something and days later you 19:41 regretted paying that much for it? 19:42 I bought a watch off the Internet and I could not wait 19:45 to receive it in the mail. 19:47 My friends mom brought it to me at Fountain View and 19:49 once I opened the package, I was immediately disappointed. 19:53 It looked a lot different than it did online. 19:55 After having it for about an hour, it made a high screech 19:59 and then the battery died. 20:01 I greatly regretted paying that much and 20:03 regretted buying that watch. 20:04 Well Jesus bought you and never has a day gone by that 20:08 He has regretted it. 20:09 He paid the ultimate price on Calvary, His own life. 20:12 Because of this our sins can be forgiven. 20:15 Our lives can be whiter than snow as the Bible promises 20:18 Isaiah 1:18. Jesus truly paid it all. 20:21 All to Him I owe. 20:26 ¤ [Music playing] 21:04 I hear the Savior say 21:09 Thy strength indeed is small 21:15 Child of weakness watch and pray 21:20 Find in me thine all in all 21:28 Jesus paid it all 21:33 All to Him I owe 21:39 Sin hath left a crimson stain 21:46 He washed it white as snow 22:01 Since nothing good have I 22:07 Whereby Thy grace to claim 22:13 I'll wash my garments white 22:19 In the blood of Calvary's Lamb 22:27 Jesus paid it all 22:32 All to Him I owe 22:37 Sin hath left a crimson stain 22:45 He washed me white as snow 22:52 ¤ [Music playing] 23:27 And when before the throne 23:32 I stand in Him complete 23:37 I'll lay my trophies down 23:43 all down at Jesus feet 23:49 Jesus paid it all 23:55 All to Him I owe 24:00 Sin hath left a crimson stain 24:08 He washed it white as snow 24:17 ¤ [Music playing] 24:49 You know the whole Christian walk, following Christ and 24:53 just knowing that we have enough provided for us is an 24:58 act of faith. - yeah it really is. 25:00 My family, I know has never been especially wealthy or 25:04 well-off, but we have always had our necessities provided 25:08 for us and I remember when I was in eighth grade I had 25:11 the opportunity to collect pop bottles and send them to 25:15 the depot and get some pocket change, just for something to do 25:19 I was in eighth grade and we were at Fountain View for my 25:23 sister's graduation, I was planning on going to Fountain 25:27 View for ninth grade and I remember my dad was joking with 25:30 me that I should start saving up my pop bottle money so 25:34 I could go to Fountain View. 25:36 But God knew I needed more than a pop bottle money to go 25:39 to Fountain View. So He really lead the way, He 25:42 provided a lot for me to come to Fountain View for all four years 25:46 and also to go on two mission trips while I've been here. 25:49 It has been really amazing to see how God has provided, 25:53 and not only for me to be a Fountain View but He also 25:56 provided for my family's needs while I have been away. 25:59 They are expenses with the car and house and everything, 26:03 it has been encouraging to my faith to see how God has 26:07 provided for my family. 26:10 Sometimes I feel guilty being at Fountain View, I feel 26:13 like I should go home and lessen the load for them. 26:16 But God has really provided even without asking, 26:19 He's knows what we need right on time. 26:20 And while you are at Fountain View you are able to work? 26:24 Yeah, I work during the summer weeding 26:27 to help just a little bit. And it was fun. 26:30 That is a real character building experience as well as 26:32 muscle building, that's good. 26:34 I had a similar experience when I was growing up as 26:39 a Christian, I had always heard stories about 26:41 missionaries in Africa and read books and things about 26:44 them and how God has always provided for them. 26:46 It was a special encouragement to me this coming up 26:50 school year because my family has just enough, 26:52 but we weren't sure I was going to be able to make it 26:54 coming to school here, if we had enough money. 26:57 It's been a real blessing being here and one day at 27:01 Fountain View, I was on a walk with Wesley and other 27:05 friends and it struck me that if instead of having 27:08 that struggle of being my will or God's will. 27:11 If my will was to do God's will, I wouldn't have that 27:14 struggle anymore and I knew everything would be okay. 27:17 That is the complete trust in Him. 27:19 Surrender our will to Him and He will provide. 27:22 Wesley, can you close with a word prayer? - sure! 27:26 Dear God, I just want to thank You so much that we were 27:28 able to have this discussion today and I pray as we go 27:32 about our life we will learn to trust You and have faith 27:36 that You will provide for our every need. 27:38 In Jesus name. Amen. 27:44 Help in Daily Living is a 13 part series from Fountain 27:48 View productions, designed to share the solid principles 27:52 of practical everyday Christianity. 27:54 It is a simple way to share the good news about the power 27:58 of the gospel with your friends, family, and coworkers. 28:01 Order your copies now by calling 1-877-490-4141. 28:07 Or visit us online at: www.fountainviewproductions.com 28:13 Help In Daily Living is also available at your local 28:18 ABC Christian bookstores. |
Revised 2014-12-17