Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021449
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00:01 (MUSIC)
00:11 (MUSIC) 00:34 >>HELLO FRIENDS, I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO 00:36 AMAZING FACTS SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY HOUR. 00:38 AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A UNIQUE PRESENTATION. WE'LL BE STUDYING 00:42 OUR REGULAR LESSON BUT WE'RE ON THE ROAD RIGHT NOW. 00:45 THE AMAZING FACTS TEAM IS IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO AND 00:48 WE'RE RECORDING A SPECIAL EVANGELISTIC SERIES CALLED 00:50 'LANDMARKS OF PROPHECY' BUT WE DIDN'T WANT TO FALL BEHIND IN 00:53 STUDYING OUR LESSON WITH YOU FOLKS SO DURING ONE OF OUR 00:56 MORNING SESSIONS, WE SORT OF GATHERED OUR AFCOE STUDENTS AND 00:59 SOME VISITORS AND WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND DO OUR STUDY AS WE 01:03 ALWAYS DO. WE HAVE A FREE OFFER WITH OUR LESSON TODAY. 01:07 OUR LESSON IS LESSON #10 IN OUR STUDY ON THE BOOK OF JAMES AND 01:11 IT'S DEALING WITH 'WEEP AND HOWL, YOU RICH MEN.' AND SO WE 01:14 THOUGHT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO GIVE AWAY THE BOOK BY DENNIS 01:16 CREWS CALLED 'THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS.' IF YOU'D LIKE A FREE 01:20 COPY OF THIS, JUST CALL THE NUMBER: 866-788-3966 - THAT 01:26 TRANSLATES INTO 866-STUDY-MORE - AND WE'LL SEND YOU A FREE COPY. 01:32 AND NOT ONLY WILL WE SEND THIS TO YOU; YOU'VE GOT TO READ IT 01:34 AND THEN SHARE IT WITH SOMEBODY ELSE. 01:36 IF YOU WANT TO GET IT SOONER, YOU CAN SIMPLY GO TO THE AMAZING 01:39 FACTS WEBSITE - IT'S JUST 'AMAZINGFACTS.ORG' - AND UNDER 01:43 OUR FREE LIBRARY YOU CAN DOWNLOAD IT, READ IT, AND THEN 01:46 SEND THE LINK TO SOMEONE. IT REALLY IS A GOOD BOOK ABOUT A 01:49 CHAPTER IN THE BIBLE THAT'S OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD. 01:52 NOW TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN IN LESSON #10, STUDYING THE BOOK 01:57 OF JAMES. WE'VE BEEN GOING SEQUENTIALLY 01:58 THROUGH THE CHAPTERS OF JAMES. I REALLY LIKE THE WAY THIS 02:01 LESSON WAS WRITTEN BECAUSE YOU - BY THE TIME YOU'RE DONE, YOU'VE 02:04 READ EVERY VERSE IN THE BOOK OF JAMES AND BROKEN IT DOWN. 02:08 THIS IS JUST A GREAT BIBLE STUDY. WE HAVE A MEMORY VERSE 02:11 AND I INVITE THE CLASS HERE TO SAY IT OUT LOUD WITH ME. 02:13 THAT VERSE IS MATTHEW 6, VERSE 21 - MATTHEW 6:21 - IF YOU HAVE 02:18 A QUARTERLY, OF COURSE, IT'S RIGHT THERE IN THE LESSON WITH 02:21 YOU - AND A VERY IMPORTANT CENTRAL POINT ON TREASURE. 02:27 ARE YOU READY? SAY IT TOGETHER. 02:29 "FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE WILL YOUR HEART BE ALSO." 02:35 NOW THIS LESSON IS, SPECIFICALLY, DEALING WITH WHERE 02:39 IS OUR TREASURE? AND IT SAYS 'WEEP AND HOWL' 02:43 BECAUSE IN THE BOOK OF JAMES HE MAKES SOME VERY POWERFUL 02:47 STATEMENTS SPEAKING TO THE RICH AND HOW THAT'S OFTEN ABUSED. 02:51 THIS LESSON IS DEALING, PRINCIPALLY WITH THE RICH WHO 02:54 ABUSE THEIR AUTHORITY, POWER AND MONEY. 02:57 NOW, YOU KNOW WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA? 02:59 IF YOU HAVE YOUR BIBLES, AND I KNOW YOU DO, GO TO THE BOOK OF 03:02 JAMES AND LET'S JUST READ THE VERSES THAT WE'RE 03:05 GOING TO CONSIDER TODAY IN OUR STUDY. 03:08 I'M GOING TO START WITH JAMES CHAPTER 5 AND WE'LL PROBABLY 03:11 READ RIGHT UP THROUGH VERSE 7 HERE. 03:15 JAMES CHAPTER 5:1 THROUGH 7, "COME NOW, YOU RICH, WEEP AND 03:22 HOWL FOR YOUR MISERIES THAT ARE COMING UPON YOU! 03:25 YOUR RICHES ARE CORRUPTED, AND YOUR GARMENTS ARE MOTH-EATEN. 03:28 YOUR GOLD AND SILVER ARE CORRODED, AND THEIR CORROSION 03:31 WILL BE A WITNESS AGAINST YOU AND WILL EAT YOUR FLESH LIKE 03:33 FIRE. YOU HAVE HEAPED UP TREASURE IN THE LAST DAYS. 03:37 INDEED THE WAGES OF THE LABORERS WHO MOWED YOUR FIELDS, WHICH YOU 03:42 KEPT BACK BY FRAUD, CRY OUT; AND THE CRIES OF THE REAPERS HAVE 03:46 REACHED THE EARS OF THE LORD OF SABAOTH. 03:49 YOU HAVE LIVED ON THE EARTH IN PLEASURE AND LUXURY; YOU HAVE 03:52 FATTENED YOUR HEARTS AS IN A DAY OF SLAUGHTER. 03:54 YOU HAVE CONDEMNED, YOU HAVE MURDERED THE JUST; HE DOES NOT 03:58 RESIST YOU. THEREFORE BE PATIENT, BRETHREN, 04:01 UNTIL THE COMING OF THE LORD. SEE HOW THE FARMER WAITS FOR THE 04:05 PRECIOUS FRUIT OF THE EARTH, WAITING PATIENTLY FOR IT UNTIL 04:08 IT RECEIVES THE EARLY AND LATTER RAIN." 04:11 SO I ADDED THAT VERSE IN BECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT THE ABUSE THAT 04:16 COMES OFTEN FROM THOSE IN POSITIONS OF WEALTH AND POWER, 04:19 BUT IT ENDS WITH A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT. 04:21 IF YOU SUFFER THESE THINGS IT'S NOT GOING TO LAST FOREVER. 04:24 WHAT COMES AS A JUDGMENT ON THE PEOPLE OF POWER THAT ABUSE THE 04:29 POWER, WILL ALSO COME AS A REFRESHING AND RELIEF ON THE 04:33 OTHERS. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND 04:34 TAKE THIS LESSON APART PIECE BY PIECE. 04:38 WE'RE GOING TO FIND OURSELVES BOUNCING AROUND IN THE BIBLE A 04:40 LITTLE BIT AND, JUST TO SET THE STAGE, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE 04:44 INTERESTING TO REMIND YOU OF SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED NOT TOO 04:48 LONG AGO. DO WE ALL KNOW WHO BERNIE MADOFF IS? 04:53 HAVE YOU HEARD THAT NAME? PEOPLE OFTEN TEASE AND THEY SAY, 04:57 'MADOFF, MADE OFF WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE'S MONEY.' BERNIE MADOFF 05:03 IS NOW A CONVICTED FRAUD, FORMER STOCK BROKER, INVESTMENT ADVISOR 05:08 AND FINANCIER. HE HAD CONFESSED TO OPERATING 05:12 A PONZI SCHEME THAT IS CONSIDERED 05:13 TO BE THE LARGEST FINANCIAL FRAUD IN U.S. HISTORY. 05:17 THE COURT-APPOINTED TRUSTEE ESTIMATE ACTUALLY SAYS, 'LOSSES 05:21 TO INVESTORS ARE APPROXIMATELY 18 BILLION DOLLARS.' THAT HE 05:26 TOOK - HE'S SENTENCED TO 150 YEARS. 05:29 I HEARD HE HAD A HEART ATTACK THIS WEEK AND HE'S SUFFERING 05:31 FROM KIDNEY FAILURE BUT HE DOESN'T WANT DIALYSIS. 05:34 PROBABLY JUST WOULD ASSUME - CHECK OUT, AS THEY SAY. 05:38 HE'S IN A PRISON IN NORTH CAROLINA THE LAST I HEARD. 05:40 THAT WAS ABUSING YOUR POWER. 05:45 AND HE DIDN'T CARE HOW MANY PEOPLE HE HURT. 05:48 SOME OF THE INVESTMENTS AND THE MONEY THAT HE TOOK WERE 05:51 CHARITIES THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE. 05:54 AND HE TOOK THE MONEY AND HE BOUGHT BOATS AND HE BOUGHT 05:56 MANSIONS AND HE TRAVELED AND BOUGHT FANCY CARS AND HOUSES AND 06:00 LANDS AND LIVED THE HIGH LIFE AND GAVE GIFTS TO HIS FRIENDS 06:03 WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY THAT WAS FOR POOR AND SUFFERING 06:07 PEOPLE FOR THEIR CHARITIES. HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE INVESTING 06:09 THESE FUNDS AND HE SQUANDERED. HOW'D YOU LIKE TO FACE THE 06:14 JUDGMENT FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT OVER YOUR HEAD? 06:17 BUT MAYBE ON A SMALLER SCALE, SOME PEOPLE STILL DO THE SAME 06:21 THINGS. YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A MILLIONAIRE TO BE 06:24 GREEDY. AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE RICH TO ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF 06:29 OTHERS. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS LESSON IS REALLY DEALING WITH. 06:32 ALRIGHT, JAMES 5:1 - WE'RE GOING TO BREAK IT DOWN VERSE BY VERSE. 06:35 "COME NOW" - HERE'S THE VERSE - THE LESSON IS BASED ON THIS - 06:40 "COME NOW YOU RICH, WEEP AND HOWL FOR YOUR MISERIES THAT ARE 06:44 COMING UPON YOU!" NOW THE GREEK WORD TRANSLATED AS 06:47 'MISERIES' IN JAMES 5:1, COMES FROM THE SAME ROOT WORD USED TO 06:52 DESCRIBE LAODICEA AS WRETCHED IN REVELATION 3:17. 06:57 IT SAYS, "BECAUSE YOU SAY I AM RICH AND I HAVE BECOME WEALTHY 07:02 AND I HAVE NEED OF NOTHING, AND YOU DO NOT KNOW THAT YOU ARE 07:05 WRETCHED, POOR, MISERABLE, BLIND, AND NAKED." 07:10 CAN A PERSON THINK THAT THEY ARE RICH AND INCREASED WITH GOODS 07:12 AND NOT REALLY HAVE VERY MUCH? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. 07:17 MATTER OF FACT, THAT REALLY DESCRIBES THE CONDITION OF THE 07:21 CHURCH OF LAODICEA. IN FACT, I'M GOING TO HAVE 07:24 SOMEBODY READ FOR ME LUKE 17:27. WHO HAS THAT? 07:29 ALRIGHT - AND LET ME READ ANOTHER VERSE AND WE'RE GOING TO 07:31 HAVE YOU DO THAT. THIS IS FROM JAMES 1:9. 07:34 NOW WE'RE GOING BACK IN THE BOOK OF JAMES. 07:36 WE STARTED WITH CHAPTER 5. 07:38 IN JAMES 1, VERSES 9 AND 10 IT SAYS, "LET THE LOWLY BROTHER 07:43 GLORY IN HIS EXALTATION, BUT THE RICH IN HIS HUMILIATION, BECAUSE 07:49 AS A FLOWER OF THE FIELD HE WILL PASS AWAY." 07:53 NOW WITH WHAT JAMES SAYS IN THIS BOOK ABOUT THE RICH, IS HE 07:58 TALKING TO JUST THOSE THAT ARE OPPRESSING THE CHURCH MEMBERS 08:02 OR ARE SOME OF THEM IN THE CHURCH? IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE 08:08 EARLY CHURCH HAD SOME RICH PEOPLE IN IT? 08:11 PAUL TALKS ABOUT THOSE THAT ARE RICH, MAKE SURE AND SHARE 08:16 GENEROUSLY WITH WHAT THE NEEDS MIGHT BE. 08:20 SOME OF THOSE WHO WERE RICH WHEN THEY STARTED OUT AS CHRISTIANS, 08:22 BASICALLY LIQUIDATED IN THE INTEREST OF SHARING THE MESSAGE. 08:27 I KNOW IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST MOVEMENT, 08:30 ONE OF THE FOUNDERS - PROBABLY ONE OF THE REAL FIGUREHEADS THAT 08:34 FOUNDED THE CHURCH WAS A SEA CAPTAIN NAMED JOSEPH BATES. 08:38 AND HE HAD MADE SO MUCH MONEY HE ACTUALLY RETIRED, BUT HE LOVED 08:42 THE MESSAGE SO MUCH THAT WHEN HE DIED, HE HAD VERY LITTLE LEFT 08:45 BECAUSE HE INVESTED ALL THAT HE HAD - HE COULD HAVE EASILY 08:47 LIVED OFF HIS RETIREMENT THE REST OF HIS LIFE - HE INVESTED 08:50 ALL THAT HE HAD IN PUBLISHING AND SPREADING AND UNDERWRITING 08:56 THE SPREADING OF THE MESSAGE. NICODEMUS WAS VERY WEALTHY. 09:00 FROM THE TIME OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST HE BEGAN INVESTING IN 09:02 HELPING TO SUSTAIN AND SUPPORT THE CHURCH. BARNABAS HAD SOME 09:08 LANDS AND HE SOLD THEM - LAID THE MONEY AT THE APOSTLES' FEET. 09:12 I MEAN, THEY WERE REALLY MAKING SACRIFICIAL GIFTS. 09:15 SO, IS IT A SIN FOR YOU TO HAVE ANY PROPERTY? 09:22 YOU KNOW, THERE'S - IT TAKES DIVINE WISDOM AND THE HOLY 09:24 SPIRIT TO GUIDE EACH PERSON - THAT MAY BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT 09:26 TOO. HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU GIVE? 09:30 HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU KEEP? HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU EARN? 09:33 I THINK IT WAS JOHN WESLEY THAT SAID THE SECRET FOR CHRISTIAN 09:39 AND FINANCES IS 'EARN ALL YOU CAN. SAVE ALL YOU CAN. 09:42 GIVE ALL YOU CAN.' HE DOESN'T SPECIFY WHAT THAT IS, BUT 09:46 CHRISTIANS OUGHT TO BE INDUSTRIOUS. 09:47 WE OUGHT TO BE GOOD STEWARDS. HOW MANY PARABLES DOES JESUS 09:50 TELL ABOUT HE GIVES US TALENTS, HE WANTS US TO INVEST THEM AND 09:54 INCREASE THEM, RIGHT? THE BIBLE SAYS A LOT ABOUT THAT. 09:58 PROVERBS - A NUMBER OF THINGS TELLS ABOUT GOD BLESSING AND 10:00 INCREASING. GOD BLESSED AND INCREASED 10:02 ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB - BUT THEY WERE ALSO GENEROUS. 10:08 AND THEN JESUS GIVES US THOSE WARNINGS THAT FLY IN THE FACE OF 10:14 PROSPERITY PREACHING, WHICH IS 'IT'S HARDER FOR A RICH MAN TO 10:17 GET INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN THAN IT IS FOR A CAMEL 10:20 TO GO THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE. 10:22 AND THE IDEA FOR A CHRISTIAN, WHEN IT COMES TO RICHES - IF YOU 10:27 COULD KNOW EXACTLY WHEN THE LORD'S COMING, YOU'D WANT TO 10:31 MAKE SURE YOU HAVE NOTHING LEFT WHEN HE COMES, RIGHT? 10:34 THE IDEA IS THAT BEFORE THE LORD COMES YOU WANT TO INVEST YOUR 10:38 LAST DOLLAR BEFORE PROBATION CLOSES, ACTUALLY, IN SPREADING 10:42 THE GOSPEL. DID NOAH HAVE ANY REGRETS THAT 10:47 HE INVESTED ALL THAT HE HAD IN BUILDING THE ARK? 10:50 WELL HE MIGHT HAVE, WHILE HE WAS BUILDING IT. 10:53 HE HAD NO REGRETS WHEN THE DOOR WAS SHUT AND THE THING BEGAN TO 10:56 FLOAT, RIGHT? BECAUSE HE HAD PUT EVERYTHING HE HAD INTO STAYING 11:02 ALIVE AND SAVING HIS FAMILY. NO REGRETS AT THAT POINT. 11:06 WHAT PROFIT IS IT IF YOU GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSE YOUR 11:09 SOUL? ALRIGHT, I'VE GOT YOU QUEUED UP. 11:12 NOW YOU'RE GOING TO READ, I THINK, REVELATION 17:27, PLEASE. 11:19 I'M SORRY, LUKE, THANK YOU. YOU'RE GOING TO READ LUKE 17:27. 11:22 >>"THEY DID EAT, THEY DRANK, THEY MARRIED WIVES, THEY WERE 11:26 GIVEN IN MARRIAGE, UNTIL THE DAY THAT NOAH ENTERED INTO THE ARK, 11:30 AND THE FLOOD CAME, AND DESTROYED THEM ALL." 11:33 >>YEAH, SPEAKING OF THE TIME JUST BEFORE JESUS COMES BACK, 11:37 I THINK A LOT OF CHRISTIANS BELIEVE THAT THE SECOND COMING 11:41 OF JESUS IS PRECEDED BY WORLD-WIDE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE. 11:46 THE BIBLE DOESN'T TEACH THAT. 11:48 THE BIBLE SAYS, 'IN SUCH AN HOUR AS YOU THINK NOT THE SON OF MAN 11:51 COMES.' UP UNTIL THE END THEY MARRY, THEY PLANT, THEY BUILD, 11:58 THEY EAT, THEY DRINK, AND IT COMES AS AN OVERWHELMING 12:02 SURPRISE. AND SO THE WORLD'S STILL GOING. 12:06 YES, THERE'S GOING TO BE TRIALS AND THERE'LL BE SPOTS IN THE 12:08 WORLD WHERE THERE'S GOING TO BE GREAT DISASTERS, BUT LIFE IS 12:11 GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO ON JUST LIKE IT DID BEFORE SODOM WAS 12:14 DESTROYED, JUST LIKE IT DID BEFORE THE TIME OF NOAH. 12:18 THE SUN WAS SHINING THE DAY BEFORE THE RAIN CAME AND PEOPLE 12:23 WERE INVOLVED IN BUSINESS AND PLANNING THEIR WEDDINGS AND 12:25 THEIR FUTURES AND 'I'M GOING TO GO TO THIS TOWN AND BUY AND SELL 12:30 AND GET GAIN AND I'M GOING TO BUILD BIGGER BARNS AND PUT ALL 12:33 MY PROCEEDS IN THOSE BARNS.' I MEAN, THEY WERE MOVING ON WITH 12:36 THEIR PLANS. SO THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO BE 12:40 REALLY IN TUNE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, BECAUSE GOD DOES NOT 12:42 WANT THAT DAY TO OVERTAKE US AS A THIEF. ALRIGHT, STILL UNDER 12:47 THE SECTION 'JUSTICE WILL BE DONE,' 2 TIMOTHY 3:1 THROUGH 5 - 12:52 TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT PAUL SAYS REGARDING MONEY. 12:55 "BUT KNOW THIS, IN THE LAST DAYS PERILOUS TIMES WILL COME: FOR 13:00 MEN WILL BE LOVERS OF THEMSELVES, LOVERS OF MONEY, 13:04 BOASTERS, PROUD, BLASPHEMERS, DISOBEDIENT TO PARENTS, 13:09 UNTHANKFUL, UNHOLY, UNLOVING," - A LOT OF 'UNS' THERE - 13:13 "UNTHANKFUL, UNHOLY, UNLOVING, UNFORGIVING, SLANDERERS, WITHOUT 13:18 SELF-CONTROL, BRUTAL, DESPISERS OF GOOD, TRAITORS, HEADSTRONG, 13:23 HAUGHTY, LOVERS OF PLEASURE RATHER THAN LOVERS OF GOD," - 13:27 AND YOU KNOW WHAT MAKES THIS WHOLE VERSE ESPECIALLY SCARY? 13:30 - "HAVING A FORM OF GODLINESS BUT DENYING ITS POWER." 13:35 - THESE PEOPLE WILL HAVE AN OUTWARD RELIGION BUT THEY DON'T 13:39 HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT. CAN THAT BE PEOPLE LIKE THE ONES 13:43 DESCRIBED IN REVELATION, WHO ARE OUTWARDLY RICH AND INCREASED 13:47 WITH GOODS AND THINK THEY NEED NOTHING, BUT INWARDLY THEY ARE 13:52 POOR AND WRETCHED AND MISERABLE AND BLIND AND NAKED? 13:56 AND SO THIS IS A CONDITION OF NOT JUST THE WORLD BEFORE JESUS 14:00 COMES, BUT MANY WHO ARE PROFESSING TO BE THE CHURCH. 14:04 SO WHAT JAMES SAYS WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT WEEPING AND HOWLING IS NOT 14:08 JUST MEANT FOR THE WICKED OUT IN THE WORLD. 14:10 HE'S WARNING THOSE IN THE CHURCH WHO ARE BECOMING DISTRACTED WITH 14:14 - OR AT LEAST THEY'RE PROFESSING TO BE CHRISTIANS, BUT THEY'RE 14:17 DISTRACTED WITH THE BLESSINGS OF GOD INSTEAD OF GOD. 14:23 THEY'RE DISTRACTED WITH WORLDLY TREASURE INSTEAD OF HEAVENLY 14:26 WEALTH. ALRIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON 14:28 TO THE SECTION 'WHEN WEALTH BECOMES WORTHLESS.' AND OUR 14:33 VERSES WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER HERE - JAMES CHAPTER 5, VERSES 2 14:37 AND 3. IT SAYS, "YOUR RICHES ARE CORRUPTED, AND YOUR GARMENTS ARE 14:42 MOTH-EATEN. YOUR GOLD AND SILVER ARE 14:46 CORRODED, AND" - DOES GOLD EVER CORRODE? NOT NORMALLY. 14:52 SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ME SHARE THAT AMAZING FACT - 14:55 HAPPENED IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA LAST YEAR. A COUPLE WALKING IN 15:01 EL DORADO COUNTY ON THEIR PROPERTY - THEY HAD SOME LAND 15:02 UP THERE - WALKING A TRAIL THEY WALKED MANY TIMES BEFORE. 15:05 UNDER AN OAK TREE, THE HUSBAND SAW WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS A GLINT 15:08 - HE SAW THE EDGE OF A CAN AND HE THOUGHT, 'WHAT IS THAT?' 15:11 AND HIS WIFE AND HIM LEANED OVER AND THEY TOOK A STICK AND THEY 15:13 DUG AROUND A LITTLE BIT AND THIS CAN WAS THERE AND IT WAS FULL OF 15:16 GOLD COINS. AND THEY FOUND EIGHT CANS. 15:20 THEY GOT A METAL DETECTOR THERE AND THEY FOUND EIGHT CANS. 15:24 AS FAR AS THEY KNOW IT WAS BLACK BART'S TREASURE. 15:26 THEY WERE UNMINTED GOLD COINS. I FORGET, THEY JUST SOLD IT FOR 15:31 LIKE 25 MILLION DOLLARS AT AN AUCTION. 15:33 THEIR VALUE OF THE COINS WAS WORTH MORE THAN THE VALUE OF THE 15:36 GOLD BECAUSE THEY WERE PERFECTLY PRESERVED - NO CORROSION ON 15:41 THEM. GOLD DOESN'T CORRODE. 15:43 SO WHEN HE'S TALKING ABOUT YOUR GOLD CORRODING, THAT'S GOLD 15:47 BASICALLY BEING TURNED BACK INTO THE ELEMENTS OF THE EARTH AND 15:49 MIXED WITH OTHER THINGS BECAUSE OF HEAT. SO GOD IS SAYING THAT, 15:54 YOU KNOW, THE ELEMENTS MELT WITH FERVENT HEAT, YOUR GOLD THEN, 15:56 AT THAT POINT, IS NOT WORTH ANYTHING, RIGHT? IT SAYS IT 16:00 "...WILL BE A WITNESS AGAINST YOU AND WILL EAT YOUR FLESH 16:03 LIKE FIRE. YOU HAVE HEAPED UP TREASURE IN THE LAST DAYS." 16:07 THESE THINGS CAN STAND AS A JUDGMENT. 16:10 YOU KNOW, THERE'S A STATEMENT HERE THAT'S IN THE LESSON FROM 16:13 'THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY.' THIS IS FROM 'TESTIMONIES VOLUME 2, 16:16 PAGE 682, "RICHES BRING WITH THEM GREAT RESPONSIBILITY. 16:23 TO OBTAIN WEALTH BY UNJUST DEALING, BY OVERREACHING IN 16:27 TRADE, BY OPPRESSING THE WIDOW AND THE FATHERLESS, OR BY 16:30 HOARDING UP RICHES AND NEGLECTING THE WANTS OF THE 16:32 NEEDY, WILL EVENTUALLY BRING THE RETRIBUTION DESCRIBED BY THE 16:36 INSPIRED APOSTLE" - VERSES WE JUST READ - "GO NOW YOU RICH 16:40 MEN, WEEP AND HOWL, FOR YOUR MISERY SHALL COME UPON YOU." 16:45 AND SO, YOU KNOW, WITH INFLUENCE COMES RESPONSIBILITY AND 16:50 ACCOUNTABILITY. MONEY GIVES YOU INFLUENCE AND POWER. 16:55 AND AS A CHRISTIAN, WHEN HE GIVES YOU THAT, YOU WANT TO USE 16:58 YOUR MONEY AND THAT INFLUENCE AND THAT POWER, TO TELL FOR 17:01 GOOD. IF IT'S JUST FOR SELFISH 17:03 PLEASURE, INSTEAD OF HELPING YOU, IT CAN HURT YOU. 17:07 I THINK IT WAS BENJAMIN FRANKLIN THAT SAID, 'MORE PEOPLE ARE 17:11 DESTROYED BY ABUNDANCE THAN WANT." 17:14 MORE PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED - I KNOW IT'S NOT IN THE BIBLE, BUT 17:18 IT'S WORTH REMEMBERING - MORE PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED BY 17:22 ABUNDANCE THAN WANT. A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK, 'AW MAN, 17:24 IF I COULD JUST WIN THE LOTTERY, YOU KNOW? 17:26 I WOULDN'T HAVE ALL THESE WORRIES AND STRESS. 17:28 I CAN PAY OFF MY BILLS AND I'D - I'D GO AROUND AND JUST DO GOOD. 17:31 I'D JUST HELP PEOPLE. I'D GIVE TO CHARITIES.' PEOPLE 17:36 THINK THAT - AND THEY MAY HAVE GOOD HEARTS WHEN THEY SAY THAT, 17:38 BUT YOU KNOW WHAT THE RECORD SHOWS? 17:40 THE TYPICAL PERSON THAT WINS THE LOTTERY, WITHIN A FEW YEARS 17:44 THEY'VE MADE BAD INVESTMENTS. THEY'VE LOST IT. 17:46 AND IN SOME CASES THEY ARE MORE IN DEBT THAN BEFORE THEY WON. 17:50 IN SOME CASES THEY GET INVOLVED IN COURT DISPUTES AND BATTLES 17:54 WITH THEIR FAMILY. SOME HAVE BEEN MURDERED BY 17:56 FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WON THE LOTTERY BECAUSE THEIR SPOUSES 18:00 WANTED THE MONEY. I MEAN, SOMEONE WENT AND DID 18:03 RESEARCH OF PEOPLE THAT WON THE LOTTERY AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF 18:07 THEM, THEIR LIVES JUST SPIRALED INTO MISERY. 18:11 VERY FEW OF THEM KNEW HOW TO HANDLE IT. 18:15 I REMEMBER ONE FELLOW THAT HE DID OKAY. 18:17 HE WON THE LOTTERY - 25 MILLION DOLLARS - THEY DON'T GIVE IT TO 18:20 YOU ALL AT ONCE, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, $10,000 A MONTH FOR THE 18:23 REST OF YOUR LIFE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT HE DROVE A TRUCK 18:26 AND THEY SAID, 'WELL, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?' 18:27 HE SAID, 'I'M GOING TO GO TO WORK TOMORROW.' 'AREN'T YOU 18:30 GOING TO QUIT?' 'NO, I LIKE MY JOB. 18:32 I DON'T WANT TO DO NOTHING.' HE SAID, 'WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING 18:35 TO PROBABLY GET A BETTER HOUSE AND THEN GOING TO SHARE SOME 18:37 WITH MY FAMILY AND SHARE SOME WITH MY CHURCH.' AND HE SAID, 18:40 'IT'S BEEN A BLESSING AND I'M GOING TO JUST TRY AND IMPROVE MY 18:43 QUALITY OF LIFE.' BUT HE KEPT RIGHT ON WORKING. 18:45 NOW THAT KIND OF PERSON, THEY KNOW HOW TO HANDLE IT. 18:48 BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED BY ABUNDANCE. 18:52 THAT'S WHY JESUS SAID, 'HARDLY SHALL A RICH MAN ENTER THE 18:55 KINGDOM.' BECAUSE WE GET WHERE WE START TRUSTING THE MONEY FOR 18:59 OUR PEACE AND HAPPINESS INSTEAD OF TRUSTING GOD. 19:02 SO, HERE'S AN EXAMPLE, IN LUKE 12:16, IT TALKS - THE HEADING 19:09 HERE IS 'WHEN WEALTH BECOMES WORTHLESS.' LUKE 12:16, "THEN HE 19:15 SPOKE A PARABLE TO THEM, SAYING: 'THE GROUND OF A CERTAIN RICH 19:18 MAN YIELDED PLENTIFULLY. AND HE THOUGHT WITHIN HIMSELF, 19:22 SAYING, 'WHAT SHALL I DO, BECAUSE I HAVE NO ROOM WHERE TO 19:25 BESTOW MY FRUITS?''" - IT NEVER CROSSES HIS MIND, 19:28 'WELL, MAYBE YOU SHOULD SHARE SOME.' - "AND HE SAID, 'THIS 19:31 WILL I DO: I WILL PULL DOWN MY BARNS, AND BUILD GREATER; AND 19:36 THERE WILL I BESTOW ALL MY FRUITS AND MY GOODS. 19:38 AND I WILL SAY TO MY SOUL, 'SOUL, THOU HAST MUCH GOODS LAID 19:42 UP FOR MANY YEARS; TAKE THINE EASE, EAT, DRINK, AND BE MERRY.' 19:47 BUT GOD SAID UNTO HIM, 'THOU FOOL, THIS NIGHT THY SOUL SHALL 19:51 BE REQUIRED OF THEE: THEN WHOSE SHALL THOSE THINGS BE, WHICH 19:55 THOU HAST PROVIDED?' SO IS HE THAT LAYETH UP TREASURE 19:58 FOR HIMSELF, AND IS NOT RICH TOWARD GOD.'" THERE'S A WARNING 20:01 THERE. JESUS IS GIVING THIS TO THE 20:03 CHURCH - TO THE DISCIPLES. WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL. 20:06 YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE DOESN'T SAY A LOT ABOUT RETIREMENT. 20:09 I'M NOT SAYING IT'S WRONG TO RETIRE. 20:12 IT ACTUALLY SOUNDS VERY ATTRACTIVE TO ME SOME DAYS, BUT 20:15 GOD WANTS - THE REASON IS, I THINK, GOD WANTS HIS PEOPLE TO 20:18 REMAIN USEFUL. EVEN IF THEY SHOULD RETIRE FROM 20:22 THEIR REGULAR WORK, I THINK AS LONG AS GOD GIVES US HEALTH AND 20:25 STRENGTH, CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE PRODUCTIVE. 20:28 IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU MIGHT NOT RETIRE FROM YOUR JOB, BUT I KNOW 20:30 A LOT OF VERY HAPPY RETIREES, THEY RETIRE, THEY GET THEIR 20:34 PENSION OR THEIR INCOME, THEN THEY GO ON MARANATHA CHURCH- 20:37 BUILDING TRIPS OR THEY GO ON AMAZING FACTS MISSION TRIPS OR 20:40 WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. 20:42 BECAUSE THEY SAY, 'I WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE USEFUL FOR GOD. 20:45 I REMEMBER AN OLD PREACHER THAT SAID, 'MAKE SURE YOU STAY 20:48 USEFUL IN THE KINGDOM BECAUSE GOD HAS SHOWN, HISTORICALLY, HE 20:52 TENDS TO KEEP PEOPLE AROUND IF THEY MAKE THEMSELVES USEFUL.' 20:58 HAVE YOU EVER KNOWN AN OLD COUPLE, MARRIED FOR MANY YEARS, 21:03 AND THEN ONE OF THE SPOUSES DIES, AS USUALLY IS THE CASE, 21:08 AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WITHIN A FEW MONTHS THE OTHER DIES. 21:12 IT'S LIKE THEIR LIVES WERE INVOLVED IN HELPING TAKE CARE OF 21:14 EACH OTHER AND WHEN THEIR PURPOSE WAS GONE, THEIR MEANING 21:17 FOR LIFE WAS GONE. YOU NEED TO HAVE A PURPOSE AND 21:21 YOU NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN SERVING GOD. 21:23 AND HE'S INCLINED TO KEEP YOU AROUND WHEN THAT HAPPENS. 21:31 ALRIGHT, HERE, I'M GOING TO DO ANOTHER STORY AND THIS IS FROM 21:33 THE BOOK OF 1 SAMUEL 25, VERSE 2. ANYONE KNOW WHAT THAT'S 21:38 ABOUT? YOU HEARD OF SOMEONE NAMED NABAL? 21:42 WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT WHEN WEALTH BECOMES WORTHLESS - 21:45 NABAL. LET ME GIVE YOU THE BACKGROUND 21:46 FOR THIS ILLUSTRATION IN THE BIBLE. 21:48 IT ILLUSTRATES EXACTLY WHAT JAMES WAS TALKING ABOUT. 21:51 NABAL WAS A VERY WEALTHY LANDOWNER THAT LIVED UP IN THE 21:55 AREA OF CARMEL - NOT CARMEL, CALIFORNIA, CARMEL IN ISRAEL - 22:00 AND HE HAD A BEAUTIFUL WIFE NAMED ABIGAIL. AND DAVID HAD 22:07 BEEN RUNNING FROM SAUL AND HE WAS LIVING IN THE NORTHERN PART 22:09 OF THE KINGDOM AT THIS TIME - LIVING OUT IN THE WILDERNESS. 22:12 HIS - THE WOODS - THE HILLS WHERE DAVID AND HIS SOLDIERS 22:16 WERE HIDING WERE RIGHT NEXT TO THE PROPERTY OF NABAL. 22:20 AND NABAL'S SHEPHERDS AND HIS COWBOYS WERE ALL OUT THERE AND 22:24 THEY BECAME FRIENDS WITH DAVID'S SOLDIERS AND DAVID PROTECTED 22:27 THEM AGAINST THE ASSYRIANS AND THE RAIDING ARMIES FROM THE 22:30 NORTH AND SO, DAVID, FINALLY, WHEN THE TIME CAME FOR SHEEP 22:35 SHEARING, HE SAID TO SOME OF HIS SOLDIERS, 'GO DOWN' - TYPICALLY 22:39 THIS IS A TIME OF GIVING GIFTS AND GENEROSITY. 22:42 WHEN THEY REJOICED IN THE SHEEP SHEARING THEY ALSO USUALLY 22:44 SLAUGHTERED SOME ANIMALS AND THERE WAS ABUNDANCE AND THERE 22:48 WERE SOME THINGS THAT WERE BEING HARVESTED DURING THIS TIME. 22:51 HE SAID, 'GO DOWN AND SAY, 'WE'RE YOUR SERVANTS WITH DAVID. 22:55 IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US DURING THIS 22:57 TIME, WE'D APPRECIATE IT. 22:58 WE'VE BEEN KIND OF GUARDING YOUR FLOCKS AND EVERYTHING.' AND 23:02 NABAL, THE BIBLE SAYS, WAS - HE WAS JUST SUCH A CHURLISH MAN - 23:07 SELFISH, GREEDY - AND WHEN THE SOLDIERS CAME WITH THIS MESSAGE 23:11 FROM DAVID HE SAID, 'OH, THERE'S A LOT OF SERVANTS RUNNING AWAY 23:14 FROM THEIR MASTERS THESE DAYS' - HE'S CALLING DAVID A RUNAWAY 23:17 SLAVE BECAUSE HE WAS RUNNING FROM SAUL. HE SAID, 'WHY AM I 23:21 SUPPOSED TO TAKE THE FOOD I'M SUPPOSED TO GIVE MY SLAVES AND 23:23 GIVE IT TO A RUNAWAY SLAVE?' AND HE WAS VERY RUDE. 23:28 WELL, DAVID HAD 600 SOLDIERS WITH HIM AT THAT TIME, LATER 23:31 KNOWN AS 'THE MIGHTY MEN.' AND THIS FELLOW 23:33 HAD JUST TERRIBLY INSULTED THEM. 23:36 AND SO WHEN ABIGAIL HEARD WHAT HER HUSBAND HAD SAID TO DAVID'S 23:40 MESSENGERS, SHE SAID, 'OH, THAT WAS NOT GOOD.' AND THE SHEPHERDS 23:45 SAID, 'DAVID'S SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN A WALL FOR US. 23:48 DAY AND NIGHT, PROTECTING OUR FLOCKS - THEY HAVE NOT MOLESTED 23:50 US, THEY'VE BEEN FRIENDS WITH US, THEY'VE TAKEN CARE OF US. 23:53 WE SHOULD HAVE HELPED THEM.' AND SO SHE GOT THESE PROVISIONS 23:56 TOGETHER AND MET - DAVID WAS ON HIS WAY TO ATTACK NABAL FOR HIS 23:59 INSULT - AND SHE MET THEM ON THE WAY AND SAID, 'PLEASE FORGIVE 24:02 YOUR SERVANT. JUST LIKE HIS NAME HE IS FOOLISH.' THAT'S WHAT THE 24:07 NAME MEANT AND SHE GAVE HIM SOMETHING. HE SAID OKAY. 24:10 WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? NABAL HAD A STROKE THAT DAY. 24:15 WHEN ABIGAIL TOLD HIM THE NEXT MORNING THAT HE HAD NEARLY BEEN 24:17 KILLED AND EVERYTHING HE HAD TAKEN BY DAVID, HE ALMOST HAD A 24:21 STROKE THAT DAY AND - OR HE DID HAVE A STROKE THAT NEXT MORNING 24:25 AND HE DIED TEN DAYS LATER. KIND OF - THIS IS WHAT JESUS IS 24:28 REFERRING TO IN THE PARABLE OF THE FOOLISH MAN THAT SAID, 'I'M 24:32 GOING TO KEEP IT ALL.' HE LOST IT ALL. 24:34 HE WOULDN'T SHARE A LITTLE BIT AND HE LOST IT ALL. 24:37 NOT ONLY DID HE LOSE HIS HOUSES AND HIS LANDS, GUESS WHO ENDED 24:40 UP MARRYING HIS WIFE? DAVID. SO IT DOESN'T PAY TO BE STINGY. 24:49 ALRIGHT, YOU KNOW THERE'S - I'M LOOKING AT THE CLOCK AND TRYING 24:53 TO PACE MYSELF HERE. WHAT ABOUT HEZEKIAH? 24:58 YOU REMEMBER WHEN THE MESSENGERS WERE SENT - YOU FIND THIS IN 25:01 2 KINGS 20, VERSE 12, "AT THAT TIME BERODACHBALADAN, THE SON OF 25:05 BALADAN, KING OF BABYLON, SENT LETTERS AND A PRESENT UNTO 25:08 HEZEKIAH: FOR HE HAD HEARD THAT HEZEKIAH HAD BEEN SICK." 25:11 AND THEY JUST WANTED TO HEAR ABOUT GOD. 25:14 BUT YOU KNOW WHAT HEZEKIAH SHOWED THEM? 25:17 HEZEKIAH SAID, 'WOW, BABYLON. THAT'S THE CENTER OF 25:19 SOPHISTICATION IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD. 25:22 THEY'VE COME TO ME. WOW.' HE FELT A LITTLE INSECURE. 25:26 HE SAID, 'I'D BETTER IMPRESS THEM WITH WHAT I HAVE.' AND SO 25:29 HEZEKIAH SAID, 'HERE, LET ME SHOW YOU MY HOUSE.' AND HE TOOK 25:33 THEM ON A TOUR OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS. 25:35 HE SAID, 'HERE'S MY ARMORY. 25:36 LOOK AT ALL THE GOLD THAT I'VE GOT. HERE'S MY TREASURY. 25:39 HERE'S ALL MY JEWELS AND LOOK AT ALL THE WEAPONS THAT WE HAVE AND 25:43 LOOK AT ALL THE MARBLE.' AND THEY WANTED TO FIND OUT 25:46 ABOUT THE GOD THAT MADE THE SUN GO BACKWARDS. 25:49 HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT GOD - JUST SHOWED THEM ALL HIS 25:52 STUFF, AND THEN THEY LEFT. AND ISAIAH CAME TO HEZEKIAH AND 25:57 HE SAID, 'THESE MEN CAME TO YOU, WHERE'D THEY COME FROM? 26:00 WHAT DID THEY SEE IN YOUR HOUSE?' 26:02 HE SAID, 'OH, THEY CAME FROM BABYLON.' 'AND WHAT'D THEY SEE?' 26:06 'OH, I SHOWED THEM EVERYTHING IN MY HOUSE. 26:08 THERE WAS NOTHING AMONG MY THINGS I DIDN'T SHOW THEM.' AND 26:11 ISAIAH SAID, 'HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD. 26:13 THESE PEOPLE FROM BABYLON ARE GOING TO GO BACK AND THEY'RE 26:16 GOING TO TELL THEIR LEADERS ABOUT ALL THE TREASURES AND 26:18 THEY'RE GOING TO COME AND THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE IT ALL AND 26:20 THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE ALL OF YOUR TREASURE AND THEY'RE GOING 26:22 TO TAKE YOUR GRANDCHILDREN AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE EUNUCHS IN 26:25 THE PALACE OF BABYLON BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T EXALT GOD. 26:28 YOU SHOWED THEM YOUR TREASURE AND THEY'RE GOING TO WANT YOUR 26:32 TREASURE. YOUR TREASURE WAS YOUR STUFF AND NOT YOUR GOD. 26:35 JESUS SAID, 'LAY NOT UP FOR YOURSELF TREASURE ON EARTH WHERE 26:39 MOTH AND RUST CORRUPT AND THIEVES BREAK THROUGH AND 26:43 STEAL.' LAST 24 HOURS I HAD TWO FRIENDS TOLD ME SOMEONE BROKE 26:47 INTO THEIR HOUSE. ACTUALLY, KAREN TOLD ME ONE OF 26:50 OUR NEIGHBORS BROKE INTO A FRIEND'S HOUSE. 26:53 AND IT'S JUST ALWAYS - IT'S HAPPENED TO US. 26:57 YOU ALWAYS FEEL KIND OF VIOLATED WHEN THAT HAPPENS. 27:00 NOTHING IN THIS WORLD IS GOING TO LAST. 27:03 THE ONLY THING THAT'S GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS WORLD THAT'S 27:06 WORTH ANYTHING IS PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED BY THE 27:09 POWER OF GOD. HEZEKIAH - EVERYTHING WAS TAKEN 27:12 BY KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR A LITTLE WHILE LATER AND DANIEL, 27:15 SHADRACH, MESHACH AND ABEDNEGO - SOME OF THE ROYAL LINE - THEY 27:19 WERE MADE EUNUCHS IN THE PALACE OF BABYLON. 27:21 THE EXACT SAME THING THAT ISAIAH SAID WOULD HAPPEN. 27:24 BUT THEN YOU GET TO THE APOSTLES - AND THIS IS ACTS CHAPTER 3 - 27:28 AND THEIR ATTITUDE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT AT THAT POINT. 27:32 YOU REMEMBER THE STORY ABOUT THE BEAUTIFUL GATE? 27:35 AND I THINK ONE OF YOU IS GOING TO BE READING FOR ME, IN JUST A 27:38 MOMENT, PROVERBS 3:27 AND 28 - WHO HAS - YOU'LL BE DOING THAT 27:41 IN JUST A MOMENT, OKAY? YOU REMEMBER WHEN PETER AND 27:45 JOHN, THEY GO INTO THE TEMPLE - PEOPLE ARE THERE BEGGING. 27:49 THERE'S A MAN CRIPPLED - BEGGING AT THE TEMPLE GATE AND HE'S 27:54 WANTING SOME MONEY - WANTING A HAND OUT. 27:57 PETER STOPS AND LOOKS AT HIM BECAUSE HIS HEART, YOU KNOW, 28:00 GOES OUT TO THE MAN. WHEN YOU'VE GOT THE HEART OF 28:03 JESUS, YOU CARE ABOUT SUFFERING. AND HE SEES THIS MAN WHO'S 28:06 SUFFERING, NOT ONLY BECAUSE HE'S POOR, BUT THE REASON HE'S POOR 28:09 IS BECAUSE HE'S CRIPPLED. SO WHAT'S THE BEST THING TO DO? 28:13 IF YOU CAN HELP A PERSON WHO'S POOR BECAUSE THEY'RE CRIPPLED, 28:17 AND YOU CAN SAVE THEM FROM BEING CRIPPLED, WHAT WOULD THEY RATHER 28:20 HAVE? A HAND OUT FOR ONE MORE SANDWICH 28:23 OR WOULD THEY RATHER HAVE LEGS SO THEY COULD WORK AND FEED 28:25 THEMSELVES? SO HE STOPS AND HE LOOKS AT HIM 28:30 AND THE MAN SAYS, 'OH GOOD, I'VE GOT A LIVE ONE HERE. 28:32 HE'S GOING TO GIVE ME SOMETHING.' AND PETER SAID, 28:37 'LEST YOU MISUNDERSTAND, SILVER AND GOLD I DO NOT HAVE. 28:41 BUT SUCH THAT I HAVE I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU.' I'M GOING TO GIVE 28:45 YOU SOMETHING, BUT IT'S NOT SILVER OR GOLD. 28:48 SOMETIMES I'VE STOPPED WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE PEOPLE AT THE 28:50 INTERSECTIONS AND THEY'RE HOLDING OUT THE SIGN AND THEY'RE 28:52 ASKING FOR HANDOUTS AND I PAUSE AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, IF 28:55 THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO USE IT THE WRONG WAY - AND 28:59 IT'S HARD TO TELL - I USED TO PANHANDLE. 29:03 I DID IT QUITE A BIT. AND SO I KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES 29:08 WHEN I'VE PANHANDLED, SOMETIMES I BOUGHT FOOD. 29:10 SOMETIMES I BOUGHT BEER. AND SO, YOU DON'T WANT TO HELP A 29:15 PERSON GET DRUNK AND HURT THEMSELVES. 29:19 THAT JUST KIND OF ENABLES THEIR PRODIGAL LIVING. 29:21 BUT I'LL PAUSE AND I'LL HAVE LIKE A MAGAZINE OR A BOOK OR 29:25 SOMETHING LIKE THAT - IT HAPPENED LAST WEEK HERE IN TOWN 29:28 - AND YOU GIVE THEM SOMETHING - IT'S LIKE THEY GO, 'OH, THANKS.' 29:33 AND SO YOU SAY TO THEM, 'WELL, SILVER AND GOLD I DON'T HAVE, 29:35 BUT I'VE GOT THIS TRACT.' 'OH, THANKS A LOT.' RIGHT? 29:40 AND SO WHEN HE SAYS TO THIS MAN - PETER SAYS, 'SILVER AND GOLD I 29:43 DON'T HAVE.' HE SAID, 'OH, WHAT'S HE GOING TO PREACH TO 29:45 ME?' 'BUT I'VE GOT SOMETHING BETTER.' 29:51 NOW THAT MAN HAD COME - WE READ SOME OF THE BACKGROUND MATERIAL 29:55 - THAT MAN HAD COME TO JERUSALEM BECAUSE HE HAD HEARD ABOUT 29:57 JESUS. HE HAD COME A LONG WAY BECAUSE 29:59 HE HAD WANTED TO BE HEALED. HE GOT THERE AND FOUND OUT THAT 30:02 ABOUT 50 DAYS EARLIER JESUS HAD BEEN CRUCIFIED. 30:05 CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW DEVASTATED HE WAS? 30:07 BECAUSE CHRIST HEALED JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY AROUND THE TEMPLE. 30:10 AND SO THIS MAN WAS SOMEONE NEW AND HE SAID, 'IN THE NAME OF 30:14 JESUS, STAND UP AND WALK.' AND PETER TOOK HIM BY THE HAND AND 30:18 GAVE HIM THE ABILITY TO WALK. WHAT WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE? 30:21 WHAT KIND OF RICHES SHOULD WE DESIRE? 30:23 IF GOD SAYS, 'I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SILVER AND GOLD OR I'M GOING 30:27 TO GIVE YOU THE ABILITY TO WALK THE CHRISTIAN WALK.' 30:31 WHAT WOULD BE WORTH MORE? YOU KNOW THAT SONG - IT'S KIND 30:36 OF AN INTERESTING STORY. HAVE YOU ALL HEARD OF GEORGE 30:39 BEVERLY SHAY? HE WAS A FAMOUS SINGING 30:43 EVANGELIST WITH BILLY GRAHAM FOR 60 YEARS. 30:46 KAREN AND I SAW HIM ONCE WHEN BILLY GRAHAM CAME TO NORTHERN 30:50 CALIFORNIA - OH, 25 YEARS AGO OR 20 YEARS AGO, ANYWAY AND, WELL, 30:56 WHEN GEORGE BEVERLY SHAY WAS IN HIS LATE 20S - MAY HAVE BEEN 30:59 EARLY 30S, HE WAS AN INSURANCE SALESMAN. 31:01 LOVED TO SING - SANG IN CHURCH. FATHER WAS A METHODIST MINISTER 31:04 AND HIS SINGING WAS BECOMING MORE RECOGNIZED. 31:07 HE'D SING ON THE RADIO - USUALLY HYMNS. HE'D DO THIS PROGRAM 31:10 CALLED 'SONGS IN THE NIGHT' OR SOMETHING. HE'D SING - BEAUTIFUL 31:14 BASS BARITONE VOICE - AND HE WAS A GOOD MUSICIAN TOO. 31:17 HE COULD PLAY PIANO. HE WAS OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY, 31:21 WITH A BIG CONTRACT, TO SING ON NBC ON THIS RADIO PROGRAM 31:26 BUT IT WOULD INVOLVE HIM SINGING SECULAR SONGS. 31:29 AND HE SAID, 'YOU KNOW, I JUST - I REALLY BELIEVE THAT GOD WANTS 31:33 ME TO SING FOR HIM AND I DON'T THINK THIS IS WHAT HE WANTS ME 31:36 TO DO.' AND PEOPLE SAID, 'OH, MAN, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY - 31:38 YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SING FULL TIME. 31:40 THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SING FULL TIME.' HE SAID, 'YEAH, BUT 31:42 I'M NOT COMFORTABLE SINGING WORLDLY MUSIC. 31:45 I WANT TO SING FOR GOD.' SO HE TURNED IT DOWN. 31:48 AND IT WASN'T LONG - AND THEY SAID, 'YOU'RE GOING TO MISS IT. 31:51 NO ONE WILL EVER HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN.' HIS FRIENDS TOLD HIM. 31:53 'THIS IS YOUR CHANCE AT FAME.' THEY SAID, 'NO ONE WILL EVER 31:56 HEAR FROM YOU.' AND THEN, A YOUNG EVANGELIST CALLED AND 32:01 SAID, 'I'D LIKE YOU TO' - HE'D HEARD HIM SING AND HE SAID, 'I 32:04 WANT YOU TO SING FOR SOME MEETINGS I'M DOING.' THAT WAS 32:06 BILLY GRAHAM. AND SO HE WENT AND BEGAN TO SING FOR BILLY GRAHAM. 32:09 WELL, YOU KNOW, SINCE THEN - HE LIVED TO 104 - HE DIED LAST 32:13 YEAR. THEY ESTIMATE THAT GEORGE BEVERLY SHAY SANG - HIS VOICE 32:18 WAS HEARD LIVE BY MORE PEOPLE THAN ANY OTHER VOICE IN HISTORY. 32:23 BECAUSE HE SANG FOR THESE BILLY GRAHAM CRUSADES LIVE THAT WERE 32:27 BROADCAST AROUND THE WORLD. AND SO WHEN YOU GIVE YOUR GIFTS 32:31 TO GOD, HE WILL MULTIPLY THEM AND HE'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU. 32:34 ANYWAYS, SO WHAT WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE? 32:38 EARTHLY SILVER AND GOLD? YOU KNOW, GEORGE BEVERLY SHAY 32:40 SANG THE SONG - THAT'S WHAT MADE ME THINK OF THE WHOLE STORY - 32:42 'I'D RATHER HAVE JESUS THAN SILVER AND GOLD.' RIGHT? 32:48 AND THAT WORKED OUT THAT WAY FOR HIM. 32:50 ALRIGHT, LET'S GO DOWN - 'CRIES OF THE POOR.' AND READ FOR US, 32:56 PLEASE, PROVERBS 3, VERSES 27 AND 28. 33:02 >>"WITHHOLD NOT GOOD FROM THEM TO WHOM IT IS DUE, WHEN IT IS IN 33:06 THE POWER OF THINE HAND TO DO IT. 33:08 SAY NOT UNTO THY NEIGHBOR, GO, AND COME AGAIN, AND TOMORROW I 33:12 WILL GIVE; WHEN THOU HAST IT BY THEE." 33:17 >>IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE WORKING FOR YOU OR THEY DO A JOB FOR YOU 33:20 AND YOU'RE ABLE TO PAY THEM, DON'T SAY TO THEM, 33:22 'OH YEAH, CHECK'S IN THE MAIL. I'LL GET BACK TO YOU. 33:25 YEAH, I DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT NOW. 33:27 IT'S NOT WITH ME RIGHT NOW,' WHEN SOMEONE HAS DONE WORK FOR 33:30 YOU - NOW, I KNOW, IF YOU WORK FOR A COMPANY AND YOU GET YOUR 33:32 PAYCHECK EVERY TWO WEEKS, YOU SHOULDN'T ASK FOR IT EVERY DAY. 33:35 THEY DIDN'T HAVE THOSE KIND OF PAY SYSTEMS IN THE BIBLE. 33:39 YOU HAD TO TRUST THE PERSON TO PAY YOU. 33:42 YOU KNOW THE PARABLE JESUS TELLS ABOUT THE WORKERS IN THE 33:43 VINEYARD? IT SAYS AT THE END OF THE DAY 33:46 THE STEWARD BROUGHT EVERYONE THERE - PAID THEM RIGHT THEN. 33:49 BECAUSE THEY MIGHT NEED THAT THAT DAY TO BE FED. 33:53 AND SO A GOOD MAN DID THAT BACK THEN. THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE 33:56 THAT PEOPLE WERE FED AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO WAIT A LONG TIME 33:59 TO GET THEIR PAYCHECK. AND SO THIS IS A PRINCIPLE. 34:02 JAMES TALKS ABOUT THIS IN CHAPTER 5, VERSE 4, "BEHOLD, THE 34:06 HIRE OF THE LABORERS WHO HAVE REAPED DOWN YOUR FIELDS, WHICH 34:09 IS OF YOU KEPT BACK BY FRAUD, CRIETH: AND THE CRIES OF THEM 34:13 WHICH HAVE REAPED ARE ENTERED INTO THE EARS OF THE LORD OF 34:15 SABAOTH." NOW THAT WORD SABAOTH, FIRST 34:18 TIME I READ THAT I THOUGHT THAT MEANT 'LORD OF SABBATH.' NO, 34:20 SABAOTH MEANS HOSTS OR THE LORD OF ARMIES. 34:23 IT'S A DIFFERENT WORD AND IT MEANS THE LORD OF THE ARMIES OF 34:26 THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN HE SEES WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND THERE'LL 34:29 BE JUDGMENT FOR THAT. SO WHEN YOU OWE SOMEBODY AND 34:33 YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN, YOU SHOULD PAY THEM. 34:36 I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST STARTED READING THE BIBLE, BUT I WASN'T 34:41 REALLY CONVERTED YET, I USED TO STEAL. 34:45 AND I STARTED SAYING, 'WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO STEAL FROM PEOPLE 34:48 ANYMORE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT HURTS FOLKS, BUT I HAVE NO 34:52 PROBLEM SHOPLIFTING BECAUSE THEY'RE RICH COMPANIES AND THEY 34:54 CHARGE TOO MUCH ANYWAY.' AND I WOULD JUSTIFY IT. 34:58 NEVER DID OCCUR TO ME THE REASON THEY CHARGE SO MUCH IS BECAUSE - 35:01 THERE'S SO MUCH SHOPLIFTING THAT THE PRICES GO UP FOR EVERYBODY 35:04 ELSE. YOU KNOW WHY INSURANCE IS SO HIGH? 35:09 BECAUSE OF INSURANCE FRAUD. YOU KNOW ONE REASON MEDICAL 35:13 EXPENSES ARE SO HIGH? BECAUSE PEOPLE OFTEN ABUSE THE 35:17 SYSTEM. AND SO WHEN PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE THINGS, 35:20 THEY END UP DRIVING UP THE COST FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. 35:23 LEVITICUS 19:13 - THAT SAME PRINCIPLE YOU WERE JUST READING 35:27 HERE, 'YOU SHALL NOT CHEAT YOUR 35:30 NEIGHBOR, NOR ROB HIM. THE WAGES OF HIM WHO IS HIRED 35:34 SHALL NOT REMAIN WITH YOU ALL NIGHT UNTIL MORNING." 35:38 THAT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT YOU'RE TO PAY PEOPLE RIGHT ON TIME. 35:42 AND BACK THEN IT WAS AT THE END OF THE DAY. AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, 35:44 IF YOU'RE IN A TYPICAL SYSTEM WHERE IT'S A COMPUTERIZED - 35:48 USUALLY BIWEEKLY - THERE ARE SOME COMPANIES THAT 35:51 STILL DO IT MONTHLY, BUT USUALLY BI-WEEKLY PEOPLE GET THEIR 35:53 PAYCHECK BECAUSE IT ALL HAS TO BE PROCESSED WITH TAXES AND 35:57 THINGS LIKE THAT. 35:58 BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PLACES IN THE WORLD STILL - 36:01 SOMEONE DOES SOME WORK FOR YOU, YOU PAY THEM RIGHT THEN. 36:05 AND WHENEVER YOU'RE ABLE TO, YOU NEED TO DO THAT BECAUSE IT'S A 36:08 PRINCIPLE: YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT BELONGS TO SOMEBODY ELSE. 36:12 I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT WHENEVER I HAVE TO BORROW AND I 36:15 OWE SOMEBODY, I AM UNCOMFORTABLE UNTIL I PAY THEM BACK. 36:19 I DON'T LIKE OWING ANYBODY ANYTHING. 36:22 I LIKE TO BE - BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT 36:25 BELONGS TO SOMEONE ELSE. I FEEL LIKE IT'S ALMOST 36:28 TEMPORARY THEFT OR SOMETHING AND I WANT TO GET IT BACK TO THEM. 36:33 AND THEN AS SOON AS YOU BORROW IT, IT BREAKS. 36:36 YOU EVER HAD - NOTICE THAT? 36:39 THE PASTOR WHO BAPTIZED ME, I BORROWED HIS ROTOTILLER AND HE 36:44 SAID, 'OH, NO PROBLEM, I'VE HAD THIS MERRY TILLER FOR 20 YEARS. 36:47 IT STARTS FULL TIME AND FIRST TIME YOU CRANK IT AND IT JUST 36:50 GOES AND GOES.' WELL, THE FIRST TIME I USED IT - I PROBABLY 36:53 DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING, BUT I BROKE IT. 36:55 AND I FELT SO BAD. I NEVER COULD GET THAT THING 36:57 RUNNING AGAIN. I FELT SO BAD. AND SO I THINK WE ENDED UP 37:01 GETTING HIM ANOTHER ROTOTILLER OR SOMETHING. 37:05 JAMES 5:5 - STILL ON THAT SECTION - "YOU HAVE LIVED ON THE 37:10 EARTH IN PLEASURE AND LUXURY; YOU HAVE FATTENED YOUR HEARTS AS 37:14 IN A DAY OF SLAUGHTER." THIS IS TALKING ABOUT THE CRIES 37:18 OF THE POOR, BUT IT REALLY FITS UNDER THE SECTION 'FAT AND 37:21 HAPPY' BECAUSE IT SAYS, 'YOU HAVE FATTENED YOUR HEARTS FOR 37:24 THE DAY OF SLAUGHTER.' NOW, YOU KNOW, JUST BEFORE THANKSGIVING 37:28 THE TURKEY GETS COOPED UP AND HE'S JUST FED THE VERY BEST AND 37:32 HE THINKS, 'WOW, I'M IN PARADISE.' BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING? 37:35 HE'S BEING FATTENED FOR THE SLAUGHTER, RIGHT? 37:38 AND A CALF MIGHT GET PENNED UP AND THE OTHER COWS ARE JUST 37:40 GETTING HAY. HE'S GETTING GRAIN. HE THINKS, 'WOW, LOOK AT ME, YOU 37:44 GUYS, YOU'RE JUST GETTING THE STRAW, I'M GETTING GRAIN.' BUT 37:47 HE DOESN'T REALIZE HE'S BEING FATTENED UP FOR THE SLAUGHTER. 37:51 AND HERE JAMES IS USING THAT TERMINOLOGY AND HE'S SAYING, 'DO 37:55 NOT THINK BECAUSE YOU'RE LIVING IN LUXURY IN THIS LIFE THAT IS 38:00 GOING TO TRANSLATE TO THE FAVOR OF GOD IN THE NEXT LIFE.' HOW 38:04 MANY OF YOU REMEMBER THE PARABLE OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS? 38:08 YOU'VE GOT THE POOR MAN - AND THIS IS IN LUKE CHAPTER 16 - IT 38:11 STARTS WITH VERSE 19 - YOU'VE GOT THE POOR MAN - BY THE WAY, 38:15 THAT'S OUR BOOK - THE FREE OFFER THAT WE'VE GOT FOR THIS PROGRAM. 38:21 THE POOR MAN IS STRUGGLING. HE'S DESIRING THE CRUMBS THAT 38:23 FALL FROM THE RICH MAN'S TABLE. THE RICH MAN IS FEASTING. 38:27 HE'S IN A PALACE. THE POOR MAN'S AT HIS GATES. 38:30 THAT MEANS THAT HE'S GOT A HOUSE WITH GATES. 38:31 HE'S CLOTHED WITH PURPLE, YOU KNOW, THE PICTURE IS THAT HE'S 38:35 GOT GREAT ABUNDANCE AND LUXURY AND HE'S PROBABLY THINKING TO 38:38 HIMSELF, OBVIOUSLY GOD LOVES ME MORE THAN POOR LAZARUS AT MY 38:42 GATE BECAUSE LOOK AT HOW I'M BLESSED AND LOOK AT HOW HE 38:46 SUFFERS.' THAT IS NOT BIBLICALLY TRUE - THAT BECAUSE A PERSON IS 38:51 PROSPERING DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN THEY'RE PROSPERING SPIRITUALLY. 38:55 I THINK WE ALL KNOW PEOPLE THAT MAY BE RICH AND THEY'RE 38:58 VERY COLD TO OTHERS AND THEY'RE ABUSIVE AND THEY'RE UNCARING. 39:03 WHO WAS IT? LEONA HELMSLEY. 39:07 THEY CALLED HER THE - WHAT WAS IT? 39:08 THE WITCH OF WALL STREET - OWNED THESE HOTELS AND LEFT LIKE ONE 39:13 DOLLAR TO HER CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. 39:16 LEFT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO HER MALTESE DOG. 39:19 I MEAN, JUST NOT EVERYBODY THAT HAS MONEY REALLY LOVES THEIR 39:24 NEIGHBOR. AND WHAT HAPPENED? 39:26 IN THE JUDGMENT, THE RICH MAN, HE GOES TO TORMENT AND THE POOR 39:31 MAN, HE GOES TO GLORY AND HE'S IN ABRAHAM'S BOSOM. 39:34 AND SO JAMES IS SAYING, 'DO NOT THINK, BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN 39:38 ABUNDANCE IN THIS LIFE, THAT SOMEHOW GOD LOVES YOU MORE THAN 39:40 OTHERS. KEEP IN MIND, GOD AND THE DEVIL 39:45 CAN SEND PROSPERITY. JESUS SAID, 'GOD IS LOVE. 39:50 HE WILL SEND RAIN AND SUNSHINE ON THE GOOD AND ON THE EVIL.' 39:55 AND THERE ARE CERTAIN LAWS OF LIFE THAT GOD RESPECTS. 39:57 THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO WORK VERY HARD. 39:59 THEY USE THE WISDOM THAT GOD'S GIVEN THEM TO GET VERY RICH AND 40:03 THEY LIVE VERY SELFISH LIVES. HE WON'T STOP THEM FROM EVER 40:07 MAKING MONEY OR BEING RICH, BUT THEY MIGHT BE GETTING FAT FOR 40:11 THE DAY OF SLAUGHTER. ALRIGHT, SOMEONE, I THINK, HAS JEREMIAH 40:16 22:13 - IS THAT YOU? ALRIGHT, I THINK WE'RE READY FOR 40:21 THAT IF THEY'RE READY FOR YOU. >>JEREMIAH 22:13, "WOE TO HIM 40:27 WHO BUILDS HIS HOUSE BY UNRIGHTEOUSNESS AND HIS CHAMBERS 40:31 BY INJUSTICE, WHO USES HIS NEIGHBOR'S SERVICE WITHOUT WAGES 40:36 AND GIVES HIM NOTHING FOR HIS WORK." 40:39 >>HERE ARE JUST A FEW MORE VERSES THAT TALK ABOUT THAT 40:42 PRINCIPLE THAT WE NEED TO BE FAIR. 40:43 I WAS TRAVELING WITH A FRIEND WHO WAS A CHRISTIAN - A VERY 40:48 SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN AND WE WERE IN A HOTEL ROOM TOGETHER 40:52 AND - IN INDIA - SOMEBODY BROUGHT HIS BAG TO HIS ROOM AND 41:00 HE TOOK OUT AND HANDED THE FELLOW A TWENTY-DOLLAR TIP. 41:04 AND FIRST THE YOUNG MAN, HE TOOK THE MONEY, HE PUT IT IN HIS HAND 41:07 AND HE WALKED OUT, THEN WHEN HE GOT IN THE HALL, EVIDENTLY, HE 41:09 OPENED IT UP AND SAW WHAT IT WAS. 41:11 WELL, YOU KNOW, IN INDIA, A TWENTY AMERICAN-DOLLAR TIP IS 41:16 LIKE GIVING A HUNDRED DOLLAR TIP IN THE STATES. 41:19 HE ACTUALLY WALKED BACK IN THE ROOM AND SAID, 'SIR, I THINK YOU 41:21 MAY HAVE MISTAKENLY GIVEN ME THE WRONG BILL.' AND MY FRIEND SAID, 41:25 'NO, THAT'S FOR YOU.' AND HE WENT OUT AND I THOUGHT, 'WOW, 41:31 THAT'S REALLY GENEROUS.' INSTEAD OF GIVING, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT 41:35 TIP A PERSON FOR BRINGING YOUR BAG TO THE ROOM BUT, INSTEAD OF 41:39 GIVING MAYBE WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN NORMAL, 41:41 HE SAID, 'I WANT TO MAKE HIS DAY. 41:44 I'M GOING TO BLESS HIM ABOVE WHAT'S NORMAL.' AND WOW, IT'S - 41:50 I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, 'HE JUST WANTS TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND 41:53 WITH EVERYBODY.' I HAD SOMEONE TELL ME, 'DOUG, DO YOU REALIZE 41:56 YOU PAID THAT PERSON TOO MUCH FOR THAT?' 41:59 I SAID, 'I KNOW,' BUT I SAID, 'MAYBE THEY NEED IT TOO.' 42:03 I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE ALWAYS TRY AND, WHEN WE DEAL 42:05 AND NEGOTIATE WITH PEOPLE, GET THE VERY BEST PRICE. 42:09 CHRISTIANS SHOULDN'T ALWAYS NECESSARILY BE STINGY THAT WAY. 42:13 I THINK WE SHOULD BE ECONOMICAL, BUT SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT EVEN PAY 42:16 A PERSON A LITTLE MORE THAN YOU KNOW IT'S WORTH BECAUSE YOU'RE 42:19 WANTING TO BE GENEROUS. YOU EVER THINK OF IT THAT WAY? 42:23 ALRIGHT, LET ME GIVE YOU ANOTHER EXAMPLE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT - 42:26 UNDER THE SECTION 'FAT AND HAPPY' - NOW, BUT IT DOESN'T 42:30 STAY THAT WAY. JAMES 5:5, "YOU HAVE LIVED ON 42:35 THE EARTH IN PLEASURE AND LUXURY; YOU HAVE FATTENED YOUR 42:37 HEARTS AS IN A DAY OF SLAUGHTER." NOW WE READ THAT 42:40 ALREADY, BUT HOW MANY REMEMBER THE STORY OF GEHAZI? 42:44 WHEN YOU THINK OF THE WORD 'GEHAZI,' YOU COULD ACTUALLY 42:47 THINK OF THE WORD 'GREED.' ELISHA THE PROPHET - HE WAS THE 42:55 ATTENDANT OF ELISHA THE PROPHET - GEHAZI. JUST LIKE ELISHA WAS 42:59 THE PERSONAL ATTENDANT OF ELIJAH. ELIJAH DIDN'T WANT 43:03 AN EARTHLY INHERITANCE. WHEN GOD SAID TO ELISHA - 43:06 ELISHA, RATHER, DIDN'T WANT AN EARTHLY INHERITANCE. 43:08 WHEN ELIJAH SAID TO HIM, 'WHAT DO YOU WANT BEFORE I GO TO 43:10 HEAVEN?' HE DIDN'T SAY, 'I WANT A MILLION 43:12 DOLLARS.' LIKE, YOU KNOW, A GENIE OR SOMETHING. 43:14 HE SAID, 'LET ME HAVE A DOUBLE PORTION OF YOUR SPIRIT.' WELL, 43:19 ELIJAH GOES TO HEAVEN IN A FIERY CHARIOT. 43:20 ELISHA GETS A DOUBLE PORTION OF ELIJAH'S SPIRIT. 43:22 NOW ELISHA IS TRAINING HIS APPRENTICE, WHO COULD BE 43:25 THE NEXT PROPHET OF ISRAEL - GEHAZI. 43:27 BUT GEHAZI DIDN'T WANT THE SPIRIT, HE WANTED THE STUFF. 43:32 AND GEHAZI SORT OF RESENTED THAT WHEN NAAMAN THE PROPHET CAME TO 43:37 BE CLEANSED OF HIS LEPROSY - NAAMAN THE LEPER, RATHER, CAME 43:41 TO BE CLEANSED - HE WAS ASSYRIAN - FROM HIS LEPROSY, HE BROUGHT 43:45 ALL THIS MONEY WITH HIM. YOU KNOW, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BY 43:49 TODAY'S STANDARD - TO PAY FOR HIS HEALING. AND HE TRIED TO PAY 43:54 WHEN HE WAS CLEANSED FROM LEPROSY AND ELISHA THE PROPHET 43:57 SAID, 'I WON'T TAKE ANYTHING. NOT A - NOTHING, BECAUSE YOUR 44:01 HEALING IS A SYMBOL FOR SALVATION AND IT'S FREE. 44:04 GOD WANTS YOU TO KNOW IT'S A GIFT.' AND HE FLATLY REFUSED 44:07 EVEN THOUGH NAAMAN URGED HIM TO TAKE SOMETHING. 44:10 BUT GEHAZI WAS WATCHING. HE WAS THINKING, 'ARE YOU CRAZY? 44:13 MAN, LOOK AT THE HOUSE WE'RE LIVING IN. LOOK AT THE PEWS IN 44:16 THE CHURCH. WE COULD USE A LITTLE BIT. HE DOESN'T NEED IT, 44:19 WE NEED IT.' BUT THERE WAS A PRINCIPLE INVOLVED. 44:22 IT REPRESENTED SALVATION AND HE WASN'T GOING TO TAKE ANYTHING. 44:24 SO AFTER NAAMAN LEAVES AND ELISHA SETTLES DOWN IN THE 44:29 HOUSE, GEHAZI SAID, 'I'M NOT LETTING THE GUY GET AWAY WITH 44:31 ALL THAT MONEY. HE'S ASSYRIAN. THEY DON'T DESERVE IT, WE 44:35 DESERVE IT.' WHO KNOWS WHAT HE SAID? RAN AFTER HIM. CHASED 44:40 HIM DOWN AND PRETTY SOON HE CAUGHT UP WITH THE CHARIOT. 44:42 HE'S HUFFING AND PUFFING AND NAAMAN STOPPED AND SAID, 44:45 'WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU? 44:46 IS SOMETHING WRONG?' HE SAYS, 'YOU KNOW, ELISHA SAID 44:48 WE DON'T NEED ANYTHING, BUT RIGHT AFTER YOU LEFT WE HAVE TWO 44:52 POOR SONS OF THE PROPHETS THAT CAME FROM ANOTHER PLACE AND THEY 44:54 COULD REALLY USE SOME HELP.' AND HE SAID, 'HAPPY TO HELP.' 44:58 I MEAN, NAAMAN'S SO HAPPY. HE'S JUST BEEN HEALED OF LEPROSY. 45:00 HE'S GOT LIFE. HE'D GIVE IT ALL. HE DIDN'T CARE, RIGHT? 45:03 BECAUSE, FOR HIM, LIFE WAS WORTH MORE THAN THE MEANS. 45:06 HE SAID, 'WELL, IF WE COULD HAVE SOME SILVER...' HE SAID, 'TAKE 45:09 TWO!' AND HE LOADS HIM DOWN WITH ALL THIS SILVER. 45:13 ELISHA - I'M SORRY, GEHAZI TRIES TO SNEAK BACK TO ELISHA'S HOUSE 45:17 WITHOUT HIM KNOWING AND HE COMES IN TO CHECK ON HIS MASTER AND 45:21 ELISHA SAID, 'SO, WHERE WERE YOU GEHAZI? 45:25 YOU DISAPPEARED FOR A LITTLE WHILE.' 'I DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE.' 45:29 AND ELISHA SAID, 'DID NOT MY HEART GO WITH YOU WHEN YOU 45:32 TURNED BACK AFTER THE MAN?' HE SAID, 'IS THIS A TIME TO GET 45:36 HOUSES AND VINEYARDS, OLIVE YARDS, MALE AND FEMALE 45:39 SERVANTS?' HE SAID, 'BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE 45:42 THIS THING, THE LEPROSY OF NAAMAN IS GOING TO CLING TO YOU 45:47 AND YOUR DESCENDANTS FOREVER.' AND IT SAYS HE WENT OUT OF THE 45:50 PRESENCE OF ELISHA 'A LEPER WHITE AS SNOW.' SO HE, BECAUSE 45:56 OF HIS GREED - WAS HE HAPPY THEN? WHEN HE GOT THOSE EARTHLY 46:01 RICHES? CAN YOU THINK OF SOMEBODY ELSE IN THE BIBLE THAT 46:04 WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH EARTHLY RICHES AND IT BACKFIRED ON THEM? 46:08 WHAT ABOUT JUDAS? 46:11 HE WAS WILLING TO SELL THE SAVIOR FOR SILVER. 46:15 AND YOU THINK, 'WHAT IN THE WORLD CAME OVER HIM? 46:18 HERE HE'S GOT A FRIEND WHO'S OFFERING HIM ETERNAL LIFE - 46:21 GOLDEN STREETS - AND ALL JUDAS COULD THINK ABOUT WAS THIRTY 46:24 PIECES OF SILVER RIGHT NOW. THE PRICE OF A SLAVE. 46:29 AND, BY THE WAY, THE BIBLE FORETOLD - ISN'T THAT AN AMAZING 46:32 PROPHECY? THE BIBLE FORETOLD HOW MUCH 46:35 JESUS WOULD BE BETRAYED FOR - THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER - THAT 46:39 IT WOULD BE CAST TO THE POTTER IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. 46:43 JUDAS CAME WITH THAT THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER. 46:45 HE WAS OVERWHELMED WITH GUILT WHEN HE REALIZED JESUS WAS GOING 46:48 TO BE EXECUTED. HE THREW DOWN THE MONEY. 46:51 HE SAID, 'I BETRAYED INNOCENT BLOOD.' HE THREW IT DOWN IN THE 46:53 HOUSE OF THE LORD THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THE MONEY 46:56 BECAUSE IT WAS BLOOD MONEY AND SO THEY SAID, 'LET'S USE IT TO 46:59 BUY THE POTTER'S FIELD - THE FIELD THAT A POTTER HAD, NOTHING 47:02 WOULD GROW THERE - THE POTTER GOT HIS CLAY OUT OF THIS FIELD 47:05 BECAUSE IT WAS A CLAY FIELD - TO BURY PEOPLE IN. 47:08 SO THE MONEY THAT WAS USED TO BETRAY JESUS ENDED UP BECOMING 47:11 GRAVEYARD MONEY TO BUY UP A WORTHLESS FIELD FOR BURYING 47:16 CRIMINALS AND STRANGERS IN. I MEAN, HOW PERFECTLY THAT 47:20 PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED. HOW HAPPY WAS JUDAS? 47:23 DID THAT MONEY MAKE HIM HAPPY? WHAT PROFIT IS IT IF YOU GAIN 47:29 THE WHOLE WORLD AND YOU LOSE YOUR SOUL? 47:31 AND THIS IS WHAT JAMES IS SAYING IN THIS WHOLE SECTION. 47:34 HE'S TALKING ABOUT THIS KIND OF INCREASE DOESN'T BRING LASTING 47:39 JOY. ALRIGHT, LET'S TALK ABOUT ANOTHER CHARACTER. 47:42 WHO HAS THE BOOK OF JUDE, VERSE 11? 47:45 OKAY, YOU'RE GOING TO READ THAT NEXT. 47:47 BUT BEFORE YOU DO, I'M GOING TO READ GENESIS 14, VERSES 22 47:53 THROUGH 23. SOME OF YOU REMEMBER WHEN 47:58 ABRAHAM RESCUED LOT. LOT HAD BEEN CARRIED AWAY. 48:02 THERE WAS A BATTLE WHERE THESE FIVE KINGS OF THE NORTH, LED BY 48:05 A MAN NAMED CHEDORLAOMER FROM UP BY DAMASCUS, THEY CAME DOWN AND 48:10 THEY ATTACKED THE FOUR KINGS OF SODOM, GOMORRAH, ZOAR AND 48:13 ANOTHER CITY. AND SODOM AND GOMORRAH AND THOSE 48:17 CITIES OF THE PLAIN FELL. THEY WERE CAPTURED. 48:20 THEY WERE BEING CARRIED OFF TO THE NORTH. 48:22 ABRAHAM, WITH MAMRE AND HESHCOL - ESHCOL - THEY GOT TOGETHER AND 48:28 THEY FORMED AN ALLIANCE AND THEY WENT AND ATTACKED THE INVADING 48:33 ARMY AND RESCUED EVERY ONE THAT HAD BEEN CAPTURED INCLUDING LOT. 48:38 WELL, BY RIGHTS, ABRAHAM HAD THE RIGHTS OF ALL OF THE BOUNTY OF 48:43 THE WAR BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL LOST. THEY WERE ALL DYING. 48:45 THEY SAID, 'YOU KEEP - YOU CAN KEEP IT ALL, JUST GIVE US OUR 48:47 LIVES.' AND YOU KNOW WHAT ABRAHAM SAID? 48:52 'I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE ANY OF IT.' ABRAHAM SAID TO THE KING OF 48:54 SODOM, 'I HAVE LIFTED UP MY HAND TO THE LORD, THE MOST HIGH GOD, 48:57 THE POSSESSOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH' - HE OWNS EVERYTHING - 49:00 'THAT I WILL NOT TAKE A THREAD, EVEN A SHOELACE, FROM THE THINGS 49:07 THAT WERE TAKEN FROM THIS WAR, LEST THOU SHOULD SAY 'I HAVE 49:13 MADE ABRAHAM RICH.' HE SAID, 'IF I AM BLESSED, IT'S GOING TO BE 49:16 GOD THAT MAKES ME RICH. I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE ANYTHING 49:19 FROM SODOM.' NOW THERE'S A PRINCIPLE THERE THAT I THINK WE 49:22 ALL UNDERSTAND. SODOM, EVEN BACK THEN, WAS KNOWN 49:25 AS A WICKED PLACE. IT SAYS IT BEFORE THIS STORY. 49:28 HE SAID, 'I'M NOT TAKING ANYTHING FROM SODOM. 49:30 I DON'T WANT YOU FOLKS SAYING, 'YEAH, ABRAHAM'S RICH BECAUSE HE 49:31 TOOK EVERYTHING FROM US.'' SO GOD WANTS HIS PEOPLE - WHEN THE 49:35 BLESSINGS COME, LET IT BE BY INTEGRITY. 49:38 ALRIGHT, READ FOR US JUDE, VERSE 11. 49:40 >>WOE TO THEM FOR THEY HAVE GONE IN THE WAY OF CAIN, HAVE RUN 49:44 GREEDILY IN THE ERROR OF BALAAM FOR PROFIT, AND PERISHED IN THE 49:48 REBELLION OF KORAH." >>ALRIGHT, SO HE TALKS ABOUT 49:51 CAIN AND HE TALKS ABOUT KORAH, BUT THE MAIN ONE THERE IN THE 49:54 MIDDLE, HE USES THE EXAMPLE OF GREEDILY RUNNING AFTER GAIN LIKE 49:58 WHO? BALAAM. WHAT WAS BALAAM'S OCCUPATION? 50:02 HE WAS A PROPHET OF GOD. BUT WHAT WENT WRONG? 50:08 HE WAS BEING OFFERED A SUBSTANTIAL RAISE AND A LOT OF 50:12 BENEFITS IN ORDER TO COMPROMISE HIS GIFTS. 50:17 AND I REMEMBER HEARING A STORY ABOUT A MAN WHO WAS A MISSIONARY 50:21 IN INDONESIA YEARS AGO, AT AN OIL COMPANY. 50:24 I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS CHEVRON OR EXXON - ONE OF THESE OIL 50:27 COMPANIES WAS DOING WORK THERE AND THEY SAID, 'WE NEED SOMEBODY 50:31 WHO KNOWS THE CULTURE, KNOWS THE PEOPLE, THAT CAN SPEAK THE 50:34 LANGUAGE, THAT CAN BE A LIAISON AMONG THESE TRIBES WHERE 50:39 WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING SOME DRILLING. 50:40 AND THEY SAID, 'THE BEST PERSON IS THIS MISSIONARY. 50:42 HE'S BEEN THERE FOR YEARS. HE'S VERY BRIGHT. 50:43 HE KNOWS THE PEOPLE. HE KNOWS THE CUSTOMS. 50:46 THEY WENT AND OFFERED HIM A JOB. AND HE TURNED IT DOWN. 50:50 AND THEY SENT ANOTHER GROUP BACK TO HIM AND THEY SAID, 'WE'LL 50:53 GIVE YOU MORE.' AND HE TURNED IT DOWN. 50:55 AND THEY WENT BACK TO HIM THE THIRD TIME AND THEY SAID, 'YOU 50:57 NAME YOUR PRICE.' AND HE SAID, 'IT'S NOT THAT THE PRICE ISN'T 51:02 ENOUGH, THE PRICE IS MORE THAN HIGH ENOUGH.' HE SAID, 'THE JOB 51:04 ISN'T BIG ENOUGH.' HE SAYS, 'I'M WORKING FOR GOD. 51:07 YOU'RE ASKING ME TO WORK FOR AN OIL COMPANY.' HE SAID, 'THAT'S 51:10 NOT A BIG ENOUGH JOB FOR ME.' AND SO BALAAM, THOUGH, HE WANTED 51:15 THE HONORS AND HE DID EVERYTHING HE COULD TO TAKE HIS GIFT THAT 51:19 GOD HAVE GIVEN HIM - OF PROPHECY - AND HE TRIED TO USE IT TO 51:22 CURSE GOD'S PEOPLE. AND HE KNEW THAT WAS WRONG, BUT 51:24 HE WANTED THE MONEY. AND YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED? 51:27 BALAAM ENDED UP LOSING HIS LIFE. HE MAY HAVE GOTTEN SOME OF THE 51:31 REWARDS OF BALAK, BUT IT DIDN'T LAST. 51:33 IT DIDN'T BRING HIM ANY HAPPINESS. 51:36 SO MOVING ON, THEN YOU'VE GOT THE SECTION CALLED, 'FAT AND 51:42 HAPPY FOR NOW.' AMOS 4:1, "HEAR THIS WORD, YOU COWS OF BASHAN, 51:50 WHO ARE ON THE MOUNTAIN OF SAMARIA, WHO OPPRESS THE POOR, 51:54 WHO CRUSH THE NEEDY, WHO SAY TO YOUR HUSBANDS, 'BRING WINE, 51:58 LET US DRINK!'" NOW THE FACT THAT THEY'RE 52:02 SAYING TO THEIR HUSBANDS MEANS - ARE THESE MEN OR WOMEN? WOMEN. 52:10 BOY, YOU JUST GET IN A LOT OF TROUBLE IF YOU'RE TEACHING A 52:13 CLASS AND YOU TALK ABOUT FAT WOMEN. 52:16 BUT WHAT DOES A WOMAN REPRESENT IN PROPHECY? 52:18 >>A CHURCH. >>A CHURCH. 52:20 THIS IS SPIRITUAL LANGUAGE THAT IS TALKING ABOUT THE RELIGIONS 52:23 OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE DRUNK - DOES REVELATION TALK ABOUT A 52:29 WOMAN WHO IS DRUNK? DOES IT SAY SHE'S RICH, WEARING 52:33 PEARLS AND GOLD, PERSECUTING THE PROPHETS AND THE POOR? 52:41 ARE THERE RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE POOR? 52:46 MATTER OF FACT, ONE OF THE WORST THINGS - 52:50 FALSE REPRESENTATIONS THAT HAPPENS TO THE CHRISTIAN 52:54 CHURCH IS WHEN PEOPLE, IN THE NAME OF GOD, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF 52:58 OTHERS AND THEY ROB THE POOR AND THE WIDOWS. 53:01 I MEAN, WE'VE ALL HEARD STORIES ABOUT UNSCRUPULOUS PREACHERS 53:06 THAT SAY, YOU KNOW, 'JUST SEND YOUR LAST CHECK TO ME AND GOD IS 53:10 GOING TO CONSIDER IT A SEED OF FAITH AND HE'LL OPEN THE WINDOWS 53:13 OF HEAVEN FOR YOU.' AND PEOPLE ARE DESTITUTE BECAUSE THEY'RE 53:18 BEING LED TO GIVE AND TO GIVE. JESUS SAID TO THE PHARISEES, 53:21 'YOU ROB WIDOW'S HOUSES AND FOR A PRETENSE YOU MAKE LONG 53:26 PRAYERS.' SO EVEN IN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD 53:30 THAT JAMES IS TALKING ABOUT, THERE WERE SOME WHO WERE VERY 53:31 RICH. WAS NICODEMUS RELIGIOUS? AND WAS NICODEMUS RICH? 53:38 YOU KNOW, SO EVEN IN THE EARLY CHURCH BACK THEN, MANY OF THE 53:41 PRIESTS CONVERTED AND MANY OF THEM HAD A LOT OF RESOURCES AND 53:45 THEY WERE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OTHERS. 53:48 UNDER THE LAST SECTION HERE IT SAYS, 'BLAME THE VICTIM.' JAMES 53:51 5, VERSE 6, "YOU HAVE CONDEMNED, YOU HAVE MURDERED THE JUST; 53:56 HE DOES NOT RESIST YOU." IT'S TALKING, HERE, ABOUT TAKING 54:00 ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE POSITION OF POWER. 54:03 HAVE WE SEEN, IN HISTORY, THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE WITH MONEY AND 54:09 INFLUENCE, THEY'RE NOT HELD TO THE SAME STANDARD? 54:13 THEY CAN HIRE BETTER LAWYERS. 54:14 IT SEEMS LIKE THEIR JAIL TERM IS NOT AS LONG AS OTHERS MAYBE. 54:18 AND WHEN POLITICIANS ARE CAUGHT IN CORRUPTION, HAVE YOU EVER 54:23 NOTICED THAT THEY KIND OF GET PUT IN THESE JAILS THAT ARE LIKE 54:26 A COUNTRY CLUB? NOT ALWAYS, BUT SEVERAL TIMES. 54:30 IF YOUR AVERAGE PERSON DID SOME OF THE EXTORTION AND CORRUPTION 54:35 THAT THEY DO, THEY'D BE LOCKED UP IN A COMMON JAIL. 54:40 BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR MONEY AND THEIR INFLUENCE, IT SEEMS LIKE 54:43 THEY GET SPECIAL FAVORS AND THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE. 54:46 WHO HAS JAMES 2, VERSE 5? OKAY, YOU GOT THE MICROPHONE? I THINK 54:51 I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE YOU READ THAT FOR US NOW. 54:54 >>JAMES 2, VERSE 5, "LISTEN MY BELOVED BRETHREN: HAS GOD NOT 54:58 CHOSEN THE POOR OF THIS WORLD TO BE RICH IN FAITH AND HEIRS OF 55:01 THE KINGDOM WHICH HE PROMISED TO THOSE WHO LOVE HIM?" 55:06 >>NOW GOD WANTS US TO BE RICH. IN HEAVEN WE'LL BE THE RICHEST 55:10 OF ALL BECAUSE WE WILL LIVE IN THE GREATEST MOST GLORIOUS 55:12 KINGDOM, WALKING ON GOLDEN STREETS, WEARING CROWNS, BUT HE 55:17 WANTS US TO FIRST - BEFORE WE CAN ENJOY AND HANDLE RICHES LIKE 55:20 THAT, WE MUST BE RICH IN FAITH. AND THAT'S WHY HE SAYS - JESUS 55:25 SAYS - MATTHEW 5:3, "BLESSED ARE THE POOR" - IS GOD SAYING THAT 55:32 THERE'S SOME VIRTUE IN BEING POOR? 55:34 HE SAYS, "BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT" - THAT MEANS THE 55:38 HUMBLE - "FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN." 55:41 NOW WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO TRUST IN UNCERTAIN RICHES. 55:45 THE BIBLE'S VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT. 55:47 WHAT JESUS SAID TO THE RICH YOUNG RULER HE DIDN'T SAY TO 55:49 EVERYBODY - 'GO SELL ALL THAT YOU HAVE. 55:51 GIVE IT TO THE POOR - YOU'LL HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN.' I 55:54 THINK THAT EVERYBODY, WHEN THEY BECOME A CHRISTIAN, IN THEIR 55:56 HEART, NEEDS TO MAKE THAT DECISION. 55:59 'LORD, EVERYTHING I HAVE BELONGS TO YOU AND I WILL USE IT THE WAY 56:03 YOU DIRECT.' AND BE WILLING, AS GOD PRESENTS NEEDS AND HIS WILL, 56:08 TO FREELY DISTRIBUTE. AND, AT THE SAME TIME, 56:11 CHRISTIANS NEED TO KNOW HOW TO WORK. THEY KNOW HOW TO SAVE. 56:15 THEY NEED TO BE OPEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT AND KNOW HOW TO GIVE AND 56:18 WITNESS FOR JESUS. I KNOW ONE WEALTHY FELLOW. 56:23 HE WANTED TO WITNESS FOR THE LORD. 56:24 HE HAD MONEY, BUT HE WAS ALWAYS VERY SHY TALKING TO PEOPLE. 56:27 AND SO WHAT HE DID IS HE TOOK A CAB TO THIS EVANGELISTIC MEETING 56:30 IN THE CITY AND HE SAID TO THE CAB DRIVER - THE GUY HAD LOTS OF 56:34 MONEY - HE SAID, 'I'M GOING TO GO TO THIS MEETING. 56:36 IT'S REALLY GOOD AND I DON'T WANT TO LOOK FOR A CAB WHEN I 56:38 GET OUT.' HE SAYS, 'YOU LEAVE THE METER RUNNING. 56:39 YOU COME IN WITH ME.' AND SO HE PAID FOR THE CAB DRIVER TO LEAVE 56:43 HIS METER RUNNING AND COME IN AND SIT AND LISTEN AND HEAR THE 56:46 GOSPEL. AND I UNDERSTAND THE GUY WAS ULTIMATELY CONVERTED. 56:49 I MEAN, HE JUST FELT - THAT'S SOMETHING NOT ALL OF US COULD 56:52 AFFORD, BUT HE COULD AND THAT WAS HIS WAY OF WITNESSING. 56:56 AND SO ALL OF US CAN DO SOMETHING TO SHARE OUR FAITH AND 56:59 WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T BECOME DISTRACTED WITH - 57:04 'A MAN'S LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST IN THE ABUNDANCE OF THINGS THAT 57:08 HE POSSESSES.' IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A 57:11 GENERATION WHERE WE HAVE MORE THINGS THAT WE CAN BUY NOW THAN 57:15 ANY OTHER TIME IN THE HISTORY OF MAN. 57:19 IT'S EASY FOR US TO BE DISTRACTED WITH THINGS AND 57:23 FORGET ABOUT WHAT REALLY MATTERS, WHICH IS ETERNAL LIFE. 57:26 AMEN? I WANT TO REMIND OUR FRIENDS 57:27 THAT ARE WATCHING WITH US, WE'RE COMING TO YOU FROM ALBUQUERQUE 57:29 RIGHT NOW, BUT WE DO HAVE A FREE OFFER. 57:31 IT'S CALLED 'THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS' BY DENNIS CREWS. 57:34 OFFER #118 WHEN YOU CALL 866-788-3966 - 57:40 THAT'S 866-STUDY-MORE. GOD BLESS YOU UNTIL WE GET TO 57:44 STUDY GOD'S WORD TOGETHER AGAIN NEXT WEEK. 57:48 >>DID YOU KNOW THAT NOAH WAS PRESENT AT THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM? 57:51 OKAY, MAYBE HE WASN'T IN THE ROOM, BUT HE WAS ALIVE AND 57:55 PROBABLY TELLING STORIES ABOUT HIS FLOATING ZOO. 57:58 FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD TO THE LAST DAY EVENTS OF 58:01 REVELATION, 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM' IS A FREE RESOURCE WHERE YOU CAN 58:05 EXPLORE MAJOR BIBLE EVENTS AND CHARACTERS. 58:08 ENHANCE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIBLE AND DRAW CLOSER TO 58:11 GOD'S WORD. GO DEEPER. VISIT 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM'. |
Revised 2014-12-17