Participants:
Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021801A
|
00:00 (MUSIC)
00:35 >>GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS, AND WELCOME TO SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY 00:38 HOUR HERE AT THE GRANITE BAY SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH. 00:40 I'D LIKE TO WELCOME THOSE WHO ARE JOINING US, ACROSS THE 00:43 COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD, FOR OUR STUDY TIME TODAY. 00:47 ALSO, OF COURSE, THE MEMBERS AND THE VISITORS OF THE GRANITE BAY 00:49 CHURCH. ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU WEEK 00:51 AFTER WEEK, COMING EARLY TO STUDY THE WORD TOGETHER. 00:55 IT'S AN EXCITING DAY TODAY, BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO 00:57 START A BRAND-NEW SERIES OF BIBLE STUDIES - OUR NEW LESSON 01:01 QUARTERLY - AND IT'S ENTITLED STEWARDSHIP: MOTIVES OF THE 01:05 HEART . YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING 'WHAT CAN WE STUDY FOR THIRTEEN 01:08 WEEKS ABOUT STEWARDSHIP?' I KIND OF LOOKED THROUGH THE 01:11 LESSON QUARTERLY AND SAW SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP - 01:13 VERY IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT 01:16 THROUGH OUR STUDY THIS NEXT THIRTEEN WEEKS. 01:19 TODAY WE BEGIN WITH LESSON #1, WHICH IS ENTITLED THE INFLUENCE 01:23 OF MATERIALISM - SO THAT'LL BE OUR STUDY FOR TODAY. 01:26 FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING US, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY OF 01:29 THE STUDY GUIDE SERIES ENTITLED STEWARDSHIP: MOTIVES OF THE 01:33 HEART , YOU CAN GO TO THE AMAZING FACTS WEBSITE - JUST 01:36 AMAZINGFACTS.ORG - DOWNLOAD LESSON #1 - AND THAT'S WHAT 01:40 WE'RE STUDYING TODAY - AND YOU CAN STUDY ALONG WITH US OR YOU 01:43 CAN VISIT A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH IN YOUR AREA 01:46 AND YOU CAN ASK THEM FOR THE LESSON QUARTERLY AND YOU CAN 01:49 TAKE THAT HOME AND STUDY WITH US HERE AND THEN, DURING THE WEEK, 01:53 YOU CAN DO YOUR LESSON AS WELL. 01:55 WE DO HAVE A FREE OFFER THAT GOES ALONG WITH OUR STUDY TODAY, 01:58 ENTITLED CULTURE AND THE CHRISTIAN . 02:01 THIS IS FREE TO ANYBODY IN NORTH AMERICA, JUST CALL OUR RESOURCE 02:05 PHONE LINE, THAT'S 866-788-3966 AND YOU CAN ASK FOR OFFER #143. 02:12 WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND THIS TO ANYBODY IN NORTH AMERICA. 02:15 OUTSIDE OF NORTH AMERICA, JUST GO TO THE AMAZING FACTS WEBSITE. 02:18 YOU CAN TYPE IN THE NAME CULTURE AND THE CHRISTIAN . 02:20 YOU CAN READ THE BOOK FOR FREE RIGHT THERE ONLINE. 02:23 WELL, BEFORE WE GET TO OUR STUDY THIS MORNING, WE WANT TO BEGIN 02:26 BY LIFTING OUR VOICES IN SONG. I'D LIKE TO INVITE OUR SONG 02:29 LEADERS TO COME ONSTAGE. (PIANO MUSIC) 02:38 >>AS WE WERE PRACTICING TODAY, I WAS 02:42 THINKING, 'WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GATHER 02:44 TOGETHER UNDER ONE ROOF OR ACROSS THE PLANET AND AROUND THE 02:49 WORLD TO SING TOGETHER AND TO STUDY TOGETHER GOD'S WORD AND TO 02:53 BE LIKE-MINDED. THE BIBLE ENCOURAGES US TO BE 02:55 LIKE-MINDED AND TO WORSHIP TOGETHER. 02:59 WE'RE GOING TO SING ABOUT THAT TODAY - HYMN #8 WE GATHER 03:02 TOGETHER - WE'RE GOING TO SING ALL THREE VERSES SO I INVITE YOU 03:06 - THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE HOME - PULL OUT YOUR HYMNALS AND SING 03:09 ALONG. (PIANO MUSIC) 05:00 >>YOU KNOW, THIS WORLD IS A MESS AND, AS WE WERE 05:03 SINGING THAT, I WAS ALSO THINKING WHAT ASSURANCE THAT WE 05:07 HAVE: NO MATTER WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH, NO MATTER HOW DIM AND 05:12 HOW DARK LIFE SEEMS, WE HAVE A DEFENDER IN OUR CORNER THAT IS 05:16 ABOUT TO COME AND RESCUE US. AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THAT 05:20 THIS MORNING. LET ALL THE WORLD IN EVERY CORNER SING . AND I 05:25 KNOW THAT ALL AROUND THE WORLD WE ARE SINGING TOGETHER 05:28 HYMN #9 - RIGHT - THE NEXT PAGE - LET ALL THE WORLD IN EVERY 05:32 CORNER SING - SO LET'S SING. (PIANO MUSIC) 06:53 >>VERY SOON WE ARE GOING TO LOOK UP AND SAY, 'LORD, THERE IS MY 06:57 KING I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.' AMEN? I PRAY THAT THAT'S WHAT IS 07:02 IN YOUR HEART EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY. 07:05 AT THIS TIME, PASTOR ROSS WILL HAVE OPENING PRAYER. 07:18 >>LET'S BOW OUR HEADS FOR PRAYER. 07:19 DEAR FATHER IN HEAVEN, THANK YOU, ONCE AGAIN, FOR THE 07:21 OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER TOGETHER AND OPEN UP YOUR WORD TO STUDY 07:24 THIS IMPORTANT LESSON, FOR WHERE OUR TREASURE IS, THAT'S WHERE 07:28 OUR HEART WILL BE ALSO. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE 07:31 OUR HEARTS ARE IN HEAVEN. SO BLESS OUR TIME TOGETHER AS 07:34 WE LOOK AT THESE IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES, WE PRAY, FATHER, AS 07:37 WE STUDY, WE WILL SENSE YOUR PRESENCE AND YOUR 07:40 LEADING IN OUR LIVES. IN JESUS' NAME WE PRAY. 07:43 AMEN. >>AMEN. 07:44 >>OUR LESSON TODAY IS GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO US BY PASTOR DOUG. 07:50 >>WHERE IS PASTOR DOUG? (LAUGHS) JUST AS HE WAS 07:53 INVITING ME UP I THOUGHT, 'OH, MICROPHONE, TURN IT ON. 07:58 SOMETIMES I GET UP HERE AND I FORGET MY BATTERY. 08:00 MORNING. >>MORNING. 08:01 >>HAPPY SABBATH. WELCOME EVERYBODY. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE 08:04 TIMES IN THE YEAR WHERE WE - WE LIVE IN A PARADOX - WE'RE LIVING 08:12 IN THE FUTURE - BECAUSE AT THE TIME THIS IS BROADCASTING FOR 08:16 MOST OF THE PEOPLE WATCHING US - SOME ARE WATCHING 08:17 LIVE ONLINE RIGHT NOW - BUT, FOR MOST PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING 08:21 THIS, THIS IS BROADCASTING IN 2018. AND WE'RE BEGINNING A NEW 08:26 QUARTERLY I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT, BUT PEOPLE SEE - WE STILL 08:30 HAVE OUR WINTER DECORATIONS BEHIND US AND SO WE'RE KIND OF 08:33 LIVING IN THE FUTURE A LITTLE BIT RIGHT NOW. 08:36 BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT IT TAKES TIME FOR US TO EDIT THESE 08:41 PROGRAMS FOR THE SATELLITES AND THE STATIONS THAT CARRY IT - NOT 08:44 ONLY DO THEY EDIT IT, WE TYPE IN CLOSED CAPTIONING, WE SEND IT 08:47 OFF - IT TAKES LIKE TWO - THREE WEEKS - SO WE ALWAYS ARE 08:51 STUDYING THE LESSON ABOUT THREE WEEKS IN ADVANCE OF THE REST OF 08:54 THE COUNTRY AND SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR THAT. 08:57 BUT WE ARE BEGINNING IN A BRAND-NEW LESSON DEALING WITH 09:00 STEWARDSHIP AND SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. 09:03 SOME OF YOU HEARD PASTOR ROSS ANNOUNCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO 09:06 START BEING A LITTLE MORE INTERACTIVE. 09:08 WE'LL TAKE SOME SCRIPTURES FROM THE AUDIENCE HERE, BUT WE'RE 09:11 ALSO GOING TO BE TAKING SOME QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE MAY SEND 09:14 IN AND YOU CAN DO THAT - WELL, YOU CAN GO TO THE DOUG BATCHELOR 09:17 FACEBOOK PAGE AND JUST TYPE IN QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE 09:20 LESSON - NOT JUST GENERAL, ACROSS THE BOARD BIBLE QUESTIONS 09:24 - AND YOU CAN FIND THE LESSONS ONLINE. TODAY'S LESSON IS LESSON 09:27 #1 IN OUR NEW QUARTERLY DEALING WITH STEWARDSHIP. 09:31 I'M ACTUALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE TALKING 09:33 ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TWO THINGS YOU REALLY GIVE AN 09:36 ACCOUNT OF IN THE JUDGMENT, ONE IS, 'WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE 09:40 TIME THAT GOD GAVE YOU?' - YOUR LIFE - AND THE OTHER IS 09:44 'WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE STUFF GOD GAVE YOU?' 09:47 AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE STUFF FOR THE NEXT 09:50 THIRTEEN WEEKS AND OUR FAITHFULNESS IN WHAT WE DO 09:53 WITH THE THINGS THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US. 09:56 STEWARDSHIP: MOTIVES OF THE HEART - AND TODAY WE'RE ON 09:59 LESSON #1 - THE INFLUENCE OF MATERIALISM - AND WE HAVE A 10:04 MEMORY VERSE. THE MEMORY VERSE IS ROMANS CHAPTER 12, VERSE 2, 10:09 AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY THAT WITH ME, THAT'D BE GREAT. 10:11 ARE YOU READY? ROMANS 12, VERSE 2 AND THIS IS 10:14 FROM THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION IN YOUR LESSON, "AND DO NOT BE 10:17 CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF 10:22 YOUR MIND, THAT YOU MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE 10:27 AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD." THE LORD IS CALLING ON 10:30 US ALL TO BE TRANSFORMED. NOW, HOW MUCH STUFF IS TOO MUCH? 10:39 I REMEMBER I WAS DRIVING UP HIGHWAY 101 YEARS AGO AND I SAW 10:44 A MAN HITCHHIKING, AND I PERIODICALLY PICK UP 10:46 HITCHHIKERS, AND THE MAN WAS WEARING A - A KIND OF A FADED 10:53 WHITE ROBE - HAD LONG HAIR AND A BEARD - AND HE WAS BAREFOOT. 10:59 AND I KNEW RIGHT AWAY - I SAID, 'THIS IS GOING TO BE 11:01 INTERESTING.' SO I PULLED OVER AND I PICKED HIM UP AND HE 11:05 CLIMBED IN AND WE DROVE ALONG A LITTLE BIT AND I DON'T REMEMBER 11:10 HOW, BUT HE FOUND OUT I WAS A CHRISTIAN - MAYBE HE ASKED WHAT 11:13 I DID OR I SOMETIMES HAVE A BIBLE, BUT HE SAID, 'SO YOU'RE A 11:15 CHRISTIAN?' I SAID, 'YEAH.' AND THEN HE 11:18 SAID, 'WELL, WHY ARE YOU WEARING THAT DEAD COW ON YOUR FEET?' 11:23 HE WAS TALKING ABOUT MY LEATHER SHOES - AND I SAID, 'WELL, I 11:30 DON'T KNOW, I GUESS I BOUGHT THEM AND I PUT THEM ON MY FEET.' 11:32 I DON'T KNOW WHAT I SAID - AND HE SAID, 'ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN?' 11:36 I SAID, 'I'M A CHRISTIAN, YEAH.' I SAID, 'ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN?' 11:38 'I'M A CHRISTIAN, YEAH.' HE SAYS, 'BUT I DON'T TOUCH 11:40 ANYTHING DEAD. WE DON'T WEAR ANYTHING LEATHER 11:42 - I DON'T EVEN WEAR A LEATHER BELT.' HE SAYS, 'WE DON'T WANT 11:44 TO KILL ANYTHING.' WELL, HE REEKED OF MARIJUANA (LAUGHTER) 11:48 AND - DON'T ASK ME HOW I KNOW THAT, BUT I - I - I KNOW WHAT IT 11:52 SMELLS LIKE - AND I SAID, 'WELL, YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN?' - HE SAID, 11:55 'YEAH.' I SAID, 'AM I MISTAKEN OR HAVE YOU BEEN SMOKING?' 12:01 HE SAID, 'YEAH, IT'S THE HERBS - ALL THESE HERBS THAT GOD GAVE 12:03 US.' (LAUGHTER) AND IT WAS JUST REALLY INTERESTING TO ME, BUT 12:08 HE, YOU KNOW, HE SAID, 'OH, WE'VE FORSAKEN EVERYTHING.' AND 12:10 THEN HE ASKED ME FOR A DONATION BECAUSE HE SAID, 'I LIVE BY 12:13 FAITH.' AND I DIDN'T FEEL IMPRESSED TO GIVE HIM A DONATION 12:18 BECAUSE HE WAS GOING TO USE MY DONATION TO GO BUY POT SO HE 12:21 COULD HAVE DREAMS AND VISIONS (LAUGHTER) AND - BUT, YOU KNOW, 12:25 I HAD TO ADMIRE HIM, HE WAS JUST KIND OF LIVING WITH NOTHING. 12:28 YOU KNOW, JESUS SENT OUT - AND HE QUOTED THAT VERSE IN THE 12:30 BIBLE WHERE JESUS SAID TO THE DISCIPLES, 'DON'T TAKE A STAFF 12:33 IN YOUR HAND; DON'T TAKE A PURSE WITH YOU, BUT JUST GO IN FAITH 12:37 AND GO OUT AND PREACH AND, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER HOUSE YOU ENTER 12:40 THEY'LL - EAT WHAT THINGS ARE SET BEFORE YOU' - AND THEY 12:43 REALLY LIVED BY FAITH ON THOSE MISSIONARY ENDEAVORS. 12:46 NOW, YOU READ, LATER IN THE BIBLE, THAT THE APOSTLES DID 12:48 TAKE SOME RESOURCES WITH THEM WHEN THEY WENT. 12:51 IT WASN'T A UNIVERSAL STATEMENT. 12:53 HE WAS HELPING THEM DEVELOP FAITH WHEN HE FIRST SENT OUT THE 12:55 TWELVE, AND HE LATER SENT OUT THE SEVENTY; HE SAID, 'WATCH HOW 12:58 GOD PROVIDES FOR YOU. DON'T TAKE ANYTHING WITH YOU. 13:01 YOU TRUST ME.' BUT LATER YOU SEE WHEN THE APOSTLES WENT OUT ON 13:04 THEIR MISSIONARY ENDEAVORS, THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM 13:07 WORKED ALONG THE ROAD AND PROBABLY PETER DID SOME FISHING 13:10 ALONG THE WAY AND PAUL DID SOME TENT MAKING, BUT HOW MUCH STUFF 13:16 IS TOO MUCH? ARE WE LIVING IN A VERY 13:20 MATERIALISTIC WORLD TODAY? >>YES. 13:24 >>AND SO, OUR FIRST LESSON IS TALKING ABOUT THE GOD OF THIS 13:27 WORLD AND, ACCORDING TO THE BOOK AFFLUENZA - THIS IS A BOOK 13:35 WRITTEN ABOUT THE AFFLUENCE IN AMERICA - AMERICANS SPEND MORE, 13:40 ANNUALLY, ON SHOES, JEWELRY, AND WATCHES THAN WE DO ON HIGHER 13:45 EDUCATION. EVEN THE PHRASE 'THE AMERICAN 13:48 DREAM' ALLUDES TO OWNING A HOUSE, A CAR, VACATION, 13:51 RETIREMENT - IT DOESN'T TALK SO MUCH ABOUT FREEDOM ANYMORE. 13:56 SO WHAT IS THE GOD OF THIS WORLD - WHO IS THE GOD OF THIS WORLD? 14:00 HOW DID HE GET TO BE THE GOD OF THIS WORLD? 14:03 REMEMBER THE DEVIL SAID TO JESUS, 'FALL DOWN AND WORSHIP 14:06 ME; ALL THIS IS MINE. YOU DIED TO SAVE THE WORLD? 14:09 YOU DON'T HAVE TO DIE TO SAVE IT, I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU - IT'S 14:12 MINE.' AND JESUS SAID, 'THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD COMES AND 14:15 HE HAS NOTHING IN ME.' AND SO, EVEN JESUS RECOGNIZED THAT THE 14:20 DEVIL, SORT OF, KIDNAPPED OR HIJACKED THIS WORLD. 14:23 GOD MADE THE WORLD, HE GAVE IT TO ADAM; ADAM WAS TO BE THE 14:26 STEWARD OF THIS PLANET THE BIBLE SAYS WHOEVER YOU OBEY, THAT'S 14:31 WHOSE SERVANT YOU ARE. WHEN ADAM AND EVE CHOSE TO OBEY 14:35 THE WORD OF THE DEVIL WHEN HE SAID EAT THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT, 14:38 INSTEAD OF THE WORD OF GOD, THEY SURRENDERED THE DOMINION OF 14:41 THIS WORLD TO AN ENEMY, AND THE PLANET FROM THAT TIME UNTIL 14:45 THE CROSS, WAS HIJACKED BY THE DEVIL. PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS 14:52 LIFE IS SHORT. IF YOU DON'T HAVE CHRIST, YOU 14:53 DON'T HAVE ETERNAL LIFE - THAT MEANS THIS IS THE ONLY LIFE. 14:56 AND SO, THE ATTITUDE OF PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY'RE LIVING A 14:59 TEMPORARY LIFE IS GET ALL THE GUSTO YOU CAN, NOW - HAVE AS 15:04 MUCH PLEASURE - IT'S VERY HEDONISTIC - HAVE AS MUCH 15:06 PLEASURE AS YOU CAN NOW BECAUSE THIS IS IT. ACQUIRE AS MANY 15:10 THINGS AS YOU HAVE - IT'S NOT ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU SERVE, 15:13 IT'S HOW MANY PEOPLE SERVE YOU. IT'S NOT ABOUT STORING YOUR 15:16 TREASURE IN HEAVEN, IT'S STORING YOUR TREASURE HERE. 15:19 AN THIS IS THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE GOD OF THIS WORLD. 15:23 AND - BUT HOW DOES A CHRISTIAN BALANCE THAT? 15:26 IS GOD ASKING US TO DO LIKE THAT FELLOW I PICKED UP HITCHHIKING? 15:30 JUST GET A WHITE ROBE - HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE SANDALS, HE WAS 15:33 BAREFOOT - AND JUST GO AROUND, DEPEND ON THE GENEROSITY OF 15:38 EVERYBODY ELSE - DON'T OWN ANYTHING? 15:41 OR - YOU KNOW WHAT PROSPERITY PREACHING IS? 15:46 IT'S A - IT'S A THEME OF THEOLOGY THAT A NUMBER OF 15:51 PASTORS AND MINISTRIES HAVE CLAIMED, IT'S BASICALLY, YOU 15:54 KNOW, YOU SPEAK GOD'S BLESSING AND THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO - 15:58 GOD SHOWS THAT YOU HAVE FAITH BY, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE BLESSED 16:03 AND YOU HAVE LOTS OF POSSESSIONS - AND THEY POINT TO JOB AND THEY 16:05 POINT TO ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB WHO WERE WEALTHY AND 16:08 SOLOMON - AND THEY SAY, 'THEY HAD FAITH AND GOD BLESSED THEM 16:10 AND IF YOU HAVE MORE FAITH, YOU'LL HAVE MORE BLESSINGS' - 16:12 AND IT'S ALL ABOUT - IT'S REALLY A VERY SELFISH FORM OF THEOLOGY, 16:15 YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH STUFF CAN YOU - YOU'VE HEARD OF 'NAME IT AND 16:19 CLAIM IT'? OR THEY CALL IT 'BLAB IT AND 16:22 GRAB IT' - YOU JUST SAY IT AND IT'S YOURS - YOU JUST HAVE FAITH 16:25 AND - THAT'S THE OTHER EXTREME - SO YOU GET CHRISTIANS THAT GO 16:29 AROUND IN WHITE ROBES THAT HAVE NOTHING - I MET A CHRISTIAN 16:33 FAMILY AND HE REALLY DID LIVE FROM FAITH. 16:35 HE WAS A LITTLE MORE NORMAL - HE HAD A BUS - HIM AND HIS FAMILY - 16:39 HOME-SCHOOLED THE CHILDREN. HE DROVE AROUND, HE PREACHED AND 16:41 HE'D MEET PEOPLE THAT WOULD JUST GIVE HIM OFFERINGS 16:43 TO KEEP PREACHING. IT WAS A LITTLE MORE STABLE 16:45 THEOLOGY - AND I STUDIED WITH HIM FOR DAYS - HE ACTUALLY HUNG 16:48 AROUND WITH US FOR A FEW DAYS AND THERE WERE SOME THINGS WE 16:52 COULDN'T AGREE ON, BUT HOW FAR DOES IT GO? 16:54 HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU HAVE? HOW MUCH STUFF IS TOO MUCH? 16:58 WHAT'S THE ATTITUDE OF THIS WORLD? 17:00 SHOULD WE LOVE MONEY? I'M ASKING A LOT OF RHETORICAL 17:03 QUESTIONS JUST TO GET YOU TO THINK. 17:06 AND, BY THE WAY, IF YOU THINK OF ANY QUESTIONS CONNECTED WITH 17:09 THIS LESSON, SEND THEM TO MY FACEBOOK PAGE. 17:11 WE'VE GOT PEOPLE IN THE BACK THAT ARE LOOKING AT THEM LIVE. 17:13 THE LAST TEN MINUTES WE'LL TAKE SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS. 17:16 ECCLESIASTES 5, VERSE 10, "HE WHO LOVES SILVER WILL NOT BE 17:20 SATISFIED WITH SILVER; NOR HE WHO LOVES ABUNDANCE, WITH 17:24 INCREASE. THIS IS ALSO VANITY." 17:27 HAVE YOU EVER HEARD PEOPLE SAY, 'I'VE GOT JUST ENOUGH MONEY 17:30 NOW'? NOT TOO MANY. 17:33 A LOT OF PEOPLE, WHEN THEY GET - SOMEONE ASKED NELSON 17:35 ROCKEFELLER - HE WAS VERY WEALTHY - YOU'VE HEARD OF THE 17:38 ROCKEFELLERS? AND THEY SAID, 'HOW MUCH MONEY 17:42 DOES IT TAKE FOR A PERSON TO BE HAPPY? 17:46 AND HIS ANSWER WAS 'A LITTLE MORE.' (LAUGHTER) IT'S ALWAYS A 17:50 LITTLE MORE. DO YOU EVER FIND BILLIONAIRES 17:54 SAY, 'OKAY, I'VE GOT ENOUGH.' HAS BILL GATES STOPPED WORKING? 17:58 HAS - WHAT IT IS, JEFF BEZOS, WHO OWNS AMAZON, I HEARD HE 18:01 PASSED UP BILL GATES - HAS HE STOPPED WORKING? 18:05 YOU'D THINK AFTER 50 BILLION YOU'D SAY, 'YOU KNOW, I THINK 18:08 I'LL DO SOMETHING ELSE NOW. 18:09 I'LL BECOME A PHILANTHROPIST AND JUST GIVE IT ALL AWAY.' BUT NO, 18:13 THERE'S JUST - THERE'S A DRIVE THERE TO GET MORE AND MORE. 18:17 THEN YOU'VE GOT THAT VERSE 1 JOHN 2:16 AND 17, "FOR ALL THAT 18:21 IS IN THE WORLD - THE LUST OF THE FLESH, THE LUST OF THE 18:24 EYES," - THIS IS TALKING ABOUT POSSESSIONS - "AND THE PRIDE OF 18:27 LIFE - IS NOT OF THE FATHER BUT IS OF THE WORLD. 18:31 AND THE WORLD IS PASSING AWAY, AND THE LUST OF IT;" - AND ALL 18:33 THE THINGS OF IT - "BUT HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF GOD ABIDES 18:37 FOREVER." WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR STUFF? 18:41 JESUS SAID, 'THIEVES BREAK THROUGH AND STEAL, MOTH AND RUST 18:47 DOES CORRUPT' - MOTHS USED TO BE A BIGGER PROBLEM THAN THEY ARE 18:51 TODAY, BUT I WAS VERY SAD TO FIND - I LOOKED IN MY CLOSET AND 18:56 I OPENED THE CLOSET AND I WAS VERY SUSPICIOUS WHEN I SAW SOME 19:00 LITTLE BITTY MOTHS FLY OUT. 19:02 AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE WOOL SUITS - MOTHS DON'T LIKE 19:05 POLYESTER - AND I HAD MY FAVORITE SUIT IN THERE AND I 19:10 PULLED IT OUT AND THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE BACK - IT WAS EATEN 19:13 - IT LOOKED LIKE A LITTLE CIGARETTE BURN - JUST EATEN A 19:15 LITTLE HOLE OUT OF IT AND I THOUGHT 'AGH!' 19:18 I WENT TO THE TAILOR AND HE TRIED TO PATCH IT AND IT 19:20 PROBABLY HID IT FOR MOST PEOPLE, BUT I ALWAYS KNEW IT WAS NOW A 19:23 HOLE-Y SUIT. MOTHS DO CORRUPT. SO YOU'VE GOT THE PRIDE OF LIFE, 19:30 THE LUST OF THE EYES - IT'S NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 19:36 PHYSICAL LUST, IT'S TALKING ABOUT CRAVING THINGS 19:38 - COVETING THINGS. I'VE GOT A COUPON. 19:42 SOME OF YOU KNOW THERE'S A NEW SPORTING GOODS STORE THAT'S 19:44 OPENED UP WHERE 'SPORTS AUTHORITY' USED TO BE. 19:48 IT'S CALLED 'DICK'S SPORTING GOODS' AND I'M IN THE 19:51 NEIGHBORHOOD SO THEY SENT ME A COUPON. 19:53 SO I WENT AND I WAS WALKING THROUGH THE STORE AND A GAL WHO 19:57 WORKS THERE STOPPED ME AND SHE SAID, 'CAN I HELP YOU FIND 19:59 SOMETHING?' I SAID, 'I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M 20:01 LOOKING FOR,' I SAID, 'BUT I KNOW IF I SPEND FIFTY DOLLARS 20:04 I GET TEN OFF AND I'M SURE YOU HAVE SOMETHING HERE THAT IS 20:08 GOING TO BRING ME LASTING HAPPINESS.' AND SHE 20:11 STARTED LAUGHING. SO SHE SAID, 'YEAH' - SHE SAID - 20:15 I SAID, 'WHERE'S YOUR RACQUETBALL DEPARTMENT?' 20:17 I SAID, 'THERE MUST BE SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BRING ME TRUE 20:19 HAPPINESS HERE BECAUSE I'VE GOT A COUPON.' SO I DID END UP - I 20:24 HAD TO SPEND FORTY TO SAVE TEN. BUT DO YOU THINK THAT'S GOING 20:29 TO BRING US LASTING HAPPINESS? IS IT STUFF? MATERIALISM. 20:34 SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ FOR ME, IN A MOMENT, MARK 8:36 - OKAY, 20:38 WE'LL START AT THIS END. I'M GOING TO READ LUKE - PARABLE 20:41 - LUKE 14:26 - IT'S ACTUALLY NOT A PARABLE. 20:46 JESUS SAID, "IF ANYONE COMES TO ME AND DOES NOT HATE HIS FATHER 20:50 AND MOTHER, WIFE AND CHILDREN, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, YES, AND 20:54 HIS OWN LIFE ALSO, HE CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE." 20:57 NOW, THE WORD 'HATE' THERE DOESN'T MEAN YOU'VE GOT - 20:59 'ALRIGHT, LORD, I'M GOING TO START HATING EVERYBODY IN MY 21:02 FAMILY AND THEN I CAN FOLLOW YOU.' WHAT HE MEANT WAS, 'I'M 21:04 GOING TO VALUE LESS THAN HIM.' - "AND WHOEVER DOES NOT BEAR HIS 21:09 CROSS AND COME AFTER ME CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE. 21:12 FOR WHICH OF YOU, INTENDING TO BUILD A TOWER, DOES NOT SIT DOWN 21:15 FIRST AND COUNT THE COST, WHETHER HE HAS ENOUGH TO FINISH 21:19 IT" - NOW WE WE'RE INVOLVED IN A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT BUILDING 21:23 PROGRAM HERE AT GRANITE BAY - PARTNERING WITH AMAZING FACTS - 21:26 THIS 'WORD' CENTER AND WE SPENT A COUPLE OF YEARS DOING A 21:30 CAPITAL CAMPAIGN AND LOOKING AT THE FINANCING AND EVERYTHING 21:33 BEFORE WE LAUNCHED, BECAUSE THIS VERSE HAUNTED ME - THAT WE MIGHT 21:36 TAKE OFF AND BUILD AND NOT BE ABLE TO FINISH. 21:39 AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MIXTURE OF FAITH AND ALSO YOU NEED TO BE 21:43 PRUDENT TOO - OTHERWISE PEOPLE BEGIN TO MOCK, "SAYING, 'THIS 21:48 MAN BEGAN TO BUILD AND WAS NOT ABLE TO FINISH'? 21:50 OR WHAT KING, GOING TO MAKE WAR AGAINST ANOTHER KING, DOES NOT 21:53 SIT DOWN FIRST AND CONSIDER WHETHER HE IS ABLE WITH TEN 21:56 THOUSAND TO MEET HIM WHO COMES AGAINST HIM WITH TWENTY 21:59 THOUSAND? OR ELSE, WHILE THE OTHER IS 22:01 STILL A GREAT WAY OFF, HE SENDS A DELEGATION AND ASKS 22:03 CONDITIONS OF PEACE." HE SAID, 'LOOK, WE CAN'T WIN 22:05 THIS WAR.' HE DOES AN ACCOUNTING FIRST. 22:09 SO YOU NEED TO DO SOME ACCOUNTING IN LIFE, RIGHT? 22:11 SO YOU BETTER MAKE PEACE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO WIN. 22:15 - "SO LIKEWISE, WHOEVER OF YOU DOES NOT FORSAKE ALL THAT HE 22:19 HAS CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE." WHOEVER DOESN'T FORSAKE 22:22 ALL CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE. GO AHEAD, MANJEET, I'M GOING TO 22:26 HAVE YOU READ YOUR VERSE AND THEN I'LL COMMENT ON THAT. 22:28 >>"FOR WHAT WILL IT PROFIT A MAN IF HE GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD AND 22:33 LOSES HIS OWN SOUL?" >>YES, AND WHAT WILL A MAN 22:38 GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL? AT LEAST ONE OF THE 22:41 APOSTLES WAS AN ACCOUNTANT. SOME PEOPLE LIKE WORKING 22:46 WITH NUMBERS AND SOME DON'T. I'M ONE OF THOSE - I DON'T. 22:53 YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY BEFORE - I DON'T TEASE, I REALLY AM 22:57 DYSLEXIC. I MEAN, IT WAS A STRUGGLE 22:59 THROUGH SCHOOL AND, IF I DIAL A PHONE NUMBER, I HAVE TO LOOK AT 23:04 A SEVEN-DIGIT NUMBER THREE TIMES WHEN I DIAL IT. 23:07 I CAN GET THE FIRST TWO NUMBERS I DIAL, THEN I'LL GET THREE MORE 23:10 NUMBERS, THEN I'LL DO, LIKE, THE LAST THREE NUMBERS - AND IT'S 23:13 JUST - NUMBERS ARE A STRUGGLE FOR ME. 23:16 AN ADDRESS - JUST REMEMBERING NUMBERS. 23:19 IF YOU START A BIBLE VERSE - YOU START TELLING ME THE WORDS IN A 23:22 BIBLE VERSE, I CAN OFTEN FINISH IT - SO I KNOW MY BIBLE, BUT 23:27 THE CHAPTER AND VERSE I SOMETIMES STRUGGLE WITH. 23:30 AND SO, NUMBERS ARE A STRUGGLE. KAREN - SHE LOVES NUMBERS. 23:34 SHE DOES ACCOUNTING AND SHE LIKES - DID SHE COMMENT? 23:37 YEAH, THERE SHE IS - YEAH, SHE LIKES NUMBERS. 23:39 SHE PLAYS THAT SUDOSODUKU GAME WHEN, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT ALL 23:42 THESE NUMBERS AND THEY ADD UP AND I'M JUST LIKE - 23:43 THAT, TO ME, WOULD BE TORTURE. 23:45 AND SHE LIKES GAMES LIKE DOMINOES, WHERE THEY ADD UP, YOU 23:49 KNOW, ALL THE NUMBERS HAVE TO ADD UP. 23:51 BUT JESUS HAD ONE ACCOUNTANT - MATTHEW, AT LEAST - HE MAY HAVE 23:56 HAD OTHERS - JUDAS LIKED TO COUNT TOO. 23:58 'ONE FOR YOU, TWO FOR ME.' THAT'S HOW JUDAS COUNTED. 24:03 BUT A GOOD SHEPHERD COUNTS HIS SHEEP AND IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR 24:08 CHRISTIANS TO TAKE ACCOUNT. AND, IF YOU'RE GOING TO LAUNCH 24:12 OFF ON AN EXPEDITION OF BEING A CHRISTIAN, JESUS SAYS 'COUNT THE 24:15 COST.' YOU NEED TO BE WILLING TO LET GO OF EVERYTHING. 24:21 WHEN YOU BEGIN THE JOURNEY, YOU REALLY NEED TO LET GO OF 24:24 EVERYTHING AND PUT IT IN GOD'S HANDS. 24:25 NOW, HE MAY GIVE BACK TO YOU AS YOU NEED IT, AND YOU JUST 24:28 REALIZE YOU'RE A STEWARD. REMEMBER, A MAN SAID, 'LORD, 24:31 WHAT MUST I DO TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE?' HE SAID, 'GOOD MASTER, 24:35 WHAT MUST I DO?' HE SAID, 'WHY DO YOU CALL ME GOOD? 24:37 NONE IS GOOD BUT ONE AND THAT IS GOD. 24:39 BUT IF YOU WOULD ENTER INTO LIFE, KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.' HE 24:41 SAID, 'WHICH ONES?' THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, 24:42 THOU SHALT NOT KILL, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER, DON'T COVET - 24:47 HE DIDN'T MENTION THAT ONE, BUT THAT WAS HIS PROBLEM. 24:49 HE SAID, 'OH, ALL THESE I'VE KEPT FROM MY YOUTH UP.' JESUS 24:51 SAID, 'ONE THING YOU LACK, GO SELL EVERYTHING YOU HAVE, GIVE 24:54 IT TO THE POOR; YOU'LL HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN. 24:56 TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME.' NOW, IS THE LORD ASKING 25:01 EVERY BELIEVER TO LIQUIDATE? PROBABLY NOT, BUT WHY WOULD PAUL 25:06 LATER SAY, 'THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE RICH, DON'T FORGET TO MINISTER 25:09 TO THE NEEDS OF THE CHURCH.' WELL, IF YOU DO IT ALL AT ONCE, 25:12 YOU CAN NEVER MINISTER ANYMORE, RIGHT? 25:16 AND SO THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT USING WISDOM. 25:19 BUT EVERY BELIEVER REALLY PUTS EVERYTHING ON THE ALTAR WHEN YOU 25:23 FIRST COME TO THE LORD. IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT 25:27 COMMITMENT TO BE A CHRISTIAN IS WHAT JESUS IS SAYING. 25:30 IT'S YOUR TIME - IT'S YOUR LIFE - ALL BELONGS TO HIM. 25:33 SO YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL AND GUARD AGAINST MATERIALISM. 25:37 A LOT OF PEOPLE FALL INTO THAT TRAP. 25:40 PHILIPPIANS 3, VERSES 7 AND 8, PAUL SAID, "BUT WHAT THINGS WERE 25:45 GAIN TO ME, THESE I HAVE COUNTED LOSS FOR CHRIST. 25:48 YET INDEED I COUNTED ALL THINGS LOSS" - EVERYTHING IS A WASTE - 25:52 "FOR THE EXCELLENCE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS MY 25:55 LORD, FOR WHOM I HAVE SUFFERED THE LOSS OF ALL THINGS, AND 25:59 COUNT THEM AS RUBBISH, THAT I MAY GAIN" - WHAT? 26:03 >>CHRIST. >>CHRIST. 26:05 FOR PAUL, THINGS WERE NOT WHERE IT'S AT. IT WAS CHRIST. 26:09 YOU KNOW, THERE'S A GOOD QUOTE IN YOUR LESSON FROM THE BOOK 26:12 EDUCATION , "WHEN CHRIST CAME TO THE EARTH, HUMANITY SEEMED TO BE 26:16 FAST REACHING ITS LOWEST POINT. THE VERY FOUNDATIONS OF 26:20 SOCIETY WERE UNDERMINED. LIFE HAD BECOME FALSE 26:23 AND ARTIFICIAL." - SOUNDS LIKE TODAY - 26:25 "THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, ALL THE SYSTEMS OF RELIGION WERE LOSING 26:28 THEIR HOLD ON THE MIND AND THE SOUL. 26:30 DISGUSTED WITH FABLE AND FALSEHOOD, SEEKING TO DROWN 26:32 THOUGHT, MEN TURNED TO INFIDELITY AND MATERIALISM. 26:37 LEAVING ETERNITY OUT OF THEIR RECKONING, THEY LIVED FOR THE 26:40 PRESENT." AND THE ROMANS AND THEIR 26:42 HEDONISM AND THEIR ORGIES - AND THAT ALL HAD TO DO WITH JUST TRY 26:46 TO GRAB ALL OF THE PLEASURE YOU CAN NOW AND ALL THE MATERIALISM 26:50 AND THE LOVE OF MONEY. SO, DO YOU OWN SOME STUFF? 26:56 DOES YOUR STUFF OWN YOU? ARE YOU AFRAID TO GO ANYWHERE 27:01 BECAUSE SOMEONE MIGHT BREAK IN AND STEAL? 27:04 SOME PEOPLE CAN'T GO ON A MISSION TRIP BECAUSE OF THEIR 27:06 STUFF. AND, IN AMERICA, MANY PEOPLE CAN'T GO ON A MISSION 27:09 TRIP BECAUSE OF THEIR PETS. IT'S TRUE. 27:14 THEY SAY, 'I CAN'T GO ANYWHERE. I'VE GOT TO STAY HOME AND TAKE 27:18 CARE OF MY LITTLE SCHNAUZER.' I - WE'VE GOT DOGS AND WE'VE GOT 27:24 CATS - I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT AGAINST THAT, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO 27:28 REALLY SAY, IS GOD'S KINGDOM FIRST FOR YOU? 27:33 FILLING YOUR BARNS - THAT'S THE NEXT SECTION. 27:36 WHEN IT COMES TO MATERIALISM, IS THERE ANY NATION THAT HAS 27:38 SURPASSED WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE UNITED STATES RIGHT NOW? 27:41 WE DEFINE OUR LIVES BY HOW MUCH STUFF WE HAVE - SOCIAL STATUS BY 27:45 HOW MUCH MONEY WE MAKE - WHAT WE OWN, WHAT WE WEAR, WHERE WE LIVE 27:51 - DOES HAPPINESS COME FROM THE ABUNDANCE OF THINGS A MAN 27:53 POSSESSES? WHAT DOES JESUS SAY? 27:55 A MAN'S LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST IN THE ABUNDANCE OF THINGS THAT HE 28:00 POSSESSES. IT'S REALLY WHAT POSSESSES YOU. 28:04 DOES THE LORD POSSESS YOUR HEART? 28:07 THAT'S WHERE HAPPINESS COMES FROM. 28:10 SO, I PREACHED A SERMONETTE AND I DIDN'T EVEN GET INTO THE 28:12 POINTS ON THAT STUDY. LUKE 12:15 - HERE'S THE POINT 28:16 IN THIS SECTION: "TAKE HEED" - JESUS SAID - "AND BEWARE OF 28:21 COVETOUSNESS, FOR ONE'S LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST IN THE 28:24 ABUNDANCE OF THE THINGS HE POSSESSES." 28:26 AND HE SHARES A PARABLE: "THE GROUND OF A 28:28 CERTAIN RICH MAN YIELDED PLENTIFULLY. 28:30 AND HE THOUGHT WITHIN HIMSELF, SAYING, 'WHAT SHALL I DO, SINCE 28:33 I HAVE NO ROOM TO STORE MY CROPS?' 28:35 SO HE SAID, 'I WILL DO THIS: I WILL PULL DOWN MY BARNS AND 28:39 BUILD GREATER, AND THERE I WILL STORE ALL MY CROPS AND MY GOODS. 28:44 AND I WILL SAY TO MY SOUL, 'SOUL, YOU HAVE MANY GOODS LAID 28:47 UP FOR MANY YEARS; TAKE YOUR EASE; EAT, DRINK, AND BE 28:50 MERRY.''" - BE HAPPY - DO IT ALL RIGHT NOW - "BUT GOD SAID TO 28:53 HIM, 'FOOL!'" - HE ADDRESSES HIM WITH ONE WORD - "'FOOL! 28:58 THIS NIGHT YOUR SOUL WILL BE REQUIRED OF YOU; THEN WHOSE WILL 29:02 THOSE THINGS BE WHICH YOU HAVE PROVIDED?' 29:05 SO IS HE WHO LAYS UP TREASURE FOR HIMSELF, AND IS NOT RICH 29:08 TOWARD GOD.'" NOW, WHETHER THE LORD TELLS YOU THAT VERY DAY YOU 29:13 MAKE THAT DECISION, OR A WEEK LATER, WHAT PROFIT IS IT IF YOU 29:16 GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND YOU LOSE YOUR SOUL? 29:19 AND INSTEAD, THE LORD BLESSED HIM WITH ABUNDANCE AND, INSTEAD 29:21 OF THINKING 'GOD HAS GIVEN ME THIS WINDFALL THAT I MIGHT BLESS 29:24 OTHERS,' HE SAID, 'OH GOOD, I'LL KEEP IT ALL FOR MYSELF. 29:27 BUT I DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR IT ALL. 29:28 I'LL BUILD BIGGER BARNS TO KEEP IT ALL FOR ME.' AND GOD SAID, 29:32 'LOOK, I HAVE BLESSED YOU WITH AN ABUNDANCE THAT YOU MIGHT BE A 29:35 CHANNEL OF BLESSING FOR OTHERS. SEE, WHEN GOD BLESSES YOU WITH 29:38 MATERIAL THINGS, GOD WANTS US TO BE A BLESSING AND ALLOW THOSE 29:42 THINGS TO FLOW OUT TO OTHERS, AMEN? 29:44 >>AMEN. >>DO WE NEED TO GUARD - EVEN 29:47 CHRISTIANS - AGAINST THE DANGER OF BECOMING POSSESSED BY THINGS? 29:53 GOD TOLD THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, WHEN HE BROUGHT THEM 29:54 INTO THE PROMISED LAND - DEUTERONOMY 8:10, 'WHEN YOU 29:58 ENTER IN AND YOU GET THESE HOUSES YOU DIDN'T BUILD, AND 30:01 WHEN YOU GET VINEYARDS YOU DIDN'T PLANT, AND WHEN YOU GET 30:04 TO EAT FROM - DRINK FROM WELLS YOU DID NOT DIG, - "WHEN YOU 30:08 HAVE EATEN AND ARE FULL, THEN YOU SHALL BLESS THE LORD YOUR 30:11 GOD FOR THE GOOD LAND WHICH HE HAS GIVEN YOU. 30:14 BEWARE THAT YOU DO NOT FORGET THE LORD YOUR GOD BY NOT KEEPING 30:18 HIS COMMANDMENTS, HIS JUDGMENTS, AND HIS STATUTES WHICH I COMMAND 30:21 YOU TODAY, LEST - WHEN YOU HAVE EATEN AND ARE FULL, AND HAVE 30:24 BUILT BEAUTIFUL HOUSES AND DWELL IN THEM; AND WHEN YOUR HERDS AND 30:27 YOUR FLOCKS MULTIPLY, AND YOUR SILVER AND YOUR GOLD ARE 30:30 MULTIPLIED, AND ALL THAT YOU HAVE IS MULTIPLIED; WHEN YOUR 30:33 HEART IS LIFTED UP, AND YOU FORGET THE LORD YOUR GOD WHO 30:35 BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, FROM THE HOUSE OF 30:37 BONDAGE;'" - WE FORGET THAT WE'VE BEEN SAVED. 30:41 I READ ONCE WHERE, IN THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY IT SAYS THAT 30:46 SOMETIMES THE DEVIL WILL CAST ABUNDANCE IN A PERSON'S PATH TO 30:51 DESTROY THEM. AND BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SAID 30:54 MORE PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED BY ABUNDANCE THAN WANT. 31:00 POOR PEOPLE KNOW THEIR NEED OF GOD, BUT MORE PEOPLE, FRANKLIN 31:04 SAID, ARE DESTROYED BY ABUNDANCE THAN WANT. 31:08 AND SO, HERE WE ARE LIVING IN THE MOST ABUNDANT COUNTRY IN THE 31:10 WORLD - ISN'T THAT A TROUBLING THOUGHT - THAT WE MIGHT GET TO 31:16 THE PLACE WHERE WE THINK WE DON'T NEED GOD - WE'VE GOT THE 31:18 AMERICAN DREAM. WE'VE GOT - YOU KNOW, EVEN THOSE 31:22 ON WELFARE IN OUR COUNTRY, THEY'VE GOT CELL PHONES, RIGHT? 31:28 MOST OF THEM HAVE CARS - I MEAN, WE FIGURE WHAT USED TO BE 31:31 LUXURIES, WE FIGURE THOSE ARE THE NECESSITIES NOW. 31:34 AND SO, JUST THE STANDARD OF LIVING HAS REALLY CHANGED. 31:40 LUKE 16:19, "THERE WAS A CERTAIN RICH MAN WHO WAS CLOTHED IN 31:43 PURPLE AND...çFARED] SUMPTUOUSLY EVERY DAY." 31:47 - YOU KNOW THAT PARABLE OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS? 31:49 I DON'T HAVE TO READ IT ALL TO YOU. 31:51 YOU'VE GOT THIS PARADOX - YOU'VE GOT THIS RICH MAN, HE'S GOT 31:54 EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD, LIVES IN A PALACE, BEST CLOTHES, BEST 31:59 FOOD - POOR BEGGAR LAYS AT HIS GATE, DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING - HE 32:03 WANTS THE CRUMBS THAT FALL FROM THE RICH MAN'S TABLE. 32:05 THEY BOTH DIE. WHERE DOES THE RICH MAN END UP? 32:08 HADES, THE GREEK PLACE OF TORMENT. 32:12 WHERE DOES THE POOR MAN END UP? 32:15 HE'S IN ABRAHAM'S BOSOM - THE JEWISH PLACE OF REWARD. 32:19 AND JESUS IS SAYING THERE'S A BIG REVERSAL OF FORTUNE HERE. 32:23 SO, BEING BLESSED WITH AN ABUNDANCE AND MATERIALISM IN 32:27 THIS LIFE IS NOT A SURE SIGN THAT YOU WILL BE BLESSED IN THE 32:30 NEXT LIFE. MATTER OF FACT, ISN'T IT JAMES 32:32 THAT SAYS, 'WOE RICH MAN, HOWL AND WEEP FOR YOUR RICHES THAT'LL 32:36 STAND IN JUDGMENT AGAINST YOU BECAUSE YOU WERE SURROUNDED WITH 32:39 SO MANY POOR YOU DIDN'T CARE ABOUT.' I'M PARAPHRASING HERE. 32:43 SO WE NEED TO BE - WE NEED TO BE SENSITIVE TO THAT. 32:46 ALRIGHT, THE ALLURE OF MATERIALISM - NOW, IT'S NOT YOUR 32:51 FAULT. WE ARE VICTIMS, RIGHT? 32:55 I MEAN, AREN'T WE BOMBARDED WITH ADVERTISING? 32:57 WE CAN'T HELP IT. HOW MUCH MONEY IS SPENT BY 33:00 MADISON AVENUE TO ADVERTISE STUFF? 33:04 BILLIONS AND BILLIONS, SO IT'S NOT OUR FAULT, WE'RE VICTIMS. 33:10 THE ADVERTISING WORLD IS POWERFUL. 33:12 COMPANIES - I'M SAYING THAT TONGUE IN CHEEK, SORRY - 33:15 COMPANIES SPEND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS PUTTING THEIR IMAGES OF 33:18 PRODUCTS BEFORE US, TELLING US 'YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO BE HAPPY 33:20 UNLESS YOU REALLY HAVE THIS PRODUCT. 33:23 AND REAL SATISFACTION IS GOING TO COME FROM THIS THING OR THIS 33:25 CREAM, OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY'RE SELLING, AND WE FEEL 33:29 DISSATISFIED - SEE, THE ADVERTISING IS DESIGNED TO MAKE 33:32 YOU FEEL DISSATISFIED UNLESS YOU HAVE THIS - DISSATISFIED WITH 33:37 THE WAY YOU LOOK, DISSATISFIED WITH THE FOOD YOU EAT, 33:41 DISSATISFIED WITH THE CLOTHES YOU WEAR UNTIL YOU HAVE THEIR 33:42 CLOTHES. SO THAT'S WHAT THE ADVERTISING'S 33:45 ALL ABOUT, AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT - IT BREEDS A CULTURE OF 33:51 MATERIALISTIC PEOPLE THAT THINK THAT HAVING - WHAT 33:54 IS MATERIALISM? MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK 33:56 AT A DEFINITION. A PREOCCUPATION WITH POSSESSIONS 34:00 AND BELIEVING THAT OWNING PRODUCTS BRINGS 34:03 HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS. IS THAT TRUE? 34:07 IT DOESN'T BRING HAPPINESS. JESUS SAID, 'IF YOUR EYE IS 34:10 SINGLE' - MATTHEW 6:24 - 'YOUR WHOLE BODY WILL BE FULL OF 34:14 LIGHT; BUT IF YOUR EYE IS BAD, YOUR WHOLE BODY WILL BE FULL OF 34:17 DARKNESS.' WHAT ARE YOU FOCUSING ON? 34:20 AND THAT'S WHY HE GOES ON TO SAY, 'YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND 34:22 MONEY.' WHAT IS YOUR FOCUS? 34:23 IS IT ON THINGS, IS IT DOWN HERE, OR IS IT UP THERE? 34:27 SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ FOR ME AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO TAKE 34:29 SOME QUESTIONS FROM OUR LISTENERS. 34:31 SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ DANIEL 4, VERSE 30 - IN JUST A MOMENT. 34:35 REMEMBER WHAT KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR DID? 34:37 HE WAS ON TOP OF THE WORLD AND HE THOUGHT HE HAD EVERYTHING 34:41 THAT WOULD BRING LASTING HAPPINESS - GO AHEAD, READ THAT 34:44 FOR US - DANIEL 4:30. >>"THE KING SPOKE, SAYING, 'IS 34:48 NOT THIS GREAT BABYLON, THAT I HAVE BUILT FOR A ROYAL DWELLING 34:52 BY MY MIGHTY POWER AND FOR THE HONOR OF MY MAJESTY?'" 34:57 HE HAD EVERYTHING - PALACES AND TREASURES, AND POSSESSIONS, AND 35:01 LAND, AND CLOTHES, AND FOOD. 35:04 HE HAD IT ALL AND, AS THE SUN WENT DOWN, HE LOOKED FROM HIS 35:07 BALCONY ON THIS GLITTERING EMPIRE AND SAID, 'AH, IT'S MINE. 35:11 I'M KING OF THE WORLD!' AND WHAT HAPPENED? 35:15 GOD SPOKE TO HIM IN A MOMENT AND HE BECAME A RAVING BEAST AND 35:19 THEY HAD TO SEND HIM OUT IN A MUDDY FIELD WHERE HE ATE GRASS 35:21 LIKE AN OX. HE LOST IT ALL. 35:24 LIKE THAT RICH MAN WITH THE BARNS, YOU CAN LOSE IT LIKE 35:26 THAT. DID JOB LOSE IT ALL AT ONCE? 35:29 YEAH, SO WE'VE GOT TO GUARD AGAINST MATERIALISM. 35:32 SOME PEOPLE WILL LOSE IT ALL THROUGH DEATH. 35:35 NEBUCHADNEZZAR GOT A SECOND CHANCE. JOB GOT A SECOND CHANCE. 35:38 WE DON'T WANT TO WAIT TO SAY, 'LORD, ARE MY THINGS POSSESSING 35:42 ME OR DO I POSSESS THEM?' WE WANT TO KNOW. 35:45 SO, PASTOR ROSS? THERE HE IS. 35:47 OH, WE'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS THAT CAME IN, MAYBE SOME FROM 35:50 THOSE WHO ARE VIEWING THIS LIVE STREAM PROGRAM OR FROM OUR 35:54 FACEBOOK PAGE. >>WE DID, PASTOR DOUG. 35:56 THIS IS KIND OF FUN. WE GET TO INTERACT WITH THOSE 35:58 WHO ARE VIEWING AND I THINK, LATER ON - MAYBE NOT AT THIS 36:01 PROGRAM, BUT MAYBE IN SOME FUTURE STUDIES, WE CAN TAKE SOME 36:04 QUESTIONS RIGHT HERE FROM THOSE OF YOU IN OUR CHURCH SANCTUARY. 36:08 YOU KNOW, PASTOR DOUG, I THINK WE'VE GOT THE QUESTIONS TYPED 36:10 UP, SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND PUT THEM ON THE SCREEN SO WE CAN 36:13 READ THROUGH THOSE QUESTIONS. IF THEY'RE NOT QUITE READY WITH 36:16 THE QUESTIONS, I HAVE THEM HERE IN MY HAND, SO WE CAN STILL GO 36:18 AHEAD - THERE WE GO - THAT'S OUR FIRST QUESTION. 36:21 THE QUESTION IS: 'SHOULD WE BUY THINGS WE DON'T NEED WHEN THERE 36:24 IS SO MUCH NEED IN THE WORLD?' >>GOOD QUESTION. 36:29 LET'S FACE IT, WE BUY SOME THINGS WE DON'T - THEY'RE NOT 36:33 NEEDS, THEY'RE REALLY WANTS. SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE NEEDS THAT 36:38 ARE NOT MET, SHOULD YOU FEEL GUILTY EVERY TIME YOU BUY 36:42 SOMETHING, THAT IT'S JUST REALLY A DESIRE OF YOUR HEART? 36:45 MY ANSWER WOULD BE THAT A CHRISTIAN NEEDS A BALANCE. 36:48 I THINK IT WAS WESLEY WHO SAID, 'YOU SHOULD EARN ALL YOU CAN, 36:52 SAVE ALL YOU CAN, AND GIVE ALL YOU CAN.' THIS WEEK I GOT A 36:57 CHECK I DID NOT EXPECT. MY FIRST REACTION IS, 'OH GOOD, 37:01 I CAN GO OUT AND BUY THAT GUITAR I WANTED.' IT WASN'T ENOUGH FOR 37:05 THE GUITAR, BUT IT WOULD GO TOWARDS IT. 37:06 THEN THE HOLY SPIRIT SAID, 'DOUG, THAT'S PRETTY SELFISH. 37:08 AS SOON AS YOU GET SOME EXTRA MONEY, INSTEAD OF THINKING ABOUT 37:11 PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE ANY, YOU THINK ABOUT YOU.' 37:14 WELL, YOU'RE THAT WAY TOO. 37:16 WE'RE ALL NATURALLY KIND OF SELFISH, BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT GOT 37:18 AHOLD OF ME AND IT SAID, 'MAYBE YOU SHOULD PRAY AND SAY, 'GOD, 37:20 HOW CAN I AT LEAST GIVE HALF OF THIS TO SOMEONE ELSE?'' 37:26 AND SO, I'M NOT - I'M NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT. 37:29 THE LORD MAY IMPRESS YOU DIFFERENTLY. 37:30 BUT WHEN I GET A WINDFALL LIKE THAT I THINK, 'YOU KNOW, I 37:32 SHOULDN'T KEEP IT ALL FOR MYSELF.' 37:34 JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE. SOMETIMES, THIS TIME OF YEAR, 37:39 PEOPLE SEND NICE GIFTS TO AMAZING FACTS. 37:41 BUSINESSES WE WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY SEND A 37:43 LITTLE CHRISTMAS BASKET OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND, 37:46 TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY'LL GIVE IT TO ME - IT'LL 37:49 SAY 'TO PASTOR DOUG' - I TAKE IT TO THE OFFICE AND I SAY, 'HERE, 37:54 CINNAMON ROLLS' - WHATEVER IT WAS THAT THEY SENT US, YOU KNOW? 37:58 AND OTHER TIMES WE TAKE IT HOME - KAREN, THIS WEEK, WE RE-GIFTED 38:03 THINGS THAT I DIDN'T FEEL IT WAS RIGHT THAT I SHOULD KEEP IT. 38:05 AND SO, WE WENT AROUND TO OUR NEIGHBORS, WE SAID, 'HERE.' AND 38:09 WE GAVE THEM SOME OF THE TREATS AND THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAD SENT 38:12 THE OFFICE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT YOU OUGHT TO ALWAYS 38:15 BE THINKING, 'HOW CAN I GIVE IT AWAY?' 38:18 WHEN GOD BLESSES. SO THERE'S A BALANCE. 38:20 BUT I'M STILL HOPING TO GET A GUITAR. (LAUGHTER). 38:25 >>ALRIGHT, THE NEXT QUESTION THAT WE HAVE - 38:26 >>NO, LET ME GIVE YOU A SCRIPTURE - PSALM 37, "HE 38:28 SHALL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART." 38:30 IT'S NOT WRONG TO HAVE A DESIRE AND GET SOMETHING NICE. 38:33 >>OKAY, THE NEXT QUESTION THAT WE HAVE IS, 'WHY DO WE CALL 38:36 OFFERING FOR MISSION A WORK - A SACRIFICIAL GIFT WHEN WE DON'T 38:41 SEE MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY SACRIFICING TO GIVE?' 38:44 >>GOOD QUESTION. 38:46 MOST OF THE GIVING - NOT ALL - MOST OF THE GIVING THAT'S DONE 38:48 IN CHURCHES IN NORTH AMERICA DOES NOT REQUIRE A SACRIFICE. 38:52 HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE A SACRIFICIAL GIFT? 38:56 WHEN YOU GIVE - AND, BECAUSE OF YOUR GIFT, YOU HAVE TO BE DENIED 39:01 OF SOMETHING YOURSELF, THAT'S A SACRIFICE. 39:05 MOST PEOPLE, WHEN THEY GIVE, THEY WILL DRIVE THE SAME CAR, 39:07 EAT THE SAME FOOD, SLEEP IN THE SAME BED - THEY'LL WEAR THE SAME 39:10 CLOTHES - THEY DON'T REALLY EXPERIENCE ANY LOSS. 39:14 THERE MIGHT BE A DIFFERENT DIGIT IN THEIR BANK ACCOUNT - IT MIGHT 39:17 BE A LITTLE LOWER, BUT THERE'S REALLY NO SACRIFICE. 39:20 AND SO, A SACRIFICIAL GIFT MEANS YOU GIVE SO THAT IT HURTS YOU A 39:23 LITTLE BIT IN SOME WAY - THERE'S SOME SELF-DENIAL INVOLVED. 39:26 THAT'S A REAL SACRIFICE. MOST PEOPLE DON'T GIVE THAT WAY. 39:29 DO YOU KNOW, POOR PEOPLE, STATISTICALLY, GIVE A GREATER 39:31 PERCENTAGE OF WHAT THEY HAVE THAN RICH PEOPLE? 39:35 >>OKAY, THE NEXT QUESTION THAT WE HAVE IS 'WHAT IS LIVING 39:38 SACRIFICE - WHAT IS A LIVING SACRIFICE AND WHAT DOES THAT 39:42 LOOK LIKE, PRACTICALLY?' >>OKAY, WE'RE TO PRESENT 39:46 OURSELVES A LIVING SACRIFICE - AND THIS IS IN THE LESSON 39:49 - ROMANS CHAPTER 12. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S LIKE 39:53 WHEN PAUL SAID, 'IT'S NOT I THAT LIVE BUT CHRIST THAT LIVES IN ME 39:59 AND THE LIFE THAT I NOW LIVE, I LIVE BY THE FAITH OF THE SON OF 40:02 GOD WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME. I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST.' IT 40:05 MEANS THAT EVERY DAY YOU SAY, 'I DIE DAILY. 40:09 I'M NOT GOING TO LIVE FOR MYSELF. 40:10 LORD, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME TO DO?' 40:11 IN HOW YOU SPEND YOUR TIME, IN HOW YOU SPEND YOUR MEANS, IN THE 40:16 WORDS THAT YOU SPEAK, YOU SAY, 'I WANT MY LIFE TO BE A 40:19 SWEET-SMELLING SAVOR TO GOD.' A SACRIFICE, THEY WOULD ACTUALLY 40:23 BURN IT ON THE ALTAR AND GOD CALLED IT A SWEET-SMELLING 40:26 SAVOR. YOU EVER SMELL A BARBECUE? 40:30 IT STILL SMELLS GOOD TO ME - I DON'T EAT IT, BUT (LAUGHS) - SO, 40:34 YOU KNOW, IT MEANS OUR LIVES ARE TO - BY THE LIVES WE LIVE - THE 40:38 OBEDIENCE, THE DECISIONS WE MAKE - ARE GOING TO BRING GLORY TO 40:42 GOD. >>THE NEXT QUESTION WE HAVE IS A 40:45 PRACTICAL ONE; I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK THIS QUESTION. 40:47 IT SAYS, 'I'M ON A LIMITED BUDGET, SHOULD I PAY TITHES AND 40:51 OFFERINGS BEFORE I PAY MY OTHER BILLS? 40:54 >>GOOD QUESTION. YOU KNOW, OFTEN CHRISTIANS ARE 40:59 CRITICIZED BY SECULAR PEOPLE; THEY SAY, 'YOU TELL THESE POOR 41:02 PEOPLE THEY'VE GOT TO GIVE A TENTH AND THEY BARELY HAVE 41:05 ENOUGH FOR THEMSELVES. YOU GREEDY RELIGIOUS PEOPLE.' 41:10 YOU KNOW, JESUS SAW A WOMAN COME INTO THE TEMPLE - RICH 41:16 PEOPLE MADE A BIG SPECTACLE - THEY'D BLOW THE TRUMPET AND PUT 41:18 A GIFT IN AND EVERYONE WOULD APPLAUD. 41:20 AND THIS ONE WIDOW CAME UP AND SHE PUT IN TWO MITES AND THEN 41:24 SHE TRIED TO SNEAK AWAY AND JESUS SAID TO THE DISCIPLES, 41:27 'YOU SEE THAT WIDOW, SHE JUST PUT IN MORE THAN EVERYBODY ELSE 41:30 BECAUSE SHE PUT IN EVERYTHING SHE HAD.' NOW, DID JESUS RUN UP 41:35 TO HER AND SAY, 'DON'T DO THAT, THAT'S THE DUMBEST THING IN THE 41:37 WORLD YOU COULD DO. YOU SHOULD AT LEAST KEEP FIFTY 41:39 PERCENT - PUT IN ONE MITE.' OR DID HE BLESS HER AND COMMEND 41:43 HER FOR HER SACRIFICE? SO THE QUESTION IS ASKING, 41:47 'SHOULD WE STILL PAY OUR TITHE - ONE TENTH - WHEN 41:49 WE ARE STRUGGLING? GOD SAYS, 'PROVE ME AND SEE IF I 41:53 DON'T OPEN FOR YOU THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN.' HE DOESN'T SAY 41:56 'PROVE ME IF YOU'VE GOT EVERYTHING ELSE COVERED.' 41:59 PROVE ME WHEN IT REALLY IS A SACRIFICE. 42:02 AND I REMEMBER, YEARS AGO, WHEN I WAS IN THE FIREWOOD BUSINESS 42:05 AND I WOULD WORK ALL DAY AND GET SIXTY DOLLARS FOR A CORD OF 42:08 WOOD, THEN I HAD TO BUY GAS FOR MY TRUCK AND MY SAW AND 42:11 GROCERIES AND THERE WASN'T A LOT LEFT AND I'D SAY, 'SIX DOLLARS 42:16 IS TITHE.' BUT I WOULD PAY IT. AND, YOU KNOW WHAT? 42:21 HE KEPT BLESSING. >>THAT'S RIGHT. 42:23 >>AND NOW I'VE GOT THE PROBLEM WHERE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH 42:25 STORAGE FOR ALL THE STUFF THAT WE'VE GOT. 42:28 SOME OF YOU HAVE THAT PROBLEM. >>OKAY, THE NEXT QUESTION THAT 42:31 WE HAVE: 'DOES WANTING TO BE SUCCESSFUL FINANCIALLY CONFLICT 42:36 WITH THE IDEA OF NOT LOVING THE WORLD? 42:40 >>WELL, WHAT'S THE OPPOSITE OF WANTING TO BE SUCCESSFUL 42:43 FINANCIALLY? WANTING TO BE A FINANCIAL FAILURE? 42:47 IS THERE VIRTUE IN A CHRISTIAN SAYING, 'I'M A CHRISTIAN. 42:51 I MUST FAIL FINANCIALLY.' SO, IF YOU'RE GOING TO DECIDE HOW YOU 42:56 WANT YOUR FINANCES TO BE, DO YOU WANT TO BE A SUCCESS OR A 43:01 FAILURE? NOW, LOVING MONEY'S A DIFFERENT 43:03 THING, BUT CHRISTIANS SHOULD - DOESN'T THE BIBLE 43:06 TALK ABOUT INVESTING? DOESN'T JESUS COMMEND THE 43:09 STEWARDS THAT INVESTED WISELY? DOESN'T HE CONDEMN THE STEWARD 43:13 THAT DID NOT, AT LEAST, PUT IT IN THE BANK AND GET INTEREST? 43:17 SO CHRISTIANS OUGHT TO BE PROSPEROUS. 43:20 I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE LORD REALLY BLESSED AMERICA BECAUSE 43:23 THE AMERICANS STARTED OUT WITH A PROTESTANT WORK ETHIC OF BEING 43:27 FRUGAL, SAVING, AND MAKING WISE INVESTMENTS. 43:30 AND THE COUNTRY, UNDER THAT ETHIC, WAS BOOMING. 43:33 THE LORD BLESSED THE JEWISH PEOPLE IN MANY WAYS. 43:37 IN MANY COUNTRIES, WHEREVER THEY GO - SOME OF THESE BIBLICAL 43:39 PRINCIPLES OF BEING INDUSTRIOUS AND BEING FRUGAL, THEY PROSPER. 43:45 AND SO, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH WANTING TO MAKE GOOD 43:48 INVESTMENTS, JUST DON'T BE STINGY AND HOARD IT ALL. 43:51 YOU SHOULD BE WILLING TO SHARE. NOT ONLY TITHES AND OFFERINGS, 43:54 BUT WITH THE POOR - BE GENEROUS. >>THE NEXT QUESTION THAT WE 43:58 HAVE, 'HOW DO I CALCULATE MY TITHE? IS IT ON MY GROSS OR ON 44:02 MY NET INCOME? >>DO YOU PAY TITHE ON 44:05 THE NET OR ON THE GROSS? IT DEPENDS. 44:07 NOW, WHEN YOU GET YOUR PAYCHECK, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU WORK, 44:10 THERE ARE DEDUCTIONS THAT ARE MADE BEFORE YOU EVER GET IT. 44:13 AND THEY MAY DEDUCT SOCIAL SECURITY. 44:16 YOU CAN CHOOSE FOR YOURSELF. IF YOU'RE GOING TO LIVE LONG 44:19 ENOUGH TO GET YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY - IF YOU PAY TITHE ON 44:22 YOUR GROSS WHEN YOU FIRST GET YOUR CHECK, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE 44:27 TO PAY TITHE ON THE SOCIAL SECURITY LATER, BECAUSE THEY'RE 44:30 JUST PAYING YOU BACK WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY PAID TITHE ON. 44:32 DO YOU UNDERSTAND? BUT WHEN THEY TAKE OUT YOUR 44:35 TAXES, ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO SAY, 'WELL, I'M ONLY SUPPOSED TO PAY 44:37 TITHE ON WHAT I NETTED AFTER THEY TOOK AWAY MY TAXES. 44:40 TAXES ARE A BILL OF LIFE. IF YOU SAID, 'I ONLY PAY TITHE 44:45 AFTER I BUY MY GROCERIES' - WELL, GROCERIES ARE A BILL. 44:48 IF YOU SAY, 'I ONLY PAY TITHE AFTER I BUY EVERYTHING I WANT.' 44:51 WELL, THERE'S NO TITHE LEFT. AND SO, YOU SHOULD PAY 44:55 TITHE ON YOUR INCREASE. YOUR TAXES ARE A BILL THAT EVERY 44:58 CITIZEN PAYS FOR THE ROADS AND ALL THE WONDERFUL POLITICIANS 45:03 YOU GET AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO, I THINK TAXES IS PART OF 45:08 YOUR INCREASE AND IT'S A BILL WE ALL PAY. 45:11 >>ALRIGHT, WE'VE GOT TWO MORE QUESTIONS TO GO. 45:12 >>BY THE WAY, IF YOU'RE WONDERING, 'DO I NET, GROSS, 45:15 NET' - DO AS MUCH AS YOU CAN AND YOU'LL FIND YOU CAN'T OUT GIVE 45:19 GOD. DON'T SAY 'HOW LITTLE CAN I DO?' 45:24 DO AS MUCH AS YOU CAN AND SEE IF GOD BLESSES YOU. 45:26 >>OKAY, NEXT QUESTION - OUR SECOND TO THE LAST - 'HOW DOES A 45:29 HOTEL OWNER KEEP THE SABBATH?' >>THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. 45:33 AMAZING FACTS ACTUALLY HAD TO GRAPPLE WITH THAT. 45:37 SOMEBODY, IN THEIR WILL, LEFT US A THIRD OWNERSHIP IN A HOTEL. 45:43 AND WE SAT DOWN AND WE THOUGHT, 'WELL, THEY'RE OPEN SABBATH - 45:46 THEY'RE MAKING MONEY ON SABBATH. WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THAT?' 45:48 WE PONDERED THAT AND WE TALKED TO SOME THEOLOGIANS AND THEY 45:50 SAID, 'DO YOU OWN CONTROLLING INTEREST?' 45:52 WE SAID, 'NO.' THEY SAID, 'WELL, THEN YOU'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE. 45:55 THE SABBATH COMMAND SAYS, 'THE STRANGER WITHIN YOUR GATES' - IN 45:59 OTHER WORDS, IF YOU OWN THE GATES THEN YOU CONTROL WHAT 46:01 HAPPENS ON SABBATH. FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU OWN - IF 46:04 YOU HAVE MONEY IN A BANK, DO YOU KNOW THE BANKS MAY INVEST IN 46:07 HOTELS THAT ARE OPEN ON SABBATH, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE CONTROLLING 46:10 INTEREST IN THAT - YOU CAN'T CONTROL THAT. 46:12 AND SO, I DON'T RECOMMEND THAT SABBATH KEEPERS GO INTO THE 46:16 HOTEL BUSINESS IF YOU'RE WANTING TO KEEP THE SABBATH. 46:19 THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE AREN'T SABBATH KEEPERS IN THAT 46:22 BUSINESS BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT STRUGGLE WITH THAT. 46:27 OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT MIGHT NEED HOTELS ON SABBATH IF 46:29 THEY'RE TRAVELING. AND SO, THAT IS KIND OF 46:32 AN INTERESTING QUESTION. I DIDN'T GIVE A VERY 46:33 GOOD ANSWER, DID I? WELL, I WOULD TRY TO STAY AWAY 46:37 FROM A BUSINESS THAT YOU HAVE EVERYBODY WORKING ON SABBATH IF 46:40 YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THAT BUSINESS. 46:42 IF YOU OWN PART INTEREST - A FRAGMENT OF A HOTEL COMPANY, IT 46:45 DOESN'T MEAN IT'S A SIN OF YOU DON'T CONTROL WHAT'S - THEY'RE 46:47 DOING. NOTHING UNETHICAL ABOUT A HOTEL, RIGHT? HOW MANY OF YOU 46:51 STAYED IN HOTELS? (LAUGHTER) OKAY, HOW MANY OF 46:55 YOU HAVE STAYED IN A HOTEL ON A SABBATH? 46:59 >>OKAY, OUR FINAL QUESTION THEN, 'WITH SO MANY NEEDS IN THE 47:03 WORLD, DOES MY GIFT REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 47:06 >>YES. THINK ABOUT THAT WIDOW WE JUST 47:09 TALKED ABOUT, WHO GAVE HER TWO MITES. 47:12 HOW MUCH MONEY HAS COME INTO THE TREASURY OF GOD, BECAUSE OF HER 47:17 EXAMPLE, OVER THE LASTS TWO THOUSAND YEARS? 47:20 BILLIONS - I'LL BE YOU - EASILY BILLIONS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN 47:25 INSPIRED BY THE FAITHFULNESS OF THAT UNNAMED WIDOW - WE DON'T 47:29 EVEN KNOW HER NAME - WHO SAID, 'YOU KNOW, I LOVE GOD AND I WANT 47:33 TO GIVE EVERYTHING.' AND, BECAUSE OF WHAT SHE DID, SO MANY 47:38 - A RIVER OF FUNDS HAVE FLOWED INTO THE TREASURY. 47:41 SO, HE THAT IS FAITHFUL IN THAT WHICH IS LEAST IS FAITHFUL ALSO 47:45 IN MUCH. YOU BE FAITHFUL WITH THE LITTLE 47:46 YOU HAVE AND GOD WILL BLESS THE REST, AMEN? 47:48 >>AMEN. >>ALRIGHT, PASTOR ROSS, I THINK 47:50 - DO I HAVE TIME TO FINISH A COUPLE POINTS? 47:51 >>YOU'VE GOT, YEP, FIVE MINUTES TO FINISH UP. 47:52 >>I WANT TO SEE IF I CAN COVER A COUPLE MORE POINTS IN OUR LESSON 47:55 HERE THAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT. 47:57 SO WE TALKED ABOUT LOVE FOR SELF AND WHERE DOES SELFISHNESS OR 48:02 SELF-LOVE ORIGINATE? >>SATAN. 48:05 >>THE DEVIL. HE SAID, 'I WILL BE LIKE THE MOST HIGH.' 48:09 'YOUR HEART WAS LIFTED UP BECAUSE OF YOUR BEAUTY. 48:12 YOU CORRUPTED YOUR WISDOM BY REASON OF YOUR SPLENDOR.' IT 48:16 SAYS, 'EVERY PRECIOUS STONE WAS YOUR COVERING.' 48:17 HE WAS REALLY INTO THE CHRISTIAN JEWELRY BACK THEN - LUCIFER - 48:23 THE ULTIMATE FUTILITY OF MATERIALISM. 48:26 JOSHUA 7:21 - YOU REMEMBER WHEN ACHAN - HE COVETED. 48:31 HE SAW, AMONG THE SPOILS OF JERICHO, A BABYLONIAN GARMENT 48:35 AND 200 SHEKELS OF SILVER AND A WEDGE OF GOLD WEIGHING FIFTY 48:38 SHEKELS - IT SAYS, "I COVETED THEM AND TOOK THEM. 48:41 AND THERE THEY ARE, HIDDEN IN THE EARTH IN THE MIDST OF MY 48:43 TENT, WITH THE SILVER..." - WHAT HAPPENED TO ACHAN? 48:46 DID HE BENEFIT FROM THAT COVETOUSNESS OR DID IT END UP 48:49 BEING - IT DESTROYED HIM. HE HAD TO HAVE IT. 48:54 YOU EVER FEEL 'I'VE GOT TO HAVE IT'? AND EVEN THOUGH HE WAS 48:56 COMMANDED NOT TO TOUCH IT - PEOPLE WHO SAY, 'I'M GETTING 48:59 AHEAD BY KEEPING THE TITHE' - DO THEY GET AHEAD? 49:02 OR DOES GOD SAY, IN MALACHI, 'IF WE ROB GOD, GOD WITHDRAWS HIS 49:08 BLESSING AND THE LOCUSTS DEVOUR WHAT YOU HAVE AND THIEVES BREAK 49:13 THROUGH AND STEAL' - AND THERE'S ALL KINDS OF PLAGUES. 49:16 WHEN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE FAITHFUL, DID THEIR SHOES LAST 49:19 LONGER? >>YES. 49:20 >>DID THEIR CLOTHES LAST LONGER? >>YES. 49:23 >>I WAS JUST TALKING TO A BROTHER THIS WEEK AND I SAID, 49:27 'YOU KNOW, I'VE JUST FOUND, OVER TIME, THAT THE LORD SEEMS TO 49:30 BLESS.' KAREN AND I HAD A REFRIGERATOR THAT WE BOUGHT WITH 49:35 OUR HOUSE, AND IT LASTED - WE DON'T KNOW, IT MAY HAVE BEEN IN 49:40 THE HOUSE 20 YEARS BEFORE WE BOUGHT IT AND IT LASTED THE 20 49:42 YEARS WE HAD THE HOUSE. AND, YOU KNOW, GOD SOMETIMES 49:45 JUST MAKES YOUR THINGS LAST. MATTER OF FACT, OUR REFRIG UP 49:48 IN COVELO, IT'S 30 YEARS OLD. AND SO, YOU KNOW, GOD SOMETIMES 49:52 JUST BLESSES YOUR STUFF. HE SAYS, 'I'LL REBUKE THE 49:56 DEVOURER FOR YOUR SAKES.' MAKING THINGS LAST LONGER. 50:00 HAVE WE LEARNED YOU CAN LOSE EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE? 50:04 DID THAT HAPPEN TO JOB? WHAT WAS JOB'S RESPONSE? 50:07 GO TO JOB 1, VERSE 20, "THEN JOB AROSE AND TORE HIS ROBE, AND 50:11 SHAVED HIS HEAD;" - AFTER HE LOST EVERYTHING - "AND HE FELL 50:14 TO THE GROUND AND WORSHIPPED, AND HE SAID: 'NAKED I CAME FROM 50:17 MY MOTHER'S WOMB, AND NAKED SHALL I RETURN THERE. 50:20 THE LORD GAVE, AND THE LORD HAS TAKEN AWAY; BLESSED BE THE NAME 50:25 OF THE LORD.'" YOU COULD LOSE EVERYTHING AND STILL BLESS GOD. 50:28 SOLOMON SAYS THE SAME THING. NOW SOLOMON KNEW ABOUT STUFF. 50:32 HE SAID, IN ECCLESIASTES 5:14, "BUT THOSE RICHES PERISH THROUGH 50:38 MISFORTUNE; WHEN HE BEGETS A SON, THERE IS NOTHING IN HIS 50:41 HAND. AS HE CAME FROM HIS MOTHER'S 50:43 WOMB, NAKED SHALL HE RETURN, TO GO AS HE CAME; AND HE SHALL TAKE 50:48 NOTHING FROM HIS LABOR" - YOU NEVER SEE A HEARSE 50:53 PULLING A U-HAUL, DO YOU? NOT VERY OFTEN. 50:57 YOU CANNOT TAKE IT WITH YOU. JOB 31, VERSE 24, HE ALSO SAYS 51:02 THERE - NOW SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ, FOR ME, IN A MOMENT 1 51:04 PETER 2:9 - IN JOB 31:24 HE SAYS, "IF I HAVE MADE GOLD MY 51:11 HOPE, OR SAID TO FINE GOLD, 'YOU ARE MY CONFIDENCE'; IF I HAVE 51:15 REJOICED BECAUSE MY WEALTH WAS GREAT, AND BECAUSE MY HAND HAD 51:18 GAINED MUCH...THIS ALSO WOULD BE AN INIQUITY DESERVING OF 51:22 JUDGMENT, FOR I WOULD HAVE DENIED GOD WHO IS ABOVE." 51:25 NOW JOB WAS VERY RICH, BUT HE SAID, 'GOLD IS NOT MY HOPE. 51:29 I'VE NOT REJOICED BECAUSE MY WEALTH WAS GREAT.' HIS HAPPINESS 51:34 DID NOT COME BECAUSE OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THINGS. 51:37 GO AHEAD, READ, FOR US, 1 PETER 2:9, PLEASE. 51:41 >>"BUT YOU ARE A CHOSEN GENERATION, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, 51:44 A HOLY NATION, HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE, THAT YOU MAY PROCLAIM 51:48 THE PRAISES OF HIM WHO CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS INTO HIS 51:52 MARVELOUS LIGHT;" >>AMEN. YOU KNOW THE PRIESTS 51:55 BACK IN BIBLE TIMES, THEY WERE TO LIVE 51:57 OF THE OFFERINGS OF THE PEOPLE. THEY DID NOT GET A POSSESSION 52:01 IN THE PROMISED LAND. DID YOU KNOW THAT? 52:03 THE OTHER TWELVE TRIBES - THE PRIESTS WERE REALLY A THIRTEENTH 52:08 TRIBE, YOU MIGHT SAY - THE LEVITES - THE OTHER TWELVE 52:10 TRIBES, THEY ALL GOT A CERTAIN TERRITORY. 52:12 THE PRIESTS, THEY WERE GIVEN SOME SUBURBS TO LIVE IN, BUT 52:15 THEY DID NOT GET AN INHERITANCE BECAUSE THEY WERE TO CONSIDER 52:17 THEMSELVES PILGRIMS AMONG THE TRIBES TO GO AND TO MINISTER - 52:21 TO SCATTER LIKE SALT AMONG THE OTHER TRIBES AND SERVE THEM. 52:25 PETER, QUOTING MOSES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT 52:29 PETER'S QUOTING: DEUTERONOMY 7, VERSE 6, "FOR YOU ARE A HOLY 52:33 PEOPLE TO THE LORD YOUR GOD; THE LORD YOUR GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU TO 52:36 BE A PEOPLE FOR HIMSELF, A SPECIAL TREASURE ABOVE ALL THE 52:38 PEOPLES" - HE SAYS WE'RE TO BE A NATION OF KINGS AND PRIESTS. 52:41 AND SO THE IDEA IS THAT WE ARE PILGRIMS AND STRANGERS. 52:46 WE DO NEED THINGS - AND THE PRIESTS DID GET GIFTS AND 52:48 SACRIFICES FROM THE TEMPLE - FOR THE PURPOSE OF MINISTRY. 52:52 AND, WHENEVER THE PEOPLE STOPPED PAYING TITHE, THE PRIESTS WOULD 52:55 GO BACK TO THEIR FIELDS AND THE MINISTRY STOPPED HAPPENING. 52:59 DURING TIMES OF GREAT PROSPERITY AMONG GOD'S PEOPLE, THE KINGS 53:02 WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THE PRIESTS WERE OUT SERVING AS - THEY WERE 53:05 THE DOCTORS, THEY WERE THE JUDGES, THEY WERE THE TEACHERS - 53:11 THE PRIESTS WOULD TEACH THE CHILDREN TO READ, AND THEY WERE 53:14 THE MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL. AND SO, REAL HAPPINESS IS GOING 53:22 TO COME FROM, OF COURSE, A CONNECTION WITH CHRIST. 53:24 I WANT TO READ A BOOK - A QUOTE, RATHER, FROM THE BOOK DESIRE OF 53:26 AGES P. 668, "ALL TRUE OBEDIENCE COMES FROM THE HEART. 53:32 IT WAS THE HEART WORK WITH CHRIST AND IF WE CONSENT, HE 53:36 WILL IDENTIFY HIMSELF WITH OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR AIMS AND SO 53:39 BLEND OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS INTO CONFORMITY TO HIS WILL 53:43 THAT, WHEN OBEYING HIM, WE'LL BE BUT CARRYING OUT OUR OWN 53:46 IMPULSES." WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO BE SO 53:48 CONVERTED THAT WHEN YOU OBEY CHRIST YOU'RE REALLY CARRYING 53:50 OUT THE IMPULSES IN YOUR HEART BECAUSE HE'S CHANGED YOUR HEART? 53:53 SO OUR HEARTS ARE NOT FILLED WITH SELFISHNESS, THEY'RE FILLED 53:56 WITH GOD AND HIS WORK. WELL, FRIENDS, WE ARE OUT 53:59 OF TIME FOR TODAY'S LESSON. I ENJOYED KIND OF INTERACTING 54:02 WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING. 54:04 YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THOUSANDS WATCHING EACH WEEK AND WE LIKE 54:06 TO INVOLVE THEM. WE HAVE A FREE OFFER. 54:08 I WANT TO REMIND YOU, IT'S CALLED CULTURE AND THE 54:10 CHRISTIAN AND, IF YOU SIMPLY CALL THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN - 54:13 ASK FOR OFFER #143 - THAT NUMBER: 54:16 866-788-3966 - WE'LL SEND THIS TO YOU FOR FREE AND PRAY THAT 54:22 YOU READ IT AND THEN SHARE IT WITH A FRIEND. 54:24 GOD BLESS YOU. WE LOOK FORWARD TO STUDYING HIS 54:27 WORD TOGETHER WITH YOU NEXT WEEK. (MUSIC) 54:41 >>EVERY NOW AND THEN, IN THE PANORAMA OF HISTORY, WE HEAR 54:43 ABOUT INDIVIDUALS THAT GO FROM THE LOWEST DEPTHS TO THE HIGHEST 54:47 PINNACLES. THEY EMERGE FROM THE SHACKLES 54:49 OF PRISON TO LEAD AND INSPIRE A NATION. 54:54 TAKE JOSEPH, FOR INSTANCE: HE'S SOLD BY HIS BROTHERS AS A SLAVE, 54:57 THEN FALSELY ACCUSED AND THRUST INTO PRISON. 55:00 YET, THROUGH A SERIES OF DIVINE CIRCUMSTANCES, HE MIRACULOUSLY 55:03 GOES FROM THE PRISON TO THE PALACE, RULING THE ONES WHO ONCE 55:07 IMPRISONED HIM. SOUND FAR-FETCHED? 55:09 IT'S HAPPENED IN HISTORY MORE THAN YOU THINK. 55:12 SOUTH AFRICA IS THE HOME OF JUST SUCH A LEADER. 55:15 NELSON MANDELA WORKED TIRELESSLY TO ESTABLISH PEACE AND FREEDOM 55:19 IN HIS COUNTRY AND HIS INFLUENCE WAS FELT AROUND THE WORLD. 55:24 BEFORE FREEDOM, THERE MUST BE FORGIVENESS. 55:27 LIKE JOSEPH, WHO WAS UNJUSTLY ACCUSED OF A CRIME HE DID NOT 55:29 COMMIT, NELSON MANDELA WAS ACCUSED OF TERRORISM AND 55:33 SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON ON ROBIN ISLAND. 55:36 HE WAS OFTEN EXPOSED TO CRUEL PUNISHMENT AND ABUSE. 55:39 BUT EVEN IN THE MIDST OF APPARENT FAILURE AND 55:41 DISCOURAGEMENT, HE NEVER LOST HEART AND HE NEVER GAVE UP. 55:44 AFTER YEARS IN PRISON, A GROWING NUMBER OF SUPPORTERS RALLIED FOR 55:48 HIS RELEASE AND EVENTUALLY IT TOOK PLACE. 55:50 AND GOD USED HIM SO THAT HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING TO 55:53 ABOLISH RACIAL SEGREGATION IN THE COUNTRY OF SOUTH AFRICA. 55:57 INCREDIBLY, HE NOW WAS, VIRTUALLY, THE ABSOLUTE LEADER 56:01 IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAD IMPRISONED HIM. 56:03 HE HAD ALL THE TOOLS AND THE POWER AT HIS DISPOSAL TO GET 56:05 EVEN WITH THE PRISON GUARDS AND OTHERS THAT HAD MISTREATED HIM. 56:09 INSTEAD, MANDELA CHOSE FORGIVENESS. 56:12 IT REMINDS ME OF THAT VERSE IN THE BIBLE IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 56:14 4, VERSE 32, "LET ALL BITTERNESS, WRATH, ANGER, 56:18 CLAMOR, AND EVIL SPEAKING BE PUT AWAY FROM YOU, WITH ALL MALICE. 56:22 AND BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING ONE 56:26 ANOTHER, EVEN AS GOD IN CHRIST FORGAVE YOU." 56:31 I'M SO THANKFUL THAT NELSON MANDELA, LIKE JOSEPH, CHOSE TO 56:34 FORGIVE THOSE WHO WERE ONCE HIS ENEMIES, AND TO SERVE HIS NATION 56:37 WITH LOVE AND COURAGE. YOU CAN FIND A NUMBER OF 56:40 EXAMPLES OF THIS HAPPENING IN THE BIBLE. 56:42 YOU HAVE DANIEL, WHO WAS A CAPTIVE FROM THE LAND OF JUDAH, 56:45 AND YET GOD ARRANGED THINGS WHERE HE BECOMES THE PRIME 56:47 MINISTER IN THE KINGDOM OF BABYLON. 56:49 YOU HAVE ESTHER, WHO WAS A POOR ORPHAN GIRL IN PERSIA, AND YET 56:53 GOD WORKED THINGS OUT WHERE SHE BECOMES THE QUEEN OF THAT 56:55 COUNTRY. THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH ENDS WITH 56:58 AN INCREDIBLE STORY OF A YOUNG KING NAMED JEHOIACHIN, WHO WAS 57:02 IN A BABYLONIAN DUNGEON FOR 37 YEARS AND THEN KING 57:05 EVIL-MEREDOCH HAS MERCY ON HIM AND HE HAD A NEW STATUS, GOING 57:09 FROM THE PRISON TO THE PALACE. THIS IS WHAT THE LORD WANTS TO 57:12 DO FOR YOU AND ME, FRIENDS. HE GIVES YOU THE BREAD OF LIFE. 57:15 HE GIVES YOU THE ROBE OF JESUS' RIGHTEOUSNESS. 57:17 HE GIVES YOU A SEAT AT HIS TABLE. 57:19 IF YOU ACCEPT HIS FORGIVENESS AND YOU'RE WILLING TO PASS IT 57:21 ON, YOU AND I CAN LIVE AND REIGN WITH CHRIST. 57:24 WOULDN'T YOU LIKE THAT EXPERIENCE? (MUSIC) 57:34 >>LET'S FACE IT, IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO UNDERSTAND 57:36 EVERYTHING YOU READ IN THE BIBLE. 57:39 WITH OVER 700,000 WORDS CONTAINED IN 66 BOOKS, THE BIBLE 57:43 CAN GENERATE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. TO GET BIBLICAL STRAIGHTFORWARD 57:46 ANSWERS CALL IN TO BIBLE ANSWERS LIVE - A LIVE NATIONWIDE 57:50 CALL-IN RADIO PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN TALK TO PASTOR DOUG 57:53 BATCHELOR AND ASK HIM YOUR MOST DIFFICULT BIBLE QUESTIONS. 57:57 FOR TIMES AND STATIONS IN YOUR AREA, OR TO LISTEN TO ANSWERS 58:00 ONLINE, VISIT BAL.AMAZINGFACTS.ORG . 58:10 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2018-01-04