Bible tells us,
00:00:01.36\00:00:02.70
"In the beginning was the Word,
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and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
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It says, "To receive with
meekness the implanted Word,
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which is able to
save your souls."
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And to, "Be diligent to present
yourself approved to God,
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rightly dividing
the word of truth."
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Join us now for the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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Our study today is Stewardship,
Motives of the Heart.
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Hello, and welcome to
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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I'm Shelley Quinn and on
behalf of the entire panel,
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we just want to
say we're thankful
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that you're joining us today.
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Hope you have a Bible,
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and a pen, and a
pad to take some notes.
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We are studying at
this first quarter,
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The Stewardship,
Motives of the Heart.
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And today, we're beginning
on lesson two which is,
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"I see, I want, I take."
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Let me introduce
our illustrious panel.
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Here we have kid,
Pastor Kenny Shelton,
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Mollie Steenson,
Pastor John Lomacang,
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and Jill Morikone.
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And we're very glad to
have each one of you here
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because we learn
from one another.
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We really enjoy
that. That's right.
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If you would like to
follow along with us,
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you can go to
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ABSG.Adventist.org
and download the lesson
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or you can also go to a
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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near you and they'll be happy
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to give you a
Sabbath School Quarterly.
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We'd like to start with prayer.
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Kenny, would you like
to have our opening prayer?
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Absolutely!
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Let's pray. Shall we?
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Loving Father in
heaven, truly we thank You
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for the privilege of prayer.
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We thank You for
just loving us today
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and thank You for Calvary
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and so we pray
in our special ways.
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Promise me Your word, if
we ask, we shall receive.
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We ask for the
power of thy Holy Spirit.
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Please come and take
control of our hearts,
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our minds, our life.
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Lord, we pray that you'll bring
to our remembrance the things
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that we've studied,
that we've prayed about.
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And things that maybe we
haven't even thought about,
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the Holy Spirit
can bring into us
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that will affect all of
our hearts and our lives.
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And Lord, we thank
you for this privilege
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to be able to
work for You today.
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I ask You that you'd bless
each one, those in their homes,
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those who are taking
that pencil and paper,
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and those who are opening
the Word of God right now.
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We pray that the
Holy Spirit will accompany
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every word that's said and done.
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May it bring honor and
glory to you and to you alone.
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And we would get thank
You for this privilege,
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thank You.
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The field is wide for harvest.
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And, oh, Lord, we
know you're coming soon.
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Help us to be
ready and we thank You.
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In Jesus name, amen. Amen.
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Well, before we do our
repeat our memory ticks,
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I just want to
kind of set this up.
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We're going to be looking
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which is our memory text.
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And this is from
the Parable of the Sower
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where it's talking
about, as the sower was sowing,
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some fell by the
roadside, what happened to that?
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It was snatched up immediately.
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The people heard the
message but didn't grasp it.
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Some spilled on rocky ground,
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it wasn't much soil, it
was scorched by the sun,
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it withered up and died,
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and Jesus was using
this to talk about people
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who hear the word
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but don't let it get
rooted in their heart.
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Some people received it with joy
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but it came among
thorns and what does that mean?
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Well, that's what we're
going to be looking at today.
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Let's say our
memory text together.
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"Now he who receives
seed among the thorns
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is he who hears the word,
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and the cares of this world
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and the deceitfulness
of riches choke the word,
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and he becomes unfruitful."
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These people are what
I call Carnal Converts.
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They are people
who are walking with
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one foot in the kingdom
and one foot in the world.
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So as worldly cares come
in and the deceitfulness,
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what a great term,
deceitfulness of riches.
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This absolutely
chokes out the Word of God
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from their heart.
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They begin to look to the world,
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they're looking to
the problems of the world
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and they've got
maybe a love of money
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for material possessions.
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So let me read from
Sabbath, Ellen White had a quote
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about how the
devil's ploy is to lure us
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through the viles materialism.
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She says, "Go,"
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this is as she was
speaking for the devil,
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"Go make the
positions of lands and money
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drunk with the
cares of this life.
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Present the world before them
in its most attractive light
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that they may lay
up their treasure here
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and fix their
affections apart earthly things.
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We must do our
utmost to prevent those
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who labor in God's
cause from obtaining
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means to use against us."
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This is Satan talking,
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"Keep the money
in our own ranks.
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The more means that they obtain,
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the more they
will injure our kingdom
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by taking from us our subjects.
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Make them care more for money
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than the up
building of Christ's kingdom,
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and the spread of
the truth we so hate.
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And we need not fear
their influence for we know
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that every
selfish covetous person
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will fall under our power
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and finally be
separated from God's people."
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That's from Sixteen
Counsels On Stewardship.
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So we need to be on
guard against this danger.
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Do we not? Absolutely!
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All right, let's
look at Sunday's lesson,
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the prosperity gospel.
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The prosperity gospel,
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think of this, people say,
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"Follow God and
He'll make you wealthy.
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Give to God and He's
gonna give you more."
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And what this is, is half truths
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that are just kind of
cloaked in Biblical language.
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It is a false
self-centered theology
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and it's so sad
when you see people
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who are lured into this trap
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and they begin to
give for the wrong reasons.
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They're not giving to
God out of a heart of love
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but they are giving to receive.
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Are they not? That's right.
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So let's read, 2
Corinthians 8:1-7.
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2 Corinthians 8:1-7
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and see what
principles are in these texts
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that go against this idea
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of the false prosperity gospel.
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2 Corinthians 8:1,
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Paul writes,
"Moreover, brethren,
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we make known to
you the grace of God
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bestowed on the
churches of Macedonia.
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That in a great
trial of affliction,
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the abundance of their joy,
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and their deep poverty
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abounded in the
riches of their liberality."
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Let me just pause for a second.
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The Macedonian churches,
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Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea
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faced the most
difficult circumstances
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of all the churches.
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They were
persecuted from the beginning
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and these people were
down to their last penny.
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I mean, they
were in deep poverty.
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But it's interesting
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when you read the
letter to the Philippians,
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joy and rejoicing
are the two key terms
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that are used in there.
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So he says, "In
their deep poverty,
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they abounded in the
riches of their liberality."
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Even though they
had extreme poverty,
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it welled up in rich generosity.
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And he says, "For I bear witness
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that according to their ability,
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yes, and beyond their ability,
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they were freely willing,
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imploring us with much urgency
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that we would receive
the gift in the fellowship
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of the
ministering to the saints.
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And not only as we had hoped,
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but they first gave
themselves to the Lord,
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and then to us
by the will of God."
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So they were happy Christians
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and generous
beyond their ability.
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It was beyond
mere human generosity.
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This was sacrificial giving
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like the little
widow at the temple.
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So their hearts were moved
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by the immeasurable
riches and love of God
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and they dedicated themselves,
first to God in Jesus,
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and then to the
apostles and his purposes,
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but they didn't want to be
left out of the joy of giving.
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And I think that is, you know,
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we often see poor people can be
more generous than the wealthy.
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It's very
interesting to note that.
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That's true.
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Now he goes on in verse six.
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What he's doing here is,
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Paul's using the example
of the Macedonian churches
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to try to
motivate the Corinthians
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to do as they did.
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They gave from a
free willing heart.
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They didn't have to
be coerced into giving.
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So verse six, he says,
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"So we urged Titus,
that is, he had begun
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so he would also complete
this grace in you as well
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as you abound in everything,"
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speaking to the Corinthians,
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"In faith, in
speech, in knowledge
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and all diligence
and in your love for us,
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see that you abound
in this grace also."
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See that you excel
in the grace of giving.
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The Corinthians had a
lot of blessings from God.
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They were well off,
they had a lot of faith,
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gifted
speakers, they had things,
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the enthusiasm and in love,
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but now Paul is telling them,
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"There is one grace that
you need to learn from God."
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Isn't it
interesting that he calls it
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the grace of
giving or this grace also
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because what we're looking
at is that giving is a grace
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where you are
spiritually endowed from God
00:10:05.60\00:10:09.54
with this love of others
00:10:09.57\00:10:12.87
loving your
brothers as yourself.
00:10:12.91\00:10:15.38
The Macedonian saw that the
Jerusalem Christians needed,
00:10:15.41\00:10:19.68
they were starving, and
that they needed something
00:10:19.71\00:10:21.72
and even though the Macedonians
were so poor, they gave.
00:10:21.75\00:10:25.52
So verses such
as this, you know,
00:10:25.55\00:10:28.19
it's God that
divinely enabled them to give.
00:10:28.22\00:10:31.29
And verses such as this
00:10:31.33\00:10:33.19
actually refute
the prosperity gospel.
00:10:33.23\00:10:38.93
This is something
that's interesting.
00:10:38.97\00:10:41.94
When it comes to financial
responsibilities in the church,
00:10:41.97\00:10:47.64
we often kind of put that to...
00:10:47.68\00:10:52.41
We assign it as a
responsibility, as a duty.
00:10:52.45\00:10:56.69
We don't think of it as
a grace from God, do we?
00:10:56.72\00:11:00.49
And when we are considering
aspects of discipleship,
00:11:00.52\00:11:05.49
let me ask you a question.
00:11:05.53\00:11:07.46
Do you want God
to just measure you
00:11:07.50\00:11:10.63
a small grace as far as love,
00:11:10.67\00:11:13.70
and knowledge, and faith?
00:11:13.74\00:11:17.21
We don't want our
growth to be stunted there.
00:11:17.24\00:11:19.64
Yet, what do we do?
00:11:19.67\00:11:21.24
We determine a percentage
that we're going to give,
00:11:21.28\00:11:24.58
we return or tithe,
our 10% to the Lord,
00:11:24.61\00:11:27.48
determine the percentage
00:11:27.52\00:11:28.85
that we're going
to give for offering,
00:11:28.88\00:11:30.79
and often we live with
that the rest of our lives.
00:11:30.82\00:11:34.42
See, we want to
grow in the other graces
00:11:34.46\00:11:37.23
but not too many people pray
00:11:37.26\00:11:39.66
to grow in the grace of giving.
00:11:39.69\00:11:43.70
So money's a touchy topic
with a lot of people, isn't it?
00:11:43.73\00:11:49.27
But there, you can't avoid it
00:11:49.30\00:11:51.97
when you're
talking about God's church.
00:11:52.01\00:11:54.61
Because the local
churches need money
00:11:54.64\00:11:57.71
for the building,
for the utilities,
00:11:57.75\00:11:59.71
they need money for
full-time ministers.
00:11:59.75\00:12:03.18
There's the administration
of the church requires money,
00:12:03.22\00:12:07.09
sending out the missionaries,
00:12:07.12\00:12:09.12
and seeing that the
message goes out requires money.
00:12:09.16\00:12:13.43
And what does the
Bible instruct us?
00:12:13.46\00:12:16.67
"Freely you have
received, freely give."
00:12:16.70\00:12:20.84
So when we're
thinking about giving,
00:12:20.87\00:12:26.14
look at that as a grace
00:12:26.17\00:12:28.68
and realize that God
can change your heart.
00:12:28.71\00:12:33.18
I want to share, I
won't mention her name
00:12:33.21\00:12:36.79
but a friend of
ours preceded us to 3ABN.
00:12:36.82\00:12:40.92
We had introduced her to 3ABN
00:12:40.96\00:12:43.63
and she had just gone through
00:12:43.66\00:12:45.89
a most of the difficult divorce.
00:12:45.93\00:12:48.90
Her husband had, she'd
married a very wealthy man,
00:12:48.93\00:12:52.47
he had stripped
her of everything
00:12:52.50\00:12:54.90
to gain control over her
00:12:54.94\00:12:56.91
and she no longer had
her business or her home
00:12:56.94\00:13:00.24
or any of the
positions that she came...
00:13:00.28\00:13:03.95
He would have her sell them off
00:13:03.98\00:13:06.18
and then he would give
her something in replacement,
00:13:06.21\00:13:09.18
then he'd take them.
00:13:09.22\00:13:10.59
And so she was
left without a vehicle,
00:13:10.62\00:13:12.35
she was left without anything.
00:13:12.39\00:13:14.39
And when she came
here, I'll never forget,
00:13:14.42\00:13:16.93
I was talking with her.
00:13:16.96\00:13:18.59
And on her way here,
someone who had nothing,
00:13:18.63\00:13:22.40
she saw a man
who'd had a flat tire,
00:13:22.43\00:13:25.00
she stopped to help him
00:13:25.03\00:13:26.80
and he had no money
to get his tire fixed,
00:13:26.84\00:13:29.60
he had no money
for food and she gave.
00:13:29.64\00:13:33.91
Her last money she gave to him.
00:13:33.94\00:13:37.18
She has such a giving
heart but I have to tell you,
00:13:37.21\00:13:40.88
the end of the story is this,
00:13:40.92\00:13:43.18
that when God
sees a cheerful giver,
00:13:43.22\00:13:46.39
when He sees one of His children
00:13:46.42\00:13:48.82
meeting the needs of others,
00:13:48.86\00:13:50.96
He's not gonna leave
our needs unmet, is He?
00:13:50.99\00:13:55.43
God restored to her
everything that she lost
00:13:55.46\00:13:59.60
and she is very happy today.
00:13:59.63\00:14:04.17
I just think about
Jesus sitting at the temple,
00:14:04.21\00:14:09.94
watching the widow
put in her two mites
00:14:09.98\00:14:13.21
and He praised her
for giving, saying that,
00:14:13.25\00:14:17.59
"She gave more than
everybody else gave combined
00:14:17.62\00:14:20.09
because she was
giving sacrificially."
00:14:20.12\00:14:22.69
And now what we
need to remember is that
00:14:22.72\00:14:25.36
the Holy Spirit is
watching what we give.
00:14:25.39\00:14:28.30
And He's making notes against
the Day of Judgment in the book
00:14:28.33\00:14:32.40
to say, "Were they generous?
00:14:32.43\00:14:35.17
Did they really
allow God to develop
00:14:35.20\00:14:37.94
in the grace of giving?
00:14:37.97\00:14:41.88
Well done, well done.
00:14:41.91\00:14:43.28
Praise the Lord.
00:14:43.31\00:14:44.65
You know, these
lessons are good for someone
00:14:44.68\00:14:46.85
who's been in the
movement for a long time
00:14:46.88\00:14:49.78
or have maybe just begun
or somebody's just come in
00:14:49.82\00:14:53.05
because I'm hearing these
points of principle that apply,
00:14:53.09\00:14:56.83
that we need to be, make
sure that we're following
00:14:56.86\00:14:59.03
by the Word of God.
00:14:59.06\00:15:00.40
We're gonna be doing
once, I think Monday's lesson.
00:15:00.43\00:15:02.60
And interesting, I have
this one here it's blurred,
00:15:02.63\00:15:05.83
blurred spiritual eyesight.
00:15:05.87\00:15:07.90
So physically, I
can look around and say,
00:15:07.94\00:15:11.31
my eyesight's a
little blurred at times.
00:15:11.34\00:15:13.91
But it's interesting
'cause you can, not physical
00:15:13.94\00:15:16.41
but certainly
the spiritual aspect
00:15:16.44\00:15:18.15
of the blurred spiritual,
00:15:18.18\00:15:19.91
you know, what does riches do?
00:15:19.95\00:15:22.38
What do the
material things do to us?
00:15:22.42\00:15:24.95
Is it possible that we
can have blurred vision.
00:15:24.99\00:15:28.96
As Helen Keller,
00:15:28.99\00:15:30.33
she was in our lesson,
it brings out she was blind.
00:15:30.36\00:15:34.40
And who would you say,
00:15:34.43\00:15:36.03
who is the most pathetic person
on the face of this earth?
00:15:36.06\00:15:39.83
We don't have to
answer, just think about it?
00:15:39.87\00:15:41.20
May be it's a tough
question but think about it
00:15:41.24\00:15:45.01
the most pathetic person
on the face of this earth?
00:15:45.04\00:15:48.68
Helen Keller said
it this way, she said,
00:15:48.71\00:15:50.48
"The most pathetic
person in the world is someone
00:15:50.51\00:15:54.22
who has sight but no vision."
00:15:54.25\00:15:58.45
That's a great quote.
00:15:58.49\00:15:59.82
The most pathetic person
is the one who has sight,
00:15:59.85\00:16:02.56
sometimes we can see
but you have no vision.
00:16:02.59\00:16:05.26
You can see but
you don't understand
00:16:05.29\00:16:07.36
maybe the possibilities
that God has for us by faith.
00:16:07.40\00:16:12.30
They're looking and are
seeing, and I see this-that
00:16:12.33\00:16:14.20
but really you're not,
you're seeing those things
00:16:14.24\00:16:16.10
that are in front of us
00:16:16.14\00:16:18.17
which the Bible
tells us that we...
00:16:18.21\00:16:19.54
In 2 Corinthians 4:18,
00:16:19.57\00:16:20.91
I'm gonna read
that verse, it says,
00:16:20.94\00:16:22.28
"We look not at the
things which are seen."
00:16:22.31\00:16:25.65
In 2 Corinthians 4:18,
00:16:25.68\00:16:28.58
"but notice which are not seen
00:16:28.62\00:16:30.19
for the things
which are seen are," what?
00:16:30.22\00:16:32.35
"Temporal, but the things
00:16:32.39\00:16:33.89
which are not seen are eternal."
00:16:33.92\00:16:37.19
So everything, I just came
to the conclusions as I read,
00:16:37.23\00:16:39.63
it's pretty simple, isn't it?
00:16:39.66\00:16:41.00
If I see it, what is it?
00:16:41.03\00:16:42.86
Is it temporal?
00:16:42.90\00:16:44.23
It's temporal, isn't it?
00:16:44.27\00:16:45.60
If I see it, it's temporal.
00:16:45.63\00:16:46.97
But we are to fasten
our heart and our minds
00:16:47.00\00:16:48.97
up on things that are eternal,
00:16:49.00\00:16:50.97
that's going to
last for eternity.
00:16:51.01\00:16:53.41
When you were
talking a while ago,
00:16:53.44\00:16:54.78
it just ring a bell
because you're talking about,
00:16:54.81\00:16:56.95
you know, sometime we judge
00:16:56.98\00:16:58.41
by what people maybe have
or they have riches or they...
00:16:58.45\00:17:01.88
Has anyone ever,
00:17:01.92\00:17:03.25
maybe at this table you
remember, the ingathering.
00:17:03.28\00:17:06.55
Oh, yeah.
00:17:06.59\00:17:08.62
In Advent here, we go back
to where it was a competition,
00:17:08.66\00:17:13.80
you know, 'cause this
wasn't my brother so naturally,
00:17:13.83\00:17:15.96
you know, we would
go out and that's if...
00:17:16.00\00:17:17.50
For those you don't
know that's the caroling,
00:17:17.53\00:17:20.14
you go out and you collect
funds for the needy and so on,
00:17:20.17\00:17:23.61
and so you'd go
knock on the doors.
00:17:23.64\00:17:25.17
And so we want to make
sure that we've got the most.
00:17:25.21\00:17:29.11
When we got home we counted
up, and this was competitive,
00:17:29.14\00:17:32.68
that sounds right
but we, so what we do?
00:17:32.71\00:17:35.98
We looked, I looked, they looked
00:17:36.02\00:17:39.35
at the biggest houses.
00:17:39.39\00:17:41.36
The ones that were decorated
the brightest and we said,
00:17:41.39\00:17:44.49
"Man, we've got to get there."
00:17:44.53\00:17:45.86
And I remember several times
three of us meeting at the gate
00:17:45.89\00:17:48.46
at the same time running,
trying to get the house,
00:17:48.50\00:17:50.50
you know, because we
thought they would give more.
00:17:50.53\00:17:54.24
You know, these are just
children, right, just kids.
00:17:54.27\00:17:57.87
But we realized
what really happened was,
00:17:57.91\00:18:00.74
when we went to
the poor houses...
00:18:00.78\00:18:02.18
Amen.
00:18:02.21\00:18:03.55
The people in there gave more
00:18:03.58\00:18:05.75
than those who
had a whole lot more.
00:18:05.78\00:18:07.18
That was interesting. Wow.
00:18:07.22\00:18:08.55
Consistently, they gave.
00:18:08.58\00:18:10.09
When you look like the house,
00:18:10.12\00:18:12.09
no use to even
going to the door.
00:18:12.12\00:18:13.96
So that really rang a
bell with me, I think.
00:18:13.99\00:18:15.89
And then the other is, we
talk about blurred vision.
00:18:15.92\00:18:18.63
What material things can do
00:18:18.66\00:18:21.50
and again we'll look
at the physical part of it
00:18:21.53\00:18:23.80
and think about the spiritual
00:18:23.83\00:18:25.17
because sometime we
think we see when we don't see.
00:18:25.20\00:18:28.14
Just, oh, a couple of years ago,
00:18:28.17\00:18:32.07
this is kind of
before, hopefully,
00:18:32.11\00:18:34.04
I thought I could
see pretty well then,
00:18:34.08\00:18:35.48
you know, I went to
take my driver's test.
00:18:35.51\00:18:38.18
Anybody ever take
the driver's test,
00:18:38.21\00:18:39.55
you have to take
the eye test, you know?
00:18:39.58\00:18:42.38
So I got, I knew the lady
00:18:42.42\00:18:43.92
somewhat that
was giving the test
00:18:43.95\00:18:46.22
and I didn't want to
have to wear glasses when I,
00:18:46.25\00:18:48.56
driving.
00:18:48.59\00:18:49.92
So, you know, I'm
squinting and carrying on,
00:18:49.96\00:18:52.39
trying to see in
the test and she said,
00:18:52.43\00:18:55.16
"Kenny, just
read the first line?"
00:18:55.20\00:18:57.10
Oh, I read it.
00:18:57.13\00:18:58.47
Man, I had it
down pat, you know,
00:18:58.50\00:18:59.83
A-C-D whatever it was, you know.
00:18:59.87\00:19:02.14
Well, let's get
down to the fourth.
00:19:02.17\00:19:03.51
Read the fourth one.
00:19:03.54\00:19:04.87
And I said, "Well, let's see.
00:19:04.91\00:19:06.24
There's a,
00:19:06.27\00:19:07.61
there's B-8-C-3."
00:19:07.64\00:19:13.01
She said, "Kenny,
you know and I know,
00:19:13.05\00:19:15.82
there's not,
there's no numbers."
00:19:15.85\00:19:18.55
She helped me out 'cause
she could have flunked me,
00:19:18.59\00:19:20.46
there are no numbers
in this test, you know?
00:19:20.49\00:19:23.83
And I was given, but I
thought that's what I saw.
00:19:23.86\00:19:28.80
I thought that was
really that what was on there
00:19:28.83\00:19:30.83
but it really wasn't
00:19:30.87\00:19:32.20
and she had to bring
me back to the reality of,
00:19:32.23\00:19:34.24
number one, to help us.
00:19:34.27\00:19:35.60
Yes.
00:19:35.64\00:19:36.97
No, there's not numbers,
they're letters, you know,
00:19:37.01\00:19:39.24
so that helped me
to kind of understand
00:19:39.27\00:19:41.61
right there how God does for us,
00:19:41.64\00:19:43.18
how He helps us, to
bring us back sometimes,
00:19:43.21\00:19:46.01
when we think we see it
and we think we've got it,
00:19:46.05\00:19:48.78
our vision can be blurred.
00:19:48.82\00:19:51.15
It goes back to what you
were reading and our memory text
00:19:51.19\00:19:54.56
of the talking
about the tears and so on,
00:19:54.59\00:19:56.46
the cares of this
life and so on so forth.
00:19:56.49\00:19:58.86
I thought how interesting
that is because of the seed
00:19:58.89\00:20:02.60
and I just want to go over
that just a little bit here.
00:20:02.63\00:20:06.33
Not to go into may be
a lot of detail on it,
00:20:06.37\00:20:08.60
but I thought
how interesting it is
00:20:08.64\00:20:09.97
and I jotted down a
few things I thought,
00:20:10.01\00:20:11.51
how we can have
blurred eyesight?
00:20:11.54\00:20:13.94
Think about it.
00:20:13.98\00:20:15.31
Number one, the
cares of this world
00:20:15.34\00:20:17.58
can keep us from
00:20:17.61\00:20:18.95
realizing our
personal need of the gospel.
00:20:18.98\00:20:22.18
So, you know, talking
about this seed, this sower,
00:20:22.22\00:20:23.55
he went out to sow
and what did he do?
00:20:23.59\00:20:25.05
There you saw him, we know of it
00:20:25.09\00:20:26.45
went in the stony ground,
00:20:26.49\00:20:27.82
that went in the... get sowed.
00:20:27.86\00:20:29.82
But the point is what
happens in this world,
00:20:29.86\00:20:32.06
we get so carried
away with earning a living
00:20:32.09\00:20:34.90
which is okay to earn a living.
00:20:34.93\00:20:36.26
It's okay to earn money.
00:20:36.30\00:20:37.63
You've mentioned that before,
00:20:37.67\00:20:39.00
it's okay in
that to have finances.
00:20:39.03\00:20:40.57
That's what we do with them
00:20:40.60\00:20:41.94
and how we react
with those things
00:20:41.97\00:20:44.31
but we forget that Gospel,
00:20:44.34\00:20:46.51
realizing our personal
responsibility sometime
00:20:46.54\00:20:49.54
when we're out with
the cares of this world.
00:20:49.58\00:20:51.21
Number two, it can
make us inattentive.
00:20:51.25\00:20:55.02
Thought how interesting,
when I focused on the world
00:20:55.05\00:20:57.75
and the things of the world
00:20:57.79\00:20:59.19
or even just make
it live doing that,
00:20:59.22\00:21:00.76
may be not bad within
themselves but what happens,
00:21:00.79\00:21:03.63
sometime I'm not,
00:21:03.66\00:21:05.16
I'm inattentive to the
spiritual things of God,
00:21:05.19\00:21:08.33
and then what happens
when we're inattentive?
00:21:08.36\00:21:10.40
That means we neglect,
00:21:10.43\00:21:12.50
and when the pastor goes
and gives the Bible study
00:21:12.53\00:21:14.40
or some of it, they
can't catch what you're saying.
00:21:14.44\00:21:16.74
Spiritual things are
spiritually discerned,
00:21:16.77\00:21:18.54
they're not
understanding these things.
00:21:18.57\00:21:20.21
They hear them, and they
simply say to you and me,
00:21:20.24\00:21:22.74
"That doesn't
make any sense to me."
00:21:22.78\00:21:24.71
Because sometimes,
it's the cares of the world,
00:21:24.75\00:21:27.25
they're so wrapped up,
their job makes sense to them,
00:21:27.28\00:21:29.98
their paycheck
makes sense to them,
00:21:30.02\00:21:31.92
the things of this world
seems to make sense to them,
00:21:31.95\00:21:34.49
but the spiritual things
just doesn't grab a whole,
00:21:34.52\00:21:37.09
like it should
00:21:37.13\00:21:38.46
when our attitude
is somewhere else,
00:21:38.49\00:21:40.00
makes no sense.
00:21:40.03\00:21:41.96
Such individuals become
that someone mentioned here,
00:21:42.00\00:21:45.03
we've become self-absorbed.
00:21:45.07\00:21:46.84
It's all about self
and what self can do,
00:21:46.87\00:21:49.20
what self needs to be.
00:21:49.24\00:21:50.91
And you simply say as in result,
00:21:50.94\00:21:53.07
"Well, I can't see straight."
00:21:53.11\00:21:55.54
My mom, you say, "I
get so aggravated sometime,
00:21:55.58\00:21:57.35
I just can't see straight."
00:21:57.38\00:21:59.21
Well, you know, in this life,
00:21:59.25\00:22:00.98
we get blurred vision
from the things of the world
00:22:01.02\00:22:03.75
and what the enemy
throws at us constantly
00:22:03.79\00:22:06.15
that our vision becomes blur.
00:22:06.19\00:22:07.79
We can't see straight anymore
00:22:07.82\00:22:10.13
because we're not
spending time in the Word.
00:22:10.16\00:22:12.59
We're not doing that
which we should be doing.
00:22:12.63\00:22:14.46
We're not
putting, you know, He said,
00:22:14.50\00:22:15.83
"Well, you know,
you put Me first,
00:22:15.86\00:22:17.20
all these other
things will be added unto it.
00:22:17.23\00:22:21.10
I mean, that is such a key
and such a simple thing for us.
00:22:21.14\00:22:24.47
If we put God first,
00:22:24.51\00:22:25.94
all of these other
things that you need
00:22:25.97\00:22:27.94
will be added unto you.
00:22:27.98\00:22:30.05
My mother and dad
were faithful tithe payers
00:22:30.08\00:22:32.01
and when we had no groceries,
00:22:32.05\00:22:33.42
I know people get tired of
hearing that, but it's true.
00:22:33.45\00:22:35.48
They had no groceries,
00:22:35.52\00:22:36.85
they'd be somebody
knocking at the door saying,
00:22:36.89\00:22:39.15
"We had extra
and we just thought
00:22:39.19\00:22:41.56
maybe you folks
might want this,"
00:22:41.59\00:22:43.73
just in time.
00:22:43.76\00:22:45.23
What a blessing?
God always blesses.
00:22:45.26\00:22:47.36
I want to read something
here from Christ Object Lesson,
00:22:47.40\00:22:49.53
number 53, it says,
00:22:49.56\00:22:51.60
"All habits," all of us
have some habits, right?
00:22:51.63\00:22:54.27
They're all good.
00:22:54.30\00:22:55.64
"All habits of indulgence
that weaken the physical powers
00:22:55.67\00:22:59.51
that becloud the mind
00:22:59.54\00:23:01.51
or that benumb the
spiritual perceptions
00:23:01.54\00:23:04.31
are fleshly lust."
00:23:04.35\00:23:06.35
So there's a
warfare going on, right?
00:23:06.38\00:23:07.88
The fleshly lust that
we've been talking about here,
00:23:07.92\00:23:10.32
so it's any indulgence
that weakens the physical,
00:23:10.35\00:23:13.42
the mental, the spiritual,
these are fleshly lust
00:23:13.46\00:23:16.36
which war simply
against the soul.
00:23:16.39\00:23:19.63
Christ Object Lesson, 55
again, notice what it says,
00:23:19.66\00:23:22.56
"Cares, riches, and
pleasures are all used by Satan
00:23:22.60\00:23:26.37
in playing the game of
life for the human soul.
00:23:26.40\00:23:30.74
The enemy thinks that,
he says, "It's a game."
00:23:30.77\00:23:34.74
I thinks it's a warfare.
00:23:34.78\00:23:36.41
You really think about
what's going on in the world,
00:23:36.44\00:23:38.28
there's a warfare every day,
there's battle that's going on.
00:23:38.31\00:23:41.95
And so we know
that the enemy says,
00:23:41.98\00:23:43.39
"This is a game and so
00:23:43.42\00:23:44.75
I'm going to put
cares over here."
00:23:44.79\00:23:46.76
Does any of us ever have a care?
00:23:46.79\00:23:48.82
I have some cares, you said
00:23:48.86\00:23:50.19
the things we're
interested in, right?
00:23:50.23\00:23:51.63
And there's
pleasures and there's rich,
00:23:51.66\00:23:54.36
you have to be
careful about our riches,
00:23:54.40\00:23:56.60
but this is what the enemy uses
00:23:56.63\00:23:58.03
so let's just be
careful with those.
00:23:58.07\00:23:59.40
That's just a warning to me
00:23:59.43\00:24:01.34
and I'm thankful that
God gives us that warning.
00:24:01.37\00:24:03.64
1 John 2:15, the
Bible says, we know that,
00:24:03.67\00:24:06.21
"Love not the world," or what?
00:24:06.24\00:24:08.71
The things in the...
00:24:08.74\00:24:10.08
"Neither the things
that are in the world."
00:24:10.11\00:24:12.18
So we're not to love
those things in the world.
00:24:12.21\00:24:15.18
And we need to fix
our mind upon what?
00:24:15.22\00:24:17.42
Upon Christ and I don't
have time to go into the other
00:24:17.45\00:24:19.62
because we realize that
something's choking the Word
00:24:19.65\00:24:22.79
may be out in our hearts
00:24:22.82\00:24:24.16
and life, we have to be careful.
00:24:24.19\00:24:25.53
What that is, is
choking us from, you know,
00:24:25.56\00:24:27.83
daily Bible study,
witnessing, doing what we need,
00:24:27.86\00:24:29.96
giving to the cause of Christ
00:24:30.00\00:24:31.43
is choking our
spiritual condition
00:24:31.47\00:24:33.67
and I like it.
00:24:33.70\00:24:35.04
At the end, he
says that, he said,
00:24:35.07\00:24:36.94
"All the riches
them self are not evil.
00:24:36.97\00:24:39.14
They still possess
the power to deceive."
00:24:39.17\00:24:43.14
So what everyone's been saying?
00:24:43.18\00:24:44.51
It's the power to
deceive us in ways
00:24:44.55\00:24:47.75
that can lead to our ultimate,
the word is destruction.
00:24:47.78\00:24:51.95
This can lead to,
we're actually talking about,
00:24:51.99\00:24:53.89
you know, we say it's so simple.
00:24:53.92\00:24:55.26
To me, it's life and death issue
00:24:55.29\00:24:57.53
of how we handle.
00:24:57.56\00:24:58.93
So it's very important
how we handle the Word of God
00:24:58.96\00:25:01.16
and that which
we're putting forward
00:25:01.20\00:25:02.53
to help someone along the way
00:25:02.56\00:25:04.13
because ultimately you
see we're being deceived
00:25:04.17\00:25:07.14
and God is calling us out.
00:25:07.17\00:25:08.80
We need to behold Christ
and certainly not the world.
00:25:08.84\00:25:12.41
Sister Mollie
Steenson? Amen. Amen, beautiful.
00:25:12.44\00:25:15.54
I'm looking at Tuesday's lesson
00:25:15.58\00:25:20.65
and I'm looking at
steps to covetousness.
00:25:20.68\00:25:24.79
I think we've defined
covetousness a few times,
00:25:24.82\00:25:28.22
but I'll define
it one more time.
00:25:28.26\00:25:30.83
An ordinate desire of
wealth or possessions,
00:25:30.86\00:25:36.16
it just is greediness.
00:25:36.20\00:25:38.53
So there are
steps to covetousness.
00:25:38.57\00:25:41.57
As a rule, covetous people
00:25:41.60\00:25:43.54
didn't start off being covetous.
00:25:43.57\00:25:46.37
Just as Eve in
the Garden of Eden
00:25:46.41\00:25:49.71
didn't start out wanting
to eat the forbidding fruit,
00:25:49.74\00:25:55.48
she wanted to be obedient to God
00:25:55.52\00:25:58.59
until she was
tempted and enticed.
00:25:58.62\00:26:02.42
Have you ever heard anyone say,
00:26:02.46\00:26:03.89
"I can resist
anything but temptation?"
00:26:03.93\00:26:07.43
Oh, that's a sad place to be.
00:26:07.46\00:26:09.56
There were steps
that Eve followed
00:26:09.60\00:26:12.43
to arrive at her
final destination
00:26:12.47\00:26:15.70
which was covetousness.
00:26:15.74\00:26:17.41
Now again, today,
we're looking at our,
00:26:17.44\00:26:21.14
this Week in the quarterly,
00:26:21.18\00:26:22.74
we look at I
see, I want, I take.
00:26:22.78\00:26:26.65
There are steps in covetousness
like all sin, all sin,
00:26:26.68\00:26:32.75
covetousness
begins in the heart,
00:26:32.79\00:26:35.72
it starts inside of us
00:26:35.76\00:26:38.26
and then it
works its way outward.
00:26:38.29\00:26:41.40
Proverbs 23:7 says,
00:26:41.43\00:26:44.53
"For as a man
thinketh in his heart,
00:26:44.57\00:26:48.77
so is the covetousness
begins in the heart."
00:26:48.80\00:26:52.37
Now there's this progression
00:26:52.41\00:26:54.94
and I know we
share it quite often,
00:26:54.98\00:26:57.25
watch your thoughts,
they've become words.
00:26:57.28\00:27:00.55
Now remember your thoughts
00:27:00.58\00:27:01.92
as you think in
your heart so are you.
00:27:01.95\00:27:03.99
Watch your
thought they become words.
00:27:04.02\00:27:06.55
Watch your words
they become actions.
00:27:06.59\00:27:10.03
Watch your actions
they form your habit.
00:27:10.06\00:27:14.03
Watch your habit
that forms your character.
00:27:14.06\00:27:17.70
Watch your character
that becomes your destiny.
00:27:17.73\00:27:21.17
So it all begins where?
00:27:21.20\00:27:23.27
On the inside of you.
00:27:23.30\00:27:25.21
Yes. In our hearts.
00:27:25.24\00:27:26.88
As a man thinks
is heart so is he.
00:27:26.91\00:27:29.58
So I want us to look at Eve.
00:27:29.61\00:27:33.38
So I want us to
go to Genesis 3:1-6,
00:27:33.42\00:27:38.65
the steps of covetousness.
00:27:38.69\00:27:40.96
Originally in
the Garden of Eden,
00:27:40.99\00:27:43.73
Eve was not covetous.
00:27:43.76\00:27:46.33
She became
covetous by the things
00:27:46.36\00:27:49.50
that she was
tempted with, allured with.
00:27:49.53\00:27:52.90
Last week, you
covered allurement so well.
00:27:52.93\00:27:56.04
So Genesis 3:1-6.
00:27:56.07\00:27:58.87
"Now the
serpent was more cunning
00:27:58.91\00:28:00.38
than any beast of the field
00:28:00.41\00:28:02.14
which the Lord God had
made and he said to the woman,
00:28:02.18\00:28:05.55
'Has God indeed said,
00:28:05.58\00:28:07.12
you shall not eat of
every tree of the garden?'
00:28:07.15\00:28:09.78
And the women
said to the serpent,
00:28:09.82\00:28:12.19
'We may eat of the fruit
of the trees of the garden
00:28:12.22\00:28:14.59
but of the fruit of the tree
00:28:14.62\00:28:15.96
which is in the
midst of the garden,
00:28:15.99\00:28:17.63
God has said,
'You shall not eat it
00:28:17.66\00:28:19.49
nor shall you
touch it lest you die.'
00:28:19.53\00:28:22.40
'Then the serpent
said to the woman,'
00:28:22.43\00:28:25.23
You shall not surely die
00:28:25.27\00:28:27.64
for God knows that in
the day you eat of it,
00:28:27.67\00:28:30.71
your eyes will be
opened and you will be like God
00:28:30.74\00:28:33.98
knowing good and evil.'
00:28:34.01\00:28:35.68
So when the woman saw
00:28:35.71\00:28:38.21
that the tree was good for food,
00:28:38.25\00:28:40.25
that it was pleasant to the eyes
00:28:40.28\00:28:42.38
and a tree
desirable to make one wise,
00:28:42.42\00:28:45.65
she took of its fruit and ate.
00:28:45.69\00:28:48.02
She also gave to her
husband with her and he ate."
00:28:48.06\00:28:51.73
So there were
steps in Eve's deception,
00:28:51.76\00:28:55.23
steps in her becoming covetous
00:28:55.26\00:28:58.47
and terminology that
I haven't heard before
00:28:58.50\00:29:02.70
that Shelley Quinn shared,
00:29:02.74\00:29:04.31
I believe in last
week's lesson as well
00:29:04.34\00:29:06.91
was triad temptations.
00:29:06.94\00:29:09.21
So what Satan
did, he came to Eve
00:29:09.24\00:29:12.31
with that triad temptation,
00:29:12.35\00:29:14.58
lust of the flesh,
00:29:14.62\00:29:16.38
lust of the eyes, pride of life.
00:29:16.42\00:29:19.62
Lust of the flesh, good to eat.
00:29:19.65\00:29:21.52
Lust of the eyes,
00:29:21.56\00:29:24.66
she saw that it was a
tree desirable to make one wise
00:29:24.69\00:29:27.76
which is the pride of life.
00:29:27.80\00:29:29.70
So those three areas
00:29:29.73\00:29:31.93
Satan appealed to
Eve in all three areas,
00:29:31.97\00:29:36.50
lust of the eyes,
lust of the flesh,
00:29:36.54\00:29:38.64
and pride of life,
00:29:38.67\00:29:40.14
what she did, I
see it, I want it,
00:29:40.18\00:29:43.75
and then what did she do?
00:29:43.78\00:29:45.28
Take it. She took it.
00:29:45.31\00:29:47.08
Now that's 1 John 2,
I want to read 15-17.
00:29:47.12\00:29:51.22
We've been all
over that scripture
00:29:51.25\00:29:53.15
and quoted it a few times
00:29:53.19\00:29:55.89
but 1 John 2:15-17,
00:29:55.92\00:30:02.43
"Love not the world,
00:30:02.46\00:30:04.83
neither the things
that are in the world.
00:30:04.87\00:30:07.74
If any man love the world,
00:30:07.77\00:30:09.70
the love of the
Father is not in him
00:30:09.74\00:30:11.54
for all that is in the world.
00:30:11.57\00:30:13.38
The lust of the flesh,
00:30:13.41\00:30:15.54
the lust of the eyes
and the pride of life
00:30:15.58\00:30:18.08
is not of the Father
but is of the world."
00:30:18.11\00:30:20.18
And here is the consequence,
00:30:20.22\00:30:22.02
"And the world passes
away and the lust thereof,
00:30:22.05\00:30:25.29
but he that
doeth the will of God,"
00:30:25.32\00:30:27.16
does something?
00:30:27.19\00:30:28.52
"They abide forever."
00:30:28.56\00:30:30.83
Lust of the
flesh, lust of the eyes,
00:30:30.86\00:30:32.83
pride of life.
00:30:32.86\00:30:34.20
Satan presented the
fruit of the forbidden tree
00:30:34.23\00:30:38.40
in a way to create in
Eve, a desire to want more than
00:30:38.43\00:30:43.94
she'd already had
and to make her think
00:30:43.97\00:30:47.74
that she needed something
that she really didn't.
00:30:47.78\00:30:50.65
That's called
allurement, isn't it?
00:30:50.68\00:30:53.11
He used allurement.
00:30:53.15\00:30:54.65
He allured her,
he seduced her. Yes.
00:30:54.68\00:30:57.15
But she gave into it
00:30:57.19\00:30:59.89
because it appealed to her eyes
00:30:59.92\00:31:04.09
and it appealed to her,
we called it ego, didn't we?
00:31:04.13\00:31:07.26
That pride of life to
her ego, lust of the flesh,
00:31:07.30\00:31:10.83
lust of the eyes,
and pride of life.
00:31:10.87\00:31:13.07
Covetousness can be
a quiet sin like lust.
00:31:13.10\00:31:18.41
It's hidden behind
the veil of our flesh
00:31:18.44\00:31:22.28
but given time it
will always surface.
00:31:22.31\00:31:25.71
How often will
it surface? Always.
00:31:25.75\00:31:27.68
It will always surface
00:31:27.72\00:31:29.58
and the results
are always damaging.
00:31:29.62\00:31:33.72
Covetousness is
another form of selfishness.
00:31:33.76\00:31:37.63
Now let me ask you
this let's go to King David.
00:31:37.66\00:31:42.96
How many wives and
concubines did King David have?
00:31:43.00\00:31:47.24
Too many.
00:31:47.27\00:31:49.24
Too many
00:31:49.27\00:31:52.47
and I looked and I studied,
00:31:52.51\00:31:54.81
I never did find an exact count.
00:31:54.84\00:31:57.51
I did find that
before his affair,
00:31:57.55\00:32:00.62
what did I use that as a word?
00:32:00.65\00:32:02.45
His affair with
Bathsheba, he had six wives.
00:32:02.48\00:32:07.72
And later in Second Samuel,
00:32:07.76\00:32:09.92
well, it's noted
that he left Jerusalem,
00:32:09.96\00:32:13.33
when he left, he took ten,
00:32:13.36\00:32:15.83
he left ten concubines behind.
00:32:15.86\00:32:18.53
Wow.
00:32:18.57\00:32:19.90
Now he had six wives
then there was Bathsheba,
00:32:19.93\00:32:22.90
he left ten concubines behind.
00:32:22.94\00:32:25.24
That would indicate that he
had more than ten concubines
00:32:25.27\00:32:28.54
if he left ten behind.
00:32:28.58\00:32:30.78
Now again, we're talking
about steps to covetousness.
00:32:30.81\00:32:35.48
I see, I want, I take.
00:32:35.52\00:32:38.75
So what did King David do?
00:32:38.79\00:32:41.72
Remember King David was
on his rooftop, was he not?
00:32:41.76\00:32:45.89
Now where were
the rest of his men?
00:32:45.93\00:32:48.50
Battle. They were in battle.
00:32:48.53\00:32:49.93
Where should
King David have been?
00:32:49.96\00:32:51.30
In battle.
00:32:51.33\00:32:52.67
He should have been in battle
with his men but he wasn't.
00:32:52.70\00:32:55.20
He was own his
rooftop just looking around.
00:32:55.24\00:32:57.77
Now a point I want to
make is it was at dusk,
00:32:57.81\00:33:03.51
it was the time when women
were to go and bath under the,
00:33:03.55\00:33:08.88
you know, the cover of darkness.
00:33:08.92\00:33:11.39
So Bathsheba
wasn't enticing him,
00:33:11.42\00:33:15.86
he was where he
shouldn't have been
00:33:15.89\00:33:18.49
and he saw something he
wanted, lust of the eyes,
00:33:18.53\00:33:22.86
lust of the
flesh, pride of life.
00:33:22.90\00:33:25.00
He saw it, and
then what did he do?
00:33:25.03\00:33:29.50
I see it, I want
it, and he took it.
00:33:29.54\00:33:34.34
He saw, he wanted, and he took.
00:33:34.38\00:33:38.21
He coveted another man's wife
00:33:38.25\00:33:40.68
and set about taking
00:33:40.72\00:33:42.75
what wasn't
rightfully his to take.
00:33:42.78\00:33:45.75
Now it wasn't enough that
he set about taking something
00:33:45.79\00:33:50.43
that wasn't his to take
but he even went further.
00:33:50.46\00:33:53.96
What did this allurement do?
00:33:54.00\00:33:55.53
What did this lust of the flesh,
00:33:55.56\00:33:59.47
and lust of the
eyes, and pride of life do?
00:33:59.50\00:34:02.07
It led him to
commit a heinous crime.
00:34:02.10\00:34:04.77
Remember, I believe it
was the prophet Nathan,
00:34:04.81\00:34:07.21
came to him and gave a scenario
00:34:07.24\00:34:09.88
and King David
was all up in arms
00:34:09.91\00:34:12.51
and about the scenario
and what did Nathan do?
00:34:12.55\00:34:16.75
He said, "Thou
are the man." Right.
00:34:16.79\00:34:19.15
So King David was
so deceived in this.
00:34:19.19\00:34:23.63
Here is a
warning that Paul gives
00:34:23.66\00:34:26.33
to again his prodigy Timothy.
00:34:26.36\00:34:28.70
It's in 2 Timothy 3:1-2,
00:34:28.73\00:34:32.20
"This know also,
that in the last days
00:34:32.23\00:34:35.34
perilous times shall come.
00:34:35.37\00:34:36.77
For men shall be lovers of
their own selves, covetous,
00:34:36.81\00:34:40.64
boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents,
00:34:40.68\00:34:46.11
unthankful, unholy."
00:34:46.15\00:34:48.22
Like all sins, all sins,
where does covetousness begin?
00:34:48.25\00:34:53.56
It begins in the heart.
00:34:53.59\00:34:54.92
It starts inside us and
then works its way outward.
00:34:54.96\00:34:59.23
Could it be possible?
00:34:59.26\00:35:00.63
And here's a question
to everyone at this table,
00:35:00.66\00:35:03.43
could it be possible with there,
00:35:03.47\00:35:06.43
that there is covetousness
lurking in our hearts?
00:35:06.47\00:35:09.67
Kenny, could
that be a possibility?
00:35:09.70\00:35:11.37
Absolutely! What do we do?
00:35:11.41\00:35:12.74
Again, if you
come with a problem,
00:35:12.77\00:35:14.94
what is the solution?
00:35:14.98\00:35:16.31
You know, the
solution is the same solution
00:35:16.34\00:35:19.01
for almost every
situation we find in the Word,
00:35:19.05\00:35:22.12
"Ask God to look
into our hearts."
00:35:22.15\00:35:24.62
And that would
be psalms 139:23-24.
00:35:24.65\00:35:29.06
"Search me oh, God."
00:35:29.09\00:35:30.43
If God finds anything unlovely,
unlike him in our hearts,
00:35:30.46\00:35:34.90
don't we want
him to purge it out?
00:35:34.93\00:35:37.07
That's right, thank you, Mollie.
00:35:37.10\00:35:39.13
Wow, this lesson, I
see it, I want it, I take,
00:35:39.17\00:35:43.94
kind of reminds me
of a slogan somewhere.
00:35:43.97\00:35:47.11
It was mine, actually, my
day having things your way.
00:35:47.14\00:35:50.51
I call it the Burger King sin.
00:35:50.55\00:35:53.55
Have it your way and
there are many people
00:35:53.58\00:35:56.62
that are motivated to
have things their way.
00:35:56.65\00:36:00.52
That in and of
itself is covetousness
00:36:00.56\00:36:02.49
because they
are taking the place
00:36:02.52\00:36:03.86
that belongs to God alone.
00:36:03.89\00:36:06.09
The song years ago,
00:36:06.13\00:36:07.46
I think the one I
most remember to sing
00:36:07.50\00:36:09.26
this is I did it my way.
00:36:09.30\00:36:11.67
And I don't know
who originated that song
00:36:11.70\00:36:13.84
maybe some of you might know
00:36:13.87\00:36:15.20
but I know Elvis sang
it, Frank Sinatra sang it,
00:36:15.24\00:36:19.74
number of other
very famous people...
00:36:19.77\00:36:21.64
And how terrible
to close your life
00:36:21.68\00:36:24.58
and say I did it my
way when Jesus said,
00:36:24.61\00:36:29.15
"Not my will but
Thy will be done."
00:36:29.18\00:36:32.59
So somewhere along the
way this lesson points out
00:36:32.62\00:36:36.32
that our way and God's way
00:36:36.36\00:36:41.63
are diametrically opposed,
00:36:41.66\00:36:43.80
and if the Kingdom is our focus,
00:36:43.83\00:36:45.50
we have to be
willing to lay down our way
00:36:45.53\00:36:48.17
and submit to God's way.
00:36:48.20\00:36:49.87
If Jesus, the
Son of the most high
00:36:49.90\00:36:54.24
can submit to the
will of His father and say,
00:36:54.28\00:36:56.58
"I came not to do My own will
but the will of the Father."
00:36:56.61\00:36:59.68
How much more
important is for us
00:36:59.71\00:37:01.65
to lay down our way
00:37:01.68\00:37:03.35
in order to
embrace the father's way.
00:37:03.39\00:37:06.96
Isaiah 56:11 is a passage
that shows the mentality.
00:37:06.99\00:37:13.53
In this passage,
Shelley pointed out
00:37:13.56\00:37:16.40
the prosperity aspect of
it and each one of us had,
00:37:16.43\00:37:19.07
at a particular aspect to it,
00:37:19.10\00:37:20.67
but this reminds me
00:37:20.70\00:37:22.04
of the
prosperity mindset of today.
00:37:22.07\00:37:25.01
A lot of
preachers and I have heard
00:37:25.04\00:37:26.74
little snippets of
preachers that say,
00:37:26.78\00:37:29.78
"The reason why
you don't have it
00:37:29.81\00:37:32.35
because you
haven't gone after it."
00:37:32.38\00:37:33.88
God didn't want poor Christians.
00:37:33.92\00:37:37.35
God's plan for you,
Jill, is that you be rich
00:37:37.39\00:37:39.55
but the reason
why you ain't rich is
00:37:39.59\00:37:41.09
you don't believe you can be.
00:37:41.12\00:37:42.89
They pushed this whole ideology,
00:37:42.92\00:37:45.19
when you can't take up...
00:37:45.23\00:37:47.76
I'm using this example,
00:37:47.80\00:37:50.60
I know I cup my
thought on middle
00:37:50.63\00:37:51.97
but here as where I'm going.
00:37:52.00\00:37:53.94
A micro SD
card, now I don't know
00:37:53.97\00:37:56.84
if any of you know what that is,
00:37:56.87\00:37:58.21
but in our phones most of us,
00:37:58.24\00:37:59.84
the card that
receives and transmits data
00:37:59.87\00:38:04.25
or has the
signature of each of the phone
00:38:04.28\00:38:06.28
that identifies with
us is a micro SD card.
00:38:06.31\00:38:09.62
And when my wife and I
were in Bogota, Colombia,
00:38:09.65\00:38:13.46
I was switching
it out of my camera,
00:38:13.49\00:38:15.69
putting it in a holder
to put it into my camera,
00:38:15.72\00:38:17.39
and I thought I held that
on my fingertip and I said,
00:38:17.43\00:38:23.47
"Angi, we can't even
take that with us to heaven."
00:38:23.50\00:38:27.54
It's tiny as that is.
00:38:27.57\00:38:29.60
You can slip
anything into the kingdom,
00:38:29.64\00:38:32.07
yet, when we begin to
amass, surround ourselves with,
00:38:32.11\00:38:36.78
I use a word that
I used to use years,
00:38:36.81\00:38:38.78
beaucoup possessions
00:38:38.81\00:38:41.52
and we can't take
any of it with us.
00:38:41.55\00:38:43.55
But this passage talks about,
and I believe the mentality
00:38:43.59\00:38:47.89
of many of those men who
claim to be followers of God,
00:38:47.92\00:38:52.09
notice what it
points out in Isaiah 56:11,
00:38:52.13\00:38:54.90
do you have that Jill? Mm-Hm.
00:38:54.93\00:38:56.26
Read out for us.
00:38:56.30\00:38:57.63
"Yes, they are greedy
dogs which never have enough
00:38:57.67\00:39:00.54
and they are
shepherds who cannot understand.
00:39:00.57\00:39:04.24
They all look to their own way,
00:39:04.27\00:39:05.91
everyone for his own
gain from his own territory."
00:39:05.94\00:39:10.68
They never have enough
00:39:10.71\00:39:12.71
and the news
media has been zeroing,
00:39:12.75\00:39:15.52
you know, what they
call prosperity preachers
00:39:15.55\00:39:18.12
and the IRS has
been doing the same thing
00:39:18.15\00:39:20.52
and I remember a
number of years ago
00:39:20.56\00:39:21.89
this came back to me.
00:39:21.92\00:39:24.89
You may have
heard the story, Mollie,
00:39:24.93\00:39:26.26
because we're all at 3ABN
00:39:26.29\00:39:27.63
that some of the
other TV networks
00:39:27.66\00:39:30.30
receive letters of rebuke
00:39:30.33\00:39:31.97
because when 3ABN began to
become visible on television
00:39:32.00\00:39:36.00
they started looking at
3ABN, the humility of the set,
00:39:36.04\00:39:40.28
the chairs that
are not ostentatious,
00:39:40.31\00:39:42.14
the people that
are not flamboyant,
00:39:42.18\00:39:44.28
and they started going
back to other commercials
00:39:44.31\00:39:45.85
or other networks and said,
00:39:45.88\00:39:48.18
"Why? What's up with
all those big gold chairs
00:39:48.22\00:39:51.25
and all that goo
and all that diamonds."
00:39:51.29\00:39:55.86
And it was creating a
discontent in the hearts
00:39:55.89\00:40:00.50
of those who may
not know differently
00:40:00.53\00:40:02.90
but the whole
point of the matter is
00:40:02.93\00:40:04.27
when you compare the person
00:40:04.30\00:40:05.63
who says that he and
she is connected to Christ
00:40:05.67\00:40:08.57
to the one who is not really,
00:40:08.60\00:40:10.67
usually, there should
be a visibility of humility
00:40:10.71\00:40:14.18
and not have the attitude
00:40:14.21\00:40:15.74
of I see it, I
want it, I take it
00:40:15.78\00:40:18.41
or have things your way
00:40:18.45\00:40:19.78
and think that God
is connected to it.
00:40:19.81\00:40:21.45
So I put together
a number of things
00:40:21.48\00:40:23.79
that I believe
are very important
00:40:23.82\00:40:25.29
when it comes to breaking down
00:40:25.32\00:40:26.65
how important it is for us to be
00:40:26.69\00:40:28.19
people that are having things
God's way rather than our way.
00:40:28.22\00:40:33.29
The compromise of
greed, Matthew 26:15,
00:40:33.33\00:40:36.83
this is what Judas said.
00:40:36.87\00:40:39.97
the Judas
mentality, the Judas mentality.
00:40:40.00\00:40:44.64
Matthew 26:15,
00:40:44.67\00:40:47.84
and I'm going to just
go to the focal point.
00:40:47.88\00:40:50.21
"What are you willing to give me
00:40:50.25\00:40:52.61
if I deliver Him to you?"
00:40:52.65\00:40:54.98
That is a chilling
passage, Pastor Kenny.
00:40:55.02\00:40:56.79
Yes, it is.
00:40:56.82\00:40:58.15
May I say I will
deliver my Lord to you
00:40:58.19\00:41:00.69
based on a price we can agree on
00:41:00.72\00:41:03.32
and we know that he get
agreed on 30 pieces of silver.
00:41:03.36\00:41:06.19
But then when
he saw the futility
00:41:06.23\00:41:09.20
that the silver
couldn't buy him out of a sin,
00:41:09.23\00:41:11.73
he threw it away but
he never really repented.
00:41:11.77\00:41:14.27
His repentance was a
repentance of I got caught.
00:41:14.30\00:41:16.97
That's right.
00:41:17.01\00:41:20.11
He traded eternity for economy.
00:41:20.14\00:41:23.51
He sold high and bought low,
00:41:23.55\00:41:26.65
and he decided I no
longer want to follow Christ.
00:41:26.68\00:41:30.02
So here are
some of the antidotes
00:41:30.05\00:41:31.62
what the antidote to the issues.
00:41:31.65\00:41:34.59
Example of Jesus,
2 Corinthians 8:9,
00:41:34.62\00:41:39.03
let's break it down
into four categories,
00:41:39.06\00:41:41.03
the example of
Jesus is the first one.
00:41:41.06\00:41:44.80
"For you know the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ,"
00:41:44.83\00:41:48.80
that through,
"That though he was rich,
00:41:48.84\00:41:51.44
yet for your
sakes He became poor
00:41:51.47\00:41:53.81
that you might through
His poverty become rich."
00:41:53.84\00:41:58.98
So the Lord was
willing to lay down His wealth
00:41:59.01\00:42:01.98
that we can be
partakers of His wealth.
00:42:02.02\00:42:05.22
And I tell you one
day the only reason, Jill,
00:42:05.25\00:42:06.96
we're going to
walk on streets of gold
00:42:06.99\00:42:08.32
is because He came down to
walk on streets of asphalt,
00:42:08.36\00:42:11.29
roads of dust in clay
and persecution and torment.
00:42:11.33\00:42:15.03
He walked our road that one
day we might walk on His road.
00:42:15.06\00:42:18.00
That's the example of Jesus.
00:42:18.03\00:42:19.40
Next is the directive of
Jesus, look at this, Luke 18:22.
00:42:19.43\00:42:23.61
The directive of Jesus
00:42:23.64\00:42:26.94
and it says, Luke 18:22,
00:42:26.98\00:42:31.08
"So when Jesus
heard these things
00:42:31.11\00:42:33.82
He said to him, 'You
still lack one thing.'"
00:42:33.85\00:42:37.92
The directive,
"'Sell all that you have
00:42:37.95\00:42:41.52
and distribute to the poor
00:42:41.56\00:42:43.99
and you will have
treasure in heaven
00:42:44.03\00:42:46.80
and come follow Me.'"
00:42:46.83\00:42:48.20
Well, you know
the rest of the story.
00:42:48.23\00:42:51.53
Peter was so upset by that.
00:42:51.57\00:42:52.93
He said, "Lord, I mean,
who is going to be saved?"
00:42:52.97\00:42:55.44
if that's the kind of condition.
00:42:55.47\00:42:57.11
He said, "If he had
given up," the young ruler,
00:42:57.14\00:42:59.57
"If he had
given up what he had,"
00:42:59.61\00:43:02.18
this is a powerful thing,
00:43:02.21\00:43:03.55
you cannot be
this economic plan,
00:43:03.58\00:43:05.75
"He would have had
a hundred times more
00:43:05.78\00:43:08.52
in this life
00:43:08.55\00:43:10.09
and in the world
to come eternal life."
00:43:10.12\00:43:12.42
You can't beat
the economy of God.
00:43:12.45\00:43:14.42
He's more willing to give
but as He did with Abraham
00:43:14.46\00:43:18.23
and His son Isaac,
00:43:18.26\00:43:19.59
He's seeing what
we're willing to give up
00:43:19.63\00:43:21.56
before He can trust us
00:43:21.60\00:43:22.93
with what He's
willing to give us.
00:43:22.96\00:43:24.73
Third thing, the
promise of Jesus,
00:43:24.77\00:43:26.23
look at that one,
the promise of Jesus
00:43:26.27\00:43:27.64
Luke 18:29-30.
00:43:27.67\00:43:30.87
Luke 18:29, you
have that, Mollie?
00:43:30.91\00:43:32.81
Read that for us. I do.
00:43:32.84\00:43:34.18
Now, this is in the
King James. That's okay.
00:43:34.21\00:43:36.01
"Verily I say unto you,
00:43:36.04\00:43:37.38
there is no man
that hath left house,
00:43:37.41\00:43:39.71
or parents, or
brethren, or wife, or children,
00:43:39.75\00:43:42.52
for the Kingdom of God's sake,
00:43:42.55\00:43:44.29
who shall not receive manifold
more in this present time,
00:43:44.32\00:43:48.69
and in the world to
come life everlasting."
00:43:48.72\00:43:52.33
And that's where you find
the wealthy men in the Bible.
00:43:52.36\00:43:54.86
They were willing to not,
00:43:54.90\00:43:56.23
they held on to
everything with loose hands.
00:43:56.26\00:43:58.80
They didn't hold on to
these as greed or as obsession,
00:43:58.83\00:44:02.80
they were
possessions but not obsessions.
00:44:02.84\00:44:05.71
That's the difference.
Indeed, they were stewards.
00:44:05.74\00:44:07.21
They were stewards
00:44:07.24\00:44:08.58
but these were the possessions
but not their obsessions.
00:44:08.61\00:44:12.28
And the reason why
the promise of Jesus
00:44:12.31\00:44:14.38
was you would have much more,
00:44:14.42\00:44:16.45
and then you'll
have eternal life.
00:44:16.48\00:44:18.39
You can't beat
the economy of Christ.
00:44:18.42\00:44:20.22
But then the guarantee
of Jesus, Philippians 4:19,
00:44:20.26\00:44:24.59
who can get to that
and read that for me?
00:44:24.63\00:44:25.96
Philippians 4:19.
00:44:25.99\00:44:27.33
Jill, I notice
you're really fast.
00:44:27.36\00:44:28.83
If you get there in a
hurry, you have 10 seconds.
00:44:28.86\00:44:31.90
Philippians 4:19,
the guarantee of Jesus.
00:44:31.93\00:44:36.07
"And my God shall
supply all your need
00:44:36.10\00:44:38.64
according to the riches
and glory by Christ Jesus."
00:44:38.67\00:44:41.38
Supply how many of our needs?
00:44:41.41\00:44:42.74
All. That's a guarantee.
00:44:42.78\00:44:44.58
You don't know of
anybody that can guarantee that.
00:44:44.61\00:44:46.82
I don't know if anybody
that can guarantee that.
00:44:46.85\00:44:48.65
I have known
people that can say a lot.
00:44:48.68\00:44:50.02
I'll be willing to
help you as far as I can go
00:44:50.05\00:44:52.09
but Pastor Kenny, just
say, you'll supply all my need
00:44:52.12\00:44:54.92
and then where is the,
where is the storehouse,
00:44:54.96\00:44:57.29
His riches and glory. Amen.
00:44:57.33\00:44:59.23
Nobody can boast that
00:44:59.26\00:45:00.63
and the other thing
the reality of greed.
00:45:00.66\00:45:02.76
Let me get ready to transition
on the reality of greed.
00:45:02.80\00:45:05.83
1 Timothy 6:7, and I
say this very quickly,
00:45:05.87\00:45:09.74
"For we bought
nothing into this world
00:45:09.77\00:45:12.24
and it is certain
we carry," how much?
00:45:12.27\00:45:14.64
Nothing out.
00:45:14.68\00:45:17.68
Not taking anything with us.
00:45:17.71\00:45:20.58
That's right.
00:45:20.62\00:45:21.95
The inoculation
for greed is Jesus.
00:45:21.98\00:45:25.69
Amen. Amen.
00:45:25.72\00:45:27.39
The immunization
shot for greed is Jesus.
00:45:27.42\00:45:30.56
That's right, amen.
00:45:30.59\00:45:31.93
And here's my question,
00:45:31.96\00:45:33.50
what is the price of your
service and your salvation?
00:45:33.53\00:45:37.07
When somebody says
it's not about the money,
00:45:37.10\00:45:39.37
it is about the money.
00:45:39.40\00:45:40.94
Let it be about Jesus. Amen.
00:45:40.97\00:45:43.10
Amen, that's
beautiful pastor, thank you.
00:45:43.14\00:45:45.74
I have Thursday
which is self-control.
00:45:45.77\00:45:49.81
Now the lesson brings
it, a couple of verses,
00:45:49.84\00:45:52.98
the common verses
that you would think of
00:45:53.01\00:45:54.72
when you think
about self-control
00:45:54.75\00:45:56.08
would be the
fruit of the Spirit,
00:45:56.12\00:45:57.45
of course, Galatians 5,
00:45:57.49\00:45:58.89
the fruit of the
spirit is love, joy, peace,
00:45:58.92\00:46:00.86
longsuffering and it
ends with self-control.
00:46:00.89\00:46:03.32
And then it also
brought out Peter's ladder,
00:46:03.36\00:46:05.59
you know, in 1 Peter
00:46:05.63\00:46:06.96
where it talks
about the virtues,
00:46:07.00\00:46:08.46
the Christian
graces that we are to have.
00:46:08.50\00:46:11.90
And the lesson said,
00:46:11.93\00:46:13.27
"The common thread
00:46:13.30\00:46:14.80
with these
verses is self control."
00:46:14.84\00:46:17.51
Self control can be difficult.
00:46:17.54\00:46:21.08
In my life it's
always difficult,
00:46:21.11\00:46:22.68
but
self-control can be difficult
00:46:22.71\00:46:24.85
when it comes to
greed and covetousness.
00:46:24.88\00:46:28.12
And the solution is
to surrender ourselves,
00:46:28.15\00:46:30.69
as you've said, as
Jesus took Christ control.
00:46:30.72\00:46:34.59
Self-control is not
about me trying harder
00:46:34.62\00:46:37.06
or me gritting my teeth.
00:46:37.09\00:46:38.43
It's about surrendering
myself to Christ control.
00:46:38.46\00:46:42.13
That's right.
00:46:42.16\00:46:43.50
I want to look at this
from a little different angle,
00:46:43.53\00:46:46.03
a different direction
here, how do I protect myself
00:46:46.07\00:46:49.24
against covetousness and greed?
00:46:49.27\00:46:50.94
We've been talking the
whole way through on the panel.
00:46:50.97\00:46:53.07
How to protect ourselves
from covetousness and greed
00:46:53.11\00:46:55.94
or how to
eradicate that from my life?
00:46:55.98\00:46:58.88
You had us in 1
Timothy, Pastor John,
00:46:58.91\00:47:01.08
6 and let's read verse 10.
00:47:01.12\00:47:03.59
Okay.
00:47:03.62\00:47:04.95
A couple of
foundational principles
00:47:04.99\00:47:06.32
and then we'll
get to three points
00:47:06.35\00:47:07.89
to eradicate that covetousness
and greed from our lives.
00:47:07.92\00:47:11.49
1 Timothy 6:10, and we
have read this verse before
00:47:11.53\00:47:15.66
and it's a fabulous one.
00:47:15.70\00:47:17.03
When we're
talking about stewardship,
00:47:17.07\00:47:19.53
"The love of money
00:47:19.57\00:47:21.27
is the root of
all kinds of evil."
00:47:21.30\00:47:24.57
Now the word in Greek for root
literally means is the origin,
00:47:24.61\00:47:28.41
or is the source.
00:47:28.44\00:47:29.84
So we could say,
00:47:29.88\00:47:31.21
"The love of money is the source
00:47:31.25\00:47:33.25
or the originator
of all kinds of evil."
00:47:33.28\00:47:37.12
And the word for love of
money in Greek is one word
00:47:37.15\00:47:41.09
and it means covetousness.
00:47:41.12\00:47:42.62
I think you've
read that in King James,
00:47:42.66\00:47:44.23
that say's covetousness.
00:47:44.26\00:47:45.96
So the root or the origin
00:47:45.99\00:47:48.16
of all different kinds
of evil is covetousness,
00:47:48.20\00:47:52.53
"For which some have strayed
00:47:52.57\00:47:54.70
from the faith in
their greediness,"
00:47:54.74\00:47:58.61
greediness literally means
to stretch out or to yearn for.
00:47:58.64\00:48:04.31
"They have
strayed from their faith
00:48:04.35\00:48:05.85
in their greediness
00:48:05.88\00:48:07.45
and pierced themselves
through with many sorrows."
00:48:07.48\00:48:11.75
So, Miss
Mollie, you talked about
00:48:11.79\00:48:13.46
what is the
danger of a guilty look.
00:48:13.49\00:48:16.42
In the case of David,
00:48:16.46\00:48:17.79
a guilty look led
to adultery and murder.
00:48:17.83\00:48:22.46
What is the case of a
guilty desire, acting on that?
00:48:22.50\00:48:26.57
You think of Ahab and
he had a guilty desire,
00:48:26.60\00:48:28.84
he had a desire
for Naboth's vineyard.
00:48:28.87\00:48:31.74
And what happened?
That led to murder.
00:48:31.77\00:48:34.71
What is the result
of a guilty longing?
00:48:34.74\00:48:38.75
You think about Achan.
00:48:38.78\00:48:40.12
and he had a
longing, covetous longing,
00:48:40.15\00:48:43.12
for something that was not his.
00:48:43.15\00:48:44.99
And the result of
that, that little bit of gold
00:48:45.02\00:48:48.12
that he had hid
underneath his tent
00:48:48.16\00:48:50.43
and that babylonish
garment, the result of that,
00:48:50.46\00:48:54.93
of his desire for
that was stealing,
00:48:54.96\00:48:56.90
but it was the loss of lives
of many of the Israelite men.
00:48:56.93\00:49:00.00
Remember, they went out to Ai,
00:49:00.04\00:49:01.50
and they lost the battle
00:49:01.54\00:49:03.41
because of his covetous longing.
00:49:03.44\00:49:06.47
And this verse
of 1 Timothy 6:10,
00:49:06.51\00:49:08.94
"Covetousness is
the root of other sins."
00:49:08.98\00:49:12.55
Other sin, you get, it
stems from that covetousness.
00:49:12.58\00:49:15.88
In addition,
covetousness is idolatry.
00:49:15.92\00:49:19.72
Colossians 3:5,
00:49:19.75\00:49:21.26
"Put to death your
members which are on the earth.
00:49:21.29\00:49:24.76
Fornication, uncleanness,
passion, even desire,
00:49:24.79\00:49:28.50
and covetousness
which is idolatry."
00:49:28.53\00:49:33.37
Why is it idolatry?
00:49:33.40\00:49:34.74
I think that contentment
00:49:34.77\00:49:36.71
that our hearts
should be getting from God,
00:49:36.74\00:49:39.64
we look for that
contentment somewhere else.
00:49:39.67\00:49:42.68
The first commandment,
00:49:42.71\00:49:44.05
"Thou shall have no
other gods before me."
00:49:44.08\00:49:47.18
The last commandment,
"Thou shall not covet."
00:49:47.22\00:49:50.05
When we covet, we
create an idol or a God
00:49:50.09\00:49:53.25
that we put in the place of God,
00:49:53.29\00:49:55.19
we put it in place of Him.
00:49:55.22\00:49:57.33
So how do we eradicate
00:49:57.36\00:49:58.69
that covetousness
and greed from our lives?
00:49:58.73\00:50:01.56
I think the opposite of
covetousness is contentment.
00:50:01.60\00:50:04.80
That's right.
00:50:04.83\00:50:06.17
So, number one, practice
contentment with Godliness.
00:50:06.20\00:50:10.01
1 Timothy 6, we're still there,
just jump back to verse six,
00:50:10.04\00:50:12.87
"Now Godliness with
contentment is great gain."
00:50:12.91\00:50:18.11
Philippians 4:11,
00:50:18.15\00:50:19.48
"I have learned
and whatsoever state
00:50:19.51\00:50:22.42
I am there-with to be content."
00:50:22.45\00:50:26.59
Contentment does not
come from having all we want.
00:50:26.62\00:50:29.82
Contentment comes from
not wanting more than I have.
00:50:29.86\00:50:35.40
Contentment
comes from not wanting
00:50:35.43\00:50:38.80
or coveting more than I have.
00:50:38.83\00:50:42.47
I remember when Greg
and I were first married,
00:50:42.50\00:50:45.61
we were very poor.
00:50:45.64\00:50:47.48
I'm not saying we're rich now
00:50:47.51\00:50:48.88
but we just lived hand to mouth.
00:50:48.91\00:50:50.88
When we first got married,
00:50:50.91\00:50:53.48
I didn't work the
first couple of months
00:50:53.52\00:50:55.48
and so we lived
entirely on his salary,
00:50:55.52\00:50:57.72
and it was very small.
00:50:57.75\00:51:00.26
And I remember my
budget for food was $20 a week.
00:51:00.29\00:51:06.16
Now that included toiletries,
that included everything,
00:51:06.19\00:51:10.13
including food.
00:51:10.17\00:51:11.73
The first year we were married,
00:51:11.77\00:51:13.10
I don't think we
once bought a bag of chips
00:51:13.13\00:51:15.04
because we can't afford them,
00:51:15.07\00:51:16.40
we never bought crackers.
00:51:16.44\00:51:18.01
We lived almost entirely
on rice, beans, oatmeal.
00:51:18.04\00:51:24.68
Things that are economical,
you can buy it in quantity,
00:51:24.71\00:51:28.48
and you can stretch it, right?
00:51:28.52\00:51:31.32
I made our own
bread, we did everything.
00:51:31.35\00:51:33.52
I bought vegetables
when they were on sale.
00:51:33.56\00:51:35.46
So this week,
lettuce is on sale,
00:51:35.49\00:51:37.56
we're having a lot of that.
00:51:37.59\00:51:38.93
Next week such
and such is on sale,
00:51:38.96\00:51:40.30
we're having a lot of that.
00:51:40.33\00:51:41.66
You bought what
you, what you had
00:51:41.70\00:51:43.03
but you know what,
00:51:43.06\00:51:44.40
I look back on those
days, I was so content.
00:51:44.43\00:51:48.80
I didn't wish to go
out and do something else.
00:51:48.84\00:51:51.44
I was so happy
because I had Greg.
00:51:51.47\00:51:54.98
Nothing else in
the world mattered
00:51:55.01\00:51:57.31
because I had Greg.
00:51:57.35\00:51:59.31
I think that's what
Paul is saying here,
00:51:59.35\00:52:01.35
"Godliness with
contentment is great gain."
00:52:01.38\00:52:04.45
If you have Jesus,
nothing else matters,
00:52:04.49\00:52:09.26
as long as we have Jesus.
00:52:09.29\00:52:11.06
Number two,
practice thankfulness,
00:52:11.09\00:52:14.46
you know, they say
that practice makes perfect,
00:52:14.50\00:52:17.50
you've heard
that adage many times
00:52:17.53\00:52:19.07
but I don't believe that.
00:52:19.10\00:52:20.60
I believe
practice makes permanent.
00:52:20.64\00:52:23.61
When I taught music lessons,
00:52:23.64\00:52:24.97
if a student all
week played middle C,
00:52:25.01\00:52:28.18
when they were
supposed to play a D,
00:52:28.21\00:52:30.05
guess what
happened the next week?
00:52:30.08\00:52:31.85
They permanently
remembered the wrong note
00:52:31.88\00:52:35.08
and they played it wrong.
00:52:35.12\00:52:36.48
Now it was permanently
ingrained as the wrong note.
00:52:36.52\00:52:40.49
So practice makes permanent.
00:52:40.52\00:52:43.09
So what are we
supposed to practice?
00:52:43.12\00:52:44.46
We're supposed to
practice thankfulness.
00:52:44.49\00:52:46.80
Yes. Amen.
Practice thankfulness.
00:52:46.83\00:52:48.90
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18,
00:52:48.93\00:52:51.87
"Rejoice evermore...
Pray without ceasing...
00:52:51.90\00:52:56.04
In everything give thanks,
00:52:56.07\00:52:58.77
for this is the will of God
00:52:58.81\00:53:00.18
in Christ Jesus concerning you."
00:53:00.21\00:53:02.21
So, so many times I
know I talk to people,
00:53:02.24\00:53:04.81
they call on the phone,
00:53:04.85\00:53:06.18
"Jill, my life is terrible
00:53:06.21\00:53:07.58
and I just wish
I had this and that
00:53:07.62\00:53:10.02
and I'm not doing
so well and guess what?
00:53:10.05\00:53:13.05
Start a gratitude
journal, begin everyday,
00:53:13.09\00:53:17.59
write down the
things you're thankful for.
00:53:17.63\00:53:21.50
What happens when
we make it a habit
00:53:21.53\00:53:24.30
to choose, to
practice thankfulness
00:53:24.33\00:53:27.44
that makes it permanent.
00:53:27.47\00:53:28.90
And pretty soon, my
outlook is thankfulness to God
00:53:28.94\00:53:33.48
for the
blessings He has given me
00:53:33.51\00:53:35.51
and that works to eradicate
00:53:35.54\00:53:37.31
or pull out the
greed from my heart.
00:53:37.35\00:53:40.25
Number one, we practice
contentment with Godliness.
00:53:40.28\00:53:43.55
Number two, we
practiced thankfulness.
00:53:43.59\00:53:46.19
And, number three,
we practice generosity.
00:53:46.22\00:53:50.39
You know, if you think
about the stages of giving,
00:53:50.43\00:53:52.39
now this could
apply to kids growing up
00:53:52.43\00:53:54.50
but I think it applies to
baby Christians in the church
00:53:54.53\00:53:57.67
and as we mature in Jesus.
00:53:57.70\00:54:00.20
The first stage
would be an infant,
00:54:00.24\00:54:02.10
an infant doesn't give it all.
00:54:02.14\00:54:03.47
Would that be accurate?
00:54:03.51\00:54:04.84
An infant is not
focused on the needs of others.
00:54:04.87\00:54:07.21
The second stage
would be in childhood,
00:54:07.24\00:54:09.28
we would call
that impulse-giving.
00:54:09.31\00:54:11.85
May be someone gives an
emotional appeal in church
00:54:11.88\00:54:14.48
and I think, "Oh, I better give
some money to help so and so."
00:54:14.52\00:54:19.05
We become a youth
00:54:19.09\00:54:20.42
and we turn into
legalistic giving.
00:54:20.46\00:54:22.82
I give tithe because I have to
00:54:22.86\00:54:25.29
and I'm not
giving much in offering,
00:54:25.33\00:54:27.00
I just do the
minimum what I have to do.
00:54:27.03\00:54:29.83
We become an adult
00:54:29.86\00:54:31.20
and we learn
management of money.
00:54:31.23\00:54:33.87
How to manage money and
I need to give to others
00:54:33.90\00:54:36.71
but what God wants to bring
00:54:36.74\00:54:38.07
you and I is mature
00:54:38.11\00:54:39.81
which is sacrificial giving.
00:54:39.84\00:54:43.51
David, 2 Samuel 24,
00:54:43.55\00:54:46.58
"He refused to make
an offering to the Lord
00:54:46.61\00:54:48.55
that cost him nothing."
00:54:48.58\00:54:50.25
He said, "I'm not
even going to do that
00:54:50.29\00:54:51.99
because it costs me nothing.
00:54:52.02\00:54:53.36
I have to give something."
00:54:53.39\00:54:55.52
The widow, we've talked
about her and her two mites.
00:54:55.56\00:54:58.66
Luke 21, she gave all she had.
00:54:58.69\00:55:02.43
Now we might
look at that and say,
00:55:02.46\00:55:04.13
"That was kind of stupid."
00:55:04.17\00:55:05.50
But you know
what, that is mature,
00:55:05.53\00:55:07.24
that is sacrificial giving.
00:55:07.27\00:55:10.84
The Christians in Macedonia,
you talked about that, Shelley,
00:55:10.87\00:55:14.41
and how they
sacrificially gave even beyond
00:55:14.44\00:55:17.48
what they were able
to for the cause of God.
00:55:17.51\00:55:20.12
When we give sacrificially,
it works against the current
00:55:20.15\00:55:23.22
of selfishness and covetousness.
00:55:23.25\00:55:27.12
So the cure for
eradicating covetousness,
00:55:27.16\00:55:30.43
from my own heart and life,
00:55:30.46\00:55:32.69
is to practice contentment,
practice thankfulness,
00:55:32.73\00:55:36.90
and practice sacrificial giving.
00:55:36.93\00:55:40.64
Amen and amen.
00:55:40.67\00:55:42.30
You know, we've all been talking
00:55:42.34\00:55:44.51
the thought that has
gone through my mind.
00:55:44.54\00:55:45.91
We've just come
through a holiday season
00:55:45.94\00:55:48.44
and if ever
there was an instrument
00:55:48.48\00:55:53.15
to procure I
see, I want, I take,
00:55:53.18\00:55:56.82
it's the credit card.
00:55:56.85\00:55:58.35
And there's so many people,
who during the Christmas season
00:55:58.39\00:56:02.42
and other times of the year,
they use their credit cards
00:56:02.46\00:56:07.10
to purchase things
that they cannot afford.
00:56:07.13\00:56:11.57
Right.
00:56:11.60\00:56:12.93
So I just want you to just
give me a 30 second answer.
00:56:12.97\00:56:17.97
Think about your
title of your week,
00:56:18.01\00:56:24.51
your week's lesson,
00:56:24.55\00:56:25.88
apply that to the credit card.
00:56:25.91\00:56:30.15
I see, I want, I
take, start with you Kenny.
00:56:30.19\00:56:32.55
Yeah, though of that,
I challenged, one time,
00:56:32.59\00:56:34.82
the church body, I said,
00:56:34.86\00:56:36.49
"You can take and
you take a credit card
00:56:36.52\00:56:38.49
and you can
charge a bunch of stuff
00:56:38.53\00:56:39.86
and once you
take the credit card
00:56:39.89\00:56:41.23
and charge
something, give it to God."
00:56:41.26\00:56:43.37
There was no takers. Wow.
00:56:43.40\00:56:45.43
That blurred
spiritual eyes, that is.
00:56:45.47\00:56:49.30
Mollie? Steps of covetousness.
00:56:49.34\00:56:51.44
Okay, step number
one, you see something,
00:56:51.47\00:56:53.78
you can't afford
and you don't need,
00:56:53.81\00:56:55.44
but you have a false
sense of having money
00:56:55.48\00:56:59.75
that you don't have and
you put it on the credit card.
00:56:59.78\00:57:01.98
John?
00:57:02.02\00:57:03.35
Yeah, and don't let the season
of thanks giving be followed
00:57:03.39\00:57:05.22
by the by the season of I want.
00:57:05.25\00:57:07.32
Yeah, Jill?
00:57:07.36\00:57:09.22
Self control,
practice self control
00:57:09.26\00:57:10.89
with a credit
card that you have.
00:57:10.93\00:57:12.26
Absolutely!
00:57:12.29\00:57:13.63
We should be
using our credit cards
00:57:13.66\00:57:15.13
for emergency
purposes and not for that.
00:57:15.16\00:57:19.67
Well, this has
been a wonderful time.
00:57:19.70\00:57:21.87
We thank you so
much for joining us
00:57:21.90\00:57:23.67
and please join us next time.
00:57:23.71\00:57:25.94
We pray that God is teaching you
00:57:25.97\00:57:28.38
the real
principles of contentment.
00:57:28.41\00:57:30.85