Participants:
Series Code: BTLP
Program Code: BTLP000104A
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00:38 Hello and welcome to Behold the Lamb Presents.
00:40 I'm Chris Shelton, your host, and I'm so thankful 00:43 that you have chosen to join us today. 00:46 Today's message is the 12th message 00:48 out of 25 Bible studies that we're partnering 00:51 with Brother Richard Bland of United Prison Ministries 00:55 to do in conjunction with this wonderful Bible study 00:58 that is entitled, 00:59 "Sharing God's Love Makes You Happier, 01:02 What the Bible Says." 01:04 Today's message is entitled, "Money Management." 01:07 You know, really, it is difficult 01:10 to not find a subject 01:12 that God has not covered in some way, 01:14 either by directly addressing it 01:17 or through a story or a principle in His Word. 01:20 What an awesome all knowing God we serve 01:24 and the subject of money is no different. 01:27 Money can certainly be a major issue in one's life, 01:30 whether it is due to the love of money, 01:32 the lack of money or the misuse of money. 01:35 God fully understands and truly wants to help 01:39 and to guide us in our daily use of finances. 01:42 But before we welcome Pastor Kenny Shelton to speak, 01:46 let's visit the 3ABN Worship Center 01:48 and be blessed to listen to a song that is entitled, 01:52 "How Wonderful Heaven Will Be" by Steve Darmody. 02:26 As I see the marks of sin 02:30 I feel a sadness 02:34 But there's a thought 02:36 That always brings a sweet release 02:41 Soon our Savior will be here 02:46 That day is drawing near 02:51 When tears, trials and heartaches 02:56 All will cease 03:01 Oh, how wonderful heaven will be 03:09 To be with Jesus throughout eternity 03:17 No earthly thing can compare 03:23 To what is waiting for us 03:27 There 03:31 Oh, how wonderful 03:36 Heaven will be 03:54 Oh, just think 03:55 Of all the countless joys of heaven 04:00 A better land, 04:02 A better life than we could know 04:09 We will be forever safe 04:14 Thru His forgiving grace 04:18 This gift is ours 04:21 Because He loves us so 04:27 Oh, how wonderful 04:31 Heaven will be 04:36 To be with Jesus throughout eternity 04:44 No earthly thing can compare 04:50 To what is waiting 04:52 For us there 05:00 Oh, how wonderful 05:04 Heaven will be 05:08 Oh, how wonderful 05:14 Heaven will be 05:18 To be with Jesus 05:21 Throughout eternity 05:27 No earthly thing can compare 05:34 To what is waiting 05:36 For us there 05:45 Oh, how wonderful 05:50 Heaven will be 06:01 Oh, how wonderful 06:07 Heaven will be 06:39 Thanks for joining us once again here 06:40 at Behold the Lamb Ministries. 06:42 You know, to me, 06:43 it's very interesting subject for today. 06:44 Some will go different directions 06:46 when they hear the title of it 06:47 "Money Management" 06:49 and a lot of different directions you can go, 06:50 but I think as we get into the study, 06:51 you're gonna be excited about knowing that God 06:55 is interested in how we manage our money 06:58 and the blessings and where it all comes from. 07:00 So as usual, 07:02 before we get into this subject, 07:03 we're going to kneel and we're going to pray. 07:05 We invite you to kneel with us and pray with us right now. 07:08 Would you please? 07:12 Loving, Father, in Heaven, 07:13 we thank You for the privilege of prayer. 07:14 We thank You, we can call You our Father, 07:16 today we ask for the Holy Spirit 07:18 to consume each and every one of us as Your children. 07:20 Lord, forgive me of any sin, anything in my heart and life 07:23 that needs not be there, we need to hear from heaven. 07:26 We know You have a message for us 07:27 and we know that's going to be encouraging 07:29 and give us strength. 07:30 So we pray now as we rest in Your care and Your keeping, 07:32 Your Holy Spirit will open our ears, our hearts, 07:35 and our minds that we may say Jesus 07:37 in a better clearer way today, 07:38 in Jesus' name we pray and for His sake. 07:40 Amen. 07:43 We always say, you know, if you have your Bible, 07:45 we like for you to get your Bible 07:46 because you can't always trust 07:48 what the preacher's talking about or, 07:49 you know, every preacher's on, they're saying something, 07:52 you know, how do we know it's true 07:53 if we don't check him out. 07:55 So I invite you to get your Bible 07:56 and check it out pen, and pencil, 07:58 and write down some things, that as we go along, 07:59 we'll find our time is running, 08:01 well, I go quickly with it and write it down 08:03 that way you can take it home and study for yourself. 08:06 Bible says, "Study to show yourself approved unto God." 08:09 Again we're on lesson number 12, 08:11 which is about "Money Management." 08:12 If you have your Bible, 08:14 I'd like for you to turn with me first, 08:15 I wanna read a verse, 08:17 I think is very, very, very interesting. 08:18 Haggai that's H-A-G-G-A-I, some people call Haggai 08:22 and there's Haggai, 08:24 that's about three books of the Bible 08:26 from at the end of the Old Testament. 08:29 So to go to the Old Testament, 08:31 some people have a hard time finding it 08:32 and go right to the very end of it 08:34 and back up about three and you'll find Haggai. 08:37 You just have Malachi and then you have, 08:39 it's a Zechariah and Haggai. 08:42 And if you get there little bit beforehand, 08:44 you might find Nahum and then Habakkuk, 08:47 and you might find Zephaniah. 08:49 So then Haggai, so it's right there find that, 08:52 we're going to look Chapter 1, we're going to read verses 5-7. 08:56 These are interesting verses, 08:57 I believe they go along well with our lesson for today. 09:01 Verse 5, Haggai Chapter 1, verse what? 09:05 Five, six, and seven, says, 09:07 "Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts..." 09:10 I like this, 09:12 it'd be a good sermon title, 09:13 consider, notice this, "Consider your ways." 09:16 And then Bible goes on and says, 09:18 "Ye have sown much and bring in little." 09:22 See, some of it might refer to us, 09:24 let's pay attention to it closely, notice, 09:26 "Ye have sown much, but bring in little, 09:29 you eat, but you have not enough, 09:31 you drink 09:33 but ye are not filled with drink, 09:35 ye clothe you, but there is none warm, 09:40 he that earneth wages earneth wages 09:43 to put into a bag..." 09:45 Notice this with what? 09:46 "With holes." 09:48 No matter how much some people earn, 09:50 no matter what goes on, 09:51 seem like they never have enough. 09:52 Take your money and you put it in a bag as it were, 09:54 you look around, it's all gone. 09:55 You can't figure out why. 09:57 That happens to a lot of people, and what? 10:00 Maybe there's a reason for that. 10:01 Maybe there's a reason for and we want to look at 10:03 maybe few of those reasons for today. 10:05 I want to read something, 10:07 I'm a thorough believer in Spirit of Prophecy, 10:09 a book called Evangelism, page 530 says this. 10:13 Now these are some pretty clear pointed words 10:15 but I think they're very, very important today. 10:17 It says, "Clearly, plainly, earnestly, tell them," 10:23 that's us tell each one of us, 10:24 "how thousands of men and women are using God's money 10:28 to corrupt themselves to make this world a hell. 10:34 Millions are spent for that which makes men mad." 10:40 Anybody agree with that? 10:42 Millions of dollars every day are spent on those things 10:44 that's not good for mankind. 10:45 It drives right out of our mind and makes us mad. 10:48 There's reasons why that sometime we have things 10:50 and they seem like we have one day 10:52 and they're gone the next. 10:53 I like the book The Great Controversy, 10:55 page 487 says this, 10:57 why are we studying this about money management, 10:59 because you're going to have to give an account for it. 11:01 I'm going to have to give account for everything 11:04 that crosses my path. 11:06 You might think that, you know, that God doesn't know. 11:08 He knows everything. 11:10 You might think, well, the neighbors don't know, 11:11 the church doesn't know. 11:13 But as the end result, God knows. 11:15 And so we're going to have to meet it 11:17 in the judgment. 11:18 If I'm going to have to meet in the judgment, 11:20 this subject, I want to know about it. 11:22 And here's what it says. 11:24 Notice this, "In the judgment 11:27 the use made of every talent..." 11:30 A talent is a big word, we'll look at that in a moment. 11:32 It's more than just money, talent, notice this, 11:35 "will be scrutinized." 11:37 Did you get that? 11:38 "In the judgment made 11:40 every talent will be scrutinized." 11:43 That simply means, 11:44 it's going to be carefully looked at. 11:46 You hear somebody say, boy, he's scrutinizing this thing. 11:48 He's looking at it very carefully. 11:51 He's examining it very carefully. 11:54 Notice this, "How have we employed the capital 11:57 or what God has given to lent us of Heaven?" 12:00 Everything we have been lent of heaven, 12:01 we'll find that out 12:02 if you never learned that before, 12:05 it's been lent to us from heaven. 12:06 So, "Will the Lord at His coming receive His own," 12:10 with what? 12:13 "With usury?" 12:14 Now think about that. 12:16 In others words, will there be any interest? 12:17 He's loaned us some things 12:19 but will there be an interest given. 12:23 Give back the principal and then there's interest, 12:25 "Have we improved the... 12:27 Think about the powers entrusted to us, 12:30 those who in our heart, our brain, 12:32 our mind everything that we have, 12:34 to the glory of God and to blessing the world?" 12:38 Think about that with me, blessing the world. 12:40 Why does God give us things that He gives us? 12:42 Is that just for our own selfish use? 12:44 Or is it to what be given to help others along the way? 12:47 Or is it given so that the gospel can be preached 12:50 into the world? 12:53 "How have we used our time, how have we used our voice, 12:58 how have we used our pen," as it were writing things down 13:01 or notes to different people, whatever, 13:04 "how have we used our money, 13:05 how have we used our influence?" 13:08 Have we used it to His honor and His glory? 13:11 After all, remember, 13:12 everything is going to be scrutinized. 13:15 We're gonna have to give an account. 13:19 The article goes on and said, "Whatever is done in love," 13:21 I like this, "however small it may appear 13:24 in the estimation of men, 13:26 is accepted and rewarded by God." 13:29 Man may think, not think it's important 13:31 though we know where they give, they might. 13:32 God accepted that above all the other stuff 13:34 that was cast in the offering plate 13:36 as you well know. 13:37 The Bible in Revelation 3:18, 13:40 we'll just read like the last part of it, 13:42 it's very, very interesting here. 13:44 The counsel that Jesus gives to us as a people. 13:47 He says, "I counsel thee to buy of me," what? 13:50 "Gold," and notice, "tried in the fire, 13:53 that thou may be rich." 13:55 So He's counseling us. 13:57 But notice as Review and Herald says this, 13:58 April 1, 1890, 14:01 "The gold that Jesus would have us buy of him," 14:04 notice "is gold tried in the fire, 14:08 it is the gold of," what? 14:10 "Faith and love." 14:13 The faith and love. 14:14 If we love God, if we love our fellow man, 14:16 then we're going to want to what? 14:18 Are we going to want to help? 14:19 Or we're going to want to give to them. 14:21 Yes, it may have to be that we're managing what? 14:25 We're managing our money so that we can help 14:27 and to give to help others along the way. 14:30 Because Jesus said, 14:31 I'm just counting faith and love. 14:33 How do you do what you do? 14:35 You know, you may well be giving a lot, 14:37 we may be doing this, but are you giving it 14:39 from the right motives of the heart? 14:41 Why are we spending time on money management? 14:44 I asked myself that every time we look at our lesson, 14:46 I say now why are we spending some time 14:48 when we are at the very end of earth history 14:50 that Jesus is coming. 14:52 We need to be getting ready. 14:53 Why are we spending time on this? 14:55 Because you, I, we all of us 14:57 are going to have to give an account to God. 14:59 Every one of us 15:01 and it could be that we missed heaven 15:02 because we've been selfish. 15:05 We don't want to be selfish, we may miss heaven 15:07 because we're not giving God praise, 15:09 for what He's given to us, 15:11 what He has lent to us, 15:13 to see what's going to happen with that. 15:15 So this could be life and death issue, 15:17 could it not be? 15:20 So today I asked you and I'm doing myself, 15:23 do some self examination 15:25 to see whether we talk about these blessings of God. 15:28 It might challenge us of our selfishness 15:31 or may be covetous. 15:33 You know, people are covetous around here, 15:34 you know, lot of times they'll go, oh, they covet, 15:37 they're aggravated because you have things in life, 15:40 they covet what you have or maybe they are, 15:43 listen carefully, idol worshippers, 15:45 none of us would dare say well, we make it to heaven 15:47 and we can be idol worshippers, we can't be. 15:49 But remember things that we have can become what? 15:53 Could be idol, couldn't it? 15:54 It could be home, it could be money, 15:55 could be talent, could be all these things. 15:57 I want you to listen to this quote. 15:59 It's a little bit long, but it's very, very important. 16:03 In fact, listen, it's bone chilling, 16:06 this quote is bone chilling. 16:10 And we need to pay a special attention to it. 16:13 It might be too close for comfort for some of us, 16:17 but we still need to listen to it. 16:19 Why? 16:20 Because the enemy is alive and well 16:22 and he's determined to keep you out of heaven. 16:25 He's determined to keep me out of heaven. 16:27 Well, we're not out doing this, we're not running the streets, 16:29 we're not out doing all these things, 16:31 but how are we? 16:32 Are we selfish? 16:33 Selfish, this will not make it to heaven. 16:35 Pride will not make it to heaven. 16:37 So those are the things that we need to fight down here 16:39 and gain some victory over. 16:41 This is found in a little book called Early Writings, 16:43 page 266 and 267. 16:46 Listen carefully to this. 16:48 Now remember, when it starts out, 16:49 I saw, we need to pay attention. 16:52 The article starts out, 16:54 "I saw that Satan bade his angels 16:57 lay their snares." 16:58 Does the Bible teach that the devil is out to kill, 17:01 steal and destroy? 17:02 Yes, it is. 17:04 So he's laying what? 17:05 He's laying a snare for you and me 17:06 every day of our life while we're snoring in bed, 17:09 while we're asleep, before we get up. 17:11 The devil has laid many snares to entrap you 17:15 because he studied you, he studied me, 17:17 he knows what's going on in your life. 17:19 He knows what destroys your peace. 17:22 He knows what aggravates you. 17:24 He knows what gets underneath your skin. 17:27 He knows what can upset you. 17:28 He knows what's gonna happen that we just, 17:31 we're gonna blame God. 17:32 We're gonna blame everybody else. 17:34 The enemy knows these things. 17:36 And so it's just destroys our whole day. 17:37 And it destroys everybody else's day if we let it. 17:40 So the Satan and then, 17:42 "I saw Satan bade the angels lay snares," 17:44 notice, "especially for those who are looking 17:47 for the second coming of Jesus." 17:49 Would there be anybody here today that's looking forward 17:51 to the coming of Jesus? 17:53 Is there somebody here? 17:54 Well, I've seen one hand, can I see two? 17:56 If I see two, do I see three? 17:58 Praise God. 17:59 See, that's the way it should be. 18:01 Yes, I'm looking forward to the coming of Jesus. 18:03 So now, I know Bible is clear, 18:05 Spirit of Prophecy is clear that the devil then says, 18:09 we need to keep a close eye 18:10 on those who are looking forward 18:12 to the second coming of Jesus and His Spirit. 18:14 And especially, for those who by God's grace 18:16 keep His commandments all of them, all ten. 18:20 Satan told his angels, notice this. 18:24 Now I got little offended by this, 18:26 got little bit offended, 18:28 got a little bit up in the air about it. 18:29 But, you know what? 18:31 He was telling the truth, and sometimes 18:32 the truth hurts you a little bit. 18:33 Notice what the enemy said. 18:35 "Satan told his angels." 18:36 He's counseling together with evil host 18:38 of the billions and trillions and whatever might be 18:41 and he's looking down, he's looking to church 18:43 and he said, look, the church is asleep. 18:48 That aggravated me, Brother Mark, 18:50 I couldn't help that way. 18:51 It's true. 18:53 I know that it is a majority are at asleep. 18:55 We've gone to sleep. 18:56 We've rocked ourselves to sleep. 18:58 We've watered down things 19:00 and no longer does that matter anymore, 19:02 well, it's not the way they used to be, 19:03 everything still the same. 19:04 You're saved the same way 19:06 that Adam and Eve was saved in the beginning, 19:08 God has not changes by grace. 19:11 And so as we look at this, this is very interesting. 19:14 He said, "That the churches were asleep." 19:16 But he said this, most of, all the churches are asleep. 19:19 But he looked at the evil angels, he said, but listen, 19:24 "The sect of Sabbathkeepers, we hate." 19:28 The what? 19:29 People who keep the seventh day Sabbath we hate. 19:32 "They are continually working against us, 19:36 taking from us our subjects 19:38 to keep the hated law of God." 19:45 So now what does he do? 19:46 He tells them go do this, 19:48 "Go and make the possessors of lands and money 19:51 drunk with cares, 19:53 make them care more for money 19:55 then for the success of Christ's kingdom 19:58 or the spread of truth that we hate." 20:01 The devil hates what? 20:02 He hates truth. 20:04 And if you love truth, he hates you. 20:08 The truth we hate, notice this, 20:10 "We must keep in our ranks 20:12 all the means of which we can gain control. 20:17 As they appoint meetings..." 20:19 You ever noticed that when you appoint meetings 20:20 and do evangelistic work, 20:21 it seemed like the devil is there. 20:23 Anybody ever noticed that? 20:24 They're always there and he shows up and maybe... 20:27 I don't want him to show up in me, 20:28 but sometimes he shows all right, 20:30 he shows up, and he shows out, 20:32 and all of a sudden things begin to happen 20:34 because the church is wanting to move forward, 20:37 wanting the souls won to the kingdom. 20:38 The devil knows this so what does he do? 20:41 When there's meetings in different places, 20:42 here's what he said. 20:44 He told his evil angels go 20:45 and "Cause disturbances and confusion," 20:49 notice, I like this way she put it in here, 20:51 "confusion if possible." 20:54 See, he can't do it. 20:55 It's not possible if you and I will hang together. 20:58 You see, if our minds of one accord, 21:01 if we believe right the message needs to go, 21:03 and we're in one accord, 21:04 the devil can't do these things he knows that. 21:06 But he says where it's possible, 21:08 if you can cause disturbances and confusion. 21:10 Notice, he said, "Destroy love one for another." 21:14 Have you seen it in the churches 21:16 destroy love when people get all jealous, 21:17 and all I should have, 21:18 and it shouldn't be you, and why is it you and not me? 21:22 And then he says this, 21:23 it gets right down to it, he says, 21:24 "Discourage and dishearten their ministers." 21:30 Are you listening? 21:32 "Discourage and dishearten the ministers," notice this, 21:36 "for we hate them." 21:41 The evil one says those who are leading out, 21:43 maybe teaching and preaching wherever it might be, 21:45 he said, we hate them. 21:48 So we need to know how we stand, 21:50 that doesn't really bother me that we're hated by the enemy 21:53 because we serve one that is greater, 21:55 but he can cause a lot of problems 21:57 if we don't hang together. 21:58 That's why we need to know what is truth and hang together 22:01 on what is truth and then division will not come. 22:04 I mean, I read something else on the back. 22:06 This was very interesting he says here. 22:08 He said, now do this now, 22:10 "Present every plausible excuse to those who have means, 22:15 lest they hand it out. 22:17 Control the money matters if you can, 22:20 drive their ministers to want," did you get that? 22:23 "And distress. 22:25 This will weaken their courage and zeal. 22:28 Battle every inch of the ground. 22:32 When any shall attempt to give, 22:34 put within them a grudging disposition, 22:38 that it may be sparingly." 22:39 Other words, "If they give make it sparingly." 22:43 So devil doesn't care if you give some time. 22:46 He wants to be sparingly, 22:48 even impressed to give some time, 22:49 and maybe we're not giving to get this gospel work done. 22:54 We become selfish and self-centered. 22:56 Let's just give a quick example of, 22:58 we're talking about selfishness, 23:00 and covetousness, and covetous, and selfish attitude. 23:03 Notice this, just one person, you remember Judas. 23:07 Would you say maybe he was a little bit selfish? 23:10 He was coveter, do you think maybe he was? 23:12 Yeah. 23:13 You remember, he complained, remember Judas. 23:15 He complained when Mary came in, right? 23:17 About year's wages of oil 23:19 and she poured the oil on Jesus' feet. 23:21 And Judas stepped up and said, oh, man, we can't have this. 23:25 Man, why don't we sell this oil 23:27 and then we'll give it to the poor. 23:30 The poor he was talking about his own lining 23:31 of his own pocket. 23:33 He wasn't worried about the poor. 23:35 He wanted to keep it. 23:36 He wouldn't want to put it on Jesus' feet. 23:38 People say, oh, well, he loved Jesus, 23:39 he will be saved in the kingdom. 23:41 Interesting. 23:42 Jesus, right. 23:44 You think about Jesus, did he loved Jesus? 23:45 Judas loved Jesus, 23:46 just enough to sell Him for a few pieces of silver. 23:51 That's how much he loved Him. 23:53 And sometimes you and I, we, 23:54 sell Him a lot cheaper than that. 24:00 Early Writings, page 268 says this, 24:02 "I saw that there were even some like Judas among those 24:06 who profess to be waiting for their Lord." 24:08 What? 24:10 I saw that there were some people 24:11 who say I want Jesus to come. 24:14 I believe in the second coming of Jesus, 24:15 but they're just like Judas. 24:18 Listen carefully, "Satan," the article goes on, 24:21 "Satan controls them but they know it not." 24:26 That's pretty dangerous. 24:28 The enemy doesn't care if we're sitting in church 24:30 and going through all the motions, 24:31 he doesn't care, but it says, 24:33 I was shown here what that, 24:36 Satan controls them but they don't even know it. 24:38 So think they're out doing good. 24:41 Early Writings, 269 says, notice this, "Every selfish, 24:44 covetous person will fall out by the way. 24:48 All such will be sifted out from God's people." 24:52 Did you get it? 24:54 We need to pray for a little bit selfish 24:55 and we don't want to do what God has said in His Word. 24:58 Maybe we need to be little careful 24:59 so that can keep me out of heaven. 25:02 What's your attitude? 25:04 If I asked today, 25:05 what's your attitude towards money? 25:07 What's my attitude towards money? 25:09 Well, most of us kind of like little bit of money. 25:12 It's kind of nice that I jingle a few shekels in the pocket 25:15 once in a while, isn't that right? 25:17 Reaching the pocket, there's no shekels again, 25:19 and get discouraged. 25:21 But what is our attitude? 25:22 It's all right. 25:23 Money's all right. 25:25 Having things of the world is all right, 25:26 if our attitude is all right. 25:28 Based on the Word of God, 25:29 what is our attitude towards money? 25:31 That means the way you really feel about money. 25:34 And the way that you feel about money will determine, 25:38 you know, when you start making decisions. 25:40 When you start making decisions of what you're going to do, 25:42 it's your attitude toward it that determines what you do. 25:46 So what is your attitude in dealing with finances? 25:49 I'm not gonna go into this 25:50 'cause our time is already short enough, 25:51 not that much time on it. 25:53 I thought it was interesting. 25:54 I found out a questionnaire online 25:57 to determine what our attitude really is concerning money. 26:00 You know, nowadays a lot of people get together 26:02 the smarties and they sit down and ask a bunch of questions 26:05 and the way you answer them 26:06 determines how your attitude is. 26:08 Well, I've kind of found out my attitude 26:10 'cause I went ahead and did it. 26:12 I don't know if I'll share with you or not 26:13 about it. 26:18 But it was very interesting, 26:20 11 questions 26:22 and if you answer them truthfully, 26:25 when you come up to the end 26:27 it would tell you kind of how you feel about your money. 26:31 And I'll just read one, 26:33 I thought that was very interesting, 26:34 the third one. 26:36 Remember, there's three answers. 26:39 Think about the state of my personal finances 26:44 and it makes me feel. 26:45 Other words, when thinking about 26:47 the state of my personal finances 26:48 makes me feel. 26:50 A, uncomfortable, 26:53 two, indifferent, 26:56 three, gratified. 26:59 See. 27:00 Did anybody get that one or I'm the only one who got it? 27:04 If I begin to think 27:06 about the state of my personal finances, 27:09 right? 27:10 I'm thinking about my personal finances now, 27:12 how do I view it. 27:14 Number one, I'm uncomfortable. 27:17 Number two, indifferent, 27:20 three, I'm gratified. 27:23 All these things mixed together will give answers, 27:25 I decided to put four. 27:30 I want to put four on rather than three. 27:33 And I say when I think about my own personal finances, 27:36 it makes me sick. 27:40 I know, I'm the only one that thinks. 27:43 So I'm putting four down that question. 27:47 But the list goes on and so we're more interested 27:50 I know and what God has to say it. 27:53 It deals a lot with, you know, what do you do with your money? 27:55 How do you pay your bills and recharge thing 27:57 and all that kind of stuff? 27:58 I'll tell you basically how mine came out. 28:01 Okay, how mine came out. 28:02 I answered him, truthfully, and put down the answers, 28:04 it just says, and most people will say, 28:06 well, that ain't right. 28:07 It says, number one, your mind is open. 28:10 The way I answer those question, it says, 28:11 your mind is open, 28:14 you're willing to learn 28:17 and you're willing to be flexible. 28:19 And it says, start a budget and then stay on track. 28:23 Talking about planning, and planning enough. 28:25 One of the questions I liked on there too, was simply, 28:28 you know, at the end, when it's all said and done, 28:30 is there enough money left 28:31 that you can give to your church? 28:33 It's kind of an interesting thought. 28:35 Some people say, I don't have. 28:39 First things first, 28:40 what does the Bible say about money management? 28:43 Where does the money? Where does these things? 28:45 Where does it come from? 28:46 And are we accountable for in how we use it? 28:52 As I've read the Bible, over the years, 28:54 I've found that the Bible we talked about teaches 28:57 that saving money really is good. 29:01 You know, watching your nickels and your dimes, it's good, 29:04 it's a wise practice to do that. 29:07 And that's for a lot of different many reasons. 29:09 But maybe first things first for us today 29:12 is to realize that God is our provider 29:14 in everything, isn't that right? 29:18 Most familiar passage of scripture 29:19 found in Philippians 2:19, 29:21 everybody can quote it says, "My God shall," do what? 29:25 "He shall supply all your need 29:27 according to his riches in glory by," what? 29:31 "By Christ Jesus." 29:33 So the good news, notice this, everything, number one, 29:36 because you have people say, 29:37 I've had people come up to your face and say, 29:39 I earned it. 29:40 I went out, I work, I did the job. 29:42 It's my money, 29:43 I do with what I want to do with it. 29:45 They forget that, 29:46 that really does not belong to them. 29:49 There's reasons for that 29:50 and the Bible becomes very clear about that. 29:53 God does lend it to us. 29:55 You know, notice with that, 29:56 He's going to supply how many needs? 29:58 All. All. 29:59 And then he goes and you say, yeah, 30:01 but all of us needs what? 30:02 He reminds me in the Book of Psalms 50:10-12. 30:06 I'll just say a couple of little lines on that. 30:08 And I think we mentioned it. 30:09 We had prayer before we come up. 30:11 He reminds us, 30:12 God's gonna supply all of my needs 30:13 and He comes down and says, 30:15 after all, you know, 30:16 I own the cattle on the thousand hills. 30:18 Woo! That's good news. 30:19 I'm looking at, he's just letting you know, 30:20 he's teasing you a little bit with that 30:22 if you know what I'm talking about. 30:23 He owns a lot more than that. 30:24 He's letting you know 30:26 that he owns the cattle on the thousand hill 30:27 and then it goes on 30:28 and it gets a little bit stronger with that. 30:30 He said, okay, all right, some didn't get it. 30:32 He said, "The world is," what? 30:34 "The world is mine and the fullness thereof." 30:38 So God makes it clear number one. 30:39 I own you think that hill is yours it's not, it's mine. 30:42 You think those cattle are yours, 30:44 they're not, they're mine. 30:45 You think the world, some of you 30:47 own part of this real estate here you got it. 30:49 It's not, it's mine. 30:50 I own the world and everything that's in it. 30:53 Now that's needs this. 30:55 We need to get that straight in our head. 30:56 Number one, all those who have been very selfish, 30:58 and I know there's no one here but there may be others 31:00 who will hear these later, you've been selfish, 31:03 you've forgotten God, 31:04 you think it all belongs to you. 31:07 But God says to you straight right from the beginning, 31:09 the get go that it's not yours. 31:11 It all belongs to Him. 31:13 So what are we doing with what He loans to us? 31:17 Wow! 31:20 And one of the ways that God provides naturally 31:23 for His work, and for His people, 31:25 is the thing we call money, 31:26 which is like a weekly check you get when you work 31:29 or whatever it might be. 31:31 We have money and so that purchases things 31:34 and you buy things with money. 31:36 You know, that's good. 31:39 But he says, I'm gonna loan you this money, 31:40 but you have to take care of it. 31:43 There's some responsibility, 31:45 did anybody tell you that at home 31:46 when you were growing up, your dad said, 31:47 well, here's some money 31:49 but there's some responsibility goes along with money. 31:51 You just don't go on spending. 31:52 Boom. It's gone like that. 31:54 You got to think it through a little bit, 31:55 kind of think about 31:56 what you're gonna spend and so on. 31:58 Responsibility to take care of it, 31:59 and the Bible talks about this. 32:00 It says, God says 32:02 I want you to be a good and what? 32:03 Steward, a good steward. 32:06 What is the steward? 32:07 A steward would be somebody that's taking care of something 32:10 right that he doesn't own for somebody else. 32:13 So you are a steward, and I am a steward, 32:15 I'm taking care of what? 32:17 Things that God has loaned me, I'm taking care for Him, 32:20 and when He come back what does He expect? 32:24 In Matthew Chapter 25, 32:25 is just a quick example of that, 32:27 you know, we won't go into it, verses 14-27. 32:31 Matthew 25:14-27, 32:34 is about the talent, you remember. 32:36 He gave one man what? 32:38 He gave one man five, 32:39 he gave another man two and another one, one. 32:43 The five became ten, the two became four, 32:47 the one became zero. 32:50 Did you get it? 32:51 Because God because the one wouldn't hit it, 32:53 and he didn't want to invest, he didn't want to do anything, 32:55 just want to get one when the master come out here. 32:57 Hey, everybody, God doesn't say, God said, 32:59 I don't know what they're about. 33:00 I want an interest. 33:04 But why? 33:06 Because God's gonna do something. 33:08 He's gonna bless you. 33:10 So he took the one and gave it to the guy 33:12 with the ten. 33:14 So he had more, 33:16 that's God, there's still good news. 33:20 Here's my, here's what people say some time. 33:22 Well, I don't have any talents, I don't have any gifts. 33:26 Somebody say, I don't have any gifts. 33:27 I don't have any talents, there's nothing. 33:30 Is because maybe they've never read the passage of scripture 33:33 that we should probably read today. 33:36 1 Peter 4:10, 33:39 makes it very, very, very clear. 33:41 "Every man has received." 33:44 Did you get it? 33:46 We know at least one. 33:47 But it makes it clear, "Every man has received." 33:49 So every person has received at least one gift, 33:52 one talent, whatever that might be. 33:54 You'll say well, I don't know what that is. 33:56 Remember a gift, or a talent. 33:58 It could be a religious endowment. 34:01 A talent could be very much example, 34:04 somebody say, well, you account here. 34:05 How about a good mind? 34:07 I'd like to have a good mind. 34:09 Man! 34:10 What a blessing that, 34:12 what a gift that is to have a good mind 34:13 that works good and can remember well. 34:16 These are good, that's a good gift, 34:17 that's a talent. 34:19 How about time? 34:20 And certainly money, 34:22 strength, willing heart, willing mind, 34:26 person that's good, 34:27 people that like to invite you and take care of you, 34:30 these are gifts from God. 34:32 Now remember, if these are gifts from God, 34:34 in other words, if you have a good mind, 34:36 what you got to go around bragging 34:38 about I've got a good mind, you tell, I got a mind. 34:40 You know, IQ really, really great. 34:43 You didn't have no IQ, God loans you that mind. 34:47 You didn't make yourself, you didn't make your own mind. 34:49 Did you? 34:51 Some says, what do we have to, what we have to brag about? 34:52 Nothing, except if you have a good mind, give God praise. 34:55 That's a talent, that's a gift. 34:57 Thank You, Lord, for you've given me this gift 35:00 because I know this because the Bible says so. 35:03 It's found in James 1:17. 35:05 The Bible says, "Every good gift," what? 35:08 "And every perfect gift comes from," what? 35:12 "From above." 35:14 And, of course, that comes down right, 35:16 out of heaven. 35:17 Yeah, it comes down for life. 35:19 That's right. This is beautiful. 35:20 So every good gift, every perfect gift 35:22 is from above. 35:24 So if you look at it as a gift, 35:25 then you say, oh, it comes from God, 35:28 looks like I have nothing again. 35:30 Everything is from God. Good. 35:31 Gifts and talents then are from God. 35:34 But you know what? 35:35 They are to be used to help others, 35:39 not only just, it takes care of yourself. 35:41 Absolutely true. 35:43 But if you really begin to read and study the Word of God, 35:45 what God wants us to do 35:46 is everything that you don't need to take care of yourself 35:49 and take care of your family, 35:50 needs to be put into the cause of Christ 35:53 to win souls in the kingdom of God. 35:54 Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 35:57 You know, how many of us really think, 35:59 I'm thinking about myself. 36:00 I'm getting... 36:01 Is it okay, say sick and tired. 36:03 I'm gonna say it anyway. 36:05 I'm sick and tired. 36:07 When somebody is not gonna dig this. 36:10 Get sick and tired. 36:12 I think, I'm looking out here 36:13 and I look out here in a hallway 36:14 at different things 36:16 and I see the carpet all messed up. 36:17 I see stains and stuff on the floor right there. 36:19 And I think how sad that is but you know what? 36:21 I haven't done anything about it, 36:22 but I guarantee I'm going to by the grace of God. 36:24 You know, why? 36:26 Because I will not tolerate that in my house. 36:28 In my own personal home if it's like that, I do God, 36:31 well, you don't have the money do it. 36:32 I'll find a way to get the money to have it changed. 36:35 Are somebody with me? 36:36 I'm as well just sit down, there is no use. 36:39 Think about it with me. 36:41 We will find a way to buy the new couch. 36:45 Can I say the big screen? 36:49 We can't give $5 to the church. 36:51 But I can go and spend 2000 on the big screen. 36:53 Are you still with me? 36:55 Now I mean, if somebody had money 36:56 and they can have big screen, 36:57 I'm saying there's nothing wrong with that, 36:59 but they have to give to God too. 37:02 How long would we put up with stuff 37:04 that we see around here deteriorating? 37:07 Well, we don't have the money do it with, what? 37:10 We have to trust God and move in faith 37:12 that He's promised to do something, 37:13 after we begin to move out on this thing. 37:17 What do you do? God gives you finances. 37:19 And again this is not about tithing issue. 37:21 But first thing we do, if we didn't bring this up, 37:23 it would not be fair in this study 37:26 because God says in Malachi 3:10, tells us what to do. 37:29 Do you remember that? 37:31 What does God expect from me when He blesses me? 37:34 And give, bringing, thank you all the tithes into the... 37:37 Somebody stay with me on this. 37:39 "Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse." 37:42 You know, what storehouse is? 37:43 It talked about in the Hebrew. 37:46 In the Hebrew, it says a place to deposit, 37:50 a place to store it. 37:53 And there is no mailing address 37:59 on that one. 38:00 Some of you won't get that till next week. 38:03 But it's good to think about, that's what it says why? 38:06 'Cause too many read something and they try to make it say, 38:09 what it doesn't say. 38:11 Let's not do that, let's just what it says, it says, right? 38:14 Let's just deal with it. 38:16 Is that all right? Let's just deal with it. 38:18 People say, well, we don't know what storehouse is. 38:20 Storehouse is where you deposit 38:22 or where you put for the cause of God, 38:25 work of God. 38:27 Though I, "Bring ye all the tithes 38:29 into the storehouse, 38:30 that there may be meat in mine house." 38:32 that means food, translation is food, 38:34 that means, I like this, that means fresh food. 38:38 They're gonna be fresh food. 38:39 And one of it is leaf or leafy food. 38:42 Don't like vegetarian, we don't. 38:45 Good stuff anyway. Did you get it, in mine house? 38:48 And then prove me or give a test to me 38:50 for we say at the Lord 38:52 that I will not open the windows of heaven. 38:54 You know this and pour out what? 38:55 Blessings, that there shall not be room enough to receive. 38:58 I mean, how many want that? I want that. 39:01 I want to open those windows up 39:02 and just let those blessings just come out. 39:04 God said, I'm gonna open them up 39:06 and I'm just going to pour them out, 39:08 so fast and so quick, you can't receive them at all. 39:11 There's not enough banks to hold it off. 39:12 Somebody is not there. 39:14 God could do that. Could He not? 39:16 If He chooses to do that, you know what it is with me. 39:19 I don't, I guess, he didn't trust me. 39:22 People say, well, I like to read, well, I'm... 39:25 I've been praying the Lord to make me trustworthy. 39:29 Because you realize what is, 39:31 sometime when you have money in lottery, 39:32 you know, people win lot of money there, 39:34 it ruins their whole life. 39:35 If you ever read there, where people win the lottery 39:37 in different things 39:39 and you go check with them a year or later 39:40 and they spent millions, their life is ruined, 39:43 families torn apart. 39:44 Money's not the answer 39:46 but the blessings of God 39:47 on what He sees fit to give you. 39:50 And He'll continue to multiply that 39:51 if we use it the proper way. 39:54 You say, well, I don't know quickly well, 39:56 I don't know about, you know, what I give what... 39:59 In the New Testament, Hebrews 7:2-4. 40:03 It talks about Abraham, gave it to Him, 40:05 that means the tithe, right? 40:07 He gave it to Him. 40:08 You say, you give it, we owe that to God, 40:10 God has demanded that, a tenth. 40:12 So it becomes very, very clear. 40:14 In Leviticus 27:32, it talks about there 40:20 "The tenth of your tithe shall be holy unto the Lord." 40:22 That means it's not yours, is it? 40:24 It belongs to Him, it's holy unto the Lord. 40:27 People say, well, your New Testament tithing, 40:28 you know what? 40:30 They're looking for ways to continue to rob God 40:32 and ease their conscience. 40:34 Can't do that. 40:36 Do you remember Jesus talking about tithing Himself, 40:38 you remember in Matthew 23:23, 40:40 He said, "You're paying tithe," on what?" 40:44 Remember, we're talking about anise and cumin 40:46 and so on, so forth, right? 40:50 Yeah, He's talking about paying and He said, 40:51 "You should not do one, and leave the other," what? 40:55 "Another undone." Very good. 40:56 Let me read that to you 40:57 so we don't get confused anybody else 40:59 and myself too. 41:01 Notice what it says, this becomes very clear. 41:03 Jesus teaching, they say it's not in the New Testament, 41:05 well, we've got some problems here. 41:07 Matthew 23:23, He said, 41:09 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, 41:11 hypocrites!" 41:12 Man, if you get up here in the pulpit 41:14 and call everybody, 41:15 you hypocrites, that everybody walk out, 41:16 and leave, and get offended, and get hurt. 41:22 Snakes and Vipers oh, my, 41:24 "Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, and hypocrites! 41:27 You pay tithe," right? 41:29 "Of mint and anise and cumin 41:31 and have omitted the weightier matters," 41:33 which is what? 41:34 "The law, judgment, mercy and faith." 41:37 Jesus goes on to say, 41:39 "These out ye to have done and not leave the other," what? 41:43 "Undone." 41:44 There it is, right there talking about tithing. 41:47 Don't leave the other undone. 41:52 Sabbath School Worker in 2/21/1905 said this, 41:56 notice how this might fit. 41:57 I know it's taking some time on it, 41:59 probably should have been two parts 42:00 because there's so much information on this 42:01 but so then what, the Sabbath School Worker, 42:04 I mean says this, 42:06 and maybe you've seen this happen. 42:08 That somehow you make money or you make good money, 42:11 but there's just not enough to go around 42:13 and everything you go to do, it seemed like it backfires, 42:16 and you end up losing it, and it just didn't come back. 42:18 There's a lot of different reasons for different things 42:20 so I don't think it just fits for everybody. 42:23 But, you know, we just can't seem to make ends meet. 42:26 We're making good money, why we're not able to? 42:27 Maybe we're not doing the right thing 42:29 with what God has lend us. 42:31 There's conditions to the blessings 42:33 and the window's being opened up. 42:35 Notice what this says, 42:37 "Those who are selfishly withholding their means 42:39 need not be surprised..." 42:41 Is somebody with me, don't be surprised, 42:44 if you're withholding your means. 42:47 "If God's hand scatters your possessions. 42:51 That which should have been devoted 42:53 to the advancement of his work and cause, 42:56 but which has been withheld, 42:58 maybe in various ways be taken away." 43:04 Majority of people in the world today it's said, 43:07 live from paycheck to paycheck, 43:10 hand to mouth, that's all they could do. 43:13 And maybe that's the way it's meant to be, 43:14 and you're still faithful, and so on and so forth. 43:16 But, you know, that's what maybe God has in mind. 43:18 But there are many 43:20 and could do better with God's blessing 43:23 if they would do the right thing. 43:24 God wants us. 43:26 It's very clear we're accountable to God 43:28 for what He provides. 43:29 And we should be willing to return that portion 43:31 back to Him, 43:33 remember 10% tithe, and also what? 43:35 An offering. 43:37 The audacity for us to come to church 43:38 without bringing an offering to God, 43:40 think about it. 43:42 Oh, I'll give an offering, 43:43 you know, best thing for us to do 43:45 I found out myself 43:46 because I've been cheating God a lot. 43:49 I'll just throw in $1 for an offering. 43:51 Offering are for the blessings that He gives us. 43:54 That makes sense. 43:56 So are we thankful for the roof over our head? 43:58 Are we thankful for automobile? 43:59 Are we thankful for all the good things 44:01 that God has given us every day? 44:03 Then how in the world can we put a quarter in 44:04 on Sabbath, 44:05 and say this is for the blessings. 44:07 The offering proves, 44:09 God says, 10% that's Mine, anyway, that's holy. 44:13 But now I'm going to see how much you really love Me 44:15 because I'm gonna let you breathe my air, 44:18 I'm gonna let you plant your seed 44:20 and I'm going to cause it to grow and sprout 44:22 and bring forth fruit. 44:24 Think about it, the food is mine, 44:27 nothing grow, the rain is mine, everything is. 44:29 Now I'm going to see how much you like it, 44:31 and what will you like to give back? 44:36 See how we've been selfish. 44:38 So sometimes, it's like for us, 44:39 we like to put a percentage on it, 44:41 so that we don't cheat God. 44:43 It doesn't say how much, I'm not trying to beat, 44:45 I'm just thinking about it might be good. 44:46 Well, I'm gonna put 3% 44:48 or I'm going to give 5% as an offering 44:51 because that way I know they won't be, 44:54 want to see what I've got here. 44:56 It's very important 'cause we can't say 44:59 we appreciate the blessings He gives, 45:00 and then we're not willing to give back. 45:03 Right? 45:04 Let's just think about that, 45:05 not that anybody here's doing that, 45:07 but it's food for thought. 45:08 There may a lot of other people here. 45:09 Bible says we're to give, what? 45:11 How are we to give, a long face? 45:12 Give cheerfully is what the Bible said. 45:14 When we give, we give make it happy, 45:15 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, 2 Corinthians 9:7 45:19 "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, 45:22 so let him give, not," what? 45:26 "Grudgingly or out of necessity, 45:28 for God loveth a cheerful giver." 45:31 When we give, yes, right? 45:34 Sitting down and making our tithe check, yes. 45:36 Why? 45:38 Because God said, I'm going to bless that. 45:41 I'm going to bless it more than you can give, 45:42 I'm going to bless it, 45:44 I'm gonna make it come back to you 45:45 so many different ways you have no idea. 45:48 I will say that before 45:50 I used to have a push power mower for years, 45:53 when I was younger. 45:54 And always paid tithe when I cut the lawns 45:56 and different things as a kid, 45:58 and I could not wear out that lawn mower. 46:01 I mowed so many lawns, that the tires fell off of it 46:06 and I had to buy new tires. 46:08 But that motor was just humming, 46:10 first little crank, 46:12 start and just go, and go, and go, 46:14 then it began, the frame begin to rust 46:17 until the motor failed plumping on through to the ground. 46:19 I could crank it and that baby would just hum. 46:23 God was blessing. 46:24 He may not do through other things 46:26 but He's blessing that more. 46:28 He's blessing the refrigerator, 46:29 He's blessing your air conditioner, 46:30 things that you don't know 46:32 that could blow up in your face. 46:33 God is doing that, get cheerful giver, 46:36 give according to every man purposely said, 46:38 or men chooses or intended in his heart, 46:41 they did not give grudgingly. 46:42 That means don't give with a sad, long face. 46:45 Don't be sad about it. 46:47 Thank you, Lord, that I'm able to give back to you. 46:49 He loves a cheerful giver, think about that. 46:52 Or imagine don't give of necessity. 46:55 What does that mean? 46:56 When He says don't give grudgingly or of necessity? 46:58 That means in distress, 47:00 it's stressing me out that I have to pay tithe, 47:02 it's stressing me out that I have to give offering. 47:04 No, God said, don't give that way or oh, 47:07 I have to do it, if I don't do at the church... 47:11 You have more to answer to Him than the church, 47:13 I can tell you that, I do too. 47:15 Bible says in Luke 6:38 simply "Give and it shall be," what? 47:20 "Give and it shall be given unto you." 47:24 We see that when we give, I mean, 47:25 overflowing we see that. 47:28 We give, God gives back to us. 47:30 Now is that... 47:31 Sometimes I know that God sometime gives us things, 47:34 so that we can give them to others. 47:38 Let's be careful about all of these things. 47:39 And God will make sure that He leads and guides us 47:42 in the right way. 47:43 We give so that we can give to other people. 47:47 He actually means sometime when He gives you something 47:49 that you may keep it for yourself. 47:52 Is somebody there with me? 47:55 You don't have to give everything away. 47:57 There's got to be a good balance there, 47:59 just keep it for yourself 48:01 for His honor, and for His glory. 48:04 But I think this, 48:05 when He does give you those things, 48:06 it's good for us to hold it loosely 48:09 in our hand what He gives us, 48:11 so that we can when He says give it away, 48:13 we give it away without, not be grudging. 48:18 Hold it loosely, 48:19 what He allows you to keep, hold it loosely. 48:20 Don't get that death grip on. I'm not gonna let it go, man. 48:22 I've got to have this. 48:27 In this study it's about God's goodness, 48:29 I want you to see that's about God's goodness, 48:31 how He supplies our needs, and how He gives us blessings, 48:34 it's certainly including money, 48:36 as my grandpa used to say, 48:38 "To see how you're going to act, Kenny." 48:40 Did anybody get that? 48:43 He used to give me a shovel and put me in the barn 48:46 with the corn. 48:47 He gave me a shovel and he said, 48:49 now, I'm gonna see how you're gonna act. 48:50 Well, I knew right then, 48:51 I better shovel for all I'm worth. 48:53 That's how I'm gonna act, I better shovel. 48:55 God lends us this stuff and then He says to me, 48:57 He says to you, 48:59 Levi, how you're going to act with it? 49:00 Brother Kenny, how you're going to act with it? 49:02 Everyone, how are you going to act with these blessings? 49:05 I give them to you as a test. How are you going to do? 49:07 There's conditions of being blessed, 49:09 we know that. 49:11 Deuteronomy 30:19, notice it says, 49:14 "I set before you," what? 49:15 "Life and death and blessings and curse." 49:18 So God sets those things before us 49:19 and then we make a choice, what it's going to be. 49:22 You know, if we do what God said, 49:23 that's condition. 49:24 If we do what God says, we're gonna be blessed. 49:26 If we don't do what God has asked us to do, 49:27 we're not going to be blessed. 49:29 God cannot do for us. 49:32 You see, if we don't follow, 49:34 what He has said, His conditions. 49:36 I think that makes a lot of sense. 49:37 I think it really does. 49:39 Scripture teaches this clearly, Matthew 7:11 teaches clearly, 49:43 "If ye then, being evil, know how to get good gifts," 49:46 you remember this one, "to your children, 49:49 how much more shall your heavenly Father in heaven 49:52 give good things to them that ask Him?" 49:54 God wants to give us things. 49:56 God wants us to have things. 49:58 There's nothing wrong with having things. 50:01 There's nothing wrong with it. 50:02 But do we know how to use them to His honor and His glory. 50:06 He can give some people an awful lot of stuff 50:08 because they contentedly give back, 50:10 and give back, and give back, and it just keeps flowing. 50:14 Remember, the one who asked us to give 50:15 is the one who gives us to begin with. 50:19 Think about it. 50:23 I mean, this is something we need to really think, 50:25 the Bible said we just need to, was it Matthew 7:7, it says, 50:28 "Ask and it shall be given unto you," do what? 50:32 Yeah, yeah. 50:34 "Seek and you shall find, 50:35 knock and it shall be opened to you." 50:37 The gospel said all we have to do 50:39 is ask in faith believing. 50:41 This is simple is it, if you think about it. 50:44 Nothing wavering, James 1:6, 50:49 "Let us ask in faith, nothing wavering." 50:52 That means we're not staggering at the promises of God. 50:55 We're not staggering, 50:57 when God asked us to do something. 50:58 We're not doubting when God says 51:00 that we need to be doing these things. 51:02 We don't hesitate 51:03 when there's a need 51:05 and God has given us that which we can help with. 51:07 We don't, we're not staggering on that, 51:09 we're not going to hesitate. 51:11 Why? 51:12 I don't do because I believe that God's behind every promise 51:14 that He's made. 51:15 If He said, ask, He means ask. 51:17 If you ask, He says that's going to happen. 51:19 Well, maybe not exactly where you would like it 51:21 but it's going to happen, God's going to work it out. 51:23 Tests going to be given. 51:26 He's given us His word 51:28 that He's going to fulfill the promises in the Bible 51:29 here for us, how good. 51:31 I'll ask you a question, does God love you? 51:33 If I said today, do you really believe that God loves you? 51:36 Yeah, yeah, we can't deny it because He did what? 51:38 He gave his Only Son. I mean, that's a simple answer. 51:41 Does God love me? 51:42 People say, God doesn't love me. 51:43 Yes, God love you. 51:45 Calvary proves that He loves us with an everlasting love. 51:49 We dishonor, amen. 51:51 We dishonor God, 51:52 when we question and doubt His promises. 51:55 So that's the only thing 51:56 keeps them from being fulfilled. 51:58 Are you getting me what you're asking for 51:59 and praying for? 52:00 It's sometimes because we use it wrongly, 52:02 or under what? 52:03 It's not for our best interest, 52:04 or we just don't have the faith. 52:07 We don't have the faith to believe that God can do it. 52:09 We need to know always that God can do it 52:11 regardless of what it is. 52:12 Person is sick, God can heal, can He not? 52:15 God can touch, He can heal. 52:16 It's never too late for God. 52:18 He's always there. He's always on time. 52:20 Never get discouraged 52:22 because if the discouragement may come 52:23 because we don't have the faith to put in operation, 52:26 that's what moves the arm of God. 52:28 God help us to have faith. 52:29 Bible said, "Faith cometh by," what? 52:31 "Faith comes by hearing and hearing 52:33 by the Word of God." 52:34 You want more faith, get into Word, 52:35 you can hear the Word of God, 52:37 come to the Sabbath school, come to worship hour, 52:39 study in your home, 52:40 we can do your worship of morning and evening, 52:42 and hear the Word of God, 52:44 and then faith will be developed. 52:46 That you know that you can ask in faith believing 52:48 and God's going to hear. 52:49 Yes, God loves you, There's no doubt about it. 52:55 Solomon presents that, the ants, 52:57 you know, lot of time we want to be blessed. 52:59 We want a lot of stuff, 53:00 but we don't want to turn the tap. 53:02 We'll lay around and do nothing, 53:03 you're not going to be blessed that way. 53:05 Solomon gives that and I think in... 53:08 Was it Proverbs 6:6-11, 53:10 He gives the illustration of the ants, 53:12 He said, go to the ants and consider His way. 53:15 Look at the ant, how he works, we should be able to work to 53:17 how much more He loves each one of us. 53:20 4 Testimonies, quickly, 53:22 we're winding down just a couple more minutes, 53:23 4 Testimonies 4:56 says, 53:25 "We may learn from these little ant teachers 53:27 a lesson of faith. 53:29 Should we improve with the same diligence 53:32 the faculties which are 53:34 and all-wise Creator has bestowed upon us, 53:37 how greatly would be our capacity 53:39 for usefulness be increased. 53:42 God's eyes upon the smallest of His creatures, 53:45 does He not, then, regard man formed in His image 53:50 require of him corresponding returns 53:53 for all the advantages that He has given? 53:55 Yes, He does. 53:58 Apostle Paul said, 53:59 talking about the love of Christ. 54:01 He said, the love of Christ constrainteth us. 54:04 Let the love of Christ constrain you today. 54:07 What does that really mean? 54:09 The love of Christ compels me, 54:12 the love of Christ holds me together, 54:18 the love of Christ sticks to us. 54:21 It should, should it not? 54:24 The love of Christ keeps us together, 54:30 love of Christ, it's a principle 54:34 that we need to have in our life. 54:37 You say, I don't have much to give today as we close, 54:40 not even getting our way through it at all. 54:42 But it's all right, you'll catch it, 54:44 that this is about God's goodness. 54:46 Be faithful to God, 54:48 God's going to be faithful to you. 54:50 If you haven't been, get faithful. 54:52 Now's the time you say, 54:54 well, I have been faithful for years. 54:55 I encourage you to be faithful from this moment on, 54:58 and then every week you go back and start making up 55:00 where you haven't been faithful because I guarantee you, 55:02 the gates of heaven will be closed to any of us, 55:06 who have stolen from God, anybody but from God. 55:09 The gates will be closed. 55:10 It's said the liar and a thief will be outside the walls, 55:13 you don't have to guess about it. 55:14 And remember, He keeps a close eye upon 55:17 every account, everything that's done, 55:20 God knows. 55:22 And do we love Him enough? 55:23 Do we love Him? 55:26 God says, when much is given, much will be required. 55:29 If little given, then little required. 55:31 So it's all balanced out. 55:33 May God help us to see today 55:35 that we need to manage our money, 55:36 and manage it properly 55:38 according to what God says that we need to do with it. 55:40 Let's pray quick prayer, shall we before time runs out? 55:43 Let's just pray. 55:44 Father in heaven, 55:45 Thank you for Your precious word. 55:47 Thank You that You're reminding as our God, 55:48 You own everything. 55:50 And we would certainly love You enough 55:51 that we want to respond and give back to Your cause. 55:52 Thank You, Lord, for hearing and answering prayer, 55:54 in Jesus' name, amen. 55:56 Well, God bless you. 55:58 And we're glad you joined in for today. 55:59 Pray for us. 56:00 We needed your continued support. 56:02 We thank you very much for that. 56:03 And we'll see you next time. 56:06 Welcome back. 56:08 No doubt, God is instructing us 56:10 to be faithful stewards with our finances. 56:13 But in order to do that 56:14 our hearts need to be connected 56:16 with His in love, compassion, direction, and mercy. 56:21 We must learn to pray and to wait on His guidance 56:24 before we act. 56:25 And as always remember to give back, 56:28 give back with a cheerful heart in our tithes 56:31 and in our offerings to God. 56:33 We pray that this message was indeed a blessing. 56:36 And we would love to put it in your hands 56:38 to study again and again, 56:40 or to share with your loved ones. 56:42 With every single message that you order 56:44 out of this 25 part Bible series, 56:48 we will send you this free copy, 56:50 this free Bible study guide. 56:52 There's so many things that you can look, 56:54 and it's a wonderful lesson to distribute in offices, 56:58 or to give away to family and friends. 57:00 This message "Money Management" is being offered 57:03 for a love gift of just $8 or more, 57:06 or you may order 57:07 the complete set of 25 hours of lessons 57:12 for just a love gift of $175 or more. 57:16 And when you do that, 57:17 we'll send you five Bible Lesson study guides 57:20 for free. 57:21 Simply contact us here 57:23 at Behold the Lamb Ministries today. 57:25 You may write us here in the United States, 57:27 or call at 618-942-5044, 57:32 that Central Time, 57:34 and again like I said write us 57:35 at Behold the Lamb Ministries at P.O Box 2030, 57:39 Herrin, Illinois 62948. 57:42 Email your order 57:43 at BeholdTheLambMinistries @Yahoo.com 57:47 or visit us on our website at BeholdTheLambMinistries.com. 57:51 My precious friends, until next time, 57:53 may our Lord continue to richly bless you and yours. |
Revised 2019-03-21