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All right
If you need a bulletin go ahead slip up your hand brother Adam will bring you one as always got a service times this on
The upper left hand side will be in first Kings chapter 20 tonight. Got the churchwide soul winning below that
Quick note about the Tuesday time. We've canceled that at least for the time being
We might resume that here later in the fall. We'll see how things go
But you still got the Sunday the Thursday the Saturday and again
I'll reiterate if anybody wants to go soul winning outside of those times just need to let me know and I will make it happen
We've got the salvation baptisms and offering totals for both the month and year the happy birthday
the names are listed there as well as the wedding anniversary for yours truly and mrs. Yours truly and
Thanks everybody for the congrats on that also, we've got the mega conference we're making we're getting down to the wire here
We had a small group go up in the shuttle last night to hear pastor Jimenez last night. It was a great sermon
If you don't catch a lot of other sermons online, I would highly want to hear a good sermon
I would really recommend listening that sermon. That was a great sermon that he preached last night. So very powerful. So, please
if you want to get a blessing just go online and listen to that and
Then we've got pastor burzins coming up this Sunday up there in Tempe and then next Wednesday
Which is the last day of the mega conference will be pastor Jason Robinson. I'll be taking another shuttle up there
So if you want to make it out, there'll be a sign-up sheet
This went or Sunday rather there'll be one up back there. So go ahead and sign it up on that and
We'll get you up there. Also. We got the Mexico Monday coming up this next Monday on the back
I thank you to everyone who participated and or helped with the church camp. So I appreciate everybody
pitching in and
Helping with the different things we were doing up there. I
just spoke with the
The church that owns that camp they sent me the bill
It's like oh, yeah. All right
It's worth it. It's worth it. But
It's already got me thinking about next year. We were talking about next year on the way up
mostly about the food so
Now I did want to kind of I know it's it's not everybody here that was there
But just kind of the you know, it's the people that matter that are here
No, I'm just getting everyone that matters
but if you're I kind of want to get a feel for what people thought of it and you know specifically just about
You know the time in terms of when and how long okay, so I'm gonna kind of I know it's kind of a smaller group
But just kind of through a show of hands
Okay
I'm gonna ask a couple questions and
Don't I'm not don't think that you have to try and tell me what I want to hear. Okay. I'm a man of the people
You should know that about me right now. Okay, so I have my preferences, but I put them aside and whatever people want
That's what I'm gonna do. Okay
To an extent. All right, I draw a line somewhere don't push me
But anyway when it comes to this, I don't think we're gonna cross any boundaries
Who here thinks that that the the length from Monday to Thursday was just the perfect?
length for the camp
Here a couple hands who would like to see the camp extended like into like a Friday or a Saturday
Okay, okay one one, okay. All right, you don't know because you weren't there cuz I got to come
You know, you got to put some input you need to have more input
You would have had some brisket, brother
Now the other thing I'm thinking for next year is I would I'm thinking I actually want to put it off until August
Okay, being the reason why we always did it in July is because we were doing it or June rather
It's because we were doing it at showers point and you had to get it in before the monsoon season came
Okay, even though we got rain when we were up there
but I I you know, the rain was enjoyable this time because we were actually able to go in and
Get out, you know, and we had cover that was we didn't have to just sit in our tents and look at each other
You know or hover under someone's like little awning that they popped up or whatever
You know, we were able to still have fellowship and and all that so
To me the the monsoon season is not as much of a concern with this facility
So to me, I feel like if we put into August it would it might
Be a better time of year because one if we do get the rain, you know
They're we have more likelihood of them lifting the fire restriction like they did this year. That was
That was like a miracle that that even happened
Like there was you know, I was shocked and they said hey you can go ahead and have fires and was because of the rain
So it'll increase the likelihood of rain
but it'll also increase the likelihood of campfires and in that same token, which is
Who wants to go camping and not have a campfire? It almost feels blasphemous. It's like almost sacrilegious, you know
You feel like you didn't even do anything, right?
So who here would be in favor of pushing it off until August?
Okay, all right
All right. I hear you. I see you
So I'm thinking that's what I'm probably gonna do but we'll probably keep it that same length
But you can tell I'm thinking way too far ahead in the future, but you know, I like to plan things out
I like to get the feedback while it's still fresh in everybody's mind. So
Anyway, but I do want again just thank everybody that that pitched in and helped out. It made it a great trip for everybody
I think everyone really enjoyed themselves. I got a lot of flack up in Tempe for not inviting people
More than one person took me aside and said hey
Why wasn't I invited?
Because I don't like you
I liked everybody. I just was like I just forgot I didn't have room, you know, anyway
Anyway, I better stop before I really get in trouble
We've got the Bible memory passage below that and anyone who can recite Proverbs 3 in its entirety by next Sunday
We'll earn a special prize
So I know this is kind of a bombshell for for some of you that weren't here this last Sunday
you were up in Tempe, but
I meant to actually let you know, but this is it this Sunday. You got to have Proverbs chapter 3 done
Who thinks they can get the entire proverb done on Sunday been retaining the chapters? Okay good, and we'll have that
Special those are some of the most enthusiastic hand raises I've ever seen like everybody the last few questions. Everyone else is kind of like
That one was like, oh I got this. Yeah, so
Alright, well good. So go ahead and work on that. Let's go before we finish. Let's count up the soul winning
Going back to Monday the fourth anything for Monday
What about Tuesday
Wednesday and then today Thursday, was there anything out there for the group? No
All right. Well, we'll keep going and we'll keep knocking and we'll get them eventually
All right, we'll go ahead and sing one more song before we get into the preaching tonight
Oh
First case
Maybe at least one first days chapter
First
First one
There were 32 things with horses and carrots and went up in the seats America
Let's say
Oh
Yeah
Oh
Please
Amen so first Kings chapter number 20
Really?
I'm only going to get through like the first 20 or so verses here tonight, but
And I'm not going to preach anything that you haven't heard before
but it's just something that just kind of jumps out of this passage and it's a theme that you know,
the Bible actually emphasizes a lot and it's something that's repeated a lot in Scripture and
And that theme is the theme of covetousness, you know
and the reason why I believe you know
the Bible is repeating certain things is because these are things that we really need to pay attention to and
What's great about the Bible is that you know, we're dealing with people like real people who have
You know a light a nature just like ours, you know
the people that we see in Scripture are people of like passions and we need to take heed to these things because we're all
subject to come short and and even be
You know guilty of some of the same sins that people are in the scripture
So, you know with that in mind, you know
We're gonna look at this the sin of covetous tonight because really that's what you see here in this chapters
You have these two kings who are very covetous people and it kind of manifests itself in different ways
and also it shows you the pitfalls that come with being a covetous person and
the first person we're gonna look at of course is Ahab and I want to look at Ahab's covetousness and
really the way it kind of
Manifests itself here is you can see that Ahab is the type of guy who actually values his possessions over people
he values his possessions over people and
Of course we know the story been hey dad the king of Syria
He sends the messengers to Ahab and what does he tell him in verse 3? He says thy silver and thy gold is mine
And thy wives also and thy children even the goodliness are mine
So he's coming and saying hey, I'm gonna empty your bank account and then your family's coming with me. I'm taking everybody
Now, you know any any you know, a self-respecting man would would you know might part with his hard-earned money?
I don't know that that's what Ahab had, you know, he's getting everything through who knows what
But I mean anybody, you know what you would think would draw the line at no
You're not taking my wives and my children with me, you know, none of us should be saying you're taking my wives
I'll be saying taking wife right? Okay. Let me clarify that
But you know that the the principle is there that you know
You would think that that's would be where we kind of draw a line say, excuse me
You know, you're not gonna come into my house and just take my family away
But what does Ahab say?
He comes and tells him hey
I'm gonna take all your your wives your kids your gold or verse 4 and he said and the and the king of Israel answered
And said my lord o king according to thy saying I am thine and all that I have
So he's just like yeah, go ahead. You want my gold want my silver? You want my wives? You want my children?
They're yours all that I have
But notice where he draws the line
Okay, because we know the messengers come again in verse 5 and he says, you know
I know I said before that I took your silver your gold your wives verse 6 yet
I will send my servants on me tomorrow about this time and they shall search all thine house and the house of thy servants and
It shall be whatsoever is pleasant and notice these words in thine eyes
Not in their eyes
Not in the eyes of the the people the messengers are gonna come and search out of stuff
He's saying whatever is pleasant in your eyes those things that you value
The things that you actually put a premium on
Ahab those are the things that we're gonna take they're gonna take from you
You know, they're gonna kind of imagine how this might have played out
I don't know like they're going he's following him around seeing what they're going for and they're like reaching for something on the mantle
Watching a have how's he reacting? No, it's like playing that game, you know warm or hot or hot or hot or cold
I don't know. I can't remember. You know, you're like hotter hotter colder colder. Am I getting warm yet?
You know, they go into a study and they're like they're reaching for the signed baseball
You know or they're they're reaching for his AR 15 or whatever it is, you know
They're going into the garage trying to pick out his favorite camel and trying to find you know
Is this the one you really like, you know, is this the one is this the classic model?
You know, it's these it's not it's not as physical money
It's not his family that he that he wants to keep you not even that is why is it kids like go ahead?
What is it? It's his things
Stuff
Just literal just items just things. These are the things that he's put an emphasis on
You know and this is something that we see in our culture today in our world today people
Just chase after literal just things just toys and just stuff
You know
they want the latest and greatest and the best of everything and they just want to accumulate as much as they can and
Those are the things that they you know, they put a premium that they that's their prized possessions, right?
And that's you know, how this covetousness of a hab is manifested
now it with him it's even to the degree or he's willing to part with his wives and kids and
All of his wealth before he wants to be before he's gonna give up, you know
That that that rookie card or whatever, you know that signed poster, you know, whatever some whatever stupid knick-knack or
Collectible item that he has hanging on his wall somewhere. I mean, I don't know exactly what it was that was pleasant in his eyes
You know, but I'm just trying to bring it home for us tonight
He says hey whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes
They shall put that in their hand and take it away. You know, and that's where that's where a hab just says nope
Not gonna happen
Then verse 7 the king of Israel called all the elders of Israel and of the land and said mark
I pray you and see how these men seeketh mischief
For he sent unto me for my wives and my children and for my silver my for gold and I denied him not I
Mean, how would you even admit that to other people?
He's like getting all the elders of Israel all the you know, the wise
Counselors all that, you know the men that you know have some stature in the community people that are respected
And he's saying hey, he came for my wives and kids and my goal. I said go ahead
You know he says but you know not this
And the elders of Israel and all the people said unto him harken not unto him nor consent
Now it's interesting there that he doesn't mention, you know
Well, let me just move on
We see there that that's what his problem is that he's his problem is is that he's valuing what?
Possessions over persons and this is his covetousness
Now keep something there, of course all night and first Kings 20, but go to Revelation 18 Revelation chapter 18
I'm gonna read you from Ecclesiastes chapter 5 or you're going to
Revelation 18 and Ecclesiastes chapter number 5 the Bible says in verse 11
When goods are increased when goods increased they are increased that eat them
And amen to that and what good is there to the owners thereof?
You know when you have goods when you start to accumulate things
You know, we might start to feel like oh man. I've really achieved something. I've really gotten something
I've really I've really made something of myself
but the Bible says look when goods are increased they increase that eat them and
What good is there to the owners thereof?
Saving the beholding of them with their eyes and it's now a habs
Deal was the things that are pleasant in thine eyes the just the beholding of things
You know people accumulate things and they and they get things and you you scratch your head and why why some people are just so
obsessed about
You know
literal toys
You know, sometimes I'll be searching for something on YouTube. I'll try to watch a tutorial about
Some of video editing or you know algorithm, you know, whatever something, you know work related
Something that you know
I'm trying to learn a skill and you'll you'll run across people that they have this skill they they can teach you something
But then you'll look in the background like their background is like literal like toys like grown men
Grown men with like look if this is you, you know, I'm sorry
Okay, but this is my opinion a little bit. Okay, but to me it's always struck me as odd
We have a grown man who's just got like all these Star Wars toys, you know Wolverine and psych
you know all these x-men over here and Superman and
They're like, oh then they're displaying them. They're like putting on like look look what I'm into
And I'm like when you turn the camera off you get down on the floor and like
You know because that's what Mike I'm assuming. I mean, that's what my kids do with their toys
You know my last I checked none of my children went into there
I never walk into the room and see the toys all neatly arranged on the wall
They're all over the floor, you know arms are missing
someone's colored on one
You know, they're we'll find them under the couch and things like that
Why cuz that's what you do with a toy you play with it, right
But the Bible says when I became a man, I put away childish things
So I I just got a place now where if I'm looking for something if I if I come across a guy
I'm gonna take advice from if he's got toys and I just next video
And it's not to just you know
Say he's like necessarily in sin or something. It's just like I just bothers me
And I don't get it, you know, and they're like the Bible saying here
What good is it to the owners thereof? Like what are you doing those things? Well, this one cost me $300
I was like, well, you could have flushed money down the toilet a lot easier than that
It's like well, why don't you just why don't you just burn it?
You know, what good is it? You know, it's just something to look at
You know where it's like people who invest so much money in their vehicle
Like they want to they want to and again
I'm sorry if this is hitting home, but people who go out of their way to get these these expensive rims
You know where they put like the neon lights. We've all seen them around here. You know, I'm talking about
You know, they got and look it looks cool. Doesn't it? I'm not gonna sit here and say like
No, I look at him like that's a cool-looking car. I
Mean, it's it's got that cool paint job, right? It's got that glossy purple. It's got the little wheels with the spinner in the middle
It's got the purple neon lights
Goes like this
Right and we look at it go but you know what it doesn't make it go any faster
Did you do that to save money on gas? No
Why did you do that? Cuz it looks cool
And it's you know, it's all it is. It's just it's like a car
Like it all it's gonna do is get you to point a to point B
But you know people just want to have these things people make their lives just about hobbies accumulating things
That's a form of covetousness
At least it can be where we're just we'd rather part with other things that should be more precious and dear to us
over a literal thing
just stuff and
The Bible says, you know, what a good is to the owners thereof, you know, all these things are gonna pass away
It's all like I preach Sunday. It's all gonna burn folks
Your fancy car, you know, all your little plastic toys are gonna melt the fervent heat one day. It's all gonna go away
But this is what people do they start to value possessions
over people
You know and that's kind of a very, you know
Scaled down type of example of that and I'm not saying if somebody has a bunch of collectibles that they they you know
Are you know, they disregard human life?
I'm not saying that but you know when you look at this on a bigger scale
With this type of attitude where this covetousness can get inflated and take off
You know, that's where it gets really
Concerning, you know and look at Revelation 18. This is an example of it. This is of course the judgment of Babylon
Okay
and then when they it says that when these these merchants when they see
Babylon burning and being destroyed by God in verse 15. It says the merchants of these things
We'll talk about what those things were in a minute
They the merchants of these things they were made rich and they were which were made rich by her by Babylon
She'll stand afar off for the fear of her torment
weeping and wailing
So they're watching, you know
the city Babylon and they're watching it burn and being destroyed and they're weeping right because they were made rich by this and
Saying alas that great city that was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet and deck with gold and precious stones and pearls
for in one hour
so great riches has come to naught and
Every ship master and all the companies and ship all the company and ships and sailors and as many as trade by the sea stood
Afar off and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning saying what is
City is like unto this great city and they cast dust on their heads and cried
Weeping and wailing saying alas alas that great city
Wherein were made rich all that had ships and the reason by the over costing this for in one hour
She is made desolate
So they're seeing the destruction of this great city
Babylon right, but what is it that they're weeping and wailing about? Is it the loss of life?
Are they are they weeping over all the people that died
Are they weeping about you know, all the you know, the the innocence that were in there? No, they're they're weeping
We just read it. They're weeping because they were made rich by her
You know and look at verse 13, you know, what how did they get rich by here?
Well, they were you know, we're not gonna take the time to read the whole list
but you know
There's this litany there in Revelation 18 and gets down to verse 13 and it says and sent these are the things that they sold
cinnamon and orders and ointments and frankincense and wine and oil and fine flour and wheat and beasts and sheep and horses and
chariots and slaves and souls of men
These are the things that they were trafficking
All these I mean some of these things are there's nothing wrong with them
But look when you're when you're dealing in slaves and souls of men
You know, that's wicked
So they're sitting here watching the city being destroyed and they're not upset because there's a loss of life
Why because they value possessions over people?
You know the examples I cited earlier, you know are very, you know, you could say even harmless
versions of that
But you can see where this type of thing leads or when it when covetousness takes over a whole society
Yeah, even a whole world
That people can even they can be some so hardened and cold-hearted
That they're upset when this wicked city is destroyed
not because of the loss of life because
They're no longer able to traffic in
human beings
It's people who possession who put value possessions over people
If you would go to Luke chapter 12 Luke chapter 12
You know the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 1 8 all things are full of labor
Man cannot under it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing
And isn't isn't that true of Ahab?
And all those things that are pleasant your eyes we're gonna take away
You know if he had been satisfied with all this all the things that were pleasant in his eyes all the things that he could see
He would have just said okay, but the problem is the part of the problem with human nature is the eye is not satisfied with seeing
You know people get they just have to get more and more and more and more
They have to keep collecting and keep collecting and have the latest and greatest. They're not satisfied. I
Mean we all know this is true any of us that have been excited about getting something
You know, it's the excitement about getting it. That's the good part
once you got it, it's kind of like
It's cool for a little bit. It's like these phones right every year. They're like, oh you need to get this phone. I
Know you've had that light. Yeah, I know you paid $1,200 for the last phone and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it
But this phone does something just a little bit better just a little bit
I mean it used to be like phones
Used to like it was like a big jump because it used to be like every two years for a while
Wasn't it like Apple put out a new phone like every to you now, it's like every year
Why because they're just they're just trying to make as much money as they can
You know and people and we all know when we take the bait when we you know
They get us and we go get that phone. We're like, oh man, I got this late
They're late and then that by next year. We're kind of like those phones looking kind of old. I
Think I need to get the new one and look I'm not against people upgrading their phone
I'm just I'm just saying that you could that's an example of what's that's human nature. We're not satisfied
You know and even if it's a legitimate something, you know something that we need legitimately and we're anticipating it and we finally get it
You know, it really doesn't satisfy. Does it we always have to you know
Get the next thing because the eye of man is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear
filled with hearing
You know and this is something we have to keep on guard about because you know
We might never of course probably nobody here is gonna get to the place where we start
You know trafficking when human souls or anything like that
You know and and and but here here's here's a way in which we might start to value our possessions
Over people. Okay. This is something that we could potentially do
Is that when we start to get too busy to care about the lost?
When we get just so obsessed with just making money and getting things and getting ahead
That we just kind of start putting the things of God off and just saying well, you know, I just can't do that right now
I'm just too busy with everything else. Look I and I know we all get busy. I'm one of them
You know and and whenever I preach this I feel like sometimes people might be thinking like well
That's easy for you to say because you're the deacon, you know
That's your job to go out soul winning and read your Bible and go to church
It's like yeah, but you know, it's your job as a Christian to
To do these things. These are God-given duties that God gives to everybody
It's not deacon-given duties. They're God-given duties
You know, I'm just trying to like like say hello. This is what this is what life's really about
It's not about things and possessions and money. It's about people. It's about souls
Saving the lost because hell is real
You know and by the way, you know on that note of like well it's easy for you to say
You know, but I've only been the deacon for three years
You know, I've been Christian for 20. I've been fit, you know
soul winning on a regular basis for 11
You know since I moved to faithful word and I was in church before that
doing other things
You know and I had a job too and I work full-time and I work multiple jobs and believe me
I've had people take me aside and say hey
This is getting in the way of your spiritual life
I've had people take me aside and say, you know, I noticed you've been missing church and not just Sunday morning
I've had people take me aside and say you're yeah, I've noticed you've been missing the midweek service. I
Said well, you know, it's because I'm working the second job right now and sometimes they schedule me
It's like well, you might want to think about that
You don't got checked
because here's the thing, you know and
And and this is the attitude I've had throughout my whole Christian life not just since I started a church. Okay?
My attitude has been since I got in church 20 years ago
Nothing is gonna come between me and church period I
Mean, I'm not saying like I'm gonna be there even when I'm you know
Sick barfing my guts out and bleeding out of my eyeballs or something
Obviously, you know the Bible teaches to quarantine yourself
I'm saying but I'm saying what I'm preaching about tonight is when we let things like work or
even worse hobbies
Get in the way of being in a house of God
You know and again, this is this is a philosophy and something I've believed and taught others
Long before I ever got behind a pulpit. So this isn't just me preaching this for my own
You know because I have some vested interest in this, okay
You know, I I've I've had jobs or I went out looking for work and they're like, well we need to work Sundays
It's like nope not gonna do it
To me, that's a no-brainer
Because I just I just made the decision years ago decades ago
I just said I'm just gonna be in church on Sunday at a minimum. I'm gonna be in church
Period
You know and when if you're seriously considering, you know being in the ministry
You know three to thrive is kind of not just a suggestion at that point
You know if you're somebody who?
Endeavors to be a preacher one day
You need to be in church every time the doors are open because you're setting an example
But this is the way, you know in which people can start to value possessions over people
Right because what's the ministry about? It's about ministering to who to other people
about preaching the gospel
And we can get too busy, you know, just making money
to win souls
And just say well, you know, I you know, and that's why we try to have a multitude of soul winning times
And that's why I I'm open, you know, I have that flexible schedule. I'm willing to go soul winning at any time with people
Because I understand people are on a tight schedule. Well, you know what we should make sure we have our priorities, right?
And make sure that we're taking care of God's business first. That should be first in our lives as Christians
Look at Luke chapter 12 verse 5. I mean, I'm not just pulling this out of thin air. This is Bible
Look at chapter 12 verse 15 and he said unto them take heed and beware of covetousness
That's what Jesus said beware of covetousness. He's preaching to his, you know, his disciples. Those are there hearing him
Then he goes into this very famous, you know parable about
You know the certain that the rich man, right?
And he spake a parable and I'm saying verse 16 a ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully
So is this guy doing anything wrong?
It's not even doing anything wrong the ground brought forth and he's a farmer. Yes. This is his business is what he does
the ground brought forth plentifully
Instead of saying he went out, you know and with committed armed robbery
You know, he wasn't lying and cheating and stealing people the ground brought forth plentifully
He's successful at what he's doing. He's doing a good job. He's good at it
And look at verse 17 and he thought within himself saying what shall I do because I have no room
Where to bestow my fruits he's saying I'm just doing so good. I don't even know where to fit at all
And he thought excuse me verse said he said this will I do I will pull down my barns and build greater
He's not satisfied how big the barn is. He's not saying well this barn is big enough
I've got enough. He's saying look I need to pull down a barn and store up even more
I will pull down my barns and build so you can see the covetousness right and build greater and there will I bestow
On my fruits and my goods and I will say to my soul and I just love the way this reads
I will say to my soul soul and I said to myself self
You know, so it's funny to me and I will say to my soul soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years
Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. Retire early. Isn't that what everyone is expounding today out there?
All these entrepreneurs. Make two million by the time you're 30 and learn how to invest and you won't have to work again
You could just go be post travel photos on Instagram or something. I don't know what people do because I don't do it
Basically whatever they're doing they're just taking their ease. They're just being merry. They're just swinging on a rope through some canyon somewhere
I don't know. It's like that guy from Virgin Mobile. He's constantly skydiving or racing boats or something. Why? Because he's got all this wealth. He just doesn't know what else to do with himself
It's kind of like this guy. Just take thine ease, be merry, eat, drink, be merry
And that sounds good to the world. And that's a worldly philosophy. Look, a lot of people out the world today if you had this philosophy would say good for you
Way to go. You've achieved something. Your success is what they'd say. You're living the dream
But what does it say in verse 20? What's God think of this? That's a good way to live your life when you're going to make decisions and do things
What does God think about this? Not what is the deacon going to think about it. Not even what's my spouse or my children, the people around me, my friends, my family
What is God going to think about the decision I'm making? That's what you ought to ask yourself. He said, thou fool, thou fool
You know, you could have just given all that excess away. Instead of pulling down your barns you could have just been rich toward me. You could have just given to the poor
And just been content with what you had. Instead of just trying to make your life about taking it easy
He said, thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee. Then who shall those things be which thou hast provided?
It goes right back to what we were saying earlier. What is the good of it? What good is there to the owners thereof saving the beholding of them with their eyes?
There's no good to it. No eternal value. So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. Now notice the wording there
He said, so is he that layeth up treasure for himself. Is there a period there? No. So God's not against people doing well. God's not against people succeeding
The problem is that when people are doing so well or want to do better that they actually sacrifice being rich toward God in its place
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. That's a form of covetousness. And that's what this parable is about, isn't it?
He said at the beginning, take heed and beware of covetousness. Now let me just tell you a parable that's completely unrelated to covetousness. No, the two are related
So, you know, it's not that his success was sinful, you know, because some people get that attitude anytime you see anybody doing well for themselves that they must be in sin
You know, like business is this dirty word. Profit is a dirty word. You know, you're just a one percenter, you know, like far from it
You know, but when you actually if you want to compare any all of us to people throughout history, we're all one percenters
We're all living pretty high on the hog compared to people just, you know, a hundred years ago
But look, his success was not what was sinful, is it? It's his obsession with it
It's his obsession with just doing more, getting more, taking his ease, just getting more stuff. It's covetousness
You know, and here's the thing, you know, again, God is not against people being successful and going out and earning a good living
Just not at the expense of being rich toward God
And, you know, and I know several people who are very successful
Successful business owners. They own a business that's thriving
I mean, they've got multiple employees, they're employing several people, they've got multiple trucks on the road
I mean, they've worked themselves out of a job and now they're in the office, the AC, they're no longer in the field
You know, and they've got obviously different responsibilities, different things come with that
You know, but they're, you know, they've worked themselves, they've worked very diligently and very hard to get to a place where they have succeeded in the business world
And you know what's funny is about the people that I know personally, and I know this is anecdotal
But the people that I know that are the most successful are people that are still rich toward God
They're still faithful to church, they're still faithful to the Lord, they're still raising their family for God, they're still soul winners
You know, the most successful people that I know are actually the people that put God first
It's like sometimes we take God out of the equation and say it's either I'm going to be successful or I'm going to be right with God
It's like, you know, if you're right with God you can still be successful because God will bless you
God will see the sacrifice that you made, God will see how you put him first and bless you for it
Go to Deuteronomy chapter 8, I mean, I know I'm going to take a minute, but this is a really important lesson out of 1 Kings 20 about covetousness
You know, and we don't want to turn into an Ahab, you know, on a spiritual level
Where we're saying, yeah, you know what, go ahead and take the souls I would have won, go ahead and take the riches that I would have won in heaven
You can have them all just leaving my things, just leaving my golf clubs and my boat, you know, or whatever
Just leaving my things and you can have the souls, you can have the eternal riches, I don't care
You know, well you'll care real quick in heaven
That'll all change, the two seconds to look in Jesus' face, that's all going to change, that whole attitude is going to go right out the window
Guaranteed
Deuteronomy chapter 8, look at verse 10
This is when God's warning them about going into the promised land, because he knows when they get there, I mean they're just going to walk in
And they're going to be in houses that are already built, they're going to eat from vineyards that are already planted
He says, and when thou hast eaten, verse 10, and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he giveth thee
He's saying, look, when you go there, and you're enjoying all the things that I've given you, the blessing that I've just laid upon you, then you're going to bless me
You know, this is really what he's emphasizing in this passage
And he's saying, then you're going to bless me, and don't forget to do it
Because God's the one that can bless us, that's why we should put God first
I mean, what did the children of Israel do to inherit the promised land, they just followed God
No, they raised up an army, they fashioned weapons, they trained and delivered themselves from the Egyptians
Then they got to the Red Sea, and they figured out how to part the waters on their own, they built a series of dams or whatever
They built a ferry, no, God did all that, miraculously, they were going to be destroyed in Egypt
God delivers them, and all they did was just follow God, just do what God said
And they wander in the wilderness, and I know there's a whole lot more to that story
But then they get to Jordan, he's like, look, I'll split the river again, you're going to just walk in
I mean, look at the first city in Jericho, what did they do to defeat Jericho?
The walls, just marched around it for seven days
Blew a trumpet, and just slew everybody
And they just went on and conquered the promised land, God's just working miracles
And God's what? What is that? It's God blessing them
You know, that's what God can do for us today
You know, God can bless every aspect of our life
If we'll put him first
And here's the thing, when God does that, you better make sure that you bless him
Because human nature, human tendency is when things start going really good, God just kind of ends up over here
And we're just like, oh man, look at this, we're just so enjoying how good life is
You know, what we should be doing when things are going good is be running scared
It's like, I don't want the bubble to burst
This is so good, I don't want to ruin this
God, you know, let me get down on my knees and thank you for blessing me
Help me to please you, to put you first and do those things that are important to you
Because I want this to keep going
Because this is what God's warning them in Deuteronomy 8, he said, look, if you forget about me
After I've blessed you, it's not going to go well
It's not that God's just going to throw his hands up and go, oh well
You know, I guess they forgot about me
God's going to be like, oh, I'll remind you
I'll remind you who it is you're supposed to be thanking for all these blessings
He says in verse 11, beware
There's that word again, beware
Did we just read that in Luke 11?
Beware
Take heed, right, beware of covetousness
Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God
In keeping his commandments and his judgments and his statutes which I command thee this day
Lest when thou, and he's saying, you know, that's obviously in general
But noticing, he's saying beware about this specifically, verse 12
When thou hast eaten and art full
He's saying, don't forget about me
When you got that, when you got that full belly
You know, you're sitting back picking your teeth
And thinking about how good that last meal was
He said, that's the time to thank me
And everything's going well
And hast built goodly house and dwelt therein
And when thy hearns and thy flocks multiply
And thy silver and thy gold is multiplied
So is there anything wrong with these things multiplying?
No
And there's just, there's so many characters in the Bible that we could turn to tonight
That were wealthy men
That were godly men
Abraham, I mean Joseph was the most power, second powerful man in all the world at one point
I mean, the list just goes on, okay?
And he's saying, look, when your herds and thy flocks multiply
Thy silver and gold is multiplied
And all that thou hast is multiplied
Then thy heart be lifted up
And thou forget the Lord thy God
This is, you know, God's just putting, is God just putting that in the Bible for just the children of Israel?
Well that was just for them back then
Yeah, but they're just like me and you
And this is something that is in human nature
And always has been and always will be a part of human nature
That when things start to go well for us
That's when we tend to forget about God
I mean we all remember God real quick when we get sick
We have some tragedy
When things aren't, we're all real quick to get down on our knees and say, God help me
You know, and praise God he helps us
You know, God's always there in our time of trouble
We can find, we can go boldly before the throne to find mercy and help in time of need
We can go before that throne of grace
You know, it might be good to just be found at that throne before things go bad
Well what are you doing at the throne today? Oh, I'm just here to thank you
I'm just here to bless you God, just here to say thanks for the health that I have today
Thank you for the job that I have, the family that I have, the dwelling that I have, the church that I have, the Bible that I have
The opportunity to go out and earn eternal rewards and win souls and save people from hell
Thank you for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and his power
We could be found at the throne of grace just doing that
And God's going, was anything wrong? Because typically I don't see you until something goes terribly wrong
Do you need something? Nope, just here to praise you
There'd be nothing wrong with that, in fact that would be the smart thing to do
That's what God's saying here
He's saying you're filled and everything multiplies and your heart's lifted up and now forget the Lord thy God
which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt and from the house of bondage
We ought to think about the God that we're forgetting, it's the God that saved us
You know if God never gave us another blessing ever, like let's say just God saved us and then just from there on out life was just one long struggle
Just one long heartache where it just seemed like God wasn't blessing us all and look God will bless us
But even if he didn't, he still saved us from hell
I mean isn't that enough to get us down on our knees and thank God every single day?
That he delivered us from Egypt and from the house of bondage?
Look at verse 17, and now say in thine heart, my power and might of mine hand hath got me this well
He's saying you're going to go in there and start thinking you did this
And look, he did say you're going to build houses, you're going to work your flocks, it's all going to be blessed, it's going to multiply
Obviously you did have a part in it, but look it wasn't your power that did it
You start to say in your heart well my power, the might of mine hand had got me this wealth
He says in verse 13, but thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth the power to get wealth
There's nothing wrong with the wealth, it's just that when we start to forget God
And just think well I did all this, God can just take a back seat, I'll get to him later
And the real irony is that God's the one that gives us power to get wealth
And it's like if you want to be successful, put God first
You know if you put God first you don't have to be living in the poor house
God will actually bless you, God will actually give you wisdom, knowledge, understanding, power to get wealth
Because that's what he says, it is he that giveth the power to get wealth
That he may establish his covenant with which he swore unto thy fathers as it is this day
And it shall be if thou do it all forget the Lord thy God
You'll still be wealthy and God will just sit in heaven and suck his thumb
And boo hoo about it, no it's actually going to make God mad
I mean wouldn't it make you mad?
God looks at us like I took you out of Egypt, I saved you out of the house of modernity, I did miracles in front of you
I walked you into the promised land and laid it at your feet
Then I blessed you and now you're going to forget me and there's not going to be any gratitude here
You're not going to serve me, you're not going to do anything for me, you're just going to completely ignore God
He's not just going to roll over on that folks
And this is why it's important to preach this and people get this through their heads
Because if people want to forget God and forget church and their Bible reading and soul winning
And just make it all about money and wealth and everything else
We'll be fine, we'll keep the lights on, we'll keep the air flowing, I'll keep preaching
It's you that's going to suffer, it's the person that does that that's going to go out there and have the wrath of God on them
That's what he says here, and it shall be, if thou should all forget the Lord thy God and walk after other gods and serve them and worship them
I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish
He's saying I'm just going to judge you
And it's so ironic
They want to be blessed, they want to have a good life, it's like God will give that to you
Well no, no, I've got to get that another way, and then it's like okay, well now God's just going to make it worse instead
So don't forget God when you do well, is the moral of that lesson, that story
You want to go back to 1 Kings chapter 20
Don't forget God when you do well
And look, God's not against people doing well and getting wealth and making money
What he's against is them thinking that it's their power that gets them there
And where they're just going to forget God and ignore him and not serve him
Look, the Bible says in Ecclesiastes, every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth and have given him power to eat thereof and to take his portion and to rejoice in his labor, this is the gift of God
The Bible says it's the gift of God for you to get wealth and to eat thereof and to take his portion
You know it's God that God wants us to succeed
I'm not saying, I don't want to be misconstrued as one of these name it claim it types, these prosperity preachers
You just got to send a check for a thousand and you get ten thousand back, it don't work like that
Look, God's going to give you power to eat thereof and to take his portion
God will always give us what we need and to rejoice in his labor, this is the gift of God
You'll do even better when you serve God, that's the irony
So that's kind of Ahab's covetousness right? The kings of covetousness, Ahab's was that he valued possessions over people
And very quickly I'll end by looking at Ben-Hadad's covetousness
And this is another thing that we need to take heed to because with Ben-Hadad what we see in his covetousness, the pitfall there is that covetousness can make you overconfident
Because look, if we're going to be people who just make all our life just about making money, we can do that, people do it all the time
Especially in America, I mean the land of opportunity right? We can go out there and work our fingers to the bone and we can get it
But the pitfall there is that that can make us overconfident, that's what we see with Ben-Hadad, verse 9
And he said unto the messengers of Ben-Hadad, Tell my lord the king all that thou didst send of thy servants that the first I will do but this thing I may not do
And the messengers departed and brought him word again, so they go back to Ben-Hadad and they tell them
And Ben-Hadad said unto him and said, The gods do so to me and more also if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me
So Ben-Hadad wasn't just some bum off the street, this guy's a very powerful person, he's already achieved a lot, he's just conquering people
And Samaria is going to be another notch on his belt
And it came to pass when Ben-Hadad heard this message he was drinking, and we're going to see in a minute that he was actually drinking himself drunk
So what's he doing? He's doing exactly what we saw in Luke, he's taking his ease, he's achieved a lot, he's done a lot
And now because he has all this success, he's very confident, in fact he's over confident, and he's forgotten this big factor called God in his life
And he heard the message, he was drinking, and he and the kings and the pavilions, all those other kings that he was ruling over, they're all hanging out and having a big party in the pavilions
He's not out there worrying about what Samaria's going to do, what Ahab's going to do, you know they don't have the map out with all the little army men on it
Like okay we're going to take them on this front boys, they're just sitting back like it's just another day, it's just another day to be in Ben-Hadad, I've got it all made, I'm taking my ease, nobody's going to stop me, I'm so successful
And he hears this, and he said to his servants, set yourselves in a ray, and set themselves in a ray against the city, and behold there came out a prophet on Ahab king of Israel saying, thus saith the Lord, hast thou seen this great multitude, behold I will deliver it into thine hand, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord
And Ahab said, by whom? And he said, thus saith the Lord, even by the young men and the princes of the provinces, and he said, who shall order the battle? And he said, thou
Verse 15, then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty and two, so it's not this big crowd
And after them he numbered all the people and even all the children of Israel being seven thousand
And they went out at noon, now notice again, now this is the next day, Ben-Hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, I mean this is just what this guy does at this point in his life, why? Because he's just so successful
Because he's made it, and he's forgetting about God, and he's overconfident, and this is what covetousness can do, it can lead us to a place where, you know, where we actually achieve what it is that we've wanted
And now we're just incredibly overconfident, and we forget about God, and there's dire consequences that come with that
He and the kings, thirty and two kings that helped him, and the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first, and Ben-Hadad set out and told them, saying, there are men coming out of Samaria
And notice his response, he said, hey, these guys are coming to fight, he doesn't throw his cup down and get his arm around, and say, what? Alright, let's get these guys together, let's go fight
And he's just like, it's just like, they might as well come and told him just like, anything
You know, they could have just given the most, it seems like just the most mundane, just any bit of news, because why? Because he's just been so successful at this, he's just achieved so much
Like, oh yeah, I've been through this before
And I love his response, he said, whether they come out for peace, take them alive
Now, every time I'm reading that, I'm thinking, what's harder? To defeat a guy in battle, or disarm him and take him alive?
I'm kind of like, can't we just kill the guy? To me, it seems like that would be a lot easier than to try to like, subdue a grown man
He's saying, no, take them alive, or whether they come out for war, take them alive
Look, if they're coming peaceably, take them alive, but you know what, if they're coming to fight, I want you to take them alive anyway
Why? Because he's covetous, because I just want to add them to my numbers, I just want to make them, you know, subservient to me
Because the eyes of man are not satisfied with seeing, the ear is not filled with hearing
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, the Bible says
I want more servants, he's overconfident, he's just telling other people, oh, just go do it, it shouldn't be no problem
But, what happened? So the young men of the princes, verse 19 of the provinces, came out of the city, and the army which followed them, and they slew every oneness man
And the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them, and Ben-Hadad the king of Assyria escaped on a horse with the horsemen
I mean, he's driving drunk at this point
Verse 21, and the king of Israel went out and smelt the horses and chariots and slew the Syrians and the great soldiers
So did it turn out the way Ben-Hadad was hoping? No
I mean, that's not what he was thinking when he was pouring the next glass of whatever
Just another day in the office
I'm so successful, you know, I'm just going to get more
Go to 1 Timothy chapter 6, I know we know this passage
I know we know it, I know we've heard it, I know we've read it
But we need to take heed and beware of covetousness in our lives
Because it's a part of human nature and it will creep up on the best of us
You know, the Bible says, I'll begin reading verse 6, that godliness with contentment is great gain
I want to get great gain, learn to be content with what you have
Well I don't have enough, you've got a whole lot more than somebody else, I guarantee it
People in America don't have the slightest clue what it means to be poor
Not even close
I'm sure you could find the exception to the rule, but you're going to sit there
You know, people that are so-called below the poverty line
Are doing a whole lot better than the vast majority of a lot of people
Godliness with contentment is great gain
I'd rather have less and be right with God than have more and not be right with God
Why? Verse 7, if we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out
And that's what Ahab should have gotten through his head, you're not taking any of this stuff with you
And look, here's the thing, you're going to go out of this world
And if we were the heathen, if we just believed that there was no God, that there was no afterlife
Then you know what, truly, let us eat, drink, and be married, for tomorrow we die
That would make sense
That's not what we believe, that's not what the Bible teaches
As Christians we believe that we're going to go out of this world into another one
That there is a literal afterlife called heaven with Christ and the saints
Where we're going to rule and reign, we're going to be rewarded for our labors here
There's only one thing that you're carrying out of this world, it's the things that you've done for Christ, that's it
All the things, the stuff, the money, the wealth, the pleasures, the leisure time, all that, it's all staying here, it's not going there
One thing is going with you, what you did for Christ, that's it
And that's more than you came in with, by the way
You brought nothing into it and you're carrying nothing out
And then he repeats himself
And having food and raiment, let us be there with content
He starts out saying, look, be content, it's great gain if you're godly, if you have the right perspective about life and eternity
And look, be content, because you're carrying nothing out anyway
But notice verse 9, and they that will be rich
So again, it's not the problem that people are rich, it's those that just, they have to be rich, they will be rich, they want to be rich
They want to just make it
They want to be a success in the world, they that will be rich
And they want to have more possessions and more things
To the point where they're even willing to, you know, put the things of god off to get them
What do they end up doing anyway? They fall into temptation and a snare
You know, riches for people can become a snare
What's a snare? It's a trap
You know, and it's laid by somebody
Typically, snares don't lay themselves, it's the hunter that lays the snare
You know, and we can apply that spiritually
You know, the devil lays snares for us, even God's children
You know what one of those snares can be? Riches, wealth, abundance
He can lay that snare
And you know what, you'll still go to heaven, but you know what, in life it's going to be this
Oh, I can't move, yeah, because the devil's got you right where he wants you
Because you're snared
You know, and that's not the worst of it
It goes on and says, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition
Destroys people
Getting money sometimes can be the worst thing for people
In fact, most people can't handle it
You know, I'm convinced that's why I've never made it
Because God's just like, you wouldn't know what to do
It would destroy you
I don't know if that's the reason
Maybe I just don't know how to handle money
But you know what, I'd rather be guilty of that than guilty of just chasing after money and then end up just destroying myself with it
And I've just seen so many examples of that in my life
Personally and just casually and just running into people who just have money just given to them
They just come into some money
They didn't work for it
And they just blow it on the most frivolous, stupid things
And they just, you know, want to live a party lifestyle
And you know, they'll take none of it with them
And in fact, in the meantime, it's going to end up destroying them
Because you know, it's going to open up a lot of doors into what?
Foolish and hurtful lusts
Verse 10, and look, I get it
We all know this verse
But we need to let it sink in
And look, I get it
We all know this verse
But we need to let it sink down into our ears
The love of money is the root of all evil
And all the evil in our own life
We love to apply that to all the evil people out there
Oh, I just love money
Yeah, but we can be just as guilty of that
You know, we can get into evil
The evil of not putting God first
Not serving God
Being covetousness for the love of money
It's the root of all evil
In our lives and in the lives of others
The love of money is the root of all evil
Which while some covet after they have what?
Eared from the faith
I mean covetousness, money has a way of just taking people right out of the faith
Just getting them right out of serving God
And piercing themselves through many sorrows
I'll finish here, verse 17
Charge them that are rich
Why are you preaching on covetousness?
You know, didn't you just preach on this?
No, I'm just going to preach a chapter
But two, Paul was talking to a preacher in 1 Timothy
And he, you know, closing out this first epistle to him by saying
Look, charge them that are rich
He's saying you better lay this on them, Timothy
You tell the people there that this is what they need to hear
Charge them that are rich in this world
That they be not high minded nor trust in uncertain riches
It could all be gone tomorrow
Everyone's sitting back looking at their, you know, their house
Going, man, my house is worth so much now
It could all change tomorrow
They could crash that whole system
And go, oh, I've got $100,000 in equity
You could be upside down tomorrow
It's uncertain
Why would I trust in that?
Can't take it with me anyway
Don't trust in uncertain riches
But in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy
You know, I'm not rolling in it
I'm not, uh, I'm not, you know, Scrooge McDuck, you know, doing backstrokes in my pile of gold
Probably no one knows what I'm talking about
From DuckTales, eh, okay
I'm not, like, putting coins in my mouth
And, like, spitting them out
Just, oh, I'm just rolling in all this money
But you know what?
I'm enjoying a lot of things that God has blessed me with
Because there's more to life than possessions
I'm enjoying my wife
I'm enjoying my children
And you know what?
I'm enjoying what God has given me
I'm enjoying the clean air
I'm enjoying so many things every day
And God, and it's like, well, how did I get that?
God just gave it to me
Richly
And gave me all these things to enjoy
He wants me to enjoy it
But you know what?
He just wants me to make sure that I put him first
And serve him
And thank him
And bless him
So that he can bless me even more
Verse 18, what?
That they do good
That they be rich in good works
Ready to distribute
Willing to communicate
Laying up in store for themselves
A good foundation
Against the time to come
You know, Jesus said to lay up your treasures
In heaven
Where moth or rust doth not corrupt
And where thieves do not break forth
Through nor steal
For where your treasure is
There will your heart be also
What's important to people
Just look what is a priority to them
You know, they just tell us through
You just tell everyone through your actions
What's important to me
Serving God or serving mammon
You don't have to wonder about it
You know, what we should be doing
Is laying up in store for ourselves
A good foundation against the time to come
Laying up those riches
That they may lay hold on eternal life
He's not saying so you can burn your way into heaven
He's not saying, excuse me
Laying hold on eternal life
What I believe he's saying about that
Is like, you need to get a grip
On the spiritual reality
That we're all in
You need to get a grip on eternal life
Like, understand the reality of heaven
What the bible teaches about it
Lay hold on eternal life
Make that your priority
Understand that you came in with nothing
You're leaving with nothing
The only thing that's going to be there waiting for you
Is whatever treasure you sent on before
They're serving God
That's how you do it
You know, the bible says in Proverbs, and I'll close
Labor not to be rich
Cease from thine own wisdom
Look, the world would say
No, it makes a lot of sense to get wealth
To lay up, to have more than you need
But we would say, yeah, that makes perfect sense
The bible says, cease from your own wisdom
Stop thinking that's what it's about
Because it's not
Lay hold on eternal life
Cease from your own wisdom
Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not
What do you mean it's not?
It's right there
Look, I could pull out the statement and show you
Look, it's right there, it's not
It's all going to be gone
You're not going to carry it with you
Will you without lay the eyes on that which is not
For rich is what?
Certainly make themselves wings
Like an eagle toward heaven
I mean, that rings true with me
You know, the more bills I have, the more children I have
It's just like my hands, you know, the money just kind of comes in
I just feel like I'm a funnel
Like, okay, a little over here, a little over there
A little over here
And look, we got to get the money to pay the bills
I get that
But at some point we just have to say
I have what I need
Let me just be content and serve God
And put him first
You know, that's the irony
Is that God will see that and go, oh, I'll bless you for that
I'll bless you for that
But it's when we develop this attitude of, well, you know, I just got to
I got to put God off
Put my nose to the grindstone
God's actually going to work against us
To try and get this through our head
That those things that we're thinking so
They're already not
We're not taking anything with us
We need to just, you know
Labor for the true riches
Not trust in certain riches
So, I mean, really, you know, that's the formula for success
You want a formula for success?
Work hard
Do what you got to do
But serve God
Don't work hard, you know
Don't do that at expense of serving God
Do both
You know, in the meantime, you can just enjoy his blessings
And enjoy his blessings
Enjoy the fruit of your labor
God has given us, richly, all things to enjoy
You know, laboring is the gift of God
Getting the money to pay the bills
And get what we need
That's all the gift of God
And God will bless us
Enjoy his blessings
You know what, not just here on earth
I mean, this is how good God is
I hope we can understand that
God, I think we just
We're never going to be able to fathom how good
God really is
I mean, he saves us
And he wants to bless us
He's going to guide us through life
And help us to live a godly life
That's pleasing to him
That he's going to bless along the way
I'm not saying we're never going to have problems
Or trials or hardships
But we can serve him
And then on top of all that, we'll get to heaven
And be like, well, let me reward you for everything that you did
And, I mean, I'm telling you
The smallest reward in heaven
Is going to be so much better than anything
Any of us could have here on earth
I mean, just those words alone from Jesus
I'm not saying I'm not a good and faithful servant
That's a reward in and of itself
Just know that I got there
That I don't have to, you know, hold
Put my head down in shame
In Christ
And I see him
That I can actually look forward to hearing those words
Well done
That's how good God is
He could have stopped at salvation
And just said, well, that's enough
I took you out of Egypt, Israel
I got you out of the house of bondage
You figure it out from here
No, he split it
And then he, you know
He could have stopped there
Well, I got you this far
No, you take it from there
No, I'll help you defeat all the Canaanites and take over the land
And then when you get there
You know, it's going to be a land that flows with milk and honey
You're going to multiply
You're going to do very well for yourself
In fact, you're going to succeed
Just don't forget me
That's all he's saying
You know, and that's all
That was all the far greater reward
That's all he's saying
So that's, you know, that's the formula right there
Just work hard
Serve God
And you'll enjoy his blessings along the way
Let's go ahead and pray
Dear Lord, again, thank you for the many blessings that you give us every day
Lord, through your spirit
And Lord, just through so many ways
We can't even begin to count them back to you, Lord
And Lord, we just pray that you'd help us to be people that put you first in our lives
That we would make serving you a priority
And that we would let you bless us for doing so
We ask these things in Christ's name, Amen
Alright, we'll go ahead and sing one more song
Let's go ahead and sing one more song
One more song
I want them out here.
Where the love cannot ignore.
Where the grace of us will come.
I want them out here.
Oh, God, can that one who has lived in me.
Then every dream of the stress that only we can see.
It may be now to make people see.
I come from around the world.
Yes, I know what those who fear.
I want them out here.
It belongs to me.
I want them out here.
Where the love cannot ignore.
Where the grace of us will come.
I want them out here.
Oh, God, can that one who has lived in me.
Where the grace of us will come.
I want them out here.