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you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you the announcement so I'm gonna turn the service back over to brother Will who can lead us in our next song tell me the story you you you you you you you it's matthew chapter 13 matthew 13 the bible reads matthew 13 matthew 13 matthew 13 matthew 13 matthew 13 matthew 13 matthew 13 matthew 13 matthew 13 matthew 13 matthew 13 matthew 13 matthew 13 matthew 13 matthew 13 matthew 13 matthew 13 matthew 13 stop reading their bible and kind of stop everything spiritual in their life because they are deceived by riches by the pursuit of money mammon is also another word that the bible uses for money it's all throughout scripture so the parable of the sower talks about you know the seed is the word of god and the sower's out sowing the word of god spreading the gospel basically and everyone that receives the word they accept it they receive it gets saved okay but some people are in have more fertile ground than others as far as once they receive the word once they get saved some people and we know this and we see this okay as a result of after we go out sowing we talk to people we lead people to christ okay and i don't care what anyone says i know we're leading people to christ some people say well if they're not coming to church right away if they're not just plugged into your church and they're you know where are they you know look getting saved is easy and the reason why i know people are getting saved is because we don't just do a real sloppy job of trying to explain the gospel we invest time as much time as is necessary we ask questions we talk to them we engage people we try to discern whether or not they're even paying attention if they even care or if they're engaged in the conversations and the people who care and want to talk to us we ask different ways of trying to find out where their heart is what are they truly believing in they say they believe in jesus but are they really just trusting in their own works and their own good merits we do a really good job the best job that i could think that we can do any way that we can improve it i'm open for suggestions i'm always trying to improve our soul and believe me but look when we go through the gospel with people there i'm sure there's some people that we think get saved that didn't get saved don't know who they are but i'm sure it happens but i also know and i'm even more sure that there's definitely a lot of those people that we say are getting saved are actually saved they do get saved and i know this is true because i've even gone back and i've talked to people that have gotten saved as a result of our soul winning efforts and they still believe the same thing they're not just like because the people who don't get it this is one of the ways you know when people don't get it you go back and ask them later and they just totally give you like a works answer or something else right those are the people that didn't it might not have sunk in and they didn't quite understand it maybe they answered you right at the end of your conversation because you were teaching them and showing them the right answers but they didn't actually receive it and that's why they go back to believing in whatever it was before that happens okay i get it but we're definitely leading people to Christ but here's what happened is that not everybody comes to church and the reason why is because people are in different points in their life and some people don't even have the character to come to church they're saved because Jesus saved them because they recognize that they needed a savior and they put their trust in Christ but that's it they never went to church before and they might never go to church in the future I don't know hopefully they do hopefully God's working on their heart hopefully you know now that they'll be able to turn around later and end up coming but hey it happens but I even say all that because some people will tell you that there's only one person that gets saved in this parable of the sower which is the person who you know the good ground where they receive the word and they start bringing forth fruit some 30 some 60 and some 100 fold now that's the best ideal situation when someone gets saved and everything's going really well and there's fertile ground and they get plugged in and they get rooted down and they start growing up and they start bringing forth fruit and all this other stuff right and living more of an ideal Christian life experience thereof from salvation to bringing forth fruit but these other ways in which people become a child of God there's a new life there there's a new creature which all of them they're not weeds that are popping up from the seed that's sown from the word of God they're not weeds they're not tares these the plant is the same plant it's not a bad plant in this parable that like oh he's sowing seed but then some of these weeds are the result of the person no the weeds are the ones choking the good plant choking the good life the good fruit bearing plant that's that was planted but the the life itself was not the weed it's not the tare right so clearly this parable is talking about people who receive the word of God because it's all you got to do receive the word believe it right and you get saved so verse 22 this is the explanation of receiving the seed among the thorns it says he also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word and he becometh unfruitful and you know what it says he becometh unfruitful it means he was fruitful before so this is a seed that it's sown among thorns the seed isn't bringing forth the thorns he's sown among thorns so in the midst of his life there's these other thorns or these other distractions these other things that are trying to fight for his time that are trying to keep him from doing what's right and just growing and flourishing there's these other weeds that if you don't pull the weeds out of your life can bring you down and end up choking out your good ground that you need to flourish right if you know you go take one look at my house and we have weeds all over the place right so the good plants that we have out front in our in our yard we have you wouldn't know it but we have flowers and we have some other things we have some tomato plants and all this other stuff but unfortunately we have a lot of weeds and the weeds you know they just infest and try to smother the good fruit producing plants that we have and often time it really limits the yield on anything that's fruit producing because they choke out the good plant because they're fighting to just get all the attention right all the sun all the resources everything the weed will go in and attack the good stuff that's why this is you know these things are being used this example this parable is being used to describe that because this is what happens to a believer that they can be fruitful they can be doing what's right but then the weeds the thorns start attacking and the thorns here it's the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches that choke out that good plant to make it become unfruitful still a good plant if it were to become fruitful and produce good fruit but nothing's being produced why? because they let the weeds impact their life and the weeds are the deceitfulness and what I'm preaching tonight is the deceitfulness of riches right the riches why are riches deceitful? because everybody will tell you like oh if you just had a little bit more money your life would be a lot better that is what's being sold and that's what creeps into our minds all the time all the time I'm 47 years old today and I'll tell you what that thought has been in my mind a lot over the decades working a job oh man if I just had a little bit more money oh man if we just had a little bit more money and then you get a little bit more money and then you know what it's if we just had a little bit more money oh but then this other thing happened and there's this other debt so if I just had a little bit more money then everything would be good and then it's like you get more money and then there's another debt another problem it's just like good night you know what you gotta stop doing is looking for the more money just just throw your heads up and be like okay you know I'm just gonna work and I'm gonna provide for my family but I'm not gonna get caught up in wrapped up in how do I make sure I could just keep making more money that's the deceitfulness because the deceitfulness is no matter how much you make it's never gonna be enough when you set your heart on those things it's never enough turn if you would to 1 Timothy chapter 6 and while you're turning there and we're gonna spend a lot of time in Proverbs but I'm gonna read this one Proverb for you while you're turning to 1 Timothy 6 this Proverb is found in Proverbs 15 verse 27 if you're taking notes Proverbs 15, 27 says this he that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house so if you're greedy of gain of that increase of money if you're looking to just get more and more and more money you trouble your own house you say no I'm trying to provide for my house I'm not gonna no you're gonna trouble your own house now there's a difference it's not money that's the problem it's the love of money that's the problem it's the setting your affection on the money it's the greed that's the problem there have been men in the Bible that God has blessed with financial resources or whatever right that have just been had abundance had gain had things in this world but we're still godly people so it's not a matter of having a blessing or having something good that all of a sudden is inherently bad it's the affection that you set on that money it's the love of that money it's the desire for that that is the problem that is the big gaping hole that is gonna be what causes problems in your household that is what's going to he is greedy of gain troubleth his own house but he that hateth gifts shall live first timothy chapter six notice the wording and how similar it is in verse number six proverbs 15 27 he that is greedy of gain trouble his own house first timothy six six says but godliness with contentment is great gain the real gain is that of being content and being godly that's where our heart should be is focused on the godliness and whatever it is that you have wherever you're at in life being content and honestly it may the less you have the harder it may be to be content I don't know but I've noticed that it kind of doesn't matter people can have tons of money and still not be content it's a choice that you can make on contentment and I'll tell you what man this is if you want if you are not content with your house with the money with the things with with whatever you possess if you're not content you are gonna be miserable until you learn contentment you're gonna be miserable it's gonna cause fights it's gonna cause problems you're gonna just not be very joyful and not be very happy if you're just never content with what you have because there's if that's your attitude nothing will make you content you'll get more and it's not gonna satisfy you'll get more and more and you know what you're gonna spend your time focusing on how can we get more and what else can I do and that will end up being your focus and you know what it's gonna be not gratifying at all you know what is gratifying? Living godly living a righteous life you know what is gratifying? Helping others you know what helping others is? A sacrifice it's a self sacrifice to you you can't go out and be getting gain when you're out working and trying to help other people you just can't do both you can't do it all you have to spend your time doing something now look I know we have to provide for our household we do have to live right we have to survive god knows this but here's the thing where is your heart set on is it set on the gain and being greedy of that money and being covetous towards it or is it just saying hey you know what I'm gonna work cause I gotta work but I'm only gonna do what I need to do and I'm gonna focus the rest of my efforts and my time on being godly godliness with contentment is great gain for we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out right you can't take anything that you accumulate here on the earth with you when you die that's it man I don't care how much stuff they put in your coffin you're not there anymore that's still just going in the ground or going in the oven or whatever they do with your body and your stuff that's gone not yours anymore and having food and raiment let us be there with content you know what I love about this passage is it tells you the level at which you ought to be content and you know what that level is it's already met by everybody sitting in this room today I can see raiment on everybody's body today you all have clothing and probably half of you I saw you eating food this afternoon so I'm pretty sure everybody here has food and even who we consider to be the poor people in our country and I know not every country is the same but in our country the poor people have food and raiment because look does this say you'll have a home no so what the Bible is teaching is that you need to be satisfied even if you're homeless if you have food and clothing that's the level of contentment you need to be able to possess that's that's hard for us spoiled brats here in America that have had everything it is I'm not I'm not lying to you we know this but this is why it's such an important topic and we need to get our minds right and I'm going to be going through tons of scripture on this because it matters and because of how dangerous it is the deceitfulness of riches is very dangerous and our own contentment look if there's anything I've learned over my years it's one of the keys to peace and happiness is being content so what if your stuff is broken and ruined and whatever it's just stuff it's just stuff it can be frustrating and annoying I get it I was talking to brother Jess about things going on in his house I've had that stuff too but you know what at the end of the day though praise God that you got a house praise God that you got things I'm not picking on brother Jess he wasn't complaining or anything it's just talking about things that are going on in the world and I'm not saying he's not content it's just look these things happen though and they're distractions and you know we can get the wrong mindset about it when we got to go back and be like okay you know what I'm still okay with this right whatever it is whatever the challenge is whatever the loss is okay Job exhibited the mindset that we need to have as the best example I think in scripture of someone who had everything and lost everything and literally was reduced to pretty much food and raiment he didn't even have his health family gone wife abandoned him at least in her mind she wasn't supporting him problems with his health friends are accusing him and what did he say? the Lord has given and the Lord has taken away the name of the Lord and said you know what I'm okay with this I'm going to have to be okay with this I don't know why all this stuff is happening we had a problem trying to figure that one out but okay if this is where God sees fit for me to be then this is where I'm going to be and I'll be content with that and whatever and when you think about it and consider it like the Bible says here we brought nothing into this world you didn't come with anything of your own so how did you get anything in this world? how does anyone get anything in this world? yeah you may have to work a little bit but you know what who gave you the breath who gave you the mind who gave you the capacity to do anything in this world? God did God has provided all of the opportunity for you to do anything in this world God gets the credit for that obviously there is you have an impact on utilizing the resources that God has provided to you but the resources came from him where you were born all this stuff it's you know you have to be able to attribute your opportunity to the Lord having food and rain let's be there with content but they that will be rich that doesn't mean who are going to be rich that is who wants to be rich their will is to be rich they that will be rich fall fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts you fall into a trap when you want to be rich that desire in your heart is I want to be rich you fall into a trap and into many foolish and hurtful lusts your fleshly lusts your desires increase from the love of money to other forms of gratification self gratification on the lusts of your flesh they increase people who are really greedy or covetous you'll find that they end up doing many other things to gratify or satisfy their flesh and some of the richest people that just still never have enough are like that it says which drown men in destruction and perdition for the love of money is the root of all evil this is another reason we read the King James Bible because that's what it says it's not a root of many types of evil it's the root of all evil the love of money is the root of all evil it's translated correctly here that's what it means that's what it says which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows look this sermon is designed for you not to get pierced through with many sorrows it's a warning it's hey take this to heart because being covetous being greedy is going to destroy you you may think how in the world if I just want to be a little rich it doesn't matter if you understand it the warning couldn't be clearer don't play around with it and you know what is a good idea to not play around with this desire to just want to be rich is to not watch all of the things that are available to watch that would cause you to be covetous over other people's stuff they're all those shows are out there the cribs the what I mean that's an older show I think but there's I know the stuff is out there I know that they go and they highlight all the different fancy places and fancy foods and fancy this and fancy that all the stuff that's super expensive and you go look at it like oh man that would be nice and just doing that and looking at that and coveting what they're showing you is sinful it's a sin that's covetousness now look we're all guilty of that from time to time but we want to limit our exposure and limit our opportunity to be covetous over things because when you start being covetous it can grow and it will grow and you're never going to be satisfied you don't want to allow any covetousness to take root inside of you whether it's being covetous over food covetous over other possessions covetous over other people their spouses their families whatever you can be covetous over so many different types of things things that are not yours they belong to someone else and you're just looking on those things with desire and you want them and you can't have them that's covetousness that's why I don't like window shopping for stuff that I can't afford because what's the point why do I want to go look at the you know the brand new boats look I've done it before I've done it I'm not saying like I've never done any of these things before I've done it but you got to stop and think and be like why do I want to just put all this stuff in front of my face I can't afford that why should I even mess around with setting my eyes on these things because you know what that's gonna do is say oh I can't afford it now but you know what I'm gonna work real hard and I'm gonna put all my efforts towards getting this thing and that's where it starts to become problematic that's where you start to become unfruitful that's where the deceitfulness of riches is gonna choke out your spirituality and your spiritual life because it creeps in if I just go like well if I just work an extra 20 hours a week now all of a sudden that boat or that toy or that thing or whatever can be mine well guess what that's gonna come at a cost because the time that you're spending now to get those riches to acquire that thing what else would you have been doing with that time what are you sacrificing and over and over again we see people in scripture sacrificing the things of God for their own contentment for their own safety their own security right the children of Israel what do they do when they don't seek the Lord and someone threatens them oh let's go hire some other heathen country to defend us and where do they get the money from oh let's just take it out of the house of the Lord well yeah it makes sense you're not trusting it in many ways you might as well take all the stuff out of there the problem is that doesn't save it just makes God angry and even if you get the short term victory in that battle he's gonna make sure you pay a lot more than what you what it would have just cost to be right with God verse 10 again for the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows but thou oh man of God flee these things and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith love, patience meekness all those attributes are in opposition to greed and to covetousness so let's turn to Proverbs we got a lot more Proverbs to read this evening Proverbs chapter oh go to Proverbs chapter 30 I'll read some for you and you can follow along with others Proverbs 30 I'm gonna read for Proverbs 23 verse 4 the Bible says labor not to be rich cease from thine own wisdom don't labor to be rich labor to provide for your family labor to get the necessary things but don't labor to be rich wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not for riches certainly make themselves wings they fly away as an eagle toward heaven it's the worldly proverb here today gone tomorrow right so it's just that type of thing where hey these riches the things that you're setting so much attention on so much focus on that thing I really just have to have you get it and then it could get broken it could get stolen it just breaks it requires a bunch of maintenance it requires a whole bunch more money I'll tell you that whatever it is you think you're gonna get and if you're saving up money to buy something and you finally get up money to buy it you better have like another 50% of whatever it is if you're buying something big because it's gonna cost you way more than you thought just guaranteed but better yet don't be setting your heart and your mind on all those things and look if God has blessed you with resources you know you're free to do with your money that God's blessed you with as you want to so don't get me wrong I mean it's not a sin to have stuff I don't believe it's a sin for people to have things but obviously you want to be careful and be wise with what God has blessed you with so that you can use it appropriately I think there's a better use of money than a lot of people do a lot of people waste it on a lot on too many things however I don't think it's inherently sinful just to have stuff but the covetous and desire and wanting to get these things and setting your heart and your affection on these things of the earth that is wrong that is just gonna cause you problems and won't work out for you at all riches make themselves wings they fly away as an eagle toward heaven look at verse number 7 of Proverbs 30 the Bible says two things have I required of thee deny me them not before I die remove far from me vanity and lies give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me lest I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord or lest I be poor and steal and take the name of my God in vain contentment that's what the person here in the Proverbs is seeking I just want to be content Lord please give me enough so that I don't have to be so hungry that I'm gonna be tempted to steal from people I don't want to be in that condition Lord please sustain me enough so that I don't have to get to that point right and hey being satisfied with food and Raymond food is one of those things so he's asking to just be satisfied with the food but then he also turns around and says you know what Lord also don't give me too much because having abundance often times makes people's hearts get lifted up in pride and when I was seeking out Bible verses there was a bunch that I already knew I wanted to turn to but then I was also you know studying it out and looking for words and trying to figure out all the different things I wanted to talk about one thing that came up is that when looking for riches or you know any type of financial prosperity the people that had been blessed also had problems with the Lord at some point in their life usually later after their receiving money so one of those examples probably the prime example is Solomon right now Solomon had his heart right when he was seeking the Lord he was seeking the right things he wanted to judge properly he wanted to do everything right he wanted wisdom and God said okay you didn't ask me for you know fiscal success you didn't ask me to be blessed in abundance of things but you know what I'm going to give that to you so I'm going to give you the wisdom I'm going to give you what you asked for but I'm also going to make you very prosperous in the earth and made him you know richer than pretty much anyone else that was alive at that time and that ended up causing problems for Solomon he ended up his life not being and of course he had the women and he had what he ended up doing as you can see he had these other lusts of not being satisfied with what he had when he had everything isn't that interesting he had everything what could more could you want and he as you read through Ecclesiastes and stuff he delved into that stuff everything that he had and couldn't find any joy any pleasure any meaning in it it's all vanity I have everything you can want and you know what it's all vanity it's all meaningless and not only did he have all the stuff he also multiplied wives unto himself which the law of the Lord said you're not supposed to do especially the king is not supposed to multiply wives unto himself that's what it says but he did it anyways and guess what his wives turned his heart away from the Lord he ended up building up altars to these false gods idolatry all this stuff that he got involved in would he have done any of that stuff without all the riches I don't know but if Solomon who had all wisdom fell oh man maybe we should look I don't have the wisdom of Solomon I've got the Bible thank God for that but he had a lot of understanding and yet he still fell not something to be messed with keep a place in Proverbs I'm going to read a couple more Proverbs for you but turn if you would to Matthew 16 Proverbs 11 says riches profit not in the day of wrath but righteousness deliverth from death your riches don't profit you when God gets angry it's not going to do anything for you so no matter how much time and money how much resources you spend getting all this money now you're going to feel people get a lot of money you're going to feel real safe and real protected rich people you could have all the security systems and video cameras and guns and weapons and whatever you want to make you feel safe you could live in your gated community you could build walls around your house all the stuff to make you feel safe but when God's angry with you none of that means anything it's worthless it's worthless no matter how much extra money and gold and silver you got stored in the bank or under your pillow or wherever it doesn't matter when God is angry with you you will go down riches profit not in the day of wrath but righteousness on the earth from death Proverbs 11-28 says he that trusteth in his riches shall fall but the righteous shall flourish as a branch the comparison between riches and righteousness it's starting to show us where should our focus be not the money the righteousness the following the spiritual life I had you turn to Matthew 16 I should have had you keep a place in 1 Timothy 6 but I don't need you to go back there again because we just had read the love of money is the root of all evil and then a little bit later in that same chapter in verse 17 it says charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded this is the charge for Timothy to give to people who are rich in this world because like I said before you can be rich in this world and not be evil and not be wicked you can have things you can be blessed it's possible but charge those people that are rich charge them and explain to them and tell them that they be not high minded don't start thinking too much of yourself don't let all that wealth go to your head to where you start looking down on people and it's you're a different class of person because you have what look it happens it's like that right now it's like that in the world and it is such a innate human thing fleshly thing to do to start looking down on other people because they're not the same status as you because they don't have as much money as you that is a reality but it's a wicked reality the bible teaches hey if someone walks in right in James and they have the gay clothing and he's not talking about faggy clothing he's talking about you know like bright happy clothing someone walks in and they're well dressed and they've got money that you're not a respecter a person's over that over the person who has nothing don't have a different seating section oh you're a VIP guest because you're so rich and you have all the money come sit here oh you you poor yeah you go maybe there's some room back there I don't know go find a place you can sit on the ground or whatever that's wicked being a respecter of persons that way but that's how people act and the more money people have that's how they treat other people by and large so that's why he has to charge the rich people hey don't be high minded don't think that much of yourself it could all be gone tomorrow first of all second of all time and chance happen to everyone I didn't include that that's another one I cut out of my sermon tonight but the Bible talks about time and chance some people end up being rich and some people don't and it's not necessarily anything other than people being in the right place at the right time and then all of a sudden they just get all these riches just happens be not high minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy that's where your trust ought to be don't trust in his riches don't be high minded hey trust in the living God you can have the riches but trust in the living God look to God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy that they do good that they be rich in good works so the people who have wealth the people who are rich in this world how should you charge them hey be rich in good works I don't care what you do with that wealth but you know what be rich in good works do good ready to distribute those that are rich be ready to distribute you know what that does that shows where your heart really is if you're ready to distribute if there's a need somewhere here you go because if it doesn't really matter to you that much then it's easy to let it go man and there's another I studied a lot for this there's a lot of verses that and I cut too and it's because I have too many but you know the Bible says that the liberal soul shall be made fat and when you give liberally then God oftentimes will just bless you even more like when you're ready to distribute free to give then it's just like God still just overcompensates for that and still blesses you why? because you have the right attitude you have the right heart you're not clinging to the things of this world you're not hoarding them and storing them and loving them and going no no no I need this you know it's the attitude that we have this is the attitude I have towards all the stuff that we have back there I know I was giving people a hard time about the invitations and stuff but you know what I want? I don't want everything that we have sitting on the shelf back there I don't want to buy a bunch of stuff and then just put it on the shelf and be like wow doesn't this bookshelf look so nice and we have all these Bibles and we have all these DVDs and we have all these invitations and stuff and these pens and whatever all the stuff is that we have no I want it being used I want it going out I want it going out the door I want people reading those Bibles I don't want them sitting on the shelf right hey it costs us something it comes in but let's get it all out and the more that goes out hey praise to God let's get some more and we'll get them all out again it drives me nuts even in my secular job and we got to deal with our inventory on computers and laptops and iPads and stuff and it drives me nuts when we have good pieces of equipment just sitting there doing nothing it's like this is nothing good but the beholding of the eyes like this isn't doing anyone any good let's try to put this to use get it going let people start using it you know I have stuff at home sometimes and people are in need or asking about something oh yeah I got that I've got that DVD I've got that whatever you know you're looking for that book I'm not doing anything with it here you go right like have that attitude but it's easy on some things to do that but we ought to be able to even have that attitude with our money and our stuff and not be clinging so tightly just be like oh ok hey this need came up well here we go I've got that I can help supply that need here you go instead of being so tight and going no ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life so the good works is going to give them that good store laying up of store for themselves because their wealth they can't take with them but you know what the good works that you do that God will compensate you for at the judgment seat of Christ you do receive for that and those are eternal rewards Matthew 16 is that where I had you turn verse number 24 please Bob reads then said Jesus unto his disciples if any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me for whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it for what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul for the son of man shall come in the glory of his father with his angels and then he shall reward every man according to his works at the judgment seat of Christ we will receive and this is so like just to be clear in context I do believe that this is talking about saved people living for Christ not lost people and the value of being saved right sometimes I get it like yeah it could make sense saying well what are you going to give for your soul in the context of salvation like of course like it's priceless that's true but this passage in this context is not talking about lost people it's talking about saved people and it's talking about saved people saying hey you know in the context he's saying again verse 24 Jesus said unto who his disciples who's he talking to his followers he's talking to people who are saved already he's not talking to the unsaved he's talking to his disciples if any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me he's talking about discipleship literally follow me hey take up your cross your burden take that up and follow me I've got my cross the bear you've got yours the bear now come up and follow me it's going to come at a cost for whosoever will save his life shall lose it you want to follow Jesus but you're not willing to give ultimately just to give of yourself well then you're going to end up losing that he's not talking about your eternal life either like physically like you could just die and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it and then verse 26 for what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul so the people that don't want to follow Jesus they don't want to pick up their cross but their cares in the riches of this world and they get choked through the deceitfulness of riches and they just want to follow after riches what good is all of that you could gain the whole world when you die what good is that to you and God is the one who can direct our paths God is the one that can see the direction you're going as his son as his daughter and be like I don't like the direction that you're going and while you he'll give you the opportunities I'm sure because he's long suffering but he sees the direction you're going and you're just forsaking the right way and just going after money and going after money and going after money and he could just be like okay you're done you're done and then what did that profit you what did all the wealth that you were trying to accumulate and even if you were able to get the whole world now you're dead what do you have to show for it now you're going to stand at the judgment of Christ because you're a believer and everything that you amassed the whole world burned up meaningless it's nothing it's wood hay and stubble it's gone wow good job gain the whole world and lose his own soul what shall a man give in exchange for his soul for the son of man shall come in the glory of his father with his angels and then he shall reward every man according to his work so that's a context there we ought to be seeking the true riches turn if you would to Proverbs Proverbs 15 I need to blow through some of these passages just because there's a lot that I really do want to get to true riches the riches of this world won't profit us they're meaningless in fact it's deceitful it's a trap it's a snare to go after riches we need to follow after true riches I'll read for you from Luke 16 Luke 16 he that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much if therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon who will commit to your trust the true riches now I'm not going to get too in depth on even just what this is teaching as far as being faithful in the unrighteous mammon you can be faithful in handling the money and dealing with that stuff the stuff that God doesn't see as important at all you need to still be diligent and be able to do a good job in managing those things in the affairs of this world the things that don't really matter you still have to do a good job with it but you don't set your heart on those things so if you can be found faithful reliable dependable on your job and on these other things and just be able to do good work on the things that don't really matter to God he says okay if I can see you doing that then I can entrust you with the real important stuff with the true riches and the true riches is what I want to focus on here it says and if you have not been faithful in that which is another man's who shall give you that which is your own no servant can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other else he will hold to the one and despise the other you cannot serve God and mammon you can't serve God and money this is why it's so critical to get this down in our lives to be content to not focus on the riches of this world because you can't serve God and money it's going to be one or the other and if you have it set in your heart well I just want to have this and I just want to have that and I just want to have this you are going to be chasing money and serving money with your time you're not going to be able to serve God that's going to be your master the true riches are what we ought to be seeking because there are true riches there are riches that will last that we can have waiting for us we're not necessarily taking it with us because we don't have it now we're going to walk by faith and not by sight knowing that there's going to be a reward coming at the judgment seat of Christ there's going to be crowns given there's going to be rewards that believers will receive after we're gone out of this place and it's all based on what you do here and any amount of money that you made and I don't care how successful of a businessman you've been it doesn't matter to God and that's all burned up and that's gone and that won't even be part of God's economy when he sets up his kingdom here on earth that's gone you know you could try to hide all the riches and bury it under a tree somewhere and be like I know what's going to happen in the millennial rain I'm going to go and dig this stuff up no it's not going to be waiting for you it's going to be worthless the streets are paved with gold what good is that gold going to do you he's going to be like okay I guess we can fill up some potholes with that and you get to be the one to do it you're in Proverbs 15 Proverbs 13 says this there is that maketh himself rich yet hath nothing I love these Proverbs, these Proverbs are great I'll tell you what I did for a long time I worked at a job that I really liked the job and it was really good at allowing me to learn a lot about a lot of different things and I'm very appreciative for the job that I have but I didn't make very much money there at all I struggled a lot and for the work that I was capable of doing other places paid more money you know what I was free to go somewhere else but you know what I did I had at my desk because I made enough I made enough and I was content I was happy with what I had I always I try to be that way all the time I really do but I had this verse and a few others were going to read all of them that I had I hand wrote them on an index card and I put them up in my cubicle and just a reminder that like Proverbs 13 says there is that maketh himself rich yet hath nothing you don't want to lose yourself into the money you can have all the stuff in the world but you really don't have anything because the things that truly matter the true riches are what we want and there is that maketh himself poor yet hath great riches so you could be you could find the poorest of the poor on this earth and for all you know they can have lots of riches stored up for them in heaven so when we live our life we want to be guided by that by that thought by that notion not so concerned about how much things we have here but worried about hey I've got my spiritual 401k plan I've got my retirement plan that's in heaven where moth and rust don't corrupt and thieves can't steal it and the government isn't going to come in and steal it right because we're going to have a righteous government because Jesus is king so we don't have to worry about him reallocating the resources that were put in our social security fund and our 401k fund and like oh yeah we'll take some of that that's our wicked government does that that's why you don't even worry about that stuff right do whatever you're going to do with your money and resources I don't care but don't be so focused on that whatever psalm 37 16 you're in proverbs 15 don't worry we're getting there in a minute psalm 37 16 says this a little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked you're righteous and you only have a little the bible says that's way better than many wicked people and all their stuff that little thing about that whatever little I possess is way better than all the celebrities possessions in Hollywood and in the music industry and all this other junk and stuff that they have what you have is better it's better because you know what if you're righteous you're going to be satisfied you're going to be content with the things that you have and they're miserable because they're not content with what they have because they have it all and they're still not satisfied proverbs 15 verse number 16 the bible says better is little with the fear of the lord than great treasure and trouble therewith better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a stalled ox and hatred therewith you know what that means it's better to have a salad and a nice loving meal right with someone where everything is good than a nice juicy steak I'm telling you if there's hatred there now isn't that true look 90 some percent of the people is probably going like man I love me a steak I'm one of them ok a steak or a salad not even a choice not even the same ballpark ok however however for example if I'm going to have a meal with my wife and I can have the choice I can sit down and have this awesome steak but we're going to be fighting and there's going to be hatred and it's going to be really uncomfortable because we're just totally at odds with each other and I can sit down and have that meal or the only other choice is you can have this salad a caesar salad with croutons and and everything is going to be really enjoyable and nice and loving there right I'm taking the caesar or ranch I'm taking the salad right because no one wants to have a miserable even the value of the meal like the nice steak it gets ruined and I'm sure we've all had experience at some point too so everybody's family has some dysfunction to it right hasn't someone been at a Thanksgiving or a Christmas and there's like this huge blow up and like you had all this nice stuff all prepared but like it all got ruined because there's like some huge fight or something come on someone say amen because I can't be the only one that that's ever happened to you're going to make me feel real bad here it happens right and the Bible is just spelling that out for us and letting us know hey look this is it's way better to have things and have them the right way and have your heart right and whatever it is that you have even if it is just a salad okay be content with that and be happy and be satisfied and have a great meal and have a great time as opposed to well I got my steak you kind of cooked it a little bit much but that's not enjoyable Proverbs 16 you're in Proverbs 15 look at chapter 16 verse number 8 better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right it's another verse that I had on my cubicle better is a little with righteousness be right you know in your job and your work be righteous don't be don't do things that are sinful wrong just to make an extra buck better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right so while you are providing for yourself have integrity and get things the right way don't cut the corners don't cheat people don't lie to people don't do any of that in order to get the revenues it's better to just say well I'm going to have a little bit less than I am to go around and try to lie to people about buying stuff they don't need or whatever it is that you can do to lie to people about that extra few dollars or whatever it is or a thousand dollars I don't care what the number is it's not going to go well for you because this is why the love of money is the root of all evil because people start cutting corners losing their integrity deciding that I'd rather have a little bit extra money than obey God you're selling out the word of God for your own gain tell me how that works out for you jump down to verse number 16 the bible reads how much better is it to get wisdom than gold and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver the highway of the upright is to depart from evil he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul pride goeth before destruction and in haughty spirit before a fall better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud companies changing to the rainbow flag in June better it is to be of a humble spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud oh but we can make more money if we fly their flag I don't care I don't care how much I don't care if you could triple your profits by flying the flag of the wicked you don't do it I'd rather just be humble and lowly than go join up with the proud and people that call themselves Christians ought to be putting their foots down about this stuff they ought to be saying you know what this goes against my conscience I can't do this I'm not going to implement this policy I can't do it Proverbs 17 verse 1 better is a dry morsel in quietness therewith than in house full of sacrifices with strife again the peacefulness and contentment but not having much versus hey we got more than money can buy here but it's all just full of strife and you know it's no good and when you're not content with what you have that is the world that you're going to live in it's going to be full of strife and contention and bitterness and wrath and complaining and murmuring and all of it do yourself a favor and start getting content Proverbs 22 almost man we'll skip the psalms that I have on my last two pages of notes told you look I cut out a lot the Bible talks a lot about this subject there's a lot of warning here and a lot of learning don't get wrapped up in the deceitfulness of riches please it's easy it's easy to go down that path and start going down that path it's really easy it looks so attractive oh I could get an extra whatever the dollar amount it doesn't matter just say I don't care when is enough enough you know what enough is enough is wherever you're at right now wherever you're at right now that should be enough you're here with food and clothing enough is enough now look it makes sense to work and make more money at the best job you can find and that's going to pay you like if you get paid more money for your time working here versus over there great there's nothing wrong or sinful about maximizing what people will pay you to do work for them but be careful that you're not getting sucked into laboring to be rich right where are your priorities where is your mind where is your heart is it focused on well I just want to have a ton of money so I'm going to invest everything into getting a bunch of money or is it okay hey this person pays me twenty bucks an hour this person is going to pay me thirty bucks an hour I'm working forty hours a week anyway so okay take the one that's going to pay you thirty bucks an hour right why not if they're both not against your conscience you don't have to steal or cheat or you know do anything that would be you know biblically wrong then go for it great that's not covetousness even if you're at a job now and you want to leave and go somewhere else that's not covetous so just understand the difference between the two because it all relies on what what's in your heart right and where your mind is on on attaining all this stuff be content Proverbs 22 verse number 1 the Bible reads a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches who you are your name who are you as a person do you have integrity do you have righteousness do you walk uprightly that's a good name that is way more valuable than however much stinking money you have I'd much much much much much rather spend my time with someone who has integrity and is living an upright life the best that they can they love God they love the Bible they love church they love serving that's the person I want to spend my time with I don't care about the person who just has a bunch of money oh but they might invite you over and you could use their stuff and you could play at their house and they could give you real nice food I don't care who cares about that stuff a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches and loving favor rather than silver and gold the rich and poor meet together the Lord is the maker of them all a prudent man foreseeeth the evil and hideth himself with a simple pass on and are punished by humility and the fear of the Lord our riches and honor and life your true riches come through humility and the fear of the Lord that will bring you riches not necessarily the riches of this world but the real riches the riches we ought to have our mind focused on like when Jesus said seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you in Matthew chapter 6 I'm going to cut out the rest of the passages hopefully hopefully you got something out of what the Bible is teaching tonight a reminder, a refresher it's not, again these things, there's so many times, I preach so often on things that are not complicated they're not hard truths to understand very, very simple doctrine very, very simple doctrine very, very simple doctrine very, very good stuff but we need to hear it, we need to get it right we need to reset ourselves sometimes and be like, man, am I focused a little bit too much on these things and all this stuff probably it doesn't help that you're getting, again, bombarded from the world with all the advertising all the marketing, all the ads all the, you know, it's Black Friday and Cyber Monday and go buy, buy, buy while you're having Thanksgiving and being thankful and content with what you have and appreciative, get ready to go start buying for the stuff that you don't have like, that's the world we live in it's insane it's insane and it could get to you and it's deceitful don't let that trap you don't fall for the love of money be content, everyone wants to be happy in their life, don't you, I do huge amounts of happiness will come from one living righteously, uprightly, right not getting involved in a bunch of sin because sin hurts everybody, it doesn't just hurt one person other people get affected by it it brings misery to your life and two be content hey honey, I'm home from work don't start complaining about what you don't have be thankful for what you do that's the bottom line you could either look at all the things, all the big holes, the big emptiness of what you don't have and that hole will always be there, it's never going to be filled by the way or, wow this is amazing thank you, Lord for blessing, thank you for all the things thank you, Lord, for our church even being able to supply so much of our need and assaulting marathons and things and we have leftover food and we could eat again what a great blessing for anyone that ever has leftover food wow I ate so much and I was satisfied and still had more whatever that is what a great blessing good night we could go on and on and on don't get deceived with riches you're here, you're being fruitful you're doing your best to live a disciples life don't be deceived by the riches it's not what it's cracked up to be at all let's pray, dear heavenly father, thank you so much for the warnings that you give us and the wisdom found in your word God, I pray that you would please bring to remembrance the multitude of these verses that are just in your word over and over and over again, dear Lord whenever we get tempted at the distraction at the deceitfulness that riches have to offer the riches of this world, Lord help us to maintain a spiritual mindset where we can seek the true riches the spiritual rewards, dear Lord that we could stand before the judgment seat of Christ and be looking forward to the reward that will be given because we know that we've invested so much of our life into serving you with the things that matter and not just serving the world with the things that don't God, we love you, please keep us all safe as we go our separate ways this evening it's in Jesus' name we pray, Amen Alright, brother Will, can you please come up here and lead us in our last song Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you