WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: Prosperity Publishing Date: 2013-11-03T05:00:44-08:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/prosperity/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.000 Just to give us a background of what's been happening, we started this series 00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:14.200 perhaps a month and a half ago and we started off with Exodus 33, 14 to 17 and 00:00:14.200 --> 00:00:20.280 to paraphrase all three verses here's what Moses basically said to God. He said 00:00:20.280 --> 00:00:26.760 what else oh God but your presence will distinguish me and your people from all 00:00:26.760 --> 00:00:32.280 other people on the face of the earth. And we say that again, what else oh God but 00:00:32.280 --> 00:00:40.920 your presence will distinguish me and these people from all the other people 00:00:40.920 --> 00:00:45.120 on the face of the earth. And so we've been talking about the presence of what 00:00:45.120 --> 00:00:50.040 that does to a people. Last week we started on what are the characteristics, 00:00:50.040 --> 00:00:55.000 what are the characteristics or what is the outworking of the presence of God in 00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:59.800 a people. What is the characteristic or what is the outworking of the presence 00:00:59.800 --> 00:01:04.080 of God in a people. And we are talking about the manifest presence. We are not 00:01:04.080 --> 00:01:07.280 talking about the presence of Christ in us because you cannot be a Christian 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:11.880 unless Christ lives in you. But there is a difference between Christ residing in 00:01:11.880 --> 00:01:18.680 me and then it being manifested, it being made obvious. That's one of the things 00:01:18.680 --> 00:01:23.920 God specializes in throughout the Bible. Making his presence in a people and in 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:28.920 an individual so obvious that there is no question as to oh shucks these guys 00:01:28.920 --> 00:01:34.440 are different. These are people of God. And so we said that there are certain 00:01:34.440 --> 00:01:39.800 characteristics that you will find in a people in whom the manifest presence of 00:01:39.800 --> 00:01:46.160 God is visible. And those were one, reconciliation and pick up that CD if 00:01:46.160 --> 00:01:52.360 you were not here and listen to it. It's really good. Reconciliation, that's 00:01:52.400 --> 00:01:58.360 from last week. Prosperity and you know I'm not a prosperity preacher but 00:01:58.360 --> 00:02:17.360 prosperity, fear of God, fearlessness, signs and wonders, zeal, zeal, Z-E-A-L. 00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:23.360 Reproduction both in terms of reproducing his image and reproduction as 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:33.200 in go forth and multiply as a numerical increase. Liberty and dominion. These are 00:02:33.200 --> 00:02:39.560 some of the most prevalent characteristics of his manifest 00:02:39.560 --> 00:02:48.760 presence in a people. And when these are shrouded or veiled then the presence of 00:02:48.760 --> 00:02:53.160 God is not visible because we've become like every other people. A people who do 00:02:53.160 --> 00:02:58.640 not have the ethos of reconciliation or the principle of reconciliation in them, 00:02:58.640 --> 00:03:03.840 who are unforgiving, who are bitter, who do not know how to love beyond are just 00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:07.200 like any other people in the world. The Lions Club and Rotary Club have more 00:03:07.200 --> 00:03:13.480 loving members sometimes. A people who are not prospering and today we'll be 00:03:13.480 --> 00:03:20.000 talking about that. A people who have no fear of God or reverence of God. A people 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:26.320 who are not bold. A people who do not believe in or do not expect signs and 00:03:26.320 --> 00:03:31.840 wonders. A people who have no zeal or passion like Finnehan has had. A people 00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:37.120 who are not increasing numerically nor reproducing the image of God. A people 00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:41.400 who do not live in liberty. A people who do not know how to exert dominion are a 00:03:41.400 --> 00:03:47.920 people like any other people. So what distinguishes us then? The presence of 00:03:47.920 --> 00:03:53.600 God must distinguish us as a people. And so we look at that today. The absence of 00:03:53.600 --> 00:03:58.440 these characteristics will shroud the presence of God in the body or shroud 00:03:58.440 --> 00:04:01.440 the presence of God in me as an individual when these characteristics 00:04:01.480 --> 00:04:13.720 are missing. So let's talk about prosperity. Guys, prosperity in terms of a 00:04:13.720 --> 00:04:19.160 characteristic of the presence of God. Prosperity is the physical manifestation. 00:04:19.160 --> 00:04:28.360 Prosperity is the physical manifestation of the blessing of God and it carries in 00:04:28.360 --> 00:04:35.800 it peace and wholeness. So it's the physical manifestation of the blessing 00:04:35.800 --> 00:04:41.440 of God. What is, how can we define prosperity today? It's the, before I write 00:04:41.440 --> 00:04:52.440 on this. Ouch. It's the physical manifestation as in something that is 00:04:52.440 --> 00:05:04.280 visible of the blessing of God and it carries in it peace and wholeness. That's 00:05:04.280 --> 00:05:10.560 a very summarized way of defining it. There's so much more to it but if you 00:05:10.560 --> 00:05:15.440 want a definition of it, prosperity is a physical manifestation of the blessing 00:05:15.440 --> 00:05:22.640 of God on a person or on a people and it carries in it peace and wholeness. By the 00:05:22.640 --> 00:05:29.440 way, mammon, how do you describe mammon? Mammon is this mix of security and money 00:05:29.440 --> 00:05:41.800 put together that carries in it greed and striving. Yeah, that's one of the ways to 00:05:41.800 --> 00:05:50.520 explain mammon. Mammon is this, is again a powerful, sometimes sentiment, sometimes 00:05:50.520 --> 00:05:58.560 commodity, sometimes even a spirit. Mammon is this mix of security and money that 00:05:58.560 --> 00:06:04.960 carries in it greed and striving and know this that mammon can prosper you too. 00:06:04.960 --> 00:06:11.480 But mammon will prosper you at the peril of your soul because Jesus said what 00:06:11.480 --> 00:06:16.840 good is it if you gain the whole world but lose your soul? When Abraham was 00:06:16.840 --> 00:06:22.640 walking after the battle with the five kings of, he's met by the king of Sodom 00:06:22.640 --> 00:06:27.320 and Melchizedek. And Melchizedek blesses him while what did the king of Sodom 00:06:27.320 --> 00:06:31.280 offer him? He said you can have all the money but give me the souls of the men 00:06:31.280 --> 00:06:38.440 you have. So mammon can prosper you too and so mammon is this mix of security 00:06:38.440 --> 00:06:48.640 and money that carries in it greed and striving. A consequence of the presence 00:06:48.640 --> 00:06:57.120 of God in my life or in this or in my house or in this church should be the 00:06:57.120 --> 00:07:01.920 evidence of me progressing towards prosperity. Ah Jacob that sounds so much 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:05.480 like prosperity preachers. Wait till we get to the end then you'll find how 00:07:05.480 --> 00:07:11.400 different it is. So let me say that again. A consequence of the presence of 00:07:11.400 --> 00:07:17.920 God, the manifest presence of God in my life or in my house or in the church 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:26.080 will be that you will see evidence of progress towards prosperity. I mean when 00:07:26.080 --> 00:07:30.520 you look at Joseph, when you look at Hezekiah, when you look at David, when you 00:07:30.520 --> 00:07:35.800 look at Obed, Edom, when you look at Israel, when you look at Abraham, let's 00:07:35.800 --> 00:07:46.640 just look at them. Genesis 39 verses 2 & 3. Genesis 39 verses 2 & 3. Genesis 39 00:07:46.640 --> 00:07:54.520 so it's actually 11. Genesis 39 verses 2 & 3. 00:07:55.520 --> 00:08:03.800 The Lord was with Joseph and he became a successful man and he was in the house 00:08:03.800 --> 00:08:09.200 of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him and the Lord 00:08:09.200 --> 00:08:17.720 caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. Second Kings 18 7. Second Kings 00:08:17.720 --> 00:08:24.840 18 7. Second Kings 18 7. 00:08:30.600 --> 00:08:40.040 And the Lord was with Hezekiah wherever he went and he prospered. And the Lord 00:08:40.040 --> 00:08:45.920 was with Hezekiah wherever he went, whenever he went out and he prospered. 00:08:45.920 --> 00:08:53.120 Second Samuel 5 10. Second Samuel 5 10. 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:08.440 And David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David and David 00:09:08.440 --> 00:09:12.640 built the city all round from millow inwards and David became greater and 00:09:12.640 --> 00:09:24.080 greater for the Lord the God of hosts was with him. Second Samuel 6 2 to 12. 00:09:27.400 --> 00:09:34.360 Let's start from verse 5. And David and all the house of Israel were making 00:09:34.360 --> 00:09:37.280 merry before the Lord with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and 00:09:37.280 --> 00:09:41.720 castanets and cymbals and when they came to the threshing floor of Nakon Uzzah, 00:09:41.720 --> 00:09:46.960 you know that story where Uzzah was struck dead and then go on to and it 00:09:46.960 --> 00:09:52.480 verse 12. And it was told King David the Lord has blessed the household of 00:09:52.480 --> 00:10:00.080 Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him because of the ark of God. Joel 2 24 to 00:10:00.080 --> 00:10:08.040 27. Joel 2 24 to 27. Joel 2 24 to 27. 00:10:12.040 --> 00:10:15.040 A Gittite. 00:10:17.040 --> 00:10:23.400 Two schools on that and I've read both and I perhaps our Greek scholar may have 00:10:23.400 --> 00:10:27.160 a better view on it even though he doesn't know Hebrew but Obed-Edom the 00:10:27.160 --> 00:10:30.280 Gittite is sometimes called a non-israelite and other times he's 00:10:30.280 --> 00:10:41.480 called an Israelite so let us know. Yeah Uzzah and Heorah. Joel 2 24 to 27. 00:10:41.800 --> 00:10:46.000 The threshing floors shall be full of grain the vats shall overflow with wine 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:50.360 and oil I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten the 00:10:50.360 --> 00:10:55.640 hopper the destroyer and the cutter my great army which I sent among you you 00:10:55.640 --> 00:10:59.060 shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord your God who 00:10:59.060 --> 00:11:03.080 has dealt wondrously with you and my people shall never again be put to shame 00:11:03.080 --> 00:11:08.000 you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel and that I am the Lord your God 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:11.700 and there is no one else and my people shall never again be put to shame there 00:11:11.700 --> 00:11:15.420 is a sense in these scriptures and many more that I can pull out where when God 00:11:15.420 --> 00:11:21.300 is amongst the people a people seem to continuously progress towards being 00:11:21.300 --> 00:11:24.820 successful towards being excellent or towards prospering and what they are 00:11:24.820 --> 00:11:29.220 being sent out for we're not going to be able to cover the entirety of what I 00:11:29.220 --> 00:11:32.940 want to say today might take three weeks or perhaps this is all we need to say 00:11:32.940 --> 00:11:39.660 and move on but here's the thing guys the God who owns everything and wants 00:11:39.660 --> 00:11:46.740 to bless his children is a father and for a father like that it is natural to 00:11:46.740 --> 00:11:52.380 manifest his presence and when he sees your lack it is natural for him to 00:11:52.380 --> 00:12:01.340 provide for your lack let me say that again God who owns everything is a father 00:12:01.460 --> 00:12:10.380 who wants to bless his children guys right now only focus on the nature of 00:12:10.380 --> 00:12:17.380 God and not even as I'm saying it there are questions popping in your mind about 00:12:17.380 --> 00:12:25.820 20 scenarios that would seem to argue against the statement I'm making and as 00:12:25.820 --> 00:12:31.300 much as the 20 scenarios may be real let me tell you what is realer the nature of 00:12:31.300 --> 00:12:39.940 God God is a owner of everything in the world he's the owner of everything in 00:12:39.940 --> 00:12:47.860 the world he is father and he wants to bless his children and in the process it 00:12:47.860 --> 00:12:54.100 is very natural for him when he sees lack to manifest his presence and 00:12:54.100 --> 00:13:05.500 provide for that lack because Jason does that and he is evil biblical if Jason 00:13:05.500 --> 00:13:11.420 being as evil as he is has the ability to do this for his four children then I 00:13:11.420 --> 00:13:15.580 would suggest to you that God the father has amazing ability to do this for his 00:13:15.580 --> 00:13:22.380 six billion this is the nature of God and even though I can think of scenarios 00:13:22.380 --> 00:13:27.140 in India Africa Canada in this church outside this church in my life outside 00:13:27.140 --> 00:13:32.100 my life that would come against such a statement I still can't argue with the 00:13:32.100 --> 00:13:44.460 nature of God because that stands solid so where do we start I mean and here's 00:13:44.460 --> 00:13:48.900 what God does say when he sees my lack and this these words are important I 00:13:49.100 --> 00:13:54.140 didn't just put them on a piece of paper just for the heck of it when God sees 00:13:54.140 --> 00:14:00.060 lack he begins to discipline you into prosperity write down those words when 00:14:00.060 --> 00:14:13.460 God sees lack he disciplines you into prosperity very important line when God 00:14:13.460 --> 00:14:22.500 sees the lack in your life as a father he wants to manifest his presence and 00:14:22.500 --> 00:14:26.740 provide for the lack and how does he do that he does that by disciplining you 00:14:26.740 --> 00:14:33.700 into prosperity hey man so good to see you after all these days yeah because I 00:14:33.700 --> 00:14:39.100 haven't seen you for a while I don't know you always used to walk past when 00:14:39.140 --> 00:14:44.220 I'm teaching and you're doing that again it's good to see you so disciplining you 00:14:44.220 --> 00:14:54.220 into prosperity and what is the word discipline involved training instruction 00:14:54.220 --> 00:14:57.220 correction 00:14:57.220 --> 00:15:08.420 do you understand why sometimes we we have lack but when it comes to 00:15:08.420 --> 00:15:13.940 disciplining me into prosperity I I don't like it I don't like it because 00:15:13.940 --> 00:15:17.780 there's instruction involved there's a correction of my mindset and my ways and 00:15:17.780 --> 00:15:24.500 there is training this is the part we don't like we want to be thrown into 00:15:24.500 --> 00:15:29.700 prosperity without being disciplined hey our earthly dads discipline us into 00:15:29.700 --> 00:15:34.820 knowing how to handle money some dads did that well some dads didn't and we 00:15:34.820 --> 00:15:41.580 are the byproducts of it I know very very very very very very very tell me 00:15:41.580 --> 00:15:50.300 when to stop very very very rich man in Vancouver and his son was in my Sunday 00:15:50.780 --> 00:15:58.220 and even though he was really really rich when his son came to work for him 00:15:58.220 --> 00:16:06.740 he started him at the lowest place in the factory and he started him by having 00:16:06.740 --> 00:16:14.660 him pluck chickens and he got paid according to the same wages as those 00:16:14.820 --> 00:16:20.700 others in this other chicken pluckers and has he become the manager of the 00:16:20.700 --> 00:16:28.740 company yet no he's still only working his way up and it has given this boy 00:16:28.740 --> 00:16:39.740 such normalcy and such a such a such a solid base to stand down without pride 00:16:39.820 --> 00:16:44.940 without flaunting his riches though his father has his father yeah that's not 00:16:44.940 --> 00:16:50.220 the point is that father training well and then there are other fathers who do 00:16:50.220 --> 00:16:55.340 not discipline their sons with regard to money and they can't understand why the 00:16:55.340 --> 00:17:05.220 son squanders everything that they built for the son in a matter of years so if 00:17:05.220 --> 00:17:12.020 our dads do it being as evil as they are there how much more God he 00:17:12.020 --> 00:17:17.100 disciplines us into prosperity so where do we start guys the the natural 00:17:17.100 --> 00:17:21.420 tendency in this church would be to say oh it's sowing and reaping not really 00:17:21.420 --> 00:17:26.740 because if you read Matthew 6 26 Jesus says look at the birds of the air they 00:17:26.740 --> 00:17:37.300 don't report so and yet I provide for them so sowing and reaping is an 00:17:37.300 --> 00:17:42.820 important principle that we have taught that Joan has taken what how many weeks 00:17:42.820 --> 00:17:47.860 seven weeks to teach sowing and reaping is vitally important and that's part of 00:17:47.860 --> 00:17:51.180 this equation but don't think that the answer is sowing and reaping because the 00:17:51.180 --> 00:17:56.420 birds don't do that and they still do well so where do we start what do I have 00:17:56.420 --> 00:18:06.100 to do to progress guys I have to cultivate a mentality about God wealth 00:18:06.100 --> 00:18:16.660 myself and others so here's what I need to do I need to cultivate a mentality 00:18:17.100 --> 00:18:33.940 about God wealth myself others and how they all relate and how they all relate 00:18:33.940 --> 00:18:39.100 the nature of each and how they all relate I have to I have to cultivate a 00:18:39.100 --> 00:18:44.260 mentality about God and how he relates to wealth how wealth relates to me how 00:18:44.260 --> 00:18:50.180 wealth relates to others the nature of God the nature of wealth my own nature 00:18:50.180 --> 00:18:55.700 with regard to money and my nature towards others it is such it's not 00:18:55.700 --> 00:18:59.060 complex but it is so important to understand the nature and the 00:18:59.060 --> 00:19:03.300 relationship between God wealth me others God wealth me others God others 00:19:03.300 --> 00:19:10.660 me wealth others me it can get quite busy so we'll just look at four things 00:19:10.660 --> 00:19:15.500 today and then if God wills then we'll continue this next week or we'll go on 00:19:15.500 --> 00:19:20.260 to the next topic I'm not sure yet so let's look at Matthew 6 19 to 25 and 00:19:20.260 --> 00:19:29.460 that's where we'll derive these four principles from Matthew 6 19 to 25 00:19:29.700 --> 00:19:33.980 Matthew 6 19 to 25 00:19:33.980 --> 00:19:49.140 Matthew 6 19 to 25 no little more than the last time though do not lay up for 00:19:49.140 --> 00:19:54.900 yourself treasures on earth where moths and rust destroy and where thieves break 00:19:54.900 --> 00:20:00.020 in and steal but lay up for yourself treasures in heaven when either moths nor 00:20:00.020 --> 00:20:03.860 rust destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal for where your 00:20:03.860 --> 00:20:08.940 treasure is there your heart will be also the eye is the lamp of the body so 00:20:08.940 --> 00:20:13.700 if your eye is healthy your whole body will be full of light but if your eye is 00:20:13.700 --> 00:20:18.080 bad your whole body will be full of darkness if then the light in you is 00:20:18.080 --> 00:20:23.580 darkness how great is that darkness thanks no one can serve two masters for 00:20:23.580 --> 00:20:30.260 either he will hate the one and will love the other or he will be devoted to 00:20:30.260 --> 00:20:35.140 the one and despise the other you cannot serve God and mammon therefore I tell 00:20:35.140 --> 00:20:39.180 you do not be anxious about your life what you will eat or what you will drink 00:20:39.180 --> 00:20:44.580 nor about your body what you will put on is not life more than food and the body 00:20:44.580 --> 00:20:50.260 more than clothing so this is where we this is what we look at today and stay 00:20:50.260 --> 00:20:55.300 within these scriptures guys Matthew let's take the first one no one can 00:20:55.300 --> 00:21:00.700 serve two masters no one can serve two masters it's in Matthew 6 24 even though 00:21:00.700 --> 00:21:07.460 Jesus says no one can serve two masters isn't it true that it doesn't apply 00:21:07.460 --> 00:21:12.740 today because aren't some of us holding two jobs we have two bosses some of us 00:21:12.740 --> 00:21:19.980 have dual citizenship we've got two two nations that we are mastered by moon 00:21:19.980 --> 00:21:24.820 lighting is common we can have multiple masters so how are we supposed to 00:21:24.820 --> 00:21:31.540 understand you cannot have two masters guys the context is slaves the context 00:21:31.540 --> 00:21:35.420 is slaves it's important to understand that what Matthew is saying here when 00:21:35.420 --> 00:21:40.100 Jesus is saying no one can serve two masters what he needs to what he wants 00:21:40.100 --> 00:21:47.580 to understand is that listen you can only be a slave to one or the other we 00:21:47.580 --> 00:21:52.220 don't understand slavery because it's not something that we are accustomed to 00:21:52.220 --> 00:21:58.420 I'm not promoting it either the point is that Jesus is talking in terms of 00:21:58.420 --> 00:22:08.980 slavery and here's what a slave was in those days wholly owned by the master 00:22:11.060 --> 00:22:20.260 wholly owned by the master permanently subjected to the master permanently 00:22:20.260 --> 00:22:23.860 subjected to the master 00:22:26.660 --> 00:22:33.860 permanently subjected to the master worked without expectation of pay 00:22:33.900 --> 00:22:44.780 occasionally they would get paid but worked without expectation of pay and 00:22:44.780 --> 00:22:52.580 yet was completely dependent on the master for provision 00:22:52.580 --> 00:23:07.100 completely dependent on master for provision and was completely dependent 00:23:07.100 --> 00:23:11.140 on the master for provision and stewarded everything stewarded everything 00:23:11.140 --> 00:23:22.620 on behalf of the master stewarded everything on behalf of the master 00:23:25.540 --> 00:23:34.540 stewarded everything on behalf of the master and Jesus is saying listen this 00:23:34.540 --> 00:23:40.700 is your choice Jacob either you have to decide that you are wholly owned by me 00:23:40.700 --> 00:23:46.620 your master and that you're permanently subjecting your life to me as master 00:23:46.620 --> 00:23:53.940 that you have no expectation of reward or pay as your master that yet you will 00:23:53.940 --> 00:24:00.180 be completely dependent on me as your master for provision and that everything 00:24:00.180 --> 00:24:07.620 you have you really don't earn you are stewarding it on my behalf now do you 00:24:07.660 --> 00:24:13.220 see why I can't serve two masters this is the first thing I need to establish 00:24:13.220 --> 00:24:22.660 in my heart when it comes to money and God that I can only be a slave to one 00:24:24.060 --> 00:24:30.980 you cannot be a slave to God like this and a slave of money and security dipped 00:24:30.980 --> 00:24:36.060 in greed and striving but our immediate reaction is but I'm not a slave of 00:24:36.060 --> 00:24:43.620 mammon I'm not a slave of money guys if you say that you and I are not slaves 00:24:43.620 --> 00:24:48.900 of mammon then here's a question you need to ask why are my decisions 00:24:48.900 --> 00:24:56.500 determined by money which tells me what I can do and where I can go why are my 00:24:56.500 --> 00:25:00.420 decisions determined by money which tells me what I can do and where I can 00:25:00.420 --> 00:25:09.540 go if my master wholly owns me how come mammon can tell me what I can attempt to 00:25:09.540 --> 00:25:16.300 do where I can go where I should apply for a job what I cannot do how come 00:25:17.300 --> 00:25:20.300 how come 00:25:21.340 --> 00:25:27.300 this is why I need to understand my slavery for the lack of a better word to 00:25:27.300 --> 00:25:32.500 Jesus Christ this is the adjustment that needs to be made in the mind first 00:25:32.500 --> 00:25:40.860 why is it that my life is consumed full of careful worry about food clothes and 00:25:40.860 --> 00:25:46.220 rent that's what my mind is consumed with where will the food come from where 00:25:46.220 --> 00:25:49.300 will my clothes come from where will I pay the mortgage from where will the 00:25:49.300 --> 00:25:54.700 rent come from these are the things that consume me and mammon or money 00:25:54.700 --> 00:25:58.140 determines what I can do where I can go it doesn't matter what God says my 00:25:58.140 --> 00:26:02.740 wallet determines what I do and where I can go even the jobs I choose are not 00:26:02.740 --> 00:26:07.300 dependent upon God's choices but where can I make the maximum buck for minimum 00:26:07.300 --> 00:26:10.300 work 00:26:11.780 --> 00:26:16.500 and yet we have the audacity to say that I'm not a slave of mammon there is a 00:26:16.500 --> 00:26:22.420 problem here everything good stay with me you can pick up the CD later 00:26:25.180 --> 00:26:29.900 any questions on that before we move on guys this is the first thing I like to 00:26:29.900 --> 00:26:38.540 destroy that I have to become the slave of one where he wholly owns me he I am 00:26:38.540 --> 00:26:44.620 permanently subjected to him I work without the expectation of pay what I'm 00:26:44.620 --> 00:26:48.500 completely dependent on him for provision and everything I have I only 00:26:48.580 --> 00:26:53.980 steward on his behalf this is the hardest thing that's why I put it up 00:26:53.980 --> 00:26:56.300 first 00:27:00.060 --> 00:27:03.540 any questions before we go on 00:27:07.300 --> 00:27:11.180 Matt if you need to go to the doctor or have any medical help let us know and 00:27:11.180 --> 00:27:14.820 we'll drive you there okay 00:27:19.500 --> 00:27:27.620 okay no questions there do you see there is an issue though and may I suggest you 00:27:27.620 --> 00:27:31.020 that all of us have this issue that none of us have come to a point where you 00:27:31.020 --> 00:27:39.060 be where we are free of this completely some of us more some of us less the 00:27:39.060 --> 00:27:45.180 second then the second thing we want to look at is the verse in verse 20 21 and 00:27:45.380 --> 00:27:52.220 25 lay up for yourself treasures in heaven when neither moth nor rust 00:27:52.220 --> 00:27:56.260 destroys and where thieves do not break in for where your treasure is that's the 00:27:56.260 --> 00:28:00.140 one I want to concentrate on for where your treasure is there your heart will 00:28:00.140 --> 00:28:06.460 be also and then go to verse 25 therefore I tell you do not be anxious 00:28:06.460 --> 00:28:10.500 about your life what you will eat or drink nor about your body what you will 00:28:10.500 --> 00:28:14.060 put on it because life is more than food and body more than clothing and then 00:28:14.060 --> 00:28:19.020 verse 33 for the Gentiles seek after all these things was 32 and your heavenly 00:28:19.020 --> 00:28:22.580 father knows that you need them all but seek first the kingdom and his 00:28:22.580 --> 00:28:27.300 righteousness and all these things will be added to you guys the front line of 00:28:27.300 --> 00:28:31.820 attack in our lives is usually food clothes money food clothes shelter money 00:28:31.820 --> 00:28:36.860 the lack of it or the need for more this is the front line of the attack on our 00:28:36.860 --> 00:28:42.500 lives and yet the most responsible man who walked the earth makes a highly 00:28:42.660 --> 00:28:52.860 irresponsible statement Jesus says do not be anxious or worried about the very 00:28:52.860 --> 00:28:58.180 things that are absolutely practical consideration that any normal human 00:28:58.180 --> 00:29:03.020 being should pay attention to you should read commentaries on this none of the 00:29:03.020 --> 00:29:07.460 commentators will dare say that we should go with Jesus they'll come up 00:29:07.460 --> 00:29:10.780 with all kinds of like explanations so that you can find some kind of a middle 00:29:10.780 --> 00:29:16.940 road but what an irresponsible comment do not worry about the practical details 00:29:16.940 --> 00:29:26.460 of life and yet it's being made by Jesus do not worry about the practical details 00:29:26.460 --> 00:29:29.900 of life why because long ago in the parable of the sewer he had made a 00:29:29.900 --> 00:29:37.820 statement what is it that chokes out the word the practical cares of life 00:29:41.780 --> 00:29:49.420 talk about being instructed trained and corrected or disciplined into prosperity 00:29:49.420 --> 00:29:57.620 you see why it's hard it's easier to side with mammon and prosper 00:30:02.540 --> 00:30:07.740 Jesus is saying you cannot Jacob make the practical details of life your 00:30:07.740 --> 00:30:13.460 primary concern Jesus is saying Jacob you cannot make the practical details 00:30:13.460 --> 00:30:20.620 of life your primary concern you cannot do that my common sense shouts loudly 00:30:20.620 --> 00:30:25.380 and says but Jesus this is absurd I must consider how I'm going to live I must 00:30:25.380 --> 00:30:28.500 consider what I'm going to eat and drink I must consider how these practical 00:30:28.500 --> 00:30:35.400 details are taken care of I scream we even come up with statements like but 00:30:35.400 --> 00:30:41.600 this is only common sense Jesus calls this common sense carefulness in the 00:30:41.600 --> 00:30:48.440 life of a disciple careful unbelief that's the way also chambers puts it the 00:30:48.440 --> 00:30:55.760 the the the common sense carefulness of our life which we display almost on a 00:30:55.760 --> 00:31:02.440 daily basis Jesus in also chambers words which is an odd way to put it he calls 00:31:02.440 --> 00:31:10.360 it careful unbelief careful unbelief and boy do we indulge in careful unbelief 00:31:10.360 --> 00:31:15.520 don't worry Matt and James and Derek are getting good Sunday school education in 00:31:15.520 --> 00:31:25.760 there careful unbelief guys when I take the pressure of provision upon myself I 00:31:25.760 --> 00:31:33.760 place mammon at the center and my life is ordered by it when I take upon 00:31:33.760 --> 00:31:41.400 myself the pressure the pressure of my own provision I place mammon at the 00:31:41.400 --> 00:31:50.160 center and my life is then ordered around it these are extreme statements 00:31:50.440 --> 00:31:58.440 these are extreme statements but these are true statements if you want to have 00:31:58.440 --> 00:32:07.200 God manifest himself by physically blessing you into prosperity then I so 00:32:07.200 --> 00:32:11.760 encourage others the people to begin to make this these colossal mind shifts 00:32:11.760 --> 00:32:15.080 colossal mind shifts 00:32:15.880 --> 00:32:21.400 if not for your sake at least for the sake of your children so that another 00:32:21.400 --> 00:32:25.400 generation doesn't go this route 00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:35.600 Jesus said amass treasures for yourself in God seek first the kingdom of God 00:32:35.600 --> 00:32:43.000 seek seek as in pursue seek as in run after seek as in deliverance seek as in 00:32:43.040 --> 00:32:50.800 run after seek as in desire first first as in time first as in importance first 00:32:50.800 --> 00:32:57.040 as in place first as in order seek first what the rule and the reign of Christ 00:32:57.040 --> 00:33:03.200 where in my life in my home in my work and as I do what will you do a God all 00:33:03.200 --> 00:33:08.760 other things all other things all other things will be added added as in a next 00:33:08.840 --> 00:33:14.920 and joined to added as in proceed further into added as in taken and put 00:33:14.920 --> 00:33:17.320 into 00:33:21.040 --> 00:33:24.800 that's what he's saying man 00:33:27.440 --> 00:33:34.040 and so what does seek first for you look like discover it discover it what does 00:33:34.080 --> 00:33:39.800 seek first look like for you which is the area that he wants to start it in is 00:33:39.800 --> 00:33:43.560 it your marriage then work on it you'll be surprised as to how you when you seek 00:33:43.560 --> 00:33:47.320 first the kingdom in your marriage you will find that you will become 00:33:47.320 --> 00:33:50.520 successful and begin to prosper at certain things without having done 00:33:50.520 --> 00:33:59.120 anything in that area seek first in terms of the calling upon your life seek 00:33:59.160 --> 00:34:04.960 first at your work seek first the rule and the reign of Christ in terms of 00:34:04.960 --> 00:34:12.400 your family wherever God says seek first go and do it because I guarantee you 00:34:12.400 --> 00:34:17.400 this this principle is from the heaven is from heaven and it works and if you 00:34:17.400 --> 00:34:21.720 don't follow it you will have to become a slave of Mammon to prosper those are 00:34:21.720 --> 00:34:30.960 your only choices or she doesn't like me clapping things I have to deal with 00:34:30.960 --> 00:34:33.400 in this church 00:34:39.400 --> 00:34:44.720 guys talk back to me about this tell me do you understand why why no other 00:34:44.720 --> 00:34:50.080 thing will work guys for you you know unfortunately you become a Christian 00:34:50.120 --> 00:34:55.800 yeah in a way of speaking because now if you were a citizen of Babylon you could 00:34:55.800 --> 00:35:00.360 prosper with Mammon but when it comes to being a Christian when you part of the 00:35:00.360 --> 00:35:03.600 kingdom know your righteousness and you're seeking it and seeking the 00:35:03.600 --> 00:35:07.320 kingdom is vital to your prosperity 00:35:08.960 --> 00:35:14.000 when was the last time you saw prosperous Christians man 00:35:14.640 --> 00:35:19.080 when was the last time we saw prosperous Christians how long has it 00:35:19.080 --> 00:35:24.520 been it's been a while 00:35:26.240 --> 00:35:31.280 and my prosperous I don't mean cars houses and stuff like that prosperous as 00:35:31.280 --> 00:35:37.960 in once through whom money comes and goes and who had no problem with it how 00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:43.000 long has it been it's been a while 00:35:44.600 --> 00:35:48.960 I'd so encourage us to get these two things leave alone the next two things 00:35:48.960 --> 00:35:55.040 right these two things right questions comments I mean this is not impossible 00:35:55.040 --> 00:36:01.000 I'll show you here in this world before I die how this will work I'm already 00:36:01.000 --> 00:36:04.720 showing you but I'll show it to you better I'll show it to you better as 00:36:04.760 --> 00:36:10.440 some of you will show me too this works guys has got nothing to do with cars 00:36:10.440 --> 00:36:14.800 and houses it's got to do with money flowing in and out of your life because 00:36:14.800 --> 00:36:19.800 it's a relationship between God and wealth myself and others 00:36:21.800 --> 00:36:30.040 mm-hmm yep questions comments disagreements challenges 00:36:35.360 --> 00:36:44.520 you still have to hear and know what to do yeah yeah yeah yeah 00:36:48.840 --> 00:36:53.600 yeah I'm talking about prosperity only in terms of resources in terms of the 00:36:53.600 --> 00:36:58.520 word wealth which involves property resources money 00:36:58.520 --> 00:37:06.400 yeah and surprisingly yeah surprisingly when I see God in different areas of my 00:37:06.400 --> 00:37:11.640 life prosperity is a natural byproduct because all other things are added unto 00:37:11.640 --> 00:37:13.840 me 00:37:18.360 --> 00:37:23.360 I'm talking only about wealth right now nothing else I'm talking about wealth 00:37:23.400 --> 00:37:29.600 and wealth includes property money resources I'm only talking about that 00:37:29.600 --> 00:37:34.160 right now I know prosperity involves a lot more but we are only focusing on 00:37:34.160 --> 00:37:41.680 money right now and I'm saying to you as you begin to seek pursue desire after 00:37:41.680 --> 00:37:48.440 first in place importance order and time the rule and the reign of Christ in your 00:37:48.440 --> 00:37:53.960 marriage in your calling in what you were meant to do abandoning the the 00:37:53.960 --> 00:37:58.520 trap and the lure of how the world thinks you should operate abandoning 00:37:58.520 --> 00:38:02.560 everything else because you're owned by one master and doing it that way you 00:38:02.560 --> 00:38:05.280 will find that even though you're focusing on your marriage you're 00:38:05.280 --> 00:38:10.360 prospering in other areas all other things shall be added unto you 00:38:14.360 --> 00:38:17.120 go ahead 00:38:18.480 --> 00:38:23.680 what do you focus on first one of the things I do is I'll ask God okay father 00:38:23.680 --> 00:38:28.440 which area do you want to work on because there are multiple areas in my 00:38:28.440 --> 00:38:35.200 life where his rule and reign are not active or are very poor and so my first 00:38:35.200 --> 00:38:41.080 thing we go to ask him father what do you want me to work on so he has to ask 00:38:41.080 --> 00:38:44.360 what is what do you want me to work on which area of my life do you want rule 00:38:44.360 --> 00:38:48.320 and reign she has to ask that for herself come out for himself and God 00:38:48.320 --> 00:38:52.360 will begin to hone in on a certain place how do you know that he'll keep sending 00:38:52.360 --> 00:38:55.480 people to speak about it when you read you will read about it your thoughts 00:38:55.480 --> 00:38:59.640 are consumed with it God God things that your mind is consumed with and you 00:38:59.640 --> 00:39:03.520 realize that this is the area that I now need to pull myself up in for some of us 00:39:03.520 --> 00:39:07.280 you just need to come and ask me what area should I focus on I'll tell you and 00:39:07.280 --> 00:39:13.040 it'll be a God telling and you won't like it perhaps some of you will some of 00:39:13.040 --> 00:39:22.920 you won't so pardon yeah 00:39:28.160 --> 00:39:35.280 but come and at the end of the day why are we why are we prospering not at all 00:39:35.280 --> 00:39:42.040 for any other reason but we'll come to that in about 20 minutes any other 00:39:42.040 --> 00:39:49.760 questions guys ah okay moving on the next thing is more thrusts and thieves 00:39:49.760 --> 00:39:55.240 it's from Matthew 6 19 that listen do not lay up for yourself treasures on 00:39:55.240 --> 00:40:00.520 earth where more than rust and thieves destroy and my thieves break in and 00:40:00.520 --> 00:40:07.640 steal lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven guys we grow up learning that our 00:40:07.640 --> 00:40:13.680 money and our job is our life source and our security we grow up learning 00:40:13.680 --> 00:40:18.600 from our parents learning from the world around us that the one thing or the two 00:40:18.600 --> 00:40:24.640 things that you have to be careful you always have and you never lose is money 00:40:24.640 --> 00:40:33.440 and a job you lose a money or a job and you're done money and job never lose 00:40:33.480 --> 00:40:39.560 this and so what happens we grow up knowing this we've seen our parents go 00:40:39.560 --> 00:40:43.840 through it we see other pastors go through it it's the scariest thing a 00:40:43.840 --> 00:40:47.120 pastor losing his job is one of the scariest thing that can happen to a 00:40:47.120 --> 00:40:55.240 pastor's family this is what we grew up with and you know what happens then I 00:40:55.240 --> 00:41:04.040 now make money and my job my security or my life source and the moment my job 00:41:04.040 --> 00:41:10.120 and the money I have becomes my security or my life source now begins the process 00:41:10.120 --> 00:41:16.000 of Satan always touching it to bring fear into my life for the rest of my 00:41:16.000 --> 00:41:21.000 life I will always be crippled because there will always be an external attack 00:41:21.040 --> 00:41:26.120 on two things in my life my job and the money I have and time and again it'll 00:41:26.120 --> 00:41:33.280 cripple me it'll leave me lying down on a bed unable to get up because again the 00:41:33.280 --> 00:41:38.320 two things that I put my security in my job and my money my profession and my 00:41:38.320 --> 00:41:42.960 money my career and my money are being touched again and again and my life is a 00:41:42.960 --> 00:41:47.840 series of ups and downs because it's being touched 00:41:51.280 --> 00:41:56.240 the fear of losing money or losing a job drives our livelihood drives our 00:41:56.240 --> 00:42:01.320 lifestyle and drives our life choices it drives our livelihood it drives our 00:42:01.320 --> 00:42:06.080 lifestyle and it drives our life choices and so one of the ways we adjust or cope 00:42:06.080 --> 00:42:10.800 is because we are so scared of losing money money we plunge into stockpiling it 00:42:10.800 --> 00:42:16.720 another dirty word for it is holding we plunge into stockpiling it or we plunge 00:42:16.720 --> 00:42:20.760 into protecting it or we plunge into prolonging it into the future because 00:42:20.760 --> 00:42:24.480 surely God will abandon me at 65 00:42:27.280 --> 00:42:32.080 our lives are consumed with it I want to make a statement here that you need to 00:42:32.080 --> 00:42:39.400 just take deep into your heart deep into your heart and this is not the statement 00:42:39.400 --> 00:42:45.360 I'll see as long as your security is tied to money or your job Satan will 00:42:45.360 --> 00:42:48.760 disrupt your life by touching it again and again again but here's the statement 00:42:48.760 --> 00:42:57.320 I want to make guys money has the power money has the power to turn you into an 00:42:57.320 --> 00:43:04.520 orphan money has the power to turn you into an orphan because it cultivates in 00:43:04.520 --> 00:43:11.920 you a fear of abandonment money has the power to turn you into an orphan because 00:43:11.960 --> 00:43:17.320 it cultivates in you the fear of abandonment what is the first reaction 00:43:17.320 --> 00:43:22.680 when people lose things lose money lose their job or God how could you do this 00:43:22.680 --> 00:43:27.280 to me how could you abandon me what happens when your relatives don't give 00:43:27.280 --> 00:43:31.080 you the money or your parents cut you off or your husband takes away money 00:43:31.080 --> 00:43:35.200 that is owed you or the wife keeps a separate bank account the first thing 00:43:35.200 --> 00:43:39.800 that happens is a fear of abandonment money has the power to turn you into an 00:43:39.800 --> 00:43:42.200 orphan 00:43:46.840 --> 00:43:54.240 it cultivates in you and I a sense of abandonment an abandonment that we either 00:43:54.240 --> 00:44:00.680 blame God for or blame someone else for or blame a boss for that is the power 00:44:00.680 --> 00:44:04.040 this thing has it is wicked it is wicked not money 00:44:04.080 --> 00:44:11.320 mammon is wicked money is a moral mammon is wicked in the ability to render you an 00:44:11.320 --> 00:44:13.720 orphan 00:44:18.160 --> 00:44:24.840 powerful thing it is man everything an orphan does is motivated by two things 00:44:24.840 --> 00:44:30.680 and both are because of this unrelenting demand of the soul everything an orphan 00:44:30.680 --> 00:44:35.920 does revolves around two things provision protection provision protection 00:44:36.440 --> 00:44:41.800 why do pastors have a contract in a church aren't they supposed to be the 00:44:41.800 --> 00:44:53.080 set men of their congregations why do they have contracts I'm just speaking on 00:44:53.560 --> 00:45:02.440 why because it is important for me to protect to protect my interests because 00:45:02.440 --> 00:45:07.240 I'm scared of how you will betray me and I cannot afford to be abandoned again by 00:45:07.240 --> 00:45:09.760 another church 00:45:10.760 --> 00:45:16.040 an orphan has a mentality of protection and provision and money has the power to 00:45:16.040 --> 00:45:22.720 render you and I an orphan do you realize why we cry out now so often when 00:45:22.720 --> 00:45:26.200 we don't have money what do we say oh god how could you do this to me oh god 00:45:26.200 --> 00:45:29.720 you have abandoned me oh god I have prayed no no no god is saying come be 00:45:29.720 --> 00:45:33.640 disciplined into prosperity come be disciplined into prosperity and that's 00:45:33.640 --> 00:45:36.400 the one thing we don't want 00:45:43.640 --> 00:45:49.280 started with Adam guys started with Adam when he abandoned God as his ultimate 00:45:49.320 --> 00:45:56.640 supplier what happened he was discharged to work the land in sweat started then 00:45:57.760 --> 00:46:02.920 how do I break this the only way to break this is to come back to God as 00:46:02.920 --> 00:46:08.840 father as father we talked about master and slave now we are talking about God 00:46:08.840 --> 00:46:15.880 as father where because mammon has had the power to render me an orphan and to 00:46:15.920 --> 00:46:21.280 created me the sense of abandonment which has forced me to seek out my own 00:46:21.280 --> 00:46:25.880 protection and provision at the expense of keeping God on the outside the only 00:46:25.880 --> 00:46:31.800 way to break this orphanhood that I thrive in that I got from my dad and mom 00:46:31.800 --> 00:46:37.800 and many others is to come back to God as father and recognize that my 00:46:37.800 --> 00:46:44.720 inheritance is in my father and that I am his inheritance these statements are 00:46:44.760 --> 00:46:51.720 so full with meaning that we cannot unfold it right now it's impossible but 00:46:51.720 --> 00:46:57.680 go think on just this one line that I have to come back to God as father in 00:46:57.680 --> 00:47:06.280 whom I have an inheritance and whose inheritance I am in whom I have an 00:47:06.280 --> 00:47:12.480 inheritance and whose inheritance I am think of that connection alone and it'll 00:47:12.520 --> 00:47:16.680 bring you to a place where you perhaps can break off the orphanhood upon you 00:47:16.680 --> 00:47:20.920 and go back to the father and say but my inheritance is in you what does the son 00:47:20.920 --> 00:47:30.520 have to do for an inheritance nothing he gets it by virtue of his position not 00:47:30.520 --> 00:47:35.560 through striving and that I am God's inheritance he says that plenty of 00:47:35.560 --> 00:47:40.600 places but Jacob you're my inheritance this is a relationship that can bring me 00:47:40.600 --> 00:47:43.960 back out of orphanhood 00:47:48.600 --> 00:47:56.160 for which one I'll find it for you yeah but quite a few 00:48:01.080 --> 00:48:05.080 I am God's inheritance he used to call Israel his inheritance quite often 00:48:05.120 --> 00:48:15.160 Israel my son Israel my portion Israel my inheritance these are massive I'm not 00:48:15.160 --> 00:48:19.360 stressing I'm not dramatizing this these are colossal shifts in my thinking 00:48:19.360 --> 00:48:24.760 guys colossal shifts I've been struggling with this because I thought 00:48:24.760 --> 00:48:30.520 I had come a certain distance and I'm realizing my God how I am NOT where I 00:48:30.560 --> 00:48:35.240 thought I was because I don't think like this 00:48:38.000 --> 00:48:45.640 last one if your eye is healthy that's what Jesus says in verse 23 that's all 00:48:45.640 --> 00:48:52.040 day in 22 he's talking about Moths and rusts in 24 he's talking about you can't 00:48:52.040 --> 00:48:56.640 serve two masters and then in the middle he talks about if your eyes healthy and 00:48:56.800 --> 00:49:01.720 I mean why did that words plonk itself there what is a healthy and I had a bad 00:49:01.720 --> 00:49:05.440 I got anything to do with provision and stuff like that what's his words doing 00:49:05.440 --> 00:49:11.320 that look at Matthew 2015 Matthew 2015 00:49:11.320 --> 00:49:17.440 Matthew 2015 most versions if you have an NIV or ESV or stuff like that 00:49:17.440 --> 00:49:23.520 Matthew 2015 is that story about how different laborers came at different 00:49:23.520 --> 00:49:28.200 points during the day and the landlord employed them and he paid them all the 00:49:28.200 --> 00:49:34.600 same wage a denarius and so some of them start complaining and in Matthew 2015 00:49:34.600 --> 00:49:42.160 Jesus is saying to them why do you begrudge me my generosity why do you 00:49:42.160 --> 00:49:47.960 begrudge my generosity and yet if it were actually translated as it should be 00:49:47.960 --> 00:49:53.800 which you will find in some versions the word user is ophthalmos which is 00:49:53.800 --> 00:49:59.480 where the whole eye thing comes from what Jesus actually says there is is 00:49:59.480 --> 00:50:07.880 your eye evil because I am good is your eye evil because I am good to rephrase 00:50:07.880 --> 00:50:15.080 it what is being said there is a bad eye refers to an eye that is stingy and 00:50:15.560 --> 00:50:21.120 cannot see the brightness of generosity a bad eye is an eye that is stingy and 00:50:21.120 --> 00:50:26.680 cannot see the brightness of generosity here is Jesus giving things freely to 00:50:26.680 --> 00:50:30.840 the ones who have come to work for him and some come to him with an evil eye 00:50:30.840 --> 00:50:35.320 that looks at him and says you cannot do this begrudging his generosity the whole 00:50:35.320 --> 00:50:40.840 idea of if your eye is healthy your body is full of light and if your eye is dark 00:50:40.840 --> 00:50:45.720 or great is the darkness within you is basically if I were to rephrase it it 00:50:45.720 --> 00:50:49.760 would sound like this Jesus would be saying hey if you have a bad eye it 00:50:49.760 --> 00:50:55.960 means you have a problem in terms of being stingy self-consumed and reluctant 00:50:55.960 --> 00:51:02.640 and giving and if you have a healthy eye it's an eye that enjoys God-like 00:51:02.640 --> 00:51:08.200 brilliant generosity that's what he's saying there and then he's even making 00:51:08.320 --> 00:51:12.920 the statement that if you're stingy self-centered and reluctant and giving 00:51:12.920 --> 00:51:21.800 then great is the darkness within you ouch I prefer the other version if 00:51:21.800 --> 00:51:29.160 you're stingy if you're selfish and if you're reluctant in generosity then 00:51:29.160 --> 00:51:35.320 great is the darkness within you because you have a bad eye your life is filled 00:51:35.360 --> 00:51:43.080 with darkness but if you are generous and you participate in God-like generosity 00:51:43.080 --> 00:51:47.000 then your life is full of light 00:51:52.200 --> 00:51:57.920 this is what happened in Genesis chapter 13 and you will see God used these lines 00:51:57.920 --> 00:52:04.280 I mean the Bible use these lines at one point Abraham standing with Lot and 00:52:04.520 --> 00:52:10.320 he says to Lot look cast your eye as far as you can and choose what you want and 00:52:10.320 --> 00:52:15.400 what does Lot do he's a junior guy here but he looks and he sees Sodom and he 00:52:15.400 --> 00:52:19.920 sees fertile land what does he do immediately takes it to himself and 00:52:19.920 --> 00:52:25.120 Abraham's words to Lot are cast your eye upon the land and choose what you will 00:52:25.120 --> 00:52:30.280 so that we don't have strife anymore and immediately after Lot chooses Sodom 00:52:30.280 --> 00:52:35.760 which is to his peril a few chapters later God turns up and God says to Abraham 00:52:35.760 --> 00:52:42.640 now lift up your eyes and look and wherever you set your feet I shall give 00:52:42.640 --> 00:52:50.480 it to you Abraham was being generous with Lot Lot was being completely 00:52:50.480 --> 00:52:56.000 self-consumed at the end of the day the reason this verse exists in the middle 00:52:56.000 --> 00:53:00.000 of this passage and which seems to have nothing to do with the passage is 00:53:00.000 --> 00:53:07.160 actually not true this is exactly what Jesus meant to say is your evil is your 00:53:07.160 --> 00:53:10.760 eye evil because I'm good a bad eye refers to an eye that is stingy and 00:53:10.760 --> 00:53:15.840 cannot see the brightness of generosity rephrase correctly God-like generosity 00:53:15.840 --> 00:53:22.160 will fill your life with light stinginess selfishness and reluctance 00:53:22.160 --> 00:53:29.120 will cloud your life with darkness and great is your darkness a whole new way 00:53:29.120 --> 00:53:41.160 of sorry greed yeah you see it gives you a brand new way of seeing who you want 00:53:41.160 --> 00:53:43.960 to be friends with suddenly 00:53:43.960 --> 00:53:57.720 God is the seed giver guys second Corinthians verse 9 chapter 9 verse 10 00:53:57.720 --> 00:54:05.800 God is a seed giver and when he gives me seed he expects me to sow it as 00:54:05.800 --> 00:54:11.120 surprisingly he's also the bread supplier we won't go into sowing and 00:54:11.120 --> 00:54:15.000 reaping today because we've done that before and we may go there next week but 00:54:15.000 --> 00:54:20.240 not this week God is a seed giver when I sow he is also the bread supplier and 00:54:20.240 --> 00:54:24.680 the strange thing is every time I sow seed it's impregnated with this command 00:54:24.680 --> 00:54:31.080 from heaven what is that command multiply multiply every time I sow seed 00:54:31.080 --> 00:54:35.440 there is a command from heaven that impregnates the seed I'm sowing and that 00:54:35.440 --> 00:54:40.240 command is just one word that was spoken of in Genesis 1 multiply and suddenly 00:54:40.240 --> 00:54:48.920 the seed that I'm sowing multiplies for the eater for the sower for both and 00:54:48.920 --> 00:54:53.920 we're not going to talk about that today what I'm trying to say is guys the at 00:54:53.920 --> 00:54:57.240 the end of the day the whole idea of prosperity centers around just one thing 00:54:57.240 --> 00:55:01.680 God wants me to be a partaker and distributor of his brilliant 00:55:01.680 --> 00:55:08.360 single-minded liberality God wants me to a partaker and a distributor of his 00:55:08.360 --> 00:55:13.240 brilliant single-minded liberality I know I've said this before but the only 00:55:13.240 --> 00:55:17.800 intent that God has from my out of my prosperity is this Jacob I want you to 00:55:17.800 --> 00:55:22.320 be the largest conduit or pipe through which money can flow here on earth and I 00:55:22.320 --> 00:55:27.160 want you to both partake in and distribute with great God-like 00:55:27.160 --> 00:55:32.000 generosity and liberality wealth resources and money wherever I tell it 00:55:32.000 --> 00:55:40.240 to go become the largest conduit you can be but to become that I have to be 00:55:40.240 --> 00:55:46.400 disciplined into prosperity disciplined into prosperity and therein lies our 00:55:46.400 --> 00:55:56.280 problem instruction correction training of the way we are so at the end of the 00:55:56.880 --> 00:56:05.040 be a slave to one master will I choose God will I seize from my care-filled 00:56:05.040 --> 00:56:13.160 unbelief and instead seek and amass for myself the treasures of God the rule of 00:56:13.160 --> 00:56:20.360 the reign of Christ will I destroy my security in money and in my job will I 00:56:20.360 --> 00:56:28.480 pull myself back from the orphan that money has made me will I find my life 00:56:28.480 --> 00:56:34.480 will I fill my life with God-like generosity and nothing less are you 00:56:34.480 --> 00:56:41.040 generous wonderful I've benefited from it but do you have the same generosity as 00:56:41.480 --> 00:56:50.600 and if you don't there's still room to improve these are the I keep using the 00:56:50.600 --> 00:56:54.320 word colossal because that is how huge this is these are the colossal mind 00:56:54.320 --> 00:56:58.440 shifts that need to happen in your life in my life if we are to be disciplined 00:56:58.440 --> 00:57:01.240 into prosperity 00:57:01.520 --> 00:57:07.280 questions comments disagreements challenges 00:57:11.040 --> 00:57:14.040 additions 00:57:22.880 --> 00:57:29.680 reluctance can apply to $2 $20 $2,000 $20,000 generosity can apply to $2 $20 00:57:29.720 --> 00:57:35.760 $2,000 $20,000 it's not the amount really 00:57:40.000 --> 00:57:52.160 questions comments I mean are you agreeing with all that I said yeah now 00:57:52.160 --> 00:57:55.360 go home and listen and listen again and listen again because some of these 00:57:55.400 --> 00:58:03.080 statements I haven't understood yet that my inheritance is my father and I am my 00:58:03.080 --> 00:58:07.440 father's inheritance if I could grasp that truth I would be able to become a 00:58:07.440 --> 00:58:09.960 better slave 00:58:14.560 --> 00:58:17.160 cool 00:58:25.360 --> 00:58:27.460 you