A Word to the Wealthy

I want you to understand that what you do matters to God in heaven. It matters if it's good God takes note of it.

If it is evil. God takes note of it. Nothing escapes God's notice, and the Bible also tells us in no uncertain terms that we will all answer our actions donning this body, rich or poor, old or young well known or unknown God is fully aware of our every thought, every action, enter every motive hello and welcome to this Wednesday. Addition of Destin for victory with pastor Paul Sheppard today pastor Paul offers a word of wisdom for the wealthy. Make no mistake, this message applies to all of us because we've all been blessed in one way or you follow along today. Keep this time there's nothing wrong with having 12 or popularity or good looks, or any other blessing, but there's everything wrong with these things having stayed with us here or visit pastor Paul.net to listen to Destin for victory on demand can also subscribe to the podcasting Google podcast or wherever you use master policy-based Destin for victory message, a word the wealthy concept body is getting way and it's not necessarily positive unless you're living in obedience to God's word says it again in second Corinthians chapter 5 verse 10 for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, watch this, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in this body, whether or see your getting a consequence, or whether you have lived in obedience or in this obedience, and so we need to understand this is an important concept.

This is why you gotta live with God consciousness because you might try to sneak and do something wrong but all you're doing at best is hiding that from people. But how many know God looking right at so you'll used to be a slight slit we get them now because you look all holy and stuff like that but I know some of y'all must like you got saved on the slickness and truth be told, somehow still trying to shake some of that off now. But you can outmaneuver the Shepherd of your soul. The Bible says remember when Samuel was going to the house of Jesse to anoint one of his sons when Samuel saw Jesse son. He said when he saw the first one first born he saw a big strong guy. This is gotta be the next king of Israel and the Lord said notice not him.

And before you look at the others and decide based on what they look like what you think.

He said let me tell you, God said, I don't look at outward appearance. I look at the heart.

I look at the heart so don't try to judge by what you see, God messed up in various ways in your life path.

We will go back into that but you make some decisions because you thought you saw all something worth looking up with those amen no no issue man looks on the Atwood appearance, but not God looks on the heart knows what's going on in every area of your life. So when you really get in the groove of learning how to walk in the spirit. You don't have to fear anything appearing out of about any closets in your life because all of have been exposed to God and you learn how to live in open awareness of his presence in your life known what it is to live with secrets that need to be dealt with and I know now what it lives to be and I'm telling you you sleep better when everything is out in the light.

If you ever get into deceptive living in your life with your money, so we all scan every tax because you know you been messing around trying to start below. IRS rules and stuff like that. Not you look down see who it is somehow scan right now plus taxes is looming.

You don't have peace because you know there's something that if they caught up with you.

You have to pay a penalty live in the light and the best way to do that is first of all, make sure you connect to the God for everything happening in your life to the folks you see what I'm saying and so the point is very important. Actions and decisions have been fine consequences. Everything you do everything you decide.

As a consequence, whether it is a good one or a bad consequence, they all have their consequences. That's why you want to be under the blood you want to be saved by Mrs. message you give your life to Jesus yet. The first thing you want to do is give him your life, because he put you in the position where you are justified by faith. You have peace with God all your past sins are forgiven all your presence and forgiven. And if you confess them moving forward all your future sins are forgiven.

Jesus is the way to live life without having to worry God and people look around and who saw me. Oh my God like that in Christ because if you do well, you confess your sin in the Bible says he's faithful and just to forgive you your sin and cleanse you of all unrighteousness.

That's why I don't understand people who resent the fact that the Bible says Jesus is the way the truth and the life and no one comes to the father but by him resent that that's meant to be mad at God.

The fact that he said that Jesus is the only way I believe there are many ways to God, thank you so much for sharing your opinion. Now God himself said there was one way, and his name is Jesus, and Jesus came to earth, for the express purpose of living among us and bend us out here is your justification. He is the one who will get you from earth to heaven and it is silly for you to resent the fact that Jesus is the only way I have often said through the years I would be.

That makes about as much sense as you being in a burning house are trapped in a room don't know how to get out alive, and then only a fireman burst through and says come with me. This is the only way out. I resent you say this is all only way out many ways out of this house afire. That would make much sense. What you would get your happy hips right fireman and would go when Jesus came to be your fireman. Jesus came to make sure you will have to worry about the negative consequences that Jane speak so I confess I trust I'm learning how to walk in the spirit I'm learning how to live life is way about anything negative because Jesus took care of that for good news. So the thing I want you to understand as you look at this passage is James is simply saying that these folks are going to face consequences. That's how he describes it very graphically as them needing to weep and wail because of the misery that is coming. Their wealth has rotted malls have eaten their clothes and their gold and silver are corrupted and their testifying against them. He is saying all that about something that is yet to come upon these people. He said the way you have live the way you have systematically mishandled your affluence. He said you're going to pay the price for so we need to understand even if you aren't in this category are not a wealthy person who has abused and misused people in the course of law.

Using your affluence. He says you still need to know that everything you do has consequences. The second point I want to draw out of our look at this passage is job just down the sand. Was there corruption not their wealth. James is not upset with these people because their wealthy.

This is very important you understand because there is a brand of Christianity. There are some people who basically believe if you're going to live for Christ. You need to divest of all of your worldly resources. I met them. I know some folks who think you really need to be poor or driven very simply, if you will be a follower of Jesus, but I checked that philosophy out by the word and it doesn't check out.

I said or done.

Check out.

I spent most of my life in this book I've looked at everything carefully. It doesn't check out the Bible does not agree with the assertion that the only way to be a true follower of Jesus is a very simple life and give everything else away. I will admit there are those who feel a calling to do that. I met some of them. They feel a calling to do that. They live in voluntary poverty and they feel a calling to divest of all of their stuff so that they can live simply and help other people and I respect that. I told everyone who's ever come at me with that.

That's the way live.

That's what they believe others should live. I respect you, but don't worry about what I have and don't try to sit in judgment on me, because for some of us poverty one voluntary for whole lot of years. Can I get some help somewhere one voluntary it was just called life is all it was one my preacher Frazier said recently.

If you see me bro by accident. Now, not intentional, but I spent a lot of time living that way because I couldn't help it, and not fact is there are those who feel that callings are to be voluntarily poor and I respect them, and God bless them, but don't put that on everybody else say he's not rebuking these people go there wealthy is rebuking them because they miss you what God has given and they missed treat people by using their position of affluent you see what I'm saying and so you need to understand is very important to make sure you can verify what I just said. Look at verse three of the text he's rebuking them for verse three. Four wealth in the last days for hoarding wealth in the last days you were holding me their shows on TV now about people who just for seeing me there were some I got a house full of stuff. You could hardly walk in their people just pile of stuff and I didn't have to have it they don't throw anything away, coming up next.

The rest of today's message. Word to the wealthy with pastor Paul Sheppard who senior pastor of destiny Christian Fellowship located in Fremont, California. If you've never stop by our website pastor Paul.net. I invite you to do so today, you'll find all the pastor Paul's recent messages on demand plus a host of great resources or online store, and that includes books and DVD messages from Pastor Paul. You can also learn more about the ministry and all the great things friends like you are doing for your prayers and financial support. That's pastor Paul.net and we know if you love listing this program, you'll enjoy watching some of pastor Paul's best video clips subscribe to YouTube or go to pastor Paul.net you can find more details and links to all of the social back into the book of James rejoin Pastor Paul for the rest of today's destined for Victor message award to the wealthy can never give out always pulling in more more more more and some people do that with what they have is never enough there constantly making it and look at what James said. The problem is you are warning well in the last days.

Now what is that mean James writes in the first century of the existence of the church is one of the earliest epistles and he's writing to a generation of Christians who thought not only Jesus is coming again. They thought he was coming again in their immediate lifetime because Jesus had told them of the last days and they had learned about that and the day of Pentecost introduced the church age and on the day of Pentecost.

One of the prophecies are fulfilled in the last days, God will pour out a spirit so the first century believers thought that Jesus was coming right back within their lifetime. And James says since we believe Jesus is coming right back how you all well at a time when if anybody ought to be helping fold. It ought to be.

You know Jesus is soon to return so why get richer and richer when you could be helping more and more people you see what I'm saying about tracking with me. He said you hoarding wealth in the last days so how are we to understand the last days, then since Jesus didn't come back in their lifetime and hasn't come back for 20 centuries thereafter. How are we to understand it well because which is the birthday of the church was the beginning of the last day. What none of us know is how long the last day. It is check with me. We know the beginning, because on the day the spirit of the Lord was poured out on the golf fulfilled the prophecy from Joe in the last days I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. So it was the beginning of the last days, but Jesus taught very clearly no one knows the day or the hour that I'm coming back we seen the false prophets we seem to help camping who have falsely said, I figured out the Bible formulas and I know when Jesus is coming back while you can skate on the 17 clearly falls how well-intentioned he was. He kept on publicly predicting something when Jesus said you don't know is right and so at a certain point you just gotta call it what it is that's false prophecy and so he kept declaring I know when Jesus is coming. The fact is, no one knows the day of the hour, but we do know when the last day. Now the reason why we can't get comfortable is because since you don't know. It could be any day more Paul said when he wrote his spiritual son Timothy and I want you to go there with me. Second Timothy chapter 3 gave us some clear indication about the period in which you could expect Jesus to come and look at what he said go with me. The second Timothy chapter 3 and I'm going to show you why you can't afford to be loose in your living.

Second Timothy chapter 3, beginning with verse one but mark this Paul practically said you get out your pin and get ready to put some checkmarks by what I'm about to say if it applies to the time in which you live. He says, but mark this there will be telephone times in the last days how many know we can put a checkmark right there living in terrible times when you see what's going on in our world we're living in troubled times. In fact, there are some who see the clouds gathering and it looks like that the me of our souls. I believe he's at least trying to get together on World War III observing what's going on in the world and over in the East Middle East section and all of the warring against Israel in all this and all of the stuff I see some stuff happening that could very well be a chilling manifestation of the words we just read that in the last days will be terrible times. I put a checkmark right there. Verse two. People will be lovers of themselves, check out your checkmark, lovers of money, check boastful check out Jack abusive check so obedient to their parents. Thank you parents thank you I appreciate all those parental checks we've never seen your younger focus of excuse us, we have never seen a day like this in our lives. That's why every night and I just had to exhale a little bit.

I'm sorry if I do too much for your taste, something also overly concerned that the children won't have unhealthy ideas of themselves because of the things we say and do, but I have a nap and then I got a exhale.

These is just gotten out of control with parents who don't know how to parent. I don't understand this. I have no frame of reference for that. I know parents were afraid of their own children. I don't have a frame of reference, but I was raised by generational parents one just my whole generation wouldn't think of being scared of something. They had just never crossed your mind at all to be concerned for your safety, how big you get to do would be church and sons got big and grow and one day they set a little too much and she said let me tell you something. The longest day you live I will be your mother and if you don't mind me.

She said you bank, not you upside your just traumatized the whole generation of younger people with that statement.

I'm so sorry be healed. Children in public afraid their children will embarrass them in public took us out in public be going on the rest of embarrassment going on embarrass you. They said you cannot then try and if you want to see what happened in the days when you say children how to in the store falling out because they couldn't have some the floor, you would see in my day in the middle of it will not Walmart shoppers, Walmart, Kmart, that was W will something that back in that day. Let me tell you about the scare you hold yourself back in that day afraid to swap you in public. Now some common child protective services like you got no home trying just like you.

Once you've embarrass me at the store so I gotta get you for embarrassment as well as misbehavior. When I got what you got saved going back into that when looking at this list. I'm grateful people ungrateful in the last days.

Check on the holy check without love. Check unforgiving check and slanderous, without some control, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash conceded was a pleasure rather than lovers of God godliness but did not work. All that is going on big numbers so I am convinced we are not only in the last days. But when the last if someone has wronged you recently. If you ever been abused or mistreated. If you've ever been condemned, with or without cause, Pastor Paul what you think about the way the world treated Jesus consider his suffering is unselfish life, his sacrificial death and the words he himself spoke. The servant is not greater than his master. One day, your justice will come.

In the meantime, following the footsteps of Christ, who willingly suffered at the hands of men so that all men might one day find eternal life, including those who mistreated him most is someone 07. King David writes then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. So if you need prayer today to Destin for Victor ministry team would like to join you on the homepage of Pastor Paul.net use the contact feature. Let us know how we can pray for you and why you're there, be sure to ask for Pastor Paul's monthly letter of encouragement which comes at no cost or obligation.

And we have a great resource to share with you today a DVD message from Pastor Paul Sheppard titled get your hopes up the wood. Hope in English often conveys doubt. I hope my team wins work. I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow but hope has its foundation in God, in whom there is never any doubt. Learn more about biblical hope in this DVD message from Pastor Paul that's get your hopes up our gift to you this month by request for your generous donation to Destin for victory, simply call 855-339-5500 855-339-5500 or visit Pastor Paul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. You can also mail your gift to Destin for victory PO Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538 some of you believe in God and I'm sure something about be blessed with more resources, but first you gotta be faithful to what you have and make sure what demonstrating that I honor God with everything that he blesses me with.

That's tomorrow when Pastor Paul Sheppard shares his message award to the wealthy. Until then, remember he who began a good work and you will bring it to completion. In Christ, you are destined for victory