Wisdom And Wealth, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ, God's agenda is completely different fields. All the cattle all the hills I just can't stand when I see somebody saying God's kingdom will never move forward as you get more money.

That's ridiculous. I can tell you this, it will move forward joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana. Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows us how God's word are Laura honor and from the first of all produce. They might be thinking the first thing you think there's all the other I knew that always get something like that that's out of the reputation of current evangelical church but I think you're missing the whole point.

He said honor the Lord with your wealth gave it okay I get that.

But notice the next verse he says honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all you produce so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. Honor the Lord with your wealth so that you will be wealthy. That's an interesting statement and it's a statement that is repeated over and over again as a principal in the word of God. You see, if you don't honor the Lord with your wealth you dis-honor the Lord. That's the point.

If you honor yourself with your wealth. You'll this honor God with your wealth, that's the point. That's what Jesus talked about when he said that that you'll love the one and you hate the other. No man. He said no person can serve God and man you can't see the one you're going honor. The others are going honor what we like to say is no. I think I honor both as you can.

It's a matter your perspective. Honor God. He says with your wealth.

Solomon writes this in the as I said, because of his enormous wealth. He had a perspective on money that almost none of us could ever have. I want to show you that perspective near the end of his life. I want to go with me to Ecclesiastes chapter 5 Ecclesiastes chapter 5 in verse 10. These are Solomon's conclusions in his life.

Now remember, it's a life of tremendous wisdom and from our point of view almost infinite wealth he had anything and everything you ever wanted to have.

He wouldn't he would be in a sensei, a Saudi sheik hate it would be Bill Gates he would be that in his world.

He could do any even was better than that because he was king. So we had all the political powers well so he knows what he says in verse 10 of Ecclesiastes 5. This is near the end of his life. He said he loves money will not be satisfied with money. I'm just going to make set that up right now. He loves money will not be satisfied with money was a natural response that will yeah because you have a lot to see if I would ahead, I don't want as much as you had so I just want more than what I have seen this kind way we look at it. He who loves money will not be satisfied with money nor he who loves abundance with its income as this is vanity. Some said I been there done that that were vanities of sickness were vapor smoke. He goes you really love money for you to be disciplined, he says, verse 11, he says when good things increase. He says those who consume them increase. So what's the advantage their owners, except the look on. He said the more and more.

You have wealth you be amazed how many more more people you attract all kinds of people that want to share your wealth with that I've done that have been there. He says there is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, which is being hoarded by their owner to assert that's another thing why you hoarding money is why do you hoard money while we are said maybe excitement. I want to be secure. I want to be significant among us. Be really honest you really believe all the money you hoard is going to be every dollar you need really that's what you really believe you see hoard money said, much to their own hurt and stop there. He says when those ridges were lost through a bad investment he had fathered a son. There was nothing to support him money comes and goes. He says in his my peers this point, and as he had come naked from his mother's womb, so you will return as he came he will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. He said this is also a grievous evil exactly as a man is born. Thus, he will die. Is this a what's the advantage of him and toils for the wind and how much money are taken out of this world exactly what you brought in the data birth zip zero pieces and why want to spend my life thinking this is the most important thing I need to accumulate as much of this like an see his whole point. There is, I don't see anything there. He said, is this like I'm pulling for the wind. He said throughout his life. He also eats in darkness, with great vexation, sickness, and anger. He said money gives you problems, the more money you have, the more you think about it either. I got a protected or I got all expanded. I'm thinking constantly about it. I was wonder about you think about money.

Of all the jobs that you can have it and I think would be the most least for me would be the most difficult job. As far as money goes, would be would be a traitor on the market that to me is this like all you think about is money all day and then when you're not treating your thinking about the next day awake there's it's going to open up in Japan. It's been open and I got I think that's all you do and you spend your whole life doing it. And then when you're dead.

Nothing. You have nothing so his conclusions. In verse 18. Solomon says here's what I have seen to be good and fitting.

He says to eat and drink and enjoy oneself in all one's labor which you toils under the sun during the few years of life which God has given him this is his reward. Don't miss what the key to this is Solomon's is on 100. I enjoy my life. He was wealthy and enjoyed his life what you mean. He said you know why because I finally came to the conclusion that God gave me the gift of my life. The time that I have on this earth.

God gave me that it's a gift, and so he gave me the gift and I enjoy it. You see, I am just going to enjoy what God has given to me, knows how difficult that is.

You see, God can give you the gift of life. Money can't it just doesn't. He said furthermore, as for every man to whom God is given riches and wealth. So how do you get riches and low is a God gave this to you see we, there's nothing in here about the self-made man, I may money the old-fashioned way, I earned it.

It's good to earn it. But where that come from, what about the circumstances. What about the family reported. What about the ties event. What about your IQ what all that come from that comes in God sums is once I figured out that I can enjoy my life. He says he is also empowered him to eat he says from them and receive his reward and rejoice in his labor.

There is a joy word. Again, this is the gift of God is for he will not. He said often consider the years of his life.

He said if you get this perspective, you won't think about life much, you won't wake up in the middle night worrying about it. He says for he will not get the often consider the years of his life because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart. You see, I can't say Lord I want to scope and one know where I am financially one of 86. Lord I want to thank you for today you still want to thank you for today I want to thank you for you provided for me today. Thank you so when use of you every day like that you don't go preoccupied with everything else.

Again, this man can speak from experience because of his wisdom and because of his wealth, his words are backed up thousand years later Paul writes to Timothy and he backs up exactly what he says. Solomon says so let's go to first Timothy six first Timothy chapter 6 and once how this theme continues a thousand years later and always talking about people in the church just like you and me in verse 17 of first Timothy six. He said instruct those who are rich in this present world now. If your annual income is more than $2900 that do you okay and by the way if it was only 2900 to be the median so you would be worldwide middle-class. He said instruct those who are rich in this present world. Notice he didn't say Metairie is talking about the whole world because God sees everybody equally instruct those who are rich in this present world. First, not to be conceited, don't you get your significance because you have money though you for a moment think you're better than other people because you have money is don't do that. Don't be conceited about.

Why would he tell us that because were tempted to be exactly that way. We really are. Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches don't get your security for money. Don't think you're secure because you have money, your life might be expected of you this very day and then he says this instruct those who are reaching this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but the fix their hope on God, that's exactly what Solomon said why, because God's ones provided me the gift of time and the gift of wealth and he says, but fix your hope on God, who richly supplies us with all things, and then don't miss that last word that's important. If you have if you're wealthy at all. He richly supplies us with all things to enjoy for centuries the church would teach asceticism and say you know nobody was a believer known as a member the church.

You should never, never, we should all take about poverty that he that's anti-God God not said that some of us are have tremendous physical wealth. Others are in the middle and some of us at the bottom doesn't matter what he is saying here so if that's what you get you to give you all things to enjoy is exactly the word that Solomon used in a sense, when he was taught in Ecclesiastes. He said I rejoice I enjoy. He said who gives us all things to enjoy and then he says this so instruct them to do good and to be rich in good works. Now I know why wealthy to instruct them to do good to be rich in good works to be generous and ready to share their is the rub is in it probably pass up later on here. I would not understand what God said you been blessed in this way so different than anything else. If you been given the gift of God to teach, teach, if God is giving you enormous amounts of time, then pray and God is giving you wealth and share that her daughter saying that's always saying he said why won't you.

I gave it to you. It's a gift to you see it's not the source of your security or your significance ready to share what's happened to us. Our culture to I think one of the reasons that we don't feel ready to share is we have a culture of of so many in all cultures of had this in a way of so many who will try to take advantage of your good nature heart and so what's happening is there all kinds of flimflam source all kinds of schemes there's all kinds.

We need to really be discerning what I'm afraid of. Sometimes as Christians.

As you can become so discerning that there can be a need right in front of you and you refused to share and you think you've done the right thing.

You see God's interest is not so much on what that individual is going to do as to what your heart is with that individual. You see, you can't do that, and I've done that on a couple of occasions where somebody we think it really has is apparently some kind of need and so we decided to share and we had the conversation. Do you think that is going to be used in a wise way we thought it came with occlusion. That's not for us is not for us. See, I'm not going only there's not I can do that with my heart. Here you see in my willing to share when opportunity comes by way still use great discernment.

There's no doubt about that.

Nobody, by the way, is more callous about sharing and helping the poor downtrodden than anyone is a leader in a local church because I would say in all the years of ministry that I have had 95% of all request have been bogus as everyone that we could investigate far enough. It's always a scam. But it's not always.

It's the stuff you see Saturday ready to share the watch if you do that storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, he said, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed he says, knowing you be blessed forever, but the use of that by God descending a treasure ahead.

But secondly, you finally taken hold of what life indeed is over stated Acxiom but it's absolutely true happiness is giving yourself away is and for those of us in hoarding all that.

I'm sorry you're never gonna be that happy. Happiness is giving yourself away. You see, that makes us happy.

That's what he said go take hold of life. Indeed, get this, you can't lose.

In this proposition. Turn with me to second Corinthians chapter 9 second Corinthians chapter 9 what Paul says starting in verse six, talking to a group of believers. By the way, the reason he was talking to them and had to in this way, they were rich and he didn't want to separate from their money. You see, there was a tremendous need in Jerusalem for some really poor saints.

People were caught there after Jesus Christ was crucified, stayed there and thought that he would be coming back to Jerusalem and so they were basically mostly Hellenistic Jews from around the Empire ended the Jews from Israel that tested them and so no one was really even helping to feed him as a part of the apostle Paul said look I got a raise money for these people. They have great need and so what he did as he went to a town like Thessalonica and Thessalonica has been pretty much what you would call blue-collar middle-class. And guess what they did. They gave sacrificially to help the poor saints in Jerusalem. They never met. So then he comes the corn finished on the crib is numb. I told you before about this. I'm coming back in a Corinthians alike while you know I was happen to them's apostles looking to give you little lesson here.

So in verse six he says this.

Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. There's my point is that each one each one of you must do just as he purposed in his heart noticeable pause.

Not trying to do is not trying to extract her money. We turn that into an art form the 21st century church is not trying to extract the money he's trying to rebuild the heart pulses on which it only reveal your heart. He said each one must do just as he purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion. I'm looking to make you give and I'm also not in it. I'm not gonna try to influence you so you give gradually. I don't care why does it. Why does God not want us to give gradually or under compulsion because God doesn't need money he needs hearts.

It's a very different thing. God's agendas completely different fields. All the cattle on all the hills I just can't stand when I see somebody saying God's kingdom will never move forward unless you give more money. That's ridiculous, but I can tell you this, it will move forward if you don't give your heart it won't. He says for God loves a cheerful of you heard me say this. Over the years. That's the word Larry on that's the Greek word, God loves in a hilarious giver that's giving is is is joyful, not dutiful all boy going to do this I got a God again. He said then this.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything that you may have an abundance for every good deed you have a heart for God and hard for people. Guess what you won't run out conscious you see why God just looking for conduit is that God loves healers a piece of condo that he can flow through metal hilarious giver is hey foe through me. He then says verse 10. Now here's supply seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every thing for he says for all liberality, which he said through us is producing thanksgiving to God.

At this point Jesus said in Luke chapter 6 given will be given to you recently.

God gives it back to you will be pressed down to be shaking and spilling over just your heart Solomon backs up exactly what he says that's the wise use of money. See, it's all gift because by just seeing six principles. I think the companies versus and I know there were many verses. The first one is this you have a wise view of wealth. One when your wealth is seen as a gift from God. You have a wise view of wealth when your wealth is seen as a gift from God. Secondly, you have a wise view of wealth when your hard work and good planning produces satisfaction for you. God's all into hard work is all into planning and should be satisfying to you.

You have a wise view of wealth. Three. When gratitude is your prevailing attitude and if you're wealthy.

Thank God and thank him every day is just like having health.

Thank you. It's a gift. Fourthly, you have a wise view of wealth when the benefits of your wealth are enjoyed give a wise view of wealth and the benefits of your wealth are enjoyed in joy at you have to feel guilty. You have a wise view of wealth. When joy and generosity is your way of life you have a wise view of what wealth is and last, you have a wise view of wealth when you realize that God is honored by your life when you use wealth to honor God.

That's a very important thing for us to understand wisdom and wealth they can coexist. The choice is yours a wise wealthy believer or stupid rich person's up to you. The spring father, I fear that this is one of those areas in our life that we become almost callous to much of the problem with that is been that for many people there whole experience in the community of believers is been people plotting and trying everything they can to extract money, God's people.

Father, I just pray that what we come to is simply a perspective that is clear in your word and we are grateful and thankful for what you have given us.

We will enjoy what you have given us and we will share what's been given to us. Father, I thank you that if all these good things you give us in life. While this is simply one of them. Jesus said, it's just a very small thing. I guess it is father I pray because for so many of us, it's the biggest thing about it, we begin to see him.

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