Idol - Greed, Part 2

Riches is what God would give that money to Dr. Tony Evans is putting your trust in anything that isn't 100% dependable is a bad move as God because we don't need God money came with for this is the alternative Tony have another speaker, pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas Texas and president of the urban alternative. Imagine waking up one day to discover the dollars were no longer accepted the cash in your pocket would be worthless. Your bank balance. Just a meaningless number today.

Dr. Evans will tell us why that's pretty much the case as he explains what makes us rich in God's economy.

Let's join them call big deal.

As you will see great authorized desire pursue this in all material so catastrophic is greed that in Romans 129 put alongside of it is identified as an idol because it is love and serve. Now I know some people say why don't love money but you fantasize about and dated Monday six to become a master and motivation and the motivation emanates from this thing called greed. Money is the leading counterfeit God of our culture not because money is all it's not, but because when the long motivation sets in. People hurt each other. People damage themselves in a moment.

So this is a big deal. And God called something to be worshiped instead of human. In chapter 12 there is a story that Jesus tells Jesus teaching in Luke 12 spiritual truths in the middle of this instructional man comes to members 13 someone in the crowd said the teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me. But Jesus said the man appointed me judge or arbitrator over you. Then he said to them, beware, and be on God against every full of greed for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions. So Jesus is teaching spiritual truth.

He's trying to get people to think God work this God breaks into the teaching and says Jesus. My brother is holding money out on me from our family.

Would you please tell my brother to show me the money. Jesus looks at him and says, you better watch out for every full of every shape, every side was all greeted not the same in whatever way greed, I'm trying to teach spiritual principle and you want to jump to money you better beware now notice this is not a God who has the money.

The guy who wants the money so you can be poor and greedy, but he wants it so bad.

He's willing to skip the spiritual master for him to solve this financial dilemma so that means Jesus to tell the story in Luke 12, summarizer will correct that the rich man number 16 he's got this big piece of property. So he starts talking to himself. He says to himself without Amanda stopped and was in a man, and he says, verse 19 soul once we start talking yourself so you have many good things laid up for many years to come.

Take your ease, eat, drink and be merry. But God said to him you will this very night your soul is required of you and now who will would you have prepared so is the man who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. We have a man. Jesus says in verse 21, so is the man or woman. Whoever they are. So is the person who stores up treasure for himself and not rich toward God. So the question was how spiritually mature you how spiritually rich are you now, this issue would agree is not merely a individual problem is a family problem.

The amount of couples who fight over money who break up over money will get divorce over money left the sleek and high money from each other because of money have gotten the wrong foothold in the home and nothing manifests greed more than the growth of family. The culture keeps inviting us to get in debt and we accept the invitation even when God tells us not to because report toward God is corporate greed, where, for the sake of corporate profits you abuse workers was James says in James five you'll pay vendor fair wages, you rip them off with customers often order to make more money told all you on my favorite potato chip is that the last time I said that is a whole bunch of members who bought means that potato chips okay no don't need no more that my favorite thing to possess. But I'm not eating too many zaps anymore. And remember, eating too many zaps anymore as I noticed the chip Safina the bag is not only half-full but the price paid the same. So they went down the chips almost cut them out much of that happening NJ. The price you will give me half chips give me half price open cut down the chips and keep the price say, but there is a corporate greed today in the name of this business. One of you are here today you are a businessman or a businesswoman.

You have a right to make a profit. You ought to make a profit, but not at the expense of being righteous in the dealing of your business being godly and the relationship to the workers and customers. We have godly people today doing business and calling themselves Christians, that is a form of corporate greed. There is predatory the places in our community where people who have no option have to pay 300 and 400% interest to get by that you agree to take advantage of people's desperation and auto into giving you money and bring them into bondage in the name of profit. Don't get me wrong, God is not against property begins greed is against greed, then there is America being built on greed. Slavery existed in America due to greed in order to get enough people to service the industry to maintain king to keep this bolstering economy going. We will trap people in perpetual generational slavery based on skin, as the driving me of economic development in America of our great Republic was using comics to empower the evil institution of slavery is an economic development legitimate, absolutely, but not when people against their will into a system that traps them and nothing to woman out so generationally that the form of greed with all the great things that are contrary to offer when greed takes over individualized personalized family lives, governmental, corporate lives that we have set ourselves up and I know that is against the true and living God. When Simon asked chapter 8 verses nine the 24th he wanted to buy the Holy Ghost, that one about Holy Ghost. He saw the miracles. They were doing the same memo give me some of that power, shall not, you charge about Holy Ghost, what about Holy Ghost is that your money perish with you your money perish with you one you want about God and that's what too many people today are true and by God and God's sake. When we become greed and remember greed is not having money. Greed is legitimate and authorized desire pursue acquisition of material things that we have set up and when we set up that I know God will attack the way we do about this item. How do we him. First Timothy six helps us with this.

Paul tells us pastor teaches congregation. Verse six but godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment, for we are brought nothing into the world so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and clothing with these we shall be content for those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil and some by the longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Verse 17 instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God richly supplies us all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good to be rich in good works to be generous ready to share.

Storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed Dr. Evans will share the secret of managing money without giving into greed when he continues today's lesson in a moment. Stay with us.

The only constant in life is change and currently we live in a nation where change is shifting for the worse, morally, culturally, economically and politically.

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Romans one is they were not thankful God with contentment will give you we says not just gay this baby is going be for Ray. Conversely, if you are grateful that you are not seeking to live to please God. You have set for great loss not just loss. Great loss.

He explains this even further he says like sin money has side effects is that you live in this medicine designed to help you that they want will kill you is this problem.

One, you might die to give you a list of things and it would you mind it could and could tell you but taking so I can help you.

Although, in my greed. Things like coming in on the front end. But when it's done its damage. You will wind up with great loss and be a damaged person, not because you have money, but because it's turned into greed, which is the illegitimate use and presence of money is not a sin to be rich. If is legitimate is not a sin rebuke been productive you save your money staying out of debt. Your business is doing well medicine all through the Bible you find on making folk rich you find on making some folk filthy rich. For example, Solomon pray and ask God for wisdom. He has God show me how to lead these people and God says because you asked me for wisdom and you didn't ask me for money I would give you more money than you ever dreamt I will make you rich. But when Solomon walked away from God and God ungodly and discontent that Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, saith the preacher everything is vanity because he had the money, but he lost the life in Luke 16 Jesus tells the story, and he says this in verse 10 he says he was faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much pain he was unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.

Therefore, if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth will and trust the true riches you and if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is on mothers who will give you what is your own. No servant once this can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. What you cannot serve God and wealth. He says when you bring your money and make it equal to me when you bring your profits and make it equal to me when you bring your business and make it equal to me rather than recognizing me as the source you have created a competing God and says don't miss this trust you with money not to turn it into a God. What makes you think I will give you true riches all although Mrs. let me say this again. I want to miss this all comes down if you put your money and get greedy with it. You can't serve anybody else you can you can put me first. You can't.

You can be grateful you and is all about, and I'm just an afterthought. Along the way, it can't trust you.

What makes you think when you show riches that you can get it. So the question what true riches are in first Corinthians 6 because it life in the true riches because the when you have a lot of money you can buy stuff you can build this house drivers because rich vacations where rich cloud, that in the south of the money was gotten what he says is not true riches. That's riches but that's not the real deal.

True authentic riches which which is true riches is what God did that money can't buy riches when money runs out as it did you have some working for you in your storage bin that you can go get you need some real stuff working for you. When the doctor says we can help you. You better have some true riches. Just because you bought that house won't make it home. You better have some true riches, you see that things in life you can't grateful down things in life when you're please surround you and you may calm in the midst so you better have some true riches when your emotions have gone crazy and you're about to lose your mind about true riches as you can file a counselor that you can pay or not to give you right state of mind you about have some true riches want to get true riches at the last second. You build it up that what you would join you for true riches.

Dr. Tony Evans will have some quick cautionary advice and important guidance to wrap up our time today he returns in a moment. Stay with us. Well, that's all.

That's when the summary provides the biblical prescriptions of racial reconciliation probably has black Christians when Christians should be shooting to the same pathway toward lasting you oneness and brings available now, and Tony Evans.org is also the place to go to check out that new package of resources mentioned earlier instruments with Tony's timely and important book America turning a nation to God, and include CDs and instant downloads about eight full-length messages in his brand-new teaching series American idols there yours with our thanks when you make a donation to keep this listener supported program on the air with the special offer won't last so don't wait visit Tony Avenue and start or today or reach out to our resource Center at 1-800-800-3222 where team members are always on hand to help you. That's 1-800-800-3222 God gave us clear boundaries in life, but people keep moving the lines and smudging the edges tomorrow.

Dr. Evans will explore the importance of taking our cues from God and not from culture right now, though he's back with a final thought to consider my challenge to you and I is yes you maximize whatever potential God is giving you in life but as Psalm 6210 says if you get rich. Such a model say this is my life. I'm the man on the beast now people starting five and six says because if you will keep your character free from greed. If you will keep your character free from money just what he said the Lord will be with you if you want my life take it. But you miss the Lord will miss his presence is Pollock's provision. You will have him have a great checking account for why you have a great golfer a great start, but you won't have God when you need it most. So the president you want to be money is because we don't need God money came the alternative, Tony is made possible by the generous fusions of listeners