Giving Breaks the Power of Money — Hebrews 11

0:00 So, we're going play a little game here that I call guess what's on the preacher's mind. Right? That happens all the time. Preacher's up here saying something and ask for responses and nobody knows what answer that he wants. So, that's what we're going to play.

0:11 And the question is, this message that I'm giving today is on giving. Alright, that's what it's on, it's on giving. Why would I choose the song where I belong? Why would I choose that if this message is on giving? Who's got an idea?

0:23 Who's got a thought? There is no wrong answer. Go ahead Abe. Is this cheating? Because you and I already talked about it.

0:31 No, it's not cheating. You're the teacher's pet, so you know. Well, maybe because if this world is not where I belong, I shouldn't be That's a perfect reason. Everything that we have, it belongs it belongs to Him. So so the the the first thing that I want to do is is just read read a scripture here.

1:04 Go to Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews chapter 11, we're going to start with verse eight. Again remember this is a message on giving but I feel it's appropriate to read this. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going.

1:30 By faith, he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling intense intense with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. This is the important piece, or I feel it's an important piece, for he waits, builder and maker is God. So my interpretation of this scripture is that Abraham, right, he was he was called out by God, sent on a over a thousand mile journey, and his focus was on, as it says here in verse 10, for the city which has foundations who builder and maker is God. I interpret that as being heaven. Abraham went out not knowing what's going to go on in a day by day basis, but his final view was, I am not home, I'm going to heaven.

2:22 I'm a sojourner. Everything that he's doing, he's he's looking he's looking for heaven. So when we take a look at the song and this was some of the verses of the song and of course the chorus was the important part, all I know is I'm not home yet, this is not where I belong. If you come to my house, hear me singing that all the time, It's one of my favorite songs, but it also we have these words here. So, when the walls come falling down on me and when I'm lost in the current of raging sea, I have this blessed assurance holding me.

2:53 All I know is I'm not home yet. Everyone here, we go through struggles every day and you know what? We don't wanna admit these struggles. Where we had a speaker here on Wednesday, what was his name? From...

3:04 Bruce. Bruce. Bruce was here Wednesday. He was telling us a story of a Christian woman in China, Christian woman in China that wanted to commit suicide. Just because you're a Christian doesn't mean that you aren't going to be part of the raging sea and that the walls aren't gonna fall down on you.

3:26 We struggle with things all the time, right? We struggle with finance, we struggle with our job. Maybe you guys do, I don't. Struggle with our spouses, right? We have we have...

3:38 By the way, good... That that gives me an opportunity to break in. In March, we're gonna have a men's conference and we're gonna know... We're gonna learn how to deal with our struggles with our wives. So I want everybody to come bring a friend.

3:57 But his focus was on heaven, and that's where our focus needs to be. So the, you know, the the what we need to do is realize that everything that we do during the day should be done with the focus on when we're home in heaven. Right? This is not our home. Okay.

4:17 Let me ask you, so so play along with me here too. So, I would... Normally I would... I was actually going to call on Tammy, but she's not here and I was going to ask her a question. So, I'm not going to do that.

4:29 I'm I'm going to go to Abe. Abe's my favorite, so I'll ask him. So Abe, all of a sudden you got a job opportunity to go anywhere in the world. Anywhere in the world to work for a year, all expenses paid, they were gonna handle everything, where would you go? It has to be a foreign country?

4:45 Yes. I'll go with Hungary. Okay. So you're going to Hungary. So you you're...

4:57 You got a job. Let's say it's a job teaching in Hungary. All expenses are paid. They give you an apartment to live in. Let me ask you this.

5:05 The money that you make while you're in Hungary, would you outfit your apartment? Would you buy the biggest and best TV? Would you buy the best microwave? Would you buy an oven? Would you would you outfit your apartment?

5:16 You're only gonna be there one year. Would you would you spend your money to outfit your apartment? No. What would you do with it? What would you do with the money?

5:28 Right. Send it on ahead, right? Send it on ahead. Send it on ahead for when you get back. So this is a verse that you're going to see here a couple of times.

5:44 Let me get this out of the way. Depending on how much of the message I get through, you might see this three times. Matthew six nineteen through 20, Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moths and vermin destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moths and vermin do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. So our focus or our perspective should be on eternal things, knowing that our ultimate reward is in heaven. Okay.

6:21 Why would we put so much value in our stuff here on earth? Why do we put so much value on our stuff here on earth? I'm going to give everybody a pass on this. Alright. I'm going to give everybody a pass, but you need to realize, we do it because that's the environment that we live in.

6:39 Alright. We are controlled by the marketing gurus. Right. I did a consulting job with a company and I was convicted when I was doing this but it was for a faith based company. I did a consulting job for them where I helped them build a positioning statement.

6:58 Right, the positioning statement is supposed to intrigue people to want to, in this particular situation, invest with them. Alright? And I, although I told them I've done this a lot, I had to do a lot of research to figure out how to write the best positioning statement and some of the marketing material that I read that talks about how they captivate our lives was pretty amazing. Alright. So I'm gonna give everybody a pass today.

7:43 Alright. I'm gonna mention a name, you've never heard his name on the pulp before and probably after today you'll never hear it again. His name is George Carlin. He's a comedian. He said a house is a pile of stuff with a roof on it.

7:59 Right? It's what we... We go get stuff, we put it in our house, right? We get so much stuff, we definitely have to go and move to another house so it's bigger so we can put more stuff in. I was convicted earlier this year when I'm looking at my stuff and I said, you know what I got to do?

8:18 I got to go rent some space. I put the brakes on right then and there. Right? We are being controlled. We are we are we cannot be content.

8:32 Alright. So what we need to do is we have to be content. Alright. All this stuff. I've never bought one thing that made me feel better after I bought it.

8:46 How about you? I've never bought one. I want that suit. I buy the suit. I don't feel any better.

8:50 Right? I want a Surface Pro three. I buy the Surface Pro three. I don't feel any better. Nothing that I've ever bought has made me content, but I need to be content with what I own.

9:00 So Jeff Mannion, I've heard Jeff Mannion speak a few times. He's a he's a pastor of church up in Michigan. Nancy and I are going have the pleasure of hearing him in February. We're going to a conference in February. He says, Contentment being fully alive no matter what the situation.

9:19 Alright. A while back I mentioned Irenaeus of Lyon, his comment, the glory of God is man fully alive. The glory of God is man fully alive and here's Jeff Mannion saying, contentment is being fully alive no matter what the situation. So the Apostle Paul, Philippians four eleven-thirteen, he said, I am not saying this because I am in need for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. Right?

9:49 I know that it is, that it is to be, I know that it is to be in need, I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, Right? We all stop there. We don't go on to the next verse. Whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want, I can do all this through him who strengthens me.

10:23 So what we need to do is we need to we need to be content. We need to learn to be content. So, alright, if I release the grip of that stuff has on my life, I should be better equipped to give. Alright. So let me let me...

10:44 Some of you know, I I went... I did... I went through a process where... This was from another author, an idea, and I took a month and I gave away five things every day for a month. Five things every day for a month.

10:59 Some of you may have received one of those books. I gave away 35 books. So for one one full week, 35 things was books. I tell you what, you come into my house, guess what you see? A bunch of stuff.

11:13 So I did it for a month, giving five things away every day for a month, I still have a lot of stuff at my house. I'm trying to get, I'm trying to give up that grip that stuff has on my life and that's what we need to do. Okay. So, I've I've asterisked this. First of all, giving is a spiritual gift.

11:42 I don't know that we talk about that enough one on one. I see it done by people here. I see it done by other people. It is a spiritual gift. Jim Elliot, I got an asterisk here because there's three things I think that if we remember from my message today, you'll understand the gist of what I'm talking about.

11:58 Jim Elliot said, he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. Right? And in the worship... In in the breaking of bread service, the worship service this morning, Ray Ray mentioned about you you cannot be plucked out of his hand. We have salvation.

12:13 We can't lose salvation. Right? If you're a person in here who thinks that you can lose your salvation, talk to Ray. I think Ray will show you biblically that that's not possible. Alright?

12:23 We can't lose our salvation and you know what? We can't take the stuff with us. Alright? It's a it's a country and western song, so it's gotta be true. You've never you've you've never seen a hearse pulling a U Haul.

12:41 You've never seen a hearse pulling a U Haul. You can't take it with you, you might as well Abe, send it ahead, right? Might as well send it ahead. So he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, right? You know, I've got some, I'm not gonna, if I die today, what's gonna happen to the money?

12:59 Alright? Okay, a couple people want it, Abe wants it, Tammy wants it. But it's no longer gonna be with me, right? Right? We get this?

13:09 It's not... You can't take it with you. You can't take it with you. Send it ahead. Send it ahead.

13:20 Alright. So what can I give? I can give my time, I can give my talent and I can give my treasure. There might be some more t's out there, but time, talent and treasure. Those are the things that we can give.

13:33 For me, I'll admit it, the hardest thing for me to give is my time. Alright. I like my time. I I can give money away. I can give five things away a day for a month, but I don't like to give time.

13:47 I I want to point out, I did a project this year between the holiday and I got time. I was given time by my daughter Lydia, my wife Nancy, my son Luke, my son Caleb and Josh Houston. They all gave me time to complete the project. Alright, and by you know, osmosis, Emily gave up time because that was time that she didn't have to spend with Luke, right, and Tiffany. Caleb, are you...

14:15 Wait a second. Wait, let me get this straight. You two are together and you two are together, right? Alright. I got that straight.

14:22 And again, Tiffany had to give up time away from Luke in order for Luke to help. So I have a hard time giving up time and you know what, I'm trying to break that and I can give you some examples of what I'm doing to try to break that. So that's what we can give. Alright. For the purpose of this discussion that we're having today, I'm gonna talk about giving treasure and I'm specifically talking about money.

14:48 Alright. There's only four things that you can do with money folks. There's only four things, you can earn it, you can save it, you can spend it, you can give it. That's it. Does anybody else have any other thought that you can do with money?

14:59 You can burn it, right, light your cigar, whatever but... Rod? Borrow it. You can borrow it. See and then that brings...

15:08 The one thing that I didn't include up here, you pay off debt with it but I consider that spending. You borrow it, alright, but then you have to pay it back so that's spending. So there's only four purposes of money, earning, saving, spending and giving. Okay. And I have come up with three purposes of giving.

15:45 So part of your giving should be given to the local church. Okay. The elders put together a, I must have been, not been here the day that they announced it, but in the foyer out there, there's this half a page that talks about giving and where the money goes. We have a men's business meeting tomorrow and we're going to take the money that the Christians here at Westlake Bible Fellowship give to the church and we're going to give it away, what is it, the fourth month, the fourth Sunday of every month? Right?

16:20 It goes to missions and we're going to assign the missions who get that money. I... Over the last six months... I've... Actually it's been longer than six months now.

16:30 Since March of last year, I've gone through a big change in my life and one of the things that I am taking more and more focus on now is that men's business meeting and the work that we actually do there and the fact that we're giving money that you entrusted us with here at Westlake Bible Fellowship and giving it to the right people that are out in the field. That's not... That's something that we need to approach prayerfully. It needs to be considered. So we need your prayer.

16:59 Prayers also when we do that. Right? So that's the local church. The next one, to help the needy. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or a sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?

17:14 So the person that sees the people in need, but does not have pity on them and give to them in need, how can the love of God be in that person? God has given us great wealth in this country. Great wealth. Right? Even the the poorest among us by standards throughout the world has great wealth.

17:40 Maybe he's done that so that we can aid those that don't have it. Maybe he has given us great wealth so we can help those people that don't have it. So we need to help the needy. And number three, to fulfill the great commission. Then Jesus came to them and said, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

18:03 Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and the holy spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you and surely I am with you always to the very end of the earth. So some of us have vocations that don't allow us to go out and be full time missionaries. So, those of us that have vocations then should be supporting those full time missionaries. Okay? So, the three purposes of giving, to support the local church, to help the needy, and to fulfill the Great Commission.

18:36 This is Richard Halverson. Anybody familiar with Richard Halverson? Okay. Okay, good. We got a couple that are familiar with Richard Halverson.

18:43 Richard Halverson is a Wheaton College grad. He was at Wheaton at the same time as Billy Graham. He was also part of an organization that included Bill Bright. You guys remember Bill Bright? Right?

18:56 Campus Crusade for Christ. Here's what here's what here's what Richard Halverson had to say. Jesus Christ said more about money. More about money than about any other single thing because when it comes to a man's real nature, money is of the first importance. Money is an exact index to a man's true character.

19:19 Alright. You know, Wayne, you said, ask you how your... Where did you go? How your prayer life's going? Here's...

19:26 I don't want you to ask me how my financial life's going. I don't want you to see my tax returns. I don't want you to see my credit card receipts, and I don't want you to see my bank account. But I'm telling you what, that is a true indication of a person's spiritual... Where they are spiritually is by looking at those things.

19:44 Alright? Money is of first importance. Money is an exact index to a man's true character. All through scripture, there is an intimate correlation between the development of a man's character and how he handles his money. Josh asked a question last week, how many times was, and I can't even remember what he said, I think it was the kingdom of God, how many times is the kingdom of God used in in the gospels?

20:12 I'm gonna ask you a question. How many times in the Bible as a whole is money referred to? Anybody? Any any ideas? In the bible as a whole, how many times is money referred to?

20:25 400 sometimes. Right. Four... That'd be a great number, wouldn't it? But that's a lot.

20:28 400 sometimes. What what what what a thousand be even more? How about 2,350 passages on money in the bible? 2,350 passages on money. Alright.

20:51 I know Scott's familiar with R. G. Leturno. Anybody else familiar with R. G.

20:53 Leturno? Alright. R. G. Leturno.

20:58 Is Zach in here? Zach Marcus? Alright, Zach. So this is the guy that invented the bulldozer. Right?

21:05 He created the bulldozer. He created many different earthmoving pieces of equipment. He actually created most of the equipment that was used to create the Hoover Dam and 70% of all earthmoving equipment that was used during World War II was created by R. G. Leturna.

21:20 At one time, R. G. Leturna was broke. He was in debt of a $100,000. This was before World War two.

21:26 A $100,000 back then was a lot more than a $100,000 is worth today. This a quote by him. I never want to seek security in this life. Alright, R. G.

21:42 Leturnau when he was in debt was told that his manufacturing company had to operate seven days a week. He said, I will not operate on Sunday. I will not do it. Right? Just like Truett Cathy.

21:53 Truett Cathy, what does he own? Chick fil A? Truett Cathy, Chick fil A. Are they open on Sundays? No.

21:59 Truett Cathy Truett Cathy is a believer. Do you know that store by store, the revenue bought in brought in by Chick fil A is greater than store by store McDonald's and they're only open six days a week, not seven? I think the Lord's blessing him as a result of doing that. So, R. G.

22:18 Leturno said, I never went to security in this life. So he wasn't worried about putting money in his pocket. He wasn't worried about filling his house up with stuff. By the way, R. G.

22:28 Laterno's, what what he gave away is still giving away today. It's important to understand here, it's not sinful to be rich. In no way shape or form do I ever even... Do I wanna say that or suggest that. Alright?

22:41 Argyll Turner was a very rich man, but it's not sinful to be rich. But might I say, it's probably close to being sinful if you die rich. Give that away. 90% of his income, R. G.

22:56 Leturnau gave away. 90% of his company's stock he put into a foundation. That foundation is still giving to the needs of Christian believers today. He gave away 90% of his income. Right?

23:09 I'm gonna show you some numbers here in a little bit that show you what the average evangelical Christian gives. It's nowhere in comparison to 90%. You know, RG Leturnau said, God needs businessmen as much as pastors. Alright? So when we think of pastors here at Westlake Bible Fellowship, we see pastoring as a gift, but churches have pastors that lead the church, the the local bodies and and RG Leturnau said that God needs businessmen as much as he needs pastors.

23:38 He said it was, it is my responsible my responsibility to manage God's business. That's what he said. Alright. Which is leading me down, I've got this piece that I'm doing right now, it's called Faith in Business, right. I'm doing a lot of research on faith in business and R.

23:53 G. Leturnau is probably my reason for doing that. But what I bring R. G. Leturnau up because it's actually a model of giving.

24:03 Alright, it's a model of giving and I think that's one thing that we don't see enough in the church either, is a model of giving. Alright, when I say in the church, mean spread across. We don't see that model, the model of giving enough and this right here will back me up. So take a look at this perspective. Perspective, IRS, tax returns show giving is inversely related to income.

24:32 Scott's used Barna research in many situations when he speaks, but Barna does a lot of Christian research. 37% of the people who go to church regularly give zero. 30% give zero. Ronson Vale, another Christian organization that does research in the nineteen nineties, evangelical giving fell from 6.3 to four point o percent of their income. Alright.

24:56 So it decreased as a percentage of their income and they decreased. Now, those of you that know, nineties was probably one of the most booming times in our country. So everybody's income went up, my income's going up if I give the same if I give the same amount that I was giving, the percentage decreases, but if you do the math, they were actually giving less. Their income was going up, they were giving less not only as a percentage of their income, but of their income as a whole. Prudential, the insurance company, only 8% of wills contain giving.

25:26 How about this? If Christian giving increased from 2.5, that's current rate folks, Christians currently give 2.5% of their income, to 10%, an additional $150,000,000,000 would be available for kingdom work. A year. A year. Okay.

25:47 Most church giving comes from people over age 55. Okay. So the the point here is... I'm not a fool. God doesn't need my money.

26:02 He doesn't. Right? If he wants to do something, he's gonna do it whether I'm involved or not. What he wants is he wants my heart. That's what he wants.

26:13 Okay? He wants my heart and giving breaks the power of money. Giving things away, giving away breaks the power of money. Money has control over us. I gave you a pass.

26:26 Today moving forward, you no longer have a pass. Don't allow don't allow money to have power over you. So we we we read this at the beginning, but I'm going to move down to verse verse 21 now. For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be. Right.

26:44 So if my treasure is here on earth. Alright. First of all, this contains everything that we need forever. This is our instruction booklet. Every question that we have is answered by the Bible.

26:57 Everything that we go through is answered by the... The Bible. Everything that we do is answered through the Bible. If you don't believe that, I would love to have breakfast with you and you're buying though. You gotta give.

27:09 I'd love to buy breakfast for you and and show you that everything that you need on a daily basis in your life is in here. Okay? And the scripture says, so if you believe this is real, then you gotta believe verse 21, for where your treasure is, there your heart will also be. Again, we have been masked so much by the delusion of where we live that we we get... We we bring this stuff, we gather this stuff, we have this stuff, and that's where our heart is.

27:45 Our heart is where our treasures are, right. So one of the reasons I bought I brought this today, which contains my electronics now, this was Luke's growing up. It says Luke's on it, right. This is where he kept his treasures, right? The things that were important to him...

28:00 What's that? That's my handwriting. That that is your handwriting. This is where he kept his treasures, right? So where your treasures are, there your heart is.

28:08 Everything that was important to Luke was located in there, right? We all have that. We all have that. Everything that's important to us, whether it's our bank account, whether it's our house, right, whether it's our car, where your treasure is, there's your heart also. Okay.

28:40 By by by the way, alright, I've been critical of not having enough preaching about giving and money from the pulpit. Now I understand why because there's so much there to actually get up here and give a message. It takes a long time to sift things down to try to make it in forty five minutes. I've done the best I could here. But six biblical reasons for giving.

29:00 The first one is worship. Okay? This is sobering right here. Philippians four eighteen, I have received full payment and have more than enough. Right?

29:12 Paul's saying this, I am amply supplied now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gift that you sent. Here's the important part. They are a fragrant offering and acceptable sacrifice pleasing to god. So, if you ever wondered at the breaking of bread, kids, young kids, why we say after we're we're done with the bread and the wine, let's continue with our worship. It's the only time that we collect money a group of people here at Westlake Bible Fellowship is during that first meeting, alright?

29:42 But it is worship. We are giving money. It is worship. They are fragrant offering, acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to god. Does anybody know how many times this particular phrase, a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice pleasing to God is mentioned in the Bible?

30:00 Twice. Who do you think was it mentioned about before? Ephesians five two, and walk in the way of love just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us for as... For for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Alright?

30:20 So giving is worship. Obedience. Alright? This right here, I... You can do an entire pulpit message on this particular verse.

30:32 Now about the collection for the Lord's people. Alright? Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. Alright? Listen.

30:39 On the first day. Alright? On the first day of every week, each one of you, each one of you, right? In the Lord's time, slaves and free, everybody, each one of you, alright? On the first day of the week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money, Alright?

31:04 There's a strategic involvement here. You actually have to decide how much you're gonna set aside. Alright? We we know that the number one reason for marriages failing is financial reasons. Husbands and wives, you have to agree on what you're going to give.

31:23 That is extremely important. You have to have an agreement on what you're going to give. Husband, if you think you're not giving enough, pray for your wife. Wife, if you're not thinking you're giving enough, pray for your husband. You have to be in agreement on this and there there has to be time of prayer and understanding.

31:39 Each one of you should set aside so it's strategic according to your income. The more you make, the more you should give. The more you make, the more you should give. So that when I come, and saving it, you're laying it aside so that when I come, collections will not have to be made. Alright?

32:02 So, do it ahead of time, have the money set aside so that when Paul comes, Paul Paul Paul has it. You don't have to make a decision right then and there when Paul's there because you might decide to give too much or too little. So, had... There has to be some preparation here. Okay.

32:16 The next part of obedience. Let him who stole still no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good. They may have something so that they may have something to give who has need. So, why do we work according to this verse? And again, if this contains everything that you need in your life, why do we work?

32:37 To help those in need, to give, right? That's why we work. We don't work to build up treasures here on earth where moth and rust destroy. Right? Send those treasures ahead.

32:53 Okay. This is always tough to do. Talk about when we give we get rewards. Alright. Okay, now, you know, I know some people that if I had hair on the back of my neck it would be standing up here too.

33:07 This is not the prosperity gospel. Alright, The prosperity gospel says, give so you can get. Alright? The Lord says, give then I will give. But it's from the heart, remember?

33:20 Philippians four seventeen, not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. So here's Paul telling the Philippians, thank you for your gift. I appreciate it, but I like how this gift is going into your heavenly account. Your heavenly account. Alright?

33:43 It's going into your heavenly account. Let's see here. Luke six thirty eight, Give and it will be given to you. A good measure pressed down, shaken together and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

34:05 Alright. How are you measuring your giving? It will be measured to you. Mark ten thirty talks to us about, was the Macedonians, their giving, sacrificial giving. Is that what I'm...

34:23 Okay. That's two Corinthians eight, alright. Never mind, that's not where I need to be. Alright, Given it will be given to you, a good measure. Alright.

34:35 The next verse. His master replied, well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness.

34:43 Come and share your master's happiness. So this is giving here on earth, your rewards will be to have... You're faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. I believe that this is a reference to heavenly, being in charge of things heavenly.

35:03 Come and share your master's happiness. Alright. The next reason why we give, recognition of God's ownership. First Chronicles twenty nine eleven through 12. Yours Lord is the greatest and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

35:26 Yours Lord is the kingdom. You are exalted as head over of overall. Wealth and honor come from you. You are the ruler of all things. In your hand...

35:35 In your hands are strength and power and exalt all. So everything that we have comes from God. We don't own it. Truth... RG Leturno said, I just manage God's business.

35:48 It's not... If he takes it away from me, he takes it away from me. So we have to recognize that God owns everything. Everything that we have is actually is actually God's. For the earth is the lord's and everything in it.

35:59 The earth is the lord's and everything in it. The world and all who live in it. I must have messed something up here. Maybe not. Alright.

36:07 So, everything that we have is from God. So when we give, we recognize we're giving back to God, we recognize his ownership. We also give to gain an eternal perspective. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?

36:31 No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. So if this is not our home and the true life is a heavenly existence, why are we so busy with our life on earth that we forget why we are here? We forget why we are here.

36:59 We need to have that eternal perspective. We need to have that eternal perspective. I'm going to just go through these quickly because we're out of time and love. The next the the last reason why we give is for love. For you know the grace of our lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet for your sake, he became poor so that you through his poverty might become rich.

37:25 God is the perfect example. Jesus was the perfect example of giving, right? He gave his life for us. He came down from heaven, alright? Imagine that how rich he was in heaven and he came down to Earth to save us to save us from our sins.

37:45 Can't we honor him by returning love by giving back. By giving back. Alright, that's the the the only time that we have here. I'm going to just go to... If you haven't remembered anything that I've said today, this is what you should remember.

38:31 Heavenly Father, we do thank you that that that everything belongs to you. Lord, you've made a steward over these things and we just pray that our lives we can be the steward that you want us to be. Lord, we we want to hear well done thy good and faithful servant. We want to hear that you've given us a little here on Earth and we've done well with it. So, you will give us more in heaven.

39:00 Lord, we just we just pray that we move forward in this New Year from day to day moving forward that we realize that this is not our home. That like Abraham, we look forward to heaven. We look forward to the to the to the city whose hands are built by god, lord. Help us to keep focused on that on a daily basis. I pray in Jesus name, amen.