Well, if you will, remain standing for the reading of God's Word and turn with me to Proverbs. Once again, we are in the book of Proverbs. And so if you're new with us, we've been walking verse by verse through Proverbs, and we have reached the section where we discuss topical items here and there as we finish up Proverbs before we get to Proverbs 31, looking at the wonderful woman of God. And so, as way of reminder, one commentator said, Proverbs, it paints a picture for us to stop as pilgrims and to look around in this life, to where we look at what the Lord is doing. It very rarely takes us to church. Proverbs takes us to where we examine ourselves and we ask, are we glorifying God in all things? Are we being wise in all things? So Proverbs chapter three, verse nine and 10. Proverbs chapter three, verse nine and 10. It says, honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce. And your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine. May the Lord add his blessing to the reading of his holy word. Please be seated. So over the last seven years, it's been my great joy and privilege to be the pastor here. And over the last seven years, I cannot recall a single sermon that I have preached on wealth. So if you're visiting with us this morning and you have walked into the church and you're thinking, hopefully this guy is not gonna be preaching on wealth, I do apologize. We are talking about glorifying God with our money this morning. So on Wednesday night, we had a series in 2018 called Glorifying God with Your Finances, but I believe this is the very first time in which we have addressed wealth on a Sunday from the pulpit. So discussion of money or wealth in the church is often misguided, it's often neglected, it's often ignored, or it's overemphasized. For example, many pastors wait to talk about money until there is a building campaign. and they use Nehemiah as a springboard to get money for a new and larger building. Many false teachers talk about money in the sense of name it and claim it, or what I like to call blab it and grab it, which is most always connected with give me money and the blessings will flow. Many pastors completely ignore money. This is one of two items in which you never discuss, the other being sex. And since Blake discussed sex while I was on sabbatical, I am committed to preaching the whole counsel of God. It's only right and fitting that we talk about wealth when we look at the book of Proverbs this morning. I am very, very grateful for my background. I was very blessed to grow up in a biblical church. I was also very blessed to have an amazing father who showed me what it is to glorify God with my finances. My dad was a state auditor as well as a VP of multiple credit unions. And I frankly heard him saying that I am sure you've heard this saying as well. If you want to know a man or woman's priority, look at their checkbook and see, and you will find what he or she treasures. Billy Graham once coined the phrase, give me five minutes with a person's checkbook and I will tell you where their heart is. Now many people today, they do not balance a checkbook. I do. but many who don't. So let's say this, if we want to know someone's priorities, let us look at how they spend their time and let's take a look at their bank accounts and credit cards. Matthew chapter six, verse 21, it says, for where your treasure is there, your heart will be also. When finances are discussed, many people have different views. Many arguments within marriage revolve around finances. So we should not be surprised to know that many Christians struggle to glorify God with their wealth, whether single or married. Around 80% of Americans are in significant debt. That's eight out of 10. The average American is in debt $38,000, and that's not including their mortgage. At the end of 2020, it was a long year, Across the 120 billion households in the United States, the total personal debt was $14.56 trillion. Owing money just seems to be a way of life for Americans. Far too many Christians have embraced the American dream and not the wisdom of God. And that's why this is so important to talk about. If so many individuals are in major debt, this does not allow God's children to live generous lives. So as I walk through the many verses in Proverbs and some New Testament verses this morning, my goal is simple. My desire as a child of God and as one of the under shepherds of this church is to model, lead, and teach you to glorify God with your finances. Now, there are many aspects of wealth in which I will not discuss today. If you desire to discuss any of these areas, Blake will be ready to meet and to talk with you and answer all your questions. But my goal today is for all of us to glorify God with our wealth, whether we have a little or whether we have a lot. We are called as his children to be good stewards of what the Lord has given to us. And make no mistake, what you have has been given to you by the Lord. We're to be faithful what the Lord has given us for even our wealth. How we use our money on each thing is to bring glory to the Lord. So some of these Proverbs verses you may want to jot down. Proverbs 27 verses 23 and 24. It says, know well the condition of your flocks. and give attention to your herds for riches do not last forever and as a crown endure to all generations. The wisdom from this verse is this, wealth is temporary and we need to give attention to how we use it. The riches of this world, they will not last and the under shepherds here are to know the condition of your soul as a child here and give attention to every area of your life. 1 Corinthians 10, 31, so whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. The word whatever in this verse includes our finances and our wealth. Ephesians 5, 15 and 16 says, look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of time because the days are evil. So we are to look at how we are living. We are to adjust and live wisely before the Lord. Proverbs 3, 9 and 10. It says, honor the Lord with your wealth. with the firstfruits of all your produce, then your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine. So honor or glorify the Lord with your wealth. Give the Lord your firstfruits. Give the Lord your best, the first cut. The result, you will be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine. These two verses completely go against how most Americans live. And this includes those in the church. The majority live life filling their barns and they give their leftovers to the Lord if there is any. The Lord desires that we give him our best and give our best to him and that this satisfies because we are content with Christ. These verses don't teach that if you give to the Lord, he gives you your desires, as if our Lord is a divine Santa Claus who lives, who gives you all the gifts that you want. We give our best to the Lord, and in doing this, we are transformed. We are content in the Lord. We have everything because we realize we have him, and no one can take that away from us. We are satisfied. Let us remember that Proverbs is not law, Proverbs is a wisdom book. Wisdom is a righteous application of true knowledge for the glory of God, not the glory of man. This book mentions wealth, riches, and money 30 times, as well as poverty 14. So this morning I want to provide us with some basic principles that we can learn from Proverbs in the New Testament that help us to be wise with our wealth. So principle number one, God is our master, not wealth. God is our master, not wealth. Proverbs 23, verses four and five. It says, do not toil to acquire wealth. Be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone. For suddenly it sprouts wings flying like an eagle toward heaven. So our toil in this life is not to be for that of wealth. Our toil, our work, our life is to be about glorifying the Lord, living a life that pleases Him, resting in Christ, growing in Christ, and faithfully serving Christ. The wealth of this world will not last. It is fading. Therefore, our health, our health that we have been given by the Lord, our health here and now is to be spent on the Lord. It's not to be spent on wealth. Matthew 6, verse 24, no one can serve two masters. He will either hate the one and love the other, or he'll be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. So you cannot serve God and money at the same time. A person is devoted to one, or they are devoted to the other. Luke 9, 25 says, for what is a profit a man if he gains a whole world and loses or forfeits himself? As we hear this, sometimes we often think about the American dream. But so often when we also hear this, we think about others that are around us that are living in a life that is displeasing to the Lord. That's not what I want you to think about this morning. What does it profit a man if he gains a whole world and forfeits himself? Be asking yourself the question, where have I been spending my time? Where has my money been going? What has been my ultimate priority? 1 Timothy 6, 6 through 10. Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment. For we brought nothing into the world and we cannot take anything out of the world. That's why you never see U-Haul trucks at a funeral. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction for the love of money as a root of all kinds of evils. And it's through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. As these verses are announced before you this morning, we not only know individuals in our lives whom we have seen chase money and live for money, but we can also see trails in our life where we have lived for money and not for the Lord. If Christians were devoted to godliness, if they daily stopped and considered Christ, they would be content with Christ. The desire to be rich plunges people into ruin and destruction. The desire to provide, that's not wrong. The desire to give, that's not wrong. The desire to please the Lord is not wrong. The desire to be rich is harmful. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. This root is destructive. Our desire should not to be rich, but to glorify the Lord in all things. And just so you know, Western society, when you compare it to the rest of the world, there's not a single person in this room who can say you're not rich. We're not talking about the individuals who live in a certain town with a certain class of house, that drive a certain car. We're talking about if you have housing, if you have a bed, if you are able to provide for yourself, provide for your family, newsflash, you are rich. Our desire should not be to be. but to glorify the Lord in all things. The love of money is the love of something that will not last. In Matthew 6, it says, do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal. See, we are to lay up treasures in heaven. Therefore, all of us, that means our wealth included, is to be used for the Lord. Matthew 13, Jesus told the parable of the sower. We're reminded of this, and he gives us a warning here. He says, as for what was sown among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches chokes the word and it proves unfruitful. You see, the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Hebrews 13 verse five, keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have. For he has said, I will never leave you or forsake you. I love this. Whether it's Old Testament or New Testament, you're talking about an individual who is to be contented. An individual to be satisfied with what he has. He doesn't compare us to the neighbor. He doesn't compare us to other things in this world that we come across. It doesn't compare to what other people have. The comparison always, look at what you have in Christ. He's saying, you can be content because Christ has given you everything. And in fact, if you don't have Christ, you have nothing. Christ is literally all that you have, all that you need. In Luke 12, Jesus told another parable saying, the land of a rich man produced plentifully. And he thought to himself, what shall I do? I have nowhere to store my crops. And he said, I'm going to do this. I will tear down my barns and build larger ones. And there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years. Relax, eat, drink, be merry. But God said to him, fool, this night your soul is required of you. And the things that you have prepared, whose will they be? So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God." Being rich toward God is to be our life. It is to be our way of living. Proverbs 11, verse 4, riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. Riches do not last. And a day is coming when they'll be of no profit. And understand this, all the wealth that you have now, it's not profit before our all-sufficient, all-knowing, all-powerful Lord. It will do you no good. God is our master, not wealth. Principle two, God's children are to honor him with their wealth. Proverbs 3 verse 9, it says, honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your produce. We are pilgrims who are on a temporary journey. This journey, no matter how long, leads us home with Christ in heaven. So as we live, we are to give to him. This means that we must stop and we must think. We must think about what we have, what the Lord has given to us. We must think about how we spend. We must think about what the Lord has provided and give to glorify Him. We must think and we must pray. When's the last time you've prayed about your finances, prayed about your spending? Now, this is a simple question. Does the Lord need our wealth? No. That's what makes Him the Lord, right? The Lord needs nothing from us. He is complete without us. He is sufficient. So why must we give to him? Simple, he commands us to give. And as individuals who've been saved by God's grace, we struggle with that because our flesh fights our spirit. In Matthew 25, we have another parable concerning the kingdom of heaven. It's amazing how much the Lord talked about the kingdom that is coming and compared it to how we are wrongfully building our own kingdom today. Matthew 25, it would be like a man going on a journey. He called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, each according to his ability. And then he went away. He would have received the five talents, went at once and traded with them. He made five more talents. So also he who had two talents made two talents more. But the one who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. After a long time, the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward bringing five more talents, saying, master, you delivered to me five talents. Here, I've made five talents more. His master said to him, well done, good and faithful servant. You've been faithful over little. I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. He also had two talents, came forward saying, master, you delivered to me two talents, here I have made two talents more. His master said to him, well done, good and faithful servant. You've been faithful over little, I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of the master. He also received the one talent, came forward saying, master, I knew you to be a hard man. Just with those words, you know this is not gonna turn out well. reaping where you did not sow, gathering where you scattered no seed. So I was afraid. I went and hid your talent on the ground. Here, you have what is yours. But the master answered him, you wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers. And in my coming should I have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the 10 talents, for to everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away, and cast the worthless servant to the outer darkness, and that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. You know, the Lord has given everything to us, and we are to use everything that he has given for him. God's children are his servants. Servants serve their master, and they serve their master in all things. And when we don't, the Lord rightly disciplines us. God's children are to honor him with their wealth. Number three goes just with it. God's children are to honor him with their wealth first and not last. Proverbs three, verse nine. Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce. We are to give to the Lord what is rightly due Him. That is what is first. We don't give to the Lord after everything else or when we feel like it or when it's convenient. Aren't you thankful we don't have a Savior who says, I'm gonna love you and take care of you when it's convenient. We give to the Lord when we have much and when we have little. Luke 21. Jesus looked up, saw the rich putting the gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins, and he said, truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them, for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, but in all that she had to live on. You see, what we have, we are to give to the Lord. Our home, our possessions, our wealth, it all belongs to Him, and with it all, we are to make much of Him. We're to be generous and not selfish, not greedy. Now, what am I not saying? I'm not saying that we don't enjoy life. We are called to enjoy life. I'm not saying that we don't have fun. We can go and have fun. We can spend money on ourselves. We can go to the movies. We can eat delicious food. We can take vacations, but all this should be done with the wisdom of God. Throughout history, throughout the early church, you find that those who are faithful to give, the Lord faithfully gave them more to give. I learned that looking at church history, but I also learned that in watching my father. George Mueller was a perfect example of this, and so is HeartCry Missionary Society today. I don't know if you ever studied the life of George Mueller. Anytime he had a need, he would pray and write it down. You can read his autobiography. He would write it down. He would pray to the Lord for that need. And when the Lord graciously provided, he would jot that down. And after the Lord provided for him, he would jot those things down. He would make his requests known before the Lord saying, Lord, if you want this to happen, this will take place in your divine timing. And it did. George Mueller is remembered as a man of God, but also as a man who built orphanage after orphanage after orphanage without ever asking for a dollar except asking the Lord for what he needed. God's children are to honor him with their wealth first and not last. Think about your wealth for a moment. Now think about your spending. Where does the Lord fit in? What do you give to him? Is the Lord first place in your finances? Principle four, one way in which we honor the Lord with our wealth is giving to the local church of which we are members. One way in which we honor the Lord with our wealth is giving to the local church in which we are members. Many Christians believe that giving to their local church is their only responsibility, while others believe that giving to their local church is optional. Both are wrong and both dishonor the Lord. We are to give of ourselves and give of our wealth in God's local church in which we are members. Now, when I talk about the local church, I'm not talking about an organization. I'm not talking about a business. I'm speaking about the Lord's bride. I'm not speaking about a man-made system, but something that God designed. The church is a group of people in which the Lord has purchased by the blood of his son, Jesus Christ, calling them to him and for him. The church is ordained by God. the polity of the church as established by God, and is not to be operated according to anything except by what the Lord has declared in his holy word. Therefore, when a pastor like myself gets behind a pulpit and talks about the truth that the Lord has called us to give of our time, resources, gifts, and money to the local church in which we are members of, the authority in which I say this does not lie in me, but in the Lord. Therefore, the purpose of this truth is not the glory of man, it's the glory of God. In 2 Corinthians 9, we find this. The point is this, whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. Whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work as is written. He has distributed freely. He has given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. He who supplies 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 way, to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. So the Lord loves a cheerful giver. This is a heart attitude, and this is to be our attitude as his children. A cheerful giver gives the firstfruits of all that they have to the Lord for the purpose of God's glory and God's kingdom. A cheerful giver gives to the local church in which they are members that the Lord has established for their good as his children and his glory. Let's look at it this way. The members of this church are called to support the ministries of this church. This is where, as a member, you say amen. This church right now has 55 adults and 33 children and youth. And of those 33, 25 of those children and youth are unsaved to our knowledge. The building that we are blessed to have, it's open weekly on Sunday through Wednesday and Thursday, with office hours on Monday through Thursday. We are blessed with space for Sunday school, for worship, for fellowships, for other events, We have two pastors, four deacons, 10 Sunday school teachers, and we have many, many individuals who serve behind the scenes faithfully. We have 13 indoor-outdoor AC units and two acres of land to maintain. Money is used yearly for all sorts of things, including AC, that you're feeling right now. children's curriculum, crafts, outreach, cleaning, food, local missions, mission trip to Utah, missions overseas, pastor's salary, funerals, weddings, counseling, teaching resources, pastor resources, benevolence, vacation, Bible school, retreats, and the list goes on. If the Lord loves a cheerful giver and we don't give to this church in which we are members, to the ministries of this church, the church in which we have committed to, I don't know how one can say that they cheerfully give unto the Lord. Now we don't give to boast, we don't give to be seen by others, for the Lord has clearly said in his word, if you give to be seen by others, you have your reward, it's done. We give because even our wealth is called to glorify the Lord. Now maybe you give to Christian organizations or different Christian ministries, that's wonderful. but you are to be devoted to your local church and the ministries of it. The Lord did not establish those Christian organizations, he established the church. We are called to serve, we are called to give, we are called to pray for the ministries of the local church in which we are to minister. So let's say this, let's get a little personal. If we go out to eat, which, I think the most of us do. If we go to the grocery stores and we're able to purchase snacks, if we're able to buy a cup of coffee, which is not cheap, or a Coke, if you can afford to maintain your hobbies, you have the time and the ability to be a cheerful giver. Honoring the Lord with our wealth, this area of worship is like everything else. It is a matter of the heart. It's a matter of priority. It's a matter of significance. And for some, maybe this morning you've realized you have idols on your throne because you don't have a generous heart as members of this church. Maybe you've had a bad experience with churches or other Christian organizations, but this should not stop you in obeying the Lord. The Lord trumps all of them. Now, if you don't agree with the local church, what the local church is doing, you need to check your own heart, and then you need to check the scriptures, and then speak with the leadership. And if you can't unite with this church, find a church in which you can unite with, for God and His glory is much greater than this single church. And as one of the pastors here, both Blake and I agree on this, we want every Christian in the church faithfully worshiping the Lord and faithfully serving the Lord. We are called by God to support the local church in which we are members of. Many reasons why a church gets destroyed, it's not just because of gossip. Many reasons a church gets destroyed over time is because you have 10% of the people not only giving, you have 10% of the people as the only workers. We are called by God to support the local church in which we are members. Ministry. Ministry is taking care of what we have. Ministry is taking care of one another, and those things are of great importance. Proverbs 11. 23 through 28, the desire of the righteous ends only in good. The expectations of the wicked in wrath. One gives freely yet grows all the richer. Another withholds what he should give and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessings will be enriched. The one who waters will himself be watered. The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it. Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it. Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. The generous person is blessed while the path of disobedient leads to ruin. Even if we have a little and we are faithful, this is better than being rich and building our own fading kingdom. Proverbs 15, 16, and 17, better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it. You see, godliness does not mean that one will be wealthy in this life. We've all heard that. That's not what the Bible teaches. But even the little that we have to give is worth giving to the ministries of the local church, which is the outflow of the body of Christ. Think of it this way. When you open up your Bibles and you do a diligent study, missions was not given to you, missions was given to the church. Evangelism was not given to you, evangelism was given to the church. Pastors, deacons, teachers, they are given to the church. The Lord's Supper belongs to the church. The church is ordained by God, not your thought of what church should be. We need wisdom with our wealth because the Lord has even given us the wealth that we have so that we can make much of his name. But make no mistake about it, wisdom is better than wealth. When you study Proverbs, that's what you find. Over and over and over again through 31 chapters, wisdom is better than anything that this world has to offer as far as wealth. We need wisdom with our wealth, but wisdom is way better than wealth. This is a radical statement because the majority in and outside the church don't really believe this. If they did, they would search the scriptures. If they did, they would study the scriptures. If they did, they would get on their knees and pray and find out, Lord, give me more wisdom that I may glorify you. But the majority of those in and outside the church, they work harder for more money. They don't work harder in glorifying God. The majority of those inside and outside the church Do not believe this. The majority of those inside and outside the church, they are fans. What is known are they are consumers. They treat church like everything else in their life. It's about them. The majority think like this, what's in it for me? How does this benefit me? Little by little, our thinking is consumed with building our kingdom, building my kingdom, building my kingdom. How easily we forget that the Lord of all creation brought us into his kingdom for his name, not ours. Proverbs 16, 16 says, how much better to get wisdom than gold? To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. So we are to get wisdom and get understanding, and that's far better than gold and silver. The wisdom of God is much better than wealth, for the wisdom of God is eternal. The wealth that we see and chase after so often in this life, it's temporary. Proverbs 28 verse 6, better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways. The wisdom of God is much better than wealth. We just got through walking verse by verse through Acts, the study of the early church. In Acts 2, it informs us the attitude of the early church, their priorities, what they were devoted to. It says, and all who believed were together. They had all things in common. They were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all as any had need. Now, if you study the Greek in these verses, usually I don't bring up Greek, but it's worth bringing up here. The Greek in this verse says, this was not a one-time thing. This was a continual pattern. So imagine that. Throughout life, throughout the years, throughout ministry, walking together, living together, they realized the needs that other people have and they took care of those needs. It sounds like the family of God. That needs existed within the body of Christ and needs were met within the body of Christ. Wealth was used for caring for those whom Christ had purchased by His blood. So here's a few questions for us to consider this morning. Question one, are you generous with your wealth for the Lord or are you greedy? Are you generous with your wealth for the Lord or are you greedy? Question two, is God first place in your giving? That's a tough question to consider. Is God first place in your giving? When the times get tough, does God go out the window first? Do you know the needs of others that are around you that you are able to meet? Do you think about that? Do you think about those who are around you who are not as well off as you at this point in time? ways in which you can serve the other person, or is it really just you? Or the opposite side of that coin, do you have needs that you're not sharing with the Lord in this church? Do you have so much pride that you don't want to let other people know, but clearly in scripture you have, they were open, they were honest, they saw the needs and they shared those needs and in the body, took care of those needs? If you're in debt, are you working hard to get out of debt? Don't get in more debt to get out of debt, just get out of debt. Are you working hard to get out of debt? Are you generous with your wealth for the Lord and his local church? Are you generous with your wealth for the Lord and his local church? Where's your heart when it comes to wealth? And the question that's really hard to consider, so often with our finances, not just our finances, our life, we don't stop and consider Jesus. If we don't stop and consider Jesus, we won't be content in anything. That's where contentment is found. Contentment is found in stopping and considering Christ, all that he has done, all that he is continuing to do, all that he will do according to his holy word. Are you content in Christ? Are you satisfied with what the Lord has providentially provided for you at this point in time? You read about martyrs, whether they were drowned, whether they were set on fire, How in the world were they able to operate like that? How in the world were husbands able to watch their wives be killed? How were they able to watch as their children were drowned? How were they able to walk through those things if they were content with the Lord? Let's look at it from Revelation. Revelation 5 verse 12. Worthy is the lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. So Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, is worthy to receive all the power. He's worthy to receive all the wealth. He's worthy to receive all the wisdom, all the might, all the glory and the blessing. Is that just for the future? Is that also for the here and the now? You know, God is our master. Do not allow wealth to be your master. Jesus Christ, he should be more precious to us than all the earthly riches that we can think of. Jesus Christ satisfies. Wealth will never satisfy. At one point in time, John D. Rockefeller was the richest man on earth. And he was once asked the question, how much is enough? He responded, just one more dollar. You think about those in Hollywood and they have come, they have everything and they've arrived to the top and they've come out and they've publicly stated, I wish somebody would have told me when you get to the top, there's nothing there, I'm depressed. For those of us who understand what Christ has done, that we were born sinners separated from a holy God with God's wrath abiding on us, that our sin, fully consumed. We were dead in our sin, unable to save ourself. And by God's grace, he reached down, he saved us. He brought us out of that pit. He showed us who he was. We repented of our sins. We believed in Christ for salvation. We understand not just salvation for now, but we understand we're justified in Christ. We are currently being sanctified in Christ. And one day we will be glorified with him forever. That is far greater than the wealth of this world. So God is our master, not wealth. We are to honor the Lord with our wealth. We are to be generous. We are not to be greedy. And God's children are to honor him with their wealth first and not last. And one way in which we honor the Lord with our wealth, just one way, is giving to the local church of which we are members to fund the ministries in which the Lord wants his church to do. Giving is not an area in which we are called to less faithfulness, less generosity, or less sacrifice. Giving is an aspect of glorifying God in all things, for God loves a cheerful, And as his children made his image to image him, let's be examples of this, not for our namesake. Let's be examples of being a generous giver for his namesake, for his name and for his glory. Father, we thank you for this morning. Father, we think about your generosity. We think about how much you have given and continue to give. We think about our Savior right now who's interceding on our behalf. Father, why, looking at all of history, why in the world you would choose to save sinners is beyond me. That you would save us and call us to yourself, even knowing beforehand that we would continue to rebel and turn and build our own kingdom. We would become selfish and we would become greedy. We would spend times and weeks and months and maybe even years building our own kingdom in the neglect of your kingdom that lasts forever. That we would foolishly live for something that is not eternal. Lord, thank you for forgiveness that is found in Christ. Thank you for what you are continuing to do through your preached word. That you would use a fool like me to stand up and to say, thus saith the Lord. Father, as your children, we beg you, help us to glorify you in every area of our life. We would not look back and have regrets, but we would look back and we would say, Lord, this is how you worked, this is how you moved, this is how you grew and sanctify us. and little by little in your patience you would chisel away, Father, and you would make us more and more image bearers that look like your son. How gracious you are, Father. Father, for those who are in this room who have not yet been born again, Lord, draw them to yourself. Help them to realize this life is not about them. As riches are fading, so are they. Convict them of their sin, draw them to yourself. Father, thank you for your holy word. Thank you for this time together as this church is gathered. Father, I pray all that was said and done would have been pleasing to you. Prepare our hearts, Lord, as we use this time of silence to take of the Lord's table. And all God's people said, amen.