Money, Power, Sex

Kongsvinger Lutheran Church

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All right, grab a Bible something to write with as we continue to work our way through the

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Ten Commandments We're looking at again the commandment that says thou shalt not covet.

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Let's pray Lord Jesus again, we recognize that Man does not live on bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God We ask

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Lord Jesus despite the fact that your law condemns us that we may see it and embrace it as holy and good and That recognizing that when we fall short it is because of sin that dwells in us not because your law is evil

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Help us to understand it and through your spirit continue to produce repentance in us So that the fruit of the spirit of love joy peace patience kindness gentleness

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Self -control and even contentment may flourish within us. We ask this in Jesus name.

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Amen So last week we ended off as we were looking at The commandment that says thou shalt not covet we

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Covet your neighbor's house covet your neighbor's wife That we looked at the story of David and Bathsheba and considered the absolute horrific

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Terrible ending of that story But also noted that God who is rich in mercy and whose glory it is to forgive and pardon iniquity

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Even gave an absolution to King David through the Prophet Nathan that God had put away his sin, but all of this happened the

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The adultery with Bathsheba the murdering of Uriah the Hittite the cover -up the whole thing all of it was the result of the coveting that occurred in the heart of David and It led to quite a horrific thing and we must remember that each and every one of us are capable of such sins

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And do not think that you are Well strong lest you fall that's the idea

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So let's take a look as we continue to study out this commandment Let's take a look at Hebrews chapter 13 and I need to make a note and that is that Again, we must always remember that the reason why we do good works is because we are forgiven

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But because we have been reconciled to the Father But because we have a right standing with God because of what

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Christ has done for us that being the case that we would note then that Hebrews chapter 13 is logical and Kind of silly as it might sound we must remember that before Hebrews chapter 13

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There is Hebrews chapter 1 through 12 and that in the book of Hebrews the inspired author of Hebrews takes great pains and goes to great lengths to Point us to Christ and even doing so in revealing the types and shadows of the

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Old Testament and how they point to Jesus Who is our high priest in the order of Melchizedek and who unlike the priests of the

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Old Testament did not have to offer? Sacrifices for his own sins, but instead laid down his life and through his blood we are forgiven

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Therefore having been reconciled to the Father having saving faith Hebrews 13 1 begins with these words

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Let brotherly love continue Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers for thereby some have entertained angels unawares

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I don't know if any of you have heard that you may have thought that they that was some kind of a myth but the reality of the situation is is that You may have in showing hospitality to somebody may have actually done so to an angel

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Years and years ago. I was told a story by a truck driver all people truck driver told me the story that he was doing long -haul trucking and he was

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Traveling across the country and in the winter time was traveling through Montana and there was a hitchhiker on the road

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Who looked like he was in bad shape And so he picked up the hitchhiker and the fellow and him had a great conversation

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But one of the things he noticed about this guy is that his shoes didn't quite fit him Right in the back of his heels were bleeding

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And so the guy, you know was having hard time walking because of the sores on his on his heel and you're thinking this is kind of disgusting but the fellow stayed with him for about six seven hundred miles and When the trucker dropped him off he swears on a stack of Bibles the weirdest thing happened that the guy asked to be let out of The truck in the middle of nowhere and he says

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I can't leave you out here in the middle of nowhere. It's winter There's no place for you to shelter up.

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You're going to die of exposure out here and the guy insisted So he said all right have it your way.

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I'll drop you off in the middle of nowhere Dropped him off and no sooner did he drop him off the truck pulled away.

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He looked in his rearview mirror The guy wasn't there This is a Christian fellow Christian truck driver who told me the story now he swears that the guy he gave the ride to has to have been an angel and I'm not gonna quibble with him one way or another

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But I have heard stories like this over my lifetime Similar to this and it's important for us to know that scripture actually says that you can entertain angels by showing hospitality

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Nikki I Have no idea. I do not know and this is where you're gonna know that scripture tells us that angels exist

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The angels are ministering spirits. Who do they minister to by the way? us

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Christians and that somehow when you read in scripture, there are appearances of angels in human form, but Aside from that, what do we really know about angels?

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How many angels do we know the names of to Gabriel Michael and we know that Michael is an archangel.

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That's pretty much all we know Aside from that, what do you know about angels? No, I don't know. So here's the interesting thing.

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You may have met one and you don't know it and So scripture says and this is not

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Roseboro saying this scripture says Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers for thereby some have

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Entertained angels and entertained here is not like entertained like they come to your house to hear you tell jokes

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That's the idea is that you're showing hospitality to them and notice it says unawares Yeah All right

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Cracked open the angel ology here So the answer to your question is we do get a picture of some type of warfare that occurs between angels and the demonic it's found in the book of Daniel and Let me find it real quick.

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So Daniel chapter 10. Let's take a look at Daniel chapter 10 I'll start at verse 2 for our context in those days.

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I Daniel was mourning for three weeks. I ate no delicacies No meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did

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I anoint myself at all for three full weeks That's called a diet by the way I'm joking

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He was fasting on the 24th day of the first month as I was standing on the bank of the great river

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That is a tigress I lifted up my eyes looked and behold a man clothed in linen with a belt of fine gold

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From Ufos around his waist his body was like barrel his face like the appearance of lightning his eyes were flaming torches his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude and I Daniel alone saw the vision for the men who were with me did not see the vision but a great trembling fell upon them

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So they fled and hid themselves So I was left alone. I saw this great vision and no strength was left in me

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My radiant appearance was fearfully changed and I retained no strength Then I heard the sound of his words and as I heard the sound of his words

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I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground which by the way is kind of like the standard

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Reaction to being in the presence of hope the holy So behold a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees and said to me

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Oh Daniel Matt Oh Daniel man greatly loved understand the words that I speak to you and stand upright for now

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I have been sent to you and When he had spoken this word to me I stood up trembling

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Then he said to me fear not Daniel For from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your

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God Your words have been heard and I have come because of your words the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me 21 days but Michael one of the chief princes came to help me for I was left there with the kings of Persia and Came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days for the vision is for the days to come so Long story short there does appear in Scripture to be some conflict that goes on between the angelic hosts and the demonic and Which kind of begs the question why doesn't

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God just do stuff directly you're gonna note in relation to this world God works through means

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How were you saved answer by human blood the blood of Jesus Christ Shed for you

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Forgives you of your sins. How was this delivered to you? It was delivered to you through the preaching of the

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Word of God It was delivered to you in the waters of your baptism and is delivered again and again to you to assure you and strengthen you in the one true faith every time we have the

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Lord's Supper together important things God works through means and important to also note that angels are not the preachers of the gospel human beings are

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Faith comes by hearing hearing through the Word of Christ. How is somebody to believe if no one's sent? So the idea then is is that God somehow is revealing here that Angels play a vital role a huge role in what's going on.

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And do you see them? Nope Do I know much about him? Nope I do know that all of the televangelists who talk about angels like they're no big deal

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Say yeah, I was out at Starbucks the other day and whoo There was this nine foot tall angel and he's the angel of finance and he's gonna be releasing financial blessings

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That guy's a liar that guy's a Total liar. How do I know because Everybody who comes in contact with holy angels

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Even if they don't see them practically wet their pants If you are still dry, that wasn't an angel

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The best way I could put it so let's keep reading them going back to Hebrews 13

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Again the context we want to look at what scripture reveals regarding covening Remember those who are in prison as though in prison with them

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Those who are mistreated since you are all you also are in the body

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Let marriage be held in honor among all let the marriage bed be undefiled for God will judge

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Sexually immoral and adulterous keep your life free from the love of money and listen to these words

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Be content with what you have Content with what you have

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For he has said I will never leave you nor forsake you Kind of the subtext is

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God's enough so we can confidently say the Lord is my helper I will not fear.

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What can man do to me? And so Christians have a different priority have a different focus.

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We recognize that we are sojourners here in this life and Scripture over and again condemns those who amass wealth for themselves in this temporal cursed

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Life, this is not how Christians are to behave Let's take a look then also at Proverbs chapter 30

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Proverbs chapter 30 specifically Verses 8 and 9 and I would like to kind of juxtapose what we're going to read next with the popular messages that you're going to hear on Trinity Broadcasting Network from prosperity

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Televangelists and thing and people of that ilk but note what scripture says here.

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I'll start at verse 7 Two things I ask of you ask of God deny them not to me before I die

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Remove far from me falsehood and lying Give me neither poverty nor riches

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Feed me with the food that is needful for me lest I be full and deny you and say who is

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Yahweh or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of God That's a good prayer

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This is what we as Christians need to think when it comes to money the people who are pursuing wealth

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Scripture condemns them and we'll talk about that in a minute. So as Christians we are shooting for the mushy middle

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The mushy middle you thinking what financial mediocrity for me you betcha

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Not too wealthy that you deny God not too poor that you steal and profane the name of God Which means that we as Christians are admonished to pray

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Give us this day our daily bread We are not praying for a month's worth of groceries.

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We're not praying for a Multi -bazillion dollar bank account now, we might have that happen to us.

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The one thing I've noticed about wealth It's very weird to watch how it works. I Have seen people who have been wealthy who became poor in a day the stock market crashed and they went from flying high to being into the financial depths of despair and I have seen people who have been on the front on the financial brink of ruin all of a sudden come into great wealth

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You just never know who's going to become wealthy and you're gonna note this look at the wealthiest people in the world

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Are they the godliest people? No, I would say if you take a look at the wealthiest people in the world wished by the way

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There's not that many of them That is generally a group of people who are not known for their godliness and having great wealth

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Destroys people as far as their character is concerned. I would point you to Paris Hilton She's not exactly what

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I would consider to be the Gold standard of a moral life and she's the heiress of the

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Hilton estate And she's about as far as her character is concerned

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Literally one of the ugliest women on the planet and then you know, just think about this

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So when somebody preaches in the name of Christ that God wants you to be wealthy

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You have Proverbs 3 going. Yeah, no The prayer that we pray as Christians.

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Let me neither have too much or too little Let me continue to walk by faith and you're gonna know by having daily bread

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You need God today You're gonna need him tomorrow You're gonna need him next week next month next year.

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There is no day where you do not walk by faith But then if you live long enough, then you're gonna note that things happen

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So there you are going along living your life doing your thing and you're driving down the road and your car blows up Spectacularly, you know it gives out they're starting to see smoke coming out of the engine and next thing you know your car is a flaming wreck along the side of The roads and you currently don't have the money to get a new car.

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What are you going to do? pray and You'd be shocked.

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God has a funny way of meeting your needs That's the idea Let's take a look at another text 1st

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Timothy 6 I'm gonna back this up We're gonna start at the tail end of verse 2

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We're gonna note this 1st Timothy is Part of the body of work in the

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New Testament known as the pastoral epistles the instructions. We're going to see are written to a pastor and All pastors

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Then in Christ's Church also received these same instructions and watch the instructions.

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I think it's very helpful so pastor Timothy teach and urge these things if Anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our

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Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness Listen about this fellow he is puffed up with conceit and Understands nothing

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One of the valid ways of translating the Greek therefore understands nothing is that he is an ignoramus

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That's a little stronger in the Greek The person who refuses to teach what's in accord with sound doctrine and that which accords with godliness is puffed up with conceit

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He's arrogant and he knows nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words which produced envy dissension slander evil suspicions

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You can always tell when the devil's at work in somebody when among the body of Christ you got envy dissension slander and evil suspicions the that's all sure sign the devil's up to no good and Constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth imagining that Godliness is a means of gain

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Now I'd love the fact that it says gain and not merely money because you have to understand that there's a whole group of people who are using

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Jesus and godliness and they're standing in the church for financial gain or for Influence and power over people

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You know, there's kind of they talk about in ministry. There's the three there's the unholy trinity wealth power and sex

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There are no original sins when it comes to guys in the ministry Those are the three deadly ones that take guys out all the time wealth power and Sex now, here's the thing when it comes to wealth the people who are grossly and obviously manipulating people for money

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Not only are they not disciplined. They usually have the largest following of people

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Why because we human beings are as part of our sinful nature greedy It's the same reason why diet pills always seem to do.

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Well, we're looking for an easy shortcut to easy Street All right.

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I don't want to work out. I don't want to diet I just want to take one pill right before I go to bed so that I can be skinny

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And so we buy into this magic theory and you know people buy diet pills like crazy It doesn't work that way, but that's the same thing.

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Oh you want to be wealthy? God wants you to be wealthy too. All you have to do is send me a thousand bucks and God will make you wealthy

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I promise and as stupid as it sounds when I say it like that That's exactly what's going on And you know what people do they pull out their checkbooks and they write a thousand dollar check and send it to these yahoos

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Thinking of godliness is thing of gain. There's a whole group of people though who are not into the wealth thing

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They live pretty modest lives But for them, it's all about the affluence and influence they have within the ministry.

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It's for them It's about the power the ability to crack a whip and for thousands or tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of people to snap

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Into line that for them is their buzz and then you got guys over and over and over and over again

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They shipwreck their faith destroy their congregations because of sexual immorality all of these things are the root of this is coveting and This comes from our heart it doesn't it's not because of the water

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It's not because of the air we breathe there and it it knows no

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Boundaries as far as denominations are concerned this problem exists in every single

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Denomination that claims allegiance to Christ so you can't sit there and say well

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This is an ELCA problem or Roman Catholic problem or a Baptist problem or a

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Pentecostal problem No, this is a human problem because we all have a sinful nature and so because we are in Christ we mortify our sinful flesh and we need to recognize when we are coveting and Confess it for the sin that it is some of the most egregious sins come from this root

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So Paul continues godliness with contentment is great gain

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For we brought nothing into the world and we cannot take anything out of the world

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I Was there when all three of my children were born? None of them were wearing a cardigan sweater when they were born

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I know this for a fact either wrap them up quick, and I know you've all heard it before How many pastors have talked about this?

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That at none of the funerals that I have presided over was there ever a U -Haul behind the hurts?

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No such thing. You brought nothing into this world. You're taking nothing out of it if that doesn't give you a proper perspective on things then it should and Then listen to these words if we have food and clothing

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With these we will be content But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation into a snare

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Into many I love the word here senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and Destruction if you desire to be rich you fall into temptation senseless harmful desires plunging yourself into ruin

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There is no way as a Christian To baptize your desire to be wealthy and Turn it into a holy desire

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That's not how this works If your desire is to have a bazillion dollars you got a problem that's coming from coveting and It's a way of saying

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God. I don't trust you I trust money And over it again, we've seen this

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Wealthy people you ask the question How much money is enough for somebody who's wealthy?

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What's the answer? More It never ends does it

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You would think I've got five million dollars in my account. What more do I need? What do they want?

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They want more Got a hundred billion dollars in my account. What do they need? more

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Why? What for? Why are you amassing all of this wealth for yourself?

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So, you know, it's senseless Harmful, basically, I don't need you God God becomes

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Money or money is their God and it's to money that they look for good things Not God Money will meet their needs not

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God and it's never enough never just one more dollar. Maybe I don't know who knows and yet there are

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Christians who have no desire to be wealthy who have become wealthy and They manage their wealth in a way to assist and help their neighbors

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But there is no way to have a craving or a lust or a desire to be rich and make that a

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Christian desire Now here's kind of an important thing and if you ever hear this from a televangelist or very popular preacher

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You know, they're twisting God's Word Over and again the prosperity preachers will tell you that people misquote

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Scripture and They're kind of right, but they're playing a game. Let me explain They will say have you ever heard it said money is the root of all evil

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And you sit there and go. Yeah, I think I've heard that and they'll go wrong. Look at the text It says the love of money is the root of all evil

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So you can desire to have riches as long as you don't love money it doesn't work the context

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Disallows their twisting of it, but they're playing a little bit of a game. You're right It does say the love of money and it's describing it as the desire to be wealthy

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The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pangs

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Huh? But as for you, oh man of God Flee these things

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Flee the love of money flee the desire of being wealthy instead pursue righteousness godliness faith love steadfastness gentleness

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Fight the good fight of faith Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses

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So as Christians Our eyes are not on amassing wealth here

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Our eyes are on the coming kingdom, and I don't care if God gives me a park bench in The New Jerusalem and I have to live in a tent.

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I Don't care as long as I can see the face of God. Jesus is my reward.

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Does that make sense? If everything is about amassing for yourself something on this planet

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You are an idolater and you need to repent Because your

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God can't save you and won't save you just like the fellow who tried to buy his way onto the lifeboats on the

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Titanic and Couldn't do it your money can't save you That's the idea.

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So we instead Focus is on the eternal. But if I do that, then you know,

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I might suffer in this world and Join the party Jesus when he died the only thing he owned were the clothes on his back and the soldiers took that from him and Threw dice to see who would get it

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Jesus didn't even own the tomb. He was buried in it was borrowed You see

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You're in him pursue godliness Pursue faith love steadfastness gentleness

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These things are a reward in and of themselves and are even rewarded greatly in the life to come

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Philippians chapter 4 now when we left off last week, I said Have any of you heard the slogan

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I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and unfortunately, this text shows up out of context a lot of times during like the time of the

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Super Bowl and things like That and let me explain how this shows up I can do all things through him who strengthens me as Philippians 4 13 and So there they are they're interviewing this fellow he's going to be playing in the

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Super Bowl against the New England Patriots to which I would say may God bless you and And help you in your endeavors in defeating the evil

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Patriots. So I'm with you What This is a godly thing

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But the fellow then in the interview, you know, they do the interview so tell me what are you doing to prepare for the game?

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Well, I'm I like to confess Jesus as my Lord and Savior and I can do all things through him who strengthens me

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See now now I am with you in defeating the Patriots, but don't twist God's Word is This verse about well overcoming hardships in your life defeating your

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Goliaths or even Or even defeating the evil

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New England Patriots, you know Darth Vader and his Sith Lord, but anyway my

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Dodgers last October They were one game away from winning the

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World Series Do you think for a second? I am sitting there saying here it is spring training

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The new baseball season begins in just a little over a week Okay, all things will be right with the universe

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I'm just saying but I'm not sitting there going they're going to win the World Series because They can do all things through Christ who strengthens them

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It doesn't work that way Do you know the context of this verse? Let's take a look at it.

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You're gonna see it's not about any of those things Philippians 4 will start at verse 10

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I Rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have received revived your concern for me

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You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity Not that I'm speaking of being in need for I have learned in whatever situation

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I am to be content I know how to be brought low I know how to abound in any and every circumstance

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I have learned the secret of facing plenty and Hunger Abundance and need

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I can do all things through him who strengthens me Philippians 4 13 is about Christ giving you his strength to be content

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Whether you are doing well financially or terrible financially So that you do not become an idolater when you're doing well

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And that you do not become a blasphemer and a thief when you're doing poorly. I Can do all things through Christ who strengthens me is

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Saying Christ is the one in his power and strength who will make me content in all circumstances

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Having great wealth is a circumstance having poverty and no money is a circumstance. He will see you through both

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It's not about defeating the New England Patriots as holy as that is It is about being content

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Is about being content and Christ will help you in those circumstances one way or another and Now, you know that people who quote that verse in that way don't know what they're talking about at all and this is why

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We must Lovingly correct those who are misusing

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God's Word Because what God's Word says is so much greater

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Than what it's been kind of boiled down to and kind of sloganized

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Christianity. I love the fact that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me means that When things are going horribly

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He'll help me through it and that when things are going very well He will help me so that I don't become an idolater and lose my faith and Take my faith and shipwreck it over Stupid and harmful desires.

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He will see me through Help me navigate both of those rocks kind of shoot the

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Rapids if he would that's what that passage is about And it's beautiful when you think of it in that way

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I'll reiterate this Philippians 2 I've been saying it for weeks now.

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Are you your brother's keeper? You bet your Bippy you are You are your brother's keeper

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Philippians Chapter 2 verse 3 do nothing not some things nothing from selfish ambition or vain conceit instead in humility count others more significant than Yourselves.

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What did our gospel text say today? What did Jesus say the greatest among you will be the servant the greatest is the slave of all

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Jesus is the one who is the highest I Would argue that being the

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Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last God of God light of light very

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God of very God. It doesn't get any higher than that He made himself

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Nothing was found in the form of a slave and This is the mindset that we then have as Christians So do nothing out of selfish ambition in humility count others as more significant than yourselves

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Let each of you look not only to his own interest but also to the interests of others have this mind among yourselves

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Which is yours in Christ Jesus who though? He was in the nature or form of God did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped

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Emptied himself by taking the form of a slave being born in the likeness of men found in human form

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He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death Even death on a cross therefore

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God has highly exalted him Bestowed on him that is the name that is above every name

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So the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven on earth and under the earth and every tongue confessed that Jesus Christ is

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Lord to the glory of God the Father This is why

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I wear this it's a slave shackle I'm the slave of Kong's finger and here's the fun part you are all slaves of each other and Husbands We rule from the bottom not the top

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True patriarchy is down at the bottom with Christ the slave of all you can always tell the fellow who gets this wrong because He's got one word that he's become really good at reciting and the word is submit submit to which the wife would say as soon as you get down there with Jesus and You love me the way

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Christ loved the church, which is sacrificially. I would have no problems Submitting and it's not contentious to say it that way either.

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I just gonna argue. I'm sitting there going

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Being a Christian means it's like nothing for me in this life bingo being a

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Christian means Serving others working and toiling hard to meet my needs and the needs of others bingo

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You're passing through you're sojourning here. This is your wilderness. This is not your promised land and Every theology of self -glory would wrongly teach you that this right now in the here and the now is

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The promised land you finding your purpose you becoming wealthy you becoming powerful you becoming influential affluential changing the world

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It's nonsense The one who's going to change the world. His name is

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Jesus He's currently ruling and reigning at the right hand of the father He's going to change the world when he returns in glory to judge the living and the dead

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You and I have been given the lowly task of telling everybody about him

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Calling them to repent to be forgiven and then serving each other. There's nothing sexy glorious or Just write home to mom about and say you can't believe what

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I just found. I'm now a slave. It's the best thing ever Which is why if you think about this even somebody who doesn't own themselves who actually

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Historically has been or maybe even finds himself today in actual slavery still does good works

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I would argue the guy who doesn't own himself. Who's being a good slave as a slave is

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Probably a lot closer to doing the vocation that Christ did than I am

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You see what I'm saying we think the fellow who's really in touch with God and in tuned with God is the guy who's preaching to millions and bazillions and Making a big splash and doing this and that and the other thing and jetting around the world and meeting with dignitaries

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No, no No C .s. Lewis What a fascinating little short story called the

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Great Divorce And I just think it's perfectly Subversive against kind of the world where the world thinks it's a story and it's a story it opens up in hell and Hell is described as this dark place where the light is kind of like, you know

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That dusk twilight II light right before the Sun totally disappears, but not quite so it's you know

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But the people in hell think that eventually the Sun's gonna rise and it's gonna get brighter

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They don't realize that it's Sun's about to totally set It's gonna be they're gonna be plunged into pure darkness and in hell.

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Nobody gets along with each other at all So everybody lives by themselves and so and the one thing about hell is that it just kind of Expands out is and more people arrive that the farther people out move out in the periphery because they don't like being into in contact with each other

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But the way C .s. Lewis tells a story God in his mercy permits

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Anybody who is in hell if they want to before the return of Christ can take a bus?

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That will take him to heaven for a day I'm thinking okay. This is kind of interesting a provocative concept, right?

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It's a short story. It's not theology, but he makes theological points So the story then there's a group of people in line at the bus stop they get on the bus and they make the trip to heaven and Always when they get there their loved ones who are in heaven will meet them

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When at the bus stop so they can talk to them and they always will try to convince them to stay

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Please stay stay stay stay, but see What happens is is that evil in?

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C .s. Lewis's way of thinking he's kind of adopted a platonic philosophy approach to it evil always makes you less than real

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And so the people who are in hell They can't really stand to be in heaven because the grass hurts their feet

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The light is too bright this the the edges of the leaves are too sharp and everything and they're less than real

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So they're there for them. That's just too real and too bright and too clean and too colorful

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It's just it's really obnoxious to them but what's fascinating is is that one of the people who gets off the bus are meeting with a loved one and while they're talking this

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Spectacular parade kind of goes across the sky, you know, there's angels blowing trumpets there's you know horses and this woman on this ginormous horse is

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Passing through and the guy from hell says, oh she must have really been a saint

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You know when she was alive on earth and just kind of flippantly the person says no

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She was a wash lady who lived in the south of London. Yeah, she helped, you know street orphans and stuff like that Nobody even knew she existed.

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You see the economy of heaven is way different than our economy You think you know what greatness is?

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You do not know what greatness is if you think it's about winning an

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NBA championship Getting to the top of March Madness or even winning the

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Frozen Four Becoming president of the United States or being a great singer who travels the world and everybody lauds and magnifies her angelic voice

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That's not greatness You want to see what greatness looks like?

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It's God born and placed in a manger Whose parents are poverty stricken and couldn't even afford the lamb the sacrifice necessary for the cleansing and dedication of Christ he became nothing and God exalts him

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You don't want to be exalted by the world Just believe me when I tell you that you want to be exalted by God and that exaltation

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Cannot be sought after it begins by saying I'm nothing and Saying I'm going to love my neighbor for my neighbor's sake and I'm going to be your slave

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And I'm going to consider you as more important and better than myself Totally different thing altogether that is the opposite of coveting

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Coveting is all about me. The love of Christ is all about you

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Not me See the difference So in this regard, let us consider some of the ways in which we are tempted to be dissatisfied with what we have

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Mentioned this in passing last week best to flesh it out here Peer pressure and even advertising often encourage us to be dissatisfied with what we have

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We crave other things the important word there is crave in order to keep up appearances or to look for happiness and satisfaction in something new and this is where we talked about last week how all of the

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Advertising that we watch on television has one goal in mind To make you discontent

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Dissatisfied and to crave that thing that is going to revolutionize your life and Whenever you buy those things for that reason does that product?

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revolutionize your life No, no,

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I Always find it fascinating that Almost people you have this universal experience here in the

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United States Your kids when they're young you buy them Christmas presents They open up the Christmas presents and there are all these bright shiny new

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Christmas presents a new toy truck a new Robot a new game. I know what and what are the kids playing with the box the box?

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right, I Just think that's brilliant You know give me when I was a kid give me a refrigerator box and I will turn it into a rocket ship to the moon but the reality of the situation is is all the things we think are going to make us happy they

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Don't there is no new car that you can buy that will not wear out there is no set of clothes that will last you longer than one season and Buying these things in kind of a perpetual cycle so that you can stay happy is a sheer sign

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You are discontent You are looking for the thing that God only can give you in things

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You are coveting and you were I being an idolater Recognize it for the sin that it is and repent and be content be satisfied with what

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God has given you Be satisfied in him He'll meet your needs

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Proverbs 10 3 the Lord does not let the righteous go hungry

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But he thwarts the craving of the wicked Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked

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It's a good good one It's a trust in him let the

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Lord be your delight another way in which we're tempted to be dissatisfied with what we have

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Is that we do not recognize? Properly, what is good? Wanting what is a godly desire and what would be considered an appropriate type of ambition for us to have as Christians We think that just because we have a want a desire or we have an ambition that somehow that makes it holy

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Not all ambitions are holy and at the same time not all ambitions are sinful or selfish

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This requires us to Stay attuned to what's going on inside of their heart

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Psalm 107 Specifically verses 6 through 9, but I want you to consider it in its proper context starting at verse 1

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I'll give thanks to Yahweh for he is good his steadfast love endures forever let the redeemed of the

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Lord say so whom he has redeemed from trouble and Gathered in from the lands from the east and from the west from the north and from the south

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Some wandered in desert wastes finding no way to a city to dwell in hungry and thirsty their soul fainted within them

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Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble and he delivered them from their distress He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in Let them thank the

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Lord for his steadfast love for his wondrous works to the children of man He satisfies the longing soul

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The hungry soul he fills with good things. I Think the idea then is this is that you're going to note that scripture talks about those who have a longing soul

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Whose souls are dissatisfied and that the Lord is the one who satisfies them

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We do will as human beings have legitimate needs We truly do food clothes work neighbors

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You know loved ones. These are our needs and there are many in this lifetime Who go without these things and they cry to the

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Lord and his promises to hear their pleas? And to satisfy their proper right desires and longings the thing.

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I want the most I want to see Jesus I don't care about seeing the

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Eiffel Tower It'd be kind of interesting to have you know, take a photo from the Eiffel Tower But once you get that off your bucket list who cares

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I know what it looks like I've seen a bazillion pictures of it, but I've never seen Jesus. I Want to see his glory.

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I want to see his eyes. I Want to worship him in his holy temple and You know,

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I think about Billy Graham and and I understand that Billy Graham He had some wonky theology in places, but the one thing that Billy Graham could do he could preach about Christ It was pretty darn good at that But I remember watching a tribute to him and he was so beautiful this illustration

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He basically said that if you if you read in the news That Billy Graham is dead

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Don't believe it he says because that would mean

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I'm more alive than I ever have been and After I've been there a billion years

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I will have only just begun Great way of kind of talking about it, right?

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No, that's true. That's true so Keep your eyes focused on what's coming your eyes on Christ He's the one who's coming be

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Satisfied in him and trust him to meet your needs and satisfy the desires of your longing heart

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And then the question is what are you longing for? Are you longing for him?

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Are you longing for self -glory? Hmm. Let's take a look at James James chapter 1 specifically verses 13 through 15

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It's considered in context starting at verse 12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial for when he has stood the test

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He will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him Let no one say when he is tempted

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I am being tempted by God for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire

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Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin and sin what is fully grown brings forth death

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See that coveting thing starts right in here Those desires start right in here and I would remind you if you take a look at Genesis chapter 3 go back to the scene of the crime

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Let's take a look at what happened inside of Eve So Genesis chapter 3 verse 1

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The serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that Yahweh Elohim had made and he said to the woman did

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God Actually say you shall not eat of any of tree of the garden and the woman said to the serpent

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Well, we may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden But God said you shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that's in the midst of the garden

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Neither shall you touch it lest you die But the serpent said to the woman you will not surely die

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For God knows when you eat of it Your eyes will be open and you will be like God knowing good and evil so the woman when she saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes and That the tree was to be desired to make one

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Wise she took of its fruit Notice how James described kind of the progression of sin and we can see it right there in Eve Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires

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Desire when it is conceived gives birth to sin sin when it is fully grown brings forth death

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It's all starts in here and works itself out in your behavior

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Over and again, we need to check ourselves and recognize this literally means that The sin didn't start when you come when you broke the commandment the

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Sin began when you desired to break that commandment. This is why we confess in our in our confession

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I confess that I am by nature sinful and unclean. I have sinned against God in thought word deed by what

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I've done and by what I've left undone And when you consider it according to that standard we recognize that we are in great need of God's mercy and grace

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Every single day of our lives Every single one and thanks be to God that Christ has bled and died for every one of our sins

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Colossians chapter 3 Will be a great place to kind of end this discussion on coveting

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Colossians chapter 3 I will remind you that in Colossians chapter 2 Let me back it up just a little bit so we can keep this in mind

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I always like to make sure we understand the admonitions To mortifying our sinful flesh are the result of the fact that we have been baptized and made right with God Colossians chapter 2

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Verse 11 in Christ Also, you were circumcised with the circumcision made without hands by the putting off of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ Having been buried with him in baptism in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God who raised him from the dead and You who were dead

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In your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh God has made you alive together with him

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Having forgiven us all our trespasses. Yes That that's a fallen angel that's a fallen angel

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Yeah, he's the he's the chief of the fallen angels. So so forgiving us all our trespasses

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How many of your sins that Jesus died for? All of them this text says so not some all

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So the forgiveness of Christ Doesn't just cover you up to the point where you're baptized.

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It covers you from the point You're conceived until the time when you stop breathing all of your sins are atoned for by Christ and He did this by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands this he set aside nailing it to the cross

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Through this he disarmed the rulers and authorities talking about the demonic powers put them to open shame by triumphing over them

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So consider then moving forward just a little bit verse 20 if with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world

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And we have we've been buried with him and is in our baptism Why is if you were still alive in the world?

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Do you submit to regulations? Do not handle do not taste do not touch Referring to things that all perish as they are used according to human precepts and teachings

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These have indeed an appearance of wisdom and promoting self -made religion and asceticism

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Severity of the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh So if then you have been raised with Christ, let me ask you

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Have any of you been raised with Christ? Yes or no? Yes Because it just said in Christ when you were baptized you were baptized into his death and into his resurrection if then you have been raised with Christ and you have

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Seek the things that are above Not below above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God Set your mind on things that are above Not on things that are on earth for if you have died and Your life is hidden with Christ in God, which it is

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When Christ who is your life appears then you also will appear with him in glory therefore put to death what is earthly in you and If you're not sure what that is, we have a good little thumbnail sketch.

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Are you ready? sexual immorality check impurity check Passion check evil desire check covetousness, which is idolatry

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Ufta check See on account of these

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The wrath of God is coming. I always find it fascinating We somehow in some weird self -righteous cocoon that we live in Think that somehow

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God's wrath is reserved merely for people who are sexually immoral

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You know Notice the wrath of God is coming because of covetousness not just San Francisco and Our whole society is built on inculcating into us covetousness on Account of these the wrath of God is coming in these you to once walked not any longer

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Walked has to do with how you conduct your life when you were living in them But now you must put them all away anger wrath malice

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Slander I've seen talk from your mouth Do not lie to one another seeing that you've put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self

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Which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator Here there is not Greek and Jew circumcised and uncircumcised barbarian

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Scythian slave free, but Christ is all and in all

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So put on then as God's chosen ones. Are you his chosen ones or not? You are

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You are holy because of Christ and you are beloved because you are forgiven in him. So put on compassionate hearts kindness humility meekness patience

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Bearing with one another that's a tough one That's a tough one bearing with one another and if one has a complaint against another gossip about them

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No, it says forgive them Forgive Each other as the

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Lord has forgiven you. So you must forgive and above all of these put on love Love binds everything together in perfect harmony and let the peace of Christ rule in your heart

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To which indeed you were called in one body and be thankful Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God and Whatever you do in word or deed do everything in the name of the

01:00:53

Lord Jesus giving. Thanks to God the Father through him you know the wonderful thing about What is described here is the sheer lack of selfish?

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Striving that is behind it a person who puts off the old self daily and puts up on the new doesn't have to scheme or plot or Remember the lies that they told or even feel ashamed when they're in the presence of other people

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Freedom to love freedom to serve freedom to be somebody's slave is actual true freedom

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Seeking after your own glory is ugly slavery And we all know it

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When we feel the most guilty is when we are the most selfish

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When we look back on our lives and say, you know I'm pretty happy with what

01:01:58

I did there. You can usually point to things where you were selfless And this is what it means as Christians in Christ has bled and died for you and in so doing has forgiven you and in so doing has also left you an example to follow

01:02:15

Covening is the opposite of that example. Covening is demonic. It's satanic Emptying yourself humbling yourself considering others is better than yourself being satisfied and content these are the godly things that we as Christians are to pursue and In them is great reward, but also is great freedom

01:02:36

So I know and saying and preaching God's law in this way. I've stepped on toes and you've been convicted of sins so that being the case

01:02:45

I Think we should confess our sins. I Confess that I am by nature

01:02:51

Sinful and unclean I have sinned against God and thought word and deed By what

01:02:57

I've done and by what I've left undone. I have not loved God with my whole heart I have not loved my neighbor as myself and I justly deserve

01:03:06

God's temporal and eternal punishment and I'm heartily sorry for them and Sincerely repent of them and I pray that of God's boundless mercy that you would

01:03:15

God Consider sufferings and death. I have 11

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Jesus Christ gracious and merciful to me a poor sinful being

01:03:28

Is this your confession? Do you believe that the forgiveness I speak is not mine, but Christ's So let it be done to you according to your faith

01:03:38

I as a called and ordained servant of the word Forgive you all of your sins in the name of the Father and the Son and the