How To Get Rich Quick – Part 2

0:00 Proverbs chapter 3 verses 7 to 10. We didn't finish last week and I didn't want to rush it because we were coming to the most important part of it and that is application of Proverbs chapter 3 verses 7 to 10. And you guys remember the title? No? Okay, great. The title, how could you forget the title? The title is crazy. How to get rich quick. Remember how crazy? How could you forget? Because it's like, wait, I'm in church. What do you mean? How to get rich quick? Well, pay attention. And remember, I said it last week, I'll say it again. If you're visiting for the first time, you can relax. We don't want your money. We're going to be talking about giving. It's in Proverbs 3. But we're not going to ask you. In fact, you saw the big lift the moment again, or a moment ago, when Tate said, you can give if you're led to give, you can give this way. We're not going to pass the plate. We're not going to stop halfway through the service and get the ushers out here to take an offering.

0:56 By the way, can I give all glory to God? Listen to this. this church relies upon the generosity of those who are touched by the Spirit of God to give. It has been that way for 36 years. Might I remind you, how many of you saw a very large building going up next door? Raise your hand. Come on. Did you not see it? Why? Have you not seen it? Only a quarter of you have seen it. How could you miss it? It's a three-story, ginormous building going up. And if that's missed your attention, there's going to be, I think, a four-story parking structure going up. Yeah. Say amen for better parking.

1:38 How many times have we asked you to give to that building project? Can I hear? How many little building thermometers have you seen here? As long as I'm the pastor of this church, if we ever have to ask to build something, now there may be a day when I come out here and ask you to support the school for its teachers or for its projects. Without being shy, I will do that easily. That's different. That's different. To help a kid get an education, that's different. That's just saying if. But the bottom line is this. My pastor taught me and taught all of us Calvary Chapel pastors, when God guides, God provides.

2:32 And if you're involved in a work of God and he has not provided, it may not be the work of God providing because he doesn't want that particular thing to be done. But when he provides, that is confidence that you're doing the right thing. And I got, I got, I'm just so excited to announce to you, you will not see as long as I'm alive, any fundraising campaigns here at this church because God already did it. We operate in cash and God has provided. And so if I drop dead, listen to this, if I drop dead and the board, they're all my age too, if all of us drop dead. we've given this next generation of believers everything to succeed. If they flub it up, that's on them. And all God's people said, there you go. Proverbs chapter three, verse seven. I'll read it. You can pick it up in verse eight. Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and depart from evil.

3:38 flesh and strength in your bones. Verse 9. Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase. So your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine. So Father, we pray today that this truth from the book of Proverbs would be our lives lived out. Lord, we don't want anyone's opinion, our own opinion, to in any way try to decipher what those verses mean. We know exactly what they mean. It's crystal clear. So we pray, Holy Spirit, fulfill your truth in our lives. We ask you, Lord God, also that by the time we come to the end of this message, the truth as to how to get rich quick is received by all those listening, watching, and that are here right now.

4:32 That it's Jesus Christ, his blood, the cross, the death of Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus. eternal life, sins forgiven. Want to get rich quick? That's how we get rich quick. By getting saved by the remarkable and awesome favor of our almighty God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. So Father, bless our time together now, we pray, and all God's people said, amen. You may be seated. As we've been preparing for this, both last week and this week, I came across more and more data, and just I'll paint this with a broad brush. You can look at the details later. They're not hard to find. Guess what country in the history of mankind has proven to be the most generous nation on the face of the earth historically? It has also been not only just by its own populace but most predominantly led by the Christian community in that particular nation.

5:36 Historically, that is, and you guessed it, the United States of America has been the single most financially generous nation that the world has ever seen. Regarding calamities, natural disasters, the ravages of war, financial aid, and the infinite amount of compassion and acts of compassion that have come to cover the globe up to this very day. Much of which come from the American Christian. The question is, why is that the case? and the reason why it's the case, and I give you this quote by Winston Churchill. I believe that what Churchill declared is the truth of America's generosity provided by God. Winston Churchill said, we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. I like that. And that is in direct correlation with the Proverbs of the Bible.

6:30 And it certainly lives out true in the history of our nation. The Bible tells us, in fact, Jesus is quoted here in Acts chapter 20, verse 35. We've all heard this. It is more blessed to give than to receive. Jesus said that. According to the world, the world is better off because of the generosity of the United States of America. Listen carefully. But where did America get that generosity? And where did America get the tools and the wherewithal to be generous? by the hand of God. We're going to see that today. And I'm going to argue today that the poorest person among us is still blessed by more than many of those in the nations of the world. this morning if you're hungry it's probably because you've chosen to go hungry if you're not wearing shoes it's because you're probably wearing flip-flops because it's a nice tropical day outside in fact somebody asked me earlier if i was going to go sailing in my little spring outfit i'm wearing i guess i don't listen people you have no idea lisa's usually asleep at the hour that i get dressed i reach into the closet i pull stuff out i iron it and then I turn the light on to put it on and away I go. I often don't care what this stuff looks like.

7:48 So somebody said, you also look like an Easter egg, Pastor Jack. Now listen, what you're wearing, you're wearing probably by choice. You probably have another pair of pants. Because we're blessed in this country. And God would ask of us, what are we going to do with what good things he's given to us? And we've learned this thus far. That is the way to get rich quick is found in verse 7. And that is by humbling ourselves before God. He says, as we read a moment ago, do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and depart from evil. We need to be humble before God. When God gives things to his children or when God gives things to a nation, as he has America, America should be thankful. And we Christians should lead the way in teaching the nation how to be thankful. We should be the most thankful people.

8:42 I'm really excited about this. It's not even Thanksgiving or November yet. But America has, the United States of America has its one true holy day that nobody can take away from us, even if Newsom never recognizes it. It's Thanksgiving. Did you know that Thanksgiving is a true Christian holy day? And come back in November and we'll tell you all about that, how true that is. But that should humble us. And then the second thing we saw in verse 8 is that we're to give ourselves back to God. Our lives have been given to us on loan from God. Everything has been given to us. He's loaned it to us. Everything. Lisa and I met a young couple the other night at a restaurant. And the young man said, Pastor Jack, God has just dramatically blessed our business. It's been amazing.

9:36 And I, look, I can do this. He was young. I'm old. I grabbed him by the face, on the side of the face, and I said, listen, I looked right at him, I said, I looked at him and I said, listen, the Lord bless you and watch over you. When riches increase, do not set your sight upon them, for they can sprout wings and fly with all that God has given you. Do all to the glory of God, and may he bless you, your marriage, your family, your business, and may people know that they've done business with a Christian company. and that was so fun because the restaurant went kind of quiet at that moment but it's true but you don't have to own business or have some money to think that you know that's how God will use me no each and every one of us right now the Bible says do not despise the day of small things maybe your life in your opinion is small can I give you this advice keep it small in your opinion but as God blesses you in your faithfulness watch what God does with your life because what God has done in this church, he's done it through each and every individual that makes this church a church.

10:44 Thirdly, we saw last time, it's where we left off. It's to have you and I offer deliberate worship to God. It says, honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase. I'm gonna remind you of a few things. The word honor. Let's look at the screen. In the Hebrew language, the meaning of the word honor in this verse is this. It's a very, very graphic meaning. To be heavily loaded down with, weighty. To be loaded down with, abounding with honor toward one another and towards others. In other words, God has blessed you to honor God. How do I express that in reality? In real tangible ways. We don't say we're Christians. Let's be honest. It doesn't matter what you say. It's what you do. That backs up the confession.

11:38 You can confess that you're a Christian, but over time we will know if that's true or not. You will know if I'm a true Christian or not. How? Over time. And we as believers are to be a people who honor God in all that we do and all that we have. And so I want to read you this quote right here. I want you to read that. If you have the notes, it's on page three. It says, by putting God first, we are honoring him in our worship with what things we have. When we fail to acknowledge God for such things that he has placed in our hands, we are robbing him of gratitude, thankfulness, and appreciation. Now listen to this, everybody. You're going to write this down. Malachi, the book of Malachi, chapter 3. Malachi chapter 3. will a man rob God yet you have robbed me this is God speaking but you say in what way have we robbed you in tithes and offerings verse 9 by the way tithes the word tithes I don't want to get into it the word tithes Old Testament tithe that word means tenth a tenth tithe means tenth and then offerings is something that's done over that by love, out of love. When somebody says, you know, I give my 10% or I do my 10% or is it gross or net? Do I give out of my gross or net? I understand the question.

13:09 I also understand where it's coming from. Here's the thing though. The Old Testament mentions tithe, but when you put it all together, when you put all of what God in the Old Testament is asking his people to contribute, it's somewhere around 33 or 37%. You say, boy, I'm so glad I didn't live in the Old Testament.

13:31 Yeah, hear me out. There's no tithe mentioned in the New Testament. some guy's saying, honey, I like this church. No tithe. There's no tithe in the New Testament. Do you know what the difference is? Do you know what the percentage is in the New Testament? A hundred percent.

13:53 I forget if it was Mr. Colgate. I think it was Mr. Colgate. don't take my word on this I'm coming from an ancient memory now it might have been Colgate who when he started his company on things like soap and toothpaste and the stuff and he was broke and he said God I'll give 90% of all that you give me so the rest is history Mr. Colgate look God had to bless the poor guy he would have starved to death and as long as he lived by the way he kept true to that but listen to this new testament we give all it's all his those credit cards in your wallet they got your name on it but you belong to god if you're a believer everything that you you have a house i've got a house it's god's house look i just bought a brand new car you got you just bought god a brand new car It's all his.

14:58 Can't he take it away from you in a moment? And if that's not enough, can't he take your breath away in a second? It all belongs to him. And we can celebrate that rather than being all bummed out about it. So Malachi chapter 3 verse 8 goes on to say this. Verse 9. You are cursed with a curse for or because you have robbed me, even this whole nation. He was speaking to Israel. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be food in my house. Notice that. Bring what I've blessed you with into the management of my house, my storehouse. Why? So it might be a blessing to others. And try me. This is the only thing that God ever says about take me on and see if this is true. God says, try me now in this, says the Lord of hosts.

15:49 If I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. Why does God say this in his word? You put me first, I will bless your life because you're blessing others. You can't put me first and not be a blessing to others. You can't put God first and not respond to the opportunity to get people to join the Indonesian gathering of nations for evangelism. You can't put God first and not build hospitals in various parts of Africa or areas in the Middle East. You're involved in that. You didn't know that.

16:34 You cannot put God first and not invest in the children that are out in these two different wings of these buildings over here with gospel materials. Are you hearing me? You can't put God first and not tell the city or the surrounding cities and their leadership. How can this church help you and the things that are plaguing you that keep you from governing as you ought? Give it to us. This church will connect with local municipalities to find out, are there shut-ins, are there widows that need help with light bills or things like that? You know what that does? That communicates to those municipalities that those are people that we can depend upon. In the day of trouble as a city, we can call upon that church to help us out. Which, by the way, a little side note, when agencies like the FBI and regional police agencies want to do either a staging or a practice for events, guess where they come to do their test and do their, right?

17:43 You're sitting in it. How do you like that? That's a witness. And we don't charge them. That's a witness. But God says, if you withhold from me, you're actually cursing yourself because you're not getting involved in the things that God wants to do. Very important. We want to offer God deliberately the offering of what he has given to us. in Luke chapter 6 verse 38 Jesus said the same give and it will be given to you good measure, press down that's amazing, put that in your head give and it will be given to you good measure abundantly, press down shaken together I used to have a boss when I would work for him during high school summers he would say I've got so much work going on. I've got so much work, it's like putting 10 pounds of work in a two-pound sack.

18:49 You see that picture? 10 pounds of work in a two-pound sack. God says, you give to me, and this is what I'll do, because you're faithful at whatever it is. I'm going to see that you're responsible for more. And so God gives back. Jesus goes on to say, running overflowing into your bosom, for with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. Jesus is announcing, get involved, care, don't be an island. You name the name of Jesus. By the way, I'm only talking to the Christian today. If you're not a Christian, and you can point your finger at the Christian here all day long. Look, he's talking about you. I'll come to you at the end of this.

19:37 The fourth thing is this, is that how to get rich quick is found in verse 10, and that's the closing verse of our section, and that is to provide for others. Verse 10, how do we provide for others? This is so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine. Wow. How do we bless others? By receiving the blessings of God, God will bless you so that you might prosper so that you can turn around and help others. Hey, America needs to hear this message right now in the face of its flirtation with socialism. Socialism, Satan knows what he's doing. Wherever socialism exists, everybody listen, don't forget this. People that are endorsing socialism and communism, wherever it happens, the church has to go underground. There's a satanic design to this. What's happening in America, in my opinion, is a vast, vast network of tentacles that Satan is weaving a grip into our nation in every area of life. Our nation, listen, everybody, hate to blow your mind, but our nation's approaching, if hasn't passed, $40 trillion in debt.

20:54 There's no recovery for the United States of America mathematically. Do you all understand that? Wake up. The reality is this. On paper, Americans are broke because we owe everything. Our nation owes its existence to the generosity of other countries that have loaned us money. we are broke. How long will the U.S. dollar be king? I don't know.

21:25 But we cannot function like this. I believe the cure for the United States is to put God first. You want to fix the war? Do you want to fix government? Do you want to fix our freedoms? Do you want to fix these ridiculous, insane judges that we have governing this nation? It's the church getting back to God and it's the church honoring God. And then the nation, we should just put it out to the nation that we are going to fast and pray and seek the welfare of our country that God might have mercy upon us. Nobody wants to hear this, but the reality is what it is. You cannot keep using as a country charging a credit card every month to pay your national bills and pretend that it's not going to catch up to you. and yet every single one of us as individuals would know that you can't keep using your credit card to pay your bills. You will implode as a family.

22:20 God says, honor me. God is saying, put me first. But this time of the rise of socialism, it's so ridiculous. Socialism collapses when it runs out of capitalist money. free trade market where's that from the bible over and over again god never operates by the way in the red he's always in the black in what he does i want to give you this quote and then talk a little bit about carl marx and dwight l moody this quote it's not the having it that makes you wealthy it's what you do with it that makes for true wealth both now and forever. That's a true statement. I want to encourage all of you right now to set aside an hour I think it's about an hour to watch a profound documentary on the Real Life Network.

23:21 It's about Karl Marx and Dwight L. Moody. One represents socialism and communism and the redistribution of wealth and the other one operates off of the gospel and the preaching of Christ and honoring God, both in family, individual, and nation. And then you ought to get the book that's out by our dear friend, Dr. Erwin Lutzer. He just wrote a book and it's just taken off. But the documentary we have on the Real Life Network, you gotta see it. You gotta go there. It's free, by the way, everybody. It's free. Go to the Real Life Network, get the app. And pretty soon, by the way, we're going to be getting out there on what's called Linear Channel. We are going to be without the app. We're going to be on TV, live, just like CNN and anything else. Yeah, it's going to be amazing. Christian content. It's very cute, man. Everybody wants on. All these ministers, I've never even heard of them. We want on. We want on. We don't know you. You're not going on.

24:20 Look, we try to put dead people on mostly because they can't change their mind. but Dr. Erwin Lutzer has written a great book. Look at this, Marx and Moody. They both live side by side, same time frame. Two contemporaries, two gospels, two tombstones, one choice. You can start by watching the documentary and then get the book. Remarkable. Listen, I'm gonna go down this list now. A powerful reminder from the stuff that you and I have. He says, honor me with my possessions, with your possessions. And that word possessions is this, our abilities, that which you and I are able to do or to influence with what you and I have. What do you have? God says, use it to influence others for me. With what is your power that is within your reach, your wealth, your substance?

25:17 How about your talents, your gifts? Every single one of us, what is your thing? You've got your thing. There's women. What is this, ladies, help me out? I think it's all ladies that do it, but it doesn't have to be ladies, I guess. But isn't it called like agape stitches? Right, do we still do that? So agape stitches gets together, and they make things and they do things to be sent out to missionary locations and things like that, or those that are homeless. And they might be sitting there saying, well, I don't have a penny, but I go to agape stitches, and I give my talent. Let me tell you something. It's much easier for me, Jack, to give a hundred bucks than for me to learn how to hold something to knit with. I would probably give myself a lobotomy or pick my nose with that thing.

26:07 It's not my gifting, but it's their gifting. And every single way, every single way differently, each of us have a way of influence. And God would say, what I've given you, what are you using with what you have to my glory? I know a man who flies for an international airline. And he uses his position as a pilot to witness to his crew. Even though his company said, you're not allowed to do that. his witness is so powerful and strong they told him now you can't do that a couple of people complained you're not supposed to do that and he says I hear you you know what I love it he told me he goes I'm too good of a pilot for them to let me go that wasn't pride speaking it's confidence because he flies that great airliner to the glory of God isn't that kind of pilot you want unless you're not a Christian and the rapture happens as he's the last pilot you'd want to have We want to make sure that we're not greedy with the blessings God has given us.

27:34 Greed is a terrible thing. It's my opinion again. America needs to repent of her greed. Yes, we're the most giving nation. But did you know that number? We still are, but you know that number is dwindling. Did you know that a lot of young contemporary churches that are very hip, very young, Did you know those churches are supported by the parents of the kids who attend those churches? The young generation doesn't give.

28:07 They don't give. what they have apparently is theirs. God says, no, it's mine, and I've loaned it to you. We want to make sure that we're not greedy, stingy, selfish. In Luke chapter 12, verse 13, the Bible says, then someone called from the crowd, teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father's estate, the inheritance. Jesus replied, friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that. Then he said, beware. Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own, says Jesus Christ. Wow.

28:52 Wow. Don't be a hoarder. Not exactly sure what that means, but I know what the word hoard means. Don't heap up stuff all over yourself. Don't fill your rooms with stuff. And then you have to go rent a facility to hoard more of your stuff.

29:17 In Luke chapter 12, verse 16, listen to this. Then Jesus spoke a parable to them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentiful. And he thought within himself, this is what he told himself, What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops? So he said, I will do this. I will pull down my barns and build greater, that is greater barns. And there I will store all my crops and my goods. He went on to say, I will say to my soul. That's a bad thing, to self-counsel. I will say to my soul, soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease. Eat, drink, and be merry. Verse 20. But God said to him, Fool, this night your soul is required of you. Then whose will those things be which you have provided?

30:16 So is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. Wow. Oh, I got so much stuff, I got to get more room. God is saying, I've given you so much, you got to get rid of it. Donate it. Real quick. Have you heard about the farmer? This is famous. I shouldn't be talking about this because I don't have the time. But it kind of jives in. It went in with my head and it's scary, but I've never held anything back from you before. So here it comes. It goes something like this. There's a farmer's wife. She had been praying for his salvation. She was saved. He wasn't saved. He got saved. She's so excited. And he said, I'm so delighted in having salvation. salvation, I'm just going to dedicate, I'm going to dedicate something to God. And you know what I'm going to do? That, and forgive me, I don't know anything about cattle rearing, but when the cow is pregnant, she's going to give birth to a calf, right? So he says, you know what? I'm going to dedicate the birth of that, the calf that comes out of that cow, I'm going to dedicate that to God.

31:23 She goes, oh honey, I'm so blessed. That's so right on. That's amazing. I'm going to give God the best. So time went on, you know, it's months and months. Cows getting bigger, cows getting bigger. And he gets busy with life and the cow gives birth. The cow gives birth to two calves, twins. Isn't that amazing? Look how God's blessed us.

31:47 So they're all delighted, they're praising the Lord. The next morning he goes out to check on them and one of the calves died. And so he went back to the house and he said, honey, he said, I got bad news. And she said, what happened? He said, one of the calves died. And she goes, which one was it? And he said, the Lord's.

32:12 Some people live like that. That's not what we're supposed to do. There's this observation. If you're following me, it's page five, and that is the resources. Call it money. It doesn't have to be money. Time. I mean, think about it. You may have some money in your pocket, but when life comes to its end, you'll actually spend that money to get some more time. You say, I don't believe that. Yeah, you do. When the doctor says, you know, your days are doomed unless you do this. How much treatment? What's that treatment gonna cost? 100,000 bucks.

33:03 There's very few people that I've ever heard say, you know what? I wanna make sure my family gets that 100 or the work of God gets that hundred, I don't need to be healed. I'm just going to die and go see Jesus, which is the ultimate healing, mind you. Oh, look, he died. Poor guy. Poor nothing. Listen, if you put Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we only get rich from here. This is as poor as you'll ever be, folks. If Christ is your Lord and Savior, we're going to go to heaven. and they use gold for asphalt on the streets up there. just sitting down with Jesus you know politicians right now they're all out there right now you can sit down with me and have a dinner and we're having a fundraiser and gather 500 people and it's 5,000 bucks a plate and all this stuff that's always gone on since the beginning of elections and it will continue that's the way that it is how much is it going to cost you to sit down with Jesus in the kingdom nothing because who paid the ticket Jesus did.

34:11 He died on the cross willingly. It cost him everything so that you could enter in freely if you trust him with your life. And when I say life, I mean your life. Not your wife, your life and all that God gives you in your life. Think of that. Observation. 2 Corinthians chapter 9. This is beautiful. 2 Corinthians chapter 9, Paul's writing to the Corinthians, I really don't need to write to you about this ministry of giving for the believers in Jerusalem. They were hurting really bad. Frankly, they messed up. That's for another day. For I know how eager you are to help, and have been boasting to the churches in Macedonia that you in Greece were ready to send an offering a year ago. In fact, it was your enthusiasm that stirred up many of the Macedonian believers to begin giving.

35:10 Verse 6. Remember this. A farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. I mean, that makes total sense, doesn't it? You must each decide in your own heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. stop right there and leave it on the screen. I never get to do this. So I milked it last week. I'm going to milk it again. If you don't give to this ministry, it's going to go under.

35:45 If you don't send in money, I'm going to have to fly coach. God told me to tell you there's 100 people here that are going to give $10,000 each. I don't know why they have to have a southern accent every time I do this.

36:06 But do you hear what I'm saying? I understand people have been burned by that. I've been burned by that. It makes us all sick. But if your heart's in the right place, you've never given to anybody. You've given it to God. You just got to be wise about it and prayerful about it, but check this out. God doesn't want you giving under pressure.

36:30 There's some cults and there's even some churches that will actually set up a system whereby they will automatically take the offering out of your bank account. And in some cults, it's been going on for many, many, many, many decades, where if you're going to be a member of this cult, you've got to give this much, and give us the, what's the word, the wiring, you know, the numbers, and they take it. Look, I'm going to be honest with you. I know we live in the modern age. I lived when we used to carry cash and write checks. That's when the dinosaurs ruled the world.

37:14 But you know what? I like it. I'm sorry. Here's the deal. I like it. I can feel it. It costs something if I can see it and touch it. Lord, here it is. I'm not knocking. Now, the modern age, we do it here. And I'm not a fan, but I gave up. QR code, scan this. you can go to. Here's the thing. If you can do it and your heart's in the right spot, you gotta feel it. If it's automatic, it's not worship. You're never gonna hear a pastor ever say this. If you've been giving money to God's work and you're not aware of it, you never worshiped. You could have been making a payment on a boat. Are you hearing me? Say, I can't believe you said that. I'll say it again. If you give to God and you never think about it, how is it worship?

38:12 How is it worship? David said, I'm not going to give God anything unless it costs me. You got to feel it. I'm so old. Listen, at this church, I still sign checks. And I got to feel it. You know what I'm saying? From the day that we started with a Folgers coffee can. We had a Folgers coffee can. And that's how we knew how many donuts and coffee we could have for next Monday's Bible study. From that time forward. you have to feel it I see a couple of board members sitting here right now they've been with me you gotta feel it if not, listen you start writing checks is that how you do it at home? no you do not So God says here in his word, don't do it in pressure.

39:06 Don't give it reluctantly. Here comes the plate. Put something in there. Quick, put something in there. I don't look like a cheapskate. That's not worship. I could go on about this. I'm controlling myself right now. for look at for God loves a person who gives cheerfully the word is hilariously and God will generously provide all you need then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over there it is to share with others as the scripture says they share freely and give generously to the poor their good deeds will be remembered forever wow for God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat in the same way he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Verse 11, yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. That is awesome.

40:16 But you see, people go, yes, generous. I love generous people. You're supposed to be generous too. But watch this. I say this, but hear me out. I have never worked, and I've seen to it, that I've never worked for a poor boss. Have you ever worked for a poor boss? Answer, not for long, because the company goes out of business. Think about it. You want your boss and the company you work for to prosper. Watch how wokeism gets smacked down over this, and socialism. When companies prosper, they turn around with their profits, and they build bigger buildings, get more machines, and then hire more people, and that's called a free trade market. That's how God engineered it. When somebody's blessed, you wind up getting blessed. Here's the problem with socialism. Socialism says, I want what the boss has. Yeah, but you didn't start this company 40 years ago or 200 years ago. I want it. He has it. I want it. I'll tell you what you're going to get. You're going to get a pink slip. That's what they should get, but now you get sued for giving pink slips, I guess. We're a mess because we've gotten away from God, and that ought not to be.

41:37 It's too bad. Not good. Remembering verse 9, we're in verse 10, but remember verse 9 when he says they're the first fruits. The first fruits is give God the beginning of what you have. You want to bless him, you want to honor him, give him what's first. Look, it's got to be from the heart. I mentioned earlier, do I give to God out of net or my gross? I'm not even going to answer that question. You talk to God about that. Well, do I do 3% or 10%? I'm not going to tell you that. Don't let anyone tell you that. No one should tell you that. You're supposed to pray.

42:19 Giving to God keeps our hearts in shape. It keeps us balanced. It keeps us from becoming greedy and selfish. But on top of it, God turns around and uses you to be a blessing. and if you really believe in heaven, you are going to see the benefits of that later. Are you okay with that? Have you ever invested in anything? And what does the money manager tell you? If you buy, imagine, well, he recently died, but a friend of mine bought Apple stock, right? I think Apple was like one year old and he bought a bunch of Apple stock for like 10 bucks each. Yeah, exactly, do the math. But people will tell you, invest in this, and then in 5, 10, 15, 20, 40, 50 years from now, it's going to be worth 100 bazillion.

43:15 Well, a lot of people think, I'm not going to do that. I want something by the end of the week. Really. Really. Even in the world, there's wisdom in investing in the long haul. You want to invest in the long haul for realsies?

43:37 Invest in heaven. I want to be investing in such a way that when I die and go to heaven, it's still working for me. Does that make sense? You can do that. God brings increase. Look at that word increase. Production, crops, grain, a harvest, income, revenue, blessings. I want to read something to you, everybody. Listen up. What a crazy time this was. I need you to look at this. I need you to go search for yourself because you know what? The first two pages of your Google search, you're going to see a bunch of lies. and that the head liar of them all is the biggest, the fact-finding group. What's it called, dopes?

44:28 I think it's called dopes. Snoops. Snoops. They're going to tell you this isn't real. Can't be found. He never said it. Which is why I'm going to show you the book in a minute. This is what's in the book. I sought for the great... Sorry, this is Alexis de Tocqueville, the French historian that was sent. He was in the capacity as an observer to find out why after the revolution is America so incredibly unstoppable and powerful. he said I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers and it was not there in her fertile fields and boundless forests and it was not there in her rich mines and her vast world commerce and it was not there in her democratic congress and her matchless constitution it was not there not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness that I understand the secret of her genius and power.

45:40 America is great because America is good. And if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great. That was a Frenchman's observation of America's success. And I want to show you, you can get his book on democracy in America while all these fact-finding bozos tell you it doesn't exist.

46:03 Don't. I'm telling you. Have I been telling you guys to buy a Bible? A physical Bible? You better hurry up. You better hurry up and go buy a physical Bible. Because things are changing quick. And one of the ways is what we're seeing right here in this. So you guys. Lightning round for this. 2 Corinthians chapter 9. Verse 5. Therefore, Paul says, I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation. He's talking about giving to those. If I have something, I need to be out on the lookout to bless others. It's what makes the Christian church tangible before a hurting world and a hurting church. When you leave the foyer of this church, if you walk through past the menorah and you turn around and you look back, This is what is on the wall.

47:03 And this, God gave us before this building was ever built. We had a promise from God. It's 1 Corinthians chapter 29. Are you ready for this, guys? It's amazing. This is amazing. This is what this church is built on. By the way, when we came to this property, we offered the guy that owned it. Listen, for those of you who are not familiar with Southern California, you do not buy acres of land here. They don't sell it by the acre. They sell it by the square foot. I kid you not.

47:35 This is all we knew. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty for all that is in heaven and on earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head over all. Verse 12, both riches and honor come from you, and you reign over all, and in your hand is power and might. In your hand, it is to make great and to give strength to all. Verse 13, this is Solomon praying. Now, therefore, our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name. But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from you. And if and of your own, we have given. I love that.

48:27 Given you. We can't give anything unless he gives it. Everything about this. And that's what's on the wall out there as you leave this place. We want to make sure that we put God first. In Matthew chapter 6, verse 33, the Bible says, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. All these other things shall be added to you. it matters people I want to end with this Mark chapter 12 verse 41 Mark 12 41 Mark 12 41 says now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money in the treasury Jesus took the boys to the temple and they're watching and picture this in your mind.

49:24 You know what a trumpet looks like, right? Take a trumpet and stand it upside down so that it's standing upright and that the base or the large part is on the bottom and the top is the little opening. The coffers were built like that. They're made of bronze.

49:46 And that's how you gave. And they had it done that way, I think, to amplify the sound to be quite honest with you. Jesus takes the disciples on a field trip and says well he's going to say it in a moment but notice Jesus is watching how they give. Not what they give. It's how they give. and many who were rich put in much. He's not bashing that. He's just, many who were rich, they put in much. Verse 42, then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make quadrants. Watch this. You see the word threw? Poor thing, listen, she's doing the best she can, and apparently you and I would have done the same. The rich came in and dropped their stuff in.

50:41 Big noise, big sound. Wow. Jesus is watching how they give. That means other people are probably doing the same thing. Did you see how much that guy gave? Have you ever seen churches where some guy stands up and says, I'll give 1,000?

51:03 Wow. And this little lady standing in line, she gets up there. She's got two mites. one is about cut a penny in half that might be too much even that cutting a penny in half one of those would be like a mite she has two that's all she has she walks up and I'm not saying she's carnal I'm saying she's trying to do the best she can she's trying to keep from being ashamed she goes up there and she throws it in you hear that what does that mean it means she's ashamed It means that she's embarrassed. It means she doesn't have much. But watch what happens.

51:50 So Jesus called his disciples to himself and said to them, surely I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury. For they all put in out of their abundance. He's not knocking it. But he says she, out of her poverty, put in all that she had, her whole livelihood. See the word livelihood? In Greek, it's bios. The word bios means this. This is what she did. Jesus says she put in all of her wealth for that day. Day by day wealth, hand to mouth. She did this, that which is needed to sustain her life by the day. She gave from her hand what she needs to save her own life for today. she gave from her hand what she needed to put in her mouth the word bios means what she needed to stay alive she gave to God and she walked away to go home and die when she could have bought food with it and Jesus says that's it you might be here today saying, Jack, what can I give to God?

53:09 There's one thing God wants from you. And by the way, it's the same. You can be here today and you can be a full-blown atheist. God wants the same thing from you that he wants from me. And it ain't your money. If you want to be a greedy, skimp, bum, rip God off with the things he's given you? I don't care. That's your business.

53:37 But there's one thing that God wants. He doesn't want your money. He wants your soul. And read the fine print. So does Satan. and today you need to make the decision today to get rich quick by receiving the forgiveness of Jesus Christ that comes from him and get some real wealth under your belt that can never be stolen from you no hacker,

54:11 no home invasion, because from that moment on, you'll be laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven. In other words, you'll be doing things that are indicative of the heavenly economy. It doesn't mean that you can't have the nice things in life as God leads you. There's nothing wrong with that. What is wrong is the love of money. he wants you I'm going to ask you to bow your head you can make a decision there right where you're sitting there's not enough time next service is coming that should add to the urgency of this that today you might be receiving information by the Holy Spirit saying what what is about to be asked of you, you need to do this.

55:10 You need to stop being proud. You need to stop being self-reliant because you've been leaning on a twig. You have no strength. You only think, you pretended you have strength. And you have no wealth, but what I've given you. And I'm asking you today, Jesus is probably whispering to your soul some way, shape or form, the spirit of God is speaking, saying everything that you have is mine. and I want you to honor me with what you have, and I want you to honor me with your life, because I want, listen, I want your sins.

55:47 I want your dark, wretched, hell-binding sins that are destroying your life, and you think you ought to hug them and keep them close or lock them up in a safe or parade them about? Jesus is saying to you today, by the Spirit of God, It's killing you and you know it. This keeping up with the Joneses have destroyed you. but Jesus is saying I start where the beginning is and I want you to give me your sins and I will give you my righteousness you trust in what I did at the cross and that I rose again from the dead and I will give you eternal life and my Holy Spirit God the Holy Spirit will come into your life and he'll be the one who changes you you don't have to do it he'll do it Just open up the door.

56:41 Heads bowed, eyes closed. We're down to the seconds now. If any of you right now are honest enough to realize and to confess by raising your hand, God is speaking those words to me, Jack, and I want to accept Christ. Raise your hand wherever you're at right now. Nobody's looking around, please. Faces down, Christians be praying. God bless you. God bless you in the back. Anyone else? God is saying that you've lived for yourself. God bless you up front. God is saying, give it to me. Give me your life. I died for you to make you eternally rich in heaven forever, but you must come a very narrow way. It's the way of salvation. It's trusting me. Money will never save you. Beauty will never save you. Status will never save you. It's all perishing. But I am offering a gift of eternal life that will never perish, and you can get rich quick right now by saying yes.

57:36 Anyone else at this last moment, you're saying yes to Jesus God bless you awesome let's all stand together the entire church let's stand wow those of you who lifted your hands in prayer or in agreement, church family, will you pray this prayer with them? But those of you who raised your hand, let God hear this from your lips. The Bible says, if you believe this in your heart and confess it with your mouth, you will be saved. Isn't that amazing? How's that possible? I know it's crazy, isn't it? But how else would you have it? Write a check.

58:18 What do you want to do? Hand God some gold and then he'll save you. You see, all of a sudden, when you put it to the world's economy and God's economy, friend, it's all about blood. But it's all about particular blood. It's about the blood of Jesus Christ. Will you pray this prayer? Church family, join with them. Dear Lord, I confess today Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. I receive your forgiveness.

58:51 Please write my name down in the book of life from this time forward. Jesus Christ is my Lord and my resurrected Savior. In his name I pray.