5 Things The Bible Says About Money

Randy Alcorn has written, “If God was the owner, I was the manager. I needed to adopt a steward's mentality toward the assets He had entrusted - not given - to me. A steward manages assets for the owner's benefit. The steward carries no sense of entitlement to the assets he manages. It's his job to find out what the owner wants done with his assets, then carry out his will.”

Pastor Ray shares a message from 1 Timothy 6 entitled, "Stewardship On Purpose."

What is Ridgecrest Baptist Church - Sermons?

Ridgecrest Baptist Church is located in Dothan, AL and exists to Reach the lost, Build the believer, and Connect people of God to the mission and purpose of God.

Today I want to talk with you. I want to continue our series. We began last week this new series about living our lives on purpose for God. In this year and I introduced the series last week I kind of highlighted the fact that you exist because you were created for God's plan. If you haven't had a chance to take that message in, I'd invite you to look it up on our website and listen to that so you'll have kind of the bird's eye view of the whole series, which is about your purpose and why you are here on this earth. And in the messages to come we're going to talk about specific things that relate to living our lives on purpose in this coming year. Here are some things that you're never going to hear in most churches. Hey, it's my turn to sit on the front row. Or I was so excited I never even noticed. The pastor's sermon went over 25 minutes.

Personally, I find witnessing much more enjoyable than golf. You probably never hear this. I volunteer to be the permanent teacher for the junior high boys class, or I love it when we sing and sing hymns and praise songs that I've never heard before. Or here's one since we're all here. Since we're all here now. Let's start the worship service early. Pastor, we'd like to send you and Allison to a Bible conference in Hawaii, or this. Nothing inspires me and strengthens my commitment like our annual emphasis on stewardship. Well, today I want to inspire you with a message on stewardship.

Now, if you're new to Ridgecrest, don't fall victim of. You know the old saying. You've heard it before. Well, every time I go to church, all they talked about was money. You've heard people say that, or at least use that kind of as an excuse. Now let me just say that if you think that about Ridgecrest, it just means the last time you were here was a year ago, because that's the last time I've been, because that's the last time I preached on financial stewardship. Ridgecrest is so good in giving that, frankly, I don't have to preach on it a lot, but let me tell you this I always will, no matter how well we do it, I always will. Giving and stewardship are biblical doctrines and they are commanded by God. So if we're going to live our lives on purpose, well, this is an area like all the others that we're going to be talking about, that we have to. We have to be faithful and obedient in. Now you heard in the RBC3 video and if you've read my column you've noticed there that I talked about it there.

But on February the 4th we'll have our annual what we call Prove the Tithe Sunday. We use that word prove because it's the biblical word, or you can substitute it with test. And from Malachi, chapter 3, where God tells us to prove him or to test him in this whole matter of giving and tithing. And in particular in that passage he tells us to test God. You know you're not. It's not a good thing to test God unless God says to testing. Did you know that's the only place in all the scripture where God says you have permission to test me and he says test me in this matter and then see if I'll not open up the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing upon you. So that's why we call it.

You might say test God Sunday or prove the tithe Sunday. It's not a special offering, it's just the practice of obedience and giving. It's the day when I simply ask all of us to tithe together on that day. For some of you that'll be a new thing, for some of you it's normal, but I love it because it shows the power of what happens when we give obediently to God and bring it to the storehouse for the work of God. You'll be getting a letter from me here in the next few days. It gives more detail about it and clarifies it a little bit. I hope you'll take that serious. So today, what I want us to do is I want to look at what the scriptures has to say about these things. So if you're physically able to do so, why don't you stand with me?

We're going to look at two places in this chapter, chapter six. The first, timothy. So we'll start and go from verses six to 10. And then we're going to jump over to verse 17. And I'll explain that in just a second. Okay, verse six.

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing with these, we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs Now jump over to verse 17.

What happens here is Paul's giving Timothy some final admonitions, and he picks this theme back up again, this theme of stewardship and giving. He says as for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. Father, we thank you for your word and its counsel and instruction about these whole matters of living our lives on purpose and, in particular, father, today, this matter of stewardship. Lord, help us to get that that you've put us on this earth to steward what you have entrusted to us our time, our talents, our treasures. All of those things are gift from you and are part of the reason we're here. Help us to be wise, help us to be obedient and faithful in them. I thank you for this church, father, who has so faithfully practiced these things. Father, never let us forget the importance of obeying you in all things we love. You Speak to us now from your word and Father, would you use my words now to be pleasing in your ears. We pray in Jesus' name, amen. Thank you, you can be seated Now.

The initial verses that we read, verses 6 to 10,. Paul is making the point that possessions are fleeting and that they are not the basis to find contentment in life. In fact, he says you brought nothing into the world and you're going to take nothing out of this world. And in the first few verses he reminds us that possessions are external, they're external things. Contentment is internal. He reminds us that money is material and godliness is spiritual. And he says that godliness and contentment will go with us when we depart. All the other things are going to be left behind. You know what the opposite because he uses this term godliness with contentment. You know what the opposite of godliness with contentment is can be stated one word greed.

Now, neither Paul nor the Scripture condemns possessions or money. Money and possessions are neutral in and of themselves. They are, however, a tool. They're a tool entrusted to us by God. But if possessions and money are mismanaged and our perspective is skewed or wrong about those things, if we do not steward them on purpose, as trust from God, then they can actually become the source of our undoing and our own ruin. So let's get it right, amen. And to do that, let's look at five things, I think, that are expressed in our passage, five things I think Paul gives us that will help us in this whole matter of living as stewards on purpose.

The first is he talks about the lust for money. In verse nine, he said but those who desire to be rich fall into temptation. Verses nine to 10, it's important to understand are not addressed to those who are already rich. They are actually addressed to those who aren't rich and crave wealth and that their life is driven by attaining it. We always tend to kind of poke at the rich for being rich. No, that's not what Paul is doing here. What he's saying is he's saying money can control you even if you're poor. Money can control you if you don't have it.

And so he's talking about this lust, this desire to be rich, and he says it can cause a person to fall into some pitfalls. What are they? Well, first of all, the first pitfall, he says, is money can tempt us. He said they can fall into temptation. What does he mean by that? He says it can cause us to covet Money. The lust for money, the desire for money can cause us to compromise our convictions and beliefs. Money can cause you to cheat. The lust for it, to steal, to lie in order to have and possess things. It can tempt a person to live selfishly and to control, try to use it to control other people. It can tempt us.

A second pitfall he mentions there is it can trap us. Did you notice he uses the word snare. Maybe your translation uses the word trap, but his picture is of an animal getting called in a trap that it can't escape from. And there are many people who feel financially trapped. They've got in a trap because of their lust for money and their lust for more and their desire to have and because of that they are in bondage. They are trapped because they've tried to have more and have been tricked by the trap, the snare.

And then a third pitfall he references is troubles. Money can trouble, he says. Did you notice the word senseless? They fall into a snare and into many senseless and harmful desires. It troubles. The desire, the lust for money can make a person lose their mind, lose their sanity. It can keep you up all night, it will control you with anxiety and worry, and so it can trouble you. And then forth there's a pitfall, it can take you down, he says did you notice? In that verse, he says and it plunges people into ruin.

Now, in the Greek, the idea, the picture here, is of someone drowning. They've been plunged into a pool, they've been plunged under, and it's a harsh and hard, and it is equivalent to a person that falls into water and begins to drown. It will take you under. That's what Paul is saying the lust for money. It will take you down and destroy you. Have you ever heard somebody in fact say something like this I'm drowning in debt. I'm drowning in debt. Well, that's exactly what Paul is talking about. It's one of the pitfalls.

So how do you avoid these financial pitfalls? Well, you avoid them by understanding that you're not the owner, you are the steward. No matter what you have, no matter what, look, you're responsible for what you have. You're not responsible for what you don't have. But you are to be a steward. And if you'll be a steward, you'll understand. It doesn't belong to me, it belongs to God. Then it belongs to Him. He gave it to me. Then, guess what You'll avoid the pitfalls because you say this isn't mine, I'm managing this for the one who gave it to me. Tom Gardner gives us a definition of a steward. He says a steward is someone who has been entrusted with the resources of another person. A steward stands in stark contrast to the consumer or the user. The basis of stewardship is the recognition that God owns everything and we own nothing. So if you want to avoid those pitfalls, then learn to see yourself as a steward and you'll not be controlled by the lust to possess.

Second, paul talks about the love of money. First the lust for money and then the love of money. He says in verse 10. This is a pretty common verse. I think so many people have at least heard it. It's often misinterpreted and misapplied, but Paul says for the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. This is why he says don't lust after money, because the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils. Now you may have heard something that I heard and have heard through the years. When people quote this and say well, you know what they say that money is the root of all evil. But that's not what Paul said. Money is neutral. It is the love of money, the inordinate love and affection for money. Money's not evil, but it's your attachment to money that determines whether it's good or whether it's evil. Does that make sense? So understand something you can be controlled by money. You can be controlled by money if you have it, and you can be controlled by money if you don't. A wealthy person or a poor person, can be a slave to money. We know that because Jesus said in Matthew, chapter 6, where your treasure is, there will be your heart also. So if your quest is to possess and to have, that's probably where your heart's going to be.

I heard about a couple that had been married for many years. His name was Paul, her name was Liz, and they'd been married for a number of years and though he felt like he was being ignored by her and so one day he decided to confront her and he says hey, liz. He said come on, just admit it. You don't really love me. You love my money. You only married me because my granddad left me six million dollars, didn't you? That's the reason you married me. She paused for a moment, she looked back and she said you know, paul, you're just so silly. She said I couldn't care less. Who left you the money.

Now the devil wants you to fall in love with money, doesn't he? And his plan for you is to get you to live in bondage to money. So you want to know if you're in love with money. Well, there are probably a lot of ways you could determine that. Let me give you two or three things that might help you determine.

Are you in love with money? First of all, you're in love with money when you believe that it is your money, and so you'll worry about it all the time. You're in love with money when you believe that it's your money. This is mine. Number two you are in love with money when you believe that your money makes your life work, and so you won't depend on God. These are the reasons the devil wants you to love money.

You're in love with money when the love for money replaces your love for God. Jesus said no man can serve two masters and, by the way, when he said that he was talking about money and God, he said no man can serve mammon. That's, money and God at the same time. You are in love with money when your love for money replaces your love for God, or when you believe that your money makes your life work, or when you believe that your money is actually your money. So how do you keep from being controlled by the love of money? Well, it's really the same as the first point there you have to see yourself as a steward and not the owner. You're a steward, you're a steward, a steward Never forget you're a steward. If you'll get that, you'll get a whole lot of things right. You'll get your calendar right, you'll get your talents right, You'll get the trust that God has given you. You get all of that right when you realize that you are a steward, you are not the owner. And since you don't own it listen, since you don't own it, don't fall in love with it.

There's a third thing that Paul speaks of in our passage today, and that is the loss that comes from money. The loss that comes from money. Look again at verse 10. It says some, because of their love for money and their lust for money, he says some have wandered away. And then he says look at this and have pierced themselves with many pains or pain. What Paul is saying is that there are some consequences and there's some loss that can come in your life from misunderstanding money, from mismanaging money. And the loss of money is a result of what we just talked about being in love with money or lusting after money. There are consequences, and Paul talks about those consequences here, and it is again the reason that the enemy of your soul wants you to pursue money above God. It is the reason that the devil wants you to love money more than you love God. Why? Because Paul says the love of money will cause you to wander away from the faith. This is a consequence. It'll cause you to wander away from the faith, the love of the lust for It'll produce that kind of loss. And I want to tell you something when you wander away from God, that's loss, people, that's big loss.

I had a man in my church I pastured in Florida many years ago and I may have told you this story a few years. It bears repeating and God had really done a fresh work in this man's life. He had been estranged from God and he began to come to church and I developed a bit of a relationship with him and he was rough around the edges, let me just say it that way. But God began to work in his life and he wanted to obey God and to serve God and man. He was there all the time. He was there. If we did no, wednesday night, he was in the Bible study, and Sunday morning, sunday night, if we had something going on, he was there and he was all excited about it and he was growing.

But one day I got a call from him. I said, pastor, could I come and see you? And he came to my office and he said we sent my study. I can see it right now we're sitting in my study. And he said I guess you heard that I want a million dollars in the Florida lottery. And I said no, I had not heard that.

And then he said he said well, I'm here to ask you what you think I should do. Well, I had a real quick answer that I didn't give him, but I did say this. I said well, you know, you know I can never condone the lottery and you know you've heard me talk about gambling and the problems there and those sorts of things. I said so I could. I could never affirm the lottery, but I said let me ask you a question. I said are you planning to give that money back? And he went oh, no, no, and he and his wife had a very meager existence. They had very little means. This is more money than he'd ever seen his entire life. Well, it's more money Most people have ever seen, probably in their life. And he said no, no, I'm not. I'm not go give it back. We got some things we're going to do. I said okay. I said I didn't. I didn't expect you to, but I thought I'd ask.

He said I just want to know what I should do, what you think I should do, and how I could, I could do something for God. I said well, since you're not going to give it back, why don't you redeem it? And he said what do you mean? I said well, it was money. You didn't have that money you now have, so why don't you give God at least a tithe of it? And he sat there in my study and he went. He says that's $100,000. I said I know. And he said that's a lot of money. I said I know. And I said but you didn't have anything before you got it. I said so why don't you at least do? If you want to do something for God, why don't you do that? He said well, I'm going to think about that. I said why don't you pray about it? And he said well, I'll get back in touch with your pastor. And he left. I had really messed his day up, and and so that was on a Thursday.

On Sunday morning, when I got to church, I had an exterior door coming off of my study that you could go right outside, and under that door there was an envelope that had been slid inside, and so I picked up the envelope and I opened it. I didn't know where the envelope had come from. I picked it up and I opened it, and when I did, there was a note in there pastor, here's what we've decided to do with some of the money that we received. He didn't say that God gave us, but that we received, and it was a check for $10,000. He was short of zero, but it's for $10,000. But I don't tell you that for that reason at all, I didn't expect to get anything. Now I don't tell you that. What I tell you, that is, I never saw Him again. He never returned to church and the last word I had that within a year they had squandered every bit of that money. It's all gone. And here's what I'm saying.

It's a perfect illustration of what Paul just said. Because of this, some have wandered away from the faith. That's what money can do, and so the devil wants you to pursue with all your heart, because he wants you to wander away from the faith in your pursuit of it. Now, I didn't just say that coming into money or having money or earning money will make you wander away from the faith, but Paul's saying the lust for it and the love of it can create that kind of loss in a person's life. And also he says but some because of their lust for it, their love of money, he says it can wound your soul, did you notice? And bring self-inflicted grief. He said pierce themselves, pierce themselves, self-inflicted pain. The love of money can lead to behavior for which a person can look back and see all the grief it produced in their life. You see a lot of people, especially in our world today, and many even in the church, think that money is their security. But that's what verse 10 is, warning us again that it can be just the opposite.

Some years ago, columnist Jim Bishop reported on people that had won their state lotteries and he reported about a couple of those. One was a single woman named Rosa Grayson of Washington and she won $400 a week for life. That sounds like the publisher's clearing house to me, but she said after she won that she had to hide in her apartment, that she couldn't go anywhere because everyone, including her family and friends, were all trying to, as she said, put the touch on her. You know, you've come into this money, share it with us. And she said, and I quote people are so mean. And then she added I hope you win the lottery and see what happens to you.

Another that they profiled were the Magartts of New York, who won the Irish Sweepstakes. They were happy when they won it. And see, that was because Pop who won it. He was a steam fitter and Johnny, his 26-year-old son, loaded crates on the docks. His other son, tim, was going to night school. Then they won the money. They were so excited about it, so Pop decided to split the million dollars with his sons. They all said the money wouldn't change them or their plans, but a year later the million wasn't gone, but the boys weren't even speaking to their dad any longer. Johnny was chasing race horses, tim was chasing expensive women and Mom even accused Pop of hiding the money from her. And within two years all of them were in court for nonpayment of income taxes. The mother said later it's the devil's own money. Both boys ended up becoming alcoholics.

All of these had hoped and prayed for wealth. All had, I guess you might say, their prayer answered and all of them had their lives wrecked on a dollar sign. Self-inflicted wounds can be the loss. What seemed to be the answer for these people was, in the end, their undoing and their ruin. Don't build your life on this.

There's the loss that comes from the misuse, the mismanagement or the failure to be a steward of money the loss of faith, the loss of family, the loss of friends, the loss of meaning in life because we don't understand purpose and stewardship. And this loss, by the way, one of the areas it's seen more than any other place today is in marriage and relationships. In fact, I just add that, without a doubt, there are so many relationships in trouble today or have been destroyed simply because of the misunderstanding of being a steward and I'm talking about Christian families too the misuse and misunderstanding about what money is all about. It was said of them theirs was a perfect marriage before one fatal flaw he was quick on the deposit, but she was faster on the draw. Money is a wonderful tool, but misused and not stewarded, it becomes a harsh task master, and so there's the loss from money. But here's the final thing.

Paul also speaks of the letdown of money. Well, this isn't the final thing, it's the fourth thing. But he speaks of the letdown of money in verse 17. Go over to verse 17, if you will. He says as for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches. The uncertainty of riches. Now, this idea is really a parallel idea to the previous point, so I'm not going to linger here, but let me just give you a couple of thoughts here. You remember earlier that Paul addressed the poor about money. Remember I said verses 9 and 10 were directed at the poor, who didn't have it but were craving it and desiring it, and their whole life was controlled by attaining it. Well, now Paul shifts the gear In verse 17,. He addresses the wealthy about money. And here's why the poor have a tendency to be controlled by their passion to become wealthy, while the rich have a tendency to be controlled by the wealth they already possess. And here's Paul's point Rich or poor. Sooner or later your money will let you down. Your money will let you down at some point in time.

I've told you about a man in my church, another church that a pastor named Tom. Tom was a multimillionaire and he liked to tell you he was a multimillionaire and he liked to tell you how he made his first million and I could tell you his story and I would see him coming and I really would try to find somewhere to go, because he was so consumed by money that it's all he could talk about. In fact, he one time told me he believed that we would need physical cash and currency in heaven. He said I just can't imagine that we won't need it there. And I would tell him it's Tom, the streets are made of gold. Back you off a piece if you get up there, and you know. But he really believed that.

But his wife died. She was a sweet godly lady named Virginia and she died. And I got a call that she died and I rushed to the emergency room. Well, by the time I got there she had died. They'd taken her to the emergency room and I went in there and you know, you've been in emergency rooms and they have the little segmented rooms off and I went in the room where he was and where Virginia was and I stood at the foot of the bed and she had tubes coming out of her where they had tried to save her and resuscitate her, and she was gone. And he was standing there and I said, tom, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry.

And he begins to weep. I mean he's weeping and I thought, well, this is the first time I've seen that kind of compassion in the man and he did love her I firmly believe that and she was such a sweet lady. But he's weeping and I thought, well, he's brokenhearted because she's gone. And then he looks at me and this is not embellished. He looks at me and he called me Raymond and he says, raymond, raymond, with all my money, I couldn't stop this. And in that moment I realized he wasn't weeping for her. He was weeping because his money had failed him. I have all this money and I couldn't stop this.

Listen, friend, do you understand? That's one of the things Paul's trying to help us realize is that if you build your life on it, it one day will let you down. There is the let down of money and we live in an age that believes that money fixes everything. But that's not what the Bible teaches. Money can't save your marriage, money can't guarantee peace of mind, money can't secure your tomorrow. Go read the parable of the rich fool. You know who built the barns and says my soul, I've got much laid up for me for years to come. And the Bible says an angel of that night came and called for his life and said and Jesus said you fool, you fool. You can't secure money won't secure your tomorrow. Money can't guarantee your health and money can't save your soul.

I told you recently I read a clip from Warren Buffett, who gave most of his billions to a philanthropic foundation, and they asked him about it. He said this there are many ways to get to heaven, but this is a good one no money. Money can't save your soul, money is neutral and money can do great things. That's why we are distorted. And it's okay to have money, but it is a poor foundation to build your life upon, because it's just not going to last. So be a steward, be a manager If you wanna live your life on purpose. You've been put on this earth to be a steward. Be a steward, a manager of the resources entrusted to you by God. And then I've saved the last for best.

Number five note he talks about the layup of money Verses 18 and 19,. Thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future. That's laying money up, that's using money. Here he tells them to use money, to be generous to use the money and in so doing, they're storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future. You see, being a steward of God in this life has benefits in the next life. That's what Paul say.

Paul's not talking, listen. He's not talking about buying salvation or salvation by works. That's not what he's talking about, because he's writing to people that are already saved. What he's saying is use what God has entrusted to you, be a steward of that. Don't hoard it, don't hold it. Use it for the kingdom of God. If God has given you wealth, it's an opportunity and it's an obligation. How do we know? It's said to whom? Much is given, much is required. So, whatever you have been entrusted with, handle it as a steward of God and, by the way, teach your children to do the same thing. Let your children see it. Teach them early so that they are stewards. I don't think he would mind me sharing this.

But we have a couple, a young couple, in this church and they've been talking to their boys about being stewards and obeying God with their money. And he was just sharing it with our deacons before we came in to worship this morning. He says one of them. He said I see you're talking about stewardship. We've been talking with our boys about that. By the way, alice and I talked with our daughter about that and our son-in-law and they understand that practice. Our daughter practiced it from the time she began to understand you get some.

God asks for this much and that sort of thing. But this dad was telling us this deacon that we have about he and his wife talking to their boys about it and recently he said when we give them a little bit of allowance, they do some things. They have responsibilities, do the things. So we give them just a little bit. It's not much, but we were talking about that and one of their boys the oldest of the two, by the way, who was baptized here not too terribly long ago and he said when they gave him money, he said I wanna take all of my allowance and give it to God and I wanna give all of it to God. And then he said to them they said well, why do you wanna do that? He says because I wanna give all of myself to God. I think he's got it, don't you? That's why Jesus said let the little children come. And unless you have the faith of a child. And his dad said, you know, he's not worried about his next meal, he's not worried about what he's gonna have to, how he's gonna have to take it. Why? Because his confidence, by the way, his confidence isn't in his mom and dad, his confidence already is in God. So I give it to God because God knows what to do with it and I want to honor God with it. Isn't that a wonderful thing? Teach your children, let your children see it.

Have I told you about the man who had heard that you can't take it with you but decided he'd like to try? And so here's what he did. He was sick and he knew his time was limited and that he was gonna die. So he took his money and he put it in a big jug with a handle on it and he put it in the attic right over his room, where he assumed he would die. And he thought to himself. What I'll do is when I die and I ascend, I'll just grab the jug and take it with me on the way up. And sure enough he died and everybody came to see and visit and that sort of stuff the family and friends and then when they left the wife thought about the jug and she thought I'm gonna go up there in the attic and see if the jug is still there. She went in the attic. Sure enough the jug was still there. And then she had this thought I wonder if maybe he should have put it in the basement.

Now listen people, whether you put it in the attic or whether you put it in the basement, you're not gonna take it with you. But there is a treasure that can be laid up in heaven before you ever get there. That's why we manage the trust of God in this life and if we do it properly, paul says you'll be storing up treasure in heaven that can't be destroyed. But Jesus said that too In Matthew six of Sermon. On the Mount Jesus said do not lay up for yourself treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourself treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves cannot break in and steal. You get it. God has created each of us to be a stewards and if you're gonna live on purpose, you gotta get that.

We've all been entrusted with different gifts. You're not responsible for what you do not have, but you are responsible to be a steward of all that you do have. And listen to this. You will be accountable for what you've been entrusted and how you use it. You'll be accountable for it one day all of us Not for the quantity but for the quality of what we did with what we've been entrusted. It's the parable of the talents I've preached at many times over the years. What you do with what you've been entrusted, you will be held responsible for. You're not responsible for what I've been entrusted. I'm not responsible for what you've been entrusted, not for what your neighbor, not for what another family member has, and remember this how you handle the trust also determines what God can trust you with. That's why he said to him who is faithful, in a little, I will give more to a steward. And he means I will give it to him to steward, not I will give it to him to possess. It's all God's and you know, don't take this the wrong way but it is all God's. You've gotta see it that way. God can get it anytime he wants it.

I've had people asking this well, why does God, if God doesn't need it and it's all his and he can get it, why does he ask me to give a minimum of a tithe? You wanna tithe this? It's a test. It is a test. By the way, we don't think anything about giving the government 22, 23 percent, but God wants 10 percent. We don't think anything about paying 16, 18, 20 percent on a credit card, but God wants 10 percent. You see, it's a test. Tithing is a test. Heaven's not going to go bankrupt. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. You may go bankrupt, but God's not. And so he says I want to test you.

And then he says so you test me. I'm going to tell you this is what I require, but you test me and see if my promises aren't true. That's what he says. That's what the scripture says and teaches us about series. You want to live on purpose in 2024, then determine I'm going to be a steward of the gifts of God, whether they be my time, my talent, my treasure.

You say why is it that preachers mostly talk about when they say? Stewardship is about all these things, and I've preached series on all of those things, just so you'll know. But why is it that preachers mostly talk about money? Well, it is a simple fact that when God gets ahold of a person's money, he's probably got ahold of everything else. Isn't it interesting how we're so dependent on money that it's the last thing we surrender to God Because we're well, I got to have that. God says this I've never seen the righteous forsaken or their seed begging for bread, and so the tithe is a test. What can I trust you with? And do you trust me and do you depend on me? Because one day, one day, you may not have it. And so if you want to be a man or a woman of God living on purpose in 2024, why don't you? Don't do it for the preacher. Our people are so good, you've been so good at this, but I'm always going to preach it because you know what I found out.

We forget, and we need to be reminded, that this is just as much a part of our walk with God as obeying God in our quiet time, as telling other people about Jesus, as spending time with God in prayer. All of these why? Because they are the commands of God and they focus our life on the purpose that God has created us for. Lord Jesus, we do. Thank you that you care for our souls enough to tell us things that sometimes aren't always the things we prefer to hear. Lord, thank you for the trust that you've given to each of us our gifts, our calendar, our finances, all of those things, no matter whether it's big or small. Father, help us to be faithful in those things. Help us to demonstrate that we trust you and that we depend upon you.

And, lord, I pray for those who say I just don't get all of this, this kind of stuff. Well, lord, it may be because they've never truly trusted you, they don't have that relationship with you. Would you call them this morning into a relationship? Help them, call on you to be their personal savior so that they can be the steward they were created to be. Speak now, father, before we go, and there's moments of invitation. In Jesus' name, amen, would you stand with me? I'll be here at the front and staff will be on the sides. It's an invitation. And you say what is that? Well, you know what, if you're going to be a steward, the first thing you have to steward is your eternal soul, and you know what the Bible tells us.

We don't give a tenth of our soul to God. We give all of ourself to God, all of our soul. God, here I am. I come just as I am. That's the music you hear playing and maybe you're watching by live stream or television, listening by radio.

If you've never given your soul to the Lord Jesus, today's, that day for you. You call on Him. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. He that believes in his heart, confesses with his mouth that God has raised him from the dead, shall be saved. And so I want to invite you this morning to call on Him. Say Lord Jesus, I need you. I don't know you, I've been religious, but I want you in my life and I ask you to come in and forgive any of my sins. I know you love me and came into this world and died on a cross for me, and right now I invite you to come in and save my eternal soul. I give it to you. You'll hear that prayer. We'd like to help you with that decision.

You slip out in just a moment. When we start to sing, you make your way to the front. I'll be here, other staff members will be here. Maybe you're here, so I've taken care of that. Pastor, what I need is a church family to belong to. Why don't you come and say today I want to become a part of the Ridgecrest family? There are a lot of ways you can do that. You can come and tell us. I hope you will. You might want to stop by the welcome center to take that tariff panel. Whatever it is you watching us. You'll see a QR code and information instruction on what to do. But I invite you right now to make these decisions. Maybe you want to come and kneel before Him and pray at this altar? Use it. Maybe you need to do some business with Him. You ready, but there it leads us. You slip out.