Pr Royston Smith - How to have security and financial prosperity

Adventist Radio London inspiration for the song. The Bible says in Matthew verse twenty,

teaching them to observe all things that I've commanded you, and lo I'm

with you always, even on to the end. One of the questions that

we raise that we ask ourselves, something that we think about, we wrestle

with on a daily basis. How to have security and financial prosperity. That's

a big question that everybody raises, not just the rich who is very rich

or want more money, but also the poor who is striving to achieve,

who wants security and financial stability. When we go back into time, we

see a planet Earth coming from the Creator's hand, in all its splendor and

perfection and glowious beyond description. Read Genesis chapter one and two. The stroke

of a master. Artists greet the eyes at every turn. Magnificent sunrise were

arrival only by breath taking sunset, Peaceful lakes nestled between the hills, Gorgeous

flowers of every hue, and blossoming vines delighted the senses. Majestic trees swaying

in the gentle breeze, and the branches of the fruit trees drooped under their

load of tempting fruits. Right now, I know you're salivating. Birds of

every description fill the air with their happy song. The streams and the lakes

were alive with beautiful fish, not for eating, just for admiring. Animals

roamed and afraid in the lush meadows, the lion sitting down by the lamb.

That's what Pardise was all about. Paradise Adam and Eve Andendroid. But

God wanted to demonstrate his love in another special way for Adam and Eve.

Genesis two, verse eight says the Lord God planted the garden eastward in need,

and there put the man whom he had formed. Just think for a

moment. Somewhere amidst the wondering beauty of the newborn word, God designed a

garden home for Adam and Eve, the most lavish home, and Earth cannot

begin to compare with the world's original garden home. There were no supermarkets or

waiting lines in Eden, for God supply their food. God said to Adam

and Eve, I've given you every herbs that ye'd see seed, which is

on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yeld seed

to you. It shall be for food, no supermarket, no corner shops,

no markets. Everything came from the source to the mouth. They had

no rent or taxes, no locks or keys, no threat of vandals or

burglars. In fact, my friends, there were no hospitals or drug store.

They enjoy perfect health and endless youth, no need, no need to

top up. They had everything at their fingertip. They also had perfect love

for each other and boundless love for God. And Adam wanted even Eve wanted

Adam, and God wanted them to share their love for each other. As

a matter of fact, the Bible says in Genesis, chapter one and verse

when it be fruitful and multiply love was in the air, it was glorious.

You see, my friends, God intended that planet urch should be inhabited

by one big family, happy, healthy family. God also had something else

in mind for Adam and Eve. He wanted to give them a position of

responsibility. We call its tourship. And is that important for man's well being?

Don't we all need a challenge? Don't we all enjoy the feeling of

a job well done, a sense of accomplishment. And so God told them

in Genesis one, verse twenty eight, have dominion over the fish of the

sea, the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves

on the earth. In other words, God gave them management of the world.

Adam and Eve, in a world of beauty, in a world of

perfect harmony, were trusted by God to care for the world. The Bible

says in Psalms twenty four, verse one, the earth is the Lord,

and all its fullness the world and those who dwell therein Psalm twenty four to

one. In buck Up chapter two eighty says, the silver's mine and the

goal is mind, says the Lord of boasts. God owns everything. God

was in charge of everything, and yet still he placed in the hands of

Adam and Eve everything that he owned. As a matter of Exalm tells us,

for every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle on the

alvaniller mine. If I were hungry, I would have told you, for

the world is mine and all it's full net Psalm fifty ten and twelve.

Everything that man had, God gave it to Adam and Eve. You know,

things change, the Bible says, well, things change, and man

also change. And now people are working because of the change of life.

While you say I work and earn my salary belongs to me, doesn't it.

In a sense it does. Yet, without God's blessing of health,

strength, and intellect, you could not earn any thing. Because God gave

it, and he gave it to you. It belongs to you, But

ultimately it is a gift from God. The Bible says, and you shall

remember in Deuteronomy eight eighteen, and you shall remember the Lord your God,

for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may

establish his covenant which he sought to your father. As it is this day,

God has blessed us. God has given us stuff, not for us

to hoard, but for us to give him the glory and give him the

praise. You see, my friends, we really don't own anything. God

has prior claim on us and our possession. We are just stewards of God.

So let me say what The Concise Dictionary defines stuart as it says as

Stuart is a person entrusted with the management of another's property. Today, when

a person enters into a stewardship relationship, he or she wants to know what

the own expects of him. Did I tell you that God made the world

did I tell you that everything, the silver, the gold belongs to God.

The cattle on a thousand nils belongs to God? I did, dedn't

I? Let's see what Genesis chapter two, sixteen and seventeen says God and

an understanding with Adam and Eve. For the Bible states, of every tree

of the garden you may freely, But of the tree of the knowledge of

good and evil you shall not eat, for in that day that you eat

of it, you shall surely die. You see, the owner always has

a caveat a test. In other words, if I give you something to

nurture and to care for, I have my expectation. So God tests Adam,

He tests Eve love and loyalty. One restriction. Adam and Eve eat

from every tree, but don't eat of this tree. But they were not

to touch this specific tree. By obeying God, they would show their recognition

of his ownership. If they were to be faithful steward, they would choose

to maintain their allegiance to God. They would live forever in a world that

was paradise. From Paul to Paul. But that is not only the beginning

of the story. Eve, listen to the serpent. Eve listen to the

serpent. Adam listened to the serpent. Sadly, they ate the fruit.

The Bible says in Genesty three sixteen, she also gave to her husband with

her and he ate. They both ate of the fruit. In other words,

they mistrusted God. In other words, the man and woman decided that

they wanted to decide their own future. They failed the tests. They were

unfaithful steward. They lost everything, happiness, love, their garden, home,

and dominion of the world. In other words, man became slave to

everything around him and around her. Roman six sixteen says, do you not

know that to whom you present yourself slaves to obey? When they stop listening

to God, they became slave to what or who they're listening to. Isn't

that a sad commentary? The Bible says that life change for man and woman.

Satani jack the world. He's toole the world from God. They took

Adam and Eve dominion. Later, when Christ came to Earth to recover the

stolen world, Satan attempted unsuccessfully to bribe Christ into synony. Wanted to be

the ruler of this world forever. Satan wants control of your money, Satan

wants control of your health. Satan wants control of your mind. Satan wants

to be the boss of everything in this world. As a matter of fact,

the Bible says, after Jesus had fasted for forty days and fortay night,

Satan came to tempt him, and the Bible gives this record of that

account in Matthew chapter four. Again, the devil took him up into an

exceedi mountain and showed him all the kingdom of the world and their glory verse

eight and nine. And he said to him, all these things I will

give you if you will fall down and worship me. Satan tried the same

trick with Jesus as he did with Adam and Eve. He tried to deceive

Jesus the thing Satan promised to give Christ where not really is. They had

been obtained by fraud and deceit. Satan is always trying, He is always

trying to destroy his always trying to deceive. But we know that his fate

was sealed by the debt of Jesus at Calvary. Jesus, by his debt,

pay the price purchased back the world that was tolen by fraud, by

Satan. So you see everything we are or have come, stamped with the

cross bought by Jesus blood. Whether we love or serve him or not,

we are his property, created by him and redeemed by His blood at Calvary.

And just like admineve, we are the steward of what God entrusted to

us. Paul wrote in One Corinthians, fourth verse to more of which is

required in Stuart, that one be found faithful. He made us, and

then he purchased us when he died on Calvary. For you and I Acts

seventeen twenty four to twenty five. God, who made the world and everything

in it, gives to all life, breath, and all things. So

even if you do not believe in God, yet still he gives you life.

Even if you're an aphist or a pagan, or even a weaken The

breath that you breathe belongs to God. Our life came with God, and

He sustained it. Every heartbeat, every breath, even the food we eat

our gift from God, Paul says. In Romans twelve. He says,

I beseech you, therefore, brethren, verse one, by the mercies of

God, that you present your bodies as a live having sacrifice wholly except to

God, which is your reasonable service. You belong to God, and all

you can do is to give back to God what he has given to you,

a living sacrifice on reserve, commitment, submission to his leadership, to

his sufeign control, to his leadership in your life. He is our example.

We are to follow him. He lived unselfishly. The Bible declares that

Jesus went about doing good for you, He went about doing good for me.

Benjamin Franklin says, every man is a steward of time. Really,

time is just another way of viewing life. Time is this tough life is

made of my friends. We need to give an account to God of our

time. David captures it this way in Psalm ninety verse two. Al So

teach us to number or days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Many of us we are wasting our time. We're wasting our substance. We

have to give an account to God for that. Every person has the same

number of hours in a day, the same numbers of minutes in those hours.

It is up to us to choose how we spend our talent of time.

My friend's God has said, a time for each of us. Not

only has given us time to live, he has also give us time to

rest. It's called the Sabbath. It's a time when we express our belief

in Him as creator God. It's a day of fellowship with family. It's

a day of fellowship with friends. It's a day and a time to rest

and to refresh. And God says, since I've given you time, I

want back one seventh of your time. Maybe you're wondering, how can you

possibly find time in your busy schedule to give back God the Sabbath, Saturday,

a day of rest. Here's the answer from the word of God in

Matthew six thirty three. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteous

says, and all these things shall be added on to you. Give God

back what he has given to you. He gave you seven, and he's

asking you just for one seventh of the seventh that he has given to you.

My friend. When we go back in scriptures and we see the story

of Sodom being overthrow, Abraham's nephew Lot was taken captive. The Bible says

when the news reached Abraham, he determined to rescue Lot. He prayed for

God to be with him and give him success. Not only did he secure

the release of Lot and his family, but all the captive as well of

their treasure. When Abraham returned, the king of Sodom came out to meet

him and urge him to keep their treasure he had recovered and just returned the

captive, But Abraham refused to enrich himself that way. He says, these

are yours. I am returning them back to you. We also see a

king called Melchesedek, a priest rather brought Abraham Emil and blessed him, and

the Bible says in Genesis fourteen, verse twenty, as a result of the

blessing, he gave him back a tithe of all you see. Abraham wanted

to express his thanks and appreciation for God's help in securing the release of Lot.

He wanted to acknowledge God's ownership and blessing. One hundred and fifty three

years later, Abraham's grandson express is gratitude to God in the same way while

fleeing from his brother Jacob. While fleeing from his anger, brother Jacob felt

utterly alone and afraid. He wanted God's protection. He felt so guilty of

rubbing issel. He was so afraid that God had forsaken him and would not

forgive him with a great sent of remorse. Bible says he confessed is wrong

to God. He slept on the ground. The Bible tells the rest of

the story in Genesis twenty twelve. Then he dreamed and behold, the ladder

was set up on the earth, and it top reach to heaven, and

there the Angel of God was ascending and descending on it. In his dream,

Jacob so the Lord's standing about the lad and heard God say, I

am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you

back to this land. God wants to be with you, my friends in

radio land. He wants to sustain you. He wants to be your friend.

When Jacob awaken out of his he knew God has spoken to him.

He knew God had promised him guidance and protection. As a result of this,

he was moved and touched by God's benevolence, and so in Genesis twenty

verse twenty two, he says, of all you give me, I will

surely give you a tent to you. He was willing to give back to

God a tenth of what God has given to him psalmone sixteen, verse twelve.

What shall I render to the Lord for all the benefits towards me?

David like Jacob says Lord, what shall I give back to you for all

the blessings you have given to me? Have you ever wondered how to thank

him? Do you sometimes wonder if you thank Him enough? That is where

stewardship comes in. It is a tangible expressing our precision to God for all

his benefits. Jacob says he would return to God a tenth or a tithe

of all he received, just like his grandfather Abraham. The first written instructions

we have of people returning a tenth is in the Book of Leviticus. And

all the tithe of the land, where the seed of the land or the

fruit of the trees of the Lord. It is holy to the Lord Lividicus

seventh twenty seven, verse thirty. To return a tenth impresses the mind with

the truth that God is creator and the source of every blessing. Also in

the Book of Numbers were told eighteen twenty one, Behold, I've given the

children of Levi all the tithe in Israel as an inheritance in return for the

work which have performed the work of the tabernacle of meeting the tithes, my

friend was given so that the work of God can be supported. We're giving

back to God what he has had given to us, not everything, but

just the tenth Paul wrote these words, Do you not know that those who

minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who

serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar. Even so,

the Lord has commanded those who preach the Gospel should live from the Gospel One

Corinthians nine thirteen and fourteen. Giving back to God is a means of saying

God, I love you. Giving back to God is a mean of saying

God, I want to support your ministry as I go forward. Here's what

Jesus himself says. For you pay tithe of mint and anneesy and coming,

and have neglected the way to matter of the law, justice and mercy and

faith. These you ought to have done without leaving the others undone Matthew twenty

three and verse twenty three. There's some who are saying, Pastor Smith,

isn't that only for the Jews? Perhaps that is best answered by asking another

question. Are the blessings of heaven only for Jews? Are the breath that

God gives you only for the Jews? Hardly not? The Bible says,

and all the tithes of the land is the Lord. It is holy to

the Lord Livitclus Twenty seven and verse twenty. The Lord says that the tenth

of everything is all on to him. So you see, the tithe is

not a gift to God, for it belongs to him. He just gives

us the privilege of return it to Him to test our stewardship, our allegiance

where knowledge him that God owns everything. And the text says, when a

man rob God Malachi chapter three and verse eight, robbing God sounds incredible.

Would your dear rob God? The Bible says, it is possible. In

fact, it accuses some people of that offense. Yet you have robbed me.

But you say, in what way have we rubbed you? And the

Bible says, in tithe and in offering. You see, my friends,

God promises blessings to those who honor Him with tithes and offering. Bring all

the tithes into the storus that they may be food in my house, and

try me now if he is a lord of olks, if I will not

open for you the wind of Heaven and pour you out a blessing that they'll

be not room enough to receive it. God wants to bless you. Heaven

doesn't have plate glass windows to open. This is just a graphic description of

God's willingness to reward you faithfully. God wants to bless you. God wants

to cover you. God wants you to be in partnership with him. Luke

six thirty eight says, give and it will give them to you good measure,

pressed down, shaken together, and running over. God wants to bless

you. As I close, my friends. Perhaps you're thinking, if God's

own everything, the gold, the silver of the cattle, and the land,

why does he need money? Well, this is God's pan for financing

his work on earth. He needed the tithes to sustain the church. We

don't do lotteries or bingos. We don't beg or we don't because God says

that he will sustain his world. Jesus once stole a rich farmer who had

a tremendous crop one year. The harvest was so great as barn could not

contain it. Finally, he made a decision. He says, I will

do this. I'll pull down my barns and bill grater, and there I'll

store all my crops and all my goods, and I will say to my

soul, soul, you have good laid up for many years. Take your

ease, eat, drink, and be merry. He didn't acknowledge the blessings

of God. He didn't recognize God. He utterly forgot the poor, the

offer, and the widow. He thought only of himself. Here is God's

response, fool this night, Luke twelve twenty your soul will be required you.

Then whose will those things be which you have provided Matthew sixteen twenty six.

For what profit is it for a man or woman if he gains or

she gains a whole world and loses his own soul? God wants to bless

you. He who sows spare me will reap sparely, and he who sows

bountifully will reap bountifully. So let each one of us be purpose in his

art, not grudgingly or necessity. For God loves a cheerful giver. God

says that our heart and our money are closely knit. But lay up yourself

treasured in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy, and where thieves do

not there a kin and steal for Where your treasure is Matthew six, twenty

twenty one, there your heart is also the problem is simple, my friend,

with us as modern man and woman, is that we think that everything

we have belongs to us. We neglect to honor God, we neglect to

share our talents and or treasure with God. Each of us need to be

dial reminded that we come into this world with nothing, and that all we

have came from God, and we leave with nothing. The song says,

the things that I love and all dear to my heart are just borrowed.

They're not mine at all. Jesus only let me use them to brighten my

life. So remind me, remind me their Lord, my friend. If

you want financial and security, pros parity, whatever you have time, talent,

whatever you have money, give it all to God. Amen. Adventist

Radio, London inspiration for the song