Love GOD: Where Your Treasure Is…. - Matthew 6:19-34

All right. You guys would please grab your Bibles,

turn to Matthew 6. Also, we're going to do the

scripture, the doctrinal focus. Let's read the

question and then you guys will read the answer.

What does it benefit us to know that God has

created all things and still upholds them by

his providence? We can be patient in adversity,

thankful in prosperity, and with the view of

the future, we can have a firm confidence in

our faithful God and Father. that no creature

shall separate us from his love. For all creatures

are so completely in his hand that without his

they cannot... Excellent. Thank you very much.

All right. So, this is not going to be an easy

sermon. You guys just don't know how providential...

Welcome back is. It's quite cool, actually. We

have to address this issue. So I'm going to be

very frank and open with you. And then I'm going

to deal with this very biblically. We are going

to be doing a series over this next month, a

four -part series. Love God, love his word, love

his ways, love his things. If you haven't had

a chance, go downstairs. You'll see on the above

the double door. Thank you, Pam. I forgot what

that machine is. Cricket. She cricketed it. Cricketed

it. And that's really our purpose is to love

God, love his word, love his ways, love his things.

And so we're going to be dealing with those four

parts, those four things over this next month.

And so the first issue is to love God. And there

is a very practical, simple, biblical way that

God determines love, right? One. Love is obedience.

I'll prove that. Two, it's seen in your wallet.

Now, I don't like preaching on money messages.

You guys know that. I've been here three years.

We talked about money once, I think. And it was

not even like that kind of like a giving thing

because we were fine. But I'll make it really

frank with you like I did with first service.

Financially, we're in trouble. So when I got

back, I got a phone call from finance department,

finance. Yeah, pastor. We only got like $7 ,600

in the bank. When we started the year, we had

$30 ,000 in the bank. In four months, we've lost

$25 ,000. So what's the first question I'm going

to ask? How are we spending our money? Good news

is it's not a spending issue. The deacons have

done a phenomenal job in stewarding the money.

It's not a spending issue. It's not because we're

overspending on electric. It's not because we're

overspending on other things. It's a giving issue.

We have lost $10 ,000 a month in giving. So how

does a pastor address this? Does he do like other

pastors do? Lock the doors and, you know, got

to pay the electric bill. It's $1 ,000. Come

on, who wants to help? Have guys stand up here

and people walk up and then count the money and

then they go, oh, we're $500 short. We need to

do five more. I'm not going to do that. Or do

we do a marketing scheme like the rest of these

quote -unquote churches do, put on concerts and

fundraisers, and is that the way church is supposed

to work? Do we create marketing schemes in order

to raise money? No. We deal with it biblically.

We deal with the issue biblically. There are

three types, three people within the church when

it comes to money. Those who give out of ignorance.

In other words, they don't know that they're

supposed to give and they don't know how they're

supposed to give. And so they just don't know.

They haven't been taught. They're new in the

faith. And giving has a stigma to it because

churches, bad churches, have presented giving

in such a way that it makes it look like churches,

all they want is money. That's not our church.

And there are those who just don't give. They

know they should give. They just don't give,

and as a result of them not giving, they're living

disobediently. And then there are those who give

faithfully, and within that faithful group, there

are those who give abundantly. They are generous,

and then there are those who are not. They just

give a little and say, I did my deed. Well, God

deals with it in a very practical way, and that's

how we're going to look at this today. I will

tell you. It's sin. There is sin that leads to

death, and there is sin that does not lead to

death. The sin that does not lead to death is

sin out of ignorance. I just didn't know. After

today, you'll know. Then there is sin that is

rebellious, that leads to death. Purposeful sin,

unwilling to be generous with their lives. Because

they place a value on a dollar, and they compare

that dollar to the value of the sacrificed Son

of God, and say, that's how much it's worth.

And so here we go. Are you ready? We're going

to handle this on a biblical way. I told you

that. We talked about this in our deacons meeting

and elder meeting. And I told them I will address

it immediately because we can't go another month.

If we don't change this now, the church will

start to desize. Here's what will happen. I'm

going to make it very clear with you what I told

the deacons and the elders agree. We would then

lay off the non -essential staff. After the non

-essential staff, if things don't change, then

we lay off Jody. After Jody comes Marilyn. After

Marilyn comes me. After me, we sell the church.

That is what disobedience will do. Just being

very real with you. This church will not close.

I am fully convinced that the Lord has established

her for 142 years for a reason. But in order

for us as a people of God to get to where we

need to be spiritually with him, in the total

surrender of our lives, we must learn to surrender

the very thing that has the least value. But

the thing that has the least value is the one

thing we hold on to tighter than anything because

we think that without it, I will not survive.

So I will share biblically how God handles this

issue, okay? If this was not an issue, even then,

Christ would have never addressed it. God would

have never addressed it. God addressed it in

the tithe. Christ addresses it in the sacrifice.

Either way, we must learn to give sacrificially.

So here we go. Matthew 6. Verse 19 through 34.

Now one of the things I want you to notice concerning

Matthew 6, verse 19 through 34, is please be

Matthew 6:19–34

quick to get rid of the headings. The headings

mean nothing. This is a continual thought that

Christ is clearly articulating concerning the

heart of his people. One, before he deals with

the issue of the treasures in heaven, he deals

with the issue of fasting. That means, am I willing

to give up my physical body for the sake of Christ

and to be holy and to really understand the importance

of why I do fast? But he gets to the point where

he deals with the treasure. And this thought

continues from verse 19 through 34. It's a continual

thought, not different thought, continual thought.

You're going to see that in a minute. Here we

go. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on

earth. Where moth and rust destroy, where thieves

break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves

treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust

destroys or thieves break in and steal. For where

your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Father, I want to thank you that you are good.

That you want our heart. You want our entire

being. You want everything of us. as stewards

of all that you've given. We are not the owners.

We are the stewards. Help us to see our responsibility

to turn our hearts towards you in obedience,

to live rightly before a holy and mighty God,

and to love you supremely in Jesus' name. Amen.

The eye is the lamp of the body. So if the eye

is healthy, your whole body will be full of light.

But if your eye is bad, your whole body... Do

you see the thought here? Why does he deal with

the eye? Because we have placed our affection

on our wallets. Therefore, That when you see

a therefore, it's therefore because it's there

for you to pay attention. Hope you like that

one. That's kind of a new one. Everyone else

usually says the same thing. I just want to be

slightly different. I am different. Therefore,

I tell you, do not be anxious about your life,

what you will eat or what you will drink, nor

about your body, what you will put on. Is not

life more than food and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air. They neither sow

nor reap nor gather in the barns, yet your heavenly

Father feeds them. And are you not more value

than they? And which of you, being anxious, can

add a single hour or span of life? And why are

you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies

of the field, how they grow. They neither toil

nor spin. Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all

of his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

But if God so clothes the grass of the field,

which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into

the oven, will he not much more clothe you? And

you, O you of little faith, therefore do not

be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? Or what

shall we drink? Or what shall we wear? Do you

hear that? Don't hold on to your money because

you're afraid you're not going to be able to

pay a bill. Don't hold on to your money because

you're afraid I've got to feed my family. Don't

hold on to your money because I need new clothes.

Or my kids might need sneakers. Don't hold on

to your money because you think you're not going

to make it. What's he say? Seek first the kingdom

of God and his righteousness and all these things

shall be added unto you. I am a personal testimony

of that. When you start ministry off at 200 to

400 and 800 hours a month for two years with

a family of four and you're wondering how am

I going to feed my family? When you don't have

the money to buy the food and you give your tithe

anyway, watch what God did. He fed, we lived

like kings. Why? Because we didn't care. We wanted

the kingdom of God. That's what we wanted. Therefore,

do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow

will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the

day is its own trouble. Stop living for tomorrow.

Live now. Tomorrow will take care of itself,

and God will take care of everything. You're

like, well, pastor, why are you talking about

this stuff? Because people stop giving because

they're afraid they're not going to be able to

make their ends meet. Here's why. God owns it

all. Literally everything. It all exists, and

you exist for his good pleasure. You don't exist

because you own yourself. God owns you. He owns

the saved and the unsaved. He owns it all. Everything

is his. You're like, what's the point of living?

Because he is God and he deserves glory. That's

why we live. Philippians 2 .13 clarifies the

reality that everything exists for his pleasure.

Colossians 1 .16 -17. On earth, visible, invisible,

whether thrones, dominions, or rulers, or authorities,

all things were created through him and for him.

Who created America? Jesus did. America didn't

exist because we wanted our freedom. America

exists because God wanted her to exist. He established

her. Our responsibility is to steward it. Have

done a good job. Here we go. Verse 17 says, And

he is before all things, and in him all things

hold together. The literal existence of the earth

and you being here is God literally keeps you

from exploding. It's literal. Psalm 24. Verse

1 and 2. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness

thereof. The world and those who dwell therein.

Are whose? The Lord's. Why? For he has founded

it upon the seas and established it upon the

rivers. Psalm 50, verse 10 through 15. For every

Psalms 50:10–15

beast of the forest is mine. The cattle on a

thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills

and all that moves in the field is mine. If I

were hungry, I would not tell you. You think

God needs to come to you and go, you know, I'm

really hungry right now. Would you please give

me something to eat? Do you think God comes to

you and says, you know, I have a bill I have

to pay for. I really need your help for me to

pay it. So when I tell you that God doesn't need

your money, He doesn't need your money. He's

not in need of anything. He is completely self

-sufficient and fully self -governed. He is in

need of nothing. He is completely and totally

satisfied within himself. There is nothing that

God needs. Why does God do anything for his glory?

If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the

world and its fullness are mine. Do I eat the

flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? No.

Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving. When

we give to God, it's because thank you. Everything

I give you, everything to thank you. And perform

your vows to the Most High. So when God calls

us to give, it's to give a sacrifice of thanksgiving

and to fulfill a vow that we've promised. And

call upon me in the day of trouble. I will deliver

you and you shall glorify me. Do you see that?

It's not just for your benefit. He will deliver

us and we shall glorify him in our acts of giving

towards him. Why? God has called and made us

alive in Christ to love. To love him specifically.

Why do we give? Because God loved us first. God

gave first. God gave the most valued thing first.

We are created to love him and serve him. 1 John

4, 7 -9 Beloved, let us love one another for

love is from God and whoever loves has been born

of God and knows God and anyone who does not

love does not know God because God is love. In

this the love of God was made manifest among

us that God sent his only son into the world

so that we might live through him. Do you see

what God gave? For God so loved the world that

he gave his only begotten son. Do you think a

dollar is worth Jesus? Think about that. Matthew

22. And he said to them, you shall love the Lord

your God with all your heart and with all your

soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest

and first commandment. And the second is like

it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

On these two commandments depend all the law

and the prophets. The entire word of God hangs

on the command to love God and love others. Why?

Because Christ commands us to love him. Obedience

is not an option. It's a command. Giving is not

an option. It's a command. God commands you to

give. Christ commands us to love him, and the

proof of that love is in obedience. John chapter

John 14:15

14, verse 15 and 21. John 14, verse 15 and 21.

John 14:15

If you love me, let me say it again. If you agape

me, he says. If you love me, you will keep my

commandments. Look what it says in verse 21.

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, it

is he who loves me. And he who loves me will

be loved by my father and I will love him and

manifest myself to him. How do we know that we

are in him and that he has manifested himself

to us? It's because I love him and I want to

be obedient to him. The fact that I love God,

And I want to obey him as the reality of his

manifestation to me because he made me love him.

Here's the proof. 1 John 2, verse 3 through 6.

1 John 2:3–6

And by this we know that we have come to know

him if we keep his commandments. Whoever says

I know him but does not keep his commandments

is a liar and the truth is not in him. But whoever

keeps his word, in him truly the love of God

is perfected. By this we know, we may know that

we are in him. Whoever says he abides in him

ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Do you think Jesus needed anything? No. Jesus

said, the son of man has no place to lay his

head. Did he ever ask for a house? No. As a matter

of fact, do you remember this little story? There's

a bunch of people gathered outside. They're all

sitting down and Jesus was talking. And Peter,

you know, brave. Peter, you know Peter. He opens

his mouth and gets himself in trouble, I think.

He's like, hey, Jesus, I think we should send

these people home because it's getting late and

they need to eat. Did Jesus go, oh, my gosh,

I need your help. What did he say to them? He

said, you give them something to eat. It'd take

an entire week's of work to get enough money

to buy food for these people. And plus the next

market is like 50 miles. I'm just being, I'm

adding, I'm being a little bit. It wasn't like

50 miles. I'm just saying. No, Jesus goes, you

feed them. And what does he do? Peter goes, oh,

okay. He said, go find some food. So he walks,

finds a little boy. The little boy has what?

Five loaves and? What did Jesus do? Thank you,

Father, for all your provision. And he fed 5

,000 people and then had 12 basketfuls left over

eat one basket for each disciple. Do you think

Jesus needs anything? Not at all. Look what it

says. 1 John 5, 1 through 5. Everyone who believes

that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.

And everyone who loves the Father loves whoever

has been born of him. By this we know that we

love the children of God. I want you to hear

this. By this we know that we love one another.

You ready? I bet you didn't see this here. When?

We love God and obey his commands. You mean I

love you when I'm obedient? Yes. When I'm disobedient,

do you think it doesn't affect you? It's like

a ripple. Take a stone, throw it in the lake.

What happens to the ripple? All the little secret

things we all do behind the doors, don't you

think that doesn't affect the church? All of

us are affected. And I'll give you an example

of what God dealt with me on my sabbatical. You're

going to notice that I will no longer be on Facebook

anymore. Facebook will be deleted officially

on the 27th of this month. It will no longer

exist. Almost 20 years of memories will be wiped

out in a matter of a second. All the pictures,

784 pictures, will be deleted. Why? Because no

memory is worth the testimony of my life concerning

the redemption of Christ upon me. Facebook isn't

worth a single iota of sexual porn. That's what's

filled with Facebook now. Gone. Done. Not supporting

it and I don't want it. Because it's not going

to hook me and drag me down like other men of

God. My point, I love God. I love God. I want

to obey him. Why? Because he lives in me. Obedience.

Bye bye Facebook. That's good because I don't

have any more social medias. I don't have to

worry about it anymore. Worry about all the weird

stuff too. For this, Is the love of God. Verse

3. That we keep his commandments. Do you hear

that? This is the love of God. That we keep his

commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes

the world. And this is the victory that has overcome

the world. Our faith. Who is it that overcomes

the world? Except the one who believes that Jesus

is the son of God. Two stories. I'm almost done.

It's going to be a long. It's okay. It's church.

Two stories I want you to see, and I want you

to be able to see it biblically. A great act

of love and obedience versus a great act of selfishness

and disobedience. First, Matthew 19, verse 16

Matthew 19:16–22

through 22. Pay attention to the sign of disobedience.

Here we go. And behold, a man came up to Jesus,

came up to him saying, Teacher, what good deed

must I do to have eternal life? Really? Which

one should I do? Interesting statement. And he

said to him, why do you ask me about what is

good? There is only one who is good. If you would

enter life, keep the commandments. That's not

rocket science. He's a Jew. The young man said

to him, which ones? That's what I thought. All

of them. Like, which ones should I do? I don't

know. Which ones feel good? Doesn't that make

sense? And Jesus said to him, you should not

murder, and you should not commit adultery, and

you should not steal, and you should not bear

false witness, honor your father or mother, and

you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Isn't

it interesting that the commandments that Jesus

gives are the ones that are relational to you

and me? How about if you love your neighbor first?

How about if you do the last six? He uses all

those. Do these last six. Because remember, what

it says is if I'm loving you, I'm being obedient

to the word. Look what it says here. Verse 20.

The young man said to him, all these I've kept.

What do I still lack? I should do it in like

that rich voice. Oh, I've done all these. What

do I lack? Doth I lack anything? Watch what Jesus

says. It's so cool. And he says to him. Jesus

said to him, if you would be perfect, go sell

all. Go sell what you possess. Go sell your stuff,

all of it. He doesn't go 10%. He doesn't say,

hey, you know, just sell 10 % and then come follow

me, and you keep 90. You notice that? So it's

more than a tithe. The idea is that God wants

all of it. He wants all of you, every ounce of

you, every single cell. Everything. He wants

his heart. And he says, go sell your possessions.

Why? Because he loved his possessions. And give

it to the poor and you will have treasure in

heaven. Give away your stuff. Store your wealth

up there. Come follow me. Isn't that interesting?

Come follow me. Sell your stuff. Come follow

me. And when the young man heard this, he went

away sorrowful for he had great possessions.

Disobedience. Did he obey the commands? No. Why?

Because he loved his value, which was in his

back pocket, more than he loved God. Luke 21,

1 through 5. Jesus looked up and saw the rich

putting their gifts, putting their money into

the offering box. And he saw a poor widow put

in two small copper coins. And he said, truly

I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than

all of them. For they all contributed out of

their abundance, but she, out of her poverty,

put in all she had to live on. So it does not

matter if the government takes away your Medicaid.

Doesn't matter if it takes away your Medicare.

Doesn't matter if it takes away your SNAP. It

doesn't matter. She gave everything she had.

In other words, this is what she did. You know

what? I'm really hungry today. I'm not going

to go food shopping. I'm going to give my money

to God. And Jesus notes that. She gave all she

had to live on. You know what that means? I'll

put it this way. Mark puts it this way. Mark

Mark 12:41–44

chapter 12, verse 41 through 44. Now Jesus sat

opposite the treasury. Interesting, it's his

treasury. He was like sitting outside of his

bank. He was like, that's kind of cool. And saw

how the people put money in the treasury. And

many who were rich put in much. Then one poor

widow came and threw in two mites, which make

a quadrants. So he called his disciples to himself

and said, Assuredly, I say to you that this poor

widow has put in more than all those who had

given to the treasury. Everyone who put money

in, all of that money doesn't compare in the

economy of God, the value of this woman. Watch

what it says. For they all put in out of their

abundance. But she, out of her poverty, put in

all that she had. Her whole livelihood. That's

giving. God doesn't need your abundance. He wants

all of you. That's what he wants. 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2. Now, I'm going to summarize this.

Because it's a long chapter. So here's what happens.

So Paul writes a letter to the Corinthians and

says, hey, do you remember the church in Jerusalem?

They need your money. And you made a vow that

you would give a gift, financially support them

so that they're not struggling. I'm calling you

on your vow. So what he does is he sends men

out there. To let them know ahead of time because

he doesn't want to go there with the people of

Macedonia and then find out that they weren't

ready and that it makes him look bad. And so

he's like, I want to do that. So I'd rather send

some dues for you so you can get ready because

we're going to come and we're going to collect

the money that you promised. You made a vow to

do it. Verse 6, 2 Corinthians 9, verse 6. The

2 Corinthians 9:6

point is this. Whoever sows sparingly will also

reap sparingly. Whoever sows bountifully will

also reap bountifully. Each one must give as

he's decided in the heart, not reluctantly or

under compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you

so that having all sufficiency in all things

at all times, you may abound in every good work

as it is written. He, God, has distributed freely.

God was generous to you. He has given to the

poor. His righteousness endures forever. So he

who supplies seed to the sower, God, and bread

for food will supply and multiply your seed for

sowing and increasing your harvest for your righteousness.

In other words, whatever you give, God will give

to take care of you. The point is, he calls them

out to hold the vow that they made. They made

a vow. This is what we're going to do. And Paul

says it's time to pay. Look what it says, verse

12. For the ministry of this service is not only

supplying the needs of the saints, but also overflowing

in many thanksgivings to God. Your giving supplies

the needs of the saints and is a sacrifice of

thanksgiving to God. That's what he means here.

Why do I say that? You made a vow. You made a

vow in October. Article 5, membership, section

3, membership responsibility. Members shall strive

to attain the maturity in Christ by the increase

in the knowledge of the Son of God to keep...

The unity of the faith to speak the truth in

love, to grow in every way into him who is the

head so that the church builds itself up in love.

Do you hear that? Your responsibility as a member

is that you're going to commit to walking in

obedience through the work of sanctification.

That's what this means. You notice we deal with

the issue of obedience first. That's the important

part. They shall constantly strive to walk worthy

of their high calling and seek control. Seek.

control of every unholy disposition. The honor,

stability, and effectiveness of the church is

dependent upon the prayers, labors, and financial

support of its members. All members, therefore,

are expected to faithfully bear a just portion

of the necessary expenses of the church and contribute

regularly to their means in proportion as God

has prospered you. Envelopes will be provided

and online giving options are available for this

purpose. You vowed that when you voted on this

Constitution. That's your vow. It's not mine.

It's mine because I took it. It's a vow you made.

I'm holding you accountable to your vow. Here's

the promise. You know what the promise was that

we all made? Unanimously, mind you. It's called

the budget. We promised to provide enough money

for a budget of $306 ,000. Let's take Knowlton

out. Let's get rid of Knowlton since they're

not going to be here. It's actually $285 ,000.

That's the budget promise you made. In order

to meet that budget, we must be at $25 ,000 a

month. We are getting $2 ,400 a week, $9 ,000

a month. You know what that covers? Look in your

budget. You'll know. We can pay our regular bills

with that. But staff, not possible. So that's

the promise you made. I'm holding you accountable

to your promise. As a pastor, you know what?

Most pastors avoid this stuff because they're

afraid. I'm not. I've got to manage my house.

I've got to manage this house. When things are

rough at home, we have to have a discussion.

Sometimes it gets a little, huh, it's about money,

right? We don't want to always agree. But we've

got to do what we've got to do because if we

don't. The house folds. We can't do that. As

a pastor, I'm not going to do that. I'm not going

to do that. I'm not going to be like the rest

of these false teachers out there begging you

for money, trying to create some scheme. I'm

going to hold you accountable to the things that

God holds me accountable to. If he's going to

hold me accountable to his word and being obedient

and giving, I'm going to hold you accountable

to it. Why should I have to be held at a higher

standard than you? God holds us all at the same

standard. And as a pastor, I have to rebuke you

sometimes and also build you up. All scripture

is... God breathed and is useful for? Rebuke,

correction, teaching, and training in righteousness.

So let's keep reading. Here's what R .C. Sproul

has to say concerning this. God instituted in

order to support the Levites who had no tribal

allocation of land, the Levites were set apart

to take care of the spiritual and educational

responsibilities of the nation. And their work

and physical necessities were paid for by the

tithe. The labor is due his wages. So when you

don't give like you promised you would give,

it not only affects our ability to preach and

proclaim the gospel, it affects the livelihood

of the pastors. Not good. Under the new covenant.

The tithe, that's in Numbers 18. Under the new

covenant, the tithe continues to support the

work of the building up of the people in the

truth of God and reaching sinners with the gospel.

Christ works through churches, seminaries, parachurch

organizations, missionaries, and many others

to build and grow his kingdom. Guess who will

be affected if we don't give? All the missionaries

we have. Most important investment. we can ever

make is in the kingdom of God because it has

eternal returns. Don't store up treasures on

earth, store up treasures in heaven. Your return,

eternal return, is greater than anything any

man could ever give you. These returns, quote

unquote, these returns are not just for us, but

also for our family, our children, and our grandchildren.

This generation of Christians must invest in

the things of God for the sake of the next generation.

If you don't do it now, your children won't do

it. And you wonder why churches are closing and

why other churches are opening. Because they

have marketing schemes. Know what their marketing

scheme is? Minister to the gays. Because they're

loaded. Give them a place where they feel accepted

to be exactly as they want to be. Never really

dealing with the condition of the heart. Letting

them die in their sin. That's a marketing scheme.

Not really dealing with the spiritual reality

of the eternity. They're dying without Christ,

thinking they're going to heaven because they

go to a church. This article is written by R

.C. Sproul in 2024 at Ligonier .org. Articles,

stewardship, tithing, and giving. So why do I

share this? Because eventually all of this will

affect our ability to do ministry. And it affects

people. And our church needs to get to the next

place it needs to be. I don't think God's closing

our doors. Honestly. You know what I think God

is doing? He's disciplining us. He's turning

our heart toward him. Because the world is changing.

Changing drastically, very fast. Everyone else

will fold. But if we love God. and are obedient

to him, and do what his word says, we will survive

and last. That's what I think he's doing, okay?

So that's my challenge to you. Very frank, very

straightforward, very to the point. I hope and

pray it hit on the right heart, and I didn't

come out condemning because that wasn't my goal,

but I did want to come out and rebuke and deal

and love you. If I did not love you, I would

have lied to you and just kept on doing our same

thing. It's okay. But that's not the kind of

guy I am, nor the pastor I am. Okay? So let's

lock arm in arm, and let's continue working for

the kingdom of God, seeking first his kingdom.

God will take care of us, and he will take care

of you personally. Stop worrying about it. Trust

him. He will do it. And there are testimonies

upon testimonies, which we'll probably share

next week. Okay? Do a little bit of testimony

time next week on how God has done great things

through his word. Okay? All right. I love you.

Thank you. Thank you. It's a rebuke. It's a correction.

It's a training. I mean, it's a teaching. Now,

go train. Go practice. Follow the word of God.

You'll be good. Trust me. Trust him. Don't trust

me. I shouldn't have said trust me. Trust God.

All right. Father, I want to thank you so much

for your goodness and faithfulness to you. Be

honor and glory forever in Jesus' name. Amen.