One of Satan's main strategies against us is deception.
John 8:44 (NLT)
...He (Satan) was a murderer from the beginning.
He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him.
When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.
John 8:32 (NLT)
And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
To escape Satan's deceptions, we must learn God's corresponding truth about each of Satan's lies.
Let's talk about a lie of Satan. He tells us that we must not have money.
How can we do a lot for the poor if we don't have it?
If it is God's will for us to be poor, then why should we help them if God wants them poor.
If it is God's will for us to help the poor, it must be God's will for us to have something to help them with.
If we lived exactly like Jesus lived, we would be disobedient to what we've been told to do.
Jesus never got married. If we lived like Him, we would never get married.
We are instructed in the New Testament not to forbid marriage (1 Timothy 3:2,3).
Jesus never traveled outside of His nearby area. Therefore, we would never travel.
We've been told by Jesus to reach the world (Matthew 28:18-20).
Jesus was on a short march to the cross. He lived on this earth only until 33 years of age.
We have to distinguish what Jesus did as our substitute for sin from what Jesus did as our example. Jesus told us to do somethings that He never did.
He told us to go into the whole world to make disciples and that costs money. It costs money to take a trip.
We are told in the Bible to take care of our families (1 Timothy 5:8). How do you do that without money?
It's not God who wants you broke or poor. It's the devil. Satan pretends to be God speaking to us.
2 Corinthians 11:14 (KJV)
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
God want us taken care of.
Psalm 35:27 (NKJV)
27 Let them shout for joy and be glad,
Who favor my righteous cause;
Who favor my righteous cause;
And let them say continually,
“Let the Lord be magnified,
Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
To honor our fathers and mothers (Ephesians 6:2).
To take care of widows and orphans (James 1:27).
To help the poor (Galatians 2:10).
With what? We have to have something to do it with.
1. We must believe that it is God's will to have something to help others.
2. We must not be lovers of things or money.
Most people do not do well with extra time or money.
Just because you have a bunch of money does not mean that you are blessed.
You might have lied or stolen to get it.
If God gives money to you, it will come in the right time and in the right way.
He isn't going to give you something that will take you away from Him.
Here's a story about a woman who used her money to show her love for Jesus.
John 12:2-8 (NKJV)
2 There they (Mary and Martha) made Him (Jesus) a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.
3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair.
And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said,
5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”
People quote this comment by Judas; however, they are quoting a devil inspired man.
6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
Judas was carrying the money box, and wanted the money for himself.
He was a hypocrite pretending to care for the poor, but wanting to steal it for himself.
7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.
8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”
Why do people get upset about money?
It's because they care about money. You don't get upset about stuff you don't care about.
Judas was shaming Mary for showing her love to Jesus.
If you want to give to the poor, just do it.
It is being a hypocrite to talk about giving to the poor while not doing anything.
In addition, we must ask why are people in need.
There are poor who are suffering because their parents departed from obeying God.
The solution is for them to come back to God. It is a good thing for you to help them.
Many poor can't find work. We should help them.
Other poor have had hundreds of opportunities to work but refused to.
If someone refuses to work, then neither should they eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
People who truly care for the poor use their resources to care for the poor and don't judge what other people are doing (James 4:11).
The people who accuse other people of loving money are the people who love money.
Have you ever got upset about money? You got upset because you care about money.
You can be free from the love of money.
Being free from the love of money is the key which qualifies you to handle more.
Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV)
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Nothing in this life is secure. The secure place is in heaven.
Your store up your money by placing the ownership of your money back into God's hands.
God sees into your heart. He knows if you love something more than Him. He knows whether you realize that it's His or not.
We must not love things, money, food, or pleasure. We must love God and people.
Matthew 6:22-24 (NKJV)
22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.
23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.
If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
What we love will effect how we see things. It will cause darkness or light in us. Whether it is in faith or fear. Whether you see it as yours or God's.
24 “No one can serve two masters;
Why?
Because they get into each other's way.
for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.
(Mammon is Money worshiped as god).
Is money your god?
People make decisions based upon money.
If you are lead by money, you're not being lead by the Holy Spirit. We must not follow money.
Following the Holy Spirit needs to apply to every purchase. We must not purchase stuff based upon price.
We don't take jobs based upon who will pay us the most. If we do, Money is our master.
God could make your the richest person in the state without a dollar.
He made manna rain out of the sky. He brought Elijah bread by a raven.
Money is not our answer or solution or the fulfiller of our dreams.
God is my source. He can provide for me without money.
We might have money, but if we don't have a relationship with God and others. We are miserable.
Money is a great tool, but it is a horrible god.
Luke 16:9 (NKJV)
9 “And I(Jesus) say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.
We are to use money to bless others and to effect eternal things.
We are to use money to create a thirst for God within people.
Luke 16 (NKJV)
10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.
11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?
13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided (ridiculed) Him.
When you long for what you can do with someone else's money that is coveting and is a sin.
When you talk about what you would do with someone else's money that is coveting and violates the 10 commandments (Exodus 20:17).
If you really cared about people in need, you would be giving it yourself and not lusting after someone else's money under the disguise of caring for the poor.
I don't want my car or my house to be my god. It's all going to be gone in a few days.
15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
We started out by talking about Satan's deception.
The Pharisees loved money, but were deceived into not knowing it.
They thought that they were right with God; however, they were an abomination to Him because they loved money.
We must not repeat their mistake.
Lord Jesus, all that I have is yours. I surrender it to you. I give you my all.
Amen!
Keith Moore, Faith Life Church
https://flcmedia.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/FLCSarasota/MP4/2018/HD/180819Video.mp4
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