…AMERICAN EXPRESSIONS | WEEK 2

It's cardinal red for a reason, guys.

Go cardinals. How's it going? Like, why do you drive that out here? Because I'm old and I'm getting lazy. So, no. That'll come into play a little bit later as as we talk. But but I kinda also liked it too because I've been going to...

Back to physical therapy because I've been having this pinched nerve in my neck that's now affecting my shoulders and moving its way down my back. And I had that before years ago years ago. And I went, took about eight weeks, it worked really well, took care of the problem.

And then about two years ago, I had to go back again because I refused to do the things they told me to do on the daily to not make it come back. And then it started happening again, and and and and and I resisted. What I did is, you know, I I I wasn't going. And and

what I did was I would just do the the the the things, get all the the lotions and rub stuff and put that on there, the icy hots, the real powerful stuff. And pop NSAIDs like it's Halloween candy and

and and do all that. And I was doing that for a while, and then it got so bad that it was, like, going further down my back. So I was, like, got my wife. I go, you need to help me put some of these creams on here. She's like, gross. I have that stuff on my hand. It smells funny and and and all that stuff. And she's like... I was like, you know, but I just I just wasn't going. I go, I... The problem only started about a year ago last Christmas.

I... And I I I hurt myself doing something, but it wasn't terrible. It just kept slowly. It was annoying, but I could just, you know, do the creams, do that, and and and and it... I made it tolerable. And my wife's like, why don't you just go back to physical therapy? And I go, I gotta go like twice a week.

And then, you know, you pay a co pay. It's inconvenient. And then the other thing I hated is I said, and you know why? Because when you start, like right now it hurts worse because I just... I finally went because it actually... You feel like you go backwards first.

They start manipulating stuff, and they make you do these exercises to strengthen stuff. It actually is worse first. You feel like you go backwards. And I'm like, I don't really wanna experience that uncomfortability. And she goes, So you would rather slowly get worse and worse and worse,

and how much time and money are you spending on these creams? She goes, Treat the source, not the symptoms. And I'm like, why did I marry you? You always gotta be right. So I went, and here I am with a sore neck right now.

But I know you give it about two or three weeks and it's gonna, you know, feel good again. And and I'll be able to do everything. I'll have more freedom and all that kind of stuff. And that's really what we're gonna be talking about today. We're in this series, American Expressions.

We're we're talking about the American expression of money versus the biblical expression of money. And when I say American expressions, I'm not ripping on you. I was like, it's really the worldly expression of how does the world look at money. It's always been. It's in scripture really clear two thousand years ago. I just think America is our culture,

and we've kind of perfected that expression of money. And we're just unpackaging that and talking about that in a time of uncertainty too. And I get it. Some of you are like, why are we talking about money right now when money is crazy?

And I know that. I know there are people in this room right now that you have a good job and you've picked up a second job. And I get it. But you know when the best time to get money right is? Is when money's not working right. That's the best time to get it right in our lives.

So this is for hope. This is actually the perfect time to talk about this, is because we gotta be able to go, what does God say? What is it really going on? And what's the problem? And last week, we looked at the the the American expression versus the biblical expression of what is money and what is it for?

And what we discovered was we looked at a little wheel. I think I got the illustration I used here, at least the the one up there, not the one I tried to do with the spinny stuff. But but but money is this. What we think is, we think it's ours.

And then we think it's for this. This is what we can do with money. We can spend, we can save it, we can give it. The American expression goes clockwise. Because if I have an ownership mentality that it's all mine, I will spend on the things I need to live and the things I want first.

Then I'll save a little if I have that, and then I'll give from anything left over. And the biblical expression is, no, you gotta go counterclockwise. God says it works when you go the other way around. And that's confusing to us because we've never seen anything but the clockwise version.

We've never even thought. So when you hear give first, save then spend, we're like, that's backwards and I can't do that. And all I did last week was ask for you to do a finance. Just be honest.

Just be honest with yourself. Which expression do you do? I didn't say to do anything different. I said, look at your finances and be honest about it. Do I really give my best first? Then do I save, and then do I choose to live on the rest and trust that God will take care of me? Which one?

Well, this week, we're gonna go to the source instead of just talking about the symptoms. And the source is our hearts. The big idea that we're gonna look at today when it comes to this American versus biblical expression of money is simply this, the heart of the matter is a matter of the heart.

Because that's why I asked last week. I go, what if everything... Why we worry? Why do we not wanna talk about money in here because it's so loud out there? It's really because it's so loud in here. And I go, what if it's really not about money?

What if it's about a deeper thing? And the thing we're gonna talk about today

will actually apply to things other than money. So if you're in this room and you go, do I have to keep listening to this? I already get it. I do this. I honor God with my money. I have money right. Today's talk, you can just put something else in the blank instead of money.

Because we're gonna talk about what is really the heart of the problem and why is money a problem and why do we have a hard time going counterclockwise.

What is that all about? And it comes out of the... Primarily out of the passage we just read part of. And what we're gonna do today is I... All I simply wanna do is lay out two more things, two more questions.

Two more questions when it comes to... And look at what's the American expression, our cultural way of looking at it versus the biblical way of dealing with it. And that's these two questions is, Who or what has my heart? And that leads to, Who or what has my trust? Because what has my heart will also have my trust.

And what we see in this passage here is the first thing is the American expression of what has my heart is it's controlled by money versus the biblical expression is I'm surrendered to God. My heart is absolutely surrendered to God. That's what this passage is talking about. Because in Matthew

six here, this is in the middle of this sermon Jesus preached. We know his Sermon on the Mount. And it's all about the kingdom.

Life in the kingdom. God's kingdom. That's his. He's like, I've established a kingdom. I'm the king and here's my kingdom. And that's what he died to give us this kingdom. He died so we can be a part of it. He loved us first and he invited us in. So the sermon is not about do all these things or I don't love you. They're like, I have loved you, and if you put your faith in me, I am showing you

what the life is like that I built you for. He created us for this kingdom life. He built us for this kingdom life. He calls us to this kingdom life, and he sacrificed himself

so we can have it and give us the holy spirit so we can experience. And what he's saying is all the things that we've... We run after for other stuff to try to provide, all those things we think that we really long for, that God built us for, we run after the wrong things to get it.

And it's this life is where you will find what you're looking for. It's exactly like like... It's it's kinda like... I use this illustration a lot. God repeatedly in Proverbs says this verse, There's a way that seems right to man, but at the end it leads to death.

And you could say, we can read that two different ways. That is a loving warning from God the Father, or we take it as a threat from the Godfather.

You can leak it in two ways. When he says there's a way that seems right to man and ends and leads to death. If you think it's God saying, you better get this right and you're an idiot, and if you don't, I'm gonna kill you. You'd be like, you think he's Godfather. He's like, you know,

you keep doing these things that you think are right, but if you do, you're gonna sleep with the vicious Giuseppe. You think it's a threat? No, it's a loving warning. He's actually agreeing. He goes, hey, there are things in this world. He says, I get it. From your perspective, they seem like it's the right way to go.

For example, money, like we looked at last week. Counterclockwise. Do you guys all understand the wheel illustration I use now? Go back and watch it. I said, hey, yeah, you're right. For a car to move forward, you think the wheels, it goes clockwise. Right? And if you're sitting from this side, I had a wheel up here,

and I turned it clockwise. And I go, okay, if the wheel's going that way, which will the car be going forward? And he said, yeah. Here it goes. And I said, so that... The wheel's turning... And I walked around to the back, we had a camera on it with a piece of tape.

And I spun the car where it still was clockwise from their perspective. But on the driver's side, guess which way it was turning? Counterclockwise.

There's a way that seems right, but in the end, it leads to death. And God's way looks backwards. He's telling us, I get it. All we've ever seen is this way. So then when a pastor gets up and, hey, let's talk about this,

we only see it that way, and so what you think is happening is that guy's just trying to get us to spend our money giving it to him. You still think that way, and that's not what's going on. And so the reality is money is just a symptom. It's a symptom,

but we gotta go to the source of what's really going on, why we wrestle with this. And so that's why he's in the middle of this. He stops and he starts talking about money and possessions as he talks about kingdom life. And get it, why does Jesus talk about money more than heaven in the gospels?

Because he is a greedy freak that wants to take our money. No, we learned last week he gave it all to us. It's not ours. It's his anyways. He's not trying to take. He's just asking for some of it back in order to trust him. So he stops and and and and and he addresses this issue in his sermon.

And it's not you better or not. He already loves us. But look what he... And we read this. But this first one, who is am I controlled by or surrendered to God? Look at the... For verse 19 through, 24. I wanna read it again. Don't store up treasures here on earth where moths eat them and rust destroys them and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, give first. Where moths and rust cannot destroy and thieves do not break in and steal. And then here's this interesting verse 21. Wherever your treasure is, there are the desires your heart will also be.

Isn't that interesting? You could read that and read that and read that and what you thought it just said is where your heart is, there your money will go. It didn't say that. It said the exact opposite.

It says where you choose to put your money is where your heart will go. That's why this is an important thing that God cares about is what I choose to set my eyes on and and direct my money towards, my heart will go there.

My heart will go there. So if you say, you know what? I'll I'll I'll I'll give when I feel like it. No, you won't. You'll keep giving to the thing you're looking at. That's what you'll do. That's what we do. He says it's a it's a trap. He goes he goes, where it goes is where it leads. And then he says, and here's why.

Verse 22, your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness.

And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is. That's a really flowery way of saying, you go towards what you look at.

That's why your heart goes with you. You go towards... And we know that's a rule, especially in dry... Riding a bike, a motorcycle, even walking, but especially in a car.

You know, you might... I like driving. I drive when we go places. When we go on family trips, I like it. There's only one time it's frustrating to me is when we're someplace beautifully and scenic. Like, we were driving by the Grand Canyon once. I drove on the million dollar highway once. That was kinda creepy.

But you're sitting on the side of... But it's beautiful. My wife's taking pictures and all that, like, when we're at the Grand Canyon. That's the only time it's frustrating to be the driver because you have two choices. Keep my eyes on the road or kill everyone. That's your choice. Because

if I start looking over the edge of the mill of diary or I start looking at the Grand Canyon, we are not just gonna be looking at it from top down. We're gonna get a great view of it from bottom up, probably while being loading into an ambulance helicopter or something.

You see, that's that that that's that's what it is. It says, what we look at is where our heart goes. And he goes, And how sad is if what you think you're looking at is the light the right way. That's our problem with money.

That's why we go, I can't give. Because I think I'm looking at it the right way, and we have it wrong. We have it wrong. And we will... What we lock in on with our money, how we spend it, shows us what we really believe. And this is why this is a problem, is what he says next is when he goes into verse 24.

No one can serve two masters, for you will hate one and love the other, or will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. We think money frees us. It doesn't. It enslaves us. Why? Because according to Colossians chapter three,

it says, if I'm looking at money, my heart gourds towards money, and now I have a different master. And why that's a bigger deal is because it's about more than money.

Colossians three says that greed, greed is you're looking at it and you're going for it. And it doesn't even mean you're like money miser. You're like, you just, I will spend first. I have to have more. I won't give until I get. All these things are saying, I'm making it about the money.

I'm making it about that. I'm looking to that to provide for my family. I'm looking to that like for... Like you think I need that. I can't listen to God because I I I need to go that. The Bible calls that greed. And then Colossians three five says, and greed is idolatry.

And it says, if I go that way, the American expression of money, it says that we are idolaters. And here's the thing, what does that even mean? We think if I... How's that an idolatry?

I come to church, I worship Jesus, I believe in him. How am I an idol? Because when we hear idol, we think we actually set up a shrine to ascend another god and literally say I'm worshiping another god. That's not what it is. I've seen that type of idolatry. It's weird. I've been in Bali, and the way they're they're in Buddhism or whatever, they have these gods that they they worship at these shrines. And and in their houses, their front yards, they have the gates. And outside of their house, at the gate, they'll have this little statue. You... A lot of times, it looks like a gargoyle type thing.

And and and their temples look like Klingon buildings from Star Trek. And, and they have a little basket off at the base of this this this this idol, and they worship, and they make sacrifices to it.

And they will sacrifice the weirdest things. They love fried chicken there. So I'm looking. They got Kentucky Fried Chicken everywhere. And I looked in one, it had chicken nuggets in it. Kentucky. And I go, they didn't even use the Lord's chicken, Chick fil A.

Because they don't have the Lord's chicken. They just have the other chicken. I drove by. I walked by one. I looked in there. There was cigarettes in it.

And I'm like, do you worship the God of lung cancer? I don't get it. And so when we hear it's an idol, we don't think of what a big deal is. Like, oh, that... We don't do that. That's not what idolatry is. Idolatry is having another master.

So you can say you're serving and worshiping God, and you could actually be serving and worshiping this. It's you can... Can... It's it's basically taking anything, any created thing, and letting it take God's place in your heart. And the problem is money is something we look at and we chase after in that greed.

And where does it take it? Your heart goes with where you look at. That's why you can't serve Him. You are actually worshiping something else. Because worship means worth ship. What are you putting your effort and your worth and your sacrifice into? And and and so he says it's idolatry.

Well, why does God care about that? Is it because he's like that that meme where, you know, they they always have that meme with different things that shows a guy walking with his girlfriend and then he's, like, turning. Or that if I see the one that's to not be sexist is the girl looking at a hot guy walking by.

And they're like, what is it? It's like, is it that God gets mad that we've turned our head? No. Idolatry does not threaten God, but it is a threat to us. Because it hijacks our ability to live from His love and live out the purpose and in the kingdom that He died to give us,

And it's there where we find all the things we really want, that we think the other thing will provide. And then that becomes a problem. Because then we turn Jesus and God into the resource instead of the source. In other words, we really want something else, and we think coming to church, going to God is actually,

I will do these things and I'll show up and I'll be involved. It's like... It's because I'm going to have a meeting with my idol dealer. And you get into your back alley prayers become,

come on, man. I'm really going down fast. I need a hit. You need to give me that raise or I need that car or I need that thing Or I need more money. Or I need a better job. Or I need that. God, give it to me. Give it to me now. I need it. We don't need it. We need Jesus. And he says he'll take care of us. That's why

it's a threat to us.

It disconnects us from life. Matter of fact, can show you. Even from the beginning, God meant this right from the beginning. A lot of times we think Old Testament, that was angry God because he made the rules and we broke the rules. He's like, well, am I gonna get you saved in a relationship? I get him with bad P. Bland plan b. It's like, there's my son. He ain't doing anything. Hey. I got a job for you. Why don't you just go die for everybody? That'll be the plan.

That's not how it worked. Right from the beginning. Exodus 20, it's where God had already rescued the people, his people from Egypt where they've enslaved. And and and and now he takes them out there and he gives them the 10 commandments.

And there it is. He's given the rule list. Here's the rules. You do this and I love you. And if you do this consistently, then I'll hashtag bless you.

And and that's the other problem. American expression, the world's first expression is we get the wrong idea of what blessing is. You know what we think blessing is? And I'm gonna blow your mind. Some of you think about it. If you're a Christian, be honest. Be honest if this is what you subtly really think it is. We think blessing equals

more of what I want and less of what I don't want. So if God blesses me, he's giving me more of what I want and taking away what I don't want. I'm afraid of S. But how many go, oh my gosh, that's probably how I think about it? I'll be honest,

I can fall for that a lot. I go, why why is this keeping... Why is this that? Was, oh, wait. Blessing isn't about that. And then we think the rules...

Like, it gets turned into, Okay, I will give to the church. Because then if I give, God will give me more money. He'll take away this. It's like, that's not how it works. Blessing is the life that God died to give us. It's Him. That's blessing.

That's why some of the crazy things they ask us to do is like, I don't see how that's gonna work. Yeah, it's not gonna work to give you your definition of blessing, but it's gonna make you see Christ clear, trust him more, be closer, feel his love, and become more like him, which is what he wants. That's the promise.

And so here we go. So in this, he's he's gonna give him the 10 commandments. And look what happens first in the order. He says, verse one, then God gave the people all these instructions. So he's about to give the instructions. And then verse two isn't even an instruction.

Before he gets to the first commandment, he says this, I am the Lord your God.

The first thing he wants you to remember is before I give this to you, gotta remember, you gotta know that I am the Lord. The Lord your God. And he said, I am. That's a statement in the Greek means ego I mean. But in the Hebrew, it's like what it says, can't even pronounce. But but it basically, we translate it to I am in English because we don't know what else to say. He's just he's just as... When God says who he is, when Moses asks, who shall I say sent me? And he says, I am has sent you. I am. The word... The English, all this means is it's trying to translate this phrase in in these these other language that says, I am existence.

I am life. Not I made life. I am life. In other words, to be the Lord God Almighty, he says, I was, I is, and I always will be. Nothing created me. I created everything else.

Everything flows from me. Everything is me. I made you, and I know how I made you, and I know what I made you for. So if I tell you this is what you should go for, you should trust me because that's what I built you for. And anything else is you're running away from what will really give you

what you're running after with other stuff. I am the Lord God. But he doesn't jump right to you, so you better get it right and do these 10 things or you're in trouble. That's Godfather talk, not God the Father talk. Because look what he says next. The

Old Testament was about grace and faith, just like the New Testament. He goes, I'm giving you this as a plan. This is the model. This is the kingdom life. Because I already saved you. I already saved you. I am not a resource to get to the source of what you really want. I am the source and author of life.

And you need to know, and I loved you first. So trust me, this isn't rules that you better not break. This is like a life coach is giving you the plan for how to live life. And the first thing he tells them, verse three, you must not have any other God but me. Why?

Because the second you have another God, you will not have that life. I don't care how many times you come to church and worship Jesus, you won't experience what he wants to give you. I won't experience what he wants to give me. When I have another God, when I have an idol, I disconnect. I've hijacked.

And I'm not living from the love. And that's why so many of us in this room, especially with money, that is why you have the same problems, the same feelings, the same struggles, the same anxieties as any other non Christian around you. You just happen to waste some time every weekend.

Because you can't just believe in Jesus. The way to experience that love is we have to believe Jesus.

And so if I resist God's way on money, that already reveals where your heart is. It reveals where your eyes are. Where are you at? What are your eyes looking at? And what it says is money's not bad. The American dream, as we describe it, isn't wrong if you get it. It's wrong if you make that the purpose of your life.

That's the problem. That's the problem. God called us to something so greater than just making more than my parents, growing up,

getting... Get a good education, work hard, get a good job so I could get nice stuff that I can have kids, take care of my kids, they can have nice stuff so then they can learn that they need to jump on that same hamster wheel, and that's the purpose of life. If God gives you the blood, that's awesome.

Having that is not the problem. It's making that the target. It's focusing your eyes on that. Because when you focus on that, you say, I believe in Jesus. But then you hear a pastor like me talk about, hey, we need to give first, and we need to give the percentage. We need to give what he's asked.

And then He's gonna use it, and He's gonna change us. And you're like, Nah, I won't believe that. And we have a problem there because money is a subtle trap. It's a subtle trap. Here's why. Because it's necessary, it's useful, and it's celebrated in our culture.

It is the number one most acceptable idol in the church and in our American church, and I've been in this room, this is the number one idol we have in this room. The number one.

Why? Because I can serve money all week and still worship God on the weekend, and nobody notices or says anything.

And that's why it's so loud out there, we don't want to listen to it about it in here. Because it either causes shame because you know it. I just know. Why can't I trust God? Shame and guilt, confusion. Well, if God really wants me to do this, why am I struggling so much? Which can lead to frustration or it can lead to anger.

Hey, I believe in Jesus, but I don't have to give to this church.

That's where we're left. And I wanna show an example from scripture of a guy who had that same struggle.

And ask yourself, am I like this guy? It's in Mark chapter 10. It says as... Starting in verse 17.

Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him. Feel how this guy acts and what Jesus does. He comes running to him. Now he's pretty desperate. He knelt down. He got on his knees. That's an act of surrender.

And then he says, good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus goes, why do you call me good? Jesus asked. Only God is truly good. Now that sounds snarky, especially the way I just read it. But he asked, he's, hey, why do you call me good? Because only God is good. You know what he was asking them?

To say good. They knew that a good Jew knew that God was only good. So to call him good teacher meant was, he goes, are you really calling me the Lord God Almighty, the I am? Do you really believe that's who I am? Or are you just trying to butter me up?

He asked it as a rhetorical question. He didn't demand an answer. He just said, Think about that while we continue our conversation. And then look what he says next. He goes, but to answer your question,

you know the commandments. You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father. He starts listening to 10 commandments, but he skipped over no other God but me, which he just asked, do you really believe I'm your Lord?

And he goes, you know the commands. He knows this guy's heart. He knows that you're trying to say, What do I must do? How do I do the right list so I can earn it? And before he says, What's next? This verifies that what's next, if you take out this first part, you might think it's snarky. It says, The

teacher man replied, and notice he's dropped good off of it, I've obeyed all these commandments since I was young. So he gets it. He's like, exactly what Jesus was probably. Do you really believe I'm a good teacher? Really? And then he says, all right, you do this. And he goes, got it. I aced the test. I'm in.

He wanted to be self justified. He wanted to know that I don't have to change. I'm good enough. I'm there. I'm a good person. I do those things. I'm in. And Jesus knew that's not right. But it says, looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. You understand? So what he says next is love. It's love.

It rattles his cage, but it's love. Because Jesus knows sometimes you gotta rattle a cage for someone to realize they're in one. But he doesn't get it. He goes, okay. Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. He says, there's still one thing you haven't done.

He told him, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.

He basically addressed the first commandment. You think you got this right? You think you can earn this? The truth is you have another God. You have another God. You like to listen to the parts you can listen and say, I'm a good person. But there is something else.

Was not telling him that salvation is found in giving everything away.

This is an Abraham and Isaac moment where God asked Abraham to sacrifice his one son, the son of the promise that he's supposed to... He was gonna create Israel and this great nation from. And after he was like a teenager, he comes... God comes and says, want you to sacrifice him. Israel did it. I mean, Abraham chose to do it. But in Hebrews, in the New Testament, it says he... Here's what he figured out. He trusted God's promise anyways. He goes, he's either gonna stop me, or if he does die, he'll raise him from the dead because I already believe his promise. So even though he's asking me to do something completely opposite to me, I'm gonna believe. Jesus was giving him a moment to realize you can't self justify.

You do have something else. And if you really believe I'm the good teacher, you will surrender that idol. That's all... You say you have to be willing. And so he said it. Gonna do able

do to Look what he says. This, the man's face fell and he went away sad do for he had many possessions.

Dude, he didn't even have a follow-up. He's like he's like like what kids do. My grandkids did. They heard something. He's like, that's not what I wanted to hear. I wanna hear that what I am is already good enough, and I don't really... I can believe in you, but I don't really have to believe you. And so he goes...

Like your kid does when they want a fifteenth snack.

Basically, like your kid does, when they find out, then they go, you're not listening to me. And what what they mean by that is you're not giving me the answer I want. He said he did that because he had many things. And he says, Follow me, store your treasure in heaven. He says exactly what he's saying in this

Matthew passage. He says, Are you willing to really trust me with that too? Or did you just wanna know I can keep living my life the way is as long as I'm a nice guy over here? Is that you?

Do you come to church? You're like, I'm a good person. I believe in Jesus. I worship him. I try to do good things. But don't talk to me about money. If that's you, you are this guy. And that's why every time it comes up, you walk away sad.

Some of you are sad because you think, I don't have enough money. I'm in debt. I can't. Yes, you can. Story of a widow's mite. She had nothing, and she gave anyways. And guess what? God took care of her. That's the point.

The point is you get to a low enough level. You're like, like, if you have nothing, you make nothing. That's why I asked for a percentage. You can give a 100% of nothing. You know, I'm gonna give a 100% of what I make right now. There you go, God. But it's not about that. It's about, I believe you, God.

I believe you take care of me. This guy couldn't get that. Some of us were Americans. The American expression, you're not walking away sad. You're walking away mad. And then we listen to the lie devil. You know what he likes do? He likes to manipulate and say, you know, did God really say that?

And then we say, you know, the idea of tithing and giving first, that's Old Testament. That's Old Testament. You realize in the Old Testament they gave about 30%, and they didn't even know Jesus and have the Holy Spirit?

So you think Jesus came and gave us the real life and the Holy Spirit? He says, you know what? The first thing I want you to do is be less generous. Wanna give you... I want you to give later and less. And he says, but it says give with a joyful heart. Exactly. Well, I don't have a joyful heart.

You know why? Because where you put your money, your heart goes. That's why. And so he's just, this guy walked away. Is that you? Because the truth is is what has my heart is because it has my eyes because I believe it's an idol. I... I'm believing it's gonna give me something.

And God challenged us to give first because what he's saying is, I'm not just trying to remove an idol. I'm trying to restore your heart to me because I already love you. And if you can't trust me with this, it's why you won't trust me with most anything else.

If you can trust me with this and show that I love you and care for you, it gets a lot easier to trust Him in other ways. And we get stuck. And that's one of the signs that it might be an idol. Do you fear the loss of wealth even when you have it?

Does wealth equal worth to you? Does your standard of living drive your standard of giving or the other way around? Does it does... Do you compromise your faith? Does your family sacrifice? And ask yourself, do I avoid obeying any costly call? Is it resisted in me?

You see, that's the science because what has your heart will have your trust. And if money has your heart, the American expression of what has my trust is my life is more dependent upon money than it is on God. When the Biblical expression is, I will trust the Father. Because look what he says next. Verse 25.

That is why some translations say therefore. When I was in seminary, a seminary professor said when you're studying scripture, you always have to ask what's the therefore, therefore. And what that means is therefore, that is why means what he's about to say is directly connected to what he just said.

He said, If you have two masters, you're gonna worry. He says, The heart of worry and anxiety and fear and getting angry over money or getting scared of money is because you're trying to serve it and God. That's what he's saying. He's connecting the dots.

And so he says, that is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life, whether you have enough food and drink and clothes to wear. Life is more than food. Your body is more than clothing. Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly father feeds them so God takes care of our needs. And aren't you far more valuable to them than they are? We are valuable to God. He loves us already.

Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? The reason we worry is because if I don't listen to God, I am in control and I am responsible.

And the why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing. Yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown in the fire tomorrow when we're built for eternity, He will certainly care for you. He'll care for me. He'll care for us.

And then He says, Why do you have so little faith? What He's saying is, Why do you say you believe in Me, but why do you constantly not believe Me on important things? So don't worry about these things. Saying that, what will we drink? What will we wear? Will the Cardinals ever win another game? These things

dominate the thoughts of unbelievers. But your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the kingdom of God above all else and live righteously. The kingdom first, and live rightly. Righteously doesn't mean perfect. It means rightly, meaning I will trust him, and I will put things in the right order. And if you do,

he says, and he will give you everything you need. See, if I'm focused on money and life, I don't want everything I need. I want everything I want.

And that's where the anxiety comes from.

So don't worry about tomorrow for tomorrow. It brings its own worries. We're always worried. And that's what happens when we trust. Why? Because like I said, idols promise things that only God can deliver.

And money is one of the biggest ones. There's three things in particular that we keep thinking this is what money gives And why we don't want to give because and give first and do it trust God with it is because we think that we need the money for these three things that I'll throw them up here.

The false promises, security, satisfaction, and freedom. We think that we get security with money. I'll be secure. And we think enough means nothing bad will happen. We saw that Matthew 26. There's no guarantee for tomorrow. We saw that last week with the farmer that has built bigger barns.

And then we think it'll give us satisfaction, but we've seen over and over again, money does not give satisfaction. It gives us an insatiable desire for more. You... Because think about think about the first car you had. You thought when you first got that car because you had no car, and you're like, you were so proud of that piece of junk.

And now, if you went back and said, God gave you a car. Here's the car you have to drive. It was that original car and not the old one that's fixed up all nice. It's literally like the original one, not changed. You would say, why does God hate me?

The first place you lived when you were on your own. I have freedom. It's so great. I'm so happy. If you had to live in that that that that that place again, you'd be, why does God... We naturally want more and more and more because money and the satisfaction it brings is like chips and salsa. Like I always say,

more and more, you need more and more to feel less and less good. And the problem is you never get full. You have two options. They run out, three options. You run out, you die, or you just throw up. And even if you throw up, you'll come back a few days later and do it again. We never learn our lesson.

Every time. If I can just get to here, I'll be okay. I'm just kidding. Howard Hughes was a billionaire. Was, dude, you keep making money. How much is enough? You know what he said? Just a little bit more. The Bible talks about... Go read one Timothy. In one Timothy six,

he talks about craving riches, traps, and wounds, and that's all we do. Riches just makes us want more riches. That is what drives the gambling industry and destroys lives. You gamble, you win a little bit.

If people just won a little and stopped, gambling would be a bad deal. But people win a lot, and they get up a bunch, and you're like, I can have so much more. And that's what we do. And then freedom. We end up enslaved in debt. We end up enslaved. We run after all these things, and it doesn't give freedom.

Because what God... Where you get security from God is you trust his purpose. Where you get truly satisfaction is you have the discipline. That's to live rightly. I will trust him and go that way. And He promises you will be satisfied if you trust me.

And then freedom is He wants to free us, not enslave us. And we see it backwards. How much is enough? So what I'm asking you do is you don't have to change anything in this way. Guys, I'm just trying to get us to see it this way.

I'm not trying to take anything from anybody. I'm trying to get us what God wants. And this might be cage rattling because we need to see that we're in one. Money as an idol is the cage. So take this heart test this week. Last week, I said, look at your finances. Take this heart test, this heart audit,

because this will help you find out what determines whether I'm at peace. What most determines whether I'm at peace or not? Ask yourself these three questions. What do I fear losing? What do I think I need to be okay? And what am I unwilling to surrender to follow Jesus?

This is where this could be. If you got the money thing down, this might open your eyes to something else.

But don't be someone who it is money, and you avoid money and go to that secondary idol. Be honest about the money. Don't avoid it. Because here's what it looks like. Because if we don't, here's where we get stuck. When you don't understand it's the heart of the matter is a matter of the heart,

and our eyes are fixated on the only thing we've ever seen, the clockwise movement of spend save then give, and we see it wrong, here's what ends up happening when it says, give first. Give your best. Give what's called a tithe, not a tip.

There's a reason why God asked for us to it. But if we don't understand the heart of the matter, here's all we think of that is. We think that God is a repo man driving in that moving truck. This... We couldn't get a moving truck out here. I wanted to, but they said I would destroy the equipment.

That And would be bad stewardship. So imagine this is this repo. We think it's a moving truck that's a repo man driving up. He goes, I'm here to repossess your money. And so he comes and he grabs... Goes into the heart that your garage, your your heart, and he goes, I'm gonna take your money.

And then you just sit here and watch him drive off with your money, and you wonder, how am I gonna survive? He took it from me. When we already learned last week, he gave us everything. He's not taking anything from us. He's saying, I want you in absolute trust to give me part of what you gave back.

And you know what? I taught my kids this. When they were little, I'd give them 10 dimes. I'm gonna give you 10 dimes. And we can go to that store that you can get candy for 75¢. Can buy what you can do whatever you want with it. The rest, I go, great. And they go, but can dad keep one of them?

Do you know what all three of my kids did when I did this when they were little? They said, you could have two.

You know why? They completely understood the fact that that was all my dimes that I gave them. If we've settled the ownership issue and we know that everything I have came from God, we have no problem giving 10% back. It's a little box.

So he's not taking it. He's backing up and saying, I'm asking for you to give this. Because where I'm gonna take it is I'm gonna take it, and it's gonna turn into stories like Jerry's. Eternity's gonna be changed with what would you do with that 10%? What would you do with that anyways?

But we're like, yeah. But he doesn't leave yet. He goes, but I am a repo man also. I'm going in and I'm gonna take some other stuff. Like, what? Yes.

God is gonna take something when we give. He's gonna take something. He's gonna take many things. Like, what else is he gonna take? What's he gonna take? Oh, no. I'm so scared. I'm so afraid. Funny you should say that because that's the other box I'm taking. I'm gonna take fear and anxiety. That goes with it. Because when I choose to trust him in this way, he can now take this away. That's why he said right here, this is why I say don't worry. Seek ye first the kingdom of God.

Give, save, spend. And anxiety will go with it. Anxiety will go... You know what else will go with it?

Image management. Image control. The fact that I gotta keep up with the Joneses,

the fact that I get frustrated. You know, and it's easy to fall for that even when you're doing it right. I live in a house that's 26 years old. When I moved in eleven years ago, the people don't... Had already fixed it up a little bit. So I moved in and I have the nicest house on the street. We're now 26 years old. Almost every house on my block has started remodeling.

And now I'm like, I think I have the worst house on the street. And you know what? There's a little bit that lie in my heart goes, I'm falling behind.

You know? And I go, but I don't need that. Then I think about what God's done. I'm like, no. Don't need to worry about that. Anyway, now if I get blessed, we'll figure it out. Maybe, you know, if I do my money right, I I could figure out how to fix up my house. He's not opposed to me doing that. It's just don't feel compelled.

I don't have to worry about that. Wealth is not worth. It's not. And he'll take that. And the and then other things, but I'm worried. I'm worried about that. You know why? Because you gotta let him, and he's gonna take control with him. Because when you let control of money,

you will let a a glow of control of all other things. This is the domino that trips the rest. And and and so it's like Jerry even said, hey, once I did the money thing, then I said maybe I should serve. Maybe I should just... It's like it it was the dominoes that flipped all the others.

Because money controls it so much. If I can trust God with that, everything else kinda gets easier. And so all the control goes. And here's what I've known. This, the need to control, because if I'm facing money, if I'm trying to do it on my own, I am trying to manage a 100% of my money, 100% on my own to try to go a 100% after what I think money will give me that only God gives me. How about 90%

with God completely involved? See where that goes. You don't need to control. And that's where the worry goes away and the fear. Because here's what I've noticed. In all my years of counseling, I have noticed that every person, almost every person that has control issues struggles with fear and anxiety.

Because you're trying to do a job you weren't built for. You're in over your head, and it's going to your head and messing with your head. And then he goes, and you know what? And the last one I take with all that, it all adds up. So I'm gonna take a big old block of discontent

because that's that insatiable desire for more.

And I will be content because it'll teach me and I will learn that I didn't die.

And God took care of me, and now I can be content. Or as Paul called it, Paul said this, I've learned to have a little. I've learned to have a lot. And I know because it's more about Christ and all this. In other words, bottom line, you know what he said? The secret to contentment is wanting what you have.

If you want what you have, you'll be content. You'll be content. And so then he loads all this stuff.

All I had to do was offer this stuff. And he goes, All right, let me take this stuff. He'll come back and bring loads to put back in your heart. And it's basically the opposite of these boxes. It's called the fruit of the spirit. As you try, all of sudden you get peace, joy, patience, kindness, love.

You'll start to go, That's what I really wanted, that I wanted the money to buy. But he first takes this. He takes this, and then the Holy Spirit comes out here to take it away. We call the Holy Spirit Tim.

Thanks Tim, the Holy Spirit. And instead of sitting here going, oh no, you're taking my money. Where's my money? How am I gonna live? You're like, hashtag blessed. That's blessing. That's what God does, amen? That's why we give first. That's why when you have very little money, trust him then.

Don't wait because if you wait, you won't. You won't. If you won't trust them with a little, you will never trust them with a lot. You'll never trust them with a lot. I've had wealthy people say, Well, I give, but I don't know if I can trust this church with that much money.

As they put their kids in our children's ministry. How about you? Same thing? It's a heart issue. Because bottom line, money is useful. It can buy a house, but it can't make a home. It can't. It can it can buy medical care, but it can't guarantee health.

It can buy a comfortable bed, but it can't guarantee peaceful sleep. Just ask someone with a pinched nerve in his neck. It can buy entertainment, but not produce lasting joy. It can buy companionship, but not real love. It can buy a security system, but can't guarantee safety. It can it can it can buy opportunities,

but it can't give you your ultimate purpose. And you know what? Bottom line, it can fund a church, but it can't transform a heart. It funds the ministries that changed Jerry's life, but that was the Holy Spirit that did that. All the money did was give us the environment. Only Jesus transforms our heart.

Jesus is the good teacher.

Jesus is the great I am. Jesus is the Lord God Almighty. He is the author of life. He is life, and he loves us more than his own life. He gave it up for us. And he says, don't just believe in me. Believe me. And for many of us, we are serving two masters, and money is probably the primary one. What would God do in you if you said, I'm gonna surrender to this?

What would he do through that if we did?

But I'm not asking you to do anything about that yet. If you were honest about how you expressed money last week, now be honest about where your heart really is going. And then ask yourself, where do I want it to go? Because next week, we're gonna talk about what that vehicle is.

And if you didn't... If... Did anyone happen to notice which way those wheels were turning as it went off stage? Counterclockwise. But next week, we're gonna talk about that God gave us a vehicle that kills the idols. The money and any other idol too.

He gave us a vehicle. It is... It's it's it's it's like a tank. It's a weapon vehicle that that that that... It's a weapon and not just a a... It's a vehicle that's a weapon. Don't miss next week because we're gonna talk about that.

And that's all I'm asking us to do because the heart of the matter is it's a matter of the heart. Amen? Alright. Let's pray. Father God, thank you, Lord, for loving us so much and more than we can love ourselves.

And, Lord, I just I just pray for myself as much as anybody in this room and people watching online that we would hear the heart of what this talk is about. It's not just about obey and give. Lord, obeying you comes from knowing your love and seeking you.

Lord... And so it starts with what are we looking at? What's our eyes fixed on? So what I pray that myself and everyone in this room that we would get up each and every day and try to fix our eyes on you, the author and perfecter of our life and our faith.

Because, Lord, when we fix our eyes, we head that way. And when we head that way, our hearts go there. So, Lord, give us the clarity about that. Lay the Holy Spirit give us a heart audit this week. I just pray this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. Hey. Love you guys. Amen. And thank you pastor Bill.

Rock Point, I hope you guys feel encouraged from this message to to do a heart audit this week. And just ask who has your heart because who has your heart, has your trust. And like Jerry said in that testimony, his life didn't ultimately change until he started to trust God with everything.

So Rock Point, that's my hope and prayer for all of us including myself that we could do this week. Now if you need prayer, we have people who will pray with you and for you that is off to the prayer room right over there on the side. But other than that,

we we just can't wait to see you guys until next week, which is baptism weekend. So I hope you are coming ready to celebrate the life change next weekend. We'll see you then. Thanks for joining us online this weekend. You can stay connected with us through rockwind.io or our social media.