Love Worth Finding

Adrian Rogers: The greatest wealth that you have is not in the bank. If you have children, your greatest wealth is your children. People say, "Oh, children, they make a rich man poor." You've got it backward. They make a poor man rich.

A rich man can't take his money to heaven. I'm taking my children to heaven. I'm taking my children to heaven. Thank God for Christian family. Thank God for the things that really matter.

Cary Vaughn: Welcome to Love Worth Finding. Many of the root problems families have today could be categorized as money problems, financial struggles. Pastor, teacher, and author Adrian Rogers said, "We need to add up everything that we own that money cannot buy and death cannot take away, and praise God for that."

What might happen in your home if you did that today? In part one of this message, we learned that a lack of wealth cannot take away genuine contentment. The things that truly matter are the things that money cannot buy. But what happens when we love money more than the things that are priceless? What are our responsibilities when we do obtain wealth? If you have your Bible, turn to 1 Timothy 6, as Adrian Rogers delivers part two of "Family Finances."

Adrian Rogers: Now, it is the devil's plan to keep families in financial bondage. And we're going to look right here in the word of God and find out what God's word has to say about your money problems. You say, "Pastor, mine is not a money problem. It is a lack of money problem."

Whatever kind of a problem it is, it may not be truly a lack of money problem, and you think it is. Four words I want to write upon your heart: the word "lack," the word "loss," the word "love," and the word "luxury." They're all right here.

First of all, I want us to see something about the lack of wealth. And I want you to learn this: the lack of wealth cannot take away genuine commitment. Look, if you will, in verses six through eight of this passage again. "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out." Now, watch this. "And having food and raiment"—food and clothes—"let us be content."

One of the greatest things that most families need to learn is the difference between needs and wants. Many of us have wants that are not genuine needs. Now, the scripture tells us here that you only have two basic needs: food and clothes. That simplifies it. That's all you need. That's what the word of God says. That's all you need, that's all I need, is food and clothes. And the Bible says if you have that, be content.

Now, what is contentment? Contentment is an inner sufficiency that keeps us at peace in spite of outward circumstances. An inner sufficiency that keeps us in peace in spite of outward circumstances. Now, if you depend upon natural and material things for contentment, you will never have it. Where is contentment found? Look in the word of God. Look at it. Verse six: "But godliness with contentment is great gain." Now, if you are godly, you're wealthy.

Let me say this, that your personal value is revealed not by money, but by godliness. Your personal value. So many times, we look at a man, his stocks, bonds, real estate, cars, homes, and so forth, and we say, "Well, he's worth this" or "he's worth that." You cannot measure worth by money. Godliness is worth more than a bank account. That's what God's word says. And so, when you ask, "What is an individual worth?" what an insult to almighty God if you say he's worth what he thinks he owns.

If you want to know what any item is worth, do you know how to find out what an item is worth? Find out what somebody will pay for it. I don't care how much you think all that stuff is worth; try to sell it, and then you'll know what it's worth. What someone will pay for it. Any appraiser will tell you that. Isn't that true?

Now, folks, what are you worth? Jesus died for you. You're valuable. I mean, with his precious blood, he poured out his rich, red, royal blood for you, and you are valuable, and don't you ever, ever, ever measure your worth by your bank account. Don't you do that. I'm telling you, friend, that your personal value is revealed by godliness. Your personal virtue is revealed by godliness.

Now, here's the very first thing I want you to understand. Listen to what we've said. The lack of wealth cannot take away genuine contentment. If you have God in your family, you're rich. You're rich. All right. Now, here's the second thing I want you to learn: the loss of wealth is inevitable. Look, if you will, in verse seven. "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out."

Now, a lot of people don't believe that. They somehow think they're going to take it with them. I think I told you about a man who had heard that you can't take it with you, so he decided at least he would try. And so, he put all of his money in a big jug with a handle on it and put it in the attic. He was going to die in his house. The attic was right over his bedroom. He figured on the way up to heaven, he'd snatch that jug and see if he could take it with him.

Sure enough, he died. And after everybody had come and gone, the wife went up in the attic to see if the jug was still there. And you know what? It was still there. She thought, "Well, maybe he should have put it in the basement." Now, folks, whether you put it in the attic or whether you put it in the basement, you are not going to take it with you.

Look at this verse again. The Bible says we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we're going to carry nothing out. Now, we need to understand this. If you want to know how much you own, really, add up everything that you have that money cannot buy and that death cannot take away, because money talks. It says, "Goodbye." And if it doesn't say goodbye to you, you're going to say goodbye to it.

Now, the Bible says this, Proverbs chapter 23, verses four through six: "Labor not to be rich; cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not?"—that is, are you going to keep looking at nothing?—"For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven." And then, put down what old Job said in the book of Job 1, verse 21: "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither; the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

Folks, when you were born, you're born naked, and when you go, you're going to go stripped of all of this world's goods. And so, you don't need wealth to give you contentment. And number two, what you do accumulate, you're not going to be able to keep. When will we learn this? A countrywoman knew it when she said, "I wear this world like a loose garment." And that's the way we need to wear it.

The great missionary statesman Jim Elliot said, "A man is not a fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." There are certain things that we cannot keep. There are certain things that we cannot lose. Now, sooner or later, we're going to die, and they're going to have our funerals. If Jesus doesn't come first, we're going to die and they're going to have our funeral.

Now, I want you to imagine your funeral. Here you are, right here in the casket. And here's everybody coming by to look at you. Now, what do you want them to say about you? "Well, he really did spend long hours at the office. He really was a good business manager. He really knew the stocks and the bonds. He was a shrewd operator." Is that what you want them to say about you?

What do you want your children, your grandchildren, your wife, your husband—what do you want them to say about you? There you are. Do you know what prosperity is? Let me give you another word; sounds like "posterity." Prosperity is posterity. What are you leaving behind in the hearts and lives of your children? What are they going to say when they come and look into that casket at your funeral? They're not going to be talking primarily about your bank account. Again, listen: you can't take it with you. When will families learn this?

Now, here's the third thing I want you to learn. Now, remember, we're talking about the lack of wealth; then we talked about the loss of wealth. Now, let's talk about the love of wealth. Here's something: the love of wealth may be dangerous. Look, if you will, in verses eight and nine. "And having food and raiment, let us therewith be content. But they that will be rich"—now, what this literally means is not those who are going to be rich, it means those who determine to be rich.

Those who will to be rich. Those who say, "This is my life's goal." Those who will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." Is your desire, your ambition, to be a rich man, a rich woman?

Then you, my friend, are headed for disaster. You are walking on thin ice. Now, I'm not saying it's wrong to be rich. Many of the most godly in the Bible were rich. But if your burning ambition is to be rich, you're headed for trouble. And I'm telling you that this is what many people have as their goal in life: to be rich. And God's word is so clear about this.

If that is your goal, why is this? Well, sometimes you hear a person in a graduation, a commencement address, and he will say something like this concerning money. He will say, "Let me give you young people some advice. Make all the money you can, just so you make it honestly." Now, that sounds like good advice, but that's terrible advice. Terrible advice.

No man has the right to make all the money he can, because if he makes all the money he can, he's going to be making money when he ought to be doing something else. He's going to be making money when he ought to be spending time with his family. He's going to be making money when he ought to be in church. He's going to be making money when he ought to be praying. He's going to be making money when he ought to be sleeping. He's going to be making money when he ought to be fishing. Money will become his god if he makes all the money he can.

Now, the Bible teaches that you ought to be productive. And the Bible teaches investment. The Bible does not teach sloth. The Bible does not say that you're more spiritual because you're poor. Some of the meanest people I've ever met are poor people. It's true. Some of the nicest people I've ever met are successful people. Now, when I say success, let me reiterate that: people who have a lot of money. Success is not measured by wealth or poverty. It is measured by godliness.

But I want you to listen to me. If your desire, if your burning goal, if the thing that consumes you is to be rich, then you're headed for trouble if that is your priority. And many people who desire to be rich become victims of get-rich-quick schemes. The Bible says in Proverbs 28 and verse 20, "A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent."

Now, you say, "Well, Pastor, what is my relationship to these things?" Well, doesn't the Bible say that godliness with contentment is great gain? So what, therefore, is my ambition? To be rich? No, it's Matthew 6:33: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Now, God knows you have need of things. God knows that you have need of food and clothing.

Not only does God want you to have your needs met, but God is a good God, as we're going to see, who's going to give you a lot of things you don't need just because he loves you. And God is not a God who is a cosmic killjoy, who makes you squirm like a worm in hot ashes. God is not saying that all I want you to have is food and clothes. That's not what God is saying. But God is saying that's all you really need. And if you have me and food and clothes, you can be content.

That's what he's saying. Now, notice verse 17: "Charge them"—charge them—"that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life."

Now, here's the fourth and final thing: the luxury of wealth brings responsibility. And by the way, I would say, by and large, we are all luxuriously wealthy compared to most of the people in the world. Now, let me tell you this, the word "responsibility" goes with the luxury of wealth. You see, we are stewards; we're not owners. I mean, God says, "What do you have that you've not received?"

The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof. All God has done is loaned it to you. God has made you a steward over it; you're not an owner. Now, if you think you're an owner, you don't understand the Bible. Now, let me tell you the difference between a steward and an owner. An owner has rights; a steward has responsibilities. God is the owner; he's the one with the rights. We are the stewards; we have responsibilities.

The Bible says a steward is a man who is to be found faithful. Now, I've talked to you about the financial bondage of those who don't have much and have put themselves in debt. Did you know that you can be wealthy and be in financial bondage? Did you know that? Let me tell you about the financial bondage of the wealthy. A wealthy man is in financial bondage if he seeks satisfaction in his money.

Why? Because he will never find it. Did you know that even a poor man has an advantage over a wealthy man? At least the poor man has hope that "if I could get enough, I'd be happy." The rich man says, "I have it, and I'm still not happy." He doesn't even have the hope anymore. So there's the financial bondage of the rich when they seek satisfaction in their ownership.

All right, I'm going to tell you again, a wealthy man is in financial bondage when his wealth increases his worries. Now, think about it. There are people today who cannot get a good night's sleep, not because of their poverty, but because of their wealth. Proverbs 15, verse 6 says, "In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble." Now, if your revenue is based somehow upon your inordinate desire to get rich, all you've bought for yourself is trouble.

You've pierced yourself through with many sorrows. A rich man is in financial bondage when he becomes a slave to his money. I mean, if you're a slave to your money, you're still in bondage. The Bible says in Proverbs 23, verse 4, "Labor not to be rich." That is, you are a laborer; you are in bondage. Money is a wonderful servant; it's a poor master. A rich man is in bondage when he has no treasure in heaven.

"Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven." A rich man is poor and in bondage if he dies a Christless death. Proverbs 11 and verse 4: "Riches profit not in the day of wrath." "Here God, here's a few millions, Lord; here's a few thousands, Lord God. Let me on into heaven." No. Riches profit not in the day of wrath. So, what are the responsibilities of the luxury of wealth?

Well, let's look at them and see. Number one, be humble. Notice verse 17: "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded." Hey, folks, if you've got more than somebody else, don't you strut yourself. You're not better than somebody else because you happen to have more. Be humble. Warren Wiersbe says material wealth is either a window through which we see God or a mirror in which we see ourselves.

Number two, be trustful. Don't trust in uncertain riches, but trust in the living God. You think you've got much goods laid up for many years? Friend, an air bubble can hit your brain in the next 15 seconds. What good is your money then? Next, be joyful. Notice again what he says: "But in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." Again, God is not a cosmic killjoy.

God is not trying to say, "I want to keep you poor, I want to keep you down in the dust." No, God is a good God. The Lord thy God is a sun and a shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. And the devil will get you to think that somehow God doesn't want you to have a good time, but he does. God gives us richly all things to enjoy.

And if God has given you a fine house, and God has given you a fine car, and God has given you a bank account, and God has given you good things, I am so happy for you. That's wonderful! Just don't trust in it. Don't trust in that. Trust in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. Be humble. Be trustful. Be joyful. And last of all, be generous.

If God has given you much, look at it here: "That they may be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate." Don't squeeze it and hold it. You are a steward; it belongs to God. God has given you wealth; it is an opportunity, and it is an obligation. Now, listen to me. The greatest wealth that you have is not in the bank. If you have children, your greatest wealth is your children.

People say, "Oh, children, they make a rich man poor." You've got it backward. They make a poor man rich. A rich man can't take his money to heaven. I'm taking my children to heaven. I'm taking my children to heaven. Thank God for Christian family. Thank God for the things that really matter. Godliness with contentment is great gain. And that godliness comes when we give our hearts to Jesus Christ and trust him as our Lord and Savior.

Would you begin to pray for your own heart? Just pray, "Dear God, I want to be godly so I can be content. God, I want to be godly so I can give you glory." The Bible says, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life." And it comes by believing on the name of the Son of God. Now, if you want that assurance, here's what I want you to do.

I want you to pray this prayer. "Dear God, I'm a sinner. My sin deserves judgment, but I need mercy. Jesus, you paid for my sin with your blood on the cross. You died to save me if I would trust you. I do trust you. I believe you're the Son of God. I believe you died for my sin on that cross. Thank you for doing that. I believe that God raised you from the dead. And right now, right now, right now, this moment, this very moment, I receive you as my Lord and Savior. Come into my heart. Forgive me. Cleanse me. Save me. And begin now to make me the person you want me to be. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Cary Vaughn: And if you prayed to receive Jesus Christ, we want to celebrate with you and invite you to our "Discover Jesus" page. There at the website, you'll find answers you may need about your newfound faith, as well as a response section you can share your testimony with us or tell us how this message has impacted you. Go to lwf.org/radio and click on the tab that says "Discover Jesus." Welcome to God's forever family. We can't wait to hear from you.

Hi, this is Cary Vaughn, and this program has been brought to you by Love Worth Finding, a nonprofit ministry showcasing the powerful preaching and teaching of Pastor Adrian Rogers. We operate solely through the generous gifts of individual supporters just like you. So to give a gift today, call 1-877-LOVEGOD. That's 1-877-LOVEGOD.

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