In a previous post we took a look at Jesus instructions to the disciples about the establishment of the church. The bedrock and foundation of faith…. that Jesus is the son of the living God His coming death and resurrection… which meant He would soon be leaving them They would receive the keys of administration to manage the functions of the church… with authority to make decision about applying the law etc. They too must take up their cross putting to death the old person and becoming a new person. Jesus ended that session of teaching with a promise… that some of them would see Him in the power and glory of the Kingdom before they tasted death. View this message on YouTube - Jesus Teaches About Greatness in the Kingdom of GodMatt 17: 1-13 A Glimpse of Jesus as He Will be In the KOGJesus took his three closest disciples (Peter, James, and John) up the mountain… while there they are allowed to see Him in His glorified state… very similar to what we read in the first chapter of Revelation… shining with bright light like the sun etc. This amazing vision would have provided much needed reassurance from the Father to strengthen Jesus’ resolve to go to Jerusalem and face crucifixion. The vision includes Moses and Elijah who talk to Him about His upcoming death Luke 9:31 (presumably they represent the law and the prophets urging Him on). Also, the voice of the Father speaks affirming Jesus is on the right path… poof then it’s over.No doubt the memory of this would also help the disciples get through the troubles and trials the church would face after Jesus’ death… likewise we too should think about the glory that awaits as a way to get through the daily grind of trial testing and suffering.Once again He tells them not to speak of what they have just seen until after He has risen from the tomb. They still do not understand the true nature of the messiah and are not ready to start teaching others about it (Mark 9:10 - They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what "rising from the dead" meant).They also had questions about Elijah showing they are still thinking in terms of national restoration and the conquering victorious messiah. The disciples still did not really understand what Jesus was telling them about the path to glory that comes through enduring trials, suffering and even persecution… they seem to be aware that He is telling them that He is establishing some sort of new community of chosen ones… but how will this community of chosen ones interact with the world? What will their status be? Are they about to become Kings and Priests? What will they have authority over? Who will be in charge?Matt 17: 14-23 Jesus Example of Patience and CompassionAs soon as Jesus and the three disciples arrive back from the mountain they meet a large noisy crowd. The disciples who had remained behind had tried to heal a demon possessed boy… but they had failed. Scribes and naysayers were disputing with them and then the father of the boy runs up to Jesus seeking His help.What a way to come off a great spiritual high… But, as always Jesus is patient and compassionate… a perfect example of the principles of loving authority and true greatness He is about to begin teaching at length in chapter 18.Matt 17:24-27 - Is The Church Subject To Worldly Authority?Before jumping into the main body of what Jesus has to say about greatness in the KOG Matthew records an interesting interchange with the Jews who collected the temple tax… interesting because it makes a point about the present authority of the church… and its relation to human government.The temple tax was not a law recorded in OT scripture. It was a law of the Jews (base on an obscure interpretation of Exodus 30:13). Jesus’ point to Peter is… the children of God are not commanded to pay this tax (it’s not required by God’s law)… but so as not to offend we will pay it. Even though we are children of the most high… we submit ourselves to worldly authority (except where it requires us to disobey

Tithing is a physical discipline intended to teach spiritual  principles: one of these spiritual principles is understanding that our physical possessions are not our own. Every piece of land, every animal, every plant belongs to God who created them, Psalm 50:10-12. He has given human beings control over all the earth's resources [have dominion, rule over etc]... but God retains ownership [refer to handout] The handout referred to is a listing of scriptures. Here is a link to the sheet https://www.ucg.org/files/sermons/all_things_belong_to_god.docx Tithing In the Old CovenantWhen God acted to establish Israel as a nation on the world scene He gave them the land of Canaan. The territory belonged to God. He took it from its previous tenants and granted full use of its resources and bounty to Israel Deuteronomy 4:1. This gift of land was formalized in a covenant agreement between Himself and Israel [commonly called the old covenant or Mt. Sinai covenant] Within Go’s covenant with Israel He gave  instructions regarding tithes and first fruits Leviticus 27:30-32 or Deuteronomy 14:22. The physical act of tithing was meant to acknowledge basic spiritual and eternal truths.The people were to always offer a small percentage from the increase of their crops and herds back to God. This act would serve as a reminder that God was the true owner of these lands, plants, and animals. Even though Israel was given complete control over the resources of Canaan, God retained ownership Leviticus 25:23  tithes could be likened to rent paid by tenants. These offerings to God [the true owner] were to come first, after which, Israel could use the remaining portion as they chose Deuteronomy 26:1-15, Leviticus 19:23-25. Some read these instructions and say they only itemize agricultural produce. The self serving conclusion drawn is that agricultural products are the only items subject to the tithe. Does this mean people who made their living at a trade such as carpenter, or an accountant, didn't tithe?The Economy of IsraelGod's part in the covenant with Israel was a grant of land. Which He subsequently fulfilled. God also would provide blessings of good weather for crops and protection from invaders who wanted to take the land away from them.  The covenant picture of Israel was built on a foundation of all the good things this land would produce. The land would allow them to raise crops and herds. But is that meant to be the limit of items to offer a tithe from? Re-read Leviticus 27:30, it starts off saying “all the tithe of the land”, then lists grain, fruit and herds as examples.  Suppose a man of Israel was given a piece of land which had deposits of tin, copper, or gold which he then mines, shouldn't he first acknowledge God's prior claims to ownership with a tithe? Haggai 2:8. What about processed goods that are not direct products of the field or herd but rather products created by human ingenuity derived from those crops or animals? For example: wine, oil, leather goods, or dairy. Note: tithing on oil and wine are specifically addressed in Deuteronomy 14:23. The covenant language does not make specific reference to eggs, milk, or cheese, but shouldn't these be tithed upon as wealth gained from the land in the same way as wine and oil? What about textiles derived from sheep's wool or cotton plants? The language of the covenant was intended to provide a principle to be applied in all areas of life rather than a complete, exhaustive, 4,000 page listing of items subject to tithe. The principle was that Israel should offer up a tithe of all the wealth they were able to generate as a result of controlling the land. God also told Israel that He was the one who gave them the power to "get wealth" Deuteronomy 8:18. The carpenter receives the power he has to swing a hammer from God. The accountant has the wit and understanding to tally numbers from God. Shouldn't they too acknowledge that God has given him the

In the previous portion of Jesus Sermon we discusses 6 illustrations of greater righteousness that showed Jesus teaching the spiritual application of laws, statutes, judgments etc. and showing how they were to be written upon our hearts and minds. I called this the sermon’s core…Sermon’s Core II: 3 Illustrations of Greater Righteousness in Good Works (done towards God)Jesus now teaches about good works… namely giving to the poor, prayer, and fasting. This is not meant to be a complete list of good works. Rather, like the previous section they are a sampling used to illustrate how good works are to be offered up to God rather than used to enhance our status.In each of these three illustrations Jesus describes the all too common hypocritical approach and contrasts it with an approach that is from the heart. And in this He offers a very simple technique for testing your own motivations. The Greek word hypocrite literally means an actor, so we have the idea of one who plays a role that is not reflecting his own character. In Jesus’ examples this person plays his role to be seen doing it by other people. Perhaps it feeds his or her vanity or perhaps it improves their social status. They may be deceiving themselves that these righteous acts tip the scales of judgment in their favor… making up for unresolved sin in other parts of their lives…As an antidote to hypocrisy and mere role playing Jesus proposes the idea that we do these in private or secret… an act that takes place between you and God… a spiritual matter. God can tell a lot about you by what you do when there is no one there to see you. Neither I, nor anyone else here can ever know that part of you. I might fool you, I might fool everybody else here. I might deceive myself… which is a bit harder, but I cannot fool God. He knows what’s really going on.Notice that each of these examples ends with the phrase “and your Father who sees in secret will reward you”.Vs 6:1-4 Generosity & Giving—To the Jews charity to the poor was huge… in the fact the word for charity is the same word used for righteousness. They tended to view this and other good works as a means to gain merit with God… and often as a way to publically demonstrate their superior status economically and spiritually. Jesus instructs us to test the compassion in our hearts by continuing to do this good deed … but to do it in secret, before God alone.Vs 6:5-15 Prayer—Jesus describes the wrong way to pray and then offers guidance regarding the right way to pray. Prayer was top priority for the Jew… They had formal prayers to recite when they got up, they had prayer before and after each meal; there were prayers in connection with the light, the fire, the lightning, new moons, comets, rain, storms, at the sight of the sea, lakes, rivers, on receiving good news, on using new furniture, on entering or leaving a city… They also had set times for prayer 9am… 12 noon… 3pm. So, if you were at a busy street corner at noon you would simply begin to pray with your head bowed and your hands up in the air… hmm Mordecai certainly seems to just happen to be on the street corner at the stroke of 12 an awful lot… wow that guy can pray! I’m sure God hears him… I certainly can.There is a time for public and communal prayer but Jesus instructs us that our prayers are primarily to be unto God with a sincere heart… where there is no one to show off for (I would think if we were trying to show off to God in prayer we’d feel pretty ridicualous). Jesus then gives us an example of a heartfelt personal prayer (more of an outline) commonly called the Lord’s Prayer. There is a good balance of intimacy with our creator who loves us as children… with respect and reverence for Him as supreme head of all that exists… and acknowledgement of His sovereign will… and a special emphasis on forgiveness and reconciliation.Vs 6:17-18 Fasting—is a good thing for drawing close to God but not if you are doing it to show off how spiritual you are. The Jews

God our Father has placed the principle of honoring our parents within His 10 commandments Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:15. So we know it’s a highly important matter to Him. Yet its sometimes hard to be certain of exactly what is expected in fulfilling God’s 5th commandment.We’re going to look at what is expected under ideal circumstances... and why. Also, we’ll look at what might be expected under less than ideal circumstances, even rotten circumstances… and why. If one’s parents are among those who live according to the principles of Godly living and we get along well with them, the idea of honor toward parents is more straight forward. When we are young we should obey our parents and pay attention to their instruction and discipline. Later, when we are older, we leave and set up our own household. We then make our own choices and are responsible for those choices. When we marry and have children we then assume the role of parents ourselves. But that does not mean we have no further responsibilities toward our own parents.If our parents become incapable of taking care of themselves through sickness, disability, or the natural decline of old age, we should help and assist them.Whether we are young or old we should never strike our parents in anger or frustration. We should not speak harshly to them. We should not speak about them to others in a manner that is hateful, dismissive, or demeaning. An affectionate, harmonious relationship with your parents certainly makes following God’s command to show honor to parents seem a lot more natural. However, it still requires self control and sacrifice even when you both share the same faith towards God.Related Scriptures: Do obey them – Colossians 3:20, Ephesians 6:1-2 Do submit to their discipline – Hebrews 12:9, Proverbs 13:1 Do provide for them – 1 Timothy 5:4, Matthew 15:3-7 Do Not strike or verbally abuse them – Matthew 15:3-7, Exodus 21:15,17Note: some people point to this as an example of the impracticality and harshness of the scriptures: “if you try to follow this literally every child would end up dead”. How among us has not violated this command in some form as children?Exodus 22:18-21 this is not a punishment for a single infraction rather it is for one who is habitually disobedient. the parents do not take such action into their own hands… they submit the charge to the legal authorities of the community. In that way the act could not be one based on emotion or momentary rage, rather it would have to be a deliberate decision based on evidence. the parents fulfill the role of the 2 witnesses who bring the evidence forward. By law a person who was ever found to be a false witness would bring upon themselves the very punishment they sought to bring upon the accused. Both parents would have to agree that this was the only course of action By the laws of witnessing in a court case if the parents were ever found to be lying they would be the ones put to death instead of their child As the accusing witness(es) the parent would have to cast the first stone only then would the rest of the community also cast their stones. This would be highly emotionally painful and culturally shaming. It would not be an action lightly taken.However, God views habitual disobedience towards parents to be a form of cultural rot that should be cut out of the community like a cancer. Romans 1:29, 1 Timothy 3:2Clearly honoring your mother and father is a big deal to God. The instructions and consequences we have just gone through are based on a scenario involving parents who are themselves leading godly lives and who follow God’s instructions.What About Parents Who Make Bad Choices?Lots of parents out there do not live godly lives. Even parents who try to live according to God’s way can make terrible mistakes. Some people’s parents are abusive, some are neglectful, some are addicts, selfish, foolish, lazy or unfair. Under such circumstances following God’s command to honor parents can seem strange and d

Our world has some serious problems. Humanity seek to solve them through better technology, better distribution of material goods… and lots of wishful thinking. The real answers to humanity’s quest for meaningful and joyful living are spiritual not material. Those answers are available within the message of the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ.The creator makes that knowledge available in a written document [bible]. Understanding of what that document is actually there to teach us is darkened, confused, seemingly contradictory, seemingly discredited. God has allowed it to be so.God has provided a beacon of right teaching, true doctrine, and spiritual understanding to cut through the fog. That beacon of light in a darkened world is the church. Not a nation, not an organization… a spiritual organism drawing from all humanity. A body of people commissioned as servants of Jesus Christ to take the message of the kingdom an of Christ to the world. Matthew 28:18-20.It is God’s will and purpose to work through humans as partners. At one time He worked through a physical entity… a nation, Israel. At present He works through a spiritual entity… the church of God. A spiritual entity operating in a very material world. God provides for this very spiritual work in this very material world through tithing. When you tithe you not only honor God with your possessions, you partner with Him is accomplishing His spiritual goals for this world.A Tithe is a 10th of Your Increase or Net GainLeviticus 27:30-33 a tenth partDeuteronomy 14:22 on the increase, gain, or profitThe reality of life on earth is that everything belongs to the Creator. God just lets you use it for a while. When you are gone it passes to another. Deuteronomy 8:17-18 we are wrong when we think it belongs to usDeuteronomy 28:47 we are to serve Him willingly, which includes showing honor towards Him with our material goods by giving 10% back to Him [of what is really His anyway].Tithing is a Form of WorshipTithing is a form of worship that exists outside the bounds of the covenant God made with Israel. Abraham tithed hundreds of years before the covenant was put in place with Israel. Abraham gave 10% of what he gained. He gave it to the high priest of God… which at that time was Melchizadek. Abraham honored God with his material goods and gave thanks for the blessing from God [the blessing of victory]. Genesis 14:18-20Genesis 28: 20-22 when God reaffirms the covenant He made with Abraham through Jacob [Abraham’s grandson]… Jacob responds with a declaration of loyalty and a dedication to tithing… I will worship you through titihing. [to Melchizadek?]Tithing is part of the covenant of faith that began with Abraham and which remains today for the people of God.Tithing in the Sinai CovenantGod established Israel in the land of Canaan to perform His great work in the world. To act as a living demonstration of His way of living among the nations which they could admire and imitate. With this new method of revealing Himself to humanity there was also a change in the administration of the priesthood. Instead of the order of Melchizadek the tribe of Levi were set apart to do the priestly work of God on earth [the role of high priest was delegated specifically to the family of Aaron].Numbers 18:21-24 the priests would not work the land to make a living, they would do the work of God… temple service… sacrifices… teaching the word of God to the people. Numbers 18:26-28 they in turn tithed to the High PriesthoodTithing Badly Neglected in IsraelWhen Judah was expelled from the land for violating the terms of the national covenant they were condemned by God to 70 years of exile in Babylon and Persia. Once the 70 years were up a small group headed by Ezra and Nehemiah were sent back to re-establish the nation.Neglecting God’s commands had become a way of living and thinking for these people and it would take some hard work to get the people set back on the right path. A lot the responsibility for

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 does this mean we should not allow ourselves to be sad when faced with the loss of a friend, comrade and brother? We know they have a future. We know they will be resurrected. We know we will see them again. Why are we still sad? Is our sadness a weakness of faith… a pull of doubt against our confidence? What is Grief?Grief can be hard to explain. It’s a powerful emotion – often it’s a set of emotions which can be simultaneous and conflicting. We may experience feelings of relief and great sadness at the same time.For example: In the case of someone who has passed away only after a long stretch of sickness or pain… we may feel relief that they will no longer have to suffer. At the same time we are sad because the inevitability of death has confronted us in an undeniable way. Familiar patterns, behaviors, interactions we have grown accustomed to will no longer be possible. We are left to adapt with a new reality. The world we have known will now never be the same. We feel loss knowing that we will never again be able to reach out for that person who has always been there before.Grief can be our reaction to other events, a friend moves away, or we find ourselves an empty nester. More negative situations include divorce, loss of a job… and then there is death.Grief is Part of the Human ExperienceGod’s people grieve just like all people. We have records in scripture of the grief experienced by people like: Job, Naomi, Hannah, David who experienced great loss and sadness. We also have record of Jesus weeping in grief for Lazarus His friend.John 11:32-38 Jesus was moved by their grief but also by the fact of Lazarus’ death. He knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. He had perfect faith that the Father would answer His prayer for Lazarus to be restored to life. He could have simply said “have no fear” but instead He shared in the grief of the situation.Hebrews 4:15 This is an example of how Jesus is a high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses.Grief, weeping and sorrow is natural and normal. Its not a demonstration of any lack of faith. We do not want to be overcome by our grief as if we had no hope. Grief Serves a PurposeEcclesiastes 7:2 grief can refresh and inform our understanding and perspective on our life. While we do not want to be obsessed with a fear of death we should use it as an occasion to remember that our own days are numbered and finite. Grieving over death is a time for us to ask “what am I doing with the days of life that I have left”?Psalm 30:5 grief and sadness serve a purpose. But grief also has its limits and it will come to and end. We do not forget those who have died but in time we adjust to our new reality.God is Beside Us in Our GriefGod is our master, our creator, our father and friend. God is faithful and we can count on Him to walk with us in our sadness. Jesus used His days in the flesh to show us what God is really like in human terms that would add depth to our understanding. His grief for Lazarus was a demonstration of God’s emotional solidaity with us… even in grief and sadness. Psalm 23:1-4 we will walk through valleys of darkness and death. Through it all He is with us as our guide and protector.Psalm 56:8 God sees our grief. When we grieve He does not think of us as weak, lacking in faith. Like we saw with the example of Jesus mourning for Lazarus… God enters into our grief, He feels it. Yet He also wants to reassure us that all is not lost Psalm 46:10, Psalm 91:1-2, Romans 8:28.Consider: If God engages with our grief and seeks to appreciate what it means. Perhaps the flow of understanding should also flow in the other direction as well. We are grieved by loss, separation, death. What causes God grief… can we enter into and share His emotional reactions.We are hardwired for grief. It’s a natural and normal reaction. It may be there as a learning tool so we can understand how God feels about being rejected by those He has created and loved… His reaction

Can one person make a difference in our congregation?  Can one family make a difference in our congregation… setting an example that inspires others? The answer is yes. When a person begins really trying, and making an effort there may be some snags long the way:they may feel self conscious [this isn’t really me, I’m a fake]others may put them down or make fun of them [they are just trying to impress people, they just want to impress the ministry, they are trying to exalt themselves]Also, a person’s enthusiasm might outweigh their wisdom [their efforts may be clumsy]… but if they are trying to please God He looks at their attitude more than on their accomplishments. We are pleasing to god when we are committed to Him, to His Church, and to one another. And to be committed means to be involved.Romans 13:8 we owe it to one another.We all need to change an to grow in the ability to love one another, serve one another, to help and to give. You may not have thought about it this way but all these Godly goals revolve around FELLOWSHIP.We are going to talk about what god expects of us. We will see that one person can make a difference. You can make a difference. And a biblical understanding of fellowship will guide us.1. To have fellowship with one another we must begin with our fellowship with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.Definition: fellowship means a community, an association, a group in which we participate. Our place within that group is based on what we share, what we have in common.1 Corinthians 1:9 you have been brought into fellowship with Jesus Christ. We share things in common with Jesus the messiah. We have a close relationship with Him based on our mutual interest. We also have a family relationship with Him… He is our elder brother.2 Corinthians 13:14 we hold to the same convictions through the power of the Holy Spirit in us. There is a particular quality of fellowship we share because of the holy Spirit There is a power of love and concern for others that flows into us through the Holy Spirit. Be we have to act upon it. Because of our common conviction and spirit we can understand the trials others go through a bit better. So we share those trials and tests with one another.1 John 1:1-3 John wrote to the church about his personal experience with Jesus so that they might all have joint participation in the knowledge of all that Christ did, who He really was, and what He taught.Fellowship with God means we have such understanding in common… we have are to share the outlook and attitudes of God through Christ. 2. We have fellowship with one anotherActs 2:42 fellowshipping has always been important to the church from the very beginning. Such things as the humble potluck… or perhaps praying with someone about a situation.1 Corinthians 10:16 we share the participation in the symbols and signs of God’s process for bringing us into his family. Beginning with Passover all the way through to the last Great Day. 2 Corinthians 8:1-7 “fellowship” or sharing in taking care of the needs of God’s people. Note that the people asked “can we be part of this project”? They accomplished this through giving. The Good Works projects we have around the world are just this kind of projects. Where a collection is made to help out God’s sanctified people… back then it was Jerusalem, today it might be Guatemala.3. God wants us to serve to benefit othersAll too often we only serve for selfish reason, or to impress, or only when it is convenient for us. But serving for the benefit of others will work for our own good… in that we will grow into a person patterned after Jesus Christ. A person who has the capacity to enjoy eternal life.Take every opportunity for personal growth through service. You might say, “I don’t have the energy for that”… but this type of personal growth takes effort. Our default setting seems to be to think of ourselves rather than others. God wants to turn that way of thinking around. When we make that change of o

You will spend most of your waking hours working in one form or another. Does the God of Israel have anything to say about work? Does how you approach work affect your spiritual life? Does you spiritual life affect your approach to work? Or are they separate matters?Career Advice From ProverbsProverbs 6:6-11 the ant is gives us a good example to follow: The Ant Is Self-Motivated [verse 7]No one has to tell the any what to do. There is no boss prodding the ant onward. The ant sees what needs to be done and takes care of it. The ants motivation comes from within.A person with internal motivation makes a valuable employee. A person who constantly needs to be told what to do is: Less valuable: If a manager constantly needs to watch over an employee to make sure they are doing what needs to get done it’s a drain on their time. An employee can be counted on to take care of what needs doing frees up that manager so they can be somewhere else getting other work done.Less successful: lack of internal motivation and drive shows there is little potential for advancement. Employers will give more money to employees with drive in order to keep them. Employers will give promotions to employees with drive so they can take on greater responsibilities.The Ant Prepares For The Future [verse 8]When the ant sees the opportunity to gather food the ant jumps on it [even if its not hungry at the moment]. The ant stores up for the times when nothing will be there to gather. Hard Work, Works! [verses 9-10]To be successful requires hard work. No employer is going to make efforts to reward a worker who is always looking for excuses and ways to get out of the task in from of them. Such people end up poor and not having much.IMPORTANT: this doesn’t mean that poor people are all lazy people… ie. you’re poor, therefore, you’re lazy. That is a fallacy as much as the idea Job’s afflictions were caused by sin.Some people are born poor and its not any fault of their own… it could be because of family legacy, or social injustice. However, the way OUT of poverty usually involves hard work and drive. Social programs can help give people opportunity but the way to make those opportunities successful is through hard work and drive. [verse 11] The consequences of their behavior come upon the lazy person as a surprise… like a bandit, or an armed robber. They were not expecting it. The proverbs have been placed within God’s word so that you may avoid such nasty surprises. God’s word says “you don’t have to learn the hard way, I [God] can tell you the wise way to proceed in life”.Proverbs 26:16 Some people don’t see the consequences of the approach they are taking. Their way seems perfectly sensible and logical… until the moment it isn’t. Consider Proverbs as God’s advice… from one who knows. Learn From The Example of OthersProverbs 24:30-34 try to recognize the cause and effect at play around you. Learn what leads to success and what leads to poverty. The person with the overgrown vineyard and the broken down property probably thinks he’s the smart one for not working… at first these things don’t seem like such a big deal… then you reach a tipping point when the unattended matters add up so that fixing them isn’t even possible any more. You might have a house that needs new shingles to keep out the rain. Its going to cost $5,000. You’ can handle the cost but it will mean you have to put off some fun stuff you had planned. The leak is not in the living area so why bother fixing it. A few years go by and the beams get rot in them and now the roof needs to be completely replaced and is in danger of caving in… repairs are going to cost $50,000 which you cannot afford!The Lazy MindsetThe lazy person [sluggard] dreams and talks but never makes it happenProverbs 14:23 diligent work is what makes dreams come true… not good intentionsProverbs 13:4 you have to act on the desire, or the idea, to get the good resultsProverbs 22:13 those who don’t want to work an be very creative i

Concerns about money and wealth dominate relationships among nations, national politics, our businesses and jobs, our families, and our own internal dialog. We highly esteem the acquisition of wealth yet it ends up weighing us down like an unbearable burden… either obsession with how much we have or worries about what we lack. Without the wisdom and perspective we get from God and His word the place and position of wealth in life gets out of balance.Your Creator knows that money, wealth, and stuff are important to you. Actually, He is very interested and has plenty to say about how we handle our money, wealth, and stuff. God wants His children to prosper, work hard, and be content. He offers lots of guidance to help make that possible. As with other matters like, sex, law, worship humanity makes a huge error… we think we can handle it alone. What does God know about slugging it out day to day… trying to make a living… trying to make ends meet? He knows a lot because: a) He created all things b) through Jesus, God has lived it. But humanity does not give God credit for having the answers. We want to figure out our own answers… cutting ourselves off from His favor, and His advice. Today we are going to review what God’s word has to say about financial security, and peace of mind. I have 6 action points:Guard Your Mind Against MaterialismOur brains are wired to understand reality through what we can feel, see, hear etc. We know there is a spiritual component to our minds but our first instinct is to go with what it material, or physical. That is why God’s advice [which is oriented toward the development of the spirit] is hard to swallow. Much of what God reveals to us is contrary to human nature. He tells us not to make accumulation of wealth and goods our top priority. While our human nature screams “no, gather as big a stash as you can… its your ticket to survival, dominance, and happiness”.Matthew 6:33 God tells us to make spiritual development, building the mind of Christ needed for success in the coming rule of God on earth through Christ. He adds to that, saying that if you make this your focus He will take care of the necessities of life [but that’s not a promise of a life of ease and comfort… many aspects of your spiritual development come only through perseverance in trial].God’s warning about the wrong mental outlook regarding wealth, money, and stuff is actually one of God’s TOP TEN guidelines for living: Exodus 20:17 [also applies to sex, status etc.]Covetousness: intense/obsessive desire for more… “I’m not content with what is legitimately mine… I want to possess yours as well”.Hebrews 13:5Remember That The Source of All Wealth is GodThis is a subset of remembering God as Creator. As creator of all things… they are His to freely give to whomever He chooses… for whatever reasons He chooses.1 Chronicles 29:11-12 / Psalm 24:1Here’s your first TO DO item: acknowledge God for His gifts to you:Say thanksPut your money where your mouth is. Give back 10% of all your increase.This 10% give back to God accomplishes takes your thoughts and puts it into concrete action. It also puts you in the position of participation in, and support of, the proclamation of His truth to others so they might also learn and benefit.Abraham did it, Jacob did it, all Israel was instructed to tithe, Jesus endorsed it!This willingness to acknowledge and obey God is the first step toward learning important spiritual lessons, through the management of your personal finances. Note: God also promises material blessings to those who obey and acknowledge Him through tithing. Putting God first in your financial plans is a demonstration of intent and a re-alignment of priorities Leviticus 27:30 the 1st10th set aside for His purpose not your own.Make a Conscious Decision What Will Be Your Highest PriorityEcclesiastes 2:1-11 pleasure, wealth, stuff is futileEcclesiastes 5:10 it fails to satisfy [at some point you realize, you will have to leave it all behind,

When we think of priests in the bible we think of the levitical priesthood God instituted in Israel as part of the old covenant. That priesthood has been replaced by the priesthood of the resurrected Jesus Christ in the order of Melkizadek. Hebrews 6:20 Jesus has become a high priest in the order of Melchizedek. The scripture also says that He is our forerunner. Meaning He goes first implying we are to follow Him. We too are to become priests of the order of Mechizadek. That means: You are training now to act as a king and priest alongside Christ when He establishes the rule of God on earth at the time of His return.What Do We Know About The Order of Melkizadek?Hebrews 7:1-3 the order of Melkizadek:· Combines the office of King and Priest in a single entity. Everyone who is a priest after this order is also a king [the office of king implies judgment and leadership in non-religious areas]· Such priest kings posses character that is righteous and peaceful· Such priest kings possesses eternal life· Hebrews 7:15-17 the priest of this new order is appointed as such because He is a Son of God (see also Hebrews 5:5-10)· Hebrews 8:1 such a priest sits down at the right hand of the throneWhen you are resurrected you too will have these attributes of priest after the order of Melchizedek. A spirit born child of God,  with eternal life, a mind of Godly character both righteous and peaceful. Revelation 3:21 Just as Christ has taken his seat beside the throne of God, you will sit down at the right hand of Christ on His throne [as priests/kings reigning together with Christ our rank will be subordinate to Christ].What do we know about the activities of a priest?· Priests manage the offering of gifts & sacrifice· Priests maintain personal holiness and cleanness· Priests protect and maintain the household of God· Priests make judgments on religious matters... clean vs. unclean, acceptable vs, unacceptable, · Priests proclaim the sacred assemblies [plan of God]· Priests teach, interpreting God’s expressed will & wordTeachingIn Israel the priest taught the people from God’s word, ensuring people knew what was required of them… what it means... how to apply it Deuteronomy 33:8-11, Malachi 2:7.Christ, our high priest, acted as a teacher during His days in the flesh and continues His priestly function as our teacher: through the ongoing work of the Church [of which He is head], and through the power of the Holy Spirit... His very living presence in you. Future priest/kings will also teach people the ways of God during the 1,000 year rule of Christ…. that’s what priests do!Question: if you were going to teach a class in pottery design or auto-mechanics, what do you need to do first? Answer: to be an effective teacher you have to learn the material first yourself.Future Priest Kings are training today. Training their mind with the knowledge of God and His ways. through study… but especially through application. Head knowledge about pottery or auto-mechanics doesn’t lead to effectively teaching. You have to throw clay on a wheel or pop open the hood of a vehicle!Knowing and DOING what God’s word says is training for your future role as king and priest after the order of Melkizadek.Judgments on Religious MattersLevitical priests applied judgment on the clean vs. unclean, the acceptable vs. unacceptable regarding food, sex, methods of worship to name a few. Some things are acceptable to God... some things are not. In this Church age, the resurrected Christ, our high priest, helps us distinguish what is clean and acceptable and what is not. We have a written record of His teachings but also His convicting presence within us through the power of the Holy Spirit. He taught that the actual eating of something unclean was not what truly defiled a person. If something unclean goes in your mouth, it’ll come out the other end and into the toilet. What really defiles a person is