Words of Encouragement -- Santosh Poonen & David Lane -- September 5, 2021
http://rlcf.church River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The speaker emphasizes that the appropriate response to hearing the Word is not financial giving, but giving one's life and taking up the cross. He warns against the love of money, identifying it as the world's ruler and a distraction from true discipleship. The message urges believers to maintain allegiance only to Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven, regardless of worldly pressures or political affiliations.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
Why our church does not have an online giving portalThe church elders intentionally make giving a bit more difficult by avoiding online donation buttons, wanting people to respond to the word by giving their lives in secret rather than just money.
Keeping far away from the snare of mammonJust as someone fighting a pornography addiction avoids advertising triggers, believers should hate the system of mammon and stay as far away from worldly financial entanglements as possible.
The ruler of this world has nothing in JesusJesus declared that the prince of this world was coming and had nothing in Him, meaning there was not even a smell of the love of money or this world in Christ.John 14:30
Paul's final warning to Timothy about the love of moneyEven after years of faithful service, Paul exhorted Timothy in the final chapter of his letter to watch out for the love of money, proving this is a warning for close followers of Jesus.
Yielding under yokes without taking up political or worldly weaponsPaul instructed slaves to honor their masters, which applies to how believers should relate to earthly governing authorities without getting entangled in political conservatism or worldly kingdoms.
Keeping the commandment without stain until Christ appearsBelievers are charged to keep Christ's commandment without reproach, following the good confession of Jesus before Pontius Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world.
Peter's response to the miraculous catch of fishWhen Jesus blessed Peter with an overwhelming catch of fish, Peter's immediate reaction was to fall down and say, "Go away from me, Lord, I am a sinful man."
Recognizing our hidden sinfulness and holding things looselyIf we think we have no love of money, it is a sign we do; we must recognize our sinfulness, hold all earthly provisions loosely, and be willing to give them up when the Lord asks.
A personal conviction over unexpected financial newsDavid shares how unexpected news of a pay increase brought a spontaneous feeling of happiness, revealing a hidden love of money in his heart that he sought to repent of.
The world crucified to me through the crossPaul boasted only in the cross of Christ, through which the world was crucified to him and he to the world, bringing a spiritual response where money neither elevates nor depresses happiness.
Counting all things as loss for the surpassing value of knowing ChristPaul counted all worldly gains as rubbish not merely as a first step, but as a natural result of seeing the supreme, surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord.
Pursuing the spirit of revelation to cleanse hidden layers of the heartThrough the spirit of wisdom and revelation, God uncovers layers of the love of money in our hearts so that nothing of this world or Satan remains in us.
