Command The Rich

The Scriptures have a lot to say about riches and rich people. This is a word for us because we happen to be very, very rich, even if we don't see it. So, open with me to First Timothy, chapter six. The book of First Timothy is right near the end of your Bible. If you open to the very last book, Revelation, and turn to the left, you'll find First and Second Timothy.

As you're turning there, I have a simple question: Is it Yanni or is it Laurel? I see there are some people browsing the internet about that.

Today is a big day for the church, not just our church but the church as a whole, because this is the celebration of the Feast of Pentecost. Today marks the birthday of the church, so happy birthday, church! The church is about 1,988 years old if you go by that counting.

Now, back to First Timothy, chapter six, verse 17. There, Paul says, "Command those who are rich in the present age not to be haughty nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they may be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life."

Oh, Timothy, guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge. By professing it, some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.

Father, we thank You. I thank You as we're standing here for Your grace. The only reason that we're standing here this morning is because of Your grace, which You have graciously poured out upon us in such awesome ways. First, Lord, Your common grace, which is given to all of us. I learned that the fact that we have anything we have, the blessings that so many of us enjoy, are because of Your grace.

But more than that, Lord, I hope that all of us standing here today have experienced Your saving grace. We thank You that it is in Your name we just sang about the greatness of Your name, and we thank You that it is in Your name that we have saving grace. Lord, You have dealt with our sin and our failures, and You continue to deal with our sin and failures every day. We praise You for that.

We pray that as we consider the Scriptures before us today, You would continue the work of sanctifying by Your grace. Lord, make us more like You, we pray. We ask this in Jesus' name, and all those that agreed said, "Amen." You could be seated.

In the Gospels, there is a story recorded in three of them: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. It is a pretty well-known story; in fact, even a lot of people who don't really spend much time reading through the Scriptures know about this story. There was a young man who came to Jesus. The Scriptures reveal he came running to Jesus and knelt before Him with an important question. The posture of this individual makes it clear that this was an important question to him.

In Mark's Gospel, chapter 10, you can turn there if you'd like. The story is recorded there, and it tells us a little bit about this whole event. As Jesus was going out on the road, Mark 10:17 tells us that one came running to Him, knelt before Him, and asked, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

As you go through Matthew's account and Luke's account and put these together with Mark's account of this story, you begin to determine a few things about this man who came to Jesus. He was young, he was rich, and he was a ruler. It is highly likely that this young man had the position and the possessions that he did by inheritance. Considering the time and location of this event, it is highly unlikely that he was rich and a ruler at such a young age by his own abilities or efforts. Very likely, he had inherited his position and his possessions.

His question to Jesus is intriguing: "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do to inherit eternal life?" All the things he had were probably by inheritance, except there was something that this good Teacher was talking about.

He did not have it; it did not come to him in the will. He sees his life: he's got position, he's got possessions, he's got power, and he's got everything that you might want in a worldly sense. But this good teacher was talking about something that he wanted but didn't have. So, he effectively bows before Him, an interesting position for a rich young ruler, and says, "What do I have to do to get into your will? I want what you have."

Jesus's answer is interesting because He begins by saying, "Why do you call me good? You said, 'Good teacher,' but why do you call me good? No one is good but God." Then He goes on to answer, saying, "Well, you know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and your mother."

Then this young man makes an audacious claim. He says, "All of these things I have kept since my youth." Jesus doesn't challenge him on that audacious claim; He simply says to him, looking at him, "I love this." Mark's Gospel notes that looking at him, He loved him. I think Jesus, in His mind, was thinking, "I love this guy. What do I have to do to get what you have? Everything you're talking about, I've done that. What more do I have to do?"

Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "One thing you lack: Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Come, take up your cross and follow me." But he was sad at the word of Jesus; he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Then, after this rich young ruler went away, Jesus turns to His disciples, who had left everything to follow Him, and says some striking words recorded in verse 23. Jesus looked at His disciples and said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God." His disciples were astonished at this because, in their worldview at that time, they equated riches with the blessing of God. If you have wealth, if you have riches, then you have the blessing of God. And if you have the blessing of God, then, of course, you're going to be in the kingdom of God, in the kingdom of heaven.

You know, that hasn't changed much. There are still many people today who look at worldly wealth or riches and figure...

Whether they're just blessed or hashtag blessed, many people figure that, of course, this guy is going to heaven. Of course, he's going to get into the Kingdom of God because he's rich. However, Jesus says how hard it is for those who are rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

The reason I went to Mark's Gospel instead of Matthew's or Luke's account of this event is that in Mark's Gospel, Jesus adds a little line; there's a bit more to the story. After he makes the statement that it is hard for those who are rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, he says this after his disciples were astonished. It's recorded at the end of verse 24 in chapter 10 of Mark. He states, "How hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the Kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God." This is not because he has riches, but because of the great temptation to trust in those riches. The disciples were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?"

Jesus looked at them and said, "With men, it is impossible, but with God, all things are possible." It was a good word, a good thing to remember.

In the passage we are in here in 1st Timothy chapter 6, we see the idea of laying hold of eternal life come up twice. We considered it together last week. If you were here with us in the previous section of 1st Timothy chapter 6, Paul made the exhortation to Timothy, the one to whom this letter was written. He said, "Timothy, you need to lay hold of eternal life."

We considered together how this does not mean that you need to earn eternal life or strive to get eternal life. Instead, to lay hold of it means that it is something God gives to us as we put our trust and confidence in Him for salvation. It is promised to us in eternity, but to experience it now is the desire that Jesus has for His disciples. That's why Jesus, in the Gospel of John, would say, "I have come that you may have life and that you may have it more abundantly."

We are not just in a weird suspended animation as Christians, waiting for the day that Jesus returns or we die, and then finally experience eternal life. He says, "No, now you can lay hold of eternal life. You can experience the peace, joy, and blessing of eternal life now." So, Paul exhorted Timothy to lay hold of that, and now here in this passage, Paul says to Timothy, "I want..."

You are to command those who are rich in this present age certain things that we will consider together so that they also would lay hold of eternal life. Is there anything that you would rather securely lay hold of than eternal life? As I think about that question, it resonates in my heart. It has been called one of the first desires of the soul of humanity: to live on and on. We see billions of dollars of investment today by venture capitalists going into life extension programs. People want to live and to continue to live on and on.

There is a deep desire in my own heart for eternal life, and the Bible talks about laying hold of that eternal life. However, I must confess that, in many ways, that is not the chief goal of my life. At least, when you look at my daily actions, it does not appear to be the chief end or passion of my life to lay hold of eternal life. The Scriptures call us to that.

The reason I say this is that I see in my own heart—and maybe you see it in yours as well—that I have a very divided heart. I want what God promises in the Scriptures: His blessing and His presence. Yet, there are so many other things in this world that seem to entice my desire. I often feel that I am like a desire factory, churning out desires all day long. Can anyone relate?

It's not just me, right? If you didn't raise your hand, you're a liar! The enticement is constant. Yet, I read passages like the ones we have been looking at in First Timothy, where it says that godliness with contentment is great gain. Theologically, we see in this passage that the desire for worldly riches is a temptation and a snare. It is like a tempting piece of meat over a trap for a lion or a bear.

I recognize this desire for riches in the world, just as I see it theologically in the Scriptures. I know that the love of money and greediness is dangerous; the Scriptures make that very clear. Yet, still, I find in my own heart an enticement towards envy and covetousness. I was reminded of this last week when I received a text message late in the day on Wednesday from a friend who lives in another state. He asked if I had a few minutes to talk because he needed some advice.

Counseling needs some godly wisdom. I was thinking about why my friend reached out to me. I said, "I'm putting my kids to bed. Can I text you back or call you in about 40 minutes?" He said, "Yeah, no problem."

When I called, I asked, "Hey, what's going on?" He replied, "Well, out of the blue, just a couple of hours ago, I got an unsolicited job offer for a seven-figure salary." I thought, "Really? What do you need my help with?" In my mind, I was thinking that when someone says that, you wonder if it’s illegal or immoral. But then I thought, "No, yes, I take it. Let's do it."

He continued, "I'm really struggling. I need to know God's heart. I want wisdom in this whole thing." After I got off the phone with him, praying and talking with him, I found myself thinking about how amazing a seven-figure salary is. That's why people play the lottery, right? I realized that it is highly unlikely I will ever see a seven-figure income, and most of you probably won't either.

The problem is that I already have great wealth and significant riches, which can be a snare and have a devastating grip on me. I have this striking proclivity in my own heart towards envy and wanting all these things. At the same time, I can be completely blind to the fact that I have so much, and oftentimes I'm ungrateful for the things I have.

Then I come to a passage that speaks to that very danger zone, which says, "Command those that are rich in the present age." We have to stop there because we need to deal with a fallacy that many of us face. When we read that command, we often think, "This isn't for me; that's for the other guy." Not only do we fall into the trap of thinking this doesn't apply to us, but we also skip over it and move on. Then we take this passage and start to judge others.

People have a problem with judging others. We are quite adept at it. I know this because right now, you might be thinking that I should not have said that. It's there. We read passages in Scripture and often think, "Well, this is not for me," and we start to judge others, particularly those we consider wicked or part of the one percent.

However, that's a passage of Scripture that even many people who have never read the Bible know, as they often use it against Christians. They say, "Jesus said you shall not judge." Well, the Bible does say that; Jesus did say it. It's in Matthew's Gospel, chapter 7. It states, "Judge not, that you be not judged." There you go; Jesus said you shall not judge.

But he didn't exactly say that in isolation. There is more to it. The passage continues, "For with what judgment you judge, it shall be measured back to you." Then it asks, "Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not regard the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye,' when look, the plank is in your own eye?" Jesus calls such a person a hypocrite and instructs, "First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you shall see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

I took a biblical counseling class years ago, which was based on a significant book called "Biblical Self-Confrontation." The whole point was that before you start to give counsel or input to others, you must ensure you have removed the beam from your own eye before attempting to remove the speck from someone else's. This is an important value, but we are often quick to cast judgment upon others.

My flesh is inclined toward comfort; I don't like discomfort. So, when I come to passages that are convicting, I find them challenging. I suggest that the passage we are examining today, 1 Timothy chapter 6, verses 17 and onward, is a convicting piece of Scripture. When we read it, we see the command to "charge those who are rich," and we instantly jump to the conclusion that the spotlight is no longer on us; it’s on those wicked one-percenters. We think we don’t need to pay attention to this passage.

But again, not so fast. We need a reality check. If you want to begin to grow in your walk of faith, then point number one on your outline is to use the Bible as a guide.

A mirror, not a microscope. A mirror to see yourself and not a microscope to examine other people. We're really good at the microscope analogy, but the Apostle James used the metaphor of the Bible being like a mirror. We are able to see ourselves, and he cautioned us against something that I think we all can fall into: be careful that you do not just look into the mirror of God's Word and then walk away and forget what you saw. We can do that, so we need to examine ourselves with the Scripture.

Here’s a reality check: if you own more clothing than the clothes you're currently wearing right now, you are in the top 25% of wealth holders in the world today. If you drove here today in a vehicle that you own, or maybe you lease it, but it's your vehicle, from a house, or even a condo or an apartment you rent, and in that house, there's running water—if you can turn on the sink and clean water comes out that you could drink, even though you'd rather spend six dollars a gallon on water from the store—if you can get clean water in that way, you're in the top 15% of wealth holders in the world.

If you made more than fifty thousand dollars last year, you're not just in the top ten percent; you're not even just in the top five percent. Do you realize you're not even in just the top one percent? You're in the top 0.31% of wealth holders in the world. Remember that thing ten years ago in New York City? A whole bunch of young Millennials with thousand-dollar phones tweeting about Occupy Wall Street and down with the 1%. Oh, the irony of that whole situation, because that's all of us. We are that 1%.

So when we come to this passage and it says to command those who are rich in the present age, that's us. God has something He wants to say to us here in this passage, even though we like to try and shift this and focus it on somebody else. Know this: this is for us.

What is the command? He says, "Command those that are rich in the present age"—number one, that they be not haughty. Another word for haughty is proud, or I like to say high-minded.

You say, "Oh, that's not us," right? If you have ever looked at anyone who doesn't seem to have what you have in the same way and thought, "They need to get their act together. If they just worked a little harder, they could get ahead," then you have fallen into a snare of being high-minded with your riches.

Point number two: the mirror of God's Word exposes my concealed pride, and what foolishness this pride is. I do think, as I look at my wife, that we have worked hard to get to the point where we are in our lives, but certainly no harder than the farmer in East Africa and probably less so than the textile worker in Indonesia, who is currently working for 39 cents an hour. You see, I am the recipient of what has been referred to as the lottery of life, and so are you. Sometimes it's been called the postcode lottery.

What is that? Well, it's like this: one of the greatest investors of all time, one of the wealthiest men in history, Warren Buffett, says that anything he has gained in this life is because he was born at the right time and in the right place. There is so much truth to that, and it's a pretty humble statement. It's an acknowledgment that he just happened to be born at the right time and in the right place, in one of the greatest nations that affords people the opportunity for wealth generation at one of the greatest times, the 20th and 21st centuries.

This observation by Warren Buffett is nothing new. Three thousand years ago, one of the wisest men who ever lived, a guy by the name of Solomon, was really an anthropologist and a sociologist. He went on a research experiment to assess life, and he came to this conclusion. It's become a verse that I have found myself turning to quite frequently over the last couple of years. It's in Ecclesiastes chapter 9, verse 11, and I love the way the New Living Translation translates it. It says, "I have observed something else in the world: the fastest runner doesn't always win the race, the strongest warrior doesn't always win the battle, and the wise sometimes go hungry."

Skillful individuals are not necessarily wealthy, and those who are educated do not always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance and by being in the right place at the right time. However, there is a danger of falling into fatalism with that kind of thought process, and that's exactly what Solomon fell into. If you read the book of Ecclesiastes, you see that it brought him to a place of saying, "Well, it's all just vanity; it's all worthless. You might as well just eat and drink and die."

There is a real danger of fatalism in that kind of thinking, but there is a way to look at the world that acknowledges some truth in it. It is all determined by being in the right place at the right time. Paul has a command for us who have been in the right place at the right time. He says to command those who are rich in the present age not to be haughty nor to trust in uncertain riches.

In verse 17, we find point number three on your outline: In the mirror, I see my misplaced trust. Perhaps we could call it displaced trust, but at its core, what is misplaced or displaced trust? It is what the Bible calls idolatry. We don't like to think of it that way, but that's exactly what it is. When I open up the mirror of the Scriptures and allow myself to be examined by it, I see that, at the core, I can be an idolater of other things.

Especially in 21st-century America, what is idolized more than money, wealth, and riches? That is at the top of the list, among some other things that people idolize, but certainly, it is very near the top. Paul describes here a misplaced trust in riches, but not just riches—he refers to what he calls uncertain riches, which are ultimately untrustworthy. They are not worth your trust.

Yet, we find ourselves tempted to trust in those things because we think that security is found in them. We hope for security, but the fact is, when you really start to peel it back, you realize it is about the same kind of security as those little chain locks that people put on their doors. That has to be about the most laughable security device on the planet because my nine-year-old could defeat that in about a second and a half by just putting his hundred pounds into that door.

That can cut through everything. You can just cut through that little chain, and boom, that's security. That's about the same level of security that uncertain riches provide. We saw a case study right before us in the last decade and a half in our own nation. The ramp-up to the financial collapse of 2008, the four or five years leading up to that, showed us people putting their security, their trust in their mutual funds, their trust for the future, and their hope in the equity of their homes. Then, just like that, it's gone. There’s a real uncertainty regarding those things.

So, Paul says that we need to be careful not to fall into the place where we are trusting in uncertain riches. Now, does that mean that we should not save? Does that mean that we should not invest? No, that's not what it means. But it does mean this: 1 Timothy 6:17 commands those who are rich not to be haughty, not to trust in uncertain riches, but to trust in the Living God. It's amazing. He says do not put your hope or your trust in something that's tangible. We call these things tangible assets. He says don't put your trust for security, your hope, in that which is tangible, but put it in that which is unseen—the Living God.

There’s more danger in trusting in those tangible assets than in trusting in the intangible and unseen Living God, because He is the one who gives us, as verse 17 says, richly all things to enjoy.

Point number four: the truly rich acknowledge God's blessing for all that they enjoy. If all that you enjoy—think about it for a moment—if all that you enjoy is the product, the result of your ingenuity, your tenacity, and your determination, then it makes perfect sense that you would be...

High-minded and haughty, people often think, "Look what I did! Look what I acquired!" If all that you have is the product of your own tenacity, then it makes perfect sense that you would be envious of what other people have. You might think, "Look how hard I've worked to get here, and they have so much more." It is understandable that you would be greedy in your relentless drive to attain more. You might say, "I've attained so much more by my own ingenuity, tenacity, and determination." It would also make perfect sense that you would be miserly and uncharitable with your possessions, thinking, "I'm not giving to anybody; they need to work like I worked to get here."

However, here's something I've observed, and maybe you've seen it too: you cannot be happy, greedy, envious, and high-minded all at once. Those things do not go together with joy. That's why there are so many people in this world who have so much yet experience so little happiness. It's striking that in our nation, when polled about their level of happiness, Gallup has been running a daily poll for more than 30 years on daily happiness tracking, and it rises and falls with the Dow Jones.

But if you acknowledge God as the source and the sustainer of all that you possess, the truly rich recognize God's blessing for all that they enjoy. If you acknowledge that He is the source and the sustainer, then you will enjoy the blessings He has provided.

I think it's very important for us to recognize that He has richly given us all things to enjoy. Some Christians live as if enjoying the things they have is wrong, but that's not what the Scriptures say. You can enjoy the things that God has blessed you with if you acknowledge that He is the one who has blessed you. If you are humble and charitable with those things, there is no problem in enjoying them. Acknowledging that He is the source and sustainer of all that you possess will make it more likely that you will be humble with those things.

It will be less likely that you will be covetous, envious, or jealous of others. Instead, it will be more likely that you will be grateful. It will be less likely that you will be greedy, and more likely that you will be loving and charitable with the things you have and enjoy. If you recognize that these blessings are not solely the result of your own ingenuity, determination, or tenacity, but rather all come from God, you will gain a different perspective.

Especially if you take the further step to acknowledge that you own none of it and are simply a steward of what He has put under your care, you will find greater contentment. Paul instructs us to command the rich not to be haughty or high-minded, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but to trust in the living God, who has richly given us all things to enjoy. He also commands them to do good, to be rich in good works, ready to give, and willing to share. By doing so, they are storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, allowing them to lay hold on eternal life.

Enduring blessing is found in giving as you have been given. Consider the rich young ruler who came to Jesus. Jesus said to him, "Go and sell what you have, give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." However, the Scriptures tell us that the young man went away sorrowful because he had much wealth. The word "had" is very important because what he possessed was keeping him from what Jesus had for him. Holding tightly to his wealth prevented him from experiencing the greater blessings that awaited him.

Jesus offers him a wonderful call: "Come, follow me," the source of all blessing and joy. This situation brings to mind what I would call a slightly altered Peter Parker principle. Who is Peter Parker? He is Spider-Man.

With great power comes great responsibility. That's the Peter Parker principle, slightly altered: with great blessing comes great responsibility. Many people know one of those famous verses in the Bible, John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life."

But do you know 1 John 3:16? It says, "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us, and we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Then verse 17 is challenging: "But whoever has the world's goods and sees his brother in need and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?"

2 Corinthians chapter 8 says that Jesus Christ was rich, yet He set aside His riches so that He could become poor, making us rich. That is the pattern and the course that He calls us to. In the church at Ephesus, to which Paul was ultimately writing through their pastor Timothy, they were off course. There were probably some wealthy people in that very wealthy trade city of that time. They may have stumbled into being high-minded and haughty, trusting in their riches rather than in the Living God.

So Paul says there needs to be an exhortation to them. He commands Timothy to instruct them to store up for themselves, as it says in verse 19, "a good foundation for the time to come," so that they might lay hold on eternal life.

This storing up for the time to come can be understood in two ways. One certainly is to store up for eternity—life beyond this life. The Bible makes it very clear that Jesus taught we Christians, followers of Jesus, need to have a mindset, a worldview, where we understand that this is not all there is. There is another life, a greater life than this. That's why in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew chapter 6, He would say that we should lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where they are more secure than they could ever be in this life.

So He encourages us to have that mindset. When Paul says here that we need to lay up for the time that is to come, he is indeed talking about eternity, but I think he is also talking about...

About a time that is to come in this world, in this life, we need to be storing up for ourselves for that time. You see, it is the generous person who lives life with an open hand. When they have much, they are generous, and when they have little, they are still generous. Riches are uncertain, and those who are generous will be blessed by others who will also bless them during that time.

Jesus would say, "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over; it will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you." I find it so interesting that He says the identical words about judgment: "With the same judgment you judge, you will be judged." The same way you give, you will be blessed.

Here’s the challenge to this. In the last two verses, verse 20 and 21 of 1 Timothy chapter 6, Paul says, "O Timothy, guard what is committed to your trust. Avoid the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge. By professing it, some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen."

It’s providential; it’s God's inspired truth that this would be the final word on this. What we see shared from the Scriptures as it relates to riches, especially that exhortation that Jesus gave, is about giving: "It shall be given to you."

Do you realize that in the 20th and 21st centuries, one of the biggest exports of American Christianity has been a gospel called the prosperity gospel? It’s a sad reality that this has been put forth and falsely called the knowledge of the Scriptures. There are churches all throughout our nation that are exporting it to other parts of the world. This has been the biggest export of American Christianity over the last 50 years—a gospel that says God reigns in heaven purely for your pleasure and enjoyment in this life. There’s a real danger because the Scriptures say things like, "Give, and it shall be given to you." We have a challenge because there are those who put forth this knowledge that is falsely called.

Knowledge falsely called gospel is often cited with references to chapter and verse. However, the heart behind it can be wrong. We need to take to heart the command that we who are rich should not be high-minded or haughty, nor should we put our trust in uncertain riches, but in the Living God, who has richly blessed us with all things to enjoy. He has done so because He wants us to be rich in good works. May it be that your biggest net worth is your net worth of good works, so that people will see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Here’s the thing: He said this so that you will lay hold on eternal life. It is very important to understand that He is not saying you will earn eternal life through your good works. You do not earn your eternal life by your good works; it was earned by Jesus. Instead, He wants you to experience eternal life, to walk as He walked. Jesus was one who gave and gave and gave to the uttermost, and that is what He calls us to do.

Amen. Would you stand with me as we close in prayer? Father, I thank You for Your word. It is challenging, but it is good. All Scripture is given by inspiration from You, and it is useful for doctrine. It shows what is right and true, and in establishing what is right and true, it reveals our errors. It rebukes and reproves us, but it also has the ability to correct us and bring us back to righteousness, back on course.

The church at Ephesus, 2,000 years ago, was off course, and in some ways, our hearts and minds can be off course as well. So, God, would You cause Your word to set us right? When we leave this room in just a few minutes, may we not be immediately distracted by jelly-filled or chocolate-covered doughnuts, but may we be able to think on these things. God, transform us. We thank You for the blessings that You have given to us. We do richly enjoy those things, but help us to see that those things are given to us by You, every good and perfect gift.

Comes from You, and Lord, there will be a day when I give an account for how I've used what You've given to me. So, God, would You help me to be rich in good works for Your name's sake? For it's in Jesus' name we pray, and all those that agreed said, "Amen."

There is no other name under heaven given among men whereby they must be saved, and we thank You for the saving grace and power that comes through You, Jesus. Let me thank You that on this day nearly two thousand years ago, You birthed Your church. You started the church and gave the gift of Your Holy Spirit. We pray, God, that in the same way that the early disciples received that infilling of Your Spirit, You would freshly pour out Your Spirit upon us, Your church. Empower us by Your strength and power, Holy Spirit, to walk in these things and to share the good news of Your grace with others.

We pray especially for the event that will be going on tonight with Franklin Graham. We ask, God, that You would pour out Your Spirit upon Franklin and his team. Lord, fill them to overflowing with Your supernatural grace and power. We pray for those who will come to that event tonight. We ask, God, that You would draw people to Yourself through the proclamation of the gospel. We thank You that we have the ability in our nation to publicly have events like this. We pray for Your blessing upon it. Do work, and pour out Your Spirit upon Your church. Empower us to be lights to our world wherever You take us this week.

And now may the Lord bless and keep you. May He make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May He lift up His countenance upon you and give you His peace. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

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