It All Belongs To God (1 Chronicles 29:10-20)

Good morning. Good to see everyone while this place is kind of full this morning. This looks like nothing that I like it. Thank you. John, for that singing. Thank you. Vicki, for that song. You picked out. So it's just one. Can't you? Wait to the day when we see the one face-to-face who has the name of the above all names, they found something. I think I can preached that sermon again but we'll move on, cause we have something different for each today. Good to see you though, some nice weather. You like my red NC State. See, I'm neutral today. I did not wear my blue. Now, why would I be wearing my blue anyway, but call Carolina one and they beat someone else that wears blue to, didn't they? Yes. And they beat Duke last night and I want to start any trouble. I don't want to lose any of you this morning before I pray that should have said this after I preach it. Okay, well, good. I was sitting there last night late. I was flipping between Carolina and Duke and the Yankees and Cleveland. I'm a big New York, Yankee fan, and I was thinking myself, Can I go to church tomorrow? Both my teams going to lose. It looks like both of them going to lose. Well, one of them, lost one of them one, but that was all. It was a good football game though. I thought you didn't have anyone to Route 4 is probably a good game to watch but you know. So but anyway, well today we won't continue in our series and this is our series a life. Well spent. So you know now we're last week, we talked about tithing, we're talkin about money, we're talking about sewing, we're talkin about something that the Bible calls stewardship and we're talkin about sacrifice. And so last week we we talked about tithing and why it's so important to us. And today I want to talk about a subject that we need to get. We need to get this in our hearts and mind if we don't get this. We're not going to be the giver, we're not going to be, we're not going to exhibit the generosity.

And we're going to clean to our money like his hours unless we understand something today that this sermon is about. And here's the title of today's sermon. It all belongs to God. Now you say well you're talking about my money. No, I'm talking about everything, including money, I'm talkin about everything and then this is what we need to understand, understanding the difference between ownership and possessing. That's what we need to understand because the Bible clearly teaches that God owns it all and for a brief time he's given us a small portion of what he owns so that we will manage it the way he would if he was on this earth. Now, think about you say, what does that include my money? Yes. Does that include my children? Yes. Does that include my job? Yes. It includes your house, your car, your vacation. It includes everything. Everything that we get from God, remember every good gift and every perfect gift comes from the one above everything we get is from him. And he expects us To be good. Stewards again. What is a steward? Is someone who manages something for someone else? Like I mentioned last week, you've ever babysit you manage children for this mother and father as they went out on a date or whatever. They expected you to take care of those children. You were looking after those children with everything that we have, in our life, our relationships, our bank account, everything we have, God has given us, and he expects us to manage it. Well, and that includes our finances. And that's what I wanted to talk about today. So here's what I want you to do. I want you to turn in your Bibles to First Chronicles chapter 29, you say first Chronicles. Well, that's in the Old Testament. That's part of the history books and you'll see first Samuel, 2nd Samuel 1st team 2nd kings first Chronicles, second chronicles. All those books are right there together. So first Chronicles chapter, 29, and what I want to do right now is I want to give you a A definition of stewardship that I found. That I want you to look at and I want you to sync this down into your heart, very short. And I look at this stewardship is the act of organizing your life so that God can spend you I think about that. Is organizing your life in such a way? That God has so much faith in confidence in you. That he will spend you, he will give you things because he knows that you're going to manage his resources. Well, we all want God to spend us to look it up. I said, yes, that's a child right there that I can trust. That's what we want. We want that when we get to heaven, we want the Lord say, Well done. Good and faithful, or Steward means the same thing. Well done, good. And faithful Steward. You took care of what I gave you on Earth. I'm going to take care of you now in heaven. That's what we want. So we it's an act of organizing your life so that God can spend you first Chronicles. First Chronicles chapter 29 at, let me give you a little background here. This is near the end of King, David reign in Israel and he wanted so bad to build God's Temple in Jerusalem a temple. Now that was going to replace remember the Tabernacle that the children use and Bill in the wilderness. But remember what God told David said, David, you can't build it. I'm sorry, but you're not going to be able to build my temple, but I'll give you the next best thing. I'm going to allow your son to build it. I'm going to allow your son Solomon to build the temple. So rather than building the Temple rather than saying all good gracious, I wish I could build it and having a pity party David went about and he started raising the funds needed for the project when Solomon became king. So he made sure everything was ready. When Solomon was ready to build the Temple of Solomon, wouldn't have to go out and raise money. He wouldn't have to get the materials David. Had it all set in there, ready for his son? That's what a good leader. You set up your family. Well, that's exactly what you do. Now we're not going to read these verses here, but David raised what we would consider today billions of dollars. To build this Temple. And he took him from his own personal funds, but also he gathered the people of Israel, all the leaders, all the heads of the tribes and he said, we need to give to the Lord's work and they gave billions of dollars. Gold silver iron, just read the first part of First Chronicles chapter 29 and you will see that. And so David led, the people after this after they got all the material and took up all the money. He led the people in a prayer of Thanksgiving acknowledging. God

As the source of everything that was given, it is one of the most beautiful prayers that you will ever read in the Bible, and I want to read it to you this morning. And I want you to follow with me 1st Chronicles, 29. We're going to read verses 10 through 20. All right, so let's start out there for David bless the Lord, before all the assembly and David said, blessed are you Lord? God of Israel, Our Father forever and ever Yours O Lord is the greatness, the power and the glory, the Victory, and the majesty. And I watch what he says for all that is in heaven and in Earth. Is yours. He says yours is the kingdom. Oh Lord. And you are exalted as head over all the watch both riches and honor come from you.

David was rich. And he knew the reason he was rich is because that rich came from God. Riches and honor come from you. You Reign Over All in your hand is power. And my in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all now watch now, therefore Our God. We thank you, and praise your glorious name for, who am I? And who are my people that we should be able to offer so willingly as this billions of dollars for all things? Come from you. And of your own. Watch what he says here of your own, we have given you and other words he saying we giving you billions and billions of dollars and supplies. And all we've done is we've given it back to you because you only know that's exactly what he said of your own. We have given you

for we are aliens and pilgrims before you as we're all our fathers our days on Earth as our as a shadow and without Hope Oh Lord Our God. All this abundance that we have prepared to build you a house for your holy name. Is from your hand and is all you own. Think of that you ever look at your bank account? Think that Lord, thank you for letting me have in $3,000 in my account. It is all yours. And I give a small portion back to you. I'm just giving you back what you already on. Is that way you think, when you write your title You think like that? Do you think that it it is all God 417? I know, also my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure and uprightness ask for me in the uprightness of my heart, I have willingly cheerful, offered all these things. And now with joy I have seen your people and our present here to offer willingly to you. I would not a great attitude to have come to church and just offer Whitley joyfully cheerfully to you first 18 O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac Mizrahi father's, keep this forever. And then 10 of vaults of the heart of your people and fix their heart tour, you and give my son Solomon, a little hard to keep your Commandments in your testimonies in your statues, to do all these things in the build the temple for which I have made provision. Then David said, all this Emily now bless the Lord, your God to all the assembly. Bless the Lord God of their fathers and bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the Lord. And the King went out a wonderful prayer. You could not pray a better prayer. Then what David just pray. Now, the reason why this is so important. It's when we think about money. We think of producing it ourselves. But David here reminds us that everything comes from God and everything belongs to God. So here's what I want to do today, don't have the two points. I want to give you three observations. This prayer says about God, and then I want to give you three observations. This prayer says about, man. Well, we know what group we're in we're we're in the mat mankind. So I want to give you three number one, observations about God and here they are God originates. Everything God owns, everything God, oversees everything. Now let's take each one. One by one, the Bible is clear that God is Creator and by implication of him being creator. He's the owner of all the Earth and everything on the earth. You say well, that sounds right. Well, I want to give you scripture. To back this up. So let's look John 1:3, all things were made through him and without him, nothing was made. That was made, what we're saying? God originates, everything. Everything was made through him. And without him, nothing was made. That was made that. Look how Paul describes and acts. 17:24 God, who made the world. And everything in it. He made the world and everything in it in, Jeremiah the prophet and his, but we don't have this on the screen, but Jeremiah said this, he made the world, he made the Earth by his power, he made the world by his wisdom, and he had stretched out the heavens by his understanding. What does this mean that God has originated everything? Look at Colossians 1:16 For by him, all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, where their phones or dominions or principalities and Powers. All things were created through him. And for him, are you getting the point that God is the originator of everything in heaven, everything on Earth, even things that are invisible to our eyes? He he's the originator of it all. Well let me make it a little more clear Hebrew 3 verse 4. Every house is built by someone. Someone built your house. That me some Builder, built your house. Every house is built by someone, but he who built all things is who is God. He's he built all things, the Bible leaves, no doubt about the origin of the Earth or everything in the earth. It was all created by God and the origin is the first principle of ownership. If you build something and you make something who owns it, you knew it. Arjun is the first principle of ownership so God originates. Everything number two.

God owns everything. He owns it all David here in his prayer makes the connection between Arjun and ownership. Look how he says it here in verse 11. he says yours O, Lord is the greatness, the power of the glory to victory in the majesty and then he says this for all that is in heaven and in Earth Is yours. Seeing made, he made here the the connection. Now this is so important, this is so important, but yet it seems to be the most challenging concept for us to grasp. We work hard for our income, don't we? Some of us went to school to learn to do what we do and I guess what, that's cool. Did it cost money? Didn't we had pay for it? Nobody else paid. For course, you may get your college paid. For now, the way it is everybody's going to pay for everybody's got, but when we went to school, we had to sacrifice. We had to put the long hours at. We had to study, we earn that degree so that we could get a certain job and now we go and we work 40, 50 60 hours a week and we get a paycheck and we're not paycheck comes, it says mike Wilkie on it. That means that that paycheck that money is who is mine. I work for it, this is my money. And if it's my money and I work for and I put in hours and I got all this school in that I had to pay for. I ought to be able to do with my money. What I want to do with it.

I see some of you shaking your head because you know exactly what I'm talking about because that's how we think. That's how we think it's mine. I own a house and I own one point three acres, if you go to Granville, County courthouse, and look it up. Guess whose name will be on that D, Mike and Martha Wilkie. They own it.

No, the very dirt. I walk on in the very air, I breathe is God's. He belong, he hid it, all belongs to him. I don't care whose name is at the courthouse. I don't care. Whose name is on that. Paycheck, it all belongs to him. This is, this concept is so hard for us to grasp, but we have to do it. You see, we work hard for our income yet, everything that we use that income to create that income in the things, we purchase without income all have their origin in God. We have created nothing on our own and therefore we are the ultimate owners of nothing. I'll nothing, I don't know. Anybody I do on my house. Had my name on it. I don't only I don't own the ground at that house. It's on. Don't own it. This is where the concept of stewardship comes in. God is the creator. So if he created everything in heaven under Heaven, Around Heaven and on Earth in Earth, if he did all of that, then he is the owner. And we have been entrusted to manage what he owns for him. Print. We have to get this in our hearts and in our minds, if we can't wrap ourselves around that, we're going to be so greedy. With our money, we're not going to be generous. We're not going to give, we're not going to Todd. We're going to tip because we see it as mine. And I'm not going to let go of it. And I've known people before who quit giving to the church and you know why they quit giving? Cuz they said I don't think they're using that money right down there. Friends not up to you to decide whether the money's use, right? Or not. Is up to us to be generous. And give if it's not being used, right God, will bring that to light and good time. He'll bring that to life. But it's up to us to give. So we have a very special owner, stewardship relationship with God. God, is the Creator and on, we are the ones entrusted to manage it to him. Look at Psalm 24 and verse one, so I'm 24 one. The Earth is the Lord's and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein whose is it who owns it? The Lord. He owns that all the Earth, all the flooring, it the whole world, everything that dwells in the world, the lord owns. So we learn from an early age. That ownership is important. I mean we've all heard of the American dream happening. You know what, the one of the biggest aspects of the American dream is home ownership. I want to own my home. That's a dream and then we should work hard and save our money so that we can buy our own stuff and that's fine. There's nothing wrong with that. As long as you remember that, God is the true owner and that what really matters is that we manage it well for him. That's what matters God is the originator of everything. God owns everything and see. God oversees everything. Now you say, what what do you mean by that? Well, look at it. Again, chapter 29 of 1st Chronicles verse 11 and 12 he oversees everything. The victory for all that is in heaven and in Earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom. Oh Lord, not verse 12, both riches and honor come from you. And you Reign Over All in your hand is power. In my, in your hand, is to make great and to give stretch to all. It is God's plans and purposes there be out on Earth. Someone mentioned about how all the evils going on in our world. Do you think God's not aware of that course? He's aware of it. He's allowing it to work out in his own, good plan and purposes. We don't understand that. But he's in heaven, he's not, he's not ringing and twisting in heaven and twiddling his thumbs. I can walk the world. I wouldn't wear this, and how in the world am I going to fix that? No, he he before the foundation of the world, he had already planned out how the world's going to exist, and how it's going to end. He knows he has the Easy Button in heaven. God have it, he knows exactly what's going on and people say all global warming and you hear all these liberal falling-out with the world's going to blow up free. And for the world, blows up his, cause God wants it to blow up and you don't think that he can't keep the sun exactly where it is without getting a millimeter closed. So we burn to death or millimeter away so that we freeze to death, he oversees it all. you say how do you know he oversees everything but you asked Colossians 1 verse 17. He is before all things, he existed before any creation. He is before, all things and in him. All things consist at work and see if means held together. He holds it all together. God is in heaven, he's holding it all. He holds you together. Do you know that you say why I've got good helps cuz God is holding you together, I love my family, I got a great family, it's because God giving you a loving family, he's holding you together. It's what he's doing. You know, there's something in the medical field.

It's called laminin. And it holds our skin and everything in our bodies together because if we didn't have lemon and you know what would happen? We would all just be droopy, people will be walking around like we would be liquefied almost. I would be here in my skin will be hanging up. Everybody has laminin Well, God is our lamin. He holds us together. And I wanted to put this picture on the screen today but I didn't have time. But if you are a doctor or nurse or someone and you go and look at laminin, under the microscope, you know how certain things have certain shapes and all you know what laminin looks like under microscope is in the shape of a cross. Why? Calls in him, all things are held together. Even our bodies are held together by the laminin that he put in. That's God signature DNA in US. He holds us to get God overseas everything. Well, that's three things that tells us about God. He's the originator. He owns that all. He oversees it all. Well, let's see, about observations number, to observations about, man. Well, if you look at it, these observations are almost the exact opposite of the ones about God. A Man doesn't own anything. Now I've already said that. But can there be two owners of the same thing you ever heard about co-owners? You know, there's some people who are co-owners like they made by NFL team and its 50%, 50% their owners. But there can't be two 100% owners of anything God on everything before we come onto the scene. So for us to think I'm a co-owner this check, I made is mine and it's got, no, he was on the scene before we ever got here to think that we are co-owners with God is illogical, he has given us stewardship responsibility, not shared ownership, man. Owns nothing. David captures, this relationship very well here in 1st Chronicles, 29, 14th. Look at what he says. He says, who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer? So willingly is this David was saying hi in the world. Are we able to offer this billions and billions of dollars? How can we do this? So willingly, look what he says. For all things come from you and of your own, we have given you we're just giving you back lord. What you want you ever look at it like that when you write your check to the church Lord, I'm just giving back what you want. If you do that, you and your wife will race to the checkbook, to see who can write the check first. But if you look at it, like now this is mine. And so, I got to pay my bills first. I know about all this trust in and all like that, but let me pay my bill and I'll give God what I have left over. So we end up giving God leftovers instead of the main entree. And he wants the main entree. Why? Because he owns it all. We don't own any thing. Listen to what? Howard Dayton. He's the founder of crown Financial. Listen to what he said. And I wrote this down, He says this is for all things come from you and he says of your own Lord just like David did he says you have given to us and then he says this what I possess got owns, we may have temporary possession of something, but ownership is never transferred. And this is what this is what he said. We have bought nothing into this world. And it is certain, we will carry nothing out. Now, this is what the head of this financial institution, say it. How many of you ever heard the name? Harland Sanders Colonel Sanders. Carlos and he was a rich man. But he he knew the same thing that you can't take it with you. Listen to the quote that he said, there's not any need to be the richest man in the cemetery. In the cemetery Cemetery, because you can't sell chicken from there. That's what he said was too used to being the richest man, in Dan in the grant. You can't sell chicken there. That's what he says, you see. This gives evidence that these people knew the truth. What we possess we don't own and we're not going to take any of it with us with us when we die. We don't own it. If we did it, go to heaven, Willis, you say my home about three hundred acres or when you die your children going on it. And when they die their children were on it or they'll sell it before they die or something like that. We don't own. Man does not own anything even The money that I have in my bank account is God, you say what? I just can't wrap my mind around that. Well, maybe you can. Now, when we look at this first Deuteronomy 8:18, And you shall remember the Lord your God for it. Is he Who gives you power to do, what to get? Well, It is God who gives you the power to get what you have, your abilities, your intelligence, your creativity, your energy, your determination are all products of God's grace.

And that hard, it is hard preaching to accept that. Nothing is mine that I am a steward of everything. It's hard for us to wrap our hearts and Minds around that. Well man doesn't own anything. Number two, man gets what he has from God. God owns, all he just didn't trust the portion of it to us to manage for him for his glory while we are here on Earth and when we die, then all the manager has passed on to others. They'll have the same responsibilities. So many people don't understand that we are managers and stewards. And we're going to be held accountable to God for what God has given to us. Remember, in the parable of the talents and he gave two talents here in five talents here, and seven times over here and there and two of the stewards doubled their money. They were wise investors. It's okay to invest your money. It's okay to do that. God wants us to make money with our money. They were wise investor, but one that he was so afraid, he's enough Lord. I just put it in a buried in the ground, and I'm going to give you back what you gave me. And what did the Lord say to him? He can ricked servant, he said, you fool. Look at what these others did. They went out and made me more with interest and you buried mine. You bury your talent. You see that's the way the Lord looks at the watch, the requirement of being a steward, just one and this is the last line I'm going to show you today. Look at this 1st Corinthians 4:2. Moreover, it is required in stewards. Okay, that's what we are. So what is it? That's required. That one be found. What faithful Just be faithful faithfulness. As a steward means that we do with God's Property or with God's money, what he would do, if he was on Earth himself, our goal is to be faithful to him. He puts us in charge of a small portion of what he owns and faithfulness requires that. We use that the way that he wants it to be used. Now, listen carefully when we tithe to the Lord, when we Grace, give to the Lord.

Let's say we give 10% friend if we give 10% that doesn't make us free to do whatever we want with the other 90%. You say, we'll wait a minute. I'll give you my 10% to the church to the Lord. I work for this all to be able to do what I want to do with rest of it. I've already paid the Lord. Why can't I do what I want to do with the rest of it because 4 and God doesn't he doesn't just own the camper that he owns the 100%. That's the way we have to think. So we began making plans about what to do with our money and property. And our responsibility is to determine our these plans in line with God's desires and values and plans for my life. That's what we have to ask. That's the reason.

That's the reason that people who go out here and play the lottery. Are being very foolish with their money. That's not God's desires. What the odds of you winning. I'm saying wow. Just wow. And I just bought 10 tickets. This worth 600 million if I win. That's being sloppy with God's money. You're not how many people has won. The big six hundred billion dollar lottery. That's in here, right now. No one. No one and um we're not we're not going to win, that's being sloppy and careless, we got money, God's money, all of our money. It covers every bit of it, going out, buying a stock. Just willy-nilly why? I think I'm going to buy this stock. That's careless, you have to do your research, you have to look at a come in all ways. Don't work out, but you researching, you don't just check rabbits. They're spending money here and there. That's not being a good steward. Now, if you want to sell lottery tickets, that's a good Steward because people will buy them from you and you're going to make money, that's the good steward. All these people who sell car insurance and all like that, and homeowners insurance, they're the ones making the money as long as you pay your thousand dollars every year, they're happy with that. And all the sudden, someone say I got a dent in my car, got to get fit. Okay, insurance to cover it, but yet they're going to up your premium. That's who's making the money not us. We are giving to them. But when we go and do and handle our money like that, gambling, it away on slot machines or the lottery or even careless investing. That's not a good idea because it's putting at risk. What God has given us. And so, yes, he wants us to use our talents and he wants us to invest and he wants it to grow, but friends not carelessly and not just throwing money away. That's not what he wants you. So how about a house or car or maybe a vacation home or recreational vehicle and things like that? Does all those things fall in the same category but absolutely, they do. Because there's many ways that we can use our homes and cars and things like that for God's glory, you can use your car to go, pick up someone that don't go to church and bring them to church. You can use your vacation home somewhere to let someone go stay and you don't charge them. Yes, you can use things like that, use your property. God is generous, and God bless his up Ripley and our task. As a steward is to acknowledge his blessings and manage them in a way that pleases him remember stewardship is act of organizing your life, so that God can spend you. That's what it is man. No need anyting. Man gets all he has from God and then lastly. Only what we get back to God will last forever. You say, what do you mean by that? Well, if you look at it from the Earthly God, he's originator owner and oversees everything. We own nothing and everything that we do loan comes from God, if you look at it from the Earthly standpoint, that's kind of a grim scenario. I'm just living my life where I don't have anything. I don't own it. If it all belongs to God, what am I doing? I'm just like a little home down here and he's just using me, but friend, that's not the way to look at. In fact, what we get the keep, if what we give back to God, you see what we give to God for his eternal purpose. if what becomes Eternal to us, and I'm not necessarily talking about money, because money and Earthly goods are all temporal The friends we can use our Earthly possessions. To accumulate the only two things that are Eternal. Did you know that there's only two things in this world that are Eternal that will last forever. You say what are they? Your soul.

And the word of God. Grass withers. The flower Fades, but the word of Our Lord shall stand forever.

Now, think of this Souls of men and the word of God, only people, and the truth of God's word. Our eternal, All right. Let that sink in everything else is temporary. How can we use our temporary possessions?

To promote the souls of men and the word of God. Well, when we give our money to support missionaries the missionaries, do what they go out and they carry the gospel to people who have never heard it. And when those people embrace the Lord Jesus they become a part of God. Eternity, if when we get to heaven and we're going to see them people, you're going to say why. I never knew that person. No but the money you gave to support missions was the reason that person heard the gospel and they were saved and that will be a credited to your account in heaven. Amen. That's how you do it. We're all going to be responsible for Souls that enter eternity. And so if you allow a missionary or a traveling preacher to use your car or you give money for that, and possessions know that money possessions don't go to heaven, but the truth of God in the hearts of people does go to heaven. You see, that's how we get involved in things that last forever, by by using our temporary possessions to accomplish Eternal goals with how in the world. Can I invest in getting the word of God, the soles other than giving money to Mission where you can give money to Bible translation, Bible distribution, preaching teaching, discipleship, counseling supporting people in all locations, all over the world who are involved in those things. There's just no end to the ways that we can help. So that's what I mean, when I say you can only keep What you give back to God, for Eternal purposes because only God can transform something temporary into something Eternal, and he will do it. So friends. That's why, as I close our Focus needs to be on eternity, not this life. And so when we invest, we need to be investing in those things, which will last forever, which is for the word of God and The Souls of men. That's what Jesus meant. When he said, you ought to lay up treasure for yourself in heaven. How do I lay up? Treasures in Heaven. You make sure you get the word out. You make sure you witnessed you. Make sure you are in Vidor of people to this church, to come here to good, use and friends. When they accept the gospel, you have played a part in it. That's what you have done to influence every Christian to think biblically about what we have been given from God. And while he has placed it in our hands, you see off later if more than just about money. It's about understanding the big picture of who God is and who we are and David captures, it perfectly here in his prayer what our finances and possessions really are something God has entrusted to us for his glory. We need to understand the difference between ownership and possessing the friends. Let me encourage you today. Just think a fresh about what kind of Steward you are. And to use more and more of what you have to accomplish God's Eternal purposes. Amen. Let's pray. Father, we thank you. And praise. You and love you today. Lord, for your word. Or we thank you for this prayer that we read in 1st Chronicles, 29, David. So understood that everything that the nation of Israel had belonged to you, he understood that you were the originator of everything that you own everything and that you hold everything together or thank you, help us to think about our finances that way, help us to understand. We don't own anything. Everything in our life comes from you and only what we give back for your Eternal purposes, for the spreading of the Gospel. And for The Souls of men, that is what's going to last in heaven, that is the treasure that we need to be store in Forest in Christ's name. I pray. Amen. All right. Thank you for being here today.