I believe there will have to be an attitude in these last days as His church begins to experience the same persecution that Jerusalem was under at that time.  Later on in the ministry, when they had adversity in Jerusalem and Paul was taking up the offering.  You remember, he was boasting about the Corinthians, because the Corinthians were big talkers.  “All they got; amen.  We’ve got plenty of resources; God’s blessed us.  We’ll be giving, praise God.”  The Macedonians, who were not wealthy like the Corinthians were, were motivated by their attitude.  So, the Macedonians got everything put together and the Corinthians haven’t done anything yet.  That’s what all those chapters at the end of Corinthians are talking about, that we don’t read often.

Finally, now, Paul is shaming the Corinthians and saying, “Look, I’ve been bragging on you guys, and when we come up there to receive the offering, if you haven’t done anything, this is going to bring a reproach on me and on God.”  “Oh, Paul’s just trying to wring money out of us.”  He said, “You’re the ones that promised.  Just remember one thing.  ‘God loveth a cheerful giver’; amen?  You’re the ones who rose up and said that you wanted to be used as a blessing, and that God blessed you for this very purpose: to be able to give to those that are in need.”  That’s what Paul brings out in the rest of those chapters there.  We’re blessed for the benefit of the covenant people; amen?

Timothy speaks of that in this sixth chapter.  That you might be ready to distribute, and ready to communicate, is what he goes on to say in the sixth chapter of Timothy.  So, there’s nothing wrong with being rich, but along with it, let’s assume the responsibilities that come with being rich.  It’s not to consume it all on ourselves.  But the Scripture makes it very clear that these are things that are there for our benefit, for us to enjoy; amen?  So, I think it’s becoming very clear that we’re talking here about heart attitudes.  God is the one, then, that speaks and orders our steps accordingly.

Isn’t it tragic that Lot’s desire took him into Sodom?  Now, one thing that money can do, and tragically, it’s even within the church; men seek to make those people preeminent in all areas.  The next thing we know, Lot is sitting on the city council in Sodom.  He’s sitting at the gates.  I wonder which way he voted when it came up, the issue of homosexuality being acceptable or lawful?  Where is his righteousness?  Where is the indication that a righteous man was in Sodom?  I want to tell you where the righteous man was.  He was not in Sodom, he was outside of Sodom praying to God and saying, “If there be ten will You save it?”

What happened to Lot’s prayers?  His effect was so weak that his children laughed at him, thinking it was a joke when he told them that God was present and God was going to bring justice.  He was a man in political power and influence, but didn’t use it for the glory of God.  He didn’t partake, but he didn’t oppose to any degree.  For if he had, it would have cost him his life.  Lot was very rich.  Lot saw the abundance of Sodom.  Sodom had the newest, latest and greatest.  Lot went down and moved into that gated community and every gadget available to man was there in their wealth.  Is it worth enduring that environment for stuff?  Yet, we go to their parties, we go to their business things, and we partake of all.

His righteous soul was vexed by what he heard and saw on a daily basis.  Vexed to blindness, to dullness of heart.  How tragic that he had to be physically pulled out of that environment!  We won’t dwell on that any longer, but I’m just trying to show you that we start off with two prosperous men and potentially, which path are we going to take?  “I believe I know which path I would take.”  Have you yet been taken up on that mountain and the devil tells you, “This is all mine to give.  How rich do you want to be?  How famous do you want to be? How successful do you want to be?”