"If You Were to Die Today…"

Luke 12:16-23

Last week, I counseled a man concerning his troubles. Because of the nature of his troubles, I discovered that he had no preparations towards his death. I told him because of the nature of his dilemma, I advised him to get his finances in order lest he hand over a disaster to his family. I have several family members and family friends of ours that have no plan or preparation for the future. They have thousands of dollars of debt and they keep on racking it up. They have no plans for retirement, but they continue to wait until it’s too late. Probably in the past couple of months, I’ve encountered incidents similar to this one, both by saved and unsaved people. My boss at work tells me about his financial problem. He is constantly talking about money. He is close to fifty and finally got his first house (with the help of his mom). He has 401k, but has borrowed against it twice already. He told me that he’s already planning on borrowing from it again once he gets that one paid off. He is relying heavily on Social security when he retires. He makes more than $2 an hour than I do. He tells me that he’s hoping that his mom dies before he retires so that he can make ends meet. He is in very bad shape for the future of his family.
We have way too many people living like that in America. But what bothers me more than anything is the saved people of the world handing over disasters to their family when they pass off of the scene. I want to speak to you tonight and ask you the question: If you were to die today?

I. First question I want to ask everyone is: If you were to die today, what kind of financial preparation have you left for your family? - I ask this question, because I have talked with many preachers and I myself want to avoid any unnecessary stress during the death of a loved one.

- Prov:13:22: A good man leaveth an iinheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

- It would be wise to get your financces in order ASAP.

- It’s time for Christians to stop reelying on the Gov. and rely on God instead.

- Don’t count on welfare or Socialistt security, it’s for those who don’t plan ahead

- I believe it is the duty of every CChristian to make their transition to heaven as easy and smooth as possible.

- Check to make sure you have insurannce, and not just accidental.

- Pay all of your bills, get rid of aall of your credit card bills, and maintain a low cost lifestyle

- But the best thing you can do to geet out of financial debt is to start tithing. A tithe is 10%, that’s $1 of every $10 you make. - Tithe off of your increases, tithe off of your earnings, and tithe off of gifts.

- Most people in financial debt oftenn to fail to tithe.

- I’ve heard it said, and I believe iit too. You can take care of a family of 4 on $6-8 a day. That will cover their food, clothes and transportation costs.

- If you can’t live on $15,000 a yearr, you won’t be able to live on $35,000!

- I remember working with a fellow onn nights who made the same amount of money as I did, also his wife also worked and he was on WIC. My wife doesn’t work outside of the home, but we didn’t put ourselves on some voucher system. This fellow was a smoker and a drinker and couldn’t afford to take care of his child. - Most people who have debt problem often put themselves there first.

- Make sure your spouse or next of kiin knows what to do, where to do things, and how to do things before you pass away.

- I’ve got a family member of mine, wwhen her husband passed away, she didn’t know how to pay the bills, read a phone or electric bill, or even how to write a check.

- I’ve got things sorted out that my wife would be able to pay for the house, the bills, and the funeral when I die. She should be able to just work a nominal part time job to support the family after about 6 months to a year.

- I see too many families that will nnever make anything of their lives or maximize the full potential of their lives if they don’t start putting things into order.

- People who don’t appropriate their funds properly will be a slave for life to their creditors and the Government.

- Don’t spend the rest of your life bbeing a slave! Get up now and start seeking financial freedom.

II. The next question I want to ask is: If you were to die today, how much have you failed to give to God - We live in a generation that strives to keep up with the Jones.

- We have way too many material thinggs that we definitely don’t need!

- Many people are robbing God becausee they have decided to build bigger barns.

- I recently talked to another felloww who I thought was pretty well off. But this fellow told me that he’s still renting, maximized a couple of credit cards, making payments on several different vehicles.

- He wasn’t just being made a slave tto debt, but also is robbing God of everything that he could have given to him instead of trying to build a bigger barn.

- I’m not saying its wrong to have soome luxuries in life, but I am saying, make sure you don’t rob God while you obtain those items.

- There was a fellow I knew who critiicized a preacher for making too much money, but turned around and took a trip with his family to some exotic place like Hawaii and charged it all on his credit card.

- I remember working with a fellow onn nights. Who claimed to be religious and saved. He had a house, bought a car, a jeep, satellite dish, a computer, and a couple of cell phones. Then later tells me that there is no way that he couldn’t tithe because he couldn’t afford it. He was robbing God by building bigger barns.


III. If you were to die today, have you given your first fruits?

- Vs. 17 of Luke you read the questioon; "what shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?"

- God already told you what to do witth your first 10%

- Prov:3:9-10: Honour the LORD with tthy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

- God doesn’t promise that everyone wwill be filthy rich if you give liberally, but He does promise that he will meet your needs.

- He doesn’t always give you money. SSometimes He gives you clothes, gifts, food. Sometimes there are times that He is taking care of us by not letting the car break down.

- Let me make it clear that the tithe is to go to the church and the offerings go to the building or missions

- Bring that tithe to the Church
>
- Don’t buy something for the Church and then deduct it from your tithe, that is unscriptural and quite frankly very rebellious.

- You are looking at a man who tithess off of his income (Gross), 401k, gifts, and all little extras that I get somewhere down the line.

- If you haven’t started tithing yet,, then I suggest that you start now before God’s judgement comes upon you and puts you deeper in debt.

Illustration-

There was a village where a missionary was trying to start a Church. This Church was a nominal Church sometimes struggling financially. It came to pass that the main money counter soon became ill and died. The question arose around the Church, who could they trust to count the money. Finally, a grain storehouse keeper stepped forward and volunteered to accept the responsibility under one circumstance; no one was to know anything about the finances for 1 entire year! This was a strange request, but since he was the grain storehouse keeper and everyone trusted him, they agreed to his stipulation. After a year, the finances of the Church were revealed and it was shown that they paid off the land and the building and had a remarkable amount of money in the savings. They asked him how this was possible. He quietly told them, "All of you bring your grain to me for your storage. I would immediately take out 10% of your grain and set it aside for the Lord. Nobody even noticed that it was gone. And now look at what could happen if we all do what the Lord wants us to do!"

**If you were to die today, what kind of shape would your family be in? If you were to die today, what would you have failed to give to God because of bigger barns?

If you were to die today, would you be able to say that you’ve given your first fruits?