Intro:	1.  Stuggling piano player, could play for beloved Dad, but not for audience
		a.  Dad offered to sit backstage for recital where son could see him
		b.  Did fine, but made mistake.  Looked at Father, Father smiled,  it was okay
		c.  Second mistake, someone booed and hissed.  Saw audience, forgot all about his 
		      Father, BECAME SELF CONSCIOUS and concert went downhill from there.
	2.  So it is with us.  We are performing for Father, but Satan will provide an world of 
	     distractions for us.  Will focus on a serious distraction this morning.
	2.  Text Heb 13:5-6
	3.  Let the manner of your life be free from the love of money
		a.  Text started out talking about love of the brethren & hospitality
		b.  Now is talking about the wrong kind of love, the love of money
	4.  How can we keep self free from the love of money?

I.  By being content with what you have
	A.  But what if what we have is not much?
	B.  You can still be content, and here is how:
		1.  Ensure you have given your heart completely to Jesus (Mt 19:16-26)
			a.  Here was a wealthy respectable believer
			b.  Felt incomplete:  What did he have to do to be complete?
			c.  2 Cor 9:6 - God loves a cheerful giver
				-What if he had given cheerfully, would it be okay?
				-You can still give cheerfully and yet not be pleasing to God
			d.  Serving God is not about keeping a set of rules.  This man was a 
			    champion at keeping rules!
			e.  God is not interested in your money, he is interested in your heart
				-If giving doesn’t come from the heart, it doesn’t mean anything
			f.  That’s why easier get camel through eye of needle than rich to heaven
		2.  Don’t straddle the fence (Mt 6:19-24)
			a.  Where treasure is, there is your heart
			b.  Can’t serve 2 masters  (God doesn’t want your pocket book, or a piece of you)
			c.  Rich young ruler's treasure was in his fortune, he tried to straddle fence.
			d.  Cannot survive with half a heart, whole thing has to belong to God
		3.  Don’t pursue riches
			a.  Why?  Money is the root of all evil  (wrong - love of money is root)
				-Not wrong to BE rich  (Prov 20:4;20:13;26:13-16 - Sluggard begs)
				-Abraham was rich.  Riches were not his aim - NOT GREEDY
				-Abraham willing to give up most precious son for God
			b.  (Eccl 5:10-12) - He who loves money never satisfied
			c.  (Prov 15:15-17) Better to have a little with peace than a lot with strife
	C.  Money is not everything!
		1.  Many things money can buy:
			a.  Bed but not sleep			g.  Pleasures, but not peace
			b.  Books, but not brains		h.  Luxuries, but not culture
			c.  Food, but not an appetite		i.  Amusements, but not joy
			d.  Fine things, but not beauty		j.  A crucifix, but not a savior
			e.  A house, but not a home		k.  A church building, but not Heaven
			f.  Medicine, but not health
		2.  Teacher that traveled by plane, bags not make it
			a.  Needed suit for lecture, went to thrift store
			b.  Owner said suits came from mortuary, been cleaned though
			c.  Bought two for $25 a piece.  
			d.  Discovered that evening, no pockets!  They were sown shut!
			e.  Why?  Dead people do not carry stuff with them when they depart.
	D.  So, first secret to keeping self from from love of money - Content with what you have
		1.  Phil 4:10-13 - Paul’s example of this principle
		2.  Paul’s ultimate joy (v13) and strength was in God  (Rejoice in the Lord)


II.  By being confident in the Lord’s faithfulness
	A.  God is the only one whom you can truly depend on
	B.  Explanation
		1.  Opening of Hebrews declares this same faith (1:10-12)
		2.  Chap 11 reminds us of some heroes of faith:
			a.  Thos listed there were:  
				a.  Abel - Worshipped God with very best
				b.  Enoch - Walked with the Lord
				c.  Noah - Worked for God in faithful obedience
				d.  Abraham - Offered only son
				e.  Moses - Chose reproach instead of riches
				f.  Joshua - Marched around Jericho as military maneuver
			b.  Their perspective:  11:13-16 - Stranger and Aliens (no roots here)
		3.  Mal. 3:7-10 / 13-15 / 16-18 - They not confident in God, (what did it get me?)
		4.  Mat 6:25-34 - Jesus says to not be anxious, God will take care of you
	C.  Our Decision to bring Stacey home to where she didn't work outside the home.
		1.  Meant loss of second income  (what would we lose by it?)
		2.  We asked wrong question.  Should have been - what would we gain?
		3.  We knew God’s will for me to be the father and her the mother
		4.  We took Solomons wisdom to heart:  Better to have a little with peace, than 
		     plenty with strife.
			a.  Stacey could have kept on working
			b.  It would have shown in our marriage, and in our kids
		5.  God provided.  (My Dad said - goes to show you what happens when God first)
	D.  So, trust in God’s faithfulness, don’t straddle fence.


Concl:
1.  Keeping self free from love of money means
	a.  Being content with what you have
	b.  Being trustful of God’s faithfulness

2.  Don’t be deceived:  Usually think of the wealthy when read passages about being stuck on riches
	a.  Don’t have to have a lot of money for it to come between you and God
	b.  Even a homeless hobo can let material things come between him and God