POVERTY BECAUSE OF UNBELIEF
On the corner of Park Row and Beekman Street,(In City Hall Park) New York City, where Horace Greeley’s Statue (Founder of New York Tribune) now stands, stood a man offering $20 gold pieces for $1 each. All day he kept up loudly announcing his wares, but of the thousands that passed him, most paid no attention and others either laughed or scowled at him.
About 15 minutes before six o’clock, when he was about to quit, a woman timidly approached him and, after carefully investigating the gold piece, by biting it and testing its sound, but throwing it on the pavement, she reluctantly paid the dollar and pocketed the golden double eagle. Ten minutes later, just as the man was about to go home, the woman reappeared accompanied by two friends and between them they purchased the rest of the man’s stock, worth $160, for $8 in bills.
The next and for several following mornings, the street was crowded for blocks with the same woman in the lead waiting for the vender of gold coins, but he never appeared again.
This story is known to be true and Horace Greeley is responsible for the incident in demonstration of his theory that most poverty is due to the fact that the general public refuses to believe even in the face of overwhelming evidence.
1. God’s Promise to Moses
Ex 3:4 - Here am I
Ex 3:11 - Who am I
Ex 3:14 - I am that I am
- We don’t go in our ability
Ex 6:3 - And I appeared unto Abraham, unto
Isaac, and unto Jacob,
by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them
LORD - Source of all reality
- Source of all Existence
- Source of all Being
- Calling $20 gold piece for $1
2. Moses Speaks God’s Promise
Ex 3:4 God calling out of the burning bush
Ex 4:1 - If people do not believe
Ex. 4:2- Rod to a serpent
Ex. 4:6-7 Leprous hand
Ex.4:9 - Nile poured out unto dry ground - turns to blood
Ex 4:30 - Showed the signs
- Calling $20 gold piece for $1
- People did worship
3. Egyptian God’s Broken
- Look the $20 gold piece for $1 is real
Egypt’s God’s defeated - Ex. 7-11
Blood. Frogs. Lice, Flies, Cattle, Boils, Locust, Darkness, 1st born
4. God Is Personal to Israel
- The $20 gold piece for $1 begins to be doubted
- Over & over again the cry $20 gold piece for $1
Ex. 13:21-22 - Pillar of cloud, pillar of fire
Ex. 14:22, 29 - Into the sea on dry ground
Ex. 15:23-25 - Marah - Bitter water made swet
Ex. 16:12-15 - Eat quails & Manna
Ex.17:1-6 - strike the rock for water
Ex 17. 8-16 - Battle with Amalek Aaron & Hur hold up Moses arms
Ex. 19:16-19 - Sinai in smoke, fire, trumpet, shaking
Num 11:10-32 - Quail for a whole month
Num 12:10-15 - Miriam leprous
Num 13:23, 27 - Just as the Lord had promised - Flowing with milk and honey
4. Israel Response To God
- the lost of the $20 gold piece for $1
Num 14- Rebellion & Unbelief broke them
Num 14:9 Rebellion is forbidden
Num 16:30 Rebellion Provokes God
5. Root of Unbelief & Rebellion
- Today the $20 gold piece for $1 is before us
- All that we need to do is respond
Heb 3:12 - Unbelief comes from an evil heart
Lk 24:25 - Unbelief comes from a slow heart
Lk 24:25 - Unbelief comes from a hard heart
- Poverty because of unbelief
6. Faith’s Riches
- Exchanging the $20 gold piece for $1
Rom 3:25 - Sin paid for
Gal 2:16 - Made right before God
Jn 6:40 - Have Eternal Life
Rom 15:13 - Given Peace
Rom 5:2 - Given Hope
1 Pet 1:8 - Given Joy
Mk 9:23.- Difficulties are overcome
