I like money.  I love ministry and missions.  Ministry and missions require, to one degree or another...money.  I have learned over the years that money makes a great slave but a terrible master.  It is amazing how hard it is to keep money "in it's place."  I didn't mean that the "place" is in the bank or in my wallet.  I did mean keeping money in its place as a servant and not a master.  Money promises many of the same things that God promises.  The problem is, God can deliver and money cannot!  So what are we to do with these greenbacks, these rubles, these pesos and sawbucks?  One of the ways we can make money work for us is by giving it away to assist in the advancement of the Lord's work.  Jesus taught that we could actually lay up treasure in heaven and have some secure investments for eternity.  Jesus loves us and wants our investments to last!  So, what I like...money and what I love...ministry and missions can work wonderfully together.  I can give what I only like to further what I really love and not lose the thing I like and have more of what I love!  Wow, that's quite the deal.  This coming Sunday is my annual Money Sermon.  I always preach a message about money the Sunday before our Missions Emphasis so we will hopefully take a look at where we are investing our money and consider the long term gains.  Jesus is not against investing...He simply wants us to have dividends that are out of this world  .