The Three Foolish Lovers, Part 1

Greetings, friends and new listeners, and welcome to this program of the R.G. Hardy Ministries.

I'm Sharon Notts thanking you for tuning in today, because we know faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Today's message by my father, Brother Hardy, is entitled The Three Foolish Lovers. Paul wrote to Timothy that the last days would be perilous times, and he described 18 characteristics of the people who would be living in this age before the coming of Christ. And among those he noted three foolish lovers, lovers of self, lovers of money, and lovers of pleasures. And to these he added, rather than lovers of God.

So let's join Brother Hardy now for the Three Foolish Lovers. Hallelujah! Before you sit there and tell them somebody next to you, Jesus is wonderful, and I love you. Jesus is wonderful. God is wonderful.

He does everything perfect. Hallelujah. You know, if God said, okay, here's the plan of salvation I drew up, you can take anything out or anything.

I'd just leave it just like it is, because He's got everything in there. He anticipated everything that we would need, and He took care of it, didn't He? He said, and Peter, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that we might be a partaker of the divine nature, and we have an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, that fate of not a way reserved in heaven. Hallelujah. Everything that we need in the beginning, He looked down, and He saw you and I, and He saw just the way our lives would go and our station in life, and He put everything we need, reserved it for us. And then when it comes time and history that we need it, my God shall supply all of your needs according to His riches and glory that He's got reserved up there because of Christ Jesus through the Lord because of what He did. Now, in the world, there's three types or groups of people, and you will fit in one of the three.

And I'm going to be preaching the end of the different three. What's going to happen to them? First of all, there's the group that hardly has enough of the daily essentials to have their needs supplied. We call them the poor. And Jesus said that it was always those people would be with us. Remember that Judas wanted to tell that woman, don't break that box, pour it on Jesus, I'm going to go give it to the poor.

He really wanted to put it in his pocket. And the Lord said, the poor you always have with you, and whatever you want to do good to the poor, you always have a chance. And that's true. Then there's the other extreme, the rich that's got more than they need for their daily essentials, the things that are essential for you to live a healthy life. And the third group is in the middle that has all the essentials they need. And you're going to drop in one of the three. Of course, a whole lot of them want to be in the third one that I mentioned, second, more than they need.

But we're going to see the end of these people. And I'm sure none of us want to be in the first one poor. Everybody wants to be poor, raise your hand.

Because if you want to be poor, come bring all your money up and everything, and then deed to your house and sign it over to me. Really the church, and I'll use it for the church, to feed the poor, especially in Africa and India. Amen? First of all, I'm going to say to God's people, God, 2 Corinthians 9, 8, said I like this verse, it's beautiful. Just these first three words I could probably preach till Jesus come on.

They're beautiful about God. It said, and God is able. Say it, God is able. God can do it.

He's able. I don't care what your need is, I don't care what your situation, I don't care what three you're in, God is able. How many say amen? And then if you're one of His, you're going to be one of His children, He's going to say, God's going to make you able. God is able, and He's going to make you able if you're His child. How many say amen? You should be on bread.

They would name all of the vitamins that was needed for sufficient for you to have a healthy life and to maintain it. God's able to make all grace abound unto you, listen to this, that you always have all sufficiency in all things for every or all good work. That's the five alls, and five is the number of grace. That's the grace verse.

How many say amen? So get that in your mind because you might get a little shook up as I preach. But I'm going to bring the Word of God, and it's going to be counter to a lot of preachers, especially some of the big boys on TV. But it's going to be the truth because I don't know what I need anymore than everything I need when I need it. But my God shall supply all your needs.

What more do I need? If I need a supply, the rest is excess. And we're going to find out when we get in excess, that gives the devil a door to work. Amen?

Some of the most miserable people in the world are multi-millionaires. And these scriptures here are for us more than any other day till this up-to-date Sunday. And I'm going to be preaching on three foolish lovers.

Maybe some of you can relate to them. Three foolish lovers. 2 Timothy 3 and says, this know also. God wants us to know this. God doesn't want us to be ignorant about the next few verses Paul is going to tell us about.

Time that He wants us to know it. That in the last days, so right now we're in the time, we're in the last days and He wants us to know something. And He wants us to know is for men shall be lovers of their own self. That's the first foolish lover. The second one is the next word, but the King James translates it covetous. For men shall be lovers of their own self, covetous. But the Greek word is lovers of silver. And remember back in the Bible days, they didn't have paper money, it was all coins.

So it's really translated lovers of money. And they are in peril. The word peril means jeopardy and danger. Those that love their self and those that love silver are in danger. And a lot of people, even saints are in danger. He puts them in the class with boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedience to parents, unthankful, unholy without natural affections, truce workers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers, third lover, foolish lover of pleasures is a peril to you.

It's dangerous of the result that's going to be. Now first of all, they love their self. So all they think of that is me, myself, and I. Therefore, to satisfy myself, me, myself, and I, which will never be satisfied because you never can satisfy the natural man.

Never satisfy the lusts and desires of the natural man. So the thing that they want is silver, money. And their whole life is gauged with getting money. And they don't care how they get it because they'll do those things that I read in between. Do anything to get the money. If you want to be rich, you're going to have to deal with the rich people and they're unscrupulous.

They do anything to get it and you're going to have to come on their terms. I want to satisfy myself that can't be satisfied. You take somebody who loves food and the more they eat, the more they want.

I know my brother was telling me about this young person and he said he was the hugest person he ever seen. And all he did was eat and eat and eat and eat and eat. And somebody told him, says, you know, you're killing yourself. He said, I don't care. I love it.

You can't satisfy your lusts. And they love the money. They got to get the money. They don't care who they knock down, who they flimflam.

You want to get an example of it? The most poorest people in the ghettos in our city underprivileged. And who do the drug merchants go after?

Who do they go after? Those poor people. And those guys don't care if they make them an addict.

In fact, they want them to be an addict. To get them, they'll give them a little bit first because they want that money. They wanted to splash gold hanging down their necks until they get a broken neck. They want to stretch a limousine and all the clothes and all that proud, arrogant, heavy, high-minded, fierce blow you apart. They prey on the poor.

We had a big deal. These guys grabbing up houses called a flippin', selling it to the poor for outrageous, charging outrageous interest. And of course, they get the money so they can satisfy their self that wants pleasures. You're living in a pleasure-crazed day.

Pleasures. If you've got the gambling habit to woo you up to Jersey, they'll send you a free bus to take you, give you a meal. And I don't know how much they're giving you now to start off with. How much money to start you off and especially to go for the women because they're nuts about the one-armed bandits because they know that the house is fixed to win. You can't beat the house. The only way that you can beat the house, and if you've got a gambling demon you want, is if somebody spent all their money and they were one bet away from winning, you went in and hit it and then you got it and left, but you ain't going to leave. When you leave, you ain't going to have nothing because you can't satisfy that gambling demon who plays the numbers more than anybody. I mean, it was so great a few years back that the pastor in the pulpit was given the number today by John 3.16. I'm not exaggerating.

They were waiting for the pastor to give, he said, the first verse I quote is the number for the day. Pleasures. Satisfied of flesh that can't be satisfied. Spend your life trying to get money. You know, if you would hit the jackpot or the lottery for a million dollars, you'd go crazy with the money. You'd be out of your happy mind. You wouldn't know what to do. First of all, those things that you thought you'd want, you'd run out and get it. How many say, man, you get the fancy clothes, you get a house, you get a fancy car, you might take a trip here and there, but you wouldn't know what to do. That money would kill you.

You know what it'd be like? How many knows the Midas company to fix your car? Don't they call it Midas Mufflers?

Now they advance into breaks and all the other stuff. See, it's Midas because everything they touch is going to cost you. Do you know that tale about the Midas, King Midas? King Midas said, I want the gift that everything I touch will turn to gold.

He thought that was me. Him he would like that. Yeah, you would. You'd go, yeah, don't tell me nothing.

You try to figure out, I'll figure out a way how to get this money. And then if you love food, you're in big shape, bad shape, because if you touch the food, it's going to turn into gold. Everything would be gold. How many say, amen?

Well, you couldn't even hug your children and your grandchildren. Amen? The Midas touched a curse. See, I believe the Lord looked down in the beginning and he put us, everyone, in the standing and status where he wanted us to be. The station in life that he wanted us to be in. And he gave us the ability to be able to produce that which is sufficient for us. Our need. See, to me, money is not a lust. It's a tool to lift up the Lord and get the gospel out. If I didn't need the money to get gospel out, I wouldn't want any money. I don't want to have money so I can put it in the bank account and say I got a trillion dollars. What good is it?

How many is out there? There's an old Jewish proverb that says this, God don't give me poverty lest I curse you. And then it says don't give me riches lest I forget you. See, the rich forget God. They don't need God. What do they need? I mean, they got a million dollars in the bank and all that goes with being rich, they don't need anything materially.

They got it made. What do they need God? They don't have to depend on God for their bread. The only time they're going to need God is when they get cancer.

Or if they would live a life healthy and die healthy, they would need God to be their savior. Money can't save you brother. The Bible says you came naked in the world and when you leave, you leave in the same way. You can't take it with you. I don't know how this little illustration will go, but the person died and people were putting diamonds and all kind of wealth in there and money. This one guy come up and gathered all the wealth and the money and pulled out a checkbook and signed a check and threw it in.

That guy would never cash that check. The only thing that's going to last out of this life when you go is what you've done for Christ. All the rest is going to be burned up. You either got works that are permanent, eternal that are like silver, gold and precious stones or else you're going to be wood and stubble and hay and God's going to put the fire to it. And only what's done for Jesus is going to last.

Are you out there? But like I've been saying all my life when God revealed it to me, what being richest is having what you need when you need it. Somebody was telling me recently that they went to a neighborhood to deliver some furniture in order to get there.

It took them an hour because the woman had to go through 100 doors, locking them and unlocking them. Better is the poor man with a little bit than the rich man with a lot without God. Now, the ones that find their self in life poor are going to be made use by the rich. They're going to be oppressed by the rich and God hates that. And if you are blessed, then you need to give to the poor. Because the Bible said if you give to the poor, you're lending to the Lord.

He's going to give you back. You know, every time we send money over to the orphanage in Kenya and our work there, it spread. We got a satellite orphanage now up further away with 200 and some children.

We've almost got the orphanage in where we built it that sleeps 500 absolutely full. How many say amen? And spreading out, every time we do it, God blesses.

Some of you have seen how small the crowd is. You'd never believe how much money that we put out to reach souls. Sure doesn't come from the offerings in this church, but God always touches somebody because in the beginning, He knew He was going to call me to this ministry.

He knew that He was going to give me this work. He knew what He wanted me to do and He put everything I need right there in heaven and inheritance and when I need it, then God dispenses it. Because it's one thing when you give people too much, they always waste it. If some people, if God would give you all that you need January the 1st to live the whole year, January the 2nd, you'd be saying, come on, welfare, because you'd blow it. People would flim flam you out of it.

Are you out there? Fifth verse said, after being high-minded, you know, when they get that money and the press teach with it, they ain't going to come around and see you no more. I mean, how many of you ever found out in your family they get money and all of a sudden they don't want to name my poor cousin? I don't want to be around them.

I'm going to be with the hoi polloi, the 400, the who's who. Said these people have a form of godliness. They claim to be Christians. When you are amazed that's who these people are? He's talking about Christians.

Haven't they seen Him in? Let's see who are these Christians? They're in danger. They're in peril. They'll be lovers of their own self. Come at you, sir, lovers of money, boasters of what they got, proud blasphemers, disobedience to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affections, no love for their families, and also this covers homosexuality without natural affections, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, that means without self control, raging, fierce, despisers of those that are good because that'll bring conviction on them.

They don't want to be convicted. You know, when you get this, the other people used to be your friends. Somebody said, boy, what's going to happen? You're going to have to give up all your friends. You don't have to give up all your friends.

Soon as you get it, you ain't got no friends. They ain't going to give you up. They see you on the street and they're going across the street.

Traders turn you right in because self is number one. Don't you touch my money, honey. Don't you rob me of my pleasures. Having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof from such do what? Turn away from the lover.

These people that go down the money road are in trouble. Turn away from themselves lovers. Turn away from all the rest of them. Turn away with those that want pleasure. The only churches now mostly are having any crowds is the ones that got pleasures. Everything is geared to pleasure. Who needs an altar call?

It ain't no pleasure kneeling down. Who needs an altar? Because if I preach right, ain't nobody going to come. Everybody's talking about how you can get rich. And the ones getting rich is the one telling you about it. Because you're buying their books and their recordings and giving them a hundred dollar pledge to get it.

Man, they graduated now. They want a thousand and ten thousand. I'm getting letters.

I believe you're one of them ones. I got discernment. You're one of them ones that give a thousand.

Don't you ask for help. I present the need and I tell them whatever the Lord tells you to give, you give. Who are you giving to, the man or the Lord? If you're giving to the Lord, he said, if you give it to me, then it's going to be given to you in the same men's ratio that you gave to me. I'm going to give it back to you. I'm going to make men give in your bosom.

Turn away from them. I've been preaching over fifty years and according to the norm of preaching deliverance fifty years like I have, man I should have all kind of millions. Rolls Royce, Maserati, Austin, Summer Palace, Winter Palace, in between palaces. I'm so charged from running to palaces I can't preach anymore. Now, I like it the way God's got it. It keeps me praying every day. I don't forget him because I need him today. I got to pray every day.

Give us. You know you can't pray the Lord's Prayer saying me or I. You got to pray in the plural. Give us this day our daily bread. See if you're lovers for self, all you're praying for is me. Bless me. My two, we three, my four and no more. I know you don't like me.

I'm not endearing myself this morning do you? Denying the power there brother. I'd rather have the power of God in my life than a thousand or a million dollars in the bank. How many say amen?

Because if I got the power of God in my life, that power of God will anoint my faith and when I ask God, he's going to hear me and supply all of my needs financially, materially, physically, spiritually and I have something to give to the church. Oh yes. Okay, now we're going to examine the end of these three lovers or these three groups of people because these three lovers are really the same person.

In other words, the love pleasures, you've got to love yourself and then the love pleasures in yourself, you've got to have money to buy your pleasures. Let's talk about the same person. How many say amen? Now the people that are born in a poor situation and I've seen it overseas, one of the poorest people in the world is the Haitians in Haiti and that was the first nation that God let me go to and when I saw their poverty, I literally got mad at God. I went to the Lord in anger and said, Lord, in the 20th century, how could you allow this situation when Americans throw more away in the garbage cans than these people will ever get to eat and waste? I saw one kid, he was lucky, he had the front pair of a pair of pants.

Then I saw the other guy had the back pair, but most of them didn't have none for the front or the back. They had what they called the poor man's market between the rich man's market and the mahogany market where all the tourists would come packed wall to wall like sardines with people that literally are born there and die in that spot and all they live on is trying to beg something from the tourists when they come and the guy was taking us through it says, now they're going to crowd you, but don't you give nobody any money? And I told you, I seen that one little woman, I can still see her eyes looking at me. She was looking into my soul. I looked at her and he took us away and she followed us. And every time I looked, I'd see them eyes piercing me and she'd be doing this. I mean, I just had a good meal.

I told her, brother, I don't care what you told me to do. I'm going to give that woman money or I'll never sleep again in my life. But you see, money wasn't the answer to their problem because in Port-au-Prince they had a half a million people and like some of them said that they could spend a dollar a meal and feed a million, a meal, so it'd be a million and a half a day. You know what you'd have to spend there? A million and a half a day forever. You hearing me?

A million and a half a day forever. When I got mad at the Lord, the Lord said to me, oh, now hold up. He said the reason why they're in that condition is because they have rejected my son and they went to voodoo.

And whenever you go after demons, that's what the demon will do. And the only religion that they went to had the great big building there, a cathedral, and one of the pictures that really got me was Jesus was on the cross and this woman was there with her arms around his feet looking up to him and that was the only hope they had in the spirit, either that or go to voodoo or to go if they could get some ganja, which we would call marijuana, or something to drink to forget their miserable place. But then I saw when we went to the top of the mountain to one of the missionaries that lived there and when I saw people marching up the mountain and I said, what are they doing? They're going up to pray and fast. And I looked and a lot of them had my magazine under their armor.

Their face was shining. How many say amen and God supplied their need because when you go to these places that are poor, if they are Christians, you'll find out that God is supplying their need in their environment. You can't expect to be blessed when you don't have God. There is no blessings. The devil's out to destroy you. The thief come up not but to steal and to kill and to destroy. But Jesus said, I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.

How many say amen? The poor is going to stay poor until they get a hold of God and then God is going to bring them into that middle group that their needs are always supplied when they need it. Let's see what happens to the guy full of riches.

See if you want it. See if you want to be rich. Rich is having God. And when you got God, He'll make you rich in your pocket by giving you what you need. He'll make you rich in your body that by His stripes you get healed and you have health.

He'll satisfy your mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like an eagle. How many say amen? To be rich is to be an heir of God and to join in with Jesus. To be full of the Holy Ghost and have the joy of the Spirit that's unspeakable and full of glory and have your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

How many say amen? And have an inheritance incorruptible under Father reserved in heaven. That's being rich, brother. Paul said he had nothing. He was like Jesus, but he possessed all things.

He was rich. He could sing in the Philippi jailhouse. How many say amen?

He could sing walking down the corners to go out and to get his head cut off. I fought a good fight. I kept the name. Henceforth there's a crown of righteousness laid up for me that the Lord shall give me in that day and not only to me, but all that the love is appearing.

How many say amen? Hey, he went out rich. He went out victorious.

He went out an overcomer. Amen. What a word-induced season by God's servant, Brother Hardy, the three foolish lovers. I believe you have been arrested by the Holy Spirit to receive these words of admonition and wisdom for the last days. The time has come for each of us to ask ourselves, what kind of lover am I? Am I a lover of self? Am I a lover of money? Or am I a lover of pleasures? Or am I truly a lover of God and the things of God?

Because we can never be satisfied with these other lovers. You cannot satisfy the immortal soul of man with mortal things. Jesus especially warned that it would be the love of money and the deceitfulness of lust and riches that would snare many of his own people. Yet some ignore the warning and heap to themselves teachers who preach a gospel of greed. Paul said they count gain as godliness.

To them, their prosperity is proof they are blessed of God. But Paul said to turn away from these because godliness with contentment, godliness with your needs supplied is great gain. So where is your treasure? Jesus said where your treasure is, your heart will be.

He did not say where your heart is, your treasure will be because your heart follows your treasure. This message, the three foolish lovers can be ordered on CD for a love gift of $10 or more for the radio ministry. Request offer 305.

That's offer 305. Send your love gift of $10 or more to RG Hardy ministries, P.O. Box 1744 Baltimore, Maryland 2123. Or if you prefer, go online at RGHardy.org. That's RGHardy.org. Once again, the mailing address is RG Hardy ministries, P.O. Box 1744 Baltimore, Maryland 2123. Until next time, this is Sharon Knott saying maranatha.