1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:03,680 This is City Post Church. We're about three things. 2 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:08,160 Build equipped and send. All under the Lordship of Jesus 3 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:11,000 Christ, a small church plant in Fort Worth, TX. 4 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:13,320 Who decided to do things a little differently? 5 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,480 Adoramos Ayesu Cristo. I love City Post because of the 6 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:20,480 people. It's where I belong. 7 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:23,640 We truly preach the Word. I love City Post because of the 8 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:26,680 community we've been able to build to do ministry like Jesus. 9 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:28,720 For light to push back. Darkness. 10 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:43,480 This is City Post podcast. If you have your bibles. 11 00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:46,920 We're going to be. In a book called Malachi Like a 12 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:49,400 Who? Malahu Malachi. 13 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:51,560 So go ahead if if. You look in your table of 14 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:54,560 contents, it is the. Last book of the old. 15 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:58,120 Testament. So I'm going to let you guys go 16 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:02,800 ahead and get that. Man Malachi is an amazing. 17 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,200 Book this is. The book that was. 18 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:06,640 Written, it talks about. The coming of. 19 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:09,840 Christ, it's also after. Malachi was written. 20 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:11,960 There's about 500 years of silence. 21 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:15,400 Before Jesus shows up. So it's a. 22 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:20,160 Really, really important book. For us to look into and. 23 00:01:20,320 --> 00:01:22,880 We're into a new sermon. Series called for the love. 24 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:25,520 Of money now many. People ask me like. 25 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:27,840 Ricky, did you? Listen to Bone Thugs growing up 26 00:01:29,320 --> 00:01:31,760 for the love of money. Yes, I did. 27 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:34,280 All right, so and. What we're going to look. 28 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:38,280 At is our. Relationship when it comes to. 29 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,040 Money and I wanted to. Look at it through a biblical. 30 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,280 Perspective because it's not this. 31 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:46,360 Whole idea like if I just had more. 32 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:48,920 Like if I had more money all my problems would. 33 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:53,600 Be solved but like biggie. Says more money, more problems. 34 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:56,440 So what we know and even looking at. 35 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:58,440 Data is that. Money is not the. 36 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,720 Issue because. 70% of lottery winners. 37 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:05,680 Go Broke 8 close to 80. Percent of professional 38 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:07,320 athletes. Go broke. 39 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:09,960 Or end up in financial. Distress. 40 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,040 And this is after making millions and millions and 41 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:15,080 millions of. Dollars so if. 42 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:19,440 We don't have a biblical perspective on our finances and 43 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:21,960 on money, and we don't look at it through the lens of 44 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:24,480 Scripture. No matter how much money you 45 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:26,480 have, you're still going to Jack it up. 46 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:32,080 And we're also fighting our sinful nature and our flesh. 47 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:36,160 And God talks about money in his Word. 48 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:38,680 And also just to tee this thing up too. 49 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:42,280 There's a lot in our culture when it comes to Christianity 50 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:44,200 and following Christ. When it talks. 51 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:47,000 About money, because on one side you have something that. 52 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:50,320 That we call the prosperity gospel that talks about like, if 53 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:52,440 you follow Jesus, then you're going to be rich. 54 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,480 Which is a bunch of bull, but then also on the flip side you 55 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:57,160 have something called the. Poverty. 56 00:02:57,160 --> 00:02:59,280 Gospel. That's like, in order to follow 57 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:02,280 Jesus, you must be poor. You can't have stuff. 58 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:04,400 It then. It goes against what he's. 59 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:06,840 Teaching. Which is also not true. 60 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:09,520 So, Ricky, what's the truth? And that's what we're going to 61 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:12,520 look at these next. Couple of weeks is what does 62 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:15,400 what does the? Bible say about our finances. 63 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:17,280 What does the Bible say? About money? 64 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:18,080 Like what? Does the Bible? 65 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:20,640 Say about all these things. Cause true. 66 00:03:20,640 --> 00:03:23,240 Honestly, we live in a culture who rather have symbols. 67 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:28,680 Of wealth than wealth itself. So we're going to start. 68 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:32,200 Right off the back with Malachi and this text. 69 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,120 That we're going to look. At is a text that many. 70 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:35,920 Pastors use to kick off. Giving. 71 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:37,760 Or to kind of get. Everybody riled up to give. 72 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,200 But I think there's something deeper that I want to look. 73 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:41,760 At Today. When we look at Malachi. 74 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,280 Chapter 3. But let's pray. 75 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:48,400 So, Father, thank you for your word, Lord, I pray that you 76 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:50,600 teach us. Father your. 77 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:55,240 Word and Lord help us. God, as we look at your Holy 78 00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:57,800 Scriptures. Lord, I pray for myself. 79 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:02,200 Collect my thoughts, Father. And Lord help me to just say. 80 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,600 Whatever it is that you want. So, Lord, thank you and help us 81 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:08,480 see Christ in everything, in Jesus name, Amen. 82 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:11,120 All right. So. 83 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:12,400 I'm going to. Tee us up. 84 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:13,600 We're. Starting verse 6. 85 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:16,600 Of Malachi chapter 3 and just to kind of get. 86 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:20,440 Us to where we are going the. Israelites have come out of 87 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:23,160 exile and they are grumbling against God. 88 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:25,240 Surprise, right? I mean, that's kind of what we 89 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:27,200 see. These are the people of God, and 90 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:29,960 they are upset. With God and and they're going 91 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:32,200 after God and they're questioning him and they're 92 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:33,960 saying God. You have. 93 00:04:34,280 --> 00:04:36,600 Ignored us. You're not blessing us. 94 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,920 You're not giving us what we need and and there's all these. 95 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:41,640 Aspects of their life that they're. 96 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:44,760 Complaining to against God and one of those. 97 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,880 Aspects are. The material like the financial 98 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:49,680 peace, the stuff that they need. To. 99 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:53,920 Sustain and survive and this. Is where we lead off so look at 100 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:56,720 verse 6 it says that I the. Lord, do not change. 101 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:01,520 So you, the descendants of Jacob, who's Israel, are not 102 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:03,560 destroyed. Verse 7. 103 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:07,520 Ever since the time of your ancestors, you have turned away 104 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:10,520 from my decrees and have not kept them. 105 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:15,000 Return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty. 106 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:19,280 God just tells them what they need to do in order to fix. 107 00:05:19,280 --> 00:05:22,480 This thing you're. Struggling right now, things 108 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:24,920 are. Difficult, and here's why you 109 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:27,160 have. Turned from my decrees. 110 00:05:28,280 --> 00:05:30,920 You have stopped doing what I have told. 111 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:32,600 You and what I have commanded you to. 112 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:35,600 So don't be surprised if life gets a little bit. 113 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:39,760 Tricky or difficult and God is saying all you have to do. 114 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:41,360 Let let me show you how to. Fix this thing. 115 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:46,320 All you have to do is. Return to me and if. 116 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:49,960 You return to me, I will then return to you. 117 00:05:50,840 --> 00:05:53,600 It's that simple. God doesn't give him a. 118 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:57,920 List of things that they must. Accomplish in order for him to 119 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:01,840 come back to them all, he's like I need you to come back to me, I 120 00:06:01,840 --> 00:06:05,560 need you to return to me and I, the Lord Almighty will return to 121 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:07,080 you. But then. 122 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:10,640 God starts to look at here's the issue with you guys. 123 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:12,840 Like let me, let me. Point out to why you're 124 00:06:12,840 --> 00:06:16,360 struggling so hard. So look at verse 7. 125 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:19,680 I'm sorry. Look at continuing verse 7. 126 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:21,360 He goes. But you ask. 127 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:23,480 How are we to? Return. 128 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:27,120 Return to you awesome like. How do I do that? 129 00:06:27,840 --> 00:06:30,040 Look what verse 8 says. Here's the problem. 130 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:35,320 Will a mere mortal rob? God, yet you robbed me. 131 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:37,360 But you ask. How are you robbed? 132 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:41,120 How? Are we robbing you in tithes and 133 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:43,960 offerings? So. 134 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:47,240 So here's the situation. God has given them a command on 135 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:49,240 what they need to. Give to the. 136 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:52,320 Temple and to him. In their sacrifices and they've. 137 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:53,880 Ignored it. They're not doing it. 138 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:58,400 So their. Struggle is coming from them not 139 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:01,600 following his. Decrees, which is to give what? 140 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:06,560 He's asked them to give and then this whole idea of like robbing 141 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,360 God isn't, isn't that like. That seems a little weird. 142 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:12,520 Like even me saying that for some of us like. 143 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:16,240 How do you rob God? Because the truth is. 144 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:20,680 In Psalms 24 one. God tells us he's like the earth 145 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:22,640 is the Lord. 'S and everything in it. 146 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:26,040 Colossians one. It's like everything was made 147 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:28,720 and Jesus. Is the glue that holds it all 148 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:30,680 together. It's all for God. 149 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:32,160 It's. All from God. 150 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:34,640 God owns everything. God is the one that. 151 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:36,480 Holds it all together through Christ. 152 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:38,160 So what? Are you talking about robbing 153 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:41,720 God? See, the problem here is not a 154 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:43,960 systemic problem, it's a stewardship problem. 155 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:46,400 And I just want to throw this out there. 156 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:51,160 Maybe, just maybe, the reason why some of us are struggling so 157 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:54,120 hard in our finances is not because. 158 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:55,600 It's systemic. It's because it's. 159 00:07:55,600 --> 00:08:00,680 Steward God is giving us everything that we need if God 160 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:02,560 is the owner of. All if God is. 161 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:06,280 Giving us everything then. We have a stewardship issue. 162 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:08,320 And that's. Exactly what God is. 163 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:11,440 Pointing out here. So he says 2. 164 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:15,800 Things you say in tithes. Look at verse. 8IN tithes and 165 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:17,520 an. Offering what's a? 166 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:21,960 Tithe A tithe is a. 10th of everything that you have in the 167 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:26,800 Old Testament, in the Laws of Moses, Deuteronomy 1422 through 168 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,000 29. It talks a a very detailed 169 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:33,799 system of what the Lord requires the tithe is. 170 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:36,919 Something that we give to God. It is so. 171 00:08:36,919 --> 00:08:40,559 If I have 100 bucks, $1.00 belongs to God. 172 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:44,840 If I have $1.10 belongs to God. And what God is saying is like, 173 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:46,840 listen, I'm the one that gives you. 174 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,480 Everything that you have and all that require. 175 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:52,200 Is 10% of that. You could do. 176 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:55,720 More with 90% than you could do with 100% yourself. 177 00:08:56,680 --> 00:08:58,920 And God is saying like. This is what I require. 178 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:02,120 But it's not just the tide. That he's after because if you 179 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:04,680 look at the the the Levitical system. 180 00:09:04,680 --> 00:09:07,760 And and all the laws if you didn't pay. 181 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:12,040 Your tide there was actually. A 20% penalty. 182 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:17,200 That's out of Leviticus chapter. 5 Now some of us are like. 183 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:18,600 Well, Ricky like. Is tithing. 184 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:20,640 When did that? Start off like well. 185 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:25,080 Even if you go back to Genesis 14, tithing was even there. 186 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:28,440 Before the law. Began where Abraham gave a. 187 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:33,760 Tithe to Mechezdek so. Giving tithing is is a way to 188 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,880 honor the Lord, but and then what he ends up doing is he puts 189 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:38,640 it in the law. He's like, listen, this is. 190 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:41,600 Why I require of you? Is that a tithe? 191 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:44,960 To me, but it doesn't. Stop there, he says. 192 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:46,400 That's the tithe, right? The. 193 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:48,920 Offerings are everything additional. 194 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:54,120 So yeah, I give my tithe to the Lord, but then now my offerings 195 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:57,320 is out of my generosity. So like this is what I give. 196 00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:01,080 To God, now I want to give more. Now, in these times, offerings 197 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:03,320 looked a little bit. Different it could be, maybe. 198 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:08,120 A percentage of my crops. It could be my land, I don't 199 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:10,040 know what. Whatever people felt that they 200 00:10:10,680 --> 00:10:13,960 they gave to the Lord is what they would give. 201 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:18,000 As an offering, some. Scholars say that people. 202 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:20,520 Were giving up to 27%. Of. 203 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:23,040 Their income and their. Resources to the Lord. 204 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:27,120 And what God is saying is listen when you don't. 205 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:29,960 Give what I have. Given you to steward, you are 206 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:36,400 robbing me, and when you rob me, you are disobeying me. 207 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:40,840 And listen, this is not like a. Guilt trip about as I. 208 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:44,040 Don't give to the church. It has nothing to do, and what 209 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:48,680 we're going to see here has nothing to do with how much has 210 00:10:48,680 --> 00:10:50,400 everything to do. With your heart and. 211 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:54,240 When we look at this like man, Ricky. 212 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:56,720 Like I would give. Like more man, but like and. 213 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:58,720 And honestly, you're right. Because. 214 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:02,400 Listen, we live in a system. Where we steward things not well 215 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:05,480 and the reason why we can't be. Generous and the reason why. 216 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:07,200 We can't give. As much as we want. 217 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:10,120 To is because we're. Burying our eyeballs in debt. 218 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:14,600 And if we're buried in our eyeballs in debt, and if we're. 219 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:16,400 Living off of credit cards and we owe our. 220 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:19,080 Debtors, all this money like I can't, I'm not. 221 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:22,560 Freed up to give. How many times, like when we go 222 00:11:22,560 --> 00:11:24,440 on mission trips, like that's the number one thing. 223 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:25,800 Like man, I wish I could. Go. 224 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:29,080 But financially, I can't go. Imagine if you weren't into your 225 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:31,200 eyeballs in debt. How? 226 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:32,720 Easy. Would be like man no? 227 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:34,000 Problem. Let's get this. 228 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:37,200 So it's hard for us to do. Things it's. 229 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:42,240 Hard for us to to be generous because our stewardship problem 230 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:45,960 that we have. So I just want to give a quick 231 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:48,840 definition I'll put on the. Screen What is stewardship? 232 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:52,640 Now the Old Testament talks when it comes to finances. 233 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:56,360 It talks about the word stewardship about 8. 100 times 234 00:11:56,360 --> 00:12:00,920 in Old Testament. Stewardship, biblically is how 235 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:04,440 we. Manage the resources that belong 236 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:07,720 to God. How do you manage the? 237 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:13,880 Resources that belongs to God and what God is telling. 238 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:18,760 His people is like, listen, it's not it's not the the reason 239 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:20,720 you're struggling. Listen, you're struggling. 240 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:23,320 Is always going to be. Tied to your stewardship. 241 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:26,160 And there may be the reason you're struggling is because 242 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:27,520 you're not stewarding his things. 243 00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:31,840 Well, it makes sense. Listen, if I don't steward my 244 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:35,280 health, then I will suffer physically. 245 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:37,840 I'm not going to. Do well if I don't. 246 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:42,240 Steward my relationships, then I might have some interpersonal 247 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:45,040 issues. If I don't steward my team at 248 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:48,880 work, if I don't steward my job, things are not going to work 249 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,880 well and they and they might be yanked away and it's not. 250 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:53,440 Because the devil's attacking you. 251 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:55,720 It's because of your stewardship issue. 252 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:58,320 It's a heart. Condition. 253 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:02,400 It's a pride condition and suffering and and sometimes the 254 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:07,160 suffering that we that we're in is caused by our very own doing. 255 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:10,400 And that's exactly. What we see. 256 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:13,720 That Israel is going to. So when we talk about. 257 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:15,400 Stewardship. There's two. 258 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:16,200 Things. So I'll go and put. 259 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:18,120 That on the screen. When we look at. 260 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:19,560 Biblical stewardship and we're about. 261 00:13:19,560 --> 00:13:23,000 To get into verse 10 here in a SEC, there's two things that. 262 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:25,520 The Lord requires to stewardship, so if God. 263 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:27,880 'S like I'm the one that. Gives you everything, everything 264 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:29,840 you. Have is because of me. 265 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:33,760 The job you have? Let's go deeper. 266 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:38,680 The doors that were opened. To get to the job. 267 00:13:38,680 --> 00:13:40,760 That you have. Was because of him. 268 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:44,520 The skill. Set and the gifts and talents 269 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:47,160 that He put in you when you and your mama's womb. 270 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:49,800 Were because of him. In order to get the job that you 271 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:53,520 have, the car you have, the house you have. 272 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:57,640 Everything I have. Is because of the Lord the wife 273 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:01,280 I have. My kids, everything that God has 274 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:04,800 given to me is because of Him, and it's not because of my own 275 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:08,800 shine and the faster. That we could get this through 276 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:11,680 our heads, the better. It's going to be for us. 277 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:14,880 So when God talks about stewarding, there's two things 278 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:18,720 that we got to understand. Stewardship means managing and 279 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:23,520 being generous, and this is what we see in Scripture, and it's 280 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:24,520 not. Either or. 281 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:28,680 It's both and. You got to have both because if 282 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:31,280 I manage and I, I mean, I'm not generous. 283 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:33,440 Like if I. Manage and I just tight grip 284 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:36,280 everything and it's all for me and that's it. 285 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:38,080 Then I'm not going to be generous. 286 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:39,320 And be. Able to show love to. 287 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:40,560 God or His? People. 288 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:44,600 But if all I am is generous and I don't manage. 289 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:46,520 Things well. Then I'm going to go broke 290 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,680 really fast. So what God is saying is I need 291 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:51,000 you to steward what I've given you. 292 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:52,960 That means I need you to manage it. 293 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:55,320 Well, but I also. Need you to be. 294 00:14:55,320 --> 00:15:00,200 Generous because listen. The way that God works. 295 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:01,840 Is that? He. 296 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:06,360 Gives us whatever he wants, but you can't receive with. 297 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:09,960 Close. Fists you receive with open 298 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:12,320 hands. So whenever I have what? 299 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:13,640 God. Says is like man listen. 300 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:15,480 This money, this paycheck. Whatever. 301 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:20,080 This ain't mine, Lord. Use it the way you want and God 302 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:23,080 just begins to. Flow things through you, we. 303 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:26,000 See that as a biblical concept. He's like, man, if you're 304 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:27,960 faithful with the small, then I'll be able. 305 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:31,480 To trust you with the big. Stuff, and maybe for some. 306 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:33,600 Of us. We're stuck where we're at. 307 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:35,720 Because you can't even be faithful for the with the 308 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:36,560 little. Things. 309 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:40,880 So there's two. Things it's managing and it's 310 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:45,120 generosity, and the more generous we become then the more 311 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:48,120 God can trust you with. Now, if you can't manage what 312 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:51,080 he's giving you, God is not going to fund your 313 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:54,840 rebelliousness. So if it's all about you and. 314 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:57,600 And I don't give anybody anything, and all I do is take 315 00:15:57,600 --> 00:15:59,480 and take and take. Listen, you're going to be. 316 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:01,840 Stuck there and all you're going to do is take and take and take. 317 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:04,040 But if? You want to take another step. 318 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:06,400 If you want to see. God bless your life. 319 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:08,560 You want to see God do great things for His. 320 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:10,760 Glory through your life, then you got to live. 321 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:16,880 Life with hands wide open. Creed is arms wide open, but 322 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:21,240 we're hands wide open. All my Creed fans come on all 323 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:23,240 right? Some of y'all like who's? 324 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:26,800 Creed the greatest. Band ever all right anyway. 325 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:29,560 So, so look what? Happens in verse 9. 326 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:33,640 Now look what God. Tells them after God tells them 327 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:37,960 all that God says, hey, you're under a curse your whole nation 328 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:41,720 because you are robbing me listen when you. 329 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:44,880 Rob, God, what you're. Saying is I don't trust you. 330 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:49,600 You're saying that, man, like I know that you've told me. 331 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:52,440 To give a tie. I know what you've told me to 332 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:55,720 give and but if I do. That maybe when I. 333 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:58,560 Start making more money then I'll I'll be able to you know, 334 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:02,320 and God's like, Nah, you're going to stay under it. 335 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:08,040 That's not how this works. Our faith works on I mean our 336 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:11,880 faith and what we, our relationship with him works on 337 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:13,440 faith. So God. 338 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:16,160 'S like you're widespread. You're robbing me. 339 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:17,520 You know exactly what you're doing. 340 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:20,800 And listen, God is withholding, not just. 341 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:23,760 Material stuff from the Israelites. 342 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:29,000 He's also withholding the spiritual as well, so whenever 343 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:32,160 we. Disobey the Lord whenever we rob 344 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:34,560 God. You're not just holding, you're 345 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:36,840 not just holding out from Him blessing you. 346 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:39,880 There's going to be some things in your life that you're not 347 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:43,120 going to be able to see spiritually because you can't be 348 00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:45,680 trusted. He has some great things and 349 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:48,320 listen, God is the ultimate giver. 350 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:55,080 You can't out give God even to the point where God gave his Son 351 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:57,920 Jesus. I've I've given my begotten. 352 00:17:57,920 --> 00:17:59,720 Son so that way. You will be saved. 353 00:18:00,120 --> 00:18:02,320 God is the ultimate. Giver it's part. 354 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:05,800 Of our Christian concepts, we. Give This is what we. 355 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:12,920 Do so many people fall to this problem because Matthew 630. 356 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:17,000 Three seek. First the Kingdom of God and His 357 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:21,040 righteousness, then everything else will come to you as well. 358 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:23,160 And what we do? Is that we look at. 359 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:26,480 Everything else to come to us first and then I'll seek the 360 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:27,720 Kingdom of God. And what? 361 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:30,040 God is saying is like you got that thing backwards. 362 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:34,320 That's not going to work. It's not going to work. 363 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:37,560 Now look at verse 10. This is the big one. 364 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:39,880 Look what God. Says I love verse 10. 365 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:42,600 So what God says after he's like, you're robbing. 366 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:44,360 Me like this is the. Issue with you guys. 367 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:46,080 Like I'm trying to. Provide for you. 368 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:47,440 And the Israel. 'S lights are like. 369 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:49,600 No, you're not. Like where are you? 370 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:51,840 God and God. 'S like OK test me. 371 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:56,440 Try it, see what. Happens verse 10 bring the whole 372 00:18:56,440 --> 00:19:00,360 tithe into the storehouse that there may be food in my house. 373 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:03,520 Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty and. 374 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:06,120 See if I. Will not throw open the 375 00:19:06,120 --> 00:19:09,960 floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing. 376 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:12,600 That there are it. Will not be enough room. 377 00:19:13,120 --> 00:19:17,000 For you to store it. See the problem with the? 378 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:19,200 Israelites here. Is that the? 379 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:23,880 Israelites were telling God, man, you haven't changed a bit, 380 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:28,400 and then God is telling the. Israelites like you're right. 381 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:32,920 You haven't changed a bit. See, God is always. 382 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:34,880 Going to be righteous. He's the same today, yesterday 383 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:38,520 and forever. The Israelites have been 384 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:39,600 unrighteous. And they're going to stay 385 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:42,560 unrighteous, you know, the other day. 386 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:46,840 I used to go to this. Gym and I ran into a guy I went 387 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:49,800 to high school with, you know, he's he's he's in the 388 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:53,360 bodybuilding industry now and there we're working out and and 389 00:19:53,360 --> 00:19:56,200 he sees me. And he's like, is that Kado? 390 00:19:56,760 --> 00:20:00,600 And I was like, yeah. That his name was Joseph I. 391 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:02,200 Was like, is that Joseph? And he's like. 392 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:03,480 Yo man, what's? Up and we're all. 393 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:06,880 Talking and stuff and then he starts going on like man, what 394 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:09,120 happened to you? Like man, I remember you used to 395 00:20:09,120 --> 00:20:11,880 be all in the football and all in shape and, and now you're 396 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:13,720 like, man, what happened to you? This and that. 397 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:15,680 Hey, remember. Like at the field house we used 398 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:17,000 to do all this. Stuff and he keeps. 399 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:18,800 Saying like what happened? And then finally I was like, 400 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:23,040 dude, life happened. I'm sorry. 401 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:24,360 I wasn't running hundreds on the field. 402 00:20:24,360 --> 00:20:26,680 I was busy going to college, getting married and having kids. 403 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:29,400 What happened to you? How? 404 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:32,560 Come, you haven't changed and you see on his. 405 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:33,880 Perspective. He's like. 406 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:36,080 Man, I peaked in high school and this is where I want to stay, 407 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:41,360 but I'm like home. He's been 12 years, but my 408 00:20:41,360 --> 00:20:43,320 perspective is like, it's not weird. 409 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:45,600 That I. It's weird that you haven't. 410 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:49,000 Changed like how you still. Going talking about high school. 411 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:51,600 Stuff like do we? I got a master. 412 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:57,480 'S degree I don't have. Time to run 1100s and that's the 413 00:20:57,480 --> 00:20:59,640 same thing. Israel is like God you've. 414 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:02,760 Changed what happened to you? Like you're the you're the guy 415 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:04,320 that took us out of Egypt. Like how? 416 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:05,720 Come, you're not blessing us right now. 417 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:06,920 And God's like, no, no, the problem is. 418 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:10,320 That you haven't changed. I've always been faithful. 419 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:12,000 I've always been righteous. I've always been true. 420 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:16,360 But you continue. You continue to turn on my 421 00:21:16,360 --> 00:21:19,720 decrees and you'd continue not to be obedient to me. 422 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:23,120 So what God does is after he explains. 423 00:21:23,120 --> 00:21:24,960 This he said. Bring the whole tithe. 424 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:26,120 Into the storehouse. What does this? 425 00:21:26,120 --> 00:21:28,880 Verse mean look at in verse 10, the storehouse. 426 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:32,720 Was actually a. Room in the temple courts so 427 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:33,840 whenever people would bring their. 428 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:37,560 Tithes and offerings. It would go into the storehouse 429 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:39,680 and the. Storehouse would keep and 430 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:42,000 that's. Where the Levitical priests or. 431 00:21:42,120 --> 00:21:44,920 Those running the temples. And they they would take. 432 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:48,120 Note of what everything that was coming in and it allowed. 433 00:21:48,120 --> 00:21:50,240 Them, not just. To live, but it allowed. 434 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:55,720 Them to do ministry. So whenever the storehouse was. 435 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:59,720 Getting thin or empty. That means that those working in 436 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:01,360 the temple. Had to stop. 437 00:22:01,360 --> 00:22:03,560 What they were. Doing and go farming so that way 438 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:06,200 they could. EAT Ministry stopped. 439 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:07,680 They weren't able to help the poor. 440 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:10,440 They weren't able to feed. People, they weren't able to. 441 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:13,960 Take care of the widows. So what God is saying is like, 442 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:15,880 no, no, bring that whole tithe. Where does it belong? 443 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:18,400 It belongs in the store as it belongs in my house. 444 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:20,240 It doesn't belong in the pastor's. 445 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:22,800 Pocket. So if there's like. 446 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:25,440 A pastor, somebody that's saying like, I need you to fund my 447 00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:27,400 plane. That's a bunch of garbage. 448 00:22:29,360 --> 00:22:31,280 Or a car? No, it belongs to the Church it 449 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:33,680 belongs. To his church it all. 450 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:38,120 Goes through ministry that way there may be food in my house 451 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:42,280 and then God says test me. God's like, try it. 452 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:46,240 Now it's wild. Is this the only time we see God 453 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:48,760 in? Scripture saying to test him. 454 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:51,960 Jesus says remember we talked about this with. 455 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:54,640 Satan, he's like, no like. The Bible. 456 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:56,440 Says you shall not test. The Lord. 457 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:00,640 But what God is saying is like, I want you to try it. 458 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:03,280 I want you to. See if. 459 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:07,160 What I'm saying is not true. Test me in this. 460 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:11,520 See if you could out. Give me see if if. 461 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:15,160 Let's see what you say. Works and he's saying test me in 462 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:16,080 this, says the. Lord. 463 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:20,320 And see if I don't throw open the floodgates of heaven and 464 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:23,040 pour out so much blessing that you will not have. 465 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:26,840 Room enough to store it. Listen, there's times in our. 466 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:30,560 Spiritual walks where? We have to start saying Lord. 467 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:33,200 I'm going. To test you in this, I'm going 468 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:37,520 to trust you in it and I'm going to take a step out in faith. 469 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:41,720 I remember when man, we were planning, I was trying to think 470 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:44,040 about like how to. Explain this when when we. 471 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:48,440 Were thinking about. Where to go after the COVID 472 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:51,800 chapter of City Post? Church and we knew that we 473 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:57,120 wanted to be in seven. 6111. And I just started reaching out. 474 00:23:58,000 --> 00:23:59,520 To. People in buildings like where 475 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:01,480 are we going to meet at? Like where are we going to end 476 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:03,480 up? What was I doing? 477 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:06,800 I had no clue, but I was trusting him. 478 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:09,440 And I was testing God's faithfulness. 479 00:24:10,360 --> 00:24:12,960 I was seeing. Where he was going to take us so 480 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:14,920 whenever we landed in that little tiny. 481 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:19,760 Liquidation store that we. Had no business being in thank 482 00:24:19,760 --> 00:24:24,480 God forward don't pay attention and when we were. 483 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:27,240 There, What did we do? We didn't just say we're. 484 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:28,920 Only going to be here for a season, no? 485 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:32,240 We're like, Lord, you gave us this, You allowed. 486 00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:37,080 This to happen so God, I'm going to honor your giving to us by 487 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:38,800 making. Sure, we stored it well. 488 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:41,200 And we hooked that. Place up and. 489 00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:43,000 Everybody's like, are you? Sure, we need to do. 490 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:45,280 This I'm like yes. This is the House of the Lord. 491 00:24:45,360 --> 00:24:49,680 This is not a liquidation store. So we took care of it the best 492 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:51,640 we. Could the best I knew how. 493 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:54,080 We. Painted that thing we meant we 494 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:57,280 grew there and when the time came. 495 00:24:57,280 --> 00:24:59,640 It was the same thing. Lord, I don't know. 496 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:05,360 Here comes Oak Knoll. Test me in this, says the Lord. 497 00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:08,720 I wasn't. Saving like I was just. 498 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:11,400 Operating what God was giving. US. 499 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:15,480 Each step of the way, we're just being faithful to what He gave 500 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:16,120 us. That's why we have. 501 00:25:16,120 --> 00:25:17,920 Budgets and. That's why we're just throwing. 502 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:21,280 Money away like we're we're. Holding on to what God and what 503 00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:23,200 the Lord has. Gifted us. 504 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:27,200 Stewarding it and what God? Says watch me open. 505 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:29,440 The gates of heaven. Watch me pour this. 506 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:30,960 Thing out. Watch me. 507 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:35,160 Flood your life with. So much you're not even going to 508 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:36,280 know what to do. With it. 509 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:38,360 And you know what? He's right. 510 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:43,440 Because I had no clue what to do with this thing. 511 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:47,680 Like people lost their minds when we got in here. 512 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:54,200 That's how overwhelming it was. And that's how God's giving and 513 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:55,560 God. 'S love works for us. 514 00:25:56,480 --> 00:25:57,920 And then not just that. He's like. 515 00:25:58,080 --> 00:25:59,880 Watch me not just. Flood your life. 516 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:02,240 But I'm also going to protect it. 517 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:05,280 I'm going to guard it. A lot of people miss verse 11. 518 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:08,280 Look what verse 11 says. Look at the promises. 519 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:10,080 He's like, man, test me in this watch. 520 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:12,560 Don't that one just bless you? But also I'm unprotected. 521 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:14,920 Watch. I will prevent pests from 522 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:20,200 devouring your crops and the vines in your fields will not 523 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:22,800 drop their. Fruit because it is right. 524 00:26:23,120 --> 00:26:26,000 Says the Lord Almighty. And then why does he do it? 525 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:29,760 Verse Verse 12. Then the nations, and all the 526 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:33,240 nations will. Call you blessed, for yours will 527 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:35,360 be. A delightful land says. 528 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:39,280 The Lord Almighty, you know why. God does what he does. 529 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:45,480 So that way you being blessed brings glory to His name has 530 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:48,200 nothing to do with you, has nothing to do with your 531 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:50,640 situation, has nothing to do. With you. 532 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:54,840 Getting what you want no has everything to do with God 533 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:59,760 getting his name glorified in. If we could just have that 534 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:02,160 mindset. Like like if. 535 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:05,280 Our culture can actually just. Look at. 536 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:08,760 Scripture and be like Lord. It's about your name. 537 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:11,800 It's not about mine. Like God, You've given me these 538 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:14,640 things. It's amazing what we can do. 539 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:17,320 So the question comes Ricky does. 540 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:19,600 The Bible say that. Christians must tithe now. 541 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:21,560 It's not going to be on the screen. 542 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:22,520 I'm just going to go run through. 543 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,600 This real quickly. 2nd Corinthians Chapter 9 it. 544 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:28,680 Talks about our attitude. In being gracious. 545 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:33,080 Talks about we should. Give freely and cheerfully, but 546 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:37,320 also in First Corinthians chapter 16 verses one through 4. 547 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,080 Paul talks about that. There's four ways that you 548 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:41,360 should give. You should give. 549 00:27:41,360 --> 00:27:42,720 Periodically, I'm just going to give you the. 550 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:45,240 Cliff notes version. You should give periodically. 551 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:47,000 That means that it should. Be done regularly. 552 00:27:47,360 --> 00:27:48,880 You should give plan that means that. 553 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:51,280 It should be thoughtfully done. That means that you should. 554 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:52,680 Plan ahead. That means that. 555 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:54,480 You should have a budget. That means that you should have. 556 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:56,440 Things in place. Of how you're going to. 557 00:27:56,440 --> 00:28:00,280 Give not Allo loco now like you know what I got a little bit 558 00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:01,560 more this week. I'm going no. 559 00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:03,920 Like it should be. Constantly planned. 560 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:06,000 It should be. Proportional. 561 00:28:06,120 --> 00:28:08,600 It's not about how. Much you give, it's the. 562 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:11,160 Percentage, right. So. 563 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:12,880 Like you got to think about like think. 564 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:14,880 About that, some of us feel bad. It's like, no. 565 00:28:15,120 --> 00:28:16,880 There's a. Story in the scriptures. 566 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:19,640 Where a lady takes 2. Copper coins and gives. 567 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:21,680 It to to the. Temple and. 568 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:24,240 Jesus says that Lady gave more than every. 569 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:28,520 Single person in this space. Because she gave all she had, he 570 00:28:28,520 --> 00:28:31,000 looked at the heart of. Giving not how much. 571 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,600 She was giving. And that goes with us too. 572 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:36,600 And then? You get. 573 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:40,480 Privately listen when you give, you don't show it out like 574 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:42,280 you're trying to flex. You don't. 575 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:45,080 You don't brag, you don't like. Lord man, look how much? 576 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:48,080 I gave to the church. I should be able to make some 577 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:52,800 decisions up in here now. I'm going to take my giving 578 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:57,200 somewhere else. That's not how that works. 579 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:02,840 No, you don't. Give with that that attitude. 580 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:05,240 Of greed. And then some of us are like, 581 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:06,760 well, Ricky, how come? Like y'all don't pass. 582 00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:11,720 Plates at City Post Church. Well, because God takes care of 583 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:13,000 his. Kids, I never have to. 584 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:15,200 Beg for God. To make sure that he. 585 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:19,760 Takes care of us, the. Lord provides and there's going. 586 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:23,400 To be times where that's tight, I'm like Lord. 587 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:28,600 I don't know this month, but God always comes through. 588 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:30,920 It's amazing how the Lord. Works. 589 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:34,680 So I just want to give you 5 things and then we'll be out of 590 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:35,400 here. Why? 591 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:39,040 What's the benefit of tithing? Why should I be generous? 592 00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:42,760 Why should I give? Based off of this passage. 593 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:46,200 And maybe some of us like man, why am I struggling so? 594 00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:49,160 Like how do I break? My struggle from stewarding 595 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:53,360 wrong. So just I just have a quick, a 596 00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:54,840 few quick. Sayings and then we'll be out. 597 00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:57,920 Number one, God doesn't. Give to us, he gives. 598 00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:02,120 Through us. The reason why God. 599 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:07,400 Gives you things it's not for you, so that way you can flex on 600 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:11,280 everybody. He gives it to you so that. 601 00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:13,720 Way you are able to bless everybody. 602 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:18,280 The reason why God gives some people more than others is 603 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:20,120 because He knows that He could trust them with it. 604 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:25,520 It's about giving through you. Like I said, you. 605 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:28,560 Can't you? Can't receive with close fists. 606 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:30,240 Everything we have is a. Gift. 607 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:33,560 From the father above that's. James the book of James, chapter 608 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:39,120 1 also whenever. If we understand that everything 609 00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:41,080 that we receive. Is from. 610 00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:43,520 Him then what that. Does is that it creates an 611 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:49,040 attitude of gratitude. And if you have an attitude of. 612 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:53,400 Gratitude, what that does, it fights that gravity that's. 613 00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:56,120 Pulling you towards something called. 614 00:30:56,400 --> 00:31:00,840 Entitlement when we walk. Around feeling like we're 615 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:03,520 entitled. To things what you're saying. 616 00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:05,280 Is that God did not give this to you. 617 00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:09,680 I earned it, and son, you didn't earn nothing. 618 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:12,520 God. Gave that to you, God. 619 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:15,400 Allowed you it might have came from somebody else and you're 620 00:31:15,400 --> 00:31:16,920 going around flexing like it's yours. 621 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:21,440 It's not and listen. And when you operate in a in a 622 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:27,360 sense of entitlement, you become highly critical where now you're 623 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:29,480 walking. In spaces and you're just. 624 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:32,200 Pointing everything out. Like how come man? 625 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:34,400 I would do that differently. That should be better. 626 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:36,000 That needs to be better. Quality look at. 627 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:38,400 That paint job? Look at that, look, listen, and 628 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:41,040 your critical attitude is compensating. 629 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:47,160 For low character it kind. Of stung a little bit. 630 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:51,440 So here's the thing, your low. Character is coming out of. 631 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:54,560 You thinking that you did everything. 632 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:57,560 So when you. Realize that it wasn't all you. 633 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:00,120 Now you're having to. Fight to keep. 634 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:04,120 Up an image instead of. Just saying God, thank you. 635 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:08,240 Thank you for everything you've given me, my house, my car. 636 00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:10,600 Thank you for this food. That's why you bless the food. 637 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:14,680 The chicken might be a little bit dry, but Lord, I'm eating 638 00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:19,680 thank you. These tortillas ain't real, but 639 00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:23,800 Lord, thank you. Bless the hands that prepared 640 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:26,880 this meal, but when you. Have this attitude of gratitude. 641 00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:29,440 And you're just thanking. The Lord for all these things, 642 00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:33,360 Like, like it it. Blocks you from feeling entitled 643 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:37,320 and listen when you walk around and you're and you don't have a 644 00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:41,040 sense of entitlement. It changes your perspective on 645 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:42,880 life. We're like, Lord, thank you for 646 00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:45,240 what you're doing here. Look how they're operating. 647 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:46,880 Look what they're doing, God. Look at. 648 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:49,000 The great things that are happening, it changes your 649 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:53,760 perspective and you start coming off more grateful instead of 650 00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:58,240 being more critical. So God is saying, listen, 651 00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:02,360 Stewart, imagine if I went to a bank and I went to Bank of 652 00:33:02,360 --> 00:33:04,040 America. I was like, hey, here's $1000, I 653 00:33:04,040 --> 00:33:07,680 want to deposit this in my account and then next week I go 654 00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:08,480 back. It's like, hey, I need to. 655 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:11,240 Withdraw about 500. They're like, my bad. 656 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:15,720 What we decided to. Do was I went ahead and just bet 657 00:33:15,720 --> 00:33:19,720 on the Kansas City Chiefs. I'll try to double your money 658 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:25,360 for you. Didn't quite pan out, so my bad. 659 00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:27,720 I'm sorry. Hopefully I'll get it back. 660 00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:31,120 That's the same way with stewardship. 661 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:33,960 When God blesses you with something, God gives it to you. 662 00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:37,280 When we take into our own consideration how we think it 663 00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:39,520 needs to be used, and then we wasted away. 664 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:43,480 God's like, no, I, I gave that to you not just to manage it, 665 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:47,320 but to bless people with it. You don't get just do whatever 666 00:33:47,320 --> 00:33:50,760 you want with it. So we have to rely on him and we 667 00:33:50,760 --> 00:33:52,840 have his word. To show us how that. 668 00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:56,720 Looks like close hands you can't receive that gets passed over #2 669 00:33:56,720 --> 00:33:58,880 We got to move point #2 is listen. 670 00:33:58,880 --> 00:34:00,840 Why do we give? Why do we have tithing? 671 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:02,040 Because. It helps us. 672 00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:05,480 It's an act of worship to the Lord as a provider of. 673 00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:09,120 All things tithing is. Worship to the Lord. 674 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:11,040 It is you. Saying God I. 675 00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:15,000 Trust you like it shows. The condition of your heart, and 676 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:16,960 the more you give and the more you tithe. 677 00:34:17,159 --> 00:34:20,560 It fights the greed. And the selfishness that soul 678 00:34:20,560 --> 00:34:24,600 lives inside of us. This is where your storehouse 679 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:28,360 and listen, the more you. Practice these things, the more 680 00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:31,239 you will experience grace. That's Second Corinthians. 681 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:32,199 Chapter 8. Verse 7. 682 00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:34,280 You will. Excel in the grace of. 683 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:35,920 Giving. You will be like Lord. 684 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:38,280 It's not mine. Whatever you need, you can have 685 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:40,440 it right? So it's an act. 686 00:34:40,440 --> 00:34:44,000 Of worship to the Lord. Which leads me to point #3 687 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:46,800 listen. Tithing is not a legal mandate. 688 00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:50,480 It's a loving principle from God many of us look at. 689 00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:54,360 Tithing as something. I have to do and honestly, God's 690 00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:58,160 like I love you so much that I want, I want to see. 691 00:34:58,160 --> 00:34:59,760 You with life, blessed. I want to see you. 692 00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:02,080 Thrive and succeed. So this is. 693 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:05,000 What I need you to do? I need you to give me 10%. 694 00:35:05,680 --> 00:35:07,400 Let me. Work on the 90 and I'll give you 695 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:10,000 10 and watch. Me, take care of you. 696 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:13,200 And listen, it's not always about money. 697 00:35:14,760 --> 00:35:18,160 Some for some of us, it might be our time for some of us to be my 698 00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:20,400 our efforts like just dedicating. 699 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:22,400 It to the Lord and let God do that. 700 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:24,520 We saw this. Abraham gave a tithe to 701 00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:27,160 Mechazodek even before. The law was established. 702 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:30,320 Jesus always talked about tithing as a good thing. 703 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:32,600 But he also talked about it as a. 704 00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:37,120 Relational thing it was never. About the law it was about. 705 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:38,840 Fulfilling the laws and. Having an. 706 00:35:38,880 --> 00:35:42,160 Attitude of worship and an. Attitude of. 707 00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:46,520 Graciousness to God the Father Romans 614 we. 708 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:50,800 See that Luke 1142, where the Pharisees are. 709 00:35:50,920 --> 00:35:52,640 Kind of coming after. Jesus about. 710 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:55,440 This and Jesus is. Like, yeah, it is it it's it's 711 00:35:55,440 --> 00:35:56,960 more relationship. So yeah, we. 712 00:35:56,960 --> 00:35:59,040 We we're talking about. Justice and love and. 713 00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:00,120 Peace. So I'm glad. 714 00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:02,840 That you give a lot. But don't forget these other 715 00:36:02,840 --> 00:36:06,600 things that I'm about. So it's got to be. 716 00:36:06,600 --> 00:36:09,200 Both. It's a relational thing. 717 00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:14,600 So giving. Should be cheerful, regular, 718 00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:17,280 sacrificial. Generous living under. 719 00:36:17,280 --> 00:36:20,920 God's grace to show. In how we give which leads me to 720 00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:23,480 the number. 4 Listen honestly tithing money. 721 00:36:24,640 --> 00:36:26,440 It's a faith. Issue it's not a money issue. 722 00:36:27,600 --> 00:36:29,800 The reason why we're so tight on things, the reason why we don't 723 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:33,480 give, it's pretty much us saying God, I I just don't trust you 724 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:37,080 right now. Like my situation is dire, my 725 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:41,720 situation I'm hurting and God's like just just trust me. 726 00:36:42,520 --> 00:36:46,080 Give me what belongs to me. God, I don't know. 727 00:36:47,160 --> 00:36:50,720 It's a faith issue giving. Is all about faith. 728 00:36:52,160 --> 00:36:54,600 And maybe, just maybe, if your relationship ain't right with 729 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:56,400 him, maybe your resources aren't right. 730 00:36:57,440 --> 00:36:59,960 And if your relationship. 'S fixed with God through Jesus. 731 00:36:59,960 --> 00:37:03,920 Christ, then maybe your resources will get straightened 732 00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:08,000 out. And we don't use God. 733 00:37:08,440 --> 00:37:12,280 And people to get money. We use money to love and bless 734 00:37:12,280 --> 00:37:13,200 people. Of God. 735 00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:18,640 So our thinking is. Backwards if your heart is. 736 00:37:18,640 --> 00:37:20,320 Off. So will your finances. 737 00:37:21,560 --> 00:37:25,640 If you're frustrated with God. I want to encourage you this 738 00:37:25,640 --> 00:37:29,960 way. Tell him, pray to him, say Lord, 739 00:37:29,960 --> 00:37:30,840 I'm. Frustrated. 740 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:32,600 I don't understand. Why am I in the? 741 00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:35,480 Situation I'm at what's happening right now in my life. 742 00:37:35,560 --> 00:37:37,680 How come I don't have Listen, I promise. 743 00:37:37,680 --> 00:37:44,000 You God could handle you. Bring it to him, tell him, talk 744 00:37:44,000 --> 00:37:47,880 to him, and let the Lord minister to your heart and your 745 00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:50,360 life. Open your word, pray to him, let 746 00:37:50,360 --> 00:37:52,640 him minister to you, and the last thing I'll say and we'll be 747 00:37:52,640 --> 00:37:55,760 done. You don't give to get a 748 00:37:55,760 --> 00:37:58,240 blessing, you give to be a blessing. 749 00:37:59,600 --> 00:38:04,240 Giving, the way that we see giving, has nothing to do with 750 00:38:04,240 --> 00:38:07,640 us trying to get something out of it. 751 00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:11,240 And many of us have this. Attitude that if I do. 752 00:38:11,240 --> 00:38:13,360 Things for God, then God's going to do things for me. 753 00:38:14,240 --> 00:38:17,320 That ain't it. God knows your heart. 754 00:38:18,400 --> 00:38:20,360 But what God says it's better to. 755 00:38:20,480 --> 00:38:25,080 Give than to receive if you really want to. 756 00:38:25,080 --> 00:38:29,600 Experience God's blessing if you really want to experience the 757 00:38:29,600 --> 00:38:31,920 Spirit being ignited in your life. 758 00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:35,960 Give serve, give up your. Time pour into people. 759 00:38:37,280 --> 00:38:38,680 What do you? Need let me help. 760 00:38:38,680 --> 00:38:40,120 You out. We saw this in the early. 761 00:38:40,120 --> 00:38:43,000 Church in Acts chapter 2. You don't. 762 00:38:43,000 --> 00:38:52,720 Give to get a blessing. You give to be a blessing and 763 00:38:52,720 --> 00:38:55,760 maybe, just maybe, if we live lives with open. 764 00:38:55,760 --> 00:38:58,320 Hands like my my. Prayer for this church like. 765 00:38:58,600 --> 00:39:02,240 My prayer. For you is to experience the. 766 00:39:02,520 --> 00:39:06,320 Overwhelming grace and the overwhelming giving that God 767 00:39:06,320 --> 00:39:07,760 gives us. When God? 768 00:39:07,760 --> 00:39:09,760 Blesses, it's not just. A little bit. 769 00:39:09,760 --> 00:39:11,880 It's a lot of it. He showers you. 770 00:39:12,080 --> 00:39:15,520 It's so. Overwhelming how God blesses us. 771 00:39:16,800 --> 00:39:21,160 It's not all about the money. So we're going to. 772 00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:23,480 Look at these next couple of. Weeks is to fight. 773 00:39:23,480 --> 00:39:28,120 Against the love of money and start fighting for the love of 774 00:39:28,120 --> 00:39:30,280 giving, because the more you love. 775 00:39:30,280 --> 00:39:32,920 Giving you're. Going to see God do some amazing 776 00:39:32,920 --> 00:39:34,920 things in your life. We'll pray for us and as we 777 00:39:34,920 --> 00:39:35,440 worship.