1 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:04,480 Hey, welcome to the City Point Church podcast. 2 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,280 Thanks for joining us. Every day is an opportunity to 3 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:10,280 take hold of. So we hope this message inspires 4 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:13,560 you and build your faith, but it helps you have more of a God 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:15,880 perspective for your day. Enjoy. 6 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:21,640 When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice. 7 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:27,160 When we as a people thrive out there, they're going to rejoice. 8 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:31,760 And so the mission is to partner with God to make sure that we 9 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:36,000 are thriving. We are introducing a new series 10 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:40,320 and it is my pleasure to do so. This morning I was actually 11 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:44,760 going to start this message with a personal testimony of what God 12 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:47,520 has done in and through my life and my family. 13 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:52,360 But I'm decided not to because I don't actually want to limit 14 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:57,120 what God wants to do in you and through you through my 15 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:01,280 experience, because if I'm honest, I've got more more space 16 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:05,519 to grow here. This is not a message for you 17 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:12,040 who are are new at this or or have not responded to God in in 18 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:15,000 this area. It's such an important subject 19 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:18,680 that we're going to bring here this morning, but there is more 20 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:21,200 for every single person in the room. 21 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:25,360 And I pray that there be receptiveness to what God wants 22 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:27,400 to breathe because He's breathing. 23 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:34,040 God is moving and we get to align with where He's taking us. 24 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:37,240 And He's fun. He's so good. 25 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:43,720 So this morning we are speaking about money. 26 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:06,720 Pastor Graham's away, says a little bit of cheek. 27 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:11,160 Coming out this morning, we're talking about money. 28 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:15,920 Why do a series talking about money? 29 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:19,360 Why don't we just open up God's word and talk about the love of 30 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:25,200 God, right? Fun fact, if you actually when 31 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:31,880 you open up your bibles you will find over 2300 scripture 32 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:35,560 references directly talking about money, stewardship, 33 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:40,160 prosperity. Did you know how many verses 34 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:42,000 there are speaking about the love of God? 35 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,880 Roughly over 500. What up, Lord? 36 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:53,280 Maybe, maybe, just maybe, it's a really important subject. 37 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:59,800 Perhaps God wants to move in this area of your life. 38 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:05,440 Perhaps it's actually deeply connected to who we are and who 39 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:10,880 we serve. What would bring God pleasure in 40 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:16,560 this space for you? What is His will, his perfect 41 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:21,400 pleasure in your life. In regards to this area, I want 42 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:26,360 you to open up your Bibles with me to Genesis 128 where you can 43 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:31,200 read along on the screen. It says then God blessed them 44 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:38,200 and said, be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and 45 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:42,680 govern it, reign over the fish and the sea, the birds in the 46 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:46,240 sky and all the animals that scurry along the ground. 47 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:49,840 Do you know He actually wants you to be fruitful? 48 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:56,640 Turn to the person next to you. He wants me fruitful, fruitful 49 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:03,280 to multiply, to have dominion. This is actually the heart of 50 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:10,480 God for you, and it's not just for you, as Pastor Mel so 51 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:12,720 beautifully sowed the vision this morning. 52 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:17,480 It's actually not just about us. When we thrive, the people 53 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:22,480 rejoice. If we want to see reformation in 54 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:26,920 our region, these chains have got to break over our life. 55 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:31,720 We actually have to be a people that walk in abundance, that 56 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:36,800 walk in generosity, that walk debt free, that walk faith 57 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:44,400 filled, mission minded, ready for revival, ready for what he 58 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,880 wants to do. Ladies, do you remember Layla 59 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:52,840 this week was speaking about being ready, prep, preparation. 60 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:57,200 So we have to prepare and be ready for what God wants to do, 61 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:01,000 not try and just scram in the in the moment and try and catch up. 62 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:05,400 No have a preparation and intention in this area in our 63 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:08,800 life. And you may be filled with 64 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:13,680 questions right now. Well, if God wants me to have 65 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:17,760 this, why doesn't he just give it to me, right? 66 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:23,320 And doesn't the Bible say that money is the root of all kind of 67 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:25,600 evil? Hold up. 68 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:27,480 You're missing a very important word in there. 69 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:33,080 No, the Bible says that the love of money, in other words, deep 70 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:36,920 greed, is the root of every kind of evil. 71 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:40,240 It's not ungodly to be prosperous. 72 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:44,200 It is not ungodly to have things. 73 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:48,240 But we fall out of alignment when things have us. 74 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:55,760 You see, money is a power. I think it's can't find the 75 00:05:55,760 --> 00:06:01,000 scripture here somewhere in Proverbs, it talks about money 76 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,920 as a power, an enabler and an enhancer. 77 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:10,440 See, I think it was passed to Rick over here years ago, 78 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:15,400 actually spoke from the platform about money and he he associated 79 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:18,960 it with an ER, hold on, just let me get there. 80 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:22,760 You see, money doesn't actually change who you are. 81 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:27,120 It enhances who you are. It heightens who you are. 82 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,240 Now, more of who you are gets to come out. 83 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:36,480 It brings out the ER. If you are a happy person, money 84 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:44,040 will make you happier. If you're a greedy person, more 85 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,840 money actually makes you greedier. 86 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:51,560 If you're a generous person, more money makes you more 87 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:55,640 generous. If you're a stingy person, more 88 00:06:55,640 --> 00:07:01,200 money makes you stingier. If you are an anxious person, 89 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:06,440 more money's actually going to make you more anxious as it 90 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:08,200 comes. You'd start stressing out about 91 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:10,280 where it's got to go and if you're doing the right thing. 92 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:16,640 It actually heightens anxiety. If you are a selfish person, 93 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:23,200 wicked or lazy, more money will make you more selfish, wickeder 94 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:27,040 and lazy. ER, it brings out the ER. 95 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:31,760 But let me tell you, if you're a person who is mission minded and 96 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:35,600 aligned with what God wants to do and what He wants to breathe, 97 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:39,560 if you're following where He's going, then more money is going 98 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:43,560 to bring about an enabling. It will bring out the ER and 99 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:48,200 enhance what he wants to do in you and through you. 100 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:53,120 Are you partnered with Jesus? It doesn't change who you are. 101 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:56,280 It heightens it. It enhances it. 102 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:01,160 It's a little bit like a pipe. Let's imagine you've got a tap 103 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:04,520 here and you turn it on and outcomes some dribbles because 104 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:07,960 there's a block in the pipe. And when you turn on the tap and 105 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:10,640 dribbles come out. That's often how money feels 106 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:14,240 like it comes to us, am I right? You know, drip at a time. 107 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:16,960 Some drips are a little bit faster than others. 108 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:21,280 So more money is like removing that block. 109 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:24,400 Now whatever was banked up in that pipe is going to come out 110 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:29,040 with full force. It does not change who you are. 111 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:33,200 It will enhance and it will heighten. 112 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:36,080 It's an enabler. It brings out more of who you 113 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:40,080 already are. So friends, if, if there's a 114 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:45,680 misalignment there, if there's if, if you are not aligned in 115 00:08:45,680 --> 00:08:50,760 God's purpose, more money can actually bring great damage to 116 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:55,440 yourselves, your families, the House of God and society. 117 00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:00,360 So we must it must be aligned in God. 118 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,480 He must be Lord in this area of our lives. 119 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:10,440 Here we are Proverbs 22 seven. It talks about money being a 120 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:13,480 power. So I want to open up to Psalm 121 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:20,600 6211, which reads this. It says God has spoken plainly 122 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:27,440 and I've heard it many times. Power, oh God, it belongs to 123 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:32,080 you. All power belongs to him. 124 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:41,560 All power, all blessing, all glory, all honour belongs to him 125 00:09:41,560 --> 00:09:46,360 who sits on the throne. Power must belong to Jesus. 126 00:09:48,680 --> 00:09:55,560 God is not apologetic about this subject of wealth, which begs 127 00:09:55,560 --> 00:10:00,480 the question, why? It's because money is never ever 128 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:04,520 just about money. Money is about lordship. 129 00:10:06,560 --> 00:10:10,720 So the title of this message this morning is Lord of Me, 130 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:15,480 because money is going to compete for your worship. 131 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:26,000 Who sits on this throne today? Today is an introduction to a 132 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,360 series, what the Bible actually says about money. 133 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:34,440 We're going to bring content from a book called God, Money 134 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:36,880 and Me. And I'd actually encourage you 135 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:39,160 all to be reading that throughout this series. 136 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:43,120 It's from Paul Dijon. That's called God, Money and Me, 137 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:47,040 which I'm yeah, I do encourage, like be listening to this. 138 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:49,720 Allow this to permeate and saturate you. 139 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:53,240 We've got to, we have to bring change into this area in our 140 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:56,280 lives. So this series is going to 141 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,240 highlight, it's going to highlight God's heart for you 142 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:02,760 because we can get confused through circumstance. 143 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:04,680 We see things through our circumstance and our 144 00:11:04,680 --> 00:11:08,040 experiences, not always through God's heart and his will for 145 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:11,520 you, which is found in here. So we're going to highlight 146 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:14,520 God's heart for you. It's going to address mindsets, 147 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:19,480 myths, and it's going to bring about biblical understanding 148 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:25,400 that if you allow that, if you allow, you are invited. 149 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:30,680 Just say yes to the invitation. If you allow, it's going to lead 150 00:11:30,680 --> 00:11:34,360 you into levels of freedom and faith. 151 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:41,120 But this has to start with understanding who really sits on 152 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:44,080 this throne in the area, in your life. 153 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:51,240 Money is not separate from us. It's actually deeply connected 154 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:53,680 to who we are. And you might go, that's not 155 00:11:53,680 --> 00:11:56,280 very Christian. I'm connected to Jesus. 156 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:59,600 I'm not connected to money. I'm not connected to that filth. 157 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:02,440 Why don't you open up your Bibles? 158 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:09,000 Actually, let's open it up right now to Matthew 621, because I 159 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:15,680 read here it says wherever your treasure is, there the desires 160 00:12:15,680 --> 00:12:21,280 of your heart will also be. What is that saying? 161 00:12:22,560 --> 00:12:28,160 That means that my money is actually connected to my heart. 162 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:33,560 Wherever I place my money, their shows what I value. 163 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:38,840 Their shows what I care about. It is connected to my heart. 164 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:43,320 Your money is attached to what you value. 165 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:47,080 Your money is attached to what you care about. 166 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:53,960 It's attached to pretty much who you serve, and the Bible says we 167 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:57,280 can't serve 2 masters in this area. 168 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:03,920 It's a great revealer, Matthew 624 reads. 169 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:08,320 No one can serve 2 masters. You're either going to hate 1 170 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:10,600 and love the other. You'll be devoted to 1 and 171 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:14,720 despise the other. You can't serve God and be 172 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:20,280 enslaved to money. So who is God of you in this 173 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:23,840 area? And I would encourage you to 174 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:27,960 maybe not answer this so quickly because sometimes we, we can 175 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:31,080 give a really quick response. I'm so guilty of that with quick 176 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:35,480 responses. But instead of just going, Oh 177 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:39,480 yeah, yeah, God's God's Lord, I would I would entreat you this 178 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:42,640 morning to maybe just sit and ponder the question. 179 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:45,760 Who really is Lord in this area? You can go. 180 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:48,280 Jesus is my God. I am surrendered. 181 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:50,720 It's the Lord who sits on this throne. 182 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:55,840 The Bible actually cautions us that says that they honor me 183 00:13:55,840 --> 00:14:02,680 with their lips, but sometimes their hearts can be far from me. 184 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:06,200 I want to show you something in God's Word. 185 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:08,160 We just read. What was it? 186 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:14,080 Matthew 621 and Matthew 624. Guess what is sandwiched in the 187 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:17,880 middle of that Scripture in the context of money. 188 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:21,480 Let's bring up Matthew 6. Where are we? 189 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:27,120 Matthew 622 Sandwiched in the middle of these two verses, It 190 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:31,800 reads your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your 191 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:35,360 body. When your eye is healthy, your 192 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:39,400 whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, 193 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:42,040 your whole body is filled with darkness. 194 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:49,280 And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, then 195 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:53,800 how deep is that darkness? So let me ask you, if we're 196 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:57,920 talking about money in Matthew 621 and we're talking about 197 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:03,720 Matthew money in Matthew 624, is Matthew 622 then all of a sudden 198 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:05,400 off topic? And then we go back to money. 199 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:09,560 Are we talking in the context of money and generosity? 200 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:13,800 Yes. In case you didn't know, this is 201 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:18,000 a, this is a scripture directly related to generosity and 202 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:22,920 stewardship and money. And it says the light that you 203 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:27,040 think you have may actually be darkness. 204 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:37,040 That means we I can have judgements on myself, on 205 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:43,800 ourselves, judgements, opinions, a self-confidence, self assured 206 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:49,000 thoughts about who is Lord in this area in our life. 207 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:53,600 This is not just for people who are new here. 208 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:58,880 This is for leaders, this is for pastors, this is for me. 209 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:02,920 So we've got to look at this and go the light that we think we 210 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:04,880 have. That means that we can think 211 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:09,400 that we are full of light. But it begs the question, is it 212 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:13,800 possible? Is it plausible that we may have 213 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:20,600 an unsurrended area in our life? That maybe Jesus is not directly 214 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:23,520 on the throne in all areas in this space? 215 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:29,680 Submission to His Lordship. It's not measured by our 216 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:34,680 perceptions, our self assurance, our own judgments or opinions. 217 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:37,080 It's actually measured by His authority. 218 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:45,000 There's got to be a willingness that goes beyond a willingness 219 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:50,600 that goes beyond a willingness that says, yes, Lord, no matter 220 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:52,560 what. That means a willingness to 221 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:57,520 surrender instead of just singing about surrender to 222 00:16:57,520 --> 00:16:59,400 actually come back and go, you know what? 223 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:02,800 I'm going to allow you to press on my life and I'm going to 224 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:06,560 choose to live surrendered wherever he presses. 225 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:11,680 And I pray for every person here that where there may be a 226 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:15,960 stumbling block, that where something has a hold on you, 227 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:19,599 Holy Spirit, I even pray right now that you begin to highlight 228 00:17:19,599 --> 00:17:25,200 that within people, Lord, where you aren't Lord Jesus, where 229 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:29,400 there is something that takes a greater place in your heart. 230 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:32,920 I pray right now a receptiveness, I pray you 231 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:36,080 highlight it, Lord, in Jesus name. 232 00:17:38,360 --> 00:17:43,880 I remember years ago, friends of mine, we were in church singing 233 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:48,480 that song of surrender that says strip me back of all of my 234 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:54,200 pride, my possessions, until all that I seek and all that I want 235 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:58,720 is your presence. I remember being in church as 236 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:04,160 this song was being sung and I looked around and I saw my two 237 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:06,800 friends Jalen and Lucy. And does anyone know who they 238 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:10,400 are? Amazing missionaries in Vanuatu. 239 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:15,000 I looked over to them and watched them sing this song with 240 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:20,000 tears streaming down their face as they counted the cost for 241 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,760 what God was asking them to give up. 242 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:29,520 He was asking them to lay down everything, everything, to go 243 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:34,760 and be missionaries in Vanuatu. These are friends of mine that 244 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:38,040 we would go out, we would have coffee, We did Thai food. 245 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:41,400 Man, when he made dips that were Mediterranean, his family's 246 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:44,360 Mediterranean. Oh, like you can't pay for how 247 00:18:44,360 --> 00:18:47,280 good this stuff was. We loved to catch up. 248 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:51,120 They were a regular people, regular couple with regular 249 00:18:51,120 --> 00:18:54,160 children, just like you, just like me. 250 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:58,720 And they started counting the cost of what God was asking of 251 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:02,680 them. These guys had a business, they 252 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:08,240 had a home, they had a beautiful home, they had cars, they had a 253 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:11,520 respectable career. But Jalen had a beautiful, 254 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:14,600 respectable career. Lucien ran a successful 255 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:17,320 business. Their children were in private 256 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:20,000 schools, their wardrobes were full. 257 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:27,040 They had a boat for goodness sakes, and God asked them to 258 00:19:27,040 --> 00:19:30,560 give up everything, to go and be missionaries in Vanuatu. 259 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:35,640 And they laid it all down. They sold everything, 260 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:40,280 everything. So when they went over to 261 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:44,400 Vanuatu and after serving and spending some time in the island 262 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:51,480 with no income, no income, an agreement was made for them to 263 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:54,000 be able to purchase a home and pay it off. 264 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:57,360 How is that possible? It's not possible. 265 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:04,200 Let me tell you about this home. It's 5 acres of land on the 266 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:10,760 beach, the beach. It's not near the beach, it's on 267 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:15,040 the beach. Their backyard is the Pacific 268 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:21,680 Ocean and this way is 5 acres. And the provisions don't stop 269 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:27,080 there, but it's seek first God's Kingdom. 270 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:31,760 Seek first the Kingdom of God, then all of these other things. 271 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:36,920 They'll be added unto you. But do we know what it is to lay 272 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:40,040 down our will and pick up God's will? 273 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:45,200 Do we know really what it is to put money on the altar and 274 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:49,760 dethrone it and put Jesus on this throne? 275 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:57,960 When you lay something down on an altar, it the altar doesn't 276 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:03,320 actually belong to you, it belongs to Jesus, and He is good 277 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:06,480 to take care of what belongs to Him. 278 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:09,880 This is where faith comes in. We've actually got to trust in 279 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:12,600 His goodness, trust in His Lordship. 280 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:17,080 When you put it down and you dethrone yourself from this seed 281 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,840 of money, all of a sudden you've got the King of Kings and the 282 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:24,960 Lord of Lords who wants to breathe and wants to bring 283 00:21:25,120 --> 00:21:29,280 freedom into this area. He wants to break chains over 284 00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:32,480 your life. He wants to renew mindsets. 285 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:36,120 What your parents live does not have to be your story. 286 00:21:36,360 --> 00:21:39,560 What you grew up in does not have to be your future. 287 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:43,800 Your experience does not have to be what your child has to go 288 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:45,840 through. There is a better way. 289 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:49,360 There's release for this region and we're invited to partner 290 00:21:49,360 --> 00:21:57,240 with what God wants to do, but he has to be Lord. 291 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:02,320 He's got to be Lord. He takes responsibility for that 292 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:07,760 which belongs to him. Let's read Second Corinthians 293 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:13,960 98. It says, and God will. 294 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:21,320 Can you say will God will generously provide all that you 295 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:24,920 need? Then you will always have 296 00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:29,520 everything that you need and plenty leftover to share with 297 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:33,440 others. When can you actually keep that 298 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:35,680 scripture up there on the screen, please? 299 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:41,720 When you read this particular scripture from God's Word, the 300 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:44,600 Bible, and you hold it up as a stencil. 301 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:48,280 Oh, a stencil stencil. Someone's been a SWB. 302 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:54,600 If you hold this Scripture verse up as a stencil and you put it 303 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:57,760 over your life, what's it look like? 304 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:03,400 If I'm being honest here, not all of my lines are neatly 305 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:09,280 colored in here. There's more, there's more. 306 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:11,200 This is the heart of God for you. 307 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:15,240 His will is His Word, which says that there's a generous 308 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:18,280 provision. Not just a provision, a God 309 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:22,760 generous provision, having everything that you need. 310 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:24,680 Do you have everything that you need? 311 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:32,080 Do you have everything that you need with plenty leftover to 312 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:35,160 share? Is that what it looks like? 313 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:40,720 I've got, I've got people that I want to, I want to extend 314 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:44,760 generosity to, yet I've got I've got room to grow in this area. 315 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:49,440 There's some things I pray God that you align me in this area. 316 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:54,040 Align me, bring me into your perspective and what you want to 317 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:56,440 do. Call me higher, Lord. 318 00:23:56,960 --> 00:24:02,320 Call me higher God, because this perspective doesn't always match 319 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:05,560 my reality. There's people that I see in 320 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:09,600 shopping is that I'm like, Lord, I wish I had $300 extra to pay 321 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,600 for that person's groceries today, but I don't. 322 00:24:13,360 --> 00:24:17,040 I've got family members that I want to purchase houses for. 323 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:21,560 If I wanted my parents, if they needed a place to come and stay, 324 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:26,360 I need the means to be able to provide their own space for 325 00:24:26,360 --> 00:24:27,800 that. I'm like, Lord, there's more 326 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:30,880 need. I am a chaplain at a school. 327 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:35,080 I've got 1000 kids that need to come to a scripture union camp 328 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:38,360 and hear about the goodness of Jesus in my region. 329 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:44,680 The stencil that's not always coloured in. 330 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:51,040 So I'm like Lord call me higher into your perspective, bring me 331 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:57,400 lower. Lord call me, show me, reveal to 332 00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:02,440 me Holy Spirit what it is that I need to know that I can walk in 333 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:09,800 this in Jesus name. The security that money promises 334 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:15,640 must be dethroned. Jesus must sit on this throne. 335 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:19,280 I want to show you a picture. Just a very brief demonstration 336 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:22,920 of what Lordship looks like in this area of your life. 337 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:25,640 Yeah, Yeah, I know. Prop queen. 338 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:35,800 Uh oh. Can someone help me? 339 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:45,640 Thank you. Kingdom has have kings, right? 340 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:50,600 This is the first prop that's gone badly. 341 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:52,320 Thank you, Josh. Josh is here. 342 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:53,840 He's coming to save the. Oh, we got it. 343 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:55,360 It's all right. The girls have got it. 344 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:58,760 Thank you. I actually like that. 345 00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:02,760 It matches my outfit planned by Jesus. 346 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:09,960 Kingdoms have kings. Kingdoms have citizens. 347 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:14,760 Yes. So when when we're talking about 348 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:18,600 lordship especially, we are talking about money, but this 349 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:24,800 applies to any area of our life. When when people come to 350 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:29,080 Australia, refugees, they seek out refuge in Australia, they 351 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:33,880 actually give up their everything to try and purchase 352 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:40,400 citizenship into a nation that provides safer security, right? 353 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:44,240 So and they will give up their lives, they will pay as much 354 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:48,840 money as they can to come into a citizenship that promises A 355 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:52,040 safer, A safer living experience. 356 00:26:53,920 --> 00:27:00,200 We are have been invited into a citizenship where Jesus gets to 357 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:05,280 be Lord, where he gets to reign. And so this is the picture of 358 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:13,520 Lordship when I live under this umbrella of His lordship, I live 359 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:18,120 not just within His protection, I live within the realms of 360 00:27:18,120 --> 00:27:20,960 everything that this Kingdom provides. 361 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:26,680 I live in safety, I live in security, I live in prosperity, 362 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:33,320 I live in abundance because this is the realm of security that is 363 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:38,960 provided within God's Kingdom. Here's your scripture. 364 00:27:40,120 --> 00:27:45,280 Submit to the Lord, resist the devil and he must flee. 365 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:49,280 And you're like, what does this have to do with anything where 366 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:53,160 there is submission to God's lordship? 367 00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:57,320 Wherever in your life Jesus gets to be Lord. 368 00:27:57,480 --> 00:28:02,080 Wherever you place Jesus on the throne in your life and go, God, 369 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:06,680 you have access here. You have access with money, you 370 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:11,960 have access in my relationships, you have access in my attitudes. 371 00:28:12,120 --> 00:28:15,160 You have access, Lord, with my life. 372 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:20,600 Every area that gets thrown down on the altar where Jesus gets to 373 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:25,480 be Lord, you live within the protective barriers and the 374 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:30,120 coverings of His Lordship. You live within the realms of 375 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:33,040 everything that this Kingdom has to offer you. 376 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:37,280 Now let's have a look at that verse backwards. 377 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:38,760 We're going to tip it up on its head. 378 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:46,240 When there's no submission, where there's no surrender in 379 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:49,720 any area of your life. See, this is more about just 380 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:52,040 inviting Jesus to be Lord of your life. 381 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:56,400 This is about inviting Him to be Lord over every area. 382 00:28:56,720 --> 00:29:01,760 Any area in your life that is unsurrended or unsubmitted to 383 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:09,720 God means you lose the power to resist the devil because you're 384 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:13,080 playing in a Kingdom that does not belong to him. 385 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:22,920 And the devil has a legal right. He has legal right out here 386 00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:28,600 outside of God's protection. The devil is here to kill, to 387 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:32,800 steal and destroy. It's not a playground where 388 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:35,720 there's fun. It's a playground that's going 389 00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:42,400 to eat you from the inside out under this umbrella when you 390 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:46,720 live undercover. That's the definition of 391 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:51,080 lordship is where you have invited God to be Lords of that 392 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:53,600 area of your life. It's where you've put something 393 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:57,920 down on the altar and here you live and you breathe and you 394 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:00,640 exist within the realms of His protection. 395 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:03,440 So many people ask the questions. 396 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:05,960 Why are my finances always a mess? 397 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:11,520 I even tithe. Oh, I know, I've got some some 398 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:15,120 silence out there then. The Bible actually even says in 399 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:18,560 there that the the Pharisees were careful to tithe even the 400 00:30:18,560 --> 00:30:21,040 tiniest part of their income. Guess what? 401 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:25,840 God didn't have their heart. This is so much more than a 402 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:30,120 percentage. It's so much more than than a 403 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:32,920 gift. This is about surrender. 404 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:37,360 Who sits on this throne? Who sits on the throne? 405 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:40,240 Any area in your life? You're like, oh, Lord, actually, 406 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:41,560 yeah. No, I'm not really into the 407 00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:44,120 tithe. I just want all of the benefits 408 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:48,720 of the Kingdom without actually signing, without paying for the 409 00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:54,080 citizenship. He's paid for your citizenship, 410 00:30:55,240 --> 00:30:57,120 but that means that it's got to belong to him. 411 00:30:57,120 --> 00:31:01,400 We got to lay it down. People do this in all kinds of 412 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:04,640 areas in their life. I mentioned relationships 413 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:06,480 before. You might be in an ungodly 414 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:09,360 relationship and you're like, why does it just never seem to 415 00:31:09,360 --> 00:31:13,480 work out? It's because you can. 416 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:16,880 I can invite you into my heart, Lord, but oh, not in that area 417 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:22,320 of my life. Attitudes, yes, I show up and 418 00:31:22,320 --> 00:31:24,600 like God should be grateful for what I do, right? 419 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:27,640 Grateful for what I bring. I managed to get out of bed and 420 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:31,240 get here this morning. God, you should be so grateful 421 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:34,680 for what I bring and God's like actually, can I have that 422 00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:39,920 attitude? Any unsurrended area, we throw 423 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:44,600 off His lordship and then we throw off the realms of His 424 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:46,840 Kingdom in that area of our life. 425 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:52,440 Gotta be surrendered to what He wants to do and what He wants to 426 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:52,840 bring.