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Welcome to the Liberty Baptist 
Sermon Archives. 

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The message you're about to hear
was preached at Liberty Baptist 

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Church in Easton, MA. 
You can find out more about us 

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or contact us at my 
libertybaptist.org or just look 

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us up on Facebook. 
And now we hope that this 

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message from God's Word will be 
a blessing to you. 

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So let's go ahead and stand in 
Second Corinthians chapter 8, we

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are reminded, would we let me 
ask you this question. 

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You can you can say Amen. 
And that is, is there a 

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principle of faith, promise, 
mission, giving found in the 

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Word of God? 
That you're supposed to say Amen

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now if y'all. 
Don't say Amen and I. 

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Have to go down there and Amen 
myself. 

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It's going to take a lot longer.
Is there a principle of faith 

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promise? 
Mission giving in the Bible. 

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Absolutely there is, and we saw 
that. 

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Last. 
Night. 

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So I want to continue our 
thought of this idea of the 

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principle of faith promise, 
mission giving. 

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I'll call this one the 
performance of faith promise, 

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and I'll begin reading in verse 
#8 Second Corinthians 8 verse #8

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Paul said this. 
I speak not by commandment, but 

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by the occasion of the 
forewarners of others and to 

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prove the sincerity of your 
love. 

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And that's really where we 
stopped last night, Paul said. 

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Now this offering that we're 
going to give outside of our 

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locality. 
It's not a commandment. 

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But it would prove the sincerity
of your love to understand that 

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you owe a debt to those that 
we're giving to. 

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If there was not for the church 
at Jerusalem, there would be no 

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church at Corinth. 
If it wasn't for the church at 

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Jerusalem, there would be no 
church in Macedonia like 

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Philippi and Berea. 
And Thessalonica so. 

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Basically the idea was found in 
Romans chapter 15. 

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If they've given to us 
spiritually, the least that we 

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can do is give them. 
Carnal and you. 

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Can't get any more carnal than 
money, but it is a necessary 

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part of life. 
So he says, Prove the sincerity 

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of your love, for you know the 
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

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that though he was rich, yet for
your sakes. 

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This is. 
Amazing he became poor that ye 

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through his poverty might be 
rich. 

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I love verse #10 and I'll spend 
some time here in this verse 

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tonight. 
And here's what Paul says. 

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And here in I give my advice. 
So here's Paul saying to the 

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church at Corinth, Let me give 
you my advice. 

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My advice is for this is 
expedient for you who have begun

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before, not only to do but also 
to be forward a year ago. 

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And he talked about in Chapter 
9, verse #2 I know the 

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forewarnedness of your mind. 
So I know that you were forward 

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a year ago. 
Now verse 11 says now, 

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therefore, perform the doing of 
it. 

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Make sure you're involved in 
what you were excited about a 

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year ago. 
So there may be a performance 

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also out of that which you have.
For if there be first a willing 

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mind, is it it is accepted 
according to that a man hath, 

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and not according that he hath 
not God's not going to ask you 

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to do something that he he knows
you can do with his help. 

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And by the grace of God, Paul 
said, For I mean not that other 

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men be eased and ye burdened, 
but by equality, that now at 

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this time your abundance may be 
a supply for their want, that 

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their abundance also may be a 
supply for your want, that there

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may be equality. 
As it is written, He that hath 

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gathered much hath nothing over,
and that he and he that have 

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gathered little had no lack. 
Now, of course, he's talking 

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there about the manna that was 
brought down from heaven and 

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everybody had enough when it 
came to manna, sustained 

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herself. 
And God said God is able. 

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You know, there's equality in 
giving, and it's called giving 

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and receiving. 
And so Paul says when it's time 

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to give, then you need to give. 
If there comes a time that it's 

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that you get to receive, then 
receive. 

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But there's equality in giving. 
And God is actually the great 

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equalizer when it comes to 
giving and receiving. 

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Lord, we need your help tonight.
Once again, I pray that you'd 

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bless the reading of your word, 
the preaching of your word, the 

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the meaning of your word. 
I pray that you would convict us

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to understand that while this 
passage of Scripture is speaking

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specifically to the church at 
Corinth, related to the churches

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of Macedonia and the giving of 
the offering that will go to 

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Jerusalem, the principle, the 
performance is there for us 

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tonight. 
We are to take this message and 

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apply it to the situation that 
we have before us tonight, where

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we give beyond our locality to 
missionaries around the world. 

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And Lord, we want them to be 
able to go and do what we're 

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doing here. 
So I pray Lord, you'd help 

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tonight to communicate this 
thought in Jesus. 

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Name Amen. 
Thank you for. 

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Standing. 
You may be seated now. 

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Last night we laid the 
groundwork for the principle of 

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faith promise, mission giving. 
We found out that it, and 

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there's several things that are 
involved here. 

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And I, I, I would recommend you 
write these things down so you 

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can always remember them. 
But the first principle of faith

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promise is giving beyond our 
locality. 

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In other words, the, the, the 
offering that they were taking 

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up was not for the church at 
Corinth and, and the things that

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were related to that church. 
It was not for the churches of 

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Macedonia, which included like 
Philippi and Berea and 

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Thessalonica. 
It was not for that particular 

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locality of those churches, but 
it was going to go beyond their 

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locality. 
And that's what Faith Promise 

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does. 
It goes beyond the locality of 

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our church. 
You know, the Bible teaches us 

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that the church is a local 
visible assembly. 

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And so now we're talking about 
sending our money beyond our 

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particular congregation. 
The the second thing that I 

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would remind you from last night
is that the principle of faith, 

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promise, mission giving is not 
is is not only based upon the 

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principle of giving beyond our 
locality, but it's also based 

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upon the debt that we owe to the
gospel. 

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And the reason that we 
understand that is Paul said to 

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the churches that he was 
encouraging to give to the 

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churches of Judea, including 
Jerusalem, was we owe a debt to 

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them. 
We must pay our debt to them. 

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And I'm going to tell you, it 
doesn't matter how much money 

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you ever give to missions in 
your life, you'll never 

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completely pay the debt that you
owe to the gospel of Jesus 

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Christ. 
There's no way that you could 

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ever give enough money based on 
the gospel that has come to you 

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and the salvation that you have 
and the eternal life that you 

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have. 
And it should be that we 

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understand that we owe a debt to
the gospel, understanding that 

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we want other people to be 
saved. 

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We want them to go to heaven 
just as we know that we're going

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to. 
So just as the Gentile churches 

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owed a debt to the church at 
Jerusalem because they received 

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the gospel from the church at 
Jerusalem. 

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Now the third thing that I would
bring across about the principle

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is not on only be giving beyond 
our locality and based on the 

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principle of owing a debt, but 
the third thing that I would 

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say, it is based upon the grace 
of God. 

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Because the Macedonian churches 
gave, because they gave God was 

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able to bestow upon them the 
grace of God. 

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Even though we read words like 
this last night, trial, 

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affliction of deep poverty, 
riches of their liberality, and 

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we said that when you take that 
verse and you gave it my 

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definition, it means that you 
are to give no matter what your 

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circumstances are, because God 
knows your circumstances. 

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So another thing that we might 
say, the fourth thing maybe that

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we got out of last night's 
message is that they realized 

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their giving was not based upon 
their ability, but God's 

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ability. 
So they gave that which was 

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beyond their power or beyond 
their ability. 

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And we saw that the Macedonian 
churches were able and willing 

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to give despite of their 
situation of poverty and 

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affliction. 
Now tonight we're going to turn 

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our attention to this thought, 
and this is what we're going to 

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look at tonight based upon the 
text that we just read. 

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And that is this. 
There is a difference in knowing

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something and doing something, 
total difference in knowing what

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to do but then actually doing 
what you're supposed to do. 

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So Paul is giving them a 
challenge to perform what they 

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had promised a year earlier. 
And remember now he's coming to 

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them. 
There's going to be a, there's 

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going to be some messengers. 
And I, this is the message. 

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I will not be able to preach 
maybe a Sunday school if I'm 

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doing Sunday school on Sunday 
morning. 

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But in verses 16 through verse 
#23 he talks about the 

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messengers or the people, the, 
the, the, what's the word I want

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to use the people that will come
from the churches that will 

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deliver the offering. 
And he talks about that in verse

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16 through verse #24 but he 
reminds them to remember their 

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forewarnedness. 
Now, the word forward means, you

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know, like you're pretty 
forward. 

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You know, somebody, somebody 
said, I've been told, man, your 

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preaching is kind of forward. 
Well, that just means there's an

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eagerness about it and a 
readiness to deliver the message

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from the word of God. 
So he's telling them, remember 

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what you promised. 
Remember your eagerness a year 

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ago. 
Remember how you were ready to 

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give. 
I know the forewarnedness of 

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your mind. 
I understood. 

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Why did he understand it? 
He was there among. 

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Them. 
He was there when he preached 

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the message that we looked at in
Romans chapter 15 about the debt

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that they owed. 
He said he's Paul said I, I, I, 

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I remember your forwardness. 
And then he says this and we'll 

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look at this tomorrow night 
because of your forewarned this,

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because of your eagerness, your 
zeal has provoked other people. 

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And in this case, their zeal had
provoked the giving of the 

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Macedonian Church churches. 
So Paul was trying to get the 

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church here to understand this. 
It is dangerous. 

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And I'll say this to you. 
And whether it doesn't even have

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to be in giving, you can, you 
can use anything, anything that 

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God would speak to you through 
the reading of the Word of God, 

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through the preaching of God's 
Word on a weekly basis. 

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You come on Wednesday night or 
Sunday night or Sunday morning. 

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Listen, there's a difference 
between teaching and preaching. 

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When you teach something, you, 
you, you, you, you give people 

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information, they learn. 
But when you preach the Bible, 

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you caused people to make a 
decision. 

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And, and Paul said it's time to 
make the decision about the 

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excitement that you had a year 
earlier. 

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And I want you to understand 
Paul is trying to get the church

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here to understand this. 
And it is, it is dangerous for 

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us. 
It is dangerous to be convicted.

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It is dangerous to be stirred. 
It is dangerous for God to speak

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to our heart about something and
then we don't do. 

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Anything about it now? 
Let me tell you something. 

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Conviction is not salvation, but
conviction is necessary for 

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salvation. 
You can't be saved unless the 

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Spirit of God is convicting you 
about your sin and the judgment 

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that is upon you and the 
righteousness that can only be 

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found in Jesus Christ. 
You must be convicted of that 

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meaning. 
You must be convinced that the 

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Bible is true, and you cannot be
saved until you are convicted or

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convinced about those truths. 
And it is dangerous to be 

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convicted and to know that 
you're lost and that you're on 

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the way to a Christless hell. 
And then God convicts you and 

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convinces you of that truth, and
then you don't do anything about

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it. 
That is dangerous. 

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It is dangerous to come to 
church and to hear the word of 

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God and know the truth of God's 
Word, and God convict you of 

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that truth and you know that you
need to repent of something in 

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your life and then you don't do.
Anything about it? 

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That's a dangerous area. 
Well, it's the same here. 

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That's what Paul is saying. 
It is dangerous for you to be 

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stirred and moved and excited 
about the offering and that not 

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do anything. 
About it now. 

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I'd like to say this, that faith
promised, mission giving is 

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God's therapy from the sin of 
selfishness in the church. 

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Now, whether you want to admit 
it or not, we're all 

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self-centered. 
Most people, the greatest people

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in their lives are three people,
me, myself and I. 

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Those are my three favorite 
people in my life. 

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I like to tell people that. 
When me and my wife. 

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When we met, we had two things 
in common. 

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Oh no, we had one. 
Thing in common, we only had 

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one. 
Thing in common When we got 

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saved, we had two things in 
common. 

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We both love me and we both love
Jesus. 

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Did I get that? 
So you know what the one thing 

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was when we first met each 
other? 

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00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:06,720
We both love me and really 
that's the way we are sometimes.

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00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:10,520
We're very self-centered. 
But when you give to something 

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that is beyond you, when you 
give something that is beyond 

238
00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:18,600
your church, when you give 
something that is beyond your 

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00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:23,160
locality for people all over the
world to be safe, that'll help 

240
00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:25,600
you with selfishness. 
It will help you. 

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00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:28,880
So let's look at a couple of 
things here in this text tonight

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00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:31,240
and see, we didn't have to lay 
all that groundwork. 

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00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:33,720
So we're moving along a whole 
lot faster than we did last 

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00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:35,800
night. 
Somebody say Amen. 

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00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:40,080
Amen. 
I want you to see the principle 

246
00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:43,000
of performing the promise. 
Look at verse #9 Here's the 

247
00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:45,600
great principle of giving. 
It's found here. 

248
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For ye know that the grace of 
our Lord Jesus Christ, that 

249
00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:56,200
though he was rich, yet for your
sakes he became poor, that ye 

250
00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:59,080
through his poverty might be 
rich. 

251
00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:03,400
Do you know when it comes to 
giving that Jesus Christ is the 

252
00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:07,200
greatest standard of all? 
I want you to think about this. 

253
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The greatest transform, the the 
great transformation of man in 

254
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that is saved is when he leaves 
this world, he gets to go to 

255
00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:20,920
heaven and he's going to be 
there and he's going to say man.

256
00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:22,360
I don't like to. 
Got here a long time ago. 

257
00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:25,000
Why did we fight getting here in
the first place? 

258
00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:28,160
Man and his wife died on the 
same day and they went to heaven

259
00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:30,280
and they're going around. 
They said this is the most 

260
00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:34,080
glorious thing I have not seen 
ear heard entered into the the 

261
00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:37,200
the heart of man the things that
God has prepared for us. 

262
00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:39,320
It's an amazing thing. 
It's going to be a great 

263
00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:42,160
transformation. 
And this wife and husband are 

264
00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:44,200
saying all of this and he said, 
you know what, I could have 

265
00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:46,200
been. 10 year I could have been 
here 10 years ago. 

266
00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:48,040
If you hadn't fed me all them, 
Bran. 

267
00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:52,160
Muffins. 
So if you eat, quit eating bran 

268
00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:55,080
muffins. 
You might get there quicker, but

269
00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:57,760
the opposite of that is a. 
Greater transformation. 

270
00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:02,880
Jesus left all of that. 
Jesus left everything that one 

271
00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:04,840
day we're going to get to enjoy 
an eternity. 

272
00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:11,520
And he came upon this earth and 
walked as a sinful man, yet 

273
00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:15,360
without sin. 
And they mocked him and they 

274
00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:19,000
spit upon him and they hate him.
The religious people hated him. 

275
00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:20,520
They didn't want to have 
anything to do with him. 

276
00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:22,640
They were losing the religious 
power. 

277
00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:27,080
And listen, He came to seek and 
to save that which was lost. 

278
00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:31,600
He did that for us. 
That's the greatest standard for

279
00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,080
giving. 
And Paul uses it in the text. 

280
00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:37,640
He said, you know that the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ, He was

281
00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:41,800
rich and he left all those 
riches and that's why the Bible 

282
00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:45,880
talks about how the angels when 
it comes to salvation, they 

283
00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:47,880
desire to look into. 
This. 

284
00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:53,160
It's like they cannot believe 
what Jesus Christ has done for 

285
00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:58,600
sinful man, that he left the 
glories of heaven and he gave 

286
00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:00,520
himself. 
And that's why the Bible says 

287
00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:04,400
for God so loved the world, that
he that he gave his only 

288
00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:08,560
begotten Son, that whosoever 
believeth that him should not 

289
00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:11,640
perish, but should be saved. 
Well, I messed it up. 

290
00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:15,720
For God so loved the world that 
he gave his only begotten Son, 

291
00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:17,319
that whosoever believeth in him 
should not. 

292
00:17:17,319 --> 00:17:19,000
Perish but have everlasting 
life, yeah. 

293
00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:20,960
Be careful when you. 
Get old. 

294
00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:27,520
And so Jesus is the standard. 
In other words, he became poor 

295
00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:31,560
that we might be rich. 
And that's what and the grace of

296
00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:34,880
God is what's spoken about here.
We are saved by God's grace, 

297
00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:37,000
Amen. 
Through his, through his 

298
00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:40,040
poverty, we have eternal life. 
Now, one of the things that's 

299
00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:42,400
amazing about the text that we 
read. 

300
00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:45,800
Last night and tonight. 
Is when the Bible talks about 

301
00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:50,160
grace in the sense that the gift
that they were giving was going 

302
00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:52,280
to be grace. 
It's called a, it's called an 

303
00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:53,640
offering. 
It's called grace. 

304
00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:58,160
Look, look very quickly verse #4
verse #1 in chapter 8. 

305
00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:03,160
Moreover, brethren, we do you to
wit of the grace of God bestowed

306
00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:06,760
on the churches of Macedonia 
verse #4 praying us with much 

307
00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:09,040
entry that we would receive the 
gift. 

308
00:18:09,120 --> 00:18:10,880
All right here he calls it a 
gift. 

309
00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:14,960
Verse number six, he says, we 
desired Titus, that as he had 

310
00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:19,160
begun, so he would also finish 
giving you this the same grace 

311
00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:21,800
also. 
Verse #7 He told them as they 

312
00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:25,280
abound in all things, make sure 
they abound in this grace also. 

313
00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:29,640
He's talking about the offering.
Verse #19 If you drop down to 

314
00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:33,400
there, he says, and not only, 
but who was chosen of the 

315
00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:38,080
churches to travel with us with 
this grace. 

316
00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:41,120
So he's talking about these, 
these ministers, these 

317
00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:44,560
messengers, and he's talking 
about, hey, they're going to 

318
00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:47,880
travel with us with this, grace 
with this. 

319
00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:53,000
Offering now when we. 
Talk about grace, for by grace 

320
00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:56,360
are you saved through faith? 
We like to say grace. 

321
00:18:56,360 --> 00:18:59,160
Is this the free unmerited love 
in favor? 

322
00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:01,200
Of God and everybody should say 
Amen to that. 

323
00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:06,000
But in a historical sense, in a 
primary meaning, in a historical

324
00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,400
sense of the word grace, it 
means goodwill. 

325
00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:12,800
And sometimes we use the the 
idea that well. 

326
00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:14,240
I'm trying to show them some 
grace. 

327
00:19:14,360 --> 00:19:16,040
We're trying and that what? 
Does that mean that means I'm 

328
00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:18,760
trying to show? 
Them some goodwill, a desire to 

329
00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:22,280
bring other people goodness, a 
desire to bring other people 

330
00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:24,600
love and strength. 
And that's what this offering is

331
00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:26,960
doing. 
And, and and listen, Paul is 

332
00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:30,320
talking about grace and, and 
when you do look at grace in a 

333
00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:33,760
historical sense, it is the idea
that we're trying to help 

334
00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:36,360
somebody along, show them some 
grace. 

335
00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:41,640
And as a pastor, I try to do the
best I can to give people grace.

336
00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:46,760
You know, now they can carry it 
too far and and Peter, you know,

337
00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:49,720
remember Peter, he was like, you
know, Lord, I'm pretty 

338
00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:52,000
spiritual, you know, I don't 
know if you know how spiritual I

339
00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:53,640
am, but how often should I 
forgive my. 

340
00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:56,720
Brother. 
You know, like 7 times and 

341
00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:59,840
that's like whoa, that's. 
Way over the top until. 

342
00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:01,880
Jesus said, well what about 7 * 
17? 

343
00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:04,480
He's like, and he wasn't saying 
4 to 490 either. 

344
00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:08,840
He was like, show some grace, 
show some forgiveness. 

345
00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:12,960
And, and, and so praise God for 
the forgiveness of God, Praise 

346
00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:17,200
God for second chances. 
Pray, praise God that that God 

347
00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:20,440
shows grace and, and that, and 
therefore we should show grace. 

348
00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:24,280
Well, in this instance, God is 
saying, let's show these people 

349
00:20:24,280 --> 00:20:28,880
some grace by giving and, and, 
and we, and we might say a 

350
00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:32,200
person showed grace to someone 
in a certain situation. 

351
00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:35,440
And sometimes we need to show 
some grace and, and all that 

352
00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:37,280
means is we need to show 
goodwill. 

353
00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:40,760
And here's what I want you to 
understand that God desires to 

354
00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:44,600
show people grace. 
He desires to bring goodwill to 

355
00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:49,000
people by sending his son to 
save them from their sins. 

356
00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:53,520
And that's what verse 9 is all 
about, the grace of God and how 

357
00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:56,640
it's been bestowed upon us, God 
and his love and mercy. 

358
00:20:56,640 --> 00:21:00,520
Listen, I here's one of my pet 
peeves and I can, I don't worry,

359
00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:02,080
I'll get in trouble with 
somebody for the week. 

360
00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:06,640
But you know, God sent his best 
for us. 

361
00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:08,680
He didn't give a second. 
Best and. 

362
00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:12,720
It and it kind of aggravates me 
when people want to give their 

363
00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:16,840
second best to the church, like 
they'll be in their garage and 

364
00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:18,560
they'll have something. 
They're like, well, we don't. 

365
00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:20,800
Use this anymore? 
Why don't we just give it to the

366
00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:23,520
church? 
Well let me help you with that. 

367
00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:26,440
Why don't you throw that in the 
trash and go to Walmart and buy 

368
00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:27,840
a brand? 
New one for the church. 

369
00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:31,800
Somebody say Amen. 
You don't give your second best 

370
00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:34,840
to the church, You don't give 
your second best to the 

371
00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:37,560
preacher, You don't give your 
second best to the things of 

372
00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:38,520
God. 
You give your best. 

373
00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:40,880
He gave us his best. 
He didn't give us his second 

374
00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:43,880
best. 
And the greatest transformation 

375
00:21:44,120 --> 00:21:47,000
that took place was for our 
sake, for your sake. 

376
00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:52,240
So we can say another principle 
of faith, promise, is this the 

377
00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:55,720
grace of God? 
Yes, we owe a debt to the 

378
00:21:55,720 --> 00:22:01,600
gospel, but it comes by God's 
grace and and what I would like 

379
00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:05,640
to say is when faith promised 
faith promised, mission giving 

380
00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:08,360
is performed under the principle
of grace. 

381
00:22:08,360 --> 00:22:13,520
It won't be mechanical. 
It will be an activity that 

382
00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:18,000
seeks to convey others that 
which is good, which is the 

383
00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:22,080
gospel of Jesus Christ. 
So what's the purpose of giving?

384
00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:26,360
What's the purpose of it? 
He tells us that the the great 

385
00:22:26,360 --> 00:22:29,040
standard is Jesus Christ. 
And then Paul says something, I 

386
00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:30,680
love this. 
And I told you I'm going to 

387
00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:33,200
spend a little bit of time here 
in verse #10 And he says, and 

388
00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:37,200
here in verse 10 and here in, I 
give my advice. 

389
00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:41,760
Everybody is looking to give 
somebody advice. 

390
00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:46,440
Sometimes when I don't even want
it, I don't want your. 

391
00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:50,960
Advice and I don't like. 
To give people advice unless 

392
00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:54,240
they ask for it. 
Preacher, would you give me some

393
00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:56,920
advice? 
Yes, but the advice that I give 

394
00:22:56,920 --> 00:23:01,080
them better be based upon the 
word of God, because that's the 

395
00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:02,640
best advice. 
Anyone can give you. 

396
00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:05,400
And so when somebody comes to me
for counseling. 

397
00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:07,840
Or whatever. 
Most of the time I say, well, I 

398
00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:10,080
counsel, you know, every week. 
Oh, you do can. 

399
00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:13,200
I get an appointment, yeah. 
Be here at 11:00 on Sunday 

400
00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:14,320
morning. 
That'll be our first. 

401
00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:16,720
Appointment for counseling, our 
second. 

402
00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:18,520
Appointment for counseling will 
be at six. 

403
00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:20,840
O'clock that night and the 
third. 

404
00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:25,440
Time that we can counsel will be
on Wednesday night at 7:00 and 

405
00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:29,760
if I cancel you for like 3 weeks
and nine times then you should 

406
00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:32,680
basically understand the 
direction you I don't do. 

407
00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:34,240
Counseling. 
Unless they come to church. 

408
00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:38,800
You know why? 
Because after about 3 weeks. 

409
00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:41,520
They don't need no counseling. 
They just need to be in church. 

410
00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:43,640
Hearing the word of God, 
somebody say Amen. 

411
00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:47,480
You need to be in church. 
You need to be in church now. 

412
00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:49,320
There'll be somebody that'll 
come in on Sunday and they'll be

413
00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:50,560
going. 
What's the big deal about here? 

414
00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:52,360
Well, we've been preaching on 
faith promise. 

415
00:23:52,360 --> 00:23:53,520
Well. 
You know I wasn't here. 

416
00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:55,200
Well then, we can't start all 
over. 

417
00:23:56,360 --> 00:23:59,680
So be here. 
But here's what I'm trying to 

418
00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:02,320
get across. 
Everyone is always ready to give

419
00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:05,000
advice. 
Let me let me tell you what Paul

420
00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:08,840
said in First Corinthians 11/1 
Be followers of me. 

421
00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:13,360
As I am of Christ. 
Now here's an amazing thing 

422
00:24:13,360 --> 00:24:16,760
about advice. 
The Bible, the word of God 

423
00:24:17,120 --> 00:24:19,800
preaching. 
Now notice Paul said I'm giving 

424
00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:21,880
you my advice. 
Is that what Paul said? 

425
00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:24,040
Paul said I'm. 
Giving you my advice. 

426
00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:27,040
And here and here's what my 
advice is. 

427
00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:29,960
This is good for you. 
That's what he said. 

428
00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:32,840
My advice is this is expedient 
for you. 

429
00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:35,000
Did you see that? 
That means it's good for you. 

430
00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:37,240
It's expedient for you. 
Another word for the word 

431
00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:39,040
expedient is the word 
profitable. 

432
00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:42,000
Now isn't it amazing? 
Now listen to this. 

433
00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:44,800
Isn't it amazing that you go to 
the doctor? 

434
00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:47,600
You don't know this. 
Guy, you, you don't. 

435
00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:48,400
You. 
I mean, you don't. 

436
00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:52,040
You don't know the doctor that 
you go to. 

437
00:24:52,120 --> 00:24:54,720
I, I, I, I heard my wife said 
this the other day. 

438
00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:56,680
She goes. 
You know what, Jeff I? 

439
00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:59,160
Figured out why people retire. 
And I said. 

440
00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:00,760
Why is that? 
She said. 

441
00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:02,480
So then go to all their doctor's
appointments. 

442
00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:05,120
I said there's a lot of truth 
to. 

443
00:25:05,120 --> 00:25:08,000
That in there. 
People got to retire, so then go

444
00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:12,000
to all their all their doctor's 
appointments, but we go to the 

445
00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:13,800
doctor. 
And we tell them what's wrong 

446
00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:15,400
with us. 
We say, oh man, I got this pain 

447
00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:16,200
here. 
I got this. 

448
00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:17,680
They may want a little blood 
work. 

449
00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:21,360
They may do this or what they do
now is they go next door, they 

450
00:25:21,360 --> 00:25:22,840
go. 
You never notice a doctor leaves

451
00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:23,880
a room while. 
You're in there well. 

452
00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:26,080
Let me tell you what he's doing.
He's going on next door and he's

453
00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:28,520
grokking it. 
Or he's ChatGPT in it. 

454
00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:29,920
He's. 
Googling it. 

455
00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:33,840
And so he comes back and he 
goes, OK, we're going to, we're 

456
00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:36,280
going to any rights on this 
little piece of paper, some 

457
00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:38,920
Egyptian hieroglyphics that no 
man could ever read. 

458
00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:44,160
And we take it to a pharmacist 
who we do not know. 

459
00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:47,560
And we hand him this piece of 
paper that has Egyptian 

460
00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:51,080
hieroglyphics all over it. 
And he deciphers it and he put 

461
00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:55,400
some pills in a bottle and he 
tells us, take 3 pills, five 

462
00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:56,600
days. 
Now we, we just went to the 

463
00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:57,720
doctor. 
He told us what to do. 

464
00:25:57,720 --> 00:25:58,840
We don't even. 
Question it. 

465
00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:01,840
We go to the pharmacist, he puts
it in a pill in a bottle. 

466
00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:03,760
He don't even he don't even 
question it. 

467
00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:06,240
We just do what they say. 
But yet the man. 

468
00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:09,040
Of God stands up and says. 
Let me give you some advice. 

469
00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:11,520
This is expedient for you. 
We go, well, who does he think 

470
00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:14,360
he is? 
Well, you may tell you what I 

471
00:26:14,360 --> 00:26:15,080
tell the church. 
I. 

472
00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:16,840
Pastor, I'll tell you who I am. 
I'm the pastor. 

473
00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:23,880
And this would be good for you 
if you do what God says or we go

474
00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:25,760
to our CPA who we only meet 
with. 

475
00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:28,880
Once a year and sweat and. 
All coming. 

476
00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:30,960
Down us, you know, we got to go 
in there and he's got to tell. 

477
00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:37,000
Us how much our taxes are and we
pay it and we do what they say. 

478
00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:41,320
But the man of God. 
Stands up and says, hey, this is

479
00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:44,360
good for you, this is expedient 
for you. 

480
00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:47,480
And you cross your arms and get 
all bent out of shape and say 

481
00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:48,760
who does? 
He think he is. 

482
00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:52,000
I don't know, Maybe he's the man
of God. 

483
00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:55,960
Who preaches the Word of God 
from the authorized King James 

484
00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:57,880
Version of the Bible? 
That is the Word of God. 

485
00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:01,880
To the English speaking people, 
somebody say Amen to that. 

486
00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:06,680
And we question it. 
Is everybody getting this? 

487
00:27:07,120 --> 00:27:09,240
Yeah. 
So what Paul says here? 

488
00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:11,400
He said. 
Let me give you some advice. 

489
00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:12,960
Now. 
Here's what Here's the caveat. 

490
00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:14,120
Here's. 
What you got to understand? 

491
00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:18,800
When Paul wrote this, it was 
under the inspiration of the 

492
00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:24,000
Holy Spirit of God. 
This is the errant, infallible 

493
00:27:25,360 --> 00:27:29,480
word of God. 
And so really, it's not, can I 

494
00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:34,760
say it like this? 
It's not really Paul's advice as

495
00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:39,200
much as it is God's advice. 
Paul was just the human writer 

496
00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:43,720
that wrote down and pinned the 
words that God had him to pin. 

497
00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:47,520
So this is not, this is not just
Paul's advice. 

498
00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:49,720
And after all, Paul was the 
apostle. 

499
00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:53,720
He was the church planner. 
He was the man of God. 

500
00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:59,360
But the truth is, it's God that 
said this, and God says people. 

501
00:27:59,360 --> 00:28:02,160
Let me tell you something. 
Let me give you my advice. 

502
00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:07,600
God says this is expedient for 
you who have begun before, not 

503
00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:10,760
only to do, but also to be 
forward. 

504
00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:11,960
A year ago. 
You know what he's saying. 

505
00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:15,480
You got all excited about last. 
Year now, you hadn't given. 

506
00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:19,920
Let me give you God's advice. 
Do what you promised to do. 

507
00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:26,320
So the idea here is that 
everyone is always ready to give

508
00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:30,840
advice, but his advice is based.
Upon the word of God. 

509
00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:35,800
And God's advice is better than 
anybody else's advice. 

510
00:28:37,120 --> 00:28:40,600
And basically he's saying why. 
Why is why should you? 

511
00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:43,920
Why should what you were forward
about a year ago concerning 

512
00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:46,200
giving, why should you perform 
the doing of it? 

513
00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:49,360
And here's what he said. 
Because it's expedient for you, 

514
00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:53,200
that means it is profitable for 
you to perform what you got 

515
00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:54,800
excited about. 
I like things that are 

516
00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:55,680
profitable for. 
Me. 

517
00:28:56,560 --> 00:29:00,680
Amen. 
Because the need of the offering

518
00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:04,000
has not changed. 
It was they who had not. 

519
00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:05,880
They were the. 
Ones that had changed. 

520
00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:10,760
All these people who are going 
away from the Bible and they're 

521
00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:14,680
going off on tangents and they 
go into Calvinism or they go 

522
00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:18,240
into some kind of weirdo that 
the brother said it last night, 

523
00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:24,360
the neo evangelical black white 
semiconductor of this thing or 

524
00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:30,440
whatever mumbo jumbo. 
Hamala whatever, Austella 

525
00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:37,360
Shundai, untie my bow. 
Tie ecumenical religious puke. 

526
00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:39,560
I think that's a Bible. 
Word. 

527
00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:44,960
God hadn't changed. 
Bible hadn't changed. 

528
00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:49,760
It's people who change. 
And everyone is looking for a 

529
00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:50,800
sure thing. 
I am. 

530
00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:54,400
Me and Dave, we'd like to find 
the sure thing in the stock. 

531
00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:56,000
Market, well then I don't know 
about that. 

532
00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:58,480
But I'm telling you, everybody 
likes a sure thing and they'll 

533
00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:00,800
be people get on TV. 
This is a sure thing. 

534
00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:02,400
You're a liar. 
It is a sure thing. 

535
00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:04,120
Because you don't know what 
tomorrow's. 

536
00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:07,440
News is going to be. 
You have no idea what what's 

537
00:30:07,440 --> 00:30:10,920
going to what's coming up next 
and everyone is looking for a 

538
00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:11,800
sure thing. 
You know what? 

539
00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:18,760
God said this is a sure thing. 
We had a man in our church that 

540
00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:21,600
we used to have men's prayer 
breakfast as we don't do that 

541
00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:22,320
anymore. 
We do. 

542
00:30:22,640 --> 00:30:25,240
We have like a lunch on a 
Saturday of our mission 

543
00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:27,160
conference. 
Y'all are going to have a a 

544
00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:29,760
Yankee dinner on Friday. 
Night. 

545
00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:32,120
I can't wait to eat some clam 
chata or something, you know? 

546
00:30:32,680 --> 00:30:34,560
And with Masha, you know what 
I'm saying? 

547
00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:37,920
Because I don't think anybody's 
going to bring any pickled beans

548
00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:39,520
and cornbread, you know what I'm
saying? 

549
00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:41,320
Fried. 
Taters. 

550
00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:47,160
You know ham Hock. 
Oh son, going to. 

551
00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:48,640
Start getting the willies here 
in a minute. 

552
00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:50,400
I already forgot what I was 
saying. 

553
00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:50,960
Oh. 
Yeah, so. 

554
00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:53,920
We, we had this, we, we used to 
have men's prayer breakfast and 

555
00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:55,000
they'd. 
Have a lady's. 

556
00:30:55,520 --> 00:30:57,880
Lunch anyhow, and the. 
Young man that was sitting. 

557
00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:00,240
Beside me, he's now a pastor. 
By the way, he pastors in 

558
00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:01,360
Oregon. 
He went through our Bible 

559
00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:04,440
Institute and him and his 
family, they're in Oregon and 

560
00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:06,720
they're, he's a, he's a pastor. 
There now. 

561
00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:09,440
And he was sitting. 
There and and. 

562
00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:11,600
Sometimes this stuff goes 
together and he. 

563
00:31:12,320 --> 00:31:13,720
After the breakfast, he came up 
to me. 

564
00:31:13,720 --> 00:31:16,000
He said Preacher, can I talk to 
you and you're? 

565
00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:17,560
You hope it's always. 
Good. 

566
00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:21,600
When somebody says that and he 
goes, man, I, he said, I just 

567
00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:23,040
want to, I want to give you my 
heart. 

568
00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:25,480
I said OK, He said, man, God's 
been. 

569
00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:27,680
Just just tore me. 
Up about the mission conference 

570
00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:29,280
this week and I'm like, OK, 
brother, yeah. 

571
00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:33,080
And he said God's. 
Laid on my my heart and a mount.

572
00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:37,360
He goes. 
It just doesn't seem feasible, 

573
00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:39,240
but it seems. 
Like it's my faith. 

574
00:31:39,520 --> 00:31:41,040
And I said, well, that's that's 
how you want to give. 

575
00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:43,760
I said brother, herein is my 
advice. 

576
00:31:44,440 --> 00:31:47,680
If God spoke to you about this 
and it's real and you're not 

577
00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:52,000
trying to just be some emotional
thing and you know you and God's

578
00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:53,120
really. 
Working on your heart. 

579
00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:56,480
Just perform the doing of it. 
That's that's all I can. 

580
00:31:56,560 --> 00:32:00,480
That's all I can tell you. 
So he said OK and he filled out 

581
00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:03,280
his faith promise card and he 
dropped it in the offering 

582
00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:04,920
plate. 
And of course, I didn't know how

583
00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:05,520
much it. 
Was. 

584
00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:09,880
I had no idea. 
But the next on the Wednesday. 

585
00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:12,960
Night of that week, I mean. 
It was like he was waiting on me

586
00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:14,240
to show. 
In the auditorium. 

587
00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:16,120
When it come through the doors 
of the auditorium. 

588
00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:18,920
And he ran straight and he goes,
preacher, I got to talk to you. 

589
00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:20,120
I got to tell you what's going 
on. 

590
00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:22,280
I said, OK. 
And I'm like, you know what's 

591
00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:25,080
going on? 
He said, remember the 

592
00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:28,800
conversation we had on Saturday?
And I said, yeah. 

593
00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:30,360
And he goes, I'll put my faith 
promise in. 

594
00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:30,840
He goes. 
You're. 

595
00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:32,440
Never going to believe. 
This, I said. 

596
00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:35,960
I'll believe anything, brother. 
He said on Sunday afternoon. 

597
00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:38,920
After I dropped that Faith 
Promise mission conference 

598
00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:44,520
ticket not ticket card in the 
mail in the not in the mail in 

599
00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:47,400
the offering plate. 
He said on Sunday afternoon I 

600
00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:51,080
received a phone. 
Call from my dad, I said OK. 

601
00:32:51,560 --> 00:32:54,880
He said my dad. 
Called me and he mentioned his 

602
00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:57,080
name and he. 
Said your brother. 

603
00:32:57,160 --> 00:32:59,960
Is in financial need. 
Is has a financial. 

604
00:32:59,960 --> 00:33:01,720
Need. 
And he said. 

605
00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:03,800
So I've decided that I'm. 
Going to help your brother? 

606
00:33:03,800 --> 00:33:05,760
I told him I'd help him this one
time, but then he got to 

607
00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:07,760
thinking about it. 
He said if I'm. 

608
00:33:07,760 --> 00:33:10,320
Going to do this for your 
brother, he said. 

609
00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:14,520
I'm going to do this for you too
because you you're doing right 

610
00:33:14,520 --> 00:33:16,360
and he's, he's having some 
issues. 

611
00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:18,120
But I'm going to go ahead and 
help him. 

612
00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:22,720
But I'm just going to, I'm going
to give you some money and you 

613
00:33:22,720 --> 00:33:25,040
do with it what you want. 
And here's what he said. 

614
00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:27,560
Preacher, the amount of money he
gave. 

615
00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:29,720
Me was the exact amount of 
money. 

616
00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:33,880
For the. 
Year for the promise of my faith

617
00:33:33,880 --> 00:33:36,160
Promise. 
And I said, well, do you 

618
00:33:36,160 --> 00:33:38,360
remember what I said? 
To you on Saturday, I guess this

619
00:33:38,360 --> 00:33:39,680
would. 
Be profitable for you. 

620
00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:42,680
And here's what he said. 
Is it OK? 

621
00:33:42,680 --> 00:33:44,720
If I just write the whole check.
For the whole year. 

622
00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:46,040
And drop it in the offering 
plate. 

623
00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:48,000
And I'm a Baptist preacher. 
I said, oh, no, brother, you can

624
00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:51,040
never do that. 
You want to give it to me and 

625
00:33:51,040 --> 00:33:52,240
I'll put it in the safe right 
now. 

626
00:33:52,240 --> 00:33:57,800
No, you can't make that kind of 
stuff up. 

627
00:33:58,760 --> 00:34:02,440
If your heart is right, if 
you're giving, if you're giving 

628
00:34:02,440 --> 00:34:06,760
to get, you'll never get a dime.
If you're giving because God 

629
00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:09,800
said that it was expedient for 
you and that it's profitable for

630
00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:11,639
you, then things will work out. 
Just. 

631
00:34:11,639 --> 00:34:15,320
Fine and in verse. 15 We see 
that God gave manna to the 

632
00:34:15,320 --> 00:34:19,280
children of Israel every day, 
and you know God has a way of 

633
00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:23,520
providing in ways that we just. 
Cannot imagine when. 

634
00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:26,719
Me and my and this is not a part
of the message, but I will tell 

635
00:34:26,719 --> 00:34:30,880
you that when me and my wife got
saved in 1984 I was 24 years old

636
00:34:31,639 --> 00:34:35,080
and man our whole life was 
turned right side up. 

637
00:34:35,520 --> 00:34:37,760
Not instead of. 
Upside down, it was right. 

638
00:34:37,760 --> 00:34:40,280
Side up and. 
We begin to learn about. 

639
00:34:40,280 --> 00:34:42,880
Tithing. 
And we would sit down literally 

640
00:34:43,239 --> 00:34:46,239
for those three first three or 
four months of our of our. 

641
00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:48,080
Salvation. 
We got married in 1980. 

642
00:34:48,080 --> 00:34:51,840
We got saved in 1984, I got 
saved on a Monday, she got saved

643
00:34:51,840 --> 00:34:55,040
the next day on a Tuesday and 
and. 

644
00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:57,640
We started learning about 
tithing and so we're like, well,

645
00:34:57,640 --> 00:35:00,960
you know, I, I. 
Just said listen, I think we're.

646
00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:03,240
Just going to have to trust. 
God that he knows what he's 

647
00:35:03,240 --> 00:35:06,040
doing and we were talking just 
like. 

648
00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:08,280
This I mean, because I mean, I 
was just like, OK. 

649
00:35:09,000 --> 00:35:11,640
So we were looking at our bills 
and we were looking at the 

650
00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:14,320
income and the. 
Outgo and here was the. 

651
00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:17,480
Problem there was more outgo. 
Than there was. 

652
00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:21,920
Income, but we started giving. 
We started tithing and I 

653
00:35:21,920 --> 00:35:27,760
remember one month I got a. 
We got a refund on a insurance 

654
00:35:28,520 --> 00:35:35,800
something from two years before 
that was unbelievably windfall. 

655
00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:38,560
For us at that time when I say 
windfall. 

656
00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:41,640
It was like 2 or $250, but it 
could have been a. $1,000,000 

657
00:35:41,640 --> 00:35:42,720
for. 
Where we were at at. 

658
00:35:42,720 --> 00:35:46,200
That time and we're just. 
Looking at each other like we 

659
00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:51,480
just got to check in the mail 
for $250 and then we're like, 

660
00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:55,600
should we tied? 
Off of that, I mean God knows 

661
00:35:55,600 --> 00:35:57,720
how to take care of things that 
we don't have any idea about. 

662
00:35:58,240 --> 00:36:00,680
Is everybody getting this? 
Does everybody understand what 

663
00:36:00,680 --> 00:36:01,120
I'm saying? 
Don't. 

664
00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:03,400
Make me have to start all over. 
Say Amen. 

665
00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:06,760
You know what I'm saying? 
The God gave those people. 

666
00:36:06,760 --> 00:36:09,080
Manna. 
Every day. 

667
00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:13,520
Living in the desert. 
And the Church must remain 

668
00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:16,640
faithful, so the faithful. 
Missionaries can. 

669
00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:19,240
Remain we need to be involved. 
Listen, here's the idea that 

670
00:36:19,240 --> 00:36:21,720
Paul is trying to get across and
which when we're talking about 

671
00:36:21,720 --> 00:36:24,840
giving like this, we need to be 
involved in that which will last

672
00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:28,360
forever, that you're what I said
forever. 

673
00:36:31,240 --> 00:36:36,560
So look at verse 11 and 12. 
He says now, therefore perform 

674
00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:39,200
the doing of it. 
I love it. 

675
00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:43,680
He's just a preacher who says, 
hey, just do it. 

676
00:36:45,280 --> 00:36:48,600
Listen, God doesn't ask you to 
give what you don't have. 

677
00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:54,200
Hebrews 11/1 says faith is the 
substance of things hoped for, 

678
00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:57,880
the evidence of things not seen.
There is substance in our faith,

679
00:36:57,880 --> 00:37:02,240
it's just that we can't always 
see it, but it's there. 

680
00:37:03,560 --> 00:37:11,200
And Paul says just do it. 
That's the best advice I can 

681
00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:14,480
give you. 
It's one thing to be willing and

682
00:37:14,480 --> 00:37:18,360
forward, but it's another thing 
just to perform the doing. 

683
00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:22,320
Promises need to be followed 
through with action or it will 

684
00:37:22,320 --> 00:37:25,880
lead to disappointment. 
And God never asked a person to 

685
00:37:25,880 --> 00:37:29,000
do something unless he knows 
that person can perform the 

686
00:37:29,000 --> 00:37:31,120
doing of it. 
Listen to this based on last 

687
00:37:31,120 --> 00:37:33,040
night. 
Not by his power or strength, 

688
00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:37,280
but by God's power and strength.
And the Bible makes it very 

689
00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:41,920
clear that without faith it is 
impossible to please God. 

690
00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:46,840
Now in verse 7 Paul said the 
church has abounded in many 

691
00:37:46,840 --> 00:37:49,960
things. 
Just make sure you abound in 

692
00:37:49,960 --> 00:37:55,120
this giving or grace also. 
Now. 

693
00:37:55,720 --> 00:37:58,400
You know what the parallel of 
giving is? 

694
00:37:59,040 --> 00:38:03,960
God, God is the great equalizer 
and that's what it's meant. 

695
00:38:03,960 --> 00:38:07,160
That's what's spoken about in 
verse 13 when he says, hey, I 

696
00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:11,600
don't, I'm not asking that other
men be burdened or you be 

697
00:38:11,600 --> 00:38:15,160
burdened and other man be ease. 
I'm saying that by equality. 

698
00:38:15,160 --> 00:38:19,000
In other words, the great 
equalizer in giving is giving 

699
00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:20,960
and receiving. 
And here's what I like to say. 

700
00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:27,080
If missionaries were to receive 
based on your giving, what would

701
00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:33,400
they receive? 
And Paul is not saying that the 

702
00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:36,640
rich become poor so that the 
poor might be rich. 

703
00:38:36,640 --> 00:38:38,640
That's what the government says.
In some. 

704
00:38:38,800 --> 00:38:44,800
Places he's saying this, you are
spiritually rich because of the 

705
00:38:44,800 --> 00:38:48,320
church in Jerusalem and now it 
is your opportunity to be a 

706
00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:51,080
blessing to them. 
So if I turn that around in an 

707
00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:54,560
application to us, have you been
blessed by the gospel of Jesus 

708
00:38:54,560 --> 00:38:57,520
Christ? 
Then you need to make sure that 

709
00:38:57,520 --> 00:39:01,120
you bless others with the gospel
of Jesus Christ. 

710
00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:05,240
Luke 638 Give, and it shall be 
given unto you. 

711
00:39:05,240 --> 00:39:07,920
Good measure, pressed down, 
shaken together, running over 

712
00:39:08,200 --> 00:39:12,520
shall men give unto your bosom. 
For with the same measure that 

713
00:39:12,520 --> 00:39:17,520
ye meet with all, it shall be 
measured to you. 

714
00:39:18,160 --> 00:39:24,440
Again I. 
Want to be a giver? 

715
00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:28,240
I want to be a liberal giver. 
Fact. 

716
00:39:28,240 --> 00:39:29,920
That's the only. 
Time I want anybody ever to call

717
00:39:29,920 --> 00:39:32,840
me a liberal. 
Is when I'm giving. 

718
00:39:33,920 --> 00:39:37,960
Otherwise, I don't want to be a 
liberal, So here's what he says.

719
00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:43,680
Just as they owed a debt to 
their spiritual heritage, we owe

720
00:39:43,680 --> 00:39:47,240
a debt to the gospel that we 
were saved by principle. 

721
00:39:48,000 --> 00:39:52,160
God's grace and our debt 
performance. 

722
00:39:52,920 --> 00:39:56,240
Just do it and make it sure it's
based on faith. 

723
00:39:56,920 --> 00:40:01,280
The parallel God, Because here's
the deal. 

724
00:40:02,200 --> 00:40:06,840
God is the great equalizer when 
it become between giving and 

725
00:40:06,840 --> 00:40:08,280
receiving. 
I'm, I'll be honest with you, 

726
00:40:08,840 --> 00:40:10,560
I'd. 
Much rather give than receive, 

727
00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:15,240
but there's times I like. 
Receiving, but sometimes I 

728
00:40:15,240 --> 00:40:19,360
think. 
If my receiving was based on my.

729
00:40:19,360 --> 00:40:23,960
Giving where would I be? 
Thank you for listening to the 

730
00:40:23,960 --> 00:40:26,560
sermon from the pulpit of 
Liberty Baptist Church. 

731
00:40:26,880 --> 00:40:30,160
If this message was a blessing 
to you, or if there's any way we

732
00:40:30,160 --> 00:40:33,280
can serve you, please let us 
know by contacting us at 

733
00:40:33,440 --> 00:40:38,200
info@mylibertybaptist.org. 
Or you can visit us this Sunday 

734
00:40:38,360 --> 00:40:42,080
at 800 Washington St. in Easton,
MA. 

735
00:40:42,360 --> 00:40:45,160
May the Lord bless you as you 
grow in His Word.