1 00:00:09,100 --> 00:00:12,660 Today we're going to continue on our series from the book of 2 00:00:12,660 --> 00:00:17,140 Malachi. In the last weeks, we've been 3 00:00:17,260 --> 00:00:21,540 talking extensively about various things. 4 00:00:21,540 --> 00:00:25,340 We've talked about marriage, we talk about justice, we talk 5 00:00:25,340 --> 00:00:30,260 about being the choosing generation. 6 00:00:30,580 --> 00:00:35,920 I mean, Ben laid a very wonderful foundation as he led 7 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:42,360 us into this great chapter of the Bible Accidentally, I think 8 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:46,960 it's the last chapter of the Old Testament before we move on to 9 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:49,320 the New Testament. And today we're going to 10 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:53,680 continue discussing about something that is very important 11 00:00:54,120 --> 00:01:01,440 to me, to you, to the gospel of Christ, to nations, and to 12 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:04,560 everybody. And today we're going to talk, 13 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:10,800 talk talking about money, money, money. 14 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:18,440 God is good. So I know we all know so much 15 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:23,320 about money. And when we think about money, 16 00:01:23,320 --> 00:01:29,800 sometimes, sometimes it's come with a bread of pressure. 17 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:34,280 Sometimes it comes with a bit of frustration. 18 00:01:35,320 --> 00:01:39,440 Sometimes we think about how do I protect my money? 19 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:48,160 Sometimes we think about how can I make 10 to make 50 to make 20. 20 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:52,800 That means making our money work for us, investing, expanding, 21 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:55,200 making more money and all the stuff. 22 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:57,000 Right? Yeah. 23 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:01,600 And also in marriages you see people talking about percentage 24 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,640 307050 hundred 100, completely, everything. 25 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,960 So we all have different ways we look at money. 26 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:13,400 You know, sometimes we look at how much you look at your 27 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:15,200 account. How much do I have in these 28 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:18,400 accounts? How much do I need to save 29 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,960 before I can retire? How can I increase this? 30 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,440 How can I protect this? How can I leave something for 31 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:28,480 the future generation, for my kids, for the unborn kids? 32 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:34,360 But one of the questions sometimes that we do not often 33 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:39,000 ask is what does God say about my money? 34 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:45,440 What God does say about my money? 35 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,800 I think this is very important questions that we need to ask 36 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:53,520 ourselves as Kingdom people, as the chosen. 37 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:59,280 So I'm going to lead us today as we read from the book of Malachi 38 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:09,240 chapter 3. So hide the Lord, do not change. 39 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,680 So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 40 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:18,800 Ever since the time of your sisters, you have turned away 41 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:22,080 from my decrees and I've not kept them. 42 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:29,440 Return to me and how we return to you, says the Lord Almighty. 43 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:35,920 What, you ask, How are we to return? 44 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:42,280 Will a man mortar rob God? Yet you rob me? 45 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,680 What, you ask? How are we robbing you? 46 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:54,040 And the response in tides and offerings? 47 00:03:55,000 --> 00:04:00,840 You are under a curse, your whole nation, because you are 48 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:06,040 robbing me. Bring the whole tide into the 49 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:09,480 storehouse, that there may be food in my house. 50 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:17,640 Testimony in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I were not 51 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,040 true. Open the floodgates of heaven, 52 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:26,680 and pour out so much blessing that there will be not be room 53 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:31,640 enough to store it. I will prevent pests from 54 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:36,560 devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not 55 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:41,840 drop their fruits before it is ripe, say the Lord God Almighty. 56 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:48,080 Then all the nations will call you blessed for yours. 57 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:52,840 We be a delightful lamb, says the Lord Almighty. 58 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:57,240 You have spoken arrogantly against me, says the Lord. 59 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:02,280 Yes, you ask, what have we said against you? 60 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:07,880 You have said it in the full time to serve God. 61 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:14,720 What do we gain by carrying out this requirement and going about 62 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:21,840 like mourners for Lord Almighty? Father, we thank you, Lord, for 63 00:05:21,840 --> 00:05:23,240 this morning. We thank you, Lord, for your 64 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:25,520 great word. Even as we share your word this 65 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:30,000 morning, we pray that your Holy Spirit will minister to us all, 66 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:36,360 will bless us. We give us a open heart and we 67 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:41,600 give us that grace to be obedient to what He has said. 68 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,000 Thank you gracious God in Jesus name. 69 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:53,880 So when we look at this book of Malachi, it's a reflection of a 70 00:05:53,880 --> 00:06:03,400 wake up call on when God challenges us and this is 71 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:10,160 because he loves us. This is about truth. 72 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:19,280 This is about God wants for you, not from you. 73 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:27,000 Because when we talk about money, sometimes it's never just 74 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:31,800 talking about money. It's about our hearts. 75 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:37,760 It's about our hearts. It's not about all the money 76 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:40,360 I've got, it's all about my heart. 77 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:44,480 What am I prioritising in my heart? 78 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:48,480 How do I say this? Am I saying this in an 79 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:54,840 instrument to show that I'm better than others? 80 00:06:55,640 --> 00:07:01,520 Or I'm using as an instrument, as a will to promote the gospel 81 00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:07,800 of Christ for all to make an impact in this generation? 82 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:15,040 And I'm going to break down this Bible verse we have just read 1 83 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:20,160 after the other. The first verse that we read, 84 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:26,280 that is the verse 6 says, for I am the Lord, I change notes. 85 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,520 Therefore you are not consumed. O sons of Jacob. 86 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:40,160 We can see here that God is such a faithful God, His word, His 87 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:44,600 yes and Amen. And once he says it, he would 88 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:48,760 definitely bring it into into fulfilment. 89 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:54,200 He will make it happen. He said I do not change. 90 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:59,440 I am the God of yesterday, today forever. 91 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:04,720 I've made a comment, I've made promises with your forefathers 92 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:10,040 and I have kept that word. And despite, when you look at 93 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:14,560 the Israelites, even when they were in bondage and holy 94 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:16,920 stories, God remains so faithful. 95 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:21,720 Even when they messed up, God still showed up for them. 96 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:26,400 And that is to confirm to us that God is the faithful God. 97 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:30,520 He's such a faithful God. Even when we have messed up, 98 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:33,559 even when we are not doing, sometimes when we are not doing 99 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:37,159 what He's expecting us to do, He remains a faithful God. 100 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,840 And the scriptures in this Bible verse corroborate this and says 101 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:44,240 God is not a man, that he should lie. 102 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:50,560 Numbers 2319 we seem there is no variation or shadows or toning 103 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:55,960 and through the Lord's mercy, we are not consumed. 104 00:08:56,760 --> 00:09:01,560 And that is to tell you that with the Mass through the mercy 105 00:09:01,560 --> 00:09:04,960 of God, we have not consumed. And one thing that is very 106 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:09,480 important about this is that God is not tired of being faithful 107 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:18,800 is ever faithful every day. And you know that's that song in 108 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:25,480 one of our ears that we used to sing say that great is thy 109 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:31,840 faithfulness and saying the last part of his it doubt changes not 110 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:38,360 thy compassion. Spring dance great is your 111 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:49,960 faithfulness Oh God to me that's the faithfulness of God is such 112 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:56,880 a faithful father and when we look at the next verse of that's 113 00:09:57,040 --> 00:10:04,360 despite God's being so faithful. You know sometimes we human 114 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:09,480 being were always very funny. Return to me and I'll return to 115 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:13,840 you. I mean this is not a sort of 116 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:20,160 anger. This is sort of invitation is 117 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:27,720 invitation to what to grace. Repentance is not all about 118 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:32,440 punishment. It is the doorway back to 119 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:35,760 fellowship and God is reaffirming this and this news 120 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:38,000 Father, that you guys have messed up. 121 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:42,360 Return to me. I have a very open hand. 122 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:47,560 I'm ready to accept you the way you are and that is to confirm 123 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:54,680 that our God is such an awesome God full of grace and the 124 00:10:54,680 --> 00:10:59,640 Scripture corroborate this by when we read the book of Isaiah 125 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:05,480 chapter 55 verse 67 says seek the law while he will be formed. 126 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:12,640 Let the wicked forsake his ways and he abundantly pardon and in 127 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:18,240 Matthew 1128 come unto me all ye that lay born and have a lady 128 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:23,440 and how we give you rest in God that is rest. 129 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:30,160 That is his work for us. That is his promises for us and 130 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:37,920 that is what it will for us. But as a human being we are 131 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:42,880 still who we are. And after God said these that 132 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:49,360 returned to me. And the guy said but you ask how 133 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:55,920 are we to return to you will a mere mortal robot, yet you 134 00:11:55,920 --> 00:12:00,800 robbed me. But you ask how are we robbing 135 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:07,560 you? And God say entice in offering. 136 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:14,240 You have been robbing me and that tells a lot. 137 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:21,640 That's all God is not. I mean he created heaven and 138 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:24,320 heart. He has got everything in his 139 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:32,400 heart, so he's not needing our money or resources or anything 140 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:36,560 to take care of himself. No, like I said in my 141 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:40,320 introduction, he's always thinking about what he could do 142 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:45,520 for us, and you want us to align with him and that's why he's 143 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:51,920 calling us back into his grace. To rob means to be told what? 144 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:56,280 His deal. That's just the literary meaning 145 00:12:56,280 --> 00:13:00,360 of that. This wasn't about theft, it 146 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:05,000 wasn't about violence. This was just a neglect. 147 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:09,200 And when you and that neglect was now justified. 148 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:12,920 And that is what it is. Bible verse is trying to tell us 149 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:19,280 here that God calls us and say why? 150 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:25,200 Why are you doing this? But one thing that I want to 151 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:30,720 really emphasise here here is that God is not just asking us 152 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:32,600 for our money or for our resources or anything. 153 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:38,160 What God sees this as a way of communing with us is our heart 154 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:42,520 of worship for everything that he has given unto us. 155 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:46,880 It is not manipulation. So when we're talking about 156 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:50,880 tithe money offering that this is not about that. 157 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:56,840 It's all about our hearts and how our hearts sees God and how 158 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:58,760 our hearts is worshipping our Maker. 159 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:04,600 That's simply what it means. It's not a scheme, it's not a 160 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:07,960 transaction, It's not about percentage. 161 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:12,680 It's not about showing enough. It's all about worship. 162 00:14:13,680 --> 00:14:15,360 And with, you know, the nature of God. 163 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:19,560 He wants that fellowship with us and with everything that He has 164 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:25,120 given us. You want us to use that to serve 165 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:32,400 Him and also to worship Him. And what does this tell us about 166 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:38,280 giving? It tells us where our heart is. 167 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:46,600 It tells us what we prioritise, and it tells us what we worship. 168 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:52,240 Now, when we're talking about money, it shows. 169 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:57,000 I mean, sometimes when we oh, is it all about oh, for, for, just 170 00:14:57,000 --> 00:14:58,880 for, I just want to make this clear. 171 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:02,120 We just, I mean, this is not, we don't talk so much about money 172 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:04,800 here for anybody that is coming here for the first time. 173 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:10,560 This is just the sort of what I mean, what's it's about part of 174 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:15,320 what is suspected of us as Christians, as Kingdom people, 175 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:18,280 as the chosen people. So it's not about prioritising 176 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:26,000 money, but it's also about sell iron, chapanade iron, just to 177 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:29,920 really tell ourselves what this is all about. 178 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:37,920 So, so I just want to make that clarification so it shows what 179 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:42,480 you actually believe. You know, show me where your 180 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:48,240 heart is, then I will show you what you're going to prioritise. 181 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:54,920 So when we prioritise, it reveals what sits on the throne 182 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:58,480 of our hearts. And when you look at this, 183 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:03,400 giving is not just primary financial decision, it is a 184 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:08,120 worship decision. And God takes this seriously. 185 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:12,280 And when you look at it, yeah, we might see now in the Old 186 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:15,840 Testament, it's law. It's all about law that you have 187 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:21,160 to give 10% of what's your hand, your food, your products from 188 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:27,280 your farm and everything. Yes, that is what it is, but in 189 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:32,640 the new era of grace, we are under grace. 190 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,080 The one thing I really want to emphasise here is that under the 191 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:40,920 new covenant, tide is not abolished. 192 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:48,560 In the Old Testament it was law, it was an obligation and it is 193 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:54,120 being given out of fear. But under the new generation, 194 00:16:54,480 --> 00:17:03,520 under the under grace, it turns from law into love, from our 195 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:09,880 obligation into honour and from fear into faith. 196 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:15,119 And when we have that faith, then we can do exploit. 197 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:19,880 When we have that faith, we know that God is a great provider. 198 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:23,480 He is the alpha, He is the Omega, He is my. 199 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:27,880 He has said that he was going to provide for me and what he, 200 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:31,960 whatever he says he will do. Then we can have faith in 201 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:34,880 whatever God has said and whatever God has promised that 202 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:40,640 he's going to do for us. So fighting is not it. 203 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:46,160 It is it is not just about us giving our money. 204 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:53,640 It's all about giving our hearts and when you look at it, the 205 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:59,400 title we talked about is a covenant platform for 206 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:04,840 supernatural supply. It is a covenant platform for 207 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:11,640 supernatural supply. So when we believe in it, then 208 00:18:12,120 --> 00:18:15,120 we can see what God could do if we truly trust Him. 209 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:23,480 So trust where our heart is our priority and our worship. 210 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:32,560 That is what makes that in the book of Psalm 24 was one I 211 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:35,400 mentioned in your time. The heart is the Lord and 212 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:40,600 everything in it. Before we are here, this earth 213 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:43,080 has been existing and God has got everything in His heart. 214 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:47,000 He is the Alpha is the only guy. He has created everything. 215 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:55,480 God owns it, but He has entrusted it in our hand and we 216 00:18:55,480 --> 00:19:03,040 are steward and we are to return to Him everything we have been 217 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:06,080 able to gather. So everything originated from 218 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:09,840 God. All our resources, all our 219 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:15,120 gifts, all our talents, all the opportunities, all the 220 00:19:15,120 --> 00:19:20,280 connections, all the network, all the wisdom, everything we've 221 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:23,680 got originates from God. It is not our own. 222 00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:32,160 And He has given us that platform to manage all this. 223 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:37,360 So when we manage all this, then we can return everything back to 224 00:19:37,360 --> 00:19:40,960 Him through our worship. Thank you Lord, for your 225 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:43,560 faithfulness. Thank you, Lord, for this. 226 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:47,560 It's not my own mind, it's not by my own power, but you have 227 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:50,400 done this for me. I'm returning all these to You 228 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:53,480 in my Thanksgiving. I'm returning all these to You 229 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:58,440 because You are the source and I'm returning to you. 230 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:03,320 That is what that's it. And in the book of First 231 00:20:03,320 --> 00:20:09,800 Chronicles 2019, we said both riches and honour comes from 232 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:13,000 God. It's not our own wisdom. 233 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:19,640 So Webber's giving us that we are to give all praises, all 234 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:23,880 worship back to him and that is what we are doing with our 235 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:28,440 offering, with our tithe, which giving back in our wisdom 236 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:32,680 whatever talent we've got. And we are using him for the 237 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:39,200 appeasement of his name. In one of the books of Bishop 238 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:44,440 Davido Edipo, he said Titan is a covenant platform for 239 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:50,840 supernatural supply. And when you look at it, like I 240 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:55,360 said, everything belongs to God. And in the covenants of the Old 241 00:20:55,360 --> 00:21:02,840 Testament talks about 10%, well, let's look at it. 10% is what 242 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:06,440 the law says, right? Well, because we are under 243 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:11,720 grace, we are replacing that law with law for God, right? 244 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:17,080 And when we love, we give everything. 245 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:22,480 We give all to love because we are not under obligation that I 246 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:26,840 have to give 10%. And when God has blessed us, we 247 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:31,560 could even do more than the minimum 10% because of our love 248 00:21:32,120 --> 00:21:36,840 and because of who we trust that He is a great provider and He 249 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:41,360 can provide for me. That is what we call about trust 250 00:21:41,360 --> 00:21:52,920 in God. You know, sometimes we see our 251 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:58,560 resources is our own, but our resources not actually our own. 252 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:03,480 It is for God. And this is an evidence that we 253 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:07,680 are not under the law, but we are under grace. 254 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:12,360 And when we are under grace, we have liberty to do more than the 255 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:17,200 minimum. The tide of 10% was never meant 256 00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:21,120 to be a ceiling. It was meant to be a starting 257 00:22:21,120 --> 00:22:24,440 point, a reminder that everything comes from God. 258 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:28,800 And when we look at the scriptures in the book of Romans 259 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:34,840 11/10 seas it said from Him and through Him and to Him are all 260 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:39,320 things. We are not the owners, we are 261 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:44,200 just T words and God entrusts all these resources in our hand 262 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:51,560 to his people, not for personal comfort but for Kingdom impacts. 263 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:56,360 Hallelujah. So giving is not all about what 264 00:22:56,360 --> 00:23:01,960 God wants from you, it's about what God's want. 265 00:23:04,360 --> 00:23:10,480 I repeat that giving is not all about what God wants from you, 266 00:23:12,120 --> 00:23:16,480 it is about what God want for you. 267 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:31,920 And having said all this, God promises us something said with 268 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:38,640 all this Test me. Test me means bear me, you try 269 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:44,880 me, you put your trust in me, you do what I've asked you to 270 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:48,960 do. Then you can see what I could 271 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:52,280 do. According to Malachi 310 said I 272 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:58,280 will open the windows of heaven provision, I will rebuke the 273 00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:05,120 Devorah protection and all nations will call you blessed 274 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:12,720 testimony and this is who God is and that is what God is telling 275 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:16,800 us this morning. Trust in me, I can provide for 276 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:21,240 you, trust in me, I can protect you, trust in me. 277 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:25,640 You have abundance testimony. You will testify your 278 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:29,320 generation, it will show fault in your generation because it's 279 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:35,800 a covenant. Sometimes I always tell people 280 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:40,720 that you know when you get to that game, when things are very 281 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:45,360 difficult, when there seems to be no way, when it seems that 282 00:24:45,360 --> 00:24:50,480 this is just the end, One thing that will also speak for you is 283 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:54,040 your worship. At that moment, your worship 284 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:57,920 will speak for you, and that is the evident what God is telling 285 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:01,400 us here. I will protect you, I will 286 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:04,200 provide for you, and you will testify. 287 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:08,040 And when you testify, it's an evidence that God is making 288 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:14,200 impossibility possible. It's telling you that what's you 289 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:18,120 fear or what you've been waiting for, God has done it. 290 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:21,880 It is what you have been praying for. 291 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:27,040 God is answering that prayer and that is His promises for us in 292 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:31,040 the book of Malachi chapter 3, fasting. 293 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:37,960 So said gold stand between his faithful people and everything 294 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:41,000 that will consume what He has entrusted today. 295 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:46,120 So your faithfulness becomes a witness. 296 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:49,840 Blessing was never meant to stop you. 297 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:57,000 It flows through you. When God blesses you, it's not 298 00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:01,360 stopping with you, it flows through you. 299 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:06,520 You'll be a blessing to others, be best into a generation and it 300 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:10,880 goes down, down, down, down to you and you are such a person. 301 00:26:11,360 --> 00:26:14,680 That is what is coming firstly. So sometimes when we think about 302 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:18,720 it, my future generation, my base, my base, we just need to 303 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:23,120 put our trust in God and do that which He wants us to do. 304 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:33,760 I want to leave you with these three acronyms because when 305 00:26:33,760 --> 00:26:38,720 we're talking about TIDE, talking about offering, it's not 306 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:43,080 just about our money. It's all about everything that 307 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:47,360 God has given to us, to everyone here present. 308 00:26:48,360 --> 00:26:54,680 God has given us so much. What are we using it for? 309 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:58,280 The glory of God? That's the question we need to 310 00:26:58,360 --> 00:27:05,520 ask ourselves this morning. So I gave you 3 acronyms, our 311 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:09,960 time, our talent, and our treasure. 312 00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:14,960 TTT. Can you say this after me? 313 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:19,840 Time, talent, talent and treasure. 314 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:25,960 Time, talent and treasure. When we look at these three 315 00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:33,000 things, if we can give these back, God has given us that 316 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:41,960 treasure, said where your treasure is, that is where your 317 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:44,760 heart will be, Where is your heart? 318 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:53,240 Where is your heart? Our time, sometimes we have 319 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:59,920 very, very, very busy schedule or sometimes every step, some 320 00:27:59,920 --> 00:28:04,280 step we take goes a long way to touch the lives of others. 321 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:09,120 It is not always convenient. It is not always convenient. 322 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:13,920 Spending time supporting, comforting, visiting. 323 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:19,320 It's not always easy, but that is what's part of what God wants 324 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:24,880 from us as His covenant people. We spend our time with Him. 325 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:33,840 So you just reflect on these, how we spend our time, you know, 326 00:28:36,120 --> 00:28:41,960 how are you spending your hours? It reveals what you prioritise. 327 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:45,320 There's something in management we call time management. 328 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:49,600 How do we manage that? How do we prioritise that? 329 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:51,880 To do some of the things God wants from us. 330 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:56,000 Giving God your time means his presence comes first. 331 00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:03,000 So before we schedule anything, let's think about everything 332 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:04,640 else, how we can actually do that. 333 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:08,720 Our talent, I know here as we are seated, we've got so many 334 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:12,160 people with diverse talent. We are so blessed. 335 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:14,560 How are you using that talent for God? 336 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:19,200 Very important. And you know that every gift did 337 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:24,360 not come from you. Every gift, every skill, every 338 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:28,840 understanding, every knowledge, everything comes from God. 339 00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:38,920 Every creativity, every wisdom, it was pleased in you for your 340 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:41,960 purpose. Are we using that for God's 341 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:44,440 purpose? That's a question we need to 342 00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:48,880 really ask ourselves. And our treasure, our money, our 343 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:54,280 resources, how are we using it? Are we prioritising it for the 344 00:29:54,280 --> 00:29:57,680 things of God? Or are we just using it just to 345 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:02,920 stay with us and it stays with us because we are not truly 346 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:04,680 trusting God that another one will come. 347 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:08,920 We're just keeping that. I just have to keep this so that 348 00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:12,040 I can plan. I'm not saying it's double to 349 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:16,200 plan. I can plan for the next 205045 350 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:17,760 years with all these that I have. 351 00:30:17,760 --> 00:30:19,680 So I'm not just going to disturb myself. 352 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:21,280 I'm not just going to give anything. 353 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:22,760 I'm just going to retain this one. 354 00:30:22,760 --> 00:30:30,000 So that but no, if we trust God, we know that he can provide said 355 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:38,440 he is our God that provides all our needs and we promise he said 356 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:42,720 that I will provide all your needs according to my riches and 357 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:46,720 glory to Christ Jesus. Do we believe that or we want to 358 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:56,560 cherry pick what we believe? Today I just want us to have a 359 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:59,840 reflection on this. What am I gaining? 360 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:08,320 Why do I keep trying? Disobedience really matter. 361 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:16,320 Is it important to obey God what He has said in this? 362 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:25,920 I want us to reflect on all these and finally, I just want 363 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:33,200 to tell us that the time to say reminder that I know where this 364 00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:37,960 came from and I trust the one who gave it. 365 00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:43,760 That one who gave it is ready to do more than what he has done. 366 00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:50,560 And that is our trust in God. That is our word and trust. 367 00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:56,280 And finally this morning, everything comes from God and 368 00:31:56,280 --> 00:31:59,080 the greatest gift was given to us by God. 369 00:32:01,120 --> 00:32:10,120 In the book of John 316 it says for God so loved the world and 370 00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:11,640 he gave. What did he give? 371 00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:19,120 That's what that's what he gave his son. 372 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:24,680 The after giving his Son, what is the next person that 373 00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:33,720 whatsoever on the line, whosoever will have that eternal 374 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:35,880 life, that is what really matters. 375 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:45,360 That is the ultimate. So in all we do, let's Christ 376 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:51,240 remain the central. Let's money subdemission. 377 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:58,400 Let's our money, our resources, our talent, our wisdom, our 378 00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:04,680 understanding, our gifts, let it serve the mission so that the 379 00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:10,760 nation's Blackpool, England, the Old World can feel that impact. 380 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:16,120 And that is what we have. Father, we thank you, Lord, for 381 00:33:16,120 --> 00:33:17,680 this morning. Thank you Lord, for your 382 00:33:17,680 --> 00:33:20,960 faithfulness. Thank you Lord, because we are 383 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:25,600 the God of our flesh. Lord, I just pray this morning 384 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:30,880 as we have heard from you, that you give us the grace to listen, 385 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:35,880 to be obedient, to always do that which you have commanded us 386 00:33:35,880 --> 00:33:39,560 to do. Give us the great to do more 387 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:43,360 than the minimum. Give us the grace to focus on 388 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:48,320 the maximum and how we can do more and more to the glory of 389 00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:51,320 your name. Thank you gracious God. 390 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:55,880 Lord, this is a new month. It shall be a blessed month for 391 00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:59,800 us all. Lord, You go ahead of us and you 392 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:02,560 make every crooked way you make them plain for us. 393 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:09,120 You go ahead of us Lord, and fill us with your Holy Spirit in 394 00:34:09,199 --> 00:34:09,719 Jesus name.