Enriching Grace for Everyday Faith and Obedience

Welcome Just hind Away Tagalog Sermon Podcast, your daily dose

of inspiring, heartfelt tagalog sermons from different pastors and speakers

all over the Philippines. We hope that this podcast finds

you in good shape. And now here's your message. We

are on our fourth week of our series Amazing Grace,

and today we're gonna talk about something important. But before that,

I want you to I'll give you a picture of

two of the former wealthiest people on the planet. Okay,

formerly these two are the most wealthy or the wealthy

richest people on the planet. That's Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. Okay,

you're an overshadow and set on Amazon, Jeff Bezos. But

several years ago when they were the top two richest

people on the planet, they they decide the donors of

Bill Gates, he decided when he stepped down from the

CEO from from Microsoft, he decided to give at least

half or more than half of his wealth to his

foundation in foundations as a million the Gates to fight

against diseases, poverty and all these things. Okay, half of

his wealth during that time, probably thirty billion. He donated

thirty billion or half of his wealth and in Getsi.

Warrian Buffett now donator in a kalahate okay, so a

Lakeninon Foundationila unfortunately go in the Pasama in coronaviruses and

research in Ela. But can you imagine giving away thirty

billion dollars thirty billion helen zerosion multiply money complete Philippine

pession and lacenon right to give away? Now what's my point?

My point is this, it's easy to be extremely or

extravagantly generous, to extravagantly give if you have tons and

tons of money. Yes, you gave thirty billion Parama thirty

plus billion Capana one so okay, land right nmam ubus

is a lifetime more so okay kaisie Warren Buffett theminigankalahat.

They still have tens and dozens of billions of dollars left. Now,

question pettibam, what if okay? What is it possible for

us to be like this, to be extravagant givers? If

you don't have billions of dollars minus more than six

zeros or seven zeros, you para kayaman and more now

ivan Alan for zeros in Alan youm paramo? Is it

still possible to be extravagant likely this people right parahmas

mahira piata. If you don't have enough even for yourself,

how can we be extravagant givers? Now that's we're gonna

talk about today. We're gonna talk about the grace of giving,

because grace is not us, is beyond us. It's not

our ability, it's God's ability. And we need to talk

about the grace of giving and to be able to

participate in the grace of giving. I want us to

jump at the scripture. I believe this example from the

Macedonian churches will help guide us if you want to

experience the grace of giving. It's found in Second Corinthians,

chapter eight, verses one to seven. Second Corinthians, Chapter eight,

verses one to seven. So let's read it. Verse one says,

and now, brothers, we want you to know about the

grace that God has given the Macedonian churches alt of

the most severe trial there overflowing joy in their extreme poverty,

welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they

gave as much as they were able, and even beyond

their ability, entirely on their own. They urgently pleaded with

us for their privilege of sharing in the service to

the saints. And they did not do as we expected,

but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then

to us, in keeping with God's will. So we urged titles,

since he had earlier made the beginning, to bring also

to completion this act of grace on your part. But

just as you excel in everything in Fate's speech, knowledge, earnestness,

and in your love for us, see also that you

excel in disgrace of giving. Lord, bless the preaching of

your word. Help us, Lord, move in disgrace, that we

will be able to give extravagantly beyond our ability, just

like the Macedonian churches in Jesus name. Amen. Now to

understand the context of what the Macedonian churches did and

why Paul was pleading with the churches, what happened was

during this time there were two things happening, especially in

the Jerusalem Church. The Jerusalem Church, the main church. Then

Kay was undergoing extreme persecution, and also there was famine

in the land so so Jerusalem, my Famina, so Walammaca

in and because of the persecution, economically they were sabotage

human believers Nawa and Trabajo Quinu coolog So the church

had no money. The believers in Jerusalem Wallampea plus Wallapama,

Billy yumamae Pera walamabilim paga in so they were in

dire need. And so Paul what both did? He wrote

the churches, all the churches everywhere in Rome and particularly Gay.

He wrote the church in Corinth, Okay, the church in

Corinth was very wealthy. They were very charismatic. There apparently

mediuma gulusilla okadaminasic orange an daming correction and meaniviguinny Paul

including this one. This is actually an admonition. It's like

a correction to them, because he was saying, guys, they

remember maritime collection. And I want you to take and

see the example of the churches in Macedonia. Now, the

Macedonian churches were composed of Philippi, Presolonica and Birea. Those

three churches were like provincial churches. So Jerusalem was like

the Manila church and the Macedonian church was like the

provincial church. Now, the problem with Macedonia. During this time,

the Roman Empire took over their business. It was mainly

known for mining. They had gold and silver mines which

the Roman Empire took over a latition scenic Questern Laton,

so main main economic in Genilla. Plus they also had

copper and bronze melting places. Pero severely taxed Ia sovereign Taxpa.

In other words, we are in Pera and churches in Macedonia.

And yet in spite of that, remember if if Paul

wrote a letter asking for help to help Jerusalem, this

is not to help Paul, this is to help the

church in Jerusalem. It was the perfect excuse for the

churches in Macedonia to tell Paul, Paul, I understand what's happening. Okay,

in Indiana is a Jerusalem, but we have our own

problems Pera. In right, it was the perfect excuse for

the church in Macedonia to tell Paul, and maybe Paul

would understand the opposite happened. It says they participated on

their own, on their own. Lem I need even before

Paul sent the letter Alumni Linga go Inila entirely on

their own. They gave even beyond their ability. And that's

called the grace of giving, the grace of giving. Now

let me ask you, how many of you want to

be used by God in this capacity to give beyond

your ability. Okay, how can we experience and participate in

disgrace of giving? Well, I believe the key verse to

this passage is found in verse five. The key verse

is found in verse five. And then I'll make a

couple more support statements to these key verse, but I'll

go through it in reverse. So the first key to

the grace of giving found in verse five. Okay, it

says here, grace of giving begins as you give yourself

to the Lord. What does the scripture say? And they

did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves

first to the Lord and to us in keeping with

God's will. So they gave themselves first to the Lord. See,

giving is not a money issue. It is a heart issue.

When we understand that it's not our it's not our

bad accounts, but it's our heart accounts that is more important.

The Macedonians understood this, understood that everything they had belonged

to the Lord. When you give yourselves fully to God

first to God, Okay, that means all that they are

and all that they have belongs to the Lord. Okay,

they understood. And once you have given yourself to the Lord.

It is easy to give everything else or anything else, right,

because if he owns one hundred percent, you see your

your wallet. Your wallet is an extension of your heart.

If your heart belongs to the Lord, everything else about

you belongs to the Lord. But if your heart is

not fully belongs to the Lord, then guess what. It

will be hard to give anything. It will be hard

to give some things. So it's an issue of lordship. First. Now, question,

if God owns everything one hundred percent, how much is

left for you to own? This is not a trick question,

mat Lantau. If God owns one hundred hundred percent, how

much belongs to you? Not that zero? Right? Zero? Everything

belongs to God. Now you may think bad news, Lord, No,

everything belongs to the Lord. The earth belongs to him

and everything in it. Yes, yes, Osamasa, everything in it taio.

Everything belongs to the Lord Walla Parasaten. That's why, if

you understand this, it's so easy. Hey, Lord Palae. Now

you may think that is a bad news, but I

believe it's a good news. You know why, if everything

belongs to him and nothing belongs to me, then I

am not the source. He then is the source. We

are just two words. We are just managers. Papagai lord

a command the lord in right she lord them along

my source. So my circumstances does not determine my giving.

In fact, Baliktan, you're giving many times determines your circumstances.

And that's why it's so important for us to understand giving.

In fact, Martin Luther said this, when we are saved,

when we are converted, there are three conversions that need

to happen, first with our head and our heart, head

and our wallet. And the hardness of this to convert

is our wallet reformation Palan Naint Indianna. Why because your

wallet is actually a theological statement. It determines who you worship.

It tells you what is in your heart. Your wallet

is always connected with your heart or where your treasure is,

where your heart will be. Also, your wallet determines who

is your source. Your wallet will determine who is your source.

You see when when when we talk about wanting or

healing someone, you okay, when we when we pray for

someone to get healed, who is the source of healing?

See Jesus right, Hell, see Jesus not Hell right? When

someone is being you know when someone oppressed demon demon? Uh,

you know the oppressed nodemonial when we cast out demons? Right,

whose authority and whose name? Okay do we use see

Jesus us right? But when it comes to money, when

it comes to money and syna being the Lord became

becaming wallet more became suddenly O Lord source, it's hard

and we have to deal I have to deal with that.

The moment we think it's ours, the moment we think

we own it, that's when the problem starts. Take a long, Lord.

But and you have to remember. If God is the

source and he asked you to do something, he is

a benevolent god. My plan is the Lord Mega Goa

wins the Lord time and time again. God has proven himself. Listen.

God is the only source that can supply everything you

would need to accomplish His purpose and his desires for you.

You cannot do it on your own. Many times will

limit ourselves with our circumstance, with our bank account. Itulan

pakoy hanko hang gandhi to the lamb it winko. But

gay Lord Iba lage tasabina, this is my plan for you, Lord,

how can this be? Abraham? You will be a father

of many nations. Right, Gideon, you will be a mighty warrior.

I'm the least and the weakest Moses. You will deliver

the people of Israel out of Egypt. I can't even speak.

If we just limit ourselves with our circumstance, we will

never do anything. But God as the source saying, hey, you,

circumstances will not determine my plan and my purpose for you.

But it's the other way around. My plans and purpose

will determine your circumstance. That's why it's important to give

yourself first to the Lord, and it's you're not limited

by your bank account or your wall. I remember when

Sina uh Ian building nothing in phase one, the first

building okay in BGC, the Ford Katapana Market. Uh. When

that was being built, okay uh, I was newly married

with my wife. We just have one baby, sit Danny

baby balan On, and we were you know, not full time.

We were you know, upstart bagging business man. My wife

was a dentist and so we were just making ends

meet a little over but we had we we gave

in faith for the building project more than our means. Lord,

we don't know how this will come. But this is

the money that This is the amount that God told

us to give, Lord, laving capacity to do this, but

we'll give it in faith. And so in the middle

of that, you know, we we decided we had an

old car. We were using an old car. It was

our batmobile Malasha okay, but sometimes naming maintenance ak Lana

and so Abina me and we we just decided, okay,

we want to participate. We will sell this car and

give the proceeds for the building project. So that means

for us, okay, we'll ham in transportation to the new baby,

will just commute and all of these things. But it

was never really galunaman vinee goo to Parakai, Lord, No,

it was just we were just obeying because it is

not it did not belong to us, right and so

bin again Amen, it was part of that. But you

know it's a God. Six months later or something like that,

seed money came in for us to buy a second

hand car, actually a van made the year after so

much my lacking van, secondhand van to be able to

for our growing family give my classic telegacy. Lord. But

we gave that not expecting that in return peral gonna generous.

The Lord God is generous. God is so generous, and

that's why it's so important for us to understand the

grace of giving begins when you give first yourself to

the Lord. It begins there. If you cannot give yourself

to the Lord, then it's going to be hard for

you to give, to be hard. But once you understand that,

then it will change your perspective because your grace of

giving then becomes a privilege, not an obligation. Sometimes, especially

growing up in a religious environment, we know that giving

is an obligation. Kella coins moo or then Limon Pizzo

ten twenty whatever began a one hundred persons genus canon

at least that's my thinking, and a religious community in fact,

I'm just I'm just reminded. Last week, you know, I

attended the wedding of my nephew, okay, and while there,

it was a it was a church in Bambanga, so

we were there while going on and manamen, okay, these

were some of the ninas and they flew in from

all over Okay. Some of them were British and some

of them were Baa Rolls, Royce Sabik. I think so

when the offering back came the big isla, the l

one twenty pesos sabi one hundred pesos. Don't know but

they But I'm not judging then, I'm just saying, if

our minds are set now, this belongs to me. Whatever

I give to the lords Lord, that will be our

mindset right, Because it's an obligation, I'm a k do something,

so I've done my deed, okay. But if it's the

other way around, if we give first to the Lord,

it's not an obligation, it's a privilege. Different people give,

different give have different reasons why they give. Right, need attack,

shelter and an eyes and sappharirah. They gave para takaham vina,

I'm so generous. In fact, some people give for the fortune.

Some people give for the fame. Some people give for

the power. Yeah, some people give just to play the game. Mhm.

Some Well, let me tell you. The massive deonience absolutely

made it clear that our giving does not depend on

our circumstances. It depends on your relationship with Jesus Christ.

It depends on that. What is your relationship with God?

Are you doing things to earn His favorite or are

you doing things because you have already had the favor

of God. You already have the favor of God. You see,

the grace of giving lies in the fact that we

have been forgiven. That we have been forgiven. In fact,

I made this like a play of words. The fact

that God has four given us paves the way for

us to give four others. Jesus put it this way.

He who is forgiven much loves much. The only way

for you to be able to give is to know

how deep we were in the pit. I'm not talking

about how much money you have, but your life will

be in the pits until you have experienced the death

of God's love and forgiveness for you. If you have

not experienced that, then things will be okay. I'm doing

God a favor instead of Lord, Thank you for saving me,

Thank you for forgiving me. Thank you for setting my life,

turning my life upside down. If you know where you

came from, then you will just be grateful for the

privilege to participate. You'll be grateful. In fact, the Macedonians

did that Sabil entirely on their own Diput the Madathing

letter Nepal Sail Paul excited m mcbiguym Perah to participate.

We're so excited. I wish all of you were like that.

Bagna okay baga may needna kell and i'm a Kanduba

when you look at their circumstance with Aman, but yet

their hearts were so overflowing with love and grace and forgiveness.

The best motive forgiving is the goodness of God and

the grace of God in your life. In my life,

I remember this. There was when we were when we

planted a church in U the Tepuna in Up. There's

one student who radically saved, but he was dirt poor.

He was studying up, had no candid life life, real

life candidatesha, because he was they were so poor. He

was so bright, but he was so poor that he

did not eat. He only ate probably two to three

times a week as lampera and young little stipend that

he got from Up he would give to his two brothers,

younger brothers. I mean we knew that. I mean we

tried to help every now and then, but that's lifestyle

then Asha. So what happened to us during we had

our first youth camp and it will take on two

thousand or two thousand, five hundred vessel way back then.

And so they had all kinds of things, tutorials whatever

to raise money. And so Shahidishama and a forced fasting

Shah for a couple of weeks. I mean in the

interpersonal manapero ina and paraa. Okay, so because we challenge

them by faith, Benny students, you know, I said, a

lot of them pro province and all of these things.

But saka alamna medium situation. We know. And so what

happened was na amount amount ready for ready for the

youth camp. But something happened, Okay, a week before the

camp was supposed to happen. Nakaranam used that two or

three of his final example will be on that day,

three days on. So in Punta, he was an engineering

student and all of these things MOA and scholarship, all

of these things, and so he decided, I won't go,

but I want to give the registration fee to others.

Nah and some of our student leaders were saying, why

don't you just give it back to him? But we know,

we said as leaders, you know what, don't deprive him,

don't deprive him of this grace of giving, because this

is an opportunity for him to be blessed. Remember, it's

more blessed to give than to receive. This is an

opportunity for God to bless him abundantly. He gave beyond

his ability. You know what as he grew up. I

think now he's graduated and he's an expat in another

country earning lots of money. But he understood this and

it all began because of his relationship with God. I

don't think he would do that if it's not if

you don't have a relationship with God, right, hindikakuma in

and then he he began will and say bah, that's

called the grace of giving, the grace of giving. And

finally have to remember this that we should be grace

of giving flows. It will flow, andre Yan, as we

become channels of God's blessings, not containers of God's blessings.

There's a difference between containers and channels. Don't just become

a display of God's grace. Wow, I think you know

Aani lord happy alcohol alo be a channel of God's grace.

You know one of don Sims, one of our you know,

one of a man of faith okay, who was teaching

us before leadership trainings said this Sabrina, God gave us

two hands, one hand to receive and one hand to give.

And as the money will flow through you, there will

be plenty left for you. Channels lamtayo, but pinapadan William

blessing the Lord, sayo Mama e wan shah kanya something

to bless you with. Right, But if we are just containers,

Maawaian flow, but sooner or later Indian flow, just like

the dead sea, you know the dead sea. Right. Dead

sea is not only the lowest place on the planet,

but that's the reason why it's called the dead seas

because everything flows, everything goes there and nothing flows out.

That's why it's the saltiest, most buoyant water coppedicant because

of the buoyant sea. Of course, for the ladies and

don't guard have a have a it's it's a Hebrew

for love, facial whatever. So you guidan is a dead sea,

yumana put takes a dead sea. Minerals daun anyway, that's

a side. But the point is b channels and Hindia

dema for flow massas takna right and sooner or later

Hindian Ema for flow yam listen. Our lives, all of

our lives belong to God. Anyway. He created us, and

he redeemed us and bought us. Someone said that we

are doubly his right, doubly his Let him be the source.

Give yourself first to the Lord. That is called the

grace of giving, the grace of giving, because when you

do that, all things will abound. As it says in

Chapter nine, verse eight, it says, and God is able.

Say that God is able. God will make all things

abound for you, so that you always, being sufficient all

that you need in all things, you may have abundance

in every good work. If you give first yourself to

the Lord. Guess what will happen. Sometimes some people they

gave one time and work it sabito in all having

abundance in all that you need, you will abound in

every good work. Marontal, my Australia, my Corona, whatever, whatever else.

That's why it's so important for us to live first,

giving ourselves to the Lord and being directed by him.

How and how much and how will we give? I'm

not saying give everything away. I'm saying be directed by God.

That's lordship, Shanna, the direct on purpose more and as

you do, so you'll be able to participate as a

privilege of sharing in disgrace of giving. Amen. You see,

God's grace makes you exceedingly rich. You are exceedingly rich

mont to Adiba. If not here the life to come,

we can give to others because we have been recipients

of God's grace. You see, giving finds its fullest, fullest meaning.

Giving finds its fullest meaning when we do it with

the motive of enriching others. We don't give parah, I

say it's more blessed now, so I feel good, or

I will you know, I'll be blessed by God. No,

the fullest expression of the grace of giving is when

your motive Lord, I want this person to be enriched.

I want this person to be healed. I want this

relationships and zilla, I want their need to be mad.

I want to help you know, these poor people in

Taal or wherever this real life called or not. I

want to help in the other uh rescue kabatan. We

have a lot of things out there or whatever God

is directing you. The intention is the enrichment of others.

That is the grace of giving, and it's ultimately found

demonstrated by Jesus Christ, as it says in verse nine

of Second Corinthians eight. For you know the grace of

our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet

for your sakes he became poor, so that you, through

his poverty, might become rich. Jesus gave his all to

us so that we can receive the best. Because the

grace of giving is ultimately a divine exchange. We exchange

our poverty, we exchange our sickness, we exchange the curses,

the sin, the death, the relational dysfunctions. And God gave

us his blessings, his grace, his richest, a sound mind,

divine health, So divine exchange demonstrated at the cross. That

is the ultimate demonstration of the grace of giving. He

did not receive anything. He gave his all so that

we can experience his grace and his love. You know,

before I call up the music group, we're gonna worship

in a while. This is phase one every nation building

phase one. It was built during the time when the

church was around three thousand, five hundred people parn Victory,

Green Hills Archize, and it was not the best of

economic atmosphere. We just We just came from the economic crisis,

Asian crisis, remember that. But overnight, the the conversion of

passy two dollars from twenty six one is to twenty

six became one is to fifty two. So I'm Daminacano

and we needed hundreds of millions of pesos and during

that time three thousand, five hundred people. Three of those

were five churches, you five and Metro Manila, some in

the province but mainly Metro Manila. Three out dout of

five were campus churches. It was Anamas Judante, so you know,

mobile Bigatnama offering coins that you built, Malate and Katipuna

campus churches. And you could count the number of rich

people in the church in the three thousand, five hundred

in our in our fingers, you can count them. All

the rest were just upstart bag and graduate or students. Kay.

And so how did this happen? How did this miracle?

We always say this, this is our this is what

we told tell people. We're not a rich church, but

we're a generous church. We are filled with people who

are sacrificial givers. So my story of selling the car

is just one of many and maybe some of you

participated there. I heard stories they sold their car, some

sold their house as they moved to a smaller place.

Some uripank retirement like babe, different stories. Let me tell

you beyond our ability, beyond our ability, because I remember

even our money then yay. Pastor Steam said, okay, this

money that we have in the account will not even

cover the down one percent of the down pay or

ten percent of the down payment. So what he did

as they prayed, let's just give this. We'll just show

this to another ministry who has another building project. So

all of the money they gave to another ministry in

building project and another ministry, so we had zero plus.

That was a setting. But you know what out of

out of that extreme circumstances, generosity and overwhelming joy rose up,

resulted in the grace of giving to be felt in

right now we have this may face Tupanga, but time

layand I could tell you, Tayo, can you imagine, Tayo

will raise the amount of money. Okay, Tayo will raise

the money to put up a building word hundreds of millions.

How is it possible? The grace of giving? It's possible

when we give first ourselves to the Lord right now.

I believe this is our proper response God's generosity in

Christ at the Cross. It's the only way to enable

us to give generals. If you have not experienced the

generosity of God at the Cross through Jesus Christ, we

will never be generous. That's why Paul says, excel in

the grace of giving. When you need a mouth to preach, Lord,

Lord aun, Lord, do you need someone to lay hands

to the sick, use my hands. Lord, you need someone

to comfort, use me. It's not just about money, but yes,

money is part of it. Lord. When you when you

need a financial courier to give to bless another person

or to meet someone's need, use me paratai in Western

Union as a being a lorda machael tong taou dun

sa say b bansa okay Aga and Western Union tai yuan.

Will you allow yourself like that? Okay where God's union?

Are you willing to have your resources the galaany lord

to advance his kingdom? Say Lord, use me, use mine

because everything I am, all that I have is yours. Amen.

We're gonna the most practical application here. We're gonna take

up our titan offering. Remember everything belongs to the Lord,

not just a ten percent. So at this point I

want you to if you have any prayer requests or

answer testimony prayers, write it there. We pray for those,

we pray for those we look at that we pray

for those. We praise God for your your your answered prayers.

But I want you to be directed by in your

giving today, not by the example. Okay, kailanan ten percent

ito and dissentabos, just be directed by God how much

God wants you to give. Let's pray, Father, thank you

for your people. I ask even right now that you

would impart that grace of giving. Even as we have

experienced your grace at the cross, you did not withhold

anything from us so that we can experience your best.

And so as we worship you, Lord, I pray that

you will be glorified in honor in our lives, in

our hearts, in our giving. Thank you for listening. We

hope that you enjoyed today's episode. Don't forget to share

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