God's Principles for Financial Blessing

Welcome to this week's message from the Church at Chelsea Westover.

Our core values are vibrant worship, intimate fellowship, fulfilling service, and clear biblical truth.

We pray that this message changes your life.

Let's tune in to today's message and see what God has in store for you.

I want you to turn with me in your Bibles to Malachi chapter 3.

Malachi 3 · chapter mention

Now, if you don't know where Malachi is, go to Matthew.

It's the first New Testament book in the Bible.

And just go backwards to the last chapter in the Old Testament is Malachi.

And uh it's a tremendous little book.

But today, and by the way, do you if you do not have a uh I know hearing them walking Bob's back there, if you do not have an outline of worship guide, raise your hand, please.

We want we got a few.

Yes, we do.

I want you to always grab a worship guide because we teach the word here.

We really teach it the book.

And not only do I teach you, I I put so much scripture in there, there's no way I can cover it all, but I want you to go home and this week in your quiet time, go back through these scriptures and let God speak to you again.

And uh and especially, let me encourage you to find one of our small group groups.

We've got one on Monday night, Tuesday night, Wednesday night, uh, gotten to college and career on Thursday night.

And uh and hopefully we're looking for all you young couples, we're looking at starting a young couples class that a start-out meeting once a month on a Monday night.

And we're looking at that.

So if you're interested, uh just let Tabitha know because uh we've got so many young couples with children uh that we we just feel like we need to do that.

And a lot of a lot of our other young couples are involved in their praise and worship, they're in other stuff.

So and that's kind of their their small group tonight, uh, but yet they're involved preparing to worship and do stuff.

So we're looking at doing once a month for our young couples, and I you're saying, well, what constitutes a young couple?

I hadn't decided.

So because I I know I know Harry's over there.

I'm not gonna call his dad, but he's young at heart, so uh, you know, but we are gonna be centering young couples, probably from 40 down or something like that, or 35.

Anyway, got young kids, got young children, and uh so we can spend some time with you.

So uh Benji and I were talking about that last night at the house.

And so parenting age.

Thank you, darling.

Okay.

So anyway, but if you do not have a worship guide, I thank everybody and visitors, please.

Again, you have the little informative uh peripheral little pair off there.

We'd love to have your information.

If you did not sign in at the visitor center so uh you can start getting our email.

And we want to know more about you.

We love you in the Lord.

And if you are considering being somebody asked me the other day, several of the uh girls that uh I was visiting at the King's Ranch the other night at all the homes and said we'd love to be a part of possibly joining the church.

And I've had several do that ask me that.

Let me tell you how you can do that.

First of all, you can go online.

We have a covenants class, it's four classes, and you can go through that covenants class, and then I sit down with a meeting with with me or or uh one of our leaders, and especially me.

I would love to sit down with you.

And if you have any questions after you go through it, 45-minute lessons, four of them.

You get you get the book.

Now the book's online, the outline's all online now, too, right?

I think we've adjusted that so you can do the whole thing and we meet with you, and then uh we present you to the church.

So that's the way you can do that, and we'd love for you to consider doing that.

We do not take church membership lightly.

We average about 250 people every Sunday.

We have about 120 covenant members, so we're about half.

Somebody said, Well, that doesn't sound good to me.

Well, it's really pretty good.

When you got 50 people sold, I mean 50% of your people sold out, that's pretty good.

Amen.

In fact, that's real good in church uh arena, and uh, but we'd love to get it more.

Amen.

We want more.

But there is a commitment there.

And somebody said, Well, can I get involved in the church without being a covenant member?

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

You already are.

Most of you are, or half of you already are.

But uh the difference, the one thing you the two things you can't do, you can't vote, and you can't be a leader in the church if you're not a covenant member.

So, but you can do everything else, and we encourage you to do so because it gives you an opportunity to understand who we are.

So, Malachi chapter three, and at the end of this series, in fact, starting next Sunday, I start um Christ in You, The Hope of Glory, and then the following Saturday, we end the stewardship, and by the way, part of the introduction of uh is is stewardship even with Christ in you, because it just fits the the stewardship part.

But uh the last Saturday, that's what, two Saturdays from January the 30th, right here from 8:30 to 1230, right here, we've gonna provide nursery.

You're gonna get a a miniature, I'm talking about a Dave Ramsey seminar led by uh David Wilson, who is a certified uh teacher in the Dave Ramsey organization.

He's gone as high as you can go and being certified in Dave Ramsey Peace University.

So, now you don't want to miss that.

Listen to me.

Three hours will radically change your life.

I'm telling you.

Just like these messages, if you're taking them home and applying the truths, these are gonna radically change your life.

And I'm excited about it.

I'll be here.

And uh, it always does any of us well to go back and be refreshed on the principles we know, but we need to be making sure we're doing them.

Can I get an amen?

Amen.

Malachi chapter 3.

Malachi 3 · chapter mention

Tremendous, tremendous insight.

Malachi, the Israelis, had been disobedient to God.

They had really rebelled against God, they were not obedient to God, they were in disobedience, but here's the thing: they didn't realize they were.

They were not following what God had asked them to do, but in their own hearts they thought they were.

Hello?

You ever been there?

Am I the only one?

Now bless God.

Wait a minute.

Am I the only one that's been there trying to that I know that I'm not doing all that I'm supposed to do, but I'm doing pretty good, so I'm okay.

We've all been there.

And that's kind of where Israel was when the prophet Malachi had to knock them right between the eyes.

Because he says, you're missing it.

You're in, hey, you're missing it, you're in bondage to yourself and you don't even know it.

So that's the context of this passage in Malachi chapter 3, verses 7 through 12.

Malachi 3:7–12

I hope you read my blog because I told you the story of the young man uh that had never dreamed of earning so much money, and this took place in 1900.

And what would his father say now that he had gotten a job in Chicago and he was making so much money, he was, he didn't understand, he was so excited, he didn't realize you know what his parents would think when he wrote his parents and told them, hey, I'm excited about being in Chicago and I've got the opportunity of my life.

I'm working 60 hours, and dad, mom, you're not gonna believe it.

They're paying me a dollar an hour.

Hello.

Y'all didn't I know what you're doing.

1900.

1900.

60 hours a dollar, that's 60 bucks a week.

That was a lot of money back then.

So he writes home and he tells his dad, and then Robert's father wrote him a lengthy letter back warning him of the dangers of money.

I'm sitting here thinking, a man's making$60 a week and his dad's worried about the dangers of money.

But in the context, that's still, that would be like making probably, you know, four or five thousand a week today.

Would somebody say that's a lot of money?

Some of you say a thousand dollars is a lot of money.

Can I get an amen?

Amen.

So it's every bit of that.

Okay?

So that's the context.

And so his dad writes him back and he said, he told his son to be cautious and wise with his funds and to give to the Lord's work.

He said, God blesses some people financially so they can give to God's work and help reach people for Christ.

By the way, in 1900, the average wage was 50 to 75 cents an hour.

So he's starting out at a dollar an hour.

So you can see how exciting and how how his dad said, Wow, my son's hit it big, but uh, hey, the love of money is the root of all evil.

Not money's the root of all evil, the love of money is the root of all evil.

Amen?

1 Timothy 6 10.

That's what it says.

Powerful passage there in 1 Timothy chapter 6.

1 Timothy 6 · chapter mention

So he writes him back, and here's what he says: Robert's father quoted Proverbs 11, 24 repeatedly throughout the letter, lengthy letter.

Here's what it says.

So I think I have it on your outline.

There, in fact, I have it in the title itself.

Here it says, there is he that scattereth and yet increases.

And there is he that withholdeth more than is meat, but it tendeth to poverty.

In other words, here's what he says: When God blesses you with means, you give back.

You give to God's work, you give to God's people, you help people, you help God's work.

And when you do that, you increase.

But when you don't, you decrease.

That's a bit.

I know that's please catch this.

Oh, it's so life-changing.

And we see this.

One person is generous and yet grows more wealthy, but another withholds more than he should and comes to poverty.

Wow.

Now, if you go on and read about Robert's life, he went on to be one of the greatest, wealthiest people in Chicago.

He opened many department stores and just went on and went on and ended up giving 60 to 70 percent of all his income back to God's work.

Started colleges, Christian colleges, started missionary uh uh associations, help missionary.

I mean, it was just unbelievable what he did the next 50 years of his life.

Unbelievable.

So, with that said, this was the message that Malachi was trying to get across to God's people in this day.

They struggled financially because they were robbing God of his what?

Not God's money.

Can I say something?

Because all the money's God's.

Amen.

What they were doing, they were robbing themselves of being obedient to God.

That's the bottom line.

If you don't hear, forget the word money.

When you are disobedient to God, you reap the consequences.

When you're obedient to God, you reap the blessings.

There's a big difference.

A big difference.

And we see that.

So Malachi gives them instructions on how to turn their financial situation around.

Listen, right now, if I was to ask you, would you like to turn your financial situation around?

Now, some of us, God's blessed, or maybe you're doing well.

You don't have a problem financially.

To God be the glory.

Amen.

You know, uh Susan, I've been blessed.

We don't have a financial problem.

We've been blessed over the years.

We've we've tried to apply the principles that David's gonna be teaching you.

David and a lot of other people, you know what I'm saying.

That David's been blessed financially, but not because he's real smart, not because I'm real smart.

Hello?

I said I'm not real smart.

Can I tell you something?

You don't have to be smart to apply common sense.

You don't have to be real smart to hear God's word and do it.

Amen.

Now, he's a very intelligent man.

I'm fairly smart.

My wife's off the charts.

So guess what, guys?

Let me help you.

If you need help, hey, marry a godly, godly woman and make sure she's smart.

She didn't have any money, but she was smart.

Amen.

I got two out of three.

She was good looking and smart and loved God.

Amen.

But I'm not going there.

But anyway, so here we go.

Now, look.

I want you to see.

He reveals Malachi says to the nation of Israel, I'm gonna show you some of the principles that you've got to return to if you want me to whoosh open my windows of heaven and bless you beyond your comprehension.

Now let me ask you something.

Two things.

Would you for some of us that need to reverse our finances and uh need help in finances, wouldn't that be great if that could happen?

Amen.

Somebody say that's gotta happen.

Okay?

Wouldn't it not?

Would it not be great that if you apply these principles, God's gonna, oh I know what you're thinking.

I don't know about that.

If God doesn't, he's a liar.

And let me say something.

In the passage we're gonna look at verse by verse today, in that passage, God says this is the only area in God's word, the whole Old and New Testament, that He says you can test Him.

Now that's powerful.

That's powerful, folks.

So, here we go.

Number one.

He says, your problem, and the reason you're having financial difficulty, is because of the rejection of God's word.

Look at verse 7.

Even from the days of your father, you are gone away from my ordinances and have not kept them.

That's pretty simple, isn't it?

He says you've turned from the biblical truth in the Old Testament law of tithing.

And tithing even started, hey, before Moses.

It started with Abraham and Joseph.

Amen?

And you're gonna see a few of those.

I'm not gonna get in detail, but but I'm just telling you, tithing really started at the beginning of God's covenant with Abraham, even before the law.

So, with that said, it's important.

He says, there is a direct parallel between God's blessing and our relationship with him.

If you don't hear anything else, I'm gonna repeat it.

I wrote it, I put a storm of notes.

There is a direct parallel between God's blessing and our relationship with him.

Isaiah 119 and 20, if you're willing and obedient.

Now notice, willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.

But if you refuse and rebel, you should be devoured by the sword.

Isaiah 1.19 and verse 20.

That's very simple, very easy to understand.

Our usefulness to Christ and the enjoyment of his blessings from heaven open in those windows, hey, are determined by our attitude and application of the scriptures in our own personal life.

I can't do it for you.

If I could, I would.

You can't do it for me.

Because it's an individual priority and prompting to love God with all your heart and soul and mind and to be obedient to Him.

Jesus said in John 14, 15, if you love me, you'll keep my commandments.

Amen.

Isn't that good?

If you love me, you'll keep my commandments.

Obedience to the scriptures is an indication if you believe that verse.

How many of you believe John 14, 15?

If you love me, you'll keep my commandments.

Our obedience is a direct relationship of how much we love God.

Hello.

I got one amen.

Thank you, Sylvester.

Our obedience is a direct relationship of how much we love God.

Now, so so now all of us in here would say, I love God.

But the true test, the true reading of the thermometer is how much of that, hey, how much of his word and his commands are you obeying?

Now that really, as we used to say, that's where the rubber meets the road.

Amen.

Being doers of the word, not hears only, deceiving our own selves.

James 1.22.

Listen to what else he said.

Joshua 1.8.

This is a great verse.

Listen to this.

The book, in fact, read this with me.

This is so powerful.

Church, ready?

Let's read.

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein.

For then shall I make thy way prosperous, and then shall ye have good success.

What else is there?

Is that not good?

Say that's good, church.

All.

There's one little word.

A, L, L.

All.

You can't choose and pick.

I like to choose and pick.

Am I the only one that likes to choose and pick?

I'm gonna preach online yet.

I'm gonna just have to do that.

Hey, I love, hey, I love to choose.

Are there some verses in the Bible that you don't like?

Absolutely.

The one that I really don't like is for me to love my enemies.

And it gets worse and to bless them that hate you.

Do good to them that hate you.

You know, I may pray for them, but I don't want to do good to them.

Hello, amen.

I mean, by soul, Lord, do you know what they're doing to me?

Now that's a dumb question for me to ask the Lord that, isn't it?

Since he knows everything.

Absolutely he knows.

And you know what he says?

Yeah.

And I'm using them, hey, as sandpaper on you because you've got some stuff that you need to get rid of.

Hello.

Hello.

Amen.

Yeah.

So your enemy may be your biggest blessing if you receive it.

Amen.

Amen.

So we see the rejection of God's word.

If Christians are disobedient, if we are disrespectful, discontented, defiant, detached toward the Lord, it will affect his blessings upon our lives.

Every, every time.

I like what, in fact, D.L.

Moody said.

He said, if you want to enjoy God's blessings, then it is vital that you have victory in this area over your life.

You need to do what the Bible says.

Just like a builder that follows a blueprint when constructing a building.

The blueprint for our lives needs to be the word of God.

Now watch what he said.

Unwillingness to listen and follow the word does affect our relationship with God.

And then he used the word, Proverbs 28, 9.

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayers shall be abomination.

Wow.

By putting God's word into practice, you will be a good example to those watching your life, especially your family.

Now, watch this.

The forefathers here in Malachi chapter 3, in Malachi's time, evidently did not do a good job in obeying the scriptures.

Malachi 3 · chapter mention

And let me tell you why.

Look back again as I look at verse.

He says, Even from the days of your fathers, ye are gone away from my ordinances and have not kept them.

We're talking about at least one or two generations that he's talking about.

They had turned away from obeying God's word at least one or two generations.

And now they're in trouble.

They're having hard times.

The crops are being devoured by the evil one.

Everything's going wrong.

Everything.

Everything.

And then he says the example is so important.

In fact, I like what 1 Timothy 4 12 says.

Let no man despise thy youth.

But now listen to what he says.

But be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Be an example.

One thing I got to say, you know, I was kicked out of my home when I was 11 years old, and at the time I thought that was a horrible thing.

And for years I still thought it was a horrible thing.

In fact, it probably 20 years later, after I really realized that I moved in with my grandparents who were very poor physically, but very rich spiritually.

I mean, we have one bedroom.

That was it.

He took the porch.

There was a little s little bitty porch, and my granddaddy put paneling in it and put some insulation in it.

And put a one um propane heater, a little heater, and uh that's where I went from the eighth grade all the way through twelfth grade and graduated, right there in that little place, in that little broom.

Uh it but hey, I had so much peace and so much instruction from a godly grandmother and godly granddaddy, and then my grandmother ended up becoming invalid and was in the bed the last two years of my high school.

She couldn't move.

My granddaddy had to change her diapers and tend to her 24-7.

And I watched the love and the and the and the concern and his care, never griping, never complaining.

Uh it was just unreal.

And there was a few things that I had to do when I moved in.

One, I didn't have a choice whether or not I was going to church on Sunday.

Parents, I'm gonna help you.

Now listen to me.

Some of you say, Well, I don't want to make my children go to church.

Huh, okay.

Well, I think, I think, I said, Well, why I always ask this, why don't you want to make them go to church?

I ask them one question.

Do you make them go to school?

Yes.

I said, why do you do that?

For them to learn.

I said, Well, why don't you make them go to church so they can learn the greatest book in the world?

The B-I-B-L-E.

And that's why we have started a Sunday Bible study with our young people right here.

Rick and Heather had 25 teenagers who were here at 9 o'clock this morning to learn more of the Word of God.

Let's give them a hand.

Woo! Go, young people! Go, young people! We're gonna find some more space.

My wife's itching to teach.

She's an unbelievable Bible teacher, so we're gonna find some more space somewhere as we get and do some more Bible study on the Sunday mornings, too.

And so just be praying about that, how we can get creative.

But I'm telling you, the most, hey, we didn't have an option.

My grandmother and my granddaddy, and hey, we we went to church.

I went to church, and when she couldn't, and my granddaddy had to stay home, I didn't have a choice.

He said, get him up, he's going to church.

If you in my house, you don't have a choice.

We don't debate it.

Amen.

Why?

Because it's what's best for them.

Please listen to me.

You're not gonna turn them away, and then my other question is where are you gonna turn them to?

You're gonna turn them to hell?

Give them a chance.

The greatest thing you can give your kids is a loving example of godliness and give them godly principles.

Thank God for the Christian schools and the Christian homeschools and online schools.

And I'm excited about that.

We're looking into that.

I'm telling you, that's the key.

And then we see.

You know why we're in the mess we're in right now?

When you watch the debates and the, we're in a mess.

Because our kids and generations have been educated in humanism and liberalism and ungodliness.

God help us.

God help us.

God help us for our young people.

Now, watch the words example here or pattern come from the Greek word tupos.

Now listen what it means.

It means the mark from a blow or print.

In other words, I was thinking how I could illustrate this.

From a blow.

Do you have you ever had those little toys that you put your hands in it and they kind of it makes a print?

Y'all know what I'm talking about?

Little nail things.

Have y'all ever seen those?

Come on, help me.

You know, and you you can put your, you can just form.

It forms whatever it goes on.

That's exactly the greatest example he's talking about.

God says, we as parents, we as leaders, ought to make a bam, a print.

A so strong of an example on our young people that when they grow up, they live godly.

God help us.

What an example.

That's what he's telling the nation Israel.

That's what he's telling America.

We got to get back to our group.

You want to get back to roots?

You want to make Mar, hey, America great again, Donald Trump.

Hey, it's not business, it's godliness.

And when you're godly, you have godly business.

Amen.

I said I wasn't going to say all that about politics, but somebody's got to say something.

But now listen, what is the message of our life?

My granddaddy and grandmother taught me two things about giving my money.

First of all, they taught me three things.

Number one, you've got to work.

I am tired of people thinking that the government owes them something.

God help us.

You keep believing that you're not going to have much.

God honors work.

God honors work.

Work.

And then she said, as Robert's dad kept telling him, give to God.

She gave me two fruit jars.

Now I know most of you think fruit jars for drinking tea.

I use them for that too.

But she said, here, every dollar you make, every dollar you make, a dime goes in God's jar.

She had a garage label, a jar labeled God, and then a jar labeled savings.

She said, if you're ever gonna mount to something, you gotta save too.

You don't waste your money.

You give God his, you give savings, then you have 80%.

She said, now that's a pretty good deal.

Let me ask you something.

You get to keep 80%, is that a pretty good deal?

Now I know that's the minimum.

That's where you start, but you got to start somewhere.

Can I get an amen?

Because you're also gonna be held accountable for the other 80%.

Hello.

And we'll talk about it.

But that's where it starts.

We've got to be an example.

How in the world do you expect your kids to love God's word?

Hey, and to give of their time, their talents, and their treasures if you don't.

Well, don't do as I do, do as I say.

That's hypocrisy.

Well, I guess I'll just be a hypocrite.

Well, you can change.

Hello.

You can change.

Back, my nephew's here.

He'll tell you.

I thought about this.

I said, what a time for Trent and his wife to be here, uh, Jessica, to show up.

And if you want to know a little bit about me, talk to him afterwards.

I have been pretty tough on that young man.

I mean, and he knows it.

He worked at Tennessee Temple with me for two years, tried to disciple him, love on him, and tell him right.

Got away.

And God's, you know what?

He called me up about a month ago.

I'm putting you on the spot, buddy.

You asked for it.

And I said, okay.

He said, Uncle Danny, I really I want to have the life that you and Miss Susan's had and I want to do right.

How old are you?

30?

32.

He said, I really want to be happy.

He said, when I'm around the wrong crowd, he says, it's not money.

I've had a lot of money, I've made a lot of money and da-da-da.

He says, I I I just want to work hard and be happy.

I said, okay.

You come on down here.

But bless God, every time the door's open, you're gonna be in church, you're gonna work hard.

We I said, God's gonna be, hey, you're gonna, it's gonna be us and God, your God's your partner.

Amen.

Amen.

So I said, come on down here.

You got I said, I want you to see what we do.

And Jessica said, I've been telling Trent.

I want to get in church.

Always a good woman.

Always a woman.

Thank God for good women that don't give up when men are just hoodlums.

Amen.

Amen.

Let's give God a trap hand on that.

Amen.

So be praying for them.

They got a major decision to make.

And uh anyway, he'll tell you what I've always been.

I I'm not perfect, but I've always tried to live God's word in front of my family.

And that's made a difference in our lives.

Let me give you a good example.

1904, William Borden graduated from a Chicago high school as heir to the Borden Dairy estate.

He was already a millionaire for his high school graduation presence.

His parents gave him a trip around the world.

Not a bad trip, teenager, for graduation.

As a young man traveled through Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, he felt a growing burden for the world's hurting people.

Finally, Borden wrote home to say, I'm going to give my life to prepare for the mission field.

Now that really upset his parents majorly.

They were wanting him, he graduated from Harvard, top of his business class, they were wanting him to take over the business.

At the same time, he wrote two words in the back of the Bible, his Bible.

No.

No reserves.

Indeed, Borden held nothing back.

During his college years at Yale University, I said Harvard, I meant Yale University, he became a pillar in the Christian community.

One entry in his personal journal that defined the source of his spiritual strength simply said, Say no to self and yes to Jesus every time.

Wow.

Say no to self and yes to Jesus every time.

During his first semester at Yale, listen to this.

Borden started a small prayer group that would transform the campus life.

This little group gave birth to a movement that spread across the campus.

By the end of the first year, 150 freshmen were meeting for weekly Bible study and prayer.

By the time Bill Borden was a senior, a thousand of Yale's 1,300 students were meeting in such groups.

Borden also strategized with his fellow Christians to make sure every student on campus heard the gospel.

And he was often seen ministering to the downtrodden in the streets of New Haven, but his real passion was missions.

Once he narrowed his missionary call to the Kanzu people in China, Borden never wavered.

Upon graduation from Yale, Borden wrote two more words in the back of his Bible.

No retreat.

He started out no reserves.

Now no retreats.

In keeping with that commitment, Borden turned down several high-paying job offers, enrolling in seminary instead.

After graduating, he immediately went to Egypt to learn Arabic because of his intent to work with Muslims in China.

While in Europe, he contracted spinal meningitis.

Within a month, 25-year-old William Borden was dead.

Prior to his death, Borden had written two more words in the Bible.

Underneath the words, no reserves, no retreats, and then he had written, no regrets.

Beloved, if you will live and I live life, our life for Christ, we will never have any regret.

Amen.

That's it.

When you're lying on that dying man, we have a joy.

We can be regretful.

And in order to have no regrets, there can be no reserve.

And there can be no retreat.

Powerful.

Powerful.

Powerful.

Number two, the requirement for restoration and fellowship.

Look at what he said in verse 7 again.

Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts.

But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

The problem of God's people was identified, and solutions are offered here.

They were pleading, not guilty.

As mentioned earlier in Malachi, return unto me and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts.

But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

They didn't realize they had a problem.

Sometimes we get so carnal and so backslidden we don't even realize we got a problem.

The lust of the flesh and the worldly things so take over our life that we don't even realize we've got a problem.

And I believe that's where the church is today.

I think we think that we are rich, but indeed we're sick and in need of repentance.

Ezekiel said dead bones.

Dead bones.

That's it.

Ezekiel 37.

So, here it is.

Beloved, God wants to be close to us.

He wants to us to seek him and fellowship with him, and he will, if we seek him out, bless us like he's never blessed us before.

He'll go whoo when he opens the windows of heaven.

So important.

Listen to what Scripture says.

James 4.8.

Draw nigh to me.

He says, and I'll draw nigh to you.

Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.

Listen to what he said in Psalms 145, verse 18.

Psalms 145:18

The Lord is nigh, close unto all them that call upon him.

Hey, to all that call upon him in truth.

That means, let me tell you what call upon him in truth means.

It means that you're living the truth which enables you to call upon him.

Jesus said, if you abide in me and my words abide in you, you should ask what it will, and it shall be done.

John 15, 7.

Is that not good?

That's good, preacher.

So that's what we see.

So how do we return?

How do we return?

Three ways.

Ready?

Number one, hear God's word.

You've got to hear God's word.

Listen to what he says in Psalms 85, 8.

I love this.

He says, I will hear what God the Lord will speak.

For he will speak peace unto his people and to his saints, but let them not turn again to folly.

Psalms 85, verse 8.

Psalms 85:8

Man, that's good.

That's powerful.

We've got to listen.

Jesus said, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Matthew 11, 15.

We've got to be hearers of God's word.

Now, listen, listen.

Why do you make your kids come to church so they can hear the word of God?

Amen.

David has made a profound statement.

I've heard his testimony so many times.

Young people don't miss this.

This could change your life.

Right here, this statement.

This man, God's blessed so much, one of the greatest Christian businessmen I've ever known.

He sticks with the book.

He doesn't waver.

I don't care.

You can try every angle to change him if you want to.

Ain't gonna happen.

He's gonna stick with his stuff.

Now listen to me.

You know what he's told?

What he's I've heard his testimony so many times, and it never gets old.

It's worth you hearing his testimony just coming that Saturday morning.

It never gets old.

And how God's blessed this man.

Alright, now listen.

You know what he said?

He says it quite often.

Sometimes I think he says it like I do, preaching, and it's so natural we don't really realize what we said when we said it.

But it's truth.

Because it's so real in us.

Okay?

Not that we're speaking off the cuff, it's just our life.

You know what he said?

Still in your testimony, but here's what he said.

Every major decision God has told me to do in my business, in my life.

I heard in church.

From a sermon.

From the teaching of God's word.

Is that not true?

Wow.

Wow.

Wow.

Wow.

You miss a Sunday.

You may have missed that essay that God had for you that could radically change your life.

That's why you don't miss.

Well, bless God.

Kick us up on the computer.

You're without excuse.

Amen.

Stay with us.

Stay with the truth.

Powerful.

Powerful.

Hear God's word number two.

Search our hearts.

Psalms 139, 23, 24.

Search me, O God, know my heart.

Try me, know my thoughts, see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me the way of everlasting.

Know my heart.

Remember in 2 Corinthians 8, we preached it last week.

What did the Macedonian Christians give before they gave their money, time, and talents?

They gave their what?

Hearts.

My son, give me your heart and let your eyes observe my ways.

Proverbs 23, 26.

Very important.

And then number three, turn unto the Lord.

Repent.

Lamentations 3.40.

Listen to this.

Let us search and try our ways and turn again to the Lord.

Let me tell you what true repentance is.

It's a 180-degree turn.

You're walking this way, you're walking in sin, or you're walking in disobedience, or you're just walking in laxadaisical life.

You're not really accomplished in any.

You're just you're miserable, you're griping, you're complete, you just, and all of a sudden the Holy Spirit gets a hold of you and says, Turn unto me, give me everything, present your body a living sacrifice, give me your talents, give me your time, give me your treasures, give me your testimony, and you say, Woo! Yes, I'm tired of who I am.

I'm tired of living like I'm living.

I'm tired of being discouraged.

I'm tired of being defeated.

I'm tired of being in the dump.

God help me.

Woo! I'm a new man, I'm a new man.

Woo! Everything's great, everything's great, I don't care.

Bam, you get here.

Woo! That was a good lick.

Keep haunting.

That's it.

Well, you hey, you got cancer.

Okay, okay, okay.

God, you know, I'm yours.

Hey, hey, I'm yours.

But I'm gonna ask, I'm gonna pray, but I'm gonna keep doing it.

After he got through, he came to work that afternoon.

I'd have sat home, that'd been me a good excuse to have a pity party.

Amen.

Do you get it?

That's it.

Life, life is not a bed of roses.

Life is the good, the bad, the ugly.

But if you got God with you, even the ugly looks pretty good.

Amen.

Amen.

Yeah, the wet?

Well, I trust him.

Yeah.

Hey, shed rep Meshach in a betnigo.

They said, You're gonna bow or you're gonna burn.

He said, Well, bless God, I'm burned.

But OK.

But OK.

Guess what?

They didn't burn.

Do you realize on those three boys?

I'm chasing a rabbit here, but it's a good one.

Do you realize the only thing that was burnt on those boys in the fiery furnace was the ropes?

That's it.

Have you ever thought why?

That was the only thing.

I'm about to fall.

Hey, that's the only thing that the wall put on those boys.

God burnt everything the world had off.

That's right.

Amen.

Amen.

Next.

The robbery of God.

Look at verse 8.

Number three.

Will a man rob God?

Yet you have robbed me.

But you say, wherein have I we robbed thee?

Uh-oh.

See, they still ain't got it.

They're living in a carnal state.

They really don't know where they're robbing them.

So, God, you know what I like about God?

You don't have to worry about where God stands.

He'll tell you, you ask, let me tell you something, you better not ask God to show you.

Because he'll knock you off the horse.

He said, I'll tell you where you've, hey, where you've robbed me, you've robbed me in your tithes and offerings.

That's what he said.

Look at what he said.

If you want God's financial blessings, Malachi said, on your life, then stop rejecting his word and returning to him.

If you have wandered away from the Lord, God is concerned about our relationship and our obedience to him.

2 Corinthians 8:5.

2 Corinthians 8:5

And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and then unto the will of God.

The will of God.

That's what he wants.

And by the way, God always, hey, wants us to go above and beyond.

You know, I was thinking about this because a lot of people say, okay, well, I just got to get to tithing.

Let me get to tithing.

Now you're going to tithing was an Old Testament law that God integrated after Abraham and Joseph.

Okay?

So it was their law.

It was one of the things in their law system that they were supposed to do, and we'll see why in a minute, to take care of the temple, to take care of the Levites, the priests, and to do God's work.

That's why they brought the tithe to the temple, to the storehouse.

Even though the storehouse was not, quote, representative of the church, it was representative of the temple, which is a symbol of the church in the New Testament.

But to be honest with you, nowhere in the New Testament does God specifically command us to tithe.

But what He, hey, hey, what He significantly and plainly commands us to do is to be a grace giver and to give in proportion the way God has blessed you.

Now he encourages the tithe in Matthew 5, because he goes through the list of the hypocrites.

He said, Oh, you thought you had to you had to do this and do this and tithe?

And he said, Yeah, all that you ought to have done.

But he said, Here's the key.

The key is love.

Do you really love me and love the people?

See, if you really love God, if you love me, what?

Keep my commandments?

You're gonna be obedient to tithe, or you're gonna be obedient to being a grace giver.

And most of the time that's a lot more than the tithe.

Hello, you okay out there?

Somebody say, I'm just getting to tithe.

I know, and that's good.

That's a good place to start.

But just remember, God blesses and blesses and blesses.

Remember, the individual was cursed.

Hey.

And by the way, he said, yet that look, notice what he said.

They asked, How have we robbed God?

What do you mean?

What do we do wrong?

Because they were doing this.

They were cursed.

There were three curses.

Here they are.

The individual was cursed for offering corrupt sacrifices.

They weren't bringing their best sacrifices, they were bringing the blemished sacrifices.

Secondly, the priesthood was cursed for hypocritical service.

They were just ungodly, some of them.

It was bad.

They needed to repent themselves.

And then the nation was cursed for robbing God of the tithe and offerings.

When we rob God in our giving, in our time, in our testimony, in our talents, we disobey what God has asked us to do.

And I said, before the tithing system, Abraham, and I've given you the Jacob, I said Joseph, I meant Jacob.

I've given you verses, I'm gonna let you check that out.

So when we get to the New Testament, here it is.

The New Testament measures for giving and summarized in 1 Corinthians chapter 16, 2.

1 Corinthians 16 · chapter mention

Let me show you what the New Testament says about our giving.

Here it is.

Powerful, powerful.

Look at verse 2.

Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store as God has prospered him, that there be no gathering when I come.

In other words, the first day of the week, Sunday, when we come to worship God, we prepare to give our love offering, our hey, back to God on the first day of the week.

When we pass the plates at the end of the service.

It's not just something we're supposed to do, it is your privilege and my privilege to give back to an awesome loving God that has so prospered us, has so protected us, has so kept us that we honor Him.

It's the least we can do.

Amen.

That's it.

Man, it's a great time to honor him.

And we see that throughout the scriptures.

The New Testament teaching right here of giving is that it is to be regularly upon the first day of the week.

Watch.

All inclusive, let every one of you systematic, lay by him in store.

Now watch, and proportionate, as God hath prospered him.

Again, nowhere in the New Testament is it suggested that believers should just give 10% of his income.

Though, because of the application of the Old Testament, Old Testament is good for today too.

It's a good place to start.

And that's what I was taught.

Now, let me show you two things.

Boy, this is so good.

One, notice what he says: the measure.

Here it is, as God has prospered him.

It is possible that we could give 10% and still rob God.

Woo!

Hello, I knew that was gonna get one.

Thank you, Sylvester.

It's possible.

Let me ask something.

If God is blessing you and blessing you and blessing you and blessing you, don't you think?

Well, let me just tell you, hey, what about JC Penney?

Started out tithing.

You know when he died, I think he was 92, 93, he was giving 90% back to the Lord and living on 10.

You say, oh my, I don't know if I could do that.

You ought to seen the 10% coming in that he was living on.

Hello?

Millions.

Hello?

Yeah, yeah.

It's proportionate.

And I could go on and on and give you example after example.

There was one uh uh but anyway, hey, 2 Corinthians 9, 6 and 7.

So sparingly, reap sparingly, sow boundfully, reap boundfully.

I'm not going to exercite them again.

We did that last week.

Now, and then notice the second thing though I wanted to show you.

The measure is God, hey, as God has prospered you, and then watch.

And then we are to give by grace.

Christians are not under the law, but under grace.

Jesus said in the Beatitudes, remember?

Now watch.

What did when I saw this, I never connected it, David, to give it to now.

Watch this.

Remember in Matthew chapter 5, verses 38 through 44?

Matthew 5:38–44

He says, if smitten on the cheek, then what did he say?

Turn the other cheek.

I had a hard time with that for years.

Then I used to say, okay, you better, hey, you hit me one, I'll turn the other, you hit me on that, I don't have to turn any more cheeks.

Bless God, I'm gonna take you out.

That's wrong spirit.

You better get two good licks in.

Wrong spirit, wrong spirit.

I understand my wife's shaking her head.

I know.

Let me tell you, I didn't have problems with drug drinking.

I love the one thing I had a problem with in high school and before God got hold of my heart.

I love to fight.

And I love to, you just say something, bam! And I used to love to take up for a little guy being picked on or the girl being picked on.

I'd just come up and say, God bless you.

Bam! I'd take them out.

I'd go get it.

I'd get the board of education.

I'd look at Dr.

Bork principal and say, he said, now you're not gonna do that again, are you?

I said, No, sir.

Bam! Here it would be again.

He said, What's wrong with you, love it?

I said, I'm trying to figure that out, Doc.

If you were sued for your coat, what does he say?

Give the coat.

If you're compelled to carry load a mile, what does he say?

Carry it the second mile.

Don't hate your enemies, love them, do good to them.

What I'm saying, listen, when God speaks to you about giving, you're to give way beyond what he thinks.

I meant before that regular, whatever the time, whatever.

Just give as God's blessed you.

Go above board.

Amen.

You know what?

All right.

I got a I got a good illustration for this.

Listen to this.

The founder of the Wiggley Gum Company, William Wrigley, also gave generously.

JC Penny gave, by the way, when you look at all the Colgate toothpaste that you use today, he invented it and started it.

The man was unbelievable.

He gave 70% of what he made back to God.

Number four.

Hey, let me give you, let me give you an example.

I told this the other night about giving more than you expected to.

Don't miss this.

This is awesome.

Little boy went to the hardware store every Saturday with his mama.

And his mama would get in, start ordering, and the store owner would say to his name was Johnny, hey Johnny, here, here's for some of you old enough to remember going to the hardware store.

They used to have a big glass, uh, big old glass container with a little top on it that filled with candy.

One and two cent candy.

Y'all remember that?

And you'd go in there and pull it out and then put it, and they would, you know, you pay a dime, have a big old two-hand or a sack, little sack full.

I remember that to this day.

Used to go to the hardware store, then go to the movie theater, and with a dollar, I'd go to the show and get popcorn, candy, and a candy, uh uh, and a coke for a dollar.

I know you're thinking you are old.

Well, I don't look it.

But anyway, hey, finally, the little boy Johnny would say, No, sir, I can't do that.

So the owner would just open it up, grab a handful, give it to him.

So going home, and mom would turn to Johnny and said, Johnny, let me ask something.

Every Saturday, the owner of a store asks you to put your hand in the candy jar and get some candy.

Why don't you do that?

He said, Mom, his hands are a lot bigger than mine.

Woo! Ha ha ha! Smart little Johnny.

But that's what I'm trying to tell you, church.

Listen to me.

The more you give back to God, hey, when you give God's hands a pretty big, hey, you don't hold on, you let loose, and God goes, whoo!

Amen.

Amen.

Multiply, multiply.

The results of stealing from God.

I'm fixing to wind it up.

You accursed with a curse, for you have robbed me, even this whole nation.

Wow, wow, wow.

Number five.

That's self-explanatory.

I don't have to explain that one.

Number five, the reason for tithing.

The reason for tithing.

Two things.

A, provision.

That there may be meat in my house.

That there may be meat in my house.

It takes care of your pastors, your missionaries, all that we do.

It takes care of that.

B, it proves him.

Prove me now herewith.

Takes care of everything we do, by the way.

Building of the, I mean everything.

It's the ministry of the church.

That's why you bring the tithe to the storehouse.

Now, watch this.

Then the proving.

Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts.

Now that's a powerful word.

Remember, I told you I was going to tell you.

God's challenge to us is to prove him.

The word prove is from the Hebrew word.

Bahan.

Behind.

Like your hand.

Behind.

And it means to examine, scrutinize, to try or put to the test.

In other words, the Lord challenges me and you to scrutinize and test his promises and try to outgive him.

Man, that's good.

That's good.

He said, test me.

Try me.

Watch me.

My God.

Say this.

My God shall supply all my needs.

According to his riches.

In glory through Christ Jesus.

You believe that?

Prove me.

Are you ready?

Number six.

The results from giving to the Lord.

Look at what he says, verse 10 through 12.

If I will not open you the windows of heaven, pour ye out a blessing, that there shall not be a room enough to receive it.

Hey, I will rebuke the devourer.

Most people ever really miss that.

I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

In verse 12, and all nations shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

God says, if you give to me, here's what I'm going to do for you.

Three things.

One, prosperity, the prosperity and pouring out of God's blessings.

Pouring indicates an abundance of his blessings, not a trickle.

I've already told you about that.

But the word, the word pour, as I shared earlier, rahuk.

And it means to empty something out.

Woo-hoo! Can you imagine God just emptying all his blessings out on you?

I want that.

I don't, I want this.

Do you want that?

Can I get an Amen?

I mean, that's what he said.

God said that.

Wow.

Don't you know, wouldn't it be?

You know what that that that 180-degree repentance is when you turn you around?

Remember, I said, you're discouraged, you're defeated, you're downhearted, you're downtrodden, but you get saved, or you or as a Christian, you rededicate your life and really give your heart and everything, all your time, talents, treasures, and testimony to them.

You turn around.

And you know that down, discouraged, defeated, uh, griping, complaining, you know what happens then?

Every time you see you, people are seeing you do, I'm blessed, I'm blessed, whoo, I'm blessed.

It's Thanksgiving.

That's it.

God is good.

And all the time.

God is good.

Amen.

He is.

He is.

Then notice B.

By the way, let me get you got to see these verses.

I don't want you to miss this.

Even the Proverbs 3, 9 and 10.

Honor the Lord with thy substance.

Listen to what he says.

And with the first fruits of thine increase.

So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presence shall burst out with new wine.

That's what he says.

The first fruits.

That's the first fruits is the best.

The first check I write every month goes to God.

He gets his.

That's first.

When he does that, then he's got to help me pay the rest.

Amen.

You listen?

I had a guy ask me, he said, okay, okay.

Bless God preacher, you got me.

I'm ready to tithe, so what do I tithe?

And I got a question.

I said, okay, what's your question?

He said, do I tithe on the growth or do I tithe on the net?

At least he's asking.

I said, I'll tell you how I'm gonna answer that.

That's up to you.

He said, no, you've been telling me I'm supposed to tithe.

I'm ready to tithe on what I tithe on.

I said, that's up to you.

He said, no, no, I he said, one thing I I know, I've been listening to you and been coming.

Bless God, when you say something, you quote me scripture, I go home and I look it up, and bless God, that's there.

So what I do, preacher?

I said, here, it's up to you.

Do you want a gross blessing?

Or do you want a net blessing?

It's your call.

He went, You got me.

I said, no, God's got you.

I don't got you.

Amen.

Either you believe God's blessings or you don't.

Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that gives thee power to get wealth.

Deuteronomy 8.18.

It's all his.

And then look at B.

The preservation of blessings and productivity is renewed.

I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, verse 11.

He shall not destroy the fruits of thy ground.

Do you see what he's telling you?

Hey, he's not gonna let your business fail.

He's not gonna let your career fail.

He's gonna bless it.

You say, Well, I just got fired.

Well, he's got something better.

My brother-in-law, some of y'all don't know Roy Burrs.

He's been with IMB, International Missionary Board, for 22 years.

He's 48 years old.

They called him in Thursday.

Now, listen to this.

First of all, before they called him in, because we're our Southern Baptist International Mission Board's cutting back.

It's time we had way too much bureaucracy.

But now listen, before he gets that, then he Roy has had melanoma, Susan's brother, when he was 15, when he was 19, and now they've called him in.

He's had all kinds of swelling in his lip notes in his neck.

They don't know what it is.

They did a biopsy with the needle and it came back negative, but he they said something's not right.

He's had TB because he traveled the world as a missionary for IMB for their office taking pictures.

He is a professional photographer and marketer.

In fact, back when the IMB had the commission magazine, many of us have been Southern Baptists a long time or affiliated with Southern Baptists, read that magazine all the time.

Well, Roy was the one that not only took a lot of the pictures, edited and put that magazine together.

Long story short, he doesn't know if he's got cancer.

We'll know.

Would you lift him up?

Roy Burrs, would you lift him up?

We'll know this week.

We're praying it's not, just like we did with David.

But he, you ought to read his Facebook about how he's trusting God.

He's not worried.

But they call him in Thursday and they wiped out his whole department.

He doesn't have a job.

We started praying and fasting.

They called him back in, though, and told him, hey, your insurance is going to cover you through for a year.

So that was what he was really worried about.

So, you know, if anything's there, they got to do surgery or major and stuff.

Anyway, for a year, they're going to pay him basically almost a year's pay to God answered our prayer there.

Amen.

Give him a clamp offering.

Folks, just living for God wholeheartedly is not a better rose, it's his life.

But look how God, and one day you thought it was a disaster, turn around.

It was, hey, he's got a year of insurance pay till God opens the door for him a job, and I can tell you something, he's gonna get a better job.

Because he's that faithful.

God's gonna, or, or, or I think say he might win the lottery, but he doesn't gamble.

But but but something's gonna something's gonna happen.

God's gonna bless him.

Amen.

And we're praying God's gonna, it's not gonna be cancer.

David and I said the other day, we just believe it's not gonna be cancer.

But if it is, God's gonna take care of them too.

Amen.

Health expenses, home, auto, repairs, fires, floods, thieves, jobs, layoffs, high utility bills.

We encounter all these things, but look at what he says.

I will deliver you from the divine word.

That's more than money can buy.

Money can't buy that.

I've never been in the hospital except when I was born.

Now I can be there tomorrow.

God will.

I hope he don't.

Amen.

I'm not asking for that.

Not trying to prove anything.

But I'm telling you, God has so blessed us with health and prosperity over the last 34.

Got it right.

34 wonderful years.

Have we had problems?

Let me tell you, let me just go real quick.

This is so important.

Because I have preached my heart to you these last three weeks.

People look at Pastor Danny and back when I was a president and all that.

Oh, oh, look at him.

Oh, he's got it made.

Bye, blah.

Let me tell you something.

I started my ministry with my wife at 28 years old dying in my arms.

Four and a half years later.

I don't blame you.

I'm not defeated.

I'm not gonna be defeated.

I'm brass! I'm brass! Because his book is real.

Are you listening to me?

So you got a choice this morning.

You can reject it, it's just simple, or you can receive it.

And I mean by receiving it, you do it.

Not just tearing it, but doing it.

God will radically change your life for 2016.

You have not seen anything yet.

I'm trying to tell you, don't believe me, believe God, and do it.

I challenge you.

Let me, I'm gonna, I'm gonna I'm gonna fix it and put a big challenge on you.

I'm gonna stay down here with you.

You start tithing for three months and watch what God does.

That's where I started.

A guy challenged me, my best friend challenged me.

And see what God does.

Don't, hey, I'm telling you, if you do, or I'm gonna help you, okay?

Maybe some of you are so deep in finances right now and you need to turn out, you might not.

But start giving something consistently.

Okay?

You pray about it.

And whatever God tells you to start doing, you do it.

And you watch in three months, I'll have more than two people coming up to me.

They'll come up and say, Pastor Danny, let me just tell you what God's done these next last three months.

Or this last month.

It'll be quicker in three months.

I already know when one guy came up to me today.

And we were really happy, you know, we were talking, and he was trying to justify why he wasn't tithing of his money, not his time.

In fact, here's what we do.

I did it.

I was a master at it.

I give my time, though.

I really give a lot of my time.

Sometimes I double my time.

That's just an excuse.

It was for me.

It was appeasing my conscience.

Amen?

My conscience.

You listening to me?

Please.

Just try it.

Trust God and watch what He does in your life.

Young people, I know what you're thinking.

You're thinking, well, I'm a teenager.

I don't make that much money.

I don't care if it's a dollar.

I mean, I can remember my lance was a dollar.

I hope we've upped it a little bit.

My girls got$10.

Yeah?

A week.

They got$10 a week, but they had chores they had to do in order to get the$10.

Hello, you with me?

Hey, you with me?

And for each chore they didn't do, we deducted from the 10.

It didn't take them long to realize when I'm not giving them gas money, but they're gonna have to use their work money.

Now, if they did extra stuff, I gave them bonuses.

The harder they work, the more they made.

Can I get an amen?

Amen.

Every one of my children right now are unbelievably successful.

Because they started out realizing you work hard, you give back to God, and watch God show out.

Amen.

One daughter's a she's a surgical PA, Sacramento, California, where we're gonna go.

My other daughter's a guidance counselor in high school and owns 50% of her SERPO that just did a million and a half last year.

They're gonna take care of me.

You know what Susan said?

I'm gonna tell on you.

She said, Well, when I die, me.

When your dad dies, she said, I'm gonna spend all the money and then I'm gonna start living with my kids.

No, she didn't say she's gonna spend all the money.

But I run out of money.

When I run out of money, she's gonna go live with the kids.

I love you so much.

Most preachers would not have preached the last three weeks what I've preached.

Because I'm telling you, you know, for them it's not easy.

Can I tell you it's not hard for me?

Because it's been my life, it's been my life for 40 years.

Thanks again for tuning into this week's message.

We pray that your life has been changed.

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We hope you have a wonderful day and again, God bless you.