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Serving the God of Increase

CityLight NYC Church Podcast

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  1. Whenever you're tired you're saying I believe in you Lord and I believe you are above me and I'm subject to you

  2. And I'm submitted to you and I gladly give that which is already yours. Here's your 10th back to you

  3. And why a 10th anyway? Why 10% when I five when I 50 you could have picked any percent because a 10 is indicative of the whole

  4. If you can count to 10 you can count to any number so when you give the 10th it's like you're giving it all

  5. Welcome to the CityLight Church podcast. Thanks for joining us today as we look into God's word and discover the hope and truth that he has for us

  6. If you want to connect with CityLight Church feel free to visit us at citylightnyc.com

  7. That's CityLight NYC.com

  8. Pastor Boyan Janskik and his team believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is already working in our hearts and minds

  9. As you listen to today's teaching remember that you are deeply loved by God that you are surrounded by his grace and that he has a real hope and a future for you

  10. How many of you this is your first time in what we affectionately called a little house on the prairie church

  11. Yeah, first time okay several of you

  12. Because at the

  13. Normal location where we meet every Sunday. There's an event

  14. And so occasionally a few times a year we have to meet here and

  15. It's bitter sweet to me

  16. It's sweet because it just reminds me of the plan of God and how he works

  17. Because we were just in Manhattan only back in 2009

  18. Have in the time of our lives

  19. growing

  20. No need to complicate things

  21. and then I

  22. Sends the Lord just keep coming to me saying start a church in Queens

  23. You know and you first thought in the natural is

  24. I don't need that

  25. I got my hands full here

  26. It will start start another one because we only had a Sunday evening service

  27. And I landed on a story and I drove around for months trying to get a location couldn't find one

  28. Found this when I first walked into this it was all statues

  29. And I don't mean like a church that's religious that has a few statues. I mean it was all statues like this this was their

  30. Repository for statues like you know, they weren't gonna get one of the storage bins over in Long Island City

  31. So for all the other Anglican churches that are either gotten out or maybe was an old statue they didn't need they stored them in here

  32. So it was shoulder to shoulder statues and icons and just like church furniture

  33. Covered in dust didn't look nice at all

  34. And we had these small beginnings we started with services once a month

  35. And then I would have never believed that this would have then become our main location and

  36. Then our only location

  37. I got my Queens because we were in Brooklyn. We had two locations in Manhattan one in Brooklyn

  38. Yet here and then we consolidated in 2021

  39. And I think about the goodness of God. That's the sweet part

  40. When I said it's bitter sweet the bitter part is just me

  41. Remembering waiting on the line to get to use the one bathroom

  42. So if if that thought crosses your mind while I'm preaching I got to use the restroom just do it

  43. If the thoughts comes out do it after service don't

  44. Don't wait for after service. There'll be 20 other people back there

  45. But it really is to me it's supernatural when I think because there's no air can that you know what it's like in the summer in here

  46. It's not pleasant and we installed

  47. The the fans there was no ceiling fans for the first five six seven years

  48. So it would just be hot

  49. swamp air

  50. And yet the church kept growing which to me that's miraculous

  51. Like we joke about being missionaries in Guatemala

  52. You know we talk about some of the second world conditions there

  53. But really here we are in the capital of the world New York City and we've had second world conditions

  54. No air conditioning one toilet

  55. It's only one toilet

  56. So if you go back there and you wonder why is there six different air fresheners and aerosol cans? That's why

  57. Because there's only one

  58. And we all have to share

  59. So share nicely

  60. Hallelujah and if you can't share nicely just like in the second world. There's a bucket outside for you

  61. On that note

  62. Baptisms are next Saturday

  63. And so if you haven't made a decision yet you're on the fence

  64. I just urge you to do what Jesus said to do and he said if you believe in me

  65. Get baptized. It's really that simple

  66. There's just two prerequisites for baptism not a long list two things

  67. believe and

  68. repent

  69. Believe on Jesus and turn away

  70. From trying to please God on your own terms with your own good works turn away from your past life

  71. Turn away from being your own God and doing what you want to do and submit to him

  72. You say well, I'm not perfect. I still need work to do. That's what most people say. I still need work

  73. Will join the club

  74. I still need work

  75. Everyone here needs works to accept my wife. She's

  76. She's fine

  77. All right, but I hear that I've when I get a little when I get a little better

  78. What they mean is when I clean up my life more I'll get baptized

  79. That's like saying when I when I heal I'll go to the hospital

  80. When I lose weight I'll go to the gym

  81. No come messy come with issues

  82. God loves you

  83. He loves you just the way you are he will transform you as you yield to him

  84. But begin the process before you think you have every t cross than every I dotted

  85. Amen, I want to open up with proverbs

  86. Excuse me Psalm 35 27

  87. I like this verse so much

  88. So one of the first verses I memorized I liked it so much. I had it printed on all the offering envelopes

  89. 15 years ago

  90. And it shows you God's attitude towards finances and God's thoughts about abundance and prosperity

  91. There's a hundred verses like this. I just like the way this one lands

  92. Normally when I minister on finances

  93. I read these statistics about the average American and what they have saved and how much they have in debt and

  94. And I'm not going to do that today because it would be too depressing

  95. I'm already a little down because of the one bathroom situation

  96. And you think I'm kidding but really I came all happy and then I walked in and I was like reminded of the one but and PTSD hit me

  97. And thank God for inner healing and the anointing that goes deep into our souls the bomb of Gilead

  98. But the stats aren't good

  99. In the natural

  100. In the natural the stats aren't good and they're not that great for this up and coming generation

  101. Do you know what somebody would have to make now to have to have the same purchasing power someone who made minimum wage in the 1970s

  102. 66 dollars an hour

  103. To have the same purchasing power somebody in the 70s don't make me even talk about the 50s

  104. The 50s was when you can be a factory worker go off into the factory and still have a house and two cars and your wife stayed at home and you raise four kids

  105. And it's another story how we got that way which is the real story of the problems we face as a nation

  106. It really is all the other problems we think we have our direct result of the monetary policy and money delusion

  107. But in the natural it's not so good, but the good thing is we don't have to live according to the natural

  108. We can live according to the supernatural

  109. We don't have to live subject to this world system and this world's economy

  110. We can live under God system the kingdom of God the kings domain

  111. And his ways better and our citizenship is in heaven and we can live under that rule

  112. But we have to we have to follow certain principles. Amen

  113. And so if you're a guest by the way

  114. Because you landed on me teaching on finances. I have to teach on finances

  115. Why because a church needs money? No

  116. Because you need money

  117. Yeah

  118. I have to teach on finances because that's where all you think about is is money. No, I don't yes you do

  119. That's all you think about

  120. Everyone of your decisions goes through the filter of money

  121. 99% of your time is you have to think about money or trying to get more of it

  122. And then people want to pretend like oh money should matter

  123. And I met some of them when I was pastoring in the East Village

  124. These these these bright eyed bushy tail faces and who cares about money

  125. You know they were talking in New York City people are so obsessed with money

  126. And look at his Wall Street guy just going what also money money

  127. You know, and I've been my 20s too, so I'm like listening and learning like oh wow, you know, I think maybe they're right

  128. But then I got to notice the face you're making you know, I'm going with this

  129. I started notices when we're in the East Village

  130. We had we had a lot now if you're if you're in the arts bless you if you're an actor or model

  131. But when we were only in the East Village

  132. We had like over 50 60% of the church that was either an actress actor or a model

  133. And they were the ones saying it to me

  134. But only a certain subset then I realized as I listened to their stories

  135. They all came from wealthy suburb and parents who were funding their life in New York City

  136. So they get to say oh, it's all about money. Who cares about money

  137. Because my dad are giving you the money

  138. But one day you'll also be concerned about the money

  139. Hey, man

  140. So it's what people work towards what they think about and

  141. Then want to pretend like it isn't important. It is important. That's why the Bible has so much to say about it

  142. That's why Jesus had so much to say about it. Jesus is a positive preacher

  143. But he preached as positive as he is he gave warnings and he preached twice as much about hell as he did about heaven

  144. But concerning finances stewardship

  145. Well-giving lands he preached more about those topics than heaven and hell combined

  146. Oh, why is it about money? It's because it affects you and that's why Jesus talked about it

  147. Hallelujah also how about this

  148. He doesn't want you to be a slave

  149. Proverbs 227

  150. The rich rules over the poor and the borrower is servant to the lender

  151. The rich rules over the poor

  152. It was true back then

  153. It was true a thousand years ago 500 years ago. It's true today

  154. I don't know about you. I don't want to be ruled over by anyone or anything other than the Lord

  155. I

  156. And deep down in my heart. This is what I see happening. I hope I'm wrong

  157. I hope Jesus comes back and says all right. You all had enough. Phew

  158. I would like that, but right now the direction things are going in is that the robots with AI brains are coming

  159. they're coming and

  160. Elon Musk

  161. As iron man like and goofy as he can be

  162. He doesn't say

  163. Things that don't matter

  164. He doesn't he sets them out landish stuff like we're going to go to Mars and then he puts stuff on the Mars

  165. And he's been tweeting nonstop

  166. About universal basic income what's gonna happen when the robots with AI brains come well universal basic income UBI people will just need you know

  167. You'll just sit at home and you'll collect money from the government if that excites you

  168. because that is

  169. being a slave

  170. Slaves on every continent through any century. They also had free medical care

  171. Food a roof over their heads. Yeah, they were slaves

  172. There was subject to someone else universal basic income is nothing, but the rich ruling over you

  173. You think everybody's gonna be on you. I know

  174. There's gonna be elites and it'll be an even smaller subset than today

  175. We might be governed by a technocracy

  176. I want to say we I mean in general. I'm not believing that for me or my wife or my kids

  177. Don't believe that for yourself

  178. God provides escape hatches

  179. Hallelujah, listen

  180. If you think I'm too extreme this is what I started to realize in 2019

  181. See I came I'm gonna I'm gonna go a little slower than the first service because we have more time

  182. I'll share as both the back doors

  183. I grew up every summer going to Yugoslavia

  184. America did not know what inflation was

  185. Now you maybe know of it back when I was talking inflation people didn't even know what it was unless they took an economics class in college or high school

  186. But I would go back throughout the 80s every summer to Yugoslavia and I would see new money

  187. Like they would have to they couldn't fit the zeros anymore on on on the bills they had to keep

  188. Inventing new money fiat paper currency and so my little candy bar that I would buy as an annual that was 10 dinars

  189. The next summer was a thousand dinars then thousand then 10 thousand and I that did something to me

  190. Because I would ask grandpa. Why what we don't have this in America. Why is this happening?

  191. Oh inflation what's inflation? Well the government just keeps making money they keep printing it out of thin air yeah

  192. When you have too much of something and devalues what you have that had an impact on me

  193. so in 2020

  194. During COVID you know that the government just invented

  195. Invented created four trillion dollars out of thin air. That's a lot by the way

  196. It's a lot as far as how many dollars we have in circulation

  197. It hit me I talked to other people are like yeah, what do you mean? Yeah, that's really gonna affect your life

  198. So I went all in on another asset

  199. That is finite

  200. That has programmed digital scarcity that can be printed ad nauseam

  201. Bitcoin

  202. I'm not gonna preach about Bitcoin

  203. But here's what I'm trying to have you realize that it meant so much to me. I saw what was on the horizon

  204. That I had a huge wake. I talked to my wife. She was on board and it financially transformed our lives

  205. It financially transformed this church's life

  206. I want you to know that

  207. This

  208. This is in your hands you get to decide how the next 10 years play out

  209. And if that makes you nervous like oh, I only see three options you get to decide not to see three options

  210. You get to decide God you're the one who makes an escape hatch

  211. You're the one even though I'm silly at times. You're the one even though I've made mistakes in the past

  212. You're the one even though it looks like it's not gonna be right. You're gonna make it all right because I believe

  213. That you're gonna make for me. You got to appropriate it for yourself. God. You're gonna do a miracle in my life

  214. You're gonna speak to me. I will obey you will talk to me

  215. You will see me as the head and not the tail above and not beneath

  216. You will see me lending and not borrowing and you don't want me to be a slave

  217. You don't want me to be ruled over by someone else lord

  218. I'm gonna do the ruling and I'll be a loving compassionate merciful just ruler

  219. Hallelujah

  220. So

  221. Proverbs 11 24 is also another great principle

  222. There is one who scatters one who so seed

  223. One who's generous one who gives and yet somehow he's not

  224. I'm the negative side

  225. He hasn't yeah, he's not the one out of loss

  226. He's increasing more. He's got a net gain yet. He scatters

  227. And there is one who withholds more than is right, but that leads to poverty

  228. Well, what is more than it's right more than is right

  229. You don't get to make up what's more than is you ever hang around stingy people

  230. It's terrible

  231. It's terrible they'll they'll give a nickel to a homeless person an act like they're opening up their you know

  232. Whole savings account here you go

  233. Don't spend it all in one place, you know for them. That's more. That's what is right

  234. No, it really is

  235. So what's what is right? Well, I'm so glad you asked

  236. What is right? It will God instituted with Abraham

  237. Something called the tithe a tenth

  238. Aren't you glad that God works with percentages and not numbers?

  239. And here's what it says about the tithe Leviticus 2730

  240. And all the tithe of the land whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree is the Lord's

  241. It is holy to the Lord so the tithe is holy

  242. That's another reason why I preach on this and I haven't preached on the tithe and I don't remember

  243. It's been over 16 months

  244. It was last February

  245. And actually feel like I was agree like it's I don't want to preach on the tithe in the natural and myself. I don't want to after the R knots

  246. Especially here you're already uncomfortable

  247. One bathroom that I mentioned that

  248. But it's holy

  249. And holy doesn't mean clean we think holiness means cleanliness holiness means separation

  250. The tithe is separate onto the Lord what God is saying is it doesn't even belong to you. It's mine

  251. And when you give the tithe you really not giving that's why Jesus said you pay your tithe you're just giving back what's already mine

  252. And it is a holy subject giving the tithe should be a time of worship between you and the Lord

  253. You're coming to the altar with a gift

  254. The altar is no joke whether it's Old Testament or New Testament the altars were a sacrifice takes place

  255. And the tithe always has the spirit of sacrifice introduced into it

  256. And God sees it as holy and he receives it as something that's holy

  257. So I want to just talk to you about principles of tithing

  258. Some people don't get the full benefit because they they never really got the word on the subject

  259. I didn't until I did my own studies when I got saved the churches that I went to they all had the same tithing message

  260. It was an angry preacher screaming Malachi three at you

  261. Well a man robbed God

  262. Yeah, you have robbed him you are cursed with the index finger you

  263. You

  264. Every church was like that. There was no like word teaching like let me understand it was just basically it felt like an extortion racket

  265. So let me keep you the word on the subject and you can decide for yourselves and if you rejected at least you know what you're rejecting

  266. The tithe here's some principles number one it shows faith in God's word and his provisional care

  267. It shows faith when you tithe whenever you tithe you're saying lord

  268. I believe your word because tithing makes no sense in the natural

  269. It doesn't

  270. Nobody wakes up and thinks you know how can I how can I give my money away

  271. And God is asking for a tenth

  272. But he's asking for it as a test

  273. To see if you can be entrusted with more

  274. And there's a leap of faith

  275. That's why some people are at that place of faith and maturity where they do tithe and others

  276. They still give way to fear they give way to rationalizations excuses

  277. But at the end of the day it comes down to one thing do you trust God and take him at his word

  278. Do you believe his word do you believe that when he said when you tithe when you're the one who actually scatters

  279. You will actually increase more

  280. Before financial breakthrough

  281. We weren't living high on the hog at all. We had an any given point

  282. $1,500 in our bank account. That's nothing like to brag about one hot water heater blow out boom

  283. But we had no debt and somehow still even when the lord had us in that testing and waiting period

  284. Did you lack anything?

  285. I didn't lack anything

  286. I actually think back. I'm like we went to Montenegro so many times. How did we pay for that?

  287. How did we

  288. But the lord because we were tithers the lord always

  289. made it so that

  290. We came out on top. Amen never once did we think oh we shouldn't have tithe

  291. We'd have more money for ourselves because I know it's not true. We'd have less money something else would happen

  292. And drain that away

  293. The tithe is a way to acknowledge Jesus's lordship in every area of your life

  294. That's what Abraham did when he met Melchizedek the first tithe

  295. And he recognized that a greater than he

  296. And he gave a tenth of all his spoils

  297. Whenever you tithe you're saying I believe in you lord and I believe you are above me

  298. And I'm subject to you and I'm submitted to you and I gladly give that which is already yours

  299. Here's your tenth back to you and why a tenth anyway why 10%

  300. When I five when I 50 he could have picked any percent because a 10 is indicative of the whole

  301. If you can count to 10 you can count to any number

  302. So when you give the tenth it's like you're giving it all the tenth represents the whole

  303. All right quiet down now. I got a preach

  304. Showed him me down

  305. ah

  306. The tithe thank you

  307. We'll challenge our flesh our carnal nature

  308. What is the flesh our carnal nature that's not subject to the lord the flesh is nasty the flesh wants to do what it wants to do

  309. the flesh is selfish

  310. flesh is a consumerist

  311. And when you tithe you're putting your flesh under you're dying to the flesh

  312. You're saying no this belongs to the lord he is my head

  313. It's a way to show proper headship whenever you give the tithe to the lord

  314. A lot of people want to have Jesus as their savior but not as their lord

  315. But he's lord and savior and if he's not lord of all he's not lord at all

  316. And it seems to be the last thing that's converted or given up is the wallet the purse the bank account

  317. I'll live you

  318. By the way

  319. I just because there's so many different faces. I don't know who's thinking what whatever and I'm just I'm just free

  320. The church is doing fine financially. It's not in danger

  321. And I guess I have to say that because also whenever the preacher will get angry shouting on the tithe the men

  322. Uh-oh the church is doing bad financially

  323. It the church is doing great

  324. And

  325. Tithing transform my life

  326. So much so that my wife and I last year were able to tithe 2.1 million dollars to the lord

  327. Amen

  328. We practice what we preach he blessed us he over blessed us

  329. So God doesn't have to receive anything

  330. But people must give

  331. He's not trying to take something from you trying to get something to you, but it's activated with giving

  332. Hallelujah

  333. Hallelujah

  334. Why is he got to talk about money because that's all you think about

  335. Hallelujah

  336. Proverbs well, let's look at this next principle tithing

  337. Exhibits godly stewardship and financial discipline

  338. The tithe the tenth is a way to consistently exhibit. What does godly stewardship mean financial discipline

  339. Proverbs 27 23

  340. I found this in talking to people when they want to talk about their finances

  341. I'll ask how much debt do you have and they don't know

  342. I said well eight months ago. It was like 25,000

  343. What do you mean like 25,000 and what do you mean eight months ago? What was it yesterday?

  344. I don't know why don't you know and it's they never say this way

  345. But what they're really saying is I don't know because I can't bear to look

  346. I don't know what's coming in. I don't know what's going out

  347. If I look I'll get depressed so I put you know stick my head in the sand

  348. And if I don't see my debt my debt won't see me

  349. That's what the emu bird thinks

  350. It sticks its head in the hole and the things if I can't see the coyote the coyote won't see me

  351. But he does and the debt sees you they're coming for you

  352. Thank god you serve the god of supernatural debt elimination amen

  353. Be diligent to know the state of your flocks and attend to your herds

  354. You ask a shepherd how many sheep do you have 87 two more on the way?

  355. How many goats do you have 32 how many cattle 55 they know the state of their flocks

  356. And yet people die don't know the state of their finances

  357. They don't know what they have in a savings account and checking account is my wife and I we have to meet every single week

  358. It's like the highlight of our week right babe

  359. You're so sweet, but we never look forward to that we got lots of other things to do right

  360. It's not fun

  361. But we take 15 20 minutes apart. No, it's like the last thing you want to do

  362. Be forced yourself

  363. 15 20 minutes. Let's go over all the amics bills. Let's go through checking

  364. Let's go through how much taxes are due let's bring 15 20 minutes and we get an idea. We know what's up

  365. Tiving helps you know what's up because it's actually forcing you to consider your finances see tiving shouldn't be willy nilly

  366. and I kind of like

  367. When I back in the day before everything got digital tiving was a holy time you thought about it

  368. You separated God's portion you worshiped with it

  369. It took longer now. It takes like two minutes point your phone set up automatic and all that's fine and Danny, but make sure in your heart

  370. You're worshiping the Lord and you're recognizing what's happening there. You're seeing him as your head

  371. You're showing that you can be trusted with increase

  372. You're putting your flesh under

  373. And

  374. It's forcing you to do the math

  375. Some people just to have never even done the math of carrying the decimal place over two points

  376. And considering their flock and tithing causes you to consider your your flock know the state of your flock

  377. If you're alive just say amen. Okay

  378. If you're if you're alive just shoot a quick text to your face and notify it

  379. That you're alive

  380. It's hard for me to tell sometimes

  381. The principle of tiving positions ourselves for financial increase

  382. This is God's ordained way to financially increase us

  383. And he already takes pleasure in our prosperity

  384. Now if you're not experiencing prosperity, guess what you need to do business with God

  385. Do you know you can do business with God?

  386. You can actually talk to him and if you're serious you really talk to him

  387. See I pray all the time

  388. But when it's a 9-1 situation 9-1-1 I notice I don't pray I pray

  389. And I've noticed something that God is actually moved by our passion

  390. He actually is you think oh gods and I'm like yeah, he is in James. It says the fiery fervent

  391. Passionate prayer avails much has the kind of got a death sentence. He cried. I didn't go

  392. Maybe you give me a few more years

  393. He cried a lord give me more yeah

  394. And guys like 15 more years. I like your passion. I like your sincerity

  395. You know who's wedding I did last night? Matt Dirlack

  396. oh

  397. fastest

  398. fastest wedding I've ever done but also fastest courtship I've ever

  399. five six months

  400. and and

  401. And I only did it that fast because the hand of the Lord was on

  402. And they went through primital counseling at all, but as I'm doing the wedding I begin to leap

  403. I hope if ever do your wedding I'm more composed. I'm like weeping they're then weeping or like the anointing's there

  404. And I remember

  405. They said they would be watching but they're not watching they just got married and I was like yeah if you're watching

  406. Yeah, sure you're watching

  407. What's what's the over under on whether they're watching right now?

  408. Here's what I remember we have you know 21 days of prayer and fasting at the start of every new year

  409. And we all gather the whole church gathers and praise on zoom

  410. And Matt and we all by the way we pray for New York City, right?

  411. We pray for people to get saved the church. We don't pray for ourselves

  412. Matt was the only one every year. He's praying for his future wife. Oh lord, you know, I just

  413. I was so annoyed

  414. And I'm like all right. It's just next year. He's doing it again

  415. I'm like this guy. It's the only one

  416. But you know what he was

  417. passionate

  418. Sirius he just decided you know what I'm tired of being single

  419. I'm gonna get hitched and I'm gonna grab a hold of God and be serious about it

  420. I found that works for everything. I got a whole sermon. I preached on brief prayers

  421. I pray all the time talk a lot to God, but that's not I'm not asking for stuff

  422. I'm just sharing my heart, but when it comes for something you need let it be quick. Jesus said don't let

  423. Don't don't don't think that you will be heard for your much speaking. Oh

  424. You need something

  425. Tell God what you need and do it with gusto do with passion put your heart in his hand. It actually does move him

  426. Hallelujah

  427. I

  428. Don't know how I got on that, but someone needed to hear it. I mean it looked back there. I thought maybe it was one of the principles, but it's not

  429. Let's read the book of Milachi chapter three

  430. The book of Milachi

  431. Chapter three because the tithe positions you for financial increase

  432. The tithe is gods ordained way for us to get blessed and increase

  433. Is it a coincidence that the most tithing nation? I don't know today, but definitely 30 years ago was the United States

  434. And then we became the world's economic superpower responsible for 94% of all global missionaries

  435. That

  436. So that even secular people like Robert Kiyosaki

  437. I don't know where he is in his Christianity, but you look at his books. There's a lot of those

  438. Finance gurus real estate gurus. They all say tithing

  439. Giving very very important

  440. I don't even know they don't talk about the Lord and other areas, but they've tapped into a principle

  441. And it's a biblical principle and it works like gravity whether you believe it or not. It's gonna work for you

  442. That's how giving is

  443. Will a man rob God now here he's rebuking them. You know why?

  444. Because there is stiff-necked rebellious people

  445. Withholding from God. So he's angry and and and he's rebuking them

  446. This isn't how I believe a pastor should address a Sunday morning congregation

  447. Because you're not a stiff-necked rebellious people you love the Lord

  448. You worship him you give your tithe

  449. Will a man rob God yet you have robbed me

  450. But you say in what way have we robbed you

  451. Entides and offerings

  452. You are cursed with a curse for you have robbed me even this whole nation

  453. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be food in my house and try me now in this

  454. Says the Lord of hosts if I will not open

  455. For you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such a blessing

  456. That there will not be room enough to receive it

  457. So we actually says test me in this. This is my way for you to increase

  458. And when you put together all that Jesus said and you put together the financial themes of the Bible

  459. It seems that God has set it up to

  460. where

  461. You prove to him that you can handle money

  462. You you know why we gave 2.1 million dollars. Do you want to know why?

  463. Thank you

  464. Because I wanted more

  465. I could give you a lot of holy reasons yes to submit to the Lord to follow the word but all behind that was

  466. I wanted more money

  467. Now I couldn't ask him for more if I didn't do what was right

  468. So now and you think oh you gave 2.1 so it's that's never easy to do

  469. It's actually gets harder to do it's never easy

  470. But I'm showing the Lord and you every time you tie if you're showing the Lord I can be trusted with more because money isn't ruling over me

  471. And I I stand on your were oh tithing isn't working make it work

  472. I remember years where I thought will come tithing isn't working so you know what I just doubled out

  473. I don't care

  474. It's like when you're sick and you you believe you're healed

  475. But you're not getting better. What are you going to do? Oh, it doesn't work. No get stubborn

  476. double down

  477. Believe more

  478. I just I just made a covenant with the Lord a decision

  479. Lord, I don't care if I'm my last can of beans. I'm going to tithe to you and your word is your word

  480. I don't care what's happening around me

  481. I don't care how much it hurts right now your power will come in and will change my environment around

  482. But I'm not budging from obedience to your word some of you that's what he's waiting for

  483. Last week the art not we're joking and they were saying you know what happens

  484. It was about the prophetic and the prophetic word and I was laughing to myself because

  485. When you get a prophetic word usually not out of ten times the exact opposite happens

  486. God's gonna use you you're gonna increase you should go to work tomorrow you got fired

  487. You're getting kicked out

  488. You know your passport expired you don't even have a year and where are you going to go now

  489. That's how it's been with every prophetic word

  490. The word will test you you have to actually believe it when it's very difficult to believe

  491. That is the test

  492. That's something I have to recognize every time is I'm actually trying to encourage you in the words that the Lord has spoken to you

  493. A lot of Sunday services are staying on track and being encouraged to persevere until that word is fully manifested

  494. hallelujah

  495. hallelujah

  496. The tithe the principle of the tenth demonstrates to God that we can be trusted with money

  497. The principle of the tithe

  498. Helps you to honor worship the Lord and that's scriptural. I'm not giving to an organization

  499. I'm not giving

  500. To a person I'm worshipping the Lord proverbs three nine through ten

  501. And the big the big switch happens when you realize you're giving to God

  502. I've never I never give to man

  503. My gift is always aimed at Jesus. I'm on earth

  504. So it has to be something physical that I can see but in actuality. I'm giving it to the Lord

  505. Don't ever give under compulsion. Don't ever give under guilt

  506. Real biblical giving should be filled with joy and free

  507. hallelujah honor the Lord see that word honor

  508. Honor the Lord you know the wise men came to the small child Jesus

  509. And it says opening their treasure bags they worship them opening their treasure bags. They worship them

  510. There is a connection between giving to the Lord and worshipping him

  511. honor the Lord with your possessions worship the Lord with your possessions

  512. And with the first fruits of your increase and please note that note that there is never

  513. A benefit not attached to the sacrifice

  514. He always attaches the benefit

  515. because

  516. Because we need that encouragement and we do we need to know why we do the things we do

  517. What happens when I honor the Lord with my tithe my barns will be filled with plenty and my vats will overflow with new wine

  518. And if my barns aren't filled with plenty then I'm applying faith pressure to the word. I'm saying Lord straighten me out

  519. What am I doing wrong?

  520. You know you can be a titheur you never read a book you never take any risks you're just scrolling all day

  521. God is limited to how much those windows are gonna open up and he's gonna bless you that's a fact

  522. I have to say that that's where I think a lot of preachers get it wrong because it and really what I hear then is you don't really care about me

  523. You just want me to tie but you don't really care because I'm gonna be a broke dumb titheur

  524. But you challenge me to look for another job look how to increase dress better be smarter read a book a week

  525. You can do it stop scrolling six hours a day go take some risk you can't he'll bless the work of your hands

  526. Not to see to your pants to go on a then mix that with tithing things are gonna shake rattle and roll amen

  527. Hallelujah go learn something develop yourself some people are like they're they're stuck in fear and in their shyness

  528. Well, you need to you're network is your net worth go meet some people

  529. I think that's been telling me to go meet some people he's been telling you to go to a life group for three years now and you're still in a corner somewhere

  530. Who's for about again

  531. And this you know this message is always funny because Jesus called money manman

  532. What is a manman a Latin word for money? No manman was the money god

  533. And when you talk about money you're touching people's gods you're missing with people's gods

  534. That's why there's a funny funny air whenever you talk about money even though Jesus had no problem talking about money

  535. Talked about it all all the time go through the gospels and just pay attention to when Jesus talks about giving

  536. stewardship money the offering lands talents

  537. Quite often and he uses it quite often in his parables

  538. The principle of tithing activates the first fruit principle

  539. And that's if the first fruits be holy the lump is holy and that's found in Romans 11 16

  540. Hallelujah

  541. You

  542. Hallelujah

  543. Hallelujah

  544. If the tie the 10th

  545. That oh can you go to Romans 11 16 is what I meant

  546. Because

  547. Because that's where the first fruits principle is for if the first fruits is holy the lump is also holy

  548. Here what the scripture saying it's saying when I give the first 10th

  549. That's giving of the first tank sanctifies the lump or the remaining 90 percent

  550. If

  551. If the root is holy so the branches so in other words

  552. I gladly give the tithe because then the remaining 90 percent is blessed

  553. And I would rather have a blessed 90 percent than a curse at 100 percent

  554. So there is this principle throughout the scriptures

  555. And

  556. Evil men have tapped into this principle good men have tapped into this principle

  557. Study the titans of industry from the Vanderbilt to Rockefeller to they all talked about tithing

  558. Napoleon Hill think and grow they all talked about tithing

  559. They understood that it was a biblical principle you cannot be a miserly small minded stingy minji dead sea with no outlet

  560. And then say oh god won't you increase me no you have no outlet

  561. But I found that he will get all sorts of things to you if he knows that he can get them through you

  562. All sorts of wild things my pastor gave me this brightling watch it was rose gold

  563. Did I show it to you? Oh you were there that day

  564. I forgot I was gonna tell I'm telling a story you were there that I love that thing

  565. And

  566. And then John not what John R. Not was over last year

  567. When he was minutes not like hanging out for cut when he was ministering here he came at a few people over for breakfast

  568. And this was by far the most expensive watch I owned I almost very even award

  569. And I fell and I didn't want to give it away for sentimental reasons because my pastor gave it to me

  570. And I felt give it to John R. Not

  571. That's all I need to hear

  572. Waited about 30 seconds just for confirmation

  573. But when it feels like a mountain of fire is resting on you

  574. You're like I better not I don't need much more confirmation

  575. So I gave it gave it glad and you know he took it and he's like

  576. Well, he actually he's so honest and he's so sweet and transparent like

  577. I'm preaching in Mexico all the time on the street. What am I gonna do with this?

  578. I'm like I don't know what you're gonna do with it because I looked at his watch

  579. It was like a $12 timings

  580. I'm like I don't know what you're gonna do with it, but I know you need to have it

  581. And then I know and I was done. I don't really want to collect watches or whatever

  582. Collecting always sounds a little weird, you know, it sounds like a golem

  583. Wow my precious collecting and like it's all gonna burn and go to dust and rust anyway

  584. But but then in the next year and this really hit me and you know I got watches and

  585. Why they they were like coming to me

  586. No, I pay for them, but they were coming to me

  587. One old friend called me up and he said because I gave away my Submariner

  588. He said I have a Submariner the waiting list is three years on him. You can buy it from me for retail. I was like I think I will

  589. Uh, they were and the money to buy them with the Lord just made it so now I gave one away that I really like

  590. But I have a whole bunch more than just they're there. Oh

  591. Hallelujah

  592. Work the principle of see time and harvest showing and reaping

  593. Concerning pulse at giving and receiving

  594. There's a giving there is a receiving

  595. When Paul was taking a three chapter long offering messages when he introduced this agrarian principle of sewing and reaping

  596. My grandfather, you know, he fought in World War II killed a lot of Nazis

  597. But also had wild stories like one day found a Nazi in the forest and he just looked at him with compassion and gave him half a loaf of bread

  598. He would all he was a kind of old school. He also didn't didn't give his life to Christ

  599. But he was at old school

  600. Montenegro and peasant like guy who would give if you needed something you were never gonna go hungry or you know

  601. You know all of you have a family member would give you the shirt off his back. You know what I mean the salt of the earth

  602. Giving

  603. He never ever lacked anything

  604. He was always contented with his belly full. He never

  605. Because he tapped into a principle without even realizing it

  606. There's a sewing and there's a re now think about some of the most miserable people you know

  607. And I guarantee you they have something in common. They're not givers

  608. They're usually some of the most miserly stingy they have skinny, scrawny hearts

  609. And so that's what they're reaping consistently scrawniness

  610. leanness

  611. You see somebody does anybody wonder see I don't know by the way. I don't know who tides

  612. I really do not know I treat everybody like they're the number one giver in the church

  613. If you're wondering you know from locking eyes with you when I'm preaching. Oh, he's that I have no idea

  614. But look at Mauricio right now. Do you wonder I wonder if he tides or not

  615. I never wonder about that

  616. Because there's joy you will never see

  617. Joy on the face of somebody who's

  618. My precious

  619. Aren't you so glad you came today

  620. Hallelujah

  621. I believe with all my heart

  622. That what happened to my wife and I financially in 24 and 25 was a setup

  623. For what's still gonna happen

  624. I believe with all my heart that there's gonna be a huge shaking and a huge financial transfer

  625. I believe the world as we know it is gonna be turned upside down the economy is gonna be turned upside down

  626. We're at an inflection point on the technology curve

  627. Where things are gonna change very quickly and rapidly

  628. Some people are gonna become modern-day slaves to the elite technocrats

  629. But there's gonna be a lot of money moving shaking. There's gonna and whenever there's a lot of shaking and a lot of movement

  630. There's also great opportunity

  631. And I believe the gods people who are submitted to him

  632. Or searching after him

  633. Who God knows I can trust you you don't do what you want to do you do what I want you to do you do what my words

  634. To do they're the ones who are qualified and then the ones who are gonna experience a

  635. rapid rapid increase

  636. Hallelujah

  637. The principle of tiving it blesses God with your obedience and that's what he's after it's not the money that blesses him

  638. It's the obedience worship team come on up the obedience is an expression of love

  639. Hallelujah

  640. Thank you, Jesus

  641. In just a little bit we're gonna worship and honor the Lord with our tides and offerings

  642. If you're a guest

  643. Wow, you came on a funny Sunday

  644. Because this is I get it. This is what most non-churchgoing people think churches talk about all the time

  645. So if you're a guest and you're like I knew it

  646. We actually talk about Jesus his person his miracle working power how to live the victorious Christian life

  647. That's 99% of what comes forth from this pulpit

  648. But I cannot leave a subject that God himself calls holy that Jesus himself addressed

  649. I

  650. Cannot leave that out it would be very very cowardly of me and I'm a whole lot of things

  651. But a coward I'm not

  652. It would be cowardly of me and then I would have to give an account to God why I didn't share principles that work for me

  653. Why didn't share them with you biblical principles to bless you to promote you to increase you

  654. Why was I such a coward because people might think oh he's one of those money preacher guys

  655. Oh

  656. Hallelujah did you put that last one up that last principle did you have it? I just wanted to see it

  657. The very last one about obedience

  658. Yeah

  659. Because really truly God doesn't need the money, but what he does requires our obedience and every time we tie

  660. We're saying Lord where we're obedient to your word

  661. Now here's the beautiful thing

  662. Nobody knows whether you tie they're not

  663. There's no accounting team going through and go you know there's that guy in the fourth row

  664. If we have no idea and so that makes it actually beautiful and pure

  665. And by the way, you're not going to get a call from me ever go wow you're a number one tether

  666. Thank you

  667. You know there's and it's a me there's people here they they they they're huge gifters

  668. They've never ever gotten a data boy from me, you know, I really appreciate you

  669. I'm so glad you know, I don't you I don't we don't know

  670. So that requires even more faith on your part

  671. Because you're not doing it for the recognition of man you're definitely not doing it to get a better seat

  672. You know tithers in the front

  673. No

  674. No, guess what this is where it gets raw it's you and God

  675. Just like your salvation is between you and him

  676. Your destiny is you partnering with him as he walks you to fulfill it and this tithing thing is between you and God

  677. And for the record I look at everybody like they're the number one giver in the church

  678. So

  679. You approached the Lord you and him

  680. And you you allow him to search your heart

  681. And basically comes down to you deciding whether you want to live a skinny life or fat life

  682. I'm all about that fat life

  683. Why because I'm exhorted to in the Bible it says eat the fat and drink the sweet

  684. The call in the Bible has come up here come up and I come down

  685. I want to it is not humble or sweet to say oh, I don't want much

  686. That's not how are you going to help people if you don't want much

  687. How are you are you going to build a church since you don't want much and people always parade that around like they're being holy

  688. Oh, you know, I just need

  689. Yourselfish is what you are because you're thinking about all that you need a great you can survive on a can of beans

  690. And that's all you need what about there's people who can

  691. I

  692. Can't survive on a can of beans baby. You know that I need steak

  693. Carnivores healing me from the inside out. I got to have and I'm believing for wagoo level

  694. Next Lord not prime ribs not cutting it anymore baby. I need it flown in from Japan

  695. I

  696. Want to know whatever pastor Brian's eating

  697. He looks like a superhero

  698. I want to know what

  699. Did we receive the tides and offerings yet? Let's do that

  700. Hallelujah

  701. You

  702. Thank you Lord

  703. Give with a glad heart give and faith

  704. We're going to have the ministry team come up to the front you might be

  705. Really facing something and I preach the message that's important. That's right. That's necessary to preach

  706. But maybe this isn't the number one message you needed to hear we have a ministry team to lay hands on you and pray with you

  707. We want to see you come up. We want to see you do better

  708. So the altar will be open in about 60 seconds. Don't care about who sees you. Don't care about what will people

  709. Then just come up there and say pray for me. That's all you got to do

  710. Even better if you can come up with that once one main thing you need prayer for so they can zone in and be specific with you

  711. So ministry team want you to come on up to the front

  712. You

  713. Hallelujah

  714. Matt if you're really watching the service

  715. I

  716. Will send you a $250 seamless card so you don't have to leave your house for the next few days

  717. Who breeds seamless of your choice if you text me in the next 60 seconds

  718. If you're really watching

  719. Babe can you get my phone out can you let me see if you

  720. Anything yet nothing

  721. How long is the streaming delay four minute streaming you got five minutes

  722. There's a four minute streaming delay that's how much of a delay you need for me to manage me

  723. At the Oscars. It's like 12 seconds in case the celebrities curse you got four minutes on me in case I just flip out, huh

  724. Let's all stand

  725. Heavenly father move on your people

  726. We trust you as we move into the future

  727. We're the head and not the tail say it out loud. I'm the head

  728. Not the tail. I'm above

  729. Not beneath

  730. I do the lending

  731. Not the borrowing

  732. In Jesus name

  733. Amen go and be blessed

  734. This is the city light church podcast if you've missed any part of today's message

  735. Or if you would like to find out more about pastor boy on janskick and city light church

  736. Visit us at city light NYC dot com that's city light

  737. NYC dot com

  738. Feel free to visit us online or in person anytime we would love to connect with you

  739. We pray that you have been encouraged today that you have been reminded how much god loves you

  740. And that you are surrounded by grace

  741. Thank you for listening make sure that you subscribe to city light church podcast wherever you find your favorite podcasts worldwide

  742. You