Preparing our giving for anniversary | Pr Matthew Chang

You're listening to a message to go from acts church.

We hope this message will light up your day.

To Second Corisdiance chapter nine. And if you see there,

if you have the NKJV version, it will be called

administering the Gift.

Okay.

Now, the giving is such an important part of Paul

the Apostle, Paul's teaching that he actually dedicated two chapters

to win. Of all things that he could taught the

church about, you know, baptism, maybe about grace and mercy,

maybe about end times, right, he chose to dedicate two

Actually there's almost another half a chapter about the concept

of giving.

Okay.

So now, and I want to give a bit of context,

because this particular giving is a unique giving. It was

not just about Hay giving. But Paul was writing to

invite the churches in Macedonia, okay, up north to give

to the Church in Judea down south.

Okay.

The church in Judea is basically the church in Jerusalem. Okay,

the Church in Jerusalem. And so what happened in that

time is that there was a prophecy. If you go

to X, I think it's X chapter nine, the X

chapter nine, Okay, Basically after the Jerusalem Council. There was

a guy called a prophet called Agabas who prophesied there

was going to be a great famine that will actually

happen in the in the world, and especially in the

Judaean area. A great famine that happened. And because of that, Uh,

the church suffered very very much. Okay, Uh, the Christians uh.

And now the fellow the fellow Jews the were there

were suffered was suffering very greatly because of the familye

as well. But it's kind of interesting because the church

in Jerusalem was actually kind of the the sending church

that were the primary church, or some people call it

the you know, the us to get the sending Church.

They were the ones who send the apostles out to

plant churches up north. Okay, they were descending church in

Antioch in other places in caroring efforts.

They were descending church Okay.

And that just after Paul and Barnabas went out from

the jude In Church from Josen up north to go

and plant all the churches. Suddenly there came a famine

and Paul decides to collect an offering from the planted

churches to send back to the mother Church. Makes sense,

it's like all of us, all the plants. Okay, you

know the main church that we started offers in Subang

isn't there. And they sent out ex Hibajaya battalions pj

b U. Okay, we all planted ready, and suddenly in

Suban there's a great famine. I think about it like, okay,

great famine normal copedim noma fue okay, no oh you know,

suddenly there they struggle in no food and all, and

we all here in pj in Bu we got abundance

of food and anything that we had decide to collect

money to send back to.

Back to the headquarter. Okay.

So that was the situation. There was gathering. And now

this is important because you must understand that there's very

few connections that they have from the main church and

also from the planted churches, except for the apostles and

the teachings as well. They haven't seen your faces. It's

not like Chinese.

Hey long time.

No see you know you can put a face and

an idea and an image to what they were doing

and giving to you get I mean right? So it

was a giving really by by what faith? You see

what I'm saying you No, it was really a giving

by faith that a lot of people don't understand that.

You know, they cannot go to online the Facebook. Hey

what they're giving pasta doing very good. Now, whatever you

give us, he's tried to tell you, tell us and

what's been done updating so and so and so and

so and as well. By the time there is don't

idea you're really giving by faith. Paul sends a messenger

to prepare the church.

Okay.

And if people heard that and they heard their need

and they go and pray and say, wow, there's a

need and then decide to just give by faith.

Okay. So there is that element there with a lot

of times that we missing on. Okay.

So now I establish the context of what is happening here.

I'm gonna share with you the teaching that Paul presents

to us here in verse nine, chapter one, say, chapter nine,

verse one opposite. Okay, now it says it Paul, okay,

now concerning the ministrying to the saints, okay, which is

more specifically to the saints in Judea.

It is superfluous for.

Me, oh the words so so advance, okay, superfluous for

me to write to you, for I know your willingness,

about which I boast of you to the Macedonians that, okay,

I was ready to give, was ready a year ago,

and your zeal has stirred up the majority.

So let's pause there for a while. So what did

he say here?

He says that now you know that I'm clearly gonna

invite you to go and collect a gift and to

send money down to Judaea. But before I send to you,

I want to let you know that a lot of

people already know about your generosity of giving.

It's already known.

This particular group of people that poor are writing are

known to be very generous. That's why it say it's

superfluous means it's repetitive for me to remind everyone that

you are actually very generous generous, Okay, because people heard

about your giving. I'm testified about your giving to the

people around your region as well, so your generosity is

known everywhere. Okay, Okay, so there were actually a generous

giving people ready. But yet when you read in chapter three,

what does Paul do? He says, yet, I have sent

the brethren lest our boasting of you should be in

vain in this respect, that as I said, you may

be ready. Let less, if some Macedonians come up come

with me and find you, I'm prepared, we bracket not

to mention. You should be ashamed of this confident boasting. Therefore,

I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go

to you ahead of time and prepare your generous gifts beforehand,

which you had previously promised that it may be ready

as a matter of generosity and not a begrudging and

not a grudging or blegation. So let me summarize what

this passage is about. So Paul says, your generosity is

none ready. But despite that, okay, despite me knowing that

if I come to you and call it, offer it,

you will most ready be ready to give one. But

I felt the need to send someone ahead, okay, before

the say, for example, no, maybe a week or two,

a dead or a month ahead, send a head to

pre prepare you for your giving, lest you should be

caught on aware. So why will Paul need to remind

a generous group of people to prepare for your giving?

Interesting?

Why will Paul need to prepare a group of generous

people to prepare for giving? It's kind of interesting, isn't it?

Very generous man, I need to prepare you.

You know.

It's like telling mom, telling your mom, and they are, hey,

Mom that I know you're always prepared enough for me,

but I want to let you know. You know, but

just to night before tomorrow, now about my meal, how

you're to prepare? You know, some kids are always asked

for my news. You know my children does that one

you know, said there I really dream of, you know,

to indoor me and some eggs and stuff like that.

They tell me you want and all it's like prepare. Hey,

Now they know I'm generous really, but I just want

to you know, they just want to remind you. You know,

my son is like you just tell me why they're

excited and know they're excited to receive it. Then know

how generous there the mom is. But just because oh

when I hear that, I hear that they are excited.

You know, they're excited to receive it. But Paul tells that.

But but you see here Paul knowing that still you know,

he has an apostle, he as the main disciple over

the churches, right teaches them this about this giving and

what is that principle that in giving.

You must prepare Okay, you must prepare.

Okay, why because there is always a risk that you

will give grudgingly. That's why in the last sentence that

what he wrote that it may be ready as a

matter of generosity and not a grudging obligation.

That even if you.

Are known to be generous, it is there is a

very high risk that I come there and you're not ready.

Even if you give that amount, it is always not

It can be out of lack of generosity or out

of grudging obligation. Okay, you know say I'm saying now,

so it's important for us even when we look forward,

that we have this concept that we need to prepare. Okay,

So now I've established point number one. Now the rest

part I'm going to establish. I'm going to teach us

why it's important to prepare and how to prepare. Preparing

is not just a mental mindseting. Okay, I'm getting ready,

my bait, my not my my app you know, whatever,

touch and go maybe everything. You know, your QR call

is ready, ready, my mind is ready. I played the

worship song, you know, oh I'm ready. No, no, no,

that's not the type of ready.

Okay.

The red the type of readiness that we are called

to is a spiritual readiness. I'm going to share with

you some practical tips how we ought to prepare to

give as well. Then we see from verse six there's

another title. What does Paul say being prepared to gives

is connected to being.

A cheerful giver? Oh?

Right, Preparing to give is connected to being a cheerful giver.

How does this link?

So?

It's like, oh that Chinese are.

When you see someone knocking in your door and you

see like twenty kids, when you see twenty kaids, you

you don't think about snacks, you know, you think about

the umpower you have to give. You know, it's like

oh money flying off ready smiling, but it must be cheerful.

You don't like give it. Then you look at the

boys or the girls. Better use it well, better pasity

to your mom, and they I don't use it for yourself.

Don't give umpouer like that one? You know you give generously.

You know you don't tell you you don't, you don't,

You don't put conditions.

You give generously.

You got people you want to take on someone and

then you don't have the pride of your hand. One

if you're not strong enough you cannot take my umpo.

No kidding.

Oh, it must be a cheerful giver, isn't it. But

in verse verse six it says, but this I say

to you. Okay, he who sows sparingly will also rip sparingly,

And he who sows bountifully will also rip bountifully. So

let each one give as he purposes in his heart,

not grudgingly, all of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.

This verse has been used many times, isn't it many

many times?

Okay?

Now I want to make a mention a few, you know,

like sometimes we can take this verse a bit out

of context. Okay, we take this as we letch onto

this giving, and a lot of times we use it

to bargain with gotten one. Okay, we're bargain. We've got

got a give her. You give her, You not give cheerfully,

or you're giving, you're giving expectantly. You know, you can

mean right because your give are you're expecting something in return? One,

you know, So let me maybe draw a few maybe

scenarios away we may give, maybe not in a such

a right way. Okay, maybe one of these. The first

one is called last minute giving. By the way, some

of you will see this in your homesnots Okay, last

minute giving? Why it is last minute giving? Okay, I'm

not talking about last minute giving for emergencies are Okay,

there's there's a case where something happens and you give

a last.

Minute emergency giving.

It's true, Okay, I'm not gonna discount there, Okay, But

last minute giving for something that's been planned ahead, ready.

You quickly hastily search for whatever you have in your

wallet or account to give? Okay?

Now is that right or wrong? Last minute giving? Some

of you so painful or this this this sermon? How

many of you have been there before? Don't put your

hands up? Okay, last minute giving? How many of you

probably we've been doing it for many seasons?

This and it?

Oh I've been saving. Actually I have a house renovation

and I why did this have to come?

And do you know it's I was? You know? You know?

Do you know it's Fabruary?

Really?

Oh man?

Why so early last minute giving?

Trust me, I've been there before, Okay, hastily searching for

what you have in your wallet or your account to give?

Why is it not advisable? I want to say it's wrong. Okay,

why is it not advisable? First of all, when you

have a last minute giving, you have no room for faith.

There is no room for faith. You you rob yourself

out of the room to prepare. You get what I mean, right?

You really wrap yourself out of the room to prepare

for faith because it is never intentional. Okay, your room

is not intentional, and there is no room for intentional stewardship.

You know what I'm saying.

You know how many of you like to get in

a relationship where everything is last minute? You're wedding last

minute or no, You're like, oh, prepare? People are nowadays

are prepared. They're waiting how many?

How many? How many months ahead? One year, one year ahead?

People get engaged with something two years ahead, and all

people can prepare for their wedding two years in advance.

You all but asking people to prepare one man in

advance for giving to the Lord. It's a challenge, you know,

true or not? It's a challenge, isn't it?

True or not?

But if you do a one man planning for your wedding,

I think you will have a very challenging.

Road ahead with your spouse. True or not?

Some of you with nine months six months, if you

have not prepared or prepared your spreadsheeting. The most couples,

I know, I have a spreadsheet, you know, I tell you.

Not even more advance are they ask JIBT to plan

on them? Okay, now all you're laughing because you use it.

Ah, you plan.

But when you don't intentionally prepare for something that you're

devoted to, there is no room for faith. There is

no room for faith. There is no room for intentional relationship,

intentional stewardship. There is no room for anything, especially especially

your relationship to grow. You go, I mean right, if

you want to grow your relationship with your child, with

your parents, with your spouse, you will realize that every

giving requires intentionality.

Agree or not?

Do you agree or not? How many of you prepare

to save your money so that your child can go

to university? Isn't there intentional giving?

True or not?

You make sure to make sure, you say, to make

sure that they can go. It's intentional giving when you

realize that when you and especially a lot of us,

when you go up, it's like wow, Mom and dad,

Wow they didn't go holiday this, they didn't buy this

and buy that to save up so that I can

go to college, to the university. That tells you more

than anything else, isn't it, Because they intentionally prepare their giving.

You get mean right, That.

Is where your that is, that is where you give

room for true and genuine relationship gruel.

I'm saying what I'm saying. It makes sense or not?

Does it make sense? Okay?

So don't go for last minute giving people you short

change yourself. God it's not interested in the amount of

every money comes from him, but he's interested in us

deepening our relationship with him. So that's the first thing,

last minute giving. Second one is called reluctant and peer

pressure giving apogeste. I don't have slights. Okay, you would

have been better but for try to catch up with me.

Okay.

Second one, reluctant and peer pressure giving. What is that

you give out of feeling pressured and socially obliged?

Okay?

And not only that you give base on comparison with

peer and with your past. Better than being led by

the Holy Spirit. You gave based on maybe other people give,

maybe what you're or last year, maybe what God has

blessed you this year, and you never give room to really,

you know, ask God to say, hey, what is you?

What is God really speaking to you?

To give? Okay?

And this is that for giving is dangerous because you

know why, because it starts a pattern of comparison. It

starts a pattern of complaining about the cost, complaining about

the inconvenience, and even complaining about the necessity of giving

as well. Why even bought the giver?

Why?

Why is so hard to give one? Why have to

give so much one? Why even need to give? You know?

Or get me right? You see? Are giving?

The ultimate problem is not people not giving. Actually a

lissa to the problem with God. Want if you.

Have a lot, you don't have a problem with giving them.

But you have already.

We have just enough, said God, Why if you give

me more? I could have given easily, isn't it. It

wouldn't been an issue, isn't it. But when we when

we give out of reluctance and our peer pressure, it

betrays our own heart. You see, God will never God

never wants us to give our peer pressure. And I

give you one example our peer pressure giving that God

really despised. You know the story of our Annius and Sephira.

Let me turn to the quick quickly chapter. I think

it's in X chapter six? Is them not mistaken? So

that you guys don't accuse me of simply preaching? Okay, uh,

I think it's in X chapter that's really no, yes.

X chapter five? Sorry, okay.

Annias and Sephira, Now we know the story that Annias

and Saphira they lied about the piece of land they

so and Peter asked them, did you saw everything you

stay the money that you have that you saw from

the land? Annias and Sephira lied about it because they

kept up of what they sold. Okay, what's the problem?

Why?

You know they say the punishment was very severe, But

what is the issue contented?

Here?

Is it because they didn't give the right amount? Why

the issue is not so much about the amount they give?

You know, the issue is that they lie. Now I

will go another level deeper. Why did they lie? Would

they have been punished if they just said, yes, we

kept a part of it. Will they be forced to

give the part of it?

No?

If you saw your land and you give seventy five

percent and you tell me it's seventy five percent, I'm

perfectly fine with that.

You know, God will not hold you accountable. And all.

But if you give me seventy five percent and you

tell me and you tell God that it's one hundred percent,

then you're lying.

But what is the cause of lying? Why would you

need to lie.

Because we're not going to judge you for keeping twenty

five percent back because there was something greater happening there.

You see the chapter before, someone who was very prominent

also gave before they gave, and who was that Barnabas

Barnabus sold the land and gave. So people were rejoicing

because there was a generosity being shown by the guy.

So when an Nias and Selfira came, they didn't even

have to give a single sen one actually, and you'll

be fine enough. They would have been fine not giving

a single scent. But yet I'm guessing they felt the

need to appear very righteous, very pious before God and

before people as well. And we see this similarity happening

throughout the Gospels that even the Pharisees, the religious leaders,

people want to appear righteous before people. I told you

before before that humanity we have the basic needs, a

masters basic needs. We need air, we need shelter, we

need food, we need water. But there is a fourth

spiritual need that we need.

Why is that we need God? Yes?

But why is that we need righteousness? Believe and brief righteousness?

Right, don't know.

But the moment that we cannot attain the righteousness of God,

we try to put our own righteousness in ourselves. Like

Adam tried to take all the figs and leaves to

cover himself, to cover their nakedness and shame as well.

We're always looking for covering. We're always looking for righteousness.

But God gave us his righteousness. You get mean, right,

but we cannot get God.

Time. We try to build.

Our own righteousness, our money, our philosophy, our incessant no

our self what they call it self defense. You know,

I do all these things. I give a lot, but

you lie and stuff like that. And we see this

in the world as well. Some of you will say

that there's plenty of uh. You know. You can see

in politics as well as all sorts of form of

guest lighting. People always appear wanting to peer righteous before

people and so and then as cep wanting to appear

righteous and appear very generous, they gay by they lie

about how much they give.

So God does not require the amount to give but

the sincerity of the heart. Why, because God will.

Not be mocked. Understand what I'm saying. No, God will

not be mocked. God will not be more people. We

cannot do that. That is why you need to prepare

and see what I'm saying you. No, our our giving

mass pre prepe third type of giving, it's called be

called bargain giving. Bargain giving is giving as a means

to buy from hey or bargain with God for blessings

and to bargain with God for favor and gains in

the future. Okay, you know what I'm talking about, right, God,

I give, I want to give generosity. It's like it's like,

you know, it's like in politics, like that trying to

lobby for someone. You know, you support someone in a

campaign and hopefully in the future they will give you

a return.

And you know what I mean, right, we see this.

Before Now, God, if I give you this, if I

come for prayer service for this, if I do this

like that, our hearts are very deceitful at that moment.

We feel like we're very religious.

You know, But in the depths of our heart, if

God never gave, and even if you see your network

dropping Will you still come for a prayer service? Will

you still give the same amount you give? But when

we suffer and we have pain in our lives, do

we start blaming God?

Do we start bringing our receipts?

Card I gave so much? You know, we like to

keep receipts with God. No, but what if God start

keeping receipts.

Of all of us? True or not?

We like to keep receipts to God. But why if

God starts taking receipts with us? Sometimes children like to

take receipts with parents. You know, Hey, Dad, you promise it.

PROMI me that if we start keeping a receipt for

our children the day you woke up, but I startle

you for hospital charges the nine months you cause your mother,

I start building you ready, you know, start a careering intruth.

You know, huh before you were you already career expenses already,

you know.

Oh. We like to bargain. We've got now over things

that we have no power with one and all.

Okay, not only we like to bargain, We've got We

like to draw boundaries with God. Very painful. Sorry, yes,

but I'm teaching scriptures. Okay, we like to draw boundaries.

We've got what is yours, it's yours. What's mine is mine.

That is the mentality of the parable of the ten talents.

You know, the guy with that one talent? What did

he say to God? One talana? Saying that I know

that you are a hard man. Reaping where you do

not sow means that God will take from places to

say that he's accusing God.

God, you take from places where you never put your

labor in. You're dieping into my.

Cookie jar, but you think no, I know you're a

hot man. That is why I take my cookija and

I close it and hide my cookija so that you

won't take from my cookie. Then the masters say, hey,

you think I steal. You use my flour, you use

my sugar, you use my oven, and you think that

I'm a hort man. If that's the case, you get

out of my house. That's why God I said. You

know what I'm saying. No, this is what we like

to draw boundaries of God. Now drawn all the small things.

You know, isn't it?

So if you feel like I'm taking everything from your

cookieja tumboda, come in here. I will give to those

who are very generous, who knows that I've given liberty

to that, and they will give liberty to then there

will be good stewards as well, not simply always trying.

To draw boundaries with God. Okay.

The third one bagain giving is we like to mix

our giving with future and past commitments. In Exodus chapter

twenty three, verse nineteen, Moses was teaching the people how

to give to the door, and he gave this very

interesting statement, do not boil a young gold in the

mother's milk? Have you heard this before? Now? Do not

boil a young golt in a mother's milk? Ten minutes? Okay, good, No,

have you heard before? Maybe actually you can help me

find the scripture? Okay, do not boil a young goer

in the mother's milk? What does it mean? Boiling a

younger in the mother's milk? What kind of Chinese stew

is this?

Okay? Super, it's not okay, It's very weird, right? What

Why is the Bible asking to use milk to boil

a young gold in? Is it both?

Hong?

You know? It's like, no, what does that actually mean? Any?

If any? What does it mean? No?

What it means is a mother's milk is for one season.

A young golt is the sacrifice of one season another

season okay, this seed.

It's say, for.

Example, in year one, I have ten oranges okay, and

I give one or two okay. And this year I

very I have maybe five, but I want to give

to the Lord. But I take the last year one

and I give for this present year and I give

one instead. So what the It is not about money,

it's not about producer. So instead of using the five

this year, I will take the tool from last year

one to give to the Lord. But God says always

gives you first fruits. Your tool should be from the

five this year because it's fresh man. You get mean right,

fresh oranges? How many of you like to go to

the supermarket when you look for eggsa you like to

buy the dates?

Are there the latest one? You got me? Right?

You choose how you will dig into the past. And

maybe these fellas are hiding the freshest one at the back.

Dare you you buy, Brad? And you said, oh, I

want the freshest one, this fellow want? They put the

one that I'm most likely to aspire the front, isn't

it you know what I'm saying?

Or not? We wan to do that, and a we

know what to do that. We're very good at that one.

And all we take we take.

Our hands are very powerful, and we like to squeeze

all the orange and to matoa one can know how

to flip one o this one?

Were okay? Not ready? Take you one and all. You

know you're not laughing right now.

You know what I'm talking about, right, you don't know

what I'm talking about right now, right exactly right. We

are mixing our giving.

What are we doing. We're short changing God.

That's the concept boiling young a younger in the mother's milk.

You're taking different seasons of offering and you're missing it

out trying to give to God. And you say the

best for yourself and give God from the abundance of

the past.

Don't bargain. We've got like that. Don't bargain. We've got

like that. We do that, know just with money, we

do that in our serving God.

This you know last year I served you a lot.

Ready this year to serve so much. You used last

year's credit to give to apply to God. And you're laughing, right,

I see love if you're laughing. But it's true, isn't it?

Be true, isn't it? How this how much we like

to bargain with God? Okay, let me proceed quickly.

Okay.

We're conditional giving as well, giving only when certain conditions

are met.

We are either waiting for.

God to bless us first for something or have someone

meet a certain personal criteria first.

In short, we have a ransom mindset.

Write it down. We like to hold God ransom. We

like to begain with God and also we like to

hold God ransom. You know, how how do you hold

ransom with people? When? Hey, if you miss certain criteria,

then I will release God. If you bless me, then

I will give. Okay, God, maybe I want to give.

I actually have the money. By this person don't really

offended me? You know, this particular ministry offended me. You know,

maybe this person I didn't talk to my spouse how

to reconcile with me. You know, they should have done more.

And maybe this person I didn't give the opportunity for

me to serve in a particular ministry that I like.

That I don't give her. Oh wow, this person.

I have three outings with this guya for last year,

I only had one meeting with me. Why should I give,

I should give one third of that. You think it's petty.

I tell you I've heard it before.

People.

I know it sounds petty, right, but people actually complain that.

People actually complain that.

People. It's amazing.

You know how we think that we're holding ransomer. We're

thinking we're doing a righteous thinger, but it's so unsightly

and evil before God. So don't do that. Okay, now, everybody, Okay,

so far, okay, let me proceed on to my earlier

I said, you can let me just quickly. I think

I miss my song when we talk about giving. Okay,

now let's move on to how to prepare.

Okay.

Verse eight, he says that and God is able to

make all grace abound towards you, that you, always, having

all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for

every good work. Okay, So what does that mean? You

always heard this message?

Right?

What does that mean? For as God is able to

make all grace a bound towards you, that in al

ways having all sufficiency in all things and having abundance

for every good word, that means as believers, okay, as

children of God, we have a base level of sufficiency. Okay,

God will always those we will always have a base

level of sufficiency to.

Do whatever we need to do. Base level okay.

But.

If we are willing to be a cheerful giver, God

ads an abundance makes sense.

So an abundance is not always given. There's always a

sufficiency level that all Christians operate on.

It's a level.

But when we start to give cheerfully understanding God's heart,

there is an element of abundance that gets at it

on top. Why does God need to at another level

of abundance? Okay, it's revealing the scripture. Okay, So that

so that you happen us for every good work. So

that's what does that mean? They're not all believers believe

in good works. Want to know, but God will give

an abundance to believers who does the good work?

Makes sense? Makes sense? Not why?

Because they are good stewards. It's consistent with God's teaching,

isn't it. We will want abundance, abandance, abundance, but said

I will give the abundance.

On those who are we need to do the good work.

You want to give, you want to serve, you want

to bless more, I will give you an abundance.

So that you become white.

What they said, what they say, He has dispersed abroad.

He has given to the poor his righteousness and yours forever. Now,

He who supplies seed to the soul and bread for

full supply, and multiplied the seed you have sown and

increased the fruits of your righteousness.

Because what you saw and you plant rips wide righteousness.

While you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which

causes thanksgiving.

To us to God.

So there is a certain kind of work that we

produce that God acts an extra abundance. And God does

not owe you abundance right now yet, I mean right

a lot of people will live for abundances by grace,

cause yes, freely years he does.

But there is God.

When we start becoming a believer God, it becomes a

master of a steward. You know, he's not looking for

people who is just looking for grace.

He's looking for.

People who are good stewards. If you're good to work,

I give you an abundance if you are a good

to work. If you are, you have to earn it.

When I say earner earning good works, you know, did

you sincerely want to do good works God gives you

because God is in the business of blessing the people

through you. You know, if you just keep for yourself,

well will God want to bless you?

He came mean right, you have been saved.

So there is a base level of sufficiency that God operates.

But God says there is an abundance that God adds

to the people as well. Okay, so now how do

we go about being prepared? Being prepared to give? First

of all, we need to prepare ahead of time.

Time. You cannot start just the day before. Do you

never prepare?

That is why I poulteages the thing. Time is important.

Time on just to prepare your money, but time too

fast and to seek the Lord instead, I'm saying, no

time to fasten this. I turned to you to one

more scripture here. Then that's very very important. As I

draw to a closer, I teach you how to give

that you are blessed. Okay, all scripture will one. Okay,

because of time, I have to skip some parts, but

I will give will closest with one particular passage. Turn

to me into First Chronicles, chapter twenty nine. First Chronicles,

Chapter twenty nine. Now David did not build the temple

of the Lord. Okay, it is his son. Okay, But

David has been preparing and gathering with all his mind

whatever death is necessary. He dedicated his entire lifetime to prepare.

You know how many if you want to dedicate your

lifetime to prepare but don't build. So what does said

tell you that preparing is as important as building?

You can't mean right? You can give so much, but

yet you missed the boat. You know you can.

I'm saying, you know, but there is a kind of

preparing that can bless the Lord and bless an entire generation.

Because of time, I have to skipper. Verse one to

verse five is basically David telling the whole people that

you know how much he has given, how much he

has set aside, talking about the goal and everything he

has set aside.

But in verse maybe I just read a bit, maybe

in verse treat So there you guys said more over?

Okay, First Chronicles twenty nine, Verse three, he says, yeah, moreover,

because I have set my affection on the house of

my God. I'm given to the House of my God

over and a birth all day. I have prepared for

the Holy House, my own special treasure of gold and silver,

special treasure. There's a set asigner my own three thousand talents.

Oh that's awkward.

Maybe I ask my wife too, Maybe can you hold

I don't know what this number is.

Thank you. Some people don't want me to repair.

Moreover, because I've set my affection on the house of

my God, I have given to the House of my God,

over and above all that I prepare for the holy

House my own special treasure of gold and silver, three

thousand talents of goal of the goal or affair, and

seven thousand talents of refined silver to overlay the walls

of the houses the goal for things of gold and

the silver, for things of silver, and of all kinds

of work to be done by the hands of craftsmen.

Then he asked this question. He is given first, who

then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the Lord.

It's slot teaching there, he's asking, But he's telling the

man that giving is not just about giving. Giving is

about consecrating yourself. Giving is about making your giving holy.

Get me right. So giving is connected to holiness. Yem

me right.

So there is a way you give her. There is

no holy you want to know, But David understood very clearly.

I want to set aside, but I have to make

it holy as well. So that's why you need time,

time to seek the law, time too fast, and to

make your giving holy.

Set apart.

Then in verse six, then the leaders of the father's houses,

leaders of the tribes of Israel, the captains of the

thousand and of hundreds, with the officers over the King's work,

offered willingly.

So from the top.

Down, over tens or thousand, thousands, hundreds, even to the

households leaders for low leaders, Okay, they're gay for the

work of the House of God. Five thousand talents and

ten thousand directs of God, ten thousand talents of silver,

eighteen thousands bronze, one thousand, one hundred thousand talent of iron,

and whoever had precious stones gave them into the treasury

of the House of the Lord, into the hand of Jahil,

the Grotian Knight. Okay, people gave generously, But the powerful

part is actually this part. Then the people rejoiced, for

they had offered willingly, because if a loyal heart, they

had offered willingly to the Lord.

And King David also rejoiced greatly.

He didn't say God rejoiced greatly, you know, it says

the people rejoiced greatly.

It's kind of interesting. But actually when I actually pointed

this for quite a long time, because is it possible

that giving effects.

Our spirituality around us? You see how I'm saying. No,

But it's true one and all, when there is a need,

when there's something that we really believe in, and you

collect offeringer that is very poor.

It affects everybody. You want to know, you don't see

what I'm saying.

No, are people prepared? Are people going through something? Can

they not overcome house their quiet time? It's a defeat,

you know.

You see, in giving, we determine whether we are victorious

or defeated. You know, it's funnier you see what I'm saying.

Now, that's why the people rejoice, you know, because giving

determines whether we are defeated or we are victorious spiritually.

You know, it's not just about having now or not.

It's the mindset and all. It's not your giving doesn't

just affect one person, it affects their entire nation. So

when David, even though he was not building the temple,

he gave so much because he saw.

How the temple was going to be built. He knew

he foresaw just like Abraham gave out of faith.

So faith is an ingredient for us to live righteously

and to live victor horiously and not in defeat one

a no, And so the people gave, starting from the top,

all that we gave and gave and gave.

They don't idea how much a collector.

And when they saw how much people collected that people said.

Whoa, is there a billionnaire in a mitza. It's not big.

And they knew it was not by fluke that one suddenly,

one guy just gave her a lot of money.

You know, it was a heart. It was the spirit

of God.

Binding every heart to give. You see what I'm saying now,

binding every heart to give. And when when people saw that,

they saw what they saw submission, They saw worship, and

they saw the Gospel of God at work in people's lives.

And see what I'm saying now, they saw that.

You if you read the Second Gradtance, chapter nine, verse nine,

chapter nine to the last.

But that's what Paul says.

Okay, people will give thanks because of the submission to

the Gospel of grace at work. You read the second

second conrinience of the nine that was part Paul addresses

that it's very, very important. And so when the church

receives such a giving, all of us become blessed. And

what it does, it raises that ceiling of our spirituality.

It raises the ceiling of our faith. For your household,

for your community, and for the nation as well. You

hardly see anything transformative happening without good giving. One. Wars

are warner because people gave. You know, you know that

wars are warner because people gave. You know, they gave money,

they gained their own sons and daughters, you know, to

the military service, they gave one and all. You want

true victory, people, it always comes from giving. People have

to sacrifice. That's why what we saw people. If we

continue having this stinct, in this stitch, everybody gets defeated.

I'm not saying that, oh, I'm forcing you to give you. No, no, no,

I'm forcing you. I'm asking you to really prepare one

month ahead, Okay, prepare yourself. If you are not in

sync with God, if you have not been doing your quiet,

I can tell you your giving is empty because now

you're not.

But some time. You're giving because.

Past the mat preach this message and he's compelling to

give right now, yeah, right, Or because my homie is

asking me. My homie discasking me to give today, four

weeks ahead.

Right now.

Go into your house and say to God, I want

to give. I'm setting myself one week ahead. God, what

is that amount I want to give? Why should I give?

How does it affect me? How does it affect the church?

Then you go deeper and your question. You realize that

actually I can give a thousand and one reason not

to give. You realize that, no, it's just a thousand

and one reason not to give. But there's only one

reason why I should give, because Jesus gave. Yeah. Men,

you realize that your heart is so deceiful not to give.

But there's only reason why we gave. Jesus gave, and

he gave it all. And when you finally arrive at

that conclusion, final conclusion, there is the heart of giving.

Then you understand what it is. You know what I'm saying,

what I'm saying.

No, then you understand that, wow, it's all about Jesus.

Doesn't matter about my circumstances, doesn't matter about my offense

with people, doesn't matter whether I can see my future head.

I give because Jesus gave, and I want to give

for his name. I want to give so that more

people know him. I want to give to the people

who support him, who love him, who are trying to

serve him.

I want to give. It's all about Him.

And when you sudden and you, when you come to

that resting place of giving, when you are at peace

with beginning, when you're at one with God in give,

and when you give on that day.

Your heart becomes cheerful.

Like the Israelites, we want to give, and when we

gave people that Wow, it's not just I'm thinking this way.

It's not just me loving Jesus.

Everybody genuinely loves Jesus. I know what they went through

when they give so much. I know what they went through.

I know how God touched them.

I know. I know. Thank you brother forgiving. I know.

I know.

It's not that I know you gave. I appreciate it.

I understand. So the love of God binds us all together,

makes sense or not? That is how we ought to

prepare our giving. Amen, come, let's tand together, Let's spend

some time to prepare our hearts to commit to the

Lord to give.

Hallelujah. Let's raise our hands. Let me pray over all

of us.

Yeah, Father, we thank you for your word.

Lord.

We do not want to miss any blessings from you,

and we do not want to miss any wisdom from

you as well. Lord helped to open our hearts and

our minds, Lord to what is true giving. It's not

the amount, because all good things, all resources come from you.

Comes from your.

Hand, Lord, comes from your hand. But Lord, we want

to set time, set our hearts apart, to make it

holy and committed to you. We realize how it is

from neat this timeline that we need to give.

It makes us realize how far we.

Are from God, isn't it You realize that, Wow, maybe

I have not been drawing close to God. It's so

hard to give when you are empty spiritually. You know,

it's really hard, and it's.

All out of the flesh.

You know.

Don't do that.

Set time, Look at your left and your right, don't

look at your past, don't look at even my message.

Set yourself right now onto the Lord, onto Christ himself.

How much he has given, how much he has secured

your destiny. Start from there, and the next thing I

want you to do is to invite the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit.

I know I've been neglecting you, but I want you

to about wanting to invite you into my heart to

search me, to examine me, to prepare me, help me

to come to a place of giving. It's not an amount,

but it's a truth that I need to receive, a

truth I need, I need to allow to work in

my heart.

Some of you you can't give as much, but you

give your best. God wants you to give your best.

That's all. You give your best if without regret.

And towards your best, you set aside, and not just

setting aside.

After you set aside, you pray.

He said, God, there are other things I can give

as well, my time, my service as well. This is

just the beginning I want to give as well. I

feel that there can even be more precious. Don't give

what you can just barely afford.

Give what the Lord leads you. Because there's an abundance.

God gives you something to give because he believes that.

You can be a good steward. Amen.

God gives you an abundance because he believes you you

can be a good steward. And God has give us

blessed some of you to be a good steward. And

your steward shep is gonna bless many, many, many people

be good stewards.

Don't draw boundaries with God.

Right now, Ah the lawyer that's committed this one minute,

Right now, I want to invite you all just to

pray right now. Prayer to the lawd say God, I'm

going to prepare my giving God. I'm going to consecrate

my heart. God, I'm going to change my mind the

way I think about giving right now. But Lord, purify

my heart right now, remove all doubts, all anxieties right now.

But let gladness come right now. In peace and gladness

come and rest into my heart so that I may

give willingly and cheerfully. Right now, come on and pray

for yourself right now. Ha llelujah for the next one minute.

Some of you, if you are giving as a family,

I asked that the Holy Spirit were buying the hearts

of husbands and wives. Maybe you're together giving as a

household family with your children, with your.

Grandparents as well. Maybe God had given you a word.

But I pray that God will grant you that leadership,

that boldness to even initiate to know to talk about

giving so that it will bring your family together. What

do you really believe in instead of being given separate part?

Maybe it's a time of communion because giving is so personal,

giving is so you's such a communal thing that you

want to do it together, Led Louiah, some of you

right realize that, Wow, God, I realized that the last

time I gave our faith and community and together, something

happened in my family. The spirituality, the sense of hunger

and desire just raised that when we gave together, there

is a blessing. There is a bonding that binds us together.

There is the Holy Spirit at work. Led louiahelujah.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more

information on our church, please visit as Church RG. We

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this week is going to be a good week. I

hit for you. God, bless