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All right, so as I mentioned in the announcements I was going to be preaching on our giving and You know, I preached on Tithing and things like that in the past and I'm gonna continue to preach on things like that I'm not afraid to obviously it's not the main focus. So it's not something you're gonna hear on every week Unfortunately, like like some churches do that they're focused so much on the money That's just always coming across the pulpit week after week after week after week I don't want to do that with anything I want to be able to to preach the whole Council of God and obviously we're not a money-focused church It's not all about the money here and the Bible is not all about the money either but that being said, you know There are there's a considerable amount of scripture that is dedicated to the concept of giving and Supporting and helping and you know Whether it be through the tithe and offering or whether it be through alms whether it be through supporting the Saints There is quite a bit of scripture so for me, I would be negligent of me to just just not cover this stuff either You know, maybe and here's here's the thing that that preachers might be Hesitant to preach on is because oh, I don't want people to think I'm all about the money Yeah, but you know what? It's an important subject still so you got to preach on all of it And people are gonna think what they're gonna think anyway, so, you know we're preaching the Bible here and What I want to show you is is Where our hearts and our minds should be at Because you know money is a very real thing as part of our life It's part of daily life, you know, if you have a job you go to work you're earning money, right? it's a it's a it's a means of transfer of your work and your labor to be able to allow you to You know purchase the other things that you need to be able to do trading with currency. So The Money that you spend and that you have is a reflection of the work that you've already done Right. So the reflection of your of your time and your effort and your energy put forward. So What we're gonna see in the scripture here is that even though there's not some huge focus on your money and what you do It you know The Bible definitely talks a lot about helping other saints and helping other churches and and people who are in need and especially being able to support missionaries and support men of God and doing the work that they're doing And the you know There's a lot of things I want to say and I want to get too far ahead of myself Let's just start here in Philippians chapter 4 jump down to verse number 14 I want to focus on this part of the passage first because there's there's so much to this, you know Where you put your money and where you invest? It makes you more Into that it makes you you care a lot more about it Right when you're the more you and it's not just money when you you know When you invest more time when you invest just just more of yourself whether be through money whether it be through time You know through your thoughts through you know through everything else the more invested you're gonna be in those things And you're gonna care a lot more about them and you know with the prayer challenge The more you you actually pray for other people the more you're gonna care about those people and be thinking about those people and then Want to know hey, what's going on with these people? I've been praying for them as opposed to just You see it once and then you don't think about it ever again, right? Well, it's similar with what you do with your finances with your resources. How am I gonna spend this now? Obviously everyone needs to spend some on on You know yourself on your family Supplying your needs, you know, we're getting food and clothing and and that type of thing. But also, you know Maybe hopefully you have other money to give as well now Everyone's in different situations financially and the Bible talks about that as well We're gonna see the scripture that talk about you know, those that can or cannot Give or supply right now everyone and I'm just gonna I don't have anything on tithing in here at all But just so you know, we stand as a church I've done 100% completely believe and Can prove that that tithing is biblical even in the New Testament That we are under the order of even though we're not under the Levitical order We're under the order of Melchizedek and Melchizedek received tithes of Abraham and he received tithes of Levi Being yet in the loins of his father and you know, the Bible teaches that over and over again He received tithes the tithe belongs to the Lord Anyways, how the money was spent for the tithe was to support the Levitical priesthood We don't have Levitical priesthood, but you know what? We still do have men of God We still do people have people dedicating their lives to serving the Lord now They were offering sacrifices and serving the Lord in that manner, but they also taught the people as well the priests and Levites So you have people that have a very very very similar job function as the Levites did right and they were supported You know through that tithe well that hasn't changed okay, and I'm not going to preach we preach or preach that sermon right now, but That is something that is not Optional because it's God's money. Okay. That's something that God demands or expects of you but what I'm preaching about this morning while focusing on is more would be more of a considered in the Old Testament a free will offering or You know just any type of love offering to help other people out and that and that's the scriptures We'll be focusing in on and and here's the thing and just keep this in mind as we go through these passages Because some people will misuse Many of these passages and start applying them to the tithe when the ones that we're going to be looking at this morning It's not talking about the time Because people will say oh, you know, you don't have to give because God loves a cheerful giver We're gonna look at that passage as well and to say see you don't have to feel compelled or anything like that And they want to apply that to the tithe one. That's not what it's talking about Okay, so I'm not gonna cover all those points because I really don't want to focus on the tithe at all any more than I Just did right now. It's important for the groundwork, but going forward I'm not but as we go through this make note of the passages and look them up later If you if you still have questions or doubts about oh, well, the Bible says this or that about the time Look it up for yourself all these passages We look up and see is that really talking about the tithe or not? Okay Do your own study on it and you can make note of them get it the full context later and and check it out for Yourself, but that's all I want to spend on that. Let's look at verse number 14 in Philippians chapter 4 Babri's notwithstanding ye have well done that you did communicate with my affliction Now ye Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel when I departed from Macedonia no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving but ye only For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity Not because I desire a gift but I desire fruit that may abound to your account now The Apostle Paul here is he's he's you know, praising The Macedonians is praising the Philippians and saying, you know, no one was even basically concerned about the giving and receiving but you guys You guys even when I left you are checking up and seeing you know Do you need anything? Are you okay? Do you have what you need to keep doing your work and he's praising them for this and he's saying you know what? I didn't desire a gift. It's not that he just wants to have a gift Okay, on the one hand you have people doing the work of God You shouldn't be getting into the ministry and wanting to do work for the Lord because you're desiring a gift and going oh man I'm gonna have these people now paying for all this, you know That's not the point. It's your necessity. It's it's it's it's Taking care of the need that you have I mean think about when you travel like the Apostle Paul is traveling all over the place You have something called travel expenses Because it's not free To just travel. I mean you if you're if you're traveling you're not like doing other work to earn money Right when you travel you have to even if you're walking you're gonna have to stay somewhere You're gonna have to eat something, you know, I mean there's expenses that go along with that and and you can't just You know, so you can't just provide for yourself a hundred percent while you're doing this other work and the work for Lord I mean just make sense. So what he's saying here is that I don't desire a gift But I desire fruit that may abound to your account Now this is the mindset that we need to have and remember When you're giving to people who are doing the work of the Lord when you're giving to people who are who are you know? Winning souls to Christ preaching the gospel preaching the Word of God doing this up What you're doing is you're facilitating and helping them to do that work so because you're helping them to do that work the fruit that they're bearing and the fruit that they're able to do and the work they're Able to accomplish you actually get a benefit for that and it's all my sermon is fruit on your account And what he's saying here is hey, look, I don't it's not that I want the gift But you get to partake in the work that I'm doing by helping me go and do this work Right by by being able to give and support the work that I'm doing you have an account with God in heaven Right. We all have an account with God at heaven and at the judgment seat of Christ We're going to be judged according to our own works, right? we're going to receive rewards for that but part of what you're going to receive for is when you give and To help other people further the gospel and further the work of the Lord I do a hundred percent believe that now. I think you'll you'll probably get up more for the work that you do personally, but that there is going to be a reckoning and and and a you know, Some reward given for your Help and service to the people who are out there to support them to continue doing what they're doing because I mean honestly You wouldn't be able to do it without having your needs supplied And we know that God supplies every need but you know what God's using people to supply that need and And you know, sometimes it's miraculous Right God's capable of anything. We've seen that with Elijah and Elijah, you know, he's able to keep people through You know tough times and persecutions and things like that. Absolutely, but God is also using and we're gonna see this You know the the people and the the brethren and the Saints to support other people in the ministry Look at verse number 18 Bible says but I have all in a bound I am full having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you an odor of a sweet smell a Sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God and that's a good sacrifice. God accepts that it's a good thing to sacrifice to give Unto you know unto me. So I've received I have everything I need and he's basically saying thank you and You know, I have all that I could have and that that sacrifice is is sweet It's acceptable unto the Lord and it pleases God Well verse number 19, but my God shall supply all your need according to his riches and glory by Christ Jesus and we see here this blessing from the Apostle Paul in a statement just saying that hey God's gonna supply your needs and When it comes to giving yes, we all have needs but It in turn if you would the first Corinthians chapter 16 And we're gonna get to this passage later But God truly loves a cheerful giver and here the way that you can be cheerful and giving is if you don't have your heart So set on your money And and you know if you if you can walk away with at least one thing this morning This is a really important one Because it gets to the heart of a lot of things it gets the heart of covetousness It gets the heart of self centered centeredness It gets the heart of things where people get so focused on their own Riches and their own money and just want to cling to that You need to be able to learn to let go and I'm not saying it's because oh man But you just want us to give you all of your money, you know, no, it's not it at all it's gonna it's gonna ruin you if you have such a tight grip on your money and You're fine and you know It leads people to be really stingy and not free and liberal and generous generous With what God has given to you and we need to remember, you know while yes You may be working very hard and and and doing a lot and putting a lot of time and hours and then I and you Know we ought to be hard workers at the end of the day still God is the one who's who's blessed you and given you the abilities that you have and it's given you the opportunities that you have and we need to recognize that that Everything that you have is by the grace and mercy of the Lord And when we consider what God has given us as us being stewards of that More than just owners of that That'll help you make decisions on what's going to be pleasing to God with what he's given you Now I want to be clear I'm not talking about drawing a line between what's a sin and what's not Okay, because being generous and giving if you don't do that It's not a sin Right, there's something like like I would believe that if you're not tithing that's a sin Because I believe the Bible commands that But the spirit that we ought to have as Christians towards brothers and sisters in Christ and towards workers of God people doing to work is that we ought to be giving of our own free will To support those things But if you weren't to do that, it's not a sin Because not everyone's in the same boat financially, right? I mean God's not going to demand of Someone who really just doesn't you know, they're struggling they don't have very much at all to just oh Well, you just have to give and give and give and give and give for all these people It's like well, I can't I need to be able to just survive myself But and then you know, I'm not gonna get too deep into this either But that also then requires you to prioritize your life and what really is important what's a need versus what's a want And when you're managing your finances, that's actually a very important thing to get yourself to understand You know where the line is drawn for that because there's overall we're extremely wealthy the people who live in this country Even even the quote-unquote poor people are very wealthy in this country because our needs are much more than supplied to where we just have a lot of wants that You Know and we don't want to focus on those things but did I have you turn to 1st Corinthians 16 Here's here's kind of how this plays out a little bit in church And this is another passage that I'm bringing up. So the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4 was saying hey look, you know You basically praising them and say I want fruit to abound under your account because you communicated with me You're making sure that I have all my needs met and that God sees that as a great sacrifice First Corinthians 16 now now that he's addressing the Church of Corinth and He's basically addressing them To make a collection for the Saints it says in verse number one now concerning the collection for the Saints as I have given order To the churches of Galatia even so do ye she's saying hey look I told the Church of Galatia to do this now I'm telling you to do this too that we're taking up a collection for the Saints and this collection is Different than giving your tithe or you give the tithe to support the local church the organization the way things are running there The staff everything that's going on at the church This is a separate collection that he's saying that needs to be taken up out of the ordinary for the Saints. He says Verse 2 upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him Right, so it's not one set amount you all have to give this much He's saying you know what? However, God has blessed you however, you're being prospered by the Lord just set aside Some to be able to give for the Saints. He says that there be no gatherings when I come he's basically saying All this stuff prepared in advance so that way when I show up It's all ready to go you can give me the you know Whatever it is that you've been blessed with and and and I can take that over to the Saints So we're not dealing with the just getting you know collecting everything when I show up verse number three says and when I come Whomsoever you shall approve by your letters, then will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem? So he's saying whoever you guys choose to bring the money to that's fine because here's the Saints in Jerusalem are the ones that need this money and that's where it's going to be going so They take a collection for those Saints and any brings he says here bring your liberality Now I know we live in a time Where at least you know most rational people are going to be thinking that I don't want to be called a liberal, right? I Don't want to be called a liberal because the liberals are you know socially? Liberals which means they tolerate and accept and promote all kinds of wickedness and things like that That's the way that our current culture uses that word, but the word is not a bad word Okay, and like classical liberalism is a great thing being being known as a liberal in God's eyes as far as what the how the Bible uses the word is a good thing because Liberal I mean it comes from the word from the root of like Liberty it comes from being real free Right being open now. We don't want to be real free as to like free into getting into sin Which is how modern-day liberals are more in line with But this is talking about being liberal with your distribution with with what God has blessed you with to give unto other people It's being very open and free with with how you're giving your money to other people Right and not and not being concerned about that not being so focused on oh, man This is gonna hurt me so bad and everything else look God doesn't even want you to give if you're gonna have that type of an attitude But we ought not to have that attitude we ought to just be able to say okay. Well, whatever, you know, it's just money It's just money Flip over to chapter 9 first Corinthians chapter 9 So first we're in 16 we see we see him just telling them hey, here's how we're gonna do it You're gonna take up the collection and we're gonna send that off to Jerusalem, right? early churches very very scriptural This is a very scriptural practice and and I'm Explaining and just making sure everyone's aware, you know, we're doing the same thing. It was similar thing Okay, I decided to take the money that we're giving out of our general fund So instead of taxing you more with taking up a special collection Which would have been very biblical to do and which is by the way We've done this in the past as well when we supported pastor Fritz we supported Who was a Pastor Shelley pastor Anderson When they when they've been attacked right when pastor Fritz lost his job we you know We collected a love offering for him. We made a special collection for him when pastor Anderson came and preached for us here We we took up a special collection for them You know for taking the time out and for the travel expenses and for everything else that they do to come out here. So We did that for them But since we've already been abounding in general with our funds here I decided you know what I don't want to tax you any further But we'll just be able to take that out of our general fund and send it over to them. Not a big deal It's still scriptural for us as a church to be giving to them But this is the way that they did it and part of the reason I was able to do that is because I'm not supported with a full-time salary from our church So I use I try to keep as much money as possible for the church to go back into the church use Until the time where I am supported full-time so again, that's a That's the way that we did it. We're sending off some money to them and And it's because of their obvious need that they have right now and because they're doing a great work for the Lord out there They're preaching the gospel. They're being bold. They're in a fight against wicked people this earth and and they need support So you flip back to chapter number nine look at verse number one the Bible reads Am I not an apostle? Am I not free have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord are not ye my work in the Lord if I be not an Apostle unto others yet doubtless I am to you For the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord mine answer to them that do examine me is this Have we not power to eat and to drink? Have we not power to lead about a sister a wife as well as other apostles and as the brethren of the Lord and see this now He's straightening out some things about their concept about he how the Apostle Paul should be as an apostle and you know what even to this Day, there's a lot of people out there that have their own weird ideas on what you know Men of God who are you were being evangelist or a pastor what they can and can't do which is outside of Scripture Even back then what I what I can infer from this is that people thinking all Apostle Paul can't be married Because he just needs to focus on the work of Lord and he shouldn't get married or anything like that He's saying look I have power to get married There's nothing that that would preclude me from getting married and this is like what the Catholic Church teach, you know the priests Oh, you can't be married. You have to be celibate all this other nonsense. So the Bible doesn't teach at all Okay, he's like I can get look The brethren of the Lord talking about Jesus is half, you know, his siblings his half siblings Or married and Cephas the Apostle Peter like he was married and we read about that multiple times We're saying look I have power to get married too if I want to And he's all about eating and drinking like like I can I can do these things and then he says in verse number six or I only in Barnabas have not we power to forbear working Because they were working while they were ministering They were working secular jobs You know The Apostle Paul is a tent maker was going around and working to support his own needs While he was preaching the gospel and saying don't I have the power to not work in that regard? Of course he does because the Bible talks about the supplying of his wants and needs Which he already did accept in some cases, right? Depending on where he was it probably wasn't necessarily even possible for him to work or whatever but the point is that just because he chooses to work doesn't mean that that's the way it has to be done and There's people today out there that are in this house church movement that will tell you Oh, no, you know the pastor has to have a job and he has to support himself and it's unbiblical to be supported by church also the nonsense Like read the scripture. Yeah, and I mean just just think about it doesn't it just make sense Just as a unified church that wants to do the most for the Lord if you just think about it, right? We all want the same thing We all want the Word of the Lord to sound forth We want the most amount of people getting saved. We want the most amount of work being done So if we were capable of employing somebody Full time so you don't even have to worry about going out. Well, I mean, I got to support my family So I got all work I got all this stuff Wouldn't we all want to have as many people? Staffed as possible to get all that work done full time so they could focus 100% on the things of God I know I would And I'm just saying this because oh, here's the pastor you just want to get paid by the church Look, I want to have many people employed by this church to be able to do the work of God and then just do that much more for the Lord and Whether or not I'm standing here or I'm sitting there. I'm happily giving to support to further that cause Because that's what I want would want. That's why I want Regardless of what side I'm on Which I'm not we're all on the same side here, right? Whether I'm whether I'm back here buying this pulpit or I'm sitting in the pew Because you know, that's the same heart I had when I wasn't a pastor It's not hard. It's not a difficult concept to grasp All right Hey, let's let's pool our money together and support at least one person to be just full-time dedicated to the things of the Lord That's what we're doing and that's what we're talking about here and in this case We're you know, we're also talking about this is a possible Paul just saying that he has power for bare work working Which I would have the same power as well. I get for bare working if I want to and just be completely supported by The giving that's given here And then he says in verse 7 and he likens this to a war says who goeth a warfare anytime in his own charges You think about the the countries of the world that that have war they're gauged in war You Don't the countries don't tell people okay, you know, we're going in this war and you have to fight But you have to bring all your own guns and bring all your own ammo and bring all your own supplies and bring your own Food and make sure that you know people in your family are sending you food while you're out on the front lines and fighting this battle Nobody does that because it wouldn't happen and nobody's gonna do Like no, I'm not going to do that It would be the government's that are saying. Okay. Well, we need to fight this war We'd all come together. So here you all come here and devote your time and energy and effort You're gonna be focused on fighting this war and we're gonna supply all the resources your MREs your you know Your your ammo everything that you need to do this war say nobody goes to war at their own expense It's being paid for by other people to go and do the fighting and while we're not in a physical fight We are in a spiritual fight So those who are engaged in this spiritual battle are on the front lines, you know We need to have other people saying here we're supporting you Keep doing what you're doing. You're doing a good job Keep fighting. We want you to fight the good fight And if there's anything that we can do to help that's what we're gonna do. And in this case, we're talking about Finances, right? It says who planted the vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk Of the flock. So he's given all these various illustrations, right? I mean if you if you grow your own garden He's like who doesn't eat of what you're producing Right who's not going to partake in that who's not gonna who's gonna feed the flock You have a flock of cows and goats whatever and you're not going to receive anything from that You're not going to drink any of the milk or anything like that. That's ridiculous and He says verse 8 say I these things as a man or saith not the law the same also. This is the New Testament Okay Referencing the Old Testament law as being applicable today in the New Testament So this so does this sound like something that would have been done away as a carnal ordinances and you know No, not if not if the puzzle Paul's referencing in the New Testament saying hey, even the law says this Verse number nine for it is written in the law of Moses thou shalt not muzzle the ox the mouth of the ox That treadeth out the corn And now he's gonna explain this passage Say why is he bringing up an ox? Does God take care for oxen saying you think that this is in the law because God's really concerned about the ox like being able to eat corn No Or say if he had all together for our sakes for our sakes. No doubt You know a lot of people. Well, that's your opinion. That's your interpretation. You know, what no doubt Thus at the Holy Ghost, right? That was the inspiration there's a true author of the scripture anyways Using the Apostle Paul here to write for our sakes No doubt This is written that he that ploweth should plow in hope and that he that Thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope if we have sown unto you spiritual things Is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? He's saying we're out here doing the spiritual work. We're preaching the Word of God This is spiritual work that we're doing Is it really that big of a deal if we get a little bit of money and food and and and housing for? Doing this work. I mean aren't the spiritual things more important anyways than the carnal thing. So who cares about the carnal things? This is this is what he's teaching here verse number 12 if others be partakers of this power over you are not we rather Nevertheless we have not used this power but suffer all things as we should hinder the gospel of Christ. So The reason that the Apostle Paul is using here is explaining why they're not accepting the the support from these people You know, they're giving a good example on how to work hard But they also just want to not have anyone even caught up in any of the money thing because these people I mean apparently probably would be and Everyone's a little bit different and he was receiving of the Philippians just fine because they had the right heart right attitude But there was a lot of problems at Corinth and he's just thinking you know what? I don't want the gospel to be hindered at all. So if this is what I have to do to just to just get the gospel out more freely if I just have to work and not even Deal with this mess of trying to accept some money from you guys who's going to cause more problems Anyways, then I'll just work. That's the attitude the Apostle Paul had And that's the attitude of someone who just cares more or the most about the things of God Then whether or not even his own carnal needs are met now now he had the power to just demand and say no look You guys have to take care of me because I'm here to help you I'm here to serve you but you need to take care of me in so doing but he's didn't use that power Because he wants that the message to be the primary focus and didn't want to have to fight some stupid battle over money and honestly, you know, it's tax season coming up now and And you know I'm not for any of the taxes that the government has on us income tax that you just just by virtue of you making a Living that the government thinks they have the right to just take whatever they want out of your paycheck I'm not for that. But you know what I still pay the taxes Because it's not the fight in the battle that I think that that we ought to be concerned with That's not what God is, you know, someone else can fight that battle and I'll be all for it great whatever but you know as children of God It's not worth Prison time it's not worth, you know investing resources and time to fighting that battle over stupid filthy lucre Who cares? I? Mean, I don't like it any more than the next person but You know, I'm gonna render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are gods I'm gonna still tithe unto the Lord and you know what when when the tax man comes just like they came Even if they're being wicked and in unrighteous in their own laws Jesus still sent the Peter to go out and and catch that fish that had the money in its mouth and pay the you know pay the the wicked tax man That's extorting them or whatever Anyways, that's a that's a side try. I don't want to get off onto that onto that subject verse number 13 do you not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the altar. So again, he's just he's just saying, you know people doing this work They're partaking of it. All right, they're being supported turn if you go to 2nd Corinthians chapter 8 2nd Corinthians chapter 8 I Need to hurry up just a little bit So Philippians chapter 4 1st Corinthians 16 1st Corinthians chapter 9 and now in 2nd Corinthians chapter 8 We're also go to 2nd Corinthians chapter 9 and we're going to 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 You're gonna see how often this subject is being brought up of the men of God people got being supported by you know Carnally or physically supported financially by the Saints by people of other churches Okay, right by this is this is something that that happens and needs to happen for more work to be done Verse number 1 2nd Corinthians chapter 8 the Bible reads moreover brethren We do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia how that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty Abounded unto the riches of their liberality So even there, you know their deep poverty It abounded under the riches of the liberality So I mean he keeps bringing up the churches of Macedonia because you know for the work that they've done and they're actually a very good example set forward of Their liberality and the blessings that they receive it says in verse 3 for to their power I bear record yea and beyond their power. They were willing of themselves praying us with much in treaty that we would receive the gift and Take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the Saints So this is you know, this is how they're viewing or giving its fellowship Well, we're communing with you in fellowship to ministering to helping the Saints other brothers and sisters in Christ Who are doing a work? Verse number five and this they did not as we hoped but first Gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God so the gods will for them to get involved and and and and Join themselves in this fellowship and giving and helping. Yes. It was they gave of their own selves to the work that was going forward and and Cared enough about it to make sure that the needs and you know The needs are met of those doing the work verse number six in so much that we desired Titus that as he had begun So he would also finish in you the same grace also Therefore as ye abound in everything in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all diligence and in your love to us See that ye abound in this grace also So he's instructing them using Macedonia as an example saying abound just like they do right now We're starting to be like them in this regard in this giving in this liberality in this fellowship in this ministry verse 8 I speak not by commandment but by occasion of the forwardness of others and to prove the sincerity of your love You know the the giving is showing there, you know that they really do care That they really are sincere about what they say. They love because they're putting something, you know, they're putting their money where their mouth is essentially Verse 9 for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich Yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich again This is the concept. This is the mindset to remember that Jesus Christ had all the riches and glory in all of creation in heaven But what did he do? For you he came out of that glory he came out of heaven and came to this earth Humbly as you know as basically a poor you know into a poor family Which can be proven in Scripture that that they didn't have a lot of money when he was born the offering that was given was was two Young pigeons or turtle doves which which you know for giving a sacrifice for a child They did they weren't able to give the lamb there had to give the the two birds Demonstrating that they didn't have a lot of wealth he came into a humble family He humbled himself by giving up all that for your sakes for love for you was willing to give up all of that For you that we ought to have that same mindset That we're not focused on the riches of this world that we may even become poor in this world To help others out and to give that ministry unto others that other people might be rich because we're focused on them We're not focused on ourselves as gaining wealth. We're focused on helping others That's the mindset. That's why we don't want to be so stuck on just retaining the physical goods of this world Verse 10 and here and I give my advice for this is expedient for you who have begun before not only to do But also to be forward a year ago Now therefore perform the doing of it that as there was a readiness to will so there may be a performance also Out of that which you have For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not and Again, this is this is referring to you know, not everyone has to give So anyone you you know, we all ought to have a willing mind But There's still only so much that that people have to be able to give and God understands it We understand you and everyone understands that He says in verse 13 for I mean not that other men be eased and ye burden You say I'm not trying to just put the whole burden and load on your shoulders that you just have to take care of everything He says but by an equality that now at this time your abundance May be a supply for their want and their abundance also may be a supply for your want that there may be equality So basically hey if God's prospering you God's blessing you Then use that to help supply someone else's lack and want and need because then you know what maybe there's gonna be a time where you're in need and you're in supply and then things will be given unto you and then you'll be blessed and then you'll be helped out as well and That there's an equality that way that that people will not have any lack verse 15 says as it is written He that had gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no lack and this is talking about the man Oh when God was supplying the needs or the wants of the children of Israel in the wilderness Saying you know what everybody had what they needed So the person who gathered a lot person got a little they out they they all just had what they needed by God they're all being supplied and God wants this same spirit within the churches who among brethren to be able to supply the needs of others here and that's and that's what The mindset we all have chapter 9. Let's flip over to chapter 9 Verse number 1 the Bible reads for as touching the ministering to the Saints. It is super superfluous for me to write to you For I know the forwardness of your mind for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia that a kayah was ready a year ago and your zeal hath provoked very many Yet have I sent the brethren lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf that as I said you may be ready Lest happily if they have Macedonia come with me and find you unprepared We that we say not ye should be ashamed in the same confident boasting. So Keep in mind here Because I kind of switched We went from 1st Corinthians 9 to 2nd Corinthians 8. So the first letter he's writing to them But it seems like as we read in the second letter that they've gotten things Right in this regard because even in chapter 8 and then especially in chapter 9 here We're seeing the forwardness of their mind saying, you know, he convinced them. Yeah, we ought to be like this we ought to have this spirit and He's basically telling them now to get their To get their giving or offerings ready so that you know since now that he's been bragging on him a little bit and and and Showing other churches. Oh, man. These guys are doing great. They're you know, they're real supportive They're willing to give and to help that he's saying lest less happily if they have massive come with me and find you unprepared we that we say not ye should be ashamed in the same confident boasting like we don't want to Show up and then What are you talking about? We don't have it. You know, we don't have anything for you We can't we can't do anything for you Then obviously that would turn into a shame verse number five says therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren that they would go before unto you and make up beforehand your bounty Where have you had noticed before that the same might be ready as a matter of bounty and not as of? Covetousness, but this I say he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly and he which so it bountifully Shall reap also bountifully and this also ties in with the you know fruit being given to your account Saying you know what when you sow sparingly you can't expect to reap very much Right. I mean the thing about this way when you go out sowing the less time you got So and you can't expect to get very many people saved the smaller small amount of time you go out But hey the more you go out and the more seed you're spreading the more you're preaching the Word of God The more you can expect to reap the more you can expect they have done Well in a similar fashion, you know with the giving with supporting other people when we support missionaries when we support churches We support men of God we support people doing a work. Hey the less you're able to give Well, that's only gonna get them so far Right. So the more you're able to give then You're gonna be able to you know, the more you able to sow the more you able to reap so the more you're gonna be able to give to support the more you're gonna be able to Have more fruit to your account Because more works in beginning done now, obviously we need to be careful with who we're supporting Right. Well and when you're giving your money and look I'm giving my harder money too for for missionaries and stuff like that I want to see what's going on. I Want to know the work that they're doing I want to know that that the money that we work hard for That that we're spending our time getting Will actually go to someone doing work because that's what we want it doing We don't want to go into people just to have some cush job and sit on the rear end and then preach a sermon once A week or whatever and not do anything, you know significant. I Don't want to support that person I want support someone else who has the heart to minister and so, you know, I want them going 100% Full speed ahead and not concerned about about you know Their lack or their want that we can supply that need for them. And that's why we choose that, you know the particular Missionaries that we support right now. It's brother Matthew Stuckey. I mean, he's he I know him personally and he's a very excellent worker He's giving updates He's always letting you know What's going on with his ministry out there and who they're reaching and all the work that they're doing so we know that works being done I Mean to the best that we can obviously without being they're literally physically there but You know, we want to make sure that that money is going there and you know what? You get you get a benefit to that as well in God's economy Verse 7 every man according as he purpose it in his heart so let him give not grudgingly or of Necessity for God loveth a cheerful giver and this is that passage and look we're talking about Ministering to the Saints as verse number one said This isn't the same as the tie That's why people don't see you you you need to give with a cheerful heart and not of necessity No, because this is a different giving This isn't the same as the tie. This is something that you give to minister unto Saints This is something you give so that you know, other people can can can be sowing the seed of God that you're supporting them And you know what decide what you want to give No one can tell you how much that should be and God's not telling you how much that is God just saying you know What whatever you purpose in your heart? Give that It's up to you and and let him give and you know what if we're gonna give don't do it grudgingly Because you ought to be happy to support people doing the work and if you and if you if you're not gonna be happy over That you know, you don't want to have the root of bitterness Because you're so tied to your money and your finances that you can't give it away Then don't start being bitter because you feel like oh I have to give that you know, you don't know you don't You know, you don't have to give decide for yourself whether or not you're going to I'm up here showing you the scripture of the heart. We ought to have the ministering mindset what Jesus did for us by humbling himself and Making himself poor so that other people could be rich so that we could have mansions in heaven. Jesus did that for you Okay, so how much should we be holding on to her? It's it's like the man that was forgiven of his debt Remember the parable that Jesus Christ gave there was the the one man had his huge debt and his children gonna be sold and he was You know They're all gonna become bondmen because he had his dad and he and he fell down on his face before His Lord and said, you know, you know, give me some time I'll pay back everything that I owe and And that that master forgave him of the whole debt and then when someone else had owed a lot less unto him He was just like no, you know, like you're gonna pay me everything that you owe that you owe me He didn't have that right heart and you know what he ended up being punished as a result of that And We need to remember all that was done for us and Have that same spirit in that same heart now, obviously Giving money isn't the same as forgiving someone of You know of a debt like that and and I'm cross-applying that it's not the main application Because then you could be like that person it sounds like you're saying well we have to do this or else we're going to be punished Because you don't all right, so I'm making a secondary application of that parable. It's not the primary application But it's it's what I'm referring to is that is that mindset right of being kind of unthankful Right. We ought to be thankful with what God's blessed us with and be willing to give other people who are in need That haven't maybe been as blessed as you've been blessed To do a work and to focus on the work of God so Please don't take that the wrong way that that that the parable application because it's not the primary application of that parable Just just want to be clear about that So we're in 2nd Corinthians chapter 9, let's keep reading here verse number 8 and God is able to make all grace abound toward you That ye always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work as it is written He hath dispersed abroad he hath given to the poor his righteousness remaineth forever now he that minister a seed to the sower both minister bread for your food and multiply your seed sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness and you know The this parenthetical two verses here I think it's talking about God being able to supply the sufficiency of all of your needs So if you decide to give he's willing to hear he's able to you know, he that minister seed to the sower Both minister bread for your food and multiply your seed sown, right? So you giving gives a blessing on your work as well Right, you're the the the ministering that you're giving to the solar the person out there doing the work is also going to be You know both minister bread for your food and multiply your seed sown and increase the fruit of your righteousness That's the way God deals with this stuff. All right, so it's just a further blessing for you By your faith and giving verse number 11 being enriched and everything to all bountiful ness Which cause it through us thanksgiving to God for the administration of this service not only supply at the want of the same But is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God while as by the experiment of this ministration They glorify God for your professed objection unto the gospel of Christ and for your liberal distribution unto them and unto all men and By their prayer for you which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift turn if you would to chapter 11 second Corinthians chapter 11. I Mean over and over and over again we're seeing These references in Scripture I'm giving right and giving to the Saints and I'm teaching on this one to give the explanation of why we're sending money off to another church But to for you to just think about it on your own and maybe in a light that you haven't thought about it before Because many people might think well, I'm doing my duty I'm giving my tithe every week or whatever, you know And and and that's what I'm supposed to do and that is what you're supposed to do But I want you just to be able to think too about well How are you spending your own resources? And if you have especially if you have extra or whatever, right? If God's really blessed you a lot What do you you know, what are you doing with that? Where are you investing your time and resources into? You know consider It doesn't even have to be through our church just supporting other people doing the work Right sending off donations Do it or not. You know what people that you think are doing a great job You know, you can do it through a church. You can do it through our missions fund, right? That's one way of being able to give and supply the want of the Saints or when you see people who are You know Making a stand and having being persecuted Send them something All right, because these things don't come, you know free is that it doesn't come without a cost Obviously the the persecution coming at first words like this comes with a cost Definitely comes with a cost So we're gonna help to try to supply that need and that want and I just would encourage you to have that Mindset of being aware of like hey if you know that there's there's brethren in need somewhere To take it upon yourself to give but to give cheerfully Right to be happy about being able to supply and say hey, you know what God's really blessed me in this area So I'm gonna help out this person or that person Because why not? I mean God's blessed me I might as well be a blessing on to someone else and not and may and also make sure I'm not just so focused on my Own riches and the cares of this world, but I'm willing to to give of myself Second Corinthians chapter 11 verse number 7 the Bible reads have I committed an offense and abasing myself that you might be exalted Because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely But he always says in verse 8 I robbed other churches taking wages of them to do you service so here's kind of rebuking them a little bit going like I Robbed other now. Did he really Rob him? No, but he was accepting some of the you know The money from other churches in order to do work for other people. He's saying, you know, I'm working for you You ought to be you ought to be some you know Giving and and being able to support me since I'm working for you But he said you know what I was, you know, I was taking you know, accepting some some some money from other churches And nobody calls it wages wages Because he was being reimbursed for the work that he was doing and you know, that's not a dirty word There's nothing wrong with that of a man of God being receiving wages Carnal wages physical wages here for the work that they're doing. There's nothing wrong with that. There's nothing unspiritual about that Because you have to survive you have to live you have to eat you have to you you have to do these things Right. So so the work you're doing a good work. You ought to get receive wages for that work Where's number nine and when I was present with you and wanted I was chargeable to no man For that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied again He's making reference to other people helping him in his needs and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you and so will I keep myself as the truth of Christ is in me No, man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of achaya wherefore because I love you not God knoweth But what I do that I will do that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion That wherein they glory they may be found even as we know Well, let's just keep reading here verse number 13 for such are false apostles deceitful workers Transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ and no marble for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light Therefore it is no great thing of his ministers also be transformed as ministers of righteousness whose end shall be according to their works now What does all this mean? he's Talking to the church of Corinth and saying how you know other people have to supply us want and anything but you know What I'm still not going to ask or receive anything of you and I wouldn't have it any other way And he's saying why not because I don't love you. He said God knows He says but what I do he explains why he's doing this. He says that I may cut off Occasion from them which desire occasion there were people within the church that were trying to find Something wrong to with Apostle Paul and something to slander him with and something to tear him down with and they're seeking an occasion against him so He knows that they're gonna try to seek an occasion Oh, you're giving this money to them and try to slander his name and and use that as if he's doing something wrong Or something wicked which is why he's had to explain so much in depth that there's nothing wrong with that There's nothing wrong with receiving the wages There's nothing wrong and the attitude the mindset, you know we spent a lot of our time in first and second Corinthians because he has to teach him this because he's got Children of the devil that have infiltrated and are starting to pollute the minds of the church there because he says that these are false apostles deceitful workers that are trying to seek occasion against him and they're using this thing of money and Money that he might be receiving of the church to pollute the minds of everyone around him say oh man You know, he's doing this and he's doing that You know, it's it's akin to what we've seen and you know the slander I've seen going on against pastor Shelley. Oh Other money anyone they focus on all this money everything else now look I'm all for exposing wickedness and think you know things that are that are truly Problems right problematic and If people need to be marked and called out for you know, doing some some wicked things with funds That's one thing but that wasn't the case here with him and you know, I don't want to get too far into that but There are people who? Are going to use that Oh, he's getting paid and he's getting this and he's getting that from the church just to cause damage and cause harm And there's children the devil that are out there trying to do that And so the apostle Paul took the approach of saying you know what? I'm not even take anything then because I don't want to give them any occasion at all Even though there's obviously nothing wrong going on and he's explaining why it's totally right and legitimate He's just saying you know what? I'm not gonna give you that occasion. These people help support me So they're gonna support me and even though they're not even getting the benefit from me directly You know, what is right for Macedonia to support them support him because now they're getting fruit on their account as opposed to the people of Corinth And this is the mindset that we that we need to have For the last place I'll be turn Romans chapter 12 Romans chapter 12. We'll wrap it up right here And this just goes back to God has blessed us all differently No, I think everyone ought to have the same mindset and and not be you know Not be stuck on focusing on money not be you know, so tight and stingy with your money But being liberal and willing to give and willing to help and and being able to just let it go But you know what? God's blessed up bless us. God bless me I'm gonna help someone else. I'm gonna be a blessing to someone else and And not just be so hard focused on having to keep everything right and care about the the things of this world But not everyone has been blessed in the same manner Fact and what we're gonna see here in Romans chapter 12 is how God has good given different gifts to people And let's just read starting verse number four The Bible says for as we have many members in one body and all members have not the same office But the other one has the same exact job so we being many our one body in Christ and everyone members one of another Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us Whether prophecy let us prophesy according to proportion of faith or ministry Let us wait on our ministering or he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation Look at this he that giveth Let him do it with simplicity This is he that ruleth with diligence. He has showed mercy with cheerfulness So if God has blessed you with the ability to give right he's saying here's how you do it He that's going to give because not everyone's going to be able to really give in a whole kind of congregation I mean, it's just it's just a fact. It'll be people who just you're just not really capable of doing it Just because they're doing everything they can to survive or whatever they can it's going to be very minimal, right? Everyone could probably find something to give and praise God for that too or whatever it is that you're able to give great, but You know the the the more significant amounts Bible says he that giveth let them do it with simplicity and you know a part of this is going to be is You know if you happen to be in a position where you do have a lot of money to give Do it with simplicity you give it unto the unto the church unto the leaders and let them distribute as is fit and You know what would not be simplicity would be okay? Well, I'm going to give you this money But you need to do this and this and this and trying to take control of the situation that's not in simplicity Start adding different rules and things and what you could do with it. You know look if you're a game just given simplicity And that's never been a problem here, but I'm just you know this is what the scriptures teaching that that we fear I give given simplicity you could see easily how that could happen How someone might walk in and be like I'm daddy warbucks, and I've got all this money And if I'm going to give anything to you Then you need to do this and unfortunately that creeps in a lot of churches as well And you've got these deacon run churches We've got you've got these People have been around forever And they have a lot of wealth and they give a lot of money of the church and the pastor's being supported by them And he's worried about what might happen if he goes against what they say Because it's going to hurt him financially. You know what it's not right If you're going to give you give in simplicity you to give or you don't give And if you give just like they did in Acts chapter 4 You know people were selling land and you know giving all this money To supply for the wants and the needs of other saints, and that's what they were doing They're bringing forth and people were making these big sacrifices and donations, and you know what they did they laid at the apostles feet When they brought their giving they're like okay? Well here you go, and then they made the distribution as they saw fit It's doing with simplicity And then in verse number 13 of course says distributing to the necessity of Saints Plenty of scripture on this subject. I'm being generous. I'm being hospitable which I didn't even really get into hospitality but Distributing to this the necessity of the saints is something that we ought to remember Right something that that we need to be aware of Have the right heart have the right attitude You're not forced to do it Okay, it's one of those things. That's more. It's kind of expected, but not demanded Right we're expected to have a right heart. We're expected to have a selfless attitude We're expected to be you know loving and giving of ourselves you know as Jesus was loving and giving of himself, so we're expected to have that but It's not a forced commandment of what you have to give to This person or that person or whatever When they have need, but it ought to be done cheerfully so hopefully that clears things up And I'm pretty sure everyone here. Hopefully it wasn't even that important for people here But if it was that clears up any questions, then I'm happy about that Let's uh let's probably have a word of prayer. Dear Heavenly Father. Well. We thank you so much for your word And we thank you for how you've blessed us as a church dear Lord that We are in a place right now where word you've allowed us to abound and I pray that that you would help use our supply for others lack dear Lord and that and that you would Just just take what you've given us and and use it for to supply the wants of other people Lord they're doing your work as well and God I pray to you Please just watch over our churches and protect us and and Lord help us from to To be protect from evil and help us to be bold and continue to do the work that you've set out for us Lord and God I pray to please help us all to have a mindset that we're not Greedy or covetous or too focused on on our physical goods, but that we can be liberal and open to being able to supply the wants of anyone who's serving you and Doing your work that we could have fruit that would abound unto our account Lord. We love you to Jesus name. We pray amen