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All right, keep your place there in 2 Corinthians chapter 9. So 2 Corinthians chapter 9 is talking about, Paul is talking to the Corinthians. You see there when he talks about Achaia, he's talking about the Corinthians there in the area of Achaia. So he's talking to the Corinthians about this special offering that he's bringing to Jerusalem. We'll hear about that a little bit more later on in the sermon, but he's bragging about these Macedonians and he's saying, you know, he's kind of using them as an example. So with that, let's put the special offering to the side a little bit and we'll talk about that towards the middle of the sermon, but I want to just give an intro on the sermon this morning. You know, this is not something that, you know, we're going to talk about a lot here and I'm going to explain to you why we won't probably talk about it that much at the end of the sermon, but we're going to talk about giving this morning. We're going to talk about, you know, money and giving money to the church and to the, you know, the cause of giving money to the Lord, basically. The Bible actually talks a lot about it. It's not something that we're going to discuss every sermon here, right? And I'll explain why, but, you know, you need to understand the Bible's stance on giving and really, if it's in the Bible, we're eventually going to get to it here. And it's something that, you know, I wasn't necessarily looking forward to preaching, but it's in the Bible, so I have to preach it at some point. But look, it's something that is abused by many churches today. And it's abused by, you know, pastors who are trying to, I've been in churches like this, but it's been abused by pastors that preach a prosperity gospel and that, you know, you have to give money to me or, you know, your life's going to fall apart kind of thing and people that are trying to build a personal empire, you know, huge building funds and all these types of things, but, you know, the Bible actually does address it. So let's look at the biblical stance on it and let's talk about it. So today we're going to talk about your increase, your income. We're going to talk about where it comes from and in a couple weeks, we're actually, it's kind of a perfect lead in with the vision offering because in a couple weeks, we're going to start a sermon series talking about what the Bible says on how you should manage your money, on how, you know, you can be a responsible manager of what God has given you. All right, so the first topic tonight, or this morning, before we get into the special offerings is really just basic tithing. I mean, what does the Bible say about it? Turn to Leviticus chapter 27. You know, what is, you know, what is the tithe? What is the tithe in the Bible? What does the Bible say about it? How does it apply to us today? Turn to Leviticus chapter 27. It's kind of perfect that I can actually preach a message like this because if you think that I'm after your money, you're, you know, probably crazy. I mean, I don't get paid to do this, so it's a perfect opportunity for someone to, you know, preach on what the Bible says about money. All right? Turn to Leviticus chapter 27, look at verse number 30 where the Bible says, and all the tithe of the land, whether the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's. It is holy unto the Lord. And if a man will at all redeem out of his tithes, he shall add there unto the fifth part thereof. And concerning the tithe of the herd or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, saying whatever is your labor, is of your labor, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord. Look at Numbers chapter 18. So this, in Leviticus 27, it's basically saying that, you know, a tenth part of your increase, of your gains, whether it be fruit or grain or livestock or whatever it is that you do for your living, is the Lord's. And if you're caught, the Bible says here, not, you know, this was the law of the land there, remember, that if you were caught keeping back part of that 10%, you were going to be charged 20%, the fifth part thereof. Okay, so that's, you know, 5 into 100 is 20%. Little math lesson in the Bible there. Turn to Numbers chapter 18 and look at verse number 26. And the Bible says again, thus speak unto the Levites and say unto them, when ye take of the children of the Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up and heave offering of it for the Lord even a tenth part of the tithe, or of your increase. So if you have a job and you make money, the Bible teaches that it is God that gives you that increase. And I'll show that to you now. Turn to Ecclesiastes, no actually turn to 1 Kings chapter 3. Ecclesiastes, one of my favorite books in the Bible, was written by a man who was given pretty much everything you could possibly imagine by God. He was given great wisdom, great riches by the Lord, King Solomon. Let's look at that story in 1 Kings chapter 3. First Kings chapter 3, look down at verse number 5. So Solomon, you know, he gave us, you know, Solomon did not do well as a manager of what had God had given him, you know, towards the end of his life especially, and he gives us the book of Ecclesiastes to warn us against going down the same road. But let's look at the beginning for Solomon. In 1 Kings chapter 3, look at verse number 5. And the Bible reads, In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. Now imagine that. That's a pretty nice moment right there when God appears to you and says, what do you want? And Solomon, who's a young man at this point? Remember, he's a young man. Less than 20 years old, maybe, you know, in his mid-teens at this point. Imagine the answer from a teenager today that Solomon gives. And Solomon said, Thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee. And thou hast kept him from this great kindness, and thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne as it is this day. And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father, and I am but a little child. I know not how to go out or come in, and thy servant is in the midst of thy people, which thou hast chosen, a great people that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge the people, that I may discern between good and bad, for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? So he could ask for anything, and what does he ask for? He asks for an understanding heart, that he could discern good and bad, so he could judge the people, so he could be a good ruler over the people, and that's what he asked for. And in verse number 10, the Bible says, And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou had asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself a long life, neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment. Well, I mean, think about it. God expected him to ask for a long life. It's the first thing he asked for. I mean, look at how concerned people are about their long life. You know what I mean? But Solomon never asked for it. Behold, I have done according to thy words, lo, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And we see in the Bible the great wisdom of Solomon after this happens, because God gave him that wisdom. People came from all over the world giving him gifts of gold and riches and animals and exotic things just to hear his wisdom. Think about that. And that came from the Lord. And then verse number 13, And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. So God said, because you only asked for this, I'm giving you all the wisdom. You'll be wiser than any man or any man to come. And I'm also going to make you a great king who's rich, basically. God gave him all these riches. And from that, he squandered it, he made the wrong decisions, he married all these wives, he ruined much of his life, and he wrote the book of Ecclesiastes for us. Now look at Ecclesiastes chapter 5. And from that Solomon, from that wisdom, he wrote Ecclesiastes, and there's so much great advice in Ecclesiastes for us. With the work of the Holy Spirit and King Solomon with his life writing that down for us that we could not make these same mistakes. Ecclesiastes chapter 5. Ecclesiastes chapter 5, look at verse number 18. And the Bible says this, it says, Behold, that which I have seen, it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor, that he taketh under the sun. So look, first of all, there's nothing wrong with working hard and earning a living and enjoying the fruit of that labor. Nothing at all, the Bible says. But look what it says, and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him, for it is his portion. So look, God gives you all the days of your life, any of the blessings or any of the things that you have in your life, it's because God gave you those things. So the danger is, is that you go out and you work hard, and you earn all these things, and then you say to yourself, look what I have done. No, the Bible says that those things, and it says in many other places we don't have time to study that out, but basically everything that you earn is a gift from God. Everything that you have. Look, you're commanded to go out and work. You're commanded to go out and toil by the sweat of your face, man. And everything that you earn is still a gift from God, the Bible says. It's only by God's grace that you get up every morning and are able to follow his commandments and do what he says you're supposed to do. So this idea that a tithe is you giving 10% of your increase or income to the Lord, that's all God requires back of the gift that he gives you, basically. Turn to Malachi chapter 3. It's all his. It's all given to you by him. And he would only like 10% in return, is what the Bible says. Now Malachi was a prophet during Nehemiah and Ezra, during the rebuilding of Jerusalem, during the rebuilding of the wall. Just a little historical context for you there. Look at Malachi chapter 3 and verse number 8. The Bible says this, it says, Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? And he says, In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house. And prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. So I mean, there is some biblical truth to this fact that if you do tithe and you just give your tithe to God like he says that he wants, that God says he'll pour you out a blessing. Now look, it can be taken way too far. What I said, you know, by saying that, you know, hey, all you have to do is give me all your money, and then God will make you successful. God will make you CEO of that company. You know, God will make you the most powerful person in Fresno. You know, if you just give me all your money. You know, see, that's taking it too far. But God does say, if you have the faith, and just do what I say you're supposed to do, that he will, just, he'll take care of it. He'll take care of it for you, all right? Verse number 11, and I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and you shall not destroy the fruits of your ground. Neither shall your vine cast your fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. He's like, I'm going to bless your work of your hands if you don't steal from me, basically, is what he's saying. So if you're not giving your tithe, he basically says, you know, you're robbing from God. You're stealing from God. Look at Proverbs chapter 3, Proverbs chapter 3, Proverbs chapter 3. And then people will say, well, you know, 10%, how does that work? Is that, you know, before or after taxes? And what about tax credits that Trump's going to give me because of what's going on here and all that? How does all this work in? Where's this in TurboTax, right? Well look at Proverbs chapter 3 and verse number 9. We'll make it real simple for you here. The Bible says, honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine increase. So the first thing that you're supposed to do before you give Uncle Sam his money is give the Lord his money back. Give the Lord his 10%, period. So 10% of your living is the Lord's. I'm sorry to ruin your day with the Bible. That's what the Bible says. And it's the first 10%. And now you say, yeah, but that's the Old Testament. Well, I'm glad you brought that up. You know, turn to Genesis chapter 14. First of all, if Jesus didn't revoke it, it's still in play today. In Malachi chapter 3, a couple of verses before we were just reading in verse number 8, the Bible says, for I am the Lord, I change not. The God of the Old Testament, same God as the New Testament. Look at Genesis chapter 14. Here we see a story of Lot as soon as he separated from Abraham. Lot gets taken captive. There was this war between the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and this other king. And you know, they lose and Lot gets taken captive. So Abraham, he hears about this. Somebody escapes the war and he hears about it and he takes 300 plus of his own servants of his house and he goes and he just whips everybody and he kills all these kings. And you know, which must tell you, you know, these weren't just sweeping the floor at Abraham's house, right? I mean, these were mighty men of war, but that's beside the point. But look down at verse number 18. After this happens and he rescues Lot, this man comes to meet Abraham. And the Bible says in Genesis 14 verse 18, And Melchizedek the king of Salem brought forth bread and wine, and he was the priest of the Most High God. And he blessed him and said, Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, professor of heaven and earth. Verse number 20, And blessed be the Most High God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand. What does the Bible say that God will do if he's on our side? One man will chase a thousand, right? We've been talking about this for the last couple weeks. Sounds like Abraham, you know, had his enemies delivered into his hand by God in that war, which had delivered thine enemies into thy hand, and he gave them tithes, gave him tithes of all. So Abraham tithed 10% of his spoil to this man, to this priest of the Most High God. Now turn to Hebrews chapter seven. And here we see a great part of the Bible where the New Testament shines light on the Old Testament story for us. Because when we see this Old Testament story, you know, you might just read past it. But when you read the New Testament, you see that something wonderful happened here. You see that something amazing happened here to Abram. And look at Hebrews chapter seven and verse number one. And the Bible is talking in Hebrews chapter seven about this Melchizedek and who he was. And in verse number one it says, for this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, that's exactly how he's described in the Old Testament, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him. That's what happened in verse number 20 of Genesis 14. To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all. So we know, see that in verse number 20 and it says, and he gave him tithes of all, we don't really, there's not a lot of detail there, but it tells him that Abraham gave a tenth part to this Melchizedek. So we see the light shining on it here. And then in verse number two of Hebrews number seven it says, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being by interpretation, king of righteousness. So this is who this king of Salem was. He was the king of righteousness. And after that also king of Salem, see, he was also this king of Salem, which is king of peace. Is this ringing some bells, like hmm, this sounds like someone I know. Look at verse number three, without father, without mother, without descent, meaning earthly father mother, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually. Now this goes into the doctrine of Hebrews on how Jesus is the eternal high priest and that differs from the Levitical priesthood, which always had to be replaced because the priest would die and then we'd have to have his son be a priest and his son be a priest. But Jesus is the eternal priest. That order never has to be replaced. So this king of Salem was an appearance of the Son of God in the Old Testament. Now if you go on the internet and read a bunch of commentary, there's people that will debate about this. But let me just settle the debate for you right now. The debate is settled with this criteria right here. If you read the Bible literally, then the king of Salem was an appearance of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, period. And we read the Bible literally here. Hate to break it to you, but that's what we do. The Bible is literal unless it is clearly meant not to be. Like as unto. His hair was as white as wool. It wasn't wool. It was as white as wool. Things like that. But we read the Bible literally here. So if you read the Bible literally, look, if you don't read the Bible literally, by the way, anything goes. Anything goes. I can change the Bible into anything I want just by saying, you have to take it into the cultural context of the times. You know, women can be preachers. Because the cultural context of the time, you know, men were pigs back then. You know, I mean, you see, you can change the Bible any way you want if you don't actually listen to what the Bible's words say and believe those words. It's that simple. So back to the whole point of the sermon. The point I'm trying to make is that Abraham paid tithe to Jesus. He paid tithe to the Son of God. Did Jesus say no? That no longer applies to me? Turn to Matthew chapter 23. It's in the actual New Testament as well. Turn to Matthew chapter 23. Let's look at the actual New Testament. Because Jesus actually addressed this as well when he was on earth as the word become flesh. Look at Matthew 23 and verse number 23. Jesus is rebuking the Pharisees here. And the Bible says in verse number 23 of Matthew 23, woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith. Then he says, these ought you to have done. What does he mean by that? He means you should have done the first things and not to leave the other undone. So he's talking about two things. He's talking about these Pharisees were paying their tithe, but they omitted these weightier matters. Mercy, faith, judgment. So there's weightier matters, but he didn't say that the other thing was null and void. He said you should be doing that. You should have done that, but you're not doing these really important things is what he said. So look, tithing is clear in the Bible. So these people that say that tithing is not a New Testament doctrine or whatever, I mean, it's just made up. There's no Bible to back it up at all. Now look, just to conclude this idea of tithing, let me just say that the rules and laws of the Bible are there to help and protect us. They're logical. I mean, the Bible is our common sense. Think about it. You ever heard people say that common sense is dead today? Well the reason that common sense seems dead today is because nobody knows what the Bible says anymore. That's why it's dead. How many people believe the Bible today? When you're out soul winning, how many people do you run into that are just like, oh I believe every word the Bible says? Not that many people. That's why there's no common sense anymore. The commandments in the Bible, God's law, I mean there are commandments in the Bible. Every sermon could just be, because God says so, let's have coffee. Because God said so, let's go soul winning. It could be like a 10 minute sermon. Tithe, let's hang out for a while. That's it. God says so. But look, they're there to also protect us. Think of it, think of it, fornication. I mean that's a commandment. God yells against fornication in the Bible. Is fornication good for you physically? Is fornication good for you mentally? No. So God's law is also good for us. Think of drunkenness. Is that good for you? I mean is that good for you physically or mentally? Is that something that you should be doing? Look at these people out here. You ever talk to them? Their minds are gone. They're melted upstairs. Or they're possessed, one of the two. But the point is, it's not good for you. Not only is it a commandment of God, but it's there to protect you. And tithing, look, tithing is no different. Tithing is no different. I mean, the ministry isn't free. Think about it. I mean, if you don't tithe, it's free to you, but nothing is free. Look, nothing is free, folks. And this is an epidemic that's going on today. You know, just this prevailing thought that everything is free in America. You know, one of the guys running for president, you know, is just like, I'm going to give everybody free everything. You know, free college and free everything, right? You don't have to do anything. It's all going to be free. The only problem with this is math. It just, it can't work that way. Everyone can't just stop, right? Everyone can't just stop. It's driving me nuts over the last couple weeks. Everyone needs to just stay home for like two months. Look, we can't just stop the country. It doesn't work that way. Someone's got to pull the cart. Everything's not free. It's a generational disease, unfortunately. Look, even your salvation, it was free to you, but somebody paid. Jesus Christ paid a heavy price. But it was free to you. So don't take this thing too far. Look, the ministry, the ministry is not free. These lights cost money. The rent on this building costs money. Missionary work costs money. You know, it's the same thing there. First Timothy 5 18, I'll just read for you. The Bible says, you know, a pastor's livelihood costs money. A pastor should be paid. That's a sermon in itself. The Bible says, for the scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn, and the laborer is worthy of his reward. There's nothing wrong. There's a whole other false doctrine out there that pastors shouldn't be paid. It's stupid. I'm not a pastor. I don't need to be paid. But the point is that pastors should be paid. The laborer's worthy of his reward. So just think, if you're going to rob God and you think everything is free to you, that's your choice. That's your choice. But good night. You know, you're going nowhere in life. I hate to break it to you. I mean, if everything comes from the Lord, nothing is coming your way if you operate that way. So that's tithing. Let's talk about this idea of special offerings. That's kind of what we read about in 2 Corinthians chapter 9. Turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 16. So there's this story throughout the New Testament, and it's in several books of the New Testament. But Paul is basically, he's on this mission. He's taking this special offering to Jerusalem, okay? He's taking this special offering to Jerusalem. If you turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 16, this is Paul's call to the Corinthian church for this special offering to them. And he says in 1 Corinthians chapter 16, verse number 1, he says, Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. On the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. He's like, just take care of it now. Please put it aside so it's just there and there's no debate or argument about this when I come. I just want to take it, and then I'll just go and I'll bring it to Jerusalem. In verse 3, he says, And when I come, whosoever ye shall approve by your letters, then will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. Meaning, you know, your generosity is what he's saying. And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me. Now I come unto you when I shall pass through Macedonia, for I do pass through Macedonia. So he's going through Macedonia. Now turn to Romans chapter 15. So Paul has asked them to set aside this offering for Jerusalem. And if you go to Romans chapter 15, Romans chapter 15, we're going to hear more about this Macedonian church, and I want to work them into this story, because they're key to what actually ends up happening here. And he explains this special offering a little bit more in Romans chapter 15 when he's writing to the church at Rome, and the Bible says in Romans 15 verse 24, Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you. For I trust to see you in my journey, and be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company. But now I go to Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. He's going and he's bringing this offering to the saints in Jerusalem. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaea, Achaea is where the Corinthian church is, to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. And this is great, verse number 27, especially for us. It hath pleased them verily, and their debtors they are. He's saying that the church in Corinth and the church in Macedonia is, they're debtors to the church in Jerusalem. Why? For if the Gentiles had been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. This is a great verse for us. Because guess what? I got news for you. We would not even be here if it wasn't for Verity Baptist Church, Sacramento. If it wasn't for a man starting a church in his house, and starting this wonderful church of sold out Christians in Sacramento, California that just started planting churches throughout California and other parts of the country, and other parts of the world. We would not be here. We are a partaker of their spiritual things. So I mean, it is so appropriate for us to gather some liberality and send it to an evangelist of theirs, of ours. That's very appropriate according to verse number 27. I mean, we wouldn't even be here. And then verse number 28, when therefore I have performed this, and I have sealed it to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain. Turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 8, but it gets even better. The story gets even better in 2 Corinthians chapter 8. This is the verse right before the one we read before the sermon. It gets even better because Paul ends up seeing something in the Macedonians that he ends up boasting in front of the Corinthians about. Okay? Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 8 and verse number 1. And the Bible says this, it says, moreover brethren, we do you wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia, how that in great affliction and the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. Now look. Look at verse number 2. Now tell me if this isn't a sandwich of items here. He says that this church in Macedonia, in great trial of affliction, in the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. Look. He's saying that these people are afflicted and they're poor, but they gave in liberality. Think about it. And then guess what? Guess what's in the middle there? They're very joyful people during affliction. Oh, if Americans could get this. I mean, I want to beat my head on this pulpit right now. I mean Americans, I mean what? My wife said to me this morning, we were talking about this very verse, and she said to me this morning, imagine what it was like when my dad was 20, she said. When my dad was 20 in America. Think about today. Think about today. People are just freaking out over so far and hopefully it turns into nothing, but I mean, they're just freaking out for no reason. Alright? Just imagine my wife's parents, my wife's dad when he was 20. They're poor farmers. They have no money. And the government comes and says, you're going to Vietnam. And 10% casualties. Your son is going to Vietnam, you're poor, we're taking part of your business away. Just think of the money of it. We're taking part of your business away, and oh by the way, there's a good chance, like a good real chance that he'll die. So he went and he came back, and thank God he didn't die. But think of today. We're like, oh, they're out of tri-tip. I mean it's pitiful. We are so weak in this country. It makes me sick, actually, because you know what? People not that long ago, we talked about Joshua and the generations being able to see them. I can still see those generations that were strong. And we're weak today. Nobody wants anybody to die of illness. But we're weak. It's pitiful. Think about it. Of the people that went to Vietnam, 10% casualties, 3% actually died. I mean that's hard times. That's difficult times. You have no choice. You're going. That's it. They were drafted. Those are hard times. People have gone through hard times before. You need to get some perspective on things. But look at these Macedonians and their great affliction. They're joyful. It says they have an abundance of joy. An abundance of joy. It's not just like, yeah, some of them are joy. There's an abundance of joy there in great affliction and poverty. I mean, look, do you have to have money to be happy? If you do, if you think about it and you go home tonight and you say, you know what, if I was broke, I wouldn't be happy, there's a problem in your life. A big problem because these people, their deep poverty, they were joyful. They were under affliction of many different kinds, I'm sure. For to their power I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves, praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift and take upon us the fellowship of the ministry to the saints in Jerusalem. Now turn back to 2 Corinthians chapter 9, 2 Corinthians chapter 9. And Paul boasts about these people. In 2 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 1, for as touching the ministering to the saints, talking about going to minister to Jerusalem, it is 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 Achaia was ready a year ago and your zeal hath provoked very many. He's telling them, look, your zeal, what you said you were going to do, provoked a lot of people. Now are you going to do it? That's what he's saying to the Corinthians. He's telling them. Alright, so look, these special offerings are very biblical, especially in our case because of verse number 27, the one fly in California, he's back. Flies in California, I could preach a whole sermon on flies. There's no flies here, except this one in this building. Anyway, so you say, you know, you say, you know, just a little application, you know, before we end the sermon here, you say, ah, a money sermon, you know. Well, I mean, the Bible talks a lot about money. The doctrine about giving money is throughout the entire Bible and, you know, for the vision offering, the conclusion of the matter is this. Look at verse number 7, it's the verse of the week of 2 Corinthians chapter 9. For every man according as he purposed in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver. So look, the bottom line is this, everything that we have is from the Lord and God loves a cheerful giver. So if you don't want to give, if you're sitting there and you're saying, ah, another offering, and all this, don't give money to the vision offering. If you're saying, you know, ah, this church, look, I've been in a church and I've been this guy thinking about this. When somebody's preaching money at me, I'm just like, this guy always wants his money and all this. But look, if you're thinking about like that, because of this vision offering, don't give to the vision offering. Because God wants you to give not out of necessity, but willingly out of your heart, right? God loves a cheerful giver. So look, you know, I obviously don't want your money, I mean, that should be obvious to you. You know, I'm just here to tell you what the Bible says, I hate to break it to you. But let me just end the sermon with this. This is one of those moments, a sermon like this is one of those moments that will tell you where your idols are. You know, sometimes sermons will tell you, you know, that maybe I have an idol somewhere. And you say, you know, what do you mean? An idol is something where you see a clear commandment from the Bible. And you're like, you know what, I just don't want to do that, because of whatever reason. That's an idol to you. People can have idols of, you know, changing their standards in their life. There can be idols there. People's children can be their idols. You know, I don't want to, I don't have enough faith in God to discipline my children or to do this with my children like the Bible says. I want to do it my way because of how my heart feels. That's an idol to you. And I have, you know, I have news for you, and the bad thing about it is this, is that God tells you throughout the Bible that wherever your idols are, God will destroy your idols. God will actively work to destroy the idols in your life. So look, I mean, good luck with your financial future if you have money as an idol. And you're saved. Because the Bible's, you know, it's God's money. You know, God gave it to you. I told you I used to work for a man that, you know, was a very devout Catholic man. You know, and he wasn't saved, but he was very devout in certain things of the Catholic Church, but he was a very hard working man. He was a very hard working man. He'd struggle to find a man that worked harder than this man. And he said to me on a number of occasions, when I was a young man working for him on this farm, and he said to me on a number of occasions, he's like, I go to church and I do what I'm supposed to do and I do what the priest says. He's like, but God doesn't put food on my table. Wrong. Wrong. Yes, he does. And he promises that he will. And that was a mess. You know what? I wasn't even saved at that time, but that just didn't sound right to me. Even at that time, I wasn't even saved. I was a young man. I was 15, 16 years old. And you know, I had a lot of respect for this guy. And he was, you know, I had a lot of, maybe my work ethic came from working beside this man. But that just didn't sound right to me. And it wasn't right. You know, so it's, look, it's much better to just realize that. It's much better to just do what we're supposed to do. Work hard. And I'm thankful for what God has given us. Look, I can tell you that, like personally, my finances never got, were better than when I just quit worrying about money and just did what I was supposed to do and just quit worrying about money. I mean, when I was working so hard to be rich, you know, in my own mind, I was working so hard to be rich. When I was in my 20s, you know, it was like brick wall after brick wall. And I mean, I'm not rich. God doesn't want me to be rich. I don't want to be rich. You know, I've learned that as well. But look, be thankful. You know, get your heart, get your heart in the right place, and God will take it from there. As far as tithing goes, says a guy who's up here, you know, been given the great privilege to lead this church and to lead this satellite, look, as far as tithing goes, I'm telling you, I round up, because I don't want to miss anything. Okay, so that's my testimony, that's what I do. And God deserves more from me than that. And look, folks, like so many other things, like so many other things, think about what's happening today. Look, we don't live in boring times, I'll tell you that. I mean, we're not living in boring times, so that's an upside, right? But like so many things in life, it's just a matter of faith. That's it. I mean, why do we worry so much about stupid things that we don't have to worry about? Money is just one more example of that. It's just a matter of faith. If I, oh, I cannot, if I give 10%, look, the Lord is able to give you much more than this. God can do things for you that you can't even imagine in your head. He can make, put things together for you. So it's just, it's just a matter of faith. That's it. So that's the money sermon. So you know, that's what the Bible says. And it's just, it's just faith. Everything's just faith. Are we going to be okay? Is this church going to be okay? It's just faith. I mean, James chapter 2. Show me your faith without works and I'll show you my faith by my works. That's what it's talking about. Where's your faith? Put it into action. Just let everything else go. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this church. Lord, I ask that you just help us take your word and just do what it says, Lord, and just have faith. Lord, I ask you to place a hedge of protection around this church in all this madness and craziness. Lord, just, we advocate that you, you know, just stop and just make this whole thing that's going on in this country and this world, that you would just give us more time to reach more people, Lord. And that, you know, Lord, we just ask that you just put the faith in our hearts, protect this church, protect the people in this church, Lord, and just help us just move on faith with everything. Lord, we love you and in Jesus' name we pray, amen. Amen. Amen.