BEATH OF LIFE MINISTRIES
PRESENTS:  B512 "NO MORE
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TIPPING: BREATH
OF LIFE THEME [Music]
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PB: The Word of God
says. Will a man robbed whom?
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Aud.: God    PB:
Yet ye have robbed me,
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but ye say wherein
have we robbed thee?
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In tithe and in what,
everybody? Tithe and in what?
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[Aud. Reaction] Oferring.
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PB: And so because of that
ye are cursed with a curse.
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For ye have robbed me,
even this whole nation.
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Bring ye all the"
-- what? Aud.: Tithes.
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PB: Into the what?
  Aud.: Storehouse.
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PB: That there may
be what in mine house?
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Aud.: Meat.   PB:
"Meat in mine house,
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and prove me now herewith,
saith the LORD of hosts,
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if I will not open
you the windows of heaven,
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and pour you out"
a what, everybody?
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Aud.: Blessing.   PB:
"That there shall not be
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room enough to" --
what?   Aud.: Receive it.
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PB: "And I will rebuke
the devourer for your sakes."
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I like that. "And he
shall not destroy the fruits
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of your ground; neither
shall your vine cast her
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fruit before the time
in the field, saith the
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LORD of hosts. And
all nations [all nations]
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shall call you
blessed: for ye shall be a
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delightsome land,
saith the LORD of hosts.
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Our challenge is entitled
today "No Tipping, Please."
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Father, bless us now for
the next couple of minutes
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as we go into Your Word
and unpack this text that's
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familiar to all of
us. We give You the honor,
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we give You glory in
advance for what You're
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going to do. Move by
Your Spirit, by Your power.
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Sprinkle out Your grace
today. Give us receptive hearts,
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and hide me behind Your
cross, forgive me of my sins.
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In Jesus' name we
pray. Let everyone say amen.
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Aud.: Amen.  PB: No
tipping, please. Exactly
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one week after I
graduated from eighth grade,
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my twin brother and I
were in our house in Florida,
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and we thought that
since we had just graduated
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from the eighth grade,
we thought we were going
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to chill all summer long.
Watch TV, go to the beach,
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play basketball, just have
fun. Wake up at 11 o'clock.
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Come on, say
amen.   [Aud. reaction]
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PB: But after one week
our father had other plans.
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My daddy made it clear.
He said, I'm not raising
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boys to be lazy. I wish I
had a witness in this place,
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'cause we got too
much of that going on.
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This entitlement and this
laziness, come on say amen.
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[Aud. reaction]   PB: If
you don't work, you don't eat.
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I wish I had a
church in this place today.
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[Aud. reaction]   PB:
My daddy made it clear,
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"I'm not raising boys
to be lazy." He said that
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before God gave Adam a
wife, He gave Adam a job.
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And he said, "If we're
going to be in His house,
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we're going to have to
work." Do I have a witness
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in this place?  [Aud. reaction]
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PB: So he told us, he
said, "Boys, get dressed up.
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Put a shirt and tie on,
get in the car." He said,
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"Because I'm taking you to the
neighborhood shopping plaza."
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Now, in that plaza was
a McDonald's, a Pizza Hut,
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a Walgreen's, an ice
cream shop, a dry cleaner's,
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and a Publix supermarket.
When we arrived at the
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plaza my father's
instructions were clear:
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Get out of the car, and
call me when you have a job.
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[Aud. reaction]   PB: That's
that old-school parenting.
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Come on, say
amen.   [Aud. reaction]
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PB: He said, "Don't come
home"--somebody remembers
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those days.   [Aud. reaction]
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PB: "Don't come home
until you have a job." Now,
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if we didn't think he
was serious in the beginning,
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we knew he was serious
when that Volvo drove off
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the parking lot and we
were left standing there,
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looking at each other. Do I
have a witness in this place?
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So we started our job search.
The first stop was McDonald's.
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Mickey D's. The Golden
Arches. Because we thought that
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if we worked at McDonald's, at
least we would have free food.
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We interviewed well, we
looked nice. In fact, we looked
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better than the manager.
But we were told we're not
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hiring 14-year-olds. So we
left. We then went to Pizza Hut,
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'cause again we thought
we'd get free food. Pan pizza,
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cheese, with black
olives and mushrooms on the top.
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Come on, say
amen.   [Aud. reaction]
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PB: But the answer was
the same--you're too young.
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We knew we couldn't
work at the cleaner's because
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they only had three
employees, and if we got hired
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that would increase
payroll by 40 percent. Are you
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hearing what I'm
saying?   [Aud. reaction]
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PB: The ice cream shop
was not an option for us
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because we thought, as
boys, we didn't need to be
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working in an ice cream
shop. So we then went to
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Publix. Publix supermarket,
where shopping is a pleasure.
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[Aud. reaction]   PB: We
walked in, we had our shirts
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and our ties on. Young
men, our pants were not hanging
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off our waists. Our hair was
cut. We spoke proper English.
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We filled out the applications.
We were hired on the spot.
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[Aud. reaction]   PB:
That's what I'm talking about.
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Bag boys at Publix,
making $3.35 an hour.
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But we made $4.35 on
Sundays and the holidays.
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Come on, say
amen.   [Aud. reaction]
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PB: We knew we were
something. The rules at Publix
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were simple: Get to work
on time; look neat; smile;
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be customer-service
oriented because the customer is
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always right. When people
come through the grocery line,
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ask customers do they
want paper or plastic,
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in terms of their
grocery bags. Put detergent
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with detergents;
put bleach with bleach;
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put cold items with
cold items; dry items
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with dry items; and
take no tips. And if
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someone tried to
give you a tip, you were
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to say "No tipping,
please." No tipping,
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because we were offering
a service to our customers.
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No tipping, because
we valued our customers.
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No tipping, because
without our customers we
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wouldn't have a
job in the first place.
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No tipping, because
after all our customers
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had done in buying
food it would be an insult
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to take more money from
them. Now let me be clear:
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I am not against
tipping. When I was at Oakwood,
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I was a server in a
restaurant. I won't tell
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you which one. But I
loved tips, because I
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only made $2.18 an
hour and in order to
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make that up, you
had to get good tips.
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Do I have a witness
in this place? But let
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me bring this to the
spiritual. If I didn't
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tip customers at
Publix, because of all they
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had done in
providing an income for me;
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why would I tip God,
given all He's done for me?
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Why would I tip the
King of kings and the Lord
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of lords, when without
Him I wouldn't have my life?
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Yet, every Sabbath people
come to God's house to tip God.
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Now, the story is told
of a small town in Oklahoma
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with one bank and three
churches. Early one Monday
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morning when the bank
would open up after the weekend,
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the bank called all three
churches with the same request:
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Could you bring in your
weekend's collection right away,
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because we're out
of one-dollar bills.
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[Aud. reaction]   PB:
Why is the church synonymous
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with one-dollar bills?
Because too many church folk
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are tipping God. Whatever
I have left, that's what
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I'll give God. A recent
Gallup Poll says that in
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American churches--I'm
talking all American churches--
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the average church says only
17 percent of its members tithe.
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But the reality is, the
report says, only actually
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three percent really do.
Forty percent of people who
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attend church in America
give nothing in an entire year.
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In this case, folk aren't even
tipping. They're not giving.
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But yet the council--and
we read it. And growing up in
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traditional Adventist
church, after the deacons would
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collect the offering, the
elder would stand up here and
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recite Malachi 3 every Sabbath:
"Bring ye all the tithes
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into the storehouse that
there may be"--and remember,
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they used to say that and
everybody used to stand. Come
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on, say amen. And then after
everybody would stand, we'd sing
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"We give Thee but Thine
own, whate'er the gift may be"--
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and we never knew the
words. Come on, say amen.
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That there may be meat in mine
house, prove me now herewith,
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saith the LORD of hosts,
if I will not open you the
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windows of heaven, and
pour you out a blessing,
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that there shall not be room
enough to do"--what, everybody?
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Aud.: Receive it.  PB:
Now, we don't like it when the
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preacher talks about
money in the church, but I'm
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talking about money
today because the Bible talks
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about money. People
say, don't talk about money,
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Preacher. Pastor,
don't talk about that;
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talk about something
spiritual. But when people
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say that, it shows a
lack of biblical knowledge
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because talking
about money is spiritual.
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[Aud. reaction]   PB:
Money talk is in the Bible.
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When Jesus walked this
earth, He offered 36 parables,
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and 16 of them had to do
with our attitude about money.
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One out of every 10
verses in the New Testament
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deals with our attitude
about money, which means
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that God is interested
in your money. But I'll
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tell you who else is
interested in your money:
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the devil. In fact, the
devil has a plan for your money.
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It's the devil's desire
to keep you under a curse.
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It's the devil's
desire to keep you in bondage.
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But I speak under the
authority of God that the
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devil is a liar. That
the earth is the Lord's;
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the fullness thereof and
all those that dwell therein.
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And even though people
don't like hearing messages on
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money and tithe and
offering, God's Spirit has
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impressed me that I've got
to preach this until we get it.
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[Aud. reaction]   PB:
Because the devil is afflicting
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too many people on
the subject of money.
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Too many folk are burdened
with debt in this place.
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Too many folk are struggling
financially in this place.
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Too many folk are
mismanaging money in this place.
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But God is trying to
bless people in this place,
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because God wants to
bless you, and the reason
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why God wants to bless
you is because God can't
00:11:49.87\00:11:52.31
bless anybody--you
can't bless anybody,
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if you're not
blessed. So, I've got to preach
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it so that everybody
understands it. Get mad
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with me all you want.
You're going to remain
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broke spiritually,
broke financially, until
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you understand God's plan
of blessing for your life.
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You see, when you move
from tipping God and you
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move to understand
that when you participate in
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faithful tithe and
offering, your life will never
00:12:14.66\00:12:17.83
be the same again. Do I
have a witness in this place?
00:12:17.87\00:12:21.24
Does somebody know
what I'm talking about?
00:12:21.27\00:12:23.00
The text says,
"Bring ye all the tithe."
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Bring ye what,
everybody?  Aud.: All.
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PB: Not some of the
tithe. Not part of the tithe.
00:12:27.44\00:12:30.61
Not a percentage of the
tithe, but all the tithe.
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Don't be cheap. Don't
tip God. Bring all the tithe.
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Speaking of cheap, the
story is told of a man who
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was on a business trip,
and he decided to buy a gift
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to take home to his
wife. So he was in a store and
00:12:45.99\00:12:48.63
he asked the store
clerk, "How much does this
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perfume cost," because he
wanted to buy it for his wife.
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The clerk answered,
"This bottle costs 30 dollars."
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He said, "30 dollars,
for that little bottle?
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Can you show me
something cheap?" She said,
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"Sure," and she handed
him a mirror. Do I have
00:13:02.81\00:13:05.48
a witness in this
place?   Aud. reaction]
00:13:05.51\00:13:08.28
PB: Don't be cheap.
Everybody going to be walking
00:13:08.32\00:13:13.99
around with mirrors
today. Ha-ha. Don't tip God.
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Bring ye all the
what? Come on, talk to me.
00:13:20.40\00:13:23.37
Bring ye all
the what, everybody?
00:13:23.40\00:13:25.80
[Aud. reaction]Tithe.
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PB: Brine ye all
the what, everybody?
00:13:27.30\00:13:29.34
[Aud. reaction]Tithe.
00:13:29.37\00:13:31.01
PB: Let's go some
more. Bring ye all the tithe.
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That means 10 percent,
that's tithe, of your increase.
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Ten percent of your
earnings. Somebody's going
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to get mad--I'm
going to say it anyhow.
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Ten percent of your
retirement. Ten percent
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of your Social
Security. "Well, Pastor,
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I already paid
into Social Security,
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and I don't have to pay
a return tithe on that."
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But you didn't pay
into it as much as you're
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getting back; there
were some matching funds.
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And believe me, I'm
a witness, if you give
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God too much, He'll
give you back change.
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Are you hearing what I'm saying?
00:13:55.60\00:13:57.47
[Aud. reaction]   PB: Bring
ye all the what, everybody?
00:13:57.50\00:13:59.70
Aud.: Tithe.   PB: And
the only way you're going
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to give your tithe of
10 percent plus an offering
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is that you've got to
recognize that all 100
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percent of it came
from God. Oh, I wish I had
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a church in this place
today. Y'all don't like it,
00:14:08.38\00:14:10.38
but that's all right.
I hear some people say
00:14:10.41\00:14:12.48
"God's money is
only 10 percent." No,
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God's money is all
100 percent. Are you
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hearing what I'm
saying? The problem is,
00:14:19.99\00:14:22.52
you think it's yours.
Here you go. I work hard
00:14:22.56\00:14:24.76
for this money.
Oakwood don't pay a lot anyway,
00:14:24.79\00:14:28.70
and I work hard for
this money. It's my job,
00:14:28.73\00:14:32.93
it's my money, and
I'm going to spend it
00:14:32.97\00:14:35.77
the way I want. Well,
whether you know it or not,
00:14:35.80\00:14:38.41
the job you have,
God gave it to you.
00:14:38.44\00:14:40.41
The money you have,
you wouldn't have it
00:14:40.44\00:14:42.28
in the first place if
God didn't give it to you.
00:14:42.31\00:14:44.38
So don't you walk
around here with a big head,
00:14:44.41\00:14:46.25
because just as soon as
you get it you can lose it,
00:14:46.28\00:14:48.82
because the Lord giveth
and the Lord taketh away,
00:14:48.85\00:14:51.12
but blessed be the
name of the Lord. What shall
00:14:51.15\00:14:53.15
it profit a man to gain
the whole world and lose
00:14:53.19\00:14:55.72
his own soul? Everything
you have belongs to God.
00:14:55.76\00:15:01.63
I said everything. I
said what, everybody?
00:15:01.66\00:15:04.17
Aud.: Everything.  PB:
I said what, everybody?
00:15:04.20\00:15:06.23
Aud.: Everything.  PB:
And God is so merciful.
00:15:06.27\00:15:07.57
God is so merciful.
God says, I didn't ask you
00:15:07.60\00:15:11.21
for 50 percent of my
100 percent. I didn't ask
00:15:11.24\00:15:13.98
you for 75 percent; I
didn't ask you for 95.
00:15:14.01\00:15:16.38
I could, if I
wanted to, but I didn't ask
00:15:16.41\00:15:19.21
you for that. All I
asked you for was 10 percent
00:15:19.25\00:15:22.22
tithe and an offering.
So Pastor Byrd figures that
00:15:22.25\00:15:26.72
tithe is my obedience.
My love is my offering.
00:15:26.76\00:15:31.03
So at least what I
can do is simply match my
00:15:31.06\00:15:33.40
offering with my tithe,
which is why I'm 10 plus 10.
00:15:33.43\00:15:37.73
Y'all don't hear me
in this place. Some of
00:15:37.77\00:15:40.27
y'all don't like this but
I'm going to preach it anyhow.
00:15:40.30\00:15:41.60
Today I'm talking about
being blessed. I'm talking
00:15:41.64\00:15:45.04
about giving God what's
right and not what's left.
00:15:45.07\00:15:47.91
I'm talking about giving
tithe, giving an offering,
00:15:47.94\00:15:50.48
and the Lord still blesses.
Can I testify for a minute?
00:15:50.51\00:15:54.42
Some people think
I'm rich. [Aud. reaction]
00:15:54.45\00:15:57.85
PB: For real. They think
I'm rich. Some people out
00:15:57.89\00:16:07.83
there hate on me, because
I think they think I make
00:16:07.86\00:16:11.40
two salaries. Okay.
Oakwood with South Central,
00:16:11.43\00:16:17.11
and Breath of Life. That's
not true. I earn one salary.
00:16:17.14\00:16:25.65
I don't get paid for
doing Breath of Life. You all
00:16:25.68\00:16:29.28
don't hear what I'm
saying. So I'm not asking you
00:16:29.32\00:16:31.25
to do what I'm not
willing to do myself. My wife
00:16:31.29\00:16:33.79
earns one salary. We're
not rich.  [Aud. reaction]
00:16:33.82\00:16:46.17
PB: We came here
with two children.
00:16:46.20\00:16:51.21
The Lord got good
while we're her and
00:16:51.24\00:16:53.11
now we've got three
children. [Aud. reaction]
00:16:53.14\00:16:56.81
PB: We return our
tithe and offerings.
00:16:56.85\00:16:59.55
Listen to me, I'm
talking about a testimony.
00:16:59.58\00:17:01.82
Ten plus 10 plus. We
pay on our house here
00:17:01.85\00:17:05.69
in Huntsville. We
have not been able to sell
00:17:05.72\00:17:08.79
our house in Atlanta,
so we still pay the full
00:17:08.82\00:17:12.69
note on that house,
too. But God is good.
00:17:12.73\00:17:17.03
God's still blessing.
We've still got a roof
00:17:17.07\00:17:21.47
over our heads,
clothes on our backs,
00:17:21.50\00:17:25.17
shoes on our feet,
food on our tables,
00:17:25.21\00:17:29.74
cars that get us
from point A to point B.
00:17:29.78\00:17:33.85
The kids are in
church school. You can't
00:17:33.88\00:17:37.59
beat God in giving,
no matter how you try.
00:17:37.62\00:17:42.36
The more you give,
the more He gives you.
00:17:42.39\00:17:45.36
I once was
young but now I'm old,
00:17:45.39\00:17:48.36
but I've never seen
the righteous forsaken
00:17:48.40\00:17:51.00
nor His seed begging
bread. Bring ye all the tithe.
00:17:51.03\00:17:55.84
There are three groups
in this church right now.
00:17:55.87\00:18:02.18
See, last week was for
all the visiting people;
00:18:02.21\00:18:06.48
this is for home folk
today. There are three
00:18:06.51\00:18:09.78
groups in this church
right now. Group number one,
00:18:09.82\00:18:12.65
this is what they say:
It's all mine. I worked for it,
00:18:12.69\00:18:16.76
I earned it, I deserve it.
I can do what I want with it.
00:18:16.79\00:18:22.50
And when the offering plate
goes by, if I want to give,
00:18:22.53\00:18:26.03
I can give. But I don't
have to. If I feel led to
00:18:26.07\00:18:30.51
give a dollar, I will. If I
feel led to give 20 dollars,
00:18:30.54\00:18:33.31
I will. But it's all mine and
I can do what I want with it.
00:18:33.34\00:18:36.81
That's group number one.
That's the tipping group.
00:18:36.85\00:18:40.32
Then there's group number
two. Group number two says,
00:18:40.35\00:18:43.89
the tithe, the 10 percent
belongs to God, but the rest,
00:18:43.92\00:18:47.29
the 90 percent is mine. In
obedience I give him 10 percent,
00:18:47.32\00:18:51.83
and with the rest I'll
do what I want. But then
00:18:51.86\00:18:54.93
there's group number
three. Group number three says
00:18:54.96\00:18:57.77
it all belongs to
God. The tithe and all,
00:18:57.80\00:19:01.64
all the offering
and the rest of it.
00:19:01.67\00:19:03.20
Just because I return
tithe doesn't give me the
00:19:03.24\00:19:05.81
right to do whatever I
want with the rest of it.
00:19:05.84\00:19:08.01
I still have to pray
about every expenditure and
00:19:08.04\00:19:12.25
be a good steward
of all of God's money,
00:19:12.28\00:19:14.92
because I will be
judged one day for what I've
00:19:14.95\00:19:17.59
done with His money.
Group one says I share with
00:19:17.62\00:19:20.89
God when I want to.
Group two says I share with
00:19:20.92\00:19:23.93
God because I have
to. But group three says
00:19:23.96\00:19:26.66
it's all God's,
and God shares with me.
00:19:26.70\00:19:29.60
Hallelujah, somebody. 
 Can we be honest today?
00:19:29.63\00:19:32.97
Can we be honest? Tell
the truth, shame the devil.
00:19:33.00\00:19:37.61
We give for what we
want. Clothes, we give.
00:19:37.64\00:19:45.55
Oh don't act like you don't
know what I'm talking about.
00:19:45.58\00:19:48.35
The deacons weren't the
only ones in new outfits last
00:19:48.38\00:19:52.49
Sabbath. Come on, say
amen.   [Aud. reaction]
00:19:52.52\00:19:54.42
PB: Clothes; we
give. Shoes; we give.
00:19:54.46\00:20:01.60
Cars; we give. Houses; we give.
00:20:01.63\00:20:09.37
When you get ready
to go to that basketball
00:20:09.40\00:20:11.84
or football game,
there is no issue.
00:20:11.87\00:20:14.28
Ticket charge? No
issue. Parking charge?
00:20:14.31\00:20:19.91
No issue. You don't
care if you have to stand
00:20:19.95\00:20:23.65
in line to get in.
You don't care if you have
00:20:23.69\00:20:26.79
to get there an
hour or two earlier;
00:20:26.82\00:20:28.86
you don't care if you
have to walk far to the gate,
00:20:28.89\00:20:31.46
you just want in. You
order nachos and cheese,
00:20:31.49\00:20:35.70
pay $7.00 for that.
You order cheese pizza,
00:20:35.73\00:20:40.60
pay $5.00 a slice for
that. Pay $3.50 for a soda,
00:20:40.64\00:20:46.27
when you could have
gone to Matco and got a
00:20:46.31\00:20:47.74
large soda for 99
cents. Do I have a witness
00:20:47.78\00:20:50.15
in this place?
But you just want in.
00:20:50.18\00:20:55.22
You don't say to the man,
Man, that's a lot of money.
00:20:55.25\00:20:58.65
No, because money is not an
issue until it comes to God.
00:20:58.69\00:21:02.79
But if you want to be blessed,
you've got to give to God.
00:21:02.82\00:21:07.96
The text says bring
ye all the what? Tithe.
00:21:08.00\00:21:10.50
But the text also
says bring ye all the tithe
00:21:10.53\00:21:15.34
into the storehouse. Now
I'm going somewhere with this.
00:21:15.37\00:21:19.71
Some of aren't going to like it,
but I'm going to say it anyhow.
00:21:19.74\00:21:21.78
Bring it all into the
storehouse. You've got to bring
00:21:21.81\00:21:26.45
it to the storehouse.
Thou shalt not steal.
00:21:26.48\00:21:30.15
Well, Pastor,
what's the storehouse?
00:21:30.19\00:21:32.52
The storehouse is
God's house. It's the place
00:21:32.55\00:21:35.66
where you're fed the
Word of God. It's the place
00:21:35.69\00:21:38.43
where you can fall on
your knees and pray to God.
00:21:38.46\00:21:41.40
It's the place where you
sit up each and every week
00:21:41.43\00:21:43.90
and receive the Word of
God. In the Old Testament,
00:21:43.93\00:21:47.07
the storehouse was
the reference to the
00:21:47.10\00:21:49.20
Old Testament temple.
Remember, back in the day
00:21:49.24\00:21:52.07
it was an agricultural society.
When the people harvested,
00:21:52.11\00:21:55.51
they brought forth the
first 10th of their wheat,
00:21:55.54\00:21:58.18
their corn, their barley, and
they put it in the storehouse.
00:21:58.21\00:22:02.05
When their herds gave
birth, they took one out of 10
00:22:02.08\00:22:05.52
to the storehouse. The
tithe was a medium of exchange
00:22:05.55\00:22:08.82
to continue the work of
God. The tithe was brought to
00:22:08.86\00:22:12.06
the place where the
people worshiped. The tithe was
00:22:12.09\00:22:14.76
brought to the store
house. But today, we've got too
00:22:14.83\00:22:18.13
many people who think that
they have a side deal with God.
00:22:18.17\00:22:22.67
That He has told them to
put their tithe somewhere else.
00:22:22.70\00:22:27.71
But the text says bring
ye all the tithe to the what,
00:22:27.74\00:22:29.64
everybody? Storehouse. The place
where you're fed spiritually.
00:22:29.68\00:22:34.88
You wouldn't eat in McDonald's,
and then say I have a
00:22:34.92\00:22:38.69
burden for Burger King
so I'll send them money.
00:22:38.72\00:22:43.53
No, you're fed in McDonald's,
so you give to McDonald's.
00:22:43.56\00:22:49.23
Bring ye all the tithe
into the storehouse. Press down,
00:22:49.26\00:22:55.27
shaken together, running
over. Quit trying to keep
00:22:55.30\00:23:01.98
up with the Joneses.
Quit trying to fake it until
00:23:02.01\00:23:05.81
you make it. Quit trying
to impress folk you don't
00:23:05.85\00:23:09.22
know to keep up with
folk you don't like with money
00:23:09.25\00:23:11.32
you don't have. Invest
in God's kingdom. Invest
00:23:11.35\00:23:16.39
in God's house. Lay
not up for yourselves
00:23:16.42\00:23:20.10
treasures on earth, where
moth and rust doth corrupt
00:23:20.13\00:23:23.30
and where thieves
break through and steal.
00:23:23.33\00:23:25.83
But lay up for
yourselves treasures in heaven.
00:23:25.87\00:23:28.20
For where your treasure
is, your heart will be also.
00:23:28.24\00:23:31.27
Ellen White says
there are only two places in
00:23:31.31\00:23:34.34
the universe where we
can place our treasures:
00:23:34.38\00:23:36.81
either in God's
storehouse or in Satan's.
00:23:36.85\00:23:39.85
And anything, she
says, that is not devoted
00:23:39.88\00:23:41.75
to God's service is
counted on Satan's side.
00:23:41.78\00:23:45.45
Bring ye all the
tithe to the storehouse.
00:23:45.49\00:23:48.82
But let me throw
this in, free of charge.
00:23:48.86\00:23:50.63
Don't think that
because you bring your tithe
00:23:50.66\00:23:52.39
and offering to the
church that the church
00:23:52.43\00:23:54.13
owes you something.
You give tithe out of
00:23:54.20\00:23:57.90
obedience and
offering out of love.
00:23:57.93\00:24:00.84
But listen to
folk--I just smile at them.
00:24:00.87\00:24:02.80
"But I pay tithe, so I
should be able to make copies."
00:24:02.84\00:24:06.98
[Aud. reaction]   PB: "I
pay tithe, so I should be
00:24:07.01\00:24:13.95
able to take the church's
tables and chairs home."
00:24:13.98\00:24:19.19
You're laughing--you
know it's the truth.
00:24:19.22\00:24:22.42
"I pay tithe, so I
should be able to--I'm
00:24:22.46\00:24:24.89
running low--take some
toilet paper home with me."
00:24:24.93\00:24:29.53
[Aud. reaction]   PB:
That's why I had to stop
00:24:29.56\00:24:31.40
putting the
disposable soap and location in
00:24:31.43\00:24:32.43
the bathroom. People
take it home, and I go
00:24:32.47\00:24:33.80
to their house and I
see it in the house. Lord,
00:24:33.84\00:24:36.44
have mercy!  [Aud. reaction]
00:24:36.47\00:24:41.08
PB: I just smile. I'm
going to start putting
00:24:41.11\00:24:44.18
O.U.C. stickers on
everything in this place.
00:24:44.21\00:24:48.55
[Aud. reaction]   PB:
I go to people's house.
00:24:48.58\00:24:50.79
"Let's have worship."
"Okay." They bring out
00:24:50.82\00:24:52.59
the burgundy church hymnals.
00:24:52.62\00:24:54.02
Oakwood College Campus Church.
00:24:54.06\00:24:56.59
[Aud. reaction] 
PB: Preach, Pastor Byrd.
00:24:56.62\00:25:02.30
I'm doing the best I
can!  [Aud. reaction]
00:25:02.33\00:25:08.04
PB: Let me be clear:
First of all, we don't
00:25:08.07\00:25:11.51
pay tithe. We
return tithe. To pay tithe
00:25:11.54\00:25:18.25
is theologically wrong.
How can we pay something,
00:25:18.28\00:25:22.62
when God gave it to
us in the first place?
00:25:22.65\00:25:25.95
Furthermore, how can
we pay something when
00:25:25.99\00:25:28.56
Jesus paid it all? Do I
have a witness in this place?
00:25:28.59\00:25:32.29
[Aud. reaction] 
PB: We don't pay tithe,
00:25:32.33\00:25:34.20
we return tithe.
Number two: we return tithe
00:25:34.20\00:25:40.10
and give offering to
the church because that's
00:25:40.14\00:25:42.10
what God told us to do.
Give God what God asks for,
00:25:42.14\00:25:46.01
and don't expect.
Listen to me good.
00:25:46.04\00:25:49.91
Don't expect
something in return.
00:25:49.94\00:25:53.35
Don't expect
something or anything in return
00:25:53.38\00:25:57.39
but His blessings.
It's like the guy who acts
00:25:57.42\00:26:00.46
like a
gentleman. Kind and loving,
00:26:00.49\00:26:05.33
taking that lady
out for a nice dinner,
00:26:05.36\00:26:08.76
for a romantic
evening, only so he can get
00:26:08.80\00:26:12.17
something out of the
deal. So instead of doing
00:26:12.20\00:26:17.47
all these things out of
the sincerity of his heart,
00:26:17.51\00:26:20.88
he's just really
putting out some money so he can
00:26:20.91\00:26:24.91
get something out of the
deal. And then he gets mad,
00:26:24.95\00:26:30.12
throws a temper tantrum,
talks about the lady when
00:26:30.15\00:26:35.16
he doesn't get the
something that he wants.
00:26:35.19\00:26:38.39
He's trying to pay
for services rendered,
00:26:38.43\00:26:41.10
which in this case is
equivalent to prostitution.
00:26:41.13\00:26:45.90
And when it comes to
the church, the storehouse,
00:26:45.93\00:26:50.01
are we trying to
prostitute our worship?
00:26:50.04\00:26:53.44
Prostitute our prayer?
Prostitute our time and
00:26:53.48\00:26:57.65
fellowship? Prostitute
our participation in church?
00:26:57.68\00:27:00.28
Prostitute our tithe
and offering? Paying for
00:27:00.32\00:27:03.15
services with our
time, our talents and our
00:27:03.18\00:27:06.22
treasures just to
get something back.
00:27:06.25\00:27:09.92
[Aud. reaction]  
PB: Don't give to God's
00:27:09.96\00:27:13.33
church and expect
God's church to give you
00:27:13.36\00:27:17.33
something back. God is not--
00:27:17.37\00:27:19.33
is not the lottery.
00:27:19.37\00:27:21.40
God is not a pyramid scheme.
00:27:21.44\00:27:23.67
God is not a
multi-level marketing scheme.
00:27:23.71\00:27:26.37
God is God.
Creator of the universe.
00:27:26.41\00:27:31.28
King of Kings, Lord of lords.
00:27:31.31\00:27:34.78
Alfa and Omega.
First and the Last.
00:27:34.82\00:27:38.29
Doctor in the sick room.
00:27:38.32\00:27:40.22
Lawyer in the court room.
00:27:40.26\00:27:42.36
Lilly of the Valley.
Bright and Morning Star.
00:27:42.39\00:27:45.73
Redeemer on Calvary.
Savior of the world and
00:27:45.76\00:27:50.37
Soon coming King.
Don't give to God and
00:27:50.40\00:27:53.84
then expect God to
double your earnings.
00:27:53.87\00:27:57.31
If God dosen't do
another thing for Carlton Byrd.
00:27:57.34\00:28:00.14
God has already done enough.
00:28:00.18\00:28:01.88
Jesus went to
Calvary to save a wretch like
00:28:01.91\00:28:06.38
you and me. They hung Him high.
00:28:06.41\00:28:07.92
They stretched him
wide. He hung His head.
00:28:07.95\00:28:10.99
For me He died.
00:28:11.02\00:28:12.02
>: Thank you for
joining us for another exciting
00:28:12.05\00:28:14.32
Breath of Life
television broadcast.
00:28:14.36\00:28:16.59
Tune in next
week at the same time,
00:28:16.62\00:28:18.69
as Dr. Byrd will
deliver another dynamic
00:28:18.73\00:28:21.26
message from the
Lord, just for you.
00:28:21.30\00:28:23.70
Until next time,
may God bless you.
00:28:23.73\00:28:26.03
END
00:28:26.07\00:28:41.08