Good morning,
friends, and welcome again
00:00:35.30\00:00:36.90
to Sabbath School
Study Hour, coming to here
00:00:36.90\00:00:39.40
from the Granite Bay
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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in Sacramento, California.
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Very warm welcome
to our online members
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and those who are
joining us across the country
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and around the
world, part of our
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Study Sabbath
School group this morning.
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Also, I'd like to
welcome the regular members
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and visitors right here
at the Granite Bay Church.
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Over the past few
weeks, we've been studying
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through a lesson
courtly on Stewardship.
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It's entitled Stewardship,
Motives of the Heart.
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It's been an
excellent study so far.
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It's actually been convicting
on a number of those topics
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that were brought to
view in our study together.
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You can download the lesson
at the Amazing Facts website,
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just AmazingFacts.org.
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We also have a free offer
that goes along with the subject
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that we're looking at,
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and this is our free
offer for this morning.
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If you'd like to receive
this anywhere in North America,
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give us a call on
our resource phone line,
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that number is 866-788-3966.
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If you're
outside of North America,
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you can read the study guide
at the Amazing Facts website,
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just AmazingFacts.org.
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But before we get to
our study this morning,
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we like to begin by
lifting our voices in song.
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I'd like to
invite our song leaders
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to come join me.
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O Lord, you're beautiful
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Your face is all I seek
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For when your eyes
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Are on this child
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Your grace abounds to me
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O Lord, please light the fire
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That once
burned bright and clear
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Replace the
lamp of my first love
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That burns with holy fear
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I surrender all
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I surrender all
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All to Thee, my blessed Savior
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I surrender all
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All to Jesus I surrender
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Make me, Savior, wholly Thine
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Let Thy Holy Spirit feel me
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Truly I know that Thou art mine
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I surrender all
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I surrender all
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All to Thee, my blessed Savior
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I surrender all
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All to Jesus I surrender
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Lord, I give myself to Thee
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Fill me with Thy love and power
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Let Thy blessings fall on me
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I surrender all
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I surrender all
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All to Thee
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My blessed Savior
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I surrender all
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Your grace abounds
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To me
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I want to welcome you
who are here at Granite Bay
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I want to welcome our friends
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who are watching via Facebook
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or one of our
satellite networks.
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And I want to remind you,
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for those who are watching live,
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we'd invite you to send in
any questions you might have
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'cause usually about
two-thirds of the way
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through the study today,
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we'll take questions
on the subject from you.
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The lesson is Honesty with God,
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talking about
Stewardship of course.
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Honesty with God,
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that's lesson
seven in our quarterly.
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Now, if you don't
have one of these,
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you can go to
Sabbath School, it's online,
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and you can download the PDF.
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I usually study
and get ready online,
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I just keep my quarterly
here for you, it's a prop.
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But I'm doing all
my study online now.
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And they'll give one to you
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at your local
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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We have a memory
verse, are you ready?
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Memory verse is Luke 8:15,
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and I encourage
you to say it with me.
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Luke 8:15,
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"But that on the good ground
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are they which with
an honest and good heart,
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having heard the word, keep it,
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and bring forth
fruit with patience."
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Now, that verse sort of paves
the way for us to understand
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what the theme of
our study is today,
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that when it
comes to stewardship,
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and faithfulness,
and tithes and offerings,
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there is no substitute
for dishonesty with God.
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And you ever heard a person use
the expression, honest to God?
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Well, every Christian
ought to be honest to God.
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And the reason we want
to be faithful in our giving
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is not because
of what people think
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but because we
want to please God.
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It's for His glory. Amen?
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And the verses we're
going to consider here
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are sort of all
across the Bible.
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Now we're going to
have a couple of you
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help me read some verses.
00:08:03.24\00:08:04.51
And, again, I want to
remind those who have questions
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on the lesson,
00:08:06.08\00:08:07.15
go to the Facebook
page, send them to me.
00:08:07.15\00:08:09.02
I've got a friend in there
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who's going to take
them off my account,
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and they're going to put
them up on the screen for us,
00:08:11.72\00:08:14.56
and I'll read them back to you.
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If someone's going to
read in just a moment,
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Luke 16:10,
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and I'm going to read
Colossians 3:9 and 10,
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talking about a
matter of simple honesty,
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"Do not lie one to
another, since you have put off
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the old man with his deeds.
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And then put on the new
man, who is renewed in knowledge
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according to the image
of Him who created Him."
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That old man
with the dishonesty,
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that's to be put off.
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Now, this subject is
very close to my heart.
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Maybe I just should
let you know right now.
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I got a cold or
something, I feel okay,
00:08:51.76\00:08:54.10
but I got like a
frog in my throat,
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so if you hear me
sound a little different.
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I don't think it's terminal.
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Those on the front row might
want to get a surgical mask,
00:09:00.37\00:09:02.60
but otherwise, I
think we're okay.
00:09:02.60\00:09:05.67
So I feel okay, just,
I know I sound different.
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I used to be a thief.
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And I didn't
understand the principle that...
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First of all,
the Ten Commandments,
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I probably knew
that it's wrong to steal.
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I did not think there was a God,
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I sort of believed in evolution.
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I figured
survival of the fittest
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if you could get away with it.
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Animals steal from each
other in the animal kingdom,
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it was okay.
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When I came to
believe there was a God
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and that God sees everything,
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my whole attitude
about stealing changed.
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It didn't change instantly.
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I mean, I would shoplift,
I broke into people's homes,
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and I stole cars.
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I mean, I was a thief.
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But once I realized that
everything you do comes back.
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Now, I started
noticing a friend,
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he was into
Eastern religion, he said,
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"Doug, your karma
is going to get you."
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He knew I was stealing.
00:10:00.86\00:10:03.00
And I said, "What's karma?"
00:10:03.00\00:10:04.07
He said, "Well, whatever you do,
00:10:04.07\00:10:05.13
it comes back."
00:10:05.13\00:10:06.74
On the street, they say,
00:10:06.74\00:10:07.77
"What goes around, comes around.
00:10:07.77\00:10:09.67
You're going to
get what you give."
00:10:09.67\00:10:11.84
Jesus said
something like that, He said,
00:10:11.84\00:10:13.38
"With what measure you mete,
00:10:13.38\00:10:14.58
it'll be measured to you again."
00:10:14.58\00:10:17.01
So the principle,
00:10:17.01\00:10:18.15
I'm not saying
that Jesus taught karma,
00:10:18.15\00:10:19.41
but the principle
that you often get
00:10:19.41\00:10:21.35
what you give in life,
there's some truth to that.
00:10:21.35\00:10:25.39
I said, "Ah, there's no God."
00:10:25.39\00:10:27.56
I stole that television
set, and I got rid of it,
00:10:27.56\00:10:29.82
nothing happened.
00:10:29.82\00:10:30.89
He said, "You'll see."
00:10:30.89\00:10:32.43
I don't know if he
was praying for me,
00:10:32.43\00:10:33.60
or meditating for
me, or what happened,
00:10:33.60\00:10:35.13
but a few days later,
00:10:35.13\00:10:36.70
I woke up in my
apartment in Boston
00:10:36.70\00:10:38.63
and my door was ajar
00:10:38.63\00:10:40.27
when I woke up, and
I looked in the bureau,
00:10:40.27\00:10:42.77
the TV was gone and my radio,
00:10:42.77\00:10:46.01
and I was really mad,
and I called the police.
00:10:46.01\00:10:47.98
I wanted them to track
down those terrible thieves
00:10:47.98\00:10:50.38
because of what they had done.
00:10:50.38\00:10:53.52
And I started
watching and I saw that
00:10:53.52\00:10:55.65
everything I did
seemed to backfire,
00:10:55.65\00:10:56.99
I would steal something,
my friends were all thieves,
00:10:56.99\00:10:59.42
they would then steal it from me
00:10:59.42\00:11:02.22
or I would steal something
and I was drunk or high
00:11:02.22\00:11:05.09
when I did it.
00:11:05.09\00:11:06.19
And I had to hide it, and
I'd forget where I hid it.
00:11:06.19\00:11:10.37
Or I'd like risk my
life to steal something
00:11:10.37\00:11:12.77
and then find out
that it was broken.
00:11:12.77\00:11:15.67
I stole a broken
stereo, you know, and finally,
00:11:15.67\00:11:21.04
I began to realize,
this is not working out,
00:11:21.04\00:11:23.41
and it was
actually a very small thing,
00:11:23.41\00:11:25.21
but I'll never forget.
00:11:25.21\00:11:26.75
I went to someone's house
00:11:26.75\00:11:27.85
and while they
were out of the kitchen,
00:11:27.85\00:11:28.95
I saw in their cupboards,
00:11:28.95\00:11:30.62
I was going
through the cupboards,
00:11:30.62\00:11:31.69
I saw they had a
brand new box of Krusteaz
00:11:31.69\00:11:33.52
instant pancake mix.
00:11:33.52\00:11:36.19
And I took it, I don't remember
00:11:36.19\00:11:38.39
how I got it out to my backpack,
00:11:38.39\00:11:40.60
and I stole it.
00:11:40.60\00:11:42.80
And I did it 'cause I was
very health conscious back then,
00:11:42.80\00:11:45.07
it was whole wheat pancake mix,
00:11:45.07\00:11:46.43
and I wanted the
whole wheat variety.
00:11:46.43\00:11:47.84
So I tried to justify and said,
00:11:47.84\00:11:49.34
"It's healthy,
Lord, it's for health."
00:11:49.34\00:11:51.67
And I remember
the top of the box
00:11:51.67\00:11:53.31
was stamped at $1.19,
00:11:53.31\00:11:55.34
and that's back
before the barcode,
00:11:55.34\00:11:56.75
they used to
have these blue stamps
00:11:56.75\00:11:57.95
that they put on everything.
00:11:57.95\00:12:00.68
That very same
day while I was gone,
00:12:00.68\00:12:03.75
some friends came
to my place uninvited,
00:12:03.75\00:12:06.76
and they drank my...
00:12:06.76\00:12:08.22
I had a jar of Tang
powdered-orange juice.
00:12:08.22\00:12:11.23
Any of you remember Tang?
00:12:11.23\00:12:12.96
And I had a brand new jar,
and they drank the whole thing,
00:12:12.96\00:12:15.23
several of them
came to my house,
00:12:15.23\00:12:16.26
they drank the whole
thing, and I looked there,
00:12:16.26\00:12:18.60
by the empty jar was the
lid and it was stamped $1.19,
00:12:18.60\00:12:22.10
and I looked at the
pancake mix I just stole,
00:12:22.10\00:12:23.74
and I thought crime doesn't pay.
00:12:23.74\00:12:26.21
And so from that
moment, I began to...
00:12:26.21\00:12:28.64
I didn't quit right
away, I tried to taper off.
00:12:28.64\00:12:31.65
I kept
shoplifting 'cause I thought
00:12:31.65\00:12:33.18
these evil corporations,
they charge too much.
00:12:33.18\00:12:36.05
And so I was sometimes
stealing food from the market,
00:12:36.05\00:12:38.15
but eventually I
became convinced,
00:12:38.15\00:12:39.99
that was wrong too.
00:12:39.99\00:12:41.49
And, you know, then
God began to bless me.
00:12:41.49\00:12:44.49
And I read in the
Bible where it said,
00:12:44.49\00:12:47.03
"Let him who
stole, steal no more,
00:12:47.03\00:12:50.73
but rather give."
00:12:50.73\00:12:52.97
So instead of
taking from people,
00:12:52.97\00:12:55.24
which is what a thief
does, a Christian's attitude
00:12:55.24\00:12:57.87
is not just I stopped stealing
00:12:57.87\00:12:59.17
'cause I don't
want to get in trouble,
00:12:59.17\00:13:00.98
but I stopped stealing
because I want to bless others,
00:13:00.98\00:13:04.28
I want something to give.
00:13:04.28\00:13:06.88
You never get ahead by robbery,
you're always in the behind.
00:13:06.88\00:13:11.52
You know, the
parable, that rich man,
00:13:11.52\00:13:13.62
and it may have been
covered in an earlier lesson.
00:13:13.62\00:13:17.49
The rich fool, his
crops did very well,
00:13:17.49\00:13:20.06
and he's wow, crops,
I've got these bumper crop,
00:13:20.06\00:13:22.80
I don't know what I'm
going to do with it all,
00:13:22.80\00:13:24.27
and instead of thinking,
00:13:24.27\00:13:25.57
"Well, maybe I'll
give some to the poor,"
00:13:25.57\00:13:27.77
he said, "I know what I'll
do, I'll build bigger barns,
00:13:27.77\00:13:30.11
and I'll cram it all in
there, and I won't have to eat,
00:13:30.11\00:13:32.81
I don't have to
work, and I could say soul,
00:13:32.81\00:13:34.44
you got many goods
laid up for many year.
00:13:34.44\00:13:36.71
Eat, drink, be happy,
it's all about me, me, me."
00:13:36.71\00:13:40.92
And then the
Bible said, God said,
00:13:40.92\00:13:42.38
"You fool, this night is
your soul required of you,
00:13:42.38\00:13:46.22
then whose will those things
be that you have stored up?"
00:13:46.22\00:13:51.36
And so again, we're just here
as stewards of God's things,
00:13:51.36\00:13:56.30
and it's not about just
seeing how much we can get.
00:13:56.30\00:13:59.40
All right, a matter of honesty.
00:13:59.40\00:14:01.10
Now, someone's
going to read for me,
00:14:01.10\00:14:02.47
please, Luke 16:10.
00:14:02.47\00:14:05.21
"He who is faithful
00:14:05.21\00:14:06.94
and what is least is
faithful also in much:
00:14:06.94\00:14:10.15
and he who is unjust
00:14:10.15\00:14:12.01
is what is least is
unjust also in much."
00:14:12.01\00:14:16.72
Honesty can be
learned with pennies
00:14:16.72\00:14:19.05
as well as dollars.
00:14:19.05\00:14:20.92
You can go to hell
for stealing 10 cents
00:14:20.92\00:14:23.59
just like you can go to
hell for robbing a bank.
00:14:23.59\00:14:26.56
You're either
honest, or you're not honest.
00:14:26.56\00:14:29.06
And if you go out to the market,
00:14:29.06\00:14:30.70
I remember hearing the
story when I was a kid,
00:14:30.70\00:14:32.40
I don't know if they made it up,
00:14:32.40\00:14:33.54
but I heard this story that...
00:14:33.54\00:14:37.77
Abraham Lincoln,
when he was a young man,
00:14:37.77\00:14:39.74
he got home from the
market, and found out that
00:14:39.74\00:14:42.61
they'd given him
nickel too much in change,
00:14:42.61\00:14:44.81
and he had to walk
10 miles back to the...
00:14:44.81\00:14:46.98
Five miles each way
back to the country store
00:14:46.98\00:14:49.25
to return the change.
00:14:49.25\00:14:51.95
A lot of us would
put it in the pocket
00:14:51.95\00:14:53.15
and say, "God blessed me today."
00:14:53.15\00:14:55.82
But you need to be
faithful in the little things.
00:14:55.82\00:14:58.63
The reason that
God could use Joseph
00:14:58.63\00:15:01.90
to rule the
world back in the days
00:15:01.90\00:15:04.57
when he was in Egypt
is because as a slave,
00:15:04.57\00:15:08.57
he was faithful
in the little things.
00:15:08.57\00:15:10.44
He did not sweep the
dirt under the carpet.
00:15:10.44\00:15:13.21
Joseph, because he was
faithful in the little things,
00:15:13.21\00:15:15.44
God blessed him and he saw
that he could be a good ruler
00:15:15.44\00:15:19.08
because he was a
faithful servant for so long.
00:15:19.08\00:15:22.12
Those who are the best managers
00:15:22.12\00:15:23.49
are the one's who
have really worked
00:15:23.49\00:15:24.75
the way up through the
ranks 'cause they understand
00:15:24.75\00:15:27.96
what the little man
is doing, so to speak.
00:15:27.96\00:15:29.99
And they understand
what's going on in the factory.
00:15:29.99\00:15:34.13
And so God wants us to be
faithful in little things.
00:15:34.13\00:15:37.37
And I quoted you this
one in Ephesians 4:28,
00:15:37.37\00:15:39.93
"Let him who
stole steal no longer:
00:15:39.93\00:15:42.64
but rather let him labor,
00:15:42.64\00:15:43.97
working with his
hands what is good,
00:15:43.97\00:15:46.04
that he might have something
to give to him who has need."
00:15:46.04\00:15:49.34
And Colossians 3:9,
"Do not lie to one another,
00:15:49.34\00:15:53.98
since you have put off
the old man and his deeds."
00:15:53.98\00:15:57.09
And so we're to be honest.
00:15:57.09\00:16:00.96
You know, then
there's another parable,
00:16:00.96\00:16:02.72
if you look in Luke 20,
00:16:02.72\00:16:04.79
I'm sorry Luke 12:47 and 48,
00:16:04.79\00:16:10.93
he says, "And that servant,
who knew his master's will,
00:16:10.93\00:16:14.40
and did not prepare himself
to do according to his will,
00:16:14.40\00:16:17.61
he will be beaten
with many stripes.
00:16:17.61\00:16:20.41
But he that did not know,
00:16:20.41\00:16:21.88
yet committed things
deserving the stripes,
00:16:21.88\00:16:23.61
he will be beaten with few.
00:16:23.61\00:16:25.41
For everyone to
whom much is given,
00:16:25.41\00:16:27.12
from him much will be required:
00:16:27.12\00:16:28.98
and to whom much
has been committed,
00:16:28.98\00:16:30.82
of him they will ask the more."
00:16:30.82\00:16:32.92
Some people
think, "Oh, you know,
00:16:32.92\00:16:33.99
if I could just win the lottery,
00:16:33.99\00:16:35.06
I'd make a big
donation to the church."
00:16:35.06\00:16:38.83
If you're not making donations
with your nickels and dollars,
00:16:38.83\00:16:41.80
you're probably not
going to make a donation
00:16:41.80\00:16:43.33
if you win the lottery.
00:16:43.33\00:16:45.40
He that is faithful in that
00:16:45.40\00:16:46.67
which is least is
faithful also in much.
00:16:46.67\00:16:49.30
Now I know that
we always have people
00:16:49.30\00:16:50.87
who either
watching on satellite,
00:16:50.87\00:16:52.94
or watching
online, or even visitors
00:16:52.94\00:16:54.98
that might wonder what is tithe.
00:16:54.98\00:16:57.18
And I want to just restate
the obvious for many of us.
00:16:57.18\00:16:59.31
The word tithe is
related to the word tenth.
00:16:59.31\00:17:04.69
And matter of fact, you'll
hear where Jacob makes the vow,
00:17:04.69\00:17:08.52
it says, "If you
bring me safely back
00:17:08.52\00:17:11.13
from my wanderings,
all that you give me,
00:17:11.13\00:17:13.60
I will surely
give the tenth to you.
00:17:13.60\00:17:17.23
And did Jacob do that?
00:17:17.23\00:17:19.60
How many of you
remember what happened
00:17:19.60\00:17:21.07
when his
brother Esau was coming?
00:17:21.07\00:17:24.67
Jacob took a tenth
of everything he owned,
00:17:24.67\00:17:27.98
and he sent it off
to his brother Esau,
00:17:27.98\00:17:30.15
because Esau was the
patriarch of his tribe,
00:17:30.15\00:17:32.91
he was the priest of his tribe.
00:17:32.91\00:17:34.72
They didn't have the
levi or levitical priesthood
00:17:34.72\00:17:36.32
back then, he gave
it all to his brother
00:17:36.32\00:17:39.15
who also lived in
the land back then,
00:17:39.15\00:17:41.89
so he kept his vow.
00:17:41.89\00:17:42.99
A tithe is a tenth.
00:17:42.99\00:17:44.46
When Abraham came from
the slaughter of the kings,
00:17:44.46\00:17:50.37
Chedorlaomer and
his forces in the North.
00:17:50.37\00:17:52.43
On his way back
through the land of Israel,
00:17:52.43\00:17:57.11
he stopped in the
town called Salem,
00:17:57.11\00:17:59.01
later known as
Jerusalem, and he gave tithes.
00:17:59.01\00:18:02.21
He gave a tenth of
all the bounty of ore,
00:18:02.21\00:18:04.21
all the spoils
that they had acquired,
00:18:04.21\00:18:06.75
he gave it to Melchizedek,
00:18:06.75\00:18:08.08
and he didn't keep
anything for himself.
00:18:08.08\00:18:09.38
He gave the
rest to the soldiers.
00:18:09.38\00:18:10.99
He said, "I am
not going to say...
00:18:10.99\00:18:12.42
I'm not going have
the king of Sodom saying,
00:18:12.42\00:18:14.09
I made Abraham rich."
00:18:14.09\00:18:16.19
So Abraham had a
very honest heart.
00:18:16.19\00:18:18.56
He did not even, not
only did he give tithes,
00:18:18.56\00:18:21.66
he then shared,
00:18:21.66\00:18:23.33
and he didn't keep
anything for himself
00:18:23.33\00:18:24.77
because he thought,
00:18:24.77\00:18:25.90
"I did not go on this journey
as a mercenary to battle,
00:18:25.90\00:18:29.60
I went to fight
this battle to save.
00:18:29.60\00:18:32.17
He hated war,
but he had to do it
00:18:32.17\00:18:34.21
to save Lot and his family.
00:18:34.21\00:18:36.54
So there is a
person of integrity
00:18:36.54\00:18:38.38
right there in
Abraham's example.
00:18:38.38\00:18:41.58
You know, there's a
quote in your lesson,
00:18:41.58\00:18:42.95
and this is from Testimonies
to the Church, volume 4,
00:18:42.95\00:18:46.05
"Dishonesty is
practiced all through our ranks,
00:18:46.05\00:18:48.89
and this is the
cause of lukewarmness
00:18:48.89\00:18:50.73
on the part of many who
profess to believe the truth.
00:18:50.73\00:18:53.60
They are not
connected with Christ
00:18:53.60\00:18:55.26
and they're
deceiving their own souls."
00:18:55.26\00:18:58.77
You'd think, oh, dishonesty,
00:18:58.77\00:19:00.54
that's a pretty
stern accusation,
00:19:00.54\00:19:05.01
but is there sometimes
dishonesty in the church?
00:19:05.01\00:19:08.11
You think if there is gonna
be a perfectly honest church,
00:19:08.11\00:19:10.11
it would've been Jesus
and the 12 apostles, right?
00:19:10.11\00:19:13.21
Did Jesus have some
dishonesty in His church?
00:19:13.21\00:19:17.29
Or if not there,
then after the Holy Spirit
00:19:17.29\00:19:19.49
was poured out in Acts 2,
00:19:19.49\00:19:20.86
that must have been a
perfectly honest church,
00:19:20.86\00:19:23.93
was it?
00:19:23.93\00:19:25.03
Go with me to
the Book of Acts 5.
00:19:25.03\00:19:29.66
I want to start if it's okay,
go to Acts 4, go to verse 33.
00:19:30.67\00:19:35.37
It's talking about the power
00:19:35.37\00:19:37.37
and the early movings of
the Spirit in God's church.
00:19:37.37\00:19:41.41
"And with great power,
the apostles gave witness
00:19:41.41\00:19:44.05
to the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
00:19:44.05\00:19:45.68
and great grace
was upon them all,
00:19:45.68\00:19:47.65
power and grace.
00:19:47.65\00:19:49.28
Nor was there anyone
among them who lacked,
00:19:49.28\00:19:52.82
for all who were possessors
of lands or houses sold them
00:19:52.82\00:19:56.99
and they brought the proceeds
of those things that were sold
00:19:56.99\00:20:00.06
and laid them at
the apostle's feet,
00:20:00.06\00:20:02.26
and they distributed to each one
00:20:02.26\00:20:03.70
as anyone had need."
00:20:03.70\00:20:06.20
There is a great generosity,
00:20:06.20\00:20:08.20
neither was there
anyone among them who lacked.
00:20:08.20\00:20:13.64
Are there missionaries
in foreign fields who lack?
00:20:13.64\00:20:17.61
Are there some
self-supporting pastors
00:20:17.61\00:20:19.48
who have to work all week long
00:20:19.48\00:20:20.82
so that they can
try to raise up a church
00:20:20.82\00:20:22.65
in a dark county
00:20:22.65\00:20:23.72
because otherwise
they would have lack.
00:20:23.72\00:20:27.29
Church is not
perfectly honest today.
00:20:27.29\00:20:28.79
Now, let's read on here.
00:20:28.79\00:20:32.36
"And they'd
take the possessions,
00:20:32.36\00:20:33.53
they'd sell
them, houses and lands,
00:20:33.53\00:20:35.16
laying them by
the apostles' feet:
00:20:35.16\00:20:38.33
and they distributed to
each one as they had need.
00:20:38.33\00:20:41.37
And Joses, whose
name was also Barnabas,
00:20:41.37\00:20:44.57
by the apostles, that
means son of consolation
00:20:44.57\00:20:46.71
or son of encouragement,
00:20:46.71\00:20:48.31
a Levite of the
country of Cyprus,
00:20:48.31\00:20:50.18
having sold some
land, he brought the money,
00:20:50.18\00:20:52.08
and laid it at
the apostles' feet."
00:20:52.08\00:20:53.88
Talks about Barnabas.
00:20:53.88\00:20:54.98
Now, contrast
Barnabas with the next chapter.
00:20:54.98\00:20:58.92
Barnabas was a large-hearted,
filled with the Spirit,
00:20:58.92\00:21:02.22
ended up, not
only did he sell land
00:21:02.22\00:21:03.89
and give it to the work,
00:21:03.89\00:21:04.99
he then went off
and became a missionary
00:21:04.99\00:21:07.30
'cause he worked
with Paul, remember?
00:21:07.30\00:21:09.86
But, now whenever you
hear that three letter word,
00:21:09.86\00:21:14.27
introducing us so it's talking
about the Spirit is moving,
00:21:14.27\00:21:16.84
great things are happening,
Barnabas sold his land
00:21:16.84\00:21:19.44
and laid it at
the apostle's feet,
00:21:19.44\00:21:21.41
but, you know what's coming?
00:21:21.41\00:21:25.31
Saying
everybody wasn't the same,
00:21:25.31\00:21:28.25
"A certain man named
Ananias, with Sapphira his wife,
00:21:28.25\00:21:31.49
sold a possession,
00:21:31.49\00:21:33.36
and they kept back
part of the proceeds,
00:21:33.36\00:21:35.26
his wife also being aware of it,
00:21:35.26\00:21:37.33
and brought a certain part,
00:21:37.33\00:21:38.69
and laid it at
the apostles' feet."
00:21:38.69\00:21:41.10
Now you might be thinking,
what's wrong with that,
00:21:41.10\00:21:43.06
they sold their
land, and they said,
00:21:43.06\00:21:44.27
"We're going to
give a percentage of it
00:21:44.27\00:21:45.53
to the church," that
would have been fine,
00:21:45.53\00:21:48.20
but that's not what they did.
00:21:48.20\00:21:49.27
What they did is they sold it,
00:21:49.27\00:21:50.34
and then they told
the church leaders,
00:21:50.34\00:21:53.74
"We're giving all
of it to the church."
00:21:53.74\00:21:56.44
They wanted to get
lot of the accolades,
00:21:56.44\00:21:57.88
but when they began,
00:21:57.88\00:21:58.95
they got maybe
more than they expected,
00:21:58.95\00:22:00.12
they said,
"Let's not give it all,
00:22:00.12\00:22:01.25
let's keep some,"
they're being tested.
00:22:01.25\00:22:04.29
And so they
didn't fulfill their vow.
00:22:04.29\00:22:05.89
They had vowed to give it all
to the church, and they lied.
00:22:05.89\00:22:08.76
And he told his wife, he said,
00:22:08.76\00:22:09.89
"Let's say that we
sold it for $20,000,
00:22:09.89\00:22:13.56
and you and I know
that we really got $30,000,
00:22:13.56\00:22:15.10
we'll just keep $10,000
and nobody will know, right?
00:22:15.10\00:22:18.13
Just between us,
00:22:18.13\00:22:20.07
his wife pretty
kept back part of it.
00:22:20.07\00:22:22.80
"Peter said,
Ananias, why has Satan
00:22:22.80\00:22:25.67
filled your heart to
lie to the Holy Spirit,"
00:22:25.67\00:22:27.94
and that ought
to give you chills,
00:22:27.94\00:22:29.81
the idea of lying to God.
00:22:29.81\00:22:31.18
Can you lie to the Holy Spirit?
00:22:31.18\00:22:33.58
Where can you
flee from His Spirit?
00:22:33.58\00:22:34.85
Is there anything
the spirit doesn't know?
00:22:34.85\00:22:39.55
"And keep back part of the
price of the land for yourself?
00:22:39.55\00:22:42.79
While it remained,
was it not your own?"
00:22:42.79\00:22:45.53
So Peter is saying,
you didn't have to sell it.
00:22:45.53\00:22:47.76
"And after it was sold,
00:22:47.76\00:22:49.26
was it not in your own control?"
00:22:49.26\00:22:50.57
He said we didn't
tell you to pledge 100%,
00:22:50.57\00:22:53.54
"Why have you conceived
this thing in your heart?
00:22:53.54\00:22:56.20
You've not lied
to men, but to God."
00:22:56.20\00:22:58.84
By the way,
there's another verse
00:22:58.84\00:23:00.14
where you see the
Holy Spirit is God
00:23:00.14\00:23:03.31
'cause he said, "You've
lied to the Holy Spirit,"
00:23:03.31\00:23:04.95
then he said,
"You've lied to God," right?
00:23:04.95\00:23:10.25
And after
hearing that lied to God,
00:23:10.25\00:23:14.06
you want to be
honest with God, don't you?
00:23:14.06\00:23:16.56
"Ananias hearing
these words fell down,
00:23:16.56\00:23:19.83
and breathed his last:
00:23:19.83\00:23:21.90
so a great fear
came upon all those
00:23:21.90\00:23:23.87
that heard these things."
00:23:23.87\00:23:25.10
Now why did, and
then his wife comes later,
00:23:25.10\00:23:27.80
and she continues
to lie, she dies also.
00:23:27.80\00:23:31.21
Why was the Lord so harsh
with Ananias and Sapphira?
00:23:31.21\00:23:35.74
What would happen to
church membership today
00:23:35.74\00:23:38.41
if the Lord should
strike dead everybody
00:23:38.41\00:23:41.18
who has been unfaithful in
their tithes and offerings?
00:23:41.18\00:23:46.49
You'd have, I think a
great reduction of membership.
00:23:46.49\00:23:51.53
Well, it's just true.
00:23:51.53\00:23:55.33
Can I be
brutally honest with you?
00:23:55.33\00:23:58.03
Now you realize
when I talk about
00:23:58.03\00:23:59.10
tithes and offerings, I
think everybody here knows
00:23:59.10\00:24:01.67
and I'm hoping
everybody watching listens.
00:24:01.67\00:24:04.27
No matter what our church gives,
00:24:04.27\00:24:05.97
no matter what people
donate to Amazing Facts,
00:24:05.97\00:24:07.98
it never affects my salary.
00:24:07.98\00:24:10.28
I'm on a flat fee, giving
up and down doesn't change it,
00:24:10.28\00:24:12.61
so my motive is never this.
00:24:12.61\00:24:14.18
My motive is the
spiritual health of people.
00:24:14.18\00:24:17.99
But being a
pastor, you end up knowing
00:24:17.99\00:24:20.82
we just finished a year,
00:24:20.82\00:24:22.29
we have one of the
most giving churches
00:24:22.29\00:24:23.73
in Northern California,
00:24:23.73\00:24:24.79
I want to tell
you I'm really proud.
00:24:24.79\00:24:26.73
I thank Lord for that,
00:24:26.73\00:24:27.93
but knowing what
the membership is,
00:24:27.93\00:24:30.43
and knowing what
the final product is,
00:24:30.43\00:24:32.27
and knowing what
the average income is,
00:24:32.27\00:24:35.04
it doesn't add up,
00:24:35.04\00:24:37.17
it's still not
100% faithfulness.
00:24:37.17\00:24:40.04
We are among the most faithful,
00:24:40.04\00:24:42.18
but it's not New
Testament faithfulness,
00:24:42.18\00:24:44.01
even if you factor
in Ananias and Sapphira,
00:24:44.01\00:24:47.62
where people are really being
honest to God in their giving.
00:24:47.62\00:24:51.15
Wouldn't it be wonderful
00:24:51.15\00:24:52.29
if missionaries
around the world had no lack?
00:24:52.29\00:24:56.73
We've got friends, you
probably have them too,
00:24:56.73\00:24:58.29
they're going to
foreign mission fields,
00:24:58.29\00:24:59.86
so they're there, and they
just have to pray and struggle
00:24:59.86\00:25:02.03
from week to week,
they're sending out appeals,
00:25:02.03\00:25:04.20
sending out
reports hoping people
00:25:04.20\00:25:05.43
will not forget
that they're there
00:25:05.43\00:25:07.20
and stop giving
to support the work
00:25:07.20\00:25:09.00
they're doing.
00:25:09.00\00:25:11.21
Do you realize honesty
covers, and even stealing,
00:25:11.21\00:25:14.91
virtually all
the Ten Commandments
00:25:14.91\00:25:16.24
in one respect or another.
00:25:16.24\00:25:18.41
Think about this.
00:25:18.41\00:25:20.22
Don't have other gods,
that's stealing God's worship.
00:25:20.22\00:25:23.69
When you give your
worship to another God,
00:25:23.69\00:25:25.22
you're stealing from God.
00:25:25.22\00:25:26.59
Remember the Sabbath,
you're stealing God's time,
00:25:26.59\00:25:30.66
when you don't.
00:25:30.66\00:25:32.56
Honor your father and mother,
00:25:32.56\00:25:34.46
you're stealing
respect from your parents.
00:25:34.46\00:25:37.70
You shall not murder,
you're stealing a life
00:25:37.70\00:25:41.17
when you do that.
00:25:41.17\00:25:42.44
You shall not commit adultery,
you're stealing a wife.
00:25:42.44\00:25:47.18
You shall not steal,
that's self-explanatory,
00:25:47.18\00:25:49.34
stealing stuff.
00:25:49.34\00:25:50.61
You shall not
bear false witness,
00:25:50.61\00:25:52.78
you're stealing the truth.
00:25:52.78\00:25:54.62
You shall not covet
your neighbor's house,
00:25:54.62\00:25:56.45
you shall not covet
your neighbor's wife,
00:25:56.45\00:25:59.62
you're stealing in your heart
00:25:59.62\00:26:01.66
'cause sin
isn't just the action,
00:26:01.66\00:26:02.99
it's the attitude, right?
00:26:02.99\00:26:04.99
And so being honest to
God with a subject of property
00:26:04.99\00:26:08.86
really plays itself out
00:26:08.86\00:26:10.17
in every other
area of your life.
00:26:10.17\00:26:11.50
And if you're not
honest to God in that respect,
00:26:11.50\00:26:13.77
you're probably not honest
to God in other ways as well.
00:26:13.77\00:26:17.74
Malachi 3:8, now here's a
verse that's pretty clear,
00:26:17.74\00:26:22.28
this is the last
book in the Old Testament,
00:26:22.28\00:26:25.75
"Will a man rob God?"
00:26:25.75\00:26:28.68
Now he starts with an
outrageous rhetorical question,
00:26:28.68\00:26:32.19
this is the Prophet Malachi.
00:26:32.19\00:26:34.76
Anyone here think you can
get away with robbing God?
00:26:34.76\00:26:37.79
Talk about a real
foolproof security system,
00:26:37.79\00:26:43.00
and anyone think that you
can break into God's house
00:26:43.00\00:26:44.63
and steal from
Him and Him not know.
00:26:44.63\00:26:47.74
They say, you know, you
get a good enough thief,
00:26:47.74\00:26:49.44
he will find a way to
overcome the security system,
00:26:49.44\00:26:52.84
but you cannot
overcome God's security system.
00:26:52.84\00:26:56.11
It's all on camera.
00:26:56.11\00:26:57.95
Every idle word you
speak, every movement you make,
00:26:57.95\00:27:00.45
every thought you think,
you cannot really rob God,
00:27:00.45\00:27:04.52
and so it's sort of
an outrageous question
00:27:04.52\00:27:06.55
that he is asking, but he said,
00:27:06.55\00:27:07.99
"Yet you robbed Me!
00:27:07.99\00:27:10.29
But you say, 'In what
way have we robbed You?
00:27:10.29\00:27:13.23
In tithes and offerings."
00:27:13.23\00:27:16.10
Now what percent of
what we own belongs to God?
00:27:16.10\00:27:20.80
Hundred percent.
00:27:20.80\00:27:23.67
What percent
does He ask for back?
00:27:23.67\00:27:27.81
A 100%,
00:27:27.81\00:27:30.11
but He wants you to show
00:27:30.11\00:27:31.21
that you've put it all on
the altar by returning 10.
00:27:31.21\00:27:36.35
See if you're a real Christian,
you take up your cross,
00:27:36.35\00:27:38.09
you follow Jesus,
00:27:38.09\00:27:39.49
do you still hold
back 90% of who you are?
00:27:39.49\00:27:42.36
Or you put
everything on the altar?
00:27:42.36\00:27:45.03
But He wants you
to show you have faith
00:27:45.03\00:27:46.29
that it all belongs to Him,
00:27:46.29\00:27:47.30
by faithfully
returning at least a tenth,
00:27:47.30\00:27:51.70
and then there's
offerings beyond that.
00:27:51.70\00:27:54.64
I often get phone calls.
00:27:54.64\00:27:55.84
Yeah, we do a radio program,
you know, people call and say,
00:27:55.84\00:27:57.87
"Pastor Doug, you're
telling people about tithe,
00:27:57.87\00:27:59.87
that's an Old Testament law."
00:27:59.87\00:28:02.74
And I say, "Well."
00:28:02.74\00:28:05.25
They say, "We
don't hear tithe repeated
00:28:05.25\00:28:06.95
in the New Testament."
00:28:06.95\00:28:08.72
Well, tithe actually is repeated
00:28:08.72\00:28:09.78
in the New Testament.
00:28:09.78\00:28:10.82
You can look in Matthew 23:23,
00:28:10.82\00:28:13.76
and Jesus said, "You
pay tithe of your mint,
00:28:13.76\00:28:15.82
and your anise, your cummin,
00:28:15.82\00:28:17.36
the herbs in their gardens,
they were paying tithe."
00:28:17.36\00:28:19.86
And he said, "And you've omitted
00:28:19.86\00:28:22.56
the weightier
matters of the law,
00:28:22.56\00:28:23.80
justice, mercy,
and faith," he said,
00:28:23.80\00:28:25.23
"These you ought to have done,
justice, mercy, and faith,"
00:28:25.23\00:28:27.97
and he says, "And do
not leave the other undone."
00:28:27.97\00:28:30.71
Don't forget to be
faithful in your tithe,
00:28:30.71\00:28:33.31
but don't neglect
the weightier matters.
00:28:33.31\00:28:36.21
And the very fact
that another system
00:28:36.21\00:28:38.48
is not established
in the New Testament
00:28:38.48\00:28:40.78
means the old system
has not been abolished.
00:28:40.78\00:28:44.32
If God gives the
law, and you don't see
00:28:44.32\00:28:46.19
where He retracts the law,
00:28:46.19\00:28:47.29
you are to
assume it's still there.
00:28:47.29\00:28:49.92
And if not tithe,
what is the system?
00:28:49.92\00:28:55.73
It's at least tithe.
00:28:55.73\00:28:56.93
Now, when you get
to the New Testament,
00:28:56.93\00:28:58.90
it's actually more.
00:28:58.90\00:29:00.47
And so people who are
struggling and saying,
00:29:00.47\00:29:01.67
"A tenth of what I
have belongs to God."
00:29:01.67\00:29:04.54
Well, if you want to be
a New Testament Christian,
00:29:04.54\00:29:06.34
it says no man said that
art that he had was his own.
00:29:06.34\00:29:10.78
But they had
everything in common
00:29:10.78\00:29:13.35
and they sold their possessions,
00:29:13.35\00:29:14.78
it's tied as kindergarten.
00:29:14.78\00:29:17.25
You want to be New
Testament Christian,
00:29:17.25\00:29:19.85
then it was a
lot deeper sacrifice,
00:29:19.85\00:29:21.99
they were really
stretching out in faith.
00:29:21.99\00:29:24.69
And, you know, when
God pours out His Spirit,
00:29:24.69\00:29:26.29
I think you're
going to see the church
00:29:26.29\00:29:27.60
is going to have
the same attitude.
00:29:27.60\00:29:28.73
And you know what?
00:29:28.73\00:29:32.30
Maybe instead of us saying yeah,
00:29:32.30\00:29:33.64
when God pours out the Spirit,
I'll put it all on the altar,
00:29:33.64\00:29:35.90
maybe when we put
it all on the altar,
00:29:35.90\00:29:37.34
God will pour out the Spirit.
00:29:37.34\00:29:40.58
You know, it's kind of
like we're waiting for God
00:29:40.58\00:29:42.04
to pour out the Spirit
and then we'll start giving
00:29:42.04\00:29:43.51
sacrificially again.
00:29:43.51\00:29:45.35
Maybe when we start
putting that all on the altar
00:29:45.35\00:29:47.92
and giving sacrificially again,
He'll pour out the Spirit.
00:29:47.92\00:29:52.49
I just wonder...
00:29:55.56\00:29:57.66
All right, Leviticus 27:30,
"And all the tithe of the land,
00:29:57.66\00:30:02.60
whether of the seed of the land
or of the fruit of the trees,
00:30:02.60\00:30:04.83
it is the Lord's,
it's holy to the Lord."
00:30:04.83\00:30:07.10
Now let me just say
something that make it clear.
00:30:07.10\00:30:10.11
Most of time in the
Bible, the tithe was,
00:30:10.11\00:30:12.41
it could be money,
00:30:12.41\00:30:13.61
but the tithe was
frequently agricultural things.
00:30:13.61\00:30:18.55
A tithe went to the temple
00:30:18.55\00:30:21.05
and they would
distribute it among the Levites.
00:30:21.05\00:30:23.08
So the Levites didn't have to...
00:30:23.08\00:30:24.79
You really see the Levites
did not get any farmland.
00:30:24.79\00:30:30.99
Hope I won't confuse you,
00:30:30.99\00:30:32.13
but how many tribes
of Israel were there?
00:30:32.13\00:30:34.76
Thirteen, really?
00:30:34.76\00:30:36.90
There were 12 sons of Jacob.
00:30:36.90\00:30:38.67
But because Joseph
was sold by his brothers,
00:30:38.67\00:30:41.34
Jacob in his
last years, he said,
00:30:41.34\00:30:45.21
"I'm going treat
your two sons, Joseph,
00:30:45.21\00:30:47.68
as though they are
my sons to compensate
00:30:47.68\00:30:50.61
for you losing out for so long.
00:30:50.61\00:30:52.95
So Ephraim and Manasseh
00:30:52.95\00:30:54.98
will be counted
as tribes of Israel
00:30:54.98\00:30:58.12
and they will get
an equal inheritance
00:30:58.12\00:30:59.42
in the land."
00:30:59.42\00:31:01.36
You say, "Well, how
come you end up with 12?"
00:31:01.36\00:31:03.43
Because the Levites were
later denied an inheritance,
00:31:03.43\00:31:07.10
they got the best inheritance,
00:31:07.10\00:31:08.36
they got the
spiritual inheritance,
00:31:08.36\00:31:09.73
they were to be the
priest for the people,
00:31:09.73\00:31:11.30
the sons of Aaron
which were part of Levi.
00:31:11.30\00:31:13.74
So when they
entered the Promised Land,
00:31:13.74\00:31:15.54
they divided the land 12 ways.
00:31:15.54\00:31:17.44
The Levities were spread
all through the land around
00:31:17.44\00:31:20.74
wherever the
cities of Israel were.
00:31:20.74\00:31:23.14
The people were
to bring their tithe
00:31:23.14\00:31:24.88
to their local
temple or the synagogues
00:31:24.88\00:31:26.75
that then was
distributed among the Levities
00:31:26.75\00:31:28.62
'cause they
didn't have as much land
00:31:28.62\00:31:30.02
as the people for agriculture,
00:31:30.02\00:31:31.45
and for their
pastures and everything.
00:31:31.45\00:31:33.62
And so they depended on a tenth,
00:31:33.62\00:31:36.89
and you can read several times
00:31:36.89\00:31:38.06
when the people were
unfaithful in their tithes,
00:31:38.06\00:31:40.70
the Levites had to
neglect their ministry
00:31:40.70\00:31:42.86
and go take care of their fields
00:31:42.86\00:31:44.43
so people
stopped hearing the word.
00:31:44.43\00:31:46.74
During times of great
revival, you'll often see
00:31:46.74\00:31:48.87
they were
faithful in their giving
00:31:48.87\00:31:50.37
and the Levites were
out teaching the word,
00:31:50.37\00:31:52.07
those things
often went together.
00:31:52.07\00:31:53.98
All right, "So all the tithe
of the land was for the Lord."
00:31:53.98\00:31:57.85
Now I'm getting a
little note from the studio,
00:31:57.85\00:32:01.52
it looks like we do
have a couple of questions
00:32:01.52\00:32:03.82
that have come in from
some of our viewers, okay.
00:32:03.82\00:32:06.22
So we're just
going to take these,
00:32:06.22\00:32:07.29
I don't know what they
are, and I'll read it to you.
00:32:07.29\00:32:10.99
"I returned to
God about a year ago
00:32:10.99\00:32:13.03
and have been giving
back my tithe since then.
00:32:13.03\00:32:15.83
Should I tithe on the money
I made prior to that time?"
00:32:15.83\00:32:18.73
What do you do if
you backslid for 50 years
00:32:18.73\00:32:23.91
and you stopped paying tithe
00:32:23.91\00:32:25.67
and then you return to the Lord.
00:32:25.67\00:32:27.58
Now do you need to give God
00:32:27.58\00:32:30.55
all the back-tax
for all those years?
00:32:30.55\00:32:34.68
Well, I would say in
Spirit you ought to do
00:32:34.68\00:32:37.12
your best to compensate, it
may not be realistic to say,
00:32:37.12\00:32:41.92
you know, here I
made millions of dollars
00:32:41.92\00:32:43.96
and I lost it all, I
just don't have it to give
00:32:43.96\00:32:46.46
and I'll nothing to
live on if I've got to pay,
00:32:46.46\00:32:48.93
it'll be kind of like
God becomes the IRS, right?
00:32:48.93\00:32:52.97
I would say that try
and go above and beyond
00:32:52.97\00:32:55.97
what you can, what
you normally would do
00:32:55.97\00:32:58.64
and just say,
"Lord, if You'll bless me,
00:32:58.64\00:33:01.14
I'll try and do a
little more than normal
00:33:01.14\00:33:02.58
for the years I
didn't do anything."
00:33:02.58\00:33:04.71
That sound like good advice.
00:33:04.71\00:33:07.58
But the idea of having a
figure hanging over your head
00:33:07.58\00:33:10.12
that could be crushing.
00:33:10.12\00:33:12.35
So God will give
you wisdom just...
00:33:12.35\00:33:14.16
But He accepts you when
you come back just as you are.
00:33:14.16\00:33:16.59
You get a new beginning,
you're a new creature, right?
00:33:16.59\00:33:19.06
Start where you're at.
00:33:19.06\00:33:20.43
All right, another question,
00:33:20.43\00:33:22.23
"What if I'm not
connected to a church,
00:33:22.23\00:33:24.57
how do I tithe?"
00:33:24.57\00:33:26.27
Get connected to a
church would be my answer.
00:33:26.27\00:33:30.84
Everybody should be
connected to a church,
00:33:30.84\00:33:33.31
and yeah, with the mail,
you can tithe through the mail.
00:33:33.31\00:33:37.35
But you ought to be connected
with a Bible teaching church
00:33:37.35\00:33:39.71
because you need accountability.
00:33:39.71\00:33:41.52
Now I know that sometimes
we've people that are watching,
00:33:41.52\00:33:43.62
they are shut in, so
they have health problems
00:33:43.62\00:33:44.92
and they can't
actively participate
00:33:44.92\00:33:47.52
in a regular church service,
00:33:47.52\00:33:48.72
but you still ought
to pick out a church
00:33:48.72\00:33:50.59
that you're going to support,
00:33:50.59\00:33:52.03
you believe its
teachings are biblical,
00:33:52.03\00:33:54.10
and you can then
get engaged that way.
00:33:54.10\00:33:57.03
But everyone
ought to be connected.
00:33:57.03\00:33:58.80
If you got a baby lamb
and it's not with a flock,
00:33:58.80\00:34:01.37
the wolves tend to get it.
00:34:01.37\00:34:03.24
And so I'd suggest you get...
00:34:03.24\00:34:06.34
You get it that way. Does
tithe have to be monetary?
00:34:06.34\00:34:09.54
No, and I'm glad
you asked that question.
00:34:09.54\00:34:12.01
Does tithe have to be monetary?
00:34:12.01\00:34:13.65
I just started
saying that a lot of time
00:34:13.65\00:34:15.38
when they brought
the tithe, it was,
00:34:15.38\00:34:17.82
they would bring
their sheep, extra sheep,
00:34:17.82\00:34:19.99
they would bring their grain,
00:34:19.99\00:34:22.06
they would bring
their firstfruits,
00:34:22.06\00:34:23.56
you know, they were
an agricultural people.
00:34:23.56\00:34:26.46
And I've been in
some parts of the world
00:34:26.46\00:34:28.46
where the people are so poor,
00:34:28.46\00:34:29.46
they have no cash and
when they come to church,
00:34:29.46\00:34:33.00
they bring their
coconuts, and they bring fish,
00:34:33.00\00:34:34.97
and they bring what they have.
00:34:34.97\00:34:37.14
There are some missionaries
that use to pass the plate
00:34:37.14\00:34:40.21
and people all put their little
few ounces of rice in the plate
00:34:40.21\00:34:43.78
'cause it was a tenth
of what they had harvested.
00:34:43.78\00:34:46.51
And so God knows, you know,
if you can't do it in cash.
00:34:46.51\00:34:49.85
Cash is a little
easier to transport these days
00:34:49.85\00:34:52.85
and work with but by all means.
00:34:52.85\00:34:55.39
Boy, I tell you the pastors here
00:34:55.39\00:34:56.79
do really well in the fall,
00:34:56.79\00:34:59.03
I'm looking at John upfront
and seeing some of our members
00:34:59.03\00:35:01.13
here pay the pastor's tithe
from their vegetable garden.
00:35:01.13\00:35:05.30
I mean what you can do,
send it to the conference?
00:35:05.30\00:35:08.67
So we accept that, that's okay.
00:35:08.67\00:35:11.77
That's not my tithe.
00:35:11.77\00:35:13.07
Oh, that's not your tithe.
Oh, we'll talk later, okay.
00:35:13.07\00:35:18.61
All right, do you have
anymore questions here?
00:35:18.61\00:35:21.48
"Why do we pay tithe
00:35:21.48\00:35:23.92
when we are
currently living under grace
00:35:23.92\00:35:25.75
and not under the law?"
00:35:25.75\00:35:27.89
Well, we're living under grace
00:35:27.89\00:35:29.26
but when you're
living under grace,
00:35:29.26\00:35:30.56
does that mean that
you neglect the law.
00:35:30.56\00:35:33.60
Do you cheat on your spouse
and say, "I'm now under grace,
00:35:33.60\00:35:37.17
I don't need to keep
the seventh commandment."
00:35:37.17\00:35:39.87
Try that, no,
don't try that, yeah,
00:35:39.87\00:35:41.37
I mean but that
argument will not work,
00:35:41.37\00:35:43.17
I can promise you.
00:35:43.17\00:35:45.31
And so the idea that
because we're under grace
00:35:45.31\00:35:48.88
that we no longer
have an obligation
00:35:48.88\00:35:50.51
to keep the law...
00:35:50.51\00:35:53.68
If not tithe and
offerings, what method,
00:35:53.68\00:35:56.42
is there any system to it?
00:35:56.42\00:35:58.22
People get a little bit...
00:35:58.22\00:35:59.45
You can kind of tell people
are struggling in their hearts,
00:35:59.45\00:36:01.36
10%, oh, 10%.
00:36:01.36\00:36:03.02
Now keep in mind,
it's 10% of your increase.
00:36:03.02\00:36:06.83
If you're in
business and you buy t-shirts,
00:36:06.83\00:36:10.10
you're in a t-shirt business
and you buy t-shirts for $5
00:36:10.10\00:36:16.07
and then you sell
the t-shirts for $10,
00:36:16.07\00:36:19.31
what is your
increase on a t-shirt sale?
00:36:19.31\00:36:22.18
It's not $10, it's $5, right?
00:36:22.18\00:36:24.65
So you pay
tithe on your increase
00:36:24.65\00:36:25.68
and there might be other,
00:36:25.68\00:36:26.82
you know, expenses
connected with that.
00:36:26.82\00:36:28.05
And so it's pretty
simple business math.
00:36:28.05\00:36:31.52
I got another question
here, "Will God punish us
00:36:31.52\00:36:35.12
for not giving all that we
have like Ananias and Sapphira?"
00:36:35.12\00:36:39.46
Well, there is a judgment,
00:36:39.46\00:36:40.53
everyone is going to be standing
00:36:40.53\00:36:41.56
before the judgment seat of God.
00:36:41.56\00:36:44.50
So maybe they are asking about
not giving all that we have,
00:36:44.50\00:36:48.90
and keep in
mind, you might wonder
00:36:48.90\00:36:50.27
why was He so severe
with Ananias and Sapphira?
00:36:50.27\00:36:53.17
Why was He so severe
with Hophni and Phinehas,
00:36:53.17\00:36:57.51
and Nadab and
Abihu were just these,
00:36:57.51\00:37:01.15
they were punished so severely.
00:37:01.15\00:37:03.75
Ananias and Sapphira
were living in the time
00:37:03.75\00:37:05.65
where they saw the Holy Spirit
come down in tongues of fire.
00:37:05.65\00:37:08.82
They were seeing miracles.
00:37:08.82\00:37:10.13
They were seeing
the power of God,
00:37:10.13\00:37:11.86
and right there in
the midst of a revival,
00:37:11.86\00:37:15.03
in the power of God,
00:37:15.03\00:37:16.60
their attitude
was the very thing
00:37:16.60\00:37:18.27
that was going
to quench that power
00:37:18.27\00:37:19.70
if God did not
deal with it severely.
00:37:19.70\00:37:22.47
We read, "To whom much is given,
00:37:22.47\00:37:23.91
much is required."
00:37:23.91\00:37:25.77
They had been given the
ability to live in the church
00:37:25.77\00:37:28.04
where the Holy
Spirit was being poured out
00:37:28.04\00:37:30.45
and they sinned
in the face of that,
00:37:30.45\00:37:31.95
so God was more severe.
00:37:31.95\00:37:35.75
"Can you give
your time as a tithe?"
00:37:35.75\00:37:40.49
Well, let's just
be more specific.
00:37:40.49\00:37:43.43
Let's suppose that
you're an expert at something
00:37:43.43\00:37:46.19
and you're normally paid for it.
00:37:46.19\00:37:48.73
And somebody needs,
00:37:48.73\00:37:49.96
may be you're an
expert accountant,
00:37:49.96\00:37:51.10
you normally charge $10 an hour,
00:37:51.10\00:37:54.04
you might donate
some accounting time
00:37:54.04\00:37:56.71
and, you know,
there might be a way
00:37:56.71\00:37:58.27
where that could happen
00:37:58.27\00:37:59.34
where you're actually
giving money by giving time
00:37:59.34\00:38:01.28
that you would
otherwise be paid for.
00:38:01.28\00:38:02.68
You see what I am saying?
00:38:02.68\00:38:04.48
Well, that could
kind of get loose,
00:38:04.48\00:38:05.48
so you want to be
careful and not neglect giving
00:38:05.48\00:38:07.58
off your own increase.
00:38:07.58\00:38:09.18
But I've seen people give
00:38:09.18\00:38:10.25
a tithe of their
time to a project.
00:38:10.25\00:38:12.25
All right, well that covers
00:38:12.25\00:38:13.36
some of the
questions that came in.
00:38:13.36\00:38:14.59
If there is more then you can
just pop it up on the screen.
00:38:14.59\00:38:16.59
We know, these questions
are coming active right now
00:38:16.59\00:38:19.16
while I'm teaching.
00:38:19.16\00:38:20.40
All right, the life of faith,
someone's going to read for me
00:38:20.40\00:38:23.26
Hebrews 12:2 in just a moment,
00:38:23.26\00:38:26.43
and I'm going to
read Genesis 22:1.
00:38:26.43\00:38:29.30
"Now, it came to
pass after these things,
00:38:29.30\00:38:32.24
that God tested
Abraham, and He said to him,
00:38:32.24\00:38:35.01
"Abraham," he said, "Here I am."
00:38:35.01\00:38:37.51
He said, "Take now your
son, your only son, Isaac,
00:38:37.51\00:38:40.55
who you love, and go
to the land of Moriah
00:38:40.55\00:38:43.22
and offer him
there as a burnt offering
00:38:43.22\00:38:44.99
on the mountains of
which I shall tell you."'
00:38:44.99\00:38:48.66
You know, one
reason Abraham was called
00:38:48.66\00:38:50.06
the Father of the Faithful,
00:38:50.06\00:38:51.86
is because does
anyone here doubt
00:38:51.86\00:38:55.10
that Abraham gave
100% when he gave his son?
00:38:55.10\00:38:58.43
Did Abraham put
everything on the altar?
00:38:58.43\00:39:01.87
I mean how may of
you would be willing
00:39:01.87\00:39:03.34
to give everything you have
00:39:03.34\00:39:04.47
if it meant doing
that to save your children?
00:39:04.47\00:39:07.74
And Abraham, when God
said, "Do you really love Me
00:39:07.74\00:39:10.58
with all your heart,
mind, soul, and strength
00:39:10.58\00:39:11.98
or I've a test
for you. Prove it.
00:39:11.98\00:39:14.48
I'm not going to
ask for all your gold
00:39:14.48\00:39:16.02
and your silver.
But take your son..."
00:39:16.02\00:39:19.35
And, of course, what
happened with Abraham and Isaac
00:39:19.35\00:39:22.49
is an illustration of
what the father did for us
00:39:22.49\00:39:25.53
in his love for us.
00:39:25.53\00:39:27.66
So Abraham did that
because he had faith.
00:39:27.66\00:39:31.60
Now go ahead and read
Hebrews 12 for us, verse 2?
00:39:31.60\00:39:35.67
"Looking unto Jesus the author
and finisher of our faith,
00:39:35.67\00:39:39.94
who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross,
00:39:39.94\00:39:45.18
despising the shame,
00:39:45.18\00:39:46.58
and has set down at
the right hand of God,
00:39:46.58\00:39:49.32
at the throne of God."
00:39:49.32\00:39:50.99
All right, here it tells us that
00:39:50.99\00:39:52.09
Jesus is the
author and the finisher.
00:39:52.09\00:39:55.99
And the word
finisher here is used
00:39:55.99\00:39:57.53
in this only one
instance in the New Testament.
00:39:57.53\00:39:59.46
It's translated the
perfecter of our faith.
00:39:59.46\00:40:02.73
It means Jesus is intent on
bringing our faith to maturity.
00:40:02.73\00:40:06.47
Faith is something that grows,
00:40:06.47\00:40:07.84
it's something
that cures so to speak.
00:40:07.84\00:40:11.07
And Jesus, your faith will start
00:40:11.07\00:40:12.51
but He wants to finish it.
00:40:12.51\00:40:14.68
Sanctification is a process.
00:40:14.68\00:40:17.08
And I think if we're honest,
00:40:17.08\00:40:19.95
we'll all admit there's
times we struggle to believe.
00:40:19.95\00:40:23.05
And that can be demonstrated
in living the Christian life
00:40:23.05\00:40:26.92
in the number of
areas of obedience,
00:40:26.92\00:40:28.62
and even in areas of giving.
00:40:28.62\00:40:31.83
But I can tell you, I
was young and I'm now old
00:40:31.83\00:40:34.83
and I've found
whenever I was tested,
00:40:34.83\00:40:37.83
whenever I was tested
00:40:37.83\00:40:39.07
on the area of
faithfulness and stewardship,
00:40:39.07\00:40:42.64
when I stepped out on
faith, and I trusted God,
00:40:42.64\00:40:45.71
and I gave, He
always compensated,
00:40:45.71\00:40:49.48
and He blessed.
00:40:49.48\00:40:51.18
It's like Jacob, Jacob said,
00:40:51.18\00:40:54.95
I went out when
he left his parents,
00:40:54.95\00:40:57.62
he had a staff in his hand.
00:40:57.62\00:41:00.32
You know,
remember when he slept,
00:41:00.32\00:41:01.46
he had a rock for a pillow
and the dream of the ladder,
00:41:01.46\00:41:03.63
he had nothing.
00:41:03.63\00:41:05.86
And when he came back he said,
00:41:05.86\00:41:07.13
"Lord, I've now
become two companies,
00:41:07.13\00:41:09.10
our substance is so great."
00:41:09.10\00:41:11.23
He had four
wives and 11 children
00:41:11.23\00:41:13.67
I think at the point,
00:41:13.67\00:41:14.74
I don't know
Benjamin wasn't born yet.
00:41:14.74\00:41:16.10
No, Joseph wasn't born yet
00:41:16.10\00:41:17.61
'cause Rachel died in Bethlehem.
00:41:17.61\00:41:19.31
So he had 10 boys
and all this substance.
00:41:19.31\00:41:23.95
But he had made a covenant
to pay tithe went he left.
00:41:23.95\00:41:27.28
You remember when
he had the dream there?
00:41:27.28\00:41:29.02
He made a covenant.
00:41:29.02\00:41:30.09
When he comes back, look
at how God had blessed him.
00:41:30.09\00:41:32.95
And so God, He always
blesses if we have that faith.
00:41:32.95\00:41:37.46
Author and the
finisher of our faith.
00:41:37.46\00:41:39.46
Hebrews 6:1,
00:41:39.46\00:41:42.06
"Therefore
leaving the discussion
00:41:42.06\00:41:44.13
of the elementary
principles of Christ,
00:41:44.13\00:41:46.30
let us go on to perfection,
00:41:46.30\00:41:48.10
not laying again the
foundation of repentance
00:41:48.10\00:41:50.37
from dead works,
and faith towards God."
00:41:50.37\00:41:52.91
There is growth,
the elementary things.
00:41:52.91\00:41:55.98
Tithe and offering is
really an elementary thing.
00:41:55.98\00:41:59.18
You know, before
we baptize a person,
00:41:59.18\00:42:01.22
I go through some
of the fundamentals
00:42:01.22\00:42:03.82
and we in our church have...
00:42:03.82\00:42:06.96
I mean we don't
define every doctrine,
00:42:06.96\00:42:09.29
you can't define
and do a commentary
00:42:09.29\00:42:11.23
on every verse
'cause there is some things
00:42:11.23\00:42:12.73
that we freely
admit that are difficult.
00:42:12.73\00:42:15.76
But we have 27 or 28
fundamental beliefs...
00:42:15.76\00:42:21.64
and they're well
supported by scripture.
00:42:21.64\00:42:24.57
Things like the Bible,
and the Trinity, and...
00:42:24.57\00:42:29.84
You know, the nature of Christ,
and number of other issues.
00:42:29.84\00:42:35.68
And one of the
doctrines is on stewardship.
00:42:35.68\00:42:40.39
Then we melt those down
00:42:40.39\00:42:41.89
when we review
the baptismal vows
00:42:41.89\00:42:43.96
with the person.
00:42:43.96\00:42:46.09
We melt them down to 12 or
13 of the most important things
00:42:46.09\00:42:49.46
a person needs to be clear on.
00:42:49.46\00:42:51.30
You know, one of the things
00:42:51.30\00:42:52.40
that is included
in the baptismal vows
00:42:52.40\00:42:55.80
is that we believe
that God owns everything
00:42:55.80\00:42:58.24
and because of
our love for Christ,
00:42:58.24\00:42:59.54
we want to be faithful stewards
00:42:59.54\00:43:01.14
and we agree to return
tithes and offerings to God.
00:43:01.14\00:43:06.15
Now, there are some churches
that police their members,
00:43:06.15\00:43:09.15
did you know that?
00:43:09.15\00:43:10.75
They review their members,
they look at their statements,
00:43:10.75\00:43:14.39
they say, "Oh, hey, the
tithe hasn't been paid."
00:43:14.39\00:43:16.76
They police their members
to make sure they pay tithe.
00:43:16.76\00:43:19.53
We don't do that.
00:43:19.53\00:43:21.80
We say it's between you and God.
00:43:21.80\00:43:23.53
That's why this lesson
is called Honest to God.
00:43:23.53\00:43:26.40
When we have
communion, the Bible says,
00:43:26.40\00:43:29.00
"Let every man examine himself."
00:43:29.00\00:43:31.11
We practice open communion.
00:43:31.11\00:43:32.57
You decide if you're
serious about your commitment.
00:43:32.57\00:43:35.64
We don't police people
and say, "You should do it,
00:43:35.64\00:43:37.45
you shouldn't, you should."
00:43:37.45\00:43:39.81
Did Jesus let Judas
participate in communion?
00:43:39.81\00:43:43.69
Yes. He let him judge himself.
00:43:43.69\00:43:46.39
We believe that the Holy
Spirit has to talk to people.
00:43:46.39\00:43:49.92
And do you want to give
00:43:49.92\00:43:51.33
because you got
elders and deacons
00:43:51.33\00:43:53.46
that are policing you.
00:43:53.46\00:43:56.06
Well, nobody really
wants the church officials
00:43:56.06\00:43:58.47
snooping around in
their bank account.
00:43:58.47\00:44:04.87
I remember, I was
doing an evangelistic meeting
00:44:04.87\00:44:07.68
in Paradise, California
with Pastor Lonnie Melashenko.
00:44:07.68\00:44:11.78
And during the worship service,
00:44:11.78\00:44:14.32
he wanted
everybody to greet each other
00:44:14.32\00:44:17.05
and they often had visitors.
00:44:17.05\00:44:18.15
He'd say, let's all stand
up and turn to the person,
00:44:18.15\00:44:20.32
turn to the person,
your right, your left,
00:44:20.32\00:44:21.76
and tell him how much
money you've got in the bank.
00:44:21.76\00:44:24.89
And everybody
laughed nervously...
00:44:24.89\00:44:28.56
I've used it several times
00:44:28.56\00:44:29.60
since I thought it was
funny way to break the ice
00:44:29.60\00:44:31.23
because that's the
last thing in the world
00:44:31.23\00:44:33.17
people are going
to tell, isn't it?
00:44:33.17\00:44:35.30
Those are private
affairs, and so whether or not
00:44:35.30\00:44:37.47
you're giving faithfully,
church doesn't police that,
00:44:37.47\00:44:40.84
it's between you and God.
00:44:40.84\00:44:43.21
And you want to
be faithful. Amen.
00:44:43.21\00:44:47.95
Because you're
blessed if you're,
00:44:47.95\00:44:50.49
it's a life of faith.
00:44:50.49\00:44:52.95
Romans 12:3, "For I
say, through the grace
00:44:52.95\00:44:55.56
that is given me, to
every one who is among you,
00:44:55.56\00:44:57.36
not to think of himself more
highly than he ought to think,
00:44:57.36\00:45:00.46
but to think soberly,
00:45:00.46\00:45:01.83
as God has dealt each
one a measure of faith."
00:45:01.83\00:45:04.07
You might say, Pastor Doug,
I just don't have enough faith,
00:45:04.07\00:45:06.00
is that true?
00:45:06.00\00:45:08.14
I don't think I can
do this tithe thing,
00:45:08.14\00:45:09.54
I don't have enough faith.
00:45:09.54\00:45:11.07
Do you not have enough faith?
00:45:11.07\00:45:13.11
I read here, God
gives to every one
00:45:13.11\00:45:15.81
a measure of faith.
00:45:15.81\00:45:16.88
Everybody has got some faith.
00:45:16.88\00:45:19.05
It's just whether or not
you want to use it or not.
00:45:19.05\00:45:22.18
You can believe if you
want to, you can test God.
00:45:22.18\00:45:24.25
Matter of fact, in Malachi,
He says, "Prove me now."
00:45:24.25\00:45:27.16
Have faith, test me,
00:45:27.16\00:45:28.62
see if I don't open for
you the windows of heaven
00:45:28.62\00:45:30.59
and pour out a blessing
00:45:30.59\00:45:31.63
you don't have room
enough to receive it.
00:45:31.63\00:45:34.63
All right, moving along here.
00:45:34.63\00:45:37.47
One of the most
accurate indicators of a person
00:45:37.47\00:45:41.14
or a congregation's
spiritual condition
00:45:41.14\00:45:44.57
is the giving thermometer.
00:45:44.57\00:45:47.31
That's true.
00:45:47.31\00:45:50.21
And it also
could be an indicator
00:45:50.21\00:45:52.65
of the
faithfulness of the leadership
00:45:52.65\00:45:54.35
because if the
people are confident
00:45:54.35\00:45:56.79
that those in the
church that are in leadership
00:45:56.79\00:46:00.49
are faithfully
administrating the money,
00:46:00.49\00:46:04.13
you know, other church
friends since we got a board
00:46:04.13\00:46:05.73
and in our board we
have a finance committee,
00:46:05.73\00:46:07.23
and we've got a
treasurer and the board meets,
00:46:07.23\00:46:09.66
and we evaluate the finances,
00:46:09.66\00:46:11.20
and we make sure that
the expenses stayed down,
00:46:11.20\00:46:13.54
or we make sure that the money
is being allocated biblically
00:46:13.54\00:46:17.01
to worthy causes and
there is accountability.
00:46:17.01\00:46:19.54
And then we have
a business meeting,
00:46:19.54\00:46:21.38
we're having one next month.
00:46:21.38\00:46:22.88
All the churches
invited together,
00:46:22.88\00:46:24.58
the treasurer
will show everybody,
00:46:24.58\00:46:26.41
what's going on financially,
everybody gets to look.
00:46:26.41\00:46:28.45
Matter of fact,
they are open books.
00:46:28.45\00:46:29.78
Anyone could ask anytime
00:46:29.78\00:46:31.55
and we'd be
happy to report this,
00:46:31.55\00:46:32.89
nothing to hide.
00:46:32.89\00:46:34.02
So if there is
faithfulness that way,
00:46:34.02\00:46:35.99
people are supportive,
00:46:35.99\00:46:37.63
but then if there is
faithfulness in your home,
00:46:37.63\00:46:40.66
you're going to see
there's regularity in giving.
00:46:40.66\00:46:44.17
That's usually the
indicator of spiritual health.
00:46:44.17\00:46:46.10
If a person is not
giving off their substance
00:46:46.10\00:46:49.20
to the work of
God, you have to ask,
00:46:49.20\00:46:51.04
"Do they really love the Lord?
00:46:51.04\00:46:53.24
Do they want to get the
message of salvation out?
00:46:53.24\00:46:55.81
Do they care
about their fellowmen
00:46:55.81\00:46:57.48
that are
perishing in ignorance?"
00:46:57.48\00:47:00.45
And if you're
hoarding everything
00:47:00.45\00:47:04.22
and you know
people are being lost
00:47:04.22\00:47:05.35
for lack of the gospel,
00:47:05.35\00:47:07.26
there is
something wrong spiritually,
00:47:07.26\00:47:09.46
does that make sense?
00:47:09.46\00:47:11.33
And so giving is sometimes an
interesting indicator of that.
00:47:11.33\00:47:15.50
All right, honest
tithe, honest to the Lord.
00:47:15.50\00:47:20.87
And if you look
in Matthew 6:3-4,
00:47:20.87\00:47:23.61
"But when you do
a charitable deed,
00:47:23.61\00:47:25.77
do not let your left hand know
what your right hand is doing.
00:47:25.77\00:47:29.38
That your charitable
deed may be in secret,
00:47:29.38\00:47:31.91
and your Father
who sees in secret
00:47:31.91\00:47:33.62
will reward you openly."
00:47:33.62\00:47:35.45
So we're not
supposed to grandstand,
00:47:35.45\00:47:36.69
Jesus said it's the
hypocrites who go to church
00:47:36.69\00:47:38.62
and they blow the
trumpet, they make a big deal,
00:47:38.62\00:47:40.46
and say, I'm going
to make this donation,
00:47:40.46\00:47:42.82
and they want to get a
lot of human accolades,
00:47:42.82\00:47:45.16
and Jesus said this all.
00:47:45.16\00:47:46.76
But if you give faithfully
and it's between you and God,
00:47:46.76\00:47:50.27
and you don't tell
everybody about it,
00:47:50.27\00:47:52.30
the Lord is going to bless you.
00:47:52.30\00:47:55.20
If you see a
person in need, a beggar,
00:47:55.20\00:47:58.77
and you do something for them,
00:47:58.77\00:48:00.68
you don't need to advertise
it all to your Christian friends
00:48:00.68\00:48:02.81
and try to prove to
them that you're spiritual,
00:48:02.81\00:48:05.31
it's, God saw it, right?
00:48:05.31\00:48:07.95
That's what's most important.
00:48:07.95\00:48:11.05
All right, I'm
going to jump along here.
00:48:11.05\00:48:12.32
Someone is going to
read for me I think,
00:48:12.32\00:48:14.02
Ecclesiastes 5:4 and 5.
00:48:14.02\00:48:17.73
Okay, Mangie, I'll have
you do that in just a moment.
00:48:17.73\00:48:20.53
Here is a quote from the
book Counsels on Stewardship,
00:48:20.53\00:48:23.13
page 66,
00:48:23.13\00:48:25.50
"In like manner,
tithe of our income
00:48:25.50\00:48:27.57
is holy to the Lord.
00:48:27.57\00:48:29.07
The New Testament does
not re-enact the law of tithe,
00:48:29.07\00:48:33.17
as it does not
that of the Sabbath,
00:48:33.17\00:48:35.84
for the validity
of both is assumed,
00:48:35.84\00:48:38.48
and their deep
spiritual import explained.
00:48:38.48\00:48:41.48
While we as a people
are seeking faithfully
00:48:41.48\00:48:43.35
to give to God,
00:48:43.35\00:48:44.42
the time which He
has reserved as His Home,
00:48:44.42\00:48:46.55
shall we not also render to
Him the portion of our means
00:48:46.55\00:48:49.36
that He claims."
00:48:49.36\00:48:51.03
And basically the
author here is just saying,
00:48:51.03\00:48:53.33
you're not going to
hear a lot about tithe
00:48:53.33\00:48:54.76
in the New Testament
because it was just understood,
00:48:54.76\00:48:57.00
it was assumed, it was
sort of common knowledge.
00:48:57.00\00:49:02.14
Everyday we go to
and fro from church.
00:49:02.14\00:49:04.44
We drive about 55
or 60 miles an hour.
00:49:04.44\00:49:07.34
We almost never mentioned
it in church, you know that?
00:49:07.34\00:49:10.61
'Cause I'm
assuming that you know that.
00:49:10.61\00:49:14.28
It's a common knowledge.
Right, go ahead, Mangie?
00:49:14.28\00:49:17.35
"When you make a vow to
God, do not delay to pay it,
00:49:17.35\00:49:21.92
for he has no pleasure in fools,
00:49:21.92\00:49:25.03
pay what you have vowed.
00:49:25.03\00:49:27.30
Better not to vow
than to vow and not pay."
00:49:27.30\00:49:32.47
That's talking
exactly about what happened
00:49:32.47\00:49:34.24
with Ananias and Sapphira.
00:49:34.24\00:49:35.47
If you make a vow to
God, pay what you vowed.
00:49:35.47\00:49:38.97
Better not to make a vow
than make one and not pay it
00:49:38.97\00:49:42.01
because we need to
be honest before God.
00:49:42.01\00:49:44.68
And something else in closing
00:49:44.68\00:49:46.11
that I thought
was very important is,
00:49:46.11\00:49:47.65
you look through the Bible
00:49:47.65\00:49:49.28
at the times of great
revival, there is great giving.
00:49:49.28\00:49:53.89
Have you ever noticed that?
00:49:53.89\00:49:55.76
In the time of David,
00:49:55.76\00:49:57.09
when they had had
victory over their enemies,
00:49:57.09\00:49:59.16
the Philistines, and David said,
00:49:59.16\00:50:01.33
you know,
"Whoever is large hearted,
00:50:01.33\00:50:02.66
if you want to give to build
a temple to the glory of God."
00:50:02.66\00:50:06.10
What happened?
00:50:06.10\00:50:07.70
Incredible gifts were
given from the poorest people
00:50:07.70\00:50:11.84
right up on
through the leadership.
00:50:11.84\00:50:13.54
When they were going
through the Tabernacle,
00:50:13.54\00:50:14.94
and God was in there
going through the wilderness,
00:50:14.94\00:50:16.81
and God was in their midst,
00:50:16.81\00:50:18.38
and they were
building the Tabernacle.
00:50:18.38\00:50:21.12
They gave so much, they
had to be told not to give.
00:50:21.12\00:50:23.82
Let me read this
to you, Exodus 36:2,
00:50:23.82\00:50:27.26
"And Moses called
Bezalel and Aholiab,
00:50:27.26\00:50:29.29
and every gifted artisan,
00:50:29.29\00:50:30.53
in whose heart the
Lord had put wisdom,
00:50:30.53\00:50:32.06
every one from whose
heart was stirred to come
00:50:32.06\00:50:34.56
and to do the work.
00:50:34.56\00:50:35.96
And they received
from Moses all the offering
00:50:35.96\00:50:38.87
that the children
of Israel had brought
00:50:38.87\00:50:40.24
for the work of the
service of making the sanctuary.
00:50:40.24\00:50:42.97
So they
continued bringing to him
00:50:42.97\00:50:44.57
freewill
offerings every morning."
00:50:44.57\00:50:46.88
And the offerings were in gold,
00:50:46.88\00:50:48.64
and wood, and skins, and silver,
00:50:48.64\00:50:50.65
and whatever they
needed for the temple,
00:50:50.65\00:50:51.98
that wasn't money necessarily.
00:50:51.98\00:50:54.85
"Then all the craftsmen,
who were doing the work
00:50:54.85\00:50:56.69
of the sanctuary, came each
one from the work he was doing."
00:50:56.69\00:50:59.02
They just dropped the
tools and came to Moses.
00:50:59.02\00:51:01.22
"And they spoke
to Moses and said,
00:51:01.22\00:51:02.62
'The people bring much more
00:51:02.62\00:51:04.46
than enough for the
service of the work,
00:51:04.46\00:51:06.09
which the Lord has
commanded us to do.'
00:51:06.09\00:51:08.93
So Moses gave a
command, and they caused it
00:51:08.93\00:51:10.93
to be proclaimed
throughout the camp, saying,
00:51:10.93\00:51:12.77
'Let neither man nor
woman do any more work
00:51:12.77\00:51:14.94
for the offering
of the sanctuary.'"
00:51:14.94\00:51:18.34
The people were
restrained from bringing,
00:51:18.34\00:51:20.88
for the material
they had was sufficient.
00:51:20.88\00:51:23.04
Indeed it was too much."
00:51:23.04\00:51:24.91
Oh, friends wouldn't God, I
had to make an announcement.
00:51:24.91\00:51:27.82
Please stop giving,
right, we don't know
00:51:27.82\00:51:30.99
what to do with
all that you're giving.
00:51:30.99\00:51:33.52
and when was the last
time you were in a church
00:51:33.52\00:51:36.26
and you heard that proclamation.
00:51:36.26\00:51:38.59
But this is a time
the people had a mind
00:51:38.59\00:51:40.40
and they had a heart to
build and to do the work,
00:51:40.40\00:51:42.16
and you can read
also in 2 Chronicles 31
00:51:42.16\00:51:45.00
during the time
of King Hezekiah.
00:51:45.00\00:51:47.80
It says, "There
was a great revival,
00:51:47.80\00:51:50.37
they returned to the
Lord, they had a Passover."
00:51:50.37\00:51:52.64
It says, "They
brought in abundantly
00:51:52.64\00:51:55.31
the tithe of everything
and they had big heaps
00:51:55.31\00:51:57.58
and they had so much,
00:51:57.58\00:51:58.81
they had to build
storerooms to store it.
00:51:58.81\00:52:01.52
And the Lord
blessed His people Israel."
00:52:01.52\00:52:03.75
So this was also
during the time of revival,
00:52:03.75\00:52:06.32
so God will
bless you that way too.
00:52:06.32\00:52:08.16
All right, we're out of time.
00:52:08.16\00:52:09.42
And we want to
tell you one more time
00:52:09.42\00:52:10.49
about the free offer
that we have available.
00:52:10.49\00:52:13.40
And if anybody would like
to get a copy of this book,
00:52:13.40\00:52:15.63
it's
Determining the Will of God.
00:52:15.63\00:52:17.50
Its offer number 778.
00:52:17.50\00:52:19.73
Just call the resource line
on your screen 866-788-3966,
00:52:19.73\00:52:24.97
they will be happy to
send that to you for free.
00:52:24.97\00:52:27.18
Or you can go to
amazingfacts.org,
00:52:27.18\00:52:30.08
and I think you'll
find the book there
00:52:30.08\00:52:31.31
and you can read
it for free online
00:52:31.31\00:52:33.25
and then share with your friend.
00:52:33.25\00:52:34.78
God bless you until we
study His word together
00:52:34.78\00:52:36.55
again next week.
00:52:36.55\00:52:37.92
Today smartphones are a
virtual universe of information
00:52:48.23\00:52:51.37
that fits in the
palm of your hand.
00:52:51.37\00:52:53.44
It's a good thing we
have a plausible thumbs.
00:52:53.44\00:52:55.57
With it you can
buy your groceries,
00:52:55.57\00:52:58.51
take care of
your exercise regime,
00:52:58.51\00:53:01.01
watch a video, listen to music,
00:53:01.01\00:53:03.01
you can surf the
international World Wide Web
00:53:03.01\00:53:05.81
which may not
always be a good thing.
00:53:05.81\00:53:08.18
And, you know, there is more
computer processing technology
00:53:08.18\00:53:11.45
and power in a
little smartphone today
00:53:11.45\00:53:13.89
than was used by NASA
to put a man on the moon.
00:53:13.89\00:53:17.09
And I almost forgot,
you can also use these
00:53:17.09\00:53:19.29
to make a phone call.
00:53:19.29\00:53:20.70
But who does that anymore.
00:53:20.70\00:53:22.20
Today communication is
not in complete sentences,
00:53:22.20\00:53:25.00
it's all about
Short Message Servicing
00:53:25.00\00:53:27.00
or SMS texting.
00:53:27.00\00:53:30.41
That's right.
00:53:30.41\00:53:31.51
There are about 2.5 billion
people in the world today
00:53:31.51\00:53:34.58
that are communicating
with their fellow humans
00:53:34.58\00:53:36.75
in short bytes called texting.
00:53:36.75\00:53:39.05
That's more data
that is being used
00:53:39.05\00:53:41.25
than those
who're surfing the web
00:53:41.25\00:53:42.82
or even playing videogames.
00:53:42.82\00:53:44.35
And, friends,
nowhere is this more true
00:53:44.35\00:53:46.52
than right here
in the Philippines.
00:53:46.52\00:53:48.29
Even though the Philippines
has about a 100 million people,
00:53:48.29\00:53:51.26
they are responsible
for the largest number
00:53:51.26\00:53:53.50
of text messages of
anywhere in the world.
00:53:53.50\00:53:56.06
They are the
12th largest country
00:53:56.06\00:53:57.93
but they send 400
million text messages everyday.
00:53:57.93\00:54:03.04
Wow, that's a lot
of finger fatigue.
00:54:03.04\00:54:06.24
Even though the
greatest number of texters
00:54:06.24\00:54:08.01
is here in the Philippines,
00:54:08.01\00:54:09.44
the record for
the fastest texter
00:54:09.44\00:54:11.01
in the world is from Brazil.
00:54:11.01\00:54:12.68
A young man by the name
of Marcel Frenandes Filho,
00:54:12.68\00:54:15.75
he was able to text
25 very complicated words
00:54:15.75\00:54:18.62
in a little
more than 18 seconds.
00:54:18.62\00:54:20.89
Wow, it takes
me longer than that
00:54:20.89\00:54:22.92
to just say I
love you to my wife
00:54:22.92\00:54:24.96
and press send, all thumbs.
00:54:24.96\00:54:27.13
One of the neat
things about texting
00:54:28.30\00:54:29.66
is you can text
just about anywhere.
00:54:29.66\00:54:31.50
If you're
surrounded with people,
00:54:31.50\00:54:32.73
you want to send a
personal message, you text.
00:54:32.73\00:54:35.20
You're in a crowded subway
or an airport, you can text.
00:54:35.20\00:54:38.14
If you're surrounded by noise
or nosy people, you can text.
00:54:38.14\00:54:42.28
Just don't text
while you're driving.
00:54:42.28\00:54:44.58
That's what's so
wonderful friends,
00:54:44.58\00:54:46.15
you can always text
God a message of prayer
00:54:46.15\00:54:48.88
from your heart.
00:54:48.88\00:54:49.98
When you're wondering
what school do I go to,
00:54:49.98\00:54:52.02
what job do I take,
who am I supposed to date
00:54:52.02\00:54:54.56
that may be a
future life partner.
00:54:54.56\00:54:56.26
Your prayers
don't have to be long.
00:54:56.26\00:54:58.23
The shortest prayer in
the Bible is three words,
00:54:58.23\00:55:00.46
when Peter
prayed, "Lord, save me."
00:55:00.46\00:55:03.03
And Jesus answered his prayer.
00:55:03.03\00:55:04.43
And it doesn't
matter how fast you can text
00:55:04.43\00:55:06.70
when you're talking to God.
00:55:06.70\00:55:08.17
He'll know what
you're asking for
00:55:08.17\00:55:09.74
and hear your prayer
before you have a chance
00:55:09.74\00:55:11.44
to say amen and
press the send button.
00:55:11.44\00:55:13.74
In fact, friends,
you'll bring joy to God
00:55:13.74\00:55:16.14
when you send
Him regular messages
00:55:16.14\00:55:17.98
from your heart to His.
00:55:17.98\00:55:19.88
So why don't you
talk to Him right now.
00:55:19.88\00:55:22.08
Amazing Facts, changed lives.
00:55:36.40\00:55:39.63
By the time I
got to high school,
00:55:45.91\00:55:48.54
abuse was just a
way of life for me,
00:55:48.54\00:55:50.45
I just felt that,
that was the way it was
00:55:50.45\00:55:52.35
and that many people
were going through that.
00:55:52.35\00:55:54.98
And I found out
that a lot of the girls
00:55:54.98\00:55:57.32
were not going through the abuse
00:55:57.32\00:55:58.75
that I was going through.
00:55:58.75\00:56:00.86
I started acting
out, and playing out,
00:56:00.86\00:56:03.46
and misbehaving in school.
00:56:03.46\00:56:07.83
I felt when I spoke to mom,
she was too busy worrying about
00:56:07.83\00:56:12.43
where dad was,
what dad was doing.
00:56:12.43\00:56:14.24
When I spoke to
the older siblings,
00:56:14.24\00:56:16.00
they couldn't be bothered,
I had stupid questions.
00:56:16.00\00:56:19.51
I seemed to feel
very lonely all the time
00:56:19.51\00:56:22.34
and I just forgot at
that point where God was.
00:56:22.34\00:56:26.82
And felt that I didn't need Him,
00:56:26.82\00:56:29.72
because anyway
when I did need Him,
00:56:29.72\00:56:31.49
He was never around for me.
00:56:31.49\00:56:34.42
I was living a
very, very busy life,
00:56:34.42\00:56:38.66
working till 2, 3
o'clock in the morning
00:56:38.66\00:56:41.73
and then drinking
alcohol till 5 o'clock,
00:56:41.73\00:56:44.23
so that I could get to
sleep for few hours, wake up
00:56:44.23\00:56:47.27
and then get back to
work at 8 o'clock at night.
00:56:47.27\00:56:50.04
So my life
continued and spiraled
00:56:50.04\00:56:52.14
until I decided I needed
to do something different.
00:56:52.14\00:56:54.84
So I pack my bags
00:56:54.84\00:56:56.21
and spent 11
months crossing Africa
00:56:56.21\00:56:59.01
from Zimbabwe all the
way through Switzerland.
00:56:59.01\00:57:02.12
Met a lady in a missionary
who spoke to me about God
00:57:02.12\00:57:05.35
and gave me a Bible,
00:57:05.35\00:57:07.12
and that was when I
started thinking again that
00:57:07.12\00:57:11.56
God, may be You
led me on this trip.
00:57:11.56\00:57:14.73
And that was the start
of me really re-thinking
00:57:14.73\00:57:17.93
what am I doing with my life.
00:57:17.93\00:57:21.40
I had made a decision that,
00:57:21.40\00:57:22.67
God, this time I'm
never going to let you go.
00:57:22.67\00:57:25.91
I know You've never let me
go, it was always me who let go.
00:57:25.91\00:57:30.81
My return to Jesus was
the most amazing feeling
00:57:30.81\00:57:35.25
that I had ever experienced.
00:57:35.25\00:57:37.79
I felt as if this time
00:57:37.79\00:57:39.55
I had made a
connection with God.
00:57:39.55\00:57:41.66
Together we've spread
the gospel much farther
00:57:54.44\00:57:57.67
than ever before.
00:57:57.67\00:57:59.74
Thank you for your support.
00:57:59.74\00:58:02.54