so I encourage you if we come along to
that which will be great filled in your
Bibles are telling me to the book of
Acts Acts chapter 20 Acts chapter 20
verse 35 Acts chapter 20 verse 35 it
says this I've shown you in every way by
laboring like this that you must support
the weak and remember the words of the
Lord Jesus that he said it's more
blessed to give than it is to receive I
read that again I've shown you in every
way by laboring like this that you must
support the meat of the weak remember
the words of the Lord Jesus that he said
it's more blessed to give than it is to
receive title my message today is called
get blessed let's pray father I thank
you for your word I just ask and pray
that you would bring your Kingdom
mindset into our heart so I thank you
and praise you for a lot in Jesus name
Amen
as a preacher and I've been preaching
now for twenty years you always know
certain topics will get certain types of
responses and so and so as a preacher
there are some topics that are very easy
to preach on and there are some others
where literally you can sometimes get a
little bit of kickback when you talk
about it but the scripture says the
Apostle Paul preached on the whole
counsel of God and so as a preacher it
is important that there are a number of
topics regardless of whether they're
controversial regardless of whether
they're popular that as a preacher it's
important for us to talk about here
Jesus says it's quoted by the Apostle
Paul quoting Jesus and Jesus said it's
more blessed to give than it is to
receive now that's a verse that I had
heard many times growing up in church
but I had misunderstood what it meant
when I heard the term it's more blessed
to give I just equated blessing with how
you feel so I thought it meant it feels
nicer to give than it is to receive but
who knows as you live life that's not
necessarily true
but actually I'll be honest with you
actually feels a lot nicer to receive
you know what I'm saying
that sometimes it actually hurts to give
so the word it says blessed it's not
actually talking about how we feel in
the scripture when it talks about
blessing there's
always consequences as a result when God
says I'm going to bless you this
tangible outcomes and consequences that
we see come into people's lives it's
more than a feeling it's more than an
ethereal thing it's actually things that
we actually get to experience so when
Jesus says it's more blessed to give
than it is to receive he is basically
saying that there's nothing wrong with
receiving in fact I know some people I
don't know have you ever tried to give
something to somebody and they haven't
wanted to receive it and it's like you
know and it's like that there's
something that somehow there's something
wrong with it there's no problem with
receiving receiving is a blessing but
the scripture he tells us that it's
actually more blessed to give what does
that mean it means that it's more
blessing if you open up more of the
blessings of God and positive tangible
outcomes in your life than by simply
receiving there's nothing wrong with
receiving but it's actually more blessed
to give and all through the scripture
there are a number of things where it
indicates that when you give these
outcomes pop-open into your life and
Jesus here is saying it's more blessed
you are more blessed you access more of
the blessings of God by giving than by
simply receiving this has been a message
this is something that I've been
passionate about for around about 20
years in fact 10 years ago I actually
wrote a book about it and arm but I also
found that there was sometimes there
were people who kind of question my
motives when I was actually talking
about it I remember one time I was
actually at a local shopping center
talking to one of the kids from my youth
group and a lady came up to me and she
said excuse me
you've been Itoko I said yeah and and I
thought you know she was wanting an
autograph or something and and I was
getting getting ready to sign and she
goes I just want to let you know now
what had happened was our senior pastor
it asked me to do a series on giving at
our church for a few weeks and it really
lifted the lid of some people's lives
and and so I did that and but she was
obviously one of the people who was
going there and she came up to me she
goes oh listen I've been coming to
church for a few years and she said but
lately you've been doing talking about
giving the last few weeks I said yeah
that's right she has I just want to let
you know I'm sick of it and she goes she
goes I've heard enough she said I know a
lot of other people are probably sick of
it too and I'm just letting you know you
got to stop talking about it
and so and I was like cuz of a
completely blindsided me I'm like oh
thanks
okay and and the kid I was with he
looked at he goes whoa you know and I
said welcome to my world champ anyway
and so and after that I thought oh man
you know I don't want to put people off
by talking about it and I thought you
know what I'll do I won't talk about it
I'll just keep it quiet I'll just
believe God for myself and I will never
talk about giving and then I made the
mistake of bringing that to the Lord and
and he rebuked me and he said don't you
dare he said you care about your
reputation more than you do my people
the scripture says it's money guys
you're trying to shield my people from
my blessing and he said so don't you
dare do that and so and I said okay and
I thought like because the motive was
not to try and get more money out of
people the motive is that people
actually the scripture says people are
more blessed when they give they're
better off I would not be doing my job
as a pastor if I withheld the potential
for that blessing to pop open into
people's lives remember another time
we're at a conference I was writing
conference and we're doing an offering
and in the midst of the offering the
back three rows got up and walked out
and no growth then they came from a
church that didn't want you to talk and
we were just doing a normal offering and
and I knew they were leaving because we
were taking up an offering at the
conference and I thought oh I thought
and the guy was talking I thought maybe
I should stop him you know and then I
felt and I said law what do you want to
do you want to stop him and I want to
offend anybody and he said and he goes
what's your motive for taking up the
offering I said well my motive is that
the people will be blessed and he said
well why stop it was it oh okay
and so I realized that it's something
that the world has a mindset about
certain things I believe the enemy has
tried to infiltrate the mindset of
people and try and turn people against
this but the scripture is very clear all
through it it is more blessed to give
than it is to receive and so I'm gonna
do a mini-series on the topic of the
consequences of giving and I'm gonna
call it get blessed and I'm breaking
every rule in the book for actually
doing it if you're gonna do a series
like that in your church number one
you would go and do it to the lowest
giving campus
I know but I'm not going to do it to
them I'm going to do it to this one
which is actually quite good also you
wouldn't do it in holidays but I'm going
to be doing it in the midst of holidays
and you wouldn't do it when you actually
don't need it and the reality is as a
church we've just done our audit reports
and our financials we have the
healthiest financial year we've had in
many many years as a church we are not
in a position of lack we are not in a
position of desperation we're fine and
so and so if you're thinking oh you're
exactly doing that because you know I'm
not well literally I just felt God put
in this little window we have before the
21 days our breakthrough to just share
on some of these principles but please
hear my heart know my heart the reason
and the motivation is because I want if
I've got a chance to lead a group of
people I want them to know that it is
more blessed to give than it is to
receive and so buckle up next couple of
weeks and I'm just going to share a
couple of things that the scripture
indicates about some of the consequences
of giving amen and so and we won't be
doing an offering after this you know
and I mean it won't be I'm not going to
sign you up for any pledges I'm not
gonna sign you up for anything please
hear my heart that the reason is it's
because we believe it's more blessed
it's just the mindset it's a topic in
the midst of Scripture amen and there'll
be other times we'll preach on unpopular
topics like holiness and purity and that
sort of thing as well so don't worry
about it
amen so with that in mind throw me in
the book of Malachi Malachi chapter 3
and if you got to do something on giving
at a church you shouldn't talk about
Malachi 3 but that's what I'm going to
do so Malachi chapter 3 verses wonderful
says this behold I send my messenger and
he will prepare the way before me and
the Lord whom you seek will suddenly
come to his temple even the messenger of
the Covenant whom you delight behold he
is coming says the Lord of Hosts but who
can enjoy the day of his coming and who
can stand when he appears for his like a
refiners fire like a laundry soap he
will sit as a refiner and a purifier of
silver he will purify the sons of Levi
and purge
as gold and silver that they may offer
to the Lord and offering in
righteousness then the offering of Judah
and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the
Lord as in the days of old as in the
former years now I'm going to jump
forward to Malachi chapter 3 verse 8 and
it says this well the man Rob God yet
you have robbed me but you say in what
way have we robbed you in tithes and
offerings your curse with a curse for
you've robbed me even this whole nation
bring all the tithes into the storehouse
so there may be food in my house try me
now and this is a Lord of Hosts if I
will not open for you the windows of
heaven pour out for you such blessing
that there will not be enough room to
receive it and I'll rebuke the Devourer
for your sakes so that he will not
destroy the fruit of the ground nor
shall the vine fail to bear fruit for
you and the field says the Lord of hosts
and all nations will call you blessed
for you will be a delightful land says
the Lord of hosts in here there are a
number of things that indicate some of
the blessings that are released as a
result of actually generosity towards
God's kingdom the first one the first
outcome and positive outcome of giving
is number one it actually blesses god it
actually blesses God it's not a topic
where it's like God doesn't actually
care that actually our generosity is one
of the ways we worship Him and it
actually is a blessing towards him you
know there's been times of Hope people
saying when you talk about this topic
and people say things like well no
that's something for the Old Testament
that's not something that's relevant
today
but if we look in Malachi chapter 3
that's not actually the case if you meet
Mela if you read Malachi the reason why
I read Malachi chapter 3 verses 1 to 4
that's actually setting up before the
New Testament so Malachi is the last
book of the Old Testament there's a 400
period called the intertestamental
period and then the New Testament starts
and he is here at the start of Malachi
chapter 3 predicting what he's saying
he's actually prophesying there about
the coming of John the Baptist and
actually prophesying about the coming of
Christ so he is saying this is what's
going to happen they're going to come
and then he says after that after they
come in Malachi chapter 3 verse 4 he
says then the offering of Judah and
Jerusalem will be pleasant to the Lord
as in the days of old as in the former
years so what are you saying there he's
not saying that when they come there
actually won't be any more generosity
from people to the house of God he's
actually saying it's going to be done
with the right motive and it's actually
going to be pleasing because before this
in verse 3 of Malachi chapter 3 he
actually says then people will give
offerings in righteousness so he doesn't
say they're going to give offerings of
righteousness it's not like I offer him
my righteousness he's actually saying we
give offerings in righteousness what
does that mean it means that we still
give to the kingdom of God but we do it
with the right heart attitude one of the
things that disappointed him here is
that people were giving with the wrong
motivation they weren't doing it the
right way and he say no no no well I
still want people to give but it's going
to be pleasing when they do it with the
right heart attitude that's why there's
some interesting passages of Scripture
there in the New Testament it says I'm
going to jump forward in Matthew 23
verse 23 Jesus says to the Pharisees he
says woe to you scribes and Pharisees he
says for you pay tithes of mint and
anise and cummin and have neglected the
weightier matters of the law justice and
mercy and faith these you ought to have
done without leaving the others undone
now this was a really important verse in
the New Testament it's the only time
where Jesus addresses the biblical topic
of tithing and that's talking about the
contribution that people make to the
house of God and so some people say well
listen it's only in the Old Testaments
not for the new but one of the keys to
interpreting the Old Testament is
whenever Christ affirmed something in
the New Testament then it continues on
anything that the Apostle Paul affirms
in the New Testament then it actually
continues on anything that they say in
the opposite to the Old Testament I say
what was done this way but now it's done
that way then we take that
interpretation but this is the only time
that Jesus actually talks about this
topic and he says to the Pharisees he
goes you here but grits
he said you tired everything even tie
the herbs and spices he said but you
neglect the weightier matters of the law
and then he says this this you should do
without neglecting the former he doesn't
say this you should do and don't worry
about giving anymore it's more important
that you live a righteous life he
doesn't say that he says keep doing that
keep being generous but he says you've
got to do it with the right attitude you
can't neglect more important matters
like having mercy and like having faith
in justice that's what he's saying so
the only time Jesus talks about it is
it's a continuation why is that because
it's actually a way that we honor and
bless God it's actually an active way of
worship what happened when Jesus was
actually born the Bible says that he
actually had some wise men come and what
did wise men do the wise men do whatever
you do when you approach a king and they
actually brought him gifts of gold and
frankincense and myrrh then we look at
the New Testament church and in the New
Testament church the Bible says that
were people were selling properties and
actually bringing that in and laying
them at the feet of the Apostles so all
the way through Scripture giving us one
of the ways that we bless God that is
why it should be something that is
joyful because it's a way that we can
honor and bless him I mean to think that
I could do something that would actually
bless his holy name to think that I
could do something that would actually
bring him some glory one of the ways
that we do that there are other ways
that we worship God we worship Him with
our singing we worship Him with our
prayer we worship Him with the lifestyle
that we live but make no mistake another
element of it is actually this this is
why Zacchaeus when he first got saved
and he gave his life to Christ and then
he said this is what I'm gonna do I'm
gonna give away half of what I earn and
anyone live wrong I'm gonna pay him back
four times and you know what Jesus said
now I know salvations come to this house
now he's actually living the Christian
life because part of the Christian life
is actually generosity and it's a way
that we can bless and honor our Lord the
Bible says in 2nd Corinthians 9 verse 7
says so let each one give as he purposes
in his heart not grudgingly or of
necessity for God loves a cheerful
person
don't say that God loves a cheerful
Giver so it's the attitude and it's the
act he actually wants both give me
offerings in righteousness he says he
says then that will be pleasing to me
and so it's not just the attitude it's
actually the actors well he actually
loves it and the beauty of it is this he
doesn't ask us to give what we can't
afford
he only and he doesn't ask us to
percentage-wise give any more than
anyone else he wants us to all have the
opportunity to participate in actually
worshiping him in this way it actually
pleases God I told you the story last
year about when Jesus was actually in
the temple and he was looking at people
bringing their offerings
I mean how rude not even you know just
put her on a card and slipping it in or
anything while Jesus was like he was
standing right there and people were
coming up and they were giving their
offerings and he's looking at it did you
imagine if we were here and you know
we're passing the offering bucket pass
and pastor Robb gierlach walks along no
no you need to put in a bit more I mean
he'll Rudy's cheese's like seriously and
he said and then a lady comes and all
she gives us a couple of coins and other
people have been given so much more than
her and at that Jesus rejoices and he
calls his he calls he some disciples of
his his boys get over here he says this
lady she gave all that she had everyone
else gave out of their abundance and he
was rejoicing over it why he was
celebrating actually at her generosity
it blessed him and then the interesting
thing for me is and I mention this to
you last year he didn't give her the
money back he knew it was all that she
had could you imagine that
on the front of the bulletin pass that
takes widows last two coins
how will that go down and here's Jesus
and hexie says awesome we caused the
boys over boys this is amazing imagine
Judas saying Lord that you think we
should give it back and he says no and
he lets her go so she gives everything
she's got he's rejoicing and then he
lets her go so that means he was wanting
so one option is this Jesus let her go
and knew she was going to die amen or he
knew that even though she had given that
God will still take care of her amen
I've got a feeling it's probably the
second part does that make sense
when we gift him it's an act of worship
when we give to him it's a blessing the
Bible says in Psalm 116 12 to 14 what
should i render to the Lord for all his
benefits towards me what could I
possibly give him what could I do for
him
after all that he's done for me well the
awesome thing it actually tells us next
I will take up the cup of salvation get
saved and call upon the name of the Lord
praise Him and pray I will pay my vows
to the Lord
talking about generosity now in the
presence of his people go to church it's
a pretty simple Christian life you know
what I'm saying
that's all he requires of us that we
would be people who would give our lives
to him that we will be people willing to
praise people who would be generous and
people who are still part of the
community of faith amen that's all he's
really requiring for them from us in
return when we give we are actually
blessing our Lord and Savior the second
thing that it says is this and verses in
verse verse 8 says will a man Rob God
yet you've robbed me but you say and
what way we robbed you in tithes and
offerings the second consequence of
giving the second outcome of giving is
trust and what that means is that we
actually build trust with the Lord the
Bible doesn't tell us that God
automatically trusts us in fact there's
times when he withholds from us because
we can't actually be trusted but one of
the ways he actually we build trust with
the Lord is in the way that we actually
handle our finances the Bible says in
Luke 16 verses 10 to 11 he is faithful
and what is is what his least is also
faithful in much he was unjust in what
is least is also unjust in much
therefore if you have not been faithful
in unrighteous mammon who will commit to
your trust the true riches in other
translations of the Bible that says this
if we haven't been faithful and handling
worldly wealth who then can trust us
with spiritual riches one of the things
I noticed when I ran a Bible College
because very often it was new Christians
that were coming to the Bible College
that encountered God and they were
passionate for the things of God but
then often God would start challenging
them on areas of their life and one of
the areas that God would change them and
this would be independent this wasn't
something that we would push at the
Bible College or anything like that but
one of the areas that they were
challenged on is their use of their
finances and especially in the way and
when it came to giving and that would
often be in a bit of a dilemma they
would say well what does that got to do
with this you know what is my handling
of my finances have got to do with the
fact that I want to see revival in the
things that you know in what God has for
me but that's how God uses that's how
I've got one of the ways that we can
build trust with him the way we handle
our finance will determine how much more
of spiritual riches which are much more
important which are much more value that
he can actually release to us one of the
things I observed we ran a conference in
North Queensland it was called extreme
youth conference and and I remember the
first year that we ran it we had about
80 kids come to it which was great and
and I end on the first night I received
an offering for the conference and we
received three hundred and sixty dollars
and I was so excited because I just
thought this is great
you know we only need another 900
dollars to actually break even and not
pay for the rest of my credit card and
so I was feeling good about it and the
next
our guest speaker received the offering
and we receive $9,000 amen and it was
absolutely incredible and there's and
and you know kids were getting
permission off their parents are feeling
in their heart they wanted to be
generous from that moment on I ran Youth
alive for North Queensland every youth
alive event we put on every outreach was
completely free we would fund it and and
that sort of thing it was incredible but
one of the other things I noticed
happening was that the youth ministries
in our city started expanding I know my
youth ministry which had been going
around in circles for a couple years
from that moment started enlarging and
increasing I also noticed that that
there were churches in our city who
didn't even attend that conference that
all of a sudden they started having
youth ministries and now the youth
ministry started growing what had
happened God started giving us more of
the city after we the young people
proved faithful when it came to
generosity there's actually a
correlation that's why the Bible says in
Malachi and it sounds pretty heavy but
that's why I'm Malachi chapter 3 verse 8
God uses the word Rob before when we
withhold from him because what a man Rob
God yet you've robbed me that's what he
says use word Rob and so that indicates
then that it actually belongs to him
then it's actually when we it's not
actually mine I was talking to a guy one
time and many years ago he goes I hate
it at the church when they take up the
offering they all they want to do is get
my money and actually you know that's
not completely true because the Bible
says a part of it actually belongs to
the Lord and he actually gives us the
opportunity to actually pour it back
into him and he uses the word Rob which
is a strong word I would have preferred
if he had to use the word still you know
cuz stealing or thieving means that
someone takes something from me when I'm
not actually looking I would actually
prefer that but he doesn't use the word
still he actually uses the word rob
that's like going to a bank or going to
a petrol station and confronting them
and forcibly taking it off him that's
what he's actually saying there it
belongs to him and so when we prove
faithful to him there's a level of trust
that actually comes back that is just
absolutely incredible and it's more than
a natural thing it's actually a
spiritual thing but this also goes to
not just in terms of generosity but
actually how we handle our finances as
well when we first came here one of the
things that I felt we needed to do as
you know we needed to handle our
finances better in fact that scripture
Luke 16 10 or 11 was the one that God
kept speaking to me about because if
you're faithful in handling worldly
wealth and I realized there were some
things we needed to adjust and that's
why last year I didn't want to come to
the people and and and come to the
people for money because I felt that was
not the issue
I felt the issue was that we needed to
handle it better and one of the things
I've noticed is that as we've done that
things have been popping out and God is
doing God is doing great things but part
of the way we use our money is also in
the realm of giving and so when we give
it actually increases the trust between
us and the Lord if we're faithful a
little be faithful and much there was
actually a parable that was actually in
Luke chapter 16 and it talks about a man
servants who were giving a number of
talents and talents was actually
financed and it's a parable and that and
and the and them and the servants that
actually multiplied the talents God says
God says to them you've been faithful
that all you'll be faithful in much he
goes on now he said to the man who gave
him ten coins he says now I'm going to
give you ten cities what had happened
because he was faithful in that God then
actually gave him more to overlook in
her and to oversee our giving and the
way we handle our finances is a way that
we actually build trust with the Lord
and I'm not just talking about giving on
that as well I'm talking about the
overall handling of our personal
stewardship of everything that God gives
us the third thing the third benefit and
blessing of giving is it can bring
resources into the house our God says
bring all of the tithes into the
storehouse that there may be food in my
house and so it says and so God is
saying that there may be food in my
house
what is he saying he's saying that my
house can be adequately resourced to be
able to do all that it's actually being
called to do now this is not just a
physical natural thing I believe this is
also a spiritual thing because as we as
we actually prove faithful in the
handling of our finance then I believe
God spiritually gives us more there are
a number of denominations that are
absolutely loaded and rolling with money
because of all their investments and so
they don't really talk to their people
about giving and that sort of thing but
they're actually loaded with money but
often those denominations even though
they're financially wealthy and have a
lot of problem our property are actually
in attendance and in seeing soul saved
are actually declining and because it's
more than just the fact of having money
it's actually the fact about the trust
built and the more that God will release
back into the life of the local church
but make no mistake there is a practical
element to it as well
I know number of years ago and when I
was working in McCoy and I don't know if
he'll be happy to for me to say this but
it's ok zin McCoy and I'm and my senior
pastor said to me one day he goes Ben
because the church was really generous
and that sort of thing he goes Ben I've
got so much we've got so much money in
the church or don't know what to do with
it now I've been in church for 20 years
I visit a lot of churches I've never met
a pastor that's actually ever said that
and he said and he goes and I say he
goes what do you want to spend it on
well I said wow ok
I'm glad briefs ecology wasn't his youth
pastor actually because he's got big big
asking and and so I was and I said to my
said I said he coming so he put on for
us in high school outreach going and
some help in the admin department of
their youth and that sort of thing from
that moment on a youth ministry just
started expanding we used to do all we
used to do lunchtime programmes
everywhere was about twelve thousand
dollars a week we paid for no no I was
more there was twenty thousand dollars
that we paid for to do programs
throughout the schools and all and you
know that we didn't ask the youth to do
and we did it and we just started
increase in scenes Souls saved a youth
ministry doubled and all
these things started happening as a
result and as an ability of actually
being adequately resourced so often the
tightening of that or the misuse of that
can actually stop a church and the
kingdom of God from actually advancing
it's no different from any other
Enterprise except we have a spiritual
opposition against us that is why is
both a spiritual and natural component
tied to this which we will see even more
over the next couple of weeks but one of
the things that happens is it actually
brings and releases more resource into
the church the fourth thing that
actually happens is this the fourth
blessing and consequence of giving
Malachi 3:10 says bring all the tithes
into the storehouse that there may be
food in my house try me now in this says
the Lord of hosts a lot pour open for
you the windows of heaven and pour out
for you such blessing but there will not
be enough room to receive it he says try
me now on this other translations of the
Bible say test me in this so God is
saying to the people test me which is
theologically interesting because in
Luke chapter 4 when it talks about Jesus
being tempted by the devil and the devil
said to Jesus get up onto that you know
get up onto that building and throw
yourself off and God will rescue you and
he says the scripture says don't put the
Lord your God to the test
so it's interesting in most things we're
not supposed to put the Lord our God to
the test we're not supposed to get on
the building and jump and say God if
you're real you got to have to catch me
we're not supposed to do that however
God says we can test him in this area
this is the one area were actually
allowed to test him and it's actually in
the realm of our giving
he says test me in this and then see if
I don't open the windows of heaven and
pour out such blessing that there won't
be enough room to receive it test me in
this one of the things I found is this
that when people test him in this area
if it's something that they've never
done before if it's something that
they've never expressed their faith in
before I have found so many times where
people's faith has been enlarged and
expanded when it comes to testing God in
the realm of their finances they're
literally our finances of the
of life it's the thing that actually
helps us every single one of us every
family it's the thing that actually
helps us to do the things that we want
to do so when we trust God in that area
in some ways we're actually trusting God
with our life and when we see God come
through for us as so many of us have
it's incredible to see the faith that is
lifted in someone's life I told you last
year of the story about how we had a
conference in Mackay and there was a and
there was a lady who actually I'm sorry
there was a guy in the conference who
felt that night that he should bring an
offering and we're receiving a
breakthrough offering so just like the
breakthrough offering we do in June we
were doing we would do one on the last
night of our conference in my car and he
felt God tell him that he had to give 50
bucks in the offering and he thought to
himself me and my wife's not going to be
happy with this you know that's a third
of our grocery bill our finances are
really tight and he thought I kind of
better go talk to her so went home and
he spoke to his wife and he said babe I
just felt really challenged that we've
got to give him the breakthrough
offering tonight she goes why he goes I
just felt good saying that we got to do
it she goes well you know how much you
want to give and he goes fifty dot 50
bucks you guys 50 bucks she goes that's
all now you know that's a third of our
shopping money for the week you know
what they be responsible they don't even
need the money at the conference why
would you even bother doing he said I
just felt God tell me that I'm supposed
to do it and she was so angry she
actually went out for a prayer walk and
so and so I must admit sometimes when I
see some of you doing prayer walks
around the observatory Kingsmore I do
wonder if you had a fight at home but it
say she went out and she's saying Lord
you know it's not right he's been
irresponsible you know why he shouldn't
be giving our money away you know we
worked hard for this and she just felt
the Holy Spirit say to her this is her
words I cannot mine she got the Holy
Spirit say to her submit to your husband
and she's long so she goes home she says
to her husband okay you can do it but
I'm not happy about it and she goes and
he goes thanks honey and so that night
he took 50 bucks and he went there and
put it in the offering at the end of the
service there was another couple that
they'd never met before
that actually came up to them after
and say and I had seen them across the
room at the conference earlier and they
felt God say to him I wanted you to give
that couple some money and the amount
that they would they gave them was 500
bucks cash and so they and then I found
this is this is just one of the unusual
ones where I know the whole trial that
couple that $500 they gave was actually
the money that they needed for their
spending money they'll go into Hamilton
Island the next day and that was their
spending money but the person who took
them to shoot harbour to go to catch the
ferry over to Hamilton Island actually
gave them on the way over there without
and it wasn't pretty organized gave him
five thousand bucks which was just which
was just awesome but then it's late lady
got the five hundred dollars that she
just could not believe it so she came
out to me and told me about it I said
listen do you want to risk would you
like to share a testimony at church
tomorrow around the offering
she has no worries so she gets up and I
said hey we got you know lands gonna
give a testimony today about something
that happened on the weekend she gets up
she goes you know my husband came home
he wanted to give 50 bucks I didn't want
to give him 50 bucks so I thought he was
irresponsible someone went and prayed
and God Tommy he's got to give 250 back
so I said we gave her 50 bucks but I'm
not happy about it and he gave the 50
bucks and then after the Soviet someone
gave us 500 bucks and there was like and
actually did I was going to grab the mic
off her and then she goes and now I know
I can do anything God wants me to do
amen what happened her faith when she
tested God in the realm of her finance
maybe there's someone here I sometimes
fought I'm kind of fighting myself a
little bit I thought these people I
don't think these people need to hear
this and some of you look at me like
yeah I know yeah yeah I don't know who
it is but I just felt there are some
people here to get to the faith level
you need for what God's got for you to
do he's been challenging you on this
topic and he's just sent me today to
stand up in front of you to confirm it
that when we give to the Lord and we
prove faithful in that
it's amazing how it actually lifts our
faith and prepares us for what he has
and takes us to a new level
amen it is more blessed to give than it
is to receive the world says you're
worse off the world says you're
discarding but I'm here to let you know
in the words of Jim I mean the Apostle
Paul must have been trying to convince
him he said in the words of Jesus it's
more blessed to give than it is to
receive Amen and my prayer is that
everyone in our church and blessing is
you know we're not talking about
everybody driving around in Lamborghinis
although some might praise God and we're
not talking about everyone having 25
properties worth like that that's not
what we're saying we're just praying
that everyone will be able to walk in
the blessing that God has for him and
the scripture tells us it's more blessed
to give than it is to receive amen can I
just ask you to close your eyes and be