R302 Experiencing God Through Stewardship and Giving

God has an encouraging word for you and me today. The Bible-based freezing of Dr. Don Wilton here on The Encouraging Word. As we open our Bibles is 27 in just a moment know that were open to pray with you right now at 866-899-WORD got the number down 866-899-9673 here for you Dr. Don Wilton when you take a copy of God's word and with me in your Bibles to Leviticus in the old testament. The third book of the Bible. Leviticus and chapter 27 now, beloved friends subject this morning is not an easy subject to speak about. In fact, I'm going to say to you that it's a remarkable subject. In many ways and I can understand the kind of reluctance that there is in the world today with regard to anything related to giving and stewardship in the church. There is been a lot of abuse by the traction by individuals in the church over the years and I'm grateful this morning that God has allowed us to stand together as a congregation in over 150 years as we have served the Lord Jesus Christ has God has pulled out his Spirit upon this congregation literally thousands of lives are being changed from long time and for all eternity RX subject is experiencing God through stewardship and giving it I just have to share this with you because this is probably my favorite story about giving in the local church that I've ever heard you heard about the Boston Sec. one day that she was sitting there getting on with their work and suddenly the telephone rang as it does on the minute every minute during the day and she picked up the telephone.

There was a man on the other side and he said he wants is that here in the hall that the trough she said I beg your pardon, he said very clearly and distinctly again is the head hall at the trough. She said I beg your pardon, sir, and he said for the third time is the head home at the trough.

She said I beg your pardon, sir, but I'll have you to know that not only but every member of our congregation takes exception to the way in which you are referring to our beloved most esteemed pastor of our church and I just feel that I have to express this to you, he said well it's okay ma'am. He said I just have a gift for $500,000 that I want to give to the church for you to use any way you want to use it, but it does not.

She said hold on, hold on. I think I see the big pig coming through the barrel right now. It's all a matter of perspective is you know it's always on my it's always amused me greatly because right throughout society we we also funny on quick as a people.

Let's just admit it, I would gonna do some straight talking from God's word this morning, but let's just admit that we are very peculiar people, you can go to people and you can loss them to support financially, a political candidate. Most people have no problem you can go lost some men to stand on the owner of the street at 10 o'clock on a Saturday morning at a busy intersection and raise money using Kansan signs and most men will have no problem doing you can loss people to join clubs and societies of petty Jews and you can take up extra money to support people in the hospital and dual kind. No problem whatsoever. But, you know, folks.

It is a true say that as soon as one begins to talk about giving money to God's house and to the lives work. Some people get the jitters. I've even had people not in this church and I mean that I've never had anybody say that to me in this church. I've even had people say to me pasta you should never about money. In God's house, I'm going to make a Skype with my brother my sister this morning. Garrett is I'm going to say to you that the church is the lifeblood of the community and I don't believe that there is a better example of that than in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Now I'm going to say some things this morning from your Fosters heart.

I'm grateful to God that we live in a community that is a vibrant community. I couldn't think of a better place to live in Spartanburg, South Carolina. What a precious group of people.

What a wonderful place to be. What a society in which to bring up your children and all entire community is will buy the most believable people from Roman Catholics and Methodists and Presbyterians and Episcopalians in and people from every background that you could ever imagine. I think about businesses in the willingness about business community to one soon to be in full time data say to you, beloved friends that none of these things would be what they are today without the lifeblood of the community, which is the local church. The church is the primary feeder for the community as the cook as the church blows so the community goes you have a week church you gonna have a week community. You have a weak faith. You gonna have weak faith in the community from this church. We impact educators, doctors and nurses, schools systems out administrations you think of the charitable organizations in this community. Carolina pregnancy center MobileMe young life downtown rescue mission.

Child evangelism Fellowship. I could go on and on and on.

They all outstanding ministries Paul Exelon you cannot find a community that is buried in the fabric of society, but on data say to you, beloved frame house big D and the local church.

If you have a you going to have a community we must bow ties the local church that's God's blueprint. What an incredible mandate.

We have from the word of God experiencing God through stewardship and giving.

What is the Bible teach us this morning. I want to read Festival from Leviticus chapter 27 and I'm going to read from verse 30 follow along in God's word with me just to start out to lay a foundation.

Garrett is a tithe and began to talk about a tithing a moment, a tithe of everything. Did you notice that some people come to me and they say to me. Wait a minute, pasta, dry tithe from my knit from my gross brought ties from everything. I get the first taxes I mean by total package you are tied off the river things being deducted well. Garrett is in the word of God a tithe of everything from the land with the grain from the sale of food from the trees, belongs to the rule. It is holy to lender.

If a man redeems any of these tithe schemas add 1/5 of the value to it. The entire there it is again the entire tithe of the hood and of the flock.

Garrett is what is a time it is every 13th animal that passes under the shepherd's rod will be holy to the Lord. He must not pick out the good from the bad and make any substitution if he does make a substitution, both the animal and its substitutes become holy and cannot be redeemed, these are the commands that the Lord gave to Moses on Mount Sinai for the Israelites friends when we talk about experiencing God through through stewardship and giving everyone of us have many questions I'm going to try and also some of those questions this morning first of the first question question number one. Why must we do, why must we give to God's house where does this come from. Is this just something that people say and do well. There are four reasons why we must do to God's house to the church that God is ministry Festival because the Bible teaches it Festival because the Bible teaches. I just read to you. One passage out of Leviticus. I want you to attend within your Bibles to Malachi chapter 3 now for those of you that are struggling this morning that is in the Old Testament.

It's the lost book of the Old Testament just before the New Testament just before Matthew. Malachi clearly with me easy way to get students to turn to Matthew and go back one book. Malachi Malachi chapter 3 it easy for her to vent everybody read this in God's word for you so there's a pew Bible in front of you might want to take a copy of it. Malachi chapter 3 and I'm beginning in verse six. Listen to what the Bible says I do not change so you are descendents of Jacob are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers. You have turned away from my decrees and have not kept it returned to me and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty. But you lost.

How are we to return when a man rob God, yet you love me but you asked how do we rob you now folks, let me pray as they promote it is important to understand here in the context that the prophet is finding himself coming back to a basic fundamental biblical principle. What is that biblical principle that God says I will never leave you nor forsake you that God says I'm going to be with you always.

No matter what happens, that God says I'm going to be with you in your most difficult times that God says I'm going to make you prosper that God says I'm going to pour out the abundance of my blessing upon you that God says that you can have a full and meaningful life. How in the world can we come to the point where we can be assured that God is going to return to us and asked what God has promised us he will do just what God says. The site will a man rob God you brought me but you ask, how do we rob you in tithes and offerings. You are under a curse the whole nation of you because you are robbing me.

Garrett is verse 10.

The key verse bring the whole time into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. I'm not finished yet with that passage lady said in this church to me some months ago, very wonderful lady.

I'm not being critical of the little lady said to me she said to me, pasta I just gave anywhere I want to. I believe the storehouse is anywhere and no it's not up folks. I made a statement sometimes they some things you don't need a deacons meeting for this is one of them.

The storehouse is God's church. It is the local New Testament church. It is the food in the local church. This lady say to me very lovingly.

She said Austria five choose to give to the sender that ended this urbanization and that urbanization and scattered rollover that's in keeping with the word of God. It is not according to the word of God and you say to me pasta how to these other organizations function way over and above the time we ought to bring tithe 1/10 of early Mike) to the local church and then we need to bring into the church because otherwise we going to limit God and then when God blesses us. We can go and support other things as I we will do and we do that we need to be practically and role in the organizations that are around about us. It is a marvelous Magnus work that these people are doing. But listen to what the word of God says bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house to us in this now folks, there is a linkage between bringing your tithes and offerings and the testing of God is that me. I wish that my wife and I could tell you the number of times that we have tested God in this relationship and yet God has blessed us and he has proved himself to us.

I've had some young people say to me sometimes and some older folks. I guess. Can you imagine what I could do if I was a millionaire. I've had people say to me pasta ribeye was a millionaire man would not give to God. I mean I give to God so much and so much and so much and so much that I just can you imagine in God's house if I was a millionaire. You know that God is saying just like Rick was saying just a moment ago to Kaz give to me what you got.

Show me what you can do with what you got, and I'll show you with what I can do with what I have got now what is God.

God, he owns the rivers and the rocks and the rules he owns the gold and the silver in every mine he owns everything that opens and shots.

He is the God of the ages, the and the Omega, the beginning of the end God is God and God says you want to test me, you want to prove me you should need to demonstrate to you that I am who I say I am tennis me in this, says the Lord Almighty folks watch me roll upstairs downstairs watch me taste God with you giving taste God with you giving many times. All done counsel with couples and I'll see how much they are struggling in their own lives and I have wished, and maybe ought to be formal bold in these things we can talk about making this adjustment during this and doing that, but they been many times I've wanted to add a couple on an individual and say to them with no strings attached.

Are you giving to God. Are you giving to God the best you giving to God.

The worst are you giving to God the first or you giving to God the lost that's what the word says taste me look at the results. Look at verse 10 with me incredible verse and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and so much blessing that you will have enough for isn't that incredible people say to me all the time pasta what's going on at First Baptist Church. I'm so proud of our church.

I'm so proud of you dear people, because of your faithfulness. I just seem to hold a letter to the entire congregation. I couldn't stop sign. I just thank God for your faithfulness.

I thank God for your faithfulness.

You know why because this church for over 150 years has given to God first. That which is gone, and it is not that this Congregationalist dock is Melinda that lives are being changed is that people are being reached with the message of the gospel in missions ending senior ministries and in education and in social services and in every other conceivable way.

It is no wonder because you have been faithful to the mandate that God has set before us. Forgive the interruption back in just a moment with Dr. Wilton. Once we let you know we are here for you. Connecting keyboard to keyboard on our website at T. E.

W online.org and this phone number 866899 word that's 866-899-WORD 9673. Now back to states teachings with Dr. Don Wilton this the second reason why we must give, not any because the Bible teaches it.

But secondly, because Jesus insisted upon it. Turn with me to Matthew chapter 25 I wish that I could get into this entire passage with you this morning sometime when you get a moment you go and study Matthew chapter 25 yeah Jesus talks not any about the parable of the 10 virgins, but in verse 14 he talks about the parable of the talents. Let me summarize it for you. Jesus goes to three men to one he gives one to the second person he gets double that of the third person he gives double double. He gives to them in proportionately and against all three of these people look what happens when he comes back.

Verse 19 of Matthew 25 after a long time to master those servants return and sacred accounts within go down to verse 21 a big pundits reverse training the man who had received the five talents broke the other five monster. He said you entrusted me with five talents see, I have gained five more. He's monster replied. Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, and share your monster's happiness.

The man with the two talents also kind monster.

He said you have entrusted me with two talents. See, I have gained two more.

His boss replied.

Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things I would put you in charge of many things come and share your monster's happiness.

Then the man who had received but one talent came monster. He said I know that you are a hard man harvesting where you have not sold, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See here is what belongs to you. His boss replied, you wicked and lazy servant, so you knew that all harvest where I'm not so and gather where I have not scattered seed welding. You should've put my money on deposit with the bankers so that when I returned, I would've received it back with interest take the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the team talents for everyone who has will who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.

Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him and so that with the servant outside into the darkness where there will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. You see friend what Jesus is invoking at this juncture is the principle of sowing and reaping you so you say and you reap what you sow, if you want to reap mercy. So mercy, if you want to reap love.

So love.

If you want to reap God's grace gives really good if you had to reap fellowship ownership.

If you enter reap giving it money. It is a principal that is written into the heart of everything. The dog, it is the principle of sowing and reaping folks.

I'm going to tell you that there are members of this church who have made an investment of the money that far exceeds any bank account that far exceeds any investment account that far exceeds anything that you and I have ever done, because you have given to God's storehouse and every dime in this church has been taken and has been used for the glory of the kingdom of the living God thousands upon thousands upon thousands of people have come to know Jesus Christ, who to know is life eternal, because you have the faithful. Why should I do Bible teaches it. Jesus insists upon a number three. The church in obedience depends upon a look at me at second Corinthians.

If you could just turn over there very quickly. Second Corinthians chapter 9 and verse 12 second Corinthians chapter 9 and verse 12 the church in obedience depends upon. Listen to what the word says) verse 12 this service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people. All I can say amen to that at this church is not only supplying the needs of God's people, but it is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God the church in obedience depends upon the church is the lifeblood of the community. My beloved friend, I will guarantee you one thing Jesus said the church is my rock and upon this rock I will build my church. I believe in parachurch organizations.

I've been a part of parachurch organizations. You can have parachurch organizations everywhere.

My friend, but until you prioritize the local New Testament church. You and I have never stepped in line with the will of God.

That's what I boys loved about Dr. Billy Graham. What an incredible ministry number four people benefit because of it is my favorite part if I could go up and down these islands this morning.

I'll guarantee you I wouldn't be able to contain the number of people who could stand up and say I've been blessed beyond my wildest dreams because of what I've given to God's house.

I can show you moms and dads and grandparents. When I look out across this congregation and I see senior adults. I just thank God for you folks to know why because you've given that you've given unselfishly you've given with no strings attached.

You know it's happened God has moved his church. There's a second question, what do we do, I can on this very carefully and clearly three things we give number one we get out time.

Matthew 633 seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these other things will be added unto you.

Give your time folks and it costs something to give you time, but the second thing that we go to give my friend is out talents. What a tremendous joy to see the Squire this orchestra. Men and women who give themselves in upward basketball league's coach people to get the talents in various forms of life talents of hospitality and visitation, and caring, and I could go on and on with folks. There are still people out there who could give of their talents then you must give you five. What is your tribe. It's 1/10 of everything that you most of us a tip is on quick while the Bible says we give into different ways. First of all outside the door to be given either on a weekly basis on a monthly basis should bid to save money church. Some people give on a yearly boxes but secondly there are out offering. The Bible always separates tides and offerings like two different things at times gives an offering, but an offering is not a time you see an offering is what we give every time we worship. But then there's another question. Who should get believers ought to give him tell you my wife and I failed miserably in the seer so there's a final question, how then should we do.

Second Corinthians 9 tells us how we should give you know how we should give with a cheerful heart when an encouraging word from God today, and God's messenger Dr. Don Wilton. I pray that your child is encouraged that you gain some insight from his preaching, but more than that, I pray that you would give our pastor Dr. Don Wilton your attention for one more most important moment.

Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now. Dear God, I know that on the center and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross today, I repent of my sin and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus name, my friend. I welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting news. If you just gave your life to Jesus Christ. Welcome to the family of God. Welcome back. If you rededicated your life. Dr. Wilton has resources he wants you to have absolutely free call for them now at 866899 word pick up the phone call now 866899673, Dr. Wilton. Once you have these resources and speaking of resources. If you haven't heard about the new book here's lives with all the details about Saturdays with our new website reserve a copy of Dr. Wilton's brand-new book Saturdays with daily timeshares, heartwarming stories. Mr. Graham just delete words changed on line. They can change our lives to lean on God's grace to return discover their powerful friends online origin are times we have fresh resources popping up on our website all weekend long. I hope your trip by T online.org if you haven't been there book market come back often. That's T EW online.org. Perhaps you want to talk to someone. Remember, 86689 will always connect