WEBVTT 00:00:00.460 --> 00:00:04.599 Hey guys and welcome back to the salt not sweetener 00:00:04.599 --> 00:00:08.160 podcast. I'm your host Danielle Townsend and 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:11.839 I'm sure you know from the title What today's 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:14.320 episode is about I don't know exactly what I'm 00:00:14.320 --> 00:00:16.820 gonna title it But I know that the title is probably 00:00:16.820 --> 00:00:18.899 gonna have something to do with giving and that 00:00:18.899 --> 00:00:22.210 is our topic today This is a topic that a lot 00:00:22.210 --> 00:00:24.550 of people want to immediately turn off This is 00:00:24.550 --> 00:00:26.469 a topic that people feel convicted by this is 00:00:26.469 --> 00:00:28.789 a topic that people immediately slap prosperity 00:00:28.789 --> 00:00:31.769 gospel on it This is a topic that people just 00:00:31.769 --> 00:00:34.409 for whatever reason and a lot of it is conviction 00:00:34.409 --> 00:00:37.450 Sorry to call y 'all out, but a lot of the immediate 00:00:37.450 --> 00:00:42.109 rejection is conviction and Just like want to 00:00:42.109 --> 00:00:45.450 turn this off, but I knew that this was amen 00:00:45.450 --> 00:00:47.810 the topic the Lord was leading me to were like 00:00:47.810 --> 00:00:52.100 it Last night y 'all I could not go to sleep. 00:00:52.100 --> 00:00:54.460 I was tossing and turning in my bed I was just 00:00:54.460 --> 00:00:58.679 trying to go to bed, but this topic and how it 00:00:58.679 --> 00:01:02.700 has been so Important in my life would not leave 00:01:02.700 --> 00:01:05.159 my mind And I felt like the Lord was giving me 00:01:05.159 --> 00:01:07.219 points to talk about and I was like, alright 00:01:07.219 --> 00:01:10.299 Alright, God is giving me a podcast topic and 00:01:10.299 --> 00:01:12.760 he's giving me some bullet points. I literally 00:01:12.760 --> 00:01:17.019 had to like put it down in my notes Before I 00:01:17.019 --> 00:01:19.939 could have the peace to go to sleep today I knew 00:01:19.939 --> 00:01:22.319 too this was where I was being called to talk 00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:25.420 about and I'm gonna tell y 'all today we're gonna 00:01:25.420 --> 00:01:27.480 pull from scripture I'm gonna share from personal 00:01:27.480 --> 00:01:31.079 experience of how giving and generosity has transformed 00:01:31.079 --> 00:01:35.079 my life how God has used me having an open hand 00:01:35.079 --> 00:01:39.060 how God has used me having a humble heart to 00:01:39.060 --> 00:01:42.319 bless me and for me to be a blessing to others 00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:45.859 and how God has been able to Do exceedingly and 00:01:45.859 --> 00:01:48.140 abundantly in my life how he's been able to deliver 00:01:48.140 --> 00:01:50.340 on promises a lot of the promises I have right 00:01:50.340 --> 00:01:53.140 now y 'all in my life fun fact God moved off 00:01:53.140 --> 00:01:55.739 of me being generous and God moved off of me 00:01:55.739 --> 00:01:59.459 having open hands a lot of the harvests I have 00:01:59.459 --> 00:02:04.219 raped came from generous seeds being sown and 00:02:04.219 --> 00:02:07.379 A lot of there was a word the Lord gave me I 00:02:07.379 --> 00:02:09.680 remember like a year ago and it was so hard I 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:11.219 couldn't I couldn't figure out what it meant 00:02:11.219 --> 00:02:13.169 at the time, but the Lord was telling me that 00:02:13.169 --> 00:02:16.689 I was gonna reap harvests from fields that I 00:02:16.689 --> 00:02:20.250 hadn't toiled in. And I have seen God do that. 00:02:20.389 --> 00:02:23.110 And what I mean is, God was gonna bless me with 00:02:23.110 --> 00:02:25.889 things that were gonna take me by surprise. And 00:02:25.889 --> 00:02:28.469 I was gonna get blessed with things where it's 00:02:28.469 --> 00:02:30.610 like, I didn't deserve that, I didn't work for 00:02:30.610 --> 00:02:32.370 that, I didn't earn that, but God blessed me 00:02:32.370 --> 00:02:35.289 with it anyway. I'm gonna share with y 'all today 00:02:35.289 --> 00:02:39.250 just how giving has impacted my life. And I wanna 00:02:39.250 --> 00:02:41.629 start by saying this, a disclaimer. because I 00:02:41.629 --> 00:02:43.169 know that there's someone in here who's listening 00:02:43.169 --> 00:02:44.729 to us and they're like, you don't need it to 00:02:44.729 --> 00:02:47.830 be saved. I'm gonna say this loud and clear for 00:02:47.830 --> 00:02:50.090 y 'all right here in the beginning of the episode. 00:02:50.650 --> 00:02:54.229 Your works do not buy your salvation. I am not, 00:02:54.469 --> 00:02:58.069 and I repeat, I am not telling you that you need 00:02:58.069 --> 00:03:00.710 to tithe to go to heaven. This isn't even a salvation 00:03:00.710 --> 00:03:07.680 discussion. I am not telling you that. Tithing 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:09.719 has anything to do with it. That's not what we're 00:03:09.719 --> 00:03:12.960 talking about today. The Lord has made it so 00:03:12.960 --> 00:03:19.840 clear in scripture that no one, your works cannot 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:22.159 earn your way into heaven. That way no one may 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:25.759 boast. The only way you are reaching eternal 00:03:25.759 --> 00:03:29.560 life is by faith in Jesus Christ. I could donate 00:03:29.560 --> 00:03:33.389 a million dollars and it doesn't matter. Salvation 00:03:33.389 --> 00:03:35.770 wise I am I'm not going to heaven because I donated 00:03:35.770 --> 00:03:37.710 a million dollars I'm not going to heaven because 00:03:37.710 --> 00:03:40.389 I volunteered my life away I'm not going to heaven 00:03:40.389 --> 00:03:42.210 because I helped everybody and I sowed a lot 00:03:42.210 --> 00:03:45.810 of seeds of time I'm also I'm not going to hell 00:03:45.810 --> 00:03:48.409 because I didn't give out a million dollars. 00:03:48.409 --> 00:03:50.610 I'm not going to hell because I didn't volunteer 00:03:50.610 --> 00:03:56.750 The only thing that buys my salvation is what 00:03:56.750 --> 00:04:00.270 Jesus Christ already did on the cross faith my 00:04:00.270 --> 00:04:04.780 faith in Jesus the reason why I am confident 00:04:04.780 --> 00:04:08.379 that I I'm already very confident now that I 00:04:08.379 --> 00:04:11.300 have eternal life with the Heavenly Father and 00:04:11.300 --> 00:04:13.400 I'm saying that as someone who I grew up most 00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:15.580 of my life without my faith in Jesus going to 00:04:15.580 --> 00:04:17.300 church I know the difference of what it is to 00:04:17.300 --> 00:04:18.939 have my faith in Jesus and not have my faith 00:04:18.939 --> 00:04:21.920 in Jesus and I believe God's word to be true 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:26.079 that whoever has their faith in Jesus and my 00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:28.600 faith is in him babe I know the difference of 00:04:28.600 --> 00:04:32.110 walking by faith and not And I know there are 00:04:32.110 --> 00:04:34.790 people who are like that's cocky like you won't 00:04:34.790 --> 00:04:39.110 know until I Trust in what God has I trust in 00:04:39.110 --> 00:04:42.629 God's Word. I Trust in God's Word and I am I 00:04:42.629 --> 00:04:45.410 am confident in my relationship with the Lord 00:04:45.410 --> 00:04:50.269 and I pray that you guys reach that too. I Pray 00:04:50.269 --> 00:04:53.269 that each of you listening to this is confident 00:04:53.269 --> 00:04:56.449 in your relationship with Jesus Christ in the 00:04:56.449 --> 00:04:58.839 past couple episodes The pray episode y 'all 00:04:58.839 --> 00:05:01.160 we talked about how to strengthen that relationship 00:05:01.160 --> 00:05:06.120 with Jesus and I will tell y 'all this You shall 00:05:06.120 --> 00:05:08.639 know them by their fruits and Jesus says the 00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:11.860 one who believes in me will do the work that 00:05:11.860 --> 00:05:13.319 I do and that's in the book of John I believe 00:05:13.319 --> 00:05:15.639 that chapter it's here three or four that he 00:05:15.639 --> 00:05:17.660 says the one who believes in me will do the works 00:05:17.660 --> 00:05:22.519 that I do Jesus was generous Jesus was merciful. 00:05:22.939 --> 00:05:27.220 Jesus was loving Jesus is Loving Jesus is forgiving 00:05:27.220 --> 00:05:31.480 The one who believes in him if your faith is 00:05:31.480 --> 00:05:33.759 in Jesus You should eventually start to look 00:05:33.759 --> 00:05:36.399 more like Jesus and that's not saying being sinless 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:39.279 or perfect But you should be trying to live a 00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:40.980 life like Christ if you've been walking with 00:05:40.980 --> 00:05:44.100 Christ for a year two years three years four 00:05:44.100 --> 00:05:48.279 years five years plus and You're not seeing changes 00:05:48.279 --> 00:05:51.160 and you're not seeing shifts. You're not being 00:05:51.160 --> 00:05:55.389 moved by conviction There should be some flags 00:05:55.389 --> 00:05:59.350 coming up for you. I say this lovingly Because 00:05:59.350 --> 00:06:02.670 you might not be Walking with him as closely 00:06:02.670 --> 00:06:04.750 as you'd like to think you are you might be someone 00:06:04.750 --> 00:06:08.290 who's fallen into religion instead of relationship 00:06:08.290 --> 00:06:13.910 There are a lot of different reasons that's just 00:06:13.910 --> 00:06:17.029 one but I encourage you today and this might 00:06:17.029 --> 00:06:19.930 be just what someone needs to hear If you have 00:06:19.930 --> 00:06:22.029 been walking with Him for all this time and you 00:06:22.029 --> 00:06:24.189 still have no conviction, you still have no desire 00:06:24.189 --> 00:06:26.230 to change, I talked about this in the prayer 00:06:26.230 --> 00:06:28.850 episode, too. That was how I was able to look 00:06:28.850 --> 00:06:30.529 back and see, yeah, my faith wasn't really in 00:06:30.529 --> 00:06:33.149 Jesus because I didn't feel convicted. I didn't 00:06:33.149 --> 00:06:34.910 want to listen. I loved my son more than I loved 00:06:34.910 --> 00:06:41.230 the Lord. And that's how I knew. But just a disclaimer 00:06:41.230 --> 00:06:46.209 for this episode, this is not a tithe equals 00:06:46.209 --> 00:06:50.480 salvation argument. Because our salvation comes 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:52.160 from what Jesus Christ did on the cross alone. 00:06:52.579 --> 00:06:55.740 What I'm talking about today is and I pose this 00:06:55.740 --> 00:07:01.339 question to y 'all What is your What are you 00:07:01.339 --> 00:07:03.660 hoping to get out of your relationship with Jesus? 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:06.959 Because that'll tell you a lot about the choices 00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:10.220 and the decisions you're making. Are you walking 00:07:10.220 --> 00:07:12.879 with Jesus? Are you going to church? Are you 00:07:12.879 --> 00:07:14.339 reading the Bible? Are you putting your faith 00:07:14.339 --> 00:07:17.620 in him or saying your faith is in him? Because 00:07:17.620 --> 00:07:20.360 you don't want to go to hell Because if that 00:07:20.360 --> 00:07:22.819 is your only motivator You're gonna be looking 00:07:22.819 --> 00:07:24.500 at the Bible and you're gonna be looking through 00:07:24.500 --> 00:07:26.360 scripture of what do I need to do to get into 00:07:26.360 --> 00:07:28.759 heaven? And what are the things that are admissible? 00:07:29.480 --> 00:07:33.879 For me to like lack on and slack on And I used 00:07:33.879 --> 00:07:35.959 to look at the Bible that way because I used 00:07:35.959 --> 00:07:38.579 to just my mindset used to just be like, okay 00:07:38.579 --> 00:07:41.360 What do I need to do to get into heaven? What 00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:43.279 do I need to do to earn salvation? It says I 00:07:43.279 --> 00:07:46.019 just have to have my faith in Jesus He'll forgive 00:07:46.019 --> 00:07:48.339 me for my sins and that's how we quickly can 00:07:48.339 --> 00:07:51.500 fall into the cheap grace Which we talked about 00:07:51.500 --> 00:07:53.699 that before cheap grace and costly grace cheap 00:07:53.699 --> 00:07:55.839 grace is Jesus died. He'll forgive me He'll forgive 00:07:55.839 --> 00:07:59.319 me and we we lose sight of dying to flesh. We 00:07:59.319 --> 00:08:04.660 lose sight of denying self we lose sight of Walking 00:08:04.660 --> 00:08:06.959 by faith and taking steps of faith and we use 00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:09.560 grace to excuse it and say we're covered by grace, 00:08:09.560 --> 00:08:13.649 right? But when people are moving through life 00:08:13.649 --> 00:08:16.610 with the mentality of what do I have to do to 00:08:16.610 --> 00:08:19.990 be saved? And what are the things I can entertain? 00:08:20.829 --> 00:08:24.610 What are the what are how much greed is too much 00:08:24.610 --> 00:08:26.769 greed? How much gluttony is too much gluttony? 00:08:26.769 --> 00:08:28.930 How much of this is too much of this? There are 00:08:28.930 --> 00:08:30.470 a lot of people who move through life and they 00:08:30.470 --> 00:08:32.690 don't even realize they're doing this But they're 00:08:32.690 --> 00:08:35.129 looking through the Bible not of like what where 00:08:35.129 --> 00:08:37.929 how is God calling me higher? What can I do to 00:08:37.929 --> 00:08:39.889 strengthen my relationship? What can I do to 00:08:39.889 --> 00:08:41.990 create disciples? What can I do to you know? 00:08:41.990 --> 00:08:43.629 Because we can look at scripture and see God 00:08:43.629 --> 00:08:45.649 loves a cheerful giver God loves for us to do 00:08:45.649 --> 00:08:47.950 these things and be like wow Maybe I should try 00:08:47.950 --> 00:08:50.230 to implement that or become more of that you 00:08:50.230 --> 00:08:52.389 have a lot of people who open up the Bible and 00:08:52.389 --> 00:08:55.250 say but it doesn't say you have to be a cheerful 00:08:55.250 --> 00:08:57.710 giver it doesn't say you have to and there are 00:08:57.710 --> 00:08:59.669 a lot of people who will open the Bible and say 00:08:59.669 --> 00:09:05.190 well I don't have to and I challenge you this 00:09:05.190 --> 00:09:08.710 if you find yourself opening up the Bible you 00:09:08.710 --> 00:09:13.610 don't have to to meet what requirement you don't 00:09:13.610 --> 00:09:15.669 have to be a cheerful giver to go to heaven that's 00:09:15.669 --> 00:09:20.159 true But you do have to be a cheerful giver if 00:09:20.159 --> 00:09:22.980 you want God to use you to be a blessing to other 00:09:22.980 --> 00:09:27.580 people in terms of giving And that's what we're 00:09:27.580 --> 00:09:31.860 getting at here y 'all I am someone who I And 00:09:31.860 --> 00:09:33.379 I want to be so thoughtful with the way I say 00:09:33.379 --> 00:09:37.759 this. I don't want to just be safe. I Don't want 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:41.179 to just go to heaven when I'm here. I want to 00:09:41.179 --> 00:09:44.639 be used to create disciples I want to be used 00:09:44.639 --> 00:09:49.000 by God in my full capacity. However much He can 00:09:49.000 --> 00:09:54.019 use me, I want Him to use me. I was created to 00:09:54.019 --> 00:10:01.179 serve Him. I was created to steward over His 00:10:01.179 --> 00:10:06.000 creation. I was created to worship Him. And of 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:08.419 course the Lord loves me and I am to enjoy life, 00:10:08.659 --> 00:10:14.379 but I am here I want to be used to my full potential 00:10:14.379 --> 00:10:21.879 and in order to do that Jesus we are given the 00:10:21.879 --> 00:10:26.740 Bible and we are told what God desires how he 00:10:26.740 --> 00:10:29.039 wants us to live our life he wants us to be blessed 00:10:29.039 --> 00:10:31.679 are the meek He wants us to be meek. He wants 00:10:31.679 --> 00:10:33.399 us to be generous. He wants us to be forgiving. 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:35.940 He wants us to be loving. You don't have to be 00:10:35.940 --> 00:10:37.940 these things to go to heaven, but you have to 00:10:37.940 --> 00:10:40.659 be these things to be used by him in great capacities. 00:10:41.460 --> 00:10:43.700 And I guess I'm talking to the people today that 00:10:43.700 --> 00:10:47.500 want more than just salvation. I'm talking to 00:10:47.500 --> 00:10:49.379 the people today that want to be blessed to be 00:10:49.379 --> 00:10:51.460 a blessing to others. I'm talking to the people 00:10:51.460 --> 00:10:53.220 today that want to be used by God, that want 00:10:53.220 --> 00:10:57.500 to create disciples, that want to be used to 00:10:57.500 --> 00:11:04.240 their full capacity. I'm challenging you to wherever 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:08.059 you're at raise the bar because there's so much 00:11:08.059 --> 00:11:10.220 to get out of your relationship with Jesus there's 00:11:10.220 --> 00:11:13.179 so much more than salvation which salvation is 00:11:13.179 --> 00:11:16.240 already amazing he did it all by defeating death 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:23.019 on the cross but we're offered not just eternal 00:11:23.019 --> 00:11:27.200 life we are offered the ability to be used by 00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:31.090 God now The ability to be a blessing to others 00:11:31.090 --> 00:11:34.509 the ability to plant seeds for others the ability 00:11:34.509 --> 00:11:38.769 to be a light we're created to be a light Why 00:11:38.769 --> 00:11:42.129 don't you want to be a light like I I'm asking 00:11:42.129 --> 00:11:44.809 you these questions to ask yourself Why don't 00:11:44.809 --> 00:11:47.629 you want to be used by God? Why don't you want 00:11:47.629 --> 00:11:50.169 to be a light? Why don't you want to be these 00:11:50.169 --> 00:11:58.509 things? Who why not? Why set the bar low Raise 00:11:58.509 --> 00:12:01.269 that bar and I this is the encouragement today 00:12:01.269 --> 00:12:04.470 to raise that bar to not only be saved But you 00:12:04.470 --> 00:12:07.850 want to be used by God in big ways. You want 00:12:07.850 --> 00:12:11.049 to be used to your full capacity and I'm telling 00:12:11.049 --> 00:12:13.909 y 'all today if you want to be used to your full 00:12:13.909 --> 00:12:18.330 capacity You have to be willing to give You have 00:12:18.330 --> 00:12:21.450 to be willing to sow seeds. You have to be willing 00:12:21.450 --> 00:12:23.809 not only to give your money but to give your 00:12:23.809 --> 00:12:27.679 time And I'm gonna share personal testimony of 00:12:27.679 --> 00:12:29.740 how this has transformed my life, and this is 00:12:29.740 --> 00:12:33.039 not prosperity gospel. Guys, this is not me saying, 00:12:33.320 --> 00:12:35.879 well, if you sow this, God's gonna bless you, 00:12:35.899 --> 00:12:37.240 and you're gonna get all this money, and you're 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:40.259 gonna get all these things. I am not saying that 00:12:40.259 --> 00:12:42.120 this is like a transactional thing. If you sow 00:12:42.120 --> 00:12:43.899 a hundred, and God's gonna give you a thousand 00:12:43.899 --> 00:12:48.240 dollar check. I want to stop here and say we 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:51.100 shouldn't be doing good things with the expectation 00:12:51.100 --> 00:12:53.600 and the contingency of getting good things back 00:12:53.600 --> 00:12:56.240 because that's a Transaction and that's when 00:12:56.240 --> 00:12:58.600 we start to look at God as transactional and 00:12:58.600 --> 00:13:00.600 we're not doing it out of a space of humility 00:13:00.600 --> 00:13:03.179 We're not doing it out of a space of just wanting 00:13:03.179 --> 00:13:05.200 to be used by God and we're not doing out of 00:13:05.200 --> 00:13:07.419 a loving space That's when we're doing it from 00:13:07.419 --> 00:13:13.960 a greedy space. Okay I want you all to just stop 00:13:13.960 --> 00:13:17.480 and take a breath. Okay, because this This topic 00:13:17.480 --> 00:13:21.320 can be convicting for people. You know, this 00:13:21.320 --> 00:13:25.379 topic can trigger a lot of emotions. I remember 00:13:25.379 --> 00:13:27.039 how many emotions were triggered for me when 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:30.539 I started learning about tithing and giving was 00:13:30.539 --> 00:13:33.279 when I had like no money in my name and there 00:13:33.279 --> 00:13:35.679 would be anger and frustration and different 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:37.340 emotions coming out of me and being like, you 00:13:37.340 --> 00:13:40.039 don't know my financial situation. I'd be like, 00:13:40.059 --> 00:13:41.860 God, if you want to give to me, why don't I have 00:13:41.860 --> 00:13:44.820 more to give? And it can bring out some ugly 00:13:44.820 --> 00:13:47.620 emotions. it can bring out some ugly feelings 00:13:47.620 --> 00:13:50.179 and I'm not passing any judgment on y 'all for 00:13:50.179 --> 00:13:52.500 feeling that way because I have felt that way 00:13:52.500 --> 00:13:54.460 too but if you're feeling that way and even listening 00:13:54.460 --> 00:13:57.019 to this I encourage you to pause this for a moment 00:13:57.019 --> 00:13:59.879 and just take some deep breaths and pray that 00:13:59.879 --> 00:14:04.740 God gives you a peace and eyes to see and ears 00:14:04.740 --> 00:14:10.559 to hear and I encourage you to rebuke alright 00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:13.860 because that anger and that frustration isn't 00:14:13.860 --> 00:14:17.899 from God Now there's some scripture I want to 00:14:17.899 --> 00:14:21.080 read to y 'all and we're in second Corinthians 00:14:21.080 --> 00:14:27.879 Chapter 9 and we're gonna start in verse 6 And 00:14:27.879 --> 00:14:29.960 it says here I'm in the she reads truth study 00:14:29.960 --> 00:14:33.299 Bible the Christian standard Bible The point 00:14:33.299 --> 00:14:37.639 is this the person who sows Sparingly will also 00:14:37.639 --> 00:14:40.639 reap sparingly and the person who sows generously 00:14:40.639 --> 00:14:45.450 will also reap generously Each person should 00:14:45.450 --> 00:14:49.590 do as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly 00:14:49.590 --> 00:14:52.769 or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful 00:14:52.769 --> 00:14:56.070 giver. And God is able to make every grace overflow 00:14:56.070 --> 00:14:59.370 to you, so that in every way, always having everything 00:14:59.370 --> 00:15:02.250 you need, you may excel in every good work. As 00:15:02.250 --> 00:15:05.750 it is written, he distributed freely, he gave 00:15:05.750 --> 00:15:08.389 to the poor, his righteousness endorsed forever. 00:15:08.840 --> 00:15:11.700 Now the one who provides seed for the sower and 00:15:11.700 --> 00:15:14.559 bread for food will also provide and multiply 00:15:14.559 --> 00:15:17.120 your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 00:15:18.360 --> 00:15:22.700 You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, 00:15:23.500 --> 00:15:26.240 which produces thanksgiving to God through us. 00:15:26.539 --> 00:15:29.960 For the ministry of this service is not only 00:15:29.960 --> 00:15:32.080 supporting the needs of the saints, but is also 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:34.299 overflowing in many expressions of thanks to 00:15:34.299 --> 00:15:42.049 God. I want to pause here, y 'all. Because this 00:15:42.049 --> 00:15:43.610 is the scripture we're going to be pulling back 00:15:43.610 --> 00:15:52.149 to a lot. I want you to take a moment and maybe 00:15:52.149 --> 00:15:54.929 think about what are your reservations you have 00:15:54.929 --> 00:15:58.389 against giving or against tithing. I'll give 00:15:58.389 --> 00:16:01.529 you all a couple of mine. My first one, especially 00:16:01.529 --> 00:16:03.730 when getting into the idea of tithing was I didn't 00:16:03.730 --> 00:16:07.350 feel like I had the money to give. I felt like 00:16:07.350 --> 00:16:10.269 I had bills due, I have things going on, every 00:16:10.269 --> 00:16:13.909 cent I have has to go to other things. I felt 00:16:13.909 --> 00:16:18.429 like I didn't have the extra to give. And we'll 00:16:18.429 --> 00:16:20.590 go over this in a, we'll go over this in a minute, 00:16:20.610 --> 00:16:22.870 but God really helped me work through that, where 00:16:22.870 --> 00:16:25.610 I started actually giving the Lord my first fruits 00:16:25.610 --> 00:16:29.909 and seeing how He was able to provide everything 00:16:29.909 --> 00:16:32.610 I needed. But I wanna first ask you, like y 'all, 00:16:32.669 --> 00:16:35.509 what are some of your, reservations. What are 00:16:35.509 --> 00:16:37.950 some of the reasons why you don't tithe? What 00:16:37.950 --> 00:16:39.950 are some of the reasons why you don't give? What 00:16:39.950 --> 00:16:44.350 are the excuses you make? Because my first one 00:16:44.350 --> 00:16:46.429 was I don't have the availability. I don't have 00:16:46.429 --> 00:16:50.009 the extra. I don't have the wiggle room to just 00:16:50.009 --> 00:16:51.909 give money away. And I would say maybe when I 00:16:51.909 --> 00:16:57.029 have more one day. And here is my next one. Where 00:16:57.029 --> 00:17:00.259 does it say in the Bible I have to? That was 00:17:00.259 --> 00:17:03.200 my next one. Where does it say I have to it looks 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:05.920 like God encourages it, but he doesn't say I 00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:10.799 have to do it That that was my that was my big 00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:13.539 my big guns that was my big excuse where in the 00:17:13.539 --> 00:17:17.920 Bible does it say I have to give and That's when 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:20.559 we're gonna go back and ask that question have 00:17:20.559 --> 00:17:26.609 to for what? Because in saying have to you're 00:17:26.609 --> 00:17:29.509 also telling yourself that there is like a guaranteed 00:17:29.509 --> 00:17:31.930 Result of whether or not you do this thing, right? 00:17:32.089 --> 00:17:34.190 And when I traced it back, it was like I don't 00:17:34.190 --> 00:17:37.769 have to give to go to heaven That was what I 00:17:37.769 --> 00:17:40.349 was telling myself. I don't have to tithe to 00:17:40.349 --> 00:17:42.730 be a Christian. I don't have to tithe to go to 00:17:42.730 --> 00:17:47.769 heaven Okay But now the way I come about that 00:17:47.769 --> 00:17:49.730 question is it's like yeah, you don't have to 00:17:49.730 --> 00:17:53.859 tithe to go to heaven But you're also not opening 00:17:53.859 --> 00:17:56.799 yourself up to see moves of God You're not opening 00:17:56.799 --> 00:17:59.460 yourself up to see how God will provide for you 00:17:59.460 --> 00:18:01.799 You're not opening yourself up to be someone 00:18:01.799 --> 00:18:04.460 who God provides through you to other people 00:18:04.460 --> 00:18:06.980 So no, you don't have to to be saved, but you 00:18:06.980 --> 00:18:09.660 do if you want to see moves of God in that area 00:18:09.660 --> 00:18:14.759 I'll say those were my two big ones y 'all and 00:18:14.759 --> 00:18:17.539 Then my third was one where I started trying 00:18:17.539 --> 00:18:19.240 to justify in my head. It's like well, what do 00:18:19.240 --> 00:18:22.009 they use it for? Like what does my church really 00:18:22.009 --> 00:18:24.470 need that money for what does that person really 00:18:24.470 --> 00:18:27.509 need the money for? And I'm just telling y 'all 00:18:27.509 --> 00:18:30.029 how God kind of humbled me and answered my questions 00:18:30.029 --> 00:18:33.509 And the third one the third one How God kind 00:18:33.509 --> 00:18:36.049 of answered it and humbled it for me is it was 00:18:36.049 --> 00:18:38.769 a real humbling moment for me all those That's 00:18:38.769 --> 00:18:44.789 none of my business When I so I'm trusting God 00:18:44.789 --> 00:18:47.900 with that money, I'm giving it back to him Because 00:18:47.900 --> 00:18:50.319 I want to pull back to the scripture where it 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:55.759 says right here Each person should do as he has 00:18:55.759 --> 00:18:58.980 decided in his heart y 'all my giving is not 00:18:58.980 --> 00:19:00.980 I don't give a certain amount of what the Bible 00:19:00.980 --> 00:19:04.700 tells me it's in my relationship with God and 00:19:04.700 --> 00:19:06.980 My prayer closet with God. He has guided me with 00:19:06.980 --> 00:19:12.240 how much I so There is a percentage out of each 00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:15.890 paycheck Will be so clear. I will be so transparent 00:19:15.890 --> 00:19:18.089 with y 'all I feel like I'm being led to be transparent 00:19:18.089 --> 00:19:21.269 on this every paycheck I get when it hits my 00:19:21.269 --> 00:19:25.009 account in the morning Before I go to the store 00:19:25.009 --> 00:19:28.069 There is a certain percentage I take out of that 00:19:28.069 --> 00:19:30.269 check and I send it straight to my church has 00:19:30.269 --> 00:19:32.450 an online giving and I send it straight to There 00:19:32.450 --> 00:19:35.450 and I deposit that amount in there. It's not 00:19:35.450 --> 00:19:39.589 direct. It's not timed Because my I will say 00:19:39.589 --> 00:19:41.109 this number one. My paychecks are a little bit 00:19:41.109 --> 00:19:43.490 different each time So there's a little bit of 00:19:43.490 --> 00:19:45.109 a different number from each of the percentages. 00:19:46.869 --> 00:19:50.210 But I don't want it to be automatically set up 00:19:50.210 --> 00:19:53.549 anyway because I want myself to every other Friday 00:19:53.549 --> 00:19:57.009 go through that process of taking that time and 00:19:57.009 --> 00:19:59.670 willingly giving it. I don't want it to be on 00:19:59.670 --> 00:20:01.769 auto pay where it's a second thought and I don't 00:20:01.769 --> 00:20:04.849 notice it's gone. I want to notice it's gone. 00:20:07.980 --> 00:20:09.940 Like I'm being really transparent with you all 00:20:09.940 --> 00:20:11.700 about what my tithing and my giving looks like. 00:20:11.700 --> 00:20:14.680 That's the first one. And then there are other 00:20:14.680 --> 00:20:19.460 times, it actually just happened yesterday, where 00:20:19.460 --> 00:20:23.519 I got a discount on something at the store. Like 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:28.259 I was getting a service done and they gave me 00:20:28.259 --> 00:20:31.319 a discount and I saved $60. And when I got home, 00:20:31.339 --> 00:20:33.960 I felt convicted in my prayer time with the Lord 00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:39.019 to sow that $60. And I did. That's on top of 00:20:39.019 --> 00:20:42.599 my tithe. I've already given That's on top of 00:20:42.599 --> 00:20:46.339 my tithe. Those are personal things That the 00:20:46.339 --> 00:20:49.339 Lord has put on my heart Those are things in 00:20:49.339 --> 00:20:52.000 my private time with him that same percentage 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:55.319 that I so might not work For the person right 00:20:55.319 --> 00:20:58.740 next to me That giving might not be what God 00:20:58.740 --> 00:21:00.940 is calling them to give there are things God 00:21:00.940 --> 00:21:06.960 directs me to specifically So this is gonna be 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:10.059 my first thing I say to y 'all, that your tithing, 00:21:10.220 --> 00:21:13.480 your giving, is something that you and the Lord 00:21:13.480 --> 00:21:17.180 come on agreement with. I know that a lot of 00:21:17.180 --> 00:21:19.259 people have that blanket 10 % rule that works 00:21:19.259 --> 00:21:21.079 for some people, that might not be what God is 00:21:21.079 --> 00:21:23.240 putting on someone else. Someone else, God might 00:21:23.240 --> 00:21:26.279 be putting 5%. Someone else, God might be putting 00:21:26.279 --> 00:21:31.900 25%. And I'm here to tell y 'all that I know 00:21:31.900 --> 00:21:35.460 my church would be fine without my donations. 00:21:35.799 --> 00:21:37.720 Like mine alone, I know my church would still 00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:40.079 be running, God would still provide for that 00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:44.839 ministry. Glory be to God, I attend a church 00:21:44.839 --> 00:21:48.619 that they do very, we have very generous people 00:21:48.619 --> 00:21:52.680 at my church. And right now there's actually 00:21:52.680 --> 00:21:54.920 a lot of things going on, we're growing, we're 00:21:54.920 --> 00:21:56.740 actually trying to raise money in the next couple 00:21:56.740 --> 00:21:59.559 of years to be able to like renovate because 00:21:59.559 --> 00:22:03.240 we've outgrown our space. I understand and I 00:22:03.240 --> 00:22:06.220 know that God will provide for them whether or 00:22:06.220 --> 00:22:09.180 not I give because there's someone else with 00:22:09.180 --> 00:22:12.420 an open heart. There's someone else generous 00:22:12.420 --> 00:22:18.059 that's willing to be used by God. But I also 00:22:18.059 --> 00:22:21.440 understand that in me giving to my ministry and 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:23.599 me giving to the church, there's something God 00:22:23.599 --> 00:22:27.200 is doing in me. There's something God is doing 00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:30.900 in me. I truly believe a lot of it is about me. 00:22:31.970 --> 00:22:36.210 Like what he's doing in me But imagine if everyone 00:22:36.210 --> 00:22:39.470 else Was giving to the church all the sudden 00:22:39.470 --> 00:22:41.190 had that mindset of will someone else will do 00:22:41.190 --> 00:22:45.809 it and someone else is generous Sure that might 00:22:45.809 --> 00:22:47.650 work for one person to have that mindset, but 00:22:47.650 --> 00:22:52.210 everybody has that mindset All the sudden there's 00:22:52.210 --> 00:22:54.289 a lot of people no longer able to be used by 00:22:54.289 --> 00:22:56.490 the Lord Yeah, I want to be very transparent 00:22:56.490 --> 00:22:59.549 with y 'all about what my giving looks like because 00:22:59.549 --> 00:23:02.539 how can I Talk to y 'all about your giving if 00:23:02.539 --> 00:23:04.559 I don't talk to you all about mine and that's 00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:08.019 what mine looks like In the in my private time 00:23:08.019 --> 00:23:11.799 with the Lord and that might change You know 00:23:11.799 --> 00:23:14.819 when I move on to whatever next career path or 00:23:14.819 --> 00:23:19.940 next financial whatever I have going on God might 00:23:19.940 --> 00:23:22.019 raise that percentage. He might throw out the 00:23:22.019 --> 00:23:24.900 percentage. I don't know but this is what the 00:23:24.900 --> 00:23:29.779 Lord Has led me to do And the interesting thing 00:23:29.779 --> 00:23:31.819 enough, y 'all, as we were talking about to combat 00:23:31.819 --> 00:23:33.819 that first one, I used to say, well, I don't 00:23:33.819 --> 00:23:36.000 have the wiggle room, the money left over. That 00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:39.079 used to be my common excuse for it. And you know 00:23:39.079 --> 00:23:42.440 what the Lord started getting me to do? To give 00:23:42.440 --> 00:23:47.980 my first fruits. To give my first fruits. And 00:23:47.980 --> 00:23:50.440 that was, I remember reading that in Proverbs 00:23:50.440 --> 00:23:54.279 three. I believe it was chapter nine. I believe 00:23:54.279 --> 00:23:57.930 it was verse nine. where it said honor the Lord 00:23:57.930 --> 00:24:00.769 with your possessions and with the first produce 00:24:00.769 --> 00:24:03.369 of your entire harvests because I remember that 00:24:03.369 --> 00:24:06.269 conviction first started out with I was in prayer 00:24:06.269 --> 00:24:08.109 and I felt the Lord say give me the first fruits 00:24:08.109 --> 00:24:11.250 of your day and I started waking up every day 00:24:11.250 --> 00:24:14.309 with my first fruits would be reading the Bible 00:24:14.309 --> 00:24:17.630 and praying and just giving the beginning of 00:24:17.630 --> 00:24:19.250 my day to him because I used to struggle with 00:24:19.250 --> 00:24:21.069 saying God I don't have enough time to pray I 00:24:21.069 --> 00:24:22.849 don't have enough time to read the Bible. I'm 00:24:22.849 --> 00:24:24.369 doing all these other things and I get home and 00:24:24.369 --> 00:24:25.630 I have all these other things to do. I don't 00:24:25.630 --> 00:24:27.829 have the time. And the Lord really started convicting 00:24:27.829 --> 00:24:29.569 me and guiding me of, we'll do it first thing 00:24:29.569 --> 00:24:33.650 in the morning. Instead of thinking, do I have 00:24:33.650 --> 00:24:35.690 leftover? Make time for it first. You'll make 00:24:35.690 --> 00:24:39.670 time for what matters to you. And I started doing 00:24:39.670 --> 00:24:43.549 that. I started every morning. And funny enough, 00:24:43.569 --> 00:24:46.630 that started going into my tithes. Because I 00:24:46.630 --> 00:24:51.740 would start at first. Like tithing with my church 00:24:51.740 --> 00:24:55.599 looked like I would wait until like right before 00:24:55.599 --> 00:24:57.460 I was about to get my next paycheck and be like 00:24:57.460 --> 00:24:59.319 Okay, how much money can I get from my pay from 00:24:59.319 --> 00:25:01.720 this past one and not feel hurt before I get 00:25:01.720 --> 00:25:04.839 my new one in and Then there would be sometimes 00:25:04.839 --> 00:25:07.339 run find myself giving a really small amount 00:25:07.339 --> 00:25:09.960 and where I would feel like girl You know, you 00:25:09.960 --> 00:25:15.059 can give more than that And the conviction the 00:25:15.059 --> 00:25:17.259 Lord brought me to is giving him my first fruits 00:25:17.640 --> 00:25:23.579 it turned into a number a percentage amount and 00:25:23.579 --> 00:25:26.380 every time that paycheck hit that's been consistent 00:25:26.380 --> 00:25:28.579 I've been doing that it's been consistent I've 00:25:28.579 --> 00:25:34.559 been doing that and God has provided every time 00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:39.480 what I need and he is actually multiplied my 00:25:39.480 --> 00:25:42.440 abundance I don't know how to say other than 00:25:42.440 --> 00:25:44.460 like he has multiplied it in ways where I'm like 00:25:44.460 --> 00:25:46.869 it makes no sense for it to be multiplied like 00:25:46.869 --> 00:25:50.730 this like times when I'm actually working less 00:25:50.730 --> 00:25:53.089 hours like when I should have when I just recently 00:25:53.089 --> 00:25:55.910 have more bills and I look and my account is 00:25:55.910 --> 00:25:58.630 more fruitful than it has been and other times 00:25:58.630 --> 00:26:03.950 when I was working way extra I'm just telling 00:26:03.950 --> 00:26:08.970 y 'all I'm not saying that you donate money you 00:26:08.970 --> 00:26:12.029 start tithing regularly to your church and God's 00:26:12.029 --> 00:26:14.910 gonna pour out all this money in your account. 00:26:14.950 --> 00:26:17.569 I'm not saying that, but I am saying when I started 00:26:17.569 --> 00:26:19.730 getting regular with tithing, all my bills were 00:26:19.730 --> 00:26:22.890 always paid. And there is an abundance that makes 00:26:22.890 --> 00:26:27.990 no sense. That is what I will say. That is what 00:26:27.990 --> 00:26:30.069 I've seen God do in my life that I have never 00:26:30.069 --> 00:26:33.369 seen happen before in my life. And I want to 00:26:33.369 --> 00:26:35.809 be so clear y 'all that your tithe and your offering 00:26:35.809 --> 00:26:37.470 is different. Your tithe is what you sow into 00:26:37.470 --> 00:26:39.970 the church and offering is like on top of that. 00:26:39.990 --> 00:26:42.509 And there are a lot of times I always do my tithe 00:26:42.509 --> 00:26:44.930 and God will lead me differently with my offerings. 00:26:45.650 --> 00:26:47.529 And I believe what I just did yesterday with 00:26:47.529 --> 00:26:54.369 that $60 was an offering. But I just feel like 00:26:54.369 --> 00:26:59.750 I can't speak to y 'all and... Bring about conviction 00:26:59.750 --> 00:27:02.150 without first being vulnerable of the excuses 00:27:02.150 --> 00:27:05.509 I used to use and how God corrected that for 00:27:05.509 --> 00:27:13.309 me and What my giving looks like now? And I encourage 00:27:13.309 --> 00:27:18.089 y 'all today to pray to the Lord And we talked 00:27:18.089 --> 00:27:20.150 about listen to the prayer episode of what it 00:27:20.150 --> 00:27:23.589 looks like to just pray And start praying to 00:27:23.589 --> 00:27:26.869 the Lord about what your giving should look like 00:27:27.409 --> 00:27:31.150 Start praying to God of like, God, how much do 00:27:31.150 --> 00:27:35.970 I get? What do I sow into? Am I sowing into a 00:27:35.970 --> 00:27:37.869 church ministry? If you go to your church, you're 00:27:37.869 --> 00:27:39.910 attending. Is that where you're sowing into? 00:27:40.609 --> 00:27:42.789 Is there an online ministry that's been pouring 00:27:42.789 --> 00:27:45.410 into you that the Lord is leading you to sow 00:27:45.410 --> 00:27:50.710 into? Take it to the Lord. You know, my pastor 00:27:50.710 --> 00:27:53.970 shared with us the other day a testimony. It 00:27:53.970 --> 00:27:58.019 was really cool. that he used to be doing like 00:27:58.019 --> 00:28:00.720 a campus ministry long before he was like our 00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:04.160 minister now, where he basically had to like, 00:28:04.640 --> 00:28:08.299 his income for the year came from people donating. 00:28:08.460 --> 00:28:12.279 He made, I believe it was like $24 ,000 was his 00:28:12.279 --> 00:28:16.339 annual pay and that $24 ,000 did have to come 00:28:16.339 --> 00:28:19.980 from fundraising, like people who would sew and 00:28:19.980 --> 00:28:24.380 people who would give. And like that he had to, 00:28:24.829 --> 00:28:26.970 He had to meet people. He had to help generate 00:28:26.970 --> 00:28:30.650 that. And that there was a couple that he was 00:28:30.650 --> 00:28:32.589 led to talk to, and he was told, don't ask them 00:28:32.589 --> 00:28:34.670 for money. They don't have money to spare. But 00:28:34.670 --> 00:28:36.650 they are prayer warriors. Ask them for prayer. 00:28:37.430 --> 00:28:39.609 And when he met them, he had every reason. Basically, 00:28:39.670 --> 00:28:41.750 I'm just quickly summarizing this to believe 00:28:41.750 --> 00:28:46.750 that they're not able to sow. They're not able 00:28:46.750 --> 00:28:52.819 to fund. He felt the Holy Spirit guide him to 00:28:52.819 --> 00:28:56.019 ask them anyway And he did and one of the people 00:28:56.019 --> 00:28:57.759 started crying breaking down saying that God 00:28:57.759 --> 00:28:59.700 spoke to them on the way there that they were 00:28:59.700 --> 00:29:02.700 supposed to give and these people although they 00:29:02.700 --> 00:29:06.119 had They seemed to have no wiggle room managed 00:29:06.119 --> 00:29:08.859 to commit to give I believe and Lord forgive 00:29:08.859 --> 00:29:10.420 me if I'm wrong with the number I believe is 00:29:10.420 --> 00:29:15.319 $160 a month and When eventually he left that 00:29:15.319 --> 00:29:17.619 ministry and told them like hey, I won't need 00:29:17.619 --> 00:29:20.829 you know the The tithe anymore they were crying 00:29:20.829 --> 00:29:22.990 because they were like it has done so much in 00:29:22.990 --> 00:29:25.269 our lives to sew into this ministry We're not 00:29:25.269 --> 00:29:26.970 able to be a part of it in other ways This is 00:29:26.970 --> 00:29:29.150 the way we were able to be a part of this ministry 00:29:29.150 --> 00:29:33.089 is by our giving and we're so sad that we aren't 00:29:33.089 --> 00:29:36.250 continuing to do it and I want to share with 00:29:36.250 --> 00:29:38.049 y 'all and sharing this testimony I'm feeling 00:29:38.049 --> 00:29:40.849 convicted right now to share with y 'all of how 00:29:40.849 --> 00:29:46.390 God used generosity to change my life Want to 00:29:46.390 --> 00:29:48.609 tell you how God used it to change my life and 00:29:48.609 --> 00:29:50.109 how God used someone who looked like they had 00:29:50.109 --> 00:29:53.750 no money to be a blessing to me And how you can 00:29:53.750 --> 00:29:55.890 be a blessing I don't think y 'all understand 00:29:55.890 --> 00:29:58.230 this you can be a blessing to someone else when 00:29:58.230 --> 00:30:01.369 you have little to nothing to give Flashback 00:30:01.369 --> 00:30:03.789 to a time when I was in my car. Y 'all know the 00:30:03.789 --> 00:30:06.289 story I was in my car in California in Southern, 00:30:06.289 --> 00:30:08.750 California waiting on a move of God I believe 00:30:08.750 --> 00:30:11.470 I gave my life to Jesus. He gave me a promise 00:30:11.470 --> 00:30:12.990 He gave me a vision to move back to Indiana, 00:30:13.029 --> 00:30:15.470 but I didn't have the money to do it I didn't 00:30:15.470 --> 00:30:17.349 have a job at the time. I didn't have any income 00:30:17.349 --> 00:30:19.750 God told me to trust in his ability to provide 00:30:19.750 --> 00:30:21.650 and all of a sudden he was sending me random 00:30:21.650 --> 00:30:23.549 people that were just seeming to walk up and 00:30:23.549 --> 00:30:26.210 just money like little blessings in different 00:30:26.210 --> 00:30:28.490 ways and there was someone who gave me I believe 00:30:28.490 --> 00:30:31.210 it was like $50 and I got everything I needed 00:30:31.210 --> 00:30:34.109 to get and I was holding tightly onto the last 00:30:34.109 --> 00:30:36.990 of that money and I believe it was like $10 left 00:30:36.990 --> 00:30:39.170 and I was holding tightly on to that because 00:30:39.170 --> 00:30:41.730 God had given me a vision to go back to Indiana 00:30:41.730 --> 00:30:45.359 and I was relying on my own control in that moment. 00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:49.440 What my mind told me, what logic told me, and 00:30:49.440 --> 00:30:52.720 what control told me was I need to start saving 00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:55.200 the money that's being brought to me and holding 00:30:55.200 --> 00:30:58.440 onto it tightly. God gave me a vision to get 00:30:58.440 --> 00:31:01.140 back to Indiana. I need gas money. It's going 00:31:01.140 --> 00:31:04.259 to be hundreds of dollars just for that alone. 00:31:04.319 --> 00:31:06.339 So I got to start saving what God is sending. 00:31:08.500 --> 00:31:10.940 It reminds me of the story of the Israelites 00:31:10.940 --> 00:31:12.920 with the manna. You know, when God was sending 00:31:12.920 --> 00:31:14.940 the manna daily and he said, don't store it up, 00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:16.440 trust I'm going to provide for you tomorrow. 00:31:17.000 --> 00:31:18.579 They didn't listen to that. They tried to store 00:31:18.579 --> 00:31:20.339 it up and what happened? It got all moldy and 00:31:20.339 --> 00:31:24.549 melty. When God was sending me this money, this 00:31:24.549 --> 00:31:26.829 was money for me to eat. This was my for me to 00:31:26.829 --> 00:31:28.950 get my cat food This was my for me to get gap 00:31:28.950 --> 00:31:31.509 like just to start getting some things ready 00:31:31.509 --> 00:31:34.329 to go God didn't give me the command of like 00:31:34.329 --> 00:31:36.930 I want I'm sending you all of this and I want 00:31:36.930 --> 00:31:38.529 you to save it all up and it's all gonna Add 00:31:38.529 --> 00:31:41.630 together as it was being brought to me I felt 00:31:41.630 --> 00:31:44.890 God guiding me on what to do with it and it wasn't 00:31:44.890 --> 00:31:47.829 to like store it all up It was to get certain 00:31:47.829 --> 00:31:52.319 things with it. I had a ten dollars left And 00:31:52.319 --> 00:31:54.460 that was a day when I was seeking the Lord, I 00:31:54.460 --> 00:31:57.539 was reading scripture, and I felt it so heavily 00:31:57.539 --> 00:32:00.440 on my heart that he was calling me to give. That 00:32:00.440 --> 00:32:02.619 it was better to give than it was to receive. 00:32:03.099 --> 00:32:05.119 And I was wrestling with that. And finally I 00:32:05.119 --> 00:32:06.480 started praying to God and saying, God, if you 00:32:06.480 --> 00:32:09.039 want me to give away this last $10, if you want 00:32:09.039 --> 00:32:12.319 me to give away the last money I have, show me 00:32:12.319 --> 00:32:16.980 who, show me, show me. And it was about an hour 00:32:16.980 --> 00:32:19.420 later, I was part of, there was a restaurant 00:32:19.420 --> 00:32:22.960 that had like this, free trial where you could 00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:26.279 like get drinks like every hour that I was a 00:32:26.279 --> 00:32:28.220 part of so I was walking over and getting like 00:32:28.220 --> 00:32:31.900 a drink for free and I walk over there and there's 00:32:31.900 --> 00:32:33.119 someone sitting on the side of the road they 00:32:33.119 --> 00:32:36.299 look homeless and I go in and get my drink and 00:32:36.299 --> 00:32:38.160 as I'm walking I just feel such a conviction 00:32:38.160 --> 00:32:40.420 to give the money to this person I give the money 00:32:40.420 --> 00:32:43.420 to that person and I say God bless you know and 00:32:43.420 --> 00:32:45.000 I go about my day and I go back to sitting in 00:32:45.000 --> 00:32:46.940 my car a couple hours later they walk over to 00:32:46.940 --> 00:32:50.109 me They have a scratch -off ticket a dirty scratch 00:32:50.109 --> 00:32:51.670 -off ticket that hasn't been scratched yet that 00:32:51.670 --> 00:32:53.450 they found on the ground and said I want to give 00:32:53.450 --> 00:32:55.089 this to you a Lucky ticket for a lucky lady. 00:32:55.109 --> 00:32:57.150 I scratch it off y 'all It's a hundred dollars 00:32:57.150 --> 00:33:00.369 that one on that ticket. I Go in I cash it in 00:33:00.369 --> 00:33:03.170 I walk all around looking for that person Wanting 00:33:03.170 --> 00:33:04.849 to bless them because they just blessed me. I 00:33:04.849 --> 00:33:06.869 couldn't find him anywhere. I was hungry I went 00:33:06.869 --> 00:33:08.630 into a restaurant across the street that person 00:33:08.630 --> 00:33:12.630 sitting in there. I Buy them a meal. I buy me 00:33:12.630 --> 00:33:15.809 a meal Go back out to my car and some random 00:33:15.809 --> 00:33:17.970 person walks up to me and hands me five dollars 00:33:17.970 --> 00:33:20.250 and just walks away Like saying I just felt led 00:33:20.250 --> 00:33:22.529 to give this to you and walks away I'm like what 00:33:22.529 --> 00:33:25.130 the heck that five dollars is exactly what I 00:33:25.130 --> 00:33:27.150 spent on that person's meal in that restaurant 00:33:27.150 --> 00:33:30.809 And that person comes out talking to me finds 00:33:30.809 --> 00:33:33.390 out the situation I'm in they look less worse 00:33:33.390 --> 00:33:36.349 off than me the next morning They they know I 00:33:36.349 --> 00:33:38.930 was gonna be at that spot. They come up to me. 00:33:38.930 --> 00:33:41.519 They hand me two hundred dollars That adds on 00:33:41.519 --> 00:33:43.799 to that 100 I had just gotten. And they said, 00:33:43.960 --> 00:33:46.819 go back to Indiana. Get that gas in your car. 00:33:48.380 --> 00:33:51.240 God gave me a vision, which was go back to Indiana. 00:33:51.519 --> 00:33:53.920 And he told me I was going to provide for you. 00:33:54.079 --> 00:33:57.559 And in my mind and my logic, my brain, my control 00:33:57.559 --> 00:34:02.079 was saying, hold on tight. Don't let go to that 00:34:02.079 --> 00:34:06.759 last $10. But the Holy Spirit told me something 00:34:06.759 --> 00:34:09.019 different. The Holy Spirit told me, open your 00:34:09.019 --> 00:34:15.500 hands. and sew I opened my hands I sewed and 00:34:15.500 --> 00:34:20.599 I reaped immediately like a couple hours later 00:34:20.599 --> 00:34:24.139 and trusting the Holy Spirit's prompting a hundred 00:34:24.139 --> 00:34:28.139 dollars and notice y 'all how my first thought 00:34:28.139 --> 00:34:30.500 was it I'm getting in the car and driving off 00:34:30.500 --> 00:34:33.000 with this hundred dollars the Lord had been working 00:34:33.000 --> 00:34:34.880 in my heart to that point of the very first reaction 00:34:34.880 --> 00:34:36.760 I had is I need to find this person and buy them 00:34:36.760 --> 00:34:40.280 a meal Because I wouldn't have this if they would 00:34:40.280 --> 00:34:44.219 have been willing to give to me So and when I 00:34:44.219 --> 00:34:46.800 can no longer find them and settle on okay, I 00:34:46.800 --> 00:34:52.000 tried I find them and I Give to them. I sew into 00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:54.599 them I walk out and God send me a random person 00:34:54.599 --> 00:34:57.539 to sew right back into me What I had just given 00:34:57.539 --> 00:35:00.099 was replenished that five dollars I bought with 00:35:00.099 --> 00:35:01.739 that person's meal someone walked up to me and 00:35:01.739 --> 00:35:05.809 handed it to me. There's no one but God And I'm 00:35:05.809 --> 00:35:08.110 just telling y 'all what I experienced. This 00:35:08.110 --> 00:35:10.670 is a real life testimony. I'm not saying God 00:35:10.670 --> 00:35:14.809 does this every single time. I'm not saying every 00:35:14.809 --> 00:35:16.650 single time you give money, someone's gonna immediately 00:35:16.650 --> 00:35:18.409 walk up to you and hand you double what you gave 00:35:18.409 --> 00:35:21.329 them. I'm saying that's what God did for me. 00:35:22.190 --> 00:35:25.889 In that time of the last of what I had by faith, 00:35:27.030 --> 00:35:29.670 instead of storing it up for myself, giving it 00:35:29.670 --> 00:35:31.949 away when prompted to. I want to tell you all 00:35:31.949 --> 00:35:33.789 that that was the thing is that was a Holy Spirit 00:35:33.789 --> 00:35:38.489 prompted Felt the Holy Spirit saying it's better 00:35:38.489 --> 00:35:40.650 to give than is to receive I prayed about it 00:35:40.650 --> 00:35:42.889 And I encourage y 'all to do that today. You 00:35:42.889 --> 00:35:44.309 feel like the Holy Spirit telling you do something 00:35:44.309 --> 00:35:47.170 pray about it God gives you a provision pray 00:35:47.170 --> 00:35:50.489 about what to do about it because before then 00:35:50.489 --> 00:35:52.909 I had been praying to God bless me to be a blessing 00:35:52.909 --> 00:35:55.929 to others and That's what he did with me in that 00:35:55.929 --> 00:35:58.670 moment. He blessed me. He sent someone to bless 00:35:58.670 --> 00:36:02.800 me And when I had it, I listened to what God 00:36:02.800 --> 00:36:05.420 wanted me to do with it. I bought the things 00:36:05.420 --> 00:36:07.019 for myself that he wanted me to buy, and then 00:36:07.019 --> 00:36:08.519 I opened my hands and said, what do you want 00:36:08.519 --> 00:36:10.000 me to do with the rest? And he told me he wanted 00:36:10.000 --> 00:36:15.900 me to sew it. So I sewed it. Those who sew sparingly, 00:36:16.019 --> 00:36:18.159 reap sparingly. Those who sew generously, reap 00:36:18.159 --> 00:36:20.840 generously. I sewed like the last of what I had. 00:36:22.719 --> 00:36:27.480 And I got blessed. That was such a leap of faith. 00:36:27.599 --> 00:36:31.550 Amen. and I felt like it kind of related to when 00:36:31.550 --> 00:36:33.829 my pastor shared that testimony of like Someone 00:36:33.829 --> 00:36:35.650 blessed him that didn't look like they had the 00:36:35.650 --> 00:36:37.949 means to bless I experienced that too y 'all 00:36:37.949 --> 00:36:41.230 and it was amazing How God will bring it out 00:36:41.230 --> 00:36:48.949 of unexpected people? So in my giving and my 00:36:48.949 --> 00:36:54.489 generosity God delivered on a promise for me. 00:36:54.510 --> 00:36:58.139 He gave me the promise and the idea to go to 00:36:58.139 --> 00:37:00.920 Indiana, and he said he'd bring me the provision, 00:37:01.000 --> 00:37:03.940 but his provision came through me being generous 00:37:03.940 --> 00:37:08.559 and me obeying him. In order to step into what 00:37:08.559 --> 00:37:11.199 God has promised for you, you have to be willing 00:37:11.199 --> 00:37:13.500 to take steps of faith. You have to be willing 00:37:13.500 --> 00:37:16.179 to walk by faith. You don't walk into the promises 00:37:16.179 --> 00:37:18.599 by walking by your own control and your own understanding. 00:37:19.000 --> 00:37:24.010 It's literally moves of faith. my generosity 00:37:24.010 --> 00:37:26.309 and giving did, was it opened up the door for 00:37:26.309 --> 00:37:33.050 God to bless me back. Now this is something that 00:37:33.050 --> 00:37:35.090 a lot of people wrestle with, and I know I wrestled 00:37:35.090 --> 00:37:37.550 with it for a while too, of I worked for this 00:37:37.550 --> 00:37:40.769 money, this is mine. There are a lot of people 00:37:40.769 --> 00:37:44.349 who say that. I put in the hours at work, I busted 00:37:44.349 --> 00:37:47.610 my butt, I did this, I did that, this is mine. 00:37:48.650 --> 00:37:56.860 And I used to say that too. But there is a conviction. 00:37:57.940 --> 00:38:01.000 And I believe this is Second Chronicles. I wanna 00:38:01.000 --> 00:38:03.420 read this part of Second Chronicles to y 'all. 00:38:03.820 --> 00:38:08.340 Second Chronicles, and this is, we're gonna start 00:38:08.340 --> 00:38:11.380 in verse 11. And this is where David is praying 00:38:11.380 --> 00:38:15.380 to God. This is David saying this to God. Saying, 00:38:15.960 --> 00:38:18.920 yours Lord is the greatness and the power and 00:38:18.920 --> 00:38:21.099 the glory and the splendor and the majesty for 00:38:21.099 --> 00:38:23.599 everything in the heavens and on earth belongs 00:38:23.599 --> 00:38:28.889 to you. Yours Lord is the kingdom you are exalted 00:38:28.889 --> 00:38:32.630 as head over all riches and honor come from you 00:38:32.630 --> 00:38:35.769 You are the ruler of everything power and might 00:38:35.769 --> 00:38:39.170 are in your hand And then it is in your hand 00:38:39.170 --> 00:38:41.789 to make great and give strength to all now Therefore 00:38:41.789 --> 00:38:44.829 our God we give you thanks and praise for your 00:38:44.829 --> 00:38:48.070 glorious name But who am I and who are my people 00:38:48.070 --> 00:38:50.170 that we should be able to give as generously 00:38:50.170 --> 00:38:53.719 as this for everything comes from you And we 00:38:53.719 --> 00:38:56.320 have given you only what comes from your own 00:38:56.320 --> 00:39:00.519 hands. Everything good comes from God, including 00:39:00.519 --> 00:39:07.460 your job, including your paycheck, your ability 00:39:07.460 --> 00:39:10.500 to have a bank account. All of this is because 00:39:10.500 --> 00:39:15.400 of God. And man, I felt that conviction when 00:39:15.400 --> 00:39:18.320 at first, because I had those thoughts, y 'all, 00:39:18.440 --> 00:39:20.559 of like, but I worked for this. This is my money. 00:39:20.800 --> 00:39:23.119 Did God work for this money that that's how you 00:39:23.119 --> 00:39:25.179 know, some people talk that way y 'all some people 00:39:25.179 --> 00:39:29.199 say did God work my shift Did God work my hours? 00:39:29.900 --> 00:39:32.280 God gave you the strength to work your shift 00:39:32.280 --> 00:39:36.960 God gave you the strength God gave you the patience 00:39:36.960 --> 00:39:40.219 to get through that shift God gave you the job 00:39:40.219 --> 00:39:42.679 if you are walking in obedience and you're allowing 00:39:42.679 --> 00:39:45.900 God to open up doors for you God gave you that 00:39:45.900 --> 00:39:50.559 job that paycheck is God's Y 'all the paycheck 00:39:50.559 --> 00:39:54.500 I have now from the job I work now was an answered 00:39:54.500 --> 00:39:55.980 prayer because there was a time when I couldn't 00:39:55.980 --> 00:39:58.780 get a job anywhere when God was closing every 00:39:58.780 --> 00:40:01.119 door on me and I was praying just for money I 00:40:01.119 --> 00:40:02.739 was praying just for provision. I was praying 00:40:02.739 --> 00:40:07.800 just for a paycheck And I was so humbled by that 00:40:07.800 --> 00:40:09.900 I wouldn't even have it if God didn't answer 00:40:09.900 --> 00:40:12.360 my prayers Because everything I was doing on 00:40:12.360 --> 00:40:13.980 my own works wasn't working. It was literally 00:40:13.980 --> 00:40:18.340 no one but God And man, that was the conviction 00:40:18.340 --> 00:40:21.360 where it was like, my entire bank account, everything 00:40:21.360 --> 00:40:25.000 in it is because of God. I have the ability, 00:40:25.019 --> 00:40:28.860 it's a blessing to go to work. I know it doesn't 00:40:28.860 --> 00:40:32.320 always feel like it, but it is a blessing to 00:40:32.320 --> 00:40:36.460 have a paycheck. And yes, it's required work, 00:40:36.519 --> 00:40:41.900 it's required some effort. But keep in mind, 00:40:41.900 --> 00:40:45.300 you only have the opportunity because of God. 00:40:45.559 --> 00:40:50.539 So why, and I say this so lovingly, are you not 00:40:50.539 --> 00:40:54.059 willing to give back to him what is his? And 00:40:54.059 --> 00:40:56.480 I'm not even saying to give it to, I'm not even 00:40:56.480 --> 00:40:58.079 saying just in the terms of giving it to your 00:40:58.079 --> 00:41:01.519 church or giving it to a ministry. Why? Why? 00:41:01.760 --> 00:41:04.300 And I say this from a loving place, is your mind 00:41:04.300 --> 00:41:08.860 immediately, this is all mine. Why do you maybe 00:41:08.860 --> 00:41:11.320 credit God and say, thanks God for the job? But 00:41:11.320 --> 00:41:14.079 then when it comes time to actually move by faith 00:41:14.079 --> 00:41:17.219 and show that you're grateful, you stop there. 00:41:18.059 --> 00:41:20.360 Why is it the gratitude is only met with words, 00:41:20.380 --> 00:41:23.579 but not with actions? And I felt that conviction. 00:41:24.340 --> 00:41:26.199 So the Lord started leading me to the convictions 00:41:26.199 --> 00:41:29.639 of he's deserving of my first fruits. I should 00:41:29.639 --> 00:41:31.840 be giving him my first fruits, point blank period. 00:41:32.190 --> 00:41:34.869 and that everything on this earth and every good 00:41:34.869 --> 00:41:37.530 thing I have in my life is because of him. So 00:41:37.530 --> 00:41:42.250 I should be willing to give it all back. Wasn't 00:41:42.250 --> 00:41:47.050 it Abraham that was promised a son, had to move 00:41:47.050 --> 00:41:49.389 by faith, went through struggles, went through 00:41:49.389 --> 00:41:52.690 all this, finally had his son. And then God says, 00:41:52.690 --> 00:41:56.150 I want you to sacrifice him. And right when he's 00:41:56.150 --> 00:41:57.550 getting ready to do it, God said, I just want 00:41:57.550 --> 00:41:59.969 to see if he would. There's some people who are 00:41:59.969 --> 00:42:02.010 like I've worked so hard for this or this was 00:42:02.010 --> 00:42:04.929 a promise why would God want me to give back 00:42:04.929 --> 00:42:12.170 I Don't see Abraham asking that And y 'all know 00:42:12.170 --> 00:42:14.750 sometimes I will speak and more of the loving 00:42:14.750 --> 00:42:17.969 coddling But today isn't one of those days because 00:42:17.969 --> 00:42:19.809 there are some people who you need to hear this 00:42:19.809 --> 00:42:23.010 straight up You need to start asking yourself 00:42:23.010 --> 00:42:30.000 these questions What are your excuses What are 00:42:30.000 --> 00:42:32.340 you actually hoping to get out of being a Christian? 00:42:36.079 --> 00:42:41.159 Do you want to be used by God? Do you want to 00:42:41.159 --> 00:42:46.500 be blessed to be a blessing to others? I'm gonna 00:42:46.500 --> 00:42:48.940 reiterate what I said earlier. You can go to 00:42:48.940 --> 00:42:53.980 heaven and not give, but your refusal to give, 00:42:54.380 --> 00:43:00.949 your refusal to sow, Is not allowing you to be 00:43:00.949 --> 00:43:02.969 a blessing to other people in ways that God would 00:43:02.969 --> 00:43:07.750 love to use you Maybe preventing God from sowing 00:43:07.750 --> 00:43:09.809 into you the ways that he wants to sow into you 00:43:09.809 --> 00:43:13.269 He's capable of it, but he he needs your obedience. 00:43:13.369 --> 00:43:17.590 He needs your willingness He needs your openness 00:43:17.590 --> 00:43:23.750 And someone needs to hear today you need to start 00:43:23.750 --> 00:43:26.429 trusting that God is the provider that he is 00:43:26.429 --> 00:43:30.300 if you believe that the bible is the living breathing 00:43:30.300 --> 00:43:35.780 word of god if you believe that god is true like 00:43:35.780 --> 00:43:38.000 if you believe that he is not going to contradict 00:43:38.000 --> 00:43:40.559 himself you believe that what you read is true 00:43:40.559 --> 00:43:42.179 then you should be believing that god is going 00:43:42.179 --> 00:43:46.139 to provide all your needs i believe it's philippians 00:43:46.139 --> 00:43:49.019 419 sorry y 'all i'm going off of memory and 00:43:49.019 --> 00:43:51.139 my god will provide your needs according to his 00:43:51.139 --> 00:43:53.940 riches and glory on christ jesus all right said 00:43:53.940 --> 00:43:56.119 in second corinthians we're going back to this 00:43:56.119 --> 00:44:00.559 y 'all chapter nine Where it says that and God 00:44:00.559 --> 00:44:03.800 is able to make every grace overflow to you So 00:44:03.800 --> 00:44:06.239 that in every way always having everything you 00:44:06.239 --> 00:44:09.139 need you may excel in every good work And I want 00:44:09.139 --> 00:44:12.300 to ask you all this in the most loving space 00:44:12.300 --> 00:44:14.699 Because someone needs to be asked this question 00:44:14.699 --> 00:44:19.199 today. Why is it when God gives you? when God 00:44:19.199 --> 00:44:24.039 calls you gives you a Request when he says I 00:44:24.039 --> 00:44:27.960 want you to sow this seed I want you to do this 00:44:27.960 --> 00:44:31.039 thing. You don't out of fear that he won't provide 00:44:31.039 --> 00:44:33.639 you do it out of fear of survival You do it out 00:44:33.639 --> 00:44:37.340 of fear that you won't have enough There are 00:44:37.340 --> 00:44:40.260 times when I wasn't a cheerful giver when I gave 00:44:40.260 --> 00:44:42.780 but I gave begrudgingly at times when I felt 00:44:42.780 --> 00:44:44.400 like I didn't have enough in my bank account 00:44:44.400 --> 00:44:46.739 when I was already when I Felt like okay, maybe 00:44:46.739 --> 00:44:50.179 I have enough but if God calls me to give I'm 00:44:50.179 --> 00:44:53.119 not gonna have enough for my stuff and God would 00:44:53.119 --> 00:44:56.420 call me to give And I would wrestle with it and 00:44:56.420 --> 00:44:59.079 because I hate to be disobedient. I'm not trying 00:44:59.079 --> 00:45:01.420 to live disobedient I would eventually submit 00:45:01.420 --> 00:45:04.199 to that God calls me to do it. I'm gonna do it. 00:45:04.199 --> 00:45:06.820 I was doing it begrudgingly I wasn't doing it 00:45:06.820 --> 00:45:09.039 from a joyful place. I was doing it of a place 00:45:09.039 --> 00:45:13.260 of like Sucks like why do I have to do this? 00:45:13.260 --> 00:45:16.860 Like I was complaining the whole time and I and 00:45:16.860 --> 00:45:19.139 I want to lovingly say this God would probably 00:45:19.139 --> 00:45:23.530 and Lord forgive me For the way I feel like I'm 00:45:23.530 --> 00:45:25.230 about to word this but there are some people 00:45:25.230 --> 00:45:27.989 who give But then they complain about giving 00:45:27.989 --> 00:45:30.909 the entire time There are some people who they'll 00:45:30.909 --> 00:45:32.730 sow a seed or they'll do something but they do 00:45:32.730 --> 00:45:34.409 it because they expect something back whether 00:45:34.409 --> 00:45:36.909 it's reward or recognition or they'll complain 00:45:36.909 --> 00:45:38.789 or they'll talk about how much of a hard space 00:45:38.789 --> 00:45:40.469 they're in the entire time or they'll talk about 00:45:40.469 --> 00:45:42.469 how much it hurt them or how much implicated 00:45:42.469 --> 00:45:43.909 them or they'll try to make it look like they're 00:45:43.909 --> 00:45:48.469 so good and they're all this God called for a 00:45:48.469 --> 00:45:52.690 cheerful giver Not a complaining, chauvinistic, 00:45:52.849 --> 00:45:56.230 prideful giver. And there have been times when 00:45:56.230 --> 00:45:59.010 I was about to sow begrudgingly when I actually 00:45:59.010 --> 00:46:01.130 felt the Holy Spirit kind of stop me. And what 00:46:01.130 --> 00:46:02.829 would be coming to mind would be God would rather 00:46:02.829 --> 00:46:05.809 you not do it at all. He would rather you not 00:46:05.809 --> 00:46:08.469 do it at all than do it with the attitude you're 00:46:08.469 --> 00:46:10.809 doing it with. Because God called for a cheerful 00:46:10.809 --> 00:46:13.449 giver. God would rather you not do it than do 00:46:13.449 --> 00:46:15.889 it and hold it over someone's head. God would 00:46:15.889 --> 00:46:18.039 rather you not do it and keep your mouth shut 00:46:18.039 --> 00:46:20.519 then do it and try to show around for pride for 00:46:20.519 --> 00:46:23.039 ego and I feel like someone needs to hear that 00:46:23.039 --> 00:46:25.000 today the space you do it from is important your 00:46:25.000 --> 00:46:27.320 heart position is important there have been times 00:46:27.320 --> 00:46:28.900 when people have like helped me with something 00:46:28.900 --> 00:46:30.800 or sowed into me and then they complained the 00:46:30.800 --> 00:46:32.900 entire time and the next time they offered to 00:46:32.900 --> 00:46:35.239 I told them no thank you when they would try 00:46:35.239 --> 00:46:36.800 to give me something and I would say no thank 00:46:36.800 --> 00:46:38.949 you because last time you did it you complained 00:46:38.949 --> 00:46:41.030 about it the whole time or you made me feel guilty 00:46:41.030 --> 00:46:42.750 or you made me feel this way so i would rather 00:46:42.750 --> 00:46:44.710 have nothing in trusting god's provision from 00:46:44.710 --> 00:46:47.949 somewhere else than to receive provision and 00:46:47.949 --> 00:46:52.190 hear all of this someone may need to hear this 00:46:52.190 --> 00:46:55.449 today check your heart position okay where is 00:46:55.449 --> 00:46:58.699 your heart out when you are giving But I want 00:46:58.699 --> 00:47:00.920 to go back to this the faithfulness There are 00:47:00.920 --> 00:47:02.800 people who don't so because they aren't really 00:47:02.800 --> 00:47:04.820 trusting that God is going to provide in his 00:47:04.820 --> 00:47:09.079 word How many times is he the provider? In Scripture 00:47:09.079 --> 00:47:11.699 how many times is whatever you're lacking. He 00:47:11.699 --> 00:47:14.400 will provide your needs So if God is telling 00:47:14.400 --> 00:47:18.699 you so these $20 so this $200 so this $2 ,000 00:47:18.699 --> 00:47:22.539 so this $200 ,000 and Your mind immediately goes 00:47:22.539 --> 00:47:27.809 to what about me? I challenge you to remind yourself 00:47:27.809 --> 00:47:31.909 that God cares about you too. And when you give 00:47:31.909 --> 00:47:33.909 faithfully, he's going to make sure you have 00:47:33.909 --> 00:47:36.510 what you need. That is not prosperity gospel. 00:47:36.889 --> 00:47:41.570 That is the word of God. And again, there are 00:47:41.570 --> 00:47:43.690 a lot of people who the second they hear conversations 00:47:43.690 --> 00:47:45.949 about tithing, they write it off because they're 00:47:45.949 --> 00:47:47.710 like, Oh, prosperity gospel. No, this is the 00:47:47.710 --> 00:47:53.369 word of God. Nowhere today am I saying that you 00:47:53.369 --> 00:47:55.690 sow $2 ,000, God can give you $2 million. I'm 00:47:55.690 --> 00:47:59.949 not saying that. I will say this, this is something 00:47:59.949 --> 00:48:02.409 that does in you. Every time I have sowed a seed, 00:48:02.489 --> 00:48:05.110 it keeps me humble. It keeps me reminded of how 00:48:05.110 --> 00:48:08.010 much bigger God is than me. And every time he 00:48:08.010 --> 00:48:10.489 provides for me in ways that make no sense, I'm 00:48:10.489 --> 00:48:12.269 reminded of just how much he can create that 00:48:12.269 --> 00:48:15.130 I can't create. Just how much he can do that 00:48:15.130 --> 00:48:20.829 I can't do. I'm telling y 'all today. That I 00:48:20.829 --> 00:48:25.250 have seen God do so much in me Like he has opened 00:48:25.250 --> 00:48:28.690 up my heart and ways I didn't think possible 00:48:28.690 --> 00:48:31.730 Through giving and I believe someone needs to 00:48:31.730 --> 00:48:34.070 hear this today, too. It's not all about giving 00:48:34.070 --> 00:48:37.329 your money. You can also give your time When 00:48:37.329 --> 00:48:40.170 I first came back to Indiana from California 00:48:40.170 --> 00:48:42.329 and was in that position of I didn't have an 00:48:42.329 --> 00:48:46.289 income I didn't have any money to give I Still 00:48:46.289 --> 00:48:49.900 felt like I needed to give And when I was taking 00:48:49.900 --> 00:48:51.699 it to the Lord, I felt him highlight to me. I 00:48:51.699 --> 00:48:55.679 had free time to give. And of course that time 00:48:55.679 --> 00:48:59.159 was through scripture and prayer reading. But 00:48:59.159 --> 00:49:01.219 he started leading me to volunteer and it was 00:49:01.219 --> 00:49:03.199 a church I attended before the one I attend now. 00:49:03.579 --> 00:49:05.380 And it was like around holidays and they needed 00:49:05.380 --> 00:49:07.260 help with decorating and they needed help with 00:49:07.260 --> 00:49:08.940 setup and they would be putting out, you know, 00:49:09.480 --> 00:49:10.880 just things saying, hey, if anyone would like 00:49:10.880 --> 00:49:14.440 to volunteer, please show up. And I had the free 00:49:14.440 --> 00:49:18.000 time. And although I probably would have rather 00:49:18.000 --> 00:49:21.119 stayed home, and there were like productive things 00:49:21.119 --> 00:49:23.159 I could have found to do with that time, I felt 00:49:23.159 --> 00:49:26.019 convicted to sow my time there, help decorate, 00:49:26.199 --> 00:49:28.320 help do these things. Other people who are at 00:49:28.320 --> 00:49:31.579 work are able here to do it, are able to be here 00:49:31.579 --> 00:49:37.920 and do it. I am. So help where I can help. And 00:49:37.920 --> 00:49:41.860 I sowed my seeds in that way. God was also at 00:49:41.860 --> 00:49:43.519 that time leading me to talk to other people 00:49:43.519 --> 00:49:45.599 about Jesus and talk about transformation and 00:49:45.869 --> 00:49:48.650 Was sowing seeds in that way when I didn't have 00:49:48.650 --> 00:49:50.809 the money when I didn't have the income I did 00:49:50.809 --> 00:49:54.429 have the time and Y 'all when you take it to 00:49:54.429 --> 00:49:56.449 the Lord and pray or he might say I'm not asking 00:49:56.449 --> 00:49:58.170 you to donate your money I'm asking you donate 00:49:58.170 --> 00:50:00.230 your time God right now might be calling you 00:50:00.230 --> 00:50:04.929 to a season of volunteering God might be calling 00:50:04.929 --> 00:50:07.369 you to a season of you know sowing seeds with 00:50:07.369 --> 00:50:09.829 your time What can you do to help and it's not 00:50:09.829 --> 00:50:14.719 always just at your church? Maybe there's someone, 00:50:14.739 --> 00:50:16.659 you know, that's sick that needs help around 00:50:16.659 --> 00:50:18.880 the house and that is who God is leading you 00:50:18.880 --> 00:50:21.360 to go and offer Hey, do you need help with your 00:50:21.360 --> 00:50:23.440 dishes? Do you need help taking your trash out? 00:50:25.260 --> 00:50:29.039 There's an extra shift to pick up Where they're 00:50:29.039 --> 00:50:32.659 needing someone you take that to the Lord. I 00:50:32.659 --> 00:50:36.880 Don't know what it is And that's why I'm telling 00:50:36.880 --> 00:50:41.900 y 'all and that's why in Scripture it says What 00:50:41.900 --> 00:50:43.820 you and your heart decide when you take it to 00:50:43.820 --> 00:50:47.699 the Lord and he is helping you to determine to 00:50:47.699 --> 00:50:49.860 decide right now We're doing an initiative and 00:50:49.860 --> 00:50:51.840 this was another story that our pastor shared 00:50:51.840 --> 00:50:54.000 with us at one of our services because we're 00:50:54.000 --> 00:50:58.300 doing an initiative right on like Money is to 00:50:58.300 --> 00:51:00.619 help kind of bring in money to be able to renovate 00:51:00.619 --> 00:51:02.900 and expand and there was an intern I guess at 00:51:02.900 --> 00:51:04.639 our church. This is the story of pastor told 00:51:04.639 --> 00:51:07.099 so I'm just telling the story from what he told 00:51:07.099 --> 00:51:10.380 us That you know like they they obviously like 00:51:10.380 --> 00:51:12.199 they're younger They don't have a ton of money 00:51:12.199 --> 00:51:14.820 from my understanding at least like to sew but 00:51:14.820 --> 00:51:18.360 they were praying about like how much God was 00:51:18.360 --> 00:51:21.280 guiding them to sew and They felt like God was 00:51:21.280 --> 00:51:23.599 guiding them to cancel a subscription I believe 00:51:23.599 --> 00:51:26.400 it was an Amazon subscription a $20 a month Amazon 00:51:26.400 --> 00:51:28.360 subscription and that money that would usually 00:51:28.360 --> 00:51:31.480 go to that $20 a month Amazon subscription is 00:51:31.480 --> 00:51:40.409 now going to the initiative $20 and God prompted 00:51:40.409 --> 00:51:43.510 them cancel this subscription service and so 00:51:43.510 --> 00:51:46.670 it in here and that might be instructions that 00:51:46.670 --> 00:51:49.349 God gives you Cancel something and the money 00:51:49.349 --> 00:51:53.429 that you'd invest in that invest here Or something 00:51:53.429 --> 00:51:55.409 that you used to be doing with your time that 00:51:55.409 --> 00:51:56.849 you're like well I don't have the time to volunteer 00:51:56.849 --> 00:51:58.769 I don't have the time to do this Maybe God is 00:51:58.769 --> 00:52:01.570 saying stop stop wasting your time invest stop 00:52:01.570 --> 00:52:03.929 investing all your time in that thing and the 00:52:03.929 --> 00:52:06.349 time that you would invest in that do it here 00:52:07.460 --> 00:52:11.119 When I it was really hard for me y 'all to like 00:52:11.119 --> 00:52:13.360 invest a lot of my time my first fruits in the 00:52:13.360 --> 00:52:15.599 morning with the ward Because at first is waking 00:52:15.599 --> 00:52:17.739 up extra early to be able to fit the other things 00:52:17.739 --> 00:52:19.880 in and eventually the word started highlighting 00:52:19.880 --> 00:52:22.400 a couple things in my morning routine I didn't 00:52:22.400 --> 00:52:24.860 need to do that. We're taking extra time for 00:52:24.860 --> 00:52:27.590 example curling my hair I have naturally like 00:52:27.590 --> 00:52:30.329 kind of curly wavy hair, but it doesn't look 00:52:30.329 --> 00:52:33.510 like the styled kind of curly wavy. So I would 00:52:33.510 --> 00:52:35.349 take an extra 15 -20 minutes in the morning to 00:52:35.349 --> 00:52:37.989 do that. But when I would find myself doing that, 00:52:38.329 --> 00:52:40.289 I wouldn't have much time to read scripture, 00:52:40.489 --> 00:52:42.570 and I would have to make myself wake up early. 00:52:42.650 --> 00:52:44.570 And it was hard for me to consistently wake up 00:52:44.570 --> 00:52:46.590 earlier than I already do, because I wake up 00:52:46.590 --> 00:52:50.769 pretty early. The Lord started leading me to, 00:52:50.789 --> 00:52:54.090 fun fact, I actually curl my hair before bed. 00:52:54.760 --> 00:52:58.239 I'll do my curls at night and in the morning 00:52:58.239 --> 00:53:00.079 I wake up they actually kind of have like a perfect 00:53:00.079 --> 00:53:03.360 like bounce bouncy wave that I like where I actually 00:53:03.360 --> 00:53:06.320 prefer the look of it over like the just -done 00:53:06.320 --> 00:53:10.480 curls and that 15 -20 minutes that I used to 00:53:10.480 --> 00:53:15.019 use with that I was able to wake up at my normal 00:53:15.019 --> 00:53:19.219 time and that 15 or 20 minutes I used to invest 00:53:19.219 --> 00:53:22.019 in my doing my hair has now been invested in 00:53:22.019 --> 00:53:25.949 Bible reading time and prayer. And I'm able to 00:53:25.949 --> 00:53:28.510 get in like in all my work days when I still 00:53:28.510 --> 00:53:29.889 have to make my lunch in the morning And I have 00:53:29.889 --> 00:53:32.750 to do all that stuff I'm still able to get at 00:53:32.750 --> 00:53:35.849 least like 20 minutes in a prayer and Bible reading 00:53:35.849 --> 00:53:41.969 with the Lord And that was through my Taking 00:53:41.969 --> 00:53:43.710 it to God and saying these are the problems I'm 00:53:43.710 --> 00:53:46.070 running into I don't feel like I have the time 00:53:46.070 --> 00:53:48.909 and then obeying God and denying the flesh the 00:53:48.909 --> 00:53:54.000 time was there And I'll be so for real that in 00:53:54.000 --> 00:53:56.760 order for y 'all to type God may tell you you 00:53:56.760 --> 00:54:00.079 need to cancel a subscription You need to stop 00:54:00.079 --> 00:54:02.420 investing in this you need to stop spending time 00:54:02.420 --> 00:54:04.239 doing this one of the big ones the Lord called 00:54:04.239 --> 00:54:06.639 me to is like when he said when I was led to 00:54:06.639 --> 00:54:08.420 start focusing doing at least an hour prayer 00:54:08.420 --> 00:54:11.039 every day I was convicted that I had to start 00:54:11.039 --> 00:54:13.920 putting aside the mindless scrolling time that 00:54:13.920 --> 00:54:17.579 I used to call my decompression time and Prayer 00:54:17.579 --> 00:54:20.900 became my decompression time Glory be to God 00:54:22.929 --> 00:54:25.469 This walk with Christ is also about denying the 00:54:25.469 --> 00:54:27.530 flesh to be used by God be willing to deny the 00:54:27.530 --> 00:54:33.530 flesh And I pray that this is speaking to somebody 00:54:33.530 --> 00:54:35.610 today and I do believe it is I do believe that 00:54:35.610 --> 00:54:38.590 the Lord is going to use this In a lot of different 00:54:38.590 --> 00:54:40.849 ways for a lot of different people and in on 00:54:40.849 --> 00:54:43.449 all honesty all this isn't my favorite topic 00:54:43.449 --> 00:54:46.730 I Have a lot to talk about on it and God has 00:54:46.730 --> 00:54:48.909 blessed me exceedingly and abundantly. I know 00:54:48.909 --> 00:54:51.699 that not many people like this topic I know that 00:54:51.699 --> 00:54:53.059 not a lot of people probably want to listen to 00:54:53.059 --> 00:54:54.199 this. Y 'all know how many people are probably 00:54:54.199 --> 00:54:55.780 going to click off and not even get to this point 00:54:55.780 --> 00:55:00.559 in the podcast. And honestly, this episode, I 00:55:00.559 --> 00:55:02.539 feel kind of spotty with it. Like it doesn't 00:55:02.539 --> 00:55:07.320 feel so structured. But I know God is going to 00:55:07.320 --> 00:55:10.059 speak to someone through this. I know he's speaking 00:55:10.059 --> 00:55:16.880 through my personal testimony. I don't know, 00:55:17.059 --> 00:55:19.159 there's so much more that we could be covering 00:55:19.159 --> 00:55:23.460 in this. This is just scratching the surface 00:55:23.460 --> 00:55:26.940 But it's so important for me to share with y 00:55:26.940 --> 00:55:31.480 'all What tithing and what giving has done in 00:55:31.480 --> 00:55:36.159 my life and When I tell y 'all God I have seen 00:55:36.159 --> 00:55:40.809 moves of God. I I have seen There was there is 00:55:40.809 --> 00:55:42.889 this thing y 'all that had been a thorn in my 00:55:42.889 --> 00:55:44.829 side if y 'all listen back to my episode thorns 00:55:44.829 --> 00:55:47.610 I was very vulnerable about how finances were 00:55:47.610 --> 00:55:49.369 a thorn for a very long time for me But kept 00:55:49.369 --> 00:55:51.670 me going to the Lord and there was something 00:55:51.670 --> 00:55:55.710 that needed to be fixed and I Was not able to 00:55:55.710 --> 00:55:57.769 get it fixed for over a year and a half Like 00:55:57.769 --> 00:55:59.869 I've been weighing a year and a half to have 00:55:59.869 --> 00:56:02.869 the finances and to be able to fix it Because 00:56:02.869 --> 00:56:04.969 it wasn't one where it was like I could even 00:56:04.969 --> 00:56:07.480 save up a paycheck or two. It was that had to 00:56:07.480 --> 00:56:14.199 have exceedingly and abundantly and I Truly with 00:56:14.199 --> 00:56:19.219 my whole heart believe that my consistency and 00:56:19.219 --> 00:56:23.079 tithing Led me to this point because what tithing 00:56:23.079 --> 00:56:25.440 did for me all how I talked about how it does 00:56:25.440 --> 00:56:28.920 a lot in you is Consistently tithing and giving 00:56:28.920 --> 00:56:31.619 even in times when it kind of hurts has gotten 00:56:31.619 --> 00:56:35.059 me in like an open -handed position As soon as 00:56:35.059 --> 00:56:37.179 my paycheck comes in, y 'all, I'm immediately 00:56:37.179 --> 00:56:39.599 sewing it. So I don't really even have time to 00:56:39.599 --> 00:56:44.320 close my hands. They're open. They're open. And 00:56:44.320 --> 00:56:46.699 the version of me in the past was not like that. 00:56:46.719 --> 00:56:48.300 And I was someone who I would say, well, I'm 00:56:48.300 --> 00:56:50.440 saving money for this thing. And when I would 00:56:50.440 --> 00:56:52.639 finally have the money, I wouldn't want to spend 00:56:52.639 --> 00:56:54.519 the money. And I'd be like, well, actually, now 00:56:54.519 --> 00:56:56.039 I just want to hoard the money. I want to save 00:56:56.039 --> 00:56:59.239 it and keep it to myself for something else. 00:56:59.239 --> 00:57:01.079 Or I want to spend it in this. And then I would 00:57:01.079 --> 00:57:04.519 end up blowing the money. and not having that 00:57:04.519 --> 00:57:07.780 thing taken care of and oh my gosh it was the 00:57:07.780 --> 00:57:10.739 worst cycle and what tithing has done for me 00:57:10.739 --> 00:57:13.139 is it has literally kept me in a heart posture 00:57:13.139 --> 00:57:15.820 of like that open -handed where i'm not closing 00:57:15.820 --> 00:57:17.780 as soon as something comes in i'm like okay god 00:57:17.780 --> 00:57:19.440 how can i give this where do you want me to give 00:57:19.440 --> 00:57:21.460 it what do you want me to do with it of course 00:57:21.460 --> 00:57:26.400 i god make sure i have i have everything i need 00:57:26.400 --> 00:57:31.719 i actually bummed back to y 'all I used to have 00:57:31.719 --> 00:57:35.940 higher paying jobs higher paying things But I 00:57:35.940 --> 00:57:38.300 actually invest more in quality things now and 00:57:38.300 --> 00:57:40.260 feel like I have more quality things now than 00:57:40.260 --> 00:57:43.760 I did then It's kind of crazy like my skincare 00:57:43.760 --> 00:57:46.139 my hair care things. I used to cheap out on I'm 00:57:46.139 --> 00:57:51.420 like no, I'm investing now God provides and he 00:57:51.420 --> 00:57:53.400 makes a way for me to have all those things and 00:57:53.400 --> 00:57:58.860 do all those things right, but like The consistent 00:57:58.860 --> 00:58:01.119 giving that I'm in keeps me in that space of 00:58:01.119 --> 00:58:04.159 I can't be the Israelites with the manna How 00:58:04.159 --> 00:58:05.820 God told him don't store it up and they would 00:58:05.820 --> 00:58:08.659 store it up anyway that used to mean me and Then 00:58:08.659 --> 00:58:10.260 I would get bit in the butt every time I did 00:58:10.260 --> 00:58:13.000 it and I know I'm talking to someone today. That's 00:58:13.000 --> 00:58:17.440 probably doing that too And what tithing has 00:58:17.440 --> 00:58:20.400 done keeping me in the open -handed space was 00:58:20.400 --> 00:58:24.260 there was something that happened I was like, 00:58:24.460 --> 00:58:27.219 okay, I can't you know, I was really heavily 00:58:27.219 --> 00:58:29.119 taken to Lord and saying Lord I can't keep putting 00:58:29.119 --> 00:58:32.579 off getting like this fix This thing that needs 00:58:32.579 --> 00:58:35.380 fixed I know we've been able to like put it off 00:58:35.380 --> 00:58:37.119 the past like year and a half It can no longer 00:58:37.119 --> 00:58:39.300 be put off anymore. Like the complications are 00:58:39.300 --> 00:58:40.739 getting too much We can't continue to put it 00:58:40.739 --> 00:58:42.940 off And like I want to be so clear that the past 00:58:42.940 --> 00:58:45.039 year and a half putting it off Wasn't it was 00:58:45.039 --> 00:58:47.219 a thing of waiting on God to give me the green 00:58:47.219 --> 00:58:48.699 light because every time I'd be like God is it 00:58:48.699 --> 00:58:51.039 time? God can we have the provision? What do 00:58:51.039 --> 00:58:52.880 I need to do to get the provision? I was ready 00:58:54.059 --> 00:58:56.480 Like but I I really felt like God saying it's 00:58:56.480 --> 00:58:58.900 not the time yet There will be a time for it 00:58:58.900 --> 00:59:00.920 and when the time comes I will provide everything 00:59:00.920 --> 00:59:03.420 you need to get it done So this taught me a lot 00:59:03.420 --> 00:59:06.019 of patience past year and a half y 'all waiting 00:59:06.019 --> 00:59:08.400 on it taught me a lot of patience It was a thorn 00:59:08.400 --> 00:59:10.599 in my side. I had to say no to a lot of stuff 00:59:10.599 --> 00:59:13.239 that I would like to say yes to I know that was 00:59:13.239 --> 00:59:20.599 God's timing too and Eventually You know, I've 00:59:20.599 --> 00:59:22.360 been going through my tithing been going through 00:59:22.360 --> 00:59:24.960 just that surrendering God had been doing a thing 00:59:24.960 --> 00:59:28.460 in me where when he gave me Instructions and 00:59:28.460 --> 00:59:30.219 an idea of what to do with the money. It was 00:59:30.219 --> 00:59:32.300 no wonker even like a begrudging It was like 00:59:32.300 --> 00:59:35.579 okay. This is what it's for and I believe that 00:59:35.579 --> 00:59:37.880 God didn't want to give me the provision to take 00:59:37.880 --> 00:59:39.960 care of this thing until it was ready to be taken 00:59:39.960 --> 00:59:41.480 care of so he can make sure that's what I did 00:59:41.480 --> 00:59:44.460 with it and So I could also have this testimony 00:59:44.460 --> 00:59:50.500 but he brought the provision out of like It was 00:59:50.500 --> 00:59:55.599 a thing where I I got like Tripled the amount 00:59:55.599 --> 00:59:59.059 or I would even say more than triple Then I was 00:59:59.059 --> 01:00:00.719 expecting to get like there was just something 01:00:00.719 --> 01:00:02.900 I was doing in my daily life where I expected 01:00:02.900 --> 01:00:06.880 to get a little bit of money and return and it 01:00:06.880 --> 01:00:09.800 was like an amount that I was like, are you serious 01:00:09.800 --> 01:00:15.940 and God provided now say the thing is though 01:00:15.940 --> 01:00:18.980 is God told me you have to wait on it to come 01:00:20.440 --> 01:00:22.800 Because in the time period for that provision 01:00:22.800 --> 01:00:26.000 to come y 'all God helped me. I don't know how 01:00:26.000 --> 01:00:28.900 Like I know how I guess if I go through all the 01:00:28.900 --> 01:00:30.820 steps, but it's just crazy how quickly he was 01:00:30.820 --> 01:00:35.039 able to do it Help me to save all the money I 01:00:35.039 --> 01:00:38.239 needed where I actually had more saved up than 01:00:38.239 --> 01:00:40.900 that That was coming in and when I had all that 01:00:40.900 --> 01:00:42.159 saved up. There's a part of me that was like, 01:00:42.159 --> 01:00:43.699 okay Let's go take care of it now. I want to 01:00:43.699 --> 01:00:46.440 take care of it now. Let's do it right now And 01:00:46.440 --> 01:00:49.210 I really felt the Lord saying no That isn't what 01:00:49.210 --> 01:00:53.289 I want you to do with this. Save this. If there's 01:00:53.289 --> 01:00:54.929 anything you need to do with it, you'll know. 01:00:55.769 --> 01:00:58.329 The money that's coming in is the money I want 01:00:58.329 --> 01:01:02.050 you to dedicate to fixing that thing. And that 01:01:02.050 --> 01:01:03.309 was the first time where I was like, oh, wait, 01:01:03.329 --> 01:01:05.349 Lord, you're calling me to like, just to not 01:01:05.349 --> 01:01:07.789 clutch my pearls, not clutch onto it. Because 01:01:07.789 --> 01:01:09.469 during that time, there was a couple of things 01:01:09.469 --> 01:01:11.949 that like, I felt the Lord leading me to like 01:01:11.949 --> 01:01:14.230 spend money on. I was like, but this isn't a 01:01:14.230 --> 01:01:16.309 necessity. Do I really need it? And I felt the 01:01:16.309 --> 01:01:19.079 Lord say like, just trust. Just invest in this 01:01:19.079 --> 01:01:21.440 and i'm really happy I did glory be to god. He's 01:01:21.440 --> 01:01:26.099 a girl dad 100 So even when I was like saving 01:01:26.099 --> 01:01:28.519 not investing it in that I wasn't still tight 01:01:28.519 --> 01:01:30.579 -handed I was still being willing to spend when 01:01:30.579 --> 01:01:33.079 god was leading me to spend and that's hard for 01:01:33.079 --> 01:01:34.820 someone who used to be in the Survival mode and 01:01:34.820 --> 01:01:37.480 the survival mindset y 'all But we pushed through 01:01:37.480 --> 01:01:38.900 it. We got through that the lord has been working 01:01:38.900 --> 01:01:41.400 me through that but by the time that provision 01:01:41.400 --> 01:01:45.630 came in The I was already like, okay god Where 01:01:45.630 --> 01:01:47.170 do I need to schedule the appointment out to 01:01:47.170 --> 01:01:48.670 get this taken care of to get this fixed? Where 01:01:48.670 --> 01:01:50.829 are we gonna do? And it was the very next day 01:01:50.829 --> 01:01:55.369 and I felt the Lord say like, girl, I'll tell 01:01:55.369 --> 01:01:57.010 you, I'll tell you. And it was literally the 01:01:57.010 --> 01:02:00.769 very next day when I was getting ready to get 01:02:00.769 --> 01:02:02.730 in my car and drive home from something where 01:02:02.730 --> 01:02:04.869 I felt the Lord say now's the time, call this 01:02:04.869 --> 01:02:07.469 place. I called that place they got me in, everything 01:02:07.469 --> 01:02:09.789 fixed. The thorn in my side I had been dealing 01:02:09.789 --> 01:02:13.380 with for a year and a half was gone. And I'm 01:02:13.380 --> 01:02:16.440 telling y 'all right now that me two years ago 01:02:16.440 --> 01:02:19.059 without the consistent practice of tithing and 01:02:19.059 --> 01:02:22.019 giving, shifting my heart placement would not 01:02:22.019 --> 01:02:26.260 have handled that money like I did. Would not 01:02:26.260 --> 01:02:29.909 have handled that money like I handled it. Would 01:02:29.909 --> 01:02:31.989 not have been willing to just go invest it in 01:02:31.989 --> 01:02:33.809 that thing would not have been willing to go 01:02:33.809 --> 01:02:37.050 and save it like lately all the steps I was able 01:02:37.050 --> 01:02:39.210 to take now I would not have been able to take 01:02:39.210 --> 01:02:41.090 back then because I was a person back then who 01:02:41.090 --> 01:02:43.710 would either hit the gas completely too quick 01:02:43.710 --> 01:02:47.789 or hit the brakes completely and I truly believe 01:02:47.789 --> 01:02:51.469 and I truly see how tithing had changed my heart 01:02:51.469 --> 01:02:57.949 had changed me in general and God blessed me 01:02:58.880 --> 01:03:01.539 When he knew I could handle it and that's what 01:03:01.539 --> 01:03:04.019 that tithing didn't mean y 'all is it made me 01:03:04.019 --> 01:03:09.199 willing to do what the fact that It was literally 01:03:09.199 --> 01:03:12.159 that's I go to that place with that appointment 01:03:12.159 --> 01:03:14.719 There's an extra thing that they offer to do 01:03:14.719 --> 01:03:19.179 it was like expensive and I was like look I don't 01:03:19.179 --> 01:03:22.960 have the time and like that We'll do that another 01:03:22.960 --> 01:03:25.559 time and I was ready to go home and that person 01:03:25.559 --> 01:03:27.739 knocked off Like half the price and they're like 01:03:27.739 --> 01:03:30.239 i'll do it for 60 dollars and I was like, okay 01:03:30.239 --> 01:03:32.679 an extra 10 minutes and 60 dollars You know what? 01:03:32.679 --> 01:03:35.679 Let's do it. I I feel prompted I I feel like 01:03:35.679 --> 01:03:37.860 the lord is telling me right now like just now's 01:03:37.860 --> 01:03:40.659 the time just invest just do it And I thought 01:03:40.659 --> 01:03:43.900 he he he laughing myself. I got 60 dollars like 01:03:43.900 --> 01:03:46.820 I saved 60 bucks So as I get home and i'm eating 01:03:46.820 --> 01:03:50.800 my food, I feel led to sew that 60 bucks And 01:03:50.800 --> 01:03:52.579 there was actually a little part of me that was 01:03:52.579 --> 01:03:54.679 wrestling saying but I saved this money like 01:03:54.679 --> 01:03:58.639 a discount And I felt kind of convicted of like 01:03:58.639 --> 01:04:01.059 yeah saved it and now God wants you to do something 01:04:01.059 --> 01:04:04.000 else with it And now I feel peace with it. So 01:04:04.000 --> 01:04:08.380 I hope sharing that helps somebody today Okay, 01:04:08.380 --> 01:04:12.019 like of what tithing and just openly giving and 01:04:12.019 --> 01:04:15.739 consistently giving it does more in you Okay, 01:04:15.840 --> 01:04:18.519 cuz those people that I got that work done like 01:04:18.519 --> 01:04:21.239 I don't know I don't think that $60 discount 01:04:21.239 --> 01:04:23.250 probably made a difference with them But the 01:04:23.250 --> 01:04:25.789 place I led to sew the $60 stream might have 01:04:25.789 --> 01:04:27.889 made a difference for them. And I feel like it 01:04:27.889 --> 01:04:31.550 more made a difference for me, because it was 01:04:31.550 --> 01:04:33.929 a way to keep me humble in that moment. I didn't 01:04:33.929 --> 01:04:36.909 see it, but God saw that I needed humility in 01:04:36.909 --> 01:04:40.550 that moment. I needed to be giving in that moment. 01:04:42.889 --> 01:04:45.670 And I know we started off this episode pretty 01:04:45.670 --> 01:04:50.510 authoritatively. and I hope that me opening up 01:04:50.510 --> 01:04:52.289 and sharing these things with y 'all is more 01:04:52.289 --> 01:04:55.449 helpful for you because I am never and I say 01:04:55.449 --> 01:04:56.989 this from the bottom of my heart because I love 01:04:56.989 --> 01:05:00.230 all y 'all that listen to this podcast like When 01:05:00.230 --> 01:05:02.909 I'm speaking authoritatively with y 'all on things 01:05:02.909 --> 01:05:06.150 and when I'm you know Maybe there's a bit of 01:05:06.150 --> 01:05:09.610 conviction being about what's about when I'm 01:05:09.610 --> 01:05:12.210 speaking I'm speaking from a place of someone 01:05:12.210 --> 01:05:14.389 who's been there done that I'm not speaking from 01:05:14.389 --> 01:05:17.210 a place of like I'm better than you or I'm on 01:05:17.210 --> 01:05:20.769 a higher horse and like I'm judging. I know where 01:05:20.769 --> 01:05:23.849 you're at because I've been there. The reason 01:05:23.849 --> 01:05:29.309 why I'm able to say, you know, the reason why 01:05:29.309 --> 01:05:31.710 I'm able to even ask you guys these questions 01:05:31.710 --> 01:05:35.829 of like, what are your excuses? The reason why 01:05:35.829 --> 01:05:38.289 I know the excuses y 'all are using is because 01:05:38.289 --> 01:05:44.550 I use the same excuses. I'm not saying this from 01:05:44.550 --> 01:05:46.550 a place of like I'm better or I'm judging I'm 01:05:46.550 --> 01:05:49.130 saying this from a position of a sister in Christ 01:05:49.130 --> 01:05:51.769 who has been there who has done that and wants 01:05:51.769 --> 01:05:55.170 to help you stop being there doing that I want 01:05:55.170 --> 01:05:58.449 as many of y 'all to not only be saved but to 01:05:58.449 --> 01:06:03.010 be actively being used by God we have a mission 01:06:03.010 --> 01:06:06.869 here guys and that is to create disciples that 01:06:06.869 --> 01:06:11.139 is to spread the gospel We can't do that if we're 01:06:11.139 --> 01:06:14.380 closed -handed if we're me me me if we're self 01:06:14.380 --> 01:06:16.980 -consumed We have to be willing to deny the flesh. 01:06:17.039 --> 01:06:19.139 We have to be willing to walk by faith We need 01:06:19.139 --> 01:06:21.179 to be willing to do more than the bare minimum 01:06:21.179 --> 01:06:25.739 to get saved Like as we were saying earlier y 01:06:25.739 --> 01:06:28.840 'all Salvation amazing eternal life amazing, 01:06:28.860 --> 01:06:30.719 but there's more to our relationship with Christ 01:06:30.719 --> 01:06:33.599 that we can grab on to and That's what I'm trying 01:06:33.599 --> 01:06:35.860 to encourage you all towards that is what I'm 01:06:35.860 --> 01:06:38.070 trying to push you all towards And sometimes 01:06:38.070 --> 01:06:40.550 it takes a convicting voice. Sometimes it takes 01:06:40.550 --> 01:06:42.349 an authoritative voice. Sometimes it takes someone 01:06:42.349 --> 01:06:48.730 saying, what are your excuses? And instead of 01:06:48.730 --> 01:06:51.210 calling them valid reasons, calling them excuses. 01:06:52.809 --> 01:06:56.110 Because God will make a way. And when we say 01:06:56.110 --> 01:06:59.050 no to his call of obedience, it's not a valid 01:06:59.050 --> 01:07:05.519 reason, it's an excuse. And I just want to stop 01:07:05.519 --> 01:07:07.820 and pray for y 'all. Can we pray for a minute 01:07:07.820 --> 01:07:11.360 like we're gonna pray real quick y 'all Dear 01:07:11.360 --> 01:07:15.719 God heavenly father. Thank you so much Thank 01:07:15.719 --> 01:07:18.119 you so much for those who are listening to this 01:07:18.119 --> 01:07:20.380 episode Lord Thank you for the listeners that 01:07:20.380 --> 01:07:22.579 you brought to this podcast and Lord Thank you 01:07:22.579 --> 01:07:24.239 for everything that you have done in their lives 01:07:24.239 --> 01:07:26.059 up and to this point. Thank you for the open 01:07:26.059 --> 01:07:28.079 doors Thank you for the closed doors. Thank you 01:07:28.079 --> 01:07:30.019 for the lessons. I've been learned and I pray 01:07:30.019 --> 01:07:33.440 dear God heavenly father that you Pour out your 01:07:33.440 --> 01:07:35.559 spirit on each person listening to this episode 01:07:35.559 --> 01:07:37.880 I pray dear God Heavenly Father that each person 01:07:37.880 --> 01:07:40.219 listening to this episode today is given a giving 01:07:40.219 --> 01:07:41.860 heart I prayed your God Heavenly Father that 01:07:41.860 --> 01:07:44.619 you pour conviction out on them. I pray that 01:07:44.619 --> 01:07:47.199 they have a desire to serve you I pray that they 01:07:47.199 --> 01:07:49.079 have a desire to be used by you. I prayed your 01:07:49.079 --> 01:07:51.179 God Heavenly Father that they have open hands 01:07:51.179 --> 01:07:54.260 give them a desire To be a blessing to other 01:07:54.260 --> 01:07:56.239 people give them a desire to serve give them 01:07:56.239 --> 01:07:58.460 a desire to give I pray to your god heavenly 01:07:58.460 --> 01:08:01.500 father that they are able to by your strength 01:08:01.500 --> 01:08:06.199 overcome the fears the anxieties The desire to 01:08:06.199 --> 01:08:08.260 control the fear of a lack of provision I pray 01:08:08.260 --> 01:08:09.880 to your god heavenly father that they overcome 01:08:09.880 --> 01:08:12.599 all of those things through your strength And 01:08:12.599 --> 01:08:15.300 through faith in you, they sow abundantly and 01:08:15.300 --> 01:08:17.479 they reap abundantly. I prayed your god heavenly 01:08:17.479 --> 01:08:20.420 father That they see the goodness of god through 01:08:20.420 --> 01:08:22.520 sowing that they see the goodness of god through 01:08:22.520 --> 01:08:25.119 giving That they see everything that you want 01:08:25.119 --> 01:08:27.060 to do in their lives And I pray dear god heavenly 01:08:27.060 --> 01:08:28.800 father that each and every one of the people 01:08:28.800 --> 01:08:31.399 listening to this episode today Are children 01:08:31.399 --> 01:08:34.539 of god that create disciples and spread the gospel 01:08:34.539 --> 01:08:36.500 and I pray that they start to be used to their 01:08:36.500 --> 01:08:39.239 full capacity I pray that they empty themselves 01:08:39.239 --> 01:08:42.619 out to be poured into by you to pour into others 01:08:42.619 --> 01:08:46.699 in jesus name. I pray amen And I encourage y 01:08:46.699 --> 01:08:50.050 'all to continue praying that to God in your 01:08:50.050 --> 01:08:53.409 private time. Ask God to bless you to be a blessing 01:08:53.409 --> 01:08:56.109 to others. Ask God to give you a giving heart. 01:08:56.449 --> 01:09:00.050 Ask God to give you a heart of service. Ask God 01:09:00.050 --> 01:09:06.289 to give you a heart of obedience. And like don't 01:09:06.289 --> 01:09:08.590 be afraid to reach out to me if y 'all follow 01:09:08.590 --> 01:09:12.810 me on social media. I have my TikTok is pretty 01:09:12.810 --> 01:09:15.329 public. Y 'all you can look up salt not sweetener. 01:09:15.449 --> 01:09:19.770 and find it i have my instagram i have mess it 01:09:19.770 --> 01:09:23.590 like i want to hear about your testimonies about 01:09:23.590 --> 01:09:26.270 sowing seeds leave a comment on this podcast 01:09:26.270 --> 01:09:29.689 you can comment on spotify you can comment on 01:09:29.689 --> 01:09:32.569 youtube i want to hear about your experiences 01:09:32.569 --> 01:09:36.520 of how god has blessed you through giving how 01:09:36.520 --> 01:09:38.899 God has blessed you through tithing. I want to 01:09:38.899 --> 01:09:41.619 hear your stories about how God has moved in 01:09:41.619 --> 01:09:44.020 your life, how you have seen God move in other 01:09:44.020 --> 01:09:46.680 people's lives through tithing and giving. I 01:09:46.680 --> 01:09:50.000 want to hear about how you have seen moves of 01:09:50.000 --> 01:09:53.579 God. And y 'all, I do encourage you wherever 01:09:53.579 --> 01:09:55.880 it is you're listening to this podcast, hit subscribe, 01:09:56.140 --> 01:09:58.000 leave a review. If you're on Spotify, you can 01:09:58.000 --> 01:10:00.359 leave. It takes like 10 seconds. Leave a star 01:10:00.359 --> 01:10:03.069 review. If you're on Apple, if you're on Amazon, 01:10:03.550 --> 01:10:05.869 if you are on YouTube listening to us, hit the 01:10:05.869 --> 01:10:08.829 like button. Share this with someone that you 01:10:08.829 --> 01:10:11.909 feel is needing to hear this. And I will see 01:10:11.909 --> 01:10:15.789 you guys next time. God bless. Bye guys.