WEBVTT 00:00:02.250 --> 00:00:05.250 Welcome to the Life Bible Church podcast. We 00:00:05.250 --> 00:00:07.669 want to thank you for joining us today and we 00:00:07.669 --> 00:00:10.169 hope you find today's sermon impacting as you 00:00:10.169 --> 00:00:12.689 listen to it wherever you are in your daily walk. 00:00:12.949 --> 00:00:15.929 To find service times and watch messages online, 00:00:16.190 --> 00:00:20.109 see our website at lifebiblechurch .org. Now, 00:00:20.129 --> 00:00:25.510 enjoy this week's message. I want us to open 00:00:25.510 --> 00:00:33.240 our Bibles anywhere. Really, honestly, probably 00:00:33.240 --> 00:00:36.799 to 2 Corinthians chapter nine, if you would do 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:39.899 that. 2 Corinthians nine, I'm gonna pray for 00:00:39.899 --> 00:00:41.700 us this morning. Then we're jumping right into 00:00:41.700 --> 00:00:43.399 the message. I got a lot of ground to cover. 00:00:43.740 --> 00:00:47.859 So Father, this morning, I thank you. Thank you 00:00:47.859 --> 00:00:50.039 for what you've already done here in this place. 00:00:50.119 --> 00:00:55.280 Lord, we exalt Jesus. We exalt his name, his 00:00:55.280 --> 00:01:00.439 life, his sacrifice. We exalt the fact that he 00:01:00.439 --> 00:01:03.859 is building his church. He's building each of 00:01:03.859 --> 00:01:08.439 us. And Lord, this morning, we do not step away 00:01:08.439 --> 00:01:12.959 from the light. We run to it. Let the light of 00:01:12.959 --> 00:01:17.900 your truth, Lord, shine on us. And let the Holy 00:01:17.900 --> 00:01:23.760 Spirit, Holy Spirit come and touch us deep in 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:29.109 our heart to respond to you in. a face -to -face 00:01:29.109 --> 00:01:35.629 moment as you stand in and among us seeing the 00:01:35.629 --> 00:01:41.370 fields of our heart. Let all of us this morning 00:01:41.370 --> 00:01:45.329 be ready to hear the Lord of the harvest speak 00:01:45.329 --> 00:01:49.950 over our fields and let our hearts respond with 00:01:49.950 --> 00:01:54.590 joy in saying, yes, Lord, we love you. In Jesus' 00:01:54.670 --> 00:02:00.909 name, amen. Thank you, Jenny. Appreciate it. 00:02:01.989 --> 00:02:07.209 Well, we've had an incredible weekend last week 00:02:07.209 --> 00:02:11.069 with Pastor Tim Karskadon. What a wonderful friend. 00:02:11.169 --> 00:02:14.330 If you didn't get a chance to hear both services. 00:02:14.909 --> 00:02:17.990 Each service was a little different, even though 00:02:17.990 --> 00:02:20.129 there was somewhat of the same theme. I would 00:02:20.129 --> 00:02:23.090 encourage you to get the, I don't think we had 00:02:23.090 --> 00:02:26.310 the video recording because of just not cameras 00:02:26.310 --> 00:02:29.650 and second service, but the audio recording we 00:02:29.650 --> 00:02:32.090 have. And it's very, very good. I just want to 00:02:32.090 --> 00:02:34.270 give you a little bit of recap from what Pastor 00:02:34.270 --> 00:02:37.310 Tim shared, and then we'll build on that this 00:02:37.310 --> 00:02:41.909 morning. The principal, he really came to encourage 00:02:41.909 --> 00:02:46.620 us both in, prophetic word and in the principle 00:02:46.620 --> 00:02:49.780 of the first. As we get ready to receive our 00:02:49.780 --> 00:02:53.159 first fruits commitment this morning, as we do 00:02:53.159 --> 00:02:57.259 that as part of just the atmosphere of causing 00:02:57.259 --> 00:03:01.879 growth inside of us. For me and Jenny, as we've 00:03:01.879 --> 00:03:04.479 been doing this for almost 30 years now, this 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:11.139 becomes really what I look forward to it in the 00:03:11.139 --> 00:03:15.560 spirit. In the flesh, not so much. But in the 00:03:15.560 --> 00:03:18.319 spirit, I look forward to it every year. In fact, 00:03:18.319 --> 00:03:25.979 once I'm done giving of what the Lord asked me 00:03:25.979 --> 00:03:29.520 to commit, then I actually start preparing even 00:03:29.520 --> 00:03:32.080 for the next year. It means that much to me because 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:35.379 I've watched the Lord. speak so many times. It's 00:03:35.379 --> 00:03:38.479 a time of stretching and it's a time of hearing 00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:42.759 his voice. And so it's both a, it's a joy and 00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:45.800 it is a little bit of, okay, Lord, what are you 00:03:45.800 --> 00:03:49.879 saying? And what are you going to do this coming 00:03:49.879 --> 00:03:52.879 year? And that's exciting. Pastor Tim was talking 00:03:52.879 --> 00:03:56.060 about really the principle of the first. And 00:03:56.060 --> 00:03:59.759 he read for us out of really Genesis chapter 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:04.219 four, the the account of Cain and Abel and demonstrated 00:04:04.219 --> 00:04:08.120 that this account not only was the heart of giving 00:04:08.120 --> 00:04:11.819 in each man exposed, but it was the count of 00:04:11.819 --> 00:04:14.939 what revealed the Lord's blessing on the attitude 00:04:14.939 --> 00:04:17.139 of the heart. And that's what he really focused 00:04:17.139 --> 00:04:20.579 on, on Abel giving of his own free will. He did 00:04:20.579 --> 00:04:24.120 not withhold the first and the best of what God 00:04:24.120 --> 00:04:27.759 provided with him. And Abel represents those 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:30.459 who willingly, and I think this was the key that 00:04:30.459 --> 00:04:32.259 he was trying to communicate, for sure, second 00:04:32.259 --> 00:04:36.699 service, willingly and cheerfully what God asked, 00:04:36.759 --> 00:04:40.100 not trying to negotiate with what he thought 00:04:40.100 --> 00:04:45.339 better. Cain represents that latter. He chose 00:04:45.339 --> 00:04:48.899 to give, but he wanted to determine the level 00:04:48.899 --> 00:04:51.800 of his giving rather than responding to what 00:04:51.800 --> 00:04:53.740 the Lord had determined and put on his heart. 00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:58.259 As we continue now to celebrate this truth of 00:04:58.259 --> 00:05:02.540 first fruits, first fruits is the first, the 00:05:02.540 --> 00:05:05.339 first of the fields before we harvest it, which 00:05:05.339 --> 00:05:07.980 means what? It means that we're not giving after 00:05:07.980 --> 00:05:11.279 the fact that it comes in. We're giving and responding 00:05:11.279 --> 00:05:15.139 as before the fields are even harvested. This 00:05:15.139 --> 00:05:19.300 truth of first fruits is further explained really 00:05:19.300 --> 00:05:21.180 all through the scriptures. I was looking at 00:05:21.180 --> 00:05:24.689 something this morning early. And as I was looking 00:05:24.689 --> 00:05:29.110 at it, there are a hundred scriptures. A hundred 00:05:29.110 --> 00:05:33.170 scriptures that deal with the first and the first 00:05:33.170 --> 00:05:36.269 fruits all through the scriptures. It's a major 00:05:36.269 --> 00:05:40.990 theme all through the Bible. But for today, just 00:05:40.990 --> 00:05:44.490 a few things. It's touched in Exodus 23. It's 00:05:44.490 --> 00:05:47.750 touched in Leviticus 23. It's touched in Deuteronomy 00:05:47.750 --> 00:05:51.959 26. And it's connected to 1 Corinthians. 15, 00:05:51.959 --> 00:05:55.379 20, where Jesus, the apostle Paul is telling 00:05:55.379 --> 00:05:59.720 the Corinthian church, Jesus is our first fruits. 00:06:00.040 --> 00:06:04.040 And second Corinthians chapter eight and seven, 00:06:04.139 --> 00:06:07.360 second Corinthians nine, six, where we're gonna 00:06:07.360 --> 00:06:11.079 look at today, it's connected to the principle 00:06:11.079 --> 00:06:15.449 of sowing and reaping. Jesus was sown. And then 00:06:15.449 --> 00:06:18.470 he was reaped and those that follow him will 00:06:18.470 --> 00:06:22.170 receive the same blessing and the same encounter 00:06:22.170 --> 00:06:26.430 of being changed and transformed as he was. It's 00:06:26.430 --> 00:06:28.170 a principle that's all through the scripture. 00:06:29.110 --> 00:06:32.490 Exodus 23, 19, when it talks about bringing our 00:06:32.490 --> 00:06:35.670 first fruits offering is what God asks us to 00:06:35.670 --> 00:06:38.069 do. He said, bring the best of your first fruits. 00:06:38.250 --> 00:06:41.529 You shall bring to the house of your God. Leviticus 00:06:41.529 --> 00:06:45.980 23. Nine through 11 says it this way. When you 00:06:45.980 --> 00:06:50.060 come into the land that I give you, bring a sheaf 00:06:50.060 --> 00:06:53.439 of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest 00:06:53.439 --> 00:06:57.740 and he shall wave it before the Lord. And Deuteronomy 00:06:57.740 --> 00:07:01.139 26 says it this way. When you come into the land 00:07:01.139 --> 00:07:03.600 that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:07.339 and you take possession of it and live in it, 00:07:07.439 --> 00:07:10.939 you shall take some of the first of all the fruit 00:07:10.939 --> 00:07:13.519 of the ground which you will harvest from your 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:15.819 land that the Lord is giving you. You shall put 00:07:15.819 --> 00:07:18.259 it in a basket and you shall go to the place 00:07:18.259 --> 00:07:20.220 that your Lord, your God will choose to make 00:07:20.220 --> 00:07:24.019 his name dwell there. And you shall go to the 00:07:24.019 --> 00:07:27.490 priest. And say to him, I declare that I've come 00:07:27.490 --> 00:07:30.189 into the land that the Lord has swore to give 00:07:30.189 --> 00:07:32.449 us to our fathers. And the priest shall take 00:07:32.449 --> 00:07:34.930 the basket from your hand. It'll set it before 00:07:34.930 --> 00:07:38.329 the altar of the Lord. And now you will say as 00:07:38.329 --> 00:07:41.170 you do that, I bring the first fruit of the ground 00:07:41.170 --> 00:07:44.110 which you have given me. I set it before you, 00:07:44.129 --> 00:07:47.850 O God, and worship the Lord your God. First fruits 00:07:47.850 --> 00:07:52.089 at the very core. What Pastor Tim was saying 00:07:52.089 --> 00:07:55.449 and what the word of God is emphasizing is it 00:07:55.449 --> 00:08:01.509 is a response of worship of his protection, his 00:08:01.509 --> 00:08:07.290 love, his grace, and his ability to give me, 00:08:07.430 --> 00:08:10.829 and I don't mean this just in a natural getting 00:08:10.829 --> 00:08:15.009 things, to expand me and increase me in every 00:08:15.009 --> 00:08:21.250 area. Not just naturally, spiritually. When I 00:08:21.250 --> 00:08:24.230 put down on that card that you have there in 00:08:24.230 --> 00:08:26.550 front of you and it says, what are the harvests 00:08:26.550 --> 00:08:28.870 that you're looking for? I filled it out this 00:08:28.870 --> 00:08:32.990 weekend as I was waiting before the Lord of what 00:08:32.990 --> 00:08:35.149 God was asking Jenny and I to do. And I filled 00:08:35.149 --> 00:08:37.590 it out knowing that I wouldn't have time today 00:08:37.590 --> 00:08:41.149 to do that as I'm teaching. The first three things 00:08:41.149 --> 00:08:45.269 on that card for me were for this church. Before 00:08:45.269 --> 00:08:48.990 it ever hits my life personally, it hits this 00:08:48.990 --> 00:08:53.200 church. Why? Because you're the church. Three 00:08:53.200 --> 00:08:55.639 things that I'm asking for this congregation. 00:08:56.139 --> 00:08:59.840 Three things that I'm asking spiritually. And 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:04.240 you better believe that thing back there is on 00:09:04.240 --> 00:09:10.379 the list. But I am asking, that riverbank issue, 00:09:10.419 --> 00:09:16.210 that was number three. It wasn't the first. I'm 00:09:16.210 --> 00:09:20.009 asking for God to continue to work in this house 00:09:20.009 --> 00:09:24.070 a depth of maturity of the real presence of Christ. 00:09:25.990 --> 00:09:32.289 Why? Because I am sowing into that. Remember, 00:09:32.529 --> 00:09:36.149 in the children of Israel's life, like our life, 00:09:36.330 --> 00:09:41.220 they had a promised land. Their land was a natural 00:09:41.220 --> 00:09:45.039 land. Our land is spiritual first and natural 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:48.019 second. Theirs was natural first and spiritual 00:09:48.019 --> 00:09:52.039 second. Why? Because the Bible says all of the 00:09:52.039 --> 00:09:57.299 promises of God are yes and amen in Jesus. Jesus 00:09:57.299 --> 00:10:01.519 becomes our promised land. I'm not traveling 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:07.259 to some state to get the promise. I am on a journey. 00:10:07.769 --> 00:10:11.450 to have Christ formed in me. He is the result 00:10:11.450 --> 00:10:14.850 of everything that's in the scripture. And I 00:10:14.850 --> 00:10:17.909 am believing him for what he speaks to me and 00:10:17.909 --> 00:10:21.210 speaks over me. Now, for the children of Israel, 00:10:21.250 --> 00:10:23.990 the principle was they could not do that in the 00:10:23.990 --> 00:10:28.059 wilderness. God could. gave them this offering 00:10:28.059 --> 00:10:31.080 way before they ever got into the promised land. 00:10:31.159 --> 00:10:35.120 And they could not operate in it until they stepped 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:39.019 into the land to occupy and possess it. Just 00:10:39.019 --> 00:10:43.840 like you and I. You and I, if we can't grab onto 00:10:43.840 --> 00:10:48.820 this truth, we won't get it in a journey of just 00:10:48.820 --> 00:10:53.120 being bewildered. Why? Because God knew in the 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:55.159 wilderness, even though he was providing for 00:10:55.159 --> 00:11:01.120 them, they would not believe his works. You got 00:11:01.120 --> 00:11:03.080 to read the rest of the Bible to actually get 00:11:03.080 --> 00:11:05.480 the fullness of the story. He said with many 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:07.720 of them, he was not well pleased. The whole book 00:11:07.720 --> 00:11:10.919 of Hebrews says the whole generation missed out 00:11:10.919 --> 00:11:14.440 on God. Why? They would not mingle it with faith. 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:20.220 Meaning what? Faith that remained. How many know 00:11:20.220 --> 00:11:23.840 it's easy to eat manna when it keeps coming down 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:25.820 from the ground and you have no faith for it? 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:30.879 Let me say that again. When manna just appears, 00:11:31.059 --> 00:11:35.799 there's no faith to eat it. It's when you don't 00:11:35.799 --> 00:11:40.740 see it that faith actually is involved. Come 00:11:40.740 --> 00:11:43.809 on, we sang about it this morning. When you don't 00:11:43.809 --> 00:11:47.129 see it and have to believe God and in the belief 00:11:47.129 --> 00:11:50.250 of God, God then comes and manifests himself. 00:11:50.769 --> 00:11:54.169 That's what takes faith. And that moves you from 00:11:54.169 --> 00:11:57.129 a wilderness experience where God does everything 00:11:57.129 --> 00:12:00.909 for you to a what? Promised land experience where 00:12:00.909 --> 00:12:03.929 you are understanding the climate and the atmosphere 00:12:03.929 --> 00:12:07.190 of this land is different than what I was journeying 00:12:07.190 --> 00:12:10.990 in to actually make faith real. Are you there? 00:12:13.139 --> 00:12:16.080 Now, first fruits offering is a covenant offering. 00:12:16.440 --> 00:12:20.480 It can only operate with faith. And that's why 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:25.139 it's an offering of worship connected to a covering. 00:12:25.620 --> 00:12:29.679 One of the things that Moses rehearsed before, 00:12:29.799 --> 00:12:32.440 and this is so important to get, one of the things 00:12:32.440 --> 00:12:35.059 that Moses had to tell the church in the wilderness, 00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:37.659 and that's what the book of Acts calls it, Acts 00:12:37.659 --> 00:12:40.509 chapter seven, Stephen. by the Holy Spirit said 00:12:40.509 --> 00:12:42.970 the church in the wilderness. Why? Because he 00:12:42.970 --> 00:12:46.570 was explaining the reality of it. It was understanding 00:12:46.570 --> 00:12:50.889 God's presence was with them. Moses said to them, 00:12:50.909 --> 00:12:53.210 as they got ready to cross into the promised 00:12:53.210 --> 00:12:55.730 land, as you read the book of Deuteronomy, he 00:12:55.730 --> 00:12:58.049 said, you need to get this because when you come 00:12:58.049 --> 00:13:01.149 into the promised land, and he says, and I'm 00:13:01.149 --> 00:13:03.909 paraphrasing this, but let me read what it says 00:13:03.909 --> 00:13:08.929 in Deuteronomy 8, 17. He said, beware. Lest you 00:13:08.929 --> 00:13:13.049 say in your heart, my power and the might of 00:13:13.049 --> 00:13:17.669 my hand has got me this wealth. That is a reference 00:13:17.669 --> 00:13:23.750 back to Cain. The strength of what I've grown, 00:13:23.970 --> 00:13:27.129 of what I'll put on the altar, God has to respect. 00:13:27.429 --> 00:13:34.230 Why? It came from my labor. No. You shall remember 00:13:34.230 --> 00:13:38.399 that the Lord your God, it is he. who gives you 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:41.840 the power to get wealth, that he may confirm 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:45.340 his covenant that he swore to your fathers as 00:13:45.340 --> 00:13:50.779 it is this day. As it is this day was what? As 00:13:50.779 --> 00:13:54.480 they stood on the precipice of entering into 00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:57.779 the promised land, Moses, the servant of the 00:13:57.779 --> 00:14:02.480 Lord, was reminding them, guys, this ground that 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:05.980 you're entering into, promised land ground, be 00:14:05.980 --> 00:14:09.919 careful. Because you can begin to take the glory 00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:14.379 for it. This is a ground that has to be given 00:14:14.379 --> 00:14:17.879 and what comes from it comes from covenant and 00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:20.860 worship and recognizing it's your relationship 00:14:20.860 --> 00:14:24.360 with him that brings your increase. We can never 00:14:24.360 --> 00:14:30.360 forget that, okay? The first fruits offering 00:14:30.360 --> 00:14:34.759 then is connected to God's desire to grow in 00:14:34.759 --> 00:14:38.129 our trust with him. to become more dependent 00:14:38.129 --> 00:14:41.590 in him in every area, which brings increase. 00:14:41.710 --> 00:14:45.610 If you think about this in relationship to every 00:14:45.610 --> 00:14:49.909 spiritual gift, spiritual grace, spiritual truth, 00:14:50.090 --> 00:14:53.289 I mean the fruits of the spirit, the character 00:14:53.289 --> 00:14:55.950 of Christ in every level, love, forgiveness, 00:14:56.309 --> 00:15:00.620 mercy. Patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, 00:15:00.679 --> 00:15:04.460 having the character of Christ, endurance, right? 00:15:04.539 --> 00:15:07.919 The character and integrity, having just weights 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:11.559 in your heart to have right balance. All of those 00:15:11.559 --> 00:15:16.159 things, if we're growing, we're becoming more 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:22.000 dependent on God working through us. If you're 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:25.549 growing, you're becoming more dependent on his 00:15:25.549 --> 00:15:29.009 word and on his presence to transform you. If 00:15:29.009 --> 00:15:34.649 you're not growing, that speaks for itself, right? 00:15:34.929 --> 00:15:38.210 So what is the key of growing? The key of growing 00:15:38.210 --> 00:15:42.919 is the more we trust and the more we lean. receiving 00:15:42.919 --> 00:15:45.740 from God's word, receiving from his presence, 00:15:45.879 --> 00:15:49.159 receiving and ministering to him in worship and 00:15:49.159 --> 00:15:52.600 all the things that are connected to it in honoring 00:15:52.600 --> 00:15:55.500 God with our life, our speech, our deeds, our 00:15:55.500 --> 00:16:00.080 love, our relationships, all of it. It does what? 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:04.179 It prepares me. Are you ready? For increase. 00:16:06.220 --> 00:16:08.899 Are you saying you're a prosperity preacher? 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:15.960 Well, kinda. Not prosperity in finances only. 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:20.879 Fact is, that's the least of the rungs of prosperity. 00:16:21.740 --> 00:16:27.019 Are you hearing me? Prosperity in finances is 00:16:27.019 --> 00:16:31.659 the first rung on the ladder of increase. It 00:16:31.659 --> 00:16:34.600 is not the highest rung. The highest rung is 00:16:34.600 --> 00:16:39.080 to move in. the grace gifts of God and the character 00:16:39.080 --> 00:16:41.539 of Christ that Christ should be formed in you 00:16:41.539 --> 00:16:45.460 and out of you flow the very nature, words, power, 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:50.000 love, forgiveness of Christ. That's the truth. 00:16:51.320 --> 00:16:54.120 I don't know. You just say, well, why would you 00:16:54.120 --> 00:16:58.539 preach this? How could I not? How could I not 00:16:58.539 --> 00:17:11.599 say, I don't want you to increase? In the words 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:15.380 of my friend Jan Venter, how dumb do you have 00:17:15.380 --> 00:17:20.880 to be and still breathe to believe that? To believe 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:25.599 that we can't preach an increase. The whole point 00:17:25.599 --> 00:17:30.660 is that Christ increase in you. The whole point 00:17:30.660 --> 00:17:35.910 is Christ expand you. The whole point is you 00:17:35.910 --> 00:17:39.650 keep getting transformed. You're saved. And in 00:17:39.650 --> 00:17:42.069 that process of salvation from the day you ask 00:17:42.069 --> 00:17:45.029 Christ in your heart, he is now what? Taking 00:17:45.029 --> 00:17:49.230 up further residence inside of you. I don't know 00:17:49.230 --> 00:17:54.869 one way and one gift that God does not test to 00:17:54.869 --> 00:17:58.849 actually increase that gift. The fact is that's 00:17:58.849 --> 00:18:04.529 the whole point of 2 Corinthians. Chapter 8 verse 00:18:04.529 --> 00:18:07.069 7. Let me just read it to you. In case you thought 00:18:07.069 --> 00:18:11.670 I was not quoting the Bible. But as you excel 00:18:11.670 --> 00:18:16.430 in everything. In what? So what does God want 00:18:16.430 --> 00:18:20.630 us to do? Excel. Turn to somebody and say it's 00:18:20.630 --> 00:18:27.210 not a spreadsheet. Excel means what? Growth. 00:18:28.710 --> 00:18:35.970 It means increase. It means greater output of 00:18:35.970 --> 00:18:42.970 what has been formed in you. See that you excel 00:18:42.970 --> 00:18:50.970 in everything. In faith. In speech. In your knowledge. 00:18:51.410 --> 00:18:57.430 And in your earnest love. But see also. that 00:18:57.430 --> 00:19:00.910 you excel in this grace act of giving as well. 00:19:02.369 --> 00:19:06.349 What's he asking? He's asking that every point 00:19:06.349 --> 00:19:11.029 of your Christian life, he wants you to increase. 00:19:13.789 --> 00:19:17.349 Oh, great three amens on that. That's awesome. 00:19:21.950 --> 00:19:23.849 Think about it. He wants you to grow in your 00:19:23.849 --> 00:19:28.529 knowledge. Growing your knowledge means what? 00:19:28.569 --> 00:19:33.869 You actually have to open books that'll actually 00:19:33.869 --> 00:19:40.650 teach you something. Buying a little devotional 00:19:40.650 --> 00:19:45.730 for the last 25 years off of Amazon is not gonna 00:19:45.730 --> 00:19:53.740 grow you. What grows you? is buying a word study 00:19:53.740 --> 00:19:55.839 book that you're going to have to dive into the 00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:58.859 scriptures, open up and find out what God was 00:19:58.859 --> 00:20:01.960 actually saying in the core of his word to actually 00:20:01.960 --> 00:20:05.480 deepen you. Now, devotional can inspire you, 00:20:05.539 --> 00:20:09.539 but to grow in the depth of the word of the knowledge 00:20:09.539 --> 00:20:13.220 of who Christ is as the one who is over everything 00:20:13.220 --> 00:20:16.519 and fills everything means what? You actually 00:20:16.519 --> 00:20:24.480 have to dig. It's stretching. Sometimes it's 00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:29.000 not fun. Have you ever found that when God asks 00:20:29.000 --> 00:20:34.660 you to grow, there's seasons of not fun? Have 00:20:34.660 --> 00:20:39.319 you noticed that when the not fun stage of sowing 00:20:39.319 --> 00:20:42.240 and the not fun, but when the reaping stage and 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:45.460 you actually get to use something that actually 00:20:45.460 --> 00:20:48.160 came from that season, that's when the fun actually 00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:52.890 is? That's the whole point. The whole point is 00:20:52.890 --> 00:20:55.289 sometimes when I'm reading some of this stuff, 00:20:55.509 --> 00:20:59.690 you know, Trent likes some of this stuff. Some 00:20:59.690 --> 00:21:02.609 of the early church fathers and they talk like 00:21:02.609 --> 00:21:06.910 they were Shakespearean. And I'm like, this is 00:21:06.910 --> 00:21:09.630 a labor for me. I have to read over and over. 00:21:09.670 --> 00:21:12.410 Sometimes it takes me four times to read something 00:21:12.410 --> 00:21:14.569 that I was looking for something and just getting 00:21:14.569 --> 00:21:17.569 a perspective. Now, how did they say it? I read 00:21:17.569 --> 00:21:20.019 it again and I go to write it down. I gotta read 00:21:20.019 --> 00:21:22.140 it again. I gotta write down, why don't you just 00:21:22.140 --> 00:21:27.799 talk normal? But the point is I had to dig in 00:21:27.799 --> 00:21:30.880 order to get a perspective to get it into the 00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:33.740 filter so that when I saw what the revelation 00:21:33.740 --> 00:21:36.700 was that God gave them and it helps me have an 00:21:36.700 --> 00:21:40.619 understanding. Or when I'm going into the Hebrew 00:21:40.619 --> 00:21:44.259 and the Greek and I'm not great at that and Shiloh's 00:21:44.259 --> 00:21:46.200 probably gonna be incredible at that. But when 00:21:46.200 --> 00:21:50.559 I go there, I have to have help. And help is, 00:21:50.660 --> 00:21:54.500 I think, I don't often say this, but thank God 00:21:54.500 --> 00:21:58.259 for technology. Because most of the time it irritates 00:21:58.259 --> 00:22:01.480 me. But what blesses me was that I tap the button 00:22:01.480 --> 00:22:04.740 and it says, pronounce the Greek word. And it 00:22:04.740 --> 00:22:07.660 says it right on the computer. And I can, hooked 00:22:07.660 --> 00:22:12.900 on phonics, can learn Greek. Or Hebrew. And I 00:22:12.900 --> 00:22:16.460 can hear the pronunciation of the words and go. 00:22:16.940 --> 00:22:22.180 I would have never said it that way. Trent still 00:22:22.180 --> 00:22:24.140 believes I don't say it correctly anyways. But 00:22:24.140 --> 00:22:29.740 anyway, the whole point is God wants you to increase. 00:22:30.380 --> 00:22:34.180 And that's why we would set time aside here and 00:22:34.180 --> 00:22:41.019 say, okay, God, work in us to stretch us that 00:22:41.019 --> 00:22:45.549 we would hear you, grow in you. trust you, and 00:22:45.549 --> 00:22:48.549 that you would get glory in how you bring the 00:22:48.549 --> 00:22:54.690 increase. Listen, 2 Corinthians 9, the next part 00:22:54.690 --> 00:22:58.450 of it says this, but he who sows sparingly will 00:22:58.450 --> 00:23:00.529 reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully will 00:23:00.529 --> 00:23:06.490 reap bountifully. So let each one give as he 00:23:06.490 --> 00:23:09.920 purposes in his heart, not grudgingly. or of 00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:12.859 necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. If 00:23:12.859 --> 00:23:15.480 you understand that verse, you'll understand 00:23:15.480 --> 00:23:18.359 that that was where Pastor Tim was trying to 00:23:18.359 --> 00:23:20.740 get us to last week. He was trying to get us 00:23:20.740 --> 00:23:22.700 to understand that's the difference between Cain 00:23:22.700 --> 00:23:28.579 and Abel. Cain gave grudgingly, and it was not 00:23:28.579 --> 00:23:33.019 accepted even though he gave. He still gave to 00:23:33.019 --> 00:23:35.759 the Lord. Do you understand that? You can give 00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:38.890 to the Lord. This is gonna smoke some people's 00:23:38.890 --> 00:23:41.970 belts here. You can give to the Lord and it not 00:23:41.970 --> 00:23:47.750 be accepted. Why? Because you're still giving 00:23:47.750 --> 00:23:50.650 to the high priest and the apostle of your faith. 00:23:51.650 --> 00:23:58.130 Meaning what? If you gave without being a willful, 00:23:58.130 --> 00:24:02.740 stirred heart in faith and trust. You gave then 00:24:02.740 --> 00:24:05.920 out of grudging and surplus. You really didn't 00:24:05.920 --> 00:24:08.640 love the giving experience, which is saying I 00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:13.240 really didn't worship you with the gift. I did 00:24:13.240 --> 00:24:19.900 it out of religion. That's a big deal. That's 00:24:19.900 --> 00:24:22.339 why God loves a cheerful giver. Why? Because 00:24:22.339 --> 00:24:25.519 the cheerful giver speaks to, well, the word 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:28.259 there, cheerful, means hilarious. It's not like 00:24:28.259 --> 00:24:30.099 you're gonna give it and you're just having a 00:24:30.099 --> 00:24:33.599 complete laughing attack. But it means on the 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:37.279 inside of your heart, you are at complete liberty 00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:41.450 like David was. To dance before the ark of the 00:24:41.450 --> 00:24:44.309 Lord in your heart as you're giving what the 00:24:44.309 --> 00:24:47.349 Lord gave you because you know that he's asked 00:24:47.349 --> 00:24:50.089 it of you and now you're partnering with him 00:24:50.089 --> 00:24:54.069 together and there is peace and joy to give what 00:24:54.069 --> 00:24:58.529 he said. That's the beauty of the offering. That's 00:24:58.529 --> 00:25:02.210 the beauty of this offering. Now, why? Because 00:25:02.210 --> 00:25:05.049 we believe that all the promises of God are yes 00:25:05.049 --> 00:25:10.569 and amen. Okay? We also have to believe the scripture 00:25:10.569 --> 00:25:12.849 before it, not just giving cheerfully and joyfully, 00:25:12.950 --> 00:25:17.289 but that what we sow, we will indeed receive 00:25:17.289 --> 00:25:21.329 a return. We're not saying God is some cosmic 00:25:21.329 --> 00:25:24.990 slot machine. We're saying the return is the 00:25:24.990 --> 00:25:30.349 work of Christ inside of us. So that's why the 00:25:30.349 --> 00:25:33.430 Bible says in Luke 13, what is the kingdom of 00:25:33.430 --> 00:25:36.859 God? What shall I compare it to? I will compare 00:25:36.859 --> 00:25:39.680 it to like a grain of mustard seed that a man 00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:44.279 took and sowed in his garden. Did you catch that? 00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:50.240 In order to operate in having mustard seed plant, 00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:54.839 you actually have to sow the seed. You actually 00:25:54.839 --> 00:25:56.960 have to have a garden. What is the definition 00:25:56.960 --> 00:26:00.460 of garden? A definition of garden means it's 00:26:00.460 --> 00:26:04.990 cultivated. I don't go out to a piece of barren 00:26:04.990 --> 00:26:10.470 land and say, this is my garden. Now, unless 00:26:10.470 --> 00:26:12.609 you're saying it by faith, that it will be your 00:26:12.609 --> 00:26:15.829 garden. But I don't go out and make an emphatic 00:26:15.829 --> 00:26:20.029 statement when nothing has been cultivated, nothing's 00:26:20.029 --> 00:26:23.490 been stirred, and say, this is the place of my 00:26:23.490 --> 00:26:30.059 garden. The principle automatically implies that 00:26:30.059 --> 00:26:32.980 in sowing seed, the ground has already been worked. 00:26:34.240 --> 00:26:37.700 Come on. Any gardeners or any farmers here this 00:26:37.700 --> 00:26:40.339 morning? No one raising their hand. Okay, one. 00:26:40.460 --> 00:26:44.380 Hallelujah. Okay, finally. Come on. Is that right, 00:26:44.559 --> 00:26:51.299 Mr. Phelps? Yeah. What? You got to what? You 00:26:51.299 --> 00:26:54.420 got to cultivate the garden before you sow the 00:26:54.420 --> 00:26:57.779 seed, don't you? Do you understand that that 00:26:57.779 --> 00:27:00.799 was the first principle that God asked man to 00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:05.599 do right from the very beginning? Is that cultivation 00:27:05.599 --> 00:27:10.980 was key before actually experiencing increase. 00:27:13.400 --> 00:27:17.640 Why? Specifically, and I gotta hurry here. Specifically, 00:27:17.660 --> 00:27:20.299 the scripture says that God withheld the rain 00:27:20.299 --> 00:27:25.759 until there was a man to cultivate. The ground. 00:27:26.960 --> 00:27:29.660 Let me say that again. If you'll connect this, 00:27:29.700 --> 00:27:32.680 this will blow your mind. God withheld the rain 00:27:32.680 --> 00:27:36.980 until there was a steward to cultivate the ground. 00:27:37.240 --> 00:27:40.039 Because there could not be increase from where 00:27:40.039 --> 00:27:42.900 they were at until there was a steward willing 00:27:42.900 --> 00:27:45.640 to go beyond the boundaries of where they were 00:27:45.640 --> 00:27:48.319 placed into the boundaries of what God had for 00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:52.250 them. And if you understand promised land, you'll 00:27:52.250 --> 00:27:55.309 understand why God said, this ground is not like 00:27:55.309 --> 00:27:58.450 the ground you came from in Egypt. Why? You pumped 00:27:58.450 --> 00:28:01.990 your own water from the Nile. This ground only 00:28:01.990 --> 00:28:03.769 operates, listen, it's right in the scripture. 00:28:03.970 --> 00:28:07.029 This ground only operates by its seasons and 00:28:07.029 --> 00:28:10.970 cycles in God, where I send what? The early and 00:28:10.970 --> 00:28:14.210 the latter rains to set the seed and to bring 00:28:14.210 --> 00:28:20.099 the harvest. It was a absolute, incredible, prophetic 00:28:20.099 --> 00:28:23.819 statement of going, if you're going to ask God 00:28:23.819 --> 00:28:27.319 for increase, you have to cultivate the ground 00:28:27.319 --> 00:28:30.079 of your heart. The Bible says what? We are that 00:28:30.079 --> 00:28:33.559 ground. You are, 1 Corinthians 3, 9, you are 00:28:33.559 --> 00:28:36.839 God's field. And you have the responsibility 00:28:36.839 --> 00:28:41.160 of cultivating your heart. Why? We've spent a 00:28:41.160 --> 00:28:44.039 whole year, a year and a half ago, talking about 00:28:44.039 --> 00:28:47.579 the four areas of the soil of the heart. Hard, 00:28:47.839 --> 00:28:53.440 rocky, stony, and what? Shallow. To where what? 00:28:53.779 --> 00:29:00.839 Only good ground produces fruit. The cultivation 00:29:00.839 --> 00:29:05.410 is what? to get the ground of my heart in alignment 00:29:05.410 --> 00:29:09.470 with what God wants to speak to me and do so 00:29:09.470 --> 00:29:12.490 that when I sow a seed from what I hear him say, 00:29:12.650 --> 00:29:16.789 we're partnering together for increase. Not just 00:29:16.789 --> 00:29:19.250 naturally, please hear me say that, spiritually. 00:29:20.849 --> 00:29:23.579 And if I gave you... Listen, it would take me 00:29:23.579 --> 00:29:26.019 five, six weeks to go through all of the promises 00:29:26.019 --> 00:29:28.380 of first fruits. But one of the promises is what? 00:29:29.240 --> 00:29:33.720 I'm sowing a seed for the generations. That's 00:29:33.720 --> 00:29:36.240 what Tim talked about. It's the principle of 00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:39.720 first fruits. I'm sowing a seed for the blessing 00:29:39.720 --> 00:29:45.900 of the Lord to continue on my line. The other 00:29:45.900 --> 00:29:48.440 thing is what was connected to what? I'm gonna 00:29:48.440 --> 00:29:54.019 cause you to live in the land. And it will yield 00:29:54.019 --> 00:29:56.299 as you trust me. That was the one of the main 00:29:56.299 --> 00:29:59.299 things for the children of Israel when they got 00:29:59.299 --> 00:30:02.059 in the promised land was what? You have to occupy 00:30:02.059 --> 00:30:05.799 it and you have to not allow the influences of 00:30:05.799 --> 00:30:10.160 the world to get around you. Remain connected 00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:14.200 to him out of covenant and you will watch the 00:30:14.200 --> 00:30:18.000 land do things that you thought were not possible 00:30:18.000 --> 00:30:22.640 from where you used to live. That is the promise 00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:26.019 in Christ. I don't know about you, but I live 00:30:26.019 --> 00:30:31.500 in that land called Jesus Christ where what he's 00:30:31.500 --> 00:30:35.440 done with my life, I didn't think was even possible. 00:30:37.099 --> 00:30:40.559 And I'm still in a place, I hope you are too, 00:30:40.740 --> 00:30:45.779 of wanting to grow in the destiny and the grace 00:30:45.779 --> 00:30:49.470 and the inheritance that Christ has for me. So 00:30:49.470 --> 00:30:52.369 that's why when I come to this time of year, 00:30:52.549 --> 00:30:57.450 I'm saying, Lord, I understand. There's one thing 00:30:57.450 --> 00:31:00.609 that you work on, you say in the scriptures that 00:31:00.609 --> 00:31:03.650 you deal with. Where my treasure is, there my 00:31:03.650 --> 00:31:09.750 heart is also. I know the bottom rung of that 00:31:09.750 --> 00:31:13.390 ladder is you test me in tithes and offerings. 00:31:13.529 --> 00:31:18.180 And Lord, I'm coming now in an offering. An offering 00:31:18.180 --> 00:31:21.000 has a principle that what I sow, I believe I'm 00:31:21.000 --> 00:31:24.619 gonna reap. I'm now asking, Lord, as you are 00:31:24.619 --> 00:31:27.740 the Lord of the harvest, to speak to me, what 00:31:27.740 --> 00:31:31.680 do you want me to sow? And I don't wanna be a 00:31:31.680 --> 00:31:35.440 cane and negotiate with you. Whatever you speak 00:31:35.440 --> 00:31:37.960 to me, that's why I'll never put an amount up 00:31:37.960 --> 00:31:40.759 here of what you are supposed to do. Why? Because 00:31:40.759 --> 00:31:43.779 it has to be a face -to -face relationship with 00:31:43.779 --> 00:31:46.869 the Lord of the harvest for you and him. And 00:31:46.869 --> 00:31:49.970 what he speaks to you, that's where you begin 00:31:49.970 --> 00:31:52.990 to be stretched and you grow. Jenny, if you'd 00:31:52.990 --> 00:31:57.910 come to the piano. I'm gonna ask this morning 00:31:57.910 --> 00:32:02.589 as Jenny comes and just begins to pray, would 00:32:02.589 --> 00:32:06.710 you take a few moments and would you just begin 00:32:06.710 --> 00:32:11.470 to ask the Lord? Husbands and wives together. 00:32:13.069 --> 00:32:15.349 Take that first fruit commitment card and just 00:32:15.349 --> 00:32:18.329 hold it and just begin to ask the Lord, Lord, 00:32:18.329 --> 00:32:23.690 what are you saying to me? I'm coming to the 00:32:23.690 --> 00:32:29.509 place, Lord, where I live in your promised land. 00:32:29.630 --> 00:32:33.650 I live in that place where all the promises of 00:32:33.650 --> 00:32:37.630 God are yes and amen. And Lord, now according 00:32:37.630 --> 00:32:41.670 to my faith and according to what I'm gonna hear 00:32:41.670 --> 00:32:45.740 from you, I open my heart to receive from you. 00:32:49.640 --> 00:32:52.019 Lord, you come into this temple. You come into 00:32:52.019 --> 00:32:56.019 this field. You see every talent. You see every 00:32:56.019 --> 00:32:59.519 grace you've given me. It's you who causes the 00:32:59.519 --> 00:33:03.420 increase. I'm reminded of what you said in Deuteronomy. 00:33:03.559 --> 00:33:07.759 It is not my power or my strength, but it is 00:33:07.759 --> 00:33:11.380 your covenant that gives me the. the power to 00:33:11.380 --> 00:33:15.059 increase and succeed. It's what you told Zachariah. 00:33:15.059 --> 00:33:17.880 It's not by might. It's not by power. It's not 00:33:17.880 --> 00:33:23.099 by my savviness, but it's by your spirit. Lord, 00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:27.839 I want to grow in you. And Lord, we take these 00:33:27.839 --> 00:33:30.519 moments as a first fruit offering. We recognize, 00:33:30.579 --> 00:33:37.730 as it says in Hebrews, consider Jesus. The apostle 00:33:37.730 --> 00:33:41.210 and high priest of our faith. We recognize we 00:33:41.210 --> 00:33:45.309 are coming to the apostle of our faith. We are 00:33:45.309 --> 00:33:47.950 coming to the high priest of our faith this morning. 00:33:48.990 --> 00:33:52.230 Lord, you receive that faith that's connected 00:33:52.230 --> 00:33:57.930 to what you are speaking to us. Our pastoral 00:33:57.930 --> 00:34:00.430 team, our elder team does not receive the faith. 00:34:01.289 --> 00:34:04.130 Lord, we receive the gift. As you said, it comes 00:34:04.130 --> 00:34:07.240 to the house of the Lord. We set it at your altar. 00:34:07.400 --> 00:34:10.260 But Lord, you are the one that stands as the 00:34:10.260 --> 00:34:12.800 high priest and the apostle of our faith. And 00:34:12.800 --> 00:34:18.380 you are now standing, Lord, to receive the faith 00:34:18.380 --> 00:34:22.599 of what you speak to each heart. We now take 00:34:22.599 --> 00:35:01.280 a moment and we ask you to speak. We would love 00:35:01.280 --> 00:35:02.059 to pray with you.