Gifts
by Raymond Sloan
June 27, 2024 · Cornerstone Apostolic Church
Kind: teaching
Scripture: Hebrews 13:7-8, Genesis 1, Acts 2, Genesis 28:20-22, Genesis 4:1-5, 2 Corinthians 9:1-7

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/raymond-sloan--gifts
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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I have five pages of notes on my iPad and I rarely rarely have that many the longer the of course I haven't been able to teach all month because everybody hogged up the Wednesday nights with better teaching so I am here tonight to try to close the gap um we have and I I need you to hang with me okay I need you to stick with me tonight this is not groundbreaking this is not over overwhelming this is just a lot of data and info that I want to pass along to you the last several weeks we've been talking generosity gifts how to take something you own and give it and receive the full benefit of that purpose okay um we are at CAC listen carefully we are living in exciting times I am convinced that God's plan is still in motion and I am hungry for what God's desire is for the church and for the church here at Cornerstone here in Chattanooga every week there's things going on in our assembly there's preaching teaching serving helping investing in the work of God things happening in Chattanooga things happening at Campground things happening around the world um the first lesson my wife taught on what is giving actual giving what does that mean and then the Brother Sam taught on the law of multiplication and then last week Brother Gibson taught on the principle of first giving first to God in all things

tonight I want to complete this particular set of lessons I I'm going to attempt to bring in put in order today 2024 how the church functions so that we understand if you're an Oldtimer this will be a great reminder for you if you're new to church or new to CAC this will be an information for you to understand how generosity and giving can work in your life

this assembly was established in 1997 the purpose of establishing this work was to reach Chattanooga with the gospel the good news of Jesus Christ how many are glad there's a church in Chattanooga all right from the origin of the word church the meaning the title church it was established of course in the New Testament and and the Greek word that was used was Ecclesia which was basically simply put called out ones or called unto the work of the Lord a group of people similar pulling in the same direction called out by the power and the spirit of God to work a group that had a desire to understand the ways of God and to share that with other people in the world around them folk would interact with other folk in their communities and in so doing they would simply obey what the teachings and the instruction that was given to them by the apostles they would obey it they would submit to it they would come and they would plug into what was going on they were the disciples or followers of Jesus Christ as mentioned in the book of Acts of course there are so many ways that the church in its fundamental establishment groups of people from that experience on the day of Pentecost began to go back to their homes and into their Villages and into their communities that they lived and they took with them a spirit that God had put in them and in so doing they got to their homes where there was no longer 40,000 that was there for Passover at Jerusalem but yet there was only 10 for an example that were at the street corner where the outpouring came and the 3,000 that were added to the church on that day and then it began to move and the B Bible tells us that the church was added to when daily so every day things were happening now at one point the elders those were the ones who were of the called out ones the church they were put in as responsible people for the groups that were being established all over the then Known World and by the teaching and instruction what those groups of people tend 15 25 whatever it was strong what they needed was a Shepherd because they had to have instruction they had to have a point of contact somebody had to connect with God to give to them as a group something that they could take and begin to grow now keep in mind as part of the Ministries on Earth God would use the churches and in the churches in that area the eaia the called out ones in that particular town they would need shepherding because God had to speak to the people if everybody listen to this carefully it holds true today if everyone in this church were the pastor of this church who would you follow is that okay to ask that but what God ordained from the beginning of the church as he would say from the beginning of the called out ones full of the Holy Ghost baptized in jesus' name he would he said to them this is what I'm going to do I'm going to make sure that that you continue to connect with me and that I give you guidance and direction

in fact the big book of Hebrews chapter number 13 verse number seven the Bible says remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you listen to this the word of God whose Faith follow the ones that are called they have the rule they speak to you the word of God and you follow whose Faith their faith and know what Paul said you follow me as I follow Christ there there's a connection here you you make that reward because you plug into the order and the structure in which God has put into place whose Faith follow concern considering excuse me the end of their conversation and then we love this verse Jesus Christ verse eight the same yesterday today forever so to the Hebrews the letter that was written to them said there are those who are going to have place in your life to help you follow their faith they're going to preach to you they're going to need I remind you the Bible they didn't have like you and I have today on an iPad nor in a book they had series of letters that were written from different ones that would be passed throughout all of the then Known World now God used order to establish the methods to interact with the other groups of people not only here in this town but in this town and this town because the Bible mentions of course missionaries what we would call them and they would make their way from this church to that one and they would encourage they would plug in they would go and hold a service at this home they would hold a service on the street here whatever it happened to be in that particular City the body of Believers was having church that okay now I know that there could be lots of discussion and I've mentioned this before in other teachings that I've done here why is it that we come in we have prayer we do two or three songs we have preaching we do offering and why is it the order in which we do well quite honestly and simply put is because you have to have structure now we've changed some things we alter some things occasionally but by and large we believe in the order and the structure because it gives us purpose and I believe from Genesis 1 and one God is a god of order okay here we are that Shepherd called of God God gives to that Shepherd then the responsibility of that body the church and that group of Believers of Jesus the followers of Jesus say we have situations in our lives and we need help with that and in so doing when they gather together and God speaks through that Pastor that Shepherd into their lives they are now growing and maturing in fact the New Testament refers to it in a couple of places the maturing of the Saints perfecting of the Saints there's a process in which they grow y'all hang on to me believe it or not this is all going to make sense in just a moment the Ecclesia the called out ones they connected themselves United in vision and purpose with the Shepherd that was put over them they connected with that so we can see from the beginning of what you and I would call the church age and acts we can see here through all of the letters that were in the New Testament we see from the beginning that God has always had order he's always had structure and he has always put into place how things were to be accomplished now the method of course is varies from one Church to the other for an example in some countries in the world you can't meet in a room like this does that mean the church stops what do you do you adjust you adjust to how that country or that City let you have it but every city every town every bario every Parish every state every nation every single place on Earth can have a group of people that follow God we okay with that now I've established then the order of how churches were done why there are churches put into place what you and I would call a body of people we worship differently this church may do it this way Church down the road does it another way church across town Church AC everybody does it and figures out what works in their Community now a church to meet you have to Now function as a church and

there in is where Talent time and treasure comes together in that body everybody in here has a treasure has time and has talent agreed so how then do we best suit our time talent and treasure when it comes to working in the Ecclesia the church the called out One's group here in Chattanooga well that's why I'm here tonight to help us understand you invest your time you invest your talent and you invest your finances in the way that the church functions question does anybody here at home have an electric bill if you have a lights on do you have an electric bill now who pays that electric bill it's a question thank you I believe he does right not so much I got you but he wants to he wants to throughout all listen to this throughout all of the eternity of the scriptures the body of Believers in what was being said or done in an area Old and New Testament they had to come together with their time time talent and treasure in order to build the things of God example Solomon's Temple the Bible specifically says they brought all of this stuff it was so much that they had to say what enough the people brought let's go back to the the Tabernacle in the wilderness they brought stuff and what happened God gave wisdom God blessed and honored their gift giving them bringing things to I've often wondered how is it that all that gold and silver and all that stuff came and kept coming and kept coming where were they getting that stuff I I believe and this is a side note I believe that God gave a command and the people submitted to what God was saying through their leader and in so doing God provided therein generosity and giving Stay With Me the Tabernacle was built because people gave the material that were needed they gave in the New Testament listen God spoke in the book of Acts God spoke to people and said this is for you and the Bible specifically says in even Acts chapter 2 that the people did what they sold Goods they sold possessions they brought to the apostles and gave to them and the apostles distributed to those who had need now therein some of us can get very sideways what does that really mean to those who had need does that mean they needed their cable bill paid does that mean they needed to support a habit does that mean all I know is the Bible says they sold possessions they gave and they distributed order in the church stay with me

it's mentioned from the very beginning of time that people have given to God Genesis CH 28: 20 Jacob vowed a vow listen to this saying if God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raign it to put on verse 21 so that I come again to my father's house in peace then shall the Lord be my God verse 22 notice this and this Stone which I have set for a pillar shall be God's house and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give thee what a tenth the principles then of a tithe goes all the way back back to the beginning days and the perp listen to this the purpose of the tithe was to remember every time an increase came 10% was given why so that I won't forget God met me here I want to help somebody clarify some things in your mind some of you have made tithing a bill and you forget why God gave you what you have in the first place if we was understand tithe is not offering stay with me but tithe says God I will give to you a tenth because you met me here you blessed me you took care of me therefore every time something comes to me that you give into my hand I will give a tenth to you boom that's you I remember the goodness of God there's your tithe hang on to me Jacob whose name of course we know would be changed he would become the promise and he would he said I'm going to give a tenth why because I want God to know that I take this serious and I commit to him a tenth of what he gives to me everybody say tithe that's what you do that is God's and you should do it with a joyful heart and a clean Spirit understanding God you will not beat me up and take this from me but with joy I can give it to you and fulfill the promises that you make to me

notice let's go back further Genesis chapter 4 look here what happened verse one and Adam knew Eva's wife she conceived bear Cain and said I've gotten a man from the Lord and again she bu his brother Abel Abel was a keeper of the sheep Cain was a tiller of the ground verse three in the process of time listen to this it came to pass that Cain brought the fruit of the ground as an offering to the Lord and Abel he also brought the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof and the Lord had respect to Abel unto his offering but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect not going to get into respective offerings I'm going to Simply point out here from the beginning somehow someway Cain and Abel learned an offering not tithe not tithe this was offering I bring this to God who taught them that where did Adam get it do you understand this is a principle God put into the DNA of humanity if you don't believe it let me back away then from church teaching and let me tell you this if you go spend $300 on a ticket to a rock concert guess what you just paid an offering to it's the same you're giving to that that's why when somebody asks me about playing the lotto I go yeah what are the chances you give me the five bucks you get back from me faster you get it back from them stay with me notice the offering is something that the Lord established Cain and Abel in the in the first book of the Bible beginning said you know what we're going to bring this now of course you could get into the side notes why was one accepted and one not why was one seen and okay and one not that that's another day another message offerings to the Lord from a person's desire to please God and honor him God receives it at his hand the listen carefully to Pastor a minute the bottom line understand this when it comes to offerings your desire better be I want to please God that is why I am giving this offering not my tithe I am giving my offering because I want to please God the tithe is a reminder of the promises and benefits of submitting to the plan of God and giving him the first fruits the first portion of what you have now these are biblical Concepts you with me this is exactly how the church teaches for us in the month of June we have been talking about generosity in our giving the gifts giving openly listen carefully to things of God not expecting anything in return

I go back when is the when is a time in your life that you sacrificially felt God telling you to give something you gave it and you had no desire for somebody turn around and give it back to you you were simply obeying what God was telling you to do to please him if that's a foreign concept I'm asking you tonight start putting that in your prayer God help me to find a way that I can please you by my giving and then you submit to what God tells you to do you all right here at 2000 at CAC in 2024 We are continuing to grow We are continuing to move forward I had to take a few moments of time tonight to Simply again refresh our memory or to explain how the church why the church has a ladies fund or men's fund or Christian education Sunday school or youth why are those things in the church that is part of the workings of a church family I know that every single one of you understand it takes money to grow this church and as much as you understand that you understand it takes time and it takes talent to grow this church agreed some of us are very willing very willing to give of a testimony or to give of a few minutes of time but yet we forget our talent or we forget our test or our another part of that and we feel like listen to me that we have accomplish what we were supposed to do because at least we showed up I'll ask this way On Any Given Sunday in this room can be a 100 plus people what if everyone in this room decided on this Sunday you know what me showing up is enough I'm asking then I as Pastor would have the right to say turn off the air turn off the sound turn off the light shut off the water because apparently everybody has the right and just being here is enough but they haven't understood the vision and the mission of why they're here huh come on some of us B can complain when it's 80 in the back room because oh if we can't get this cooler it's just going yeah I'm about to say Lauren come tell us what Haiti was like but some of y'all get all mad they didn't have funeral home fans palm leaf Banana Leaf listen to me stay with me okay

for the past 27 years in this city you guys this church new people people that have already passed on people that have died people moved away listen to me please understand my heart for the past 27 years since this church has been here at Cornerstone there have been thousands upon thousands of dollars that have been given thank you listen to me there have been thousands upon thousands of hours of time given thank you there have been thousands and thousands and thousands of talent that has been invested in what's going on here thank you listen to me carefully if we do not understand understand the principles of this generation what was done 27 years ago will have no value because these young ones will miss it understand it's generation to Generation The Promise is to you it keeps going hang on to me a moment your your tithing dollars given to this church will support Ministries your offerings to this church will support missions of the church I didn't say foreign missions home missions the mission of the church what does that mean that means the ministries of the church is because God said if you're called to assemble to lead that assembly I can help you I will provide for you and you can have Ministries that reach Ministries that that help that plug in and then the mission of the church says you know what we need a youth group or you know what we need a ladies group or we have a bunch of men we need to get them together now that's the mission of the church is to pick this thing up and to help others plug into it understand so your offering also covers the mission of the church and it covers the expenses of this building that all right I mentioned a while ago how many of us understand that it costs money to have water it costs money to have electricity on we agree um to have cups that we can eat or drink from on a meal on and on carpet on the floor a chair you sit in a keyboard to play a set of drums with a broken symbol over here all of this stuff cameras here uh all that all this stuff somebody had to buy hang on to me we're going to get a little deeper here for cac's sake I want y'all to know I love you and God is so good to us but I feel compelled for us to understand generosity and giving has to be a God thing for you has to be I realize that the last several years man we have struggled we have gone left or right we've been in different locations every single time when we had to pick up and move for whatever reason for the desire of the vision or the desire of continued growth or the desire of I want you to understand something on iigo Gap Road I've said this before we had 140 chairs on the floor right now in this building Any Sunday we could have 120 130 people easy last Sunday we had 108 104 with a bunch gone you see what I'm saying we would have already outgrown that over there I'm convinced God knew that and if we' have still been there I never would have prayed for tornado Lord take this building right now never never but I understand then what Moses felt like well I'm going to tell him to leave Egypt where we going to go walk what we going to do I don't know walk where are we headed walk is it going to be good walk and they walked 10 12 Spies goes over 10 comes back and says what two said what M what God say walk listen to this listen to this because you did not give the right report what he do you walk I'm GNA kill every one of this generation walk do the math they would have buried over 4,000 people every day would have had to die as God killed that entire generation before he finally got it to a place and he said now you're going to go over the promise you're going to live in houses you did not build you're going to eat from Vineyards you did not plant you're going to live and you're going to love things there but you need to understand something there are there are Gods over there that if you don't have a relationship with me and you're going to fall in love with their God you need to know the and understand what it's about and how to serve god with joy can I continue

all of you guys know we purchased 12 acres on Gray Road anybody been over there raise your hand we purchased 11 point Sorry 11.62 I believe it is for a future location on that property we've had it surveyed the outside lines have been drawn the stakes are in the ground there's also a building on that property that we are attempting to make into a preschool that is part of the vision the mission of the church is to move the gospel that building's there so we've been doing remodeling we've got the walls up we got all kind of cool stuff going on over there in that building Upper Floor we have the studio where we do our recordings just give you a point of reference okay also we have a container over there that's full of stuff that needs to be sold Another Story Another Day but in order to continue to move forward we now are in a position here at CAC that we've got to make some some decisions some choices in order to continue we have to decide okay are we going to build there or are we going to have to wait until the money comes in are we going to have to borrow an additional 5 million to build it or whatever the cost I'm using that as a round number whatever the cost will be I do know that all of us re recognize the fact that materials cost have okay just saying so this is what we're going to do on that 12 acres of property we have we are going to do what we can to rezone the land it is presently an R1 Zone residential there were two houses there so it takes about 90 days to go through the process 30 days they come out and investigate they have to do the proc ER paperwork 30 more days it goes to the committee 30 more days the mayor signs it and we can rezone it if they allow us to an rtz residential townhouse zero lot line what does that do for us number one is it gives us the power to be able to decide how we proceed on the dirt right now by the law because we're a religious facility we can build there and put a church but if we want to do anything different we have to reone it also if we rezone it and they approve it then that gives us options when the time comes to make a decision on what to do with the dirt listen to me carefully I'm going to explain a few things I've got my eye on the clock we're okay the cost of building labor contractors on and on it might very well be that we have to shift our focus and we have to decide you know what this is not going to work for us we bought the land we're making payments on on the land in fact we have a a loan amount of 1 one 1, 290,000 and some change you write a check we'll send it right to them what that equals to us is almost $111,000 a month payment that we're making for that loan listen to me carefully presently what we have coming in in our building fund here at CAC is right at $2,500 a month that's the facts now the vision we had when we were on igog Gap Road was Lord we're going to build this building we have room for a balcony and then we're going to expand we're going to grow we're going to shift gears we'll have a property you know whatever we got to sell we're going to buy the guy next to whatever it was that all changed when a tornado hit remember that and then we begin to transition from property to property we are now in a rented building that will the lease here will be up in May of next year so we've got about 10 11 months to go and then this lease ends we'll have to transition to another location you may know how to do that okay we're not afraid of that now listen carefully some of you in that business meeting that we had had some very valuable questions what if what about what about so we tried to answer those we had a vision at that point and we still do that we're going to grow the church here in Chattanooga we had money that was sitting in account that property became available we took 600 plus 100,000 of ours plus and we okay here's a down payment and we're now making payments on that listen to me carefully it is money to the good because the value of the land has done what and I give you a point of reference only because I've been talking to land consultants and Brokers and property guys the last couple of months trying to get my ducks in a row the value of the land when we bought it was .9 million right now we could turn it put it on the market for 2.5 now of course we've invested money into it right listen to me if we rezone it to rtz because of its possibilities the value jumps to 3.5 you understand what that does for us a we could sell it at three and a halfish pay off the debt that puts how much in our hands somebody do the math almost two in our hands and what can you do with two that's an option this is the path that we're on if we decide to build on that land guess what we're going to have to do we're going to have to take $2,500 a month and we're going to have to shoot it up $110,000 a month to come in to make 12,000 a month so we can make the minimum payment because to build that building guess how much we have to borrow y'all say it every Sunday 3.5 to build it the land was 1.9 you see where we are we're at 5 mil that's easy probably more but let's put it there why then have we been talking about over this month generosity and giving I'll tell you why because I want us to understand that the hour in which we live will demand our best listen to me this is nothing more nor less than what it has always been I have said this multiple times in my preaching and in my teaching some of us are struggling with areas of Our Lives because we have shut up our bowels of mercy and compassion and we're no longer living with an open hand we're not allowing the blessings of God to move through us because we have figured out how to do better on our own you'll never succeed if you try it on your own Pastor I don't make enough yes you do if you you make a dime guess how much of that is God's how much and then how much is your offering you understand listen to me so so finely put Brother Sam talked about multiplication I mean it just starts I'm convinced that works have you ever tried God God I'm going going to give to you and watch what God does with it have you ever given to God listen to me financially and not get it back in money but God bless your health or God answer a prayer for a lost loved one and they come have you ever you know what I'm saying and you identify immediately that was God's hand see the problem we have also and I'm G to I've got time we're okay right listen to me the problem in a greedy society in which we live is we attach everything we do with a numerical number that's what greed will do to you I'm not greedy I didn't say you were what I said is the spirit of our age is greed m m give me give me give me m give me give me give me never satisfied never content but always this huh always this you know you know how I know that because I I know how kids act I know how old people act I know how young people act I know how folk act you know there Ain nothing more discouraging than Mom and Dad for you to buy a gift for your child for their birthday or for special occasion and them look at you and say is this all what does that demonstrate to you I told my kids all the time I'm just because they were mind you don't like what's on your plate I mean I don't that's strange but that clearly indicates selfishness and I don't like that how do you know cuz I don't okay I'll eat it what I'm going to eat you'll find out tomorrow just saying listen to me it probably is going to turn out and the reason I'm saying probably because there's a couple of pieces here of this puzzle that we've got to put together we are going to move forward with rezoning because it makes Financial sense in the process of that we're going to we're asking God God this is what we can live with did anybody ever pray specific prayer like that and then God say no here here's a here's a solution something to work towards by May of next year we have to have another location to meet Easter Sunday this year we did two Services everybody remember that fabulous day 150 whatever okay it might be that we're going to have to plan for two services and just do two church services but we're out of this building where we going to do two church services well McKenzie Arena we can rent it or I think it's 60k a day or something listen to me listen to me and I know that I know that I know that it is very easy for somebody to sit and say man that is going to be stressful it's going to be this it's going to be that again I go back to are you willing to sacrificially say God generosity in me said says I will give of my time talent and treasure to you with joy and if you don't if you don't have the strength do you think for one moment that God can't give you the strength I'm convinced that in the midst of our stretching ourselves God is saying I need you to stretch yourself why because your prayer is Lord I want to grow and I want my children to make Heaven I refuse to depend on a camp in the summertime to be the only breath of fresh air that our children receive but it's going to take us as adults in this generation to say guys I see you out there we're going this direction and we're going to make it happen I said this the other day some of these young folk in very short time are going to be standing up here leading service doing a piano doing they're going to be a part of the worship and the ministry they're going to be praying people through the Holy Ghost God is going to use them you know that you cannot friend please listen to Pastor look at me you cannot expect that to happen by osmosis it has got to be When the Children See their parents giving their time talent and treasure they're going to come up next to if Daddy did it this way I'm doing it this way now I'm going to close and again I'm watching it this is a reminder to the church a reminder now before I read these sets the series of scriptures I want you to understand something here at CAC every Department that we have here we are using those departments the best we know how to help reach encourage teach uh connect give purpose to people that are coming into the church house uh now listen to me I know everybody in here knows this but I I'm going to repeat it the church in Chattanooga is not this building it is you and I doing the things of God outside this building okay so here's my question this Sunday at 11 o'clock where do you want to go and have us PE a time together where do you want to go anybody where where here why why not somewhere else okay hang on to me if that's the case we understand that this concept is we have chairs we have musical instruments we have microphones we have air conditioner works a lot not all but a lot okay we know where it's at Plumbing's hooked up y'all with me so it makes sense what if God were to speak into our church family and say all right the end time church will not look like that I heard a phrase last week that rumpled my skin and my hair and my spirit and my mind because I had never ever been told this leadership met last two weeks ago excuse me in at um whitstone we spent the day there brother Carpenter pastors an incredible Church in marville came he and his wife came and spoke taught poured into the leaders of our church leaders remember that this is what brother Carpenter said when he took the platform when he took the podium to speak he said brother Sloan out of all that you and your church has been through I want you to understand something evidently God must trust you I sat there B did you hear him Dan did you hear it because God knew if I were to do this and take the building of others it would crush them but apparently God trust you to say I can pull the building and you'll still grow you'll still reach you'll still make a difference in Chattanooga I sat there that day I don't mind saying I said Lord if what he's saying is true and I've got to trust that the plan that you had then includes now includes right now if that's the case then I got to believe that in the future my grandbabies and great great grandbabies and great great great grandbabies are going to have a place that says you know what the Lord trusted my great great grand Dy is word in the South took his building he just kept on preaching kept on doing kept painting walls kept fixing floors kept putting in sound kept doing this and I don't know what they'll do then you know 50 years from now who knows it don't matter I won't be here neither with you what difference does it make right

here's my point to this listen carefully and I'm going to close with this second Corinthians notice what the scripture says the letter that Paul wrote to the Corinthians chapter 9 verse one for as touching the ministering to the Saints it is Superfluous anybody know what that means important yeah it doesn't really need to be said but I'm going to say it so you'll understand the value of it for me to write to you in other words I don't need to do this but I want you to understand the value of what I'm want to tell you for I know the forwardness listen to this of your mind for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia that AA was ready a year ago I've been talking in Macedonia about you guys here at Corinth because there's a work to be done over there and I've been talking about what God put in you for there listen to this already a year ago and your Zeal hath provoked very many your desire to want to do for God it's provoked a lot of folk yet verse three have I sent the Brethren lest our boasting of you should be in vain on this behalf that as I said ye may be ready lest happily if they of Macedonia come with me and find you unprepared we that we say not ye should be ashamed in this same confident boasting verse five listen I'm GNA explain this in a second therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the Brethren that they would go before unto you to make up beforehand your Bounty whereof ye had noticed before that the same might be ready as a matter of bounty and not as of covet Ness but this I say he which sth sparingly shall reap also sparingly and he which Seth bountifully shall reap also bountifully verse 7 every man according as he purposeth in his heart so let him give not grudgingly or of necessity for what God loves cheerful Giver now I read through about six translations trying to figure out a better way to explain this and after reading all of those I finally decided you know what southern English is probably enough this is what Paul said I've been talking about your desire and your vision to reach other people and other folk are saying we see those guys are willing to put their time talent and treasure to work he said now I'm going to sin folks I'm going to I'm going to send folk to be able to say are you guys ready for this cuz there's a group over here and AA we need to go there and start a work but until you're ready we want to make sure that what we've said about you doesn't fall apart and it's some it makes a shame to the church or brings a something to that but we want you to understand that the Bounty talk here is is what is needed and necessary for the work so notice what he says here if you sow sparingly you're going to reap sparingly but if you'll sow bountifully you'll reap bountifully and then he says it this way you search your heart and you ask God what do I need to do to do my part and you purpose that in your heart and then you give because God loves cheerful Giver God does not love a cheerful receiver we okay I have spent the last 40 minutes 43 minutes talking about how the structure of the church is and why God put that in order I did that for newcomers and I did that for old folks to to Rattle the brain a little bit and remind you being able to pay of your tithing of your increase is one of the greatest remembrances of of all the goodness and blessings of God God this is yours and I remember that you gave it to me here you will do better with your 90 than you'll ever do with your 100 I promise that's scripture secondly if we're going to move the gospel forward it is going to take above that because offerings are needed to reach the kids to build this to make this happen to make that happen to cover the rent on a building or the payment or to put the turn the water on or to help the ladies or to help the you it takes offering to do that and the beauty of an offering is the scripture tells us that out of men's bosoms will they give to you listen to me that doesn't say God is going to Rattle a cup and throw money down to you men's bosoms that me that means when you given your offering to the Lord above and beyond what you've given because you remember God says I'm going to speak to the hearts of people and your boss or coworker or somebody or whatever you know that prayer we do here every Sunday that is not just happen stance throw the rod and reel and try to catch something from God no I am convinced that gifts and surprises happen we receive my wife and I receive testimonies all the time I don't know how I wanted you to know I got a check in the mail wasn't expecting it recently we got this one I made a commitment I didn't think I could do it but I got a check in the mail double of what I committed why because I made up in my heart I purposed in my heart cheerfully I gave and God gave it back to me I will say this and I'm going to turn it over for some worship time listen carefully

I will say it again there are so many sitting in here under the sound of my voice so many that watch online God has been so good to you God has been so good to you but I'm afraid that the culture in which we live of greedy selfishness has caused hands to close and now you're worshiping this way and with closed hands God said I can't put nothing else in it but if you'll open them and give generously first it'll be multiplied God will bless it he will give it back you can give again he will give it back you can understand then hey you might even be a recipient of it and you'll stand there the whole time and saying how in the world has God taking care of me through the greatest challenge of my life it is going to be because you understand the value of generosity if we're going to put a and keep a church in Chattanooga I've already given you the facts moving rearranging redoing buying selling all of those things that's the business of the church but God gives pastors and Leadership the ability to navigate those Waters make take a chance I don't mind saying pastor I'm a I'm a risk taker sometimes it hurts me but I can see thing man I can see things and then I'm standing there saying God help me to accomplish what you're giving me help me not to be distracted by what others are doing or not doing but help me God to stay focused on the plan why because there's a generation right here that needs to know truth matters Holiness matters baptism in Jesus name matters the holy being full of the Holy Ghost matters come on Church wake up to the fact that God loves a cheerful Giver

would you stand with me I want every hand in here to be lifted to Heaven would you please God help us to understand the concepts and the precepts Lord of your instruction and your teaching I thank you Lord for the opportunity to be a part of the church in Chattanooga it's part of a World Church there are people in all nations all tongues all tribes Lord that are worshiping and loving you we're simply a part of that God we are required to do our part in this hour for this generation for the generations to come we receive it Lord from those from the past God but we're focusing on where we're headed for the future oh come on somebody pray Lord help me to open my eyes to see open my spirit eyes to see God don't let me be distracted by what I don't have or what I don't possess and all my needs and all the shortcomings God don't let me be distracted by that but Lord let me have an attitude of generosity so that the windows of Heaven Can Open Lord and you can pour out a blessing that I can't even contain oh come on somebody pray right now come on we'll get to the music pray right now Lord I I want to make sure that I'm connected to you in the right way forgive me Lord if I misunderstood the principles of giving but Lord I've got to understand them so the Next Generation can prosper come on pray lift your voice lift your hand to him Jesus I believe Lord You're a provider I do believe you're a Healer and a way maker Lord but I also know God that heaven is where we're still headed whether we're sick or not whether we have it or not God the future is in you oh that's right come on with one voice lift your voice to the Lord I submit to you Jesus I submit to you Jesus I'm sorry Lord forgive me if I misunderstood it I'm sorry come on let's Worship the Lord together Worship the Lord together