Don't Stop Giving | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

why don't we go quickly into into the word of the Lord tonight the Book of Genesis chapter number 4 and verse number one and I'll I'll give a lot of information about our trip to Germany probably as I'm teaching a Bible lesson tonight but sister Carpenter in Paris we are so glad to be home from a great Crusade a great conference there in Germany to see the work of God to see the work of God that as it's prospering there and um I want to give a special thanks to brother Erickson and brother Nolan for bringing the word of God Sunday brother Claiborne told me and he kind of caught me off guard a little bit he said man I enjoyed that young man and that old man preaching for us Sunday and so I I let him take that up with brother uh brother brother Nolan I can't believe he called you an old man just because you got married but I'm so thankful that they brought they brought the word they brought the word of the Lord Sunday and I gotta put a rumor out there's a rumor that due to the Georgia Tennessee game that Pastor Hammond and I got into argument and neither one of us could come to church Sunday that's not true all right that's that's that's not true that's not true Genesis chapter 4 and verse number one and Adam knew Eve his wife and she conceived and bear Cain everybody said Cain cane and said I have gotten a man from the Lord and she again bear his brother Abel say Abel Abel and Abel was a keeper of sheep McCain was a tiller of the ground and in process of time that's interesting and in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord and Abel he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof and the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect and Cain was very Roth that means he was very angry frustrated and his countenance fail I want to minister tonight because going to Germany this past week has rekindled in your pastor it has rekindled I have a renewed Vision I have a renewed vision for Missions of the possibility within our reach of having a global impact of of touching this world touching this world and I want to preach on three words tonight don't stop giving don't stop giving father I love you tonight I thank you Lord for the privilege of being involved in your word Lord I Thank you tonight God it fulfills that void in our lives God it gives us the importance of what we were called for Lord I pray tonight that you would anoint my lips of clay and anoint My Heart Lord anoint the ears of the people tonight Lord help us God to receive your word we'll give you praise and honor in Jesus name we pray amen and amen you may be seated tonight thank you for standing for the reading of the word of God the Bible tells us that no man live liveth unto himself and that no man dies to himself now simply stated that verse of scripture is simply telling us that verse of scripture is telling us that we all have influence on one another you are influencing someone tonight we all are influencing someone tonight but what we want to make sure of we want to make sure that we're influencing someone for the good for the good we want to influence someone for the better we want to be a we want to our influence to make them to make them a a better person and I believe that First Apostolic Church brother Cooper through men such as yourself and your team I believe that we have not only had an influence of the miracle of Maryville Miracle here in the United States and churches that have been building by faith because they saw us build by faith and of which we saw Knoxville bill by faith and so no man lives to himself nor dies to himself but we are not only being a good influence on churches here in North America but we're being a good influence because of the World Wide Web people are able to watch us around the world think about that around the world the internet has made the world a very small place on last week the conference started in Mannheim Germany and as many people came up I'm used to it here in North America I'm used to people coming up and saying we watch you on the web we we watch the church on the web but when you're in another country brother Perry you're in a you're in a total another country and people are coming up to you and they're saying that we we we are faithful fac Maryville uh uh internet congregation people and and and and and then not only that but to begin to see certain characteristics of our worship rubbing off on them and uh we uh they had a choir there at Mannheim and uh the choir got to shouting and I noticed the choir they started running out of the choir loft they started running out of the choir loft and I thought well that's kind of that make me feel at home that's kind of what they do at home they get to they get to shouting and get to running and for long the choir had emptied off of the platform and they was all in the Altar and some of them said we we watched the miracle choir we we watch them and and isn't that doesn't that make you feel good that what we're doing for the kingdom is having an effect globally that that there's a Global Outreach there's a there's a global on Sunday we went to Brother krause's Church in Augsburg in Augsburg Germany we were there Sunday and uh got me tickled a little bit he said now is Sunday's going to be a tough day for you said you're gonna you're gonna we're gonna have two church services Sunday and said it's going to be a tough day said you're going to preach here at the main campus in Augsburg and then he said we have started a little daughter work up in Munich and said we're after after we have the service here said we're going to grab a sandwich a sandwich real quick and drive about 45 minutes to another church and I said it's two Services all we're having he said yeah it's going to be difficult on you I said man that's vacation I said I'm normally in three services on Sunday but to see them to see the the work of God the work of God just growing and then we went to Brother krause's church and and look just looked familiar to me the back before we got the LED screen the the the whatever they call it they put on the back wall here the I call it ceiling tile whatever whatever it is they put on the back wall here and then uh they they had lights they that they had lights uh down in the floor shining back up and I kept thinking man this looks real familiar around here and he said well it all looked familiar brother Carpenter he said we got it from Maryville said we saw that's how you all lit your back wall up and then I didn't I didn't know if I did I I forgot um I often said I've got a photographic memory the only problem is I've run out of film uh but they had all kind of cameras and uh that their their webcasting there in Augsburg over Europe well they're webcasting around the world uh they're webcasting there and they're having people that are that are moving into Augsburg they're having people and they liked our slogan matter of fact they've taken our slogan up a church alive is worth the drive and and so people around Europe are watching online there and I had forgotten it but someone in this church on a Sunday morning brother Krause was here and someone in this church came in brother came and gave Brother The Krauss had checked I believe he said ten thousand dollars gay gave him a check and he was able to go back to Germany and Buy cameras and they've got a production room and there they are reaching their part of the world with the World Wide Web I I don't know about you but that that makes me feel good that I'm that we are having we are having we are having a global impact I met a pastor and his wife there at the conference and they're so hungry for Fellowship we're spoiled here in the United States we've got we've got a fellowship circles and we've got districts and we've got all kinds of Youth conferences where thousands of people will be and of course Europe's going to have their very first aljc youth conference I believe it's coming up brother Hammond in June and they're going to have it in the city of of Rome they're going to be there uh with a with a youth conference and brother Hammond the youth that were at the conference I was at that they're counting down the days they're they're absolutely so excited they're counting down the days that they can be there they can be there for for that youth conference we're spoiled with Fellowship here but but some of these churches over there are 12 and 18 hours apart 12 and 18 hours of driving apart apart from one another I met a little pastor and his wife that rode it was a they call it something else in Germany but it's a Greyhound bus here to us they wrote a Greyhound bus 12 hours to be at that conference and they were so excited to be at that conference they they were able to make it for one service they drove a Greyhound bus for 12 hours and got there was at the service on Saturday got in that that great gone back on that Greyhound bus and back 12 more hours to their city where they passed her at and they were just they were just glad to be a part of Fellowship they were glad to be apart but we must realize that we must never stop giving to missions don't ever stop giving to missions because the need never goes away the need just gets larger the need brother Nolan to give to missions never goes away it just it just gets larger and there's men and there's places that need help they need help not only here in the United States but outside of North America they need help and thus I am renewed with a vision tonight from coming back from Germany and I may be running a little slow tonight uh my my body clock it should be 2 A.M Thursday morning right now and so my body clock is a little bit if I get to sleep walking somebody wake me up all right as long as I don't go to sleep talking wake me up but I I am I'm renewed in my vision Church don't stop giving to missions don't stop giving to missions in Genesis chapter 4 is the story of Cain and Abel were first told in Genesis chapter 4 of the occupation of Cain and the occupation of Abel the Bible said that Cain was a tiller of the ground Cain was a farmer Cain worked with the ground the Bible tells us that Abel was a keeper he was a keeper of sheep he raised sheep he was a shepherd now we know that the occupation the occupation whether the farmer or a shepherd was not what qualified them to be pleasing in God's sight one thing we must all realize we need God's favor on our life somebody said low carb if I could just get some breaks in life you don't need breaks in life you need God's favor you need God's favor on your life and one of the many ways to get God's favor is to be a person that gives to missions was it that being a Shepherd or being a farmer was what pleased God it's what they did with what they had that pleased him now we know if you go back to Genesis chapter 3 and verse 21 the Bible says before Adam and Eve was expelled from the Garden of Eden then in verse 21 unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothed them so we understand that when man sinned when man sinned that his eyes were opened they knew they were they knew they were naked and of course the reason they knew they were naked they were they were first in their sinless condition they were clothed with the glory of God but when Adam and Eve sinned God lifted his glory off of them and they realized that they were naked they tried to sow fig leaves together and God did not accept that as enough so God laid the example down of something innocent had to die in order to cover the guilty something innocent had to die in order for the guilty to be covered of course this is typology of the sinlessness of Jesus Christ he sacrificed his life so that he could cover the guilt and the shame God would not leave man in his shame God covered Adam and Eve an animal had to die and blood was shed this becomes the basis for man's worship this is how man was to worship Adam and Eve would have children those children would need to be clothed the clothing would come from Skins from animals and while providing clothing for their family they were also worshiping God because the blood belonged the blood belonged to God man got the covering and God received the blood the blood offering no doubt Adam taught taught this to his children no doubt Adam taught Cain and Abel how to worship God because good Fathers and good mothers teach their children how to worship good Fathers and good mothers teach their children how to attain the blessings and the favor of God Adam taught Cain and Abel about an animal dying Adam taught Cain and Abel how the Skins were to be prepared for their clothing how the blood belonged to God it became it became their worship it became how they worshiped God but did you notice in chapter 4 in chapter 4 verse 3 if you would be so kind to put that back on the screen no it's just a little phrase here and in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground and offering unto the Lord you sensed there in the process of time things changed in the process of time he was first taught how to offer up an animal take the animal use the skins for clothing the blood was worshiped but in the process of time things changed he changed things Church don't stop giving don't let the process of time don't let the process of time stop us from giving the need to reach the world with the gospel is not is not great today it's greater than it's ever been now why is it greater than it's ever been because it's later it's later than it has ever been the need is greater than ever before because the hour is later it's later the Lord is to return we must be busy about his work but in the process of time you know people justify change don't they they justify change a lot of times people before they change start talking about change and they start justifying they start justifying the change that they're going to make don't stop giving don't stop giving some folks can be well I want to we're small in number I better be a giver we're small in number can I tell you when we're larger in Number the need is still there don't stop giving but in the process of time came somehow in his mind reasoned out that God should accept that God should accept the fruits the vegetables that God should accept this now let's examine this closely in verse 3 of chapter 4. and in process of time it came to pass that came brought of the fruit fruit of the ground an offering of the Lord and able he also brought of the now it does it doesn't just say he brought of the flock follow this now doesn't just say that he brought her the flock could somebody tell me what it says first he doesn't say no it didn't it it it doesn't say that Cain or Abel Cain doesn't even say that Cain brought the first of the fruit it just said he brought fruit but it says that Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof in other words he not only brought and we serve a god he's a god of first we serve a God who is a god of first God wants us to put him first don't stop giving well brother Carpenter you you don't you don't know the needs that I have you don't know the wants that I have can I tell you if you want to receive your wants took God first if you want to receive your wants put God first there's nothing wrong with wants that we have the only thing that becomes wrong is when we put the wants first and God after our wants because the Bible plainly teaches us seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added you you want to get the favor on your life oh to our youth group and I'm I'm glad that you're still in here tonight but I want to tell you in in the way the the world that we're in now with all kinds of crazy prices and we don't really even know the future of of how the economy is going to go if you have ever been a generation that needs the favor of God it is today we need the favor of God hey hard-working man and woman we need the favor of God you need the favor of God well you don't need breaks the it's like saying wish me luck ain't gonna wish you luck I'm gonna pray you blessings the World wishes you luck the world has a rabbit's foot and a four-leaf clover the world plays the Powerball but the church is living under the spout where the glory comes out we're living in the favor of God we're going to live in God's favor God's going to take care of us now that's just not rhetoric if we will put God first in global missions giving if we will put God first as a as a church in giving to others then get your empty buckets out because the favor of God's going to come your way the favor of God is coming your way Cain just brought fruit but Abel he put God first he brought of the firstlings of the flock then it doesn't stop there and of the thereof now the firstlings was what belonged to God because God is God all right the firstlings I'm not Kate or Abel was not giving God anything that was already God's but the fact thereof was the offering the fact thereof was the part that Abel got to decide he got to look at how good God had been to him he got to looking at how good God had blessed him and he said I'm going to give God the fat thereof now the the first thing belonged to God because that's God's that's God's but the fat thereof was what I get to give to God as an expression of how good God has been to us can I tell you there was a day when in my life a dollar bill was a good offering for me to give cause a dollar bill back then was a half mil at McDonald's after church and a dollar bill was a good was a good offering for me to give tithe was already settled but the dollar bill was my offering that I was going to give but do you know I have long since felt like a dollar was a good offering some people get caught in a rut that they just believed that you know the offering that I gave God 20 years ago should be the same offering that I'm giving God tonight not so if God has prospered you and you're living in the favor of God when it comes time to give an offering you need to give an offering based on how good God has been to you in the area of your finances Church don't stop giving Church don't stop giving don't stop giving the first things turn to Exodus chapter 13 Exodus chapter 13. and we'll begin reading we'll begin reading it verse number 1 Exodus chapter 13. matter of fact could we read the verse altogether Exodus chapter 13 and verse number one if they could get that on the screen for me and they already do let's read verse one together all right I'll start it and now who's speaking the Lord is speaking pretty important right and the Lord spake unto Moses saying well let's listen sanctify that means separate unto me all the firstborn whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel both of man and a beast it it is my what were they to give the first born of man and the firstborn of any animal who did it belong to the Lord now this is interesting here don't you know don't you know that people back then are just like people today when you start talking about giving they get quiet don't you know there's no difference and when Moses was telling the people every time a you lamb Bears a little one that first one belongs to me don't you know that there were men that well Moses has got a hundred down there as a matter of fact I I watched Moses with some other sheep but he wasn't taking care of some sheep and though therefore I don't know if I won't give Moses this or not do you maybe see do you know that you need to really listen to God because it's a pattern of putting God first he said those last three words right it is mine that's verse two it is mine watch verse three and Moses said unto the people remember this day in which you came out from Egypt out of the house of bondage for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place and there shall no leavened bread be eaten get amazing that Moses was told by God you tell those Israelite men that every firstborn of cattle every firstborn belongs to me you tell them every firstborn child belongs to me and then Moses said in verse 3 I want you to remember that you were brought out of Egypt I want you to remember that you were one-time slaves I want you to remember that was one time you didn't own anything but the clothes on your back I want you to remember how God brought you out do you know I think it's easy to keep God first in our life if we'll keep in memory where we were at when God found us I believe it's easy to remember to put God first when you're always remembering where God found you now notice the way I said that I didn't say you found the Lord the Lord wasn't lost you were lost he found you he came to where you were at he gave you Mercy he filled you with his Spirit he allows somebody to put his name on you he brought you out when you thought a good life was getting drunk he brought you out before you were morally taught to keep your body as chaste and clean he brought you out when you were blinded down in Egypt doing what Egyptians does he brought you out and he set your feet on a rock and he's made a new person out of you and and he's blessed your life you know how it's easy to keep God first just remember where God has brought you just remember where God has brought you come on can we praise him right now together just remember do you know that giving affects you emotionally giving affects you emotionally good or bad giving affects you emotionally that's why you've heard this verse quoted here and when you catch on to it repeat it just follow right along with it the Lord loveth what kind of Giver why does it not just say Giver because you can't give to the Lord without affecting your emotions and when you begin to give to the Lord it does affect your emotions for the Lord loveth faith cheerful Giver now let's look for more Bible to establish that giving affects your emotions so now here came brings God first here Cain bring excuse me Abel brings God the firstlings that belong to God and the fat thereof that's when he looked around and saw how he was prospered he saw how he was prospered and he brought God the fat of the offering thereof became the king the Bible says in verse 5 chapter 4 of Genesis but under Cain because remember he just brought an offering he just brought an offering but unto Cain and to his offering God had not respect he had not respect now we I would have to surmise to you because the Bible is silent on this I would have to surmise to you and tell you but I lean more toward this I believe that when Abel gave to God the tithe and the fat thereof that I believe that emotionally he was pleased inside his heart that he had done something good isn't it wonderful to give some to give to someone in need wonderful does there's an Indescribable feeling when you help someone out I I you know some have said well fire came down and consumed Abel's sacrifice that's well and good but you have no Bible to back that up you have you have absolutely no Bible to back that up it doesn't say there that fire came down that fire came down and consumed Abel's sacrifice and no fire came on Cain's fruit it just simply uses the word respect doesn't respect make you feel good when someone respects you put you first right if you know a man and this is a pet peeve of mine but a Man shows respect for his wife I I I never I and just thinking about it it's like fingernails on a chalkboard don't like my wife walking behind me like a little put my my dogs walk behind me I don't mind if my dogs won't bind me but I don't want my wife walking behind me because that's my wife I want my wife to to go ahead at me now I'm going to find me in the mall and her three or five or six steps behind me falling like a little dog lost you know I'm the big man you know to put my wife out there for just making her feel good maybe even telling the story I'm probably gonna get a little kiss on the cheek tonight after this Bible lesson though I'll tell you something else makes you feel good is when it's pouring down the rain and you stay right here I'll go get the car and drive it up under the the covers here and I'll I'll I'll I'll I'll bring the car out here or how about when you walk into the car instead of just getting in your side and shutting the door go all the way around there open that door you feel good you know why it does because I'm showing her that I respect her you see respect causes someone emotionally to feel good it's so if respect can cause someone emotionally to feel good then would I be saved to say that the lack of respect causes someone right not to feel good we don't use the terms old man oh that's my old man that's not your old man that's your husband we don't use the terms old lady we don't use the terms because that's not an old lady that's my wife we don't use the word that's look get that little curtain climber over here that's my kids right well see my kids don't have a lot of self-value well how are you respecting them well my wife and I just you know we just don't like being around each other well how are you respecting each other I don't know how I went from money to marriage but we did I believe that when Abel brought God the first things in the fat thereof that God's spirit came down upon Abel and God had respect to Abel and it put a good feeling inside of Abel's heart and I believe that when Cain brought that bowl of fruit and laid it out there nothing happened but God's displeasure and the Bible says in chapter 4 and verse 5 but unto Abel and to his offering he had not respect and Cain here's your emotions and Cain was very rough and his countenance fail but watch what kind of God that we've got well brother Carpenter you know I know you're talking about giving but I just don't know I've tried and I've tried and I can't get it together look what a good God he is in verse 6. and the Lord said unto Cain why are you off why are you upset and why is thy countenance Fallen look at this emotions on the inside affect the countenance on the outside Cain looked like he had been rejected Cain looked like he was miserable Kane looked like he had been baptized in pickled juice and Born On the Dark Side of the Moon he looked that way he looked mad because he had not learned how to put God first he had not learned how to give to God why are you wroth why is your countenance falling if thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted and if thou doest not well sin lieth at the door and unto thee shall be his desire and thou shalt rule over him now what am I going to talk about the rest of the story but the rest of the story is God tried to tell him where his issue was he said you've got sin in your heart do you understand that not putting God first we as Christians must Embrace God first we must put him first in our life and God said to Cain you have sinned lying at your door if you will take care of this sin I will accept you of course sad to say Cain did not put God first he later kills his brother Abel which people that that don't listen to God turn on the church they begin to find fault with the church I don't believe the king said I'm going to kill you because you're right with God and and and you've got I believe he justified and found some fault with Cain or Abel and Cain slew Abel and that's the story but that's not how the story ended I mean let me say this about it also do you know that giving goes beyond your lifespan that what you give to God what you give to God outlives you what you give to God out lives you do you know that all of Cain's descendants were destroyed in the flood do you know no none of Cain's family lived After the flood they were all of the lineage of Cain they all died they all died in the flood there was no more remembrance of Cain on the other side of the flood but you know when it come to Abel although although Cain slew Abel God said to Cain after Abel was dead your brother's blood cries to me it's still alive do you know that when we are a giver to the work of God that when we put God first it will outlive us it will live longer than us it will and and not sounding a trumpet not not sounding a trumpet but when we were able to bless our missionaries this past week and we were able to give our missionaries to give our missionaries an offering we were able to meet needs there in those local churches we were we were although I was there I was your representative but we did it together because if there's no we if there's no we then there's no one that can give there has to be this church don't stop giving if you don't have a systematic way of giving to missions get a systematic Way start this Sunday morning have a five dollar bill or a ten dollar bill or something and start on a systematic way giving to missions it'll outlive you it'll outlive you will turn with me to thee Book of Matthew chapter number six Jesus is going to deal with giving in Matthew chapter 6 Matthew chapter 6 and I believe I'm going wanted to go to verse number 19. let's listen to the words of Jesus Matthew chapter 6. verse 19. are you there Say Amen listen to Jesus in reference of money lay not up for yourselves Treasures upon the Earth where moth and rust death corrupt and where things break through to and steal but lay up for yourselves Treasures in Heaven we're neither moth nor rust death corrupt where thieves do not break through and and nor steal verse 21 for where your treasure is there will your heart be also the Light of the body is the eye how do you view Money how you view money is very important because if you give you money the more money that you have the more Comfort I can buy for me you're looking at money wrong that's not the proper way to look to money he says he says in in this verse number 20 22 the light of the body how you view Money is the eye if therefore thine I be single it's clear you see money the right way thy whole body shall be full of light but if not I be evil you see money the more money I have the more things I can buy the more the more things I buy the happier I am which is not right but if not I be evil thy whole body shall be full of Darkness if therefore the light that is in thee be Darkness how great is that Darkness look at verse 24 it's just so simple no man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the money what are you talking about Jesus no man can serve two masters here's what I'm talking about you cannot serve God and Mammon that word Mammon there is money he says you can't serve God you can't put God first and your money first you're either going to love one and hate the other or vice versa but you can't you can't serve these two masters and I've heard it I'm not the originator of this but let me repeat it money makes a good servant but a lousy master he says don't put your don't put your money don't put your money now I understand what I'm about to say he said don't put your money into garments that moth will get a hold of and moth will eat away at this threads now I'm not advocating buying clothing not buying clothing because we need clothing for a number of reasons we need clothing to cover the shame of our nakedness all right and we need we need clothing to identifies either a male or a female so God understands that we need clothing and God understands that clothing is purchased with money but what God is saying here don't spend all your money on clothing don't spend all your money on clothing he's not saying don't spend money on clothing he's saying don't put clothing first in your life why because that's where moth can get a hold of you're spending your money on something you're putting first on clothing and he said one day you're going to have that jacket or that clothes that robe hanging in that closet and you're going to go to it one day and you're going to put it on and you're going to put your hand through the sleeve and the sleeve is going to come out and you're going to look and see that moth moth begin to eat away at the threads he said don't don't lay up Treasures on this Earth We're moth and rust rust what a rust testimony to rest is the testimony of time rust is the product of whatever the material you've got when time gets a hold of it it will Rust it through he said don't don't don't don't put first clothing don't put first material things that time has a way of eating nor don't put first something that thieves can break through thieves can steal he said but lay up for yourselves Treasures in Heaven where moth cannot enter that place can I tell you what you give to God is going to outlive you that's why I'm going to preach tonight A Renewed vision for giving to missions don't stop giving it's going to outlive us it's going to outlive us and I don't know if it was a prophecy or not but we were blessing the missionaries before we left we were blessing brother Krauss we were blessing brother Krauss and his wife sister Christ began to cry and and and and and they begin to weep and we we were just having a moment there before we were headed to the airport and uh Mr Cartman spoke up and and I said something like brother Krause as long as we're able to do this we want to be a blessing to you as long as we're able to do I mean brother and sister Krauss I mean they've rolled up their sleeves they're building a church they're they're they're they're affecting the the country of Germany and they have a problem they don't have enough funding the last thing that I want the last thing that I want would be for him to want to start a church somewhere but not have the money to do it and I said brother Krause is long as we've got it we want you to have it and somehow I don't know even how the congregate I have the conversation went here the sister Carpenter looked and said said they said we want to be a blessing to you and sister Cartman said there may come a day that our grandchildren come here to preach for you there may become a day something for some of our descendants come and that they are in a need and God will use you to bless them I got to keep saying this tonight your giving is going to outlive you your giving is going to outlive you why not give just something that moth cannot get a hold of and Russ cannot get a hold of and thieves cannot get a hold of and the stock market cannot get a hold of some some of you tonight are not as wealthy as you were five years ago why because of the stock market but put God first put God put it somewhere where moth and rust and thieves shall not break through because where your treasure is where your treasure is where your treasure is there will your heart be don't stop giving I wish somebody repeat my title tonight don't don't stop giving don't stop giving well you you don't understand brother Carpenter money's tight I understand I understand that's why we ought to give the reason we're in this beautiful Auditorium tonight is not because we have multi-millionaires in this congregation we are in this sister Selena we are in this room tonight because somebody said don't stop giving don't stop giving we're here tonight because of Proverbs chapter 11. and I'm coming to a close Proverbs chapter 11. Proverbs chapter 11 verse number 24. there is that scattereth yet increase it and there is that with with hold of more than his meat but it tendeth to Poverty let me break this down to you in a simple verse scattering is giving scattering is giving you say well you're losing when you're scattering not in God when I'm scattering seed guess what I'm losing I'm losing seed but you can't see it that way there is he that scattereth somebody tell me the verse what happens to he that scattereth there are those that give dominions you don't give this ain't this cheap charismatic stuff and get 10 get 20 back that's cheap stuff that that's not even of God no no we're not given we're not giving so I'm not going to give a hundred dollar bill to missions so God will give me a 200 200 next week that's not why we do it we do it because there's a lost world out there and we're connected with something bigger than we are and I don't know about you but it makes me feel good to give to them people it makes me feel good inside to know that we're being a blessing so there is he that scattereth don't you know you're losing I'm not losing because the increase is on the way the increase is on the way but but there is that person that withholdeth more than is right huh that word their meat means right he withhold it more than is right God doesn't care if you withhold he holds some back but you better not hold it all back you better remember that your abundance is to supply somebody's lack that's how the church works abundance in the U.S abundance in the marital Church of the U.S abundance in the marital Church of the U.S is not so that we can we can talk about how much we got no no no it's to find out that Germany is in need it's to find out that Germany is starting to church in Munich and they're renting a building it's to find out the needs that this place has and so the abundance that we have here is to supply the want that is over across the seas but if we hold back more than is right what does it lead to poverty it leads it leads to Poverty don't stop giving to missions don't stop giving as a matter of fact this evening I said a lot about missions but if you want the favor of God upon your life if you want the blessings of God upon your life tithe tithe trust God I get moved we're not talking about this because I want the best for this church some of the hardest subject to preach on his money because every spirit in hell wants to swirl around my mind and say oh those people are Noah give are you going to give why am I going to give can I tell you tonight I will fall before the Judgment seat of God Miserable as a pastor if I don't teach you and remind you tithe tithe the blessings of God are poured out on tithers I personally believe doors opened for tithers and doors closed for non-tithers I personally believe that God favors equipment I believe that God favors things in your life when you're a tither but I believe when you're a non-tither he Hedges up the way it's hard I almost got a hold of almost came out of it you'll never come out and I close with these verses tonight I feel the sweet presence of God here whether you're a young person tonight working McDonald's in the name of the Lord tithe tithe you'll never tithe on 500 if you don't tithe on fifty dollars you'll never be entrusted with that because if God can't trust you with fifty dollars why would he give you something that would even be more of a temptation but I close with this Malachi chapter 3. Malachi chapter 3. don't stop giving Malachi chapter 3 and verse number 10 don't stop giving thank you Jesus praise God praise God praise God praise God praise God Malachi chapter 3 and verse 10. bring you all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in my house and prove me now here we saith the Lord of hosts if I will not open to you the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it look at the favor that's upon a tither look at the favor that's upon a tiger he says when you tithe he's talking to them in the in in the Old Testament he says when you time he said there's meat in the house and when he's talking about he's talking about a teaching priest he's talking about the priest that would teach the word of God he says when you tied we find in the Old Testament when they withheld tithing that the priest had to go to the fields and work and Israel God Israel went in so many Pagan different ways why because there was no priest there to teach and so he said bring the tithe into the storehouse that there's meat in my house there's no greater meat for us to eat tonight than to eat the word of God it is not outdated it is better than anything the world's got in the cinema tonight it is better than anything that UT has got at the University tonight what's being taught here tonight is better than anything that you'll ever receive and that there may be meat in my house oh I want my children to be tighters oh I want my grandbabies to be tired I want them to have the favor and the blessings of God upon their life I want my children to live under the open window of Heaven I said I want my children to live under the open window of Heaven Lord we will buy them tennis shoes and we'll put braces upon their teeth and we'll do all kinds of things for them we'll get piano practice and we'll do little league practice and we'll invest in all kind of money have you invested in teaching them to tithe a beauty pageant is not the open window straight teeth is not the open window being a good ball player is not the open window but if I can get my Bobby if I can get my Sally if I can get my Beckham if I can get my Nolan and Lauren if I can get them underneath the open window of Heaven don't stop giving oh come on give him praise tonight we'll just stand come on give him praise tonight get under the window get under the window get under the open window I don't want to say laughed at or criticized because I wouldn't I just think the people thought it was funny but when I do marriage counseling pre-marital counseling the first thing I begin to ask that young lady or that young man you tither before you just young lady before you just accept anything's got two legs you need to ask him some questions I'm really serious about this I I'm really I'm just really serious about this you know what I knew about Zach Hammond and Chad Erickson before they were Chad Erickson Carpenter you know I knew about them before I put the stamp on them tithers because I know if they're tithers they're going to be blessed I want them living under the open window I will open you the windows heaven and pour you out a blessing some people think material things are blessings that's why they fall apart when Their Blessings Fall Apart that's why they fall apart when repo time comes they fall apart when the economy falls apart but there's a blessing coming down out of Heaven it's not a four-wheeler it's not a vacation home there's a blessing coming out of Heaven called an Apostolic Church there's a place that I can bring all my hurts to there's a there's a place that my wife wants to go to and my husband wants to go to it my kids want to go to it y'all feel this tonight blessings of God I will open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it and I will rebuke the Devourer for your sakes he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground neither shall your Vine Caster fruit before the time in the field saith the Lord of hosts I'm gonna rebuke that spirit that tries to creep in your daughter's window and mess with her mind I'm going to rebuke that Spirit that's going to try to creep into your son's life and mess up his mind I'm going to tell you something there's something about being a tither we ought to wake up to the devil would like to pervert our families you better make sure before you think it's your boy got all the issues dad you better make sure your tithing record is in order because you just may be leaving the wind to crack for that Spirit to come slipping into you I want to foolproof my house I want to make sure I got my I'm gonna tell you something tonight if you're standing here among me and you're saying brother Carpenter I'm condemned because I'm not doing what I'm doing there's no better time to start than right now there's no better time to realize you've left the door open than right now I believe that you'll start obeying God he'll open up the windows of heaven and he'll begin to rebuke the Devourer I'm I'm ending with this I will rebuke the devour that's verse 11 for your sakes he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground neither shall your Vine cast her fruit before the time in the field saith the Lord look at verse 12 First Apostolic mirable look at verse 12. excuse me I'm not covered excuse me look at verse 12 First Apostolic Maryville please look at it closely and All Nations shall call you blessed now how can all nations know fac of Maryville I'm going to tell you how they know if I see a memorable I'm going to tell you why you got Russian people in Saint Petersburg Russia praying for you right now I won't tell you why you got people in Mannheim Germany praying for you right now and you got people in Asia and you got people in Hong Kong and you got people around the world that get a check from us and when they get a check from us they say that must be a blessed church over there that's got to be a blessed church over there they helped us get a building they helped us get a motorcycle they helped us get a car they bought us Bibles that must be a and so there's they Chinese people praying for us as Russian people praying for us there's all these people praying for us somebody tell me my title and I'll quit right now go home