Pastor Dave Martin ~ Cross Creek Community Church ~ July 30, 2006
“Growing to Serve”
“God’s Provision” Part 4 of 5
2 Corinthians 8:7 But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us--see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
“Giving is the essence of grace!”
· Values mentioned most in the Bible: Faith- 410 times, Hope – 158 times, Love – 695 times, Giving – 1537
· God wants you and I to EXCEL in the grace of giving! To shine, to stand out, to do extremely well in giving...
· David Jeremiah preaches through an entire series every year of giving... we need to be reminded.
· Generosity is the most talked about value in the Bible... God desires each of us to be givers
· Where God leads, God provides is seen throughout the Bible. This is also true for us today in Aug. 2006!
When I Invest in God’s Work...
1. Furthers His Kingdom on Earth!
Turn to Malachi 3:7-10 (Last book of the OT) 7 Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?' 8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
Matthew 16:18 “... I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it.
· OT God speaks of bring the whole tithe into My house – NT Jesus is building His (My) church...
· Furthering God’s Kingdom requires finances from God’s people! Tithes & offering.
· The tithe is 10% of your gross (not net). The offering is anything above & beyond your tithe.
· Building fund offering we’ll be receiving next week is above & beyond your regular tithe...
· Next week we will first be receiving your regular tithe, then your love offering toward the future construction.
· Notice what God says in v10, “test me in this” Allow God to throw open the floodgates of heaven
· Giving tests your faith... sacrificial giving puts you out on a limb where we must trust God!
· Is God capable of pouring out an overflowing blessing into your life? Be a Giver!
“You can NEVER out-give the Lord”
2. Accomplishes His Divine Purposes!
Luke 16:9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
· Luke 16:9 is an interesting verse... it basically says to use your money to win people to Christ.
· Jesus is saying the best stategy of investment is to take your money and use it to get people into heaven – when you get there, they will welcome you & say – “Thank You for giving to the Lord... I was a life that was changed for an eternity”! Thank you Lora for singing that special number!
2 Corinthians 9:7-8 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
· Give as you have decided in your heart to give... cheerfully – that’s why we shout during the offering!
· Investing in the local church is God’s Divine purpose today... it’s all about Christ’s Church – reaching out.
· Thank you to all the VBS workers (60-70 of you!) Pastor Barry & his wife Susan thank you!
· We saw around 10 youg people giving their hearts to Christ this week...
· Giving accomplishes God’s Divine purpose upon earth... the value of a soul! Seek & save the lost!
“Thank you for giving to the Lord, I was a life that was changed”
3. Encourages Spiritual Growth!
Acts 20:35b “...remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
2 Corinthians 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
· Invest financially in the Lord’s work encourages your personal spiritual growth. Be a good giver...
· When you’re married you give your wife things! Cathy & I have a good agreement... I like to buy her things, she likes to buy her things... it works real good!
· Giving is actually a barometer of your spiritual health... I thank God for you Cross Creekers!
· Many here are learning the truth of tithing and are finding you cannot out give God! Spiritual maturity!
· We are averaging 41% numerical & 38% financial growth for each year in our brief 7 year history!
Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
· Notice carefully what this verse is saying... your heart follows your giving!
· By faith you must begin to give to the Lord and your heart will follow along – spiritually you will grow!
· Giving is like spiritual exercise... it’s good for the heart – Giving enlarges the heart and makes it stronger
· Money is like a magnet – wherever we put it, it tends to draw our hearts... Hobbies, house, brokerage firms
· When you give money back to God, its like a magnet that pulls me closer to Him. Where’s my heart?
· When God looks down on you is He saying – “That’s my boy!” “That’s my girl!”... Don’t horde but invest.
· We need to be reminded of this often because we are generally good forgetters! (I am anyway)
“Do your giving while you’re living so you’re knowing where it’s going.”
4. Builds Treasures in Heaven!
Matthew 6:19-20 19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
· I’ve said this before – you can’t take it with you... BUT you can send it on ahead – into God’s storehouse!
· You build treasure in heaven by investing where you see God working... where lives are being touched.
· When you die, everything you haven’t given away is left behind... BE storing up treasures in heaven!
· Safest & surest investment known – no thieves, stock market crashes, rust or moths... it’ll last forever!
· When you give it’s an investment for eternity! Some here could give $10, $100, $1000, $10,000, $100000
· Jesus said to invest in heavens bank and you will be richly rewarded for it someday.
· Twin Pavilions at Mary’s Place... New multipurpose 600 seat auditorium, classroom space...
“Invest in the bank of heaven”
5. Reminds us that God owns it all!
Haggai 2:8 'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty.
1 Chronicles 29:14 "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.
· God owns everything you have anyway... all the silver & all the gold... everything comes from God.
· We live in a culture that says – “It’s all mine”... “He who has the most toys, wins” (wrong they still die)
· Giving back to His work teaches me – it’s about Him not me... it helps me to get my priorities right.
L. Kraft, head of the Kraft Cheese Corp., who had given approximately 25% of his enormous income to Christian causes for many years, said, “The only investment I ever made which has paid consistently increasing dividends is the money I have given to the Lord.”
J. D. Rockefeller said, “I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithed my first salary, which was $1.50 per week.”
W. A. Criswell, A Guidebook for Pastors, p. 154.
There are three levels of giving:
1.) You have to (Legalistic) 2.) You ought to (Obligation) 3.) You want to (grace)
· Give willingly, give cheerfully... your attitude is far more important than what you give... (the widows mite)
· God owns the cattle on a thousand hills... God says to test me in this area – I will bless you in return.
· As you pray concerning how much to give next week get ready to have your faith stretched...
· Satan may try to buffet you, cast doubt, fear, confusion – Be a doer of the Word not just a hearer – faith!
“God judges what we give by what we keep”. ~ G. Mueller
6. Pays Eternal Dividends!
1 Timothy 6:17-19 17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
· What’s the value of a soul? Priceless! Is all the time, talent & treasures we invest worth one soul?
· Sooner or later you got to decide, “Can God be trusted with my finances?” You know the answer!
· God’s eternal rewards are real... His high yield interest rates are higher than the heavens!
· The material cost (not labor) on the new facilities is near $400-500 thousand... wouldn’t it be great to see someone write a check for $500,000! What huge eternal dividends!
· As Cross Creek grows so does our outreach into the world... last week we heard about some lives that were changed for an eternity... VBS lives of all these children... building Champions for Christ!
· When I invest to God’s work... its pays big eternal dividends!
· Laying up treasures as a firm foundation for the coming age... life that is truly LIFE.
Jim Elliot a Christian missionary killed in Ecuador said....
~ “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose”
7. Secures God’s Abundant Blessings!
Proverbs 3:9-10 9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Deuteronomy 15:10 Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.
· Found throughout the scriptures... Give to God’s work secures His abundant blessings!
· Honor the Lord with your wealth... God will see to it that your barns are filled & vats overflowing
· Immutable law... the law of sowing & reaping... give & it will be given back to you...
· Either in this life or the life to come (in heaven)... Blessings of health, strength, wisdom, safety, etc.
· The law of sowing & reaping... sowing much you will reap much... Give sacrificially to the Lord!
· You may have put your trust in the Lord for your salvation... how about your finances?
· Every time you invest with the Lord, God is able to take your money and use it greatly.
· Giving each week in your tithes and offerings you are helping to spread the gospel message.
· Your giving is helping to get people into heaven... you’re storing up treasures in heaven.
· That is the supreme use of your money... You’re helping people get into heaven.
· When you think in terms of whether I’m going to spend 100 years on earth or ga-zillion in heaven...
In Heaven, someone will come up to you and say... Thank You for giving to the Lord!
· Dave, I’m here because of you. Because you gave and God worked & my life was changed.
· Celebration Sunday is next week (Aug 1, 1999 was our 1st official public gathering of Cross Creek)
· Next week our children will be empting their banks and you can make a huge difference toward our building fund offering... God is going to do something great here...
· Give as much as you can. Commit as much as you can. Sacrifice as much as you can.
· Why? Because the exchange day is coming and for your own good, be investing!
“Live & Give in light of Eternity”
See the Invisible – Dream the Incredible – Do the Impossible
Growing to Serve! Next Week – “God’s Praise” (ONE WORSHIP SERVICE AT 10:30am) (Packed)
“Celebration Sunday” 9:30am SS & 10:30am Worship August 6th (No 8am service) Special Building Fund Offering Cookout & Activities Bring a “covered Dish” – drink & place settings will be provided!
Signup for the picnic! (Picnic rain date Sunday Aug 13th)
Let’s Pray