This sermon emphasizes the importance of giving with a cheerful heart, highlighting how giving releases us from idolatry and selfishness. It discusses the principle of reaping and sowing, showing that giving is a gauge of our spiritual health and maturity. The sermon also addresses the consequences of selfishness, lack of giving, and the blessings that come from being obedient in giving. It concludes with a call to examine our hearts before taking communion and a reminder of the urgency to repent and believe in Jesus before the day of judgment.

The title of the message is When You Do Good. That's the first thing Jesus talks about. And depending on your translation, depending on what gospel you're in, maybe, when you do good, or when you give, or when you do a charitable deed, or the King James, I believe, is when you give alms. It's this idea of giving something. And let me just remind you, too, as we begin, doing good is always going to cost you something. So whether it's financially, whether it's giving our time, whether it's giving food, whether it's helping those in need, the whole point is when you give, meaning when you don't do what's convenient, when you do something that costs you a little bit, when you go against your fleshly nature not to do anything, Jesus said, here is how you are to do it. So when He gives us instructions, there are benefits. In all the cases, what we're going to work through in the next few weeks, it's all about motives. Motives. The heart is deceitful. Did you know that? Go like this. Jeremiah said the heart is deceitful above everything else. Who can know it? It's God who tests the mind and tests the heart to give everyone according to their actions. So, there's a deceitfulness in the heart, which is the sinful nature of us. So motives are very important because we have to take a look at the motive. Why am I doing what I'm doing? Is it to be noticed? Is it to gain praise? Is it so people look at me differently? And if my motives are wrong, Jesus said then the reward will be that. That's your reward. So it's basically about getting our motives back in right focus. Now, a word of encouragement, when a wrong motive comes into your mind, it's not yet sin. Uh-oh, Shane's going off track here. No, hold on. You take that motive, you say, you know what, that's a wrong motive, devil, enemy, myself, I don't know who it is, but that's a wrong motive, I'm not going to act upon it. Jesus was tempted and tested in all points like we are, but was without sin. So see the temptation. That might be an encouragement to some of you this morning. Shane, I can't fight these thoughts that are coming in. These thoughts of lust or of this. What's wrong with me? I'm a monster. What's wrong with me? Be careful because the enemy will sometimes harass you with your thoughts. And it's not yet sin until it's acted out. So a person can think something, have a wrong motive. Okay, that's not going to be the right motive. Why am I doing this? That's not right. I'm taking this thought captive to the obedience of Christ. I'm throwing it in the trash can. And I'm not going to act upon it. I'm going to act differently. So it's not yet the wrong motive isn't doing damage yet. And the enemy will throw things in there, right? Put things on Facebook. Tell everybody how great you are. Tell them I've been serving in the hospital homes for six months and I go and visit widows after that and I bring orphans baskets full of food. It's all over Facebook. And we're like, look at those comments. I'm such a great person. That's your reward. That's your Facebook posts. That's your reward. So do you want the reward from that or God? And checking our motives. And we all struggle with it. Come on. The first service wasn't as honest, but this service is going to be very honest. Ulterior motives. Why do we do what we do? That's one of the reasons I believe that the Bible says that no one is good. No, not one. Wait a minute, Shane. I just walked a lady across the street, right? But you wanted to be noticed by the guy over there. Well, I just went to the hospital homes and ministered, right? But you wanted people to know. And see, we have to look at why we do what we do, our motives. And this is one of the things that, one of my beefs about the name it and claim it movement or faith movement, I don't know if you know what that is, but there was a movement, maybe it still exists, I'm not sure, that says you just have to have enough faith. If you name it and you claim it, that is yours by faith. Brother, just focus on that tall, big house on the mountain. That Corvette, that 2018 Corvette that's coming out. If you just focus on it, see, the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. So that movement can actually fuel the carnal nature. Because bigger, better, faster, stronger, if I just focus on it and I have faith enough to believe it, no, you better check your motives first. First and foremost, when I go to prayer, I'm like, Lord, search my heart. Check my motive. If what I'm praying for, Lord, is it with the right motives? And pastors struggle with it like everybody else. You know, you want the more people, they rate you by success. Oh, you only have 20 people, you might as well be a successful church. You have 300, oh, 5,000. You know, and you rate it by numbers. But God is looking at faithfulness, not numbers. However, Lord, if you bless your church and you grow it, if the motives are not wrong, when I went to Brooklyn Tabernacle and experienced 3,000 people worshiping God, my God, that was, it's incredible. So see, to say, Lord, that would be awesome, that would be pretty incredible if you would do that. Not for my glory, your glory. If you want to open that door and thousands of people worship you, and you get the motives in check, and God begins to do that, there's nothing wrong with that. But if there's motives because you want to prove yourself, you want to be the best person, you want to be the number one in your family, and God sifts those motives. And how do you sift it? Through the Word of God and through prayer. If you pray and you say, Lord, show me if I'm wrong in this area. Lord, show me if I need to change. He will. He will show you. But it's difficult. We have to also want to listen, don't we? Because I know people praying, Lord, help me in this area of finances, and God says, sell the Harley. No, no, that's not. That's not from God. The devil is a liar. Right? And you're praying, sell the Harley. No. The Holy Spirit doesn't work like that. Right? I mean, come on. God, when you're praying, He'll tell you, sell the bass boat. No, no. We have God on a certain tuning, right? I like what that says. I'll tune into that. I don't like what that says. I'm not going to listen to that. But to truly grow in your Christian walk, you've got to tune into the Holy Spirit, obey what He says to do, and grow from it. But we can't pick and choose what aspects of obeying God we want to obey and which ones we don't want to obey. Growth comes from obedience. The more you grow, the more you obey, the more you grow spiritually. That's why I often say, I can show you a very spiritually immature person who may have been a Christian 15 years. Very immature though, and spiritually, it's because they're not obeying. They're not obeying the Word of God in certain areas. And they're not growing spiritually. So, with that as a long introduction, now here's Matthew 6. This is what Jesus is talking about. Take heed. When Jesus says take heed, do you know what that means? Take heed. Take heed. Listen. We don't use that anymore. What we would say now is, hey guys, listen. Turn off your phones. Don't yawn. Look up. Don't go to the bathroom. Listen. This is very important. And actually, I believe this topic is very important, what He's telling us this morning. Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in Heaven. It goes back to what we say, who do you want to get your reward from? So, first point is, when you do a charitable deed, when you do something good, when you give of your time, of your money, of your resources, when you do that, it's not to be announced. It's not to be, hey guys, look at me. Here's where I'm going. And you go out of your way to do that. And you announce it. Now, sometimes it's okay to say, tell your spouse, hey, I'm going to the hospital home for a few hours. Versus saying, hey, I'm going somewhere and I can tell you. And I can tell you where I'm going. Nope, nope. That doesn't sound too good, does it? Sounds a little sneaky. Sounds like there's plan B going on. Or something. So, it's okay to tell, hey, here's where I'm going to be and let them know. But it's about announcing what you're doing. It's self-glorification. These people, these religious leaders would sound a trump. Da, da, da. Pharisee such and such just gave a thousand dollars. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. And God's saying, that's your reward. That's your reward because you're doing it for the wrong motives. So here's a couple things that will help when we give of time, of money, of resources. James 1.27 in the New American Standard. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of God and our Father is this. Do you want to know what real religion is? We talk about different religions, different this. Real, undefiled, unpolluted, God-inspired, God-honoring religion is this. To make time to go and visit orphans and widows in their distress. How often do you hear that? How often do you do that? I mean, I don't want to take a show of hands, but when was the last time you visited an orphan or a widow? Some have, I know that, but many, we forget these areas to go. In other words, go to the least likely. An orphan, no father, no parents. I can point you to people who need help, kids who need help whose parents are incarcerated, who need mentoring. It doesn't have to be an orphan just sitting out in the street with no parents. It can be somebody who needs that type of father figure or mother figure in their world. They need your time. Sometimes you don't, don't give them $1,000, give them your time. That speaks volumes sometimes. The hospital homes, I'm amazed at people, they often say, thank you for your time. Do you need a gas card for your family members? No, just thank you for your time. So pure religion is getting out of your schedule, because you have a schedule, right, like I do. You got the day planned pretty much? I do. I have it laid out pretty good. And the God throws things in there, it's like, oh, no, that doesn't fit my schedule. So part of giving is giving your time. So you visit widows and orphans in their distress. With distress means financially. Do you bring them any resources financially? What about food? Do you bring widows food? Very biblical, very good. And if you're not sure, well, I don't know who they are. We can direct you to those in need. Now, when it talks about widow, it's also talking about, I think the Bible, don't quote me on this, 55 and up, where they recognize there's a certain age where if you can continue to work, if you can continue to provide for yourself, that's good, but orphans obviously can't do much, and widows at a certain age. See, what scares me about our culture now is they don't care about either groups. You're going to be shocked at legislation that's going to come out in the near future. Assisted suicide. You reach a certain age, you're too hard on the family, gone. Anybody elderly that's in pain and we're having a hard time with them, let's remove that difficulty. See, age used to carry with it wisdom. You used to respect your elders, not disrespect them. You used to look up to them, look to their knowledge. Now our culture, and the young, the infant, the abortion or orphans, how many abortions are recommended for kids with Down syndrome or different things, and we have this, now it's such an alarming trend that we're seeing, especially in a nation. But the Bible says, go to those who are in distress orphans, widows. 2 Thessalonians 3.10 though is very important. If anyone will not work, neither let them eat. So when we give, we also use wisdom. In other words, I've helped out, which you know, of a church. We've run across a lot of people, so have you, and help out a little bit, but at some point, you've got to ask the hard questions. Hey, here's some job applications. Here's a place that's hiring, and why aren't you working? Why aren't you working? And encourage them to get a job because there's dignity that comes with that. There's self-respect in doing something and work. And now, which started out with a great idea with welfare or government assistance. There was a good reason behind it is to help those in need because they weren't being helped, has now turned into a place that people take a lot of advantage of. And I get in trouble for saying this. People say, you know, I need the money, I'm a disability. I got it. I'm not talking about the 5% that need it. I'm talking about the culture that we have created that just has everybody, you feed me, you send me the money, let the government support me, when they can go out and work. You don't just sit at home and smoke dope all day. You go out and you work. I mean, I've used this example before, but it was, I could not believe it. There was a guy out front. We're laying pipeline, water line, main line. It was hard work. And this guy's watching us in his grass, right? And he's smoking. And one of the guys went out and asked him, we need a labor for 20 bucks an hour cash. And no way, man. I'm covered. I'm good. Okay. But see what, man, they're down the ditch laying pipe. I don't want to do that. I want to sit out here. We're getting just enough to get by. We can make our house payment. So I'm not against that in its entirety. What I'm against is the mindset it has created. It's created an entitlement society. So now we are entitled to things of others. I'm entitled to what others have, and that's not biblical. The Bible says you work and you eat, and we give to those who actually need it. That's, that's the model. So that's first, second Thessalonians 310. Paul's writing to the church in Thessalonica, telling people if they will not work, they will not eat. Here's why that principle is so important. A person goes a few days without eating, guess what they're going to start doing? They're going to start working. So that's, it's to all, it's not to, oh gosh, God's going to let them die. God's going to let them die. No, he's going to, he's going to motivate them to work. People need motivation. You can go a long time without food. Did you know that? If you're 30 pounds overweight, you have about 95, you have about 100,000 calories, 100,000 units of energy that you can expend before your body goes into starvation mode. Oh, pin drop. So see, we won't starve. And God knows what he's doing. Now, we don't just tell people, sorry, can't help you, you know, you need to go work. We need, okay, hey, let me help you. I'll encourage you today. Let me get you, whatever, whatever that is, and work with them. But at some point, if you're seeing that they're not willing to work, and you're giving them, and you see that they're kind of taking advantage, then at some point, then you become an enabler. You enable, you allow them to continue in that destructive pattern. So the Bible encourages us to give those who are desperately in need, but with those who are not, to help initially, but also encourage them to start working. And I'm just concerned with where this is eventually going to end up. Because this system of thought, this mindset is not going in a good direction. It's actually getting in a, it's going in a worse direction, where entitlement and all these things that people that used to work hard now, the whole work mindset, is not work hard. It's give me, give me, give me. Selfishness is coming out. And that's what we're seeing. So here's the thing. We are to err on the side of grace, but use wisdom. Not do anything, not doing anything for a person is just as bad as self-promotion. Now I don't want to skip a part beyond this last point. Help widows and orphans in their distress and to keep oneself unspotted and unstained by the world. He's saying true religion is to keep yourself unspotted and unstained and untarnished from the world. What does that mean? Very simply. When you look at me, when you look at you, do we look like the world? Have I been, is there, was that a cuss word? Yeah, that was a cuss word. Now I'm getting drunk. Now I'm doing this. Now I'm watching these movies I shouldn't. Now I'm acting like I shouldn't. We look, we're tarnished by the world. So he says pure religion, pure religion is to not be tarnished and stained by the world. It's to come out from among them and be separate. Now this is just my paraphrase on what he's saying here, but I think he's saying, by the way, in case you thought helping others, widows and orphans covered it, not so. Holiness is important. Because you think, why would he say help widows and orphans and by the way, don't become polluted by the world. One of the things we also see is lukewarm believers often do help people in need to avoid obedience. There are many churches throughout America that are very soft on doctrine. They would be considered seeker sensitive, user friendly. You're not going to hear anything that upsets you at all. But they are reaching out to the homeless. They're feeding the hungry. They have homeless ministries, but they're lukewarm. So in my opinion, he's saying here that's wonderful you do all this, but come out from among them and be separate. That's true religion, to not only identify and help those in need, but also to identify with the character of Christ. It's both. Holiness and help others. Remember the two H's. Holiness and help others. That's what he's saying here. Helping does not replace holiness when it comes to true religion. So the next point here. How to do a charitable deed. How do you do one? Well, verse 2, picking up. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have their glory for men. Assuredly, I say to you that they have their reward. So basically, do not bring attention to it. If attention finds you, that's different. There's self-restraint there. Because sometimes you feel that like, here comes a self-promotion in me. Oh, I'm not going to let that go. I'm going to restrain it. Now, I've had people come up to me. I've acknowledged somebody for doing something good at the church and different things. They say, oh, Pastor Shane, I just lost my reward in heaven because you told people. No, you didn't. You did it unto the Lord. You did it in secret. One of the ways that God may reward openly is that others praise you and not the words of your own mouth. So if somebody acknowledges what you did, you weren't looking for it. You don't take a lot of enjoyment in it and just, oh, more, more, more. Tell me more about me. And they acknowledge what you did. That's not losing your reward. You're still doing it unto God in secret and God will reward you openly. And then verse 3, but when you do a charitable deed, when you do one, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Wow. How is that possible? Okay, here's some money. Don't look, don't look. Don't look, left hand. What Jesus does a lot of times, actually you'll see it throughout the Old Testament, is a hyperbole. A hyperbole, a metaphor, different things. They'll use stronger language or things that don't quite go together to really get a point home. Okay, so obviously it doesn't make sense. The point is, his point is, it shows the seriousness of this. Listen, don't even let your right hand know what your left hand is doing. So he uses that hyperbole, metaphors, different things, to prove an illustration. For example, if I said, hey guys, I'm hungry. Or if I said, I am starving to death. Am I really starving to death? No, no, no, no, no. They were arguing, or they were really locking horns in the battle, right? So he uses different things in the Bible, and I'm hoping to get through that when I get into theology, because the Bible uses this a lot, a lot more than people realize. So when somebody says, you know, there are allegories in the Bible, there are hyperboles, there are metaphors in the Bible, there are, people say, oh, that's just liberalism. No, the Bible uses things, the right hand of the Father. Is there a right hand of the Father? No, he's spirit and he's truth. But the right hand, the power of authority, rests in the Father. I often think of Isaiah 65, I believe it is, where it says that a child, a child will not die early, they will grow to be 100 years, an old man will fulfill his time on earth. Now, some people take that as the millennium that is coming, but could he be using it as a metaphor to show that there will be no death and no time in this period? And maybe it's not applying to the millennium, maybe it's applying to heaven, or the age to come. So when you look at the Bible, you look at part of homiletics is studying how the Scriptures were written, who the author was, what was the context, and it really changes a lot of things. So that's what he's doing here. How can a left hand not know what a right hand is doing? It can't know, but it shows you that it's serious. Like, that's impossible. Jesus, how can my left not even know what my right is doing? Exactly. Exactly. Try that hard to make sure you do things in secret. And that's hard. Actually, it's really hard when you're preaching sometimes. Because I want to give you illustrations, and I do sometimes, but I can't tell you everything because then it looks like you're promoting the church too much. So you have to keep everything in check and take it to the Lord and ask Him to look at your motives and change all that. So let's go on to the next. Well, I won't get to the next verse yet because I want to stay on this for just a minute. When you do a charitable deed, when you do one, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. That your charitable deed may be done in secret and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. So giving releases us from idolatry and releases the blessings of God. Also, when we give to others, doesn't it cost me something? My time costs me something. I don't know about you, but my time's pretty valuable. It's valuable to you as well. So time costs us something. Money costs us something. And when we give, what does it remove? Selfishness. What is selfishness? Self-preservation. It's all about self. So giving releases idolatry. And you know what? Idolatry is putting something before God. And the world will not like this type of message, right? I mean, it's all about American pride. It's all about stepping on toes and climbing ladders. It's all about me. And it's like humility? In Hollywood, that doesn't exist. In Fortune 500 companies, I mean, it's like pride and arrogance and selfishness and pushing your way to the top. So the world will not listen. My voice texting didn't even listen on my phone. I was voice texting this on notes, and I said, giving releases me from idolatry. You know what I put in there? Dollar tree. The store, dollar tree. I said, no, no, nice try. Edit it. Idolatry. Dollar tree. No, that's what I'm trying to tell people not to go to. Right? So this aspect of giving is bigger than we realize. Because it's one of the truest indications of maturity and of our heart. If a person doesn't give, whether financially, whether of their time, whether helping widows or orphans, if they don't give, they are not very mature spiritually. It's just you can't be growing in Christ, growing in godly character, and not give. It'll stunt your growth spiritually. You're in a holding pattern. It's still having the binky. Or sucking the thumb, right? Or the baby bump. You're stuck there, because giving releases that selfishness, and that's how you grow. And you've got to give it away. You've got to give it away. You've got to give it away. Now what does that look like? Well, I wish I had an umbrella statement covered this whole room in an umbrella. But each of you, God will speak to each of you individually on what that looks like. I can just offer principles. Giving food, provision, and things away. It has to hit where it hurts. Right? Come on. Hey guys, is there a family in need? I'd love to donate my couch. No, it's 25 years old, and you're just waiting for your new one from Ashley Furniture. That's not a giving heart. When we first moved up here a year and a half ago, you would not believe the stuff people dropped off here. I said, get rid of it or get a dumpster. One of the two. I mean, storage is huge, because it's easier to go here than the dump. See, that's not giving. That's not giving. And going through your closet and giving everything to Grace Resource. Oh, look at what I did. No, you just want to clean your closet out for all the new clothes that are coming in. You really want to grab the new jacket you just got for Christmas. Give that. The reason I'm giving that example is I had to do that. My wife goes, can you just get that one? It's a black running jacket. I'm like, I know. God's been telling me for a month or two weeks or whatever. I'm like, all right. It's so easy to give clothes we don't need anymore, but try pulling that one off the rack with the tag still on it. It's like, oh. So I'm just sharing that I fight that struggle as well, that the flesh doesn't want to give. But that's the best way to deal with it is to give it away and give. Because if it doesn't cost you anything, it doesn't mean anything. How many of us look back on our lives? Gosh, even that washing machine I gave to that family? You mean the one that broke a week later and you got a new one? I mean, we do these things, and Jesus really wants us to check our motives. David said, I will not give to God that which costs me nothing. He was going to sacrifice to God on this piece of land. He went to the landowner and he said, hey, can I buy this land? I need a sacrifice. And the landowner said, no, just take it, David. Sacrifice to God. And David said, I will not give to God that which costs me nothing. So if you really want to grow, if you want to break the shackles of oppression, maybe financial bondage, you want to experience joy and peace, begin to give. Begin to give. Because you were not designed to receive and receive and receive and never give it out. It's like that illustration I've given before, watching the beautiful high Sierra, fresh mountains, rivers, run into Mona Lake. Oh, it stinks down there. The lake's dead. There's no life in it. It's not going anywhere. The water's not going anywhere. The Dead Sea area, too, in Israel. So when you're fed and built up, you have to release it. Spiritually, right? We get filled with God's Word. We have to release it. That's a joy spout. You want to turn the joy spout on your life? Give me a little joy here. Well, release it. I get it. I release it. That's where the joy comes from. And when we don't do that, when we don't release it, we get hard. We get selfish. We get critical sometimes. We just walk around with this spirit that is not growing. It's not good. But here's what the order of responsibility is from a biblical perspective also. You provide for your family, and you live below your means. Okay? That's going to be a hard one to swallow. We're supposed to live below our means. Not right out there. Oh, we're just stretching every month. Every month. And I know there's difficulty in different seasons. I'm not discarding that. But if there's always this never living below the means, then you're always going to be crunched. You're not going to be able to give like the Lord wants you to give. So provide for your family. Live below your means. And then from that provision, you reach out to orphans and widows and those in need. That's what Christ is saying here. Now, I want to talk about something briefly that's important. This whole concept of tithing. Tithing just comes from the word tenth and giving 10% of income. That's kind of been a rule sometimes at churches or they preach on a tithe. That's what people go off of. Really, it's an Old Testament word. Tithing. And they wouldn't just give 10%. I think they were closer to 30%. They would, God called His people to give to the storehouse, to give to the temple so the priests would have food, so the orphans and widows and things within Israel would have. So that was their calling. God would say give a tenth. Other times they would give more and give more. That was the model in the Old Testament. So you switch to the New Testament now, to New Testament believers. A lot of us, including myself, like that model just as a number to go off of. If a person makes a certain amount each month, 10% right off the top is what we're using for giving. Whether we sponsor kids in a different country, water wells, the church, whatever it is, that's an easy number. It hurts, right? If you got a car payment that's going somewhere else and not a car, it hurts a little bit. But the New Testament model now is Paul, really we have the record of Paul saying God loves a cheerful giver, to give from a cheerful heart, to be in a position to give. And Paul, just my perspective from reading the book of Acts many times, like some of you, that early believers were givers. I mean early on they gave possessions, they gave land to those in need. They were giving, they were giving from a cheerful heart. So much so that I believe it's in Corinthians, I didn't have it the first service, I forgot about it until now. Paul said, I do not mean that you should give to where you are in lack and others are now in abundance. Make sure it equals out and you don't give away yourself into poverty. So the problem wasn't not giving, the problem was giving too much. And then we've drifted now into America, even now, we are blessed beyond anything. I would encourage all of you to take a missions trip, some to Africa, to the Middle East if you can. I mean go down, take a Mexico trip and watch how India, go to India and watch the little beggar boys on the street, all twisted in their body and contorted orphans and nobody's helping. They're sitting on, and we are so blessed and our abundance, the blessings of God have become a curse because we're so trusting that abundance. We gotta have our 401k and our retirement and our insurance and we trust in all these things and here's $10, but we are millionaires in other countries. Did you know that? If you're in this room, you have a vehicle and a home, even renting, you are a millionaire in other countries. And so this whole idea, I think sometimes, and we get proud of 10%. I mean maybe that, I mean is that really, is that really something to be proud of or is that just, that's just not even where many believers in early church went. So I just want to clarify that because people do get confused sometimes. Well should I give a tent? Should I do this? God just wants it to come from a cheerful heart. However, another thing that I believe, I know there's disagreements on this, but I believe that a person or groups should give to a place where they're being built up and edified. So if you're benefiting from the electricity and the building and the services and the children's ministry and the lighting and the parking and you know this isn't free, right, obviously, then you should invest into what is building you up spiritually. And if you want to, we invest in orphans and widows and hospital homes and benevolence and we do that for the people if they don't know who they are. So I have no problem in believing that we should invest into the church, into the local body. Now people ask, well where does the money go? Well you can talk to Randy, he's the treasurer. We have a whole pie chart available on Microsoft or different things. But it's very simple. We save 10%, we give to missions, we have benevolence, we have budgets. People think like, well more and more and more and more and more and Shane would get a huge raise or a huge bonus. It doesn't work that way. No matter what comes in, they set a salary just based on an average pastor of an average church with this type of income, the board sets it, I have no say so in it and it's what they set. And that's where it just stays for a long season. That's it, no matter if a million dollars came in. People think, oh if I give they're going, no, you'll see where it goes. We have it written down. We remodeled, yes, but this came in actually the week. $14,000 came in for the remodel that week when we went to do the Casey building we said hey We're gonna we're gonna Redo it next door make it nice for the kids if you want to give to it let us know 25,000 came in that week do it so we open that door Now others others sometimes aren't in a position to give financially they're helping in other ways They're giving of their time. They're giving of our resources. They're giving so I don't hold that over them as well But there should be some type of giving going on whether it's time whether it's provision whether it's Money, whatever it is there. They're there. They're a believer in Jesus Christ should be giving somehow in some way And I also believe that God puts it on a person's heart a cheerful giver He loves somebody who gives cheerfully not forcefully. That's why and people ask why don't you pass the plate you probably get more money No But what who how I hear it comes again, let me get $5 You know we just have a box and those who want to give know where it's at they give It's not we don't force it right because I could force it I Could force it Right give us. There's 20 people in this room I know have $100 that you can give actually there's 40 people. I'm sensing. This is a big There's 40 people in this room. No don't laugh. Don't God's not joking God's not joking This is his money 40 of you have $100 you can give Before as you leave here. I want you to raise your hand right now brother Just claim in faith raise that hand who's gonna give $100 and we can just push and push and push I know God's gonna see it into your life. I'm not only sir 40 I think everyone in this room should sign a commitment card on their way out to increase their giving by 30% and When you give brother you will receive you are the tip you are the head and not the tail press down running together and overflowing God will open up the randos of heaven you said if you're hearing from the radio if you send in a $1,000 God is going to bless you and he's going to multiply you preach your brother Oh, I feel and we've got a building fund have you noticed our building fund We're only halfway there, and we're about ready to lose his place. We need to hit that number by February whoo That kind of felt good though It felt good in the first service, too No, that's not that's not God. I know it, but you can see right. That's and the people oh yeah, yeah yeah, but that's not a cheerful heart and I Personal opinion the more you trust on God the more you see You would not believe I mean people they'll just they'll mail in $10,000 check or $25,000 check when they sold their house, or it just comes. I don't even ask we don't even beg We don't it's just God opening his door, but then we have to be good stewards of what he's given And that's how he works. I remember People told me right we started the church now. That's not gonna work You know everybody passes plates, and you know it kind of reminds people It's a form of worship, and I'm like I just don't feel good about it It's like you know everybody so let's just try it so the first night at the seven years ago Collected over $2,000 just on the first night of people putting in I actually stayed working for three years The first three years of the church So we could build and build and build and build and build and build and you can talk to Randy He's been there since day one with the Treasury, and he just reminded me after the first service He says I only think I've heard you preach on giving six times in seven years So it's not something we make a big deal of but when the text speaks loudly about it I will speak loudly about it because I believe I truly believe that many people are not Experiencing the blessings of God because your pocketbook is your God You're it's idolatry, and I've seen it when you begin to release that idol And you begin to I mean let's let's just come on now if we just start to give some even if I If people increase or just start or not even here anywhere I mean, I'm just in general five percent or a hundred or two I mean is it is it really gonna lead us to bankruptcy and really gonna lose our homes I mean what it's like It's like we have so much Abundance, and I think God just wants us to check our hearts and look mine included all of us in here It is is he happy with what we are doing maybe so maybe so I'm not I'm convinced that there are people in here Godly people in the first service to that that are honoring God in this area But I know that there are others where if you ever say why is everything going wrong? Why is everything breaking? We just can't get a head What it was just and me and my more like they make more than we do what they can't get a head What's going on because the devourer The devourer the Bible calls him the devourer He will devour and you by selfishness you open the door for the devourer to come in and devour So this area of giving is so important because it actually competes with God. Why do you need God if you can buy what you want? Do what you want? Have a comfortable life and see the more money we have the more godlike you become is that not true Go talk to some of these billionaires That are running our country by who they're paying and what they're doing They can the more you get up there the more you can because now you're calling the shots now You're doing what you want to do and life is being centered around your life So giving releases from idolatry and I don't want anyone to leave here negative confused upset See God God loves a cheerful giver and if he's put something on your heart And the reason I joke about that is it's he he he does it to me he does it I remember I don't know how long it's been a couple years He put on my heart to sell my truck give half the money to somebody The devil is a liar on that one. It's just I just paid it off We just the month we paid it off that all we paid off now give it and so no no, no No, no, I know that is that me? That's not me Is that the devil that's not the devil and it took a month like no. No, it's not gonna happen You know just not Lord. That's just not smart. That's just not wise I mean who does who does how am I gonna get another one and just fought God for it? And then I come to find out they lot they they lost an axle in their car on Out in Antelope Acres. They were actually living in their car with their little daughter And so I did it and got him a Chevy truck. I think in the apartment and and again I'm not oh look at you what Shane did. No, I'm telling you what Shane didn't want to do I I But the Lord won't let you go. Did you know that if you're in prayer and say he's not gonna let you go He's like, oh great Shane's ignoring me. No, he's gonna Oh Shane's ignoring me. Holy Spirit What used to be called the hound of heaven would you be let loose on him? Knocking knocking. Hey open that door No, I don't and finally God will get you to do that And then he opened up an incredible door for the next vehicle I just amazing what he did and trusting and he opened that door and and Was able to pay that one off and just amazing things because when you honor you see we don't see the result though That's why we don't take the step of faith like oh if I could see the other vehicle Paid off. Okay, then I'll do it. But but that's what faith is. It's like stepping out. I don't see that I'm gonna step out on what I don't see and find the foundation below So that's what the in giving to me is huge because so many people are in this bind Financially or maybe they have money, but there's no joy Why there's no joy because the more you own the more owned you They're so busy keeping up with the Joneses. They're so they're so busy and then it cracks me up. They say Oh financial problems We can't afford a new washer and dryer Like will you make two hundred thousand a year and you go on trips all it's horsing ford and washer and dryer What are you talking about? But see the the mindset that there's no joy There's no peace because they're bound by these things So we have to go from a consumer mentality to an investor mentality that really what this will help you a lot this one point We're so consumer oriented aren't we work because we consume so we go to church sometimes consumer consumer consumer But go as an investor because everything you own every penny every tool every piece of equipment Guess whose it is. It's God's. No, that's not true I've worked 40 years for that who gave you the breath to breathe to get that job who allowed you to stay there So God owns everything everything is his he doesn't need money. It's all his can you imagine that the father? It's all his he says children sons daughters. Here. It is. Here's everything. Here's abundance. Here's blessing. Here's hot water Here's a heater. Here's a home. Here's a car. Here's financial prosperity. Here's insurance or whatever 401ks and retirement here it is Would you consider giving back some to the work? I Don't know about you, but I'm glad I'm glad he asked for Ten percent not ninety now, but Jane you said he didn't ask for that I know but there's there's a number there that it's got to hurt us a little bit So God asks that we give give of our resources give of our time. It's got to hurt a little bit So he says invest so next time you spend How would your father want you to spend How what would that change the way you purchase Hmm come on Would that change your way we purchase I've talked to so many people Just even recently lady needing help financially But I lovingly said, you know if you quit smoking and drinking you could save $300 a month. I mean think think about that. So then am I enabling? I'll continue to enable the habit when yes, it's hard to stop those things But see how that being a good steward of what God see it changes how you view things It might it might change how you spend your time. Sometimes. Where do you spend your time? Where do you invest your money because we do think that's my money. That's my hundred dollars Or what but that's it's God's allowing you to invest it wisely And that's very important on this issue of giving Giving crushes idolatry because it's the closest thing we have to making us self-sufficient and godlike. That's what I said Here's what I was going to say to follow up with that We can rest more we can buy more we can control more and we can change more if I have more money So that's why giving it away helps with idolatry It's the truest gauge that measures the spiritual health of our heart God does say try me in this area. Try me in this test me in this area. Test me I'm going to show you an old testament principle. I'm not going to be here long. We'll conclude shortly, but People are scared of this verse Sometimes because many many people say it in the wrong way, but others are like, oh, no that doesn't apply today Well, the principle applies big time and that's in malachi 3 They're going to put up on the screen malachi 3 the children of israel have have are experiencing financial uh Difficulties their their crops aren't growing Things are not going good. So god says this will a man rob god yet you have robbed me But you say in what way we robbed you what way we robbed you god What are you talking about in ties and offerings see they brought a tent and they also brought offerings You are cursed with the curse for you have robbed me even with this whole nation So they weren't giving to his house. They weren't giving to his work. They weren't helping those in need and rob is to take What's not yours? So again, everything belonging to god even I mean, can you imagine? And on the farm, they're they're a bumper crop They have more wheat and barley than they know what to do with and they're going to act like that's theirs When who just gave them the rain and nourished the soil God did it. So he's saying you're robbing me because you're not giving back to me and then he says Malachi, uh eight. I'm, sorry chapter three verse 10 Bring all the ties into the storehouse But you know what? Let me go back to this for a minute Will you not rob god rob you you have robbed me in ties and offerings. You are cursed with the curse This is a reason And this is why Some people are have lack in the difficulties I don't want to just gloss over that i'm glad i'm glad god remind me of this many people are experiencing financial difficulties and lack because they are not Giving they are not giving back to god and that doesn't have to be a huge amount of income where you're in a bind And now your wife has to work what which is something though has to be in our heart take it to god And and it this area could be leading to lack and difficulties in your life because you're withholding From god you're withholding giving having a giving heart and as a result there is Uh curse is a strong word, but curse is curse is basically the opposite of blessing So god's either blessing you or he's withholding the blessing and that's what could be happening Verse 10 bring all the ties into the storehouse. So bring the tenth of what they had into the storehouse There was a storehouse that would assimilate the food. They would feed the priests They would feed the the widows the children and need different things And bring them all in that there may be food in my house and try me now in this see it's interesting God could do this And that storehouse would be full He just says the word full storehouse is full Build another storehouse Full build another one full but he tests his people. That's how you gauge god uses money to gauge the heart of the people It's more for us than god He doesn't need it Did jesus need money when he when he fed the 5 000? So he doesn't need it it's a gauge of our heart That's why i'm passionate about this because it'll really mature you in the faith quickly So then he goes on to say bring all the ties in this storehouse that there may be food in my house And try me now in this says the lord of hosts I will not if I will not open up heaven for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such a blessing that There will not be room enough to receive it So god says i'm going to pour out so much rain so much abundance that your soil would just reap a bountiful harvest Harvest that you won't even have enough. You don't even know what to do with it So he's saying here's what he's saying If you would have brought the temp to me bring bring 10 back then bring it to me Fill the storehouse as a result of that i'm going to open up the windows of heaven You'll have so much you won't even need to do with it if you're just obedient in that initial area But we say no, I don't want to be obedient in that area. So then we remove this blessing of god It's a principle. How do you know it's a principle? Well, it's called reaping and sowing That's what this is Reaping and if you if you dare to tell me reaping and sewing is not in the bible. I will challenge you Oh boy what you sow you reap If you sow into the flesh you reap of the flesh if you sow into the spirit you reap of the spirit If you sow into the things of god you reap from god. It's sowing and reaping taught continually throughout the scripture Then he says That there will not be room enough to receive it and I will rebuke the devourer for your sake The devil is the devourer I will rebuke the devourer for your sake so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground Nor shall the vine fall to fail to bear fruit in your field says the lord of hosts So what is a devourer it's to take something if I devour something i'm going to take it quickly, right? When they set that turkey down on thanksgiving what happened? It was devoured Devouring so the enemy comes in and he says right now i'm going to rebuke the devourer for your sake So the devourer who's going to come in and take from you i'm going to rebuke him because you're giving back to god So when you don't give to god their selfishness you open the door and the devourer comes in We I mean we can tell how hard of a topic this is by how much it irritates Go home with that one, right? If it irritates it's because something has got a hold on us It's so funny to watch this in the bible Give give more give more give give good prices or give more money or whatever you do, whatever that fits in your life give more So it doesn't have bondage over you Jesus said when you fast Give up food so food doesn't become a bondage See, whatever you don't deal with becomes a bondage Whether it's food whether it's drink whether it's money whether it's possessions whatever you don't deal with That will eventually become your master and begin to control you because you haven't dealt with it in that area If you can never get ahead if things are being devoured or if you have abundance But there's no joy and peace if you're always striving and complaining about finances This principle may be in play You know, one of the number one reasons for financial, uh, or for marriage problems with the behind marriage many behind many marriage problems is finances finances And i've noticed that many people who are either divorced now or heading to divorce often never gave They didn't give to the church. They didn't give to those in need very much. They didn't give So shane, what's that about? I'll tell you what that's about because an ungiving heart is a selfish heart and if you stick two selfish people in the same home How is that going to come together? See giving releases selfishness and you have two givers coming together and working through it If not, it's about rights Because from a giving heart it changes how you spend your money, too You don't need to keep up with it with somebody across the street who just put bought the new mercedes and just got their roof Done and their house painted. Oh, we got to do that, too. We got to do that, too, honey No, we don't we don't make enough and then here come the fight We need more vacations we need to do no here come the fights You're always working always working we got to make money got to make money here come the fights You see how that works selfishness. We'll get in there And it's also a big mistake when we say god is blessing me. Just look at all my stuff That's not true. Selfishness could be blessing you and you're lacking the blessings of god I know right now wealthy people who do not give are miserable There's no joy. There's no peace. There's no contentment. They're striving. Their marriages aren't healthy. It's because they don't have a giving heart So i'm getting ready to close praise god communion we have communion up front communion in the balcony and Communion is a time where we examine our hearts We examine our hearts and ironically as I was reading about communion I was reminded that paul actually rebuked the believers because of their selfishness Because they're not giving to others they're putting themselves first read it paul in first corinth First I don't know which where it is exactly but paul talked to the church in corinth He said why don't you eat at home? And why don't you drink at home you come to church you eat the food of others you drink your gluttonous And you don't care for those who are in need you take advantage of those you come in and grab all your food And you don't give any to those who need it He said examine yourselves before you take communion or the judgment of god is going to fall upon you. Look at your heart So how ironic we're taking communion. It's the same topic So my encouragement is look at your heart is there exam is there is there areas where you've been taking advantage of people Have you been taking advantage of people in this area or have you been lacking a compassionate heart? Have you not been giving to others whether it's time? I mean we should have the hospital homes list full They're just people wanting people to go visit with them But what's the reason we're all too? busy But jesus said uh, you better change that busyness around you're busy with the wrong thing Seek ye first the kingdom of god and i'll add everything else to you So examine our hearts before we take communion. What we're doing is you just come up and take it During the worship at your convenience And go back and pray with your spouse pray with your family or pray to yourself And the blood is represented in the juice We remember the blood that was shed on the cross The the wafer is reminded of the body that was bruised and broken for us So we do this in remembrance of what jesus did That's why we do communion we do in remembrance of what jesus did so Other another thing if you don't know jesus if you've never repented and believed you don't want to take communion Uh, you just it's it's you're not remembering what he did for you because he hasn't done anything for you yet Because you haven't embraced it But what a wonderful thing is you could repent this morning and believe and take communion get your heart right examine your hearts Yeah, let's clap for that one. That's a good one So i'm gonna i'll end with this i'll leave you with this thought as i'm talking about salvation as we're talking about doing good I want to remind all of you that it's not about doing good to earn salvation In other words, if i'm just people say shane i'm just a good person. I hope god sees that No, he won't see that amos said this I read this this week. Woe to you who put far off the day of doom Woe to you who put far off the day of doom. He's saying woe to you people Woe to all of you who put away the day of destruction the day of judgment as if it's never coming Don't put that away anymore. He's saying don't don't don't say oh, that's way away. I don't need to change Repent and believe now because when jesus comes again when he comes again, he's coming As a as a lion not a lamb anymore When he's coming again, he will not be docile. He will dominate he will not be passive. He will be aggressive He will not be weak and intimidated. He will be strong and forceful. He will not cower back He will move forward aggressively He will not be defeated. He will be victorious his robe is actually dipped in the blood of his enemies Oh, that doesn't sound too christian Oh That's not nice Listen when he comes back it's coming back for judgment. That's not nice All imagery used is not that of passivity and of a mild and meek jesus it's imagery of a sword of warfare of slewing his enemies of Judgment of the blood of those who came against him of his kingdom and his dominion of the everlasting punishment of god Those things you have to take seriously So I ask you this morning if you don't know him I would encourage you to repent and believe Like amos said woe to those who put far off the day of doom I've got a lot of questions too, but i'd rather live on this side of the question mark And not on this side of the question mark questioning god and not believing in him