2024: New Year, New Commitment, New Behaviors (3)
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God is changing the posture of people. This morning we are going to be directly coming against the spirit of poverty, lack, and offense. Listen I know the way we are taking offering hasn’t eveer been done here before, but I believe with all my being that chains are being broken off.
4 Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel! Again you shall adorn yourself with tambourines and shall go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.
Israel had been torn down due to sin and rebellion. They had demonic forces coming strongly against them. They had been seperated and Jesus was getting ready to unite and restore Israel. I believe this is prophetic for the 4 towns. That there has been division for too long and that Jesus is uniting and bringing them together. This is the promise God gave Israel. What he is saying is I have set your free from your oppressors-AND I will build you up again/.
I will restore you because of this restoration you will go forth dancing. God is restoring the church. He is restoring the towns and he is breaking down the chains and walls that have been built up to keep out His glory. This is why we celebrate the offering. I believe there is going to be a restoration of wealth brought back to the 4 towns. I believe God is, right now, raising up millionairs in the church and he is doing it through the avenue of giving.
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.
This is what we call an if then statement and there are thousands of these in the bible. If you honor God with your wealth, then your barns will be full. But we need to do it with the right heart.
I’ve been asked a couple of times about the verse where God states don’t let your left hand know what your right handis doing.
3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
This portion of scripture is located in the sermon on the mount and we need to understand that this command isn’t literal. Israel also gave their tithes in front of people. We see this with the women who gave the penny. The giving is a public event. .There is no hypocrisy in giving in a public event. Jesus wasn’t coming out condemning the act of giving. He was condemning the heart issue. In those days the wealthy Pharasees would make a show-telling how much they are giving. In today’s word we see this through videos like MR. Beast. Who give away money to the poor, but do so taking videos of themselves to increase their wealth. The heart is wrong. We talked last week about not giving out of compulsion or out of vanity.
I dance, a I shout, and I proclaim the goodness of God. I give out of obedience to God because I know I cannot out give God.
11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.
We already know that when Jesus talks about coming into a mans house to steal what he has that he comes in like a strong man. The strong man is a demon that’s coming to steal form you and that if you knew the demon was coming you would prepare.
The term robber is actually a Hebrew term meaning man like. The following Hebrew word means like one making gone. It’s where they come up with the term robber. But realistically is a man-like figure making prosperity gone. and want will come upon you.
Withholding leads to poverty.
Proverbs 11:24 (ESV)
another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
There are two reasons God gives to people we see this in
10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
Is to seed—or to give. God gives to givers and more over God gives to cheerful givers
to eat or supply for your needs.
Both are of God. God desires you to have good and nice things. But God also desires you to give generously.
6 He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.
This is the idea we need: This term continually- This isn’t a one time event. You can’t give to God once and read a harvest for a life time. This is about setting pattern behaviors. There is a continually that has to happen. They also use the term weeping. This is OT - wea re told that we have fiath. I believe God honors a faith heart. If we give celebrating we will celebrate more when we collect the increase.
38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Now this is actually talking about forgiveness-the measure of forgiveness, but this is a principle of giving as well. What I want you notice is this. Teh measuring isn’t God. God doesn’t determin the amount of blessing you receive. God is only limited by the measuring cup you use.
You determine the measure of blessing by the measure of giving.