Put Him First & Encounter Church Family Announcement

We are starting a new series this morning. That'll take us through Advan. I love lighting the Advent candle. Those are really cool to do with the numbers on them. I love this season that we anticipate the coming of Christ. We we look forward to is Burt like it is just it's an incredible time. And this year I wanted to like kind of approach it a little bit differently. And so let's start off in the Bible as we always do every week start off in Matthew chapter 6. We're going to look at Matthew chapter 6 verse 33. I'm going to explain some things were going to pray for your lunch into it. It's all going to be good. Ready Matthew chapter 6 verse 33, it says this but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you have you have you ever gone to a Christmas party or maybe even you come to church near Christmas time and somebody has given you a Christmas gift. And your first response is I didn't I didn't get them anything. Shoot me and you're like, you know what I got you something. I just I forgot it at home. And I got I'm giving up on that. I don't do that anymore. I just be like I totally didn't even think about it. So that's okay. But like we've been there right? We we all understand that that that that feeling that that necessity and almost feels like because when somebody gives a gift it feels like they're there needs to be a response there needs to be a response of some kind of reciprocation of that and you know, we're going through this this Advent Series in the series the title in response to the gift. See now, we understand now having the entirety of this story that Jesus is the greatest gift that is ever been given the greatest gift that is ever been. Given Jesus is the gift that keeps on giving Jesus this amazing story this amazing person and we get to and we understand it now because we have the full picture of it all it's because of Jesus that were even gathered here together in this place. That we would come alongside each other as family in a home group setting is because of Jesus. There's a response that is necessary. When we think about the greatest gift of all a response and really a multitude of responses that is required almost that this it needs to be our knee-jerk reaction to it all as we understand the gift that we have been given through this series. I hope that we can just point out a few of those things some things that that we should be able to put into motion as a response to the greatest gift that we've ever been given. Let me let me frame it this way though, because I don't want anybody to get confused we are not talking and this is not an issue of Salvation. We are not talking about now works that it now that we've we've received Jesus so we better Get this right and we've got to do the certain things or we aren't deserving of the gift that we've been given this the gift has freely been given it's already been given and for those of us who have received we've received that it's finished that's done. We're not talking about working out our salvation, but we're talking about a response a beautiful response to the gift that we've been given if you've accepted Jesus as your lord and personal Savior and and and recognize that he died on the cross for you to pay for your sins salvation is Yours its this is not an issue of Salvation this morning. I want to look at one of the areas of response that to me is probably one of the most important areas and in one of the most incredible opportunities That we have really to see this gift keep on giving in our lives and I want to talk about putting God first in our lives, you know, we started off with Matthew 6:33 is to seek first his kingdom seek first hymns go after him first above all other things first him first, you know, when I think about our lives, you know that we live in in our world. Our culture that we live in would have a problem with that idea of putting anything even a God above ourselves because the world would say look out for number one look out for yourself. And that's so countercultural to what what we understand coming out of the Bible. And so we're going to look at this. And in in in this I want us to understand that as we have received Jesus, you know, we understand that this concept of seek first the kingdom for us because we receive Jesus, you know, it's it's really not that big of a problem for us to put him first because men we understand what we have already received in the greatest gift. That's ever been given It's not foreign to us at all fact, when you receive Jesus, it actually seems like a pretty good deal doesn't it's like come on. Yeah, that's a that's a good trade. Let's let's do that. I'll respond but some of the areas in our life are more difficult to put him first in then other areas. Yeah. Absolutely. There are some areas that when you first receive Jesus, you're like all have this have that specially all of my problems and all the stuff that I've messed up. You can come in and fix that any day. Let's do that. It's easy, but there are some areas that we clean to in her little bit more difficult to give up then other areas and I see one of the key areas of Our Lives that I constantly am seeing people Christians struggle to put God first in in that area is in the area. Finances and as I say that there's a little shutter that goes through the room and we're talking about finances in church. Oh my goodness. Some of you were to In and Out already is were thinking about this but don't we're going to look through it and what I want you to know and what I would mention is that as you already start to think about this concept, you're pretty or racing ahead and knowing the direction that I'm heading in this but listen here, I am not standing up here preaching a message that that is that is geared towards now you giving to me or you giving to the church so that I can do something. I don't know like some people have these crazy ideas that you know, I just want your money or the pastor just want your money and then if this is your first Sunday, I am so sorry first of all, We don't do this every week. Okay. This isn't this isn't even for you. Okay, but like if you if you just listen, it'll be good for you to okay, but listen, this is coming from a heart that has truly experience. In this area. I want you to understand this was so much easier to preach when I wasn't believe Pastor, you know, I even remember one of the very first time that I spoke on this topic, I was a guest speaker at a church didn't had never been there before and so I went and they wanted me to preach on that and I'm like for real. So I'm like, okay and I did and it was incredible for them. So I'm hoping that it would be incredible for us as a church. I'm so that's where we're coming from. If you are sitting here now again a little bit nervous. It's okay. We're family here you're watching online and you haven't tuned out I don't.

Because of the sensitive nature of this I'm not going to like sermon sneak attack you either, you know, I'm just going to lay it out for you right now. This is what we going to do. There's not going to be some like emotional like we're Crescendo to an emotional response. And also it's just let's just playing lay it out for you. I'm going to try and answer this morning three questions that I get all the time when we talk about finances. Those three questions are this. What is tithing? What is it? What is it all about? Do we still have to tithe? Is that something that were required to do or is that old new? What lake help me understand that I get that one all the time. And then what happens if I do or don't type just lay it out for me. What actually does this mean for me? Either way. This is what we're going to look at. We're going to talk on tithing this morning. So let's pray. Now you can see why I waited to pray and let's just pray that God would just meet us here in this moment speak to us bring Clarity and I'm going to pray also that if we have any preconceived notions because there's some areas of hurt and pain that come around finances, especially inside the church. I'm going to pray that God would dissolve those and take them away from us this morning and that we would have a pure heart for it. All that sound good but you're so good. We thank you for this opportunity. We have to talk about this and God we pray that as we learn to respond in this area got to pray that any preconceived notion any idea that may have been implanted in printed on us from younger days God that maybe is not of you I pray that you would take those thoughts from us that we would be able to hear what you have for us this morning and with perfect clarity be able to understand the way you would have us walk this out. And so we just give you our selves how we put humbly put ourselves at your I pray that you would speak to us. We want to hear from you this morning in your name. We pray. Amen. Amen. Well, let's turn to our bibles are the passage that were going to pick up this morning comes out of Malachi Malachi chapter 3 verses 6 through 12 Lord do not change their for you or children of Jacob are not consumed from the days of your father's you have turned aside for my statutes and have not kept them return to me and I will return to you says the Lord of host but you say How shall we return will man? Rob God me but you say how we robbed you in your ties and contributions. You are cursed with a curse for you are robbing me the whole nation of you bring the full tithes into the storehouse that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test says the Lord of hosts if I will not open the windows of Heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the Devourer for you so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil and your Vine in the field shall not fail to bear says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations will call you blast for you will be a land of delight says the Lord of hosts. Now I know some right away would say well this is out of the Old Testament pastor. And so this doesn't apply to us anymore. But let's just for a second we'll get there. Let's just for a second use this to bring some context to help us understand. What a ties is what what is a time when we speak of that? What does this mean? When when we hear this word? I don't know about you, but I have only really heard it in a church setting it's not usually one of those things that you and you go to the bank, you know, you hear this word tithe or you hear other people in our world talk about this was so let's look at what is actually is in an inverse 10 it even says, you know, bring the full tithes into the storehouse. So we need to know what the tie that is because we need to bring the entirety of what it is to the local store house. So how much is it? First of all simply a tent? And that's what it literally mean. It says, it means a 10th part. So it's a tenth we understand it now as a tenth of our increase or income, I guess back in the day, you know, they don't get a paycheck. They didn't get you know, the direct deposit paycheck sent to them. He know that we would be like, you know grain and other farming goods and other things like that lives. Well, I kind of stuff so, you know, the currency is a little bit different for us. It's bad. But if they're talking about a 10 of the income and I for me, I'm just going to put this out for me. I don't nickel and dime God so I don't like round. I mean, I don't like you no right to the certain degree like to the dollar to the sent that that is 1/10 of my eye round up. I'm like, I don't want to be careful. You know, it's just so I round up and people ask often do you tithe on your gross or net income? Listen just go to God for that. But here's my thoughts on it. I tie my family tides on our grocery. And we would do that because we benefit from all of the all that we are putting into with rcpp with REI with all that stuff my income tax that pays for everything that I use like I benefit from that if I didn't benefit from it at all then then maybe not but it is mine first and and and so I give from the gross that's just me, but who is this in the first place? Cuz that's the important part that we need to understand in this, you know, as we earn money and stuff as we're thinking about ties. It's important that we understand the reality that's here when you read through your Bible when it talks about your time. It would talk about bringing or presenting or returning your ties to the local store house. And it says it's really important that we understand why It says that because you cannot give what is actually not yours, you know, for instance. I can't go to Tyler and ask him for something that is owned by Anthony and ask him to give that to me. It's it's not his to give and so when it talks about at I've it's it's actually not ours to give it starts to return. This is what it's talking about in Malachi in in chapter 1 verse 8, it tells us that if we don't bring Ty rob somebody it unless it's theirs right pretty simple to understand when you look at the context of it all like so it is God's already we are just to return it bring it back to him. Bring it back to the local store house. This is why you can't actually designate designate your tithe. You know, we have a section on the on the offering envelope that says general ties and offerings like General ties. That's where it's high this lot of them some I know in the past have been like well I Want My Thai to go to some from Mission some for whatever. I don't know what else is on there. But like, you know youth ministry children's ministry that actually isn't a tithe cuz what makes it a tithe is what you're into returning the 10% to God once you designated that's an offering it's above and beyond which we absolutely believe in giving offerings. I just asked you to consider giving towards the missions trip. My family will be giving towards the missions trip, you know, we need to raise like 14 $15,000 for this trip, you know, that's not going to happen without a people being generous and coming on board with something but that's above and beyond that. I've a tithe is God's already it's the first 10% that we bring back that we present that we were. Turn to God to the local store house. And again, that's what it says in verse 10. It says that we are to return or bring the full where to the storehouse the old Storehouse of the day when this was talked about was a room or or a series of rooms inside of the temple that they would bring and they would now it's just stuff and crammed full with grains and Lysol. This stuff would be stored there. It was the representation of the the local church, you know, some people would be like why I have this missions organization or this pair of church organization that I tied to and listen where you give your your money to is actually what it what it ends up being feel bring it to the local store house to the local church. It's not again eight eyes. It's an offering which by all means You know, we see all of these incredible opportunities to serve our community to see these missions organizations have everything that they need. But listen, we're required and asked to give a 10 art I've to the local Storehouse Janice and I were when we first got married, we we set aside and said we will be a family that Tides we give 10% Actually we give more than 10% to our local to this house to Encounter Church. And it's incredible seeing what God is doing with that. You are family a lot of you give and ties and it's incredible to see what happens as we do that where it goes actually determine what it is. If you don't bring it to the local store house. It's actually not a tie. And while we're doing this. This is what we're talking about through this whole message today is we're talking about in response to the gift put him first put him first in the area of finances and a tithe is how we are able to put him first in our finances which how many of you know this morning that finances are a huge there a key area of Our Lives that we would love to see freedom in that. We would love to see breakthrough in that. We would love to see God move and just do what he can do while listen we can see that happen as we do our part in it as we first put our faith our whole trust in him. In the area finances, that's why when you think about at I've it it talks about it being first. This is important to realize as well because you know back in. I don't even have time to get there. So it's important that it is the first thing so, here's what we do right? I'm not legalistic in this like I need you to understand that too because I know people have veered off and gotten really need a militant about it. That's not our heart here. It's it is a heart condition which will talk about in a little bit but put him first in this area. We can Stuart our finances best when key is in his proper place to put it first Matthew chapter 6 verse 33, which we read before to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you in this passage. People were worried. Okay, they were thinking about what they don't have they were thinking about you know, where's my food coming from I what am I going to live on I, going to make this and that's when this passages is given given saying put God first and he will make sure that you are taken care of. Okay, just put him first. That's when we think about, you know back in the day. They didn't have like a direct deposit, you know paycheck. I don't even have one of those just so you know, I got it actually but now it's awesome. You can just take a picture with your phone. They don't really do that little too pumped about that. I like technology. So for us we get a paycheck. So this is how it works. You know, I'm not legalistic when it comes to tithing. This is what it is. Okay for me when I get a paycheck that comes in my heart says the first thing that will leave my bank account will be my time. Now does that mean if like, you know, because everything is electronic nowadays that that you know, Janice just happen to be out shopping as I you know direct where is I took a picture and that sucker was deposited does that and she buy some groceries now and I'm like, oh no like we're cursed. What are we going to do you bought groceries? You just put the grocery store in front of Jesus wear masks when we going to do that's not That's that's not actually how this works. Alright, it's putting God first and it's a heart condition. I love this story that I heard a long time ago. Actually it's a story of a business man that was giving $25,000 to missions and ask he was writing the check. You got a phone call from some of his investors that said we're losing about 30% on on this one investment. We've got to figure things out and he asked the missionary for his check back as he took the missionary or is he took the check back the missionary was happy to do it. He heard about the situation was like man, that's really a strudel like 30% on that investment. That's that's terrible. Totally understood the businessman took back the check that he wrote him and he wrote out a new check and when the missionary looked at the check, the check was for $50,000. $50,000 instead of the original 25 in a businessman said I want my trust to be in God and have faith that he will help me through this. That business man understood this concept put God first in the area of your finances. He'll make sure that you will have what you need. If God is number one in all areas of your life. Everything seems to just come in to order in the area of finances. If you put God first, I have seen it in my own life as you put God first in the area of your finances. Everything seems to come in order. We talked and Encounter Church every once in awhile about God's Math and how it doesn't make sense. I don't I don't get it. Okay. I was actually pretty good at math. My report cards wouldn't wouldn't prove that. You know it I was good at it the application of that in the attention span wasn't quite there. But you know, I was good at math. And so, you know for me, I I budgeted hard but you know budgeting and then Understanding God's math. It's weird man how it works, but I can tell you that as Janice and I have put God first in the area of our finances right from when we first got married moved out to Vancouver from small-town Alberta drove over the Burnaby Mountain in the middle of the night and seeing the lights and thinking what have we done? Moving into our 1-bedroom basement Suite that was $500 a month to no job. No anyting and Janice was going to be going to school. We will put you first we will tie. We have everything tied right now because we don't have an income but got supplied a job at $9 an hour job that we said God. You're you're faithful. Thank you for providing this job. And we tied on $9 an hour and God just seem to make the math work. Tell me. I don't know how you make a budget nowadays with $9 an hour. You know, that was 18 years ago, but you know, all of our costs seem to be relatively the same, you know, it's not like milk is drastically gone up in that time. I don't have the stories that my parents have about buying a chocolate bar for a nickel or something like that. But I almost paid you to take the stuff. I don't get it but

You know, it just works it just works and we'll get into that a little bit and how that actually plays out and what God's promises in that but the question that I guess all the time as should we tithe do we need to tithe? I just sent that an old Covenant saying isn't that an Old Testament law thing do we have to do that now in my answer to you is listen. I understand that it is in the law. But it most definitely the principle of it most definitely precedes the law you can find the principle of tithing 2500 years before the law ever existed. Let me tell you we need to walk in the principle of tithing not so that I can have your money so that you can walk in the experience in the black thing that I have experienced. Trust me in this it absolutely is for us today absolutely is for us today. And I love how God in the Old Testament here in Malachi in verse 10 in the second half of that. He actually says this he says and therefore put me to the test. Put me to the test in this area. No other place in scripture. Does God allow us or give us permission or or just invite us. To put them to the test and yet he does that with our finances understanding that we will have difficulty in this area that money grips and money he holds on and he says listen put me to the test in this area and I will prove myself faithful to you put me to the test in this I love it verse tells us that if we don't we're robbing from God and if all of this is not good enough for you because we're using Old Testament. Jesus talks about it as well in Matthew chapter 23 verse 23, which I looks like I don't have a slide for it. Jesus is talking to the scribes into the Pharisees. He's recognizing their heart in there giving their giving so that people will recognize them and they giving in that kind of a position and they've tied the knot stood up for people in a Justice and how they have not shown compassion and mercy and how they haven't even been faithful God's pointing out a heart condition that these people have they saying listen the time you're bringing is actually not worth anything because it's the heart that you're bringing it to me in that's important. He's bringing up a heart matter understanding of this is why we don't get legalistic about it. This is why we don't say, okay listen now you didn't you didn't give this week. And so yeah, you're going to be you're going to curse, you know, we want you to experience the full measure of what God has for you in the area of your finances as well. And so will encourage you although if you're a member here, you know, that that's one of our requirements to be a member is that you tithe because it's important that we understand that if you're a member you have you have rights and you have a say and you have all and if you're not sewing into that, that's not right. And so we we we require all of our members to tithe and that's not from a legalistic standpoint. It's from a place of understanding that we want all of the people that would call this place home that are that are in that are sold out for the community that would that they're apart of we want them to experience the full measure of what God has for them. Jesus is our best example of living a life completely sold out for God in every capacity in every way and in this he's he says it's about your heart put your heart first in all of this and I'm not saying that this is going to become a natural or it's going to be instantly natural for you. Let me just give you a little story. I don't know if that's in the room right now. Awesome. Well, I'm going to talk about you buddy. Sorry. I remember when we first were teaching Seth how to how to how to tie. You know, he had people in our church at the time that would give him money. Just I don't know why they didn't give me money but he's cute. I'm not so he would give him money and then we'll teach this kid to tie his right? And so we had this awesome conversation with him the night before. Okay, so he was about three or four. Alright, so this is really little and we're teaching to tithe and I think it was on like $2.50 cuz I think it was a quarter. And so we got a name I brought an envelope home and where we wrote out his name and we put on there, you know, $0.25 and we prayed over it with thank God that that we were that guy was faithful and giving us the money that we had and allowing us to Stewart it and it was awesome. He was pumped and he couldn't wait for church the next morning, you know, we sit in the front row. We almost always have sat in the front row of church. And so we're sitting in the front row and it comes time to offering time, you know end up late starts coming by for like Seth put your envelope in there, man, and he was like what? And we're like you got to put it you got to put it in there. We got to give it give it in the offering. We're going to put it in there. You're tired. That's where it goes. He's like what and the next 30 seconds are kind of a blur to me now because a meltdown in suit, like it just keep he came to a place where where he finally understood that he actually had to give it like it actually had to leave his hands and now go into and that part he wasn't quite prepared for and he just and so we look like the worst parents in the world in the front row of the church trying to rip this envelope out of his hands throw it in there and he would drive back in there after we're like, no you're giving your money to be good for you and this guy is just crying and saw these I don't want my money.

Chef came to a place where even though he had made the decision. It actually came to the Parkville practical part of walking it out and let me tell you it's not easy. It's not easy and some of some of my eyes even people have talked to me about. Yeah, but you started so long ago yet. I started like it. It's never easy doesn't matter when you start it's hard and let me tell you it doesn't actually get easier along the way there are some times where you actually do the budget again, and you're like, I'm giving a lot to the church. I could probably afford that singing. I don't like knowing that God has to be first in this area, but it is it's difficult and the more money you make doesn't make it easier some of your thinking if I just made a little bit more I could I could type II don't make enough to tithe right now. And what I would encourage you is that whatever amount you have right now, you can't afford not to give there's a principal in play here that I don't actually have time to describe. I'm going to I'm going to give you an opportunity to have an in-depth time. I'll point you to that at the end where it where the principle of this is. It is further explain through a brilliant man that I learned a lot from in this area, but the principal is that if we if we put God first in this all the rest is black. And that's the way that we need to see this. We need to put God first in this area. This isn't the Prosperity Gospel that would say like, you know, you know as we give God just going to open up the heavens and gold coins are going to come raining down first. Well, that would hurt a lot. Just thought about that image right there, but the other question and really this is an important question because I don't want you to have some preconceived notion now that if you start putting this in the practice, you're all the all of a sudden going to become richer than your wildest dreams because that's not how it how it how it works. Okay. Look at me. I am not rich. Okay, I don't have copious amounts of money. I have to budget we have to look at things very carefully and all that kind of stuff just like you. Okay. We we have to do that and we tie the we make sure the second half Of Malachi chapter 3 the section that we look through in that explains exactly what it would look like if we put God first in this area and gave a 10 after he says put me to the test in this this is what it says. He says, where is it? Put me to the test says the Lord of host if I will not open the windows of Heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need important phrase no more need continuous for saying I will rebuke the Devourer for you so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil your Vine in your field shall not fail. The bear says the Lord of hosts. This is how God works some of us so easily see that opening Heavens part and it's like right on let's make it happen Make It Rain and you're waiting and waiting and waiting but we forget about the rest of that. I love this picture. As God says, I will rebuke the Devourer I will make it so that your crops just produce more that your crops what you put your hands too what you sow All your time into what you labor over we'll just bring more fruits, you know in this is how God has worked for me in this area my $9 an hour job. Just seem to be enough. Janice and I weren't struggling in that time. You know, I do remember very vividly sometimes sitting in front of our oven with the the door over open in our feet in the oven because the upstairs of that sweet had the control the thermostat and we would just have great conversations. But God made sure we had enough. I don't know how it worked. I remember saving up for an M&M Meats Meats. They have this box that was on sale that had stuffed potatoes and it can you imagine those stuffed potatoes. We couldn't afford those but we saved up God made it more than enough. I don't know how I don't know how the math doesn't work. His math doesn't make sense, but we had enough there was no more need in our house. And so we say now like we will give to God first. We will put him first in our finances and then we know that he will make sure we have enough. enough But it doesn't end there in that. I love this. Last little part is we draw our time to a closed verse 12 verse 12 says then all nations will call you blast for you will be a land of delight. since the Lord of hosts It never stops with just us. God loves us so much that if we put him first in this area, he will make sure that there is no more need but beyond us. He's like, I'm going to make an example out of you as you put me first you give me the opportunity for the world around you to see how good how faithful how incredibly loving I am and that's what we get to do in this area for us as well. When people that you go to work with that make the same amount as you see how you are able to to walk in the life that you walking in complete freedom in and free of the financial stress as you just put God first in that area and he supplies your needs they say, how do you make that work? How does that happen for you? We going to put him on display through our lives. As I draw our time to a closed this morning away. If you can head on up to the keys, that would be awesome. I want us to just imagine for a second. I just told Anthony he needs to go there any looked at me so weird. It was like I don't have my keyboard here man. I don't know what you're talking about. I want us to just imagine what this could be like for us for just a second. Free for you in yourself. Can you just imagine me and I know that Financial pressures and stresses are such a real thing that that are a thing that the majority of people on our planet walkthrough on a daily basis and wonder how am I ever going to be able to pay for rent if I'm going to buy groceries or how am I ever going to be able to do it for us? Sometimes when we're looking at the budget? It's so much easier to be like what I just paid for this and this and this and that. You know what I thought I have about 6% to give. That's not how it works. We need to put God first. Think about what they used to do in giving the firstborn of the animals that they would bring in your ear now having to slaughter the firstborn of an animal. This is your income your livelihood and you have to sacrifice the first one it doesn't take any faith to get 10 and then Slaughter one. It takes all the faith in the world to give the first and hope that more going to come. Same as the same as so for your finances. It takes no faith at all to at the end of the day. I've got a little bit left. But it requires all faith in the world to say you are first in this I'm going to put you first in this area, but can you imagine what happens in your own life? Did you get to see God move and do what only he can do it works out his math arithmetic. I don't know how it all works. But man let me tell you the promise is there and it's for us in first in the area of finances and you will have What you need? I might not be that but you're looking at it might not be that fancy shiny new piece of technology, but you will have everything that you need put him first but it doesn't end there. Can you imagine what it would be for this house as we as a people as a will so into this house in this area in the area of finances and said if we all got this The amount of finances that would come into this house not for purpose of serving the community around us. We have enough to do a service on a Sunday.

That's what this is about. For us personally that has made us for so much more than this. That we would see people encountering Jesus. Everywhere that we go and everything that we put our hands to that's my heart's cry so family, let's put this into practice if you have questions or thoughts are there is a hard thing that you're wrestling. So I'd be happy to talk you through this and help you understand my experience and it all but let's not wait. Let's put this into practice. Let's pray this morning Father. You're so good. You're so amazing that you would encourage us to put you to the test in this area. So now we just placed ourselves in your hands and pray that you would just do what only you can do as we put you first in this area in our finances as we tie this we take 10 / the world.

That we would see you moving through this area.

And each of us as we put this into practice got if it's difficult for us. We pray that you would give us boldness to step out stir our faith. If we have testimony to each other in this area. We just pray that you would move. mountains in this area God we give you our selves sooner.

Hey, man, will thank you church for that. Now. Listen, here's the thing in it. There is a principle to this that I couldn't in-depth talk about this morning, but I would love for you to understand in a way that I understand and there was there's a message if I preach if you will that somebody gave a long time ago. Now this church when we were still in our other location and it just was so profound H. It shookus to our core is at church and I would love for you if you're wondering at all about tithing. I put it on our website this message so that you can understand the principle that is here. This message is so profound. I I want you so desperately to watch it. If you have not seen it before it's on our website. It's on the listing Tab and then on the listing tab, you just go to Shared messages. It's on there. You just click shared messages and it's on there. I'll probably put a link up on our Facebook page as well. But please if you have any questions what like if you've never seen that message, please please watch it. It's he communicates it in such a way. I couldn't do it justice, so I didn't even try you need need to watch it. It's so good. Alright. Awesome. Well that draws our time to a closed this morning for a Sunday. If you can hit that that would be great. Yes, please. We have a family announcement in the counter church family announcement that we want to share with you this morning, which we are so pumped about how many of you have our church app and got this cryptic message that said what we're just dragging this on to make it listen. We are extremely excited to announce to you this morning that Encounter Church is moving. Okay. Come on, we are moving we did not take this lightly in any way before I take everything in my life a little bit. Adam said it's been a process for a long period of time in a process that has included a lot of her. It's actually been something that God laid on a number of people's hearts my heart and I respond to his pray about it. We did not know what it could be. We had these Brands tots and we weren't even sure where God was like taking this thought of we need a new building and we all we can say is God is faithful and he has miraculously just answered prayer and we are so so excited about it. Yeah, so in this move, we are expecting God to do some amazing things in again like Janet shared we had I had a dream about moving one day actually and I just put it on the Shelf. It's a God you got to show me what that means and what that looks like for us as a house because you know, we want to be in step with what you want for us. And so yeah, and then I came to church that Sunday and had I think two people that Sunday say, hey we're moving and I was like, yeah, I know it's going to be good. And so in that we know that we've been staying in step with Holy Spirit in in in everything in this and then even just to top it off this past Thursday in a group setting we got a word and and that word was a passage of scripture. Let me just read it for you. Now as as Mark sent us this word actually Mark shared it with his group and in in a group setting we had some of our So you obviously knew what was happening some of our league team who knew what was happening and the moment that this word was shared. They knew it was a Rhema word of God. Instantly lit up my phone with about 7 text messages that said did you hear what just happened? Let me share with you the passage of scripture chapter 2 verse 9 says the glory of this present house be greater than the glory of the former house says the Lord Almighty and resonator. Come on.