WEBVTT 1 00:00:05.160 --> 00:00:09.160 Welcome. Just Handaway Tagalog sermon podcast your daily does I'm 2 00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:13.439 inspiring from heartfelt tagalog sermons from different characters and speakers 3 00:00:13.480 --> 00:00:16.480 all over the Philippines. We hope that this podcast finds 4 00:00:16.480 --> 00:00:21.800 you in good shape. And now here's your message. 5 00:00:23.600 --> 00:00:28.839 You're listening to a message from Victory. God's character, commandments 6 00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:33.039 and promised blessings do not change. Discover more about this 7 00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:35.280 truth in week three of our series. 8 00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:45.719 Remember this, so let's start off by opening our Bibles 9 00:00:45.759 --> 00:00:50.479 to Malachai chapter three, verse six. Okay, this is in 10 00:00:50.520 --> 00:00:55.039 line of what God's message to his people prior to 11 00:00:55.079 --> 00:00:57.880 the Silent years from the Old and the New. And 12 00:00:57.960 --> 00:00:59.960 he was telling them, I want you to remember who 13 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:02.960 who I am, because I'll be silent for how many years, 14 00:01:03.320 --> 00:01:06.799 and then I'll come back and bring the rescuer who 15 00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:08.799 will say the world from our sin. And so in 16 00:01:08.840 --> 00:01:11.840 Malachi three, verse six, he says, for I the Lord 17 00:01:11.959 --> 00:01:16.480 do not change. Therefore you, oh children of Jacob, are 18 00:01:16.519 --> 00:01:20.200 not consumed. The Lord tells us here of his very 19 00:01:20.359 --> 00:01:23.719 nature that he is a lord who does not change. 20 00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:27.799 He's a god who's unchangeable. What that means is he 21 00:01:27.920 --> 00:01:30.319 was saying, if I am a lord who is very emotional. 22 00:01:30.840 --> 00:01:36.000 You're dead, that's the version in verse six. You'll be consumed. 23 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:40.000 You're done. Now you've rebeled against me, you've disobeyed me. 24 00:01:40.359 --> 00:01:43.079 But because I am a Lord who is gracious, I'm 25 00:01:43.079 --> 00:01:47.319 a Lord who's forgiving. I'm a Lord who is long suffering. 26 00:01:47.799 --> 00:01:52.079 I do not change. Even in your rebellion, I will 27 00:01:52.159 --> 00:01:53.120 choose to love you. 28 00:01:53.640 --> 00:01:53.840 Right. 29 00:01:53.959 --> 00:01:55.640 A lot of people think that the God of the 30 00:01:55.640 --> 00:01:57.959 Old Testament and the God of the New Testament are different. 31 00:01:58.319 --> 00:02:00.400 The God of the Old is very violent. The God 32 00:02:00.400 --> 00:02:03.159 of the New Testament is very gracious. It's not true. 33 00:02:03.319 --> 00:02:05.640 If you look at scripture again. In Malachi, you see 34 00:02:05.640 --> 00:02:08.560 here that this is a God is very gracious, and 35 00:02:08.599 --> 00:02:10.639 he said, I am the Lord. I do not change, 36 00:02:10.919 --> 00:02:13.280 or else you will be consumed. So the Bible talks 37 00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:16.400 about the very nature and character of God that he 38 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:19.000 does not change. And I know Malachi tree is also 39 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:21.439 used as a verse to talk about tits and offering, 40 00:02:21.560 --> 00:02:23.719 and later we'll get into that, But that was not 41 00:02:23.800 --> 00:02:26.680 the heart of Malachi three. It wasn't really about tights 42 00:02:26.680 --> 00:02:30.199 and offering. It's about something far deeper than tides and offering. 43 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:34.280 It was God saying here I am, I do not change, 44 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:36.759 because if Malachai Tree is all about tights and offering, 45 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:40.840 when we say God does not change, which is not 46 00:02:41.000 --> 00:02:46.199 these all right? What he's saying is Hindian because I 47 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:50.960 owe okay, I tell you eighties right. I will not change. 48 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:54.879 In spite of what you've done, in spite of your rebellion, 49 00:02:55.080 --> 00:02:57.360 I do not change. In verse seven, he says, from 50 00:02:57.360 --> 00:03:00.439 the days of your father's you have turned us from 51 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:03.919 my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, 52 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:06.479 and I will return to you, says the Lord of Hosts. 53 00:03:06.680 --> 00:03:10.159 But you say, how shall we return? I hope we 54 00:03:10.199 --> 00:03:12.840 get the very heart of the text. The Lord was 55 00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:16.159 saying to them, I want you to return to me. 56 00:03:17.560 --> 00:03:20.800 If you return to me, I will return to you. 57 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:23.280 The Lord did not say, return your tights to me 58 00:03:23.439 --> 00:03:26.800 and I will return to you, or return ten percent 59 00:03:27.159 --> 00:03:29.520 of your finances, and I will return to you. What 60 00:03:29.639 --> 00:03:32.599 he was saying is I want you to return to me. 61 00:03:32.840 --> 00:03:36.919 I want you. I'm inviting you to return to me. 62 00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:40.759 This wasn't about money. It was about us. He wants 63 00:03:40.960 --> 00:03:44.759 all of us. He doesn't just want a certain aspect 64 00:03:44.840 --> 00:03:48.120 of our life, like our finances or our love life 65 00:03:48.599 --> 00:03:51.680 or our ambitions and dreams. He wants all of us, 66 00:03:52.199 --> 00:03:54.879 and so he invites us, and he tells the people 67 00:03:54.919 --> 00:03:58.560 who are rebelling against him return to me, and I 68 00:03:58.599 --> 00:04:03.039 will return to you, says the Lord of Hosts. Now, 69 00:04:03.120 --> 00:04:06.400 the people who are asking, Lord, how have we not? 70 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:08.039 Are we not? 71 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:11.400 Okay? People tell you, okay, why would you say? Why 72 00:04:11.400 --> 00:04:14.400 would you invite us to return to you? We feel 73 00:04:14.439 --> 00:04:17.319 like we've not gone far away? But the Lord is saying, 74 00:04:17.439 --> 00:04:21.079 you don't see your sin, and that's why I'm inviting 75 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:24.600 you back. I want you back into my arms because 76 00:04:24.600 --> 00:04:27.519 I want you to experience who I am because you've 77 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:31.240 gone far away. And they said how how can we 78 00:04:31.399 --> 00:04:34.360 return to you? And then the Lord says, okay, I'll 79 00:04:34.360 --> 00:04:37.199 give you an example. How here's one part of your 80 00:04:37.199 --> 00:04:39.959 life where I feel like you've run away from me. 81 00:04:40.759 --> 00:04:44.360 He says, will a man rob god? Yet you rob me? 82 00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:49.240 You're robbing me? But you say, how have we robbed you? Again? 83 00:04:49.279 --> 00:04:52.720 They were asking the question, Lord, we haven't robbed you. 84 00:04:53.160 --> 00:04:56.439 We go to church, we help, I give my occasional 85 00:04:56.439 --> 00:05:00.360 twenty pesos and in a good day my five hundred pesos. Right, 86 00:05:00.680 --> 00:05:03.160 how have we robbed you? And he says, in your 87 00:05:03.199 --> 00:05:07.480 tithes and offering, so Tightson offering here was just an 88 00:05:07.560 --> 00:05:11.399 example of how they've run away from God. It's one 89 00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:15.199 of the great examples because most of us, how we 90 00:05:15.319 --> 00:05:19.279 handle our money would reflect our view of who God 91 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:22.759 is in our life. And so he was saying, a law, Yo, Munasah, 92 00:05:23.279 --> 00:05:25.439 and the example I want to give to you in 93 00:05:25.480 --> 00:05:29.600 your own life is how you handle my money. In fact, 94 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:33.079 not just my money, but the tithes and the offering. 95 00:05:33.480 --> 00:05:36.879 And he says, you're robbing me. You're under a curse. 96 00:05:38.240 --> 00:05:40.680 You're a curse with a curse for your robbing me 97 00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:44.360 the whole nation of you. My journey with Tidson offering 98 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:48.319 has been very coldorful. Early on in my faith, I 99 00:05:48.360 --> 00:05:54.680 wouldn't give my tithes in offering. It was anti Chinese, right, 100 00:05:54.759 --> 00:05:59.439 it was so it was so anti cultural for me 101 00:05:59.560 --> 00:06:02.279 to give me ties. I couldn't understand. I've been a 102 00:06:02.360 --> 00:06:04.319 Christian for the longest time, but I would not give 103 00:06:04.360 --> 00:06:08.279 my tithes. I felt like, God, if you really want 104 00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:11.240 to bless me, why do I have to give? Because 105 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:14.240 if I give, I lose, I don't gain. Doesn't make sense, 106 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:18.959 no matter how you calculate things. Loo, get Lord, look 107 00:06:19.000 --> 00:06:24.120 get right. It was late nineties, in the nineties where 108 00:06:25.240 --> 00:06:29.639 I think ninety seven ninety eight were totally changed for me. 109 00:06:30.279 --> 00:06:33.639 And that's why I preached this with such conviction, because 110 00:06:33.720 --> 00:06:36.759 I wouldn't give my ties. I was starting out in 111 00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:40.480 our family business. I was earning, but I couldn't give right. 112 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:45.720 And then Pastor Giray Mora preached on tithes and offering, 113 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:50.720 and he said, it's as simple as this, God in 114 00:06:50.759 --> 00:06:56.720 his generosity, gave you ten balls to play with, okay, 115 00:06:56.800 --> 00:06:59.519 and then he tells you can I have one of 116 00:06:59.560 --> 00:07:04.680 the ball. But then when we struggle with tides, what 117 00:07:04.720 --> 00:07:10.800 we're really saying is but Lord, it's mine. But the 118 00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:14.040 Lord is said, no, I give ten to you. I 119 00:07:14.120 --> 00:07:17.279 just want one. You can play with the nine, but Lord, 120 00:07:17.319 --> 00:07:21.040 I want ten. Now it made sense, Wow, how selfish 121 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:25.959 I am with that object lesson. I wasn't convicted with 122 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:28.160 the verse. I was convicted with the object lesson of 123 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:30.160 how I could be so. 124 00:07:31.959 --> 00:07:35.240 Sugapa Okay, how. 125 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:39.279 I could be so selfish with the blessings that God 126 00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:41.560 is giving me when he asked of me, he's only 127 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:44.480 ten percent one of the ten balls, and I couldn't 128 00:07:44.480 --> 00:07:48.839 even give it. It just showed to me my sin. 129 00:07:49.759 --> 00:07:52.399 And that's why when God says returned to me, and 130 00:07:52.439 --> 00:07:55.800 I will return to you, he was going to the heart, 131 00:07:55.959 --> 00:08:00.439 not to the wallet. Because if I couldn't give ten 132 00:08:00.519 --> 00:08:04.800 percent of my income, how much more my love life, 133 00:08:05.079 --> 00:08:11.000 my dreams, my vision, my plans. If I'm having a 134 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:15.519 hard time with that one ball, for sure, I will 135 00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:18.519 have other problems with the other things that God has 136 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:22.240 given me. And so he invites us to return to me, 137 00:08:22.920 --> 00:08:26.040 and I will return to you. And an example is 138 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:32.399 your finance can't even give. That's why since that time, 139 00:08:32.440 --> 00:08:36.480 I've never gotten into any debate and I never entertain 140 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:39.919 any debate about tides and offering of whether it's from 141 00:08:39.960 --> 00:08:42.200 the Old or the New Testament. And later I'll explain 142 00:08:42.279 --> 00:08:46.480 why he says your curse with a curse. I go 143 00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:48.720 back to my own life. I review, and at the 144 00:08:48.799 --> 00:08:53.919 time that I was so stingy with God, I was 145 00:08:53.960 --> 00:08:59.120 living under a curse. I'm not saying everything I do failed, 146 00:09:00.279 --> 00:09:06.320 but my heaveryday life it was always incomplete. I was 147 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:09.879 living under a curse. I remember night I went to 148 00:09:09.960 --> 00:09:12.799 the room of my parents. We live in Das Marina's 149 00:09:13.879 --> 00:09:18.559 village Mahati in at Kavite. I knocked on the door, 150 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:20.799 I entered in. I looked at my parents. I was 151 00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:30.360 scratching my head. I said, Papa, Mama, I'm poor. They 152 00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:33.159 look at me. They scratched their head. What are you saying? 153 00:09:34.399 --> 00:09:38.639 They came from a very poor background and worked their 154 00:09:38.639 --> 00:09:44.559 way up. But here was I complaining. Mahati boy is complaining. 155 00:09:46.360 --> 00:09:48.000 And my mom looked at me and said, do you 156 00:09:48.039 --> 00:09:51.720 know what you're saying? Do you have a problem tomorrow 157 00:09:51.799 --> 00:09:53.600 that when you go down there's no food to eat? 158 00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:55.600 No? No, yeah, Yah will cook it? 159 00:09:57.799 --> 00:10:05.639 My problem, mahaban And as air conditioned room, totulo a pero, 160 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:10.879 I couldn't see it. It was a lesson that I 161 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:15.840 learned that no matter how big your income is, if 162 00:10:15.879 --> 00:10:18.679 your mind is poor and your being is poor, you'll 163 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:21.200 always think this way. 164 00:10:21.799 --> 00:10:23.279 I was living under the curse. 165 00:10:26.559 --> 00:10:29.679 We grew up that way because my parents were not Christians. 166 00:10:29.799 --> 00:10:35.799 When we experienced business success, Tomato Taxa Avenue, we would 167 00:10:35.799 --> 00:10:38.720 eat in a Chinese restaurant, and when we would order 168 00:10:38.759 --> 00:10:41.840 sob drinks or juice, we were not allowed because it 169 00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:45.360 was very expensive. But my mom just earned maybe one 170 00:10:45.399 --> 00:10:48.440 hundred thousand that day. But we couldn't order a sixty 171 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:53.600 pace picture of iced tea. You see, it was like, wow, 172 00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:57.200 means a sabai. 173 00:10:57.720 --> 00:10:58.519 Were we happy? 174 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:00.399 We had birds? 175 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:01.879 But were we happy? 176 00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:06.519 No? Because we need to work. We cannot rest. There 177 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:11.919 was no sabbath. Bahmanhawan always on her toes, always on 178 00:11:11.960 --> 00:11:14.919 her knees, needing to go to work. We couldn't go 179 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:18.240 on a family vacation where we're all complete. Somebody needed 180 00:11:18.279 --> 00:11:21.440 to be in the store. So all our childhood Hong 181 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:22.320 Kong or Japan. 182 00:11:22.559 --> 00:11:25.080 Oh, but well ask you I turn. 183 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:30.960 Yeah. Yes, there were perks, but the same time, there 184 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:35.639 was no fullness of joy in the midst of prosperity. 185 00:11:36.360 --> 00:11:40.600 It's a cursed life. Imagine if you made ten percent 186 00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:43.879 an issue before the Lord. I'm just thinking, if he 187 00:11:44.039 --> 00:11:47.759 goes home or she goes home, if he's making an 188 00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:50.919 issue out of the ten percent that God wants, how 189 00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:55.000 much more than ninety percent that his wife would want, 190 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:59.120 the kids would want, the business would want. It's a 191 00:11:59.159 --> 00:12:04.000 cursed life. You don't need the business failure to say 192 00:12:04.039 --> 00:12:10.440 you're cursed. When money starts to control you, it's a 193 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:15.759 cursed life. No need for other punishments. You would see 194 00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:19.000 how empty life is and there will be no contentment. 195 00:12:19.799 --> 00:12:24.639 Ah scary to even live that way. And God says, 196 00:12:24.679 --> 00:12:26.639 you're curse with a curse for you robbing me, the 197 00:12:26.679 --> 00:12:32.279 whole nation of you six point nine gdb growth. How 198 00:12:32.320 --> 00:12:36.720 come not a lot of people are experiencing it. 199 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:38.720 Maybe because our God is money. 200 00:12:40.080 --> 00:12:46.679 We don't even give ten percent this issue. You see 201 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:49.919 there's a direct connection to who we are and how 202 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:55.159 we handle money. You'll see, Oh, that's the God that 203 00:12:55.200 --> 00:13:01.399 he worships. By your spending, by your saving, by how 204 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:07.559 you by your lifestyle. People would see who your God 205 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:11.120 is because there's a direct connection to who we are 206 00:13:11.720 --> 00:13:15.120 and how we handle money, and whose God we worship. 207 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:21.600 The Lord says in Malachai, I the Lord do not change. 208 00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:25.320 This is me. Return to me. I'll return to you. 209 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:29.000 I'm the same God who is so gracious. But I 210 00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:31.159 want you to believe in this. I the Lord do 211 00:13:31.240 --> 00:13:31.879 not change. 212 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:32.399 Now. 213 00:13:32.440 --> 00:13:34.600 I want us to fast forward. In the New Testament, 214 00:13:35.240 --> 00:13:37.480 there were a group of Christians who believe in this truth. 215 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:41.279 They believe that God is the owner of everything, that 216 00:13:41.320 --> 00:13:43.960 the Lord does not change, and the Lord will be faithful, 217 00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:47.120 that the Lord will bless them, and Paul made an 218 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:49.679 example of them in Second Corinthians eight. This was the 219 00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:52.279 church in Macedonia. I want you to jump there to 220 00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:55.960 Second Corinthians eight, and we'll see how the early church 221 00:13:56.519 --> 00:13:59.600 lived out their life in view of the money that 222 00:13:59.639 --> 00:14:02.559 they have. We want you to know, brothers, about the 223 00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:04.799 grace of God that has been given among the churches 224 00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:08.320 of Macedonia. Paul was saying, God is given all of 225 00:14:08.399 --> 00:14:09.480 us in this room a gift. 226 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:10.639 It's called grace. 227 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:13.879 And you all know, when you experience the grace of God, 228 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:17.440 it changes everything. I know it's a song of victory music, 229 00:14:17.919 --> 00:14:21.279 but it's true. When I experience the grace of God, 230 00:14:21.639 --> 00:14:26.879 it changes my view of everything in life, including money. 231 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:30.799 Because I understand I now experience the grace of God. 232 00:14:31.320 --> 00:14:34.240 Now I can say, Jesus here all I need, Jesus 233 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:38.320 here my everything. I will have full conviction because I've 234 00:14:38.559 --> 00:14:41.639 experienced the grace of God. And this is the gift 235 00:14:41.639 --> 00:14:45.120 that God is given the church in Macedonia. And then 236 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:48.919 Paul continued on and says, they've received a gift, and 237 00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:53.200 it's called grace, for in a severe test of affliction, 238 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:58.039 their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have resulted 239 00:14:58.080 --> 00:15:03.720 into what overflow in the wealth of generosity on their part. 240 00:15:04.279 --> 00:15:08.399 What was Paul saying. Paul was saying, they've received the 241 00:15:08.399 --> 00:15:12.120 grace of God and now the church was experiencing a 242 00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:17.960 severe test of affliction. Paul was using keywords to explain 243 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:22.039 how bad it really was. He wasn't saying they were 244 00:15:23.080 --> 00:15:26.080 having a test of affliction. They Paul said they had 245 00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:29.480 a severe test of affliction, which in the Greek word 246 00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:35.799 means tribulation. Tribulation means internal pressure that causes someone to 247 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:45.840 feel confined. I can't move comaa, can't because I'm trapped. 248 00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:51.399 I'm under tribulation, a severe test of affliction. That was 249 00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:55.799 how the Macedonians were feeling. Maybe they've lost the business. 250 00:15:56.200 --> 00:15:59.480 The house burned down, the barns, you know, there might 251 00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:02.840 have been a virus among the cattles, and they lost 252 00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:06.080 their business. They were in a severe test of affliction. 253 00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:08.919 There was tribulation, but the Bible says there was also 254 00:16:08.919 --> 00:16:12.279 an abundance of joy that in the midst of the problem, 255 00:16:12.360 --> 00:16:16.399 they were joyful. And then it says they were in 256 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:20.519 extreme poverty. Mind you, Paul did not say they were 257 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:26.519 in poverty. They were in extreme poverty. They were dirt poor. 258 00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:30.600 I scanned this room and I don't see anybody in 259 00:16:30.759 --> 00:16:35.639 extreme poverty. If it must have been an extreme poverty. 260 00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:37.960 You don't know what you're going to eat in the 261 00:16:38.200 --> 00:16:43.799 in after the service, you don't have any food to eat. 262 00:16:44.440 --> 00:16:48.279 It was extreme poverty for them. They were having a 263 00:16:48.279 --> 00:16:52.759 hard time. But then the Bible says that they moved 264 00:16:52.799 --> 00:17:00.159 in overflowing generosity. Overflowing means all around which indicate its 265 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:05.119 abundance or surplus, exceeding beyond what is expected of them. 266 00:17:05.400 --> 00:17:14.680 There was overflowing, right, it's overflowing, right, twenty kilos lalla 267 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:17.799 candyman penalties airport. 268 00:17:18.039 --> 00:17:19.240 Why it's overflowing? 269 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:22.480 They wanted to give in all my hard work I 270 00:17:22.519 --> 00:17:26.680 want to give. There was overflowing, and then it says 271 00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:32.559 overflowing generosity. I tell you this changed me the past 272 00:17:32.599 --> 00:17:33.160 few years. 273 00:17:34.680 --> 00:17:40.039 This truth changed me. When poses they. 274 00:17:39.880 --> 00:17:43.039 Were in a severe test of affliction, that they were 275 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:47.079 so dirt poor, but they moved in overflowing generosity. My 276 00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:52.359 mind wrestled with it. How can I give? How were 277 00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:57.440 the Macedonian churches able to move in generosity in the 278 00:17:57.480 --> 00:18:03.119 midst of big tribulation and extreme poverty? It doesn't make 279 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:06.839 any sense. And then I look up the root word 280 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:12.519 that Paul use when he wrote the letter extreme generosity. 281 00:18:13.319 --> 00:18:18.240 It was the word haplotes in Greek, which means they 282 00:18:18.359 --> 00:18:23.960 moved in extreme simplicity of life. 283 00:18:24.359 --> 00:18:26.680 Life was so simple. 284 00:18:28.359 --> 00:18:32.480 It made them so happy that they were able to 285 00:18:32.599 --> 00:18:38.799 give even in the midst of trials and extreme poverty, 286 00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:48.880 simpling bohe and it was overflowing simplicity of life. You 287 00:18:49.000 --> 00:18:51.759 look at them and you say, how come they're so 288 00:18:52.119 --> 00:18:58.799 happy because they understood what God said in Malachi, I 289 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:02.599 am a Lord who does not change. They've experienced the 290 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:07.799 grace of God and now they could happily share whatever. 291 00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:13.440 Wealth they had. Life is so simple. 292 00:19:14.920 --> 00:19:18.640 How many of us here life became complicated when you 293 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:25.759 started having more. Maybe I've shared this with you before. 294 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:29.240 In our early years of marriage, we were campus missionaries. 295 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:31.759 We didn't know how much money would come every month. 296 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:36.680 We were living by faith technically with regards to our finances. 297 00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:39.480 But our favorite restaurant was Tramway. 298 00:19:40.359 --> 00:19:41.119 You know Tramway. 299 00:19:42.200 --> 00:19:47.119 I think it's two hundred thirty eight now very expensive now. 300 00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:50.839 Twelve years ago it was one hundred and twenty eight pesos. 301 00:19:51.839 --> 00:20:00.559 Birthday wedding anniversary. We look at each other tramway coming, tramway. 302 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:05.119 All right, we were in tramway. 303 00:20:06.200 --> 00:20:07.559 We were happy with that. 304 00:20:09.480 --> 00:20:13.160 Less than it's a two hundred you know, it was 305 00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:15.519 less than three hundred vessels. 306 00:20:17.079 --> 00:20:19.519 But we were so happy. Life was so simple. 307 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:22.880 We don't need a tramway now for health reasons. 308 00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:30.359 Because of that. But you were hit by a tram 309 00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:32.519 right so, but. 310 00:20:34.680 --> 00:20:41.200 Oh, Gravina and Addin, we didn't need a hotel buffet, 311 00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:45.519 Saysari was such a treat for us. 312 00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:48.920 Life is simple. 313 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:54.240 We look at our lives today and we say, wow, 314 00:20:54.319 --> 00:21:00.359 everything we need we have. Imagine if every Christian think 315 00:21:00.359 --> 00:21:05.839 this way and live this way, life is simple. I 316 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:18.559 some pole Illes is a you okay, now again, this 317 00:21:18.680 --> 00:21:22.279 is not guilt trip. The reality of the world is 318 00:21:23.599 --> 00:21:29.319 Prosperity is very subjective. Contentment is not. Some of you 319 00:21:29.400 --> 00:21:32.880 might have three cars and that's a simple life. Some 320 00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:36.160 of you you're able to afford uber and that's a 321 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:42.759 wow life. Some of you ten thousand emarticard more than 322 00:21:43.319 --> 00:21:52.640 nag Emartica ten thousand, eight eight passes lad. It's very subjective. 323 00:21:53.440 --> 00:21:55.839 That's why I don't want to go there and say 324 00:21:55.880 --> 00:21:59.480 this should be the standard of it depends on your culture, 325 00:21:59.599 --> 00:22:01.880 depends on your background, depends on the world you live in. 326 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:07.559 But for the Macedonian Church, the spirit behind their lifestyle 327 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:15.519 was life is so simple I could give. Sometimes it's 328 00:22:15.680 --> 00:22:17.559 us who makes it just complicated. 329 00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:18.839 That's why we could not give. 330 00:22:21.039 --> 00:22:23.440 Some much blessed the city, but I don't have money. 331 00:22:24.200 --> 00:22:28.000 And then later you're drinking an expensive coffee to complete 332 00:22:28.039 --> 00:22:32.480 your planner. A simple life would say, I don't need 333 00:22:32.519 --> 00:22:38.400 that planner. I want to give, They'll give it. Now 334 00:22:38.440 --> 00:22:43.079 you work hard, you want to get two planners? Go again, 335 00:22:43.400 --> 00:22:47.319 depends on your context. It's living a very simple life. 336 00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:51.839 How much do you really need? How much should make 337 00:22:51.880 --> 00:22:55.599 you happy? Is this a never ending vicious cycle? 338 00:22:56.440 --> 00:22:57.519 That's why you cannot give. 339 00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:02.799 You want mama, that's not the more your ma man 340 00:23:03.000 --> 00:23:06.759 audience participation piece. That's the more your mamma right, then 341 00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:12.680 your problem, that's right, what's the more your mamma? I 342 00:23:12.759 --> 00:23:17.079 want to be rich? Are you not? We raise our 343 00:23:17.119 --> 00:23:21.400 hands because we think I still need a certain level. 344 00:23:22.839 --> 00:23:26.359 For me to be able to raise my hands. And 345 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:27.359 that was me before. 346 00:23:27.880 --> 00:23:33.240 I couldn't give to real life because I need I 347 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:37.039 couldn't give to the poor because syndicat But the real 348 00:23:37.079 --> 00:23:42.960 reason behind it is because I'm also poor like you. 349 00:23:45.319 --> 00:23:47.920 Because in my mind I was poor. I couldn't move 350 00:23:47.960 --> 00:23:55.799 in generosity until you understand life is simple, and then 351 00:23:55.880 --> 00:24:00.279 you say, wow, I am so rich because God is 352 00:24:00.279 --> 00:24:05.200 provided for all my needs, not my ones my needs, 353 00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:10.799 I'm so blessed. So the continance in the spirit we 354 00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:15.079 must have as Christian is if you have three cars, 355 00:24:15.200 --> 00:24:19.160 be grateful and be happy. If you have one car, 356 00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:20.559 be grateful. 357 00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:20.839 And be happy. 358 00:24:21.640 --> 00:24:27.839 Contentment you have no car, be grateful and be happy. 359 00:24:28.759 --> 00:24:33.279 Driver Mapara can be called driver. Sometimes it's a matter 360 00:24:33.319 --> 00:24:40.160 of perspective. The simple life, our actions tell us who 361 00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:48.960 we are. Can be seen through our actions, our theology, 362 00:24:50.079 --> 00:24:53.039 our belief is seen by how we handle money. 363 00:24:55.960 --> 00:24:59.480 Simple life. That's why they were able to give. 364 00:25:00.279 --> 00:25:05.480 This is a powerful biblical concept. Yeah, Hi, Paul, damning 365 00:25:05.759 --> 00:25:09.519 topic about contentment. I know what it is to be 366 00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:12.119 in need. I know what it is to be in plenty. 367 00:25:13.680 --> 00:25:17.200 I've been content in every way because I can do 368 00:25:17.279 --> 00:25:19.599 all things to Christ, who gives me strength. He was 369 00:25:19.640 --> 00:25:25.759 talking about finances, He's talking about contentment. He understood his God, 370 00:25:26.400 --> 00:25:34.000 he believed Malachai. He was a generous giver. Now we 371 00:25:34.039 --> 00:25:36.759 go back to the Old Testament. That was an example 372 00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:39.319 in the New Testament. And then the Lord said to them, 373 00:25:39.319 --> 00:25:40.880 return to me. I will return to you. How can 374 00:25:40.920 --> 00:25:43.359 we return to you. You're robbing me through tightson offering. 375 00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:49.319 So but then the Lord told them this, I will 376 00:25:49.319 --> 00:25:53.160 give you an offer you cannot refuse. Okay, So my 377 00:25:53.319 --> 00:25:59.960 godfather fans alamota right, here's an offer that you can't refuse. 378 00:26:01.359 --> 00:26:04.119 No man in his right mind would refuse this offer. 379 00:26:05.160 --> 00:26:06.559 Ma Lach nine three, verse ten. 380 00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:12.880 He says, bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that 381 00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:15.319 there may be food in my house, is the Lord, 382 00:26:17.240 --> 00:26:20.319 and thereby put me to tests. If I will not 383 00:26:20.519 --> 00:26:24.319 open the windows of heaven for you and pour down 384 00:26:24.359 --> 00:26:28.559 for you a blessing until there is no more what need? 385 00:26:31.000 --> 00:26:34.079 Give me your tithe, Bring it to the local church, 386 00:26:34.119 --> 00:26:36.960 into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. 387 00:26:37.400 --> 00:26:40.480 We're going to bless the city through our local church. 388 00:26:40.920 --> 00:26:43.640 But bring it here. See if I will not open 389 00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:46.119 the floodgates of heaven pour out so much blessing. 390 00:26:46.200 --> 00:26:47.839 That there will not be enough room for you. 391 00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:53.559 It would cover all your needs. I'm blessing you. But 392 00:26:53.640 --> 00:26:55.319 then he did not end there. He said, if you 393 00:26:55.400 --> 00:27:02.000 call now, there's more. Verse eleven. He tells us this, 394 00:27:02.160 --> 00:27:05.119 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it 395 00:27:05.160 --> 00:27:08.359 will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your 396 00:27:08.480 --> 00:27:12.079 vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says 397 00:27:12.119 --> 00:27:16.960 the Lord of Hosts, the Lord you. When I start 398 00:27:17.039 --> 00:27:21.079 blessing you, somebody wants to devour the blessing. It's Satan 399 00:27:21.160 --> 00:27:25.440 and his demons wanting to destroy you and DeVore the blessings. 400 00:27:25.519 --> 00:27:28.599 John Than the thief came to steal, kill and destroy. 401 00:27:28.880 --> 00:27:31.240