Theological Status: THERAPEUTIC / COMPLACENT
Biblical Parallel(Archetype): Laodicea
❓ What do these grades mean?
🔍 Biblical Discernment: The 7 Church Parallels
The Cold Orthodox Parallel
Ephesus
Teaching that upholds doctrinal precision yet parallels the loss of the "first love"—the vital, motivating power of the Gospel (Rev 2:4).
The Compromised Parallel
Pergamum
Teaching that parallels churches tolerating the "doctrine of Balaam" through cultural accommodation (Rev 2:14), characterized by weak boundaries, sloppy theology, and worldly compromise.
Why strictly "Mark & Avoid"?
We do not issue this rating to attack the speaker, but to protect the listener. This ministry's overall teaching trend consistently deviates from sound doctrine. As per Romans 16:17, we identify these patterns so believers can guard their hearts.
We do not issue this rating to attack the speaker, but to protect the listener. This ministry's overall teaching trend consistently deviates from sound doctrine. As per Romans 16:17, we identify these patterns so believers can guard their hearts.
🧐 Overview
Theological Verdict & Summary
Sermon Summary: Does your financial giving save the world, or does it merely support the messengers of the true Gospel? A critical examination of the relationship between money, mission, and the power of Christ.
Pastoral Analysis: While the sermon offers practical applications for work ethic and generosity, it fundamentally compromises the Gospel by presenting financial activism as the primary solution to global suffering and spiritual need. The message shifts focus from the redemptive work of Jesus to human capability, risking the congregation's understanding of salvation.
Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Laodicea — The sermon exhibits the characteristics of Therapeutic Deism and Social Gospel, substituting the redemptive power of the Cross with a framework of financial activism and humanitarian relief. This reflects a church that is warm and culturally engaged but spiritually asleep to the necessity of personal redemption through Christ's atoning work.
Big Idea: God's kingdom operates on principles of faithful stewardship and multiplication of resources, where faithfulness in managing what God has entrusted to us leads to greater responsibility and blessing, while fear and unfaithfulness result in loss. [00:55:22 ▶️ 📄]
🎨 The Visual Metaphor
True stewardship and multiplication of resources are only fruitful when they rest upon the unshakeable foundation of the Gospel, rather than replacing it with mere social action. Faithful management reflects divine character, yielding lasting blessing through integrity and standards grounded in eternal truth.
📖 How they Handle Scripture & Jesus
- Primary Text: Matthew 25:14-30
- Usage Classification: Expository
- Text-to-Talk Ratio: High
- Pulpit Decorum: ⚠️ CAUTION - The use of hyperbole and personal anecdotes is generally acceptable, but the tone becomes manipulative when linking giving directly to global salvation statistics.
✝️ Christological Focus: Absent
"Jesus is mentioned as the object of evangelism, but His atoning work is not presented as the power of God unto salvation. The sermon focuses on human action (giving) rather than Christ's finished work."
Scripture Saturation: Verses Read: 41 | Referenced: 5 | Alluded: 5
Passages Read Aloud:
-
Apostles' Creed
[00:06:52 ▶️ 📄]
"I believe in God the Father, Almighty, His only Son, our Lord, received by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven. He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Apostolic Church, the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting."
-
Psalm 67:1-3
[00:33:01 ▶️ 📄]
"may God be merciful and bless us may his face smile with favor on us may your ways be known throughout the earth your saving power among people everywhere may the nations praise you oh God yes may all the nations praise you"
-
Psalm 67:4
[00:34:34 ▶️ 📄]
"let the whole world sing for joy because you govern the nations with justice and guide the people of the whole world"
-
Psalm 67:5-7
[00:36:03 ▶️ 📄]
"may the nations praise you oh god yes may all the nations praise you then the earth will yield its harvests and god our god will richly bless us yes god will bless us and people all over the world will fear him"
-
Matthew 25:14-30
[00:56:19 ▶️ 📄]
"the kingdom of heaven the kingdom of god is like a man going on a journey now notice what jesus is saying here he said this is how my kingdom operates this is how i do things in my world this is how it works now jesus by implication is saying you this night might not work this way in your world, but it works this way in my world, in my kingdom. And so if you want to be part of my kingdom, here's the principles. It's like a man that goes on a journey who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one, he gave five bags of gold. Some of your translations will say talents. And for years, people preach, your talent, your gifting, it has nothing to do with that. A talent was a weight of gold. And to another, two bags. One got five bags. One got two bags, another got one bag. Everybody got something, each according to their ability. And then he went on a journey. The man who had received the five bags of gold went at once, and he put his money to work, and he gained five bags more. And the one with two bags also put his money to work, gained two more. And the man who had received one bag went off. He dug a hole in the ground and he hid his master's money. After a long time, the master of those servants returned and he settled accounts because this is what God does. We are managing his money. He's going to settle the accounts. And the man who had received the bag of gold brought the other five. And he said, master, you entrusted me with five bags of gold and I gained five more. The master said, well done, good and faithful servant. Listen, when we use that phrase, and you probably heard it over the years. When we get to heaven, we're going to hear the words, well done, good and faithful servant. Listen, the context of that is the management of the resources that God has given to us. That's how Jesus is going to say this. Well done, good and faithful servant. You've been faithful with a few things. Now, notice what he says here. I'm going to put you in charge of many what? Things. Jesus doesn't have a problem with things as long as things don't possess us. it's okay i'm going to put you in charge of of more things so he says come and and share your master's happiness then the man that was given the two bags of gold came and said master uh you gave me two bags of gold and i've gained two more and his master replied well done good faith servant you've been faithful to a few things i'll put you in charge of many come and share your master's happiness. Then in verse 24, then the man who had received one bag of gold came and said, Master, I knew that you're a hard man. Pause here. Here's the problem. This man didn't really know the master. He made assumptions about the master, but he didn't know him. Because if you look how the master dealt with the other two, he wasn't hard with the other two at all. they have relationship with him. So he says, I knew you're a hard man. You harvest where you have not sown and you gather where you have not scattered seeds. So here it is. I was afraid. The problem here was this man was afraid. And this is where many of us are challenged as it relates to the resources that God gives to us. We are afraid. We're afraid to give. We're afraid to spend we're afraid to save we're afraid to invest because we don't know the master and a lot of the decisions that we make as it relates to the resources that god has given to us are out of fear and we will never make good decisions that are based in fear so i went out and because i didn't know you he thinks he knows him but he really doesn't and because i was afraid listen i didn't want to lose it so i just buried it i didn't want to do anything with it because i was afraid that i might it might not go well for me so i just buried it here's what belongs to you now the master said this this is this is a scary phrase right here notice what he says here you wicked, lazy servant. You knew I harvest where I don't sow and gather where I've not scattered seed. Well, then you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers. At least I could have gotten some interest on it. And then notice what Jesus says. Take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has 10 bags. I'm going to explain this in a minute. Just hold steady. For whoever has will be given more and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken away from it. It doesn't sound like fairness here, does it? I'll explain it in a minute. And here's the, I almost left this out so I didn't have to deal with it and go down this road. But it's part of the text. And throw that worthless servant outside into darkness where there'll be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
-
Luke 19:11-27
[01:02:05 ▶️ 📄]
"He went out to tell them a parable. He's talking again about the kingdom of God because they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. And he said, let me tell you how this kingdom works. A noble man went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then returned. So he called 10 of his servants and gave them 10 minas. And what was a mina? A mina was about three months worth of income. So you got about 30 months worth of income here, maybe a year and a half, a little more than that. And notice what he said, put the money to work. Listen, there's a difference between you working and money working for you. Because Jesus doesn't just want us to work and spend. He wants that money to work for the purpose of his kingdom and multiply. So he says, put this money to work until I come back. But his subjects hated him and said, I don't want to do that. And they sent a delegation after him to say, we don't want this man to be our king. But notice this, he was made king anyway. And he returned home. Then he went to the servants to whom he had given the money to find out what they had gained. The expectation is that they're going to gain. The first one came and said, now in the first parable, they're given five and two and one. In this parable, everybody's given the same amount. The first one came and said, your mina has produced 10 more and well done, my good and faithful servant. There it is again. The master replied, watch this now, because you've been trustworthy with a small manner, I'm not going to just give you things. I'm going to give you cities. The second came and said, your mina has earned five more. You take charge of five cities. Just underscore that in your mind for a moment. Then the next man came in and said, here it is again. I was afraid. You're a hard man. You take out what you didn't put in and reap what you did not. So his master said, I'll judge you by your own words. He's painful. You wicked servant. You knew, did you, that I'm a hard man, taking out what I did not put in and reaping what I didn't sell. It's not really who I am, he says, but I'm going to be hard on you now. Why then did you put my money, here it is again, on deposit so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest? Understand that God expects that the resources that we have are multiplied. God is not into addition. He is into multiplication. So, so watch this now. And then he said to those standing by, take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has 10 minas. Then they, then they said, he's already got enough. He doesn't need any more. He's got everything he needs. He's got houses. He's got lands. He's got popularity. Give it to somebody else. It's not fair. He replied, I tell you, to everyone that has, more will be given. But as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away."
Key References: Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 19:11-27, Psalm 67:1-7, Matthew 25:24, Luke 19:24
🎙️ Sermon Content & Delivery
Word Count: 3,806 words
📌 Key Topics Addressed
-
Creedal Recitation
[00:06:52 ▶️ 📄]
> The congregation recites the Apostles' Creed, affirming core Christian doctrines regarding the life, death, resurrection, and future judgment of Jesus Christ, as well as the Holy Spirit and the Church. -
Intercessory Prayer for Nations
[00:32:07 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor leads the congregation in praying for the Middle East and global nations, specifically asking for godly leadership in elections, the glorification of God amidst conflict, and a 'harvest' of souls coming to know Jesus. -
Personal Testimony and Family History
[00:46:16 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor shares personal anecdotes about his parents, including his mother's health, his father's conversion to Christianity, and his father's business ventures in the hospitality industry, using these stories to illustrate principles of integrity and excellence. -
Stewardship and Ownership
[01:06:24 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor clarifies that believers are managers, not owners, of all resources, emphasizing that everything belongs to God. -
Fear vs. Faith in Finance
[01:00:05 ▶️ 📄]
> He identifies fear as the primary barrier to good financial decisions, contrasting it with the faith required to invest and multiply resources. -
Biblical Parables on Wealth
[00:55:04 ▶️ 📄]
> He references that 16 of Jesus' 38 parables deal with money, using the Parables of the Talents (Matthew 25) and Minas (Luke 19) to illustrate God's expectation of multiplication. -
Kingdom Purpose of Resources
[01:07:30 ▶️ 📄]
> He concludes that the purpose of financial faithfulness is not 'stuff' but reaching 'souls in our cities,' linking resource management to evangelism. -
Stewardship and Ownership
[01:06:24 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor asserts that believers are managers, not owners, of all resources which belong to God. -
Faithfulness vs. Fairness
[01:06:46 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor explains that divine fairness is based on faithfulness and usage of resources, not human feelings. -
Evangelism and Giving
[01:08:13 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor connects financial giving directly to the ability to reach people in cities with the Gospel. -
Statistical Impact of Tithing
[01:08:47 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor cites a study showing how a 10% tithe could solve global hunger, illiteracy, and water issues.
🖼️ Illustrations & Stories
-
Sermon Illustration
[00:46:16 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor shares a photo of his parents on his wedding day, noting his mother is turning 99 and recently fell but healed well. He recounts his father's late-life conversion to Christianity and his father's successful taxi and hotel business in Maine. He details his father's high standards for cleanliness in the hotels (shampooing carpets, cleaning under toilet rims) and his refusal to tolerate bad-mouthing others, even in the 'tough end' of town. He also mentions his father's opposition to lowering the drinking age to 18 due to family history of alcoholism and the resulting trouble with high schoolers in the bar. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:52:10 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor recounts a story about a hotel owner who was exceptionally meticulous about cleanliness (shampooing carpets, cleaning under toilet rims) and fair to employees (compensating staff if customers didn't tip). He uses this to illustrate that God's principles work for both believers and non-believers, and that this man unknowingly funded a future ministry. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:56:33 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor retells the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25), highlighting the three servants: the one who gained five more, the one who gained two more, and the one who buried his talent out of fear, resulting in condemnation. -
Sermon Illustration
[01:02:05 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor retells the Parable of the Minas (Luke 19), noting the difference that every servant received the same amount, and the master rewards faithfulness with cities, while the unfaithful servant loses even what he had. -
Sermon Illustration
[01:09:47 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor uses a personal anecdote about handing out $5, $10, $50, and $100 bills to the congregation to illustrate that money is given to them by God and does not truly belong to them, using it as a tangible reminder of stewardship. -
Sermon Illustration
[01:11:58 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor references an organization called 'Light for the Lost,' noting that every dollar tracked by the organization translates directly into one soul saved.
🚀 Calls to Action (Application)
-
Pastoral Charge
[00:38:21 ▶️ 📄]
> Find two or three people in the room and ask them what the best thing that happened to them was that week. -
Pastoral Charge
[01:11:00 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor instructs the congregation to prepare for the offering collection by having the ushers come forward, emphasizing the act of investing in God's kingdom. -
Pastoral Charge
[01:08:13 ▶️ 📄]
> Implicit call to utilize provided resources (money/talents) for the purpose of evangelism and city outreach.
🧭 Biblical Alignment Dashboard
Overall Verdict: Fundamentally in Error
| Category | Status | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Gospel Presentation | ❌ FAIL | The Gospel Engine is compromised. The sermon replaces the proclamation of Christ's atoning death and resurrection with a narrative of financial transactionalism and humanitarian relief, effectively silencing the core message of personal redemption. |
| Soteriology | ❌ FAIL | The sermon promotes a works-based or social gospel, suggesting that collective financial giving can solve spiritual and physical crises, thereby undermining the necessity of personal faith in Christ for salvation. |
| Bibliology | ⚠️ WEAK | While Scripture is referenced, its authority is subordinated to secular studies and statistical projections regarding financial impact, distorting the biblical mandate for evangelism. |
| Hermeneutic | ❌ FAIL | The parables of the Talents and Minas are interpreted through a lens of social activism rather than faithful stewardship of spiritual resources and the Great Commission, ignoring the redemptive-historical context. |
| Theology Proper | ⚠️ WEAK | God is portrayed primarily as a resource provider for humanitarian projects rather than the Sovereign Lord who saves sinners through grace. |
| Sacramentology | ⚪ N/A | No specific sacramental errors detected, though the view of the church is functional rather than sacramental. |
| Confessional Depth | ❌ FAIL | The sermon lacks depth in explaining the mechanics of salvation, focusing instead on external behaviors and financial outcomes. |
⚙️ The Core Gospel Framework
What is this? This section checks if the sermon contains the essential building blocks of the Gospel. We look for explicit, substantive mentions of God's holy standard, human inability, and Christ's finished work on the cross.
Why it matters for the final verdict: A complete Gospel framework protects a sermon from becoming man-centered. If a preacher gives commands for good behavior but leaves out the grace and atonement of the Gospel, it often results in a 🔴 Critical or 🟠 Major error for Moralism (teaching human self-improvement rather than reliance on Christ). However, if these Gospel elements are missing simply because the pastor is preaching a highly focused, practical message to mature believers (e.g., instructions on biblical marriage), our system applies a "Safe Harbor" pardon, graciously reducing the omission to a 🟡 Minor error.
Why it matters for the final verdict: A complete Gospel framework protects a sermon from becoming man-centered. If a preacher gives commands for good behavior but leaves out the grace and atonement of the Gospel, it often results in a 🔴 Critical or 🟠 Major error for Moralism (teaching human self-improvement rather than reliance on Christ). However, if these Gospel elements are missing simply because the pastor is preaching a highly focused, practical message to mature believers (e.g., instructions on biblical marriage), our system applies a "Safe Harbor" pardon, graciously reducing the omission to a 🟡 Minor error.
✅ The Law And Wrath:
"throw that worthless servant outside into darkness where there'll be weeping and gnashing of teeth." [01:01:57 ▶️ 📄]
❌ Total Depravity And Inability: Not observed in the sermon.
❌ Active Obedience Of Christ: Not observed in the sermon.
❌ The Cross And Atonement: Not observed in the sermon.
✅ Commendations
Work Ethic | Excellence in Daily Labor
The pastor effectively uses personal anecdotes about his father's business practices to illustrate the biblical principle of diligence and integrity in the workplace.
Stewardship | Ownership vs. Management
The sermon correctly identifies that all resources belong to God and believers are merely managers, a foundational biblical truth.
⚠️ Theological Concerns
🔴 The Error of Financial Transactionalism (Social Gospel)
Root Cause: The Error of Human Self-Sufficiency (Social Gospel): The belief that human effort, particularly financial, can solve the fundamental problems of sin and suffering, rather than relying on the divine power of the Gospel.
"A study was done a while back. what would happen if Christians gave just 10% of their income? There'd be an additional $165 billion for churches to use and distribute. $25 billion would relieve global hunger, starvation, and death, deaths from preventable diseases. $12 billion would eliminate illiteracy in five years. $15 billion would solve the world's water and sanitation issues, specifically in places of the world where a billion people live on less than a dollar a day. A billion would fund all overseas missions work, and $100 to $110 billion would still be left over for additional ministry expansion." [01:08:47 ▶️ 📄]
Correction: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16
🟠 The Error of Transactional Salvation (Giving for Souls)
Root Cause: The Error of Meritorious Works: The idea that human actions (giving) have inherent power to achieve spiritual outcomes (salvation), rather than being a response to grace.
"every dollar translates into a soul that's why church giving matters" [01:12:19 ▶️ 📄]
Correction: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17
📜 Full Sermon Transcript (Audit)
Use the 📄 icons next to quotes above to automatically jump to their location in this raw transcript.
[00:06:52] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:06:52] I believe in God the Father, Almighty, His only Son, our Lord, received by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead.
[00:07:10] On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven. He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He will come to judge the living and the dead.
[00:07:20] I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Apostolic Church, the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
[00:07:31] Amen.
[00:07:31] Come on, let's raise up our hands to the heavens and just begin to worship the Lord.
[00:07:36] Just begin to worship the Lord and just begin to call on the name of Jesus.
[00:07:39] That's all you got to do, just call on the name of Jesus, and that name just begins to transform the atmosphere.
[00:07:44] So everybody just start to call on the name of Jesus.
[00:07:48] Jesus.
[00:07:48] Jesus, we worship you. Jesus, we exalt you. Just call on the name of Jesus.
[00:07:55] Jesus, we bless you. We honor you, God. And we ask, God, that you will be glorified in this day.
[00:08:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_10]
[00:08:01] In Jesus' name. Amen, amen, amen. How many are happy? Yours is the power.
[00:08:22] Power in that name. Sing it. Come on, as loud as you can. Come on.
[00:32:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:32:07] I've been paying attention to the news over the last couple of days. You know, there's a lot happening within the nations of the world, specifically the Middle East right now. And this morning, I want to take a moment and pray for the nations of the world, because the Bible
[00:32:47] says that we could ask for it and God will give us nations as the inheritance. And it's not for our glory, but for those to know Jesus. And so here I want to pray Psalm 67 with you this morning.
[00:33:01] it says may God be merciful and bless us may his face smile with favor on us may your ways be known throughout the earth your saving power among people everywhere may the nations praise you
[00:33:15] oh God yes may all the nations praise you now I want you to pause right there I want you to lift both hands to Jesus and I want you to pray for the nations of the earth right now that every nation
[00:33:26] tribe and tongue would praise the name of Jesus, that the name of Jesus would be on the lips of every nation in the Middle East, that through every bit of conflict, through everything that's going on, God will get the glory, that God will be seen, that he will be seen as faithful and good.
[00:33:42] Come on, come on, lift up your voice and pray. Come on, church. Father, we pray over every nation in the Middle East, and we pray that they will fear the Lord. God, we pray that they will praise
[00:34:03] you and lift high your name. God, we pray that your mighty acts will be seen throughout this conflict, throughout war, throughout everything that's going on. We pray mighty acts of God that can only be attributed to your hand, Lord. We pray for the goodness of you to be seen through
[00:34:20] everything. And that the name of Jesus will be on the lips of every nation, of every tribe, of every tongue. Lord, we pray your name will be glorified. Your name would be glorified.
[00:34:34] Says let the whole world sing for joy because you govern the nations with justice and guide the people of the whole world. Listen, there's local elections that are happening here over the next few days. There's many important leaders that are going to be rising up throughout the Middle East
[00:34:51] in the next in the coming days we need to pray that someone who fears the Lord is in local government is in government in the Middle East will you lift both hands to Jesus right now and
[00:35:01] pray the will of God over these elections over people who have risen up the Bible says that God puts his hand on a leader and anoints them for that place come on begin to pray Lord in the mighty
[00:35:12] name of Jesus we pray for those who honor the name of Yeshua those who honor the name of Jesus to be placed in places of authority and leadership in the Middle East, here locally.
[00:35:26] We pray for those who honor your name, not just with lip service, not just with church attendance, but with a mighty fear of God that follows you.
[00:35:36] Lord, we pray for those who are in positions of power and don't know you.
[00:35:40] We pray they would come to know you and you would encounter them in the mighty name of Jesus.
[00:35:45] Lord, I pray in the coming days, we will hear of those who don't know you encountering you and turning their face to you lord and we pray you bless them and they would lead with the fear of the lord in jesus name now one more time i want us to pray and here's what
[00:36:03] it says may the nations praise you oh god yes may all the nations praise you then the earth will yield its harvests and god our god will richly bless us yes god will bless us and people all
[00:36:16] over the world will fear him. What's that harvest? It's souls coming into the kingdom. Will you pray for the Middle East and all of the nations of the world right now that people would come to
[00:36:27] know him right now? Come on, lift both hands to Jesus. There are people who are having face-to-face encounters with God all across the Middle East. His heart is going out towards them. He's trying to reach them. So right now, will you lift up your hands? These are not our enemies. These are people
[00:36:43] who need to know Jesus.
[00:36:45] Come on, I want you to pray they would come to know him.
[00:36:47] Come on, Lord, we pray for a great harvest in the Middle East.
[00:36:52] We pray that through all this conflict, not only will godly leaders rise up, but they will lead the nation into encounters with you.
[00:37:01] They will lead the nation into the fear of the Lord.
[00:37:04] We pray that the nations of the world will come to know you.
[00:37:07] Every nation, tribe, and tongue, every person who's far from you, Lord, we know you are waiting on them with open arms.
[00:37:15] We pray for encounters with you and supernatural harvest of your kingdom to come in, Lord.
[00:37:22] May every person know Jesus, know you, Lord.
[00:37:25] Lord, we pray your word says that you want none to perish.
[00:37:29] So Lord, use us, use us here locally, use us around the world to make sure none shall perish, God, to bring a harvest of souls into the kingdom.
[00:37:40] Lord, your word says that the harvest is great, but the workers are few.
[00:37:45] God, we pray, send us.
[00:37:47] Come on, if you believe that, pray that right now.
[00:37:49] Lord, send me.
[00:37:50] Say, send me into my workplace.
[00:37:52] Send me across the nation.
[00:37:53] Send me, Lord.
[00:37:55] Send me, Jesus.
[00:37:56] Send me.
[00:37:58] Father, we love you today.
[00:38:01] And we recognize that your hand is at work over this church, over our lives, and all across the world, Lord.
[00:38:08] and we pray that today you would richly bless us with your word that as we open it up we would draw near to you as you're drawing near to so many who take a step towards you today
[00:38:21] in Jesus mighty name everybody that believes that in the room says come on amen do me a favor I want you to find two or three people take the next 60 seconds as you're being seated
[00:38:37] I want you to ask them What's the best thing that happened to you this week?
[00:38:41] Find two or three people, ask them, what's the best thing that happened to you this week?
[00:38:45] And then find a seat.
[00:38:46] We love you.
[00:38:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:38:47] Good morning, church.
[00:39:41] Nice to see all of you today.
[00:39:43] Welcome to Christ Alive.
[00:39:46] Those of you worshiping online with us, welcome.
[00:39:50] If you are a first time with us today or first time in a while, if you would grab this card in the seat pocket in front of you and for some of you behind you
[00:39:58] or scan that code there, Fill it out.
[00:40:03] We've got a gift for you just to say thank you for being here today.
[00:40:06] We love you.
[00:40:08] We want you to be where God wants you to be.
[00:40:10] And we're glad that you're here today.
[00:40:13] Christ Alive, would you welcome our first-time guests?
[00:40:15] Come on.
[00:40:19] Every week, the Latino community meets here at 1.30.
[00:40:23] We are diligently working to finish the plans with all the engineering and things that has to happen for the transformation of this building that is over here as a reminder. Every Wednesday night, everybody say Wednesday night. We're here this week,
[00:40:41] first Wednesday worship and prayer evening together. Tonight, we're going to be here at 5 p.m. with an encounter night. Now, Joe called me yesterday. He's got an ear infection. Doctor said, can't fly. Pop his ear. I said, well, Joe, it's okay. But we're still going to gather. Why are
[00:41:00] we going to do that? Because it's not about a guest as it is about making space for the Lord and making space for an encounter with Jesus. Particularly right now, if you've been paying attention to what is going on around the world, if there's ever time that you and I needed to pray,
[00:41:24] we are in a prophetic moment of history right now this is not just well you know all these things always happen listen you remember when luke yegezar was here last october after the first bombing that occurred in iran and luke told us about a prophetic word that was given
[00:41:51] over the country of Iran. It was given a number of years ago. And if you followed Iran in 1979, of course, the Iranian revolution occurred. And since that time, the nation was locked down.
[00:42:07] In reference to the gospel, if you take a look at the nations of the world, where there is much gospel, there's much freedom. Where there is little gospel, there is little freedom.
[00:42:20] and the Iranian people began to realize what Islam was really all about as the leaders of that country would begin to persecute and kill individuals who had a relationship with Jesus and it's been about 46 years and the prophetic word was this that the country of Iran and we're
[00:42:47] seeing it the country of Iran is going to open up to the gospel for a brief period of time just to let you know when that happens we're going because we're gonna have a we're gonna have a limited amount of time and if you've you've
[00:43:03] followed this the mosques in Iran if you don't see this on the news the mosques in Iran are mostly empty. And they're empty because there are individuals coming to Christ because Jesus is personally appearing to them. And they recognize that that system of religion
[00:43:28] is empty. As a matter of fact, any system of religion is empty without the centeredness of Jesus Christ within it. How many of you would say amen to that? And we are in such a moment right
[00:43:42] now that it is a significant time for us to pray. You say, well, we don't really have any influence.
[00:43:50] The only people on the face of this earth right now that have any influence at all are people who pray. We can shift the direction of nations. We can shift the direction of local cities. This
[00:44:11] is why, as you're voting on Tuesday, why these elections coming up are so important, because we have seen literal answers to prayer over the last year as it relates even to this city.
[00:44:26] but when we pray we actually shift atmospheres in order for the hand of the Lord to move do you really believe that is that in the Bible Jesus said on earth as it is in heaven it is up to us to connect earth to heaven so heaven can be
[00:44:45] connected to earth you're not insignificant look at somebody and say you're not insignificant your praying matters your influence matters when you get before Jesus privately you start asking him and in praying for the cities
[00:45:03] of the world which we'll talk about in a moment and the nations of the world God intends to give us those nations we are not just a church sitting alongside of the road. God's intent for us is to influence this city, this state, this country, and in this world,
[00:45:23] and he's given us the opportunity to be able to do it. Does anybody believe that in the room today?
[00:45:27] Okay, so we'll be here tonight seeking the Lord, praying, worshiping, and encountering Jesus this evening. This is one of the reasons why, particularly in light of where the nations of the world are at. I've worked with a lot of ministries around the world, and every one of
[00:45:46] them needs the resources to be able to do what God has called them to do. This is the reason why our investing in the kingdom of God becomes so very, very important. It's not disconnected.
[00:46:05] Our resources are not disconnected from what God is doing around the world. And this is the final message in this series of the generous family. And today I want to just talk to you about fairness
[00:46:16] or faithfulness. Say that with me, fairness or faithfulness. This is a picture of my mom and my dad. This picture was taken actually on our wedding day. And that was five years ago. And I forgot the three in there, 35 years ago of a wonderful marriage. Honey, you're awesome.
[00:46:45] You're amazing. I love you. You're great. You are as beautiful today as the day when I met you. I really mean that. And the day you asked me to marry you was awesome. It's good. My mom will turn
[00:47:07] 99 next month. She fell recently. She was getting her hair done and she fell recently and hit her head. So they took her to the hospital. They did the CT scan and everything. They set her in a
[00:47:23] chair and said, Ms. Ivy, you're good. You're fine. Our family doctor, mom told me the other day, our family doctor we used to have would say, Marcine, that's her name. I wish everybody healed as good as you did. So she'll be 99 next month. My dad passed away a few years ago and I
[00:47:47] had the privilege of leading him to the Lord later on in his life. He didn't grow up in a Christian home or anything like that. And I remember him telling individuals in the facility, he had a
[00:47:59] stroke and things. And the facility, after the day I left, some of the nurses were telling me, he's telling everybody, I gave my life to Jesus today. I said, I was just so, so very amazing. But
[00:48:11] my dad would end up being a successful businessman. He would begin in the late 50s before I was born. He opened up a taxi business that ended up being very successful. He had this fleet of taxis. He would sell that business, and then that business was located in, you can see
[00:48:40] here, it says, if you can read it, it's the west end, but really that part of the community, it was known as the tough end. Individuals who were, you would consider, challenged, tough, they would hang out in in that part of the city and it's interesting that my mother and my father
[00:49:03] they never talked badly about people and they had a lot of interactions with a lot of different people of various ethnicities or various income levels and and they never talked badly about people if you if you if you did then they would they would close your mouth
[00:49:28] they they didn't want individuals talking about people and that's kind of how he was and but he was brought up in the tough end which kind of at times made him a scrapper and my dad had a great right hook I would say that
[00:49:49] because uh you know growing up in the um he would start this this uh in the in its day was was the the going thing there in in that city of holton maine this this motel but then it would add a
[00:50:04] restaurant and lounges and everything that go with it it was the the most successful one of the most successful businesses that were there then he would uh build another one a more modern one up
[00:50:15] by the interstate uh and then he would sell that one and eventually would sell the other one is still called ivy's um actually but i remember you know growing up in the the bar and things
[00:50:27] and uh they just didn't put up with anything somebody somebody in the main legislature had the great idea back in the day to lower the drinking age to 18. well i don't advise that that you use alcohol anyway. And that's because you don't know what, one of the reasons you don't
[00:50:47] know what your gene pool is. You don't know the history. My family has a history of alcoholism.
[00:50:52] And, and so I don't know what's in my genes. So it'd be a really bad idea for me to do that.
[00:50:58] But it's not good for your testimony. It's not good for your witness. It's not good for things to be, you know, it's not even necessarily spiritual per se, although it can be. It's just, it's just good to stay away from it um for a number of reasons uh and but i remember they
[00:51:16] were they lowered the drinking age to 18 it's okay to tell you all this story um and uh well you had high school kids that were coming to the bar this is where i grew up and and they don't
[00:51:28] know how to they just don't know how to manage their life and uh so oftentimes we'd be you know calling the police and everything because people were getting in fights and things uh but they
[00:51:39] didn't put up, my dad, he didn't put up with any of that kind of thing. And I learned some things from him. As a business person, I learned some things from him. Number one, if you're going to
[00:51:53] have a business, then do it right. Do it with excellence. Don't be slothful with it. He had, and this is bar none, and I've traveled a lot across this country and around the world. I'm
[00:52:10] telling you, that hotel was the cleanest place in America for hotels. Just, you know, they did house, you know, most hotels don't do this now, but they, they would, every year they would house clean the rooms. Everything would get shampooed and cleaned. Most hotels don't shampoo the carpets
[00:52:31] until, they just don't do it, until maybe the bugs start coming up out of the carpets or something.
[00:52:37] because I've stayed in a lot of hotels as well and they would make he would the housekeeping periodically they would be required to take a toothbrush and in the toilets go underneath the rim to make sure everything was absolutely clean
[00:52:56] okay you could walk into those hotel rooms they were so clean pristine and you know after they were all cleaned every day because they it was it was busy most of the time, he would go back behind all of housekeeping, make sure it's done to his
[00:53:10] standards. That's just kind of who he was. I also learned from him that if you're going to have employees, people that work for you, treat them properly. Be fair with them. We would have these
[00:53:24] larger groups come into the restaurant, and it was a white tablecloth restaurant, okay? It was sort of upper level. At nine o'clock, the tablecloths came off, the lights came down, and the band started, but up to that time, if a large group came in and they didn't tip properly, and by the
[00:53:43] way, if you're a Christian and you go into a restaurant, don't leave a track that looks like a dollar bill and not tip, right? So he would make sure that all of the wait staff was compensated
[00:53:59] properly if that particular table did not tip properly, whatever. And he was just really conscientious, didn't know the Lord, but he also didn't realize that he was funding a future ministry. He didn't know it. And what I learned is that God's principles of finance and things,
[00:54:27] if you follow them they work for believers and non-believers because they are established principles the sun goes up the sun comes down the bible says that the rain it falls on the godly and the ungodly and these principles work regardless if you will if you will follow them
[00:54:49] and then as a believer you have the opportunity for the hand of god to touch what you're doing and then multiply with a supernatural touch on the resources that God has given to us.
[00:55:04] A lot of individuals don't know that nearly half of the parables that Jesus taught, there were approximately 38 or so parables, and 16 of them deal directly with money, wealth, stewardship, and possessions.
[00:55:21] Why is that?
[00:55:22] because Jesus understood that that affects our everyday life. It affects our family life. It affects your marriage life. It affects our communication within the home. How many of you, full transparency, have ever had a discussion about money in your home? How many of you have
[00:55:47] ever had a disagreement about money in your home? Okay. Thank you for both hands. I don't know where your wife is. She's back in the nursery today. You can say whatever you want to today, brother.
[00:55:57] You're good. Okay. And for Jesus, it was not about the money. It was what the money revealed about the heart. So let me talk about two parables that Jesus taught us. They're similar, but they're
[00:56:19] contrasted the first one is in matthew 25 and jesus is talking here about the kingdom he says the kingdom of heaven the kingdom of god is like a man going on a journey now notice what jesus
[00:56:33] is saying here he said this is how my kingdom operates this is how i do things in my world this is how it works now jesus by implication is saying you this night might not work this way in
[00:56:48] your world, but it works this way in my world, in my kingdom. And so if you want to be part of my kingdom, here's the principles. It's like a man that goes on a journey who called his servants
[00:56:58] and entrusted his wealth to them. To one, he gave five bags of gold. Some of your translations will say talents. And for years, people preach, your talent, your gifting, it has nothing to do with
[00:57:10] that. A talent was a weight of gold. And to another, two bags. One got five bags. One got two bags, another got one bag. Everybody got something, each according to their ability.
[00:57:22] And then he went on a journey. The man who had received the five bags of gold went at once, and he put his money to work, and he gained five bags more. And the one with two bags also put his money
[00:57:34] to work, gained two more. And the man who had received one bag went off. He dug a hole in the ground and he hid his master's money. After a long time, the master of those servants returned
[00:57:46] and he settled accounts because this is what God does. We are managing his money. He's going to settle the accounts. And the man who had received the bag of gold brought the other five. And he
[00:57:58] said, master, you entrusted me with five bags of gold and I gained five more. The master said, well done, good and faithful servant. Listen, when we use that phrase, and you probably heard it over
[00:58:08] the years. When we get to heaven, we're going to hear the words, well done, good and faithful servant. Listen, the context of that is the management of the resources that God has given to us. That's how Jesus is going to say this. Well done, good and faithful servant. You've been
[00:58:24] faithful with a few things. Now, notice what he says here. I'm going to put you in charge of many what? Things. Jesus doesn't have a problem with things as long as things don't possess us.
[00:58:39] it's okay i'm going to put you in charge of of more things so he says come and and share your master's happiness then the man that was given the two bags of gold came and said master uh you gave
[00:58:55] me two bags of gold and i've gained two more and his master replied well done good faith servant you've been faithful to a few things i'll put you in charge of many come and share your master's
[00:59:08] happiness. Then in verse 24, then the man who had received one bag of gold came and said, Master, I knew that you're a hard man. Pause here. Here's the problem. This man didn't really know the
[00:59:22] master. He made assumptions about the master, but he didn't know him. Because if you look how the master dealt with the other two, he wasn't hard with the other two at all.
[00:59:36] they have relationship with him. So he says, I knew you're a hard man. You harvest where you have not sown and you gather where you have not scattered seeds. So here it is. I was afraid.
[00:59:51] The problem here was this man was afraid. And this is where many of us are challenged as it relates to the resources that God gives to us. We are afraid. We're afraid to give. We're afraid
[01:00:05] to spend we're afraid to save we're afraid to invest because we don't know the master and a lot of the decisions that we make as it relates to the resources that god has given to us
[01:00:21] are out of fear and we will never make good decisions that are based in fear so i went out and because i didn't know you he thinks he knows him but he really doesn't and because i was afraid
[01:00:40] listen i didn't want to lose it so i just buried it i didn't want to do anything with it because i was afraid that i might it might not go well for me so i just buried it here's what belongs to you
[01:00:54] now the master said this this is this is a scary phrase right here notice what he says here you wicked, lazy servant. You knew I harvest where I don't sow and gather where I've not scattered
[01:01:12] seed. Well, then you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers. At least I could have gotten some interest on it. And then notice what Jesus says. Take the bag of gold from him
[01:01:23] and give it to the one who has 10 bags. I'm going to explain this in a minute. Just hold steady.
[01:01:28] For whoever has will be given more and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken away from it.
[01:01:35] It doesn't sound like fairness here, does it?
[01:01:38] I'll explain it in a minute.
[01:01:40] And here's the, I almost left this out so I didn't have to deal with it and go down this road.
[01:01:50] But it's part of the text.
[01:01:52] And throw that worthless servant outside into darkness where there'll be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
[01:01:57] That's the Matthew 25 passage.
[01:01:59] Now, turn to Luke's gospel.
[01:02:05] and you go to chapter 19 of Luke. It's a similar parable. Let's read it. He went out to tell them a parable. He's talking again about the kingdom of God because they thought that the kingdom of
[01:02:18] God was going to appear at once. And he said, let me tell you how this kingdom works. A noble man went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then returned. So he called
[01:02:29] 10 of his servants and gave them 10 minas. And what was a mina? A mina was about three months worth of income. So you got about 30 months worth of income here, maybe a year and a half,
[01:02:41] a little more than that. And notice what he said, put the money to work. Listen, there's a difference between you working and money working for you. Because Jesus doesn't just want us to work and
[01:03:01] spend. He wants that money to work for the purpose of his kingdom and multiply. So he says, put this money to work until I come back. But his subjects hated him and said, I don't want to do that.
[01:03:13] And they sent a delegation after him to say, we don't want this man to be our king. But notice this, he was made king anyway. And he returned home. Then he went to the servants to whom he
[01:03:27] had given the money to find out what they had gained. The expectation is that they're going to gain. The first one came and said, now in the first parable, they're given five and two and one.
[01:03:40] In this parable, everybody's given the same amount. The first one came and said, your mina has produced 10 more and well done, my good and faithful servant. There it is again. The master replied, watch this now, because you've been trustworthy with a small manner, I'm not going
[01:03:59] to just give you things. I'm going to give you cities. The second came and said, your mina has earned five more. You take charge of five cities. Just underscore that in your mind for a moment.
[01:04:18] Then the next man came in and said, here it is again. I was afraid. You're a hard man.
[01:04:31] You take out what you didn't put in and reap what you did not. So his master said, I'll judge you by your own words. He's painful. You wicked servant. You knew, did you, that I'm a hard man,
[01:04:41] taking out what I did not put in and reaping what I didn't sell. It's not really who I am, he says, but I'm going to be hard on you now. Why then did you put my money, here it is again,
[01:04:50] on deposit so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest? Understand that God expects that the resources that we have are multiplied. God is not into addition. He is into multiplication. So, so watch this now. And then he said to those standing by, take the mina
[01:05:13] away from him and give it to the one who has 10 minas. Then they, then they said, he's already got
[01:05:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[01:05:21] enough. He doesn't need any more. He's got everything he needs. He's got houses. He's got lands. He's got popularity. Give it to somebody else. It's not fair. He replied, I tell you,
[01:05:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[01:05:45] to everyone that has, more will be given. But as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. Okay. Let me just, let me just give you four principles here and then we're done.
[01:05:58] Number one, everyone is given something. To each one he gave. Nobody in this room has nothing. Everybody's been given something. Number two, we're not the owners. We're the managers. He entrusted his wealth. Whose wealth? Not their wealth. So everything we have belongs
[01:06:24] to God. Nothing you have right now is yours. Everything that we have belongs to God. Number three, fairness is not based on feeling, but on faithfulness. Take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has 10 bags. For whoever has, here it is, will be given more, or whoever
[01:06:46] uses well will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, who has not used well, even what they have will be taken from them. And then he said to those standing by,
[01:07:05] take the mine away from him and give it to the one who has 10 minas. He's got enough.
[01:07:11] to everyone who uses well, more will be given. But as for the one who has not used well or has not, doesn't have anything, even what they have will be taken away from them. Now, here's what I want
[01:07:30] us to see. And this is what caught my attention. This is what the Lord reminded me of. I really fellow was the Lord of my mind. It just came to my head this week. This is not about stuff. This
[01:07:47] is about the souls in our cities. Well done and good faithful servant. He said, I'm going to give you things. You need things to reach the cities. This is why our giving is so very important
[01:08:13] because there are people in this city, there is a generation of young men and women in this city, in this region, in this state, in the nations of the world that need the body of Christ
[01:08:32] to be faithful in their giving because it's about reaching cities. A study was done a while back.
[01:08:47] what would happen if Christians gave just 10% of their income? There'd be an additional $165 billion for churches to use and distribute. $25 billion would relieve global hunger, starvation, and death, deaths from preventable diseases. $12 billion would eliminate illiteracy
[01:09:05] in five years. $15 billion would solve the world's water and sanitation issues, specifically in places of the world where a billion people live on less than a dollar a day. A billion would fund all overseas missions work, and $100 to $110 billion would still be left over for additional
[01:09:19] ministry expansion. That's a relevant magazine if you're interested in looking at it. We don't think it's important, but it's like really. So when you came in today, many of you got $5 bill, $10 bill. Some of you got a $50 bill. Some of you got a $100 bill. Anybody get a $100 bill that
[01:09:47] came in today? Y'all just weren't faithful. I'm kidding. Somebody get a $100 bill? Anybody?
[01:09:55] You did. You got a $100 bill. That's awesome. You got a $100 bill. Larry, we're going to lunch after. We don't care what you do with that money, but we do want to remind you it was given to you
[01:10:20] and doesn't belong to you in the same way that everything that we have has been given to us and doesn't belong to us. We wanted every person in the room that doesn't give on a regular basis
[01:10:46] to at least on one Sunday to understand the privilege of what it is to give into the kingdom of God.
[01:10:56] So ushers are coming right now.
[01:11:00] And if you want to go to the coffee truck or go to lunch, like I said, we don't care.
[01:11:08] We just want you to recognize how important investing into God's kingdom really is.
[01:11:24] And there might be a young man, an older man, a young lady, an older lady who is not here today maybe they're sleeping in today they sleep in every Sunday they don't know Jesus and it may be that for those of us that don't faithfully give if we start giving it may
[01:11:58] be that your giving will make the difference and it will in somebody's life there's an organization called light for the lost it's a men's organization that is a missions organization every dollar they've tracked this and there's been millions of dollars given to this every dollar
[01:12:19] translates into a soul that's why church giving matters that's why your faithfulness my faithfulness to God is important now I want you to stand with me there's the natural and then there's the supernatural how many of you in the room today pastor there's a need of a resource that I need
[01:12:51] put your hands up. Anybody in the room feel like that today? How many of you in the room say there's a physical need in my body that I've got to have help with? How many of you in the room would say
[01:13:05] I am in the middle of making decisions and I don't know what decision to make? Who's that in the room today? Anybody? How many of you in the room would say I've got a family issue going on
[01:13:22] and I need help. Let me see your hands, right? Everybody put up a hand. I want you to make your way to this altar. And if altar team wants to come, I should have asked you before if you guys
[01:13:32] can like run up here before everybody gets up here. I want every one of you that lifted a hand, I want you to come to this altar because there's the natural and there's the supernatural.
[01:13:47] We're going to pray over you today because we believe that God answers prayer. And some of you are facing confusing situations that make no sense at all and move up as close as you can
[01:13:58] some of you are facing confusing situations that you don't have answers for and and move up as close as you can here today okay so we make room for everybody a lot of you lifted a hand today
[01:14:10] we're going to spend a moment praying over each other and they're going to pray they're going to lay it now they're not going to pray five minute prayers over you they've already prayed privately so what they're going to do
[01:14:21] they're going to lay their hands on you and they're going to pray over you they're going to move on to somebody else and we're going to believe God for you in this room today because God wants to meet you in every way
[01:14:32] physically, emotionally, spiritually and financially over everybody today now would you lift your hands toward the Lord as we just and you may want to put your hand on the shoulder of somebody next door to you right now
[01:14:46] and would you believe God would you just believe God would you just believe God in the room today? Father, in Jesus' name, we call upon the name of the Lord. Lord, today, only you know what is going on within each of our hearts. Lord,
[01:15:13] some of us have just settled for the way things are, and we've just settled in, and we've said, nothing's going to change. Lord, I pray today for a divine interruption in our lives.
[01:15:30] holy spirit do what only you are able to do we speak freedom in jesus name we speak healing in jesus name we speak hope in jesus name we speak strength in jesus name we speak the miraculous
[01:16:02] in Jesus name we declare the shift of the Holy Spirit over your life in Jesus name we ask you God for businesses in this room as they partner with you God to prosper for the
[01:16:26] sake of the kingdom of God God we ask you for jobs and for families to be blessed Lord for the
[01:16:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[01:16:38] sake of your kingdom. Lord, we pray for divine suddenlies. Lord, for divine suddenlies. Just take
[01:17:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[01:17:19] a moment and wait on Jesus here, would you? Some things church only God can do. Would you lift your
[01:18:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[01:18:10] hands and would you pray over this region right now? Holy Spirit, we need an outpouring of your spirit within the body of Christ, Lord. God, we ask you for a move of the Holy Spirit that would
[01:18:22] awaken the hearts of people. We pray, God, for your people first. We don't pray, Jesus, for the world out there first. We pray for your people, God. Help us to walk in brokenness and repentance and
[01:18:34] surrender. Lord, in a very fresh and real way today, we surrender our lives. We surrender circumstances, God. We're not pushing back. We're not fighting. We're not chafing anymore, Lord.
[01:18:47] we are humbling ourselves and surrendering to you today lord cleanse us deeply on the inside god cleanse us deeply on the inside holy spirit and lord would you pour your spirit in the body of
[01:19:07] christ would you arrest the disunity of the body of christ in catawba county god and would you bring us back together, Lord. God, we pray, Holy Spirit, that you would silence the voices of the
[01:19:23] enemy. God, we pray for families to be united. We pray for marriages to be at peace, God.
[01:19:30] For families to be at peace, Lord. God, we pray across this room today for the peace of God in our homes with our children, Lord. Across this place today, Lord, may the peace of God that
[01:19:45] pastors understanding flood our hearts and our minds Lord now just begin to take 60 seconds to just worship Jesus in the room today God is for you God is not against you God is for you God is for you today he's for your family he's for
[01:20:00] your marriage he's for your business he's for your jobs he's for everything that you you've got your hand on today whatever that is he is for you in the
[01:20:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[01:20:13] room today. He is for you in the room today. Father, we thank you for your goodness. We thank you for your mercy. We thank you, Lord, that every need that is represented in this room,
[01:20:38] be it spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally, or financially, every need is met by your hand in the name of Jesus, in the mighty name of Jesus. Can you just say amen to that. Can you just receive that the Lord meets every need that we have by his goodness and mercy.
[01:20:58] Amen. Amen. We love you guys. If you're still here at the altar praying, feel free to stay.
[01:21:05] If this is your first time with us or you've not met our pastors yet, we invite you to come say hello. We love to meet and greet new families. Just go right outside the sanctuary and to the
[01:21:16] left into the sunroom. We would love to say hello. Go home, get some rest, get a meal. We will see you back here tonight at 5 p.m for encounter night have a wonderful day we love you guys
[00:06:52] I believe in God the Father, Almighty, His only Son, our Lord, received by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead.
[00:07:10] On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven. He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He will come to judge the living and the dead.
[00:07:20] I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Apostolic Church, the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
[00:07:31] Amen.
[00:07:31] Come on, let's raise up our hands to the heavens and just begin to worship the Lord.
[00:07:36] Just begin to worship the Lord and just begin to call on the name of Jesus.
[00:07:39] That's all you got to do, just call on the name of Jesus, and that name just begins to transform the atmosphere.
[00:07:44] So everybody just start to call on the name of Jesus.
[00:07:48] Jesus.
[00:07:48] Jesus, we worship you. Jesus, we exalt you. Just call on the name of Jesus.
[00:07:55] Jesus, we bless you. We honor you, God. And we ask, God, that you will be glorified in this day.
[00:08:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_10]
[00:08:01] In Jesus' name. Amen, amen, amen. How many are happy? Yours is the power.
[00:08:22] Power in that name. Sing it. Come on, as loud as you can. Come on.
[00:32:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:32:07] I've been paying attention to the news over the last couple of days. You know, there's a lot happening within the nations of the world, specifically the Middle East right now. And this morning, I want to take a moment and pray for the nations of the world, because the Bible
[00:32:47] says that we could ask for it and God will give us nations as the inheritance. And it's not for our glory, but for those to know Jesus. And so here I want to pray Psalm 67 with you this morning.
[00:33:01] it says may God be merciful and bless us may his face smile with favor on us may your ways be known throughout the earth your saving power among people everywhere may the nations praise you
[00:33:15] oh God yes may all the nations praise you now I want you to pause right there I want you to lift both hands to Jesus and I want you to pray for the nations of the earth right now that every nation
[00:33:26] tribe and tongue would praise the name of Jesus, that the name of Jesus would be on the lips of every nation in the Middle East, that through every bit of conflict, through everything that's going on, God will get the glory, that God will be seen, that he will be seen as faithful and good.
[00:33:42] Come on, come on, lift up your voice and pray. Come on, church. Father, we pray over every nation in the Middle East, and we pray that they will fear the Lord. God, we pray that they will praise
[00:34:03] you and lift high your name. God, we pray that your mighty acts will be seen throughout this conflict, throughout war, throughout everything that's going on. We pray mighty acts of God that can only be attributed to your hand, Lord. We pray for the goodness of you to be seen through
[00:34:20] everything. And that the name of Jesus will be on the lips of every nation, of every tribe, of every tongue. Lord, we pray your name will be glorified. Your name would be glorified.
[00:34:34] Says let the whole world sing for joy because you govern the nations with justice and guide the people of the whole world. Listen, there's local elections that are happening here over the next few days. There's many important leaders that are going to be rising up throughout the Middle East
[00:34:51] in the next in the coming days we need to pray that someone who fears the Lord is in local government is in government in the Middle East will you lift both hands to Jesus right now and
[00:35:01] pray the will of God over these elections over people who have risen up the Bible says that God puts his hand on a leader and anoints them for that place come on begin to pray Lord in the mighty
[00:35:12] name of Jesus we pray for those who honor the name of Yeshua those who honor the name of Jesus to be placed in places of authority and leadership in the Middle East, here locally.
[00:35:26] We pray for those who honor your name, not just with lip service, not just with church attendance, but with a mighty fear of God that follows you.
[00:35:36] Lord, we pray for those who are in positions of power and don't know you.
[00:35:40] We pray they would come to know you and you would encounter them in the mighty name of Jesus.
[00:35:45] Lord, I pray in the coming days, we will hear of those who don't know you encountering you and turning their face to you lord and we pray you bless them and they would lead with the fear of the lord in jesus name now one more time i want us to pray and here's what
[00:36:03] it says may the nations praise you oh god yes may all the nations praise you then the earth will yield its harvests and god our god will richly bless us yes god will bless us and people all
[00:36:16] over the world will fear him. What's that harvest? It's souls coming into the kingdom. Will you pray for the Middle East and all of the nations of the world right now that people would come to
[00:36:27] know him right now? Come on, lift both hands to Jesus. There are people who are having face-to-face encounters with God all across the Middle East. His heart is going out towards them. He's trying to reach them. So right now, will you lift up your hands? These are not our enemies. These are people
[00:36:43] who need to know Jesus.
[00:36:45] Come on, I want you to pray they would come to know him.
[00:36:47] Come on, Lord, we pray for a great harvest in the Middle East.
[00:36:52] We pray that through all this conflict, not only will godly leaders rise up, but they will lead the nation into encounters with you.
[00:37:01] They will lead the nation into the fear of the Lord.
[00:37:04] We pray that the nations of the world will come to know you.
[00:37:07] Every nation, tribe, and tongue, every person who's far from you, Lord, we know you are waiting on them with open arms.
[00:37:15] We pray for encounters with you and supernatural harvest of your kingdom to come in, Lord.
[00:37:22] May every person know Jesus, know you, Lord.
[00:37:25] Lord, we pray your word says that you want none to perish.
[00:37:29] So Lord, use us, use us here locally, use us around the world to make sure none shall perish, God, to bring a harvest of souls into the kingdom.
[00:37:40] Lord, your word says that the harvest is great, but the workers are few.
[00:37:45] God, we pray, send us.
[00:37:47] Come on, if you believe that, pray that right now.
[00:37:49] Lord, send me.
[00:37:50] Say, send me into my workplace.
[00:37:52] Send me across the nation.
[00:37:53] Send me, Lord.
[00:37:55] Send me, Jesus.
[00:37:56] Send me.
[00:37:58] Father, we love you today.
[00:38:01] And we recognize that your hand is at work over this church, over our lives, and all across the world, Lord.
[00:38:08] and we pray that today you would richly bless us with your word that as we open it up we would draw near to you as you're drawing near to so many who take a step towards you today
[00:38:21] in Jesus mighty name everybody that believes that in the room says come on amen do me a favor I want you to find two or three people take the next 60 seconds as you're being seated
[00:38:37] I want you to ask them What's the best thing that happened to you this week?
[00:38:41] Find two or three people, ask them, what's the best thing that happened to you this week?
[00:38:45] And then find a seat.
[00:38:46] We love you.
[00:38:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:38:47] Good morning, church.
[00:39:41] Nice to see all of you today.
[00:39:43] Welcome to Christ Alive.
[00:39:46] Those of you worshiping online with us, welcome.
[00:39:50] If you are a first time with us today or first time in a while, if you would grab this card in the seat pocket in front of you and for some of you behind you
[00:39:58] or scan that code there, Fill it out.
[00:40:03] We've got a gift for you just to say thank you for being here today.
[00:40:06] We love you.
[00:40:08] We want you to be where God wants you to be.
[00:40:10] And we're glad that you're here today.
[00:40:13] Christ Alive, would you welcome our first-time guests?
[00:40:15] Come on.
[00:40:19] Every week, the Latino community meets here at 1.30.
[00:40:23] We are diligently working to finish the plans with all the engineering and things that has to happen for the transformation of this building that is over here as a reminder. Every Wednesday night, everybody say Wednesday night. We're here this week,
[00:40:41] first Wednesday worship and prayer evening together. Tonight, we're going to be here at 5 p.m. with an encounter night. Now, Joe called me yesterday. He's got an ear infection. Doctor said, can't fly. Pop his ear. I said, well, Joe, it's okay. But we're still going to gather. Why are
[00:41:00] we going to do that? Because it's not about a guest as it is about making space for the Lord and making space for an encounter with Jesus. Particularly right now, if you've been paying attention to what is going on around the world, if there's ever time that you and I needed to pray,
[00:41:24] we are in a prophetic moment of history right now this is not just well you know all these things always happen listen you remember when luke yegezar was here last october after the first bombing that occurred in iran and luke told us about a prophetic word that was given
[00:41:51] over the country of Iran. It was given a number of years ago. And if you followed Iran in 1979, of course, the Iranian revolution occurred. And since that time, the nation was locked down.
[00:42:07] In reference to the gospel, if you take a look at the nations of the world, where there is much gospel, there's much freedom. Where there is little gospel, there is little freedom.
[00:42:20] and the Iranian people began to realize what Islam was really all about as the leaders of that country would begin to persecute and kill individuals who had a relationship with Jesus and it's been about 46 years and the prophetic word was this that the country of Iran and we're
[00:42:47] seeing it the country of Iran is going to open up to the gospel for a brief period of time just to let you know when that happens we're going because we're gonna have a we're gonna have a limited amount of time and if you've you've
[00:43:03] followed this the mosques in Iran if you don't see this on the news the mosques in Iran are mostly empty. And they're empty because there are individuals coming to Christ because Jesus is personally appearing to them. And they recognize that that system of religion
[00:43:28] is empty. As a matter of fact, any system of religion is empty without the centeredness of Jesus Christ within it. How many of you would say amen to that? And we are in such a moment right
[00:43:42] now that it is a significant time for us to pray. You say, well, we don't really have any influence.
[00:43:50] The only people on the face of this earth right now that have any influence at all are people who pray. We can shift the direction of nations. We can shift the direction of local cities. This
[00:44:11] is why, as you're voting on Tuesday, why these elections coming up are so important, because we have seen literal answers to prayer over the last year as it relates even to this city.
[00:44:26] but when we pray we actually shift atmospheres in order for the hand of the Lord to move do you really believe that is that in the Bible Jesus said on earth as it is in heaven it is up to us to connect earth to heaven so heaven can be
[00:44:45] connected to earth you're not insignificant look at somebody and say you're not insignificant your praying matters your influence matters when you get before Jesus privately you start asking him and in praying for the cities
[00:45:03] of the world which we'll talk about in a moment and the nations of the world God intends to give us those nations we are not just a church sitting alongside of the road. God's intent for us is to influence this city, this state, this country, and in this world,
[00:45:23] and he's given us the opportunity to be able to do it. Does anybody believe that in the room today?
[00:45:27] Okay, so we'll be here tonight seeking the Lord, praying, worshiping, and encountering Jesus this evening. This is one of the reasons why, particularly in light of where the nations of the world are at. I've worked with a lot of ministries around the world, and every one of
[00:45:46] them needs the resources to be able to do what God has called them to do. This is the reason why our investing in the kingdom of God becomes so very, very important. It's not disconnected.
[00:46:05] Our resources are not disconnected from what God is doing around the world. And this is the final message in this series of the generous family. And today I want to just talk to you about fairness
[00:46:16] or faithfulness. Say that with me, fairness or faithfulness. This is a picture of my mom and my dad. This picture was taken actually on our wedding day. And that was five years ago. And I forgot the three in there, 35 years ago of a wonderful marriage. Honey, you're awesome.
[00:46:45] You're amazing. I love you. You're great. You are as beautiful today as the day when I met you. I really mean that. And the day you asked me to marry you was awesome. It's good. My mom will turn
[00:47:07] 99 next month. She fell recently. She was getting her hair done and she fell recently and hit her head. So they took her to the hospital. They did the CT scan and everything. They set her in a
[00:47:23] chair and said, Ms. Ivy, you're good. You're fine. Our family doctor, mom told me the other day, our family doctor we used to have would say, Marcine, that's her name. I wish everybody healed as good as you did. So she'll be 99 next month. My dad passed away a few years ago and I
[00:47:47] had the privilege of leading him to the Lord later on in his life. He didn't grow up in a Christian home or anything like that. And I remember him telling individuals in the facility, he had a
[00:47:59] stroke and things. And the facility, after the day I left, some of the nurses were telling me, he's telling everybody, I gave my life to Jesus today. I said, I was just so, so very amazing. But
[00:48:11] my dad would end up being a successful businessman. He would begin in the late 50s before I was born. He opened up a taxi business that ended up being very successful. He had this fleet of taxis. He would sell that business, and then that business was located in, you can see
[00:48:40] here, it says, if you can read it, it's the west end, but really that part of the community, it was known as the tough end. Individuals who were, you would consider, challenged, tough, they would hang out in in that part of the city and it's interesting that my mother and my father
[00:49:03] they never talked badly about people and they had a lot of interactions with a lot of different people of various ethnicities or various income levels and and they never talked badly about people if you if you if you did then they would they would close your mouth
[00:49:28] they they didn't want individuals talking about people and that's kind of how he was and but he was brought up in the tough end which kind of at times made him a scrapper and my dad had a great right hook I would say that
[00:49:49] because uh you know growing up in the um he would start this this uh in the in its day was was the the going thing there in in that city of holton maine this this motel but then it would add a
[00:50:04] restaurant and lounges and everything that go with it it was the the most successful one of the most successful businesses that were there then he would uh build another one a more modern one up
[00:50:15] by the interstate uh and then he would sell that one and eventually would sell the other one is still called ivy's um actually but i remember you know growing up in the the bar and things
[00:50:27] and uh they just didn't put up with anything somebody somebody in the main legislature had the great idea back in the day to lower the drinking age to 18. well i don't advise that that you use alcohol anyway. And that's because you don't know what, one of the reasons you don't
[00:50:47] know what your gene pool is. You don't know the history. My family has a history of alcoholism.
[00:50:52] And, and so I don't know what's in my genes. So it'd be a really bad idea for me to do that.
[00:50:58] But it's not good for your testimony. It's not good for your witness. It's not good for things to be, you know, it's not even necessarily spiritual per se, although it can be. It's just, it's just good to stay away from it um for a number of reasons uh and but i remember they
[00:51:16] were they lowered the drinking age to 18 it's okay to tell you all this story um and uh well you had high school kids that were coming to the bar this is where i grew up and and they don't
[00:51:28] know how to they just don't know how to manage their life and uh so oftentimes we'd be you know calling the police and everything because people were getting in fights and things uh but they
[00:51:39] didn't put up, my dad, he didn't put up with any of that kind of thing. And I learned some things from him. As a business person, I learned some things from him. Number one, if you're going to
[00:51:53] have a business, then do it right. Do it with excellence. Don't be slothful with it. He had, and this is bar none, and I've traveled a lot across this country and around the world. I'm
[00:52:10] telling you, that hotel was the cleanest place in America for hotels. Just, you know, they did house, you know, most hotels don't do this now, but they, they would, every year they would house clean the rooms. Everything would get shampooed and cleaned. Most hotels don't shampoo the carpets
[00:52:31] until, they just don't do it, until maybe the bugs start coming up out of the carpets or something.
[00:52:37] because I've stayed in a lot of hotels as well and they would make he would the housekeeping periodically they would be required to take a toothbrush and in the toilets go underneath the rim to make sure everything was absolutely clean
[00:52:56] okay you could walk into those hotel rooms they were so clean pristine and you know after they were all cleaned every day because they it was it was busy most of the time, he would go back behind all of housekeeping, make sure it's done to his
[00:53:10] standards. That's just kind of who he was. I also learned from him that if you're going to have employees, people that work for you, treat them properly. Be fair with them. We would have these
[00:53:24] larger groups come into the restaurant, and it was a white tablecloth restaurant, okay? It was sort of upper level. At nine o'clock, the tablecloths came off, the lights came down, and the band started, but up to that time, if a large group came in and they didn't tip properly, and by the
[00:53:43] way, if you're a Christian and you go into a restaurant, don't leave a track that looks like a dollar bill and not tip, right? So he would make sure that all of the wait staff was compensated
[00:53:59] properly if that particular table did not tip properly, whatever. And he was just really conscientious, didn't know the Lord, but he also didn't realize that he was funding a future ministry. He didn't know it. And what I learned is that God's principles of finance and things,
[00:54:27] if you follow them they work for believers and non-believers because they are established principles the sun goes up the sun comes down the bible says that the rain it falls on the godly and the ungodly and these principles work regardless if you will if you will follow them
[00:54:49] and then as a believer you have the opportunity for the hand of god to touch what you're doing and then multiply with a supernatural touch on the resources that God has given to us.
[00:55:04] A lot of individuals don't know that nearly half of the parables that Jesus taught, there were approximately 38 or so parables, and 16 of them deal directly with money, wealth, stewardship, and possessions.
[00:55:21] Why is that?
[00:55:22] because Jesus understood that that affects our everyday life. It affects our family life. It affects your marriage life. It affects our communication within the home. How many of you, full transparency, have ever had a discussion about money in your home? How many of you have
[00:55:47] ever had a disagreement about money in your home? Okay. Thank you for both hands. I don't know where your wife is. She's back in the nursery today. You can say whatever you want to today, brother.
[00:55:57] You're good. Okay. And for Jesus, it was not about the money. It was what the money revealed about the heart. So let me talk about two parables that Jesus taught us. They're similar, but they're
[00:56:19] contrasted the first one is in matthew 25 and jesus is talking here about the kingdom he says the kingdom of heaven the kingdom of god is like a man going on a journey now notice what jesus
[00:56:33] is saying here he said this is how my kingdom operates this is how i do things in my world this is how it works now jesus by implication is saying you this night might not work this way in
[00:56:48] your world, but it works this way in my world, in my kingdom. And so if you want to be part of my kingdom, here's the principles. It's like a man that goes on a journey who called his servants
[00:56:58] and entrusted his wealth to them. To one, he gave five bags of gold. Some of your translations will say talents. And for years, people preach, your talent, your gifting, it has nothing to do with
[00:57:10] that. A talent was a weight of gold. And to another, two bags. One got five bags. One got two bags, another got one bag. Everybody got something, each according to their ability.
[00:57:22] And then he went on a journey. The man who had received the five bags of gold went at once, and he put his money to work, and he gained five bags more. And the one with two bags also put his money
[00:57:34] to work, gained two more. And the man who had received one bag went off. He dug a hole in the ground and he hid his master's money. After a long time, the master of those servants returned
[00:57:46] and he settled accounts because this is what God does. We are managing his money. He's going to settle the accounts. And the man who had received the bag of gold brought the other five. And he
[00:57:58] said, master, you entrusted me with five bags of gold and I gained five more. The master said, well done, good and faithful servant. Listen, when we use that phrase, and you probably heard it over
[00:58:08] the years. When we get to heaven, we're going to hear the words, well done, good and faithful servant. Listen, the context of that is the management of the resources that God has given to us. That's how Jesus is going to say this. Well done, good and faithful servant. You've been
[00:58:24] faithful with a few things. Now, notice what he says here. I'm going to put you in charge of many what? Things. Jesus doesn't have a problem with things as long as things don't possess us.
[00:58:39] it's okay i'm going to put you in charge of of more things so he says come and and share your master's happiness then the man that was given the two bags of gold came and said master uh you gave
[00:58:55] me two bags of gold and i've gained two more and his master replied well done good faith servant you've been faithful to a few things i'll put you in charge of many come and share your master's
[00:59:08] happiness. Then in verse 24, then the man who had received one bag of gold came and said, Master, I knew that you're a hard man. Pause here. Here's the problem. This man didn't really know the
[00:59:22] master. He made assumptions about the master, but he didn't know him. Because if you look how the master dealt with the other two, he wasn't hard with the other two at all.
[00:59:36] they have relationship with him. So he says, I knew you're a hard man. You harvest where you have not sown and you gather where you have not scattered seeds. So here it is. I was afraid.
[00:59:51] The problem here was this man was afraid. And this is where many of us are challenged as it relates to the resources that God gives to us. We are afraid. We're afraid to give. We're afraid
[01:00:05] to spend we're afraid to save we're afraid to invest because we don't know the master and a lot of the decisions that we make as it relates to the resources that god has given to us
[01:00:21] are out of fear and we will never make good decisions that are based in fear so i went out and because i didn't know you he thinks he knows him but he really doesn't and because i was afraid
[01:00:40] listen i didn't want to lose it so i just buried it i didn't want to do anything with it because i was afraid that i might it might not go well for me so i just buried it here's what belongs to you
[01:00:54] now the master said this this is this is a scary phrase right here notice what he says here you wicked, lazy servant. You knew I harvest where I don't sow and gather where I've not scattered
[01:01:12] seed. Well, then you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers. At least I could have gotten some interest on it. And then notice what Jesus says. Take the bag of gold from him
[01:01:23] and give it to the one who has 10 bags. I'm going to explain this in a minute. Just hold steady.
[01:01:28] For whoever has will be given more and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken away from it.
[01:01:35] It doesn't sound like fairness here, does it?
[01:01:38] I'll explain it in a minute.
[01:01:40] And here's the, I almost left this out so I didn't have to deal with it and go down this road.
[01:01:50] But it's part of the text.
[01:01:52] And throw that worthless servant outside into darkness where there'll be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
[01:01:57] That's the Matthew 25 passage.
[01:01:59] Now, turn to Luke's gospel.
[01:02:05] and you go to chapter 19 of Luke. It's a similar parable. Let's read it. He went out to tell them a parable. He's talking again about the kingdom of God because they thought that the kingdom of
[01:02:18] God was going to appear at once. And he said, let me tell you how this kingdom works. A noble man went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then returned. So he called
[01:02:29] 10 of his servants and gave them 10 minas. And what was a mina? A mina was about three months worth of income. So you got about 30 months worth of income here, maybe a year and a half,
[01:02:41] a little more than that. And notice what he said, put the money to work. Listen, there's a difference between you working and money working for you. Because Jesus doesn't just want us to work and
[01:03:01] spend. He wants that money to work for the purpose of his kingdom and multiply. So he says, put this money to work until I come back. But his subjects hated him and said, I don't want to do that.
[01:03:13] And they sent a delegation after him to say, we don't want this man to be our king. But notice this, he was made king anyway. And he returned home. Then he went to the servants to whom he
[01:03:27] had given the money to find out what they had gained. The expectation is that they're going to gain. The first one came and said, now in the first parable, they're given five and two and one.
[01:03:40] In this parable, everybody's given the same amount. The first one came and said, your mina has produced 10 more and well done, my good and faithful servant. There it is again. The master replied, watch this now, because you've been trustworthy with a small manner, I'm not going
[01:03:59] to just give you things. I'm going to give you cities. The second came and said, your mina has earned five more. You take charge of five cities. Just underscore that in your mind for a moment.
[01:04:18] Then the next man came in and said, here it is again. I was afraid. You're a hard man.
[01:04:31] You take out what you didn't put in and reap what you did not. So his master said, I'll judge you by your own words. He's painful. You wicked servant. You knew, did you, that I'm a hard man,
[01:04:41] taking out what I did not put in and reaping what I didn't sell. It's not really who I am, he says, but I'm going to be hard on you now. Why then did you put my money, here it is again,
[01:04:50] on deposit so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest? Understand that God expects that the resources that we have are multiplied. God is not into addition. He is into multiplication. So, so watch this now. And then he said to those standing by, take the mina
[01:05:13] away from him and give it to the one who has 10 minas. Then they, then they said, he's already got
[01:05:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[01:05:21] enough. He doesn't need any more. He's got everything he needs. He's got houses. He's got lands. He's got popularity. Give it to somebody else. It's not fair. He replied, I tell you,
[01:05:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[01:05:45] to everyone that has, more will be given. But as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. Okay. Let me just, let me just give you four principles here and then we're done.
[01:05:58] Number one, everyone is given something. To each one he gave. Nobody in this room has nothing. Everybody's been given something. Number two, we're not the owners. We're the managers. He entrusted his wealth. Whose wealth? Not their wealth. So everything we have belongs
[01:06:24] to God. Nothing you have right now is yours. Everything that we have belongs to God. Number three, fairness is not based on feeling, but on faithfulness. Take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has 10 bags. For whoever has, here it is, will be given more, or whoever
[01:06:46] uses well will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, who has not used well, even what they have will be taken from them. And then he said to those standing by,
[01:07:05] take the mine away from him and give it to the one who has 10 minas. He's got enough.
[01:07:11] to everyone who uses well, more will be given. But as for the one who has not used well or has not, doesn't have anything, even what they have will be taken away from them. Now, here's what I want
[01:07:30] us to see. And this is what caught my attention. This is what the Lord reminded me of. I really fellow was the Lord of my mind. It just came to my head this week. This is not about stuff. This
[01:07:47] is about the souls in our cities. Well done and good faithful servant. He said, I'm going to give you things. You need things to reach the cities. This is why our giving is so very important
[01:08:13] because there are people in this city, there is a generation of young men and women in this city, in this region, in this state, in the nations of the world that need the body of Christ
[01:08:32] to be faithful in their giving because it's about reaching cities. A study was done a while back.
[01:08:47] what would happen if Christians gave just 10% of their income? There'd be an additional $165 billion for churches to use and distribute. $25 billion would relieve global hunger, starvation, and death, deaths from preventable diseases. $12 billion would eliminate illiteracy
[01:09:05] in five years. $15 billion would solve the world's water and sanitation issues, specifically in places of the world where a billion people live on less than a dollar a day. A billion would fund all overseas missions work, and $100 to $110 billion would still be left over for additional
[01:09:19] ministry expansion. That's a relevant magazine if you're interested in looking at it. We don't think it's important, but it's like really. So when you came in today, many of you got $5 bill, $10 bill. Some of you got a $50 bill. Some of you got a $100 bill. Anybody get a $100 bill that
[01:09:47] came in today? Y'all just weren't faithful. I'm kidding. Somebody get a $100 bill? Anybody?
[01:09:55] You did. You got a $100 bill. That's awesome. You got a $100 bill. Larry, we're going to lunch after. We don't care what you do with that money, but we do want to remind you it was given to you
[01:10:20] and doesn't belong to you in the same way that everything that we have has been given to us and doesn't belong to us. We wanted every person in the room that doesn't give on a regular basis
[01:10:46] to at least on one Sunday to understand the privilege of what it is to give into the kingdom of God.
[01:10:56] So ushers are coming right now.
[01:11:00] And if you want to go to the coffee truck or go to lunch, like I said, we don't care.
[01:11:08] We just want you to recognize how important investing into God's kingdom really is.
[01:11:24] And there might be a young man, an older man, a young lady, an older lady who is not here today maybe they're sleeping in today they sleep in every Sunday they don't know Jesus and it may be that for those of us that don't faithfully give if we start giving it may
[01:11:58] be that your giving will make the difference and it will in somebody's life there's an organization called light for the lost it's a men's organization that is a missions organization every dollar they've tracked this and there's been millions of dollars given to this every dollar
[01:12:19] translates into a soul that's why church giving matters that's why your faithfulness my faithfulness to God is important now I want you to stand with me there's the natural and then there's the supernatural how many of you in the room today pastor there's a need of a resource that I need
[01:12:51] put your hands up. Anybody in the room feel like that today? How many of you in the room say there's a physical need in my body that I've got to have help with? How many of you in the room would say
[01:13:05] I am in the middle of making decisions and I don't know what decision to make? Who's that in the room today? Anybody? How many of you in the room would say I've got a family issue going on
[01:13:22] and I need help. Let me see your hands, right? Everybody put up a hand. I want you to make your way to this altar. And if altar team wants to come, I should have asked you before if you guys
[01:13:32] can like run up here before everybody gets up here. I want every one of you that lifted a hand, I want you to come to this altar because there's the natural and there's the supernatural.
[01:13:47] We're going to pray over you today because we believe that God answers prayer. And some of you are facing confusing situations that make no sense at all and move up as close as you can
[01:13:58] some of you are facing confusing situations that you don't have answers for and and move up as close as you can here today okay so we make room for everybody a lot of you lifted a hand today
[01:14:10] we're going to spend a moment praying over each other and they're going to pray they're going to lay it now they're not going to pray five minute prayers over you they've already prayed privately so what they're going to do
[01:14:21] they're going to lay their hands on you and they're going to pray over you they're going to move on to somebody else and we're going to believe God for you in this room today because God wants to meet you in every way
[01:14:32] physically, emotionally, spiritually and financially over everybody today now would you lift your hands toward the Lord as we just and you may want to put your hand on the shoulder of somebody next door to you right now
[01:14:46] and would you believe God would you just believe God would you just believe God in the room today? Father, in Jesus' name, we call upon the name of the Lord. Lord, today, only you know what is going on within each of our hearts. Lord,
[01:15:13] some of us have just settled for the way things are, and we've just settled in, and we've said, nothing's going to change. Lord, I pray today for a divine interruption in our lives.
[01:15:30] holy spirit do what only you are able to do we speak freedom in jesus name we speak healing in jesus name we speak hope in jesus name we speak strength in jesus name we speak the miraculous
[01:16:02] in Jesus name we declare the shift of the Holy Spirit over your life in Jesus name we ask you God for businesses in this room as they partner with you God to prosper for the
[01:16:26] sake of the kingdom of God God we ask you for jobs and for families to be blessed Lord for the
[01:16:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[01:16:38] sake of your kingdom. Lord, we pray for divine suddenlies. Lord, for divine suddenlies. Just take
[01:17:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[01:17:19] a moment and wait on Jesus here, would you? Some things church only God can do. Would you lift your
[01:18:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[01:18:10] hands and would you pray over this region right now? Holy Spirit, we need an outpouring of your spirit within the body of Christ, Lord. God, we ask you for a move of the Holy Spirit that would
[01:18:22] awaken the hearts of people. We pray, God, for your people first. We don't pray, Jesus, for the world out there first. We pray for your people, God. Help us to walk in brokenness and repentance and
[01:18:34] surrender. Lord, in a very fresh and real way today, we surrender our lives. We surrender circumstances, God. We're not pushing back. We're not fighting. We're not chafing anymore, Lord.
[01:18:47] we are humbling ourselves and surrendering to you today lord cleanse us deeply on the inside god cleanse us deeply on the inside holy spirit and lord would you pour your spirit in the body of
[01:19:07] christ would you arrest the disunity of the body of christ in catawba county god and would you bring us back together, Lord. God, we pray, Holy Spirit, that you would silence the voices of the
[01:19:23] enemy. God, we pray for families to be united. We pray for marriages to be at peace, God.
[01:19:30] For families to be at peace, Lord. God, we pray across this room today for the peace of God in our homes with our children, Lord. Across this place today, Lord, may the peace of God that
[01:19:45] pastors understanding flood our hearts and our minds Lord now just begin to take 60 seconds to just worship Jesus in the room today God is for you God is not against you God is for you God is for you today he's for your family he's for
[01:20:00] your marriage he's for your business he's for your jobs he's for everything that you you've got your hand on today whatever that is he is for you in the
[01:20:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[01:20:13] room today. He is for you in the room today. Father, we thank you for your goodness. We thank you for your mercy. We thank you, Lord, that every need that is represented in this room,
[01:20:38] be it spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally, or financially, every need is met by your hand in the name of Jesus, in the mighty name of Jesus. Can you just say amen to that. Can you just receive that the Lord meets every need that we have by his goodness and mercy.
[01:20:58] Amen. Amen. We love you guys. If you're still here at the altar praying, feel free to stay.
[01:21:05] If this is your first time with us or you've not met our pastors yet, we invite you to come say hello. We love to meet and greet new families. Just go right outside the sanctuary and to the
[01:21:16] left into the sunroom. We would love to say hello. Go home, get some rest, get a meal. We will see you back here tonight at 5 p.m for encounter night have a wonderful day we love you guys
