A New Season: Give Everything

Series: A New Season
Message: Give Everything
4/25/10

Intro
 We are invited by the Holy Spirit to be a part of the greatest movements on Earth, The Church.
 Jesus is the builder of His church, the provider, the director
 Process can be difficult, however when you know that Jesus is large and in charge you can trust Him for anything.
Obj
No matter what you are facing, God can work it out
God is teaching us how in a troubled economy not to hoard or be in fear, but to give and be at peace
 The church seems to be in a wilderness right now…
 We are waiting to see what God is going to do for us during this critical time
 He takes you out of bondage and you find yourself in a wilderness
 Egypt you were provided for, work of your hands, in promise land you were provided for, the work of your hands, but in the wilderness God provides miraculously
 But in the wilderness God introduces you to a season of miracles
 Water out of the rock, walk thru red sea dry ground, no weakness or sickness, shoes don’t wear out, cloud by day, fire by night, manna in the morning noon and night.
God wants to make us distinct In this environment by providing miraculously for us on a regular basis;
 I will provide all your needs. Phil 4:19 my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus
 Wilderness in your life is there to show God’s miraculous provision
 Never a wilderness that God isn’t willing to perform miracles
 Wilderness: not in bondage, on way to the promise land, God performs miracles-ask Him
 The nation is in recession, the Kingdom is not.
 The nation needs a bailout, but let the citizens of Heaven know that the Kingdom is secure
 This world is not our home, we are on mission here!
Mark 12:41-44 NLT
1. Matthew 19:23-24
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”)
2. Luke 12:21
“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
 The important thing to the Lord is not the amount of the gift, but the commitment and sacrifice it represents.
 He judges our gift not by how much we give, but how much is left over after we give
 Money is not the root of all evil, but the love of money.
 Not the amount you give but the heart behind what’s leftover.
 What’s leftover is either faith or your own ways.
Ex: Friend of mine giving: $2 million in debt, bank said what are you doing, nobody is selling, building, but he started tithing, and he started his business tithing too. Less than 1 year later he is totally out of debt, paid everyone back, and funding the Kingdom of God.

God begun to transform the heart, and as the heart changed God blessed him
 This woman’s giving was sacrificial and more that what anyone else gave based on what was left over.
 Someone told me that they couldn’t afford to give, and I said you can’t afford not to give
 Sometimes we give cheerfully, other times we give out of our need.
 This is not about money this morning, we are breaking hoarding, greed, fear, worry, the cares of this life.
Remember scripture calls it the deceitfulness of riches…mark 4:19, that make you unfruitful
Take a look at the unnamed woman in 1 Kings 17.
 There is a 3 ½ years of drought, no rain or dew
 God sends Elijah the prophet to this woman and her son
 He sees her and instead of saying hello, says “bring me a drink, and some of that bread in your hand”
 What are you Italian, this guy, who does he think he is? What is he a goodfella?
1 Kings 17:12-13 NLT Read
 Isn’t like an Italian to say all that they don’t have
 I’m Italian and Sicilian, botta bing, botta boom, the best of both worlds.
 She didn’t have anything, and God was asking her to give everything
1 Kings 17:14-16
 When the rain comes you’re not worried about what used to worry you
 When will the church get to the place where they will offer to God first, their best,
 When we offer our best, God in return pours out a blessing that there is not room enough to receive.
 But if you don’t have room to receive now God can’t pour more in till you let some out.
Its hard to give to someone with their hands closed, open your hand to God and let it go.
 This woman experienced God’s supernatural provision because she said yes to God
 What if she would of said no!
 But she didn’t and put God first, and she didn’t lack in times of drought
 God knows how to take care of his own.
 God’s ways are not our ways, His economy is not the world’s economy.
 Put God first in everything and your life will be in order, and God’s provision will flourish in your life!
What if you couldn’t receive a tax deduction for your giving to your church?
 That shouldn’t matter, because we are giving in response to obedience not on the basis of a gov’t tax credit
Giving breaks the greed and releases the funds for your needs
 You can’t buy a miracle, but when you give out of your need, the Lord recognizes sacrifice, and rewards it.
Hebrews 10:36
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Be patient and let God work
1 Kings 17:17-24 tell the story
 The womans boy died and she get bitter, starts blaming Elijah
 Elijah says, give me your son, and went to the upper room and prayed
 And raised the boy from the dead and gave him back to his mother
1 Kings 17:24
 The thing that activates your sustains your faith is you going to the upper room with Jesus
 It’s time the church starts praying
 Mat 26:41 pray that you enter not into temptation
 Prayer strengthens you, fills you, gives you God’s perspective and peace.
 Sometimes it seems like your dreams have died, but like Jesus told Peter, I have prayed for you.
Prayer allows things to live again, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
 This woman gave everything and her son died, where is the rejoicing in that?
 But as Elijah prayed life from the Spirit of God came back into him
 God wants to breathe life back into you, your dreams, your finances,
But we must follow God.
 Ex: God told me to give $7500, my wife confirmed it with me, $12,500 was handed to me less than 2 months later
 God will show you what to do in this economy to be blessed, sustained, and bless others
 God wants to breathe life back into you, your dreams, your finances
 But I want to encourage you to give everything of your life to God and not to leave any portion back-
 Give Jesus everything and He will breathe life into everything.
Philippians 4:6-7 (New Living Translation)
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.