I'm reading a passage of scripture
today from the book of Luke, chapter 6, verse 38, in which
our Lord said, give, and it shall be given to you. Good measure,
pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall men give
under your bosom. For whatsoever measure you deal
out to others, IT SHALL BE DEALT TO YOU IN RETURN. NOW HERE'S
THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE, WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT GIVING. NOW I WANT YOU TO CAREFULLY Listen
to what I have to say on this subject today what the Bible
what the Bible says now what a Denomination or a preacher
or an organization teaches about giving but what does God say? about giving Now there's so much
false teaching and poor preaching on the subject of giving that
we need to take time out to find what God says on the subject
of giving. What does the Bible say about
giving? Now, most preaching on the subject
of giving puts people under one of these false, sinful conditions
or states. Now, here's the first one. Give
because it's your duty to give. IT'S YOUR DUTY TO GIVE. THE AVERAGE
PREACHER PREACHES THAT EVERY BELIEVER IS UNDER A LAW TO TITHE. THAT EVERY BELIEVER IS UNDER
A LAW TO GIVE TEN PERCENT OF ALL THAT THEY HAVE TO THE CHURCH.
YOU SAY, WHERE DID THEY FIND THIS? THEY GO BACK TO THE OLD
LEVITICAL LAW. AND THEY REQUIRE MEN AND WOMEN
TO TITHE AS THE LAW REQUIRED THEM TO TITHE. Yet they do not
require them to be circumcised as the law required. They do
not require them to keep the seventh day Sabbath as the law
required. They do not require them to keep
a Passover feast or the feast of the first fruits or the feast
of the tabernacles as the Old Testament Levitical law required.
They do not require them to go through certain purifications
and sacrifices and other dietary laws. BUT THEY REQUIRE THEM TO
TITHE THAT THE CHURCH BUDGET MIGHT BE MET. BUT NONE OF THE
APOSTLES, NOT A ONE OF THE APOSTLES IN THE 21 EPISTLES OF THE NEW
TESTAMENT, AND I'VE WRITTEN COMMENTARIES ON EVERY ONE OF THESE EPISTLES
VERSE BY VERSE, AND NOT A ONE OF THE APOSTLES INSISTED ON TITHING
OR TAUGHT TITHING TO THE EARLY CHURCHES. that is used to get people to
give, other than duty, it's your duty to give, it's your responsibility,
is reward. We use this thing of rewards.
In other words, if you'll give, if you'll give to a television
preacher, or if you'll give to the church, then God will reward
you. If you'll plant a seed of faith
by giving to our particular organization, then God will give you a better
job. OR GOD WILL GIVE YOU A BIGGER HOME OR GOD WILL PROSPER YOU
MATERIALLY. MY FRIENDS, GIVING IN ORDER TO
GET SOMETHING IN RETURN IS SELFISH. AND IT'S CONTRARY TO GRACE. OUR
LORD JESUS CHRIST TAUGHT US TO GIVE AND TO LEND, AND HERE'S
THE EXACT WORDS HE USED, HOPING FOR NOTHING IN RETURN. BUT TO
GIVE, MOTIVATED BY LOVE. TO GIVE AND TO LEND TO OTHERS
FOR LOVE'S SAKE. I SEE THE PREACHERS ALWAYS TELLING
PEOPLE TO GIVE, TO SEND AN OFFERING, AND THEY'LL SEND THEM A CERTIFICATE
TO PUT ON THE WALL, OR THEY'LL SEND THEM A PIN TO WEAR ON THEIR
LAPEL, OR THEY'LL SEND THEM SOME KIND OF BADGE, OR THEY'LL SEND
THEM THIS, OR SEND THEM THAT. GOD'S PEOPLE DO NOT GIVE TO GET. THEY DO NOT GIVE IN ORDER TO
OBTAIN A REWARD. THEY DO NOT GIVE IN ORDER TO
OBTAIN A BIGGER HOUSE AND A BIGGER CAR AND A BETTER JOB. THAT'S
NOT THE SCRIPTURAL MOTIVE FOR GIVING. THAT'S CONTRARY TO THE
GRACE OF GOD. WE GIVE BECAUSE WE LOVE. AND
ANOTHER MOTIVE THAT'S USED TODAY TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO GIVE IS
FEAR. fear. They use duty. It's your
duty. Will a man rob God? You've robbed
me in tithes and offerings. That's the Levitical law, and
they use it today to inspire people to give. They'll use reward,
then they use fear. If you don't pay your tithe,
God'll punish you. If you don't pay your tithe,
God'll collect it through some tragedy or financial failure. If you pay your tithe, some bad
things won't happen that would have happened, somebody said.
And if you don't pay your tithe, some bad things will happen that
would not have happened. If you don't give your tithe,
God will take it out the door in a coffin. Now that's awful
poor reason to give. That's awful poor motivation
to give, to put people under a state of fear. THEY ONLY GIVE TO GOD TO SUPPORT
THE GOSPEL, TO HELP OTHERS BECAUSE THEY'RE SCARED NOT TO. THAT'S
CONTRARY TO GRACE. THAT'S CONTRARY TO FAITH. THAT'S
CONTRARY TO LOVE. HERE'S ANOTHER MOTIVE THAT IS
USED TODAY TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GIVE, AND THAT'S PRAISE. WE
ALL KNOW THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO BE PRAISED. THEY LIKE TO SEE
THEIR NAME IN PRINT. They like to let others know
that they're generous. So if you'll put their names
in the bulletin or put their names on a board or call their
names over the radio or call their names over the television,
then they'll be glad to give. But they want some credit. They
want a picture in the paper or credit of some way, in some way. But you know what the master
said? He condemns that kind of giving. He says that's giving
to be seen of men. HE SAID, WHEN YOU PRAY, DON'T
STAND ON THE STREET CORNER AND PRAY TO BE SEEN OF MEN. IF YOU
DO THIS, YOU HAVE YOUR REWARD. WHEN MEN SEE YOU AND WHEN MEN
BRAG ON YOU, THAT'S YOUR REWARD. WHEN YOU FAST, WASH YOUR FACE
AND COMB YOUR HAIR THAT YOU APPEAR NOT TO FAST UNTO MEN. GOD KNOWS YOUR HEART. FAST IN
SECRET. AND WHEN YOU GIVE, HE SAID, DON'T
SOUND A TRUMPET BEFORE YOU. DON'T BLOW THE HORN AND SAY,
HERE I COME WITH MY GIFT. I'm gonna give this, I'll raise
my hand, I'll go on record, put my name on the bulletin board,
put my name on a plaque, put my name on a pew, put my name
on a window, I'm gonna give to God. That's sinful. That's sinful. He said, don't
sound a trumpet before you when you do your alms. Don't give
in order to get praise of men. When men praise you, that's all
the reward you can expect. GIVING OUT OF DUTY BECAUSE YOU'LL
GET A REWARD OR BECAUSE OF FEAR OR TO BE SEEN OF MEN IS SINFUL
GIVING AND IT'S CONTRARY TO THE WORD OF GOD AND IT'S A DENIAL
OF THE VERY PRINCIPLES OF GRACE. MY FRIENDS, OUR PRAYER OUGHT
TO BE, LORD TEACH ME TO PRAY. WE NEED TO LEARN FROM THE SPIRIT
OF GOD HOW TO PRAY. THE THINGS FOR WHICH WE SHOULD
PRAY. WE NEED TO LEARN TO PRAY UNSELFISHLY AND FOR THE GLORY
OF GOD. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WE NEED TO
CRY OUT, LORD, TEACH ME TO BELIEVE. DELIVER ME FROM UNBELIEF. HELP
MY UNBELIEF. TEACH ME TO BELIEVE. ALL THINGS
ARE POSSIBLE TO THEM THAT BELIEVE. WE NEED TO CRY, LORD, TEACH ME
TO LOVE. BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW YOU'RE
MY DISCIPLES IF YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER. But I'll tell you another
thing we need to pray. Lord, teach me to give. How to give, what to give, when
to give, to give for His glory and His praise. Now, I'm going
to deal with this subject a little bit now, and if you're interested,
just pull your chair up a little closer and listen carefully to
what I say from the Word of God. Now, in the New Testament, Two
whole chapters are given to the subject of giving. Two whole
chapters. 2 Corinthians 8 and 2 Corinthians
9. And some in 1 Corinthians 16
talks about giving, this thing of giving, how to give, how God
would have us to give. And there's no reason for us
to be at ignorance on the subject of giving. I'm going to give
you this morning eight words, eight New Testament words, eight
Bible words that define scriptural giving, the kind of giving that's
well-pleasing to God, the kind of giving that's honoring to
God, the kind of giving that is opposite from most of what's
going on in this day. THAT'S DISPLEASING TO GOD AND
NOT WELL-PLEASING AT ALL IN HIS SIGHT. NOW, HERE'S THE FIRST
WORD. IF YOU WANT TO, WRITE THEM DOWN OR TAKE THE SCRIPTURES DOWN
ANYWAY, AND YOU'LL SEE THE WORDS IN THE SCRIPTURES. II CORINTHIANS
8, 7 SAYS THIS, GRACE, GIVING IS A GRACE. GIVING IS A GRACE. PAUL CALLS SPIRITUAL GIVING A
GRACE. HERE IN 2 CORINTHIANS 8-7, WRITING
TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH ABOUT GIVING AND ABOUT HELPING OTHERS,
PAUL SAYS THIS, NOW HE SAYS, YOU ARE A CHURCH NOTED FOR YOUR
FAITH, YOU BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD, YOU BELIEVE CHRIST, YOU
BELIEVE GOD, YOU'RE NOTED, YOU'RE KNOWN ALL OVER THE WORLD FOR
YOUR FAITH. HE SAID YOU'RE A CHURCH NOTED FOR YOUR UTTERANCE, FOR
YOUR PREACHING OF THE WORD OF GOD, FOR YOUR MISSIONARY WORK.
YOU'RE A CHURCH NOTED FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE, YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF
THE DOCTRINES, YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF TRUTH, YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST. YOU'RE A CHURCH NOTED FOR YOUR
DILIGENCE, FOR YOUR LOVE FOR THE APOSTLES AND LOVE FOR GOD'S
PREACHERS. NOW WATCH THE NEXT LINE. SEE
THAT YOU ARE BOUND IN THIS GRACE ALSO. WHAT GRACE? THE GRACE OF
GIVING. THAT'S WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT,
GIVING. AND HE CALLS IT A GRACE. HE SAID YOU'RE BOUND IN FAITH,
YOU'RE BOUND IN LOVE, YOU'RE BOUND IN UTTERANCE, YOU'RE BOUND
IN DILIGENCE, YOU'RE BOUND IN KNOWLEDGE, AND ALL THESE ACTS
AND WORKS OF GRACE. WELL, GIVING IS A GRACE TOO.
GIVING LIKE FAITH IS A GRACE. GIVING LIKE LOVE IS A GRACE. IT'S THE MARK AND EVIDENCE OF
THE GRACE OF GOD IN A MAN'S HEART. There's no such thing as a truly
born again, redeemed person who is not a giver. Men who have
tasted the grace of God are gracious. Men with whom God has been merciful,
they too are merciful. So the first word that defines
giving in the New Testament is this, it's a grace. Giving is
a grace that we learn from the Spirit of God. Secondly, the
word love is used. 2 Corinthians 8, verse 8. Now,
he says, I speak not by commandment. In verse 7, he says, see that
you're bound in this grace of giving as you're bound in faith
and love and utterance and knowledge. See that you're bound in this
grace of giving. Now, he says, I'm not speaking
by commandment. But he said, to prove the sincerity
of your love. YOU PRACTICE THE GRACE OF GIVING
TO PROVE THE SINCERITY OF WHAT? OF YOUR LOVE. PAUL SAYS, I'M
NOT ORDERING YOU TO GIVE. THAT WOULD BE CONTRARY TO GRACE.
I'M NOT SETTING AMOUNTS FOR YOU TO GIVE. THAT WOULD BE COMMANDMENT. I'M NOT SETTING TIMES FOR YOU
TO GIVE. GIVING MUST BE BORN OF LOVE OR
IT'S A SIN. AND THEN IN THE NEXT VERSE HE
SAID, FOR YOU KNOW THE LOVE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO THOUGH
HE WAS RICH, YET FOR YOUR SAKES BECAME POOR, THAT YOU THROUGH
HIS POVERTY MIGHT BE RICH." IN OTHER WORDS, LOVE LED THE FATHER
TO GIVE CHRIST, FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, HE GAVE. AND IT WAS
LOVE THAT CAUSED THE SON TO GIVE HIMSELF, TO EMPTY HIMSELF, though
he was rich to become poor." What made him do that? Love for
you and me. It was love that motivated him
to give, and he said, this is the very thing. If you give scripturally
and biblically and honoring to God and in a way that God is
pleased with, then you'll do it motivated by love. Also, Paul
said in I Corinthians 13, 3, Though I bestow all my goods
to feed the poor. Now, that's not tithing. That's
all I got. All my goods to feed the poor.
And have not love? I'm wasting my time. It profiteth
me nothing. All right, here's the third word.
It's in II Corinthians 8, 12. Still on this same subject. Reading
right down, Verse 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. THE WORD IS WILLING. WILLING. FOR IF THERE BE FIRST,
PAUL SAID, A WILLING MIND. NOW, YOU LISTEN TO ME. A WILLING
MIND. IT IS ACCEPTED ACCORDING TO WHAT
A MAN HATH AND NOT ACCORDING TO WHAT HE HATH NOT. A WILLING
MIND. GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER. THAT
WHICH IS GIVEN WILLINGLY AND CHEERFULLY, NOT REQUIRED, NOT
OF NECESSITY, NOT GRUDGINGLY, NOT OUT OF RESPONSIBILITY, NOT
BECAUSE IT'S A DUTY, BUT WILLINGLY. I'M WILLING TO GIVE. I CHEERFULLY
GIVE. AND THAT'S THE ONLY KIND OF GIFT
THAT GOD WILL BLESS AND THAT GOD WILL RECEIVE. AND THE AMOUNT
IS UNIMPORTANT, TOTALLY UNIMPORTANT. A MAN IS NOT REQUIRED TO GIVE
WHAT HE DOESN'T HAVE. NOW, YOU LISTEN CAREFULLY. And here's another error that's
prevalent in our country in churches. That's this pledging business,
signing pledge cards. Now you listen to me. I know
I'm crossing the grain, but I'll never sign a pledge card by the
grace of God, and I'll never require anybody to sign one.
I've been a pastor in 35 years. You listen to the scripture.
There first must be a willing mind. It is accepted according
to what a man has. What he has. Not what he's gonna
have. Not what he expects to have.
Not what he wants to have. What he has. And not according
to what he has not. I'm not to promise what I don't
have. I'm not to pledge what I don't have. AM TO GIVE IN PROPORTION
AS GOD HAS BLESSED ME RIGHT NOW. I'M NOT TO GIVE SOMETHING I DON'T
HAVE, NOR AM I TO PROMISE IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT A DAY WILL
BRING FORTH. I DON'T EVEN GO INTO TOWN. SAY I'M GOING TO TOWN
TOMORROW WITHOUT SAYING THE LORD WILLING I'M GOING TO TOWN. I'M
CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO SIGN A CARD SAYING I'LL BE THERE. That's
taken a lot for granted, isn't it? The word duty and tithe and
debt and responsibility, these are not words used here, but
the word is willingly, willingly. There first must be a willing
mind motivated by love and grace. Now these are New Testament words.
And I challenge you to read the Word of God on this subject.
Next word is the word proportion. First Corinthians 16.2. UPON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK,
LET EVERY ONE OF YOU LAY BY IN STORE AS GOD HAS PROSPERED YOU. NOW EVERY GOOD GIFT AND PERFECT
GIFT COMES FROM GOD. WHAT I HAVE, GOD HAS GIVEN ME.
WHO MAKETH THEE TO DIFFER? WHAT DO YOU HAVE YOU DIDN'T RECEIVE?
A MAN CAN RECEIVE NOTHING EXCEPT IT WERE GIVEN HIM FROM HEAVEN.
THE LORD HAS BLESSED HIS PEOPLE ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, ACCORDING
TO GOD'S OWN WILL. YOU HAVE WHAT YOU HAVE BY THE
WILL OF GOD. NOW, MY GIFT TO THE CHURCH AND
TO THE GOSPEL AND TO OTHERS IS GIVEN IN PROPORTION OR ACCORDING
AS GOD HAS BLESSED ME. ACCORDING AS GOD HAS ENABLED
ME TO GIVE. THOSE WHO HAVE MORE, THEY WANT
TO GIVE MORE. THEY HAVE MORE TO GIVE. THOSE
WHO HAVE LESS, THEY GIVE LESS. BUT WE'RE NOT TAXPAYERS, WE'RE
SONS. WE'RE STEWARDS OF THE GRACE OF
GOD. LISTEN TO 2 CORINTHIANS 8, 14. IT SAYS, SOME ARE NOT
TO BE BURDENED WHILE OTHERS ARE EASED, BUT OUR GIVING IS TO BE
BY EQUALITY. as God has blessed us. In other
words, people who don't have as much, they're to give. People
who have a great deal, they're to give more. We're to give in
proportion as God has blessed us. We're stewards of God. YOU
SEE THE THINGS THAT I HAVE, GOD HAS GIVEN ME. HE'S ENTRUSTED
INTO MY CARE. I'M HIS SON. I'M HIS STEWARD.
I WANT TO BE A GOOD SON AND A GOOD STEWARD. I WANT TO USE THE THINGS
THAT GOD HAS GIVEN ME AND WITH WHICH HE HAS BLESSED ME TO BLESS
SOMEONE ELSE BECAUSE IT'S GOD THAT GAVE IT TO ME. IT'S NOT
MINE. IT'S NOT MINE, IT'S HIS. SOMEBODY SAY, WELL, 10% BELONGS
TO THE LORD, 90% BELONGS TO YOU. I BEG YOUR PARDON, IT ALL BELONGS
TO THE LORD. NONE OF IT BELONGS TO ME. IT'S
HIS. WE'RE STEWARDS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. IT'S THE LORD'S
VINEYARD. IT'S THE LORD'S BUILDING. WE'RE
JUST SERVANTS. I LIKE THAT STORY ABOUT THE SALESMAN
WHO GOT ON AN AIRPLANE AND SAT DOWN BESIDE A BELIEVER, A MAN
WHO KNEW THE LORD. AND THE SALESMAN STRUCK UP A
CONVERSATION. HE TURNED TO THE MAN, THE BELIEVER,
AND HE SAID, WELL, HE SAID, I'M IN BUSINESS WITH MY FATHER. And
the believer said, well, I am too. And the salesman said, well,
my father and I are in the jewelry business. The believer said,
well, we are too. The scripture talks about making
up his jewels. And the salesman said, we only
deal in the best jewels. And the believer said, well,
we do too. And the salesman said, well, my father trusts me with
a lot of his business. And the believer said, my father
trusts me with a lot of his business. And the salesman said, well,
I'm on my way now to a meeting with my father. And the believer
said, well, I am too. And the salesman said, well,
I sure hope I can give a good account of how I've conducted
my father's business. And the believer said, well,
I do too. HAVE YOU GIVEN A GOOD ACCOUNT
OF THAT WITH WHICH GOD HAS ENTRUSTED YOU? FOR IT'S HIS, AND WE GIVE
IN PROPORTION AS HE'S BLESSED US. NOW HERE'S ANOTHER WORD,
THE WORD EVERYONE. DID YOU SEE THAT WHEN I WAS READING
I CORINTHIANS 16, 2, UPON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, LET EVERYONE? Not just the rich man, but the
poor man. Not just the men, but the women. Not just the older folks, but
the children. Every believer is a giver. Every
believer has something to share. It doesn't matter who it is.
The amount is unimportant. Our Lord stood and watched people
giving there at the treasury that time, you know, and people
came by giving their gifts. Finally, a widow lady came by
and put, what was it, two coins? And the Lord said, she has given
more than all of them because she gave all that she had. So
you see, God owns all things and the amount of the gift is
not important. Giving is born of love and recognizes
God's sovereignty over all things and my gratitude to him and my
love for others and my concern for their wellbeing. And then
here's another word, liberally. LIBERALLY. 2 CORINTHIANS 9, 6,
IT SAYS, HE THAT SOWETH SPARINGLY SHALL REAP SPARINGLY. NOW, WHAT
PAUL HAS IN MIND HERE IS A FARMER, A FARMER. HE THAT SOWETH, SOWING
SEED. AND IF HE SOWS SPARINGLY, THAT
JUST MAKES SENSE. IF A FARMER HAS SOME SEED IN
HIS HAND, WELL, IT'LL NEVER, IT'LL NEVER RIPEN IN HIS HAND.
IT'LL NEVER PRODUCE ANYTHING IN HIS HAND. IT'S GOT TO BE SOWN
IN THE And if he just sows a little bit, he'll reap a little bit.
If he sows abundantly, he'll reap abundantly. He's got to
sow with an open hand. He's got to turn it loose. He's
got to commit it to the ground. He's got to trust God. He can't
have the seed and sow it at the same time. But if he doesn't
turn it loose and sow it, he's not gonna reap. So he sows in
faith, and he's willing to cast it on the ground, knowing that
his Father is the Lord of the harvest. And that's what he's
saying here. He that soweth sparingly, he'll reap the same way, sparingly. But he that soweth bountifully,
he'll reap bountifully. Every man as he purposes in his
heart, so let him give not grudgingly not holding on to it But and
not of necessity not because he has to for God loves a cheerful
giver Now that verse of scripture. I just read did you notice a
word that I was reading there? In 2nd Corinthians 9 6 let's
look at it again. Listen to that verse it says
I So let him give, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves
a cheerful giver. Let everyone give as he purposes
in his heart." Now, listen to me. If tithing is required, then
why should I purpose in my heart? It's already written down. I
don't have anything to purpose. I don't have anything to say
about it. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO CONCLUDE.
IT SAYS TEN PERCENT. THERE IT IS. I DON'T HAVE ANY
PURPOSING OF HEART TO DO IT. BUT THIS IS THE WAY OUR LORD
SAYS IN SECOND CORINTHIANS 9-7. HE SAID, LET EVERY MAN GIVE AS
HE PURPOSES IN HIS HEART, AS HE'S LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
WHEN ANANIAS BROUGHT THAT MONEY, HE AND HIS WIFE, TO THE APOSTLE
PETER, AND LAID IT DOWN AT THE APOSTLE'S FEET, PETER SAID TO
ANANIAS, WHAT IN THE WORLD ENTERED YOUR HEART TO CAUSE YOU TO LIE
TO THE HOLY SPIRIT? HE SAID, WHEN YOU OWNED THAT
PROPERTY, WAS IT NOT YOURS? YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO SELL IT. YOU
DIDN'T HAVE TO BRING THE MONEY HERE, BUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE IS
YOU'VE SOLD IT AND BROUGHT THE MONEY AND LIED ABOUT IT IN ORDER
TO GET PRAISE AND RECOGNITION. SO HERE'S THE THING. I'M NOT
TO TELL YOU WHAT TO GIVE. IT'S YOURS AS GOD'S PROVIDED
IT. YOU ARE TO BE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AND GIVE AS YOU PURPOSE
AND DETERMINE IN YOUR OWN HEART ABOUT THIS MATTER. LET EVERY
ONE OF YOU GIVE AS HE PURPOSES IN HIS HEART. AND I'LL TELL YOU
THIS, A MAN'S GIFTS WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE AMOUNT OF GRACE AND LOVE
HE HAS IN HIS HEART. FOR OTHER, FOR THE LORD AND FOR
AND THE GRACE AND KINDNESS AND LOVE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN HIM,
THAT IS IN... HE PURPOSES IN HIS HEART. THAT
PURPOSE WILL BE DETERMINED BY THAT GRACE AND THAT LOVE WHICH
GOD HAS GIVEN TO HIM. NOW, HERE'S THE LAST WORD. LET
US GIVE AS UNTO THE LORD. YOU KNOW, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
SAID THIS TO THESE PEOPLE AT THE JUDGMENT. HE SAID, I WAS
HUNGRY AND YOU GAVE ME NO MEAT. I WAS THIRSTY AND YOU GAVE ME
NO DRINK. I WAS IN PRISON AND YOU DIDN'T VISIT ME. THEY SAID,
LORD, WOULDN'T WE EVER SEE YOU HUNGRY AND THIRSTY AND WEARY
AND IN PRISON? HE SAID, IN AS MUCH AS YOU DID
IT NOT, UNTO THE LEAST OF THESE MY BRETHREN, YOU DID IT NOT TO
ME. AND THEN TO THE BELIEVERS, HE
SAID, WELL, I WAS IN PRISON AND YOU VISITED ME. I WAS HUNGRY
AND YOU FED ME AND NAKED AND YOU CLOTHED ME. AND THEY SAID,
WOULDN'T WE SEE YOU THAT WAY? HE SAID, IN AS MUCH AS YOU DID
IT. UNTO THE LEAST OF THESE MY BRETHREN, YOU DID IT TO ME. SO
THIS IS A LESSON TO LEARN IN ALL THAT WE DO. IT'S NOT, SEE
WE DO THINGS FOR OTHERS BUT INDIRECTLY WE'RE DOING IT FOR CHRIST'S SAKE.
WE'RE DOING IT BECAUSE WE LOVE HIM. WE'RE DOING IT AS UNTO THE
LORD. OUR GIVING IS FOR HIS GLORY AND
AS UNTO THE LORD. IT'S NOT FOR THE PRAISE OF ME.
IT'S LIKE YOU MEN OUT THERE ON THE JOB. WORK HARD, GIVE A FULL
DAY'S LABOR, DO YOUR BEST, NOT TO APPLE POLISH OR TO PLEASE
MEN, BUT AS UNTO THE LORD, AS THOUGH YOU WORK FOR GOD HIMSELF,
AND YOU REALLY DO. SO WHATEVER YOU DO IN WORD OR
DEED, ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD ALMIGHTY. THAT'S WHAT THE NEW
TESTAMENT TEACHES ABOUT GIVING. I CHALLENGE YOU TO GET THIS TAPE
AND LISTEN TO IT AGAIN AND GIVE IT TO YOUR FRIENDS. SEND TWO
DOLLARS AND WE'LL MAIL YOU THE TAPE, WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY
ABOUT GIVING? THERE'LL BE ANOTHER SERMON ON
THE OTHER SIDE. UNTIL NEXT WEEK, GOD BLESS YOU, EVERYONE.