Is Your Checkbook Converted? - Part B

God will generously treat those who treat others generous and I hope you know that that is a scriptural principle over and over and over again, great is you have Jesus Christ so that this chapter. 638 give, and it will be given to you good measure pressed down shaken together and running over will be the lab for with the measure that you use the measure that proverb says one gives freely yet grows all the richer. Another withhold what he should do only suffers one today on connect with Skip Heitzigs or Skip shares about the ways God reward your generosity and how he uses it to grow his family first trip to Israel is a life changer. Bible study will never be the same Skip has lived in Israel, and lead tours. Many many times he refused to invite you. One is next to her. You know there's always something new to see and experience in Israel and I'm so excited to let you know that I'm taking another tour group to Israel next spring.

In 2022. You're in for an incredible time as we travel throughout Israel and experience the culture that's so unique to that country will start on the Mediterranean Sea and head north. Seeing places like Caesarea and Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River will spend several days in and around Jerusalem and see the temple mount Calvary, the garden of Gethsemane and the Mount of olives and much more. This remarkable itinerary is made richer with times of worship, Bible study, and lots of fellowship.

Now I've been to Israel a number of times over the years and I can honestly say that visiting the places where the events of the Scriptures unfolded where Jesus lived taught and healed. It just never gets old. I can't wait to see you in Israel start planning and saving now to to Israel with Skip Heitzig information and inspiration.

Cruises.com/see ABQ.

That's inspiration cruises.com/see ABQ Philippians chapter 4 Skip Heitzigs.

It starts today study how is it asked the question about the mouth. How much of a time and if we ties we tied on the gross or on the net get really complicated about first of all, tithing is not even a New Testament concept. It's an Old Testament concept for the typing 10%, but if you would actually study the ties you find out that Israel didn't have one tied with it to annual ties +1/3 one. Every third year. Add to that the giving of the temple tax added that letting their fields be on cut on the edges under gleaned so that others could glean at the pork agreement and you have the children of Israel giving out of their annual income between 25 and 30% about navigable, I'm glad I don't know the Bible. I will present already a lot this 10% what what you need to realize when it comes to percentages is you don't own anything. It's not yours. It all is his 100% in the prophet Hosea God said all the silver and all the gold is mine saith the Lord God is in a Deuteronomy 8 the Lord said, for it is God who gives you the power to get wealth so if God happens give you anything or let you keep anything that's already has to begin with that's were you thinking for all my goodness, I have to give 10%. How about this, God let you keep 90 that's what you look at it all belongs to him. So when it comes to amount the New Testament says nothing about a month it would seem that these Old Testament believers who get saved in the New Testament, began as the baseline with the 10 but then Paul said this second Corinthians. Let each one. Give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly, nor out of necessity for God loves tell me shares all literally how delirious giver the Lord loves a hilarious giver the New Testament. The only thing it talks about in terms of amount is proportion that we give in proportion to our income so if you make a little you give proportionally if you make a whole lot you give proportion so Peter Marshall somebody of always greatly admired in his writings. He was one time chaplain for the United States Senate said this give according to your income less God make your income according to your giving. I laughed when I saw that and so I actually thought about that one of God took your financial offering multiplied by 10 and made that your income power that we did with anything change. How much would you make so generosity is commended.

That's the first insight.

Second one interest is compounded. Now this is where it really gets good. Verse 17 he says not that I seek the gift but I seek fruit that abounds to your account.

Now we are getting insight in this verse into heavenly accounting procedures. This is how God works. The heavenly account books, because verse 17 is filled with financial language from the ancient money market and when he says not that I want the money or seek the gift but I seek fruit that abounds to your account that literally refers to interest accrued on the credit side of the ledger interest accrued on the credit side of the ledger. So here's how it works. Paul would go out and preach the gospel they in Philippi would support him, and of all the fruit they came because of Paul's ministry, they would get the eternal credit God would accrue that Mark that on their credit.

That's wonderful implications with that. That means when you get to heaven.

How would you like this. Somebody walks up to you and since, thank you, and you go. Who are you, I've never met you. Are you thinking I know you've never met me. You supported that ministry where I heard the gospel that they are that neither that book or that tractor that crusader that church. I heard the gospel and I'm here in part due to your faith that's free to your account now. When Paul says I don't think they get the seafood that abounds your account for something else. Implied by the and that is we need to be careful where we invest our finances. We need to ask this question is this ministry or whatever ministry I'm considering supporting are they being fruitful are they producing fruit.

We should not approach it by saying well I want to find out which ministries really really need it.

Which ones are really struggling.

Now that's not hired to do it. You want a good returning your investment you will find those who are producing fruit is just good business sense. Jesus said lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven right you want to look for fruitful ministries. Did you want a good return on the investment is a great old story about George Truett George Truitt was a pastor in Dallas Texas years ago first Baptist Dallas and a Dallas, Texas. You probably know, this has a lot of wealthy people and he was at a home of a very wealthy gentleman who had a lot of land and they went up to the top veranda of the house and the man pointed and ended in a direction where there were grain fields with oil drills on the monies that everything your eye can see in that direction.

I own and I own everything in that direction. I own everything in that direction and I own everything in that direction. Pastor George Truitt put his hand on the Richmond children's in the mesh of simple question. How much do you own in that direction.

How much are you laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven, so generosity is commended. Interest is compounded that the second insight. Third, insight is that giving is rewarded not only their in heaven under heavenly reward ledger, but here and now. Verse 19 and my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. What a comforting verse one that you probably know well unfortunately it's a greatly misunderstood verse is been taken out of context largely that's all I've heard it over the years and it is the comfortable blanket promise and I've heard people quote it as if to say no if you're a Christian, no matter how you live.

No matter what you do with your finances. That's up to you but God will just automatically care for whatever you need while that's not what the verse means you know every tax has a context and I've always gone by this rule. Any text taken out of context can easily become a pretext you can make the Bible say anything at all you want. He was taken out of context to make is anything that suits your fancy, but every tax has a context in the context of these verses betrays bad idea what Paul is saying to the Philippians is to use the Philippians would been so generous with your finances, my God will supply all your need is he he didn't like this promise to the Thessalonians.

He did write this promise to the Colossians of the Corinthians eroded to the Philippians, who had time and time and time again been faithful with their finances and by the way, just in case you might be thinking well Philippi probably was a rich town they could. They have a lot. The opposite is true. Paul bragged about the Philippians to the Corinthians in this what he said about them. He said out of their most severe trial and extreme poverty. They have welled up in rich generosity is that there are very poor congregation and yet they are very generous. In fact, Paul even use the word Rob. He said I have robbed other churches to minister to you. He was referring to the church, Philippi, the Macedonian churches what he said is like. I felt bad taken the money that they had sacrificially given. It was as if I was robbing them now look at verse 18 is that indeed I have all and about. This is what the offering that they have provided is done. I am fall, having received from a proper diet is the things which are sent from you a sweet smelling aroma.

Acceptable sacrifice well pleasing to God and my God shall supply all your need others to words. I want you to join together in verse 18 the word fall in the verse 19 the word supply see those two words.

I am full you made me fall. Verse 19 God will supply in Greek the exact same word in English as to the fourth same word in Greek play Rocco means to fill up or to fill to the brim. So here's what Paul is saying in the Greek language you fill me up. My God can fill you up. You made me fall my God will make you full beautiful. The principal then is God generously treats those who treat others generously, and I hope you know that that is a scriptural principle over and over and over again greatest authority, we have the Lord Jesus Christ himself said this, Luke, chapter 6, verse 38 give, and it will be given to you good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure that you use, it will be measured back to you that agrees with Proverbs 1125 the generous soul will be made rich. He who waters will himself also be watered and that agrees with Proverbs 22 verse nine. A generous man will himself be blessed and Proverbs 3 verse nine honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of your increase so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

Same principle over and over again. You been so generous, my God will supply all your need. He'll fill you up. So generosity is commanded interest is compounded giving is rewarded. Let's close this off for the fourth insight, and that is family is extended. If you think about more and more people coming into the family of God.

It becomes a worthwhile investment. Now look at this verse 22, 23 were we close now to our God and father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

To limit he said amen but is not done yet will that's always the same.

In the second time that will be done between the first and second.

Amen. He is more to say, greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greets you all the saints greets you, but especially those were of Caesar's household. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all and met so this is a farewell, it's a family affair.

Well, it's saints greeting other St. saints not being that people with halos but live people urethane I missing here is the implication of these verses. The Philippians generosity and able Paul to share the gospel and reach listen unreachable people, unreachable people, we mean unreachable people will notice what he says.

Verse 22. All the same screech of, especially those who are of Caesar's household. That's the Imperial family, including the praetorian guard that he was chained to 24 hours a day in six hour shifts that were part of the Imperial family, but it could also mean even family members of Caesar were coming to Christ.

Now why would this be important Philippians because Philip Philippi was a colony of Rome and probably as a colony of Rome the ideas if you come to Philippi to be like Rome away from home right at work. It's got to be like a little lonely.

So, as Roman citizens in a colony of Rome, probably at the end of church services. The leader, the pastor would say you know were supposed to give our allegiance to the government of our land and siliceous. Pray for Caesar's household. Probably thinking yeah right never happened nobody from theirs, and you get saved. Let's do it. Let's just pray that somehow they be reach with the gospel up all rights and jungles all by the way, there are seats here.

Believers hear from Caesar's household and want to give you a special greeting. So the very unreachable people are now reached because of Paul's faithfulness and their generosity. Never thought by the way, what would have been like to be chained to Paul talk about a captive audience in six hour shifts, you are chained to this man who can't talk about anything. But Jesus and salvation.

And if you've ever had a conversation with somebody were you try to tell him about your faith in the don't want to get spiritually. I'm on leave and Marilyn hurt his junk anymore right, they couldn't do that.

There chained to him that soldier looking at his little sundial going.

I got 5 1/2 hours left on the shift I had listened this crazy bozo, but eventually that seeped into one or two or three. They became saints, and they became disciples. They were of Caesar's household. So the family is now being extended even to the end reached people's because of Paul's preaching and their support and that will be tallied up in heaven. To their credit side of their larger amazing or close enough. One other passage I want you to turn with me to Luke's 16 really close with this and that will be my second. Amen to close with this section of Scripture because it's one of the parables that I mentioned the Jesus talked about money. Luke chapter 16 will closer. He also said to his disciples. There was a certain rich man who had a steward and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his good so he called him and said to him, what is this I hear about you and account of your stewardship for you can no longer be stewards we get fired, then the steward said within himself, what shall I do for my Masters taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig I'm ashamed a bag. I resolved what to do that when I am put out of the stewardship. They may receive me into their houses so he called every one of his master's debtors to him and said to the first, how much do you owe my master and he said hundred measures of oil so he said to him, take your bill sit down quickly and right 50. That's fraud, then he has said to another, how much do you owe he said hundred measures of wheat, you told him take your bill and write 80. Now watch that.

So the master guidelines at all. The master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly notice what Jesus for the signs of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon. That is money that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.

He who is faithful and what is least is faithful also in much. He was unjust and what is least is unjust also in much.

Therefore, if you have not been faithful in unrighteous mammon money who will commit to you your trust. True riches. If you have not been faithful in what is another man's will give you what is your own. No servant can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and money is a greatly misunderstood parable first looks like Jesus is commanding across but is not what he's doing is using a bad example to teach a good lesson on finances and using it as a guy was a fraud, he was a crook. He knew that he had to get bailed out of a bad situation. So he went and it was $0.50 on the dollar for one $0.80 on the dollar for another Jesus uses this as an attention getter but the application for us is in verse nine.

Just look at it again I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home in other words, use your financial possessions for each terminal, dividends to win souls for Christ. The idea friends is, people wonder Christ.

Those who are saved, so they become in effect. Your welcoming committee in heaven. Use your money like that be shrewd to use what you have is a steward to make sure that more and more people are gathered into his game that was always Paul's endgame future heaven. Apart from just now in this there and that speaking of that, there are many things money cannot buy money can buy a bed, but not sleep money can buy books but not brains money can buy food but not an appetite by finery but not beauty.

You can buy a house without a home.

They can buy medicine but not health pleasures, but not PC can buy a crucifix but not a savior by a church building, but not heaven. We have been given whatever we have been given we are stewards God is the master God wants us to use wisely what he is placing her hands all of the belongs to him and whatever we place in his hands for his glory will make sure that he takes care of us now will supply our needs and whatever fruit comes out of our investment will be tallied up our account and have a great way to live your eye fixed on concludes his message to the series technical joy. Now we want to tell you about a resource that shines important in life what's happening in the Middle East.

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Thank you Pastor Skip for your faithfulness to the word of God. Teaching is definitely given me a stronger foundation in God's word than I've ever had in my life is being transformed because of it makes stories like this possible.

With your support and to connect even more people to password just as it connect to Skype.com/donate to get involved, connect with gift.com/donate or call 819 to 1888 in 1919 seem to be 8Q to him tomorrow. Skip begins a series called give peace a chance, exploring the supernatural peace that Jesus promised to don't want to miss that so Skip presentation of connection communication to God's unchanging truth