Developing a Lifestyle of Faith, Part 2

Hello and welcome to this Wednesday edition of Destin for victory with basketball Shepherd, senior pastor at destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont California today.

Pastor Paul shares his message developing a lifestyle of faith.

But before he get started. He's joining from a studio in California with a special request for you pastor. Looking ahead into this new year. One of the things we like to do is share stories of how God is using this ministry.

So let's encourage people to tell us some of those stories about how God is using this program. Yeah I would love to hear from our listeners, you know Dustin for victory exists to challenge and inspire people everywhere to know God's son to apply God's word and to fulfill God's purpose that's our mission statement were serious about it and I want to know that all three things are happening. So if your listener and as a result of listening to Destin for victory, you have come to know Jesus for yourself or your finding application of these messages in your every day and you are finding your purpose in life what God wants to do in and through you. I would love for you to drop us a line and share your testimony.

It can be one or two paragraphs. They can be a full-length letter and then we'll just pare it down, but please share with us what God's done as a result of your being a listener and give us permission to share it because we may find ways that we can share your story. We don't have to call your name. If you don't want, but we can share your story and by doing so others can be blessed as well. So please consider getting in touch with us, letting us know the difference that Destin for victory is making in your life, what one of the best ways to bless the lives of others is by sharing with them what God is done in our life. And if you've been blessed by the Destin for victory broadcast would love to hear from you. Visit Pastor Paul.net and use the contact us feature the top of the homepage. We look forward to hearing what God has done Christian experience will live until it becomes a lifestyle you are still jealous. I'm saying I know I'm safe because I trust Christ for my salvation, but it doesn't engulf me. It doesn't permeate every area of my life, then you haven't yet really made any headway in your journey with Christ, if you want to reach your destination. You've got to do more than start your engine.

Sooner or later got to get moving. Faith is a journey, one that takes drive and determination.

If you want to have the kind of faith that pleases God.

It has to become a lifestyle, a pattern when that comes from the heart of worship. Today's Destin for victory messages coming your way next breakdown strength. Pastor Paul Shepard for his message developing a lifestyle of faith.

When you get the starting line.

See salvation is in the end of anything.

It is the beginning of a journey. The Bible sometimes describes it as a race and if you are running a race and you enter but you never get in the starting box and take all you don't know the joy, the thrill of the race so I will encourage you to get movement don't just be, say, pack your bags, sit by the door and wait for Jesus to come get you thinking that you live a life of quality and a purpose and do the will of God here on earth by kingdom come, I will be done on as it is in heaven and you are part of that God's will to be done in you. Jesus said you are the light of the world was the candle and having matches but not any said want to let don't put it and hide it somewhere. Let your light shine. That's what I would encourage you to do this thing don't just believe it. I want you to live it. I want to lead and influence generational people who are not going to believe things they don't live we need to live this thing so were talking about lifestyle, not just a little practices here and there, but a lifestyle. So let's look at Hebrews 11 and I want to look at the characters there and point out things about them that will help us know. Here's the lifestyle God calls me to develop the first person mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11 is a man named Abel able be EL. Look at verse four. Hebrews chapter 11. By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice then came through which he obtained the testimony obtained the testimony that he was righteous. I'm reading from NASB by the way, God testifying about his gifts and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. Let's look at it in NIV by faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did by faith. He was commended as righteous when God spoke well of his offering, and by faith Abel still speaks. Even though he is dead how these speaking even the ways that he's speaking by his example. You do know that when you die what you leave behind is your example, for better or for worse, your life will still be speaking long after your annual grade so since our lives are going to speak, we need to be all the more motivated to make sure what is said through our lives about what you said about me.

I'm worried about what it through me but I can't because you know will say whatever they don't say good and like a life like in death. They don't talk about your worth in death.you what should matter is what is God saying about you and what did your example say whether people are properly received it or not, Annable is still speaking because his faith. What is the element of the lifestyle of faith that we learn from him. Let me give you this in a sentence. Living by faith means giving generously with a worshipful heart living by faith means giving generously with a worshipful heart example the element the lifestyle of faith we learn from Abel is to make giving generously was a worshipful heart. My lifestyle now here's what I really want to help you turn a corner. Some of you have been stuck on financial issues for all of your life to this point you have mishandled.

You have misunderstood money from day one. Some of us have ever looked at or handled money correctly, you can get help to you admit where you are. I say all of us that some of us, in fact, I probably will venture to say many of us. I don't know what the percentages I'm not going to presume to know, but many of us, some of you never understood money because you weren't raised in the context where you could have been defined by the God who gave you the resource Bible teaching Bible believing church when you were taught, what the Bible says about it. Hopefully if they were faithful to the word of God. You were taught, what the Bible says about.

I'm grateful that I was taught. What the Bible says about giving when I was a really little boy.

I got a dollar allowance and my mother said to me and my siblings. Now when you go to church you want to get… I'm out of this dollar that's what you to put in the offering because that belongs to the Lord and so she tended not to give us a bill goes where we break, so she would get to change yourself and give me three quarters two dimes and a nickel. That time we lived across the street from the church across the street on Sunday and take that time to God. They made a real giving act of worship you give it because God is the one who gave you the dollar you give him the time to say thank you.

The time is my way of saying thank you Lord you are so good that you bless me with this thank you Lord and essays taught us you given to the Lord and I told you in our church. They at High St., Church of God and in Philadelphia when I was a little boy.

The trustees counted in a room that had covered windows or some sort of staying on the windows, but there was a little place where it was clear and so there were times when I went knowing this their count time. I went and looked through there because I wanted to see the Angels, get gobs of money was to me because they said, Lord, I figured it must send angels down to make the connection to the pickup and I'm looking to see the Angels come in a an accountant and then general accounting for know that right now stuck.

But I never got to stay long enough to see the actual Angel pickup was raised to know about giving as an act of worship that God gave me, that dollar and the dime is my way of saying thank you so you are always with you to get that revelation you were taught that what you need to know that's the way we do it now.

The time is just more a principal it is a practice, but the principle is generosity from a grateful heart and I have said before in other messages.

Let me say it now.

Don't call yourself generous toward God and you won't even give the time don't know I don't lie to yourself like that you know what generously is generous is what you give your mortgage company that's more than the time if you haven't figured out what you give the landlord renters generous is what you give. Wherever you stay unless you are blessed to have paid it off. What you gave before you paid it off. Generous is what the government takes from you before you get the rest the government doesn't ask for.

I will be right back with more of today's destined for Victor message from Pastor Paul Sheppard listen to the broadcast on demand@pastorpaul.net that's Pastor Paul.net. We'll find a host of great resources that are online store and be sure to subscribe to Pastor Paul and YouTube to find some of his best video clips. More information and links to all of the social media can be found@pastorpaul.net is Pastor Paul once again with the rest of today's destined for Victor message developing a lifestyle of faith. One day you get paid.

Look at the gross amount what you actually earned and then you see a bunch of other stuff and then you'll see pay and look at that figure and do the calculation and see how much the government took to where I generous and US he sit out in figured out and you given 2%, 3% of your money start you generosity. The Bible gives you the pattern when the tide now established until later in Genesis, but here in Genesis that talks about Abel and Cain just describes Abel's offering as abundant as from the heart.

He was worshiping as he gave to God from the first of his flock. While in comparison, his brother Cain in the course of time the Lord some of the fruit of the land clearly contains lack of generosity and Cain's lack of a worshipful heart this please the Lord, whereas Ables please the Lord. Please understand brothers and sisters that Hebrews 11 that mentions this, and Genesis 4 for that matter when you first see the story of Cain and Abel wasn't written by a preacher trying to get your money to the first thing people doing it when a hippie thought that I go to all. Every time you turn around and go Hebrews money God is after you and you and your money are tied together according to what Jesus said. He said where your treasure is, there your heart will be also preaching good so we Abel is part of the lifestyle of faith is the give generously with a worshipful heart. Now if you had the misfortune of growing up with that understanding, and some grew up with the understanding frankly but you grow up you got a taste of credit card living and limit over your means and living to supply your wants and needs. As many of us. And even though you typing was what would please God. We talk about pleasing God. Here you know it would please God, but you shot holes to be self-centered. That's rough know he didn't say that yes I did decide that you chose to be self-centered you, Charles. Whatever it is you make and you chose to spend on a regular basis.

98% of that so that wasn't chosen for you. You made that this is what I have a car, no, no, you don't most of us remember our first car that got us from point a to point B it. One fabulous but it was ours and it was paid for and I'm sure some of you never even knew the joy that is you jump straight in the credit living soon as you got out of school soon got the first job you went and bought a car that you financed. Nobody made you fine if you decided you could look in your paper back in my day.

Now is Craig's list and then all the online ad you can offload the card is still around, but they want some and then my first car was a Dodge dart would rust on all got me where I just put tires on every man and make sure oil stays in there and it got you where you were going so you didn't have to finance a car with God's money, you chose to live where you live and spend gobs of money given into some human being, but you chose to so develop a lifestyle of faith then you want to develop a lifestyle of getting your finances back in biblical order because if you have any sense at all. You want God smiling on you when you give as I can afford it directly relate to that.

I know you have overextended yourself. And right now you try to figure out what to do but don't put that as I can afford the time. It means you can afford to keep living like you live and you make some serious changes in their way, their financial ministries are people who, that's their job. Just a calling in the body of Christ to help you figure out how to get from here to there and there is where you can give generously with a worshipful heart life, not because it matters to Pastor Paul will because it matters to God. It's part of a lifestyle of faith Abel gave generously and with a worshipful heart. Why do I point out both things before moved to the second example because you can give generously and not be worshiping God. There are people who give generously because they desperately need some tax benefits and that's what to give Jemison an argument to honor God giving me tax relief.

Wealthy people I know we don't know it. Could we not in that category, but they are wealthy people who are desperately looking for places to give their money charitable donations to give so we can ease their tax burden pastor friend of mine said his phone rang.

One day in his office. Man said of Western ministry on TV and it looks like you're doing some good things I needs some tax breaks, I'm going to send you a check for million dollars is not someone who had ever been to his church bed and go to his church never went to his church even after the gift given it because I need a place to dump $1 million charitable donation and he said don't ever call me.

Don't ever get in touch with me. I'm not trying to partner with your ministry. I just need to offload this million dollars check came in the mail. This pastor friend of mine said I got it we were so excited and I called him to thank him.

He said when he heard it was me, he said, didn't I tell you, don't ever call me. I didn't give it to hear from you. I don't care how grateful you are generous, but not from a worshipful heart is still blessed by the mail that you don't have a heart. I will still receive what you got. Because we will use it for the glory of God. You got that even wealthy friends, your charts will receive it and put it to good use.

But you will get the blessing if your heart isn't to worship God. If you make 10 million you can drop God off 1 million essay Lord you so much now in a position for the blast of 9 million as left so that you can afford to give what it means is you can afford to stay in your current lifestyle. You make some changes because you want to be able you don't want to be a cane came was rejected by God because God said that's not what I do, and people love grabbing one script in the New Testament. I wrote these anti-tithing people grab one scripture in the New Testament and completely taken out of its context in second Corinthians chapter 9 is a give.

According to what is on your heart. Make up your mind what you get and that's what he said no.

I just did what I decide in my heart context. The context is Paul is telling this church you will need to be like the Macedonian church who out of their great poverty all day about generosity decide your heart how generous you want to be but it was going to start with generosity.

You can start with single did you have to start with double-digit I just printed to you why.

Everything else is known as double-digit and then you will get God to confuse yourself. Don't be a Ananias and Sapphire. May God made the Lord.

I'm stingy. Help me help me open up my heart. Help me to stop it stingy or selfish because I brought this on myself nobody made me getting that I got on the emails I see already some come off as a medical emergency. UK put me in the merger. The only reason I got into debt because I had to pay some medical bills. Let me help you if you gave God the ties before you paid the doctor you position yourself to say Lord, don't deal with the load of this unexpected you put yourself in a position to have a conversation with and be honest, the time is not what will keep you from being in financial trouble when you will hundreds of thousands of dollars at a certain point, you can't afford not to try and is one of those points here like in 2000 with 95 which we live in Philadelphia and 95 which all so I got 1005 left.

I got a wife, two kids five and three to Baltimore to start school.

I got a car neutral across the country with a car note $320 a month car note.

I still gotta pay utilities in that house.

I got up A320 car note Apple gas and insurance at the little church could not afford to give me health coverage so we had to pay her own doctor bills you see what I'm saying. I'm not telling you what I have and live. I know what that's like to have too much month at the end of the money but we learned the $200 that was God's will is not up for negotiation. Check for the devil came with me to do just obey God first conversation if you think about the voices double told me of your full-time if you let your life be a time to let like be a time if I let my light. Been such a good got his 200 quick fast and then I was able to sing the Lord you see the rest of what we gotta do. Bless us and he can do living by faith means giving generously with a worshipful heart.

I didn't come up with no preacher came up with nobody trying to get your money God see it pleases. When you are generous with thanks so much for joining us for today's message developing a lifestyle of faith.

Don't forget your generous donation this month. We love to send you pastor Paul's booklet lessons from the cocoon from Pastor Paul to remind you that God is at work in you even when you can't see it again. That's lessons from the cocoon our gift to you this month by request for your generous gift to Destin for victory. Please call 855-339-5500. Give over the phone or visit Pastor Paul.net to make a safe and secure donation online by faith means enjoying your walk with God because you started walking what God's will experience. He walked joyfully with God on earth for 365 years and then he walked straight into heaven's story comes your way.

Next time when pastor Paul Sheppard shares this message. Developing a lifestyle of faith.

Until then, remember he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion in Christ, you are destined for victory