Prioritize Me and Multiply

Good morning Summit charts Genesis chapter 13 if you have your Bible this weekend that I hope that you do. We are in week number three of a series to the life of Abraham called multiply in which we are taking some time together as a church to talk about where God is taking us as a church.

As I told you every week. God has blessed us immensely. Summit church and with that blessing. We know comes the responsibility to multiply it for the blessing of the world. So we are talking about steps that we need to take together as a church in obedience to what God has done here. We are also talking about what your role is specifically about you individually and your family is, and what God is doing in your lives as well as hear the church on this series is not just about what God wants to do through us in the community. It's also about what he wants to do in arts as he deepens our trust in him and our commitment to the mission of God.

So we say were wanting to multiply deep in our love for God to multiply wide in our effectiveness in our intermission. I told you last week that our hearts are like a car that is severely out of alignment and we are always veering into the ditch of self-centeredness and self-sufficiency. You never had a car out of alignment which I have just you and you take your hands off the wheel. It just drifts to the writer to the left, well, in our case, our hearts are always going to drift toward self-centeredness and toward self-sufficiency. So periodically. The Holy Spirit wants us to grab a hold of the wheel and asked some very fundamental questions about our lives to say who we trust in where we going what's our priorities and sometimes these are really dramatic moment. Sometimes there sermon. Sometimes there are events in your life. I heard about dad here the summit sure to sign him was having some significant behavioral issues.

The man tried everything he knew to get his son's attention. He read every book to get his hands on but nothing he tried to work. Will this man was a pilot and so he decided that he would take his son for an airplane ride, he would just get them up.

They are high in the sky to give them a different perspective and then use that time to talk about his sons need to grow up and make better decisions.

He discovered that these high altitude conversations put a sign in a totally different frame of mind and after they returned from the flight. The sun was always more cooperative and more respectful.

So whenever the boys behavior begin to deteriorate again. He would take him up on another plane ride. It will him right in the eye and he would tell them what he expected of them. What one of this man's friends here was amazed at the effectiveness of this technique so he asked if he might accompany them on one of these father-son airplane rides because he said I want to see if this might work with my son well. The dad agreed and during the flight. The second man took this picture, which might explain the effectiveness of the technique output here in the screen for you, so that's not really true that man is a good or church, but God does this from time to time in some way with us to help us get our bearings in life and listen I know, I know that it might be uncomfortable for you to be quite honest with you it is uncomfortable for me. Also but that's good that is good.

You see, as I've explained the dilemma of being a living sacrifice, which we are called to be is that sacrifices are typically dead. We have a living sacrifice living sacrifice wants to keep getting up and getting off the altar, so we're going to talk about putting ourselves back on, and that's what were taking time to do today were to talk about establishing our priorities to see God put Abraham in Genesis 13, and a couple of situations where Abraham has to choose what is most important to him. What is the most foundational thing in his life.

He's not going to have to choose between something good and something bad is going to have to choose which out of a couple of good things are. But the most good or the greatest or the best. I guess in which one should come first.

These subtle choices that Abraham makes are going to have a dramatic impact on how Abraham's life turns out you'll every single leadership book, but I've ever read says that establishing priorities is the most essential key to success in life or career. Knowing what in a long list of for a good things knowing what's gonna come first. Knowing which things are mission-critical in which things may be nice but are not essential in the kingdom of God. That is especially true. Genesis 13 let's begin here in verse one, so Abram went up from Egypt. He and his wife and all that he had in the Ghanaian lot who was his nephew went with him into the Negev, which was a region in what became later Israel pursue. Now Abram was very rich and livestock rich in silver written goal and he journeyed as far as Bethel to the place where he made an altar the very first you underline stuff in your Bible. I would encourage you to underline that. So they got up ended at 11 PM, lipstick, mascara, prick your finger debiting blood. Whatever it takes, that's a good phrase to remember and their Abram again again called on the name of the Lord. Verse five and Lot went with Abram also had flocks and herds and dance so that the land cannot support both of them dwelling together for their possessions were so great that they couldn't dwell together when there was strife between the herdsmen of Abrams livestock in the herdsmen of lots, livestock two Abraham says to light you know that is a need to be strife between you and me and there's a big place is of the whole land in front of us at the one man if you take the left hand that I'll go to the right. If you take the right hand and I will go to the left.what Abraham does. Here is pretty unheard of. The average observer in those days would've expected one of two reactions to this situation. The first one will be war diversity war in and Abraham is a lot stronger a lot older is clearly going to be that the one who wins that war or he could just ask lot to go somewhere else since Abraham is clearly the big man in this party. He's older. He's that the uncle lots. The nephew he's richer. These ease the one who received the promise directly from God, and if anything lots is kind of a tagalong Syrian and Abraham successes. But Abraham does neither of those things. Not only does he avoid conflict. He gives the lesser man the better choice is just unheard of in those days.

It's unheard of in our day. How many of you had an older brother growing up at all campuses. Raise your hand like your older brother at dinner giving you the extra piece of chicken or the last brownie. It's just unheard of. It's not gonna happen burst in and Lot lifted up his eyes and he saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord is another key phrase you want to underline that verse 11. So lot shows for himself all the Jordan Valley and Abram settled in the land of Canaan. While lot settled among the cities of the valley, and he moved to stand as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked and they were great sinners against the Lord.

Verse 14 upper lot and separated from and the Lord said Abram.

Abram lift up your eyes and look in the place where you are northward and southward and eastward and westward for all the land that you see now I'm in a give to you and your offspring forever. I'll make your offspring like the dust of the earth of somatic account specks of dust on the face of the earth and yes your offspring also could be counted if there were ever a way to increase the number, the size of the promise. There, God did it. It was is going to be the start of the sky, but now it's the particles of dust on the earth, rise verse 17 arise Abram and walk through the link than the breath of the land, for every place you go with everything you see. I will give to you what you see here in this story is a contrast between two different sets of priorities. Two different ways of looking at the world both lot and Abram are ambitious men and both men made smart decisions according to our particular system of values, but Abraham's choice is going to lead to increased prosperity increase blessing and multiplication. While lot's choice is going to lead to destruction. You don't see it in this story. But Abraham is going to have to rescue lot, not once but twice. From the Jordan Valley, the first time is going to be in the next chapter.

Chapter 14 when the kings of Sodom kidnapped lot in Abraham has to rescue him the second time is good to be in chapter 18 this time Abraham rescues lot just minutes before God destroyed Sodom and the entire Jordan Valley and in the process he destroys all the lots for Chinen and lots wife is going to turn around and look back because she so loves the Jordan Valley. This is going to get turned into a pillar of salt. So let's look at the value systems. Let's look at the priorities of each man right little lot first lot number one lot, prioritize the riches that he could see lot prioritize the riches that he could see when lot looked out of the options lot made his choice based on one factor and one factor alone which direct show in which choice can make me wealthier well financially. His choice was a good choice. It was the right choice. But in the process lot shows total disregard, perhaps even disdain for spiritual things. We know that lot knew God.

He was a worshiper of God, but there is no prayer nor any consultation with God.

In this choice and what she uses to make his home next to Sodom which was notorious for its wickedness.

He puts his family in grave spiritual danger and he did so primarily or entirely because Sodom was where the money was at and you're gonna see these choices play out tragically in his family to follow the trajectory of lot you'll see in chapter 13, he moved next to Sodom. But by chapter 14 is no longer next to Sodom. Chapter 14 is can say he's in Sodom.

Chapter 19. Not only is lot in Sodom is one of the most respected men in Sodom and eventually, when God calls them to get out. Like I mentioned, his wife is so in love with the material prosperity in the way of life in Sodom that she can't leave it and so God turns her into a pillar of salt.

Listen God sometimes calls his people to live in Sodom and I say that for the benefit of all you at the Chapel Hill campus. Okay, so God sometimes calls us to do that. The point is not worthless to live in a place and have sin in it because that would be we can really live anywhere.

The problem is that lot prioritize the material prosperity of Sodom in the Jordan Valley above God to hear that it's not that he chose to live or send why is it that he prioritize the Jordan Valley and its riches above God. I know people who are in jobs that are terrible for their family and terrible for their spiritual life. Their jobs leave them no time for family, no time to serve the kingdom of God, but that job pays for a lifestyle they convince themselves that they need and that they've always wanted to, they stay in it regardless of what it does to their family or to their spiritual life.

I know a couple couples where kids are couples with kids were both parents work, not because they feel called to it or not, because they believe it is the wisest use of their gifts or not.

Because it's truly what they think is right for their family. They do so entirely because two incomes are required to pay for this lifestyle. They convince themselves that they want. I know parents whose kids are not really involved at the church because they are so committed to dance to baseball or softball and listen, I get it. I kid. I have four kids my oldest kid is getting ready to be a teenager and as they get older. It is hard to figure out how to balance everything all the demands that are put on them and all the opportunities that are out there but let's face it, your kid is probably not going to play in the major leagues, but they are definitely going to go to heaven or hell. So why would you sacrifice spiritual things on the altar of something you know is passing fleeting and improbable. When I watch it seems that many of you parents care more about where your kids go to college them where they spend eternity. And honestly that's sad.

What good is it if you and your children become leading men and women in Sodom but they lose their soul if not that these other things wrong. It's just that God should get the priority in all your decisions. He ought to have the first and the weightiest place to give you one more here. What's the primary factor in the career you chosen where you chose to pursue it.

One of the things we say around here is that what it means to follow Jesus in your career field is whatever you're good at whatever you're good at and got it, and make all good at what I do and make your good ministry per se. Whatever you good at your to do it well, to the glory of God and doing some were strategic for the mission of God. Many factors go into where you choose to pursue your career and they're all legitimate where your family, your your your extended family. Where were you want to live. What's more, you can make the most money.

Those are all great, great factors why shouldn't the kingdom of God and the mission of God be the largest in the weightiest of the factors that go into where you choose to pursue your career. We always tell our graduates here.

You gotta get a job somewhere.

So I not get a job in place for God is doing something strategic you see lots primary concern.

Lots primary concerns and where he pursued his career was where he could make the most money, and it does not turn out well for lot about you loses everything. Whatever you're good at your well the glory of God was. Some were strategic for the mission of God there are families in our church that have chosen to uproot from the neighborhoods they live in comfortable neighborhoods that they always prefer to live into to move into under resourced neighborhoods. Neighborhoods with people who are like the neighborhoods of people were not reaching neighborhoods that are filled with refugees so that they can live out the gospel there and there's places this Cardwell initiative.

Now I'm not saying that's for everybody. My family has not done that. But I'm saying that is an example of somebody who say I'm a put the kingdom of God first and the choices that I make and this is what God has called me to do, even if it's not right normally prefer to live. It's a place where I know that I can serve the kingdom of God to lot prioritize the riches he could see not the kingdom of God.

Number two lot prioritize self interest over generosity lot prioritize a self interest over generosity lot shows what was best for him even though in this case.

He actually had wrong. He had to wrong his uncle Abraham to do it. Abraham as I explained clearly should have been given the better choice. In other words, wasn't lot is miles away from a generous heart.

Lot is like the opposite of a generous heart lot thinks about the prosperity of one person in his choices and that is not him himself and his immediate family. By contrast, we have Abraham, Abraham, by contrast, number one prioritizes the kingdom of God. Abram's question was not where is the best land. Abram's question is God where you want me to go. That's why pointed out to you in verses three and four that his first act upon coming into the new land was to build an altar and asked God what he wanted. In fact, the place where he went the moment he got back into this and that is linked to the place where he went was Bethel where he had previously heard from God because he said got the first thing I need in this new chapter of my life is a need to hear what you want from this chapter of my life.

In other words, Abraham thought about God first, he thought about God most in every decision you see that not only in the and that the decision how he makes his decisions, you see that in what he does with the blessings and the victories he gets from his decisions in the next chapter 14, which were not to take time to read this weekend.

I mentioned that lot is going to get captured by some of the kings of Sodom and Abram is going to pull off a rescue operation against incredible odds against armies in a much larger than the men that he has and he pulls off a great victory while in the process he ends up with a lot of spoil from the kings who attacked him which makes him even richer.

Now you think Abram say well that's mocking because when they attack me and I was doing rescue thing and so that I earn that. But the first thing the very first thing Abram does.

After getting all the spoil is he tithes releases and gives 10% to a mysterious man named Melchizedek who is presented in this chapter as a priest of God is a priest got not only was God. Abram's first thought in making the decision, God was the first place.

Abraham turned after the victory to say thank you because Abraham recognized that every blessing and all the prosperity came from God and thus God should get the first fruit of everything Abraham receive you going to get the first and the best that you say will why would he give it to this kind.

Melchizedek is a way of giving it to God. I'm throughout the Bible whenever you give to God. There's always an institution or somebody or something that God says this is going to be my means of working on earth in this case is Melchizedek in the Old Testament skin to become the Jewish priestly system that was God's representative in the New Testament in the New Testament, you're going to see God take the local church and say this is going to be the hub of the activity that I do on earth my ministry the way that I make disciples.

The way that I swear the kingdom of God is gonna be the local church. So if you read the pages of actual find that God is working through one institution and that is the local church, which is why we say here, you don't give to the church you give through the church you're giving through the church to the kingdom of God the way that Abraham gave to God is first in his back is best through Melchizedek comes Abram prioritize the kingdom of God. Number two. Abraham prioritized generosity over self interest. When you think about it. Abraham thought about himself. Third, in this decision, God was first lot was second. Abraham was third because of back debts who thought about Abram's needs. God did because God because Abram thought about God first lot second Abram third.

Guess who took personal responsibility for Abram. God did go. I love this verse is a verse that I've just written very close to my heart. We think about my wife and I quite often. Proverbs 1917. Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord. He will repay him for his deed. You loan somebody money are always curious as what I have the capacity to pay you back when you make a loop when you make a gift when you give to somebody that is poor. God says, I actually become the guarantor of that loan. I will make sure that you get paid back when you give to the poor.

On the one who takes responsibility for making sure that it comes back to you.

Or here's another promise. Proverbs 1124 whoever brings blessing will be enriched in the one who waters will himself be watered. Abraham experience that Abraham put God first lot second and God.

As a result, that man I'm in a multiply what I gave to you beyond your wildest imaginations. So lot prioritize the riches he could see any prioritize self-interest. Abraham prioritize the kingdom of God. Any prioritize generosity. Here's my question for use of a church which man better epitomizes or exemplifies your approach to life, which man lot or Abram better exemplifies your approach to life.

Let me give you a few diagnostic questions that may help you answer that the first one. A. What is first in your decisions. What is for what comes first, and what is the weightiest in your decisions.

The closest thing I have to a life versus Matthew 633 is a verse that my father gave to me. Right before I left for college. Matthew 633 says is uploaded here in the screen for you. You seek.

First, Jesus said you seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these other things are going to be added to you know what are all these other things you look at Matthew six. My dad explained he said with everything else you thought you need in life is is on you put God first in every decision you make and Donald take care of providing you with a spouse.

You put God first and God will take care of making sure that your financial needs are met. Make sure that you get the wisdom you need to pursue your career. You put God first in everything and he says that he will take responsibility for all the other needs in your life you put God first will throw everything else in that you need. What that means, if you're going to do that is in every decision that you make you go to Bethel and every decision you make.

You go to Bethel to God what you want from this.

What is the way that I prioritize the mission of the kingdom in this part of my life in this decision. Here's the second diagnostic question B does God get the first and best of all that you receive this God get the first and the best of all you receive. Abraham is going to give God the first and the best of everything God gives him as a way of saying it all comes from you. Thank you in any tell you another Bible story really quickly that I've known for years, but along to look at in a new way accessing some stuff in it. I've never seen before. That is totally rocked me. It's the story of Cain and Abel McCain and Abel are the two sons of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel came to eventually kill Abel the incident that led to that murder was was this one.

Cain and Abel both want to make an offering to God knows him very close.

Cain was a farmer and Abel was a Shepherd so Abel makes an offering of his animals to God and pain makes an offering of the harvest to God, and God rejects Cain's offering and accepts Abel's, it's good to make things a man that he kills a question we ought to ask is, what was it about Cain's offering that God rejected and if you go to the chapter. Genesis 4 and look very carefully.

You're only gonna find one distinction that is given about the two offerings. The distinction is it says this Genesis for AI. Abel gave to God, the firstborn of his flock.

What that means is that the very first lambs that were born to his flock.able officers of the gods and God. These belong to you that if you did watching him. I said Abel, how do you know they're going to have more energy. You know that that's not the last of them wanted to get back to God. And there's nothing left to take care of you. Abel would've said well I want to leave God but that I might trust God. He's gonna get the first and the best and I'll trust him to give me what I need.

Afterward came by contrast, it says in Genesis 4 that he waited until the entire harvest was in. And when the entire harvest was the enemies Saul everything that he be given.

Then he made his offering to God. It never says that his offering was smaller. It never said that he just do a little tip to God. All it says is that he gave to God last. Abel gave to God first came is what we would call around here a December giver.

He waits until the end of the year to see to make sure you got everything that he's gonna need menus. I got him to give to you out of the excess of what I can spare God is pleased with Abel's offering rejects Cain's here's my question for you.

What is your approach, which represents your approach to giving because see whatever you give your first and best to whatever you give your first investor reveals what is God in your life, whatever you give your first investor reveals what God in your life. A friend of mine says it this way everybody everybody tithes to something everybody gives their first in the best of something in what you give your first in your best to shows, it reveals what you treasure most in your life if you give the first and the best of your paycheck to improving your lifestyle. The net shows that what you deem most important in life to be comfort or status.

Did you notice in verse 10 that lot describe the Jordan Valley like the garden of the Lord Nimrod pointed that out to you but plays like a garden Wien 20 Saul. There's a reason that the writer describes it this reason, lot thinks of it that way. You see what he Saul listen to this petty spiritual dimension to him.

This is paradise, the riches of the Jordan Valley equal paradise.

If I have that, then I'll be in paradise. So naturally it came first in his decisions. Abraham, by contrast, thought of God's presence as paradise. Abraham said God where you are. That's paradise, not rather be in the desert with you because that's paradise because to be in the riches without you would be help someone prioritize you about anything and I'm an essay I'll just go where you are because that's paradise to me what you give your first in your best to shows what you think of as paradise. What you treasure most what you give your first and best to shows what you trust most in your life. If the first thing you do with your paycheck is safe from it.

If you give your first in your best to savings. That's because money is what you trust. You think that you are responsible to secure your future. Abel could give the first of the flock to God even though he did know what was going on afterwards because he trusted God to provide more flock Abraham to be generous with the land because he trusted God was going to provide him with the land God wanted him to have heard about a pastor who knew there was a couple in his church who were having trouble with this concept getting on the first and the best of my pastor.

We just don't see how McKenna you I was order budgets are tight when I can barely make ends meet and the pastor said this is that they want. Once you write a check out for what you think represent your first and your best to God, write that check out give it to me and I want to take it and I will put it in my desk drawer and a middle way to the end of the month.

I won't cash it until the very end of the month and if at the end of the month you don't have enough money to pay your bills and meet your needs. I will take the check back on I will give it to you.

Does that sound reasonable and a couple, look at each other and said yeah that sounds reasonable. We think we can do that and then the pastor said. Shame on you because you trust me, your pastor, more than you trust God because that's what God said that he would do you give your first investor me and I'll make sure that you are taking care of you see, I know that for many of us.

The reason that you're not generous is not that you not is not that your stingy your fearful that's what keeps you from doing it. Your fearful God is not your trust, whatever you give your first and your best to reveals what is God in your life.

Scripture says that money competes with God. In one of two ways in our lives, depending on our personality living on a person for some of you money is your significance. It's how you enjoy life if you got the right close. If you live in the right place to take the right vacations draw the right cars. Money is significance to you. So whenever you get an extra thousand dollars in your paycheck. The first thing you're thinking of what is this going to buy new flatscreen TV is a unit rate for the house. Can I take a vacation or whatever. That's what you think of money as there's another group of you who are not like that for you.

Money is security.

So whenever you get an extra thousand dollars you like wedges goes into the rainy day fund that we can be more secure for the future price or for some of you money is significance for some of you money a security in God sense of humor. I've asked when do you there's two kinds of people always get married. You always marry somebody who's the opposite and both of you think the other person is a problem with money right when you get the extra thousand dollars you like what is wrong with you, you tightwad. We need a TV, why can't we spend it and the other one is thinking what is wrong with you you irresponsible middle school student.

We need to say that John right and you both think the other one is a problem with money and the irony is, you've got the same problem with money. This is coming from a different direction for both of you. Money plays the role that God is supposed to play in your life. God is supposed to be your primary source of significant God should be your primary source of trust and when God is your significance.

And when God is your security then you can be freed up to be generous to let me say again everybody times to something everybody ties to something everybody gives their first and the best of something. What is that for you. By the way, don't get hung up on the 10% that's what type means 10%, but what they got his first and best first message something is first priority for us. The largest part of our budget. TY make that distinction because for many years typing for me was just a line item that came out of my budget is like the God tax not paid God his tax not paid Uncle Sam his tax and then I had the rest of it was just for me but doing I didn't really affect anything in my life. It was not really my first and my best because it did not affect any of my spending. After that, I know that God has convicted me he wants me to give in a way that shows that he is my first and my best what you spend your first in your best on is that your mortgage is that your savings is that your lifestyle because whatever you give your first in your best to is what you worship. It shows what is paradise. It shows what is God in your life. There's the third question C.

Do you think of yourself as an owner or a steward of your blessings. Do you think of yourself as an owner or just as a steward of your blessings God told Abraham that he was gonna bless him to be a blessing so naturally when Abraham received any blessing. The first question he asked this house is gonna bless somebody else.

So even when it came time to choose where to live, what Lena live in. He's going to get the first of the best choice of the land a lot lot. Of course, was the opposite lot thought about himself first. He thought about himself. Most lot is the first American in the Bible is philosophy of life is get all you can, cannot you get in and sit on your can McKenna what he's going to go through this again which one better represents you.

We described you more as a channel of blessing or a reservoir of blessing is listed according to Scripture, God blessed us, he blessed you bless me, not just so we could enrich our lives.

He blessed so that through us. He can bless others to the verse we go in and out of now for several weeks that Ingrid is 910. The apostle Paul says you will be enriched in every way. That's an exciting promise to be enriched in every way, to be generous in every way. Why does God enrich us not just to increase our standard of living enriches us to increase our standard of giving. What that means is that if you don't give generously.

This is comparable statement, but I think it's exactly the what it means that you don't give generously or actually stealing is your embezzling God's money. Imagine imagine how angry you would be if you made a large donation. Several large donations to feed the children. After making several large donation to be the children you found out that 90% of all the money that was donated to feed the children went to the CEO not to actually feed the children, you would be outraged and you would be right to be outraged because that guy or that woman was stealing what was not intended for them.

According to second Corinthians. That's exactly what each of us is to God. Every individual in the church. Everyone who is a Christian is kind of their own nonprofit ministry and according to second Corinthians, God is made donations to you because he wants you to use them for his mission.

If we set on them or use them for our own luxuries alone and we are embezzling money. God blesses us to increase our capacity for generosity that is entirely second Corinthians is a summit church. We also have to ask that corporately, as a church body. Why is God blessed us as a church body. Why did he do it. He did it for one reason, one reason and that is to bless the triangle and the world with the gospel through us.

What is lifestyle self-centered generosity look like for us.

Self-centeredness muscles in her generosity, self-centeredness, look for us it would be to not posture ourselves to grow it would be to say what kind of a comfortable church and we have for ourselves and let's just figure out how to how to have the thing that we want as opposed to say how can we bless more people in the triangle with the gospel. What we have figured out we figure this out now for a decade. Is that our ability to reach people for the gospel is directly tied to our ability to see people at peak hours when people typically would come visit a church near the gospel peak hours go to your Sunday morning hours and at several more cables.

We are past capacity to put any more people to sit in on the lobbies, i.e. impact the musicians some of her members. You see me do this before, let me put appear on the screen. I will show you what our group looks like her last several years right so prayer you see on the left column to the years that we've been here, you'll see the attendance actually numbers their and then to see the percentage now it doesn't take an accountant to look at that percentage column and see one anomaly you see it will him it's a yellow and has a negative sign. Now that was 2005, a bunch.

He also we all were here to go about 1328 if y'all were here in 2005. What happened in 2005 did my sermons get especially dull in 2005 was that it and we just quit work maybe maybe maybe we maybe we lost our evangelistic spirit. We just quit caring was that it now.

I don't think my sermons were any duller than usual. I don't think we lost our evangelistic spirit. I remember 2005 quit praying that I that's what we quit playing in God. Note we prayed much we ever have. But maybe the music got really bad now what it either. One thing happened in 2005. We were at our first facility Homestead Heights Baptist Church up so that their whole school road and we multiply services. There is much as we could.

We never heard multisite sober for your weight is out of room to grow. We gotta figure out what to do and so we didn't do anything for that year. We just kind of sat on it I to preach in the same Doing the same stuff and we shrunk that you're not grew because we didn't have the capacity to see people we couldn't bring guest here. It's not often tell our staff how many how many SUVs can you park in a three car garage.

This is not brings I write is three. How many SUVs can you park in a three car garage 30. How many if you pray about it.

Three.

Because God doesn't fix a problem like that just let you praying about is how you pray about anything of you explain your current. You shouldn't have for SUVs, but if you did, you would need to expand her horizons to be able to keep all of them right.

How many people can we reach with the gospel. It is directly tied to be ability to see people peak hours and so what we've done is a church that said there are some things we know that God has for us in order to enable us to be able to better reach the people that are all around us and to be able to continue to grow. How can we not respond to God. Generosity that way till the end of this whole story is a God multiplies Abraham beyond his wildest dreams and Abraham story is going to illustrate something that we call kingdom economics, something that so few people in the kingdom of God actually understand here is whatever you prioritize before God you to lose but what you give God the first and the best of he multiplies for eternal significance. We got on the screen there for a minute to someone and break it down for you, whatever you prioritize before God, you lose. You see, that will I don't see prioritize riches. He lost them all. CS Lewis had a great way of saying that is not CS Lewis so it will hurt your mind a little bit at a time when he is is it is in life there are first things God, and there are second things. Everything else. It was when you put first things first. We put God first, he throws in second things abundantly. But when you put second things first, you lose not only first things relationship with God. You also lose the second X that make you dizzy will benefit one more time there for two things like first things I can think forcing God thing then something else. When you put first things first. We put God first two thirds in second things every thing else abundantly.

We put second things first, you lose not only relationship God. The first thing you also to lose that event and if you like it. Stomach my mind hurt to think about what you what light does is he prioritizes the Jordan Valley and so it's there and it's all destroyed. In front of him, judging of the number one contributor to divorce is not infidelity than a more contributive divorce is money issues and troubles of money issues because they prioritize money above God and about family. Ironically, we put money first or even lose your capacity to enjoy the blessings of money is made.

One of the greatest armies little verse in Ecclesiastes 5 is one of my favorites in the book. Ecclesiastes 510. He who loves money will never be satisfied with money, one who loves money is never to be satisfied with you know that they say some older people have told me that one of the afflictions, they have dealt with the growing older is under some city lost their taste capacity they can't taste the distinctions of food and you know somebody like this with a vase I could buy the most expensive meal in the most expensive restaurant and I might as well be.

Even the local spam because they just taste the same to me. What happens when you prioritize money and you treasure money as you lose your capacity to even be able to enjoy it when you put God first, he multiplies you like you did Abraham. God increases what Abraham had any blessed the world and the process is the writer of Proverbs will explain appropriately. Nine and 10. Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first see this on the Lord from the first like Abel did all your produce and then name your barn to be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine are great juice for you Baptist right.

So how do your vats overflow. Is it because you invest properly, not according to numbers investing is great Scripture encourage because you say that's great Dutra for encourage that could never assist by giving God the first and the best of whatever he gives to you because whatever you give a God he multiplies we see this all over the Bible little boy the five loaves and two fish gives it to Jesus and Jesus takes any needs 5000 hungry men when it the part of the store. We always overlook is that let little boy went home with 12 baskets full right imaginable and walk back into his house. He left that morning with the Jewish version of the lunch table. He showed back home with the entire Golden corral buffet with his mom. What I God is my five loaves and two fish is another story that people don't know nearly as well. Elijah the prophet in the middle of a famine in Israel goes and stays with this widow and her son grown son and they have such a friend. They have just enough flour in the canister and system of oil that they can make one take. And Elijah the prophet of God says to the woman what he can do with that oil and that flour Jesus urge Edward. I'm going to make a cake my son and I are going to split and then were going to starve to death and Elijah the man of God that he is says make that take and give it to me in your reading the story your thinking what a jerk. How do you say to a widow give me that Elijah not being a self-centered juror what Elijah is doing is he's putting her in a place where he says God wants to know if you give him the first and what happens when she did that God multiplied the flowers so that for all the days of the famine she never went to the cancer when there wasn't something in there. She never won went down and use up all the oil just kept multiplying their what God takes what he puts first and the best he multiplies my primary prayer for you in this part of your discipleship during the season is not well it's not that we get the resources that we need as a church to go forward God trust, that got him take care the church you need. You need me. My primary concern is not that we got financial needs. And that's what were trying to do my primary prayer for use on the church and this is that you learn to give God the first and the best of your life and that you see yourselves is only stewards of what he is given to you and that you begin to offer a more more of your life to be multiply that is my primary concern and I will say this I say just about every time we talk about something like this. And I mean this very fiber of my being is not rhetoric. It's not spam the my primary concern is that you learn to give God the first and the best interview field you whatever reason you got trust issues about history for like all this just manipulations are trying to get money. My request to you. My request is that you give your first in your best but you give it somewhere else.

I do not want to let some past bad experience. Get in the way of you giving your first investor God and for you only think of yourself as a steward of their problems and you fill a man I can't really trust you are this place you never like this is all manipulation. I understand that maybe you got a bad experience and I hope the double heal you of that over time, but let's just say that in this time you give your first in your best you give God the priority and you choose to do it somewhere else, but I want you to move past the question.

This is been my prayer. Would you move past the question, how much do I have to give.

Once you move to the question to what am I not giving a Wyman I given it because for years the primary. The only question I've asked forgiveness, so I gotta give God how much until you finally leave me alone just about 10% might go to God that the Todd.and I became pastor Mike well I got it you know maybe I doubled it to 20% birth years. Remember to get 20% in every town would be like okay now we get the rest it's just for us a kingdom disciple is somebody who sees everything that God is given to him or her as a seed to be used as a multiplication for multiplication.

The kingdom to the better question is what am I not giving Wyman not giving it away there's some perfectly good answers to that. Obviously God gives you some things.

He wants you to use to bless your family and take care your family gives us richly all things to enjoy.

So there many things you say that's one not given that but when you start asking the question, what am I not giving and why you might discover that there are many things you prioritize God's mission and there are many things that you trust and depend on more than you trust and depend on God is you. That's what this card that we have given and talked about every week. That's what it's all about is well one that for you to represent your first and your best and to represent that it you recognize that everything that you been given is something that God made you a steward of it. Something on loan from him to be used in the blessing of the world to last things and I will end this way. The opposite of kingdom economics as were many of us are and that is in debt were unable to give right, you can move debt being in debt is not a sin but a lot of times the reasons that we got into debt were sent. We want patient we were discontent within trust God, we want to help you with that.

We offer this thing here called financial piece of the class. We offer financial coaches that will help you set up something that will do more to help your life in this area than anything else.

It's a word that when I use it.

Some of you were to break out in hives use it anyway budget. I know that budget is not just for the type. A hyper plan. People budget is something that you used to begin to think about what you're doing in life and where you're going to what it looks like to honor God and to be responsible. So we want to gate so you don't need a sermon you need the financial piece for the class. Are you neither the coach we want offer that you can figure out at your campus and it's in your your monthly God. Lastly, last thing I'll say is you cannot you cannot participate in kingdom economics until you know the king.

He said it was a reason that Abraham could do all this and it was because he trusted God.

He knew the gotta made him a promise and the goblet to keep that promise. He knew that because God showed a member.

Lastly the guy was really responsible for his side of it in dollars and be responsible for Abraham side of it.

You and I know that God is made us a promise. Jesus Christ died to remove all the condemnation of our sin and everything that was separate us from God and Jesus said that I will never leave you or forsake you. In fact, I am so committed to death that even when you fail, I'll pick up or you fail and I'll finish what I started. We know that he will began a good work in us will completed and we know that God who did not spare his own son for us also freely give us all things and take care of every knee that we have, and because we trust the king we can offer up everything in our lives to him because we trust in Jesus.

Have you trusted Jesus with your whole life. If so, are you ready to take the next step in trust him with your finances, you can obey like Abraham when you know your love and help secure like Abraham and Jesus invite you to that kind of relationship if you will receive it