Under the Under the Water BucketWater BucketBelievingBelieving

ReviewReview

God wants to give good gifts God wants to give good gifts to his childrento his children

How I handle my relationships How I handle my relationships with the people in my life with the people in my life determines my experience determines my experience with God- and the blessings with God- and the blessings he wants to givehe wants to give

In what way am I exercising In what way am I exercising real faith right now?real faith right now?

Paradoxical FaithParadoxical Faith

Now faith is the Now faith is the assuranceassurance of of things hoped for, the things hoped for, the convictionconviction of things of things not seennot seen- - Hebrews 11:1Hebrews 11:1

For in this hope we were For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? - for what he sees? - Romans 8:24Romans 8:24

Faith is not sFaith is not sightight

And without faith it is And without faith it is impossible to please Godimpossible to please God, for , for whoever would draw near to whoever would draw near to him must believe that he him must believe that he exists and that exists and that he rewards he rewards thosethose who seek him- Hebrews who seek him- Hebrews 11:611:6

God wants to bless his childrenGod wants to bless his children

Faith is taking God at his Faith is taking God at his WWordord and trusting him for and trusting him for the rthe resultsesults

SurvivorSurvivor

God wants to bless us. We God wants to bless us. We experience those blessings experience those blessings as we take him at his Word as we take him at his Word and act in faithand act in faith

−Common Grace- That which all Common Grace- That which all people receive from Godpeople receive from God

−Provisional Grace- God's Provisional Grace- God's blessings outside of and in blessings outside of and in addition to Common Graceaddition to Common Grace

……let him ask in faithlet him ask in faith, with no , with no doubting, for the one who doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person by the wind. For that person must must not suppose that he will not suppose that he will receive anything receive anything from the from the Lord; he is a double-minded Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways man, unstable in all his ways - James 1:5-8 - James 1:5-8

God is ready to give, but he's God is ready to give, but he's not interested in being onot interested in being onene of many optionsof many options

If a brother or sister is poorly If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without warmed and filled," without giving them the things giving them the things needed for the body, what needed for the body, what good is that? So also good is that? So also faith by faith by itself, if it does not have itself, if it does not have works, is deadworks, is dead- James 2:15-- James 2:15-1717

Genuine faith is connected to Genuine faith is connected to the action of giving to help the action of giving to help people in needpeople in need

*Least of these…*Least of these…

……a woman who had suffered a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind twelve years came up behind Jesus and touched the fringe Jesus and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said of his garment, for she said to herself, "If I only touch his to herself, "If I only touch his garment, I will be made garment, I will be made well."well."

Jesus turned, and seeing her Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, he said, "Take heart, daughter; daughter; your faithyour faith has has made you well." And made you well." And instantly the woman was instantly the woman was made well- Matt. 9:20-22made well- Matt. 9:20-22

What if she had touched him What if she had touched him but hadn't really believed but hadn't really believed anything would happen?anything would happen?

……a centurion came forward to a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, "Lord, him, appealing to him, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering at home, suffering terribly." And he said to terribly." And he said to him, "I will come and heal him, "I will come and heal him"him"

But the centurion replied, "Lord, But the centurion replied, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my servant, 'Do comes, and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." this,' and he does it." 

When Jesus heard this, he When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those marveled and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I tell who followed him, "Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith… I found such faith…

And to the centurion Jesus And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; let it be done for said, "Go; let it be done for you you as you have believedas you have believed." And ." And the servant was healed at that the servant was healed at that very moment - Luke very moment - Luke 7:5-137:5-13

"…"…if you can do anythingif you can do anything, have , have compassion on us and help compassion on us and help us." And Jesus said to us." And Jesus said to him, "'If you can'!  All things him, "'If you can'!  All things are possible for one who are possible for one who believes…"believes…"

"I believe; help my unbelief!" "I believe; help my unbelief!" - Mark 9:22-24  - Mark 9:22-24 

Faith always say, “I know Faith always say, “I know you cyou canan. I pray that you . I pray that you wwillill””

And he did not do many And he did not do many mighty works there, mighty works there, because because of their unbeliefof their unbelief- Matthew - Matthew 13:5813:58

A whole town missed the A whole town missed the blessings of God because blessings of God because they didn't believethey didn't believe

"Test drive a new God today!""Test drive a new God today!"

““Return to meReturn to me, and I will , and I will return to you,” says the return to you,” says the LORD Almighty. LORD Almighty.

““But you ask, ‘How are we to But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’return?’

““Will a man rob God? Yet you Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How do rob me. But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings”offerings”

God ties rGod ties relationshipelationship to g to givingiving

God ties relationship with God ties relationship with givinggiving

Why?Why?

God ties relationship with God ties relationship with givinggiving

Why?Why?

Where your treasure is, there Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also- your heart will be also- Matthew 6:21Matthew 6:21

God ties relationship with God ties relationship with givinggiving

Keep your life free from love Keep your life free from love of money, and be content of money, and be content with what you have, for he with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” - you nor forsake you” - Hebrews 13:5Hebrews 13:5

You are under a curse—the You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may storehouse, that there may be food in my house. be food in my house.

““Test me in thisTest me in this,” says the ,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessingpour out so much blessing that you will not have room that you will not have room enough for it. enough for it. 

““I will prevent pests from I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the not cast their fruit,” says the LORD Almighty - LORD Almighty - Malachi 3:7-11Malachi 3:7-11

The test: Give to God and God The test: Give to God and God will give back both in kind will give back both in kind and in other blessingsand in other blessings

You have sown much, and You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you you never have enough; you drink, but you never have drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them wages does so to put them into a bag with holes - into a bag with holes - Haggai 1:5-6Haggai 1:5-6

The problem: That's Old The problem: That's Old TestamentTestament

……you Philippians yourselves you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, me in giving and receiving, except you only. except you only. 

2 Cor. 8= extreme poverty2 Cor. 8= extreme poverty

Even in Thessalonica you sent Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek and again. Not that I seek the gift, but the gift, but I seek the fruit I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. that increases to your credit. 

I have received full payment, I have received full payment, and more. I am well and more. I am well supplied, having received supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice offering, a sacrifice acceptable and acceptable and pleasing to pleasing to God.God.  

And And my God my God will supplywill supply every every need of yours according to need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ his riches in glory in Christ Jesus- Philippians 4:15-19Jesus- Philippians 4:15-19

God's supply is inextricably God's supply is inextricably llinkedinked to our willingness to to our willingness to ggiveive in faith in faith

As for the rich in this present As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who riches, but on God, who richly provides usrichly provides us with with everything to enjoy. everything to enjoy.

They are to do good, to be rich They are to do good, to be rich in good works, in good works, to be generous to be generous and ready to and ready to shareshare, thus , thus storing up storing up treasure for themselvestreasure for themselves as a as a good foundation for the good foundation for the future, so that they may take future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.hold of that which is truly life.

I cannot give in faith without I cannot give in faith without also receiving from Godalso receiving from God

Do not lay up for yourselves Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth…For where treasures on earth…For where your treasure is, there your your treasure is, there your heart will be also…You cannot heart will be also…You cannot serve God and money…serve God and money…

……do not be anxious about your do not be anxious about your life…life…

But But seek firstseek first the kingdom of  the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added all these things will be added to you - Matthew 6to you - Matthew 6

God wants to give to his God wants to give to his childrenchildren

But…God is more interested in But…God is more interested in our relationships with people our relationships with people and with him than he is in and with him than he is in giving giftsgiving gifts

God continually ties faith- and God continually ties faith- and specifically gspecifically givingiving in faith- in faith- with serving and loving himwith serving and loving him

BlessingsBlessings: :

−Seek first= rest from anxiety- I Seek first= rest from anxiety- I don't own it and it's God's don't own it and it's God's responsibilityresponsibility

−FruitfulnessFruitfulness

−Blessing othersBlessing others

−Power to stop overspendingPower to stop overspending

−Teaching kids real valueTeaching kids real value

So you want me to start tithingSo you want me to start tithing??

−NO!NO!

−Seek GodSeek God

−Understand ownershipUnderstand ownership

−Give as he leads- faithfully and Give as he leads- faithfully and regularlyregularly

−Spend as he leads…sparingly Spend as he leads…sparingly and joyfullyand joyfully

TakeawaysTakeaways::

−How do I feel right now? Why? How do I feel right now? Why? What does that tell me about What does that tell me about how I view money?how I view money?

−Does God own and have control Does God own and have control of all my life- including money? of all my life- including money?

−Have I prayed about what he Have I prayed about what he wants me to do with his money?wants me to do with his money?