Transcript: The Blessing of Giving

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God's word is alive and powerful. It is sharper than any double edged sword. His word can cut through our spirits and souls and our joints and marrow until it discovers the desires and thoughts of our hearts. Join apostle Emmanuel as he takes us on a journey into the word of God. It is time to encounter God, be transformed by his word, and empowered by his spirit. This morning, I'm going to teach you on something that I've titled the blessing of giving. The blessing of giving. Please stay with me. You'll be so blessed. Giving is one of the most powerful principles in this kingdom because your giving determines the capacity of the distribution that reciprocates your investment in this kingdom.

Yet, very sadly, it is also one of the most controversial conversations in the body of Christ today. For three reasons. The first, because sometimes the people who teach about it, the pastors, the men of God who teach about it, don't give the truth about it. Don't teach the truth about it. So to some extent, the teachers who have attempted to communicate this truth could not do so in truth. And so for largely, we men of God are to blame for the controversial nature of this truth. Some were tempted by greed, some were tempted by the flesh and overstretched the truth, allowed it to cross boundaries that are outside the jurisdiction of the practice in itself. Number two reason why it has become such a controversial subject is because some of the members or the people that we pastor have not come to the full revelation of this principle. And so there are controversies within themselves because they've not come to the revelation of this teaching. Stay with me.

And that is also due to reason number one. The third reason for this controversy that I've observed is because people have not come to the full knowledge of God. I tell you. In other words, if you've come to the full knowledge of God, even if number one is still misplaced, you will still give. Solely because you know God. In other words, you might not have heard a teaching on giving, you might not have heard a principle on giving, you might not have heard anybody teach you the subject. But as you come to know God, as you become intimate with God, you will find out that your response automatically becomes that you give. There's no way that a man would know God and he would not be a giver. Because giving stems from intimacy with God and your knowledge of God. I want you to see something in scriptures.

And follow me because this is gonna be a biblical exegesis. We'll be doing a lot of scriptures. On the subject of giving to the end that you might have understanding. So I said you cannot genuinely know God and not be a giver. And I want you to see the first time that people give to God in scriptures. The first time that peep... It's not even in scriptures. The first time people ever give to God on earth as recorded in scripture. The book of Genesis chapter four and verse three. The bible says, and in the process of time, it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the first fruit of the ground.

Excuse me. To the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat And the Lord respected Habel and his offering. Note that this is the first reference of men ever given to God and it was not God who demanded it. It was not God's idea. It wasn't God who instructed it. It wasn't God who commanded it. It was not God's idea for man to give to him. God never instructed Cain or Abel to bring anything. These people were just living their lives.

They went about their business and they experienced the first profit from their business and by their own initiative, chose to give to God. The first thing you see from this scripture is that giving is man's response to God. It's a default thing. That when a man begins to know God, he responds by giving to God. This is the first thing we see in scripture. If you know God, you will give. If you are intimate with God, you will give. It is man's response to intimacy. This subject, however, that is meant to be man's natural response to knowing God has become such a controversial subject in the body of Christ today. And I'm one of the ministers who refuse to coerce, who refuse to manipulate, who refuse to force people into giving, neither will I take advantage of anyone into giving.

But at some point, we have to teach it right. So that the people have an understanding and they are not deprived of the blessings in giving. And today is one of those days that I'm going to labor to do that with you. There are four dimensions of givers as seen in the different mindsets that the churches that Paul wrote to had. And I'm gonna show you four dimensions of believers captured in four churches that Paul instructed on the way of giving. The first dimension of believers captured in this mindset or should I say four types of mindset that believers can have or four dimensions of believers who function in this particular mindset. Are you with me? Yes, sir. The first is the Thessalonica mindset or the Thessalonica believers. Let's just call it mindset to be safe.

The Thessalonica mindset. The church in Thessalonica exhibited a particular mindset that mirrors the attitude of some believers in the church today. And what is this mindset? It is a transactional mindset. It is a what now? A transactional mindset characteristic of believers who give based on personal or selfish interest rather than out of a genuine heart of sacrifice. These believers lack an understanding of true sacrifice and the joy that it brings. Their giving is not inspired by the prompting of the spirit nor if it rooted in the deep understanding of spiritual principles. Instead, they give if at all, only with the expectation of receiving something in return. If at all they give.

And because of that, if you'd not stare them, if you'd not manipulate them or influence them through some crafting method, they are unlikely to give. Their behavior is driven by a self centered perspective. They are immature believers. And let us examine how the apostles dealt with such individuals. In first Thessalonians chapter two and verse seven, the apostle speaks and he says, but we were gentle amongst you. In other words, when we came amongst you and we saw the kinds of people that you have, when we saw the level and the extent of your maturity, we were gentle amongst you. Just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. He says, when we were amongst you, we were gentle. We have to deal with such people with gentleness. Because in their indifference and immaturity, I find that some ministers actually take advantage of such people and abuse them or manipulate them even further.

Why? Because they are not givers. So they have to stare them in some way. They have to influence them in some way. They have to manipulate them in some way. These people are not faithful in tithing, in false fruits, or in giving to the needy or sacrificial offerings. No. But you will find them in some of these ministries that are manipulative. So if there is a new apostle or a new prophet in town who can tell you all the problems in your life, they are the ones they give to. Because to them, giving is not a revelation.

It is a transaction. And so if I can come and tell them that I have miracle to give to them right now in exchange for a 100,000 naira. If I can come and tell them that listen to me, in the next three hours, your life is about to change. Just connect to my grace with 50,000 naira. Who can connect? Come here now. Then you would see the... It's a relooking believer running out. Because given to him the transaction, as long as you can cajole me into believing that something will come out of my giving, then I can give anything. And there are believers who have been manipulated.

There are men of God who have taken advantage of these people. Their immaturity, their infantile expression in the body of Christ, and they've taken advantage of them, manipulated them. And out of anger, instead of people to now realize that the reason why you were manipulated is because you are not mature. Instead, they become hungry saying that what they promised them in exchange for how much they gave did not work. It means that God is false. So they take on the offense on every man of God, take on the offense on every pastor, take on the offense on everybody who ever propagates giving because they have been duped by men of God. And they never take responsibility of the father it is because you were immature. That is why you could be cheated in the first instance. Can you imagine I go for a conference and the man of God said there is favor on my life, and this handkerchief carries favor. 1,000,000 naira receive favor.

An apostle Emmanuel is looking down there and he says, I need favor, and I'm looking for one millionaire. Can you imagine that? But there are several believers who they will... They can borrow money from loan hubs expecting that when this favor comes, I will pay loan half back. This is the literal picture of what happens. This is the literal picture. This is what has floored the hangar of many believers against churches, against pastors. And many believers refuse to take responsibility that at some point you were immature, and so you could be swindled. Remember Paul says that we we should not be children in Christ. We have to grow that we are not led about by every wind of doctrine.

It means one of the ways or one of the symptoms of immature believers is that everything can confuse you. You are neither stable, you are not stable, you are not. You don't have stature in the spirit. Every wind of doctrine can blow you away, can blow you off. This group of believers are the Thessalonikan believers. And a lot of Christians are there. This is where they are in fact. I only need to come and bring five people here for testimonies. Do you hear that testimony, powerful testimony? What are you waiting for?

Don't you want your own to come now? You must key into this, and I give the amount to use and key. The deliverance that must happen to you is is five generation and we need to break it by generation. It's 100,000 per generation. Yeah. You'll be amazed. And then the first person comes, and then we we, oh, Jesus Christ. You want... I'm a man of God. It's it's painful sometimes the things we hear.

It's painful sometimes the thing we hear. One of my daughters came to me and was telling me that the parents told that she must come back by fire by force. This was some years ago. Because they've gone to pray on the mountain and they've seen that there is a family curse, generational curse upon them and upon their family is the reason why the father is not doing well, the mother is not doing well, and they must break it by fire by force. And the pastor has told them that all of them must gather on the mountain and they must each buy one chicken. But they won't know the type of chicken to buy, so they must contribute the money and give it to him. He buy a chicken for them, he does everything, then come to the mountain and just declare blessings, and that's all. And the believer is running to the mountain saying how much is the chicken? Just just take it. Take it.

As long as this problem is solved, that's a Thessalonians believer. You see, that's a Thessalonians believer. Paul says when we came, when we saw the extent of your maturity, we realized we had to be gentle amongst you. Are you with me? Yes, sir. We will not deceive you, we will not manipulate you, we will not speak deceptive words as long as you give. No. Because we understand that you are a young church. The responsibility of the mother is to nurse the church, you see. In verse eight, it then continues to say, so affectionately longing for you.

You see, longing for you, not for what you have, not for your pocket, longing for you, longing for your soul. We were well pleased to impact to you not only the gospel of God, but also our whole lives because you had become dear to us. This is Paul's stance with these people. Remember he was dealing with children, so he was gentle with them. He says, we long for you affectionately. We were pleased to impact to you not only the gospel, but also our whole lives because you had become dear to us. You had become what now? Dear. Dear to us. You have become dear to us.

Look at verse nine. In verse nine, it then continues to say, for you remember, brethren, our labor and toil. Do you see that? Our labor and toil. It separates their labor from their toil. For laboring night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you, any of you, We preached to you the gospel of God. Do you understand what is what is saying here? In other words, not only did we labor over you spiritually, but we also worked tirelessly taking on jobs, running businesses so that you would not feel compelled to give to us. We didn't want to be a burden to any of you. Why it would have been more beneficial to your spiritual growth if we devoted ourselves solely to prayer and to the ministry of the world?

We chose to prioritize your souls over your material contribution. We refused risking a church member over something as simple as asking them to help buy chairs for the church. I wasn't willing to lure the church member because I'm telling them to give. I would rather withhold... I would rather that they withhold their offerings and allowed me the opportunity to continue preaching the gospel to them even if it came at my own expense. That's what Paul was saying when he said we labored and toiled night and day. This is an apostle of Jesus Christ. But what... But when he's amongst the Thessalonians, he puts his hand into dirt and he walks. He chose this path to avoid depending on them for his sustenance, Knowing it could lead to offense if he raised funds for church projects, if he took offerings in church.

His priority was clear. Let me teach you the gospel and not risk losing you over the money. Some ministers would rather manipulate immature believers into giving even at the risk of causing them to stumble or even leaving the church. This approach is wrong. The wisdom of God teaches us to nurture believers as spiritual infants, helping them grow into maturity where giving becomes natural. If retaining a church member means forgoing their offering, then so be it. As Paul essentially says, I would rather keep your soul than take your money. In other words, if I know that me telling you to give will cause some level of offense in your heart, I would rather preach to you than ask you to give. Because I understand that you are in Thessalonica and so I must be gentle, Paul says. So in Thessalonica, all the apostles were working.

All the apostles were doing business. All the apostles were laboring. They got their money and fended for themselves In as much as the bible is explicitly clear that you cannot muzzle the ox that treads the wheat. It's a biblical and a godly thing to look after the men and the women of God who minister to you. In first Timothy five and verse 17 to verse 18, the bible says, let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor especially those who labor in war and doctrine. It then tells you what should happen to them. In verse 18, it says for the scripture says, you shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain, and the laborer is worthy of his wages. When Jesus was telling his apostles when he was sending them on errands, he told them don't take gold with you. Don't take money with you. Don't even take clothes with you.

Don't take anything with you. Just go. When they came back, he asked them, when I sent you, lackest thou anything? So where did the resources that they needed came from? Do you understand what I'm saying? It came from the people they went to preach to. That's why Jesus told them, when you enter into a house, if they receive you, drop your peace with them. Receiving means that they welcome you. They give you food. They give you...

They put food on your table. So all the things I told you not to take, they give to you because the laborer is worthy of his wages. However, if they receive you not, then take your peace. Dove the sandals of your feet and go. God's principle would have always been that if a man labors in spirit, then there should be reward that comes from those he labors over. Are you with me? But Paul is saying that when I came to the Thessalonians church, I understood that seeing their level of maturity, if I tell them to give a thing, I can cause offense in their heart. And someone becomes angry and say they are only here for my money and walks out of the church. That to save such a brother's soul, I would rather I go and walk by myself. Get money so I can preach to him and not acquire anything from him.

The act of the apostles. It is a place of maturity to look after those who preach to you the gospel, who minister to you in any right. It's a godly thing to do. But you see, if we get to a point where we must put a demand on you because you are immature to take that responsibility, we would rather that you keep your substance and we keep your souls. Because it is most important that we have you saved. There is such a big percentage of Thessalonians believers in the church today. The moment you bring up the subject of giving, they just shut down immediately. You can almost offend them telling them to give, not even telling them to give, telling them you want to teach on giving. The moment I mentioned the title of this teaching, some people shut down immediately. It's a reflection of where you are.

Yes. Yes. And Paul gives the wisdom to address this. This is why you have found yourself in an apostolic expression where no one will ever force you. No one will ever coerce you. No one will ever compel you to give because we would rather that your souls are kept than to lose you because you gave a dime. Are you with me? Yes. Yes. Are you blessed?

The second expression or dimension of believers are those with the Corinthian mentality. Those with the Corinthian mindset. What's the first one? The second are those with the Corinthian mindset. I have a long place to go this morning, so let's be fast. These believers have reached a level of maturity where they recognize the responsibility of giving. That's those in the Corinthian mentality. But they struggle with how to go about it or they lack the full understanding of its significance. They've lead... They've reached a level of maturity where they recognize the responsibility of giving, but they don't have the knowledge as to how to go about it.

This is why most of Paul's letters, are you with me? Yes sir. On giving was in Corinthians. He extensively teaching the... Teaches the Corinthian church about giving. As a matter of fact, the book of Corinthians is where Paul teaches the most about giving. He shares examples of the Macedonians, shared examples of the Philippians to them to inspire them. Why? Because the Corinthians are a teachable group of people. They don't want to be manipulated.

They don't want to be coerced. They don't want to be forced. They only want to be taught. Because if I can understand it, then my heart is prepared to give. They desire to give, but they need the revelation and the power behind it. With humility, they are open to learn. In contrast, the Thessalonians are not natural givers. They are transactional. When the topic of giving arises, they take offense. They view pastors.

They view ministries as thieves. The mindset stems from a lack of understanding and sometimes from the failure of ministers to adequately explain the purpose of offering sacrifices. While it is true that some ministers exploit their members, there are many men and women of God who are genuinely serving God. So we struggle at times to find a balance. We have people who think that every church is a thief. They just collect money from people but that is not true. I'm not at liberty to tell you some of the things we do here as a ministry, some of the things I do personally. You wouldn't believe some of the things that we do as a ministry that requires every finances. Bringing the gospel to you in this way and manner every Sunday, every Tuesday, huge financial investment. Huge.

The amount of money we use in organizing these meetings and ensuring that you are fed with the word of God in truth and in spirit. The amount of investment financially that goes into it can organize whole conferences. Is what Harlem church is used to organize whole conferences. The amount of money spent on bus transportation alone every Sunday and every Tuesday, but we do it regardless. Are you with me brothers and sisters? Yes. Yes. Thank you Lord Jesus. We have projects that were not even permitted to announce. School fees of people that we pay, food provisions we get for people who are unable to every week, every month, medical bills of people that we sought.

We are starting to reach out to secondary schools. And within the next two weeks, we'll be in more than 100 secondary schools driving, dividing ourselves, and launching with full force. And there are people this will require heavy finances by the way. There are people whose businesses we we empower. Who will give money to everyone to take care of themselves because they have nobody to help them. There are people the Bible calls the needy and even while themselves are being empowered, we must lift up their hands, else their faith will fail. There's a level at which somebody is trusting God for his finances but at a place where he's helpless. We become the consolation to those who are growing. And yet there are lots of things we cannot even mention. Lots of things we cannot even say.

How about churches we give to? This week when I was in the church and I just heard that they came and stole the church generator. Right there, we gave them money in 6 figures to get a new generator. Right there. Along with several other things that we cannot say, let it look as though we are blowing our horn or blowing our trumpets so that we can keep our rewards. But to think that every minister of God and every church are just thieves is a foolish thing to think. Are you are you with me? Yes, sir. There are churches who give to government projects where the government cannot come in. The church steps up and gives.

Doesn't the bible say we will lend to nations? We are starting our building, putting at the ministry. I will never come and raise funds for... You'll never see me yet come and say, oh, wanna buy land. Let everybody give $11. God forbid. That is not the pattern and the mode that God showed to me. Glory to God. And yet, every finances are being pushed into that. And many things you cannot even begin to mention.

Yet there are people who believe that pastors are thieves. Yet these people will gladly go to club houses, pay huge amount of money to get alcohol. They don't say that they are being robbed, yet the alcohol is robbing you of your health, robbing you of your marriage. And they can they can willfully invest this amount of money in things that destroy. Yet people that feed your souls, feed your lives, and feed your spirit, you say they are thieves. These are Thessalonians. Are you with me? But the Corinthians are teachable. The Corinthians want to learn. The Corinthians have a heart that gives to God but they don't know just how to go about it.

And in their confusion, they dabble around in confusion. Looking for someone who just teaches them, Looking for someone who just exposes light to them without attempting to manipulate, coerce, or force them into what they would rather not do. These are the Corinthian church. So Paul spends a lot of time teaching them. In first Corinthians six seven eight, you will see Paul teaching them. How about the Philippian? The thought number three is the Philippian mentality. The Philippian mindset. What's number one? What's number two?

And number three now? The Philippian mindset. Let's start from Philippians four and verse 15. The Bible says, now you Philippians know that in the beginning of the gospel when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving was you only. It is to these people. It is to this Philippian church that were the only ones that shared with Paul concerning giving and receiving. It is to them. He then says in verse 19, my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. He was talking to the Philippian mentality, not the Corinthian church, not the Thessalonian church. Yet you find a Thessalonian believer singing, my God will supply all my needs according to his riches and glory.

My God will supply all my need. But this scripture belongs to the church in Philippi in Philippi. No Thessalonians believer should sing that song. If they do, they are only singing in delusion. This prayer is a response to something. Are you with me? Yes, sir. So he's talking to the Philippian church, not the Corinthian church, not the Thessalonians church. The Philippian church are a generous church. They are generous givers.

The mindset of the Philippians are... Is that whenever we see a need, we respond to that need in giving without even being told to give. This dimension of believers are always giving to meet the needs of the kingdom. Whenever they have the opportunity to, they give. These ones know the need of the ministry and they are always giving to meet that need. Without waiting to be told, they spring into action. Without waiting to be told. I was speaking to a pastor, a senior pastor friend of mine, senior pastor brother of mine and he was telling me how that he went to a church, was invited to a church with three of his men or so. In a particular state in this country and they got there and they found cars parked outside. Cars.

Nice cars parked outside. But when they entered into the church, the roof was leaking. The windows were broken. The pulpit was cracked. The chairs were wooden. Wooden benches. Wooden benches. The floor was not tarred. There was no speaker. They were using a PA system.

Yet there were cars outside packed. And and the man of God was telling me in his confusion, he he had... He said he had to change his message to come and rebuke the member of that church. To say, you hold you hold mine's cars and the house of God is like this. The house of God is like this. You need someone to come and stare you to come and... You can't... You cannot take the initiative to say, no. The house of God cannot be like this. Have you been in restaurants?

Do you see how much investment goes into places where people feed their belly? Yet the Bible says man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word. And so where the word of God that feeds your spirit comes is dilapidated. I don't see a need to invest into that. And you think it's a waste of money. Why are they building churches? They are meant to be building warehouse to hell with you. A man of God held a large worship concert in Nigeria. Over half a million people were present for the concert and people were worshiping God and rejoicing. They made free buses available more than hundreds buses.

All those BRT buses in Lagos. Hundreds of them for free. Taking people all around where they wanted to commute to for free. For free. And then he said, peradventure some people would not be able to make it down. We would even give free data. As long as you are using this network, you can watch this meeting for free on YouTube. They gave free data to millions of Nigerians to watch the worship experience and just be involved in that worship. And yet yet yet comes a fool online who comes to say this is how churches should be, free of charge, free of charge. Is that how you should be thinking or that what you are getting for free somebody paid for?

Is the salvation you have received not free, but is it really free? You are just not the person that paid the price. If we don't take any offering from anybody in this place this morning, does that mean that the service was free? It means somebody else paid for it. People come on buses every Sunday morning, Tuesday night, they go back, do they pay for it? Does that mean it is free? It's not to go to a touch and then you say that, oh, they take 100 naira from everybody that want to use the board. Know, they are not even like this the end. It's free of charge there. Somebody is paying for it.

Don't be foolish. You choose to be the one that does that. It takes every financial investment to drive the kingdom of God. And you as a believer must understand this. It takes every financial investment to do what now? Yes. Let me tell you something. The problem with a lot of believers is just greed. What did I call it? Let's assume.

Let's assume with me. Let's do a simple calculation. Assume with me that you eat in a decent restaurant every day. How much would it cost you to eat decent food in a decent restaurant? Let's say you eat morning, evening, and night. So let's say in one day, how much would you spend to eat in a restaurant? What are you saying? No. It's... No.

Let's say 20,000 or 30,000. Yes, sir. A decent rest... I'm not talking about Tether. No. Stay with me. Stay with me. Stay with me. Stay with me. A decent restaurant.

And so you spend... Things are cheap in Ibadan. Yes. You enjoy. Listen. You spend 30,000 naira. Sit down. Have your seat. You spend 30,000 naira per day and you spend that for seven days. How much is that for one year?

Listen, how much is that for one year? You spend 30,000 naira eating every day for one year. How much is that? In one year. Right? How much is that in dollars? How much is that in dollars? Be fast with me. Somebody just do that. Divide it by 1,700.

Speak louder. So let's just say you spend $6,500 in a month, in a year to eat. How long do you think you will live? Say hundred years. So how long... How much would you need to eat every day for hundred years? How much is that? If it's hundred years. Yes. Hundred years.

So you grew you grew old. How much is that? $1,288,000 is all you will need for food if you live for a hundred years. And so you wanna get a good car, a decent car, decent car. At least you're gonna spend $30,000, $40,000 on a decent car. That will be about 60,000,000 to get a brand new car. I'm not even talking talking a decent car. So let's say $5,060,000 dollars you get one. Let's peg it at 50. And let's say you use...

At least if you get a brand new car, should be able to use it for like five years. So let's say in hundred years, you use 10 cars. That would be $50,000 multiplied by how many? 10. How many is that? How much is that? That's like $1,100,000 for a hundred years. For a hundred years for a hundred years. You wanna live in a house. You wanna build a house.

How many houses can you live in a building... Can you live in? Let me ask you a question. If you have 10 houses, how many rooms do you sleep? Living one room. So really, how much do you need to survive? So if God blesses you with a $100,000,000 for instance, how much out of a $100,000,000 is for yourself? Less than 1% of it. And there are people who are billionaires like God is making you. You begin to...

Listen, you begin to wonder that the next thing you do when God blesses you is to get a Ferrari. You have become a demonic warehouse. Yes. Because you don't need that. That's just the truth. A time comes when a private jet becomes a necessity, not a matter of luxury. Yes, sir. There are people who own private jets that the same way you enter both is how they enter private jets. Yes, sir. The same way you enter into your car because there are meetings that they shuffle everywhere, travel everywhere.

And so they go. It's like they are just moving. The same way you have a car. At that point, that becomes necessity, not luxury. Do you understand what trying to say? But how much would you really need for yourself? So the foolish things people invest money on is a reflection of greed, a reflection of selfishness. But when you think about it really, God will always bless you more than what you need per time. Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

Yes, sir. When your net income was 1,000,000 and your profit from that contract or from that project was 10,000,000 for instance, what made you think that you needed to upgrade your life from when you were collecting 1,000,000? Why did the kingdom of God not come to your mind first? Why was it let me just finish this thing on myself? That is how to become a demonic warehouse. A demonic warehouse, they are human beings. We have resources that are meant for the advancement of the kingdom. They just store it in themselves. It never flows. Whereas money is meant to flow.

It's meant to be a current. It's called currency. It's meant to flow. Like the flow of current. But some people just accumulate things just to become demonic warehouses warehouses so that that which God has blessed them with never flows. Never flows. A believer, a righteous believer should not be found like that. As God blesses you, there should be reflections that touches every life around you. The church of God that you attend as a proof of your giving, as a proof of your blessings. Are you with me?

Yes, sir. I've been offered to a diety. The life I live is not my own. I've been offered to a diety. Listen. Number three, the Macedonian mindset. Number four, the Macedonian mindset. Let's be fast. The Bible tells us as touching the church of Macedonia. Now this is Paul testifying to the Corinthian church and trying to invite them to Macedonia.

So he's teaching them about Macedonia. But if you want to be givers, then let me show you where you should be. Even the lives of these people can teach you something. And Paul is saying, you have to mature from where you are and step into the Macedonian mentality. And even if you are a Philippian believer, there is still a step higher than that. It is the Macedonian mentality. That's where every believer should be, but so very few believers are there. So very few believers are there. And so Paul is inviting the Corinthians and he's telling them about the people. Using the people's life to inspire them and to challenge them out of their mediocrity.

To tell them there's a realm that is more than this. You can step into it by grace. So in second Corinthians chapter eight and verse one, it says, moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of what now? Macedonia. It means whatever Paul is about to tell us about this church is a reflection of the grace of God upon them. It means whatever they did was by grace. There's a level in giving that you can only step into by grace. It is not forceful. It is not compelled. It is not by by act of will or even strength or even bold face.

It is only by grace. If God has not helped you, you cannot be here. It's by grace. And that level of grace, you have to pray it over yourself. Are you with me? Yes, sir. You have to pray over yourself deliberately. Because when you see these people's lives, you will understand why it must... It can only be grace. When you see their life, you'll understand why Paul says, see, they were graced.

To the Philippian church, he told them, no but no church communicated to me as regards giving and receiving. But you met my needs. But when he came to the Macedonian church and was telling the Corinthian church about them, he said these people operated by a level of grace, a level of grace that you must come into. If it was not possible for them to come into it, it would not have bothered telling the Corinthian church about them. It was showing them what was possible so that they can delete. Remember? The thing about the Corinthian church, they are ready to learn. And so Paul is bringing a conversation to them saying that I see that you have an act to learn. Let me challenge you to where you should be. The Macedonian church have been empowered by God.

They have received a dimension of God's grace. And what do they do? What does that grace do for them? In verse two, let's do it in NLT. NLT. NLT says, they are being tested by By what? Many sons. So these people are in trouble. Yes, sir. They are very poor.

Did you see that? Yes, sir. Yes, sir. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. How does it... Let's do it in tippity. Can we read it together? Everybody, one, two, three. Go. Is grace.

A season of severe difficulty, tremendous suffering, extreme poverty. And in that, they were joyful. Their their their joy overflowed into an act of extravagant giving. They are very poor, but they give joyfully. They give lavishly. They give extravagantly. So when you think about it, there is no one who doesn't have what to give. Because these people were going through seasons of severe difficulty, seasons of tremendous trouble. Paul says they are being tested by tremendous trouble. Yet in this, they were rejoicing.

They were glad. Let me show you how message puts it. Message says, fierce troubles came down on the people of those churches, pushing them to the very limit. The trial now exposed their true colors. They were incredibly happy. Though desperately poor, The pressure of the poverty of the problem of the church of the... Of what they are going through now triggered something totally unexpected. Do you know what Paul is saying here? Do you know what Paul is saying here? He says, he triggered something totally unexpected.

Even when we consider their situation, when we consider the circumstances, and we saw the persecution that the masculine church were going through, we were just about to go and tell other churches to contribute for them because they need it. Then unexpectedly, we started seeing them contributing and giving and saying, go and give to other churches. And Paul is stunned. Paul is shocked. Paul called it something totally unexpected That a man who you think you should be helping is looking at you and say, how can I help you? A heart of extreme generosity That even in inconvenience, he still wants to help a brother, if he wants to help a sister. And he can go to a last dime to ensure somebody else is okay. Paul says that something he was unexpected for us. Go back to Henriette and see how Henriette puts verse four. Is it verse four now?

Verse three. For I can testify. For I can testify. That I can testify. MSG puts like this. MSG, I was there. I saw it myself. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Is it no...

Is it nobody? Don't think I'm telling you. Yes, sir. I was there. I saw it myself, and so I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They were not forced into it. They were not coerced into it. We didn't even tell them to give. Do you know what that means?

It means we knew that these people didn't have much because we are not alien to their troubles. We saw that they were passing through challenges. We couldn't have demanded for them to give seeing what they were going through. If at all, we should be telling other churches in other regions to contribute for them. But in the faith, we saw something we're not expecting. They started rejoicing. They started giving lavishly, extravagantly. People who were in severe distress, people who other churches should be contributing for. Now says, we refuse to be the pity party. We are the ones that will give to those who cannot give.

That man of God who went to Abelkota and saw that church, after he was done speaking to the members and saying what kind of evil heart do you have. He said to show you that you are wicked people, myself and the three people that came here will do what you have refused to do for many years. Before they left there, the money for paint was complete, the money for roof was complete, the money for asbestos was complete, the money to change equipment were complete. Just the man of God and two instrumentalists. They came back to Ebanua and sent complete instruments to them, sent complete everything to them, and said if you cannot... If you come to a church that blesses you, you have the heart to buy nice cars and and you cannot bless the kingdom. What kind of a heart do you have? How do you... Come on now. Come on now.

It's a terrible heart. It's a terrible heart. Yet there is someone who does not even have as much as to buy a nice car, but can come to church and say, apostle, can I give this 2,000? I noticed that the mopping stick that the ushers were using is broken. Can we buy this thing? And I said, goodness. Goodness. This was what Jesus saw in the woman who gave her last might. That she might not have money to get a car. She might not have money to get a laptop.

She might not have money to get anything good for herself, but she sees the the need in the church and says even in my troubles, even in my struggles, my heart gives. The bible calls it a Macedonian mindset. Are you still with me? Yes, sir. Sir. Do you know we're in a generation where you have to beg people to give. Pastors co ask people to give. People are being taught to give. People are being... Offerings are being collected, fundraising almost everywhere.

And you go to churches, use fifteen minutes to talk about faith, forgiving, and all of that. Then there is an offering. There's an offering. If you want to prosper, if you want... You have to give. You, have you given your seed? But let me show you the Macedonian heart. Are you ready for this? Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

Yes, sir. Verse four, they begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. Give it to me. You don't understand it. Give it to me in MSG. MSG says, they were pleading for the privilege of helping out in the relief of poor Christians. This is the way of begging us. Please take these things. Go and give them. I I don't have...

And you're wondering, you, who is given a bed? What do you sleep on? But I heard that others over there don't have a bed to sleep on. I can give this. Please tell them they should have it. I heard that I believe I don't have shoes over there. I have two. I'm still managing one, but I can give them this one. And somebody else comes there. Please.

Please. Please. Please. I heard that things that they are persecuting them over there. Some even don't have roofs to live in, office to live on. Can I give them this? Can you help me give them this? Are there people who have babies? I have baby clothes to give. Can you give them this?

And they were coming in their numbers, and apostle Paul said, I was there. I saw it. Yes, sir. As these people... Apostle Paul was shocked, flabbergasted at the heart of a people. My goodness. In a world where you coax people, these ones were begging to give, begging for their givings to be accepted. The man of God says, oh, don't don't worry about it. Said, sir, I will worry about it. My heart gives this.

My heart genuinely and sincerely gives this. Are you with brothers and sisters? Yes, sir. Since they did more than they can afford. They did more than they can afford. Verse five says, even if... They even did more than we had hoped. For their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and then to us just as God wanted them to do. Do you see this? It means that Paul knew that God would want them to give in as much as they were in severe difficulty, but Paul would not tell them give.

Paul knew. Paul said just as God wanted them to do. So he knew that what they were doing was what God wanted them to do. But if as a man of God, you see somebody in distress and you say, give me the last thing you have. In as much as that is what God wants you to do, it can still cause offense in that sister's heart. And say, will a pastor tell me to... So Paul just went there and was encouraging their heart and by themselves, they were bringing everything. And Paul says, yes. This is exactly what God wanted you to do. And the bible says they gave themselves to God and then to us.

These were not just people who gave in the church. They were also available to serve. They are big givers, but they are also serving in the church. They gave themselves over to the apostles. They said we are rich, but we are also available to serve. You know, there are believers who think that because they have started making some money, they don't have to serve and touch again. They think, you know, I'm a business person and somehow they think that that eliminates them from service in the house of God. That's a terrible place to be. Some are even deluded as to think if I can just give to the needs of the church, I don't have to be involved in service. That's a terrible place to be.

The Macedonian church went like that. They were givers and they also gave themselves inclusive. Do you see that amazing thing? They were givers, and they also give themselves. They said we are readily available. Whatever you would have us do, we can do. Don't you think that we are only rich millionaires, rich billionaires are not available to serve in the house of God? Oh, no. To hell with that thought. In the office, I might be a CEO, but when I come before the presence of God, I'm not ashamed to sweep the floor.

I'm not ashamed to... I went to a church and when I got there, I saw a man, an usher. I think you were with me. I saw an usher neatly dressed, nicely dressed, telling people, addressing people. I just saw in the spirit that he was a billionaire. And I told people beside, that guy is a billionaire. And he's there speaking to people saying, you move from this seat to this seat? Can you please stand up? Are you keeping the seat for someone? Well, sorry.

You can't keep a seat for someone. And people were even arguing with him. Then I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. But it's just the protocol. It's the policy. And you will look at him. You would... You just think that is it. Do you think that the reason why people serve in the heart of God is they call you are broke?

Oh, never. I have Macedonian believers in this place. Yes. Some of them some of them are the biggest givers to me and to the church, and they still commit themselves to service. And you choose some pride, arrogant fools. How much are you making? And you cannot commit yourself to service in the house of God. No. Listen to me. When you become great and you become influential, that millions of people are following on on social media, and you cannot even go out without DSS security protocol, we will call outreach an evangelism, and you will carry your influence.

Drop your car. Stand on the streets of Borija. People will first gather, not first around the gospel, around the man preaching it. They say, ah, is that is that? He is the one who... What what is he doing there? Before you know, your presence there alone has gathered the crowd. You have not even come to anything. You already... You are foolish, I must say.

Whatever business makes you think that you are too big for service in the house of God to hell with that business. Whatever job, whatever work. Pastor I Adeboy wanted to buy a helicopter to commune and to commute and transport himself easily. And they told him, oh, sir, we know someone. And they went to go and call the person very fast. And he came, was wearing protocol, people that direct cars outside, only police uniform. And he said, who is this? I I said I want private jet. He said, it is in private jet. He said, want private jet.

Said, is in private jet. He was very holy, pollution from this. Turn aside directing cars. Cars. My god. Cars. Yes, sir. Sir. Yes, sir. What what do you have?

What... Who are you that makes you think that whatever whatever lifting, whatever... What what is that? They gave and gave themselves to God and to us. I have people like that in this ministry. There are people in this ministry who are not only big givers, but they are ready to serve in whatever capacity in whatever capacity in whatever capacity. Apostle, I'm gonna drive you. Apostle, I'm gonna do this. Do we need to sweep? Do we need to be hereby?

What do we need in this place? And they are ready to commit themselves to service. Some of them are the biggest givers there is, and you would never know. They don't look like it. And yet there are those who wear nice clothes and who do all of that, wear nice watches, look all posh. They don't even have the humility to serve before God and to commit themselves to sincere service in the house of God. We have very few believers here who are Macedonian believers. The majority of you always circle between Corinth and Philippi. And I thank God for this end because very few of you are in Thessalonica. Doesn't mean there are no people there.

The responsibility of the church is to teach you into Macedonia, to give you the revelation that will grow you. And this is why I'm bringing this thought to you. Is that okay now? Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Let me give you a few blessings and then we close. A few blessings of giving and then we close. So that when you do this, you have the understanding that empowers that function. A few blessings of giving. Number one, giving is a reflection of God's nature.

Anyone who has a revelation of the nature of God is a giver by default and a generous giver at that. Anyone who struggle to give hasn't understood the nature of God. In John three verse 16, the Bible says, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have a lasting life. It is in the revelation of love that a man gives. For God so loved the world that he gave. It is in the revelation of intimacy that a man gives. And so if you love Jesus, it will be reflected in your giving. God who is love has demonstrated and and has expressed that nature through the heart of giving. In first John chapter three and verse 17, the Bible says, but whoever has this world's goods and sees his brother in need and shuts off his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? You see this?

How do you sit next to a woman who is wearing a ton bag or a... Or the clothes she's wearing does is not proper? And you have 20 or 30 bags or more, even more clothes at home. And you cannot extend your hand in fellowship. You can't say, sister, what's your name? Please, if you would allow me, I would like to give you a bag or a cloth or a shoe. I'll bring it next week to church on Sunday because you have enough. It is if you have this world's goods, if you have it, and you see your brother in need, if you have it, And you shut up your heart from him. You see your brother in him. It's not as though you were blind.

You saw it. And you shut up your eyes from him. How does the love of God abide in you? You see that this young man always wear the same pair of shoes every day and the shoes already wearing out becoming torn. You can walk up to him to him and say, mister John, next week I have a pair of shoes for you. Why? Because a revelation of God's nature is in you. This is how you start and you mature to the point where you are now able to pick kids off the street. It's not you coming to come and say, I'm a kingdom financier. Every time I see poor people on the street, all these children are begging, have a body in my heart.

The body in your heart has not even reached your brother. He's a strict kid who you don't have any idea who he is. You think the burden will reach him. You can't even share of yourself and share of your of your of your goods to your brothers and sisters. You become so you become so hungry when someone shares with you. Someone takes your cream, you're so annoyed. Someone takes your your your comb, you're so annoyed. How much is the comb? 150 naira. Something you can give to him and say, you know what?

I don't like sharing comb. Just take it. I'll buy my own. Jesus Christ. A heart of love. Instead, the believer throw the tantrum over that and says, will you take my property? And God says, why? Is that... Is your love of God in you? Is love of God in you?

If you are like God, it is your nature to be a giver. And the Bible says God made us in his image. It is that expression that Cain and Abel was exemplifying. And remember that even them were fallen. And in their falling state, they still knew how God made them. You cannot have God's nature and not be a giver. You cannot know God and there's no response in your heart to it. Are you with me? You're seated next to this brother and his handpicked is speaking a different language. And it's not because he's not hygienic, but he cannot sincerely afford a deodorant.

You buy it and you wrap it. You put it in his bag and say, brother, I bought a gift for you and you're smiling. It's a godly thing to do. You don't carry it outside and say, that guy used to smell. You are demonic. You are an evil person. If you have seen it, it means you can do something about it. At least your own hand who is not smelling, give him your own. Give him whatever doesn't make your smell. Instead of making it a a sub bit of conversation outside with with fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord.

You know how I bring it up? I sat behind a brother today. The doublehead at worldwide. You saw him, Abi? Hey. He was very white. Say, hey. Who is that one? He said, he's... Was not in back.

He's fair. No. No. No. He's dark. Okay. Okay. He was standing beside, bro, this person. Yes. He's the one...

That guy. When he spoke. And then you see what believers are doing, slandering themselves, slandering other believers. How are you better than those who do that to the body of Christ? If you are within a body, that's autoimmune disease. If you can offer help, then offer help. If you cannot, keep your mouth shut. You have no idea what people are going through. If there's no word of grace in your mouth, keep your mouth shut. If it's not a word of advice or a word of help, keep your mouth shut.

If you're if you're here, I am that kind of person who struggles and you say apostle, I have this problem I would have given to God, but I have this issue. You know, I have I have needs. You know, I want to expand my business. I have things to do. I have this. I want to plant this. I plan to do that. Listen. That's not your problem. Because I can assure you that there are people here who have more problems than you, don't have as much money as you do and are still generous because they love Jesus.

What is missing in your heart is love for Jesus. The expression of the nature of God inside of you, that is what is missing. It's not the presence of problems that is missed or the presence of plans. Everybody has plans. Do you think I don't have plans? Yet 90% of my income goes into the kingdom. When I said that we gave, we gave to a church that wanted to buy some. Don't you think it's the ministry? I was the one who did it. Majority of the charity works here.

I do it by myself. Except the few times where there is enough response in the ministry and we are... I've solved that to the ministry. Because you have to be a flow. You just have to be a flow. You just have to be a flow. It comes and it just goes. It comes and it just goes. It comes and it just goes. That's the kind of person you must be.

I don't know who will come. Are you with me? Yes, sir. Number two, it is a foundation for securing eternal treasures. Giving is a foundation for securing eternal treasures. Write it down because I'm gonna ask you after the meeting. Wherever you can stop, we stop there. I have about 12 of them. Giving is a foundation for securing what now? Eternal treasures.

Anyone with an eternal mentality, anyone with the appreciation that this is not the end of your journey, anyone with eternity in view has a very clear conviction of generous giving. In first Timothy six and verse seven, the bible says, for we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we will carry nothing out of it. Doesn't matter how much is in your account right now. Doesn't matter the size of your account. Doesn't matter how big your company is. You're not gonna carry nothing out of it. That company will be there and then you will go. You're not gonna go without Mercedes. You're gonna leave everything behind. But let me tell you what many don't know.

That how you spend your life right now on earth, what you do with your life right now and the rest of the time you have to be alive is going to determine your rank, your positioning, and the privileges that are available to you when we go to heaven. If you understand this, you'll be sober. That your life right now is a brief interruption in eternity. Do you understand what I mean by that? Eternity is time that does not end. A realm that is just void of time. It just starts and does not stop. When you you... You're you're coming alive, you're being born into the earth. It's just a brief interruption in eternity.

When you die, time it will still continue. Do you understand I'm trying to say? Before you came, it was still continuing. Centuries before you were born, people were alive. Billions of years before you were born, people were alive. After you die, it will still be like that. And so you just came you just came pow, appeared, and pow you are gone. Doesn't matter how long you lived, the brevity of time, the shortness of time. You are you are deluded to thinking I have time. You don't.

The moment your your time is done on earth, you go. And when you go, you transcend into a different realm. You continue living but in a different realm. Whereas time remains. That interruption in eternity. Hence, for you, time continues to count but your own expiry date is come. So you travel back to the realm from whence you come. Listen, your life after you are done in time is eternal. It does not finish. Do you understand what I've just said?

It it... You just continue living forever. And the kind of life you live eternally in that realm, you build it for yourself right now. That's why I said your ranks, your positioning, and the privileges you enjoy in heaven are a resultant effect of whatever it is you do right now on earth. The Bible says in Matthew six verse 19, do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy, and where thieves not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Everything you're storing, everything you're saving up for yourself here will eventually be lost. Listen, the distinction that preserves posterity are not embedded in how much we leave behind, but on the glory we carry with God. Let me explain what I've just said. Joseph carried the presence of God on his life.

He entered into Egypt as a slave. He became a prisoner. Eventually, he was able to interpret the dream of a king. Right? And from then on, by that grace, Pharaoh gave him a right. He extends that right to the children of Israel and they come to Egypt to stay in Egypt. They were there for about four hundred years and the children of Israel became extremely prosperous. They lived four hundred years across multiple generations preserved by one man's anointing. And the scripture tells us that in Ecclesiastes chapter one verse seven that the fruitfulness, the multiplication, the increase, the strength, the might that was with them was all connected to the glory and the covenant that Joseph had with God. Not because of anything that they did.

Why? Because in verse eight, the scripture tells us that there arose a new king over Egypt that knew not Joseph. It means all the privileges they enjoyed was because of Joseph. And the moment a king arose that did not know Joseph, that's when Pharaoh plans to enslave them through hard labor. But it was only because that king did not know Joseph. So all they were enjoying was a man's grace, a man's covering, a man's seed that he sowed. Israel hurt. Israel drank. Israel became full. Israel increased in wealth and multiplied because of the glory on Joseph and the seed he sold.

It's amazing how some people are preserved by other people's seeds. Some people are preserved by the testament of someone else's work with God. That someone can redeem the next four generations of his ancestry by his own seeds right now. The bible says in Hebrews chapter seven verse nine that Levi who receives tithes also paid tithes through Abraham so to speak. For he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. That when Melchizedek met Abraham and Abraham was sowing a seed to Melchizedek, Levi was responding. Levi was inside. A man was preserving an allotment for a generation that he would not even meet alive, and he did so by his giving. That in your giving, there are some of you that are preserving your generations yet unborn. Those that did not leave houses, did not leave lands in...

For the people of Israel, he left them a blessing. You know, I've learned with time, and I wanna teach parents this eventually. That it is better to sow for your children than to leave materials for them. These are deep conversations. There are some of us who are enjoying certain things right now because of the seeds that our parents sowed. That in their own time, they didn't even reap or have as much reward for what they sold, but it extended to their children and their children's children. That they might not have been able to leave material things behind, but there's a covenant of blessing that you can leave for your children. Some of you, the seeds you have sown, there is no way God will ignore your children. So when you give as you give, understand that these things are going to outlive you. Even after you die, some seeds you have given will still be speaking.

But look beyond what you are going to leave for your children now and the preservation of your posterity. Go into the place of what you are going to leave for yourself after you leave this earth. And it says your giving is gonna define your placing after this life. There are people right now in this room who look first, who appear first, but in heaven they will be last. But there are people who appear last, but in heaven they will be first. There are eternal treasures that a man must look to get. And so every time I pray, I pray for God to give me a grace. In Timothy, first Timothy chapter six verse 17 to verse 19, the Bible says, command those who are rich in this present age. So this command are for those who are are for those who are... Verse 18 says, let them do good that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share.

Verse 19 is where I'm going. It says, storing up for themselves a good foundation for time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life. There is an eternal consequence to your giving. These are conversations that are not hard in the body of Christ. Number three, your giving affirms your faith in the finished works of Christ. What did I say? When Jesus was on that cross, Jesus said it is finished. What was finished? What the father sent him to do? To seek and to save that which was lost to purchase our eternal redemption.

And the Bible says in Hebrews six nine, but beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you. Yes. Things accompanying salvation. You see, things doing what? There are things that are designed to follow you because of what Jesus has done on the cross, because of the finished works of Christ. Paul calls them things accompanying salvation of these things we speak. And in second Corinthians eight and verse nine, the bible says, for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich. So riches, wealth are things accompanying salvation. And anybody who believes that you are rich by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, you cannot hold back your hand because you are rich. You're not gonna be rich.

You are rich. It says, for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet he became poor that you through his poverty might be rich. The word there in Greek is I've become rich. Are you with me? It is a done deal. It has happened. So the same way you are already righteous, you are rich. You are wealthy. When you understand that I'm already rich, it becomes easy for you to give. It's a response to the finished works of Christ.

It is easy for you to give because you know what God has done for you through Christ. Anyone without the revelation of the finished work will always look at giving at the transaction to receive. And many Christians live here. They look at giving at the transaction to receive and not as an opportunity to express their faith in what they have already been given in Christ. The Bible says you have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. The bible says you have been given everything that pertains onto life and godliness. We have been given. We have been blessed. We will not be. We have been given.

We have been blessed. It is past things. It's not future things. So if you know you are rich, you give. Regardless of what you have or how much you have, you give. Because you know I'm blessed. Because you know I'm rich, you give. And so in first Timothy that we read chapter six verse 17 when he says, charge them who are rich in this world. Who are... Who he's talking about?

If you have understood what I'm saying now, who he's talking about? He says charge them not to be proud. The word haught is the word proud. Charge them not to be arrogant. Not to be proud, but to give, to share, ready to always give. You see that now? Yes. Number four, giving is an act of worship. Giving is an act of what now? When you understand giving as worship, it will change the way you give and it will change how you give it.

It will even change what you give. David said I will not give to God anything that will not cost me because it is an act of worship. But even when I learned these years ago, I wouldn't give God dirty notes of money at an offering. That's how much I respect my giving because I understand it's an act of worship. You see apostolate, everything is money. True. And God understands if that is all that you have. But today's believers just get the impression that when there is time for offerings, that's when you dispose of all the tongue note you have been holding on to. That's dishonor even though you bring it. It's dishonor unto God because giving is first an act of worship.

It means you have to keep your mind on what you give to God. It is not something that is done mindlessly, NLT. Ecclesiastes five and verse one. The bible says as you enter into the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Some people come and they just give and you know that the... No thought went into this thing. Mindless. You... Some people come with us and they wrap their seeds in torn newspaper notebook.

Torn newspaper. They just tear it, squeeze some amount of money in there, drop it. You have to have gone to school and studied mechanical engineering to unwrap the thing that they have squeezed. Because no thought went into it. It's just mindless. No no no honor goes into the fact that this thing I'm giving is unto God. Ah, Jesus Christ. Some people come and they just come and kneel down and they squeeze some notes, squeeze everything. They just manage it. Sir, what is that?

Think you're helping a poor man? It is worship unto God. It's worship unto God. It means you have to be mindful of it. Let me get an envelope. Let me arrange this thing well. How you give God's money, how you handle it, as long as this thing belongs to God. You don't just fold it roughly and and so on kept. Give your tithe with that understanding that this is an act of worship because it is an act of worship. It doesn't just matter that you give your tithes, it matters that you give it first.

Make it the first thing you remove, not the last thing you remember. It's an act of worship unto God. Delay anything, but not God's principles. Never put your needs above God's principles. You know pastor, I'd love to serve, but I'm just I'm just so busy. You know what? I've given this money, but I've got... I have to do this. Never put your needs above God's principles. Respect your givings.

Respect your offerings. It doesn't matter how little it is. Place honor on what you are giving and give it like so. Make sure what you are giving is the best. That is what I do. If I'm gonna give a phone, I want to make sure it's in the best condition. If I'm gonna give a laptop, I want to make sure it's in the best condition. If I'm gonna give a car, I wanna make sure it is in the best condition. You don't wanna give someone a shoe that is just so dirty that the the the lace is even torn under the shoes already. There's hole inside already, and you say, let me just help this brother with this shoe.

Help yourself with that. It is worship unto God. Don't matter who is receiving it. It's worship unto God. Because the cloth is torn, then that will become what you want to give. Some people wait until something becomes terrible, then they say, you know what? Let me give Gosses this one so that another one will come. What is that? Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked.

Whatsoever thing the man sows, that he shall reap. A young man brought a young man brought a laptop to me with his... The screen crashed and broken, everything broken. And he says, and this laptop fell in my hand. I know I'm wanting to repair it, so I want to just wait at the seat. So another one will come. You'll be amazed. You get a car, and when the car starts giving you problem problem, and you push push push, you say, ah. You think God can be mocked? Is is is that is that what you are doing?

What kind of exchange system is that? Do you think giving is straight by butter? Bring the spot one for a new one? Have you not read the story of Cain and Abel? The Bible was careful to describe the offerings that Abel brought. Abel brought the best and the first. Yes, sir. The best and the first because he knew that this is to God. He knew that this is to God. You bring a cloth high on the cloth to someone you wanna give.

High on the cloth. Wash the cloth. Don't bring a dirty cloth. Smell like camphor and just give somebody like that. You say, I just wanna help. No. No. No. No. No.

It's worship unto God. Worship unto God. If I'm giving anybody anything, it always... I'm always affected when it's not the best. You know, this thing is so deep into... Is so deep in me that there are times when those are very close to me come around me and then maybe we are eating. And I just eat and I cannot finish the food and somebody says they wanna carry it and I I I said, no. Don't carry it. And the thing there's any special reason to it is because it's not the best. How you carry what I've already...

No. Don't carry it. It just taught me one kind that what... It's not it's not this you should carry. It just taught me one kind. It's not... I'm not saying it's bad. It's just this mentality that has hidden deep into me. And if it's not it's not the if it's not the best, it's not worth giving. To God.

To God. To God. When you had a 100,000 naira, you didn't think of that as sacrifice. When you spent everything and it was left with 1,000, you say, sir, want to empty my account. I was talking to one of my guys. He got his first grant for his business, 50,000 naira, and he brought... He said, sir, this is not enough to do anything. And he sold everything as a seed. Then he got a higher one of millions, and even Thy did not give. I said, now because God has blessed you, you have forgotten the way of the altar.

Do we not forget how he rose? May we not forget. The handling of such people always is always terrible. They will rise so high then crash all of a suddenly. All of a sudden. The handling is always terrible when a man forgets how he rose. How he rose. Because you have gotten a... Now this is enough, Abi. It's enough.

How much? How much? And that is already... You can't even give to God anymore. Even to remove 10% of it becomes a problem for you. And you think you will ever rise beyond this. What if this was a test? What if? Number five, joy in the sacrifice. There must be joy in the sacrifice.

What did I say? There must be joy. Yeah. God requires a certain state of heart when you are giving. You remember the Macedonian church? That's why if you ever feel that you are being coerced in whatever needs to be given, then please don't give it. Keep it. I don't know how to beg people and tell people I need this, need that. Give me money for this, give me money for that. The many she want to do this.

I I don't know how to do those things because it is important that the heart that is giving wants to give. And for time when you coax people and tell them, the man knows she wants to do this because you have sent them the message even though they don't want to, they don't wanna pretend as though they did not see it. So even as much as they don't want to because I I don't do it personally. Second Corinthians nine verse seven amplified version, the Bible says, let each one give as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion. For God loves, he takes pleasure in. It prices above other things. Jesus Christ. This is your bible. Bible says God prices above others. God is unwilling to abandon.

God cannot do without. This is your bible. Private above other things. Unwilling to abandon. Cannot do without. A cheerful. It then explains the mean of cheerful. Joyous. Joyous. Someone who is prompt to do it.

Doesn't delay the instructions. Doesn't wait to be instructed. Doesn't even wait to be told that that this is needed. Just sees that this thing must be done and he does it. God takes pleasure in. It is not willing to abandon that kind of a person. Doesn't leave that kind of a person to the wishes of his enemies. Takes pleasure in above other things. There are men in this kingdom that God cannot do without. Yes.

If we ever come and say, oh, we only need 17 people to give these amounts of money which we will never do. And you're feeling because some people do it. And you're feeling in your heart that, ah, they're forcing us to risk kind of thing. It means you're not part of the 17 because giving is not by necessity. Do you understand what I'm trying to say? That you can get to a place in your giving that heaven finds you indispensable, irreplaceable. That even if you are struggling with stage four cancer, God will say I need to preserve this one because we need him. There are people who are indispensable in this kingdom because he knows the evidence expressed through them is the weight of his glory. That's why Dokka was raised from the dead. Do not underestimate the power of joyful giving prompted to do.

People who give without being asked, people who give without being told, joyful, cheerful, prompted to do. Do you remember that that man? The centurion who came to Jesus and said he has a servant who is sick. The bible says... The revelation you read most of the time doesn't give you the full details. Doesn't give you the full details. Luke chapter seven from verse one gives you the full details. It says, now when he concluded all his sayings in the hearings of the people, he entered Capernaum and a certain centurion servant who was dear to the centurion was sick and ready to die. So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders to the Jews to him pleading with him to come and heal his servant. He didn't come by himself.

He sent elder of the Jews to Jesus, and he was pleading. Tell Jesus to come and heal my servant. Look at verse four. Look at how the elders came. And when they came to Jesus, they begged Jesus earnestly. I can imagine Jesus being being busy doing something, going about his business, and there comes the elder of the Jews begging him saying that the one for whom he should do this was deserving. The elders of the Jews, Pharisees, Sadducees, who were people that hated Jesus. Were the ones who came to Jesus, the same people. They said this person this person is deserving. And what made him deserving?

The bible says he loves Israel and has built us a synagogue. Jesus said, you should have started with that. You would not have to have begged me and begged me. Look at the next verse. The bible said Jesus went with them. Immediately, Jesus was told, this man loves Israel. This man built up the synagogue. Ah, then those men, those kind of men, he can't do without. Those kind of men are indispensable. When they called, heaven must hands her.

When they called, heaven must respond. Are you with me? That God can look at a woman that is dying and he says if this one dies, who will look out for all the widow she has been taken care of? Who will look out for all the needy she has been ministering to financially? Who will take up the responsibility of this church that this lady gives to with selfless abandon? There are people that by their sacrifice, God will not leave them to the hands of their enemies. Some of you, the things that will deliver you are your past seeds. That there are certain accidents that God will not allow you to have because of a seed you have sown. You might not even remember, but that is why the very thing that is preserving your life is what you did. God loves us all, but there are people that God esteems.

Most of the people who are closest to me and who I am closest to are Macedonians. Some of them have very little, but their heart for God is just precious. They can give of themselves, empty all they have again and again. Just so their man of God can be okay. Just so the gospel can be preached. And so I insist I must always be available for them. When it is very important, will be there. When these people call me, I will answer regardless of what I'm doing and where I am. These ones have shown by the state of their heart that we're ready to give of ourselves, give of our materials, regardless of how many it is, how big it is, how large it is, how small it is, to God. If a billionaire in dollars gives a million dollars, what percentage of his giving is that?

Of his income is that? Zero point something. But if someone with $10,000 gives $5,000, what percentage is that? 50%. In heaven, who do you think is more celebrated? That's the wisdom of the widow's might that the rest of them gave in their abundance, but she gave in her scarcity. Someone with 10 millionaire in her account gives 100,000 naira, we celebrate that as a big offering and yet heaven is saying no. That's that... Are you with me? Yes, sir.

And there are churches that gives haccolis to the biggest givers. But to God, the person you call the biggest giver has given just 1% of his wealth. Neither because you needed it that amount of money at that time or you don't know the will of the spirit so you venerate those ones and you ignore the men and women who believed in you when there was no light, when there was no camera, who stood with you in the rain, who stood with you in the heat because they believed in your vision. And because someone come from outside and gives you 10,000,000, you feel as though, oh, the biggest giver. What metrics did you use to measure the biggest giver? Because a woman dropped the mite and Jesus said she has given the most. Number six, maybe I will end there. You can never out give God. Can you say it loud and clear? Say you...

I can never out give God. Never think that you have gotten to a place where you have given so much to God because God will always out give you. Never get to a place where you grow weary in giving because there's nothing you will ever give as to think that you have given so much or so big. Because every time God gives you, he always out give you. Always. John chapter four on the seven. You are my obsession. You are my heart devotion. You are my obsession. Listen, a woman of Samaria came to draw water.

Jesus said to her, give me a drink. What did Jesus say? Give me a drink. For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Then the woman of Samaria said to him, how is it that you being a Jew has a drink from me, a Maritian woman? For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, if you knew... Jesus came to a woman and told the woman, give me a drink. And Jesus tells her, if you knew the gift of God, if you knew who it is, who says to you, give me your last cash? If you knew who it is, who says to you, empty everything with you?

If you knew who it is, who says to you, give me a drink? You would have asked him, and he would have given you living water. You would have asked him, and he would have given you living water. It means when God asks you to give him, it is not because he needs what you have to offer. When Jesus had the Samaritan woman for water, it wasn't because he could not do without the water. At the end of this conversation, Jesus did not drink any water. The woman did not give any water. Are you with me? No. Jesus wanted to give us something that is far greater than what she could have ever given.

Far greater than what she could have ever given. Do you remember the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath in first Kings chapter 17 verse 12? The widow tells Elijah, as Lord God lives, I do not have bread. Only a handful of flour in a bean and a little oil in a jar. And see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare for myself. I am my son. We may eat it and die. After Elijah tells her, bring everything you have. Look at verse 13. Elijah tells the woman, don't fear.

Go as you have said, but make me kick from it first. Are you seeing first? Again. And bring it to me first. The woman just said this is the last thing we have. He said don't fear. Don't fear. Make me cake from it first. Do you know when God... Come.

Imagine with me for a second that we met ourselves and we become close and we're getting very close And we're becoming friends. And we start talking. And you you start getting the impression. This guy is liking you. This guy is liking you. I will just keep on talking. I just keep on talking. And then it's two years. I didn't get the impression that I've been asking, I've been telling me how many children do you want to have. There's no conversations you have with anyone.

So you start getting the impression. It's possible he proposes to me or it's possible with us. You start getting the impression. And then one day, I now come. And now say close your eyes. Now close your eyes. And now wrap your eyes like this. And now hold your hand. What emotion do you think you'll be feeling? Will you be afraid?

Will you be scared? It means it is possible to so much know and trust a man. And even when you are uncertain of what the next thing is, your emotion is still not fear. The emotion is still not worry. There's an expectation on your inside you will have. There's something... I don't know be good. It means you can so know God and trust God. And even if when he leads you into uncertain circumstances. It's not a matter of will he save me?

It's how will he save me? How... What what way will it come out again? How how will he do it? So I walk with God and God tells me, Emmanuel, this morning you have been keeping empty it. I don't start getting afraid. I don't eat a proof. I don't know God. Because if I know him, then it's a matter of this... That means he want...

He's ready to eat Jesus. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But you know, in in uncertain times, in uncertain experiences, your your emotion can still be out of joy. Instead of expectation, saying what will God do? How will he break me out of this problem now? How will he express his might? And you are anticipating, and you're expecting. And people look at you and they are wondering, don't you know what you are going through?

He said, there's one I know. Oh my god. There's one I know. There's one I know. Thank you. There's one that I know. Just give me first. Bring it to me. And afterward, whatever is left, make some for yourself and your son. But when nothing is left, there's no problem.

Just ensure I get. Look at the next verse. For thus says the Lord, your God of Israel, the bean of flour shall not be used up nor shall the jar of oil run dry until the day the Lord sends rain from the earth. Notice this. Hope you know that before the lady brought the food to Elijah, the blessing of multiplication had been released. She was not obeying and left to just guess what will happen after. Elijah did not say, go and bring it. When you have brought it, I will now pray for you. No. Elijah first gave her a certainty of what will happen because faith must rest on knowledge.

She was acting based on the knowledge of the promise of God. That's why I said, if you know that this is the finished work of Christ, that he has he has blessed you with all things, he has given you all things, then when I ask you to give, you will not withhold your hand. Elijah had to tell the woman, what is the foundation of this obedience? The bean of flour shall not be used up. The... It's now up to you to now obey. It's now up to you to now obey. But God does not leave you in a doubt. What this passage shows me is that sometimes people hold tightly, hold on tightly to what they need to release in order to receive. When God prompts you to give, remember that he's more concerned with what he wants to put into your life than what he wants you to let go of.

It is never about what you are letting go of. It's not about the 1,000,000, the 2,000,000, the 5,000,000, 10,000,000. No. No. It's not even about the 5,000 naira. It's about what they want to give you. Was it about the water? Give me water. Is... Was it about the water?

No, sir. No. It was about... There was something else that is eternal that I wanna put into your life. It is this knowledge that stabilizes your heart. You are not afraid when you give. Deuteronomy 15 verse 10, the bible says, you shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give. Your heart should not be grieved when you give because for this thing, the Lord God will bless you. It says it says your heart should not be grieved when you give. For this thing, the Lord God will bless you.

It will bless the works of your hand and in all which you put your heart. It means this is the knowledge from whence you will give because you know for this thing, the Lord God will bless me. Are you with me? Yes, sir. If your heart is sorrowful because you give, you probably should not have given. It also means you don't know God because you can never out give God. Luke six thirty eight says, give, it shall be given. Pressed down, shaken together, running over. You can never out give God. What did I say?

I can never out God. Should I give you one more? Your seed speaks. Your seed has an utterance. Your seed has a voice. The Hebrew word for giving is the word nafan. And when you study the root word or the word nathan, it also means to hota, to hota. So whatever you give hota has a voice. Whatever you give speaks in the spiritual realm. Every seed is a sound.

Instruction. Every seed is a command. Every seed is a demand. Every seed. Nothing you give is silent. It might not be seen by those you help, but would definitely resound somewhere. One day when you need heaven to intervene in your circumstances, then your seed speaks a voice. Every seed communicates something in the realm of the spirit. I remember one of my daughters who was trusting God for an open door and she has been there for like two or three years. We are praying and God says give a seed on our behalf.

And on our behalf, I gave a very heavy seed. That seed was an utterance in the spirit. There are times you'll be sick in your body and God tells you, take a seed and sow. What is happening is that you are making an utterance in the spirit that divine health is mine. It is not a requirement for your healing. It's an affirmation, a confirmation of that healing. Do you remember when Haggai was sent out of Abraham's house with Ishmael? Abraham's son. Right? She gets out into the desert and she starts crying because she does not have water to drink and she's thirsty and she doesn't want to lose a child and she's hungry herself and she starts to cry.

She starts to cry. But all of a sudden God comes and the Bible says God heard the voice not not how, the voice of the seed of Abraham because the seed speaks. She was the one who was crying. It was the seed that she bore that was heard. It means there are there are there are there are realms when even your tears and your intercession can bring no hands up. It's your seed that speaks. Is your seed that intervenes on your behalf. And the bible says, having heard the voice of the lad, God now opened her eyes and showed her what she had been crying for and said, look. There's water there. It means if the seed had not cried, that woman would have died there in the palace...

In the in the desert. Sorry. Your seed speaks. Let me also say this. Your giving, number eight, opens the windows of heaven. Your giving opens the windows of heaven. In Malachi three ten, the Bible says bring unto me... Bring bring all the tithes, right, into the storehouse that there may be food in my house and try me now says says the levels, if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out such a blessing upon you. Isn't that scripture? When you give, it opens the windows of heaven.

There's a different number of spirit between windows, doors, and gates. You don't use a window to exit or to enter a building. You use doors for that. Is that not so? The blessing that God gives when you give is a blessing of the open window. This tells you that you must study what the window is in order to appropriate the blessing that is poured out of that window. Are you with me? Yes, sir. Yes. When you open a window, what is usually the reason why you open a window?

So that light can come in. So that you can see what is outside. Those are the two things that windows represent. Light, which is knowledge and sight. Light and sight. Windows represent light and sight. You need spiritual revelation. You need knowledge. I need to be able to see. Windows provide both.

And God says when you give, I will open the windows of heaven to pour out to you a blessing. So the blessing that you receive is not material. It is the opening of your eyes to see where wealth is, where the opportunities are, and the knowledge to know what to do to get it. This happens to you when you give. That story of Haggai that we read, it was when the seed cried out. She was about to die of thirst, but what God heard was the voice of the seed, and God responded to it in verse 19. The Bible says God opened the eyes and she saw a well of water. That's the windows of heaven. Yes, sir. God opened the eyes.

Water was available to her, but the eyes were blind until the seed spoke. There are opportunities hiding in plain sight that your eyes may not be able to see until your eyes are opened. In Isaiah 45 verse three, the Bible says, I will give you treasures of darkness, hidden riches of secret places that you may know that hide the Lord who calls you by your name and the God of Israel. It means that if the if the riches are hidden, you must be able to see it. That's why God gives you windows so that your eyes can see. There are opportunities hiding in plain sight. Some of you are sitting down close to wealth, but your eyes cannot see it. Some of you have rods in your hand that can bring into wealth. What will bring into wealth is in your hand. You are holding it.

Yet you are listening to headships. We are not... What you hold is power. What you hold is the rod of God. Sometimes your eyes will need to open to see. It's what happens when you give. Your eye is open. Your eye is open and you see. Are you with me brothers and sisters? Yes.

Opportunities around you. Somebody just sends you a link and your heart just tells you, don't miss that and respond. That's the windows of heaven. You are praying, and then you start receiving ideas in your business. Go and meet this person. Write to this person. Submit a contract, a proposal to this person. That's the windows of heaven. Take this step. Take that step.

An idea drops in your mind. That's the windows of heaven. The knowledge to know how to go about it. That's the windows of heaven. So that will pour out blessings from the windows. You're knowing how to utilize those things you see is what now brings material wealth to you. Are you with me brothers and sisters? Yes, sir. Yes. Rise up on your feet.

Listen. Listen. The last one I'll give you is that your giving strengthens your area of covenant with God. Your giving strengthens your area of covenant with God. Are you with me? In Psalms 15 verse five, the Bible says, gather unto me my sins. Those who have made a covenant with me by what? Gather unto me my sins, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. Covenants are enacted by sacrifice. And for many of you, there are things that God has told you that is like your assignment that has become...

Are you with me? Or there are promises that God has made to you about your assignment. God has told you for instance that this is gonna be the expression of your ministry. And he begins to give you promises upon promises about that assignment that he has given to you. The more you give, the more you sacrifice. What you would notice is that the more weight will begin to come on you with respect to that assignment. Gather unto me my saint, those who have made a covenant with by sacrifice. And so what translates promises into covenant is sacrifice. Remember Abraham? God told him I will I will I will in Genesis 12.

Then God repeated the same thing after he sacrificed. He said, but the but the difference here is I swear by my name. I swear by my name. And God repeated the same thing. Why? Because sacrifice has translated promise into covenant. There are times when people come and ask me and they tell me, apostle, I noticed that there is more weight on your voice. There's more dis on your voice. When you speak, it has though your speakings have more presence attached to it. More weight.

It it carries more effect in the hearts of people. What are you doing? Like, I'm not doing anything. The only thing I can trace that has increased is not my prayer life. It's my giving. It's my giving. The way I was praying last year is the way I prayed this year. You all was praying two years ago is way I'm praying this year. One thing that does not remain the same is the way I give. But that as you begin to give, your area of calling starts gaining weight.

Starts gaining weight. Starts gaining weight. You notice that if it is healing, you you start stepping more into stupendous grace of healings and miracles. If it is utterance, the intensity of the fire that comes when you speak increases, that bones in the heart of men when you speak increases. If you're a business person, it can be the level of spread you have in your business. It can be the level of influence you have in your business begins to increase and increase and increase. You're giving dusters. Gather on to me my saint, those who have made a covenant with by sacrifice. But every time God demands a sacrifice... It's not every time God demands a sacrifice that it is always to change new seasons as we always put it.

There are times when it just strengthens your covenant. It just places weight on your calling. It just places weight on your gifting. It just put this at at something is different. Something is different about the orchestration, the the the operation, the manifestation, the demonstration of the gift of God upon your life, something is different. Are you with me brothers and sisters? That was what happened to Solomon. The assignment was there. He was to become a king, but the operation of that assignment needed wisdom. And as he entered into a covenant with God by giving sacrifices, the bible says God gave him wisdom.

Weight came upon his kingship. Influence came upon his kingship. Are you with me, brother and sisters? Yes. The prayer we'll pray today is simple. The Macedonian church had a grace of God upon their lives. Grant me the grace, father, to give, to give of myself and to give of everything that I have. Grant me the grace. Are my Listen. Listen.

I want us to pray another prayer. I just remember the story of one of my young men. Listen. But it was... It's not... I I don't need to call him one of my young men. One of the guys that follow that follow the ministry. Some time ago sent a seed and and shared a testimony with me. And before he sent the seed, it came to my heart. And God told me that he's gonna demand from him a particular figure.

But I didn't tell him that. All of a sudden, a breakthrough happens, and he sends a seed. And the seed was infinitely lower than the figure that God was gonna put in his heart. And I knew that this was not what God told him to do. But he felt that what he had done to us big. Are you with me now? So as long as it is big, it doesn't matter. But it does matter. It does matter. So I just spoke to him.

I prayed with him, and that was it. Sometime after, he sends me a message, calls me, and he tells me, sir, I don't even know everything is stuck. Everything has stopped working. Everything has stopped working. Everything has stopped working. And I knew immediately that this was disobedience. Because whenever God demands a thing from you, what he wants to give you is more. And we out of our folly think that we can play games and do mathematic with God. You ask God for the grace to obey, the grace to just be obedient to him, the grace to be obedient. Let's pray and ask God for the grace to be obedient, The grace to always be obedient, always be prompt.

Talk to God. Talk to God. Help me to help bless your heart. In Jesus, my name of prayer. We believe you were blessed by this message to connect with the Disciples Christian Network and get more from Apostle Emmanuel. Follow us on our social media platforms. You can follow us on Instagram at official disciples c n. You can follow us on Facebook at disciples christian network. You can also join our telegram page at d c n media for more messages by Apostle Emmanuel. If you have a testimony from this message, you can mail us at Disciplecn@gmail.com.

God bless you.