Faith Promise Giving

After 8.

I get all entangled here, 2nd Corinthians chapter chapter 8, and we're going to be in chapter 9, a little bit too, so I'll be right there together. I promise, I'll try to be quick.

What's that? We got on that? Thank you, you got till midnight.

All right.

- 2nd Corinthians chapter 8, on Mark chapter 5.

All right, let's get started with prayer, the Lord in prayer. Thank you again for this evening, father, father, I should just be with me this hours and give me Clarity voice father and that I don't stumble on my words, father and father, I pray. This message is well-received father and it is as we look at our faith, promise missions. Coming up father, and would you thank you for everything that you've done for us and we love you in Jesus name, I pray, amen, all right, the month of April. As we all know as our missions emphasis month and at the end of April, we're going to have our officials conference in the members are in our church will make their commitments concerning their individual commitment to supporting missions for the next year. And I believe we all understand that there can be no Mission work accomplished through the local church apart from our faithfulness to get financially, that others might hear the gospel. That's why we have worldwide missions while we support the missionaries. We do, everybody through faith, promise has it has the opportunity to have their hand on the Rope. So to speak to help these missionaries are out in the field. Laboring it don't mean that there any better than us there any worse than us. Some of us can't speak. Well, I know I don't it's not natural for me to get up here and speak and offered me stumbling mumbling. I like to say I've gotten better over the years, I think I have is you'll have it run me off, but

We all have a hand in supporting. Missions Christ causes us to evangelize to the world in. This is one way that we can help us. So you're a barrel. We use a Biblical Plan called Faith promise to determine. How much weed is a church, will be able to give to World Mission sin, the coming year through your faithful. Give me through the church is Facebook giving his faith. Promise our church is able to support 16 different missionaries right now at the moment. So I'm sorry for the states and others all around the world. We have missionaries in Chile, can you New Guinea Dominica, Mexico, Slovenia Mongolia Spain, Argentina and the Philippines in the US, we have missionaries who work in Alaska, who work to witness to the US military who witnessed the Native Americans. We support the Bible literature missionary Foundation is supplies, Bibles, and literature and many different languages to to the Local Natives wherever they're going to. And, and it's a great joy to be able to help and be part of spreading, the gospel, of our Lord, Jesus Christ, as his savior of the world, right? So that we also partnered up with sermonaudio where the sermons are available. Sermons out of this church are available worldwide and across the globe. And talkin brother Wade, I think it was 40,000 40,000 downloads across the United States and throughout the world or download it this month from here at Bell Baptist Church. So, the gospel is being proclaimed. For the last seven years for the last seven years for the last seven years. So what a wonderful joy that is to be a part of that we help support Arkansas, Baptist Children's Home. That keeps foster kids in a Christian home and environment that allows families to stay together. These siblings are not separated and live in different homes. The goal is to keep kids together and the raised up in a Christian environment. We support International Church Planters who are involved in planning, churches, worldwide, and train, passes, to run and leave those churches. So, all this is possible because of your faithful support through faith. Promise you this evening will take a quick look. I hope it's quick. I'll try not to be too long about God's plan for financing World evangelism. After waiting some time for the Corinthian Church, to fulfill the promise regarding the promised offering, Paul write 2nd Corinthians chapter 8, to challenge them in order to effect when we get to effectively get the message into their hearts, he begins with an example of what the Mesa Donia churches had done. And we remember the macedonians had participated in this offering because of the report they had received from Paul about corn, that the Corinthians promised Paul tells us about this and 2nd Corinthians chapter 9, verses 1 through 5. He says, now concerning the ministry's to the same, it is Superfluous or unnecessary for me to write you for. I know your willingness about which I boast of you to the macedonians that, okay, it was already was ready a year ago and your Zeal has stirred up the majority. Yet I have sent the Brethren. Best are boasting of you should be in vain. And this respect that, as I said, You may be ready. Let's have some I said, don't need to come with me and find out and find you unprepared. We not to mention, you should be ashamed of this confident boasting. Therefore, I thought it necessary to exhort the Brethren, to go to you ahead of time and prepare your generous gift before hand. Wish you had problems previously promised that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging Avec Les obligation, Paul begins to lay the groundwork for the Corinthian Believers. Their that their participation in the offering by citing to them. The example of the Macedonian Believers in 2nd Corinthians chapter 8. And then in chapter 8, verses 1 through 5, we read moreover brethren. We make known to you the grace of God, the stolen the churches of Macedonia. That in a great trial of Affliction that abundance of their joy in the Deep poverty bounded in The Riches of their Riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability. Yes. And beyond their ability, they were freely willing and pulling us with much urgency. That we would receive the gift of Fellowship of the ministering to the Saints and not only as we had hoped. But they first gave themselves to the Lord. And then To Us, by the will of God. We see here that the macedonians giving to the needs of others, began with the recognition that they had been given a great deal themselves. You see, they are recipients of Grace that God has bestowed upon them. And Paul repeats the word for Grace, seven times in the eighth chapter and three more times and the 9th chapter First to hear in chapter 8, we know that Paul said that there are three parts to the equation for the great trial of Affliction, their Abundance of Joy and their extreme poverty. When Paul added the three factors together, the outcome was rich generosity. So here is a mathematical equation. That makes no sense to the world. That that that that this equation is that if licton plus poverty. Plus Joy equals generosity in the world and in the word, liberality, he means to be free from ulterior motives. You see. It was just, it was just sheer unadulterated Joy of giving that motivated their hearts. God gave it to them. We need to note that this is this giving is done by obedience to God in the face of the trying circumstances. And overwhelming difficulty is that we overtake us that become of us in verse 3 there in chapter 8 of the Macedonia Church is, we're not giving out their abundant by our standards today, rather they were giving General generously out of their poverty, That's hard to understand. Is it not? They weren't worried about materialism.

I believe, is it in in Sunday school? We talked about last week that even if we read God's word, as we take his word in it should be going out, right? God gives us Grace where we supposed to give out Grace. God gives us everything we need. He gives us more than we need, and we are to share it. La Mesa donations, made sure that it was clear that our stewardship does not depend upon our circumstances. How often do we do that? And listen here, our stewardship depends on the quality of our relationship with Christ. We give because lock the Mets, sidonians. We have been recipients of his Amazing Grace. Why pray? You have been

Verse for goes on the side and pulling us with much urgency, that we would receive the gift, and The Fellowship of the ministering to the Saints, another translation of this would be begging us with much urging for the favor of participation and the support of the Saints. And we noticed that the methadone is considered it a privilege to give to the aid of brothers and sisters in need. Nobody asked if they did this on their own and they even pleaded with Apostles for the privilege of sharing in this way. Although the offering that is being talked of in this verse isn't offering to help the poor of Jerusalem, the major thrust of this message, the make the the major, the major theme of the Macedonian giving has been giving for Missions. And 2nd Corinthians 11 verses 7 through 9. We learned that it was the Mets, sidonians who has supported Paul financially while he preached and corn that I commit sin and humbling myself that you might be exhausted because I preach the gospel of God to you, free of charge. I robbed other churches taking wages for them to minister to you. And when I was present with you and in need, I was a burden to no one for what I lacked. The brother who came from Macedonia supplied and everything, I kept myself from being a burdensome to you. And so, I will keep myself. According to verse 5 in chapter 8, the five, the five primary key. He used to go see stewardship to giving and joy is the first give yourself to the Lord Paul says, as much to his readers and Rome. I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God, that you present, your bodies, a Living Sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Paul says that the Macedonian Believers did not do as they had expected. But rather first, they gave themselves to the Lord and then to us and keeping God's will God. Always supplies 2nd Corinthians 8, 8 the speak, not like Amanda by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of Your Love by the diligence of others. Paul says that they're giving will prove the sincerity of your love. The word prove, he remains to approve my testing to accept as proven and to approve as to be certified as pure gold. Paul says also he says go ahead and demonstrate the results of your pure love for the brethren. We often think that the opposite of Love is hates right, but the truth is the opposite of Love is selfishness. Jesus betrayed this truth vividly for us when he said in John 3:16 for God. So loved the world that he gave his only begotten, son, that whoever believes in him, should not perish but have everlasting life. The things we got to see their God, so loved he gave God, prove the sincerity of his love by giving his son Ransom, as a ransom for who Us for many. using the biblical example provided, I want to speak to you a few minutes about faith, promise missions, giving So, what is Faith? Promise missions, Faith. Promise is a money that God will give through you, which he might never give to you. If he saw that, he could not trust you to pass it on to others.

Here are four things. Hopefully that can help you understand what faith promise is. What is the face? What is the faith? Promise first, we need to understand what faith promise giving is not It is not the same as your ties. The Bible not only instructions to give it ties but we're also told to give an offering When these ties and offerings are not given the word of God charges us with being robbers, were thieves the prophet Malachi and Malachi 3. Verse is nothing, he said, will a man rob. God, you have robbed me, but you say in what way? Have we robbed you and ties and offerings. You are cursed with a curse for you have robbed me. Even this whole nation, bring all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be food in my house and try me now. And this says, the Lord of hosts, I will not open for you, the windows of heaven and pour out to you. Such a blessing that they would not be room enough to receive it. Faith promise is also not the mere reassigning, a part of our ties to missions. For example, the suppose that my weekly offering is $150. And now that I've been convicted about giving two missions, I decided to bide my offering to 100 going to the church and 50 go into missions. The end result is still a total of $50. Nothing has actually been given the missions. There's been no increase. I have not put faith in God to give me what he says, he will give me to make it happen.

Here's what they promise is. A promise is an agreement made by you to God. It's not to me at the barrel. Baptist Church. It's between you and God, it's an Act of Faith whereby, you are willing to say I am trusting God to provide an amount that I have determined through prayer. And that I may turn give it to missions. It's an offering made by by you to God, and it's a commitment for the year. The nature of the faith promise is that I have to pray about it and asked God how much he would have me to give and trust him for it. Month by month, go to him in prayer, and ask him for the amount provided. And wait upon it till it comes. How can a church know how many missionaries to except for support, unless you make the faith promise, this is the way they're all Baptists, gives two missions. It's off of a off your faith. Promise again, I'm not begging you to give. I'm just asking you to pray and see what God will do for you.

How do you know if you need to give through faith? Promise again, pray for it. Pray about it. 2nd Corinthians 8, 8 says, I speak not by commandment by dying testing sincerity of Your Love, by the diligence of others. Some Christians do not give anything to God, they do not ties and they do not get the missions, others get to God, that they said to give out of the abundance of their abundance summer, convicted about giving to God, but they only give to him whatever is left if there's anything at all. And there are many reasons that believers do not give summer, babes in Christ, new Christians that have not grown sufficient in the Lord to understand their obligation and sadly. Many of God's people are too materialistic and consumed with possessions to give anything to the Lord's work. But remember God gives you exactly what you need. And it gives it abundantly abundantly. So, it's something to pray about. It's not something like you.

The deal about faith promise. And when it was first introduced to the church, I didn't understand what it was until you actually went through a year with it.

He was giving more than my tithe. He was giving more than I was willing to give up by. even though it seemed like so little a month,

Is that extra money? You don't like we don't like wasting money, right? It's not a waste, maybe that was the first option. The week when we, when we budget buying a car or buying a house, it's money. That we know that we have in the bank,

This is something that God is going to bless you with.

Because you don't know where it's coming from other than it's coming from him and what a joy it is to be part of this. How do we make a faith promise commitment? According to the principles found the 2nd Corinthians 8, a faith promise was God's plan of financing World evangelism. It's simply up to us to recognize and accept our responsibility as individuals to give we find out God's plan, by being open to God's guidance. We have to pray about the part that God would have us to play. We need to make a commitment by giving them out that God is late on the phone or arts and not everyone can give the same but everyone can get something. we're to follow through with our commitment, set them out, aside weekly and we are to give it Without your commitment, our church will not be able to support the missionaries. Are we currently support? And every one of us in here knows that when we decide to give for the Lord, Satan comes in and attacks. Right? Spective medical bills, right? Car is breaking down. Water. Heater is going out. It's always there something that Satan can turn our attention away and make us focus on this. God always provides continue to give as you have promised for the entire year make that your goal trust. God, like it, you go to trust God. The truth is that some of us start with the most don't his attitude and then we find ourselves wearing out. We want to be generous to offer ourselves, our guest to his service but after a while it seems to become more of a burden than a joy. Paul found it necessary to give some advice the Galatians concerning burnout. He wrote, let us not become weary in doing well, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest. If we do not give up Therefore, we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of Christ.

How does God Supply after I made my commitments? We must understand that God is God and he is not limited in the ways that he can supply your face commitment to missions. It may be that God will give you the grace to sacrifice something in order to give it may be, that God will reduce your expenses and some area that you might get. It may be that God will enable you to make more money in order for you to give the increase comes from him. Deuteronomy 8:18 reminds us and you shall remember the Lord your God for it. Is he who gives you power to get? Well it is God. Who gives us the Bounty that we enjoy. I'm not preaching Prosperity. I'm just telling you that God supplies. God, may even supplied Supernatural in some way that you cannot even. Imagine the question is tonight, will you trust him? Will you step out on faith? The benefits of Faith, promise or many Just as just as it was pointed out in her text giving Faithfully to missions, allows us to prove our love. Just as the macedonians work, we are through our giving two missions. Given the privilege of having a part in reaching the world for the gospel. Giving through faith promise also allows us to evaluate our priorities week by week. 2nd Corinthians 8, verses 10 through 12. We read And in this, I give advice. It is to your advantage, not only to be doing what you began and were designed to do a year ago. But now, you must also complete the doing of it. That answer was a Readiness to desire it, so they're also maybe a completion of what you have. Or if there is first, a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one ass and not according to what he does not have. Or I do not mean that other should be easy and you burdened about and equality. But now at this time, your bundles May Supply their lack that there may be equality. As it is written, he who gathered much had nothing left over and he who gathered little Had No Lack. So looking back according to what Paul teaches and 2nd Corinthians 8 and 9. By faith promise is an amount that is more than one can afford. It is an amount that follows a personal commitment between you and God. Faith promise is optional but it is a test of love. They promised has previously been promised, its it is something that is purple personally. Purposed A faith promise is something that you can give cheerfully, because God has supplied. And it is provided by God. Faith promise is giving to the Lord is giving the Lord an opportunity to work and our lives to bring about a greater purpose of missionaries.

Saying Independence on God, I will endeavor to give so much money.

The great goal, right? Faith, promise is scriptural in Focus. It's a Target. Its Target is the church has God given tasks to make disciples of all Nations evangelism. That's what we're supposed to do. A scriptural means of encouraging weekly discipline consistent giving for worldwide evangelize evangelism. And 5 promises an extra gift which you would not be able to give a part from trusting in God to provide it. So I hope that was a help something to think about, as we enter Faith Mission Texas month and just be praying about it. I know this is probably some information, some of y'all but this is how Barrel Baptist gives to worldwide missions. And if anybody has any questions again, if you can take the missions, team Sunday off or give me a favor. Forgot the missions. Remember when I like something by name, the missions team is Barbara matchett. Mary Drysdale will cook Richard Hartley, but dinner and myself. Did I get everybody? All right. Got any questions? Feel free to ask any of us and the mission table has been updated. There's y'all can read information on them, newsletters, and what? so, Any prayer requests at this time.

The people in Mississippi. Yes.

You're at the bad weather, Mississippi in the school shooting. I was in Tennessee Nashville.

Okay, at Dallas was Ill. Believe, go to her. I don't know what I did my PIN.

I'm good. But dinner takes good notes, will get him now.

Anybody else?

Yes, sir.

Claudia's mom's doing well getting better. Continue to pray for Richard's mom. David Healy continue pray for him. I haven't heard how he's doing. Hadn't talked to Miss Karen lately. You're doing well. Had a good visit with Bobby matching. The other day he like, talk.

He's doing quite well. He had a doctor's appointment yesterday and her dad is doing. So just continue to pray for him and his Barbara.

Anybody else?

All right, brother, Richard I'll get you the Stardust. In prayer and then when everybody's done but the energy mine closing, thank you.