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Bro. Otis Fisher
All right, 2 Corinthians 8. We're going to have some examples of Christian giving. 8 verse 1. Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia, how that in great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the rich of their liberty.
Liberality. The collection was to be taken before he came. He didn't want to wait till he got there and then all the people trying to give, he would influence some both ways. So the collection was to be taken before he came.
And the Macedonians give out a deep poverty. They didn't have riches. They didn't give of their surplus or their abundance. I'm afraid we don't know much about that kind of giving today. For to their power, I bear record.
Yea, and beyond their power, they were willing of themselves. Praying us much entreaty that we would receive the gift and take up on us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. For whom are they giving this gift?
Jerusalem. The church at Jerusalem. You and I cannot realize the love that they had one for another. I must confess that we've almost lost sight of the gift of giving today. It's wonderful to give to the missionaries, but how about our own?
Many of them don't want their wants known. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave out of their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God. I have a question for you. Does the divine will of God render the future sinful act absolutely certain?
And why? Does the divine will of God render the future sinful act absolutely certain? Jesse, does the divine will of God render the future sinful act absolutely certain? Why? Even the sinful act. Do all of you understand that?
God is sovereign. Now he does not make us sin, but the act of sin is certain. Do you see the difference? Roger, do you see the difference? Debbie, do you see the difference? I'm assuming she said yes, did she?
Very weak. She can laugh louder than she spoke. It's the divine will of God, but sin is not the divine will of God. Man sins. It's very, very difficult to keep the two separate. Man sins under the direction of God, but man does the sinning.
The Macedonians, Macedonian believers gave themselves to God. Next week, I'll try to remember to bring a demonstration, and I forgot it this week. If God doesn't have you, he doesn't want anything from you.
He doesn't need anything to begin with. In so much that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same also. The same grace which motivated the Macedonians should be the same grace that would motivate you.
You believe that, Greg? Giving is a part of our worship to God. If we do not have the grace of giving, we should pray God for it. Giving is a part of our worship. Do you agree with that, Joy? Therefore, as you abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in your love to us, see that you abound in this grace also.
Now let me ask you, see that you abound in this grace also. You abound in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in your love to us. How can you see that you abound in this grace also?
Head down. Well, that's for you to decide, not me. I cannot advise you one way or the other. The Bible says we are to give weekly, or daily, or however we're paid. Now, God expects us to pay our honest debts.
We're not to rob from that to pay God. Neither are we to rob God. That's right. Just be sure it's the Spirit that is not emotion. Is salvation an emotional experience? Is salvation an emotional experience?
How many would say no? Now, you may connect emotion with it, but salvation's a fact. Just pure and simple, it's a fact. That's good. That brings me to another question. Surprise, surprise. Virge, which comes first, salvation or repentance?
Salvation comes first. The knowledge of salvation comes first. Yes. Most of it's emotion. You don't have to go down to be saved. Now, you may go down and be saved, but the act of walking down does nothing.
That's right, but no matter what we do, where we go, how we fight against it, whatever the human terms are, you'll be saved when it's the right time. Period. Yes. Everybody be quiet. Arthur's going to speak.
That's right. That's exactly right. Paul is saying here that giving today is not by law, by rote, or by ritual. I know that there are good Bible expositors who say we are to give the tithe, that it is biblical.
It's not biblical. Now, you ought to give the tithe, but out of a willing heart. If you examine the Word carefully, you will see that the people in the Old Testament gave three tithes. Now, if we give the tithe, then we have to give three.
So, the tithe is not the basis on which Christians are to give. Paul says he's not asking the Corinthians to give because it is a commandment. It's an old commandment in the New Testament. Yes. Before the law.
Yes. The percentage was 30%. And you give that now, 10 to God and 20 to the government. That's right. That's right, but it is up to the individual. If you're looking for a standard, forgiving, here's one.
It is the Lord Jesus Himself. 1 Corinthians 16 .2. Somebody turn there, please. Greg, read it when you get over there. Alright. Lay something aside. Period. We like to use the tithe as a guide. That's alright.
But, what you're giving comes from the heart. Yes. That's good. That's great. Yes. That's right. Yes. He wants the heart. He doesn't want the pocketbook. Yes. Yes. Absolutely. They're giving to please that person.
That's right. Yes. That's right. In what? Oh, I hope we never have a pledge card. Those are all matters. That's his problem. Now, if he told me that Brother Fred, for the first time in my life, I'm going to have to correct you.
If the church knows that it is ill-gotten gain by any means, they're not to accept it because that condones what the man's doing. That's what that church is saying. It is. If they know it. If you want to gamble and make money, be sure nobody knows it.
Then you can ease your conscience by giving to the church. But, if you know it, if others know it, then that's wrong. It's just as wrong as it can be. God doesn't need money to start with. And herein, I give my advice.
For this is expedient for you who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. You can see, you can sign a pledge, and it's between you and God only. Not public. Now, therefore, perform the doing of it.
That is, there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which you have. It seems so easy, especially when we're caught in something to promise God something. A vow, this is the same as making a vow.
If you make a vow, it's totally on your part. It's voluntary. But, you better keep it. You can't vow to God that I'm going to give the first dollar of everything, and then later renege. It's between you and God.
The church has nothing to do with it. A personal decision. Don't think that you, don't think I didn't get it all down. Don't think that you haven't forgotten it since it is unknown to others. Don't think that you're going to give something, or not give, since it's unknown to others.
God knows. He knows for you thought. For it there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to what he hath not. Don't pledge three billion dollars when you don't have it.
No one is to give according to what he does not have. If you have made a pledge, you best carry it out. This is meaning a rational, basic pledge. That is between you and God. Don't go brag about it or tell somebody.
For I mean not that other men be eased, and you burdened. We're not to be burdened just because someone else does not do their share. If a person's not doing what we think they're supposed to, what are we to do, Greg?
If a person is not doing what we think they should, what should we do? But that's after much consideration, after much observance, and so forth. No, if you tell somebody they're not giving enough, go to them and talk about it.
You may find out they are, but if you go to them and talk about it, don't do it. But by equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, and their abundance also may be a supply for your want, that there may be equality.
Those that can give should give and should not burden those that cannot give. I'm glad that in this church we have no reference to money. As it is written, he that had gathered much had nothing over, and he that had gathered little had no lack.
When was that in force? What? In the manna. You remember, he went out, a person would go out and gather two days because he was tired, didn't want to go out the second day, he'd slept late. When he got up the second morning, what had happened to that that was left over?
Turned to worms. So each day, one at a time. As it is written, he that hath gathered much hath nothing less than read that, but thanks be to God which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.
For indeed he accepted the exhortation, but being more forward of his own accord, he went unto you, and we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all of the churches. And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord and declaration of your ready mind.
Whatever is given, it must be for the glory of God. If you give for any other reason, if you come to church for any other reason, if you stay home for any other reason, it's wrong. It's got to be to the glory of God.
Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in our abundance which it is administered by us, we're going to be honest on the use of the money. I have seen people come to church, not in this church, but I have seen in churches that they wore worn out clothes when they had good clothes.
They wore holy shoes when they had good shoes because they're trying to present an attitude or an attire of poor, of being poor. Well that's wrong. Just be what you are, not what you ain't. Providing an honest, for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
Give not to those things which in you have, you have no knowledge. There's a TV program, airwaves full of them, but there's one that you listen to or you listen to and you're caught up for the moment and you write out a check and send it to the person.
What about that Fred? I think that's not the way that one would give a preservation message. Give not to those things which in you have no, which in which you have no knowledge. Give not to those things in which you have no knowledge.
Here's a man, XYZ orphans and all of this. They show all kinds of pictures of little children, very touching. They know that'll get money and you send them money. You should inspect. If you expect, you should inspect and see where that money goes.
If it's going into his pocket, shut it off. You should inspect first and then contribute. The world is full of that. And we have sent with them our brother whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent upon the great confidence which I have in you.
Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellow worshiper, fellow helper concerning you or our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches and the glory of Christ. Don't give your money just to anybody.
Be very selective. Wherefore show ye to them and before the churches and the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf. I'm afraid there are a great many Christians who are like the young fellow who wrote to his girl.
Fred, if you ever did this, I would cross the widest ocean for you. I'd swim the deepest river for you. I would scale the highest mountain for you. I'd crawl across the burning sands of the desert for you.
Then conclude with a P .S. If it doesn't rain Wednesday night, I'll be over. That's right. About their inefficiency or their, I think you're a part and you're always right. You're the good dude and so you should check in good.
I don't think you should necessarily not give in that case. I think the greater danger is when we have payroll deductions and other deductions for cases like United Way where no one challenged the donation and there are many cases where we're in conflict with what we as Christians believe and no one stands up and says, well, Washington is not good.
It's such an easy path. Everyone signs online for $35, $50, $20 or whatever at the United Way and it is totally an error of our knowledge. That's right. If, to help clarify what you just said, and you made it very clear, the United Way is what?
The wrong way. We're not to give because somebody else gives. We're not to give because somebody else coerces us into giving. You give from the heart and you give all that you can, but that, you hold the line there.
If you're giving to a cause and you find out that they're using it wrong, you should stop. If you're giving to a cause and the preponderance of it, lest the maintenance of the organization goes where they say it goes, that's fine.
But inspect it. Find out. Well, that's a cue to not write the check. But what Clarence stated is absolutely true. There's so much given under pressure and it should not be. That's true. There's lots of times you don't.
Lots of times you can't find out. But give nothing where you are aware that it's wrong. And I don't think it's you without many people that are out in the stock market that that money that comes from the stock market is valuable.
Well, if that's the case, then I'm going to have to put giving to the jury. Because I think it's the intent and how you approach those investments. And any business where you approach investments in the bank to put your money in at risk and high risk and think the risk is wrong, if you put it in the stock market in a very highly risky situation, it would be wrong.
But just to invest in the stock market per se, that's as far as investing in your company or investing in the bank as you do otherwise. Okay, Jesse. Yes. Bring this to a close. Solves the problem. Don't give if it's grudgingly.
Don't give if it's out of compulsion. Don't give because somebody else gives. Whatever the reason, it must be to glorify God. Whatever you do, however you give, wherever you give, from what you give, how you make your money has got to be to glorify God.
And if it isn't, and you know it, and you do it anyhow, that's wrong. I lived through it. I come out not smelling too bad. But let's not argue about gambling or not gambling. We know gambling is wrong.
And that's your own personal decision of the word. Bill?