Making Change - Week 1 | Coastal Church

That's the pattern of generosity that God calls us to and he even lets us know the end of the story that if you pattern your life after this, God's gonna give you more so that you can get not so you can buy the the Ferrari. Okay. I'm sorry. Wrong channel. He's gonna give you more so that you can give more. Giving is good for the giver. And really giving the joy you get from giving has to be better than the Ferrari. Solomon says all the riches in the world didn't make him happy. But I wonder if a Ferrari would. I just need to know, Lord. No. We already know. We don't have to test things out with the bible already says, hey, Tony, you waste your time. [00:55:18] (44 seconds)  #GenerosityGrows

Giving doesn't take something away, it gives something to you. Acts chapter 20 verse 35. And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus. I want you to know that this didn't come from a Christmas movie. It's more blessed to give than to receive. It came from Jesus, not Christmas movies. And it's real. And I I I can't I can't package this and hand it to you and say this is, you know, you feel that? No. All I can do is say, try it out. Giving produces freedom. [00:57:23] (45 seconds)  #BlessedToGive

that. That that Thanksgiving comes from somebody down the line being generous. And that's where we move to point number three. Giving is good for eternity. This isn't just a consumed gift. This is something that matters for eternity. Second Corinthians chapter nine verse nine says as the scriptures say, they share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. [01:11:25] (50 seconds)  #EternalGenerosity

And he says, is money the only reason you're not gonna do this? That stung. And he proceeded to write a check for $5,000, pass it across the table. And he said, want you to put that in your bank account and keep on praying. And when that runs out, if you need more to do what God wants you to do, let me know. That kind of giving, changes lives. Now you may not have $5,000, but so many people had a part in that. And, about six months later, we brought home my daughter from Uganda, Barbara. [00:48:57] (59 seconds)  #GenerosityBringsHome

Another time, our church was in a bit of a crisis. We were just we had just started. We moved to the middle school. We're paying $400 a month for it was the band room back there. I think it's a choir. I don't know what room it is. They changed. They moved us around. And there was only room for 60 people in there. And every once in a while, we were kind of running out of chairs and they don't let you put more in there because of fire code. And so we had people standing. And I was telling somebody and and they said, well, I'm gonna give you $9,000. I want you to move into the auditorium. [00:50:16] (35 seconds)  #ChurchGrowthThroughGiving

We negotiated down from there, but it wasn't much further down. And God began growing us. Giving really can transform lives for generations. I I this is how you know, like, got here because of people sacrificially giving. And even this space we're in here, First Baptist Wabasa was founded on this property in 1952, March 31. I know because I got to spend time with one of the founding members, Imogene Chatham, who passed away at a 100 years old last last year. And we we stand here getting to see people put their faith in Jesus and be baptized because of sacrificial giving seventy plus years ago. It's a big deal. [00:51:03] (54 seconds)  #LegacyOfGiving

But, like, they took all this food and loaded it up in two trucks and took it down to the ecumenical food pantry where the where the shelves were a bit bare, and it made a big impact. It's gonna continue making an impact with needy families in this area. Thank you for giving. And last year, we saw we made budget, like, for the twelve months. We made that's the first time in a that I can remember in a long time that we made budget. And so so I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but giving isn't a is the adulting of spiritual maturity. [00:53:12] (39 seconds)  #GivingFeedsCommunity

And I I wanna be careful how I say it because I'm not I'm not pulling people in a direction that God wouldn't want you to go. So when we talk about giving, I want you to do business with him and not just do what I say. I'm gonna tell you about giving from my own experience. Giving really is good. [00:53:51] (20 seconds)  #DoBusinessWithGod