### Summary
Welcome, everyone. Today, I want to start by asking a question: How many of you believe that the Bible is the infallible, inerrant, and verifiable Word of God? If you do, then you know you can trust God's Word entirely, 24/7, 365 days a year. This belief allows us to look at everything in Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, and say, "This is true; this is all that matters."
Proverbs 11:24 tells us that the wisdom of the world is not the wisdom of God, and God's wisdom always prevails. This truth is not just for individuals but for us as a church. Our church has always been missions-minded. Thirteen years ago, Pastor Bill came to this church, not even as an interim pastor but just to fill in for a couple of weeks. At that time, the church was struggling, with only about 12 people and a few hundred dollars in offerings. Despite the financial struggles, Pastor Bill insisted that 10% of the income be given to missions. This commitment has been faithfully upheld through the years, even during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, despite the uncertainties brought by COVID, our church saw an increase in giving compared to 2019. This is a testament to God's blessings, which I believe are a result of our faithful commitment to missions. Our church is founded on two pillars: prayer and missions. Last year, we decided to increase our tithe from 10% to 11%, and God has continued to bless us abundantly.
The Lord has been dealing with me about transitioning from being a missions-minded church to a missions-driven church. The first-century church was all about missions, and this is what fueled the worldwide movement of Christianity. The apostles were missionaries who took the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth, as instructed by Jesus in Acts 1:8.
Supporting missions is not just an opportunity but an obligation for the church. David Shibley, in his book "A Force in the Earth," states that any church not vitally involved in missions forfeits its biblical right to exist. This strong statement woke me up to the importance of missions. God was leading me to increase our missions giving, and I shared this with our church council. Initially, I thought about increasing our tithe to 20%, but after seeking God's will, we settled on 15%.
We made a formal resolution to tithe 15% to missions, and God has blessed us in ways we couldn't have imagined. Recently, someone came to me and gave a check for $45,000, which was more than the 4% increase we had committed to give. This was a clear sign that we were reaping generously because we had sown generously.
God's plan is always the best plan, and we must relentlessly pursue His will. This requires us to make a decision to choose God's way every time, even if it isn't our first choice. The best advice I can offer is to relentlessly pursue the will of God, and you will find it. This formula will never fail you.
In a recent church council meeting, we decided to pray about increasing our missions giving. After a powerful time of prayer, we unanimously agreed to increase our tithe to 15%. This decision was confirmed by the presence of the Holy Spirit, and we felt a strong sense of peace and clarity.
God has been asking me a simple yet profound question: "Do you trust me?" This question is not just for me but for all of us. Do you trust God with your family, health, career, and everything else in your life? The more we trust Him, the more we will see His blessings and favor in our lives. Trusting God requires us to surrender everything to Him, knowing that He will never leave us or forsake us.
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Key Takeaways
- 1. standing commitment to missions, even during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite uncertainties, our giving increased in 2020 compared to 2019. This is a testament to God's blessings, which I believe are a result of our faithful commitment to missions. Our church is founded on two pillars: prayer and missions. [05:41]
3. Transitioning to a Missions-Driven Church: The first-century church was all about missions, and this is what fueled the worldwide movement of Christianity. The apostles were missionaries who took the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Supporting missions is not just an opportunity but an obligation for the church.
4. Relentlessly Pursuing God's Will: God's plan is always the best plan, and we must relentlessly pursue His will. This requires us to make a decision to choose God's way every time, even if it isn't our first choice. The best advice I can offer is to relentlessly pursue the will of God, and you will find it. This formula will never fail you.
5. Trusting God Completely: God has been asking me a simple yet profound question: "Do you trust me?" This question is not just for me but for all of us. Do you trust God with your family, health, career, and everything else in your life? The more we trust Him, the more we will see His blessings and favor in our lives. Trusting God requires us to surrender everything to Him, knowing that He will never leave us or forsake us.
### [05:41]
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