GLOWING WITH THE MASTER (cover) DEMONSTRATING CHRIST IN EVERYDAY LIFE (sub-title on cover) GENEROSITY LIVING AS A GRACE GIVER The preaching and teaching ministry of Pastor Terry and Dr. Joye Warr
Creating a disciple culture where we love God, love each other and lovingly serve the world around us contents 6 Lesson 1 1 Understanding God s Expectation About Grace Giving Lesson 2 4 Understanding God s Expectation About Grace Giving (part 2) Lesson 3 6 Examining Hindrances to Grace Giving Lesson 4 8 Evidence of Grace Giving 11 Lesson 5 10 Encouragement for Grace Giving 15 Lesson 6 12 Expressions of Grace Giving
SPEAKS The only reason people chose money over GOD is that they have been overexposed to what money can do and underexposed to what GOD can do. Pastor Terry E. Warr Terry E. Warr, Senior Pastor
Lesson 1 Elim Christian Fellowship Understanding God s Expectations About Grace Giving Malachi 3:6-18 NIV 6 "I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7 Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the Lord Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?' 8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse the whole nation of you because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the Lord Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the Lord Almighty. 13 "You have said harsh things against me," says the Lord. "Yet you ask, 'What have we said against you?' 14 "You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? 15 But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.'" 16 Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. 17 "They will be mine," says the Lord Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. 18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not. I. What does God expect from us? 1. Heart Conditions a. b. c. Page 1
Elim Christian Fellowship II. How is that love expressed? III. What does obedience look like in the area of finances? 1. Quit Quit Claim Claim Deed Deed On, the Grantor(s) On, the Grantor(s) for the consideration of: Obedience in the area of finances conveys, releases and quit clams to for the consideration of: Obedience in the area of finances conveys, releases and quit clams to THE LORD GOD the THE LORD GOD the following described financial resources in the County of Guilford, State of following described financial resources in the County of Guilford, State of North Carolina: North Carolina: Legal Description: All earned income, businesses, gifts and any other financial earnings and/or possessions Legal Description: All earned income, businesses, gifts and any other financial earnings and/or acquired possessions during the Grantor's acquired life during time. the Grantor's life time. Grantor does hereby convey, release and quit claim all of the Grantor's rights, title and interest in and to Grantor does hereby convey, release and quit claim all of the Grantor's rights, title and interest the above in described and to the property above described and premises property to the and LORD premises GOD and to the to LORD JESUS GOD CHRIST and and to JESUS the HOLY CHRIST SPIRIT and and the HOLY SPIRIT and assigns forever, so that neither the Grantor(s) nor the Grantor's heirs, legal assigns forever, so that neither the Grantor(s) nor the Grantor's heirs, legal representatives or assigns shall have, representatives or assigns shall have, claim or demand any right or title to the property, claim or demand any right or title to the property, earnings, premises, or appurtenances, or any part thereof. earnings, premises, or appurtenances, or any part thereof. Signed this day Signature Witnessed by the FATHER, SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT 2. 3. Page 2
Elim Christian Fellowship IV. What does he call anything less than this? B. C. Additional Notes Page 3
Lesson 2 Elim Christian Fellowship Understanding God s Expectation About Grace Giving (part 2) Genesis 14:18-20 NIV 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. I. The History of Grace Giving Numbers 18:21-29 NIV 21 "I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting. 22 From now on the Israelites must not go near the Tent of Meeting, or they will bear the consequences of their sin and will die. 23 It is the Levites who are to do the work at the Tent of Meeting and bear the responsibility for offenses against it. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. They will receive no inheritance among the Israelites. 24 Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the Lord. That is why I said concerning them: 'They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.'" 25 The Lord said to Moses, 26 "Speak to the Levites and say to them: 'When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the Lord's offering. 27 Your offering will be reckoned to you as grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress. 28 In this way you also will present an offering to the Lord from all the tithes you receive from the Israelites. From these tithes you must give the Lord's portion to Aaron the priest. 29 You must present as the Lord's portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.' B. Page 4
Elim Christian Fellowship Deuteronomy 12:10-11 NIV 10 But you will cross the Jordan and settle in the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and he will give you rest from all your enemies around you so that you will live in safety. 11 Then to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to the Lord. C. Deuteronomy 14:28-29 NIV 28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. D. Exodus 25:1-2 NIV 1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 "Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give. Exodus 36:2-7 NIV 2 Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. 3 They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 4 So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done." 6 Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were restrained from bringing more, 7 because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work. Page 5
Lesson 3 Examining Hindrances to Grace Giving Deuteronomy 8:6-20 Elim Christian Fellowship 6 Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and revering him. 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; 8 a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; 9 a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. 10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. 16 He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. 17 You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. 19 If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. 20 Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God. I. What we learn from the Saints? A. B. C. D. Page 6
Elim Christian Fellowship E. F. G. II. What we learn from the text? B. C. Additional Notes Page 7
Lesson 4 Evidence of Grace Giving 2 Corinthians 8:1-13 NIV 1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5 And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will. 6 So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But just as you excel in everything in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us-see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 10 And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. 13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. Elim Christian Fellowship I. The Evidence We Find In the Text B. C. Page 8
Elim Christian Fellowship D. E. Additional Notes Page 9
Lesson 5 Encouragement for Grace Giving 2 Corinthians 9 NIV Elim Christian Fellowship 1 There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the saints. 2 For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 3 But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4 For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we not to say anything about you would be ashamed of having been so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given. 6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! Page 10
Elim Christian Fellowship I. How Paul Encourages Us in The Text B. 1. 2. C. D. E. Additional Notes Page 11
Lesson 6 Elim Christian Fellowship Expressions of Grace Giving 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 NIV 1 Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 3 Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me. I. What Paul Teaches Us Here? B. C. D. Additional Notes Page 12