HOW YOU DOING, ROCK CHURCH. I AM SPENDING QUALITY WITH
FAMILY, AND I HAVE A GREAT MESSAGE FROM ROBERT MORRIS, FROM
DALLAS. HE HAS WRITTEN 14 BOOKS, AND
ANOINTED TEACHER AND WELL RECEIVED LAST YEAR AND I WANT TO
SHARE HIS POWERFUL TEACHING GIFT, I KNOW THAT YOU WILL ENJOY
IT. NEXT WEEK IS FATHER'S DAY AND I
WILL BE BACK IN THE PULPIT, AND GOD BLESS YOU AND ENJOY THE
SERVICE AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEK AT FATHER'S DAY. OKAY, I AM GOING TO USE THE
MICROPHONE, BUT THEY DIDN'T BRING ME A HANDKERCHIEF, SO I
WOULDN'T LOOK PENTECOSTAL, SORRY. I AM GLAD TO BE HERE, AND MY
WIFE IS NAMED DEBBIE, SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT DEBBIE, THAT'S MY
WIFE. DEBBIE AND I LOVE PASTOR MILES
AND DEBBIE. AND WE HAVE BEEN GOOD FRIENDS
FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW AND I KNOW THIS COULD GO WITHOUT SAYING. BUT I WANT TO SAY IT. I TRAVEL QUITE A BIT. I SPEAK IN LOTS OF CHURCHES. AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, YOU
ARE EXTREMELY BLESSED TO HAVE PASTOR MILES MCPHERSON AS YOUR
PASTOR. YOU ARE EXTREMELY BLESSED. [APPLAUSE] AND PASTOR MILES HAS BEEN AT
GATEWAY. SO I AM GLAD TO BE HERE. JUST SO YOU KNOW A LITTLE ABOUT
ME. MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN MARRIED
TODAY IS OUR ANNIVERSARY, 35 YEARS. [APPLAUSE] SO --
35 YEARS. NOW I KNOW -- I KNOW WHAT YOU
ARE THINKING. AND YES, IT WAS THE BIGGEST, OUR
WEDDING WAS THE BIGGEST EVENT OF THE FIFTH GRADE. YES, WE GOT MARRIED YOUNG. WE HAVE THREE GROWN AND MARRIED
CHILDREN. AND WE HAVE SIX GRANDCHILDREN,
BY THE WAY. NOW THE REASON I SAY GROWN AND
MARRIED. SOME OF YOU KNOW, SOME OF YOU
DON'T. THE REASON I SAY THAT OUR
CHILDREN ARE GROWN AND MARRIED. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT
MEANS. LET ME EXPLAIN IT TO YOU. THAT MEANS THAT DEBBIE AND I ARE
NOW WEALTHY. BECAUSE THEY ARE OUT OF OUR
HOUSE. SO -- AND WE LOVE OUR KIDS BUT
THANK GOD THEY ARE GONE. SO -- AND GRANDKIDS BY THE WAY,
GRANDKIDS ARE BETTER THAN KIDS, DID YOU KNOW THAT? YEAH, LET ME TELL YOU, GRANDKIDS
ARE GOD'S GIFT TO YOU FOR NOT KILLING YOUR CHILDREN. SO THE NEXT TIME YOU FEEL LIKE
KIND OF -- JUST HOLD ON, THERE IS A BETTER ONE COMING ALONG. AND THEN YOU CAN SEND HIM HOME
HYPED UP WITH SUGAR TO DRIVE HIS PARENTS CRAZY. IT'S A WONDERFUL THING GOD HAS. I ACTUALLY BROUGHT A PICTURE OF
MY FAMILY, YOU SEE MY TWO SONS AND TWO DAUGHTER-IN-LAWS AND A
DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW, NOW YOU MIGHT NOTICE THAT MY SON-IN-LAW
-- LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THE REST OF US. HE'S TALLER. HE'S TALLER. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT VERY EASILY. ACTUALLY, YOU CAN SEE THEY HAVE
ANOTHER DAUGHTER NOW. BUT THAT'S THEIR DAUGHTER, ADY. AND PEOPLE STOP THEM ALL THE
TIME. SHE'S BEAUTIFUL. IT'S AMAZING TO ME HOW PEOPLE OF
DARKER SKIN WANT LIGHTER SKIN, AND PEOPLE OF LIGHTER SKIN WANT
DARKER SKIN. AND I TELL THEM THAT OUR
GRANDDAUGHTER WAS LEFT IN THE OVEN JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF
TIME, SHE'S BEAUTIFUL. AND THAT'S MY FAMILY AND PROUD
TO TALK ABOUT THIS LOVE LANGUAGE OF GIVING. TURN TO EXODUS 13. YOU KNOW GOD HAS GIVEN US THESE
FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES AND OBVIOUSLY GOD HAS ALL FIVE AND
WE NEED TO MOVE IN ALL FIVE BUT ONE MORE PRIMARY FOR YOU. AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
LOVE LANGUAGE OF GIVING. AND I WANT TO BRING IT FROM A
PERSPECTIVE YOU HAVEN'T HEARD. IT'S A PRINCIPLE ALL THROUGH THE
SCRIPTURE WITH GOD, AND IT'S CALLED THE PRINCIPLE OF FIRST. WHEN YOU GIVE, YOU ARE PUTTING
THAT PERSON FIRST IN YOUR LIFE. SO I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT
THIS. EXODUS 13, LOOK AT VERSE 1, IT
SAYS... THEN THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSES,
SAYING, "CONSECRATE TO ME ALL THE FIRSTBORN, WHATEVER OPENS
THE WOMB AMONG THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, BOTH OF MAN AND BEAST;
IT IS MINE." NOW I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THAT
PHRASE VERY CAREFULLY, IT IS MINE. I DON'T HAVE THE WORDS TO
ADEQUATELY DESCRIBE TO YOU HOW EMPHATIC THIS PHRASE IS IN THE
HEBREWS LANGUAGE. HE SAYS IT BELONGS TO ME. IT IS MY PROPERTY. IT IS MINE. IT IS MY PROPERTY AND HE IS
SPEAKING OF THE FIRST HERE. AND THEN LOOK AT VERSE 12, SAME
CHAPTER. ...THAT YOU SHALL SET APART TO
THE LORD ALL THAT OPEN THE WOMB, THAT IS EVERY FIRSTBORN THAT
COMES FROM AN ANIMAL WHICH YOU HAVE; THE MALES SHALL BE THE
LORD'S. AGAIN VERY SIMILAR WORDING IN
THE HEBREW, BELONG TO GOD. BUT EVERY FIRST BORN OF A DONKEY
YOU SHALL REDEEM WITH A LAMB; AND IF YOU WILL NOT REDEEM IT,
THEN YOU SHALL BREAK IT'S NECK. IN OTHER WORDS YOU ARE GOING TO
LOSE IT ANYWAY. AND ALL THE FIRSTBORN OF MAN
AMONG YOUR SONS YOU SHALL REDEEM. NOW I KNOW THIS IS VERY OLD
TESTAMENTY. BUT EVERYTHING IN THE OLD
TESTAMENT POINTS TO JESUS. I WANT TO GIVE YOU THROUGH
PRINCIPLES ABOUT THE LOVE LANGUAGE OF GIVING. IF YOU ARE TALKING NOTES, WRITE
THESE DOWN. IF YOU ARE NOT TAKING NOTES,
WRITE THESE DOWN. THE FIRSTBORN MUST BE SACRIFICED
OR REDEEMED. THAT'S WHAT WE JUST READ, BUT
HERE'S THE QUESTION. HOW DO YOU THINK WHICH? HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU SACRIFICE
OR REDEEM? GOD GIVES US TO TWO ANIMALS THAT
ARE EXEMPLARY OF TWO CATEGORIES OF ANIMALS. A DONKEY AND LAMB. AND A DONKEY REPRESENTS UNCLEAN
ANIMALS AND LAMB CLEAN. HE IS SAYING IF YOU ARE A CLEAN
ANIMAL AS A FIRSTBORN, YOU MUST SACRIFICE IT. IF YOUR UNCLEAN ANIMAL HAS A
FIRSTBORN, IT MUST BE REDEEMED WITH THE SACRIFICE OF A CLEAN. I WILL SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME. BECAUSE IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT
AND YOU WILL UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IN A MOMENT. IF YOUR CLEAN ANIMAL HAS A
FIRSTBORN, IT HAS TO BE SACRIFICED. IF AN UNCLEAN ANIMAL HAS A
FIRSTBORN, IT HAS TO BE REDEEMED WITH THE SACRIFICE OF A CLEAN. AGAIN WHAT IN THE WORLD WOULD
THAT MEAN TO US TODAY? WELL, EVERYTHING AGAIN IN THIS
BOOK POINTS TO JESUS CHRIST IN SOME WAY. SO I WANT TO ASK YOU TWO
QUESTIONS. AND I WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND
CLEAN AND UNCLEAN. THINK ABOUT THIS. WERE YOU AND I WHEN WE WERE BORN
ON THIS EARTH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
AND ABOUT OUR HOLINESS AND SINFULNESS. WERE YOU AND I BORN CLEAN OR
UNCLEAN? UNCLEAN, RIGHT, WE WERE BORN IN
SIN. THE WAY TO PROVE THIS, ASK THE
EXPERTS IN THE ROOM, THE PARENTS. ONE QUESTION, DID YOU HAVE TO
TEACH YOUR CHILDREN TO BE BAD? OR DID IT COME NATURALLY FOR
THEM? YOU SEE WE HAVE TO TEACH OUR
CHILDREN TO BE GOOD. IS THAT RIGHT? OKAY, SO WE'RE ALL BORN UNCLEAN. OKAY, WAS JESUS BORN UNCLEAN OR
CLEAN? OKAY, LISTEN, LISTEN -- THE
CLEAN HAD TO BE SACRIFICED. SO THAT THE UNCLEAN COULD BE
REDEEMED. THAT'S WHAT WE JUST READ. THAT'S WHAT THAT PRINCIPLE IS
TALKING ABOUT. AND IT'S A PRINCIPLE THAT RUNS
THROUGH SCRIPTURE. HERE'S WHAT GOD IS SAYING, I
GIVE ME THE FIRST ONE AND THE REST REDEEMED. IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN YOUR SHEEP
HAS A LAMB, DON'T WAIT UNTIL YOU HAVE 10 LAMBS AND GIVE ME ONE,
AND GIVE ME THE ONE THAT GETS IN YOUR GARDEN. HE DIDN'T SAY THAT. HE SAID, GIVE ME THE FIRST ONE. WHY? BECAUSE IT TAKES FAITH TO GIVE
THE FIRST ONE. THAT'S WHAT TITHING IS, IT'S THE
FIRST 10%, NOT THE LAST 10%. IT DOESN'T TAKE FAITH TO GIVE
YOUR LAST 10%, IT TAKES FAITH TO GIVE BEFORE YOU PAY THE BILLS. GOD WANTS TO SEE IF YOU ARE
GOING TO PUT ME IN FIRST PLACE. THIS IS ALL THROUGH SCRIPTURE. AND SO MANY TIMES WE
MISUNDERSTAND. AND HERE'S THE NUMBER ONE REASON
THAT PEOPLE SAY FOR NOT TITHING. THEY SAY, PASTOR, I CAN'T AFFORD
TO TITHE. PLEASE HEAR ME, YOU WILL NEVER
BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO TITHE. BECAUSE TITHING IS WHAT REMOVES
THE CURSE. AND OPENS THE WINDOWS. AND GOD IS NOT THE ONE CURSING
YOU. YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, WHEN THE
BIBLE TALKS ABOUT A CURSE, YOU ARE CURSED WITH A CURSE BECAUSE
YOU HAVE NOT BROUGHT THE TITHES TO THE STOREHOUSE. GOD IS NOT THE ONE CURSING US. WE LIVE IN A CURSED WORLD. HE WANTS TO REMOVE OR REDEEM OUR
FINANCES OUT FROM UNDER THE CURSE. AND WE DO THAT BY HONORING HIM
WITH THE FIRST. YOU KNOW WHEN YOU SAW A PICTURE
OF MY SON-IN-LAW AND DAUGHTER THERE. WHEN MY SON-IN-LAW CAME TO ME
ABOUT DATING MY DAUGHTER. THE FIRST TIME I EVER MET HIM, I
REMEMBER WHEN I SHOOK HIS HAND, I THOUGHT WHY COULDN'T MY
DAUGHTER BE INTERESTED IN A PERSON LIKE THIS. I COULD SENSE HIS CHARACTER. AND THEN SHE WAS INTRODUCING ME
BECAUSE OF THAT. AND WE TALKED ABOUT PRINCIPLES
AND GUIDELINES AND SHOWED HIM MY GUN COLLECTION -- NORMAL THINGS
LIKE THAT. AND HE DID EVERYTHING RIGHT AND
FOLLOWED ALL THE PRINCIPLES. RIGHT AFTER I GAVE ME PERMISSION
FOR THEM TO BEGIN DATING. THEY WERE STANDING IN FRONT OF
THE CHURCH AFTER A YOUNG ADULT SERVICE. AND EIGHT OR NINE OF THEM
TALKING, AND IT WAS ELAINE AND ETHAN -- THAT'S HIS NAME. AND JUST DATING AND TELLING
JOKES WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO DATE THE PASTOR'S DAUGHTER. AND ONE GIRL SAID, YOUR DAD IS
SO STRONG ON TITHING I BET HE CHECKS THE TITHING RECORDS OF
THE GUYS THAT WANT TO DATE YOU. AND MY DAUGHTER SAID, HE DOES
AND I DID. I HAVE A SIMPLE QUESTION FOR
YOU. WHY WOULD I GIVE MY DAUGHTER TO
A THIEF? AND THOSE AREN'T MY WORDS. IF THAT OFFENDS YOU, THAT'S NOT
MY WORDS, GOD SAID YOU ROBBED FROM ME. HE USED THE SAME WORD ABOUT
FIRSTBORN, IT'S MINE, IT BELONGS TO ME. HERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION, WHY
WOULD I GIVE MY DAUGHTER TO A MAN THAT CAN'T EVEN HANDLE
MONEY. IF HE CAN'T HANDLE MONEY, HE
DEFINITELY CAN'T HANDLE MY DAUGHTER. BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER IS A
HANDFUL. I FEEL SO STRONGLY ABOUT THIS,
THE BIBLE SAYS BRINGS THE TITHE INTO THE STOREHOUSE, IT'S THE
ONLY PLACE IN THE BIBLE THAT GOD SAYS TEST ME. AND SEE IF I WILL NOT OPEN FOR
YOU THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN. AND POUR OUT SUCH BLESSING NOT
ENOUGH ROOM TO RECEIVE IT. AND -- AND -- THAT'S KIND OF
LIKE, IF YOU CALL RIGHT NOW... AND I WILL REBUKE THE DEVOURER
FOR YOUR SAKES. WOW! GOD IS GOING TO REBUKE SATAN FOR
ME IF I TITHE. HEY, JUST FROM A BUSINESS
STANDPOINT THAT'S A GOOD DEAL FOR 10%. AND THAT'S NOT HARD TO FIGURE
OUT. LISTEN, I FELT SO STRONGLY ABOUT
THIS FOR YEARS, I TOLD OUR WHOLE CHURCH YOU TITHE FOR ONE YEAR. AND IF YOU ARE NOT FULLY
SATISFIED AT THE END OF THAT YEAR, I WILL GIVE YOU YOUR MONEY
BACK. BECAUSE I AM STANDING ON GOD'S
WORD. IT'S SIMPLE TO SAY THAT. I FEEL SO STRONGLY RIGHT NOW, I
WILL TELL YOU, YOU TITHE TO THE ROCK CHURCH FOR A FULL YEAR AND
IF YOU ARE NOT FULLY SATISFIED FOR ONE YEAR, PASTOR MILES WILL
GIVE YOU YOUR MONEY BACK -- SORRY, SORRY, IT'S BEEN A JOY
BEING WITH YOU. THE ONE AND ONLY TIME I WILL BE
AT THE ROCK CHURCH. ALL RIGHT, NUMBER ONE SHALL BE
SACRIFICED OR REDEEMED. THE SECOND, THE FIRSTFRUITS MUST
BE OFFERED. PROVERBS 3 -- YOU CAN STAY IN
EXODUS BECAUSE WE WILL COME BACK TO IT. PROVERBS 3:9-10, HONOR THE LORD
WITH YOUR POSSESSIONS AND WITH THE FIRSTFRUITS OF ALL YOUR
INCREASE, SO YOUR BARNS WILL BE FILLED WITH PLENTY AND YOUR VATS
WILL OVERFLOW WITH THE NEW WINE. EXODUS 23:19, THE FIRST OF THE
FIRST FRUITS OF YOUR LAND YOU SHALL BRING INTO THE HOUSE OF
THE LORD YOUR GOD. WE GIVE TO THE MISSIONARIES BUT
THAT'S OVER THE TITHE. THE TITHE BROUGHT INTO THE HOUSE
OF THE LORD. I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THE WORD
BRING. GOD NEVER USES THE WORD GIVE,
BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GIVE WHAT DOESN'T BELONG TO YOU. YOU CAN BRING IT OR STEAL IT. THOSE ARE YOUR ONLY TWO CHOICES. YOU BRING IT TO GOD'S HOUSE OR
YOU STEAL IT. AND AGAIN THE WORD STEAL, THAT'S
THE WORD THAT GOD USES. THIS PRINCIPLE IS SCRIPTURE,
GOING INTO THE PROMISED LAND, BRING ALL OF THE SILVER AND GOLD
FROM JERICHO, WHY DID HE SAY THAT? IT'S SIMPLE. BECAUSE JERICHO IS THE FIRST
CITY. HE IS SAYING, YOU BRING THE
FIRST ONE TO ME, I WILL REDEEM THE REST. HE DIDN'T SAY CAPTURE 10 CITIES
BUT BRING ME THE FIRST AND YOU CAN HAVE THE REST. WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE, ONE OF
THE STUDENTS ASKED A PROFESSOR, WHY DID GOD ACCEPT ABEL'S
OFFERING AND DIDN'T ACCEPT CAIN'S. AND THE PROFESSOR WAS HONEST AND
SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW, BUT WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, IT'S
SIMPLE. GENESIS 4:3-5, IN THE PROCESS OF
TIME -- THOSE WORDS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. IN THE PROCESS OF TIME IT CAME
TO PASS THAT CAIN BROUGHT AN OFFERING OF THE FRUIT OF THE
GROUND TO THE LORD. NOTICE THAT IT NEVER SAYS FIRST
FRUIT. ABEL BROUGHT OF THE FIRSTBORN OF
HIS FLOCK AND OF THEIR FAT, AND THE LORD RESPECTED, AND THAT
WORD CAN BE TRANSLATED TO RECEIVE ABEL AND HIS OFFERING
BUT DID NOT RESPECT CAIN AND HIS OFFERING. SEE HOW SIMPLE. IT'S EASY. ABEL IS A RANCHER AND BRINGS
FIRSTBORN. CAIN IS A FARMER AND DOESN'T
BRING FIRSTFRUITS. HE GAVE WHAT HE WANTED. ISN'T IT AMAZING HOW CHRISTIANS
SAY THAT. I GIVE AS I FELL LED. GOD TOLD US HOW TO GIVE. WHAT DO YOU MEAN AS YOU FEEL
LED. DO YOU LOVE YOUR WIFE AS YOU
FEEL LED. IT'S NOT AS WE FEEL LED. AND WE RETURN THE FIRST 10%. CAIN DOESN'T BRING FIRSTFRUITS,
AND GOD DOESN'T ACCEPT IT. NOT THAT WE DOESN'T, HE CAN'T. HE CAN'T ACCEPT IT BECAUSE IT
WASN'T A FIRST OFFERING. LET ME EXPLAIN ABOUT THIS, THIS
IS THEOLOGICAL, THERE ARE THINGS THAT GOD CAN'T DO. IF YOU STUDY THE ATTRIBUTES. AND WHAT I MEAN, GOD IS
SOVEREIGN AND THAT HE CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS. THAT IS NOT WHAT SOVEREIGN
MEANS. GOD CAN NEVER ACT OUTSIDE OF HIS
CHARACTER. GOD IS TRUTH. THEREFORE HE CANNOT LIE. THE BIBLE SAYS STRAIGHT UP, GOD
CAN'T LIE. HE CAN'T LIE. NOT JUST BECAUSE HE TELLS THE
TRUTH, BUT HE IS TRUTH. LET ME GIVE YOU A FEW MORE
THINGS THAT GOD CAN'T DO. GOD CAN'T CHANGE. THIS IS CALLED THE IMMUTABILITY
OF GOD. GOD CAN'T CHANGE. AND HERE'S THE REASON, GOD CAN'T
CHANGE, BECAUSE IF GOD COULD CHANGE, HE COULD GET BETTER, AND
HE CAN'T GET BETTER BECAUSE HE'S BEST. SO HE CAN NEVER GET BETTER. GOD CAN'T CHANGE. HE'S PERFECT JUST LIKE HE IS. AND LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING
ELSE THAT GOD CAN'T DO. THIS ONE WILL SHOCK YOU A LITTLE
BIT. BUT I WILL EXPLAIN IT. GOD CAN'T THINK THE WAY YOU
THINK. LISTEN TO ME CAREFULLY. GOD CAN'T THINK THE WAY YOU
THINK. THIS IS CALLED THE OMNISCIENCE
OF GOD. OMNI MEANS KNOWLEDGE AND
SCIENCE. GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING AT THE SAME
TIME. IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE
BIT THIS WEEK, YOU WILL TRIP A BREAKER. I PROMISE YOU, IT WILL BLOW YOU
AWAY HOW SMART GOD IS. THINK ABOUT THIS, THE REASON
THAT GOD CAN'T THINK THE WAY THAT WE THINK, BECAUSE WE THINK
TO FIGURE THINGS OUT. THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MOMENT. HE'S NOT TRYING TO FIGURE
ANYTHING OUT, GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING AT THE SAME TIME. LET ME STAY IT ANOTHER WAY. NOTHING HAS EVER OCCURRED TO
GOD. GOD HAS NEVER SAID, YOU KNOW
WHAT I JUST THOUGHT OF? I JUST THOUGHT OF SOMETHING I
NEVER THOUGHT OF BEFORE. HE'S NEVER SAID THAT. BECAUSE GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING AT
THE SAME TIME. WHEN I SAY A MOMENT AGO, GOD
CAN'T THINK THE WAY WE THINK. YOU MIGHT HAVE REMEMBERED A
SCRIPTURE. WELL, THAT SCRIPTURE PROVES
THIS. THIS IS CORRECT THEOLOGY BY THE
WAY, HERE'S WHAT THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT YOUR
THOUGHTS. AND LET ME SAY IT A DIFFERENT
WAY, THERE ARE THINGS THAT GOD CAN'T DO. AND BRING THIS BACK TO WHY GOD
COULD NOT ACCEPT CAIN'S OFFERING BECAUSE IT WASN'T FIRST. AND HERE'S SOMETHING GOD CAN'T
DO, GOD CAN'T BE SECOND. HE CAN'T BE. IF THERE IS A BLANK IN YOUR
NOTES, PREEMINENT OF GOD. PRE, MEANS BEFORE AND FIRST. AND SO GOD CAN NEVER BE SECOND. WE USE THE ANALOGY, WE SHOULD
PUT GOD FIRST IN OUR LIVES. YES, WE SHOULD, THAT'S A GOOD
ANALOGY. BUT I NEED TO TELL YOU
SOMETHING. IF GOD IS NOT FIRST IN YOUR
LIFE, HE'S STILL FIRST IN THE UNIVERSE. BECAUSE HE'S NOT FIRST IN YOUR
LIFE, YOU DIDN'T MOVE HIS ORDER IN THE UNIVERSE. THE REASON THAT GOD COULD NOT
ACCEPT CAIN'S OFFERING, BECAUSE IT WASN'T FIRST. GOD IS FIRST. HE'S ALWAYS FIRST. AND IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK GOD'S
LOVE LANGUAGE, YOU PUT GOD FIRST IN YOUR LIFE. THAT'S HOW YOU SPEAK GOD'S LOVE
LANGUAGE. THE FIRSTBORN MUST BE SACRIFICED
OR REDEEMED. FIRSTFRUITS MUST BE OFFERED. NUMBER 3, THE TITHE MUST BE
FIRST. THE TITHE MUST BE FIRST. AND BY THE WAY, TITHE COMES FROM
A HEBREW WORD, I COULD PRONOUNCE IT BUT IF I DO, I HAVE TO SPIT
WHEN I PRONOUNCE IT. BUT IT'S A HEBREW WORD THAT
MEANS TENTH. THE TENTH PART, IT'S NOT THE
TENTH PART BUT THE FIRST TENTH. WHAT THE BIBLE REFERS TO. LET ME READ THE SCRIPTURE,
LEVITICUS 27:30. ALL THE TITHE OF THE LAND, ALL
OF IT, WHETHER THE SEED OF THE LAND OR THE FRUIT OF THE TREE IS
THE LORD'S. THERE IT IS AGAIN, IT BELONGS TO
GOD. IT'S HIS PROPERTY. IT'S HOLY -- THAT'S A BIG WORD
FOR SET APART OR SET ASIDE TO THE LORD. LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. AND THIS IS A MATH EXAMPLE. SO TO HALF OF YOU, I AM SORRY. OKAY. I KNOW THAT ABOUT HALF OF US
LIKE MATH AND HALF OF US DON'T LIKE MATH. I LIKE MATH. MY FATHER IS ACTUALLY A
MATHEMATICAL GENIUS. TOTALLY. AND I HAVE A SON WHO IS A
MATHEMATICAL GENIUS, APPARENTLY IT SKIPS A GENERATION. BUT MY SON WHEN HE TOOK HIS
COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM WAS IN THE TOP 1% OF THE TOP 1% IN ADVANCED
COLLEGE ALGEBRA, IN ENTRANCE EXAM, JUST SO FAR PAST EVERYONE. AND MY SON AND MY FATHER DID
ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSION PROBLEMS OVER THE PHONE IN THEIR HEADS. AND THEY DID IT FOR FUN. SO I AM NOT A MATHEMATICAL
GENIUS BUT RANDOM NUMBERS ADD UP IN MY MIND, HAPPENS LIKE THAT. DEBBIE AND I WERE IN THE STORE
AND BUYING SOMETHING FOR 7.99, AND LADY SAID I HAVE TO ADD THE
TAX ON THE CALCULATOR BECAUSE THE CASH REGISTER IS BROKEN. I SAID, IT'S 66 CENTS. AND SHE LOOKED AT ME A MOMENT
AND THEN DID THE CALCULATOR, IT'S 66 CENTS. OKAY, THANK YOU. AND I PAID THAT. AND WE GOT IN THE CAR AND DEBBIE
SAID TO ME, HOW DO YOU DO THAT? NOW I THOUGHT SHE WAS ACTUALLY
ASKING ME HOW DO YOU DO IT? I FOUND OUT LATER SHE DOESN'T
CARE. SO I SAID TO HER, I SAID, WELL,
SUGAR OUR TAX RATE IS 8.25, AND THAT IS CLOSE THAT 8 AND -- THAT
SHOULD HAPPEN IN LESS THAN A SECOND IN YOUR MIND. SHE SAID, IT DOESN'T. BUT I DO KNOW WHAT 25% OFF
MEANS. SO AGAIN LIKE A MAN, I AM STILL
THINKING NUMBERS. OKAY, IF YOU ARE BUYING
SOMETHING FOR $100 AND IT'S 25% OFF, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SHE SAID, IT MEANS IT'S A GOOD
DEAL. AND THEN SHE SAID, AND IF IT'S
50% OFF, IT'S FREE. [LAUGHTER] WHAT? SHE SAID, YEAH, LIKE I'M THE
IDIOT. LIKE -- SHE SAID, IF IT'S 50%
OFF, ROBERT, IT'S THE SAME THING AS BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE. SO IT'S FREE. AND IF IT'S 75% OFF, SHE SAID,
YOU ARE MAKING MONEY. WHICH EXPLAINS SOME DIFFICULTIES
WE HAVE HAD THROUGH THE YEARS WITH OUR CHECK BOOK. BUT --- OKAY, SO THE POINT IS I
AM GOING TO GIVE YOU A MATH EXAMPLE, BUT IT WON'T LAST LONG,
OKAY. SO LET'S SAY THAT YOU OWN A
LANDSCAPE COMPANY AND I ASKED YOU TO COME OVER AND DO SOME
TREES AND SHRUBS AND THINGS, YOU KNOW. AND SO YOU SAY, PASTOR ROBERT,
IT WILL COST THIS MUCH IN MATERIALS AND THIS MUCH IN LABOR
AND MY PROFIT IS $1,000, THIS IS THE TOTAL PRICE, ARE YOU
AGREEABLE TO THAT. AND I SAY I AM AGREEABLE. SO YOU DO IT AND I PAY FOR THE
MATERIALS AND LABOR AND ALL THAT, AND I GIVE YOU 10, $100
BILLS. SO YOU HAVE $1,000 IN YOUR HAND. THIS IS THE MATH PART -- WON'T
LAST LONG, AND THE TITHE IS 10%. SO YOU HAVE 10, $100 BILLS AND
THE TITHE IS 10%. SO YOU HAVE THOUSAND DOLLARS AND
IT'S $100. WHICH IS THE TITHE? THE FIRST ONE, YOU ARE
LISTENING. HOW DO YOU KNOW WHICH IS THE
FIRST ONE, LISTEN TO ME CAREFULLY. IT'S THE FIRST ONE TO LEAVE YOUR
HAND. THAT'S THE FIRST ONE. FOR INSTANCE, YOU GO HOME AND
SAY, I SET ASIDE SOME FOR THE MORTGAGE AND FOOD AND CLOTHES,
AND HERE'S GOD'S PART. THAT'S NOT GOD'S PART. YOU GAVE GOD'S PART TO THE
MORTGAGE COMPANY AND THE MORTGAGE COMPANY DOESN'T HAVE
THE POWER TO BLESS YOUR FINANCES. BUT GOD DOES. AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS MANY
TIMES, I SET ASIDE FOR THIS AND THIS, AND OH, THERE IS NOT
ENOUGH LEFT OVER FOR GOD. CAN I TELL YOU SOMETHING
SWEETLY. HE WOULD NOT RECEIVE IT ANYWAY,
OUR GOD DOES NOT RECEIVE THE LEFT OVERS. HE RECEIVES THE FIRST. HE SAID THAT, YOU BRING ME THE
LAME, THE BLIND AND THE CRIPPLE, I DON'T RECEIVE IT. HE CAN'T RECEIVE IT, HE'S A GOD
OF FIRST. HERE'S THE WAY I DO IT, I GET
PAID ON THE 15th AND 30th, AND DIRECT DEPOSITED IN MY ACCOUNT. SO ON THE 15th AND 30th, I DO
BANKING ONLINE, LIKE YOU AND I GO ONLINE AND IMMEDIATELY SEND
THE TITHE TO THE CHURCH. IMMEDIATELY. FOR DEBBIE AND I ARE A DOUBLE
TITHE, I DON'T SAY THAT TO BRAG, BUT SOMETHING THAT GOD STARTED
IN OUR LIVES IN 1994. WE SEND 20%, THAT'S WHAT WE FEEL
LED. THAT'S TO THE CHURCH, WE GIVE
OVER THAT TO OTHER THINGS, UNIVERSITIES AND THINGS. AND WHAT HAPPENS THOUGH IF I
HAVE A BUSY DAY AND I FORGET. MAYBE I DON'T HAVE MY QUIET TIME
THAT DAY. MAYBE -- YOU KNOW, PASTORS ALSO
DO, BUT MAYBE SOMETIMES I DON'T. AND I RUSH OUT AND HAVE MEETINGS
ALL DAY AND I COME HOME AND I THINK, OH, IT'S THE 15th I GOT
PAID TODAY. I GO ONLINE AND I NOTICED THAT
DEBBIE HAS GONE TO THE GROCERY STORE THAT DAY. I DON'T SAY TO HER, THAT'S
GREAT, SUGAR, WE'RE CURSED. FOR TWO MORE WEEKS WE ARE CURSED
BECAUSE YOU GAVE THE FIRST PART OF OUR BANK ACCOUNT TO KROGERS. I DON'T DO THAT, BECAUSE I AM
NOT LEGALISTIC ABOUT IT. AND LISTEN, GOD IS NOT
LEGALISTIC. I AM TELLING YOU ABOUT A
PRINCIPLE THAT WAS WAY BEFORE THE LAW. CAIN AND ABEL IS 2500 YEARS
BEFORE THE LAW. ABRAHAM TITHED 500 YEARS BEFORE
THE LAW, AND JACOB TITHED. IT'S ALL THROUGH SCRIPTURE. AND JESUS SAID YOU OUGHT TO
TITHE. MATTHEW 23:23, IT'S IN RED,
OKAY, I GOT YOU, IT'S IN RED. JESUS SAID YOU TITHE OF ALL OF
THESE BUT YOU NEGLECT THE WEIGHTIER MATTERS OF THE LAW. AND THIS HE SAID, YOU OUGHT TO
TITHE BUT DON'T NEGLECT THE OTHER. THAT'S NEW TESTAMENT. AND HEBREWS SAYS THAT HE
RECEIVES OUR TITHES. JESUS HIMSELF. SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO
MAKE IT ABOUT BEING UNDER THE LAW OR SOMETHING. PLEASE HEAR ME, I PROMISE YOU,
YOU ARE SPEAKING GOD'S LOVE LANGUAGE WHEN YOU GIVE, THAT'S
GOD'S LOVE. YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT GOD'S LOVE
LANGUAGE VERSE IS, IT'S THE MOST FAMOUS VERSE IN THE BIBLE, GOD
SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE. AND GOD SPEAKS IN ALL LOVE
LONGS, HE SPEAKS WORDS OF AFFIRMATION, BUT ONE OF HIS LOVE
LANGUAGES IS GIVING. HE WANTS HIS CHILDREN TO OPERATE
IN GIVING. HE WANTS US TO BE GIVERS. YOU ARE HAPPIEST AS A GIVER. LET ME GO BACK TO EXODUS 13,
THIS IS TALKING ABOUT GIVING THE FIRSTBORN. VERSE 14 SAYS, SO IT SHOULD
SHALL BE WHEN YOUR SON ASKED YOU IN TIME TO COME SAYING WHAT IS
THIS? IN OTHER WORDS, WHY ARE YOU
KILLING THESE ANIMALS. YOU SHALL SAY TO HIM, BY
STRENGTH OF HAND THE LORD BROUGHT US OUT OF EGYPT, OUT OF
THE HOUSE OF BONDAGE. AND IT CAME TO PASS WHEN PHARAOH
WAS STUBBORN TO LET US GO, THAT THE LORD KILLED ALL FIRSTBORN IN
THE LAND, BOTH THE FIRSTBORN OF MAN AND OF BEAST. THEREFORE I SACRIFICE ALL MALES
THAT OPEN THE WOMB, BUT FOR ALL THE FIRSTBORN OF MY SONS I
REDEEM. THINK ABOUT THIS, THE SHEEP IS
HAVING THE FIRST LAMB, GREAT. AND THEY GO OUT AND THE FATHER
GRABS THE BUTCHER KNIFE, AND GO TO THE BARN AND GATHER AROUND --
OH, LOOK, HE'S SO SWEET. LOOK, HIM STANDING UP. HIM STANDING UP. AND THEN THE FATHER GRABS THIS
LAMB BY THE BACK LEGS AND TAKES THIS KNIFE AND CUTS HIS THROAT. AND THIS LITTLE BOY IS WATCHING
THIS. SO YOU KNOW WHAT HE IS THINKING,
DON'T YOU. DON'T MESS WITH DAD. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LAMB DID
BUT I AM NEVER GOING TO DO THAT. BUT IT KEEPS GOING. AND THE BOY GROWS UP. HE GOES TO COLLEGE. HIS DAD STILL KILLS ALL THE
FIRSTBORN. AND HE COMES HOME AND HIS DAD
HAD HIM TAKE OVER THE BOOKS. AND ONE DAY THE SON TAKING OVER
THE BOOKS AND THE DAD WALKS IN AND THE SON SAYS, SIT DOWN, DAD. YOU KNOW YOU ASKED ME TO TAKE
OVER THE BOOKS. AND I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT
SOMETHING. AND -- YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT NOT
EVEN KNOW YOU DO THIS, DAD. WE ALL HAVE BLIND SPOTS. BUT EVERY TIME ONE OF OUR
ANIMALS HAS A FIRSTBORN, YOU -- HOW SHALL I SAY THIS, KILL IT. AND DAD, AGAIN WE DON'T EVEN
KNOW WHEN WE HAVE PROBLEMS, DAD. BUT YOU KNOW, YOU KILLED 73
ANIMALS LAST YEAR. AND DAD, WE'RE IN THE RANCHING
BUSINESS. THIS IS CUTTING INTO OUR
PROFITS, DAD. WHY DO YOU DO THIS? YOU CAN SEE A SON ASKING THAT. WHY YOU ARE KILLING THAT LITTLE
LAMB? AND GOD SAID, WHEN YOUR SON ASKS
YOU, YOU TELL HIM, SON, I NEED TO TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT OUR
FAMILY THAT YOU DON'T KNOW. WE WEREN'T ALWAYS IN THE
RANCHING BUSINESS. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY ANIMALS, SON. SON, WE DIDN'T OWN ANY LAND. SON, WE WERE SLAVES. WE DIDN'T OWN ANYTHING. BUT GOD WITH A MIGHTY HAND
DELIVERED US. AND GAVE US EVERYTHING THAT YOU
SEE. THEREFORE, WE GLADLY GIVE TO
GOD. THE FIRST OF ALL OF OUR
INCREASE. NOW THIS WAS WRITTEN ABOUT 4,000
YEARS AGO. AND I HAD SOMETHING JUST LIKE
THIS HAPPEN. YEARS AGO WE DIDN'T BANK ONLINE,
WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE INTERNET WHEN THIS HAPPENED. BUT WHEN I WOULD PAY THE BILLS,
I WOULD WRITE THE TITHE CHECK OUT FIRST. AND THEN I SET IT OVER TO THE
SIDE. FOR YOU YOUNGER PEOPLE, OUR
GENERATION, WE USED TO HAVE PIECES OF PAPER CALLED CHECKS. SO I WOULD WRITE THE TITHE CHECK
OUT AND SET IT OVER TO THE SIDE. AND THEN I WOULD PAY THE BILLS. BUT I WOULD ALWAYS WRITE THE
TITHE CHECK FIRST, FIRST CHECK I WOULD WRITE BEFORE I PAID THE
BILLS. AND ONE DAY MY SON WHO HAS THIS
MATH MIND. COMES IN AND ONLY NINE OR 10,
AND HAS NUMBERS AND HE SEES THAT CHECK AND REALIZES HOW MUCH THAT
MONEY IS. AND HE SAYS TO ME, DAD, WHY ARE
YOU GIVING SO MUCH MONEY TO THE CHURCH? AND I REMEMBERED THAT SCRIPTURE. AND I ACTUALLY TOOK MY SON AND I
SAT HIM ON MY LAP AND I SAID TO HIM. SON, I NEED TO TELL YOU
SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR DADDY THAT YOU DON'T KNOW. YOUR DADDY WASN'T ALWAYS A
CHRISTIAN. AS A MATTER OF FACT, YOUR DADDY
WAS A VERY, VERY BAD MAN. BUT GOD WITH A MIGHTY HAND
REDEEMED YOUR DADDY. THEREFORE, I GLADLY GIVE TO GOD. THE FIRST OF ALL OF MY INCREASE. [APPLAUSE] I WANT YOU TO BOW YOUR HEADS AND
CLOSE YOUR EYES. I WANT YOU TO TAKE A MOMENT AND
JUST LIKE PASTOR MILES DID LAST WEEK, I THOUGHT HE DID SUCH A
GREAT JOB TALKING ABOUT WORDS OF AFFIRMATION. AND HERE'S IN ESSENCE WHAT WE
SAID, LET'S PUT IT IN PRACTICE TODAY. BEFORE YOU LEAVE TODAY, AFFIRM
SOMEONE. I WANT ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING. PUT IT IN PRACTICE TODAY. SPEAK GOD'S LOVE LANGUAGE TODAY
BEFORE YOU LEAVE TODAY, HONOR THE LORD WITH THE FIRSTFRUITS OF
YOUR INCREASE. RETURN TO THE HOUSE OF GOD THE
TITHE, THE FIRST 10% OF YOUR INCOME. IF GOD SPOKE TO YOU DURING THAT SERMON AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WANT TO ASK CHRIST TO BE YOUR SAVIOR, IT'S AS SIMPLE AS A-B-C. ADMIT AND ACCEPT THAT YOU ARE A SINNER. THE BIBLE SAYS ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALLEN SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD. BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, THAT HE DIED FOR YOUR SIN AND ROSE FROM THE DEAD. THEN, CONFESS YOURSELF A SINNER AND SAY, JESUS, PLEASE FORGIVE ME OF MY SIN. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK JESUS CHRIST TO BE YOUR SAVIOR, JUST LOOK AT ME RIGHT NOW AND PRAY THIS PRAYER WITH ME IN THE PRIVACY OF YOUR HEART KNOWING THAT GOD KNOWS YOU AND LOVES YOU VERY MUCH. SAY DEAR GOD, I BELIEVE THAT I AM SINNER. I KNOW THE PENALTY OF MY SIN IS DEATH. I DON'T WANT TO DIE AND GO TO HELL. I BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, THAT HE DIED AND ROSE FROM THE DEAD FOR MY SIN. I CONFESS MYSELF A SINNER AND ASK HIM TO FORGIVE ME OF MY SIN. JESUS, PLEASE FORGIVE ME OF MY SIN AND FILL ME WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN. IF YOU PRAYED THAT PRAYER, IF YOU JUST ASKED CHRIST TO BE YOUR SAVIOR, WE WANT TO KNOW. WE WANT TO EMAIL YOU SOME RESOURCES. IF YOU JUST PRAYED THAT PRAYER WITH ME, TO ACCEPT JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOR, CLICK ON THE LINK THAT JUST APPEARED. WE WANT TO SEND YOU SOME FREE RESOURCES. GOD BLESS YOU, AND WE WILL SEE YOU IN HEAVEN.
