God blesses us so we can be a blessing. Today, at Motor City Church, we are commiting to a vision that God has revealed to us for 2024. Let’s look closely at giving to better understand how it works. 

In Proverbs 11:24-25, the Bible says: “The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.” According to this proverb, the more you give, the more you have. The links between financial well-being and charitable giving are strong.

In 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 (AMP) we find powerful giving principles, “Now, brothers and sisters, we want to tell you about the grace of God which has been evident in the churches of Macedonia [awakening in them a longing to contribute];  for during an ordeal of severe distress, their abundant joy and their deep poverty [together] overflowed in the wealth of their lavish generosity. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily, begging us insistently for the privilege of participating in the service for [the support of] the saints [in Jerusalem].  Not only [did they give materially] as we had hoped, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us [as His representatives] by the will of God [disregarding their personal interests and giving as much as they possibly could].”

Just as we see in the lives of these early Christians in Macedonia, giving should move us personally and corporately. I see three ways that giving touches the life of the one who gives according to this passage:

• Giving should cause us to CELEBRATE. 
• Giving should be an action that is COMPELLING.
• Giving should demonstrate our COMMITMENT. 

1. In verse 2, the Amplified Bible says, “for during an ordeal of severe distress, their abundant joy and their deep poverty [together] overflowed in the wealth of their lavish generosity.”

1. The Macedonians gave joyfully. In 2 Corinthians 9 we learn, "God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed." The grace of God is directly connected with giving. When we fail to see giving as a grace it becomes a burden instead of a blessing.   
2. They gave willingly. We don’t have to give, but we get to give! The believers in Macedonia "gave of their own accord." They weren't forced into giving and they didn't wait to be asked. They saw a need and responded voluntarily. They weren't drafted. They enlisted. We’re not forced to give. We have opportunities to give.
3. They gave eagerly. Read the full account and you'll see that it was the people, not the pastor begging them to support the saints who initiated the giving. They were eager to give because it was a privilege.  

We see that with their joyful, willing and eager giving, their giving became a CELEBRATION!

1. The next ‘C’ of giving is that our giving should be a COMPELLING force in our lives. In giving we grow. By giving we become a part of something together that is much bigger than what we could ever do alone. This is the remarkable irony about giving: You only keep what you give. By this I mean, at the end of your life, what will last? The love that you give, the influence you have, and the kingdom work that was done by your giving are some of your treasures that are stored in heaven. That is what remains, what you take into eternity - what you give away.

Our giving compels us to be bigger than ourselves. 

1. The Macedonians in 2 Corinthians gave supernaturally. They gave "beyond their ability" because their giving was empowered and enlarged by God.  The fact is, you don't have to possess large sums of money to be a large giver.  God's spirit makes it possible for you to give far beyond your natural ability. In fact, as you raise the standard of your giving, God will raise the standard of your living.
2. They gave unexpectedly. Paul implies his own reluctance to encourage the Macedonians to contribute since he knew of their desperate poverty but they gave in spite of their poverty. Giving supernaturally through God’s grace always has an element of the unexpected.

1. Our giving demonstrates our COMMITMENT.  In commitment, we see a mindset that results in an action. First you give your heart, then your hand. Commitment is what caused the Macedonian believers to be compelled to give and to do so with such celebration!

1. They gave sacrificially. Somehow, even in their sparse circumstances, they found a way to give. They weren't able to do much, but they gave all they could.
2. They gave personally. The Macedonians "first gave themselves to the Lord." They knew that God wanted their gifts, and their giving to others was preceded by their giving of themselves. When God owns us, He owns all we have, making it easy to give because it is all His.

Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

I challenge you, make willing, generous giving a habit. Be like the Macedonian believers and give with the three C’s. Give with CELEBRATION as your own COMMITMENT causes you to be COMPELLED to live out your faith. When we do this, the vision of Motor City Church will be accomplished.

I think it’s safe to say that we all have a lot to be thankful for. There is so much to give God praise for. I also think it’s safe to say that while God has done a lot, it’s not ALL He wants to do in and through you. 

3 John 1:2 explains that you prosper as your soul prospers. Prosperity doesn’t come from what you can do for yourself; rather it comes from acknowledging the One who can do it for you. Our souls are healthy and prosperous when we set our eyes on Jesus. 

Looking at Acts 27 and Paul’s journey to Rome via shipwreck, we see that those aboard the ship traveling to Rome had troubles. They had a storm come their way that blew them off course. 

Paul says to the people in verse 21-22, “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.” 

He gave these people a hope they did not understand. He goes on to say in verse 26, “Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.” He’s telling these people they’re going to be okay, but stranded in a place that isn’t their home. 

As Christians we live our lives everyday in this same predicament. Hebrews 13:14 tells us that this earth is not our home, but we are looking for our home that is to come - Heaven. The Bible also lets us know that in this world we will have troubles. We will face hardships, we will face trials, “but be of good cheer, for I have already overcome the world” (John 16:33). 

The same hope Paul gave the people on the ship with him, is the same hope we carry with us. However, there is work to be done in the waiting. There is a calling - a purpose to be fulfilled in each and every one of our lives. 

Genesis 1:26-27 says, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” Imagine a glove. A glove was created in the image and likeness of a hand, right? Even still, a glove has no purpose unless a hand is actively wearing it. In the same way, we were never meant to be separate from God, because our purpose is completely linked to our relationship with Him. The enemy wants nothing more than to destroy fulfillment of your purpose, make you question your calling. He wants to keep you separated from God. 

During the shipwreck in Acts 27, the ship becomes completely torn apart. As far as getting to the island, it was only the debris that held the people afloat. God will break things up that we feel falsely secure in, whether by the loss of someone or something. But just like these survivors, we have to grab onto the debris. Not only that, but we must begin to kick to get to our destination. Sometimes the debris you’re holding onto can be the very lifesaver you need that gets you to dry land. 

Acts 28 starts off with everyone making it to the shore of the island safely. Paul immediately helps with gathering wood for the fire, despite the wild circumstance of just being shipwrecked. He didn’t let what he’d just been through stop him from serving on this island that wasn’t his home. His serving didn’t just end there. As he was fueling the fire, “a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand” (Acts 28:3).

Have you ever noticed in life that just when you’re gaining momentum, something latches itself onto you? Maybe it’s an old habit or addiction you’ve been trying to break that suddenly revisits. Well, Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. We can learn from Paul by displaying his same actions. Shake it off. Shake off fear, criticism, pain, addiction, doubt, and whatever tries holding you back. 

The people of the island expected Paul to swell up or suddenly fall dead to the ground. But after a long time of waiting to see either of those happen, they decided he must be a god. Paul didn’t let another crazy experience discourage him. Even after a shipwreck and being bit by a snake, Paul continued to serve those around him. 

The chief official of the island, Publius, had a father who was sick, suffering in bed. He welcomed Paul and the others to his home. “Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him” (Acts 28:8). God will use you in spite of your wounds to heal others. We need to understand that our life circumstances don’t make us exempt from serving. You’re going through heartache? Go and pray for the widow who's been feeling lonely. You’re suffering from a sickness? Go lay hands on the family member who just received a bad diagnosis and pray for their healing. 

God is looking for someone that will still serve even while they are suffering. Don’t wait until you’re in the “right place”. Live out your calling where you are right now.

For the past many weeks, we have shared messages on the concept of “Heaven on Earth”. For a quick review, we have touched on the following:

1. Commit to reaching your maximum potential through connection with God's plan for your life.
2. Commit to learn to live by God's truth, the Bible.
3. Guard your mind and be able to reject lies of the enemy by consuming the truth of the Bible.
4. Pursue the dream in your heart by the direction of inspired ideas that come from the Holy Spirit.
5. Commit to necessary actions that will fulfill God's plan for your life. Take steps.

In Matthew 22:37-40, “Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” The most important commandment is to love the Lord your God wholeheartedly. In this passage, Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 6: 5-6. He’s reminding the disciples of their heritage, their legacy. Deuteronomy 6 goes on to teach followers to talk about the word of God day and night, reminding their families what God has done. Write the word of God where you will see it all the time and bind your mind to it. Teach your children to stand for the principles of the Bible. Commit yourself wholeheartedly to loving God. When you love God, He will be with you, He will lead you, help you and bless you. 

Have you heard of the 100 hour rule? If you spend eighteen minutes every day on a particular subject or activity, you will have spent 100 hours in a year, potentially mastering the topic you have focused on and committed to. Do this in prayer and Bible reading and you will develop an amazing relationship with God. 

If you love God, you will obey Him. Learn how to love God with all your heart, soul and strength. Commit all your emotions and will and mind to get to know and love God. Spend time in His presence, and fall in love with Him. If you love God, you'll talk to Him daily and long to please Him. 

And bonus! If you love God wholeheartedly, you will love your neighbor. You will find yourself truly loving people and you will look more and more like Jesus. So this is the key to heaven on earth. You are the key, the answer to the world's problems. As you become more and more like Jesus, men will know you as a disciple of Jesus by your love (John 13:35). You won’t be able to do anything but love people if you are a disciple of Jesus. As you become like Jesus, He will even show you how to love your enemies, those who hate you and persecute you.

Loving God also transforms how you think of yourself. Do you love yourself or do you entertain self-loathing? I pray God's love is palpable for you. Jesus died so you could experience God's love. He cares for you and will redeem what has gone wrong in your life. It is impossible for God to love you more than He does right now. He loves you beyond comprehension. There is nothing you could do today that would make God love you less or more. Love gives us supernatural strength to do what we could not normally do. Receive God’s love now. 

Luke 6:31 commands, “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” If you sow, you will reap. Are you willing? This is not just for friends or people you admire and hope to gain favor from. This is for anyone you have the opportunity to bless. Bless without thought of what the return will be. Be merciful. Be generous. Bless those who cannot bless you back. God will take charge of your blessing. What do you need? Bless others and sow out of your need. Pray for someone. Help someone. Overflow with God's love. Grasp this extraordinary power in your life. Do what you can today. 

In Old Testament times, God’s presence was found with the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple. Today, if you confess Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. God leaves a gap in our lives only He can fill and we are filled when we receive what Jesus did for us. As you surrender your life to Christ, you are not your own. You are God’s conduit for heaven on earth. You have a purpose. God will cover your imperfections and use you mightily if you allow Him to. The world puts hope in things and people but they need God. It’s your responsibility to bring God's love from Heaven to Earth. 

Heaven as a destination is not an escape for us. Eternity starts when we receive what Jesus did for us. Heaven begins for us on earth at the moment we accept Jesus and God's presence is the goal. As you love God wholeheartedly, you will set an example in speech, in conduct, love, faith and purity. You will change the world around you. Do you want to taste heaven on earth? Pray. Tell people about Jesus. Love people. Lay down your life by praying, serving and caring for others, even your enemies. 

When you live this way, transformation happens. As you commit to loving God wholeheartedly, you will become more like Jesus and you will love as He does. As you love God and people, you are the key to Heaven on Earth.

• We are halfway through the year and I want to pause and help you understand that no matter how your year has gone, whether great or terrible, you can make the rest of your year the best of your year. God works all things together for your good and no weapon formed against you will prosper. All things are made new in Him.

Don’t fall into a thinking pattern that whatever has happened to you or whatever will happen to is God's will. Your decisions shape your circumstances. For example: If you run out of gas on the freeway, this is not God’s will. It was your decision to not buy gas 10 miles back. If everything that happened was God’s will, there would be no reward for obedience and no penalty for disobedience. “Whatever will be, will be” is not truth and it is not the way God works. You can’t go back and start your year over again, but you can start from now and make a brand new end.

The difference between seasons is wisdom and the difference between miracles is information.
Hosea 4:6 says people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. You can be connected and not informed and you can have access but not possess. You may have access to the King, but not know what He knows. We need to be looking and seeking wisdom. It’s available. Ask for wisdom.

I believe I have some wisdom for you today. How do you impact the rest of your year to finish it well and make it the best?

1. Forget
The ability to forget is a trait of champions who do great things with their life. Gen 41:51 says Joseph forgot all his troubles. Have you read about Joseph? He suffered extreme abuse, rejection, and betrayal at the hands of his brothers. But, when he found himself a slave in Egypt and then was promoted to second in command, just below Pharaoh, he didn’t remember the pain his brothers caused. The blessings God bestowed on him were so great, that they overshadowed and diminished his pain. Forgetting is not the inability to recall. But it is attaching something with that memory that makes it come together for good. The blessing that is connected with the memory actually brings joy.

Silence is essential in forgetting. Pharaoh didn’t even know Joseph had brothers. That means that Joseph was very discrete. The only way to starve the pain of yesterday is silence. What dominates your conversation is what you create. Forget the offenses of others toward you. Starve them by your silence. Isaiah 43:18-19 says to forget the past. It’s nothing compared to what God is going to do. You need energy for tomorrow. Don’t use it up on yesterday. Use it for something new.

We have three kinds of people in our life. Yesterday people, today people and tomorrow people. Don’t drag yesterday's people into your future. Abraham did that with Lot. God told him to leave his family and go to the land He would show him. But Abraham invited Lot to go with him. Read the story to find out how that all turned out. If you take the past into the future, you end up with the same ugly cycle bringing the seed of failure with you. Invest in people who celebrate your future. Forget the hurt, the past, the friends who aren’t focused on the future. Isaiah 65:16-17 says to forget the evil of earlier days. Forget the evil but pull lessons from the past. Don’t complain about the past but attach it to a memory of how God brought you through. As you mentor others in this, remind them that they can do the same. Has someone done you wrong? Praise God! They brought you into a new season.

2. Remember
Deuteronomy 8:2-3 says to remember what God has done. Remember your days of lack and how God brought you through, how He helped in those seasons. He brought you out of a jam where you saw no way out. You were able to pay bills miraculously. He healed you. You learned life skills. You built relationships. Also, remember what God does to rebels and to those who are greedy. Reverential fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Get wisdom.

Be thankful for what God has done. Ingratitude births sin. It helps get rid of unthankfulness to remember those things God has done for you.

Remembering is not forgetting. There are things we should not forget; Psalm 78:7 Don’t forget His works, Psalm 119:16 don’t forget God's word but delight in His statutes,
and Hebrews 13:2, don’t forget to show hospitality.

3. Appreciation
What are you most thankful for? What you’re most thankful for increases in your life. God gives us provision, finances, health, breath in our lungs… we have nothing He didn’t give us. Take every opportunity to offer back to God what you’ve been given. Your tithe belongs in the storehouse which is the local body where you are spiritually fed. Depart from consumerism and understand that the One you are giving back to is not the pastor, it is not the church but it is the One who loves you and died for you, the One who conquered death for you. It hurts you when you stop giving. Giving is the lifeline to God's blessings. We give because we’re thankful.

4. Teach
Teaching is the best way to remember. Teach someone else how to appreciate what God has done. Teach them to remember and to forget. Deuteronomy 4:9-10 exhorts you not to forget what you yourself have seen. Pass what you have seen on to those you mentor. Look for someone you can teach. Everyone needs a mentor and everyone needs a protege. Ask because you want to grow and find someone who wants what you’ve been given. Be hungry to learn. Connect with those who are ready to learn. Discern foolishness and don’t waste your seed. Teach respect. There is so much grace that comes with being respectful.

I have so much more to give you next week. Listen to my message from today if you haven’t, and listen to it again if you have! Join me next week for more on making the rest of your year the best of your year.