All right, good to see everyone back this evening to worship the Lord with you. Appreciate the singing. Better than coffee. Sing God's praises. When you're thinking about the words and rejoicing, I'll stir you up a little bit and get you ready for the word of God that we're going to look at tonight. Malachi chapter 3 is where we will be at. Malachi chapter 3 we're gonna read verses 7 through 12 for our text tonight I'm in Zechariah. It's about to start reading it Malachi 3 verse 7 even from the days of your father's you've gone away from mine ordinances and have not kept them return unto me and I will return unto you say it the Lord of hosts But she said wherein shall we return? will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee in tithes and offerings? Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house. And prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground Neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field Sayeth the Lord of hosts and all nations shall call you blessed for ye shall be a delightsome land Sayeth the Lord of hosts now as I read that particularly verse 10 jumps out at me I And I actually mentioned to Brother Calvin, we may sing a song that goes with that. We often sing the, bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, and that's the text that that song is built upon. And it was a great message to Israel. It's a great message still to us. There's a reason we sing that song. But what do we want to get out of this text, particularly tonight? You know, it would seem like a good portion of scripture to use for a prosperity gospel type of message And of course what I mean by that is the type of message where you tell people the more you give The more you will physically get When we talk about prosperity gospel that idea is you get a worldly blessing for worldly giving you give to God You're 10% and you'll get 20% back into your bank account Type of thing and then you flash the 800 number up on the screen or what have you and you you plead money Well, we're not doing that. I Have to say I thank the Lord for the faithfulness of the giving Of this church and giving is a part of this. We are definitely going to talk about our offerings that we do give And we got a mission offering coming up. You need to be praying about that as well as your regular Giving so that is a big deal and it shouldn't be taboo for a preacher to preach on that I do want to say though. I'm not going to promise you a worldly blessings in return You know if you give to get a worldly return You really ought to just keep your money. That's a wrong spirit This is about more than just money What it's really about is a lesson on faith. That's what we're going to talk about the title of the sermon proving God Proving God now that word proving we can actually take to mean testing Testing God putting God to the test You know, that sounds kind of wrong, doesn't it? Who am I to put God to the test to prove God? But you know, the truth is God does want us to see his faithfulness God wants us to see that and his desire is that We would see the fullness of his love and grow closer in our walk with him. God passes the test. I And we recognize that as we prove Him. Specifically, what we're going to talk about is taking actions of faith that leave us dependent upon His promises to us. That's what this is about, taking actions of faith that leave us dependent on the promises of God. Obeying Him and trusting Him. So let's talk about this. We're going to first talk about of course relationship between God and Israel So we'll get into the context and what is he saying to them? And then of course we want to make an application to us today And what do we need to take away from it? So first of all God's message to Israel Really quick review. We've talked about some of these things. I think this is our fourth sermon in the book of Malachi, but I Sort of a sad book there last week We saw some wonderful promises and there's some encouraging things but sadly we come to the very end of the minor prophets after all that's been Written before the whole Old Testament behind us. There's still rebuke after rebuke After all the judgments the chastening, the prophets that have come before and rebuked sin. Israel has yet fallen back, the Jews have yet fallen back into a wicked lifestyle again. So there's a need of more reproof. We've talked about the sin of the priesthood, how that they have been unfaithful to God in the task that they've been giving, giving unworthy sacrifices and not teaching and exemplifying God's commands. God deals with the unlawful divorce and marriage to idolatrous women from the other nations that are around them. And he deals with social injustice, mistreating one another within the nation, not showing one another his love. Malachi 3.5. Says I will come near to you to judgment and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against false swears and against those that oppress the hireling and his wages the widow and the fatherless and that Turn aside the stranger from his right and fear not me sayeth the Lord of hosts So it's a sad time. There's disobedience to God and there's a lack of love for their brethren But you know, I think perhaps all the rebukes that have gone before in this book and maybe we can add the rest of the books There is kind of a greater rebuke a more shocking rebuke than all that's gone before here in our text It's hard to get worse than this. Look at verse 8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me You know, it's a bad idea to rob someone I hope you realize that It's not a good idea to go rob someone. It's not right, and it's not very smart either. I've always wondered about these criminals. You could do a lot better just getting a job, right? But particularly foolish is to rob the judge that's going to preside over your case. Rob the chief of police house. That's a bad idea. You're not going to expect much mercy when you're robbing the person that's in charge, How foolish to rob the Almighty God? How foolish to try to take from the one who is the creator of the heavens and the earth? Remember Uzzah? They were taking the Ark of the Covenant back to the tabernacle after it had been sent back from the Philistines, and they had it on an ox cart, and the ox cart kind of shifted a little bit, and Uzzah reached up to just sturdy the ox cart, and the Lord struck him dead for dishonoring the Ark. Remember Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, offered strange fire. We don't completely know what they did, but they messed up when they offered the sacrifices to God, the burnt offering. God sent fire down from heaven and consumed them. That's how strict God is. He's a holy God. What's he going to do to somebody who robs from the tabernacle? Somebody can't even touch the Ark of the Covenant if nobody is to go within those veils But the high priest and only after the sacrifices and everything must be done according to his commands What's he gonna do to somebody that's robbed him? It's a surely there's gonna be a swift and terrible judgment. There's nothing worse you could do then rob God We have seen in this book as often occurs the Lord gives the response of the people and I want to remind you when he does This he's not just putting words in their mouth. He's speaking what their heart is saying He's truly giving the attitude of the people Towards him and what do the people say to this accusation? We're in have we robbed thee What us we've never done that we've never gone in and tried to sneak within the veil and take Or take money from the Treasury or take an article an item from the tabernacle. We never do that But the Lord answers this Excuse in tithes and offerings. That's how you've robbed me You've robbed me in tithes and offerings you are cursed with a curse, but you've robbed me even this whole nation It says in verse 9 See what they did not consider was that the offerings of the temple? Belonged to God before they were given It wasn't just after that 10% tithe and the offering on top of it was dropped in the in the box there that they had in the tabernacle for us put in the plate and It doesn't become God at that point God's at that point. It was his before that It was always Of course we could say everything is we read Psalm 24 1 this morning didn't we The earth is the Lord's and the fullness are of the world and they that dwell therein God owns it all God in his mercy has made us his stewards, but he has not said here is life you do with it What you want here are these possessions? They're yours. You just see fit there. They belong. No, we are servants of God that are going about Caring for the body caring for the possession caring for the funds living this life that he has given us for his honor But it still belongs to him What God did desire he didn't command them To lose everything but he did desire that they give back to him a little of what he'd bestowed Abraham going all the way back to him. We read he gave tithes to Melchizedek Jacob swore at Bethel to give a tenth to the Lord So you see this idea of a tithe that seems like it had been taught from Abraham to Isaac and then to Jacob and finally as the law is given this is a part of it and Deuteronomy 14 verse 22 says thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed that the field bringeth forth year by year that has set aside that 10% and there to give it back to the Lord that the Produce of what they've received there to give back in honor to God And of course, let me point out. This is not about God being a beggar This isn't about God being needy. I God isn't desperate to have these things now. I will say this. That's how he took care That's the way he purposed to take care of his tabernacle That's the way he purposed to take care of the Levites and perhaps this isn't excusing the attitude of the Levites But perhaps one reason they had the attitude that they had was that there was there weren't tides coming in and the Levites were Starting to be consumed with making money for themselves But the point is God He doesn't need these things, but he purposes that you glorify his name by giving That you honor his name by giving that tithe and showing that you recognize that he has given you all that you have and you are gonna give a little bit back in worship of him To praise his name and in obedience and honor to him To withhold that That's robbery of the worst kind That's robbery. You are robbing God when you don't give what he's commanded you to give back to him And we could have I think take that in a lot of ways you rob God When you don't come faithfully together with his people speaking to the faithful Sunday night crowd, but that's true You rob God when you aren't serving him the way that you should We owe him of our money, but not just that we owe him of our time. We owe him of our energy We owe him of our being and we should never hold anything back because it belongs to him and it is stealing in a real sense When we use it selfishly That's the concept Now because of the Jews unfaithfulness God's punished them He speaks of a devourer That has come upon and there are a lot of ideas about the judgments that came Other nations that have oppressed them so on the increase of their fields pestilence with different bugs and different things that have Consumed some of their fields. So it's been a hard time because of their sin they were judged and they didn't have what they had before I Probably believe they lost a lot more than an attempt for their sin But instead of coming to God and repentance because of this as they were judged, what did they do? They used it as an excuse to hold back all the more. Well now I can't afford to give Now I need that 10% because things are tight. I can't do it You know God could have just brought it down judgment upon him he could have said all right I'm gonna take the fields away. All right, I'm gonna destroy you completely but I We've made this statement several times throughout the study the fact that there's a prophet is the mercy of God Because prophets don't simply come to tell them God's mad Prophets call them to repent of their sin and really as they repent there's always a message of hope That's given and so we see here despite their unfaithfulness and God's judgment and their even worse unfaithfulness to hold back from God Here's a message of hope in verse 10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of hosts if I will not open you the windows of heaven and Pour you out a blessing that there may not be room enough to receive it It's time to stop giving leftovers what God is saying time to stop sacrificing to the Lord only what you think you don't need and time to start work stop worrying about how you're going to make up this money or that produce and Lay hold of the fact that God's the one that gives us everything the gods the one that supplies all of our need and so prove him prove that you trust him prove that you believe his promises prove that you believe that he's the one that cares for you and Step out on faith and give what he's asked you to give even if it's hard Put God to the test God will pass it You put God to the test when it comes to his promises he will not fail That is absolutely true. You're gonna find him faithful He goes on to say in verse 11 and I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field sayeth the Lord of hosts and all Nations shall call you blessed for you shall be a delightsome land sayeth the Lord of hosts What a gracious God Instead of wiping them out for their thievery as he could have done. He gives us loving promise Which we can kind of sum up this way as it says in James draw nigh to me And as it says in verse 7 draw nigh to me and I will draw nigh to you Draw nigh to me and I'll draw nigh to you Let's make some applications for our lives from this we talked about the Jews. What about us? I I'm not gonna harp on how much as far as money is concerned somebody gives I'm thankful. I don't know That's not something I even know who gives what except for myself Which is where my focus needs to be. I thank the Lord for our offerings But this is part of a much larger issue. It's really about faith. That's what this is about That was part of Israel the Jews problem. It wasn't necessarily Just the act of giving But the but the action of faith that led up to it the true belief in God's provision and the true desire to glorify Him and giving back and honor his name. That's what it's really all about Do you trust the Lord? Can you really say the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want If so, you're gonna be proven You're going to be putting his promises to the test on a daily basis. I I have a thesis statement. I usually have a statement that I make that I like to put it this way when people get come home and maybe somebody didn't make it to church and somebody said what a brother Brown preach on that I would hope somebody could tell in one sentence I Try to kind of narrow down what I'm preaching on to one sentence What I want people to get out of it for this sermon. Here's the statement Do what God commands? Regardless of the cost trusting him to supply overflowing blessings and make you a testimony of his love You want to narrow my sermon down to one statement and narrow? I think down what God is saying here in this text to one statement That's the message. And so I want to break this down We're gonna break down the the four aspects of that and the remainder of this message and hopefully each of us apply this to our lives First of all, we need to do what God commands Do what God commands. I don't think I need to tell you. We've talked about it often in this church. I'm going to tell you anyway. Faith and obedience go hand in hand. Faith is never separated from obedience. In fact, let's hear some pages turn. Let's go to James chapter 2. I know we don't have that many Bibles in the earth because we don't have that many people here tonight, but I hear your pages. That's good. James chapter 2, a great message about faith. And I've heard it argued, well, James disagreed with Paul because James talked about works and Paul talked about faith. Well, what James is really saying is faith is manifested by works. He's not disagreeing with Paul at all. We need to have faith, but faith isn't something you talk about. Faith isn't something you just claim. Faith is something you live. That's the point and I'm getting ahead of the text here. Let's read it. He says in James 2 14 What does it profit my brethren though a man may say he hath faith and have not works can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say unto them depart in peace be warmed and filled Notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body. What does it profit? Even so faith if it hath not works is dead being alone It's not fate. I mean you can imagine this picture what if we went to the rescue mission and all the men lined up and They came and they were just an empty counter and we stood there and said be warmed and filled. Oh Be be filled we want you to be we want you to have full stomachs. We really care about you wouldn't be much of a minister would it? Of course, we're about more than just the food But I don't know they wouldn't be too happy with it after they made the effort to go there their rescue mission wouldn't be too happy But you know, this is the attitude a lot of people have with God here they claim love and they sing songs of worship and they they maybe Let other people know they're a Christian and get their name on the church rolls and what have you Yet they give back little or nothing They truly give, they truly live with little faith, with little action of obedience to God. You know, you can't butter God up. You can't overcome a lack of obedience with a multitude of words. Jesus says in John 14, 15, if you love me, keep my commandment. If you love me, it's not just a word you speak, not just an emotion you feel, it's agape. That's what love is really all about. That's what faith is all about We must be doing God's will and making the sacrifices. God has called us to do or it's not faith. That's the point Do what God commands? God has commanded we give back financially to the needs of his church. He supplies the needs of his church through that. God has commanded that we give of our time and we gather with the brethren and we worship his name. God has commanded that we make our lives a living sacrifice unto him. So we can take this and apply it to Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday too, right? Do what he commands. That's the first point. That's the bottom line. That's what faith is all about. But then do what God commands regardless of the cost Because of their unfaithfulness the Jews faced really what seemed like a greater test because now things are tight There was a time maybe when they first came back that things weren't so bad, but now things there's a famine There's foreign nations that are raiding their property and stealing. There's unjust leaders that are exactly used to read from a lot of the people and During this time they're supposed to keep giving 10% and then God wants an offering on top of that Look at the attitude of verse 13. This is kind of continuing their thought your words Back in Malachi 3 verse 13 your words have been stout against me sayeth the Lord yet you say Here that here he is speaking for them again. What have we spoken so much against thee? I He has said it is vain to serve God and what prophet is it that we have kept his ordinance and that we have walked? Mournfully before the Lord of hosts and now we call the proud happy. Yay They that work wickedness are set up. Yay. They that tempt God are even delivered So what's going on here they're complaining They're looking around and they're seeing some other nations particularly here are the Persians and Things are going great for that nation. There's they're rich and they're powerful and and everything's going great and they're worshiping idols And here we are trying to worship the true God and it's vain to keep serving him because we're not getting any profit From the Lord while the wicked are getting blessed kind of like ASAP and Psalm 73 It's pain Maybe some of us tempted to get that spirit Let me say that God does not have to make us rich and give us an easy life in order for us to be able to give. God does not require us to go through a good time and to make everything easy so we can die. He wants us to be able to give back and to give that offering and to be there on Sunday and to keep serving when it's hard. That is not going to move God saying, well, things are too tough. Jesus Christ himself always had it tough and you know what he always gave in every situation You say well the wicked are having it easy. They're living in sin Well, they got their they got their blessing for a little while and it'll soon be gone Don't look at the wicked and get envious. Asaph felt that way in Psalm 73. And then he went into the house of the Lord and he said, Then I understood their end. Surely thou didst place them in slippery places. They're sliding down a path in these riches to destruction. These things can't satisfy. Much better to be called to give in times of want than to be allowed to go on in your sin and your riches that are leading you to destruction. We can't say, Lord, bless me first and I'll give. No, that's not faith. Faith says, Lord, you've called me to give and it doesn't matter what my situation is, what my health is, what I have in the bank account. I owe you this and I desire to give you this. And I'm going to give it wholeheartedly and joyfully. That's the attitude that we need to have. You know, Jesus brings us out in Luke 21. Here they're at the temple treasury with his disciples. And I always think that this was a Something that blessed our Lord Jesus Christ because he looked in and not just that he the money was being put into his treasury and his temple But just seeing the faithfulness in people. I think it's something that blessed his heart but he's there and he's watching and in Luke 21 1 he looked up and saw the rich man casting their gifts into the treasury and he saw also a certain poor widow casting into their two mites and He said of truth I say unto you that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all for all these of their abundance Cast in unto the offerings of God, but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had You see he wasn't so much consumed with the amount that's in the big bags that the rich people could give certainly That's a blessing and more could be used Sadly a lot was unjustly used at that time in the temple but the faith The faith of this poor widow the heart that she had she they had plenty They could go home to their big houses and their big bank accounts. And yes, they gave but they had a whole lot more She gave all that she had that was a true gift and This is what God desires here that regardless of the cost We're faithful and let me tell you faith is going to have a price that has to be paid and it's never easy Jesus says in Luke 14 verse 25 as great multitudes came unto him He turned and said to them of any man come unto me and hate not his father and his mother and his wife and his children And his brethren and his sisters yea in his own life also He cannot be my disciple and whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple You want to follow me you want to have faith in me? You want to claim me? Well, here's the cost you need to consider that I Need to factor in the fact that if men despise you and if even your most loved ones Reject you if there's a cross of persecution if you lose absolutely everything in this world that you have faith and love in me enough to keep following and God speaks to us also in that passage Proving God means that we obey him regardless of what it costs us. We keep on giving even when there's nothing left over for us Again, I'm not telling you to empty your bank accounts, but I am saying if God has called you to serve in an area He's called you to be faithful in Gathering with his people. He's called you to give Of what he's given back to you what he's given you to give back some of it to the mission offering and for the faithful Offerings that you give to the church. Don't hold back Don't give excuses Regardless of the cost he's worthy. That's what proving God is all about It's stepping out on faith and doing what he would have us to do so As we've talked about we do what God commands regardless of the cost but then trusting him to supply overflowing blessings God being cruel Bring me all the tithes into the storehouse. Is that a cruel taskmaster? Is that God being? Kind of like those rich men exacting usury from the poor. No He's not a cruel taskmaster that's a father in love saying to his children draw an eye to me and I'll draw an eye to you Let's get together. Let's have fellowship. I want you to step out on faith and I want you to obey me But as you do, so what you're gonna find is that my hand is upon you You're gonna find that there's never a time that my thoughts have ever strayed from you never a hardship I'm not gonna lead you through never something you need that I'm gonna fail to give until the time I take you home to glory God rejoices to see his people faithful, but then he rejoices to bless that faithfulness with his own To show them that those actions are worth the price Now I'll tell you right off the bat I think everybody in this building understands this and But I know there are other people listening and watching we're not talking about getting rich I Reiterate this if you give your tithes and offerings so that you can get more money in your bank account or get a raise at work You're on the wrong track. That's not what this is about It might be you give things get tougher. I Don't know that the the poor widow ever got rich. I think God sustained her needs I don't think she ever got rich in this world. I But you know what? God is still faithful. He'll provide what you need throughout all your life until He brings you home. He'll always be faithful to do that. And you know, it was brought out years ago by, I can't remember what commentator, but it's always stuck with me. He pointed out that the Christian trusting the Lord is richer than the richest man unbeliever in this world They have all the money they they want to get themselves what they think would be best for their life We have a God who truly owns all things that does give us what it's absolutely best for our life. You know, that's better So no, you may not be rich. But what you are gonna find is the comfort of recognizing God's leading providing hand on you You know it says in Lamentations 3 verse 22. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. This is written by Jeremiah as the whole city of Jerusalem has been destroyed and the people are going in captivity to Babylon. He's losing everything and he knows that this judgment is coming because of the wickedness of these people that he's ministered to. He is the weeping prophet, Jeremiah. But he comes to this point in Lamentations and he says it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul. Therefore will I hope in him. You know, David said that often in his psalms. The Lord is my portion. I think particularly those psalms David wrote when Saul chased him out into the wilderness and he's living in some cave. with a rock for his pillow. But the Lord is my portion, he said. That's the overflow. The Lord is the portion. The Lord is the blessing. It is a closer walk with God. That's the real reward for faithful service and giving to him. Recognizing his love upon you having that close fellowship in your devotions and with the church Laying hold more and more on his promises in eternity as you walk with him by faith and finding a peace that passes Understanding money can't buy that How much better to have our portion in the Lord than to enjoy all the riches of this world? These are overflowing blessing that God promised to Israel and he promises them to us. I Finishing up the statement do what God commands regardless of the costs trusting him to supply overflowing blessings and finally and make you a testimony of his love He says there in verse 12 of the Jews that they would be faithful What would happen all nations shall call you blessed for ye shall be a delightsome land say it the Lord of hosts The end result is not just that their faith would be encouraged and their walk with God would be closer But other nations around them here are these idolatrous nations that are worshiping these empty made-up beings made up idols and They see they see the Jews with a greater joy than them. They see the Jews with the peace They see the Jews with with the comfort and true fellowship of God and Jehovah's name is glorified how he's shamed conversely When they're unfaithful to him even worse than the idolatrous people are But when they're faithful all nations look at them and say that's a real God that is blessing those people There is a real God that they are worshiping and his hand is upon them That I think is the ultimate reward for faithful service on the part of God's people Not only do we realize we're blessed others realize we're blessed and God gets the honor for that How wonderful When the world looks at us and sees that God means more than anything else to us. Do they see that in you? I don't know that they see that enough in me the people look at me and say What he's living for is the Lord bottom line He cares about God more than anything else and there's nothing he would hold back what God would have him to do I want that to be said of me Oh, that we would have that testimony. That they would see us go through hardships or sickness and yet keep giving back to Him of our all. I can't tell you how I'm blessed. Sometimes people think shut-ins can't do much. Well, I go see shut-ins. And as I go to visit them, just to see their faith. They don't have much to give. They don't have much strength. But they still love the Lord and they still pray for God's people. That does a lot. It's like the widow casting in her mites. I know some people that have gone through great hardships and trials and in a time where they should have had people giving to them, they were faithful. How that honors God in a wonderful way. Oh, that the world would see that in us. They would see us rejoice in the provision of the Lord and give Him the glory for it rather than being greedy of the things of this world. Truly be thankful for them and honor God with them. That preaches the gospel. Our words indeed need to preach the gospel. Well, we need actions that preach the gospel We need others to see we're blessed in the Lord if we're gonna be able to tell them about Christ and tell them about the blessing They'll receive they need to realize we're blessed They need to see we're enriched in this relationship They need to see he's worthy of our all if we're gonna tell them that he's worthy of theirs All nations shall call you blessed. Oh that all this community would look at the first Baptist Church and say they're blessed Not they're rich with money. They're not driving Rolls Royces and parking it out in front of the church. But I tell you, they have blessed fellowship with the Lord. They have a blessed walk with Him in their life. They have a peace in their life that I can't find in the world. Proving God by faithful giving, that's the greatest witness. Again, verse 10, I want you to think on this. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house and prove me now herewith sayeth the Lord of hosts if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it." That is real. A televangelist stands up and says, you give this amount of money and you're going to get 20% more back in your bank account. That's not real. This promise is real. It's true. We've talked about how it's true not just about money but about every part of your life You're gonna find a true blessing in that area when you put God first When you step out on faith and do what he would have you to do give what he'd have you to give Fellowship with him as he'd have you to fellowship put away sin as he'd have you to put it away And you are going to find an overflowing blessing in his hand upon your life That's God's word did to the Jews and that's a message we can take to heart in our lives today prove God and You'll find he passes the test. Oh That we would each have the faith to do that. Let's go to the Lord in prayer Heavenly Father We thank you for the word you've given us words of comfort to the nation of Israel to the Jews and That truly they didn't deserve for their unfaithfulness and yet such as your mercy instead of Simply wiping them out you called them to turn from their selfishness To turn from their worldliness and to give what you'd have them to give And to draw nigh to you and you've given this blessed promise that as they do You draw nigh to them You pour out a blessing an overflowing one upon them and I wholeheartedly believe these are words to us that Help us Lord. I know the task is hard, but help us to have faith not faith talked about not faith merely claimed faith lived Faith that comes out in our giving of our tithes and offerings Faith that comes out in our giving of our time as we gather with your people Faith that comes when when there's a command that is hard in our lives and we maybe don't understand it But we still obey you Faith that comes out when we be your witness and your testimony in a dark world in which maybe we're persecuted for it Oh, that we would live by faith. Father, as we do, we just seek the fulfillment of this promise that you would give us comfort and blessing in this area of our life, that we would be enriched in our walk with you. We don't seek a great amount of money. We don't seek perfect health or love from the world. But we do seek a walk with you where we're blessed, a greater joy and peace that only you can provide. Lord we know you're worthy to be sought for all these things bless us in our walk with you as Christians And we pray you'd be with the hearts and touch the hearts of the unbeliever here tonight in Jesus name. We pray Amen