Our giving will always follow whatever we set our affection on. Bill Johnson teaches on the joy and privilege we have in giving to the Lord. Throughout Scripture whenever there was need, we see God’s people giving willingly; we should never give out of compulsion or because of manipulation. God takes our giving personally, and our gifts (big or small) become seeds that are sown with an eternal purpose. Generosity is an approach to life that brings great joy and delight.
because I have set my affection on the
house of God I have given our giving
always follows our affection
[Music]
thank you thanks
thanks
[Applause]
it’s kind of Frontier first service
one of our younger pastors was
announcing it’s a rise and build Sunday
and he couldn’t remember the name of it
and Chris leaned over to me and said
it’s encouraging to have a young man
forget something
so we’ve been feasting off that memory
as clear as I can remember we’ve been
feasting off that
and then he told us afterwards he said
he was going to call it a rise and
Conquer so I that’s probably a good name
too let’s just cause this a rise and
Conquer except it’d be more like a I
guess a destruction Derby out there or
something all right
um grab your bibles if you would open to
First Chronicles
uh chapter 29
and um
let me kind of try to set the stage
for you
in in two separate
areas
first of all
almost strangely so I have
I have focused on studying portions of
scripture
for the last 40 years that have to do
with building
but never once was it about building a
building
it’s always been these this prophetic
language of scripture is about building
the house of God which is people
and uh and so there are so many places
you know from Ezra Nehemiah to the
prophet haggai and some of the other
prophets they would talk about the
rebuilding of a temple for example
you’ve got Tabernacle of Moses in
scripture you’ve got the Tabernacle of
David you’ve got the Temple of Solomon
the rebuilt Temple of Solomon you’ve got
all these
kind of projects if you will and they
all required something from the people
of God and I I just like studying those
I’ve just been attracted to them all my
life we’re going to read out of out of
First Chronicles 29 I think I’ve only
taught from this chapter once in these
40 years so it’s not like a portion of
scripture that is a favorite because I
like to teach on it it’s a favorite
because of the the impact it has on me
and and so we’re going to look at that
in a moment
my favorite probably a verse of anything
to do with with building would be in
hagiar uh two verse eight or nine I
forget which but it’s where it says uh
and the glory of the latter house will
be greater than the former so I would
always read these these chapters if you
will these books about about what God
was doing in his people the church the
house of God not buildings not
organizations but literally the person
you’re sitting next to in you the house
of the Living Stones being built
together into this Tabernacle of God’s
presence and that for me has always been
the focus
the pro the problem that’s not a problem
the issue for me the challenge that I’ve
had is I tend to spiritualize things
when God is wanting to naturalize things
and in Paul nailed this with a phrase in
First Corinthians 15 I believe it is
where he says in this phrase first and
natural then the spiritual
first the natural then the spiritual
it’s it’s possible to dabble in natural
things and never realize the spiritual
benefits or Consequences
but it’s rare to give yourself to the
Unseen to the spiritual and have it not
affect the natural
so let me illustrate it so it makes more
sense
it’s possible to love people and not
love God
it’s impossible to love God and not love
people
in first John he says he says you’re a
liar
a very tactful way of encouraging people
you’re a liar if you say that you love
God and you don’t love people
you’re a liar and so there’s this unseen
reality that has to be measured out
realized in some way discovered in the
natural world
my heart has always been towards
building up the people of God I I think
in terms of that great verse I quoted a
minute ago the glory of the latter house
be greater than the former that meant so
much to us 30 years ago reading over
that because it it reminded us of the
fact that here in the book of Acts
the early house there was such major
visitation of God and impact on nations
of the world everyone in Asia Minor
heard the gospel every single person
that one person was missed
the impact is astounding
and yet he promised the glory of the
latterhouse
which is our day
will be greater than the former and so
prophecies like that would just capture
my heart and capture my prayer life a
song we write songs or or speak or
confess declare things along that line
that just basically says honey you ain’t
seen nothing yet when God has already
accomplished he’s going to only increase
in the days to come so this has been my
food honestly my my personal
Kevin in the woods food place where I go
I did just hide away with the Lord is
are these themes
said that coming to a time like this
where we are actually building a
building a rise and build a rise and
Conquer whatever you want to call it
where
we are we are building something
because number one we believe it’s in
God’s heart number two it echoes in our
heart number three it’s been
specifically detailed To Us by the
prophets
which is a very huge part of our life
anytime you receive a directive word
from a prophet you’ve got to have that
Witness by the holy spirit in you that’s
the responsibility of every believer
it’s got to be biblical number one
you’ve got to have a piece about it
number two and number three you have to
sense Divine timing so these those three
things have to line up
and so we have weighed this season
together praying talking planning
together trying to discern what has God
already said about this and oftentimes
in our gathering As Leaders we we will
pose the question has the Lord given us
a prophetic word about this because
sometimes he’ll give you a word that
makes no sense to you until the season
changes and then you realize oh it’s for
now now it makes sense the season makes
the word
understandable
and so sometimes we’ll have decisions to
make and we’ll just ask the question all
right are there any prophetic words
because we work really hard to uh it
says they trusted their prophets and
succeeded I want my life to be that that
I trusted in those that God sent to me
and a result my life uh Illustrated the
benefit of Truth in hearing the word of
the Lord obeying the word of the Lord
all right having said all of that
there’s many places in scripture about
buildings
lots lots lots lots but my favorite is
First Chronicles 29.
and strangely I think I’ve only preached
from this chapter once it could be twice
but you know for 40 years you would
think it would have been more often so
it’s not like my favorite verse because
it’s what I want to talk about it’s a
favorite verse because of the impact it
has on me does that make any sense I
read through this because there’s
something in there that that I can feel
it’ll take us a while to get to but I
can feel this is actually supposed to
impact multiple Generations until the
return of Christ
it actually has it has and you’ll see in
a moment it’s absolutely true it has
that kind of longevity on that word it
wasn’t a word for a season some words
are for Seasons other words are to
Define who you are as the people of God
for multiple Generations until he
returns and that actually is what this
chapter is about so let’s go ahead and
start this is oh I’m sorry gotta do one
more thing
David wanted to build a temple for God
so it would be the grand grand Temple
that the Solomon ended up building
and he he wanted to build he had it in
his in his heart to build this Temple
what’s interesting is when Solomon
dedicated that Temple he he made this
statement he said it’s in First Kings 8.
he said since the time God brought
Israel out of Egypt into his Promised
Land he never chose a city in which to
build a house so follow the logic here
since the time he brought Israel out of
Egypt into the promised land he never
chose the city in which to build a house
very next phrase but he chose David
and it was in the Heart of My Father
David
that’s stunning
that is stunning why
since
this whole thing began God never picked
a city but he did pick a man and look
what he found in the heart of a man
to me that illustrates
I don’t believe it violates sovereignty
I know some would be concerned when I
say that in violence the sovereignty of
God I say no it doesn’t because in his
sovereignty he brought us into the
unfolding of his plan
and he actually four times in three
chapters invited us into that relational
context where he says whatever you ask
for will be done we are not robots
proclaimed to repeat certain words we
are not computers programmed to repeat
certain words
we are people that get to in a
relational Journey
get to discover his heart and then pray
what we see and he responds and this
Temple that David wasn’t allowed to
build was in the heart of David he saw
it
and God chose the man now look what he
found in the heart of the man
but he while he wasn’t allowed to build
the temple
it was because he was a man of Bloodshed
he was a man of war what does that mean
David was a man of war by God’s design
it was designed by the Lord to be a man
of Bloodshed why because Israel had land
that had been promised them that they
didn’t conquer in previous generations
that they were supposed to it was
supposed to be back in Joshua’s day and
they didn’t so when David became king
they finally had the chance to get
everything that God had promised them so
he was a man of war but the Lord said
you can’t build the house because you’re
a man of Bloodshed which means what
he’s not being punished because he did
his assignment the Lord is trying to
speak to us
I build on certain kinds of Ministries
some Ministries are Bloodshed Ministries
they’re they tear down they prepare the
way but the ministry of Peace which is
what Solomon was is the ministry I want
to build on
so I’m not going to build on Bloodshed I
will build on peace
so good
foreign
the rebuke is necessary but I’m not
going to build on the rebuke I’m going
to build on the order of the peace that
that comes from responding to the
correction of the Lord I’m going to
build on peace
all right I thought it was a pretty good
point but I’ll just I’ll just move on
hoping that someday I get another chance
by the way we’re just thrilled with our
whole online family that joins me this
week after week thanks so much and I
hope that together we can make a real
difference in the world through what
we’re doing today
arise and conquer all right let’s
chapter 29 sorry we may no no let’s not
change anything all right
uh chapter 29 I’m gonna I’m gonna take
you through a number of verses so please
have your Bible open follow it if you
don’t have a Bible scoot next to someone
if you can and I’ll do my best to go
through this quickly but thoroughly all
right verse 3 is where we’ll start
moreover because I have set my affection
on the house of God I have given to the
house of my God stunning statement
because I have set my affection on the
house of God I have given our giving
always follows our affection
are giving always follows
what causes our hearts to burn
always
because I’ve set my affection in the
house of my God I have given to the
house of my God over and above all that
I’ve prepared for the Holy House my own
special treasure of gold and silver
David’s personal gift
had to amount to hundreds of millions of
dollars of today’s value
he set the stage for Solomon to build
what he wanted to build but wasn’t
allowed
but nothing could stop him from giving
towards it so he set the stage and
Incorporated the nation in the project
all right jump down to verse 6.
then the leaders of the father’s houses
leaders of the tribes of Israel the
captains of thousands of hundreds with
the officers of the king’s work offered
willingly
you’ll see this phrase offered willingly
either that phrase or something similar
throughout the books where offerings
were needed uh Ezra Nehemiah is a great
example they willingly offered and the
reason Paul would would later capture
this theme and and tell us in the
concept of giving never give by
compulsion
don’t ever let somebody manipulate you
or make you feel guilty and so that you
can then give
I will never do that to you but I also
know that because so many have been
injured in the area of finances you
could understand what I’m saying and
take it as a manipulative way if you
ever sense or feel that do not give do
not give until there is a joyful
willingness in the offering I’m very
very serious about this because the
scripture says whatever is not of faith
is sin
and if you’re manipulated there’s no
faith
you’re being controlled
and you never want that it’s nauseating
to see people use scripture to
manipulate others to do something it’s
just it’s not right we’re supposed to
teach the word and invite people into
this journey giving is a huge part of my
life I consider it my Disneyland
it is it is I I try to position my life
Benny and I have never given as low as
20 of our income we always position
yourself around how could we love this
person serve this person give to this
ministry whatever it might be and that
is the absolute we have found a delight
and a joy in giving that we have found
nowhere else we only one Sunday in my
life have I ever given specifics of what
I’ve done uh in giving and it was uh it
was the week following some interesting
articles in the newspaper uh
very flattering articles
if you’re into self-punishment yeah
so I took that Sunday and the only time
in my life I literally just went through
this is what we do
and and outlined it showed everybody is
was what we do percentage everything and
the media Department wanted to reproduce
it I said nope don’t read pictures I
don’t want anyone if if they weren’t in
the building it wasn’t God’s will for
them to hear it so that’s that’s my
that’s my job
the giving issue is is huge but it’s the
giving willingly that has been such a
joyful part of life so let’s read on
find more of this story verse 9 then the
people rejoiced for they have offered
willingly because of a loyal heart they
had offered willingly to the Lord and
King David also rejoiced so what do you
have here you’ve got the first verse we
read You’ve Got King David extreme
generosity second what do you have the
leaders those under his direct influence
moving into extreme generosity and then
what do you have you have the people
moving in extreme generosity what’s
important is to see it has to start if
you’re the head of your house it has to
start with you you can’t expect your
kids to be radically generous in the way
they think the way they talk the way
they serve if it’s not being modeled by
you if you’re in a business where you’re
encouraged encouraging people maybe to
do city services some sort of volunteer
work in the community if it’s not
happening with you as the leader it’s
not going to filter down and it’s not
these people are more important than
he’s it’s just the oil if you will in
the in the Psalms talks about the oil
flows down Aaron’s head down his beard
down to his garments it’s supposed to
flow this way and what you see here is
radical generosity entered the hearts of
the people because the standard that
David set was so extreme that even his
leaders got infected by it and their
standard became so dominant that the
people all joined in this joyful giving
under the Lord
please notice what David gave is I don’t
know it’s probably in the hundreds of
millions of dollars literally
you see David rejoicing in verse 9 and
David also rejoiced greatly
you don’t see any mention of hundreds of
millions of dollars as being compared to
twenty dollars the twenty dollar gift
you don’t see that why because it’s not
equal giving it’s equal sacrifice
he didn’t he never used his
his wealth if you will to show he was
better than somebody else because
it’s it’s from the loyal heart if you
look at the terms that are used to
describe this kind of generosity it’s
the loyal heart it’s The Virtuous heart
it’s the Willing heart it’s the
affectionate heart these are all terms
that describe the kind of generosity
that you and I have the invitation to
move into
I was reminded earlier in our our
pre-service prayer time of of uh dear
friend of ours Rick Joyner Morningstar
Ministries a tremendous prophet and
great man of God he gave a word way back
when when you remember some of you were
around with the horrible collapse of PTL
Jim Baker and Tammy Baker and PTL and
the moral failure and the collapse of
that Ministry by the way if you weren’t
here during that day we had Jim Bakker
come back and very humble and apologetic
person I I never will avoid a repentant
believer no matter how much shame they
have had to endure we’re going to always
Champion them as much as we know how and
I’m not embarrassed to be associated
with him if I did we wouldn’t be able to
read out of First Chronicles because of
David in his mess so I want us to be
known for for really not never excusing
sin but walking redemptively because
Jesus heals forgives all right so here’s
here’s Rick gave this word that the Lord
a prophetic word the Lord showed him
that the Lord was jealous over the
Widow’s might
that actually built the PTL Ministry
and that the Lord would not bless any
business trying to take over this
potential Resort rightly so
he’s pro-business I’m pro-business so
this isn’t an anti-business word I I
love to see business as possible I pray
for them actually in my prayer time for
the blessing of the Lord to be on
business when we go into a restaurant I
almost always pray for the blessing the
prosperity of God to come upon that
restaurant when we give thanks for the
meal so I’m I’m just let you know I am
in to the success of businesses it’s
critical to the health of a Nation but
in this context the lord gave a warning
word that because God was jealous over
the Widow’s might that built PTL no
business would Thrive that tried to take
over this Resort
and it’s exactly what happened a
business bought it tried to build it
into something they crashed and burned
and today it’s a Morning Star Ministry
facility which wasn’t his intent ever it
was caught him by surprise but the point
is
what is given here whether it’s the
millions of a CEO
or is the ten dollars of a widow the
sacrifice to give it God is jealous over
that and I pray that we realize the full
effect of that because what is given to
him he takes personal he takes person
all right let’s let’s get through this
go over to verse 13. you guys still
alive and breathing yes all right verse
13.
now we therefore
now therefore Our God we thank you and
praise your glorious name but who am I
and who are my people that we should be
able to offer so willingly is this
for all things come from you and of your
own we have given you look at that again
who am I that we should be able to offer
so willingly
this this is a perspective on giving
that doesn’t come to any of us naturally
this has to be a work of Grace he’s
standing before the Lord he says I’m
going to put it in my terms I’m not
worthy to be able to give to you
but somehow in your mercy your grace you
qualified me to partner with something
that you’re doing on the Earth
his view on giving was this is like the
greatest gift I’ve ever received is the
chance to give to you
that’s not a common way of thinking but
it is biblical
who am I and then he goes on and he says
and for all things come from you and of
your own we have given you
of your own it reminds me of when I was
a little little guy
Christmas time would come
and we would want to buy our parents a
Christmas gift
we have no money
so we would go to Mom and Dad and get
money from them to buy them a gift
that’s this right here
David is saying all right all right you
gave us the money to buy you a gift here
we are being really generous
and that’s actually the the perspective
of the privilege of giving
say this with me
everything I have
belongs to him
everything I have
I received from him
all of our giving is I’m sorry
points to you let me just join right in
I love that I need to remember okay
don’t quote me anymore all right
that’s awesome
the opportunity and the privilege for
giving is a God
given gift yes
and when I give
no matter how sacrificially I give
Benny and I would give ourselves into a
place where we were really hurting
but you know you pray better when you’re
hurting you pray so good about your
finances you know so I I pray brilliant
prayers when I’m hurting
but we would give him to a place of need
and then after pray our way out
and to be honest with you
it’s one of the best things we ever
could have learned
was because it’s
it’s wrong for me to think
I can give God ten dollars and I’ll have
a hundred by the end of the day
because then we become manipulators of
the principles of God for our own Glory
and yet
it is equally true that whatever a man
sows that will he also reap
the scripture says in Galatians 6 it is
mockery
to think that you could sow and not reap
that you could plant and not Harvest
it’s mockery of God so to think I could
do something in honor of the Lord give
and not be a return
I realize we’re we’re wanting to get out
of that mode of trying to control or
manipulate God but the fact Still
Remains giving is planting
let’s put it this way it’s a real stupid
farmer that plants a crop and doesn’t
expect to harvest
he won’t be in the farming business law
we do so in Hope what I’ve noticed in my
own Journey
is I planted some crops 30 years ago
that I’m only harvesting today
and the Lord knows when the Harvest is
needed I’ve had it returned quickly and
it’s so encouraging a faith building but
that has to stick because the next test
will not be so quick
and I have to learn to maintain the
standard when this quick return and when
there’s delayed return
tell them hi for me
Jesus is Calling on the phone
all right let’s get quickly to the verse
I’ve got just a few minutes left here
go down to
jump to verse 17.
I know also my God that you test the
heart and have pleasure in uprightness
so notice notice subjects that he
correlates that he puts together
uprightness of heart and generosity of
heart their their seamless in their
theme all right have pleasure and
uprightness as for me I have uprightness
of my heart I I have in the uprightness
of my heart I have willingly offered all
these things and now with joy I have
seen your people who are present here to
offer willingly to you and here’s the
verse the reason I wanted to read this
chapter to you O Lord Our God O Lord God
of Abraham Isaac and Israel our fathers
keep this forever in the intent of the
thoughts of the heart of your people and
fix their heart towards you look at that
phrase again keep this forever in the
intent of the thoughts of the heart of
your people and fix their heart towards
you why is this significant David’s my
favorite person in the Bible besides
Jesus
he was king of Israel we know that but
according to his ministry he would
Minister before the Lord literally as a
priest and yet he was not of the tribe
of Levi but he administered to the Lord
so he was King and his priest Acts
chapter 2 says and David being a prophet
looked ahead and spoke so David was a
almost like a forerunner an example of
Christ himself who would be king prophet
and priest
David as the Great
Prophet let me change the language now
to fit this situation David the Great
intercessor
is now praying for something that he
wants to see actually Mark the heart and
the mind of every generation to follow
until Jesus returns
I don’t know if you find I sincerely
mean this if you find something else he
prayed for and declared that was to
impact every generation please show me
because I only know of one thing here’s
this guy who who’s who’s has made his
Mark with God so significantly he takes
one item and he makes it his focus in
prophetic decree and prayer and it’s
that
radical generosity would be the nature
of God’s people in the way they think
and in the way they behave from this
generation on every single generation
marked with radical generosity it’s the
one thing you chose to pray for he could
have just he could have chosen so many
other things that I would have suggested
David pray for this declare this but he
chose this because it seemed to Mark can
I just say his philosophy of Life his
approach to the day his his realization
of personal identity personal assignment
all of this came out of this place is as
God has given me a gift and the gift is
I have the chance to give
and he actually viewed this as a gift
from God that I don’t even deserve I
don’t even deserve to partner with
heaven to see his purposes unfold in the
Earth and yet I’m going to embrace my
moment as a gift from God because I
don’t want to neglect a gift from God
and that was his approach and then he
prayed it he says in fact God let this
Mark the heart and mind of every
generation to follow
that’s mind-blowing
it’s mind-blowing that he would capture
this one theme and say
let this be it let this be the one thing
Integrity of heart loyalty of heart
rejoicing
all these things all around this
privilege of giving
it’s it’s my Disneyland
it’s a place I get to go to every week
and sometimes every day
it’s the most amazing privilege
to partner with the heart of God
and caring for people
it may be something Grand like this I
mean this is the biggest thing I’ve ever
been been a part of
and maybe
the sandwich that you bring out of
Safeway for the guy outside that
hasn’t eaten in a week
it doesn’t matter where it is it’s just
it’s the approach to life
it’s it’s regardless of whether you have
this much or you’ve just got this much
it’s just the fact that you realize it
is my privilege
to take this that I have to sow into
Eternal purpose
yeah I’m so glad that you watched this
video I do pray that it’s a great great
strength and encouragement to you and
I’ve got a verse that it really is My
Cry for all of us and it’s Psalms 20
it’s verse 4. may he grant you your
heart’s desire and fulfill all your
plans
that’s my prayer that’s my prayers that
this would be the season of rich rich
fulfillment
thanks for joining us