Financial Freedom - God’s Keys To Prosperity

0:37 I knew y'all would just jump up and down and be excited about it. But it's important. It's critical. It's very important. One of my, when I first became the pastor of this church, our church was a fundraising church. we provided for the resources of the church through fundraising we sold Katie did we did fundraising we they sponsored they sold barbecue they had men's day and women's day that they raised money they took trips to Atlantic City y'all know what they was doing they was leaving on Saturday morning parking on the church parking lot through the weekend come back Sunday night.

1:36 Oh y'all know somebody got pissed off with that. That would be me. Yeah they would park on the church parking lot and it was these cars all weekend and on Sunday people couldn't park on the parking lot because the people in Atlantic City had taken up the church parking lot. Y'all don't see no problem with that? Lord, rebuke this gambling 12 o'clock congregation.

2:04 So anyway, we ended all of that, and I taught the church about tithes and offerings. And thanks be to God, we are where we are today because we are a tithe and offering church. As a kid, we used to have, we used to do patrons lists. Y'all know what a patrons list is? You go and ask people for money to make a donation. Even the kids. I, as a kid in this church, participated in the patrons lists. They had a king and queen contest. So whichever male person, whichever boy raised the most money, he became the king. and whoever raised the most money is a female, she was the queen. I was the king. Gracie Claxton who still a member of this church here 50 years later I don't know if she's here today or not but she was the queen and she's still a member of our church we were a fundraising church we changed all of that Deacon Trustee John Terry who was a trustee at the time since our church had not been a tithing offering church and once I taught it and he applied it to his life He told me, he said, Pastor, you know, he worked for the Department of Transportation.

3:26 He worked for the Department of Transportation. He was at the top of his job. He couldn't get any more raises. He was at the top of his job. He had been there for, I don't know, 20 or 30 years, whatever. He could not get any more raises. The Sunday he started tithing, his first tithe check, he went to church the next day. I mean, went to work the next day. his boss called him in and said you know you've been working here a long time even though you're not qualified for a raise we're going to reclassify your job and you're going to get a raise the day after So I want you to listen to what I'm going to say. I know you're going to find every reason why not to do it. I know you've got a thousand reasons why you should do something else and not do it. But all I can try to tell you to do is give God a try. Lean over to your neighbor and say, give God a try. Lean on the other side and tell the person on the other side, a lot of voices are going to tell you don't listen.

4:23 A lot of voices are going to tell you don't do it. A lot of voices are going to tell you going some other direction. But listen to me. Listen to my experience. Listen to what I'm telling you. Listen to the word of God and try to have enough faith to believe and try. Give God a try. Tell them. Tell that person, give God a try. Now, open your Bibles to the book of Malachi. Let me give you a little bit of background from this passage. The book of Malachi chapter 3. Go to Malachi chapter 3. It is the last book in the Old Testament. It's the last book. I need to give you a little bit of history about this book. When the prophet Malachi wrote this book, he's speaking to the nation of Israel. and God is speaking to them and once he finishes talking to them, he will not speak again for 400 years.

5:21 Between the end of Malachi and the New Testament, Jesus coming is 400 years. What does God want to say to his chosen people when he ain't going to talk to them for 400 years? That's what this book is about. he says in chapter 3 verse 6 I love how he starts he says for I am the Lord he says verse 6 I am the Lord I do not change that's enough to just chart this let's just shout about that right there we serve a God who does not change his character doesn't change his makeup doesn't change the way he does stuff doesn't change he's the same yesterday today and forever God does not change he says I am the Lord I do not change therefore you are not consumed or sons of Jacob then then he begins to outline some things now what I want to do is just give you this outline because he starts off by talking to them about point one some problems somebody say a problem that's my first point they had a problem look at your neighbor somebody around you got a problem look around you behind you, some of the jokers, somebody around you got some issues.

6:31 He begins by telling them about the problems that he has identified with them. Somebody say again, problems. And here's the problem, verse 7. Yet from the days of your fathers, you have gone away from my ordinances. You know what I call that? Here's my first sub point to this is they were rebellious. They rebelled. I don't know if y'all ever had a rebellious child. Anybody here ever had a rebellious child? A rebellious child is a child who won't do what they want to do no matter what you tell them. Israel at this time are rebelling against God. He says, you have gone away from my ordinances, verse 7. From the days of your fathers, you have gone away from my ordinances and have not kept them, God says. Verse 7. Yet from the days of your fathers, you've gone away from our ordinances and have not kept them. And here's the thing that's wonderful about what God does. He gives us an opportunity to repent. And right in verse 7, he says, return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. Here's what I love about that. God is saying, if you make one step toward me, I'll make 10 steps towards you.

7:44 Some of you in this building have gone away from God's ordinances. You strayed. You haven't even paid attention. You haven't done it. But here's the great news from God. He says, I'm going to give you an opportunity to come back and get it straight. Return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you said, verse 7, in what way shall we return? How do we get back to you, Lord, he is saying. How do we get back to what you're telling us to do? we've strayed, but how do we get back? And then he says in verse number eight, he raises a question. He asks a question. Will a man rob God? That's an interesting response to their question. God says, I'm going to answer your question, but let me just point out to you that you've been robbing me. Will a man rob God? He asks a question, and that's a good question. He says, God says, you've robbed me, yet you have robbed me. But you say, in what way have we robbed you in tithes and offerings. Y'all see that right there? Y'all see that? My second point, my second sub-point here is robbery. The first problem is they're rebellious. The second problem is they're robbers. Now let me spend a moment and talk about the difference between a robber and a thief because there's a difference. A thief is a person who wants to steal quietly, take it away, don't get noticed. He don't want you to see him doing it. That's a thief. A robber, on the other hand, is a person that just comes right into the store with the cameras on, no face mask and a gun, and he's going to rob you. They don't care that they're seen. When I went to the Philippines recently, I was on the plane, and when you're on the plane for 25 hours, you got to find something to do.

9:33 So I watched the movies. And I watched this movie called, these movies called Ocean something, Ocean 10, Ocean 9, Ocean 11. Y'all know that movie? I had never heard of it, but I watched these ocean movies with these people who are thieves. God doesn't call people who take tithes and often thieves, he calls them robbers. Because here's what he's saying about it. He uses the word robbery and not thievery because a robber is visual. He sees you.

10:08 You think you're doing it and God don't see you. He sees you when you don't pay your tithes and offer. And he calls you a robber. Go ahead. There's some robbers on your road. See if you can figure out who they are. If they're looking straight ahead, that's probably them right there. He calls them robbers. Usually taken by force, bold in front. Doesn't care that they're being seen. That's what a robber is. And God says, you've been robbing me. Some of you are in the situation that you're in because you've been robbing God. You've been taking what belongs to him, what's holy. The tithe is holy. The tithe is holy and it belongs to the Lord. And you've been using it for you. Ooh, I can tell when I talk to this 12 o'clock crowd, Y'all get so quiet on me. Y'all ain't got to say amen. I hear the angels telling me, you tell them, Pastor Jenkins.

11:02 You tell them. And here's my sub-third point. This is sub-point number three to the problem. Y'all with me? Put the outline up there. Put it up there. Let me just make sure they got clarity. So here's the problem. You rebel, you rob, and here's the repercussions. Here's the sub-point three is in verse nine. There are repercussions to your robbery. What is that? Verse 9. You are cursed with a curse.

11:30 For you have robbed me, even this whole nation. You are cursed with a curse. You want to know why you can never get ahead? You want to know why? As soon as you think you're going to get ahead or make some extra money or going to be able to buy something you want to get, then something break down? You're cursed. now y'all can listen to these new these we got a whole bunch of new stream of preachers telling you that tithing ain't for today let me tell you something it was good enough for Jesus it's good enough for me it's good enough for Abraham it's good enough for me amen Jesus affirmed tithing he affirmed it the new testament affirms it and so don't be listening to these people to tell you it is not for today. It is for today. And when you don't do it, you are cursed. You are bringing upon yourself judgment. You are bringing upon yourself a disconnection from the power and presence of God in your life. So is there an answer? I'm glad you asked the question. Here's point two. There is a prescription. Go ahead with your P's, Pastor. All of my points begin with a P.

12:43 It's alliterated. P. Thank you, pastor, for making it so easy by putting the P's. Here is a prescription, verse 10. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse. Bring all the tithes. I'm trying to get that in your head. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse. Bring all the tithes. All the tithes. All the tithes. All, that means gross, not net. I feel tension in the room.

13:22 Bring all the tithes, and I'm calling that priority. Sub point A. Somebody say priority. Some of y'all are not ahead because here's what you do. You pay everything else, and if you got enough money at the end of the month, that's what God gets. you know what I believe God does I believe God sits on the throne looking down at you and he see how you manage your money then he see you paying everybody else first then you give God the change then you come to the altar praying Lord give me X, Y, and Z God said oh is that the person right there that put us at the back end of the bills and gave us the leftovers I give them some leftovers. y'all have a tough time ain't y'all yeah that's that's bring all the tithes into the storehouse of what the scripture says that there may be food in my house somebody say well what what does that mean it means one-tenth a tithe is one-tenth one-tenth of your income one-tenth of your increase. And here's the question I always get, Elder Featherstone, is it on the gross or the net?

14:46 That's what they be asking me. Is it on the gross or the net? What kind of blessing do you want from God? You want a gross blessing from God or do you want a net blessing from God? You want God to grossly bless you or you want him to net bless you? Y'all, we're talking about God. We're not talking about what your boss can do or what your job can do. We're talking about what What can the God who made the heavens and the earth do? What can the God who opens up doors? What can the God do who works miracles, who opened up the Red Sea for the children of Israel? What can he do? He can perform miracles for you like he did for our member by giving them $130,000 signing bonus. Thank you. Thank you. I feel tension in the room.

15:38 Somebody say bring all the tithes. It should be a priority. Say priority. Bring all the tithes. And then the place. Somebody say where does it go? Bring it into the storehouse. It goes in the storehouse. That's the church. Somebody say the storehouse. And look at your neighbor. Say storehouse. God says bring it into the storehouse Here's what a lot of people do They take their tithe money Or money they should be giving to God's kingdom And sending it to their cousin Sending it back home Where you from, Degan Huger? South Carolina South Carolina? I ain't know you was from South Carolina What part of South Carolina? Kings Creek K-I-N-G-S-T-R-E-E Okay, South Carolina People will be sending it back home. It's not supposed to go.

16:32 It's supposed to go in the place in his house, in his kingdom, in his church. Somebody say, well, what church is that? Instead of your cousin's house, that is not his house. That's your cousin's house. It's supposed to go in his house. Where's his house? The place where you're being fed, nurtured, ministered to. The place that's keeping your marriage together. The place that's helping your kids make the right choices. The place that's helping you develop to be everything that God wants you to be.

17:03 It belongs, somebody say, the storehouse. Just follow the plan. Follow the instructions from God. Listen, let me tell you something. I'm not teaching this because we need money. It ain't about us needing money. God has blessed this church. We're doing fine. On cloud nine, what you say we're doing fine On cloud nine Yeah. Somebody say that's the place. Look at your neighbor and say that's the place. It's the church. So y'all got my first point was what? The problem. Second point? Prescription. Prescription. Here's my third point is the promise. and here's what I like about the promise in verses 10 through 12 here's the promise he says verse 10 bring all the tithes into the storehouse that there might be food in my house and then he says in verse 10 and try me now in this the promise is God says here's my sub point I didn't even hear is prove me proof God says put me to the test try me try me now says the Lord of hosts if I will not open for you the windows notice it doesn't say window it says windows see if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it we serve a God that's saying test me and see if I won't do for you to where you are blessed in such a way that it's beyond what you dreamed or imagined That's right.

18:55 That's right. Can I get an amen right there from anybody? God says, prove me. Put me to the test. Let me prove myself to you. There's no other place that the Bible tells us to prove him. So he says, I want you to put me to the test and try me and see what I want to do for you. He opened up doors and blessed you. And I love that. He says, just test me out. Then he performs. Here's my sub-point here too is that he performs. He opens up the windows of heaven. He pours out for you such blessing that you don't even have enough. You can't even use it all. How many of you, here's what I discovered about God. He'll bless you to where he'll not only take care of your needs, he will bless you so that you can help somebody else take care of their needs. Amen. And all I'm trying to do is tell you to give God a try. You done let everybody, you done tried everything else. Give God a try. Let him have an opportunity. He says, I'll open up for you the windows of heaven. Pour out blessings that you can't even use it all.

20:01 Praise his name. Glory to God. And if you give him, you just give him a try. Let him, And the word, here's what the word pour means, pour out. It means God's going to empty out. And that's what I want him to do. Whatever got my name on it, I want him to empty it out on me. And you know what I discovered about God? What got my name on it, it ain't going to end up in somebody else's house. I'm almost finished.

20:33 I was hoping somebody was going to say, take my time. Here's my sub point as well. So I said, he said the promise is proof, perform, and here's my point here is protects. Verse 11. He protects. Somebody say protects. Here's what he says. I will rebuke the devourer for your sake so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field, said the Lord of hosts. Oh, I feel like shouting right here, right now, because I've seen God rebuke the devourer. Is there anybody here who's ever been in a situation where stuff broke down and then all of a sudden it stopped working again? Do I have any witnesses here?

21:27 That's the kind of God we serve. We serve a God that your stuff can break down, but he can fix it without you calling a repairman to bring it in to be fixed. Praise his name. I give God the glory. I done seen him do that so many times in my life. I've seen him work miracles on my behalf. I feel a shout down in my soul when I look back over my life and see the times when the devil tried to take it and tried to frustrate me and defeat me, but God would cause and step in and work a miracle and rebuke the devourer. That's what some of y'all need. You need God to rebuke the devil from off of your life, off of your finances, off of your family, off of your health, rebuke the devourer.

22:13 If you know what I'm talking about, somebody high five your neighbor and say, I know he'll rebuke the devourer so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground. And he will prosper you. I like that. Look, I'm almost finished. He will, somebody say prosper me. Nor, here's what it says in verse 11, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you. The vine shall not fail to bear fruit for you in the field, said the Lord of hosts. And all nations will call you blessed.

22:52 Excuse me, I don't know if y'all know this, but I'm blessed I'm blessed. I'm blessed. I'm blessed. I'm blessed. I am blessed. I got shelter over my head. I am blessed. I'm blessed. And by the way, people can't stand you getting blessed.

23:16 People are jealous of you when you are blessed. And you know what I believe? You know what I say to people? When they don't like me, that's their problem. I'm going to receive whatever blessings God has for me and I'm not going to apologize for it. I'm not going to hide it. I'm going to celebrate it. When God bless me, I'm going to stand right in the doors and the blessings that God brings my way. I'm going to walk in it. If you don't like it, that's your problem. It's not mine.

23:48 Somebody say amen. Give God a shout. Look at your neighbor and say, He preached it better than you're saying amen. And I like this right here. He says, look at verse, let me read verse 12, and then I'll be finished. He says, for all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful.