Born With A Blessing

0:00:00.440 --> 0:00:02.160 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 0:00:02.240 --> 0:00:05.279 Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 0:00:05.280 --> 0:00:05.920 the ministry. 0:00:06.120 --> 0:00:08.440 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:00:08.440 --> 0:00:10.000 blessing and share it with a friend. 0:00:10.360 --> 0:00:13.040 We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 0:00:13.080 --> 0:00:13.560 your line. 0:00:14.040 --> 0:00:14.800 God bless you. 0:00:15.240 --> 0:00:17.919 It's great to be with you today, and I hope 0:00:17.960 --> 0:00:20.279 you'll stay connected with us during the week through our 0:00:20.360 --> 0:00:24.239 daily podcast or YouTube channel, social media, and you can 0:00:24.280 --> 0:00:25.599 come visit us in person. 0:00:25.760 --> 0:00:27.480 We'd love to have you be a part of one 0:00:27.520 --> 0:00:28.400 of our services. 0:00:28.680 --> 0:00:31.080 I'd like to start with something funny and I heard 0:00:31.080 --> 0:00:32.040 about this pastor. 0:00:32.440 --> 0:00:35.760 He bought a new horse. He trained it to respond to. 0:00:35.760 --> 0:00:40.120 Praise the Lord meaning giddy up, and Hallelujah meaning woe. 0:00:40.800 --> 0:00:43.000 Every time he said praise the Lord, the horse took 0:00:43.080 --> 0:00:46.120 off running. When he said Hallelujah, it would quickly stop. 0:00:46.840 --> 0:00:49.640 One day, he is out riding and the horse got spooked, 0:00:49.920 --> 0:00:53.440 took off running straight toward the cliff, going full blast, 0:00:53.560 --> 0:00:56.440 and in the panic, he couldn't remember what he taught 0:00:56.440 --> 0:00:56.880 the horse. 0:00:57.520 --> 0:01:00.520 He said, Bless God, Glory, Amen. Nothing happened. 0:01:01.040 --> 0:01:04.679 The last moment he shouted Hallelujah, the horse came to 0:01:04.760 --> 0:01:08.200 a screeching halt just inches before the edge of the cliff. 0:01:08.480 --> 0:01:11.319 He breathed a sigh of relief and said, Praise the Lord. 0:01:12.840 --> 0:01:13.840 Say it like you mean it. 0:01:14.319 --> 0:01:17.199 This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:01:17.640 --> 0:01:20.119 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:01:20.200 --> 0:01:22.840 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:01:22.959 --> 0:01:26.880 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:01:26.959 --> 0:01:30.240 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:01:30.319 --> 0:01:35.080 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:01:35.120 --> 0:01:38.400 to talk to you today about born with a blessing. 0:01:39.400 --> 0:01:42.919 When you have a generous spirit, you're always giving your time, 0:01:43.240 --> 0:01:47.440 your resources being a blessing. Those are seeds you're sowing 0:01:47.960 --> 0:01:50.880 that will not only make your life more rewarding, but 0:01:50.960 --> 0:01:53.760 it's impacting your children in family line. 0:01:54.640 --> 0:01:56.440 There's a generational blessing. 0:01:56.840 --> 0:02:01.120 When you live generously, you're giving your faithfulness. 0:02:01.520 --> 0:02:04.640 You may not see the full harvest of those seeds. 0:02:05.160 --> 0:02:07.640 Some of it is being stored up for those that 0:02:07.720 --> 0:02:11.880 come after you. Your children will harvest what you planted. 0:02:12.600 --> 0:02:17.680 Your great grandchildren will come into favor because of you. 0:02:17.680 --> 0:02:21.680 Your giving is being credited to their account, and it 0:02:21.720 --> 0:02:24.800 doesn't mean that you won't be blessed, but because you 0:02:24.880 --> 0:02:28.560 have a generous spirit, you will see running over blessings, 0:02:28.960 --> 0:02:33.360 blessings that spill over to the next generation. The scripture says, 0:02:33.520 --> 0:02:36.359 when you honor God with your giving, he will pour 0:02:36.400 --> 0:02:40.560 out blessings you can't contain. That means you can't contain 0:02:40.600 --> 0:02:44.240 it in your lifetime. It's too much for one generation. 0:02:44.960 --> 0:02:47.799 It's going to get passed down to your family line. 0:02:48.880 --> 0:02:51.919 I'm living in blessings today that I didn't earn. 0:02:52.680 --> 0:02:55.200 People that went before me were generous. 0:02:55.440 --> 0:02:59.000 They made sacrifices to help others. They honored God with 0:02:59.080 --> 0:03:03.200 their life, and now I'm reaping favor from the seeds 0:03:03.240 --> 0:03:07.440 they sowed. Every time you give of your time, your talent, 0:03:07.760 --> 0:03:11.800 your resources, you are storing up blessings for your family. 0:03:12.480 --> 0:03:14.040 They're gonna walk into favor. 0:03:14.600 --> 0:03:18.120 See doors open the right people show up because of 0:03:18.160 --> 0:03:19.200 your generosity. 0:03:19.639 --> 0:03:21.239 It's a running over blessing. 0:03:21.919 --> 0:03:25.519 You were faithful, and it ran over to your great grandchildren. 0:03:26.240 --> 0:03:29.440 They can't explain it seems like a lucky break. No, 0:03:29.760 --> 0:03:33.760 that's a generational blessing. They're reaping a harvest from the 0:03:33.840 --> 0:03:38.440 seeds you sowed. Genesis form, Abraham had to go rescue 0:03:38.480 --> 0:03:41.720 his nephew Lot. He'd been captured by these bandits, and 0:03:42.000 --> 0:03:44.680 Abraham and his men snuck up in the middle of the. 0:03:44.680 --> 0:03:46.240 Night and attacked the opposition. 0:03:46.640 --> 0:03:51.200 They got locked his family, all the possessions back, plus 0:03:51.240 --> 0:03:53.240 they gathered up the enemy's spoils. 0:03:53.680 --> 0:03:54.760 Was a great victory. 0:03:55.240 --> 0:04:00.200 As they were returning, Milkezedek, the High Priest, met Abraham 0:04:00.200 --> 0:04:05.400 to congratulate him. Verse twenty says Abraham gave Melkezedek a 0:04:05.520 --> 0:04:09.800 tenth of everything he recovered, first place in the scripture 0:04:09.800 --> 0:04:12.880 where we see the tithe ten percent of our income. 0:04:13.760 --> 0:04:17.880 Abraham didn't have to do this, It wasn't required, but 0:04:18.000 --> 0:04:22.039 Abraham was a giver. He recognized it was God's favor 0:04:22.160 --> 0:04:25.080 that brought him the victory. He wanted to bless the 0:04:25.160 --> 0:04:27.839 high priest with some of the spoils to show that 0:04:27.960 --> 0:04:30.719 how God was first place in his life, how he 0:04:30.839 --> 0:04:32.520 was grateful for what God had done. 0:04:33.560 --> 0:04:36.440 That seemed like a nice thing to do, just being. 0:04:36.279 --> 0:04:40.800 Generous, but it was more significant than that. Abraham had 0:04:40.839 --> 0:04:43.840 a son named Isaac. Isaac had a son named Jacob. 0:04:44.160 --> 0:04:48.120 Jacob had a son named Levi. Levi was four generations 0:04:48.160 --> 0:04:54.680 after Abraham. Hebrews says Levi paid ties to Melkezedek through 0:04:54.720 --> 0:04:58.679 his ancestor Abraham. For although Levi was not yet born, 0:04:59.240 --> 0:05:02.800 the sea from which he came was in Abraham's loins 0:05:03.160 --> 0:05:07.080 when he gave the tithe till Milkezedak. This is saying 0:05:07.560 --> 0:05:11.640 Abraham gave that gift he honored God, and his great 0:05:11.680 --> 0:05:15.520 great grandson, a young man he had never met had 0:05:15.560 --> 0:05:20.440 not yet been born, was credited with giving ties. Levi 0:05:20.720 --> 0:05:23.839 came out of the womb with favor he had nothing 0:05:23.839 --> 0:05:27.880 to do with. He was born with a blessing because 0:05:27.960 --> 0:05:30.200 his grandfather was so generous. 0:05:30.880 --> 0:05:35.039 Notice the principle when Abraham gave, he didn't just see favor. 0:05:35.360 --> 0:05:38.520 The scripture says he had an abundance of cattle and sheep, 0:05:38.680 --> 0:05:41.400 one of the wealthiest men of his day, but his 0:05:41.560 --> 0:05:45.880 generosity didn't just impact him. It was credited to his 0:05:46.040 --> 0:05:47.560 great grandson's account. 0:05:48.200 --> 0:05:49.880 Four generations later. 0:05:49.920 --> 0:05:54.240 Levi showed up with a blessing because of Abraham's giving. 0:05:55.040 --> 0:05:57.760 Let's live our lives in such a way that our 0:05:57.800 --> 0:06:01.799 descendants are born with the blessing. You can impact future 0:06:01.880 --> 0:06:06.800 generations by living generously. You'll not only see God bless you, 0:06:07.320 --> 0:06:11.000 but there will be blessings. You can't contain blessings that 0:06:11.040 --> 0:06:16.080 flow down to your children, your grandchildren. I realized I 0:06:16.080 --> 0:06:19.200 didn't get here by myself. I didn't have the skill, 0:06:19.600 --> 0:06:23.200 the courage, the faith to make all this happen. I 0:06:23.400 --> 0:06:26.560 was born with favor in my account that I had 0:06:26.600 --> 0:06:30.159 nothing to do with. My grandfather on my mother's side 0:06:30.440 --> 0:06:33.719 was a giver. He had a rough childhood. He lost 0:06:33.720 --> 0:06:36.560 his father at eight years old and was passed from 0:06:36.640 --> 0:06:40.320 family to family. Nobody wanted him. He lived out on 0:06:40.440 --> 0:06:43.520 a barn on his own. He could have been bitter 0:06:43.640 --> 0:06:46.360 and gone through life with a chip on his shoulder. 0:06:46.680 --> 0:06:48.880 But you have to take the hand you've bend out 0:06:49.000 --> 0:06:50.120 and make the most of it. 0:06:50.520 --> 0:06:53.560 Nothing that's happened to you has to stop your purpose. 0:06:54.279 --> 0:06:57.440 He met my grandmother and they got married, and at eighteen, 0:06:57.480 --> 0:07:01.359 my grandfather got a job at the Exon Finery in Baytown. 0:07:01.680 --> 0:07:04.680 For forty years, he never missed a day of work. 0:07:05.120 --> 0:07:06.039 He was faithful. 0:07:06.800 --> 0:07:09.720 When he retired, he'd come to Lakewood during the week 0:07:10.000 --> 0:07:12.600 to do repairs and help the staff, and I would 0:07:12.640 --> 0:07:15.840 see him underneath the portable buildings working on the plumbing. 0:07:16.280 --> 0:07:20.720 He was generous When he passed at ninety four years old. 0:07:21.120 --> 0:07:22.720 We were going through his belongings. 0:07:23.400 --> 0:07:26.000 We found a notebook where he kept a record of 0:07:26.040 --> 0:07:30.080 all of his giving was handwritten. Six dollars to Central 0:07:30.080 --> 0:07:33.800 Baptist Church, his tithe, and eight dollars to the Lakewood 0:07:33.800 --> 0:07:38.840 Building Fund, four dollars to missions. Every gift year after 0:07:38.920 --> 0:07:42.960 year recorded in this book. But he wasn't the only 0:07:43.000 --> 0:07:47.560 one keeping records. God sees the sacrifices you make. He's 0:07:47.600 --> 0:07:52.640 these you're going the extra mile, giving, serving, helping others. 0:07:53.320 --> 0:07:55.520 He's not only going to bring that back to you, 0:07:55.800 --> 0:07:58.920 pressed down, shaken together, but there's going to be some 0:07:59.040 --> 0:08:02.880 running over, some that's gonna be credited to your children, 0:08:03.400 --> 0:08:06.960 to those who come after you. No wonder, I'm blessed. 0:08:07.240 --> 0:08:10.640 I was born with a blessing. I can't take credit 0:08:10.720 --> 0:08:14.000 for it. I had a grandfather that honored God, that 0:08:14.120 --> 0:08:15.840 lived generously with his. 0:08:15.880 --> 0:08:18.360 Talent, his resources. 0:08:18.640 --> 0:08:22.600 Now I'm walking in favor that I can't explain good 0:08:22.640 --> 0:08:24.040 breaks that I didn't earn. 0:08:24.480 --> 0:08:26.240 It's a generational blessing. 0:08:27.000 --> 0:08:30.679 It's because those that went before me stored up favor, 0:08:31.240 --> 0:08:35.640 stored up mercy freely. It's been given to me. Now 0:08:35.679 --> 0:08:38.839 I'm gonna freely give it to others. I'm gonna make 0:08:38.880 --> 0:08:43.040 sure I store up plenty in my children's accounts. Let's 0:08:43.120 --> 0:08:47.439 live in such a way that our grandchildren, our great grandchildren, 0:08:47.840 --> 0:08:52.360 four or five generations later, Like LEVI, they're born with 0:08:52.440 --> 0:08:53.640 a blessing. 0:08:53.280 --> 0:08:56.120 Because of you. You went the extra mile. 0:08:56.800 --> 0:08:59.959 You stayed late to help that friend, you came early 0:09:00.120 --> 0:09:03.520 to serve at church, you stretched to support the ministry. 0:09:04.360 --> 0:09:07.640 All those gifts are being credited to those. 0:09:07.400 --> 0:09:10.440 Who are coming after you. You can't contain all God's 0:09:10.440 --> 0:09:10.880 gonna do. 0:09:11.720 --> 0:09:14.200 I'm not saying He's not gonna bless you, but one 0:09:14.320 --> 0:09:17.400 lifetime is not enough. It's going to spill over to 0:09:17.480 --> 0:09:22.160 your family line, to future generations. I was eighteen years 0:09:22.160 --> 0:09:25.440 old and one evening my parents were dressed up and 0:09:25.520 --> 0:09:28.240 about to leave the house, and wasn't a church night, 0:09:28.320 --> 0:09:29.200 and I asked where. 0:09:29.080 --> 0:09:31.559 They were going. My father said there was a new 0:09:31.600 --> 0:09:33.920 police chief in town. He was the. 0:09:33.880 --> 0:09:37.440 First African American chief in Houston, and they were going 0:09:37.480 --> 0:09:38.240 to welcome him. 0:09:38.880 --> 0:09:40.760 I said, that's great. Do you know him? 0:09:41.400 --> 0:09:44.040 They said no, we've never met him. I said, does 0:09:44.120 --> 0:09:48.280 someone invite you? They said no, nobody invited us. I said, 0:09:48.280 --> 0:09:50.800 do you know other people there? They said, no, Joel, 0:09:51.040 --> 0:09:54.080 We're just going to make him feel welcome, let him 0:09:54.120 --> 0:09:56.880 know that we support him and we're praying for him. 0:09:57.520 --> 0:09:59.960 That struck me as being so odd. 0:10:00.000 --> 0:10:03.480 No, End, you don't have to go. Nobody's expecting you. 0:10:04.240 --> 0:10:05.720 But my parents were givers. 0:10:06.320 --> 0:10:10.439 They loved to invest in people, to encourage. They were 0:10:10.480 --> 0:10:11.959 always for the underdogs. 0:10:12.160 --> 0:10:15.079 If someone wrote you off, my parents would be there 0:10:15.240 --> 0:10:18.360 to tell you you can still do it. If you failed, 0:10:18.440 --> 0:10:21.000 you made a mistake, they'd be there to lift you up, 0:10:21.400 --> 0:10:22.400 to help restore you. 0:10:22.960 --> 0:10:25.360 To let you know God has another chance. 0:10:26.160 --> 0:10:28.760 They went to the reception and met Chief Ground and 0:10:29.280 --> 0:10:31.679 told him how they believed in him, and how all 0:10:31.720 --> 0:10:34.319 of Lakewood would be praying just so in a seed 0:10:34.360 --> 0:10:38.880 of friendship, just being kind, letting him know that they care. 0:10:39.600 --> 0:10:42.200 Twenty one years later, my father had gone to be 0:10:42.280 --> 0:10:45.360 with the Lord and I'd been pastoring for three years. 0:10:46.120 --> 0:10:46.960 Church was growing. 0:10:47.760 --> 0:10:51.520 We need a larger auditorium. We couldn't find any property 0:10:51.559 --> 0:10:55.120 to build. A friend called and said the Rockets basketball 0:10:55.160 --> 0:10:57.600 team was going to move out of the Compact Center. 0:10:58.000 --> 0:11:00.000 We should try to get that building for lake Wood. 0:11:00.720 --> 0:11:03.439 It was owned by the city. When he said that, 0:11:03.960 --> 0:11:04.760 something came. 0:11:04.600 --> 0:11:06.160 Alive on the inside. 0:11:06.280 --> 0:11:09.600 I knew we were supposed to go after it. He said, Joe, 0:11:09.800 --> 0:11:12.120 you should call the mayor and ask him about it. 0:11:12.440 --> 0:11:14.680 But I'd only been pastor in a short time and 0:11:14.840 --> 0:11:15.960 nobody knew who I was. 0:11:16.280 --> 0:11:18.439 Thought, I can't call the mayor. He's not going to 0:11:18.520 --> 0:11:19.240 take my call. 0:11:19.920 --> 0:11:22.720 Then I remembered who the mayor was. It was no 0:11:22.840 --> 0:11:27.480 longer Police Chief Lee Brown. Now it was Mayor Lee Brown, 0:11:27.720 --> 0:11:29.520 the same man my. 0:11:29.600 --> 0:11:31.880 Parents befriended twenty one years earlier. 0:11:32.640 --> 0:11:35.760 Daddy may have gone, but that favor was stored up 0:11:35.760 --> 0:11:36.480 in my account. 0:11:37.040 --> 0:11:39.960 I called the city Fifteen seconds later. The mayor was 0:11:40.000 --> 0:11:42.080 on the line. He said, Joel, what can I do 0:11:42.200 --> 0:11:42.560 for you? 0:11:42.920 --> 0:11:45.600 I told him how we were interested in the Compact Center. 0:11:45.880 --> 0:11:48.960 He said, Joel, I think Lakewood having the Compact Center 0:11:49.200 --> 0:11:50.560 would be great for the. 0:11:50.480 --> 0:11:51.360 City of Houston. 0:11:52.200 --> 0:11:55.880 I thought, how can this be happening? Why does he 0:11:55.920 --> 0:11:57.760 want to go out of his way to be good 0:11:57.760 --> 0:12:01.440 to us? That wasn't something and I did. That was 0:12:01.480 --> 0:12:02.880 the blessing that. 0:12:02.880 --> 0:12:07.360 Came from my parent's generosity. At eighteen years old, I 0:12:07.440 --> 0:12:10.719 wondered why they were going. That seemed odd, but. 0:12:10.720 --> 0:12:13.559 When you live a generous life, You don't know what 0:12:13.600 --> 0:12:14.520 you're storing up. 0:12:15.080 --> 0:12:16.520 You don't know how God. 0:12:16.360 --> 0:12:19.200 Is not only going to bless you, but bless those 0:12:19.240 --> 0:12:22.040 that come after you. On my own, I didn't have 0:12:22.080 --> 0:12:26.200 the clout, the influence, the experience, but there was favor 0:12:26.280 --> 0:12:29.559 in my account. When you look back over your life, 0:12:29.760 --> 0:12:33.400 how many challenges have you overcome that should have stopped you. 0:12:34.360 --> 0:12:37.200 Obstacles too big, dreams too great. 0:12:37.679 --> 0:12:39.880 But somehow you had the strength to outlast. 0:12:40.360 --> 0:12:44.319 The door opened, the company chose you, The sickness turned around, 0:12:44.760 --> 0:12:47.520 somehow you got pregnant when they said you couldn't have 0:12:47.600 --> 0:12:48.080 a baby. 0:12:48.640 --> 0:12:52.040 There are good breaks you can't explain. Turn around. 0:12:52.160 --> 0:12:56.080 You didn't see coming favor that thrust you ahead. It's 0:12:56.160 --> 0:13:00.560 because someone in your family line stored up blessing for you. 0:13:01.360 --> 0:13:06.800 Someone gained sacrifice, served Those blessings ran over into your account. 0:13:07.520 --> 0:13:11.720 They couldn't contain it. Now you're being promoted, you're seeing favor. 0:13:12.080 --> 0:13:13.760 It's a generational blessing. 0:13:14.360 --> 0:13:16.960 It's like LEVI. You were born with the blessing. 0:13:17.679 --> 0:13:21.319 You had relatives that sowed seeds. They didn't reap the 0:13:21.360 --> 0:13:25.080 whole harvest. Some of those seeds were designed to bloom 0:13:25.080 --> 0:13:28.600 in your life. Now you're reaping from what they sowed. 0:13:29.600 --> 0:13:33.559 But my father always dreamed of building a large auditorium 0:13:33.640 --> 0:13:36.400 like the Compact Center. In fact, in one of his 0:13:36.559 --> 0:13:40.360 messages way before we moved in, he said, one day 0:13:40.400 --> 0:13:43.360 we're going to buy the Summit. That's what this place 0:13:43.640 --> 0:13:47.160 was called back then. He never saw it in his lifetime. 0:13:47.280 --> 0:13:48.520 He went to be with the Lord. 0:13:48.960 --> 0:13:51.839 But sometimes God will put a dream in your heart 0:13:52.160 --> 0:13:53.800 that your children will fulfill. 0:13:54.480 --> 0:13:55.600 Your grandchildren. 0:13:55.960 --> 0:13:59.600 You will see further than you can go. Your vision 0:13:59.840 --> 0:14:03.600 may be greater than you can accomplish, but God is 0:14:03.679 --> 0:14:07.720 birthing that in your spirit so that future generations can 0:14:07.760 --> 0:14:11.760 step into what you're seeing. The good news is your 0:14:11.840 --> 0:14:17.120 generosity is the way you honor God. Your obedience, your faithfulness. 0:14:17.160 --> 0:14:21.280 Those seeds are accruing for your children, for your family 0:14:21.360 --> 0:14:24.920 lie And like me and Mayor Brown, there will be 0:14:25.080 --> 0:14:29.080 destiny moments for those that come after you, where doors open, 0:14:29.760 --> 0:14:32.920 the right people show up to bring to past what 0:14:33.040 --> 0:14:36.160 God put in your heart. They will reap the harvest 0:14:36.400 --> 0:14:39.720 of some of the seeds that you've sown. Now, keep 0:14:39.760 --> 0:14:44.600 doing the right thing, Keep being generous, Keep encouraging that friend, 0:14:45.160 --> 0:14:48.080 Keep taking care of that elderly neighbor. Keep giving to 0:14:48.120 --> 0:14:51.520 support God's work. You're not only going to see increase, 0:14:51.880 --> 0:14:55.160 but there will be running over blessings, blessings that you 0:14:55.240 --> 0:15:00.440 cannot contain. In the scripture, Jonathan was King saul son 0:15:00.520 --> 0:15:03.800 and he was best friends with David, and Jonathan had 0:15:03.800 --> 0:15:07.640 an incredibly generous spirit. He was next in line to 0:15:07.720 --> 0:15:11.160 be the king after his father passed, but he knew 0:15:11.200 --> 0:15:13.880 God's hand was on David. He went out of his 0:15:14.000 --> 0:15:19.200 way to be good to David. He could have been jealous, competitive, thought, 0:15:19.200 --> 0:15:21.680 I got to push David down, not let him get 0:15:21.680 --> 0:15:25.240 my position, but he was just the opposite. 0:15:25.360 --> 0:15:26.400 David came from. 0:15:26.200 --> 0:15:30.240 A low income family and they were shepherds. Jonathan was 0:15:30.360 --> 0:15:34.360 raised in royalty in the palace. He understood protocol and 0:15:34.480 --> 0:15:37.840 how things operated, and when David came to the palace, 0:15:38.280 --> 0:15:41.120 Jonathan took him under his wing and helped him learn 0:15:41.160 --> 0:15:44.840 how everything worked, how to serve, and how to carry himself. 0:15:45.760 --> 0:15:48.920 When King Saul became jealous of David and was trying 0:15:48.960 --> 0:15:53.320 to kill him, Jonathan protected David, shared secrets to keep 0:15:53.360 --> 0:15:55.640 him safe, and came up with the plans so he 0:15:55.640 --> 0:15:59.400 wouldn't be harmed. If not for Jonathan David may not 0:15:59.560 --> 0:16:03.040 have full filled his purpose. When David was about to 0:16:03.080 --> 0:16:06.440 take off running from King Saul, Jonathan met him out 0:16:06.440 --> 0:16:10.160 in the field. First Samuel eighteen says Jonathan took off 0:16:10.160 --> 0:16:15.040 his robe and gave it to David, along with his armor. 0:16:14.320 --> 0:16:16.920 His sword, his bow, and his belt. 0:16:17.360 --> 0:16:22.240 Look at Jonathan a giver, not only incredibly generous, but 0:16:22.320 --> 0:16:25.800 he's given it to someone that's going to take his position. 0:16:26.640 --> 0:16:29.160 God, help us to be that way, not so. 0:16:29.360 --> 0:16:33.640 Selfish and insecure and competitive that I can't bless someone 0:16:34.160 --> 0:16:36.440 that's going to go where I want to go, that 0:16:36.560 --> 0:16:39.040 I can't be good to someone that's going to pass 0:16:39.120 --> 0:16:42.800 me up. When you can pass the test of being 0:16:42.880 --> 0:16:45.920 good to people that are going further than, God can 0:16:46.120 --> 0:16:51.400 entrust you with greater influence, greater resources. When you're unselfish, 0:16:51.960 --> 0:16:55.400 you're comfortable helping others get ahead. You are so in 0:16:55.480 --> 0:16:58.960 a seed for a running over blessing. God's not only 0:16:59.000 --> 0:17:03.200 going to reward your generosity, but your children, those that 0:17:03.240 --> 0:17:06.240 come after you are going to be born with a blessing. 0:17:06.600 --> 0:17:10.399 Your giving is being credited to their account. David and 0:17:10.480 --> 0:17:14.320 Jonathan hugged each other goodbye. David took off into the 0:17:14.359 --> 0:17:17.440 desert Saw chasing after him. They would only see each 0:17:17.440 --> 0:17:20.639 other one more time. It's significant that on one of 0:17:20.720 --> 0:17:22.840 their last encounters. 0:17:22.680 --> 0:17:24.600 Jonathan was giving all these gifts. 0:17:25.119 --> 0:17:28.199 As David hid in the caves month after month, I 0:17:28.200 --> 0:17:31.600 can imagine many times he looked at his robe and 0:17:32.119 --> 0:17:35.399 thought about his good friend Jonathan, how much he loved him, 0:17:35.760 --> 0:17:38.000 put on his belt, picked up his. 0:17:37.920 --> 0:17:40.000 Sword, and thought, Jonathan gave me this. 0:17:40.840 --> 0:17:46.399 He was constantly reminded of Jonathan's generosity, not just material things, 0:17:47.000 --> 0:17:50.280 but how Jonathan helped him navigate the palace, how he 0:17:50.400 --> 0:17:54.240 protected him from King Saul. A few years later, Jonathan 0:17:54.560 --> 0:17:57.000 and his dad Saw were killed in a battle on 0:17:57.040 --> 0:17:57.720 the same. 0:17:57.520 --> 0:18:01.040 Day, and David was made king. Came to pass. 0:18:02.040 --> 0:18:06.760 David was incredibly successful, had great victories, led the Israelites 0:18:06.800 --> 0:18:10.800 to conquer enemies and take new ground. Twenty years had 0:18:10.840 --> 0:18:14.960 passed since Jonathan was killed. Now David was known everywhere, 0:18:15.119 --> 0:18:18.800 had all this influence and power. One night, he was 0:18:18.880 --> 0:18:21.520 reminiscing thinking about his dear friend. 0:18:21.320 --> 0:18:23.359 Jonathan, how much he missed him. 0:18:23.960 --> 0:18:27.160 He said to his men, is there anyone still alive 0:18:27.440 --> 0:18:30.760 from the House of Saul that I can show kindness too? 0:18:31.320 --> 0:18:32.480 For Jonathan's sake. 0:18:33.480 --> 0:18:37.200 Two decades had passed and David was saying, I want 0:18:37.200 --> 0:18:40.120 to be good to Jonathan's family. I want to show 0:18:40.240 --> 0:18:44.400 them kindness because of what he did for me. Jonathan 0:18:44.440 --> 0:18:47.200 didn't help David to get something, but look at how 0:18:47.240 --> 0:18:47.959 God works. 0:18:48.280 --> 0:18:50.400 He was storing it up for his children. 0:18:51.200 --> 0:18:53.800 God put it on David's heart to be good to 0:18:53.880 --> 0:18:58.920 Jonathan's descendants. His men said, Jonathan has a son named Mephiboshev. 0:18:59.200 --> 0:19:02.320 He'd living in the city of Loadobar, but he's crippled. 0:19:02.640 --> 0:19:07.160 He can't walk. Lodobar was the poorest city of that day. 0:19:07.200 --> 0:19:10.040 It was the slums. David said, doesn't matter. Go get 0:19:10.119 --> 0:19:11.119 him and bring him to me. 0:19:12.119 --> 0:19:15.080 They searched and searched, and finally found him. Had to 0:19:15.119 --> 0:19:19.000 carry him to the palace. My Phibish ship was nervous. 0:19:19.280 --> 0:19:22.160 He didn't know if David was angry, trying to get 0:19:22.200 --> 0:19:25.920 revenge because his grandfather, King Sauw trying to kill him. 0:19:26.240 --> 0:19:29.560 He was expecting the worst. He came in. David said, MA, 0:19:29.640 --> 0:19:33.120 Phibish Chef, don't worry. I'm not here to harm you. 0:19:33.440 --> 0:19:37.560 I'm here to bless you because your father Jonathan was 0:19:37.600 --> 0:19:40.639 so good to me. From now on, you're gonna live 0:19:40.680 --> 0:19:43.440 in the palace with me. You're gonna eat dinner at 0:19:43.440 --> 0:19:46.600 my table each night, and all the land that belonged 0:19:46.600 --> 0:19:48.920 to your grandfather, I'm giving it to you. 0:19:49.840 --> 0:19:50.720 Here's my point. 0:19:51.320 --> 0:19:54.520 My Phibish chef didn't do anything to deserve this. He 0:19:54.600 --> 0:19:57.800 didn't know David, he didn't work to earn it. But 0:19:57.880 --> 0:20:02.200 because of his father's generosity, he was born with a blessing. 0:20:03.000 --> 0:20:06.960 There was favor in his account because his father sold 0:20:07.000 --> 0:20:12.520 seeds of kindness, friendship resources. Now that harvest was coming 0:20:12.560 --> 0:20:15.760 to his son, maphibishev it had been stored up. 0:20:16.359 --> 0:20:21.040 Many of you have sowed seeds of generosity. Like Jonathan. 0:20:21.480 --> 0:20:25.080 You've been a blessing to people, giving your time, helping 0:20:25.119 --> 0:20:27.280 those in need, supporting the ministry. 0:20:27.880 --> 0:20:29.440 God is keeping the records. 0:20:30.040 --> 0:20:33.399 He's seen the sacrifices you've made. There will be a 0:20:33.480 --> 0:20:37.240 day where you see a running over blessing. Not only 0:20:37.280 --> 0:20:41.760 are you blessed, but in the future your children, great grandchildren. 0:20:42.000 --> 0:20:44.800 God will cause someone to want to be good to 0:20:44.880 --> 0:20:49.639 them for your sakes. The older I get, now that 0:20:49.720 --> 0:20:55.600 I'm thirty six, the more I realize the blessing of 0:20:55.760 --> 0:21:01.119 having generous parents, generous grandparents. Mother would have turned ninety 0:21:01.119 --> 0:21:04.439 two years old last week, her first birthday in heaven. 0:21:04.640 --> 0:21:08.320 She's there with my father, my grandparents. They left me 0:21:08.960 --> 0:21:10.160 so much better off. 0:21:10.960 --> 0:21:14.679 Often say thank you Daddy, thank you mother, thank you 0:21:14.760 --> 0:21:16.600 granddaddy for you left. 0:21:16.560 --> 0:21:17.880 So much in my account. 0:21:19.000 --> 0:21:22.800 How that inspires me to live that way. It's easy 0:21:22.880 --> 0:21:26.440 these days to be selfish and self centered and only 0:21:26.480 --> 0:21:30.119 focused on me and my problems, my goals. Joel, I 0:21:30.160 --> 0:21:33.160 don't have time to help others. I need all my resources. 0:21:34.000 --> 0:21:37.119 That's a shallow way to live. We are a part 0:21:37.240 --> 0:21:41.240 of a much larger plan. We can make it easier 0:21:41.560 --> 0:21:44.360 on those that come after us, or we can make 0:21:44.400 --> 0:21:49.160 it more difficult. We can give them an advantage, have favor, 0:21:49.440 --> 0:21:53.360 good breaks, mercy accredited to their account. Or we can 0:21:53.400 --> 0:21:57.160 be a burden, leave them with nothing to benefit. Let's 0:21:57.200 --> 0:22:00.520 be like Abraham and give out a great illness for 0:22:00.560 --> 0:22:03.879 the victories God's given us. Or how about like Jonathan, 0:22:04.320 --> 0:22:08.560 give unselfishly to help others. That's not only going to 0:22:08.640 --> 0:22:12.600 cause you to be blessed, but it's storing up blessings. 0:22:12.040 --> 0:22:13.480 For future generations. 0:22:14.400 --> 0:22:17.600 In my early twenties, I was in India with my father 0:22:17.720 --> 0:22:20.320 and a few of my siblings and we were at 0:22:20.359 --> 0:22:24.800 the apartment of this Indian pastor, very influential leader that 0:22:24.880 --> 0:22:29.440 my father loved and Lakewood supported for many years. This 0:22:29.560 --> 0:22:33.200 pastor was so passionate about his ministry, he never got 0:22:33.240 --> 0:22:35.399 his family a nicer place to live. 0:22:35.960 --> 0:22:38.800 They're in this whole rundown apartment and. 0:22:38.440 --> 0:22:43.040 Dilapidated and faucets weren't working in a rough area. My 0:22:43.160 --> 0:22:46.280 father decided a couple months earlier that he was going 0:22:46.359 --> 0:22:49.960 to give in the funds personally from our family to 0:22:50.040 --> 0:22:52.920 buy a house to live in. It wasn't as much 0:22:52.960 --> 0:22:55.320 as here in the States, but it's still a significant amount. 0:22:56.080 --> 0:22:58.840 We went to his apartment that night to tell him. 0:22:59.280 --> 0:23:03.280 All of his family gathered around. He had several smaller children. 0:23:04.000 --> 0:23:06.240 My father told him that our family wanted to buy 0:23:06.400 --> 0:23:08.680 a house, and we brought him a gift to make 0:23:08.720 --> 0:23:11.280 it happen. And there were three of us kids there 0:23:11.320 --> 0:23:14.800 and plus one more in our group. Instead of having 0:23:14.880 --> 0:23:18.000 one check for the whole amount, my father had. 0:23:17.840 --> 0:23:19.960 Five checks so we could each give. 0:23:20.880 --> 0:23:23.800 My father gave the first one. The pastor opened it 0:23:23.840 --> 0:23:26.639 up and began to weep. Nobody had ever given him 0:23:26.720 --> 0:23:29.600 that much before. And next I came up and handed 0:23:29.680 --> 0:23:32.600 in the check. He started weeping more, and you know me, 0:23:32.760 --> 0:23:36.160 I started crying myself. Three more came up, one by one, 0:23:36.280 --> 0:23:39.280 handed him the check. It's a moment I'll never forget. 0:23:40.400 --> 0:23:43.080 I had bought a new sports car earlier that year, 0:23:43.440 --> 0:23:45.040 a Camaro Z twenty eight. 0:23:45.520 --> 0:23:49.199 That was so exciting, but that was nothing compared to 0:23:49.280 --> 0:23:51.960 the feeling of giving that pastor that check. 0:23:52.320 --> 0:23:56.679 I'd never felt the joy, the satisfaction. That's what the 0:23:56.720 --> 0:23:59.399 scripture says, more blessed to give than to receive. 0:24:00.119 --> 0:24:04.040 I realized the reason my father had separate checks is 0:24:04.080 --> 0:24:07.439 he wanted us each to experience the joy of giving. 0:24:08.160 --> 0:24:12.200 He knew it would make a lasting impact. Parents, teach 0:24:12.200 --> 0:24:13.440 your children. 0:24:13.359 --> 0:24:14.720 What it means to be a giver. 0:24:15.640 --> 0:24:19.160 Include them when you give your tithes at church, Take 0:24:19.200 --> 0:24:21.119 them to serve with you at the food bank. 0:24:21.680 --> 0:24:22.360 Let them be a. 0:24:22.320 --> 0:24:25.160 Part when you're helping that friend in need or being 0:24:25.240 --> 0:24:28.600 good to that neighbor. Being generous is one of the 0:24:28.600 --> 0:24:32.720 greatest gifts we can leave our family, and today there's 0:24:32.720 --> 0:24:35.600 so much digital giving. In the old days, you would 0:24:35.600 --> 0:24:37.680 bring your offering to church and drop it off in 0:24:37.720 --> 0:24:40.879 the plate. It was an act of worship something you 0:24:40.880 --> 0:24:45.399 could see and pray over and understand the importance. But 0:24:45.560 --> 0:24:49.720 now with everything electronic, it can happen and we don't 0:24:49.800 --> 0:24:51.200 realize the significance. 0:24:51.800 --> 0:24:55.000 We're doing the right thing, but giving is an act 0:24:55.040 --> 0:24:57.879 of worship. It's a way that we honor God. 0:24:58.520 --> 0:25:01.280 Friend of mine that attends here said, when he goes 0:25:01.359 --> 0:25:04.320 to give each month, he has his children gather at 0:25:04.320 --> 0:25:07.679 home around the computer and he has his offering on 0:25:07.800 --> 0:25:10.439 there and they pray over it as a family and 0:25:10.760 --> 0:25:13.840 thank God for the funds. When it's time to give, 0:25:14.160 --> 0:25:17.760 he has the children pushed the sind button so they 0:25:17.880 --> 0:25:22.320 experience what it means to give. When Victoria was a 0:25:22.320 --> 0:25:25.240 little girl, her father was a deacon in the Church 0:25:25.280 --> 0:25:27.919 of Christ, and he would take the offering back to 0:25:28.000 --> 0:25:28.600 be counted. 0:25:29.240 --> 0:25:32.400 Victoria just five six years old. She would sit on. 0:25:32.320 --> 0:25:35.400 The counter and stamp the back of the checks, get 0:25:35.440 --> 0:25:38.679 them ready for deposit. Her father could have left her 0:25:38.680 --> 0:25:41.720 out with the others done that on his own, but 0:25:41.840 --> 0:25:45.919 he wanted her to know. We are givers, We honor God, 0:25:46.280 --> 0:25:49.760 we put him first place. How many of us have 0:25:49.880 --> 0:25:53.080 been born with the blessing because we had parents that 0:25:53.160 --> 0:25:57.480 were generous, relatives that were givers. I pray every day 0:25:57.760 --> 0:25:59.879 God helped me to be a good steward of what 0:26:00.119 --> 0:26:03.040 you've given me. Help me to pass on the favor 0:26:03.440 --> 0:26:05.600 the blessing by living generously. 0:26:06.600 --> 0:26:11.000 Many of you have done this, You've given, served, gone 0:26:11.040 --> 0:26:12.640 out of your way. Here after year. 0:26:13.080 --> 0:26:16.200 God has seen every gift, every sacrifice. 0:26:16.720 --> 0:26:17.800 I believe and. 0:26:17.840 --> 0:26:21.760 Declare, like with Abraham, not only are you going to 0:26:21.760 --> 0:26:27.160 see abundance, but your seed, your Levi's four generations later 0:26:27.560 --> 0:26:30.879 are going to be born with the blessing, favor, influence, 0:26:30.960 --> 0:26:35.560 good breaks because of your generosity in Jesus's. 0:26:35.160 --> 0:26:38.080 Name, and if you receive it, can you say amen? 0:26:40.040 --> 0:26:42.720 I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus 0:26:42.800 --> 0:26:43.919 the Lord of your life. 0:26:44.240 --> 0:26:45.199 Would you pray with me? 0:26:45.920 --> 0:26:50.080 Just say, Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins, Come 0:26:50.080 --> 0:26:50.879 into my heart. 0:26:51.600 --> 0:26:53.600 I make you my Lord and Savior. 0:26:54.400 --> 0:26:56.760 If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:26:56.800 --> 0:26:59.800 born again. We'd like to send you some free information 0:27:00.119 --> 0:27:02.359 your new walk with the Lord. You can text the 0:27:02.440 --> 0:27:05.000 number on the screen or go to the website. But 0:27:05.080 --> 0:27:07.680 I hope you'll get into a good Bible based church 0:27:07.960 --> 0:27:09.800 and keep God first place. 0:27:11.000 --> 0:27:15.360 What if every plan you set, every habit you formed, 0:27:15.680 --> 0:27:19.360 and every decision you made became a pathway to see 0:27:19.440 --> 0:27:22.080 God move in your life. 0:27:22.119 --> 0:27:25.080 We all have hopes and dreams, things we're believing for. 0:27:25.520 --> 0:27:28.960 When you start the year in faith, expecting God's goodness, 0:27:29.080 --> 0:27:31.640 you are setting the tone for a blessed new year. 0:27:32.080 --> 0:27:34.160 And we'd love to send you our twenty twenty six 0:27:34.359 --> 0:27:37.119 Faith for the Day Planner. You can write down your 0:27:37.160 --> 0:27:39.920 dreams and goals and plus use it for your everyday 0:27:40.000 --> 0:27:41.640 activities and reminders. 0:27:41.880 --> 0:27:44.840 It's important to feed your faith on a daily basis. 0:27:45.200 --> 0:27:48.000 This planner it's not just a calendar. It's filled with 0:27:48.040 --> 0:27:51.800 scriptures and inspiration to help you stay encouraged and keep 0:27:51.840 --> 0:27:54.000 believing for what God is put in your heart. 0:27:54.160 --> 0:27:56.720 Twenty twenty six is your year to see the goodness 0:27:56.720 --> 0:27:59.520 of God in greater ways, let go of what didn't 0:27:59.560 --> 0:28:02.080 work out, and get ready for the new things God 0:28:02.119 --> 0:28:02.840 has in store. 0:28:03.760 --> 0:28:06.160 As our way of saying thank you for your gift 0:28:06.200 --> 0:28:08.800 of any amount this month, we would like to send 0:28:08.840 --> 0:28:11.359 you a copy of the twenty twenty six Faith for 0:28:11.480 --> 0:28:15.840 Today Planner. Each month features a fresh theme of encouragement, 0:28:16.240 --> 0:28:19.880 a guiding scripture to stand on, room to write your goals, 0:28:20.040 --> 0:28:24.920 prayers and vision space for faith steps. Because faith isn't passive, 0:28:25.240 --> 0:28:29.080 it's active. A monthly QR code linking to a message 0:28:29.160 --> 0:28:32.359 or video to keep your spirit lifted. With a twenty 0:28:32.400 --> 0:28:35.960 twenty six Faith for Today Planner, you'll be reminded that 0:28:36.119 --> 0:28:39.400 living by faith makes room for God to do what 0:28:39.600 --> 0:28:43.600 only He can do. Break through in your business, God's 0:28:43.640 --> 0:28:48.400 healing touch. Loved ones returning to faith. Request your copy 0:28:48.440 --> 0:28:50.920 of the planner and step into the new year with 0:28:51.080 --> 0:28:55.560 bold faith, fresh hope, and daily encouragement. To strengthen your 0:28:55.560 --> 0:28:58.480 spirit and face every challenge with confidence. 0:28:59.200 --> 0:29:02.040 No matter what's to happen around you, faith can rise 0:29:02.120 --> 0:29:05.560 up in you. Keep believing and expecting a blessed twenty 0:29:05.600 --> 0:29:08.440 twenty six Victoria and I pray for you and your 0:29:08.480 --> 0:29:11.720 family every day. Thank you so much for your prayer 0:29:11.760 --> 0:29:15.600 and support. Your generosity is helping people around the world. 0:29:16.120 --> 0:29:18.920 As we finish this year, I hope you'll consider making 0:29:18.960 --> 0:29:22.520 a special year in gift to help keep the ministry strong. 0:29:23.040 --> 0:29:25.680 We still appreciate all the Champion of Hope partners for 0:29:25.760 --> 0:29:28.840 your monthly support. We wish you and your family a 0:29:29.040 --> 0:29:31.760 very merry Christmas. Until we see you next time. 0:29:31.960 --> 0:29:33.920 May the Lord bless you and keep you. 0:29:34.760 --> 0:29:37.360 Be sure to request your copy of the twenty twenty 0:29:37.400 --> 0:29:41.520 six Faith for Today Planner. Visit Joelostein dot com or 0:29:41.600 --> 0:29:45.080 call eight eight eight five six seven Joel for a 0:29:45.160 --> 0:29:46.480 special year end gift. 0:29:46.520 --> 0:29:47.600 This month, we are. 0:29:47.480 --> 0:29:51.960 Also offering the Faith to Share Bundle, Keep One, Give One, 0:29:52.360 --> 0:29:56.000 Give the gift of faith, focus and fresh hope for 0:29:56.120 --> 0:29:59.680 someone special in your life. You can also request the 0:29:59.760 --> 0:30:05.160 God's Word Work Study Collection. This empowering collection includes the NIV, 0:30:05.480 --> 0:30:10.160 the Message, Parallel Bible, a beautifully crafted leather bookmark and pen, 0:30:10.560 --> 0:30:13.400 and how to read your Bible and enjoy it, along 0:30:13.440 --> 0:30:17.520 with two planners. You can request these inspiring resources by 0:30:17.560 --> 0:30:21.200 calling eight eight eight five six seven Joel or logging 0:30:21.240 --> 0:30:25.520 on to Joelostein dot com today call or click anytime 0:30:25.760 --> 0:30:30.080 twenty four hours a day, stay organized, encouraged and full 0:30:30.120 --> 0:31:01.560 of faith all year long. Request these resources today