Don't Go Messing with the Blessing (cont'd)

Jesus said, If we do not forgive others, neither will he forgive us. In just a few moments, Pastor Paul Shepherd takes us once again to the life of David in his message, Don't Go Messing with the Blessing. But before he gets started, I want to let you know about a special resource we have for you this month titled Finding Strength in Tough Times. I'll give you the details in just a moment, but right now Pastor Paul has joined me in the studio.

Here's what we know from scripture. There will be more, won't there? Tell us about this booklet and why finding strength in tough times is so important to everyone listening. It's been a two-decade.

Man, I couldn't wait for the 20s to get here, and I was so excited. But boy, three months later, we were scratching our heads saying, What in the world is going on? And the bottom line is tough times have always existed.

We've experienced unique tough times over the past year and a half, and there are going to be more in the future of one sort or another. So the bottom line is, I believe that we must take the Word of God as our lamp to our feet and a light to our pathway. One of the people who helps us do that in the Word is a man we're all acquainted with named David, because boy, did he go through some tough times.

The very king he was trying to serve was trying to kill him. And so in the book of 1 Samuel, we read about David being on the run. He's a fugitive from a man he's done nothing but love, and it's not for days, weeks, or months.

He's a fugitive for years, and all he's done is try to help this guy. Talk about tough times David went through them, and he tells us how to get through them just by his very example. So this booklet I'm really excited to share this month, because I want people to understand there is strength we can find in our tough times. If you donate this month, I'd love to send it to you, and I know it'll be a great blessing in your life. The booklet is called Finding Strength in Tough Times, and it is our gift to you by request in return for your generous donation to Destin for Victory this month.

Speaking of tough times, the summer months are always a difficult period for ministries like Destin for Victory. Your prayers and financial support are critical during this season of the year, so we hope you'll prayerfully consider sending a generous gift today. Call 855-339-5500, or visit pastorpaul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. You can also mail your gift to Destin for Victory, post office box 1767, Fremont, California 94538.

Again, the address is Destin for Victory, box 1767, Fremont, California 94538. You don't have the option of unforgiveness. Yes, the offense was genuine, but God says, because of how much I've done for you, I require you to forgive them, and then let me deal with their issue. And I'm here to tell you, God is serious about us resisting the temptation to be judgmental. Think about the times you sinned or fell short, the times you put something or someone ahead of God. Remember these times, and remember God's response. He showed you mercy, kindness and forgiveness.

He loved you unconditionally. Today on Destin for Victory, Pastor Paul Scheff reminds us that if God is willing to do that for us, how much more should we do the same for one another? So now here's Pastor Paul with today's message. Don't go messing with the blessing. Everything good about you is coming from God, and everything that you avoided is because God was merciful enough to say you deserve punishment.

You deserve the consequences of your sins, but I am going to block you from that, and I'm going to bless you instead. And when you're blessed, you have no business throwing off on other folk. When you're blessed, you have no business acting like you are entitled to what you have, and other people are not entitled. The fact of the matter is these folk, because they fought for it, doesn't mean they're entitled to it.

They only got it because God gave them the victory in the battle. But you got to be careful because when you tend toward that judgmental attitude, you start thinking that you are entitled to things. I've seen people get saved and then get stuck up.

I've seen folk get saved and before long they're conceited and full of themselves, and they think they're all that when all they are is the recipient of grace and mercy. You ought to be a mess on two feet. You ought to be something that nobody wants to deal with. You ought to be sick and full of all kinds of sin and degradation, and the only reason that's not happening is because of what God has done in your life. You have no business feeling that you are entitled, that you are self-made. Nobody in the kingdom ought to talk that kind of foolishness. I've heard people in the world say that, but we shouldn't be among them. Well, you know, I'm a self-made person.

I don't understand these people who don't just pick themselves up and make better decisions for their lives. I'm a self-made person. Nobody gave me anything. Everything I have, I've made it myself. If you talk like that around me, I'm backing up. When they lightning bolts hitting me, it's your crazy self, talking about you, self-made. Somebody, two folk had to get together to bring you in the world by God's design. Then they had to change your diaper and feed you or you would have died in a matter of days. Then they had to teach you the ABCs and the 123s, teach you how to tie your shoes and button your shirt. So you had to go to school and learn how to live and learn how to talk and learn how to interact with people.

Had to go to college and get yourself a degree or go to a technical school or sit under a mentor and somebody taught you something. And sooner or later, you got to the place where you could earn a living or do something good. And now here you are talking about you self-made. You're stupid. That's who you are.

Just as dumb as you know how to be. Talking about I pulled myself up by my own bootstraps. God gave you the boots, the straps and the strength to pull them up.

And you have no business being judgmental toward other people who are not in the position you're in. And we have to be careful. We have to be careful. It can be dangerous to be blessed. Don't believe me? That's why God told Israel repeatedly in the book of Deuteronomy when he was preparing them, developing in them the mindset that they would need to carry into the Promised Land. He would say over and over in Deuteronomy, now when I bless you, don't forget.

Don't forget that it was me. Don't you get over there and think you just got it like that. Don't get over there and think you deserve the Promised Land.

It can be dangerous to be blessed if you're not careful. And I love the way David handled this situation. These folks, Jack came out the box. They decided they didn't fight with us.

They're too lazy and uncommitted. And all they did was just stayed here and chilled out while we went and did all the work. Look at what David said. He said, No, my brothers.

I love it. He is so aware that he's blessed that when these folks are acting like the devil, he still calls them brothers. No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the Lord has given us. He said, It's he that protected us. It's God that handed over to us the forces that came against us.

And look at what he says in verse 24. He says, The share of the man who stayed with the supplies will be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. See what he called him? He didn't call him lazy. He didn't say, Well, we're going to get these lazy folks.

Same thing that we get. He has a different view because he knows he's blessed. He's dignified them. Now, they've just been slammed by their brothers. They've been demoralized by these men who went and fought.

And David now is restoring their dignity. He said, Well, they stayed with the supplies. We couldn't have taken all that in the battle anyway. And so they were too exhausted.

But they did stay with the supplies that we couldn't take in the battle. They did something to help us. See, some of us have to learn the art of finding the positive thing to focus on. Some of us are in trouble right now in all of our relationships because we keep looking at negatives. And whatever you focus on, you blow it up. And what you've got to learn to do is focus on something good. I don't care if you can't find but one good thing.

Focus on it and thank God for it and magnify it and learn to minimize your problems so that you can maximize your solutions. David said these folks stayed with the supplies. They did something to help us and they will share in the plunder. You've got to watch it. You've got to watch it when you have this tendency to be judgmental toward others. The most vivid example I can think of in scripture is in Matthew 18.

I don't have time to really spend a lot of time there. But you know that passage in Matthew 18 beginning at verse 23 where Jesus tells the story of a king who was settling accounts with his servants? And he said the king had a servant who owed him 10,000 talents. Now there were lots of different monetary values called talents in Bible days. And one of the problems with properly interpreting this story is which type of talent was Jesus referring to.

And so scholars don't know and when you read various commentaries they have a lot of different takes on it. And I've seen estimates as to what 10,000 talents would be that range all over the place depending on which monetary system you think he was referring to. The lowest I've ever seen is that 10,000 talents in our economy would be 20 million dollars. And they range all the way up to hundreds of millions and there are even some scholars who based on what they think he had reference to it would take it over a billion dollars.

But for the sake of argument let's just use the low number if you want to call 20 million low. And let's just say that the king had a servant who owed him 20 million dollars. What I want to know is how he got a line of credit like that.

Where do you go to get that? He owed the king 20 million dollars and when it comes time to pay he's not able to pay. Tell me something I don't know. And the Bible says he goes to his master and he begs him, falls on his knees and says be patient with me and I will pay back everything. He's asking for time.

I submit that that is a bogus request. When you owe 20 million dollars you don't need time. It's not a time situation. Come on somebody 20 million dollars not like you say can I get another seven days. What you going to do?

When you owe 20 million dollars the only reason you need time is so you can get a passport. Get yourself a disguise. Get on a plane. Get out the country.

Start a new life somewhere else. We'll be right back with more of today's Destined for Victory message from Pastor Paul Shepherd. But first this quick reminder you can always access the program on demand at pastorpaul.net.

That's pastorpaul.net where you'll also find a host of great resources at our online store. Let's rejoin Pastor Paul now for the rest of today's message. Don't go messing with the blessing. But this servant just not knowing what else to do asked for time but the king had compassion. The Bible says he took pity on him canceled the debt and let him go.

Now you know who Jesus is referring to as to who the king is and who the indebted person is. You and I owed God a debt because of our sin that we could never pay. And one day we fell out before God in our hearts and said Lord have mercy on me.

I can never be right with you. I'm a sinner. But oh God have mercy. And he took pity on us and instead of condemning us for the rest of our lives and for all of eternity. He by his grace canceled the debt on the cross. Jesus bore our sin. Nailed every one of them to the cross. And you and I are free from debt because of what Jesus did. But here's the point of the story.

The man leaves the palace having just been forgiven. Twenty million dollars. And goes the text says. He goes out and looks for and find somebody who owes him a hundred denarii. What that means literally is a few dollars. He just got forgiven. Twenty million dollars.

And of course I'm using that as the low figure. Could have been hundreds of millions. And he goes out and the Bible says he finds a guy. That means he was looking for him. He's cruising the streets looking for somebody who owes him a few bucks. Let's stick with twenty. Let's say twenty bucks.

You just got forgiven twenty million. And you out looking for. I know he usually hangs out right around.

Oh there he is. Jumps out the car. Runs across the street.

Read your Bible. The Bible says he grabs him and begins to choke him. He grabbed cuz by the throat.

Grabbed him by the throat. Said you owe me twenty bucks. You've been running from me. You know you owe me twenty dollars.

Look I'm sick of you now. I want my money. And then the guy says okay just give me a little time. Now when this guy asks for time that's all he really needs. Cuz with a little time and with urgency you can get twenty bucks.

Come on now. I mean all you gotta do is just borrow somebody's lawn mower and cut some lawns. We who grew up in the snow in the wintertime you could always make money.

You don't have to be broke in the winter. Get yourself a shovel. Knock on your neighbors doors. Say can I do your walkway? Can I do your driveway?

They say how much you charge me? And you negotiate and you going out there and shovel their walk and shovel their driveway. You can make money. We made pocket change in winter and in the summer cutting grass. You didn't have to be broke. Even if you're non industrious. Just go stand in front of 7-11 and ask folk for twos and fus.

You can make twenty bucks. So when this guy asks for time that's all he really needs. But look at what happens when we are arrogant and judgmental and feel entitled. He said I'm not giving you any more time. You've been running from me long enough.

I'm sick of you. And the bible says, he said you've got to pay now. But the king, Jesus goes on to say the king heard about it. I came to tell somebody that the one who forgave you for all of your sins past, present and future. Heard about your attitude toward other folk. Heard about your unforgiveness and your judgmental attitude toward other people. And the bible says here that when the king heard about it he called that man back in and said how dare you. After all I've done for you try to hold somebody responsible and not forgive them their trust past.

He said I'm reinstating the dead. I'm here to tell you you don't have the option of unforgiveness. When God has done as much as he's done for you how dare you hold somebody who offended you. Who hurt your feelings. Who did something wrong to you.

Yes the offense was genuine. But God says because of how much I've done for you I require you to forgive them and then let me deal with their issue. And I'm here to tell you God is serious about us resisting the temptation to be judgmental. One more point I'll let you go. Not only must we realize that we are blessed.

Not only must we resist the temptation to be judgmental. But finally we must respond to being blessed by being a blessing. David said listen we are going to let these folks share in the plunder. And not only did he make sure they shared in the plunder. But the bible says he went found folk who had been a blessing to him in Judah.

The elders of Judah places where they had roamed during these years of being fugitives. People who had been kind to them. He found them and he said I'm going to be a blessing to you.

Sent them some of the plunder and said here's a gift for you out of what God has blessed us with. I'm here to tell you when you're blessed you've actually been set up. You've been set up to be a blessing. I'm scared of folk who are blessed and stingy. Blessed and cheap. Blessed and tight fist. Because God's been too good to you for you to act like you can't turn around and be a blessing to somebody else.

And I want to call somebody into liberality like you have never lived in before. You are too blessed to be as cheap as you are. You're too blessed to be as self-centered and self-focused as you are.

You're too blessed not to be a tither. You're too blessed not to give to the needs of people around you who are less fortunate. You don't even have to pray about some things. You've been so blessed that there's some things you don't even pray about. You say out of the goodness of God I just want to be a blessing to somebody.

Oh sure I know what it's like and those of us who have learned the lesson of liberality and are walking in that. We do know that at times you actually do sense a leading of the Lord not to participate in a particular campaign or to give to a particular set of needs. And God every now and then for his own reasons will say no that's not what I have in mind for you to do with my resources. But I have discovered that 90 plus percent of the time that there is a need that comes to my attention and I'm involved in a fellowship or in a context where we are collectively trying to meet a need. There are more times than I can count when I really didn't even have to pray.

Instantly I found myself grabbing for my checkbook or going into my wallet because I've been too blessed to see somebody else in need and to shut up my bowels of compassion. And let me tell you, you're too blessed, you're too blessed. I've seen folk you know say well I don't know I don't tithe I just sort of give as you know whatever God puts on my heart. You're too blessed for that.

You need to be a tither because that's the starting point. That's an excellent starting point for saying I acknowledge Lord that this came from you not from me. And I start there and then after that I realize that not the 10 percent belongs to God but the 100 percent. So after I give my time then I say now Lord you help me, you regulate me, you lead me as to how the rest of this is to be allocated. And God will speak to you and he'll touch your heart to bless somebody in need.

He'll touch your heart to be a blessing to people who have been a blessing to you. Some of us need to do a better job of blessing our parents. Folk who took care of you for years and now you are blessed and you need to turn around and say you don't they don't have to need it. Well if you need anything call me.

They don't have to need it. They took care of you when you didn't need it. And it's time for you to just turn around and say look here go on in on a vacation go on and get yourself that thing that you've been looking at.

Whatever it is you've been so good to me and I thank you for how you helped me. You're the fine folk who helped you in your life and turn around and be a blessing to them. You're too blessed to be stingy. That's why your smile isn't as cute as it ought to be because you're too stingy.

That cheapness will get in your face. Liberality brings a joy. Jesus said it's more blessed to give than to receive. See a lot of folk don't believe that.

I don't know who Jesus was talking about. See that's cause you don't understand but some of us know the joy that God will put in your heart. It can be a joy. It can feel better to see somebody else with it than for you to get it yourself.

Oh you don't believe me but I know what I'm talking about. And it's a blessing to be a blessing. And there's a joy and a peace that will enter your life when you know that you are God's conduit. And whatever he gives to you a portion of it is given through you to somebody else.

To first and foremost to the kingdom and then secondly to meet the needs of those around you who are less fortunate. And to meet the needs of people or to bless people who have blessed you. And I want to let you know that God has blessed you. Don't go messing with the blessing but turn around and do the right thing and give God the glory. Thanks so much for joining us for today's message, Don't Go Messing with the Blessing. If you'd like more information about the Destined for Victory ministry or this month's special offer, be sure to stop by our website pastorpaul.net.

That's pastorpaul.net. I could take you all the way through the New Testament and point out all the one another passages, all the each other passages, all the passages that you can't fulfill unless somebody else is in your space and you're in theirs. You are not called to be what we love to be in too many cases which is, it's just me and Jesus. That's tomorrow when Pastor Paul Shepherd shares his message, we're stronger together. Until then though remember, he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. In Christ you are destined for victory.