God generously treats those who treat others generously. And I hope you know that that is a scriptural principle over and over and over again. The greatest authority we have, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, said this, Luke chapter 6 verse 38, Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap.
For with the measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. Proverbs says, One gives freely, yet grows all the richer. Another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Today on Connect with Skip Heitzig, Skip shares about the ways God rewards your generosity and how He uses it to grow His family. But first, a trip to Israel is a life changer.
Your Bible study will never be the same. Skip has lived in Israel and led tours many, many times. Here he is to invite you on his next tour. You know, there's always something new to see and experience in Israel. And I'm so excited to let you know that I'm taking another tour group to Israel next spring in 2022. You're in for an incredible time as we travel throughout Israel and experience the culture that's so unique to that country. We'll start on the Mediterranean Sea and head north, seeing places like Caesarea and Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, and the Jordan River. We'll spend several days in and around Jerusalem and see the Temple Mount, Calvary, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Mount of Olives, and much more. This remarkable itinerary is made richer with times of worship, Bible study, and lots of fellowship. Now, I've been to Israel a number of times over the years, and I can honestly say that visiting the places where the events of the Scriptures unfolded, where Jesus lived, taught, and healed, it just never gets old. I can't wait to see you in Israel. Start planning and saving now to tour Israel with Skip Heitzig. Information at inspirationcruises.com slash C-A-B-Q. That's inspirationcruises.com slash C-A-B-Q. Now, we're in Philippians chapter 4.
As Skip Heitzig starts today's study. I always get asked the question about a mount. Well, how much should I give? Are Christians supposed to tithe? And if we tithe, should we tithe on the gross or on the net?
We get really complicated about it. Well, first of all, tithing is not even a New Testament concept. It's an Old Testament concept. That's where the tithe came from, 10%. But if you were to actually study the tithes, you find out that Israel didn't have one tithe, but they had two annual tithes, plus a third one every third year. Add to that the giving of a temple tax. Add to that letting their fields be uncut on the edges, ungleaned, so that others could glean it, the poor could glean it. And you have the children of Israel giving out of their annual income between 25 and 30%.
Now, about now you're going, boy, I'm glad I don't know the Bible that well. Because that's already a lot, just 10%. Well, what you need to realize when it comes to percentages is you don't own anything. It's not yours. It all is his, 100%. In the prophet Hosea, God said, all the silver and all the gold is mine, sayeth the Lord.
It's all his. And then in Deuteronomy 8, the Lord said, for it is God who gives you the power to get wealth. So if God happens to give you anything or let you keep anything that's already his to begin with, that's where you thank him for. Instead of saying, oh my goodness, I have to give 10%.
How about this? God lets you keep 90. That's the way you look at it. It all belongs to him. So when it comes to a mount, the New Testament says nothing about a mount. It would seem that these Old Testament believers who get saved in the New Testament began as the baseline with a 10th. But then Paul said this in 2 Corinthians, let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly, nor out of necessity, for God loves a, tell me, cheerful, literally hilarious giver.
The Lord loves a hilarious giver. The New Testament, the only thing it talks about in terms of amount is proportion. We give in proportion to our income. So if you make a little, you give proportionally. If you make a whole lot, you give proportionally. So Peter Marshall, somebody I've always greatly admired in his writings. He was one time a chaplain for the United States Senate, said this, give according to your income, lest God make your income according to your giving.
I laughed when I saw that. And so I actually thought about that. What if God took your financial offering, multiplied it by 10 and made that your income? How would that be? Would anything change?
How much would you make? So generosity is commended. That's the first insight. Second one, interest is compounded.
Now this is where it really gets good. Verse 17, he says, not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Now we are getting insight in this verse into heavenly accounting procedures. This is how God works the heavenly account books. Because verse 17 is filled with financial language from the ancient money market. And when he says, not that I want the money or seek the gift, but I seek fruit that abounds to your account. That literally refers to interest accrued on the credit side of the ledger. Interest accrued on the credit side of the ledger.
So here's how it worked. Paul would go out and preach the gospel. They in Philippi would support him. And of all the fruit that came because of Paul's ministry, they would get the eternal credit. God would accrue that, mark that on their credit.
There's some wonderful implications with that. That means when you get to heaven, how would you like this? Somebody walks up to you and says, thank you. And you go, who are you?
I've never met you. Why are you thanking me? I know you've never met me, but you supported that ministry where I heard the gospel that day or that night or that book or that tract or that crusade or that church.
I heard the gospel and I'm here in part due to your faithfulness. That's fruit to your account. Now when Paul says, I don't seek the gift, I seek fruit that abounds to your account.
There's something else implied by that. And that is we need to be careful where we invest our finances. We need to ask this question, is this ministry or whatever ministry I'm considering supporting, are they being fruitful?
Are they producing fruit? We should not approach it by saying, well, I want to find out which ministry is really, really needed, which ones are really struggling. No that's not how you're to do it. You want a good return in your investment.
You want to find those who are producing fruit. That's just good business sense. Jesus said, lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, right? So you want to look for fruitful ministries because you want a good return on the investment. There's a great old story about George Truitt.
George Truitt was a pastor in Dallas, Texas years ago, first Baptist Dallas and Dallas, Texas. Um, you probably know is, has a lot of wealthy people and he was at a home of a very wealthy gentleman who had a lot of land and they went up to the top veranda of the house and the man pointed in, in, in a direction where there were grain fields with oil drills on them. And he said, everything your eye can see in that direction I own and I own everything in that direction. I own everything in that direction and I own everything in that direction. Pastor George Truitt put his hand on the rich man's shoulder and said, let me ask you a simple question.
How much do you own in that direction? How much are you laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven? So generosity is commended, interest is compounded.
That's the second insight. Third insight is that giving is rewarded, not only there in heaven on your heavenly reward ledger, but here and now verse 19 and my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. What a comforting verse, one that you probably know well, unfortunately it's a greatly misunderstood verse. It has been taken out of context largely.
That's how I've heard it over the years and it has become sort of a blanket promise and I've heard people quote it as if to say, you know, if you're a Christian, no matter how you live, no matter what you do with your finances, that's up to you, but God will just automatically care for whatever you need. Well, that's not what the verse means. You know, every text has a context and I've always gone by this rule. Any text taken out of context can easily become a pretext. You can make the Bible say anything at all you want to.
You can just take it out of context. You can make it say anything that suits your fancy, but every text has a context and the context of these verses betrays that idea. What Paul is saying to the Philippians is to you, Philippians who have been so generous with your finances, my God will supply all your need. You see, he didn't write this promise to the Thessalonians, he didn't write this promise to the Colossians or to the Corinthians. He wrote it to the Philippians who had time and time and time again been faithful with their finances. And by the way, just in case you might be thinking, well, Philippi probably was a rich town and they could, they had a lot.
The opposite is true. Paul bragged about the Philippians to the Corinthians. And this is what he said about them. He said, out of their most severe trial and extreme poverty, they have welled up in rich generosity. He said, they're a very poor congregation and yet they are very generous. In fact, Paul even used the word rob. He said, I have robbed other churches to minister to you. He was referring to the church of Philippi, the Macedonian churches. What he said is like, I felt bad taking the money that they had sacrificially given.
It was as if I was robbing them. Now look at verse 18. He said, indeed, I have all and abound.
This is what the offering that they have provided has done. I am full having received from Epaphroditus the things which are sent from you, a sweet smelling aroma, acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And my God shall supply all your need. Now there's two words I want you to join together in verse 18, the word full and in verse 19, the word supply. You see those two words? I am full. You made me full.
Verse 19, God will supply. In Greek, it's the exact same word. In English, it's two different words.
Same word in Greek, playro. It means to fill up or to fill to the brim. So here's what Paul is saying in the Greek language. You filled me up. My God's going to fill you up.
You made me full. My God will make you full, beautiful. The principle then is God generously treats those who treat others generously. And I hope you know that that is a scriptural principle over and over and over again. Rightest authority we have the Lord Jesus Christ himself said this, Luke chapter six, verse 38, give and it will be given to you.
Good measure, press down, shaken together, running over will be poured into your lap for with the measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. That agrees with Proverbs 11, 25, the generous soul will be made rich. He who waters will himself also be watered. And that agrees with Proverbs 22 verse nine, a generous man will himself be blessed. And Proverbs three verse nine, honor the Lord with your possessions and with the firstfruits of your increase. So your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.
Same principle over and over again. You've been so generous. My God will supply all your need.
He'll fill you up. So generosity is commended, interest is compounded, giving is rewarded. Let's close this off with a fourth insight and that is family is extended. If you think about more and more people coming into the family of God, it becomes a worthwhile investment. Now look at this verse 20 through 23 where we close. Now to our God and Father, be glory forever and ever. Amen. He said, amen, but he's not done yet.
Well, that's Paul. He's going to say amen the second time, then it'll be done. So between the first and second amen, he has more to say. Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar's household. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, amen. So this is a farewell.
It's a family farewell. It's saints greeting other saints, saints not being dead people with halos, but live people. You're a saint.
I'm a saint. Here's the implication though of these verses. The Philippians generosity enabled Paul to share the gospel and reach, listen, unreachable people. Unreachable people. What do you mean unreachable people?
Well, notice what he says. Verse 22, all the saints greet you, especially those who are of Caesar's household. That's the imperial family, including the Praetorian guard that he was chained to 24 hours a day in six hour shifts that were part of the imperial family. But it could also mean even family members of Caesar were coming to Christ. Now why would this be important to Philippians? Because Philippi was a colony of Rome and probably as a colony of Rome, the idea is if you come to Philippi, it's going to be like Rome away from Rome, right? It's going to be like little Rome to you. So as Roman citizens in a colony of Rome, probably at the end of church services, the leader or the pastor would say, Hey, you know, we're supposed to give our allegiance to the government of our land. And so let's just pray for Caesar's household.
Probably thinking, yeah, right. Never happened. Nobody from there is going to get saved, but let's do it. Let's just pray that somehow they'd be reached with the gospel. Now Paul writes from jail goes, Oh, by the way, there are saints here, believers here from Caesar's household that want to give you a special greeting. So the very unreachable people are now reached because of Paul's faithfulness and their generosity. Have you ever thought, by the way, what it would have been like to be chained to Paul? Talk about a captive audience. In six hour shifts, you are chained to this man who can't talk about anything but Jesus and salvation. And if you've ever had a conversation with somebody where you've tried to tell them about your faith and they don't want to get spiritually, I'm, I'm leaving, man. I don't want to hear this junk anymore, right? They couldn't do that. They're chained to him. That soldier's looking at his little sundial going, I got five and a half hours left on the shift.
I got to listen to this crazy bozo. But eventually that seeped into one or two or three and they became saints. And they became disciples and they were of Caesar's household. So the family is now being extended even to the unreached peoples because of Paul's preaching and their support and that will be tallied up in heaven to their credit side of their ledger.
Amazing. I want to close in one other passage. I want you to turn with me to Luke 16.
We're going to close with this and that will be my second amen. I'm going to close with this section of scripture because it's one of the parables that I mentioned that Jesus talked about money. Luke chapter 16 and we'll close here. He also said to his disciples, there was a certain rich man who had a steward and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. So he called him and said to him, what is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship for you can no longer be steward. So he gets fired. Then the steward said within himself, what shall I do for my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig. I'm ashamed to beg.
I've resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. So he called every one of his master's debtors to him and said to the first, how much do you owe my master? And he said, a hundred measures of oil. So he said to him, take your bill, sit down quickly and write 50 that's fraud. Then he said to another, how much do you owe? He said, a hundred measures of wheat. He told him, take your bill and write 80.
Now watch this. So the master, the guy who owns it all, the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. Now notice what Jesus says, for the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that is money.
That when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. He who is faithful and what is least is faithful also and much. He who is unjust and what is least is unjust also and much. Therefore, if you have not been faithful in unrighteous mammon money, who will commit to you your trust, true riches.
If you have not been faithful in what is another man's who will give you what is your own. No servant can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. This is a greatly misunderstood parable. First it looks like Jesus is commending a crook, but he's not. What he's doing is using a bad example to teach a good lesson on finances. And he's saying, here's a guy who was a fraud, he was a crook, he knew that he had to get bailed out of a bad situation.
So he went and it was 50 cents on the dollar for one, 80 cents on the dollar for another. Jesus uses this as an attention getter. But the application for us is in verse nine, just look at it again. I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. In other words, use your financial possessions for eternal dividends to win souls for Christ. The idea of friends is people won to Christ, those who are saved. So they become in effect your welcoming committee in heaven. Use your money like that, be shrewd to use what you have as a steward to make sure that more and more people are gathered into his kingdom.
That was always Paul's end game. Future, heaven, apart from just now and this, it's there and that. Speaking of that, there are many things money cannot buy. Money can buy a bed but not sleep. Money can buy books but not brains. Money can buy food but not an appetite. It can buy finery but not beauty. It can buy a house but not a home. It can buy medicine but not health, pleasures but not peace. It can buy a crucifix but not a savior. It can buy a church building but not heaven. We have been given whatever we have been given.
We are stewards. God is the master. God wants us to use wisely what he has placed in our hands. All of it belongs to him and whatever we place in his hands for his glory, he'll make sure that he takes care of us now, he'll supply our needs and whatever fruit comes out of our investment will be tallied up to our account in heaven.
It's a great way to live with your eye fixed on that prize. That concludes Skip Heitzig's message from the series Technicolor Joy. Now we want to tell you about a resource that shines important light onto what's happening in the Middle East. The beating heart of Bible prophecy is the land of Israel and the Middle East. Joel Rosenberg has his finger on the pulse of the world shaking changes happening right now and he unveils them in his new non-fiction book, Enemies and Allies. This is the first book of its kind that takes you inside the Oval Office, inside the palaces of the kings and crown princes, the presidents and the prime ministers in Israel and in the Arab world as we ask them, what do you think about religious freedom, about making peace with Israel, about the threat from Iran, about US Arab relations, US history of relations. Enemies and Allies from multiple New York Times bestselling author Joel Rosenberg takes you on an unforgettable journey inside the turbulent Middle East.
You'll go behind closed doors to hear from the very kings and crown princes, presidents and prime ministers who are leading the charge. Enemies and Allies includes exclusive never before published quotes, insights and analysis from the author's conversations with some of the world's most controversial leaders. Your hardcover copy of Enemies and Allies is our thanks for your generous gift of $35 or more today.
To give, call 800-922-1888 or visit connectwithskipp.com. Thanks to you, listeners are being transformed by God's truths. Listen to this letter one person sent in. Thank you, Pastor Skipp, for your faithfulness to the Word of God. Your teaching has definitely given me a stronger foundation in God's Word than I've ever had and my life is being transformed because of it. You make stories like this possible with your support.
And today you can help connect even more people to God's Word. Just visit connectwithskipp.com slash donate to get involved. That's connectwithskipp.com slash donate. Or call 800-922-1888.
Again, that's 800-922-1888. Thank you. Tune in tomorrow as Skipp begins a series called Give Peace a Chance, exploring the supernatural peace that Jesus promised to you. You don't want to miss that. Make a connection. Make a connection at the foot of the crossing.
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