HALF-TIME SPEECH

Bon Jovi said it best (or at least most memorably I guess)

"Whoa, halfway there. Whoa, living on a prayer."

20 up, 20 down.

September 8 is coming up quickly.

Invite your friends.
Invite your enemies.
Invite your neighbors.
Make a new friend.
Invite them.

Now, let's get out there.

Be in prayer.

4 quarters!

Finish strong.

#21 - why do we care if you give?

Philippians 4:15-17 

¹⁵ And you Philippians know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone. ¹⁶ For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times. ¹⁷ Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account. 

 

Not every church thought to send support to Paul. In fact, most didn’t. Paul did not point this out to shake more money from the Philippians' pockets, he wrote to say, “Thank you!” He wanted to express how encouraged he was by their spontaneous charity. Their sacrifice gave Paul assurance that they had received the sacrifice of Christ.

Paul was concerned for the people who had not supported him financially, however.  Not because money was everything to Paul, but because it gave him reason to worry that perhaps money was more than it should be to them. He was worried that they didn't get it.  Because when you get this, you give everything. God gave His first and His very best in giving His Son because He loved the world so much (Jn 3:16). How can we claim to have received the Spirit of a generous God and be altogether unlike Him in our giving? 

 

We give to that which we love because we want to. Our wallets speak volumes to what we worship and adore. Who does your bank account boast about? What do your sacrifices say about what you're willing to sacrifice for?

Lord, You are generous. You seek opportunity to supply. Thank You! Generously now send Your Spirit to make us like You in this regard.  May Candeo be a church where the givers and receivers of all things give thanks to You for all You do with Your generous hands. You withhold no good thing from us in Christ.  May we not now withhold anything from You. Amen.