In a heartwarming tale of faith and generosity, a pastor shares the powerful message of giving from Acts chapter 20, verse 35. As he navigates the challenges of everyday life and the holiday season, he encourages listeners to find true happiness through selfless giving, reminding them that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Through personal anecdotes and biblical wisdom, he inspires a community to embrace the joy of generosity, praising the ultimate gift of God's love and urging them to extend that love to others. In a world filled with struggles and sadness, the pastor's message offers hope and renewal for all who seek it.
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Power Point with Jack Graham | Jack Graham - How To Have A Happy Christmas | December 7, 2025
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- There is no person that god cannot save!
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- There is no promise that god will not keep!
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- There is nothing that our god cannot do!
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- In the twentieth chapter of the book of acts, and verse 35
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- There is a scripture... a verse that i want you to know and
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- Remember, as we are called to remember in this passage of
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- Scripture, and it is a verse that is a beatitude because it
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- Begins with a blessed. and you know, in mark's gospel...
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- Matthews gospel rather, there are the beatitudes of jesus
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- That begin with the sermon on the mount and "blessed are the
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- Poor in spirit..." and "blessed are those who hunger and thirst
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- After righteousness..." and "blessed are those who
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- Mourn..." and "blessed are those who weep".
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- And so all the "blessed" passages are there and the word
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- Bless can be translated happy. blessed... that we can live a
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- Happy life, that we can live a life blessed by god.
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- And there's one beatitude that is known as the last beatitude.
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- Some have even referred to it as a lost beatitude because it
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- Is not repeated in the gospel accounts... matthew, mark, luke
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- Or john, but it is something that jesus said that was
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- Clearly remembered and repeated again and again; rehearsed by
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- The new testament christians. and so it became a beatitude
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- Recorded by the holy spirit as the apostle paul quoted jesus
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- In acts chapter 20 and verse 35 when he said:
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- 35) it is more blessed or bless-ed to give than to
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- Receive.
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- He said:
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- 35) ... remember the words of jesus.
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- So these are the words of jesus. you know, not everything
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- That jesus said or everything that jesus did was recorded in
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- The gospel. in fact, john tells us “if all the things that he
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- Said, all the things that he did were recorded, all the
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- Books in the world couldn't contain it.” and so some of the
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- Things that jesus said was repeated orally, verbally in
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- The church, and this clearly is one of those things that jesus
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- Said.
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- Now, jesus talked about money and possessions and stewardship
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- Quite a bit. in fact, more than any other topic. more than he
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- Talked about heaven or hell in the gospels, he talked about
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- Our relationship with money and finances and how to gain it,
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- How to give it and so on. and so we would not be surprised
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- When we read these words of the lord jesus. "it is more blessed
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- To give than to receive." i like the way the message
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- Renders this, for it says it is a happier thing: it is... "you
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- Are happier for giving than for getting... you're happier
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- Giving than getting." and that's true, isn't it? that's
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- What jesus said. it's true because this is what jesus
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- Taught us.
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- And so when we talk about having a happy holiday season,
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- A christmas season, a new year's experience, then we have
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- To remember that not everybody is happy at this time of the
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- Year. when we go to the malls and we hear it over loud
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- Speakers, “it's the hap-hap-happiest time of the
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- Year. it's the most wonder time of the year.” but for many
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- People apparently, it's not a hap-hap-happiest time of the
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- Year. there are many people who are sad. some of you here
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- Listening to this message, you're going through grief and
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- Sadness in your life.
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- As a matter of fact, it was a sad time when this verse was
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- Delivered through the apostle paul as he was saying goodbye
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- With tears to the church, to the christians at ephesus. he
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- Was leaving and he said, "you're going to see my face no
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- More." and they wouldn't see him again. he had served as
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- Their pastor and founded of the congregation for three years.
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- And now he's saying goodbye. he is in effect charging the
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- Church to be the church and he's leaving his life and
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- Legacy behind there. and because of it they are
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- Weeping... they are weeping. and it was a sad, sad time, but
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- He said, "remember the words of the lord jesus. it is more
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- Blessed to give than to receive."
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- And a lot of people are sad at this season of the year. you've
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- Lost a loved one, or you have a child that has walked away from
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- The faith, or you're in financial pressure, or you have
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- Health problems. and you know when you're singing “joy to the
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- World”, you're thinking, “well, that's all well and good, but
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- What about joy to my world? where's the joy in my life?”
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- And so, many people are not happy.
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- I actually read that 47 percent of people in america actually
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- Dread the christmas season. they dread christmas because
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- Stress spikes, and anxiety and depression and loneliness. the
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- Suicide rate at the end of the year is the highest of any
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- Other time during the calendar year. so people are not always
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- Happy at this time of the year. so i'm thinking, “how can we
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- Find this happiness?” how can people know this happiness? how
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- Can we find this “good news of great joy that is given to all
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- People.”? well, if you're that kind of person who, you know,
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- It's christmas; it's the end of the year and you're just not
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- Feeling it. you're not finding this happiness, then this
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- Message is for you. because we're not talking just about
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- Happiness in the holiday season, we're talking about
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- Happiness in your life.
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- Jesus summed up everything the bible says, really, about
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- Generosity, about living your life and giving your life in
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- This one sentence. in fact, it's so good let's say it all
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- Together again out loud. “it is more blessed to give
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- Than to receive. (again) it is more blessed to give
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- Than to receive.”
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- ♪♪♪
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- Just because i'm a pastor doesn't mean stress doesn't
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- Affect me. the weight of responsibilities, the pressure
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- Of deadlines. the burden of caring for others. it all can
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- Add up. but here's what i've discovered. god has never
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- Intended for us to carry these burdens by ourselves.
- 00:07:27.370 --> 00:07:30.806
- That's why i want to put my book “breaking free from
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- Stress” in your hands today. this isn't just another
- 00:07:33.342 --> 00:07:36.579
- Self-help guide of time management, but it is the
- 00:07:36.579 --> 00:07:39.282
- Truth, straight out of god's word to help you break free
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- From the stress, that can enslave, chain, and
- 00:07:42.985 --> 00:07:47.223
- Shackle us. in breaking free from stress,
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- You'll discover biblical principles for finding peace in
- 00:07:49.792 --> 00:07:53.596
- The middle of all that chaos. practical tools for managing
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- Life's pressures, and most importantly,
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- How to really rest, to rest in the promises of god
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- When everything can seem overwhelming.
- 00:08:04.307 --> 00:08:06.676
- Breaking free from stress is my gift to thank you for your
- 00:08:06.676 --> 00:08:09.278
- Donation to powerpoint. simply text stress to 59789
- 00:08:09.278 --> 00:08:15.151
- And follow the secure link to give your best gift.
- 00:08:15.151 --> 00:08:18.321
- Now, did you know that this program is only possible
- 00:08:18.321 --> 00:08:20.790
- Because of friends just like you? that's right. and right
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- Now, a generous friend to powerpoint has decided to match
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- Every dollar you give today. please help us continue sharing
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- The good news of jesus our savior through your gift that
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- Will be doubled by our matching grant.
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- Thank you for giving and may you break free from the stress
- 00:08:35.104 --> 00:08:37.807
- That's holding you back. for your good and god's glory!
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- ♪♪♪
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- Now you might be thinking, "well, you know, it's christmas
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- Season, pastor. really, you should be talking about the
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- Baby jesus, the manger and the star and the shepherds and the
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- Wise men and the donkeys and ... why are you talking to us
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- About possessions and money and giving and stewardship?"
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- Well, when i read the christmas story, everyone in it is
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- Giving. mary... let's start with her... gave her womb to be
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- The channel of blessing to the whole world. joseph, the
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- Carpenter, the husband of mary, gave his home and even his
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- Reputation to be the foster father of jesus. it was joseph
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- Who named him based on what the angel had told him. "you shall
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- Call his name jesus for he will save the people from their
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- Sins."
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- The shepherds... they gave their testimony after they ran
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- To see the lord on that night, they ran back to their
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- Shepherd's field and back to their community, telling their
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- World who jesus is and what they have experienced. the
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- Angels? you know what they gave. they electrified the
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- Skies with praises to god. "glory to god in the highest!"
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- And think about it, the angels gave up heaven's darling, god's
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- Son who left heaven in all his glory and came to earth. the
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- Angels must have been amazed at that. but they gave praise to
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- The lord jesus. even the innkeeper, though reluctant to
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- Provide a place for jesus, apparently, he gave his barn
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- For the savior to be born.
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- And, of course, there's the wise men who traveled at great
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- Distance with lavish gifts to worship the lord; they gave
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- Their worship to the lord. and, oh, the greatest gift of all
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- God gave. god gave the greatest gift of all. and when you speak
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- Of christ and christmas, its “god so loved the world that he
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- Gave his only son.”
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- So yes, my dear friend, christmas is all about giving.
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- Life is all about giving. and you're never more godly ...
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- You're never more christ-like than when you are giving your
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- Life away because we belong to him. blessed are those who
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- Give. happier are those who are giving than those who are
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- Getting. the psalmist said,"what shall i give to the
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- Lord for all of his benefits, his blessing upon my life?"
- 00:11:57.573 --> 00:12:03.412
- I hope you took time at thanksgiving to give god thanks
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- For every blessing of life. not just the big ones, but the
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- Ordinary blessings of life. life itself, every breath. you
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- Breathe about 20,000 times a day, i'm told. maybe a little
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- More, maybe a little less. and every breath we take is a gift
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- From god. blessing in the small things as well as the big
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- Things. take time to count your blessing, because “every good
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- And perfect gift comes from god.” and we have been
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- Abundantly blessed by god. and so we give thanks!
- 00:12:45.187 --> 00:12:50.159
- You say, "well, i'm having a little trouble giving thanks
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- These days because i'm having a hard time. i've got problems in
- 00:12:53.295 --> 00:12:57.066
- My life." well, everybody's got problems of one kind or
- 00:12:57.066 --> 00:12:59.702
- Another. you may have financial problems or health problems or
- 00:12:59.702 --> 00:13:03.205
- Family problems and marriage problems. we have problems. but
- 00:13:03.205 --> 00:13:06.408
- The bible say "give thanks for everything for this is the will
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- Of god... in everything for this is the will of god in
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- Jesus christ." so we give thanks always; we give thanks
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- Any way as christians and as followers of jesus because we
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- Know we have been given such lavish gifts from god.
- 00:13:21.857 --> 00:13:26.295
- The psalmist said, “give thanks unto the lord for he is good.”
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- Now if god ceases to be good, you can stop giving thanks. you
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- Can take a pass on praise when god stops being good to you.
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- But god never stops being good to you! he is good all the
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- Time, and all the time he is good! and so we give thanks
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- Unto god for every blessing that comes from him.
- 00:13:56.458 --> 00:14:00.296
- And so what do we return to him? we start with our person.
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- Before our possessions, our offerings, ourselves. that's
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- What paul said in 2 corinthians. "you first
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- Gave..." corinthians chapter 8 and verse 5 said: "you first
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- Gave yourselves, and then your offering to the lord." you
- 00:14:18.547 --> 00:14:23.719
- Know, you can give your money as a substitute for giving your
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- Life to god. you can give your money as a substitute for
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- Giving yourself to the lord. you can give without loving,
- 00:14:35.931 --> 00:14:42.538
- But you can't love without giving.
- 00:14:42.538 --> 00:14:46.342
- And so it starts in the heart. we give our hearts to the lord
- 00:14:46.342 --> 00:14:49.211
- By giving our lives to christ. we put our faith and trust in
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- Christ. he wants you! he doesn't want what you have. god
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- Has everything! have you ever tried to figure out, you know?
- 00:14:56.986 --> 00:14:59.788
- What are you going to give to that person who's got
- 00:14:59.788 --> 00:15:02.825
- Everything? seemingly has it all. what are you going to give
- 00:15:02.825 --> 00:15:06.428
- To god? the psalmist is raising that question. what shall we
- 00:15:06.428 --> 00:15:09.965
- Give to the lord. he's got everything. the one thing god
- 00:15:09.965 --> 00:15:14.803
- Wants is you! he wants you to give him your heart and your
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- Life, and then he will use you.
- 00:15:21.610 --> 00:15:25.214
- Don't think that god can't use you. don't insult god by
- 00:15:25.214 --> 00:15:28.350
- Saying, "well, i'm... i'm a nobody." god delights in taking
- 00:15:28.350 --> 00:15:31.854
- Nobodies who will talk about a somebody who can save anybody!
- 00:15:31.854 --> 00:15:37.292
- God will use you no matter how big you are or how small you
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- Are. god will use what you bring. god will use what you
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- Give as you live for him!
- 00:15:45.501 --> 00:15:48.837
- So this is why i'm talking about generosity in these days.
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- I never apologize for challenging christians to give
- 00:15:53.609 --> 00:15:58.614
- Generously, sacrificially to the lord, and to the work of
- 00:15:58.614 --> 00:16:03.118
- Jesus christ. because i know for all of us, though it's not
- 00:16:03.118 --> 00:16:07.056
- Our ultimate motivation... for all of us, we will be happier,
- 00:16:07.056 --> 00:16:12.327
- We will be more blessed in our lives. if i as your pastor
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- Didn't tell you about what god says about giving and
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- Stewardship and living a blessed life, i would be doing
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- A disservice to you because you could miss the incredible
- 00:16:22.771 --> 00:16:27.609
- Blessing of what god can do with a life that is given to
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- Him! so it starts with you as you give your life to the lord.
- 00:16:30.946 --> 00:16:37.553
- Talking about those wise men. i don't want to tear up your
- 00:16:37.553 --> 00:16:41.557
- Nativity set at home but there probably weren't just three.
- 00:16:41.557 --> 00:16:45.360
- There may have been an entourage of wise men. you say,
- 00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:48.330
- "oh no, i've got three in my set. [laughter] it's... there
- 00:16:48.330 --> 00:16:51.500
- Are three, and i've read their names somewhere and they were
- 00:16:51.500 --> 00:16:54.303
- Names i couldn't pronounce."
- 00:16:54.303 --> 00:16:55.604
- All tradition. i mean, we don't
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- Know exactly who these men were, but they were in search
- 00:16:57.573 --> 00:17:02.411
- Of the king. and they followed the star. and when they came to
- 00:17:02.411 --> 00:17:07.116
- The place where the young jesus was... and no, he was not a
- 00:17:07.116 --> 00:17:10.886
- Baby by the time the wise men got there. he was a young
- 00:17:10.886 --> 00:17:14.523
- Child, living somewhere around bethlehem, and with mary and
- 00:17:14.523 --> 00:17:18.427
- Joseph, before their trek to egypt. and so they come to the
- 00:17:18.427 --> 00:17:22.364
- Place where the young child was, and what did they do?
- 00:17:22.364 --> 00:17:26.668
- Now before i tell you the obvious of what they did, let
- 00:17:26.668 --> 00:17:31.974
- Me ask you, what would make for a perfect christmas for you?
- 00:17:31.974 --> 00:17:37.346
- What would it take to have the absolute perfect hallmark movie
- 00:17:37.346 --> 00:17:45.254
- Christmas? i mean, would it be, you know, getting that perfect
- 00:17:45.254 --> 00:17:50.959
- Gift, that one thing you wished for, wanted for. maybe even
- 00:17:50.959 --> 00:17:54.296
- Sent your husband, you know, the amazon... the line that...
- 00:17:54.296 --> 00:17:58.167
- The amazon shopping where... (you know, they're not very
- 00:17:58.167 --> 00:18:01.069
- Smart) ... so they can find it and click on it and find what
- 00:18:01.069 --> 00:18:04.640
- You want for christmas?
- 00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:05.874
- Or you know, maybe it's the opposite. i mean, you're... the
- 00:18:05.874 --> 00:18:09.478
- Perfect christmas for you would see all the grandkid's eyes
- 00:18:09.478 --> 00:18:12.381
- Light up when... when you give them the gift. and christmas is
- 00:18:12.381 --> 00:18:15.217
- For kids and it's fun. and maybe that's christmas. maybe
- 00:18:15.217 --> 00:18:17.019
- It's just getting the family together and having a lot of
- 00:18:17.019 --> 00:18:23.325
- Fun and enjoying good meal and going to church and lighting a
- 00:18:23.325 --> 00:18:27.829
- Candle. i mean, all this, you know, we have these high
- 00:18:27.829 --> 00:18:31.099
- Expectations, don't we of what christmas should be like.
- 00:18:31.099 --> 00:18:36.371
- And the family shows up and cousin eddy with them.
- 00:18:36.371 --> 00:18:43.078
- [laughter] and sometimes you are cousin eddy, you know!
- 00:18:43.078 --> 00:18:49.851
- [laughter] we've got this clark griswold idea about what
- 00:18:49.851 --> 00:18:52.588
- Christmas should be. i mean, the bonus is coming! it's going
- 00:18:52.588 --> 00:18:55.557
- To be the greatest! but christmas so often doesn't live
- 00:18:55.557 --> 00:19:00.996
- Up to the hype! and that's why so many people are disappointed
- 00:19:00.996 --> 00:19:06.535
- And discouraged, because they're looking for happiness
- 00:19:06.535 --> 00:19:09.571
- At christmas.
- 00:19:09.571 --> 00:19:10.806
- Happiness doesn't come at christmas! happiness comes in
- 00:19:10.806 --> 00:19:16.612
- Christ! and if you're chasing christmas to be happy, you're
- 00:19:16.612 --> 00:19:20.949
- Chasing the wrong thing! give your life to jesus because
- 00:19:20.949 --> 00:19:27.189
- Jesus gives you true happiness. and you know, god wants you to
- 00:19:27.189 --> 00:19:31.193
- Be happy. he does! god is a happy god! the psalmist said in
- 00:19:31.193 --> 00:19:39.968
- Psalm 16:11 “in your presence lord is fullness of joy; at
- 00:19:39.968 --> 00:19:45.140
- Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
- 00:19:45.140 --> 00:19:50.412
- Jesus showed us who god is and what he was like. and jesus was
- 00:19:50.412 --> 00:19:53.815
- Joyous. jesus was full of joy. he said, "my joy i give to
- 00:19:53.815 --> 00:20:00.589
- You." jesus was the life of the party. he got invited to
- 00:20:00.589 --> 00:20:04.126
- Wedding feasts and celebrated with that young couple. and
- 00:20:04.126 --> 00:20:08.196
- Matthew, when he first came to jesus, he got a party together
- 00:20:08.196 --> 00:20:11.967
- With all his tax collector friends... all his sinner
- 00:20:11.967 --> 00:20:14.136
- Friends. jesus was accused of hanging out with... with
- 00:20:14.136 --> 00:20:17.439
- Drunkards and wine bibbers and harlots, and all the rest.
- 00:20:17.439 --> 00:20:22.778
- Because he loved sinners. aren't you glad jesus loves
- 00:20:22.778 --> 00:20:25.647
- Sinners? cause that would include you and me.
- 00:20:25.647 --> 00:20:30.585
- Give your life to christ. "it's more blessed to give than to
- 00:20:30.585 --> 00:20:33.989
- Receive." give your life to jesus and just watch what jesus
- 00:20:33.989 --> 00:20:38.660
- Does with your life! and you will find happiness. because
- 00:20:38.660 --> 00:20:43.398
- It's more blessed... of all the blessedness, he said "it's more
- 00:20:43.398 --> 00:20:46.735
- Blessed to give than to receive."
- 00:20:46.735 --> 00:20:51.006
- And then give your praise to jesus. back to the wise men.
- 00:20:51.006 --> 00:21:00.582
- That's what they did. you say, “well, they brought the gifts.”
- 00:21:00.582 --> 00:21:02.818
- Yes, the gifts were luxurious, lavish gifts for a king. they
- 00:21:02.818 --> 00:21:11.259
- Gave him worship! they fell on their faces and it says when
- 00:21:11.259 --> 00:21:16.832
- They saw him, they worshiped him.
- 00:21:16.832 --> 00:21:22.471
- And when we bless the lord... what does the scripture say?
- 00:21:22.471 --> 00:21:27.109
- "bless the lord" ... we give our blessing; we give our
- 00:21:27.109 --> 00:21:31.346
- Praise to god. "bless the lord, o my soul, and all that is
- 00:21:31.346 --> 00:21:36.385
- Within me." when you give your praise to god... "it's more
- 00:21:36.385 --> 00:21:40.856
- Blessed to give than to receive" ... because the
- 00:21:40.856 --> 00:21:43.325
- Blessing and the praise and the favor just keeps pouring back
- 00:21:43.325 --> 00:21:47.295
- Upon us, as we give our praise. and we're to give our praise
- 00:21:47.295 --> 00:21:51.633
- Publicly and verbally. it's good to praise silently and to
- 00:21:51.633 --> 00:21:56.338
- Praise him quietly, but we're to praise him openly. shout to
- 00:21:56.338 --> 00:22:04.613
- The lord with a voice of triumphant! openly praise him!
- 00:22:04.613 --> 00:22:08.450
- The psalmist said... one of my favorites, psalm 34... "i will
- 00:22:08.450 --> 00:22:11.787
- Bless the lord at all times; his praise will continually be
- 00:22:11.787 --> 00:22:17.192
- In my mouth. my soul will make it boast in the lord; the
- 00:22:17.192 --> 00:22:21.830
- Humble will hear of it and be glad. o magnify the lord with
- 00:22:21.830 --> 00:22:26.268
- Me..." give him praise. give him your praise that comes from
- 00:22:26.268 --> 00:22:31.473
- A heart overflowing with gratitude because of his grace
- 00:22:31.473 --> 00:22:35.644
- In your life.
- 00:22:35.644 --> 00:22:37.145
- "it's more blessed to give than to receive." and when you give
- 00:22:37.145 --> 00:22:44.486
- Back, god... he doesn't need your praise but he desires your
- 00:22:44.486 --> 00:22:47.923
- Heart. god is not insecure; he doesn't need you to tell him
- 00:22:47.923 --> 00:22:52.561
- How great he is. he knows his greatness, his grandeur, his
- 00:22:52.561 --> 00:22:57.566
- Glory, but he welcomes our praise and our hearts are
- 00:22:57.566 --> 00:23:01.736
- Changed in his presence when we praise him. it's amazing what
- 00:23:01.736 --> 00:23:06.541
- Praising can do in our own life. because when we lift him
- 00:23:06.541 --> 00:23:10.412
- Up, we get lifted up and the blessings keep flowing.
- 00:23:10.412 --> 00:23:14.316
- And one final thing, give him your possessions. what you've
- 00:23:14.316 --> 00:23:19.855
- Been given financially, your possessions, your properties,
- 00:23:19.855 --> 00:23:23.758
- Whatever you own. you are a steward. we have been blessed
- 00:23:23.758 --> 00:23:27.963
- And what we have comes from god. you say, “no, i earned
- 00:23:27.963 --> 00:23:31.166
- It.” well, who gave you the ability to earn it? who gave
- 00:23:31.166 --> 00:23:34.603
- You the breath to take to live it? so we are blessed to give
- 00:23:34.603 --> 00:23:41.409
- Away what god has given us.
- 00:23:41.409 --> 00:23:43.712
- There are two kinds of people in the world; you know who they
- 00:23:43.712 --> 00:23:47.315
- Are: the givers and the takers. and you have to ask yourself,
- 00:23:47.315 --> 00:23:53.655
- "which one am i?" now i know we all get an "a" if we grade our
- 00:23:53.655 --> 00:23:58.226
- Own paper... "oh, i'm a giver." to what extent are you giving
- 00:23:58.226 --> 00:24:05.567
- Your life away? you know the two most important days in your
- 00:24:05.567 --> 00:24:10.839
- Life: the day you were born... the day god gave you life on
- 00:24:10.839 --> 00:24:18.079
- This earth, and then the day you were born again. and maybe
- 00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:23.618
- There's a third most important day and that's the day you
- 00:24:23.618 --> 00:24:29.024
- Discover the reason for the first two! that you have been
- 00:24:29.024 --> 00:24:33.295
- Born and you have been born again.
- 00:24:33.295 --> 00:24:35.697
- And when you discover why and the why is what the wise men
- 00:24:35.697 --> 00:24:41.169
- Discovered, what every christian who gives away their
- 00:24:41.169 --> 00:24:43.405
- Life has discovered: we are wired... we are hardwired to
- 00:24:43.405 --> 00:24:48.743
- Worship god! you were made for him and to give him all that
- 00:24:48.743 --> 00:24:57.752
- You are and all that we have. and so the giving of financial
- 00:24:57.752 --> 00:25:03.992
- Resources... i've already said it's not about the money.
- 00:25:03.992 --> 00:25:07.262
- Be careful of people who say, "oh, it's not about the money."
- 00:25:07.262 --> 00:25:09.764
- It typically is when they say that. but with god, it's really
- 00:25:09.764 --> 00:25:15.070
- Not about the money. it's about your heart; it's about your
- 00:25:15.070 --> 00:25:19.608
- Life. and it's about the message that he wants to the
- 00:25:19.608 --> 00:25:23.545
- Whole... he wants told to the world.
- 00:25:23.545 --> 00:25:25.313
- You know if you hold on to things, it hurts. make a fist.
- 00:25:25.313 --> 00:25:32.220
- Let me see your fist. (we're wrapping this up. this is going
- 00:25:32.220 --> 00:25:34.756
- To get you awake, all right?) make a fist. now i want you to
- 00:25:34.756 --> 00:25:38.126
- Hold it as tight as you can. squeeze your fist. now don't
- 00:25:38.126 --> 00:25:40.895
- Stop, don't quit on me now. i want you to go harder. now i'm
- 00:25:40.895 --> 00:25:45.266
- Looking at you. you can do harder. you're not trying.
- 00:25:45.266 --> 00:25:48.670
- [laughter] harder! hold it harder! it's right there at the
- 00:25:48.670 --> 00:25:50.872
- Back. hold it up, hold it tighter, tighter, tighter. keep
- 00:25:50.872 --> 00:25:54.342
- It up. keep it up. keep it up. now let it go! ahhh, feels
- 00:25:54.342 --> 00:26:02.917
- Really good, doesn't it?
- 00:26:02.917 --> 00:26:04.386
- Do you know the word geros or generosity in the dictionary is
- 00:26:04.386 --> 00:26:07.922
- Often defined as open-handed? when we hold on to things, it
- 00:26:07.922 --> 00:26:15.196
- Hurts. when we hold on to things in life with clenched
- 00:26:15.196 --> 00:26:19.601
- Fists, it hurts. but when we give away what god has given to
- 00:26:19.601 --> 00:26:24.105
- Us, it doesn't hurt, it helps. it helps us and it helps those
- 00:26:24.105 --> 00:26:28.076
- Around us. and i've decided that a lot of us spend way too
- 00:26:28.076 --> 00:26:31.780
- Much time looking in mirrors instead of looking out windows.
- 00:26:31.780 --> 00:26:40.188
- Look in the mirror. can be scary. some people need to get
- 00:26:40.188 --> 00:26:44.726
- In front of the mirror a little longer maybe. [laughter]
- 00:26:44.726 --> 00:26:50.065
- But we spend a lot of time looking at self. and what god
- 00:26:50.065 --> 00:26:53.702
- Wants us to do is not look at mirrors all our life, but look
- 00:26:53.702 --> 00:26:56.838
- Out windows and see the opportunities that we have to
- 00:26:56.838 --> 00:27:02.977
- Live and give our lives away for him. try giving your life
- 00:27:02.977 --> 00:27:08.149
- Away by giving your life to jesus and then following him.
- 00:27:08.149 --> 00:27:13.922
- Let's say it again: “it is more blessed to give than to
- 00:27:13.922 --> 00:27:18.827
- Receive.” and it is!
- 00:27:18.827 --> 00:27:20.862
- ♪♪♪
- 00:27:20.862 --> 00:27:20.862
