Welcome to the Revolution The Giving and Getting Paradox

What has God been doing…?

We wanted to bless him…

Your greatest needs are never met by seeking to have your needs met

Your greatest needs are never met by seeking to have your needs met But by investing yourself in God-given opportunities as God leads

Spiritual Law: What you give Determines what you receive

Put Another Way: Holding tightly Always robs myself Of the very thing God wants to give me

We know this "You'll only get out of it What you put into it"

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want - Proverbs 11:24

Today...the "What" Next week...the "Why"

Your greatest needs are never met by seeking to have your needs met But by investing yourself in God-given opportunities as God leads

The Giving and Getting Paradox (We don't give to get… But because Jesus is worth it)

Abraham has a promise "Father of a nation"

Abraham has a promise "Father of a nation" Why not rest?

Abraham has a promise "Father of a nation" Why not rest? Abraham has to give His Culture, Time, Energy, Trust His son (Because Isaac isn't his…)

Greatest need Involves investing himself first Abraham has to give To receive

Israelites had to give up a lamb To gain Freedom

What you give Determines what you receive (And you don't receive Until you're willing to give)

God gave his Son to Win us back to himself

Our Faith is a Paradox What I give Determines what I get?

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me"

“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" - Jesus, Matt. 16:24-25

Jesus is saying… "I have come that you might have life…to the full!" Great- how do I get it? "Give up your life and die"

Spiritual Law: What you give Determines what you receive

…forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you - Luke 6:37-38 How do I walk in daily forgiveness? Forgive How do I receive grace? Give grace

Your greatest needs are never met by seeking to have your needs met But by investing yourself in God-given opportunities as God leads

…whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many - Matthew 20:27-28 Give up being served to be the greatest

The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. - Matthew 23:11-12 Give up pride to be great

Spiritual Law: What you give Determines what you receive

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good - 1 Cor. 12:4-7 Spiritual Gifts don't get activated Until they are used for God's People

…you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength….You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these” - Jesus, Luke 12:30-31

What's Missing…?

Why?

You don't need to learn to love you… You need to learn to love others like you already love yourself

Do you know people Who focus on themselves all the time?

Do you know people Who focus on themselves all the time? Have they gotten better? Why not?

Your greatest needs are never met by seeking to have your needs met But by investing yourself in God-given opportunities as God leads

Spiritual Law: What you give Determines what you receive

Abandoned- mother didn't want her

Abandoned- mother didn't want her Birth certificate said UNNAMED Birth number was 2508 of 1966 Social work report said UNWANTED

Sexually abused for 12 years Multiple times per week by 4 men

If anyone needs to focus on herself Christine Caine does

Today- Rescuing thousands of sex slaves Most impactful speaker I saw

Had she focused inwardly… - Self-destructive - Bitter - Unable to heal

Your greatest needs are never met by seeking to have your needs met But by investing yourself in God-given opportunities as God leads

Her Greatest need: Healing Give up: Right to bitterness Right to unforgiveness Right to victimhood

When we connect our area of pain  to a need Jesus wants to meet in others We find healing for ourselves

Spiritual Law: What you give Determines what you receive She gave herself to Jesus And she's given herself to the work He has for her

Raped… "My baby was what healed me… As I tended to him, forgiveness replaced bitterness. Prayer replaced cursing"

…unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit - Jesus, John 12:24 Self, past, present, future Dreams, desires, plans

Your greatest needs are never met by seeking to have your needs met But by investing yourself in God-given opportunities as God leads

My son weighed the decision…

“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” - John 6:9

5+2=?

5+2=? Unless…it is given away 5+2= 5000 r12

What does this mean for you? - Time - Attention - Money - Mission We do it because he is worth it What we get back is so much more

What you give Determines what you receive The greatest hindrance to receiving God's blessings… is me

Where is God Pressing on you, right now?

What does this mean for us? Mission vs. Therapeutic/Consumer Church

What does this mean for us? Mission vs. Therapeutic/Consumer Church We are known as a healing church

Therapeutic/Consumer Church Me-focus - Short commitment - Shopping - Burned out professionals - Lost generation (great commission)

Christ's Mission Church - Christ's' outward focus= our own needs met - Commitment = maturity - Seeking value replaced by joy, purpose - All meet each others' needs - People introduced to new life in Christ

What has God done In your life already? What more could he do through you?

Craig Groeschel…

Craig Groeschel… Even greater when they Are able to minister to others one day

In Christ, your deepest wounds Become your greatest ministry

Am I involved in serving Instead of looking to be served? Where does God want to use me?

Layman: Mission outside these walls Mission of these walls