The Miracle of Provision

What would you do for me? Do me for me. I'm going It's a giant Heat. Heat. me. You don't me. Would you tell me? Yeah. Get started. Thank you. Good morning, church. >> Are we good? >> Wow. Am I loud? Who's ready to worship God this morning? Who's ready to praise him? We want you to be free. We want you to be comfortable. Whe that's singing, shouting, clapping, dancing, shakers, ribbons, lying on the floor, >> just go for it as let's worship our awesome, awesome God. into the night to hide this fear of soul. This bag of bones. I've tried with all my right, but I just can't win the fight. I'm slowly drifting a bag of bomb. Just when I read my ro I didn't know. He told me that I was not alone. Pick me up. Turn me around. Place your feet on solid ground. The master, I found the savior cuz you heal my heart. Change my name. I'm free. I'm not the same. I found a master. I found a savior. I thank God. I can't deny what I've seen. Got no choice but to believe the ts are burning the ashes in the wind. So long to my old friends but an impress you can keep you there and you welcome here alone sing my soul swear son found his way back Oh, take me up. Turn me around. Your feet crown your master. I've been a savior. Cuz you heal my heart. Change my name. Forever free. I've been a master. I've been a savior. I thank God. I am free. I am free. I am free. I am free. I am. >> Sing it out. >> I am free. I am free. I am free. In the word, I am free. I am free. I am free. Less than the word. I am free. I am free. I am free. I am free. I am free. Pick me up. Turn me around. on a sunny ground. I the master I savior because you heal my heart. You change my name. Free shame. I've been a master. I've been a savior. I thank God. Thank you, Lord. Praise upon praise. Hallelujah. And you know I didn't deserve it. I couldn't learn it. You give it that you keep me on your mind. God, I'm just grateful for you. I'm just grateful for you. Oh my you've been right here by my side. God, I'm just thankful for you. I'm just thankful for you. Holy, holy, holy one. I give you glory. all that you've done. Even though I don't deserve it, it even though I could give it to life. Who am I that you keep me on your mind? God, I'm faithful for you. I just thankful for you all my life. You've been right here by my sh I'm just grateful for you. I'm just grateful for you. Who am I that you keep me on your mind? God, I'm just grateful for you. I'm just grateful for you all my life. You've been right here by my side. I'm just grateful for you. I'm just I lift up both of my hands. You give me chance after chance after chance. I'm giving all that I am. You gave me chance after a chance. I lift him up with my hands. You get a chance of a chance. I'll give it all that I am. You give me sh I let you keep me on your mind. God, I'm just grateful for you. God, I'm just grateful for you. All my life you just grateful for you. tonight. Who am I that you keep me on your mind all the you grateful for you thankful for you And I need to test them back. I'm just grateful. I'm just grateful for you. I'm out of my mind. God, I'm just grateful for you. God, I'm just grateful for you. >> Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, God. Jesus is mine. He's been the man in the fire. Time after time, born of his washed in his blood. What he did on Calary in love. I trust. I trust in God, my savior. The one who will never fail. He will never fail. I trust in God. I'm saved by the one who I'll never fail. He will never rest. Follow the offer of tomorrow with water. This is my story. This is my song. Praising my ris king and savior all the day long. I trust in God. My savior who will never f to God. My savior of the world who never he will never fail. Oh, you're sought the Lord and he heard and he sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. That's why I trust him. That's why I trust him. I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. I saw the Lord and he heard and he answered. That's why I trust him. >> That's why I trust him. I sought the Lord. Heard and he answered. The Lord and he heard and he answered. I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. That's why I trust him. him. I saw the Lord and he heard the answer. I saw the Lord and he answered in God my savior of the world who never he Blessing God my savior will never fail. He will never fail. I sought the Lord and he had and he answered. I s of the Lord and he had any answers of the Lord and he had any answers. That's why I trust him. I saw I saw the Lord and he heard and he answered. I saw the Lord and he heard and he answered. I saw any heard, any answer. That's why I trust him. That's why Oh, my savior. The one who will never he >> myior the one who will never fail. He will never fail, Lord. And he heard and he sought the Lord. And he heard and he sought the Lord and he heard and he trust him. That's why >> I sought I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. >> I sought the Lord and heard and he and he heard and he answered. Just tell him I saw I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. That's why I trust my soul. I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. That's why I trust him. But I trust in myior the Touch us my fail. >> Thank you Jesus. You never failed Jesus. I am instrument of exultation. I was born to live a man of holiness here of all creation. has a song that praises that only I can sing. Who else is worthy? Who else is worthy? There is no one only you Jesus. Who else is worthy? Who else is worthy? There is no one only Jesus. You are the angels that you chose to make my heart. Show me your glory. I have songs arms of thanks that even angels sing. Who else is worthy? Who else is worthy? There is no one only you Jesus who else is worthy. Who else is worth you? There is no one Jesus. >> Who else is worthy? Who else is worthy? There is no one. Only you Jesus. Who else is worthy? Who else is worthy? There is no one only you Jesus. No one else. There is no one else like you. God anoints the one who wants to live and is to come. Seed on the throne above. Holy, holy, rightous one who shed his blood through to us the father of Jesus Christ be lifted up. Holy, holy, hell of God anointed one who was and is and is to come on the throne above. Holy, holy, rightous one to share his words. God loves Jesus Christ lifted up. Who else is worthy? Who else is worthy? There is no one only you Jesus who else is worthy. Who else? Who else is worthy? There is no one. Only you Jesus. There is no one. Only you Jesus. There is no holy Jesus. >> Who else is worthy? >> Who else is worthy? There is no one in Jesus. Who else is worthy? is worthy. There is no only you Jesus. There is no only you Jesus. There is no only you Jesus. Who else is worthy? Who else is worthy? Only >> sing it out church. Only you sing it out. else is worthy. >> There is no one >> else is worthy. >> No one else is worthy. >> There is no >> There is no one Lord Jesus. Who else is worthy? Who else is worthy? There is no one to sing it out in Jesus. Who else is worthy? Who else is worthy? And on the earth and on the heavens there is no one, no one worthy, holy like you, God who else is worthy. There is no holy Jesus who else is worthy. Sing it out. There is no one you Jesus is worthy. Who else is worthy? There is no only you Jesus nameus Jesus. Worthy name of Jesus. is seated on the cross. Happy Mary. Happy songow. Worship Jesus. You wishes. My soul is my soul. I want you. Day of bright and Pray worship night and night. Night and day. Let our worship to the king of kings to the holy one on the throne. Day and night, night and day I worship. Day and night, night and day, the worship arise. Day and night, day and night, night and day, the worship. Day and night and night and day. You're worthy of it all. You're worthy of it all. For from you are a thing until you are a praise. You deserve the glory. You're worthy of it all. You're worthy of it all. For me you are all things until you are all things. Here is the glory. >> You're worthy of it all. worthy of it. You are all to the glory. You are worthy. You're worthy of it all. You're worthy of you are all things to you all things glory. David prayed and he said, "Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name, all that is within me." I don't know if you still got breath in you. I'd like you to worship God in your own way. If it's with words, worship him. If it's with songs, worship him. If it's in tongues, worship him. If it's in thought, worship him. Just look at the cross and worship. Look at the miracles and worship. Look at the signs and worship. Look at his wonders and worship. Look at his created things and worship. LOOK AT YOUR LIFE AND WORSHIP. LOOK AT THE BREATH AND WORSHIP. LOOK AT THE THINGS HE HAS DONE AND WORSHIP. LET all Let all all within me. Praise his holy name. >> So if you say why do I worship? Look around you. >> No king on earth can make another. >> No king on earth can create. No king ON EARTH CAN EXALT. NO KING CAN RAISE FROM THE DEAD. YOU HAVE A reason to worship. Look at around. LOOK AT TESTIMONIES. LOOK AT STORIES and worship. They are not fables. They are not myth. their realities. >> All that is within me, >> all that is within me, all that is within me, within me is my dream, WITHIN ME ARE MY THOUGHTS, WITHIN ME ARE THE CHALLENGES. BUT WE WILL WORSHIP. BLESS HIS HOLY NAME, all that is within me. Lord, you deserve the glory. >> You deserve the honor. You deserve the praise. You alone are worthy, worthy of all our praise. >> Glory. When David was running away from King Saul and after he had escaped, he wrote this psalm and it says, "I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth." He said, "My soul shall make her boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear thereof and be glad." Psalm 34, he said, "Oh, magnify the Lord WITH ME AND LET US EXALT HIS NAME TOGETHER." HE SAID, "I SOUGHT THE LORD AND HE HEARD ME. >> I SOUGHT HIM AND HE HEARD ME." I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SOUGHT THE LORD AND HE HAS HEARD YOU. >> You have reasons to worship him. >> I sought the Lord and he heard me and he answered >> for many miracles in this place. Bless the Lord. Let us worship together. And he delivered me from all my fears. They looked upon him and we were lightened and their faces were not ashamed. >> Oh my God Jesus, we have reasons to give you praise. If you've got a song, raise it. If you have a word, reach up to him. If you have words, raise it. If you have songs, RAISE IT. IF you've got tunes, raise it. As long as you've got breath, worship his holy name. Jesus. They delivered him from all my fears. >> I don't know if you have ever been afraid. >> I don't know if you've ever thought you would get to this point, BUT THE LORD DELIVERED YOU UP TO THIS LEVEL. >> At the point when we were young, we were thinking, "WILL IT EVER BE? Will I EVEN EVER GROW? WILL I SOMEBODY? WILL I EVER HAVE A CHILD?" THEY'VE SAID IT. PROPHECIES HAVE SAID IT. WRONG DECISIONS HAVE SAID IT. WRONG WORDS. But the Lord brought me to this place. It is NOT BY YOUR STRENGTH. >> It is not by your power. >> The Lord has been faithful. He has watched you. He has watched your children. He has stood with your FAMILY IN THE DAYS OF TERROR, THE THE TIMES THAT COULD have consumed you, but it stood by you. >> If it has not been for God who has been by our side, handed. >> Ah, we looked up to him and we were lightened. Ah, and and our faces were not ashamed. The angel of the Lord encamp around them that fear him and deliver them. I love this verse. He said, "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good." HAVE YOU EVER TASTED GOD? HAVE YOU EVER BELIEVED FOR A MIRACLE and God showed up FOR YOU? OH, TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD is good. I have tasted it. I have been in a stumbling water. I have been in AN ACCIDENT THAT ROLLED and rode the vehicle and the CAR WAS CRASHED. BUT I TOLD THE LORD, "Save me. Save me." In the year 2015 and I came out on scratch. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Taste and see that the Lord is good. I'm here to build your faith in God for you to know that God can do exceedingly abundantly ABOVE EXCEEDINGLY abundantly above all that you ever think or imagine. And we can believe in him. We can trust him. And he says, "Come ye children acting unto me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What a man is he that desireth life and love many days that he may see good. Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking ill depart from evil. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open on upon their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil and cut off the remembrance from them. The righteous cry and the Lord heareth. There is no cry we will cry that the Lord will not hear us. Who am I that thou art mindful of me, the son of man that you are so mindful of? And I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. >> Jesus, this is a good opportunity to seek him. They that seek him will never be ashamed. We bless your name Jesus. Our hearts is raised, our spirit opened, our hearts connected, our mouth confession to your grace, your glory, your power and your miracles. Thank you for the comforter. Thank you for the cross. Thank you for the blood. Thank you for Jesus. HEY, HEY. JESUS, you are highly lifted, highly exalted. The miracles of Lazarus possible today. Raising the dead, lifting the wounded, breaking the shackles, and the dead bones rising again. You give the dream to the little childh. And they come to pass. Jesus our lifter. Jesus our deliverer. Jesus our healer. and he sought the Lord and he heard and he sought the Lord and he heard and he trusted. That's why I trusted. I sought the Lord and he still I sought the Lord and he answered. That's why I trusted God's cry. I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. I sought the Lord and he hurt and he answered as my eyes and heard and he saw the Lord and heard and he alone and heard I touched I trust in God, my savior, the one who will never fail. He will never f My savior, the one who will never fail. He will never fail. Jesus, you never fail. Not in the past. Not today. You will not fail. Hebrews says is the Lord the same God yesterday, today, and forever. He would never fail. It would never change. Jesus, you never fail. Lord, we bring all the thoughts in this place, all the challenges in this place. We trust you, Lord. We bring them to the throne of grace to obtain mercy in time of need. We bring all prayers. We bring all repetitions. We bring all tears. We bring all challenges. We bring all fears. We bring all to you. Those who seek miracle in this place. Lord, we trust you never fail and that it shall be done. Lord, we connect those who believe, those who are trusting, those who are demanding, those who are looking up to you for a particular miracle. We bring them before you, Lord. Let our lives change. Let our thoughts, let our burden be lifted, let our chain be broken. Let praise come out. Let praise erupt from that sinking soul. From the troubled hearts, let worship rise because the burden will be lifted and the chains broken. Jesus, you never fail. Thank you for the cross. Thank you for your miracles. Hallowed be your name. >> Jesus name we've worshiped. >> Can we make put those hands together for Jesus? Celebrate God in this place. Not unto man but unto God. Celebrate God in this place. Jesus is able. Jesus can be trusted. I don't know how many times you need to hear it, but say it to yourself over and over again. In the midst of the pits, Jesus can be trusted. In the heat of the moment, Jesus can be trusted. Even when the people you believe in so much, man can fail, but God will not fail. God will not fail. God will not fail. I'd like you to be an extension of our voice this morning. Welcome someone beside you and welcome someone. Say welcome to church. >> Welcome to church. And please be seated in God's presence majestically. If your neighbor is not smiling, look at them and give them a smile because the joy of the Lord is our strength. >> There is joy in this place. You have no need. Every sadness is gone, is thrown in the pit of hell. And this is what we get when we worship. How many of you, have you ever worshiped in your room and you step out of the house and it feels like you're flying the moon? >> There's a level you will worship. If you come out and then you feel like every situation is under you, worship lifts you, it raises you. Quick announcement. Um our camp camp is coming. Please talk to Joan. Um is is really lots of preparations are ongoing for that. um for that if you have needs you have um camp tent materials that you need we have a list already um please you can also indicate we'll get that the food bank every Friday of course is ongoing please be part of it um today I'd like to present to some and introduce to others but before that let's take our offerings let's take our offerings the children can do we prepare the kids to go for the kids church also while I prepare this for a special time today. You can give using the QR code. You can also tap. We have the machine. You can give also in cash. Um but don't be pressured. Um if you're new in this place, this is what we do. All right, kids. Are we ready for kids church? Are we ready for kids church? Okay, let's give a hand for the children as it goes for kids church. We celebrate you. We celebrate you. Enjoy yourself for a time of word today. Special words coming to you. Please make welcome Jono. Put your hands together for him to bring us strong word from the throne of grace. Celebrate him. Celebrate him. Keep clapping. Hello everyone. Wasn't that fantastic worship? >> Come on, let's give Jesus some praise in this place. Thank you, Lord. >> God, we love you and we love your presence. >> Let's pray. Dear Lord Jesus, come in this place. Lord, we love your presence. We love who you are. God, I pray this morning, Lord, as we hear your word, Lord. May I not speak this morning, but may you speak through me, Lord. Open up our hearts to hear from you, Jesus, and hear from your word. God, I believe that what you've placed on my heart this morning is important, Lord. Not not just for us as the life of a church, God, but individually on an individual level. So, God, I pray speak to this morning. Hey. So, how are we all doing? >> Good. >> Excellent. >> So, today I'm preaching on one of those lovely subjects that we all get so excited about, giving and tithing. >> Who doesn't get excited for a bit of giving and tithing? >> Well, you know, I was um when I in fact, my plan today was not to preach on giving and tithing. My plan was to um speak on living a life that is consecrated to Jesus. And I was going to speak on on culture and cultural norms and how as Christians we um should be against the grain, against the culture. But um just a couple of days ago, I felt God changed the message and tell me to speak on giving, which is not a subject that I would pick. But I was looking through the Bible and I was I was trying to work out how can I speak on this subject and and on my heart came the parable of the 10 meanest. Um so let me read this to you. This is a um parable and this is Jesus speaking and telling this story. How many of you know that when something's red, the color red in the Bible, it means Jesus is speaking? Yeah. Fantastic. So while they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable. because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. He said, "A man of noble birth went to went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then return." So he called 10 of his servants and gave them 10 minus. Now amus is like a month's wages, maybe more or less a month's wages. Put this money to work, he said, until I come back. But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation to him. We don't want this man to be our king. He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants whom he had given the money in order to find out what they had gained with him. The first one came back and said, "Sir, your Mina has earned 10 more. Well done, my good servant, his master replied. Because you have been trustworthy with a small matter, take charge of 10 cities. The second came and said, "Sir, your Mina has earned five more." His master answered, "You take charge of five cities." Then another servant came and said, "Sir, here is your meaner. I kept it laid away in a cloth. I was afraid of you because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow. His master replied, "I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant. You knew, didn't you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in and reaping what I did not sow. Why then did you put my money on deposit so that when I came back and have collected it with interest? Then he said to those standing by take his meaner away and give it to the one who has 10 meanness. Sir, they said he had already has 10. He replied, I tell you that to everyone who has has more will be given. But as one as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. But those enemies of mine did not want me to be king over them. Bring them here and kill them in front of me. Let me just clarify. We're not going to be killing anybody here at the front of the stage this morning. But you know what this tells me is that the the meanness that the master gave to his servants was not their meanness. It was the master's meanness, but he entrusted it to them to look after it. And the one who turned that meanness into 10 more meanness was a good servant. He was a steward of that money. And the one that kept it hidden, he didn't spend the means. He didn't steal it. He understood that it wasn't his, but he wasn't a good steward of that meanness. And you know, when God gives us stuff, he gives it to us to be a good steward of. Now, there are many quote unquote gospels that people um live by. If you go to a big flashy American church with lots and lots of money, um they might stand on stage, not really quote the Bible, but share the prosperity gospel, which is this fantastic gospel where we put in a bit and God gives us far more. Right? This concept that we put in 10, God puts in a hundred. We put in a 100, God gives us back a thousand. And it's all about what God can give us. It's give in order to get. It teaches a toxic view of Christianity. And you know what? Give and God does give back to us. We know this. This is proven fact. But it's about a heart position. So that's the prosperity gospel. Here's here's another um methodology that people use, the poverty gospel. It teaches that the poorer you are, the better off you're going to be in God's kingdom. that God has a favorable view upon you because you are poorer than others and because you're poorer and life is harder, you get more glory from God. But that doesn't sound like the God that I serve. >> The productivity gospel. Now, there's lots of truth in this one, too. Um, work hard and you'll get. And how many of us know that? Do nothing, don't work hard, you won't get. But work hard and you will get. That's the the productivity gospel. Now, here's one that I love. Notice they all begin with P. There's a theme here. The provision gospel that teaches us that God is our provider and when we trust in him, there is provision. I love that. You know, these these all all of none of these are are wrong. They all teach a view of God. None of them on their own give the whole picture. the presence gospel. This is that our God is a good dad and he loves to give good gifts to his kids. And that is true, church. How many of us know that that God loves to give us good gifts? And finally, the popularity gospel. This is the view that the more popular you are, therefore, the better you must be because you're more popular and therefore the better God gives you because he favors you. because man sees you as better than others. And you know, maybe maybe that's true, maybe that's not true, but that's not how I like to see my God. So, church, I love the concept of provision gospel. And although that's just one of these things that I've talked about this morning, that's what I want to focus on because our God is a God that provides. The provision gospel teaches us that we're not just here get. We're not using God as a cash machine where we put money in and get more back, but we instead put our trust fully in him because we understand that we are just a servant here on earth and that everything is his. You know, everything we have on this earth is just here on loan to us. So I was doing some research um because I want to give some numbers, some facts for you, right? And so I was looking at the death rate um here in Norwich. And what I found when I dug deep into this is that um here in Norwich around 100% of us will die. 100% of us here in Norwich will die. It may be different elsewhere in the world, but but here the statistics say that 100% of us will die. And do you know what will happen when you die? All of those fantastic cool things you've collected for your life. I have some really cool things that I they exist just to look at. Do you remember those cameras we bought from Top Gear? >> Yeah, they're still in your loft, but they're they're a treasure. Um, these are some cameras that I bought at auction that we used to film a Top Gear special many, many years ago. Um, and they still have dirt on them and paint that you saw in the in the the TV show. But everything you have is not yours. And when you die, it all goes elsewhere, right? You know, when we die, our kids are going to look through all of our rubbish and be like, I can't believe that they wore this. Oh, it's so ugly. They might be saying, you know, um, they might be, "Sorry, one second. I've got a wardrobe malfunction." >> I feared that would happen. They'll look at our stuff and be like, "Oh my goodness, this is so stupid. Can you believe that mom wore those ugly mom jeans?" And those things that we spent so much money on that for years we saved up for and were really important to us. will they'll look for those things and go, I don't know, give it to someone. We'll sell we'll sell it for 50 quid on Facebook Marketplace. And here's what I want you to grasp from this church that nothing is ours anyway. When we die, it all goes back to the Lord. In fact, it even says this in the Bible. It says, "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it." >> How many of you know that? >> So, let's talk about tithing. Who's heard of tithing? So tithing is the principle of giving 10. So tithe means 10. It translates directly as 10. Um it says Leviticus 27:30, a tithe of everything belongs to the Lord. That's a tenth of everything belongs to him. So tithing is not giving. Tithing is not an offering because it's not yours anyway. Church, I want you to grasp this concept that everything we have is not ours. It is God's. And so when we when we tithe, what we are saying is God, I know that that my life is yours, my time is yours, my finance is yours, everything that I have is yours. And so I am showing you that I understand this principle by giving back 10% of everything that I have. That's not just 10% of your money either. That's 10% of everything. Right? We are giving God first our 10%. Now, I also want you to grasp that this is not our last 10%. It takes very little faith to give your leftovers back to God, but it takes lots of faith to give your thirsts. >> Says in Proverbs 3:9:10, "Honor the Lord with your wealth and the first fruits of all of your crops. Then your barns will be filled." So this is this is the concept that I live by and I want you to understand that when I un when I understand that nothing is mine that it is all gods what I have to work with becomes unlimited and and this is this is completely supernatural. So let's not put God in a natural box. >> That the bills that I have to pay, the things that I have to do, when I understand that my existence here on earth is to honor and serve God, I know and trust and believe that God will take care of the rest. Everything that I need. That might not be everything that I want. >> Who here would like, I don't know, a Ferrari or a Lamborghini? >> I don't need it. I don't need it. But when I understand the principle that everything is God's, I have unlimited. This is what I like to refer to as the miracle of provision. And it is a miracle. And you know, church, we we talk about miracles, but I want you to understand this. This conversation, this message is not because we want your money. The same miracle that exists in my own life where the pot is unlimited. We have here in our church and and I and I I I tell you this boldly and with confidence. We don't need your money. We don't need you to give. We don't. God provides. Here's what happens in our church all the time, right? Bills come come out and money comes in. It is supernatural. And and what what's really interesting about it, it is not above and beyond what we need. It's exactly what we need. And so we we talk about this as a leadership team all the time where whatever we need is provided for. And it doesn't even make sense. Some months we need more than others. Some months we need very little. But each month the amount that we need seems to just add up together. And we saw this miracle. And and you know this story and I want you guys to really know this story because um it is a miracle in the life of our church and I want you to hold this and believe it and and I use this as a testimony. But when we paid for this roof we took up an offering and between you all you managed to raise in pledges £10,000. Now that's a lot of money £10,000. But also I want you to understand let's look at the practicals here. This that was pledges. So, some of that money came in straight away. Other other parts of that money is people saying, "I will give this in the future or I'm going to give this monthly over the next year." Um, and we took up this offering right before we needed the money as well. And we were expecting the roof to cost £30,000, but it actually ended up costing £43,500. That's an exact figure for you, £43,500. And we did not have that. In fact, at the time, we had exactly £9,000 in our church account. That was some of that was some of the money that we'd raised through that offering. Others was just the general cost of running church. We we have bills to pay. We have all of the different things that we need to pay for. So, some of that money was like general church running money. And but we had no choice. We had a window of weather to work in because taking the roof off the church during the ra rainy season is not a good idea. And so the builders, they had to start the work and we had to start paying them throughout every step of the process. And so we did, we just kept paying their bills and paying their bills and paying their bills. And over what was it a month, a few weeks, um, while they did the work, we just kept paying the bills. And at the end of it, we' successfully paid a43,500 bill. And we had the same amount of money left in our church bank account as we started with at the beginning. Exactly. >> And and please hear me, okay? This is this is not a on paper thing. This is not a um a boosted up story. This is complete fact factual information for you. God provided the need that we had as a church. He provided. And we see this time and time again. I could list you story after story in our church life of where God has provided. But I want you to know that there is a miracle of provision that exists. And that same miracle that we have access to as a corporate church, you have access to yourself in your private life. That same miracle, the miracle of provision. But we have to understand that none of it's ours in the first place. Church, >> when we pay a bill and we are serving God, it's not our bill, it's God's. >> He is a supernatural God. So why would we put him in a natural box? I mean, would you expect your boss to if you had to do some work for your boss at work, would you expect to pay the the bill or is that his bill to pay? So church in that parable of the 10 meanest the servant who took his meanness and he used it well understood the principle that it wasn't his and he used everything that he had in his hand to serve his master. We must serve our Lord Jesus with everything. Understand that finance and giving is not about the money. It just isn't. I've told you we don't need your money. what we what what my heart for you is is that you would catch this miracle for your own life and I don't want you to miss it. I've seen it in my life. Let's have a look at the in the Bible of when the miracle of provision is talked about. Says in Exodus 16:4, "Then the Lord said to Moses, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for the day. In this way, I will test them and see whether they follow my instructions. I don't know if you know um the context of that story, but God provided what they called mana from heaven. And the interesting thing about mana is it was just enough. It wasn't crazy amounts of food each day. And this was when the um the Israelites were wandering in the desert and they they hadn't yet um reached Israel. God didn't provide huge extravagant amounts of food. He provided exactly what they needed. It's the miracle of provision. Right there in the Bible, Luke 16:10, one who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest with very little is also dishonest. with much. Proverbs 9, sorry, 3:9-20. Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all of your crops. Then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will bring over with new wine. This principle goes way beyond finance, as I've said. How many of you know what the Sabbath is? the Sabbath. Um, some some people think that the Sabbath is a specific day that exists. Often people describe it as being Sunday. I I don't know if if I subscribe to that. I think the Sabbath is a day of rest and it is our first day and we give it to the Lord. I've talked about first fruits, how it doesn't take faith to give your last. Well, it's the same with our week. We have to give God the first of our week. The first thing we do in our life is think about God. The second is everything else. And so the Sabbath is so important because it's all about giving our first to God. Having a day a week that we dedicate to him. And it's a principle that exists one, yes, um to honor the Lord because he he's worthy of us. But it's also a principle that exists for our own benefit. How many of you have worked seven days a week every week and felt exhausted? I I I still do it and I'm still learning the principle of the Sabbath. But it's hard, church. It's hard to stop and honor the Lord with our time. But in the same way as I believe there's miracle in finance, I believe there's miracle in our time, too. So, you know, this morning, church, wherever you're at, maybe you've got bills to pay and you don't know where your finance is going to come to pay those bills. And believe me, I do understand what that feels like. But I want to challenge you this morning. Seek first the kingdom and all shall be provided. First fruits. begin to honor God in your finances, in your life, and your time, and see what God does. Because I promise you, there is a miracle, and it is untapped. >> This morning, church, I challenge you, put God first and see the miracle, >> church, let's let's pray. God, we thank you for the miracle, Lord, of provision. God, we repent right now for when we have not put you first. God, personally, Lord, I repent, Jesus, for when I have not put you first. For when you have not been the first thing in my life, when you have not been the first thing in my finances. And God, I ask Lord that you help us catch hold of the vision of the meanness, the vision of provision, the vision of tithe, that it is not about us. It is not about what we give, what we provide. It is all about our heart's position with you, Jesus. I pray for every single one of us this morning, Lord, for a supernatural overflow in our life as we catch hold of this principle. God, I pray Lord that that as people begin to catch hold, Lord, and and tithe, Lord, and put them you first in their life, God, that you will provide a supernatural overflow in their life, that every bill that they need paid would be paid in Jesus' name. That everything they need would be provided in Jesus' name. And God, I pray, Lord, for us as a church that you use us. We're not here, Lord, for our glory. We are here for your glory. And so I ask this morning, God, use us. Move amongst us. Use us, Lord. That every moment in our life, whether we're at work or school, God, whatever we are doing in our life, God, that it would be for you and it would be for your glory. That we would be your army in the mission field, Jesus. Lord, provide for your army this morning. I pray. So maybe this is all really new to you. Maybe um maybe you're not even sure if you believe in God, let alone the miracle of provision. But our God is a good good God. Maybe you're here visiting. Maybe somebody has invited you this morning. Maybe you've been coming along for a while, but you don't feel yet that you have connected with who Jesus really is. And that these crazy conversations about money and finance make no sense when you're yet to discover who Jesus really is. And so, I would like to give you an opportunity, if you haven't already, to get to know who my Jesus really is, my God that provides. So, we're going to pray a prayer. Follow after me, church. Dear Lord Jesus, this morning God, I accept that you are my Lord and my Savior and I ask you to be the provision in my life. God, may my life live for you in the name of Jesus. Amen. Hey church, have you prayed that prayer for the first time this morning? I want you to do something really courageous for me. Nobody's looking. I want you to raise your hand as a declaration of faith. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Hey church, it's been an honor to be able to share a message with you this morning. Wasn't that a great message? >> Yeah. Come on, let's stand. We're going to we're going to close with a song. Want to dance like David. Want to feel like home. Want to sing like silence tearing down the prison walls. Want to face the fire, it won't burn me. God's got my back. Shadrach, Meshack, let me go. I want to walk like Moses right through the waves. One day I'll see that this land no longer saves. Though the fear is talking, no, I can't take out my faith. I'm going to praise. I'm going to praise. I praise the mountain body raising breaking a chain. Going to praise. I'm going to praise. I praise the heaven seated undefeated life demands. That's who I praise. That's who I praise. That's who I praise. Want to give thank Mary. Want to break my face. Want to see black Daniel even in the lion's cave. Going to get the promise just like Jericho. I can't remember the words. I'm going to praise. I'm going to praise. I praise the mountain body raising breaker of chains. Going to praise. I'm going to praise. I praise the heavenly seated undefeated highest of names. That's who I praise. That's who I pray. Just wake up. Crazy. He is the lamb that was me. The only one who's worthy, worthy, worthy of all of his names. Pursue a praise. He is the risen Messiah. He is the angel of death. Help me when he's ready, ready to praise. I'm going to praise. I'll praise heaven and see it unto the highest of that's who I praise. I praise that God is with he can do impossible things. Let's do our praise. Let's do our praise. Let's do our praise. Want to love like Jesus. That kind of grace. Want to live like other no more precious time to waste. Going to give him glory with all my thanks. Cuz there's no greater, stronger, higher name. And that's who I praise. We praise you, God. Woo. Amen. Wow. I thought my car crash moment would have come a lot sooner than that. Woo! Brilliant message. Thank you, John A. Have a wonderful Sunday. There's coffee next door. Um, if you're new here, we would love to chat with you. Next door, if you put your hands up as well, Jono's prayer, then we would love to chat with you as well. come and grab Jonno or Joe, me, Phil, somebody, and uh we can talk with you and pray with you about that. But have a wonderful bless church.