I’m Ready For The Test // Six Figures (Part 4) // Michael Todd

Today, all my people on the Panda app, I want you to know it's a good day because you're alive, God is good, we're here together, and you're about to grow deeper on your spiritual journey. Today, I have the opportunity, in week four of a message called Six Figures, to introduce you or remind you of a principle of God that has stood literally the test of time, but opens the windows of heaven for you, your family, and your life. Today, I'm talking about something that maybe some people have heard wrong or it's been misrepresented. Today, I'm talking about tithing. Now, I know before you click this off and go to another one, this may have more to do with your spiritual journey than you think. And honestly, for my people that are like, I'm in prison right now, I'm holding an offering envelope that I got from one of you. This is $2.50 that somebody sent as a tithe from a correctional facility. After hearing a message just like this one and decided to pass the test that God gives us, this means a lot. It's not a huge amount, but it's a bunch of faith. This is weighty faith right here. And I'm believing that your life will be transformed

as you listen to the truth. Just listen to the end of this and see if God doesn't do something in your heart. Today's message is called, I'm Ready for the Test. Yeah, you said, come on with it. You know what? There are certain people that you can always come wherever I preach, you hear me? I'm a talk back preacher. Now I know we got all kinds of people. I know some of y'all grew up in churches where you don't say anything, it's like, shh. But like, you can use your cultural expression here. Like, I just want you to, I mean, don't offend nobody. But what I'm saying is if you're a cowboy and I say something that's good, you can be like, yee-haw! Like, you can do that. Y'all got what I'm saying? Like, I know there's some people that grew up in the hood and if you grew up in the hood, like, I'll fight you. Like, that's not a, that's not, that's not, that's not bad to me if you know the connotation of it. You understand what I'm saying? So, and you can just use amen and hallelujah too, okay? But at this church, we love freedom of expression and I'm in week four of a series that's called Six Figures. And this series is important to me because it changed my life. I think about pivotal moments in my journey and one of the most pivotal moments that changed

and touched every area of my life is when God taught me how to not be greedy and actually be generous. Changed my life. You don't know the Michael who was stingy, the Michael who was literally, I don't want to say I was a bad person, I was a unfinished person. And I'm still unfinished, but I was really unfinished. Yeah, yeah, raw. Has anybody ever, like, just looked back and be like, man, I was raw back then. Like, that, that, I had no understanding. And I thank God for the progression. But today I want to share this from a place of not speculating, I want to share it from a place of trying to give you something that has transformed me. And I know that there will be many people that find value in this because it has not just changed my life, it's changed this church. And there are thousands of you that already participate in the level of generosity that I'm talking about. But this is not about money. I need everybody to hear me say this. If I could just wear a shirt, not about money. Like, I need you to understand that, because some people, the block is there and you won't hear the principle because you think it's about money. This is not about money. This is about your heart.

This is about your thoughts. This is about your soul. And so if you can, if I can make you a promise today, I'm not going to ask you for any money. I'm not asking you for no money. We're not taking no offerings. We've been giving in this series. I just need you to hear me. Relax. Nobody's coming to spy on your bank account. I don't have a prophetic sense that's, oh, she's in the negative. There's nothing I can do to you except present to you truth and then you choose. So today, look at your neighbor and say, you choose. I'm not going to make you choose. Look at your other neighbor you didn't like as much and say, you choose. Amen. Proverbs chapter 11, verse 24. The Bible says, the world of the generous, one of my favorite scriptures. The world of the generous gets what? Larger and larger. But the world of the... Gets what smaller and my question is how big is your world I? Can't answer that question, but you know if your world is big, and you know if your world is small I'm not talking on the outside. I'm talking about right on the inside How big is your world it says the one who blesses others watch this is? Abundantly here's our word blessed

And those who help others are always Helped that's what I want for you your pastor if I had a desire that I could ask God right now to give to you I would pray that you live in abundance of everything you think you need Abundance of love abundance of peace Abundance of wisdom. I mean like somebody asked a good question and just wisdom comes out of you Somebody shot at me abundance That's the life that God came for you to have John 1010 the thief comes to steal kill and destroy But Jesus came that we might have life and life abundantly How big is your life? And the truth of the matter is God's not in control of how big it gets you are Today you could change the size of your world by changing a few of your actions But today you've been blaming the man you've been blaming government. You've been blaming your parents You've been blaming and they may all have a little piece to do with that, but you 49 Let's be clear Nobody has made you who you are you came out looking like your parents you die looking like your decisions Do y'all hear what I'm saying to you right now and some of you need to choose or decide something different You don't got to be mad no more You can forgive You don't have to be broke no more. God can give you the ability to produce Well, you don't have to be stingy no more. You can get you do not have to live the life you have lived But it starts with you realizing God has given you the power To switch this whole thing up. Look at your neighbor one more time and say you choose And so one of the things that um is exciting in my life right now is that right now Um, I'm in the thick of raising children. Like when I say thicker raising children I got I'm in the thick of it. You understand what I'm saying? I got children. Whoa, I Didn't really know How much time and effort and energy? Children take

It makes you need God Y'all want to know where you need God if you have kids you need God But there are some beautiful moments that happen where you feel like man This is why I'm they daddy like you know, I'm saying like now I'm here daddy So one of those happened to me this past week. My daughter came in Isabella. She's so studious She's so smart and she was a little overwhelmed by by I'm studying for a test She had to learn all 66 books of the Bible in for a test and know how to spell them it's that second part that just Rebecca Malachi like And and so she She got she got overwhelmed and I had this idea. I was like, oh, yeah daddy does music So I'm gonna I'm gonna make you a song That and so I went to my recorder and I start Genesis as it is Leviticus and I started doing it and I threw it In the AI app and I thought I thought I and I made a song. Can I share it with y'all? It's cool. This is just honest. No spiritual connotation. Just wanted to share it with you Could you play that real quick the books about this just the Old Testament real quick. Just play it real quick Second Samuel first Kings second Kings First Chronicles second Chronicles say Ezra Nehemiah, it's the angel songs Proverbs Ecclesiastes song a song Isaiah Jeremiah limitations Jonah and Mark and the home Zephaniah and Haggai Zechariah and Malachi So I did that for my daughter. Is that okay now watch now watch Immediately she learned all the books of the Bible. She got a hundred on a test shout-out to Bella okay, and That's when I realized that's where our similarities in Because she was so excited to take the test Because she was prepared

And then I started to think have I ever been excited to take a test And she's more like her mother on the study side of it And I was like I don't think I've ever been excited to take a test usually when I went into school test day Anxiety Many times I would come into class clown. Haha. Look at you. Yo mama doing all that other stuff And then the teacher was like all right get ready for the test and my thing would be like what's in? Okay, come on do I got any what test people I know you what hold on what test What what you talking about? Did you study? Give me your notes? I Thought about this is that anytime you're tested watch this write this down a test is either exciting or exposing Y'all remember them people who used to be excited for tests and you want to punch them in the head Teacher are we taking the test now or Okay, I want to know those people who are those people come on We love you with the love of the Lord Why are you saying this pessimist because a test is an automatic Definer A test defines either you're ready or you're resistant And There are many people under the sound of my voice That think tests are bad But the truth of the matter is when I dig deeper and I go through therapy and I do things that God has done on Me I figured out why I didn't like the test. It wasn't the test It was I wasn't prepared And the three times I can count them the three times I was ready for a test I became the person I didn't like Hey teacher How are you when we're taking the test is taking it now The only reason you get excited is because you're prepared for it and What I found out that there are many believers that don't know that we take a test every time we get paid Oh, you saw that turn you sir everybody ah No, no, no, I'm just letting you know Maybe you didn't know but every time you get increased every time your check goes up every time that

Cha-ching hits your cash app or bank account. It's a test and The test is who do you trust with your finances? And maybe you didn't know maybe the issue of money and church It was all about a building fund that never got built or it was maybe about the the the pastor driving a certain car while There was no air-conditioning. We ain't talking about none of that here I'm talking about a Test that God gives to every one of his children before there was a law I can prove to in Scripture that tithing and Generosity was literally 2,500 years before Moses ever got a law But it's not even about a law It's about are you prepared? Are you ready for this test when it comes and the truth of the matter is people are hearing this message? I'm like what test and Then there are other people are like, oh, I'm excited about this test every time I get paid cuz I'm ready for the test And today I just need you to understand that the tithe exposes who you trust and Today pass the mic. What are you saying the tithe? I don't understand Let me give you a definition of what the tithe is tithing is a biblical principle and practiced established not by the church Not by a pastor Not by a group of people who thought it was a good idea For everybody to do a pyramid scheme and put a little bit in and like it's it was established by God I'm gonna give you examples of it, but it was established by God For every person who trusts him to return the first 10% and underline first 10% of your increase back to God through the local church Now fight with your mama No, no, I just need to say this because there are people who are gonna hear this and they're gonna automatically start Start trying to tear down the principle God put in place You don't ever have to tithe ever and you can still go to heaven Hold on look at me

Your salvation is not depended on you tithing So you can go ahead and relax But your ability to live in abundance in this life is Dependent watch this not on tithing on obedience See you missed it you missed it because there are people who tithe that don't forgive Okay, hold on. Let me stop because I'm talking about tithing, but I want you to understand the principles bigger than tithing the principle is Obedience to God's Word, so there are people who don't tithe But they do forgive and God's saying we need to get both of them You think we could upgrade to both of them? But y'all know what I'm both on y'all not not both of them. It's both fun. It's one word. Okay anyway I'm telling you right now This is a principle that God set up not for his benefit Heaven's not running short on gold for the streets You think God needs our money He calls gold what we would fight over in it. It's concrete The light bill in heaven is not too big for God Y'all got what I'm saying, so there must be a deeper reason Why he put this principle in place for the children he made This is why I think tithing is so important because it's not about percentage. It's about priority Why 10% why not 25 Why not 50? Why not a hundred? It's not about the percentage. It's about priority and my question to you is Where is God in the priority of your life? I? Can't answer that question and you don't get to worship your way to him be in the priority Okay, all right, well, I pray 19 hours a day, but you disobedient Like do you understand like we try to substitute stuff for other stuff. It's like take out the trash well I'll clean the toilet, but the trash It's overflowing but I cleaned out the cobwebs, but the

and What do you do you try to teach your children? It's not about just doing things. It's about doing what I ask you to do And I just believe that God I'm coming to you as gently as I can To give you a principle that God's saying could you just obey and do what I'm asking you to do? Because if you make me your priority it changes everything in your life And this is where I hear a lot of people that are cynical against this message They were like, but why you got to take that test all the time? Every time you get paid every two weeks every month What if they just cash map me an extra honey? It do we talk about it ain't my job, but it is Did you get increase And people try to finagle and play checkers and try to play tic-tac-toe with the top y'all know what I'm talking about I don't know if this is birthday money. Oh I've heard everything my granny sent me $250. Do you Todd? Offer $250 do you buy stuff with $250? Did you get increased? Did you God says I need you? To think anytime you get increased Just honor me Honor me Just honor me I promise you watch this 90% with my blessing is better than a hundred without it Okay Write this point down multiple tests reveals the value of a material Anytime something is tested multiple times It's because the material must be very valuable So the reason God test us every time we get paid because he's trying to get us a point This is important for you How you deal with money your heart posture what you do it? It's important. Nobody would ever tell a doctor to go to less school

Oh You want to be a brain surgeon? Oh, don't take those tests But please work on me. Nah, bro Why because it's so important that they are tested because what they're doing is valuable The reason why God gives us this test over and over is because what it does to us is very And that's why It's the only place in Scripture when you talk about the tithe where God does something he does nowhere else. He tells you to test him What would happen if I got to go into my ninth grade geometry class and the teacher said Michael today? It's your test, and I'm like yeah, and when I finish this test. I'm testing you oh That would have felt amazing To be able to say I'm testing you did you do you know what the teacher said do you know what the principal said? Just give you a test back because it's so many times. There's there's this discrepancy that I'm getting tested But what's the guarantee God is so good that his grace says I believe in this so much I'm gonna let you the creation tests me the Creator Okay, you don't believe me Malachi chapter 3 verse 10 bring the whole tithe everybody say tithe Into the storehouse that would be our local church. It says there so that there may be food in my house watch this test me Test me in this Test me in this says the Lord Almighty and see if I won't throw open the floodgates of heaven and Pour you out so much blessing that you will not have room enough to receive that sounds like abundance to me He gonna pour out so much blessing You don't have room enough to receive that means you become somebody who's supposed to give it away But the truth of the matter is everybody wants that without the test and Today, I'm telling you one of the greatest things you can do I don't care if you're a high school student and you get a $35 allowance That means out of the $35 that you get $3.50 Belong to God and I'm telling you if you learn this principle at $35 It's a lot easier to do when you make three hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and I won't be a ball of six figures

You're not gonna obey God then if you don't obey him It's Way harder to give away 35,000 in a check Then three dollars and fifty cents, but the principle is the same Okay. All right. Somebody's about to get this So so I just want to let you know all through the Bible the word tithe actually means test ten test Okay, so I got a couple of question. I'm gonna give you a test right now and and there's a pattern so don't get scared Okay, you're gonna pass this test. Okay, and I want you to answer me out loud even at home Okay, how many plagues were there in Egypt? So look y'all Ten There's a pattern How many commandments did God give to Moses say it with your chest how many okay? How many times did God test Israel in the wilderness? How many times were Jacob's wages changed? It's a pattern even if you don't know the answer the next one is saying here we go How many days was Daniel tested? How many days of testing were in revelations? How many disciples were there? Okay, some of y'all right Okay, so he's like ten. Oh god get him a Bible I Just want to let you know this is not a principle that God has made exclusive for today. He's a pattern to God He tries to make it easy so there's a pattern so even if you didn't know you were here everybody else saying ten or Tithe or give or and you'd be like oh, I don't even have to study no more. This is what we do oh Oh my gosh, this is what we do. I want you to pass the test. What's the answer? Yes, or no everybody keeps saying yes? Yes, yeah, we all just do what God has put as a principle and when you understand it. It makes it easy And this is the point that I love God agrees to take the test, too He said if you trust me in this world With ten cents out of every dollar

He said I bet you I won't ever fail you financially Pastor Mike why are you saying it cuz you put me everybody say first? Now again, this is about priority, and I can't tell you what your priority is But when God agrees to take a test to it changes everything and this is what I found only people Get offended about a test If there's something on the inside of them that is not prepared Okay, let me give you a real-time example And I want you to write this point down a test only gets a rise where there is no internal resolve I'm gonna say it again, and then I'm gonna explain it a test only gets a rise out of somebody When there is no internal resolve I was talking to a friend Recently who dealt with infidelity their marriage went through a really hard time God healed it and God has made it healthy and changed everything but time to time the wife is Needing some extra reassurance that everything is good. And so This man could have two responses Hey, could you share your location with me? Why you need my location? Don't you trust me? Yes, but you cheated on me Even to this level. Hey, would you take a polygraph test? Some of y'all marriages would be destroyed Destroyed with just the court. Do y'all the the eyes that are looking at me right now Would you take a polygraph you wouldn't get a rise out of somebody If it was internally if you know, you ain't been DM in nobody if you know You ain't had a longer conversation with nobody if you know You took off the channel that you wasn't spot if you knew you wouldn't but the rise comes Because there's something on the internal There are couples. They don't even have to close today spouse's phones I

Got questions It's quiet it's tight in here, okay, let me back up off of this Okay, cuz you know, I knew we weren't supposed to wash my shirts like I see you right now Let me try to get you the principle of timing Because people rarely get offended by a test they feel secure in If somebody asked me to take a drug test Cool I don't have any there isn't there is nothing in me That could come out of me That I didn't put in me Oh There is nothing that y'all hear what I'm saying And so and so the only reason people and then they try to make it about what it's not about. Oh, you don't trust me I'm a grown man. I'm a grown woman. I'm this I'm a daughter and it's like hey You're missing the point The test offends if you're internally unresolved This is why a lot of people get offended by the time Cuz it's a test that exposes internal I Don't trust the church. Let's deal with that You said I don't believe in the time well, hold on wait God said that Well, I did the church just want my money. Which church did you even give to? To find out if they just wanted your money. Let's be honest Nike just wants your money like They literally tell you do you want to buy it? Just do it. Do you understand what I'm saying? Like what are we talking about? They tell you straight up But let's deal with the real issue But anytime there's a test what most people do is deal with the semantics and the things around it instead of the real issue So today I just want to move the cover back Don't ever give anything to this church if God has not called you to do that and be a part of this

But I do want you to get this principle If you actually ever get the mantra test me It's the freest life you could ever live Test me Pastor Mike. Why are you saying it? Because I used to be a liar And there would be things I would lie about That I knew if I got confronted with it, that's why I became really good at lying Because I needed to make sure you didn't even ask me no questions. I Need to make sure that y'all know some of y'all liars are in here You make it so that you even forget What an exhausting life But when I got free But when I got free Test me my wife where you been Where this thing has tracked me to here Here you need to close you need to you need to what why because there's nothing on the inside With the test of tithing what comes up What gets arise is there fear there because you really don't think God will provide Let's deal with that Don't throw out the principle because there's some pain under it Oh god Don't throw out the principle because somebody Did something and abused it In a different season of your life. Let's deal with the you had a bad pastor. Let's let's talk about that Let's talk about how you didn't grieve leaving that church where all your friends were there, but it was toxic and abuse Let's talk about that, but let's not take away The principle that God put in place because now guess what you're passing on disobedience to your children because they've never seen you do it a Good man a good woman leaves an inheritance

For his children's children. I found out you can leave an inheritance of ignorance. Oh God y'all not ready to talk to me today y'all ever heard of that story where There was yeah y'all heard about the pan where they cut off the ends of the ham and and and what if you ain't heard I'm gonna tell you real quick. You want to hear here go? A young lady was trying to learn how to cook for her new husband and what ended up happening is she always remembered her mom Cutting off the ends of the ham and she called her mama's like I know I'm supposed to do this But I don't know why and so she called her mom is like mom Why did you cut off the ends of the ham and she's I don't know my mama did it and she called her mama and said Mama, why did you cut off the ends of the ham? She said cuz that's how big the pan was I had And so generationally now We are wasting half a ham Bacon Yeah, like half a ham gone because of ignorance Church what I'm trying to tell you is if somebody could get this principle and live it out What you would see is generational blessing On your family and every how many people want generational blessing to come from you. Okay, so watch this If you were to take that little polygraph test and just I'm just being a theory right now I need to tell you something the response to the question is as important as the result Hear what I just said, would you take a test to see if you lying? Uh-huh? They already answered We already know But if the answer is okay, we're in we're So many people want the results of tithing but your response is telling on you So many people want the results of tithing but your response is telling on you The way you tight looking at me right now some of y'all crusty right here on your lips Hey, just just say just do this Because we're talking about honoring God with our finances what I'm saying is your response is exposing you It's not more money it's a different heart posture

So I just want to let you know a few things number one write it down tithing is biblical Leviticus 27 30 and all the tithe of the land Whether the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree is the Lord's it is holy and set apart for the Lord So the tithe means it's something that I set apart first to honor God with so this is biblical Give you one more cuz you like that's Old Testament New Testament Matthew chapter 23 verse 23 woe to you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites church people for you pay tithe of mint and anise and Cumin these are all spices back in the day It's like saying you pay tithe of your lorries and and what other seasons a hot sauce and or whatever your seasoning is But you neglect the weightier matter of the law justice and mercy and faith These you ought to have done without leaving the other one undone So God is saying to these people you tithe off of the the things that come into your life cool He said but these other things you should tithe on to it doesn't matter what increase comes to your life You gotta honor God with it so listen to me tithing is biblical say it with me Tithing is biblical one more time for the people in the back tithing is biblical second one tithing is practical Okay, so you were like how does this Todd thing work we give into the church, and then y'all FedEx it to heaven like what happens Y'all know we'll find any excuse. I'm trying to be very ground level to let you understand. This is not just Biblical it's practical Hebrews chapter 7 verse 8. I love the Bible. It says here when you tithe mortal men receive the tithes regular people But there when you do the act it's accredited or it's received in Heaven whom is a witness that he lives what the Bible is saying really right here with you break it down It's like you give it here, but that exchange got recorded in heaven Just like unforgiveness gets recorded in heaven, okay, just y'all understand what I'm saying just like sin if You don't believe in this then you wouldn't believe in salvation Because you're making an act a heart decision a mind decision to say I am giving my life to God you say the prayer according to Romans 10 9 You believe that he lived and he died and now you're being given a new life There is not a you don't get whirled up in your whole world Like it is a spiritual act that is activated by practical faith

Tithing is the same thing. It's a spiritual act Activated by practical faith and giving his practical practice that proves my faith every 15 days Do you know that according to the calculations of all people that say they go to church 3% of the church tithes Not this church No, no, no, I know cuz y'all thought 3% no, no, no, I'm talking about That's the people who only come once a year What does that say about how the church trusts God Three Percent that means out of a thousand of y'all 30 people trust God So tithing isn't just biblical tithing is practical and then watch this tithing is first Can you bring my chairs up here real quick cuz y'all don't understand this I need three very competitive people Okay I'm gonna take you with the afro. Come on. Come on. I'm gonna take you sis. I need one more competitive person Come on, you stood up. Come on two afros. Come on. Do you bring you come come? Just just put them right here All right. I'm gonna need to band y'all got a hurry though. You can't be cool coming down here I'm gonna pick somebody else. Come on. Come on What's up, man? What's your name? Kimari on your parents was creative with your name like that's like a marion and some other people Okay, what I know you that jacket is fire. Okay. Where's my last got you being too cool afro. Come here, man Get up here. Okay. No, stand up stand up stand up. Have y'all ever what's your name bug? Jeremiah, okay, cool. All right. Watch this. We're gonna play musical chairs Have y'all played musical chairs in a while? Okay, cool. Whoever wins first place gets $100 Okay, so very easily she said yes, I can pay for this jacket No, just play. Okay, so we're gonna play musical chairs. I need the band to help me Okay, so y'all start playing when you hear the band go around and then stop on it. All right, y'all ready? Here we go. Y'all go this way go this way play band. Do we have man? You Was slow coming down here and you was slow sitting down. Come on get off the stage. God bless you God bless you y'all gonna get up and take one of the chairs. I knew he was gonna lose when he came down

He's like I'm competitive. He took nine years to get out here. I was like, he's not gonna I love you bubble Jeremiah That is a long walk back. He's like, oh my god Okay, start me up man Oh Okay, okay, okay, she's a mother she's a mother she's a mother you lost though get out of here She Maria give it up for Don't hold on sit sit sit sit sit sit sit come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here You won, right? Here's $100 Hold on wait, wait, wait, why y'all mad? Hold on hold on wait, wait, wait, he was first But I made her the priority No, no, no now listen some of you are offended at me now Because who was clearly first I didn't honor I Did not honor Who was first I Who was first I honored who I wanted And this is the exact way most of you treat God with the tithe You say you got to give it up Oh, okay, you can give it to it you can give it look at it He don't know if you want to take it give me okay Now watch now watch. Thank y'all so much y'all give it up for him real quick. God bless you good job boy He he was first Yeah, whether you acknowledged it or not The question is will you honor who already sits on the throne? And some of us put other people in those seats It's the mortgage. It's the credit card. It's the bank. It's the it's the lattes Now come on y'all $9 coffee twice a day for a year you drink your tithe And to use the bathroom after it

I've been teaching my kids. I got a got a thousand dollars here Why Y'all say woo when I put out a thousand dollars stop The reason I'm saying this is because if there's ten $100 bills my question to you is which one is the tithe? They're all $100 But the only one that's the tithe is the first one Because it doesn't take faith to give what's left It takes faith to give what's Hey sis, where you at come get this I Want you to see what sparked this It was her willingness to give up what was given to her To honor somebody else Let that bless you go about two or three of them jackets Okay Watch this the tithe is the first one that leaves your hand And practically God is not up there it was like you paid you paid the grocery bill what you doing Oh, you trying to take the example further? She handing out hundreds Y'all mad y'all sit on that side y'all mad you better rejoice with those who rejoice Did you give out all of them Now why you have to go and do that now why you have to go and do that and do that You All right, you know when the Holy Spirit start talking to you got a process a little bit, okay All right. I Was hoping she kept one, you know at least one God Genesis chapter 4 verse 3 God dog Natalie. Uh-huh. Okay Scott. You already know. All right, um Genesis chapter 3 verse 4 the reason why this is important guys is because Cain and Abel

Gave us an example of why God only accepts first Okay, so genesis chapter 4 verse 3. Do y'all feel like the lightness like do y'all feel like I'm not trying to attack you I'm not trying to beat you over the head. I'm not to already tell you going to heaven if you believe in Jesus I'm this is I'm just trying to give you the principle you can leave it or take it But I don't want to be responsible when I get to heaven and God's like why don't you tell him about that thing? You preach everything else you preach about grace you preach about love you preach about relationship goals all the time But you ain't talking about the thing That transformed your life That changed you from being more like you to being more like me. I Gotta give it to you The day came that Cain brought a gift of the fruit of the ground to the Lord But Abel brought a gift of the firstborn of his flock and The fat parts are the good parts and the Lord showed favor to Abel and his gift If you know the the story the reason why God could not accept Cain's offering because the passage says At some time he gave him something There was no priority with it It was just like and over a course of time Cain brought something but Abel He said he brought the firstborn. He said as soon as he was increased. He said this one's God's And he said the favor came to him because he put God And can I tell you something that's a little strong, but I want you to hear it even if If Cain would have brought the sacrifice He couldn't have received it because God doesn't accept seconds He only does firsts So pastor Mike, why are you telling me this because I just want you to remember three things Three things and we're going home. Why does God care about the tithe? If you can answer if I can answer this question to you for you

I think a lot of you will begin to see this whole thing differently. Why does God care about this? Because it's all about remembering Why does God care about the tithe number one? Because you remember to reset every time you tithe You remember God is my source blank it's not And you get to fill in the blank Every time you get that thousand dollars and you write a hundred dollars to whatever church you go to You are remembering I could not trust God, but I'm choosing to And with gas prices going crazy And my kids just keep growing out of their shoes. I just bought these last week Y'all got what I'm saying the cares of this life Heat and air bills. I gotta get a wig now cuz my hair thinning back here Y'all know it in real life. I Gotta get Botox cuz whoo All these things that people make priorities Hear me what I'm saying. I'm using real-life examples. I need a new car. I get a new car every three years. Okay? But is that a priority? Or having God rebuke the devourer Because there's only two options when it comes to the tithe the Bible says bring the tithe you can't give it Hear what I just said you only can give something. That's yours You bring something that already was somebody else's I got four brothers And I randomly see them wearing my things Might be some gold or something I Might be some glasses some shoes. I had we're relatively the same size and If I see I'm wearing it, it's good. They already know it's nothing, but when I need it, I don't say Hey, could you give me? Those shoes you had on yesterday creasing them I Just say yo, can you bring bring those Jordans back?

Why cuz it wasn't theirs to begin with? God's not asking you to give him anything. He's asking you to bring him back a Piece of what he's giving you the ability to manage That's a whole different attitude I Have no problem sharing one donut out of ten when you pay for them But There are many people that feel like tithing is God taking something from them and The Bible is clear. He says you only have two options with the tithe you bring it or steal it That's not me saying this that's scripture he said you thief And the people listening and I don't even want to go into the whole thing because I need you to understand This is all scripture. I need you to he's like you stealing from God and it's like in what way Am I stealing from God in tithing offering? He said you went to the club You pay for that subscription you went on vacation Not with what I need you to give me what I needed you to bring me back So when we tie it resets us everybody say reset some of us need a reset often Sometimes Money is a thing for us. Can I tell you that that that sometimes we got a reset? So that we remember this is just a tool Here's my source if I get let go of my job I'm gonna be okay Cuz I'm in the hands of God Y'all remember the song I'm safe Sustained Why not cuz of that job? Thank God for the job Thank God for the inheritance. Thank God for my parents that left me something. Thank God for all that But if I ain't got nothing else I'm in the hands And he won't fail me and he won't drop me and he's gonna keep me and that's why saying test me man Just see if I won't open the windows and blood and come on man

So you remember to reset I Brought this today. I found this cleaning out my attic. This was my reset I remember this great book. I was flipping through it and I found a page with the Greenwood offering envelope from 2011 and a picture With all the bills and money that I had and at the top it says soon to increase finances God you are provision I Wrote this Six months to a year and to me being the pastor of the church when I told you I didn't know how to handle finances And I wrote down. I'm living two thousand three hundred and twenty two dollars and sixteen cents plus one thousand I was still contracting people and producing for them on the side. So that gave me three thousand three hundred twenty two dollars and sixteen Cent my rent was six hundred dollars at the time my god today Simpler times My cell phone was 200. I was paying $70 to my choice, which was a credit card that I maxed out My car was $700, but at this time it didn't work, but I still had to pay the bill Don't judge me I saw you over here today. No, I'm just like I'm just My Bills were $300 cuz I had I had roommates and then that left me one thousand four hundred fifty two dollars savings category nothing Y'all this is real But at the top Then I start putting food clothing toiletries gas Because I had to pay people gas money to get when you don't have a car. You still gotta pay for gas But the people you ask for a ride if you ask them too many times You don't get no ride So I had to

But at the top it says soon to increase finance this was my faith God you a provision and I put over here my tithe I Got emotional looking at this book and there's other things in here that really Really messed me up to think of where I am today, but the crazy thing is on the offering envelope It says 10 31 2011 11 Michael and Natalie Todd It's me and my wife and this is in her handwriting Because we decided as a family we were gonna honor God With nothing and how I've watched God Prove his principle to me over and over and over again. I Can only stand here as a testimony? That the Word of God works I'm not trying to manipulate you Convince you I'm just here as a testimony if you honor God with all of your increase He opens up the windows of heaven and pours you out a blessing. You don't have room enough to receive And the only reason you're scared of this test is if you're not prepared And today I just want you to be prepared It's coming Some of y'all gonna have a test This week What's today's date Some of y'all just missed the test woof. Oh Jesus the 15th or you might get a retake God's challenging some of you take the test and don't just take it once Decide this is how you're gonna always take the test. So remember to reset second thing. Remember I'm a river not a swamp God wants to flow through you not just to me Put up a picture of a swamp Who who would want to go take a bath in this Not me who want to go fishing and it's not me there there could be an alligator in there Do you know why a swamp is a swamp because there's no flow Some of your life looks like this not because you're bad. It's just there's no flow And if you've ever been around a swamp it starts to stink the only thing that lives there are predators

Huh y'all just hear what I'm saying to you, but could you put a picture of a river up there flowing water? Something that people come to to drink from God tells us in his word gives us a picture. I want you to be planted Next to the rivers of living. What would happen if everything you did was a pass-through? Like I said, oh, yeah, I trust you with millions cuz I know you I can get it through you I'll trust you with wisdom cuz I know you'll give it away Or I'll trust you with those connections cuz you'll connect people some of y'all aren't even stingy with money you're stingy with relationships You got one text message you could make to change somebody's life and you said it No, no, you need to get it out the mud. Like I got it out the mud. God says swamp Okay, I'm not even gonna go you a swamp you're a spiritual swamp You're a relational swamp you stink I that was me. That wasn't God saying that I said you stank What I'm saying is like but come a river Let it flow Say that let it flow Someone one more time say let it flow So I'm gonna remember to reset every time I'm Presented with the opportunity to tie. I'm gonna remember that I can tithe because I'm a river not a swamp Somebody say there's more. Oh The last thing is remember tithing is reverent This is one of the most spiritual acts you could ever do watch this cuz God did it first What church did God tithe to you Let's think about it When you tithe it has to be first for God so loved the world That he gave not one of many sons He gave the first and only On the potential that all of his other children would be reconciled back to him

He gave first so the rest could be blessed Oh God Maybe tithing is more important to God than you think Jesus is God's tithe Is there any other way no, I got to give the first one to be sacrificed So that all my other kids can know that I love them It's not a point on there, but I think it is tithing it's personal it's personal to God There was a song that came up in my spirit earlier Because I know there's people that want to know the semantics of everything and like okay Is this it this is the truth of the matter is either we write or we're wrong Either this God thing works or it don't And and literally I think I'm on the right side like either if you just like just think about it if you live your life generously Tithing 10% giving when God tells you to give and we find out at the end of this life the Jesus Christ thing was all fake You still would be a better person There's nobody who lives generously that's like I hate you Generous people it's just like all forgive them give them more grace all you need a thousand you need a hundred thousand but like Let's just say let's just say we got it all wrong, but we forgave Like Jesus doesn't exist at all I This is an example for everybody that's watching and just tuned in right here I just need you because y'all be liking to clip stuff up I'm giving you example. Let's just say Jesus didn't exist at all But you live you lived your life thinking on things that were good and lovely and Of a positive report you lived your life forgiving you lived your life being generous You will get to the end of this life and be like well Sure lived the best one I could Now imagine if You're wrong and all of this was really important

And you about to get tested again at the great white throne judgment, and you're like hey, hey hold on what's happening I'm I'm three people back Hold on. They really they really pulling up on the big screen of heaven everything I did on earth How I spent my money who I slept with what hold on wait everything When I lied when I they really Can I get a redo and he said no you can't get a redo that's why I was trying to reset you I Wanted you to have a reset because when you get to heaven you don't get a redo so Today church We should be ones that be like you know what if all of these principles are in God's Word I'm just gonna obey them because I got too many signs around me if the stars were made to worship Somebody say so will I if the mountains bow in reverence If the oceans roar your greatness so will I For everything that exists it exists to lift you high So so will I that's about priority? Standing all over this building Today I'm gonna pray that if you're watching online Or you're in this room before you move. I want to pray for you hear me I'm gonna pray that you obey God just like The winds the waves the sea the trees The Sun the mountains they're all standing and doing what they were created to do they're obeying God's Word And your response should be so will I? So if God tells me to forgive your response should be so If God tells me to love my response should be if God tells me to tithe Would you lift your hands all over this place God we're asking for your help Because many times there's fear around stepping out in faith And I pray for every person from a middle schooler who's just getting allowance To the CEO whose business just got bought out

And I'm asking you that you would give us a heart to obey you by honoring you with the first 10% of Everything that you increase us with God I declare and I believe that you are removing all doubt around trusting you And I'm thanking you that people are about to step out in crazy faith, and they will never be Disappointed because you are a God that keeps your word Thank you that when you give a test You help us with it It's open book test We can't fail if we stay close to you So for every person that is struggling with the concept give them peace right now For every marriage that needs to come in into agreement Based on the hurts and the pains of the past. I thank you for unity in the name of Jesus For every young person who doesn't know if this God thing is real God. Thank you for an encounter with you If the stars were made to worship, so will I I will obey your word Even if I don't understand it fully Because miracles happen when the logic stops Faith begins where understanding ends today God we say we trust you We will listen, we will hear, we will obey In this moment many of you need to ask the question Holy Spirit What are you trying to say to me? Because somebody just got laid off and you're like Why would this message come to me right now? Because God's trying to get your heart If the stars were made to worship, so will I The mountains bow in reverence, so will I If the oceans roar your greatness, so will I For if everything exists to lift you high, so will I

If the wind goes where you send it, so will I If the rocks cry out in silence, so will I If the song of our praises still foreshadows Then we'll sing again a hundred million times, so will I If the stars were made to worship, so will I If the mountains bow in reverence, so will I If the oceans roar your greatness, so will I For if everything exists to lift you high, so will I If the wind goes where you send it, so will I If the rocks cry out in silence, so will I If the song of our praises still foreshadows Then we'll sing again a hundred million times I have to give every person under the sound of my voice as God is still speaking to you The opportunity to receive the benefit of God's tithe Jesus, today because God gave us first, now we can be redeemed Bought back from the lies of sin, the bondage of sin You don't even have to do nothing but receive it Today it's a heart posture that changes and your eternity changes So for every person who is like me in any way Liar, manipulator, addicted to pornography Or you just don't know Jesus or never accepted him, today is your day Because of what God gave us in Jesus, today we can be reconciled or put back together with the Father And it changes us, we go on a journey of progression over perfection Where he's the only one that if you give him your heart, he'll help you change those habits You've tried over and over, why can't you beat him? Because you need supernatural help And today Jesus wants to come and live with you every day of your life So if that's you and you're saying, pastor I want you to include me in this prayer That I want to make Jesus Christ my personal Lord and Savior Your eternity is going to be secure and your history is about to be transformed

Today is a day of salvation And if you're watching this from a jail cell or you're in this room Or you're seeing this 10 months from now on rebroadcast And it's coming to you because somebody sent you a link Today is the day of salvation I need the church to begin to pray Your whole life has led up to this moment And all you have to do is make a choice Choose Jesus I set before you today life and death and I'm gonna give you the answer to the test Choose life And if that's you on the count of three I just want you to slip your hand up whether you're online or in the room One, you're making the greatest decision your life. Two, I'm so proud of you, but more than that, your name is going to be written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Three, if you want to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, lift your hands. I see you right there. I see you right there. Amen. I see you. God bless you. I see you. I see you, big dog. So proud of you. More than that, God sees you. And at Transformation Church we're a family. Nobody prays alone. So would you just lift your hands? It's our last prayer. And just repeat after me. Say, God, thank you for sending Jesus just for me. Today, I give you my life. Here I am. I repent and I turn to you. I believe you lived, you died, and you rose again so I could live in freedom. Change me. Renew me. Transform me. I'm yours forever. In Jesus' name. Amen. Can we celebrate right now? Oh, y'all can do better than that. All of heaven is rejoicing right now. Can we celebrate? We want to say welcome to the family. You made that decision. I want you to text SAVE to 828282. And as the altar workers are coming right now, for those who text SAVE, we literally have content, discipleship content digitally that we want to give to you. And you can click the QR code or our team will send it. As you're leaving today, I want you to remember that God desires for all of us to obey his will. And that's in every area of our life. You will be tested this week. And the question is, are you prepared or are you ready for the test? Father, bless this church.

Bless your people as they go keep them safe. And for those who need prayer, Father, need agreement because things are happening right now, I thank you for meeting them right now at the point of their need. Today, Father, whatever you ask us to do, we will be the ones who do it. So will I. Have your way, Father God, in Jesus name. I feel a spirit of worship in this house. If you need prayer for anything, if you're online, just stay in this atmosphere for a second. I believe God's going to heal you. If you need to go, we will see you next week. I believe God is going to do something super special. But if you need healing, you need prayer, come down to the front. And if you're online, I'm going to pray with you in just a minute. Just sing that for a second. Here we are, God. For if everything exists to lift you high, so will I. If the wind blows where you send it, so will I. If the rocks cry out in silence, so will I. If the song of all our praise is still foreshadowed, then we'll sing again a hundred billion times. One more time. If the stars were made, if the mountains were made to bow, the oceans for your greatness, if the wind goes where you send it, so will I. If the rocks cry out in silence, so will I. If the song of all our praise is still foreshadowed, then we'll sing again a hundred billion times. If everything exists to lift you high, so will I. If the wind blows where you send it, so will I. If the rocks cry out in silence, so will I Stomach full of praises, still for sure Then we'll sing again, we'll sing again Feel the answer Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh You're so worthy Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh So worthy Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh If the stars, if the stars, if the stars were made If the stars