Navigate - A Tower Life Center Podcast
Navigate is a discussion-based podcast designed to help us live our lives as followers of Jesus in a fallen and ever-changing world. In this discussion based format, we are diving into topics that will help to shape and form the framework of how we live our lives. Our goal is to help all of us navigate our lives by becoming more like Jesus.
Navigate - A Tower Life Center Podcast
First - Week One Discussion - First Things First
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What does how we handle what God has given us reveal about our priorities, beliefs, heart and God's desire to transform it all? This week we dove into that discussion and talked about how stewardship serves as an MRI for our soul.
Welcome to navigate, a podcast discussion from Tower Life Center, where we talk about how to navigate life, living as a follower of Jesus in a fallen and ever-changing world. Let's join the discussion.
SPEAKER_00Yo, what's up, everybody? Here we go. We're here. Hopefully, we're all having a good start to the week. That's right. Wherever we're listening from. We're having a late start right now. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06We are.
SPEAKER_00We just spent way too much live talking off there.
SPEAKER_06We just like being friends.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. A lot of catch-up.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. It's nice.
SPEAKER_00I was gone last week. So we had to we had to make up for some time. Yeah. Exactly. We didn't talk about anything we talked about last week.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_00But it was a good pickup for a lot of fun. Yeah, for sure. For sure. We're starting a new uh series here.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. It's called First. First. And first things first. What comes first shapes everything else is kind of the tagline. Yeah. Yeah. And the concept of first is yeah. Is talking about priority and what does putting the right thing first look like, and then how does everything else uh become shaped around that. And so yeah, kicking off a a five-part series with um that we've called first with the kind of the concept of yeah, priority, but really it wasn't just about priority, it was also about like revelation and how God reveals things to us. And yeah, um, I think it was funny. I didn't even tell you guys I was gonna ask you this question, but I asked the church, what's the first thing that you that you reach for in the morning? What what is what's your little morning like a good icebreaker? Yeah, yeah. What's the first thing you like when you wake up? Realistically, yeah. Is it snooze?
SPEAKER_06What's your alarm?
SPEAKER_02Snooze was on my list, but I don't think I said that yesterday. Yeah, yeah. Like what's yeah, like when you reach for, like, what's the first thought process? You wake up in the morning, like, yeah, what's first?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Lately we've been uh programming the coffee maker to start in the morning. Yeah, that's been a real motivator to get up. There you go. Have some quiet time, smelly coffee.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, can they do that with bacon? Michael Scott said that this is you guys program the coffee maker.
SPEAKER_00And I think it is kind of like even going to bed at night, kind of knowing like, hey, that's gonna be ready. So the first thing you reach for is like a drug, caffeine. Pretty much.
SPEAKER_06Get out of here.
SPEAKER_00I would say I can't. That's what I heard. I heard I mean, so I would say obviously, like my alarm, because that's that's gonna go off. Yeah. And then I feel like the motivation is to have some, like, and it's been good because it's like, hey, I want to spend some time with the Lord, but most of the time, like, if there's not a cup of coffee, it's me like on the couch, like so. Are you taking your phone out to get your coffee and do quiet time? Or do you hit snooze and leave it there? I normally uh uh go throw it on the charger. I don't charge my phone at night.
SPEAKER_06Interesting.
SPEAKER_02Seems like a massive waste of unused phone time. Why don't you charge it? Like, because you're afraid that's the thing. The things are gonna like what's the EMS? Are you worried about EMS or why are you not charging it?
SPEAKER_00I'm more so like which is completely like it's hilarious that I'm saying this. I have so many questions. I've always heard, oh, it's bad for your phone battery, like to charge for eight hours. But literally, I'm like the one person. I feel like that my I have to charge my phone like four times a day, and I don't even use it that much. Yeah, I feel like it's constantly like you think it's because you waste eight hours of not maybe maybe this is all I maybe this next week you should switch it up and try it and see.
SPEAKER_01You're not supposed to plug it in and put it under your pillow. I know that.
SPEAKER_06That's true. Keep it off your bed.
SPEAKER_01That starts fires. Yeah. Ooh.
SPEAKER_06Yes. That sounds like on the EMS right by your brain, not healthy for you. We can talk about that later.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And then hopefully. Yeah, hopefully, in a perfect scenario though, then it's uh kids are not waking up until another 30 minutes, and I just have some clear time. Okay. Okay.
SPEAKER_06Cool.
SPEAKER_00What about one of you two?
SPEAKER_06He said his.
SPEAKER_02What did he say? His alarm. No, but like after like what then what? So you hit snooze, then you just keep the phone in your hand and it's straight to news or social media to the Bible app.
SPEAKER_01I I'm not usually like clearing notifications, probably like.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01That's the same for a hot email or text or from the shop. Text me and said, You're so you're going phone as well.
SPEAKER_06Mine's phone and straight to text, because I always have texts that I missed while I was slumbering.
SPEAKER_01Schnoos and all your late night friends were up.
SPEAKER_06All the moms were all up, and the only time we text is 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., baby.
SPEAKER_00Same for me too. It was in order to sleep. Severity of a text message. Yeah. It's not like I'm I wish I was, you know, better at just like, oh hey, I'm not even gonna look at the phone. I would love to get there.
SPEAKER_06Maybe when I grow up someday, I will I will be there.
SPEAKER_02So so I'm gonna look at the phone to snooze it for sure. Not snooze it, but turn off my arm. Then I'm gonna see what note I what who sent me a notification. For sure. Because there's certain people that if I have a message from them, I'm not even looking at it. Because there's nothing they could send me that's like that code red. But if I have it from someone else, then it's like, ooh, I should probably check.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Which I wish I didn't. I wish I thought that way about everybody. But then I'm like, I know that I I literally can't move from this spot until I spend time in prayer. Like the minute I sit up, the harder it is for me to like spend any of that time. So I'm gonna spend the first however many minutes awake, literally laying down like a mummy praying. I'm like, once I move, it's done, it's over. Like it's so much harder to be intentional about that time. Going and like making a cup of coffee, putting the phone on the charger.
SPEAKER_06I got like my whole routine. Once I get up and out of the bed, I gotta like unload the dishwasher, start a load of laundry, get my coffee ready, then go sit outside and sit with my Bible. Yeah. And sometimes that doesn't happen if little one is up and running around by then.
SPEAKER_02So there's nothing wrong with not doing Bible time the perfect way for whatever that is, right? Like, but it is telling to say, hey, what am I going to spend my first time doing?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, what are my priorities?
SPEAKER_02First things first. That's right. Like, yeah, and we were kind of talking about first things first.
SPEAKER_06We all have areas of work in that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, for sure. Yeah. And so what where we kind of started was saying, hey, if what we put first dictates how everything else is, then we need to see what does what we put first reveal about us. And we use the story of Cain and Abel. I'm not going to read it because it's long enough. I'm just going to summarize it. Uh, but Cain and Abel, uh, the two sons of Adam and Eve. So Adam and Eve sin by eating the fruit from the tree, get kicked out of the garden, have two sons, Adam and Eve. Or have two sons, Cain and Abel. They did not name their sons after themselves. Yeah. Cain and EJ. Here, yeah, E.J. and EJ, AJ. Adam Jr. Oh, that's funny.
SPEAKER_05Oh, man.
SPEAKER_02So back on the rails.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02So uh Cain and Abel, the two sons. Abel is the farmed the animals, right? The livestock. Cain farms the crops. And uh when it comes time for them to return during the harvest season, return some of their harvest to the Lord. Uh Abel brings an offering that is the first and the best, right? And it was accepted by God. And the text says that Cain brings some of his crops and is rejected by God. And so then we go through this little time of like God's question, like, man, Cain, why are you angry? Why are you dejected about this? And come to find out that then Cain, instead of answering God, just lures his brother into a field and murders him.
SPEAKER_06Talk about uh letting your emotions lead.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I about said so. I said yesterday, I was like, that escalated quickly, didn't it? And I about said, and I feel like I can say it on the podcast, but not on Sunday, like in the words of the great theologian Rod Burgundy. Am I well that escalated quickly? I don't endorse the movie Anchor Man.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. He is not, in fact, a theologian. Just lay that out there.
SPEAKER_02Or historian. Yeah. He's not a real person, actually. He's a character on a movie. Yeah. That's inappropriate. Yeah. Um, but so you we see how quickly it escalates, right?
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And we walk through this process of like, man, how did it get there? All this started with was two guys who brought an offering to the Lord. One was first and best, one brought some. One was rejected, one was accepted. Yeah. Right. And as a result of that, we see the first homicide in the history of the world. Yeah. Right. And between two brothers. And so I said, man, as much as we want this to be just about priority of putting things first, which that's what the series is about. There's also a level of like revelation, right? Of like where we see how God is revealing things.
SPEAKER_06And well, and I think it's the it's important to note that like we have to allow God to reveal things to us, which goes back to the heart posture and where we're at as we enter into each season and into each circumstance. Um, we do have to be open and available and willing to see what it is that God's trying to reveal.
SPEAKER_02100%. Right. Because what we find out is Cain was not open and willing to see what God was going to reveal.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02But I think so many times when just like, I want us to see, leave the story of Cain and Abel for a second, look at your own life. Right? When God reveals things to us, we I I pray that we begin to see this as one of his greatest acts of grace. Right? Because revealing isn't punishment, it's mercy. Think about, and we used these examples yesterday, but think about an MRI. When you go to an MRI and it exposes something inside your body, you're not like, wow, I can't believe the MRI machine punished me. You're like, wow, I'm glad that I know this. I didn't know it. Right. Think of your dashboard on your car. Think of a mirror that reveals you have something in your teeth. Right. All of that, all of those things are just revealing to us in a way that's like, that's not punishment, that's mercy.
SPEAKER_06Right, yeah. And for us to see that revealed and for us to accept that mercy, um, there is action on our end where we have to actually accept that as the mercy that it is that God's given us. It's a it's truly a gift.
SPEAKER_05For sure.
SPEAKER_06And we have to learn to receive that rather than let our pride get in the way and think that God's punishing us or trying to, you know, cram a lesson down our throat. Um it's like, oh no, this is this is his mercy.
SPEAKER_00And I think there's something so beautiful when we we have that expose like the MRI example, because then it's something that you're able to um be in tune with.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Because I was just with um, I've got a cousin who's a little younger than myself. He's getting ready to be a uh freshman in college, and he was kind of um sharing a little bit like of his testimony. Yeah. And he said a big part that's simple, but it's so powerful is he has a sister that is they're close in age. And up until probably like two years ago, like he would say, they just like I wouldn't, I wouldn't say probably you get a way of saying hate. Like they did not like each other at all. They they were to the point where like they were just each other's like enemies. Yeah, uh-huh. They didn't get along at all. Um, and he said he then as he kind of grew in his relationship with Jesus, he recognized, man, this is something that like is ugly. And he said, I began praying, Lord, let me have just a love for my sister.
SPEAKER_06Wow, good, that's awesome.
SPEAKER_00And he said, Um, it was so cool, like hearing an 18-year-old say this at probably like the age then of like maybe 16, when he started having this awareness, and he said, Um, I started praying that Lord, you would just give me like a new love for my sister and that we could get along. Yeah. And that has been like the biggest like example of like God's love in his testimony, because now even people are like, and he even said, like, after like a couple days of praying this, he said, I felt like I was just like restored of like when I looked at her, I didn't like you know, just despise her or bit her or jealousy, whatever it was. But now how we got to this though is he was texting her, and I was like, Oh, are you and uh you know Abby close or whatnot? And he was like, and he got onto the story. So he had the story to share. And he was like, even people today at like our at our church will be like, Man, I see you and Abby just like they've seen the transformation. Well, you guys are just really like close, and I admire that about you guys as siblings. And he was like, Well, let me tell you the story. So it's cool. Let me tell you what God does. And I think about that with like that's cool, you know, the first people on earth like in Abel of just what would that have looked like of just the more awareness, like, oh my goodness, like the jealousy played in there.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, well, it's cool because your cousin is saying, Hey, I'm gonna allow God to do a little MRI of my soul.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02And the greatest MRI of the soul that He's gonna give us as humans in general, and this can apply to relationships, but it's typically a financial word is stewardship. And the definition we use for stewardship was how do we temporarily manage and leverage what God has given us for his glory, his purposes, and his kingdom? I want to read that again because I said yesterday, there's just so many different words in this that matter. So how do we so stewardship is how we temporarily so not permanently, but temporarily manage and leverage what God has given to us for us to use for his glory, his purposes, and his kingdom. Right? And so that can be your sister, that can be a relationship, that can be your marriage, your family, that can be your finances, that can be your time, that can be your house, that can be I mean any anything that God has given you, which is as we'll find out, everything, right? Then it's how am I going to manage and leverage that for God's kingdom purposes and mission.
SPEAKER_00And I think in our selfishness, like without Jesus being like that first piece of our life or that center piece, yeah, our natural instinct is I'm not the problem. My sister is the problem. Right, right. I don't need to do the work. If she didn't do this, then I wouldn't respond that way. Yeah. But then like when you have this, this different lens on it, and be like, man, you know what? I, God, you are like teaching me something here. Yeah. I am aware of just like what's happening in my heart. So now I'm aware, like, okay, there is a little bit of some, like you said, bitterness or whatever. Okay, Lord, change this in my life, transform it.
SPEAKER_06Which I think is really cool to go from prideful heart to a heart of humility, which leads to the transformation. Like, I think it's so important for all of us to have that like heart of humility where it's like, okay, yeah, maybe that person wronged me. Um, maybe it makes me feel some type of way, but like, I'm going to own my side of the street. I'm going to own how I treat. I'm going to steward my self-control. I'm going to steward my love for that person. I'm going to give them the same forgiveness that Christ has given me. You know, like I'm going to own that side. Um, and just even from a relational sense with that story, it's neat to see um that the Lord just removes that relational wedge when we enter into humility like that.
SPEAKER_02Absolutely. So that's cool. And stewardship is gonna be the thing that serves as the MRI, right? Because what it's gonna reveal is the way that we manage and leverage what God has entrusted to us. So the way that we're stewarding, right? What does that reveal? Well, that reveals something that is already happening in our heart, right? Like it's revealing what's already there.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02We're gonna talk about that in a little bit, but I want you to know that, man, as we look at how am I stewarding? So, how am I leveraging and managing for God's kingdom purposes and missions, the thing he's given me?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, right.
SPEAKER_02That's gonna reveal, it's not gonna create, it's gonna reveal something that's already in our heart, right? Like, I don't want to use your cousin the whole episode, but just that concept is like, well, there's already bitterness, there was already anger. Then the way he viewed his sister and stewarded that relationship, that familial relationship, yeah, then just reveals what was already in the heart.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Right. And so we're gonna look today at what are four things that stewardship is going to reveal. Because if we allow it to pull back the curtain of our heart, right, we're gonna see some things that we're gonna see some things that we need to make sure we're addressing. Right. And so the first thing is stewardship reveals our priorities.
SPEAKER_04Right?
SPEAKER_02It's gonna reveal the things that we prioritize, the things that we say matter.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02It's gonna reveal all of that. It's gonna pull the curtain back, it's gonna show it a little bit. And um I want to go back to our text, and I am gonna read this because I just want you to hear it from the text because it's shorter this time. So it says, when it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. Abel also brought a gift, the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock.
SPEAKER_04Right?
SPEAKER_02So Cain brings some, Abel brings the best and the first. And I think it's funny because it's like Moses wrote Genesis, right? And uh Moses could have been vague, he could have said what he wanted to say, right? I think we would all agree words are important just in general. Very intentional with their choice, yeah. And even he's so intentional that he says Cain presented some, but Abel also brought a gift. He could have put a period there, but he didn't. He puts an explanation, the best portions of the firstborn. Yeah, right, right. Because first what we see is first reveals priority. Like when we see first, that's revealing a priority.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And we have to understand that stewardship is going to reveal our priorities. When we see what we put first reveals our priorities, right? And this is a biblical principle.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Not just financial, but we see it so much in the financial aspect of the Bible, right? Proverbs chapter 3, verse 9 says, honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops. Right? That's not two separate sentences, that's one. So honor honor him with your wealth. And the way you would do that is with the first fruits of all your crops, right? When you harvest, now some of us harvest a paycheck, some of us harvest uh actual crops, some of us harvest livestock, some harvest um commissions, right? Whatever it is.
SPEAKER_05Right?
SPEAKER_02He's saying, honor the Lord with your wealth with the first of whatever it is that you harvest.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Right? But then Exodus 13 says that the first child that they that a family had was supposed to be consecrated to the Lord. So now we're talking about man, just the first of the family is dedicated to the Lord. Right? Then um all throughout even the Old Testament and the New Testament, we see different commands where God's commanding his people to return to him the best and the first. I love that it's both best and first, of their yield, their finances, their animals. Like that is just something we see. Um but then we see in Matthew chapter six, right? So New Testament, Jesus is teaching Matthew chapter six, I think it's verse 33. He says, seek the kingdom of God first. So now this is a kingdom principle because stewardship isn't only financial, it's a kingdom principle. And we see Jesus saying, Listen, it's actually 12 verses after when he talks about money and you can't serve both. But it's like, listen, seek the kingdom of God first, put the whole kingdom first, and then let everything else be shaped by that pursuit. And I want us to understand today that when we say stewardship reveals priorities, that it's not just a financial thing, this is a life principle because we don't accidentally put God first, right? We intentionally build our lives around him.
SPEAKER_06And I think it's important to note too that this is also displaying God's character. And if we're called to be Christ-like and made in his image, we we need to move towards Christ-likeness, um, which stewardship is a piece that refines us in Christ-likeness and it pushes us into intentional living. And literally everything that we do in this life, there is a choice. And you are choosing, am I going to be intentional with my stewardship? Um, which I think those just go hand in hand. Stewardship and intentionality go hand in hand. Um, if you're not stewarding things well, you're most likely not being intentional with those choices.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I mean, think about it. How often do you accidentally roll out of bed and read the Bible?
SPEAKER_06Right. You have to choose.
SPEAKER_02You know what I mean? Think about that. When was the last time you woke up in the morning, rolled out of bed, looked at your schedule, and was like, you know what?
SPEAKER_06I mean, even when I put it in my calendar, sometimes it still doesn't happen.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Like we don't accidentally stumble into being a better follower of Jesus. The world we live in allows us to accidentally stumble into more programming for our kids, more self-time. I mean, I can accidentally stumble into a lot of great shows on Netflix that I watch all in one. For like I can accidentally stumble into a lot of that stuff.
SPEAKER_06100%. Things can always take priority. I mean, I I literally schedule be still time, time to sit and be still with the Lord. And nine times out of ten, something always comes up where I'm like, I'll do that later. And it's like, shoot, that's on my calendar. And I still don't make it happen.
SPEAKER_02And the thing that came up wasn't Even planned.
SPEAKER_06No, and it wasn't bad. It was just there was something with Oakland or our family, or you know, something came up. And I just allowed that to take precedence and priority over my time with him.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. And that's just that's not a knock. I mean, it's the reality that's real. And if we want to say, hey, the way I steward, the way I manage and leverage what God has entrusted to me for his glory, kingdom, and purposes, the way I do that reveals priority. Yeah. Then the thing that we have to understand is that we have to be intentional about building our entire lives around him.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Because I'm never going to accidentally stumble onto the Bible app on my phone.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02I might accidentally stumble onto ESPN.
SPEAKER_05Right.
SPEAKER_02Right? Like, but at the end of the day, it's not this thing that I'm acting. I gotta be intentional.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Yeah. And even like I think about even the like playing into that, like the night before, if you're wanting to have quiet time with Jesus in the morning.
SPEAKER_06Go to bed early.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And that can be a struggle too for us. Like you're like, oh yeah, but I want to watch my show. Yeah. Now going to bed an hour later. This is my window. Makes you not wake up an hour earlier. Yeah. So something is getting replaced.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_00You know? Yep.
SPEAKER_06It's it's a a conglomerate of intentional choices.
SPEAKER_00Well, new slash old. This is us.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. Come on.
SPEAKER_02I cried every time I've seen an episode. But no.
SPEAKER_06Oh, it's so good.
SPEAKER_02So it's gonna reveal our priority. Like I have to understand the way that we steward things is going to reveal our priority because we just as much as we always say, no answer, still an answer, no stewardship is still stewardship.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And so I can either steward well or I can steward poorly. I'm still managing and leveraging God, the things God's given me.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. And I think we have to know that we're gonna answer for how we stewarded everything. Like on the judgment day where we stand before the Lord, we are going to have that replayed on the scroll right in front of us. And it's like, oh yes, I did steward that well, or wow, I really feeled you, God. I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and that's and what what answer do you want to give on that day? Yeah, it's like we didn't even talk about that.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Right? Like, but that's a great point to like really add like weight to it.
SPEAKER_06We just have to there's urgency behind this decision, guys. Like it's important for sure.
SPEAKER_02But this isn't just a priority issue, it's also a belief issue, right? Because stewardship reveals what we believe about God. Right? Let's go back to our text. It was time for the harvest. Cain presents some of his crop. Abel also brought a gift, the best in the first. Right? So Cain presents some, Abel presents the best in the first. Now, I asked this question yesterday, and I would love for you guys to weigh in on it. To weigh in and push back if you want. But why would Abel bring the best in the first person portions and Cain only brings some? Like, think about that. Why would why would they have had those two different responses? Do you think it's possible Cain didn't know what was being asked of him?
SPEAKER_05No.
SPEAKER_02You can say that.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02I mean, I'm I'm down to argue about it because I don't think that, but like why why? Why would they have brought different ones?
SPEAKER_06Yeah. I mean, I think the Lord already set a precedent. Um and I it yeah, it all goes back to the heart and it all goes back to what you believe.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, because I think it kind of resembles like is is he really serious?
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_00You know?
SPEAKER_06What can I get away with?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Like how far can I is he serious about what? Like just like the intentionality of of this sacrifice. So do I really believe what he's saying? Yeah, I guess.
SPEAKER_02Right? Because like I to me, there has to be a belief system. Yeah. Which I love this.
SPEAKER_06This is where Kyle's black and whiteness comes into play.
SPEAKER_00That's so cool because truly, if we believe, you know, now, even this many years later, like that, if we believe what Jesus says is the truth, yeah, it should stir in us a something conviction. Yeah, or just some change.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Uh, no matter where we're at. Yeah. So like if he's really serious about the kingdom of God, okay, what is that gonna look different in my life today?
SPEAKER_05Yeah. How do I apply that?
SPEAKER_00I think Cain probably had, you know, a similar approach, obviously a little different in the the culture that he was in. But like, okay, is God really serious? I have to give my the oh, I'll give him something. Yeah. It's not gonna be my my best or my first, but yeah, I'm gonna give him something. What's the minimum I can get away with? Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Well, and I just think about culture today and like how often we get stuck in that mindset. No, right? Like, obviously, there is a tithe and an offering. And we as a culture have gotten so far away from that today. Um, but it's like, how many times is it like, I'm not gonna tithe this month? We're really tight, or I'm not going to give my my offering.
SPEAKER_02How many times am I gonna bring some instead of first invest?
SPEAKER_06Yes.
SPEAKER_00And once again, I think it comes down to like, it's like God doesn't want your money, he wants your heart, and he knows that that's tied to that. Yes, yes. So when it look when you look at Cain, like it's like, man, I'm not trying to make things miserable. I want your heart.
SPEAKER_06I want you to know like I just want it to be a genuine, authentic giving and offering from your heart.
SPEAKER_01I think if you take the murder out of Cain, like we are way more relatable to Cain than we are able. Yes, unfortunately, because human 100%. Humanness is so broken. If you take murder off of that, yeah, like that's what makes it uh well. I'm not Cain. Yeah, I'm not gonna murder somebody. You said it yesterday. Yeah. Like, well, just because you're not gonna go out and murder somebody.
SPEAKER_06Doesn't mean the heart posture isn't there.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. Because we're doing other things that are sinful. All 100%. What's the first thing you grab in in the morning? Is it prayer or is it your phone? What's the first thing you literally?
SPEAKER_06None of us in this room said prayer. And it's like we're all related.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, but I but I muted my phone first, yeah. And also made sure there's no fires.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. But I mean, in the grand scheme of things, yeah, if it wasn't for murder, like it would be so much easier for us to say, wow, I'm a whole lot more like Cain for sure than absolutely for sure.
SPEAKER_02Because so then, so then what's the belief system? Because I argued yesterday with nobody, because nobody was arguing back, at least loudly, is that Cain's not confused on what God's asking for.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_02I think he didn't have the right beliefs about God, right?
SPEAKER_06Like it's not confusion, it's almost like he wasn't viewing God through the right lens.
SPEAKER_02Well, I I think he's calling God's bluff a little bit of like, you don't really, because God didn't need more lands, he didn't need more crops, he didn't need more, like he didn't it's that like selfish desire.
SPEAKER_06It's like, oh, how far can I get away with like what can I get away with?
SPEAKER_02Like Cain knew that God's the provider, he knew that he's a creator, he knew all of that, but does he believe that? Abel's like, listen, take this, take this one and take all the best ones because you'll give me more, or you won't, and that's okay too, because it's all yours. Where Cain's like, in case you don't give me more crops, I need to keep the best.
SPEAKER_06Mm-hmm.
unknownRight?
SPEAKER_02In case you don't give me more.
SPEAKER_06Well, it's almost like he's almost in that sense, not trusting that God is the provider. Because it's like, well, if you don't provide more, I've got to hoard and stockpile and take this back for myself in case you don't come through again.
SPEAKER_02Same reason why we as humans have a tendency to say, hey, I'm gonna when we get paid, I'm gonna make sure that I put the first and the best towards the kids' college fund, towards the retirement account, towards the whatever. In case God doesn't continue to provide over the next 30 years, I got it under control. I'm providing. And then here's a little leftover. Let me tip Jesus because I think church was really good. Or I really that that ministry, that nonprofit, really pulls on my heartstream. And not in a manipulative way like that.
SPEAKER_06Instead of it being first.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_02So let's tip them.
SPEAKER_06It reminds me of the verse in Mark, Mark 9, 24, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. And it's like moments like this where we really do need to pray that prayer. Like, Lord, help my unbelief in this. How many times do we actually pray that prayer?
SPEAKER_02Well, not as often as we should because we don't know what we don't believe. Yeah. Right. We don't we don't view it as a belief issue.
SPEAKER_01I've never been involved in any meeting when it comes to even the church finance, where it's like, all right, what do we think's gonna come in? And okay, how do we like it's hard sitting in a church finance meeting and being faithful and yeah, like how often are we praying that prayer? Like help our unbelief. Where do we feel got God is leading us while the money's not there? Well, okay, but are we do we not believe that? But we still have to pay the bills, guys.
SPEAKER_06Right, right.
SPEAKER_01I mean, we just saw it with sure.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and we've seen it so many times. Like he has a track record. That is that is who he is, that is his character.
SPEAKER_02He's not just a genie in a bottle that you just rub the right way, and here comes money. But it's like, are we going to take of faith for things that we feel like God is calling us to, right? Yeah, like so Abel, we see it in Hebrews chapter 11 that he's the first person in this heroes of the faith, where it's by faith, Hebrews chapter 11, verse 4 says it's by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Right. And then it says, although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by the example of his faith. Right? Here's what Abel knew he was called to bring his first invest. So by faith, he brings his first and best.
SPEAKER_06He trusted that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's it's a level of trust and belief, and hey, God called me to do it, so I'm going to be obedience, but it doesn't say it's by obedience that he brought it.
SPEAKER_06Right.
SPEAKER_02It's by faith.
SPEAKER_06By faith.
SPEAKER_02Because the belief is what drove obedience.
SPEAKER_06Which is so cool. He didn't sit there and question God. He wasn't like, I need answer A, B, C, D, E, F, G before I go and do this. It was like, okay, you spoke, I'm moving.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_06You said this, I'm going. You know, there was no doubt, there is no unbelief. It and imagine if we actually walked like that in all of our stewardship decisions. Like you said this, I'm yeah, okay, God, I'm moving. I'll do it in full faith.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_06People would think we're all crazy. But that's what God wants. He doesn't want us to be crazy, but like he wants our hearts.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, for sure. Yeah. And I think naturally we can always think, like I remember um when I first started kind of following Jesus, it was kind of still in my um more selfish desires of like, how close to the line can I get without crossing it? 51% gospel. Yeah, it's like 51% good. It's like you're tiptoeing all day, every day. How close can I get to the line? Like, okay, is this then or is this? And I think when we replace it like instead of like how close to the line can I get without it's like, how close to the Lord can I get? Like just when it's like shifting that perspective. Uh like if I'm trying to get closer to him, one, I'm not focused on this line anymore.
SPEAKER_06I'm legit running from that line.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, but I'm just like, and the way you run from it is run to something. So it's like, man, not thinking about the line, yeah, but thinking about the Lord.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_00It naturally just changes our thought process on things. Yeah. That's good.
SPEAKER_02That's good.
SPEAKER_06And it's transforms the heart.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, which it's all driven by belief, right? And I I think the way to just summer summarize this part is like, listen, every act of stewardship is gonna reveal something about what we believe about God. At the end of the day, whether we steward well or we steward poorly in that moment. Maybe not even holistically, just in that moment, every decision we make about how am I gonna steward something reveals what we believe about God, right? Like, we just recently had an opportunity to steward something God's given us, and you are much more open to like, yeah, we should do this. And I'm like, or what if we didn't though? Like, I'm all about like what if we don't, just in general. Like, hang on, what if we don't? And you said we should, and so we did because we do what you want most of those things. No, no, because you're right. In that example, you were right.
SPEAKER_06I wish we had video right now so you could see my face.
SPEAKER_02Oh my god. No, in that example, you were right, right? And so it's like, man, in that opportunity, when I was going to not steward, yeah. Well, that still says what I believe, something I believe about God in that moment. So I have to be introspective about that, right?
SPEAKER_06And I think we do have to ask ourselves that question like, do I trust God? Do I view him as provider? Do I view him as protector? Do I view him as healer? Do I view him as all the things that he is? Um, and do I trust that? Sure. Because that's an easy, that's where I think I get more black and white than you are. And I'm like, that's an easy yes. Like we we have to. Like it, it's a must.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_06In certain areas, there are other areas where I'm not like that.
SPEAKER_02No, yeah, I'm not. Yeah, I'm processing what what you're saying.
SPEAKER_06I saw the nod, and I'm like, he does not agree. No, no, no.
SPEAKER_00I'm processing what you're saying of like, of like, man, like where yeah, like I brought this up, and so I was thinking like, man, we're not gonna be able to do that the like that's why it's so important that we do have whether it's community or like your relationship with your spouse, like Carlyle and I've been, I feel like more aware of this in our marriage is like we complement each other well because we have different mindsets on you know, yeah things.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and especially spiritual aspects.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so it's like, man, if the amount of no's we would say if you know we had the same, or the amount of yeses we would say if we had the same approach on everything, but instead we can encourage and challenge and sharpen, sharpen each other for sure. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06That's good.
SPEAKER_00Um, which allows us to very much so be in that stewardship piece, yeah, but also a protecting piece that is also important.
SPEAKER_06Well, and it builds your faith too, I feel like, because your no and Carly's yes, when that comes together, your faith is gonna be built off of whatever the Lord was speaking to Carly in that, and vice versa.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Your yes and her no. It's the Lord is going to do something through that, he's going to work through that, he's going to build your faith through that.
SPEAKER_02For sure. And to keep it in the realm of life, just think of money, because yeah, everybody has to think through that lens. Right? Like you can't say yes and call it stewardship to empty your bank account every time.
unknownRight?
SPEAKER_02Like, that's not good stewardship. To every time there's an opportunity, you empty your bank account. No, right. There may be a point in time when God says, Hey, empty the bank account. And you have to be like, Whoa. But you can't empty it every time that like that there's an opportunity.
SPEAKER_01You still have to survive it. That's not even what it says either. Right. That's so people that think, well, the church is just asking for all my money again. No, that's not what it's.
SPEAKER_02No, we're just asking for the first and best. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But no, it's it's the concept is like, listen, there may be a day where obedience to God filled with faith looks like emptying your bank account. I'm not even talking to church.
SPEAKER_06I'm talking it could be any act of obedience that the Lord calls you to.
SPEAKER_02Yes, yes, it could be giving away a car to somebody who needs it, like whatever. Right?
SPEAKER_06And you're like, oh my goodness, like that's like you're done with a car and you know somebody could utilize that, which is really cool. We've gotten we've gotten to see that.
SPEAKER_02Or you're not done with the car, and it's like, but God still told me to give it.
SPEAKER_06There's a single mom with kids that's in a really negative relationship, and that car is her, it's essentially the vehicle that pulls her out of that situation. We got to watch that happen. And there was an older couple in the church that literally sold their car for a dollar, sold the title to her. And watching her drive away, it's like, well, that's God.
SPEAKER_02Like, how you but you can't do that every time, and right just so we have to figure out what is godly wisdom with good stewardship, open-handed stewardship, right? Yeah, like we have to figure that out, and so that's where you begin to, in the context of community, whether it's marriage or whatever, right? Like, you begin to figure figure out, like, oh, this is how I bring open hands to everything and say, Yeah, what does God want me to do in this situation? Yeah, what would good stewardship look like today?
SPEAKER_05Right.
SPEAKER_02And I think that's that's such a powerful, powerful thing. But every time we steward, whether poorly or well, it's gonna reveal something that we believe about God. Okay, here's the third thing stewardship reveals what rules our hearts. Okay, so now it's gonna reveal the thing that's ruling our hearts, and this is where I said in the beginning, right? Like all of a sudden we see Cain go from I brought some to I murdered my brother. Listen, the offering did not create bitterness, anger, insecurity, fear. Like the offering didn't create that, it just revealed an exposed.
SPEAKER_06It revealed the sin that was already in his heart, the bitterness, the anger that he had towards his brother, the jealousy maybe that he had towards his brother. It was already there.
SPEAKER_02Yep, a hundred percent. And we need to know that as we look, as we are willing to open our minds and our hearts and our souls and our hands to say, God, what's this act of stewardship revealing about what I believe about you, about my priorities? It's gonna expose some stuff that we probably don't love. Like, what if so we see it's it's verse six of our of our text we're reading from Genesis 4. After the Lord rejected Cain's offering, it says, Why are you so angry? The Lord asked Cain. Why do you look dejected now? Cain did not answer. Cain goes and kills his brother. Right. But what if Cain would have answered and said, Hey, you're right. There's some anger and bitterness in.
SPEAKER_06But also, how many times are we that where we don't answer and we run from God?
SPEAKER_02Oh, for sure.
SPEAKER_06We all do it.
SPEAKER_02For sure.
SPEAKER_06And it's like, oh, you're trying to pull something out of me, you're trying to make me work through something, oh, you're revealing something that I'm not ready to touch. Pass, hard pass, I'm out. Yep. How often do we really do that? But then yes, on the other side of it, what if?
SPEAKER_02I'm just yeah, like you're right. We all you're 100% right. More than we want to admit, and probably more than we stay and answer the question we run. Yeah. But what would have happened if Cain did stay and answer?
SPEAKER_06Well, and like what if we had the humility, the maturity, the trust to sit there with God in that in the heart and to say, like, yes, I'm willing to answer this question. Yes, I'm willing to be introspective. Yes, I'm willing to address what's going on in my own heart.
SPEAKER_02Right. But there's a correlation between this offering and what's in our heart, right? Which is just like, it's crazy to think about, man, it's just crops, dude.
SPEAKER_06So much more than that.
SPEAKER_02How did crops pull out anger, bitterness, insecurity, fear, jealousy, pride, whatever it is? How did crops pull that out? Well, the reason is because Jesus told us this in Matthew chapter 6, 20, 21. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will be also. Right? And this is a financial principle because offering is financial. Right? Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will be also. I've I've heard it said where there is an invisible fishing line or an invisible chain from our wallet to our heart.
SPEAKER_05100%, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Right. And so wherever our we put our wallet is where our heart's gonna go. Right? Wherever we put our offering is where our heart's gonna go. Wherever we put our the things that we see value in. Right, our heart is gonna go because where our treasure is, is where our heart is. And I think that the most blunt way I can say it is the way we handle treasure reveals what's in our heart.
SPEAKER_06Which I love this conversation because I think that we definitely do need to be talking about this. I mean, you look at how many times the Bible talks about money and talking about the heart. And it's like this is something that so many people, myself included, a lot of the time, like we would rather just not have the conversation. Like, let's just not talk about money. It's so uncomfortable. I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to go there. Right.
SPEAKER_02Seriously, it's like that's equal to it.
SPEAKER_06It's way more intimate.
SPEAKER_02But yes, the the uncomfort in it is is the discomfort.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. For sure.
SPEAKER_06You're welcome. Um uncomfort. Uncomfy.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_06But yes, I I'm glad that we are bringing this to light as a conversation. And I think it would be really cool to have this as a conversation in our community groups, the people that you're meeting with throughout the week. Like, bring them into this conversation. Like, start talking about this. Like, make this a more natural, more organic conversation that you're having with people that you trust in your life. Like, we we all do need to be talking about this more often.
SPEAKER_00And that's why Jesus talked about it a lot. So much.
SPEAKER_06Because He knows He knows what holds our hearts.
SPEAKER_02Yep. For sure. And so we have to think through stewardship in the lens of like it's gonna reveal priority, it's gonna reveal beliefs about God, but it's gonna reveal what rules our heart. And what I love about that is if we're willing to say, hey man, the way I handle treasure reveals what's in my heart, if I'm willing to allow stewardship to be an MRI of the soul, so to speak, then we get to the place where this is like we have to begin to believe that God loves us and cares for us and wants nothing but us to be transformed in his image because he believes that's better than this world, right? Yeah. And if we believe that, then the fourth principle is that stewardship reveals what God wants to transform. He's not revealing it to air your dirty laundry, he's not re revealing it to uh make you feel shame, he's not revealing it to make you embarrassed. He wants to transform your heart. Like he wants to transform what's going on in there, right? Because what was his response to Cain whenever Kane so Cain he rejects the The offering. Then did he what did he tell Kane about it? Did he say, Cain, that offering was terrible? That sucked, dude. Why'd you bring me the moldy crops? No, what is it?
SPEAKER_06He addressed his heart.
SPEAKER_02Yes.
SPEAKER_06Why do you look so dejected? Why are you angry?
SPEAKER_02Why are you so low? Why you so low? Yeah. Right? He says, You'll be accepted if you do what's right. If you refuse to do what's right, then watch out. Not watch out because I will banish you.
SPEAKER_06No, he's giving you a warning because he's our protector.
SPEAKER_02What happens if he doesn't watch out and do what's right? What does it say? Slippery slope.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, sin is right there waiting for you.
SPEAKER_02Crouching at the door, eager to control you.
SPEAKER_06But you must them do it and be its master.
SPEAKER_02Yes.
SPEAKER_06And that's where the authority of Christ that lives inside of you. We all have the authority to do that.
SPEAKER_02Yep, and the Spirit of God.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And it's like, listen, this is a bigger deal than just bringing some crops.
SPEAKER_06This is about your heart, man.
SPEAKER_02This is a heart thing that I want to transform in you. Right? Like, this isn't just a some crop thing. This is a heart thing. I don't need the crops. I need your heart.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. Right?
SPEAKER_02So bring me the first and best crops.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Have the right beliefs about me. Pursue me. Let me transform the heart. Let me transform what has been revealed. Because this is where in yesterday I didn't lean into it as much as I wish I would have. If I could go back, I would redo this part yesterday. Of like, I need I need people to understand that God rejected the offering, not the person. Right? Like he said, listen, you're gonna be accepted if you just do what's right.
SPEAKER_06He used it as a teaching lesson.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_06A loving teaching lesson.
SPEAKER_02Yes, and it's if you refuse to do what's right.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, you have the choice.
SPEAKER_02Then watch out. Because sin is gonna get you.
unknownRight?
SPEAKER_06And he's not doing that to fear monger. He's doing that because he's like, I I am the protector, I am Lord. I know that this is what will happen. 100%. And I'm trying to protect you from that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Yeah. It's like I'm not trying to fear monger Oakland when I say, hey, don't jump off the roof.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. Like I know what's not good for you.
SPEAKER_02I know what's better for you.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, right. And we have to trust you.
SPEAKER_02Don't get on the roof. How about that? Right? And it's like just because God is saying, listen, don't do this. Listen, come over here. I've got something better for you.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02I know jumping off the roof sounds fun.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Right. I know that that feels like a thrill. I know I know that right now that makes more sense to you. Trust me.
SPEAKER_06Which I'll yeah. It goes back to trust issues with God. And I think that if we're all honest, we have trust issues with God that we need to address. Sure.
SPEAKER_02Sure. And I think so for so many of us, like there are trust issues, you're right. I think there's some belief issues as well of like, what if God's way isn't better because I want to make lots of money and have lots of money and have all the well, what if God's not going to do it my way?
SPEAKER_06Like, what if his will isn't my will?
SPEAKER_02Right. Exactly. Exactly. Like it's not even that I don't believe he's going to provide for my needs, because I'm sure he'll provide for my needs. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06But I think it's better right now. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02It's my I've got these wants. And I don't think he cares about these wants.
SPEAKER_06Well, and I know the way to get to it right now. Yeah. So I'm going to bulldoze my way into it. I'm going to do it. And God's like, oh, if you just would have gone this route, I could have blessed you in so many other ways too.
SPEAKER_02For sure.
SPEAKER_06And protected your heart.
SPEAKER_02And I think the cool thing, and then I didn't touch on this yesterday, which I'm super annoyed about.
SPEAKER_06That's okay.
SPEAKER_02Because it was like, but I didn't ever have time.
SPEAKER_06That's why we're that's why we're here having this conversation.
SPEAKER_02I didn't touch on this, but I think it's it's cool because on things like this, God isn't asking us to do things he didn't do. Right? He was the first one to give his first and best. Right? He gave his first and best son with the first time. He was one and only.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Right? Like for us.
SPEAKER_06He modeled that.
SPEAKER_02He went first.
SPEAKER_06He led first.
SPEAKER_02Romans, I think it's 832 says he didn't spare his own. Like he didn't spare or hold back. Right? Yet how often are we sparing and holding back?
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Right? Like, I think that's the thing that's like we have to understand he's not being like, hey.
SPEAKER_06He's not asking us to do something that he himself would not or has not done.
SPEAKER_02Correct. But then because he's done it, we get to. And I'm not just talking about finances. Like it's first John that says, We love because he loved us first.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, he's inviting us into that.
SPEAKER_02Yes, we get to do it because he did it first, right? Like we get to give our first and best because he gave his first invest.
SPEAKER_06And we get to enter into like a beautiful partnership with him and see the fruit of that unfold.
SPEAKER_02Yep.
SPEAKER_06If we're willing.
SPEAKER_02Yep. The question is, do we want that fruit or do we want our sourbed kids? Or whatever the thing is we want. And so that's true. The place we landed the plane last week was what does my stewardship reveal about my heart? Like that's a question I said, go home. I'm not giving you application. Talk to me. What does my stewardship reveal about my heart? Talk to God about it and then go from there. And so I'm excited for this series. We're not going to be here next week, but we'll hit the week after that. Uh we'll hit both of them. They go together pretty well, anyways. And so um, I'm excited for that. But anything you guys want to add to the discussion before we get out of here? Anything I forgot? Anything you want to nail down?
SPEAKER_01No, I think I think just if you're feeling frustrated after yesterday's messages, then or in today. Yeah. Yeah. Hey.
SPEAKER_06Lean into it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Don't react like Kane.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Go to God in prayer. Or you go Kane's parents. Soften this. Yeah. They ran. It's so rough that I can't get this, get rid of this. Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And I think talk to somebody about it.
SPEAKER_02Like, this doesn't have to be the point of shit.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. Don't shy away from this conversation because this can be so fruitful in your life.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Do not shy away from it.
SPEAKER_02Yes.
SPEAKER_06Invite somebody into it.
SPEAKER_02Okay. That's so good. All right. Let's pray. And then we'll get out of here. Father, we love you. Thank you for um just your word. And we thank you for how good you are and how faithful you are. Lord, we thank you for the truths that we can find in your scripture and the truths that your Holy Spirit brings to each of us. Father, we just ask that you allow us to um lean in and draw closer to you and take those truths and not just know them as knowledge, but believe them as facts, right? Like things that we are believing and putting our trust and obedience behind. Lord, and as we do that, I pray that you just continue to shape the influence and everything you've given us. Lord, not for our own glory, but for your glory and for your kingdom and for your mission. Lord, I just pray that we become people who are aware to the areas where we miss stewardship and even aware to the areas where we do it uh in a way that honors you well. Lord, and help us to continue to manage better and leverage better what you've given to us to use for a temporary amount of time to glorify your name. Thank you for each listener. Thank you for their families. Thank you for all the things that they're navigating, Lord. I pray against any spirit of shame or condemnation. Lord, we just pray that people feel how much you love them and how much you want what's best for them, even if it doesn't necessarily make sense. Thank you for each person in the room, Lord, and just the value that they bring to this conversation. We just continue to uh pray that this impacts people's lives and their hearts and their souls um for you. So thank you, Lord. We love you in Jesus' name. Everyone's in.
SPEAKER_05Amen.
SPEAKER_02Amen. All right. We will see y'all uh in two weeks from now. And so uh gear up because that one will not be 52 minutes.
SPEAKER_06Love you guys.
SPEAKER_02See ya, you know.