Faith Temple Church
Church Anniversary

      • Luke 23:34KJV1900

  • melodies from heaven
  • Sunday Morning Medley
  • Extra Song
  • hymns medley

      • 2 Peter 3:18NKJV

      • 2 Samuel 6:10–16NKJV

  • The Bible presents God as an inherently generous Giver who provides for both the physical and spiritual needs of His people. This provision is rooted in His character as Jehovah-Jireh ("The Lord Will Provide") and is often tied to His promises and the heart posture of His followers. 
    Introduction: We often only look at what we are giving up. I have spoken with individuals i have said if you die tonight where would you go. their reply hell, I can pray with you right now and they said “ i’m not ready for that”.
    we often look at what we are giving up and not at what we are getting

    1. What God Gives to His People

    The Bible details a wide array of gifts God bestows on those who follow Him: 
    Essential Needs: God provides food, clothing, and shelter, often compared to how He cares for the "birds of the air".
    Spiritual Life & Salvation: The ultimate gift is Jesus Christ for eternal life and the Holy Spirit for those who ask.
    Mental & Emotional Support: He gives peace that surpasses understanding, strength in times of weakness, and rest for the weary.
    Wisdom & Guidance: For those lacking direction, God promises to give wisdom generously without finding fault. 

    2. Key Promises of Provision

    Philippians 4:19: "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus".
    Psalm 23:1: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want" (I lack nothing).
    Matthew 6:33: Seeking God's kingdom first ensures that daily necessities like food and clothing will be "added to you".
    Psalm 84:11: He bestows favor and honor, and "no good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly".

    3. The Relationship Between God's Giving and Ours  Scripture often describes a "cyclical pattern" where God's provision enables His people to be generous to others

    Enriched to be Generous: God blesses people so they can "abound in every good work" and be generous on every occasion.
    The Sowing Principle: "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously".
    Testing God: In Malachi 3:10, God invites His people to test Him by giving their tithes, promising to "throw open the floodgates of heaven" and pour out overwhelming blessing.

    4. How God Gives

    Abundantly: He is able to do "far more abundantly than all that we ask or think".
    According to His Will: Provision is often aligned with His higher purposes rather than just human desires.
    Consistently: As the "Father of heavenly lights," He does not change like "shifting shadows"

    The Cost and the Reward: Taking Up Our Cross

    Bible Passage: Psalm 84:11, Matthew 16:22–25, Mark 10:29–30

    Summary: This theme explores the dual call of Christ to take up our cross, which signifies sacrifice and suffering, while simultaneously assuring us of the abundant rewards and blessings from God.
    Application: This sermon can encourage Christians to fully commit to their faith, reminding them that though following Christ may involve hardship, God is faithful to provide blessings in this life and the next, giving hope and purpose even in trials.
    Teaching: The teaching emphasizes the necessity of self-denial in Christian discipleship while highlighting God's goodness and generosity in rewarding those who remain faithful amid difficulties.
    How this passage could point to Christ: Throughout Scripture, Christ exemplifies the ultimate sacrifice by taking up His cross for humanity. This theme underscores that accepting our cross as believers is a reflection of our relationship with Christ, who promises eternal rewards for our faithfulness.
    Big Idea: While Jesus calls us to take up our cross, He assures us that our sacrifices are never in vain; God's blessings far outweigh the costs involved in following Him.
    Recommended Study: As you prepare this sermon, consider delving into the original language of the terms used in Matthew 16:24 regarding 'take up your cross' to understand the cultural implications for first-century Christians. Use your Logos library to examine commentaries that discuss the historical context of Psalm 84 and its relationships to Matthew and Mark, which can shed light on God’s promises. Additionally, look into sermonic literature on suffering and reward to help frame your application effectively.

    1. Reassurance of Reward

    Psalm 84:11 “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.”
    Perhaps you could begin by emphasizing the truth that God is a sun and shield, offering grace and glory to those who walk uprightly. This verse affirms that no good thing is withheld from those who faithfully seek Him. This reassurance should provide believers with confidence that their sacrifices in taking up their cross will be met with abundant blessings both now and in eternity. While obedience might require giving up certain comforts or desires, believers can be reminded of God's unwavering goodness and His commitment to reward their faithfulness.

    2. Challenge of the Cross

    Matthew 16:22–25 “Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”
    You might discuss how Peter's initial resistance to Jesus' path of suffering illuminates our own struggles to embrace difficulty. Christ's rebuke of Peter and the call to take up our cross challenge us to self-denial, shifting focus from earthly clings to divine priorities. Here, the call to lose one’s life for Christ is directly linked to finding true life. Encourage your listeners to see this paradox as liberating: giving up leads to gaining more than we could imagine. Through this lens, sacrificial living is not a loss, but a path to true fulfillment in Christ.

    3. Promise of Provision

    Mark 10:29–30 “So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.”
    Consider highlighting Jesus’ promise of rewards, both temporal and eternal, for those who have left behind earthly ties for His sake. This passage assures that sacrifices made for the Kingdom result in substantial blessings. Jesus’ emphasis on eternal life in the age to come encourages believers to focus on heavenly treasures rather than earthly gains. This is a call to trust that whatever is surrendered in the pursuit of God’s purpose will be repaid manifold. Such hope assures that sacrifices will bear fruit far beyond our current understanding.
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