Through the biblical account of the magi; Pastor Kerry shares how focusing on the Savior; Jesus Christ; is the key to true fulfillment; joy and peace.
#Religion
#Christmas
#Faith
#Hope
#Love
#Giving
#Gratitude
#Honor
#Kerry Shook
#Matthew 2:1-12
#Acts 20:35
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Kerry Shook Ministries with Kerry Shook | The Greatest Gift - Key to Everything | December 9, 2021
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- Kerry Shook: Your fulfillment will be determined
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- by what you follow after.
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- ♪♪♪
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- Kerry: I have up here, a set of keys,
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- some old keys and just imagine for a moment that one of these
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- keys is the key to everything, everything you've ever wanted.
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- But if you choose the right key, then you can open up the box
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- that says "fulfillment" and receive total fulfillment,
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- that you can open up the box that says "peace" and have
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- supernatural peace in the middle of chaotic times where you're
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- not worried about anything.
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- And you can use that key and open up a box that says "joy"
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- and you can have overwhelming joy that just overflows
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- in your life to everyone around you.
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- What if you could pick a key, but it has to be the right one,
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- and it's the key to everything you've ever wanted,
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- everything that your real heart has ever wanted,
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- total fulfillment?
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- Well, the Bible tells us there is a key like that.
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- There is a key to everything.
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- And to find it, we're gonna go back to Christmas.
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- And we're gonna look at the wise men of Christmas and learn some
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- of their wisdom because they found the key to everything.
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- So, open your Bibles to Matthew chapter 2.
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- And would you stand in honor of God's Word,
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- Woodlands Church?
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- And I want to welcome all you guys worshiping with us
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- at our satellite campuses.
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- We're all part of the same church,
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- totally connected, and we need that
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- connection during this time.
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- And so, just follow along with me,
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- Matthew chapter 2.
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- "Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days
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- of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in
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- Jerusalem, saying
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- 'Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?
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- For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.'
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- When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled,
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- and all Jerusalem with him."
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- For Herod had heard about the Messiah coming
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- this king that was coming
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- and he didn't want to a competing king.
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- And so, he wanted to know where this king was to be born.
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- He called the scribes and the priests together,
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- and they told him about the prophecy that said the Messiah
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- would be born in Bethlehem.
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- And so then, King Herod goes to the magi and he says,
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- "Hey, when you guys find him in Bethlehem,
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- let me know exactly where he is so I can come worship him."
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- But really, he wanted to do away with them.
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- He was already jealous of the coming king.
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- But then in verse 9 it says, "After hearing the king
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- they went on their way; and behold,
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- the star, which they had seen in the east,
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- went on ahead of them until it came to a stop over the place
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- where the Child was to be found.
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- When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly
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- with great joy.
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- And after they came into the house,
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- they saw the Child with His mother Mary;
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- and they fell down and worshiped Him.
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- Then they opened their treasures and presented to Him gifts
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- of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
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- And after being warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod,
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- the magi left for their own country by another way."
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- You can be seated.
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- The Bible doesn't tell us a whole lot about these wise men,
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- though we know they were called magi,
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- which was a term in that day used to describe a combination
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- of sort of a scientist, a doctor, an astronomer,
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- a philosopher, all rolled into one.
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- These men were very well educated.
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- They were very intelligent, and they were very wealthy.
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- They were some of the wealthiest and most powerful people
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- of their day.
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- And yet they were totally empty on the inside.
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- How do I know that?
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- Because they left everything behind.
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- And they left their wealth and their power and their prestige
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- behind to follow after the mysterious star in search
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- of God to find total fulfillment.
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- You see, this was a long journey that these magi took.
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- This was a treacherous and dangerous,
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- risky journey that they took.
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- So, they must have been really dissatisfied and empty on the
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- inside to leave the comfort and the privilege and the power
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- that they had, and go on this risky journey,
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- not knowing if they would ever make it safely or if they would
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- ever return back home, and not knowing
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- what they would find at the end of the road.
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- But it was worth it to them because all they had followed
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- after had left them empty on the inside.
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- Now, some of you may not realize,
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- but the wise men weren't there at the stable
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- on the first Christmas.
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- I mean, the star appeared to the wise men in the east on that
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- first Christmas, but they didn't make it on the first Christmas.
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- Now, whenever we have a nativity scene at Woodlands Church
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- or whenever you put an nativity scene in your yard,
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- I mean, you put baby Jesus, Joseph,
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- Mary, the animals, the shepherds,
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- and the wise men, the three wise men.
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- But really, they weren't there.
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- It just makes it more convenient to do it that way.
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- But this was such a long journey,
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- you need to understand that it took them two years
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- to make it to Bethlehem.
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- It was such a long journey, but the time they arrived in
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- Bethlehem to see Jesus, he was two years old.
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- It was a two-year journey.
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- They left everything behind and went on this long journey,
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- not knowing when or where it was going to end.
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- But it must have been worth it to them because they felt
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- so empty on the inside.
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- After following after wealth and building up wealth,
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- they're still empty.
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- After following after power and gaining and taking
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- all this power, they still felt empty.
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- Everything that followed after had left them empty.
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- If you follow after the wrong things in life,
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- you'll find emptiness and that's all.
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- Your fulfillment will be determined
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- by what you follow after.
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- Your fulfillment will be determined
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- by what you follow after.
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- God made you to want to be filled up with purpose
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- and meaning and significance, joy and peace,
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- and all these things that he offers.
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- He made you to follow after something: him.
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- But he fall after the wrong things,
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- they leave you empty.
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- Your fulfillment will be determined
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- by what you follow after.
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- So, are you fulfilled?
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- What are you following after, things that may be okay?
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- They were following after things.
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- There's nothing wrong with those things they followed after,
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- it just left them empty.
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- Really your focus, what you focus on and follow after,
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- will determine your fulfillment.
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- They changed their focus, and they focused on God,
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- Jesus Christ God himself.
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- And that focus then turned into a generous spirit giving.
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- And they discovered the key to living is giving.
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- They recognized the gift, the greatest gift of Christmas,
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- Jesus Christ.
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- And it really concerns me is our culture
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- has cut out Christ from Christmas.
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- And yet we keep all the trappings of Christmas.
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- But it's not about Jesus anymore.
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- It's really dangerous because we miss out on the greatest gift.
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- And I know families that celebrate Christmas year after
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- year, the decorations, the lights, the trees,
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- everything the gifts,
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- but they've never unwrapped the greatest gift: Jesus Christ.
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- And they never really experienced fulfillment because
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- they're following after the wrong things.
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- Well, these wise men,
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- they worshiped and they became givers.
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- They discovered the key that unlocks the blessings of God.
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- They discovered the key to everything.
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- The secret to living is giving, forgiving others when they don't
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- deserve forgiveness, giving love to others,
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- giving of yourself, your time, your talent,
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- and your treasure.
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- Giving to God and giving to others,
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- it frees you up to experience all the blessings of God.
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- It is the key to everything.
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- Now, the key of faith, the value of faith,
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- is a really important thing in God's Word.
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- It's a really important Word in the Bible.
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- It's a really important value, a really important key of life.
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- God says, "Without it, it's impossible to please me."
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- So, faith is extremely important,
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- and it's mentioned 246 times in the Bible.
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- The word "hope" is important.
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- Hope is an important key, a value, that we need.
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- You can't cope without hope,
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- and it's mentioned 185 times in the Bible.
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- Love, the greatest of these.
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- It's a key that is so valuable that we need so much.
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- Love is mentioned 733 times in Scripture.
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- But give, give or giving is mentioned 2.285 times
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- in Scripture, so much more than any of the other values, why?
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- Because giving is the expression of faith,
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- hope, and love.
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- Giving is what activates all the other values in God's Word.
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- Giving is the one key that activates all the other keys.
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- female announcer: Still to come with Pastor Kerry Shook
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- Kerry: This is a commandment.
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- Jesus said give and whatever you give is gonna come back
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- to you and be given to you.
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- ♪♪♪
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- announcer: Kerry Shook Ministries is dedicated
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- to sharing inspiring, creative, biblical teaching and providing
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- life-transforming ministry all over the world.
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- But we don't do it alone.
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- It's only with the help of friends like you.
- 00:10:27.410 --> 00:10:30.212
- And right now during this season of giving
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- you can be a part of all that Kerry Shook Ministries is doing
- 00:10:32.581 --> 00:10:36.552
- to share Christ's love with others by joining us
- 00:10:36.552 --> 00:10:40.222
- in a Christmas tradition of giving the best gift to Christ.
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- Your gifts help launch projects into the new year that share
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- the gospel of truth to a hurting world.
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- As our thank you for your support,
- 00:10:50.933 --> 00:10:52.935
- Pastor Kerry and his wife Chris would like to send you a copy
- 00:10:52.935 --> 00:10:56.005
- of their book, "Find Your Miracle."
- 00:10:56.005 --> 00:10:58.741
- It explores the miracles of Jesus,
- 00:10:58.741 --> 00:11:01.377
- revealing meaning and insight that offers a path of hope
- 00:11:01.377 --> 00:11:04.980
- to those who need a miracle of their own.
- 00:11:04.980 --> 00:11:07.717
- And as an additional thank you for gifts of $100 or more,
- 00:11:07.717 --> 00:11:11.554
- they want to include the Miracle Map Prayer Journal.
- 00:11:11.554 --> 00:11:14.724
- This 30-day companion booklet includes a daily devotional,
- 00:11:14.724 --> 00:11:18.461
- Scripture, and space to document your journey.
- 00:11:18.461 --> 00:11:21.831
- Experience the blessings and promises God has for you and
- 00:11:21.831 --> 00:11:26.268
- discover the miracles that only he can work in your life.
- 00:11:26.268 --> 00:11:30.372
- Call us at 844-34-kerry or go online to Kerryshook.org to join
- 00:11:30.372 --> 00:11:36.312
- us in the tradition of giving
- 00:11:36.312 --> 00:11:38.247
- and request your thank-you resources.
- 00:11:38.247 --> 00:11:42.785
- Kerry: So, I want to share with you three simple,
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- yet powerful things about giving and how it takes us
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- into the blessed zone that God wants us to live in.
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- First, giving frees me from the depressed zone.
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- Giving is crucial to breaking free from depression and stress,
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- it really is, in developing a life of giving where you don't
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- hold things too tightly.
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- And you learn to give.
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- You learn to open up your hand.
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- You learn to give to God, give to others.
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- And you learn that life is all about giving.
- 00:12:07.743 --> 00:12:10.880
- Now, with depression, there is a physiological aspect to it.
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- I want to make sure you understand that that,
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- you know, some people suffer from depression because they
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- have a chemical imbalance in the brain.
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- Maybe they have low serotonin.
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- Serotonin is what I call the happy messenger that goes to
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- your brain that tells your brain to tell the body to relax
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- or to have a good mood.
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- And so, some people have low serotonin,
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- a chemical imbalance in the brain and it causes depression.
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- And I say that because a lot of Christ followers,
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- when they go into depression or when they suffer from
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- depression, they feel really guilty about it because they
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- think, "I'm a Christian, I should be joyful.
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- Why do I feel this way?
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- Why am I depressed?
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- What's wrong?"
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- And they kind of beat themselves up over it.
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- Don't feel guilty if you're going through depression.
- 00:12:58.928 --> 00:13:00.596
- Some of the greatest men and women of God in the Bible went
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- through depression.
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- Jeremiah, Elijah went through depression.
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- We have so many men and women in the Bible--
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- David went through depression.
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- He wrote the Book of Psalms and that was kind of his journal
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- when he was going through depression.
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- And so, we see it all through Scripture.
- 00:13:17.546 --> 00:13:21.050
- And God used that depression to bring them closer to himself.
- 00:13:21.050 --> 00:13:24.987
- But there's also a very spiritual aspect to depression.
- 00:13:24.987 --> 00:13:29.892
- And for some people,
- 00:13:29.892 --> 00:13:31.026
- that is the only aspect is that spiritual aspect.
- 00:13:31.026 --> 00:13:34.396
- But for everyone who goes through depression,
- 00:13:34.396 --> 00:13:37.600
- clinical depression, any type of depression,
- 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:40.302
- there's a spiritual aspect to it.
- 00:13:40.302 --> 00:13:41.871
- There's no solution to depression
- 00:13:41.871 --> 00:13:43.439
- without a spiritual solution involved.
- 00:13:43.439 --> 00:13:46.075
- That's why it's so important.
- 00:13:46.075 --> 00:13:47.243
- Go to psychiatrists and psychologists and counselors,
- 00:13:47.243 --> 00:13:51.180
- Christian ones, because you've got to have a spiritual aspect.
- 00:13:51.180 --> 00:13:57.253
- It's so important.
- 00:13:57.253 --> 00:13:58.454
- And I'm gonna talk about the most important part of that
- 00:13:58.454 --> 00:14:00.089
- spiritual aspect of moving from the depressed zone
- 00:14:00.089 --> 00:14:04.026
- into the blessed zone, and it's giving, developing
- 00:14:04.026 --> 00:14:08.230
- a life of generosity, learning how to hold things loosely,
- 00:14:08.230 --> 00:14:14.003
- learning how to be a giver, rather than a taker,
- 00:14:14.003 --> 00:14:17.806
- a steward rather than being an owner.
- 00:14:17.806 --> 00:14:22.011
- You see, the wise men were in a depressed zone,
- 00:14:22.011 --> 00:14:24.914
- a stress zone.
- 00:14:24.914 --> 00:14:26.115
- They tried everything but nothing had brought them joy.
- 00:14:26.115 --> 00:14:28.417
- But look at Matthew 2:10.
- 00:14:28.417 --> 00:14:29.585
- It says, "When they saw the star,
- 00:14:29.585 --> 00:14:30.986
- they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy."
- 00:14:30.986 --> 00:14:33.622
- And that word "joy" in the Greek literature means a jumping up
- 00:14:33.622 --> 00:14:36.058
- and down kind of joy.
- 00:14:36.058 --> 00:14:37.927
- They were just slapping high fives,
- 00:14:37.927 --> 00:14:39.261
- hugging each other, overcome with joy.
- 00:14:39.261 --> 00:14:41.430
- They couldn't control it because they were no longer following
- 00:14:41.430 --> 00:14:45.100
- after things that just met their own needs.
- 00:14:45.100 --> 00:14:48.704
- They weren't just focused on themselves anymore.
- 00:14:48.704 --> 00:14:51.573
- They had a purpose.
- 00:14:51.573 --> 00:14:53.709
- And giving changes our whole focus.
- 00:14:53.709 --> 00:14:57.112
- In Acts 20:35, Jesus put it this way,
- 00:14:57.112 --> 00:14:59.682
- "There's more happiness in giving than receiving."
- 00:14:59.682 --> 00:15:02.985
- Giving makes you happy.
- 00:15:02.985 --> 00:15:04.887
- It brings you out of the depressed zone.
- 00:15:04.887 --> 00:15:07.690
- And it's a key that frees you up to receive.
- 00:15:07.690 --> 00:15:09.892
- Jesus didn't say that it wasn't happiness to receive.
- 00:15:09.892 --> 00:15:13.462
- He wants us to learn how to receive.
- 00:15:13.462 --> 00:15:16.031
- There's happiness in receiving there's just a lot more
- 00:15:16.031 --> 00:15:17.933
- happiness in giving.
- 00:15:17.933 --> 00:15:19.568
- And if you just receive and receive and receive,
- 00:15:19.568 --> 00:15:21.570
- then there's no happiness in that.
- 00:15:21.570 --> 00:15:25.007
- It just becomes so inward
- 00:15:25.007 --> 00:15:27.876
- that you move into the depressed zone.
- 00:15:27.876 --> 00:15:30.379
- Jesus said in Luke 6:38, "Give, and it will be given to you.
- 00:15:30.379 --> 00:15:34.483
- A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running
- 00:15:34.483 --> 00:15:36.785
- over, will be poured into your lap.
- 00:15:36.785 --> 00:15:38.554
- For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
- 00:15:38.554 --> 00:15:41.991
- This is the command that Jesus had give and whatever you give
- 00:15:41.991 --> 00:15:45.995
- is gonna come back to you and be given to you.
- 00:15:45.995 --> 00:15:48.397
- This is a principle of life.
- 00:15:48.397 --> 00:15:50.966
- You know, if you don't have any friends,
- 00:15:50.966 --> 00:15:52.534
- what you need to do is give friendship away
- 00:15:52.534 --> 00:15:54.169
- and become a friend to others.
- 00:15:54.169 --> 00:15:56.505
- Don't worry about getting friends.
- 00:15:56.505 --> 00:15:58.173
- You just be a friend to people.
- 00:15:58.173 --> 00:16:00.576
- Be there for them in their time of need.
- 00:16:00.576 --> 00:16:02.678
- Reach out to them.
- 00:16:02.678 --> 00:16:03.579
- Care about their needs.
- 00:16:03.579 --> 00:16:04.780
- And I'm telling you, you'll have lots of friends.
- 00:16:04.780 --> 00:16:07.516
- Whatever you give, you get back.
- 00:16:07.516 --> 00:16:09.451
- Whatever it is you need, you need to learn to give it away.
- 00:16:09.451 --> 00:16:12.388
- If you need energy, then what do you do?
- 00:16:12.388 --> 00:16:13.922
- You exercise.
- 00:16:13.922 --> 00:16:15.691
- And at first, you feel worse,
- 00:16:15.691 --> 00:16:19.061
- but then energy starts filling you up.
- 00:16:19.061 --> 00:16:21.830
- You start getting a lot more energy.
- 00:16:21.830 --> 00:16:23.332
- You gotta give away energy to get energy.
- 00:16:23.332 --> 00:16:26.135
- Whatever it is you need, you gotta learn to give it away.
- 00:16:26.135 --> 00:16:27.870
- And the same with finances.
- 00:16:27.870 --> 00:16:29.405
- You gotta learn to be a giver.
- 00:16:29.405 --> 00:16:30.572
- Same with your time, a giver.
- 00:16:30.572 --> 00:16:32.875
- If you want forgiveness, Jesus said,
- 00:16:32.875 --> 00:16:34.843
- you've gotta learn to forgive others.
- 00:16:34.843 --> 00:16:37.246
- If you want to be judged and criticized a lot,
- 00:16:37.246 --> 00:16:39.815
- then start judging others
- 00:16:39.815 --> 00:16:41.250
- and it's gonna come right back to you.
- 00:16:41.250 --> 00:16:43.085
- But here's what's even more amazing
- 00:16:43.085 --> 00:16:44.553
- he says, with the amount-- with the measure you use,
- 00:16:44.553 --> 00:16:49.892
- it will be measured back to you.
- 00:16:49.892 --> 00:16:51.994
- He's basically saying you can decide how much God blesses you
- 00:16:51.994 --> 00:16:55.264
- by how much you give in life of your time,
- 00:16:55.264 --> 00:16:57.833
- talent, and treasures, your forgiveness.
- 00:16:57.833 --> 00:17:01.603
- How much you give to others because what you give away comes
- 00:17:01.603 --> 00:17:06.175
- back to you, but it comes back in the measure that you give it.
- 00:17:06.175 --> 00:17:08.777
- And this is Jesus talking not me.
- 00:17:08.777 --> 00:17:11.113
- What a powerful principle of life.
- 00:17:11.113 --> 00:17:13.682
- And in 1 Timothy 6:17, Paul tells Timothy,
- 00:17:13.682 --> 00:17:17.486
- who's a pastor, what he's supposed to do,
- 00:17:17.486 --> 00:17:21.323
- what he's supposed to tell his church to do.
- 00:17:21.323 --> 00:17:24.426
- "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be
- 00:17:24.426 --> 00:17:26.662
- arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth,
- 00:17:26.662 --> 00:17:29.331
- which is so uncertain."
- 00:17:29.331 --> 00:17:31.266
- And so, he says, "Pastors, you've got to--
- 00:17:31.266 --> 00:17:35.504
- I command you to command the people in your congregation
- 00:17:35.504 --> 00:17:39.174
- who are rich, not to put their hope in wealth.
- 00:17:39.174 --> 00:17:42.678
- I command you to do that.
- 00:17:42.678 --> 00:17:43.779
- I command you not to put your hope in it,
- 00:17:43.779 --> 00:17:46.348
- and I command you to command them.
- 00:17:46.348 --> 00:17:48.350
- You better do that as a pastor."
- 00:17:48.350 --> 00:17:49.852
- So, that's my job as a pastor, as your pastor,
- 00:17:49.852 --> 00:17:52.221
- to command, those of you who are rich,
- 00:17:52.221 --> 00:17:54.022
- not to put your hope in wealth.
- 00:17:54.022 --> 00:17:55.357
- And some of you are going "Whoo, I'm off the hook.
- 00:17:55.357 --> 00:17:56.992
- I'm not rich. Man, I'm really struggling."
- 00:17:56.992 --> 00:18:00.195
- But did you know if you live in America,
- 00:18:00.195 --> 00:18:01.597
- you're rich compared to the rest of the world?
- 00:18:01.597 --> 00:18:03.799
- If you live in America and you're on welfare,
- 00:18:03.799 --> 00:18:05.033
- you're in the top 10% of all income in the world.
- 00:18:05.033 --> 00:18:08.403
- Over half the world lives on less than $2 a day.
- 00:18:08.403 --> 00:18:11.273
- So many places where we minister,
- 00:18:11.273 --> 00:18:13.442
- they live on less than $2 a day.
- 00:18:13.442 --> 00:18:15.344
- And a new study has come out that shows that the shutdown
- 00:18:15.344 --> 00:18:18.780
- during the pandemic, which hurt the economy so desperately and
- 00:18:18.780 --> 00:18:21.884
- which hurt so many people in our church,
- 00:18:21.884 --> 00:18:24.419
- and it hurt so many businesses, small businesses,
- 00:18:24.419 --> 00:18:27.256
- that shutdown didn't just hurt the poorest of the poor,
- 00:18:27.256 --> 00:18:31.927
- but it shoved millions upon millions back into that $2
- 00:18:31.927 --> 00:18:35.597
- a day level of poverty that, the study said,
- 00:18:35.597 --> 00:18:39.468
- will take years for them to move out of that.
- 00:18:39.468 --> 00:18:43.071
- So, there's so many more people living on less than $2 a day
- 00:18:43.071 --> 00:18:45.507
- than any time over the last 20 years because of the shutdown
- 00:18:45.507 --> 00:18:50.579
- that happened.
- 00:18:50.579 --> 00:18:51.713
- And so, if you live in America and you're on welfare,
- 00:18:51.713 --> 00:18:58.287
- you're in the top 10% of everyone
- 00:18:58.287 --> 00:19:00.522
- in the world today in income.
- 00:19:00.522 --> 00:19:03.659
- And so, every one of us are rich.
- 00:19:03.659 --> 00:19:05.861
- You're rich, I'm rich, we're rich.
- 00:19:05.861 --> 00:19:08.830
- We're blessed to be able to live in this nation,
- 00:19:08.830 --> 00:19:12.134
- every one of us.
- 00:19:12.134 --> 00:19:13.268
- And so, I'm talking to you, talking to all of us.
- 00:19:13.268 --> 00:19:18.240
- But he says, don't worry about it.
- 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:19.408
- Don't feel guilty about it.
- 00:19:19.408 --> 00:19:21.076
- I didn't say that to make you feel guilty.
- 00:19:21.076 --> 00:19:24.479
- He said as long as you do two things,
- 00:19:24.479 --> 00:19:25.747
- you'll be okay.
- 00:19:25.747 --> 00:19:28.016
- He says, "But to put their hope in God,
- 00:19:28.016 --> 00:19:30.252
- who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
- 00:19:30.252 --> 00:19:33.388
- Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds,
- 00:19:33.388 --> 00:19:35.691
- and to be generous and willing to share.
- 00:19:35.691 --> 00:19:37.559
- In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a
- 00:19:37.559 --> 00:19:39.661
- firm foundation for the coming age,
- 00:19:39.661 --> 00:19:41.697
- so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."
- 00:19:41.697 --> 00:19:45.067
- He's saying don't feel guilty that you're wealthy.
- 00:19:45.067 --> 00:19:49.638
- Do two things, be grateful for what you have,
- 00:19:49.638 --> 00:19:52.140
- instead of always wanting more.
- 00:19:52.140 --> 00:19:53.542
- And be generous with what you have, give.
- 00:19:53.542 --> 00:19:56.845
- Be grateful and give.
- 00:19:56.845 --> 00:19:57.980
- If you do those two things, you have to worry.
- 00:19:57.980 --> 00:19:59.314
- But if you don't, you better worry.
- 00:19:59.314 --> 00:20:03.619
- But I want you to see the second thing.
- 00:20:03.619 --> 00:20:05.420
- Giving unlocks the blessed zone.
- 00:20:05.420 --> 00:20:07.122
- It not only frees me from that stressed and depressed zone,
- 00:20:07.122 --> 00:20:09.558
- but it unlocks the blessed zone.
- 00:20:09.558 --> 00:20:11.226
- It unlocks God's blessings in my life.
- 00:20:11.226 --> 00:20:13.195
- In Proverbs 22:9 it says,
- 00:20:13.195 --> 00:20:14.529
- "Generous people will be blessed."
- 00:20:14.529 --> 00:20:17.933
- You know, you get to decide what zone you live in
- 00:20:17.933 --> 00:20:20.435
- by what you focus on.
- 00:20:20.435 --> 00:20:21.536
- Focus on yourself, you live in that stressed zone.
- 00:20:21.536 --> 00:20:23.572
- Focus on God, the rest zone.
- 00:20:23.572 --> 00:20:24.940
- Focus on God and others, the blessed zone.
- 00:20:24.940 --> 00:20:28.277
- There was a father who was a home builder,
- 00:20:28.277 --> 00:20:29.778
- and he was known for his craftsmanship.
- 00:20:29.778 --> 00:20:31.713
- I mean, he was the best home builder in the area.
- 00:20:31.713 --> 00:20:34.249
- And he really prided himself in his work.
- 00:20:34.249 --> 00:20:36.885
- He would always pick the best materials,
- 00:20:36.885 --> 00:20:38.520
- the best contractors, and he would go the extra mile.
- 00:20:38.520 --> 00:20:41.223
- He would never cut corners.
- 00:20:41.223 --> 00:20:42.457
- And so, everyone knew that he had a reputation for quality
- 00:20:42.457 --> 00:20:46.295
- work, even though it cut down his profit margin.
- 00:20:46.295 --> 00:20:50.532
- He had a really slim profit margin,
- 00:20:50.532 --> 00:20:52.434
- but he was really proud of his workmanship and his integrity.
- 00:20:52.434 --> 00:20:56.471
- Well, his son was his top assistant.
- 00:20:56.471 --> 00:20:58.040
- And then this father is getting ready to retire and leave the
- 00:20:58.040 --> 00:21:00.642
- business to his son.
- 00:21:00.642 --> 00:21:01.677
- So, he came to his son and he said,
- 00:21:01.677 --> 00:21:03.145
- "I want you to build this next house all by yourself,
- 00:21:03.145 --> 00:21:05.314
- and I'm gonna be hands off.
- 00:21:05.314 --> 00:21:07.082
- I'm not even gonna be around.
- 00:21:07.082 --> 00:21:08.016
- You need to do this all by yourself,
- 00:21:08.016 --> 00:21:09.618
- and you sell it and you keep all the profit from it.
- 00:21:09.618 --> 00:21:12.421
- And this is all yours son is-- I'm getting ready to retire.
- 00:21:12.421 --> 00:21:15.724
- I just want you to do this, and this will be the start."
- 00:21:15.724 --> 00:21:19.227
- The son was real excited because he'd been resentful for some
- 00:21:19.227 --> 00:21:21.330
- time of how the father had such a slim profit margin.
- 00:21:21.330 --> 00:21:25.701
- He saw all these ways, through the years,
- 00:21:25.701 --> 00:21:27.969
- that they could cut corners.
- 00:21:27.969 --> 00:21:29.104
- And so, he was determined to do that on this house.
- 00:21:29.104 --> 00:21:31.006
- It was his house to do what he wanted to do,
- 00:21:31.006 --> 00:21:33.175
- to build it the way he wanted, and he was gonna make sure there
- 00:21:33.175 --> 00:21:35.677
- was a big profit margin so that he could sell the house
- 00:21:35.677 --> 00:21:37.879
- and make a lot of money.
- 00:21:37.879 --> 00:21:39.147
- So, he got shoddy materials, and he cut all the corners that you
- 00:21:39.147 --> 00:21:44.252
- couldn't see from the outside.
- 00:21:44.252 --> 00:21:46.154
- And he finished up the house, his dad came to see it.
- 00:21:46.154 --> 00:21:50.859
- And his dad said, "It looks beautiful son."
- 00:21:50.859 --> 00:21:53.395
- And the son said, "You're gonna be so proud of me.
- 00:21:53.395 --> 00:21:55.564
- I'm gonna get so much profit from this house.
- 00:21:55.564 --> 00:21:57.499
- I've done several different things with this,
- 00:21:57.499 --> 00:21:59.768
- and it's gonna be amazing."
- 00:21:59.768 --> 00:22:01.703
- He says, "No, you're not gonna get any profit from it because
- 00:22:01.703 --> 00:22:03.438
- I've been so excited to tell you this for so long.
- 00:22:03.438 --> 00:22:06.808
- I don't know how I was able to keep the secret.
- 00:22:06.808 --> 00:22:09.044
- But son, here are the keys to your new home.
- 00:22:09.044 --> 00:22:14.082
- It's yours."
- 00:22:14.082 --> 00:22:16.685
- You see, the son had to live in the house that he built.
- 00:22:16.685 --> 00:22:21.123
- And God says, "I'm gonna give you the keys,
- 00:22:21.123 --> 00:22:23.992
- and you're gonna live in the house you build.
- 00:22:23.992 --> 00:22:27.362
- You're gonna live in the life that you build.
- 00:22:27.362 --> 00:22:28.997
- And so, you get to choose is it gonna be a life
- 00:22:28.997 --> 00:22:31.199
- of taking or a life of giving?
- 00:22:31.199 --> 00:22:35.103
- Because whatever you give is gonna come back
- 00:22:35.103 --> 00:22:37.239
- with the measure that you give out."
- 00:22:37.239 --> 00:22:39.841
- And so, giving unlocks this blessed zone in my life.
- 00:22:39.841 --> 00:22:44.613
- Proverbs 3:9 and 10 says, "Honor the Lord by giving him the first
- 00:22:44.613 --> 00:22:48.984
- part of all your income, and he will fill your barns with wheat
- 00:22:48.984 --> 00:22:52.154
- and barley and overflow your wine vats
- 00:22:52.154 --> 00:22:53.488
- with the finest wines."
- 00:22:53.488 --> 00:22:55.791
- Honor the Lord.
- 00:22:55.791 --> 00:22:56.758
- You see, there's a principle of honor.
- 00:22:56.758 --> 00:22:58.059
- When we honor God with the things that are most important
- 00:22:58.059 --> 00:23:00.595
- to us, then he brings honor back to us and he blesses us.
- 00:23:00.595 --> 00:23:04.766
- And so, when you honor God with your finances by giving him the
- 00:23:04.766 --> 00:23:06.835
- first and the best, and not the last and the least and the
- 00:23:06.835 --> 00:23:08.703
- leftovers, but you give him the first and the best,
- 00:23:08.703 --> 00:23:10.872
- that's the tithe the Bible talks about, that first 10%.
- 00:23:10.872 --> 00:23:14.443
- You make it a habit, a discipline,
- 00:23:14.443 --> 00:23:17.012
- that you give God the first 10% of all you make,
- 00:23:17.012 --> 00:23:19.114
- and then he blesses the rest.
- 00:23:19.114 --> 00:23:21.116
- And he says, "This is the overflow principle.
- 00:23:21.116 --> 00:23:23.485
- If you want overflow of the things money can't buy
- 00:23:23.485 --> 00:23:25.821
- in your life and you want overflow in your finances,
- 00:23:25.821 --> 00:23:29.724
- this is it.
- 00:23:29.724 --> 00:23:31.526
- But you've gotta first give and honor me by putting me first
- 00:23:31.526 --> 00:23:36.264
- in a very important area of your life."
- 00:23:36.264 --> 00:23:38.467
- But I want you to see a last thing.
- 00:23:38.467 --> 00:23:40.535
- Giving changes the direction of my life.
- 00:23:40.535 --> 00:23:44.439
- In Matthew 2:12 it says, "And having been warned in a dream
- 00:23:44.439 --> 00:23:47.142
- not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country
- 00:23:47.142 --> 00:23:49.511
- by another route."
- 00:23:49.511 --> 00:23:51.046
- I love that, what imagery.
- 00:23:51.046 --> 00:23:52.814
- They go by another way.
- 00:23:52.814 --> 00:23:55.450
- They go back.
- 00:23:55.450 --> 00:23:57.252
- They go back to their wealth.
- 00:23:57.252 --> 00:23:58.620
- I mean, you know, they made it. They survived the great risk.
- 00:23:58.620 --> 00:24:02.457
- They go back to their wealth and their power,
- 00:24:02.457 --> 00:24:04.159
- but it's a different way of living now.
- 00:24:04.159 --> 00:24:06.294
- It's not for them anymore,
- 00:24:06.294 --> 00:24:07.696
- it's for God's kingdom and God's glory.
- 00:24:07.696 --> 00:24:09.798
- They become kingdom builders, I believe with all my heart,
- 00:24:09.798 --> 00:24:12.133
- because they go back and realize they're just stewards
- 00:24:12.133 --> 00:24:14.536
- of what God has given them.
- 00:24:14.536 --> 00:24:16.071
- They go back another way.
- 00:24:16.071 --> 00:24:17.105
- They live a whole new way.
- 00:24:17.105 --> 00:24:19.774
- They learn the secret to living is giving.
- 00:24:19.774 --> 00:24:23.111
- In Matthew 6:21 Jesus said, "For where your treasure is,
- 00:24:23.111 --> 00:24:26.014
- there your heart will be also."
- 00:24:26.014 --> 00:24:29.084
- See, God doesn't need your money,
- 00:24:29.084 --> 00:24:30.118
- but he wants your heart.
- 00:24:30.118 --> 00:24:31.920
- Where your treasure is, your heart will be also.
- 00:24:31.920 --> 00:24:33.655
- Did you know that your heart will follow your giving?
- 00:24:33.655 --> 00:24:36.424
- It's true.
- 00:24:36.424 --> 00:24:37.259
- For those of you who are married,
- 00:24:37.259 --> 00:24:38.326
- when you first started dating you started giving
- 00:24:38.326 --> 00:24:40.428
- giving to each other.
- 00:24:40.428 --> 00:24:42.130
- Your heart goes to the other person.
- 00:24:42.130 --> 00:24:44.032
- Whatever you give to, if you give to your church the bride
- 00:24:44.032 --> 00:24:47.269
- of Christ, if you give to God through the bride of Christ
- 00:24:47.269 --> 00:24:50.405
- to your local church, then you start loving the church.
- 00:24:50.405 --> 00:24:54.209
- If you--it's whatever you give to, your time,
- 00:24:54.209 --> 00:24:56.945
- talent, and treasure, you will love and you'll
- 00:24:56.945 --> 00:24:58.980
- gravitate toward because whatever you give to--
- 00:24:58.980 --> 00:25:01.316
- if you show me what you spend your money on
- 00:25:01.316 --> 00:25:03.518
- and what you spend your time on, I can tell you what you love.
- 00:25:03.518 --> 00:25:06.254
- Doesn't matter what you say,
- 00:25:06.254 --> 00:25:07.289
- doesn't matter what you sing about.
- 00:25:07.289 --> 00:25:08.490
- I can tell you exactly what you love because your heart
- 00:25:08.490 --> 00:25:13.395
- will be wherever your giving is going.
- 00:25:13.395 --> 00:25:16.898
- ♪♪♪
- 00:25:16.898 --> 00:25:26.174
- Chris Shook: We're so glad that you joined us
- 00:25:26.174 --> 00:25:27.409
- for the message today,
- 00:25:27.409 --> 00:25:28.677
- and hope it impacts your life all week long.
- 00:25:28.677 --> 00:25:32.247
- Kerry: And Chris I know there are many out there who've never
- 00:25:32.247 --> 00:25:35.450
- received Christ, and all you have to do is just pray and
- 00:25:35.450 --> 00:25:39.421
- ask for his salvation, and say, "Jesus Christ, forgive me of all
- 00:25:39.421 --> 00:25:42.991
- my sins, come into my life, be the Lord of my life.
- 00:25:42.991 --> 00:25:45.727
- I accept your free gift of salvation and heaven one day.
- 00:25:45.727 --> 00:25:49.931
- And if you pray that prayer, Christ will come into your life
- 00:25:49.931 --> 00:25:52.534
- and he'll never leave you.
- 00:25:52.534 --> 00:25:54.502
- announcer: Kerry Shook Ministries is dedicated to
- 00:25:54.502 --> 00:25:56.438
- sharing inspiring, creative, biblical teaching and providing
- 00:25:56.438 --> 00:26:00.542
- life-transforming ministry all over the world.
- 00:26:00.542 --> 00:26:03.712
- But we don't do it alone.
- 00:26:03.712 --> 00:26:05.213
- It's only with the help of friends like you.
- 00:26:05.213 --> 00:26:07.949
- And right now during this season of giving
- 00:26:07.949 --> 00:26:10.318
- you can be a part of all that Kerry Shook Ministries is doing
- 00:26:10.318 --> 00:26:14.289
- to share Christ's love with others by joining us in a
- 00:26:14.289 --> 00:26:18.226
- Christmas tradition of giving the best gift to Christ.
- 00:26:18.226 --> 00:26:22.130
- Your gifts help launch projects into the new year
- 00:26:22.130 --> 00:26:25.200
- that share the gospel of truth to a hurting world.
- 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:28.703
- As our thank you for your support,
- 00:26:28.703 --> 00:26:30.639
- Pastor Kerry and his wife Chris would like to send you a copy
- 00:26:30.639 --> 00:26:33.742
- of their book, "Find Your Miracle."
- 00:26:33.742 --> 00:26:36.478
- It explores the miracles of Jesus,
- 00:26:36.478 --> 00:26:39.114
- revealing meaning and insight that offers a path of hope
- 00:26:39.114 --> 00:26:42.684
- to those who need a miracle of their own.
- 00:26:42.684 --> 00:26:45.453
- And as an additional thank you for gifts of $100 or more,
- 00:26:45.453 --> 00:26:49.391
- they want to include the Miracle Map Prayer Journal.
- 00:26:49.391 --> 00:26:52.594
- This 30-day companion booklet includes a daily devotional,
- 00:26:52.594 --> 00:26:56.197
- Scripture, and space to document your journey.
- 00:26:56.197 --> 00:26:59.567
- Experience the blessings and promises God has for you and
- 00:26:59.567 --> 00:27:04.072
- discover the miracles that only he can work in your life.
- 00:27:04.072 --> 00:27:08.176
- Call us at 844-34-kerry or go online to Kerryshook.org to join
- 00:27:08.176 --> 00:27:14.115
- us in the tradition of giving
- 00:27:14.115 --> 00:27:16.084
- and request your thank-you resources.
- 00:27:16.084 --> 00:27:19.187
- ♪♪♪
- 00:27:19.187 --> 00:27:24.926
- CC by Aberdeen Captioning 1-800-688-6621 aberdeen.io
- 00:27:24.926 --> 00:27:24.926
