Sermon Title: "RIGHT GIVING IN A WRONG SEASON"
Key Texts: 2 Corinthians 9:7, Malachi 3:8-10, Matthew 6:33, Hebrews 12:1-2, Psalm 51:17

INTRODUCTION
Beloved, we are in the last days. Times of hardship. Times where many are pressed on every side.
And in these days, giving has become godly for some... and desperate for others.

God loves a cheerful giver. But the enemy has twisted giving into a trap for the wounded.
Today God is calling us back: Look to God first, not to giving as a formula.

1. GIVING IS GODLY, BUT MOTIVE MATTERS
2 Corinthians 9:7 — “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Giving is worship. It is obedience. It is sowing.
But in this last age, error has entered.
Many are giving not out of faith, but out of fear and desperation. "If I give this, then God must heal me. Then God must pay my rent."

That’s not covenant. That’s bargaining.
And when we bargain with God, we leave ourselves ungodly and still desperate because our eyes are on the gift, not the Giver.

Isaiah 1:11 — “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord.”
God wants the heart before the hand.

2. THE REAL NEED: REPENTANCE AND RELATIONSHIP
Your message says it: “Look to God in repentance, obedience of God's word and be right before God.”

Hardship will come. 2 Timothy 3:1 — “in the last days there will come times of difficulty.”
But the answer is not just to give more. The answer is to return to God.

Joel 2:12-13 — “Return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.”

God’s priority is not your offering. It’s you.
When you are right with God, He heals both:
Physical wounds: Psalm 147:3 — “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Spiritual wounds: Psalm 51:17 — “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

3. THE DANGER: USING GOD FOR THE GIFT
You said: “Unfortunately receivers of what they give. Ain't looking to this but after their more giving in. Leaving them ungodly before and desperate in life.”

This is the trap. Using God like an ATM.
Acts 8:20 — Peter told Simon, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!”

When we chase the blessing more than the Blesser, we stay in cycles:
Desperation → Give
No instant result → More desperation → Give more
We become tired, bitter, and far from God.

Jesus warned us: Matthew 6:33 — “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

4. GOD’S WAY: HEAL FIRST, THEN GIVE FROM WHOLENESS
God is not against your giving. He is for your healing.

Hebrews 12:1-2 — “Let us lay aside every weight... and run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus.”

God’s order:
Repentance - Turn from sin and self-reliance
Obedience - Walk in His Word daily
Relationship - Seek His face, not just His hand
Giving - Now give from a place of faith and joy, not fear

When you do this, God restores. Malachi 3:10 — “Bring the full tithe... and thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you.”
But notice: the tithe comes after “Return to me” in verse 7.

CLOSING CALL + PRAYER
Church, don’t let hardship push you into error.
Don’t give to manipulate God. Give because you love Him.

If you’ve been giving out of desperation, today is the day to return.

Prayer:
Father, heal us. Heal our finances, but more than that, heal our hearts.
Forgive us for making giving a transaction

Psalm 37:1-9
Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. [2] For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb. [3] Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. [4] Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. [5] Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. [6] He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. [7] Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. [8] Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret-it only causes harm. [9] For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the earth.

Paul instructed believers in Jesus to live a faithful and fruitful “life worthy of the Lord and [to] please him in every way” (Colossians 1:10). Using a metaphor of replacing old clothes with new, he commands us to “put to death” our worldly, sinful habits (3:5-9) and adorn Christlike virtues (vv. 10-15). Paul singled out the importance of not engaging in harmful speech—“slander,” “filthy language,” and “lie[s]” (vv. 8-9). Truthfulness is essential for believers, for Christ is “the truth” (John 14:6). Elaborating in another letter, the apostle tells us to “stop telling lies [and] tell our neighbors the truth . . . . Let everything [we] say be good and helpful, so that [our] words will be an encouragement to those who hear them” (Ephesians 4:25, 29 nlt). When we “[speak] the truth in love” (v. 15), we bless others. And we’ll “[grow] in every way more and more like Christ” (v. 15 nlt).

Stop trying to prove your worth to people who don't hold the pen to your story.

Let’s be honest: we are obsessed with building our own resumes. We spend half our lives carefully curating our wins, updating our bios, and quietly making sure everyone in the room knows exactly what we bring to the table.

But chasing human applause is a rigged game. It’s an exhausting treadmill where the finish line keeps moving. The moment you finally get the validation you were hustling for, the anxiety kicks in: What if I lose it? What if they stop clapping? When you are the one commending yourself, you have to work 24/7 to maintain the illusion.

There is a better way to live, and Paul nailed it in 2 Corinthians 10:17-18: "For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends."

You don't achieve true freedom when everyone in the room finally claps for you. Freedom is walking into the room and no longer needing the applause—because you already have the only approval that actually matters. Drop the PR campaign. Stop the self-promotion. Let your only boast be in what He has already done for you.

Save this post for the next time you feel the pressure to prove yourself.

Share this to the story of someone who needs to be freed from the approval trap today.

Dear Father,

I find the story of Jacob interesting, where he obtained greater flocks from Laban, his mother's brother, as a reward for his labor. The agreement between them was that all the speckled, spotted, and brown animals would be given as Jacob's wages, while Laban would retain the pure colored animals. At first, Jacob admits that his choice of speckled flocks was influenced by what You revealed to him in his dream; however, he also did something beautiful.

The Scripture says: “Jacob pilled and set rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree, before the flocks in the gutters, in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink. And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.” In the olden days, our ancestors believed that what a mother saw or experienced during conception could affect the appearance of her offspring.

The amazing part is that Jacob was not just aware of the analogy between sight and perspective and their influence on outcomes; he went out of his way to build before the eyes of the flocks what he desired to see. Despite having seen it in a dream, he did not leave it to chance. He proceeded and worked towards bringing into his world what he had first seen in Yours.

I believe one of the first limitations to fulfilling destiny is not circumstance, but perspective. How can we become what we do not see? These possibilities do exist in Your realm, but to make them a reality in ours, we must first believe it.

Translations;
Slide 1: English
Slide 2: French
Slide 3: Bengali
Slide 4: Hindi
Slide 5: Urdu
Slide 6: Portuguese

#LettertoGod
#believeit
#Jacobstory
#perspective
#mindset

Three Angels Broadcasting Network Devotional.
The Lord is Near

By Vera Malova

August 17th, 2026

I was raised in northern Kazakhstan, but when we moved to the town of Bor in 1993, I remember the TV ads for Pastor John Carter’s evangelistic meetings across the Volga River in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.

Things weren’t going smoothly at home. My husband often took to the bottle, and my eldest son Sasha had started drinking, too. So I was happy when Sasha began attending those meetings every day. They gave him a Bible, and when Sasha brought it home, I began to read it. By the time I reached the New Testament, I’d realized we weren’t living the way God wanted us to, so I read it again.

In the meantime, Sasha was baptized and began inviting me to church. I wanted to support him, but I worked on Saturdays. However, my hands began to ache so badly that I had to go to the hospital and take a break from work. The following Saturday, my son stared at me intently, wondering if I would go to church with him, so I went.

I have a habit of looking people in the eye, and I was amazed to see such kind and affectionate eyes. Everyone was glad to see me, and they all smiled, so I continued going to church and soon decided to be baptized.

On the day before my baptism, my husband came home from work drunk, hit his head, and stopped breathing. My son gave him CPR, but his breathing stopped as soon as he let up.

“Lord, I give my whole family into Your hands!” I cried—and instantly, my husband began breathing again. God literally raised him from the dead!

Although two of my children were baptized, my husband would not surrender to the Lord, threatening and calling me ugly names. Once, in a fit of anger, he began choking me.

Another time, my children attended a youth group while I stayed home, reading my Bible. My husband came in drunk and said, “Aren’t you going to church, too?”

“Yes, I think I will,” I answered.

“Then perhaps you’ll also decide to be baptized!” he snorted.

When I replied that I’d already been baptized, he grabbed a large Kitchen knife and shouted, “Then your life is over!”

His eyes burned with a terrible fire! He lunged at me but suddenly froze in place. He stood there a while, holding the knife and shouting over and over, “You will not live!”

Shaking with fear, I closed my eyes tightly and prayed silently for deliverance. Suddenly, I saw a beautiful rainbow in my mind with fiery letters that read, He will not hurt you!

Throwing the knife down, my husband fell on the sofa, sobbing. My guardian angel had stood between us and protected me! “For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.” Psalm 91:11.

As a family, we began praying earnestly for him. My children tried talking to him about God, but he answered, “That’s just how it’s written in your American Bible.”

Lena bought him a Russian Orthodox Bible with a cross on it, blessed by Patriarch Alexy II, and as she read texts from her Bible, he read the same text in his; and whether from the Old or New Testament, every text matched word for word!

Despite being convinced, my husband continued to drink as our family implored for God’s help. Finally, Sasha asked, “Father, why are you resisting?” He replied, “Okay, I will ask God to help me stop drinking.”

He began carrying the Ten Commandments in his pocket and telling his co-workers and friends that they should follow them. He also promised to go to church but never did. Instead, he drank until he lost the feeling in his legs from his knees on down.

One morning I woke up joyful. My eyes were shining when I said to him, “You cannot imagine how good you’d feel if you’d quit drinking,” to which he replied, “Then I’ll quit today.”

Sadly, that was the day he died from his illness.

It’s impossible to live in this world without God because there are problems such as alcoholism that no one else can solve. My son, who led me to God, eventually stopped going to church and began drinking again. But although he got so bad that he started hearing voices, our whole church family prayed for him, and after many years, he came back to the Lord and sobered again.

Don’t think that the Lord is somewhere far away. He is right here with you! We all live in debt to the Lord, and a price has been paid for our life. Jesus paid the price for each of our days, each piece of bread we eat, and each breath we take. He paid it with His precious blood!

Jeremiah 29:11 and 13 say, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.… And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

Seek the Lord, for He is near.

THE ADVENT TRUTH
The debate over Junia has become one of the most common arguments used to justify women serving as pastors. But before anyone builds an entire doctrine on Romans 16:7, we should slow down and ask: What does the text actually say?

First, we don’t even know with absolute certainty that Junia was female. The earliest Greek manuscripts were written in all capital letters without accent marks. Those manuscripts do not distinguish between the feminine Junia and the masculine Junias. The accents that identify the name as feminine were added centuries later. Many scholars believe the name is feminine, while others argue it could be masculine. The point is simple: the evidence isn’t so clear that this verse should overturn the broader testimony of Scripture.

Second, even if Junia was a woman, Romans 16:7 still does not prove she held the office of pastor or elder. The Greek phrase can legitimately be translated either as “well known to the apostles” or “outstanding among the apostles.” Both renderings have scholarly support.

Third, the word apostolos simply means “one who is sent.” In the New Testament it is used in more than one way. Jesus is called an Apostle (Hebrews 3:1). The Twelve were apostles. Paul was an apostle. Barnabas is called an apostle (Acts 14:14), and Epaphroditus is literally called “your apostle” in Philippians 2:25 (though many English versions translate it “messenger”). The word does not always refer to the governing office established by Christ.

Finally, Romans 16 never calls her an elder, overseer, bishop, or pastor. When Scripture specifically gives the qualifications for those offices in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, it lays out a consistent pattern.

A single debated name, a debated translation, and a debated use of the word “apostle” are not enough to overturn the clear pattern of Scripture. Sound doctrine is built by harmonizing all the evidence—not by allowing one difficult verse to reinterpret the rest of the Bible.

A Nugget of Truth.
GOD’S WARNING AGAINST QUICK-PROFIT INVESTMENTS, WHAT CAN MONEY STEAL BEFORE IT IS EVER LOST?

“He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.” — Proverbs 28:20

God does not condemn honest business, careful saving, or wise investment.

He warns against speculation—reckless ventures driven by haste, greed, excitement, and the dream of wealth without patient labor.

The greatest danger is not an empty account.

It is a heart emptied of Christ.

Inspiration warns that the feverish desire to become rich quickly is contrary to the faith God’s people profess.
---

① IT AWAKENS A HUNGER MONEY CANNOT SATISFY

Speculation whispers:

“One more gain—then I will have enough.”

But covetousness never says, “Enough.”

“They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare.” — 1 Timothy 6:9

When money becomes necessary for peace, identity, or security—

Christ is no longer treated as sufficient.
---

② IT REPLACES FAITH WITH FINANCIAL EXCITEMENT

Faith asks:

“Lord, what is Your will?”

Greed asks:

“How quickly can this multiply?”

Soon charts are watched more carefully than Scripture.

Prayer becomes hurried.

Family worship weakens.

Mission is postponed.

“Trust… not in uncertain riches, but in the living God.” — 1 Timothy 6:17

Satan need not make us openly deny Christ—

only too absorbed in gain to walk closely with Him.
---

③ IT RISKS THE MASTER’S PROPERTY

Everything belongs to Christ.

We are stewards—not owners.

“It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” — 1 Corinthians 4:2

Speculation treats God’s entrusted means as though no account must be given.

Stewardship asks, “How can this serve Christ?”

Greed asks, “How much can this serve me?”

Every peso carries a responsibility.
---

④ IT PROMISES FREEDOM—BUT OFTEN CREATES BONDAGE

Quick-profit ventures may begin with hope—

then produce anxiety, secrecy, debt, sleeplessness, damaged homes, and desperate attempts to recover losses.

Inspiration warns that speculative enterprises become a snare and may bring financial and spiritual ruin.

Failure can empty the pocket.

Success can enthrone greed.

The worst bankruptcy is not financial.

It is spiritual.
---

⑤ IT TRAINS THE CONSCIENCE TO COMPROMISE

When profit rules the heart, conviction becomes negotiable.

Truth may be softened.

Dishonesty may be excused.

Giving may feel like loss.

The Sabbath may become inconvenient.

“Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” — Matthew 6:24

Money is a useful servant—

but a merciless master.

A venture may earn greatly and still destroy the soul.

“What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” — Mark 8:36
---

⑥ GOD’S WAY BUILDS BOTH PROVISION AND CHARACTER

God’s path is not reckless haste, but:

honest labor, patient diligence, careful planning, contentment, generosity, integrity, and trust in His providence.

“Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.” — Proverbs 13:11

Speculation wants the harvest without cultivation—

the reward without discipline,

the crown without the cross.

But God is preparing more than our finances.

He is preparing our characters for eternity.
---

CHRIST IS THE TREASURE THAT CANNOT COLLAPSE

Jesus did not grasp for gain.

He surrendered everything to save us.

“Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.” — 2 Corinthians 8:9

He exchanged heaven’s glory for Bethlehem’s poverty—

and Calvary’s cross for our eternal life.

No earthly return can equal the riches found in Christ.

Therefore:

Work honestly.
Plan wisely.
Reject greed-driven risk.
Live within your means.
Give generously.
Seek Christ first.

“Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” — Matthew 6:20

The safest investment is not the one promising the fastest return.

It is the one you can place before Jesus with a clear conscience, manage without covetousness, use to bless others, and explain faithfully in the judgment.

Beloved, before asking,

“How much can I earn?”

Ask:

“Will this strengthen my faith and serve Christ—or quietly make money my master?”

A fortune gained while faith is lost is not profit. It is eternal bankruptcy.

A Nugget of Truth.
GOD’S WARNING AGAINST QUICK-PROFIT INVESTMENTS, WHAT CAN MONEY STEAL BEFORE IT IS EVER LOST?

“He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.” — Proverbs 28:20

God does not condemn honest business, careful saving, or wise investment.

He warns against speculation—reckless ventures driven by haste, greed, excitement, and the dream of wealth without patient labor.

The greatest danger is not an empty account.

It is a heart emptied of Christ.

Inspiration warns that the feverish desire to become rich quickly is contrary to the faith God’s people profess.
---

① IT AWAKENS A HUNGER MONEY CANNOT SATISFY

Speculation whispers:

“One more gain—then I will have enough.”

But covetousness never says, “Enough.”

“They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare.” — 1 Timothy 6:9

When money becomes necessary for peace, identity, or security—

Christ is no longer treated as sufficient.
---

② IT REPLACES FAITH WITH FINANCIAL EXCITEMENT

Faith asks:

“Lord, what is Your will?”

Greed asks:

“How quickly can this multiply?”

Soon charts are watched more carefully than Scripture.

Prayer becomes hurried.

Family worship weakens.

Mission is postponed.

“Trust… not in uncertain riches, but in the living God.” — 1 Timothy 6:17

Satan need not make us openly deny Christ—

only too absorbed in gain to walk closely with Him.
---

③ IT RISKS THE MASTER’S PROPERTY

Everything belongs to Christ.

We are stewards—not owners.

“It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” — 1 Corinthians 4:2

Speculation treats God’s entrusted means as though no account must be given.

Stewardship asks, “How can this serve Christ?”

Greed asks, “How much can this serve me?”

Every peso carries a responsibility.
---

④ IT PROMISES FREEDOM—BUT OFTEN CREATES BONDAGE

Quick-profit ventures may begin with hope—

then produce anxiety, secrecy, debt, sleeplessness, damaged homes, and desperate attempts to recover losses.

Inspiration warns that speculative enterprises become a snare and may bring financial and spiritual ruin.

Failure can empty the pocket.

Success can enthrone greed.

The worst bankruptcy is not financial.

It is spiritual.
---

⑤ IT TRAINS THE CONSCIENCE TO COMPROMISE

When profit rules the heart, conviction becomes negotiable.

Truth may be softened.

Dishonesty may be excused.

Giving may feel like loss.

The Sabbath may become inconvenient.

“Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” — Matthew 6:24

Money is a useful servant—

but a merciless master.

A venture may earn greatly and still destroy the soul.

“What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” — Mark 8:36
---

⑥ GOD’S WAY BUILDS BOTH PROVISION AND CHARACTER

God’s path is not reckless haste, but:

honest labor, patient diligence, careful planning, contentment, generosity, integrity, and trust in His providence.

“Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.” — Proverbs 13:11

Speculation wants the harvest without cultivation—

the reward without discipline,

the crown without the cross.

But God is preparing more than our finances.

He is preparing our characters for eternity.
---

CHRIST IS THE TREASURE THAT CANNOT COLLAPSE

Jesus did not grasp for gain.

He surrendered everything to save us.

“Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.” — 2 Corinthians 8:9

He exchanged heaven’s glory for Bethlehem’s poverty—

and Calvary’s cross for our eternal life.

No earthly return can equal the riches found in Christ.

Therefore:

Work honestly.
Plan wisely.
Reject greed-driven risk.
Live within your means.
Give generously.
Seek Christ first.

“Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” — Matthew 6:20

The safest investment is not the one promising the fastest return.

It is the one you can place before Jesus with a clear conscience, manage without covetousness, use to bless others, and explain faithfully in the judgment.

Beloved, before asking,

“How much can I earn?”

Ask:

“Will this strengthen my faith and serve Christ—or quietly make money my master?”

A fortune gained while faith is lost is not profit. It is eternal bankruptcy.

Daily Devotional.
Speak the truth to my neighbor.

These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates. Zechariah 8:16

To all who are working with Christ I would say, Wherever you can gain access to the people by the fireside, improve your opportunity. Take your Bible, and open before them its great truths. Your success will not depend so much upon your knowledge and accomplishments as upon your ability to find your way to the heart. By being social and coming close to the people, you may turn the current of their thoughts more readily than by the most able discourse.

Take along the publications and ask them to read. When they see that you are sincere they will not despise any of your efforts. There is a way to reach the hardest hearts. Approach in the simplicity and sincerity and humility that will help us to reach the souls of them for whom Christ died.

Allow no opportunity to pass unimproved. Visit those who live near you, and by sympathy and kindness try to reach their hearts. Visit the sick and suffering and show a kindly interest in them. If possible, do something to make them more comfortable. Through this means you can reach their hearts and speak a word for Christ. Eternity alone will reveal how far reaching such a line of labor can be.

Those who do not take up this work, those who act with the indifference that some have manifested, will soon lose their first love and will begin to censure, criticize, and condemn their own brethren.

Those who go forth in the spirit of the Master, seeking to reach souls with the truth, will ... become more and more vitalized as they give themselves to the service of God. It is a joyous work to open the Scriptures to others. [234]