Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Malachi 3:7-11

By definition, stewardship is our relationship with money: how we obtain, save, invest, spend, and give our wealth.

God is interested in this relationship—in how we care for the things He places in our hands. Satan, who is also very interested, would love to keep us in financial bondage.

Malachi 3 shows us how to open the windows of Heaven and receive the blessing of financial freedom.

“Yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of hosts. “But you said, ‘In what way shall we return?’” (Malachi 3:7).

If we want freedom, we must first recognize our failure; financial bondage is not just debt. If money increases our worries, or if we have plenty in the bank, but no treasure in Heaven, we are in financial bondage.

Second, we need to renew our fellowship; God isn’t interested in our money, just our hearts.

When we remember tithing is God’s way of revealing our priorities to ourselves, we will see tithing as a great blessing. It is our privilege to show God that He is first in our lives and everything else is second.

After we return to our fellowship with God, we need to release our finances to Him.

Adrian Rogers says, “If you can’t trust God with your finances, how is God going to trust you with true spiritual riches?”

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10).

According to Scripture, tithing is ten percent given to the temple of God (church), for the work of the temple. Giving to charities or ministries is good, but it is not a replacement for our tithes.

When we learn to give back to God freely, we’ll see a spiritual renewal. God will renew our faith, rebuke our foes, and restore our fruitfulness.



Apply it to your life
Are you seeking freedom from an indebted spirit? Recognize your failure and renew your fellowship with God. Understand that He wants you, first and foremost. Then, show your faithfulness through tithing.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Daniel 9:20-27

Before Jesus stepped into our world the first time, Daniel 9 predicted His Second Coming. This Old Testament passage can be seen as an outline of the things to come in the Last Days, when time runs out.

“Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city…” (Daniel 9:24).

This passage first designates the period of time (490 years), the people (God’s chosen people, Israel), and the place (the Holy City of Jerusalem) to take center stage in the End Times.

This passage also determines the prophecy’s purpose: “...to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy” (Daniel 9:24).

Adrian Rogers says, “God has a plan and in 490 years, He’s going to finish that plan; nothing has gotten out of hand, not a jot or a tittle will fail from the law, till all has been fulfilled.”

This passage also reveals how it will come about. “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince…” (Daniel 9:25).

This command to rebuild Jerusalem was given in the Book of Nehemiah; this is when God’s clock started ticking. Adding up the years recorded in the Bible concerning Israel’s commencement and construction, we calculate 483 of the 490 years prophesied.

When Jesus came, the clock stopped and it has yet to resume; there are seven more years of biblical prophecy yet to be fulfilled.

Daniel also saw Jerusalem being destroyed, symbolizing how God’s chosen people (Israel) rejected Him. We are living in an undetermined period of time marked by wars and desolations as God deals with Israel.

But once the Bride is complete, and the last soul is finally redeemed (Romans 11:25), Jesus will return to rapture the Church, and the clock will begin ticking again.

After the seven years of Tribulation, when the 490 years are complete, Jesus will step in once again.

As Adrian Rogers says, “This time, Jesus is not coming for His church, rather with His church in power and great glory; 777 will take care of 666.”

Apply it to your life

Study the prophecies in Daniel 9 with humility and reverence; ask the Lord to help you understand it and affirm it in your heart today.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

“Rapture” means to be caught up or snatched away speedily; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 explores the sacred mystery of the Rapture, which is prophesied in the Book of Revelation.

“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

The central figure of this event is Jesus Christ, who is returning to rapture His church: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

When Jesus descends with a shout, the dead in Christ rise first, then the living saints will be caught up to meet them in the air.

Adrian Rogers says, “If you have the same nature as Jesus Christ when He comes again, you’re the one going up, whether you’re beneath the ground or on top of the ground. If you’ve been Heaven-born, you will be Heaven-bound.”

This passage should be of comfort to us, knowing that we will meet Him in the air. We are assured of the rapture by the saving work of the Lord, which is the Gospel. We are also assured by the Word of the Lord, which is Scripture.

Though we don’t know the exact date when the rapture will occur, we know it is close and certain; it will happen “in the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of the last trump” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

There will be signs of the times; these don’t predict the Second Coming but simply affirm it will take place.

Though the “when” of the Rapture is a mystery, the “why” is clear; it is God’s divine strategy to rescue His Bride from the Great Tribulation to come. It is when we will reunite with our fellow Christians who have died, as we are all received by the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ.

After we are caught up in the air, the Bridegroom will take us, His Bride, to the place He has prepared for us.

Apply it to your life
You can have peace in these treacherous Last Days if you keep your eyes on Jesus’ Second Coming; learn of it, live for it, long for it, and share it with others.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Revelation 1:1-13

The Book of Revelation was divinely written to inspire and warn those living on the edge of eternity. In Revelation 1, we are given a formal introduction to the contents of the whole book.

First, we see the central Person of Revelation, which is Jesus Christ.
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place...” (Revelation 1:1). The Book of Revelation is the unveiling of Jesus Christ; we will see Him in a different way than we’ve seen Him before.

Adrian Rogers says, “Jesus is the hero of the Bible; if you read the Bible and you don’t find Jesus, go back and reread it.”

Revelation 1:1 also presents our clear purpose as servants of Jesus Christ. We are bondslaves who seek to understand the mysteries of Scripture because we love our Master.

There is also a comforting promise within this text:
“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Revelation 1:3).

We live in a messy, confusing world that is cursed with sin and pain. Through this book, we can understand the mystery of history and make sense out of suffering.

This text also explains Revelation’s certain prophecy.
We are surely living in the Last Days. There are no more prophecies that need to be fulfilled before Jesus can come. Revelation reminds us of the things which were, things which are, and which shall be. It deals with the past, present, and future.

According to the Book of Revelation, the future includes the rapture of the saints and the tribulation of this world. It prophesies the Battle of Armageddon, the beast, the millennium, and the glorification of the Savior.

It tells us of the final judgment, in which each of us will learn of the eternal state of our souls. But lastly, at the end of this book, we’re offered the last invitation of the whole Bible: “Come” (Revelation 22:17)!

As we live on the edge of eternity, may we come to Jesus before it’s too late.

Apply it to your life
Revelation 22:20 says, “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” If you want stability on the edge of eternity, keep your eyes on the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Psalm 23:6

The devil’s deceitful and counterfeit thrills never last; in fact, Satan always gives his best first and the worst last. On the contrary, every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before, and even still, He saves the best for last.

Psalm 23:6 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

God has promised us a place beyond death, and we can anticipate it through Christ. By looking forward to our dwelling in Heaven, we can make the rest of our lives the best of our lives.

This passage reminds us, first, of the certainty of Heaven.

In John 14:3, Jesus says, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

Heaven is not a state of mind or a condition, it is a real and present place where Christians go after death. Heaven is also a perfect place. Revelation 21:4 says, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Adrian Rogers says, “Heaven is the presence of all that is good and the absence of all that is evil. It is all that the loving heart of God can conceive and the omnipotent hand of God can prepare.”

It is also a purposeful place; without the hindrance of our sinful nature, we’ll serve God like never before. We can also anticipate the company of Heaven: all those in the family of God. We will keep our personalities, having not been absorbed into nothingness. We will know brothers and sisters in Christ and reunite with loved ones.

Finally, we must remember the constancy of Heaven. For now, we are just pilgrims, sojourning on earth. But one day, we will settle in a place of constant joy, constant service, and constant praise.

Apply it to your life
Have you decided to follow Jesus, and make the rest of your days the best of your days? Considering the length of eternity, we can spend the rest of our lives in high anticipation for the place prepared for us.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Psalm 23:5

Many go about today with an incorrect perspective of God. We may believe He is a cosmic killjoy, who only exists to break up our good times. However, when we know God’s heart and His goodness, we’ll find that we feel good about Him.

In Psalm 23:5, David uses three Jewish customs to exemplify how God truly feels about His children. Understanding their meanings can show us how to feel good about God.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies…”

The Bible is full of stories of banquets, weddings, and miracles performed over meals; one could call God’s Word a continual feast. David says that God has welcomed us to His table and that He’s expected us and prepared for our presence.

Adrian Rogers says, “Jesus meets the deepest hungers of our hearts and satisfies the deepest longings. He prepared a table of replenishment when there was the enemy of inadequacy.”

Our fullness comes from Jesus’ restoration, remembrance, and redemption. Jesus doesn’t keep score of our wrongdoings, nor does He ignore us in anger when we fail Him. His disciple, Simon Peter, experienced this when he denied knowing Jesus three times. After His resurrection, Jesus reunited with Him over breakfast and lovingly restored their relationship.

“You anoint my head with oil…”

To anoint guests with oil is to acknowledge them as valuable, and refresh them before the feast. We can be glad in His presence; His mercies are new each morning. (See Lamentations 3:22-23.)

Serving God only gets better, and His grace gets even sweeter, and His presence gets more real.

“My cup runs over...”

Filling one’s cup to the brim is the utmost sign of hospitality and friendship. To claim that our cup is overflowing means God wants us to stay in His presence for longer. It signifies that we are loved, cherished, and welcome for as long as we want.

God is not stingy with His blessings, nor does He hold back; He gives freely, lavishly, wondrously, and abundantly. His peace passes all understanding, and His joy is unspeakable and full of glory.

Apply it to your life
In Christ, we are full, refreshed, and free; don’t let the devil convince you to think negatively about God. Instead, remember Jesus’s words to you: “Come and dine.”

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Psalm 23:4

In spite of our best efforts to forget, death is a very real fact. As believers, it’s something we don’t have to fear; rather, we can anticipate it.

In Psalm 23, King David reveals how to smile at death: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (v. 4).

First, David accepted death as an inevitable fact. There is no way around it, and no way to know when it will happen to us; we just know it will eventually, to each of us.

Second, David acknowledges that death has been defeated. From this perspective, we see that there can be no valley without mountains, and there is no shadow without light.

Adrian Rogers says, “Death is just a shadow because Jesus has become the death of death. He pulled the sting out of death, took the gloom out of the grave, took the dread out of dying. Jesus gives us a hope that is steadfast and sure. A shadow may frighten you, but it cannot hurt you.”

We also learn that there is no evil without a greater good. Because Jesus is our Jehovah, truth is mightier than error, grace is greater than sin, our Sovereign is greater than Satan, and life is greater than death.

David sees that death is no longer his enemy, but his servant. In death, we are finally made like Jesus, able to praise Him with our whole hearts alongside the saints of all the ages, becoming one with God.

In death, we see God’s presence and power. Adrian Rogers says, “There’s nothing that will bring you face-to-face with God more than the dark valleys of life.”

As stated in Psalm 23:4, His rod protects us from all of the powers of evil and His staff draws us close to Him.

Finally, death reveals the purpose of the Shepherd: to bring us out to the other side. David knew enough about a shepherd to know that he would never lead his sheep through a valley unless he was leading them to a better place.

Apply it to your life
Do you want to smile at death? Accept death as a fact, acknowledge that it has been defeated by Jesus, and consider it a friend, used to reveal God’s presence, power, and purpose.

Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Psalm 23:3

It is in a sheep’s nature to wander away from the shepherd. But it is in the shepherd’s nature to restore his sheep. Likewise, we can expect to fall out of fellowship with God. But by His grace, we can learn how to get right with God and stay right with Him.

Psalm 23:3 says, “He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

If we have wandered from the path of righteousness, we must first remember the ministry of the shepherd. Jesus is the good shepherd who restores His sheep when they are led astray.

He uses the rod for protection and correction.

For the stubborn sheep insistent on his own way, Jesus uses the rod, which is a shepherd’s chief weapon for protecting and correcting his flock. God loves us too much to leave us in our stubbornness. It would be foolish to resent the rod or quit because of it. God’s correction reveals our sonship, renews our worship, and restores our fellowship. Though correction is not joyous, it brings peace and fruitfulness.

He uses the staff to retrieve.

The shepherd’s solution for the straying sheep is a staff, which is a crook used to harness and retrieve sheep. When we stray away from God, He retrieves us with His love and draws us back to Him with His grace.

He anoints His sheep and restores them to righteousness.

For the sheep that have been hurt by the enemy or the elements, the shepherd anoints their wounds with healing oil. God has anointed us with the Holy Spirit, which protects us from the enemy’s infliction. After He ministers to His sheep, God restores us that He might master us. After we’re restored, we ought to follow Him on the path of righteousness closer than ever, observing and obeying Him.

Adrian Rogers says, “If we don’t go from restoration to righteousness, we will go right back to the same problem.”

The shepherd’s reputation is based on the activity, welfare, and obedience of his sheep. We stay right with God in order to reveal His majesty to others. Jesus is our saving Jehovah; He leads us so that we can bring glory to His name.

Apply it to your life
Are you a sheep in need of restoration and guidance back to the path of righteousness? Love God, thank Him for His loving chastisement, observe, and obey.