This document discusses the importance of leadership and giving generously. It contains several passages from the books of Malachi and Matthew. The key points are: 1) Everything rises and falls on the quality of a leader, so leaders must model good behavior and generosity. 2) The passages from Malachi criticize the priests for dishonoring God with inadequate offerings. 3) The story of the poor widow from the book of Luke who gave generously despite her poverty is held up as an example of true generosity. 4) Church leaders must lead by example in their giving and generosity.

4. Leaders, it begins and ends with us;
everything rises or falls with us.
Everything begins and ends with the
quality of a leader.
The health of a family is really
contingent upon the parents. The well-
being of a company is contingent upon
the CEO.

5. Ultimately, for us as a church,
everything is going to rise or fall with
regard to our legacy with the leaders.
We will be strengthening our faith
groups, all of us must belong to a Faith
Group.

6. It is important that we never forget,
particularly those of us who are in the
leadership or aspire to be a leader, that
people become like their leaders.
Whoever you decide to follow you will
become like him or her. (Luke 6:40)

8. They just modeled it, because like it is
often said, much of leadership is
caught, not taught. It is through
observing and modeling.

9. ’

10. Malachi
6 “A son honors his father, and a slave
his master. If I am a father, where is the
honor due me? If I am a master, where
is the respect due me?” says the LORD
Almighty. “It is you priests who show
contempt for My name. “But you
ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for
Your name?’

11. Malachi
7 "You place defiled food on my altar. "But
you ask, `How have we defiled you?' "By
saying that the LORD's table is
contemptible. 8 When you bring blind
animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong?
When you sacrifice crippled or diseased
animals, is that not wrong? Try offering
them to your governor! Would he be
pleased with you? Would he accept you?"
says the LORD Almighty

12. Malachi
9 "Now implore God to be gracious to
us. With such offerings from your
hands, will he accept you?"--says the
LORD Almighty. 10 "Oh, that one of
you would shut the temple doors, so
that you would not light useless fires on
my altar! I am not pleased with you,"
says the LORD Almighty, "and I will
accept no offering from your hands.

13. Malachi
11 My name will be great among the
nations, from the rising to the setting of
the sun. In every place incense and pure
offerings will be brought to my name,
because my name will be great among
the nations," says the LORD Almighty.
12 "But you profane it by saying of the
Lord's table, `It is defiled,' and of its
food, `It is contemptible.'

14. Malachi
13 And you say, `What a burden!' and
you sniff at it contemptuously," says the
LORD Almighty. "When you bring
injured, crippled or diseased animals
and offer them as sacrifices, should I
accept them from your hands?" says the
LORD.

15. Malachi
14 "Cursed is the cheat who has an
acceptable male in his flock and vows to
give it, but then sacrifices a blemished
animal to the Lord. For I am a great
king," says the LORD Almighty, "and
my name is to be feared among the
nations.

17. How many of you, would more easily
see God as Father?
How many of you, would more easily
see God as Master?

19. (MALACHI1:6-9)

20. Matthew
21 “Where your treasure is, there your
heart is.”

24. And it starts with church leaders. Many
churches don’t even track the giving of
the leaders, and then the leaders are
encouraging the people to be generous,
but nobody’s checking to see if the
leaders are generous. I would say that’s
evil.

25. ’

26. It’s not about how much you
give, but it’s about how much
you give out of what you have.
“
“

27. 1 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich
putting their gifts into the temple
treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow
put in two very small copper
coins.3 “Truly I tell you,” He said, “this
poor widow has put in more than all the
others. 4 All these people gave their gifts
out of their wealth; but she out of her
poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Luke

28. So, there’s a woman in the New
Testament. She’s a widow. She is
really broke. She gives generously. If
you look at it, it’s just a small
amount, but percentage-wise, it is
great generosity.

30. 1. HOW IN THE WORLD CAN
YOU JUSTIFY GIVING GOD
YOUR SIN AND NOT YOUR
WEALTH?

31. 2. HOW CAN YOU GLADLY
RECEIVE FROM GOD AND NOT
GLADLY GIVE TO GOD?

32. 3. WOULD YOU RATHER
GIVE GOD YOUR MONEY OR
SAVE IT UP TO BUY A ROPE
LIKE JUDAS DID?

33. 4. JESUS WAS NOT A LAME
SACRIFICE, SO WHY WOULD
YOU THINK THAT JESUS
WANTS A LAME SACRIFICE?