Leaders, it begins and ends with us;everything rises or falls with us.Everything begins and ends with thequality of a leader.

The health of a family is reallycontingent upon the parents. The well-being of a company is contingent uponthe CEO.

Ultimately, for us as a church,everything is going to rise or fall withregard to our legacy with the leaders.

We will be strengthening our faithgroups, all of us must belong to a FaithGroup.

It is important that we never forget,particularly those of us who are in theleadership or aspire to be a leader, thatpeople become like their leaders.

Whoever you decide to follow you willbecome like him or her. (Luke 6:40)

They just modeled it, because like it is

often said, much of leadership is

caught, not taught. It is through

observing and modeling.

’

Malachi

6 “A son honors his father, and a slavehis master. If I am a father, where is thehonor due me? If I am a master, whereis the respect due me?” says the LORD

Almighty. “It is you priests who showcontempt for My name. “But youask, ‘How have we shown contempt forYour name?’

Malachi 7 "You place defiled food on my altar. "Butyou ask, `How have we defiled you?' "Bysaying that the LORD's table iscontemptible. 8 When you bring blindanimals for sacrifice, is that not wrong?When you sacrifice crippled or diseasedanimals, is that not wrong? Try offeringthem to your governor! Would he bepleased with you? Would he accept you?"says the LORD Almighty

Malachi

9 "Now implore God to be gracious tous. With such offerings from yourhands, will he accept you?"--says theLORD Almighty. 10 "Oh, that one ofyou would shut the temple doors, sothat you would not light useless fires onmy altar! I am not pleased with you,"says the LORD Almighty, "and I willaccept no offering from your hands.

Malachi 11 My name will be great among thenations, from the rising to the setting ofthe sun. In every place incense and pureofferings will be brought to my name,because my name will be great amongthe nations," says the LORD Almighty.12 "But you profane it by saying of theLord's table, `It is defiled,' and of itsfood, `It is contemptible.'

Malachi 13 And you say, `What a burden!' andyou sniff at it contemptuously," says theLORD Almighty. "When you bringinjured, crippled or diseased animalsand offer them as sacrifices, should Iaccept them from your hands?" says theLORD.

Malachi 14 "Cursed is the cheat who has anacceptable male in his flock and vows togive it, but then sacrifices a blemishedanimal to the Lord. For I am a greatking," says the LORD Almighty, "andmy name is to be feared among thenations.

How many of you, would more easily

see God as Father?

How many of you, would more easily

see God as Master?

(MALACHI 1: 6-9)

Matthew

21 “Where your treasure is, there your

heart is.”

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.

’

It’s not about how much you

give, but it’s about how much

you give out of what you have.

““

1 As Jesus looked up, he saw the richputting their gifts into the templetreasury. 2 He also saw a poor widowput in two very small coppercoins.3 “Truly I tell you,” He said, “thispoor widow has put in more than all theothers. 4 All these people gave their giftsout of their wealth; but she out of herpoverty put in all she had to live on.”

Luke

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.

1. HOW IN THE WORLD CAN

YOU JUSTIFY GIVING GOD

YOUR SIN AND NOT YOUR

WEALTH?

2. HOW CAN YOU GLADLY

RECEIVE FROM GOD AND NOT

GLADLY GIVE TO GOD?

3. WOULD YOU RATHER

GIVE GOD YOUR MONEY OR

SAVE IT UP TO BUY A ROPE

LIKE JUDAS DID?

4. JESUS WAS NOT A LAME

SACRIFICE, SO WHY WOULD

YOU THINK THAT JESUS

WANTS A LAME SACRIFICE?