Message: “What’s That Smell?” from Christian Newsome

In the first message of "The Tension," we look at Malachi 1–2 and discover how easily we can misunderstand God’s heart when it comes to generosity. Many of us want a God who rules the world, but we struggle with a God who wants to rule our hearts. Yet God desires to be great first and foremost in the hearts of His people—and the condition of our hearts is revealed in the spirit with which we give. In this message, we also explore the responsibility of spiritual leaders to faithfully teach God’s people what it means to worship Him, including through our giving. Ultimately, generosity isn’t just about what we put in an offering; it’s about whether God truly has first place in our hearts.

Scripture References: Malachi 1:1-14, Malachi 2:1-17

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From Series: "The Tension"

In "The Tension", we journey through the book of Malachi and discover what God says about generosity, stewardship, and the condition of our hearts. Because the tension isn’t simply about how much we have—it’s about who has our hearts. Through Malachi’s challenging words, we’ll see that generosity isn’t just something God asks us to do; it’s an invitation to trust Him, honor Him, and participate in what He’s doing in the world. When we put God first, He changes not only the way we handle our money, but the way we live our entire lives.