Malachi
3:7-11 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone
away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will
return unto you, saith the Lord of
hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? 8 Will
a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee?
In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed
me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,
that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you
the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be
room enough to receive it. 11
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the
fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time
in the field, saith the Lord of
hosts.
God Wants Us To Be GRATEFUL GIVERS. Proverbs 3:9-10 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with
the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with
plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
God Wants Us To Be WILLING GIVERS. Exodus 35:5 Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD;...
God Wants Us To Be CHEERFUL GIVERS. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
The Word of God is very specific about the means through which the
ministry should be financed. It's not to be financed through,
Bake sales, rummage sales, solicitations, bingo or Carnivals.
Televangelist
and para-church organizations are not the storehouse.
Some defend these practices as just another means of promoting the Gospel, but God has given specific instruction on how to support His work.
Some defend these practices as just another means of promoting the Gospel, but God has given specific instruction on how to support His work.
1. THE TITHE HAS BEEN A PART OF GOD'S PLAN IN THE PAST.
- The Tithe is to be brought into The Storehouse (3:10).
- The Tithe dates back to at least Abraham's Day. Genesis 14:18-20 Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God,... And he gave him tithes of all.
These verses indicate that
tithing was recognized as a part of worship.
- The Purpose of The Tithe. Numbers 18:21 Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel... for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
- The Ownership of The Tithe. Leviticus 27:30 All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD.
Colossians
1:16-19 For by him
were all things created, that are in heaven,
and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or
powers: all things were created by him,
and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the
body, the church:
- God Gives Us The Ability To Make A Living. Deuteronomy 8:17-18 Don't say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
- We Should Desire To Honor God With Our Substance. Proverbs 3:9-10 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
2. THE TITHE IS STILL A PART OF GOD'S PLAN TODAY.
- Jesus Approved Tithing: Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
- Paul Taught Tithing. 1 Corinthians 9:13-14 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
1 Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one
of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no
gatherings when I come.
3. THE BENEFITS OF HONORING GOD THROUGH GIVING.
- God Blesses those who honor Him with the Tithe (v 10-11). Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
- What God Says About Those Who Do Not (3:7-9). Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? 8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
- Learning to Trust God is our first step in spiritual growth. Matthew 6:19-21, 33 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
4. HOW CAN I START GIVING TO THE SUPPORT OF MY CHURCH?
- God never asks us to do something He will not enable us to do.
- He employs many means to provide. He is able to. . . .
Increase Our
Supply
Decrease Our
Spending
Give Us Wisdom
To Be Better Managers
Give Us
Grace To Sacrifice
Perform The
Supernatural
