Remember The 90’s

Opening | Why a conversation around giving?

Our attendance is up 5% fin contrast to January - May of last year.

As a church our giving for the months of January to May is down 7.8%

Much of this can be attributed to the fact that our economy has experienced an absolute blugeoning in the last two years.

Just grocery prices increased as a whole by 5% in 2023 and another 3% in 2024 so far.

It’s even higher as you look at individual categories within the context of groceries.

On top of all of that it is an election year… a time in which charitable donations find a halt.

TODAY I WANT TO TEACH YOU THE GREATEST HEDGE AGAINST INFLATION

10X my net worth in 14 years making an average of $31K a year.

It’s not because of my financial ingenuity…it’s because of the consistency of this principals product.

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This is not new

It is important to understand that financial hardship is common throughout the Old Testament even for the people of God.

The agricultural context plays itself out in financial hardship manifesting as “famine”

Famine is occasionally a tool to promote transition.

But it is often a tool to remind of dependence.

Economic uncertainty is often a tool intended to call us to our purpose or convict us of our priorities.

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Tithing is not simply an Old Testament conversation

Matthew 23:23 ESV

23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Jesus is rebuking the scribes and pharisees because they are meticulous accountants.

Even the most miniscule of agricultural gains has tithes paid on it.

They are legalistic in their approach to this.

They are meticulous about tithing but neglectful about serving…They are not commited to justice, mercy, and faith.

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You ought to tithe

Often we read this rebuke and much of the Christian world has taken this passage to mean that tithing is not necessary.

They claim that tithing was a part of the law and therefor it is not necessary to you and I because we are under grace.

This belief system lends itself to the fact that Jesus is freeing us from the burden of the tithe by telling us to love justice, mercy, and faith.

But verse 23 destroys this argument.

Jesus refers back to the meticulous practice of tithing and says “YOU OUGHT TO HAVE DONE THIS.”

Tithing is a practice that Jesus expects from His followers.

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What is tithing?

Tithing is the practice of bringing 10% of our income, earned or received to the church that we call home.

Where did this practice come from?

A lot of people assume this was simply a part of the Mosaic law because it was included in the stipulations laid out in the law.

But tithing did not end with the fulfillment of the law because it did not begin with the institution of the law.

The practice of tithing started with Abraham - 500 years before Moses would ascend Mount Sinai.

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Genesis 14:17–20 ESV

17 After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Back story: Abraham is living in a season of victory and blessing.

Handing out L’s left and right.

In this season he has developed relationship with a king name Melchizidek

Melchizidek is the king of Salem and is commonly seen as a type of Jesus

HE FUNCTIONS AS A KING - He rules over people

HE FUNCTIONS AS A PRIEST - He facilitates proper relationship between people and God.

Melchizedek blesses Abraham immensely in their encounters…and Abrahams’s response is to give back 10% of what he owns.

When the concept of tithing shows up in scripture it was in response to the goodness of the king and priest

The most incredibly freeing posture you can take is to see giving into the kingdom as a response rather than a requirement.

The tithe is not a law it’s a lifestyle.

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Tithing is not a heaven or hell issue…it is a blessing or cursing issue.

Malachi 3:8–12 NKJV

8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. 10 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. 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts; 12 And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the Lord of hosts.

Tithing is not a heaven or hell issue…it is a blessing or cursing issue.

Blessing: 1293. בְּרָכָה berakah (139c); from 1288; a blessing:—benefit(1), blessed(1), blessing(48), blessings(11), generous(1), gift(3), most blessed(1), peace(2), present(1).

Curse: 4423 מְאֵרָה (meʾē·rā(h)): n.fem.; ≡ Str 3994; TWOT 168a—LN 33.470–33.475 a curse, i.e., the content of what is spoken to injure another (Dt 28:20; Pr 3:33; 28:27; Mal 2:2; 3:9+)

A translation based on Hebrew definitions could be made concerning the practice of tithing given the content of this verse.

You are living in confusion because you have failed to obey in the tithe. But if you will bring all your tithe into the place you are fed See if I won’t unleash benefits, blessings, generosity, and peace in such a way that you won’t be able to handle it.

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A robbery is in progress

Let’s break this passage down a bit.

When speaking of tithes and offerings | Look at the terminology God uses.

He says that we are “robbing” God.

If someone comes to you and says I have been robbed…What do they typically mean?

If you come to my birthday party and don’t bring a gift…that’s not robbery, (It’s rude, but it’s not robbery.)

In order for something to be robbery…the robber has to take something that belongs to me.

God does not approach a conversation surrounding giving to His work from the perspective that it is an optional decision to be made.

He speaks as though to not do it is to rob Him of what is rightfully His.

Haggai 2:8 NKJV

8 ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts.

Psalm 24:1–2 NKJV

1 The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. 2 For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the waters.

IT ALL BELONGS TO GOD!

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But that’s mine

When the boys would make the mistake of claiming that the PS5 was theirs…I would quickly remind them that it was my card that made the purchase.

It’s actually mine…but I graciously allow you to use it for your purposes.

When my kids treat what I give them well and in accordance with the standards that I set forth for them.

I feel comfortable giving more to them.

SO FOLLOW THE LOGIC…|

Everything belongs to God

The earth and EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF IT’S CONTENT

Therefore everything I have at my disposal is the result of God allowing me to manage HIS PROPERTY!

Genesis shows us the response of God’s people to His goodness

The law shows us the protocol for managing increase

Malachi stipulates what to expect

Jesus reiterates tithings importance.

But I want us to have a perspective change regarding what giving is…

The giving moment is actually a reversal of our normal perspective.

When I bring my tithe it’s less of a surrender in giving 10% and more a celebration that God generously allows me to keep 90%

_________ So where do I give?

It’s not just giving 10%…it’s investing it into where you eat.

He says bring it into the storehouse.

This was the place attached to the place of worship specifically constructed to house the crops brought by the people of God.

In the plans God gave to Moses, David, Solomon etc he included the stipulation there needs to be a place in my house specifically for storing the tithes and offerings of my people!

In God’s design for financial stewardship…He intended for each believer to bring 10% of their increase to their place of worship as an act of worship.

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If you call Awaken home…this is your storehouse.

If your family get’s fed here, this is where your tithe belongs according to God.

Does the kids ministry effect your kids?

Do the sermons teach you God’s Word?

Have you found life giving community?

Has serving helped you find fulfillment and explore your purpose?

PET PEEVE | Giving to storehouses that are not gonna feed you.

I’m glad you enjoy their youtube ministry…but they aren’t answering your call when you have a car wreck

I’m glad you follow them on social media…but they aren’t going to provide counsel for you

THIS IS THE STOREHOUSE | THE BLESSING OF THE PREDICATED ON BRINGING IT INTO THE STOREHOUSE.

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What can I look for when I begin the practice of tithing?

1. Income

Proverbs 11:24–25 ESV

24 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. 25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.

As you begin to return the tithe God will begin to trust you with more income.

I began tithing in 2010 | Making 12,000 per year

Our income has increased since then.

God will give more to those who give more.

2. Ideas

You can find in scripture a multiplicity of examples that God is the generator if MASSIVELY SUCCESSFUL IDEAS

He inspires Joseph to store up food for seven years and this idea created national wealth for Egypt

He inspires Elisha to tell the widow to gather vessels, this idea creates generational wealth for her and her family

He inspires Jacob to set a stick in front of mating sheep which creates wealth for he and his family

He gives Solomon wisdom and this wisdom makes him the richest man in the history of the world.

When you trust God with what belongs to Him…He will begin to give you ideas for businesses, inventions, cost cutting options, and ways to invest.

3. In Roads

There are some people who are full of great ideas…but lacking on great opportunity.

This church was not a new idea for us when we launched it in 2022

The idea of this church was birthed in 2015

But my idea was held up until I had the proper relaitonships.

WHEN I TRUST GOD WITH MY FINANCES…HE TRUSTS ME WITH HIS FAVOR!

I fully believer there are those who when they begin tithing will receive an income increase…but I believe even more common and exciting than that will be the ideas and in roads of relationship that are birthed because you experience what it is to walk in the favor of God.