God's Wakeup Call
god’s wakeup call
Romans 2:2-6 (NKJV)
But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6who "will render to each one according to his deeds":
Proverbs 29:1 (NKJV)
He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,
Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
Psalm 95:6-8 (NKJV)
Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture,
And the sheep of His hand.
Today, if you will hear His voice:
8"Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion,
As in the day of trial in the wilderness,
Matthew 24:46-51 (NKJV)
Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' 49and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Luke 12:42-48 (NKJV)
And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 43Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. 45But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (NKJV)
So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
9Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
Hebrews 3:7-15 (NKJV)
Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
"Today, if you will hear His voice,
8Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
In the day of trial in the wilderness,
9Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,
And saw My works forty years.
10Therefore I was angry with that generation,
And said, 'They always go astray in their heart,
And they have not known My ways.'
11So I swore in My wrath,
'They shall not enter My rest.' "
12Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15while it is said:
"Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."
2 Peter 3:3-11 (NKJV)
knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." 5For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
“FINANCIAL FREEDOM IN 2009”
(Part 6)
Questions regarding tithing
WHAT IS TITHING?
A response to God for His provision. The method whereby God has chosen to finance His Kingdom work on earth. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, He owns all the Gold and Silver but He is looking for those who walk by faith and not by sight.
Malachi 3:8-12
"Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings.
9You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
10Bring 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. [NKJV]
TESTIMONIES
HOW MUCH IS A TITHE?
Tithe simply means tenth. One tenth of all of our increase belongs to God.
IS THE TITHE NET OR GROSS?
What do you get paid per hour? Some people pray their making $30.00 per hour but they only tithe on their net which is about $20.00 per hour. Do you think you’re fooling God or maybe God should reduce our hourly wage to what we are comfortable to tithe.
CAN I TITHE MY TIME?
Tithe is in regard to increase
When was the last time you had an increase of time?
Time is more about stewardship and giving of your time not tithing your time.
Again examine the heart issue.
WHERE DOES THE TITHE BELONG?
In the O.T. it all went to the temple where it was redistributed to the local communities. The temple acted as the storehouse, where God’s people were cared for.
The local church acts in that function today.
CAN I DISTRIBUTE MY TITHE ACCORDING TO NEEDS OR MINISTRIES I SEE?
This is more about who controls the tithe. The scripture says bring all the tithe into the storehouse. I’ve heard some say they’re going to tithe to this or that particular ministry. The church acts as the covering for all those ministries. Example: someone wanted to tithe to the music ministry, if everyone practiced this then where would the finance come to pay the wages for that music minister. Again it’s about control.
1. Tithe is the Lord’s
2. When you distribute it according to your desire – you are back in control.
WHEN SHOULD I TITHE?
1 Corinthians 16:1-2 (NKJV)
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: 2On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.
Weekly or systematically. There are those who tithe once a year. If you get paid once a year that would be fine. It just helps to better budget the finances of God.
Principles of tithing
Tithing is about control:
Who is in control?
You or God.
Luke 12:15-21 (NKJV)
And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." 16Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' 18So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." ' 20But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' 21So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
V20 “then whose will those things be”
God is in control. God is who we need to honor. When we bring our firstfruits, our tithe it honors Him.
Malachi 1:6 (NKJV)
"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts to you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, 'In what way have we despised Your name?'
CAN YOU TITHE ANONYMOUSLY?
1. no scriptural basis
2. do we want to remain anonymous because we’re dealing with pride
3. do we want to remain anonymous because we don’t want accountability
Acts 4:36, 5:1
Barnabas, a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, were not anonymous
Abraham was not anonymous
Jacob was not anonymous
The widow though anonymous was still under the scrutiny of accountability
Mark 12:42-43 (NIV)
But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
43Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.
Matthew 6:1-4 (NKJV)
"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
This has nothing to do with the tithe. But in our giving are we giving to be seen of men or are we giving because God has spoken to us to do it.
This is about heart condition.
What the Bible teaches on tithing:
Genesis 14:16-24 (v20) Abraham – before the command – the law or torah (teachings)
Genesis 28:22 - tithing pattern followed by grandson Jacob
Proverbs 3:1 (NKJV)
My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; 2for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.
Satan is still in the business of twisting God’s Word – “yea hath God said?”
Deuteronomy 14:22-29
Leviticus 27:30 – 33
Matthew 23:23
DO I GIVE OR PAY TITHES?
Matthew 23:23 (NKJV)
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
1. Giving is a choice an exercise of control
2. Paying is an obligation or a debt.
If I give you something that is an exercise of my own volition and choices. When I pay it’s not about choice it’s about obligation of something that I owe. God gave to me therefore I am obliged to give Him back the portion He says is His.
Giving is what I decide – such as ministries, missions, alms, gifts to the poor and needy. We pay our tithes we give offerings.
Hebrews 7:1-9 (NKJV)
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2to whom also Abraham gave (apodekatoo) a tenth part of all, first being translated "king of righteousness," and then also king of Salem, meaning "king of peace," 3without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. 4Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave (apodekatoo) a tenth of the spoils. 5And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; 6but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. 8Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid (apodekatoo) tithes through Abraham, so to speak,
Conclusion:
- The tithe is the Lord’s
Leviticus 27:30 (NKJV)
And 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 to the Lord.
Malachi 3:10
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. [NKJV]
- Revival will come when God’s people obey Him and His Word.
2 Chronicles31:5-10 (NKJV)
As soon as the commandment was circulated, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of grain and wine, oil and honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything. 6And the children of Israel and Judah, who dwelt in the cities of Judah, brought the tithe of oxen and sheep; also the tithe of holy things which were consecrated to the Lord their God they laid in heaps.
7In the third month they began laying them in heaps, and they finished in the seventh month. 8And when Hezekiah and the leaders came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and His people Israel. 9Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10And Azariah the chief priest, from the house of Zadok, answered him and said, "Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and have plenty left, for the Lord has blessed His people; and what is left is this great abundance."
READ ANONYMOUS LETTER
You are going to overcome this financial obstacle for the Lord is on the side of those who obey Him. You will experience financial freedom in 2009.