BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES OF MATERIAL POSSESSIONS

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal:
but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and thieves do not break in and steal.
FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE WILL YOUR HEART BE ALSO."

Someone has said: "If you really want to know how serious you are about going to heaven, just look in your check book and see where you are spending your money!"

In Luke 16, Jesus tells a very interesting story or parable of the Unjust Steward. Because of his wasting of his master’s goods, the steward is fired! "Then the steward said within himself, "What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg."
In the story, the steward arranges to put those who he had done business with in obligation to him by adjusting the books in their favor, thus reducing the amount each debtor owed. Strangely, the Master commends him. "So the master commended the unjust steward became he had dealt shrewdly.
But Jesus takes this story and gives us a very important lesson on this whole matter of how we treat earthly possessions.
Verse 10 says: "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?
NO SERVANT CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS: FOR EITHER HE WILL HATE THE ONE AND LOVE THE OTHER, OR ELSE HE WILL BE LOYAL TO THE ONE AND DESPISE THE OTHER. YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON (MONEY).

The Amplified Bible makes these verses very clear!
"He who is faithful in a very little [thing] is faithful also in much, and he who is dishonest and unjust in a very little [thing] is dishonest and unjust also in much.
Therefore if you have not been faithful in the [case of] unrighteous mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions), who will entrust to you the true riches?
And if you have not proved faithful in that which belongs to another [whether God or man], who will give you that which is your own [that is, the true riches]?
No servant is able to serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the

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one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (riches, or anything in which you trust and on which you rely)."

In verses 10 and 11 the lesson is that a man's way of fulfilling a small task is the best proof of his fitness or unfitness to be entrusted with a bigger task. That is clearly true of earthly things. No man will be advanced to higher office until he has given proof of his honesty and ability in a smaller position.
But Jesus extends the principle to eternity! He says, "Upon earth you are in charge of things which are not really yours. You cannot take them with you when you die. They are only lent to you. You are only a steward over them. They cannot, in the nature of things, be permanently yours. On the other hand, in heaven you will get what is really and eternally yours. And what you get in heaven depends on how you use the things of earth. What you will be given as your very own will depend on how you use the things of which you are only stewards.
Verse 13 lays down the rule that no slave can serve two masters. The master possessed the slave, and possessed him exclusively. Nowadays, a servant or a workman can quite easily do two jobs and work for two people. He can do one job in his working time and another in his spare time. But a slave had no spare time; every moment of his day, and every ounce of his energy, belonged to his master. He had no time which was his own. So, serving God can never be a part-time or a spare-time job. ONCE A MAN CHOOSES TO SERVE GOD EVERY MOMENT OF HIS TIME AND EVERY ATOM OF HIS ENERGY BELONGS TO GOD. God is the most exclusive of masters. WE EITHER BELONG TO HIM TOTALLY OR NOT AT ALL!

SO, THE WAY WE APPROACH THIS WHOLE MATTER OF FINANCES IS A VERY SPIRITUAL MATTER, because it effects our relationship to heaven!

Most of us are intensely tied to our wealth...our possessions...our savings and bank accounts. Our wallets are a very tender spot in our personalities! That is why Jesus said, "Where your treasure is located, that is where your heart is!
One day, Jesus was approached by a rich, young ruler. (Matt. 19:16-26) "Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"
So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.
He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said. "You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness.’

Honor your father and your mother, and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

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The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?"
Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven and come follow Me."
But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"
But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

It should be noted that Jesus was not teaching this young man or those listening that they must sell everything and give away the proceeds to be saved. This would contradict the whole of Scripture--for no one can be saved by doing good works (Romans 4:1-3; 5:1).
Salvation is a gift from God that is received by faith.
What, then, was Jesus teaching? First, note that He did not require this kind of sacrifice from other rich people who followed Him. In the case of the rich young ruler, He was dealing with a man who was in love with his material possessions. He had "great wealth," and it was his stumbling block. Though he did a lot of good things with his life, his love of money kept him from experiencing God's saving love and grace. Evidently, he was not even willing to discuss the matter further with Jesus. He simply walked away with a heavy heart.

It is very interesting to observe how much Jesus talked about this whole matter of possessions and finances. Twenty-five percent of His parables deal with the subject! A quick review of the parables reveal the following truths about money:
***Jesus referred to investment in jewels and treasures to illustrate the importance of investing in the kingdom of God (Matt. 13:44-45).
***He referred to saving new treasures, as well as old, to illustrate the importance of storing up both old and new truth (Matt. 13:25).
***He used indebtedness to illustrate the importance of forgiveness (the parable of the unmerciful servant) (Matt. 18:23-35).
***He discussed capital, investments, banking, and interest to emphasize our human responsibility to utilize God's gifts in a prudent and responsible way (the parable of the talents--Matthew 25:14-30 and the parable of the ten minas--Luke 19:11-27).

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***He referred to building barns to store grain for the future while neglecting to store up spiritual treasures as a very foolish decision (the parable of the rich fool--Luke 12:16-21)
***He contrasted the rich man who died and went to hell with a poor beggar who died and went to heaven to illustrate how wealth and what it provides can harden our hearts against spiritual truth (the parable of the rich man and Lazarus).
***He contrasted the proud Pharisee who fasted and tithed regularly with the humble tax collector who acknowledged his sin of dishonesty and greed to illustrate that God acknowledges humility and rejects self-exaltation (the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector).

When Jesus told these parables, His purpose was not to evaluate various aspects of the economic policies and procedures used in Palestine. Rather, He was using what was most familiar in order to teach spiritual truth. He was tapping into what was uppermost in people's minds at all economic levels in an effort to capture their attention.

Remember our verse which we began our lesson: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be."

Treasure--bank account--IRAs--lands, houses, saving accounts.... these are our earthly treasures!
I doubt that there is a more threatening subject than that of our money...and what we do with it...and how we spend it...and how much of it we give to God. Ah! there is the touchy spot...giving to God, or tithing.
Frank M. Hubbard sums it up rather bluntly: When a fellow says, "It aint the money but the principle of the thing,'...IT'S THE MONEY!
Voltaire went so far as to say, "When it is a question of money, everybody is of the same religion."

When we speak of TITHING, we are speaking of the Biblical concept or worshipping God with a portion of our increase, whether it comes to us as salary, interest, capital gain...and in any other form of financial income in which God blesses us. The word TITHE implies that a certain percentage (ten percent) of our financial increase has been marked by God as belonging to Him, and as a steward of life and its blessings, we recognize and honor God as the giver of all our blessings by giving Him His TITHE, His portion. Not to do so is an act of a ROBBERY!
"Will a man rob or defraud God? Yet you rob and defraud Me. But you say, In what way do we rob or defraud You? [You have withheld your tithes and offerings.
You are cursed with the curse, for you are robbing Me, even this whole nation.

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Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of our income) into the store-house, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
And I will rebuke the devourer [insects and plagues] for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruit before the time of the field, says the Lord of host." (Malachi 3:8-11)
The TITHE is encountered early in the moments of human history as recorded in the Old Testament.
Leviticus 27:30 "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."

Proverbs 3:9-10
"Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the firstfruits of all your income.
So shall your storage places be filled with plenty, and your vats shall be overflowing with new wine."

Deuteronomy 26:1-
"When you have come into the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance and possess it and live in it,
You shall take some of the first of all the produce of the soil which you harvest from the land the Lord your God gives you and put it in a basket, and go to the place [the sanctuary] which the Lord your God has chosen as the abiding place for His Name [and His Presence].
And you shall go to the priest who is in office in those days, and say to him, I give thanks this day to the Lord your God that I have come to the land which the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.
And the priest shall take the basket from your hand and sit it down before the altar of the Lord your God.
And you shall say before the Lord your God, A wondering and lost Aramean ready to perish was my father [Jacob], and he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and he became there a nation, great, mighty, and numerous.
And the Egyptians treated us very badly and afflicted us and laid upon us hard bondage.
And when we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our cruel oppression.
And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, and with great (awesome) power and with signs

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and with wonders:
And He brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowed with milk and honey.
And now, behold, I bring the firstfruits of the ground which You, O Lord, have given me. And you shall set it down before the Lord your God and worship before the Lord your God:
And you and the Levite and the stranger and the sojourner among you shall rejoice in all the good which the Lord your God has given you and your household.
When you have finished paying all the TITHE of your produce the third year, which is the year of tithing, and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and to the widow, that they my eat within your town and be filled,
Then you shall say before the Lord your God, I have brought the hallowed things (the tithe) out of my house and moreover have given them to the Levite, to the stranger and the sojourner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed any of Your commandments, neither have I forgotten them." (Deuteronomy 26:1-13)

The TITHE in the Old Testament was based on different social and economic systems from those of current times. References to the TITHE in the Old Testament deal with fields, flocks, herds, and grains. In the Genesis reference, mention is made of people--slaves--being regarded as gifts. They had been captured in war and thus were part of the spoils of war. Tithing included giving one out of ten of one's newly captured slaves!
The TITHE, when based on a spiritual interpretation of the Old Testament, is not a legalism. It cannot be reduced to a mathematical formula applied to income. The TITHE of the Old Testament is a testimony to the interconnectedness of people and God. The TITHE, like the message of the Old Testament, is a living witness to God. TITHING BEGAN FOUR HUNDRED YEARS BEFORE THE LAW WAS GIVEN. It was a part of worship from the earliest moments of man's history and was a spiritual experience based on a living relationship rather than an observance of a legalism. A living God does not rely on rules. God asks for giving based on the commitment. There is a significant difference between giving because of a legalism and giving because of being committed to God.
SOME CHRISTIANS DO NOT TITHE BECAUSE OF A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE PLACE OF GOD'S LAW IN THE BIBLE. The moment one raises verses such as "the tithe is the Lord's" or "Will a man rob God?", someone else is usually around who says, "But that's the Old Testament. We are

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not under the law but under grace." I suspect that those whose rationale for not tithing is on theological grounds are not all that anxious to TITHE anyway. I don't want to be unkind, but do these people really believe they are glorifying God by not TITHING? Is it not rather a way of escape for them? Are they not hoping in any case that TITHING is an antiquated enterprise so that they need not face the matter? There is nothing new about the idea of TITHING. It is a practice that dates back to the ancients, even outside the Jewish and Christian tradition. The Egyptians and Chaldeans who occupied the fertile valleys of the Nile before the Old Testament was written--and the Assyrians--tithed to their gods. TITHING in the Bible did not begin with the law. As I have already noted, TITHING was practiced by men of God for more than 500 years before the giving of the law to Moses. Abraham gave a tenth to the priest of God (Gen. 14:20; Hebrews 7:2). Jacob gave a tenth of his income to the Lord (Gen. 28:22). Thus we see that TITHING was not purely a Mosaic commandment but a spiritual law of the saints of God long before the commandments were given by God to Moses.
God's law plainly indicates that "all the TITHE...is the Lord's, it is holy unto the Lord (Lev. 27:30). The key words in this commandment are: ALL (not a part), TITHE (one-tenth), LORD'S (not mine), and HOLY (which means I may not use it for something else). Therefore, since "THE TITHE" is the Lord's, what right have I to steal it? What right have I to borrow it? What right have I to withhold it? What right have I to divert it? What right have I to use it? The law also reads, "Thou shalt truly TITHE" (Deut. 14:22).
There is ultimately only one reason why every Christian should be a TITHER: BECAUSE IT IS BIBLICAL. All other reasons, whatever their advantages may be, would not have any weight behind them at all if what we are talking about is not utterly biblical. Tithing was so deeply imbedded in the Jewish conscience moreover, that it needed virtually no mention in the New Testament. TITHING was an assumption in Israel when Jesus cane on the scene. "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." (Matt. 23:23)
What the Pharisees had done was this: They upheld the law of Moses which leaves no doubt on the matter of TITHING. TITHING was in fact the easiest part of the law to keep. Not that TITHING did not require self-discipline and care, but one could most certainly keep paying his TITHES to the storehouse (the Temple) without having the slightest sense of judgment (or justice) to his fellow man, or mercy to his fellow man, or of personal faith.

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Paying a TITHE on mint, dill, and cummin could give the Pharisees a self-righteous feeling. Jesus knew this. He attacked the Pharisees because of their distortion and lack of balance with respect to their understanding of religion. And yet Jesus honored that part of the law with respect to TITHES! "These (i.e., judgment, mercy and faith) ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other (i.e., TITHING) undone." If TITHING was a part of the law that would or could be dropped under the New Covenant this is the place our Lord would have done it. He did not! His approval and exhortation to TITHE ought to be sufficient motivation for any Christian who wants to be sure where he stands with regard to this subject.
Here is an interesting question on this subject of TITHING..."DID JESUS TITHE? Dr. J. E. Dillard, a great Bible student, writes:
"Jesus was raised in a pious Jewish home, and thus was taught by His parents the concept of TITHING. The Old Testament was the Bible of that day. Jesus loved and quoted from the Old Testament and, in that TITHING was taught in the old text, Jesus believed God's Word and taught its truths. Jesus did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it (Matt. 5:17). TITHING is taught in both the law and the prophets. Jesus said: "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:20). The scribes and the Pharisees were TITHERS. Jesus never lowered moral standards but always raised them. Read again what He said in the Sermon on the Mount on the subject of murder, adultery, and oaths; then ask yourself if you think Jesus would be satisfied with a lower standard of Christian giving than the TITHE. The Talmud forbade a strict Pharisees to sit at a table with one who did not TITHE, yet they sat with Jesus. Jesus observed and commanded other requirements of the law (Matt. 8:4; Luke 17;14; Matt. 23:2-3). The evidence seems to be overwhelmingly conclusive that Jesus not only taught and practiced the giving of the TITHE but went far beyond it."

In the act of giving, the motives must be Christian and righteous.
The Scriptures give us some definite guidelines as to what our motives should be in our giving. Let me suggest a few:
(1) The expectancy of the second coming of Jesus Christ should always be a strong motivational factor in the way Christians view and use their material possessions. In the early days of the Church, believers expected Christ to return rather quickly to set up His kingdom on earth. There is no question that this affected their desire to please the Lord with their earthly possessions. Those of us living in twentieth-century Western culture have probably been affected by materialism more significantly than any group of Christians since the time of

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Christ. It is easy to allow weeks and months, and even years, to go by without even thinking about the possible return of Jesus Christ.
And when we do, we seldom contemplate our eternal rewards and what Christ would say should suddenly stand before His judgment seat to give an account of how we used cur material possessions while on earth.
(2) We should give because it brings glory to God. Glorifying God relates to everything a Christian does. Paul under scored this point when he wrote: "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). This exhortation certainly includes the way we use our money and other material possessions.
This spiritual guideline points to at least one major reason Luke recorded the story of Ananias and Sapphira immediately following Baranabas's generous act of love (Acts 4:34-36: 5:1-10). They, too, wanted to sell a piece of property that they owned and to give the proceeds to help others. However, their motive was entirely wrong. They wanted self-glory--so much so, that they gave a false impression and actually lied to the Holy Spirit. It cost them their lives! Jesus said..."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. Therefore, 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. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." (Matt. 6:1-4)
(3) We give to avoid hypocrisy and dishonesty. How can we say that we really love Christ, and yet refuse to give of our substance to support His Church for which He died! Though serious punishment is not God's normal way of dealing with sin in our lives, the Ananias and Sapphira story illustrates that God detests dishonesty and lack of integrity when it comes to stewardship. It is only because of His grace and love that we are not always disciplined severely for our disobedience. Therefore, let us not ignore His love and abuse His grace. As Paul taught the Roman Christians, so let these words teach us: "Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6:1-2)
Do I hear you now saying...Pastor, are you suggesting that failure to TITHE and give to the work of Christ's Church is SIN?. What saith the Scripture? "Therefore, to him who knows to do Good and does not do it, to him it is sin." (James 4:17) Is it not good to provide from our resources so that the church of Jesus continues to reach our lost world with the glorious news of salvation?

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Is it not good to TITHE to our church so its ministry continues day after day, week after week, providing spiritual guidance and a place of worship for needy souls?
Is it not good to TITHE so funds can be available to share the love of Christ to the darkened corners of the earth?
YES IT IS GOOD...and not to do good is Sin!
(4) We should give and TITHE because it gives evidence to our eternal values fixes our spiritual attention on that which is everlasting. We began our lesson with the scripture verse that says: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Here Jesus is teaching us that we cam test our focus regarding material possessions by what occupies our attitudes and actions. If we are constantly concerned about our possessions on earth-- thinking about them, worrying about them, demonstrating jealousy and greed, mistreating others to gain more or to keep what we have--our treasures are on earth! That is where our heart is. Conversely, if are consistently thinking in terms of how can use our material possessions to glorify God--how we can meet others' needs, how can we further God's work, how we can invest in eternal purposes--then our treasure is in heaven because that is where our heart is.
We must never forget where our resources come from!
Deut. 8:18 says:
"But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the to produce wealth and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your forefather, as it is today."
1 Chron. 29:12 read:
"Wealth and honor come from You, You are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all."
Ecc. 5:19:
"Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God."

EARTHLY POSSESSIONS AND MATERIAL WEALTH ARE FRAUGHT WITH MANY PERILS!
Listen to the words of warning from the Bible:
Deut. 8:13-14

"When your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord our God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery."
Psalm 62:10:
"Do not trust in extortion or take pride in stolen goods, though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them."
Proverbs 28:20
"A faithful mere will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will

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not go unpunished.
Mark 4:19
"...the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful."
1 Timothy 6:9
"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction."
Eze. 33:31
"My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust to gain."
Psalm 39:6
"Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro; He bustles about, but only in vain; He heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it."
James 5:3
"Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days."

Paul also made clear that every Christian is ultimately responsible to give to God on the basis of his or her own heart decision. "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give" (2 Cor. 9:7) Please let me quote at length the Corinthian passage on the subject of Christian giving. (2 Corinthians 8 and 9)
"Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; that in a great trial of affliction the abundances of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. (They gave even though they were exceedingly poor!)
For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. So, we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well.
BUT AS YOU ABOUND IN EVERYTHING--IN FAITH, IN SPEECH, IN KNOWLEDGE, IN ALL DILIGENCE, AND IN YOUR LOVE FOR US--SEE THAT YOU ABOUND IN THIS GRACE ALSO. (In other words, Paul is saying that as we grow in faith, it will be evidenced in the way and the generosity of our giving).

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I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. (Paul is saying that our giving is really the evidence of the sincerity of our love for Jesus Christ who left heaven's glory and came to this earth's poverty [the birds of the air have nests, and the foxes have holes, but the Son of Man hath no where to lay His head], died on the cross, so that in providing salvation for us, we are become heir's of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ to all the glory and splendor of heaven!)
In chapter nine of this Corinthian passage, Paul discusses the result of our giving. (2 Cor. 9:6-15)
"But this I say; He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully, So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. (In other words, the more we give, the more God gives to us so that we can give away even more and have sufficiency for all our needs!)
As it is written: He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor, his righteousness endures forever.
Now may he who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"
GIVING TO GOD AND THE WORK OF THE CHURCH IS AN ACT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS!

Up to this point, we have discussed the Biblical history and teaching on the subject of TITHING. Now let's take a few moments to talk about the METHOD OF GIVING or God's specific plan for giving.
God outlines for Christians of all time a definite plan for giving. Though the New Testament approach is based on broad DIVINE PRINCIPLES, it is nevertheless specific and comprehensive. Because it is based on principles, God's New Testament plan crosses all cultural and economic boundaries.

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(1) Giving to God's work should be done regularly, systematically and proportionately. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he exhorted them to put aside money in keeping with their income, saving it for when he came to pick it up. They were to do it regularly--on the first day of every week (1 Corinthians 16:2). Sometime earlier Paul had shared a special need with the Corinthians; a number of Christians in Jerusalem needed financial assistance. The Corinthians' initial response was positive and even enthusiastic (2 Cor. 8:10-11). However, they had not followed through on their commitment. They had failed to set aside money on a regular basis, thus Paul lays out this specific plan--every week set aside money for God's work! With this injunction, Paul set forth an important principle: CHRISTIANS SHOULD SET ASIDE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THEIR INCOME ON AS REGULAR A BASIS AS THEY ARE PAID TO ENABLE THEM TO SYSTEMATICALLY GIVE TO GOD'S WORK. Consider:
If we are going to make sure God's work gets done in God's way, we must also look at the pragmatic factors involved: Why did God specify certain amounts to carry on His work in the Old Testament? Is there something unique about the 10 percent amount as it relates to supporting those who carry out the Great Commission on a full-time basis? Is there something special about the 10 percent amount to make sure family members worship God and learn His will as they should? Is there a practical reason for the 10 percent amount to he given every third year to help meet the needs of others not as fortunate as we are? These are questions we must carefully and prayerfully consider when we determine how much we should give on a regular, systematic, and proportional basis. For many, the TITHE is only the place to begin! God has so richly blessed persons with large resources, that 10 percent of their income represents a very small amount in terms of their great amount of resources. Others who are not so richly blessed find the TITHE a real sacrifice in terms of their overall resources for their living. If God has blessed us with much, then our proportion in giving can be MUCH!

(2) Our giving to God should be done with a joyful and willing heart. When writing to the Corinthians, Paul made clear that Christians should organize and plan their giving in a systematic way so that they could give generously, willing, and joyfully, not in a grudging fashion or attitude. When money is available because we have planned our giving, it becomes a joyful experience to share when the need is there...a need that is above our normal TITHE to the church. Conversely, when Christians do not plan their giving, they usually do not have money to give. All of us tend to allow our standard of living to rise to our present level of income.

(3) The giving of our TITHE should be to the local church where our souls are fed and we share in the experiences of worship.

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It is the divine design that local churches provide the primary context in which Christians are to use their material possessions to further the work of God's kingdom. The Old Testament pattern was: "Bring ye ALL THE TITHES in the storehouse." The STOREHOUSE referred to the House of the Lord or the Temple. TITHES should not be given to "CHARITY CAUSES." When a Christian gives the TITHES, or any part of them, to nonchurch organizations--no matter how valuable or useful to society they may be--the Christian robs the church, and therefore God! Charitable organizations should be sustained by either non-Christians or Christians who have first given ALL their TITHES to the local church, the spiritual storehouse. And, it seems to me, that it is not scriptural to send our TITHES to other religious endeavors or ministries...we send our offerings to their support, but not the TITHE! If your spiritual life takes place within the local church and that is where your soul is nourished and strengthened, that is where you find Christian fellowship--then that is the place that is to receive God's TITHE from your resources which come from God. One does not go to Safeway and fill their basket with groceries, then go to Albertsons and pay for it! Where our spiritual life is nourished and our family grows in the knowledge and grace of God, that is where we TITHE! Where the TITHE is to be given is not a decision option left to us... the Scriptures have already told us that the STOREHOUSE, THE HOUSE OF GOD, THE PLACE OF MY WORSHIP OF GOD...that is where we all Tithe!
There are some false assumptions common among church people that I would like to discuss for a moment. Assumption #1...I WILL GIVE WHAT'S LEFT. There is nothing left! Everything is used, be it time, energy, talent, or money. When giving is based on unused excesses, there is no giving. There might be some contributions, but this is like throwing crumbs to the birds in winter. This kind of giving is not worthy of a Christian, because a real Christian does not give leftovers to God. Assumption #2 I WILL GIVE AS THE SPIRIT MOVES ME! Giving is a discipline, not just a few random contributions generated by emotional highs. A life rooted in Christian values is disciplined. It moves toward a goal and follows a purpose. Unless a person is disciplined in every part of life---including giving--there will be no discernible pattern and few worthwhile contributions from that life. Assumption #3 THE AMOUNT I GIVE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MY SPIRITUALITY! Yes it does! Remember our text..."Wherever your treasure is, there is where your heart is." We have already observed earlier that our giving proves the sincerity of our love to Jesus!

Now, in conclusion, let's talk about the blessings that flow from God to those who TITHE.

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Again I refer to the passage in Malachi which says: "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. (What a promise from God! When we ere obedient in this matter of TITHING, God has the opportunity to open the windows of heaven and pour out so many blessings upon us that we will not have the capacity to handle them! So not to TITHE is our way of closing up the heavenly sources of blessing and making our life a desert and wasteland. Maybe now we understand why our prayers are not heard and our life so filled with stress and pain.
We have chosen to be disobedient to God's plan to bless us...and the decision is ours!
Verse eleven in Malachi reads: "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."
What a promise! God will prevent loses in our lives and efforts. He will place a hedge of protection around us and ours! The car will last longer, the children will be protected physically and spiritually, and all of life will have such an evidence of God's goodness and blessing that "ALL NATIONS WILL CALL YOU BLESSED, FOR YOU WILL BE A DELIGHTFUL LAND, SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS." (Mal. 3:12)
I do not wish to imply that once we start being obedient in this matter of TITHING that all our worries, troubles and financial problems will end. The apostle Paul said; "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound; every where and in all things, I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need" (Phil. 4:12). If this was true of Paul, we may safely assume that no amount of obedience--at any level--will guarantee smooth sailing all the time. The Lord loves "whom He chastens" (Heb. 12:6), and His chastening must find some form. Whatever else chastening is, it almost always includes the hiding of God's face.
When God hides His face, He gives no advance warning. He does not say: "Next Tuesday afternoon at 2:15 you will notice that I have withdrawn the light of My countenance. Things will go wrong for you. You will be bewildered. But do not worry, it is only that I will be hiding My face from you." No, God doesn't give us advance warning, He just does it. And He does it at the "worst" possible time. It should not be surprising if God lets the matter of financial reverse, or insecurity, become the means of His chastening, even if we have been TITHING! For often the essence of God's chastening consists in the fact that we do not know why He does what He does. It is true that sometimes we do know the reason. Yet, we do know why. To test us--

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to see if we will serve Him, whether or not He blesses us. Job said, "the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job. 1:21)
"Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd the stalls--Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills." (Hab. 3:17-19)

We therefore would do ourselves an immense favor if we checked out our motives for TITHING right from beginning! If we give because we think that we obligate God to bless us financially.. Don't give!
It is exceedingly disturbing to me to hear radio and TV preachers say that when we give, God is obligated to return us ten-fold. This simply is not so! We give because we worship God and we acknowledge that we are only stewards...never owners! And giving involves every aspect of our being.
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God, which is your reasonable (spiritual service).
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, with all they mind..."

Let us never forget... GOD DOES NOT NEED OUR MONEY! He owns everything to begin with! Giving, TITHING, is a privilege granted to us as followers of Jesus Christ to express our sincere love and devotion to our Master, to acknowledge that we are only stewards of God's provisions, to keep our values eternal, and to share the joy of being a part of the spreading of His kingdom throughout this world!