Good morning.
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We'd like to welcome
all of our online members
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and those that are
joining us from around the world
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to another
Sabbath School Study Hour.
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We'd also like to
welcome our visitors
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and our members right here
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at the Granite Bay
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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Now this quarter,
we have been studying
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the biblical
topic of stewardship.
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And today's lesson
is lesson number eight
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entitled The Impact of Tithing,
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The Impact of Tithing.
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And with that, we
also have our free offer
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that goes right along
with this lesson entitled
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Thieves in the Church.
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Now to receive this free
offer, all you need to do is
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call our resource line
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at 1866-788-3966,
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ask for offer
number 136 entitled
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Thieves in the Church.
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Now for those of you that
are outside the United States,
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you can actually
go to AmazingFacts.org
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and you can
download this free offer
00:01:30.92\00:01:33.22
right at AmazingFacts.org.
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For those of you that
don't have the lesson,
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you can also go
to AmazingFacts.org
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and download lesson number eight
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and join in our study.
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Sing the wondrous love of Jesus
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Sing His mercy and His grace
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In the mansions
bright and blessed
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He'll prepare for us a place
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When we all get to heaven
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What a day of
rejoicing that will be
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When we all see Jesus
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We'll sing and shout the victory
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While we walk
the pilgrim pathway
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Clouds will overspread the sky
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But when traveling days are over
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Not a shadow, not a sigh
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When we all get to heaven
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What a day of
rejoicing that will be
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When we all see Jesus
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We'll sing and shout the victory
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Let us then be true and faithful
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Trusting, serving every day
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Just one glimpse of Him in glory
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Will the toils of life repay
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When we all get to heaven
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What a day of
rejoicing that will be
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When we all see Jesus
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We'll sing and shout the victory
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Onward to the prize before us
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Soon His beauty we'll behold
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Soon the pearly gates will open
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We shall tread
the streets of gold
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When we all get to heaven
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What a day of
rejoicing that will be
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When we all see Jesus
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We'll sing and shout the victory
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Father in heaven,
we thank You so much
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that we can sing praises to You
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as it warms our hearts
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as they began to open
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as we prepare them
to receive Your Word.
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Bless Pastor
Doug in a special way
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as he brings the
Word to us as we study,
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truly may You be
glorified in all things.
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We thank You and we praise You
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in the precious
and holy name of Jesus
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we pray, amen.
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Our lesson today is
brought to us by Pastor Doug.
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Today, we are on
lesson number eight
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in the study on stewardship.
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And in particular,
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we're talking about
The Impact of Tithing.
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Now we started doing
something a few weeks ago,
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we're going to
continue that tradition.
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And that is that right now
at the beginning of the lesson,
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some of you who
are watching online,
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if you say, "You
know, we got questions
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about that subject,"
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and we're going to do our best
to answer as many as we can.
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They'll be coming
in to the third quarter
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so to speak of the lesson
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is chance for our
people in the studio.
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Read your questions
online, I'll write them down,
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they'll put them up
on the screen for me.
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And so send in your
questions about the subject
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of the impact of tithing.
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And this is lesson
eight in our quarterly.
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Stewardship's a
very important study
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because really in life,
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so much has to do with
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what you do with
the time you have
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and what you do with the means
you have and the influence.
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And so this is going to
be dealing with that subject
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in the very direct way.
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And we have a memory verse.
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Memory verse is from 1
Corinthians 9:13 and 14.
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Two verses there, if
you'd say it with me,
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that'd be great.
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1 Corinthians 9:13
and 14, and are you ready?
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"Do you not know that those
who minister the holy things
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eat of the things of the temple,
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and those who serve at the altar
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partake of the
offerings of the altar?
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Even so the Lord has commanded
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that those who preach the gospel
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should live from the gospel."
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Now it's interesting
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when Pastor Ros and I do
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Bible questions on Sunday night,
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one of the most
common questions we get
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is regarding tithing.
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They say, "Is
the tithing principle
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or the teachings about tithing,
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do they apply to New
Testament Christians?"
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And this is not a
question of, you know,
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what the
Seventh-day Adventist believe,
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what do other
Christians believe,
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other Christians are divided
all across the board on this.
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You've probably heard it before
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if you've ever scanned through
other religious programming,
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you've probably
heard some preachers
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talking about the
importance of paying tithe.
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And then you've
heard others say,
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"We're not
under the law anymore,
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we don't need to
do that anymore."
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And I always think
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that's a very
interesting discussion.
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But the practicality of it is
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that if you want
people to be fully dedicated
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to the work of ministry
and to preaching the gospel,
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it is not a part-time job.
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My father used to tease
me and he'd say, "Ah, Doug,
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well, you only have
to work once a week.
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I got to work six days a week."
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And so you're a pastor,
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you just get up
and preach a sermon
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and you get to
goof off all week long.
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But if you know and, you know,
I got to say there are probably
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some pastors who do that.
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I know one of them,
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but I have met pastors that
Friday night or Saturday night,
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they get online and
look at sermon central
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and download a
sermon, they preach it
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and the rest of the
week you can find them,
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they'll be on the golf course
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or they'd be
taking care of the kids
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so the wife could
work, whatever they're doing.
00:08:01.18\00:08:03.48
But I couldn't do that,
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my conscience
would bother me too much
00:08:07.48\00:08:09.08
and there's just so much to do.
00:08:09.08\00:08:10.99
Ministry is a whole
lot more than pastoring.
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People need counseling,
there's the hospital visits,
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there is time
that goes into study
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and sermon preparation.
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All kinds of church functions,
it's usually board meetings
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and there's just
lots of activity.
00:08:22.53\00:08:25.57
And I remember when,
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you know, I became a lay pastor
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before I was a regular pastor,
00:08:30.97\00:08:32.97
so I was a
self-supporting pastor.
00:08:32.97\00:08:36.18
And I remember what
it's like to, you know,
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work all week long here
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in a logging company
and you're working...
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I was particular in the
shop working on the trucks
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or did mechanic work,
you're doing carpentry work,
00:08:47.12\00:08:50.66
and then you're trying to
also have your prayer meetings
00:08:50.66\00:08:53.26
and get your studies
ready for your church
00:08:53.26\00:08:55.03
and sending out the fliers
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and doing the bullet, you know,
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one man pastor
kind of does everything,
00:08:57.60\00:09:00.24
and it could be exhausting.
00:09:00.24\00:09:02.64
And I've got friends
that were pastors of...
00:09:02.64\00:09:05.21
very hard working
pastor of a Baptist church,
00:09:05.21\00:09:07.41
worked as a
welder all week long,
00:09:07.41\00:09:09.38
and then during the week,
00:09:09.38\00:09:10.55
as soon as he get home,
you know, eats some food,
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then he goes off
to prayer meeting,
00:09:12.71\00:09:14.12
he goes off to board meetings,
00:09:14.12\00:09:15.72
and have to study
and wake up real early
00:09:15.72\00:09:18.49
so he could not
only get ready for work
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but then he'd have
to be able to teach,
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study the teachers,
Sunday school classes
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and then preach a sermon,
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and just working
themselves to death.
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What happens is
something starts to suffer.
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A family starts to suffer,
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the job you're
trying to maintain
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starts to suffer,
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or your ministry
starts to suffer.
00:09:38.71\00:09:41.04
This happened in
the days of Israel.
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God designed, remember,
I've told you this earlier,
00:09:43.65\00:09:46.11
there is a trick question,
how many tribes are there?
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Jacob had 12 sons, 1 daughter,
00:09:49.45\00:09:52.42
but technically
there's 13 tribes
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because Jacob told Joseph
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because your brother sold you
00:09:58.79\00:10:00.00
and your young sons
were separated from me,
00:10:00.00\00:10:01.86
I'm going to give each
of them an inheritance,
00:10:01.86\00:10:03.70
their names were
Ephraim and Manasseh
00:10:03.70\00:10:05.57
just as though
they were a tribe.
00:10:05.57\00:10:08.10
Well, doesn't
that have to 13, yes,
00:10:08.10\00:10:10.14
but it sort of went
back to 12 because God said,
00:10:10.14\00:10:13.17
"I will give an
inheritance to the 12 tribes,"
00:10:13.17\00:10:15.94
but the sons of Levi,
00:10:15.94\00:10:17.78
they don't get any
one corner of the land,
00:10:17.78\00:10:20.58
they are going to be
dispersed through the land,
00:10:20.58\00:10:22.65
and they are the ministers
00:10:22.65\00:10:24.35
and everybody was to
bring tithe into the storehouse
00:10:24.35\00:10:27.72
and it would be
distributed to the Levites
00:10:27.72\00:10:30.29
so that they could be
the ministers of the people.
00:10:30.29\00:10:32.93
And there's a lot of ministry.
00:10:32.93\00:10:34.20
They're teaching the Word of God
00:10:34.20\00:10:35.93
and they were...
00:10:35.93\00:10:37.00
The Levites were the doctors.
00:10:37.00\00:10:39.87
That's right.
00:10:39.87\00:10:42.24
You know, where the
word parson comes from?
00:10:42.24\00:10:45.14
What do you
sometimes call a pastor?
00:10:45.14\00:10:47.18
Parson, he's called
bishop, he's called pastor.
00:10:47.18\00:10:50.05
But the word
parson comes from...
00:10:50.05\00:10:52.11
in the early English days,
00:10:52.11\00:10:55.35
the pastor was the
person of the community
00:10:55.35\00:10:59.72
because not only
did they look to him
00:10:59.72\00:11:01.82
to help mitigate civil issues,
00:11:01.82\00:11:06.86
they looked to him as
the doctor in the community,
00:11:06.86\00:11:11.43
and then they looked to him
for as the spiritual leader,
00:11:11.43\00:11:13.90
so they called them the parson.
00:11:13.90\00:11:15.27
He was sort of everything.
00:11:15.27\00:11:17.37
But the Levite was like that.
00:11:17.37\00:11:20.24
Where did they go for judgment?
00:11:20.24\00:11:22.91
They take things to the priests.
00:11:22.91\00:11:25.35
They were sort
of the Supreme Court
00:11:25.35\00:11:27.08
and those things
were delegated down.
00:11:27.08\00:11:29.28
Remember, during
the time of Moses,
00:11:29.28\00:11:30.85
what tribe was he from?
00:11:30.85\00:11:32.95
Levite. And Aaron.
00:11:32.95\00:11:35.02
And so they became...
00:11:35.02\00:11:36.29
and when you had
something if you were unclean
00:11:36.29\00:11:38.59
and you needed to
be declared cleansed,
00:11:38.59\00:11:40.83
you'd go to the priests,
00:11:40.83\00:11:41.86
the priests were
like the medical office.
00:11:41.86\00:11:44.03
And they didn't just declare
people clean and unclean,
00:11:44.03\00:11:46.67
they also would help
administer medical care.
00:11:46.67\00:11:49.17
And then there was the...
00:11:49.17\00:11:51.54
there were the
religious leaders.
00:11:51.54\00:11:52.61
It was a very important position
00:11:52.61\00:11:53.91
and it was meant to
be a fulltime position.
00:11:53.91\00:11:56.44
And so they did
not get the benefit
00:11:56.44\00:11:58.48
of the inheritance
that everybody else got,
00:11:58.48\00:12:01.68
but everybody was
to be paying a tithe.
00:12:01.68\00:12:03.95
Now the Levites
also paid the tithe
00:12:03.95\00:12:06.02
and their tithe went
to the sons of Aaron,
00:12:06.02\00:12:09.06
to the High Priest
and thing that comes out
00:12:09.06\00:12:11.13
later in our study today.
00:12:11.13\00:12:12.46
All right, 2 Corinthians 13:5,
00:12:12.46\00:12:17.47
"Examine yourselves as to
whether you are in the faith.
00:12:17.47\00:12:21.54
Test yourselves.
00:12:21.54\00:12:22.87
Do you not know yourselves
that Jesus Christ is in you
00:12:22.87\00:12:25.77
unless indeed you
are disqualified?"
00:12:25.77\00:12:27.44
I think King James is reprobate.
00:12:27.44\00:12:29.74
So it's a good idea sometimes
00:12:29.74\00:12:31.91
to just
evaluate, take inventory,
00:12:31.91\00:12:33.72
and say, "Are
we being faithful?"
00:12:33.72\00:12:36.89
The idea that God
doesn't care anymore
00:12:36.89\00:12:39.75
if we pay a specific tithe,
00:12:39.75\00:12:42.72
my question would be is
giving in New Testament times,
00:12:42.72\00:12:47.03
would it be
better, more, or less
00:12:47.03\00:12:50.83
than Old Testament times
00:12:50.83\00:12:52.17
if you're going
to make a comparison.
00:12:52.17\00:12:55.00
When you read
Hebrews, does it say that
00:12:55.00\00:12:56.67
Jesus had an equal
sacrifice as Moses or better?
00:12:56.67\00:12:59.87
Is it an equal
covenant or a better covenant?
00:12:59.87\00:13:03.58
And so for New
Testament Christians,
00:13:03.58\00:13:06.25
should it be the same as
tithe or if anything more?
00:13:06.25\00:13:09.85
So for those who are saying,
00:13:09.85\00:13:10.92
"Oh, we don't need to pay tithe
00:13:10.92\00:13:11.95
'cause we're into
the New Testament."
00:13:11.95\00:13:13.05
Usually, they
don't want to pay 10%.
00:13:13.05\00:13:16.69
But really if you're going to be
00:13:16.69\00:13:17.76
a New Testament Christian,
00:13:17.76\00:13:19.63
you're getting
yourself into a bigger problem.
00:13:19.63\00:13:22.33
But the idea that now
we're New Testament Christians
00:13:22.33\00:13:24.87
and so we just give from
love, we get from the heart.
00:13:24.87\00:13:27.94
And my question would be, okay,
well, how much is heart giving?
00:13:27.94\00:13:30.54
Is there a
percentage for heart giving
00:13:30.54\00:13:31.87
or is it just whatever you feel?
00:13:31.87\00:13:34.58
That's sort of a cop out.
00:13:34.58\00:13:35.64
When they say,
00:13:35.64\00:13:36.71
"Oh, I just give from my heart."
00:13:36.71\00:13:39.25
When I said, "Do you
know what your paycheck is?"
00:13:39.25\00:13:40.92
"I just go with my
heart, I don't look at it.
00:13:40.92\00:13:44.12
I don't care, just
whatever God gives me is okay."
00:13:44.12\00:13:46.92
No, you do, you know what it is.
00:13:46.92\00:13:48.39
And if there's $10 missing,
you know why it's missing.
00:13:48.39\00:13:52.19
And so all of a sudden,
we become very spiritual
00:13:52.19\00:13:54.36
when God mentions a percentage
00:13:54.36\00:13:56.73
'cause we don't
want to be locked in.
00:13:56.73\00:13:59.70
But if you want to
go with a percentage,
00:13:59.70\00:14:02.97
let's look at the
New Testament giving.
00:14:02.97\00:14:05.01
Turn with me in your
Bibles the Acts 4: 32.
00:14:05.01\00:14:10.68
God pours out the Holy Spirit.
00:14:10.68\00:14:12.15
You're obviously now
living in New Testament times,
00:14:12.15\00:14:14.85
New Covenant times.
00:14:14.85\00:14:16.12
Listen to how they gave.
00:14:16.12\00:14:18.65
"Now the multitude
of those who believed
00:14:18.65\00:14:22.16
were of one heart and one soul.
00:14:22.16\00:14:25.03
Neither did anyone say
00:14:25.03\00:14:27.66
that any of the things
he possessed was his own,
00:14:27.66\00:14:30.53
but they had all
things in common."
00:14:30.53\00:14:32.23
Boy, that almost
sounds like communism.
00:14:32.23\00:14:36.87
And by the way, do
you know one of the first
00:14:36.87\00:14:38.71
socialistic
countries was United States.
00:14:38.71\00:14:41.14
The pilgrims tried to
have this kind of government
00:14:41.14\00:14:44.78
when they landed
00:14:44.78\00:14:46.15
and they nearly starved to death
00:14:46.15\00:14:48.18
because nobody wants to
work in everybody's garden.
00:14:48.18\00:14:53.09
People want to work
in their own garden.
00:14:53.09\00:14:55.12
It's true, a lot of
them died the first winter.
00:14:55.12\00:14:57.33
And so they didn't
do that for very long.
00:14:57.33\00:14:59.56
But when the Holy
Spirit was poured out,
00:14:59.56\00:15:01.10
it's basically saying that
everybody was freely giving,
00:15:01.10\00:15:03.80
it wasn't required,
00:15:03.80\00:15:05.40
it was offered,
that's the difference.
00:15:05.40\00:15:06.94
When the government
tells you, "We own everything."
00:15:06.94\00:15:08.97
It's different than
when you willingly choose to.
00:15:08.97\00:15:12.91
No man said that
all they had was his own
00:15:12.91\00:15:14.94
what they had
all things in common,
00:15:14.94\00:15:16.78
"And with great power,
00:15:16.78\00:15:18.18
the apostles gave witness
00:15:18.18\00:15:19.51
to the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
00:15:19.51\00:15:21.52
and great grace was on them all.
00:15:21.52\00:15:24.09
Nor was there any
among them who lacked,"
00:15:24.09\00:15:26.49
wouldn't that be nice
if all the missionaries,
00:15:26.49\00:15:29.69
and all the pastors,
and all the evangelists,
00:15:29.69\00:15:32.49
and all the
teachers had all they needed
00:15:32.49\00:15:34.63
to do all the ministry?
00:15:34.63\00:15:36.46
Wouldn't that be wonderful?
00:15:36.46\00:15:38.33
But, you know,
the fact is today,
00:15:38.33\00:15:41.70
in some countries
including North America,
00:15:41.70\00:15:44.57
some schools are closing,
00:15:44.57\00:15:47.41
churches are closing, I see it.
00:15:47.41\00:15:51.41
Just in the conference
where I happen to work
00:15:51.41\00:15:53.88
where I've been for
nearly 35 years now,
00:15:53.88\00:15:57.82
I know there are
pastors that used to have...
00:15:57.82\00:16:00.36
one church used to have
around two or three pastors,
00:16:00.36\00:16:02.96
now there's one pastor
00:16:02.96\00:16:03.99
and some churches
have their own pastor,
00:16:03.99\00:16:05.89
now they got to share a pastor,
00:16:05.89\00:16:07.10
it's like there's a
downsizing that's happening.
00:16:07.10\00:16:10.13
And you wonder is it
because people got poorer
00:16:10.13\00:16:12.60
in the last 40 years.
00:16:12.60\00:16:15.77
Some of it is financial,
some of it are other issues,
00:16:15.77\00:16:18.44
but that's a concerning trend.
00:16:18.44\00:16:22.24
Listen, it says,
00:16:22.24\00:16:23.24
"Nor was there anyone
among them who lacked,"
00:16:23.24\00:16:25.18
I'm still in Acts 4,
00:16:25.18\00:16:28.42
"for those who were possessors
of houses and lands sold them,
00:16:28.42\00:16:32.89
and they brought the proceeds
of the things that were sold,
00:16:32.89\00:16:35.82
and they laid them
at the apostles' feet,
00:16:35.82\00:16:38.83
and they distributed to
each one as they had need."
00:16:38.83\00:16:41.96
Well, here's a principle.
00:16:41.96\00:16:44.10
They brought it
to a common place
00:16:44.10\00:16:46.03
where it was distributed
according to the need.
00:16:46.03\00:16:49.80
So we're going to
get into a study later
00:16:49.80\00:16:51.61
about what's the storehouse,
00:16:51.61\00:16:53.94
and that's one of
the tips right there
00:16:53.94\00:16:56.88
that's going to
help us understand that.
00:16:56.88\00:16:59.35
Then it goes on
and it says here,
00:16:59.35\00:17:00.72
I'm still in
chapter 4 of Acts, verse 35.
00:17:00.72\00:17:04.95
"Laid it at the apostles' feet,
00:17:04.95\00:17:06.69
it was distributed
to anyone who had need.
00:17:06.69\00:17:08.32
And Joses, whose name
was Barnabas by the apostles
00:17:08.32\00:17:11.59
translated Son of Encouragement,
00:17:11.59\00:17:13.16
a Levite of the
country of Cyprus,
00:17:13.16\00:17:15.56
having land, sold
it, and brought the money
00:17:15.56\00:17:17.50
and laid it at
the apostles' feet."
00:17:17.50\00:17:18.93
So it introduces Barnabas
00:17:18.93\00:17:21.44
in the act of
his great benevolence
00:17:21.44\00:17:23.84
that you see here.
00:17:23.84\00:17:25.17
All right, well,
we're going to talk now
00:17:25.17\00:17:26.78
in the first section
here about the idea of tithe
00:17:26.78\00:17:30.48
is to fund the mission.
00:17:30.48\00:17:31.85
We got a mission.
00:17:31.85\00:17:32.91
We're going say
what is that mission.
00:17:32.91\00:17:34.52
Someone's going to read for
me in just a moment Acts 1: 8.
00:17:34.52\00:17:38.42
Now if you look at the
Great Commission in Matthew,
00:17:38.42\00:17:40.59
most of us know
that, Matthew 28:19.
00:17:40.59\00:17:45.09
"Go ye therefore..."
00:17:45.09\00:17:46.63
how many of you
have this memorized?
00:17:46.63\00:17:49.00
"Go ye
therefore, teach the gospel,
00:17:49.00\00:17:50.53
and to all nations,
00:17:50.53\00:17:53.17
baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and the Son,
00:17:53.17\00:17:55.20
and the Holy Spirit.
00:17:55.20\00:17:56.27
Teaching them to
observe all things
00:17:56.27\00:17:57.77
that I have commanded you,
00:17:57.77\00:17:58.77
lo, I am with you even
to the end of the world."
00:17:58.77\00:18:01.04
So Matthew says,
00:18:01.04\00:18:02.18
"We're supposed to
go into all the world."
00:18:02.18\00:18:03.41
We got an
international ministry,
00:18:03.41\00:18:05.28
it's got to be funded.
00:18:05.28\00:18:07.02
Now this is a...
00:18:07.02\00:18:08.08
the gospel is a
global enterprise
00:18:08.08\00:18:10.89
bigger than Apple.
00:18:10.89\00:18:13.19
Mark 16, here's
Mark's Great Commission.
00:18:13.19\00:18:16.49
He said, "Go into all the world
00:18:16.49\00:18:18.63
and preach the
gospel to every creature."
00:18:18.63\00:18:21.30
Almost makes it sound like
00:18:21.30\00:18:22.56
he's supposed to be
preaching to the dogs,
00:18:22.56\00:18:24.23
and the cats, and the monkeys,
preach to every creature.
00:18:24.23\00:18:27.50
But he wants us...
00:18:27.50\00:18:28.67
that was Jesus using
that term to basically say,
00:18:28.67\00:18:31.84
"Not just Jews,"
00:18:31.84\00:18:33.21
'cause the Jesus used to think
00:18:33.21\00:18:35.44
they were somehow more
superior to the gentiles.
00:18:35.44\00:18:39.25
Jesus preached to every creature
00:18:39.25\00:18:41.28
so they would
never misunderstand,
00:18:41.28\00:18:42.95
"You mean the gentiles too?"
00:18:42.95\00:18:45.92
Now the gospel
you find, you know,
00:18:45.92\00:18:47.92
at the end of Mark and Luke,
00:18:47.92\00:18:49.46
it's easy to find
their Great Commission.
00:18:49.46\00:18:51.96
You don't find
the Great Commission
00:18:51.96\00:18:53.36
at the end of Luke
00:18:53.36\00:18:55.56
because Luke wrote two books
00:18:55.56\00:18:58.40
that really all go together
to someone named Theophilus,
00:18:58.40\00:19:01.47
he wrote his
gospel and he wrote Acts.
00:19:01.47\00:19:03.37
You find the Great
Commission of Luke, so to speak,
00:19:03.37\00:19:06.61
in the first chapter of Acts.
00:19:06.61\00:19:09.34
So you're going
to read that for us.
00:19:09.34\00:19:12.51
"But you shall receive power
00:19:12.51\00:19:14.45
when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you.
00:19:14.45\00:19:16.99
And you shall be
witnesses to Me in Jerusalem,
00:19:16.99\00:19:20.29
and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the end of the earth."
00:19:20.29\00:19:24.73
Okay, of course,
that was Acts 1: 8,
00:19:24.73\00:19:27.30
and there is
your Great Commission.
00:19:27.30\00:19:28.43
Go into... notice
the ends of the earth.
00:19:28.43\00:19:30.40
Now do you find
the Great Commission
00:19:30.40\00:19:31.77
in the Gospel of John?
00:19:31.77\00:19:32.93
John says, "God
so loved the world."
00:19:36.14\00:19:38.91
And so, you know, he tells
us John's just so profound,
00:19:38.91\00:19:42.64
I think he ends
his gospel by saying,
00:19:42.64\00:19:44.98
"The world itself
can't contain all the books
00:19:44.98\00:19:47.12
that are written about Jesus,"
00:19:47.12\00:19:48.25
he said, this is just
to give you the picture.
00:19:48.25\00:19:50.15
But you see the
gospel of John is really...
00:19:50.15\00:19:53.42
the Great Commission
is all the way through.
00:19:53.42\00:19:55.36
But in John, He's often
talking to the individual.
00:19:55.36\00:19:58.93
He's talking to
the woman at the well,
00:19:58.93\00:20:00.90
He's talking to the blind
man, He's talking to Nicodemus.
00:20:00.90\00:20:04.33
You'll find that John emphasizes
00:20:04.33\00:20:06.57
the one-on-one ministry of Jesus
00:20:06.57\00:20:08.60
which I thought
was very interesting.
00:20:08.60\00:20:10.57
So we have a mission.
00:20:10.57\00:20:13.81
Can everybody quit their
job and go out preaching?
00:20:13.81\00:20:17.45
Well, we probably
could for about a month.
00:20:17.45\00:20:20.52
But then we probably
start running into troubles
00:20:20.52\00:20:22.45
getting the
unbelievers to fund us
00:20:22.45\00:20:23.95
because if they believe
and they quit their job,
00:20:23.95\00:20:26.35
can you see where
you'd run into a problem?
00:20:26.35\00:20:28.69
And are there various gifts?
00:20:28.69\00:20:32.96
Is pastoring
sometimes called a gift?
00:20:32.96\00:20:36.33
Yeah.
00:20:36.33\00:20:37.67
By the way, our
pastoring and evangelism
00:20:37.67\00:20:40.34
are different gifts.
00:20:40.34\00:20:42.90
Bible mentions pastors
and evangelists as distinct.
00:20:42.90\00:20:47.84
You can have pastors
that are good evangelists
00:20:47.84\00:20:50.18
and evangelists
that are good pastors,
00:20:50.18\00:20:52.18
but they're not always
necessarily the same person.
00:20:52.18\00:20:55.52
Evangelists were
often more itinerate,
00:20:55.52\00:20:58.12
they would travel around.
00:20:58.12\00:20:59.25
For instance, in the Bible time,
00:20:59.25\00:21:01.69
Paul would appoint elders
00:21:01.69\00:21:03.43
when he would
establish churches,
00:21:03.43\00:21:04.63
they would stay there
and they often had jobs.
00:21:04.63\00:21:07.86
But they would
also pastor the church.
00:21:07.86\00:21:10.03
Some who had
the larger churches,
00:21:10.03\00:21:12.37
Paul said that they should
be given their worthy due.
00:21:12.37\00:21:16.17
But the apostles
and the evangelists
00:21:16.17\00:21:18.91
like Apollos and like Philip,
00:21:18.91\00:21:21.21
they often were
going out on forays
00:21:21.21\00:21:23.75
and itinerate and traveling,
Jesus was an evangelist.
00:21:23.75\00:21:27.52
He went from city to city,
he was of course also a pastor.
00:21:27.52\00:21:31.62
Well, that needs
to be subsidized.
00:21:31.62\00:21:33.39
And so what is
God's plan to do that?
00:21:33.39\00:21:35.99
Turn with me to Malachi 3.
00:21:35.99\00:21:39.26
Now this is the last
book in the Old Testament,
00:21:39.26\00:21:41.83
but you first find tithe
00:21:41.83\00:21:44.33
also in the first book of
the Old Testament, Genesis.
00:21:44.33\00:21:49.44
In previous
lessons, I don't even know
00:21:49.44\00:21:51.14
if today's lesson gets
into it, so let me just repeat
00:21:51.14\00:21:53.38
'cause I know there
are first time listeners
00:21:53.38\00:21:54.81
all the time.
00:21:54.81\00:21:57.11
We discovered
in a previous study
00:21:57.11\00:21:59.08
that Genesis, it says,
00:21:59.08\00:22:00.65
Abraham brought tithe
00:22:00.65\00:22:03.72
and gave it to the
High Priest Melchizedech.
00:22:03.72\00:22:07.29
Jacob when he left home
00:22:07.29\00:22:09.09
and he had that dream of
the latter reaching to him
00:22:09.09\00:22:11.46
and he says, "Lord,
if you watch over me,
00:22:11.46\00:22:13.50
all that you give me
surely I will give a tenth,"
00:22:13.50\00:22:16.56
and that's what a tithe,
it means tenth, "to thee."
00:22:16.56\00:22:19.37
And so you find the principle
of tithe goes all the way back.
00:22:19.37\00:22:23.04
Now some people
think that, you know,
00:22:23.04\00:22:24.57
because ceremonial laws
00:22:24.57\00:22:25.91
some things may have
been nailed to the cross,
00:22:25.91\00:22:28.28
you don't
really see the Passover
00:22:28.28\00:22:29.54
until the Exodus,
00:22:29.54\00:22:31.21
you don't see the feast,
00:22:31.21\00:22:32.98
the annual feast
until the Exodus.
00:22:32.98\00:22:35.85
Do you see a difference between
00:22:35.85\00:22:37.15
clean and unclean
food before the Exodus?
00:22:37.15\00:22:40.19
Go back to Noah.
00:22:40.19\00:22:41.96
Do you see tithe
before the Exodus?
00:22:41.96\00:22:46.19
It goes to Abraham.
It's back in Genesis.
00:22:46.19\00:22:48.63
And so these are
principles that carry on.
00:22:48.63\00:22:51.77
All right, and so then
you go to the last book
00:22:51.77\00:22:54.50
in the Old Testament, Malachi 3,
00:22:54.50\00:22:56.40
and I'm going to
start with verse 6.
00:22:56.40\00:22:58.01
People often go to verse 8,
00:22:58.01\00:22:59.37
but I think you
need the context.
00:22:59.37\00:23:03.24
"For I am the Lord,"
00:23:03.24\00:23:04.78
Malachi 3: 6, "I do not change."
00:23:04.78\00:23:07.85
Well, there is a
little tip about tithe.
00:23:07.85\00:23:09.38
People say, "Well, you
know, tithe is not specifically
00:23:09.38\00:23:11.79
commanded in the New Testament,
so it shouldn't be observed,"
00:23:11.79\00:23:14.66
it's not true.
00:23:14.66\00:23:15.69
We learned in Matthew 23:23.
00:23:15.69\00:23:17.69
Tithe is repeated
in the New Testament.
00:23:17.69\00:23:20.56
Jesus sort of does
it in a roundabout way.
00:23:20.56\00:23:22.73
He says, "You pay
tithes of your mint
00:23:22.73\00:23:24.33
and your anise and your cumin,
00:23:24.33\00:23:25.97
and you've neglected
00:23:25.97\00:23:27.04
the weightier matters of the law
00:23:27.04\00:23:28.67
just as mercy and faith.
00:23:28.67\00:23:30.64
These you ought to have
done and not leave the other,
00:23:30.64\00:23:33.48
the pain of tithe undone."
00:23:33.48\00:23:35.28
That's pretty clear.
00:23:35.28\00:23:36.34
He says, "Don't
forget to pay your tithe."
00:23:36.34\00:23:39.55
Two men went to
the temple to pray.
00:23:39.55\00:23:41.55
One republican and
the other a Pharisee,
00:23:41.55\00:23:44.15
and the Pharisee stood
00:23:44.15\00:23:45.25
and he prayed thus with himself,
00:23:45.25\00:23:47.36
"Lord, I think be that
I am not like other men.
00:23:47.36\00:23:49.66
I pay tithe of all
that I have and I fast."
00:23:49.66\00:23:53.29
There is anything
wrong with fasting?
00:23:53.29\00:23:55.33
Anything wrong
with going to church?
00:23:55.33\00:23:57.37
Is there anything
wrong with tithing?
00:23:57.37\00:23:59.30
The Lord was condemning
him because of his hypocrisy
00:23:59.30\00:24:01.77
not because of what he did,
00:24:01.77\00:24:02.90
there is nothing
wrong with tithing,
00:24:02.90\00:24:04.17
the things he
did were good, right?
00:24:04.17\00:24:06.64
And so there's
nothing in the Bible that says
00:24:06.64\00:24:09.14
there's something
wrong with tithing.
00:24:09.14\00:24:11.01
And whenever you're in
doubt, do the safe thing.
00:24:11.01\00:24:17.02
Is anyone going to be in trouble
00:24:17.02\00:24:18.82
in the Judgment Day,
and God's going to say,
00:24:18.82\00:24:20.96
"Can't let you
in?" "Why not, Lord?"
00:24:20.96\00:24:23.53
Because you gave 10%
00:24:23.53\00:24:24.96
and you weren't
supposed to give that much
00:24:24.96\00:24:26.16
once the New Testament began,
you're supposed to get less.
00:24:26.16\00:24:31.27
So what would be wrong with it?
00:24:31.27\00:24:33.00
So if you're in doubt
about what's the best system,
00:24:33.00\00:24:36.10
I don't see a
second system mentioned.
00:24:36.10\00:24:39.34
Tithe is certainly a
very equitable system.
00:24:39.34\00:24:42.88
I think it was Dr. Ben Carson
00:24:42.88\00:24:45.01
when he was
running for president,
00:24:45.01\00:24:46.15
they were talking about
"What would your tax plan be?"
00:24:46.15\00:24:49.32
He talked about
something based on the Bible.
00:24:49.32\00:24:51.35
He said, "It would be a flat tax
00:24:51.35\00:24:53.12
just like the Bible
00:24:53.12\00:24:54.62
where everybody doesn't
matter if you're rich or poor,
00:24:54.62\00:24:56.42
you pay the same percentage."
00:24:56.42\00:24:58.23
Any of you remember that?
00:24:58.23\00:24:59.69
I like that idea. So
that's fair for everybody.
00:24:59.69\00:25:02.23
Instead of say,
"Well, you're rich,
00:25:02.23\00:25:03.40
you got to pay a
bigger percentage.
00:25:03.40\00:25:04.60
And if you're poor,
00:25:04.60\00:25:05.67
you don't have to pay anything."
00:25:05.67\00:25:07.07
I think everybody's got skin
in the game, it's just fair.
00:25:07.07\00:25:10.07
Anyway, but oh,
well, that's a long way
00:25:10.07\00:25:11.87
before that's going to happen.
00:25:11.87\00:25:14.14
Okay.
00:25:14.14\00:25:16.75
So back to Malachi.
00:25:16.75\00:25:18.35
"I am the Lord,
I do not change."
00:25:18.35\00:25:19.91
Notice He
introduces it with that.
00:25:19.91\00:25:22.08
"Therefore, you're not consumed,
00:25:22.08\00:25:23.59
O sons of Jacob."
00:25:23.59\00:25:24.62
I don't want to
change the morsel,
00:25:24.62\00:25:25.69
well, that's why
you're still alive.
00:25:25.69\00:25:27.09
"Yet from the
days of your fathers,
00:25:27.09\00:25:28.82
you have gone away
from My ordinances.
00:25:28.82\00:25:30.96
And you've not kept them.
00:25:30.96\00:25:32.43
Return to Me, and I
will return to you..."
00:25:32.43\00:25:34.56
Well he's saying,
"Look, you drifted from
00:25:34.56\00:25:36.70
what I've commanded you
and I want you to return."
00:25:36.70\00:25:39.90
And they're saying,
00:25:39.90\00:25:41.14
"Well, how do we return
and what way do we return?"
00:25:41.14\00:25:44.41
Then He gets real specific.
00:25:44.41\00:25:46.11
"Will a man rob God?
00:25:46.11\00:25:47.98
Yet you have robbed Me!
00:25:47.98\00:25:49.48
But you say, 'In what
way have we robbed You?'
00:25:49.48\00:25:52.75
In tithes and offerings.
00:25:52.75\00:25:54.92
You are cursed with a
curse, you have robbed Me,
00:25:54.92\00:25:57.55
even this whole nation."
00:25:57.55\00:25:59.62
Now that'd be pretty serious.
00:25:59.62\00:26:01.49
I mean no one
would want to be cursed,
00:26:01.49\00:26:03.36
and no one would want to be
found guilty of robbing God.
00:26:03.36\00:26:07.46
And can you imagine,
00:26:07.46\00:26:09.96
you wake up and
you're surrounded by police
00:26:09.96\00:26:11.80
and they get flashlights
in your face and say,
00:26:11.80\00:26:14.00
"What's the problem?"
00:26:14.00\00:26:16.17
He says, "Robbery."
00:26:16.17\00:26:17.47
"Who did I rob?" "God."
00:26:17.47\00:26:18.74
And they're
hauling you off to jail.
00:26:18.74\00:26:19.97
"Boy, I'm really in trouble.
00:26:19.97\00:26:22.28
I've robbed God."
00:26:22.28\00:26:24.95
And so, you know,
this is the language
00:26:24.95\00:26:27.02
the Lord uses to
get their attention.
00:26:27.02\00:26:29.75
And He says, "In
tithes and offerings,
00:26:29.75\00:26:33.25
you've robbed me,
even the whole nation."
00:26:33.25\00:26:35.76
Here's a solution
then, He wants to bless them.
00:26:35.76\00:26:38.33
He says stop doing
it, stop robbing me.
00:26:38.33\00:26:41.03
"Bring all the
tithes into the storehouse,
00:26:41.03\00:26:44.83
that there may be
food in My house,"
00:26:44.83\00:26:46.33
is this food for God to eat?
00:26:46.33\00:26:49.24
Or does it mean
that there is resources
00:26:49.24\00:26:51.97
to feed the ministry
00:26:51.97\00:26:54.01
so that the
spiritual means of the nation
00:26:54.01\00:26:56.38
are not neglected?
00:26:56.38\00:26:58.31
"That there may
be food in My house
00:26:58.31\00:27:00.05
and try Me now in this,
00:27:00.05\00:27:01.55
He says, 'Test
me' says the Lord.
00:27:01.55\00:27:03.95
If I will not open for
you the windows of heaven
00:27:03.95\00:27:06.99
and pour out of blessing
00:27:06.99\00:27:09.36
that you will not have a
room enough to receive it."
00:27:09.36\00:27:11.66
He wants to bless us.
00:27:11.66\00:27:13.26
And He says, "And I will rebuke
the devourer for your sake.
00:27:13.26\00:27:16.80
So that he will not destroy
the fruit of your ground,
00:27:16.80\00:27:19.30
nor shall the
vine fail to bear fruit
00:27:19.30\00:27:21.60
for you in the field,
says the Lord of hosts.
00:27:21.60\00:27:23.54
And all nations
will call you blessed
00:27:23.54\00:27:25.94
for you will be
a delightful land,
00:27:25.94\00:27:28.04
says the Lord."
00:27:28.04\00:27:29.71
And so that is a
wonderful promise.
00:27:29.71\00:27:31.45
It's one of the most
powerful and clear promises
00:27:31.45\00:27:34.35
that's given in the Bible.
00:27:34.35\00:27:36.72
So let's talk for a moment.
00:27:36.72\00:27:38.42
You want to
talk about blessings?
00:27:38.42\00:27:39.55
That's always fun.
00:27:39.55\00:27:41.76
All right, so couple of
things He mentions here.
00:27:41.76\00:27:45.13
He says, "Try me now
in this, says the Lord."
00:27:45.13\00:27:49.10
You know, when I was looking at
00:27:49.10\00:27:51.37
some of the questions that
were on Facebook last night
00:27:51.37\00:27:54.20
related to the study,
it's always heartbreaking.
00:27:54.20\00:27:57.44
People say, "I am
on a fixed income.
00:27:57.44\00:28:00.94
And at the end of the month,
00:28:00.94\00:28:03.04
I don't have
enough for the basics.
00:28:03.04\00:28:06.01
How can I give 10%?
00:28:06.01\00:28:07.95
I won't be able
to pay the bill."
00:28:07.95\00:28:09.42
And then they'll, you know,
"I get kicked out of my house,
00:28:09.42\00:28:11.69
so they'll
repossess my car and what..."
00:28:11.69\00:28:14.79
And, you know,
my heart goes like
00:28:14.79\00:28:15.82
'cause I know
there are some people
00:28:15.82\00:28:17.03
that they just
really are struggling.
00:28:17.03\00:28:19.89
But I can't explain it
00:28:19.89\00:28:22.40
but God somehow works miracles.
00:28:22.40\00:28:25.10
And they said, "But
I've got fixed income,
00:28:25.10\00:28:26.53
where is the
miracle going to come from?"
00:28:26.53\00:28:29.14
I don't know
about you, have you had
00:28:29.14\00:28:31.11
unexpected windfall
00:28:31.11\00:28:32.51
because you've been
faithful in your tithe?"
00:28:32.51\00:28:34.21
Amen.
00:28:34.21\00:28:35.28
I remember one time
00:28:38.58\00:28:40.68
when I first
started testing the Lord
00:28:40.68\00:28:42.52
on paying tithe.
00:28:42.52\00:28:44.45
I was selling firewood
00:28:44.45\00:28:47.06
and back then, you know,
00:28:47.06\00:28:51.63
$65 a cord is very hard
to cut a cord of firewood
00:28:51.63\00:28:54.76
and then you
deliver it, and you'd...
00:28:54.76\00:28:57.23
a cord is 128
square feet of wood.
00:28:57.23\00:29:00.40
And, you know,
00:29:00.40\00:29:02.34
by the time you buy
your gas for your truck
00:29:02.34\00:29:04.97
and the gas and the oil things
for the saw and then groceries,
00:29:04.97\00:29:08.68
it's just like nothing left.
00:29:08.68\00:29:11.01
And at that point, I had
a family with three kids.
00:29:11.01\00:29:15.35
And I thought well
$6.50 is a lot out of $65
00:29:15.35\00:29:20.69
but I'm just going to pay tithe.
00:29:20.69\00:29:23.09
And I remember
00:29:23.09\00:29:25.13
I was cutting wood with
a friend Dave Boatwright.
00:29:25.13\00:29:30.53
And all of a sudden I
got this unexpected...
00:29:30.53\00:29:33.90
in the general delivery,
00:29:33.90\00:29:35.44
they did not deliver
up in the hills back then.
00:29:35.44\00:29:37.71
General delivery got
like, you know, $1,500.
00:29:37.71\00:29:41.74
I said, "Praise
the Lord," I said,
00:29:41.74\00:29:43.35
"Where in the world
did this come from?"
00:29:43.35\00:29:45.48
Turned out, my
father, when I was younger,
00:29:45.48\00:29:47.85
thought I was
going to kill myself
00:29:47.85\00:29:48.95
he took out a
life insurance policy,
00:29:48.95\00:29:51.95
made himself the beneficiary.
00:29:51.95\00:29:54.82
"I was living so crazy,
00:29:54.82\00:29:55.92
I won't get a
life insurance policy
00:29:55.92\00:29:57.06
and, Doug, maybe
I'll make some money."
00:29:57.06\00:29:58.33
He was always
trying to make money.
00:29:58.33\00:30:01.50
And finally when I realized
I settled down a little bit,
00:30:01.50\00:30:03.67
he cashed it and
sent me the money.
00:30:03.67\00:30:07.54
I didn't expect
that, praise the Lord.
00:30:07.54\00:30:10.81
And so I mean,
I didn't even know
00:30:10.81\00:30:12.17
what was out there.
00:30:12.17\00:30:13.61
And so I've had so
many strange things happen.
00:30:13.61\00:30:17.25
Karen did a search online,
00:30:17.25\00:30:18.38
someone called
Karen up one time,
00:30:18.38\00:30:19.71
she says, "They
got website you go to
00:30:19.71\00:30:22.12
where there's money
that is in your name
00:30:22.12\00:30:24.69
that is waiting
to be collected."
00:30:24.69\00:30:25.85
I thought, "Oh,
that can't be real."
00:30:25.85\00:30:28.16
And she said
looked at me and says,
00:30:28.16\00:30:29.76
"Well, they
said they found money
00:30:29.76\00:30:31.16
and it's in your
name," and we looked up,
00:30:31.16\00:30:32.53
sure enough there was
money in our name at LA.
00:30:32.53\00:30:35.26
We just contacted them
and they sent it to us.
00:30:35.26\00:30:38.47
And so I don't know
00:30:38.47\00:30:40.17
how God is going to
supply you a miracle,
00:30:40.17\00:30:43.51
sometimes it's not always money.
00:30:43.51\00:30:45.84
You might say, "Oh, you
know, if I pay my tithe,
00:30:45.84\00:30:48.18
I won't have
enough for groceries."
00:30:48.18\00:30:51.28
I've got a friend that...
00:30:51.28\00:30:54.12
There's a great building boomed
around the pipeline in Alaska.
00:30:54.12\00:30:58.25
And they went up there
and they were doing very well
00:30:58.25\00:30:59.95
and all of a
sudden, it's stopped
00:30:59.95\00:31:01.86
and the work stopped,
00:31:01.86\00:31:03.32
there was a great economic burst
00:31:03.32\00:31:04.89
and eventually
they got so destitute,
00:31:04.89\00:31:06.90
they had three kids,
they had no food for the kids
00:31:06.90\00:31:09.33
and they decided
to pay their tithe,
00:31:09.33\00:31:11.57
be faithful with their tithe.
00:31:11.57\00:31:12.77
And some people
would say, "You're crazy,"
00:31:12.77\00:31:14.04
and say God will feed
us, we're going to trust Him.
00:31:14.04\00:31:16.27
He said He would open
the windows of heaven,
00:31:16.27\00:31:17.61
we're going to trust Him.
00:31:17.61\00:31:19.57
And that evening, before dinner
00:31:19.57\00:31:21.41
and they did have,
I mean, they just had,
00:31:21.41\00:31:22.88
you know, ketchup and
rice, they ain't have much.
00:31:22.88\00:31:25.68
Someone knocked on the door.
00:31:25.68\00:31:27.55
And it was a neighbor
that was a flight attendant.
00:31:27.55\00:31:30.09
And she had her arm
full of airline meals
00:31:30.09\00:31:33.79
and she said the
plane was canceled
00:31:33.79\00:31:35.76
due to the weather
00:31:35.76\00:31:36.83
because so here in
Alaska, nothing else to do
00:31:36.83\00:31:39.03
and they said these meals
00:31:39.03\00:31:40.33
went over the due
period for freshness
00:31:40.33\00:31:42.26
and they said there is
nothing really wrong with them,
00:31:42.26\00:31:44.03
"So do you guys
want some meals?"
00:31:44.03\00:31:46.27
And the kids kind of believe in
00:31:46.27\00:31:47.27
because they know they
had just prayed for food.
00:31:47.27\00:31:49.97
Now you wouldn't
expect the airline to do it.
00:31:49.97\00:31:52.27
But I mean, God has ways
that we don't know about.
00:31:52.27\00:31:54.94
And so I just trust Him and
see if he doesn't surprise you.
00:31:54.94\00:32:00.05
We're going to
take couple of questions
00:32:00.05\00:32:01.85
that are coming in
00:32:01.85\00:32:03.02
and I'm still going to
get further in the lesson.
00:32:03.02\00:32:05.49
"Please explain first fruits
and should we do that now?"
00:32:05.49\00:32:10.89
Well, you'll find first fruits
00:32:10.89\00:32:12.03
mentioned in
Leviticus 23, the idea
00:32:12.03\00:32:14.46
and this was one of the
feasts that was connected
00:32:14.46\00:32:16.23
with the
package of Passover fees
00:32:16.23\00:32:18.70
that to dedicate,
00:32:18.70\00:32:20.60
to demonstrate they believe
00:32:20.60\00:32:22.64
that all of the produce
of the land belong to God.
00:32:22.64\00:32:26.57
They would offer the
first and the best to God.
00:32:26.57\00:32:30.25
And so they had
a special service
00:32:30.25\00:32:31.58
where they would take
some of the first of the grain
00:32:31.58\00:32:33.55
and the first of the oil
00:32:33.55\00:32:35.22
and they would bring
into the Lord as an offering
00:32:35.22\00:32:37.65
to show that we
believe in all belongs to Him
00:32:37.65\00:32:40.22
and they take it off the top.
00:32:40.22\00:32:41.29
Also, do you know even
the first born children
00:32:41.29\00:32:44.36
technically were
consecrated to the Lord.
00:32:44.36\00:32:46.46
You weren't
supposed to sacrifice them,
00:32:46.46\00:32:48.86
but matter of fact,
for your first born,
00:32:48.86\00:32:52.23
you would make an
offering as a substitute,
00:32:52.23\00:32:56.24
but that was
saying that the first born
00:32:56.24\00:32:57.77
were in a special way
consecrated to the Lord.
00:32:57.77\00:33:00.11
So whether it was of
the field or of your flocks
00:33:00.11\00:33:03.48
or even your own children,
00:33:03.48\00:33:05.61
we were supposed to give
everything of the first to God
00:33:05.61\00:33:08.18
showing we
recognize it comes from Him.
00:33:08.18\00:33:11.19
So when it comes to tithe,
after you pay all your bills
00:33:11.19\00:33:13.99
and if you see
there is anything left,
00:33:13.99\00:33:15.19
then you pay your tithe.
00:33:15.19\00:33:17.99
Do you want God to bless
the remainder of what you have,
00:33:17.99\00:33:23.77
then pay tithe first
00:33:23.77\00:33:25.40
and you'll see how He
blesses the remainder.
00:33:25.40\00:33:28.00
If you wait until
there is a reminder,
00:33:28.00\00:33:30.17
before you pay
your tithe you may find
00:33:30.17\00:33:32.14
that you really get
tested there on the tail end.
00:33:32.14\00:33:35.31
Matter of fact I got a quote,
00:33:35.31\00:33:36.95
I told you some churches do
and some don't practice tithe.
00:33:36.95\00:33:40.78
Billy Graham said,
00:33:40.78\00:33:42.22
"We have found in our own
home as have thousands of others
00:33:42.22\00:33:45.55
that God's blessing
upon the nine-tenths,
00:33:45.55\00:33:48.59
when we tithe,
00:33:48.59\00:33:49.72
helps it to go
farther than ten-tenths
00:33:49.72\00:33:52.49
without His blessing."
00:33:52.49\00:33:54.96
What did God do for
the children of Israel
00:33:54.96\00:33:57.70
when they were going
through the wilderness?
00:33:57.70\00:34:00.70
Did He make their sandals
and everything last longer?
00:34:00.70\00:34:05.41
He says your clothes
have lasted on your back,
00:34:05.41\00:34:08.31
your shoes have not worn-out.
00:34:08.31\00:34:09.81
He said, "I've blessed you."
00:34:09.81\00:34:12.35
And, you know, Karen
and I have just discovered
00:34:12.35\00:34:15.28
that He made things that
we have had whether it's,
00:34:15.28\00:34:19.25
you know,
air-conditioner or refrigerator
00:34:19.25\00:34:24.16
and we had
stuff that just lasted
00:34:24.16\00:34:25.66
for years and years.
00:34:25.66\00:34:27.30
And I think God
just was blessing it.
00:34:27.30\00:34:32.50
All right,
another question came in.
00:34:32.50\00:34:34.50
"Does the Bible teach the
giving of a second tithe?"
00:34:34.50\00:34:38.51
Yeah, there was a second tithe
00:34:38.51\00:34:39.61
that was often reserved
for the times of feasts.
00:34:39.61\00:34:42.44
And there's some
interesting quotes
00:34:42.44\00:34:43.65
here in Deuteronomy 14:22
00:34:43.65\00:34:45.98
talks about the
tithe and the land,
00:34:45.98\00:34:47.05
and talks about that it
could be given to the poor,
00:34:47.05\00:34:49.38
it says it could be
used for strong drink
00:34:49.38\00:34:51.45
and the word strong drink
that means concentrated drink.
00:34:51.45\00:34:55.02
That means that they would
00:34:55.02\00:34:57.56
condense the grape
juice that reconstitute
00:34:57.56\00:35:00.63
and so use the
word strong drink there.
00:35:00.63\00:35:02.50
And He said they
could turn that into money
00:35:02.50\00:35:05.30
as they went up to the feast,
00:35:05.30\00:35:06.33
they could also
gift some to the poor,
00:35:06.33\00:35:08.14
that was in the original
tithe that went to the Levites.
00:35:08.14\00:35:10.54
So it was a second
tithe for the feast.
00:35:10.54\00:35:12.97
I want to get
back into the lesson,
00:35:12.97\00:35:14.18
I will take more questions here,
00:35:14.18\00:35:16.01
but I want to keep going.
00:35:16.01\00:35:17.38
Talking more about
the blessings of God,
00:35:17.38\00:35:19.95
1 Peter 3:8 and 9,
00:35:19.95\00:35:22.72
"Finally, all of
you be of one mind,
00:35:22.72\00:35:25.29
having
compassion for one another,
00:35:25.29\00:35:27.22
love as brothers, be
tenderhearted, courteous.
00:35:27.22\00:35:30.23
Not returning evil for
evil or reviling for reviling,
00:35:30.23\00:35:33.90
but on the contrary, blessing,"
00:35:33.90\00:35:36.13
we had to bless others,
00:35:36.13\00:35:37.40
"knowing that you
were called to this
00:35:37.40\00:35:39.57
that you may
inherit a blessing."
00:35:39.57\00:35:42.40
It is more blessed
to give than received
00:35:42.40\00:35:44.71
because when
you do bless others,
00:35:44.71\00:35:47.51
you will be blessed.
00:35:47.51\00:35:49.01
Amen.
00:35:49.01\00:35:50.05
So we've been called
through inherit a blessing,
00:35:50.05\00:35:51.88
eternal life is blessing.
00:35:51.88\00:35:54.62
Someone's going to read for me
in a moment 2 Corinthians 8, 9
00:35:54.62\00:35:59.12
and I'm going to
read 1 Timothy 6:18-19.
00:35:59.12\00:36:03.66
"Let them do good
00:36:03.66\00:36:04.93
that they be rich in good works,
00:36:04.93\00:36:06.29
ready to give, willing to share,
00:36:06.29\00:36:08.80
storing up for
themselves a good foundation
00:36:08.80\00:36:11.93
for the time to come
00:36:11.93\00:36:13.40
that they may lay
hold on eternal life."
00:36:13.40\00:36:16.27
So Paul was
saying that believers
00:36:16.27\00:36:17.67
ought to be willing
to give and to share.
00:36:17.67\00:36:19.91
And then he said but you've
got a promise of eternal life.
00:36:19.91\00:36:24.08
Good. Read for us
please 2 Corinthians 8.
00:36:24.08\00:36:27.55
"For you know the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
00:36:27.55\00:36:32.29
that though He was rich,
00:36:32.29\00:36:33.96
yet for your
sakes He became poor,
00:36:33.96\00:36:36.79
that you through His
poverty might become rich."
00:36:36.79\00:36:41.46
So have we been
blessed by the Lord?
00:36:41.46\00:36:44.80
I mean, He said
blessed are the poor in spirit
00:36:44.80\00:36:47.24
for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven
00:36:47.24\00:36:48.67
when we acknowledge
our spiritual poverty,
00:36:48.67\00:36:50.61
God blesses us
with great riches.
00:36:50.61\00:36:53.64
And you read in Mark 10:21.
00:36:53.64\00:36:56.11
This rich young
ruler comes to Jesus.
00:36:56.11\00:36:57.58
Everyone remembers
the rich young ruler
00:36:57.58\00:36:59.15
because Christ said,
00:36:59.15\00:37:00.78
"Take what you have,
sell it, give it to the poor,"
00:37:00.78\00:37:03.49
and they forget the other part.
00:37:03.49\00:37:05.45
It said, "One thing you
lack," this is Mark 10:21,
00:37:05.45\00:37:09.72
"Go your way,
sell what you have,
00:37:09.72\00:37:11.43
give to the poor,
00:37:11.43\00:37:12.46
you will have
treasure in heaven."
00:37:12.46\00:37:13.53
Now this wasn't
talking about time, was it?
00:37:13.53\00:37:15.46
He was talking
about liquidating,
00:37:15.46\00:37:16.67
giving to the poor.
00:37:16.67\00:37:18.93
It says you'll
have treasure in heaven.
00:37:18.93\00:37:22.50
You will have
treasure in heaven.
00:37:22.50\00:37:24.54
Then the Lord says,
00:37:24.54\00:37:25.54
"Do not leave for
yourself treasure on earth,"
00:37:25.54\00:37:28.01
'cause the treasure
on earth doesn't last,
00:37:28.01\00:37:29.58
you'll have a treasure
in the heavens that lasts.
00:37:29.58\00:37:34.45
And again, Luke 6:38,
00:37:34.45\00:37:36.95
"Give and it
will be given to you,
00:37:36.95\00:37:38.49
good measure, pressed
down, shaken together,
00:37:38.49\00:37:41.26
running over will
be put into your bosom.
00:37:41.26\00:37:44.33
For with the same
measure that you use,
00:37:44.33\00:37:46.56
it will be
measured back to you."
00:37:46.56\00:37:48.26
So God says,
00:37:48.26\00:37:49.30
"Trust Me, prove Me, be
faithful in your tithe."
00:37:49.30\00:37:52.90
And see if God
takes care of you.
00:37:52.90\00:37:55.47
All right, another question,
00:37:55.47\00:37:57.64
"Should we pay
tithe to our conference
00:37:57.64\00:37:59.47
even if pastors
are being downsized
00:37:59.47\00:38:01.81
and those remaining
have three or four churches?"
00:38:01.81\00:38:05.31
Well, not paying
it to the conference
00:38:05.31\00:38:07.28
is going to make it even harder
00:38:07.28\00:38:09.38
and it would seem like
00:38:09.38\00:38:10.35
that if you want to
see better distribution,
00:38:10.35\00:38:14.66
then you want to continue
00:38:14.66\00:38:15.69
to support the
work of the church.
00:38:15.69\00:38:18.56
And, you know, I
should say something here,
00:38:18.56\00:38:20.16
some people say, we get letters,
00:38:20.16\00:38:21.40
and you
probably heard it before.
00:38:21.40\00:38:23.30
Well, if you only knew
00:38:23.30\00:38:24.47
that there is this
person in our conference
00:38:24.47\00:38:26.07
or if you only
knew some of the ways
00:38:26.07\00:38:27.77
that they're spending the money
00:38:27.77\00:38:28.80
or some of the
things we're doing and...
00:38:28.80\00:38:32.81
If there is a bad
person or if there is someone
00:38:32.81\00:38:35.38
that is
unconverted in the leadership,
00:38:35.38\00:38:37.71
do you stop paying your tithe?
00:38:37.71\00:38:41.12
Did Jesus have a
Judas in His group?
00:38:41.12\00:38:46.39
Would you have
still supported Christ?
00:38:46.39\00:38:48.96
Yeah, but you
would have given it
00:38:48.96\00:38:49.99
to Thomas not Judas, right?
00:38:49.99\00:38:54.56
So, you know, in
the days of Christ,
00:38:54.56\00:38:59.67
when that widow
gave her two cents,
00:38:59.67\00:39:02.20
her two mites to the temple,
00:39:02.20\00:39:05.07
what was going on in the temple?
00:39:05.07\00:39:06.47
Were all the priests converted?
00:39:06.47\00:39:09.68
And Jesus, when she was
about to drop her money in,
00:39:09.68\00:39:11.98
He didn't say, "Don't do that.
00:39:11.98\00:39:14.02
Give it to Judas."
00:39:14.02\00:39:15.85
He didn't say that.
00:39:15.85\00:39:17.65
He commanded her
00:39:17.65\00:39:18.75
'cause she was
going to get her blessing
00:39:18.75\00:39:20.22
even if there may have been
00:39:20.22\00:39:21.32
some mismanagement
in leadership, right?
00:39:21.32\00:39:24.73
And so yeah,
00:39:24.73\00:39:27.10
you want to be able to
continue supporting the work,
00:39:27.10\00:39:29.86
don't always judge
individuals for that.
00:39:29.86\00:39:32.27
All right, back
to the lesson here.
00:39:32.27\00:39:35.84
Deuteronomy 28,
talking about blessings again.
00:39:35.84\00:39:39.81
"Now it will come to pass that
00:39:39.81\00:39:41.21
if you diligently obey the
voice of the Lord your God,
00:39:41.21\00:39:44.95
and observe
carefully all His commandments
00:39:44.95\00:39:47.08
that I command you today,
00:39:47.08\00:39:48.78
that the Lord your God
00:39:48.78\00:39:49.85
will set you above
all nations of the earth.
00:39:49.85\00:39:53.39
And all these blessings
00:39:53.39\00:39:54.46
will come upon
you and overtake you
00:39:54.46\00:39:55.99
because you obey the
voice of the Lord your God.
00:39:55.99\00:39:58.46
Blessed shall
you be in the city,
00:39:58.46\00:39:59.89
and blessed shall
you be in the country.
00:39:59.89\00:40:01.90
Blessed will be
the fruit of your body,
00:40:01.90\00:40:03.43
the produce of your ground,
and the increase of your herds,
00:40:03.43\00:40:06.20
and the increase of your cattle,
00:40:06.20\00:40:07.94
and the
offspring of your flocks.
00:40:07.94\00:40:10.01
Blessed you will
be and your basket
00:40:10.01\00:40:11.71
and your kneading bowl.
00:40:11.71\00:40:12.84
Blessed shall you
be when you come in,
00:40:12.84\00:40:14.34
and blessed will
you be when you go out."
00:40:14.34\00:40:17.05
Wouldn't you all
like to have that problem?
00:40:17.05\00:40:19.68
It is blessed in
every way by the Lord.
00:40:19.68\00:40:23.32
Did God want to bless them
or did He want to curse them?
00:40:23.32\00:40:28.16
Do you want to...
00:40:28.16\00:40:29.19
How many of you spoil your kids
00:40:29.19\00:40:32.23
'cause you like
to see them happy?
00:40:32.23\00:40:35.73
Well, you don't
do it deliberately
00:40:35.73\00:40:36.83
but I know
sometimes it's hard to say no
00:40:36.83\00:40:39.23
'cause you want
to make them happy,
00:40:39.23\00:40:41.04
you want to surprise them,
you want to have them have joy.
00:40:41.04\00:40:44.51
God loves you, He
wants to bless you,
00:40:44.51\00:40:46.27
but He says if
you're going to be blessed,
00:40:46.27\00:40:48.64
you need to do certain things.
00:40:48.64\00:40:50.35
You need to trust Him
and you need to be faithful.
00:40:50.35\00:40:52.85
All right, now someone
is going to read for me
00:40:52.85\00:40:56.48
in a moment Acts 20:35.
00:40:56.48\00:41:00.09
And I'm going to read
Jeremiah 17:7, it says,
00:41:00.09\00:41:04.73
"Blessed is the man
that trusts in the Lord
00:41:04.73\00:41:07.03
and whose hope is the Lord."
00:41:07.03\00:41:11.10
In the book
Testimonies, volume 3, page 404,
00:41:11.10\00:41:15.34
there you read,
00:41:15.34\00:41:16.77
"The special system of tithing
was founded upon a principle
00:41:16.77\00:41:20.88
which is as
enduring as the law of God.
00:41:20.88\00:41:23.38
This system of tithing
was a blessing to the Jews,
00:41:23.38\00:41:26.72
else God would not
have given it to them.
00:41:26.72\00:41:29.22
So also will it be a blessing
00:41:29.22\00:41:31.12
to those who carry it
out to the end of time.
00:41:31.12\00:41:34.26
Our Heavenly
Father did not originate
00:41:34.26\00:41:36.52
the plan of systematic
benevolence to enrich Himself,
00:41:36.52\00:41:39.89
but to be a blessing to man.
00:41:39.89\00:41:42.53
He saw that this
system of beneficence
00:41:42.53\00:41:45.47
was just what man needed."
00:41:45.47\00:41:47.70
We sometimes need a
system, we need a structure,
00:41:47.70\00:41:49.84
we need a way to say,
"Am I giving faithfully?"
00:41:49.84\00:41:53.68
You know, we've
discovered at Amazing Facts,
00:41:53.68\00:41:56.24
we live on
entirely on donations,
00:41:56.24\00:41:58.65
and I'm not doing...
00:41:58.65\00:41:59.88
I'm not trying
to create confusion
00:41:59.88\00:42:01.22
by even
mentioning that with this.
00:42:01.22\00:42:03.39
But the reason I say it
00:42:03.39\00:42:04.99
is because we have
people on the mailing list
00:42:04.99\00:42:08.66
and we'll send them a note,
00:42:08.66\00:42:09.62
we'll say we thank you
for your gift last year.
00:42:09.62\00:42:12.89
And they will
write us back and say,
00:42:12.89\00:42:14.40
"I thought I was
giving every month."
00:42:14.40\00:42:16.16
I will say, "No, we
haven't had anything in a year."
00:42:16.16\00:42:18.03
And they say,
"Really? I had no idea."
00:42:18.03\00:42:21.94
They said, "I thought, we
were doing it every month."
00:42:21.94\00:42:26.14
And you'd be surprised
00:42:26.14\00:42:27.31
how often people write us
back and say, "We had no idea."
00:42:27.31\00:42:31.21
You know, if it
wasn't for a system,
00:42:31.21\00:42:32.78
people lose track.
00:42:32.78\00:42:35.78
We have a tendency
to oil squeaky wheels,
00:42:35.78\00:42:39.29
and if the
wheels aren't squeaking,
00:42:39.29\00:42:41.69
no oil is applied.
00:42:41.69\00:42:44.09
And so unless
you've got discipline,
00:42:44.09\00:42:46.29
you say, "Oh,
yeah, I pay tithe."
00:42:46.29\00:42:48.23
"Yeah? When was the
last time you paid tithe?"
00:42:48.23\00:42:49.56
"Well, let me get
my check register out."
00:42:49.56\00:42:51.50
"Ooh. Oh."
00:42:51.50\00:42:53.57
Some of you don't realize
till the end of the year.
00:42:53.57\00:42:56.94
And so that's why you want to,
00:42:56.94\00:42:58.14
you know, wait till
the end of the year,
00:42:58.14\00:43:00.38
the needs of
God's work are ongoing,
00:43:00.38\00:43:02.71
you know, at least month later,
00:43:02.71\00:43:03.85
when you get your check
00:43:03.85\00:43:04.88
it should be
right there off the top.
00:43:04.88\00:43:06.48
Amen.
00:43:06.48\00:43:07.52
All right, we have a
verse you're going to read.
00:43:07.52\00:43:11.35
"I have showed you all things,
00:43:11.35\00:43:13.89
how that so laboring you
ought to support the weak
00:43:13.89\00:43:17.89
and to remember the
words of our Lord Jesus,
00:43:17.89\00:43:21.50
how He said,
00:43:21.50\00:43:22.56
It is more blessed to
give than to receive."
00:43:22.56\00:43:26.37
Thank you very much.
00:43:26.37\00:43:27.67
Acts 20, I got a
little quiz for you,
00:43:27.67\00:43:30.37
a little trick question.
00:43:30.37\00:43:31.44
Acts 20:35, Paul is
speaking in Acts 20:35.
00:43:31.44\00:43:35.34
"Paul said you
remember the words of Jesus,
00:43:35.34\00:43:36.95
'It's more blessed
to give than receive.'"
00:43:36.95\00:43:39.35
Where is that
verse where Jesus said
00:43:39.35\00:43:40.72
it's more blessed
to give than receive?
00:43:40.72\00:43:45.52
It's not in the Bible.
00:43:45.52\00:43:47.62
It is in the Bible
where Paul quotes Jesus,
00:43:47.62\00:43:50.29
but that goes to show
00:43:50.29\00:43:51.49
and you'll even
see it's in red letter,
00:43:51.49\00:43:53.66
but that will go to show you
00:43:53.66\00:43:55.60
that not everything
Jesus said was written down
00:43:55.60\00:43:59.17
by the four gospels
that Christ taught for years.
00:43:59.17\00:44:02.54
So Paul, remember,
00:44:02.54\00:44:04.14
you know, that the disciples
saw that Jesus often said,
00:44:04.14\00:44:06.11
it's more blessed
to give than receive.
00:44:06.11\00:44:07.31
Now you read the beatitudes and,
00:44:07.31\00:44:09.14
"He said blessed
are the poor in spirit,"
00:44:09.14\00:44:10.91
there's lots of
blessings that Jesus pronounced,
00:44:10.91\00:44:13.01
but that exact phrase actually
00:44:13.01\00:44:15.35
we get it about
Christ from Paul.
00:44:15.35\00:44:19.29
Okay, the purpose of tithe,
00:44:19.29\00:44:22.39
let's talk about
that for a moment,
00:44:22.39\00:44:23.53
then I see some more questions
that are on the screen.
00:44:23.53\00:44:27.03
1 Timothy 5:18,
For the Scripture says,
00:44:27.03\00:44:30.30
"You shall not muzzle an ox
00:44:30.30\00:44:32.17
while it is
treading out the grain
00:44:32.17\00:44:34.30
and the laborer is
worthy of his wages."
00:44:34.30\00:44:36.94
So the purpose of
tithe was to disperse
00:44:36.94\00:44:42.28
the resources of
people for the ministry.
00:44:42.28\00:44:45.85
When God's people
fail to pay tithe,
00:44:45.85\00:44:48.25
the Levites wouldn't have
00:44:48.25\00:44:49.28
having to go work in the fields,
00:44:49.28\00:44:50.72
the teaching of
the young people,
00:44:50.72\00:44:52.45
and the teaching
of the Word of God,
00:44:52.45\00:44:54.66
and the judgment,
and the medical things,
00:44:54.66\00:44:56.79
and everything that was needed
00:44:56.79\00:44:57.76
by the Levites and
the priests was neglected.
00:44:57.76\00:45:01.60
And have you also noted
how many times in the Bible
00:45:01.60\00:45:05.17
it says the house of
God fell into disrepair?
00:45:05.17\00:45:08.50
Wasn't just the people,
00:45:08.50\00:45:11.11
but the actual place of
worship and other nations
00:45:11.11\00:45:13.17
that would come and visit say,
00:45:13.17\00:45:14.58
"Oh, that's what
they think of their God."
00:45:14.58\00:45:16.64
Look at that, it's just is...
00:45:16.64\00:45:19.28
Stones are all crumbling
00:45:19.28\00:45:20.35
and weeds are
growing out of the cracks,
00:45:20.35\00:45:21.68
they don't care
for the house of God,
00:45:21.68\00:45:24.12
it was really a bad reflection
00:45:24.12\00:45:25.99
on what they
thought about their God.
00:45:25.99\00:45:28.72
Deuteronomy 25:4,
00:45:28.72\00:45:31.86
"You shall not muzzle an ox
00:45:31.86\00:45:33.63
while it is
treading out the grain."
00:45:33.63\00:45:35.66
Who knows what that means?
00:45:35.66\00:45:39.33
You remember
00:45:39.33\00:45:42.24
when Samson was
captured by the Philistines,
00:45:42.24\00:45:45.44
they plucked out his eyes,
00:45:45.44\00:45:46.71
they put him in
the grinding house.
00:45:46.71\00:45:49.28
And what happened is...
00:45:49.28\00:45:51.15
They would have a long
stick that went through a wheel,
00:45:51.15\00:45:53.45
the wheel rolled
on top of a grain
00:45:53.45\00:45:58.29
that was on a pedestal.
00:45:58.29\00:46:01.59
And as they went
around it was very grueling,
00:46:01.59\00:46:04.63
you'd push this wheel,
00:46:04.63\00:46:06.19
let's just pretend this is
the grinding stones you're...
00:46:06.19\00:46:08.30
You push this stick around
and you're turning a wheel
00:46:08.30\00:46:10.73
that's hooked on a central axis.
00:46:10.73\00:46:12.87
And that wheel, big stone
wheel is grinding out grain
00:46:12.87\00:46:16.94
and they would
shovel the grain in it.
00:46:16.94\00:46:18.57
What would it do is
it grinds the flour.
00:46:18.57\00:46:21.01
They'd shovel it out.
00:46:21.01\00:46:22.08
And you kept...
00:46:22.08\00:46:23.31
If you had an oxen
that was grinding the grain,
00:46:23.31\00:46:26.75
that was a long stick
00:46:26.75\00:46:27.88
'cause you don't want the
oxen too close to the food.
00:46:27.88\00:46:30.09
Do I need to go to the detail?
00:46:30.09\00:46:32.62
And so they had that like that,
00:46:32.62\00:46:34.36
but inevitably as they
were shoveling the grain in
00:46:34.36\00:46:37.76
and shoveling the grain out,
00:46:37.76\00:46:38.76
some of it would fall
on the oxen's the path.
00:46:38.76\00:46:41.23
And the oxen, he'd nibble
00:46:41.23\00:46:42.80
it as he walked
by eating the grain.
00:46:42.80\00:46:45.03
And oxen like grain
even more than grass.
00:46:45.03\00:46:47.04
And if you have horses,
00:46:47.04\00:46:48.07
they love it when you
give them a bucket of oats.
00:46:48.07\00:46:50.84
And so he's saying, look,
00:46:50.84\00:46:55.34
if a pastor is
spending all his time
00:46:55.34\00:46:57.61
ministering to people,
00:46:57.61\00:46:59.51
don't muzzle him if
God is blessing you,
00:46:59.51\00:47:01.62
share the things that
God has blessed you with.
00:47:01.62\00:47:06.49
And so that was
one of the principles,
00:47:06.49\00:47:07.92
the purpose of the tithe
00:47:07.92\00:47:08.99
was to keep the
people in ministry
00:47:08.99\00:47:11.09
whether they're evangelists,
00:47:11.09\00:47:12.36
they could be
Christian teachers or pastors.
00:47:12.36\00:47:15.50
Who else was funded by tithe?
00:47:15.50\00:47:19.07
Was it just pastors?
00:47:19.07\00:47:22.24
People in the temple,
00:47:22.24\00:47:24.14
did they have
security in the temple?
00:47:24.14\00:47:27.04
If I have time,
I'll get to that verse,
00:47:27.04\00:47:28.21
it shows even the...
00:47:28.21\00:47:29.74
To your music ministers,
00:47:29.74\00:47:32.01
the sons of Asaph
were paid of the tithe
00:47:32.01\00:47:35.02
'cause music was
part of the worship.
00:47:35.02\00:47:38.85
All right, carrying on here.
00:47:38.85\00:47:42.39
Told you I get confused
when I turn it upside down.
00:47:45.46\00:47:49.56
Luke 7:10, I'm sorry, Luke 10:7.
00:47:49.56\00:47:53.50
And Jesus said when
you go out preaching
00:47:53.50\00:47:55.64
and go from town to
town, but when you get to town,
00:47:55.64\00:47:57.67
"Remain in the same house,
00:47:57.67\00:47:59.44
eating and drinking the
things that they give you,
00:47:59.44\00:48:01.81
for the labor is
worthy of his wages."
00:48:01.81\00:48:05.51
Now here's from
Christ, He's saying, you know,
00:48:05.51\00:48:07.55
if you're staying with a family
00:48:07.55\00:48:08.98
and they're offering to host you
00:48:08.98\00:48:10.52
while you preach in that town,
00:48:10.52\00:48:12.82
accept it and be thankful for
00:48:12.82\00:48:15.29
because you're
working for the Lord,
00:48:15.29\00:48:17.13
you're worthy of that.
00:48:17.13\00:48:18.53
This is your work.
00:48:18.53\00:48:19.89
And then one more,
1 Corinthians 9:14,
00:48:19.89\00:48:22.50
"Even so..."
00:48:22.50\00:48:23.57
And this is about as
plain as it could be,
00:48:23.57\00:48:26.67
"Even so the Lord has commanded
00:48:26.67\00:48:28.27
that those who preach the gospel
00:48:28.27\00:48:30.27
should live from the gospel."
00:48:30.27\00:48:32.81
You know, when I got my first
00:48:32.81\00:48:33.91
official fulltime ministry call,
00:48:33.91\00:48:35.51
I was so excited
00:48:35.51\00:48:36.58
because I was a
self-supporting minister.
00:48:36.58\00:48:38.48
When I'm
teaching our AFCOE class,
00:48:38.48\00:48:39.81
I love to tell them.
00:48:39.81\00:48:40.88
I said, "I started
out as a lay evangelist,
00:48:40.88\00:48:42.28
they hired me, and I
was so excited I thought,
00:48:42.28\00:48:44.79
'You mean
they're going to pay me
00:48:44.79\00:48:46.99
to do what I was doing for free?
00:48:46.99\00:48:50.03
This is the
greatest job in the world.'"
00:48:50.03\00:48:53.80
I think it was Will
Rogers who said figure out
00:48:53.80\00:48:55.66
what you like to do
00:48:55.66\00:48:56.70
and they get
someone to pay you to do it.
00:48:56.70\00:48:58.30
Said, "This is great!
I'm getting paid to preach."
00:48:58.30\00:49:02.77
It's not all great, I
mean, I preach in part but...
00:49:02.77\00:49:05.64
some of the stuff.
00:49:05.64\00:49:07.88
I'm a pastor.
00:49:07.88\00:49:09.94
I was telling
someone just yesterday,
00:49:09.94\00:49:11.41
I said, you know,
00:49:11.41\00:49:12.48
"I wouldn't mind pastoring
if it wasn't for people."
00:49:12.48\00:49:16.75
I don't mind the preaching part.
00:49:16.75\00:49:17.95
That's great.
00:49:17.95\00:49:18.99
And some of it, you
know, leading people to Christ,
00:49:18.99\00:49:20.79
that's wonderful.
00:49:20.79\00:49:22.99
Don't like marriage counseling.
00:49:22.99\00:49:27.20
I'm not great
at hospital visits,
00:49:27.20\00:49:29.20
you know, every
job's got its stuff
00:49:29.20\00:49:32.47
you've got to deal with, right?
00:49:32.47\00:49:34.50
All right,
again, another question,
00:49:34.50\00:49:37.27
"When we make a sale
00:49:37.27\00:49:39.91
and package the
item to be shipped off
00:49:39.91\00:49:41.88
and we ship it,
00:49:41.88\00:49:42.94
we don't take out
the business costs
00:49:42.94\00:49:45.45
and then do we tithe
on what the profit is
00:49:45.45\00:49:47.68
or tithe on the whole amount?"
00:49:47.68\00:49:49.05
In other words,
if you're in business
00:49:49.05\00:49:50.49
and you're doing
things and you're selling,
00:49:50.49\00:49:52.32
will you tithe on the increase?
00:49:52.32\00:49:54.16
I think I used an illustration.
00:49:54.16\00:49:56.52
Let's just
suppose hypothetically,
00:49:56.52\00:49:59.69
I'm going to use the
T-shirt illustration again,
00:49:59.69\00:50:02.03
you're in a business
and you sell T-shirts
00:50:02.03\00:50:06.07
and you print them
00:50:06.07\00:50:07.64
and you put Christian slogans
on them and you sell T-shirts.
00:50:07.64\00:50:10.84
And you buy the T-shirts
and the T-shirts cost $5,
00:50:10.84\00:50:14.34
and then you print
them in that cost, $2.
00:50:14.34\00:50:18.88
And, you know,
00:50:18.88\00:50:21.48
you've got
shipping and everything
00:50:21.48\00:50:22.52
and so you end up
selling these T-shirts
00:50:22.52\00:50:24.95
and it costs you $9 dollars,
but you only get $1 profit.
00:50:24.95\00:50:30.46
All right,
T-shirt started out...
00:50:30.46\00:50:32.13
You sell it for $10,
00:50:32.13\00:50:34.30
it costs you $9 to sell
that, you get $1 profit.
00:50:34.30\00:50:37.60
Now if you pay tithe,
how much on $10 dollars,
00:50:37.60\00:50:39.93
what do you have left?
00:50:39.93\00:50:41.50
Nothing.
00:50:41.50\00:50:42.70
So you're paying
tithe on what the profit was
00:50:42.70\00:50:44.94
after the basic
business expenses.
00:50:44.94\00:50:49.88
Now it's different
if you're in farming
00:50:49.88\00:50:51.61
or something like that
00:50:51.61\00:50:53.78
or if you're working
and you get a paycheck,
00:50:53.78\00:50:55.82
you pay on the
gross, that's your increase.
00:50:55.82\00:50:59.15
The expenses for the
business are from the employer
00:50:59.15\00:51:01.22
that's paying you,
00:51:01.22\00:51:02.82
but you're being
paid on your increase.
00:51:02.82\00:51:05.19
And so doing that as a business
00:51:05.19\00:51:06.96
is maybe a
little different science
00:51:06.96\00:51:08.36
than the average person
who works and gets a paycheck.
00:51:08.36\00:51:12.90
And then someone says,
00:51:12.90\00:51:13.94
"Should we pay tithe on a gift?"
00:51:13.94\00:51:17.64
Well, if it's a
gift of money, sure.
00:51:17.64\00:51:20.31
What do you do if
someone gives you a piano?
00:51:20.31\00:51:24.25
Do you did take 10% of the
keys and give it to the pastor?
00:51:24.25\00:51:30.15
No, you know, you might give
a thank you gift and figure out.
00:51:30.15\00:51:33.79
Yeah, just, you know,
00:51:33.79\00:51:34.86
I want to say
thank you to the Lord
00:51:34.86\00:51:36.42
and so you just
calculate it in your mind
00:51:36.42\00:51:38.26
into a thank
offering in that respect.
00:51:38.26\00:51:40.60
But yeah, God will
be gracious to you.
00:51:40.60\00:51:43.20
Whenever you're in
doubt, just go a little too far,
00:51:43.20\00:51:45.00
and you know
what you'll discover,
00:51:45.00\00:51:46.70
you cannot out give God.
00:51:46.70\00:51:48.40
Can anyone here tell me that,
you know, "I out gave God"?
00:51:48.40\00:51:51.94
I gave so much
that I had nothing left.
00:51:51.94\00:51:54.88
He always blesses, doesn't He?
00:51:54.88\00:51:58.61
All right, again
another question.
00:51:58.61\00:52:02.48
"What if you make a promise
like Ananias and Sapphira
00:52:02.48\00:52:05.12
and you broke it,"
00:52:05.12\00:52:07.09
evidently you're still alive,
so it wasn't exactly like them,
00:52:07.09\00:52:11.29
"And there's no way
you can pay it back?"
00:52:11.29\00:52:15.50
Well, there are cases, you know,
00:52:15.50\00:52:17.17
I've talked to
people and come to the Lord
00:52:17.17\00:52:18.47
and they said, you know,
00:52:18.47\00:52:19.50
I was thrown in
jail for extortion,
00:52:19.50\00:52:22.37
I've talked to
people, they said,
00:52:22.37\00:52:23.97
I embezzled $50
million, and it's all gone,
00:52:23.97\00:52:27.98
and I'm never going to
be able to pay it back.
00:52:27.98\00:52:29.24
I wasn't a Christian and now,
you know, making up the number.
00:52:29.24\00:52:32.81
But now I'm never
going to pay it back.
00:52:32.81\00:52:35.68
And I just say, well,
00:52:35.68\00:52:37.89
you be a little
more than faithful
00:52:37.89\00:52:39.62
with your tithe
and show the Lord
00:52:39.62\00:52:41.16
that you're trying
to go the second mile,
00:52:41.16\00:52:44.06
you may never do that
00:52:44.06\00:52:45.19
'cause you're not
trying to earn your salvation
00:52:45.19\00:52:46.90
by paying it back,
00:52:46.90\00:52:47.96
your salvation is based
on a gift of grace to you,
00:52:47.96\00:52:51.53
but then if you love the Lord
00:52:51.53\00:52:52.67
and if you realize that
you took advantage of others,
00:52:52.67\00:52:54.60
you do what you
can to pay that back
00:52:54.60\00:52:57.87
even if it's a little by little
00:52:57.87\00:52:58.91
'cause at least you're
showing your intentions.
00:52:58.91\00:53:02.61
Who knows what
God might do for you?
00:53:02.61\00:53:06.58
Let me see, I want to get to...
00:53:06.58\00:53:09.72
Tithe in the storehouse.
00:53:09.72\00:53:13.32
How am I going to
cover that in 30 seconds?
00:53:13.32\00:53:16.93
Nehemiah 10:39,
00:53:16.93\00:53:19.26
"For the children of
Israel and the children of Levi
00:53:19.26\00:53:22.06
shall bring the
offering of the grain
00:53:22.06\00:53:24.10
and the new wine and
the oil to the storerooms
00:53:24.10\00:53:27.20
where the articles
of the sanctuary are,
00:53:27.20\00:53:29.74
where the priests who
minister and the gatekeepers
00:53:29.74\00:53:31.87
and the singers are," see,
00:53:31.87\00:53:32.94
it was for the
gatekeepers, security,
00:53:32.94\00:53:34.58
singer, music ministers,
00:53:34.58\00:53:36.54
"and we will not
neglect the house of our God."
00:53:36.54\00:53:39.18
Meaning the work of God's house
00:53:39.18\00:53:41.15
and the people that
were employed for that work.
00:53:41.15\00:53:43.32
So it was sent to a common spot
00:53:43.32\00:53:45.65
and it was then
distributed from there.
00:53:45.65\00:53:47.72
I want to close with this quote.
00:53:47.72\00:53:51.99
Tithe and salvation by faith.
00:53:51.99\00:53:54.86
And this is from
Testimonies Volume 6, page 386.
00:53:54.86\00:53:59.47
"So it is with
God's claims upon us,
00:53:59.47\00:54:01.90
He places His
treasures in the hands of men,
00:54:01.90\00:54:04.64
but He requires that one-tenth
00:54:04.64\00:54:06.11
shall be faithfully
laid aside for His work.
00:54:06.11\00:54:08.71
He requires this portion
to be placed in His treasury.
00:54:08.71\00:54:11.68
It is to be
rendered to Him as His own.
00:54:11.68\00:54:14.38
It is sacred and is to
be used for a sacred purpose
00:54:14.38\00:54:17.45
and for the purpose of those
00:54:17.45\00:54:18.75
who carry the
message of salvation
00:54:18.75\00:54:20.86
to all parts of the world.
00:54:20.86\00:54:22.49
He reserves this portion
00:54:22.49\00:54:24.23
and that means
may ever be flowing
00:54:24.23\00:54:27.50
into His treasure house
00:54:27.50\00:54:29.03
that the light of truth
might be carried to those
00:54:29.03\00:54:30.97
who are near and far off
00:54:30.97\00:54:32.77
by faithfully
obeying this requirement
00:54:32.77\00:54:34.80
we acknowledge that
00:54:34.80\00:54:36.27
all that we
have belongs to God."
00:54:36.27\00:54:38.81
All right, friends, I want
to remind you just in closing,
00:54:38.81\00:54:40.74
we do have a special offer.
00:54:40.74\00:54:42.31
It's kind of a scary title,
but it's a good book called,
00:54:42.31\00:54:44.65
"Thieves in the Church."
00:54:44.65\00:54:46.01
You'll really enjoy it.
00:54:46.01\00:54:47.52
Ask for offer 136 when you call,
00:54:47.52\00:54:50.32
and the number is 866-7888-3966,
00:54:50.32\00:54:54.56
that's 866-7888-3966,
and we'll send it to you.
00:54:54.56\00:54:59.03
I think you can even read it
for free at AmazingFacts.org.
00:54:59.03\00:55:03.83
God bless until we
study His Word together again.
00:55:03.83\00:55:06.63
Friends if
you're scared of snakes,
00:55:17.38\00:55:19.71
this may not be for you.
00:55:19.71\00:55:21.92
I'm here at a reptile park
00:55:21.92\00:55:23.42
outside of Durban, South Africa,
00:55:23.42\00:55:25.42
and I'm holding my friend
here who is a red tail boa.
00:55:25.42\00:55:28.72
Snakes are found
all over the world,
00:55:28.72\00:55:31.06
and they come in all sizes.
00:55:31.06\00:55:32.49
Snakes can be
found through the trees,
00:55:32.49\00:55:34.56
they crawl on the ground,
they live under the ground,
00:55:34.56\00:55:36.90
and they swim in the water,
very interesting creatures.
00:55:36.90\00:55:41.17
Some snakes are
venomous, not my friend here,
00:55:41.17\00:55:43.51
but the black
mamba, very poisonous.
00:55:43.51\00:55:47.21
Matter of fact, their bite is
00:55:47.21\00:55:48.31
often referred to
as the kiss of death.
00:55:48.31\00:55:50.65
They can grow 15 feet long
00:55:50.65\00:55:52.31
and can travel up
to 7 miles an hour,
00:55:52.31\00:55:54.35
they don't call them black mamba
00:55:54.35\00:55:55.72
is because of the
color of their skin
00:55:55.72\00:55:57.49
but the interior of
their mouth is black.
00:55:57.49\00:56:00.22
Snakes also come in all
sizes like this boa or python,
00:56:00.22\00:56:03.76
they can grow to great sizes.
00:56:03.76\00:56:05.63
Matter of fact,
in South America,
00:56:05.63\00:56:07.50
they found some
fossils of a snake
00:56:07.50\00:56:09.73
that they call Titanoboa.
00:56:09.73\00:56:11.93
They believe it was
as big as 50 feet long
00:56:11.93\00:56:14.70
and weighed as much as a car.
00:56:14.70\00:56:16.94
Say cheese!
00:56:16.94\00:56:18.47
A lot of people
are scared of snakes,
00:56:18.47\00:56:20.48
I used to live in
a mountain in a cave
00:56:20.48\00:56:21.81
and I ran into
snakes frequently.
00:56:21.81\00:56:23.45
They never bothered me
unless I was bothering them.
00:56:23.45\00:56:26.45
Within the Bible the snake
is often a symbol of the devil.
00:56:26.45\00:56:29.35
In reality, it's just a symbol,
00:56:29.35\00:56:31.22
they're animals
like other animals,
00:56:31.22\00:56:33.12
but it says they were
cursed to go upon their belly
00:56:33.12\00:56:35.36
because they
were the first medium
00:56:35.36\00:56:36.86
that the devil used
to tempt Adam and Eve.
00:56:36.86\00:56:39.19
In the Book of Numbers 21,
00:56:39.19\00:56:41.46
it tells a story of how
when the children of Israel
00:56:41.46\00:56:43.67
were going
through the wilderness
00:56:43.67\00:56:45.40
they began to
complain about God's manner
00:56:45.40\00:56:47.90
and it says the Lord
allowed these fiery serpents
00:56:47.90\00:56:50.61
to go among the
people and many were bitten
00:56:50.61\00:56:52.94
and the venom was deadly.
00:56:52.94\00:56:54.61
I should probably
mention at this point
00:56:54.61\00:56:56.58
that bread they
were complaining about
00:56:56.58\00:56:57.91
is a symbol for the Word of God.
00:56:57.91\00:56:59.81
As many of the people were dying
00:56:59.81\00:57:01.48
from this plague of serpents,
00:57:01.48\00:57:03.15
they went unto
Moses and they said,
00:57:03.15\00:57:04.59
"What shall we do?"
00:57:04.59\00:57:05.92
God told Moses to
make a bronze serpent
00:57:05.92\00:57:08.16
and put it on a
pole and lift it up
00:57:08.16\00:57:10.49
that whoever
looked upon the serpent,
00:57:10.49\00:57:12.46
they would be
healed of their venom.
00:57:12.46\00:57:14.93
This is why it's so important
00:57:14.93\00:57:16.03
because Jesus says in the
Gospel of John 3:14 and 15,
00:57:16.03\00:57:21.27
"As Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness,
00:57:21.27\00:57:24.34
even so the Son of
Man must be lifted up
00:57:24.34\00:57:27.08
that whoever believes
in Him might not perish
00:57:27.08\00:57:29.88
but have everlasting life."
00:57:29.88\00:57:31.98
They needed to look in to live,
00:57:31.98\00:57:34.08
you see those ancient shepherds
00:57:34.08\00:57:35.38
when they would
kill a venomous snake,
00:57:35.38\00:57:37.09
they would carry it off
on their staff and bury it.
00:57:37.09\00:57:40.12
So a serpent on a pole
represented a defeated snake,
00:57:40.12\00:57:44.16
that's talking about
defeating the devil, friend.
00:57:44.16\00:57:46.73
Have you been
bitten by the serpent?
00:57:46.73\00:57:48.30
We all have.
00:57:48.30\00:57:49.33
The only cure for
the venom of Satan
00:57:49.33\00:57:52.10
is to look in faith at Jesus,
00:57:52.10\00:57:54.00
He then defeated the devil,
00:57:54.00\00:57:55.64
He took the venom
of sin in His body
00:57:55.64\00:57:58.27
to provide the
antidote in His blood.
00:57:58.27\00:58:01.04
So, friends, I encourage
you to look today and live.
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