Bible Studies

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABOUT MONEY?

by John Tyler
10/30/21
Free to Share
Author requests article critique

  Message Writer
  Hire Writer

Tweet

“WHAT DOES THE BIBLE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT MONEY?”

I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT MONEY....YOUR FAVORITE SUBJECT - - -MONEY!   WHAT GIVES ME THE RIGHT TO BE TALKING TO YOU ABOUT MONEY? - WELL, SEVERAL THINGS:

NUMBER ONE IS THAT I HAVE WORKED HARD TO GET MONEY - AND TWO IS THAT I HAVE EARNED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN MY LIFETIME...NUMBER THREE IS THAT I HAVE ALSO BEEN BROKE....

NUMBER FOUR IS THAT I HAVE - LIKE YOU - BEEN IN DEBT ... AND NUMBER FIVE IS THAT GOD HAS SHOWED ME HOW TO NOT ONLY RECOVER FROM BEING BROKE TO BEING IN A STATE OF "CONTENTMENT" WHERE ONE CAN PAY THE BILLS AS THEY COME IN...AND HAVE MONEY LEFT OVER TO FUND THE FUTURE.

BUT, THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON THAT I CAN TALK TO YOU ABOUT MONEY IS THAT IN DECEMBER OF 2007, I ASKED THE GOOD LORD - "LORD, SHOW ME YOUR PLAN AND PURPOSE FOR MY LIFE"...WHICH HE HAS DONE.

I ALSO ASKED HIM THIS: "LORD, WOULD YOU OPEN YOUR BIBLE TO ME SO THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND AND COMPREHEND WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WROTE IN THIS OWNER'S MANUAL FOR LIFE THAT YOU WROTE TO ME - AND TO ANYONE ELSE WHO MAKES THAT SAME REQUEST OF YOU?" -  AND GOD SAYS, "IF YOU ASK FOR WISDOM, HE WILL GIVE IT TO YOU."

SO, I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT - MONEY! - FROM GOD'S PERSPECTIVE - - - VERY IMPORTANT.

NOW, LET ME START OFF WITH SOMETHING THAT'S LIKELY TO GET A LOT OF PEOPLE UPSET - ESPECIALLY PASTORS! - BUT THAT'S OKAY...I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU - FROM GOD'S WORD ONLY - AND NOT MY OPINION. THIS IS ALL ABOUT MONEY: GIVING IT - GETTING IT - WHY GOD WANTS YOU TO HAVE IT AND HOW THE LORD WANTS YOU TO USE IT. - - MONEY!

DID YOU REALIZE THAT THE NUMBER ONE REASON WHY CHURCH ATTENDANCE IS SO LOW THESE DAYS IS - WELL, THERE ARE TEN REASONS, BUT THE NUMBER ONE REASON IS THAT ALWAYS RISES TO THE TOP IS THIS: -  LET ME QUOTE IT FOR YOU: "I HAVE STOPPED GOING TO CHURCH BECAUSE ALL THEY WANT FROM ME IS MY?????-----MONEY" - THAT'S RIGHT - ALL THEY WANT IS MY MONEY.

OOOPS - PASTORS ARE FUMING RIGHT NOW, I CAN TELL ALREADY!

37% OF ALL DIVORCES HAPPEN BECAUSE OF - MONEY! - DID YOU KNOW THAT?

46% OF US DON'T EVEN HAVE $10,000 SAVED UP FOR RETIREMENT! - - -WHY? - I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHY IN JUST A MOMENT.

70% OF US ---THAT'S YOU - LIVE FROM PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK....IMAGINE! - - - WHY?

IF THE AVERAGE FAMILY GETS A BILL IN FOR LET'S SAY $1,500 DOLLARS - TO REPAIR A FURNACE - DO YOU REALIZE THAT THEY PAY FOR IT USING A CREDIT CARD! - - WHY? -   WHY ON EARTH ARE WE THAT MUCH IN DEBT?

EVERY YEAR - YEAR - NOT TEN YEARS, BUT EVERY YEAR - 4,000 CHURCHES FOLD UP...THEY CLOSE THE DOORS - - -WHY? - - -BECAUSE OF A LACK OF MONEY!

JOHN ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME THAT "EVEN THOUGH CHRISTIANS GO TO THESE CHURCHES, " GOD CLOSES THE DOORS TO 4,000 CHURCHES A YEAR?" - COULD IT BE BECAUSE THE PREACHING IS WRONG? - - -ACTUALLY - THE ANSWER TO THAT IS - - -YES!

THE BIBLE ASKS, "HOW SHALL THEY HEAR?  AND ANSWERED: “BUT FROM A PREACHER." 

WORSE THAN 4,000 CHURCHES CLOSING DOWN EVERY YEAR, IS THIS: EVERY MONTH - - NOT YEAR, 1,700 PREACHERS GET OUT OF THE MINISTRY! DO YOU KNOW WHY? - - -BECAUSE THE CHURCHES CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THEM A DECENT SALARY....SO, THE PASTORS GO OUT - AND THEY GET A GOOD PAYING JOB - LIKE AT BURGER KING!

YOU LAUGH - I KNOW - BUT IT'S TRUE...$400.00 BUCKS IS WHAT BURGER KING PAYS - THAT'S MORE THAN A LOT OF PASTORS GET WORKING BEHIND A PULPIT - - -SO THE CHURCH CLOSES ITS DOORS AND THE PASTORS GET OUT OF THE MINISTRY. - - - THAT'S NOT RIGHT! - - - GOD SPEAKS ABOUT MONEY OVER 1009 TIMES IN THE BIBLE.

NOW - GOD DOESN'T NEED MONEY! SO, WHY DOES HE TELL US - 1009 TIMES IN HIS WORD ABOUT MONEY? - - AND WHEN I SAY MONEY, I MEAN WEALTH, FILTHY LUCRE, MAMMON,  TALENTS - SILVER - GOLD - - MONEY. - GOD SPEAKS ABOUT THIS OVER 1009 TIMES.

JESUS SPOKE MORE ABOUT MONEY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THAN HE SPOKE ABOUT HEAVEN AND HELL – COMBINED - SO, MONEY MUST BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO GOD THE FATHER AND TO JESUS...RIGHT?

LUKE - WHO WAS NOT AN APOSTLE OF JESUS, - - HE WAS A DISCIPLE AND THE WRITER OF THE BOOK OF ACTS AND THE BOOK OF LUKE - -  AND A FRIEND OF JESUS AND A PHYSICIAN WROTE - IN THE FIRST FEW PARAGRAPHS OF THE BOOK OF LUKE, THAT HE IS ALSO A HISTORIAN OF THE THINGS THAT WENT ON WHILE HE WAS WITH JESUS AND THE APOSTLES.... - - -HE LOVED TO GET EVERYTHING RIGHT - - - AND ACCURACY WAS WHAT HE WROTE.

HE WRITES ABOUT MONEY ONE TIME OUT OF EVERY  SEVEN VERSES IN THE BOOK OF LUKE! - - ONCE OUT OF EVERY SEVEN - SO MONEY MUST BE IMPORTANT - ESPECIALLY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

JESUS SPOKE 39 PARABLES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT -A PARABLE, OF COURSE, IS AN EARTHLY STORY WITH A HEAVENLY MEANING.

OF THE 39 PARABLES THAT JESUS SPOKE....ELEVEN OF THEM...THAT'S 35% OF THEM...HE SPOKE ABOUT MONEY. - - SO MONEY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO JESUS AS WELL AS TO GOD THE FATHER....AND IT'S NOT FOR THEIR BENEFIT - IT'S FOR YOUR BENEFIT!

NOW - EVERY ONE OF US READING THIS FIT INTO ONE OF THREE CATEGORIES - - -IN CHURCH OR NOT: 

NUMBER ONE - AND UNFORTUNATELY IT'S THE MAJORITY OF US - WHICH MEANS 70% OF US - ARE IN DEBT - UP TO OUR EYEBALLS.

WHEN I SAY IN DEBT, I'M TALKING ABOUT CREDIT CARD DEBT - AUTOMOBILE LEASING OR FINANCING DEBT - MORTGAGE DEBT AND OTHER KINDS OF DEBT....THAT'S 70 PERCENT OF US...MEANING YOU!

OTHERS - LIKE MYSELF OR PAUL THE APOSTLE, ARE IN WHAT WE CALL A STATE OF BEING CONTENT. - THAT IS TO SAY THIS: - WHEN YOU GET A BILL IN THE MAIL - YOU GET YOUR CHECKBOOK OUT OR PAY IT ONLINE (EVEN QUICKER) - - -THAT'S BEING CONTENT.  - WE DON'T PILE UP A STACK OF BILLS SOMEWHERE AND WHEN WE GET PAID - HOPE WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN THE CHECKING ACCOUNT TO PAY THOSE BILLS! - SO WE ARE NOT BROKE...IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO BE!

AND THE THIRD CATEGORY OF PEOPLE ARE THOSE THAT HAVE SO MUCH MONEY THAT THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO WITH IT ALL. - SEE - THIS IS USUALLY WHERE THE PREACHERS ASK FOR A RAISE OF HANDS IN CHURCH! - "WHO HAS SO MUCH MONEY THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT?" !!! - AND HE STARTS TAKING DOWN NAMES! 

SO - MONEY - VERY VERY IMPORTANT.

THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO KNOW IS THIS:   "WHO OWNS ALL THE MONEY?"    - - GOD TELLS US IN THE BOOK OF HAGGAI - CHAPTER TWO VERSE EIGHT - "ALL THE SILVER AND GOLD ...NOT THE PESOS OR DINERO, OR RUBLES - NOT THE PAPER THAT U.S. DOLLARS ARE WRITTEN ON.....THAT ARE NOT WORTH THE PAPER THEY ARE WRITTEN ON....ARE MINE", SO GOD OWNS ALL THE STUFF THAT BACKS THOSE CURRENCIES...GOLD AND SILVER. 

WHO THEN - GIVES YOU - - -OR ME- - THE POWER TO GET SOME OF HIS WEALTH?  - IF YOU STUDY THE BIBLE - WHICH, OF COURSE, I DO - THEN YOU WOULD KNOW THAT IN DEUTERONOMY 8:18, WE READ, "REMEMBER THE LORD THY GOD - FOR IT IS HE WHO GIVES US THE POWER TO GET WEALTH."  - HIS WEALTH.

ONLY GOD CAN GIVE YOU THE POWER TO GET SOME OF HIS WEALTH! - WE JUST HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO GET THAT POWER TO GET HIS WEALTH...BUT HE WON'T GIVE IT TO US UNTIL WE GET IT IN OUR HEADS WHY IT IS THAT WE GIVE MONEY - ESPECIALLY RETURNING SOME OF THAT WEALTH BACK TO GOD. 

NOW - THE FIRST THING THAT GOD WANTS US TO DO IS TO GET OUT OF DEBT. - THAT'S THE FIRST THING HE HAD TO TEACH ME WHEN I FIRST ASKED HIM TO BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2007. - - "LORD, PLEASE SHOW ME YOUR PLAN AND PURPOSE FOR MY LIFE."

SO, THE FIRST THING HE DEMONSTRATED TO ME WAS , "JOHN, I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOUR "DAILY BREAD NEEDS FOR YOU - AND TEACH YOU HOW TO GET WEALTH, BUT THE FIRST THING YOU HAVE TO DO IS GET OUT OF DEBT - YOU'RE IN DEBT UP TO YOUR EYEBALLS LIKE MOST OTHERS!!"

YOU ASK, "JOHN - WHERE IN THE BIBLE DOES IT SAY TO GET OUT OF DEBT? - - -

IF YOU GO BACK TO THE OLD TESTAMENT - BECAUSE WE CAN START THERE - GOD WAS OPERATING THROUGH HIS PROPHETS, THERE WAS A PROPHET NAMED ELIJAH AND HE HAD A FELLOW WORKING FOR HIM - AND THAT FELLOW DIED. 

SO, THE WIDOW OF THAT MAN CAME TO ELIJAH AND SAID, "ELIJAH - YOU KNOW MY HUSBAND AND HE WORKED DILIGENTLY FOR YOU ...BUT NOW HE IS DEAD." SHE CONTINUED...SHE SAID, 'NOW THE CREDITORS HAVE COME TO ME TO TAKE MY TWO SONS TO WORK OFF THE DEBTS OWED TO THEM BY MY HUSBAND SO THAT THEY CAN BE SLAVES TO THE CREDITORS - UNTIL THE DEBT - - -PLUS THE INTEREST...AND OTHER FEES AND CHARGES IS PAID."

DO YOU GET THE INTENT?

I'M SORRY, BUT I'M TRYING TO GET THESE POINTS ACROSS. I JUST GET EXCITED ABOUT THIS STUFF AND GOD'S WORD THAT SPEAKS TO US ALL ABOUT MONEY! 

SO THE MORAL OF THAT STORY IS THIS: - - -IF YOU OWE THE CREDITORS - YOU ARE A SLAVE TO THOSE CREDITORS! - THEY ARE THE MASTER - YOU ARE THE SLAVE!

WANT PROOF OF THAT? - YOU THINK THAT CAR YOU ARE DRIVING IS YOURS?  MISS A PAYMENT AND SEE THE CREDITOR'S TOW TRUCK HAULING WHAT YOU THOUGHT WAS YOUR CAR - AWAY!

DON'T PAY YOUR MORTGAGE FOR THREE MONTHS ON THE HOUSE YOU THINK YOU OWN...AND YOU'LL QUICKLY SEE THE CREDITOR SHOW UP WITH A SHERIFF AND A CREW TO TOSS YOUR STUFF OUT ONTO THE LAWN - OR HAVE IT PUT IN STORAGE - AT YOUR ADDITIONAL EXPENSE!

IN THE NEW TESTAMENT - IN LUKE CHAPTER 14 AND VERSES 28 AND 29 - JESUS GIVES US A GREAT ILLUSTRATION - IN ONE OF HIS 39 PARABLES - ABOUT GETTING OUT OF DEBT AND HAVE A WORKING BUDGET TO DO SO!

"JOHN - WHERE DOES IT SAY TO GET A BUDGET?" - - -

GLAD YOU ASKED! - LUKE 14 SAYS, IN TODAY'S VERNACULAR - "WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD BUILD A HOUSE OR A BUILDING WITHOUT FIRST COUNTING THE COST?"

WITHOUT A BUDGET - YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY "COUNT THE COST"! - - -COUNTING COSTS MEANS GET A BUDGET.

THE PARABLE GOES ON TO TELL OF A BUILDER WHO STARTED TO BUILD A BUILDING BUT HE ONLY GOT AS FAR AS THE FOUNDATION....AND THE WORK STOPPED. - - WHY?

THE BIBLE SAYS HE RAN OUT OF MONEY! - HE WOULD NEVER HAVE RUN OUT OF MONEY IF HE COUNTED THE COST FIRST - IF HE HAD A BUDGET.

MY BROTHER, VERNE, USED TO ALWAYS SAY, "IF YOU CANNOT COUNT YOUR MONEY - YOU CANNOT POSSIBLE MANAGE IT" - HE WAS EXACTLY RIGHT! - THAT'S THE SAME THING LUKE WAS WRITING ABOUT WHEN THE BUILDER COULDN'T FINISH THE BUILDING BECAUSE HE NEVER COUNTED THE COST. 

WORSE YET, THE PARABLE TELLS US THAT THE FOUNDATION BEGAN SPROUTING WEEDS, AND IT WAS ALL CRACKING APART...AND THE NEIGHBORS GATHERED AROUND IT - AND HIM AND LAUGHED AT HIM - BECAUSE HE WAS STUPID ENOUGH TO HAVE NO BUDGET AND ALL THE MONEY THAT HE SUNK INTO THE PLACE WAS WASTED MONEY! - - -HE HAD NO PLAN TO MANAGE HIS MONEY!

EVERYONE SHOULD LAUGH AT YOU - OR AT ME - IF WE DON'T HAVE A BUDGET!

I'VE HAD A BUDGET SINCE  DECEMBER OF 2007. WHY? BECAUSE GOD HAD IMPRESSED UPON ME AT THAT TIME - "JOHN, GET OUT OF DEBT - START PREPARING A BUDGET."

NOW - HERE COMES THE QUESTION WHERE MOST OF THE PASTORS WILL LIKELY SHUT THIS VIDEO OFF! - - -PLEASE DON'T TURN THIS OFF UNTIL YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL OF IT BECAUSE THINGS WILL BECOME VERY CLEAR TO YOU ABOUT WHAT GOD - AND THEN JESUS SAID ABOUT MONEY AND HOW IT RELATES TO GOD'S WORD - THE BIBLE.

EVEN SOME IN CHURCH CONGREGATIONS WHO READ THIS WILL SAY, "OH BOY - THIS GUY TYLER HAS DONE GONE OVER THE EDGE"! :)

HERE'S THE QUESTION OF THE AGES: "WHY DO YOU GIVE MONEY TO THE CHURCH"    - - WHY? 

"WELL, JOHN - IF WE WERE REALLY HONEST - AND THE PREACHER WASN'T STANDING BACK THERE LISTENING, WE'D TELL YOU WHY! 

I'LL TELL YOU WHY - BECAUSE I'VE ALREADY BEEN THERE - DID THAT! 

WE GIVE MONEY TO THE CHURCH BECAUSE IT IS MANDATED!

WE ARE TOLD - 'WE MUST GIVE MONEY TO THE CHURCH". -   IT'S CALLED THE "TITHE"   IT'S COMPULSORY TO TITHE - AND WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT ALL OF OUR LIVES. - "WHY - IT'S THE LAW".....THE PREACHERS SAY, "IT'S THE LAW THAT YOU MUST TITHE". "IT'S THE LAW WRITTEN BY MOSES AND MALACHI IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, - - JOHN...YOU ARE MANDATED TO GIVE A TITHE!"

OKAY - WE KNOW WHY WE ARE TAUGHT THAT THE MANDATE OF TITHING IS THE LAW....(BUT FOR NOW I WILL DELAY GOD'S ANSWER TO THAT) - - - - WHAT WE DON'T KNOW IS WHAT IS A TITHE?

IS IT TEN PERCENT OF OUR WAGES PAID - BEFORE WITHHOLDINGS - OR IS IT TEN PERCENT OF WHAT OUR CHECK TELLS US IS THE NET THAT WE CAN PUT IN THE BANK?

SOME OF YOU SAY, "WELL, THE BOSS WRITES OUT A CHECK FOR A THOUSAND SO I GIVE $100.00 - WHICH IS TEN PERCENT OF THE THOUSAND THAT I GOT IN MY HAND.”

WHEREAS ALICE - OVER ON THAT SIDE OF THE CHURCH SAYS, "HEY - I GET A THOUSAND DOLLARS TOO, CHARLIE, BUT THE GOVERNMENT TAKES OUT TAXES AND MY BOSS TAKES OUT MONEY FOR HEALTH INSURANCE, - - -COME ON - THAT LEAVES ME WITH $700.00 TAKE HOME MONEY SO I TITHE $70.00

SO- HERE'S THE RUB! - CHARLIE YELLS OUT, "PASTOR...I'M GIVING $100.00 BUT ALICE OVER THERE IS ONLY PAYING $70.00” - SO THE PREACHER HAS TO TRY PUTTING THAT FIRE OUT.

NONE OF THIS IS NECESSARY - SO STAY WITH ME!

WE GIVE MONEY BECAUSE WE ARE TAUGHT IN EVERY CHURCH THAT WE MUST DONATE TEN PERCENT OF SOME ARGUABLE NUMBER!

THE PASTORS WHO TELL US THAT WE MUST GIVE A TITHE - "UNDER THE LAW" ARE ALSO TAUGHT THAT BY THEIR SEMINARY PREACHERS....AND IT'S BEEN PASSED DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION THAT WAY!

AND THIS IS WHAT THESE PREACHERS HAVE BEEN TAUGHT - AND THEY PASS IT ALONG TO YOU AS THOUGH GOD HIMSELF MANDATED IT.

MALACHI CHAPTER THREE AND VERSES 7 THRU 12.  "WHAT - WILL A MAN (OR WOMAN) ROB GOD? - HOW ARE WE ROBBING GOD?- MALACHI SAID, "IN TITHES AND OFFERINGS” -  SO WE ARE ALL AUTOMATICALLY PUT ON A GUILT TRIP.

I'VE SAID IT MYSELF WHEN I WAS HAMMERED BY CATHOLIC PRIESTS OR ASSEMBLY OF GOD PASTORS AND BY FUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST PREACHERS OR ANY OTHER PREACHER WHERE I HAVE ATTENDED - OR VISITED A CHURCH FROM THE EARLY AGE OF MAYBE FIVE - TO TODAY!

"YOU BETTER TITHE, BOY...BECAUSE MALACHI - A PROPHET OF GOD WAS TOLD TO TELL US SO." - "IF YOU AREN'T TITHING, BOY -  YOU ARE ROBBIN' GOD!" 

AND I WOULD SAY TO GOD, "LORD, I DON'T WANT TO ROB YOU." I WOULD ASK GOD, "AM I DOING IT WRONG? AM I SUPPOSED TO GIVE 10% OF THIS NUMBER OR 10% OF THAT NUMBER? - - - -WHAT DO I DO?

BUT - WHEN I GREW UP - IN THE LORD'S WORD...AND WHY I WANT TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU IS THAT I USED TO GO TO THESE PREACHERS AND STILL DO NOW - AND I WOULD ASK THEM THIS QUESTION: 

"PASTOR - YOU SAY WE HAVE TO TITHE BECAUSE MALACHI - - - THE JEWISH PROPHET - - -TO THE JEWS SAID THEY HAD TO TITHE...BUT I'M A "GOYISHA" - I'M A GENTILE...I'M NOT A JEW - SO WHY DO I HAVE TO TITHE?

"AND PASTOR, LET ME POINT OUT A VERSE TO YOU FROM GALATIANS THREE AND VERSE 12 - "IT SAYS THIS, AND I HAVE TO READ IT TO YOU, PREACHER - "WE WHO TRUST CHRIST - AND THAT IS ME - AS IT IS YOU, PASTOR..."ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW ANYMORE.” - WHAT LAW? THE LAW OF MOSES AND MALACHI AND THE JEWS.

JESUS SAID, "I GIVE YOU TWO NEW COMMANDMENTS - WE ARE NOT LIVING UNDER THE JEWISH LAW HANDED DOWN TO MOSES...."LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, SOUL AND MIND....AND ALSO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOU LOVE YOURSELF. - ALL OF THE OTHER COMMANDMENTS FALL UPON THESE TWO, JESUS SAID. “

"AND PASTOR, GALATIONS 3:12 GOES FURTHER TO SAY TO ME - - -"JOHN, "  THE LAW IS NOT BASED ON FAITH!" AND YOU ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW ANYMORE   - - -"PASTOR - THE LAW THAT I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO LIVE UNDER ANYMORE IS NOT BASED ON FAITH. - - -THE LAW OF TITHING, THEREFORE, IS NOT BASED ON FAITH....IT'S A MANDATE - ACCORDING TO THE VERY WORDS FORM JESUS!”

JESUS IS TELLING US THAT IF IT IS A "LAW"  THAT WE MUST OBEY AND NEVER QUESTION...WHERE'S THE FAITH IN THAT?  WHERE'S ANY FAITH IN SOMETHING YOU DO BECAUSE YOU ARE TOLD...IT'S A MANDATE...A LAW?

"YOU TELL ME, PASTOR, - THAT I HAVE TO GIVE TEN PERCENT OF MY INCOME (GROSS OR NET - WE CAN DEBATE), BUT NONE-THE-LESS - YOU ARE TELLING ME THAT I HAVE TO DO IT , BUT JESUS SAID THERE IS NO FAITH THERE WHEN WE LIVE UNDER THE LAW."

AND HE CONTINUES...JESUS SAYS, - THROUGH THE WRITINGS OF PAUL - THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES - "ON THE CONTRARY, "ANYBODY WHO LIVES UNDER THE LAW, MUST LIVE BY THAT LAW.....THE LAWS PASSED DOWN FROM MOSES AND OR MALACHI.

IF I'M JEWISH - I'M UNDER THE LAW...BECAUSE I CHOSE NOT TO FOLLOW CHRIST....OTHERWISE, AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST -  I'M UNDER GRACE - - -RIGHT?

SO, IF I'M NOT UNDER THE JEWISH LAW, AND FOR A CHRISTIAN THE LAW IS NOT BASED ON FAITH...WHY THEN DO I HAVE TO PAY THE MANDATE OF TITHING THAT MALACHI - A JEWISH PROPHET TOLD THE NATION OF ISRAEL TO DO?

SO, THAT DROVE THE PASTORS NUTS. - - -SO, WHAT THESE PREACHERS HAD TO DO WAS RUN TO THEIR SEMINARY TRAINING MANUALS...AND THEY SEARCHED OUT "HOW TO TRANSITION THE GENTILES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT MALACHI TO THE NEW TESTAMENT.” - - -"YIKES...WHAT DO I TELL THIS GUY TYLER?”- - -

SO THEY RESEARCH MORE AND FINALLY CAME UP WITH - "AHA - HERE IT IS RIGHT THERE IN MY TRAINING MANUALS...AND MY MANUAL TELLS ME TO GO TO MATTHEW 23 IN THE NEW TESTAMENT - AND TELL THEM THE STORY WHERE JESUS TALKED TO THE PHARISEE.”-  LET ME GIVE YOU THAT STORY…

JESUS WALKED OVER TO A PHARISEE...AND SAID TO HIM, (WHO HE COULDN'T STAND REALLY) - "YOU KNOW - YOU PHARISEES WHO ARE ROBBING THE WIDOWS AND THE POOR - AND DOING EVERYTHING UNGODLY UNDER THE SUN...AND YOU DON'T EVEN FOLLOW THE RULES THAT YOU ARE TELLING EVERYONE ELSE TO FOLLOW -  YET YOU "TITHE" OF YOUR MINT AND CUMMIN (TINY SPICES)...AND THIS (TITHING) YOU OUGHT NOT TO LEAVE UNDONE (DON'T LEAVE THE TITHING IGNORED)...BUT YOU SHOULD ALSO DO THE WEIGHTIER MATTERS OF - - -THE LAW."

"BINGO" - SAYS THE PASTORS....FROM THEIR SEMINARY TRAINING MANUALS - "THERE IT IS - TRANSITION TIME - TELL THEM (IN MY CONGREGATION) THE NEW TESTAMENT STORY OF WHERE JESUS HIMSELF SAID, "WE ARE NOT TO LEAVE TITHING UNDONE." 

OKAY...SO LET'S GO BACK AND VISIT THAT SAME SCENE...

HERE'S JESUS - THERE'S THE PHARISEE...WHO JESUS CAN'T STAND - AND HE TELLS OF HOW BAD THESE PHARISEES ARE THROUGHOUT ALL OF MATTHEW...HE SAYS, "YOU KNOW - YOU GUYS ARE LIKE WHITED SEPULCHERS (BURIAL VAULTS) BECAUSE ON THE OUTSIDE YOU APPEAR TO BE CLEAN AND HOLY - YET ON THE INSIDE YOU ARE AS ROTTEN AS THE CORPSES BURIED IN THOSE VAULTS." – “YOU ARE ROBBING THE WIDOWS AND THE POOR BUT YOU HAVE TO TITHE BECAUSE YOU ARE A PHARISEE”

LET'S SEE A PHARISEE IS A GUY WHO IS THE HEAD OF - - -THE IRISH MAFIA, RIGHT?

NO - A PHARISEE WAS ONE OF WHAT IS CALLED THE SANHEDRIN - WHICH IS A 71 MEMBER COUNCIL - COMPRISED OF PHARISEES AND SADUCEES WHO SAT IN THE TEMPLE AND RULED THE CONGREGATION - TEACHING AND FORCING THEM TO COMPLY - WITH THE LAWS OF MOSES.

AND JESUS SAID TO THE PHARISEE - "YOU CAN'T LEAVE THE LAW OF TITHING UNDONE BECAUSE WHAT WOULD THE CONGREGATION SAY IF THEY KNEW?" - - -"HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY BE OUT THERE BRAGGING IN THE STREET - AS THE HOLY LEADERS OF THE JEWS...AND YET ALLOW THEM TO SEE THAT YOU DON'T TITHE...SO YOU CANNOT LEAVE THE TITHING UNDONE FOR THAT REASON – AND BECAUSE YOU ARE A JEW…YOU FALL UNDER THE LAWS OF MOSES!" 

“YOU ARE OUT THERE PRAYING OUT LOUD AND WEARING THE GARMENTS WITH PHYLACTERIES ALL OVER YOUR CLOTHING DEMONSTRATING HOW RIGHTEOUS YOU ARE....SO YOU CANNOT LEAVE THE TITHING UNDONE."

THAT'S WHAT JESUS WAS SAYING TO A JEWISH GUY WHO MUST LIVE UNDER THE LAW! 

AH, BUT THERE IS A BIBLE VERSE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THAT I CALL THE "REDACTED VERSE" BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE ALL THE WORDS FOUND THERE ARE BLACKED OUT BY PREACHERS!

IN ALL MY YEARS SO FAR ON THE PLANET - I HAVE NEVER HEARD A PREACHER GO TO THIS BIBLE VERSE FOUND IN THE NEW TESTAMENT BOOK OF HEBREWS...NEVER.

SO...LET'S SEE - WHERE IS THAT BIBLE VERSE THAT SPELLS OUT WHO IS TO COLLECT A TITHE AND FROM WHOM? - LET ME THINK...LET ME THINK...

"OH YEAH, IT'S FOUND IN HEBREWS 7:5"- SORRY - I APPEAR TO BE A WISE GUY, BUT I'M JUST ANIMATED SO THAT I CAN GET THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD OUT TO YOU.....

SO, WHY DO PREACHERS AVOID THIS VERSE FOUND IN HEBREWS 7:5 THAT TELLS THE WORLD WHO IS SUPPOSED TO COLLECT THE TITHE AND FROM WHOM AND WHY IS IT WRITTEN THERE?

IT SAYS THIS: "NOW THE LAW REQUIRES"...(WHAT LAW)? THE LAW OF MOSES. "NOW THE LAW OF MOSES REQUIRES THAT THE DESCENDANTS OF LEVI " - - -ALRIGHT - WHO IS LEVI AND WHO ARE LEVI'S DESCENDANTS?

LEVI WAS ONE OF THE 12 SONS OF JACOB WHO GOD CHANGED HIS NAME FROM JACOB TO ISRAEL....HIS 12 SONS BECAME THE "12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL". LEVI WAS THE NAME OF ONE OF THE TWELVE TRIBES OF JOSEPH OR ISRAEL.

"SO YOU DECENDANTS OF LEVI WHO BECOME PRIESTS (NOW RABBIS) - MUST COLLECT A TENTH - OR A "TITHE". 

SO WE NOW KNOW THAT ONLY A LEVI DESCENDANT MUST COLLECT A TITHE...BUT FROM WHO?

HEBREWS 7:5 DOES NOT INSTRUCT PRIESTS, PASTORS, GURUS OR ANYONE ELSE TO COLLECT A TITHE...ONLY A RABBI (WHO MUST BE A DESCENDANT OF LEVI BY THE WAY) ARE TO COLLECT A TITHE.

THE UNKNOWN AUTHOR OF HEBREWS GOES ON TO TELL US FROM WHOM THE LEVI DESCENDANT MUST COLLECT THE TITHE FROM...AND IT SAYS “FROM THE PEOPLE”....WHAT PEOPLE? - - -WELL, IT MUST BE FROM ALL THE ITALIANS IN THE CONGREGATION., RIGHT? 😊

NO, IT SAYS, "THAT IS - FROM YOUR FELLOW ISRAELITES..JEWS IN THE CONGREGATION.”

THEREFORE...ONLY JEWISH LEVI PRIESTS (NOW RABBIS) - BY LAW (THE LAW OF MOSES) - MUST COLLECT A TITHE FROM THE OTHER ELEVEN TRIBES WHO ARE IN THEIR CONGREGATION....THEIR ISRAELITE BROTHERS...."EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE ALSO DESCENDANTS OF ABRAHAM." - WHICH I WILL CLARIFY.

SEE...WE ARE NOT TAUGHT RIGHT.

EVERYONE THINKS THAT ABRAHAM WAS JEWISH.....RIGHT?  - WELL, IT ISN'T SO. ABRAHAM WAS A HEBREW...HE WASN'T AN ISRAELITE – OR JEW...BECAUSE ISRAEL (JACOB) WASN'T EVEN FORMED AT THE TIME ABRAHAM LIVED.

JACOB...NAMED ISRAEL BY GOD...WOULD HAVE 12 SONS AND THEY WOULD BECOME THE 12 TRIBES OF JACOB/ISRAEL.

THE WORD "JEW" IS REALLY A PART OF THE WORLD "JUDAH" - "JUDAISM". AND JUDAH WAS ONE OF THE 12 TRIBES FROM JOSEPH'S OR ISRAEL'S LOINS.

THE WORD "HEBREW" WHICH ABRAHAM WAS MEANS "FROM THE OTHER SIDE". THE OTHER SIDE OF WHAT? REMEMBER THE FLOOD OF NOAH'S TIME...WHERE EVERY SOUL ON EARTH WAS DROWNED EXCEPT NOAH AND HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN...SEVEN PEOPLE?

THAT'S THE OTHER SIDE...THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FLOOD....NOAH'S SIDE....

HEBREWS THEY WERE CALLED. SO ABRAHAM HAD TWO SONS...ONE THAT HE WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE BY THE NAME OF ISHMAEL...WHO CAME FROM AN ARAB MOTHER NAMED 'HAGAR"...AND ISAAC...HIS SECOND SON WAS BORN 13 YEARS LATER AND HIS MOTHER WAS SARAH...ABRAHAM'S WIFE.

ALL OF ISHMAEL'S DESCENDANTS ARE FROM THE ARAB WORLD...ALL OF ISAAC'S DESCENDANTS ARE FROM THE NOW JEWISH WORLD, AND GOD SAID, "THERE WILL ALWAYS BE HATRED BETWEEN THE JEWS AND ARABS BECAUSE OF THIS “- WHERE ABRAHAM AND SARAH DID NOT BELIEVE THAT GOD WOULD PROVIDE A SON AT THEIR AGES...SO ABRAHAM HAD A SON THROUGH SARAH'S EGYPTIAN HANDMAIDEN...AND SARAH SANCTIONED IT.

THIS IS WHY THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN…AND WILL ALWAYS BE..ENMITY (HATRED) BETWEEN ARABS AND JEWS…SO DON’T BE SURPRISED WHEN YOU SEE “PEACE TALKS” FAIL BETWEEN THEM.

ISAAC WAS A HEBREW - NOT A JEW.....OR AN ISRAELITE. THIS IS WHY HEBREWS 7:5 TELLS US THAT THE LEVI PRIESTS MUST COLLECT A TITHE FROM THEIR JEWISH BROTHERS ...EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE ALL DESCENDANTS OF A NON-ISRAELITE NAMED ABRAHAM.

ISAAC HAD TWO SONS...ESAU - AND HANGING ON TO HIS HEELS AS HE CAME OUT OF HIS MOTHER'S WOMB WAS JACOB. - JACOB WOULD LATER BE CALLED ISRAEL BY GOD...AND THE NATION OF "ISRAEL" AND THE 12 TRIBES OR SONS OF JACOB-ISRAEL WOULD BE CALLED ISRAELITES OR JEWS. GOT IT?

SO, IT IS NOW IMPERATIVE THAT WE DISCOVER WHY GOD CHOSE ONLY THE TRIBE OF LEVI AND THAT'S TRIBE'S DESCENDANTS TO COLLECT A TITHE FROM THE OTHER ELEVEN TRIBES.

THIS STUFF GETS REALLY INTERESTING - IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN FACTS AND TRUTH ABOUT MONEY!

NOW WE SHALL DISCOVER WHY GOD CHOSE LEVI AND WE FIND THE ANSWER IN EXODUS 32.

MOSES IS SEEN COMING DOWN OFF THE MOUNTAIN WITH THE TEN COMMANDMENTS CARVED IN STONE TABLETS BY GOD.  MOSES WAS UP THERE - ALONE WITH GOD FOR FORTY DAYS.

AS MOSES GETS TO THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAIN HE SEES HIS BROTHER AARON THE HIGH PRIEST OVER THE NATION OF ISRAEL...AND MOSES SEES HIM AND THE NATION OF ISRAEL - HALF DRUNK...MANY NAKED...AND THEY ARE WORSHIPING A GOLDEN CALF THAT THEY BUILT BECAUSE MOSES WAS GONE FOR SO LONG THAT THEY THOUGH HIM DEAD!

40 DAYS IS REALLY A MONTH AND TEN DAYS! SO IT WASN’T THAT LONG!

MOSES WAS SO UPSET BY WHAT HE SAW THAT HE THREW THE TABLETS OF STONE DOWN ON THE GROUND - AND THEY BROKE.  -  GOD THEN SAYS TO MOSES, "GET OUT OF THE WAY..I AM GOING TO WIPE THESE PEOPLE FROM THE FACE OF THE EARTH AND YOU AND I WILL START OVER WITH A NEW NATION OF ISRAEL.”

MOSES SAID, "LORD - I'D LIKE TO REASON THIS OUT WITH YOU...." HE COULD DO SO BECAUSE GOD CONSIDERED MOSES AS " A FRIEND OF GOD".  ALSO – BECAUSE GOD TELLS US, “COME – LET US REASON TOGETHER”….SO GOD WANTS US TO EXPRESS OUR VIEWS TO HIM.

MOSES SAID, "IF YOU WIPE OUT THE NATION OF ISRAEL...PHARAOH - WHO RELEASED US FROM EGYPTIAN SLAVERY WILL THINK THAT YOU BROUGHT US OT HERE TO JUST KILL US."

SO GOD SAID TO MOSES, "OKAY - YOU CAN HANDLE THE SITUATION." 

MOSES SAID TO THE PEOPLE, "LOOK - OUT OF ALL TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL HERE, WHO AMONG YOU ALL WILL STAND BY ME - YOUR LEADER - THE ONE CHOSEN BY GOD TO LEAD YOU?" - - -  NOW - THERE'S A WHOLE OTHER MESSAGE I COULD BRING HERE ABOUT YOUR ALLEGIANCE TO YOUR PASTOR - THE ONE CHOSEN BY GOD TO LEAD YOU,...BUT I THINK YOU KNOW WHERE THAT MESSAGE WOULD LEAD YOU.

AND IT SAYS - IN EXODUS 32..."ONLY THE TRIBE OF LEVI STOOD BEHIND MOSES AND SAID,  “MOSES, WE TRUST GOD - WE HAVE SEEN HIM WORK WHILE WE WERE OUT HERE...SO WE TRUST YOU AS OUR LEADER - WE STAND WITH YOU."

ONLY THE TRIBE OF LEVI STOOD WITH MOSES AND BELIEVED GOD.

THIS IS WHY OVER IN NUMBERS CHAPTER 18, YOU WOULD DISCOVER THAT GOD SAID, "THIS IS WHY I CHOSE THE TRIBE OF LEADERS TO BE THE PRIESTS IN THE TEMPLE AND FOREVER...BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO BELIEVED ME AND WHO TRUSTED THE LEADER THAT I CHOSE."

AND - IT IS WHY HEBREWS 7:5 SAYS THAT ONLY THE DESCENDANTS OF THE TRIBE OF LEVI MAY BE MY LEADERS GOING FORWARD, AND ONLY THEY CAN COLLECT THE TITHE FROM THE OTHER ELEVEN TRIBES...THEIR FELLOW JEWS. – AND WE WILL SHORTLY KNOW EXACTLY WHY A TITHE WAS MANDATED FOR THE JEWS TO GIVE TO THE DESCENDANTS OF LEVITES.

NOW - IN NUMBERS 18 AND VERSE 6 WE READ, " I, GOD, SAY THIS TO YOU..."I HAVE CHOSEN YOUR FELLOW LEVIS TO BE USED IN MY TABERNACLE AND THEY SHALL DO THE SERVICE OF THE LORD....BECAUSE THEY STOOD WITH MOSES” (THEREBY STOOD BY ME)...

AND NUMBERS 18:21 TELLS US, "AS FOR THE TRIBE OF LEVI, THIS IS HOW I AM GOING TO PAY THEM: "THEY ARE NOT GONG TO INHERIT ANY OF THE LAND THAT SHALL BE GIVEN TO THEM...WHEN YOU ARRIVE IN THE "PROMISED LAND" . 

“I AM GOING TO HAVE JOSHUA...BY A LOTTERY...(SEE - THERE IS JUST ONE OF MANY EXAMPLES DEMONSTRATING THAT GOD ALLOWED LOTTERIES TO BE USED)...BUT THAT'S ANOTHER RABBIT TRAIL THAT I COVER ELSEWHERE HERE ON FAITHWRITERS.COM AND IN A VIDEO ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL –  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JTg3wvNvTI&t=25s

GOD CONTINUED TO SAY - "JOSHUA WILL DIVVY UP THE LAND TO THE OTHER ELEVEN TRIBES, BUT TO COMPENSATE MY LEVI PRIESTS, I DON'T WANT THEM TO WORK AT A JOB… (SAME WITH ANY LEADERS OF THE TEMPLE - CHURCH, ETC) -  VERSE 21 - …HERE IS HOW I AM GOING TO PAY THEM: "RATHER THAN LETTING THEM PARTICIPATE IN GAINING REAL ESTATE, I WILL PAY THEM FROM THE 'TITHES' OF ISRAEL...RECEIVED FROM THE OTHER ELEVEN TRIBES."

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT GOD HAS REQUIRED PEOPLE TO GIVE MONEY TO SOMEONE ELSE!

AND IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL. THE REASON FOR THE TITHES GOING TO PAY THE PRIESTS OF LEVI (AND THEIR DESCENDANTS) WAS THAT THEY WERE TO SPEND FULL TIME PREACHING...AND DOING THE SERVICES OF THE LORD IN THE TEMPLE - - - THE PLACE OF WORSHIP OF THE LORD GOD.

WE SHOULD GO ON TO COVER WHY ABRAHAM GAVE A TITHE...BUT WE WILL DISCOVER THAT IT WAS NOT A MANDATE FROM GOD...NOR WAS IT TO PAY LEVI PRIESTS...THEY WERE'NT AROUND AT THE TIME OF ABRAHAM.

ABRAHAM'S NEPHEW, LOT - AND HIS WIFE AND ALL OF HIS BELONGINGS WERE CAPTURED BY A BUNCH OF MARAUDERS...SO ABRAHAM HAD GONE WITH ABOUT 300 OF HIS MEN TO BRING LOT AND HIS WIFE AND THEIR STUFF BACK HOME.

ABRAHAM DID CATCH UP TO THE MARAUDERS AND KILLED THEM ALL AND BROUGHT LOT AND HIS WIFE AND THEIR STUFF BACK HOME...BUT, ABRAHAM ALSO COLLECTED ALL OF THE STUFF THE MARAUDERS HAD...AND IT WAS A LOT OF WEALTH -  GOLD - AND JEWELRY AND GOOD STUFF!

SO ABRAHAM (WHO WAS ALREADY RICH AND BLESSED BY GOD) WAS SO GRATEFUL FOR WHAT HE JUST RECEIVED THAT HE TOLD THE LORD, "LORD - I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU PROVIDED TO ME JUST NOW THAT I SHALL GIVE ONE TENTH OF EVERYTHING (BEYOND LOT'S STUFF) THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO ME. “

SO, OUT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF WEALTH THAT GOD PROVIDED - BEYOND WHAT HE ALREADY HAD...ABRAHAM WAS HAPPY TO GIVE ONE TENTH - A "TITHE" BACK TO THE LORD. NOBODY TOLD HIM THAT HE “MUST TITHE”.

THIS IS HOW NEW TESTAMENT GIVING SHOULD ALSO BE DONE...AND IT HAPPENS TO BE HOW JESUS TOLD US IT SHOULD BE DONE....AND THAT IS TO GIVE BACK TO THE LORD....A PORTION OF WHAT HE BLESSES US WITH. 

JESUS NEVER TOLD US TO GIVE A TENTH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. NONE OF HIS APOSTLES OR PREACHERS - LIKE PETER OR PAUL TOLD PEPOLE TO GIVE A TENTH...THEY COULD HAVE - BUT JESUS HAD A DIFFERENT WAY OF GIVING...AND WE SHALL COVER THAT IN THIS VIDEO...A BIT LATER. - ABRAHAM'S SON ISAAC DID NOT TITHE. HIS GRANDSON, JACOB DID GIVE A TENTH. 

THIS MESSAGE IS ONE AND ONE HALF HOURS LONG...BUT IF YOU STICK WITH ME TO THE END, YOU WILL KNOW ALL ABOUT MONEY AND HOW GOD TELLS US TO GET IT...GIVE IT, AND PROSPER. YOU COULD READ A BIT HERE AND A BIT THERE – BUT IF YOU GET ALL THE WAY TO THE END…I PROMISE THAT YOU WILL BE BETTER EDUCATED IN HOW GOD WANST US TO DEAL WITH MONEY.

LET'S NOW READ NUMBERS 18: 22- 24 -   THIS IS THE ONLY REASON WHY JESUS HAD HEBREWS 7:5 WRITTEN.    

HERE, WE READ....AND GOD SAID, "THIS LAW OF TITHING IS A PERMANENT LAW FOR YOU JEWS...TO BE OBSERVED FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION...IN OTHER WORDS...THIS LAW OF TITHING SHALL BE OBSERVED BY YOU JEWS FOREVER.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

WHEN MALACHI ACCUSED THE JEWS OF "ROBBING GOD"..."WHAT - WILL A MAN (OR WOMAN) ROB GOD - HOW? IN TITHES AND OFFERINGS”, HE SAID.

HERE'S WHAT THEY WERE DOING: THEY WERE TAKING SHEEP OR OTHER ANIMALS THAT WERE BLIND OR LAME, AND GIVING THOSE TO THE TEMPLE AS A TITHE. THEY COULDN'T SELL THEM...SO THEY WERE CHEATING GOD OUT OF THEIR "FIRSTFRUITS....THEIR BEST".

THE CORN FARMERS WERE BRINGING THEIR CORN INTO THE STOREHOUSE (TEMPLE) BUT WHAT THEY BROUGHT WAS THE CORN THAT LEANED OVER ONTO THE GROUND....AND THE SIDE THAT WAS IN THE DIRT WAS ROTTING...SO THEY PAWNED THAT STUFF OFF AS THEIR "TITHE". THEY COULDN'T SELL THAT STUFF...SO THEY ROBBED GOD OF THOSE FIRSTFRUITS.

THE INVESTORS OF MONEY WOULD PUT $100 BUCKS OUT INTO THE MARKETPLACE, AND LET'S SAY THEY BROUGHT BACK A THOUSAND..BUT INSTEAD OF "TITHING" ON THE FIRST FRUITS OF $900.00 PROFITS, .AND THEY WOULD TELL THE TEMPLE PRIESTS..."WELL, OUT OF THE THOUSAND, I'M TAKING BACK MY $100.00 SEED MONEY (AND THAT WOULD BE RIGHT)...BUT OUT OF THE $900.00,  I HAD TO PAY MY SISTER-IN LAW - SHE'S MY BOOKKEEPER - AND I HAD TO PAY FOR A LIFE INSURANCE POLICY AND I HAD TO PAY MY BROTHER HEBSHIE BECAUSE HE DID SOME WORK FOR ME AROUND THE HOUSE...SO - A TENTH OF WHAT'S LEFT - LIKE $500.00, IS WHAT I'M GOING TO GIVE BACK TO GOD”...AND $50.00 WENT INTO THE OFFERING PLATE!

SO, MALACHAI IS REAMING THEM OUT FOR ROBBING GOD IN THEIR TITHES AND OFFERINGS. JESUS WAS REAMING OUT THE PHARISEE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT FOR BASICALLY THE SAME THING….ONLY THEY GAVE A TITHE OF TINY SEEDS….BUT THEY OMITTED THE “WEIGHTIER MATTERS OF THE LAWS OF MOSES.”

BUT - LET'S STAY WITH MALACHI FOR NOW BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE MODERN DAY PREACHERS DWELL!

MALACHI - YOU WILL NOTE - IS THE LAST BOOK IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

OVER 400 YEARS TRANSPIRED BETWEEN THE TIME OF MALACHI AND WHEN JESUS CAME TO THE EARTH IN BETHLEHEM AND THIRTY YEARS AFTER THAT - BEGAN HIS MINISTRY.

GOD PUNISHED ISRAEL FOR ROBBING HIM BY SENDING THEM INTO CAPTIVITY FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS.

400 YEARS IS A LONG TIME...AND JESUS KNEW THAT A LOT WOULD BE FORGOTTEN BY THE JEWS IN FOUR-HUNDRED YEARS, BUT BEING GOD...JESUS REMINDED THEM IN HEBREWS 7:5 THAT THE COVENANT OF TITHING WAS TO BE A FOREVER LAW FOR THE JEWS.

THIS IS WHY HE WROTE, "THE TITHE SHALL BE COLLECTED BY LEVIS PRIESTS (NOW RABBIS) AND COLLECTED FROM THEIR BRETHREN...THE OTHER ELEVEN TRIBES”..AND IT STEMMED FROM NUMBERS 18:23.

LET ME READ THAT TO YOU - "BUT THE LEVITES SHALL DO THE SERVICE OF THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION, AND THEY SHALL BEAR THEIR INIQUITY: IT SHALL BE A STATUTE (LAW) FOREVER THROUGHOUT YOUR GENERATIONS, THAT AMONG THE JEWS THESE LEVITE PRIESTS SHALL HAVE NO OTHER INHERITANCE BUT THE TITHE.” 

THEN, FOR YOU PREACHERS WHO CONTINUE MANDATING A TITHE…. I FOUND AN INTERESTING COMMENT THAT GOD MAKES IN NUMBERS 18: 25 AND 26..."AND THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSES SAYING, "WHEN YOU TAKE OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THE TITHES , THEN YOU SHALL OFFER BACK TO ME A TENTH OF THE TITHE."

SO, IF THE MODERN DAY PREACHERS INSIST ON LIVING UNDER THE JEWISH LAW OF TITHING, THEN ARE THEY ALSO RESPONSIBLE (WHILE LIVING UNDER THE LAW OF MOSES) TO TAKE ONE TENTH OF ALL THE TITHE MONEY AND RE-INVESTING IT OUTSIDE OF THEIR CHURCH...FOR LET'S SAY - MISSIONARIES...OR TO THE POOR FOR FOOD AND CLOTHING?.  DO THEY DO THAT?  NO…BUT DO THEY FORCE YOU TO LIVE UNDER THE LAW THAT JESUS SAYS YOU DON’T LIVE UNDER?  YES.

THE BUDGET OF MY CHURCH IS HUGE...AROUND $7,808,000. THEY GIVE MISSIONS $570,608 - WHICH IS COMMENDABLE AND ANOTHER $542,243 TO MINISTRIES OUTSIDE OF THEIR MAIN CAMPUS...SO OF THE $780,800 THAT SHOULD BE A TENTH OF THE TITHES RECEIVED, THEY GIVE $1,112,851 OR FAR MORE THAN A TENTH OF A TENTH...

YET, I PERCEIVE THAT MANY CHURCHES - MOST CHURCHES - DON'T KNOW THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO GIVE TEN PERCENT OF ALL MONEY COLLECTED AS A “TITHE” BACK TO GOD - IF THEY AINSIST ON  LIVING UNDER THE JEWISH LAW OF TITHING!

SO, THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT 400 YEARS HAD PASSED SO JESUS HAD TO WRITE HEBREWS 7:5 TO REMIND THE JEWS OF THEIR FOREVER OBLIGATION TO COLLECT TITHES....AND RETURN A TENTH OF THOSE BACK TO GOD.  ..AND THE JEWISH RABBIS STILL OBSERVE THE LAW OF TITHING TODAY BECAUSE THEY MUST LIVE INDER THE LAWS HANDED DOWN TO MOSES FROM GOD FOR THE NATION OF ISRAEL.

HEBREWS 7:5  IS THE ONLY PLACE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THAT SPEAKS TO THE ISSUE AND LAW OF TITHING...AND IT IS ONLY TO THE DESCENDANTS OF LEVI...AND NOT TO ANY GENTILE PREACHER OR CONGREGATION OR NON-JEWISH PERSON!

OKAY - PASTORS...STAY WITH ME.

THE REASON THAT MOST PREACHERS OR PRIESTS OR ANYONE ELSE COLLECTING TITHES FEEL THEY MUST COLLECT THE MONEY - AS A MANDATE - IS BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID TO TRUST GOD FOR THEIR MONEY! – THEY CANNOT IMAGINE FUNCTIONING WITHOUT MANDATING THAT PEOPLE IN THEIR CONGREGATION PAY MONEY EACH WEEK. - HOW DO I KNOW THIS?

GOD TELLS ME - AND NOW YOU - AND THOSE PASTORS IN GALATIANS 3:12 - AND THE LAW IS NOT BASED ON FAITH.    ON THE CONTRARY IT SAYS 'THE PERSON WHO DOES THESE THINGS (LIVES UNDER THE LAWS OF MOSES) WILL LIVE BY THEM." – I’M ALSO AFRAID THAT THEY WILL BE JUDGED BY WHAT THEY HAVE TAUGHT THEIR CONGREGATIONS.

THEREFORE, IF THE LAW IS NOT BASED ON FAITH...THEN THESE PREACHERS WHO MANDATE THE LAW OF TITHING ARE NOT HAVING FAITH….SO THEY MANDATE…DEMAND…A TITHE.

“NOT BASED ON FAITH”, TO ME, MEANS THEY DO NOT TRUST WHAT GOD SAID ...AND THEY HAVE NEVER TAKEN THE TIME TO GET OUT OF THE SEMINARY TRAINING MANUALS TO TEACH WHAT JESUS REALLY SAID ABOUT MONEY. IF THEY DID, IT WOULD REQUIRE A DRAMATIC CHANGE IN THEIR PREACHING ABOUT MONEY....AND THEIR CHURCHES WOULD ACTUALLY PROSPER AND DO RIGHT BY GOD WHO TALKED ABOUT MONEY OVER 1009 TIMES IN HIS WORD - THE BIBLE.

IF YOU ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW...AS JESUS TOLD US WE ARE NOT - THEN YOU ARE NOT UNDER THE MANDATE OF TITHING...BUT, JESUS TELLS US HOW HE WANTS US TO GIVE...AND FRANKLY...HOW MUCH. LET'S CONTINUE...

WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW NOW, HOWEVER, IS THE "PRINCIPLE OF TITHING".

GOD HAS POINTED OUT TO US ALL THAT THE PRINCIPLE OF TITHING IS THIS: IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, IT TOOK A TENTH OF THE CONGREGATION'S WEALTH TO SUPPORT THE TEMPLE PRIESTS AND ALL OF THE OTHER COSTS OF OPERATING THE TEMPLE.

THEREFORE...I GIVE A TENTH – NOT UNDER THE JEWISH LAWS OF MOSES…NOT BY MANDATE...NOT BECAUSE JEWISH MALACHI TOLD THE JEWS TO TITHE...BUT BECAUSE I NOW KNOW THAT IT TAKES A TENTH OF MY MONEY RECEIVED JUST TO PAY THE BILLS OF THE CHURCH. I GET IT!  BUT – JESUS DID NOT MANDATE THAT I PAY A TITHE.  HE DOES SPELL OUT HOW HE WANTS TO PROSPER US THOUGH…KEEP READING….

JESUS WANT US TO KNOW WHY WE GIVE...BUT HE WANTS US TO GIVE OUT OF OUR HEART'S DESIRE TO GIVE - TO WANT TO GIVE...AND HE ACTUALLY TELLS US THAT THE MODERN DAY CHURCH NEEDS MORE THAN JUST TO PAY THE BILLS....BUT HE LAYS OUT THE PLAN FOR US TO GET WEALTH (WHICH HE OWNS AS YO WILL RECALL)...AND HOW TO HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY...IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

MALACHI TOLD THE JEWS...DON'T ROB GOD...BRING YOUR MONEY, YOUR ANIMALS FOR MEAT AND YOUR VEGETABLES TO THE "STOREHOUSE" WHICH IS BEHIND THE TEMPLE....AND IT WILL BE USED TO PAY THE PRIESTS...AND TO FEED THEM AND THE MEMBERS OF THE TEMPLE...AND IT WILL ALSO BE USED TO FEED THE POOR AND HUNGRY IN THE COMMUNITY.

JAMES 1:27 SPELLS OUT WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING AS A MODERN DAY NON-JEWISH - OR CHRISTIAN CHURCH. - "JAMES SAID, “AND THIS IS THE ONLY RELIGION THAT IS UNDEFILED BEFORE GOD...AND THAT IS TO TAKE CARE OF THE WIDOWS IN THEIR AFFLICTION....AND TO TAKE CARE OF THE ORPHANS”...AND JESUS TELLS US NUMEROUS TIMES TO TAKE CARE OF THE POOR.

THAT'S WHAT THEY DID BACK IN THE TEMPLE DAYS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING AS THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF TODAY.

BUT THE PRINCIPLE OF TITHING SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD AND TAUGHT...AND THAT IS THAT IT TAKES A TENTH OF THE MONEY RECEIVED BY PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH JUST TO PAY THE BILLS AND THE STAFF.... AND THAT IS HOW GOD TOOK CARE OF HIS TEMPLE PRIESTS AND THE POOR BACK IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.

SO, I HAVE LEARNED FROM GOD’S WORD THAT THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE CHURCH INCLUDE THE PREACHER, THE STAFF, COMPUTERS, UTILITIES - THE MORTGAGE AND SO FORTH....BUT IT IS NOT A MANDATE.

SO, BY NOW, YOU ARE AFRAID AGAIN...RIGHT? YOU ARE ASKING, “JOHN - ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL US THAT JESUS WANTS MORE THAN A TENTH OF OUR INCOME THAT ONLY PAYS THE SALARIES OF THE PREACHERS AND THE OTHER OBLIGATIONS OF OUR CHURCH? "YES"

OKAY...BEFORE YOU NOW CLICK ME OFF (ALTHOUGH I SEEM TO HAVE THE PREACHER'S ATTENTION AGAIN NOW) :)....KEEP TUNED IN BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO LEARN THAT JESUS WILL ALSO TELL US HOW TO BECOME MORE AFFLUENT SO THAT WE CAN GIVE MORE...AND THE REASONS WHY MORE IS NEEDED.

SO - NOW I CAN CONTINUE TO GET INTO THE NEW TESTAMENT WITH YOU...

GOD TELLS THE CHRISTIANS, "I WILL SUPPLY ALL OF YOUR 'DAILY BREAD NEEDS". IF GOD TOLD US THAT...DO YOU THINK HE'S LYING?  SO...DO YOU LACK FAITH?

YOU SAY, "JOHN...I'M UNDER WATER RIGHT NOW, SO HOW IS GOD SUPPLYING ALL OF MY NEEDS?...AND WHERE DOES IT SAY THAT?”

WELL, IF YOU ARE UNDER WATER, IT IS ONLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT LEARNED FROM JESUS HOW TO GET SOME OF HIS WEALTH...AND YOU ALSO HAVE FAILED TO GET A BUDGET GOING, AND YOU HAVE PUT YOURSELF INTO DEBT....JUST LIKE I ONCE DID; SO, YOU CANNOT EXPECT GOD TO "SUPPLY ALL OF YOUR NEEDS" WHEN YOUR "WANTS AND DESIRES" HAVE TAKEN YOU TO NEW LEVELS OF DEBT!

GOD DID NOT SAY, "I SHALL SUPPLY ALL OF YOUR WANTS". NO...BUT HE DID PROMISE TO SUPPLY US ALL OF OUR NEEDS....LIKE MORTGAGE MONEY TRANSPORTATION COSTS- UTILITIES - SCHOOL COSTS - BUT- HE ALSO GIVES US A LOTS OF WAYS TO COVER OUR "WANTS, TOO!

WE WILL ALSO LEARN THAT GOD SAYS HE WANTS HIS HOUSE (THE CHURCH BUILDINGS) TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE BY HIS PEOPLE...BEFORE HE CAN BLESS US WITH MORE OF HIS WEALTH.

HOW DO I KNOW THAT? - WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE BOOK OF HAGGAI. "YOU PEOPLE RUN OFF TO YOUR FANCY HOME WHILE MY HOUSE LIES IN RUIN." - HAGGAI 1:4.

GOD SAID TO ME, "JOHN - I AM GOING TO COVER ALL OF YOUR DAILY BREAD (NECESSARY ITEMS)...AND I HAVE ALREADY TAUGHT YOU THE PRINCIPLE (NOT THE MANDATE) OF TITHING, AND YOU ARE HONORING THAT TEACHING BY SUPPLYING THE NEEDS OF MY HOUSE (YOUR CHURCH), SO I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU ALL THAT YOU NEED TO COVER YOUR HOUSE AND NEEDS."

LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT AND IT'S FOUND IN PHILLIPIANS 4:13 - :JESUS SAID, "MY GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEEDS." - - -NOT YOUR WANTS - BUT YOUR DAILY BREAD NEEDS...."THROUGH HIS RICHES IN GLORY” IS HOW.

REMEMBER - GOD OWNS ALL THE SILVER AND ALL OF THE GOLD?  SO GOD IS GOING TO SUPPLY ALL OF YOUR NEEDS - USING HIS WEALTH...

BUT - WE MUST ALSO KNOW THAT THE BIBLE VERSE DIDN'T END THERE....IT READS, "GOD WILL SUPPLY ALL OF YOUR NEEDS BY HIS RICHES IN GLORY - "THROUGH CHRIST JESUS."

"THROUGH CHRIST JESUS”  IS HOW GOD WILL SUPPLY ALL OF YOUR NEEDS - SO WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?

DO YOU RECALL THAT JESUS...JUST BEFORE HIS MINISTRY STARTED AT AGE 30...WAS STANDING IN THE RIVER JORDAN WITH JOHN THE BAPTIZER ABOUT TO BAPTIZE HIM. AND THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT A DOVE DESCENDED FROM HEAVEN AND A VOICE WAS HEARD THAT SAID, "THIS IS MY BELOVED SON - HEAR YE HIM"

GOD STOPPED TALKING TO PROPHETS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT AND NOW HIS SON JESUS WAS GOING TO TELL US HOW TO OPERATE AS CHRIST FOLLOWERS. "THIS IS MY BELOVED SON - SO I AM STEPPING OUT OF THE PICTURE AND I WANT YOU TO SEE, HEAR AND FOLLOW WHAT HE SAYS...FROM THIS POINT FORWARD”. .....

AND JESUS HAD HIS WORDS RECORDED IN WHAT WE NOW CALL THE "NEW COVENANT" OR "NEW TESTAMENT...WHICH WAS FINISHED IN 100 A.D. WHEN JOHN THE APOSTLE FINISHED WRITING THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION.

SO, IT'S TIME NOW TO FIND OUT WHAT JESUS SAID...AND FOCUS ON THE MONEY PARTS OF HIS TEACHINGS.

THAT'S WHY PHILLIPIANS 4:13 WAS WRITTEN. - "THROUGH JESUS - I GOD - WILL MEET ALL OF YOUR NEEDS USING MY RICHES ."

AND IN THE BOOK OF MATTHEW - CHAPTER 6 AND VERSE 33, JESUS SAID SOMETHING THAT MANY OF US HAS READ A THOUSAND TIME - BUT WE DON'T GET IT....UNTIL NOW PERHAPS!

HE SAID, "YOU NEED TO FIRST SEEK THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN...THEN- ALL   THESE THINGS   SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU.” (GIVEN TO YOU).

"THESE THINGS? WHAT ARE THESE THINGS? GLAD YOU ASKED BECAUSE JESUS NEVER LEAVES ANY DOUBT ABOUT WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.

"FIRST, WE MUST SEEK THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN" HOW DO WE GAIN HEAVEN?

JESUS ELABORATES IN JOHN 14:6 WHEN HE TOLD US THAT –“HE IS THE WAY - THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE (ETERNALLY SPEAKING) .... "AND NO MAN (OR WOMAN) GAINS ACCESS INTO HEAVEN UNLESS THEY GO THROUGH ME."

HE SAID THAT BECAUSE HE WOULD SHORTLY PAY FOR ALL OF YOUR SINS AND MINE BY SHEDDING HIS BLOOD ON THE CROSS....WHERE HE HAD NO SIN. THIS WAS GOD'S PLAN BEFORE THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EARTH WERE BUILT! 

GOD KNEW THAT ADAM AND EVE WOULD HAVE THE CHOICES TO DO EVIL OR TO DO GOOD.....AND GOD KNEW THAT ONLY A BLOOD SACRIFICE WOULD COVER THOSE SINS THROUGHOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT OR COVENANT BETWEEN HIM AND MAN, AND THAT IS HOW MAN COULD BE RECONCILED TO GOD. 

SO, HE DEVELOPED THE PLAN OF SALVATION THROUGH HIS ONLY SON'S BLOOD...THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB OF GOD....WHO WOULD FOREVER - ONE TIME...BE HOW PEOPLE ARE REUNITED OR RECONCILED WITH GOD THE FATHER.

THIS IS WHY GOD IS CLEARLY SAYING, "FIRST SEEK THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN - THROUGH MY SON JESUS...AND THEN I WILL ADD ALL THESE THINGS TO YOU.” DID HE MEAN THAT HE WILL ADD NEW GOLF COURSE MEMBERSHIPS? NEW LINCOLN TOWN CARS?

NO - HE ELABORATES WHAT THINGS IN MATTHEW 6:24 ---AND THAT PRECEDES VERSE 33.

"JESUS TELLS US...”EVEN THE GENTILES (NON-JEWS) SEEK AFTER THESE THINGS”...AND HE LAYS OUT WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE...HE SAYS FOOD, CLOTHING...AND HE TALKS ABOUT THE BEAUTY OF THE LILLIES OF THE FIELD – AND HOW THEY WERE SUERIOR EVEN TO WHAT KING SOLOMON WORE (CLOTHING)...NECESSITIES...DAILY BREAD NEEDS.

I REMEMBER SPEAKING TO THE LORD IN DECEMBER OF 2007. - I WAS SAVED AT THE AGE OF ELEVEN, BUT I WON'T GET INTO THAT LONG STORY FOR THE SAKE OF JUST GETTING TO THE MONEY STUFF....BUT I SAID, "LORD...YOU HAVE GIVEN ME MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN MY LIFETIME,  I HAVE HAD MANY HOUSES....I HAD THREE MERCEDES-BENZ AUTOMOBILES ON ONE YEAR ALONE.....TWO DIESELS AND A CONVERTIBLE....I HAD IT ALL - BUT LORD...I AM GONNA END UP AT THE END OF MY LIFE WITH A BUNCH OF STUFF THAT DOESN'T COUNT....SO PLEASE - SHOW ME WHAT YOUR PLAN AND PURPOSE FOR MY LIFE IS. -LORD. I KNOW THAT WHATEVER YOUR PLAN IS...IS FAR SUPERIOR TO ANYTHING I COULD EVER CONCEIVE...HOPE FOR OR STRIVE TOWARD”…..AND GOD DID EXACTLY THAT!  - I LEARNED THAT GOD HAS WHAT I CALL A "BOOT CAMP" FOR TRAINING HIS SOLDIERS.

WITHIN ONE MONTH, THE REAL ESTATE MARKET COLLAPSED (AS YOU MIGHT RECALL - UNDER GEORGE BUSH'S WATCH IN 2007).....AND I WAS A REMAX AGENT...MY SOURCE OF HUGE AMOUNTS OF INCOME.

I HAD NO INCOME AS OF THE NEXT MONTH - JANUARY OF 2008. (God sure worked fast!)  😊

I HAD NO SALES OF HOMES WAITING TO BE COLLECTED UPON IN COMMISSIONS...BUT I DID HAVE $8,000 A MONTH IN DEBTS! WHO DID THAT TO ME? WHO PUT ME IN DEBT UP TO MY EYEBALLS? OH...YOU ARE RIGHT ...I DID IT.

I STARTED USING UP ALL THE CASH I HAD IN THE BANK. - I ENDED UP LOSING ONE OF THE THREE HOUSES I OWNED. THE ONLY REASON I DIDN'T LOSE ANOTHER ONE IS THAT MY PRIMARY RESIDENCE HAD A SECOND HOUSE ON THE PROPERTY SO THEY COULDN'T TAKE IT FROM ME - - -AS LONG AS I FOUND WAYS TO [PAY THE MORTGAGE. THAT WAS $3,000 A MONTH BY ITSELF.

SO...FROM A MILLIONAIRE TO BEING BROKE DIDN'T TAKE TOO LONG - DID IT?

SO WHAT WAS GOD UP TO?  - WHY WAS HE NOW "PUNISHING ME?"

HE WASN'T - I ASKED HIM TO SHOW ME HIS PLAN AND PURPOSE FOR MY LIFE.....AND HE DID IT IMMEDIATELY. - FIRST, HE HAD TO STRIP ME OF MY MONEY AND THEN MY PRIDE....YOU WILL LOSE YOUR PRIDE IF gOD TAKES YOUR "STUFF" FROM YOU AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN YOUR TOWN KNOW THAT YOU HAVE HIT BOTTOM...BELIEVE ME.

SO…SOMETIMES…WHEN WE ASK GOD TO DO SOMETHING – WE MIGHT NOT LIKE HOW HE DOES IT!

SO THERE IS NOTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE....SAID OR EXPERIENCED THAT I HAVE NOT ALREADY BEEN THROUGH, AND THAT IS WHY I AM HERE TODAY - TO SHARE WHAT I HAVE LEARNED - FROM GOD DIRECTLY.

GOD WAS ABOUT TO SHOW ME WHAT HE MEANT BY MATTHEW 6:33 -."I WILL SUPPLY ALL OF YOUR NEEDS - THROUGH MY SON."

HE SAID, “JOHN, YOU ALREADY SOUGHT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN - THROUGH MY SON AT AGE ELEVEN, SO YOU NOW QUALIFY FOR ME TO "SUPPLY THE NEEDS THAT YOU HAVE."

GOD DID LET ME ENDURE PAIN AND SUFFERING FOR 16 MORE MONTHS - ONLY TO TEACH ME THAT BEING RICH ONE MOMENT DOESN'T MEAN YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE PLENTY...”SO JOHN - GET INTO A BUDGET (WHICH I DID) AND I WILL HELP YOU GET BACK TO BREAK-EVEN..AND THEN I WILL SHOW YOU MORE!”

AFTER 16 MONTHS OF TEACHING- THROUGH TRIALS,  GOD DID GIVE ME MORE THAN ENOUGH MONEY TO MEET MY DAILY BREAD NEEDS AS THE BILLS ARRIVED....BUT NOT UNTIL I ESTABLISHED A WRITTEN BUDGET- WHICH I STILL USE TO THIS DAY IN 2021.

GOD GOT ME OUT OF DEBT - BECAUSE I TRUSTED HIM AND BECAUSE I COULD NOW MANAGE MY MONEY SEEING WHERE EVERY DIME WAS GOING...AND WHERE IT WAS COMING IN FROM....SO I COULD PLAN TO GET TO BREAK EVEN...AND I DID. THEN GOD PUT ME INTO A PLACE OF "CONTENTMENT" MEANING AS BILLS CAME IN, I COULD IMMEDIATELY PAY THEM.

JESUS BROUGHT ME TO OTHER PLACES IN HIS NEW COVENANT TO SHOW ME HOW TO GET MONEY! TO GET SOME OF HIS WEALTH. ...SO NOW - I CAN SHOW YOU!

WE HAVE HEARD MATTHEW CHAPTER 25 AND VERSE 14 AND FOLLOWING WHICH IS THE PARABLE OF THE STEWARDS...BUT WE DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO TEACH US!

WHEN YOUR PREACHER STARTS TO PREACH ABOUT THE THREE STEWARDS...YOU MISS EVERYTHING THAT JESUS IS TRYING TO TEACH US. - WE HEAR THE PARABLE OF THE THREE STEWARDS AND WE THINK, "OH GEEZ..HERE HE GOES WITH WANTING US TO GIVE MORE", AND WE TUNE THE STORY OUT.

THE PREACHER HAS ALREADY MANDATED THAT YOU FORK OVER 10% OF YOUR HARD-EARNED MONEY ...SO ANYTHING TO DO WITH MONEY OR BEING A GOOD STEWARD IS TUNED OUT. I HAVE TUNED MY PREACHERS OUT TOO. - AFTER ALL, ISN'T TEN PERCENT OF MY MONEY - MY MONEY - MY MONEY - GOOD ENOUGH? WHY DOES THE PREACHER WANT MORE OF IT? RIGHT?

SO ALL YOU HEAR IS "BLAH BLAH BLAH". "PASTOR - STOP ALREADY! I'M MAXED OUT”. - AND YOU EITHER STOP LISTENING - OR LIKE SO MANY OTHERS, YOU LEAVE THE CHURCH BECAUSE "ALL THEY WANT IS MY MONEY!" COME ON - YOU KNOW I'M RIGHT.

IT'S NOW TIME TO REVIEW A BUNCH OF BIBLE VERSES TO LEARN ALL THAT JESUS TOLD US ABOUT HOW HE WANTS US TO HAVE MORE MONEY...WHILE HE "SUPPLIES ALL OF OUR DAILY BREAD NEEDS.”

THE PARABLE OF THE STEWARDS:

IT SAYS THIS: "FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE A MAN - TRAVELING FROM A FAR COUNTRY TO A PLACE WHERE HIS SERVANTS WERE." - REMEMBER - A PARABLE IS AN EARTHLY STORY WITH A HEAVENLY MEANING!

THIS DEPICTS THAT JESUS CAME FROM A FAR AWAY PLACE - (HEAVEN) AND ARRIVED TO THE EARTH WHERE HIS SERVANTS ARE.

SO JESUS IS DEPICTING THAT HE IS THE MASTER.....AND HE CALLS HIS SERVANTS TO HIM.

NOW...THE MASTER IN THIS PARABLE ONLY CALLED THREE SERVANTS TO HIM- BUT HAD HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF SERVANTS, BUT HE WANTS TO SHOW US SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT SO HE SELECTED ONLY THREE FOR THIS PARABLE.

SO, PICTURE THE SCENE...THIS MASTER HAS A GREAT ESTATE - WITH MANY SERVANTS AND LOADED WITH RICHES AND SPLENDOR....AND HE SUMMONS THREE SERVANTS. THE SCENARIO HERE IS THAT JESUS IS THE MASTER AND YOU AND I ARE HIS SERVANTS.

HERE'S WHAT WE ALL SEEM TO MISS IN THIS PARABLE - WE MISS IT COMPLETELY....

THE MASTER IN THIS STORY DID NOT SAY " LOOK - YOU GUYS ARE SERVANTS OF MINE, SO YOU OPERATE THE PLACE WHILE I TRAVEL TO AND FRO - AND SURE - I PAY FOR - AND GIVE YOU ALL OF YOUR FOOD, CLOTHING AND YOUR HOUSING WHILE YOU ARE HERE...YOUR DAILY BREAD NECESSITIES.- SO, NOW I'M HERE TO COLLECT A TENTH OF WHAT I HAVE GIVEN YOU"

NO - HE DIDN'T SAY THAT!

NO - THE MASTER NEVER SAYS THAT - IT'S A GIFT...HE SUPPLIED ALL THEIR NEEDS....AS HE DOES OURS.

WE ARE HIS SERVANTS...SO HE TAKES CARE OF OUR NEEDS AS HE PROMISED TO DO IN MATTHEW 6:33. 

OKAY - SO PERHAPS WE GET THAT MUCH, BUT NOW WATCH AS JESUS POINTS OUT WAYS THAT HE WILL GIVE MORE THAN OUR DAILY BREAD NEEDS - DON'T MISS THIS - LIKE YOU HAVE MISSED IT - UP TO NOW!

HE CALLS THE SERVANTS TO HIMSELF AND DELIVERS INTO THEIR HANDS...HIS RESOURCES...HIS WEALTH....HIS MONEY - - -THIS IS EXTRA...OVER AND ABOVE THEIR DAILY BREAD NEEDS. – THIS IS PROSPERITY - ABUNDANCE...MORE.

LET'S SAY - USING AN ILLUSTRATION FOR TODAY THAT THE FIRST SERVANT HE CALLS IS NAMED GORGE.

THE MASTER PUTS $10,000 INTO GEORGE'S HANDS AND SAID, “GO AND INVEST MY WEALTH THAT I AM HANDING YOU. INVEST IT AND I WILL BE GOING AWAY FOR AWHILE BUT WHEN I COME BACK, I WANT YOU TO ACCOUNT FOR WHAT I GAVE YOU PLUS ANY PROFIT YOU HAVE EARNED FOR MY KINGDOM HERE.”

AND TO "FRED" - THE SERVANT IN THE MIDDLE. . .  HE HANDED HIM $5,000.00 AND TOLD HIM THE SAME THING. “I'M LEAVING FOR AWHILE, BUT WHEN I RETURN, I WANT YOU TO LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU DID WITH THE MONEY THAT I ENTRUSTED YOU WITH....SEE YA FRED.”

AND TO THE THIRD GUY - LET'S CALL HIM "IGGY"..."IGGY - HERE'S A THOUSAND DOLLARS - GO AND INVEST IT...AND I'LL RETURN LATER TO SEE HOW YOU DID.

THE PARABLE GOES ON TO SAY THAT - AFTER A BIT OF TIME - THE MASTER COMES BACK AND CALLS HIS THREE SERVANTS TO HIMSELF TO ASK HOW THEY INVESTED THE MONEY THAT HE HANDED THEM.

SO, HE SAYS, "GEORGE - HOW DID YOU DO WITH THE $10,000 i HANDED YOU? GEORGE GLEEFULLY REPLIES, "MASTER - I DOUBLED IT, SO HERE'S $20,000 DOLLARS THAT YOU CAN USE.”

AND HERE'S WHAT MOST OF US MISSED:

THE MASTER IS SO PLEASED WITH GEORGE THAT HE SAID, "WELL DONE, GEORGE - YOU ARE A GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT. SO WHAT I AM GOING TO DO IS MAKE YOU RULER OVER MANY THINGS....BECAUSE I COULD TRUST YOU WITH MY WEALTH....GEORGE, I'M GONG TO MAKE YOU RULER OF MANY THINGS..MEANING ON THIS PLANET...IN THE HERE AND NOW….NOT SOME PIE-IN-THE SKY THING LATER  “BECAUSE OF THE WAY YOU HANDLED THE RESOURCES I GAVE YOU.”

"FRED, HOW'D YOU MAKE OUT? -  "MASTER - YOU GAVE ME $5,000 AND I DOUBLED IT FOR YOU TO USE HERE IN YOUR KINGDOM." -   "FRED, BECAUSE YOU, TOO, HAVE BEEN A TRUSTWORTHY SERVANT, I AM ALSO GOING TO MAKE YOU RULER OVER MANY THINGS...HERE AND NOW...ON THE EARTH." - "RIGHT HERE - RIGHT NOW - NOT PIE IN THE SKY LATER, FRED...BUT NOW.

"YOU AND GEORGE HERE ARE GOING TO NOW MAKE SO MUCH MONEY IN THE NOW...THAT YOU CAN AFFORD TO HAVE YOUR OWN PLACE...AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT FITS INTO THE "WANT" CATEGORY...BECAUSE OF YOUR FAITHFULNESS TO ME AND MY KINGDOM HERE....YOU WERE BOTH GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANTS."

"IGGY - HOW'D YOU DO, BUDDY? 

IGGY SAYS, "MASTER...I KNEW THAT YOU WERE A HARD MAN, AND I WAS AFRAID, SO I DUG A HOLE IN THE EARTH AND BURIED THE THOUSAND DOLLARS...BUT NOW I DUG IT BACK UP TO SHOW YOU THAT I HAVE IT.....I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WITH THE MONEY....I WAS AFRAID TO INVEST IT BECAUSE IF I DID IT WRONG, I FIGURED YOU'D YELL AT ME OR BE DISAPPOINTED IN ME...SO I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WITH IT - INSTEAD I BURIED IT IN THE GROUND, SO HERE IT IS -THE $1000."

THE MASTER SAYS TO IGGY, "YOU WICKED AND SLOTHFUL (LAZY) SERVANT - THE LEAST YOU COULD HAVE DONE WAS PUT IT IN THE BANK SO I COULD HAVE EARNED SOME INTEREST ON IT." - "YOU DID NOTHING WITH WHAT I GAVE YOU - YOU DIDN'T EVEN TRY!"

THIS IS WHERE GOD SLAPPED ME RIGHT IN THE FACE - AND HARD!  - AND I'M HOPING THAT HE SLAPS YOU IN THE FACE TOO...RIGHT ABOUT NOW!

GOD GAVE ME MILLIONS...NOT THOUSANDS...MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OVER MY LIFETIME. THAT STORY IS IN MY BOOK..."LOVERS, HUGGERS & OTHERS" STILL FOUND ON AMAZON...OR FREE NOW AT WWW.RELATIONSHIPBOOKS.COM. IT'S IN SEVERAL OF THE 13 BOOKS THAT I WROTE.

AND LIKE IGGY - GOD CALLED ME TO ACCOUNT FOR ALL THE WEALTH HE PUT INTO MY HANDS.

"JOHN, WHAT DID YOU DO WITH ALL THAT MONEY I PUT INTO YOUR HANDS? - JOHN, ONE OF THE DEALS I HANDED YOU COST YOU NOTHING...YOU USED A CREDIT CARD TO BUY LAND FROM A GUY IN JAIL FOR $5,000, BUT I SENT A BUILDER TO YOU TO BUY THE LAND AND HE PAID YOU $1.8 MILLION OVER A TEN YEAR PERIOD. WHAT DID YOU DO WITH THAT MONEY? YOU BOUGHT FIVE PARCELS OF LAND FOR $5,000 BACK IN 1988...REMEMBER?

“I GAVE YOU MONEY FROM THE SALE OF THE OTHER LOTS, AND LET YOU BUILD YOUR BEAUTIFUL 4,400 S.F. HOME ON A 40 ACRE POND (ONE OF THE FIVE PARCELS THAT YOU KEPT)......AND BACK THEN....YOU ENDED UP SELLING IT FOR $550,000.....REMEMBER THAT, JOHN?"

I HAD TO ADMIT TO GOD...MY MASTER....THAT I WAS WORSE THAN IGGY. I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I CRIED LIKE A BABY WHEN I HAD TO TELL HIM WHAT I DID WITH HIS WEALTH THAT HE ENTRUSTED ME WITH!

I SAID, "LORD, I SPENT IT. I BUILT A MANSION ON ONE OF THE LOTS YOU HANDED ME TO INVEST BACK INTO YOUR KINGDOM...I BOUGHT THREE MERCEDES-BENZ CARS...IN ONE YEAR." 

OF COURSE, GOD ALREADY KNEW ALL OF THAT, BUT HE WANTED TO HEAR IT FROM MY LIPS.

“SURE, I GAVE A LITTLE TO THE CHURCH...IN 1988. - I DONATED $350,000 SO THEY COULD BUY THE LAND NEXT TO THE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL SO THE KIDS COULD HAVE A PLAY AREA...BUT OF THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT YOU GAVE ME....I RETURNED FAR LESS THAN EVEN THE TENTH." - I'M FAR WORSE THAN IGGY, LORD....HE BURIED YOUR MONEY BUT I SPENT MOST OF IT ON MYSELF.”

"LORD, NOT ONLY DID I SPEND ALL THAT WEALTH THAT YOU PUT INTO MY HANDS...I DID WORSE...I BORROWED AGAINST IT AND USED THAT CREDIT FOR MYSELF, TOO! - I LEVERAGED YOUR MONEY....  I NOT ONLY MISUSED THE WEALTH YOU GAVE ME (AS A TEST), BUT I ADDED DEBT TO YOUR GIFT!” - SO, IN 2007 WHEN EVERYTHING WAS TAKEN FROM ME...I GOT WHY IT WAS TAKEN. JESUS USED THE MASTER IN THIS PARABLE TO SHOW ME WHY!

IT SAYS THAT THE MASTER SAID THIS IN MATTHEW 25:28: - "THEN HE ORDERED, TAKE THE MONEY FROM THIS WICKED AND SLOTHFUL SERVANT AND GIVE IT TO GEORGE....TO THOSE WHO US WELL WHAT THEY ARE GIVEN. EVEN MORE WILL BE GIVEN, AND THEY WILL HAVE ABUNDANCE" -

ARE YOU GETTING THIS YET?

"BUT FROM THOSE WHO DO NOTHING WITH WHAT I GIVE THEM - AS A METHOD OF SEEING IF I CAN TRUST THEM, EVEN WHAT LITTLE THEY HAVE WILL BE TAKEN AWAY."

NOW - YOU MIGHT FULLY UNDERSTAND THE "PARABLE OF THE STEWARDS"

ARE YOU BROKE? ARE YOU UNDER WATER NOW - FINANCIALLY?

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH ALL THE WEALTH THAT GOD HAS ENTRUSTED YOU WITH.

THANK GOD, THAT HE SHOWED ME SOMETHING FROM THE BOOK OF PSALMS WHERE KING DAVID WROTE.

DAVID SAID, “GOD...YOU ARE THE GOD OF SECOND CHANCES, WOULD YOU GIVE ME A SECOND CHANCE?" - OF COURSE, BECAUSE DAVID REPENTED OF HIS SINS - GOD GAVE HIM A SECOND CHANCE TO DO RIGHT....AND GOD GAVE ME A SECOND CHANCE TO DO RIGHT - SINCE HE KNOWS THAT I REALLY MESSED UP, BUT I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF THE PARABLE OF THE STEWARDS – SINCE GOD OPENED MY SPIRITUAL EYES TO FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WROTE TO US..IN HIS BIBLE.

GOD GAVE ME A SECOND CHANCE - AND HE WILL GIVE YOU ONE, TOO. - - - BUT, YOU - NEED TO KNOW THAT YOU AND I ARE STEWARDS (CARETAKERS) OF WHAT GOD GIVES US, SO WE CAN'T BLOW ALL THE WEALTH THAT HE ENTRUSTS US WITH - ON OURSELVES! - IF WE DO...YOU WILL END UP FACING THE SAME CONSEQUENCE AS "IGGY" - OR JOHN TYLER!

THEREFORE - THE PARABLE OF THE STEWARDS IS WRITTEN SO THAT YOU AND I WOULD REALIZE THAT IT IS GOD WHO DISTRIBUTES HIS WEALTH TO THOSE WHOM HE CAN TRUST, AND IF WE DO NOT USE THAT WEALTH WISELY...GOD WILL TAKE IT AWAY.

LET ME INTERJECT HERE - ONCE AGAIN, THAT JESUS TELLS US, "TO THOSE (THAT'S YOU OR ME) - - WHO USE WELL WHAT THEY ARE GIVEN - AND HE'S TALKING ABOUT MONEY HERE - - -EVEN MORE WILL BE GIVEN TO THEM- - -AND THEY WILL HAVE AN ABUNDANCE “- MORE THAN THEY NEED FOR THEIR DAILY BREAD NEEDS."

THIS MEANS THAT GOD IS WILLING TO ENTRUST YOU OR ME WITH MORE THAN WHAT IT TAKES TO MEET OUR DAILY OBLIGATIONS- MORTGAGE, CAR PAYMENT, UTILITIES, FOOD...OUR NECESSITIES.....AND THAT MEANS HE IS WILLING TO GIVE US MORE SO THAT WE CAN NOW TAKE CARE OF SOME OF OUR WANTS!

THIS MEANS THAT GOD ALSO BLESSES THOSE WHOM HE CAN TRUST SO THEY CAN GO OUT AND BUY THAT BOAT OR BIGGER HOME...OR GOLF COURSE MEMBERSHIP.....OR THAT TRIP TO TAHITI THAT YOU WANTED TO TAKE.  - GOD'S PLAN TO PROSPER US IS CLEAR.

IN THE NIV VERSION OF JEREMIAH 29:11, GOD SAYS, "FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU...PLANS TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT TO HARM YOU...PLANS TO GIVE YOU HOPE AND A FUTURE."

IN PLAIN ENGLISH -  GOD'S PLAN FOR US - IF WE ARE GOOD STEWARDS OF HIS, AND WE ARE CHRIST FOLLOWERS...IS TO GIVE US PROSPERITY....AND THE NEW TESTAMENT SPELLS IT OUT EVEN CLEARER.

THERE IS A SAYING THAT I NOW HAVE IN MY PHONE, AND IT'S A GREAT ONE! "LIFE IS NOT A PLACE OF RESTING....LIFE IS REALLY A PLACE OF TESTING".

GOD HANDS US HIS WEALTH...TO TEST US. - IF WE PASS, AND ARE FOUND TO BE GOOD STEWARDS, WE ARE REWARDED WITH MORE OF HIS WEALTH.

IF WE FAIL THE TEST...UNFORTUNATELY, HE WILL TAKE WHAT WE HAVE AWAY FROM US….WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT HE DID TO “IGGY” AND TO JOHN TYLER.

STEP NUMBER ONE IN GIVING - IN THE NEW TESTAMENT WAY IS FOUND IN 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7:  "LET EACH OF YOU - - - "TITHE".....

NO, IT DOESN'T SAY THAT. HE COULD EASILY HAVE SAID THAT...AND JESUS COULD HAVE TOLD PETER - THE PASTOR AT THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN JERUSALEM TO HAVE THE CONGREGATION TO TITHE, BUT HE DIDN'T.

PAUL – THE WRITER OF 13 OF THE 27 BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT -  COULD HAVE TOLD THE CHURCHES THAT HE VISITED IN EPHESUS OR GALATIA OR IN THE CHURCH OF CORINTH..."YOU MUST TITHE”....SO WE SHOULD NOW REALIZE THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE OF JESUS EVER INSTRUCTED NEW TESTAMENT CHRIST FOLLOWERS...WHO ARE NOT UNDER THE JEWISH LAW TO TITHE.

SO, LET'S SEE WHAT PAUL TOLD THE CONGREGATION AT CORINTH: "LET EACH ONE OF YOU GIVE AS HE HAS DECIDED TO GIVE IN HIS HEART."

WHEN I FIRST READ THAT - YEARS AGO  - BEFORE DECEMBER OF 2007, I SAID TO MYSELF, "WOW....JESUS TOLD ME TO GIVE AS I DECIDED TO IN MY HEART".

WELL, IF I DECIDED TO GIVE NOTHING OR $10.00 A MONTH.....I COULD!  - IT'S TRUE - I COULD, BUT ONCE GOD REVEALED TO ME THE TRUTH OF HIS WORDS, I KNEW THAT IF I DID THAT...I WOULD NEVER PROSPER.

AND 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7 GOES ON TO SAY, "GIVE FROM YOUR HEART, AND DO NOT GIVE GRUDGINGLY OR OUT OF NECESSITY (YOU MUST GIVE - OR ELSE) MEANING DO NOT GIVE OUT OF COMPULSION....BUT GIVE CHEERFULLY."

IS TITHING GIVING UNDER COMPULSION? INDEED IT IS.  - PREACHERS MAKE IT A "LAW" - GIVEN BY MOSES AND PREACHED BY MALACHI...BUT JESUS TELLS US WE ARE NOT UNDER THAT LAW.

JESUS DID TEACH ME THAT THE PRINCIPLE OF TITHING IS VALID...THAT THE CHURCH NEEDS 10% OF MY INCOME TO PAY THE STAFF AND THE BILLS....SO HE POINTED OUT THAT IF I EARN $3,000 IN A WEEK OR A MONTH, I OUGHT TO CHEERFULLY GIVE $300.00 TO SUPPORT GOD'S HOUSE....MY CHURCH. 

GOD ALSO POINTED OUT THAT MY NEW DAILY BREAD NEED IS $3000.00 PLUS MY 10% OF $300.00 SO THE NEW NUT IS $3,300, AND JESUS TOLD US IN MATTHEW 6:33 THAT HE WILL PROVIDE AND MEET ALL OF OUR NEEDS. SO, FROM THAT REVELATION FORWARD, I KNEW THAT GOD WOULD GIVE ME ALL THE MONEY I NEEDED - - -PLUS THE 10% ...AND IT HOLDS TRUE TO THIS VERY DAY.

FOLKS, IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN TAUGHT IN ERROR ABOUT WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT MONEY IN HIS WORD.

BUT, YOU NOW KNOW MOST OF THE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW TO TAKE CARE OF THE NEEDS AT GOD'S HOUSE...AND YOUR OWN HOUSE...AND HOW TO PROSPER, BUT I'M GETTING INTO HOW THAT PART WORKS MOMENTARILY...AND THAT'S PRETTY EXCITING!

WE ARE ABOUT TO LEARN HOW WE CAN GIVE HAPPILY, CHEERFULLY - NOT RELUCTANTLY....WHICH IS HOW I HAVE GIVEN SINCE DECEMBER OF 2007.

FOR MOST OF MY ADULT LIFE, IT WAS PREACHED TO ME THIS WAY: " I WANT YOU TO GIVE SACRIFICIALLY...AND THEY TOLD ME ABOUT THAT "WIDOW WOMAN WHO GAVE UP ALL SHE HAD - - - TWO MITES" - I WANT YOU TO GIVE UNTIL IT HURTS."

I WAS TOLD, "IF YOU OWE THE TELEPHONE COMPANY OR THE ELECTRIC COMPANY PAYMENT FOR A BILL, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH LEFT OVER TO "TITHE", THEN YOU HAD BETTER COME IN HERE WITH THAT TITHE MONEY BEFORE YOU GO AND PAY THAT  TELEPHONE BILL."

THAT IS WRONG PREACHING!!! - BUT, IF I SAY IT'S WRONG PREACHING....IT'S ONE THING. IF I SHOW YOU FROM GOD'S WORD THAT IT'S WRONG PREACHING...THEN YOU MUST CHOOSE TO BELIEVE WHAT GOD TELLS US!

2 CORINTHIANS 8:12 - "WHATEVER YOU GIVE IS ACCEPTABLE IF YOU GIVE IT EAGERLY - (IT'S ACCEPTABLE TO GOD)...( I DIDN'T READ ANYTHING ABOUT A TITHE IN THERE....), BUT IT ALSO SAYS, "GIVE - ACCORDING TO WHAT YOU DO HAVE." - DO NOT GIVE FROM WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE!" 

DID YOU READ THAT? - GOD SAYS I WANT YOU TO GIVE FROM WHAT YOU DO HAVE...AND NOT FROM WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE. – YOU DO NOT OWN THE MONEY THAT YOU OWE TO THE TELEPHONE OR ELECTRIC COMPANY …THAT IS MONEY THAT DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU…”DO NOT GIVE FROM WHAT YOU DON’T HAVE”.

I WAS SO HAPPY TO READ THAT….BUT IT TAKES GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD (DEEPLY AND INTENTIONALLY, AND ASKING GOD TO OPEN YOUR SPIRITUAL EYES SO YOU CAN COMPREHEND WHAT HE IS REALLY SAYING.)

SO IF I HAVE A TELEPHONE BILL AND AN ELECTRIC BILL...I OWE THEM. - IF I DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH LEFT TO GIVE CHEERFULLY TO THE LORD....THEN I AM TO PAY THE BILLS FIRST...OUT OF WHAT I DO HAVE...THEN PUT WHAT I DO HAVE LEFT OVER IN THE OFFERING PLATE…AS MY HEART DESIRES.

WHAT IS THE CLOSEST THING TO JESUS' HEART AND TO GOD THE FATHER'S HEART? - IT IS NOT MONEY, BUT GOD IS ABOUT TO TELL US WHY MONEY IS IMPORTANT TO DO WHAT PLEASES HIM THE MOST.

I THINK IT'S MARK 16:15 WHERE JESUS TOLD HIS APOSTLES AND US..."I WANT YOU TO GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND TELL OTHERS ABOUT ME."

JESUS REMINDED US IN JOHN 6:40 "FOR IT IS MY FATHER'S WILL - HIS DESIRE - - THAT EVERYONE WHO LOOKS TO THE SON AND BELIEVES IN HIM THEY SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE..." SO IT IS THE SALVATION OF MANKIND THAT IS WHAT IS CLOSEST TO GOD THE FATHER AND TO JESUS.  - THAT IS GOD’S WILL.

I HAVE HEARD THIS NEXT BIBLE VERSE PREACHED...BUT NEVER IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT I'M ABOUT TO TELL YOU....LUKE 16:9 - "I, JESUS TELL YOU THIS...I WANT YOU TO GO AND MAKE FRIENDS (AND JESUS ALWAYS SPEAKS OF ETERNITY WHEN HE TELLS US SOMETHING)....WITH YOUR MONEY SO THAT WHEN YOU FAIL (WHEN YOU DIE)...THEY WILL WELCOME YOU WHEN YOU GET TO HEAVEN."

IN PLAIN ENGLISH....JESUS DOES NOT TELL US TO GO AND WIN FRIENDS WITH YOUR MONEY BY SAYING TO THEM, "HEY - LET'S GO DOWN TO THE PUB AND HAVE A FEW BEERS AND ENJOY WATCHING A FOOTBALL GAME ON THEIR TV."- 

HE IS TELLING US, "USE YOUR MONEY TO WIN THESES FRIENDS INTO HEAVEN....SO THAT WHEN YOU DIE...AND YOU GET INTO HEAVEN - THEY WILL WELCOME YOU."

LET'S PAINT THE PICTURE:

I JUST DROPPED DEAD...AND I'M USHERED INTO HEAVEN....AND WHILE WALKING ALONG THE STREETS OF PURE GOLD, SOME MEN AND WOMEN COME UP TO ME AND SAY, "JOHN - WELCOME...IT'S BECAUSE YOU INVESTED IN THE MASTER'S KINGDOM THAT WE ARE HERE."

ONE MAN SAYS, "JOHN, REMEMBER THAT TIME YOU GAVE MONEY TO THE MISSIONARY IN HAITI? WELL, THEY GAVE ME THE GOSPEL AND I GOT SAVED AS A RESULT AND I'M HERE BECAUSE YOU GAVE - - -THANK YOU!"

A WOMAN APPROACHED AND SAID, "JOHN...YOU BOUGHT TRACTS AND GAVE THEM TO A STREET PREACHER NAMED DENNIS...AND HE GAVE ME ONE OF THOSE AND THERE WAS A PRAYER IN IT THAT I SAID.  - I SAID, "LORD, I AM A SINNER, AND I KNOW THAT YOU DIED ON THE CROSS FOR ME.  I KNOW THAT YOU WERE RAISED FROM THE DEAD IN THREE DAYS, AND THAT YOU ARE SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER...SO I ASK YOU TO SAVE MY SOUL NOW, LORD.- THAT'S HOW I GOT HERE, JOHN...SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVESTING IN THE MASTER'S KINGDOM....WELCOME!"

AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT LUKE 16:9 TELLS US TO DO WITH OUR WEALTH.....INVEST IN SOULS SO THEY WILL WELCOME US WHEN WE ARRIVE IN HEAVEN.

BUT...SOME OF THE PASTORS HAVE SKIPPED OVER THIS SO I HAVE TO ALSO READ LUKE 16: 10 AND 11 FOR YOUR BENEFIT. 

VERSE `10: - "WHOSOEVER CAN BE TRUSTED (LIKE THE PARABLE OF THE STEWARDS) WITH VERY LITTLE MONEY, CAN ALSO BE TRUSTED WITH MUCH - - - MONEY!"

VERSE 11 - HERE COMES THE "BUT"..."BUT, WHOEVER IS DISHONEST WITH VERY LITTLE (LIKE JOHN TYLER WAS WHEN HE BOUGHT MANSIONS AND THE THREE MERCEDES AUTOMOBILS )...THEY WILL ALSO BE DISHONEST WITH MUCH MONEY.”

“SO, IF YOU HAVE BEEN DISHONEST WITH THE WORLDLY WEALTH THAT I GAVE YOU, DO YOU THINK I WOULD TRUST YOU WITH TRUE RICHES - SOULS? NO - I'M NOT!"

THIS IS WHY SO MANY PEOPLE IN CHURCHES TODAY ARE BROKE!

THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT GOD TELLS US - OVER 1009 TIMES...ABOUT MONEY.

IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT - IT'S REALLY THE FAULT OF POOR TEACHING FROM THE PULPITS.

IF YOU ARE HONEST WITH GOD, YOU WILL REALIZE THAT HE HAS ENTRUSTED YOU WITH THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS - MAYBE EVEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS....(I DON’T KNOW YOU, SO I CAN’T SAY) -  BUT - WHAT DID YOU DO WITH IT?

"WELL, I GAVE $2,000 TO THE LORD, AND I BLEW THE REST OF IT ON MYSELF."

NOW - WE'RE GOING TO LEARN HOW MUCH WE ARE SUPPOSED TO GIVE - OVER AND ABOVE THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IT TAKES TO TAKE CARE OF GOD'S HOUSE….AND HOW JESUS SAYS, “DON’T WORRY – I’LL TAKE CARE OF YOUR EVERY NEED AND SOME OF YOUR WANTS.”

VERSE 13 OF LUKE 16...."YOU CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS." "YOU CAN'T PUT YOUR MONEY FIRST AND ME - GOD - SECOND. " I MUST COME FIRST - AND THE MONEY YOU GET - FROM ME - MUST ALWAYS COME SECOND." - THAT WAY - YOU HAVE YOUR PRIORITIES RIGHT.

1 CORINTHIANS 16:2 - WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THIS VERSE, BUT ONCE AGAIN, WHEN THE PASTOR STARTS TALKING ABOUT MONEY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, WE SOMEHOW CLOSE OUR EARS! :)

"AHHHHH - NO MORE - I'M TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT MONEY PREACHER..."  -AND WE SHUT DOWN. …OR WE GET SO FED UP WITH THE PREACHER ALWAYS ASKING FOR MORE MONEY THAT WE LEAVE THE CHURCH. 

WE ARE BEING TAUGHT WRONG AND WE NEED TO ALSO CORRECT OUR OWN ATTITUDE FOR GIVING……BUT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND AND COMPREHEND THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS.

"UPON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK....AND THAT FALLS ON A SUNDAY, PAUL SAYS, "I WANT EVERYONE TO "TITHE".

WAIT - THAT'S NOT WHAT HE SAID...BUT HE COULD HAVE IF "TITHING" WAS SCRIPTURAL FOR CHRIST FOLLOWERS.

NO, PAUL SAID, "ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, BRING - - -AS GOD HAS PROSPERED YOU - - -LIKE JESUS DID WITH THOSE THREE STEWARDS....."AS GOD HAS PROSPERED YOU...AS GOD HAS PLACED WEALTH INTO YOUR HANDS....."

”HOW MUCH OUT OF MY ABUNDANCE DID YOU WANT ME TO GIVE, LORD?

I'M GLAD YOU ASKED BECAUSE OVER IN 2 CORINTHIANS, CHAPTER 9 AND VERSE 6, JESUS TELLS US HOW MUCH. "THIS I TELL YOU FOR SURE (IN OTHER WORDS...THIS IS ANOTHER PRINCIPLE OF GIVING THAT YOU CANNOT MISS)... "HE (OR SHE) WHO INVESTS SPARINGLY (IN MY KINGDOM - IN MY WORK) SHALL ALSO REAP SPARINGLY...”…

IN THE VERNACULAR OF TODAY..."IF YOU GIVE TO ME CHEAP...I'LL GIVE TO YOU CHEAP." - "IF YOU GIVE TO ME NUTTIN' - YOU GET NUTTIN' BACK." - IF YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE FROM WHAT I PUT INTO YOUR HANDS, I'LL GIVE YOU BACK A PITTANCE."

THIS IS WHY SO MANY OF YOU ARE BROKE!

BUT, JESUS GOES ON TO SAY, "WHOEVER SOWS BOUNTIFULLY INTO MY KINGDOM - INTO MY WORK....SHALL REAP BOUNTIFULLY." -  “IF YOU GIVE A LOT OF MONEY TO MY WORK – I’LL MAKE SURE YOU GET A LOT OF MONEY BACK.” - THIS IS THE MOST TERRIFIC FINANCIAL PLAN OUT THERE TODAY!

I HAVE TO BREAK INTO A STORY NOW.

A PENTECOSTAL PREACHER WHO I KNOW AND LOVE...HE'S A BROTHER IN CHRIST, BUT HE SAID SOMETHING TO THE CONGREGATION WHERE I WAS VISITING ONE SUNDAY.

HE SAID, "BEFORE I BECAME THE PASTOR HERE, I WAS A LAWYER IN BOSTON. WHEN I LEFT THERE FOR THE SEMINARY, THEY GAVE ME A VERY UNEXPECTED “GOLDEN PARACHUTE CHECK” FOR $100,000. - IT DAWNED ON ME, HE SAID, THAT THIS WILL BE THE MOST MONEY THAT I EVER GAVE TO GOD...I HAVE TO WRITE A CHECK FOR $10,000."

WHAT THAT SAID TO ME WAS THAT THIS PREACHER WILL CONTINUE DRILLING HIS CONGREGATION WITH THE MANDATE OF TITHING, BUT WHAT HE REALLY SAID WAS...”10% IS THE MAXIMUM I HAVE TO GIVE HERE...SO YOU SHOULD EXPECT THAT IT'LL BE THE MAXIMUM YOU HAVE TO GIVE." HE NEVER SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR MORE!...BUT – HE ALWAYS DID.

WHY WOULD HE NOT HAVE GIVEN 20% OR 50%...IF HE WASN'T EXPECTING $100,000 ANYWAY!?

"WHOEVER GIVES BOUNTIFULLY TO MY WORK - I WILL GIVE BACK TO THEM BOUNTIFULLY". HERE'S A VERSE THAT'S NOT EVEN IN MY NOTES, BUT IT'S IN MY HEAD AND MOST OF YOU HAVE HEARD THIS A MILLION TIMES..."

LUKE 6:38 TELL US HOW BOUNTIFULLY GOD PLANS TO REWARD GOOD AND FAITHFUL STEWARDS. "GIVE - AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN BACK TO YOU - - -MEN (AND ONLY THE KING JAMES VERSION USES THE WORD MEN...MEANING IT MUST BE HERE ON EARTH AND NOT PIE IN THE SKY LATER)...."MEN SHALL HEAP MONEY INTO YOUR HANDS." 

HOW? "IN GOOD MEASURE...PRESSED DOWN...OVERFLOWING....”

PICTURE A HUGE BASKET…..AND  MEN START LOADING MONEY INTO IT...THEN MORE SO THAT THEY HAVE TO PRESS IT DOWN...AND THEN THEY FILL THAT BASKET TO OVERFLOWING...GOD DIRECTING THEM TO GIVE ...AND THEN THESE MEN THRUST THAT BASKET OF MONEY INTO YOUR CHEST. "HERE - TAKE IT...IT'S ALL YOURS...."

GOD CONTROLS ALL THE WEALTH, SO HOW HE GIVES IT BACK TO US - BOUNTIFULLY- SOMETIMES HAPPEN IN WAYS WHERE YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT JUST HAPPENED......LIKE THE TIME HE GAVE ME ALL THOSE FIVE PARCELS OF LAND FOR $5,000 ON MY CREDIT CARD AND I ENDED UP SELLING IT FOR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OVER TIME. ..PROVING THAT GOD CAN – AND DOES PUT WEALTH INTO OOUR HANDS. -YAH...I KNEW EXACTLY WHERE ALL  OF THAT WEALTH THAT CAME FROM.

"ONLY GOD GIVES US THE POWER TO GET WEALTH” - REMEMBER DEUTERONOMY 8:18.

SO, WHERE ARE YOU SPENDING GOD'S WEALTH THAT HE TESTS YOU WITH?

"SPENDING" MEANS IT'S GONE. ...DISSIPATED...WHEREAS, "WHERE ARE YOU INVESTING GOD'S WEALTH"...MEANS IT IS OUT THERE - WORKING FOR THE MASTER'S BENEFIT, AND IN TURN, HE BLESSES US WITH MORE.

MY FAVORITE VERSE IN THE BIBLE IS PROVERBS 3:5-6...:”DO NOT LEAN UNTO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING OF THINGS, JOHN. INSTEAD, TRUST ME ...SEEK MY WILL .....IN ALL YOU DO...AND I WILL DIRECT YOUR PATHS.”

GOD IS SAYING...TRUST ME...DON'T TRY FIGURING THINGS OUT FOR YOURSELF...LET ME DIRECT YOUR PATHS, AND I WILL SHOW YOU SOME AMAZING THINGS....I WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO GET MONEY - KEEP MONEY - INVEST MONEY - GET MORE MONEY....I WANT YOU TO PROSPER."

SOMETIMES, WE NEED TO SEEK GOD OUT AND ASK HIM TO SHOW US HIS PLAN AND PURPOSE FOR OUR LIFE...AND ASK IF HE WILL OPEN YOUR SPIRITUAL EYES SO THAT WHEN YOU GET INTO HIS WORD...HE WILL ILLUMINATE IT AND SHOW YOU ALL THAT HE WANTED HIS FOLLOWERS TO KNOW WHEN HE HAD 40 MEN - OVER 1500 YEARS AND THREE CONTINENTS WRITE THOSE 66 BOOKS.

I DID THAT - AND GOD HONORED IT. - "IF YOU SEEK WISDOM...I WILL GIVE IT TO YOU LIBERALLY" IS WHAT GOD SAYS...AND HE DID THAT FOR ME.

"LORD, NOW THAT I REALIZE WHAT YOU MEAN WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT MONEY...HELP ME TO GET OUT OF THIS HORRIFIC DEBT THAT I'M IN. " THAT COULD BE YOUR NEXT PRAYER....AND MAYBE SHOULD BE.

HE WILL DEMAND THAT YOU START A BUDGET. ...HE SAID SO BIBLICALLY AND WE HAVE COVERED THAT.

I USE A SPREADSHEET THAT IS SIMPLE TO USE.....BUT IT TAKES A LITTLE TIME AND EFFORT TO DEVELOP IT. IT'S FREE. IT'S DOWNLOADABLE ONLINE. IT IS FOUND AT https://www.openoffice.org/download/index.html

IF YOU HAVE APPLE OR YOU USE WINDOWS...THEY HAVE BOTH DOWNLOADABLE SPREADSHEET THERE.

IF YOU FIND IT DIFFICULT TO USE...I HAVE DONE A HOW-TO VIDEO ON YOU TUBE. THAT IS FOUND HERE: BUDGETING FOR DUNCES - By John Tyler, Author - YouTube

THE EXACT LINK IS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GD2MY4i (eye)w6c&t=35s

IF YOU MESS UP, GO TO GOOGLE AND SEARCH "BUDGETING FOR DUNCES BY JOHN TYLER" YOU WILL SEE THE JOHN TYLER VIDEO THERE.

I LEAVE YOU WITH THIS BIBLE VERSE: JAMES 4:2-3.."YOU DO NOT HAVE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT ASK."

IF I DID NOT ASK...I WOULD NOT HAVE RECEIVED THE WISDOM THAT GOD WANTED ME TO HAVE. I THANK GOD THAT HE HEARD THAT PRAYER OF DECEMBER OF 2007...AND IMMEDIATELY ANSWERED IT.

HIS ANSWER AND SUBSEQUENT "BOOT CAMP" WAS TOUGH, BUT I WOULD NOT TRADE WHAT HE SHOWED ME FOR ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD.

YOU KNOW...EVEN ON THIS OCTOBER DAY IN 2021 AS I FINISH THIS WRITING...GOD STILL OPENS MY SPIRITUAL EYES WHEN I DILIGENTLY SEEK HIS ADVICE FROM HIS BIBLE....IT AMAZES ME.

WHEN I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THINGS, GOD SOMEHOW DIRECTS ME TO THE RIGHT ANSWER.  HE HAS ALLOWED ME TO FIGURE THINGS OUT..EVEN VERY TECHNICAL THINGS...SO THAT WHEN I FOUND THE ANSWERS, I DID A "HOW-TO" VIDEO FOR MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

JAMES ALSO ADDED, "IF YOU ASK WITH WRONG MOTIVES...YOU WON'T GET WHAT YOU ASK GOD FOR.” A WRONG MOTIVE WOULD BE, "GOD...I'M ASKING FOR A LOT OF MONEY...(BUT I REALLY WANT TO BUY A NEW CAR WITH IT)....

DO THE RIGHT THING...IF YOU ARE NOT TRUSTING CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR...GO TO www.johntyler.com/Salvation.html.

THERE - YOU WILL FIND A SALVATION PAGE THAT TELLS YOU ALL ABOUT SALVATION AND THERE'S A PRAYER THERE THAT CAN LEAD YOU TO CHRIST FOR THAT SALVATION. THEN - THEN - GOD WILL HEAR YOUR PRAYERS.

GOD WANTS TO BLESS YOU ABUNDANTLY....

DON'T BLAME YOUR PREACHER IF HE'S BEEN TEACHING WRONG THINGS ABOUT MONEY. IT'S NOT REALLY HIS FAULT....HE LEARNED WHAT HE LEARNED FROM A SEMINARY...AND THEY PASSED THIS STUFF DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION….”TRADITIONS OF MEN”.

PREACHERS OUGHT TO TRUST GOD AND NOT BE AFRAID TO PREACH ABOUT MONEY - OUTSIDE OF THE MANDATE OF TITHING. THEY NEED TO DEVELOP ENOUGH FAITH TO OPERATE GOD’S CHURCH AS GOD WANTS IT OPERATED…BY FAITH…AND THEN GOD MAY ALLOW THAT CHURCH TO FLOURISH.

I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS STORY OF A PREACHER IN REHOBOTH, MASSACHUESETTS. -  THEIR ANNUAL BUDGET WAS $600,000 A YEAR.  -  IN THEIR CHURCH BULLETIN, THEY SAY, "WE DO NOT PASS A PLATE HERE. IF YOU FEEL LED TO GIVE...YOU CAN DROP YOUR MONEY OR A CHECK INTO ONE OF THE COLLECTION BOXES NEAR THE DOORWAY LEADING OUT TO THE CAFETERIA” - WHERE THEY GIVE AWAY FREE COFFEE...FREE MUFFINS OR DONUTS...FREE CEREAL TO THE KIDS...AND MANY WHO GO THERE ARE POOR - SO THE CHURCH FEEDS THEM THIS WAY.

THEY NEVER "PASS THE PLATE", BUT THEY ALWAYS EXCEED THEIR BUDGET REQUIREMENTS. WHEN I LAST VISITED THEM, THEIR BUDGET WAS THE $600,000 BUT THEY EXCEEDED $610,000.

ANOTHER CHURCH IN NORTH ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS SAID, “WE GIVE TEN PERCENT OF WHATEVER TITHES COME IN TO OTHER MISSIONS BEYOND THIS CHURCH”...SO SOME CHURCHES DO THINGS THE RIGHT WAY...EVEN THOUGH THAT CHURCH IN MASSACHUSETTS STILL PREACHES THE MANDATE OF TITHING. - HOWEVER, (KNOWINGLY OR NOT) THEY GIVE 10% OF THE TITHE COLLECTED TO HOMELESS SHELTERS, MISSIONARIES, CHURCH PLANTING....SO GOD HONORED THAT PART OF OLD TESTAMENT GIVING THAT WE DISGUSED AND THE CHURCH IS GROWING....NOW TO THE POINT WHERE THEY HAVE FOUR CHURCH CAMPUSES....INCLUDING ONE IN FLORIDA NOW.

THANK YOU FOR READING THIS RATHER LENGTHY WRITING. - SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS...OR SEND THE LINK TO YOUR PREACHER. HIS CHURCH MAY END UP GROWING OR GROWING MORE IF HE BELIEVES ALL THAT THE BIBLE TELLS US.

I have also put this writing into video form on my YouTube channel, so if you’d rather save it…or view it…or pass it along to someone you know….it’s here:

UPDATED - What Does The Bible Say About Money - John Tyler, Author - YouTube

John Tyler, Author of 13 books

All FREE at www.RelationshipBooks.com