Sermon Notes - Grace Church - How You Give is Important

All scripture King James Version. These notes are what I got from sermon, not necessarily what was preached. Sermons are available to view/listen to at Grace Church website for approximately 1 month from time sermon preached.

Grace Church

03/11/2007

Pastor Bob Yandian

God's Financial Plan 2

How You Give is Important

There are two sides to giving. Spiritual and natural are what they are. God does not mean for us to live continually on the edge.

Tithing is not under the law:

Gen 14:20 KJV

(20) And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

Tithing is a free will gift that we give to God. It is a choice. It came 430 years before the law was given. Tithing was not introduced in the law, it was reinforced in the law. Three things that were there before the law were sacrifices (they started with Adam and Eve and went through Jacob at least), the Sabbath (we are instructed to remember it), and the tithe.

God gives seed to sowers, not keepers.

Gen 15:1 KJV

(1) After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

God rewarded Abram for the tithe that he gave. God had to tell him not to be in fear, that He would reward Abram. Money often becomes our shield, we feel that if we have enough that we can survive any problem. God is our 'exceeding great reward'. Exceeding, Hebrew is meod, means speedily increasing or ever increasing. Great is ratah in Hebrew and means abundance. Reward sakar in Hebrew and means salary or supply of money. God is saying He will be an ever increasing abundance of money. Stop looking to what you have to be your increasing reward.

Abraham is a type of us. Melchisedec is a type of Jesus (no beginning or end, and from Salem (Jerusalem, peace).

Heb 7:4-8 KJV

(4) Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

(5) And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:

(6) But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

(7) And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

(8) And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

Melchisedec is mentioned in verse 6. Verse 8 shows us that now people receive tithes but as they do Jesus receives them also in heaven.

Abraham gave the tenth. Melchisedec received. Priests take the tithe (it was required under the law), bun now men (ministers of God) receive your offering (not take it). Under law, tithing was taxation. When you give here on earth, a man who will die will receive it. Jesus receives it also, but He has no use of money. He receives the attitude that we give it with. Just as we choose to walk in love to Jesus, we walk in tithe as well.

Tithing was mentioned many place in the law and was always free will.

Gen 28:19-22 KJV

(19) And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.

(20) And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

(21) So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:

(22) And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

Gen 32:10 KJV

(10) I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

Jacob left poor and returned prosperous.

2 Chronicles 30 tells the story of Hezekiah who wanted the people to start to celebrate the passover and to start the tithe again. It had not been done for centuries and they became prosperous when they did. This is show in Nehemiah 10: 34 - 39 as well. They were told to reinstate the tithe and they became wealthy again.

1Co 13:3 KJV

(3) And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Giving is designed to profit us. If you give with out love it does not profit us at all.

Luk 6:35-38 KJV

(35) But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

(36) Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

(37) Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

(38) Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

There are many other things to do. But they all reflect your attitude towards God and His people.

Sermon Notes - Grace Church - God's Financial Plan: What is the Tithe?

All scripture King James Version. These notes are what I got from sermon, not necessarily what was preached. Sermons are available to view/listen to at Grace Church website for approximately 1 month from time sermon preached.

Grace Church

03/04/2007

Pastor Bob Yandian

God's Financial Plan 1 : What is the Tithe?

Man has a kingdom, it is run by taxation, it is not a contribution. God has a kingdom, it is run by tithes and offering, it is voluntary, and it will get returned to you.

Pro 3:3-7 KJV

(3) Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

(4) So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

(5) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

(6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

(7) Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

In all your ways go to Him first. Guaranteed success in all areas in life:

1. Let love be your guide. (v. 3) Bind them around your heart is God's love guides your thoughts. To bind your neck means that God is guiding you where ever you look.

2. Trust the Lord (Word) and not understanding. You cannot be guided by needs.

3. Do not be puffed up in pride. When you get answers make sure that you know it comes from God (v.7).

Do not trust to your own understanding when it comes to finances. Know that when it comes to finances, it is the only thing that he says to put Him to the test. Verse 6 says we are to acknowledge His ways, that includes finances. You need to be guided by love and the Word.

Foundation level for finances is the tithe. Tithe means the tenth or 10%. Why does God ask for 10%? We do not know! God wants what you give so you can get it back 100 fold. It is referred to as first fruits as well. First fruits means the beginning of the income that comes in. Unlike taxes, the tithe is voluntary. The tithe is the beginning. Offerings are given on top of that. Both are to come from willing hearts. Offerings to other ministries should be given after the tithe is done. God can be trusted with your finances.

Because you are born again does not mean that you will live in victory.

Deu 8:1-10 KJV

(1) All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers.

(2) And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

(3) And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

(4) Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.

(5) Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.

(6) Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.

(7) For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;

(8) A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;

(9) A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.

(10) When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.

God took care of them every day. Their clothing and shoes did not wear out. They got food every day. They had a cloud to cool them and a fire to heat them. He provided water from the rocks. He took care of their every needs and He will take care of them for you today.

Egypt was a place where they did not know the Lord, a land of not enough, like us when we were not yet born again.

The Wilderness was the land of just enough. They could not get extra manna or quail for many days. They had clothes that never wore out, but it would have been nice to have new ones once in a while.

Canaan land was the land of more than enough.

Most Christians are content to live in the wilderness, the land of just enough. God wants us to move to Canaan.

Jos 6:17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

Jos 6:18 And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

Jos 6:19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.

Accursed is bad translation in verse 17, it should be devoted. God is saying give it to me and you can have the rest of them. It was the tithe, the first fruits. Someone had taken God's part of the city and they could not win any more wars till it was returned. He gave them Jericho but He wanted them to give it back.

God will not take things away from you when you do not give him the tithe. You just cannot move into the blessings.

Mal 3:9-11 KJV

(9) Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

(10) Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

(11) And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

God wants you to move into the abundance so that the extra you have will not get eaten up. You are robbing God here of the opportunity to pour out the blessings to His people.

How does blessing come? Let mercy and love guide you. That is where we started. Then be obedient to tithe. Last, when money comes, do not be proud, but revere God.