KEYS TO UNLOCKING GOD’S BLESSING, P.2
GIVING WITH A BELIEVING HEART
By Rev. Ralph Juthman
Malachi 3:8-12
INTRODUCTION: We have been studying the Keys to Unlocking God’s Blessing in your life. The first key we discovered last week is GIVING WITH AN OPEN HAND.
The second key is a GIVING WITH A BELIEVING HEART. What is in your heart will demonstrate what you believe.
For instance, I read the story of A mother who wanted to teach her daughter a spiritual lesson. She gave the little girl a quarter and a dollar for church. “Put whichever one you want in the collection plate and keep the other for yourself,” she told the girl.
When they were leaving church, the mother asked her daughter which amount she had given.
“Well,” said the little girl, “I was going to give the dollar, but just before the collection the man in the pulpit said that we should all be cheerful givers. I knew I’d be a lot more cheerful if I gave the quarter… so I did.”
The mother may not have agreed with her daughter’s reasoning, but at the heart of the matter is this fact – the daughter gave in the way she believed.
AND IT’S TRUE OF ALL CHRISTIANS – we give as we believe.
In the Bible, we are given the acid test of whether or not we believe that God is trustworthy. It is called TITHE. It is the only practice where God commends His people to TEST Him. Furthermore, it is the only test that ends in the promise of abundant blessing. If you have your Bible’s, let’s turn to a familiar passage in Malachi 3:8-12. (Read)
I was listening to a speaker this week who shared some information which I found unbelievable. Rather than ignore what I heard, I searched out for myself to find out if what I heard was true. I found an article in Christianity Today entitled,’ Scrooge Lives: Why we’re not putting more in the offering plate. And what we can do about it.
IN this article, the author Rob Moll writes, ‘Over the next few months or years, as our economy travels down a long road of recovery, our neighbors may need much more assistance than we’ve grown accustomed to providing. And like skyrocketing home prices, the lack of generosity among American Christians is a trend that cannot continue without doing serious harm.
More than one out of four American Protestants give away no money at all—"not even a token $5 per year," say sociologists Christian Smith, Michael Emerson, and Patricia Snell in a new study on Christian giving, Passing the Plate (Oxford University Press).
Of all Christian groups, evangelical Protestants score best: only 10 percent give nothing away. Evangelicals tend to be the most generous, but they do not outperform their peers enough to wear a badge of honor. Thirty-six percent report that they give away less than two percent of their income. Only about 27 percent tithe.
American Christians’ lack of generosity might not be as shocking if it didn’t contrast so starkly with their astounding wealth. Passing the Plate’s researchers say committed American Christians—those who say their faith is very important to them and those who attend church at least twice a month—earn more than $2.5 trillion dollars every year. On their own, these Christians could be admitted to the G7, the group of the world’s seven largest economies. Smith and his coauthors estimate that if these Christians gave away 10 percent of their after-tax earnings, they would add another $46 billion to ministry around the world.
Wow, before you get all smug and ignore these findings by saying, “Well, that’s the United States, we are Canadian.” Similar surveys done in Canada reveal that while we fair a little better, there is not a whole lot of difference in our giving practices.
In fact not long ago, I heard a pastor of one of our larger city churches, testify that in his church only about 6% actually tithe a full ten percent of their income. Of that number one individual gives 40% of the total. Can you spell, SCARY!
So why would people who are committed followers of Jesus Christ, and have a strong belief in the Word of God, not tithe?
I know from experience that in this room there are at least three common attitudes when it comes to tithing..
1. ‘Tithing is OT, Pastor I believe in grace giving’. As spiritual as that sounds, what they are really saying is, they don’t give anything at all.
2. It’s all mine/I worked/earned it/deserve it/can do what I want to…and when offering plate goes by, they say, I can give if I want to, but I don’t have to. If I feel led to give a dollar, I will/$20…but it’s all mine, I can do what I want with it.
Or there is the one that is similar,
3. Tithe belongs to God, and the rest is mine (90%). In obedience I give Him 10%, and with the rest, I’ll do what I want to with the rest.
However everything we have comes from God. Our wealth, our health, even our heart beat are in the tender, strong hands of God. In Deuteronomy 8:18 we are reminded,
But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
Rather than feeling you are giving God 10% of your money, realize God is letting you keep 90% of HIS money. Without God’s help you and I would have nothing.
You see, at the end of the day, how we approach giving and money is a matter of TRUST. Who or what are you placing your trust? The practice that demonstrates this truth is the TITHE.
I have heard people say, “Why should I give my tithe, God doesn’t need my money.” They are right. The Bible says that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. In fact, the Hills are His too. God doesn’t need your money, but you and I do need His blessing.
God has made it clear to us from the Bible what He expects to give to Him of our financial substance. Let’s take a closer look at several key concepts presented in this passage.
To begin, GOD EXPECTS us to tithe. “ Bring all the tithe…” A tithe means a tenth part or ten percent. Tithes and offerings are not the same. An offering is any amount you give in addition to the tithe., such as missions, special projects, the building fund ect.
We are to give the FIRST ten per cent to God of all we earn back to Him. Giving less than ten percent is NOT tithing.
When we tithe we express God’s preeminence in our lives. We are to give him the first fruits. In Proverbs 3:9,10 we are commanded to Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first-fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. (Proverbs 3:9-10)
God wants to be first in our lives. He is not looking for the left overs. Neither does He only want ten percent of us. He wants to be Lord. When we tithe we are saying just that. If you are not tithing or if you are not tithing a full ten per cent then simply put God is not first in your life.
The tithe was expected to be the first tenth of what a person has received. Put it this way. If you place ten pennies all in a row, the first penny is the tithe. The tithe is God’s and no one else’s.
Secondly, The tithe is the way to RENEW God’s blessing in our lives. It is always for our increase.
Now understand, the tithe does not BUY God’s blessing, as if He is obligated to reward us. But it does open the door to blessing. Charles Stanley writes,
The tithe is given to God from our increase and for our increase. It is the way we open the door of our finances to give and then to receive God’s blessing.
Remember the words of King David when he was raising money to build the temple. The people gave with such zeal David had to tell them to stop, because there was no more room to contain the offering. Listen to how he prays in 1 Chronicles 29:14, "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.
When we give the first tenth of our earnings back to God, we return to him what is His in the first place, and what He asks us to give to Him so that HE might give us even more.
Thirdly, tithing is the way to get our PRIORITIES straight. He says, Test me in this and I will bless you.”
God is saying, ‘I will prove to you that you never have to be in debt to me.”
Fourthly when we tithe, WE EMBRACE GOD’S PROMISE.
God says, Prove or test me now. In some places this might be translted, “I double dog dare you…” God declares through Malachi that the giving of tithes holds out four promises:
First, THE PROMISE OF PROSPERITY….’the windows of heaven will be opened.’
To be prosperous in the Bible means that you will never be in lack of any good thing the Lord has provide for you. Listen to the blessing which God gives to His people as they are about to enter the land of promise,
For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; 8 a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; 9 a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing…
Put another way, God promises, when you open your whole life to me, I will give you all you need.
Secondly, is the PROMISE OF PLENTY…and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room for it.
God says further that ’you will have a blessing that is not only sufficient but overflowing.
In other words, “I will give you more than you could ever imagine.”
If that isn’t fantastic enough God makes the PROMISE OF PROTECTION…I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes…
God promises, “All that you have that you give to me, I will GUARD IT WITH MY LIFE!”
And finally, there is the PROMISE OF PERSONAL TESTIMONY…You will have expanded witness for the Lord.”
‘all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the LORD of hosts.
Did you every think how your faithfulness in giving relates to your witness as a follower of Jesus? When people see you living in blessing, they will want to know your secret. They will want the joy you have, the feeling of fulfillment and meaning you enjoy, the blssings you are experiencing.
When you bless God with your life others are reached, the kingdom of God is expanded and God is glorified.
Can you imagine what would happen in our churches and in our nation if every Christian tithed on a regular basis? There would be an enormous amount of money for spreading the Gospel And helping those in need. Outreach programs to the poor, homeless, sick, and destitute people would be fully funded. Christian ministries would have the resources they need and would not have to spend their time on fund raising.
Missionaries and evangelists would be fully supported. The increased proclamation of the gospel would have a tremendous impact on strengthening the moral fiber of our nation.
So how can we make this a reality? I am not naive to think that everyone will come one board today. I do have enough faith and trust in God, that when His word is preached that someone will respond. And if only two, or three or four people will take up His challenge, anything is possible.
So Pastor when and how do I begin? Good questions. The answer to the first question is you can begin NOW! Don’t debate it over lunch, you have heard God’s word and if the Spirit is witnessing with your start today.
I said at the beginning of this message, that the second key to opening up God’s blessing in your life begins with your heart.
First of all, it begins with a HUMBLE HEART. The person who says, “I want it my way.” acts out of human pride. He or she wants what they want and they want to keep everything they believe they have earned.( Charles Stanley)
Listen this is nothing less than rebellion against God’s plan and principles. It is an expression of Pride. Listen, God cannot bless a proud heart. Everything you and I have comes from God,…our talents, our treasure, even our life’s breath. Hear what God says in His word,
A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor. ( Proverbs 29:23)
The first step in opening the door to blessing is ahumble heart. Here is what God’s word declares…
"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."[a] 6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
Secondly, a life that is open to receive God’s blessing will express a THANKFUL HEART. There are many Christians who live in God’s blessing, they boast about their blessings but they never express their thanks to God.
Charles Stanley says , “When you fail to voice your thanksgiving and praise to God, you fail to give to God what He is rightfully due.
When things are difficult in life, it is hard to be thankful. Unfortunately what often happens is we transfer this attitude ofunthankfulness into life.
I wasn’t going to share this, But listen to my heart today.
I was in Tim Horton’s this week ( no surprise there). There was a group of people sitting and talking with one another. We are teasing one another back and forth having a grand old time. I forget exactly what I said, but as I was leaving the restaurant, someone made the remark, “I thought your church was dying.?”
That caught me off guard. I wanted to say, “Come out Sunday and find out for yourself.” When I asked where he heard it, He said I heard there wans’t enough money to pay the preacher.”
Where he heard his information is beyond me and does not matter. I asked myself, why would someone make a comment like that. As I thought hard, this point came into my head. If I look at the books and offering receipts, it would be easy to become discouraged. How can we do it>? How is it possible to do all that we desire when it looks like we have so little?
From a human perspective it appears impossible. And when you are not careful, discouragement sets in. When discouragement takes a hold it is difficult to see God’s hand in any area of your life.
Is our church dying? We just heard Kait testify about going to Mexico. You and I share in being able to send her. In the last three years we have sent three young people to the mission field.
I have good news for you, the Pastor is being paid, the bills are up to date, and Phil informed the board on Thursday that he is sending the last of our missions commitment for 2008.
Ladies and gentlemen, that does not sound like a dying church. Be careful, one of Satans chief weapons is discouragement. But you want to know how to beat him? PRAISE and THANKSGIVING!
IN fact Jesus said that if you don’t praise the Lord, the very stones will cry out.
37When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!"[a]
"Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"
39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"
40"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."
God desires your praise not because He needs it, but because it opens you up to receive from God. When you praise the Lord, you have a much clearer understanding of who He is, and who you are, and a much greater appreciation of all that He has done for you. Praise keeps you cleansed from pride. It keeps you in right relationship with God.
11"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being."
• A Humble heart opens the door to enjoying the blessing of God.
• Thankfulness and praise causes you to recognize the blessing of God,
but finally at the heart of how a person give to God, is TRUST IN THE UNSHAKABLE WORD OF GOD.
Let me repeat what I said at the beginning of this message,. Giving is an issue of TRUST. we give as we believe. Listen to these 2 verses. First from Psalm 84,
For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
12 O LORD Almighty,
blessed is the man who trusts in you.
Do you believe that this morning? Is God your sun and shield? Is HE your protector? Do you believe that He is trustworthy to take care of your stuff?
When you trust in God, you put your trust in Someone who is all powerful, all knowing, and eternal. He doesn’t fail. He doesn’t change. In God is the greatest security you will ever know.
When you are faithful to God in all that He has said to you especially your finances, the greatest blessing you will ever know is HIS PRESENSE. Do you want your relationship with Him to grow deeper, stronger and ore meaningful? Of course I know you do.
God’s blessings are bestowed on you so that God might prove Himself faithful to you and so that He might draw you nearer to Himself. That is the greatest blessing you and I can ever know.
