Malachi 3:6-12 | The Power of Tithing.

This is City Post Church. We're about three things.

Build equipped and send. All under the Lordship of Jesus

Christ, a small church plant in Fort Worth, TX.

Who decided to do things a little differently?

Adoramos Ayesu Cristo. I love City Post because of the

people. It's where I belong.

We truly preach the Word. I love City Post because of the

community we've been able to build to do ministry like Jesus.

For light to push back. Darkness.

This is City Post podcast. If you have your bibles.

We're going to be. In a book called Malachi Like a

Who? Malahu Malachi.

So go ahead if if. You look in your table of

contents, it is the. Last book of the old.

Testament. So I'm going to let you guys go

ahead and get that. Man Malachi is an amazing.

Book this is. The book that was.

Written, it talks about. The coming of.

Christ, it's also after. Malachi was written.

There's about 500 years of silence.

Before Jesus shows up. So it's a.

Really, really important book. For us to look into and.

We're into a new sermon. Series called for the love.

Of money now many. People ask me like.

Ricky, did you? Listen to Bone Thugs growing up

for the love of money. Yes, I did.

All right, so and. What we're going to look.

At is our. Relationship when it comes to.

Money and I wanted to. Look at it through a biblical.

Perspective because it's not this.

Whole idea like if I just had more.

Like if I had more money all my problems would.

Be solved but like biggie. Says more money, more problems.

So what we know and even looking at.

Data is that. Money is not the.

Issue because. 70% of lottery winners.

Go Broke 8 close to 80. Percent of professional

athletes. Go broke.

Or end up in financial. Distress.

And this is after making millions and millions and

millions of. Dollars so if.

We don't have a biblical perspective on our finances and

on money, and we don't look at it through the lens of

Scripture. No matter how much money you

have, you're still going to Jack it up.

And we're also fighting our sinful nature and our flesh.

And God talks about money in his Word.

And also just to tee this thing up too.

There's a lot in our culture when it comes to Christianity

and following Christ. When it talks.

About money, because on one side you have something that.

That we call the prosperity gospel that talks about like, if

you follow Jesus, then you're going to be rich.

Which is a bunch of bull, but then also on the flip side you

have something called the. Poverty.

Gospel. That's like, in order to follow

Jesus, you must be poor. You can't have stuff.

It then. It goes against what he's.

Teaching. Which is also not true.

So, Ricky, what's the truth? And that's what we're going to

look at these next. Couple of weeks is what does

what does the? Bible say about our finances.

What does the Bible say? About money?

Like what? Does the Bible?

Say about all these things. Cause true.

Honestly, we live in a culture who rather have symbols.

Of wealth than wealth itself. So we're going to start.

Right off the back with Malachi and this text.

That we're going to look. At is a text that many.

Pastors use to kick off. Giving.

Or to kind of get. Everybody riled up to give.

But I think there's something deeper that I want to look.

At Today. When we look at Malachi.

Malachi 3 · chapter mention

Chapter 3. But let's pray.

So, Father, thank you for your word, Lord, I pray that you

teach us. Father your.

Word and Lord help us. God, as we look at your Holy

Scriptures. Lord, I pray for myself.

Collect my thoughts, Father. And Lord help me to just say.

Whatever it is that you want. So, Lord, thank you and help us

see Christ in everything, in Jesus name, Amen.

All right. So.

I'm going to. Tee us up.

We're. Starting verse 6.

Of Malachi chapter 3 and just to kind of get.

Malachi 3 · chapter mention

Us to where we are going the. Israelites have come out of

exile and they are grumbling against God.

Surprise, right? I mean, that's kind of what we

see. These are the people of God, and

they are upset. With God and and they're going

after God and they're questioning him and they're

saying God. You have.

Ignored us. You're not blessing us.

You're not giving us what we need and and there's all these.

Aspects of their life that they're.

Complaining to against God and one of those.

Aspects are. The material like the financial

peace, the stuff that they need. To.

Sustain and survive and this. Is where we lead off so look at

verse 6 it says that I the. Lord, do not change.

So you, the descendants of Jacob, who's Israel, are not

destroyed. Verse 7.

Ever since the time of your ancestors, you have turned away

from my decrees and have not kept them.

Return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty.

God just tells them what they need to do in order to fix.

This thing you're. Struggling right now, things

are. Difficult, and here's why you

have. Turned from my decrees.

You have stopped doing what I have told.

You and what I have commanded you to.

So don't be surprised if life gets a little bit.

Tricky or difficult and God is saying all you have to do.

Let let me show you how to. Fix this thing.

All you have to do is. Return to me and if.

You return to me, I will then return to you.

It's that simple. God doesn't give him a.

List of things that they must. Accomplish in order for him to

come back to them all, he's like I need you to come back to me, I

need you to return to me and I, the Lord Almighty will return to

you. But then.

God starts to look at here's the issue with you guys.

Like let me, let me. Point out to why you're

struggling so hard. So look at verse 7.

I'm sorry. Look at continuing verse 7.

He goes. But you ask.

How are we to? Return.

Return to you awesome like. How do I do that?

Look what verse 8 says. Here's the problem.

Will a mere mortal rob? God, yet you robbed me.

But you ask. How are you robbed?

How? Are we robbing you in tithes and

offerings? So.

So here's the situation. God has given them a command on

what they need to. Give to the.

Temple and to him. In their sacrifices and they've.

Ignored it. They're not doing it.

So their. Struggle is coming from them not

following his. Decrees, which is to give what?

He's asked them to give and then this whole idea of like robbing

God isn't, isn't that like. That seems a little weird.

Like even me saying that for some of us like.

How do you rob God? Because the truth is.

In Psalms 24 one. God tells us he's like the earth

is the Lord. 'S and everything in it.

Colossians one. It's like everything was made

and Jesus. Is the glue that holds it all

together. It's all for God.

It's. All from God.

God owns everything. God is the one that.

Holds it all together through Christ.

So what? Are you talking about robbing

God? See, the problem here is not a

systemic problem, it's a stewardship problem.

And I just want to throw this out there.

Maybe, just maybe, the reason why some of us are struggling so

hard in our finances is not because.

It's systemic. It's because it's.

Steward God is giving us everything that we need if God

is the owner of. All if God is.

Giving us everything then. We have a stewardship issue.

And that's. Exactly what God is.

Pointing out here. So he says 2.

Things you say in tithes. Look at verse. 8IN tithes and

an. Offering what's a?

Tithe A tithe is a. 10th of everything that you have in the

Old Testament, in the Laws of Moses, Deuteronomy 1422 through

29. It talks a a very detailed

system of what the Lord requires the tithe is.

Something that we give to God. It is so.

If I have 100 bucks, $1.00 belongs to God.

If I have $1.10 belongs to God. And what God is saying is like,

listen, I'm the one that gives you.

Everything that you have and all that require.

Is 10% of that. You could do.

More with 90% than you could do with 100% yourself.

And God is saying like. This is what I require.

But it's not just the tide. That he's after because if you

look at the the the Levitical system.

And and all the laws if you didn't pay.

Your tide there was actually. A 20% penalty.

That's out of Leviticus chapter. 5 Now some of us are like.

Well, Ricky like. Is tithing.

When did that? Start off like well.

Even if you go back to Genesis 14, tithing was even there.

Before the law. Began where Abraham gave a.

Tithe to Mechezdek so. Giving tithing is is a way to

honor the Lord, but and then what he ends up doing is he puts

it in the law. He's like, listen, this is.

Why I require of you? Is that a tithe?

To me, but it doesn't. Stop there, he says.

That's the tithe, right? The.

Offerings are everything additional.

So yeah, I give my tithe to the Lord, but then now my offerings

is out of my generosity. So like this is what I give.

To God, now I want to give more. Now, in these times, offerings

looked a little bit. Different it could be, maybe.

A percentage of my crops. It could be my land, I don't

know what. Whatever people felt that they

they gave to the Lord is what they would give.

As an offering, some. Scholars say that people.

Were giving up to 27%. Of.

Their income and their. Resources to the Lord.

And what God is saying is listen when you don't.

Give what I have. Given you to steward, you are

robbing me, and when you rob me, you are disobeying me.

And listen, this is not like a. Guilt trip about as I.

Don't give to the church. It has nothing to do, and what

we're going to see here has nothing to do with how much has

everything to do. With your heart and.

When we look at this like man, Ricky.

Like I would give. Like more man, but like and.

And honestly, you're right. Because.

Listen, we live in a system. Where we steward things not well

and the reason why we can't be. Generous and the reason why.

We can't give. As much as we want.

To is because we're. Burying our eyeballs in debt.

And if we're buried in our eyeballs in debt, and if we're.

Living off of credit cards and we owe our.

Debtors, all this money like I can't, I'm not.

Freed up to give. How many times, like when we go

on mission trips, like that's the number one thing.

Like man, I wish I could. Go.

But financially, I can't go. Imagine if you weren't into your

eyeballs in debt. How?

Easy. Would be like man no?

Problem. Let's get this.

So it's hard for us to do. Things it's.

Hard for us to to be generous because our stewardship problem

that we have. So I just want to give a quick

definition I'll put on the. Screen What is stewardship?

Now the Old Testament talks when it comes to finances.

It talks about the word stewardship about 8. 100 times

in Old Testament. Stewardship, biblically is how

we. Manage the resources that belong

to God. How do you manage the?

Resources that belongs to God and what God is telling.

His people is like, listen, it's not it's not the the reason

you're struggling. Listen, you're struggling.

Is always going to be. Tied to your stewardship.

And there may be the reason you're struggling is because

you're not stewarding his things.

Well, it makes sense. Listen, if I don't steward my

health, then I will suffer physically.

I'm not going to. Do well if I don't.

Steward my relationships, then I might have some interpersonal

issues. If I don't steward my team at

work, if I don't steward my job, things are not going to work

well and they and they might be yanked away and it's not.

Because the devil's attacking you.

It's because of your stewardship issue.

It's a heart. Condition.

It's a pride condition and suffering and and sometimes the

suffering that we that we're in is caused by our very own doing.

And that's exactly. What we see.

That Israel is going to. So when we talk about.

Stewardship. There's two.

Things. So I'll go and put.

That on the screen. When we look at.

Biblical stewardship and we're about.

To get into verse 10 here in a SEC, there's two things that.

The Lord requires to stewardship, so if God.

'S like I'm the one that. Gives you everything, everything

you. Have is because of me.

The job you have? Let's go deeper.

The doors that were opened. To get to the job.

That you have. Was because of him.

The skill. Set and the gifts and talents

that He put in you when you and your mama's womb.

Were because of him. In order to get the job that you

have, the car you have, the house you have.

Everything I have. Is because of the Lord the wife

I have. My kids, everything that God has

given to me is because of Him, and it's not because of my own

shine and the faster. That we could get this through

our heads, the better. It's going to be for us.

So when God talks about stewarding, there's two things

that we got to understand. Stewardship means managing and

being generous, and this is what we see in Scripture, and it's

not. Either or.

It's both and. You got to have both because if

I manage and I, I mean, I'm not generous.

Like if I. Manage and I just tight grip

everything and it's all for me and that's it.

Then I'm not going to be generous.

And be. Able to show love to.

God or His? People.

But if all I am is generous and I don't manage.

Things well. Then I'm going to go broke

really fast. So what God is saying is I need

you to steward what I've given you.

That means I need you to manage it.

Well, but I also. Need you to be.

Generous because listen. The way that God works.

Is that? He.

Gives us whatever he wants, but you can't receive with.

Close. Fists you receive with open

hands. So whenever I have what?

God. Says is like man listen.

This money, this paycheck. Whatever.

This ain't mine, Lord. Use it the way you want and God

just begins to. Flow things through you, we.

See that as a biblical concept. He's like, man, if you're

faithful with the small, then I'll be able.

To trust you with the big. Stuff, and maybe for some.

Of us. We're stuck where we're at.

Because you can't even be faithful for the with the

little. Things.

So there's two. Things it's managing and it's

generosity, and the more generous we become then the more

God can trust you with. Now, if you can't manage what

he's giving you, God is not going to fund your

rebelliousness. So if it's all about you and.

And I don't give anybody anything, and all I do is take

and take and take. Listen, you're going to be.

Stuck there and all you're going to do is take and take and take.

But if? You want to take another step.

If you want to see. God bless your life.

You want to see God do great things for His.

Glory through your life, then you got to live.

Life with hands wide open. Creed is arms wide open, but

we're hands wide open. All my Creed fans come on all

right? Some of y'all like who's?

Creed the greatest. Band ever all right anyway.

So, so look what? Happens in verse 9.

Now look what God. Tells them after God tells them

all that God says, hey, you're under a curse your whole nation

because you are robbing me listen when you.

Rob, God, what you're. Saying is I don't trust you.

You're saying that, man, like I know that you've told me.

To give a tie. I know what you've told me to

give and but if I do. That maybe when I.

Start making more money then I'll I'll be able to you know,

and God's like, Nah, you're going to stay under it.

That's not how this works. Our faith works on I mean our

faith and what we, our relationship with him works on

faith. So God.

'S like you're widespread. You're robbing me.

You know exactly what you're doing.

And listen, God is withholding, not just.

Material stuff from the Israelites.

He's also withholding the spiritual as well, so whenever

we. Disobey the Lord whenever we rob

God. You're not just holding, you're

not just holding out from Him blessing you.

There's going to be some things in your life that you're not

going to be able to see spiritually because you can't be

trusted. He has some great things and

listen, God is the ultimate giver.

You can't out give God even to the point where God gave his Son

Jesus. I've I've given my begotten.

Son so that way. You will be saved.

God is the ultimate. Giver it's part.

Of our Christian concepts, we. Give This is what we.

Do so many people fall to this problem because Matthew 630.

Three seek. First the Kingdom of God and His

righteousness, then everything else will come to you as well.

And what we do? Is that we look at.

Everything else to come to us first and then I'll seek the

Kingdom of God. And what?

God is saying is like you got that thing backwards.

That's not going to work. It's not going to work.

Now look at verse 10. This is the big one.

Look what God. Says I love verse 10.

So what God says after he's like, you're robbing.

Me like this is the. Issue with you guys.

Like I'm trying to. Provide for you.

And the Israel. 'S lights are like.

No, you're not. Like where are you?

God and God. 'S like OK test me.

Try it, see what. Happens verse 10 bring the whole

tithe into the storehouse that there may be food in my house.

Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty and.

See if I. Will not throw open the

floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing.

That there are it. Will not be enough room.

For you to store it. See the problem with the?

Israelites here. Is that the?

Israelites were telling God, man, you haven't changed a bit,

and then God is telling the. Israelites like you're right.

You haven't changed a bit. See, God is always.

Going to be righteous. He's the same today, yesterday

and forever. The Israelites have been

unrighteous. And they're going to stay

unrighteous, you know, the other day.

I used to go to this. Gym and I ran into a guy I went

to high school with, you know, he's he's he's in the

bodybuilding industry now and there we're working out and and

he sees me. And he's like, is that Kado?

And I was like, yeah. That his name was Joseph I.

Was like, is that Joseph? And he's like.

Yo man, what's? Up and we're all.

Talking and stuff and then he starts going on like man, what

happened to you? Like man, I remember you used to

be all in the football and all in shape and, and now you're

like, man, what happened to you? This and that.

Hey, remember. Like at the field house we used

to do all this. Stuff and he keeps.

Saying like what happened? And then finally I was like,

dude, life happened. I'm sorry.

I wasn't running hundreds on the field.

I was busy going to college, getting married and having kids.

What happened to you? How?

Come, you haven't changed and you see on his.

Perspective. He's like.

Man, I peaked in high school and this is where I want to stay,

but I'm like home. He's been 12 years, but my

perspective is like, it's not weird.

That I. It's weird that you haven't.

Changed like how you still. Going talking about high school.

Stuff like do we? I got a master.

'S degree I don't have. Time to run 1100s and that's the

same thing. Israel is like God you've.

Changed what happened to you? Like you're the you're the guy

that took us out of Egypt. Like how?

Come, you're not blessing us right now.

And God's like, no, no, the problem is.

That you haven't changed. I've always been faithful.

I've always been righteous. I've always been true.

But you continue. You continue to turn on my

decrees and you'd continue not to be obedient to me.

So what God does is after he explains.

This he said. Bring the whole tithe.

Into the storehouse. What does this?

Verse mean look at in verse 10, the storehouse.

Was actually a. Room in the temple courts so

whenever people would bring their.

Tithes and offerings. It would go into the storehouse

and the. Storehouse would keep and

that's. Where the Levitical priests or.

Those running the temples. And they they would take.

Note of what everything that was coming in and it allowed.

Them, not just. To live, but it allowed.

Them to do ministry. So whenever the storehouse was.

Getting thin or empty. That means that those working in

the temple. Had to stop.

What they were. Doing and go farming so that way

they could. EAT Ministry stopped.

They weren't able to help the poor.

They weren't able to feed. People, they weren't able to.

Take care of the widows. So what God is saying is like,

no, no, bring that whole tithe. Where does it belong?

It belongs in the store as it belongs in my house.

It doesn't belong in the pastor's.

Pocket. So if there's like.

A pastor, somebody that's saying like, I need you to fund my

plane. That's a bunch of garbage.

Or a car? No, it belongs to the Church it

belongs. To his church it all.

Goes through ministry that way there may be food in my house

and then God says test me. God's like, try it.

Now it's wild. Is this the only time we see God

in? Scripture saying to test him.

Jesus says remember we talked about this with.

Satan, he's like, no like. The Bible.

Says you shall not test. The Lord.

But what God is saying is like, I want you to try it.

I want you to. See if.

What I'm saying is not true. Test me in this.

See if you could out. Give me see if if.

Let's see what you say. Works and he's saying test me in

this, says the. Lord.

And see if I don't throw open the floodgates of heaven and

pour out so much blessing that you will not have.

Room enough to store it. Listen, there's times in our.

Spiritual walks where? We have to start saying Lord.

I'm going. To test you in this, I'm going

to trust you in it and I'm going to take a step out in faith.

I remember when man, we were planning, I was trying to think

about like how to. Explain this when when we.

Were thinking about. Where to go after the COVID

chapter of City Post? Church and we knew that we

wanted to be in seven. 6111. And I just started reaching out.

To. People in buildings like where

are we going to meet at? Like where are we going to end

up? What was I doing?

I had no clue, but I was trusting him.

And I was testing God's faithfulness.

I was seeing. Where he was going to take us so

whenever we landed in that little tiny.

Liquidation store that we. Had no business being in thank

God forward don't pay attention and when we were.

There, What did we do? We didn't just say we're.

Only going to be here for a season, no?

We're like, Lord, you gave us this, You allowed.

This to happen so God, I'm going to honor your giving to us by

making. Sure, we stored it well.

And we hooked that. Place up and.

Everybody's like, are you? Sure, we need to do.

This I'm like yes. This is the House of the Lord.

This is not a liquidation store. So we took care of it the best

we. Could the best I knew how.

We. Painted that thing we meant we

grew there and when the time came.

It was the same thing. Lord, I don't know.

Here comes Oak Knoll. Test me in this, says the Lord.

I wasn't. Saving like I was just.

Operating what God was giving. US.

Each step of the way, we're just being faithful to what He gave

us. That's why we have.

Budgets and. That's why we're just throwing.

Money away like we're we're. Holding on to what God and what

the Lord has. Gifted us.

Stewarding it and what God? Says watch me open.

The gates of heaven. Watch me pour this.

Thing out. Watch me.

Flood your life with. So much you're not even going to

know what to do. With it.

And you know what? He's right.

Because I had no clue what to do with this thing.

Like people lost their minds when we got in here.

That's how overwhelming it was. And that's how God's giving and

God. 'S love works for us.

And then not just that. He's like.

Watch me not just. Flood your life.

But I'm also going to protect it.

I'm going to guard it. A lot of people miss verse 11.

Look what verse 11 says. Look at the promises.

He's like, man, test me in this watch.

Don't that one just bless you? But also I'm unprotected.

Watch. I will prevent pests from

devouring your crops and the vines in your fields will not

drop their. Fruit because it is right.

Says the Lord Almighty. And then why does he do it?

Verse Verse 12. Then the nations, and all the

nations will. Call you blessed, for yours will

be. A delightful land says.

The Lord Almighty, you know why. God does what he does.

So that way you being blessed brings glory to His name has

nothing to do with you, has nothing to do with your

situation, has nothing to do. With you.

Getting what you want no has everything to do with God

getting his name glorified in. If we could just have that

mindset. Like like if.

Our culture can actually just. Look at.

Scripture and be like Lord. It's about your name.

It's not about mine. Like God, You've given me these

things. It's amazing what we can do.

So the question comes Ricky does.

The Bible say that. Christians must tithe now.

It's not going to be on the screen.

I'm just going to go run through.

This real quickly. 2nd Corinthians Chapter 9 it.

Talks about our attitude. In being gracious.

Talks about we should. Give freely and cheerfully, but

also in First Corinthians chapter 16 verses one through 4.

1 Corinthians 16 · chapter mention

Paul talks about that. There's four ways that you

should give. You should give.

Periodically, I'm just going to give you the.

Cliff notes version. You should give periodically.

That means that it should. Be done regularly.

You should give plan that means that.

It should be thoughtfully done. That means that you should.

Plan ahead. That means that.

You should have a budget. That means that you should have.

Things in place. Of how you're going to.

Give not Allo loco now like you know what I got a little bit

more this week. I'm going no.

Like it should be. Constantly planned.

It should be. Proportional.

It's not about how. Much you give, it's the.

Percentage, right. So.

Like you got to think about like think.

About that, some of us feel bad. It's like, no.

There's a. Story in the scriptures.

Where a lady takes 2. Copper coins and gives.

It to to the. Temple and.

Jesus says that Lady gave more than every.

Single person in this space. Because she gave all she had, he

looked at the heart of. Giving not how much.

She was giving. And that goes with us too.

And then? You get.

Privately listen when you give, you don't show it out like

you're trying to flex. You don't.

You don't brag, you don't like. Lord man, look how much?

I gave to the church. I should be able to make some

decisions up in here now. I'm going to take my giving

somewhere else. That's not how that works.

No, you don't. Give with that that attitude.

Of greed. And then some of us are like,

well, Ricky, how come? Like y'all don't pass.

Plates at City Post Church. Well, because God takes care of

his. Kids, I never have to.

Beg for God. To make sure that he.

Takes care of us, the. Lord provides and there's going.

To be times where that's tight, I'm like Lord.

I don't know this month, but God always comes through.

It's amazing how the Lord. Works.

So I just want to give you 5 things and then we'll be out of

here. Why?

What's the benefit of tithing? Why should I be generous?

Why should I give? Based off of this passage.

And maybe some of us like man, why am I struggling so?

Like how do I break? My struggle from stewarding

wrong. So just I just have a quick, a

few quick. Sayings and then we'll be out.

Number one, God doesn't. Give to us, he gives.

Through us. The reason why God.

Gives you things it's not for you, so that way you can flex on

everybody. He gives it to you so that.

Way you are able to bless everybody.

The reason why God gives some people more than others is

because He knows that He could trust them with it.

It's about giving through you. Like I said, you.

Can't you? Can't receive with close fists.

Everything we have is a. Gift.

From the father above that's. James the book of James, chapter

James 1 · chapter mention

1 also whenever. If we understand that everything

that we receive. Is from.

Him then what that. Does is that it creates an

attitude of gratitude. And if you have an attitude of.

Gratitude, what that does, it fights that gravity that's.

Pulling you towards something called.

Entitlement when we walk. Around feeling like we're

entitled. To things what you're saying.

Is that God did not give this to you.

I earned it, and son, you didn't earn nothing.

God. Gave that to you, God.

Allowed you it might have came from somebody else and you're

going around flexing like it's yours.

It's not and listen. And when you operate in a in a

sense of entitlement, you become highly critical where now you're

walking. In spaces and you're just.

Pointing everything out. Like how come man?

I would do that differently. That should be better.

That needs to be better. Quality look at.

That paint job? Look at that, look, listen, and

your critical attitude is compensating.

For low character it kind. Of stung a little bit.

So here's the thing, your low. Character is coming out of.

You thinking that you did everything.

So when you. Realize that it wasn't all you.

Now you're having to. Fight to keep.

Up an image instead of. Just saying God, thank you.

Thank you for everything you've given me, my house, my car.

Thank you for this food. That's why you bless the food.

The chicken might be a little bit dry, but Lord, I'm eating

thank you. These tortillas ain't real, but

Lord, thank you. Bless the hands that prepared

this meal, but when you. Have this attitude of gratitude.

And you're just thanking. The Lord for all these things,

Like, like it it. Blocks you from feeling entitled

and listen when you walk around and you're and you don't have a

sense of entitlement. It changes your perspective on

life. We're like, Lord, thank you for

what you're doing here. Look how they're operating.

Look what they're doing, God. Look at.

The great things that are happening, it changes your

perspective and you start coming off more grateful instead of

being more critical. So God is saying, listen,

Stewart, imagine if I went to a bank and I went to Bank of

America. I was like, hey, here's $1000, I

want to deposit this in my account and then next week I go

back. It's like, hey, I need to.

Withdraw about 500. They're like, my bad.

What we decided to. Do was I went ahead and just bet

on the Kansas City Chiefs. I'll try to double your money

for you. Didn't quite pan out, so my bad.

I'm sorry. Hopefully I'll get it back.

That's the same way with stewardship.

When God blesses you with something, God gives it to you.

When we take into our own consideration how we think it

needs to be used, and then we wasted away.

God's like, no, I, I gave that to you not just to manage it,

but to bless people with it. You don't get just do whatever

you want with it. So we have to rely on him and we

have his word. To show us how that.

Looks like close hands you can't receive that gets passed over #2

We got to move point #2 is listen.

Why do we give? Why do we have tithing?

Because. It helps us.

It's an act of worship to the Lord as a provider of.

All things tithing is. Worship to the Lord.

It is you. Saying God I.

Trust you like it shows. The condition of your heart, and

the more you give and the more you tithe.

It fights the greed. And the selfishness that soul

lives inside of us. This is where your storehouse

and listen, the more you. Practice these things, the more

you will experience grace. That's Second Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 8 · chapter mention

Chapter 8. Verse 7.

You will. Excel in the grace of.

Giving. You will be like Lord.

It's not mine. Whatever you need, you can have

it right? So it's an act.

Of worship to the Lord. Which leads me to point #3

listen. Tithing is not a legal mandate.

It's a loving principle from God many of us look at.

Tithing as something. I have to do and honestly, God's

like I love you so much that I want, I want to see.

You with life, blessed. I want to see you.

Thrive and succeed. So this is.

What I need you to do? I need you to give me 10%.

Let me. Work on the 90 and I'll give you

10 and watch. Me, take care of you.

And listen, it's not always about money.

Some for some of us, it might be our time for some of us to be my

our efforts like just dedicating.

It to the Lord and let God do that.

We saw this. Abraham gave a tithe to

Mechazodek even before. The law was established.

Jesus always talked about tithing as a good thing.

But he also talked about it as a.

Relational thing it was never. About the law it was about.

Fulfilling the laws and. Having an.

Attitude of worship and an. Attitude of.

Graciousness to God the Father Romans 614 we.

See that Luke 1142, where the Pharisees are.

Kind of coming after. Jesus about.

This and Jesus is. Like, yeah, it is it it's it's

more relationship. So yeah, we.

We we're talking about. Justice and love and.

Peace. So I'm glad.

That you give a lot. But don't forget these other

things that I'm about. So it's got to be.

Both. It's a relational thing.

So giving. Should be cheerful, regular,

sacrificial. Generous living under.

God's grace to show. In how we give which leads me to

the number. 4 Listen honestly tithing money.

It's a faith. Issue it's not a money issue.

The reason why we're so tight on things, the reason why we don't

give, it's pretty much us saying God, I I just don't trust you

right now. Like my situation is dire, my

situation I'm hurting and God's like just just trust me.

Give me what belongs to me. God, I don't know.

It's a faith issue giving. Is all about faith.

And maybe, just maybe, if your relationship ain't right with

him, maybe your resources aren't right.

And if your relationship. 'S fixed with God through Jesus.

Christ, then maybe your resources will get straightened

out. And we don't use God.

And people to get money. We use money to love and bless

people. Of God.

So our thinking is. Backwards if your heart is.

Off. So will your finances.

If you're frustrated with God. I want to encourage you this

way. Tell him, pray to him, say Lord,

I'm. Frustrated.

I don't understand. Why am I in the?

Situation I'm at what's happening right now in my life.

How come I don't have Listen, I promise.

You God could handle you. Bring it to him, tell him, talk

to him, and let the Lord minister to your heart and your

life. Open your word, pray to him, let

him minister to you, and the last thing I'll say and we'll be

done. You don't give to get a

blessing, you give to be a blessing.

Giving, the way that we see giving, has nothing to do with

us trying to get something out of it.

And many of us have this. Attitude that if I do.

Things for God, then God's going to do things for me.

That ain't it. God knows your heart.

But what God says it's better to.

Give than to receive if you really want to.

Experience God's blessing if you really want to experience the

Spirit being ignited in your life.

Give serve, give up your. Time pour into people.

What do you? Need let me help.

You out. We saw this in the early.

Church in Acts chapter 2. You don't.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

Give to get a blessing. You give to be a blessing and

maybe, just maybe, if we live lives with open.

Hands like my my. Prayer for this church like.

My prayer. For you is to experience the.

Overwhelming grace and the overwhelming giving that God

gives us. When God?

Blesses, it's not just. A little bit.

It's a lot of it. He showers you.

It's so. Overwhelming how God blesses us.

It's not all about the money. So we're going to.

Look at these next couple of. Weeks is to fight.

Against the love of money and start fighting for the love of

giving, because the more you love.

Giving you're. Going to see God do some amazing

things in your life. We'll pray for us and as we

worship.