Welcome to the Liberty Baptist sermon archives.
The message you're about to hear was preached at Liberty, Baptist
Church and Eastern Massachusetts.
You can find out more about us or contact us at my Liberty,
Baptist dot org or just look us up on Facebook.
And now, we hope that this message from God's word will be
a blessing to you. We are in 2nd Corinthians
chapter 9 and we're going to be moving all throughout the word
of God here this morning as we try to answer this question that
we've been working towards all month.
Now at the end of month and the stewardship month.
And some of you might be breathing a sigh of relief, as
we are closing to the end of stewardship month.
But we are answering this question this morning.
What is Biblical tithing? What is Biblical, tithing?
What does the word of God say about tithing?
And again, I understand that every week, and it certainly has
been this way. Away for weeks.
Now, we're so thankful to have guests and visitors and
returning guests and visitors. Even as we preach about these
types of issues, the Bible tells us to preach on the whole
counsel of God, meaning this, that we go through and we preach
issues, no matter what they are, where they are in the word of
God. For the same time, if you are
guest a visitor, we do want you to know that this is not an
attempt for us to try to extract money from you.
That is not the point of this. But for those of us who are part
of Liberty Baptist Church, those of us who are members and who
have come together in agreement with this.
Arch over the long term. We know that this is God's plan
for us to be able to sustain this model of the house of God
here in Easton and so do want to preach that this morning but
I'll give you a little bit of levity.
Hopefully a little bit to lighten the load here as we go
on. There were two men who were
marooned on an island. One man paced back and forth
worried and scared. While the other man sat back and
was sunning himself, the first man said to the second man,
aren't you afraid we're about to die?
No. The second man said I make
100,000 dollars a week and ties Faithfully to my church.
Every week my pastor will find me.
So you know I feel like as much as that is humorous that kind of
encapsulates, a little bit of the idea that people have with
tithing. Now this isn't true for me but I
feel like it maybe for those who come to church here and
certainly people that I've interacted with, in the past
when people think of tithing Think of their relationship
between the tither and the pastor, or the relationship
between the tither and the church and really biblically,
that's not what I see when we deal with the issue of tithing.
That may be natural but that's not what the Bible.
Teaches my instruction on tithing from the word, today is
not so that you and I can have a better relationship.
I've been I feel like we have a pretty good relationship.
It's not so that you can necessarily have a better
relationship with the church. I believe the biblical issue of
tithing is all about our And ship with God, not our
relationship with each other or to this church or even to me,
no, the issue of relating, our finances, and everything that he
has given us back to him. And that's really what the issue
of tithing is all about. And so this morning, I want us
to really go throughout the word of God.
We're not staying anywhere, very long as we look at the different
issues of tithing. And why it was important before
the law, why was important during the law and why it is
still important today? Would you say I'm pleased for
the reading of God's word where in 2nd Corinthians chapter
number 9 and we're beginning verse number 6, and I will say
the principle that we're about to read here.
Even if you are not a tither because you're not a part of
Liberty, Baptist Church. I believe there's a Biblical
principle here. That is good for everybody, no
matter who you are this morning. And it says this in second
Corinthians, chapter 9 verse number 6.
But this I say he which soweth sparingly shall reap also
sparingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also
bountifully. Listen, that's True when you're
talking about agricultural issues.
If you put out a little bit of seed, you get a little bit of a
harvest. If you put out a greater seed,
you get a Greater Harvest every man, according as he purposeth
purposive in his heart. So let him give not grudgingly
or of necessity for God, loveth a cheerful giver and God is able
to make all grace abound toward you that.
Ye always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to
every Good work. You may be seated as we asked
the Lord to bless the reading of his word this morning.
Heavenly father would just be with me.
I certainly know that this topic may be one that is not always
the best for a Sunday morning service and it is not my desire
to make people purposely feel uncomfortable.
But at the same time I do know. This is a Biblical topic, it's a
Biblical issue and it's one each of us must address, particularly
those who you have had be part of this church.
And so I pray that you would just allow us to consider these
things. And let everyone purpose in
their own mind between them and you what they would do.
And we ask this in Jesus name, amen.
Certainly verse number 7 is a great place for us to start
because it talks about the issue of God, loving a cheerful Giver
that it doesn't are giving should not be grudgingly that.
It's not of necessity because God doesn't just want the
wallet. I would put it this way.
God wants your heart, God wants you to be joyful when it comes
to this issue of giving and so even as we look at As we realize
that this is not something that should cause us great.
Consternation this morning. There should not be an issue
that caused us to really get anxious or be filled with
anxiety, but rather it should be one that is joyful for us as we
consider that God has given us an opportunity to invest in the
greatest work of all works, which is God's work here through
the local church and God can supply our needs.
And you need to start with that. Understanding that God is the
one who will supply all of your needs.
God is able verse 8 to make all grace abound Abound toward you
that ye always having all sufficiency in all things may
abound to every good work, a my Bible.
In verse number 8, I have circled all Grace and then all
sufficiency, and then all things.
God can take care of you in all areas of your life.
I'll say that again to make sure everyone understands God can
take care of you in all areas of your life.
He has all Grace, he has all sufficiency, and he's able to
help you to abound in all things in every good work.
But we ask ourselves this. Shoo.
This question this morning, even though this might be
uncomfortable confusing or difficult for some, we see here,
it doesn't have to be. It can be an issue that can
bring great joy to the heart of the believer.
It can be one that gives us a great excitement to know that
God has allowed us to be part of his great plan for the church in
this new testament age that we live in.
And that the issue of tithing is one where it was pre-law that is
tithing was practiced before the law was ever given to Moses.
It was ratified in the law of Moses and I believe is still an
active force today for believers when commentary that I read
stated to this way while the tides became codified in the old
Mosaic Covenant, it can't simply be dismissed.
As part of the old Covenant has been fulfilled in Christ and no
longer applies to New Testament Believers.
Now what does that word tithe? Even mean, if you read it you
might even look and say what's the to thee?
Maybe that's what you see there on the envelope.
Well, what's the titty? I don't know that.
I understand what that is, but Really, that is one of the
simplest things for us to even understand this morning because
the word tithe literally means a tent.
In fact, if you were to look at any lexicon, if you were to look
into any dictionary, if you go to entomology of the word and
what it means in the Old English and even beyond that, the tithe
literally means the 10th and that really helps us to
understand what the issue is that.
We're talking about this 10th part, that is here and God makes
it simple and clear for us to understand.
So, with that understanding to start us, we need to kind of
take a little bit of a journey. Any down the biblical Road of
tithing, what it is and what it means to us today.
So would you turn your Bibles to Genesis chapter?
Number 14, We're not gonna be able to stay in any one of these
places for very long. But I do want to just give you a
Biblical Foundation this morning.
For what we see when it comes to the issue of tithing Genesis
chapter, number 14 and look at verse number 13, this tissue.
This text issues her deals with the issues of Abraham and lot.
Of course you'll remember that Abraham and lot went separate
ways when they got to the promised land.
There is a lot who goes towards the issue, the cities of And
Gomorrah while Abraham decides to go in the different direction
not wanting to go towards those accursed cities.
It ends up that lat now becoming absorbed into that City also
gets held captive as Sodom and Gomorrah and some other towns
are taken captive by some enemies including one named
kettle eomer look at verse number 13 and we'll start
reading from there. It says and there came one that
has scaped and said told Abram that Hebrew that he dwelt in the
plain of mamre. See the Amorite the brother of
eshkol and the brother of a Nur and these were Confederate with
Abram and when Abram heard that his brother, this is lot being
taken captive. He armed his trained servants
born in his house 318 and pursued them unto damn and he
divided himself against them he and his servants by night and
smoke them and pursued them unto hoba which is on the left hand
of Damascus and he brought back all the goods and also brought a
In his brother lot and his goods and the woman.
Also and the people you'll see here that Abraham and his
trained Army that he had coming from his home, was able to
rescue lot and his family and including all those of Sodom and
Gomorrah as well. And it says in verse 17, and the
king of Sodom, went out to meet him after his return, from the
slaughter of cattle, eomer and of the kings that were with him
and the valley of shaveh, which is the Kingsdale and
Melchizedek, do you remember brother Chuck just reading about
Melchizedek and Is chapter 7 just a few moments ago.
Well, here's this man. Melchizedek king of Salem
brought forth Bread and Wine. And he was the priest of the
most high God and he blessed him and said, Blessed Be Abram of
the most high, god possessor of Heaven, and Earth, and blessed.
Be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy
hand. And he gave him, tithes of all
you see that there in verse number 20, and he gave him
tithes of all. Now, this may seem like a very
strange Thing that Abraham has just been given this increase of
goods that he's won in battle. And then he finds this priest
named Melchizedek and he gives Melchizedek these ties of that,
which he has received. He gives a tent portion of that,
which was his increase and gives him to Melchizedek.
And well, certainly that might sound strange to us.
We realize from Reading Hebrews chapter 7, just a few moments
ago that Melchizedek was none other.
I believed in Jesus Christ and Old Testament, appearing of
Jesus Christ. Well how do Do we know that
because he just read in Hebrews 1 for this Melchizedek king of
Salem priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning
from the slaughter of the Kings and blessed him to whom gave
Abraham. Also a tenth part of all first
being that interpretation the king of righteousness.
After that, the king of Salem, which is also the king of Peace,
listen, to this without, father, without mother without descent
having neither, beginning of days, nor end of life, but made
like unto the son of God, It's a priest continually Jesus Christ.
Made this Old Testament appearance here as the, I
believe the priest amount skills deck, the king of Salem, he
comes and here Abraham, having some form of understanding that
this is God realizes that he wants to give tithe to the Lord.
And so, that's what we see that he gives the tenth of that,
which was an increase to him and he gives it at that time.
Now, listen Abraham, people say well, Abraham wasn't given any
kind of law or any kind of Commandments From God, but
that's simply not the case. We do see the law of Moses will
come later. But Genesis 26, verse 5 says
this because that Abraham obeyed my voice.
This is God saying this Abraham obeyed.
My voice and kept my charge, my Commandments, my statutes and my
laws. God had obviously spoken to
Abraham and there had been some understanding.
Although we don't have those laws and Commandments all
written for us here, in the Book of Genesis, it's obvious that
his God is inspiring, Moses to write.
The Books of Moses which includes the Book of Genesis
that he's trying to lay a Biblical foundation for the
tithe, which will later be part of the law.
But it wasn't just Abraham who was at either, if you will, it
would also have been Jacob as well turn to Genesis chapter
number 28, Genesis, chapter number 28, Look at verse number
22, Genesis chapter 28. And then verse number 22,
She started verse number 20, it says, 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. So that I come again to my
father's house and peace, then shall the Lord be my gob.
And this Stone which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's
house and have all that thou shalt.
Give me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee that word tenth
still meaning a tithe. And so, what do we see?
We saw Abraham who gave Of tithes to the king of
Melchizedek. But we also see Jacob here, the
grandson of Abraham who also makes this valve giving tithes
you say, Pastor what would have precipitated him doing this?
Well, do you remember when we were called Jacob's Ladder?
The ladder that was shown to Jacob and Bethel where the
Angels were ascending and descending.
He said, surely this must be the house of God.
This was something that had a great effect on him.
Certainly didn't have enough effect on him to change his
conniving ways but certainly it was something that God was using
as a way. Marker in his life, to
continually draw him closer to you.
In fact, later on, he'll go back to Bethel and he'll call El
Bethel because he calls it. The god of the house of God,
recognizing this isn't just that the house of God.
But now the house of God's God is my God.
And so God just bring him along but he says very early on in his
life. God, you've done something great
for me. You kept me alive in the face of
Esau who wants to kill me. Well, because it was his own
fault, but still, he says, you've kept me alive.
You show me this. Grace mercy and this great Grace
by opening up the Heavens to show me that I'll be protected.
And so I want you to know that out of this great love and out
of this, great desire to be able to give back to you.
I'm going to give a tenth of all.
Now we don't have all the details of how he did that when
he did that. I'll be frank with you.
I don't see that here in our text, exactly how that happened
or or Abraham? How he continued to give ties.
I don't have that but I do see this.
We see a Biblical pattern and there's a reason why Here.
Because I believe that God wants us to see before the law of
Moses was ever given. There were those who believed in
God, who realized that everything belongs to God and
they wanted to give back of that, which they were given.
And that's what I see here. In Genesis chapter, number 28,
these Patriarchs established that the tide was given before
the law. And really, we could go all the
way back to Genesis chapter 4. We don't have time, but we saw
that Cain and Abel gave offerings to the Lord, didn't
they? And that Cain gave an Offering
that was not pleasing to the Lord, but able gave one, that
was pleasing. One was of the blood and it was
pleasing to God. One was a fruits and vegetables
and was not pleasing to God but the issues of offerings and
tithe. Well, they had been given really
since the beginning but that's before the law.
But we also see that the tithe was given during the law as well
to the people of Israel. So go to Numbers Chapter number
18. Numbers chapter 18.
I know we're moving so quickly this morning but I instead of
breaking this up into several messages, I really want to
everyone who is here to see it together in one message.
So Numbers, chapter 18, beginning in verse number 20,
there were several different tithes that were given in the
law. There were three distinct tithes
that were given. We're not going to get into all
those here. This morning that some were done
annually, there's one that was done every three years, that was
done, particularly for the poor and for the levite Was within
your town, but we're looking at this here in Numbers, chapter
18. And we're seeing that the tithe
particularly was given to make sure that the house of God was
taken care of, for those who were sacrificing and those who
were worshipping and those who were using and utilizing the
house of God as God had commanded that, there would be
care for God's house. And so that's here.
In Numbers chapter 18, look at verse number 20 and the Lord
spake unto Aaron. Thou, Don't have no inheritance
in their land. Neither shalt thou have any part
among them. I am thy part and 9 inheritance
among the children of Israel and behold, I have given the
children of Levi, all the 10th and Israel, for an inheritance
for their service, which they serve, even the service of the
Tabernacle of the congregation neither must the children of
Israel henceforth come nigh. The Tabernacle of the
congregation less, they bear sin and die, but the Levites shall
do the service of the Tabernacle of the congregation and they
shall bear their iniquity. It shall be a statute forever
throughout. All your Generations that among
the children of Israel, they have no inheritance but the ties
of the children of Israel, which they offer as, in heave offering
unto the Lord. I have given to the Levites to
inherit. Therefore, I have said unto them
among the children of Israel, they shall have no inheritance.
And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, the speak under the
Levites and say unto them, when you take of the children of
Israel, the ties, which I have given you from them for your
inheritance, then you shall offer up and he offering of it
unto the Lord, even a tenth part of the tie.
And this, your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you as
though it were the corn and the threshing floor and the fullness
of the winepress. Thus ye shall offer and heave
offering unto the Lord of all your ties, which he receive of
the children of Israel and he shall give their of the Lord's.
Heave offering to Aaron the priest out of all your gifts.
You shall offer every heave offering of the Lord and have
all the best thereof. Even the hollow part thereof of
it. That phrase, the best Rob is in
verse number 30 as well. See God set up that the tithe
particularly was going to be used for the establishment of
worship in the land of Israel, and also to care for the Levites
who were the ones, who well led the worship in the land of
Israel, as well. And what I find interesting in
the second part from verse number 25 on was that God told
the Levites. He says, as you receive the
tithe from the people of Israel, make sure that you tithe off of
that, which you receive, maybe you would say pass.
Aster. This must be uncomfortable for
you to be able to preach this kind of message because we're
all supposed to tithe. But because you're the pastor,
you don't tie the right. Doesn't work like that as a
pastor, I should be the one who is leading as best as I can and
giving that that's something that we pray about and ask the
Lord, to be able to help us to be able to do and not just to
give, but to give over and above that, which is the tithe and our
life because we feel like God is supplied for us in such a great
way. And so God says the Israelites
he says you tithe, and he looks at the Levites.
He says as you receive the tithe, you tithe and make sure
you give the best. Now, we understand that for
them, there would be some issues.
Are as far as currency and such were sometimes, their tithes was
to give a goat and sometimes of their tithes, was to give of
that, which was the increase of their fields.
That was be what their tithes would be sometimes.
But, you know, I don't have any goats at home.
I live in an apartment and I don't have any kind of fields
the fields, were that I have or well, they belong to someone
else in the farm, that's behind her apartment.
I don't have any of that, but God has given me increase.
And so, the first fruits of the increase, I give back to the
Lord in these areas and God has called all of us to Ooh, and it
was here in the law. In fact, there were some who
would compute that if you were to take all the ties that the
Israelites were to give on the annual basis, then on the basis
of the increase of their fields, but then also on the three-year
period, that they could have given somewhere over 20% of what
they actually gave back to the Lord.
And they were to give of the first fruits of the increase,
meaning this that they were to give of the best.
They were to give to God first. And I think that's important
they were to give the best and give God the first.
And I will say this this morning as well.
Our family, we've always felt that it's important that when we
tie the, we tithe off of the gross that we receive and not
the net of what we receive you say.
Well, Pastor, I don't receive all of the gross, I only receive
the net. Well, I will say this, I want my
giving to go to God first before the government.
And so, for us. And this is something that we've
come to in. Our lives, is something between
you and the Lord. We want to give God of the best
of what we have. Not what's left over after the
government gets their say second chronicles 31.
Five says this and as soon as the Commandment came abroad, the
children of Israel brought in abundance, the firstfruits of
the Corn, the wine, the oil, and the honey, and of all the
increase of the field and the tithe of all things.
They brought abundantly. Proverbs 3 verse 9, it's funny.
We talk about Proverbs 3:5 and 6 quite a bit.
But verse number 9, says this honor, the Lord with thy
substance and with the first fruits of all thine, increase,
Jeremiah 2 verse 3. Israel was Holiness unto the
Lord, and the firstfruits of his increase all that.
Bauer him shall offend evil. Shall come upon them.
Saith the Lord. Israel was the tithe if you will
a smaller part of the greater world and God said this Israel,
as you are the tithe and a sense you are to tithe in the same
way. That was during the law.
And I think no one has an argument about whether tithing
was part of the law. I think everyone no matter what
theological position you might come from, would say yes.
I mean, I see tithing as part of the law, but here's a question.
Do we live under the law today, but we know that the law itself
was done away with by Jesus Christ, in the sense that the
veil was rent in two or that we can come boldly Before the
Throne of Grace today, aren't you?
Glad that you don't have to come to me to hear from God aren't
you? Glad that you want to go to a
priest to hear from God know that you can go directly to God
himself and that when you sin that you don't have to come to
me and bring an offering and then I will offer it before the
Lord, then I will help you to be able to be right before God
that, no, you can go right before God right now.
And ask look right where you're sitting right now and as Lord,
forgive me because I'm just wishing he'd be done and maybe
that's what you're thinking right now.
God will forgive you, if that's what you're thinking about, all
right. But whatever it is.
You can go before the Lord and you could ask him to forgive you
and he will that's a blessing. But what did Jesus say about the
tithe? Know it's interesting that Jesus
never condemned the time. He condemned the hearts of the
people who would give the time Jesus never condemned the tithe
he would condemn the wrong hearts of the people who would
give the tithe for instance, Matthew 23:23.
Well, once you scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for you,
pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cumin and have omitted, the
weightier matters of the law and judgment, and mercy, and Faith.
These all you have done and not to leave the other undone.
What is Jesus saying to the Pharisees?
I don't want your money. I don't want your herbs.
I don't want your spices. What I really want, is your
heart. He says, sure you can be
obedient in giving and that's good, but what I really want, is
the heart behind the giving to be right, listen, just giving
10% does it make you square? With God, giving 20% doesn't
make you square with God. Giving 50%, doesn't make you
square with God, be a JC Penney and give 90%.
It doesn't make you square with God.
It's about the heart for God. Loveth a cheerful Giver.
Jesus said in Matthew chapter 5 verse number 23 and 24.
Therefore, if thou, bring thy gift to The Altar and there
rememberest that thy brother have ought against thee, leave
there, thy gift before the Altar and go thy way.
First be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer
thy gift. He says, it's the harmony
between the family, the harmony between the Brethren is more
important than the offer. But Jesus himself, never
condemned the offering itself. He never condemned the tither.
He never said, I'm doing away with the tithe and certainly you
They will didn't Jesus say in The Sermon on the Mount he says.
So it has been said, but I say unto you so it has been said,
but I say unto you, well, sure he did say that but every time
he said that he was saying here's what the law says, but I
want you to go above and beyond that which was I've said above
and beyond that. Which I've said, you know, you
say that you haven't murdered, that's great.
Have you hated in your heart? You say that you haven't
committed adultery, you have you lost it in your heart.
You, you pray these long prayers Pharisees, but I know your heart
is far from From me. And so the issue is not Jesus.
Saying the tithe is no longer important because the need is
still there. The issue is this when we give
them the tithe, what's the heart that we give in this new
testament era that we live in? What's the heart?
That's behind it. And it's not necessarily that we
give just by the wrote of the law.
Well, I have to give, listen, I'm not to the point where I
have to give you realize. I'm at the point where I get to
give I get to give and I get to be part of God's plan and the
beauty of 10% is this, is that whether you have a million
dollars or one dollar, ten percent still 10%.
And that God has left you with that other portion.
But I would say this as I give today, I give not by law.
But I give by grace. In fact, sometimes you'll hear
people say this pastor. I just I don't tithe, I do Grace
giving And I would say to that, we go to 2nd Corinthians chapter
9 where we started and see a pattern for Grace giving.
But here's what I found. When it comes to the grace of
God, it always comes in abundance.
It always comes in abundance. If I'm to give by Grace it's not
going to be just the stingy part of the law.
It's actually going to be over and above, you know, I give to
missions. It's Grace giving you know I
give it a special offerings. It's Grace giving you know why?
When an evangelist comes and we want to be a blessing to him.
Why give its Grace giving? You know why?
When an evangelist comes and there's a love offering.
I just don't take $50 out of my tithe and put it in the love
offering bruising wife's. I want to give by Grace, I want
to give over and above what I've given.
I'm not just reallocating the funds.
I want to give more. I want to give above, I want to
be part of it, because I want God to bless Say pastor.
I'm not comfortable with us. in fact, I love coming to church,
but today, I'm not loving it so much, it's a pastor.
Why would you say that? Because I'm looking at some of
you right now. Quite honestly.
I know, it's uncomfortable. But a couple things about that.
God didn't call me here to preach to you.
What you make, what you want to have comfortable in your life?
If a church ran me out because I preach the word of God that I'd
say, so be it. No, no one's threatening to run
me out. I'm not trying to make myself a
martyr. I'm not trying to be overly
dramatic, I'm not. But what I'm saying is, is that
when I get in the Bible during the week, and even as I plan
messages out, for instance, months out at times, I'm not
saying, you know, what do the people really want to hear?
You don't want to go to a church where the pastor preaches and
says, what do people want to know?
Because that's not preaching. That's an echo chamber.
And Jesus came to abolish that kind of preaching and teaching,
that's what the Pharisees did. It was all about that.
So I can't take that into consideration.
But the second part of this is this.
Is that the issue of tithing is not one that should cause us.
Great anxiety. It's one that should cause us.
Great joy. And here's why Malachi chapter
3. This is we're going to end.
And I understand, please turn to Malachi chapter 3.
I know that we've gone through this very quickly and I can't, I
can't discuss all the facets of what tithing is in a short
period of time like this. But I do feel like it's
important for us to see this today and so my point in
preaching, this is not to try to make anyone feel uncomfortable
in and of itself. That's not my desire again.
If you are visiting here, my desire is not to try to extract
funds from you. That's not why?
I'm preaching, I'm preaching. So that those who have benefited
from Liberty, Baptist Church, understand that what God has
ordained to move, Liberty. Baptist forward is for those who
have benefited from this church to be able to pour back in in
tithes and offerings unto the Lord.
And when I give I don't take all that I have down to the 10
percent and if it's, you know, goes down to 46 cents.
Make sure that I write the check with 46 cents the it because
that's 10%. You know, I kind of just make
sure that I just give as it's God's blessed me.
But I look at Malachi chapter 3, I'm going to read you some
verses. That are going to be pretty
harsh. But I'm also going to read you
some words. That are going to give even
Greater Joy. If you'll open your heart,
they're going to seem harsh but they'll bring great joy.
Look at Malachi chapter 3. Look at verse number will a man.
Rob. God, well, who would want to Rob
God? That doesn't sound like a great
thing. Yeah, you have robbed me but she
say this is the Israelites wherein.
Have we robbed thee in tithes and offerings?
God says, why are you holding on to that?
Which belongs to me? Can I tell you?
They're been sometimes we've been pretty low as a family
pretty low. I've told you testimonies before
about us as a family, not getting paid when we're supposed
to get paid. When we were in Tampa, and there
were times, we didn't have a whole lot.
In fact, the other side of that is there were times.
We didn't just have a whole lot, but then we added debt to try to
stay alive, which, and I was working, extra jobs.
I told you before, I worked overnight for the Tampa Bay
Lightning, not playing for them, but, you know, cleaning up after
them. And so, we just need someone to
train during the night. You know, those kind of things.
I can't ice skate because I live in Florida, but Right?
No, I work afterwards. We were accruing debt.
Listen, I'll just be flat honest with you, we were going to pay
day loan stores writing checks, hoping to get the check, you
know, the cash upfront and then getting the money and, you know,
check in cash to a couple weeks with a fee.
Like that's where we're, I'm not suggesting anyone do that?
I'm saying, that's, that's where we were.
I might even say it was a wise thing to do, but here's what I
understood during that time. I can't stop tithing.
You say Pastor what do you like an addict or something?
No, I just know that my situation wasn't to get better
by robbing God. I had to keep giving to it.
See past. You just don't know when to quit
that wasn't the issue. I just want to be obedient.
And he got bad for a while. and we were in, DET.
I don't want to comparing ourselves among ourselves are
not wise if I gave you the number.
Some of you might go, some of you go hos at it.
So I'm not going to tell you what the number is so he's in
that that's it. But listen, we were in our
mid-20s didn't know anything about life, it was bad but I
knew enough to know. I got to go.
It was hard. There was a couple weeks, I
didn't, and I just got paid. And the Lord Bird In My Heart,
during the week that have to make it up the next week because
I knew I can't do this. Do I trust him or not?
Do I trust him or not and take care of my needs?
And so, when you read that first verse, it's harsh. and I'll be
honest, if you're not tithing, that's a sucker punch to the gut
If you're supposed to be God's if God's puts you part of the
group and and that that seems to be a sucker punch.
And it says, in verse number nine, you're cursed with the
cursed for you've robbed me, even this whole nation.
Do you know when you withhold that it affects others, it
affects the group and Liberty effects are furtherance, the
ability to move forward. Hey Pastor.
I'm so glad. I came to Liberty.
Baptist Church get encouraged today.
Well, verse number Ten's for you because here's the thing.
If you have a sinking feeling in your gut right now and you say
pastor, this is crazy Pastor, you're out of your mind.
Pastor, you've overstepped your Authority Pastor.
You've gone too far this time. Pastor just doesn't you don't
know my situation. You don't understand how I have
had things happen to me and you don't know what people have done
to me and you don't understand. And the answer is, I don't But
God does, I don't know your situation but God does and he's
given us his word to guide us and encourage us, and listen,
either and guides Us in all things.
Were it, doesn't it? Either guides Us in the things
we want it to or at all things. And this is in all things.
Look at verse 10. I mean you won't get some
encouragement. Bring ye all the tithes into the
storehouse that there may be meat in mine house.
That's why we do it. And I'm not talking about the
taco meat, we're having after church, I mean he's talking
about that their baby stuff that's here.
And prove me now, herewith saith, the Lord of hosts.
If I will not open you up the windows of heaven and pour you
out a blessing, There shall not be room enough to receive it.
You want some encouragement? God says this.
Prove me. Groove Me.
Trust me. Trust me.
They ask you if a rich businessman came up to you.
And you knew he owned had millions of dollars.
He says, look you tithe and if you ever have a shortfall I'll
cover you. He probably didn't because, you
know, man, he's going to cover me. can I tell you someone more
than a rich businessman has come to you and says, I'm going to
cover you It's God. It's God.
Who me? Now, listen, those blessings
aren't always Financial. This isn't health and wealth,
isn't he? So a little seed, and all of a
sudden you're going to be a millionaire driving a Lexus and
all that. Have you seen our van That's not
what I'm saying. But God's blessings both
material and spiritual have been.
So abundant there times, I need almost feel like he's got to
turn off the spigot. I'll give you the end of the
testimony. We were in bad shape, awful
shame. But we committed ourselves to
give the Lord, God provided in some pretty amazing ways to
sustain us just to get us through Diane started getting
babysitting, jobs, that helped us get through.
I got the job at The Forum and became a supervisor pretty
quickly. While I was there picking up
trash supervising people picking up trash, not supervising the
players you just to make sure he understood them.
There was a time we couldn't pay our rent.
And literally within a few days, people just started giving us
money. People didn't know we needed it
and we had enough for rent. There were times, we were late
on our rent. But God, provided even by making
sure our house was stable. By the time we got to Boston,
God had provided in such a way that not only were we able to
pay off our debts, all those things, we incurred in Florida,
the church that we were at in Florida still owed us about six
thousand dollars. When you consider my annual
salary was 20,000, That's quite a bit.
We were able to write a note of forgiveness to the church and
say, you don't know this anymore, we don't need it
because God blessed us. You know what's amazing is there
are men and women that if I called on them right now would
stand up and would say Pastor that's our story, too.
That's our story to some of you've been in church a long
time and you say, that's what God's done for us and it's not
always Financial. Again, I want to be careful.
We're not talking about that health and wealth crowd because
you can give And the car still breaks down, you can give and
you might get sick. But God will still bless prove
me. Prove it. if you trust him
enough with your salvation, What you can't see?
Can't you trust him enough with your wallet?
And maybe the problem is, it's because we can see it, and it's
not Faith. Allow it to be fake.
Trust God and healed supply. All your needs.
Thank you for listening to this sermon from the pulpit of
Liberty, Baptist Church. If this message was a blessing
to you, or if there's any way we can serve you, please let us
know by contacting us at info. At my Liberty Baptist dot org.
Or you can visit us this Sunday at eight hundred Washington
Street. Eat and Easton Massachusetts,
may the Lord bless you as you grow in his word.
Eat and Easton Massachusetts, may the Lord bless you as you
grow in his word.