HONOR THE LORD WITH THY SUBSTANCE
PRO 3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
WE SEE A DIRECT LINK BETWEEN CORRECTLY HONORING THE LORD WITH OUR GIVING AND OUR BARNS BEING FILLED WITH PLENTY. HONORING WOULD MEAN NOT ONLY GIVING TO THE LORD, BUT GIVING THE WAY HE SAYS TO GIVE.

HOW MANY WANT MORE MONEY AT THE END OF 1999 THAN WE HAD AT THE BEGINNING OF 1999?
HOW MANY WILL HAVE MORE MONEY AT THE END OF 1999 THAN WE HAD AT THE BEGINNING?

I. REVIEW
1. When Jesus said the children of the world were wiser in their generation than the children of light, what did he mean? WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY WILL OPEN THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN FOR THE CHILDREN OF LIGHT?
2. Jesus said in the parable about the unrighteous steward (Luk 16) that we need to make friends with something. What was it that Jesus said we need to make friends with?
3. In that same parable what did Jesus say would determine the Lord trusting me with “true riches”?
4. To whom does Jesus say he had specifically preached his gospel? (Mat 11:5) BUT WHO BECOMES THE MOST UPSET WHEN THIS PART OF THE GOSPEL IS PREACHED? THE POOR.
5. What did Jesus say about tithing in Mat 23:23?
6. Deuteronomy 8:18 says, (fill in the blanks)
DEU 8:18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee __________ to get __________, that he may __________ his __________ which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

7. Malachi 3:8-10 says, (fill in the blanks)
MAL 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In ________ and __________. 9 Ye are __________ with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring ye all the __________ into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and __________ me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the __________ of heaven, and pour you out a __________, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
WE MUST LEARN TO ACCESS THE WINDOW WE NEED. FIRST WE NEED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE WINDOW IS OPENED -- TRUE RICHES.
8. How many different “tithes” did we speak about? What are they?
9. Deuteronomy 14:26 says, (fill in the blanks)
DEU 14:26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul __________ after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for __________ thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household

II. MAKE CERTAIN WE SEE THE THREE TITHES

DEU 14:22-29
Someone said it looked to them as though the tithe of Deuteronomy 14:22 and the tithe spoken about in Deuteronomy 14:23-27 were the same tithe. The confusion is noted. However it does not change the fact that there are three tithes. We obviously see two tithes in Deuteronomy 14. These are what we call “My Tithe” and the “Alms Tithe.” In other passages we clearly see the Lord’s Tithe. We also must note the use of terms such as firstling(s) and firstfruit(s) and firstborn.

NEH 13:11 Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place. 12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.

(TLB) NEH 13:11 I immediately confronted the leaders and demanded, "Why has the Temple been forsaken?" Then I called all the Levites back again and restored them to their proper duties. 12 And once more all the people of Judah began bringing their tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the Temple treasury.

After the captivity of Babylon, Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem and reestablished the law in the hearts of the people. One aspect necessary was tithing. We see that this was not the personal tithe. This tithe was to go to the house of the Lord.

PASSAGES CONCERNING THE LORD’S TITHE
(see Gen 4:4; 14:20; Exo 13:12-13; Exo 23:19; 34:19-20, 26; Lev 2:12, 14; 23:10, 17; 27:26, 30-32; Num 18:12, 24-28; Num 18:12-17, 24-28; 28:26; Deu 15:9; 18:3-5; 26:10 2Ch 31:4-6, 12; Neh 10:35-38; 12:44; 13:5, 12; Pro 3:9; Eze 20:40; 44:30; 48:14; Mal 3:8-10; Mat 23:23; Luk 11:42; Heb 7:5-9).

PASSAGES CONCERNING “MY TITHE”
(see Deu 12:6-7; Deu 12:11-12, 17, 14:23-27)

PASSAGES CONCERNING "ALMS TITHE”
(see Deu 14:28-29; 26:12-15; Amo 4:4)

III. 8-1-1 AND THE DEVIL
Our living expenses should never exceed 80% of our income. If we would be honest we would admit the reason we cannot tithe and give to establish the covenant the way we desire is because we have allowed our living expenses to exceed 80%. We worship the God of mammon because that is where our money goes. The Lord said, For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Luk 12:34). We pay VISA because we want that card and don’t want the delinquent charge (Lev 27:31). We pay utilities because we don’t want our electricity cut off. We don’t think twice about robbing God.

Living expenses include mortgage, auto, utilities, groceries, insurance, etc. If living expenses exceed 80% we cannot properly pay tithes. Ten percent (actually 10.3% Lord’s tithe plus Alms) is the tithe to the Lord. Ten percent is a tithe to our selves. The problem is not the Lord’s tithe, nor is it the tithe I pay to myself. The problem is the 80%. We have over extended ourselves and have no money left for the house of God.

This is exactly what the devil would have us do. The covenant cannot be established without God’s people giving. We are only limited in our preaching the gospel of the kingdom to this region by finances.

Haiti has already cost me over $1,000.00 and I am not there yet.

IV. THE BLESSINGS OF MAL 3 ARE IN THE TITHES PLURAL
As I understand tithes, there are three parts to what the NIV version calls the whole tithe (NIV Malachi 3:10). There is the Lord’s tithe. There is the tithe I pay to myself. There is also the Alms tithe. It is these three that makes up the whole tithe (NIV) or all the tithes (KJV) of Malachi 3:10.
MAL 3:10 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.

It is these three tithes--the whole tithe--that carries with it the promises of Malachi 3:10-11. Doing one part will work some of the promises. Doing two parts would work some of the promises. However, the entire blessing will only be realized by doing all the tithes or the whole tithe (NIV).

The Promises are:
1. Guaranteed access to heaven
2. The Lord will rebuke the devourer
3. Activation of the armies of God on our behalf
4. Rejoicing of your family (DEU 14:26)
5. Open reward

GUARANTEED ACCESS TO HEAVEN
We have guaranteed access to heaven. Heaven is not only a place way out there. Heaven is the throne of God (Isa 66:1; Act 7:49). Heaven is where the Lord reigns. The promise is that the tither has guaranteed access to the Lord. We cannot be shut out. Our request come before the Lord.

DEVOURER REBUKED FOR MY SAKE
The devourer is rebuked for our sakes. The word rebuke means to chide or scold to correct. Devourer means to eat. The Lord is saying He will scold and correct the thing that eats or devourers the tither. It's a promise! We give the Lord God the right to rebuke the devourer. As far as I know only the tither has this promise.

ARMIES OF GOD ASSURES THIS
The Lord uses the term Lord of hosts. The hosts refer to the armies and or angels (1Ki 22:19). In the New Testament we do not read Lord of hosts. We read about the Lord of Sabaoth.
ROM 9:29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
JAM 5:4 ....the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

Sabaoth means armies; a military epithet of God. The Lord will release His armies for the tither. It's a promise!

FAMILY REJOICE
Three times a year every family went to Jerusalem on a vacation (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles). Would your family rejoice if you went on three vacations every year? You can do it. That is the promise of the “my tithe”. Your family will be happy because there will be no financial bondage. You can have money to purchase whatsoever thy soul lusteth after (DEU 14:26).

OPEN REWARD OR NOW REWARD
Jesus promised that when (not if) we gave alms our Father shall reward thee openly.
MAT 6:4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

ALMS TESTIMONIES
I have heard some of the most magnificent testimonies concerning alms giving. Sadly, many who gave those testimonies no longer give alms (go figure). They were rewarded openly. I have heard of debts being canceled, stocks excelling, money being given, even winning from the lottery because of alms giving. All these are rewards that came openly. What can I say? All I know is that it works.

LORD CHALLENGES US
The Lord guarantees this to work. He says, ....prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts.... The Lord actually challenges us to test him on this one. So do it. Set it up. Tithe to the Lord. Tithe to yourself. Give a one-third tithe to alms. Pray and see if you have better results with your access to the Lord. Write down what it is that is devouring your life or family. Give it a little time. Prove (test) the Lord. See if he does what he said he would do. If not, then stop doing the tithes (plural).

100% SUCCESS RATE -- PRETTY GOOD


IS IT THE LORD’S WILL THAT WE ABOUND IN OUR FINANCES? Some would say, “Well, I don’t know if it is or not. The Lord loves everybody the same.” Let’s see if that is so. The Lord may love every one the same, but he doesn’t behave towards every one the same.
Matthew 25:14-30
MAT 25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
The parable (a true of fictitious story to reveal kingdom truth) is about kingdom living. The man traveling into a far country is the Lord ascending to the throne. The servants are believers.

MAT 25:15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
Believers are different. We all have different abilities. However different abilities can never be an excuse for our not prospering. We each have an ability to do something. We are given money according to that ability. Let’s use a few examples. My son-in-law has abilities that I do not possess. He is a lawyer. He went to school many years to received his Doctorate. He began working earning more money his first year than I make a year doing what I do and have done for over a decade. There are medical doctors and surgeons that earn much more money than he makes. They have abilities that I do not possess. They are given more talents or money than I am given. Yet I cannot say that because they are given more that the Lord does not want the same proportionate results from me.

MAT 25:19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Though the abilities were different, the results were proportionately the same. They each doubled what was given them. The servant (Believer) given five had made five more. The servant (Believer) given two had made two more.
For this they were both commended the same exact way. They were both rewarded the same exact way. The Lord said exactly the same thing to both even though one doubled five and one doubled two. They both heard, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

MAT 25:24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
The third servant was very cautious. He didn’t waste the one talent he had been given. We would think that would please the Lord. We would think the Lord would understand and pat the servant on the head and hug him. After all, the Lord loves everybody, right? As we see, that is not what happened. That action is what the Lord terms as wicked and slothful.

MAT 25:26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Oh my! So much for the poverty message! The Lord has never called anyone to poverty. In fact, not prospering upsets the Lord.
Wicked and slothful? The guy said he was afraid. The Lord said that was not the case. The Lord said he was wicked and slothful. The word slothful means lazy. Thy guy was afraid as he had said. He was simply too lazy to do what he knew he was supposed to do. The Lord said that was being wicked. This guy was too lazy to even go to the bank and put it in a savings account to draw interest (usury).
Have we ever noticed why some people seem to continuously prosper no matter what they do? They can sell garbage and make money. On the other side there are people that never seem to get ahead. They never attempt anything. They take what they can get and hide it in a hole only to somehow loose it. What is happening is the Lord is taking from the slothful and giving it to the good and faithful.
The saddest part of the parable is what happened to the wicked and slothful servant. Not only was what he had taken from him. He was labeled as unprofitable. Then he was cast into outer darkness. His life was wasted. He found himself in a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Was that hell? Oh yes, it was hell, but not the hell of eternity. It was a living hell.
South of Jerusalem is a valley called Genna {gheh'-en-nah}. Nave’s says, “This was originally the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned....” It was a trash heap full of maggots and flies. It was used by the Lord to symbolize a wasted life--a life that did not better itself as was the unprofitable servant.
When the Lord inspects our faithfulness with money, what will he find? What will we hear?

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