“Peace reigns where gratitude is practiced.” “Gratitude is more than an expression, it's a posture.” “Praise is the outward expression of an inward posture of gratitude.” “Gratitude is rooted in remembering what God has done.”
“Generosity practiced is partnership with God.”
“If we don't teach on money, we are not teaching the Bible.”
The Spiritual Practice of Tithing
The Tithe: = Tenth
Malachi 3:8–12 (NIV) 8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 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 will not be room enough to store it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.
Matthew 22:21 (NIV) “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
“Tithing isn't giving, it's yielding”
What Practicing the Tithe Does 1. The Tithe Reveals Our Priorities Proverbs 3:9 (NIV) Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops.
2. The Tithe Breaks The Power of Mammon Matthew 6:24 (NIV) No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money(Mammon).
1 Timothy 6:10 (NIV) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
“Giving is spiritual warfare!”
3. The Tithe Positions us for Blessing Malachi 3:10 (NIV) 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 will not be room enough to store it.
The Path of Generosity: “Greed will cost you more than generosity.”
2 Corinthians 8:7 (NIV) But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
“We partner by planting.”
“If all you do is consume, eventually you will be empty-handed."
Generosity: We are blessed to be a blessing.
2 Corinthians 9:6-11 (NIV) 6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
1. Intentionally 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV) Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion....
2. Cheerfully 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV) for God loves a cheerful giver. "Generosity is an attitude."
3. Sacrificially 2 Corinthians 8:3 (NLT) They gave not only what they could afford, but far more. “In generosity, sacrifices are more pleasurable than painful!”
4. Consistently 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 (NIV) ...You can be generous on every occasion.
“Generosity is a rhythm, not a reaction.” 1 Corinthians 16:1–2 (NIV) 1 Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income.
Romans 8:32 (NIV) He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
