YOUR TITHE

Gal 6:6 (AMP)
"Let him who receives instruction in the Word [of God] share all good things with his Teacher" [contributing to his support]

Mal 3:10 (AMP)
“Bring all the tithes [the whole tenth of your income] into the storehouse,”

"The storehouse" refers to the place where you receive your Spiritual Food.

Jesus says in:

Matthew 6:19
"Don't store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal...." and in Matthew 6:20 "Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves"

Furthermore, His Storage is filled with souls. When we invest into His storehouse, we are investing money into His Kingdom, to take the Good News to the Nations, that we may reap souls for His Kingdom.

Rhetorical Question: What can we possibly present to the LORD when we leave this earth?

God's Instruction, and Promise.

Mal 3:10
"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do," says the LORD Almighty, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!"

It's the only place in the Bible where God says - TEST ME!!!

Proverbs 3:9,10 (MSG)
“Honor GOD with everything you own; give him the first and the best. [Command] Your barns will burst , your wine vats will brim over” [Promise]

"Barns" refer to your personal storehouse; "wine vats" is your joy. When we honor the Lord our God with our finances, He becomes involved in it.

Isaiah 55:11 (NLT)
" It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it"

What happens when we don't tithe...

We are "stealing" from God's Kingdom.

Mal 3:8-9
"Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! "But you ask, 'What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?'" You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse"

Deuteronomy 8:18
"And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the power to get wealth…"

Who do I support financially?

Always seek guidance and wisdom from God in prayer, and follow the Holy Spirit in this sensitive yet important decision.

Also pose a few important questions such as:

Where do I recieve my teaching about the Word of God (Growing in the Word)

• Who is committed in praying for you
  (bringing your requests and concerns before God)
• Who is helping you in a time of crisis?
  (on a spiritual, financial, emotional level)
• Where do you Worship?
• Who do you turn to?
• Who is winning souls for the LORD?
  (filling up His Storehouse)

METHODS OF SOWING (BESIDES TITHE)

1. The “ordinary” offering (For the Great Commission). This is primarily for the expanding of God's Kingdom/Rule on earth through missions.
   
   Matt 28:19; Mark 16:15 and Luke 24:27
   And then He (Jesus) told them , "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere”
   
   Missions to preach the Gospel is a direct command from Jesus. Most congregations have a special Bank-account for missions.
   
   Example: Joyce Meyer's World Missions; Open Doors (the persecuted church), Gospel for Asia, Reborn Life, etc.
   
2. The Love offering (support @ home). The love offering is a special way to thank the Lord. This offering is especially used to: Support fellow Christian brothers and sisters in need or, for special projects.
   
   Gal 6:10
   "Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially to our Christian brothers and sisters"
   
3. The Thank-Offering (Strangers, Orphans, Widows, etc). This is SOWING due to appreciation. It is a simple“thank-you Lord for caring for me” (Who do You LORD, want to bless through me?).
   
   This offering may be used to support strangers, orphans, widows, (SOW)... or people in need as shown by the Holy Spirit to you.
   
   Proverbs 19:17
   “If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD-and he will repay you!”

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN GIVING

Proverbs 10:22
"The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it"

This is Jesus' personal words, and what He says, I believe!

Luke 6:38
"If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over."

Whatever measure you use in giving-large or small - it will be used to measure what is given back to you. When you sow, be exited about it. You are storing your treasures in heaven, and you'll receive heavenly returns (Proverbs 11:24)

Psalm 35:27 says that God has pleasure in the prosperity of His servants. You must have an expectation for prosperity.

2 Corinthians 9:10
"For God is the one who gives seed to the farmer (sower) and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will give you many opportunities to do good, and he will produce a great harvest of generosity in you"

If you are not a sower, God will not give you seed to sow - become a sower. God's purpose is for you to have money so that it can be channeled through your life as a blessing in the Name of the LORD, as seed to bless others. It should not be kept in a personal “reservoir account” for the I, me and my. You money should have a purpose. Souls.

Matthew 6:21
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”

There is a need for many resources, firstly Bibles, missionaries and evangelists, servants of God who are willing to share and preach the Gospel. There is a need for additional resources such as means of traveling via vehicles, planes etc, accomodation, the list is endless.

Visit the persecuted church at: www.opendoors.org.za. To spread the Gospel, the Body of Christ is in need of people who are willing to sow into His Kingdom. This is borne from a desire planted by the Holy Spirit to sow, and the obedience and reliability of these people are extremely important. God allows such persons to be entrusted with more (enlarge my territory Lord), as they are trusted and reliable by sowing into His Kingdom.

Matthew 16:10-12
"Unless you are faithful in small matters, you won't be faithful in large ones."

As we grow in our relationship with God, and we show our obedience and discipline in sowing, God will entrust us with more. However if we withhold from adhering to the calling of God to sow, and we withold that blessing that is meant to be sowed into God's Kingdom, we show that we cannot be trusted. When we show true character by sowing faithfully, we will find the blessing of the Lord poured over us continuously.

Ephesians 6:9
"you both have the same Master in heaven , and he has no favorites"

God blessed many Bible figures. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, many kings, etc. He has no favorites! If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you belong to God, to His Kingdom, [His rule and authority].

You are a prince or princess in His Kingdom. God's love for you is real, it exists and He wants to bless you in abundance, and to receive that abundance, you need to tithe faithfully and not withhold. You must honor God if you want Him to open the floodgates of heaven over your life. If you haven't, ask forgiveness and set it right.
Prayer: I'm in debt >>

HOW DO YOU SPEAK ABOUT YOUR FINANCES?

Power of the tongue: Speak it, see it, receive it

Proverbs 18:21
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue:and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof”

Proverbs 29:18
"Where there is no vision, the people perish"

Accept it in the Spiritual realm as if you've already received it in principle, as if it has all ready manifested right there and then.

Hebrews 11:1
"What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see."

Romans 4:17
"I have made you the father of many nations."

This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings "into existence" what didn't exist before. You need to have a positive vision of your financial future.

You have to Speak it,See it, and then Receive it! What you say is what you harvest . Speak positively with faith over your offerings. Speak positively over your heavenly investment; also speak positively over your family's whole financial situation.

Word of Wisdom

1Tim 6:10 (MSG)
"Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after"

Hebrews 13:5 (NLT)
"Stay away from the love of money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never forsake you."

EXPECT TO HARVEST

The reason for sowing is not about receiving, however, Hebrews 11:6 says:
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”.

Mat 6:21
"Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be"

HOW TO GIVE

Give with a glad heart. Paul writes in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians

2 Corinthians 9:5
“So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given”

Don't give with an attitude of “oh I suppose I have to give” or “now is the time to look good” or “look what I'm giving!”. With such an attitude you can't expect any returns or blessings. Sow with excitement and anticipation!!

Hebrews 11:7
“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver”

HOW MUCH TO GIVE

• The Tithe
  
  The tithe is exactly what it says... 10% of your income and the tithe is part of the believers life since the beginning...
  
  "As Abram returned from his victory over Kedorlaomer and his allies, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). Then Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought him bread and wine. Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who has helped you conquer your enemies"
  
  Genesis 14:17-20 (NLT)
  "Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered"
  
• Sowing
  
  This is additional to your tithe. Seek wisdom from God (James 1:5) by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who shall guide you accurately as to how and when and where to sow over and above your tithing. (Sowing: i.e. offerings; love-offering; thank-offering)
  
  It's never about the amount you give, (God knows your financial situation) it's all about your heart…give with a glad heart. A glad heart - because your NAME is in the BOOK OF LIFE, and you are in RELATIONSHIP with a Loving Heavenly Father…
  
  Mark 12:43,44
  Jesus: "I assure you, this poor widow has given more than all the others have given. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has."

WHERE SHOULD I GIVE?

Guidelines as where to sow. You shall know them by their fruit (deeds).

Mat 12:33
"A tree is identified by its fruit”

So, check out the fruit of the ministry you plan to sow in... Are they obeying Jesus' command according to Mark 16:15 The Great Commission? Are people being saved? Do they win souls for the LORD. Are people educated in the Word ? Do they support Christian brothers/sisters in need? Do they support the Strangers,Orphans and Widows? (S.O.W) Do they support the poor and needy? etc.

This is important... but why? Because the ground you sow in will determine the harvest. You can plant a seed in stony ground and it will suddenly shoot up and die, or you can sow in shallow ground and you won't reap much. But when you put that same seed into fruitful ground, fertilized by Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, that seed can reap a hundred fold return!

Note: Always ask the LORD (Proverbs 3:4,5) He will give you peace in your heart as where to tithe, and sow...