The Practice of Tithing | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter by Kenneth Carpenter First Apostolic Church of Maryville (Maryville, TN) Kind: teaching Scripture: Malachi 3:8-12, Malachi 3:7, Genesis 1:26-27, Mark 11:20-21, Deuteronomy 28:20, Proverbs 3:33, Malachi 2:2, Malachi 3:10, Matthew 6:24, Malachi 3:11, John 10:10, Malachi 3:12, Deuteronomy 14:22, Deuteronomy 26:12, Haggai 2:18 Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/kenneth-carpenter--the-practice-of-tithing Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page. Free to copy and share with attribution. ------------------------------------------------------------ well praise the Lord everybody if you remain standing with me in honor of the reading of God's word I'll invite your attention to the Book of Malachi chapter number three we'll begin reading at verse number verse number eight I would like to tell you that first lady tonight is at home with a sick grandson that decided that Mom and Dad Mom and Dad and big brother would head to Germany and he would head to an ear infection so uh we we have been up through the night with him in couple of nights and um God is good isn't he amen nothing like children and there's really nothing like grandchildren amen really nothing like grandchildren I really feel the presence of the Lord here tonight and and um we are going to continue our study I asked brother Hammond if he would uh if we would keep strong tower in the auditorium tonight because I I want with all of my heart to speak into the lives of these young men and these young women tonight uh we don't like saying it um we'll say Well they're the church now and I understand what we're saying but in reality they're really the church they're really going to be the backbone of the church the structure of the church and it's very needful that we pour into them it's very needful that we pour into them and it's very needful that you and I even though a lot of things that we say tonight a lot of things we say tonight you're going to say I know that I know that I know that I am telling you it is God's will that we be reminded about it and reminded about it and reminded about it and we keep it in memory we keep it in memory for a number of reasons we don't need to forget about it and we need to be able to pass it down to another generation and so if you have your Bibles and you're there at Malachi 3 verse number 8 God is speaking and God says will a man rob God yet you have robbed me but you say wherein have we robbed thee in tithes and offerings ye are are cursed with a curse for you have robbed me even this whole nation bring ye all the tithe into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house and prove me now herewith sayith the Lord of hosts if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it and I will re rebuke the devour 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 sayeth the Lord of hosts and All Nations shall call you blessed for ye shall be a delightsome land saith the Lord of hosts just before we pray again I want you to keep in mind that God identifies himself sometimes he would identify himself and he would say brother Mayo I am the god of Jacob I am the god of Jacob and uh there was other times he would say I'm the god of Israel but when God specifically says I am the Lord of hosts he is talking about the captain of your salvation he is talking about the soldier he's talking about he is a God I hope you get this he is a God that will fight for you he is a God that's what it means when he says I am the Lord of hosts he is saying hey I'm a God that's going to fight for you it is God's will for us to be blessed it is God's will for us to be highly favored it is God's will for the windows of Heaven to be open now tonight I want you just to take a moment and ask God to open up your heart as we receive the word of God right now I want you to pray precious lamb of God I want you to open our hearts up tonight Lord Lord I I just pray that our minds will be clean Lord that we won't have any preconceived ideas God Lord that we'll we will listen intently God to your word and Lord what your word says Lord we will listen to it tonight God I pray that your spirit would be here and would move up and down the aisles of this church God lord move Upon Our Hearts touch Our Minds tonight touch our spirits tonight God lord we'll be so mindful to give you praise in jesus' name I the pastor of this church in jesus' name I pray right now amen and amen you may be seated tonight thank you for standing there are two very very important foundational essential stones that are in your walk with god of course after you're born again and you have the revelation of the Oneness of God and you're born again to the kingdom there are two there are two foundational stones that if you're going to stay if you're going to stay in your Born Again relationship there are two foundational stones that is a must and that is attendance to the house of God attendance to the house of God and tithing attendance to the house of God and tithing when these two things either one of them go eventually eventually you will stumble you will will fall you will become Unfaithful you will go from being here every service to being here once a week to being here once every other week to being here once a month and finally somewhere in that area an offense will come that you will justify not going not going back to church I told someone the other day I believe was Sister Carpenter I said this to I said you know I I I don't really have an issue I know we have some people that move in and there's a thing that swept the last 10 years or so across Pentecost of doing away with Sunday night and uh I'm not here to bash anybody for that uh I'm just here to make a statement as for me in my house all right as as for me and as as for me and U uh this house I I go places and they'll say well it's it's it's casual night and uh don't don't wear a necktie and U I think I've got a little you know anytime you you you invited someone they're the guest you shouldn't really tell them and I tell them about as casual as I get in church is unbutton my sleeve right here that's about as casual is is I'm going to get I tell people sometimes the word casual kind of rhymes with casualties and uh I I just take Church pretty I just take Church pretty important but I don't really have a problem with people coming and getting adjusted to hey that we have two services on Sunday but I sure do have a problem with people that have been used to three services a week and they start missing and they start they start doing that because I'm telling you good things happen every time we Gather in the house of God good things happen when we Gather in the house of God brother osbor and please continue to pray for brother osbor uh he is still in very critical condition with this stroke and uh plee please pray for him but he made a statement one time he said you know it has been said that a man or a woman will U will have to give an account for what he's heard he said if you've heard it you'll be you you'll be held accountable for what you've heard brother osbor said I disagree with that he said I believe that you will be accountable for what you had the opportunity to go here and didn't take the opportunity up so you had the opportunity to be on in church on a Wednesday night but you decided that something else was more more important something else took its place or you somehow got in your mind you begin to you you you you somehow you know there was a time if you were at one time every service at church if you one time and I I know that there's situations that arise Sometimes some tonight very good example tonight we we've got a grandson that that that that has been in and I'm sorry but he's been he's been vomiting he's been very sick he can't hold the medicine down on his stomach and etc etc and uh so so first lady stayed home with him with with him tonight there's things that happened I'm not talking I'm not talking about that I'm just talking about flat out losing your desire to be at the house of God that's what I'm talking about you you you just lost your desire just lost your desire to be there and uh that is really an indication it's kind of like your dashboard on your car you you know that dashboard and those gauges are there for a reason it's got a fuel gauge on it and You' really do yourself a world good to keep your eye on that fuel gauge all right because it's very important it's got a it's got a temperature gauge on it it's got several other gauges on it that kind of tell you the condition that's under the hood things you can't see you can't see uh you can't see inside the fuel tank you can't see inside the motor but there's a gauge that helps you look inside I'm telling you that church attendance is a gauge that kind of tells us what's going on on the inside side on the inside of of of of your heart and so um I see these two things because there's good things that are said every service here at church there's not only good things that are said every service there is an opportunity of some some 30 sometimes 45 minutes that we're given to worship and praise God and interact interact with God so there's good things and you don't want to miss out you don't want to miss out on those good things because because you need those good things uh several years ago right after a GMC our general conference uh I got a call from a pastor's wife and she was so distraught and they had problems in their church and it was it was just it was a mess I guess they needed a message it was a mess and and and and she was telling me she said we need somebody to come and teach on this and we need somebody to come and teach on that it just so happened sister Paula every subject that she mentioned was addressed at GMC General Conference every subject that she mentioned and when she would bring them up I said oh I wish you'd have been at General Conference last oh I wish You' have been at General Conference oh wish you and she said oh we were just too busy with this and we were too busy with that you know when it comes to spiritual things we need to get un busy we need to get un busy see everything that lady needed everything that church needed she could have she could have heard that so good things happen at church and it kind of this is going to segue tonight I'm I'm going to teach on the practice the practice of tithing let me just quickly say this let me say this that tithing because there's there's it's kind of like teaching on the Oneness teaching on the Oneness you you you hardly you hardly can't teach on the Oneness without having to uh make mention of the Trinity all right be because there's so much that's been said about the Trinity you kind of have to mention the oness and then you have to say well they will tell you in the Trinity they will tell you for example uh I was asking I'm going to follow this up on Sunday but I was ask about Genesis 126 well I happen to know that's one of a trinitarian favorite one of the favorite scriptures they want to go to is Genesis 126 let us make man in our own image after our likeness and and and they'll say see that let us that's that's the godhead that's the three persons talking but if you read the next verse if you read the next verse it said so God created man in his his his not their in his own image made he h e not they male and female and then if you go on if you go on if God is three separate persons if God is three separate persons and Adam was made in the image and the likeness of God how many Adams were there there only one all right there's only one so you have to mention that well when I'm teaching on tithing when I'm teaching on tithing I'll have to mention several things that are said by people that want to explain away tithing for example this will be said tithing was in the Old Testament tithing tithing was under the law they're correct tithing was in the Old Testament but they failed to mention that tithing was before Moses and the law tithing was before Moses and the law and even after after Jesus came Jesus even endorsed tithing he endorsed tithing now he highlighted the Pharisees in their their hypocrisy to pay tithing on the smallest little te leaves they would grow in their Garden but they would omit the weigher matters of the law now and then then that's really something that ought to sting us uh tithing According To Jesus is not even a we to ear matter he said they omit the weightier matters of the law which is Mercy and Justice and then he says these words these ought you to have done what what's these the pain tithe on the minute te leaves these ought you to have done and not left the other not left the other undone Abraham paid tithing Abel gave a form of tithing when he SA sacrificed the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof Abraham paid tithe to MDC Jacob vowed to God the night that he saw the vision of the latter he vowed to God that if God would give him peace prosperity protection and bring him back that he would make that place bethl the house of God and would bring and would bring the tent to that so when we go through the Bible we see tithing before the law during the law and we see tithing we see tithing after the law I want you to listen very intently tonight to this we're teaching tonight on the practice of tithing the goal of tithing isn't about being financially blessed all right the goal of tithing is not about being financially blessed the cheap stuff is this give God a hundred he'll give you a thousand that's the cheap stuff all right that that's that's the cheap stuff tithing is not about being financially blessed why tithing is not even about money if you really just want to get down to Grassroots tithing is not about money tithing is about trust tithing is about trust tithing is not about financially being blessed although let me add quickly you will become financially blessed if you're TI if you're a tither you you will be financially blessed but you don't tithe so that you are financially blessed because that's the wrong motive to tithe that's the wrong that's the wrong motive you've heard me say this upon the word motive hinges whether God blesses it or God passes it by do you know you can do the right thing with the wrong motive and not get God's blessings you can do the right thing with the wrong motive and God pass it by but when you do the right thing with the right motive God stops and God blesses it tithing is about I want you to underline this please tithing is about being obedient to God and His word how can we follow a God that we are not trusting him and not not obeying his word now let's go back to my text tonight Malachi 3:7 God is very upset with Israel and he comes to Israel in Malachi 3:7 and he says and I'll read it again even from the days of your fathers ye have gone away from my ordinances and have not kept them return unto me return unto me and I will return unto you sayith the Lord Lord of hosts but you said wherein shall we return an ordinance is a commandment from God to his people to be obeyed which was to be taught from the priest in the house of God here is a situation that is not worthy God says from the days of your fathers you have not kept the Commandments God said to return unto me and I will return unto you but in some strange way they were satisfied and they thought that they were standing with God God says return to me but they hadn't been obeying the Commandment of tithing for several generations and God comes and God says for a long time you have not kept the ordinance you have not kept the Commandments return unto me and I will return to you and they said we don't really believe we've went anywhere we return we we don't believe we've went anywhere to return now the only way is I just mold over that verse today is it possible that they had failed to go to the house of God I'm going to tell you we become ignorant of the ways of God when we fail to be faithful to God's house could it be that they had failed to be faithful for generations and generations to God's house that they just somehow believed they were in God's Will and God had to come down and say for a long time you've you've been away from my Commandments return unto me and I will return unto you wherein shall we return Then verse eight comes God asked a simple question verse eight will a man rob God yet you have robbed me but you say wherein have we robbed thee and then God says it in tithes and offerings you know it's it's it's a it's a it's a statement of astonishment just look at the question again in verse eight will a man rob God H what a daring thing what a foolish thing to rob from a God who knows all and sees all the question is really a question in astonishment will a man rob God it's astonishing because it's such a daring thing to do it's astonishing because it's such a shamefully ungrateful thing to do steal from a God that has been as good to us as he has been God is a good god why would you now listen to this see if anybody's ever heard this before why would you ever bite the hand that why would you do that why would you rob a God who is so good and yet they're astonished number one you said we went somewhere we don't know where we went and now you blow our minds by saying we've robbed you and we have to say well how have we robbed you and God simply spelled it out in tithes and in offerings but could it be and I guess I try to find the good everybody even even when people break the Commandments of God I try to find the good to lead them back to repentance could it be that they were not tithing because they had failed to go to the house of God and never heard of tithing or could it be could it just simply be this I have been asked to go places and teach on giving I've been asked to come we want you to come brother carp and teach on giving teach on tithe and offerings and I've said why don't you you do it and I had one Minister tell me he said I don't want them mad at me well you see if I go over there and teach on tithe and offerings and they get blessed and favored and God starts turning things around they I would want to leave your church and come to mirable right you see I don't see it as getting mad at you I I I don't I don't see it as getting mad I see it is I want you to be blessed I want you to have the favor of God upon you your life I I I want you to know what it's like to walk in obedience and a relationship with God so I don't see it as something that you would get that you would get mad about he says um verse n look at this you're cursed with a curse for you have robbed me even this whole nation now now look at this let's let's think for a moment when God said return unto me they said a question that asked back a question didn't they they said how would we return and when God said you've robbed me brother Nolan they asked a question not how we robbed you because they really didn't know they had went anywhere and they really didn't know they were robbing God but do you know when God said you're cursed with a curse they never spoke up and said what you talking about they never addressed the curse you know why they were living in the curse they know they were living in the curse and he says you are cursed with a curse for you have robbed me even this whole nation now God speaks a curse God speaks a curse God's word can either bless you or God's word can either curse you and it all depends on the simple word called obedience obedience brings God's favor and God's blessings Disobedience brings the curse of God why the same son the same Su n the same son that will melt snow is the same Sun that can harden clay it's just all the substance that it's coming down on I want you to know tonight that I want God to shine down upon an obedient heart I want to follow God's word I want to follow what his word says because I want God to show Shine Down with his presence on my life you're cursed with a curse you're cursed with a curse the word of God is powerful the word of God is powerful now I hope this isn't the case tonight but if you're disobedient you'll walk out cursed as a matter of fact it's even it's even a little bit larger curse because it's one thing to be cursed and not know why you're cursed it's another thing to be cursed and know exactly why that you're cursed the word of God is powerful Mark 11:2 in the morning as they passed by they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him Master behold the Fig Tree which thou curseth is withered away the same word church the same word the same God God manifested in flesh that stood at a tomb and said Lazarus come forth and he that was dead came back to life and walked out of a tomb after four days the same God that said Lazarus come forth looked at a fig tree and said no man will eat fruit from you Hereafter no man will eat fruit from you from herea and the next morning less than 24 hours later they walked by the same fig tree that had luscious foliage upon it and it was dried up withered turned upside down and withered from the roots and they said Master how in the world did this happen look at the Fig Tree which thou has cursed again I want to tell you the word of the Lord will either bless us or the word of the Lord will curse us and the choice is ours let's be obedient what do you say Church let's be obedient to God Gods let's be obedient to God's word Deuteronomy 28 and 20 Deuteronomy 28 and 20 the Lord shall send upon thee cursing vexation and rebuke in all that thou set us thine hand unto for to do until thou be destroyed and and until thou perish quickly because of the wicked of thy doings whereby thou Hast forsaken me now God said to Israel he said I'm going to send a curse and vexation and everything you set your hand to will come to not I'm going to tell you I'm GNA tell you one of the reasons that I decided to stop fighting conviction before I surrendered to him is a man told me one time he said it would have been better for you to have never felt God's presence and just lived the life of a sinner he said you know too much to be lost he said that your your friends that you run with they can get out and be happy because they don't know but you know too much I'm telling you I'm telling you it would have been better for you not to have never known how to get God's blessing because there is a big difference a sinner can prosper there's a difference between a blessing and prosperity Sinners can work hard and prosper but church people obedient people need to be obedient to God and we get more than Prosperity we get blessings the Bible said that God is able to add blessings to your life and addeth no sorrow so everything you would set your hand to doesn't matter how early you get up doesn't matter how long you work doesn't matter your dreams and your Visions it doesn't matter all of that if youve got that curse that's following you Proverbs 3 Proverbs chapter 3 and verse 33 the curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked but he blesseth the inhabit the habitation of the just again in Malachi chapter 2 and verse two if ye will not hear and if you will not lay it to heart to give Glory unto my name sayeth the Lord of hosts I will even send a curse upon you and I will curse your blessings yay I have cursed them already because you do not lay it to heart now that verse of scripture could talk to somebody that was once Obed obedient got blessed of God and then you you see they got obedient they got blessed of God and they allow the blessings to turn them away from the source of their blessing and God said if you choose not to do it to be obedient after you've been blessed God said well I'll just turn around and I'll just curse I'll just I'll just curse I'll just curse your blessing but now we serve a good God church and we serve a God that will not only point out what we need to do he'll not only point out the consequences of what we do but he'll give us the Cure and in Malachi 3 and verse 10 he gives us the Cure Malachi 3 and 10 bring ye all the tithe into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house and prove me now here with sayith the Lord of hosts let me stop there for a moment if there's ever been a house that needs to function in Blunt County it needs to be the house of truth if there ever needs listen we don't go beg the Utility Board to make an make an allowance to us about every month there's a bill that comes due for the utilities alone utilities alone on this building sometimes can be over from10 to $12,000 just the utility in this in this room now y'all know why I go around here flipping lights off you y'all y'all Y y'all know why I do that all right and um so if there's ever a house that needs to be functioning in this city it's this house right here brother Young Brother young uh I got a picture Monday night be free class was here and I got a picture of somebody on Monday night was being baptized they bring them here on they bring men here on Monday nights and teach them a Bible study and during the Bible study one of the men wanted to get baptized in Jesus name can I tell you something if there's ever a house that needs to be functioning it's this house there needs to be meat in this house there needs to be Provisions in this house there shouldn't be one thing that God wants us to do that we'd have to say God we don't have the money for I just believe if it's God's will it's God's bill and if we're doing what we should God Will Make A Way would you give him some praise right now she bring all the tithe into the storehouse that there may be meat in my house and prove me now herewith sayeth the Lord It's the only time in scripture it's the only time in Scripture that God ever attached an act of Obed obedience with a challenge to test him that word prove there means examine me test me prove me it's it's almost as if God and I know you've heard me say this before it's almost as if God was saying just dare me just dare me and if you grew up in my neighborhood we used to say I double dog dare you I don't even know what that means I hope it don't mean something bad but I I double dog Double Dogs two dogs I I double I double I double dog I double dog dare you look at God here saying I dare you I dare you to put me to the test I dare you to step out of the boat I dare you to look beyond your limitations I dare you to look beyond the economy I dare you to look beyond your circumstance I dare you just to trust me I dare you prove me now here with sayth the Lord of hosts if I will not open you the windows of Heaven prove me now here what sayith the lord of hosts if I will not open you the windows of Heaven wait a minute stop there for a moment if God has to open them what is the current condition of the window boy you're a smart group you're a smart group what's the current condition of the window closed the window repres represents the window represents the miraculous the window represents the blessings of God was it not the skeptical man who's who who was the king's advisor that when the prophet said by this time tomorrow they'll be selling bread in the gate of Samaria by this time tomorrow bread will be sold for a cheap amount of money by this time tomorrow and they've been eating donkey heads and Dove's dung and paying a high price for it but the man of God said here the word of the Lord by this time tomorrow you're going to have fine flour and bread in the gate and it'll be for a very small price and an old critical person and this is very this is very important this is very important don't counsel with critical people when you get ready to obey God you know the Bible says this is this it and I and I heard I heard I heard I heard an old I heard an old time country preacher at a youth rally in West Tennessee give the definition and I'm tell I've read books on it when Jesus said when it comes to giv don't let your left hand know what your right hand's doing all right don't let your left hand know it's it's talking about offering don't let your well that's kind of crazy right I brought my offering tonight kind of like what am I supposed to of course it would be turned around wouldn't I guess don't let your left hand know what your right hand and I heard and I've read commentaries I've read all kind of things it's just kind of nothing nothing nothing ever said but that old time preacher got up in West Tennessee taking up an offering he said Bible said don't let your left hand know what your right hand's doing and he said you know what the goats are on the left and the Sheep are on the right and when it comes time to give don't go talking to goats cuz all they can do is butt that's all that's you but you better but but this might happen but that might happen but this he said don't talk to the goats about giving said if you're going to talk talk to the Sheep about giving if you're going to talk about TI don't don't find somebody that's not find somebody that is and they they'll start saying oh I'm G to tell you something I used to be cursed with a curse I used to have more month than I had money I had to rob Peter to pay Paul and hide it from James and John but when I started tithing the blessings of God the windows of Heaven Got open and God started pouring out blessings but listen to this now Church listen to this I'm getting ahead of myself tonight I'm getting ahead of myself when he said I will pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive there's more blessings than money I said there's more blessings than money I said there's more blessings than money we need to get loud about this there's more blessings than money money is not the only way you can be blessed and to some people it's not a bless matter of fact God can't give some people money cuz they can't handle it cuz they've not learned the ministry of the Open Hand they know the clench clinched fist you know they want to get all they can and can all they get and they believe the golden rule is he that had the gold rules that some folks can't handle money and God keeps him at a certain level because he won't put more on you than you're able to Bear but if he can find a person or a church that views money as a tool to get a job done what's the job go into all the world and preach the gospel to every pre every creature and teach them and disciple them and I got news for you it takes money to do that it takes money to have a Christian School it takes money to have a daycare it takes money to have a youth group it takes money to buy Vans it takes money to build ball fields it takes money to reach around the world come on I'm talking to you tonight it takes money to do that but it's simp you try to clinch your fist on it God said it'll you know why it's the only thing he didn't say the love of entertainment is the root of all evil he didn't say the love of lust is the root of all evil there's only one thing he said the love of money is the root of most evil is the root of all evil if we can learn to see money the way God wants us to see it and where do we see start we start with a simple rule of tithe and offerings that is listen tithing and offerings with God is God's K5 class now I lay me down to sleep or I thank you Lord for my food right now it's God's K5 class it is God's simple Elementary he's trying to say I want you to be able to handle money and so I want you to start trusting me with this tithe I want you to start trusting me with this and as you begin to trust me with this I will open the windows of heaven and I will pour you out a blessing and there's more I I'm going keep hammering this away there is more blessing than a financial blessing good health good marriage relationship God brought you through some bad times in your marriage God was there you had a church you went to you and your wife hadn't spoke in a few days you and your husband hadn't spoke in a few way few days drove two cars to church but you come to church and now you got to sing it how good God is and You' been fussing and fighting and everything else but all of a sudden a tear flows down your face and then lo and behold the preacher gets up and you say Mighty God he was in the backseat of our car Lord God he was in our living room last night who have you talked to brother carpenter has my husband been talking to you has my wife been talking to you who who's been talking to you I'll tell you who's been talking to me God's been talking to me and because you sat there and you heard that you and her made up and you got over that little rough season in your life and now you're celebrating 25th anniversary and 30th annivers but it wouldn't have happen if you didn't have a house oh come on Church you wouldn't have had a house where there is meat in that house 836 help me help me Lord Jesus 8:36 it's a money test it's a money test test the money Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 he says in Matthew 6:24 look at this no man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other you cannot serve God and Mammon that word Mammon there was a god of prosperity or a god of money God says you can't serve God God and Mammon you you you you can't serve it once again I go back to the the scripture God said prove me God said I want you to prove me now here withth saith the Lord of hosts I want you to prove me prove me bring all the tithe into the storehouse that there may be meat in my house and uh I will open you the windows of Heaven pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive look at verse 11 Malachi 3 Malachi 3 verse number 11 look at it real closely after we have brought the tithe into the storehouse and after the window is open he says and I will rebuke the Devourer for your sake a Devourer I will rebuke the Devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground can I tell you the devour is a he I think I know who he is I think I know who he is I think I found him in John 10:10 the thief cometh not but to steal and to kill and to destroy but I have come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly he said if you will tithe and trust me if you will tithe and believe me he said when the devour comes to your door I will rebuke reuke him I will rebuke him when the devour comes to get your things to get your peace to get your marriage to get your children to get and we would say material what whatever it would be he said I will rebuke the devour for your sakes and he going back to verse 11 shall not destroy the fruits of your ground neither shall your Vine cast her fruit before before the time in the field sayith the Lord of hosts I'm going to tell you something you see these people that man brother Carpenter I almost had it it was right there oh brother Carpenter if this would have stayed in place and that would have stayed in place and this would have happened I'd be rich by now it was almost there but God says if you will obey me and tith and offerings he said your Vine will not cast forth her fruit before the time God will make sure you're at the right place any of you here in this building can relate to this you ever been at the right place at the right time just the right place at the right time you know who orchestrated that God did can we just take a moment just lift up our hands and give God praise right now just God help me if you need to ask God to help you just just lift up your hands right now lift up your voice right now in the name of the Lord Jesus the name of the Lord Jesus right now the name of the Lord Jesus the name of the Lord Jesus oh God I praise you right now come on I wish everybody would praise him tonight I I wish everybody in this building would praise him tonight I I I wish everybody in this building would lay it to heart tonight oh don't walk out of here with a curse tonight upon you please I I wish everybody I wish everybody tonight I wish everybody tonight oh thank you Lord Malachi 3 Malachi three and verse number 12 and All Nations shall call you blessed for ye shall be a delightsome land saith the Lord of hosts God said if you'll simply obey me I'll turn a cursed land into a blessed land if you'll only obey that one thing I'll rebuke the devour as he comes to devour your life and the things of your life if you will obey this one thing you will be the Envy of all Nations and they will they will call you blessed well tithing and have several questions that have been asked and I'd like to answer them in the remaining few moments of my Bible lesson tonight the word tithe means tenth the word tithe does not mean 2% the word tithe means 10% it is the 10th and it is the tenth not of your income it is the tenth of your increase all right is a tenth of your increase and that would cover that would cover bonuses that would cover a inheritance that would cover somebody just walking up to you and handing you some money because it's not tith it's not tithe it's not tithing on income it's tithe on increase can you say increase could everybody say increase inre see the people that ain't saying it the people that I'm preaching to tonight could everybody say increase I know I'd get everybody then all right so I nobody see Deuteronomy 14:22 Thou shalt surely tithe all the increase of thy seed that the field bringeth forth every year Deuteronomy 26 and12 when thou Hast made an end of tithing all the tithe of thine increase the third year so tithing is not just simply income it is increase it is increase there been questions I've been asked and further questions that I'll address tonight tithing on the net or gross tithing on the net or gross net is what you bring home gross is before taxes and Social Security are taken out he said well you know I'm I'm I'm going to pay on the net because you know taxes I I don't get that well you need to stop and think on I know we we hear our nation talked about in a negative way but our taxes go to support our military just let that sink in you like these nice roads we have like these nice food regulations we have you like this SP I I know I know I know it's election time and you know you know people can people can not be who they should be but I'm going to tell you I do believe that we are in a country that has a god-ordained form of government founded upon the word of God Wars that are fought to keep Invaders out of our land that taxes um taxes is not an increase it's our protection our military other services of our of our of our government I've been asked by business owners brother Caron will you help me with my business well let me let me just give you this short little thing here um number one if you have a business I hope you have a good CPA okay I hope you have a good bookkeeper all right because you have a business you you need to know you need to know your losses and gains right y'all may be seated tonight it's just deafening in here it's just but let's say go something like this a you're a business owner we have many business owners maybe why I'm asked this we have many business owners let's say quarterly your business your bookkeeper comes and your bookkeeper says we brought in $50,000 the last few months your overhead is $40,000 in other words it took you 40,000 to make the 50,000 your increase is $10,000 y are still with me tonight your increase is $10,000 the $10,000 would be what you would tithe on that would be what that would be what you would you tithe on I'm going to tell you something we need God's blessings because it's only right to be obedient but I'm going to tell you that's the biggest and if I could pour into you young men and young women the biggest Advantage I could ever give you in life be a tither be an offering Giver support missions I'm I'm going tell it's the big it's the biggest break your increase of $10,000 would be what you would tithe on but please don't fall into the Trap of rolling over the full amount of your increase back into your business so I'm Gonna Roll this all 10,000 back into my business you you not biblically you you can do what you want to do but if you want to tithe on your business you take the you take the tithe out of that and then roll that over into your business all right because we're after the blessings of almighty God upon our life that's what we're after we're after the blessings of God upon our life and um again I want to go back to the beginning and I want to ask you to stand with me right now I want to go back to the beginning I want our ushers to come forward the goal of tithing isn't about being financially blessed the offering that I have and I showed you in my hand I am not given that offering tonight expecting to get a check tomorrow I'm not giving that offering tonight it is it is and if you just everybody just kind of look up here all right let's look up here um growing up as a little boy when my mother would take us to church I think there's some old ways that we got to somehow brother a and get back to as a little boy I remember it was two things my mama wanted to make sure that I had when I was going to church a quarter and my Bible that small little amount of money was telling a little boy when you go to the house of God have an offering in your hand have an offering have an offering in your hand have your Bible in your hand they had at that time and and we did for years here also but they had Apostolic play money Apostolic play money and if it's on time you got so much play money and if you brought your Bible you got so much play money and if you you you had your memory verse you got so much play money and then once every quarter or so they would have an Apostolic General Store open up you buy squirt guns and you buy all kind of yo-yos and everything now it's not about the squirt gun it's not about the yo-yo it's about training our children to be givers to the work of God now I'm all for online and you you you know it's just a new generation but I fear I really fear that we may have some children and I thank you mom and dad that you support online you tithe online and all of that but I'm just wondering what's in the mind of our children when they see the offering container go by and I just grab it and push it on by now I know I'm giving online I I I know I'm giving on I know I I know I'm giving online but I just wonder what my what my what my child or my grandchild come on I know it's uhuh it's tight but it's right you hear me it it it's tight but but it's right I'm going to tell you something it'll bless us if we'll just learn that giving is a part of worship I'm going to tell you God's here right now just like he would be here if this whole choir was up here and they were shout they they were singing Ain't No Grave going to hold my body down if Sister Lori and sister K were singing that song if you walk out of that grave I'm walk whoa I feel the chill bumps right I'm telling you God is as much in this part of the service right now as he is when we're shouting and people are running around it's called giv it's called giv to the work of the Lord and here's what I want us to do tonight here's what here here's what I want us to do tonight I'm going to have each section I'm going to have each section I want you to March I want you to March and I want you to come down whether you got anything to give would you will you got anything to give if you don't have anything to give tonight just comeb touch the rim Co you know Co we said somebody said don't don't have them touch the rim anymore we got all kind of Co on all right we've been we I understand but just reach out you don't have anything you don't have anything to get just reach out cuz I'm going to tell you Church it ain't about money it ain't about money I want the blessings of God to be on you your business I want it to be upon and especially that's why I ask brother Hammond brother Hammond keep keep the young people in tonight I I I want I want to I want to pour in I want to pour into to them I want these young people I want them if it's God's will I want them to go to colleges and universities I want them to get jobs I I I want I want them to be blessed of the Lord I want them to be blessed would you lift up your voice with me right now in the name of the Lord Jesus father I thank you tonight God we are a blessed Nation we are a blessed church tonight God God I pray for anyone in this building right now this message was not intended to bring condemnation God this message was not intended tonight God to discourage anybody but God you would take that manner that woman right now that has struggled with giving you the tent if they begin to say right now God help me God help me to get out of the boat God help me to begin to trust you God help me to begin to trust you God I want to say to you tonight you're not a bad person because you lack the faith you're not you're not necessarily an e evil vile individual you just need to have more faith in God come on church family help me pray right now God I pray that you would put more faith in that woman's heart I pray that you would put more faith in that man's heart right now God Lord in the name of Jesus Christ in the name of Jesus Christ right now the name of Jesus Christ right now now the name of Jesus Christ this far section over here I want you I want you to March out the end of your Pew give your offering go back to your Pew go back to your Pew this far section over here want you to March out the end of your Pew won you to March out brother Nolan would you come right would you come right here and stand come right there for this section right here sister flaner March out that side if you can only get that offering container right over there March out the left side of your Pew this section right here would you mark out Mark March out your Pew that's right March out go back to your Pew but I want you to begin to worship right now I want you to begin to worship right now I want you to begin to worship right now Lord I love you Lord I praise you right now come on singers let's begin to sing let's begin to sing right now here we need to get thank the Lord thank the Lord thank the Lord thank the Lord thank the Lord thank the Lord thank the Lord thank the Lord get this offering that's right that's right get that offering today go after oh God I love you tonight God I love you tonight God I love you tonight God Lord I love you tonight God I love you tonight God lord I want you to give us a revelation of tithing God give us a revelation God of giving offerings God God I pray for that woman tonight God I pray for that man tonight God lord I pray God I pray for him right now God God I pray for him right now God I pray right now Lord I pray that you would open up jobs God you would open up employment God God I step out by faith right now God I step out by faith right now God Lord I need you to open up jobs right now God I I need I need employment God I need employment God God I need to break the curse off my life God oh God I need to break that curse my life right now God lord I need to break that off my life right now God God I want my marriage to be blessed God I want my children to be blessed God God I want my family I want my children my grandchildren to be bless God those of you that are watching online those of you that are watching online you're a member of this church here you need to find a way to give online you're a member of this church here you're in the midst of all the chat you're chatting back and forth with each other about what a good service it is find out how to give online don't just be somebody that watches online be a Giver online if you have to thank you Lord thank you Lord thank you Lord It's Raining come on let's worship god let's worship let's worship god let's get our hands lifted let's get our mouths open let's begin to praise God let's begin to praise him right now open the we're going to give we're going to worship tonight let itain let itain oh God In The Name of Jesus in the name of Jesus God I thank you tonight I thank you tonight God I thank you tonight God it let it w't you Lord hope in the blood heaven come on can we linger for just a few more moments it's not even 9:00 yet it's not even 9:00 yet come on can we linger for a few moments right now oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes those folks are out in the lobby won't you step back in step back in right now step back in we're still in church we're still in church we're still in church tonight praise God we're still in church tonight oh hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah want you let it rain let it rain let it rain let it rain God I thank you for my help God I thank you for my help God your blood K up oh yes God I want you to pray along with me right now God I thank you for health in my body God I thank you for the ability to earn an income to feed shelter and clothe my family I thank you God that I'm now a covenant partner with you in tithe and offerings God I purpose in my heart God that I will become a tither i purpose in my heart God God that I'll become an offering Giver a purpose God in my heart right now God and I give you that praise and I give you that worship thank you Lord thank you Lord I want you to listen to me tonight cuz I'm I'm I'm feeling something in my spirit right now I'm a feeling something I'd rather keep you a few moments than to wrestle all night long with God saying you should have done this but the Bible teaches that a woman's uncut hair is her glory glory and that's a Bible lesson in itself but I use that for this tonight as women come to the church that didn't know what that that scripture they didn't know that teaching and their hair was as short as mine and they've said oh I can't wait for my hair to grow out and get long and I've told him this and it's the God's honest truth if that woman who has hair Short's mind purposes in her heart I see that in scripture I'll never cut it again and God's eyes it becomes long oh I feel the Holy Ghost I feel the Holy Ghost in in God's eyes and I want you to know I've come to rebuke condemnation I've come right now to rebuke condemnation off of somebody tonight this teaching was not intended to drive you into condemnation this teaching was intended to be revelatory light to you to show you to open up and I rebuke condemnation I rebuke that in the name of Jesus Christ and if you're standing right here tonight and you're saying from now on I purpose that I'll be a tither unto God I'll be an offering Giver get your hands up and begin to praise God because the blessing is on the way and the blessing is on the way tonight come on praise him right now praise him right now praise him like you're blessed praise him like you're blessed right now like blessed right now now we crying Heaven send the rain oh Send the Rain hallelujah hallelujah we've been praying we've been swing now crying Heaven s the r the rain the rain that's right that's right that's right we've been praying say we've been praying we been you tonight God I bow to you tonight God iow we've been praying God I bow to you tonight on this October thei on this October thei 2024 that from now on I'm going to be a tither I'm going to be an offering Giver from now on we been yes s the it's what I want to do what I want to do tonight it's what I want to do tonight if you're in this building and you're in need of a job or you need work on your job I want you to be bold enough to step out of your queue right now and come down to this altar right now thank you my brother thank you brother Roberts thank you right there bold enough to come down and say right now in the name of the Lord Jesus anybody else you be bold enough brother carp I'm unemployed I need to get a job or I need to have a job I I need work on my job I don't have enough thank you thank you come on that's it that's it thank you thank you right now that's it that's it anybody else tonight don't be bashful don't be bashful the table is open the waters are troubled faith is moving we don't don't don't be bashful don't be bashful right now step out in faith that's it step out in faith right now give the devil a black eye tonight give the devil a black eye tonight in the name of Jesus Christ in the name of Jesus Christ I want you to lift up your hands right now and I want you to begin to declare God I need your help God I need your help God God I need you to lead me and I need you to guide me God I want my business to be blessed God I want my business I want my employment to be blessed I want to be connected to the kingdom I want to be connected to the kingdom right now oh yes God yes God oh brother white come and pray for our brother right here come lay your hand on brother and sister right now come on right now right now it's time to break the chains the devil has beat us down long enough the devil has beat you down long enough you are blessed in the city you are blessed in the field you're blessed going out you're blessed coming in oh yes God yes God yes God God I believe it God you're going to open up doors God you're going to open up doors God that brother that talked to me last night before the ball game that said he needs doors to open in the name of Jesus Christ open those doors right now open those doors right now God open those doors right now to your glory to your honor come on somebody needs to get enough Faith somebody needs to get enough faith doors are opening doors are opening doors are opening Don't Be Afraid get out of your Pew get out of your Pew with some boldness I'm tired of living this way I'm tired of living this way I'm getting out of my Pew tonight I'm getting out of my Pew tonight come on that's it that's it come on young people come on young people come on TR come on come on come on young people come on young people if you believe that God is going to use you get out of your Pew oh yes God God you're going to use me God you're going to use me God you're going to use me God you're going to use me God we're breaking the curse tonight we're breaking the curse with the word of God we're breaking the curse with the word of God we're breaking the curse with the word of God we're breaking the curse right now with the word of God financial difficulty that has been the result of marriages breaking up financial difficulty not viewing money the right way that's been the the result of Judas it's been the result of people stop serving you Lord God in the name of Jesus Christ we break the curse tonight we break it by the word of the lord we break it by the word of the Lord hey come on why don't we just fill this altar up right now I don't like seeing an empty altar I don't like a move of God in an empty altar let's fill the altar up right now come on young people come on young people come on young man God's going to blow your mind with what he going to do with your life God's going to blow your mind with what he going to do with your life the blood Gates of God we break it tonight let it God we break it tonight God God our eyes have been open up y October the 2N I Circle it on my calendar October the 2 2024 was my turn around it was my turn around come on make that now to God right now make that now to God right now yes God yes God yes God yes God yes yes God yes God open the blood Gates of Heaven oh yes God let rain oh let it rain let it rain let it rain it rain let it rain let it rain let it rain let it rain hope in the let it R let it rain let it rain it let it rain let it rain let it rain let it rain you're receiving the word I believe you're receiving it t believe you're receiving it right now I believe you're reing it right now let it the BL K it it there is a receiving Spirit right now there is a re receiving Spirit right now open there's a curse breaking Spirit there's a receiving Spirit right now let it yes God blood hope in the blood yes let it oh oh yes let it rain let it rain let it rain blood Gates come on let it rain let it rain let it rain let it rain let it rain let it rain let it rain it rain oh this is a mve of God right now it's a move of God right now what's happening right now we're receiving God's word wo let me close with this let me close with this tonight HEI chapter 2 hegi chapter 2 ver8 18 as quickly as you can get it on the screen hegi chapter 2 verse number 18 what I tell at the beginning of the Bible lesson tonight Church attendance and tithing are Foundation Church you're born after you're born again after you're born again after you've seen the Revelation Church attendant and tithing is foundation that's right you get that in people you get people coming to church you get people tithing you got a thing to do with money it's got a thing to do with obedience everybody say it's foundational Listen to What God Says and this is what I want to leave you with tonight Verse 18 consider now from this day and upward from the 4 and 20th day of the ninth month even from the day that the foundation of the Lord's Temple was laid consider it is the seed yet in the barn yay as yet the vine and the big tree and the pomegranate and the Olive Tree ha not brought forth from this day will I bless you I I I can't help but feel tonight October the 2nd 2024 mark it in your calendar Circle it from this day from this day oh my God from this day now listen all all all all work all work is Honorable you young men tonight you young men tonight you get your lawnmower and you mow a yard they give you $20 for more that yard you bring put $2 you get a TI an envelope you put you $2 in an envelope and put you about another dollar in there talk to your parents about the offering put you another dollar in there for Missions and you watch God begin to bless you you young people that work at McDonald and buddies and you young people that work here at the daycare you get that check you start you start tithing on that check don't you listen don't you listen to don't you listen to the devil the devil will tell you well when you get a real job you can tithe it is a real job working at buddies is a real job working at McDonald's is a real job how many believes