Mar 10, 2019
What if you held the power to change the world? What if you had the resources to simply make a choice that could impact destinies, prevent suffering and guide the generations of tomorrow? Would you use your power? While many people are waiting for the spectacular fantasies of some far away power, Jesus talked about something as small as everyday choices. Through right choices humans possess the power to drop a pebble, to start a wave, and to make an eternal ripple. Doing good, serving well, giving generously and inviting radically are all within our atomic choices; and when combined with other’s atomic choices we create a massive tidal wave of change. Come learn with us Jesus’ vision for a quantum ripple!
LIFE IS MADE UP OF
THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUAL CHOICES
WITH EACH CHOICE
CREATING A CERTAIN RIPPLE.
MATTHEW 16:24-27 NKJV Then Jesus said to His disciples,… 26 "For what profit is it to a man if he GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD, and LOSES HIS OWN SOUL? Or what will a man GIVE IN EXCHANGE for his soul?
GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD,
BUT LOSES _________ !
LUKE 4:43 NKJV [Jesus said] I MUST preach the KINGDOM of God to the other cities also, because FOR THIS PURPOSE I have been sent.
WHAT IS YOUR
“I MUST _________ !”
MALACHI 3:6-16 NIV "I the LORD do not change… 7 Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. RETURN TO ME, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?' 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. 13 "You have SPOKEN ARROGANTLY AGAINST ME," says the LORD. "Yet you ask, 'WHAT have we said against you?' 14 "You have said, 'It is FUTILE TO SERVE GOD. WHAT DO WE GAIN by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty? 15 But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly EVILDOERS PROSPER, and even when they put God to the test, THEY GET AWAY WITH IT.' " 16 Then THOSE WHO FEARED THE LORD talked with each other, and the LORD LISTENED and HEARD. A SCROLL OF REMEMBRANCE was written in his presence concerning those who FEARED the LORD and HONORED his name.
RIPPLE INWARD
RIPPLE OUTWARD
RIPPLE UPWARD
Tithe MEANS “10%” [“tithes AND offerings”]
There are 3 TITHES in the Old Testament (10-23%)
TITHE was NEVER a form of government TAXATION
The TITHE was to be brought to God’s HOUSE (the PRIESTS or the TEMPLE), which is parallel to the local church in the New Testament
The TITHE was never to APPEASE God’s anger, or buy Him off
The TITHE is still a spiritual law ENACTED TODAY, designed to resource TRANSFORMATION, KINGDOM MISSION and WORSHIP DEVOTION
The TITHE was an Old Testament form of SPIRITUAL EXERCISE for the heart, by putting GOD’S KINGDOM FIRST
The WHOLE TITHE is ALREADY God’s; when we don’t return it we are “robbing God”
The TITHE is from our FIRST and BEST portions
Even the PRIESTS/TEMPLE were to TITHE
DEUTERONOMY 8:18 NKJV And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you POWER TO GET WEALTH, that HE MAY ESTABLISH HIS COVENANT which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
LEVITICUS 27:30, 32 NIV A TITHE of EVERYTHING from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, BELONGS to the LORD; it is HOLY to the LORD. ... 32 Every TITHE of the herd and flock--every TENTH animal that passes under the shepherd's rod--will be HOLY to the LORD.
We didn’t know TITHING was a such a powerful deal
We had misinformed doctrinal conflict around TITHING
We had thought giving elsewhere is TITHING
We had thought that giving incrementally was TITHING
We considered TITHING a luxury, rather than a priority
We don’t have enough money at my house to TITHE
We don’t know why
WHICH OF THESE STATEMENTS
CREATES MORE ANXIETY IN YOU?
“You have no access to God for a year”
“You have no access to money for a year”
WHY?
We become completely disempowered Christians
Our hearts become increasingly hardened
The mission of God is unrealized, the gospel is under resourced
What we take for granted today, will be gone tomorrow
Our legacy is stolen
OUT OF EVERYTHING WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY,
WHAT IS YOUR ONE NEXT STEP THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE?
ASSESS THE “PURPOSE” OF YOUR PRESENT CHOICES
RE-SURRENDER TO GOD’S PURPOSE
TAKE A COURAGEOUS STEP TO TITHE