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We are free to give beyond our tithe;
actually set our tithe based on the income we expect
to harvest! Is that living under the Law? Of course!
And Satan is a criminally minded intruder, seeking whom
and what he may devour. To a tither, he is trespassing,
arrested by the Word of God, and sent to crawl on his
belly to the pit of poverty! He is unable to claim that
you left your door unlocked so he could walk in and
take possession of your goods: spiritually, intellectually,
physically, or otherwise! We need a new revelation of
living under the Law. Because of our laws in this country,
no alien can trespass here and begin plundering our
property or rights. The Law of the United States protects
us, uses proper authority, arrests, convicts, judges,
and prosecutes those who threaten our rights and privileges.
If, however, we have left our property
open, unlocked, unprotected, or if we have helped someone
commit a crime against others or even ourselves, the
Law has greater difficulty protecting us and separating
us from the consequences of punishment. Tithing provides
God with the legal handcuffs to chain the enemy of our
prosperity to the pit, and keep him from stealing from
the blessings God has provided to our storehouse.
Jesus set the example of tithing to
the synagogue even though he was in the full time ministry
of His own. In the New Covenant your blessings are determined
by your giving.
Types of giving that God will
not honor or credit to your account: 2 Cor
9:7
- Any giving that is out of obligation
- Any giving that is not "hilariously joyful"
- Any giving when you are offended at anyone-Blocks
your Blessing!!!
- Any giving that is not an "Act of Worship."
In the New Covenant, giving is actually
a direct indicator of your level of "Faith." This is
a true test of your spiritual maturity.
"God doesn't really have your
heart unless he has your wallet." -Pastor Dan Backens
Stewardship involves "Fiduciary
Responsibility"
- Giving must be:
- Freely given
- A real joy to do
- In a spirit of freedom from anger at anyone
- Offering time should be as much a spiritual experience
as the praise music time.
Here's the Deal:
God's Trust Department:
God provides all the financial resources
He asks you to take good care of, and be wise in, the
use of the resources
He only wants 10% and you get to keep 90%.
He multiplies the 10% for an additional return of 100%!!!
First "American-Christian" Bank Trust
Department:
You provide all the money to the bank trust department.
You ask the Bank to take good care of and be wise with
100% of those funds.
You do everything, but the bank keeps 5% and you get
95%.
Looks like God is offering a pretty good
deal!
Business Partnership:
You agree to be in partnership with God.
God provides all the creative energy to you to succeed.
God supernaturally blesses your business far above what
you could have done.
God gets 10% and you get 90%.
You are both of one mind, one Spirit, one accord, equally
yoked.
Our Heavenly Father intended for His
children to be blessed, to live in this world, yet not
be part of it; to be eternally minded, not transformed
to this world. In our prosperity covenant, He expected
us to always increase, always abound in every good work.
Even in the Commandments, His "Thou shalt not's" were
intended to steer us away from seeking answers from
the ungodly. We never needed to covet our neighbor's
goods because we were to ask Him so that He would provide
the Best, not just the same as the Jones'. If you have
accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, that's the first
step. You have eternal life from this day forward. How
you live out that life is determined by whether or not
you allow Jesus Christ to be Lord of your life: your
thoughts, emotions, decisions, relationships, finances…everything.
Three daily tasks will set you in the place where you
can receive abundantly from the Lord. Every day make
opportunities for:
- Surrendering every part of your life to His Lordship
and the standards He has set for His covenant children
through the Scriptures.
- Seeking first His Kingdom on earth as in Heaven
SO that all things (not just financial) will be added
unto you - not taken away from you. He rebukes the
devourer.
- Spreading the Good News of a saving relationship
with Him to every person He places in your path; whether
by going to the world or sending others.
Without these basic salvation principles
in place, you are simply gambling that God will rescue
and restore you from financial distress. Gambling with
your eternal existence is far more dangerous than gambling
with your financial future. A saving relationship with
Jesus Christ as your Lord - Don't leave this course
without It!!!
Prayer for Salvation and Baptism
(Power) in the Holy Spirit
Heavenly Father, in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ,
I ask in obedience to your word and the prompting of
your Holy Spirit, that Jesus would come and live in
my heart. Father, You promised that if I call on the
name of the Lord I will be saved. I thank you that you
hear my petition, and that the blood of Jesus is right
now cleansing my heart, mind, and body of everything
I have ever done against You or others. Forgive me Father
and draw to my awareness things You want to cleanse
or change from my past.
Teach me to walk in the Fruit of the
Holy Spirit, in the image of Jesus, my Lord. Now Father,
I ask according to Luke 11:13 that You "give the Holy
Spirit to me." I ask that the infilling power of the
Holy Spirit rise up from my born again spirit, Lord,
and overflow in my heavenly prayer language of Tongues.
Father that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
I would receive the evidence of tongues as confidence
that I have the entire package of Gifts of Your Holy
Spirit and that I will grow in Faith, Word of Wisdom,
Word of Knowledge, Discerning of spirits, Working of
Miracles, and Healings, Tongues and Interpretation of
Tongues, and Prophecy. (1 Cor 12:3) I thank you Father
and open my mouth in praise to You for Jesus, my Lord.
I surrender my own agenda, my fears, and my voice as
You give me utterance. Praise You , Lord.
NOW that you are IN Christ, you are
a new creation. When you read God's word it will quicken
your heart to be obedient. The anointing of the Holy
Spirit will teach you quickly, almost effortlessly,
the scriptures you need to know for increased blessing.
Continue to develop your prayer language daily so that
God can speak wisdom into your spirit. He has already
given you all things pertaining to life and Godliness.
You must receive them into your spirit and allow them
to grow outwardly through your soul (mind and emotions)
and your body (senses and physical needs.)
Remember, the Lord is not trying to
keep things from you; He is trying to get blessings
to you. Some of your past behaviors and habits may be
obstacles to those blessings. Allow Him to reveal to
you what changes you hope to make. He instructs through
His word, but often uses other believers. Guard your
environment: whom you listen to, receive instruction
from, and where you choose to worship. You become like
those with whom you spend time. Look for Christ-like
behaviors in others; Jesus said we would know true believers
by their fruit. What are your friends producing? Faithfulness,
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Meekness, Gentleness, Long-suffering,
Self-Control? Let the Holy Spirit guide you and when
in question of any decision, place Jesus in the center
of your circumstance and ask, "Jesus, how would you
respond to this?" Within seconds He will show you undoubtedly
what the best response is. That will be your prompting
from the Holy Spirit. You will sense the truth of the
moment and be free to follow His leading.
Study the promises in the Bible concerning
God's covenant with believers. Read power books by proven
Bible teachers and ministries. Follow the recommended
reading list provided on the next page and contact the
ministries listed for questions you have. Most important,
become a member of a local fellowship of Fruit-Producing
Believers. You need to become accountable to others
who God will send you to for equipping as a mature believer
of Christ, and who God can use you to minister to as
you develop your gifts, talents, and calling that the
Lord has for your life.
Be blessed, increasing abundantly
more than you can ever ask or think that you may be
a blessing to others more than they need ever ask or
think. |
