Tithing

When someone rich dies usually the first question asked by friends and relatives is “How much money did he leave us?” Then the guessing game begins. Actually, there is no need to guess.   The answer is simply “He left everything.”

The Bible says we brought nothing into this world and we will take nothing out (1Timothy 6:7). Many people equate success and contentment with money and other material possessions. The Bible makes it clear that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). People have strayed from faith because of wealth. Some being so obsessed with the wealth they have gone down the drain morally, physically, spiritually and psychologically. Solomon said, “He who seeks silver will never be satisfied with silver” (Ecclesiastes 5:10).

 Money per-se is not bad. But when it becomes our god - it is bad. God blesses people financially so that wealth can be used to glorify God, spread His Gospel, and to share that wealth with other people who are in need.

We should offer a part of what God has given us to be used for His greater glory. This is the essence of tithing. What is tithing? Tithing is giving the tenth part of one’s income to the Lord. The origin of the Christian practice of tithing is unknown, but the first Biblical account of tithing was on Abraham’s return from slaughtering of the kings, he gave Melchisedec, the king of Salem, one-tenth of the spoils (Genesis 14:17-20).  What is certain is that tithing originated long before Moses was born. It started before there was the Hebrew nation.

We can rob God in tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:8-10). The Lord tells the children of Israel to test Him and see if their storehouses are not full.

Proverbs 3:9 tells us to honor the Lord with our wealth. The Lord grieves when we spend money set aside for Him on other things. This is an insult to the Lord. Tithing should have priority over the other uses of our money. Tithing should also come from our hearts. God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

How can I tell if the desires of my heart are from God?

How can I tell if the desires of my heart are from God?: How can I tell if the desires of my heart are from God? Should I follow my heart? How can I know if my heart desires what God desires?

Body of Christ

If you take an honest look at the larger Body of Christ, which is to say at groups you don’t worship with, you will see manifestations of the Spirit in the Methodist church, and in the Southern Baptist church, and in the Pentecostal church and in the Church of Christ and in the Missionary Baptist church and in the Lutheran church and in the Catholic church… We may not always agree on teaching or customs or traditions, but where the Spirit is present, so are our brothers and sisters in Christ, for we all have the same indwelling Holy Spirit.

Acknowledge God

God wants us to acknowledge Him. Psalm 46:10 says "Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth". When we acknowledge God, there will be a confession of sin (Proverbs 28:13), a confession of salvation (Romans 10:10), a confession of the Savior (John 4:15). We must admit our own weakness in the flesh, our inability to help ourselves and our total dependence on Jesus Christ. Jesus said "without me, ye can do nothing" John 15:5. Paul said, " I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me" (Philippians 4:13). We are to commit our ways to Him (Proverbs 3:6), we are to commit our lives to Him (Philippians 1:21), and we are to commit our will to Him (Luke 22:42).  

God wants our allegiance. Jesus commanded, " And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:27). We give our allegiance to many different things, political parties, employers, family and friends and many other things, but God wants us to give Him our allegiance first. We will make time for what is most important in our lives. Colossians 3:2 says "Set your affections on things above, not on things of the earth". 

God wants us to be available to Him. We need God. Many time's people think that God needs them. People who think this have, an overinflated ego. Nothing could be further from the truth. Romans 12:3 says "For I say through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think........ The Lord wants to use us but He can and will use someone else if we are not willing to be obedient to Him. 

What does it mean to glorify God? | 412teens.org

What does it mean to glorify God?

| 412teens.org

Man's way

I think the majority of people who believe in God are trying to earn their way to heaven because they mistakenly believe that God's economy operates like man's economy.

(Proverbs 14:12) There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

God does not reward people for doing good work like the world does. In the world, you do a good job and you get rewarded, but God rewards us for having faith in His Son, Christ Jesus, Messiah Yeshua.

(John 1:12) But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

Who are Christian missionaries and what do they do?

Who are Christian missionaries and what do they do?: Who are Christian missionaries and what do they do? What is a Christian missionary? Who are some well-known Christian missionaries?

Sin

The Bible teaches us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, Roman's 3:23. But the Bible also teaches us that God sent His Son to die for our sins and that whoever believes in Him will be forgiven for their sins, John 3:16. Jesus said to believe and to repent. To repent means to turn from sin, to stop sinning. When we do sin after we have believed in Jesus the Bible says to acknowledge our sin to God and He will cleanse us of our sin, 1 John 1:9. This keeps us in fellowship with God after we have been forgiven. We will always struggle with temptation and sin, but we don't have to live in sin. Living in sin is a choice people make who are in rebellion against God. Jesus told one woman caught in sin to go and sin no more. I have heard some people try to justify sin because we all do sin. The truth is that they don't want to turn from their sin. Jesus said to believe and to turn from sin. Many people refuse to do this because they want to live life their way and not God's way. Don't worry about what others choose to do, because each of us are responsible for what we do. Don't worry about what hypocrites do because we answer for what we do. Each of us has to work out or live out our own salvation no matter what the other person does. We all do sin, but we can avoid sin by submitting to God and being strengthened by His Holy Spirit.

God

All things work together for the Glory of God! Your assignment is to remain focused and faithful, to be a cheerful servant and to meet each day and those in it with love and compassion!

Like no other

God is a spirit but not like humans or animals (John 4:24). He cannot be represented by any created thing. Any attempt to create a representation like that is blastphemy ( Exodus 4:2-6). God does never changes (Malachi 3:5). He knows everything (1 John 3:20). He is present everywhere (Psalm 139:7-13). He is Holy and glorious (Isaiah 6:3). He is just (Deuteronomy:32:4) and will judge all sins and unrighteouness (Jude 1:15).

As you can see it is not wise to compare God to humans or animals, Human beings cannot do any of these things nor can animals, I remember reading an article somewhere a long time ago that the human body actually loses two (2) ounces when we die. Animals keep the same weight when they die. Where did the human weight go? It was suggested by some medical professionals that this was the spirit leaving the body. The other doctors said that it was just a mystery that could not be explained. I just thought I would add this information. It is interesting to say the least. Now lets continue on to spiritualism.

Spiritualists do not believe in Heaven or Hell (Matthew 10:28; 25:46) nor do they believe in evil spirits (Mark 5:8 and Matthew 12:43).They don't believe in salvation by faith in Christ either (Ephesians 2:8-9). They believe human life continues after death, where everyone has the opportunity to progress to better and higher and grow more spiritually. These conditions are open to everyone. This is an attempt to combine Christianity with the occult practices.

Salvation

How you see God is how you experience His salvation, or eternal life in Christ Jesus. As we see in Psalm 91, seeing God as our deliverer entitles us to these benefits such as divine protection from disease, from harm, walking in divine protection (in all your ways, verse 11), etc. God said in verse 14 that He would deliver us and set us on High because we call upon Him and recognize Him. 

God and you

God is EVERYWHERE, including INSIDE YOU. So try this on: If you believe in God, believe also in yourself. After all, you were created in HIS image and likeness. And if that sounds like a big pill to swallow, you'll love this: GOD BELIEVES IN YOU! God has ULTIMATE faith in your ability to be Christ-like here on Earth. If you can BELIEVE that GOD BELIEVES IN YOU, Heaven awaits . . . shout it out!

Tounge

  Luke 6:45

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths. Ephesians 4:29

Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, Ephesians 5:4

But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Colossians 3:8

From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. James 3:10

The same mouth that sang praise to God on Sunday, is now taking His name in vain on Monday. The same tongue that said Amen to the sermon on Sunday, is now breaking the commandments on Monday. The same tongue that spoke gently on Sunday is filled with bitterness on Monday. If the only time you see a change in your speech is out of respect for the sanctuary, then maybe you are a respectful sinner, but not a changed one?
#ExamineYourHeart

How can I be saved?

How can I be saved?: What does it mean to be saved? How can I be saved? How can I be certain that I am saved?