1 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:11,039 Speaker 1: To Welcome to Last Subject Podcast. Our mission at Vlatimery 2 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:16,079 Subject Ministries is to reach the world globally and disciple 3 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:23,399 them digitally. Let's dive into this episode. 4 00:00:24,199 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 2: You probably have heard somebody say it in the church, 5 00:00:26,879 --> 00:00:30,640 or maybe you have said it yourself. Tithing is old Testament. 6 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,439 We are not under the law. Jesus never told us 7 00:00:34,439 --> 00:00:38,320 to tithe. And look, I get it, that sounds like freedom, 8 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:41,119 but is it actually true today? I want to walk 9 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:43,560 with you through the Bible what the Bible actually says 10 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:48,600 about tithing, not what your fears, greed or comfort, or 11 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:51,520 not even what your bank account says. So we will 12 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:55,200 look at some texts. First of all, what is a tithe? 13 00:00:55,600 --> 00:01:00,000 The word tithe simply means eight tenth s, it's ten percent. 14 00:01:00,679 --> 00:01:04,959 Before we even get to Malachi or Moses, I want 15 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,319 to take you to a man who had no law, 16 00:01:07,799 --> 00:01:11,920 who had no priest, who had no sermon, who had 17 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:16,120 no local church to attend, that needed money to run 18 00:01:16,159 --> 00:01:20,680 its operations and its missions. And he gave a tie. 19 00:01:20,719 --> 00:01:24,879 And that man is no other but Abraham. Genesis fourteen 20 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:28,519 twentieth it says, and he gave him a tie. So 21 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:33,079 Abraham just experienced a powerful, supernatural I would even say 22 00:01:33,239 --> 00:01:38,000 military victory. God delivered him from his enemies. And then 23 00:01:38,159 --> 00:01:43,319 his first instinct is to give ten percent to Melchizedek, 24 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:49,480 who is this mysterious king slash priest. Nobody told Abraham 25 00:01:49,519 --> 00:01:52,840 to do that, Nobody commanded Abraham to do that. He 26 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,480 just did it. Why because his faith. And Abraham is 27 00:01:56,519 --> 00:01:59,200 called the Father of faith because he received righteousness by 28 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:04,200 faith like we do. And this faith recognized the greatness 29 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:09,520 in this king slash priest, and he responded in honor. 30 00:02:10,039 --> 00:02:15,240 So then Abraham's grandson Jacob does the same thing. There's 31 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:20,039 no law, no levites, no temple, no priests, and yet 32 00:02:20,159 --> 00:02:23,280 he makes a vow to give a tithe to God 33 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:28,639 in Genesis twenty eight twenty two. So Abraham gives it 34 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:32,120 as a response to victory, as a response to honor God, 35 00:02:32,599 --> 00:02:35,520 and Jacob gives it as a promise that if God 36 00:02:35,599 --> 00:02:38,840 blesses him, if he gives him some means, then he 37 00:02:38,879 --> 00:02:40,960 will honor him. Now, I want you to notice that 38 00:02:41,039 --> 00:02:45,719 this pattern existed before Moses, before the ten Commandments, and 39 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:50,240 before the ceremonial laws and the priestly laws and many others. 40 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:53,840 And that matters. Let's address the second question, and that 41 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:57,319 is the tithing end. When Jesus died on the cross. 42 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:02,080 So fast forward to Moses. Tithing is no longer just 43 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,319 the response. Tithing is no longer just a promise. It's 44 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:09,240 actually get embedded into a rhythm. It gets embedded into 45 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:12,360 the law. Now, so many people when they think of 46 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:14,919 the law, they think it's some kind of a curse 47 00:03:15,039 --> 00:03:16,800 or some kind of an evil thing. And we have 48 00:03:16,879 --> 00:03:20,840 to really be careful because the law reveals God's character, 49 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:24,639 it reveals God's expectations. And God didn't change in the 50 00:03:24,879 --> 00:03:29,439 New Covenant. The Old Covenant had many different covenants, the 51 00:03:29,479 --> 00:03:34,159 Covenant with Noah, the Covenant with Aaron, the Covenant with David, 52 00:03:34,479 --> 00:03:37,360 and these covenants that God made with people. He had 53 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:41,199 some expectations involved in that. And so now God makes 54 00:03:41,199 --> 00:03:45,759 a covenant with his nation of Israel at the Mountain Sinai, 55 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:48,879 and we see these expectations. He gives them ten commandments, 56 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:51,599 and the tithing is not in the ten commendments, but 57 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:55,879 it's part of the expectation that God lays on his nation, 58 00:03:56,159 --> 00:03:59,759 on his people, his son Israel. Bible calls it. So 59 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,800 some of us will say, well, but that ended because 60 00:04:02,879 --> 00:04:05,680 Jesus came, and all of that is done. Plus we're 61 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:10,039 not Jewish. See the Bible says Jesus fulfilled the law. 62 00:04:10,479 --> 00:04:13,080 And so some people say that that means that tithing 63 00:04:13,199 --> 00:04:17,199 is done. But here's where people miss. Not everything in 64 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:21,800 the Old Testament is simply you raised. Plus the Old 65 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:25,199 Testament is not actually the Old Covenant. The Old Testament 66 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:28,720 is a combination of many books, writing psalms and things 67 00:04:28,759 --> 00:04:32,560 we still use. We pray the psalms. We still honor 68 00:04:32,639 --> 00:04:35,240 the ten Commandments, and we live by them. And we 69 00:04:35,319 --> 00:04:38,519 even Jesus even raises the bar higher, not lower, when 70 00:04:38,519 --> 00:04:41,040 it comes to murder, when it comes to adultery. All 71 00:04:41,079 --> 00:04:45,399 of that is still God's perfect law that is applied 72 00:04:45,639 --> 00:04:48,800 even to Christians. Now, is that law and means by 73 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,959 which we get saved? No? Is that law and means 74 00:04:51,959 --> 00:04:54,120 by which we have a relationship with God? No? But 75 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:57,600 is that a law by means by which we know 76 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:01,480 what pleases God? Not to have any the gods, not 77 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:04,439 to take the Lord's name in vain, and not to 78 00:05:04,439 --> 00:05:07,240 make any images of God to honor the Sabbath. That 79 00:05:07,319 --> 00:05:09,959 didn't start even with Israel. He started in a garden 80 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,839 of God, setting one day apart, and it's helpful for 81 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:16,399 you and healthy to honor your mom and dad. That 82 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:20,240 still applies to us. That transfers to us. So we 83 00:05:20,319 --> 00:05:24,199 draw wisdom from the proverbs, we honor the Ten Commandments, 84 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,759 we pray the psalms, and so my rule is simple. 85 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:32,879 If the New Covenant or the New Testament cancel something, 86 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:38,600 clearly it's done. If it clarifies something, we follow the 87 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:43,319 clarified version. But if it never canceled it and it 88 00:05:43,439 --> 00:05:49,079 actually connected to God's unchanging character, we shouldn't be slow 89 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:52,920 to dismiss it. Because right in the middle of the 90 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:56,759 most famous tithing passage in the scripture, God drops this 91 00:05:56,879 --> 00:06:02,040 line Malachi chapter three, verse six I The Lord do 92 00:06:02,199 --> 00:06:07,079 not change. Isn't that interesting? It's like God knew we 93 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,439 would try to dismiss this, so he interrupted his own 94 00:06:10,519 --> 00:06:15,120 speech about tithing to remind us his nature does not change. 95 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:20,279 You cannot outdate God's character. So let's dive now into 96 00:06:20,319 --> 00:06:24,879 what Jesus taught about tithing. Some people say Jesus never 97 00:06:24,959 --> 00:06:29,040 addressed tithing. That's simply not true. In Matthew twenty three 98 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:33,920 twenty three, Jesus directly addresses tithing, and this is what 99 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:37,279 it says, woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for 100 00:06:37,399 --> 00:06:40,959 you tithe, For you pay tithe out of Mint and 101 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:45,160 his and Kumin, and have neglected the waiter matters of 102 00:06:45,199 --> 00:06:49,279 the law, justice, mercy, and faith. These you ought to 103 00:06:49,319 --> 00:06:55,800 have done without leaving the others Undone. Notice that Jesus 104 00:06:55,800 --> 00:07:00,680 did not say, forget the tithing, focus on mercy. It's 105 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:04,079 not one or the other. To Jesus, he said both. 106 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:08,959 He said, don't neglect justice and mercy, and don't neglect 107 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:13,040 the tithe. So Jesus affirms tithing in the same sentence 108 00:07:13,079 --> 00:07:17,399 where he corrects Pharisees and their hypocrisy. Some people say, well, 109 00:07:17,439 --> 00:07:19,800 but he was talking to the Pharisees, he was not 110 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:22,839 talking to us. Okay, By the same logic, then, when 111 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,879 Jesus told Nicodemus he must be born again, that should 112 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:30,639 only apply to Nicodemus, right, No, we don't do that. 113 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:35,319 We applied Jesus's teachings across the audiences. Because the Scripture 114 00:07:35,439 --> 00:07:38,240 is written for the whole church and not only for 115 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:43,240 the Jewish people. These teachings that Jesus gave us, many 116 00:07:43,319 --> 00:07:46,720 of them are applied to us. Now we're not offering 117 00:07:46,759 --> 00:07:50,319 today tithe to a temple. We're going to a church. 118 00:07:50,759 --> 00:07:53,000 But there's something else that's very important to take a 119 00:07:53,079 --> 00:07:57,160 notice of the same Greek word Jesus uses for aught 120 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:01,759 in Matthew twenty three twenty three is the same root 121 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:06,879 word he uses for must in John three seven in 122 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:11,160 talking to Nicodemus, where he said you must be born again, 123 00:08:11,839 --> 00:08:16,920 you ought to tithe, same language of divine necessity. Now 124 00:08:17,079 --> 00:08:20,839 nobody will debate the new birth, yet somehow we debate 125 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:23,519 the tithe well, but Jesus only mentioned it once. You 126 00:08:23,519 --> 00:08:26,279 can argue the same thing, for Jesus only mentioned be 127 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,759 born again once. So this does not mean the tithing 128 00:08:30,839 --> 00:08:34,120 is on the same level of being born again. Absolutely not. 129 00:08:34,799 --> 00:08:38,639 But the word that he used is actually a one 130 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:42,799 of obligation and necessity and not a one of it's optional, 131 00:08:43,519 --> 00:08:46,840 And therefore I think it's very inaccurate. Now you don't 132 00:08:46,879 --> 00:08:48,879 have to tithe, you don't have to do anything, you 133 00:08:48,919 --> 00:08:52,159 don't have to follow what Jesus said. But it's important 134 00:08:52,159 --> 00:08:54,519 that we don't put words in Jesus's mouth that he 135 00:08:54,639 --> 00:08:58,879 never said, and we don't assume, well, Jesus never addressed 136 00:08:58,919 --> 00:09:01,919 it when he actually did or when he addressed it 137 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:04,960 he was soft about it. He actually was very clear 138 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:07,279 about it. And I think there's a reason for that. 139 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,840 Now you may save lad, but what about Paul. Paul 140 00:09:11,399 --> 00:09:14,480 never uses the exact word tithe. But I want to 141 00:09:14,519 --> 00:09:18,480 show you something. Paul also never used the word Gehenna. 142 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:22,200 It's what Jesus used for hell. Yet we preach hell. 143 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:26,759 Paul never used the word trinity, yet we believe in trinity. 144 00:09:27,159 --> 00:09:32,000 So doctrines are not proven by vocabulary. They are proven 145 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:35,799 by the full console of the scriptures that we see 146 00:09:35,879 --> 00:09:40,360 throughout the Bible, not just in taking letters that Paul 147 00:09:40,399 --> 00:09:44,279 wrote to specific churches in specific seasons. Paul wasn't giving 148 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:48,799 a whole breakdown of systematic theology and everything that Christians 149 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:50,879 need to do or not to do in all of 150 00:09:50,919 --> 00:09:54,759 his letters. So here is what Paul does teach. Though. 151 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:57,159 Paul teaches us to give on the first day of 152 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:01,039 the week on Corinthians sixteen to two. Paul teaches us 153 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:05,360 to give proportionally according to what you have. Second Corinthians 154 00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:10,519 eight twelve, Paul also teaches us to support gospel workers, 155 00:10:10,879 --> 00:10:13,519 and he says this that it's commanded by the Lord. 156 00:10:13,799 --> 00:10:19,720 First Corinthians nine fourteen. So the entire foundation underneath of 157 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:24,799 the tithing Paul teaches just without using the word. So 158 00:10:24,879 --> 00:10:27,519 to say that Paul did not instruct the churches to 159 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:30,399 do it will be also missing the point where in reality, 160 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:34,639 Paul actually taught the foundation. What is tithing really about. 161 00:10:34,919 --> 00:10:38,200 It's about the consistency in giving. It's about a proportional 162 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,679 percentage giving, and it's a giving that when to support 163 00:10:41,759 --> 00:10:44,960 the spread and the work of the mission in the temple, 164 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:48,960 in the tabernacle, support the priests, and support the advancement 165 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:52,279 of that ministry. In the New Testament, is to support 166 00:10:52,279 --> 00:10:55,399 the advancement of the Gospel. It's to support the operations 167 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:58,320 of the local church by honoring, so that there will 168 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:00,519 be a bread in the house, like it says in Malaca. 169 00:11:00,759 --> 00:11:05,480 So the same principle underneath Paul is talking about without 170 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:08,440 using the word, the same way Paul talked about eternal 171 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:11,840 separation from God without using the word that Jesus always used. 172 00:11:11,879 --> 00:11:14,279 We cannot say, well, I don't believe in hell now, 173 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:17,759 why because Paul never used the word gehanna. Well, Jesus 174 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:21,240 used it. That's enough, and Paul reinforced it by using 175 00:11:21,279 --> 00:11:25,720 different words. So I think the strongest proof for tithing 176 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:29,360 in the New Testament is Hebrews Chapter seven. It's arguably 177 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:33,200 the strongest New Testament anchor for tithing because the writer 178 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:37,120 of Hebrews goes all the way to Abraham's tithing, how 179 00:11:37,159 --> 00:11:42,120 he tied to Melchizedec, and connects it directly to Jesus's priesthood. 180 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:45,519 If the New Testament wanted to cancel tithing, Hebrews seven 181 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:49,480 was the perfect place to do it. But instead Hebrews 182 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:54,519 seven highlights tithing and actually spiritualizes it and roots it 183 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:59,360 in Christ, not in a law or somehow that it's 184 00:11:59,399 --> 00:12:03,720 relating to a legalistic system where it's only limited to Israel, 185 00:12:03,919 --> 00:12:08,360 to their nation. It's connecting to faith, it's connecting to Jesus, 186 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:13,360 and it's something we're still walking by faith, worshiping Jesus, 187 00:12:13,399 --> 00:12:17,960 our King, and our priests. In conclusion, here are ten 188 00:12:18,039 --> 00:12:23,039 reasons I tithe. Number one is because Abraham tithed before 189 00:12:23,039 --> 00:12:26,759 the law by faith, and he is the prototype of 190 00:12:26,799 --> 00:12:30,399 a New Testament believer. Number two, it's because Jesus said, 191 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:34,960 are too, and I do take his words seriously, even 192 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:39,039 the uncomfortable ones. Number three is God says I do 193 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:42,360 not change in the middle of a tithing conversation. I 194 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:44,759 don't think that's accidental, in the midst of all this 195 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:49,159 controversy about tithing. I take that seriously. Number four Hebrews 196 00:12:49,399 --> 00:12:54,039 seven connects tithing to Jesus's eternal priesthood, not to a 197 00:12:54,159 --> 00:12:57,519 law given to a nation. That still reveals God's character 198 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:01,159 and it is still important. Number five isthing trains me 199 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:05,120 to put God first, not when I feel generous, but 200 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:08,159 as a habit of submitting to the lordship of Jesus. 201 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:12,639 Number six. Every time I tithe, I say God, this 202 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:17,440 was yours first. It kills my entitlement, It kills this idea. 203 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:21,200 I earned it, it's mine, and I just get a 204 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:24,600 chance to tip to God. No, I actually acknowledge God 205 00:13:24,919 --> 00:13:27,879 is the owner. I'm the steward and the manager. Number seven, 206 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:32,519 I've watched God's blessings on the ninety percent how to 207 00:13:32,639 --> 00:13:39,480 perform my control on one hundred percent every single time. 208 00:13:40,039 --> 00:13:44,759 Number eight, the local church feeds me, covers me, and 209 00:13:44,879 --> 00:13:50,360 sends me my tithe supports the storehouse that sustains me. 210 00:13:50,919 --> 00:13:53,559 If you're complaining about your local church not having bread, 211 00:13:54,039 --> 00:13:58,480 not having life or movement, like, are you adding value 212 00:13:58,519 --> 00:14:01,440 to it. Number nine, the New Testament goal is not 213 00:14:01,519 --> 00:14:04,519 to negotiate down to the minimum. For example, look at 214 00:14:04,519 --> 00:14:08,879 everything Jesus addressed from the Ten Commandments, murder, adultery and 215 00:14:08,919 --> 00:14:11,559 other things. He always raised the bar. Look at the 216 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:15,279 discipleship model. Jesus would invite people to follow him and 217 00:14:15,399 --> 00:14:18,840 sometimes challenge them to give everything. Look at disciples who 218 00:14:18,879 --> 00:14:22,159 decided to follow Jesus, and sometimes, like zachiahs, he would 219 00:14:22,159 --> 00:14:24,480 give half of his income. Jesus says, if you have 220 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:27,360 two codes, give one away. So you see, Jesus raises 221 00:14:27,399 --> 00:14:30,799 the bar, not lowers it when it comes to giving, 222 00:14:30,879 --> 00:14:34,519 and that makes people uncomfortable. Number ten is tithing is 223 00:14:34,559 --> 00:14:37,279 not the ceiling, it's the floor. And I refuse to 224 00:14:37,279 --> 00:14:40,159 live on the floor, so that means the tithing is 225 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:43,320 not my ceiling. Tithing is where I start. If you 226 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:46,519 look at the tides that supported the priests in the 227 00:14:46,559 --> 00:14:52,120 Old Testament, those tides help to maintain religious service to God. 228 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:55,120 If you look at the tides that go and support 229 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:59,480 the advancement of the local church, our mission is bigger 230 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:03,279 than to me. We advance. We take territories for the 231 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:05,879 Kingdom of God. So to us the argument that somehow. 232 00:15:05,919 --> 00:15:09,759 Under the Old Testament, the tithe was legalistic because it 233 00:15:09,759 --> 00:15:11,799 only helped to maintain it. But now God doesn't want 234 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:13,799 us to give at all. Yet God wants us to 235 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:16,320 advance the gospel, Like how can they go on lester 236 00:15:16,519 --> 00:15:20,120 scand how can they advance the gospel if the church 237 00:15:20,159 --> 00:15:23,600 doesn't support the missionaries, if we don't support the youth pastors, 238 00:15:23,639 --> 00:15:25,600 if we don't support the ministry, if we don't go 239 00:15:25,639 --> 00:15:28,240 into schools, if we don't have charity, Like I don't 240 00:15:28,279 --> 00:15:31,320 understand the logic that some people have when they push 241 00:15:31,399 --> 00:15:34,519 the idea of not tithing. And if the word tithing 242 00:15:34,639 --> 00:15:37,720 feels uncomfortable for you, I really you know, started with 243 00:15:37,759 --> 00:15:40,720 twenty percent, started with fifty percent right away so that 244 00:15:40,879 --> 00:15:44,120 you don't get triggered by that tithe thing. But to 245 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:47,320 ignore the heart of generosity that is presented in the gospels, 246 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:51,480 I think is very detrimental to our spiritual growth. Israel 247 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:54,960 tithe because God delivered them from Pharaoh. You know, we 248 00:15:55,039 --> 00:15:57,759 tithe because God delivered us from darkness, He delivered us 249 00:15:57,759 --> 00:16:01,240 from demon san and gave us life. And Jesus is 250 00:16:01,279 --> 00:16:04,279 an example of what it's like to experience the generosity 251 00:16:04,279 --> 00:16:07,120 of God, and to not develop that as a Christian, 252 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:10,080 I think it's missing the point of what it means 253 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:12,159 to be a disciple of Jesus. Now let me conclude 254 00:16:12,159 --> 00:16:14,240 this on this. A question that I get asked a 255 00:16:14,279 --> 00:16:17,519 lot is should I tie that on my gross or 256 00:16:17,639 --> 00:16:21,519 my net? My question to you then, is this, do 257 00:16:21,559 --> 00:16:24,039 you want to honor God with the first and the 258 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:28,879 full measure or only with what's left after deductions. That's 259 00:16:28,919 --> 00:16:33,039 really the question the first fruits thinking or honoring God 260 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:36,720 with the first is really about putting God first, not 261 00:16:36,919 --> 00:16:42,200 God after. For most people, gross is the clearest starting point. 262 00:16:42,559 --> 00:16:45,559 With that said, Bible doesn't give us a verse that 263 00:16:45,679 --> 00:16:48,639 says gross or net, And I'm not gonna make this 264 00:16:48,679 --> 00:16:52,200 into a law or some sort of condemnation. I encourage 265 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:56,120 people you can start with the net, grow to the gross. 266 00:16:56,639 --> 00:17:00,000 But if you're a business owner, it would make sense 267 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:04,599 more to tithe on your net profit than your gross revenue, 268 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:09,799 because revenue is not the same thing as increase payroll, 269 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:13,480 overhead cost, the cost of goods. That's not profit, that's 270 00:17:13,599 --> 00:17:16,640 cost of producing the income, and so tithing on the 271 00:17:16,759 --> 00:17:20,359 net profit is usually the most honest measure of the 272 00:17:20,519 --> 00:17:24,000 actual increase. When it comes to business. So whether you're 273 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:27,680 doing gross or net, be consistent, be intentional, and don't 274 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:31,480 let the calculation become an excuse for why you avoid it. 275 00:17:31,559 --> 00:17:33,720 So here is what I want you to walk away 276 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:36,680 today with tithing is not just this guilt trip. It's 277 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:40,400 not a fundraising strategy. It's a declaration. It's part of 278 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:43,240 your spiritual formation. When you're tithe, you're saying, God, I 279 00:17:43,279 --> 00:17:46,480 acknowledge that you own everything I manage. You are the 280 00:17:46,559 --> 00:17:49,440 lord of my wallet. I trust you with what's left. 281 00:17:49,799 --> 00:17:52,559 And what you will find is what Abraham found, what 282 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:56,319 Jacob found, and what every person that has taken Malachi 283 00:17:56,359 --> 00:18:00,440 three ten seriously has found. You cannot outdo give a 284 00:18:00,519 --> 00:18:05,400 God who never changes if you never tithe, start this month. 285 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:10,319 Start where you are not perfectly, but faithfully tied to 286 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:13,960 your local church. You can give above your tithe to 287 00:18:14,039 --> 00:18:17,640 some ministries as an offering, but your tithe goes to 288 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:20,799 the local church. So there will be food in the storehouse, 289 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:24,240 and let God bless the rest of it, and you 290 00:18:24,279 --> 00:18:27,960 will see God will cause then ninety to go further. 291 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:31,799 Then you're one hundred could ever on your own. Thank 292 00:18:31,799 --> 00:18:34,920 you for watching this video. I just released a little booklet. 293 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:37,319 You can download it for free on my website, or 294 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:39,640 you need a physical copy, you can get it on 295 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:43,640 Amazon or an audio version where it dives deeper into 296 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:47,359 the Beginner's Guide of giving for believers. I connect giving 297 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:51,160 to spiritual formation, not just some fundraising thing. The church 298 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:53,319 in his money. Ministries need money, and I want you 299 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:55,200 to check this out. I believe it's going to be 300 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:57,519 a great blessing to your spiritual growth. 301 00:18:59,279 --> 00:19:02,400 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to this episode. I believe that 302 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:06,640 you were encouraged, strengthened, and convicted. If this was a 303 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:09,720 blessing to you, would you help and share with your 304 00:19:09,759 --> 00:19:13,319 friends as well as maybe on social media and leave 305 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:17,519 a review on the podcast where you are consuming this content. 306 00:19:17,799 --> 00:19:19,039 Speaker 2: It will help us a lot. 307 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:21,440 Speaker 1: If God puts on your heart to become a partner 308 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:24,880 of this ministry, go to Pastorvlad dot org and you 309 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:28,799 can become a partner there. God bless and remember you 310 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:30,319 will raise to deliver.