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well today I have a special treat for
you all the way from Dallas Texas the
man who has written this book has
changed my life change the trajectory of
our church pastor Robert Morris is gonna
bring the word today and listen to me I
want you to lean in I want you to know
that if you open your heart and and not
have a heart attack you open your heart
and allow God to speak to you in these
truths everything in your life can
change I want you to get ready as we go
into the next installment of ducks in a
row what tests by Pastor Robert
well I want to welcome all the churches
that are joining us by simulcast and
we’re doing something a little
differently this week we developed a
ticker to just run at the bottom of the
screen right here at the first to be
able to show the churches that are
joining us so if you’re one of the
churches now let me just say if CNN and
Fox News can do a ticker Gateway Church
can do a ticker just want you to know
but if you’re one of the churches that’s
joining us they’re in alphabetical order
and so you can look and see the name of
your church and you can give a shout out
when you see the name of your church I
do want to just give a shout out to all
the churches but also I want to give a
shout out to a Gateway Church Scottsdale
with pastor Preston they’re joining us
and let’s welcome all the churches that
are joining us by simulcast let’s just
say welcome for them
[Applause]
so we do do we do welcome you that’ll
run just a little bit longer until we
get to the end of the churches so you
guys can keep looking at that if you’re
at another church and want to see the
name of your church but let me go ahead
and start and tell you the title again
we’re in a series called the blessed
life and the title of today’s message I
got this title from something that I
used to say a lot when I was in school
the title of this message is what test
any of you relate to this did you ever
have that experience you walk into class
and everyone’s got their books out
they’re studying and they say are you
ready for the test and you say what test
yeah I didn’t I didn’t do well in school
but I am proud of myself because I
graduated in the top 10% of the lower
one-third of my graduating class so if
I’m proud of myself for doing that but
the reason I named it what test is
because many believers don’t know that
there’s a test in the Bible and you
actually take this test every time you
get paid so let’s let’s take a little
survey here all the campuses and all the
churches that are joining us how many of
you get paid once a month
can I have to see you’re in but you know
how many of you get paid either every
other week or twice a month can I see
your hand so that’s most DOS how many of
you paid every week I see you how many
of you never get paid
did you I’m sorry I’m sorry okay but if
you ever get paid you’ll take a test the
test is whom are you going to thank for
your income and you take that test by
what you do with the first 10% of your
income whom are you going to thank whom
are you going to worship for your income
you know some people think visa its
first one they pay the only problem is
that visa does not have the power to
bless your finances but God does so uh
turn to two passages please Malachi
chapter three last book of the Old
Testament Malachi chapter three and then
second chronicles 31 we’ll go over there
in a moment and we’re going to go
through a lot of Scripture in this
message and I want to show you that
tithing is scriptural and this is in
God’s Word so Malachi chapter 3 verse 6
this is where we’ll start Malachi 3:6
for I am the Lord
I do not
change that’s very important I don’t
change I do not change therefore you are
not consumed o sons of Jacob and I think
that’s humorous he says I don’t change
that’s why I haven’t killed you yet
personally so what I think he’s saying
there I was nice and I’m still nice
alright verse seven yet from the days of
your father’s you have gone away from my
ordinances now we’re going to come back
that word ordinance what does it mean
and I’m not kept them return to me and I
will return to you says the Lord of
Hosts but you said in what way shall we
return now before we read verse eight W
just remind you this is God talking this
is God the God who does not change this
is the God who does not change talking
he said you you you go away from my
ordinances I just did probably tell you
the word ordinance means a principle of
ordinary behavior you’ve gone away from
my principles of ordinary behavior for
God’s children and they say well in what
way now won’t you notice this because
this next verse a preacher didn’t make
this up okay this is God speaking verse
8 will a man Rob God or steal from God
yet you have robbed me you’ve stolen
from me but you say in what way have we
robbed you now watch again this is God
talking in tithes and offerings you are
cursed with a curse for you have robbed
me even this whole nation bring all the
tithes into the storehouse that would be
the church that there may be food in my
house again that’s the church and try
the the old King James use of the word
prove the English standard version uses
the word test test me now in this says
says the Lord of Hosts I just want you
to know how many times he put says the
Lord of Hosts so we remember who’s
talking here the one who can’t change is
talking test me says the Lord of Hosts
if I will not open for you the windows
of heaven and pour out for you such
bless
there will not be room enough to receive
it and I will rebuke the Devourer for
your sakes for your sakes so that he
will not destroy the fruit of your
ground nor shall divine failed to bear
fruit for you in the field says the Lord
of Hosts and all nations will call you
blessed for you will be a delightful
land says the Lord of hosts this is God
talking and this is the God who can’t
change you have to remember that and he
says you’ve gone away from my ordinances
you’ve gone away from my ordinary
principles of behavior tithing is an
ordinary principle of behavior for God’s
children to thank God for their income
for their harvest for their increase
that’s an ordinary principle and he said
because you’ve gone away from my
ordinary principles you’re under a curse
now now you need to understand so many
times we say well Christians can’t be
under curse because Christ bore the
curse of the law on the cross he did
that is in regards to our salvation but
are you saying then that you can live
any way you want and it doesn’t affect
you is that what you’re saying because
that’s it’s just crazy to think that way
say see then if we if we steal there are
consequences a curse is a consequence if
you steal there’s a consequence what
have you steal from God and so many
people say well yeah but the the the
Lord owns it all yes but he actually
gives us stewardship over it but he
reserves 10% for himself that’s why says
you’ve stolen because he says I have set
apart the tithe for the house of God so
if you keep it you’re stealing it and
this word is also used in Joshua 6 and 7
when they took the tithe they were
supposed to bring he said Israel has
stolen stolen and again please please
hear me I didn’t make these words up
these are strong words God says you’ve
stolen from me you’ve robbed me and
because of that you’re under curse and I
don’t want you under curse I don’t want
you living under curse but you’re
voluntarily placing yourself under a
curse because you’re going away from my
ordinary principles of behavior
now I had a conversation with the Lord
one time about this passage because this
is probably the most famous passage on
tithing although there are many passages
on tithing and I’ll show you some of
them today
but this is probably the most famous one
and so I had a conversation with the
Lord one time and I said Lord the number
one reason that I hear that people don’t
tithe is they say well that’s in the Old
Testament that’s in the Old Testament
and so I said to the Lord you know Lord
you put this in Malachi 3 and then
there’s Malachi 4 and then Matthew 1
couldn’t you have just waited I mean
just a little while
I mean that you know these verses only
miss the New Testament by like 15 verses
I mean couldn’t you just waited just a
little while and put it you know what
the Lord said Jim I just felt in my
spirit he said I put it right where I
want it and the reason is here’s point
number one because tithing is a test
tithing is a test see God is testing our
hearts even when a person argues about
tithing I think to myself what is the
spirit behind this why would this person
argue when God gave his son for you and
you won’t even give him 10% why would
you argue about this it’s amazingly I’m
telling you it’s a test of your heart
it’s a test now I here’s why I believe
he chose 10% by the way the word tithe
is a Hebrew word my Ostroff is the
Hebrew word and it means tenth part are
10% tenth part yeah okay
so that’s where we get this from that we
know it’s 10% here’s why I think he
chose 10% first of all I think he chose
a percentage because it’s fair to
everyone it doesn’t matter if you make
thirty thousand or three hundred
thousand it’s a penny oh never done it’s
a say for every person but here’s the
reason I think he chose 10 because for
some reason many times when you see the
number 10 in the Bible it represents
testing you’ll actually see the word
test with it for instance let me let’s
let’s take a little test all right I’m
going to ask ask you a question
and I want you to answer me out loud all
the camp says all the churches just say
your answer out
well alright here’s the first question
how many plagues were there in Egypt
t-yong right now I could have said a
different whacker said how many times
did God test Pharaoh’s heart because
that’s what he did but we’re familiar
with how many plagues are alright here’s
the second question how many
Commandments are there TIA okay now I’m
gonna ask another question and you might
not know this but there’s a pattern here
okay and this is at numbers 14 where God
actually says this you can read it later
right but and then I want you to ant say
your answer just a little louder okay
how many times did God test Israel in
the wilderness that’s correct
all right how many times you again you
might not know this but okay how many
times were jacob’s wages changed 10 God
was testing his heart how many days was
Daniel tested how many virgins were
tested in Matthew 25 how many days of
testing are mentioned in Revelation how
many disciples were there no there were
12 I was just testing you I just just
are just testing you
so tithing is a test and but here’s
something that you might not know it’s a
two way test God not only tests you but
this is the only place in scripture that
I’ve found where God says you can test
me test me this word try that sometimes
translated test or prove it comes from
the way you test a metal the way you
test gold to see if it’s pure you know
what God is saying test me to see if I’m
pure test me I want you to I want you to
see because I want to open the windows
of heaven I want to bless you I want to
rebuke the Devourer for you but it
depends on whether you’re going to thank
me and worship me and walk in faith and
whether you’re gonna believe that 90%
with God’s blessing we’ll go farther
than a hundred percent without and you
open an area of faith when we do this
again I hear people say things like you
know is that Old Testament or someone
will say well you know that’s under the
law tithing was under the law well first
of all show you some scripture that
tithing was way before law hundreds of
years before the law
and after the law and in the New
Testament so I’ll show you those
scriptures alright but I don’t
understand that argument well it was
under the law and I’m under grace now
and I’m not saying we do it because
obviously we’re saved by grace but there
are principles that were under the law
that we should still walk in as
believers thou shalt not commit adultery
was under the law are you saying as a
believer you can you can walk in
adultery and and no consequences thou
shalt not murder was under the law are
you saying that because it was wrong
under the law now it’s right under grace
see it’s crazy all right let me give you
an example pastor Todd give me your
wallet this could just give me your
wallet okay yep there you go Thanks okay
I’m gonna keep this because thou shalt
not steal was under the law and I’m a
believer and so I can steal and it’s
okay okay let me just have some is that
foolish it’s crazy that’s crazy okay so
I’m because I’m not gonna keep your
wallet
there’s not even any money in it so all
right so thank you for wallet
[Laughter]
what you do
what you dude what did you do why is
everyone why is everyone laughing you
took your money out I tell you before
the service I’m gonna do this
illustration and you take your money out
I’ll get you back alright alright here’s
number two number one tithing is a test
here’s number two tithing is biblical
biblical you need to know that it’s
biblical there are a lot of people that
they don’t tithe and here’s really there
you’re not a bad person if you don’t tie
you’re not a bad person I’m not saying
that at all not at all you’re not a
rebellious person but a lot of people
don’t really believe it’s in the Bible I
don’t really believe it’s for us today
so let me show you some scriptures
alright we’ll get to second chronicles
31 in a moment Genesis 14 verses 18
through 20 then Melchizedek king of
Salem Salem means peace brought out
bread and wine there’s a representation
of communion even in the Old Testament
he was the priest of God Most High and
he blessed him now that’s talking about
Abram Abraham Abram and said blessed be
Abram of God Most High possessor of
heaven and earth and blessed be God Most
High who has delivered your enemies into
your hand now watch this and he that’s
Abram Abraham gave him that’s
Melchizedek a tithe of all okay you need
to know if you don’t know this
theologically this is about 500 years
before the law and Galatians says
Abraham’s our spiritual father and milk
hesita Hebrews says is the type of
Christ and many theologians believe it’s
actually Jesus Christ because it says he
has no genealogy
that’s what Hebrews says no mother no
father no no beginning of days no end of
life it’s pretty amazing so he it’s
either Jesus himself or a type of Christ
and our spiritual father tithes gives
10% 500 years before the law because
it’s a principle and I’m gonna take you
next week and show you 2500 years before
the law the same thing
show it to you next week all right look
at Genesis 28 verse 22 this time at
Jacob and this stone which I’ve set up
as a pillar shall be God’s house again
an implication that the tithe goes to
God’s house and of all that you give me
I will surely give a tenth to you this
is about 400 years before the law
Leviticus 27:30 and all the tithe of the
land all of it all the tithes of the
land whether of the seed of the land or
the fruit of the tree is the Lord’s in
other words it belongs to God it is holy
to the Lord remember the word holy means
set apart God has set it apart from
that’s the only reason he could say
you’re stealing from me because I set
that apart for my house and if you keep
it then you’re stealing it
Deuteronomy 26 verses 1 and 2 and it
shall be when you come into the land
which the Lord your God has given you as
an inheritance and you possess it and
dwell in it that you shall take some of
the first I’ll show you next week in
just a moment it later down to this
passage how that refers to the tithe
first of all the produce of the ground
which you shall bring from the land that
the Lord your God is giving you and you
put it in a basket now watch this and go
to the place where the Lord your God
chooses to make his name a by again
referring to church where you go to you
go to church you go to a place where the
Lord chooses to make his name abide then
look at verse 13 then you shall say
before the Lord your God I have removed
the holy ties in other words the set
apart 10% the holy tie from my house and
have given them to the Levite the
stranger the fatherless and the widow
heap D directed where the titleist to go
according to all your commandments which
you have commanded me I’m not transgress
your Commandments nor have I forgotten
them I’m not eating any of it went in
mourning I didn’t use some of the ties
when I went through a difficult time
nor have I removed any of it for any
unclean use think about how sometimes we
use our money actually for sinful
purposes and some of it and we might be
using the tithe it’s just amazing to me
how the Bible says this nor given any of
it for the dead I have obeyed the voice
of the Lord my
God and have done according to all that
you have commanded me look down from
your holy habitation from heaven and
bless your people I’ve removed the holy
set apart tip part from from my house
and I’ve given it brought it to your
house Lord and now he says to you after
you do that you can pray this prayer
look down from heaven and bless your
servant okay let me ask you a question
all right if Jesus himself if Jesus
himself said you ought to tithe
would you tithe okay I’m gonna go ask
these people over here y’all there okay
no I’m just kidding I’m just kidding let
me ask all of you okay campuses all the
churches if Jesus himself said you ought
to tithe would you tithe here’s the sad
part some of us still have to think
about it that the one that bled and died
on the cross if he said you ought to
give 10% we still think about it okay so
let me put another way if Jesus said it
that you ought to tithe in the New
Testament in red would you do it you
won’t see the verse Matthew 23:23 Jesus
is speaking woe to you scribes and
Pharisees hypocrites for you pay tithe
10% a mint anise and cumin those are
spices and have neglected the weightier
matters of the law justice and mercy and
faith watch very carefully these you
ought to have done without leaving the
others undone okay here’s what Jesus
said you guys give tithes not only of
your firstfruits but you even give
tithes of the spices that you’re gonna
put on your food but you’ve neglected
justice mercy and faith then Jesus says
you ought to do that you ought to do
that but don’t leave the other undone
now one time after service a guy coming
to me said pastor ah I think that these
you ought to have done refers to justice
mercy and faith I said I don’t think it
does grammatically and I don’t think it
does even in the original language but I
said let’s just say for a moment that
that your perspective is right uh as I
says these y’all have done refers to
justice mercy and faith I said to him
what does the rest of the verse say
without leaving the other undone
I got you either way and you know I’m
joking I’m not trying to be arrogant
about this I’m just trying to take a
difficult subject and and put some humor
in that’s Jesus that’s Jesus you tithe
but you don’t do this you ought to do
that but don’t leave this undone or you
ought to do those things but don’t leave
that undone either way
I’m sitting here thinking this is agile
I’m hoping it’s hitting you I mean it’s
Jesus New Testament okay Hebrews talks
about again Melchizedek and Jesus and
how mortal men receive tithes on this
earth but let me show you what Hebrews
says talking about jesus is our
Melchizedek watch this Hebrews 7 verse 8
here mortal men receives receive tithes
but there he receives them of whom it is
witness that he lives listen you put
your tithe than a plate or offering bag
or a basket or however the church does
where you attend that receives that when
you give your offering here we have
boxes most people give online however it
is that you give your tithe mortal men
take care of it manage it things like
that but listen in heaven he receives it
of whom and is witnessed he lives Jesus
Christ receives my touch that makes me
want to die so it is biblical and here’s
number 3 tithing is a blessing tithing
is a blessing okay so let me tell you
about second chronicles 31 now we’re
gonna read there so if you put a marker
there second chronicles 31 Hezekiah one
day is reading the scriptures and he
sees these verses about tithing and
they’re in an economic recession and he
realized his were under curse the whole
nation because we’re not tithing we’re
stealing from God so that’s where we
pick up the story second chronicles 31
verse 4 moreover he commanded the people
who dwelt in Jerusalem to contribute
support for the priests and the Levites
that they might devote themselves to the
law of the Lord and I just want to just
just stop for just a moment remember
Malachi said bring the tithes in the
storehouse that there may be food in my
house and again they were told my
natural food but think about it today
spiritual food let me just ask you
something all right did we
when you come to church do you enjoy the
food the spiritual food that you get do
you enjoy okay someone’s paying for it
now I know I’m being blunt I’m not
trying to be blunt I’m not trying to be
offensive in any way I’m just just a
reality someone’s paying for this
building someone’s paying for utilities
someone’s paying for the staff salaries
someone’s paying not not just for me to
devote myself to the Word of God and to
bring messages but for all the staff for
the youth ministry for children’s
ministry women’s ministry men’s ministry
for the you know teaching classes for
for us we have Kairos and freedom
ministry and all is it someone’s paying
for that hell limit so let me ask you a
question we just put a little talk about
food here let me give you an analogy
would any of you here go to a restaurant
eat a meal and then leave without paying
for it any of you
some Christians do that ever week I go
to church eat a meal and skip out on the
check here’s here’s the sad thing you’re
the one it’s hurtin
I don’t preach on tithing because the
church needs money we’re we’re doing
fine financially we’re doing fine as a
matter of fact speaking just a gateway
church right now
you’re the greatest giving Church I’ve
ever known in my life you’re phenomenal
so I’m not doing this because you know
the elders got together and we you know
the budgets down the budget set up we’re
okay I’m doing this listen to me I’m
telling you from the bottom of our heart
and I say this before God I’m doing this
because of you
I promise you I’m doing this to help you
this will change your life your family
your finances your marriage your
children your grandchildren this will
change you I promise
all right so he puts out he says
everyone needs to bring the tie to the
house of God now look at verse five as
soon as the commandment was circulated
the children of Israel brought in
abundance the first fruits again I’ll
show you next week how that relates to
the tithe of grain and wine oil and
honey and of all the produce of the
field and they brought in abundantly the
tithe of everything there it is right
there showing you it’s the tithe and the
children of Israel and Judah who dwelt
in the cities of Judah brought the tie
of oxen and sheep also the tithe of holy
things which were consecrated to the
Lord their God they laid in heaps in the
third month they begin laying them in
heaps and they finished in the seventh
month now these months relate to the
harvest okay and when Hezekiah and the
leaders came and saw the heaps they
bless the Lord and his people Israel
then Hezekiah questioned the priests and
the Levites concerning the heaps and
Azariah the chief priests from the house
of Zadok answered him and said since the
people began to bring the offerings into
the house of Lord again the tithes
always comes to goes to the house of God
we had had enough to eat and have plenty
left for the Lord has blessed his people
and what is left is this great abundance
ok here’s what happens the the king
sends out the this commandment and says
we’re supposed to be tithing to the
house of God so the people begin doing
it they begin in the third month which
is a harvest time but then there’s
another harvest the seventh month and
they continue through that time and and
so when the King comes to visit and he
sees these heaps heaps that the people
brought to the house of God here’s what
in essence he says it says he questioned
them about the eaves here’s what he was
saying are the people okay are they okay
I mean look how much they’ve given or do
they have enough left and the priest
said O king as soon as the people
started to do it God’s Way God so
blessed them what you’re seeing here is
just the 10% if you think they’re heaps
here go look at the 90%
go look at how God blessed his people
when they began obeying his word I’ve
been in ministry now for over thirty
years of her two testimonies for that
time about tithing consistent
testimonies you know scripture says in
the mouth of two or three witnesses okay
here are the two testimonies people have
said to me tithers consistently have
said to me we are so blessed boy it all
changed when we begin tithing we are so
blessed pastor Robert we are so blessed
that’s what toddlers have said here’s
what non-tithers have said I can’t
afford to tithe that’s their testimony I
can’t afford the time and again not me
not rebellious people just I can’t
afford that
listen to me you will never be able to
afford to tithe until you tithe because
tithing is what breaks the curse and
rebukes the Devourer as soon as you
start to get ahead something else will
break because the Devourer
but tithing is what rebukes him okay let
me give you one more illustration Jason
had Steve and Todd we got stand up and
if you guys will move down kind of
toward Todd there and so that they can
everyone can get it you can get a shot
of them for the other campuses and
churches well okay I’m gonna give you an
illustration let’s say that I say to
these three men I’m gonna go away for a
while and and I provided for Debbie but
I want to provide some additional funds
for her but I want to channel or funnel
those funds through you three men so I’m
going to send all each of you ten
thousand dollars a month okay
Jason don’t get that excited this is
just an illustration okay so I’m talking
to Debbie Everett and I say to you but I
want you to give Debbie 10% of it a
thousand dollars month and you can keep
the 90 percent just give my wife ten
percent so I’m talking to Debbie every
day and and let her know you know it’s
an extended trip but I’ll be back in
several months I have to be gone and
after about three months I think about
these other funds and I say hey how are
the funds coming in from the three guys
you know and
she said well Jason sends $1,000 a month
just like you said a matter of fact it
arrives like January first favorite
first I mean he’s like clockwork
thousand dollars so good job okay I said
well what about Steve
she said well Steve is sending two
thousand a month I say two thousand
month I didn’t ask him for two thousand
one Thaddeus asked him for a thousand I
know I said why is he sitting – I don’t
know he just sends two thousand dollars
a month hmm
I say well what about trader I’ve taught
sorry Todd I say what what what about
Todd she said well we need to talk about
Todd I said well why what’s Todd doing
well the first month he sent 700 a
second month 400 and this last month he
didn’t send anything okay now I want you
to think about this think about this how
do you think that makes me feel and I’m
given in the 10,000 it’s coming for me
and I just asked him for 10% for my wife
he can keep the 90% hey what do you
think I’m gonna do I’ll tell you what
I’m gonna do I’m not gonna send him any
more money because he’s proven to me he
can’t be trusted
and I’m gonna take what I’m giving him
and I’m gonna give it to Steve and Jason
because they proven they can be trusted
okay you guys can sit down okay now
think about this Jesus said I’m going
away for a while
is that right I’m going away I’m coming
back well while I’m gone I want you to
take care of my wife ten percent you can
keep the nightie let me just just remind
you is the church the Bride of Christ
okay listen to me very carefully tithing
might be more personal to Jesus than
what you thought because it’s his wife
he has the power and if you say walk
can’t believe you just take it away and
give it to the others if you don’t think
Jesus would do that read the parable of
the talents when he took from the one
that wasn’t faithful and gave it to the
one who was faithful he wants to provide
for you but why would he provide and
less people who will not even be
concerned about his wife it’s a test and
it’s very important we passed this test
I want you to bow your heads and close
your eyes