FIRST: First Tenth

Speaker: Pastor Lee Cummings
Date: January 9, 2022

FIRST LOVE. FIRST TENTH. FIRST THING. FIRST DAY. FIRST PRIORITY. IN WEEK TWO OF OUR BRAND NEW SERIES CALLED FIRST, PASTOR LEE TEACHES ON TITHING AND REVEALS ANSWERS TO SEVERAL QUESTIONS AROUND THE SUBJECT OF HONORING GOD BY GIVING YOUR FIRST 10%.

SERMON HIGHLIGHTS

MALACHI 3:6-10 (NKJV)

“6 “FOR I AM THE LORD, I DO NOT CHANGE;
THEREFORE YOU ARE NOT CONSUMED, O SONS OF JACOB.
7 YET FROM THE DAYS OF YOUR FATHERS
YOU HAVE GONE AWAY FROM MY ORDINANCES
AND HAVE 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?’
8 “WILL A MAN ROB GOD?
YET YOU HAVE ROBBED ME!
BUT YOU SAY,
‘IN WHAT WAY HAVE WE ROBBED YOU?’
IN TITHES AND OFFERINGS.
9 YOU ARE CURSED WITH A CURSE,
FOR YOU HAVE ROBBED ME,
EVEN THIS WHOLE NATION.
10 BRING ALL THE TITHES INTO THE STOREHOUSE,
THAT THERE MAY BE FOOD IN MY HOUSE,
AND TRY ME NOW IN THIS,”
SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS,
“IF I WILL NOT OPEN FOR YOU THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN
AND POUR OUT FOR YOU SUCH BLESSING
THAT THERE WILL NOT BE ROOM ENOUGH TO RECEIVE IT.”

• THE LOVE OF MONEY IS A SPIRITUAL DISEASE

• THE LONGER YOU HOLD ONTO THAT LOVE, IT WILL CORRUPT AND DESTROY YOUR HEARTS

• TITHING IS THE ANTIDOTE TO FALLING PREY TO THE LOVE OF MONEY

• EVERY CHRISTIAN INSTINCTIVELY KNOWS THAT “GIVING” AND “HONORING GOD IN THE AREA OF OUR FINANCES” IS A PART OF BEING A DISCIPLE OF JESUS

• MOST DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO START, WHAT TO GIVE, OR HOW TO BREAK OUT OF THE FEAR, CONTROL OR GRIP OF THE LOVE OF MONEY

• DOES GOD GIVE US INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HOW TO BRING OUR FINANCES UNDER HIS LORDSHIP AND OPEN THE DOORS OF SUPERNATURAL BLESSING OVER OUR LIVES?

• IT BEGINS WITH HONORING GOD WITH OUR FIRST TENTH = THE TITHE

• THE NUMBER 10 IS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER IN SCRIPTURE = TESTING

• THE PRINCIPLE OF THE TITHE IS THE “TEST OF OUR HEARTS”

• THE PRINCIPAL TEST OF THE TITHE SPANS THE ENTIRETY OF THE BIBLE

• YOU DON’T GIVE YOUR TITHE, YOU RETURN HIS TITHE

• WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE FIRST TENTH (TITHE)?

  • 1. KEEPS OUR HEARTS CLEAN FROM THE LOVE OF MONEY

  • 2. IT IS GOD’S ECONOMIC PLAN TO FINANCE HIS STOREHOUSE, THE CHURCH

• REASONS WHY CHRISTIANS DON’T TITHE:

  • 1. IGNORANCE

  • 2. “I DON’T BELIEVE IT IS FOR US IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ERA”

  • 3. “I CAN’T AFFORD TO TITHE”

  • 4. “I DON’T WANT TO TITHE”

  WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN I CHOOSE TO GIVE GOD MY FIRST TENTH?

  • 1. IT BREAKS THE BACK OF LIVING UNDER A CURSED ECONOMY

  • 2. IT WILL BUILD A HEDGE AROUND YOUR HOUSEHOLD AND FINANCES

  • 3. RELEASES FAVOR UPON YOU IN THE WORKPLACE (IN THE FIELD)

  • 4. BECOMES A TESTIMONY OF THE PROVISION AND GOODNESS OF GOD (THE WORLD IS WATCHING)

  HOW DO I TAP INTO THE POWER OF THE FIRST TENTH?

  • 1. BEGIN NOW (MAKE A DECISION)

  • 2. MAKE IT THE FIRST TENTH

  • 3. PUT YOUR FAITH BEHIND IT IN PRAYER

  • 4. ASK GOD TO HONOR HIS WORD

  • 5. DON’T GROW WEARY IN DOING RIGHT