We again see Melchizedek in Psalm 110, still hundreds of years before Christ, and he is also referenced in the New Testament as Hebrews 6:20 refers to Jesus as “our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek”. The link between Jesus and Melchizedek is made with special note to his lack of lineage (important in Biblical times) as he remains “a priest forever” in Hebrews 7. Under the Old Covenant, the priest was the mediator between the people and God. The old system was abolished through Jesus’ sacrifice. When we bring our tithe, we are we are not tithing to the power bill or the water bill – we are trusting Jesus Christ, our high priest.

Tithing and giving is as much about discipleship as it is about anything, and this is a growth moment for us. In Matthew 16, Jesus says “I will build my church” and in Matthew 28, he tells us to “go and make disciples”. Believers are born into the kingdom; disciples are made. Being a disciple includes: absorbing teaching, living that teaching, and living to see the fruits from obedience. Paul is called a “master builder” not for building structures but for building people. We are called to disciple others – this isn’t the Dean and Jill show – there are people for you to disciple! When we come into alignment with the Word of God, blessing flows.

Abram was so self-assured about the abilities of his 318 men that he saw himself as a king, enabling him to be victorious and go to “the King’s valley”. These men were “born” into his household similar to the way we are born into this house. Being born into this house doesn’t only include people who got saved here; it is any of us, as we are all adopted into the family of God by which we can cry “Abba Father”. Abram could do more with these men born into his house than he could with thousands of hirelings. When you are a hireling, you are not invested and secure – when the heat is turned up, you run and the first storm you see wipes you out. When you are on the periphery you are an easy target; wolves look to pick off the sheep from the herd by choosing the ones on the edges. This is why relationships are so important at C3. Relationships undergird the structure we have here and when you make this your house, you have connection, you have fellowship, and you have protection. The Word of God transforms your thinking. It’s not hard to get blessed when you do what the Bible says – put God back in the center of your life. Tithe and see what God will do.

Verses Used:
*Genesis 14:14-20
*Psalm 110:1-4
*Hebrews 7:1-6

We are called to respect the altar of God – back in the days when priests offered sacrifices for the people, there was an increase of bribery as folks wanted to get rid of their lame, crippled and diseased cattle or sheep, and paid the priests to offer those on the altar, as if God were blind! Malachi was a prophet to the priests who had a lot to say about honoring and respecting the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, as you can read in the verses noted above. God’s principles don’t change, He will always bless you if you put Him first. If we have all our bills in front of us and wait til they are paid up to pay our tithes, we will never manage the 10% because the bills always seem so insurmountable. But if we line them up and put the tithe at the head of the line, we will find that supernaturally, the money is there to pay the rest! The priests (pastors) are responsible to tell the people that God is righteous and deserves the firstfruits of our labor, as Malachi aptly points out. We will miss out on a huge life blessing if we allow that 10% of our paycheck, disability or unemployment check (whatever we are getting as income, as opposed to monetary gifts from others) to go unpaid to the local church, the storehouse of blessing.

Tithing is probably the scariest thing we will ever do as Christians! It is easy to get saved, but it sure it hard to trust God with our money. Only 6% of the church in America tithes, according to Barna Research Group. This proved true several years ago, when Ps. Phil asked me what I had given in an offering. We discovered we’d given the same amount, and in a group of over 100 people, each of us had contributed 1/3 of the total offering taken that day. The 6% had prevailed, sadly. We are promised a return on our tithes and offerings, thirty, sixty or even a hundred times over what was given. No bank has ever given me that much of a return! What God can get through our hands and into others, He will get to us so we can do it again. If we are on food stamps, share some with others – there are always areas where we can give to people.

We have to learn that God sees our heart, He knows how much we make, and He is asking us to repay Him for the blessing of being able to work, or being able to draw a check due to disability, unemployment, etc. We want everyone in this church to thrive, and tithing is foundational to making that happen. We must look at our hearts, decide to give the Lord the honor and respect He deserves, lay our tithes on the altar, and watch the miracles unfold! I can’t wait to share more about this and tell you great stories of many who have tithed and received new jobs, raises, bonuses – all because we took a chance and risked loving God with our whole hearts.

Verses Used:
*Numbers 18:26
*Malachi 1:6-8
*Malachi 3:8-10

Matthew 25 tells the tale of three servants entrusted with their master’s money while he is away on a long journey. It is an accepted fact that the man on the journey is Jesus. He is leaving for a time, and He entrusts His servants with His property. Jesus came to earth to save us and to establish the Kingdom. He got the work started through His death and resurrection. Then, He said, “The rest is up to you.” He gave us the Holy Spirit to help us in our charge to change the world. He trusted us with His resources (money,abilities, etc…) like the man in the parable entrusted his servants.

What happens next is the real gem. The man gives to his servants according to their abilities. Wait a second. That’s not very fair. Why don’t all the servants get an equal share? That’s because “fairness” is no Biblical. God wants us to have more then other people. He wants us to prosper and be fruitful. There is no ceiling or cap to that. It is ongoing. Those who cry over how unfair it is are the ones trapped in the small-mindedness of the world. Very simple. Two servants prospered because they used their resources; one did not. When the master returned, he rewarded those who increased and cursed the one who did not.

So use what God has given you! Sow it! Invest it! And watch the blessing of increase come into your world.

Verses Used:
*Matthew 25: 14-30
*Psalms 1

The River Gihon, as stated last week, is the River of the Anointing. It means “to burst forth.” When something bursts up, it flows out. God began with the River Pishon (increase) and the moved on to Gihon (anointing or flow). You first receive increase and then you let it go somewhere. There is no use having seed if it is not going to go anywhere. You can have it all–fame, fortune, the praise and accord of others–but it means nothing without the anointing that flows out into the world.

John 9 tells the tale of Jesus healing a blind man by placing mud on his eyes and telling him to “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam.” Siloam means “sent.” Siloam is also the spring of the River Gihon. Jesus sent the blind man on a mission to receive his healing. The blind man had to grope about, asking for help to find the spring of the sent. And it was there that he was healed. Gihon and Siloam are the River of the sent: those who are sent out on missions; those who are a part of other people’s miracles. Do you want to be a apart of someone’s miracle? Then GO! You don’t have to (and we strongly advise against this) put mud in people’s eyes. But speak well of them. Tell those in authority that their employees are the best! Help with your words and actions! And through that, people will receive their miracle.

Verses Used:
*Genesis 2: 13
*John 9:6 & 7
*I Kings 1: 32-35