The Marshmallow Test

John 12:1-3 

“Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume”

John 12:4-6

“But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it” 

Malachi 3:8-10

“Will a person rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “You have robbed me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple” 

1) Give your :

Genesis 4:3-5

“When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. Abel also brought a gift—the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, but he did not accept Cain and his gift”. 

2) Give your :

Deuteronomy 14:23

“The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first in your life” (LB)   

3) Take it to the :

Exodus 23:19

“Bring the best of the firstfruits…to the house of the Lord your God”

Leviticus 27:30

“A tithe of everything…belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD”

Matthew 6:19-20

 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust 

  destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves 

  treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where 

thieves do not break in and steal.”