Kingdom Builders – Lesson 2

KINGDOM BUILDERS 

BISHOP DR. ETHAN W. OGLETREE SR.

RICH TOWARD GOD

Lesson 2 – GIVING GENEROUSLY

“And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’” Luke 12:19

“Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.” ~ C.S. Lewis

A. The rich man’s problem was that he didn’t God’s word enough to find out what God would do after the tithe was given. All the man about was himself.

B. It is a highly unusual scripture because it tells us to “” by tithing. Back then, the Israelites were to give a full of their crops (income) into the temple storehouse.

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” Malachi 3:10

1. Theis on him! According to this scripture, we give God a test when we tithe. He always the test by blessing us (“you will not have enough room for it”).

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” Psalm 139:23

• The word carries the idea of examination and checking something out to see if it’s genuine.

A. God expresses his .

B. He invited them to return to fellowship with him. He used tithing as one of the trigger points for their to recommit their lives to him.

2. Not Enough For The Blessings

A. The promise of “so much blessing” sent me to my concordance to learn more about how God provides for his people.

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:3 (ESV)

“Whatever he does.” Yes. Whatever.

B. Some Christians question the present of God’s promise to pour out a blessing.

C. What’s the size of your measure? 1 percent, 10 percent, 20 percent, or even more? I hope it’s not less because the “measure” you use will the .

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

D. Clearly, God likes for his people to . He never intended for giving to be a mere , forced upon us with a “do it or else” directive.

E. The point is our . The real question Christians should ask in reference to tithing is, do I have faith in God to provide more for me after I give?