13 Nov The Truth About Money | Part 2 “When God Is First, It’s Never Cursed” | All Locations

Announcements:

GO TO WATERSCHURCH.ORG/EVENTS TO REGISTER

NA/WS/SC:

OPERATION THANKSGIVING: WE ARE NOW ACCEPTING MONETARY DONATIONS FOR THANKSGIVING BOXES.  $50 WILL FEED A FAMILY WITH A BOX OF FOOD AND GIFT CARD.  GO TO WATERSCHURCH.ORG/GIVE AND SELECT OPERATION THANKSGIVING FROM THE DROP DOWN MENU.

NEW>>>>GIFTS FOR GRANNIES: Our Action groups are putting together some gifts for Madonna Manor nursing home patients.  If your group would like to contribute, they are looking for a small, simple but nice basket to give 25 elderly women.  Please contact Heidi Gormley, the action group leader who is putting this together, for info.  Her email is Hiedilenny@gmail.com

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD: PICK UP YOUR BOX, GO ONLINE TO PAY YOUR $10 DONATION AND PRINT YOUR LABEL: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/pack-a-shoe-box/

MUST BE BACK BY NOVEMBER 20 – WE HAVE EXTENDED DEADLINE ONE MORE WEEK!

All announcements and the Waters Event Calendar can be found at:  waterschurch.org/events

Alpha: New ministry – conversation style Small Group called Alpha that Mehdi and April will be leading.It is for seekers, those on the fence about faith, or disenfranchised from faith.It is to reach lost people. Join the conversation today @ waterschurch.org/alpha

Below, click the link for  ‘Last Days’ – The Book of Revelation Daily in 15 minute segments each day over the next 5 weeks:

https://waterschurch.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/1316059

All announcements and the Waters Event Calendar can be found at:  waterschurch.org/events

Alpha: New ministry – conversation style Small Group called Alpha that Mehdi and April will be leading.It is for seekers, those on the fence about faith, or disenfranchised from faith.It is to reach lost people.  Join the conversation today @ waterschurch.org/alpha

Location Text Alerts:

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Key Verse: Genesis 14

A great excuse Christians use for not tithing is that they believe it was an Old Testament Law, however, tithing started 500 years prior to the law. In Genesis 14 we will discover that Abram (Abraham) commenced tithing. Jacob continued it, Moses commanded it, and Jesus commended it.

The Israelites gave an average of 27 percent of their income as their tithe.  The principle is that when we put God first financially, He blesses our lives.

Genesis 14:11-16 (ESV)

Abram has to fight to save his nephew Lot. He was a military man, a warrior.   The Bible is full of strong men who upheld the principle that God is first. 

Q. What are some excuses you have had for not tithing?

Genesis 13:10–16 (ESV)

Lot ended up in Sodom because he decided to serve himself and got entangled in Sodom, then there was a war.  Lot was taken captive.  Abram heard this and took his forces and won the battle.  Lot sought the good life and lost it and Abram gets it back for him.

Genesis 14:17-18

Abram is met by two men after he was seriously rewarded for serving God’s purposes.  Sodom, a wicked king and Melchizedek, the king of peace. The battle was won in the physical but now the real battle begins.  He has the blessings, now he will face the testings.  Whenever we get blessed we are presented with two different opportunities.  

Genesis 14:19(ESV) 

The message Melchizedek had for Abram was that he was blessed, but God did it!  Abram did not do it and we do not do it.  When we forget that, we start to think we deserve it and fall into pride. 

Genesis 14:21-23 (ESV)

The QUESTION in every BLESSING:  

WHO has made me RICH?

Who brought us to where we are?  ‘I worked for this’ we might say. But someone was behind what we have.  We are where we are because someone else paid for it.  All we have comes from God. Every blessing provides a testing of our heart.   It is God, not ourselves that makes us rich.

Q. What testing have you faced immediately following a blessing?

Passing the testing of my blessings:

1. I must DECIDE FIRST that God is FIRST.

Genesis 14:22 (ESV); Genesis 14:20 (ESV)

Abram already decided that the king of Sodom was not the source of his blessing. As Christians, we too need to decide this before the world gets its hooks in us.  

Hebrews 7:2-3 (ESV); Hebrews 7:7 (ESV)

Melchizedek is first, he is the King of righteous, King of peace.  He has no beginning or end, he resembles the Son of God.  He is a picture of the true King, Jesus.  He comes and blesses Abram. God delivered Abrams enemies into his hand.  The One who gave us the blessing comes first.

The TITHE is a TEST.

Malachi 3:10–11 (ESV)

God says he wants us to see if it works.  We should put Him first and see if he will pour out blessings until there is no more need.  There is a spirit of devouring over our lives.  When we put Him first he will pour out blessings from heaven and rebuke the devourer over our lives.  The first tenth is a test for us but also for God.  Ten is the number of testing.

Q. How have you put God to the test with your tithe?

Q. How has God rebuked the devourer in your life because you trusted him?

Proverbs 3:9–10 (ESV)

He protects our investments, our lives, and watches over us.  

When we honor God FINANCIALLY – we tell OURSELVES and this WORLD – God is SUPERIOR.

When we bring the tenth we tell the world that we serve God not the world.

Passing the testing of my blessings:

2. I must DETERMINE life with God is BETTER than MORE.

We are always tempted for more.  God gives us himself to us.

Genesis 14:22 (ESV)

3 big differences between Sodom and Melchizedek:

1. God brings SIMPLICITY, the world offers COMPLICATED LUXURY.

Genesis 14:18 (ESV)

When Melchizedek comes, he comes with bread and wine, the simple pleasures.  God makes it simple.  When we follow Him he takes care of us. 

Genesis 13:10 (ESV)

The world complicates us.  

B. God brings INTIMACY, the world offers ISOLATION through INCREASE.

There are people who make lots of money and then say they are alone.  Example: Elon Musk, he Looks impressive but he is alone.  That is what increase does without God’s blessing, it isolates us.

Q.What can you share regarding the feeling of isolation even when you have had everything you needed and more because God’s blessing was not in it?

Genesis 14:18 (ESV)

The bread and wine is a picture of Jesus. God wants to do life with us.  He wants to balance our check books with us, raise our kids with us, be involved, be around us.  He loves us cares for us he dwells with us Emanuel.

Luke 22:15 (ESV)

C. God brings ETERNITY, the world offers what’s TEMPORARY.

Melchizedek is eternal.  That is what Jesus is for us.  We suffer here in this life, but in the next life it is all over.  We cross from death to life and we enter into true life forever. 

Psalm 110:4-6 (ESV)

This is a picture of Jesus our true Melchizedek.  Sodom is offering pleasure, Melchizedek is offering peace.  Sodom was destroyed in

Revelation 18:2-3 (ESV); Revelation 18:9–11 (ESV)

If I can TRUST Jesus with my ETERNAL SALVATION, how can I not TRUST Him with TEMPORARY PROVISIONS?

We either believe he took our judgement at the cross and spared the judgement that is to come or we reject Jesus.

Q. As a Christian, you trust God with your eternal salvation, why is it difficult for you to trust him with the money he provides for you?

Romans 8:32 (ESV)

Passing the testing of my blessings:

3. I must DEFINE my LIFE according to God’s RICHES. 

Genesis 14:22–23 (ESV)

Our life is defined not by what our boss says or what the government has promised.  Our life is defined by the God who takes care of us and every single need in our life. 

Philippians 4:19 (ESV)

God does not want us to be poor, this is not in the Bible.  Jesus became poor so through his poverty we would be come rich. 

We need to break free from the idea that God is a taker.  He wants to bless and provide for us so we can tell the world he takes care of us.

I can TRUST God MOST HIGH because He never LETS me DOWN.

Challenge: If you are not tithing, put God to the test.  If you are not giving God your first (tithing after the bills are paid instead of before) also put God to the test and start tithing first then testify to how he has blessed you.