130-Do People Under the New Covenant Still Need to Tithe?#
130-Do People Under the New Covenant Still Need to Tithe?
(JP Text Group - Happy Angel Compilation)
Genesis 14:14-23:
14 When Abram heard that his nephew (the original text says "brother") had been taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them as far as Dan. 15 He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and attacked them and pursued them to Hobah, which is north of Damascus. 16 He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his nephew Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.
17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all. 21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I will take nothing, not a thread or a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’
Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us this time to worship you together, let us see your great wonders here. We receive your provision, enjoy your rest, and lay all our labor, worries, and needs at the feet of our Lord Jesus. May the Holy Spirit renew our thoughts; if we believe correctly, we will live correctly. Bless the time that follows, and bless every brother and sister seeking you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray! Amen!
Brothers and sisters, there are two types of Christians among those who believe in Jesus: one is victorious, and the other is defeated. One is prosperous, and the other is poor. Is God biased? No, what is the real problem? Is it that our God's power is not great enough? Is He unable to bless us? Or is it that we are not doing enough, which leads to such situations? Many Christians often lack in life and are filled with problems.
In this passage, there are two people: Abram and Lot. Both believed in the Lord, but their lives were completely different. Lot was someone who wanted to gain more money and power, but in the end, he lost everything.
Abram did not seek more money or high positions, yet God made him a prosperous man. God made his power and reputation great, and to this day, it remains so. Amen!
The way you want to live is very important. If you think that the poorer a Christian is, the more spiritual they are, your life will surely be very poor. If you believe that God can bless you like He blessed Abram, and you believe so, God will accomplish it for you. The key is what kind of faith you have; correct faith will lead to correct living.
May all the people in our church be prosperous. Do not be like Lot, relying on yourself, which will ultimately lead to great loss. People can sometimes overlook things and, due to small mistakes, ruin everything they have done before. But God will take full responsibility for us. Hallelujah!
Why did Abram go back to rescue Lot? At first, both of them were very prosperous. However, due to the abundance of sheep and lack of pasture, they quarreled and eventually separated. Lot gradually went to Sodom, which was a plain with much grass and wealth. So Lot chose what looked good to his eyes, while Abram could only choose the mountains.
Life in the mountains was not good compared to the plains of Sodom, but God was always with Abram. Amen! Although Lot was in the city of Sodom, later on, the battle between the four kings and the five kings, as mentioned earlier in chapter 14, led to the defeat of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah. In those days, if you lost, everything you had would become someone else's; your wealth, wife, children, everything would belong to others, and you would become a slave for life. After the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah were defeated, all the food and wealth were taken by the other kings, including Lot who lived in Sodom.
Abram went to rescue Lot because his nephew was inside. Abram fought against the four kings. How could Abram, with only three hundred and eighteen men, defeat the four kings? The secret lies here. I hope every brother and sister can become prosperous like Abram. Prosperity, in the original text, does not only refer to having a lot of money; that is too narrow. God does not just want you to be prosperous financially, but also in health, ability, strength, and wisdom. This is the prosperity God wants to give you. Amen!
Proverbs tells us: The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.
The prosperity God gives you refers to every aspect of life. Amen! Many people think prosperity means having a lot of money, but that is not true. If you have a lot of money but your family is falling apart, what good is that? God wants to give us prosperity in all aspects.
When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken captive, he armed his trained servants, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them to Dan. Where is Dan? The Dead Sea is to the south, and Dan is at the very north, having passed the Sea of Galilee, proving that the journey was very long. If we were to talk about our land, it would be like going from Fujian to Northeast China. Three hundred and eighteen men chasing four kings over such a long distance, would they still have fighting strength?
In military terms, the most taboo thing is to pursue someone over a long distance. Because the other side has already won and is in high spirits, but God gave Abram wisdom and strategies for battle. With these three hundred and eighteen men, he defeated the four victorious kings.
Brothers and sisters, this is the prosperity God wanted to give Abram. After defeating the kings, he returned. Whenever there is a battle, there will be fatigue. When he returned, it was the easiest time to encounter temptation. Why do I say this? When a person is in great need, it is the hardest to resist temptation. The devil knows this principle well. After Jesus fasted for forty days, He was hungry. When a person is hungry, what they need most is food. The devil tempted Him, saying, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." At this moment, the temptation is the easiest to fall into.
Similarly, Abram was very hungry. The king of Sodom came out to meet him, wanting to give him back the goods he had recovered. But before Abram accepted this temptation, another person came, Melchizedek. The book of Hebrews tells us that Melchizedek had no birth date, no death date, and no genealogy; we do not know where he came from. In fact, this is a foreshadowing of our Lord Jesus. Amen! In other words, Melchizedek appears here as the priest of God Most High.
Verse 18 tells us: Then Melchizedek king of Salem. What does Salem mean? It means peace. The king of peace, Melchizedek, brought out bread and wine and came out to meet him.
The priests and the later Levites, that is, the priests that appeared after the twelve tribes were established, were completely different. Brothers and sisters, this priest only blesses and does not curse. This is exactly the pattern of our Lord Jesus. When He came to this world as the Son of Man, He only blessed and did not curse because His purpose was to provide for us. Amen!
Just like Melchizedek came at this time to provide for Abram's current needs. He began to bless Abram, and first, he wanted to tell Abram: today's victory is given to you by God. When a person wins against many with few, it is easy to think it is due to their own ability. Pride can easily take root in the heart. In this situation, he first received God's blessing. Melchizedek said to him: Blessed be Abram of God Most High.
Melchizedek is a priest of blessing. He said, "Blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand." He correctly guided Abram, telling him that today's victory is because God has placed the enemies in your hands, not due to your own efforts. Amen! Brothers and sisters, this is the mindset that Christians should have; it is our true identity. All victories are blessings given to us by God, including peace, joy, and smooth family life; all are given to us by God. Amen!
No matter what high position we are in today, we must know that it is God who has raised us up, just like Joseph. Joseph did not rise to the position of prime minister of Egypt by his own efforts; it was God who exalted him. Similarly, when we have financial blessings and health blessings, we must understand that these are blessings given to us by God. Our lives and everything we have are freely given to us by God!
When Abram heard what the priest Melchizedek said to him, he did one thing: he took a tithe of all he had and gave it to Melchizedek. Brothers and sisters, think about it: was there a law at this time? No law; the law had not yet appeared, as it would not appear for nearly four hundred years. There was no law, so why did Abram want to give a tithe? Who told him to offer a tenth? This is a willing offering. Amen! We should learn from Abram to respond before God, knowing that everything is given to you by God, and finances are blessed by God, so the offering to God should be a willing one.
Many churches are afraid to talk about tithing because they fear that people will not accept it, misunderstand it, or think that we are teaching this for money. For this reason, the Chinese church has rarely taught this correctly in recent decades, while Western churches have done much better because they have indeed upheld this principle. Amen! This is a blessing. Many people think this is an Old Testament thing, that it is under the law, and that Jesus fulfilled the law for us. But is tithing in the law? No.
What is a tithe? What revelation does this give us? Melchizedek received Abram's tithe. If you understand this, it will greatly change your life. Amen! Tithing is a huge blessing from God. First, you must know that the offering must be willing. Hallelujah!
Not everyone can accept this truth. Don't be nervous; I will not curse you because what I am talking about today is exactly what Melchizedek said. Melchizedek did not force Abram to do this; he only blessed Abram. A person willing to receive God's blessing in this area, a person willing to be prosperous, can act according to God's word because God wants to show you great blessings through this matter.
As Christians under grace, if you are unwilling to listen to deeper truths and only say what the teacher has taught, that the kingdom of heaven has many blessings that God wants to give us freely, that is all correct.
But the question is, how can these blessings come upon you? The blessings have always existed, that is true, but how can they come upon you? This is what we need to talk about. If you only receive grace, only know grace, do not serve, do not work, and do not share the gospel with the lost, you will become a group of people who have the knowledge of grace. Do you understand? God's word must be put into practice, including the words you hear today; you must apply them in your life. No matter what truth you hear, when you apply God's word, it will produce results.
For example, the Bible says: Those who believe will have signs and wonders following them. Preach in My name, cast out demons in My name, and perform many miracles. If you receive it and say, "Yes, I believe I have this ability," but if you do not act, can you see it? No. In many ministry settings, when speaking God's word and receiving it, you must bravely say to yourself: "By the stripes of Jesus, I believe I have received healing at this moment!"
If you only know it in your heart but are unwilling to speak it out and act on it, the truth remains the truth, but there is still some distance between you and it. This is why many Christians, after many years of believing, still cannot change. The problem lies here. If you only believe in grace, in the end, you may become even worse than those under the law.
The high priest Melchizedek met Abram and brought him bread and wine. What does this symbolize? Every time bread and wine appear in the Bible, remember: this symbolizes the Holy Communion. Hallelujah! I hope the brothers and sisters in our church can understand that Melchizedek brought Holy Communion to Abram. Amen!
Melchizedek is our Lord Jesus Christ; He brought bread and wine. The Holy Communion will bring two results: one is health; the second is peace. One refers to physical healing, and the other refers to inner peace. "By His stripes, we are healed," refers to physical healing; "The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him," refers to inner peace.
At this time, did Abram need these two aspects of supply? One was the weariness of the heart, and the other was the need for physical supply. Melchizedek provided both. Thank the Lord! What does this mean for us? God can supply both aspects: one is the need for the body, and the other is the need for the heart. Amen!
Some say this is the Old Testament; Jesus in the New Testament did not say to take a tithe. Let's look at a passage:
Mark 12:41-43:
41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”
Look at how Jesus viewed the matter of offerings. If tithing were not needed under the New Covenant, Jesus would not have said this. Jesus observed the act of giving and encountered a widow who put in two small coins. Perhaps someone nearby laughed at her, saying, "You only put in such a small amount..." But it is not about how much money it is; it is about the heart. Hallelujah!
For this widow, this was all she had. She placed everything before God. God does not look at how much you put in; He looks at how much you leave behind. For the poor widow, the focus is on her heart. He did not ask you to sell everything and bring it to the church; that would be heresy.
But what we need to understand is: everything we have belongs to God. If God does not bless, no matter how hard you work, it will be ineffective. Do you believe it? Because God looks at our hearts. Everything the poor widow did afterward was blessed by God because the Bible says, "She put in all her livelihood," which may have been her chickens or ducks; she placed everything in God's hands. But everything she did afterward, God would surely bless her. Hallelujah! This is the teaching on tithing in the New Covenant.
Do we need to tithe under the New Covenant? Many people deny it. Some even say that those who talk about tithing under the New Covenant are heretics. You must know that their viewpoint is wrong. What is the biblical basis for this?
Luke 11:42: “But woe to you, Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.”
Did Jesus say this Himself? Yes, this is indeed Jesus' teaching on tithing, directly addressing the Pharisees because they were practicing legalism. They were self-righteous and proud, thinking they were doing better than others, saying, "Look, I have tithed all of this before God."
They merely did this act. What they should have done was to love God and act justly, but they did not. So brothers and sisters, if you do not give out of love, you are the same as the Pharisees. Therefore, you should willingly do this. Some who believe in grace say, "The most important thing is love; there is no need to worry about tithing." In the original text, it is understood this way: You ought to do justice and love God, and you should not neglect tithing. Amen! Motivation is important; the motivation behind what we offer to God should be love. Hallelujah!
If you do this out of love for others, you will treat the poor and those in need with justice because everything we do is out of love. True love does not require a return. If it is not out of love but out of a utilitarian mindset, you will expect a harvest in return. If you offer it before God, God will reward you with greater rewards in the future. Hallelujah!
So do not neglect God's love; love will always have action. You will want to serve, want to share the gospel with the lost. Think about it: does it require money to support the preaching of the gospel? During the three and a half years Jesus preached the gospel, many people supported Him. Among the twelve disciples, there was one named Judas, who was in charge of the finances. If there were only ten dollars a year, would it need managing? Because at that time, the amount of money was quite large. Many people supported Jesus' ministry, and our church is the same; the church also needs financial support for the gospel.
Take our church as an example; the fixed annual expenditure is 120,000. By the end of the year, almost all the money is used in this area. This is also the reason that hinders us from having more development in other areas. Everyone feels that the gospel is particularly good. Many people, after understanding Jesus' grace, are willing to give, but many people are struggling due to insufficient supply. Many people fall away for this reason. I have many preachers around me who are like this; it is not that they do not love the Lord; they do love the Lord, but the church does not have the supply, and they have no choice but to give up serving to earn money because they have families and children to support. What is the offering money used for in the church?
First, it is for the church's expenses; second, it is used for gospel ministry. Some say, "I cannot preach the gospel." If you give a tithe to God, someone will use that money to preach the gospel, and you will receive the same reward as if you were preaching the gospel yourself. Do you understand? You are also participating in the expansion of God's kingdom and the work of saving souls. Thank God! I hope the brothers and sisters in our church can understand this and support the church and the gospel ministry. God will enlarge your vessel because He wants to be the channel of blessing. If you are willing to do this, God will give you more. Rest assured, God is not stingy; He will not let you give less as you give more. So far, that has not happened. Amen! Thank the Lord!
If the church has more financial flexibility, it can help many people. For example, when they are in need, we can help them. Our church regularly sends clothes donated by believers to disaster areas. If there were no such offerings, what would we give them? In this regard, the Korean ethnic group sets an example for us. Thank God! These things are extremely precious in God's eyes. Thank God! If the church becomes prosperous in this area, God will let you see how great the blessings are. When we truly care for others, our hearts are filled with joy because this is the result of love. Amen! Thank the Lord!
What the Lord Jesus tells us is: We should focus on God's love and not neglect tithing. This refers to this passage; it does not say that there is no need to offer under grace. Many who believe in grace say we are not under the law but under grace, so there is no need to offer a tithe.
What exactly is a tithe? What is the mystery behind it? "Ten" represents all, and "one" represents our portion. When we offer this portion to God, how much do we offer in God's eyes? Ten portions! This is God's way. God's intention is that when you give me this tithe, in God's eyes, you have already given me everything; it is to let me take on all your responsibilities!
Brothers and sisters, can you understand this meaning? Many people say they are unwilling to give; that is fine, but you need to pray about it because you need to have faith to give it to God. We have two choices: the first is to manage it ourselves; the second is to let God manage it. If you are unwilling to give before God, you have chosen to manage it yourself. When you have problems with your finances, do not complain to God. God has not failed to bless you. Some people can earn a lot of money every month, a lot of money every year, but in the end, they have nothing left. Instead, they may owe a lot of money. Where is the problem? It is in self-management.
For example, being willing to give a tithe to God means: "Lord, you manage my finances." If God manages it, what will happen? He will only let you have more. Amen! This is the mystery of tithing. If you give a tithe to God, all your money will be blessed. Amen!
What does a tithe refer to? As mentioned earlier, Abram "took a tithe of all he had." Brothers and sisters, do you understand? For example, if someone generously gives me a thousand dollars, and I take out a tithe to give to God, it represents that all of this is God's, and God manages all my finances. Amen! This is the true meaning of tithing.
If you keep everything, you will ultimately find that the more you save, the less you have. God is the God of blessings; remember He is your God, and you are His child. Amen! Whenever you give a tithe or partake in Holy Communion, you are commemorating what the Lord has done for you. When giving a tithe, pray like this: "Lord, everything I have is Yours. I offer this tithe to You because I know You are the source of all my blessings!"
In giving a tithe, you are also commemorating Jesus. Amen! Just as receiving Holy Communion commemorates Jesus, it is receiving God's blessings in different aspects. Amen! Tithing is receiving material blessings, while receiving Holy Communion is receiving blessings for the heart and body. Amen! Our God is very clear in all aspects of His ministry.
Brothers and sisters, why does God value the commemoration of His Son so much? It is because seeing Jesus Christ brings us joy. When you give your finances to Jesus, you will also receive joy. Amen! Especially when in a bad state, think about how Jesus' heart would be filled with joy. Hallelujah! Moreover, God will indeed give us wisdom. In managing finances, we need to have wisdom. When you are willing to do this, God will give you wisdom to do many things, and through this, you will receive His abundant blessings. Amen!
Giving a tithe to God is to remind you of His Son. It is not because God lacks money; God does not lack money. Amen! God wants to bless you through this way; this is a principle of God. Some say, "Aren't we under grace?" Yes, the grace God gives us is indeed free, but we must plant seeds. A tithe is like a seed.
For example, during the recent wheat planting season, is God not a God of blessings? Yes, even the unbelievers are planting seeds. You, however, with faith say, "Lord, I will not plant a single grain of wheat this year, but I expect a huge harvest next year. I believe You are the God of blessings; You are the God who favors me."
Let me ask you, when harvest time comes next year, will you have a harvest? No. When you believe that everything is blessed by God and are willing to offer it before God with this heart, you will see abundant blessings. Amen! For example, if you plant one hundred pounds of grain, when you plant it, believe that God is the God of blessings, and He will give you a great harvest. When harvest time comes, you will receive a great harvest. Amen! Because you have sown seeds.
Look at the Israelites; when they sowed, they had faith, believing that everything was God's. They waited for the first ripe wheat to bring the first sheaf before God. They bundled the first ripe wheat and brought it before God, shaking it. Why did they do this? They said: "Lord, I bring this first sheaf of wheat before You; this is all Yours." This is how the Israelites lived on earth, following God's principles of blessing! To this day, Jewish people are the smartest in business. They are also the wealthiest because they understand God's laws! Thank God!
If you do not understand this principle, some who believe in grace will say, "We just need to receive; we do not need to do anything..." Will this lead to problems? This person will say that this does not need to be done, and that does not need to be done. Some even say that there is no need to go to church. If you only want to hear the message of grace, you can listen at home, but church is different. You will hear many testimonies and give your love to those around you. Through the gospel ministry, through your offerings, through your love, you will promote the gospel ministry. By doing so, God will greatly bless you and reward you. Hallelujah!
In this area, we need to understand that offerings before God bring Him great joy. He delights in you and is willing to double the blessings He gives you. God does not want your things. At that time, Solomon offered many things to God. After offering, Solomon and the people ate all that they had offered. Will God eat your things? God does not want your things. Our God is a God of blessings. After you offer, when God takes it into His hands, He will repay you doubly. Moreover, in doing so, you will leave a permanent inheritance in heaven.
Recently, many people have asked me about tithing, saying, "Teacher, our church now has several million in savings, and the church does not need this money. We often talk about offerings, giving the preacher only a little money each month, while the elders of their church drive cars, and the preachers ride old bicycles to church to preach and pray. What should I do? I do not want to give this tithe to the church." I tell them the biblical principle: the Levites serve full-time, and the tithe is for those who serve full-time.
When you give to the church, you are giving to God. If you give to the Levites, you are also giving to God. There are only these two types. You cannot look at a person in need and give them the tithe; that is your love offering. You cannot give the tithe to them. Do you understand, brothers and sisters? You should give beyond the tithe; the tithe is for God. With this understanding, you can come to this church to offer, or if you see that another church is very poor, you can also give to that church. This is what Paul did in the early church.
When the church in Jerusalem faced famine, Paul raised a lot of money in other churches and brought it to the church in Jerusalem. Churches should help each other. If the nearby church is very poor, and this church has millions every year, it will not help you at all because they feel it is their own.
We need to have a correct view of offerings; everything belongs to God. When you offer before God, you promote the development of the gospel ministry, and there will be rewards. When we come to heaven, we say, "Lord, our church has saved several hundred million." Is that useful? What does God want you to do with that? God hopes you will use that money on His children. Amen! So that more people can see God's love. Thank God!
Earlier, I talked about to whom the tithe should be given. Some people say, "Teacher, I do not want to give to our church because our church spends money recklessly." Brothers and sisters, remember: You have already given to God. Do you understand, brothers and sisters? When you offer, pray: "Lord, this is what You have given me; I bring this tithe before You. It is for Jesus!" How the church uses this money is the church's business. They need to be accountable to God, and you should not interfere. Amen! Many people extend their hands too far, saying, "This money is mine; you should spend it this way or that way." In fact, you should not do that.
Recently, I heard that there have been disputes in some churches, mostly financial issues, because people say, "I gave God's money; where did you spend it?" In fact, this is not the question we should ask. Some people even give out of love and end up being deceived. It is very sad.
I tell them: even if you were deceived, this money has already been offered before Jesus. Hallelujah! So we need a correct view of offerings so that the church will not have disputes because of this. This is particularly important for us, especially under grace. We must understand that offerings come from love! Amen!
If everyone prays for our church and supports our church's ministry, our church's gospel ministry will develop faster. Amen! Hallelujah! This is why many people are willing to support us. Because they know that we use the money before God. Thank the Lord!
We need everyone to pray for our church's ministry. Currently, rent is our biggest headache, but I want to tell everyone that if everyone does their part, this is not a problem. God will double what you do. In the end, you will be the one who is blessed and benefited.
Brothers and sisters, I want to share two testimonies with you. One testimony is something that all business people may understand:
In the last century, there was a boy from a rural area in northern New York. His family was like this: his father was a con artist who often deceived people, while his mother was a devout believer in God. His father was not skilled in medicine but often used it to deceive others, even thinking about getting rich every day, not sparing his own children. When his son borrowed money from his father, the father would charge him interest. In such a family, the child went out to work at a very young age to provide a better life for his mother because the family was in such a state. He gave his first earnings to his mother, who said, "Son, you should take out a tenth and give it to the church. If you do this, I will be especially happy."
This mother taught him from a young age that everything is given by God. Although his father lent him money, he always asked for it back at the most tense times. In this family, two extremes emerged: the mother told him to give, while the father constantly asked him to take. The child listened to his mother's teaching and later became the world's richest man, the oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller. Have you heard of this person?
Business people are very familiar with this name. Under his mother's urging, Rockefeller always followed the habit of giving a tenth to the church because his mother always told him that everything was blessed by God. From the beginning, he gave a few dollars a week, to eventually giving billions every year, and he was able to do so before God. This is our heart; God is willing to bless such a person. Amen! Thank the Lord!
Later, when he was interviewed by a magazine, John Rockefeller said, "From that week on, I put everything in God's hands. Every dollar I earned, I gave a tenth. If I had not made the first dollar and given a tenth, I would not have been able to give a tenth of the next million."
He developed the habit of tithing from the beginning, and when he earned his first million, he was not distressed about it. He could also offer it before God. Rockefeller said: "Teach your children to tithe; when they grow up, they will become faithful servants of God." In the business world, Rockefeller's personal assets are still the highest to date. His personal assets are approximately eight hundred billion dollars. Bill Gates has much less than him. Why do I say this? Because God's blessings on him include not only him but also his descendants. Opportunities in all aspects increase every time he prays and offers before God.
We hope that such a billionaire will emerge in China, but first, there must be a heart that can embrace the world. Amen! If there is no such heart, God will not dare to bless you, fearing that you will end up like that rich man, thinking it is all your own and becoming proud. Relying on oneself can easily lead to many problems. Rockefeller's success has already told us the reason.
Now let me share a real example from our church. Those who have been attending our church for more than three years should remember this aunt. This aunt is from Xuchang, Henan. In 2009, she came here with her child to start a business. Both she and her husband were teachers, and after retirement, they did not know what to do. Their children were not very articulate, and their education level was not high. They came to this city to start a business. What exactly could they do?
This aunt did not have any special skills; she was just willing to entrust everything to God. She started a hotel business, which is the chain called "Harbor Impression" at the street corner. They started this business in 2009, and three years later, their assets exceeded one hundred million. So do not say that it is difficult to do business in this era; you do not understand. They are people of this era and are right beside us. Before the aunt's grandson was born, we often chatted, and she said, "As long as I am alive and can move, I will definitely go to church on Sundays. Tithing is indispensable. I teach my children to do the same. You must believe that this is God's blessing for you."
There are indeed too many such testimonies. I hope that those who have not experienced God's abundant blessings in finances can start adjusting their hearts from this moment, saying, "Lord, everything I have is Yours. You are blessing me, so I also want to be a blessing to others." If I have nothing, how can I be a blessing to others? Start with one dollar. If you receive one dollar, you can take out a tenth. Start small, and you will find that God's blessings are always abundant! Amen!
I am a unique testimony in this regard. Many people know that my salary is two thousand. How can a family of four get by? But I am truly grateful to God; His provision is indeed abundant! At first, I thought there was no way to get by, but God provides in such a way that you can see His blessings in me. Amen! I also wish for such blessings to manifest in you, more and more, and for God to bless you in all aspects. Amen!
Finally, let’s look at a passage from Hebrews 13:15-16:
15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. 16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Is this content from the New Testament? It tells us that "we should continually offer praise through Jesus." This is the way to rely on Jesus. Amen! What should we rely on Jesus for? "To continually offer praise to God." Is this not thanking God? Do you remember the aunt I mentioned earlier? The three words she often said were "Thank the Lord!" No matter what happened, she always thanked the Lord. Even when things seemed very bad, she said, "Thank the Lord."
I asked her why she thanked the Lord. She said, "God will surely make a way." This is her faith in God. To continually offer praise as a sacrifice to our God is the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name. Amen! Do not let your lips produce a corrupt fruit. "Oh no, this year I will lose money again." "Oh no, did I save any money this year?" This is the fruit of your lips. So do not let your lips ruin your family. Amen! You must continually offer praise as a sacrifice to God. Amen!
Believe that you are prosperous before God because God can bless you. God is willing to bless you through what you do. Hallelujah! "But do not forget to do good." When God is willing to bless you, you are also willing to give, becoming a channel of abundant blessings. This is what God is pleased with. Hallelujah!
I hope that in three or five years, everything will be greatly blessed by God. In this regard, I have seen with my own eyes the partners from the Korean ethnic group. Many of them were very poor at first, but now they have all been turned around by God. I only say this aspect; it is indeed true. I also wish for you to experience God's grace in this area. I hope that in your lives, everything is prosperous!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You! Lord, everything we have is Yours. We are willing to bring what You have given us back before You. We do this out of love and faith, willingly offering it up. You will accept this willing sacrifice, and You will make us channels of blessing.
You are the God of blessings. The more seeds we sow before You, the more we will reap. Hallelujah! This will also enable our church to do greater ministry because the finances are used for the gospel ministry. In the preaching of the gospel, I also have my part, as I am bearing witness for our Lord Jesus.
Lord Jesus, we thank You! Heaven and earth belong to You. You want Your children to live in abundance, just like Abram, who was willing to offer to God and teach his children to tithe. You blessed him and his children with prosperity. This is how we live according to Your way, using Your words in our lives, and we will surely see Your wonderful grace!
Thank You for loving us in this way. You can give us faith to act on Your words. All glory belongs to You. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray! Amen!