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NT Giving & Prosperity, Tithe, 2 of 4

7/27/2024

Hi all,

Last week was very practical information about money flowing to or away from us, changing our ability to be able handle more, and developing multiple streams of income flowing towards us.

A final thought on last week would include the Bible indicates our basic job should supply our needs. Developing multiple streams of income is what provides for our desires.

Consider any restaurant, any shop any store. There are multiple items on the menu, multiple items to buy in a store or shop, not just one item. Nearly every business uses this Biblical principle of multiple streams of income without even recognizing where it comes from.

Now we turn to the Old Testament tithe
I've been in church services where I could almost hear a collective groan from the congregation when the pastor gets up to the pulpit and says; 'Let's turn to Malachi 3:8-11'. "Bring the tithes into the storehouse."

Often they will add in a 'You are robbing God' statement for guilt, throw in a 'you are under a curse if you don't tithe' for condemnation, add in a 'He will rebuke the devourer for your sake' to give hope, and finish on the positive by telling everyone that God is going to 'open the floodgates of heaven' to bless them IF they will tithe to the church. But is that a true and accurate understanding of scripture?

I'll explain what opening the windows of heaven means below, but first, about the tithe....
In a 7 year cycle, there were 4 tithes over the course of 6 years, with no tithe on the 7th year because every 7th year was a Sabbath year.

There were 4 types of tithes listed below, with their common name underlined:

The first type is 'terumah, or the 'first fruits offering' 10% from the harvest.
The second type is 'ma'aser rishon', or first tithe. From one's normal pay.
The third type is 'ma'aser min hama'aser, the tithe of the tithe. For Levites only to give to priests.
The fourth type is 'ma'aser sheen', or the second tithe. From normal pay, but for a special purpose.

These 4 were offered at different times over a 7 year period, with no tithe given that 7th year, a Sabbath year. On the 7th year no one tithed, they kept everything.

On years 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the 7 year cycle, the 'second tithe' was taken to Jerusalem and offered to the Lord, and after the priests took their part, was given back to the people who offered it. They went back home to their village or city, and with their neighbors held a community-wide party to celebrate God's goodness.

On years 3 and 6 this 'second tithe' never even went to the temple. The funds stayed within the community and was used to care for the poor, fatherless, and widows and all in need. The Levites and priests had no inheritance of land so were considered the same as the poor, thus entitled to be supported by the larger community.

The purpose of the tithe therefore was the support of the people. Most pastors don't know what I just wrote here, or if they do they ignore it, dismissing it as Old Testament. But in my thinking, to demand the tithe from the people means the people should be able to demand their portion back. It can't be a one-way street. Something is definitely wrong with the current system.

Every estimate I have seen states the average Israelite in the Old Testament system, gave about 22% of their income to the Lord. The 10% tithe and the rest was various offerings a person would on make to the Lord over the course of a year: After sinning, after having a baby, freewill, and so on.

About Malachi 3:8-11 (the windows of heaven part)
"...test me in this....and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing that you won't have room to receive it all...."

What happens in everyone's mind is an expectation that God becomes a Las Vegas slot machine. I put my tithe into the bucket, and God in turn blesses my life with money, promotion, status....and then everyone wonders why 1 in 1000 has a testimony like that...but what about me, they wonder.

I didn't understand this verse until we lived in SE Colorado where crops are irrigated.
Just as in the time of Malachi, crops were watered by a canal from a river (Jordan), then the water flowed through smaller ditches to a farmer's field.

That water flows through the field watering crops as it flows, and then into a ditch on the other side. It then flows to the neighbor's field, and so on until everyone's crops are watered. Each field experiences an overflow and there is no way to contain it. It requires an overflow to water everyone's field in turn, one after another.

Here is the key to understanding this passage.
Jesus stated in Mark 4:13 that His Parable of the Sower is the most important parable He spoke, for by it we understand all parables. In that parable the earth is the human heart, and the seed is the Word (Jesus, the person who is the Word, not chapter/verse) is planted into that heart.

In Malachi 3 it means the water that is poured out through the flood gates of heaven is the Holy Spirit. He flows to our field - our heart - where our crops grow - our life, our family, job, possessions. The Father isn't promising to bless you, He is promising to pour out His Spirit and THAT waters your heart, which then grows the 'crops' of your life - family, home life, job, and so on.

The principle of the Holy Spirit poured out in our hearts which then waters our 'field of crops', is very New Testament. And that brings us to the question: Why isn't tithing mentioned in the New Testament?

That is for next week, until then, blessings,
John Fenn
http://www.cwowi.org and email me at [email protected]

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NT Giving & Prosperity, Tithe, 2 of 4

7/27/2024

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NT giving and prosperity, Like water, 1 of 4

7/20/2024

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Hi all,

Years ago a friend who worked in the mail-order industry, gave me a tour of the mail room. One of the clients they processed mailings for was a TV minister of questionable morals. The mailing I saw included a small patch of cloth.

As I recall, the instructions were something like pray the prayer written on the mailing once a night for 6 nights, and sleep with patch of cloth under your pillow. On the 7th day the person was instructed to send the cloth back to him with their highest and best offering, and their prayer would be answered.

What the Bible says about money is far different from that preacher and what most of the pastors in the auditorium churches teach. This series will cover NT giving, but more than that, some concepts about money that form a foundation for balanced Biblical prosperity.

Think of money like water
If you think of money like water you can picture it flowing away from you in some things, and flowing towards you with investments. For instance, if you buy a soft drink you'll never see that money again. But if you put that same money into your home, or savings, or investment, it will come back to you.

Money flowing away from you like water includes...

Moral actions: Immorality (sexual sin), dishonest gain, troubling your family, refusing correction, covering your sin (wrong doing with resources), loving pleasure out of balance, loving drink/addictions, overeating, stupid friends (vain friends). Proverbs 5:10, 10:3, 11:29, 13:18, 28:13, 21:17, 23:21, 28:19

Mistakes with money: Co-signing a note, getting money without working for it, unwise use of credit, giving to the rich, charging interest on a friend, get rich quick schemes, lack of sales resistance, not having a budget, impulse buying. Proverbs 11:15, 13:11, 22:7, 22:16, 28:8, 28:22, 20:21, 21:5, 14:15, 24:3-4 Living Bible, 27:20

Work habits: Sleeping too much, not being diligent at work, talking too much, slothfulness - not lazy, just no drive to work, chasing fantasies. Proverbs 6:11, 10:4, 14:23, 19:15, 28:19 NIV

Win the lottery?
In I Corinthians 10:13 it says God will not allow us to be tested above what we are able to handle, and will when the enemy comes in, make a way of escape.

From His point of view, if a person is not handling the money they have now, why would He give them more to mismanage? He promises not to give us more than we can handle - if you can't handle what you have, He won't give you more. Ta da....it's that simple sometimes.

Change your ability to handle more - a Talent was a unit of money by weight
In the parable of the Talents, found in Matthew 25:14-30, we have the story of a master who calls his 3 servants and gives them 1 talent, 2 talents, and 5 talents "according to each one's ability." v15

A talent is a weight of money, the highest level of currency in the first century, generally believed to have been about 75-100 US pounds (34-45k) of gold or silver, the most common footnote is 75 pounds (NIV). One man received 1 talent, another 2 talents, another 5 talents, 'according to each one's ability.'

Here Jesus teaches us the only 3 things that can be done with money. The man who started with 5 talents, bought and sold, adding to those 5 another 5, for a total of 10. The man who started with 2, did equally well, adding another 2 for a total of 4. Buying and selling is the 1st and highest thing that can be done with money.

The man who had received the 1 talent buried it in the ground. The master told him he should have at least put it in the bank to gain interest. These are the 2 other things to be done with money - put it somewhere to gain interest, or bury it in the ground. In today's economies due to inflation, these 2 options cause you to lose money. Buy/sell, interest, bury. Those are the 3 things to be done with money.

But I want to direct our attention back to the conditions each received money.
It was 'according to each's ability.' God won't give you more than you can handle, so if you want to handle more, change your ability.

Learn a trade, go to school, take classes, work with someone you can learn from....it is up to us not God to increase our ability. The Master didn't change their ability, that part was up to them. If you increase your ability, all other things being equal, more money will flow to you. Will you handle it properly? Can the master give you more? Are you handling what you have?

These things are all our responsibility, not His. He knows your heart, and if you are set on improving your ability for Him to flow increased money towards you, change your ability.

Streams of income flowing towards you
The Bible teaches as you can see above, the Lord meeting our needs. Very few proverbs or other verses are about having enough money to buy our desires. In much of the world it is difficult just having basic needs met. So let us see what the Bible really says about money coming to us.

The Bible describes multiple streams of income flowing towards a person to meet their needs, and desires beyond that. Multiple streams.

Consider Job
Job 1:3 says he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen (1000 oxen), and 500 female donkeys. In modern terms, camels were over the road semi-trucks, or lorries, meaning he ran caravans all over the Middle East. Female donkeys were around town delivery trucks/lorries. 1000 yoked oxen means a huge farming operation. 7,000 sheep meant meat, wool/weaving, and so much more. Add in all the products produced like milk, meat, leather and such, and Job had multiple streams of income flowing towards him.

Consider the Proverbs 31:10-31 woman
Verse 13 says she seeks wool and flax, then works them with her hands - weaving. Verse 14 says she buys/sells or imports/exports what she makes, like a merchant ship.

In v15 she expands the business with hard work, rising before day to give food to her family and to her employees. Verse 16 tells us she takes the profits and: "She considers a field and buys it, planting a vineyard with her own hands."

So now she has employees weaving flax and wool, and she is able to shift her attention to buying land, and making it produce. Verses 18 & 19 tells us she knows her products are good, and she still spends time at the loom - showing she maintains oversight of her businesses.

Money flowing like water to you or away from you, moral uprightness, wisdom and common sense, changing your ability, multiple streams of income. Has this been food for thought? It is true Biblical prosperity.

We have covered much ground, and there is more for next week - the OT tithe....until then, blessings,
John Fenn
http://www.cwowi.org and email me at [email protected]

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Final thoughts, the Holy Spirit

7/13/2024

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Hi all,

Some final thoughts on the Holy Spirit.

On the day of Pentecost God moved out of the temple and into people.
Can you imagine the adjustment these Jewish people had to make in their understanding to the idea the great I AM now lived in them?

Their whole lives they had been (rightly) taught about God's presence coming down on the tabernacle of Moses. How the great I AM had spoken to Moses face to face as a man talks to his friend. (Exodus 33:11)

They had been taught the sacrifices by which they might approach Him, and how the Holy Spirit was upon the prophet, priest, and king, but not on the common man.

John's gospel reveals their understanding of Christ who was preexistent with the Father, emptying Himself of all rights and privileges and power as God's Son, leaving heaven, to become the baby and the man, Jesus.

God's Word, the Word of the Father's power, that word that spoke to Adam, Abraham, Moses and all the prophets, became a human being and lived among them. (John 1:14)

Now they understood
When Jesus ascended to heaven He needed to administer His will. The Father's Spirit is the means by which He does that. Now ascended, He is no longer confined to one place and time as He was when He lived in the flesh in the gospels. He can be instantly anywhere, in His glorified body. By the Father's Spirit Jesus knows all and oversees His body world-wide.

The Holy Spirit is both in heaven and in us at the same time. When the Lord deals with us on something in our heart, our emotions, He does so from within us, but equally so in heaven.

When we receive peace in our spirit about something in our life, it is because in heaven the Holy Spirit has learned or heard peace from the Father or Lord about our situation. If you have peace in your spirit, it is because there is peace in heaven about it too. Same time, no delay, instant communication. Peace in your spirit here is because the Lord and Father say 'peace' about it.

Temple thinking
Acts 2:46 tells us they were 'daily in the temple and from house to house'. What an adjustment to their lives! They went to temple as they had all their lives, but God's presence was no longer there.

What a conflict in their minds existed! Now they went to temple to learn from the apostles about Christ in them, being right there on temple grounds realizing the I AM that once lived behind the veil between the cherubs on the Ark of the Covenant, now lives in them! How to fathom such love!

But those happy days with one foot in the temple and one foot in homes was short-lived
Acts 8:1 tells us Saul of Tarsus and others so persecuted these new believers that: "They were all scattered abroad in the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles."

The time between Pentecost in Acts 2, and every believer moving out of Jerusalem was about a year, no more than about 18 months. Consider, in Acts 2 we have Pentecost, in 3 & 4 Peter and John are brought before the authorities. In 5 Ananias & Sapphira die. In 6 servants are appointed to handle the food distribution to the widows. The whole of chapter 7 is Steven's defense and death.

All within about a year these things happened. With their lives in danger, they all left the city. I've seen estimates of 10,000 people. Suddenly, they were gone, no more going to temple daily. Now meeting in homes to learn about Christ in them, the great I AM who by the Father's Spirit, lives in them.

After Saul of Tarsus got saved and became the apostle Paul,
People started filtering back into the city, but we never again see statements in Acts about them being 'daily in the temple'. They didn't need the temple any longer. The reality of Christ in them had taken full hold. They had the revelation, enhanced by the revelations Paul wrote about - Christ in you, having the mind of Christ for any situation, being righteous in Him, how the Spirit searches the Father for what He has prepared for us, and more.

I believe the Lord allowed that year between Pentecost and them moving, which meant no more temple access at all, so they could adjust to New Testament realities.

Today we see the same thing.
Christians have been raised all their lives that church is 'God's house', and His presence is stronger there, stronger on leaders, and to be blessed they need to go to the building to meet God.

But then they have their own 'Pentecost revelation'. God doesn't live in a building. Christ is in them, in their friends, in their neighbors, in their co-workers and family, in all who believe. Why go to the temple? What relevance does it serve to a Christian whose priorities are making sure their brother and sister are fed, clothed, visited and cared for?

And here is the vast difference between Christ in us thinking and temple thinking: The temple is 'leader at the top' centered. All power goes to the person at the top. In 'Christ in you' thinking, leadership empowers each person to live by their own faith.

As many of you know, our web posts one of our key pillars:
"Not that we would have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy. For by your own faith you stand." II Corinthians 1:24

The temple system doesn't focus on the Holy Spirit within each person. It focuses on the Holy Spirit moving the person or people at the top. In home meetings it is about what Christ in each person is doing, no matter their age, no matter their socio-economic status, no matter their past.

Meetings are about empowering each person to live for Christ,
It is about continuing the discipleship process in their lives. Meeting are about seeing the Holy Spirit, God's presence, in our midst. When Paul wrote the Galatians he asked:

"When God does miracles in your midst, does He do it by the Spirit or the hearing of the (Mosaic) law?"

When writing his first letter to the Corinthians he states in 14:26:

"How is it brothers and sisters, when you come together every one of you has a Psalm (worship), another a revelation (something God showed them personally), another a teaching (something God's taught them), or tongues and interpretation. Let all things be done to build up each other."

The question begs: "Does your church service look like what Paul described?" Are miracles common? Are the gifts of the Spirit common? Is each person allowed to share what Christ in them is doing - worship song, revelation, teaching, move in the gifts?

I'm not talking people getting out of wheelchairs at every service, but rather answered prayer, seen and heard by a group of people who prayed for you to see that answer, that miracle in your life. Are you close enough to people to have that closeness, to see what God is doing, how He is answering life?

Why not?

New subject next week, until then, blessings,
John Fenn
http://www.cwowi.org
email me at [email protected]

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The Holy Spirit does it all, 4 of 4

7/6/2024

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Hi all,

How do we live our lives flowing from revelation in our spirit outward into our busy lives?

First, Jesus' example was to always do what we know to do in the natural.
When He cleansed the lepers He told them to go and show themselves to the priest, as the Mosaic law prescribed. Before He turned water into wine He had them locate then fill the water pots. Before He fed the thousands He had them organized by sitting them down in groups of 50s and 100s.
Luke 17:14, John 2, Mark 6:40

Presumption is thinking God is going to do something when it is our responsibility. If it is within our power to use those resources, we are usually expected to do so. Often doing that involves pain, money, and we would much rather have God just wave His hand and heal us, give us money, forgive us without us having to go to the other person to apologize, and so on. But we do the right things in the natural first.

Once we do what we know to do, THEN He often speaks or leads us from there. Sometimes He will tell us not to do something in the natural, but more often than not, He expects us to do what is within our ability to do.

But how does that work? Let me start that answer by asking this:

Who is the only one of the godhead active in ministry on the earth right now?
Answer: The Holy Spirit. He alone is the 1 of the godhead active on the earth today.

If Jesus visits anyone, He opens their eyes to His realm by the Spirit. Jesus is 'in the Spirit' and won't physically be seen until His return to set up His kingdom. Until then He remains 'in the Spirit'.

The Father is in heaven, seated on His throne as we can see in the whole of The Revelation 4.
Jesus ascended to heaven to oversee His body, as its Head. How does He administrate His body from heaven? The Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is in both heaven and earth at the same time.
"I have many more things to say to you but you cannot grasp them now. However, when He the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all truth because He won't speak of Himself, but whatever He hears, that is what He will say and He will show you things to come." John 16:12-13

Jesus said He had many more things to say, but He had to wait until after His ascension to say them. This is why Jesus specifically called the Holy Spirit 'the Spirit of truth'. Jesus wanted His disciples to know whatever Jesus said, the Holy Spirit would exactly communicate it to them, truthfully, without error, without alteration, but exactly true as He spoke it from heaven. The Spirit of Truth.

Acts 2:33: "Therefore being exalted at the right hand of (Father) God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has given Him to us, which is what you see and hear." (Pentecost)

"Eye has not seen nor has earth heard, nor has it entered into the imagination of man what God (Father) has prepared for those who love Him. But, God (Father) has revealed these things to us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God (Father)...We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit of God so that we man know the things which He has freely given to us..." I Corinthians 2:9-12

The Holy Spirit is in heaven listening for Jesus to speak, searching the deep things of the Father's heart for what He has prepared for us. He does this while also within us, communicating what He has heard and learned of the things Jesus wants to stay and the Father has prepared. He is ever-present in heaven and earth at the same time. There is no time-lag between what He hears and what He communicates to our spirit. We get it 'live as it happens', so to speak.

The Witness
Once we realize this, it becomes easier for us to shift our focus to what is in our spirit. We sense His presence in our spirit. We sense His peace. We know He is the faithful and true witness in heaven to what Jesus says and the Father has prepared, and communicates those things exactly to our spirit.

In Acts 5:32, speaking of Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension: "We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit, who God (Father) gives to those who obey Him." (Believe in Jesus)

When the Father was teaching me about His Spirit, He emphasized what I just wrote above. My question to Him was: "Why was the Holy Spirit 'hovering' over the earth in Genesis 1:2?" He immediately responded: "As a witness to creation." I asked; "Why?" and He replied: "Because Moses needed an eye-witness account of creation so he could write it down."

An eye-witness to creation so Moses could write it down. An eye-witness account of Jesus' life and passion. How did you know what your friend was telling you about Jesus was true before you were born again? Or that preacher, or that parent, or as you read scripture? How did you know it was true about Jesus? The Father by His Spirit was showing you, testifying to you, bearing witness to you, that it was true and you needed to do something about the Jesus question. Jesus said in John 6:45: "All who hear from the Father and learn of Him, come to me."

It was your Father loving on you by His Spirit to your spirit, concerning Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is a witness of the truth. That is why Paul wrote in Romans 8: 16 that the Holy Spirit 'testifies' or 'bears witness' to our spirit that we are the children of God. That is truth. He is in heaven to know from Jesus and the Father you are born again, citizen of heaven, child of the Father. He testifies that truth to one's spirit man.

The way to live that out is to force your emotions and thoughts captive to obedience to the truth the Holy Spirit testifies to your spirit.
That's how we live from our spirit in all things. When we fear, we switch to what the Holy Spirit in us is testifying. When we go into a meeting thinking we will pour out the wrath of God on a person, but suddenly in our spirit we sense grace and love for them, we submit our emotions and thoughts to that which is in our spirit.

Our job is to follow that heavenly direction which was so perfectly put in our spirit. That's why there are no prayers to the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. His function is to listen for what Jesus and the Father are saying and revealing what is prepared for us. He will not speak of Himself.

"For we are God's poems, created in Christ Jesus for good things which the Father prepared beforehand for us to walk out." Ephesians 2:10 (Greek)

How do we discover what the Father has prepared for us to walk out? By walking with the Father, talking with the Father, and letting His Spirit who knows the deep things of His heart, reveal to our heart what the Father has prepared.

Just talk with your Father conversationally, then stop, shift your attention to your spirit. Listen, sense, do you sense that presence, that peace? Go with that. Live from that. Develop that sensitivity to His presence in your spirit by shifting your attention many times during your day.

What I do, is first thing after waking up I find something to be thankful for. Sometimes it is just that I woke up, sometimes it is when I see the sunrise, or a pretty cloud, or an animal out the window - Thank you Father for letting me see that. Thank you Father for that timing. Thank you Father....

It is the discipline of the thoughts and emotions bringing them subject to what you sense in your spirit, that will enable you to live from your spirit, out your soul, to make your body obediently trained. You can start your day doing that by being thankful, then pause, shift attention to your spirit, and sense Him. Sense His presence, His peace - He is there. Develop that sensitivity. It isn't a formula, it is a relationship.

This is the end of this series, but I will have some additional thoughts and more about what the Father told me when He was teaching me about Himself and His Spirit who is Holy. Until then,
blessings,
John Fenn
http://www.cwowi.org
email me at [email protected]

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