1)  SHARING about the “Rooms of the House” exercise.

If you haven't watched the video or done this exercise from our last session, please do so and prayerfully consider.

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2) CONSIDER: Since tithes and offerings are “God’s share,” doesn’t that imply that I have the right to manage the rest of my material wealth? 

Malachi 3:7-10   Since the days of your fathers, you have turned from My statutes; you have not kept them. "Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Hosts.  But you ask: “How can we return?” “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me!” You ask: “How do we rob You?”  “By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions.  You are suffering under a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing Me.  Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this way,” says the Lord of Hosts. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.

2 Corinthians 9:7-9  Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.  As it is written:  He scattered; He gave to the poor; His righteousness endures forever."

Mark 12:41-44 Sitting across from the temple treasury, He watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich people were putting in large sums. And a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. Summoning His disciples, He said to them, “I assure you:This poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple treasury. For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she possessed—all she had to live on.”

Proverbs 3:9-10  Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest; then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

1 Timothy 6:6-10; 17-19  But godliness with contentment is a great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

3)  DISCUSSION ON “First Fruits” - mentioned in the video testimony (see below) in this morning's service (Crosspointe Church).  

A voluntary offering given in thanks or faith.  It was designed to acknowledge and thank God for providing the Israelites with the land flowing with milk and honey after their captivity in Egypt. It was a ceremonial act for the nation of Israel.  I was meant to honor God as first in their lives and was an act of obedience.  It was the faithfulness of obedience that ensured His blessing, not the offering itself. 

Deuteronomy 26:1-3 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you take possession of it and live in it, 2you must take some of the first of all the land’s produce that you harvest from the land Yahweh your God is giving you and put it in a container. Then go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to have His name dwell. When you come before the priest who is serving at that time, you must say to him, ‘Today I acknowledge to the Lord your God that I have entered the land the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.’

​​a) Examples of what a "first fruit" might be (note that it isn't just about giving financially) 

• First paycheck of a new job or the first paycheck of the year
• Portion earned from the sale of something
• Portion of each subsequent paycheck
• Take a "Sabbath" the first day of the week, and/or have a quiet time in the morning 

b) The reasons stated for giving a first fruits offering may vary.  (Ask God if he requesting this from you) 

• To sow sacrificial faith that God will provide
• To give thanks that God did provide

Proverbs 3:9-10 Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest; then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine.  

Malachi 3:10 Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this way,” says the Lord of Hosts. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.  

2 Corinthians 9: 6-7 Remember this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.

4)  CONSIDER:  If “my time” at church on Sunday, reading my Bible daily, praying, etc. is understood to be God’s part (spiritual), doesn’t that imply that I have the right to manage the remaining hours in my day?

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