Tithe & Offering

Date: 7 October 2007
Speaker: Pastor Kong Hee
Venue: City Harvest Church

Malachi 1:1
The burden (a very sad and compelling word) of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.

Malachi 1:2
“I have loved you,” says the Lord. “Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’ Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” Says the Lord. “Yet Jacob I have loved; (they are questioning God's faithfulness)

Malachi 1:6
“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts to you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’

To honor someone, means to pay tribute to the person as a recognition of the value of that person. Our faith has to be backed up with our offerings, or else it is empty faith.

Malachi 1:7
“You offer defiled food on My altar, but say, ‘ In what way have we defiled You?’ By saying, ‘The table of the Lord is contemptible.’ (the leaders have no more passion for God. they think that God will accept whatever they offer Him.)

Malachi 1:8
And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?” says the Lord of hosts. (an offering is supposed to have vision, energy and must be able to help the church advance.)

Malachi 1:10-11
“Who is there even among you who would shut the doors, so that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you,” says the Lord of hosts, “Nor will I accept an offering from your hands. For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, my name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, and a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations,” says the Lord of hosts. (God is not hard up for your offerings. He will not go hungry without it.)

Malachi 1:12-13
“But you profane it, In that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled; And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.’ You also say, ‘Oh, what a weariness!’ And you sneer at it,” says the Lord of hosts. “And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; Thus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand?” says the Lord. (You are not just giving to the church, you are giving to God.)

Tithe = 10% of our increase.

1 Corinthians 16:2
On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.

Malachi 3:9-12, 16-18
You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation (tithing is not just for the individual). Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it (God will give you favour to go after your dreams). “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” says the Lord of hosts (your hard work will bear fruit); And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,” says the Lord of hosts. Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name (God remembers and knows. The Book of Remembrance is for those who tithes). “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.” Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him (Jewels = You will be set apart from the world. The prosperity of this world may come to an end, but when you step into God's prosperity, the doors of abundance will never shut on you).