These next four columns, for

the most part, won't go down easy! Yet, I sincerely believe a prophetic

word must be spoken to affluent Fayette County folks - particularly Christians

- concerning the place of money in their devotion to the one and true

living God. Most ministers these days hesitate almost to a halt in regard

to speaking the Word of God about money for fear that their church will

lose members and guests won't return.

In fact, most churches have

bought the devil's line that if a church talks about money it's

a sure way to run people off. So, we don't talk about money and still

the people stay away in droves. Jesus did not hedge in talking about money.

Jesus knew without equivocation that the relationship that a man had with

his money enormously impacted his final destination. In fact, Jesus said

every person decided who would be boss of his or her life: money or the

Lord.

When talking about giving money to the God through his church, a lot of

folks defend their pitiful giving by asserting that tithing is an Old

Testament thing and not binding for those of us who live under the New

Testament covenant of grace. Jesus blew that argument asunder when some

good old legalistic temple leaders engaged him in some tricky-dickey conversation.

Yes, Jesus acknowledged that the temple leaders had indeed tithed from

what they produced, but had neglected weightier provisions of the spiritual

life like justice, mercy and faithfulness. Then Jesus added, "These

are the things you should have done without neglecting the others"(Matthew

23:23). What others? Tithing from the income of their products.

The temple leaders thought they could give their money - legalistically

- and ignore relating to people out of compassion and mercy. Jesus insisted

then, and it's true today, it is not one or the other, it's

both and! Actually Jesus talked more about money than he talked about

heaven or hell. He made people laugh when he told the it was easier for

a camel to wiggle his way through the eye of a needle - yes, a sowing

needle - than for a rich man to get into heaven. The plain of truth is

that when a man or woman have a lot of money they don't see much

need for a Savior. When you can afford room service every day of your

life, it's hard for you to believe one day you will need to call

on Jesus.

Jesus didn't talk a lot about the practice of tithing because he

assumed the practice was well imbedded in Jewish thought and indeed it

was. The first murder came about because one brother brought his best

to God and the other brought became jealous and depressed. The Old Testament

is full of God's people giving of their tithes and offerings, which

often get confused.

The Prophet Malachi made the matter as clearly as humanly possible: "bring

the whole tithe into the storehouse"(Malachi 3:10) and most scholars

agree that the temple served as the storehouse in the Old Testament and

gathered church as the storehouse in the New Testament. Prophet Malachi

even asserted that certain curses were troubling the people of God because

they were ignoring their responsibility in this area of giving.

People ask me, "How much should I give to my church?" I answer

that question not on the basis of what makes sense or what sounds fair

or even what would be socially correct. I answer it based on God's

Word: it says to bring the "whole tithe" into the storehouse

and that means 10 percent of one's income. No ifs, ands, or buts.

If you want to argue with someone about this issue, argue with God and

his Word and I have a good feeling his word shall stand the test of your

lifetime and longer.

To tithe is to confess that everything you have ultimately and fundamentally

belongs to God. It means that everything you have is on loan from God.

Nothing you have is owned out right.

Now, a brief word about offerings. You give offerings after you have tithed.

Until you have paid your tithe, you aren't in a position to give

offerings. Mary and Joseph, upon the birth of baby Jesus, made their way

to the temple in Bethlehem to present offerings. Because they were poor,

the appropriate offering was two young pigeons. But that was above and

beyond their tithe.

Our church houses should be abounding in financial resources because God's

people ought to be tithing (just think what that would mean in one of

the richest counties in Georgia) and God's people ought to be bringing

all sorts of offerings to demonstrate their thanksgiving for healthy births,

their children making excellent grades, and many other good things that

happen week end and week out.

Fayette County: open your purse and get off your wallet and praise this

good and wonderful God. There is none like him!

Hallelujah.

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