when GOD is FIRST

ENJOYING THE BENEFITS OF THE LAW OF FIRST THINGS

MIKE HAYES

when GOD is FIRST-Author-Mike Hayes published by Mike Hayes Ministries Copyright by S Mi!hael Hayes "###

$a!ket Design %y Sta!ey Do!kery sta!eydo!kery&gte net

Author 'hotograph %y (urt )elson-Inno*ati*e I+ages, Fris!o, Te-as

All rights reser*ed .-!ept /or use in re*ie0s, this publi!ation +ay not be reprodu!ed, stored or trans+itted in any /or+, or by any +eans +e!hani!al or ele!troni!, photo!opying, re!ording or other0ise 0ithout prior 0ritten per+ission o/ the author

IS%)1 #-2345#26-4-2

FOREWORD
One o/ the basi! prin!iples 0e are taught as %elie*ers is that 0e +ust put God /irst in our li*es Sounds si+ple, doesn7t it8 %ut, 0hat does this really +ean in pra!ti!al appli!ation8 Ha*e you e*er 0ondered 0hy so+e people 9perhaps e*en you9are not being blessed or ha*ing basi! needs +et9e*en though they are gi*ing to the :ord8 ;hat are the results o/ putting God /irst in our li*es9or the !onse<uen!es i/ 0e don7t8 And, abo*e all else, ho0 do 0e do it8 Mike Hayes gi*es so+e !hallenging ans0ers to these <uestions in =;hen God Is First = As you read this book, you 0ill learn that God has !lear la0s on gi*ing and re!ei*ing both blessings and !urses These la0s are dire!tly i+pa!ted by the priorities 0e gi*e to God in e*ery area o/ our li*es As %elie*ers, 0e ha*e the glorious pro+ises o/ God7s blessing and pro*ision Didn7t $esus hi+sel/ say, =Gi*e and it shall be gi*en unto you=8 >es, but there is a !ru!ial key to this la0 As you read this i+portant book you 0ill learn this key9and then, i/ you apply it to your li/e, it 0ill bring God7s pro*ision /or you personally, and ulti+ately /or His (ingdo+ Paul F. Crouch Trinity Broa ca!tin" #$t%or&

CRITICA' ACC'AIM
='astor Mike Hayes7 tea!hing +inistry has !onsistently been +arked by re*elatory insight into the po0er/ul truths o/ S!ripture He has parti!ularly e-!elled in his gi/t to !o++uni!ate /aith in the sensiti*e area o/ the kingdo+ o/ God and +oney =)o serious Christian should be 0ithout this body o/ tea!hing = Bi!ho( )o!$(h '. Garlin"ton S$nior Pa!tor Co*$nant Church o+ Pitt!,ur"h Pitt!,ur"h- P$nn!yl*ania =Mike Hayes7 +essage on =/irst /ruits= is !o+pelling, !on*in!ing and !on*i!ting I ha*e studied the %ible /or years, heard ser+ons all +y li/e and ha*e si- a!ade+i! degrees, yet I had ne*er heard this a+a?ing bibli!al !on!ept until Mike prea!hed the ser+on I /ound +ysel/ sitting on the edge o/ +y seat thinking, 7Ho0 !o+e I ha*e ne*er heard this be/ore87 %ut that <uestion 0as superseded by, 7Ho0 !an I learn to apply this in +y li/e87 =I7+ e!stati! this !on!ept is /inally in book /or+ This !on!ept is one o/ those /e0 that is truly li/e !hanging= Dr. )i. Garlo% S$nior Pa!tor S&ylin$ W$!l$yan Church San Di$"o- Cali+ornia

CRITICA' ACC'AIM
=In @2 years o/ pastoring $ubilee Christian Center, I !an truth/ully say 'astor Mike Hayes7 +essage on /irst things 0as the +ost li/e !hanging ser+on 0e e*er heard =.*ery serious belie*er +ust read this bookA= Dic& B$rnal S$nior Pa!tor )u,il$$ Chri!tian C$nt$r San )o!$- Cali+ornia ='astor Mike Hayes7 +essage, =The De*oted Thing,= is one o/ the +ost re*olutionary, rele*ant, relati*e and re*elatory +essages I7*e e*er heard on the subBe!t o/ tithing and /irst /ruits His deeply propheti! and insight/ul +essage strongly i+pa!ted our !hur!h !ausing our 0eekly gi*ing to in!rease by +ore than "# per!ent ea!h 0eek, 0hi!h still !ontinues =)o pastor, no elder, no Christian should be 0ithout this po0er/ul tool that is guaranteed to /ore*er !hange your perspe!ti*e on the +essage and pra!ti!e o/ tithing and /irst /ruits gi*ing = Bi!ho( Carlton D. P$ar!on Pr$!i in" Bi!ho(- A/u!a F$llo%!hi( Int$rnational S$nior Pa!tor- Hi"h$r Di.$n!ion! Fa.ily Church Tul!a- O&laho.a

DEDICATIO#
I would make no other dedication than to my wife and dearest friend Kathy. She is the most loving, faithful and balanced person I have ever known. Next to the Holy Spirit, od has given me no greater gift. !hank you sweetheart for all you are"

ACK#OW'EDGEME#TS
I 0ish to thank /ro+ the botto+ o/ +y heart +y daughter A+ie, /or her dedi!ation to this proBe!t She has taken it on as a personal !hallenge, /eeling the sa+e sense o/ urgen!y that I ha*e about the i+portan!e o/ the +essage getting out Also, thank you toC Denise Glenn, George Spill+an and his 0i/e (aryn, Andria Ayers, A+y Hossler, (aren Geer and Sta!ey Do!kery /or their tireless !o++it+ent to the !o+pletion o/ this book I !ould not ha*e done it 0ithout the+

TAB'E OF CO#TE#TS
@ ;HO7S )DM%.R O).8 @4

" FD:FI::I)G TH. 'ROMIS.

E4

E :ORDSHI' OR :I'S.RFIC.8

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5 ;H.) ;I:: ;. D.A: ;ITH ACHA)8

34

4 GOD :IF.S %> HIS O;) :A;

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3 HDA:IFI.D TO %. MD:TI':I.D

24

6 TH. ).; COF.)A)T9A %.TT.R ':A) @#3

G TH. 'ROOF IS I) TH. 'A>CH.C(

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2 HO; GR.AT TH. COMMISSIO)

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@# R.D.M'TIF. ;OR( I) 'ROGR.SS

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M> GOA:S FOR GIFI)G

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Top @# Huestions on Tithing

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I#TROD0CTIO#
This day 0as not unlike any other day /or the pastor o/ a s+all /ledgling !hur!h Che!k the appoint+ent book, +ake a /e0 phone !alls and spend a little ti+e praying in preparation /or 0hate*er the day 0ould hold ;hat I 0asn7t prepared /or, ho0e*er, 0as the e*ents that this si+ple day 0ould set in +otion ;hen %ill and (athleen 0alked into +y o//i!e I 0asn7t sure 0hat the purpose o/ their *isit 0as I kne0 their +arriage 0as suspe!t at ti+es, but +any young !ouples need !ounsel 0hen a +arriage is ne0 As I 0as soon to learn, this ti+e their proble+ 0as not +arriage ='astor=, they began, =0e ha*e a <uestion ;e do not understand 0hy 0e /aith/ully pay our tithes to support our !hur!h and 0e are not being blessed Most o/ the ti+e 0e !annot pay all o/ our bills I/ so+ething doesn7t !hange, 0e 0ill be /or!ed to /ile /or bankrupt!y ;hat are 0e doing 0rong8 =

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IN!#$%&'!I$N

I kne0 this /a+ily to be hard 0orking, /aith/ul people and their gi*ing see+ed to be espe!ially !onsistent I thought o/ e*ery possible reason and !he!ked it o// in +y +ind I didn7t 0ant to send the+ a0ay 0ithout an ans0er A/ter all, I 0as a young pastor desiring to be the sour!e o/ all inspired in/or+ation .*en still, I /elt that there 0as so+ething to be learned on +y part So, I ad+itted that I did not ha*e the solution /or the+ I did pro+ise, ho0e*er, to pray about it and try to help the+ 0ith an ans0er A/ter they le/t +y o//i!e I slu+ped ba!k into +y !hair and dri/ted o// into thought Re*ie0ing the /a!ts, I kne0 one thing 0as sure9God is /aith/ul and His ;ord is true So i/ the pro+ised results o/ obedien!e to God7s 0ord 0ere not happening, it 0asn7t God7s /ault I/ I hadn7t kno0n %ill and (athleen so 0ell, I probably 0ould ha*e spouted o// the sa+e old things I kne0 about gi*ing %ut this 0as di//erent They 0ere pra!ti!ing 0hat I had been prea!hing to the+ As I re+e+ber, about t0o 0eeks later I !alled the !ouple ba!k into +y o//i!e to ask the+ so+e spe!i/i! <uestions I asked %ill to des!ribe to +e the pro!ess /ro+ the ti+e they re!ei*ed their pay!he!k to the +o+ent their tithe tou!hed the o//ering plate %y the end o/ the
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!on*ersation, our !on/usion 0as gone, repla!ed by the o*er0hel+ing !larity o/ the ans0er The re*elation reali?ed in +y little o//i!e not only !hanged the !ourse o/ this !ouples7 li*es, but also a//e!ted the destiny o/ our !hur!h and thousands o/ li*es /ore*er A/ter all, our !hur!h at that ti+e ser*ed about "## +e+bers and 0e 0ere struggling to keep 0hat 0e had )o0, a /e0 years later, 0e ha*e e-perien!ed +ore o/ God7s blessing than 0e e*er drea+ed possible ;e no0 ha*e an annual budget o/ +illions o/ dollars and a +e+bership approa!hing @#,###, 0orshiping 0eekly on a !a+pus o/ +ore than 5# pri+e a!res Our !hur!h has birthed a s!hool /illed 0ith 0orld !lass /a!ulty and /ields a sports progra+ o/ !ha+pionship !aliber I a+ so hu+bled to see 0hat God has doneA I only played a s+all part by stepping out in /aith "4 years ago, 0ith +y 0i/e (athy I belie*e i/ I !an be su!!ess/ul, anyone !an I also belie*e that the se!ret un!o*ered in this book has been one o/ the +ost i+portant ingredients in our su!!ess As you begin reading, you +ay ask yoursel/, =;hy didn7t he Bust tell us 0hat to do to be blessed8 Couldn7t I ha*e gotten the point 0ithout being dragged through an!ient %ible stories8=

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IN!#$%&'!I$N

:et +e ans0er that 0ith a <uestion o/ +y o0n =I/ you not only had the instru!tions but understood the reasons behind the+, 0ould that understanding dra+ati!ally in!rease the i+portan!e you pla!ed on obeying those instru!tions8= In @256, +y /ather 0as a young D S )a*y re!ruit ;orld ;ar II had Bust ended and the ship he 0as stationed aboard stopped in the 'hilippines /or an airsho0 !elebration Although +y dad and his A+eri!an buddies 0ere glad to see the end o/ the 0ar, not e*eryone 0as !elebrating There 0ere ene+y $apanese soldiers hiding out in the +ountainous Bungle 0ho didn7t e*en kno0 that the 0ar 0as o*er One day a group o/ sailors, in!luding +y /ather, talked their !o++ander into gi*ing the+ a day o// to go to the bea!h ;hen they 0ere told they !ould go, they piled into the ba!k o/ a +ilitary tru!k /or the trip to the o!ean a /e0 +iles a0ay The !o++ander then ga*e spe!ial instru!tions to the dri*er not to stop along the high0ay under any !ir!u+stan!es As they ru+bled do0n the road through the Bungle, +y /ather lost his hat in the 0ind He 0at!hed the hat as it /loated to the ground, settling in the +iddle o/ the high0ay The sailors began to yell at the dri*er asking hi+ to stop 0hile banging their /ists on the roo/ o/ the
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tru!k to get his attention Although they 0ere +aking a great deal o/ noise, it see+ed as i/ he !ould not hear the+ I a+ sure he heard the+, but 0ithout pause he !ontinued dri*ing Deter+ined to obey orders, he 0ould not stop /or any reason %ut be/ore the tru!k rounded the ne-t !ur*e the sailors suddenly understood the reason /or the !o++ander7s stri!t orders $ust a /e0 se!onds a/ter the hat hit the ground, ene+y $apanese soldiers !a+e out o/ the Bungle /ro+ both sides o/ the road They pi!ked up the hat and then disappeared ba!k into the Bungle The rest o/ the trip to the bea!h 0as so+ber and <uiet as ea!h young +an thought about 0hat had Bust happened Seeing the potential !onse<uen!es o/ disobedien!e rein/or!ed the !riti!al i+portan!e o/ obeying the !o++ander7s orders The young sailors didn7t !al!ulate the risk 0hen they !hose to disobey They had been 0illing to take a !han!e be!ause they didn7t understand the reasons behind the orders Isn7t it the sa+e 0ith you and +e8 The understanding o/ Godly instru!tion !an rein/or!e our ability to obey And 0hen you ha*e the desire to understand, it is best to start at the beginning

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WHO2S #0MBER O#E3

=:o*ing-kindness and +er!y, truth and /aith/ulness, preser*e the king, and his throne is upheld by the people7s loyalty = 'ro*erbs "#I"G )IF

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.*en be/ore ti+e began, there 0ere !ontenders /or God7s throne :u!i/er 0as the /irst in his e//ort to oust God /ro+ His position Although 0e don7t kno0 +u!h about :u!i/er7s ti+e in the hea*ens be/ore he 0as !ast do0n, 0e do kno0 that he 0as the /irst sour!e o/ rebellion Isaiah @5I@"-@5 tells us that he /ell into pride and rebellion and de!lared, =I will exalt my throne above the stars of od and I will be like the *ost High.+ )($F :u!i/er 0as so /ull o/ hi+sel/ that he le/t no roo+ /or God His beauty 0as un+at!hed a+ong the angels in hea*en He 0as !o*ered in Be0els 0hi!h enabled hi+ to literally re/le!t the glory o/ God %ut this 0asn7t enough /or hi+9he 0anted +ore :u!i/er7s /irst +istake 0as belie*ing that he 0as the sour!e o/ beauty He /ailed to reali?e that he 0as only beauti/ul 0hen he 0as re/le!ting the glory o/ God His o0n sel/-!enteredness and pride blinded hi+ to the /a!t that he !ould ne*er be greater than the :ord God In /a!t, ,ord is translated /ro+ the Hebre0 0ord adown, +eaning, =so*ereign= or =there is none abo*e,= and od is de/ined as, =the supre+e or ulti+ate realityC the one 0ho is 0orshiped as Creator and Ruler o/ the uni*erse =
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God !ould not tolerate an obBe!tion to His :ordship, so He responded to :u!i/er7s !hallenge God !o++anded Mi!hael, Chie/ o/ the 0arring angels saying, =Cast hi+ out o/ hea*en, and e*ery angel that has anything to do 0ith hi+ =

ATTIT0DE3 WHAT ATTIT0DE3

Although :u!i/er 0as the /irst !ontender /or God7s throne, he 0as not the last >ou see, the throne o/ God, or His pla!e o/ rule, e-ists not only in the hea*ens, but also in the li*es o/ His !hildren Sadly, God +ust no0 !ontend 0ith our pride, greed and thirst /or personal po0er It is possible to e-alt oursel*es to the pla!e o/ =lord= in our o0n li*es and not e*en be a0are o/ it >et this is the sa+e spirit or attitude that !aused :u!i/er to lose his pla!e in hea*en I/ 0e allo0 it, this :u!i/erian attitude 0ill !hallenge God7s right/ul position as :ord o/ our li*es be!ause it is in dire!t opposition to God Re+e+ber, :u!i/er7s !on/ession 0as, +I will exalt my throne above the stars of od and I will be like the *ost High.+ >ou !an bet that 0hen =I= !o+es /irst in our li*es, trouble 0ill +ost likely /ollo0

WHAT IS FIRST3
The o//i!e o/ :ordship and the station o/ the throne 0ere !reated /or the one true God It is i+possible /or
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anyone or anything to repla!e God as /irst ;ith all this talk about the 0ord First, I +ay be taking /or granted that 0e all ha*e the sa+e understanding o/ its +eaning, 0hi!h *aries 0ith it7s o!!upation 0ithin a senten!e FIRST, 0hen used as a noun, is de/inedI th$ +ir!t ($r!on or thin" .$ntion$ . FIRST, 0hen used as an adBe!ti*e is de/inedI ,$in" nu.,$r on$ in a !$ri$!$arli$!t in ti.$- +or$.o!t in i.(ortanc$- ran&4 +un a.$ntal4 ru i.$ntary. The 0ord rudimentary, as a synony+ o/ /irst, is de/inedI a ,a!ic (rinci(l$ o+ a !u,5$ct- th$ .$r$!t ,$"innin" o+ !o.$thin" ca(a,l$ o+ ,$in" $*$lo($ . )undamental, as a synony+ o/ /irst, is de/inedI a ,a!ic $!!$ntial- a++$ctin" th$ +oun ation! o+ !o.$thin". So, i/ li/e 0ere a senten!e, God 0ould be the noun And ho0 0e !hose to des!ribe Hi+ 0ould be the adBe!ti*e Many o/ us 0ould agree that He should be de/ined as the /irst person, in the sense that He 0as earliest in ti+e and /ore+ost in i+portan!e Ho0e*er, 0e +ay ne*er ha*e !onsidered de/ining Hi+ as being nu+ber one in a series It is essential that you understand this point be/ore 0e go /urther 0ith this subBe!t One aspe!t o/ the de/inition o/ /irst, that has not !learly been brought out is that although 7first- +eans nu+ber
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one, it does not +ean that it is an island unto itsel/, ha*ing no e//e!t on all that !o+es a/ter %ut instead, it is de/ined as the beginning or /oundational prin!iple In other 0ords, the /oundation +ust al0ays !o+e /irst This prin!iple is seen in design and !onstru!tion It 0ould not take long to /ail in the !onstru!tion business i/ the !ontra!tor de!ided to start the building pro!ess 0ith the 0alls or the !eiling I kno0 that +ay sound silly, but it 0ouldn7t take a s!ientist to /igure out that, so+ething is +issing >ou see, the !ontra!tor !ould not e*er su!!ess/ully go beyond his /irst +istake ;ithout a /oundation there is no <uestion as to 0hether a building 0ill /all, only 0hen it 0ill /all

THE FA'' OF MA#

;hen God !reated +an, He !reated all things /or his bene/it Ada+ and .*e 0ere !reated to rule o*er all the earth They 0ere not !reated to be sla*es to God, but to rule on His behal/ as kings All God asked o/ the+ 0as that they lea*e one sele!ted tree alone Ada+ and .*e 0ere !o++anded not to tou!h it or eat it7s /ruit God7s intention 0as not to te+pt the+ 0ith the /ruit o/ that tree, but to re+ind the+ that He 0as :ord The tree o/ the kno0ledge o/ good and e*il 0as to be a !onstant re+inder that, although they had been gi*en po0er and
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authority, they 0ere still ruled by Another Their /irst step to0ard /alling 0as /orgetting their Foundation In the garden, Ada+ and .*e had no kno0ledge o/ e*il Dnder the prote!tion o/ God, they 0ere not +ade *ulnerable to the ene+y They kne0 the goodness o/ God, so the te+ptation to take 0hat 0as God7s held no real pleasureC it 0as si+ply a +irage All that the serpent !ould o//er the+ 0as the kno0ledge o/ e*il and the pain that !a+e 0ith su//ering %e!ause o/ the de!eption o/ the serpent, they disobeyed God and de/iled the+sel*es by partaking o/ 0hat belonged to Hi+ The per!eption e-ists that there 0as so+ething spe!ial about the /ruit o/ that tree and that God had +ade it as te+pting as possible be!ause it thrilled Hi+ to torture +an The truth is that the !urse !a+e to the+ be!ause they negle!ted to put God and His !o++ands /irst Ada+ and .*e7s desire =to be like God= ruled their ability to +ake a <uality de!ision :ike :u!i/er, their agenda took /irst pla!e and set in +otion the perpetuation o/ e*il a+ong +an Far too o/ten, our desires and plans are +ore i+portant to us than God7s ;e !an display a :u!i/erian attitude, !hallenging God7s authority, i/ 0e /ollo0 our o0n agenda instead o/ God7s plan /or our li*es

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In /a!t, in :uke 2I4@-43, $a+es and $ohn 0ere rebuked by $esus /or ha*ing this attitude ;hen the Sa+aritans re/used to re!ei*e $esus into their *illage, $a+es and $ohn asked Hi+ i/ they !ould !o++and /ire to !o+e do0n and !onsu+e the pla!e $esus rebuked the+ by saying, +1ou do not know what manner of spirit you are of. )or the Son of *an did not come to destroy men-s lives but to save them.+ :uke 2I44-43 )($F In other 0ords, He 0as saying, =>ou and I aren7t e*en on the sa+e page I didn7t !o+e to this 0orld to destroy +en9I !a+e to sa*e the+A= $a+es and $ohn thought they kne0 ho0 the situation should be handled, but they didn7t ha*e the sa+e obBe!ti*e as $esus Their agenda 0as to Budge the people, 0hile His obBe!ti*e 0as to sa*e the+ In the sa+e 0ay, you and I !an be :u!i/erian in attitude, yet Christian by !on/ession >our !on/ession +ay be, =Oh, I a+ a Christian $esus is :ord o/ +y li/e,= but your a!tions +ay re/le!t the spirit o/ :u!i/er >ou don7t ha*e to be de+on-possessed to !arry this spirit It is +ani/ested through an attitude or +ind-set that sets itsel/ abo*e God God 0ill not adBust His standard to our +ind-setC 0e +ust adBust our thinking to His standard Dn/ortunately, our thinking has be!o+e 0arped by the 0orld in 0hi!h 0e li*e Our =bleeding heart= so!iety is /ull o/ people

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0ho are 0illing to lay do0n their li*es to sa*e a tree, but !hoose to +urder hundreds o/ babies e*ery day 0ith absolutely no !ons!ien!e The reali?ation needs to o!!ur that our so!iety7s standards are set by ungodly priorities and +ust be adBusted to God7s prin!iples

WHAT ABO0T MY RIGHTS3

;e li*e in a ti+e in 0hi!h 0e are obsessed 0ith +aintaining and e-panding 0hat 0e belie*e to be our rights And as Christians, it is i+portant to +ake a di//eren!e in our so!iety by !asting our *ote The proble+ is that so+e belie*ers bring this attitude into the !hur!h and their relationship 0ith God Ho0e*er, as !iti?ens in God7s (ingdo+, 0e ha*e no spiritual 7rights7 that o*er-ride the 0ill and 0ord o/ God There is no politi!al pro!ess, *ote, or !a+paign in the (ingdo+ o/ God God 0ouldn7t be God i/ He ran things by publi! opinion polls and +aBority *ote .*en in the abundan!e o/ His gra!e and +er!y, this prin!iple re+ains9I/ you don7t gi*e God /irst pla!e, He 0ill take it He is God and He 0ill not allo0 anyone to *iolate His right/ul position %e!ause God is so*ereign, He has the right to +ake !ertain !lai+s to our li*es 0ith 0hi!h 0e aren7t al0ays !o+/ortable As A+eri!ans, 0e are at an e-tre+e disad*antage in understanding %ibli!al relationship to
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God Do you kno0 0hy8 %e!ause 0e are one o/ the /e0 people groups that ha*e been raised 0ith little or no understanding o/ a +onar!hy ;hen you li*e in a +onar!hy, you !an7t o//er an opinion that usurps the opinion o/ the king I/ you 0ish, you !ould +ar!h in the street pro!lai+ing your rights, but the ruler o/ that kingdo+, 0ith the nod o/ his head, !an ha*e yours re+o*ed In the sa+e 0ay, the (ingdo+ o/ God is not a de+o!ra!y He rules His (ingdo+ 0ith absolute po0er and authority And i/ 0e disagree9too badA Ro+ans EI5 says, +,et liar.+ )($F od be true but every man a

This s!ripture +akes the point *ery !learly9that i/ 0e disagree 0ith God, 0e are *iolating the truthA >ou see, allo0ing *iolations to go un!he!ked 0ould destroy the syste+ that God has put in pla!e /or a purpose This also holds true in !reation For instan!e, so+e people +ay say, =:ook, it7s not /air that the earth has to be the third planet /ro+ the sun ;e 0ant to be the /irst planet instead = ;hat 0ould happen i/ it 0ere possible to do su!h a
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thing8 To say the least, it 0ould upset the natural order o/ li/e on this planet God positioned the earth 0here it is /or a reason Mo*e it !loser to the sun and 0e 0ould !ook9+o*e it /urther a0ay /ro+ the sun and 0e 0ould /ree?e So+eti+es an argu+ent /or /airness 0ill result in unintended destru!tion %ut 0e !an rest in the /a!t that God7s 0ay is al0ays right90hether 0e agree or not I 0ouldn7t 0ant +y /ate to be le/t in the in!apable, i++oral hands o/ the +asses Although I +ay not understand 0hat He7s doing, I pre/er the sa/ety o/ the hands o/ the Chie/ Shepherd As young pastors +y 0i/e, (athy, and I 0ere al0ays e-!ited to see ne0 /a!es !o+ing into our +inistry ;e 0ere al0ays grate/ul to 0el!o+e ne0 +e+bers to our little !hur!h >et i/ a parti!ular /a+ily de!ided that God 0as leading the+ a0ay /ro+ our +inistry, they see+ed to !arry our !on/iden!e right out the door 0ith the+ %e!ause 0e 0ere honored 0hen they !a+e to us, 0e auto+ati!ally /elt reBe!ted 0hen they le/t A/ter God brought to light our +istaken per!eption, 0e reali?ed ho0 sel/-!entered 0e 0ere by thinking that H., the Chie/ Shepherd, 0as unable to go*ern His o0n sheep

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It 0asn7t until 0e learned to trust God and lo*e people un!onditionally that our +inistry /lourished to the point 0here 0e !ouldn7t keep !ount o/ all the ne0 /a!es Sure, it didn7t see+ /air to +e 0hen people that 0e had lo*ed and pastored /elt led to lea*e our +inistry Ho0e*er, no0 I kno0 that Bust as sure as their identity !ouldn7t be 0rapped up in +e as their pastor, +y identity !ouldn7t be 0rapped up in the nu+ber o/ +e+bers in +y !ongregation God 0as broadening +y /o!us to in!lude the greater pi!ture, 0hi!h 0ould re<uire +y trust It 0as during those ti+es that I had to trust God and depend on +y relationship 0ith Hi+ to resol*e the unans0erable /or +e

ABRAHAM A#D ISAAC

;hen speaking o/ trust, the story o/ Abraha+ !o+es to +ind He kne0 nothing o/ God or :ordship 0hen God !alled hi+ In /a!t, he 0as an idolater 0ho didn7t kno0, +u!h less ser*e, the one true God ;hen 0e think about the patriar!hs o/ the %ible, 0e tend to /orget that +ost o/ the+ didn7t begin their Bourneys as /aith/ul /ollo0ers o/ God ;hat then ga*e Abraha+ the !ourage to lea*e e*erything /a+iliar to /ollo0 the *oi!e o/ an unseen God8 Can you i+agine the le*el o/ trust it +ust ha*e taken /or Abraha+ to obey8

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God had no personal relationship 0ith +an at this point in history Abraha+ 0as the /irst +an 0ith 0ho+ God +ade a !o*enant A/ter the battle o/ the kings in Genesis @5, Mel!hi?edek, (ing o/ Sale+, blessed Abraha+ And in turn, Abraha+ paid hi+ a tithe, a tenth, o/ all the spoils o/ 0ar 0ith 0hi!h God had prospered hi+ This is the /irst +ention in the %ible o/ a tithe being paid So Abraha+, be/ore there 0as any re<uire+ent to do so, paid a tenth or tithe o/ his spoils to Mel!hi?edek %e!ause Abraha+ re!ogni?ed Mel!hi?edek as the priest o/ the Most High God and ga*e the tithe, God re!ogni?ed hi+ as the =Father o/ the Faith/ul= The result o/ Abraha+7s /aith/ulness 0as a 0onder/ul pro+ise /ro+ God In Genesis @4I4, God brought Abraha+ outside o/ his tent one starry night and pro+ised hi+ a son 0hose des!endants 0ould be as !ountless as the stars abo*e his head Abraha+ 0as a 64 year old +an 0hen God ga*e hi+ the pro+ise, so it +ust ha*e taken /aith to belie*e it 0ould !o+e to pass True to His ;ord, "4 years later, Isaa!, the pro+ised seed, 0as born to Abraha+ and Sarah

EAGER OBEDIE#CE
>ears later, God !a+e to Abraha+ and said, =I 0ant you to +eet +e on a +ountain I 0ill sho0 you, and
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sa!ri/i!e your only son unto Me = And yet, the %ible says that Abraha+ did not stagger at the pro+ise o/ God .*en as di//i!ult as this 0as, Abraha+ sho0ed an eager obedien!e to do as God !o++anded He rose early the ne-t +orning and took the donkey, the ser*ants, and Isaa! and began the Bourney to0ard the +ountain God 0ould sho0 hi+ It took the+ three days to get to Mt Moriah ;hen they arri*ed, Abraha+ said to his ser*ants, +!he lad and I will go yonder and worship.+ Genesis ""I4 )($F The 0ord 0orship +eans, =to gi*e re*eren!eC to sho0 0orth to = ;orship also denotes a sho0ing o/ de*otion Abraha+ had de*oted hi+sel/ to God and 0as pro*ing God7s 0orth in his li/e by his 0illingness to sa!ri/i!e his only son So Isaa! !arried the 0ood /or the sa!ri/i!e on his ba!k As they Bourneyed up the +ountain, Isaa! said to his /ather, =Dad, 0e ha*e the 0ood /or the sa!ri/i!e, you are !arrying the kni/e and 0e ha*e the /lint to start the /ire, but 0here is the la+b8= Abraha+ +ust ha*e looked a0ay /or a +o+ent to gather his thoughts Then he turned to Isaa! and spoke propheti!ally, + od will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering.+ Genesis ""IG ($F ;hen they rea!hed the top o/ the +ountain, Isaa! built
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the altar as he had seen his /ather do +any ti+es be/ore He asse+bled the stones and the 0ood 0hile Abraha+ rested Then Isaa! !a+e and said, =Dad, I ha*e the altar all ready The 0ood is there and I7*e done it Bust like you ha*e sho0n +e so +any ti+es be/ore, but 0here is the sa!ri/i!e8= Abraha+ replied, =Isaa!, you are the sa!ri/i!e = 'u??led by his /ather7s response, Isaa! <uestioned, =It7s +e8 ;hat do you +ean, Dad8 Re+e+ber all o/ the ti+es that you took +e outside the tent and told +e about the night that God ga*e you the *ision about the stars8 Did God not gi*e +e to you, as the seed /or a nation8 I7+ not e*en +arried I/ I die, ho0 0ill the pro+ise be /ul/illed8= Abraha+ +ust ha*e replied, =Son, I had the pro+ise be/ore I had you So I trust God to kno0 0hat He7s doing >ou are +y /irstborn, and the /irstborn al0ays belongs to God = So in obedien!e, Isaa! sub+itted Abraha+ then approa!hed Isaa! as he lay on the altar He took hi+ by the hair and pulled his head ba!k, Bust as he had done hundreds o/ ti+es be/ore 0ith sheep Ho0e*er, this 0as not a sheep9this 0as his son The +o+ent o/ truth had !o+e 0hen Abraha+ took the
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kni/e in his hand As Abraha+ put the kni/e to Isaa!7s throat, the Angel o/ the :ord !a+e and stayed his hand and said, +2braham, now I know that you fear od.+ Genesis ""I@" )IF The 0ords, +Now I know...+, i+ply that at the botto+ o/ the +ountain, God <uestioned His pla!e in J Abraha+7s li/e It 0as not until Abraha+ raised the kni/e to sa!ri/i!e his /irstborn son that God kne0 His position in Abraha+7s li/e >ou see, Abraha+7s /aith !onsisted o/ +ore than e+pty 0ords9it !onsisted o/ absolute obedien!e

IMPOSSIB'E PRO6ISIO#
I ha*e a dear pastor /riend in 'uerto Fallarta, Me-i!o, na+ed Saul Gon?ale? I !all hi+ the =Apostle 'eter= o/ Me-i!o He is a +an 0ho is a passionate soul 0inner and !hur!h builder The /irst ti+e Saul in*ited +e to speak in 'uerto Fallarta, I 0itnessed a tre+endous +ira!le o/ pro*ision against i+possible odds Saul held regular ser*i!es up and do0n the !oast around 'uerto Fallarta, but e*ery /e0 0eeks he 0ould rent a large hotel ballroo+ /or a rally so that all o/ his +e+bers !ould be together in one pla!e They 0ere looking /or property to pur!hase and build on but, be!ause 'uerto Fallarta had be!o+e one o/ the +ost popular *a!ation spots in the 0orld, it see+ed
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i+possible /or this s+all Me-i!an group o/ belie*ers to !o+pete 0ith the high-dollar hotel industry Ho0e*er, God had so+ething else in +ind ;hen I /inished speaking that e*ening, the +usi!ians !a+e and began to 0orship There 0as tre+endous brokenness throughout the !ongregation As 0e 0orshiped, God dropped a propheti! 0ord in +y spirit The :ord said, =Tell the people that be!ause they ha*e pro*en that I a+ /irst in their li*es, I 0ill pro*ide the+ 0ith property and t0o buildings One 0ill be a san!tuary and the other one 0ill be used /or training and edu!ation These buildings 0ill be !o+pletely paid /or by one person and you 0ill see it begin 0ithin ten days = I shared this *ery spe!i/i! 0ord 0ith 'astor Saul and he shared it 0ith the people .*en though they had gi*en sa!ri/i!ially +any ti+es, their building /und 0as *ery s+all Ho0 !ould this !o+e to pass8 Saul sat do0n a/ter the ser*i!e 0ith his .lders and they all 0rote the pro+ise God had gi*en the+ in the /ront !o*er o/ their %ibles The /ollo0ing 0eek Saul /le0 to Dallas and 0alked into our +id-0eek ser*i!e 0ith the biggest s+ile I7*e e*er seen and a testi+ony to go 0ith it

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The night o/ the rally in 'uerto Fallarta, a lady 0as in attendan!e 0hose husband is a de*eloper o/ hotel properties Three days a/ter the prophe!y, he !alled Saul to ha*e lun!h A/ter in<uiring about the !hur!h building plans, he asked Saul to take a ride 0ith hi+ He took Saul to a beauti/ul !ity blo!k o/ property and said, =Saul, I a+ not a Christian but I kno0 0hen God is speaking to +e God has told +e to build you a !hur!h on this property = Saul began to 0eep He said, =Sir, i/ you !an get us this beauti/ul property you !ould Bust put up so+e poles and a tin roo/ and 0e 0ould be so grate/ul = The builder said, =Saul, ha*e you seen +y hotels8 They ha*e +arble /loors and !rystal !handeliers I 0ill not build God a house 0ith poles and a tin roo/A= I ha*e been to 'uerto Fallarta and prea!hed in the ne0 !hur!h building9built and paid /or by a +an 0ho had ne*er been to a ser*i!e God is able to pro*ide 0hat He pro+isesA %elie*ing that God 0ill do 0hat He says be!o+es easier 0hen 0e /o!us on God7s pro+ise instead o/ our sa!ri/i!e I/ Abraha+ had /o!used on the sa!ri/i!e o/ his only son, he 0ould ha*e lost the pro+ise o/ a nation Had Abraha+7s !hoi!e been di//erent, God 0ould not
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ha*e stopped lo*ing Abraha+, but he 0ould ne*er ha*e be!o+e the =Father o/ +any nations=

E"

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TH.

OFFIC. OF

:ORDSHI'

A)D TH. STATIO) OF TH. THRO).

;.R. CR.AT.D FOR TH. O). TRD. GOD

IT IS IM'OSSI%:. FOR
AS FIRST

A)>O). OR A)>THI)G TO R.':AC. GOD

:DCIF.R ;AS TH. FIRST SODRC. OF R.%.::IO) TH. :DCIF.RIA) ATTITDD. ;I:: CHA::.)G. GOD7S RIGHTFD: 'OSITIO) AS :ORD OF ODR :IF.S, %.CADS. IT IS I) DIR.CT O''OSITIO) TO GOD ADAM
A)D

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;.R. )OT CR.AT.D TO %. S:AF.S TO

GOD,

%DT TO RD:. O)

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ADAM

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GOD

A)D D.FI:.D TH.MS.:F.S

%> 'ARTA(I)G OF ;HAT %.:O)G.D TO HIM

TH.

ADAM A)D .F. %.CADS. ).G:.CT.D TO 'DT GOD A)D HIS COMMA)DS FIRST
CDRS. CAM. TO )OT AD$DST

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GOD ;I::

HIS STA)DARD

TO ODR MI)D-S.T, ;.

MDST AD$DST ODR THI)(I)G TO HIS STA)DARD

%.CADS. GOD

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HAS TH. RIGHT TO MA(.

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'H23!/# S&**2#1

AS CITIK.)S I) GOD7S (I)GDOM, ;. HAF. )O S'IRITDA: 7RIGHTS7 THAT OF.R-RID. TH. ;I:: A)D ;ORD OF GOD SOM.TIM.S
A) ARGDM.)T FOR FAIR).SS ;I:: R.SD:T I)

D)I)T.)D.D D.STRDCTIO)

A%RAHAM
COF.)A)T

;AS TH. FIRST MA) ;ITH ;HOM

GOD

MAD. A

A%RAHAM,

%.FOR. TH.R. ;AS A)> R.HDIR.M.)T TO DO SO,

'AID A T.)TH OR TITH. OF HIS S'OI:S TO

M.:CHIK.D.( GOD

A%RAHAM

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COMMA)D.D

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A%RAHAM7S ;O)D.RFD: 'ROMIS. FROM GOD

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A%RAHAM7S FAITH CO)SIST.D OF MOR. THA) 9IT CO)SIST.D OF A%SO:DT. O%.DI.)C. %.:I.FI)G
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7

F0'FI''I#G THE PROMISE

=I 0ill +ultiply your des!endants, as the stars o/ the hea*en and as the sand 0hi!h is on the seashoreC and your des!endants shall possess the gate o/ their ene+ies = Genesis ""I@6 )($F

(hen $% is )I#S!

A/ter Abraha+ passed the test o/ /aith, the angel o/ the :ord appeared to hi+ restating the pro+ise using the 0ords SA)D and STARS to des!ribe ho0 nu+erous his des!endants 0ould be!o+e Ha*e you e*er 0ondered 0hy God used the 0ord STARS8 ;hy !ouldn7t God ha*e si+ply said, =Abraha+, you 0ill ha*e +illions o/ des!endants=8 Today, there are o*er si- billion people on our planet, but in Abraha+7s day there 0ere *ery /e0 earthly inhabitants So God, in His sensiti*ity to Abraha+7s la!k o/ understanding, used /a+iliar 0ords to des!ribe 0hat He 0as pro+ising Abraha+ kne0 stars At night, outside his tent, it +ust ha*e see+ed as i/ e*ery !ubit o/ the sky 0as /rosted o*er 0ith +a-i+u+ star potential Abraha+ also kne0 sand Although it 0ould take /aith to belie*e, Abraha+ !ould not re!ei*e the pro+ise i/ he did not understand it So, be!ause there 0asn7t an aba!us 0ith enough beads to illustrate God7s +essage, He /ound a 0ay to +ake the pro+ise rele*ant

BECOMI#G A #ATIO#
Isaa! 0as the pro+ised seed o/ the nation that 0as to !o+e Isaa!, 0ith his 0i/e Rebe!!a, produ!ed t0o sons The /irstborn o/ their t0in boys 0as na+ed .sau and
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the se!ond-born they na+ed $a!ob .sau7s na+e, +eaning =hairy=, des!ribed his looks, ho0e*er, $a!ob7s na+e +eant =!heater=, des!ribing his !hara!ter $a!ob 0as so na+ed be!ause he is said to ha*e been holding onto his brother7s ankle, *ying /or position, at the ti+e o/ their birth $a!ob be!a+e, /or a ti+e, e-a!tly 0hat his na+e +eant, a !heater And he too 0ould be !heated by his /ather inla0 out o/ the 0i/e he so desired, Ra!hel As a re<uire+ent o/ his /ather-in-la0, he +arried :eah in order to gain Ra!hel $a!ob loathed the pattern that this na+e had brought hi+ and /eared it 0ould be his end i/ God did not inter*ene to !hange hi+ A/ter $a!ob struggled 0ith 7the Angel o/ the :ord7 all night, God !hanged his na+e /ro+ =!heater= to Israel, 0hi!h +eansC =prin!e 0ho has po0er 0ith God= $a!ob, or Israel, as he 0as rena+ed, e*entually had t0el*e sons The sons 0ere na+ed Reuben, Si+eon, :e*i, $udah, Issa!har, Kebulun, Gad, Asher, Dan, )aphtali, $oseph and %enBa+in, and their des!endants be!a+e the @" tribes o/ the nation o/ Israel O/ the @" sons, $oseph 0as his /ather7s /a*orite )aturally, this aroused the en*y o/ his brothers, 0ho later sold hi+ into sla*ery Most o/ us ha*e heard o/ $oseph, or at least his /a+ous
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!oat o/ +any !olors, but +any don7t kno0 the rest o/ the story that in!ludes $oseph7s i+prison+ent, sla*ery and reign in .gypt $oseph7s long Bourney led hi+ to the pla!e o/ authority and honor he had seen in a *ision as a young boy Many years later, the sa+e brothers that had sold hi+ into sla*ery appeared be/ore hi+ in .gypt begging /or assistan!e As se!ond in !o++and, $oseph 0as able to pro*ide *aluable /ood and 0ater /or his /ather, his brothers and their /a+ilies during the se*en year drought 'ropheti!ally, $oseph had seen the !o+ing o/ the /a+ine and instru!ted the .gyptians to store up /or its arri*al $oseph instru!ted his brothers to return to Canaan and bring his /ather to hi+ to d0ell under the shelter o/ .gypt until the drought 0as o*er Genesis 54I"E says, +2nd this is what he sent back to his father ten donkeys loaded with the best things of /gypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other provisions for his 4ourney.+ )IF So, the !hildren o/ Israel 0ent into .gypt nu+bering 6#, and stayed /or /our !enturies In the beginning, the !hildren o/ Israel 0ere re!ei*ed by the .gyptians %ut not long a/ter the reign o/ $oseph had passed, the
EG

)&,)I,,IN !H/ 3#$*IS/

!hildren o/ Israel be!a+e a threat to the .gyptians be!ause they <ui!kly gre0 to out-nu+ber the+ The .gyptians pla!ed sla*e +asters o*er the+ to oppress the+ 0ith /or!ed labor %ut the +ore they 0ere oppressed, the +ore they +ultiplied and spreadC so the .gyptians !a+e to dread the Israelites and 0orked the+ ruthlessly The ta!ti!s o/ the .gyptians ba!k/ired be!ause the !hildren o/ Israel not only +ultiplied, but re+ained set apart due to their station as sla*es The !hildren o/ Israel +ultiplied /ro+ 6# to roughly ",###,### people 0ithin 5## years They had be!o+e a nation )o0, 0hen God 0as ready to bring the !hildren o/ Israel out o/ .gypt, He pi!ked Moses as the +an /or the Bob Although Moses had been raised in 'haraoh7s pala!e, he 0as born an Israelite Moses, 0hen he learned o/ his Israelite heritage, stru!k and killed an .gyptian 0ho 0as beating an Israelite ;ith his true identity re*ealed and /earing /or his li/e, Moses le/t .gypt For 5# years 5which is the number of transition 6, Moses d0elt in the 0ilderness God 0as +aking Moses into the leader He 0ould use to deli*er His people out o/ .gypt

P'AG0ED BY THE 'AW

In .-odus 5I"", God instru!ted Moses, +!hen you shall say to 3haraoh, -!hus says the ,ord7 Israel is *y son,
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*y firstborn. So I say to you, let *y son go that he may serve *e. .ut if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.-+ )($F In other 0ords, God 0as saying, ='haraoh, i/ you don7t /ree My /irstborn, Israel, to ser*e Me, then I a+ going to take your /irstborn .*ery one o/ the+ in the land = God 0as establishing a pre!edent 0hen He instru!ted Moses to tell 'haraoh to let His /irstborn go so that the /irstborn +ay ser*e Hi+ He 0as ready to initiate His :a0 o/ First Things and His /irst !ourse o/ a!tion 0as to deli*er His =/irstborn= God !onsidered Israel His /irstborn be!ause they 0ere des!endants o/ Isaa!, the /irstborn son o/ Abraha+, 0ho+ God pro+ised to +ake a holy nation 'haraoh didn7t respond positi*ely to God7s !o++and In /a!t, he re/used to release the !hildren o/ Israel So God began to unleash plagues 0hi!h be!a+e progressi*ely +ore se*ere against the .gyptians in response to 'haraoh7s de/ian!e to His !o++and The /irst plague 0as the turning o/ 0ater to blood Then !a+e the plague o/ /rogs, gnats, /lies and the death o/ li*esto!k They began to get +ore se*ere by degrees until boils plagued the .gyptians and hail le/t the !ountryside in ruins to be eaten by the plague o/ lo!usts Then, a darkness that !ould be /elt spread O*er
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.gypt !o*ering e*erything /or three days The Israelites, ho0e*er, 0ere spared and had light in the pla!es 0here they li*ed Ho0e*er, 'haraoh7s heart only gre0 harder 0ith ea!h plague9until the tenth plague The tenth plague 0as the death o/ the /irstborn .*ery /irstborn +ale o/ !attle and !hildren died during the night Re+e+ber that God sent Moses to 'haraoh 0ith a +essage saying, =:et My /irstborn go to ser*e Me I/ you don7t, then I a+ going to kill your /irstborn = )o0 isn7t that 0hat God said He 0ould do in the beginning8 God 0asn7t *ague in His !o++and to 'haraoh %ut look ho0 +er!i/ul God is9God 0ent through nine plagues be/ore doing 0hat He said He 0as going to do in the /irst pla!e See, ea!h plague 0as +ore se*ereC but the .gyptians !ould ha*e a*oided the death o/ the /irstborn a/ter the /irst plague i/ they had said, =>ou kno0 0hat, all o/ these /lies are a sign /ro+ God So+eone7s 0arning us that 0e are out o/ line = The story o/ the plagues isn7t a popular parallel that anyone 0ould 0ant to !o+pare the+sel*es 0ith >et, like the .gyptians, there are those 0ho /eel like they are getting by be!ause Budg+ent hasn7t /allen Ha*e you e*er /elt like so+eone 0as trying to tell you so+ething8 Maybe those little proble+s you are ha*ing in your li/e are God7s 0arning plagues to say, =It7s Bust a
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/e0 /lies and lo!usts no0, but it7s progressi*e Ho0 /ar 0ill it go until you reali?e that so+ething is out o/ order8= >ou +ay ha*e lost your Bob9but you7ll get another Bob Or, +aybe the old !ar Bust broke do0n9but it !an be /i-ed That7s all it is9Bust a little troubleC but at so+e point you7*e got to ask, =;here is this leading8=

PASSO6ER
Through the instru!tion gi*en to Moses, God +ade a 0ay o/ es!ape /or anyone 0ho 0ould !hoose to obey In .-odus !hapter @", Moses addresses the Israelites 0ith the kno0ledge o/ ho0 to properly redee+ their household He said that they +ust slay a la+b and !ook the +eat and eat the +eat o/ that la+b 0ith none to be le/t o*er They 0ere then to take a hyssop bran!h, and paint the door posts, abo*e and do0n the sides, and e*en the threshold, 0ith the blood o/ that la+b Then Moses said in *erse "E, +(hen the ,ord goes through the land to strike down the /gyptians, He will see the blood on the top and sides of the door frame and will pass over that doorway, and He will not permit -the destroyer- to enter your houses and strike you down.+ )IF This is 0here the ter+ 3assover !o+es /ro+

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The test o/ :ordship had been re<uired o/ Abraha+ and 0ould no0 be re<uired o/ the Israelites Their belie/ 0ould be 0itnessed by all their /riends and neighbors I/ they belie*ed and trusted, blood 0ould !oat the door post o/ their ho+e And i/ they did not belie*e, there 0ould be a /uneral soon a/ter God designed this test to separate the Israelites /ro+ the .gyptians, neighbor /ro+ neighbor,, /riend /ro+ /riend At +idnight, 0hen the destroyer 0as released, i/ the blood o/ the la+b 0as applied to the post o/ their door the li/e o/ the /irstborn o/ that house 0as spared or redee+ed Redee+ +eans, =to buy ba!k by repla!ing 0ith an a!!eptable sa!ri/i!e = .*en though they had not been taught the !on!ept o/ rede+ption, God used an un/orgettable e-a+ple to begin His tea!hing He allo0ed the+ to redee+ their /irstborn 0ith the blood o/ a la+b And i/ they ga*e the pri!e o/ a la+b, they 0ere able to keep their /irstborn and e*erything else in their house 0as redee+ed .*eryone 0ho obser*ed the la0 li*ed And the /irstborn o/ e*eryone 0ho did not obser*e the la0 perished I !an only i+agine 0hat the ne0spaper headlines looked like in .gypt the ne-t +orning The death toll +ust ha*e been enor+ous It says in .-odus @"I E#, +...there was loud wailing in /gypt, for there
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was not a house without someone dead.+ )IF )o0, as !ruel as this see+s, I !an still see the +er!y o/ God in it be!ause God used nine plagues to 0arn the+ It 0as not an a!t o/ hostility by God but, in /a!t, a re/usal by God to *iolate His o0n established la0 ;hen the :a0 o/ God is established it is nondis!ri+inatory >ou +ay or +ay not ha*e /aith in our Budi!ial syste+, but 0hen God is the Righteous $udge, then la0 is e<ually +easured out It 0orks the sa+e /or e*eryone >ou +ay say, =%ut 0ait, +aybe they didn7t kno0 about God7s la0 = %ut you see, ignoran!e o/ God7s la0 is no e-!use /or not keeping God7s la0 'haraoh heard the ;ord o/ God and 0itnessed the e*iden!e o/ His po0er but re/used to !o+ply God !ould ha*e done +ore to sho0 His po0er, but He 0ould not tip the s!ales to the point 0here no /aith 0as re<uired God, in order to be God, had to keep the rules and the prin!iples that He had established He 0anted the !hoi!e to be !lear but not /or!ed It is a+a?ing that in this day and age people !ould !lai+ ignoran!e o/ God In /a!t, you 0ould think that by no0 A+eri!a +ust surely ha*e rea!hed a pla!e 0here there is no e-!use /or anyone to be lost The Gospel is broad!ast on the air0a*es and tele*ision and
55

)&,)I,,IN !H/ 3#$*IS/

there are billboards and !hur!hes on e*ery !orner And yet, there are still so +any 0ho sleep late on Sunday +ornings and ha*e absolutely no desire /or the kno0ledge o/ the things o/ God The lesson o/ the plagues is thisI I/ 0e /ail to put God /irst, it does not stop God /ro+ being /irst :ike 'haraoh, 0e !an !lai+ there is no God but that doesn7t !hallenge His :ordship at all And it doesn7t eli+inate Hi+ /ro+ being God I/ He is not /irst, then there is no rede+ption at 0ork in our li*es And the unredee+ed portions o/ our li*es 0ill be!o+e a !urse to us As 0e kno0, rede+ption +eans to buy ba!k /ro+ and, in this !ase, it is to buy ba!k /ro+ destru!tion

EGYPT I# THE REAR86IEW MIRROR

God deli*ered the !hildren o/ Israel /ro+ bondage 5E# years to the *ery day they had entered .gypt %e!ause o/ the destru!tion that !a+e upon the .gyptians, the Israelites 0ere dri*en out o/ the !ountry in a hurry So in the +iddle o/ the night, be/ore their bread !ould rise, they le/t .gypt /or /reedo+ +.ecause the ,ord kept vigil that night to bring them out of /gypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the ,ord for the generations to come.+
54

(hen $% is )I#S!

.-odus @"I5" )IF The :ord said to Moses, =This +onth is to be /or you the /irst +onth o/ your year Tell the 0hole !o++unity o/ Israel, that on the tenth day o/ the /irst +onth, ea!h +an is to take a la+b And on the /ourteenth day, at t0ilight, slaughter it and !onsu+e it all = So 0ith this announ!e+ent /ro+ God, the /east o/ 'asso*er 0as established so that none 0ould /orget ho0 God had deli*ered the+ 0ith a +ighty hand

THE 'ESSO# OF THE 'AMB

There are /e0 things +ore tou!hing than the lo*e a !hild has /or his /a*orite pet And +any ti+es, the bond that is /or+ed is one o/ the +ost signi/i!ant in a !hild7s early years Many o/ us !an re+e+ber a !hildhood pet that be!a+e a part of the /a+ily and 0as lo*ed by all God kne0 this 0ould happen in e*ery Israeli /a+ily The Israeli !hildren also had pets that they lo*ed and took !are o/, but their pets 0ere usually the sheep and other ani+als that 0ere !o++only raised by the Israelites And He kne0 that 0hen it !a+e ti+e to sa!ri/i!e a sheep that had be!o+e a pet, an e-planation 0ould be in order So, God said in .-odus @EIG, = and you shall tell your son in that day, saying, -!his is done because of
53

)&,)I,,IN !H/ 3#$*IS/

what the ,ord did for me when I came up from /gypt. It shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the ,ord-s law may be in your mouth8 for with a strong hand the ,ord has brought you out of /gypt.-+ )($F )o0, 0hen and 0hy did He say /or the /athers to e-plain the sa!ri/i!e ritual to their sons8 ;e ha*e to get pra!ti!al 0ith this ;hen an Israeli dad headed to0ard the pen to pi!k out a sheep and started to0ard the te+ple 0ith his boy and the /a+ily pet, God kne0 the son 0as going to ask, =;hy that sheep, Dad8 That one is +ineA= And the dad 0ould say, =)o, no son, that is the /irstborn and the /irstborn isn7t yours I kno0 that you took great !are in /eeding it, and you 0ere there 0hen it 0as born and it is *ery spe!ial and, yes, you7re the one that na+ed it, that7s true %ut this one is the :ord7s and this one goes to the te+ple ;e do this be!ause the :ord brought us out o/ .gypt 0ith a +ighty hand = A/ter this trau+ati! e*ent, there 0ould surely /ollo0 a barrage o/ <uestions about .gypt Any !hild 0ould 0ant to kno0 the details o/ su!h an e*ent that !ould !ost the+ their la+b so +any years later >ou see, the proble+ is that the son doesn7t re+e+ber anything about .gypt9but his dad does His dad re+e+bers the beatings /ro+ 'haraoh7s !ruel task+asters that le/t the

56

(hen $% is )I#S!

s!ars on his ba!k He re+e+bers 0hat li*ing in .gypt 0as like, but the boy has no 0ay o/ kno0ing the horrors o/ sla*ery There/ore, the ongoing sa!ri/i!e syste+ 0as set in pla!e by God so that His !hildren 0ould not lose tou!h 0ith the +e+ory o/ their past This story is an i+portant lesson /or the +odern day parent I/ you don7t tell your !hildren, they 0ill ne*er kno0 0hat you ha*e !o+e through in your li/eti+e So, unless you enlighten the+, ho0 0ill they e-perien!e the sa+e gratitude /or the great deli*ering po0er o/ God8 Ho0 +any o/ you re+e+ber 0hat .gypt 0as like8 It 0ould be bene/i!ial to routinely gi*e .gypt a ba!k0ard glan!e, and then thank your Deli*erer /or a grand e-odus /ro+ the old li/e o/ bondage

5G

'H23!/# S&**2#1

TH. CHI:DR.)

OF ISRA.: ;.)T I)TO

.G>'T )DM%.RI)G 6#,

A)D STA>.D FOR FODR C.)TDRI.S

TH. CHI:DR.) OF ISRA.: %.CAM. A THR.AT TO TH. .G>'TIA)S %.CADS. TH.> HDIC(:> GR.; TO ODT-)DM%.R
TH.M

;H.) GOD ;AS R.AD> TO %RI)G TH. CHI:DR.) OF ISRA.: ODT OF .G>'T, H. 'IC(.D MOS.S AS TH. MA) FOR TH. $O% GOD ISRA.: HIS FIRST%OR) %.CADS. TH.> ;.R. D.SC.)DA)TS OF ISAAC, TH. FIRST%OR) SO) OF A%RAHAM, ;HOM GOD 'ROMIS.D TO MA(. A HO:> )ATIO)
CO)SID.R.D DID)7T R.S'O)D 'OSITIF.:> TO

'HARAOH

GOD7S

COMMA)D

TO R.:.AS. TH. CHI:DR.) OF ISRA.:

SO GOD

%.GA)

TO D):.ASH

':AGD.S ;HICH %.CAM.

'ROGR.SSIF.:> R.S'O)S. TO

MOR.

S.F.R. AGAI)ST TH.

.G>'TIA)S

I)

'HARAOH7S D.FIA)C. TO HIS COMMA)D

TH. T.)TH ':AGD. ;AS TH. D.ATH OF TH. FIRST%OR) GOD ;.)T THRODGH )I). ':AGD.S %.FOR. DOI)G ;HAT H. SAID H. ;AS GOI)G TO DO I) TH. FIRST ':AC. GOD
MAD. A ;A> OF .SCA'. FOR A)>O). ;HO ;OD:D

52

'H23!/# S&**2#1
CHOOS. TO O%.>

IF

TH. %:OOD OF TH. :AM% ;AS A'':I.D TO TH. 'OST OF

TH.IR DOOR, TH. :IF. OF TH. FIRST%OR) OF THAT HODS. ;AS S'AR.D OR R.D..M.D

;H.)

TH.

:A;

OF

GOD

IS .STA%:ISH.D, IT IS )O)-

DISCRIMI)ATOR>

IF

;. FAI: TO 'DT

GOD FIRST,

IT DO.S )OT STO'

GOD FROM

%.I)G FIRST

'ASSOF.R ;AS .STA%:ISH.D SO THAT )O). ;OD:D FORG.T HO; GOD HAD D.:IF.R.D TH.M ;ITH A MIGHT> HA)D

4#

9
9

'ORDSHIP OR 'IPSER6ICE3

=%ut 0hy do you !all +e :ord, :ord, and do not the things 0hi!h I say8= :uke 3I53 )($F

(hen $% is )I#S!

PART8TIME 'O6ER
The !hildren o/ Israel 0ere His people and He 0as their God He 0asn7t one o/ se*eral gods, He 0as the only God %ut +ore i+portantly, He 0as to be /irst God 0as 0eary, ho0e*er, 0ith His !hildren7s te+porary and sporadi! !o++it+ents to /irstness Although they 0ere de*oted to Hi+ during the hard ti+es, at /irst opportunity they turned to un/aith/ulness God had Bust +ira!ulously deli*ered the+ /ro+ the bondage o/ .gypt, yet He /ound the+ !elebrating their deli*eran!e 0ith a golden !al/ Allo0 +e to pose a <uestion ;ould you be 0illing to +arry a person 0ho said, =I lo*e you pretty +u!h8= Or ho0 about so+eone 0ho said, =I7ll be /aith/ul to you /or E3# days out o/ the year, but I7ll need a *a!ation on!e a year /or /i*e days to do 0hate*er I please9 0ithout a!!ountability /or +y a!tions =8 I don7t belie*e anyone 0ould !hoose that kind o/ a relationship And yet, 0e !lai+ that $esus is :ord, 0hile only gi*ing Hi+ Christ+as and .aster :ordship 0ill not 0ork that 0ay be!ause the ter+s o/ the relationship are not being /ul/illed I/ He7s not :ord o/ all, then He7s not :ord at all

'AYI#G DOW# THE 'AW

Although God lo*ed the Israelites, He 0as disappointed
4"

,$#%SHI3 $# ,I3S/#9I'/0

0ith the+ He !ould not sho0 Hi+sel/ to the+ until they ga*e the+sel*es 0holly to Hi+ Ho0e*er, Moses kne0 God7s nature and had su!h an inti+ate relationship 0ith Hi+ that God spoke 0ith hi+ openly The %ible says in .-odus EEI@@, +!he ,ord would speak to *oses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.+ In the passages /ollo0ing 0e !an /ind an interesting !on*ersation bet0een God and Moses Moses begins by saying, =I/ 1ou 5 od6 are as pleased with me as 1ou say, then teach me !our ways.+ )IF In the /ollo0ing pages, God e-plained ho0 the Israelites !ould pro*e their desire /or the leadership and :ordship o/ His a!!o+panying presen!e There, upon the +ountain, God ga*e Moses the appli!ations to /ul/illing the re<uire+ent o/ !alling Hi+ :ord and re!ei*ing His /a*or It is i+portant /or us to understand that God 0anted His people to be blessed, healthy and prosperous >et, /or the+ to re+ain blessed so+ething +ore than a yearly /east had to be established to ensure His position as :ord in their li*es He kne0 He !ouldn7t lea*e :ordship to their e+otions, +e+ories or +ood s0ings So along 0ith the !onstru!tion o/ the Taberna!le, God installed !he!ks and balan!es in His syste+ o/ :ordship
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(hen $% is )I#S!

to ensure that their !on/ession 0as +ore than Bust 0ords %y doing this, He established 0ays /or His !hildren to pro*e that He is /irst The re<uire+ents 0ere the Ten Co++and+ents, the stru!ture o/ the ritual o/ sa!ri/i!e, the statutes o/ the Taberna!le and 0hat 0e no0 !all The :a0 o/ First Things

GOD2S 'AW OF FIRST THI#GS

The :a0 o/ First Things is the gi*ing o*er as re<uired, /irstborn and /irst /ruits as an o//ering in /aith, pro*ing the position held by God +!he )irst offspring of every womb belongs to me, including all the firstborn males of your livestock, whether from herd or flock.+ +#edeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. #edeem all your firstborn sons.+ +No one is to appear before me empty handed.+ +.ring the best of the first fruits of your soil to the house of the ,ord your od.+ .-odus E5I@2, "#, "3 )IF And so, God established a syste+ o/ sa!ri/i!e in 0hi!h
45

,$#%SHI3 $# ,I3S/#9I'/0

ani+als 0ere to be burnt as an o//ering upon an altar In :e*iti!us @, God designated /i*e ani+als as !lean La!!eptableM sa!ri/i!es, 0hile de!laring the rest un!lean So, there 0ere t0o !ategories o/ /irstborn ani+alsI !lean and un!lean The !lean sa!ri/i!es 0ere o-en, goats, sheep, pigeons and turtledo*es It is also interesting that these sa+e /i*e ani+als 0ere sa!ri/i!ed by Abraha+ 0hen God +ade !o*enant 0ith hi+ in Genesis @4 ;hile the 0ealthy sa!ri/i!ed o-en, the turtledo*e 0as the poor +an7s sa!ri/i!e %ut be!ause +ost o/ the Israelites raised sheep, the +ost !o++on sa!ri/i!e 0as a la+b )o0, the /irstborn !lean ani+al 0as !onsidered to be an o//ering that 0as de*oted to destru!tion or 2th$ $*ot$ thin"2. %evoted +eans =the irre*o!able gi*ing o*er to the :ord, not to be taken ba!k again = and destroyed +eans =to be !onsu+ed 0ith /ire as a sa!ri/i!e = +.ut the firstborn of the animals, which should be the ,ord-s firstborn, no man shall dedicate8 whether it is an ox or sheep, it is the ,ord-s. 2nd if it is an unclean animal, then he shall redeem it...Nevertheless, no devoted offering...shall be sold or redeemed8 every devoted offering is most holy to the ,ord.+ :e*iti!us "6I"3-"G )($F
44

(hen $% is )I#S!

The !on/using part o/ the pre*ious *erse is the part about dedi!ating the /irstborn !lean ani+al This si+ply +eans that /irstborn !lean ani+als !ould not be dedi!ated /or any other type o/ sa!ri/i!e They had to be destroyed by /ire as a tithe o//ering, as it 0as not a!!eptable to dedi!ate a /irstborn la+b as a sin o//ering Also, God did not allo0 the substitution o/ a /irstborn !lean ani+al >ou !ould not redee+ one !lean 0ith another, as that pra!ti!e 0as reser*ed /or the un!lean I/ it 0as /irstborn and one o/ the /i*e a!!eptable sa!ri/i!es 9it had to die

REDEEMI#G THE 0#C'EA#

Although God7s instru!tions regarding the sa!ri/i!e o/ the /irstborn !lean thing see+ed straight /or0ard enough, 0hat 0as to be done 0ith /irstborn ani+als that 0ere !onsidered un!lean9su!h as a donkey8 Re+e+ber the de/inition o/ 7redee+7 is =to buy ba!k by repla!ing 0ith an a!!eptable substitute = In :e*iti!us "6I"6a, God gi*es us the ans0er9+If it is an unclean animal, then he shall redeem it according to your valuation...+ NK:9 %y redee+ing so+ething /ro+ God, 0e are a!kno0ledging His !lai+ on it by paying /or it 0ith an a!!eptable substitute ;hat i/ the Israelites had an
43

,$#%SHI3 $# ,I3S/#9I'/0

un!lean /irst ani+al but didn7t ha*e an a!!eptable substitute 0ith 0hi!h to redee+ it8 God addressed this issue in .-odus @EI@E 0hi!h says, +/very firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem by substituting for it a lamb, or if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck...+ A+pli/ied Ho0 !ould killing the donkey be +ore o/ a bene/it to God7s !hildren than keeping it8 The /irstborn donkey is God7s and i/ /or any reason it is not a!kno0ledged as His, it be!o+es an open door /or the de*ourer %y breaking the donkey7s ne!k the Israelites 0ere taking a stand against the !urse and 0ith their a!tions saying, =It is better to break its ne!k than to disobey God I/ I do not gi*e God 0hat is right/ully His, I 0ill bring a !urse upon +y li/e, and I !annot a//ord to do that = In breaking the ne!k o/ the donkey, the o0ner 0ould sustain the blessing o/ God and keep the prote!tion against the de*ourer I/ the /irstborn donkey 0as not redee+ed, it 0ould bring a !urse upon the household and !ause +ore trouble than it 0as 0orth God +ade it !lear that by redee+ing the un!lean things 0ith a!!eptable sa!ri/i!es, the Israelites 0ould be spared the !urse o/ destru!tion

46

(hen $% is )I#S!

God didn7t 0ant hu+an sa!ri/i!e In /a!t, that 0as not a sa!ri/i!e He a!!epted In .-odus @EI@Eb, God said, +...and every firstborn among your sons shall you redeem.+ A+pli/ied Dnder the Old Testa+ent syste+ o/ sa!ri/i!e, the /irstborn son belonged to the :ord and in order to redee+ the li/e o/ that !hild, a la+b 0as sa!ri/i!ed I/ this 0as not done, the !hild had to be dedi!ated to the :ord and le/t at the synagogue God re<uired the /irst o/ e*erything And i/ it 0asn7t the /irst, it did not e*en !ount as being gi*enA To hu+an reasoning, i/ I a+ raising 4#, @## or @,### sheep, and God re<uires one /ro+ +e e*ery 'asso*er, 0hy should it +ake a di//eren!e 0hi!h one it is9as long as I bring Hi+ a sheep ;hy !ouldn7t I bring hi+ a big, /at 0oolly one or the one 0ith the biggest horns or +aybe the 5-H !ontest 0inner8 God said, =I 0ant the /irst one I don7t !are i/ it7s /rail The only de/ining adBe!ti*e I !are about is 7/irst7 The /irst are MineA= In reading this, you +ay be thinkingI =;hy is gi*ing the /irst thing so i+portant to the :ord8= The Israelites probably had si+ilar thoughts =I/ He is :ord, He doesn7t need +y sheepA He doesn7t need +y kidsA He doesn7t need +y +oneyA He7s :ordA He +ade
4G

,$#%SHI3 $# ,I3S/#9I'/0

it allA= That is true, but He put an auto+ati! !ontrol +e!hanis+ in pla!e as a re+inder to us o/ 0hat position He holds in our li*es He !annot /ill any other pla!e you !hoose to gi*e hi+ It is i+possible /or God to be!o+e se!ond or third In /a!t, He says, =I7+ not nu+ber eight9so don7t bring +e the eighth sheepA I7+ :ord and that status deser*es )u+ber OneA And i/ I7+ not nu+ber one, I7+ not e*en hanging out on your /ar+A= I/ His portion is not /irst, blessing 0ill not !o+e to the rest o/ our li*es I read an interesting arti!le releasing the /indings o/ a study !ondu!ted o*er a span o/ se*eral years A 0ellkno0n institution /ollo0ed "4 !ouples do!u+enting the !hanges in ea!h o/ their relationships The study 0as /or+ed to deter+ine that the /irst three +inutes o/ !onta!t bet0een the t0o partners 0ould deter+ine ho0 the rest o/ the e*ening 0ould progress At the !on!lusion o/ the study, ea!h !ouple /ell into one o/ the t0o !ategories And to the institution7s a+a?e+ent, their resear!h had been su!!ess/ul in deter+ining the i+portan!e o/ the /irst /e0 +inutes o/ engage+ent bet0een t0o partners I/ the !ouple had guarded their 0ords, keeping the
42

(hen $% is )I#S!

the+e positi*e, the rest o/ their ti+e together 0ould /ollo0 suit Ho0e*er, i/ they had started their /irst !on*ersation out on the 0rong /oot, it 0as near i+possibility to !hange the negati*e !ourse o/ intera!tion It 0as /ound that the relationships that had /ailed to 0ork had distin!tly /allen into /a+ily dys/un!tion o/ one kind or another The !ouples 0ho had +anaged to +ake their /irst /e0 +inutes together a positi*e e-perien!e, 0ere happy and re+ained together So, the study not only deter+ined that the /irst three +inutes !hanged the !ourse o/ the e*ening, but that it also !hanged the /inal destination o/ the relationship I/ the /irst portion 0as gi*en to negati*ity, the out!o+e 0as negati*e and i/ the /irst portion 0as gi*en to praise, the out!o+e 0as positi*e The :a0 o/ First Things di!tates that 0hate*er is done 0ith the /irst deter+ines 0hat happens to all the rest It 0orks in any situation you apply it to

THE HO#EYMOO#
During the ti+e in the 0ilderness, God 0as tea!hing the Israelites that He !ould not inhabit their li*es and bless the+ i/ He 0as not First He had /ound the+, sa*ed the+, +ade !o*enant 0ith the+, and no0 desired
3#

,$#%SHI3 $# ,I3S/#9I'/0

to get to kno0 the+ God didn7t intend this ti+e in the desert to be tortureI it 0as supposed to be a honey+oon /or His people to get rea!<uaint-ed 0ith Hi+ So He ga*e the+ +ira!les, literally, e*ery day They ate +ira!le /oodC <uail so+eti+es /ell right out o/ the sky O!eans stood on end Ri*ers o/ 0ater !a+e out o/ a ro!k by either striking it or speaking to it The %ible says that not one eye gre0 di+ nor 0as anyone ill and their shoes and !lothes 0ere !ontinually rene0ed It 0as a honey+oon season They 0ere li*ing in !orporate blessing God 0as restoring and preparing the+ And then at the end o/ 5# years, they !a+e into the land 0hi!h God had pro+ised the+ +any years be/ore through Abraha+

3@

'H23!/# S&**2#1

GOD

;AS ;.AR> ;ITH

HIS

CHI:DR.)7S T.M'ORAR> A)D

S'ORADIC COMMITM.)TS TO FIRST).SS

GOD I)STA::.D CH.C(S A)D %A:A)C.S I) HIS :ORDSHI' TO .)SDR. THAT TH.IR CO)F.SSIO)
THA) $DST ;ORDS

S>ST.M OF ;AS MOR.

GOD

GAF.

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TH. A'':ICATIO)S TO FD:FI::I)G TH.

R.HDIR.M.)T OF CA::I)G FAFOR

HIM :ORD

A)D R.C.IFI)G HIS

TH.

ACC.'TA%:. SACRIFIC.S ;.R. ON.), GOATS, SH..',

'IG.O)S A)D TDRT:.DOF.S

A:THODGH
O):> FIF. SACRIFIC.S

.F.R> FIRST%OR) A)D FIRST FRDITS ;AS A)IMA:S ;.R. ACTDA::>

GOD7S,
AS

ACC.'T.D

IF

TH. FIRST%OR)9FIRST FRDITS ;.R. O). OF TH. FIF.

ACC.'TA%:. SACRIFIC.S, IT HAD TO %. GIF.) TO COD:D )OT %. R.D..M.D

GOD,

A)D

IF

TH. FIRST%OR) A)D FIRST FRDITS ;.R. )OT O). OF TH.

FIF., IT STI:: HAD TO %. AC()O;:.DG.D AS

GOD7S

%>

R.D..MI)G IT ;ITH A SD%STITDT. SACRIFIC. FROM O). OF TH. FIF. ACC.'TA%:. SACRIFIC.S

3"

'H23!/# S&**2#1

GIFI)G GOD

TH. FIRST%OR) %R.A(S TH. CDRS. OF TH.

D.STRO>.R FROM A:: THAT R.MAI)S

(..'I)G OC:.A)P,

;HAT ;AS

GOD7S,

%> .ITH.R )OT GIFI)G IT

OR )OT R.D..MI)G IT

OD)C:.A)P

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CDRS. OF TH. D.STRO>.R I)TO ODR :IF.S

TH.

FIRST%OR) C:.A) A)IMA: ;AS CO)SID.R.D TO %. A)

OFF.RI)G THAT ;AS D.FOT.D TO D.STRDCTIO) OR D.FOT.D THI)G7 D.FOT.D M.A)S OF.R TO TH.

7TH.

=TH.

IRR.FOCA%:. GIFI)G

:ORD,

)OT TO %. TA(.) %AC( AGAI) = A)D

D.STRO>.D M.A)S SACRIFIC.

=TO

%. CO)SDM.D ;ITH FIR. AS A

=
C:.A) A)IMA:S COD:D )OT %. D.DICAT.D

THOS. FIRST%OR)

TH.> HAD TO %. D.STRO>.D %> FIR. AS A TITH. OFF.RI)G %> R.D..MI)G SOM.THI)G FROM GOD, ;. AR. AC()O;:.DGI)G HIS C:AIM
FOR A)> OTH.R T>'. OF SACRIFIC. O) IT %> 'A>I)G FOR IT ;ITH A) ACC.'TA%:. SD%STITDT.

GOD R.HDIR.D TH. FIRST OF .F.R>THI)G A)D IF IT ;AS)7T TH. FIRST, IT DID )OT .F.) COD)T AS %.I)G GIF.)A TH. :A;
R.ST OF

FIRST THI)GS

DICTAT.S THAT ;HAT.F.R IS

DO). ;ITH TH. FIRST D.T.RMI).S ;HAT HA''.)S TO A:: TH.

3E

'H23!/# S&**2#1

IF HIS

'ORTIO) IS )OT FIRST, %:.SSI)G ;I:: )OT COM. TO

TH. R.ST OF ODR :IF.S

35

:
:

WHE# WI'' WE DEA' WITH ACHA#3

= A!han, 0ho brought trouble on Israel by *iolating the ban on taking de*oted things = I Chroni!les "I6 )IF

(hen $% is )I#S!

THE CO#;0EST OF CITIES

A/ter 5E# years in sla*ery and 5# years in the desert, it 0as /inally ti+e /or the !hildren o/ Israel to be established as a nation God 0as going to rena+e the+ as He had $a!ob They 0ere !alled =Hebre0 sla*es= and =%edouins= be!ause o/ the past they had endured %ut that 0as about to !hange I/ they 0ere obedient, they 0ould be kno0n as, =The Children o/ the One True God,= a!!o+panied by all the bene/its a good na+e has to o//er So, 0ith the /uture o/ His !hildren in +ind, God designed a plan that 0ould !ause other nations to shudder in /ear at the thought o/ the Israelites ;ith $oshua as their leader, the Ar+y o/ the :ord +o*ed to the !ity o/ $eri!ho ;hile the !hildren o/ Israel en!a+ped around $eri!ho 0aiting /or the instru!tion /ro+ God, the people o/ $eri!ho, assu+ing they 0ere under siege, tightly shut up the 0alls o/ the !ity = Now :ericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel8 none went out, and none came in+ $oshua 3I@ )($F ;hile the inhabitants o/ $eri!ho 0aited, God spoke to His people through $oshua God instru!ted the+ that
33

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$eri!ho 0ould be the /irst !ity the Israelites 0ould !on<uer At this ne0s, the !hildren o/ Israel reBoi!ed be!ause they kne0 that 0hen God said this 0as the /irst then there 0ere +ore to !o+e God ga*e Israel detailed instru!tions about the battle o/ $eri!ho For @3 *erses in the book o/ $oshua, God told Israel ho0 he 0ould gi*e the !ity to the+ He +ade it *ery !lear He 0as gi*ing the+ $eri!ho They 0ould not ha*e to stri*e, be!ause He 0ould /ight the battle /or the+ All he re<uired o/ the+ 0as !orporate obedien!e and the !ity 0ould be theirs >ou kno0 the story They +ar!hed around the !ity on!e a day /or si- days, and then se*en ti+es on the se*enth day Then on God7s !o++and they shouted in unity and the 0alls o/ $eri!ho /ell in0ard on the !ity

DO#2T TO0CH THE DE6OTED THI#G

The :ord instru!ted the+ that $eri!ho 0as 7doo+ed /or destru!tion7 They 0ere not to tou!h anything 0ithin the !ity, but 0ere !o++anded to burn it 0ith /ire It is interesting to kno0 that the root 0ord doomed in the original language is the sa+e 0ord /ro+ 0hi!h 0e get devoted. In /a!t, in the original (ing $a+es Fersion it says,
36

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=de*oted to destru!tion = %e!ause God had been tea!hing the+ about The :a0 o/ First Things, they understood the ter+inology God 0as ensuring that e*eryone understood that this !ity 0as not theirs to keep, nor the 0ealth held 0ithin it %e!ause $eri!ho 0as /irst, it 0as 7the de*oted thing7 So, 0hen it 0as ti+e to !arry out their instru!tion, 0hat happened8 They +ar!hed around the !ity on!e a day /or si- days, and then se*en ti+es on the se*enth day And on the se*enth day, Bust like He pro+ised, the !ity o/ $eri!ho /ell in on itsel/ The people o/ God 0ere so /ull o/ /aithA They had ne*er taken a !ity be/ore nor had they o0ned land I !an only i+agine their e-!ite+ent as they re/le!ted on the pro+ise that God 0as Bust beginning to /ul/ill The 0ealth o/ $eri!ho 0as a+a?ing There 0ere bars o/ gold and shekels o/ sil*er sta!ked all along the streets by the inhabitants o/ $eri!ho 0ho 0ere planning their /light out o/ the !ity The ar+y o/ Israel 0as ordered to !arry /iery tor!hes and light e*erything until it 0as !onsu+ed The gold and sil*er 0ould be taken to build the te+ple, but no one !ould take o/ the 0ealth o/ $eri!ho /or the+sel*es

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%e!ause e*eryone in the ar+y o/ Israel understood the !on!ept o/ 7the de*oted thing7, they belie*ed the :ord and reBoi!ed in burning this !ity .*eryone in the Israeli ar+y belie*ed God7s pro+ise e-!ept a +an na+ed A!han ;hile they 0ere sa!king the !ity and preparing to burn it 0ith /ire as an o//ering to the :ord, A!han7s /aith /ailed As the ar+y ran through the !ity burning it 0ith /ire, he sa0 a sta!k o/ gold bars and sil*er !oins and +ade a de!ision ;ith no one !lose enough to see hi+, he 0rapped his dis!o*ery in a %abylonian gar+ent, put it on like a ba!kpa!k and took it to his tent That e*ening he dug a hole in the /loor and buried his treasure there A!han kne0 he had sinned Ho0 do 0e kno08 %e!ause he hid 0hat he had taken I/ he 0as una0are o/ his disobedien!e, he 0ould ha*e taken his booty o/ 0ar and /launted it to his /riends saying, =I did pretty goodA :ook 0hat I7+ going to take ho+e to +y /a+ily = >ou see, !usto+arily, the spoils o/ battle 0ere gi*en to the soldiers So+eti+es sharing in the ri!hes o/ 0hat they !on<uered 0as their only pay %ut not this ti+e9 $eri!ho 0as 7the de*oted thing7

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WHAT2S THE DEA'3

The ne-t !ity God 0anted to gi*e Israel 0as a !ity !alled Ai )o0, !o+pared to $eri!ho, Ai 0as a little hi!k to0n 0ithout a standing ar+y It 0as basi!ally a 0ide spot in a !a+el trail So $oshua told his ar+y, =I don7t e*en need to go I 0ill send a /e0 o/ you to take that !ity = A/ter the battle o/ $eri!ho, $oshua treated this like a si+ple, e*eryday errand %ut there 0as nothing si+ple about the lesson God 0as prepared to tea!h His !hildren As the Ar+y o/ the !hildren o/ Israel approa!hed the !ity o/ Ai, their /aith <ui!kly /aded The +en o/ Ai thre0 open the gates o/ the !ity and !a+e running to0ard the+ 0ith /ar+ i+ple+ents and sti!ks It did not take long /or the Israeli ar+y to reali?e they 0ere losing +ore than the battle Men 0ere dying So+ething 0as 0rongI losing 0asn7t part o/ the plan ;hen the Israeli soldiers returned a/ter running /or their li*es they said to $oshua, =So+ething is 0rong ;hen God7s blessing 0as on us, the !ity o/ $eri!ho /ell in on itsel/ and 0e didn7t lose one +an %ut 0hen 0e 0ent up to take the little !ity o/ Ai, 0e lost E3 +enA Tell us, 0hat did 0e do 0rong8 So $oshua /ell on his /a!e be/ore God asking Hi+, =;hat7s the deal8= And God said, =I7ll tell you 0hat the
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deal is There is a thie/ a+ong you and 0hen you deal 0ith that, +y blessing 0ill return = It +ay see+ harsh that God 0ould risk the li*es o/ His !hildren be!ause o/ the sin o/ one +an, but God !ould not tolerate a *iolation o/ His la0 ;e talk a lot about breaking la0s, but is that really possible8 Maybe 0ith +an-+ade la0s, but not 0ith God7s ;e don7t e*er really break a la0C 0e *iolate la0s and pay the !onse<uen!es :et7s use the la0 o/ gra*ity /or an e-a+ple Ha*e you e*er seen anyone break the la0 o/ gra*ity8 ;ould anyone dare say that they 0ere atte+pting to break the la0 o/ gra*ity by thro0ing the+sel*es /ro+ the highest building they !ould /ind8 I don7t think so, but 0hy hasn7t this been atte+pted8 %e!ause the la0 o/ gra*ity !annot be broken And it is !o++on kno0ledge that 0hen you *iolate the la0 o/ gra*ity it 0ill ha*e its !onse<uen!e It si+ply !annot be ignored ;ell, this +ay see+ si+ple and ob*ious, but there are +any people that !on/use ignoring la0s 0ith breaking the+ Ho0e*er, God has undeniably set in pla!e natural and spiritual la0s that ha*e i++ediate reper!ussions /or those 0ho do not sho0 a respe!t /or the+ ;hen a spiritual la0 is *iolated, God7s response is not deter+ined by His e+otion to0ard the in!ident or the
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(hen $% is )I#S!

person in*ol*ed His established la0s apply e<ually to e*eryone and so +ust the !onse<uen!es

THE ACHA# FACTOR

So $oshua, understanding that they !ould not go on in *iolation o/ the la0 o/ God, +ade all o/ Israel a!!ountable to the sin o/ one +an God had $oshua line up the 0hole nation, tribe by tribe Interestingly, these tribes e<ualed the entire population o/ a +aBor +etrople-C about E,###,### people The arduous pro!ess o/ bringing all t0el*e tribes o/ Israel be/ore $oshua took all-day and part o/ another All the 0hile, God is allo0ing A!han to stand there, gi*ing hi+ the opportunity to !on/ess ;e kno0 that God e*entually sho0ed $oshua by a 0ord o/ kno0ledge 0ho it 0as So, 0hy didn7t He lead hi+ straight to A!han7s tent in the beginning8 He then !ould ha*e taken A!han out and stoned hi+ to death and it 0ould ha*e been o*er %ut, instead, God ga*e A!han the opportunity to repent ;hat a 0itness o/ His +er!yA There 0ere se*eral thousand people standing there and God 0as 0aiting /or A!han %ut, hoping to es!ape punish+ent, A!han stood in silen!e So, e*entually $oshua narro0ed his sear!h and the other @@ tribes 0ere dis+issed A!han +ust ha*e been /eeling the heat but !ontinued standing, unrepentant
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$oshua sorted through A!han7s !lan, then !ontinued to his /a+ily until he 0as /inally standing dire!tly in /ront o/ A!han $oshua looked into A!han7s /a!e, and he said, =A!han, gi*e God the glory = That see+s like a strange greeting a/ter su!h a long sear!h >et it 0as +ore appropriate than any tongue lashing $oshua !ould ha*e gi*en It 0as a si+ple !on!lusion A!han had stolen the glory o/ God be!ause he took o/ 7the de*oted thing7 $oshua instru!ted A!han to go to the tent and dig up 0hat he had taken and bring it be/ore the people And the %ible then says that $oshua gathered the ar+y o/ Israel around A!han, his /a+ily, his ani+als and e*erything that he o0ned A!han, his /a+ily and all his possessions 0ere stoned until there 0as nothing le/t but a pile o/ stones and a tri!kle o/ blood )o0, be/ore you think this punish+ent 0as too harsh, re+e+ber this9God had Bust spent 5# years tea!hing Israel about the de*oted things A!han had the sa+e understanding e*erybody else did And besides, God ga*e hi+ plenty o/ ti+e to repent and !on/ess See, by designating $eri!ho as a de*oted thing, God 0as telling Israel that $eri!ho 0as Bust the /irst I/ they belie*ed God and obeyed, there 0ould be +ore !ities to !o+e .*erybody understood the !on!ept, belie*ed God
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(hen $% is )I#S!

and obeyed9e-!ept A!han %e!ause o/ one +an7s disobedien!e, the entire nation o/ Israel su//ered the !onse<uen!es They had to deal 0ith the A!han /a!tor a+ong the+ be/ore they !ould !o+e ba!k under the blessing o/ God And a/ter0ards, Israel +ar!hed on, taking !ity a/ter !ity9but only a/ter they dealt 0ith the thie*ery o/ 7the de*oted thing7 I/ 0e are /a+ily and 0e are one in the :ord, and i/ 0e are a body, like the s!ripture says, /itly Boined together as a !hur!h, then +y disobedien!e a//e!ts ea!h one o/ you This 0ould e-plain 0hy +ost !hur!hes are not under !orporate blessing In /a!t, 0hile I kno0 indi*iduals 0ho are blessed, I !annot na+e one !hur!h 0here e*eryone 0ho !o+es under that +inistry has +ore than enough ;hen Israel 0as under !orporate blessing in the 0ilderness, all o/ the+ ate +annaC none o/ their !lothing 0ore outC their shoes 0ere rene0edC their eyes 0ere not di+ and they 0ere blessed9e*ery one o/ the+ O!!asionally, 0e hear about a +ira!le o/ pro*ision here and there Ho0e*er, 0e see+ to be !ontent to ha*e on one end o/ a pe0 a +an 0ho has +ade his /irst +illion, 0hile at the other end o/ the pe0 there is a single +other 0ho doesn7t ha*e /ood in the !upboard /or to+orro07s +eal
65

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The !hur!h is not under !orporate blessing and I think it is be!ause 0e aren7t serious enough about the A!han /a!tor a+ong us ;e +ust not look around to see 0ho a+ong us +ight be an A!han The point is, there is a little bit o/ A!han in all o/ us ;e ha*e be!o+e a!!usto+ed to the la!k that surrounds us e*ery day It isn7t unusual to pass a ho+eless person on our 0ay ho+e /ro+ 0ork ;e are used to belie*ing that 0e all /end /or oursel*es and 0e need to take 0hat 0e !an get 0ithout e-pe!ting too +u!h /ro+ li/e Instead o/ running ba!k to God 0hen the de*il steals, kills and destroys asking, =;hat7s the deal8= 0e Bust say =;ell, that7s li/eA= Ignoran!e o/ God7s la0s and unrepentant hearts ha*e blinded so +any belie*ers to the blessing o/ God a0aiting the destru!tion o/ A!han

WAR OF ATTRITIO#
Many o/ us are in a 0ar o/ attrition 0ith the ene+y Are you 0illing to lose one !hild o/ your three in order that you +ay keep t0o8 Ho0 +u!h are you 0illing to lose be/ore you get on your /a!e and say, =Father, 0hat happened to >our blessing on +y li/e8= Ho0 insensiti*e to loss ha*e you be!o+e8 Ho0 +any teenagers are 0e 0illing to lose8 Ho0 +any /a+ilies 0ill 0e allo0 to be broken by di*or!e8 Ho0 +any business deals 0ill go south be/ore
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0e re!ogni?e there is a proble+8 Ho0 +u!h are you going to endure be/ore you get on your knees and say, =God, 0here ha*e I gone 0rong8= This +ay be ne0s to you but, unlike us, the de*il is not 0illing to lose anything 0ithout a /ight He is not 0illing to let you keep anythingC he 0ants it all He 0ill !lai+ 0hat God has gi*en you i/ he is gi*en the !han!e I/ you think the ene+y doesn7t re+e+ber 0hat has been stolen /ro+ hi+, you 0ill /ind this interesting ;hen >assar Ara/at, the leader o/ the ':O, began to take !ities, the /irst !ity he de+anded 0as $eri!ho ;hy 0ould he de+and $eri!ho8 He +ay not e*en kno0 0hy, be!ause that land doesn7t ha*e +u!h *alue, strategi!ally or +onetarilyC in /a!t, it7s really rather piti/ul %ut be!ause a spirit o/ anti-Christ !ontrols hi+, his possession o/ this !ity is an atte+pt to threaten God ;hy8 %e!ause $eri!ho 0as the /irst !ity that God ga*e His people 0hen they !a+e out o/ bondage So thousands o/ years later in response, =>assar Ara/at said, =$eri!ho is the /irst !ity 0e 0ant ba!k = I/ the de*il 0ants all you ha*e, 0hy are you 0illing to let hi+ take anything at all8 He 0ill not be satis/ied until your li/e is in ruins and you are <uestioning the ability o/ God to pro*ide God7s :a0 o/ First Things is
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your insuran!e that God 0ill rebuke the destroyer and break the !urse o*er your li/e God instituted this :a0 /or our bene/it, but i/ it really 0orks, does He Hi+sel/ li*e by it8

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GOD

D.SIG).D A ':A) THAT ;OD:D CADS. OTH.R )ATIO)S

TO SHDDD.R I) F.AR AT TH. THODGHT OF TH. ISRA.:IT.S

$.RICHO
CO)HD.R

;OD:D %. TH. FIRST CIT> TH.

ISRA.:IT.S

;OD:D

TH.>

;.R. )OT TO TODCH A)>THI)G ;ITHI) TH. CIT>, %DT

;.R. COMMA)D.D TO %DR) IT ;ITH FIR.

%.CADS. $.RICHO ;AS FIRST, IT ;AS 7TH. D.FOT.D THI)G7 .F.R>O). ISRA.:I ARM> .NC.'T A MA) )AM.D ACHA)
I) TH. %.:I.F.D

GOD7S

'ROMIS.

ACHA)7S FAITH FAI:.D TH.

).NT CIT>

GOD

;A)T.D TO GIF.

ISRA.:

;AS A CIT>

CA::.D

AI ISRA.:I
ARM> TO R.A:IK.

IT

DID )OT TA(. :O)G FOR TH.

TH.> ;.R. :OSI)G MOR. THA) TH. %ATT:.

GOD COD:D )OT TO:.RAT. A FIO:ATIO) OF HIS :A; ;.

DO)7T .F.R R.A::> %R.A( A :A;C ;. FIO:AT. :A;S

A)D 'A> TH. CO)S.HD.)C.S

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'H23!/# S&**2#1

GOD HAS D)D.)IA%:> S.T I) ':AC. )ATDRA: A)D S'IRITDA:

:A;S THAT HAF. IMM.DIAT. R.'.RCDSSIO)S FOR THOS. ;HO DO )OT SHO; A R.S'.CT FOR TH.M

%.CADS. OF O). MA)7S DISO%.DI.)C., OF ISRA.: SDFF.R.D TH. CO)S.HD.)C.S ISRA.:

THI)G7

TH. .)TIR. )ATIO)

MARCH.D O), TA(I)G CIT> AFT.R CIT>9%DT O):>

AFT.R TH.> D.A:T ;ITH TH. THI.F.R> OF 7TH. D.FOT.D

GOD7S :A; OF FIRST THI)GS IS >ODR I)SDRA)C. THAT GOD

;I:: R.%D(. TH. D.STRO>.R A)D %R.A( TH. CDRS. OF.R >ODR :IF.

62

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GOD 'I6ES BY HIS OW# 'AW

=For God has done 0hat the :a0 !ould not do, its po0er being 0eakened by the /lesh Sending His o0n Son in the guise o/ sin/ul /lesh and as an o//ering /or sin, God !onde+ned sin in the /lesh subdued, o*er!a+e, depri*ed it o/ it7s po0er o*er all 0ho a!!ept that sa!ri/i!e So that the righteous and Bust re<uire+ent o/ the :a0 +ight be /ully +et in us ,= Ro+ans GIE,5 AM':IFI.D

$% ,I9/S .1 HIS $(N ,2(

God looked upon a 0orld that He lo*ed, that He !reated and people that He 0anted to be in /ello0ship 0ith %ut there 0as an ene+y ra*aging the+, de*ouring their understanding o/ Hi+ God +ade +an 0ith the /reedo+ to !hoose Hi+ on his o0n, but that had /ailed in the garden Although He had a !lose relationship 0ith a /e0 +en throughout the years, He had lost a!!ess to hu+anity, and hu+anity had lost a!!ess to Hi+ God had not spoken through a prophet in o*er 5## years and the Ark o/ the Co*enant had been +ispla!ed The Taberna!le and later the Te+ple 0ere both Bust a +eeting pla!e /or God and +an >et, the people !ould only see the bo-, not the pre!ious gi/t resting 0ithin it The Israelites had be!o+e so ensla*ed to the 0alls, the ritual and the rules that they lost sight o/ the /ul/ill+ent They 0ere +ore !on!erned 0ith the boundaries God had set /or the+ than the opportunity /or relationship a*ailable to the+ The :a0 o/ Moses, 0ith it7s sa!ri/i!ial rituals, ser*ed as a !onstant re+inder o/ the seriousness o/ sin The sa!ri/i!ial ritual had been un!hanged sin!e Israel had le/t the sla*ery o/ .gypt ;ithin the :a0 o/ Moses 0as the la0 o/ sin and death, 0hi!h stated si+plyI Those guilty o/ sin +ust die

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%ut, be!ause o/ His great lo*e /or His !hildren, God allo0ed a !lean ani+al to be sa!ri/i!ed on behal/ o/ the sinner Ho0e*er, the sa!ri/i!ial syste+ 0as a te+porary plan and it 0as /alling apart In the 5## years be/ore Christ, the te+ple had been !orrupted by the lust /or 0ealth and po0er The /o!us o/ sa!ri/i!e 0as no longer based on the pain o/ death asso!iated 0ith sin, but 0as /o!used instead on ho0 +u!h it 0ould !ost the sinner There 0ere sa!ri/i!es o/ puri/i!ation, pea!e and !onse!ration For puri/i!ation, the daily o//ering o/ sa!ri/i!e had be!o+e the /re<uent /or+ o/ !o*ering sin Any indi*idual 0ho had kno0ingly sinned !ould bring a sa!ri/i!e to the te+ple and re!ei*e atone+ent Sa!ri/i!es gi*en /or pea!e or !onse!ration 0ere *oluntary, but 0ere still !ondu!ted 0ith +u!h regularity For !enturies, the blood o/ bulls, goats and sheep had stained the altars and pooled on the ground beneath Countless ani+als had been gi*en as atoning sa!ri/i!es be/ore God The la0 e-a!ted a terrible pri!e /or the sins o/ Israel %ut the purpose o/ the :a0 o/ Moses 0asn7t to gi*e the+ a +eans o/ sal*ation, it 0as to tea!h the+ that they needed a Sa*ior

G"

$% ,I9/S .1 HIS $(N ,2(

YOM KIPP0R=TO CO6ER

Although the :a0 pro*ided /or the atone+ent /or their sin/ul nature as 0ell as their trespasses, no one !ould per/e!tly re!all e*ery single a!t, thought or deed o//ensi*e to God So /or this reason, on!e a year, >o+ (ippur9The Day o/ Atone+ent ser*ed as a !orporate !leansing /ro+ these unintentional LignorantM or unkno0n sins One o/ the rituals o/ >o+ (ippur that +ade it di//erent /ro+ the rest o/ the holy days, 0as the !ere+ony o/ the s!apegoat The priest 0ould !hoose t0o goats One 0ould be !hosen to die and the other to de+onstrate the relin<uishing o/ sin Israel7s !ri+es against God 0ere !ere+onially laid on the ba!k o/ the s!apegoat and then it 0as allo0ed to /reely trot a0ay into the desert The other goat 0as pla!ed on the altar and sa!ri/i!ed to !o*er the sin o/ the s!apegoat This !ere+ony 0as a !lear de+onstration o/ the /uture !o+ing o/ Christ >o+ (ippur 0as a !onsu+ing ritual First, the priest 0ould slay the ani+al and !at!h the /irst /lo0 o/ blood in a !up Mo*ing into the Holy 'la!e, the High 'riest 0ould then assu+e his duties at the table o/ sho0bread and the golden la+pstand The High 'riest 0ould li/t the *eil !on!ealing the Most Holy 'la!e and enter in He 0ould then +o*e to the
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(hen $% is )I#S!

Ark o/ the Co*enant and pour out the inno!ent blood onto the Mer!y Seat There the blood 0ould !o*er the translu!ent gold lid, 0hi!h !ontained the e*iden!e o/ the sin o/ Israel All God !ould then see 0as the blood o/ an inno!ent la+b and not the sin o/ His people Hen!e !o+es the ter+ 1om Kippur 0hi!h +eans, =to !o*er= God 0ould then push the Budg+ent o/ sin /or0ard one year until >o+ (ippur returned He did not push the sin /or0ard, but only the Budg+ent o/ it %y postponing their Budg+ent, He 0as gi*ing +an e*ery opportunity to understand the lo*e and desire He had /or a true one-on-one relationship God had gi*en Israel the Ten Co++and+ents to li*e by, but He kne0 He !ouldn7t thro0 out ten rules and !hange the 0orld And be!ause the :a0 o/ Moses +ade nothing per/e!t on it7s o0n, He had to !o+plete the original purpose o/ the :a0 ;hi!h 0as9relationship So, it 0as ti+e /or God to produ!e a Redee+er

BEHO'D THE 'AMB

God had a Son9His /irstborn and only begotten Son

G5

$% ,I9/S .1 HIS $(N ,2(

The Holy Spirit !arried the Seed o/ God to the 0o+b o/ Mary O*ershado0ing her, she !on!ei*ed $esus 0as born o/ a *irgin and raised in 0isdo+ and stature %e!ause $esus didn7t ha*e an earthly /ather, He 0ould bypass the geneti! inheritan!e o/ ini<uity There/ore, unlike any other hu+an, He 0as sinless ;hen $esus 0as a +an o/ about E# years, he en!ountered His /irst !ousin in the /lesh, $ohn the %aptist $ohn 0as bapti?ing in the $ordan Ri*er and $esus 0ent do0n to Boin the gro0ing !ro0d o/ /ollo0ers on the banks I !an pi!ture $esus 0ith His ar+s /olded, standing ba!k 0ith a big s+ile on His /a!e $ohn the %aptist 0aded in the $ordan Ri*er about !hest deep a/ter /inishing his +essage All o/ the sudden, a propheti! anointing !a+e o*er $ohn and he turned and pointed his /inger and !ried out to the !ro0d o/ people, =%ehold The :a+b o/ God 0ho takes a0ay the sin o/ the 0orldA= $ohn @I"2 )($F These 0ords 0ere po0er/ul $esus, a :a+b8 The :a+b 0ho taketh a0ay the sin o/ the 0orld8 This 0as the greatest parallel e*er dra0n There 0as so +u!h about a la+b that Israel understood They kne0 that /irstborn la+bs +ust be sa!ri/i!ed The /irstborn la+b 0as a rede+pti*e pay+ent /or that 0hi!h 0asn7t a!!eptable to God The la+b 0as the +ost !o++on sa!ri/i!e,
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a*ailable to all The la+b 0as the !lean sa!ri/i!e by 0hi!h anything !ould be redee+ed I a+ sure that $ohn the %aptist7s 0ords sho!ked and !on/used the on-lookers Israel had long anti!ipated a king to res!ue her, not a la+b to redee+ her They 0ere 0restling 0ith /lesh and blood, hoping a +ighty 0arrior 0ould !o+e to their physi!al 0orld and lead the+ to politi!al po0er >et, $esus stated repeatedly that His kingdo+ 0as not o/ this 0orld This also +ust ha*e been !on/using /or the !hildren o/ Israel The $e0s 0ere !ontent 0ith their yearly sa!ri/i!e and e+pty traditions They 0ere si+ply una0are that the :a0 +ust be /ul/illed Israel did not kno0 ho0 badly they needed a Sa*ior, a Redee+er9a :a+b God kne0 that :a0 0ithout gra!e !ould not sustain hu+anity /ore*er He 0as 0ithdra0ing His blessing be!ause o/ sin and the syste+ o/ sa!ri/i!e 0as nearing its end $esus, as the :a+b, 0ould erase the past and gi*e gra!e /or the /uture

THE 'AST DAY OF ATO#EME#T

;hen $ohn the %aptist by propheti! designation !alled $esus a la+b, he sealed His /ate A/ter 5# days in the desert, $esus understood 0hat He +ust endure and yet, He sub+itted He !ould ha*e re/used His +issionC a/ter
G3

$% ,I9/S .1 HIS $(N ,2(

all He 0as /lesh He had a 0ill o/ His o0n At ti+es, the te+ptation to reBe!t His !alling +ust ha*e see+ed o*er0hel+ing, but He o*er!a+e by resigning His 0ill to the Father And $esus retained the sinless nature o/ God that +ade Hi+ a 0orthy sa!ri/i!e A/ter three years o/ po0er/ul +inistry, politi!al and religious /or!es united in hatred to e-e!ute the Son o/ God Although $esus 0as inno!ent, He 0ould die a horrible death usually reser*ed /or thie*es and +urderers The Father had anti!ipated the pain and had begun to grie*e long be/ore the /inal Day o/ Atone+ent Although /allen +an had 0ounded and reBe!ted Hi+ +any ti+es be/ore, nothing !ould prepare Hi+ /or the e*ents ahead The tearing at His heart 0as undeniable He 0as God, but !ould not res!ue He 0as po0er, but He 0ould hide His strength I+agine the restraint needed to allo0 the torturous death o/ your only son I ha*e a son, and there is nothing in the 0orld I 0ouldn7t do /or hi+ O//ering +y pre!ious son to be killed, as God o//ered His Son, is beyond +y ability--I lo*e hi+ too +u!h %ut let7s assu+e that I !ould so+eho0 /or!e +ysel/ to o//er hi+ And Bust to +ake the analogy a!!urate, I 0ould ha*e to turn hi+ o*er to a rebellious, hate/ul, reprobate +ob to be insulted, reBe!ted, abused, re*iled, bloodied and beaten And
G6

(hen $% is )I#S!

0hen they 0ere through 0ith that, he 0ould su//er an agoni?ingly slo0 and hu+iliating death on a !ross Co+pelled by +y lo*e /or the+, I 0ould gi*e all to pay /or the !han!e to ha*e a relationship 0ith the +e+bers o/ that sa+e rebellious hate/ul +ob )ot a guarantee, not a pro+ise, not a likelihood $ust /or the !han!e The last Day o/ Atone+ent 0ould pro*e to be the +ost po0er/ul day in history God7s /irstborn Son 0ould be!o+e the sa!ri/i!e la+b and die /or a drea+ The s!ripture says that during the torture and death o/ $esus, God hid His /a!e .*en 0hile kno0ing the out!o+e, God did not negle!t to /eel the !onse<uen!es o/ His de!ision to put us /irst ;hen they began the !ru!i/i-ion pro!ess, both Ro+ans and $e0s, 0ho had opened the+sel*es to this, 0ere +anipulated by e*ery de+oni! /or!e bel!hed out o/ hell The %ible says, +2nd the ,ord has laid on Him the ini;uity of us all.+ Isaiah 4EI33 )($F That +eans that the e*il o/ e*ery pedophile, e*ery rapist, e*ery +urderer, e*ery per*ert that 0ould e*er 0alk the /a!e o/ the earth 0as laid upon $esus Dnder de+oni! in/luen!e the !ro0ds abused and beat Hi+ They ripped His beard out, they spit in His /a!e and they bruised His body /ro+ head to toe
GG

$% ,I9/S .1 HIS $(N ,2(

'ilate, 0ho 0as a !old-blooded Ro+an e-e!utioner, said, =I ha*e ne*er seen a +an7s /a!e +ore +arred than this +an7s %ehold the +an, I don7t e*en re!ogni?e Hi+ :ook 0hat you ha*e done to Hi+ = And yet, that 0as not enough They took Hi+ to a !ross, stret!hed Hi+ out and nailed Hi+ there They 0ounded Hi+, bruised Hi+ +ore, !ursed Hi+, and spat on Hi+ again and again De+ons by the thousands reBoi!ed in an @G hour, agoni?ing, torturous +urder And in the +ean ti+e9 0e 0alked a0ay /ree and He died in our pla!e So in type, 0e 0ere the goat spanked on the ba!kside and told to run to0ard /reedo+, 0hile $esus 0as slain on the altar /or our sins

)ES0S THE HIGH PRIEST

In be!o+ing /lesh, $esus +ade the i+possible9reality Sin!e $esus7 ti+e on earth, God had e+pathi?ed +ore than e*er about the /railty o/ /lesh $esus, /ully God, and /ully +an, 0ould re!on!ile both The last 0ords $esus spoke as a +an sho0ed He understood ho0 God the Father /elt about His !hildren at that +o+ent 9+)ather, forgive them8 for they know not what they do.+ :uke "EIE5 ($F It7s as i/ He said, =Father, I kno0 >ou +ust hate 0hat >ou are seeing, but re+e+ber 0hy >ou sent Me >ou sent Me be!ause they don7t kno0 any better ;e ha*e a
G2

(hen $% is )I#S!

greater perspe!ti*e and understanding I a+ doing this to bring the+ to a pla!e o/ right standing ;hen they are Boint heirs, they 0ill understand = )ot only 0as $esus pleading our !ase, He e-!used our beha*ior This 0as $esus, our Great High 'riest, +aking inter!ession /or us e*en as He 0as dying God 0as re+inded o/ His 0ord and the reasoning behind the a!t o/ sa!ri/i!e $esus, the Son o/ God, 0ould take on the !urse o/ the :a0 and allo0 Hi+sel/ to die God 0as 0illing to do 0hate*er it took to restore us to /ull relationship 0ith Hi+ At the +o+ent $esus ga*e His li/e be!ause o/ His lo*e /or us, there 0as nothing lo*able about us In /a!t, 0e 0ere spitting in the /a!e o/ the One 0ho !a+e to sa*e us %ut $esus, /ull o/ !o+passion /or His people, sa0 us /or 0hat 0e 0ere and pri?ed us /or 0hat 0e !ould be!o+e He 0anted !o++union 0ith the /a+ily He !reated The rede+pti*e release o/ the la+b 0ould +ake the possibility o/ that relationship a reality Could the /ul/ill+ent o/ the :a0 be +ore !lear than this8 $esus 0as the :a+b ;e 0ere the s!apegoat
2#

$% ,I9/S .1 HIS $(N ,2(

$esus poured out His o0n blood as the High 'riest $esus7 death and the +ethod by 0hi!h it took pla!e /ul/illed the :a0 This is 0hat $esus +eant 0hen He said, +%o not think that I came to destroy the ,aw or the 3rophets8 I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill.+ Matthe0 4I@6 )($F I/ 0e take 0hat 0e ha*e learned about redee+ing the un!lean 0ith the !lean, the lesson o/ the :a0 is !lear I/ the !lean is /irst gi*en, then all that !o+es therea/ter is redee+ed ;e 0ere the un!lean, so the Father sent a !lean, spotless, sa!ri/i!e %e!ause the !lean ani+al, /irstborn, !annot be redee+ed, but has to die, $esus the !lean, redee+ed hu+anity, the un!lean $esus 0as /reely gi*en as 7the de*oted thing7 God ne*er asks us to /ollo0 His established la0s o/ the earth 0ithout being !o+pletely !o++itted Hi+sel/ His :a0 in :e*iti!us re<uired the gi*ing o/ the /irst born la+b So, in order to /ul/ill the :a0, God 0as re<uired to sa!ri/i!e His only Son That e-a+ple ans0ered the <uestion asked by generations o/ Israeli !hildren 9=Dad, 0hy are 0e doing this8= God 0as serious about The :a0 o/ First Things then, and He still is I/ God had not been, then He 0ould
2@

(hen $% is )I#S!

ha*e ignored it 0hen it !a+e to His only Son, $esus9 but He did not So does God li*e by His o0n la08 He does God has not asked us to do so+ething that He has not done Hi+sel/ God prepared Hi+sel/ a sa!ri/i!e and His sa!ri/i!e 0as the ulti+ate e-pression o/ lo*e /or His people 'utting us /irst, He 0ould gi*e 0hate*er He had to be /irst in our li*es

2"

'H23!/# S&**2#1

%.CADS.

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TH. ISRA.:IT.S ;.R. MOR. CO)C.R).D ;ITH TH. %OD)DARI.S GOD HAD S.T FOR TH.M THA) TH. O''ORTD)IT>
FOR R.:ATIO)SHI' AFAI:A%:. TO TH.M

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25

>
>

;0A'IFIED TO BE M0'TIP'IED

= unless a grain o/ 0heat /alls into the earth and dies, it re+ains one grainI it ne*er be!o+es +ore, but li*es by itsel/ alone %ut, i/ it dies, it produ!es +any others, and yields a ri!h har*est = $ohn @"I"5 AM':IFI.D

(hen $% is )I#S!

In @22#, +y son Stephen and I 0ent /or a dri*e to take a look at a pie!e o/ property /or sale ;e had outgro0n the !hur!h building that had been !ontinually added on to sin!e 0e built it in @2G# The neighborhood had gro0n up around us and 0e /ound oursel*es out o/ options and out o/ pe0s So I kne0 I7d better !he!k out this opportunity Stephen Bu+ped up in +y tru!k and 0e headed a !ouple +iles east to0ard the Dallas toll0ay As 0e approa!hed the open plot o/ land, I 0ondered ho0 +any ti+es that I had passed it 0ithout the !onsideration o/ one day building on it It 0as "" pri+e a!res o/ unde*eloped land dire!tly in the !enter o/ ne0 de*elop+ent As Stephen and I got out to take a 0alk around, he asked +e a pro/oundly si+ple <uestion that probed +y thoughts /or a +u!h deeper ans0er =Dad, ho0 long has this land been here8= he asked As I turned to /a!e hi+, I 0as unsure o/ ho0 to ans0er until the 0ords !a+e =;ell Stephen, I guess God7s been sa*ing it /or us sin!e !reation,= I said And a/ter a little +ore thought I started to reali?e Bust ho0 true that 0as )ot too long be/ore, +y 0i/e (athy had re!ei*ed a /as!inating old ne0spaper arti!le about a 0o+an born August "E, @G4G in 0hat is no0 Carrollton, Te-as It
23

<&2,I)I/% !$ ./ *&,!I3,I/%

read as /ollo0sI =>ou 0ouldn7t think Aunt )anny M!Cor+i!k o/ Carrollton is 22 years old = =%a!k in @2@4, the +en-/olk didn7t think they !ould a//ord to repla!e the log !abin %aptist !hur!h in Hebron 0hi!h Aunt )anny had helped establish E" years earlier %ut, that 0as be/ore she had set her +ind to a ne0 building, 0ith Mrs Gus Mar!y dri*ing her o*er hill and *ale in a ri!kety early day auto, to soli!it /unds = =Harry :ord, 0ho still li*es in Carrollton, 0as running the Hebron gin Aunt )anny 0alked in and told the+ o/ the ne0 !hur!h plan and it didn7t set 0ell So she !losed the door and said, =:et7s talk to the :ord about it = =%y the ti+e she got through prodding the+ 0ith real prayer, Dn!le %ob Curtis ga*e the land /or the ne0 building, and the 0hole shebang 0as !on*erted = =She and her husband, the late Dn!le %ud M!Cor+i!k, ga*e all their sa*ings to !o+plete the stru!ture, 0hi!h still stands They had pin!hed their pennies /or a ne0 ho+e but sa!ri/i!ed the sa*ings Sin!e then, she !alls the !hur!h her ho+e = =The pert little lady, 0hose hair still hadn7t 0holly 0hitened, is a+a?ingly alert, looking /or0ard to her
26

(hen $% is )I#S!

@##th birthday She re!alls the days 0hen she organi?ed the !hur!h to begin ser*i!es in @GGE, 0ith hu+or =;e didn7t pay the prea!her in +oney $ust ha+s, sausage, /lour, and syrup and stu//, = she re!alls =One ti+e a prea!her +entioned to a +e+ber that the syrup he7d got 0as a0/ul thin, and the +e+ber told hi+ that the prea!hing had been pretty thin, too = =Her keen +e+ory and 0it are sharpened by endless e*ents, 0hi!h she re!alls 0ith !larity And the li*es o/ her /ore-bearers are steeped in !ontribution to the parade o/ pioneers = LTIM.S H.RA:D D.C.M%.R @246M (athy and I be!a+e /as!inated 0ith this 0o+an, re/erred to as =Aunt )anny7, 0ho had li*ed a !entury earlier This arti!le 0as +ore than Bust interesting to us The land+arks in that arti!le 0ere easily re!ogni?able as 0e li*ed 0ithin a /e0 +iles o/ the+ >ou see, God had sent us to Carrollton to build a !hur!h in @263 At the ti+e, 0e didn7t kno0 o/ any an!estry in the entire +etro area, let alone Carrollton %ut God had gi*en us a burden /or this !ity, and the arti!le about Aunt )anny 0as the key to learning 0hy 0e 0ere here >ou see, 0e /ound out Aunt )anny 0as +y 0i/e7s

2G

<&2,I)I/% !$ ./ *&,!I3,I/%

great, great-aunt A/ter0ards, +y 0i/e said, =Mike, do you think 0e really had anything to do 0ith !o+ing to this !ity8= ;e both had one o/ those +o+ents 0hen you see the plan God is a!!o+plishing through you Seeing the hand o/ God, and His 0illingness to ans0er prayer, si+ply o*er0hel+ed us And be!ause o/ one 0o+an7s desire to see a !hur!h built /or the glory o/ God, a spiritual seed 0as planted in the !ity o/ Carrollton that 0ould !ontinue to bear /ruit /or generations Today our !hur!h o0ns o*er 5# a!res o/ land and has built Q"#,###,### buildings to the glory o/ God Although 0e are seeing the +ani/estation o/ a *ision, it didn7t begin 0ith us It didn7t e*en begin 0ith Aunt )anny It really began at !reation ;hen 0e, as God7s people, begin to see history as the i+ple+entation o/ God7s plan in the earth, and not si+ply as a se<uen!e o/ rando+ e*ents, then 0e 0ill begin to learn the heart o/ God And +ore i+portantly, understand His purpose

'EAR#I#G BY COMPARISO#
The si+ilarities bet0een the story o/ Abraha+ and
22

(hen $% is )I#S!

Isaa! and the story o/ God and $esus are not !oin!idental Abraha+7s sa!ri/i!e 0as /oreshado0ing God7s ulti+ate e-pression o/ The :a0 o/ First Things Abraha+ and Isaa! 0ere an e-a+ple o/ the plan to !o+e :et7s e-a+ine the si+ilarities A pro+ise to produ!e a nation A pro+ise to produ!e a kingdo+ An agoni?ing /ather that li*ed by the /irst things la0 An agoni?ing Father that li*ed by His o0n la0 An obedient son, 0illingly !li+bed upon the altar An obedient Son, 0illingly hung upon a !ross On a hill !alled Moriah, the sa!ri/i!e 0as pro*ided /or the son On a hill no0 !alled Golgatha, the sa!ri/i!e was the Son Sa+e hill Sa+e prin!iple Distin!tly di//erent One *i!tory de!lared sub+ission to :ordship One *i!tory de!lared He is :ord

I# YO0R HEART OR I# YO0R HA#D

Isaa! 0as the do0n pay+ent, the deposit, o/ the original pro+ise God had gi*en Abraha+ The te+ptation /a!ing Abraha+, ho0e*er, 0as be!o+ing so o*er0hel+ed 0ith lo*e /or his only son that he !ould /orget the pro+ise 0as /or an entire nation Although Abraha+ 0as a +an 0ho trusted God, he +ust ha*e
@##

<&2,I)I/% !$ ./ *&,!I3,I/%

0ondered at God7s re<uest to sa!ri/i!e Isaa! be/ore Isaa! had any !hildren ;ouldn7t this short-!ir!uit the 0hole pro+ise8 ;hat 0ould ha*e happened i/ Abraha+ had de!ided to keep Isaa!8 I belie*e God 0ould ha*e said =Okay, Abraha+, I ga*e hi+ to you, and i/ you 0ant to keep hi+, he7s yours %ut re+e+ber, the pro+ise 0asn7t /or one boy, but /or a nation And i/ you 0ant to keep the one boy, he7s yours to keep %ut your /a+ily 0ill li*e and die and ne*er go /urther than your tent, be!ause your son9your /irstborn son9is the seed Isaa! +ay li*e a long ti+e, but he 0ill be a seed unredee+ed, and I +ake no plans /or unredee+ed seed %ut i/ you 0ill lay hi+ do0n, I 0ill raise hi+ up He 0ill be redee+ed be!ause he is +ine and I 0ill build a nation /ro+ hi+ And e*erything that !o+es a/ter0ards 0ill be anointed and blessed be!ause you ga*e the /irstborn to +e = I/ you e*er lose sight o/ the pro+ise o/ God, you 0ill be te+pted, as A!han 0as, to grab the tangible 7no07 in lieu o/ the /uture pro+ise Abraha+ had to release 0hat 0as in his hand i/ he 0anted to re!ei*e the pro+ise o/ God that 0as in his heart And this is the situation +any o/ us are in today Abraha+ kne0 the pro+ise 0as not /or one son, but /or a nationA He had to be 0illing to o//er the son i/ he 0anted the nation that 0as pro+ised long be/ore he had the son

@#@

(hen $% is )I#S!

RES0RRECTED I# POWER
;hen Isaa! 0as laid on the altar, God said, =Raise hi+ up = ;hen $esus 0as laid do0n as the !lean o//ering sa!ri/i!e, God 0as obliged to raise Hi+ up, be!ause First Things gi*en are ne*er lost >ou +ay ask, =Did $esus really die8= Sure He did, but there 0as a resurre!tion The ;ord says, +...unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains one grain7 it never becomes more, but lives by itself alone. .ut, if it dies, it produces many others, and yields a rich harvest.+ L$ohn @"I"5M AM':IFI.D .*en in nature, e*ery ti+e a seed /alls to the ground, 0hat do you think has to happen /or that seed to ger+inate and be!o+e a li*ing plant that !an produ!e a har*est8 It has to dieA In the death pro!ess, the husk breaks open and the ger+ o/ li/e bursts out o/ the shell and produ!es ne0 li/e >ou don7t e*er lose 0hat is gi*en to GodA He is a Creator, not a !onsu+er ;hen you gi*e to God there is a +ultipli!ation o/ the seed9a resurre!tion And there is al0ays a resurre!tion in GodA >ou see, God !an raise the dead, but He !annot redee+ that 0hi!h has not been gi*en A/ter being gi*en to God as the /irstborn, Isaa! 0as 7resurre!ted7 in po0er to /ul/ill his God-gi*en purpose %y /aith, Abraha+ had gi*en Isaa! to God,
@#"

<&2,I)I/% !$ ./ *&,!I3,I/%

be!o+ing <uali/ied to be +ultiplied through Isaa!, thus /ul/illing the pro+ise God had gi*en hi+ )o0 0hat 0as the ne-t +aBor e*ent in Isaa!7s li/e8 Abraha+ !alled in his !hie/ ser*ant and asked hi+ to go and /ind a 0i/e /or Isaa! Abraha+ sent the ser*ant 0ith ten !a+els loaded 0ith gi/ts /or Isaa!7s /uture bride ;hy ten !a+els8 %e!ause ten is the nu+ber /or rede+ption Sin!e Isaa! had been gi*en to God, he 0as the redee+ed seed The ten !a+els sy+boli?ed the rede+pti*e 0ork o/ God, but that 0ork !ould only happen a/ter Abraha+ had gi*en Isaa!, in /aith, as the /irstborn o//ering $ust like He asked Abraha+ to gi*e Isaa! 0hen Abraha+ had no other !hildren, God ga*e $esus 0ith nothing but a pro+ise that i/ $esus 0ould be gi*en, there 0ould be +ore to !o+e therea/ter $esus 0ould be the rede+pti*e o//ering The Chur!h o/ the :ord $esus Christ is the /ul/ill+ent o/ that pro+ise God is 0aiting /or His %ride and He has sent rede+ption to us loaded do0n 0ith a pro+ise o/ our /uture I/ Isaa! 0as the do0n pay+ent o/ the blessing that /ollo0ed Israel i/ they 0alked in obedien!e, ho0 +u!h
@#E

(hen $% is )I#S!

+ore blessing should 0e e-pe!t i/ $esus 0as the do0n pay+ent /or our )e0 Co*enant8 It is no !oin!iden!e that God has raised up Co*enant Chur!h /ro+ the sa+e soil in 0hi!h Aunt )anny planted a seed I7+ sure she didn7t kno0 she 0as planting a seed and that 0hat she 0as birthing 0ould !ontinue long a/ter her death In /a!t, Aunt )anny had taken pride in the parade o/ pioneers and /ore-bearers /ro+ 0hi!h she had !o+e She probably thought that she 0as the /ruition o/ +any years o/ prayer and sa!ri/i!e, and she 0as %ut in planting her sa!ri/i!e she be!a+e the perpetuation %ut that7s the 0ay seed 0orks, e*en in the spiritual real+ A/ter the sa!ri/i!e is laid on the altar, God 0ill /aith/ully resurre!t it Only then, do you be!o+e <uali/ied to be +ultiplied

@#5

'H23!/# S&**2#1

;H.)

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;H.) $.SDS ;AS :AID DO;) AS TH. C:.A) OFF.RI)G SACRIFIC., GOD ;AS O%:IG.D TO RAIS. HIM D', %.CADS. FIRST THI)GS GIF.) AR. ).F.R :OST GOD IS A CR.ATOR, )OT A CO)SDM.R %>
FAITH,

A%RAHAM
TO %.

HAD GIF.) MD:TI':I.D

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THE #EW CO6E#A#T=A BETTER P'A#

=For the :a0 o/ the Spirit o/ li/e 0hi!h is in Christ $esus, has /reed +e /ro+ the :a0 o/ Sin and Death = Ro+ans GI" AM':IFI.D

!H/ N/( '$9/N2N!=2 ./!!/# 3,2N

;e sa0 that 0hen Israel obeyed God by obeying the :a0 o/ First Things, the destroyer 0as rebuked and they 0ere blessed For 5# years Israel enBoyed national !orporate blessing in the 0ilderness 0hen they obeyed God ga*e the+ !o+plete pro*ision and per/e!t health Although they +ar!hed in total *i!tory 0hen they put God /irst, 0e also learned that disobedien!e, like A!han7s, brought destru!tion by re+o*ing God7s prote!ti*e blessing )o0, 0hat does this ha*e to 0ith us8 All o/ those Old Testa+ent la0s, !o++and+ents, and pro+ises 0ere done a0ay 0ith at the !ross, right8

THE DEATH OF A SYSTEM

$esus 0as sa!ri/i!ed as God7s 'asso*er la+b be!ause God 0as pro*iding a 0ay /or the rede+ption o/ His !reationC Israel sle0 their la+bs on their thresholds on the e*e o/ their rede+ption /ro+ .gypt, but $esus 0as sa!ri/i!ed on the threshold o/ a ne0 era In .gypt, the la+b7s blood 0as splashed on the door posts, but the blood o/ $esus 0as splashed on e*ery generation, past, present, and /uture $esus7 sa!ri/i!e 0as the bridge bet0een the old syste+ and the )e0 Co*enant Many people are !on/used about 0hat e-a!tly 0as !ru!i/ied 0ith Christ So+e think e*erything related to the Old Testa+ent, e*ery la0 and !o++and+ent 0as
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done a0ay 0ith, but that isn7t true The Ten Co++and+ents 0ill still pro*ide blessing to anyone trying to li*e by the+ God ne*er intended to do a0ay 0ith the :a0 itsel/ His intent 0as to !hange our natures so that the spirit o/ the :a0 0as 0ritten in our hearts and +inds ;hat died 0ith $esus 0as the !urse o/ the :a0 o/ Sin and Death Sin no longer re<uires death /or rede+ption $esus died on!e /or all, and i/ the destroyer sees the blood o/ $esus applied to your li/e, he +ust pass o*er youA

FROM SHEEP TO SHEKE'S

So ho0 do 0e obey God7s :a0 o/ First Things today8 Does tithing, the gi*ing o/ the /irst tenth o/ our in!rease, apply to us8 :et7s re*ie0 0hat 0e ha*e already learned ;e kno0 that God, as a re+inder o/ His :ordship, !o++anded the people o/ Israel to gi*e the First Things Re+e+ber the /oundational prin!ipleI The /irst things9!hildren, ani+als, !rops, /ruit o/ the tree 0hate*er90ere to be gi*en to God God said, =I 0ant the /irst portion o/ e*erything = ;hen Israel 0as a nation o/ /ar+ers and shepherds,
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!H/ N/( '$9/N2N!=2 ./!!/# 3,2N

e*eryone o0ned land and li*esto!k There/ore, deter+ining the /irst thing 0as easy be!ause it 0as the /irstborn or /irst /ruits Ho0e*er, God kne0 that the li*esto!k-and-!rops e!ono+y 0ould gradually e*ol*e to a +onetary syste+ Thus, God had to +ake a 0ay /or the gi*ing o/ /irst things in a !ash e!ono+y So, =O( God, i/ it is +oney, ho0 +u!h should it be8= ;ell, i/ it is a rede+pti*e 0ork, guess 0hat God 0ould say8 He said, =:et it be the tenth part = That is 0here the @#R tithe !a+e /ro+ In /a!t, the 0ord tithe +eans 7tenth7 +2nd all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the ,ord-s8 it is holy to the ,ord.+ :e*iti!us "6IE# AM':IFI.D I/ the tithe +eans a tenth, 0hy a tenth8 %e!ause, ten in the s!ripture is al0ays the nu+ber /or rede+ption Ten Ca+els-/or Isaa!7s 0i/e, Rebe!!a Ten Donkeys-sent to bring Israel to .gypt Ten 'lagues-used to /ree the Israelites /ro+ .gypt Ten Co++and+ents-/or the Israelites to obey Anyti+e there is a rede+pti*e 0ork in progress, there 0ill be a nu+ber ten in*ol*ed So there 0ere ten plagues and then the !hildren o/ Israel 0ere redee+ed
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out o/ .gypt There 0ere Ten Co++and+ents, and God said, =I/ you 0ill obey these ten things, I 0ill redee+ you = Ho0 +any o/ you understand that God !ould ha*e thought o/ +ore than ten things to re<uire o/ His people %ut, e*ery ti+e ten is used, God is 0orking to buy ba!k that 0hi!h He desires I/ the tenth is a type o/ rede+ption, then 0hy +ust it be /irst8 %e!ause 0hen it7s gi*en /irst it breaks the !urse o/ destru!tion o// o/ the re+aining 2#R, releasing it to be used /or its best purposeA

TITHI#G OR TIPPI#G GOD3

It is possible to be gi*ing ten per!ent o/ your in!o+e and not be tithingC there/ore, and so the blessing o/ the tithe is not on that 0hi!h re+ains I/ it is not /irst, it is only an o//ering God 0ill bless o//erings, but the rede+pti*e blessing is reser*ed /or the /irst portion Re!ently, I 0as a guest +inister on The Trinity %road!asting )et0ork $esse Duplantis, an e*angelist /ro+ )e0 Orleans, 0as hosting the progra+ A/ter sharing so+e o/ the tea!hing about =First Things,= I de+onstrated +y point by laying ten gold !oins in a ro0 on the !o//ee table in /ront o/ us on the set

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!H/ N/( '$9/N2N!=2 ./!!/# 3,2N

;hile pointing to the !oins, I said to $esse and the audien!e, =I 0ould like to ask t0o <uestions in light o/ the truths I ha*e Bust shared First, i/ these !oins represented +y in!o+e this 0eek, ho0 +any !oins do I o0e God as +y tithe8= $esse ans0ered, =OneA= I said, =Okay no0, e*ery Christian in the 0orld kno0s that, but the re*elation is !ontained in the ans0er to the ne-t <uestion ;hi!h !oin represents +y tithe8= $esse laughed and said, =I7+ not sure I should ans0er thatA= The audien!e 0as shouting, =The /irst oneA= They got itAA The /irst one is the only one that !arries the po0er o/ rede+ption All o/ the re+aining !oins are =redee+ed= be!ause o/ 0hat is done 0ith the /irst one Sin!e the night o/ that tele!ast, I ha*e /ound that there is a third <uestion that 0e +ust ans0er Ho0 do 0e kno0 0hi!h !oin is the /irst one8 The ans0er is that it is the /irst one spentA See, the test o/ :ordship does not 0ait until you ha*e all o/ your retire+ent arranged, your insuran!e !urrent, your !ars paid o//, a little bit o/ a nest egg put ba!k so that then you !an say, =)o0 I 0ill gi*e God a little tipA= Tithe is gi*en first in /aith to guarantee God that He deser*es /irst pla!e be!ause o/ 0ho He is, not 0hat He pro*ides It +ay be ten per!ent but i/ it is not the /irst
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/ruits it doesn7t !ount as tithe, it is Bust an o//ering Most o//erings are an a/terthought brought on by an inspiring 0ord or blessing /ro+ God Don7t get +e 0rong, o//erings are bene/i!ial to the 0ork o/ the +inistry but are not +eant to establish :ordship :et7s look at the e-a+ple o/ the /irst o//ering e*er re!orded In Genesis 5I"-6, 0e !an e-a+ine the di//eren!e in God7s response to those 0ho deter+ine to put Hi+ /irst and those 0ho do not =)o0 Abel kept /lo!ks, and Cain 0orked the soil And in the !ourse o/ ti+e Cain brought to the :ord an o//ering o/ so+e o/ the /ruit o/ the ground And Abel brought o/ the FIRST%OR) o/ his /lo!k and o/ the /at portions And the :ord had respe!t and regard /or Abel and his o//ering, but /or Cain and his o//ering, He had no respe!t or regard So, Cain 0as e-!eedingly angry and indignant, and he looked sad and depressed And the :ord said to Cain, 7;hy are you so angry8 And 0hy do you look sad, and depressed and deBe!ted8 I/ you do 0hat is right, 0ill you not be a!!epted8 %ut i/ you do not do 0hat is right, sin is !rou!hing at your doorI it desires to ha*e you, but you +ust +aster it 7= ($FS)IF ;hen you understand the :a0 o/ First Things, the story o/ Cain and Abel is so +u!h +ore interesting It is e*ident that Cain7s in/a+ous anger 0as triggered by the
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!H/ N/( '$9/N2N!=2 ./!!/# 3,2N

la!k o/ a!!eptan!e /ro+ God %ut 0hy 0as God un0illing to release blessing upon hi+8 :et7s e-a+ine 0hat the story 0as truly about9their +ethod o/ gi*ing Abel brought an o//ering o/ the firstborn, but Cain brought only an o//ering o/ some o/ his in!reaseA And God blessed Abel and 0arned Cain Cain 0as !learly disobeying9God said, =I/ you do 0hat is right, 0ill you not be a!!epted8= ;hat 0as the di//eren!e bet0een the t0o8 Abel7s o//ering 0as the /irst portion, Cain7s 0as not Abel put God /irst, Cain did not Cain did not +ake Hi+ :ord, and there/ore he 0as *ulnerable to sin ;hat God 0as e+phasi?ing in this e-a+ple is thisI the order o/ that 0hi!h is gi*en to Hi+ !learly de/ines His pla!e in your li/e He does not need 0hat 0e are gi*ingA He is GodA He o0ns the !attle o/ a thousand hills He had it be/ore you earned it, and He7ll ha*e it a/ter you7re done 0ith it ;hat He does need is the First, be!ause that is the position reser*ed /or Hi+ ;hen the /irst is gi*en, it buys ba!k Oor redee+sP all that re+ains /ro+ the !urse o/ destru!tion God7s :a0 o/ First Things is !reated /or our bene/it Ho0e*er, i/ 0e disobey and keep 0hat belongs to Hi+, the /irst things be!o+e a !urse to us Did you kno0 God !alled
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7the de*oted thing7 7a!!ursed7 i/ 0e 0ithhold it8 Re+e+ber that God said, =I/ you don7t redee+ your /irstborn donkey, then break its ne!k I/ you ride +y donkey, unredee+ed, it 0ill be!o+e a !urse to you = He ne*er intended /or us to bring the !urse upon oursel*es It is not an issue o/ hea*en or hell It is an issue o/ su!!ess or /ailure ;hen 0e put the :ord /irst, He stops the po0er o/ the destroyer in our li*es And +ore i+portantly, 0e pro*e not only to God His i+portan!e in our li*es, but 0e rein/or!e that in our o0n +inds I re!ently shared the =First Things= +essage /or one o/ +y good /riends 0ho pastors in the Mid0est His !hur!h is an e-!iting group o/ people in*ol*ed in an aggressi*e *ision to rea!h their !ity A young +an in the !ongregation 0ho plays pro/essional /ootball heard the +essage A/ter the ser*i!e he !a+e to the pastor7s o//i!e +o*ed to tears ='astor,= he said, = I need to repent, I didn7t kno0 about The :a0 o/ First Things :ast 0eek I signed a ne0 !ontra!t 0ith the tea+ and re!ei*ed a large signing bonus I7+ Bust a /ar+ boy 0ith si+ple tastes but be/ore doing anything I bought a ring /or +y 0i/e and a Cor*ette /or +ysel/ I didn7t gi*e God the /irst /ruits and I7+ sorry Here is a !he!k /or +y tithe
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!H/ N/( '$9/N2N!=2 ./!!/# 3,2N

and +y pro+ise that I 0ill ne*er /ail to put God /irst again = My /riend reBoi!ed to re!ei*e one o/ the largest tithe !he!ks his !hur!h had e*er been gi*en And better still, this young +an has be!o+e one o/ the highest paid players in his position in the )F: He ne*er /ails to gi*e his /irst /ruits tithe to the :ord In /a!t, i/ he is playing out o/ to0n, he a!tually +ails his tithe o*ernight to his !hur!h God is /aith/ul to bless those 0ho put Hi+ /irst And He 0ill /orgi*e those 0ho ha*e /ailed to put Hi+ /irst in the past

REB0KE THE DE6O0RER

It is in keeping 0hat belongs to God and denying the pro*ision and prote!tion o/ :ordship that is the !urse Our disobedien!e pro*ides an open door /or de+oni! destru!tion At the end o/ li/e, +ost people do not ha*e enough +oney le/t o*er to !o*er burial e-penses So, throughout their li/e 0hat has been done 0ith the +oney they !ontrolled8 ;here did it go8 Haggai @I3 says that /or all your stri*ing to take !are o/ yoursel/ and all o/ your needs, you ha*e earned 0ages and put the+ in a bag 0ith holes in it This is the sa+e s!enario that I /a!ed in !ounseling 0ith the young !ouple I +entioned in the introdu!tion They
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0ere open to the de*ourer and their pro*isions see+ed to /all through their /ingers )ot only /ro+ +y !hur!h but also through +y !onta!t 0ith the Chur!h 0orld0ide, I ha*e seen that this !ouple has not been alone in their struggle There are Christians e*ery0here doing 0ithout needed pro*ision Out o/ ignoran!e, they are setting a pla!e at their table /or the de*ourer $esus, as the Head o/ the Chur!h, should be e+bra!ed as the Head o/ your table I/ 0e ser*e Hi+ /irst, there 0ill be +ore than enough to go around ;hen 0e disobey and rob God o/ His pla!e, 0e bind His hands He !annot de/end us against the destroyer or de*ourer 0hen 0e ha*e 0ithheld the /irst things Could it be that this is the sa+e spirit that 0as released in .gypt8 Re+e+ber 0hat happened 0ith the plagues The %ible says that God ga*e the Israelites a 0ay to di//erentiate the+sel*es /ro+ the .gyptians God allo0ed the destroyer the right to enter the ho+e o/ anyone 0ho did not !o+ply 0ith His !o++and %e!ause the destroyer respe!ts nothing but the blood o/ the :a+b, he 0as looking /or one thing alone And so God said, =I/ blood is on your door post, 0hen the destroyer !o+es, he 0ill pass o*er your house and your /irstborn and all that you ha*e 0ill li*e =
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!H/ N/( '$9/N2N!=2 ./!!/# 3,2N

Can you i+agine ho0 +u!h +oney is 0asted in the li*es o/ belie*ers as a result o/ the !urses at 0ork in our li*es8 %ut 0hen 0e put Hi+ /irst, He re*erses the !urse o/ the de*ourer and rebukes hi+ /or our sake, be!ause He is :ord +...2nd I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes.+ Mala!hi EI@@ )($F >ou !an gi*e o//erings but that 0on7t be enough i/ the de*ourer is not rebuked ;hen the !hildren o/ Israel purged the+sel*es o/ the =A!han /a!tor=, the blessing returned i++ediately This +ight be a suggestion /or so+e o/ us I/ blessing 0asn7t in +y li/e, I sure 0ouldn7t try a!!using God be/ore I looked at +y o0n heart God has put la0s in pla!e that are in e//e!t 0hether 0e a!kno0ledge the+ or not I/ 0e *iolate these la0s, the result 0ill be a la!k o/ blessing /or 0hi!h 0e o/ten bla+e God It7s not God7s /ault It +ay be Hi+ allo0ing it, but it7s not His /ault He 0ill si+ply say, =Shut o// the blessing do0n there /or a0hile, be!ause they7*e got to learn so+ething I lo*e the+ and I ha*e been +er!i/ul to the+ My gra!e has !o*ered the+, the blood o/ $esus applies to the+, but I !annot let the+ by 0ith that *iolation I/ I do, it 0ill be their destru!tion =
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THE PROOF IS I# THE PAYCHECK

=%ring all the tithes9the 0hole tenth o/ your in!o+e9into the storehouse, that there +ay be /ood in My house, and pro*e +e no0 by it, says the :ord o/ hosts, i/ I 0ill not open the 0indo0s o/ hea*en /or you and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be roo+ enough to re!ei*e it = Mala!hi EI@# AM':IFI.D

!H/ 3#$$) IS IN !H/ 321'H/'K

In the story o/ Cain and Abel 0e talked about God7s response to the 0ay 0e gi*e This ti+e let7s illustrate the =behind-the-s!enes= response in hea*en :et +e take a poeti! li!ense /or a +o+ent 0ith regard to ho0 prayer 0orks Take, /or e-a+ple, a prayer o//ered by the head o/ a /a+ily that +ay be /a!ing /a+ily trouble or /inan!ial la!k ;hen the prayer is o//ered, it !o+es be/ore God7s throne o/ ulti+ate authority in Hea*en sounding so+ething like this, =:ord, +y !hildren are in trouble= or, =God, +y Bob is at stake9and I !an7t a//ord to be laid o// = The angels, 0ho the %ible says are 7+inistering spirits sent to the heirs o/ sal*ation7, stand by 0aiting /or their orders And the :ord says, =Angels go get the re!ord I7+ hearing /ro+ one o/ +y !hildrenA= As the angel returns to the throne o/ God, he says, 7=The /irst /ruits, Father, ha*e not been gi*en The spirit o/ A!han is present and they didn7t gi*e the /irst portion to >ou They earn good in!o+e :ord, and they are praying about losing their Bob, but they ha*e been spending their tithe on their o0n pursuits They see+ to intend to gi*e their tithe, but e*ery 0eek they run out o/ +oney be/ore they get to >ou :ord, it see+s >ou are Bust too /ar ba!k in the line =

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In response, God says, =I a+ sorry /or the+, be!ause the ene+y has pla!ed a !urse on the+, so that there 0ill be /ailure, ignoran!e and barrenness instead o/ su!!ess, 0isdo+ and abundan!e My hands are tied be!ause they ha*e stolen the /irst /ruits I a+ not :ord in their li/e = %ut you say, =;ait a +inuteA He is God, He is So*ereign and He !an do anything He 0ants = )o, no, God !annot do anything He 0ants God has established la0s and peri+eters that He operates 0ithin, and He 0ill not *iolate those la0s God !hooses to li*e by la0s that He has pre-established, and it is to our ad*antage to kno0 those la0s The :a0 o/ First Things is the 0ay God establishes His :ordship in the li*es o/ His people /ro+ generation to generation

THE PRACTICA' MEAS0RE

The !hoi!es 0e +ake !on!erning our ti+e and the dispensing o/ our /inan!es are t0o o/ the pri+ary 0ays that 0e sho0 God His pla!e in our li*es God allots ea!h o/ us so +u!h ti+e .*erybody has "5 hours in a day and se*en days in a 0eek 'eople e*ery0here say, =:ord, :ord, >ou are :ord = >et, in the dispensing o/ their ti+e, they are stingy 0ith God Ho0 !an a true belie*er !o+plain about the length o/ a !hur!h ser*i!e8 I/ the ser*i!e goes E# se!onds o*er
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!H/ 3#$$) IS IN !H/ 321'H/'K

the allotted ti+e /ra+e, people say, =This is the t0enty/irst !entury, and 0e ha*e stu// to do, 0e ha*e pla!es to go and people to see = Ho0 !an you /eel that t0o hours in a !hur!h ser*i!e is a long ti+e, 0hen by the sa+e standard, it7s not a long ti+e to sit in a +o*ie theater8 Ho0 +any Christians sit in /ront o/ the tele*ision /or hours 0ithout blinking8 It is *ery easy to sit do0n and 0aste t0o hours 0at!hing so+ething on tele*ision that has little or no +oral redee+ing *alue I/ 0e 0ere as hungry /or the things o/ God as 0e ought to be, and i/ 0e really 0anted to raise great kids, i/ 0e really 0anted to !hange the 0orld, i/ 0e really belie*ed 0e are the righteousness o/ God in Christ, then not only 0ould 0e not !are about the length o/ the ser*i!e, 0e +ight stay in !hur!h all a/ternoon seeking the /a!e o/ God

S0CCESS BEGI#S O# S0#DAY

The early !hur!h understood the !on!ept o/ gi*ing the /irst portion o/ their ti+e The reason 0e ha*e !hur!h on Sunday is not be!ause Sunday is the Sabbath In /a!t, Sunday is not the Sabbath Saturday is, and has al0ays been the Sabbath day There is no !o++and+ent that !hanged the Sabbath to Sunday The reason 0e ha*e !hur!h on Sunday is be!ause the early !hur!h began gathering on the 0eekly anni*ersary
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o/ $esus7 resurre!tion to !elebrate and 0orship They de!ided they 0ould rather de*ote the /irst /ruits o/ their ti+e to the :ord than to spend it on the+sel*es >ou see, in those days, Sunday 0as the /irst day o/ the 0ork 0eek So 0hile the unbelie*ers 0ere out there trying to get ahead, the belie*ers 0ere gi*ing the /irst day o/ the 0eek to the :ord They understood the i+portan!e o/ de*oting the /irst /ruits o/ their ti+e to God as a rede+pti*e o//ering /or the rest o/ the 0eek For so+e people, their 0eek begins on Monday They !an7t 0ait to get that /irst business deal started For others, their 0eek starts on Friday They !an7t 0ait to /inish their 0ork 0eek and start the 0eekend They li*e to partyA %ut /or a Christian, our 0eek starts on SundayA The /irst day o/ the 0eek 0e o//er to 0orship As you !an see, ho0 0e use our ti+e !learly indi!ates 0hat is truly /irst in our li*es ;e !annot !ontrol ti+e I don7t !are ho0 +any day-planners you ha*e or !lo!ks or 0at!hes Ti+e +ar!hes /or0ard ne*er to return >et, 0e ha*e a glorious pro+ise through the :a0 o/ First Things Our ti+e !an be redee+ed, and our su!!ess truly does begin on Sunday

REA'ITY CHECK
Money is a +eans to an end Dollars and !ents Bust happen to be the !o++odity in our so!iety that e<uals
@"5

!H/ 3#$$) IS IN !H/ 321'H/'K

ti+e spent Ti+e spent 0orking on your Bob is in turn translated into +oney or a pay!he!k ;hen you gi*e the /irst portion o/ that +oney to God, that is the !losest you 0ill e*er !o+e to hu+an sa!ri/i!e ;hen you tithe you are literally gi*ing yoursel/ I/ gi*ing is an indi!ation o/ :ordship then ho0 do you think 0e are doing as the %ody o/ Christ8 :et7s look at so+e statisti!s The +ost re!ent sur*ey taken sho0s that only @GR o/ Christians in A+eri!a tithe in any /or+, and that in!ludes those 0ho =think= they are tithing :et +e gi*e you so+e statisti!s that I think you 0ill /ind both sho!king and disappointing I re!ently re!ei*ed the latest /igures a*ailable on 0orld0ide gi*ing, /ro+ the !o+pilers o/ the ne0 =;orld Christian .n!y!lopedia= OO-/ord Dni*ersity 'ress AD "###P In @22G, global Christian in!o+e 0as Q@4 " trillion D S dollars Globally, Christians ga*e Q"6# billion D S dollars to !hur!hes and para-!hur!h organi?ations That a+ounts to @ GR o/ total in!o+e %elie*e it or not, the Dnited States did less than thatA %e!ause 0e are the +ost prosperous nation in the 0orld, I really belie*ed 0e =!arried= the rest o/ the global !hur!h by supporting at a +u!h higher rate I 0as surprised

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(hen $% is )I#S!

The total D S in!o+e o/ Christians in @22G 0as Q4 " trillion D S dollars In the Dnited States, Christians ga*e Q2" billion D S dollars to their !hur!hes and all Christian para-!hur!h organi?ations That e<uals @ 6GR o/ our !olle!ti*e in!o+e That +eans that e*en though God has blessed us to li*e in the +ost prosperous nation in the history o/ +ankind, 0e !olle!ti*ely gi*e less, by per!entage, than the rest o/ the 0orld %y re*ealing these statisti!s, I a+ not trying to bring !onde+nation upon Christians I Bust 0ant to pro+pt a reality !he!k I 0ant to re+ind you o/ the !hallenge in Mala!hi EI@#, 0hen the :ord said to pro*e Hi+ 0ith the tithe, not pay Hi+ 0ith it He is daring you to apply the :a0 o/ First Things and see 0hat happens ;hen you do this9be prepared He 0arns that you 0ill not ha*e roo+ to !ontain the blessing that /ollo0s

B0I'DI#G BIGGER BAR#S

I /ind it interesting that one o/ the biggest in*est+ent opportunities in A+eri!a is to in*est in te+porary storage /a!ilities I/ you7ll noti!e, they are springing up e*ery0here ;e ha*e so +u!h =stu//= that 0e need to rent 0arehouses to store it /or us $esus said our li*es do not !onsist in the abundan!e o/ =stu//= 0e ha*e $esus des!ribed a ri!h +an in :uke @", that /ound hi+sel/ in the sa+e dile++a 0hi!h +any o/ us today are in He possessed so +u!h stu// that his barns
@"3

!H/ 3#$$) IS IN !H/ 321'H/'K

0ouldn7t hold it all His de!ision 0as to tear do0n his barns and build bigger barns It is too bad that this +an did not ha*e a !ause or a purpose to his li/e higher than that9the storage o/ stu// $esus !alled hi+ a /ool $esus asked the ri!h +an the <uestion 0e should ask oursel*es, =The night your soul is re<uired o/ you, 0ho 0ill this stu// belong to8= I long to see the day 0hen the %ody o/ Christ 0ill resign /ro+ the <uest /or e-!ess and begin to pass our e-tra pro*ision on to the ones 0ho need it I 0ant you to re+e+ber thisI i/ there is no :ord in your li/e, there is no rede+ption in your li/e And i/ there is no rede+ption at 0ork in your li/e and you don7t kno0 0hat to do 0ith your li/e, then your li/e is +eaningless

IT2S #OT ABO0T MO#EY

This is not about +oney at all I/ you think it is, then you ha*e +issed the 0hole point o/ this +essage It is no +ore about +oney no0 than it 0as about sheep in the Old Testa+ent It is about :ordship I/ He is :ord, you are redee+ed I/ He is not :ord, you are under the !urse o/ the de*ourer Does God not lo*e you8 Certainly He lo*es youC that is the reason $esus died /or you >OD see, it is not a +atter o/ His lo*e /or us9it7s a +atter o/ His :ordship in our li*es
@"6

(hen $% is )I#S!

Re+e+ber the prayer o//ered to God, and His response to the one 0ho did not gi*e the /irst portion8 )o0, a/ter hearing and applying the +essage, let7s !hange the story around a little There is prayer o//ered by the sa+e head o/ this /a+ily and God says, =Angel, go !he!k the re!ords = The angel !o+es ba!k, grinning /ro+ ear to ear, and says, =:ord, there ha*e been so+e tough ti+es and they didn7t al0ays kno0 ho0 they 0ere going to do it, but >ou are /irst in their li/e be!ause they al0ays ga*e the First portionA= I !an Bust see the Father reBoi!e and say, =%e!ause I a+ /irst, I ha*e the opportunity to set in +otion the rede+pti*e /a!tor and di*ine pro*ision Sin!e the First Fruits 0as gi*en, there 0ill be su!!ess, not /ailureC pea!e o/ +ind, not depressionC /ruit/ulness, not barrennessC intelligen!e, not ignoran!eC healthy babies, not +is!arriageC 0ealth, not po*ertyC a strong +arriage, not di*or!eC health, not si!knessC li/e and not deathA= This is the rede+pti*e releaseA

DI6I#E PRO6ISIO#
I think e*eryone should e-perien!e those ti+es 0hen God !o+es through /or you I had Bust su!h an e-perien!e as a young pastor, Bust a/ter starting our !hur!h A/ter renting an old bank building /or our ser*i!es, 0e +anaged to buy a +u!h-needed air !onditioner A pre!ious +an /ro+ the area *olunteered
@"G

!H/ 3#$$) IS IN !H/ 321'H/'K

to install it on the /ollo0ing Saturday and he !alled +e the e*ening be/ore and told +e 0hat supplies to bring I had e*erything he +entioned9e-!ept a roll o/ !opper tubing And not only did I not ha*e the !opper tubing, I had no +oney to buy it 0ith At /irst, I anti!ipated being e+barrassed, but then I re!alled the +ira!ulous 0ays God had already pro*ided sin!e I had !hosen to put Hi+ /irst in +y li/e and +inistry De!iding to trust God and deal 0ith the +atter in the +orning, I /ell into a pea!e/ul sleep Dri*ing to the !hur!h early the ne-t +orning, it 0as so /oggy I !ould hardly see Still trying to 0ake up, I stopped at a red light ;hile 0aiting /or the light, I looked out the side 0indo0 and there lying beside +y !ar in the +iddle o/ the street 0as a roll o/ !opper tubing I !ouldn7t belie*e itA I got out, pi!ked up the !opper tubing and put it in the ba!k o/ +y !ar ;hen I arri*ed at the !hur!h, 0e began to install the air !onditioning unit ;hen it !a+e ti+e to !onne!t the t0o parts the installer asked +e i/ I had brought the !opper tubing I ran to the !ar and brought it to hi+ He ran it /ro+ the root unit do0n to the inside unit and it /it al+ost per/e!tly A/ter he !ut o// about /our in!hes o/ e-tra tubing, he said, =>ou really /igured this !lose = I laughed and said, =>ou don7t kno0 ho0 !loseA= I
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(hen $% is )I#S!

shared the story o/ God7s di*ine pro*ision 0ith hi+ and 0e reBoi!ed together In +onetary *alue, that !opper tubing 0as only 0orth about 4# dollars but it 0as 0orth a +illion dollars to +eA God 0ill pro*ide 0hen you put Hi+ /irstA

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'H23!/# S&**2#1

GOD

HAS .STA%:ISH.D :A;S A)D '.RIM.T.RS THAT H.

O'.RAT.S ;ITHI), A)D H. ;I:: )OT FIO:AT. THOS. :A;S

TH.

CHOIC.S ;. MA(. CO)C.R)I)G ODR TIM. A)D TH.

DIS'.)SI)G OF ODR FI)A)C.S AR. T;O OF TH. 'RIMAR> ;A>S THAT ;. SHO; GOD HIS ':AC. I) ODR :IF.S

FOR A CHRISTIA), ODR ;..( STARTS O) SD)DA>A TH. FIRST

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C:OS.ST >OD ;I:: .F.R COM. TO HDMA) SACRIFIC.

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THODGH

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HAS %:.SS.D DS TO :IF. I) TH. MOST I) TH. HISTOR> OF MA)(I)D, ;.

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TH. :ORD SAID TO 3#$9/ HI* ;ITH TH. TITH., )OT 321 HI*
;ITH IT

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'H23!/# S&**2#1

:O)G TO S.. TH. DA> ;H.) TH. %OD> OF

CHRIST

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R.SIG) FROM TH. HD.ST FOR .NC.SS A)D %.GI) TO 'ASS ODR .NTRA 'ROFISIO) O) TO TH. O).S ;HO )..D IT

IF TH.R. IS )O R.D.M'TIO) AT ;OR( I) >ODR :IF. A)D >OD DO)7T ()O; ;HAT TO DO ;ITH >ODR :IF., TH.) >ODR :IF. IS
M.A)I)G:.SS

THIS IS )OT A%ODT MO).> AT A:: IT IS A%ODT :ORDSHI' IT IS )OT A MATT.R OF HIS :OF. FOR DS9IT7S A MATT.R HIS :ORDSHI' I) ODR :IF.S
OF

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A
A

HOW GREAT THE COMMISSIO#

=Go ye there/ore and +ake dis!iples o/ all the nations, bapti?ing the+ in the na+e o/ the Father and o/ the Son and o/ the Holy Spirit, tea!hing the+ to obser*e all things that I ha*e !o++anded you = Matthe0 "GI@2 )($F

(hen $% is )I#S!

For 5,### years, God dealt al+ost e-!lusi*ely 0ith the $e0ish people as a nation His !o*enant 0ith the+ 0as designed /or se*eral reasons One, to e-e+pli/y the kind o/ !are and !on!ern God has /or those He !o++its Hi+sel/ to Se!ondly, He 0anted to sho0 that e*ery !o*enant or agree+ent bet0een t0o parties al0ays !arries t0o-0ay responsibility The pro+ises o/ God to Israel 0ere al0ays !onditional =I/ you 0ill then I 0ill,= 0as usually the 0ay e*ery pro+ise 0as 0orded ;e ha*e to re+e+ber as )e0 Testa+ent Christians that God did not o//er !o*enant relationship to all the people on the earth at that ti+e His !o*enant 0as e-!lusi*ely 0ith Israel In /a!t, the ter+ 7Gentile7 literally +eans 7one 0ho has no !o*enant 0ith God 7 Israel 0as God7s e-a+ple nation a+ong all the nations God7s a+a?ing inter*entions on behal/ o/ His people, /ro+ the di*iding o/ the Red Sea, to the sun standing still /or an entire day at $oshua7s re<uest, 0ere e-a+ples o/ His /aith/ulness to those He lo*es Then, ",### years ago, $esus !a+e to the earth to open a ne0 !hapter in God7s dealings 0ith Man on the earth A/ter rea!hing the age o/ E#, $esus began His publi! +inistry That +inistry 0as designed /or one purpose9 to !on*in!e not Bust the Israelites but the entire 0orld o/ God7s lo*e Through Christ, God 0as in*iting the
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H$( #/2! !H/ '$**ISSI$N

Gentiles, those 0ho had no !o*enant, to !o+e into !o*enant relationship 0ith Hi+ $esus7 sa!ri/i!e 0as the pri!e paid /or the sins o/ +ankind That is 0hy $ohn the %aptist said o/ $esus, =%ehold the :a+b o/ God that takes a0ay the sins o/ the 0orldA= >our sin and +ine 0as taken a0ay by $esus I/ you are not in relationship 0ith God, this is a good pla!e to stop and re!ei*e the pre!ious gi/t o/ sal*ationA $ust thank God /or o//ering you the gi/t o/ sal*ation, /ree Con/ess Hi+ as your :ord, Sa*ior, and Master Ad+it that you are a sinner9He already paid /or your sins He 0ill a!!ept you instantly into His /a+ily As $esus prepared to birth the )e0 Testa+ent !hur!h be/ore His as!ension to the Father, He !o++anded His dis!iples to +go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to all people.+ Matt "GI@2 ;e !all this =The Great Co++ission = As +u!h as God !ared /or the )ation o/ Israel in the Old Testa+ent, they had no =Great Co++ission = ;e doA The Great Co++ission 0as God7s in*itation /or all, both $e0s and Gentiles As e-!iting as this is, this is a huge responsibilityA Can you i+agine ho0 +u!h +oney, ho0 +any +illions o/ li*es, ho0 +u!h
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(hen $% is )I#S!

sa!ri/i!e, ho0 +u!h pain and 0eariness, ho0 +any tragedies ha*e been in*ested in the +ission to /ul/ill that !o++and+ent8 I/ God re<uired the tithe o/ Old Testa+ent Israel, 0hen they had no 7Great Co++ission= to rea!h the 0orld, ho0 +u!h +ore should 0e in the )e0 Testa+ent Chur!h be !o++itted to a plan o/ gi*ing to /und the +ost +assi*e outrea!h e*er atte+pted8 The Apostle 'aul had the right plan I Corinthians @3I" says, +$n the first day of each week, let each one of you put aside something and save it up as he has prospered in proportion to what he is given>so that no collection will need to be taken after I come.+ AM':IFI.D :et us look at a list o/ the spe!i/i!s o/ 'aul7s instru!tion FIRST DAY OF EACH WEEK9FIRST FRDITS o/ your ti+e EACH O#E OF YO09Total parti!ipation 'AY ASIDE A# OFFERI#G9'repared gi*ing AS GOD HAS PROSPERED YO09'roportionate or per!entage gi*ing #O SPECIA' CO''ECTIO# WI'' BE #EEDED. This is the ingenious plan o/ God I/ e*ery Christian 0ould si+ply gi*e God the /irst /ruits Othe /irst @#R o/
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H$( #/2! !H/ '$**ISSI$N

all they earnP there 0ould be no need /or =spe!ial !olle!tions= Fund raising proBe!ts 0ould be eli+inated My se!ond born grandson is no0 three years old As +any grandparents kno0, things they say !an be either /rightening or enlightening On a Sunday +orning a 0hile ba!k, his +other tu!ked his o//ering in his po!ket and sent hi+ to Sunday s!hool 0ith a re+inder to gi*e it :ater on, 0hen his +other pi!ked hi+ up /ro+ !lass she asked hi+, =Sta!en, did you gi*e your o//ering to $esus8= and he 0orriedly replied, =)o Mo++y, I ga*e it to the bu!ketA= A/ter 0e all had a good laugh, I thought about his ans0er I think be!ause +ost people put their o//ering into a bu!ket or a plate, they /ail to see 0ho their +oney is really gi*en to $esus and his Chur!h should be the heartbeat o/ our e-isten!e I/ 0e all ga*e the 0ay God designed, 0e 0ould ha*e enough resour!e to rea!h the 0hole 0orld and still be able to +eet needs at ho+eA A!!ept the personal !hallenge

)0ST IMAGI#E
One o/ the +ost i+portant things 0e !an do is drea+ It is o/ten not easy to do Today is a good e-a+ple I !a+e up to our ran!h retreat to 0rite this !hapter God has blessed our !hur!h 0ith a beauti/ul, @"# a!re geta0ay, about an hour /ro+ Dallas As you probably
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kno0, ho0e*er, there is a lot to do in +aintaining a ran!h property I got up early this +orning and got started I tri++ed so+e trees, !leared so+e brush, hauled so+e trash, 0atered the la0n and killed a snake 9all be/ore break/astA (athy 0as getting ready to return ho+e ahead o/ +e ;hen I told her I 0as going to 0rite this !hapter be/ore I headed ho+e, she said, =>ou 0on7t get to itC you ha*e too +any distra!tions = She didn7t intend to hurt +y /eelings, but she did A/ter all, Bust last night 0e 0ere sitting out under the stars, a/ter enBoying a beauti/ul sunset, talking about ho0 +u!h 0e lo*ed ea!h other I told (athy then, and I still +ean it, ho0 +u!h I appre!iate her sharing her li/e 0ith +e She is truly the +ost enBoyable !o+panion in the 0orld to +e She is so easy to be 0ith %ut she !hallenged +e 0hen she told +e I 0asn7t going to get this !hapter 0ritten that day There is a point to this story The point is this9here I 0as, in the +iddle o/ a pea!e/ul en*iron+ent, +y !apable !hur!h sta// !o*ering /or +e at ho+e, and I 0as 0orking like !ra?y on e*erything but the book That is the reason I !a+e up hereA It is so di//i!ult to /ind ti+e to drea+ Do you /ind it di//i!ult8 It see+s that one o/ the !urses o/ this +odern era is busyness
@EG

H$( #/2! !H/ '$**ISSI$N

I titled this se!tion =$ust I+agine= be!ause it is i+portant /or us to take a little =drea+ ti+e= to !apture the reality o/ the opportunity be/ore us In the ti+e o/ $esus7 earthly +inistry, there is only one pla!e that $esus spe!i/i!ally re<uested prayer In Matt 2IE6, He said, +!he harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. !herefore, pray the ,ord of the Harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.+ L)($FM I a+ not sure i/ He 0ere 0ith us today, that this 0ould still be His prayer re<uest A/ter all, 0e ha*e been praying that prayer no0 /or !enturies I belie*e that prayer has largely been ans0ered Today there7 see+s to be !hur!hes /ull o/ 0illing laborers all o*er the 0orld I belie*e i/ $esus 0ere 0ith us today He 0ould say, =The laborers are +any, but they ha*e no support 'ray that the :ord o/ the har*est 0ill send a spirit o/ obedien!e and generosity on the !hur!h to support the 0ork o/ the har*est = The statisti!s I shared 0ith you earlier re*eal se*eral things One, they re*eal that 0e are not serious about taking the gospel to the 0hole 0orld Do 0e really belie*e that @ GR o/ our in!o+e is an earnest in*est+ent in the /urtheran!e o/ the (ingdo+8 Se!ondly, 0e !an see that i/ 0e are a!!o+plishing 0hat is being done 0ith only @ GR o/ our in!o+e, 0hat
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(hen $% is )I#S!

!ould 0e a!!o+plish i/ 0e truly ga*e the =/irst /ruits= o/ all our in!rease8 I/ you do the +ath on these statisti!s you 0ill dis!o*er a si- /a!tor That +eans that i/ 0e Bust tithed properly, e*ery +inistry, !hur!h, pastor, +issionary, Christian +edia +inistry 0ould ha*e si- ti+es +ore in!o+e to a!!o+plish their +ission than they !urrently ha*e :et +e gi*e you an e-a+ple Our gi*ing in!o+e last year at Co*enant Chur!h 0as o*er Q@# +illion dollars I/ you apply a si- /a!tor, 0e 0ould ha*e had Q3# +illion to 0ork 0ith to rea!h our !o++unity instead o/ Q@# +illion I si+ply 0ant to askI =;hat is possible 0hen God is FIRST8 Can you i+agine8= Drea+ /or a +o+ent $ust i+agine, i/ e*ery belie*er si+ply tithed, 0e 0ould possess so +u!h pro*ision, 0e !ould literally !hange the 0ay =+inistry= is *ie0ed ;hat 0ould the 0orld be like i/ e*ery !hur!h, prison +inistry, youth ho+e, !risis pregnan!y !enter, TF +inistry and +issions organi?ation had si- ti+es +ore /inan!es to 0ork 0ith8 It is possible All it takes is the de!ision o/ e*ery belie*er to honor God 0ith the /irst /ruits o/ their in!rease I not only belie*e it is possible, I belie*e God has !alled +e to be a *oi!e9not o/ !onde+nation, but o/ hope, /aith and possibility ;e !an do itA I a+ pro*iding a ne!essary /oundational understanding to

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H$( #/2! !H/ '$**ISSI$N

begin our i+aginary Bourney Are you ready8 :et7s go I+agine9e*ery lo!al !hur!h ha*ing its o0n s!hool through uni*ersity le*el 0ith /ree edu!ation to e*ery +e+ber I+agine9e*ery lo!al !hur!h !ould sta// its o0n +edi!al !lini! 0ith !are +ade a*ailable /ree o/ !harge to all its +e+bers I+agine9e*ery !hur!h ha*ing a youth !enter 0ith state o/ the art e<uip+ent /ro+ +o*ie theaters to sports /a!ilities9+inistering to the young people o/ our !o++unities /reeA I+agine9e*ery !hur!h being able to send +issionaries and /ully /unding the+ so they don7t ha*e to spend +ost o/ their ti+e raising /inan!ial support I+agine9ha*ing enough +oney to buy out your lo!al abortion !lini! and turn it into a birthing !enter 0here e*ery baby born is adopted and lo*ed by Christian parents I+agine9e*ery !hur!h being able to pro*ide support /or single parents that 0ould allo0 the+ to stay ho+e and raise their !hildrenA

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It is possibleA I/ 0e +ust return to reality /or a +o+ent, I belie*e 0e !an dis!o*er the +aBor reasons 0hy the per!ent o/ =/irst /ruits= tithing is so lo0 First o/ all, there is a la!k o/ re*elational tea!hing I/ the +inistry does not possess a =0ord=, the people 0ill not be released to 0alk in it The s!ripture says, +1ou will know the truth and the truth ?you know@ will set you free.+ $ohn GIE" AM':IFI.D Se!ondly, there is /ear on the part o/ the +inistry to boldly !hallenge the people to gi*e Many ti+es others in +inistry ha*e shared 0ith +e that re!ei*ing the o//ering is the +ost di//i!ult part o/ the ser*i!e /or the+ to do It is be!ause o/ the /ear o/ !riti!is+ That /ear is not 0ithout reason Many pre!ious, dedi!ated +en o/ God ha*e been personally atta!ked, as though the o//ering is all /or the+, by !ruel, sel/ish people 0ho didn7t 0ant their stinginess !hallenged The natural rea!tion is to /old your tent and try to a!!o+plish your +inistry +andate 0ithout e*er +entioning +oney again It !annot be done $esus spoke +ore about +oney than hea*en or hellA

@5"

H$( #/2! !H/ '$**ISSI$N

Finally, the =de!eit/ulness o/ ri!hes= is the reason 0e, as the !hur!h, don7t do +ore gi*ing than 0e do ;hat is the =de!eit/ulness o/ ri!hes= as re/erred to in Matt @EI""8 Ri!hes de!ei*e by !on*in!ing you o/ their po0er to supply happiness, se!urity and /ul/ill+ent They si+ply !annot %ut in our relentless sear!h /or signi/i!an!e, 0e o/ten 0eary oursel*es by seeking so+ething that, in the end, !annot deli*er On the other hand, i/ 0e pursue 0ealth 0ith the idea that 0e are a pipeline o/ blessing through 0hi!h resour!es !an /lo0 to bless the (ingdo+, then e*eryone 0insA It has been said that you don7t ha*e a li/e 0orth li*ing i/ you ha*en7t /ound a !ause 0orth dying /or I ha*e /ound that !ause My s+all pla!e in the e*er in!reasing (ingdo+ o/ God is a !ause 0orth dying /or but guess 0hat8 I ha*e not been asked to die, but to li*e /or the !ause %e!ause $esus already died, 0e are !alled to li*e /or His glory Take a +o+ent to e-a+ine your o0n li/e ;here do you /it into the statisti!al pi!ture I shared earlier8 Did you do +ore or less than the 0orld0ide a*erage o/ @ GR gi*ing8 I guess a better <uestion is, did you take a +o+ent to drea+8 I/ you did, I hope you are !aptured by the *ision o/ the kind o/ 0orld it 0ould be i/ the (ingdo+
@5E

(hen $% is )I#S!

o/ God had 3 ti+es +ore pro*ision at our disposal Don7t e*er stop drea+ing that drea+A ;hen 0e 0ake up soon in the presen!e o/ the :ord, it 0ill be 0orth +ore than you !an e*er drea+ to hear Hi+ say, =;ell done, good and /aith/ul ser*ant, enter into the Boy o/ the :ord =

@55

'H23!/# S&**2#1

.F.R>

COF.)A)T OR AGR..M.)T %.T;..) T;O 'ARTI.S

A:;A>S CARRI.S T;O-;A> R.S'O)SI%I:IT>

AS MDCH AS GOD CAR.D FOR TH. )ATIO) OF ISRA.: I) TH. O:D T.STAM.)T, TH.> HAD )O =GR.AT COMMISSIO)=, ;. DOA IF CHRISTIA) ;OD:D SIM':> GIF. GOD TH. FIRST FRDITS OTH. FIRST @#R OF A:: TH.> .AR)P TH.R. ;OD:D %. )O )..D FOR =S'.CIA: CO::.CTIO)S=
.F.R> ;. A:: GAF. TH. ;A> GOD D.SIG).D, ;. ;OD:D HAF.

IF

.)ODGH R.SODRC. TO R.ACH TH. ;HO:. ;OR:D A)D STI:: %. A%:. TO M..T )..DS AT HOM.A

IT IS IM'ORTA)T FOR DS TO TA(. A :ITT:. =DR.AM TIM.= TO

CA'TDR. TH. R.A:IT> OF TH. O''ORTD)IT> %.FOR. DS

IF

;. $DST TITH.D 'RO'.R:>, .F.R> MI)ISTR>, CHDRCH,

'ASTOR, MISSIO)AR>,

CHRISTIA)

M.DIA MI)ISTR> ;OD:D

HAF. SIN TIM.S MOR. I)COM. TO ACCOM':ISH TH.IR MISSIO)

TH. =D.C.ITFD:).SS OF RICH.S= IS TH. R.ASO) CHDRCH, DO)7T DO MOR. GIFI)G THA) ;. DO >OD

;., AS TH.

DO)7T HAF. A :IF. ;ORTH :IFI)G IF >OD HAF.)7T

FOD)D A CADS. ;ORTH D>I)G FOR

@54

1B
1B

REDEMPTI6E WORK I# PROGRESS

=O Israel, put your hope in the :ord, /or 0ith the :ord is un/ailing lo*e and 0ith hi+ is /ull rede+ption = 'sal+s @E#I6 )IF

#/%/*3!I9/ ($#K IN 3#$ #/SS

Right a0ay, one o/ t0o things is going to happen .ither your /lesh, 0ith logi! and reasoning, is going to /igure out an e-!use to t0ist this +essage around to +ake it into so+ething !on/using or you 0ill /eel an urgen!y to !lai+ all God has /or you I hope this +essage re*erberates in your spirit, and I hope it a//e!ts you the ne-t ti+e you 0rite a !he!k or pay your tithe I hope that you !an de!ide today that it is Bust ti+e and +oney, but He is God and He is 0orth /irst pla!eA >ou 0ill +ake a de!ision that 0ill a//e!t the inhabitants o/ this earth /or all eternity >our de!ision 0ill !ause people that ha*e yet to be rea!hed, to ha*e the opportunity to +ake Hi+ :ord ;e only ha*e so +u!h ti+e in this 0orld to +ake a di//eren!e Are 0e intent on +aking a di//eren!e, or are 0e Bust along /or the ride8 Are 0e people that 0ant to be kings and priests unto God, or are 0e Bust patty!aking /or $esus8 Are 0e Bust looking /or /ire insuran!e or are 0e serious about !hanging a hurting 0orld8 I/ 0e rea!hed the le*el o/ !o++it+ent to say, =I/ God didn7t play ga+es 0ith The :a0 o/ First Things, then
@56

(hen $% is )I#S!

I7+ not going to play ga+es 0ith /t either = Reading this book is only the beginning o/ the Bourney o/ blessing that is there /or those 0ho honor God 1our appli!ation o/ the :a0 o/ First Things 0ill deter+ine the ending o/ this book Su!!ess or /ailure is yet to be 0ritten9by you The rede+pti*e 0ork o/ this +essage 0ill not be !o+plete until you re!ei*e it and His pla!e in your li/e is !learly de/ined as FIRST

@5G

MY GOA'S FOR GI6I#G

I R.COG)IK. GOD AS TH. O;).R OF A:: THAT I 'OSS.SS RIGHTFD:

GOD ()O;S ;HAT I )..D %.FOR. I .F.R AS( I ;I:: ;OR( ;ITH DI:IG.)C. ;ISDOM TO .AR) I)COM. A)D

I ;I:: OFF.R TO HIM TH. FIRST FRDITS L@#RM OF A:: THAT H. %:.SS.S M. ;ITH I ;I:: GIF. OFF.RI)GS FROM TH. 'ORTIO) THAT R.MAI)S I ;I:: GRAT.FD::> ACC.'T TH. HARF.ST THAT ;I:: %. R.TDR).D TO M. I ;I:: .)CODRAG. THOS. ;HO MA> DOD%T THAT CO)SIST.)T GIFI)G ;I:: R.A' A R.;ARD

@52

TOP 1B ;0ESTIO#S O# TITHI#G

@ %o I tithe on the gross amount of my income or the net0 Tithe on the gross The di//eren!e bet0een the gross and the net in!ludes bene/its to you like health insuran!e, go*ern+ent supplied roads, poli!e and /ire, et! " Isn-t the concept of tithing an $ld !estament law that was not taught in the New !estament scriptures0 The prin!iple o/ tithing is a!tually older than the old !o*enant be!ause Abraha+ paid tithes to Me!hi?edek in Gen @5 $esus endorsed the paying o/ the tithe in Matt "EI"E Also, 'aul, the apostle, in I Cor @3I" said, =On the /irst day o/ ea!h 0eek let ea!h one o/ you bring an o//ering as God hath prospered you = This is speaking o/ per!entage or proportionate gi*ing

@4#

!$3 AB <&/S!I$NS $N !I!HIN

E (hat if my spouse is not saved and does not allow me to tithe0 >ou are not held a!!ountable /or 0hat you do not possess I 0ould suggest, ho0e*er, t0o options First, don7t Bust assu+e your spouse 0on7t allo0 it Choose a ti+e to appeal to hi+Sher and ask i/ you !an gi*e a regular portion o/ in!o+e Se!ondly, i/ you do, not ha*e +oney to gi*e, gi*e ti+e to the +inistry o/ your !hoi!e and God 0ill honor it 5 I own a business. How do I tithe from my business0 Tithing is !o+puted based on in!rease or pro/it There are se*eral 0ays to !o+pute pro/its and !ertain ti+es 0hen that !an be done ;ork out the details 0ith your a!!ountant I belie*e God is !alling large nu+bers o/ Christians to start businesses /or the purpose o/ /urthering His kingdo+ 4 (here should my tithe be paid=all to my church or part of it to a missions cause or media ministry0 The s!ripture says in Mal E =%ring all the tithes into the storehouse that there +ay be +eat in My house = This is nor+ally translated to +ean the lo!al !hur!h Many people ho0e*er, are not !onne!ted to a lo!al !hur!h In that !ase try to +ake sure there is an
@4@

(hen $% is )I#S!

a!!ountable leader responsible to ad+inister /inan!es in a godly +anner 3 %o all the tithes belong to the pastor or minister0 The s!ripture says in )u+ @GI"5 that the tithes are /or the :e*ites 0hi!h 0ere the +inistry tribe That does not +ean, ho0e*er, that all o/ the tithe is to be used by the pastor Only one :e*ite /un!tioned as the high priest and hundreds o/ others did the =0ork o/ the +inistry = Their 0ork 0as also supported out o/ the tithe The +inister or pastor in a )e0 Testa+ent !hur!h should be supported by and ad+inistrate the tithes to the e//e!ti*eness o/ all the 0ork o/ the +inistry Tithe should not be paid to any organi?ation that is not dire!ted by God-!alled +inistry 6 Is the tithe limited to 4ust ten percent0 )o, e*en though this is 0here it begins you !an add to the per!entage o/ your in!o+e that you tithe, as you 0ish Although the 0ord, tithe, by de/inition +eans @#R, it is said that $ C 'enney, the /ounder o/ the store !hain, 0as tithing 2#R o/ his in!o+e and retired a 0ealthy +an %egin by praying that God 0ill double and triple the a+ount you gi*e as tithe So that @#R o/ your in!o+e 0ill be t0i!e or three ti+es as +u!h +oney
@4"

!$3 AB <&/S!I$NS $N !I!HIN

G (hat if I am in a situation where there is financial abuse0 God 0ill ne*er hold you a!!ountable /or the per/or+an!e o/ those ste0ards He pla!ed o*er you God 0ill Budge His ser*ants >ou pray /or the+ and re+ain /aith/ul 2 Should ministers pay tithe0 >es, /or t0o reasons First, be!ause as a leader 0e +ust be e-a+ples Se!ondly, the s!riptures say in )u+ @GI"3 +(hen you ,evites take tithes from the Israelites which I have given you from them for an inheritance, then you shall present an offering from it to the ,ord, even a tenth of the tithe+. @# (hat if I have not been tithing properly0 This is the beauty o/ )e0 Testa+ent gra!e In the Old Testa+ent you 0ould be punished %e!ause o/ the /orgi*eness 0e ha*e through $esus7 blood, you si+ply repent and purpose in your heart to begin no0 being /aith/ul in gi*ing the tithe /ro+ this day /or0ard

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ABO0T THE A0THORC

;ith little +ore than a *ision, a young 0i/e, a t0o-year old daughter and a /ish tank, Mike Hayes *entured to the Dallas9Fort ;orth +etrople- His +ission9to rea!h the lost, didn7t see+ i+possible be!ause he had been pro+ised he 0ould be sent 7a tea+7 to help in +aking the *ision reality God 0as /aith/ul and no0 in the )orth Dallas suburb o/ Carrollton stands a beauti/ul !hur!h !alled 7Co*enant7 0hi!h houses a 7tea+7 approa!hing ten thousand His purpose in li/e is e*ident by the o*er0hel+ing har*est attributed to the e-pository 0ord that !o+es /ro+ +ore than thirty years o/ +inistry e-perien!e Mike Hayes is a +essenger 0ith an easily understood, ti+ely 0ord addressing the +ost di//i!ult o/ issues in the %ody o/ Christ today He +akes his ho+e in north Dallas, 0ith his 0i/e (athy They ha*e a daughter, A+ie, and a son, Stephen, Sta!ey, their son-in-la0 and /our grand!hildren, Grayson, Sta!en, Tate and Molly-(ate, and an e-tended /a+ily o/ +ultiple thousands