18 of 31 Reasons People Do Not Receive Their Financial Harvest

Introduction
=========    ~ Leviticus 27:30 ~  "And all the Tithe of the land, whether of the SEED of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S:  it is holy unto the LORD."

REASON #18 - MILLIONS STEAL THE TITHE, THE HOLY PORTION GOD  RESERVED 4 HIMSELF.

     When u keep the Tithe, u commit theft.
     When u  take something that belongs 2 another, u are a thief.  Thieves will not enter Heaven.  "But lay up 4 yourselves treasure(s) in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:" (Matthew 6:20).
     Tithe  means "Tenth."  The great patriarch, and wonderful example, Abraham, gave 10 percent of is income back as proof and evidence that he honored God as his Provider and was blessed incredibly 4 it.  "And Abraham was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold" (Genesis    
raceytay                                                                     13:2).
     Isaac, his son, continued 2 reap from the life of obedience.  "Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year a 100-fold: and the LORD blessed him.  And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:  For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants and: and the Philistines envied him" (Genesis 26:12-14).
     It happened 4 the children of Abraham.  "And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I AM the God of Abraham thy father:   fear not ,  4 I AM w/thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy SEED 4 my servant Abraham's sake" (Genesis 26:24).
     The Tithe is holy unto the Lord.  "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S:  it is holy unto the LORD" (Leviticus 27:30).
     Your Tithe is the golden gate 2 Financial Supply.  "Bring ye all the tithe(s) into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine House, and Prove ME now herewith, saith the LORD of Hosts, if I  will not open u the Windows of Heaven and pour u out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough 2 receive it" (Malachi 3:10).
     The arrogant will not tithe.  U C, there are THREE kinds of atheists: (1) those who believe that God does not even exist;  (2) those who believe they are capable of doing anything God could do; and (3) those who consider themselves as god in their own life.  A non-tither's position is like the atheist--they keep the tithe.  They feel that they are their own god in their own life.  It is the ultimate proof of arrogance and pride.
     Honor the Tithe.  Tithing is the Biblical practice of returning 10 percent of your income back 2 God after u have earned it.  In the Old Testament, Abraham and others tithed.  In the New Testament, even the Pharisees, the hypocitical religious crowd, remembered 2 tithe.  "This ought 2 have done..."

     "And concerning  the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the 10th shall be holy unto the LORD" (Leviticus 27:32).

     Tithing can break the financial curse on your life and family.  U C, those who rob God of the tithe AND offerings that belong 2 Him are living under a curse.

     Oh, my friend, u can change this.  U can be the member of your family that 'breaks the curse."  Your SEED is the Proof of your faith.  It is the proof that u have conquered greed.  Obviously, God always penalized a thief.  But, He always promotes and prospers the tither and those who sow SEED.  "Will a man rob God?  Yet ye have robbed ME.  But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee?  In tithes AND offerings.  Ye are cursed w/a curse:  4 ye have robbed ME, even this whole nation" (Malachi 3:8).

     Tithe consistently.  Each tithe is an act of faith, a SEED of obedience that creates momentum.  When u tithe consistently, u will create a consistent harvest.  Establish a rhythm.  Stay in obedience long enough 2 taste the rewards of momentum.

     There are 4 basic Seasons each year.  Regularity and routine are very important forces in our lives, especially in a SEED-faith lifestyle.  Work w/the Law of Sowing and Reaping [even the World says: What goes around, comes around or what u sow, u will reap].  Do not become erratic and unpredictable.  Nature itself has a PATTERN, a rhythm and routine.  When u honor it, the benefits will far outweigh any cost and risk involved.  "While the Earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest , and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease" (Genesis 8;22).

     Tithing is the proof u have conquered greed.  Satan steals.  man hoards.  God GIVES.  Your giving is the only proof that God lives within u.  It is the only evidence that the nature of God is flourishing inside your heart.  Whether it is money, mercy or love, giving is the only real evidence of Love.  "For God so Loved the World that He GAVE..." (John 3:16).

     When u tithe, u create a memory in the mind of God 4ever.  He beholds His nature in u.

     "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (II Timothy 1:7).  Fear torments.  It makes u hoard instead of release.  U become afraid that u can never replace the money that u are "giving 2 God."  The truth?  The tithe is already His.  He permits u the privilege of returning it 2 Him as proof of your confidence in Him.

     Tithing is the proof that u believe the Word of God 2 u.  The Word of God is a collection of INSTRUCTIONS.  God wants so much 2b believed.  He promised that those who would tithe and bring offerings 2 Him would C a financial harvest as a result.  "But he shall receive a 100-fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world 2 come Eternal Life" (Mark 10:30).

     The Old Testament confirms it.  "Honour the LORD w/thy substance, and w/the firstfruits of all thine increase:  So shall thy barns be filled w/plenty, and thy presses shall burst out w/new wine" (Proverbs 3:9-10).

     When u write out a check 4 10 percent of your income each week and give it back 2 God, it documents your faith 2 God.  It is proof of your confidence.  U really do believe that His Word works.  U have fully embraced the wonderful truth that "God is not a man, that He should lie; neither a son of man, that he should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it ?  or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19).

     Yet, millions attend church every Sunday and walk out w/the holy tithe still in their pockets.  Sometimes, they will drop a few dollars in its place in the offering as a substitution.

     Picture something w/me 4 a few moments.  Suppose a businessman flew home from a business transaction.  His son meets him at the airport.  The father excited, puts his arm around his son and says, "I really love u son.  I'm so proud of u.  Here is a $10 bill 2 buy yourself a little present.  I just made $100 extra that I had not planned on in this business deal."
     "Thanks, dad!"

     "Well, son, go ahead and take several more of these $10 bills. Actually, u can have 9 of these $10 bills  4 yourself.  I will just keep one w/me 4 some change,"  the father remarks, good naturedly.

     Think further w/me.  Both go home.  The son goes into his bedroom  sleep that night.  The father takes everything out of his pockets, leaving the tenth $10 bill inside the dresser drawer.  He goes  sleep.

     during the night, the son cannot sleep.  He turns and tosses.  He is thankful for the nine $10 bills ($90) that his father gave him.  But, something inside him that he cannot explain makes him keep thinking about that $10 bill in his father's dresser drawer.  What if the son sneaked up in the middle of the night, opened the dresser drawer and took and stole the tenth $10 bill?  What are your feelings about that?  I imagine u would be incensed and infuriated.  U would exclaim w/anger, "That son is an idiot, a fool and a thief.  he was so unthankful 4 the $90 that his father gave him, he stole the tenth."

    Yet... this happens every single Sunday on Earth.  Somehow, our ingratitude and unthankfulness begins 2 choke out every word of praise that should be flowing from our lips.  Instead of gratitude and thankfulness 4 our health, our energy, favor, and friendships--the last $10 bill is stolen.. from the hand of the very ONE who gave the other $90 to us.

     Another scenario.  Just suppose that I told u that the son left a $1 bill in its place in his father's drawer--thinking his father would not notice the difference between a $1 bill and the $10 bill.  Maybe, he feels that his father would not notice the missing zero!

     This would be a substitution.

     He steals the $10 by replacing it w/a $1 bill.

     Yes, u are angry again.  yet, this too happens in every church in America every single Sunday morning.  Thousands substitute a small offering in place of the tithe.  Do we think God is that stupid?

     I held 6 seminars for 6 consecutive Friday evenings in Austin, Texas.  The young man who shined my shoes in the Austin airport was so impressive.  I loved him, his little wife and child.  One day, he spoke 2 me.  "Mike, I love my pastor.  The music in our church is just fantastic.  However, there is one thing that I despise and makes me so angry every Sunday.  Every time I attend my church, my pastor wants 2 talk about offerings.  It seems 2 me that is all he talks about.. tithe and offerings, tithe and offerings, tithe and offerings."

     "Has anyone ever explained the Tithe 2 u?" I asked.

      He could not remember having anyone explain it 2 him.  So, I proceeded 2 explain that everything we have came from God.

     God established a system that would destroy the possibility of greed, The Tithe.  God is not poor.  Angels are not on ration.  Mansions in Heaven are not half finished.  God said that everything already belonged 2 Him anyway.  But, He established a system that would permit man 2 destroy his greatest enemy of prosperity, greed.  It was simple.  Bring 10 percent back 2 God, and He promised 2 bless u again and again 4 such obedience.

     Then, I explained that God guaranteed a curse on anyone who stole the holy part (Malachi 3:9-11).  The words of Jesus were also explained carefully.  When Peter felt that he had lost everything in order 2 follow after Jesus, Jesus reminded him of a wonderful result... the one 100-fold return Principle (Mark 10:28-30).

     My young shoe shine friend was ecstatic.  He had never understood the Law of the Hundredfold Return.

     It is not a mystery.  It happens everyday everywhere around us.  A farmer once told me about the Law of Return in a kernel or corn.  "Mike, one kernel or corn can produce a cornstalk.  Each cornstalk produces 4 corncobs.  Some have counted as high as 700 kernels of corn on a single corncob, meaning that one kernel of corn can produce 2,800 more kernels of corn on those 4 different corncobs combined.  So, a 100-fold return is not at all a miracle.  It is normal fact of the life in the Law of Return."

     The young man agreed 2 do something I asked.  "I want u 2 tithe every Sunday morning at your church."   The Bible says, "Upon the first day of the week let every one lay by him in store, as God has prospered him" (I Corinthians 16:2).

     I continued.  "Tithe habitually, w/o interruption, for 4 Seasons, the next 12 months.  U C, if u have been sowing SEED of Nothing, u have already scheduled 'Seasons of Nothing' in your Future.  A SEED reproduces itself.  So, if u have been bringing nothing 2 God, u have been scheduling Seasons-of-Nothing in your Future.  Give God a chance 2 cycle u thru the Seasons of Nothing until u can begin 2 C a harvest in your life,"  I explained.  He agreed.

   God did it quicker than I ever imagined.  In less than 30 days, he stood in a small prayer breakfast I held at the Hilton Hotel in Austin, Texas, shouting, "It works!"

     His tip money 4 the first seven days after his commitment 2 tithe was over $800.  He had never experienced this kind of income in his life.  Today, someone told me he had started a small chain of shoe shine places, and people are working 4 him!

     Millions will never taste the financial harvest that is within their reach bcoz they have stolen the holy Tithe and kept it 4 themselves.  The ultimate act of arrogance.