Isaiah 58:1-12

Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.

Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and You see not? Wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and You take no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast YOU FIND PLEASURE, and EXACT ALL YOUR LABOURS. Behold, YOU FAST FOR STRIFE and DEBATE, and to SMITE WITH THE FIST OF WICKEDNESS: you shall not fast as you do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To LOOSE THE BANDS OF WICKEDNESS, to UNDO THE HEAVY BURDENS, and to LET THE OPPRESSED GO FREE, and that YOU BREAK EVERY YOKE? Is it not to deal your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor that are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you hide not yourself from your own flesh?

Then shall your light break forth as the morning, and your health shall spring forth speedily: and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rereward.  Then shalt you call, and the LORD shall answer; you shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If YOU TAKE AWAY FROM THE MIDST OF YOU THE YOKE, the PUTTING FORTH OF THE FINGER, and SPEAKING VANITY; and if you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall your light rise in obscurity, and your darkness be as the noonday:

And the LORD shall guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and make fat your bones: and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.  And they that shall be of you shall build the old waste places: you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

]]> http://cnevarez.wordpress.com/2011/10/25/biblical-matthew-2323-tithe/feed/ 2 ©nevarez Biblical Tithe http://cnevarez.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/thoughts-for-today/ http://cnevarez.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/thoughts-for-today/#comments Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:56:32 +0000 ©nevárez http://cnevarez.wordpress.com/?p=4353 ]]> The more wisdom I receive from God, the more I learn to confess that I don’t know everything. I always search for more understanding of God’s Word so I can unselfishly share it with others without thinking that I am better than someone else because of what I currently know, and what I partially understand (remember that Paul said that “we know in part”). If we are wise it is because God GAVE us wisdom. How can we boast as if it wasn’t a GIFT? As God’s people we must never become self-righteous when God brings our understanding to another level, but it should produce more humility, and more prayer unto God for how we can share it with someone else to CHALLENGE THEM TO THINK instead of trying to PROVE SOMEONE WRONG.

Usually what I do is share with people how I was ignorant to different elements of truth, how God was merciful to my ignorance, and then I pray for what I should talk about to them by using examples of how I used to be ignorant. In this way, I can always make sure that pride, arrogance, and a self-righteous spirit does not sneak its way into my heart, and so I don’t end up closing someone’s mind to the truth because of my bad attitude. Be firm and steadfast with the truth, but pray and seek God for the humility to learn how to share it with someone in a way that they can receive it, instead of running someone away because of a bad presentation of the truth due to pride.

As we go on unto perfection, rooting ourselves in the sound doctrine of the Apostles, we continue to grow in knowledge, and now we must also grow in experience of what we learn. EVANGELISM!!! But in order to effectively do this we must NEVER skip the most important stage in our development called DISCIPLESHIP. Before someone can become skillful in witnessing and biblical evangelism we must become students of doctrine first. We must live, breathe, hunger, and thirst for doctrine! We must know when to speak and when not to speak. We must learn when to answer a question, and how to discern when someone is not asking a question out of sincerity but really setting you up for a trap. A true disciple IS NOT AFRAID to admit when he does not know the answer to a question because he REFUSES to make up a false doctrine or to give a “good enough” rebuttal just to have the last word. Having the last word doesn’t mean someone is right, sometimes the one who has the last word is the one who is wrong EVEN IF they have the right answer but speak it out of a PROUD SPIRIT.

In order to see the Church really grow the way God intends for it to grow

we must learn to OPERATE AS A BODY,

and WORK TOGETHER.

THIS SHOULD NOT BE:

Ministry vs. Congregation, or

Congregation vs. Ministry, or

Ministry vs. Ministry, or

Congregation vs. Congregation!

That will tear THE BODY into pieces. Do you have wisdom? Learn how to hold your peace. Are you more advanced in the operation of the gifts of the Spirit? Humble down because you still lack development, and need the rest of the gifts dispersed throughout the entire BODY to perfect your imperfections also. Has the Lord opened your mouth? He also opened the mouth of the donkey, and then CLOSED IT AGAIN FOREVER! Take heed lest He close yours too. What good is an EYE without the FOOT? THE BODY MUST WORK TOGETHER. The Church is THE BODY OF CHRIST.

The BODY is NOT JUST ONE MEMBER, but MANY MEMBERS.

I remember sometime back I asked the Lord “Why is it easy for the world to overlook a godly man that dresses modest, but notice a godly woman in modesty?” I often wondered about this seeking the Lord for understanding. He shared with me how that when a godly man dresses modestly, plain in our appearance, and go undetected by the world it is proof we are reflecting His image because when He was in the world, although the world was made by Him, the world knew Him not, until He opened His mouth and taught doctrine.

God has chosen the man to be His image in the likeness of His Son clothed with humility. In all truth God hid Himself inside the body of the Son desiring to attract no attention unto Himself by means of outward looks. But what is amazing is that God has chosen to manifest His doctrine through the body of the woman, which reflects the image of His Church. The man is a type of Christ, and the woman is a type of Church. When a woman dresses in modesty covering up her nakedness it manifests the doctrine of God through the teaching of the man.

Both the male and the female are so important in the Church. Both are chosen vessels unto the Lord created to operate together within their proper place with honor and respect for one another. God has created a place for the man that a woman cannot fulfill, and also God has created a place for the woman that a man cannot fulfill. We all must abide within the confines of Scripture and honor each other and see God work!

This is why it is very important for us men to set the example by covering up our nakedness and letting our character and doctrine define who we are. We don’t need to dress all flashy with expensive suits and chains and gold rings for people to think we are a Christian. Jesus was a plain man, but when He opened His mouth His understanding and doctrine astonished all the people who heard Him. We don’t need to dress immodestly to get the attention of a woman who is not even searching for the Lord with a pure heart. If you want sisters to cover up their chest, back, arms, legs, and thighs then you, men, must be willing to do the same thing first! Us men are supposed to set the example. First partaker of the fruit.

This is also why it is important for women to cover up their nakedness and let their character and doctrine define who they are. Women don’t need to expose their nakedness or wear super tight clothes to reveal their shape to get the attention of a man who is not looking for the Lord with his heart. This is not Churches Chicken. Sisters ought to dress in a way that would make Jesus Himself pleased to call them His wife. If the way a woman dresses in modesty would impress Jesus it will also attract a real godly man instead of attracting a dog looking for a piece of meat. I know this might go over somebody’s head because not a lot of men and women really think of it that way. Whose attention are we trying to get by the way we dress? God, or worldly men and women? If you get the attention of God, you will get the right attention of the godly. God created the body of a woman to be covered and to reveal the image of His Church to those who are searching for God from the heart.

Man = Image and glory of God

Woman = Glory of the man

Man = Type of Christ

Woman = Type of Church

In the same way that the woman is the GLORY OF THE MAN, the Church is supposed to be the visible representation of the GLORY OF CHRIST in the earth. This is why we should not compromise on modesty and covering up our nakedness in the Church because we are supposed to represent the GLORY OF CHRIST which is the head of the Church. How we (both males and females) dress in modest reflects Christ. Remember the words of our Lord Jesus: ”Be clothed, and that THE SHAME OF YOUR NAKEDNESS DO NOT APPEAR.”

Christ questions: Do you love me?
Individual replies: Yes, Lord, I love You.

Christ answers: Then purge your life.
Individual asks: What do You mean purge my life?

Christ answers: Get rid of everything I hate, and clothe yourself with everything I love.
Individual says: Yes, Lord, I will do what…..

Christ interrupts: You know that person you are attached to?
Individual answers: Yes, You mean…..?

Christ interrupts: Get rid of them.
Individual asks: You mean like, not talking to them that much?

Christ answers: Get rid of them.
Individual asks: But why, Lord?

Christ answers: It won’t last, they are only temporary.
Individual replies: Okay, if You say so, I will do it.

Christ questions: You know that day of the year you love?
Individual answers: You must be talking about….

Christ interrupts: Get rid of it.
Individual asks: But why, Lord? I love that day.

Christ answers: It doesn’t matter, I hate it. Get rid of it.
Individual replies: But I have been celebrating it all my life!

Christ answers: It does not matter, it is a lie. Get rid of it!
Individual replies: But I love it, Lord.

Christ questions: Do you love Me?
Individual answers: Yes, I love You.

Christ questions: How much do you love me?
Individual replies: I love You with all my heart.

Christ commands: Get rid of it.
Individual says within their heart: This is really tough, I did not know that this is what I signed up for. I am not sure we are compatible. I think I must have made a mistake.

You see, Christ is not looking for any kind of Bride. His love will either attract you to disconnect everything that is temporary that will alter your destiny to be with Him forever or it will drive you away. If you truly a part of the Bride of Christ you will come by your own freewill and you will also stay by your own freewill and it has to be because you love Him. The Bride of Christ is pleased and willing to disconnect herself from this crazy world and live a set apart life from the ungodly. Jesus is not looking for just any kind of Bride. You must be drawn by God just like God brought the woman to Adam.

(NOTE: PLEASE READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE TO AVOID A MISUNDERSTANDING. THIS IS A SERIOUS SUBJECT THAT REQUIRES A BALANCE IN ORDER TO AVOID FALSE DOCTRINE ON GIVING ACCORDING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT.)

The subject of Church finances is a very touchy subject both to members who have sincere questions left unanswered and to ministry that has already established a financial structure that took them years to establish and perfect. Those who have questions are not concerned about modern-day traditions when it comes to finances but are looking for the restoration of how the apostles in the early Church handled the money the people laid at their feet. Those in ministry who have responsibility how the money is being contributed, deposited, and distributed have a burden laid upon their shoulder; IF they choose to engage in this discussion with an open mind and with a willingness to make corrections if there are any changes that need to be made.

You see BOTH sides want their concerns to be heard. The people who are CONTRIBUTING want their concerns to be acknowledged, and the Ministry who is DISTRIBUTING want their concerns to be understood. Do you see how this is a two-sided coin and how that many times only one side is spoken about publicly? This is not a subject that can be just dealt with real quick and brushed over with a quick answer. This is something that will take time to discuss, research, and will require careful consideration from both sides. Often times this discussion takes more time than what most ministries want to invest into discussing. For this reason many members who have asked questions have been preached on, belittled, and even kicked out of the Church for daring to even ask questions about Church finances.

The longer ministries ignore the questions the more the questions will continue to arise. It is wiser to discuss this subject and learn from one another instead of the other party left with unanswered questions then go off into false doctrine because they don’t consider what ALL the Scriptures have to say on this subject. There must be a balance on this subject. This is why it is good to discuss because you get the chance to hear someone out and if they are lacking understanding it can be addressed right there before it spreads any further. This is not a one day discussion, but it needs to be discussed. Are we really GIVING and RECEIVING finances like the early Church and apostles did? You see this two-sided coin has now turned into a two-edged sword. Not only does the HANDLING of the money have to be examined, but also we must examine if THE CONGREGATION is financially supporting the entire Body of Christ like the Church did in the 1st Century.

Take this for instance. In Acts chapter 2, after the thousands were converted the Church was a SELF-SUSTAINING COMMUNITY. The CONGREGATION sold THEIR possessions and the CONGREGATION parted them to everyone that had need. They were taking care of one another with their finances without a commandment from the apostles. It was not until later in Acts chapter 4 that the people laid THEIR money at the apostles’ feet. The congregation handed over the responsibility to do WHAT THEY WERE ALREADY DOING IN ACTS CHAPTER 2. They did this because they INCLUDED the apostles in what they were already doing in Acts chapter 2, and they trusted that the ministry would continue the daily ministration and distribution to those in need since the ministry had the oversight of the people. This also ministered to the apostles’ needs since they too are a part of the congregation but charged by the Lord to lead the people. This is just a brief introduction to this discussion.

One thing I would like to mention about this discussion before I end writing for now is that EVERYONE IN THE CHURCH needs to be taught the importance of giving because some people are just plain stingy. Not everybody in the ministry is stingy, everyone likes to just think that only ministry can be stingy with money but you can sit right down in the pews and be stingy too by not supporting the Church financially. Ananias and Sapphira were selfish with their money KEEPING BACK A PORTION and ended up lying to the Holy Spirit and both died the same day losing ALL THEIR MONEY. Their bad example of giving deserves a careful examination of how we should give in the Church today without greediness. They lied and were destroyed because they attempted to secretly interrupt the unity of God’s people through their selfishness and it revealed that they were not really in one accord with the rest of the Church.

As I said the Church in the beginning was SELF-SUSTAINING. If you are not going to contribute anything to the Church, don’t expect a distribution when you need help! I am not talking about someone who is genuinely poor, but people who are lazy and are always looking for a handout. Some people want to withdraw money from the Church but they don’t want to deposit anything back. Let someone withdraw money from your bank account without ever depositing anything back and see how that feels. People that DO NOT CONTRIBUTE OUT OF A CHEERFUL HEART but always like to complain about Church finances while they hold on to their money with a death grip become a spiritual and natural burden unto the whole congregation.

Just because someone is no longer bound under the curse of the Law of tithing that does not give them an excuse to become a spiritual moocher. If you no longer give financial support to the Body of Christ out of your freewill, you never gave out of a freewill to begin with. This is a deep discussion from the perspective from: THE MINISTRY to the congregation; and from the perspective from: THE CONGREGATION to the ministry. Both sides need to be heard, but the both sides must also be shown respect. I caution people who are not in the ministry to show some respect to the ministry and be patient if you discuss this with your ministry because at the end of the day it is the ministry that has to make changes if there are changes that need to be made. It is easy to criticize but the ministry has the burden of having to take responsibility of what needs to be done.

This is a great topic to study into. I have been called everything from a heretic, blasphemer, novice, rebel, and idiot by men that can only come up with weak arguments that don’t prove tithing is a NT commandment. Most preachers that preach that tithing is a NT practice don’t even understand biblical Pre-Law and Law of Moses tithing and who it was designed for. It wasn’t even money. Can someone eat money? According to biblical tithing, you could even BUY back your tithes from the priests (see Lev. 27:31). Common sense should tell men that fight against the truth that it does not make sense for someone to BUY back their money, it was talking about agriculture not money. When I began to search the Scriptures to understand Biblical tithing, God opened to me that those that preach tithing don’t even understand biblical tithing and put the people under the curse of the Law.

Is the Church cursed with a curse? What is that curse? The curse of the Law? Bingo! Absolutely! They call people who don’t believe tithing is commanded to the Church cursed with a curse and God robbers but they don’t even understand Malachi 3.

Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me. But you say, Wherein have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring you all the tithes into THE STOREHOUSE, that there may be MEAT IN MY HOUSE, and prove Me now herewith, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not OPEN YOU THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN, and POUR YOU OUT A BLESSING, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke THE DEVOURER for your sakes, and HE shall not destroy THE FRUITS OF YOUR GROUND; neither shall YOUR VINE cast HER FRUIT before the time IN THE FIELD, says the LORD of hosts. (Mal. 3:8-11)

This is NOT talking about money! The storehouse was filled with FOOD. I would like to know who is crazy enough to eat money? Who here thinks money is MEAT? Who has eaten a bag full of nickels? What does God mean He would open up the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing? Simple! He would send down RAIN. What is the devourer? Simple! The locust! God told Israel that He would rebuke the devourer that he shall not destroy the fruits of their GROUND, not the fruits of their wallet or their Old Testament check books!

Below is a real cross-reference of Malachi 3:10-12 and how that the “blessings” and “curses” are the blessings and curses of the Law of Moses mentioned in Deuteronomy 28.

Bring you all the tithes into THE STOREHOUSE [Deut. 28:8], that there may be meat in My house, and prove Me now herewith, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not OPEN YOU THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN, AND POUR YOU OUT A BLESSING [Deut. 28:12], that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke THE DEVOURER [Deut. 28:38] for your sakes, and HE SHALL NOT DESTROY THE FRUITS OF YOUR GROUND [Deut. 28:42]; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And ALL NATIONS SHALL CALL YOU BLESSED [Deut. 28:10]: for YOU SHALL BE A DELIGHTSOME LAND [Deut. 28:4], says the LORD of hosts. (Mal. 3:10-12)

When I got tired of being a Catholic I turned to the streets. I turned to drugs, I turned to alcohol, I turned to all the hip-hop, rap, grunge, and rock music. I was getting further and further away from God and I did not have someone like you to show me God’s way. No one really witnessed to me. No one really encouraged me to change my life. I was on my way to hell and I had no clue how to escape. I did not even know ANYTHING about Acts 2:38. All I had was my friends that hung out and got drunk and high together with. It was at that time that we, a bunch of drunks and pot heads, would start talking about God changing our lives, and I hated it. I was so far from God. I used to tell my friends to “Shut up! I don’t want to talk about that stuff.” The guys I would hang out would always somehow talk about it every time we would get high, and I finally gave in and said that if they were serious about quitting everything we were doing that is wrong, go to church, get baptized, and live for God that I would do it with them.

I was the last person my friends would have ever expected to hear say that I would live for God. I was so far from God. I was the worst sinner out of all my friends. That night we all went to my friend’s house high as a kite and went into his room. My friend grabbed a Bible and I remember telling him, “Don’t even do it man.” I just knew that if he opened that Bible anywhere it was going to say that I am going to hell because I knew my life was not right with God, even though I did not really know that much about Him. Well, my friend did not listen and opened it up anyway and starting reading, and it was then that I began getting convicted that I needed to change my life. I was so afraid of EVEN opening a Bible. After that night I began reading my Bible at home in secret. I never read the Bible for myself until THAT night. I did not know where to begin.

Every day that passed by I would begin to feel bad drinking and smoking. I remember one time I cursed and I felt so bad. I felt like wasn’t going to be able to talk with God for weeks. I remember begging God for forgiveness with many tears. I did this all in secret. My friends would see me acting strange every time we hung out. I was the one that used to tell them to shut up when they talked about changing our lives for God, and now I was one that they used to make fun of because I felt bad sinning against this God that I did not really even know. I just knew whoever He is, I was not right with Him and I did not want to do anything that He hates. I did not have a Church or a pastor to teach me God’s way. All I had was whatever damaged conscience I had left working. I did not have someone like you to tell me how to get saved. I was like a man who fell off a ship in the middle of the sea floating on a small broken piece of wood.

As time went by all my friends left me because I wanted to change so much that they wanted nothing to do with me. They backed up on what we all agreed to do. I lost EVERYTHING I thought I had. I had absolutely NO FRIENDS. All I had was my Bible, and a God that I did not know much about. But even though I did not know Him that well, He was the only one that was there for me and listen to me when I was all alone. I did not have someone like you to show me how to get saved. Could you imagine how scary that would be? Do you really consider how blessed you are to know what you know? I didn’t even have a clue. I did not grow up in a saved family like you. I did not have a pastor to ask questions and get answers from. I was a lost sheep among wolves and lions every single day.

I would talk to God just like I would talk to you, but I would do it with respect. I did not have a fancy prayer all planned out. I was tired of all the ritual Catholic repeat-after-me chants. I wanted to know Him for real. I looked for Him every time I opened up my Bible because my Bible was like a door to a world where God could be found because I did not have someone like you to show me how to be saved. I did not even know what being saved was all about. I did not know I had to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. I did not even know anything about the Holy Spirit or if there was even a Holy Spirit. I just kept reading and reading and hoped to find God and what He wanted me to do. I read the Bible from the beginning until I got tired. Whenever I found something that God hated in my life I got rid of it without hesitation. I wouldn’t even eat much because I would spend all my time reading. I was addicted to the Bible more than I ever was with all the drugs, alcohol, and lust of my flesh.

During that year I had to move to Texas with my grandmother to take care of her. I lived in a desert like place with mountains. I would go walking by myself for miles and miles and just talk with God. He would not answer me, but I knew He was listening because I felt like He wanted me to walk alone by myself to search for Him. I used to cry because I wanted to find Him so bad. He would show me things through the Bible that I needed to change in my life and it was so easy and felt good because all I had was Him. No one else. I did not even know Acts 2:38 even existed. I was just some young boy walking on dirt roads talking to a God that I wanted to know. I was not mad at Him for not answering me in a way that I could hear with my ears because He never did anything wrong to me. He was the best listener in the universe. He still is, and always will be. I would share everything with Him, never holding nothing back. All people would see is some young teen walking on dirt roads talking to the air, but I wasn’t talking to the air. I was talking to God the best I knew how. I did this for the space of a year. I did not know anyone like me. No one to have something in common with.

You see, I am not just someone who came to Church because I was trying to make some new friends. I was afraid to even go to Church because I did not want to find more people who thought I was crazy because they were only hypocrites with Church clothes on. I did not come to please people. I came to find out what He wanted me to do and someone to teach me more about this great God that was completely changing my entire life. I came looking for real Christians. I was someone who was broken. I was someone who lost everything. I walked away from everything I used to be. I stopped listening to all the evil music I used to listen to. I stopped dressing the way I used to. I quit all the drinking, smoking, cursing, and the lust that was killing my chance to talk with the God of the universe. It was not until I was 18 when I first heard about Acts 2:38 and the apostles’ doctrine. God saved me for real. I have come too far to turn back. I was the one that used to tell my friends to shut up, but it was God the whole time that was leading me out of all the spiritual slavery I was in. He was so patient. He was so merciful. I am not your ordinary 28-year-old trying to put on a front to make you think I love God. I love God for real. He really saved me according to Acts 2:38 and I will keep following Him no matter who falls away, straddle the fence, or blown around by every wind and doctrine!

This is just a short version of when God was leading me to repentance. I could write a whole book on my whole conversion and how He saved me but I am sure you wouldn’t read the whole thing. I am a scribe. I like to write. What did you expect, a short story? Grace and peace be multiplied unto you.