WEEK 4
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ICEBREAKERS
- If you had to eat something for the rest of your life, what would it be?
- Have you ever went skydiving?
- What’s your favorite Tv show?
OPEN IN PRAYER
MESSAGE REVIEW
In this series we have discussed ways in which we can walk in the blessing that Lord has ordained for his people and established 1st in genesis. This concept was reiterated through many points in scripture revealing when we eat Gods portion it’s not that the Lord curses us but the repercussion of not obeying this “Law of divine portion” begins to wreak havoc in all areas of our lives. It is God’s desire for us to be blessed not just as individuals but also collectively as we walk together as one in body Christ Jesus. For just as it is God’s desire for us to be blessed individually, can you imagine what it would be like if the whole body was walking in the full blessing that God originally intended for his people have? There would not be one need amongst his children like in Acts chapter 4. We should strive continually walk under this blessing, the Lord said in Malachi 3 “Return to me and I will return to you” let us not rob God in our tithes and offering taking what is rightfully his. When we collectively come back to the Lord, he will rebuke the devourer and our harvest will return to us.
LET’S TALK ABOUT IT!
- Read Malachi 3:8-11 The scripture speaks of what the Lord will do for us if we bring the full tithe and offering back into the store house of God. Pastor Ron spoke on how the tithe is considered the tenth when we give God his portion, he opens the windows of heaven and pours out the blessing! And then he rebukes the devourer that is mentioned in Mark 4. In the original translation the devourer is referred to as the seed eater. Our tithe is not our seed, our offering is! But often people with good intentions give a seed offering thinking that they do not have the means to give a full tithe not knowing that the enemy immediately comes and devourers their seed and it never gets a chance to be planted in good soil to produce a harvest of 30, 60 or 100-fold. When we return fully to God what is rightfully his what can we expect for the Lord to do for us? What do you think that specially look like in your life?
- Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 Simply put we are many people, but we are all one in the body of Christ! Because we are all one God views us as one and there is a greater blessing for the fully body when it comes into alignment and obedience to what God has asked of his people. Acts chapter 4 talks about how in the early church there a need among them was not. But unfortunately, the opposite is true as well Verse 26 says “if one member suffers, all suffer together…” How have you noticed that if one person suffers, we all suffer in your own daily lives? Have you seen this happen in the church?
- Read Ephesians 4:11-13 We are to grow fully into the head of the body that is Christ speaking the truth in Love knowing that we are no longer children but are fully mature in the faith no longer being tossed around by the schemes of the enemy getting us to be divisive for when we do so the whole body lacks in power and the whole body suffers from the disunity. In Malachi 3 when God says you the whole nation has robbed me then we must understand that not only will we individually walk in the blessing when we bring the whole tithe into the store house but the whole body stands to be blessed with a greater measure if we all walk in obedience in returning to the Lord what is his in tithes and offering. This is how we can directly walk in the blessing of the Lord over our lives. Have you personally seen this blessing operate in your life? Has this sermon series helped you better understand how the tithe and offering are different and how they play a role in our walk with the Lord?
PRAYER FOCUS & REQUESTS
Ask your members if they have any prayer requests or praise reports. Discuss as a group if everyone understands this key of tithing and how it can be used or has been used in their lives.