A NEW LOOK ON A TOUCHY SUBJECT

Today I am going to share with ya'll the parts of the preacher at my church sermon that I remember. The subject? TITHES! The favorite subject of many Baptist and Pentecostal preacher's. Of course these are the only types of preacher's I know anything about first hand.

It wasn't the usual type of "tithes" sermon. Believe me in my 63 years, I do know something about "tithe sermons." It was why we should and with most of us do bring our tithes and offerings into the store house of God. The scripture is Matthew 6:19-21. Where are our treasures stored? Are we more concerned with the money we have and can get down here? Can we take it with us? How many caskets are loaded down with earthly goods and money. How many caskets have you seen with u-hauls being towed behind them? Are we more concerned with what we can gain down here on earth and not that of Heaven. Colossians 3:2 tells us we are to "set our minds on things above. He also reminded us that our rewards and treasure are promised to us by God. A promise, not like so many of those made down here, that will not be BROKEN. He reminded us that should this great Nation of ours lose its economy we would be living in a 3rd world county.

Now this is the really interesting part of his sermon. Can there be an interesting part of a "tithe" sermon? Oh yes, this time there is. He reminded us of these two facts: (1) Jesus didn't start His preachin, teachin, and healin ministry until the age of 30. (2) Jesus died on the cross at age 33. Of that 3 year period Jesus spoke more on money than He did on Heaven. The preacher said he didn't know the number of times but he just knew it was true. Don't believe what Preacher Sweat said? Well, I looked it up and here are those numbers:
Heaven 653 TOTAL

money 284
treasure 66
treasures 77
offering 850
offerings 480
reward 213
rewards 26
_______________
1996 TOTAL

Yep, now you will have to admit that he knew what he was talking about. Jesus did talk more about money. Did I doubt what Preacher Sweat said? No not really, I just wanted to see the numbers for myself and now we all know.

Know something else? All of us, yes me too, need to ask God to forgive us for all the times we have said, "that preacher of ours just has to keep harping on "my" money. He always thinks he we aren't giving enough. After all I did work for it not him. Preacher so and so can just get his greedy little hands out of my pockets." After God forgives us it might be a real good idea to go to those preachers we have sat with and ask for their forgiveness as well. In my case, most of them are already in Heaven.

Who has His hands in our pockets?

God's blessings on each of you,
LJG