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The End of Financial Folly
by Bill Hybels
Text: Malachi 3:8-12
Topic: How to honor God financially
Big Idea: Whether Christians will tithe to God reveals much about them.
Keywords: Giving; Money; Tithing; Finances
Introduction
- Illustration: When Hybels and his wife were about to move into their home, thieves broke in and stole some belongings, and Hybels wondered who could do such a thing.
- We rob God when we do not give him our tithes, but when we are faithful in tithing, he blesses us abundantly.
-Malachi 3:8-12
Malachi came to reset the bar when people were making dishonorable financial decisions.
- Malachi asked people why they would rob the God they loved and served.
-Illustration: Hybels imagines parents inviting their children into the family business, only to find later that the kids have bled the company dry. The hurt the parents would feel would be tremendous, having been robbed by their children.
We must do a heart check.
- Malachi was saying that all the Father has ever done is give to you, and all he asks for is a tenth of what he’s given.
- Illustration: Hybels tells the story of a man he led to Christ who was having trouble making the commitment to tithe, because of his unhealthy attachment to money. Bill told him after the sacrifice Christ made for him, he should be ready to give the Father anything, and the man repented.
- Illustration: Hybels once interviewed an elder candidate who refused to tithe and then saw him singing “I Surrender All” during worship.
We must do a gut check.
- Proverbs 3:9 says, “Honor the Lord with the first fruits of your harvest.”
- Do a gut check by putting a system into place that makes tithing automatic.
- Wealthy people sometimes have a hard time tithing because the amount that 10 percent of their earnings represents is overwhelming.
-Illustration: Hybels tells of a wealthy man who was not tithing from the total of his earnings, but from the base salary of only one of his revenue streams; however after a heart and gut check, he began tithing from his total earnings.
We must do a faith check.
- Lastly, do a faith check by having faith that God will honor your obedience by blessing you.
-Illustration: Hybels tells about a woman crying after a service who said she had been unfaithful with her tithes for four years. She then gave an offering check that balanced the scales.
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