Some myths that people have believed simply are not true.  For example:
Myth:  God is most satisfied and honored when I am poor.
Truth:  God is concerned about the poor because he wants us to care for them.  You can’t help a poor person if you are poor.  In other words, if you don’t have any food you can’t feed the hungry.  If you don’t have extra money, you can’t pay some one’s rent for their family.  II Cor. 8:8-10

Truth:  God delights in the prosperity of his servants.   Psalm 35:27 Psalm 34:9-10

Myth:  God is pleased with anonymous giving.

It is true that he does not want you to “announce it with trumpets” (some scholars believe that the temple had trumpet shaped chutes on the outside where you could deposit money and that many people made a loud show of coins being dropped in), but He does want you to be a diligent steward (See parable of the talents in Matthew 25) and render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s and to God that which is God’s.

You need to fill out an offering envelope for 2 significant reasons:
A.  It is good stewardship with your talents, because the tax deduction you receive is more money in your hands to advance the kingdom.  This is God’s money and you want to spend it wisely!
a.  Example:  If you make $100,000 in a year and give God $15,000 then you pay tax on $85,000 if you keep records.  A 35% tax on $85,000 is $29,750.  A 35% tax on $100,000 (if you don’t get credit for your giving) is $35,000.  You just lost $5,250 that could have been used to advance the gospel!

B.  When leadership positions are assumed in this local church, you want to be found faithful in doing your part.      I Tim. 3:1-13

Tithing is not for today?!?

A. The Tithe is not required in the New Testament.
Wrong: God requires MORE than 10% in the New Covenant: He requires 100%! But GRACE enables or empowers us to live at a higher level! Jesus chided the pharisees that they do well when they tithe but to not stop there, but continue to act godly towards others as well. (Matthew 23:23) In fact, the ONLY thing Jesus EVER commended the pharisees on was their tithing.

B. The tithe belongs (only) to the priesthood of the Levites, and has since passed since they are not currently in the temple.
Wrong: Tithing occurred by Abraham to Melchizedek before the priesthood was ever established. It’s context is not in the Law but has existed before, after, and forever. (Hebrews 7:5-10) The reason the New Testament doesn’t say much about tithing is because this was a settled issue: The Jews had been doing if for the previous 4,500 years!

The perspective we should have isn’t “I have to tithe” but I GET to tithe! It is totally a GRACE thing; not a works thing. There is a blessing that we tithers get to enjoy! Malachi 3:10-11

Now, stop missing out on what’s rightfully yours: go get your blessing!

Psalm 139:1-6 (God’s Omniscience)

Psalm 7-12 (God’ Omnipresence)

Psalm 139:13-18 (God’s Omnipotence)

Psalm 139:19-24 (God’s Justice)

Say these out loud & I believe it will encourage you:

God is All Powerful, so there is no problem He cannot take care of for me.
God is All Knowing so there’s no problem He cannot guide me through.
God is All Present so there’s no problem He will not be with me through.

If you are not walking in the MANIFEST presence of God I want to pray with you… Please write a comment or go to the prayer request link on our web-sight.  I will pray for you!  May His Presence & Power & Wisdom enter your life today!

God has all power, all knowledge, & He is everywhere & He LOVES you!

So, if God is everywhere, how can we make the statement, “I feel distant from God.” or “I don’t feel close to God.”  But yet it’s true: there ARE people that are in fact “distant” from God.  How? Why?  Because it’s not about physical location  or geography but it’s about similarity.  It’s about UNITY with God.   When we get saved we become “partakers of the Divine Nature!”  We get in UNITY with God.  I believe there are many “Christians” that are FAR from unity with God.  They are dis-similar to Him… out of sync with His Spirit & His Word.
For example, I can look across the room at my wife at a large party or gathering & understand exactly what  she is saying to me.  How?  We are in unity!  However, I can be sitting two feet from her in our car &  just had a spat with her, & yet there is DISTANCE.  Unity & communion (common union) has been broken!

How can God be FAR or CLOSE.  There’s a difference in His omnipresence & His manifest presence.
Genesis 28:16 (until now)
The Lord’s “manifest presence” happens when we get in UNITY with God & start walking in the same direction as He is.  This moment is when Jacob committed to OBEYING God with his whole family!  In fact he expressed that commitment by beginning to TITHE to the Lord!

OPINION ALERT:  (I don’t believe there’s ever been a great man of God that didn’t practice the principle of the tithe.)

NONETHELESS, the question is:  Are you walking in His MANIFEST presence or settling for His omnipresence?

Omnipresent means “fully present in all places at all times.” If there was some place God COULDN’T go then He would have limits.  But He is limitless.
Psalm 139:7-12 speaks of God’s omnipresence:
God doesn’t travel. (He’s already there!)  He is above all (presiding) Beneath all (sustaining) Outside all (protecting) Inside all (filling)  So, is God you beneath you? YES.  Is He outside or inside you? YES.
Does the universe containing God or does God contain the universe?  Yes. 

This means simply put: You are never alone.  Hospital room or hotel room in Asia:  God is there.

The first three months of this year I was sick and they could not figure out what was wrong with me.  Some strange Asian bug perhaps… nonetheless, I went for a brain scan to rule out a brain tumor.  As I was laying on that cold, MRI table, inside this strange machine, I felt alone.  But I knew I wasn’t.  HE was there!

Tomorrow, my post will directly discuss the Omnipresence vs. the Manifest Presence of God.  Until then remember: HE is there!

pkc

P.S. – They found no tumors but they DID find my brain!

The word “Science” or Knowledge is the in Omniscience. That’s because God has all knowledge & knows all science!  He knows everything actual & possible… Past present & future all at the same time!
God can’t learn anything!  NOTHING HAS EVER OCCURRED TO GOD.  He’s never bewildered or confused; He’s never trying to figure something out.    This “recession” didn’t take God by surprise.
Nothing can ever happen to me that God hasn’t about & planned a way of victory on my behalf!
Job 38:1-3, 12-13, 16 34 One translation says, “Has the sun ever showed up at your throne & asked permission to rise?” WOW!  Think about the stuff on GOD’S daily to-do list!

Here’s my point: Do you need to know God’s will about something? He knows!
God knows what I’m going thru but He also knows the answer!

Ask Him.  He’s waiting with the answer!

I Timothy1:17 “Unto the King eternal…”

Rev. 19:5-7
Omnipotent means “all powerful”.  All power & all ability to perform all of His decrees.
Without  omnipotence all His other attributes would be feeble.
God has Supreme Power – His RIGHT to act. What gave Him the RIGHT to create the world?  He has Supreme Power.
God has Absolute Power – the ABILITY to act.
Because He has power I have peace.

1. Because He has all power I can overcome sin! I Cor 10:13.  There is no sin or temptation you can’t get free from because God has all power!
2. Because He has all power I can overcome sickness! Rom. 8:11
3. Because He has all power I can overcome Satan.  I John 4:4 (Satan is a CREATED being.  No creation is greater than it’s creator!)
4. Because He has all power I can overcome Self. “I keep under my body…”

Bottom line: Because God is All Powerful there is NO problem you are going through or EVER will go through that HE doesn’t have the POWER to bring you out!

We will talk about the “Omni’s of God!” Going to be exciting!

See you at 9 & 11 a.m.

www.harvestmobile.com

pkc