THE DISCIPLINE OF PUTTING FIRST THINGS FIRST

February 19, 2023

Main Scripture: Matthew 6:19-24,33

Additional Scriptures: Matthew 5:17-20, 22, 28, Romans 3:23-24, Exodus 13:2, Malachi 3:8-10, Psalm 37:25

POINTS:

• Grace: The spontaneous, unmerited gift of the divine favor in the salvation of sinners, and the divine influence operating in individuals for their regeneration and sanctification.

• Grace is a higher standard than the law.

• Grace calls you up! But the demand of grace will never be more than the grace that was freely given through Christ.

• Jesus is God’s tithe.

• The tithe is not about what everyone else is doing in the church, the tithe is about reordering the loves of your heart to put first things first.

• We are stewards of everything God gives us. God is the owner.

• Mammon is a spirit that lies to us so that we see ourselves as owners and money becomes our god.

• Mammon’s excuses:

• “I can’t afford to tithe” - you’re heart can’t afford for you not to.

• “I’ll give if I have something left” - If it’s not first then it’s not faith.

• “Serving is my tithe” - There is no scripture where it says if you can’t tithe then serve.

• “I’m generous, which is the same thing as tithing” - you can be generous and still think you are an owner.

• Tithing is a higher standard that God, through His Spirit, gives us the grace to meet.