Will You Rob God?

Malachi: A Conversation With God #7
Will You Rob God? 
Malachi 3:7-12 
Page # 952

Luke 10:20 -“Jesus said, ‘Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.’”

Acts 20:35 -  “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

How to keep from robbing God, others, and ourselves:

1. Have money and stuff become too controlling in my life?

Luke 16:13 -"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."

Deuteronomy 8:11-18 – “Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God… Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied,

then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God … You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’

But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”

2. Are Christ and His resources sufficient for me, or am I craving
    for what He did not give me?

1 Timothy 6:8-10 -  “If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.

For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

3. Where is the money that God gave me going?

Proverbs 27:23 - “Keep well informed of the condition of your flocks and pay attention to your herds.”

1 Corinthians 9:14 - "In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.”

Philippians 4:18 – “I am amply supplied, now that I have received…the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.”

Proverbs 22:22-23 - “Do not rob the poor…or crush the afflicted at the gate; for the Lord will plead their case and take the life of those who rob them.”

1 Timothy 6:17 - “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.”

4. Is my giving motivated and empowered by God’s grace?

2 Corinthians 8:9 - “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

2 Corinthians 9:7-8 - “Each one must give just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.”

5. Is Jesus’ example of self-emptying sacrificial giving becoming a
    way of life for me?

Matthew 16:24 – “Jesus said, ‘If anyone wants to be my disciple, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.’”  

1 John 3:16-17 – “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?”

Faith Sheet    

Transformation Verse (March) - Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice!      Philippians 4:4 

Main Themes:
~ Our financial giving and simplified living reflects how much we treasure the Lord and how much we desire to be part of His agenda in this world.

~ Our financial giving and simplified living is to be motivated by grace, not coercion. Only grace giving will have an eternal impact that will be honoured by the Lord.

#1- Reviewing This Past Sunday
Malachi: A Conversation With God #7
Will You Rob God?
Malachi 3:7-12 

1 Read Malachi 3:7-12. Discuss the message with someone.
2. Is the fact that we are not commanded to tithe in the New
    Testament a hindrance to generous giving? Why or why not?
3. Is it wrong to live a middle class lifestyle or better since many
    people are struggling to survive and many have never yet heard
    the Gospel? Discuss with someone.
4. Are you accountable to anyone in your giving? Why or why not?
5. How can a believer know if he or she is giving generously?

# 2- Preparing for Next Sunday
Malachi: A Conversation With God #8
Will You Celebrate Being Mine?
Malachi 3:13-18  

1. Read Malachi 3:13-18. What are the two problems in vs. 13?
2. How are the Israelites viewing their opportunity to serve God?
    (14)
3. What is their accusation against the LORD? (14-15)
4. How are true believers described? (16-18)
5. What does God promise He will soon make very clear? (18)
6. Read Psalm 73. Pray for Sunday.