1. BEYOND THE TITHE! pt.5 ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING THINGS IN LIFE IS TO WANT MORE OR BETTER FOR SOMEBODY THAN WHAT THEY WANT FOR THEMSELVES. Parent & Child Coach Bennett Harriett Tubman Dr. King Pastor?

2. BEYOND THE TITHE! pt.5 WHAT DOES THE PASTOR WANT? The Pastor is to desire for his congregation to have a greater HEART for God. WHY? GIVING STARTS WITH MY HEART! The Heart Is the ROOT; Giving is a SYMPTOM! (Psyche Ward Analogy- medicate symptoms; not root) The Center of our INTELLECT, WILL, & EMOTIONS = When my heart is with God, there is nothing I WON’T do for him!

3. BEYOND THE TITHE! pt.5 Malachi 3:7 “Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. RETURN UNTO ME, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?” *God addresses the ROOT CAUSE before he addresses the SYMPTOM/EFFECT of tithing. -God’s people fell short in their giving because their hearts were no longer with God. hearts were no longer with God. *GOD WANTS MY HEART!

4. BEYOND THE TITHE! pt.5 Revelations 2:1-5 VS.1 John writes to the church of Ephesus. -a prominent church -with prominent pastors (Paul & Timothy) *Sometimes it’s hard to detect the true heart *Sometimes it’s hard to detect the true heart of a church because the condition of the of a church because the condition of the heart is hidden behind the following: heart is hidden behind the following: -THE PROMINENCE OF THE CHURCH: (NRS) -THE PROMINENCE OF THE CHURCH: (NRS) -THE PROMINENCE OF THE PASTOR:(Chappell/Beavers) -THE PROMINENCE OF THE PASTOR:(Chappell/Beavers)

5. BEYOND THE TITHE! pt.5 Revelation 2:1-5 VS.2-3 God says that he knows the works of the church of Ephesus. -Ephesus is known for The Temple of Diana: a fertility -Ephesus is known for The Temple of Diana: a fertility god worshipped with immoral sex. god worshipped with immoral sex. *This church stood for right in the midst of evil and resisted false teachers. resisted false teachers. *Sometimes it’s hard to detect the true heart of a church because the condition of the heart is church because the condition of the heart is hidden behind: hidden behind: -THE CHURCH’S GREAT WORKS: Operation East -THE CHURCH’S GREAT WORKS: Operation East

6. BEYOND THE TITHE! pt.5 Revelation 2:1-5 VS.4-5 In spite of Ephesus being a prominent church with a great pastor doing a great work, they left their first love, and God commanded them TO REPENT! (1)They were working for God, but God was not in their (1)They were working for God, but God was not in their work! work! (2)The same thing God said in Malachi is the same thing (2)The same thing God said in Malachi is the same thing he said to this church: RETURN! he said to this church: RETURN! (3)Failure to repent/RETURN to God would cause God to (3)Failure to repent/RETURN to God would cause God to move his candle stick/church out of its place. move his candle stick/church out of its place. -They would still be an organization but cease to be a living organism. a living organism. -God would fire them & let them keep working without them knowing that God’s hand was lifted. them knowing that God’s hand was lifted.

7. BEYOND THE TITHE! pt.5 God is saying RETURN: RETURN TO THE PLACE: -WHERE WE FIRST MET JESUS -WHERE WE THOUGHT OF JESUS ALL DAY LONG -WHERE WE BELIEVED ANYTHING JESUS SAID -WHERE WE ENJOYED BEING WITH JESUS -WHERE WE WERE UNTAINTED BY WORLD VIEWS