16 February 2014 Sunday Service "Tax in the Temple" by Rev Samuel Mametsa
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Malachi 3:8-10 NKJV.
“8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. “
Most often when we pray for people and we find their things are not moving, they are not getting healed. You ask yourself what is happening.
At one time I struggled with God, asking Him and seriously so: “Why are this people not getting healed? Why are they frequently attacked and not prospering?” This is the response that God gave me:
Malachi 3:9 NKJV
9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
People think they are robbing God when they don’t pay their tithes. They want to negotiate with God about their troubles. You want to convince God about helping you with your problem. God has put something in your pocket. God has given you a job and now you idolise your job. You will face the consequences one day.
God can't put this scripture in His bible for nothing. I regard it as an instruction from God. If we fear God, if we really fear God, if we really know God, we won’t do what we are doing: not paying tithes.
Malachi 3:10 NKJV
“10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.”
What is that? There are people who bring half tithes. They think God doesn't know how much they earn? If what you are doing is right, then continue with your wrongdoing.
I used to wonder why some other churches demand pay slips from their members so that we they can deduct the 10% tithes. I realised that these people are doing it from experience because of people who are members for their churches but doing nothing about tithes.
The question in verse 08: will a man rob God? If a person is having the spirit of robbing God then this person is very dangerous. Some people make stop orders in order to pay their tithes, they fear God and do not want to make a mistake of robbing God, so they want to make sure that the money is deducted electronically.
What I have realised with people who work, is that they have payments, or deductions that they respect and prioritize. Some people prioritize their houses, cars and properties etc. not God, not their tithes.
Matthew 17:24-27 NKJV
“24 When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?" 25 He said, "Yes." And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?" 26 Peter said to Him, "From strangers." Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free. 27 Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you."
”…for Me and you.."” Jesus was teaching His disciples to pay taxes.
Matthew 22:21 NKJV
21 They said to Him, "Caesar's." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
What belongs to God is the tithes. If we are in the House of God and tithe when we feel like, then we are not yet repented. It means you are still pushing yourself to do the things of God. The people of God do what God says they must do. If you don’t do what God says you must do, then who are you serving? It is scary to see somebody rebelling against the things that are in the word of God but when they are in trouble they raise their hands unto God and cry for help. God won’t listen to you. The beginning of deliverance is when you honour the word of God.
You can't expect God to give you when you don’t give unto God. God already sees that your money is your demo. If you can't take part of your money and give it to God, He has already seen idolatry in you. You worship your money.
Matthew 6:19-22 NKJV
19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The Lamp of the Body (Luke 11:34-36) 22 "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.
Matthew 6:24-26 NKJV
4 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Do Not Worry (Luke 12:22-31) 25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
These words come from Jesus himself. The one you claim to be called after His name. Listen to what your master says: Why? A lot of people forget that one day they must go to heaven. They gather wealth here in this world and create their own small island and feel that they have arrived. Here God is rebuking us so that this wealth may not cause us to forget the word. In other words, you came to earth with nothing and you will leave with nothing. He is worried that you want to gather wealth, which wealth leave on this earth.
We have seen people who died becoming ghosts because they have left a lot of monies in the world. I watched a movie where this one man killed a rich person and robbed him of his monies and now the robber could not sleep at night as the dead man was coming to him at night demanding from him: “I want my money” At the end that robber took the money and threw it into the dead man’s yard.
“20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
The reason Jesus Christ is warning is that a lot of people die because of money. You find a brother killing a brother; thieves kill people because of money. If somebody was to take R20mil from your bank account I am sure you would just fall down and die. It is because you idolise your money.
The devil will whisper to you and say “Why should you tithe? You don’t even have a house?” There is a curse for not paying your tithes and it is a curse from God Himself. Nobody, no pastor can pray for you for the curse to be removed as it is from God Himself. On the other hand, God says “Try me.”
Matthew 6:20 NKJV
"20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
You can ask, “How can I invest in heaven?” When you give to God, you are investing in God and in every investment there are profits. People make investments, in their funeral policies and pay monies to societies. They don’t owe any cent, they are ready death to come. They know they will be buried nicely, in style, with expensive coffins, great food etc. The book of Ecclesiastes says it is all in vain. Your treasure your body. You don’t treasure your spirit. Already it shows God something, “You love yourself more than Me”.
My friend, where is the society for your soul? It won’t help yon much to come and preach powerfully about offering, preach powerful messages and sing great but with no investment for your spirit. If I were God I would say 70% for tithes but God only wants 10%. Your 10% cannot cover the cracks in heaven. He wants to see your love for Him. The bible says those who are faithful in the little things will also be faithful in the bigger things.
Matthew 6:21 NKJV
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
A person with money has no time to go to church. If you see them in church, it is because of sicknesses and diseases. That is why you God is allowing people to get sick so much. “I have everything I want, what do I want at church? I just phone KFC and they bring the food to meat.”
Luke 16:28 the bible says both Lazarus and the rich man died. After death the rich man became thirsty. He was in pain and he was suffering whilst Lazarus was now enjoying. A lot of rich people think they won’t die.
Matthew 6:24 NKJV
24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Today Jesus wants us to make a mark: between Him and money who do we love more. That is why He says “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar”. What belongs to God is the 10%. You can't serve two kings. In other words money is a king and God is a king. Why do we say money is a king? When you have money yon can buy everything, you are charged in court: you can buy lawyers, the police, the magistrate, investigators etc after which your case will disappear. That is why Jesus warned us: you can't serve two kings. In other words, he is saying we need not serve money. Money must serve us.
There are people who will even sell their own children, just because they are offered R20mil or other amounts of monies. The devil tells the person, “With the money you can buy a car, a house etc.” Let me tell you how others sell their children: they go to a sangoma and they say I want to become rich and he says “It is not easy, you need higher blood, not the blood of animals.” You say, “Which person I can't kill anybody” and he says, “Don’t worry, give us the money and we will get the blood for you.” You go ahead according to their and you finish the whole family not knowing where they are getting the blood from.
Matthew 6:25 NKJV
25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Here Jesus is warning us that when you came to earth, you had no suit on. A child is born naked. Now you are busy crying “What will this child put on?”
Ecclesiastes 5:10 NKJV
10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.
There are people who love money too much. Have you heard somebody say “I am from work my bag of money is now full and I don’t need to work anymore” The word of God says you will watch the money. Why? There is no protection in your account.
When some people withdraw money from the ATM, their monies disappear from the account. The devil makes them think that they withdrew the money and they struggle to remember what really happened. He makes you to pay tithes to him.
1 Timothy 6:10 NKJV
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
If you have the demon of loving money too much, then your chances of backsliding are very high. When the devil gives you money, he wants you to forget your Creator. Some lose their faith because of money. When they get money, they forget God. The bible says they pierce themselves with sorrows.
1 Corinthians 16:2
2 On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.
Paul was teaching them that on the first day of the week, put your tithes aside so we don’t waste time by gathering, he was talking to people who understand the things of God.
According to how God prospered him. It may be your salary for the month, it may be a weekly salary. Paul says set aside 10% of how God has prospered you.
Who is supposed to pay tithes? Anybody who earns an income. Who gives you your income? Do you know where your money comes from and who is giving you your monies?
The issue of tithing doesn't start with tithing. There is nowhere where it says tithes should be paid monthly. Paul says collect your tithes on the first day of the week: those who earn per week, month, and fortnightly bring it weekly, monthly, and fortnightly so that me as Paul I will find it already gathered and then take it and go.
The word of God is rebuking us. Some are saying “I am not employed.” When you get a job and you don’t bring your first fruits: what is first fruits. It is when you get a job, your first salary and you take the whole of it to the house of God. In other words, you are redeeming your job. Then you are saying to God, “This is my first fruits, I thank you for giving me this job.” The following month then you take 10% of it. One year finishes and they promote you to a higher level, the first pay of your promotion, you take that money to God, “This my first salary of the new job, protect this job.” I am telling you, every year you will be promoted. God is bound by His word. Those who are trustworthy in little things will be faithful in bigger things. “24 Mapakulile u ḓi pfuma a tshi ya; a no dzima na zwo fanelaho vhaṅwe ene u ḓi shaya a tshi ya. 25A si na vhutshivha u ḓo pfuma; a no dzimula ḓora ḽa vhaṅwe, na ḽawe ḽi ḓo dzimulwa-vho.”
Proverbs 11:24-25
I define “Mapakulile” as a person who gives even when they are in pain, crying. The secret to giving, is that you will get richer and richer. Stingy people will not see heaven. God hates stingy people. Why? They have just arrived on earth recently and not they think they own everything and don’t even want to share those things with God.
You don’t need to be reminded about tithing. The secret of your healing, breakthrough is in your tithes.
The secret of prosperity, which I see every day as I help those who are in need. If you want to prosper, try it. It’s not about you praying to get money and then you get the money. God speaks a lot about money in the bible and how you can multiply your money, how you can receive blessings from Him. If you can't give to God, how can you give to a person? The problem is that we don’t trust God and we want to solve our problems ourselves. The devil will be against you. Your money will be protected when you invest in heaven, by paying your tithes.
Do you think God is a fool to say pay 10%? He knows that amongst your monies there is His 10%. He will then protect your money.
Some have their monies stolen right from their bank accounts, some lose monies every day because they don’t tithe.
“8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. “
Most often when we pray for people and we find their things are not moving, they are not getting healed. You ask yourself what is happening.
At one time I struggled with God, asking Him and seriously so: “Why are this people not getting healed? Why are they frequently attacked and not prospering?” This is the response that God gave me:
Malachi 3:9 NKJV
9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
People think they are robbing God when they don’t pay their tithes. They want to negotiate with God about their troubles. You want to convince God about helping you with your problem. God has put something in your pocket. God has given you a job and now you idolise your job. You will face the consequences one day.
God can't put this scripture in His bible for nothing. I regard it as an instruction from God. If we fear God, if we really fear God, if we really know God, we won’t do what we are doing: not paying tithes.
Malachi 3:10 NKJV
“10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.”
What is that? There are people who bring half tithes. They think God doesn't know how much they earn? If what you are doing is right, then continue with your wrongdoing.
I used to wonder why some other churches demand pay slips from their members so that we they can deduct the 10% tithes. I realised that these people are doing it from experience because of people who are members for their churches but doing nothing about tithes.
The question in verse 08: will a man rob God? If a person is having the spirit of robbing God then this person is very dangerous. Some people make stop orders in order to pay their tithes, they fear God and do not want to make a mistake of robbing God, so they want to make sure that the money is deducted electronically.
What I have realised with people who work, is that they have payments, or deductions that they respect and prioritize. Some people prioritize their houses, cars and properties etc. not God, not their tithes.
Matthew 17:24-27 NKJV
“24 When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?" 25 He said, "Yes." And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?" 26 Peter said to Him, "From strangers." Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free. 27 Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you."
”…for Me and you.."” Jesus was teaching His disciples to pay taxes.
Matthew 22:21 NKJV
21 They said to Him, "Caesar's." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
What belongs to God is the tithes. If we are in the House of God and tithe when we feel like, then we are not yet repented. It means you are still pushing yourself to do the things of God. The people of God do what God says they must do. If you don’t do what God says you must do, then who are you serving? It is scary to see somebody rebelling against the things that are in the word of God but when they are in trouble they raise their hands unto God and cry for help. God won’t listen to you. The beginning of deliverance is when you honour the word of God.
You can't expect God to give you when you don’t give unto God. God already sees that your money is your demo. If you can't take part of your money and give it to God, He has already seen idolatry in you. You worship your money.
Matthew 6:19-22 NKJV
19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The Lamp of the Body (Luke 11:34-36) 22 "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.
Matthew 6:24-26 NKJV
4 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Do Not Worry (Luke 12:22-31) 25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
These words come from Jesus himself. The one you claim to be called after His name. Listen to what your master says: Why? A lot of people forget that one day they must go to heaven. They gather wealth here in this world and create their own small island and feel that they have arrived. Here God is rebuking us so that this wealth may not cause us to forget the word. In other words, you came to earth with nothing and you will leave with nothing. He is worried that you want to gather wealth, which wealth leave on this earth.
We have seen people who died becoming ghosts because they have left a lot of monies in the world. I watched a movie where this one man killed a rich person and robbed him of his monies and now the robber could not sleep at night as the dead man was coming to him at night demanding from him: “I want my money” At the end that robber took the money and threw it into the dead man’s yard.
“20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
The reason Jesus Christ is warning is that a lot of people die because of money. You find a brother killing a brother; thieves kill people because of money. If somebody was to take R20mil from your bank account I am sure you would just fall down and die. It is because you idolise your money.
The devil will whisper to you and say “Why should you tithe? You don’t even have a house?” There is a curse for not paying your tithes and it is a curse from God Himself. Nobody, no pastor can pray for you for the curse to be removed as it is from God Himself. On the other hand, God says “Try me.”
Matthew 6:20 NKJV
"20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
You can ask, “How can I invest in heaven?” When you give to God, you are investing in God and in every investment there are profits. People make investments, in their funeral policies and pay monies to societies. They don’t owe any cent, they are ready death to come. They know they will be buried nicely, in style, with expensive coffins, great food etc. The book of Ecclesiastes says it is all in vain. Your treasure your body. You don’t treasure your spirit. Already it shows God something, “You love yourself more than Me”.
My friend, where is the society for your soul? It won’t help yon much to come and preach powerfully about offering, preach powerful messages and sing great but with no investment for your spirit. If I were God I would say 70% for tithes but God only wants 10%. Your 10% cannot cover the cracks in heaven. He wants to see your love for Him. The bible says those who are faithful in the little things will also be faithful in the bigger things.
Matthew 6:21 NKJV
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
A person with money has no time to go to church. If you see them in church, it is because of sicknesses and diseases. That is why you God is allowing people to get sick so much. “I have everything I want, what do I want at church? I just phone KFC and they bring the food to meat.”
Luke 16:28 the bible says both Lazarus and the rich man died. After death the rich man became thirsty. He was in pain and he was suffering whilst Lazarus was now enjoying. A lot of rich people think they won’t die.
Matthew 6:24 NKJV
24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Today Jesus wants us to make a mark: between Him and money who do we love more. That is why He says “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar”. What belongs to God is the 10%. You can't serve two kings. In other words money is a king and God is a king. Why do we say money is a king? When you have money yon can buy everything, you are charged in court: you can buy lawyers, the police, the magistrate, investigators etc after which your case will disappear. That is why Jesus warned us: you can't serve two kings. In other words, he is saying we need not serve money. Money must serve us.
There are people who will even sell their own children, just because they are offered R20mil or other amounts of monies. The devil tells the person, “With the money you can buy a car, a house etc.” Let me tell you how others sell their children: they go to a sangoma and they say I want to become rich and he says “It is not easy, you need higher blood, not the blood of animals.” You say, “Which person I can't kill anybody” and he says, “Don’t worry, give us the money and we will get the blood for you.” You go ahead according to their and you finish the whole family not knowing where they are getting the blood from.
Matthew 6:25 NKJV
25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Here Jesus is warning us that when you came to earth, you had no suit on. A child is born naked. Now you are busy crying “What will this child put on?”
Ecclesiastes 5:10 NKJV
10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.
There are people who love money too much. Have you heard somebody say “I am from work my bag of money is now full and I don’t need to work anymore” The word of God says you will watch the money. Why? There is no protection in your account.
When some people withdraw money from the ATM, their monies disappear from the account. The devil makes them think that they withdrew the money and they struggle to remember what really happened. He makes you to pay tithes to him.
1 Timothy 6:10 NKJV
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
If you have the demon of loving money too much, then your chances of backsliding are very high. When the devil gives you money, he wants you to forget your Creator. Some lose their faith because of money. When they get money, they forget God. The bible says they pierce themselves with sorrows.
1 Corinthians 16:2
2 On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.
Paul was teaching them that on the first day of the week, put your tithes aside so we don’t waste time by gathering, he was talking to people who understand the things of God.
According to how God prospered him. It may be your salary for the month, it may be a weekly salary. Paul says set aside 10% of how God has prospered you.
Who is supposed to pay tithes? Anybody who earns an income. Who gives you your income? Do you know where your money comes from and who is giving you your monies?
The issue of tithing doesn't start with tithing. There is nowhere where it says tithes should be paid monthly. Paul says collect your tithes on the first day of the week: those who earn per week, month, and fortnightly bring it weekly, monthly, and fortnightly so that me as Paul I will find it already gathered and then take it and go.
The word of God is rebuking us. Some are saying “I am not employed.” When you get a job and you don’t bring your first fruits: what is first fruits. It is when you get a job, your first salary and you take the whole of it to the house of God. In other words, you are redeeming your job. Then you are saying to God, “This is my first fruits, I thank you for giving me this job.” The following month then you take 10% of it. One year finishes and they promote you to a higher level, the first pay of your promotion, you take that money to God, “This my first salary of the new job, protect this job.” I am telling you, every year you will be promoted. God is bound by His word. Those who are trustworthy in little things will be faithful in bigger things. “24 Mapakulile u ḓi pfuma a tshi ya; a no dzima na zwo fanelaho vhaṅwe ene u ḓi shaya a tshi ya. 25A si na vhutshivha u ḓo pfuma; a no dzimula ḓora ḽa vhaṅwe, na ḽawe ḽi ḓo dzimulwa-vho.”
Proverbs 11:24-25
I define “Mapakulile” as a person who gives even when they are in pain, crying. The secret to giving, is that you will get richer and richer. Stingy people will not see heaven. God hates stingy people. Why? They have just arrived on earth recently and not they think they own everything and don’t even want to share those things with God.
You don’t need to be reminded about tithing. The secret of your healing, breakthrough is in your tithes.
The secret of prosperity, which I see every day as I help those who are in need. If you want to prosper, try it. It’s not about you praying to get money and then you get the money. God speaks a lot about money in the bible and how you can multiply your money, how you can receive blessings from Him. If you can't give to God, how can you give to a person? The problem is that we don’t trust God and we want to solve our problems ourselves. The devil will be against you. Your money will be protected when you invest in heaven, by paying your tithes.
Do you think God is a fool to say pay 10%? He knows that amongst your monies there is His 10%. He will then protect your money.
Some have their monies stolen right from their bank accounts, some lose monies every day because they don’t tithe.