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Lesson 1--------------------Page 3

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Lesson 4--------------------Page 12

Lesson 5--------------------Page 14

Lesson 6--------------------Page 16

Lesson 7--------------------Page 19

Lesson 8--------------------Page 21

Lesson 9--------------------Page 24

Lesson 10--------------------Page 30

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LESSON 1

KINGDOM OF GOD

“The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans

14:17

Jesus said, “Don’t be fooled when men say, ‘lo, the kingdom is here, or lo, the

kingdom is there, for the Kingdom of God is in the hearts of men.’” Luke 17:21

A kingdom may also be defined as a country, territory, or area in which the king reigns.

Therefore, we could conclude that the Kingdom of God exists wherever King

Jesus is reigning in the hearts of men and women.

CONTRAST OLD COVENANT AND NEW COVENANT;

“The law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

EXAMPLES OF GIVING IN THE OLD COVENANT:

FIRST OFFERINGS:

The first offerings that are recorded in the Bible are the offerings by Cain and Abel.

CAIN’S OFFERING:

Cain’s offering was from the fruit of the ground. God was not pleased with

Cain’s offering. The subsequent events indicate that Cain did not have the proper

attitude towards God, namely that he had jealousy towards Abel, because he saw that

Abel’s offering had been accepted by God. Genesis 4:2-7

ABEL’S OFFERING:

Abel was a keeper of sheep. He brought the first-born of his flock and of the fat

portions. And the Lord had respect and regard for Abel and for his offering. God was

pleased with Abel’s offering.

By faith, Abel brought God a better and more acceptable sacrifice than Cain,

because of which it was testified of him that he was righteous—and God bore witness

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by accepting and acknowledging his gifts. Hebrews 11:4

ABRAHAM TO MELCHIZEDEK:

Abraham, on his return from the slaughter of the kings, met Melchizedek and

gave to him a tenth portion of all the spoil. Hebrews 7:1-2

Melchizedek=King of Righteousness; King of Peace-- “without beginning or

end”. Hebrews 7:2: The Son of God is the King of Righteousness and the King of

Peace—no one else.

I believe that this is the Son of God, just as in the Fourth Man that the observers

saw when they looked into the fiery furnace. “We threw three into the furnace—now

there are four—and the fourth is like unto the Son of God.” Daniel 3

ISAAC:

The spiritual principle that we learn from Isaac is to give when times are

tough—especially when times are tough. I have very close friends who have given

their way out of debt. Isaac planted seed during an extended drought. He had a great

harvest. We, as believers, can follow that principle with our finances.

Genesis 26:1; 26:12-14— “And there was a famine in the land…. Then Isaac

sowed seed in the land and received in the same year 100 times as much as he had

planted, and the Lord favored him with blessings. And the man became great and

gained more and more until he became very wealthy and distinguished; He owned

flocks, herds, and a great supply of servants, and the Philistines envied him.”

EARLY TITHERS:

JACOB:

Jacob had the data concerning Isaac, his father, and Abraham, his grandfather.

He knew that Abraham had been blessed above every person on the earth. Genesis

24:1 He had observed his father Isaac being blessed abundantly even in the time of a

terrible drought. He desired so much to be blessed by God. He was tired of running

from his brother, Esau, who sought to kill him. He was tired of the deceptions that had

affected his life. He wanted something better. He wanted the blessing of God.

Jacob promised God that he would give to the Lord, ten percent of his increase

if God would bless him. Jacob vowed that “if God will be with me and will keep me

in this way that I go, and will give me food to eat and clothing to wear, so that I may

come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God; And this

stone, which I have set up as a pillar {monument], shall be God’s house [a sacred place

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to me]; and of all [the increase of possessions] that You give me I will give the tenth

to You.”

God did bless him—changed Jacob’s name to Israel—restored his relationship

with his brother Esau—increased his flocks and cattle—and basically added His favor

on every area of Jacob’s life. Genesis 28:12-22.

There are Bible teachers today who declare that we should give to the Lord with

no expectations of any return blessing to us. Every Bible happening that has to do with

finances and possessions would teach us just the opposite. We should give in faith,

believing in the promises of the Word, expecting God to bless us in return. “He that

comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently

seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

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LESSON 2

TITHE IN THE OLD COVENANT

UNDER OLD COVENANT: BRING TITHE TO THE LEVITES:

The Levites were descendants of Levi, one of the twelve sons of Jacob. The

Levites, or the tribe of Levi, were chosen by God to be the tribe to carry out the

sacrifices that God initiated through Moses. For that reason, the Israelites were

instructed to pay their tithes and offerings to the Levites.

BRING TITHE TO THE STOREHOUSE:

Malachi 3:8-11 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say

Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for

ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,

that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of

hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that

there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your

sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast

her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

DEFINITION OF STOREHOUSE:

Malachi 3:8, in the above passage, indicates that God was addressing the entire

nation of Israel. The entire nation was commanded to bring their tithes to the

storehouse or treasury. The treasury was intended by God to be full, so that the Levites

(priestly tribe), would be enabled to minister to the entire nation of Israel.

• Strong’s # 214—owtsar—Hebrew word—3 times—translated=storehouse

or storehouses;

• Strong’s # 214—owtsar—Hebrew word—71 times—translated=treasure

or treasures;

• Strong’s # 214—owtsar—Hebrew word—10 times—translated=treasury

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or treasuries.

In the Old Covenant, God’s people were the Israelites. The requirement to bring

tithes and offerings to the Levites was installed to support the Levites (priests), the

widows, the fatherless, and the poor.

God also promised a return blessing to those who paid their tithes and offerings.

NOTE: If the storehouse (treasury) for the Nation of Israel had an equivalent in the

New Covenant, it would seem logical to assume that it would represent the entire body

making up the Church of Jesus Christ globally.

BENEFITS OF TITHE AND OFFERINGS UNDER OLD COVENANT:

God told those who lived in the dispensation of the LAW to put Him to the

test—to see if God would keep His word. He promised the following to those who

paid their tithes and offerings:

• I will open the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing;

• The blessing will be so huge that there will not be room to contain it;

• I will rebuke the devourer for your sake;

• The devour will not destroy your crops;

• Your fruit will not drop to the ground prematurely.

SPECIAL OFFERINGS:

Deuteronomy 16:16-17—Three times in a year shall all thy males appear

before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened

bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not

appear before the LORD empty: Every man shall give as he is able, according to the

blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee. Exodus 23:16— Exodus

23:16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in

the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast

gathered in thy labours out of the field.

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BENEFITS OF SPECIAL OFFERINGS:

“The Lord God will bless you in all your produce, and in all the works of your

hands so that you will be altogether joyful.” Deuteronomy 16:15

• I will send an angel before you to keep and guard you;

• I will be an enemy to your enemies;

• I will bless your bread and water;

• I will take sickness from your midst;

• There will be no barrenness or miscarriages;

• I will fulfill the number of your days

The above benefits are listed in Exodus 23:20-26.

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LESSON 3

NEW COVENANT TEACHING

Jesus said, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down,

and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the

same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:38

TITHE OR GIVE:

In the above verse of Scripture, Jesus elevated the act of tithing to give. A

believer can certainly be blessed as he pays his tithes (10% of his increase). However,

Jesus is establishing a new principle concerning finances. If you give more than 10%,

you will receive an even greater blessing. “For with the measure that you mete out

(give), you will receive back in that same measure.”

EXAMPLES:

There are Christian businessmen who have testified to God’s faithfulness to

honor His promises. In some cases, businessmen have gradually increased the

percentage of their giving until it finally reached 90% of their increase. Giving=90%;

Believer=kept 10%---GREAT RETURN FROM GOD.

TITHE: The word tithes occurs six times in the New Testament:

• Luke 18:12—Jesus gave a parable about a Pharisee and a tax-collector in

which the Pharisee was bragging about his religious activity—he claimed to fast

twice a week and he claimed to pay tithes of all that he possessed;

• Hebrews 7:5—under the law, the Levites were commanded to receive tithes

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from all the people;

• Hebrews 7:6—Melchizedek received tithes from Abraham;

• Hebrews 7:8—under the law, tithes were received by men who were subject

to death;

• Hebrews 7:9—Levi received tithes;

• Hebrews 7:9—Levi paid tithes through Abraham, in that he was in the loins

of Abraham when Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek.

All of these experiences occurred either before the LAW or under the LAW.

Jesus taught about giving but never quoted the Old Testament Scriptures about tithing.

Paul and other apostles exhorted much about giving, but never taught about tithing.

BENEFITS OF GIVING IN NEW COVENANT:

• It shall be given to you, good measure, pressed down, running over Luke 6:38

• The abundance of grace; 2 Cor. 9:8

• Sufficiency in all things at all times; 2 Cor. 9:8

• Benevolence endures forever; 2 Cor. 9:9

• Demonstrates the generosity of God. 2 Cor. 9:12

• Glorifies God. 2 Cor. 9:12

NEW COVENANT=HIGHER CALLING:

The New Covenant is a higher calling—a higher way of living—a greater

commitment. It requires a greater financial commitment. But the promised return is

promised by Jesus Himself. “…For with the measure, you deal out—that is, with the

measure, you use when you confer benefits on others—it will be measured back to

you.” Luke 6:38. Wouldn’t it be better to expose believers to the greater promises in

the New Covenant than to keep them tied to the old principle of tithing?

The New Covenant is based on greater promises. In Hebrew 11 Abraham and

the other patriarchs only saw the promises from afar. Think about this: Abraham never

experienced the new creation—never had his sin nature changed to righteousness

(righteousness was attributed to him because of his faith, but it was not an inward

possession—through the exchange at the cross— “He (Jesus) Who knew no sin, God

made to be sin so that we could be the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians

5:21 Abraham never experienced redemption and justification through the blood of

Jesus. Abraham and the patriarchs never had their old natures crucified on the cross

with Christ.

Paul wrote more about giving than any other writer in the New Testament. When

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he instructed the people to give to the poor, to widows and orphans, to the needy, and

to the ministers, he never used the principle of tithing. No writer in the New Testament

who gave instruction or motivational teaching concerning giving ever used tithing as

a law—or a principle—or as a means of persuasion.

NOTE: “Give and it shall be given to you…” Luke 6:38

CONCLUSION:

The Word of God promises the above benefits to those who give liberally. God’s

giving program offers the best rate of return for your money.

Most churches and denominations motivate their supporters by quoting the Old

Covenant Scriptures about tithing.

Jesus motivated people to give—in that, He accompanied His instruction to give

with a promise of return.

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LESSON 4

BENEFITS OF GIVING NEW COVENANT MOTIVATION FOR GIVING:

The pattern of Jesus—He gave everything for us so that we could be blessed.

Ephesians. 5:2; Luke 9:23-24

1. To glorify God—2 Corinthians 9:13

2. To demonstrate the attributes of God—2 Corinthians 9:12

3. To stimulate others to give—2 Corinthians 9:2

4. To support workers in the Kingdom—2 Corinthians 11:8; Matt. 10:10

5. To be enriched in every way—2 Corinthians 9:11

6. To help meet a financial need in the saints—2 Corinthians 9:12

7. Because we have freely received—Matthew 10:8-10

8. To show compassion—Matt. 15:32; Matthew 18:27

9. To lay up treasure in Heaven—Matthew. 19:21; Luke 18:22

10. To obey the Lord—Luke 6:30; 2 Corinthians 9:12-13

11. To give as unto the Lord—Col. 3:23; Matthew 25:40, 45

12. God loves a cheerful giver—2 Corinthians 9:7

13. To be obedient to God—Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 9:6-11; Gal. 6:7-9

14. God will multiply your seed for sowing—2 Corinthians 9:10

15. Benevolence endures forever—2 Corinthians 9:9

16. To keep your heart pure—1 Timothy 6:10

17. To be a good steward—Matthew 25:14-30; 1 Peter 4:9-10

18. To promote the Kingdom of God—2 Corinthians 8:1-5

19. More blessed to give than to receive—Acts 20:35

20. To support those who minister to you—1 Corinthians 9:11; 1 Timothy 5:17;

18; Galatians 6:6

21. To demonstrate love for the brethren—2 Corinthians 8:8, 24; I John 3:16-

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22. To support the weak—James 1:27, 2:15-16

23. To bear fruit—Colossians 1:10; John 15:1-16

24. To respond to the grace of God—2 Corinthians 8:1-9

25. To minister to the Body of Christ—2 Corinthians 8:4; 9:1; Ephesians 4:28

The Church does not need the teaching of tithing to finance this great push for

completing the Great Commission. The New Covenant believers and the believers who

have received the “gift of giving” will provide in addition to the tithe for the above

purpose. It is not a matter of putting the Lord first in our lives—it is a matter of making

Christ “everything”. He is the bottom line, the top line, and every line in between.

The believer needs to trust the Holy Spirit to reveal to him/her those areas of

need that qualify as “good soil” in which to sow his/her seed. The best soil is that soil

to which the Holy Spirit reveals to the individual believer.

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LESSON 5

ALMS ALMS= The giving of food and/or money to relieve the poor.

Greek word=eleemosune—Strong’s # 1654=alms—compassionate deeds

exercised towards the poor.

Matthew 6:1-3: Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of

them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore, when

thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the

synagogues and in the streets, that they may have the glory of men. Verily I say unto

you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know

what thy right hand doeth:

Jesus is addressing the motive for which one may give to charity. He points out

that the better reward is given by the Father in Heaven. His reward is reserved for those

who give to charity in secret.

Luke 11:41— “But [dedicate your inner self and] rather give…alms to the poor

of such things as ye have [of inward righteousness] …”

Acts 10:4— “… (Cornelius) said, what is it, Lord? And the angel said to him,

your prayers and [generous] thine alms have come up a memorial [as a sacrifice]

before God”

Acts 9:36-41— “Now there was at Joppa a woman disciple named Tabitha,

which by interpretation is called Dorcas. She was abounding in good deeds and

acts of charity. About that time, she fell sick and died, and when they had

cleansed her, they laid [her] in an upper room…Peter put them (widows) all out

[of the room] and kneeled down and prayed; then turning to the body he said,

Tabitha, arise! And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she raised

herself and sat upright. And he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then calling

in God’s people and the widows he presented her to them alive.”

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The two examples above demonstrate that God responds to those who give to

the poor with the right motive—and He does so in a powerful way.

WIDOWS AND ORPHANS:

Acts 6:1-6: The apostles instructed the people to select seven men of good character

and full of the Holy Spirit to minister to the needs of the widows. This was done so

that the apostles could continue preaching the Word of God.

1 Timothy 5:3— “[Always] treat with great consideration and give aid to those who

are truly widowed—solitary and without support.”

James 1:27—External religious worship (religion as it is expressed in outward acts)

that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help

care the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself unspotted

and uncontaminated from the world.”

Malachi 3:5—The Word declares that the Lord will be a swift witness for judgment

against the following:

• Sorcerers;

• Adulterers;

• False swearers;

• Those who oppress the hireling in his wages;

• Those who oppress the widow and the fatherless;

• Those who turn aside the stranger from his right;

• Those who fear not the Lord.

ADMONITION TO CHRISTIANS:

Psalms 82:3— “Do justice to the weak (poor) and fatherless; maintain the right

of the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; rescue them out of the hand of

the wicked.” Christians have a Scriptural responsibility to care for the widows and

orphans and the poor and needy.

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LESSON 6

THE EXCHANGE AT THE CROSS FOR ABUNDANCE (2 Corinthians 8:9) For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that,

though he was rich, yet for your sakes, he became poor, that ye through his

poverty might be rich.

JESUS WAS RICH:

He didn’t own anything but his robe, but he was rich. By faith he always had

plenty. As a result, He was always able to give to others. He blessed the boy’s lunch

of fish and bread and fed 5,000 hungry people. After everyone had eaten, he had

baskets of food left. He operated with an abundance of supply.

WEDDING FEAST:

At the wedding feast, he saved the hosts from embarrassment by turning the 6

containers of water into wine. The wine-tasters declared it to be the best of wines.

The wine was aged by His creative power through faith.

NOTE: It didn’t take millions of years for the Earth to appear as it does today. It

didn’t take Eve twenty years to become an adult woman who would be suitable for

Adam’s companion. God created her in the suitable age bracket.

TREASURY:

He sent his disciples out to minister. On another occasion, He sent seventy to

minister. He had a treasurer in charge of the money that He received.

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THE COST:

The price that Jesus paid so that we, as believers, could enjoy abundance was

indeed a great price. He became poor as He hung on the cross. Poverty is described

in Deuteronomy 28 as a curse. However, Jesus became the curse, so that we could

be blessed and live in that blessing. Galatians 3:13 The blessing listed in this verse

is the “blessing of Abraham”. Genesis 24:1 describes that blessing as “blessed in

all things.” Thus, we could say, “Jesus became the curse so that we could be blessed

in all things, or in every area of our lives.”

THE CURSE OF POVERTY:

Deuteronomy 28:47-48: Because you did not serve the Lord your God with

joyfulness of heart for the abundance of all things, Therefore you shall serve your

enemies, whom the Lord shall send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness,

and in want of all thing;” This is the price that Jesus paid for our abundance. He went

to the very bottom of poverty. He was hungry—He had not eaten in at least 24 hours.

He was thirsty—He said, “I thirst”. He was naked as He hung on the cross. He had

absolutely nothing left—He was completely poor—this was absolute poverty.

GRACE:

As in every spiritual blessing, riches or abundance is through the grace of the

Lord. Grace is a powerful force in the life of the Christian.

“And you know the grace of our Lord, in that, though He was rich, yet for your

sakes, He became poor, that you, through His poverty, might be rich.” 2 Cor. 8:9

Definition: Greek word--Charis—Strong’s # 5485--GRACE.

Jack Taylor, international Bible teacher, defines grace as the empowering

presence of Christ.

Derek Prince, noted Bible teacher, defined grace as the enabling power of

God.

Patterson’s definition--an extraordinary endowment of power from the

Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit that equips the believer for LIFE and

MINISTRY.

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CONCLUSION:

Grace enables the believer to do what otherwise he/she could not do.

Grace enables the believer to be what otherwise he/she could not be.

Grace enables the believer to receive what otherwise he/she could not

receive.

Accordingly, grace enables the believer to receive abundance (sufficiency), so

that he/she can abound to every good work. This simply means that the believer who

enjoys abundance will BE ENABLED to give and minister in abundance to advance

the Kingdom of God as an end goal.

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LESSON 7

SUFFICIENCY IN ALL THINGS PAUL’S EXHORTATION—2 CORINTHIANS 9:

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye,

always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

GRACE--God’s enabling power. Grace enables the believer to do what otherwise

he/she could not do. In this case, grace enables the believer to give abundantly to the

work of the Lord. Grace enables the believer to be what otherwise he/she could not

be. In this case, grace enables the believer to be a GIVER. Grace enables the believer

to receive what otherwise he/she could not receive. In this case, grace enables the

believer to receive the abundant return of financial blessing from the Lord.

Please note the number of times that abundance is inferred in the above verse:

• ALL GRACE OR EVERY GRACE;

• MAKE GRACE ABOUND TO YOU ABUNDANCE--noun, ABOUND--

verb— same word!

• ALWAYS--AT ALL TIMES;

• ALL SUFFICIENCY;

• IN ALL THINGS;

• MAY ABOUND TO ALL GOOD WORKS.

“…so that you…. may abound to all good works.” This must be the end goal

for every believer who expects great financial blessings from the Lord. God is saying

to us, “I’m causing my grace to abound to you so that you may abound to good

works. I’m supplying to you all-sufficiency, in all things, at all times, so that you

may abound to all good works.”

It is logical to assume that a believer who has an abundance of money would

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be able to do more for the Lord than a believer who has a lack of money. There have

been times when one heard of a friend in need and had nothing to give to him. Other

friends who needed encouragement or the prayer of faith for healing and one could

not go to them because they were thousands of miles away and did not have the

available funds to travel. More could have been done to assist if only there had been

a sufficiency of funds.

SUFFICIENCY:

An individual might need gasoline for his/her vehicle. He/she drives to the

nearest gas station, needing to fill the tank to take a trip. He/she needs $45 to fill the

tank with gasoline. He/she checks his/her funds. To his/her chagrin, he/she only has

$20. That is a lack of sufficiency.

If the individual has $100—that is more than enough—that is sufficiency.

If the individual has thousands of dollars set aside for the trip—that is abundance.

Sufficiency— (Hebrew word--autarkeia)—Strong’s # 841.

Sufficiency—definition--more than enough. Enough so that one can

“abound to all (every) good work.”

The purpose of the sufficiency or the abundance is to equip the believer so

that he/she can give generously to all good works. In many cases, the “good works”

will not take place unless someone gives an offering.

God is more than enough:

“He’s more than enough—more than enough.

He is El Shaddai—the God of Plenty— The All-Sufficient One—God Almighty

He is more than enough.” [Author unknown]

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LESSON 8

SEED TIME AND HARVEST

SEEDTIME:

Seedtime refers to the time of planting. In agriculture, a farmer plants seeds

of corn and reaps a harvest of corn. A housewife plants seeds of flowers and grass

and reaps a beautiful yard. Another will plant seeds of vegetables and reap a

bountiful garden. An agribusiness person plants pecan trees and reaps a harvest of

pecans. There is an expectation of harvest when seeds are planted.

This principle is used extensively by television evangelists (perhaps overused

at times by Christian television networks.) It must be working because they keep on

using the principle.

The motive in this teaching is simple:

• To teach a principle that is Scriptural;

• To teach the benefit of expectancy.

EXAMPLES OF PLANTING SEEDS:

Elijah had been fed by the ravens by the brook during the drought. When the

brook dried up, Elijah went to the widow woman and her son, who had but a little

food left. She and her son had the expectancy of running out of food and then dying.

Elijah changed her expectancy.

Elijah instructed the widow woman to mix up a cake and bring it to him to feed

him first. He promised her that if she first took care of him, the meal would not run

out. She obeyed, planted the seed of food into the prophet, and enjoyed food for the

remainder of the drought. This is an example of seedtime and harvest. It saved her

life and the life of her son.

INSTRUCTION OF JESUS:

“Give and it shall be given to you, good measure, pressed down and running

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over will men give into your bosom. For with the measure that you give, that same

measure will be given to you” Luke 6:38

THE PARABLE OF THE SEED:

Jesus said to them, “Give attention to this. Behold, a sower went out to sow.

And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it

up. Other seed fell on the ground full of rocks, where it had not much soil, and at

once it sprang up because it had no depth of soil; And when the sun came up, it

was scorched, and because it had not taken root, withered away. Other seed fell

among thorn-plants, and the thistles grew and pressed together and utterly choked

and suffocated it, and it yielded no grain.

And other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and

increasing, and yielded up to thirty times as much, and sixty times as much, and even

a hundred times as much as had been sown. And He said, He who has ears to hear,

let him be hearing—and consider, and comprehend.

And as soon as He was alone…. [they] began to ask Him about the parables….

And He said to them…. The sower sows the Word. The ones along the path are those

who have the Word sown, but when they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away

the message which is sown in them.

And in the same way, the ones sown upon stony ground are those who, when

they hear the Word, at once receive and accept and welcome it with joy; And they

have no real root in themselves, and so they endure for a little while, then when

trouble or persecution arises on account of the Word, they immediately are

offended—become displeased, indignant, resentful; and they stumble and fall away.

And the ones sown among the thorns are others who hear the Word, then the

cares and anxieties of the world, and distractions of the age and the pleasure and

delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate

desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes

fruitless.

And those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the Word

and receive and accept and welcome it and bear fruit, some thirty times as much as

was sown, some sixty times as much, and some a hundred times as much…. And He

said to them, be careful what you are hearing. The measure…you give to the truth

you hear will be the measure that comes back to you, and more will be given to you

who hear. Mark 4:2-24

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The Word of God is sown into our hearts. If our soil (hearts) welcomes and

receives the Word, the harvest is great:

• We receive a harvest of wisdom;

• We receive a harvest of understanding;

• We receive a harvest of strength;

• We receive a harvest of power;

• We receive a harvest of spiritual fruit.

PLANT THE SEED:

If the farmer plants wheat seed, the harvest will be wheat. If the farmer plants

pecan trees, the harvest will be pecans. If a farmer plants corn, the harvest will be

corn.

If the believer plants love, the harvest will be love. Love will come back to

him/her. If the believer plants mercy, the harvest will be mercy. If the believer plants

peace, the harvest will be peace.

God planted His Own Son as the sacrificial SEED. The harvest was a family

of many millions of people who have become like His Son, Jesus.

If the believer plants a financial seed into the good soil, he/she will reap a

harvest of money. The best soil is that ministry or needs to which the Holy Spirit

directs you to give.

There are testimonies of friends who once lived in constant financial need, who

welcomed and accepted this spiritual principle and gave their way into constant

financial sufficiency.

SUMMARY OF LUKE 6:38:

• JESUS TEACHES A NEW PRINCIPLE OF FINANCING THE

KINGDOM OF GOD—GIVING;

• JESUS TAUGHT EXPECTANCY WHEN YOU GIVE;

• JESUS TAUGHT THAT THE PROPORTION OF THE HARVEST

WOULD BE GREATER THAN THE GIFT.

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LESSON 9

“LAST DAYS” GIVING

Since the creation of man, giving has been an integral part of the work of God

and the acknowledgment of God. However, in these last days, there will be a greater

need for the financial support of workers to go forth into the harvest.

FORMER RAIN:

Joel prophesied of a former rain and a latter rain. (Joel 2:23) The former rain

began on the day of Pentecost. Jesus, just prior to His ascension to Heaven, had

promised his disciples that he would send the Holy Spirit and that they (disciples)

would be endued with power from on high. Acts 1:8 He instructed them to wait in

Jerusalem for the promise of the Father. Acts 1:4 For John truly baptized with water,

but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. Acts 1:5

It was on the Day of Pentecost, that the disciples (about 120) were gathered in

the upper room. “Suddenly there came a sound from Heaven like a rushing mighty

wind.” Acts 2:2 This sound is thought to be like the sound of a hurricane or an F-5

tornado. It was the sound of an unusual power. They, about 120, were filled with the

Holy Spirit and would never be the same.

This event was the RAIN. It was a spiritual RAIN from Heaven. The spiritual

RAIN was necessary for the harvest that would follow.

Peter, who had appeared cowardly at the events just prior to the crucifixion of

Jesus, now was empowered by the Holy Spirit. He stood up with the disciples and

gave one of the greatest sermons in the history of the world. At his invitation to

repent and be baptized, about 3,000 responded. The spiritual harvest had begun.

Peter, in his sermon, explained to the crowd, “…this is [the beginning of] that

which was spoken by the prophet Joel: But this is that which was spoken by the

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prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of

my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your

young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: Acts 2:16-17.

LATTER RAIN:

Hosea 6:3:” There shall be a former rain and a latter rain.”

Strong’s=# 1653—geshem--hard rain; violent rain; a gully-washer.

The rain (geshem) represented two great outpourings of the Holy Spirit, the first of

which would occur on the Day of Pentecost.

EXAMPLES OF GESHEM:

Genesis 7:12: “…the rain (geshem) was upon the earth forty days and forty

nights… And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills,

that were under the whole heaven, were covered. Genesis 7:19.

Geologists explain that this type of rain and flood would produce giant

tsunamis—so huge that they would absolutely change the contour of the Earth. They

further declare that the superwaves would move entire continents.

The tsunami that hit Japan in March of 2011 moved the island of Japan eight

feet. That reveals the power of an oceanic tsunami.

1 Kings 18:41, 45: “And Elijah said to Ahab, Go up, eat and drink; for there

is the sound of abundance of rain (geshem)…In a little while, the heavens were black

with wind-swept clouds, and there was a great rain…” (geshem)

Before this rain (geshem) occurred, Elijah had prophesied a famine in which

there would be no rain for three years and six months. When this period of time

elapsed, Elijah prophesied the rain. He then sent his servant forth to check for clouds.

The first six times that the servant checked for clouds, he reported that there were

none. The seventh time that the servant checked, he reported that there was a cloud

the size of a man’s hand. Elijah had told Ahab, the King, to go up, eat and drink, for

there is the sound of the abundance of rain. ELIJAH TOLD AHAB THIS BEFORE

HE TOLD HIS SERVANT TO CHECK FOR CLOUDS.

“…In a little while, the heavens were black with wind-swept clouds, and there

was a great rain…” 1 Kings 18:45

Joel 2:23: Cause to come down for you the rain—geshem— (Hebrew word)

Strong’s# 1653— “violent rain” The former rain--# 4175—yowreh-(Hebrew word)

Strong’s # 4175— “autumn rain”; And the latter rain--#4456—malqowsh—

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(Hebrew word)—Strong’s=” spring rain; the latter rain.”

The rain described in the first part of Joel 2:23 was a “geshem”- a mighty

outpouring of the Spirit of God. The type of rain (geshem) that caused the flood in

Noah’s day.

In contrast to the former rain, this latter rain will cover the Earth—every

nation and every tongue (language) and every tribe. The coverage will be as it was

in Noah’s flood. The Spirit of God will cover the Earth in a mighty wave.

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the

LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts. Haggai

2:9

HARVEST:

“Another parable He (Jesus) set forth before them, saying, The kingdom of

heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; But while he was sleeping,

his enemy came and sowed also darnel (black, wild wheat) among the wheat, and

went his way. So, when the plants sprouted and formed grain, the darnel [weeds

resembling wheat] appeared also. And the servants of the owner came to him and

said, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then how does it have darnel

shoots in it? He replied to them, an enemy has done this. The servants said to him,

then do you want us to go and weed them out? But he said, No, lest in gathering the

wild wheat you root up the [true] wheat along with it. Let them grow together until

the harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the reapers, Gather the darnel first and

bind it in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my granary…. Then He

left the throngs and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying,

Explain to us the parable of the darnel in the field. He answered, He Who sows the

good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world, and the good seed means the

children of the kingdom; the darnel is the children of the evil one, And the enemy

who sowed it is the devil; the harvest is the close and consummation of the age, and

the reapers are angels.” Matthew 13:24-30; 13:36-39.

“Then He said to His disciples, the harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers

are few. So, pray the Lord of the harvest to force out and thrust laborers into His

harvest.” Matthew 9:37- 38.

SUMMARY OF PARABLE: According to the parable of Jesus, this harvest is the

close and consummation of the age.

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IN THE CASE OF THE FORMER RAIN:

FIRST—came the RAIN—the outpouring of the Holy Spirit--the Day of

Pentecost;

SECOND—came the harvest—3000 souls added to the Church in one day.

IN THE CASE OF THE LATTER RAIN:

FIRST—will come the RAIN—the outpouring of the Holy Spirit—all over

the world;

SECOND—will come the harvest—a worldwide gathering of souls—the

Great Harvest;

THIRD—the Lord will return for His chosen— (this gospel shall be

preached in ALL THE WORLD for a witness—then the END SHALL

COME).

PROPHECY:

In the days to come, there shall be a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit—a

spiritual rain, resulting in a spiritual wave that will cover the Earth even as the waters

cover the sea. This spiritual rain will produce abundant crops that will ripen quickly,

resulting in the greatest harvest of souls that this world has ever experienced. This

harvest will be a quick harvest and will fulfill the earthly requirements that are

necessary in order for the Lord, our Savior, to declare to His children, “Come up

here”, and we shall rise to meet the Lord in the air.

Take heed now, to prepare yourself. To be ready for His appearing, one must

position himself/herself for the Great Harvest. Don’t settle for sitting on the sidelines

and watching. Don’t let these great events pass you by.

REQUIREMENTS FOR GOD’S END-TIME LABORERS:

• Be continually filled with His Spirit—endued with power from on

high. Acts 1:8; Ephesians 1:19-21 As a result, expect extraordinary events to

take place around you.

• Be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit—listen attentively

to His instructions. John 10:27

Study to be approved by God for His work. 2 Timothy 2:15

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Testimony:

At the 2011 AFOL graduation exercises in Waggoner, OK, I heard Dr. Harold

J Bollinger give his testimony. He was at the Bible School in the 1950s and heard an

anointed message by Rev. Gail Schultz. Schultz prophesied about a great harvest of

souls that would come in the “last days”. After the class was concluded, Dr.

Bollinger was walking down the steps into the basement of the chapel and heard the

voice of the Lord, saying, “You will be involved in that great harvest in the last

days”. Bollinger was shaken by that revelation and asked: “How can this be?”

As Dr. Bollinger made the above statement, I too heard the voice of the Lord,

saying, “That is the reason that you are here in this place at this time.” I believe that

the most important thing that we do in our lives is here now—helping the called

laborers to prepare for the GREAT HARVEST.

• Understand the authority (power) that you have been given. Luke

10:19; Matthew 28:18-20 The “Great Commission” was given to us

(disciples) on the basis of the declaration of Jesus, “all authority in Heaven

and Earth has been given to me.”

• Walk in the gifts of grace that you have received. Romans 12; 2

Corinthians 9:8

Understand that the assignment that you have been given for the “end time”

will be accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of

grace that are resident in your life.

• Be approved by God through the study of His Word. 2 Timothy 2:15

• Be willing to be taught by an instructor-an individual or a group of

individuals who possess “gifts of teaching”.

• Make the correct choice. In the nations that have been ordained by God

(namely Israel and the USA), each generation has been given a choice. Moses

declared, “I call Heaven and Earth to witness this day against you, that I have

set before you, life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore, choose

life, that you and your descendants may live;” Deuteronomy 30:19,

Amplified Bible.

Joshua gave the very next generation a choice, “Choose you this day whom

you will serve…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15.

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LAST DAYS GENERATION:

In this generation, the “Last Days Generation”, every believer will be given a

choice. Every believer will have a position to fill or a part to play.

MAKE PREPARATION NOW:

To be involved in the last Great Harvest, each of us needs to prepare now, so

that we will be ready. The harvest will be quick. As in every type of harvest,

preparations are made ahead of time, so that when the time for harvest arrives, the

grain or the fruit can be gathered quickly.

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LESSON 10

FINANCING THE LAST DAYS HARVEST

TABERNACLE:

God gave specific instructions for the dimensions and the materials to be used

in the construction of the Tabernacle. It was a lavish building, portraying the finest

craftsmanship, sporting gold, silver and precious stones. The cost of the building

was monumental.

God had already provided the abundance required to build the Tabernacle.

When the Hebrews had left Egypt, they took with them the riches and treasures of

Egypt. Exodus 12:35-36

THE TEMPLE:

Although Solomon was designated to build the Temple, David, his father,

gave an incredible amount of money for the construction. David declared, “I have a

private treasure of gold and silver which I give for the house of my God: It is 3,000

talents of gold… 7,000 talents of refined silver for overlaying the walls of the house.”

1 Chron. 29:3-4

During the reign of King David, the nation of Israel prospered greatly. After

David’s pledge from his private treasure, he took up an offering from the chiefs,

princes, and captains of the tribes of Israel. The amount of the offering was 5,000

talents of gold, 10,000 talents of silver, 18,000 talents of brass, and 100,000 talents

of iron. The combination of these two offerings would amount to billions of dollars

in today’s economy. 1 Chron. 29:5-7

As in the building of the Tabernacle, once again God had provided abundance

so that this exquisite temple could be built.

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The Tabernacle and the Temple were the symbols of the dwelling place of the

Lord God-- the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

LATTER HOUSE:

“‘And I will shake all nations, and the desire (wealth) and the precious thing

of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord

of hosts…and the glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the glory of the

former house’, says the Lord of hosts, ‘and in this place will I give peace,’ says the

Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:7, 9

Notice the connection between the move of God and the wealth of the nations.

The wealth that will be required to gather in the harvest of souls will be monumental.

However, God has given that wealth collectively to His chosen vessels—those to

whom He presented the “gift of giving” and those to whom He endowed with riches.

The latter temple is more precious to the Lord than the Tabernacle or the

Temple—the only creation of God that can be redeemed by the blood of His Son,

Jesus. Those who are redeemed become the temples for the Holy Spirit—the

sanctuary where He has chosen to dwell. God has prophesied that He will fill this

house (temple) with splendor and that its glory will be greater than that of the former

house.

LIVING STONES:

To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men but chosen

of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy

priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.1 Peter

2:4-5

The “living stones” in the last days (that last great harvest) will be carved and

chiseled out of every nation, tribe, and tongue (language).

TEMPLE OF HOLY SPIRIT:

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is

in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a

price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which is God’s.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon

thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people:

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but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the

Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

Isaiah 60:1–3

PICTURE OF THE REDEEMED:

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of

all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and

before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with

a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto

the Lamb.— to Them [we owe our] deliverance!’” Rev. 7:9-10

Jesus commissioned us to “go and make disciples of all nations.” They must

have teaching in order to become disciples— “teaching them to observe everything

that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always—even to the close of

the age.” Matthew 28:19- 20

Jesus said, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have

commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.

Amen. Matthew 28:20

THE COST:

It will require a great amount of money to cover all the nations of the Earth

with the gospel. It will require all of our energy and all of our time. Every believer

will have an assignment to perform—either in preparing laborers for the last harvest

or in working the harvest itself. And those whose gift of grace is indeed the gift of

giving will have an important assignment as well—that being the financing of the

Last Harvest, both the preparation of the laborers and the harvesting of the souls.

We have been equipped to administer the defeat of Satan and the victory of

Jesus over Satan. We have been endued with power from on high. We have the

promise of Jesus that He gave at the end of the Great Commission— “lo, I am with

you always—even to the close of the age.”

Let’s push the Great Commission.