(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

You know, again, this isn't a deep subject. You know, probably most of you already came in here convinced of the fact. You know, and maybe there's a few people in here that caught on the fence, didn't really know, or maybe you're just doing it and you just kind of thought, well, that's just what we do. But let me just say this, you know, you're welcome to remain unconvinced, you know, and you're welcome to just disregard that and just say, you know what, I'm not going to tithe. You know what, you cannot tithe and come to church here. You cannot tithe and come to church here. You know, the tithe isn't a membership fee. You know, I'm not sure, but I don't think when the ushers went by with the plate this evening, you know, if you put a tithe in, do they like stamp your hand or they put a little bracelet around your wrist so you can come back next week? Was there anyone stopping you at the door? Like that'll be, you know, one tenth of whatever you made this week, you know, it's not, it's not a membership due. It's not, you know, it's not a, it's not a fee. It's not something, it's not an admission. You know, the tithe is the Lord's at the end of the day. That's what it says in Leviticus 27 and all the tithe of the land, whether the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree is the Lord's, it is holy unto the Lord. And if you would go over to Malachi chapter three. So people are welcome to not tithe. People can go ahead and attack tithing and, and not do it. But just remember, it's, you know, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. You know, I'm not, I'm not going back there and updating the giving records and doing the bank deposit, you know, checking all the names, making sure that everyone's giving because, you know, I don't, I don't care. Do whatever you want with your money, but just understand this, that the tithe is the Lord's. You're not, you're not robbing Pastor Anderson, you're not robbing Brother Corbin, you're not robbing the staff here, you're not robbing Faithful Word Baptist Church, you're robbing God when you don't tithe. Okay. And that's just, that's just the plain truth. I mean, look at Malachi chapter three. It says in verse eight, will a man rob God? Now think about what he's saying here. Will a man rob God? What does it mean to rob somebody? You know, it means to steal something, right? If I were to rob you, I would take something that belongs to you and say, this is mine now. I have it back. That's what it means to rob somebody and say, will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, wherein have we robbed thee? So how, I mean, how do you rob God? Do you go up into heaven and break in through the pearly gates when he's not looking and bypass the security, you know, and go over to the, the, the God's dresser drawer and look for the pearls or something like that? Is that what he's talking about? I mean, you can't do that. He says in tithes and offerings. That's how you rob God. When you hold back the tithe, when you hold back the offering, you're not robbing the church. You're robbing God. I mean, I'm assuming that's what everybody else's Bible reads there in Malachi chapter three, which means this, that, you know, when you rob God, you're, you're, you're basically taking money that isn't yours to begin with. I mean, if that was your money to begin with, could you really say you were robbing God? Right? Then you, cause then the tithe wouldn't be, if the tithe isn't the Lord's, you holding it back, wouldn't be robbing God. Think about it because it's yours, it's your money, right? But he's saying when you hold back the tithe, you're robbing me. Why? Because the tithe is the Lord's, you know, that's, that's what we got to understand. People got to understand about tithing is that's God's money and all of that money is God's money. Not just the tithe. In fact, we'll talk about it here in a second, but you know, when you're tithing, we're not tipping God. You're not just like saying, oh, good job, God, you know, thanks for the prompt service at church today. You know, here's a little tip, keep it going, you know, I'll be back, I'll tell people about you. That's not what it is. You know, and I heard this recently too, and I was thinking about it, and I, you know, I think this is a good, I, I, I kind of, I agree with this. I would rather not tithe at all than just tip God, than just say, you know, I, I can't afford to give God the 10th, but you know what, I'll throw a fiver in every now and then, just kind of give God a little, little something, you know, tell God don't spend it all in one place, you know, and that's, I mean, think about that, if you're God, that's incredibly, that's like consulting, because here's the thing, God doesn't need your money at the end of the day, and again, it's not your money to begin with, right? Really when you think about it, tithing is something that helps the person who's tithing. I mean, who benefits from tithing? You say, oh, it's the people, the staff, the staff benefits from tithing. No, the staff is getting compensated for the work that they're doing, the staff is getting compensated so that they can continue to do what they're doing, right? It's not like it's, it's a, it's a, you know, a little something on the side, it's, it's what keeps us able to do what we're doing, you know. Tithing helps the person who's giving it. I mean, people who tithe, they learn a lot about, you know, money and understanding that, you know, life's not all about them, you know, that they learn how to, to let go a little bit of some things, and not only that, when you tithe, you get to see God work in your life and, and, and, and do things for you. Now if you would, go over to, you stay in Malachi chapter 3. The Bible says, and look at verse 9, ye are cursed with the cursed, 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 out a blessing upon you. You know, when God is telling you to tithe, he's not just saying, you know, give me what's mine, he's also saying, you know, you could take it that way, because that is true, but he's saying here, prove me, prove me with a tithe, you know, give me what's mine, give me what I ask for, God is saying, and I, and see if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And you know, I think this is very true, people who tithe consistently, people who are faithful in giving the tithe, they could probably all testify to this, that, you know, God has made ends meet for them, and maybe even opened up the windows of heaven and just poured out blessings upon them for their faithfulness in tithing.