Scriptures
Malachi 3:6-12
"I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of
Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have
turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will
return to you," says the LORD Almighty.
"But you ask, 'How are we to return?'
"But you ask, 'How are we to return?'
"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
"But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'
"In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.
"But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'
"In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.
1 Corinthians 9:21
To those not having the law I became like one not having the
law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to
win those not having the law.
Ephesians 1:1
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in
Christ.
Acts 5:5-11
Now a man named Ananias, together with
his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
With his wife's full knowledge he
kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the
apostles' feet.
Then Peter said, "Ananias, how
is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit
and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?
Didn't it belong to you before it was
sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think
of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."
When Ananias heard this, he fell down
and died. And great fear seized all who
heard what had happened. Then the young men came forward,
wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
About three hours later his wife came
in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price
you and Ananias got for the land?"
"Yes," she said, "that
is the price."
Peter said to her, "How could
you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your
husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also."
At that moment she fell down at his feet
and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and
buried her beside her husband.
Great fear seized the whole church and
all who heard about these events.
