Self Supporting

If God does not dwell in temples made with hands, would he therefore want you to give your money to them? Think about it. If God does not live in, if God does not frequent, if God does not attend man-made ministries, religions or churches, would he want you to give money to them? Do I really need to answer that? I guess I do, so let's go back to grass roots.

1 Timothy 6:10a
For the love of money is the root of all evil:

As the love of money is the root of all evil, the proper understanding of how we are to use it is, therefore, of paramount importance. All evil, all of it, has its roots in the love of money. Trees grow from the roots up, so all evil grows from the love of money. Strong's defines this word all as all, any, every, the whole. That means all evil has its roots in the love of money, not just some of it, but all of it.

Why am I labouring this point? Well, I thought for decades that this all evil simply referred to people who commit crimes in order to acquire money. You know, from defrauding electricity companies by fixing their meters, to selling government stocks of gold bullion when gold prices are low so communist mason gangsters reap vast profits from it when gold prices go up. However, this verse has no such distinction, it clearly says all evil, so that must include evil that would take believers away from God's word. Therefore, if any person walks away from God and his word, or any ministry or church constructed by men leads people away from the truth of God's word in any category, the love of money is at the root of it. Argue with God all you like, but that's what his word says. We will come back to this shortly.

Please keep the distinction in your mind that money itself is not the root of all evil, it is the love of money that is the root of all evil. There is nothing wrong with money in and of itself. Some of the greatest men of God in the bible were rich, like David, Solomon, Joseph and many others. Job was the richest man on earth in his day. It isn't money, but the love of it that is the root of all evil. This is the truth, so we need to take the time to get into God's word and study this most important subject, and what better place to begin our adventure than back in Genesis, with Cain and Abel.

Genesis 4:1-5
And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance [his face] fell.

Before venturing further, let's set the stage. The earth has a new lord, the devil, who has just seduced man into giving him that position. As a consequence of his actions, man has just died spiritually, he no longer has spirit. God has put into motion the plan of redemption and driven man from the garden. Genesis 4 then is the very beginnings, the first faltering steps of man into the Patriarchal administration, his first tentative steps into the devil's new world order.

The enormity of the moment is incomprehensible. God has confronted Adam and Eve and promised them the messiah, a man who would redeem them from their state of spiritual death. For his part, the devil was feverishly putting together his plans to systematise evil to keep the world under his control. And isn't it remarkable that the very first thing that comes up in the new administration was financial gain and our attitude towards it. First occurrence of anything always gives us important information, so pay attention, because this is the first thing God brings up in the Patriarchal administration after the fall of man.

Adam and Eve had two boys who grew up and began work as farmers, Cain growing crops and Abel tending livestock. They both gave of their increase, their income to God. God enjoyed Abel's offering, but not Cain's. Why not? We know that God is no respecter of persons, so this wasn't God playing favourites, there must have been something wrong with Cain's offering.

Hebrews 11:4
By faith [believing] Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

Hebrews informs us that Abel's offering was a witness to his righteousness, so axiomatically, Cain's offering, whatever it was, indicated that he was less than righteous, otherwise God would have accepted his offering as well. That's just common sense.

To begin to understand this, we have to take a look around the bible to get a taste for what went on back in Genesis. Regarding our attitude towards giving, we can learn much from Jacob who fathered the twelve tribes of Israel. He had served Laban with good quality work for years, and during that time Laban had rewarded him by cutting his wages ten times. However, Jacob did not allow this treatment to corrupt him and he remained righteous in his attitude towards income and money. When Jacob left him, Laban pursued after him and accused him of theft.

Genesis 31:36-42
And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?

Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.

This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.

That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.

Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

God kept Jacob protected and ensured he was well taken care of despite Laban's greed and treachery. Here we begin to see the proper attitudes we should have regarding money and financial gain. We are never to love money more than we love God.

Romans 12:17
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

Laban was evil in his financial dealings, but Jacob did not recompense him that evil with evil. Jacob provided things honest in the sight of all men, despite the evil that was being done to him. Yes, there is a devil in the world, yes, the world is evil, and yes, the world will try to steal from us what is rightfully ours. We are still to provide things honest in the sight of all men. Our business dealings are to be conducted honestly, regardless of what the world is doing. That's God's word. Of course, this does not mean we just let scum bags like Laban steal everything from us, it just means we don't lower ourselves to their standards. Jacob didn't let Laban get away with his evil and just meekly accept it, did he? Not at all, he went to God and God ensured he was a wealthy man when he left him. If we do things God's way, we will be taken care of.

Regarding attitudes towards giving, consider the following:

Malachi 1:13
Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.

In the Law Administration, the Levites were to be ministers and priests to God's people, and the Israelites were to support them with their tithes and offerings. God doesn't need money, but his ministers do in order to get things done in this world. God confronted his people in Malachi because they were grudging God his tithe. Instead of bringing good produce with a willing heart, they were grudgingly offering dead, lame and sick animals which were of no value to anyone. Our attitude towards giving is more important than the giving itself.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

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:

Let's head back to Cain and Abel and put this all together.

Genesis 4:6,7
And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

The immediate context is giving offerings to God, so these verses refer specifically to giving of income, which in our day and time relates to giving money to God. Cain's attitude to giving was obviously faulty. The word doesn't tell us as much, but we can safely assume from other records in the bible that he was offering sub-standard goods with a grudging heart. God confronted him and gave him an opportunity to change. Look at the confrontation, look at what God told him - if you do not do well in your giving and in your attitude with it, sin lies at your door. This is mind bending stuff, because remember, the love of money is the root of all evil. If we love money more than God, sin lies at our door. The god of this world uses the love of money to corrupt men so he can grow his evil. If we are corrupted in our attitudes towards money, the evil that lies at our door will move in and make its home with us. Did Cain respond to the reproof and correction and change his ways?

Genesis 4:8
And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew [murdered] him.

This should get your attention. The love of money is the root of all evil. Cain's murderous ways were rooted in the love of money. He didn't want to give any of his money to God because he loved his money more than he loved God.

Now we need to ask the question, why would God want money from us in the first place? He's God, right? So why would he need money? He doesn't, however, those of us who work for God here on earth do. Nothing in life moves without money. The devil certainly knows this, and he ensures his people have plenty of it so they can grow his evil. For evil to be an effective and powerful force, it requires great deals of money. Have you any idea how much it costs the United Nations every year to sponsor world terrorism? Where does the United Nations get that money? We give most of it to them through taxes, world charities, and foreign aid. So, we give money to the devil to grow his evil, yet we grudge the true God a little money to help him move his word?

It's time to put money and our giving of it to God into context here. Who put the world together? Who put all the stuff into the earth for us? Who put all the vast treasures like oil, gold, gems and minerals into the earth in the first place? Who makes crops to grow? Who makes animals multiply? Who put the atmosphere here which we breathe? Who gave us our bodies so we can walk around and enjoy life? Who put all the prosperity and increase into the earth so we can work heartily and enjoy reaping the goodness of life?

Let me put this another way, we did absolutely nothing for the body we live in. It was given to us for nothing. We have no title deed to our body. This might come as a bit of a shock, but your body is not yours. You did nothing for it, and one day you will leave it. You do not own it, it is not your property. You may be fooled by the devil into thinking all your increase has come from your own efforts, but God gave you that body for nothing and all that increase was put there by God into the earth in the first place. If you raise animals, it is God who put the animals here and who makes grass grow to feed them. As you produce more animals, that increase is still God's, not yours. When you sell those animals for profit, that money you raise has come from God. This is true of any field in life. All increase comes from the earth and that increase was put there by God. When you make a profit, that profit has come from the earth in one form or another and it was put there by God for us to enjoy. If God had not put it there, you could not have it. So all your clothes, all your furnishings, your house, your car, everything you own has come from God. Nothing in life belongs to anyone, we simply enjoy what God has made available.

Psalm 50:10
For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.

You think all your stuff is yours? Okay, come back with it in 100 years and perhaps I'll listen to you. Or do you plan on taking it all with you when you take your last breath? Nothing on this earth is ours. There is nothing on this earth we can stand up before God and claim as our property, not even the body we live in.

1 Timothy 6:7
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

You see, our attitude shouldn't be about how much stuff we can get our greedy hands on, it should be one of thankfulness to God for freely giving us everything so we can enjoy life. If we become greedy and start loving money, then the evil that lies at our doors will march into our lives and make itself at home. That is how the god of this world grows his evil. He sets life up to revolve around the love of money, and when people start lusting after the things of the world and grudging God his money, evil is at their door. This is the very first lesson in the Patriarchal Administration after the fall of man.

Everything we have comes from God. We are not our own sufficiency, it is God who makes all sufficiency abound towards us in all things that we may abound to every good work. If we start thinking of ourselves as our own sufficiency, which is what the world promotes, then we are deceived.

Let's track the tithe through the bible and see what we can learn. When Moses led the children of Israel from the slavery of Egypt and divided up the promised land, the Levites were given no inheritance. Instead, they were to be full time ministers to the other eleven tribes. The other tribes were to tithe of their income and that tithe was to be given to the Levites to support them as they ministered to God's people and taught the word.

Numbers 18:24
But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

Nehemiah 10:37
And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.

See how this works? God certainly doesn't need money, but those who do his work on earth can't function without it. In the Law Administration, the tithe was given to support the Levites who worked full time maintaining the tabernacle and the temple, and teaching and ministering. God's people who tithed benefitted from this arrangement by always having ministers around who could teach them the word. There are other benefits to tithing as well.

Proverbs 3:9,10
Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

Do you want barns filled with plenty and your presses bursting out with new wine? Tithing is the way to go. Tithing is 10% of your income. You think 10% is extortionate? You think God asking you for 10% of your income is mean? How much does your government steal from you in taxes? Add up income tax, VAT, duty on petrol and other goods, national insurances, road taxes, and all the other taxes robbing you of the prosperity God wants you to have, and you will find that well over 60% of your income is stolen from you by the government in one form or another. And what does your government do for you in return other than stick their dick up your ass? God asks for 10%, promises barns filled with plenty, and you turn your nose up at God and wonder why your life is shit?

Malachi 3:8
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

Refusing to tithe is robbing God. Look, the tithe is not your money, it belongs to God. It's his rent, if you like, for living on his earth. If you're not tithing, you're not paying God his rent for living here. You're a fucking squatter.

Malachi 3:9
Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

Is your life shit? If you don't tithe, it's no wonder. This isn't just talking about being rich either - most of the devil's greedy men are filthy rich - this is talking about life in all its abundance, all your need met, good health, wonderful family lives, good jobs to go to, great places to live, enjoying peace inside, and living without worry, anxiety and frustration. If you think this is just about being rich and having tons of stuff, then you have no idea what true abundance is. Of course, there is nothing wrong with money and having lots of it, just keep your attitudes in alignment with God and his word.

1 Timothy 6:17-19
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

See, nothing wrong with being rich, just keep your attitudes about it out of the gutter. Your money is not your sufficiency, God is. The warnings about falling in love with money are clear.

1 Timothy 6:9,10
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

If you don't want to be pierced through with many sorrows, don't ever fall in love with money. History is littered with the corpses of rich and famous suicide victims who were pierced through with many sorrows because they loved money. Back to the tithe.

Malachi 3:10
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.

Want the windows of heaven opened and pouring out blessings for you? Tithing is the way to go. Cursed with a curse for robbing God is the alternative. If you're tired of the gangsters running your government stealing all your money from you and poisoning your food to get rid of you, try coming back to God and doing things his way. God isn't afraid of a challenge. Prove him by tithing, and see if he doesn't open the windows of heaven for you.

Malachi 3:11
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.

Want the devourer rebuked? Want protection for your stuff? Want income and prosperity to enjoy? Want to experience the goodness of life for a change? The tithe does more than just pay your rent, it also comes with a spiritual life insurance policy built in. Not a death insurance that only pays out when you die, but a life insurance policy that guarantees the devourer is rebuked and kept out of your life. All for 10%? Seems like a good deal to me. The Philippians certainly proved that tithing worked.

Philippians 4:15,16,19
Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

This promise in Philippians 4:19 is set in the context of giving money - tithing and abundant sharing. In other words, you can't claim the promise of Philippians 4:19 unless you give of your money to God. And this transitions very nicely into who we are to give our money to in this Age of Grace. Notice that Paul did not get this money from some patriarch doling it out at the ministry headquarters of some temple made with hands where everyone sent all their money to, it was sent to him from the home churches in Philippi. God's money was kept at the home church level and decisions regarding how it was to be used were made by the home church leaders. This is what home churches being self supporting means. This is extraordinarily powerful new light which has the potential to destroy the works of the devil as never before since the 1st Century.

Home churches are to be self governing, self propagating, and self supporting, the tithes and abundant sharing being used to move the word in their areas. How can a home church be self supporting if it sends all God's money away to the headquarters of a temple made with hands? God's money is to be used to move his word in your home church, so keep it and use it properly.

Let's now track money through the Grace Administration to see what else we can learn, and what better place to start than at the end of the first section of the book of Acts? If we live these principles, the word will move again.

Acts 2:44-47
And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

First of all, these people didn't sell all they had, they simply sold what they didn't need. You can see this in the use of the plural nouns possessions and goods.

Acts 4:34,35
Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Again, the use of the plural nouns lands and houses is important. These people did not sell everything they had, just what they didn't need. To illustrate this, compare the following verses from Acts 4.

Acts 4:36,37
And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,

Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Here the noun land is singular. This isn't a typo, this is the accuracy of God's word. Barnabas was a Levite, and Levites were given no inheritance among God's people. Instead, they were paid from the tithes as we saw earlier. Therefore, this singular property was plurality because he was paid from Israel's tithe money and all his need was met from that. This money was indeed given to the apostles, but remember, this is the very beginnings of the Administration of the Mystery, this Age of Grace, so the apostles would have been the very first home church leaders! This money was being used at the home church level.

These believers used their plurality to support each other. Isn't that what a family is supposed to do? If you have children, do you do all you can from the money you have coming in to keep them clothed and fed with a roof over their heads? Yes, God supplies all our need, but God doesn't have any money to hand out, he works within people who walk by the spirit to will and to do of his good pleasure to ensure his people are well cared for. If the home churches have no money because they send it all away to the headquarters of temples made with hands, how can the word move? It can't, which is why the devil establishes churches and ministries run by patriarchs and councils of men so they can steal all God's tithe money from you so you have no money to move the word in your area. Home churches are to be self supporting, and God's money is to be kept at the home church level to be used to move the word.

This brings us back to our attitudes towards money. Money is the root of all evil, right? I mentioned we would be back to this, so let's delve into it a little more in Timothy.

1 Timothy 6:5-8
Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

But godliness with contentment is great gain.

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

There are some who believe that gain is godliness, that if they are prosperous financially (have lots of money in their bank accounts) that they are somehow godly people and that God is blessing them. The word says that we are to withdraw from such. However, we need to make a distinction here because there is nothing wrong with having money in our bank accounts. The distinction we need to keep clear is that money isn't the root of all evil, it is the love of money that is the root of all evil.

As I said earlier, this isn't just talking about people who commit criminal acts to make money, although that is very much a big part of it. Masons, jesuits, communists, and other greedy bastards in government and corporations make decisions to poison our food so it lasts longer on supermarket shelves so it makes them more money. That is a clear example of the love of money being the root of all evil. Taking industrial waste like fluoride, a rat poison, and putting it in our food so they don't have to pay to dump it but instead charge us for it as a food and water supplement is a clear example of the love of money being the root of all evil. These evil men love money, so they make decisions that ultimately do the will of their god and grow his evil. Developing new strains of cold and flu viruses and deliberately infecting us with them to make billions from cold and flu remedies is an example of the love of money being the root of all evil. These are obvious examples, but it goes much deeper than this, and it can be far more insidious among God's people.

Let's look at an example to illustrate. I got together enough people here in the Highlands of Scotland to run a bible class for The Way International. After the class, the Way International sent up a man and his wife to run my area. I did all the work, they came and took over that work. They then moved the work from my village and two of us then used to drive every week for an hour to attend this new home fellowship meeting. We would leave after breakfast and get home sometime in the afternoon. Not only did this cost us a considerable amount of our petrol budget every month, it was also effectively a day out of our lives every week. At the time, we didn't mind paying the petrol or giving the time as we believed we were doing God's will.

The funny thing about this is that the so-called home fellowship leader was hardly ever there himself as he was too busy working at being a bus driver to attend. We would perhaps see him once, occasionally twice a month. He was responsible to run a home fellowship meeting every week, but he was off driving buses instead. His income was more important to him than doing the work of the ministry and carrying out his spiritual responsibilities.

The most vivid recollection of that time we spent travelling to that home fellowship meeting was how cold the house was. Not only was the house cold, but we were compelled to take our shoes off at the front door and walk in our socks on freezing wooden floors. They not only left the heating off, there were usually windows open too, even in winter. It was so cold at times, my toes would sting. At the time I thought they were perhaps struggling with money and couldn't afford to heat the house, so I put up with it.

A few months later, that home fellowship leader bragged to me one day about how he had saved up £5000 in his first year working as a bus driver. Really? So while the two of us had spent over £1000 in travelling expenses to freeze every week in meetings that he didn't even attend himself, that bastard had saved up £5000? He put his savings before heating his house so we could be warm? It was around that time that I began to see the depth of the truth that God dwells not in temples made with hands. That couple were quite happy having us freeze to death in their home, because they loved their wallet and their purse more than they loved God and the people they were supposed to be caring for. That's an excellent example of how the love of money is the root of all evil, even among God's people.

Well, I suppose he supposed that gain is godliness. No doubt he considered himself a really godly person. The word says we are to withdraw from such. Despite numerous correspondence to both him, the UK leadership and the Way International headquarters leadership, that man was not reprimanded, he did not change his ways, and he still runs a home fellowship meeting on behalf of The Way. They stole my work and stole the people God entrusted to my care, and I can only assume they did it for the tithe money it would generate. I now consider The Way International as mark and avoid. If you have ever been a part of Dr Wierwille's ministry and still have a heart for God, establish a church in your home and use God's money to move the word.

The Way International expected me to submit myself to that man because they considered him my leadership even though I had done all the work and God had given me the increase, and for a time I did to my extreme detriment. Regarding carrying out instructions given by councils of men in temples made with hands, Paul went to Jerusalem in Acts 21 and did just that.

Acts 21:23,24
Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;

Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.

The instruction was clear, and Paul carried it out to the letter. So, let's see what happens when you do the will of councils of men

Acts 21:26-31
Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews [Judeans] which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,

Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.

(For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)

And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.

And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

Doing the will of men almost killed Paul, and he wound up in prison for it. Doing the will of councils of men running temples made with hands will not lead you to a life which is more than abundant, it will only lead you into freezing, backbiting, bitching, religious prisons run by greedy little cunts. We are to love each other as a family, and look after and care for each other, and use our money to care for people and move the word. That's what they did in the book of Acts and that's why the word moved. Let's see what else we can turn up regarding money.

We've already looked at the record of Ananias and Sapphira in an earlier session, but it might be profitable to have another quick look at it in light of the love of money being the root of all evil. This is something that can definitely affect any disciple if we don't keep our thoughts in the word. It isn't difficult to see the love of money being the root of all evil here.

Acts 5:1-4
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

Money is again handled in Acts 6.

Acts 6:1-3
And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost [pneuma hagion - holy spirit] and wisdom [adept in the manifestation of word of wisdom], whom we may appoint over this business.

We're looking at this from a different perspective, so read it again and consider what this is saying. First of all, this is not saying all the disciples were sending all their money to some headquarters of a structured man-made ministry run by the apostles. These verses clearly imply that the twelve had no control over the money and what was being done with it. Nor did they want it. The problem was that the home church leadership who were responsible for what was being done with the money were neglecting the widows, so the twelve told the disciples over there to appoint seven men to take care of things. In other words, the money, God's money was being kept and used at the home church level. Peter was not a patriarch, the twelve were not a council of men running the whole ministry, and the disciples did not send all their money to them. God's money was used at the home church level. That is what self supporting means. What else can we learn?

Acts 11:27-30
And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.

And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.

Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:

Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

In this record, who made the decisions regarding what was done with this relief money? The disciples in Antioch did. It wasn't decided by a council of men at the head of a temple made with hands. The home church leaders got together with their people, and they made the decisions regarding how much of God's money within the churches in that area they would send. Note that there is no mention of Paul and Barnabas dipping into any headquarters funds. That's because no one in the 1st Century sent money to any headquarters to support a hierarchical leadership council. Paul and Barnabas took this money from disciples in one area and transported it to disciples in another area. Can we learn anything else? Oh yes.

Acts 18:1-3
After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

And found a certain Jew [Judean] named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews [Judeans] to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.

And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

Paul by this time was recognised as one of the top leaders, if not the leader of the 1st Century church. So how come he had to work for a living? Why didn't he work full time with the ministry and take his pay from God's money? I'll tell you why, because there was no man-made structured ministry headquarters to which everyone sent all their money, and there was no centralised depository from which he could draw funds The headquarters of the 1st Century ministry were the home churches, and the top leadership were the home church coordinators.

The highest positions in the body of Christ are the home church leadership. There is no higher position available in the body of Christ. If you want to be a leader, then set your sights on learning to walk by the spirit and running a church in your home with Christ as your head. Remember Paul's words to the leadership at Ephesus while he was on his way to Jerusalem?

Acts 20:32-34
And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.

Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

See, no one sent God's money to Paul, he worked for a living. God's money is to be kept at the home church level, and decisions regarding its use are to be determined by the home church leaders who, if they are walking by the spirit, will use it as God directs them. It is to be used at the home church level to move the word there.

Romans 12:13
Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

Paul is addressing the believers here, not the leadership of some temple made with hands. Paul was instructing the believers to be ready to use their money to help support each other, so that implies that God's money was being kept at the home church level. I've seen a home church leader dishing out God's money to his daughter to pay her electricity bill because she was too lazy to budget her money properly. This is not what this is talking about. The necessity of saints includes the word first and foremost, so God's money is to be used to move the word. That could mean hiring a local hall for a special teaching series. It could mean hiring a hotel somewhere to hold a special weekend for all the believers in your area. If there are three or four home churches, they could get together and agree how much each would put towards a special teaching event. Catering, hotel rooms, transport could all be paid for from God's money within each home church to bless the believers who gave that money in the first place. The key is to walk by the spirit and use God's money as he wants it spent.

Now yes, God may want to use some of his money to help a specific believer in that home church, but that's something the home church leader decides because he's walking by the spirit and God has energised in him to will and to do of his good pleasure. A few things home church leaders could use God's money for would be perhaps petrol money when God wants someone to drive somewhere to minister and teach. It could be putting on an event in your home, or help with heating and electricity costs to keep your home warm and cosy during home church meetings so it's a blessing for the believers to be there. In fact, anything that helps move the word is a good way to spend God's money. If you are a home church leader responsible for God's money, and you're walking by the spirit with Christ as your head, God will work within you both to will and to do of his good pleasure to let you know how and when to spend it.

You see, this isn't about sending all your money away to a man made temple and getting a crappy magazine and a ton of guilt in return, this is about walking by the spirit with Christ as your head, being fellow labourers together with God, and using God's money to move the word. It is the devil who wants you to send all God's money away so God has none. Tell the vatican, the presbyterians, the baptists, the mormons, the jehovah's, the salvation army, the way international and all the other man made temples out there to fuck off and don't send them anymore of God's money. Use it to move the word instead. It is God's money so don't allow the devil to steal anymore of it. Here's an interesting section of scripture in this light.

Romans 13:1
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

This is one of the most misused scriptures in the bible, used by all sorts of criminals, patriarchs, councils of men, and religious nuts to demand allegiance from those they control under threat of all sorts of recriminations from God if they don't. First of all, Paul did not say, let every soul be subject unto me. If Paul was the higher power back then, surely he would have said let every soul be subject unto me, but that's not what he said, is it? So Paul was clearly no patriarch at the head of some ministry then, was he?

So who do you think these higher powers are? The leadership of the Way International? The pope? The dalai lama? Barack Obama? The united nations? Until now we've been taught that these higher powers are our ministry leadership, you know, those who hold leadership positions within man made temples. It just can't be. The higher powers also can't be referring simply to someone who manifests holy spirit for we can all do that. The higher powers are the gift ministries, and this is handled in more depth later in the class. Now look at who we support with God's money in this context.

Romans 13:6,7
For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

We give God's money to our home church leaders, and from that they are to support the energised gift ministries. Now isn't it good to know that the money you give to God is to be used by your home church leaders to help you move the word in your area. God wants you to enjoy the immediate benefits of the money you give to him as he works together with your home church leadership to move the word. Here's a good section of scripture to consider in this light.

2 Corinthians 9:1-5
For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:

For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:

Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.

Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.

For decades I read into these verses what isn't written there. It does not state or even imply that everyone was to gather in their money so Paul could take it away with him to some ministry headquarters. Yet that is what churches read into these verses and teach you, so you will give your money to them. It isn't there. There is nothing in these verses that implies we give God's money to anyone but our home church leaders who are to use it to minister to the saints. Notice also that God's money is referred to here as bounty. In this administration of Grace we are not under the law so it is inappropriate to refer to God's money as tithe money. Paul called it bounty, I call it God's money, but it makes no difference what we call it. We give as we purpose in our hearts that which we can comfortably afford and are happy to give, but it is obviously subject to a minimum of ten percent. We don't give of our need, only our plurality, that which we don't need.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

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:

This reaping sparingly isn't a threat, it is simply God teaching us that what we put into the ground is what we will get out of it. Every farmer knows this without having to be told. If a farmer sows seed sparingly, he will reap sparingly because you can only get out of the ground what you put into it. That's how God set life up. If you want bumper crops weighed down with increase, you must sow bountifully. As you give in life, so you receive. What you put into life is what you get out of it, and this is worth exploring a little deeper.

Proverbs 11:24
There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

This truth that what you sow you reap isn't just a money thing, it is a life thing. You only get out of life what you put into it. Social security isn't social security at all. Once a government stops rewarding those who put their life into their country and instead steals from them and hands out their increase to bums and deadbeats, that civilisation is on the road to extinction. Darwin's theory of Natural Selection very much applies to man, as well as to the animal kingdom. A country that steals from the strong to support the weak, produces weaker people, and over time that will weaken a country to the point it can no longer survive. Keeping drunks, drug addicts, bums, deadbeats and lazy bastards alive by handing them free money stolen from working people is the politics of extinction. No species on earth can survive with such insane politics. You don't even need the bible to understand this, just go read Darwin.

2 Thessalonians 3:10
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would [thelō] not work, neither should he eat.

Thayer defines thelō as to will, to have in mind, to intend, to be resolved or determined, to purpose, to desire, to wish, to love, to like to do a thing, to be fond of doing, to take delight in, to have pleasure in. In other words, if someone does not want to work, does not have it in his mind to work for a living, is not resolved, determined, and purposed to work, does not desire or wish to work, they should not eat. Any individual with this attitude towards work should be left to starve to death. That's God's word, take it or leave it. The more you refuse to listen to God, the closer you march to extermination and extinction.

Look, if you're a farmer and you don't sow any seed, you're not going to grow any crops, it's that simple. If you're that lazy and stupid, I don't fucking care if you starve to death. Yet some politicians think they're so smart by stealing another farmer's crops under threat of prosecution and jail and hand it to the lazy. That is insane, and that's the politics of social security. If you're a bum or a deadbeat, sure, you can change. Go and get a job or start your own business. Go clean windows, mow people's grass, clean their cars, do their gardens, just go to work. God says he will supply all your need, but he isn't going to support you if you refuse to work.

Now, if there's a farmer who for some reason can't sow any seed due to ill health or other reasons, but who wants to sow seed, then now it's time for the church to pull together and help that farmer get his fields sown, understand? This doesn't apply to honest men and women who want to work, and are looking for work. This is where home churches being self supporting comes to the fore. If you have honest men and women struggling financially who have a heart to work, then get in there and help them. God may even work with the home church leader to use his money to help with things like travel expenses to work interviews. In situations like these, the home church believers are to pull together and look after each other and ensure everyone has all their needs met. Would I buy a week's groceries for a brother or sister in my home church if they were not working and were running out of money? Of course I would.

1 John 3:16-18
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

The key to understanding these verses is understanding the shutting up of the bowels. You see, compassion that wells up inside us is often how God energises in us to help someone. That's one way God energises the spirit within us to will and to do of his good pleasure. If you're walking by the spirit and God wells that compassion up inside you to help, and you do nothing, how dwells the love of God in you? When Jesus Christ fed the multitudes with fish and loaves, he did it because he walked by the spirit and God moved him with compassion.

Mark 8:2
I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:

Conversely, it isn't always just a case of chucking cash or food at every problem. Jesus Christ didn't feed everyone everywhere he went, those were two isolated cases. Sometimes someone may just need a good kick in the butt to get out there and get a job, and that may be how God energises you to move. The key is to walk by the spirit.

If we don't give in life, we are not going to receive anything from life, but the opposite is also true - if we steal from life, life will steal from us. I've seen this thousands of times. I've seen people fiddle their electricity meters and then seen their houses broken into and all their stuff stolen. I've seen business men defraud others and then go out of business. If you are stealing, then life is going to steal from you, for what you sow is what you will reap.

Hosea 8:7a
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind:

If people are sowing the wind they can have no complaints when they reap the whirlwind, the tornado, the monsoon, and the hurricane. I'm not saying this to scare you, I'm just telling you the truth. This is the way life is. If you don't like tornadoes destroying your life then change your lying stealing ways. If that means resigning from the freemasons, then do it.

Romans 12:17
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

Why did God write this in his word? So we would be miserable and have no fun? No, it's because what you put in the ground is what you will get out of it. If someone rips you off by selling you a dodgy car they knew needed work, they will reap what they sow. They will not get away with it. Life is like that, but we never lower our ethics and morals because of hurt or anger and start ripping off other people in return. Jacob did not do it with Laban and we are not to do it either. We are to trust in God to keep us protected and if we give of our plurality we can claim that promise. Keep yourselves out of crime. You don't remove out of date stickers on food items in your shops, you don't overcharge for crappy goods, you don't sell dodgy cars that need work, you don't rip off insurance companies, you don't shoplift, you don't pirate software or music, you don't feed stinking dog food to humans, you provide things honest in the sight of all men. If you don't listen, the whirlwind is coming.

Luke 6:38
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.

When measuring out grain, these merchants would shake their baskets to settle the grain so they could get more in. Not like the world's greedy merchants today hey? If you want your life overflowing, then this is the way to go. What you sow is what you will reap. It applies to all life. If you don't enjoy what life is dealing out to you, change what you're putting into it.

2 Corinthians 9:6,7
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

It doesn't specifically state any percentages here, does it? It does not state 10%. However, if you think these verses give you a licence to be greedy and hold back God's money because you're only cheerful to give 1% of your income, don't expect the windows of heaven to open for you. What you sow is what you will reap. The tithe is the bottom line. Anything over the tithe falls into the every man according as he purposes category.

We've already looked at Philippians 4 in this context, but there is another angle we can consider here.

Philippians 4:15,16
Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.

When Paul was at Thessalonica, the believers in Philippi sent him money to take care of his needs. Why did the home churches in Thessalonica not take care of his needs? Perhaps it was a new work and the new believers hadn't got their heads around giving money yet. I don't know, the word doesn't tell us. To attempt to guess is private interpretation, and it doesn't really matter anyway. The point is, God's money was kept at the home church level and decisions regarding its use was made by the home church leaders. God obviously worked in the home church leaders at Philippi to send money to Paul when he was in Thessalonica. The workman is worthy of his hire, Paul was labouring together with God to move the word, God promises to meet all our need, so he had the churches in Philippi send him money. Again, walking by the spirit is the key to understanding this.

Look, God doesn't meet our needs by showering us with bank notes that flutter down out of the sky, he energises the gift of holy spirit in believers who walk with Christ as their head to spend money where he wants it spent. If you send all God's money away to a temple made with hands to keep a council of men in comfortable lifestyles, how can the word move in your area? Another thing, if God's money is kept at the home church level, it could be used to invite men and women of God with gift ministries to visit the church in your home by paying for their travel expenses. That's another way the money you give can benefit you directly. Paul was certainly thankful for the money that came from the home churches in Philippi to help him move the word. You can see the same truths being applied when Paul was in Corinth.

2 Corinthians 11:8,9
I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

Look at this! Paul took money from other home churches while he was ministering to the Corinthians. When he was actually there present in Corinth and had needs, it was supplied by tithe money that came from the Macedonian home churches. There can be no doubt that God wants home fellowships to be self governing, self propagating, and self supporting.

If you are a home church leader and your home church splits because you've grown too big, all the money from the believers in the new home church is to stay in that new home church for them to use to move the word. This is the only way to keep evil men who love money out of the body of Christ. Paul started hundreds and hundreds of home churches and not one of them sent him all their money, they merely supported him as and when God energised within the home church leaders to do so.

Debt we've already handled. To owe no man anything, means you don't owe anyone anything.

Romans 13:8
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

If you're in debt, get out of it. Your outgoings have to be less than your income, simple. If you spend more than you earn, you are going into debt. God supplies all your need, so if your income does not cover your expenses, it isn't God at fault, you are out of control with your spending habits. If you drive a new car you bought on credit, sell it, pay off the loan and buy a second hand car that you can afford to run. If it would cost less money to pay off the remaining debt and keep the car, then apologise to God and promise him you won't be so stupid in future. If two people own a car each, could you sell one, split the money and share the costs to run the other one between you? If you rent a 3 bedroom house, could you rent a 2 bedroom instead? If you're in debt and get serious about paying it off, God will help you get there.

Get out of debt. Controlling your budget and making your expenses fit your income is your responsibility. Spending money you don't have and going into debt is insane. Nothing in life will ever be your property anyway, so why go into debt for it? Do a weekly or monthly budget, make your income fit your living needs, cut your expenses if you have to and get in control of your money.

Budgeting isn't difficult. If a new computer costs £500 and you need to upgrade every four years, then you need to save £10 a month. If you do that, every four years you will have enough to buy a new computer. If you like new clothes, put £30 a month into a saving fund and every year you will have £360 to go on a shopping spree. That is budgeting, that is believing, and that is how you control your money. Get your budget sorted out and make your money fit that budget. Whatever it takes, you do it. It is the love of money that is the root of all evil, so stop loving money and get yourself out of the evil of debt. If you can't make your budget fit your expenses, sit down and find a way to make it work. If your car's total running costs work out at £4000 a year all in, sell it and buy a car that costs you £2000 a year. Whatever it takes, make your expenses fit your budget and stay out of debt.

To close this session, let's consider these scriptures and move our hearts away from the filth of the world and start using our surplus money not in newer cars we don't need, expensive clothes we hardly ever wear, and other worldly selfish garbage, but in looking after our brothers and sisters in Christ who want to walk by the spirit and in showing and teaching them how to live abundantly for themselves.

1 Thessalonians 4:11,12
And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

Proverbs 30:8
Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

Luke 12:15
And he [Jesus Christ] said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

1 Timothy 6:6-8
But godliness with contentment is great gain.

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Chapter 49 - The More Abundant Life