CHN Ministries has been on the Internet teaching the message about end time awareness and the Rapture of the Church for over 5 years. At the end of my messages I tell you that I believe in the Biblical principal of giving, and that when you give to keep the word of this ministry going out to the world, that you are generous, but most importantly that you give hilariously.

I have always thought that when I remind you of that, that you knew what I meant by it. Well, from requests that I have had from many of the Watchers, asking for a clear explanation of my meaning, here is a teaching on giving that explains my belief on the matter.

I pray you understand it’s meaning, and learn the joy that God intended for us to have in giving, as I did when I first became aware of it’s meaning over 21years ago.

THE PAST, THE FUTURE AND THE “NOW”

The message that Paul proclaimed in 1 Corinthians15 was that Christ rose from the dead; and that He, living again, by being the firstfruits of a harvest of life eternal, gives us hope in the promise that we shall follow Him into eternal life. Paul ends that chapter with one of the most repeated passages of Scripture.

“So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” 1 Corinthians 15:54-55

In funeral home after funeral home, at graveyard after graveyard, for generation after generation, preachers have read that passage. And it ought to be read. There is no grater truth! It is the basis of the Christian faith.

If there is no resurrection, our faith is vain and the church is a false witness of God. If there is no resurrection, our hope that we, too, will come out of the grave is also gone; as is the hope of a miracle such as “the change in the twinkling of an eye” which is also referred to in 1 Corinthians 15. But, if you have that faith, you’ll get excited about the Resurrection:

I’m sure I don’t have to say that Paul didn’t put in the little chapter and verse divisions that we see in the Bible. Those are the translators’ work. Paul just wrote a letter; and he hardly sucked in his breath from that grand theme of the Resurrection, to his words which open the next chapter.

“Now concerning the collection for the saints . . . “ 1 Corinthians 16:1

Paul dealt with the Past: Christ arose; the future; we too shall rise. Now, isn’t that basic Christianity? Christianity starts with this miracle concept.

How are you ever going to get the approval of the world on those first two subjects? Do you really think that the nightly newscasters are going to go along with those two premises?

If they won’t go along with those two premises, which are basic, basic Christianity, what do you think they will do with the other one, the present: “Now, concerning the collections for the saints.”

NEED IS NOT THE BASIS FOR CHRISTIAN GIVING

Present religious leaders are taking the attitude, “Well, maybe, just maybe, if we’d leave this present ‘collection’ activity out, the world might approve us.”

The world loves money; God loves “hilarious givers”.

Even though the world thinks we’re either stupid or phony to proclaim such things of the past or the future, it doesn’t immediately affect them. But they are enraged by what we do in the Present because the Prince of this world doesn’t want Christians to prove the genuineness of their faith in ways that would cause them to give money which this world loves so much. And the devil uses the world to discourage and even prevent the practical expression of true Christianity’s “hilarious giving” that God has declared that He loves so much.

But for both the past and the future, we’re neither stupid nor phony. Jesus came out of that grave. Someday, so will we. If it happens soon, the Nightly News will have a program entitled, “Where did they go?” On that program they and the “left behind” will be trying to explain where we went.

This is the basis of faith by which we are saved: He is risen. The hope by which we claim eternity is we to shall rise. But we are not to forget that in between is “Now, concerning the collection for the saints.”

What the world thinks doesn’t change the fact of the resurrection or eternity. Why, then, don’t we get off the defensive on the “now” subject of giving? The world is never going to understand or approve of giving God’s way; they don’t even believe He really exists.

Why be bothered by the people who do not believe Christ is risen? Why be bothered by those who do not believe that we shall rise and meet Him in the air, or be changed in a moment, or put on incorruption, or be raised from the dead as the harvest that follows the firstfruits? If they are not convinced of those two facts, then it isn’t to them that we are talking when we talk about: “Now concerning the collection.” That message is only for those who have a basis for making a value judgment about the things of God. The only ones who can do that are those who seek Him. The world doesn’t fit that category.

Let those of us who believe listen to what Paul said:

“Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” 1 Corinthians 16:1,2

Did Paul say, “As I have solicited the church at Galatia?” Did he say, “As I have been able to get an unequal response from Galatia to this big Bible I’m giving out?” No! He said “As I have given order.”

Can you imagine the audacity? Given order? By a preacher? Concerning money? It must be a mistake.

The natural response would be, “What do you mean, Preacher, ordering me about my money? You just back up a little bit and ask, and you might receive a little bit.” “A little ‘please’, pastor, would help out there.”

“Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.”

That sounds like an IRS agent talking. Withholding! How dare he! It’s amazing how quickly we’ve completely forgotten all those wonderful things about the Resurrection he was talking about. All the glamour is gone out of this life.

No matter where you turn in God’s book, you find this unintimidated approach concerning money and the possessions you have in hand with no apologies

It began right after Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden. As you read Genesis in the original, it shows that God left a place, a time, and a method to bring offerings His way. The first fight recorded in the Bible was over those offerings. Abel did it God’s way. On the other hand, Cain decided that he could determine how, what, and the manner of giving to God. Able was approved. Cain was cursed.

I can just hear some Christians now saying, “Well, I’ve been giving and tithing; but, I haven’t done too good.”

I have a little message for those people. Let’s get a few things straight going out the gate. Abel brought his offerings God’s way and was killed for the effort. But whose place would you rather be in today, Cain’s or Abel’s? You see, both sides of the issue have the eternal look.

Isn’t that what Christianity is really about? That cold turkey choice between the visible and the invisible, the temporal and the eternal? Giving is part of that eternal look, and Christians had better make sure they understand how to give God’s way and for His reasons.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

THE WORLD LOVES MONEY; GOD LOVES HILARIOUS GIVERS

What is faith? It is an act, based upon belief, sustained by confidence which gives that upward connection. It seats you with Christ in heavenly places. The most important result of faith is that you are instantly connected with eternity. God’s life starts flowing in you. That is the primary benefit of the faithing act.

But, in God’s sovereignty, that same act of faith on occasion will produce the occurrence in time of that which was hoped for. Then this identifiable faith object, as I call it, having become fact, ceased to be the object of faith. When that happens, you had better find another faith object in a hurry, because when faith ceases it grip, you’ve lost the connection-eternal.

Giving, as an act based upon God’s promises, with the focus on stewardship, may also have the promises occur in time. For example the tithing message at the end of Malachi, “Prove me now herewith to see if I don’t pour you out a blessing you can’t contain.”

I wish that I would, before I die, test God sufficiently on that promise, until the ‘too much to contain” part of that promise becomes fact! He has already given me some good blessings that I can contain in route to the uncontainable ones. but I can honestly say I haven’t been blessed so that I cannot contain it yet! So my faith is that promise still has hope as its object. When that reality happens, the object of faith becomes fact, and I’d better find another promise.

But, so far, this Malachi promise is a good one that has lasted through the years. This promise never wasted itself away into a fact. God has been so good, He has enlarged my expectancies at a rate equal to His supply, and that’s one faith object that continues to drive me forward.

Faith has that object of fact that is promised in time. But as you join yourself to God in faith, you are immediately seated with Christ in heavenly places. The imputation act of God justifies you, and His Spirit is placed in you. The sanctifying act of God separates you from the life of death. At that point, time and eternity begin to fuse and it doesn’t matter much whether the reward is here or over there. The important thing is the faith connection. That’s the basic Christianity I’ve been teaching for years. Giving and its rewards are included.

C.S. Lewis said it better than anyone I know, “God, to be God, has no needs.” That’s axiomatic self –evident. He can speak, and not-a-thing becomes everything. So, by definition, God has no needs.

As creatures, it is our nature to have needs. We are dependent. There is hardly a need of mankind that matches the need to be needed, the feeling of usefulness. So, as Lewis said, “God, in His kindness, having created us so full of needs, implemented a program whereby we could share with Him in the eternal rewards of His work, joint heirs with Christ, by feeling that truly we are needed because God has implemented a program where our contributions have a part in it.”

As philosophical as that may be, it’s as close as I can come to the only rationale for saying God needs us to participate in any program that He’s involved in. It goes without saying; God could send an angel to teach better than I can. So anytime you talk about God’s work needing participation, it has to be seen, as C.S. Lewis saw it, as a condescension by God to limp along through us, or through our participation as the body of Christ, that we might have the joy of participating with Him in His work and the satisfaction that comes with fulfilling such a task. Yet most of Christianity limps along raising its money because of need? That’s not the basis of Christian giving.

Christians testify to the Resurrection; they testify to the Second Coming and the second resurrection; then, they turn around and make a lie of the miraculous testimony by reducing God to the status of a beggar on the collection business. No wonder the world doesn’t believe the Resurrection, the Rapture or the second coming.

There is no subject the world knows as much about as money. So, when the church or churchmen talk about money, it gets their attention. But it gets their attention in a way that degrades and insults God by peddling need. It is never in any way related to the true basis for giving as God outlined in His book.

I’m too honest not to tell my congregation if we have a need as we step out in faith to do things. But I’ve said as along as that need creates the pressure point for the giving act, we have, in large part, destroyed God’s purpose for putting the giving act into His plan. We haven’t yet been freed from the need syndrome; but we are different and we’re heading in the right direction. The average ministry doesn’t even think about or want to be freed from need. In fact, they create needs. Therein lies the critical problem.

I’ve seen with my own eyes evidence of the manufactured needs of some major television ministries. In summer, they plan the Christmas crisis. Knowing that giving drops in December because people are buying thing for other loved ones, they manufacture a Christmas crisis. They print the letters in the fall, and mail them to be in the homes of the viewers to arrive in early December, so heartstrings will be properly tweaked for the need of the ministry during the month when, otherwise, they might forget.

Can you see Paul doing that? “Now, concerning that appeal letter I sent you that you got last week . . . .”

Instead Paul says:

“Concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.”

Need is not the criteria.

God doesn’t need us; yet giving is built into every step of the God-man relationship. Why?

Scripture declares “. . . the love of money is the root of all evil.” Why don’t we just take what God’s word says at face value?

Have you ever tried to weed a field by cutting the surface off and not getting at the roots?

I can hear someone saying, “Well you teach grace, God’s unmerited favor, I’m a recipient of that unmerited favor, and God is at peace with me.” Sure He is. Faith makes that connection, and rascals that we are; we become the recipient of God’s grace. Un-meriting though we may be, God puts grace, His substance, which is His life, in us. But “that treasure,” we have in “earthen vessels.” The earthen vessel has got a lot of roots growing in it. The worst is the love of money, which Jesus said is the root of all evil.

God doesn’t need our money. Yet He talks about it more than anybody. He’s always hitting us in the face with it. Every time He gets on a subject that could make you “feel” spiritual, He ruins it by getting back to money. It’s this business of “He arose! Hallelujah!” “He’s coming again! Hallelujah!” “Now concerning the collection for the saints . . . I order you . . .” What happened to the Hallelujah!?

I already mentioned that the first battle was over giving God’s way. Since God has no needs, why was that so important to Him? He had just created all the animals of the earth. Why did he want this offering at the door of access?

If I were to forget what God said and reason it out with my “brilliant brain,” I’d probably agree with Cain. Isn’t this the reasoning:

“God created the animals and they reproduced. They were just being there, and I’d get no credit giving any one of them. But I tilled the earth. I worked hard. With the sweat of my brow and God’s help, I raised grain and fruit. I had something I could offer God. So I brought it to Him.”

I see Cains sitting in congregations everywhere. When the subject of the tithe comes up:

“Well, the church and pastor haven’t proved that they know too much about saving money. They know how to spend it. But, I’ve made some money in my lifetime. I can take the tithe and with the knowledge I have, which I doubt seriously the pastor has, I can turn it into ten times what it is now and give that.”

That’s Cain at work.

It all sounds wonderful. But, God doesn’t honor it. God has His plan. He wants giving done His way! Period!

He says, “This is what you do to keep access with me.” That’s why the Old Testament ends with the word “curse.” His chosen people did not honor God with their tithes and offerings.

Can’t you hear someone ask, “Since God doesn’t need it, why make such a big deal out of it?” Or,

“Well, the New Testament doesn’t talk about tithing.”

Jesus said concerning the tithes, “This ye ought to have done.” Whole movements have been started on less Scripture than that.

But, there’s more to it. Sometimes, we forget that the New Testament church was under persecution, under pressure, that the letters we read today were going to a church that had a certain quality attached to it. That quality was they had a history of selling everything they had, and giving it.

In the Book of Acts, church members took everything they had, sold it, took the proceeds and laid it at the apostles’ feet. If this congregation were to do that, do you think I would waste time teaching them on giving? Even the IRS recognizes that truth. They have in their Code a provision for an “apostolic fellowship.” Yet Christians think it’s a big deal because there are not a lot of sermons in the Book of Acts on giving? To whom would they be addressed? Those giving everything they had?

When the whole book of God is put together, the message of tithing becomes a brake or a restriction to prevent over giving. It is not meant to be a goal that Christians strive to reach.

The New Testament church was so enamored with the message, “He arose,” so expecting the happening, “He’s coming back soon!” that, in their “now”, they gave everything away.

As time went on, they began to understand that the Lord wasn’t going to split the skies “tomorrow”, that there were as yet things to be done before He appeared, that they then had to deal with the “now.” That was when the order went out for the collections,

“Every week, upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store . . .”

That meant they were to get it ready to give.

Now, what formula would apply? It would be the oldest formula that God had written down; the principle that was before law, as grace was before the law; the principle that was translated into promise in Malachi 3 and thus became an object of faith; the principle of tithing.

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house . . .” Malachi 3:10

Tithing dominated the church world into the 16^th century; it was built into the laws of the middle Ages. It can be connected to early New Testament practices. It’s a premise that goes back to Abram and Jacob; it goes back before before the law. It’s a principle of promise on which Jesus put His stamp of approval when, concerning the tithe, He said, “These things ought ye to have done.”

THE BASIC MESSAGE OF THE CHURCH IS,
“CHRIST HAS RISEN”

Concerning Old Testament applications to New Testament teaching, Paul, in 1 Corinthians 9, draws the direct connection between those who preach the Gospel (who are also instructed to live by the Gospel) to those priests of the Old Testament who collected the tithe, the Lord’s money, which God then gave to those same Levites who were sent to collect it.

Giving is forever in God’s plan. It is no more to be apologized for to the world than the Resurrection or the Second Coming. It is the prominent expression of the “now.” It is the proof positive of God’s Spirit in us overcoming the root in us which is the root of all evil, the love of money.

A true Christian will understand that between the fact from which our faith grows, He arose, and the fact on which our hope grabs hold, He is coming, is the now fact “concerning the collection for the saints.”

And since God doesn’t need it, why?

Why this aggravating, painful, irritating, make-the-world-mad subject? Why is that the link that ties these two great spiritual happenings together? I’m not nearly as smart as God, and I’ve got enough sense to know that I could conceive of a plan with just the two elements, He arose and He is coming back. We could leave the middle one out. It would be much easier to sell.

The Great Commission?

Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel.”

That’s the church’s assignment to the world, isn’t it? Every Sunday, at many churches and on television you can hear that same message: “Go ye into all the world and teach every nation. And when this gospel has been preached to every nation, then the end shall come.” When they finish that, they say, “Send your money to this ministry. I can show that every $1 given a soul is saved in Africa (or whatever). Unless the people you give to can demonstrate that they can get as many souls for $1 as I get, then you should put your money here, because until we take this word to every creature, the Lord can’t come.”

In varying ways that’s what they say. But, it’s all camel spit. In my teaching on the Book of Revelation, I show unequivocally that the Jew and the restored house of Israel will finish the job of taking the gospel of the Kingdom out during the Millennium.

The church is not in the world to save the world, but rather the church is God’s project, through His Spirit, to save some out of the world that will make up the body of Christ, who will rule and reign with Him throughout eternity, including the Millennium The Jews and the house of Israel will finish their assignment as God’s oracle for which they were called, during the Millennium. And, God will help a little by putting a plague on every nation that doesn’t come up to the Feast of the Tabernacles every year.

As Christians, we’ve been beat over the head with this witnessing concept. In other times, if you didn’t become a D. L. Moody every day and go out and find somebody to wrestle into Jesus, you were made to feel that you had somehow failed God. Some, who teach such antics, want you to ask, “Do you know Jesus” to every one you meet.

I do not believe that that’s the way to win souls. You see, I don’t believe in this traditional witnessing concept that’s laid on people and puts a guilt trip on them if they don’t go out and choke somebody into Jesus every day.

My Bible says, “No man cometh except the Spirit draw him.” And God can open the door.

I’ve watched people judge their ministries by their ability to get somebody at the close of a message to blubber for a while, instead of letting those emotional energy units be applied to an inward change and a healthy grabbing of God’s Word and acting on it to the discarding of other things. I really don’t see much effort by these Great Commission purveyors to do it God’s way.

The Bible records more of this instruction by Jesus than it records of the Great Commission itself:

“Wherever this gospel is preached, see to it you tell what this woman did.” Mathew 26:7; Mark 14:3

He was referring to the woman with the alabaster box, who brought the valuable ointment, broke the box, and poured it on Christ. Judas, who handled the bag and saw his chance to skim some as it went through his finger, said, “Why this waste? This ointment could have been sold for much money and the money given to the poor.”

Jesus said, “The poor ye have with you always. Leave the woman alone, she’s done a good work unto me.”

Then, He gave an order, “Whenever this gospel is preached, see to it that you tell what this woman did.”

Don’t just preach He is risen! We too will rise!” Tell what this woman did who brought the offering. You can’t teach Christianity, you can’t live Christianity, without facing head-on, center stage, the importance of giving for no reason other than God’s reason for giving. He likes it.

The basic message of the church is “Christ is risen.”

Stop being poetic about it and actually begin to confront the necessity of believing that truth as the basis for Christianity. When you consider the miracle that is involved, are you really going to say that the Lord’s provision for you is too much for Him? Malachi 3 says,

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house . . .prove me now herewith, and see if I don’t pour you out a blessing you can’t contain.”

Do you think God finds it harder to keep that word of promise with you and work the miracle of provision in your life than He did raising Christ from the dead?

You see, most Christians don’t really believe the Resurrection. Most Christians are Christians because they grew up in it, or because they’ve been falsely motivated.

The basis of Christianity: Christ is risen; He is coming again, and we shall rise, and in the twinkling of an eye be caught away to be with Him forever. That’s Christianity. What goes in the middle? “Now . . .the collection . . .” In other words, just in case somebody thinks this is all just poetic, “Now, give money and things.” That is Christianity, past, present, future.

That is what I believe because that is what I learned from this teaching so long ago. So much so that at the end of every teaching I pray for that uncontainable blessing to be poured down upon you.

Remember these words; God picked you to hear the messages of this Ministry for a reason. You must be among them that will hear it, and when you do, the message is clear, WARN those who are asleep. Our mission is to do just that and you are called upon to help us do it. Understand that, and rise to the occasion and be who Paul made you out to be.

I teach to support this Ministry, and I believe in the Biblical principle of giving to the storehouse where you get your meat. We are bringing the message of the AGE to the Church, and we need all the help we can get

Now, if this were a fine sunny Sunday morning, and if we were in an actual building, at this point I’d say; Stand up everybody! Now, everyone give a rousing cheer, because it OFFERING TIME! (cheers and applause) We’re cheering in my Church because the Lord loves hilarious givers, and promises to pour down a blessing on them that cannot be contained! Trust the Lord for that blessing; you’ll be glad that you did. When you give to keep this Ministry’s word going out to the world, give hilariously first, and as generously as you can.

If our Teachings are a blessing to you, then give appropriate to your circumstance. Click here

If all you have are prayers to offer, they are most welcome and needed. Please pray that the devil remains behind us, and the path way ahead is open and wide. And, please, let us know that you are praying for us. Click here

Humbly,
Your Brother in Christ,
Brother Sal from CHN

End of Rapture Series

"The Prophecy of Daniel The Book of Revelation
The Rapture of the Church and the Mideast Today"
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