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ISSN 1442-8660

Christian greetings in the precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; we thank you for sharing fellowship in Christ.

We extend an especially warm welcome to our new subscribers. We will send you a free CD of our PowerPoint presentation "The Second Coming of Christ," if you advise your postal address. As it was prepared for saints who are conversant with Brother Branham's Message we suggest newcomers should study Part II and its linked teachings before studying Part I.

All saints planning to spend Easter in Nigeria this year are cordially invited to attend the Easter Convention arranged by Pastor Chibueze Uzoho and the saints in our sister Church at Owerri. The program and emphasis of teaching is set out on the above link; if you plan to attend, please email Pastor Chibueze advising the numbers in your party.

Brother pastors Bible Believers' Church, Owerri. The Lord has blessed his growing congregation and vindicated his ministry, so it is with pleasure that we commend his teaching "Bring All the Tithes into the Storehouse." Quite recently he sent me the transcript of this teaching he had delivered to his Church; shortly thereafter a subscriber asked if we would post instruction on this subject, and only today a family of new subscribers wrote with a similar request.

This Newsletter serves those of like precious faith. Whoever will receive the truth is welcome to feed their soul from the waters of the River of Life. Everything here presented should be confirmed personally in your own Bible.

Your brother-in-Christ, Anthony Grigor-Scott

The Pope is the First among the Patriarchs

Metropolitan of Pergamon Joannis Zizioulac with Benedict XVI in the basilica of Saint Paul's Outside the Walls Rome, January 25, 2010 — Relations with the Orthodox Churches have never been so promising as they have since Joseph Ratzinger has been pope. . . The document of Ravenna, approved unanimously by both sides, affirms that "primacy and conciliarity are mutually interdependent." And in paragraph 41, it highlights the points of agreement and disagreement:

"Both sides agree that . . . Rome, as the Church that 'presides in love' according to the phrase of St. Ignatius of Antioch, occupied the first place in the taxis (structure of the universal Church), and that the bishop of Rome was therefore the protos (or first) among the patriarchs. They disagree, however, on the interpretation of the historical evidence from this era regarding the prerogatives of the bishop of Rome as protos, a matter that was already understood in different ways in the first millennium". . . Full story: chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it

Comment: The basis of the discussion is a text that was drafted on the island of Crete at the beginning of autumn in 2008. The Role of the Bishop of Rome in the Communion of the Church in the First Millennium, which is unscriptural and unhistorical iniquity grasping for terrestrial power. "By way of deception thou shalt do war," like your "elder brother".

According to Clause 4 of this document, the Hebrew witnesses of Zechariah 4 and Revelation 11 were Peter and Paul. Infallible Papal authority claims both men were martyred in Rome, contradicting Jesus Christ who prophesied they will be martyred in Jerusalem by the Catholic church after the close of the Gentile dispensation and visibly ascend into heaven after three and a half days, while Peter's grave may be visited today.

Restoring One Universal [False] Church

Masonic Orthodox PatriarchMarch 4, 2010 — The "Cretan Unia," signed by the "ecumenical" Patriarchate of Constantinople, whose higher clergy have long used the US and an association with Freemasonry, have brought the Moscow Patriarchate (MP) and its new patriarch in common prayer and increasingly energetic efforts for rapprochement with the Catholics who participated in dedicating the Russian Union Theological Seminary of the Russian Orthodox Church in Paris.

The political power of the Russian Federation encouraged this in order to achieve acceptance by the "global elite." Such a rapprochement between the hierarchy of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Vatican is a consequence of refusing to truly evaluate Globalization, New World Order, that is advancing the kingdom of the Antichrist. After the Vatican commission for dialogue with Judaism, agreed that Jews remain God's chosen people after they rejected Christ, and do not need baptism to be saved, and that Catholics are waiting with them for the same Messiah . . . by not adopting a similar union of science, Orthodox churches and the Orthodox doctrine of Antichrist will be considered "extremism" and "will be legally prosecuted." Already, the prosecution charges are known, its expertise, and even court decisions . . . [Revelation 13:15-18].

The Russian Orthodox Church MP will accept this in a spirit of union, and try to present it to the faithful in a beautiful package, claiming "global recognition of the increasing role of the Orthodox Faith," and the need for "a common Christian front of resistance against the present ungodly tendencies, and even evil "Muslim extremism." Papal propagandists will express his defensive-patriotic oratory more clearly. . . Full story: wiadomosci.monasterujkowice.pl

Comment: Machiavelli redividus.

Ecumenical Patriarch receives Cardinal Poupard Prize for Environment

March 5, 2010 — Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople has received the first Cardinal Paul Poupard Foundation Prize because of his "engagement in favor of safeguarding creation." The prize was awarded under the patronage of Prince Albert II of Monaco.

Born in 1930 and appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Paris in 1979, Cardinal Poupard has served as Pro-President and President of the Secretariat of Non-Believers (1980-93), President of the Pontifical Council for Culture (1988-2007), and President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (2006-7). Full story: catholicculture.org

Comment: "He shall come in peaceably, and obtain the [church] kingdom by flatteries" or intrigue (Daniel 11:21).

Can You imagine them in a Palestinian Scarf?

Some of Lenin's useful idiotsMarch 5, 2010 — This montage by Jewish musician and writer Gilad Atzmon illustrates the cowardly treachery of the world's political leaders, confirming Revelation 16:13-16, "I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon [Satan], and out of the mouth of the beast [the Roman Catholic church], and out of the mouth of the false prophet [the pope]. For they are the spirits of demons, working miracles, which go forth to the leaders of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." And:

Zechariah 14:2, "For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and of half the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city".

The Judaeo-Catholic church is uniting the world church system for the second crucifixion. Their Black Nobility have our so-called elite "useful idiots" dressed in funny hats; their banksters of 'the City of London' will covenant with Rome (Daniel 9:27) to refinance the US dollar with real gold backing (in opposition to the allocation of carbon credits as currency), not the gold-plated tungsten substituted for bullion. (Could this explain why Rothschild sold Mocatta)? Once Rome has established economic and monetary hegemony she will break her covenant and these self-styled Jews will side with Judao-Communist Russia, presently sidelined, as their vehicle of vengeance. For Russia is God's servant to destroy the false church as Nebuchadnezzar was His servant to punish Judea.

Were you aware of this cabbala? The Israeli-owned MOving SyStems IncorporAteD operated by Israeli spies involved in the 9/11 scam contains the word MOSSAD. Now do you remember Mossad "warning" about 200 "Al-Qaeda terrorists" said to have been preparing major attacks in the US? At the time of this writing, we are one year into the largest investigation in American history, and not one of these 200 "terrorists" has been discovered. But 200 Israeli spies were discovered, among them Israeli military: electronics experts, wiretapping and phone tapping specialists, and explosives experts with the skill to bring down tall buildings. Logic and common sense leads to the conclusion that the "200 Al Qaeda terrorists" were in reality, 200 Zionist terrorists sent to frame the Arabs for terrorist attacks and drag America into a war . . .
Full story: prisonplanet.com  whatreallyhappened.com

One Prime Example of Controlled-Media

CIA-funded Jundullah terroristMarch 1, 2010 — You know how much the media demonizes Iran, right? Well, with that in mind, why didn't they make a big stink about the Iranians forcing down a plane so they could haul off some guy? Maybe it was a story they didn't want Americans to hear? If this had happened with anyone else, the US media would definitely be shouting it out on the airwaves—and you think our media is free? What a joke. They work for the same people behind all this mess going down.

The Iranian guy was named Abdolmalek Rigi and was on board a plane traveling over Iranian airspace from United Arab Emirates to Kyrgyzstan, when security forces made his plane land (I don't know if it was intercepted by fighters or not). Riga confessed to being the ringleader of the Jundullah "terrorist" group. He also admitted some other interesting things, like America offering him unlimited military aid, money and a secret base in Afghanistan, just across the border so he could conduct operations inside Iran.

Basically, the CIA was caught offering to fund a terrorist. A terrorist working for us, against a sovereign government. You might even call this guy a "homegrown terrorist" being recruited by the US. And the pro-Zionist media in the US has the nerve to accuse Iran of funding anti-Israel groups like Hezbollah and Hamas? Just think how hypocritical this all is. Read on to find out who the guy was supposed to meet at his destination. [A Khazar Jew from Russia, US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke]. Full story: incogman.wordpress.com

Comment: According to former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, senior Israeli military officers, US Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer, US intelligence and former State Department officials, "beginning in the late 1970s, Tel Aviv gave direct and indirect financial aid and training to Hamas over a period of years" and the FBI sent Hamas money.

"The truth is there is no Islamic army or terrorist group called Al Qaeda. And any informed intelligence officer knows this. But there is a propaganda campaign to make the public believe in the presence of an identified entity representing the 'devil' only in order to drive the TV watcher to accept a unified international leadership for a war against terrorism. The country behind this propaganda is the US . . ." (Former British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook). Yid Irony has Goys chasing the "Toilet".

Japanese have Washington Post running scared over 9/11

March 8, 2010 — The issue as framed by the US ruling elite's hometown house organ is very simple; a top insider in Japan's new government has lost his marbles. The Washington Post's apoplexy over the fact that Councilor Yukihisa Fujita isn't buying the official version of what happened on September 11, 2001, is well reflected in the two headlines it gave to its March 8, 2010 editorial. First we have the print edition:

Poisonous Thinking in Japan

Has a conspiratorial view of 9/11 taken hold in the ruling party?

Then we have the even more hysterical headline in the electronic version:

A Leading Japanese Politician Espouses a 9/11 Fantasy

The two paragraphs below capture the flavor of The Post's screed. I have provided some educational assistance for the reader by supplying useful links. Only the last of the six links was in The Post's original online version.

    Fujita's ideas about the attack on the World Trade Center, which he shared with us in a recent interview, are too bizarre, half-baked and intellectually bogus to merit serious discussion. He questions whether it was really the work of terrorists; suggests that shadowy forces with advance knowledge of the plot played the stock market to profit from it; peddles the fantastic idea that eight of the 19 hijackers are alive and well; and hints that controlled demolition rather than fire or debris may be a more likely explanation for at least the collapse of the building at 7 World Trade Center, which was adjacent to the twin towers.

    As with almost any calamity whose scale and scope assume historic proportions, the events of Sept. 11 have spawned a thriving subculture of conspiracy theorists at home and abroad. The only thing novel about Mr. Fujita is that a man so susceptible to the imaginings of the lunatic fringe happens to occupy a notable position in the governing apparatus of a nation that boasts the world's second-largest economy.

The giveaway as to how frantic The Post is over this matter is that they are editorializing before reporting. That Fujita, who as a graduate of Keio University is about as plugged in to Japan's ruling "old boy" network as it is possible to be, has abandoned the 9/11 sinking ship was not previously even mentioned in The Post or anywhere else in the mainstream US press, to my knowledge.

Now The Post tells us that they have interviewed him. . . I'm not holding my breath waiting for The Post to print that interview, no matter how much we might clamor for it . . . Full story: dcdave.com

Bring All the Tithes into the Storehouse

By Pastor Chibuze Uzoho

Today, some good folk believe tithing is not as important as it was in the Old Testament Temple system of worship. Others suggest that the freewill contributions of the saints have taken the place of tithing in the Church. However, basic Biblical principles like this do not change. Tithing existed before the Old Testament 'Levitical' order was established and it continues to exist.

The tithe is a tenth. We first learn about "tithing" when Abraham met Melchizedek (Genesis 14:1-20), Priest-King of Salem, which means "peace" or "security." Earthly Salem was initially ruled by Amorites, but the Jebusites who ruled in the era of Joshua called it "Jebusi," and when both names were conjoined it became "Jerusalem," or "city of peace" (Joshua 18:28; Ezekiel 16:3). When Abram first encountered Melchizedek, the "King of Righteousness," Creator and Redeemer of heaven and earth He was the theophany that would later manifest as the virgin-born Prince of Peace. And as the Father of the Son of God, His city was not earthly Salem established by the Serpent's seed, but the "heavenly Jerusalem that is free of the yoke of Mosaic Law and is the mother of us all" and will one day "come down from God out of heaven as a Bride adorned for her Husband" (Galatians 4:6; Hebrews 12:22; Genesis 10:15-19: Hebrews 7:2; Revelation 21:1-2).

This is the first mention of the word "Priest" in Scripture. A Priest is an intercessor between God and men; as God's representatives His ministers received God's tithe for their sustenance under grace as they did under the Law (Numbers 18:24). Consequently when Abraham met Melchizedek he was not learning how to give tithes, as this was his custom. Abraham and Jacob like we Gentiles today lived under grace which predated the Law of Moses and the Temple worship, (Genesis 14:20; 28:20-22); both understood the principle of paying tithes which is obligatory to every believer. Leviticus 27:30 states, "All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's. It is holy to the Lord".

As exemplified by the Patriarchs of old, the Christian's life is one of stewardship. Jacob promised a tenth to the Lord. "And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that You give me I will surely give the tenth to You" (Genesis 28:20-22, 30). Hence tithe paying is a principle of stewardship, not a ritual fulfilled on Calvary.

Malachi wrote the last Book of the Old Testament, announcing the first Coming of the messenger of the New Testament and His forerunner, John. Malachi 3:8-12, is often regarded as Old Testament Scripture whereas it is actually a prophecy of the Lord's second or 'parousia' Coming to Israel as "the God of judgment" after the close of the Gentile dispensation, and emphasizes the importance of tithing among God's people.

"Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, How have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in My house, and thereby put Me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you, and pour out for you an overflowing blessing. I will rebuke the devouring locust for your sakes, and it shall not destroy the fruits of your soil; your vine in the field shall not fail to ripen, says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a delightful land, says the Lord of hosts" (Malachi 3:8-12).

tithing the widow's miteIn this Scripture we see the entire nation of Judah had defrauded God in tithes and heave offerings which belonged to Him and would have been utterly consumed as they deserved were it not for His longsuffering patience for the sake of His elect. This lukewarm spirit has now engulfed the entire world as we approach the end of grace. The spirit of Laodicea is hindering the revelation of Jesus Christ and the expression of the Token of His Life in many in the circle of this end-time Message; God's wrath is restrained only by His longsuffering patience waiting for the last elect to recognize his day and its Message. Once the last soul is baptized into Christ, God's wrath will fall on the earth. We stand at the threshold of the crisis of the ages.

God reproved the Israelites and also promised to bless them abundantly if they would bring the tithes into His storehouse. In fact He declared he would open the windows of heaven and pour an abundant blessings upon them. And God is poised to open the windows of heaven and pour out a more than sufficient blessing upon you who will take Him at His Word for, "there is great reward in keeping your Word" (Psalm 19:11). God wants to show Christians tremendous revelations that will enlighten both wise and foolish virgin, Spiritual and material blessings are withheld from unbelievers and doubters who rob Him of His tenth (tithe), impoverishing His labourers as in the days of Nehemiah. "I discovered that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them: so that they and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field"  (Nehemiah 13:10).

God owns everything "and the cattle upon a thousand hills" (Psalm 50:10, 24:1). He allows us the joy of giving and personally using His possessions for His glory. However, He requires His people to dedicate a good portion, a tithe, for His service. "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's: it is holy to the Lord" (Leviticus 27:30-32). Tithes belong to God and were portions He exclusively reserved to the Priests and Levites; those who minister in the Temple. The tithes of Israel were offered as a heave offering and given to the Levites. The "heave offering" was lifted upward once, properly separated from the larger mass and devoted to the divine service of God.

"As for the descendants of Levi, I have given them every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their services as custodians of the tabernacle of the congregation. Henceforth the children of Israel are never to come near the sanctuary, lest they bear sin, and die. The Levites shall discharge the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a perpetual statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. For I have designated the tithes which the children of Israel present as a heave offering to the Lord, for an inheritance to the Levites: therefore I have told them, that they are not to own any property among the children of Israel: they shall have no inheritance" (Numbers 18:21-24).

Levites were to pay a tenth, a tithe of a tithe. "Speak unto the Levites and direct them, When you take the tithes from the children of Israel which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present a heave offering of it for the Lord, a tithe of the tithe. Your heave offering shall be credited to you as though it were the grain from the threshing floor, and as the full produce of the winepress. Thus from all your tithes which you receive of the people of Israel, you are to contribute a heave offering to the Lord, and give the Lord's heave offering to Aaron the priest. Out of all your gifts you are to select from every heave offering for the Lord the best thereof, the hallowed portion of it. Tell them also: When you offer the best part of it, it shall be credited to the Levites as the increase of the threshing floor, and as the increase of the winepress. And you may eat it in any place, you and your households: for it is your reward in return for your service in the tabernacle. You will not bring any sin upon yourselves, provided you contribute the best of it. You are not to desecrate the holy gifts of the Israelites lest you die" (Numbers 18:26-32).

The Levites were God's ministers and they too must pay one tenth (ten percent) of the heave offering that was offered by the children of Israel. The rest was for their own use, because it was the reward for their service in the tabernacle of the congregation. This shows that Ministers of the Gospel are to pay tithes, and the giver and the receiver are of the same fivefold ministry, the blessing comes from God for both ministers, as they give their services to God. Non-paying of tithes is a grievous sin tantamount to despoiling God (Hebrews 10:26-27). In trying to defraud God we only defraud ourselves. As the eagle which robbed the altar would set her nest on fire from the burning coal that adhered to the stolen flesh, Christians who retain God's tithe in their treasuries will surely find it a losing possession. No one loses by serving God with a completely surrendered heart, nor ever gains by serving Him half heartedly, as seen by numerous examples in Scripture. We may compromise with conscience for half the price, but God will not endorse the compromise; and, like Ananias and Sapphira, we shall lose not only what we thought we had purchased so cheaply, but also the price we paid for it. If we would have God open His treasury, we first must open ours. If we want to preserve our possessions we must be faithful stewards in tithing. One cause of loss and barrenness in the Church is the unwillingness of members to pay their tithes and give freewill offerings with a cheerful heart. When Christians refuse to render to the Lord according to the benefits they have received they fall short of the mark of His high calling.

"Windows of heaven" is an expression that speaks of rain for the crops, especially the early and latter rains to bless the field. It indicates much increase to be poured out in the allusion of a vessel completely emptied of its contents, no blessing being kept back as the result of obedience in tithes and offerings. Jesus said, "Give and it shall be given to you, good measure pressed down, and shaken together, and running over." God promises security and protection to the obedient servant. He says, "I will rebuke the devouring locust. I will no longer corrupt the seed, but will rebuke every agency that could hurt it." These magnificent promises speak of the Christian's sources of income and property. In obedience His people are seen as a delightsome blessing in His presence (Deuteronomy 33:29, Zechariah 8:13; Malachi 3:11).

God has opened the windows of heaven to the Church and abundantly poured out His blessings in these last days. Therefore, He reasonably expects us to bring our tithes into His storehouse for His service, but if we have refused and have not planned accordingly to promote the cause of Christ, the Spirit is grieved, and the blessing is withdrawn. Why? Because, we have failed to be liberal when God had dealt so bountifully with us in blessing (Amos 4:9).

When Christians are not consciously dependent on the Spirit but rely on their own resources, God curses their blessings. In many instances, they sin against their own mercies, because they become lifted up with their success, taking credit to themselves and not giving all the glory to God. "If you will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to My Name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will even send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: indeed I have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart" (Malachi 2:2).

Jesus admonishes us, "Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you mete withal it shall be measured to you again. God loves a cheerful giver." (Luke 6:38, II Corinthians 9:7b). Don't you know, "the liberal souls shall be fat and he that waters shall be watered also himself"  (Proverbs 11:25)?

Bring all the tithes into the storehouseMalachi 3:10 speaks of bringing all the tithes into his store house. Therefore for a true relationship with the One who provides all things, only a complete tithe is appropriate, which is a tenth of one's increase. To understand the Storehouse as implied, the following Scriptures offer some clue. II Chronicles 31:11-15, "Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord; and they prepared them, and brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully" (I Chronicles 26:20; Nehemiah 10:38; 13:5, Deuteronomy 12:5-6, 11).

In the Temple the storehouse was the area where grains and produce were stored for use by the Priest and Levites—those whose work it was to minister before the Lord. In the New Testament, this store House is the Church where we receive the spiritual food in due season and the Ministers are the fivefold Ministry. As the Levites lived upon the tithes of their congregation, the fivefold Ministry live upon the tithes of their congregations. And as freewill offerings furnished the needs of the Old Testament temple, our freewill offerings meet Church expenses for maintenance, repairs, electricity, stationary, office staff and so forth. Tithes are not for constructing church buildings or feeding the poor. Congregational freewill offerings serve these ends (Exodus 25:2-8).

In Malachi 3:10, God says "prove me," showing that He wants His people to test Him whether He will keep His promise of blessing them for their loving obedience (II Chronicles 31:10). God's case against non-payment of tithes and offerings is based on robbery, which is a breach of the eighth commandment (Exodus 20:15). Withholding God's property is perhaps the most obvious symptom of indifference to God, though we may feign ignorance. "But you shall remember the Lord your God: for it is He who enables you to prosper that He may establish the covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. . . Honour the Lord with your substance, and with the first fruits of all your increase: So shall your barns be filled with plenty, and your vats overflow with new wine" (Deuteronomy 8:18; Proverbs 3:9-10).

As mentioned earlier, some good folk believe that returning a tenth to God was a commandment only to those of the Old Testament. This attitude is indicative of the fact that they are not yet born-again because of their inability to rightly divide and measure the Word against appropriate shadows and types rather than adding here and taking-away there to justify themselves (Revelation 22:18-19).

In the time of Jesus' first advent, the Jewish leaders were intent on bringing all the people to perfection . . . according to their man-made paradigms. They figured that God would be obligated to help them conquer the Romans on account of their zeal for self-works. They made extra rules, which told people how to keep these laws, whereby they made the Word and faith of no effect. Back then neglecting tithe was not an issue. Here is Jesus' comment: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law: judgment, mercy, and faith you ought to have done, and not to leave tithing undone" (Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42).

Jesus' statement clarifies that tithe paying is still a requirement, but while honouring their obligation to tithe the Jewish leaders of His day were seriously remiss in neglecting the compassionate elements of the Law. Therefore, Christians are duty bound to tithe a minimum ten percent of their increase to their pastor who feeds them Spiritual food in due season.

Some zealots argue that Jesus' statement regarding tithes pertained only to the Priests. This has no Scriptural support since had the people not tithed the priests would have been exempt from their obligation to tithe a tenth of their increase. The congregation paid tithes to the priests. The Jewish leaders tended to demand observances of the people that they themselves ignored, "for you lade men with burdens grievous to be borne and you yourselves touch not the burdens"  (Luke 11:46).

At the Cross, the ceremonial laws which pointed forward to the Lamb of Calvary ended (John 1:29; Matthew 5:17; 27:51), but tithing did not point to the Cross and was not fulfilled on the Cross. Therefore tithe-paying remains an obligation today as do freewill contributions and gifts. More so, the spiritual leaders of Church are worthy of support today. "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially those that labour in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, You shall not muzzle the ox that treads out the corn. And the labourer is worthy of his reward" (I Timothy 5:17-18).

"Do we have no right to eat and drink? . . . Whoever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock? Do I say these things as a mere man? Does the Law not say the same also? For it is written in the Law of Moses, You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain. Is it oxen God is concerned about? Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. Inasmuch as we have sown Spiritual seed among you, is it remarkable for us if we reap your material things? Since others enjoy the right to share material benefits from you, do not we even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the Gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the Gospel should live from the Gospel" (I Corinthians 9:4, 7-14).

In verse 7 of the above Scripture, Saint Paul asks, "Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?" With the expression "muzzle an ox" Brother Paul is still referring to the Temple Law of tithes. For as the Ox that treads out the grain is worthy to eat of the grain so the Minister of the Gospel ought to live from the tithing of the Church (Deuteronomy 25:4). Paul teaches that in the sanctuary, priests and Levites were supported by the people and alludes to the New Testament fivefold Ministry who labour daily in the Word. He points out that Christians need to remember to be faithful in tithes and contributions (Malachi 3:10; II Corinthians 8:4; I Corinthian 9:4).

The majority of believers are wary of sacrificing too much for God, but He abundantly blesses in ways beyond money all who obey this commandment. Holding back tithes for any reason is not an option. It is a joy to partner with the Lord. Our first obligation is to pay our tithes; bring the tithes and offerings into the storehouse of God where we get spiritual food. Second, we must meet our family responsibilities, settle any lingering debts, and responsibly steward any surplus.

Since Messiah has "magnified the Law and made it glorious" our motivation in serving God is enlarged beyond whatever it was under the Old Testament, such that Christians should go beyond the Old Testament people in consecrating both themselves and their substance to God (Isaiah 42:21). God delights in a cheerful giver and those who worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, becoming written epistles of the Present-Truth.

You are to pay your tithe to your Pastor, however, if you are without a pastor, you should support the minister who feeds your soul with Spiritual food in due season (I Corinthians: 9:1-14; 16:1-2; I Timothy 5:17-18). The tithe is not church property, it belongs to the Pastor to live on and spend as he pleases. If it insufficient for his needs he will have to work. He will in turn pay his own tithe to Ministers who feed him. This is the tithe of tithes as in the Old Testament where the Levite was obligated to pay a tenth to the Priest (Nehemiah 10:38; Numbers 18:28-32).

Church expenses should not be met out of the Pastor's pocket but from the free-will offerings of the saints. Tithes and freewill contributions should not be conflated as they are two separate obligations of the believer (Exodus 25:2, 8; Deuteronomy 16:16-17). The obligation on these two still exists in the Church. The assembly does not belong to the Pastor. It belongs to the entire congregation. It is your assembly and the Pastor is your servant, not your benefactor. He should be reimbursed by the church for his telephone, traveling, postage and other expenses incurred in the "business" of the assembly.

How do we calculate our tithe? It is calculated on our "increase" (Deuteronomy 14:22). For a businessman, it is the tenth of his net profit or increase after deducting the overhead costs, tax and other expenses. For a wage or salary earner this should be ten percent of the total income calculated after tax has been deducted.

Contrary to denominational doctrine, Ministers of God do not receive a salary or stipend from the Church, but according to Scripture they derive their living from the tithes of God's people. Bazaars, fetes, and suppers are not God's ways of supporting the Ministry. God said, "Bring the full tithes into the storehouse." The man who loves God will always take pleasure in supporting God's work. You like to help those you dearly love, and when you help the Church, you are helping God. Jesus said, "inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these My Brethren, you have done it unto Me," and the minister being your servant is the least (Matthew 23:11; 25:40). So, brethren, do not withhold any part of your tithes thereby making your Pastor wait for his due as though he were a beggar. Do not defraud God. Pay the full sum of your tithes. Your Pastor has obligations and expenses to meet and having dispensed his duties he is therefore worthy to receive his entitlements. If your Minister has faithfully sown Spiritual things for you, is it remarkable that he reaps your material things? You should pay your tithes as soon as you receive your increase. Hello! My Pastor friends, the tithe is your right from God, it is not charity, so don't be bashful.

Malachi 3:8-12 is a Scripture frequently quoted by those who support tithing and also by those who do not believe in tithing, claiming this is Old Testament Scripture and does not apply to the Church today. However it needs to be said that there are more Scriptures in the Old Testament yet to be fulfilled than there are in the New, and Malachi 3:2-4:6 speak of New Testament times yet future. Tithing is not simply an Old Testament commandment; it applies in the New Testament dispensation.

Jesus taught us that the commandment to tithe will continue throughout eternity. In the new heaven and new earth, "The nations of the saved shall walk in the Light of the Shekinah over New Jerusalem: and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour [or tithe] into it. Its gates shall never be shut by day: and there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour [or tithe] of the nations into it. But nothing unclean [unregenerate], nor anyone who commits abomination, or practices falsehood: but the born-again saints whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life shall enter therein" (Revelation 21:24-27). So tithing is most definitely a New Testament requirement. If we neglect to pay our tithes and freewill offerings we are robbing God of His due and as well robbing ourselves of His blessings, and indicate we are not in the Bride.

If God is not opening the windows of heaven to you, rise up now brother and sister and discover the cause of your Spiritual or material dearth before the Gentile dispensation ends. We must endeavor to meet the requirements of God's unchanging Word in order to come into the unity of faith with the Token on display at all times. Now is checking-up time to discover our short comings and amend our lives and prove whether we are living in the promises of God.

In this end-time God has sent us a Prophet, William Branham who was the Elijah of Malachi 4:5-6, to reveal Gods entire plan in such simplicity even the fool should not err. Since Christ's mediation for ignorance of the fullness of the Word ended with the revelation of the Seven Seals: He is no longer winking at men's ignorance but requires us to "live by His every Word".

This is what our 'Elijah' taught on the matter of tithing: "Hebrews 7:7-9, "Without any contradiction the less is blessed of the better. (Certainly. Watch Who He is). And here men that die receive tithes . . . (That's the priesthood of the order of priests and preachers and so forth, men that receive tithe, die. See?) . . . but here He receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that He liveth."

"What would a man take tithings for, if he never was borned, and never will die, and was from beginning to end, and never had no father or mother or descent, and owned the whole heavens and earth and all in it, why would He take tithe? Why would he ask Abraham to pay tithes? You see what a strict thing it is to pay tithes? Tithing's right. Every Christian's duty bound to pay tithe. That's right. Never has been changed" (William Branham, Hebrews, p. 310:122-123).

"Thank you, my little sister, for this tithing. As a minister, I'm supposed to receive tithing" (From that Time, #60-07160).

Question: "Brother Branham, don't you feel that everyone who claims to be a Christian should pay tithes; pay their tithes into the storehouse of the Lord? Please give Scripture to this question.

All right, if you will. . . That is right, that the Bible said in Malachi the 3rd chapter, "Will a man rob God? And you say, 'Where have we robbed Thee?' In tithe and offerings. Bring all your tithe and offerings into My storehouse and prove Me," saith the Lord, "if I will not open up the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that there'll not be room enough to receive."

That's a challenge to any individual. And if I only had the time, and would not get to this little Scripture that I wish to get to in about the next ten minutes, I would like to give you a personal testimony of how that I was even hungry, and my mother and them hungry, and my daddy sick, but I took my tithes out first and give it to God, and you ought to see what happened. I have never seen in my life, that any man or a woman, that if you only make one dollar a week, will bring the ten cents of that money and put it into your storehouse, your church where you come, if God don't bless that, call me a hypocrite. Yes, sir. That's a challenge to anybody. And every Christian . . . That goes to this other question. Every Christian should pay tithes. That's right. It should be done" (C.O.D., p. 617:Q146).

Question: Does a Christian not get to heaven because they do not pay tithe?

"I could not say yes or no to that. But I do believe that every Christian is obligated to pay tithings because it is a commandment of the Lord. "And blessed are they that do all His commandments that they might have a right to enter into the Life, the Tree of Life." Now, I do believe that tithe-paying is essential to a Christian experience" (C.O.D., p. 604:Q136; Revelation 22:14).

Question: Would it be wrong to use tithes on church building funds?

"Well now, here's a touchy little thing for the church now. No, correctly, tithes is to go to the minister. That's right. In the Bible they had a box they'd set at the door in the Old Testament. This box was a fund where the people put in there for the repairing. . . You've read it many times in the Old Testament. They kept up the buildings and things like that. . . All the repairs on the buildings was taken care out of that fund. But all the tithings went to their priests, their pastors. Yes, tithings are to go for nothing else."

"I know people take their tithes and give them to a widow woman. That's wrong. If you've got anything to give the widow woman, give her, but don't give her God's money. That's not yours in the first place. That's God's.

"If you sent me downtown to get a loaf of bread, and you give me twenty-five cents to get the loaf of bread, and I met somebody on the street wanted something else, and I'd give him the twenty-five cents (See?), I give them your money. If they asked me for something, let them get it over here in this pocket and give them my money; but this is your money. And a tenth of it is the Lord's. And Levi the priest could live by the tenth."

"The tenth is to be a tithing that's to be brought into the storehouse with a promise of God to bless it and a proof. He said, "If you don't believe it, come and prove Me and see if I won't do it." See? That's right." "The tithing goes into the church for the pastor and so forth like that to live on. And then the building funds and things like that is a separate fund altogether. Now, that is Scriptural. One time when we get started, I want to take a night. . . I've went here some time ago before I left the tabernacle and taken about two or three weeks and just on subjects like that and went plumb through it and showed what tithings was in the church"  (C.O.D., p. 680:Q161).

In Branham Tabernacle there was "a little box on the back where they put their tithes in"  (Jehovah Jireh, #56-1209E).

Question: Should a person pay tithes to an individual, or should a Christian work?

"Sure he should. He's the one man that will work, is a Christian. "Pay tithes to an individual?" It depends on who the individual is. See? That's right. In Hebrews the 7th chapter, when Abraham, returning from the slaughter of the kings met Melchisedec, he paid Him a tithe. That was Melchisedec, the King of Salem, which is King of Peace, and King of Righteousness, which was nobody but God Himself. See?"

"But when you pay tithings . . . Really, where you owe tithings is where you get your food. "Bring ye all your tithings into My storehouse, saith the Lord. (That right?) And prove Me herewith saith God, that if I'll not open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that you would not have room enough to receive it." I challenge any man or woman that's not a tithe payer to accept that."

"I could stand here till in the morning, telling you just what happened when I seen that, and what condition I was in. But just as loyal as I ever could, I paid tithes. And when I took my own money from the church here or from my campaigns, I'd take more. . . I'd give a tenth. Then I'd give it out to the ministers, and give the rest of it to ministers. Then when I couldn't do that, then the thing I did, I kept ten percent and give God ninety. And then, when the law told me I couldn't do that, I'd have to take. . . And if I did, it was going to be charged to it, then I had to take and bypass it into foreign missions and so forth, and then just take a wage out of that of a hundred dollars a week; and I pay my tithes from that."

"Yes, sir. I believe in paying tithes. It's one of God's blessings that's proven to be a blessing. You say, "That's of the Old Testament." It is of the New Testament too. Yes, sir" (C.O.D., p. 1034: Q307).

When Brother Branham was in court over the income tax matter his attorney asked: "How do you get your money?"

I said, "What people send me." I'm looking in the face of people right now that sends me tithing continually. I never ask them, they just do it. That's the Holy Spirit. He's able to take care of His own" (The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, p. 17:74).


Brethren, If we neglect to pay tithes and offerings we are robbing God of His portion and consequently robbing ourselves of His blessing and testifying we are not in His Bride and not in the rapture. We have to ensure we are among God's tenth. Those who are not faithful in tithe paying will have no part in the rapture and translation. The rapture has been in process since Christ opened the Seven Seals in 1963 and revealed them through His prophet?the New Testament Elijah of Malachi 4;5-6 and Matthew 17:11. Thus the translation of the faithful living Saints may be sooner than you think. Those with the Spirit of God will understand and obey the revealed Word but those who know to do righteousness but refuse it are in iniquity and will suffer the awful curse of God. nl624.htm

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Brother Grigor-Scott is a non-denominational minister who has ministered full-time since 1981, primarily to other ministers and their congregations overseas. He pastors Bible Believers' tiny congregation, and is available to teach in your church.

Bible Believers' Church
Gunnedah NSW
Australia 2380
 
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URL Bible Believers' Website
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