First I rightfully still do not endorse any Christians adds, anyone, any person, any organization, any Church  now trying to make any money from  the gospel, or begging, asking for money or even  any of the adds here.  I also do not endorse any of  Bibles, books, tapes listed here for sale too. Jesus said as we have freely received so we are freely to give. Hirelings in their greed and visible lack of faith don't do that. I do believe we should have the faith for God to supply what anyone needs  freely to anyone who needs it. 



Thieves
 
(John 10:1 KJV)  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
 
Poverty, persecution, calamity still do now worry even many Christian persons.. and some other Christian persons wrongfully  think we can be spared of all of the real , necessary hardships in life as well , even spared of  tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword.. not so! God will next still let us go through many real trials in life.. but he will stand also there alongside with us too..
(Dan 3:23 KJV)  And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
 
(Rom 8:35 KJV)  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
 
(Rom 8:39 KJV)  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
 
(1 Pet 1:7 KJV)  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
 
(1 Pet 4:12 KJV)  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
 
(Acts 17:31 KJV)  Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
 
(Mat 28:16 KJV)  Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
 
(Luke 10:1 KJV)  After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
 
(Acts 22:10 KJV)  And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
 
(1 Cor 4:9 KJV)  For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
 
(1 Th 3:3 KJV)  That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
 
(1 Tim 6:17 KJV)  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
 
(Acts 14:22 KJV)  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
 
(Rom 5:3 KJV)  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
 
(Rom 12:12 KJV)  Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
 
(2 Cor 1:4 KJV)  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
 
(2 Cor 7:4 KJV)  Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
 
(1 Th 3:4 KJV)  For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
 
(Rev 1:9 KJV)  I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
 
(Rev 2:9 KJV)  I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
 
(Rev 2:10 KJV)  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
 
(Rev 7:14 KJV)  And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
 
(John 16:33 KJV)  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
 
(Acts 27:25 KJV)  Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

(Prov 27:23 KJV)  Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. 24 For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?
But what is our will in life, what should be our main will in life, pursuing and acquiring more wealth, and when I have some free time or free money  I may give it to God? Not my will but thine be done.. applies still to us all as well, as the need of each one of us to personally live by faith in God is still a must too.. not rather even by  faith in ourselves, our church, our pastor, our government, our bank account, our education our job, our family..  for too many Christians still wrongfully do even make man as the center of the universe of life, man as the false center of God's  universe and creation.. for  it is no longer any man we are to see, but only Jesus!! Jesus only!
(1 Cor 2:2 KJV)  For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3  And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4   And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

(Phil 3:3 KJV)  For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
 
(Prov 11:2 KJV)  When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
 
(Prov 13:10 KJV)  Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.
 
(Psa 34:18 KJV)  The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
 
(Psa 51:17 KJV)  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
 
(Isa 57:15 KJV)  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
 
(Isa 66:2 KJV)  For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
 
(1 Th 2:14 KJV)  For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
 In the Old Testament even the saints often fought to establish s  personal earthly dominion but in the New Testament there is a clear change in this regard too for  it is no longer really  a direct physical war confrontation with others for land,  but more of a spiritual confrontation, and not to establish not our own dominions, but only God's dominion. The New Testament looks fully to Christ's kingdom being established everywhere and not any of ours.
 
 Sadly too many persons are still stuck in the Old Testament even pursing a personal and a very secular empire too, where many even Christian people to try to wrongfully justify this they still seem to take portions of the Bible out of the whole context that they want to hear only.. 
 
The New Testament  is next still also much  better than the old Testament.. and there is such a great difference between the New testament and  the Old Testament agenda . The Old testament purpose was to show how by observing the laws you still could not enter in heaven so we have a new way to heaven in the New testament by the shed blood of Jesus, his finished work for each one of us. So we belong to Jesus and are serve him.
 (Mark 10:21 KJV)  Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

(Mark 12:42 KJV)  And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a  farthing.43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

(Luke 4:18 KJV)  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,... is not a financially rich prosperity Gospel still too
Most Christians are poor on earth and will stay poor in  God's will too.. what is more important is that they are serving the lord where they are too... that is what God cares about their service still.

(3 John 1:2 KJV)  Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3   For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
 
I remember a time in my life when I wanted to do something else certainly besides ask other people now to repent for sure.. but God personally then told me he was upset.. I was really surprised, shocked that He God  He was really really now upset even that His people were in sleeping cars cause they had no home to go to, and that  many pastors in contrast  lived in very rich homes.. a Pastor  at that time and place that God spoke to  me was three streets away living in a $375,000 dollar home too, and God even told me the name a specifically local church and pastor that I did not know as well  that God was really upset at.. a Full Gospel pastor too. in the same short period that was living a life of luxury, and the pastor's son and the future daughter in law came to a New Show Home I was selling.. they were dreaming about buying a rich home.. neither were even thinking about continuing in the pastorship...yes God was upset..  still is about people who abuse His money and neglect the poor people.
(Mat 16:23 KJV)  But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

(Mark 8:33 KJV)  But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

(Luke 4:8 KJV)  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

(Luke 13:31 KJV)  The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.

(Acts 7:3 KJV)  And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee.
Speaking of wrongfully building one's personal empire I had entered a church for the first time and was next after the service greeted by the Pastor and he wanted immediately to know where I was working, and how much I would tithe to his church next  and he did not at all ask rather rightfully firstly even about my personal health which had prevented me from working at that time. I CLEARLY SAW THE GLIMMER IN THE HE PASTOR EYES COUNTING THE POTENTIAL INCOME. HE WRONGFULLY HAD HIS EYES ON MAN TO SUPPLY HIS NEEDS AND NOT GOD.  Some people read the Bible, and do thus go to church the same way, wrongfully hoping to get rich.

Often when I want to see how truly spiritual someone is I tend to do three things-
- I see if they personally themselves firstly practice what they preach to the others
- I check out what kind of books they are reading,, have in their personal library.
- I check out what their attitude is towards money, how they do treat it.. covetously? miserly?
Another pastor had asked me to call the members of the church to see if they would make more donations to the church.. and boy did I get an harsh earful from some of the members, and I really was surprised to note that some professing Christians where not true Christians who loved to give, to help others when you had asked for or you touched their money.
 
Another Christian, a church secretary too,  had  bragged to me they were paid up in the annual tithe but admitted to me they had not paid all of the he taxes cause they had committed tax evasions, for after all their own pastors did the same thing they said to me trying to justify it wrongfully too.
(John 5:42 KJV)  But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

(John 5:43 KJV)  I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

(John 5:44 KJV)  How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

(1 Tim 6:10 KJV)  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.11   But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

(Mat 21:13 KJV)  And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

(Jer 12:12 KJV)  The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace. 13  They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

" Luke 12:15  And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for  one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. .. . 
Do you know about another sin nobody admits? It's another sin we're afraid to mention? We must be afraid to mention it, because nobody ever mentions it about himself, anyway. Now many people have confessed to me that they've committed some terrible, dark sins. I can recall people and pastors, elders  who have admitted being drunkards, who confessed to stealing, breaking up other's home, murder, taking the Lord's name in vain, trifling on the marriage partner,  all the rest - but as far as I can remember in all my time in the ministry, nobody has ever admitted to me that he was guilty of the sin we're going to talk about now. And I suppose the reason for it is that it's the root sin; the basic sin; the very foundation sin. The Lord Jesus Himself had solemnly warned us of this sin in Luke 12:15: "And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a men's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."  This sin has also destroyed many  marriages.. when a bad spouse says I have no respect for someone who cannot get me all of the things I want.. Remind you of the wicked Queen Jezebel and her Husband too?  King David coveted Bathseba, another man's wife as well and he paid for that sin dramatically too.  Now the sin that nobody admits is also covetousness or for that matter even, adultery, stealing and  Pride? Why? They obviously do not believe wrongfully it is a major sin or they would not do it so readily?

"Most People just simply don't say "Well, I'm a sinner, yes I am a  liar, a thief, an adulterer, a covetous person. I want to get hold of that extra dollar. I want to reach out and grab and pull in everything I can get hold of." And people never come to you and say, "I want to admit something. Greediness is my problem. I'm just a covetous person." It has always amazed me just a little bit. People don't mind at all admitting some of those grosser, blacker sins; but when it comes right down to those refined sins like covetousness, I guess it is just too humiliating. Of course, it is a sin that's not condemned very much by our materialistic age, either. It is not even condemned very much by the church, it seems. You break any of the other commandments and immediately you get into trouble, but coveting - well, nobody knows whether you're coveting or not. But there it is - it is a commandment of the Lord, and it is one that most people seem to overlook; yet in God's sight it's one of the blackest of all sins because it's the root of every other sin. Remember what the apostle Paul said in Romans 7:7. He said, "I had not known sin ... except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." The point he was trying to get across was this:

Every single sin has its roots in the sin of covetousness, and that's why God thought it was important enough to include in the Ten Commandments. It's the sin that comes before and leads to every other sin that you could possible commit. (Including now the sin of stealing the tithe even  by the pastors. elders now themselves  My house is a house of prayer but you have made it a den of thieves.. for did you know many church pastors steal of the tithe itself  today , they firstly really  do not spend the tithe the way it was now prescribed to be spent in the Bible, even where 1/7 of the tithe was clearly to be given to the local poor persons. Does your church that tries to preach the law of tithe and still not  practice all the laws of tithing and/or do the pastors mostly keep the tithe for themselves and the expensive of running the church wrongfully.. directly contrary to the Bible commandments on this now too?

The too often forgotten verses include  "They first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God." and Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. (Gal 2:10 KJV)    

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. (2 Cor 9:6 KJV)  They leave this out cause they are building a religious church empire, or trying to get rich themselves?    Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. (Mat 7:20 KJV)  

Thus in reality now Is it still not a biblical fact that only  10 percent of the collected  tithe in the Old testament  every three years went directly to the main storehouse?  and the rest was spent how? well?

Also, every third year, the Israelite was required to store his tithe in his own town to even feed the fatherless, aliens, and widows as required by the Lord. This was the tithe of the poor. (ma’aser ani)(Deuteronomy 14:22-29, 26:12-15) (Amos 4:4-5)
 
Furthermore the Old Testament Levites, and the poor persons who could enjoy  the benefits of the tithes where those who did not own any land, or a house, properties  for they Priests,they were forbidden to  own any land, or a house.  The Lord God  stated that the Levites would have no inheritance of land but would be given a portion of the tithe instead.  Numbers 18:20 (NIV) The LORD said to Aaron, "You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.. Such an injunction would also apply today to anyone claiming a right to THE  TITHE too. So what about your Pastor does he own his house and still wrongfully claims the tithe?

(Luke 16:10 KJV)  He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.11  If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?12  And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

The tithe was also paid directly to the storehouse only every 3rd year? and the other two years the tither himself enjoyed the tithes himself by feasting on it?
(Deu 12:17 KJV)  Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand:(Deu 14:23 KJV)  And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.
And why now have any of the today's  pastors  not even mentioned these  Biblical verses, truths  too in all honesty? rather they like you to believe that   then and not all of the tithes was to be  given to the local church.. which was  not so at all. Not in the Old or New Testament.  (Please do also see  https://pbulow.tripod.com/tithing.html)

"Now I may as well warn you ahead of time that there's no possible way of getting rid of coveting except through the Lord Jesus Christ - absolutely no way at all. It takes special power from heaven to overcome this sin. But now let's go back to Luke 12 for a moment. After Jesus said, "Take heed, and beware of covetousness," He told a story to illustrate the point a little bit further. Let me read it to you, beginning with verse 16: "And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much good laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

Now, notice something. God calls this man a fool. Now I may call a man a fool and be entirely mistaken, but when God calls a man a fool, he's a fool. Now this man was a fool. Why? Well, because he was concerned only about himself - "I," "I," "I," - and he forgot all about the solemn fact that one of these days we all have to stand before the Lord in judgment. So God said, "You're a fool. Tonight your soul will be required of you. Then whose will all these things be?"

This is a very solemn story. Every single Christian should give it very earnest attention and heed. The Lord is just saying here, "You go ahead. If that's the way you want it, get anything you want. Keep the things that are not yours. Make provisions for more and more sins. You have the right to choose, but when the day of reckoning comes and your soul will be required of you, then whose will these things be?" "

 Anyway you can take nothing with you when you die, you leave it all, all here..

"You do know, a lot of people think they are getting by with the secret sins - things that are on the inside; things that don't show up - like coveting, for example." King David did till the prophet told him he was not fooling God still. A person can go along and be quite a respectable Christians as far as other people are concerned, and yet be guilty of coveting. It just doesn't show up like many of the grosser, outward sins. But mark you this: Not just on the great judgment day when the light from the judgment throne of God shines into every life, all of those things are going to be revealed and people are going to see them in all their rotten, disgusting fullness. And one of the worst sins to be shown upon the judgment day will be the sin of coveting, many persons sins will be next revealed here on earth too in reality to their shame and the shame of others, shouted from the housetops.

"I am afraid we don't realize just how far this thing reaches. Take for example, professional jealousy. Have you ever heard that expression? I want to tell you, it's not limited to just the professions, either. It's a term that we ought to use loosely, because it can apply to everybody, everywhere. Wives are jealous of other wives; husbands of other husbands; workmen of other workmen; and it's covetousness - this professional jealousy - coveting another person's praise, or his honor, or his position. It's so widespread that there is hardly a place anywhere that it's not named. It even exists among preachers, and here's where the thing comes home. A person could build a very beautiful home and I could go look at it one day and say, "You know, this is a lovely home. It's a masterpiece. You've done a very beautiful job." And that wouldn't take anything out of me - it would be easy for me to say that, because I'm not a builder. A person could paint a beautiful masterpiece - delightful, exquisite - and I could say, "Listen, that's beautiful; it's superb; never have I seen anything like it." I could just lavish praise on that man and it could be nothing to me because I'm not a painter. But when somebody stands up and preaches a better sermon than I can preach - then for me to say honestly and truly from the heart, "It's a masterpiece; the Lord was with you" - then that is something else.

Do you see what I mean? Now that is what we're talking about today. This matter of coveting somebody else's praise, somebody else's success, somebody else's prestige, is one of the greatest sins mentioned in the Book of God. It is my prayer that as we go further into this study, every person will determine in his heart to begin right now laying hold of God for victory. It's a very terrible thing for a Christian to be guilty of coveting. It is bad enough for a worldling, but it's an awful thing for a person who names the name of Christ to be guilty of coveting something. We need to learn to give God the praise for everything; then we will stop worrying about credit - who deserves credit for that. We will give it all to God, where it belongs in the first place.

 It seems as if one of the traps, which is most effective in today's society,  is covetousness, better known as greed.  We are bombarded with  advertisements, via the TV, urging us to acquire more, and better.  Our brain puts the two together, and we began to think "more" is "better."  Is it? Being  told the United States of America has approximately six percent  (6%) of the world's population, yet, we have acquired over fifty percent (50%) of  the world's wealth.  If we are to believe those TV commercials, we should be  the happiest people on this earth.  Are we????  Look at our rate of murders, rapes, robberies, and recently, the extreme greed shown by some of our corporate executives.  Executives stealing from  the stockholders, and building forty (40M) and fifty (50M) million-dollar  homes; "speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron."(1 Tim 4:2) Do you really think these people are happy???

 The desire to have "more," can become insatiable.  When you develop the desire to have more, just for the sake of having "more," you will find  selfishness, unwholesome-eagerness, avidity, avariciousness and gluttonous  creeping in; and there is a good possibility, you will become predatory. I  want you to understand: As long as you believe "more is better," you'll  never be satisfied.  Why?  Because you'll never live long enough to gain it  all.  He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who  loves abundance, with increase. (Eccl 5:10)

 Let's take a look at you, my friend.  Have you subscribed to the "more is  better" myth?  Be honest now; when you achieve something, or acquire  something, do you take the time to enjoy it?  Or do you focus on the next,  new gadgets?  The "more is better" myth is actually "greed."  God's Word  labels it as covetousness! or lustfulness."

 To personally effectively deal with covetousness here on earth:

 1.  Be thankful for what you already have.   Count your blessings, starting with what the lord has done of you..  name them  one by one, count your many blessings, ..and it will surprise you what the  Lord has done.

 2.  When old slewfoot slips the "more is better" feeling to you, look back  at the time you gained the "more," only to realize it wasn't "better."  Realize that if you want "more" now, you will want even "more and more " later; it  never ends!
"Better is a little, with the fear of the LORD, than great treasure with  trouble."(Prov 15:16) Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, than a  fatted calf with hatred.(Prov 15:17)  Better a handful with quietness, than  both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind.(Eccl 4:6)
Do you still really want to know how to be happy?  OK, A guaranteed formula:  "Godliness with contentment is great gain."(1 Tim 6:6) If you really desire  happiness, be content with what you already have.Try it; you'll like it!"

If God did not supply it to you then you really may not need it even  to now serve Him with Joy.
(1 Sam 2:7 KJV)  The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. 
 
(Heb 12:16 KJV)  Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
So many people even in the church are like Esau, or  the traitor, the apostle Judas who sold the truth, Jesus, relationships, eternity for mere  earthy gains..  RUTH IN CONTRAST TO MANY OF US TODAY TOO SHE WAS ONE WHO HAD CLEARLY LEARNED CONTENTMENT WITH WHAT SHE HAD AND SHE ALSO HAD THE RIGHT PRIORITIES , VALID RELATIONSHIPS, NOT WEALTH, AND GOD NEXT REWARDED HER FULLY FOR THIS AS WELL.. Do now even Read what the Bibles says about it all  too  in detail..
(Ruth 3:10 KJV)  And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.

(Job 20:4 KJV)  Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,5   That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?  6  Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds; 7  Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he? 8  He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night. 9  The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold him. 10  His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.11  His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust. 12  Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue; 13  Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still within his mouth: 14  Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him. 15  He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly....18  That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein. 19  Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not; 20  Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired. 21  There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.22  In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon him. 23  When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating. 24  He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through...( 27)  The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him. 28  The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath. 29  This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.

(James 2:2 KJV)  For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;3  And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4  Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 5  Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? 6  But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? 7  Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? 8  If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9  But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 10  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

(Lev 19:10 KJV)  And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.

(Deu 15:7 KJV)  If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:8  But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.

(Deu 15:11 KJV)  For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

(Deu 24:14 KJV)  Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates:

(Deu 24:15 KJV)  At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee.

(Lev 19:15 KJV)  Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

(Prov 14:20 KJV)  The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.

(Prov 14:21 KJV)  He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he

(Prov 19:17 KJV)  He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

(James 2:14 KJV)  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?15  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16  And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. 19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21  Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22  Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23  And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24  Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25  Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

(Job 24:2 KJV)  Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof. 3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge. 4  They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together...6  They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked. 7  They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.  8  They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter. 9  They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor. 10  They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry; 11  Which make oil within their walls, and tread their wine presses, and suffer thirst. 12  Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them. 13  They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof. 14  The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief. 15  The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face. 16  In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light. 17  For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.

(Psa 10:2 KJV)  The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. 3  For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.  4  The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. 5  His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. 6  He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity. 7  His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity. 8  He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor. 9  He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. 10  He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones. 11  He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it. 12  Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble. 13  Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it. 14  Thou hast seen it: for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless. 15  Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.

(Psa 10:16 KJV)  The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land. 7  LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: 8 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

(Psa 40:17 KJV)  But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

(Jer 11:14 KJV)  Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.

(Jer 11:15 KJV)  What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.

(Jer 11:16 KJV)  The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.

(Jer 11:17 KJV)  For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.

(Jer 11:18 KJV)  And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou showedst me their doings. 19  But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.

(Jer 11:20 KJV)  But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.

(Jer 12:3 KJV)  But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

(Jer 12:4 KJV)  How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.

(Jer 12:5 KJV)  If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?

(Jer 12:6 KJV)  For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.

(Jer 12:7 KJV)  I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies. 8  Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out against me: therefore have I hated it. 9   Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.

(Jer 12:10 KJV)  Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. 11  They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart

(Luke 14:12 KJV)   When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. 13   But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: 14  And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

(Mark 9:41 KJV)  For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

(Mat 25:31 KJV)  When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

(James 2:14 KJV)  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16  And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. 19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

(James 2:5 KJV)  Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? 6  But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? 7  Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? 8  If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9  But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 10  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11  For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. 12  So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

(Luke 12:22 KJV)  And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.  23  The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. 24  Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? 25  And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? 26  If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? 27  Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28  If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? 29  And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30  For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31  But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33  Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 34  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 35  Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; 36  And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. 37  Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 38  And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39  And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. 40  Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. 41  Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? 42  And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? 43  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 44  Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. 45  But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 46  The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47  And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.  48  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. 

(Mat 21:14 KJV)  And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

(James 3:13 KJV)  Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 14  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. 4:1  From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2  Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5  Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. 11  Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12  There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? 13  Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15  For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 16  But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. 17  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

(Isa 66:3 KJV)  He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. 4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

(Zep 2:3 KJV)  Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.
 
(Mat 5:5 KJV)  Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
 
(Psa 149:4 KJV)  For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
 
(James 1:21 KJV)  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
 
(Psa 149:5 KJV)  Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hand;7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; 8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
 
(Psa 147:6 KJV)  The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.
 
(Num 12:1 KJV)  And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2  And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it. 3  (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) 4  And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out. 5  And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth. 6  And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. 7  My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. 8  With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? 9  And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed. 10  And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous. 11  And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned. 12  Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb. 13  And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee. 14  And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.  15  And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.

(Psa 76:7 KJV)  Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry? 8  Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still, 

(Isa 61:1 KJV)  The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. 4  And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. 5  And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vine dressers.  6  But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. 7  For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them. 8  For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 9  And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed. 10  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. 11  For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

(Psa 37:11 KJV)  But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
 
(Isa 11:4 KJV)  But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
 
(Isa 29:19 KJV)  The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. 20  For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off: 21  That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought. 22  Therefore thus saith the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale. 23  But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel. 24  They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

(Psa 25:9 KJV)  The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. 10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. 11 For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.
Let me be clear neither your present position in life, nor the amount of your physical, finical prosperity it is still not a measure of your the true spirituality with God.. many people are wrongfully  trying to deceive us by indicating that personal earthly prosperity is a measure of one's spirituality now too... it is not!
(Prov 8:13 KJV)  The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

(Prov 11:2 KJV)  When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
 
(Prov 13:10 KJV)  Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.
 
(Prov 14:3 KJV)  In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
 
(Prov 16:18 KJV)  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
 
(Prov 29:23 KJV)  A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
 
(Isa 23:9 KJV)  The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.
 
(Isa 25:11 KJV)  And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands.
 
(Isa 28:1 KJV)  Woe to the crown of pride,
 
(Isa 28:3 KJV)  The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:
 
(Jer 13:9 KJV)  Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
 
(Jer 13:17 KJV)  But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord's flock is carried away captive.
 
(Jer 48:29 KJV)  We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart.
 
(Jer 49:16 KJV)  Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD.
 
(Ezek 7:10 KJV)  Behold the day, behold, it is come: the morning is gone forth; the rod hath blossomed, pride hath budded.
 
(Ezek 16:49 KJV)  Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
 
(Ezek 16:56 KJV)  For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride,
 
(Ezek 30:6 KJV)  Thus saith the LORD; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord GOD.
 
(Dan 4:37 KJV)  Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
 
(Dan 5:20 KJV)  But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
 
(Hosea 5:5 KJV)  And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them.
 
(Hosea 7:10 KJV)  And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.
 
(Oba 1:3 KJV)  The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?
 
(Zep 2:10 KJV)  This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.
 
(Zep 3:11 KJV)  In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.
 
(Zec 9:6 KJV)   and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.
 
(Zec 10:11 KJV)  And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away.
 
(Zec 11:3 KJV)  There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.
 
(1 Tim 3:6 KJV)  Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
 
(1 John 2:16 KJV)  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
What can you or I or anyone boast about pridefully when God firstly has given us everything we have,  we own and it all still belongs to him, not even one's salvation too.
 
 AND GOD CAN EVEN TAKE IT ALL AWAY FROM US IF WE DO NOT REPENT TOO.
(Eph 2:8 KJV)  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

(James 1:9 KJV)  Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:10  But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
 
(James 1:12 KJV)  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:14   But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
 
(Phil 4:4 KJV)  Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
 
(Phil 4:6 KJV)  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
 
(Lev 26:1 KJV)  Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.
(Mark 12:38 KJV)  And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, 39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: 40  Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. 41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

(1 Tim 2:9 KJV)  In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shame facedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
 
(1 Pet 3:3 KJV)  Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
 
(2 Cor 10:1 KJV)  Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

(Mark 12:42 KJV)  And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

(Gal 5:22 KJV)  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

(Isa 57:15 KJV)  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
 
(Psa 112:9 KJV)  He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour. 

(1 Pet 3:1 KJV)  Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;2  While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
SADLY MANY PEOPLE TODAY ADMIRE THE RICH AND DESPISE THE POOR PERSONS.

JOB HIMSELF KNEW FIRSTHAND WHAT IT MEANT TO BE POOR AND RICH.


 Some of us still do have a real difficulty in understanding the main  reasons why  EVEN our close loved ones, some of the pastors, elders, church attendees,   would now next  hate us, despise us, try even to kill us, when we are NOW trying simply,  to honestly follow after God, to live a simple God honoring lifestyle. One of the main reason that they do reject even us is that they are still under conviction for their own sins, and they do not want to repent, change,  for they still do wrongfully want to rather to purse their own materialistic, immoral life style and not God's, and they do not want to really give up these idols of theirs, of their false idol, the Baalim God. Thus they  reject us cause they do not want to give up their own immoral life styles, their FALSE worship of a materialistic  life style as well.
(1 Sam 18:23 KJV)  seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?

(Prov 28:3 KJV)  A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.

(Eccl 9:15 KJV)  Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

(Job 34:19 KJV)  How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.

(Psa 34:6 KJV)  This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

(Job 34:28 KJV)  So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.
I AM ALSO STILL ALWAYS SURPRISED by the fact as to how many poor persons have been told that they are not welcome to a specific church by the pastors, elders, members there  as well. This is very wrong and still very unChristlike  too
(Job 29:2 KJV)  Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; 3  When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness; 4  As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle; 5  When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me; 6  When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil; 7  When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street! 8  The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up. 9  The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. 10  The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. 11  When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me: 12  Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. 13  The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. 14  I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. 15  I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. 16  I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. 17  And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

(2 Tim 2:25 KJV)  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. 3:1    This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3  Without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5   Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

“The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7).

(Phil 3:13 KJV)  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

(Psa 72:11 KJV)  Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. 12  For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. 13  He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. 14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.

(Job 5:15 KJV)  But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.

(Job 5:16 KJV)  So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

(1 Sam 2:8 KJV)  He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them.

(1 Sam 2:9 KJV)  He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

(1 Sam 2:10 KJV)  The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

(Psa 41:1 KJV)  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.

(Psa 41:2 KJV)  The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. 3  The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. 4  I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.

(James 5:11 KJV)  Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

(Job 42:7 KJV)  And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. 8  Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. 9  So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job. 10  And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. 11  Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold. 12  So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. 13  He had also seven sons and three daughters. 14  And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch. 15  And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. 16  After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations. 17  So Job died, being old and full of days.
Most persons do not know the Bible really well, in fact they really have not  studied the Bible still firsthand and sadly most church people even wrongfully rely mostly,  heavily on what  the others do  tell them even as to the supposed truth in  regard to tithing or anything else  in  the Bible.. and this is still unacceptable.

(Prov 10:22 KJV) The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

For many years people have been looking even for the one Bible verse that would make them rich and famous too.  Well that now happens one day at a time with our walk with Jesus, for we are rich in Him and famous for our great exploits through Him as well not rather solely Money, the love of which is the root of all evil still.. Many people who get more money not only spend it outside of God's will, but they seem to only increase their credit cards and debts too.  When God bless one it is also a blessing in health, friends, in the spirit and it is not limited to money only.. Many people say when they will get more money then they will help others, but  God still wants you to do it now with what you have already..  I am also tired of hearing from the persons who wrongfully distort, take one isolated verse about prosperity being wealth, money and they do also wrongfully leave out all of the rest of the Bible verses that speak on giving, about true prosperity and money now as well.. they are wrongfully mostly selfish and unbalanced persons still, not real loving Christians.  Tell me also how most of the evangelical preachers can  talk about giving, money, but not mention giving to the poor in the church? How? It seems they are still making themselves and the TV and radio stations richer only.

When prosperity comes, as it has for many Christians in our generation, one of the first considerations should be, when we get a raise or when we get a bonus or when we get a new client, when we get more money, how much more now do I have to give to God, and really not necessarily how much more to buy. Our first thought, usually, when we have an increase in our income, is, ``Boy! Now I will be able to buy this or that" and we falsely forget that absolutely all the money belongs to God, and we show our real daily allegiance to God by giving His money where and when he wants us to give , and rather not in the flesh, as carnal Christians to firstly stuff ourselves with junk food, useless purchases, lusts, theater, worldly entertainment's.

Another place where many of God's people seem to be crippled by the sin of coveting is the area of giving. Far too many of God's professed people are guilty of embezzling God's money, in the church too now..

Every Day We Handle Someone Else's Money Honestly or dishonestly?

"We often read in newspapers about individuals who misappropriated millions of dollars. These embezzlers often skip the country, taking the money, and leaving financial ruin for scores of people who lost all they had. We secretly hope the law will catch up with them, and throw the book at them. But now, wait a minute. Let's not move too fast here. All of us handle money.

Furthermore, regardless of who you are - you handle money that is not yours. You handle money that belongs to God. Could it be that someone reading this is guilty of embezzling heavenly funds? Did you know the greatest holder of lands and good in the world has been chiseled and robbed repeatedly without going out of business in the Old Testament ? God is that great Owner of whom I speak. I'm referring specifically to tithes and offerings. In Leviticus 27:30 the Scripture says that the tithe is the Lord's. There is just no possible way to miss it.

Perhaps I should read that verse. This is what it says: "All the tithe of the land ... is the Lord's: it is holy unto the Lord." All the tithe is the Lord's; that is specific. Then in Malachi 3 we find something added. Verse 8 says: "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings." Now notice: A person who does not tithe is a robber, but in addition, a person who does not give offerings is guilty before God of robbing Him; "

But what of the new testament do your tithes still belong to God. None of  these things do not belong to us; the tithe, the money, our life, they are all God's.

We are handling sacred funds, and the question is - how are we really now handling them? Could it be that many of us are guilty of misusing God's money? AND DO THE PASTORS AND ELDERS EVEN STILL ALSO COVET OTHER MEN'S WIVES TOO? In my father's churches he attended they beat up with rubber hoses the pastors, more than once cause they had sex with the men;s wives in the church.

"What is a tithe anyway? Read Leviticus 27:32: "And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord." This means that one-tenth of all our increase belongs to God. We may not have thought of it before, but ten percent of the income was holy for the Lord.

The tithe itself  is not the churches, or the elder's or the pastors but always the Lord's directly even as  to it should be  spent now how he has prescribed it be spent in the Bible and now how many  pastors and elders lie as to how it should be prescribed too when they make false claims to the tithe.

  We and they can't keep it for ourselves without actually breaking that eighth commandment again and stealing what is not ours or theirs.

Tithing antedates the time of Moses by hundreds of years. Abraham paid tithe at the Lord's own direction???   before the days of Moses. Jacob next also tithed on all that he had. It then was an not an obligation   before the formation of Jewish race or of the ceremonial law had even come into existence. It was a firstly Abraham's own free will choice to do so too. And so as well today it is a free choice, not mandatory. 

But now let's read what Jesus had to say about tithing. In Matthew 23:23: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." That word "ought" denotes obligation and immediately creates a moral basis for the doctrine. It is moral because it involved stealing from God, as we have already read. Look at who Jesus was firstly talking too, not his disciples, but the Old testament Jews trying to get tot heaven by keeping the laws.. Jesus did not collect tithes. not one verse indicates he did.

Still the Tithe Is to Be Used for only one Purpose? Paying Pastor's only  or actually 3 or 4 or more purposes??

1 Corinthians 9:13: "Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?" Here Paul is referring to the priesthood of the Old Testament and how they received a livelihood for their work of ministry at the ancient altar. But now read the very next verse: "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." Verse 14. This text clearly teaches that the gospel minister is to be supported nearly  the same way as the priests of the Old Testament from the people's giving.

 In Numbers 18:21 we read, "And behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation." The tribe of Levi was not given any inheritance as the other Israelites were. They had no herds, or business ventures. All the other tribes paid tithe and that one-tenth was used to pay the priests, the Levites. They Levi were not allowed to own a home, or  an apartment building, or to have their retirement plans, land  as well.. for that would exclude them and any pastor now today as well from using any of the tithe too.

 "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel," It is a lie when some one will try to claim that  "This is the only biblical way for preachers to be supported" and that Paul had said "The tithe is not to be used for an education fund, personal expense fund, or even a poor fund. It is ordained of God only to pay the ministry." This is still a complete fabrication, a great untruth.. For in reality in the old and new testament  the tithe is also to be used to help the poor people in the local church and the tither could use the tithe for himself as well to bless his own family..

Yes churches have even resorted to worldly approaches, religious fairs, lotteries, bingo, etc. to meet their pastoral financial obligations. Is this the plan of God? No!

Is this the way He had ordained for churches to meet the deficit in their budgets? This is not according to God's plan. Something is desperately wrong with a church which has to bring the world into its operating plan. If Christ should walk into some of these temples and cathedrals of our day, He would be just as indignant as He was in days of old. He would say once more, "Take these things hence. You have made my house of prayer a den of thieves." What a tragedy it is that many young people have learned to be expert in gambling inside the walls of their own church.  I know of preachers who own homes worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and this never was, is not of God now too.  God also had never intended for preachers to dabble in real estate, car sales, or some side business such as selling books, tapes, videos now as well. Or for a preacher's wife to go to work so they could add a new wing to the house, buy a better car.. A man called of God should give his whole time to the Word of God and really practice what himself preaches to others, that of living by faith in God as Rev George Mueller did, . His livelihood, in other words, should be supplied by the divine plan of the faith in God and not faith in the  tithing  system.  What a sad commentary on the state of modern religious leaders who encourage such false worldly demonstrations. Is this what God expects from the people who are called by His name? Never? So what does he still expect.. Everyone by living in Faith in Him to provide, even pastors now too... Some preachers are actually afraid to preach the plain truth for fear of cutting off their own salary.   When a pastor is paid directly by the local congregation and has to depend solely upon the liberality, tithing  of one church group, he is in an anxious dilemma  if he is unspiritual, for even the pastor has to live by faith in God to supply his means and not the tithe.. Apostle Paul lived by faith and took no tithes for himself? wow! If  the pastor he rebukes sin as it should be rebuked, he may offend the very ones who may stop giving offerings, and thus his own salary will be jeopardized. Now I know that many pastors would preach smooth things just for worldly gain; nevertheless, many are also actually afraid to preach plainly under the conditions I've just described. God's plan of living by faith, not the tithe  eliminates that temptation to soften the truth and this would eliminate that great danger.

Now, a great many people say, "I go to church and I pay my tithe," and yet they still sin and think they are spiritual too.  this is all useless semantics too , if your heart is not right none of this counts,, none if it.

 There is no question about it. This world and everything in it belongs to God. He made the whole thing and everything here is His. You and I now too. The Bible is so clear on it. I read from Psalms 24:1: "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." Psalms 50:10-12: "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof." In Haggai 2:8: "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts." We forget that sometimes, but he says, "It is mine." Now notice Deuteronomy 8:18: "But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God; for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth."  and still giving a tithe hoping to get financially richer is still immoral too, God generally bless you spiritually and not with unrighteouss mammon, money!

If you want to tithe  Remember the text, Leviticus 27:30, that says the tithe is the Lord's. all of it still too.. not the churches.. Oh, may God impress us with that point. It isn't a question of our deciding whether we ought to turn it over to Him, whether it should become His, or will become His; it already is the Lord's. That has been settled. The tithe is the Lord's

Finally, we come to that very important text in Malachi 3:8-11: "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground."

The greedy  immoral Preacher seem to love to quote Malachi so they can get money from the people, the same mostly bad preachers who counsel wrongfully divorce and they leave out the passage that God hates their divorce even in the same  book..

(Mal 2:1 KJV)  And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. 2  If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. 3  Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it. 4  And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. 5  My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. 6  The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. 7  For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. 8  But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.   Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law. 10  Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?  11  Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.  12  The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.  13  And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. 14  Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. 15  And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.  16  For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously17  Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

Yes the unloving preachers love to take money but wrongfully counsel divorce too.. The opposite of self is love, and all obedience should be based on loving God more than ourselves and loving money, tithes.  I still would rather see preachers too now  live the whole Bible and not rather only distort the parts that make then rich hopefully..

"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matthew 16:26.

Many souls have been won to Christ just because people cared enough, and designated their funds to keep working after their death. What a thrill it will be for those committed Christians, in the resurrection of the righteous, to learn the wonderful results of their dedicated means which continued speaking for them long after their departure. if the pastors. ELDERS did not steal it firstly too."

It is clearly very sad how people , even preachers now still  deviate from following all of God's words. Lying preachers do  also try to say that the "observing of the Sabbath" and even "tithing" today  are a mandatory commandment today while they themselves wrongfully do neglect Jesus and the Apostle Paul's remarks on these issues.. "The son of man is Lord even over the Sabbath",  and we are " to give even of ourselves freely" and not mandatory. Yes people turn back even to the Old Testament and to their human religion.

(Rev 2:5 KJV)  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

(3 John 1:2 KJV)  Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

And how is your soul and spirit? prospering  greatly in the Lord firstly? with visible and real good works too? on behalf of others, the poor and needy persons too?

(2 Cor 8:1 KJV)  Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2  How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 3  For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; 4  Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5  And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. 

"They first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God." Here is the basic underlying principle of all giving, of all stewardship. It brings us full circle to where we began---responding to God. Stewardship is a matter of realizing that not only does everything that we have belong to God, but that we belong to Him too. Stewardship involves giving ourselves to God, allowing Him to be Lord of our lives, allowing all of our decisions to be made on the basis of His standards and His principles and His instructions, because you see, the basic principle of giving involves giving yourself to the Lord before you ever give a dime of money to anything. " 

(Mat 6:33 KJV) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Do now also see these links

https://pbulow.tripod.com/tithing.html              

https://pbulow.tripod.com/richpoor.html 

https://pbulow.tripod.com/
http://postedat.wordpress.com/2009/05/30/grace/
http://thefocusonthefamily.wordpress.com 
http://stayinhealth.wordpress.com/