30 How to Invest in your Future

There is no subject Jesus talked about more frequently in His teachings than the subject of money and its potential for blessing or ruin. In this presentation, Pastor Bohr lays out four principles found in Genesis that pertain to God’s original guidelines and principles on this subject. God is the Creator, and therefore the Owner, of all things. He also left the riches of heaven to give us His life in re-creating us and saving us from sin and final death. Our life, ability and strength and all that we have comes to us from Him and not from any of our own efforts. He has made us His administrators or stewards of His material blessings and He asks of us back, as a test of our faithfulness, devotion and honesty, a tithe of all our increase. He also asks of us freewill offerings to further support and advance His gospel cause on earth. But these sacrifices are nothing compared to what He has given us. Pastor Bohr shares several fascinating comparisons that demonstrate that just like the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was set aside from the use of Adam and Eve, the tithe is a test today of our recognition of Him as Owner of all and His set aside portion is not to be used for our own pleasure. He also shows how the stories of Joseph and Potiphar and Elijah and the widow of Zarephath vividly illustrate the principles of tithing and stewardship. Some Christians say that tithing was a requirement made only for the Jewish system and God doesn’t worry over whether we pay tithe or not today, but Pastor Bohr shows that men were returning tithe to God’s servants even before the time of Moses and Paul makes clear in the New Testament that tithes are still to support the work of God’s ministers on earth. We cannot take anything from this life but our characters and therefore we should store up treasure in heaven, where it is safe from degradation and destruction, by using all we have to honor God and to advance His kingdom of grace on earth by our financial support. Jesus taught that when we invest our talents of any kind, they will increase with use but if we withhold from God His own, we will suffer under a curse and will end up losing everything we have tried to hold on to in this life. God has increased blessings in store for those who take Him up on His promises and test His sworn Word to take care of those who honor Him with their tithes and offerings. They will discover the joy and peace of those who find “that it is more blessed to give than to receive“ (Acts 20:35).