~Open in prayer~
Icebreaker
• What do you want people to remember you for?
• What did you have for breakfast today?
• What was your first concert?
MESSAGE REVIEW
When God placed Adam and Eve in the garden in Genesis 1, the first thing He did was “bless” them. God then told them to “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, subdue it and have dominion”. The word “blessing” means “empower to prosper”. So, God first put His divine empowerment and placed it upon them so that it was possible for them to do all these things. In order to keep and maintain the blessing God will give a choice. It is not always called a tithe, but it is the same principal. God said everything was available to Adam and Eve except one “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”. God marked this tree out for himself and told them not to touch what is His. God created evil because God by His nature is a relational being and if there is no knowledge of evil than it would not be a choice. God made man in His image and then gave the ability for them to choose to love God.
LET S TALK ABOUT IT!
•Read Psalm 115:12-16 The bible says that God is mindful of us and will bless us small and great. He blesses those who fear Him. The blessing is not an event it is a thing He places on you. The passage says that God made heaven and it is His, but He gave the earth to the children of men. If God gave men the earth what are we supposed to do with it? What has God entrusted to the “sons of men” when He gives His blessing?
•Read Psalm 119:89 The word says that forever the Lord’s word is settled in heaven. God’s word remains uncontested in heaven. It is settled in heaven but in order for it to also be settled on earth we have to speak it. What does it mean for us to speak the word on earth? What will happen when we do?
•Read Malachi 3:6-10 The tithe was the first conflict in the old testament and the last here in the book of Malachi. God said what He told us in this passage will not change. He said to return to Him and He will return to us. When we hold our tithes and offering we bring a curse on ourselves. He asks us to try Him regarding this. But if we bring the tithes to the storehouse (the well you draw from) God will pour out a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. Why does God test us with money? How can we ensure that the curse does not come upon us or our families by tithing? Discuss that as a group.
PRAYER FOCUS & REQUESTS
Ask your members if they have any prayer requests or praise reports. As a group pray that you all will search your hearts and ask the Holy Spirit to highlight anything you may be holding back that you were meant to give to God.