God’s Welfare Plan/System

[James Bartlett]

God’s Welfare Plan/System

Scriptures

Malachi 3:8-11 KJV

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10 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. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

This is the single most misspoken and taught scripture in the Bible concerning Tithing and God’s Welfare Plan. It is commonly taught that spoken to convince people to pay tithes and give offering to the Church. However, in this passage, God was not talking to people but to the Priest that had robbed God of the Tithes and offerings, misusing them.

Today we see churches (I put the letter “c” in lower case, because most of the churches that are doing this are not true Churches of God) doing the same thing, building big fancy Churches, Pastors getting Rich off the Church (Driving around in extremely expensive cars, having body guards, owning one or more corporate jets [paid for by the Church], and drawing large salaries, owning large homes (some having 2 or more homes or even compounds), all while they have members in their congregation that cannot pay their bills. These Pastors are robbing God of the tithes and offerings people have given to the “Church” in the Name of the Lord.

Yes, if taught right, this passage is a powerful passage of teaching about tithing, but not the way it taught and use in most Churches today.

Luke 6:38 A powerful passage when teaching about giving, but in most Churches it is use at offering time to help increase the collection of tithes and offerings.Using the passage in this way is manipulation and is very WRONG!

Using the passage correctly, to teach God’s Welfare Plan, is the correct way.

Matthew 25:31-46 1 John 3:17-18 1 John 4:19-21 Galatians 6:1-2

Teaches that, we are love and help other people. Doing this we are showing the Love of God and that the Love of God abides in us.

James 4:17

God’s welfare Plan/system is simply this.

We are to help other people any time, anywhere and any way we can. (Both in Word and in Deed). 1 Peter 3:15

There are 3 types of giving, that the Bible teaches us. 1. Tithes - 10% of the 1st fruits of our increase 2. Offering - something extra that we present to the Lord for His Glory and Honor. 3. Alms - Blessing others that are in need, without hope of profit or reward, done in secret (or in others words, done not for the praise of other people).

When we have given, (alms) what we can to help other people, and we can do no more than we bring need to the (what we call) the Church for additional assistance. The Church is actually each one of us, we are the Church.

The Church as we call it today is a building, built to house the Church, as central place for us to meet and fellowship with one another, to Praise God together, to learn God’s Word better from each other. The Church (as individuals and as a body of Believers) is supposed to be caring for the needs of the people not the governments. Acts 4:34-35.

There is a huge difference in what the Priest did in Malachi 3 and what the Apostle did in Acts 4. The Priest failed to follow God’s Welfare Plan, The Apostles did follow God’s Welfare Plan. The Majority of Today’s Pastors, are following the example of the Priests in Malachi 3, and not the Apostles in Acts 4.

In short the Pastors of today that follow the example of the Priest in Malachi 3, are not qualified to be Pastors according to 1 Timothy 3:3. 1. not greedy of filthy lucre 2. not covetous

Their god is not the The Only One True And Living Almighty God who is Master, Creator and Ruler of ALL Things. Their god is one materialistic things, money, wealth, fame, the praise of people, the best of what money can buy and life can give. Those that practice the example of the Priest in Malachi 3, are in actuality Liars, Cheats and Thieves and are robbing God, of His Tithes and Offering, that was to be used for the God’s Welfare Plan.

So how is the money that is collected from Tithes and Offerings to be used correctly?

There is no correct answer, to that question that I have found. But it is not to buy fancy homes, vehicles, corporate jets, and paying huge salaries; while people in your “Church go hungry, cannot pay their bills, cannot find jobs, and sick, and in desperate need of assistance.

Let me try to answer the question as correctly as I can, in the following example to give us an idea how to do it God’s Way.

As individuals – we should pay our Tithes and Offering to our Local Home Church that we are members of. Everyone needs a Home Church, to work in or from.

The Local Church – Many are members of a larger organization (conference, association, denomination, etc.). 1. Thus the Local Church should 1st pay its Tithes and Offerings accordingly. 10% Tithe and for the Offering I am using a 5% number for the purpose of the example. 2. Then they should pay all Church Expenses. Let’s say 20% 3. We should always be willing to help Israel. Those that Bless Israel will be blessed, and those that curse Israel will be cursed. Let’s say 10% 4. 5% for a rainy day and building fund for the Church to keep up the Church Building/House/Temple/Synagogue. 5. The remaining 50% should be used to help the needs of the Church members in need 1st and then those that are in the community that are in need of help that are not part of the local congregation.

Other supporting scriptures.

(Leviticus 19:9-10; Leviticus 23:22; Deuteronomy 24:19) God told landowners, during harvesting they were not to reap to the corners of their fields or to pick up grain that dropped on the ground. This was the way for the poor, the alien, the orphan, and the widow could be taken care of, and their needs met. Matthew 6:31-33 Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Leviticus Chapter 19: Verses 9-11 and 13 Leviticus Chapter 25: Verse 35 Deuteronomy Chapter 14: 28-29 Deuteronomy Chapter 15: Verses 4, 5 & 11 Deuteronomy Chapter 24:19-21 Deuteronomy Chapter 26:12-15 Psalms Chapter 41 verse 1 Proverbs Chapter 19: verses 4 & 17 Matt. 25:34-46 Jeremiah 29:1-14 II Thessalonians 3:6-12 1 Timothy Chapter 5: Verses 3-10 & 16

Am I qualified to write this or teach on this topic? - Yes!

Over 30 years ago God called me into the ministry to Preach and His Everlasting Word to a Lost and dying World. Since that time I have mostly been an Evangelist, although I have served as an Assistant Pastor and an Interim Pastor.

I have been to hundreds of Church of various denominations all of the country, admittedly mostly in my region where I live, but in several other states as well. I have been in/visited over 20+ states in my life time. I have never been out of the US though.

With all the Churches I have been to, down through the years, I take special care to learn what I can from each one. I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. Nothing in this life is perfect, not you and not me, and the same is true about churches.

I have seen some awesome churches that had many mature Christians and I have seen churches that had mostly baby Christians. I have seen Churches that were growing, people being saved, healed, and delivered. And I have seen churches that were stagnated and practically dead. I have seen the scripture, Matthew 24:12 come to pass, sadly. This is mostly because of what the scripture says in Amos 8:11. This is why there are very few True Churches of God left in this world. And even fewer True Preachers of God willing to Preach and Teach the Word of God the Way it should be taught and Preached (not sugar coated or watered down - Mark 7:13 & 1 Corinthians 1:17-18).

We have Preachers out that are preaching a watered down and or sugar coated Word of God because the people are still Baby Christians. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3, & Hebrews 5:11-14. Then we have many that are afraid to Preach the Truth, afraid of offending the people. 2 2 Timothy 4:3-4-4. We need to Preach the Word, fearing nothing. 2 Timothy 4:2, Matthew 10:28, Isaiah 41:10. Plus we have Preachers that simply do not know The Word of God. 2 Timothy 2:15

We also have Preachers out there that Preach for money. (Now I am not against support ministers that are out Preaching Teaching the Word of God that need it. But I know some that barely know what a lawn mower is, they cannot even start one much less know how to use one). The Apostle Paul was supported by the Church but he also worked as a tent maker.

We have many in the full time ministry that truly deserve to be supported, and I certainly have no problem with that, but many of the Preachers out there that advantage of that Blessing and use it as a means to get rich.

Then we have some people out there that says they have out grown the Church as we know it today (you can never outgrow the Church), well I have an Internet Ministry, or some other type ministry (great, that is a nice addition to what you can do in the Church). Everyone needs a home Church to go and fellowship with other Christians. If you are more mature than everyone there, you need to help the other to get to your level.

If you cannot find a Church you can work in, do what the Bible says in Luke 14:23, and start an in home ministry, and eventually a Church.

I did my best, with the Help of The Lord not to single anyone of any group out, but the Truth is not being Preached like could be and should be. 2 Timothy 3:13, & 1 Peter 4:17-18

I know that God has Called me, and sent me to Teach and Preach the Truth, not everyone is going to like it, and I may lose friends over it. Acts 5:29, Romans 10:14-15, Romans 8:30, Luke 14:26 & Luke 14:33

It is possible that I may have made some mistakes in life and even in this document, I can accept that. Romans 3:4. Let everything that has been written in this document, be as true as I can get it, for the Glory, Honor and Praise of The Only One True and Living Almighty God. Amen!!!

Nice Internet Resources for additional study. - I found these while researching for information to help me with this topic. I do not fully agree with everything that each source presents, but there are a lot of good information in the following resources that may help you more than I can as you do your own research and study on this topic.

http://www.preacherscorner.org/mills1.htm

http://www.mywarminghouse.com/gods-welfare-plan/

http://unlockingthebible.org/20-verses-gods-plan-welfare-future-hope/

http://www.hwalibrary.com/cgi-bin/get/hwa.cgi?action=getmagazine&am...

http://www.theeverydayprayer.com/2014/04/05/gods-welfare-program/

http://www.fbbc.com/messages/kohl_political_science_welfare.htm

http://www.holisticpolitics.org/GodsWelfareSystem/