One Sunday a pastor told his congregation that the church needed some extra money for a special mission project. He asked the people to consider putting a little extra in the offering plate. He added that whoever gave the most that day would be able to pick three hymns in the worship service. When the offering plates were brought forward the pastor glanced down and noticed that someone had written a check for $1000. Excited, he immediately shared this news with the congregation and said he would like to thank personally the person who gave such a large gift. He asked who the donor was. A shy, elderly woman sitting in the back slowly raised her hand. The pastor asked her to come to the front of the church. She stood there nervously as the pastor praised her and then he asked her to pick out three hymns. Her eyes brightened as she looked over the congregation. Pointing to the three best looking men in the building, she said, "I'll take him and him and him!" This morning I’m going to talk about that dreaded five letter word…tithe. Before you close your ears, I want you to consider a different way of looking at the tithe. Imagine you're up on the 70th floor of the Empire State Building. Suddenly a man opens the window and says he's going to jump. You call out, "Stop. Don't do it." "Try to stop me and I'll take you with me." Noting that the guy is 6-foot-5, you say, "No problem. Have a safe trip. Any last messages?" He says, "Let me tell you my troubles. My wife left me, my kids won't talk to me, I lost my job and my pet turtle died." After an hour of stories like this, you're so depressed you're ready to jump with him. Finally he turns to you and says, "Tell me - why should I go on living?" What do you say? Suddenly you get a flash of inspiration. "Sir, close your eyes for a minute. Now I want you to imagine that you are blind. No colors, no sights of children playing, no fields of flowers, no sunset ... Now imagine that suddenly there's a miracle. You open your eyes and you can see. Are you going to jump ... or will you stick around a week to look around?" "I'd stick around for a week to see." "What happened to all the troubles?" "Ah, I guess they're not so bad. I can see." I want us to close our eyes about tithing and then open them with a new outlook. PROVERBS 3:9 TELLS US TO HONOR THE LORD WITH OUR SUBSTANCE. NOW WE USUALLY THINK MONEY, BUT SUBSTANCE MEANS MUCH MORE. IT REFERS TO EVERYTHING WE OWN, EVERYTHING WE HAVE UNDER OUR CONTROL. I AM HOPING YOU WILL PUT A FRESH PERSPECTIVE ON A SUBJECT THAT USUALLY CAUSES PEOPLE TO SQUIRM IN THEIR SEATS, AND AVOID EYE CONTACT WITH THE PREACHER. ACTS 27:9 Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, saying, "Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives." Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul. And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to set sail from there also, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete opening toward the southwest and northwest, and winter there. When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete. But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon. So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive. And running under the shelter of an island called Clauda, we secured the skiff with difficulty. When they had taken it on board, they used cables to undergird the ship; and fearing lest they should run aground on the Syrtis Sands, they struck sail and so were driven. And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. On the third day we threw the ship's tackle overboard with our own hands. Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up. But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, "Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.' Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. However, we must run aground on a certain island." Acts 27:9-26 (NKJV) IF WE ARE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO HONOR GOD WITH OUR SUBSTANCE, WE MUST UNDERSTAND WHAT PAUL MEANT WHEN HE SAID "GOD, WHOSE I AM, WHOM ALSO I SERVE." I think that most Christians don’t really understand what it means to really b