Mark 12:38-40

As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

From Background Notes [BN] for January 14^th/15^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

For Jesus, in this last of his conversations inside the Temple, the widow comes to epitomizes all that is wrong with Israel's social and religious fabric. Any society that allows its widows and its poor to be abused, and in fact, participates materially in that abuse--such a society is on a collision course with disaster.

Malachi 3:8

“Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings.

From Background Notes [BN] for January 14^th/15^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Thus, God begins the Malachi passage with the reminder of His faithfulness, and that His reliability guarantees Israel’s very existence. However, the faithfulness of God had not been consistently met by the faith of Israel who had refused to maintain the practice of the tithe. The net effect was that they “robbed God.”

Deuteronomy 15:6

"For the LORD your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.”

Is there a correlation between indebtedness and freedom?

Deuteronomy 14:27

"And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.”

From Background Notes [BN] for January 14^th/15^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

In effect the religious orders of Israel had given up the right to land ownership as such, and they lived instead on land owned by others.
 

Psalm 24:1-2

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.

How’s your “tithing” going?  J 
 

Psalm 23:1-4

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,  he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Are you aware that He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world?

Psalm 22:29-31

All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him - those who cannot keep themselves alive.  Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn:

He has done it!

Have you taught the future generations about our Lord?