The last article spoke of a cleaning of the house of God when the Lord begins to do His work called harvest. The Lord also wants us while we prepare for that event to examine our selves by the Word to see if there is a cleaning up of something we need to do in our personal lives now. Now there are different things that can be done but what the Lord wants to do with this word is bring to the forefront knowledge of a yoke that needs to be broken. It has to do with breaking the yoke of one very large error that man has placed on you His people. This particular yoke has no doubt been accepted by the majority because of the prophesy Paul spoke in II Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

I believe that we were born into this great falling away along with many generations before ours. We could also bring up other scriptures to explain why it has been accepted. I believe that babes have become our leaders such as the word spoken in Isaiah 3:4,5 And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbor: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honorable.

You can tell a baby almost anything and it will believe it. A babe teaching babes really don't get to grow spiritually very much. But we now have many people who are growing to the place that we're putting away childish things and checking out teachings that have been accepted as a truth but are in reality a great error and stumbling block placed before us.

The Lord has come upon me very strongly to speak to you about this one particular yoke. Some of you know of this but there are many more of you who need to hear what the Lord has to say about it.

There was one yoke that some tried to place on God's people during the days of the apostle Paul. We read about it in the letter to the Galatians and also in the book of acts. It had to do with circumcising. Act 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

It was so strong that Paul, Barnabas and certain others went to Jerusalem to the other apostles in order to settle the matter. Part of the answer was in Acts 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

I am telling you about this yoke of circumcising because it has a direct connection to the other yoke that people have been carrying around and in many cases hard to bear. In fact this yoke is one of the greatest stumbling blocks placed in the path of God's people and according to the scriptures is more of a curse then a blessing. Yet except for a few it is taught by almost every church and Christian leader today. Surely Isaiah 42:19-20 fits our day which says, Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD's servant? Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.

Let us go on now and hear other things Paul says about the law of circumcising. Paul knew that this law was done away with on the cross of Jesus Christ. You really should read all of Galatians to see it all, but anyway lets pickup a few scriptures:

Galatians 3:1-3 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh.

Chapter 3:10-11 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

We can see here how terrible this yoke was that some tried to put on the people. Lets look at a few more scriptures then we'll talk about this other yoke. Galatians 5:2-9 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

Among the many, many laws of Moses are two we will talk about. The law of circumcision and the law of tithe.

Up until the time God separated me and put me into the wilderness I heard that unless you tithed you cannot please God. In every church and every gathering it was preached to me to give 10% of all my earnings to the Lord so I could be blessed. If it were not for my Lord teaching me in the wilderness that this is not of His new covenant but really of the old covenant that was done away with by the cross, I would still be tithing.

First I was challenged to find one place in all the New Testament, either by the Lord or the apostles that tells me to tithe. I could find none but what I did find is Paul answering questions about taking up a collection. I Corinthians 16:1-3 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.

Jesus says we are to give. Let's look at Matthew 5:40-45 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Also Luke 6:3 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

When it was spoken to you about giving tithe money; how many times have you heard that last scripture? Giving and it shall be given has nothing to do with tithing. What it does say is to be as your Father. A true disciple of Jesus will be known by your love. Give as Jesus says to give, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If someone ask of you, give to them; don't turn them away. To love your neighbor as your self is a pretty good chunk of giving. I can hear Paul preach do no evil for evil but always do good in return of evil. Jesus never turned anyone away. You can't give what you don't have, but you can give what you do have. This is the kind of giving Jesus was talking about when He said to give and it shall be given, good measure, pressed down and shaken together, because with the same measure you give it will be given back to you.

I know many leaders today will give you this argument, they will tell you that they teach tithe because Abraham tithed before the law of Moses. That's only a cop out. Circumcision was also done before the law of Moses but you don't see them teach that.

No, the law of tithe and circumcision are right in the midst of all the other laws of Moses that were wiped away at the cross of Jesus Christ and the blood that He shed. The law of Christ is the law we live by now. I know if Paul was here today, he would be saying the very same things that he said to the Galatians church in addressing tithing. The Lord shows me a good thing for you to do is read the letter to the Galatians. When you come across the word circumcision in a great many places you can replace it in your mind with the word tithe. The message will be the same but you would be hearing what Paul would preach on tithing. Paul would have written a letter about tithe as he did about circumcision if it would have come up or some would be telling others that unless you tithe you can't please God. Yes indeed he would have spoken out strongly as he did about circumcision in order to stop that stumbling block.

In John 1:17 We read, For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

The Lord is looking for people who will worship Him in truth and Spirit. A people who will keep His commandments out of an honest and loving heart. It was never in His testimony to take a piece of the old cloth of the laws of Moses and sew it into the new cloth of the New Testament. The new robe of righteousness is to be without these spots and wrinkles. It was never God's intention to take food and clothing from the children of the poor and give it to leaders who don't need it. To bring the spirit of condemnation upon people saying you can't please God unless you tithe. GOD FORBID...BREAK THE YOKE!!!

When you give, give out of an honest heart in the same manor as your Father gives that you may be children who look and act like the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. When you give, don't say you are giving to fulfill tithing....why should you fall from grace and according to the teaching of Paul bring a curse on yourself because your not doing all of the law of Moses. Why should we tempt God in teaching it and putting a yoke on the neck of God's people which the people of old couldn't keep and neither we were able to bear, but give out of love or perhaps because the Lord is asking you to do it.

Matthew 6:1-4 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Luke 11:41 But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.

Surely judgement must begin at the house of God.

With love, One of the brethren,

Branch

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