Tithing and Giving

This seems to be a popular topic as of late on many different message boards, and various places I run into.

Money can be a tool for temptation. I *sigh* over people calling it a cause... money can't cause anything if you don't allow it to. It's just an object that the enemy can use to tempt us into stumbling or being a stumbling block. And what a great tool, a great temptation to sin it has become.... but I digress (See mom I can use big words rofl )

Tithing has become a huge taboo issue today. I have known people that have left churches because a preacher dared to talk about the importance of tithe... they felt that "giving money was pushed too much, I don't do churches that only focus on what they can get from my pocket" Oh and I have known churches that push it SO MUCH that can you blame anyone for feeling that way? Not to mention that the verse used over and over again to emphasize the importance of giving. I have rolled my eyes a time or two myself to be sure.

Let's not even get into the whole TV evangelist scenario.

I have also heard it said that Tithing is an Old Testament law and we are not under the law anymore. Umm I'm not even going to go there. *Throws that one out the window and dusts off hands*

The truth is that tithing and giving is a God thing, it's a good thing and it's timeless. Being obedient to God in your giving comes with a promise and a hope. It's not something we do as christians just because we are told to. There is a promise behind it.

Luke 6:38
38 If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving--large or small--it will be used to measure what is given back to you."
NLT

I think that I started to understand the importance of giving when I was put into a situation where I needed people to be faithful and obedient to God's direction.

Back in 1999, my husband accepted the call of God on his life. We were to go into ministry. There was this one church in Illinois that was looking for a youth pastor. And we both felt in our spirit that when the pastor offered us the position we were to take it. The thing is, when we moved there, the church itself was only able to offer us 100 a week. We figured, no problem we could work and we'll be bi-vocational. WRONG When you move from one country to another you can not just up and work. So we were approved only for Troy to work in a religious organization. Need I remind that the church could only afford 100 a week?!?!?!? Our rent was 450! And then God asked us to be faithful with that 100 and tithe on it. But you know what we were faithful. It wasn't easy. I laid awake some nights and worried over a bill or a financial situation. Some days were better then others. Some days I felt like HEY we can do it.. and other days I was edgy. But what it boiled down to was God's people took care of our needs. The church members helped and provided. We couldn't have done it with out their obedience. And some gave even when they didn't have much either (((The 'O' family ))))

The amazing thing was that there were out of state people who helped us also. One person was from England! They gave in obedience when we had extra bills pop up such as the time we needed brakes for our car.

Going through this made me realize something. If all these people had not been obedient in giving... we would have been struggling so much more then we had. So, in my lack of obedience in giving I have to ask myself, what blessing and aide am I withholding with my disobedience?

Luke 6:31
31 Do for others as you would like them to do for you.
NLT


We need to be God's hand extended... in everything and this includes provision.

Mal 3:9-11
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do," says the LORD Almighty, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!
NLT

I have heard my husband repeat a line Jesse Duplantis has said. "If you take care of God's house, he will take care of your house" The word Tithe is from Old English teogoþa "tenth". That's where we get the 10% from. This is the portion God uses to take care of the Temple. It says that In Malachi. And then you see again the promise that comes with it.... if you are faithful with what you have been given, God will pour out the blessings on your life. It's a better return then anything your local bank could offer you! heheheheh

I also know what it is like to struggle with " But GOd I have to pay this bill, and I could use this money for that" .. In a way that's what these people were trying to trick Jesus with

Matt 22:17-22
17 Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to the Roman government or not?"

18 But Jesus knew their evil motives. "You hypocrites!" he said. "Whom are you trying to fool with your trick questions? 19 Here, show me the Roman coin used for the tax." When they handed him the coin, 20 he asked, "Whose picture and title are stamped on it?"

21 "Caesar's," they replied.

"Well, then," he said, "give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God." 22 His reply amazed them, and they went away.

NLT


We need to pay our debts, we need to give to the power company what belongs to them. We need to give the water company what's due them. And UNFORTUNATLY heheheheh we need to give the Fed and state people the taxes due to them. But let's not mix and match here. Don't give to caesar what is God's. Give God what belongs to God, and he will take care of what you owe to caesar.

There are so many verse people could use to support giving and tithing. We could sit here and read verse after verse. The truth us that it is a God concept. There is purpose and promise behind giving. We could justify all sorts of things in our minds and our hearts... a big scary one is that God will understand. You're robbing God of an opportunity to bless you beyond what you need. In a sense taking care of a bill before giving to God, your immediate need might get met but that's scraping by.. why scrape by when God has more for you and all he asks is for your obedience.