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tithing
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Posted by: angelofthelord
Those who sacrificed for the work of God. I have always been challenged in
reading God's Word about those who made great sacrifices for His work. When
I read the Bible, I try to put myself in the actual scene that is being
described. I wonder what it would be like to have been in the assembly as
Moses told the people about the Tabernacle, and then challenged them to give
all that was needed to build it. I can imagine being there as David shared
the plans for building a Temple to God, describing all that would be needed
to build God's house.
Judas was the treasurer of the disciples who followed Jesus. You don't need
a treasurer unless you have a treasury. Obviously, during those 3 years of
ministry, Christ and those who followed Him had to deal with the same
necessities of life you and I do. They had to have a place to sleep each
night, food to eat, clothes to wear, as well as whatever other miscellaneous
expenses that were involved in their day to day lives. We read about a few
of the people who gave to Christ during his ministry including Mary who
anointed Jesus with perfume and Joseph of Arimathea who supplied the tomb
Jesus was buried in.
Without a doubt, the person from God's Word I would have loved to follow and
watch was Paul. Just the glimpse into his life we get from the book of Acts
and the letters he wrote were amazing. Here was a man who was as sold out
for Jesus as any man could be. He was faithful to his calling to serve the
Lord with his life in bringing the message of Christ to the world of his
day. We read about all of the real life issues Paul had to face in serving
the Lord. One of those real life issues was raising the money he needed to
accomplish all that he did during his ministry.
Lost by most people in reading his various letters to the church are some of
the best fundraising appeals you will ever read. Last week I was flipping
through the TV stations one evening and one of the large Christian networks
was having their telethon they put on several times a year to raise money.
In flipping back and forth over the course of several hours, I heard about
every twisted use of Scripture, emotional plea, and guilt trip you could
name to get people to go to the phone and give money.
To my knowledge, Paul never held a telethon, never sold "resources," never
mailed out "prayer cloths," never promised people they would be debt free by
giving to his ministry, didn't preach a powerful message then end his
message with, "now give me money." No, Paul simply shared his needs,
reminded the people of their responsibility to support God's work,
encouraged them to give according to their ability, and give cheerfully out
of a grateful heart for all God has done in their lives.
The Bible tells us of the great sacrifices a few made in supporting the work
of God. The fact is, it has been millions of faithful people since the
Garden of Eden that have sacrificed to make possible the work of God
throughout all of these years, people whose names will never be known by
anyone but God Himself.
The tithe, or the tenth, is what was
paid to the priest in the Old Testament. The fact is, 100% of everything we
have belongs to God. When we give, we are simply giving back a portion of
what God has entrusted to us as an act of obedience, sacrifice, and worship.
My advice on giving is this. Sit down with God and work out your budget and
pray about what you can give to Him each week. Come to a peace about that
figure and then faithfully and cheerfully give your offering each week.
Even if you have very little, you can give God a dime, a quarter, or a
dollar. Remember, the widow at the temple gave very little in terms of
actual money, but Jesus said she gave the most of all since it was out of
her need. God is never going to ask you to give what you don't have, only
what you do have. Also, God may move on your heart to make special gifts
from time to time. Simply be obedient and give as God directs you to and
never forget that He is not impressed by the amount we give, but by our
faithfulness and obedience to give it.
Posted by: MarkSentMe
Thank You, angelofthelord!
I grew up in "the church", but not in a relationship with God. I hadn't heard the word tithe until I was in college! The lady who spoke of tithing was a Mormon. She described tithing more as insurance for when her husband was out of work, rather than part of Christian discipline and obedience.
Another friend, also a Mormon, said that her family tithes so they know what poor people experience. She was working 2 jobs at the time and he husband is a soldier.
I never knew WHY people tithed, as I had never known there was Scripture to back it up. It's in the Bible over 20 times.
My whole Catholic extended family thinks we joined a cult because we tithe. They don't understand when I explain that tithing is a "just return to God for His blessing" (Genesis 28:22)
Malachi 3:8-10 drives the point home: "Would a man rob God?"
I tell them that the sad statisticis: churches are closing at a rate of 7 per day. That's all denominations across the board. Churches simply cannot remain open on quarters and dimes. Our church discloses its budget. It costs about $4800 a WEEK to keep our doors open. Nickels and dimes aren't going to cut it. A dollar here and there isn't going to cut it. If people enjoy the fellowship and programs offered by their church, they need to dig deep and contribute to the church where they worship. "Where your heart is, there your treasure is also".
I hear all the time "We could never afford to tithe..." Yet, these same people are at the tanning salon 2 to 3 times a week; getting nails done; buying stacks of the latest CDs; vacations; have 2 new cars in the driveway; 200+ channels of satellite TV plus NFL Sunday ticket; going out to eat 3 or more times a week; $50 concert tickets; kids wearing $120 sneakers and $50 jeans; 2 or 3 cell phones; a house full of financed furniture...the list goes on.
7 churches a day close; people want services like Sunday school, free child care during worship, baptism, weekly enrichment classes, bulletins and notices, heat and air conditioning, lights, flushing toilets, coffee in their Sunday school classrooms. These things cost money. Tithing is a commitment and to be done with a cheerful heart.
Malachi 3:10 says: "Bring the whole tithe into My storehouse, so there may be food in My house, and test me now in this," says the Lord of hosts,"if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until there is no more need."
When I tell my extended family of how blessed we are, they scoff that we were blessed before we were saved. My answer: "I guess we owe the Lord some back pay, then!"
Posted by: Ericsmom
Also, Deuteronomy 12:6 ... "your freewill offerings."
I thank the Lord from the bottom of my heart for people in ministries that spread the gospel especially those that try to reach the entire world.
Posted by: Christian Commando
In the last polls I checked, there were only about 30% of the "Body of Christ" active in all ways, in furthering the Gospel. In Other words, just plain ministry work of any kind, of which covers alot of ground, but most don't recognize that. Rather, they like thier comfort zones and lives, with little problems or distractions, complaining if any come about.
This certainly is not the mentality of the Early Church Christ started.
God Bless!!
Posted by: Ericsmom
According to the prophets, there is a wave of people (millions) who are coming to the church. Locally our church is preparing for an increase.
Posted by: eagle4him
The tithing of Moses was part of the Law of Moses. It was a 10% tax on all grain and the tenth animal that passed under the rod. If a farmer only had nine sheep or goats that year, no tithe was required.
All the agricultural products went to the Levite priests who had no share of land in the inheritance of the land of Canaan. It was their livelyhood. They worked in the temple, therefore they ate at the temple.
If someone paid their tithe in money they were penalized a 5% surcharge. Money was not the tithe.
Silversmiths did not tithe, nor did carpenters. Fishermen did not tithe.
Abraham's "tithe" to Melchidezek was 10% of the spoils of war--something he stole from someone else!
Jacob's tithe that he dedicated to the Lord--he sat and ate before the Lord!
The Apostle Paul does not teach the Gentile converts about tithing--but rather about giving out of a "cheerful heart". Read 2 Corinthians 8, 9.
I think all should give to the ministry. The principle is of seedtime and harvest, not of tithing!
What we sow--we shall reap, but who the Son has set free is free indeed! We have been set free from the Old Testament Law--Jesus fulfilled that!
Because no one could follow it, anyway! The penalty for not following it was death. Paul calls this the ministry of death.
In chapter 15 of the book of Acts, the leaders of the church met and determined what parts of the "law" would be followed:
1. Abstain from food offered to idols
2. Do not consume blood
3. Do not consume strangled animals
4. Refrain from sexual immorality.
The rest is under the covenant of grace, the power to choose to do what is right before the Lord, not follow a set of rules and regulations.
Some have turned this freedom of grace into a license to do what is wrong.
Grace is not for everyone. God opposes the proud--but gives grace to the humble.
Only the humble receive grace--but even the wicked receive mercy, something we do not even deserve.
The old testament definition of grace is undeserved merit. The New Testament definition of grace is the presence and power of God in our lives to do what truth demands of us!
Be blessed, and give to the work of the Lord!
Posted by: MarkSentMe
Hebrews 7:1-10 in the New Testament talks about tithing as well. 