What
does God says about the tithe?
Is
this the “Prosperity” Message?
OLD TESTIMENT PROMISE
- Right out of the
chute, the Bible talks about meditating on God’s Word and doing
what it says; followed by a promise that you will be prosperous and
successful.
Josh 1:8 – Obedience gives birth to prosperity
8 Do not
let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night,
so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you
will be prosperous and successful. NIV
OLD TESTIMENT PRINCIPAL
- Offerings are first
noticed in the Old Testament when Cain and Able brought offerings unto the
Lord; and later after a battle, Abraham gave a tithe to Melchizidek, the
Priest of God. This was Abraham’s
confession that God was his Lord, and was the giver of his victory.
- The tithe was a tenth
of ALL of his increase in assets.
- Ten percent leveled
the playing field for the rich as well as the poor, they all gave the
same.
- This could be
perfume, oil, wine, produce, grain, fruit, sheep or camels.
- It was a ever lasting
ordinance
- “And if there is
among them a man that is poor or needy, and they have not an abundance of
necessaries, they fast two or three days that they may supply the needy
and their necessary food.” (The Apology of
Aristides) Skip two or three days of meals and give the
money.
Gen 4:2-4 – Cain and Able give offerings to God
2 Now Abel kept flocks, and
Cain worked the soil.
3 In the course of time
Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD.
4 But Abel brought fat
portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. NIV
Lev 27:30-32 – Tithe from the fields and herds.
30 "`A tithe of
everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the
trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.
31 If a man redeems any of
his tithe, he must add a fifth of the value to it.
32 The entire tithe of the
herd and flock--every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd's
rod--will be holy to the LORD. NIV
Num 18:23 -24 – This is a lasting ordinance
23 This is a lasting
ordinance for the generations to come. They will receive no inheritance
among the Israelites.
24 Instead, I give to the
Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an
offering to the LORD. NIV
Gen 14:18-20 – Abraham
gave a tenth to Melchizedek
18 Then Melchizedek king
of Salem
19 and he blessed Abram,
saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.
20 And blessed be God Most
High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a
tenth of EVERYTHING. NIV
Heb 7:1-4 – A tenth of
your increase
1 This Melchizedek was
king of Salem
4 Just think how great he
was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! NIV
Deut 16:17 – Bring gifts
proportionally to your blessings
17 Each of you must bring
a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you. NIV
Deut 14:22 – Produce
22 Be sure to set aside a
tenth of all that your fields produce each year. NIV
Lev 27:30 – Grain and
fruit
30 A tithe of everything
from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the
trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD. NIV
Neh 13:12 – Wine and
oil
12 All Judah
Luke 11:42 – Spices and herbs.
42 "Woe to you
Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other
kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You
should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. NIV
NEW TESTIMENT PRINCIPAL
- The tithe was also
customary in the New Testament.
- God gave the tithe to
those that minister in the church in return for their work.
- The money was used to
pay the Workers and for the maintenance of the Church.
- Wouldn’t it have been
wonderful if it had been your donkey that was given to Jesus to ride.
- What if you had been
the woman at the well who gave Jesus just a drink of water.
- What if you were the
little boy that gave your lunch to Jesus.
- Give what you have,
not what you don’t have. Don’t go
into debt.
- No matter how little
you give or help, its still unto the Lord.
Matt 23:23 – The tithe is a New Testament principal
23 "Woe to you,
teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of
your spices-mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important
matters of the law-justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced
the latter, without neglecting the former. NIV
Luke
18:11-12 –
Even Teachers of the law give a tenth.
11 The Pharisee stood up
and prayed about himself: `God, I thank you that I am not like other
men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week and
give a tenth of all I get.' NIV
Num 18:21 – Given to the overseers in the Church.
21 "I give to the
Levites all the tithes in Israel
Neh 13:5 – Tithes for paying the workers
5 and he had provided him
with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and
temple articles, and also the tithes of grain, new wine and oil
prescribed for the Levites, singers and gatekeepers, as well as the
contributions for the priests. NIV
Neh 10:38 -39 – Do not neglect the Church Building
38 A priest descended from
Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites
are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to
the storerooms of the treasury.
39 The people of Israel
Prov 3:9-10
– Honor God “first” with the tithe
9 Honor the LORD with your
wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be
filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. NIV
Matt 25:40 –
Your giving is unto the Lord
40 "The King will
reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these
brothers of mine, you did for me.' NIV
Mark 12:42 -44 – Give what you have
42 But a poor widow came
and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
43 Calling his disciples
to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more
into the treasury than all the others.
44 They all gave out of
their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything-all she had
to live on." NIV
PASTOR’S COMMANDED
- The Pastor of your
church is “commanded” to collect a tenth from the members.
- Gross
or Net: How do you want to be blessed? – Gross
or Net? The Government collects its
portion on Gross. Should God be
treated with less respect than the Government?
- In OT times. The giving could be well over 25% when you add up all the sin offerings, drink offerings, freewill offerings and feast offerings. Ten percent is a good deal.
Heb 7:5 – The Tithe is a tenth – It is a law
5 Now the law requires the descendants of
Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people-that is,
their brothers-even though their brothers are descended from Abraham. NIV
WORKERS ARE TO BE PAID
- The workers must be
paid to support their families or they will have to seek work elsewhere
and the Church will not be able to function.
- When you withhold
your tithe, you are robbing God, and losing your blessing.
Neh 13:10-11 – The workers must be paid
10 I also learned that the
portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the
Levites and singers responsible for the service had gone back to their own
fields.
11 So I rebuked the
officials and asked them, "Why is the house of God neglected?" Then I
called them together and stationed them at their posts. NIV
Mal 3:8-9 – Should you steal from God
8 "Will a man rob
God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, `How do we rob you?' "In tithes
and offerings.
9 You are under a
curse-the whole nation of you-because you are robbing me.
GOD SAYS TO TEST HIM
- Man is inherently
tight fisted with what he has.
Giving has to be learned. You will put your money where your heart
is.
- God has generously
given to us; we should generously give back to His storehouse.
- God said to “test Him” with the tithe and see
if He will not pour out a blessing on us.
- Many years ago I was
earning 18k annually and a friend told me to tithe what I wanted to
earn… I started tithing for 20k… Within 3 months, I was promoted and
got 20k. I told my friend, he said
I was short sighted; I should have tithed for 24k….. So I did it again…..
and in another 3 months I was promoted again…. got 24k….. Shortly after
that, I received an unsolicited job offer and got a fifty percent
increase. I stand so blessed; God is so faithful.
- When you tithe you
are actually giving to your self.
Gen 28:22 – Jacob says everything he has, came from God
22 and this stone that I
have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I
will give you a tenth."
NIV
Matt 6:21 – Where
you put your money, so is your heart.
21 For where your treasure
is, there your heart will be also.
NIV
Mal 3:10-12
– Test God’s blessings with your tithe
10 Bring the whole tithe
into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,"
says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates
of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for
it.
11 I will prevent pests
from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their
fruit," says the LORD Almighty.
12 "Then all the
nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful
land," says the LORD Almighty. NIV
Lev 27:32 –
Every tenth animal
32 The entire tithe of the
herd and flock--every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd's
rod--will be holy to the LORD NIV
Matt 6:19-21 – You are storing up in heaven
19 "Do not store up
for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where
thieves break in and steal.
20 But store up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and
where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure
is, there your heart will be also. NIV
Prov
11:24-25 –
Tithing is actually giving to yourself.
24 There is one who
scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is
right, But it leads to poverty.
25 The generous
soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.
NKJV
2 Cor 9:6 – Generously give – generously receive
6 Remember this: Whoever
sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will
also reap generously. NIV
2 Cor 9:8 – We will
have all that we need
8 And God is able to make
all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times; having all that
you need, you will abound in every good work. NIV
YOU
MAY SELL ASSETS
- Today most things are
convertible to cash, but some may be worth more to the ministry than the
cash received from the sale. A golf
cart aids in the parking lot, a car for a visiting missionary, a condo or
a house, for a furloughed missionary, a freezer for the church kitchen.
- If your asset
offering is physically too big to take to the church, sell it and give the
money.
- I see ministries
today trying to get folks to put them in their “Will”, so when they die
the ministry will get their house and assets.
- This is a hard one
for me to swallow. Scriptures tell
us we should leave an inheritance for our children. But, should we leave an inheritance to
wayward kids that are just plain lazy, won’t work, stingy and self
centered – what if they are immoral druggies? Lots to
think about.
Prov 13:22 – We are to
leave an inheritance to our kids
22 A good man leaves an
inheritance for his children's children, NIV
Deut 14:24 -25- You can sell your assets to get money
24 But if that place is
too distant and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and cannot carry
your tithe (because the place where the LORD will choose to put his Name is so
far away),
25 then exchange your
tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD
your God will choose. NIV
FIND A STOREHOUSE
- Find a church that
teaches from the Bible, precept upon precept, line upon line and there
bring your tithe.
- Bring what you have
every Sunday. Workers need to be
paid every week.
Deut 12:5-6 – Seek out a
Bible Church
5 But you are to seek
the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to put
his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go;
6 there bring your
burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you
have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of
your herds and flocks NIV
Isa 28:10 – Church
teaching precept upon precept.
10 For precept must be
upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a
little, and there a little: KJV
Mal 3:10 – Give the
whole tithe
10 Bring the whole
tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house NIV
Matt 10:8 – God has been
generous with you
8 Freely you have
received, freely give. NKJV
1 Cor 16:2 – Bring your
tithe every Sunday
2 On the first day of
every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with
his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be
made. NIV
GIVE WITH EXCITEMENT
- We are to give with
excitement and love, not with a grudge or because it’s something we have
to do; God loves a “cheerful” tither.
- The Hebrew word
“Cheerful” actually means hilarious.
- Give generously on
every occasion
2 Cor 9:7-11 – God loves
an ecstatic giver
7 Each man should give
what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under
compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make
all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times; having all that
you need, you will abound in every good work.
9 As it is written:
"He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his
righteousness endures forever."
10 Now he who supplies
seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store
of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
11 You will be made rich
in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through
us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. NIV
MANY STOREHOUSES
- The next thing I say
will be highly controversial, especially to pastors, but it seems to me
that there are many storehouses for the tithe with different overseers.
- It seems good to me
to give into storehouses that take care of the stranger, the orphan and
the widow. It seems right to me to
divide the tithe.
- I have now been with
my church for over 20 years, but before I became a member, I was tithing
to a Missionary in the
- Whatever we do or
give, we should do it as unto the Lord, not unto men.
Neh 12:44 – Many storerooms – Many overseers.
44 At that time men were
appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, first
fruits and tithes NIV
Deut 14:29 – Give to the stranger.
29 so that the Levites
(who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the
fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be
satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your
hands. NIV
Deut 26:12 – You should
give to the orphan and widow.
12 When you have finished
setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the
tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the
widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. NIV
23 Whatever you do, work
at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
24 since you know that you
will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ
you are serving. NIV
BLESSINGS
– PROSPERITY MESSAGE
- God has promised a
blessing to those who keep his statutes.
- He will even use
other men to bless us.
- He will give health
as we operate in his Word.
- We will be lenders
and borrow from no one. We will be
the head and not the tail.
- We will be blessed when
we come in and when we go out, in the city and in the
country, and whatever we set our hands to will prosper.
- He will bless us with
children, livestock, meat and groceries.
- He will even protect
us from an enemy that raises his hand to our efforts.
- We will spend our
remaining years in contentment.
- It would be my prayer
that the believer would be blessed so much that he could have a
good life on 10 percent and give the remaining 90 percent to the Lord.
Eccl 11:1 – Give and after a while you will see it come back.
1 Cast your bread upon the
waters, for you will find it after many days. NKJV
3 John 2 – As our spirit
enlarges, so will our health
2 Beloved, I wish above
all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as thy soul
prospers. KJV
Luke 6:38 – God will use other men to bless you.
38 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. KJV
Deut 28:1-8 – Blessed
coming in and going out
1 If you fully obey the
LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the
LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.
2 All these blessings
will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:
3 You will be blessed
in the city and blessed in the country.
4 The fruit of your
womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of
your livestock--the calves of your herds and the lambs of your
flocks.
5 Your basket and your
kneading trough will be blessed.
6 You will be blessed when
you come in and blessed when you go out.
7 The LORD will grant that
the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They
will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.
8 The LORD will send a
blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD
your God will bless you in the land he is giving you. NIV
Deut 28:12-13 – Bless the
work of you hands
12 The LORD will open the
heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to
bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will
borrow from none.
13 The LORD will make
you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the
LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will
always be at the top, never at the bottom. NIV
2 Cor 9:10 -11 – You
will be made rich so you can give
10 Now he who supplies
seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store
of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
11 You will be made
rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and
through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. NIV
Job 36:11 – Spend your
years in contentment
11 If they obey and serve
him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in
contentment NIV
Mal 3:11 – Satan
can’t come against your efforts
11 I will prevent pests
from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their
fruit," says the LORD Almighty. NIV
RULES
- Give
Liberally
and you will “receive liberally”; look forward to “getting” to do it. -
Excel in giving. - Share sacrificially. – Don’t be tight
fisted. – Don’t give with a grudging heart.
- Eager: Willing, excited – Give what you have, not
what you don’t have. Don’t go into
debt. Give Often: Set aside
your money for the Lord on the first day of each week.
- Secretly: When you tithe or
bless someone, do not announce what you are going to do. Let it just be discovered. – Practice
hospitality. – Give proportionally to your blessings.
- It must
cost you something: Don’t offer to God what belongs to someone else.
- Family: If you are able, take care of the
elderly in your extended family so that they won’t be an additional burden
on the church. The love of God is
in you when you are a giver.
- If you
are in deliberate sin: You will not receive a blessing at all for your
offering.
Matt 6:1-4 – Give in secret
6:1 "Be careful not
to do your `acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do,
you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 "So when you give
to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the
synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they
have received their reward in full.
3 But when you give to the
needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your giving
may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will
reward you. NIV
1 Cor 16:2 – Give offerings and tithes every week
2 On the first day of
every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his
income, NIV
2 Cor 9:6-7 – Give Liberally
6 Remember this: Whoever
sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will
also reap generously.
7 Each man should give
what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver. NIV
Rom 12:6-8 – If your gift is giving – give generously.
6 We have different gifts,
according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it
in proportion to his faith.
7 If it is serving, let
him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach;
8 if it is encouraging,
let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him
give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is
showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. NIV
Deut 15:7-8 – Don’t be tight fisted toward the poor.
7 If there is a poor man
among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is
giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother.
8 Rather be openhanded and
freely lend him whatever he needs. NIV
2 Cor 8:11 -12 – Give
what you have, not what you don’t have.
11 Now finish the work, so
that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion
of it, according to your means.
12 For if the willingness
is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to
what he does not have. NIV
Acts 20:35 – The
blessing is in the giving
35 It is more blessed to
give than to receive.'" NIV
2 Cor 8:7 – Excel in the grace of giving
7 But just as you excel in
everything-in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in
your love for us-see that you also excel in this grace of giving. NIV
Heb 13:16- Share sacrificially
16 And do not forget to do
good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is
pleased. NIV
2 Sam 24:24 – Your giving must cost you something
24 But the king replied to
Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the
LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." NIV
Deut 15:10 – Give
without a grudging heart.
10 Give generously to him
and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your
God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. NIV
Rom 12:13 – Practice
hospitality
13 Share with God's people
who are in need. Practice hospitality. NIV
1 Tim 5:16 – Care for
family – Reduce burden on the church
16 If any woman who is a
believer has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the church
be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really
in need. NIV
1 John 3:17 – The love
of God is in you when you give
17 If anyone has material
possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the
love of God be in him? NIV
Deut 16:17 – Your
giving is proportional to your blessings.
17 Each of you must bring
a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you. NIV
Prov 19:17 – When you’re kind to the poor, you lend to the
Lord.
17 He who is kind to the
poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done. NIV
Deut 23:18 – If you
are in sin, you will not be blessed. (Homosexual)
18 You shall not bring the
hire of a whore, or the price of a dog (boy prostitute) , into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow:
for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God KJV
JESUS RAISES THE BAR
- The law said “do not
murder” Christ said, don’t even be angry in your heart.
- The law said “do not
commit adultery”, Christ said don’t even look at a woman with lust.
- It is said an eye for
an eye - Jesus said, Turn the other cheek.
- Someone sues to take
your tunic – Jesus said, give him your cloak too.
- Forced to go a mile –
Jesus says, go a second mile.
- They say hate your
enemies – Jesus said pray for your enemies.
- It is said don’t
break your oath - Jesus said, don’t even swear at all, just say
Yes or No.
- Give to someone who
asks
– Look for opportunities. – Giving gives hope, it raises the spirit.
The Tithe – It’s only a beginning – Raise the bar.
Matt 5:21 -22 – Don’t
be angry – raise the bar
21 Ye have heard that it
was said by them of old time, Thou shall not kill; and whosoever shall kill
shall be in danger of the judgment:
22 But I say unto you, that
whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger
of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in
danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger
of hell fire. KJV
Matt 5:27 -28 – Don’t
lust after a woman; raise the bar.
27 Ye have heard that it
was said by them of old time, Thou shall not commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, that
whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery
with her already in his heart. KJV
Matt 5:33 -37 – Just
say yes or no, raise the bar.
33 "Again, you have
heard that it was said to the people long ago, `Do not break your oath, but
keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.'
34 But I tell you, Do
not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne;
37 Simply let your
`Yes' be `Yes,' and your `No,' `No'; anything beyond this comes from the
evil one. NIV
Matt 5:38 -39 – Turn
the other cheek, raise the bar.
38 "You have heard
that it was said, `Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'
39 But I tell you, Do not
resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to
him the other also.
Matt 5:40 – Give him your cloak, raise the bar.
40 And if someone wants to
sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. NIV
Matt 5:41 – Go the second mile, raise the bar.
41 If someone forces you
to go one mile, go with him two miles. NIV
Matt 5:42 – Give to one who asks, raise the bar.
42 Give to the one who
asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. NIV
Matt 5:43 -44 – Pray
for you enemy, raise the bar.
43 "You have heard
that it was said, `Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44 But I tell you: Love
your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, NIV
TITHING SUMMARY
- The tithe is an Old Testament principal.
- The Israelites gave
three tithes. The
first; the Lord’s tithe, ten percent of their money and produce. The
second: paid three times a year when they went to the sanctuary. The
Third tithe paid once every three years which was left at the city
gate for the Levites to distribute to the orphan, widow and stranger. –
This was about 13 percent of their total income. This did not include the free will
offerings or the burnt offerings, cereal offerings, peace
offerings, sin offerings, heave offerings and trespass
offering. Then there was the temple
tax.
- Dual Intent: Demonstrating thankfulness
for what God had given them; and demonstrating trust that He would
continue to bless them.
- Tithing is a New Testament principal. However, no where in
the New Testament are we commanded to tithe; all eight of the NT
scriptures about tithing point back to the OT principal; scripture says this
principal is forever.
- We are no longer
under the Law; we are blessed, and therefore we give. – God says, “Well done my good and faithful servant”.
- Alms: asked for by the unfortunate – given to the poor- Given freely without public show - is rendered an act of righteousness..
- Basic to tithing is
the acknowledgement of God’s ownership of everything on earth We are to be
faithful stewards of all that has been given to us. We are blessed,
therefore we give.
- Tithing is our
confession of our dependence on God and that we are a faithful steward of
His creation. We give of our time
“first”, we write His check “first”, and we consider others “first”. We
give the best; the “first” fruits
- Those that are faithful
in tithing are usually found faithful in service to the Lord.
- The pastor is charged
with collecting the tithes for the storehouse
- There are many
storehouses. We can divide our
tithe to where God moves on us to give it.
- The tithe is one
tenth of our increase from year to year
- We are to give it
once a week on Sunday
- We are participants
in changing the lives of people in need.
- God has told us we can test him concerning our
giving and that we will receive a blessing
- God will supply all
our needs – not necessarily all our wants.
- Cast your finances
upon the waters of humanity and after a time, you will see it coming back
on every wave.
- Everything we set our
hands to, will proper.
- God will keep Satan
from derailing the efforts of our hands.
- Ten percent is just a
beginning – We have the opportunity to
“Raise the bar”.
In the multitude of counselors,
there is wisdom.
Prov 11:14
I am grateful for those
that went before me providing
concepts, ideas,
historical information and scripture verses.
A commentary; Jamieson, Fausset, Brown – Eerdmans
Baker Commentary on the Bible – Zondervan
Bible Almanac, The – Packer Tenny White.
Curse of Baphomet; The – Jack T. Chick- www.chick.com *
Dake’s annotated Reference Bible – Dake
Dictionary of Pentecostal/Charismatic Movements – S.
Burgess
Encyclopedia of Free Masonry- Albert G. Mackey *
Expositor’s Bible Commentary – Frank E. Gaebelein
Freemasonry: Morals and Dogma – Albert Pike *
Freemasonry: The Invisible cult – Jack Harris *
Great Doctrines of the Bible – W.A. Criswell
Illustrated Bible Dictionary – Nelsons
Illustrated Bible Dictionary; The – Tyndale
International Dictionary of the Bible; The – Tenney
King James Version Bible
Masonic Christian Conflict explained – Keith Harris *
Matthew Henry’s Commentary – Zondervan
Nave’s Topical Bible - Nave
New International Version Bible
Should a Christian be a Mason – E. M. Storms *
Theomatics – Jerry
Lucas
Today’s Dictionary of the Bible – Guideposts
Victor Journey through the Bible, The – V. Gilbert Beers
Vincent’s Word Studies – Mac Donald
Wycliff Bible Commentary; The – Moody Press
Zondervan Pic
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