GIVING – IN TITHES AND OFFERINGS
This is not about -“you must give money to the church” – but rather to give you an understanding of Gods’ economy and His incredible desire to bless you in your finances. You see there are two economies operating in the world – God’s economy and the world’s economy – and they are very different as we shall see.
God’s Promise
God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. – 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NLT)
Is that the way you would like to live? Let’s explore how you can claim this promise.
God desires that every believer should have financial strength; security and prosperity. He has laid down His principles and if you deal with your money God’s way you will walk in the fulfillment of His promise.
THE KEY = YOUR TITHE
A tithe = 10% of your income
Firstly your tithe belongs to God – you don’t give God your tithe – it wasn’t actually yours to begin with – you simply return to Him what is His. The tithe is holy – sacred – set apart for God.
So what do you tithe? – You tithe your increase – 10% your gross salary (not just net pay – you receive direct benefits from your tax eg roads, schools, hospitals etc) and any other income.
Proverbs 3:9 – Honour the Lord from your wealth and from the first fruits of your increase.
Honour
Remember the tithe was never yours – so you surrender your tithe in honour to God. Just be aware that if you direct debit your tithe that you maintain this attitude of honour in your tithe.
First Fruits
Your tithe should be the first money allocated from your income. When you tithe your remaining 90% will always go further than your original total.
God allows the tithe to be channelled through you for a very important reason – it is a faith test which involves trust and obedience.
Your tithe not only brings you blessing and grows your faith, it is God’s economy at work – providing for the financial needs of your local church.
Read Malachi 3: 8 – 12
In verses 8 and 9 you find that if you withhold your tithe – you curse your own finances. Compare this to the promises of verses 10 – 12 – that when you do tithe – God will pour out an abundant overflowing blessing in all areas of your life and your finances are protected.
OFFERINGS
After you have paid your tithe then you get to decide what to do with the rest. So then there are 4 S’s – saving, spending, sowing and stewardship. Sowing can involve offerings to other areas of ministry. Pray and ask God to show you how you should allocate your remaining money.
Read 2 Corinthians 9: 6 – 11
God’s Law of Increase is seen in seedtime and harvest – take a seed and sow it in the earth and it will produce more. God is a God of multiplication.
2 Corinthians 9: 8 in NKJV reads:
God is able to make ALL grace abound toward you that you ALWAYS having ALL sufficiency in ALL THINGS may have an ABUNDANCE for EVERY good deed.
When you sow an offering you should sow expecting an increased return as an act of faith which is founded on God’s Law of Increase – that’s His promise to you!
SUMMARY
So in fact there are two very important parts to your giving to God:
Surrendering your tithe– the whole tithe to the storehouse (= the church) – honouring God out of your first fruits
Give offerings – as God leads – sowing and believing for increase
When you are obedient in our tithing God will bless – He has promised that– so much you can’t hold it! Remember the promise of 2 Cor 9:8 – that can be yours – all your needs met and more to share with others.
Tithing and giving offerings is not as much about the money – as it is about your relationship with God !
ACTIVATE
Firstly:
In Malachi 3: 10 – when God says bring your whole tithe to the storehouse (=church) – He says try Me in this. What He means is that if you obey Him and tithe – He will prove to you that He will fulfill His promise – which this verse goes on to tell us – I will pour out for you such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. This promise is for you – no matter what your income is. So allow Him to prove Himself to you!
Set yourself a trial period – at least 3 months or preferably 6 months – to tithe your income – which means honouring God with 10% of your money and give this money first. Surrender your tithe in faith and thank God for His promise of provision for all your needs. (Philippians 4: 19)
In the natural or on paper this may seem impossible – but be assured countless Christians can testify that God is true to His promise – and your remaining 90% will go further than your original 100% !!
Secondly:
Read Matthew 6: 25 – 33 – and meditate on the truth of these verses and ask Holy Spirit to show you how this promise should impact your giving – in both tithes and offerings.
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