Tithes

Robbing God

Ken

“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings” (Malachi 3:8 KJV). But, you say, “We’re not under OT Mosaic law, requiring the paying of tithes (Leviticus 27:30).” And, you’d be correct. But, the concept of tithing was long before the OT Mosaic law, going back to Abraham paying tithes to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20), and Jacob vowing to pay a tenth or tithe of all that God gave him (Genesis 28:22), because tithing represents, God takes care of my business, while I take care of His business. Tithing is not even mentioned in the NT, but the concept remains. I take care of God’s business, while He takes care of my business. On the other hand, offerings are different from the tithing a tenth of one’s income to those who labor for the benefit of God’s Church. 

In particular, the First Fruits Offering (Leviticus 23:10) was a dedication of a portion of the beginning of the farmer’s harvest or income flow, and not the net result of income or harvest after all expenses had been paid, requiring an act of faith for the farmer to pay the First Fruits Offering. “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9-10 KJV). 

LORD, teach Your NT Church the power of blessing You’ve promised to unleash upon Your Church, when we grasp how magnanimous a God You are when we give our tithes and offerings to support Your Church and advance Your kingdom on earth. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen and amen.

Christian Giving: What You May Not Have Been Told

Ken

God does not need your money. The Church may be able to use your money. You may barely be able to pay your bills. Why should you feel compelled to give? God admits it. He owns everything. “For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10 KJV). The Church is made up of people like you and me, who are trying to do God’s work in spreading the Gospel. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2Corinthians 5:19). We come to the Father with whatever income we have and acknowledge everything we have belongs to Him, because we belong to Him. “Ye are bought with a price” (1Corinthians 6:20; 7:23). Now, how much does He want us to give? Evidently, the answer to that question is strictly a matter of trust between you and Him, for He is looking to develop a living, working relationship with you. “Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him [raptured him home to Heaven without dying]” (Genesis 5:24). 

God is seeking to grow our confidence in Him. 

First, tithes or giving a tenth of one’s income, as a sign of you taking care of God’s business, so He takes care of your business (Genesis 28:20, 22), were given by Abram to Melchizedec (14:20) long before their was an OT Mosaic Law requiring it (Leviticus 27:30), since God uses tithing to develop our relationship of trust with Him. 

Second, we should especially support the local church, which ministers to us, even though tithes belong to the LORD, not the Church, Christian ministry, or missionary enterprise. “All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’s” (Leviticus 27:30). God directs you to place it wherever He sees fit. But, shouldn’t we support those who labor for us? “And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house” (Luke 10:7). 

Third, those who minister to us are trusting the LORD to minister to their needs, even as we are trusting the LORD to provide for our needs. “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” (Luke 6:38). 

Fourth, the LORD seeks to bless His people through their giving, “not because I [Paul] desire a gift; but I desire fruit that may abound to your account… but my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:17, 19). 

Fifth, the LORD challenges His people to test and prove Him, if He will not bless you more than you can bless Him. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). 

Sixth, regarding our tithes and offerings, Is there not a God in the Church today, as there was with David, as he fought the Nephilim Goliath? Okay, here’s our chance to see God deliver us and our respective local churches, Christian ministries, and missionary enterprises. “This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel” (1Samuel 17:46). 

Seventh, offerings as well as tithes, God may be directing you to give, for offerings may be unrighteously withheld from God, also (Malachi 3:8). We are not taking the initiative in our giving, if we neglect to cultivate the giving of the firstfruits offering — celebrating the surplus above the normal — understanding it to be only a further opportunity for God to bless us (and Himself) further. “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9-10). 

Conclusion

Especially, when giving is a subject of difficulty or testing for ourselves, then it is so valuable in developing us. God has a right to challenge us concerning our giving, because it is a test of our trust in Him. Wise Christian ministers are careful to beg for money. But, Church members, who listen, should take their que, when they catch hints of need, in conversation with leadership. Treat giving to the LORD’s Church and ministry, as if it was being done to the LORD. “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me” (Matthew 25:40). 

Father, bless Your people with a new or renewed sense of understanding about the opportunity of giving to grow Your kingdom, provide for the Church, and draw us closer in understanding and dependence upon You. In Jesus’ name, come quickly, we pray. Amen and amen. 

Tithe Belongs to the LORD

Ken

The tithe was in existence before the OT Mosaic Law, since Abram paid tithes to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20). “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S: it is holy unto the LORD” (Leviticus 27:30 KJV). A “tithe” (27:32) represents a “tenth [1/10]” (27:32). All our income belongs to God, since we belong to God. But, the tithe is especially set apart for the service of the LORD or dedicated for the LORD’s purposes, since it represents our covenant of trust with Him. What we are saying when we tithe is, ‘I take care of Your business, LORD, and You look after my business.’ As Jacob said, “And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that Thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto Thee” (Genesis 28:22). Though tithing became part of OT Law, under the New Covenant, we still have an understanding of trust with the God of Abram. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat [food] in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). LORD, we take great delight in being called ‘one who tithes.’ We trust our tithe to You is not income lost, since we give from love and not necessity. Prosper Your servants, who tithe. Flourish the work of Your hands far beyond anything humans can accomplish. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen and amen.

Why We Live

Ken

Christ is the reason we live. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21 KJV). Anything else is robbing God. “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings” (Malachi 3:8). Our purpose for existing cannot merely be the keeping of commandments, but glorifying God from a pure heart. “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1Peter 1:22). How better to self-test our love of God, if Christ is indeed the reason we live, but do we love our neighbor as ourselves (1John 4:20)? Do we  love one another, especially the household of faith (John 13:35)? If we are like the rest of creation groaning, awaiting the future redemption of our physical bodies (Romans 8:23; 1John 3:2) in New Heavens and a New Earth, then we should be praying our understanding and cooperation with the indwelling Christ would grow, so He would hasten to physically and corporally return (Acts 1:11; Revelation 22:20). “Looking for and hasting [literally, hastening] unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat” (2Peter 3:12). LORD, help us to see the daily fulfillment of our purpose for living is intimately connected with Your future plans for returning that “God may be all in all” (1Corinthians 15:28). That You would dwell with us forever (Revelation 21:3). Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen and amen. 

Diagnosing the Promises

Ken

“With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26 KJV). A promise like this means, surely the problem is with you, when it doesn’t work. When we view our circumstances solely from our perspective and not supernaturally, then we rob God of the opportunity to change us into His solution. The answer has always been staring us in the face. We simply have not given God the opportunity to be God. God has long been patient. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10 KJV).