Do you tithe? Give offerings freely?

acanthus · #1 01-24-2009, 04:07 PM

If not, you are truly robbing GOD.
Mal 3:8
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

Tithing is a law. Like any other law, there is an automatic cause and effect relationship. Why do you keep the law of gravity? Because if you break it, you know that there will be an immediate, visible and sometimes painful effect. If you jump off a 10-story building, there is no doubting the consequences. This is why you would never consider doing this.

Tithing is no different. It is a law. If we break it, it turns and “breaks” us. But if we keep it, then it “keeps” us. However, there is one fundamental difference between tithing, which is a spiritual law, and physical laws. Breaking any spiritual law does not usually bring an immediate effect on the person doing it. There is a delayed penalty—but there is a penalty, nonetheless.

#2 01-26-2009, 07:43 AM

I appreciate your post on tithing but here is the problem. The law worketh death. It is sad but most Christians have stumbled on a huge stumbling stone...the law. The law is not how we follow and please God now, it is by faith and faith alone. The 10 commandments were not to guide us... they were a stopgap measure until grace fully appeared. This is something you will not have heard before...we are not expected to keep the 10 commandments, let alone tithing. (This is where most people pick ups stones, LOL). The purpose of the 19 commandments was not to be a guide on how to live, it was a revelation on the need to die. It's purpose was to let us see the utter futility of ever truly keeping the law as a way to please God. The pharisees felt they were doing a great job, and externally they were, BUT, their hearts were far from God. So in order to break them of their pride and arrogance, he said that if they broke ONE law they were guilty of all of them. Ouch. Then he said this. "You have heard it said 'Do not commit adultery.' But I say unto you, If you have simply looked on a woman with lust in your heart, you have already committed adultery with her. "Double ouch.

Listen, this is GREAT news, because he has shown us his new covenant, the covenant that was promised in Ezekial (I think!) that said "and in that day, I will put MY spirit within them, and I will CAUSE them to walk in my statutes." Salvation is ALL God. All he asks of us is to yieldedly belive His promises. The result? A miraculous abiding in him unlike anything we have experienced..all day, every day, and sins shall NOT have dominion over us.

Back to tithing. Look in the new testament and see where tithing is mentioned. it is not. If it was still to be important, i would think the church would have recieved ample instruction in it. What was it replaced by? God's work still must go on. It was replaced by something far more powerful and far more fruitful...the freewill offering. Once Christians discover the glorious liberty of the Children of God, the miraculous walk He promises, trust mw. 10% is not the Lord's. 100% is. We become so excited about our God that His work becomes what we lives for, what we eat and beathe and sleep.

I hope this make sense. I am fully aware how untaught these truths are. I simply ask that you pray over what i have said and let God speak to you. God bless and if you care to share back and forth, i would be more than willing to offer what God in His mercy has shared with me.

Love in Christ,

Bruce

footprintsinthesand09 · #3 01-26-2009, 09:19 AM

Amen, I can tell you from my own experiences that tithing does make a huge difference. There was a time I did not do this and I was always short of money and all kinds of things, I hope all Christians realize that when you tithe you plant a seed and can expect a Harvest.At least this is what I have experienced.

Amadeus · #4 01-27-2009, 02:20 PM

In the OT, David said these words:

"But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee." I Chron 29:14

This is still the situation. Anything and everything that we are and that we received came from God.

Does God want us to give it all back to Him, or only 10%? The tithe was a definite portion of something in the OT. So what does God want from us now?

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Rom 12:1

Give 5% or 10% or 15%, or whatever you decide!

Once you have decided that then the big question is who do you give it to?

There are many out there saying 'gimme' including 'churches'. Why don't we find out what God's will is for our offerings (or tithes if you decide on 10%)?

Giving in accord with His will would I believe in effect be giving it to Him wouldn't it?

#5 01-27-2009, 03:00 PM

My wife and I were members of a certain church for about 4 1/2 years.

I played guitar with the worship team and was also a television camera operator, and my wife sang with the worship team.

My personal income (Non service connected disability pension) is 100% tax exempt (state and federal) therefore there was no need for my wife and I to put our tithes into the 'Tithe' envelopes at that church.

Now I am not going to lie and say we put in our tithes faithfully 100% of the time, we did fail to pay them on some occassions.

One Sunday afternoon as we were leaving the church the associate Pastor stopped us and told us that the senior Pastor wanted to have a word with us in her office.

We went in and sat down ain chairs at her desk, the assoicate Pastor and his wife also came in and sat in some chairs on the other side of the room.

The senior Pasotr asked my wife and I how we had been doing, then she got right to the point, she said I've noticed that you haven't been 'Paying' your tithes.

I asked her how she knew this and she said well you never turn in your 'tithe' enveloopes and I explined to her about my income and she said well even so you still need to put your tithe in a tithe envelope so it can be confirmed that you have paid your tithe.

I asked if I had to prove it to her or to God?

She then told me and my wife that if we failed to pay our tithes God required us to pay all back tithes PLUS a 20% pentalty!

I asked her to please show me in the word where this demand from God was actually written, because I've read the Bible from Genesis top revealtion and I had never seen that anywhere in the word of God.

I also admitted that I hadn't always been faithful to pay my tithes everytime as I should have, but I also said that 1st John 1 verse 9 says that IF I confess my sin God is faithful and just to forgive me my sin adn to cleanse me from all unrighteousness.

The thing that bothers me is when 'Anointed People' who have been placed in positions
of 'Church' leadership try to intimidate other Christian people in order to increase their their own monetary gain.

The tithe is the Lords and in my personal opinion Christians should pray and ask the Lord where HE wants their tithe to go.

Even the tenth can be broken down (divided) into equal amounts to be given to different churches and ministries.

Just my thought about it...

God Bless!

Michael

grandmaks · #6 01-30-2009, 12:51 AM

The bible teach tithing is to be back to God. We read this in the bible and I for one would hate not to tithe, what is so hard? It the first check you write and thanking God for giving to you your place of employment.When you tithe you will receive back. and will be blessed in everyway. God bless you.

Grandma K

grandmaks · #7 01-30-2009, 12:57 AM

We are asked by God to pay 10% and when you do,God will never leave you. He AS THE SUPER POWERS THAT CAN REFILL YOUR POCKETS WHEN YOU HAVE THITH.

Bless YOU,

GRANDMA k

MikeEB65 · #8 01-30-2009, 12:59 PM

I attend a church were the Pastors own rule is that everyone tithe with a happy heart. They do not keep tract of who gives what. To me it is between each person and God what they give back. He gives use everything. For me I find great joy in giving back to my savior. I do not think Jesus would want anyone to be forced to tithe. I believe forcing someone would turn them away from attending church. We should give with a joyful and loving heart. The way Jesus gives to us.

grandmaks · #9 02-03-2009, 07:15 PM

Hi Footprints-- Amen!

walkinthespirit · #10 02-04-2009, 06:46 AM

I kinda avoided this thread until now, cause I dont tithe. In fact I havent even really been to a church in a year...maybe the odd time. But the Lord has moved me into a church for the past two weeks. And the teaching was on deceptions of the enemy, gossip being one, and tithe the other, but the pastor was soo discrete about his message of tithe, that maybe it went over some peoples heads, but I got the message. praise God! And I do see the message of tithe, and know in my heart, that we will see more blessings if we do tithe. And yes it can be in different ways...last weekend, the Lord said I want you to give some money to this widow(her husband died last summer) and I said ok LORD if you want me to give her that money, YOU have to put her in my path, and HE did! I ended up taking her for coffee, and said here is something the LORD wants you to have!
the Lord has told me on other occasions to give large amounts of money to conferences that I have attended, and I thought my husband is going to freak out when I tell him the LORD wants us to give this amount(he was not in attendance) but praise God, he said well if thats what the LORD told you , then give it!!
woohooo JESUS prepare ye the way of the LORD!