The Bible teaches is to fear God. This means to take Him seriously. If he says to do it, we do it. Has God said to tithe? Yes. If God promises it we should believe it. Has God promised to bless us if we put him first financially? Yes. Now be careful. Many will tell you that this is a promise of wealth. I don’t see that. He does promise to meet your needs. I believe that He does promise to give us more, but why? So that we can in turn give more. But I want to remind you that some of God’s best blessings are not financial.
Let me just put it right out there. I know this is going to make some of you uncomfortable and a few of you even angry but the very first step in turning around your financial obstacle is to put God first and putting God first means tithing. You say, “Are you saying I have to give 10% of my income to the church?” It doesn’t matter what I say. You have to ask yourself this question, “What does God say?” I can tell you this. My wife and I are tithers. The first 10% of our income goes to the church. By the way, we figure our 10% on what we earn, not what is left after we pay Uncle Sam. We then give above and beyond that to other ministries and to special projects that come up here in our ministry. We have made that a priority. And I can tell you this, God has never let us down. If you could see me you would realize that I haven’t missed one meal. God has met our needs.
I’ve told you this before. Last fall, when my daughter started college, I was very tempted to lower my tithe significantly. My reasoning seemed justified. After all, Joy was going to a Christian College so my paying tuition was like tithing, right? If I used my tithe to pay for her college, it would all but cover it. But I resisted that temptation. Over her freshman year of college I did not lower my tithe one penny. In fact, we have given more to the Lord’s work this year than any other year in our adult lives. And somehow, someway, we were able to pay for Joy’s first year of college without paying one red cent in interest. Now mind you, that tuition payment was not in our budget. We had nothing saved away for her college education. I wish we would have been able to do that but we weren’t. All I can say is God met our needs.
You can make all the excuses in the world. But you can’t expect God to bless your finances until you make Him first when it comes to your money. Again, I know what you’re thinking. Well, when I get out of debt then I’ll start tithing. No, you won’t. When I get that raise or that promotion than I’ll start tithing. No, you won’t. Tithing begins with what you have now. So it’s your call…EXCUSES or DISCIPLINE?
Here is the second principle. Stop acquiring new debt. Just stop it. I’m no rocket scientist when it comes to finances but I do know this. If I have $10,000 in credit card debt and I use my credit card to by the new gadget that I don’t have the money for, I just took a step further into slavery rather than freedom. Quit using your credit cards! Now wait. What excuse is going through your mind right now? Well, my credit card is my safety net. I need my credit card for convenience. I am using my credit card for the cash back bonus. So let me ask you again. What’s it going to be? Excuses or discipline?
Let me just put it right out there. I know this is going to make some of you uncomfortable and a few of you even angry but the very first step in turning around your financial obstacle is to put God first and putting God first means tithing. You say, “Are you saying I have to give 10% of my income to the church?” It doesn’t matter what I say. You have to ask yourself this question, “What does God say?” I can tell you this. My wife and I are tithers. The first 10% of our income goes to the church. By the way, we figure our 10% on what we earn, not what is left after we pay Uncle Sam. We then give above and beyond that to other ministries and to special projects that come up here in our ministry. We have made that a priority. And I can tell you this, God has never let us down. If you could see me you would realize that I haven’t missed one meal. God has met our needs.
I’ve told you this before. Last fall, when my daughter started college, I was very tempted to lower my tithe significantly. My reasoning seemed justified. After all, Joy was going to a Christian College so my paying tuition was like tithing, right? If I used my tithe to pay for her college, it would all but cover it. But I resisted that temptation. Over her freshman year of college I did not lower my tithe one penny. In fact, we have given more to the Lord’s work this year than any other year in our adult lives. And somehow, someway, we were able to pay for Joy’s first year of college without paying one red cent in interest. Now mind you, that tuition payment was not in our budget. We had nothing saved away for her college education. I wish we would have been able to do that but we weren’t. All I can say is God met our needs.
You can make all the excuses in the world. But you can’t expect God to bless your finances until you make Him first when it comes to your money. Again, I know what you’re thinking. Well, when I get out of debt then I’ll start tithing. No, you won’t. When I get that raise or that promotion than I’ll start tithing. No, you won’t. Tithing begins with what you have now. So it’s your call…EXCUSES or DISCIPLINE?
Here is the second principle. Stop acquiring new debt. Just stop it. I’m no rocket scientist when it comes to finances but I do know this. If I have $10,000 in credit card debt and I use my credit card to by the new gadget that I don’t have the money for, I just took a step further into slavery rather than freedom. Quit using your credit cards! Now wait. What excuse is going through your mind right now? Well, my credit card is my safety net. I need my credit card for convenience. I am using my credit card for the cash back bonus. So let me ask you again. What’s it going to be? Excuses or discipline?
1 comment:
True biblical tithes were always only food miraculously increased by God from inside Israel. Although money was common even in Genesis and essential for sanctuary worship, money was never include in 16 texts which describe the contents of the tithe for over 1500 years from Leviticus to Luke. Jesus, Peter and Paul did not qualify as tithe-payers and neither did the poor nor those who lived outside Israel.
Tithes were only commanded to Old Covenant Israel. The Church is never commanded to tithe after Calvary. Those who receive the tithes are commanded to forfeit property ownership and to KILL anybody who dared to worship God directly per Numbers 18. Why do you ignore the context.
New Covenant giving is primarily sacrificial. That means MORE than 10% for some and LESS for others.
Russell Earl Kelly
www.tithing-russkelly.com
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