I have a question for you. Might you be one of those people who wonder why you keep giving yet you don’t receive the blessings that are said to be associated with giving? I will attempt to help you answer that question by addressing 2 major wrong mentalities of giving in the House of God.
1. Meeting needs
We all chip in to meet a need or pay bills in the church house. This is blasphemy! God is the El Shaddai. He owns all. He is all sufficient.
2. Duty
Giving as a sense of duty. When we give we shouldn’t be just going through the motions. We are encouraged to give generously and willingly; not reluctantly or under compulsion.
And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6 So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. – 2 Corinthians 8:1-7
7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. – 2 Corinthians 9:7
According to Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Shouldn’t we be glad then that we have been given this privilege of handling everything and then giving back just a portion of all?
Remember Achan? Achan was an Israelite who fought the battle of Jericho with Joshua. In Joshua chapter 6, God had commanded the Israelites, upon conquering Jericho, to destroy the entire city because of its great sin. Only Rahab the prostitute and her household were spared because she had hidden the Israelite spies.
17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. – Joshua 6:17
Any time the Israelites fought and conquered the first city they were instructed to burn everything to the ground. This is the principle of tithing which is shown throughout scripture. The other cities were theirs to take. Therefore the Israelites had specific instructions not to take any spoils from Jericho; everything in the city of Jericho was “accursed” or “devoted to destruction.” God warned that anyone taking spoils from Jericho would “make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it”
18 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the LORD and must go into his treasury.” – Joshua 6:18-19
Achan did not heed to the Lord’s instruction. He stole a beautiful robe and some gold and silver ( that was for the Lord’s treasury) and hid these things in his tent. Achan did not only disobey God but he did steal from Him as well! The precious metals were to be added to the treasury of the Lord, and, in stealing them, Achan robbed God directly. This was a sin against the Lord defiling Achan as well as other members of the community. Achan’s sin caused God’s blessing upon Israel to be withheld in their subsequent battle against the city of Ai and about thirty-six innocent men died because of Achan’s sin. (Ref. Joshua 7:4-5). We fool ourselves if we think that our sin affects only us. Disobedience brings ruin even upon the innocent. Sin’s effects go beyond the initial sinner. You can read the ramifications and how this was dealt with in Joshua chapter 7.
Right Reasons To Tithe
1. The Word of God teaches us to tithe therefore we tithe in obedience to it.
Leviticus 27:30
Matthew 23:23
Malachi 3:10
2. God owns everything therefore we give back a portion of it as proof of His ownership
3. It is an expression of thanks and the devourer/ waster is rebuked
4. We tithe so that we can leave a blessed legacy for our children
5. We tithe so as to honor God and keep the blessings of God flowing into our lives
6. We tithe so that there is a continuous availability of resources to minister to souls and bring them into the kingdom. This way God can trace is back to our giving.
God bless you as you obey His Word.
