Tithes
By Don Patterson 1-02-08
All we are, all we want to be, should be about GOD, and how we can worship HIM.
Tithes and offering are just one way to worship GOD, we sing of how good and great is our GOD, how much we thank HIM for HIS SON, JESUS. Yet we fail to praise HIM with our tithes and offerings.
Tithes; transitive verb 1 : to pay or give a tenth part of especially for the support of the church 2 : to levy a tithe on intransitive verb : to give a tenth of one's income as a tithe
The tithe we pay is what keeps the (our) local house open, it pays the electric and water bill and our Pastors wages, as I am sure you would agree he is worthy of his labor. Just as we pay tithes to meet the needs of the LORDS house, our LORD meets the needs of our house. From experience I have noticed that when I haven’t tithed my household needs seem to have fallen short, it didn’t take long to figure out the relationship. I have also noticed over the years that in my life and others I have known or ministered to, that when we fall short in tithing it seems that the car breaks the a/c goes out, and requires unexpected expenditures.
I can go on but I hope you see my point, GOD will get it one way or the other!
Then we come to offerings,
Offering; 1 a: the act of one who "offers" b: something "offered" ; especially : a sacrifice ceremonially "offered" as a part of worship c: a contribution to the support of a church
Our offering is over and above our tithes and are, I believe, when we start giving. Tithes are commanded of us, but offering are given from the heart or under the instruction of the HOLY SPIRIT, I want to say that we should listen to the HOLY SPIRIT before we give, and I will explain. The LORD allows people to get into certain positions so they will seek HIM as their source and not lean on their own abilities or man. If we give to that person we become their source and GOD has to start all over again, (I’ve done this one, and was corrected by the LORD, not fun!)
This is what I have been taught and it has blessed my life for years. If you go to a restaurant to be feed (eat), you EXPECT to pay for that meal, so it is when you go to the LORDS table (church). It cost money to turn the lights on each time we meet. As a rule of thumb an offering should be what you would spend on a meal. For me, I like Olive Garden and an average meal for me is $16 to $20 dollars, so my average offering is $20, just a note if you use McDonalds as your meal average you could be eating there for a long time.
Another teaching is that each family should support one missionary family or group. The need is endless and even $5 can make the difference in someone's life.
This teaching is not to dig deeper into your pocket but show you how to be blessed. It cost money to minister, even in my personal ministry it cost me a lot to be available to travel to reach out to another person just as someone reached out to me. So just think what it cost a full time Pastor or minister to do jail and hospital visits and to be available to you 24/7. I sure would hate for the Pastor not to come visit one of my family members in the hospital because he didn’t have gas money.
GOD loves a cheerful giver; HE gave us the greatest gift of all HIS SON.
Mal 3:8-12
8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
"But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'
"In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse _ the whole nation of you _ because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.
NIV
Lev 27:30-34
30 "'A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD. 31 If a man redeems any of his tithe , he must add a fifth of the value to it. 32 The entire tithe of the herd and flock _ every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd's rod _ will be holy to the LORD. 33 He must not pick out the good from the bad or make any substitution. If he does make a substitution, both the animal and its substitute become holy and cannot be redeemed.'"
34 These are the commands the LORD gave Moses on Mount Sinai for the Israelites.
NIV
Prov 3:9-10
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
NIV
Luke 6:38
38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
NIV
