Why Should I Tithe?

As a pastor, I am often asked about tithing.  Is it important?  Is it necessary?  What does it mean?  These questions and many others often arise over this area of money and the church.  For some, there is a misconception about the church simply being takers or just after people's money.  That couldn't be further from the truth.  I am not going to try and rewrite an opinion or dialogue or debate the topic.  However, what I am offering here is a simple teaching outline I generally use in any setting to outline the importance of tithes and offerings unto the Lord.  I welcome any feedback or thoughts.

Rodney

The Habit of Tithing/Giving Offerings:

On every Lord’s Day each of you should put aside something from what you have earned during the week and use for this offering.  The amount depends on how much the Lord has helped you earn. (1 Corinthians 16:2[LB])

But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness . . .—see that you also excel in the grace of giving. (2 Corinthians 8:7)

*A “tithe” is giving the first part of my income (10% of the gross).

*An “offering” is anything I give in addition to my tithe.

Five Benefits to Giving

1.   Giving makes me like God.

. . .God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…(John 3:16)

2.   Giving draws me closer to God.

. . .For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21)

3.   Giving is the main ingredient to true wealth.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them . . . to be generous and willing to share.  In this way . . . they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19)

4.   Giving is an investment in eternity.

…Give happily to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given [you].  By doing this, [you] will be storing up real

treasure for yourselves in heaven—it is the only safe investment for eternity! (1 Timothy 6:18-19 [LB]).

5.   Giving blesses the giver.

A generous man will himself be blessed. (Proverbs 22:9)

A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. (Proverbs 11:25)

Give, and it will be given to you . . .  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Luke 6:38)

Why Should I Tithe?

1.   Tithing demonstrates that God has top priority in your life.

The purpose of tithing is to teach you to always put God in first place in your life. (Deuteronomy 14:23 [LB])

2.   Tithing is a reminder to you that your money/wealth was given to you by God.

But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth. (Deuteronomy 8:18)

3.   Tithing expresses my thanks to God.

Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you. (Deuteronomy 16:17)

4.   God tells us that not tithing is robbing Him.

Will a man rob God?  Yet you are robbing me!  But you say, How have we robbed you?  In tithes and offerings. … Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. (Malachi 3:8-10)

5.   Tithing gives God the opportunity to prove He wants to bless you

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. (Malachi 3:10)

THE ATTITUDE OF GIVING

1.   Give willingly (2 Corinthians 8:12)

2.   Give cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7)

3.   Give sacrificially (2 Corinthians 8:3-4)

4.   Give generously (2 Corinthians 9:6)

What is Judging?

It seems often that Christians get accused of judging others, so I thought I would share a few thoughts on the topic.  Let us consider the common verse used to accuse of judgment. 

^{Matthew 6:25} “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
²⁸ “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;²⁹ and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

³¹ “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 7 “Judge not, that you be not judged. ² For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. ³ And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? ⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? ⁵ Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

⁶ “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

Before we look at the "judge not" portion, let us consider the context of what Jesus is saying here.  First Jesus is instructing that we should not worry and fret over life and the provisions of life.  We can spend so much time concerning ourselves with the basics of life that we miss those things that are really important.  Jesus tells us that the Father already knows that we need the basics of life and none of us can change our stature or position by worrying.  So, 6:33 instructs us to seek first the Kingdom of God and all the things and needs will be added.  Each day brings enough troubles that we don't need to waste our lives worrying about tomorrow.  

So, Jesus is establishing the importance of the Kingdom and stressing not being drawn away by other things.  Then, He addresses judging.  Most often we hear 7:1 quoted in terms of passing judgement on others and putting others down.  In context, however, what I hear Jesus saying is that we need not spend all of our time and energy worrying about or focusing on the things we think are most important or those things that we think we can do or handle.  Instead of spending our time saying, "I need to fix this and you need to fix that," it would be better for us to focus our attention on what God is doing and the advancement of His Kingdom.  Out of that, everything else will fall into place.  

When our focus is on God's Kingdom and what He is doing in our lives and through our lives, it enables and allows us to see clearly to be able to help others in their own journey rather than coming across as being know-it-all judgers.  Most of what gets accused of being judgmental is true because we can often become guilty of making our focus and intention about improving someone else at the expense of God's Kingdom in our own lives.  Judgmental attitudes usually stem from our own desire to justify what we are doing in light of what we perceive others are doing.  

 I find in my own life that when I am not allowing God to work in me then I do have a tendency to become quite judgmental.  In some ways I assume I can avoid or bypass the dealings of God by helping others deal with the issues I perceive they have.  That is when we work on the speck in the eye of someone else while trying to avoid the beam in our own eye.What God has called us to, however, is to allow Him by His Spirit to bring us more in line with His plan and His Kingdom and then put us in positions, places and opportunities in which we can be a blessing to others in the way that we help them find truth.  When we are able to see and realize our own lack and allow ourselves to be changed, then it produces in us the compassion necessary to help others along in their journey as well. 

By following this pattern and work in our own lives, we begin to fulfill these words of Jesus:

 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. (John 7:24).  

As we allow God's Spirit to work in and on our lives, we are able to rightfully see and understand to judge righteous judgment; because we will no longer be approaching the issues from our perspective or perception, but will rather be seeing from a Kingdom perspective.  

You Have a Future

It occurs to me that there are so many people living as though they have no place to go.  There are so many who do not understand all that God has promised and desires for them.  I want to declare today that YOU HAVE A FUTURE!


One of my life verses is 


For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)


It is interesting that this verse was declared by the prophet Jeremiah while the people of God were in exiled captivity to the Babylonians.  They had lost family.  They had lost property.  They had lost homes.  They had lost their very identity.  Yet God spoke to them that He had plans to give His people hope and a future.  


Doesn't this seem so separated from reality?  How is it that God can declare or promise hope and future when reality says all hope is lost?  Is God out of touch with reality?  Or, is God ahead of where we are and preparing us for where He is taking us?  Jesus said something very similar to what the prophet Jeremiah declared.  


The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). John 10:10 (Amplified Bible)


How many find themselves in a situation similar to the exiled children of Israel; being held captive by the enemy and his lies?  Consider what Jesus says the thief (the devil) comes to do.

1. He comes to steal.  This is his attempt to erase your past and take away all the good that has been done in and for your life.  This is spiritual identity theft.  If he can steal away where you have been and what has happened to you then he can steal away who you are.  I imagine when the children of Israel were taken into captivity they felt that all they had worked for and seen happen throughout their lives was suddenly stolen away.  They had nothing left.  The enemy wants to steal from you and make you feel that you have nothing left.  
2. He comes to kill.  This is his attempt to erase your present by erasing you.  Death happens the moment life ceases.  I am sure that many of the Israelites would have preferred to just die rather than be in exile.  The enemy wants you to view your present and see no reason to want to live.  Seldom does this develop to the point of physical death, because so many have allowed the enemy to kill their spirits to the point of having no life remaining in them.  
3. He comes to destroy.  This is his attempt to erase your future.  If he can steal your past and kill your present he can definitely destroy your future.    It is a dangerous place to be to feel you have nothing to go back to and nothing to look forward to.  This is a place the enemy longs to bring you. This is the place the Israelites surely found themselves in.  

But, that is not the end of the story.  Just like through the prophet Jeremiah, God promised hope and a future; here through Jesus we are promised ABUNDANT LIFE.  Jesus steps into the picture to restore back what has been stolen, to revive what has been killed, and to destroy the works of the devil.  

The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.  1 John 3:8

This means YOU HAVE A FUTURE.  You do not have to be held captive by the lies and works of the enemy.  God has spoken life and that settles it.  Reality and facts around you may say one thing, but the TRUTH speaks of life, of hope and of a future.  In their song, "The Voice of Truth", Casting Crowns makes this powerful declaration:

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
And the voice of truth says "Do not be afraid!"
And the voice of truth says "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Let us always listen to the voice of Truth and not allow the lies of the enemy or our view of circumstances to steal, kill or destroy.

God's Sexual Standard

In light of all the attention the topic of sexuality gets in society, I felt it appropriate to share a blog on the issue.  


In terms of right or wrong concerning relationship and sexuality, I will say this. I place my faith and thoughts on God's Word. And, I always refer to the beginning of God's Word to find His original plan. The way I see it is that anything in opposition to God's original plan is that which man has instituted or initiated. The only exception is if God clearly gives an update later in Scripture. The cross becomes our filter. Anything outlined by God in the OT is filtered through the cross and He either removes it (such as sacrifice), modifies it (such as emphasizing our hearts desires rather than just our actions), or the issue is left alone. If something is left alone, then we can understand that God's original plan is still in place. 

In terms of sexuality, God declared in the beginning that He made male and female and commanded them to be fruitful and multiply within the context of marital relationship. That plan was never changed Biblically and therefore anything contrary to that is contrary to God's plan. We don't have the luxury to pick and choose which things we support or speak against. The husband/wife sexual relationship is the most intimate thing given to us by God and it is the most spiritual activity that a married couple can take part in together on this earth. That is the way God has planned and intended. From a biblical standpoint anything outside of that is against God's plan. 

We can understand just how big of a deal this is by reading in the New Testament epistles whenever Paul would address a church or a group about various sinful activities and behaviors. Any time that a list is compiled and presented, the item listed first is the most important and/or most dangerous. A perfect example is Galatians 5 which deals with the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Within the works of the flesh, the first and most dangerous involves sexual sin or that which is contrary to God's intent and plan. The enemy from the beginning has utilized that understanding and has come against God's plan for man. Sexual misconduct even comes in ahead of things such as idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, murder, etc. In fact, for someone that commits adultery, they are literally breaking more than one of the ten commandments. They are adulterers, they are stealing, they are murdering their spouse and the spouse of their adulterous partner, they are dishonoring their father and mother who they left to cleave to their spouse, they are coveting. Throughout Scripture we understand that variation from God's sexual design and intent is a huge attack from the enemy. 

What we deal with in society in terms of fornication, adultery, rape, incest, homosexuality, pornography, and the like is the product of decline and a break from God's will - His good, acceptable and perfect will (Romans 12:2). Many like to speak of God's permissive will, but in reality that just is an attempt to justify what it is we want to do. God will permit us to do what we choose - He gave us free choice. But, that doesn't make it His will. If it doesn't line up with what He said, it is not His will. I don't view that as debatable or even as my opinion. I don't have the luxury of an opinion in terms of dealing with God's Truth. I take the responsibility to Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15) very seriously. 

Now, I will say this. The fruit of the Spirit is also introduced with the one of most importance - LOVE. The most essential element is love and it is that love that drives me to always speak the truth and to never get my opinion or feelings involved. Trust me, as a pastor and even as a Christian it would at times be much easier and even much more appealing personally to say what I know people want to hear. However, I cannot do that. I realize I don't always succeed in speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). However, that is always my intent.

What is God's Design?

Does God have a plan?  Does God have a specific design for things in mind?  Does man have the ability to interfere with God's plan?  Does God change His mind about His plan?


These and many others are interesting questions to consider.  I want to take a moment and do that together in today's blog.  We will look at some Scriptural foundation for understanding the answers to these questions.  First off, I want to address the last question first:  Does God change His mind about His plan?  There are 3 Scriptures I want to give to establish that the answer to this question is "NO".


^{James 1:17} Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (NIV)


This verse declares that God does not change and that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father above.  All that has been given to us by God is good and perfect and He does not change.  Therefore, we can also understand that if what we have is not as God gave it it is no longer good and perfect.  We will touch on this more later.


^{Hebrews 13:8} Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.


This verse declares that Jesus is consistent - He is the same.  


^{Revelation 13:8} And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (KJV)


This verse tells us that Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the earth.  Sending Jesus to earth as a man to die for the sins of man was not a change in God's plan.  It was God's plan from the beginning.  God knew, understood and realized the sinfulness that man was capable of and made provision for that in advance.  I have heard many times it said that after the fall by Adam and Eve in the Garden that God had to readjust and do things a different way.  That simply is not true.  God had His plan in place from the beginning and it never changed.




We find that God does not change as Who He is and He does not change from what He intends or plans.  So, the question becomes what is God's plan and how do we know and understand that plan?  From a Scriptural standpoint we can understand God's plan and design by realizing what God said about an issue "from the beginning".  What is the first thing God said about something?  That establishes His plan.  Since He does not change, then the first thing He says about something or does in regard to something will establish His ideal or His plan.  After that, anything else that we read in the Bible or in history that differs is not God's plan, but is how the issue has become due to man's involvement.  


Just because God allows man's involvement and interference to change things from His original plan does not mean that He approves or that man's adjustment suddenly becomes God's plan.


A few examples:

1. The Church (Acts 2:42-47).  God described the church as a unified body who worshiped together daily, had all things in common, witnessed and experienced God's presence and power, and saw people being saved and added to the church on a daily basis.  This is God's design for the church.  Anything we read about that describes the church either in the Bible or since that does not line up with this description is not God's plan, but rather how the church looks as a result of man's involvement and interference.
2. Marriage (Genesis 1:27-28, Genesis 2:18-25).  God created male and female as a unit or team.  God saw that Adam had no suitable helper and therefore from Adam's own rib God created Eve.  Eve is the only creation that didn't come from the dust.  God specifically designed the woman for the man and gave them to one another.  His instruction to them was to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth with His glory.  That is God's design on marriage.  From that point we read various stories of polygamy, incest, rape, homosexuality, adultery, bestiality, and the like. None of these line up with God's plan, but represent man's involvement and interference.  
3. Baptism in Holy Spirit/Gifts of Holy Spirit/Supernatural (Book of Acts, 1 Corinthians 12-14).  God established the work of Holy Spirit from the beginning (Genesis 1:2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.)  We read about various leaders and prophets in the Old Testament who operated in the gifts of God (Moses, Joshua, Samson, Elijah, Elisha, etc).  Then we find that the early church was endued with the ongoing and abiding power of Holy Spirit.  This correlates with #1 above.  God's design is the blending the the church and His Spirit.  Anything else is man's involvement and interference and desire to do church on their own way/terms.

Just a couple of hot button examples so to speak.  I could go on, but you get the point.  If you want to know God's design or standard, find His first recorded description or design.  Anything after that is man's involvement, interference, and attempt to change things to fit as they want.  The ultimate thing to remember is that we are created in the image of God . . . it is not the other way around.

Until next time . . .

Rodney

You Are Not a Heap of Ruins

I have been doing some study lately on the nations conquered by the children of Israel as they were possessing their land of promise.  Joshua records that the people conquered thirty-one kings and cities in all (see Joshua 12).  In defining and researching the names of the cities, I am putting together a thirty-one day devotional on keys to possessing your promise.  Some of the cities represent things we must overcome.  Some of the cities represent characteristics and qualities that would be of great benefit to us.  Today, I am sharing from Day Two - Ai.



Day 2 -- Ai – Heap of Ruins

            Following the dramatic victory over Jericho, the children of Israel came to a small area known as Ai.  Joshua sent some men to spy the land and the report was that Ai was small and it would only take a portion of the army of Israel to defeat them.  Joshua sent only some of the fighting men against Ai and surprisingly the children of Israel found themselves defeated by this inferior army.  The reason was that Achan had taken some things from Jericho when God had clearly told the entire camp not to do so (see Joshua 7).

            We closed out Day One by stressing the importance of breaking away from darkness (Jericho) and not taking or keeping anything as a token or trophy from that place of victory.  We see in the battle against Ai why this is so important.  By the choice of one man, Achan, an entire army was put into a precarious position and thirty-six men lost their lives.  Until Israel got fully away from the darkness, they were unable to progress and possess their inheritance. 

            After the sin had been dealt with, however, they gained victory against Ai.  Ai means a heap of ruins.  Oftentimes after a person overcomes darkness and sin they are confronted with a life and circumstances that appear to be a heap of ruins.  How many times have you yourself asked, “What can God possibly make of or do with me?  In order for us to march forward and possess what God has for us, we must overcome our own perspective of things being a heap of ruins.  A person is not defined by where they have been.  God defines a person by where He wants to take them. 

            The enemy would love to convince you and me that we are a heap of ruins and that we have no potential to be used by God in any way.  But we must deal with that notion and lie in the same way that Joshua dealt with the city of Ai.

And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day.   Joshua 8:28

            Let us learn to turn into a heap what the enemy does to try and convince us is a heap already.  God wants to take you to great places in Him and put you into a position to do great things for Him.  Do not allow the enemy to deceive you to believe differently.  Ai is referred to as being next to Bethel.  On Day Sixteen we will discuss Bethel which means house of God.  The heap of ruins was near the house of God.  Isn’t it interesting how the enemy often tries to get us to give up when we are so close to where we need to be?  The enemy fears that we will realize who we are in Christ and wreak havoc on his kingdom.  May our hearts be awakened today with the truth and knowledge of who we are in Christ.  I am not a heap of ruins.  You are not a heap of ruins.  We are exactly what God is looking for to use for His Kingdom.

How the Enemy Feels

Often in our lives as Christians we face trials, difficulties, tribulation, persecution, etc . . . (Don't wanna scare ya away by making the list too long :) )


When things of this nature are going on in our lives we can be guilty of cowering to the work of the devil - the enemy of our souls.  If we are not careful we can allow circumstances to paralyze us spiritually.  If that becomes the case then the enemy has won.  


In reading the book of Joshua I find something interesting about the physical enemies of the children of Israel that I believe can be applied to our spiritual enemy as well.  Listen to this:


Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites.  Joshua 5:1


The enemies of the Israelites were so afraid of them because they had heard about all that the Lord had done on their behalf.  The same is true about our enemy - the devil.  He knows about all the great things the Lord has done for you and me and in reality he is fearful and defeated.  His true motive in attacking you and me is to get us to forget what God has done and to get our eyes on what is going on in the moment.  


The enemy wants nothing more than for us to view God through the eyes of our circumstances rather than to view our circumstances through the eyes of God.


By coming against us with trials of many kinds, the enemy is trying to distort our perspective of who God has been and of who God is in our lives.  If he can distort the way we see things, he has succeeded in deceiving us into believing his lies.  Jesus tells us that lying is the only way the devil speaks (John 8:44).  And if he is able to deceive us then he has put us on a path of and with destruction.  


We don't lose the battle to the enemy, we lose the battle to ourselves when the enemy causes us to see things differently from the way they really are.


Joshua records how the enemy truly felt.  That is a far cry of how the ten spies sent to the land by Moses believed the enemy felt.


"We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”  Numbers 13:13


Had this group of spies seen things as they really were, their generation would have inherited the promised land.  As the story plays out we see the children of Israel did indeed inherit the land, but because of the devil's distortion 40 years were lost unnecessarily.  


Don't let the enemy steal from you by distorting the reality of who God is and what God has said.  Walk in the victory given by God and don't give place to the devil (Ephesians 4:27).