Financial Freedom in 2009 (Part 6)
“FINANCIAL FREEDOM IN 2009”
(Part 6)
Questions regarding tithing
WHAT IS TITHING?
A response to God for His provision. The method whereby God has chosen to finance His Kingdom work on earth. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, He owns all the Gold and Silver but He is looking for those who walk by faith and not by sight.
Malachi 3:8-12
"Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings.
9You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
10Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
11"And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the Lord of hosts; 12"And all nations will call you blessed,
For you will be a delightful land," Says the Lord of hosts. [NKJV]
TESTIMONIES
HOW MUCH IS A TITHE?
Tithe simply means tenth. One tenth of all of our increase belongs to God.
IS THE TITHE NET OR GROSS?
What do you get paid per hour? Some people pray their making $30.00 per hour but they only tithe on their net which is about $20.00 per hour. Do you think you’re fooling God or maybe God should reduce our hourly wage to what we are comfortable to tithe.
CAN I TITHE MY TIME?
Tithe is in regard to increase
When was the last time you had an increase of time?
Time is more about stewardship and giving of your time not tithing your time.
Again examine the heart issue.
WHERE DOES THE TITHE BELONG?
In the O.T. it all went to the temple where it was redistributed to the local communities. The temple acted as the storehouse, where God’s people were cared for.
The local church acts in that function today.
CAN I DISTRIBUTE MY TITHE ACCORDING TO NEEDS OR MINISTRIES I SEE?
This is more about who controls the tithe. The scripture says bring all the tithe into the storehouse. I’ve heard some say they’re going to tithe to this or that particular ministry. The church acts as the covering for all those ministries. Example: someone wanted to tithe to the music ministry, if everyone practiced this then where would the finance come to pay the wages for that music minister. Again it’s about control.
1. Tithe is the Lord’s
2. When you distribute it according to your desire – you are back in control.
WHEN SHOULD I TITHE?
1 Corinthians 16:1-2 (NKJV)
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: 2On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.
Weekly or systematically. There are those who tithe once a year. If you get paid once a year that would be fine. It just helps to better budget the finances of God.
Principles of tithing
Tithing is about control:
Who is in control?
You or God.
Luke 12:15-21 (NKJV)
And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." 16Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' 18So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." ' 20But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' 21So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
V20 “then whose will those things be”
God is in control. God is who we need to honor. When we bring our firstfruits, our tithe it honors Him.
Malachi 1:6 (NKJV)
"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts to you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, 'In what way have we despised Your name?'
CAN YOU TITHE ANONYMOUSLY?
1. no scriptural basis
2. do we want to remain anonymous because we’re dealing with pride
3. do we want to remain anonymous because we don’t want accountability
Acts 4:36, 5:1
Barnabas, a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, were not anonymous
Abraham was not anonymous
Jacob was not anonymous
The widow though anonymous was still under the scrutiny of accountability
Mark 12:42-43 (NIV)
But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
43Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.
Matthew 6:1-4 (NKJV)
"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
This has nothing to do with the tithe. But in our giving are we giving to be seen of men or are we giving because God has spoken to us to do it.
This is about heart condition.
What the Bible teaches on tithing:
Genesis 14:16-24 (v20) Abraham – before the command – the law or torah (teachings)
Genesis 28:22 - tithing pattern followed by grandson Jacob
Proverbs 3:1 (NKJV)
My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; 2for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.
Satan is still in the business of twisting God’s Word – “yea hath God said?”
Deuteronomy 14:22-29
Leviticus 27:30 – 33
Matthew 23:23
DO I GIVE OR PAY TITHES?
Matthew 23:23 (NKJV)
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
1. Giving is a choice an exercise of control
2. Paying is an obligation or a debt.
If I give you something that is an exercise of my own volition and choices. When I pay it’s not about choice it’s about obligation of something that I owe. God gave to me therefore I am obliged to give Him back the portion He says is His.
Giving is what I decide – such as ministries, missions, alms, gifts to the poor and needy. We pay our tithes we give offerings.
Hebrews 7:1-9 (NKJV)
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2to whom also Abraham gave (apodekatoo) a tenth part of all, first being translated "king of righteousness," and then also king of Salem, meaning "king of peace," 3without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. 4Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave (apodekatoo) a tenth of the spoils. 5And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; 6but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. 8Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid (apodekatoo) tithes through Abraham, so to speak,
Conclusion:
- The tithe is the Lord’s
Leviticus 27:30 (NKJV)
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's. It is holy to the Lord.
Malachi 3:10
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. [NKJV]
- Revival will come when God’s people obey Him and His Word.
2 Chronicles31:5-10 (NKJV)
As soon as the commandment was circulated, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of grain and wine, oil and honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything. 6And the children of Israel and Judah, who dwelt in the cities of Judah, brought the tithe of oxen and sheep; also the tithe of holy things which were consecrated to the Lord their God they laid in heaps.
7In the third month they began laying them in heaps, and they finished in the seventh month. 8And when Hezekiah and the leaders came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and His people Israel. 9Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10And Azariah the chief priest, from the house of Zadok, answered him and said, "Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and have plenty left, for the Lord has blessed His people; and what is left is this great abundance."
READ ANONYMOUS LETTER
You are going to overcome this financial obstacle for the Lord is on the side of those who obey Him. You will experience financial freedom in 2009.