(2 Corinthians 9:10-11 NLT) For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. (11) Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
(2 Corinthians 9:11 MSG) (11) wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way…
God’s Economy vs. the World’s Economy
- God has a way to bring us out of lack and into abundance!
- Sometimes God’s ways do not make sense to the natural mind and seem like they are opposite of what seems “normal”.
(1 Corinthians 1:27 AMPC) [No] for God selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is foolish to put the wise to shame, and what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame.
(1 Corinthians 2:14 CEV) That’s why only someone who has God’s Spirit can understand spiritual blessings. Anyone who doesn’t have God’s Spirit thinks these blessings are foolish.
Introduction From The Blessed Life by Pastor Robert Morris:
“I can say with absolute confidence that Satan does not want you to read this book. Without a doubt, the enemy of your soul would do anything to keep you from discovering God’s principles governing financial stewardship, giving, and blessing. Why? Because once you do, it will transform your life for the better. But it will do more than that: it will impact the Kingdom of God.
If every believer understood and applied the simple principles we are about to present, it would literally bring revival to the world. Every needed church facility could be built. Every missionary with a divine call and a willing heart could be sent and abundantly supplied. The Gospel could saturate every culture on the planet. Yes, as God’s people prospered, money would come into the kingdom; but much more important, our hearts would be changed!”
Tithing is the First Step!
- The tithe belongs to God.
(Leviticus 27:30 NLT) “One tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD and must be set apart to Him as holy.
Tithing is an investment that God will use for our spiritual growth and development.
- The tithe is not about your money! It is about your heart!
(Malachi 3:6-8 GNB) “I am the LORD, and I do not change. And so you, the descendants of Jacob, are not yet completely lost. (7) You, like your ancestors before you, have turned away from my laws and have not kept them. Turn back to me, and I will turn to you. But you ask, ‘What must we do to turn back to you?’ (8) I ask you, is it right for a person to cheat God? Of course not, yet you are cheating me. ‘How?’ you ask. In the matter of tithes and offerings.
(Matthew 6:21 NKJV) (21) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
- The tithe is about honoring God first!
(Proverbs 3:9-10 NKJV) Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; (10) So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.
Common arguments about Tithing:
- Tithing is under the law.
Tithing pre-dates the law by 500 years.
Genesis 14:18-20 NKJV Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. (19) And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; (20) And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all.
- Tithing is under the law and as a believer I am not under the law but under grace.
Under the Old Testament we are told, “Do not steal”. Because we are under grace, does that mean that we can now steal anytime we want? NO!
Under the Old Testament, we are told, “Do not commit adultery”. Because we are under grace, does that mean that we can now commit adultery anytime we want? NO!
New Testament – “Generosity” – Under grace we always do more than what was expected under the law.
- I can’t afford to tithe.
You will never be able to afford to tithe until you begin to tithe. Remember, this is God’s economic system. It is going to be counter intuitive to the world’s way.
- If Jesus said to you, “You should tithe,” would you do it?
Matthew 23:23 NLT “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law–justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.
How do we tithe?
- We present our tithes to Jesus, our High Priest.
(Hebrews 3:1 NKJV) Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,
(Deuteronomy 26:1-3 NKJV) (1) “And it shall be, when you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in it, (2) that you shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground, which you shall bring from your land that the LORD your God is giving you, and put it in a basket and go to the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide. (3) And you shall go to the one who is priest in those days, and say to him, ‘I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come to the country which the LORD swore to our fathers to give us.’
(Hebrews 7:8 NKJV) Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.
- We give our tithes in faith believing God’s Word.
Tithe believing that when you tithe, God rebukes the devourer for your sake, He will open the windows of Heaven, and pour out a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.
- We tithe our tithes with words.
(Deuteronomy 26:3 NKJV) (3) And you shall go to the one who is priest in those days, and say to him…
- Make tithing an act of worship!
(Deuteronomy 26:1-4 NKJV) (1) “And it shall be, when you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in it, (2) that you shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground, which you shall bring from your land that the LORD your God is giving you, and put it in a basket and go to the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide. (3) And you shall go to the one who is priest in those days, and say to him, ‘I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come to the country which the LORD swore to our fathers to give us.’ (4) “Then the priest shall take the basket out of your hand and set it down before the altar of the LORD your God.
We tithe because God is Good and we love Him and it becomes an expression of that love.