What Do You Think About Tithing?

[crisipicada]

That is a great way to think of this, Crisi, that 10 % belongs to the Lord, so you don't even count on that as part of your income, but view 90 % as what you have for you living expenses. Then yes, the Lord is the one who gives wisdom, and we seek Him to help us gain wealth, so that we can support missions, and so that we can contribute to the church building fund. That is very good.

Luke 6:38; "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

Malachi 3:10; "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

As Crisi said, you will be amazed at how God will open His windows of heaven and bless you as you give to Him with a cheerful heart. God says, "Prove me now...(and see) if I will not open (to) you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

For me, we need to have a church where we can be fed by the word of God. Yes, the Bible is their but the body of Christ are those people who are saved by the blood of Christ. Therefore, we are part of the Body of Christ. And so we must have church or assembly where we can be together. Just like we have our family in the flesh. It is not nice that we will just go to different places or church anywhere and be fed like our family in the flesh, it is not good to eat to other families or houses. We must have our own. If just incase we go to other places and find church, then that would be good idea to visit other church.

Being content, in any thing we had, is a good thing - Godliness with contentment is great gain. It is not a matter of having a lot of money, many people who are rich and still not contented. For me, God has really provided my daily needs. Having good fruit trees at home and some vegetables are already a blessing from the Lord. I can eat 3 times a day is already a blessing from the Lord. To have a good health that I have been praying for is already a blessing from the Lord. Having good relationship with friends and family members are already blessing from the Lord. Do not think having money only as the blessing from the Lord in fact money is the least blessing. That what I believe.

[Edwin]

I agree with you Crisi, that Christians need a church to be fed. They need to be faithful to that church where they are fed. Yes, I believe also that money is the least of the blessings. When we have good food that is great. When we have clothing that will keep us warm and comfortable that is good. When we have shelter from the elements that is good too. When you have enough good food to eat so that you can eat 3 healthy meals each day that is good. You can't get anything better than the fruit and vegetables to eat, and then with a little protein also.

We are the body of Christ saved by His blood. Contentment is valuable, and to have good relationships with our families and our friends helps add value to life! Good spiritual health, and good physical health is a blessing from the Lord!

[red]

Had to review reading this forum. I heard someone whom i think is giving away too much. It isnt bad in fact its good. Just super generosity of her makes me sad because they are not well off just struggling common filipino. But i know God will bless her more.

[Edwin]

We have all heard the saying, Red, you can't outgive God, and I believe that is true. God will reward us for our faithfulness. If God lays it upon our hearts to give, and we are able to do that it is wonderful. Some have a lot, and they give a little. Some have a little, and they give a lot. Jesus pointed the one woman out that had very little, yet she gave a lot!

[BigBlastGuy]

Had to review reading this forum. I heard someone whom i think is giving away too much. It isnt bad in fact its good. Just super generosity of her makes me sad because they are not well off just struggling common filipino. But i know God will bless her more.

"Love of money is root of all evil" also applies to churches, pastors etc. Wrong for them to ask for money of people who have little and struggle. Also wrong for a woman / mother to give money to a church when she deprives her family--I don't believe she will be blessed for that. As a child I watched my own mother give money to church that her family needed. I believe she did it because it made her feel holy and good but it deprived her family. I don't believe God blesses such action.

[Edwin]

We are talking about excessed in two different ways. One gives what they can't afford to give. The other doesn't give when they can afford to give and should give. God has given us intelligence to use to figure these things out. If you belong to an organization if you can you should contribute to help it pay its bills. If there is no way you can contribute, God knows that, and others no doubt will be willing to carry you, allowing you to belong without doing your fair share of helping with the maintenance of that organization. When I was a young Bible College student one of my instructors named this one person who attended a very large church in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, and said that people in that church just were not friendly with him. The pastor of that large church was another one of my instructors. He said that this person was one of the professors at the University, and he could afford to give, but he didn't, so people resented him not helping to pay his part in keeping the church finances taking care of the bills. Sometimes people just do not have enough to be able to help, and God understands that, and at other times, maybe they are selfish people just wanting to spend all the money on themselves without helping anyone else out. So, as Jesus observed people at the house of God putting their offerings in, He saw some who had lots of money throwing a little in, and He also saw the widow who had very little, put in what was a large percent of what she had. God blessed her for that, and while she didn't have an over abundance, I think she had enough to live on. All of us don't have the same requirements/needs as everyone else. If we can give what God lays upon our hearts, then He will bless us for that. I think some are robbing God by not giving what they should be giving. God has promised that He will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that they will not be able to receive. God has also promised that He will cause others to give to us as we give to God and others.