HOW DO WE SEE TITHING?
What is it about the word, "tithing" that makes people nervous? Why does it seem to go against the grain? Why is it so hard to live the lifestyle of a giver?
Many people believe your Christian walk has absolutely nothing to do with giving.....much less your finances. There are those who complain outwardly about all the poverty, the homeless, and the sick in our world. Yet they pass needy people in their own neighborhoods every single day, and don't give them a second thought. It's so much easier to concentrate on your own life and your own circumstances. After all, it's not right to pry into other people's business...
Christian giving is not the thing you begrudgingly do on some Sundays when you attend services. It's a lifestyle that involves every part of who you are as a Christian. Developing a giving lifestyle means you're actively seeking ways to be a blessing. Yes, you certainly pray for people. But you also actively participate in helping meet the physical needs. Every time you do, you're planting a seed in your own life so God can bring a harvest.
Someone who lives as a giver has a mindset that blessings received are blessings to be bestowed. Even though the Bible says you are rewarded for your giving, a true giver genuinely loves receiving more and more from God so they can keep giving more and more. Now, there's a standard to strive for.....
So...What About Tithing?
It is impossible to separate your Christian walk from what you do with your resources. God wants you to let Him be involved in every area of your life, including your time, talent, and finances. What a concept.....
When God talks about tithing in the Old Testament, He is very clear that everything comes from Him, so He wants to be acknowledged first.....and from the best of His blessings. It's not so much to ask, given that He's the distributor of the blessings!
Tithing represents a starting place in a giving lifestyle. Yes, the Bible says 10% is the tithe. But many givers have discovered that it's far better to give whatever God says to give, even if it's more than 10%. The truth is.....if God says to give more and you withhold whatever "more" is, there will be no pleasure in it anymore anyway.
How Do You Start?
So your finances are a mess.....now what? Here are some tips to start living your life as a giver:
# Start where you're at. God never said you have to give a million rand when you can barely pay the rent. But He did say to give what you can. Remember the story of the widow's mite in the Bible? She gave only two coins, but they represented a huge donation because it was literally all she had. God will bless your efforts if you start where you are today.
# Don't let other people determine what you should give. God is the only person you need to ask if you're wondering what or when to give. Trust me.....when you ask this question, God will show you very quickly exactly how and when to give it.
# Start looking for ways to be a blessing. There is tremendous need in every town and every neighborhood. When you make it a point to ask God to show you how you can help, you will start seeing opportunities to practice your "giver" lifestyle almost immediately.
# Don't be afraid that you'll ever give too much. Never compare your giving to someone else. It doesn't matter even the tiniest bit if your friend isn't giving as much as you. And it doesn't even matter if none of your friends are givers, it only matters what you're doing. Someday when you stand before God on judgment day, I'm pretty sure you won't be asked about what your friends gave, but rather, how you lived your life as a giver.
Living a "giver's" lifestyle means you're doing exactly what we're all called to do....be a blessing to someone else. Can you imagine what this world would be like if all the Christians started doing and giving what they say they believe? You wouldn't even recognize it.
To find out more about our selfhelp programme, that enables you to live the life God created you to live and still earn a lucrative income whilst achieving this. Kindly email me at raydendhew@gmail .com
Many people believe your Christian walk has absolutely nothing to do with giving.....much less your finances. There are those who complain outwardly about all the poverty, the homeless, and the sick in our world. Yet they pass needy people in their own neighborhoods every single day, and don't give them a second thought. It's so much easier to concentrate on your own life and your own circumstances. After all, it's not right to pry into other people's business...
Christian giving is not the thing you begrudgingly do on some Sundays when you attend services. It's a lifestyle that involves every part of who you are as a Christian. Developing a giving lifestyle means you're actively seeking ways to be a blessing. Yes, you certainly pray for people. But you also actively participate in helping meet the physical needs. Every time you do, you're planting a seed in your own life so God can bring a harvest.
Someone who lives as a giver has a mindset that blessings received are blessings to be bestowed. Even though the Bible says you are rewarded for your giving, a true giver genuinely loves receiving more and more from God so they can keep giving more and more. Now, there's a standard to strive for.....
So...What About Tithing?
It is impossible to separate your Christian walk from what you do with your resources. God wants you to let Him be involved in every area of your life, including your time, talent, and finances. What a concept.....
When God talks about tithing in the Old Testament, He is very clear that everything comes from Him, so He wants to be acknowledged first.....and from the best of His blessings. It's not so much to ask, given that He's the distributor of the blessings!
Tithing represents a starting place in a giving lifestyle. Yes, the Bible says 10% is the tithe. But many givers have discovered that it's far better to give whatever God says to give, even if it's more than 10%. The truth is.....if God says to give more and you withhold whatever "more" is, there will be no pleasure in it anymore anyway.
How Do You Start?
So your finances are a mess.....now what? Here are some tips to start living your life as a giver:
# Start where you're at. God never said you have to give a million rand when you can barely pay the rent. But He did say to give what you can. Remember the story of the widow's mite in the Bible? She gave only two coins, but they represented a huge donation because it was literally all she had. God will bless your efforts if you start where you are today.
# Don't let other people determine what you should give. God is the only person you need to ask if you're wondering what or when to give. Trust me.....when you ask this question, God will show you very quickly exactly how and when to give it.
# Start looking for ways to be a blessing. There is tremendous need in every town and every neighborhood. When you make it a point to ask God to show you how you can help, you will start seeing opportunities to practice your "giver" lifestyle almost immediately.
# Don't be afraid that you'll ever give too much. Never compare your giving to someone else. It doesn't matter even the tiniest bit if your friend isn't giving as much as you. And it doesn't even matter if none of your friends are givers, it only matters what you're doing. Someday when you stand before God on judgment day, I'm pretty sure you won't be asked about what your friends gave, but rather, how you lived your life as a giver.
Living a "giver's" lifestyle means you're doing exactly what we're all called to do....be a blessing to someone else. Can you imagine what this world would be like if all the Christians started doing and giving what they say they believe? You wouldn't even recognize it.
To find out more about our selfhelp programme, that enables you to live the life God created you to live and still earn a lucrative income whilst achieving this. Kindly email me at raydendhew@gmail .com
True biblical HOLY tithes were always only food from inside God’s HOLY land of Israel which HE had miraculously increased. Tithes could not come from what man increased or from outside Israel. Jesus, Peter and Paul did not qualify as tithers.
ReplyDeleteNT giving is primarily sacrificial. For many that means much more than ten per cent. Others are giving sacrificially even though less than ten per cent.