Different Things God is teaching Me

Several LIBERATING REASONS to Tithe

"Both riches and honor come from You O Lord, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name. But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given to You." ~1 Chronicles 29:12-14

"I, Paul, have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” ~Acts 20:35

A couple (of the many) reasons why God instituted the freeing-liberating act of tithing/charity and giving it to the physically needy* in the world and among God's people was so that we would declare:

1. To our Flesh and the world that money is not our God...that it will not have any hold or dominion and it will not dictate the depth or distance of our faith.

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2. To God, our Creator, that all we are and all we have belongs to Him and not us; ...that He is our Provider, our Savior and not money.

*God did not call for using the tithe as a means of expanding church facilities (e.g gymnasiums, fellowship halls) or funding youth programs. See Deuteronomy 26:12-13

“When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year— the year of tithing—and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled,then you shall say before the Lord your God: ‘I have removed the holy tithe from my house, and also have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments, nor have I forgotten them."

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“If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother,but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs.You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand.For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’ " ~Deuteronomy 15:7-8,10-11

"By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth." ~1 John 3:16-18

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and put Me to the test now in this,” says the Lord of armies, “if I do not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows." ~Malachi 3:10

"Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” ~Luke 6:38

"There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself." ~Proverbs 11:24-25

"There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches." ~Proverbs 13:7