Tithes & Offerings

First off, let me start this section by asking the question, aren’t we tired of arguing over things that have been debated for years? It would seem that by now, more people would be asking God, the Almighty, about these things and going with what they know God has said to them, instead of continuing to seek the instruction of men and the understanding of men about such matters which many claim to be of such importance to God. I say to you again, ASK GOD!!

We’ve all heard many sermons, and instruction on tithing, and the giving of offerings, and we hear it more and more each day as the economy of our nation is on the downward turn. It’s clear to see that many that claim to have such great faith in God, and teach on giving and paying of tithes, and the rewards that come from it either aren’t practicing it themselves, or God has lied. Which is precisely how God started instructing me on “tithing and the giving of offerings”, that I am going to share with you now.

See, like many of you, the teachings and traditions of men taught me that tithing was a requirement of God, and that the giving of offerings was also. There were all types of offerings, for so many causes that to try to recall them all, would only be a distraction from the point we are here to consider. Yet in all of it, the scriptures in Malachi, other verses from the the bible, definitions and explanations, all resounding from the pulpits of the church, television screens, and the conference stages, as did the condemnation and guilt associated with not giving. Yet there were words such as, “you’ll get some 30, 60, and 100 fold return on your giving”, that God would “open the window of heaven and pour out on you a blessing that you could not contain”, to say only a few, being the rewards for giving, and likewise there were as many curses for not “giving”. Then we had to be “cheerful givers”… and it went on and on… But had that happened? Was that happening? Was it going to happen?

Well being determined in my heart do to what I felt was the will of God, even though I’ll admit that during this point in my walk, I hadn’t ever simply ask God about it, but went on to do what those around me that were supposed to know God told me, and what they said that the words in the bible meant. I tithed, and did it whether I had food on the table, bills paid or not. I was faithful. I would give to all the “causes” that I heard about and went on to teach my children the same thing. I had many debates with others over it, and insisted that they should be tithing as well. But the fact remained, I never asked God!. I simply didn’t ask Him about tithing, or offerings, nor did I question when the “windows of heaven were to be opened to pour out what I could not contain”.

Then one day, while standing in my office preparing my tithe envelope, God asked me a question. He simply ask me, “have you gotten a 30, 60 or 100 fold return on your giving?” I paused for a moment, to consider the question, then responded, “I don’t know”.

Thinking for sure that it was some “trick” question that I was going to answer incorrectly, I did the only logical thing, claimd not to know. Then He said to me, “how much have you given this year?” I hestiated again only to be informed that He knew how much I had given and likewise so did I, so I replied. He then said, “well have you gotten a 30,60, or 100 fold return on that giving”? I knew that I had not, so I simply said, “No”. Then it occurred to me, immediately, without hesitation that neither had the windows of heaven been thrown open and poured out on me what I could not contain, so I quickly reminded God of that.

Well much to my surprise, He gave a little chuckle, and then asked me, “well do you think that I lied?” I knew that answer without any hesitation, I had heard it for years, God is not a man that He should lie, so I said, “Nope, you can’t lie”.

Then He began to share with me why it was that even though I was being faithful to give and doing what I thought in my heart was the right thing to do to be acceptable to Him, I had not ASKED HIM! I had failed to take counsel from God, the one to whom my “tithing and offerings” were deemed for. Knowing God the way that I do, I knew that this was the catalyst for new understanding and wisdom, for me. It was time for me to HEAR HIM, and what He had to say, not from the bible, (what He told others before my time) but for me, for today, for right now. So I began to listen, and as I did, and referred yes, back to the bible, it was clear to see, that the giving of tithes and offerings was not God’s idea for “acceptance” to Him. In fact it didn’t take very much research at all to see that offerings were given for SINS… and tithes were for the “work of the tabernacle” and yet I knew with confidence that God no longer was dwelling in those tabernacles, built with men’s hands, but was right there in my heart. I knew that I was not a Levitical priest and neither was those that I had been giving my tithes to, and so with that I took the time to sit with God and let Him tell me about HIS will in tithing and offerings.

One particular group of verses stood out … Hebrews 13: 7-10, “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of [their] conversation. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For [it is] a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.”

For me it was abundantly clear. God is the one that has rule over me, who is the only one that is able to speak to me HIS WORD, whose Faith follows Him, and I considered the end of His conversation, Jesus Christ, the High Priest, the only Priest, and His body the sacrifice for all sin, the same always. That no longer could I follow the various doctrines of men, for it was good that my heart be established with grace, not with meats, (offerings), which have not been of any profit to them that have been occupied with them. That now, we have an altar, the place where the Lamb of God was sacrificed, and that I would have no right to partake of it if I continued to serve the tabernacle. My tithing days were over, as were my offering days. Nothing more than the mere words of God, and the revelation from God that if I continued to serve the tabernacle, I had no place at the feast of the Lamb of God!

Ask God about this, and do some research, you’ll quickly see that tithing and offerings were never about money, and I’m sure that if you revert to the tithing and offerings that those that gave to the work of the tabernacle in bible times offered and brought, your pastors, ministers, church, and other associations will not to very pleased! Why? Read the bible and see what it was that Abraham, Noah, Moses, and many others accepted as “offerings”! Most of us don’t even have those things today to be giving in the first place…. but you ASK GOD!! Hear what it is that He has to say about it.. and do what you hear HIM say!!

In closing, let me share this with you from Malachi 3:8-12. “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye [are] cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, [even] this whole nation. 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]. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.”

I will be the first to remind you to go back to the bible and see who it was that Malachi was bringing this message to in the first place, that will help you to understand the wording and why it was said. But let me show you something that many have missed? The “tithe” was the “tenth part”, I think on that we all will agree! So how is it that God says that those people Malachi was speaking to had robbed Him? In tithes and offerings? So what does God say next, (key point) “bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse”…. bring all the tenths… ALL that you have… God wasn’t looking for a “tenth” nor is He today, not for any work of the tabernacle or for the Kingdom, with God it’s all or nothing. Now you can see how God was robbed? HEAR GOD… and only GOD!! Prove Him!!