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July 10, 2009 by Robert
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| No one likes to think about tithing when it comes to God and His church. If most of us were honest, we would admit that it is far easier to pray, sing God’s praises and help others than it is to turn over 10% of everything we earn to the Lord. Yet God blesses those who tithe, and it is one of the most basic Biblical tests of our faithfulness and stewardship. In fact, the word “tithe” actually means “tenth.”
We are so often thinking about all of your own needs that we put tithing last on our list and tell ourselves, “If I had anything left over, I would certainly give my ten percent, but I never have anything left.” But if you tithed first by setting aside your ten percent for God before paying the bills, you would be surprised to find that you can give your ten percent. You would simply have less for things you don’t really need. And here’s the best part – God will reward you for your faithfulness! God wants to bless us, but it is difficult to trust us with riches on earth when we won’t share our blessings. In Luke 16:11, Jesus said, “…if you have not been faithful in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” As a church, we are trying to further God’s kingdom here on earth and bring the comfort of the Lord to other’s lives. Have we saved the world? No. Have we comforted everyone? No. Have we abolished need? No. The Lord asks that we “put our money where our mouths are.” To give back 10% of what we have to try and reach that place where no one is in need. And yet, God is a loving God. He has not asked us for everythingwe have. He knows we have to feed our own children and put a roof over our heads. He even knows we have to pay the IRS! He said, “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s.” The IRS is today’s equivalent of Caesar! God hasn’t ignored the realities of living in today’s world. He doesn’t ask for all of it, or even most of it. Not even one quarter of it! Just one tenth. But it still sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? So how do we give up one tenth of what we earn and not ruin ourselves financially? Well, we turn over so much to God – our cares, our concerns, our personal problems and our health issues. We say, “Dear Lord, heal my friend.” But God is not a doctor. We say, “Jesus, help my spouse and I to get our marriage back on track.” But God isn’t Doctor Phil. But how many of us have said, “God, guide me in my financial decisions. Help me live and work in order to return to you as much as I can for your work here on earth?” We pray for health, we pray for guidance, we pray for comfort. Why not turn our financial concerns – and our money – over to God? Why not give back a mere slice of what God gives us back to Him? And it is all His, isn’t it? Part of the problem is giving up control. When we tithe, we don’t know how the money will be used, so we hesitate to hand over our money. But when there is a fundraiser for something specific – a new bell tower at the church, to help a family we know, or for a particular charity – we always find a way to give. Why wait? Aren’t there always people in need? Ministries to be served? Missionaries without funding? If each and every one of us tithed freely to God, no fundraisers would be needed! There would be plenty to go around! As Americans, we don’t realize how truly God has blessed us financially. We say, “Lord, it is hard to tithe.” But it shouldn’t be, particularly when we have been blessed by God. Because with our success comes the responsibility to use it wisely to help others and further God’s kingdom. It is easy to forget that our success comes from God’s grace. He has blessed us with so many things – shouldn’t we thank Him by using our blessings in ways that would gladden His heart? Tithing ensures that our needs will be met and gives back to God what was always His. God is honored when we are faithful. When we acknowledge that God is the true owner and giver of all that we have, we will be rewarded in countless ways. Ken Blanchard, the author of The One Minute Manager, said, “I absolutely believe in the Power of Tithing and giving back. My own experience about all the blessings I’ve had in my life is that the more I give away, the more comes back. That is the way life works, and that is the way energy works.” “…they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will… just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us – see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” – 2 Corinthians 8:1-8 So the next time you think about giving to God, remember that all of your blessings came from Him, and give back your ten percent with a happy heart. He gives us so much and asks for so little! Robert Moment is a Christian business coach, speaker and author of newly published book, God Will Always Be There for You. Robert is passionate about empowering individuals on how to experience God’s love, power , joy, peace, and prosperity. Visithttp://www.ChristianInspirational.org and sign-up for theFREE Christian Living e-course. Follow me on Twitterhttp://www.twitter.com/christiansfaith Copyright © 2009 by Robert Moment. All rights reserved. You may forward this article in its entirety to anyone you wish. |
| The value of paying tithing Many people know the value tithing brings. In addition to a number of benefits and blessings, it also helps to increase faith and show obedience.What is tithing? The concept of tithing goes back to biblical days, where it states in the book of Malachi, “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 such, it is not a new concept, nor is it limited to the LDS faith alone.Those who pay a full tithe pay 10% of their annual increase. Tithing is used for a number of the Lord’s purposes, including building and maintaining church meetinghouses and temples, educating Church members through such programs as the Perpetual Education Fund, and missionary work, to name a few.When you pay your tithing, you give it to a member of the Bishopric in your home ward. From there, he records the amounts and sends the funds directly to the headquarters of the church. A council comprised of the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the Presiding Bishopric determine how and what to use the tithing funds for.The value of paying tithing While some may look upon paying tithing as a burden or an unnecessary expense, they should consider what exactly they are giving up in terms of value by not paying tithes.Uandment to pay tithing show their obedience to this principle. Trust. Those who pay tithing have been promised a number of blessings, both temporal and spiritual, and paying tithing illustrates trust in these blessings. Love. Paying tithing not only indicates love to the Lord by following his commandments and acknowledging his hand in all things, but to other members of the Church who tithing helps.Those who pay tithing are promised with a number of things. Many members of the church will tell of times they were faced with the decision to pay tithing or pay a bill, or either pay tithing or not have enough money for groceries. Those who paid their tithing when they didn’t think they could afford it tell of being blessed with a number of things, including finding money, having friends or ward members bring them a meal, or getting a better job offer. Such illustrations of the blessings of tithing are not difficult to come by; virtually every faithful tithe payer can think of an instance where their faith has been rewarded from paying tithing.The value of tithing goes beyond monetary rewards as well. Those who faithfully pay their tithing experience an increase in faith as a result of their obedience and willingness. As such, their strength and resolve in the Church grows. Not to mention they get a tax write off for tithes paid. Some people find the concept of paying tithing difficult to follow. However, the Lord through his prophets has challenged those to pay their tithing and, as a result, see firsthand the blessings and value that come from paying tithing. Posted by DF on March 2, 2007 07:50 AM | Permalink
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