We have all seen the bumper stickers that say,

"HONK IF YOU LOVE JESUS!"

Recently, I saw another bumper sticker that said,

"TITHE, IF YOU LOVE

 JESUS...ANYONE CAN HONK!"

Do Not Rob God

Malachi 3:8  "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, "In what way have we robbed You?'

In tithes and offerings.

⁹You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.

¹⁰Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,

And try Me now in this, Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.

Should You Tithe?

WHO: Whoever desires to worship God.

WHAT: Giving first 10% of income to God.

WHEN: Whenever you receive income.

WHERE: Where you have been fed the Word of God.

WHY: To worship God.

HOW: By faith, and trust.

Why Tithe?

1. God claims the tithe is His.

LEVITICUS 27:30 NKJ
30 `And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's. It is holy to the Lord.

The New Testament says nothing to change God's instruction on tithing. The tithe is holy and still belongs to God.

2. Tithing is worship of the Lord.

Tithing is worship. Worshiping God in a prescribed manner has existed since the Garden of Eden. Cain and Abel knew the correct way to worship God, but one of them chose not to worship that way. The correct way involved giving up something they owned in recognition of God in a prescribed manner. Worship cost them something then, as true worship always does.

Giving based on need is not Biblical tithing. Tithing is not to meet God's need (or the church's needs), but to worship God: to put Him in His rightful place: first!

3. A blessing is promised if you do.

MALACHI 3:10 NKJ
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.

4. Tithing is a continual reminder God is your source.

Tithing acknowledges in a tangible way the Lord's ownership of us and all we have. It is recognition He deserves.

Anyone who receives Christ Jesus must receive Him as He is: Lord. By definition a Christian is one who has received Jesus Christ. Since He is Lord, when we receive Him He becomes Lord of our life. As Lord of our life, Jesus has complete say about what we do with all our money, not just ten per cent of it.

Anyone who claims Jesus as their Lord and does not give Him at least ten percent of their money should face the truth: money is their Ruler, not Jesus.

Which do you trust more: Jesus or money?

.                            

Why Christians Do Not Tithe

1. Unbelief      2. Fear    3. Greed, Selfishness     4. Lack Of Right Teaching

The cure for each one is better teaching and prayer. Recent surveys reveal only a small percentage of "Christians" give at least ten percent of their income to God.

People invent all kinds of excuses to not give at least ten percent of their money to God -- such as the epistles not teaching tithing. Is the virgin birth of Jesus taught in the epistles? (No, but the virgin birth is still true!) How many times does God have to tell us something for us to believe it?

There is not much direct teaching in the New Testament concerning tithing. One reason may be because the Lord wants a love relationship with us, not just a legal obligation from us. However, that surely does not mean we should do less in a love relationship than they did in the Old Testament under the Law.

The money and time you give to Jesus are the best indicators of how much you love Him.

My prayer is that you will allow God to speak to your heart and that you will be obedient to His leading. Trust Him; He will take care of you.