Give God His Tithe (4)

'...those who fear Him lack nothing.' Psalm 34:9 NIV

There are three kinds of givers: the flint, the sponge and the honeycomb. To get even a spark from a flint you have to hammer it. To get anything out of a sponge you have to squeeze it. But a honeycomb just overflows with sweetness. Which kind of giver would you like to be? The Psalmist writes, ‘Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him…for those who fear Him lack nothing.’ (Psalm 34:8–9 NIV)


Tithing is an act of worship. Of the 100 to 110 hours you’re awake each week, one–third to one–half generally involve earning money. So when you give God your money, you’re giving Him your brain, your brawn and yourself. When you go to the Lord’s house on the Lord’s Day, partake of the Lord’s Supper and put the Lord’s tithe into the Lord’s treasury, it’s an act of profound worship. Now, let’s be clear: a God who paves Heaven’s streets with gold isn’t going to go broke because you don’t give Him a tithe of your income. The act of tithing isn’t about the tithe; it’s about the attitude of the tither to the Creator. It’s not about the gift; it’s about the attitude of the giver to the Giver. It’s not about the money; it’s about the attitude of the man or woman to the Maker. It’s not about possessions; it’s about the attitude of the loved ones to the Lover. As the songwriter Isaac Watts said, ‘Were the whole realm of nature mine; that were an offering far too small. Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.’

Give God His Tithe (3)

'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse...' Malachi 3:10 NIV

When you honor the Lord in your life, He will bless your life. Imagine the advantage you’d have with God as your partner! Many famous Christian people throughout history were faithful tithers, including Henry John Heinz of Heinz 57 Varieties, and William Colgate, the toothpaste magnate. Some of these people were so blessed that, before their lives were over, they gave God 90 per cent of their income and lived on the other 10 per cent. God says: ‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this…and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough to store it…all the nations will call you blessed…’ (Malachi 3:10–12 NIV) When you demonstrate that God’s business means more to you than your own, He will prosper you. And He invites you to ‘test’ Him in this. How long have you known that you should tithe, wanted to tithe, said you were going to, and yet you’ve never got round to it? Start now—and start with what you have! What you can do now is the only influence you have over your future. John D Rockefeller is reputed to have made the following statement concerning the habit of tithing: ‘I never would’ve been able to tithe the first million dollars I made if I hadn’t tithed my first salary, which was a dollar fifty per week.’ Tithing demonstrates that you’ve conquered self–interest and the fear of lack. It’s a demonstration of faith—and God always rewards faith!

Give God His Tithe (2)

'...I will give you a tenth.' Genesis 28:22 NIV

The story of Jacob is much different than Abraham's. Jacob wasn’t a giver by nature. Quite the opposite, in fact! He cheated his brother Esau out of his birthright, which entitled him to twice as much of their father’s inheritance. And when he worked for his father–in–law, Laban took advantage of him too. But one night Jacob met God in a life–changing dream, and when he woke the next morning he told God, ‘…of all that You give me, I will give You a tenth.’ Note, this was hundreds of years before the Law of Moses was instituted, which said, ‘A tithe of everything…belongs to the Lord…’ (Leviticus 27:30 NIV) Jacob wasn’t motivated by law, he was motivated by love for God. You can give without loving; some folks give under pressure, or to impress others or to get an income tax deduction. But you can’t love without giving! The Bible says, ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son…’ (John 3:16 KJV) You’re never more like God than when you’re in the act of giving. Jesus said, ‘…seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.’ (Matthew 6:33 NKJV) Tithing is about putting God and His Kingdom first. When self, home, business and pleasure come first in your life, your priorities are out of whack. Tithing reverses that order and puts God where He rightfully belongs—in first place. When God instructs you to tithe, He’s telling you to establish the habit of putting Him in the number one slot as a life principle. When you do, Jesus said ‘all these things’ you’re so concerned about will be ‘added to you’.

Give God His Tithe (1)

Good Morning,
I've been doing Todays Thought for 11 years now. It is designed as a daily devotional to encourage you into spiritual discipline. I need to know if it is still relevant for you the reader. If you could help me out by telling me why you think this blog is relevant, or why it is not. I appreciate your time and thoughts on the matter. Pastor Daryl

'A tithe of everything...belongs to the Lord...' Leviticus 27:30 NIV

I know talking about my money again. Did you know Jesus spoke about money more than any other thing? Yes, God desires your gifts? If you put your mortgage before your gifts to God, you show more gratitude to your bank than you do to the One who made you. You say, ‘I earned it, so I own it.’ No. The Bible says, ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.’ (Psalm 24:1 NIV) God owns every square mile of land on earth and every person who walks on it—including you. You’re not an owner, you’re a steward! And while a good steward deserves to be well rewarded by his master, his first priority is to please him and carry out his will. The Bible says, ‘A tithe of everything… belongs to the Lord…’ Get your thinking straight on this issue! In God’s eyes 10 per cent of your income is ‘dedicated funds’ to be used for one thing only—His purposes on the earth. Tithing isn’t how the church raises its budget; it’s how God raises His children. We distort God’s Word when we teach tithing as a means of getting money to pay off church debt, or as a substitute for other worn–out methods of fundraising, or as a cure–all for the church’s financial shortfalls. The Bible says, ‘…son (daughter)… give Me your heart…’ (Proverbs 23:26 NIV) When God has your heart’s deepest affection you’ll give gladly, not grudgingly. The first man in Scripture to tithe was Abraham. Why did he do it? Gratitude, because God had delivered him from the hand of an enemy who was out to destroy him. Has God delivered you? Has He blessed you? Then show your gratitude by giving Him His portion!

You Need Friends Who Encourage You

'A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.' Proverbs 17:17 NIV

If you’re wise, you’ll surround yourself with people who support you emotionally and spiritually, and you can share your dreams and ideas with them. CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien were members of The Inklings, an informal literary discussion group associated with Oxford University. It was comprised of teachers, writers and friends who met regularly at a well–known Oxford pub to discuss passages from their favourite books as well as their own writings. In 1936, they decided the world needed more novels that had faith and morality as their central theme. Lewis and Tolkien decided to write science fiction after realising the inferior quality of similar stories being published at the time. They literally tossed a coin to decide who would write a book on space travel versus time travel. Tolkien got the time travel nod, but his early efforts with such a story never really worked out. Later, however, he achieved great success with The Lord of The Rings. Lewis wrote his famous series of novels called The Space Trilogy, and from that momentum he eventually penned The Chronicles of Narnia. Now, you may not reach that level of success, but you’ll go further with the encouragement of true friends than you will without it. So ask yourself what’s involved in cultivating the kinds of friendships that’ll help you fulfil your God–given potential. That's why belonging in the church is so important. It may mean coming out of your shell and reaching out to others. Could you encounter hurt and rejection? Sure! But you’ll succeed only if you’re willing to take that chance. So start Belonging and watch our church grow!

Stop Complaining (2)

'...when the people complained, it displeased the Lord...' Numbers 11:1 NKJV

If you think complaining is no big deal, read this: ‘…when the people complained…the Lord heard…and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp.’ A wise man once said, ‘I complained that I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.’ God has blessed you in 101 different ways, and He doesn’t want to hear you whining. What were the Israelites grumbling about anyway? ‘Adversity’. For some of us adversity comes through illness. For others it’s a faltering career, not enough money to pay the bills, or a family situation that happened years ago and now you’re left shouldering the responsibility. Some of us made poor decisions earlier in life, and as a result our plans fell apart. Now we’re struggling with marital problems, blended families, and the consequences of our choices. We all have to deal with some level of adversity. We each have something in our life that God doesn’t want to hear us griping about! Understand this: it’s hard to live with adversity but, when you complain, you forego the grace that’ll get you through it. By choosing to complain and cling to the image of a perfect life, you forfeit the grace that’s available to you and will bring you victory. So change your way of thinking. Get down on your knees and pray: ‘Lord, I want the landscape of my life to be different; to experience the joy You give to those who leave the wilderness of ingratitude and move into the Promised Land of thanksgiving.’ That’s a prayer that will change you!

Stop Complaining (1)

'Do all things without complaining...' Philippians 2:14 NKJV

The scripture is a hard one this morning especially if you are a Seahawks fan. Its hard not to complain about another fourth quarter melt down. You can attribute your comments to it just being sports, but if you allow complaining in one area of your life it will generally make its way in to all areas of your life. Love this story about a lady who worked at the post office who was approached by a customer who said, ‘I can’t write. Would you mind addressing this postcard for me?’ After addressing it for him and writing a short message, the postal clerk asked, ‘Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?’ The man thought for a moment and said, ‘Yes, could you add a P.S. at the end saying, “Please excuse the sloppy handwriting.”’ Now, there’s gratitude for you! The Bible says, ‘Do all things without complaining’ because when you don’t, you end up hurting: (1) Yourself. Complaining leads to anger and depression. God loves you and He doesn’t want you hurting yourself. (2) God. Complaining calls into question God’s care, His character and His competence. In reality, what you’re saying is, ‘Lord, You blew it! You had a chance to fulfil my demands and You chose not to.’ (3) Others. Your words affect the people around you and nobody enjoys spending time with a member of ‘the cold–water bucket brigade’. Complaining temporarily satisfies our selfish nature, but it changes nothing. When you complain, you explain your pain for no gain. But here’s the good news: The Bible says, ‘…the people became like those who complain of adversity…’ (Numbers 11:1 NAS) You didn’t start out as a complainer; you ‘became’ that way, and by God’s grace you can become a thanksgiver! Once you acknowledge your habit of moaning and fault–finding, it becomes possible to choose a better one. A bad habit is like a nice soft bed; it’s easy to get into and hard to get out of. So if you’ve fallen into the habit of ‘complaining’—stop it!