Who’s your financial Advisor?
Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” Haggai 1:5-6
My Two Pivots
Tithing is a principle and not a commandment
Tithing is not magic but must be married to good stewardship
Why aren’t people taught about how to view and handle money (resources)?
God has a plan for how you can know the blessing of stewardship.
What is a steward?
Not an owner but a trustee that has been entrusted with the resources of the Master.
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” Psalm 24:1
Pivot One:
Tithing is a principle and not a commandment
- A principle is more powerful, more binding than a commandment.
- Why do we default to Malachi 3:10 to “prove” tithing is a commandment? (I do believe in the promise of blessing).
A brief history of the principle of the “tithe.”
- An unfortunate translation of the original Greek: “pay” versus “give”
- In place before inclusion in the Mosaic Law
- Jesus endorsed the principle of tithing in Matthew 23:23, (“…without neglecting the rest. “Give to Caesar what is his and to God what belongs to Him (Matthew 22:21).
- Paul to the Corinthians: “Set aside as the Lord has blessed you…” (I Corinthians 16:1-2).
A tithe is 10%
- A proportionate response of love and devotion
- “I’m a giver, not a tither…” Really?
- Consider: you can’t give until you have tithed: it belongs to God. A gift is giving what you have (see Luke 3:11 and the story of the two coats).
- You tithe where you belong and are fed.
Why do we give?
- Love, faith, obedience, putting God and His work first
- To be a blessing (1 Timothy 6:17-19, Those who have are given to be a blessing)
- The principle of sowing and reaping (Luke 6:38).
- God has set tithing in place to accomplish His work here on earth: we are invited to be participants (share in the work of the Gospel).
Pivot Two:
Tithing is not magic but must be married to good stewardship
- Understand the difference between a need and a want (Philippians 4:19).
- Tithing does not make us immune from adversity: we live in a fallen world and the rain falls on the just and the unjust.
So what? Now what?
Take inventory
- Are you putting God first in all areas of your life?
- Are you honouring God with your tithes (and offerings)?
Start somewhere, start now
- So what CAN you give?
- Set an amount and not what is “left over”).
- Work to get your spiritual and financial house in order.
- Set a goal and increase the amount until you get to a tithe.
A closing thought…
God does not need your money: He desires your heart so He can bless you and provide for your needs.
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