April 27, 2024
Building People of Substance for Works of Power
As a teenager, I attended the local Baptist Church. Nice people, but I never felt like I fit in. Soon, my driver’s license made it easy to slide right on by the church and go to the bowling alley, where I was much more comfortable. (I had a job there. There may be a sermon in the connection between a sense of belonging and having a job.) I remember only one sermon from that season. Pastor preached that we were all sinners. In fact, he said that if, on the way to church, I had exceeded the posted speed limit, I was condemned and deserved to go to Hell. That seemed a little harsh to me, but I knew I was guilty as charged.
In addition to recognizing my sinful driving, the church taught me to tithe. I don’t remember any specific teaching on the subject, but I do remember the plate that went around every Sunday. I also remember receiving a box of envelopes with my name on them at the beginning of the year. They were tithe envelopes, one for each Sunday of the year. I knew God was keeping track.
Years later, when my addictions drove me into a recovery program, I was instructed to find a mentor to help me in this new sobriety endeavor. They said, “Find someone who has what you want, and ask them how they got it.” OK! I was at a meeting on a Thursday night when I saw my guy. He was the speaker that evening, and he was dressed in a suit that probably cost more than my car. He had a shiny diamond on his finger, and a watch to match. Even more impressively, he arrived in a brand new Lincoln Continental. This guy had what I wanted!
When I asked him for help, he graciously consented. After a few conversations, I worked up the courage to ask him how he came to be so prosperous, having been a hopeless drunk himself. He looked at me with a mischievous grin, and said, “The first thing you need to do is give ten percent of everything you make to help others.” I did exactly that. Still no Lincoln, but God has been very, very good to me. He’ll do the same for you.
We have followed the tithe from the Garden of Eden to the book of Hebrews. It’s been quite a journey. If you’re not convinced of the viability of tithing for the Christian, I’ve done all I can for you. Be warmed and filled. On the other hand, if you’re ready to begin your tithing journey, or just want to make sure you’re doing it right, there are some things you need to know. Let’s go back to Malachi 3:6-15 for some pointers.
“For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob. 7 Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” Says the LORD of hosts. “But you said, ‘In what way shall we return?’ 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. 9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. 10 Bring 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. 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the LORD of hosts; 12 And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the LORD of hosts. 13 “Your words have been harsh against Me,” Says the LORD, Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ 14 You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, And that we have walked as mourners Before the LORD of hosts? 15 So now we call the proud blessed, For those who do wickedness are raised up; They even tempt God and go free.’ ”
Malachi 3:6-15 NKJV
- Start with the heart. Malachi spoke of returning to the Lord in connection with tithes and offerings. Remember Jesus’ instruction to the scribes and Pharisees. They were devout tithers, but they missed the weightier matters of justice, mercy, and faith. Their hearts were not right (Matthew 23:23). For a New Testament believer, the right motives are obedience, love, joy, and faith. Get the heart right; the money will follow.
- Bring all the tithes, the whole thing. That means ten percent of whatever comes to you as an increase. When you get a paycheck, the increase is what your employer pays you before the government takes its chunk, or your insurance is deducted, or whatever other payments come out before you see it. Your employer does you the kindness of paying these obligations for you, but they are your obligations. Ask someone who is self-employed.
- If you have an increase other than a salary, tithe on the amount of your gain. For example, if you receive a birthday gift, tithe on the cash value of the gift. If you sell something you own, tithe the profit. Let’s say you bought your house for $50,000 and sold it for $75,000. Now do the math: $75,000 – $50,000 = $25,000 profit. Divide that by ten and voila: the tithe is $2500.
- What if you can’t afford to give 10% right now? First, don’t default on your bills. If you have a contract, God wants you to keep your word. If you have obligations, pay them. Start where you are! Look for ways to free up money. Skip a cup of coffee or a fast-food lunch, and give what you save toward this week’s tithe. (Try keeping track of how you spend your money for a week. You might be surprised at how much you throw away). Almost all of us have unnecessary expenditures. Find them.
- Once you’ve made a good faith start toward tithing, make a faith commitment to increase your giving by a specific amount each week. If you started by giving the $2 you saved on a cup of coffee, commit to adding $2 each week until you are giving the full tithe. Use your faith. Apply Mark 11:23-24 to your desire to be a tither. Ask God to help you by increasing your base income and decreasing your obligations. Begin to call yourself a tither and thank God for an extra $2 this week. Now thank Him for enabling you to bring the whole tithe to the storehouse. You’ll be surprised how quickly you can bring in the full tithe.
- Where is the storehouse? In the Old Covenant, it was a kind of storeroom in the temple where provisions for the temple’s operation and required feasts were kept. Most local synagogues had similar storerooms. The New Covenant equivalent would be the local church. If you don’t have a local church, then tithing is not your biggest problem. You were not meant to do this on your own.
- Tithe where you fellowship and serve, where you gather with other saints to celebrate the risen Lord, and where you have submitted to a local eldership that cares for your soul and trains you for service. The tithe belongs to the local church and should be given at the first opportunity. It is God’s provision for the feeding of the flock and the care of the ministry. It is ox feed. It also allows the local church to minister to those in need and to help send and support outreaches at home and abroad.
- Tithe in faith. Faith comes by hearing, so study the subject of tithing until you believe that tithing and its blessings are meant for you. When you tithe, believe that the devourer has no right to your harvest. You can expect a harvest for every penny given, every minute served, every pot of beans prepared in service to the gospel and God’s people. You can boldly claim your harvest. The harvest is always 30, 60, and 100 fold (that is, times, not percentages). This is a phrase used to describe superabundance. (Matthew 13:23; Mark 4:20; 10:29-30; Luke 8:15; Genesis 26:12)
If you’re a tither, the windows of Heaven are open (God said they would be) and abundance is pouring in. Open windows are a metaphor for the blessings of Heaven. It’s always more than you can imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Don’t let your circumstances crush your expectations. God is not holding you back. The windows are open to make your seed grow (rain) and to give words of blessing (supernatural direction and wisdom) to help you harvest effectively. Ideas from Heaven will work.
Speak your faith to anyone or anything that tries to steal your seed: Circumstances, thoughts, and fears. Talk to God in thanksgiving for your harvest. Thanksgiving waters your harvest (Philippians 4:6-7). Speak to the harvest angels; they are ready to do the will of God as you speak His Word. (Hebrews 1:14; Psalm 103:20; Matthew 13:39). Be careful what you say about finances and giving (Malachi 3:13-15). Self-pity, complaining, and a victim mentality will keep you from God’s blessing. You are not a victim; you are a tither!
Pastor Virgil
3141 W. Ironwood Hill Dr.
Tucson, AZ 85741
Complete Class: “The Tithe. An 8-hour course focused on God’s plan and purpose in the tithe. The videos and course outline are available free of charge on the FCF Tucson YouTube channel.
pastorvirgil.com 