For some reason this came to me this morning, out of the blue, so I grabbed a pen and began to write.....
TITHING
When pastors teach/preach about tithing, those who do not tithe become indignant, even irritated.
Some have said:
"That Church is only wanting money!" or
"That pastor is money hungry!" or
"I have bills to pay. I need this money more than the Church does." or
"You have to pay to play at that Church!" (upset because they are not being used on the platform or placed in positions because they do not pay tithes)
Tithing is a mandate from God - not the Pastor or the Church.
They just enforce it BECAUSE GOD said in Malachi 3:8-9....
⁸ Will a man rob God?
Yet ye have robbed Me.
But ye say, "Wherein have we robbed Thee?"
In tithes and offerings.
⁹ Ye are cursed with a curse:
for ye have robbed Me...
Some rebuttal, "but I need that money."
However, God says in Haggai 1:5-10...
⁵ Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts;
CONSIDER YOUR WAYS.
⁶ Ye have sown much, and bring in little;
ye eat, but ye have not enough;
ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink;
ye clothe you, but there is none warm;
and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.
⁷ Thus saith the LORD of hosts;
CONSIDER YOUR WAYS.
⁹ Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little;
and when ye brought it home,
I did blow upon it.
WHY? saith the LORD of hosts.
BECAUSE OF MINE HOUSE THAT IS WASTE,
and ye run every man unto his own house.
¹⁰ THEREFORE the heaven over you
is stayed from dew,
and the earth is stayed from her fruit.
It takes income (money) to pay the utilities, bills and upkeep of the Church the same way each of us need it for our own homes.
God instituted TITHES AND OFFERINGS for that purpose.
It also takes each of us helping with the necessary upkeep and repairs.
GOD (not the Church; not the pastor) said we're ROBBING HIM when we don't pay tithes and give offerings to the Church.
The remedy? Malachi 3:10-11....
¹⁰ 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.
¹¹ And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
You want God's blessings?
Pay Tithes and give offerings.
That's Scriptural.
Many think it's the Church's job to give to them, but, Biblically, it's our responsibility to give to the Church.
Consider your ways.
It is a fearful thing to rob God.
