A Tithe means a tenth and tithing means to give a tenth of all your possessions. From earlier on in the bible God required his people to tithe. See Leviticus 27:30-33
Numbers 18:20-24
Just like today tithing and church contributions were use to support the work of the Lord. In the old testament the Levites and priest received a portion of the offering.
Question: How strongly does God feel about our giving?
Malachi 3:6-12
God views our lack of giving as us robbing him. He takes it very personal.
Some churches try to use Malachi 3 to teach a Wealth and Wellness Gospel about giving to God in order to receive riches and blessings. If righteousness was a guarantee for riches and wealth, then what happened to Jesus? Jesus the Son of God and only man to ever walk the earth and live a sinless life was homeless. He never had a house of his own. He never desired worldly possessions.
Question: Are there parallels between the old testament scriptures on tithing and the new testament scriptures on tithing?
Acts 4:32-35
The first church had a Godly standard on giving and supporting the work of the Lord through the ministry of the church.
Giving was also a way to help the poor and meet the needs of the first century church.
2 Corinthians 8:1-15
Giving and tithing was never a physical issue and it has always been a spiritual one about the heart with God.
Question: Do you see giving and tithing to God as a privilege or a duty?
It is Interesting that in 2 Corinthians Paul compares giving on the same level with faith, love and biblical knowledge.
God uses giving as a way to test our hearts spiritually.
2 Corinthians 9:6-11
What does it mean when God says he will enlarge our hearts for righteousness?
We have to see that our money and our hearts are directly connected and closely tied together. Where your money is there your heart will be also is a very true statement. We need to examine our hearts and our finances.
Luke 14:33
To have the heart of God regarding giving we should view all of our possessions as belonging to God and we need to see that he has allowed us to simply manage them. The stress and financial pressures come when your possessions start possessing you.
When we truly believe that our possessions are not our own and that they belong to God then there is no stress and no financial pressure. We are free to allow God to do with us and our money in anyway that he sees fit. We become surrendered to God with our finances.
Mark 12:41-43
As we see in Mark, Jesus made it a point to sit and watch the money that was being collected. The widow gave her money to what at the time was a corrupt Jewish system and Jesus commended her for her heart to give. Our gift to God through tithing should always be viewed like this.
Luke 18:18-25; 19:1-9
Question: What was the difference between the heart of the rich young ruler and that of Zacchaeus?
The Rich young ruler allowed his possessions to keep him from having a relationship with God. Zaccheaus on the other hand allowed his possessions to bring him close to God through repentance.
Anytime we draw a line in our hearts on what we will and will not devote to God (not just with money) HE will call us out on it. There can only be one Lord in our lives and through giving we insure that money and worldly possessions are not.
Numbers 18:20-24
Just like today tithing and church contributions were use to support the work of the Lord. In the old testament the Levites and priest received a portion of the offering.
Question: How strongly does God feel about our giving?
Malachi 3:6-12
God views our lack of giving as us robbing him. He takes it very personal.
Some churches try to use Malachi 3 to teach a Wealth and Wellness Gospel about giving to God in order to receive riches and blessings. If righteousness was a guarantee for riches and wealth, then what happened to Jesus? Jesus the Son of God and only man to ever walk the earth and live a sinless life was homeless. He never had a house of his own. He never desired worldly possessions.
Question: Are there parallels between the old testament scriptures on tithing and the new testament scriptures on tithing?
Acts 4:32-35
The first church had a Godly standard on giving and supporting the work of the Lord through the ministry of the church.
Giving was also a way to help the poor and meet the needs of the first century church.
2 Corinthians 8:1-15
Giving and tithing was never a physical issue and it has always been a spiritual one about the heart with God.
Question: Do you see giving and tithing to God as a privilege or a duty?
It is Interesting that in 2 Corinthians Paul compares giving on the same level with faith, love and biblical knowledge.
God uses giving as a way to test our hearts spiritually.
2 Corinthians 9:6-11
What does it mean when God says he will enlarge our hearts for righteousness?
We have to see that our money and our hearts are directly connected and closely tied together. Where your money is there your heart will be also is a very true statement. We need to examine our hearts and our finances.
Luke 14:33
To have the heart of God regarding giving we should view all of our possessions as belonging to God and we need to see that he has allowed us to simply manage them. The stress and financial pressures come when your possessions start possessing you.
When we truly believe that our possessions are not our own and that they belong to God then there is no stress and no financial pressure. We are free to allow God to do with us and our money in anyway that he sees fit. We become surrendered to God with our finances.
Mark 12:41-43
As we see in Mark, Jesus made it a point to sit and watch the money that was being collected. The widow gave her money to what at the time was a corrupt Jewish system and Jesus commended her for her heart to give. Our gift to God through tithing should always be viewed like this.
Luke 18:18-25; 19:1-9
Question: What was the difference between the heart of the rich young ruler and that of Zacchaeus?
The Rich young ruler allowed his possessions to keep him from having a relationship with God. Zaccheaus on the other hand allowed his possessions to bring him close to God through repentance.
Anytime we draw a line in our hearts on what we will and will not devote to God (not just with money) HE will call us out on it. There can only be one Lord in our lives and through giving we insure that money and worldly possessions are not.
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