Becoming God's Prize/ Tithing

MATURING IN THE FAITH ---- DO YOU WANT TO BE GOD’S PRIZE?

Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

2 Corinthians 9:6 But I this I say, HE WHICH SOWETH SPARINGLY SHALL REAP SPARINGLY ... and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully.

7 Every man according as he purposed in his heart, so let him give; GRUDGINGLY, or of necessity: FOR GOD LOVETH A CHEERFUL GIVER.

Amplified

2 Cor. 9:7 Let each one give as he has made up his own mind and purposed in His heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves,

(that is God takes pleasure in, God prizes, and is unwilling to do without)a cheerful giver, (joyous, prompt-to-do-it) whose heart is in his giving.

Living Bible

2 Cor. 9:7 Everyone must make up his mind as to how much to give. Don’t force anyone to give more than he really wants to give, for cheerful givers are prizes to God.

Let me preface what I say by saying this, I do not count the moneys at church, I never at any point touch the money nor do I have the ability to get at the

church’s money. I do not count the money nor do I know who gave nor do I know who did not give. I take myself totally out of this loop.

By doing this I can never be accused of making favorites or being mad at non-givers. A select few at church have this knowledge, and they are bound

by confidence to not mention giving to anyone.

In my opinion giving, tithing should never be an issue of membership, this is my opinion. I do not think mandatory giving is proper. Besides, how could you

ever prove what a person does, or gives?

1. LIVING BENEATH MY PRIVILEDGE

I have heard from several sources that only 18 per cent of Christians give regularly? 82% of Christians are not faithful givers.

I will be very honest with you, I think many are living far beneath their

Christian privilege. God desires to bless His People!

God has established certain criteria for His Blessings.

IF my people --- who are called by my name shall...

So many deep things of God are conditional...

If you keep His commandments ... condition...

Giving and the motive of giving can become part of how much of the fulness of God we can receive. If we rob God, methinks, we rob ourselves?

What think ye?

What causes war? Greed!

Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me.

But you say, Wherein have we robbed God? In tithes and offerings.

9. Ye are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed God, even this whole nation.

10. Bring you ALL THE TITHES into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and PROVE ME, saith the Lord of Host,

IF I WILL OPEN THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN AND POUR OUT A BLESSING, that you will not have room enough to receive it.

11. God will rebuke the devourer for your sakes ---

From the very lips of Jesus, he himself, spoke of tithes.

2. BATTLE OF THE MIND --- ATTITUDES

I would like to address the issue of the question:

DO I HAVE TO PAY TITHES?

Words that go along with this same attitude are

usually DO I HAVE TO PRAY AND READ MY BIBLE?

DO I HAVE TO ATTEND CHURCH FAITHFULLY?

My first point is that of attitude, all a Christian life is, is growing the proper Biblical attitudes, the battle is of the mind.

The problem of the heart is the heart of the problem.

We live in one of two basic attitudes about life.

The two attitudes are... HAVE TO vs. WANT TO...

Life is very sad and something is wrong if all I do is what "I have to..."

Do I go to church because I have to...? Or is it because I want to...?

Anyone can give, you don’t have to love to give, ----

but if you really love you want to give...

So one real issue is why doesn’t God’s people want to do those things that we should?

3. LACK OF OBEDIENCE...

We are at an all time low of the percentage of new converts following Jesus in the second command, to be water baptized?

So many of the new converts accept Jesus but they do not follow in water baptism? Why?

Well, seems there is an issue, DO I HAVE TO BAPTIZED IN WATER?

I am so thankful that Jesus went beyond what HE HAD TO DO...

I think our nature should be to reach beyond the attitude of have to...

Why don’t we want to commit to the deeper things of God?

4. WHERE DID TITHING START?

Did Abraham have to pay tithes to Melchizedek in Genesis 14?