Tithing

SO HE AROSE AND WENT TO ZAREPHATH. AND WHEN HE CAME TO THE GATE OF THE CITY, BEHOLD, THE WIDOW WOMAN WAS THERE GATHERING OF STICKS: AND HE CALLED TO HER, AND SAID, FETCH ME, I PRAY THEE, A LITTLE WATER IN A VESSEL, THAT I MAY DRINK. AND AS SHE WAS GOING TO FETCH IT, HE CALLED TO HER, AND SAID, BRING ME, I PRAY THEE, A MORSEL OF BREAD IN THINE HAND. AND SHE SAID, AS THE LORD THY GOD LIVETH, I HAVE NOT A CAKE, BUT AN HANDFUL OF MEAL IN A BARREL, AND A LITTLE OIL IN A CRUSE: AND, BEHOLD, I AM GATHERING TWO STICKS, THAT I MAY GO IN AND DRESS IT FOR ME AND MY SON, THAT WE MAY EAT IT, AND DIE. Incredible! She is about out of food. AND ELIJAH SAID UNTO HER, FEAR NOT; GO AND DO AS THOU HAST SAID: BUT MAKE ME THEREOF A LITTLE CAKE FIRST, AND BRING IT UNTO ME, AND AFTER MAKE FOR THEE AND FOR THY SON. FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL, THE BARREL OF MEAL SHALL NOT WASTE, NEITHER SHALL THE CRUSE OF OIL FAIL, UNTIL THE DAY THAT THE LORD SENDETH RAIN UPON THE EARTH. She had a choice: is she going to believe what her eyes see? AND SHE WENT AND DID ACCORDING TO THE SAYING OF ELIJAH: AND SHE, AND HE, AND HER HOUSE, DID EAT MANY DAYS. AND THE BARREL OF MEAL WASTED NOT, NEITHER DID THE CRUSE OF OIL FAIL, ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF THE LORD, WHICH HE SPAKE BY ELIJAH-1 Ki 17:1-16. If you will pick up your cross and follow the Lord, He will take care of you. He really will. Will you believe it?

16-THE POOR WIDOW

The Bible tells us, Lk 21:1-3 NIV-AS HE LOOKED UP, JESUS SAW THE RICH PUTTING THEIR GIFTS INTO THE TEMPLE TREASURY. HE ALSO SAW A POOR WIDOW PUT IN TWO VERY SMALL COPPER COINS. "I TELL YOU THE TRUTH," HE SAID, "THIS POOR WIDOW HAS PUT IN MORE THAN ALL THE OTHERS. ALL THESE PEOPLE GAVE THEIR GIFTS OUT OF THEIR WEALTH; BUT SHE OUT OF HER POVERTY PUT IN ALL SHE HAD TO LIVE ON." The Lord does not tell us to give what we do not have; however, there are times when we may give everything we have. This is not a contradiction. For example, if you have ten dollars, you do not agree to give fifteen dollars and borrow five. The poor widow put in all that she had to live on. Do we have this kind of attitude?

17-THE MISLED PREACHER; JESUS DID TEACH TITHING

God wants you to give whatever He lays on your heart. If that is all that you have, so be it. God loves a cheerful giver. Mt 23:23 NIV-WOE TO YOU, TEACHERS OF THE LAW AND PHARISEES, YOU HYPOCRITES! We recall a preacher, who said, "No where in the New Testament does it say you have to tithe." Here is a Scripture in the New Testament that commands you to tithe: Mt 23:23 NIV-YOU GIVE A TENTH OF YOUR SPICES (that’s tithe)—MINT, DILL AND CUMMIN (in other words, everything). BUT YOU HAVE NEGLECTED THE MORE IMPORTANT MATTERS OF THE LAW—JUSTICE, MERCY AND FAITHFULNESS. Now, listen to the next words. YOU SHOULD HAVE PRACTICED THE LATTER, WITHOUT NEGLECTING THE FORMER. What was the former? your tithe. Without neglecting tithing. There it is. You see, the problem was they were giving the tenth, but they were not walking in faith; they were not practicing justice. Jesus tells us to do both.