Monday, February 23, 2015

Tithing and Faith


I think many Christians have been taught that tithing is for the good and need of the Church. Tithing is one of the most valuable tools a Christian has for practicing Faith. The God who had His Son create everything doesn’t depend on you dropping $20 in the collection plate. It is the Christian who needs tithing. Tithing gives us an opportunity to practice Faith. The best definition of Faith that I’ve ever heard is “Faith is an action based upon a belief and sustained by confidence in that belief”. Faith requires action. Belief does not require any action, only thought. Faith is based on a belief in the promises of God and faith is just based on a belief. Tithing gives us an opportunity to show that we acknowledge God’s ownership of us. Tithing gives us an opportunity to prove the promise of God in Malachi 3:10 “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, and see if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing, that cannot be contained.” When we tithe, we start a battle. All of heaven knows we are proving that God is with us. Satan immediately is forced to rouse his forces to stop us. Our act of Faith, especially when it brings with it hardship, gives us an opportunity to go against the circumstances of the world. Our act of Faith gives us an opportunity to hang our bodies on a promise of God as Jesus did. Our act of Faith gives God the opportunity to show the world that He is Faithful to His Word. Don’t focus on the blessing that comes from the act of Faith. Instead focus on the opportunity to prove the Word of God to the world and all the heavens. Rejoice in the hardship that comes from an act of Faith. Know that God is with you. When we act in Faith, it connects us through the Holy Spirit with God. Satan seeks to separate us from God. When we act in Faith that connection allows God to fill us with His Spirit in ways that can’t be done without that connection. It is Christians who need tithing. If you’re so able to tithe that it does not cause you hardship, find another promise of God to hang your body on so that you can connect with Him. Sickness and infirmities are ready made opportunities to connect with God through the Holy Spirit. God has said He is the God who heals us. Paul, quoting Isaiah, has said of Jesus that “with His stripes, we were healed.” These are promises of God. These are opportunities to ignore the circumstances of the world and hang your body on promises of God. Sickness and infirmities are opportunities to prove God is Faithful to His Word. These are opportunities for us to prove God is with us today. If tithing and sickness don’t provide you the necessary opportunity, find another promise of God. Act in Faith on that promise. Prove to the world that God is here with us today.