The keys to receiving the full benefits of tithing – Part 1
“Give and it shall be given unto you”, I heard the Pastor say, as he was about to collect the Sunday morning offering. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard a preacher quote this verse I would be rich. But, why is it that every time I drop my tithe into the plate I never seem to get anything in return? Does giving my tithe really work, or is this just another way for the church to get my money? Will I really receive more money in exchange for my tithe? How? When?
Does this describe how you feel about tithing? Have you ever wondered why it always seems to work for somebody else but never results in financial gain for you?
Despite having unanswered questions, many continue to tithe for one reason or another. Even though it may represent a great sacrifice, there is something in us that says we should keep doing it. Still, new tithers and life-long tithers alike have the same questions. “When is my ship coming in? Is there really something in it for me?” Where is that “open up the windows of heaven” cash inflow that God promised me? Malachi 3:10 – “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” (NIV) Experiencing this “overflowing” blessing can become a reality.
For those who may not be familiar with tithing, lets define what a tithe is. You must know whether or not you are really tithing before the questions “Does it work?” or “Will it make me rich?” can be asked. The word “tithe” by definition means “tenth”. Leviticus 27:30 states “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.” Verse 32 - “The entire tithe of the herd and flock-every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd’s rod-will be holy to the Lord.” (NIV) Furthermore, to tithe means to give the first 10% of all your increase to God. Proverbs 3:9 – “Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase.” More specifically, a true tithe is calculated on your gross income, not your net, and is given on all financial increase received. In addition to your regular paycheck, this includes unemployment or social security income, yard sale income, income from the sale of a home or business, or money received as a gift.
For some, the problem isn’t that tithing doesn’t work; it’s that they haven’t been giving a true tithe. They’ve been giving God something less than 10% or not the first 10%. But, there is good news - it’s never too late to start doing the right thing! As stated in Malachi 3:10, God invites you to test Him in this. The benefits of tithing can only be realized by those who actually do it.Begin tithing immediately!
For those who are tithing according to the definition above, it’s time to answer the question; “Does tithing work?” Will it result in financial increase? The answer is a resounding “YES”. But, tithing alone is not enough. If you are tithing and still have not seen financial increase as a result, Do Not Give Up. God will see your faithfulness and reward you. However, tithing is not the only thing God requires in order to bring great financial victory to your life. It is just the first step, as you will soon learn.
In part 2 and 3, we’re going to examine why God sometimes has no choice but to withhold increase, even from tithers. Here is a thought to consider – “God will not give you increase until you are prepared to receive it.” You may not be “waiting on God” after all. He could be “waiting on you” to get prepared to receive the blessings He wants to pour out.
Tithers, get ready! Your increase is on the way!
The keys to receiving the full benefits of tithing – Part 2
In part 1, you were asked to consider this thought – “God will not give you increase until you are prepared to receive it.” Many tithers believe they are “waiting on God” to send financial increase. They feel the ball is now in God’s court because they regularly give the first 10% of all their income to their church. The unfortunate reality is, more times than not, God is “waiting on us” to be prepared to receive financial increase. Many cry, “God, where are you? I’ve been faithful to you. Why aren’t you blessing me?” After all, Malachi 3:10 promises tithers more blessings than they can handle - “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” Unfortunately, many tithers have sabotaged their own increase by not making good decisions with their money. Poor management of the remaining 90% will nullify the benefits of tithing. In short, poor money management trumps tithing.
Matthew 25:21, 23 - “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.” (NIV) In other words, God measures your preparedness for more by how faithfully you manage what you have now. Furthermore, mismanaging money not only guarantees you won’t receive more, but also results in your losing what you have now. Dave Ramsey says it best – “Money naturally flows from those who do not manage it to those who do.” Likewise, verse 28 speaks of one who manages money poorly - “Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.” It’s proof that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Money management (or the lack of it) determines which side of this statement you are on.
Imagine agreeing to be the host facility of a concert where a larger than normal crowd is expected but never making preparations for extra parking or extra seating. The concert promoter calls a few weeks before the scheduled date to ask what preparations have been made to accommodate such a large crowd. The host replies, “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there, but we did place advertisements for the concert throughout the building.” At this point, guess who will not be hosting the concert. A lack of preparation cost someone the privilege of hosting a concert and the extra income that would have come with it.
Just as hanging posters is insufficient preparation for a concert, tithing alone doesn’t prepare you for increase. James 2:17 - “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead…” (KJV) Tithing is the act of faith. “Works” is managing the other 90% in a way that prepares you to receive more. If you’re not receiving the financial blessings God promises, it’s not because God is failing to keep His promises. He is a covenant keeping God who cannot lie. Galatians 6:7 – “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (KJV) He has no choice but to honor and keep His Word or He wouldn’t be God.
If the problem does not lie with God, who does that leave? Living life under financial pressure, even as a tither, is not God’s fault. It’s not your neighbor’s fault, your boss’s fault, your Pastor’s fault, your parent’s fault, or your kid’s fault. We must take an honest look in the mirror and ask ourselves some tough questions. “What am I doing or not doing that is causing God to delay my blessing? In addition to tithing, what is God waiting on me to do? How can I better manage the money I have now so that God will see I’m prepared to receive more?”
God’s promise of financial increase to tithers IS true, but you must show preparedness by making good management decisions with the money that you already have. Remember that faith without works is dead.
Part 3 will reveal the #1 way we prepare ourselves for increase, and thus the #1 key to receiving tithing's full benefits. But, none of this matters if you are not consistently tithing. If you are not obedient to God’s Word in the tithe, you automatically disqualify yourself from lasting financial prosperity. Pay day is coming sooner or later, for both tithers and non-tithers. The floodgates of financial blessing “are” going to open. Are you really managing your money in a way that shows God you can handle more?
Tithers, get ready! Your increase is on the way!
The keys to receiving the full benefits of tithing – Part 3
It’s Monday morning and the majority of America is about to begin another workweek. But, not me. After submitting countless job applications and resumes, I can’t find work; at least not anything that pays well. I’ve given tithes from my unemployment income for months now, but God just isn’t doing His part. I know the Bible promises financial blessings to tithers, but giving 10% to my church just isn’t getting me anywhere. What is the problem, God?
If you’re unemployed or struggling to find higher paying work, you’ve probably questioned why God always seems to give the good jobs to somebody else. Common answers to this question are “Well, they got lucky. They knew someone on the inside.” Or, “They must be livin’ right.” Maybe these things are true, but does that mean God won’t open a door for you? Certainly not. It just means the timing isn’t right. God knows you’re in need of a financial blessing, but He is delaying it for a reason. Delayed financial increase should not be mistaken for God having broken a promise. God sometimes delays financial increase because He knows you are not prepared to receive it.
Matthew 25:21, 23 - “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.” (NIV)The best way to let God know that you are prepared for financial increase is to faithfully manage the money you have now through the use of a detailed spending plan (i.e. budget). Before you say, “I don’t have enough money or time to do a budget,” re-read the verse above. Faithfulness with “a few things” comes before “in charge of many things.” This is called stewardship.
1 Corinthians 4:2 – “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” (KJV) A steward, by definition, is a manager of someone else’s possessions. Your money is not your money. Haggai 2:8 – “The silver is mine and the gold is mine, declares the Lord Almighty.” (NIV) While God specifically tells us what to do with the first 10%, he expects proper stewardship or management of all 100% of His money. What you do with the other 90% is just as important to God as your tithe.
Proper management of what you have now is a pre-requisite to receiving more. Managing your finances without the use of a budget is like a building a house without a blueprint. Luke 14:28 – "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?” (NIV) A contractor would never begin construction of a new home without first drawing up a blueprint and calculating the cost of the project. Otherwise, he could run out of money before the project is complete.
You do not have to account for every penny, but you do need a written plan detailing at some level your “current” income and expenses such as food, clothing, housing, transportation, eating out, etc. You will probably be surprised how much you are spending in one category or another. Having a budget puts you in a better position to make informed decisions regarding what income level you need and/or what change in spending habits need to be made; but not until you get everything ON PAPER! This also gives you a sense of control over your money and ultimately your life. Without a budget, a constant lack of money controls you.
Doing a written budget is the first step in fulfilling your responsibility as a steward and showing God you are prepared for increase. Faithful stewardship and the use of a budget go hand in hand. Managing your finances without a budget is the best way to ensure that God gives your increase to somebody else.
Here is a personal testimony of how doing a written budget resulted in God sending financial increase. I had been looking for a better paying job for several months, but the doors were just not opening. Being someone who doesn’t like sitting around waiting for things to happen, I kept asking God for wisdom and direction on what “I” needed to do to speed this process up. “God, is there something I can do so that you will open this door?” While doing some devotional reading one night, this thought came to mind – Create a budget using the income I want to make as the starting point, and then write down what my wife and I will do with the money once I am making that income.
I already knew how much money I thought I was capable of making, but I didn’t think it was possible without either moving out of the area or enduring an excessive daily commute. Never the less, I obeyed what I believed was God’s commandment at the time and put together what I call a “prepare for increase” budget. This budget would become our working budget if/when I ever made this level of income. Shortly thereafter, God opened a door for me to work 15 minutes from my home making exactly the amount of money that my “prepare for increase” budget was created for. In other words, if you want more money, develop a plan for managing the extra money “before” you actually receive it.
Stop making excuses for not doing a written budget. Excuses like, “I don’t know what my income will be from week to week, I don’t know how to do a budget, or my situation is different” must be put aside. A budget is necessary in order to show God you’re a good, faithful steward of the resources he has entrusted to you. While there are other acts of stewardship, creating and utilizing a written budget is the best way to show God that you are prepared for financial increase.
There are numerous resources available to help you create a budget no matter what your particular situation may be. Dave Ramsey, Crown Financial Ministries, and several personal finance websites are just a few. Many budget formats today are very simple to understand, and you do not have to be a math whiz. Just find one that works best for you.
Does tithing work? Yes. But, tithing alone does not bring increase. You will not begin to receive the full benefits of tithing without a written budget.
Budgeting tithers, get ready! Your increase is on the way!
