Now that we've covered God's Financial Plan, Tithes & Offerings, let's talk about how you give, because how you give matters!
God is not concerned about how much your tithe and offering are, but about the condition of your heart. Do you have a heart for God? Do you truly trust God as your source? Since money is the one thing man has the most difficulty letting go of, what you do with your money reveals the condition of your heart to God. As we learn from Matthew 6:19-21 -do you lay up everlasting treasure in heaven in your heavenly bank account, or on earth in the fleeting temporary pleasures of the world?
So when you give, you need to have a heart for God, with an attitude of it being an honor to be able to sow into the work of the Kingdom, and not a motivation of giving just to get.
In the next Post we'll talk about the importance of how you prepare to bring the tithe and give an offering, also a reflection of the condition of your heart.
Monday, June 29, 2015
Saturday, June 27, 2015
#49 - Kingdom Prosperity #16
Busy week, but now time to get caught up.
As I mentioned in my last Post, there are different types of Offerings one can make. Let's take a look at what some of these are.
You can give an offering to your home church where you get most of your spiritual nourishment from. You can also give offerings to other churches and ministries that speak into your life. Then there are offerings you can give to individuals in recognition of the Kingdom work they do, or to honor them for how they have spoken into your life such as a love offering for your Pastor.
There is also the offering of Alms given to help and relieve the needy, and which act as a memorial with our prayers before God.
No matter what type of offering you may give, remember, God expects us to give Offerings, they are over and above the tithe, and are given from the heart considering it an honor to be able to sow into the work of the Kingdom.
As I mentioned in my last Post, there are different types of Offerings one can make. Let's take a look at what some of these are.
You can give an offering to your home church where you get most of your spiritual nourishment from. You can also give offerings to other churches and ministries that speak into your life. Then there are offerings you can give to individuals in recognition of the Kingdom work they do, or to honor them for how they have spoken into your life such as a love offering for your Pastor.
There is also the offering of Alms given to help and relieve the needy, and which act as a memorial with our prayers before God.
No matter what type of offering you may give, remember, God expects us to give Offerings, they are over and above the tithe, and are given from the heart considering it an honor to be able to sow into the work of the Kingdom.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
New Website
I want to invite you to visit my new website at www.faithprinciples.net, home of Faith Principles Ministries where life changing biblical truths for daily living are shared.
There are links to this Blog, information on seminars and workshops, a Product Store where you learn more about my new book - "Kingdom Prosperity - God's Plan for Successful Financial Stewardship", and much more.
So please check it out and let me know what you think.
There are links to this Blog, information on seminars and workshops, a Product Store where you learn more about my new book - "Kingdom Prosperity - God's Plan for Successful Financial Stewardship", and much more.
So please check it out and let me know what you think.
Friday, June 19, 2015
#48 - Kingdom Prosperity #15
Let's talk about what offerings really are. In short, an offering is an act of worship and devotion given out of your own free will (Exodus 36:3). And since an offering is given out of your own free will, it is above and beyond the tithe, which belongs to God.
Now there are different types of offerngs that can be given for different reasons to different people and places, which I'll cover in the next Post. But I want to close this Post with a quote from C. Peter Wagners book Discover Your Spiritual Gifts - "True giving only starts with our offerings from the 90% God has given to us." This is when we really start to get blessed, when out of a heart for God we sow into the Kingdom over and above what is God's (the tithe). As it says in Malachi 3, we have robbed God not only of the tithe, but of offerings as well. The tithe opens the windows of heaven for God to bless us, but it's the offering that multiplies those blessings.
Now there are different types of offerngs that can be given for different reasons to different people and places, which I'll cover in the next Post. But I want to close this Post with a quote from C. Peter Wagners book Discover Your Spiritual Gifts - "True giving only starts with our offerings from the 90% God has given to us." This is when we really start to get blessed, when out of a heart for God we sow into the Kingdom over and above what is God's (the tithe). As it says in Malachi 3, we have robbed God not only of the tithe, but of offerings as well. The tithe opens the windows of heaven for God to bless us, but it's the offering that multiplies those blessings.
Saturday, June 13, 2015
#47 - Kingdom Prosperity #14
Okay, let's talk about tithing off of your gross or net income.
Many people say that their net income is all that actually comes into their possession, and choose to tithe off of that. I would say that when we accept employment we agree to an annual salary or wage without any discussion about the gross and the net, so it would seem tithing off of the gross would be more appropriate. In addition, the net reflects decisions we have made on deductions beyond taxes (which we don't have control over) which we do have control over and could have increased our net pay. Most people also get some or all of their tax money back in their hand in the form of a tax return which they could have tithed on up front if they tithed off their gross pay.
Now while there is no scripture that talks about tithing off the gross or net, some scriptures like Malachi 3:10 and Hebrews 7:2 say we are to bring all of the tithe to God. All would imply all, and not net instead of gross.
Finally, as we learn in Matthew 6:19-21 God is more concerned about your heart than the amount of what you give to Him, so what does it say to God about the condition of our hearts if we quibble over tithing off the gross or net?
So should we tithe off of the gross or the net? That's between you and God, but I think from what we've seen in this short Post, tithing off of the gross would be more in line with the "spirit" of the principle of tithing than the "letter" of it?
In the next Post we'll start to examine what an Offering really is.
Many people say that their net income is all that actually comes into their possession, and choose to tithe off of that. I would say that when we accept employment we agree to an annual salary or wage without any discussion about the gross and the net, so it would seem tithing off of the gross would be more appropriate. In addition, the net reflects decisions we have made on deductions beyond taxes (which we don't have control over) which we do have control over and could have increased our net pay. Most people also get some or all of their tax money back in their hand in the form of a tax return which they could have tithed on up front if they tithed off their gross pay.
Now while there is no scripture that talks about tithing off the gross or net, some scriptures like Malachi 3:10 and Hebrews 7:2 say we are to bring all of the tithe to God. All would imply all, and not net instead of gross.
Finally, as we learn in Matthew 6:19-21 God is more concerned about your heart than the amount of what you give to Him, so what does it say to God about the condition of our hearts if we quibble over tithing off the gross or net?
So should we tithe off of the gross or the net? That's between you and God, but I think from what we've seen in this short Post, tithing off of the gross would be more in line with the "spirit" of the principle of tithing than the "letter" of it?
In the next Post we'll start to examine what an Offering really is.
Thursday, June 11, 2015
#46 - Kingdom Prosperity #13
In the last Post we learned that the tithe is the first and best 10% of all of our increase. So in this Post let's destroy the myth that tithing was just under the Old Testament and not for us today.
In Hebrews 7:1-4 we see a reference to Abraham paying a tithe to Melchizedek the King of Salem. The reference is to the Old Testament, but why would God put it in the New Testament if tithing is not for us today.
Continuing further in Hebrews 7 it speaks of the levitical priesthood commanded to receive the tithes from the people. Another Old Testament reference in the New Testament to stress that tithing is for the Believer today.
So while the principle of tithing may have originated in the Old Testament, these two and other New Testament references make it clear that tithing is for the Church today. Further, like a number of other principles God introduced in the Old Testament, such as forgiveness, tithing is a biblical principle that transcends the Old and New Testaments.
In the next Post we will look at the age old issue or whether we should tithe off of the gross or the net.
In Hebrews 7:1-4 we see a reference to Abraham paying a tithe to Melchizedek the King of Salem. The reference is to the Old Testament, but why would God put it in the New Testament if tithing is not for us today.
Continuing further in Hebrews 7 it speaks of the levitical priesthood commanded to receive the tithes from the people. Another Old Testament reference in the New Testament to stress that tithing is for the Believer today.
So while the principle of tithing may have originated in the Old Testament, these two and other New Testament references make it clear that tithing is for the Church today. Further, like a number of other principles God introduced in the Old Testament, such as forgiveness, tithing is a biblical principle that transcends the Old and New Testaments.
In the next Post we will look at the age old issue or whether we should tithe off of the gross or the net.
Saturday, June 6, 2015
#45 - Kingdom Prosperity #12
So what really are the tithe and the offering? I will try to give a brief overview of what they are in this and the next several Posts, beginning with the tithe.
The tithe is the first and best 10% of your increase, which today is primarily your income, Leviticus 27:26-32 speaks about "all of the tithe of the land", and "one-tenth shall be holy to the Lord". It doesn't say anything about after taxes or net, or after deductions. The tithe is 10% of all of your income, the gross and not the net.
Further, the tithe is not limited to just 10% of your income as the verses in Leviticus speak of "all the tithe of the land". This includes tithing on gifts you receive (monetary and otherwise), interest from bank accounts and other interest bearing accounts you may have, etc.
The tithe should also be the first and best 10% of your increase as verse 26 in Leviticus 27 speaks of the "first born". In other words, God doesn't want your leftovers. He wants your first and best 10%. Not because He needs it, but because it demonstrates you truly trust God as your source.
So the tithe is the first and best 10% of your increase. We'll look at more about what the tithe is in the next Post, including evidence that tithing is for us today and wasn't just under the Old Testament.
The tithe is the first and best 10% of your increase, which today is primarily your income, Leviticus 27:26-32 speaks about "all of the tithe of the land", and "one-tenth shall be holy to the Lord". It doesn't say anything about after taxes or net, or after deductions. The tithe is 10% of all of your income, the gross and not the net.
Further, the tithe is not limited to just 10% of your income as the verses in Leviticus speak of "all the tithe of the land". This includes tithing on gifts you receive (monetary and otherwise), interest from bank accounts and other interest bearing accounts you may have, etc.
The tithe should also be the first and best 10% of your increase as verse 26 in Leviticus 27 speaks of the "first born". In other words, God doesn't want your leftovers. He wants your first and best 10%. Not because He needs it, but because it demonstrates you truly trust God as your source.
So the tithe is the first and best 10% of your increase. We'll look at more about what the tithe is in the next Post, including evidence that tithing is for us today and wasn't just under the Old Testament.
Monday, June 1, 2015
#44 - Kingdom Prosperity #11
Well, I'm back from a much needed week's vacation, and in the next Post will get back to sharing from my new/first book on "Kingdom Prosperity - God's Plan for Successful Financial Stewardship", talking about what the tithe and offering really are.
But in this Post I want to thank everyone who made yesterdays official release and book signing for my new/first book such a success, starting with my Pastor, Overseer (soon to be Bishop Desinate) Rev Dr Jeffrey Allen Williams for the opportunity to release the book and have my first book signing at my home church, The King's Cathedral.
Including sales, give aways and copies given to the Church Bookstore for future sale, over 90 copies of the book were distributed. Thanks to all who bought the book yesterday, Sister Gertrude Jones for allowing the book to be available for purchase going forward through the Church Bookstore, and Sister Simone Torres for helping me with sales while I was busy signing books.
To God be the Glory!
But in this Post I want to thank everyone who made yesterdays official release and book signing for my new/first book such a success, starting with my Pastor, Overseer (soon to be Bishop Desinate) Rev Dr Jeffrey Allen Williams for the opportunity to release the book and have my first book signing at my home church, The King's Cathedral.
Including sales, give aways and copies given to the Church Bookstore for future sale, over 90 copies of the book were distributed. Thanks to all who bought the book yesterday, Sister Gertrude Jones for allowing the book to be available for purchase going forward through the Church Bookstore, and Sister Simone Torres for helping me with sales while I was busy signing books.
To God be the Glory!
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