When I became a Christian in 1979, probably the first thing I did faithfully was tithe. Surely if I have been faithful in anything in my Christian walk it has been tithing. We were challenged in a bible class to see God go to work in our lives by tithing. I did it and just kept at it. You really don't have to be too terribly spiritual to tithe. The scribes and Pharisees did it in Jesus' day.
NLT Matthew 23:23 How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest part of your income, but you ignore the important things of the law--justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but you should not leave undone the more important things.
You may justly say, "Hey Lynn, show us the vast treasures you have collected from your faithful stand. Are you rich? I don't see it. And you tithe? Doesn't the Word say in Malachi that God will rain down blessings on you?"
Malachi 3:10-11 10Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it]. 11And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
Who was Malachi written to? Was it not written to people who were neglecting the tithe and reaping the consequences? What was Gods proof to them going to be? Super abundance for obedience.
How often do we see great men of God who did God's will being rich? When people saw Jesus, did they see a rich man?
Matthew 8:19-20 19And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 20And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay [his] head.
Ill bet you, some folks thought Jesus was a homeless vagabond, yet he fed the multitudes. When Peter promised the tax collector tribute from Jesus, He instructed Peter to get it out of the mouth of a fish.
Matthew 17:25-27 25He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? 26Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. 27Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.
We read these records, yet we somehow expect people who believe and tithe to be prosperous and wealthy. Jesus always did the fathers will. He was a great giver. He gave of everything he was, he was always out there meeting the needs of people. You might respond, but Lynn, he was on the mission field, he had to travel light...
Ok, lets look at the apostle Paul: you'd have to admit his whole life was a gift to God once he got the call.
NIV 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 23Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
Some people may scratch their heads and ponder, this is the more abundant life? Assuming the mantle of leadership isn't always a joy ride. However, God definitely took care of him wherever he went. And, ok, Paul's on the mission field and traveling light, too. But consider what he said:
NLT Philippians 4:11-12 11Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.
Yes there are rich, righteous men in the Word: Solomon was one, David was one, Joseph eventually became one at Pharaoh's right hand. Joseph of Arimethea was one. However, the more common image is our need-supplying God coming through sometimes under very austere situations.
1 Kings 17:1-16 1And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. 2And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,3Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. 4And it shall be, [that] thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. 5So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that [is] before Jordan. 6And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook. 7And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. 8And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, 9Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. 10So 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. 11And 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. 12And 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. 13And 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. 14For 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. 15And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. 16And 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.
CLEARLY, THE PROMISE OF GOD IS TO SUPPLY OUR NEED IN EVERY SITUATION.
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
To be continued…ÿ
Note: All scripture is from the King James Version unless otherwise noted. NIV indicates The New International Version and NLT means the New Living Translation. For more information, go to the Works Cited page.