Money

Should Christians Tithe? Part 1

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Malachi 3:8-12: “Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the LORD of hosts.”

Unlike any other time of year, the holidays are a season of generosity. This tradition of giving goes all the way back to the first Christmas when Jesus was born.

If you remember the story, three Magi (we don’t know exactly how many men) showed up to worship Jesus in part by giving Him three gifts. These men are mysterious as we know little about them, but it is commonly thought that they were pagan leaders in another religion, powerful, wealthy, and involved in astrology as they followed a star to find Jesus.

Their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were peculiar and prophetic gifts for a child. Gold is for kings on a throne and reminds us that, though a poor baby, Jesus was and is in fact the universal King of Kings. Frankincense is for priests in a temple and reminds us that Jesus has come to stand between God and us to remove sin and restore relationship. Myrrh is for dead people in a grave, and reminds us that Jesus came to give His life on the cross in our place for our sins. Myrrh is basically an anesthetic used for those who are suffering and dying. Myrrh was offered to Jesus on the cross (Mark 15:23) and used to prepare Jesus’ body for burial (John 19:39). In summary, Jesus is the greatest gift ever given as John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…”

Before God asks us to give some of our best (money), He asks us to give all of our worst (sin). Before God asks us to give some of our best, He gives us all of His best in the form of His Son.

Jesus taught a lot about giving so we would learn to worship God with our wealth instead of worshipping wealth as our God. Roughly 25 percent of Jesus’ teaching is on stewardship. Roughly 800 sections of the Old and New Testament in total talk about stewardship. The basic two premises of stewardship are these: One, God is the owner of all resources. Two, we are the manager of some of God’s resources.

This explains the language of “robbing” from God in Malachi. Just like if the bank, or your retirement plan manager, started spending your money on themselves rather than the way that you directed them, God sees us spending His money wrongly as thievery. To remind us, God even put on American currency, “In God we trust”. We usually don’t see things in this way, as we tend to be more unaware of financial sins than other sins. So, we are more aware that we have crossed a line when we sexually touch a person we should not touch than when we touch a dollar we should not touch.

In the final pages of the Old Testament, God in Malachi has a lot to say about stewardship, including tithing, which we will examine more fully in the next two daily devotionals.

What are your stewardship goals for the new year (e.g. giving to God, paying off debt, increasing savings, investing wisely, etc.?)

Malachi #5 – Learn to Give

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Are you a generous person with your words, works, and wealth? The key to a healthy relationship with God is to understand that He has generously given you His only Son as the greatest gift that could possibly be given. As you grow to appreciate that God is a generous giver, you will be freed up to be a more generous giver to God, family, and friends. Learning this lesson will improve all of your relationships and bring joy to your soul.

Really Living Starts with Giving

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Malachi 1:13b-14: “You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.”

God is the most generous person there is. From the planet we walk on, to the food we eat, water we drink, air we breathe and grace we enjoy, everything is a gift from God.           

In response to His generosity, God had a plan to have us also be generous. In the Old Testament, there was a base tithe of 10 percent of one’s gross income. In addition, with various offerings, feasts and festivals, charity for the poor etc., the total amount God’s people were expected to give was at a minimum somewhere between 25-27 percent depending upon which Bible scholar you trust to run the numbers. Admittedly, in a society where much of the giving was done with such things as crops and livestock, getting precise percentages is more difficult than dealing with dollars.           

Before long, however, some people kept trying to find a way to cheat God by keeping a higher percentage of His wealth for themselves. This just goes to show that most people are generous, but they are only generous to themselves.           

Some people brought the most pathetic offering possible. God always wants our first fruits, meaning we give to Him first and we give Him our best. This includes the first and best hours of our day and dollars of our paycheck. But, people from Malachi’s day to our own try and give God their worst instead of their first. This included lame, diseased animals that were worthless even though God had given them an unblemished male in their flock to present to Him. Perhaps even worse, rather than giving to God of their own portfolio, they stole things and gave them to God hoping He would not notice the theft. These are the spiritual ancestors of Judas Iscariot who stole from God and kept the money so they could buy a rope with which to hang themselves.           

Thankfully, when God sent Jesus Christ, He did not send a lame, worthless sacrifice. No, Jesus is God’s first fruits – the first and best of all who have walked the earth. For those who belong to Jesus Christ, we learn four things about giving.           

One, giving is a blessing. Acts 20:35 says, “remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”          

Two, giving is a joy. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 says, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”           

Three, giving straightens out your heart. In Matthew 6:21, Jesus says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Lastly, giving is for all of life and not just your wallet. Generous people give their money, time, love, encouragement, blessing, words, deeds, and time to others. Giving people are more naturally forgiving people. Giving people make better Christians, spouses, parents, friends, co-workers, leaders, and siblings. The key to really living starts by giving.

Do you believe that God is pleased with your level of generosity towards both ministry and those in need?

Has Ministry Become a Misery?

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Malachi 1:13: “But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts.”

God is constantly serving. Every minute of every day, He is holding the universe together, battling demonic plots, saving sinners, teaching people, forgiving sin, and answering prayers. To help Him love and serve people, God created a group of ministry leaders to help Him help people. They were called the priests.

The priests, however, got sick of their job. Some got bored with the routine of leading worship, doing counseling, teaching the Bible, visiting the sick, and lifting burdens. Others tried to turn what was supposed to be a divine calling into yet another dreary job. You know the drill – show up late, leave early, slack off, and do as little as you possibly can without getting fired. If possible, they would sleep on the job, go through the motions, and when the boss was not looking, feel free to increase their compensation but steal from the company.

Since God was their boss, He felt free to give them a performance review. Apparently, they did not know that God could hear their bellyaching about Him, the job, and the people He gave them to care for as they sat out back smoking cigarettes when they were supposed to be working. But, God hears all and knows all – including our eye-rolling, deep-sighing disdain for serving others.

To be sure, there is such a thing as a godly weariness in ministry. Jesus Himself was so tired that He took naps and slept through a raging storm on a boat at sea. Paul said that his energy was sometimes poured out like a glass that was completely empty.  In Malachi, God is not talking about the godly occasion of being weary in ministry but rather the ungodly occasion of being weary of ministry. This is what happens when a married couple lukewarm toward the Lord and one another go through the motions of caring without any real passion to serve God or one another. This happens when a person in vocational ministry secretly hates their job, has hardened their heart toward their people, and hurls insults at God in their mind.

Thankfully, Jesus Christ came down from the Kingdom as our humble servant. He did not grow weary of ministry, and pressed forward through impossible obstacles and oppositions. In love, He died that we might live, and lives that we might live with Him forever. He also sent the Holy Spirit so that we can live by His power and serve others like Jesus has served us. In this way, Jesus ministers both to us and through us.

How faithful are you in your ministry service to God?

You Either Worship Your Wealth as God or Worship God with Your Wealth

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Malachi 1:11-12: “‘For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place, incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised.’”            

When I was a little kid, they took us city kids up into the woods for a day to learn about nature. Before we jumped on the bus for the return trip home, they gave each of us a small sprout that they said would turn into a giant pine tree if we planted and watered it.           

Excited to see if I could grow a tree, upon arriving home I found a shovel and dug a hole in the front yard where I buried the seedling. I kind of forgot to ask my parents’ permission, and before long they were surprised to see a small pine tree growing in our front yard. Eventually, that tree grew up to hold a birdhouse and provide shade on warm days.           

In 1 Peter 1:23, we are told that the “word of God” is also a “seed”. God’s intent was to plant it in the nation of Israel, have it grow up, and then send forth that seedling to be planted among the nations. His desire was to bring the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ to the world. For this to happen, God’s people in Israel would need to also have the seed of truth take root in their lives causing them to be generous to get God’s Word out to God’s world.          

God’s plan was that people would give the first fruits (or first and best) of their wealth. For the rancher, this meant giving livestock. For the farmer, this meant giving food. This wealth was supposed to be used for missions and reaching the nations.           

In Malachi, at the end of the Old Testament, things are not going well. The ranchers were bringing animals that were “blind” and “sick”. Can you imagine giving a puppy with that description to a child for Christmas? The dishonor to God was deep. In addition, the farmers were giving the rotten leftovers to God because they thought that’s all He deserved for being a rotten God.          

Rather than being generous, they were greedy. The bad offering in their hand merely reflected the bad attitude in their heart. So, God was honest that they needed to be grateful for what they had, share it with others, and trust Him to provide for their needs. Roughly 2,500 years later, the old adage holds true – you either worship your wealth as God or worship God with your wealth.

How has God been generous to you spiritually, financially, relationally, emotionally, physically, etc.?

Seek to Be a Steward

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When our five children were little, I would read them a kids Bible story each night before bedtime. As the kids became familiar with various stories, they started to have their favorites that they wanted me to read all the time.
When reading the Bible, it is helpful to be aware of three themes that appear repeatedly.

The first theme is sin. Jesus lives without sin and dies so that our sin can be forgiven

The second theme is suffering. Jesus suffered the wrath of God so that we do not have to, and comforts us as we suffer

The third theme is stewardship. All that we have ultimately belongs to God.

Roughly 25% of Jesus’ teaching is about stewardship. One of the most famous teachings of Jesus on stewardship is found in John 6. There, a little boy sees a great need as a massive crowd of perhaps twenty-thousand people or more have come to see Jesus and become hungry. So, the poor little boy gives his little lunch of cheap barley bread and a few fish to Jesus. Jesus then multiplies what the boy gives so that not only is the boy fed, but so is the crowd.

There are three basic ways to view your possessions:

What’s mine is mine promotes selfishness
What’s yours is mine promotes stealing
What’s mine is His promotes stewarding
The little boy acted as a steward. He understood that the lunch he had was a gift from the Lord, so he gave it back to the Lord. In multiplying the lunch, Jesus provided for both the boy and the crowd so that everyone was blessed.

When lunch was ended, Jesus then ordered the disciples saying, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” Jesus, too, is a steward. Even though He could make all the bread He wanted, He ensured that none of the bread be wasted.

Is there anything you should be sharing? Is there anything you are wasting?Before long, a theme emerged. The kids liked the stories in which God used a little person to do a big thing. Josiah was a great king even though he was a young boy. The shepherd boy David took down the mighty Goliath with a few little stones. God entered the world through the likely teenage girl named Mary.

Do you ever feel little?

The good news is that God does big things with little things.

In John 6, there is one legendary example of this life lesson. There, a little boy hands his lunchbox to Jesus. Jesus takes the few cheap loaves of barley bread and fish that his momma had packed for snacks and multiplies them with enough food to fill a Costco. No less than five thousand men, in addition to women and children, eat until they are full. All of this was made possible because of a little boy with a little lunch and a little faith. It just goes to show that God does big things with little things.

How have you seen God do big things with little things in your life?

God Does Big Things with Little Things

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When our five children were little, I would read them a kids Bible story each night before bedtime. As the kids became familiar with various stories, they started to have their favorites that they wanted me to read all the time.

Before long, a theme emerged. The kids liked the stories in which God used a little person to do a big thing. Josiah was a great king even though he was a young boy. The shepherd boy David took down the mighty Goliath with a few little stones. God entered the world through the likely teenage girl named Mary.

Do you ever feel little?

The good news is that God does big things with little things.

In John 6, there is one legendary example of this life lesson. There, a little boy hands his lunchbox to Jesus. Jesus takes the few cheap loaves of barley bread and fish that his momma had packed for snacks and multiplies them with enough food to fill a Costco. No less than five thousand men, in addition to women and children, eat until they are full. All of this was made possible because of a little boy with a little lunch and a little faith. It just goes to show that God does big things with little things.

How have you seen God do big things with little things in your life?

God Will Multiply What You Give

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Have you ever wondered if your giving to the Lord truly makes any difference?

Many people feel like any contribution they make to God’s Kingdom is so small that it hardly makes any difference. When a need is great and your gift is small, it can be discouraging to think that your little bit doesn’t really help.

In John 6, however, we read an amazing story of multiplication. A massive crowd of five thousand men, in addition to women and children, gathered to be part of Jesus’ ministry. Not surprisingly, eventually everyone grew hungry, but there was no Costco nearby.

So, a poor little boy with cheap barley bread and a few small fish opened his lunchbox and gave what he had to Jesus. How could the lunch of a little boy possibly make any difference to a stadium-sized crowd?

Jesus multiplied the little boy’s lunch so that everyone ate until they were full, and twelve baskets of leftovers remained!

This is the Kingdom principle of multiplication. When you give what you can give, God does what God can do. To be sure, Jesus Christ could have simply fed the people without the little boy’s gift. Jesus had already turned water in to wine, and in the Old Testament gave His people the manna bread every day. But, Jesus chose to use the gift of the little boy to increase his faith and allow him the joy of being part of the loving and serving of people in need. It just goes to show that it does not matter much how much you give, but rather who you give it to, because God will multiply what you give.

How have you seen God multiply in your life? How is your giving toward the Lord?

Worship with Wealth, Don’t Worship Wealth

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When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” (John 2:13-17)

In one of the most jarring scenes in the life of Jesus, He shows up at the Temple and gets angry. Of the 60 or so times the Gospels mention Jesus’ emotions, compassion is the most common. Rarely does Jesus get angry, so when He does, we need to examine why.

In the temple courts, Jesus found men selling the unblemished cattle, sheep, and doves for the sacrifices that were required for their worship as mandated in the Old Testament (Leviticus 1:3-9, 4:2-21, 8:2, 22:21). They were obeying the letter of the law, but ignoring the spirit of the law.

The problem with this thriving business was three-fold. One, the worshipers were supposed to go through the difficult process of locating and transporting their own sacrifice rather than lazily showing up, dropping some money, and having work-free worship (Deuteronomy 12:5-7). Two, since the priests would only accept unblemished sacrifices, it is likely that the entire system had become corrupted and that the people inspecting the animals would only accept those sacrifices approved and purchased on temple grounds. Three, the businessmen running this racket were making excessive profits by driving up the actual cost of the animals, thereby ripping people off and oppressing the poor in the name of worshiping God.

In the temple courts, Jesus also found moneychangers who would exchange the varying currencies brought by the worshipers for a special temple currency that did not contain the face of another king but supposedly belonged to God the King alone. This currency was necessary to pay the Temple Tax, which was equal to roughly two day’s wages and required of every male over the age of 19. In the Old Testament Law, God laid out exactly how His ministry was supposed to be funded. The total cost of all that God commanded of His people (tithes, offerings, gleanings for poor, Temple Tax, sacrifices, feasts, festivals, etc.) is somewhere between 25%-27% of gross income. So, God’s plan required both generosity from the people and good stewardship from the leaders. But, in an effort to increase profit margins, changes were made without God’s approval. The moral of the story is that we need to consider if we are operating our finances according to God’s principles so that we can worship God with our wealth instead of worshiping our wealth.

How are you at being a good steward of the wealth God entrusts to you and at being a generous giver to God’s work in the world? If Jesus sat down to balance your budget and do your taxes with you, do you think He’d be angry like He was at the Temple?

Should you take a job that means you’ll be on the road a lot?

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Providing for your family is your responsibility as a parent. So if a job comes up that pays well, you take it. Right?

But what if it means you’re away from home and on the road a lot?

Watch as Pastor Mark and Grace discuss the pressures of providing – and how you can make the best decision for your family.

Do you have a question you’d like answered? Send it to [email protected] today!