Some Thoughts On Giving

All that we have belongs to God and we owe him EVERYTHING.
James 1: 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning

Romans 12: 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

He asks for 10% to be returned to Him.
Jacob's example:
Genesis 28: 22 And this stone, which I have set [for] a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

The Mosaic Law:
Leviticus 27: 30-32 'And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD s. It is holy to the LORD. 'If a man wants at all to redeem any of his tithes, he shall add one-fifth to it. 'And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD.

Jesus commends the practice:
Matthew 23: 23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

Those who withold what is God's are thieves!
Malachi 3: 8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings.


Those who do not put God first in their giving will suffer financial hardship!
2 Corinthians 9: 6a But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly

Malachi 3: 9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me

Haggai 1: 3-6 Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?" Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways! "You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes."

God will bless those who give Him back what is His!
2 Corinthians 9: 6b and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Malachi 310b - 12 And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. 11 "And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the LORD of hosts; 12 "And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land," Says the LORD of hosts.

The house of worship is where the tithe belongs
Malachi 3: 10a Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house,

It should be brought in on the Lord's Day
1 Corinthians 16: 2 On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper,

It should not be done for recognition by men.
Matthew 6: 1-4 "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. "Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. "But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, "that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

People can't be FORCED to give, but they should give from an attitude of gratitude.
2 Corinthians 9: 7-8 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.