Tithing
We all know tithe to be one-tenth of our earnings. The word tithe appears in 32 Bible verses. Tithe has been observed right from Genesis, as well as offering.
I have realized that tithe is for God, He puts that aside for Himself alone. In Malachi3:10, we were asked a question, “Will a man rob God”, not will a man rob his pastor or his fellowman. It goes on “Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
Now do you know that Adam and Eve were sent out not just because they ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil? God reserved that tree for Himself, it was His; Adam and Eve ate from it and were driven from the garden of Eden( Eden meaning the presence of God) They had from what was Gods’ and were sent away from His presence! That’s what happens when we deprive God of what is His, as He has reserved tithes for Himself. Remember He won’t share His glory with any man.
Malachi 3:10 is the only place where God said we should put Him to test. It says”
Bring 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”. Verses 11 and 12 continues “And 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.And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts”.
These are the blessings attached to tithing.
Do you know that we can also pay our tithe in terms of the hours of the day we are given? We have 24hours in a day and one- tenth of that makes it 2hours and 40minutes that we owe God, atleast in a day. This is because tithe has to do with what we earn, what we have. In the Old Testament, they gave tithes on their farm produce. The blessings attached to tithing makes it one of the many ways to provoke and release heavenly blessings.
Quickly, using David as an example. When it came to giving, he never gave God a casual offering. Anytime he had the opportunity to give offering to God, he gave substantially and did it sacrificially. He delighted in giving wholesomely to God. No wonder he was blessed beyond measure financially and materially. We should cultivate the habit of giving God our best. Many of us decide to wait till we are blessed or till we have a lot of money but remember, he that is faithful in little is faithful in much. If we don’t have the habit of giving from our little, how then do we inculcate that when we have more? When God blesses, its always more than whatever we give.
Do you give to God with the mindset of receiving materially or financially in return? Lets give with the right mindset, as sometimes when we give, we receive in other areas like marital, academic, fruitfulness, even long life. The rewards come in different forms.
Join me, as we make tithing a habit!
Written by Ekene Chris-Ossai
