Why tithing has not improved my finances

[parsley]

This morning I was reading I Corinthians 10, and buried in a discourse on idol-dedicated foods, was a reminder to keep focus.

24 Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.
(The Greek has fewer words, but the same intent.)

26 For the earth is the Lord's, and all it contains

33 not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.

Set aside the tithing question momentarily, and look at what you want to accomplish in life.

Do we want a bigger house so we'll have to buy bigger rugs, a better neighborhood so we'll have to keep up with their expectations, more prestige so more people will beg us for donations... money creates its own expenses.

Christians are not called to complete poverty, but we are called to set aside the weights that cling too closely and slow us down.

A new tablet means new tech problems. A sports car leads us to park farther away and spend afternoons cleaning it. A white sofa leads us to yell at our guests when they spill things. Fragile china on the mantle leads us to yell at our kids for being rambunctious.

Do we really want wealth, or do we just want comfort and the security of knowing we'll be okay?

Are we exercising faith now, that the Lord will provide our daily bread -- the necessities that might perish but get us through one day to the next. Wanting money is often about avoiding worry... but the worry is inside us, and can be dealt with now.
Faith in God, not in the securities we have fluffed up around us like an animal building a nest.

 

[bluegreysky]

I have been an eager at tithing for at least 2 years at a Church I go to. I give at least 10% of the income I earn to the church. Yet for most of that time my financial situation has not improved and been constantly in debt. I currently getting deeper in debt as I just lost my job. Where is God? God says he will bless each giver and I heard that in Church. In addition due to my current financial situation I not able to afford to continue to give 10% of my income to the church.

Does any Christians experience no improvements in their debt levels even if they tithe?

When I was growing up, my mom said that anything you give for God... tithe money at church, time and love for someone in need, possessions you have to help others... God repays you seven-fold.

So I grew up thinking "If I want lots of _______, I just need to tithe a little bit of _____"

Which is incorrect.

I learned recently, as an adult, that tithing isn't "buying God's blessings", it's REPAYING Him FOR His previous blessings.
So on Sunday when you drop $20 in the offering, you aren't going to get $140 worth of groceries for free next week, you are physically showing your thankfulness for god's blessing of grandma sending birthday money, the cable company waiving a fee and the free dinner at your neighbor's house last week.... Or maybe just thankful for the intangible blessings in your life, like love and friendship

When it's time to give, you have to give and mean it just like you have to pray and mean it. You toss the money in and say in your heart "because it's the right thing to do" not "because I want something". And you do it even when things look bad... even on a week you got a speeding ticket or an unexpected ailment cost you at the doctor.... you do it "because it's the right thing to do".

I think God sees that, sees your heart, and then blesses you when you need it most. In my life, I haven't seen my $20 come back to me as money the next week, but I HAVE seen an item I needed or wanted suddenly appear in my life as a free gift. I never expected it, it was a blessing. Usually God will bless you in the way HE sees fit, not the in way youre expecting.

 

[charles at doctrineprimer]

Your post reminds of a verse in Proverbs:

"There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: There is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches." Pro 13:7

 

[bluegreysky]

ooh could ya translate that into the NLT version? thanks

 

[FireDragon76]

Nowhere does it say the blessing you receive will be more money.

Your money is your own. Do with it as you wish. Give because you want to, not because you feel you have to.

Also, if you are going to really give as the early Christians did... do not give your money to a church, give it to the poor or other worthy causes. Of course churches need money to run but it's not like giving to a church is more exalted than giving money to someone else who needs it.

 

[charles at doctrineprimer]

Nowhere does it say the blessing you receive will be more money.

Your money is your own. Do with it as you wish. Give because you want to, not because you feel you have to.

Also, if you are going to really give as the early Christians did... do not give your money to a church, give it to the poor or other worthy causes. Of course churches need money to run but it's not like giving to a church is more exalted than giving money to someone else who needs it.

Amen. The Christian has one command, and that is to love one another. Unfortunately,we have many pastors today who are occupying pulpits that are telling their people, that the best way to show their love to God is best demonstrated by opening up their wallets and dropping every dollar into the offering plate.Giving does not always involve money because money is not always the answer to a man's problems. Most of the time, it is the money he desires that is his problem.

The best example of this, was demonstrated by Peter and John on their way to the temple to worship one day and was met by a lame man begging for money. Peter and John who were filled with the Holy Spirit and being led by Him, knew immediately that the man did not need money but needed something greater. They could have given him money, but the greater glory for God was more demonstrated by meeting the man's real needs. Money was a temporary fix and God knew that and therefore the Apostles were able to demonstrate the power of God in such a way that many men came to know Christ that day. They could have given the man money, and that would have showed that they were not stingy, but it would have done very little to show God's power and glory. Even the heathen are capable of giving money, but demonstrating the glory and the power of God, is beyond their capabilities and comprehension.

I too understand the needs of the church, but when a church over-extends themselves by building multi-million dollar buildings and hiring a large entourage of staff personnel, I have little sympathy for them when they start crying for more money. Christ did not die for church buildings, he died for those who use them. Christ did not command us to build church buildings, but instead loves those who are meeting in them to worship Him. The church is the people, the buildings are just a convenient place to meet and no emphasis should ever be placed in them, as we do not need a physical building to have a church. Adorning buildings with all the frill and lace may be attractive to a man, but it does little to impress the God that they say they are there to serve. If anything, the frill and lace that adorns many of the church buildings today, have more of an appeal to a man's flesh than it does in meeting a man's real needs.

 

[aiki]

Nowhere does it say the blessing you receive will be more money.

No where does Scripture say it won't ever be money, either.

Your money is your own. Do with it as you wish.

Really? I don't think so. I am but a steward of God's money, and time, and energy. All that I am and possess I have received ultimately from God. And as a believer in particular I am less a possessor and more a possession:

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

Give because you want to, not because you feel you have to.

One can give from both motives at the same time, I think. And generosity in whatever direction is an "ought" for the believer, not a "if you feel like it."

1 John 3:16-17
16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

Also, if you are going to really give as the early Christians did... do not give your money to a church, give it to the poor or other worthy causes. Of course churches need money to run but it's not like giving to a church is more exalted than giving money to someone else who needs it.

Neither is giving to the church less exalted than giving to the poor. And the early Christians were not directing their resources only or even mainly to the poor:

Acts 4:32
32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

Selah.

 

[charles at doctrineprimer]

Every time I receive money, it is a blessing from God, and every time my neighbor lends a helping hand, that is a blessing too. I really appreciated a neighbor once coming over and helping me put new shingles on my roof, and I thanked God for it.

I believe it is important that we give because the Holy Spirit compels us to give, but I don't believe it is the place of a pastor to say I must give to some special cause when the Holy Spirit is compelling me to give elsewhere.

 

[CGL1023]

I have been an eager at tithing for at least 2 years at a Church I go to. I give at least 10% of the income I earn to the church. Yet for most of that time my financial situation has not improved and been constantly in debt. I currently getting deeper in debt as I just lost my job. Where is God? God says he will bless each giver and I heard that in Church. In addition due to my current financial situation I not able to afford to continue to give 10% of my income to the church.

Does any Christians experience no improvements in their debt levels even if they tithe?

God keeps his covenants and one is Malachi 3. For the tither, 1.) don't rob God, 2.) bring the whole tithe, 3.) expect the devourer to be rebuked in your life. Learn how to meditate on the Word til you get a revelation of the tithe that becomes reality to you. Insist on the Word performing as you are believing, in your life. These are simple words but for most they are hard to do. The tithe is God's way for supplying your financial abundance.

 

[Sketcher]

The tithe is God's way for supplying your financial abundance.

More accurately, it is God's ordained way to provide the church and ministries with resources to help the poor. If I give 10% of my money away, I have less money. God may or may not give me more money to make up for that in this world, I don't know that. He may take me tomorrow, after all.

 

[iansek]

The Lord knows when to repay us. I had a job 6years ago and probably gave beyond ten percent yet still lost the job.2 years later I got a job which paid very much more than the one I lost. Mind you I stayed unemployed for 18 months getting an allowance from my well off mother while I upgraded to graduate school. I am now doing what I love which is working in travel industry and I have little pay.

My point is the Lord knows when to repay us whether in this age or the next when people will thank us for bringing salvation to them through our giving. We should not seek to get rich through tithing or any gift to GOd but to support Christian work, leaders and the poor

 

[bottledwater]

I have been an eager at tithing for at least 2 years at a Church I go to. I give at least 10% of the income I earn to the church. Yet for most of that time my financial situation has not improved and been constantly in debt. I currently getting deeper in debt as I just lost my job. Where is God? God says he will bless each giver and I heard that in Church. In addition due to my current financial situation I not able to afford to continue to give 10% of my income to the church.

Does any Christians experience no improvements in their debt levels even if they tithe?

Sounds as though you were giving for the wrong reason to begin with.
Yours was more of a calculated investment, rather than a cheerful giving out of faith.
Then you ask, "where is God".
Where was He when you were making the initial calculations on how much dividends you should expect?

Give your head a shake!

 

[bluegreysky]

Funny this thread popped back up again... this topic I already answered and said that I believe tything thanks God for past blessings instead of buying new ones.
Well, I'm glad I think that because I tythed this past Sunday, as I always do... and yesterday I got in trouble at work for a mistake from ages ago and part of the consequences for that will be I will miss out on some bonus money in a few months.
And the thought did crossed my mind that it's like I gave God money and the reward was... He took more of it away.
But since tything thanks Him for what he gave in the past I shouldn't be thinking that should I?