Salvage Your Financial Situation – Give God A Tithe

Have you been feeling the “pinch”?  The pinch that occurs as your hard earned cash squeezes it’s way out of your dwindling savings account, staggering debit or credit card account, or your hot little hand?  You are not alone.  “Well,” you say, “what is a hard working, conscientious person to do?”

Have you looked in the Bible at what God says about His economic principles?  He offers many scriptures that give insight about money.  (Matthew 6:24, Proverbs 28:22, Proverbs 1:19, Psalm 37:21, Proverbs 23:4-5, James 5:1-6, Proverbs 11:8, Ecclesiastes 5:10, I Timothy 6:17-19, Psalm 62:10,  2 Corinthians 9:7, Proverbs 22:9 are just a very few.)  Just so we are on the same page, money in and of itself is not a problem.  When we begin to love and idolize money, that is when the money problems gab hold.

“I don’t have money, period,” you moan.  Then my question to you is, “Why?”  What is eating up your supply?  Are you spending more than you earn?  Are you making foolish, non-essential purchases?  Are you robbing God?  I heard that audible gasp.  Hey, God said it, not me, and the Israelites responded the same way.

Have you read Malachi 3: 8-12 lately (or ever)?  God accuses His beloved people of robbing Him.  “How,” they asked.  “In tithes and offerings” was God’s stern response.  Have you been mindful of giving one tenth of your earnings back to God?  If you’re thinking that is an Old Testament practice, I assure you it still applies today.

Look at tithing as a concept.  God wanted to institute a plan that would test the hearts of His people.  The pure, plain, easy to understand point was to see if those who said they loved Him would trust Him enough to live by His economic plan. 

The principle concerning tithing is simple: if you give ten percent away (let go of it) to your local church,  then God will pour more in to replace it – and keep pouring, as needed, to fill up your vessel. (Malachi 3:10)

God was so serious about tithing that He challenged the people with, “Try Me!”  He promised He would replace, and keep replacing as the supply was poured out, with so much that there would be no place to put the over-abundance!  Look at it this way.  If the goal is to fill a container, when it is full you stop.  But, if your container has a hole in the bottom, you are inclined to keep pouring in because you have not yet met your goal – a full container.  As you keep giving out, God keeps pouring in.  I think you get the picture.  Remember, you can’t out-give God.

If you are in financial straights, I’m saying your next step should be to let go of ten percent, the tithe, for God’s use.  He, personally, doesn’t need your money; but, the many people and ministries doing His bidding do need it.  (Here is a little secret – if you are reluctant to receive God’s words about tithing as truth and you are having an internal argument about it being just an Old Testament idea,  then I suggest you take an honest look at your heart relationship with your dollars.  Are they controlling you or are you controlling them?)

I encourage you to “test” God, like He asks.  Put the concept of tithing ten percent to work on behalf of your financial situation.  Step two is the fun part.  Keep watch for the increasing supply that God has promised to overflow into your lap.

How long has it been since you gave a tithe to your local church for furthering God’s work?  Do you believe God means what He says?  What next-step choice will you make to improve your financial situation?