Tithe-vs-Paying Your Bills

[Jack Shephard]

Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover

What do I think?

I think "tithe" as it is practiced by many today is a bogus doctrine. It is not a required "payment" to be a Christian nor to win Gods' favor.

Having said that, I think anyone can give a tenth. It may not be to a "pastor" or even a church, but people are changed when they help others expecting nothing in return. This is very true when the "giving" is to help sustain and further the cause of the gospel.
Giving is a good thing, and even when it hurts, it is a character building discipline.

I agree. Do you think that a person should pay tithe even if their bills were going unpaid? SH you have a good family, wife and kids. If it came between paying the electric bill and not being able to pay the tithe or pay the tithe and you all are without electricity for a week or so with all the food going bad?

[Hoovie]

Originally Posted by JTULLOCK

I agree. Do you think that a person should pay tithe even if their bills were going unpaid? SH you have a good family, wife and kids. If it came between paying the electric bill and not being able to pay the tithe or pay the tithe and you all are without electricity for a week or so with all the food going bad?

Bro. I would definetly pay the electric bill first - even if they were not cutting it off. Personally I only make contribution to the church about 10 times a year. This is in part due to the fact my own salary is not exactly a weekly one.

If someone finds they cannot make significant contributions to others including, the place where believers assemble, they should re-evaluate their lifestyle (something I have done before myself).

There are other ways than money to contribute by the way. I give to several worthy causes financially, but also give several hundred hours in community service each year.

[holinesspk]

Look. When you finally realize that everything you own is God's anyhow, and that tithing is recognizing that fact, tithing is going to start looking a lot more important. All God has asked for is 10%. I think God deserves that considering He is not required to give us anything. It is a good thing God didnt put His needs first when it came to Calvary.

Put it in this perspective. Which comes first, electric bill or what is rightfully God's? When you put the Lord first, you will NEVER EVER EVER go wrong and you can count on that. I would stake my very life on that!! God blesses those who keep Him first. The principle of keeping God first is all throughout the scripture. Case and point Matthew 6:33.

(Matthew 6:33 KJV) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Seek God first and put His things first, and God will add what you need to you. It reminds me of that scripture, Psalms 37:25.

(Psalm 37:25 KJV) I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

1 Kings 17 is an awesome example. The woman gave Elijah her last food and probably expected to die. But she put God first and because of that God blessed her and provided for her all through out that 3 and 1/2 years of no rain and provided for her and her son to live..........all because she put God first. She didnt know God was going to bless her when she gave Elijah the cake. Like I said, she probably resigned herself to die, but you need to get it through your head (not saying this in a mean manner btw), you can NEVER outgive the Lord. The Lord wont allow it.


(Malachi 3:10 KJV) 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.


That looks like God is challenging us to try Him out. I am living proof. I dont give just to recieve, but there was once I did. I am NOT saying this to make myself look good, I just want to make my point. I challenged the Lord, not in a bad way, but just to try and prove Him. I had read Malachi 3:10 and decided to take that verse to heart and put it into practice. I started paying 25% of my paycheck instead of 10% in my tithes. And you know what? I couldnt afford that. I have bills. The first month, I was really wondering where and how I was gonna pay my bills. It was getting scary. I thought I was gonna lose my car, phone, insurance, etc, etc. I was really worried.

But wouldnt you know, that month, my grandparents just "felt" to send me a paycheck unannounced. Then I got a tax refund I wasnt expecting. Then I got a raise in pay. And that was just financially. God began blessing me in other ways. God gave me a fresh dose of the Holy Ghost. My prayer life blossomed like a flower. Bible reading once again became exciting. God actually spoke to me in His word. I remember praying about a need I had one day and that night when I read my bible, the first verse my eyes fell on was the answer I had been needing. Ever since then, I have continued paying 25% of my paycheck and God hasnt let me down once!!! Like I said, I do not give just to recieve it back, I love giving God what is His. I just continue this, because I love watching God continue to fulfill His promise. God is GOOD!!!

I will reiterate! YOU CAN NEVER OUTGIVE THE LORD NOR WILL YOU EVER GO WRONG PUTTING THE LORD FIRST!!!!!

[Hoovie]

Originally Posted by holinesspk

L
That looks like God is challenging us to try Him out. I am living proof. I dont give just to recieve, but there was once I did. I am NOT saying this to make myself look good, I just want to make my point. I challenged the Lord, not in a bad way, but just to try and prove Him. I had read Malachi 3:10 and decided to take that verse to heart and put it into practice. I started paying 25% of my paycheck instead of 10% in my tithes. And you know what? I couldnt afford that. I have bills. The first month, I was really wondering where and how I was gonna pay my bills. It was getting scary. I thought I was gonna lose my car, phone, insurance, etc, etc. I was really worried.

But wouldnt you know, that month, my grandparents just "felt" to send me a paycheck unannounced. Then I got a tax refund I wasnt expecting. Then I got a raise in pay. And that was just financially. God began blessing me in other ways. God gave me a fresh dose of the Holy Ghost. My prayer life blossomed like a flower. Bible reading once again became exciting. God actually spoke to me in His word. I remember praying about a need I had one day and that night when I read my bible, the first verse my eyes fell on was the answer I had been needing. Ever since then, I have continued paying 25% of my paycheck and God hasnt let me down once!!!

I will reiterate! YOU CAN NEVER OUTGIVE THE LORD NOR WILL YOU EVER GO WRONG PUTTING THE LORD FIRST!!!!!

If you don't mind me asking, what institution (or cause) are you giving to? I only ask because I feel I have an obligation to give where the need is.

[holinesspk]

Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover

If you don't mind me asking, what institution (or cause) are you giving to? I only ask because I feel I have an obligation to give where the need is.

I give to the church where God put me. Your first priority is to your church. Organizations are extra, Tithing is not......

[Hoovie]

Originally Posted by holinesspk

I give to the church where God put me. Your first priority is to your church. Organizations are extra, Tithing is not......

I understand what you are saying though it is a bit confusing.

I think you are in fact giving to an organization... or do you actually mean you are giving this $$ to the needy orphans and widows you worship with?

[holinesspk]

Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover

I understand what you are saying though it is a bit confusing.

I think you are in fact giving to an organization... or do you actually mean you are giving this $$ to the needy orphans and widows you worship with?

Tithing is given to run the church. Pay the bills, pay the pastor, pay for improvements, put into the building fund, etc. That is your reasonable service. Giving to widows does not replace your tithes. That is on top of your tithes. I mean organizations like you were talking. Charitable works, etc.

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by holinesspk

I give to the church where God put me. Your first priority is to your church. Organizations are extra, Tithing is not......

Isn't the local church an organization?

Wouldn't giving that money to someone in direct need have a higher priority than to the local tax-exempt organization known as the local congregation?

What if you don't agree with how your local church is spending its income?

[LadyCoonskinner]

[QUOTE=RandyWayne;561330]Isn't the local church an organization?

Wouldn't giving that money to someone in direct need have a higher priority than to the local tax-exempt organization known as the local congregation?

What if you don't agree with how your local church is spending its income?[/QUOTE]

Randy, I was taught that once I gave my tithe, it was out of my hands. I did what the bible told me to do and that was give my 10%. Where it went from there was out of my hands also.

There have been many times in my life, both married and single, that I paid my tithe and God has blessed me in return.

Once comes vividly to my mind. My husband was teaching school and only got paid once a month. Well, we got paid and first thing we always did was take out tithes out first. Well, we did and we only had about $100 to get us through the whole month. We also had a 6 month old baby who needed diapers and formula. Well one day we had a family in our church call and tell us that they were having a really tough time financially and we decided to have them over for supper. (I always kept extra food around) Anyway, during the day the Lord began to deal with me about giving money to our friends who needed help and so I prayed and asked God that if it was HIM and not me, who is a sucker for a sad story, to also deal with my husband. So, I prayed and went about my day. Came home began preparing supper and my husband came home and said he needed to talk to me, and told me what the Lord had dealt with him about and it was what HE had been dealing with me about. So we wrote them a check for 1/2 of what we had left, leaving us with $50 for the rest of the month.

When they came over and ate, we gave them the money. WE went to bed that night thanking God for blessing us with the ability to help someone else.

The next morning I got up and got dressed for work and was running out the door and it wouldn't open very easy, like it usually did. I pushed pretty hard and got it only partially open and looked down and there sitting my porch was was a case of diapers and a case of formula. I sat down in the door way and began to cry. My husband heard me and came running, and then when he saw what was going on, he sat down and cried too.

Brothers and Sisters, you cannot outgive God.

I know you are probably thinking, "Oh yeah, she's a pastor's wife, of course she's gonna think that way." I thought that way LOOOOONNNNNGGGG before I was ever in the ministry.

God will bless you if you obey HIS word. He says 10%, so I give at least 10%. I know that it belongs to HIM anyway. He gave it to me, and He can take it away. He gave me the job in the first place and He can take it away. All that I have belongs to Him. God is a Good God.

[theoldpaths]

Originally Posted by holinesspk

Look. When you finally realize that everything you own is God's anyhow, and that tithing is recognizing that fact, tithing is going to start looking a lot more important. All God has asked for is 10%. I think God deserves that considering He is not required to give us anything. It is a good thing God didnt put His needs first when it came to Calvary.

Put it in this perspective. Which comes first, electric bill or what is rightfully God's? When you put the Lord first, you will NEVER EVER EVER go wrong and you can count on that. I would stake my very life on that!! God blesses those who keep Him first. The principle of keeping God first is all throughout the scripture. Case and point Matthew 6:33.

(Matthew 6:33 KJV) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Seek God first and put His things first, and God will add what you need to you. It reminds me of that scripture, Psalms 37:25.

(Psalm 37:25 KJV) I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

1 Kings 17 is an awesome example. The woman gave Elijah her last food and probably expected to die. But she put God first and because of that God blessed her and provided for her all through out that 3 and 1/2 years of no rain and provided for her and her son to live..........all because she put God first. She didnt know God was going to bless her when she gave Elijah the cake. Like I said, she probably resigned herself to die, but you need to get it through your head (not saying this in a mean manner btw), you can NEVER outgive the Lord. The Lord wont allow it.


(Malachi 3:10 KJV) 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.


That looks like God is challenging us to try Him out. I am living proof. I dont give just to recieve, but there was once I did. I am NOT saying this to make myself look good, I just want to make my point. I challenged the Lord, not in a bad way, but just to try and prove Him. I had read Malachi 3:10 and decided to take that verse to heart and put it into practice. I started paying 25% of my paycheck instead of 10% in my tithes. And you know what? I couldnt afford that. I have bills. The first month, I was really wondering where and how I was gonna pay my bills. It was getting scary. I thought I was gonna lose my car, phone, insurance, etc, etc. I was really worried.

But wouldnt you know, that month, my grandparents just "felt" to send me a paycheck unannounced. Then I got a tax refund I wasnt expecting. Then I got a raise in pay. And that was just financially. God began blessing me in other ways. God gave me a fresh dose of the Holy Ghost. My prayer life blossomed like a flower. Bible reading once again became exciting. God actually spoke to me in His word. I remember praying about a need I had one day and that night when I read my bible, the first verse my eyes fell on was the answer I had been needing. Ever since then, I have continued paying 25% of my paycheck and God hasnt let me down once!!! Like I said, I do not give just to recieve it back, I love giving God what is His. I just continue this, because I love watching God continue to fulfill His promise. God is GOOD!!!

I will reiterate! YOU CAN NEVER OUTGIVE THE LORD NOR WILL YOU EVER GO WRONG PUTTING THE LORD FIRST!!!!!

Praise the Lord!

Such a good teaching - good word!

God bless.