Financial Problems

[jp83]

The money problem will seem familiar to anyone who has gone down this path. I longed to be able to pay off my debts, to make ends meet, and to end the ceaseless worry about money matters. I knew the theory - send your ten percent tithe every month to your Church or ministry as your seed, and expect God to bless you financially. And give beyond that title as a love offering, even if you can't afford it, because God will repay.Oh yes, i knew the theory, and i believed it absolutely. Nobody can criticize me for sowing in doubt. I faithfully sowed my seeds of money, and i tithed every single month, ten percent of my income. The trouble is, i simply could not afford to give away that much every month. It made no economic sense whatsoever. I were giving out of my need, as they say, but never reaping. Strange.God did bless me in my ignorance and he kept me afloat, but as for "the hundredfold" - where was it? Not that i looked for reward, but it would have been nice to make ends meet occasionally.It was a black day for me when i finally admitted i could no longer afford to give away so much of my income. That is anathema to the Faith teaching! What? Not give your ten percent tithe? But the Bank Manager, and simple common sense, warned me to pull back before i lost the house and everything.And as for the crazy "faith ventures" that I embarked on - I shudder now to think of them and the lunacy of believing that God would lead me into such plain foolishness.

 

[Christina]

First of all you should tithe where you learn foolishly giving to those who do not teach Gods word wont get you anything your simply helping the Blind spread their false doctrine. secondly you are to take care of your responsibilities first. Then tithe what you can afford. 10 % comes from the Old Testament and wasn't money the farmer left the outer 10% perimeter of his field unploughed so the poor could gather it. If you arent in a church that is feeding you then your money would have been better given to the poor and needy. If one is giving to the false teachers only in hopes of gaining more that heart was in the wrong place and ones reward was what they earned. Not saying thats the case with you, only that Ive seen this before to be the case

 

[tim_from_pa]

I agree 110% with kriss. And you can use the 10% extra I gave to help the needy.

If your church does not teach the Word, might as well feed it to the devil.I give 10% to a church where the pastor is trying and weighs heavily some of the teachings that I've discovered and are on this board. Our teacher there sounds a lot like Kriss here which is why I take such a liking to her. Our church is going more from a social gospel to one that is teaching the need for Christ as one's Savior and Lord and to one that believes Christ will come back one day. So, we are improving.It's far from perfect, but I stuck it out and still am going strongly for about 15 years with them now. Even when they get it wrong, the Lord says to forgive 70 times 7. Like all of us, they are looking for truth and fellowship with the Lord and can't blame them for that.Now, all that being said, if hard economic times comes on us (and probably will for many people with this economy), then we depend in the Lord to take care of us. If He seemingly does not, then I have to ask where we are going wrong rather than to fumble with an answer to an atheist who uses every such opportunity to prove that the Lord does not exist or does not take care of His own. Up to now, we've been blessed beyond measure and far more than my wildest imagination with spiritual food, family and with material things (although in all fairness, I don't go overboard as I drive a '92 Saturn yet, but still feel blessed). If that suddenly stops, then it's my fault somewhere as God has proven to me in 49 years of my life that He is perfectly capable of taking care of us.

 

[ffbruce]

(jp83;64052)
The money problem will seem familiar to anyone who has gone down this path. I longed to be able to pay off my debts, to make ends meet, and to end the ceaseless worry about money matters. I knew the theory - send your ten percent tithe every month to your Church or ministry as your seed, and expect God to bless you financially. And give beyond that title as a love offering, even if you can't afford it, because God will repay.Oh yes, i knew the theory, and i believed it absolutely. Nobody can criticize me for sowing in doubt. I faithfully sowed my seeds of money, and i tithed every single month, ten percent of my income. The trouble is, i simply could not afford to give away that much every month. It made no economic sense whatsoever. I were giving out of my need, as they say, but never reaping. Strange.God did bless me in my ignorance and he kept me afloat, but as for "the hundredfold" - where was it? Not that i looked for reward, but it would have been nice to make ends meet occasionally.It was a black day for me when i finally admitted i could no longer afford to give away so much of my income. That is anathema to the Faith teaching! What? Not give your ten percent tithe? But the Bank Manager, and simple common sense, warned me to pull back before i lost the house and everything.And as for the crazy "faith ventures" that I embarked on - I shudder now to think of them and the lunacy of believing that God would lead me into such plain foolishness.
First of all JP, be careful. There are quite a number of false teachings thrown around on this forum, and they are not necessarily Biblical.That said, in the Old Testament, the tithes were not to be just meted out by individuals as they saw fit, and to whom they sought to give them to. They were to be brought into the "storehouse" or Temple (Malachi 3:10), from which they were to be used as God directed.The word "tithe" does not appear in the New Testament. But that doesn't mean the concept is null and void. Not only does Jesus not nullify the tithe, when Paul encourages generosity (1st Corinthians 16, et al), it is assumed that they're not being legalistic and "10% minded" about it. They are going above and beyond.So give generously. Give to the local body of believers, your local church family, so that they can continue to effectively minister locally and to send out missionaries into all the world. In addition, give to whatever charities you feel are worthy. But don't expect to get financially rich by doing so. The Bible does NOT promise that. Rather, expect to be richly blessed, because that IS Biblical. The only mystery - and it's an exciting one at that - is how God will choose to richly bless you.

 

[HammerStone]

jp83, a tithe need be given under one condition only - that it is carried out in the Lord's name and for his purpose. It is indeed true that a tithe was taken to the priestly authority in the OT, and it should be done here where you are truly fed the Word and the teachings that come therein, but it can also be to those who need it - the poor in the field as long as it's done clearly in God's name.Deuteronomy 26:12-14
When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled; Then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them: I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the LORD my God, and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me.
You may want to read the entire chapter for a full context, but earlier on the Lord stresses how he ultimately is the source of everything, so those blessings you have in the first place are a result of His will.Now, there are a lot of con artists out there that want you to give to this church, that mission, or this program. Be wary of where your money goes and don't just blindly hand it over to someone who claims to be in service of the Lord. They may not. Just be aware and let your money go to a place where it's genuinely used for the Lord, which is the entire point of tithing in the first place.Notice also that it's not only money. You can tithe other things that a church or individual may require - a skill, tools, food, or anything of the sort. The implication here is that you (clearly) give what you are able. That is between you and the Lord, not any man, card, or pledge.Matthew 6:2-3
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

 

[crooner]

(ffbruce;64192)
First of all JP, be careful. There are quite a number of false teachings thrown around on this forum, and they are not necessarily Biblical.That said, in the Old Testament, the tithes were not to be just meted out by individuals as they saw fit, and to whom they sought to give them to. They were to be brought into the "storehouse" or Temple (Malachi 3:10), from which they were to be used as God directed.The word "tithe" does not appear in the New Testament. But that doesn't mean the concept is null and void. Not only does Jesus not nullify the tithe, when Paul encourages generosity (1st Corinthians 16, et al), it is assumed that they're not being legalistic and "10% minded" about it. They are going above and beyondSo give generously. Give to the local body of believers, your local church family, so that they can continue to effectively minister locally and to send out missionaries into all the world. In addition, give to whatever charities you feel are worthy. But don't expect to get financially rich by doing so. The Bible does NOT promise that. Rather, expect to be richly blessed, because that IS Biblical. The only mystery - and it's an exciting one at that - is how God will choose to richly bless you.
Good point we are une the new covenant. If they want to keep the old keep them all and there are lots of them. Circumsission, 20 different offerings,Crooner

 

[Jordan]

(crooner;64199)
(ffbruce;64192)
First of all JP, be careful. There are quite a number of false teachings thrown around on this forum, and they are not necessarily Biblical.That said, in the Old Testament, the tithes were not to be just meted out by individuals as they saw fit, and to whom they sought to give them to. They were to be brought into the "storehouse" or Temple (Malachi 3:10), from which they were to be used as God directed.The word "tithe" does not appear in the New Testament. But that doesn't mean the concept is null and void. Not only does Jesus not nullify the tithe, when Paul encourages generosity (1st Corinthians 16, et al), it is assumed that they're not being legalistic and "10% minded" about it. They are going above and beyond.So give generously. Give to the local body of believers, your local church family, so that they can continue to effectively minister locally and to send out missionaries into all the world. In addition, give to whatever charities you feel are worthy. But don't expect to get financially rich by doing so. The Bible does NOT promise that. Rather, expect to be richly blessed, because that IS Biblical. The only mystery - and it's an exciting one at that - is how God will choose to richly bless you.
Good point we are une the new covenant. If they want to keep the old keep them all and there are lots of them. Circumsission, 20 different offerings,CroonerWe are NOT under the law, we are under grace. (Romans 6:14) What good is under the law, when we are saved by grace? (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 11:6)@ ffbruceFalse teachings? Don't become a laughing stock.

 

[crooner]

(Jordan;64200)
We are NOT under the law, we are under grace. (Romans 6:14) What good is under the law, when we are saved by grace? (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 11:6)@ ffbruceFalse teachings? Don't become a laughing stock.
I think that what we are saying we are under the new covenant. Some people insist on keeping the old. If they are going to do that they have to keep them all

 

[Jordan]

(crooner;64203)
(Jordan;64200)
We are NOT under the law, we are under grace. (Romans 6:14) What good is under the law, when we are saved by grace? (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 11:6)@ ffbruceFalse teachings? Don't become a laughing stock.
I think that what we are saying we are under the new covenant. Some people insist on keeping the old. If they are going to do that they have to keep them allWhich is why I quoted those verses, because even if we try to keep all of them, we will fail at one point. This is why I thank God for Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God to die on a cross for our sins. The food laws are still in effect for health reasons, but no longer a sin. But we can't act like grace is all "free" and then do nothing. (AKA: go back in the old ways)

 

[HammerStone]

And then there are some that falsely lump everything in the Old Testament under "the Old Covenent" because they don't have clue what they are talking about. Again, just something to be wary of, test it against the Word.

 

[Christina]

Agreed Swampfox Christ came to fulfill the law not change it. However there is a remnant that preserve the Law that didn't recognize Christ as it was designed. by our Father they are the stick of Judah Eze.37

 

[Jordan]

I agree with you and Swamp Fox as well. Indeed Judah and Israel is going to join in one stick and you are correct it's Ezekiel 37.

 

[Kahtre]

jp83,you said-"I faithfully sowed my seeds of money"I can tell that you love the Lord and that you really want to please him. : )If you want to get the seeds out there, go spread the word of God!Luke 8:11 ...The seed is the word of God.In that parable the seed is the word, and who is the word?Jesus!