This is my personal experience/observation that most people who don't tithe and make the biggest noise against tithing
are the very same people who give as little as possible or nothing at all.
This is not always the case but is true in many instances.
The same people have no problem in buying an expensive shirt, going on a holiday, buying luxuries etc.
But giving to God is a no-no.
I remember hearing a story where a very wealthy woman sat next to a Ps. and gave him 5 dollars when the offering plate came
past and asked him to put the 5 bucks in for her.
He replied, "sorry I don't tip God".
And that's what many do, they tip God, He is an after-thought.
"Ok then let's see how much I've got in my pocket ... um no, I'm gonna keep the fifty because of XYZ, but hey look there, I've still
got another 20 bucks ... no wait, I've still got to go to wherever, let's see in my other pocket I'm sure I saw something there this
morning ... oh yes, here's five.
Thank you Jesus for the five bucks, I pray you will meet my needs because Sally needs new shoes and my gearbox is giving me hassles".
Really ?????
C'mon, who do you think God is, some kind of fool ?
And this happens Sunday after Sunday.
A personal story ...
One day during lunch break I went over to the garage to buy a pie and coke (petrol pumps where they have a little shop - don't know what
you call them), anyhow, feeling through my pockets I felt some notes and coins.
Now we in South Africa have gotten rid of a few smaller coins for a number of reasons, but on that day I had a bunch of them sitting at the
bottom of my pocket.
So I decided to get rid of them and just toss them on the grass, which I did.
Immediately I heard a voice speak up on the inside of me, "What are you doing with my money" ?
As sure as God made little green apples I bent down and picked them up again and said, "Sorry Lord".
You see, God owns everything, EVERYTHING that his children possess.
That fifty, twenty and five including that "skedonk" (beat up car), that won't travel faster than fifty even if you threw it down a mineshaft.
So where do we think we're fooling God with that mingy five bucks ?
Did Jesus stop that old woman who gave everything she owned ?
No.
Paul says (NT) 2 Cor 8:15,
As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”
And that's exactly what many of us do, we gather as much as we can for ourselves and give God peanuts.
and wonder why we've got zilch, zero, nothing. nada.
He goes on to say in 2 Cor 9:6,
The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Jesus echoed these words when he said, "with the same measure you mete it will be measured to you".
Yes, contextually he was speaking about forgiveness but that is a divine principal that works in every area of life.
Most people don't have a system of giving at all, it's just what's available at the time in their pocket.
There is no planning, there is no thought to giving it's just what I have.
So when it comes to tithing you discover that the people who do tithe have planned, have worked out what they're going to
give.
There is discipline.
And their churches are growing in number and outreach, and impacting their community because they can afford to do it.
I can take you to a dozen churches where tithing is taught and a dozen where it is not and without a doubt those who do tithe
are growing faster, doing more for God and making more of a difference.
Those who don't teach tithing are always begging, crying for money, have little impact and the majority of the congregation
are poor.
When I joined my current church it had just a little over 70 people.
Today, a mere five years later we number well over 800 and are growing by leaps and bounds.
We have built - debt free - during this world financial crisis a multimillion dollar building, have started a Bible School, a busines
School and we reach out to the impoverished community and much more.
Oh, and we have just built a balcony that seats an extra 400 people - all debt free ... and we owe no one a single cent.
My Pastor teaches tithing, you know that OT doctrine, the one that's supposed to have past away.
So I wonder if there are any merits to tithing ?