GOD WANTS TO REWARD YOUR GIVING
Giving to the church is a sensitive topic. It challenges the way
donated money is spent after it's given and threatens our own
selfish natures. Ultimately it's our concern that if we give too
much away, we won't be able to make ends meet. God's Word teaches
us that in His economy, He always provides. The Lord owns
everything, and He will generously reward His faithful, obedient
children spiritually, physically, and financially, even beyond
our wildest imaginations. He's just waiting for our trust.
Reasons for giving:
- It motivates greater faithfulness. Jesus taught His followers
to live by a higher standard than the one given in the Old
Testament. For example, when the Law said "do not murder,"
Jesus said that anyone who hates his brother is a murderer.
Would it be any less logical to give less than the Old
Testament standard of tithing?
- It releases God's financial blessing. He promises that as we
tithe, He will be faithful to "throw open the floodgates of
heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have
room enough for it" (Mal. 3:10). He adds, "Test me in this!"
This is one of the most remarkable passages in the Bible. God
said they could check Him out and see if He was telling the
truth. People who have taken Him at His word give testimony
to His blessings, that go beyond worldly logic. Remember, you
don't give to be blessed, you give because you are blessed.
- It expands Kingdom work. The average percentage of Christian
giving is only 2.5%. It doesn't take a mathematical genius to
see that churchwide tithing would allow ministry efforts to
virtually explode. Imagine how much greater God would be
glorified if the kingdom of Christ quadruples its resources.
- It changes spending habits. If your giving standard has been
low, starting to tithe may seem to stretch you financially at
first. But in the process of tithing, you will learn to
prioritize your spending pattern and develop a sound
financial budget. This will allow you more money to give.
You'll also find that the discipline brought on by tithing
will help you fight the materialistic urges prompted by the
marketing gurus of our consumer-driven society.
Kregg Hood, author, speaker, and educator, is
executive vice president for Sweet Publishing. He
also serves as a minister, a missionary, and a
college instructor. He earned his doctorate from
Texas Tech University. He and his wife, Karen, are
parents of two children.
Dr. Hood has a unique plan for teaching tithing to
church members. During the week, each family reads
one chapter from Take God at His Word, discusses the
message, and prays about their responses. On Sunday,
the preacher uses the sermon outline from the
presentation kit to "drive home" the teaching in the
chapter. (Call 1-800-TAKE-GOD or visit
www.takegod.com.)
From Take God at His Word by Dr. Kregg Hood.
Copyright (c) 1996, 1998 by Sweet Publishing, Fort
Worth, Texas, 1-800-531-5220. Used by permission.