Bliss & Fire Network Weekly Digest - Success Scripture June 2, 2009

Tithes & Offering

"But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." - 2 Corinthians 9:6   

EXPLORATION

Self-consecration has always been explained as the dedication of our person -body, soul and spirit, to the worship and service of God: Abstaining from sin and maintaining purity of the heart.

As we live and work day by day, we find that we eventually acquire material wealth and have some people under our influence and control. Because they are related to us, and we have control over their existence and functions, they become part and parcel of us, and should also be "dedicated" unto God. This could even be our wife and children; house helpers and other dependants.

The bible says: "The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods." - Psalm 24:1-2. God also declared: "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts." - Haggai 2:8   "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills." - Psalm 50:10. Here, the Bible establishes divine ownership of the physical and material world.

No one can question this because God is the Creator of all things. "...for thou (God) hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created" - Revelation 4:11.

INSPIRATION

Since God owns all things, it therefore follows that we are tenants on earth and stewards or caretakers of whatever we possess.

• a) A steward is a person who takes care of what does not belong to him. It could be life or property.
• b) A tenant is a person who rents an accommodation or a piece of land from the owner for use or occupation for an agreed period of time. His tenancy could be terminated any time the Landlord chooses

As either a steward or tenant, we live and work according to the rule of the Master or property owner. Hence God, the Universal Landlord, in his word has stated the pattern of life we should live on earth and how we should use the things on it - money, wealth, time and talents. When God started relating with Israel as His people, He gave them laws and ordinances to regulate their lives and the use of their material possession in serving and worshipping Him.

• a) First born children were to be dedicated to God. (Exodus 13:2)
• b) First fruits and first born of animals were to God. (Exodus 34:19, Leviticus 2:12)
• c) They were required to offer to God physical items or animals in appreciation of His goodness to them. (Exodus 35:4-5, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2).

Each of these obligations attracted God's special blessings. The Bible says: "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 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.

And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts." - Malachi 3:8-12.These tithes and offering were used to support ministers of God who were continually engaged in the daily ministrations in the temple and also execute various projects in the service of God.

Look at examples of such projects in our present day situation - Putting up a church building, purchase or hire of worship centers, printing of Christian literatures, purchase of gospel vans and crusade equipment, recording facilities, lands for camping and so on and so forth. 

Anyone who claims to be consecrated to God and refrains from supporting God's ministers and projects for the propagation of the gospel is not genuinely dedicated to the Lord and his devotion is vain and meaningless. As laborers with God, we should be ready at all times to commit our resources to his work.

We are not supposed to do this as if by constraint, but willingly, for God loves a cheerful giver, in giving offerings, or paying our tithes, we need to be generous to make it possible for God to release our increase.

The Bible says: "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." - 2 Corinthians 9:6  

He that gives freely lays a good treasure for himself both on earth and in heaven. The thought that we brought nothing into this world and we shall take nothing out should provoke us to give bountifully, and the God of providence shall replenish us in double measure, pressed down and running over. The Bible says: "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." - Luke 6:38

This week. It is necessary to know that God wants to abundantly bless those who draw close to Him through this kind of personal devotion. it is a pity to observe that many Christians and ministers of the gospel, who do all in their strength to abstain from open sin and worldly pleasure do not seem to be receiving their due reward for their consecration because they have always failed in the duties of paying their tithes and offerings. This is nothing but the strategy of the devil to rob them of God's material blessings. Where some consecrated believers begin to suffer lack due to their failure, the wrong impression has always been created that those who are consecrated to God's service are destined to suffer and be poor. But the truth is that they have failed God in paying their tithes and offerings.

Finally, as you worship God with your offering and tithes, likewise your first fruits. God will visit your finances and bless you. "For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee." - Deuteronomy 15:6  Amen!

Remember: The Bible says: "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts." - Haggai 2:8

We love you! 

God bless.

Bliss & Fire Network Team

Online registration is now available for exhibitors/vendors for the 2nd International Bliss & Fire Network Christian Expo 2009.

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