Tithing

2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-7 “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

By: Pastor Raymond Desadier

Tithing tends to be a VERY sensitive subject among church goers. So sensitive in fact you rarely hear a pastor preach on the subject because many can misconstrue it to mean it the pastor wants more donated to the church so he can reap the benefits. Since tithing is such a touchy topic I would like to make this more a personal testimony than a devotion.

I used to think tithing was a lot of money to give, especially if you take the time to add up how much it amounts to over a year’s time. To make myself feel better about not tithing I used 2 Corinthians 9:7 as my excuse for not tithing. I did not want to tithe, so in God’s eyes my tithes would be no different than if I gave nothing at all. Then one day my wife and I heard a sermon on tithing. I cannot recall anything specific about the sermon but I do remember this: we were convicted and we reluctantly decided to commit to tithing. Ever since we made this commitment I can assure you we have NEVER wanted for anything. We have never had any major financial worries. Today I look at verse seven in a new light. I focus more on the ending: “God loveth a cheerful giver.”

I can also attest to the truth of the verse. The more I have given God, the more I have received back. And I do not just mean what I have given in terms of money – the more time I have given God and the more effort I have given God, the more blessings He has bestowed upon me.

If you do not tithe I challenge you to start. Not because the Bible tells you to, not because the church expects you to, but because I promise you will NOT be sorry that you did. Today I find myself wishing I could give MORE.

Let me repeat for clarity: I am asking you to give because I promise you will NOT be sorry you did. I do not promise you will be showered with blessings and I certainly am not saying you should give because you hope to get something in return. You have to give for the right reasons or you may end up worse off than if you did not tithe at all (Proverbs 21:27 – The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?)

For those of you who already tithe, you can give more – I am not talking about just money, I am talking about the giving of your time and effort. Start reading one more chapter of the Bible a day. Pray a few extra minutes each day. We can all do more, and the more we do the happier we will be.