Daily Worship, Spirit and Word Sep. 3, 2024
Tithing is the mindset and discipline of giving a tenth of all of your increase to God. We Give our tithe to the church or ministry where we are called to participate in a faithful and committed way. Offerings are anything that we give on top of our tithe as we are moved on by the leading of The Spirit.
It is said that tithing is not in The New Testament and that the Apostles did not ask for tithes. Jesus spoke of it to tell the Pharisees of their duplicity; “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.” (Matthew 23:23, NKJV)
That being said, tithes among the Jews would not be given to the apostles. It would be given to the temple for The Levites. The Law was passing away and becoming obsolete, but one could argue that it had not fully passed away until the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed around 70 A.D.. Still, the believers were selling their possessions in Jerusalem and bringing them to the apostles for management and distribution prior to fleeing Jerusalem as Jesus had prophesied and commanded in Matthew 24.
Also, tithing pre-dated The Law of Moses. It began with Abraham giving a tithe of his spoils from war to Melchizedek, who is a type of Christ in the Bible. And we have received the blessing of Abraham - a grant covenant - not greatly different from ours. In fact Christ Jesus confirmed the covenant of Abraham because Jesus was the son of Abraham that fulfilled God’s command and promise. Jehovah Jireh - “I will provide myself a sacrifice.”
Whenever we tithe and give as God’s Spirit and His Word directs us, we are saying, "I trust you with my finances, God. Everything I have is Yours just as You have given me everything. Thank You for the covenant that You have made with me through the blood of Christ Jesus." And tithing and giving into God’s kingdom-building efforts activates a God ordained law in the earth - the law of sowing and reaping. Don’t you believe in sowing and reaping?
God made a law in the earth, "Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap." "As long as the earth remains, there will be seedtime and harvest." Jesus confirmed that it includes finances. "Give and it shall be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. Men shall give to you. With the measure that you pour out it shall be measured back to you." Paul confirmed this in his writings as well. Purpose in your heart to be a giver like Our Father and give as The LORD directs you.