Tithing questions

[Shana]

We just started tithing before the new year and this is totally brand new territory for me. I am looking for others who are tithing and would like to talk about it.

If you could tell me about your experiences that would be great. I am still new in my walk and I feel the pressure of outside unbelieving influences that have to do with money and giving. I completely agree and believe in tithing but am having trouble letting go of my preconceived notions about giving money to the church (even though I know in my heart that I am giving my money into the kingdom of God).

If anyone would like to talk with me about it that would be great! :D

[JeanineAnne]

Hey Shana :)

There are quite a few of us around here who tithe and tithe regularly, I really hope that many of them will share with you God's provisions when they trust in God with all they have.

I also hope, that we can restrain from the big debate of how much to give and stay focused on why to give :)

Once we can come to the conclusion that everything we have is from the Lord and so everything we have is His, tithing is easier :) It is so much easier to say, but Lord I need this all to make ends meet and we forget that God can do more with what we have after tithing, then we can ever do with all of it ;)

For us (hubby and I), I can tell you first hand that when we aren't tithing, our finances are a mess. When we do tithe, especially when we think we don't have enough, there is always more than enough. Funny how that works, but then again, God is God. It is most evident when we have little and still give. I remember very much about 4 years ago. Rent and every utility we had was behind. Hubby was doing whatever he could to find driving hours (he was a truck driver) and routes. We had one car and it was in desperate need of repair in order to keep running. We had slacked off on tithing in order to make ends meet, but we were just falling farther and farther behind.
My husband declared that it was enough, and we were going back to giving. Within 4 weeks, all was caught up and we were back to giving 10%. The only change was tithing. He didn't get a new job or better hours or better pay. Things just happened. The water company contacted us with an error and so our bill was way less, actually the mistake carried over to the next month :D, we ended up being approved for a heating grant that we were told we weren't going to be able to get, a friend of my husband order a part for his car that wasn't returnable and it ended up fixing our car instead of his.

We honestly haven't fell to far since then in tithing. The moment we do, we feel the strain...even just a little.

Like you though, we've found that we don't talk about it with to many people. Everybody has an opinion about tithing, and many aren't biblical. We do what we feel is right between us and God and don't feel the need to explain that to anyone else. But if someone asks if they should give, we are more than happy to encourage that.

Right now, the church is on the frontlines in furthering the Kingdom. One only needs to watch the evening news once to realize that our time here is short. There are so many lost people out there right now that desperately need the Lord's touch. When you give to the storehouse, it equips them to carry that message out. Perhaps being church staff makes me more sensitive and aware of that, but it is true. Outreaches, VBS, children's ministry, music, paper, phones, electric....all of that costs money. It is by our tithe that we equip our churches to assist us in carrying out the great commission.

[pioneerchristianmomof3]

I understand the concepts of titheing...but I am having a hard time doing it. :oops: Our paychecks are always too little to cover everything.(we have purposed to be debt free, so we pay cash for everything) It feels weird to tithe when I know a bill will go unpaid...almost irresponsable...KWIM?
How have others changed their thinking...I was trained to NEVER spend bill money anywhere else. It is so hard to break this cycle! I would appreciate some council and prayers.

[JeanineAnne]

We were once told to look at tithe like a bill. It is owed to God and is the first bill paid each pay. I'm sure there are people who will find fault with that, but it worked for us in the beginning.

[Madre]

Some verses on giving:

Luke 6

38 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.

1 Corinthians 16

1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.

2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

2 Corinthians 8

1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

2 Corinthians 9

6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

[Shana]

The 2 Cor 6-9 really speaks to my heart.

When we were talking about starting to tithe, we kept saying we can't afford 10%. My husband does our finances and I followed his lead on it. But, after a church meeting, his heart was changed and we started tithing. We do have more than enough and I think the reason we do is because we are tithing.

I have faith, hope and trust in the Lord to provide for us. There are times when I feel myself starting to stress about where money will come from and worry about not having enough and every time I am brought back to the Lord and my love for Him reminds me that He will take care of us. He wants better things for us than we can even imagine!

Praise you Father!

Thank you all for sharing with me! I hope more will contribute if they feel led to do so. :D

[kymommy]

In the past few months we have been trying to view giving as worship, because it truly is. I didn't always have that attitude. But now we put money in offering with a prayer and praise to God. If we are blessed and able to give over and above our tithe, we pray as a family about where that needs to go. It's really helped to grow closer to God, and help our children learn to have giving hearts.
We also take tith out first, before bills. Finances have been tight for all our 12 years of marriage, but God has never ceased to be faithful in meeting our needs. :D

[logosnimby]

We were once told to look at tithe like a bill. It is owed to God and is the first bill paid each pay. I'm sure there are people who will find fault with that, but it worked for us in the beginning.

yep, i agree. And also another thing to think about, who do you have to fear the most. Man or God? For me it is God. If you are not able to pay your tithe FIRST to God and still be able to afford what you have, then you are living beyond your means. Also, how can God NOT bless you for being faithful in titheing? He wants us to test Him in this matter. He even says so in the bible. Believe, if you give to Him what is his, then your will be rewarded. :!:

And another thing to check out is the crown ministries. They also help explain why we should tithe and tithe all 10% :)
www.crown.org

[PBJ]

Well, for our family I can say that we aren't the best with tithing. :oops:

Right now we don't have a church family so we aren't tithing and I know that is wrong! We should be tithing! But, we look at it as also another bill that was always the FIRTH thing paid. We belive we give to help the church full fill the work of the Lord to carry out his message. We have seen in our lives when we don't tithe we aren't protected (for a lack of better words) as well as when we are. I hope that makes since. Almost like it's a do what I say and I wouldn't have to teach you a lesson the hard way. I hope that makes since. That is just how dh and I look at it.

[kymommy]

I don't like thinking of our tithe as a bill. Bills are frustrating and make me crabby. Like I said before, I think tithing is an act of worship. Everything we have is from His hands. I think we should literally offer Him everything in prayer and let Hime guide us with each penny. Even after we tithe, I try to seek God in our spendingall our spending. I even offer a prayer before I hit the grocery. It really does make a difference. The biggest difference is in my attitude. Before I buy something I ask myself "Is this what God wants His money spent on?" or "Is this purchase adding to God's kingdom?"

[pioneerchristianmomof3]

I don't really like the "idea" of tithing as a bill, but I think it might help to get in the "habit". Some times it takes a while for me to come to grips with doing the "right" thing, before it happens with joy and a good attitude.(ie.being submissive to dh)
It was mentioned earlier that if you can't tuthe and afford your bills...you may be living beyond your means...that has been true in the past. Right now we are living very frugally...we don't even have a car! I know God is trying to teach us something here...I just wish I'd Learn it faster! :wink:

[JeanineAnne]

Please don't get me wrong about the tithing as a bill.

Like mentioned by Traci, it is more for people who need to get into the habit of it.

With all things, it has to be a heart change. Once God has placed it on your heart to tithe and you want to as a form of worship and obedience, then many need to get into the physical habit. It is also important that tithe come first. So, when you look over your "bills" you can say, hey, there is tithe and it needs to be paid first. It isn't that you loathe doing it, because like I said, once you get to that point God has already done the heart change :)

[kymommy]

(((JeanineAnne)) Hugs! I do see what you are saying. And if it helps someone to get into the habit of tithing, then seeing it like a bill is a good thing. I just hate those darned ole bills that keep popping up in my mailbox! Sometimes I dread even checking my mail. Tithing with a good attitude took me years! And I still have to stay in the Word to keep my attitude in check in this area. I think this is one area where satan can creep in easliy and steal our joy and blessings by keeping us from tithing.

[Shana]

I think this is one area where satan can creep in easliy and steal our joy and blessings by keeping us from tithing.

Amen!

I notice that too. He is so sneaky and persistant. Just slips little things under the door and waits for them to explode. But, we're on to him! I am thankful that God placed this in my heart and so far I have been joyful and glad that we are now tithing. It actually beings me great joy to know I am giving to the kingdom of God :D

[SupermansLady]

I am so glad you started this thread! Tithing comes naturally to me as I have grown up in a Christian household and we just did it. No questions asked. My DH on the other hand as a new Christian is still struggling with understanding why we should and how much. The scriptures given and many of your testimonies are wonderful! I'll be printing them to share with my DH tonight!


Thanks!

[cjropher]

Malachi 3:10

10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

This is written on our tithing envelopes and it really hit me. We are to test the Lord in this and see what happens. That much money used to seem like so much but we take it off the top and we have never never missed it. Also, whether we tithe or not, we never have any money left over at the end of the month. So we might as well tithe because the money seems to go somewhere! LOL

I would like to ask though, for those who have their own businesses, do you tithe on the gross of the business or on your personal gross? We tithe on our personal gross and debate if we should tithe on our business gross. But we are talking more money again and we just don't know. Maybe we should test God and see...

[savedbygrace]

We have always tithed 10% because that belongs to God. I can tell you from my own experience that you can not out give God. My dh does not make a lot, infact we our considered poverty pay. I don't really work since I am a sahm. But we have many many nice things. And no we are not in deep debt. God has always given us way more than we could ever give Him. God is not a lier and He promises to bless those that tithe. It's also a reflection of your faith. Growing up if something went wrong in our family that caused a finacial strain my mom would always ask my dad if he tithed. Be faithful to it. and God promises that you will see His blessings.

[Mab]

We started tithing about a year or 2 ago.
This was like about a year or so after I resigned from work (going from 2 income to 1) AND my husband changed jobs - to a different company where he was actually earning less.
So it was tough taking a far bigger sum than the normally perhaps 1%.
And it was amazing. Our budget balanced, and we still put away.
We too, do not like debt. Our home is the only thing we paying off. (okay, and the new car we recently bought)
But God has blessed us so much.
We have done so much that I cannot believe how we did it.
We have bought a new car. (and we not paying SO much more in on it) we have done home improvements, gone on holiday, done more and more home improvements. and now the new baby... and still God comes through each month. some how the bills either get smaller, or the money seems to "mulitply" like the 2 fish & 5 breads. lol.
I don't know. But God is amazing. He is faithful, and Will not forsake you!

We look at it that all the money we recieve - is God giving us (not our employer or whatever) and God allows us to keep 90%. ever month, when we do the transfers, my dh & I stand together by the pc where we do the transfer and pray - thanking the Lord for providing for us.
He is an awesome God.
He wants you to trust Him. So He can show you just how amazing He is - and how He wants to bless you. (but first ,you must trust Him. Put Him first in your life - In EVERYTHING - and that includes your finances..)

I eagerly await to hear your amazing stories of what God is going to do in your life !

[Madre]

Savedbygrace is so right! We can't outgive God! I think the beauty of being the Redeemed is that now we are free to give! We aren't under the law, but are free to give as we are prospered; to be cheerful givers. :D