Biblical Prosperity in Perspective 22

Why I Obediently, Cheerfully & Expectantly Pay Holy Tithes

by Pastor John Hamel

We are well into our study on the subject of Biblical prosperity in perspective.  In our last two lessons, we saw that the Old and the New Testaments both hint at and command tithing.  

In this lesson I would like to share with you just some of the many reasons why I obediently, cheerfully and expectantly pay holy tithes.

I Tithe Because I Am Obedient

Jesus said to give to God all things that belong to Him. (Matthew 22:21)  The tithe belongs to God. (Leviticus 27:30)  God commands that His tithe be brought to the spiritual storehouse. (Malachi 3:8-10)  

Therefore, He can count on me to obey Him, cheerfully.  God honors only cheerful giving. (2Corinthians 9:7)  I want God to trust me with His power.  

I want God to trust me with more money.  It all starts by showing Him He can trust me with His holy tithe. (Haggai 2:8; Psalm 24:1)

I Tithe to Honor My Half of Our Covenant

God has given us the power to get wealth so we can have the financing to evangelize the world first and live comfortably second. (Deuteronomy 8:18)  The only way God’s promised harvest of wealth is going to come is by planting seed, financial seed.  After all, seed produces after its own kind.  

Therefore, when I plant my tithe into the fertile soil of true New Testament Ministry, it is the first step towards a guaranteed harvest of wealth for evangelizing the world and living comfortably.  Only by my honoring God’s Covenant command to pay tithes and offerings will He honor His Covenant promise to prosper me financially. (Malachi 3:8-10)  

I do a little thing and plant my tithes and offerings.  That is my responsibility under the Covenant.  

God does a much bigger thing and sends my financial harvest supernaturally.  That is His responsibility under the Covenant.

I Tithe Because I Love God

One day I was driving along with my wife, Barbara.  The vehicle in front of us had a bumper sticker that read, “Honk if you love Jesus.”  I said to Barbara, “We should make bumper stickers that say ‘Tithe if you love Jesus.’” 

Love is the strongest emotion and the greatest motivator in existence.  Solomon said that all the oceans in the world could not drown love. (Song of Solomon 8:7)  

For the Disciple who truly loves Jesus and truly loves Jesus’ desire to see the lost people of the world saved, the holy tithe is simply the beginning of giving.  For the true lover of Christ, tithing is just the tip of the iceberg.  

I Tithe Because I Ought to Tithe

Jesus commended the Pharisees when He said, “Ye pay tithes … these OUGHT ye to have done.” (Matthew 23:23)  The word “ought” is a word that all Believers ought to look at more closely.  It means “to be obliged to fulfill; an expression of moral obligation and duty; to owe; to follow the dictates of one’s conscience; it implies the compulsion of necessity and stresses an extremely strong obligation.” 

Wonderful Jesus.  He always finds the right word for the occasion, doesn’t He?  In this case, He chose the word “ought” concerning the subject of tithing.

I tithe because I am obliged to tithe.  Tithing is an expression of my moral obligation and duty.  I tithe because I owe God the holy tithe.  

When I tithe I am following the dictates of my human conscience.  I tithe because it is a necessary and an extremely strong obligation.  I tithe because I ought to tithe.

I Tithe Because Robbery Doesn't Suit the Believer in Christ

When Israel withheld God’s tithe, He called them “God robbers.”  Most Christian people would never consider walking into a bank with a gun and robbing it.  Yet some of those very same people dare to reach right into God’s wallet and help themselves to ten percent of whatever is in there.  

Although we might have the power to do such a dishonorable thing, certainly we do not have the authority.  Too many people look for every excuse and loophole to escape paying the tithe.  Not me.  

When it is my turn to stand before Him in judgment, I am determined to not be afraid.  I am determined to hear Him say, “Step right up here to My bench, Honey,” smiling.  I am determined that I will NOT hear Him say, “Step right up here to My bench, Houdini, Jr.  Let’s talk about the subject of My holy tithe.  You know, the money you were stealing from Me while you were in the Earth.”

I Tithe Because I'm Not a Hypocrite 

The Apostle Paul told young Pastor Timothy to be an example to his congregation in all things. (1Timothy 4:12)  This is necessary for all Ministers.  How could I, as a Minister, receive tithes and not pay tithes myself?  That would make me a hypocrite.  

 

Under the Old Covenant, the Levites not only received tithes, they also paid tithes on all they received.  We, as Ministers, ought to follow their Godly example and ought to set a Godly example.

 

I Tithe Because I'm Just like My Spiritual Father, Abraham

As Believers, the Bible says that Abraham is the father of us all. (Romans 4:16)  Abraham is the first man on record to pay tithes by faith. (Genesis 14:20)  His grandson, Jacob, followed his example by faith. (Genesis 28:22)  Levi was Abraham’s direct descendant and the father of the Levites.  He paid tithes by faith. (Hebrews 7:9)  I am the spiritual seed of Abraham.  He is my spiritual father. (Galatians 3:29)  

Therefore, I am simply honoring my family heritage when I pay tithes by faith.  What kind of child would I be if I were to refuse to imitate my spiritual father’s most honorable deeds?  Jesus said, “If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.” (John 8:39) 

I Tithe So My Pastor Can Work Efficiently & Live Comfortably

This is where I jump up on my soapbox and get very long-winded without apology.  My Pastor and his family need groceries.  They need to pay their bills and to be free from the stress of debt, lack and poverty.  My Pastor and his family need to be setting an example of health and wealth to their congregation and their community.  My Pastor needs to be free to study, to pray and to counsel his flock and preach and teach multiple times per week.  These things take time, much time. 

I am a Preacher and a Teacher.  I have stood in the Office of the Pastor for over twenty-five years.  I know what I am talking about.  I simply cannot expect my Pastor to work two fulltime jobs, one to support himself and his family, another to support me and the rest of the rebellious sheep.  My Pastor must be free to work fulltime at the call of God upon his life.  I pay my tithes to him to enable him to do just that. 

How sad and disgraceful it is that honest people will pay their debts to the bank, retailers and the government, yet, they dare to withhold God’s tithe from God’s appointed Pastor.  What an indictment!  Yet still, these same individuals expect the Pastor to have good spiritual food on the table so they can just sit there and gobble it down like selfish little piggies.  Do not get mad at your Pastor now.  He did not say that.  I said it.  I said it as an experienced Pastor, too.  

 

It is a disgrace to a Church when the Pastor has to work another job when there should be sufficient tithe income to easily support him or her.  The Bible says that those who preach the Gospel should earn their living from the Gospel. (1Corinthians 9:9-14)

 

I Tithe to Avoid Living under the "God Robber" Curse

The Bible says that tithe stealers live under a financial curse. (Malachi 3:9)  Tithe stealers withhold God’s tithe to pay their bills only to create what I call more unnecessary “curse bills.”  

Eventually all of the stolen tithe is needed to pay added transportation and medical bills and dozens and dozens of other unforeseen things that occurred because of the “God robber” curse.  

All the so-called “extra” is wasted on things that would have been avoided had they only obeyed God concerning His holy tithe.  The Bible calls the God robber lifestyle “… putting money in a bag with holes in it.” (Haggai 1:6)

I Tithe So God Can Bless Me Supernaturally 

God blesses the tithe payer.  Plain and simple fact.  “Bring ye all the tithes … and prove Me … sayeth the Lord … I will … pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” (Malachi 3:10) 

“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)

 

I want God to put it on the hearts of others to remember me with their giving.  I want Almighty God Himself to remember my giving.  He remembered the widow’s mite. (Mark 12:42,43)  He remembered how generous Cornelius was in his giving. (Acts 10:1-5)  An Angel actually appeared to Cornelius with a message from Almighty God, telling him that God saw his giving as a “memorial.”  What an honor.  

 

I do not want God to remember me for what I refused to give back to Him.  I want God to remember me for what I gave obediently, cheerfully and expectantly.

 

God remembered what Israel refused to give.  He notices everything.  I want Him to know that He can trust me big time so He can bless me big time.  

 

I need more money to go out seeking and saving the lost with the message of Christ. (Luke 10:19)  

 

I need more money to break the power of Satan off their lives once I find them. (1John 3:8)  

 

I also need God to give me more money so I can be a testimony of wealth on His behalf, so I can give more and keep the cycle of blessing the world going.

 

The giving of tithes and offerings is the only place in the entirety of Scripture where God gives humanity permission to test Him and to prove Him.  God wants us to see that He will bless us and prosper us.  He wants us to see that putting His Covenant first will produce great wealth and riches for Kingdom builders. (Psalm 112:3)

 

I have trusted, tested and proven God.  He has been nothing short of faithful to me.  It is always better to give to God that which is holy and belongs only to Him.  Tithes and offerings will produce tremendous wealth for seeking the lost, destroying the works of Satan and abundant living.  Try it and see for yourself.

 

Tithes and offerings certainly will not save anyone.  The only way to be saved from the penalty and the punishment of sin is to be Born Again by accepting Christ as one’s Lord and Savior. (John 3:3)  

 

However, tithes and offerings will indeed save one from suffering the “God Robber” curse. (Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Galatians 3:13,14)

 

These are just some of the reasons why I obediently, cheerfully and expectantly give BACK to God His holy tithe and offerings.

 

Be blessed … John and Barbara Hamel

 

 

How to Be Born Again (Receive Christ as Your Savior)

 

How to Receive The Holy Spirit & Power

 

 

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