Top 5 Reasons NOT to Tithe
- You think tithing is a lottery - meaning you're expecting a 1000 fold increase in 30 days or less.
- You expect God to honor you with a BMW because of it.
- You think you might not get into heaven if you don't.
- You do it grudgingly.
- You don't believe God will do what He promised regarding it.
“As base a thing as money often is, yet it can be transmuted into everlasting treasure. It can be converted into food for the hungry and clothing for the poor. It can keep a missionary actively winning lost men to the light of the gospel and thus transmute itself into heavenly values. Any temporal possession can be turned into everlasting wealth. Whatever is given to Christ is immediately touched with immortality.”
A.W. Tozer
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
Galatians 6:7
God honors those who honor Him. Don't be deceived into thinking other wise. So what do you do when you're sowing and nothing is happening?
Keep sowing.
Keep giving.
Keep praying.
Keep believing.
Don't you dare quit!
Bible scholar Rick Renner points out the Greek word used for sowing depicts a continual process.
The Greek tense does not denote a single, one-time sowing; rather, it pictures a person who continually, habitually sows. Therefore, it could be translated, "Whatsoever a man sows, sows, sows, and sows - and keeps on habitually sowing and sowing and sowing...." In other words, this describes a constant, steady, perpetual sowing of seed. And if you sow this seed steadily and faithfully, God's promise is that you will reap a harvest. The word for "reap" is in the same Greek tense, meaning that it could be translated, "You will reap, reap, reap, and reap - and keep on habitually reaping and reaping and reaping."
For more Greek gems from Rick Renner...
http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/sparkling-gems/sparkling-gems-from-the-greek-week-of-august-1.html
Have you ever noticed that the Bible asks you to so some seriously counterintuitive things? Look at some of these statements from the New Testament.
When troubles come your way, consider it...great joy.
James 1:2
Do not be anxious about anything.
Philippians 4:6
Don’t worry about tomorrow.
Matthew 6:34
When people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you...Be happy about it!
Matthew 5:11, 12
Really God? When you think about it, it just doesn’t make sense to our natural mind. You feel like saying, “God, that’s not how it works.”
The reality is His ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8-9) And if it was easy, it would come naturally. But it doesn’t. Our flesh doesn't want to do things God’s way and that’s probably why the Bible has to remind us again and again how to live life God’s way.
We are called to walk according to the Spirit rather than the flesh. (Romans 8) God sometimes asks us to do the difficult things in our spiritual walk. We have to remember that no matter how hard it may be, His ways are best. God calls us in His Word to come, wait, and ask of Him all that we need. We need the help of the Holy Spirit to listen and obey the Word of God. The good news is He is always more than eager to help us.
