THE PROMISE, PURPOSE, PLACE, AND DAY FOR TITHING

The purpose of tithing is to teach you always put God first in your lives. Deuteronomy 14:23 (TLB)

Honor God’s ways in whatever you want him to bless. If you want God to bless your home, honor God’s ways in your home. If you want God to bless your business, honor God’s way of doing business. If you want God to bless your finances, honor (or follow) God’s ways as you handle your finances. The word tithe means ten percent. Tithing is giving the first ten percent of your income back to God. Here are four verses that explain the promise, the purpose, the place and the day for tithing. The Promise: Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income, and he will fill your barns with wheat and barley and overflow your wine vats with the finest wines (Proverbs 3:9-10 TLB). God promises that if you honor him with the first part of your income, he will bless you financially. The Purpose: The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first in your lives (Deuteronomy 14:23 TLB). God doesn’t need your money, but he wants what it represents—your heart. God wants you to trust him. The Place: “Bring to the storehouse a full tenth of what you earn… Test me in this,” says the Lord All-Powerful. “I will open the windows of heaven for you and pour out all the blessings you need” (Malachi 3:10 NCV). The storehouse is the place where you worship God. Giving to a relief organization or to someone in need is charity, but it is not tithing. Tithing is an act of worship, given at the place of worship. The Day: On every Lord’s Day each of you should put aside something from what you have earned during the week, and use it for this offering. (1 Corinthians 16:2 TLB). When are you supposed to tithe? You tithe on the day you worship. By giving God the first part of your income on the first day of the week, you are saying to him, “I honor (follow) your ways as I handle my finances.” Then watch how God blesses and uses you, and honors his promise in your life.