Thursday, October 19, 2023
To many, tithing (giving a tenth of your income to the church) has become a dirty word in our society. When the subject of money is broached in church, people automatically get defensive, but the Bible speaks more about money than almost any other topic and not for the reasons you might think.
Proverbs 3:9-10
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. 10 Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.
By honoring God first with our money, we are demonstrating the attitude of stewardship. We acknowledge that God is the owner of all we have, and that we are the stewards of his resources. It is an act of trust. Giving to God first reminds us that no matter what, we believe that God will provide for our needs. God does not need our resources, but he does want us to experience the blessing of full trust that comes from not being controlled by our material goods. Giving to God means that money is not our master. It loses its control over us when we freely give it away.
Today, giving 10% remains a good practice, but if you can’t start there, prayerfully consider what trusting God looks like for you and begin there. What does tithing look like in real numbers? If you make $1,000 a month, you would give $100 right off the top to your local church. It is not from what is left over or what you “can spare.” You give to God first, and then live on the rest. Tithing is not an empty exercise—it is an act of faith that requires personal discipline. God has promised blessings to those who choose to live open-handedly.
Giving doesn’t make sense to the world, but it should be a sign that a Christ follower trusts God with everything, including their money.
Malachi 3:10
“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!”
Questions:
Are you regularly giving to the church? What is stopping you from giving a full tithe? What changes would you have to make to your lifestyle to be able to consistently give a tithe?
Next Steps:
Determine what a tithe (10%) is for you, and commit to tithing for the next 3 months. If you’re not ready to give a full tithe, choose to take a step of faith and give intentionally a set amount each month.
If you are struggling with your finances, join a Life, Money, Legacy Group and learn how to take control of them instead of being controlled by them. You can find and join these in the Featured Groups section on the home page of the CedarCreek app.
Prayer:
Father, you are the Great Provider. Everything I have has been generously given to me by you. Thank you for blessing me with the resources I have. Give me courage to step out and experience the freedom of giving my money back to you. Help me to trust that you are faithful and will honor my gifts. Take away my fears and give me confidence that you are good and will provide for my every need. Amen.
Series Theme Verse:
Matthew 6:33
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
This post was written by Julie Mabus, a regular contributor to the LivingItOut Devotional.