The tithe of the thing has made many to stop going to church; that was the reason I asked myself ‘do God really want our tithe?’
Last year when I relocated to New apartment, I decided to join the local assembly of my church since they had a branch in my new apartment.
In my previous place of worship, my pastor didn't really talk about tithe like; he preached salvation of the soul.
Well! As a Christian, I believe it is good to pay tithe, and I was paying my tithe.
When I relocated, I could not get myself back because of the expense I have made to relocate. I decided to pay my tithe in my difficulty. It got to a certain time, I don't have money to pay for tithe.
The pastor called me, he didn't even ask about my salvation and my life. He asked me, “Pastor Christ, you have not been paying your tithe; what is happening?”
I decide to lie that I'm paying my tithe to my formal church and that is how I want it.
“It is not done like that you have to pay tithe to a church you are worshiping."
Sir, if I pay tithe to my formal church, it is the same denomination, it is the same church. I am not leaving my formal church, and I was made assistant pastor over there; I am still discharged from my duties as assistant pastor whenever I go there. I am worshiping here anytime I am at home since this church is not far away from my house.
Pastor replied “you should leave your formal church and join here.
I was really astonished but I just needed to calm down for what he said. I knew the reason he wanted me to join the church was because of my tithe nothing else.
We spoke at lent and I discovered he wanted me to join the church.
Since I was new in the environment, the kind of zeal I had that was in me in my formal church always wanted me to go to every service in the new environment.
I would wait in the church for our weekly service, the pastor wouldn't come to church; most times the pastor did not come, I would lead the prayer and preach.
I was disturbed and worried because of the inconsistency of my pastor; that was how the zeal went down. More than 3 months now, I have not stepped into the church, but always attend the one in my office.
Those times I used to attend the church, the pastor always preached about tithe as if one did not pay a tithe, it is a big offense. This is the reason I need everyone's opinion about it.
“10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
“11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and He shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.” -Malachi 3:10-11
This is purely the truth that you should bring your tithe to the storehouse of God… there is no contraction about it.
“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.” -2 Corinthians 9:6-7
Sincerely, God loves a Cheerful giver; this simply means if you give to God and you are not happy about it, it may not be accepted.
I believe, if you want to give, you should do something that will make you happy, not sad. For instance if my monthly earnings are $1000; and after paying the bills and everything, I only left with $100. Is it good to pay the tithe of $100 that is left in my hand; I should not worry about what I should eat till next month; I should just wait for a miracle to happen to me without planning for my expenses.
Let me tell you this, God is more interested in you than your money, God did not need your money.
“10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
“11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
“12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
“13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
“14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High.” -Psalms 50:10-14
Your money is nothing to God! God is only interested in the salvation of your soul, not your money.
I heard that a pastor said that your first fruit is for me; that is not the truth. In the old testament, when a farmer bought their first fruits, the priest prayed for it; and the owner could take it back home to eat. But today, your pastor is the owner of your first fruit.
Does tithe mean money?
Today, many churches don't collect materials, they only collect money. They will tell you to convert anything you want to give God to money.
The first place that Tithe was recorded in the Bible was Genesis 14: 19-20. Abraham gave tithe to Melchizedek, and it wasn't money. I believe you can give anything to God as tithe; you just have to know that in your heart that it is your tithe.
I heard a story of a woman, who had the zeal for God, and the pastor said, “if you can contribute to the building of this church and hospital, three months is too much for God to bless you."
The church was just launched then, they only got the land! This woman went and sold his uncompleted house and brought everything to the pastor with pure heart.
They built a gigantic church and hospital with the money they got.
According to the plan, any church member that is sick will receive free treatment.
Her business went down, and she couldn't afford to take care of herself and her children.
When she had nothing she could give to the church again, they removed her from her position and gave it to a woman that had more money than her in the church.
After they stripped her from her position because she was poor; she started thinking and became sick.
She was taken to the hospital believing that since she was part of a people that contributed big money to build the church and hospital.
After 2 days, they said they cannot treat her because of the money they would lose in the hospital. When she heard about it she cried and was taken home; that was how she died.
Tithe is a good thing and it is good to pay if you are happy about it; but for me, I cannot leave my friends and siblings in challenges and give the money to a pastor. I will use the money to take care of them before considering a pastor. I believe that what I'm doing is biblical and I have a reward for it.
There are many people that refuse to go to church because of money issues. If you go to church without paying an offering or tithe, they will not recognize you in the church. They don't care anymore where you get money, the moment you support a project, they will make such a person chairman in the church.
Without money, they won't recognize you in the church!
I believe this is not how it is everywhere.
God is interested in everyone, and is not interested in your money.
Why do some pastors preach tithe more often than the rest of the things in the Bible?
Please tell me in the comment section