Part 1
Let there be light (יהי אור) ~ ihi or ... Fiat Lux
... B'RESHIYTH (Genesis) 1 vs 3
If there has ever been a topic that has caused so much confusion, so much division and so much controversy among the so-called "Christians" or "believers" or "Church" it would be the ever hot topic of Tithing.
The Tithe or haMa’aser (the Tithe or a tenth), originally, was meant for giving honor to YAHAWAH EL ELYON and it entailed giving an offering that comprised a tenth of an increase that you have been blessed with or have received. In ancient times, even before Abram's time, Tithing as a form of honor given also to those who were perceived to be of either royalty or a higher status. It was a gesture used to show respect. Then it was like the law of the land during that time period.
This form of honoring YAHAWAH can be seen with Abram's encounter with Melchizedek & with Jacob's declaration at Beyt'el in Genesis. At the time of these mentions, though, tithing was not mandated as an obligation from YAHAWAH, not as was commanded of the people of Yashar'el/Leviym (Levites) later on in Numbers. Also the bible mentioned this event only once about Abram & Jacob in the Torah then referenced it in the Brit Chadashah or New Covenant.
Now it is important to note that, Abram (the most commonly used example with regard to tithing) had only tithed once to Melchizedek (Genesis 14 vs 20) and he did so from what he had obtained from the spoils of War, not from wages of regular labor. Please it is important to note, as well, that he gave the remaining 90% to the King that he had rescued, the King of Sodom.
In essence, Abraham gave all the rest away. Hence Abraham never tithed from his income and he actually gave everything away.
Historically, once again, Abram tithed because that was a common practice at the time or the law of the land ... not that it was a command from YAHAWAH as many pastors try to imply each Sunday. And, in case you have not noticed yet, at the time he met Melchizedek, his name was still Abram (so this tithe took place before ABBA YAHAWAH established His covenant with Abraham).
In Genesis 28 vs 22, Jacob pledged to tithe also to YAHAWAH to give Him honor but ... this too was not commanded by YAHAWAH either and was also a one time thing.
A very interesting fact is that both Abram and Jacob tithed after they had already been blessed, they did not tithe in order to seek blessings, as most pastors, today, tell us and would have us believe. This is evidence that pastors twist the scriptures, especially on tithing, in their favor in order for the congregation to believe and give.
It is commonly pointed out that Levi, through Abraham, tithed to Melchizedek. This is used so often by pastors as a reason for tithing to continue today but the truth is that the order of Melchizedek is superior to the Levitical order and under the order of Melchizedek, which supersedes the Levitical order, we are truly encouraged to live a life of joyful giving to the poor, the widow, the orphan, the stranger and even our enemies that are in need. We are not told to Tithe to our local "church" or online ministry.
Later on in the scriptures, the tithe, though still meant to be for YAHAWAH's Honor, also became the sustaining system of YAHAWAH for His hand picked tribe of the Levites, who had no land inheritance allotted to them from the promised land (which was promised to the descendants of Yaakov, the people of Yashar'el).
Tithing became an important Levitical order system.
The Levites:
The Levite tribe had the Aaronic lineage, who were the priests and then the rest, the non-Aaronic lineage, who were temple workers. The Aaronic lineage only received 10% of Israel's tithe (10% of the 10%). The remainder of the Levites who were the theocratic workers for Israel received the remainder (90% of the 10%) of Israel's tithe which went to them for their sustenance ... similar the Aaronic Levite priests.
22300 Levites were appointed to look after the Tabernacle and all of its components and furnishings in the wilderness
Numbers 3 vs 21 - 39
The following lists show the many functions of the Levites in Yashar’el but ... these lists also confirm YAHAWAH's declaration to Eli the priest in 1 Shemu'el (Samuel) 2 vs 36
An example of the Levite structure (apart from Aaron's descendants):
During King Shlomo's (Solomon) reign, there were 38000 Levites of which ...
24000 were appointed/commissioned to build the temple.
6000 were Judges and government officers.
4000 were guards.
4000 were singers.
Hence many Levites were actually builders and craftsmen not priests
1 Chronicles 23 vs 1 - 5
Prior to King Shlomo ... 4600 were soldiers in King Dawid's (David) army
1 Chronicles 12 vs 26
During the time of the rebuilding of the wall, the Levites were numbered so:
4000 Civil & Religious officers
4000 singers
There was no temple or tabernacle at this time and no priests
Nehemiah 13 vs 10
Levitical order downward spiral:
An important note ... the decline of the Levitical order started when the Aaronic lineage and tabernacle became defiled by Hophni and Phinehas. They were the 2 Sons of Eli, the priest of YAHAWAH, who were described as sons of beliya'al. Their sin was what led to the mention of the end of the Levitical order/Aaronic priesthood in 1 Shemu'el 2. It was in this chapter that YAHAWAH declared to Eli that the Levites would be cut off from YAHAWAH's alter due to the defiling of the Levitical priesthood. Hence the gradual decline of the Levitical order started.
As a matter of fact, not long after, war broke out with the Philistines and the 2 sons of Eli were killed the same day, which confirmed YAHAWAH's declaration to Eli. But then even greater was the issue of the Ark of the Covenant which was captured ... hence confirming both 1 Shemu'el 3 and 1 Shemu'el 4.
Also, a special observation is seen following the tragedy ... the Ark of the Covenant never returned to the Levitical Tabernacle after the Philistines captured it since the Levitical Tabernacle was now defiled. It was only after King Dawid (David) in 2 Shemu'el 6 established the Tabernacle of Dawid (as identified in Acts 15) that the Ark of the Covenant returned to Yashar'el and King Dawid offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before YAHAWAH.
King Dawid was special because Shemu'el, an Ephraimite, who received from YAHAWAH special Melchizedekian anointing, to take over from Eli (a Levite) as a prophet, later anointed King Dawid hence imparting onto King Dawid the Melchizedekian anointing.
This special Melchizedekian anointing was passed down through his lineage to prepare for his descendant YAHAWAHSHAH Ha'MASHIACH who is our King and High Priest.
The "church" today ascribes various names or identifies the Tithe using different "biblical" terms in order to justify selfish the desires of pastors and other members of clergy. There are numerous scriptures that are twisted with these "biblical" terms then interpreted to mean 'money' for the sole purpose of misleading the congregation and robbing the congregation of their money. This is achieved through guilt-shaming the congregation into giving 10% of their monthly monetary income to the "church" with the "church" branded form of "perceived obligation" to God, to the "church" and to their pastor.
The truth is that the paying of Tithes actually ceased with the start of the Brit Chadashah (New Covenant), following YAHAWAHSHAH Ha'MASHIACH's death, burial, resurrection and acsension then the arrival of RUACH HaQODESH.
This remained for a time and voluntary giving took its place, until some Catholic church councils met sometime around 567 AD & 585 AD and brought the Tithing practice back for selfish gain.
A catholic encyclopedia entry:
As the church expanded and various institutions arose, it became necessary to make laws which would insure the proper and permanent support of the clergy.
This was because the vision of growth and increased power would not be possible through voluntary giving alone. So tithing was resurrected, by the catholic church, and then paired up with the fear of the curse of damnation from YAHAWAH or the fear of being declared anathema (ex-communicated or accursed) from MASHIACH by the catholic church. This tactic was used to cajole and control people with fear of damnation. The only intent was to extort money from the congregation.
This Tithing practice was easy to re-institute since Tithing was already in the Bible. Eventually laws were made that allowed the catholic church to kick people out of the catholic church assembly for not paying tithes.
Unfortunately, the fact is that every other off-spring church, since the Protestant movement which came out from or broke away from the catholic church, has continued these practices till date.
This is the reason why we have a lot of these errors about Tithing today.
Now it is worthwhile to know that some of the terms used and interpreted as money are:
Seed
Fruit
First Fruits
Grain
Giving
Sowing
Talents/Minas
Ministers/Pastors violate this scripture daily by lying to YAHAWAH's people/the congregation:
Zechariah 2 vs 8
Commonly misused scriptures by pastors:
These are some of the scriptures that are twisted by pastors. First of all the out-of-context scripture will be referenced here, below, then the full context scripture will follow to explain truth that is really being addressed:
Scripture used: Genesis 8 vs 22 ...
While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
Full context: Genesis 8 vs 20 - 22 ...
Scripture used: Luke 6 vs 38 ...
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.
Full context: Luke 6 vs 30 - 38 ...
Scripture used: Matthew 13 vs 3 & 8 ...
And he spoke many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Full context: Matthew 13 vs 3 - 23
Scripture used: 2 Corinthians 9 vs 8 ...
And YAHUAH is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
Full context: 2 Corinthians 9 vs 6 - 12 ...
Scripture used: John 12 vs 24 ...
Amein, Amein, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die, it brings forth much fruit.
Full context: John 12 vs 23 - 25 ...
Scripture used: Malachi 3 vs 10 ...
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, says YAHUAH TSEVA'OTH, 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.
Full context: Malachi 1, 2 & 3
Other Scriptures include:
Scripture used: 1 Corinthians 16 vs 2 ...
Full context: 1 Corinthians 16 vs 1 - 4 & Romans 15 vs 25
Scripture used: Acts 20 vs 35
Full context: Acts 20 vs 32 - 35
Scripture used: Matthew 25 vs 14 - 30
Full context: Matthew 25 vs 14 - 46
Scripture used: 2 Corinthians 8 vs 9
Full context: 2 Corinthians 8 & 2 Corinthians 9
Scripture used: John 3 vs 16
Full context: Read the entire Besorah according to John
Once you read through the full context of the verses surrounding these often misquoted and misused scriptures, you easily find out the following:
what pastors are trying to say, while quoting these scriptures, has nothing to do with giving money to a building that is labeled "church" nor giving to an organized 501c corporation that is labeled "church"
what the scripture actually focused on was either
giving to the poor, widows, orphans
giving to the Levites under the Levitical order
spreading the gospel under the New Covenant
The interpretation of 'sowing a seed' to mean giving money to the "church" clearly contradicts the scriptures. This false teaching is corrected in Acts 20 vs 34 - 35
Please!!! The true church does not include a physical building. The true church is the body of MASHIACH. We are the church!! We are the body of MASHIACH!! There are numerous scriptures about MASHIACH's body being His Bride and His church. Also the scriptures do say:
"For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them" ... Matthew 18 vs 20
So wherever we may gather together, in His Name, He is with us (and His church is LIVE!! or in session, if I might add). A building is not needed or required.
Gospel for gain:
There may be some pastors that are just running with what they have been taught and may not really be intentionally perpetuating the lie of Tithing today. But if they do continue with the lie after they finally know the truth (any pastor that truly and thoroughly reads the bible should come to the truth with the guidance of RUACH Ha'Qodesh) ... they are deliberately misleading their congregation and calling judgement upon themselves.
All of these corrupt pastors diligently fleece their flock, according to 2 Peter 2 vs 3 for their personal gain. Hence, it is very unfortunate that none of these false preachers are able to sincerely or honestly quote 2 Thessalonians 3 vs 8 - 9 in reference to themselves and have others unanimously agree that this verse does indeed apply to them truthfully?!
Always remember: When you take the text out of context you are left with a con!!
Many many pastors (mostly all these mega-church pastors and/or the mega-church pastor wannabes) are just outright con artists. They use the scriptures to effectively con and scam their congregation weekly. Twisting scripture for personal gain, cloaked under the guise of servitude to ABBA YAHAWAH each week, is what these pastors do. This is despicable.
It is indeed worthy and deserving of the type of judgement that MASHIACH spoke of in the verses following Mark 12:38–44 and Luke 21:1–4 where he pointed out the widow who, due to what she had been taught by an oppressive temple religious system, gave her very last two coins (widow's mite), seeking salvation, thinking that she can actually purchase favor from ABBA YAHAWAH with money. MASHIACH after seeing that went on to prophesy the coming judgement on the temple.
Jude 12 says the following:
These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
This scripture verse from the book of Jude is a prefect description of 97% of pastors today
This 97% of pastors are called the Hyper Charismatic, Seeker Sensitive, Name it & Claim it or Blab it & Grab it, Prosperity Gospel preachers from the Word of Faith movement ... also known by most as the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) movement.
These pastors, per 1 Timothy 6 vs 3 - 5 and Galatians 1 vs 6 - 9, are preaching another gospel.
Now consider these anti-prosperity gospel verses very carefully ... 1 Timothy 6 vs 6 - 12
A side note:
A typical church service, today, is like going to a club ... well, maybe not a night club but like a social club or musical concert of sorts. Weekly you get some music, some comedy, some "important social" information, various "inspirational or uplifting" performances and then the main event ... the headliner which is the Senior Pastor. The only difference is that with a typical club, you pay to get in and you pay for your drinks, and with a regular church service, you pay to get out but you get no drinks except on special occasions (drinks are free though or is it included in your 10% contribution plus additional offering?). Sometimes you actually have to pay twice before you leave the service depending on the church style or denomination.
So ... to set the record straight: The Tithe referred to FOOD!!!
During the Levitical order, the Tithe comprised of crops & livestock. The Tithe was used to support the Levite priests, Levite government workers and the poor under the Levitical order.
The description of the Tithe can be found to be the following:
Seed of the land
Fruit of the tree
Tenth of the Herd and flock
This information was given to the people of Yashar'el in Leviticus 27 vs 30 - 34:
30 And all the tithe of the land , whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the YAHAWAH's: it is holy unto the YAHAWAH. 31 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. 32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the YAHAWAH. 33 He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed. 34 These are the commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai. ... Leviticus 27 vs 30 - 34
Another scripture says grain or corn, new wine, new oil, bechorot (firstlings) of ones herds and flocks are the forms of Tithe to be presented or offered.
Deuteronomy 14 vs 23
Some lists include honey as well.
Honor YAHAWAH with your substance, and with the firstfruits of all your increase: So shall your barns be filled with plenty, and your presses shall burst out with new wine. ... Proverbs 3 vs 9-10
There are many verses in the Torah that talk about the Tithe. Like the following:
Numbers 18 vs 21
Numbers 18 vs 26
Deuteronomy 12 vs 5 - 6
Deuteronomy 14 vs 29
2 Chronicles 31 vs 4 - 5
Nehemiah 10 vs 35
More specifically, there are about 16 verses (a few more actually) that define/describe/list out the contents of the Tithe and some mention what to do with it. In each case, though, the Tithe could only be food (fruits or grain) and livestock from YAHAWAH's Holy Land.
Some of the verses are:
Numbers 18 vs 27 - 28
Deuteronomy 12 vs 17 - 18 ... the tithe is to be eaten
Deuteronomy 14 vs 22 - 23
Deuteronomy 26 vs 12
Tithes and Seed do not include money!!!
Tithes as a firstfruits reference point for pastors:
These were crops put into a basket and given to the Levite priest. Subsequently the firstfruits that was offered was then eaten during the feast/festival by the person who offered the basket along with their family, the Levites and the foreigners/strangers they had invited to eat with them at the festival.
Exodus 23 vs 14 - 19
Deuteronomy 26 vs 1 - 11
The Truth:
1 Corinthians 15 vs 20 - 24: MASHIACH our FirstFruits ... not money
Though some pastors do tell the members of their congregation to read the scriptures for themselves, less than 5% of them really encourage the congregation to read and thoroughly understand the truth about Tithing. In fact most bank on the fact that 90% to 99% of the congregation don't and won't read nor even care to understand what they read if they ever read it at all. This is because for decades or even centuries the Christian congregation has been molded to prefer to be "spoon-fed" whatever the pastor or priest says or tells them whether it is biblical or not.
Now consider this:
Only farmers Tithed. This was because 1st and foremost, Deuteronomy 14 vs 22 says:
You shall truly give ma’aser (Tithe or a tenth) of all the increase of your zera (seed) that the field brings forth year by year. And the 2nd point is that one could not tithe from whatever work they did and produced from their own handiwork. Hence, none of these following people were required to Tithe:
Merchants
Blacksmiths
Fishermen
Carpenters
Builders
***The Tithe does not include one's monetary income!!!
The following is a quote from Dr. Frank Chase Jr's book 'Kleptomaniac: Who's really robbing God anyway?' ...
Many claims are made about the tithe and many people believe them as if those claims come from the mouth of God or His word. What follows are claims that have no bearing in scripture and so you can just regard them as false claims driven by the force of custom and habit and not scripture.
False claim 1. The tithe applies to everyone. This is not true because tithing only applied to those in Israel who who were farmers and ranchers among the 11 tribes who paid the tithe to the Levites. It should also be known that the tithe was commanded for the Levites and since Jesus was from the tribe of Judah, the Bible says nothing about the tribe of Judah receiving tithes. Therefore, the argument that you pay tithes to Jesus is false because he was not from the tribe of Levi.
False claim 2. God requires you to give 10% of your income to the church as a tithe. This is not true because there is not chapters and verse that covers monetary tithing. And because the tithe is empirically defined as food, money was not the tithe of the Bible nor is money required as a tithe in church.
False claim 3. God will curse you if you don’t tithe. This is true only if you did not tithe crops and livestock as God required in the law. There is not curse for not tithing money since the biblical tithe is all edible items.
False Claim 4. God will make you rich by pouring out blessings from the windows of heaven. This is false because the windows of heaven is not about money, it is about the expanse of the sky from which rain falls. If you tithe money when the Bibles does not endure this action, there is no benefit to you because the practice is based on custom, tradition and man’s Law not God’s law.
Who was the statement 'robbing YAHAWAH' directed at?
Malachi 1 vs 6
Malachi 2 vs 1
Malachi 3 vs 3; 5; 6 - 10
It was directed at the Levites who were receiving the Tithe from the other 11 tribes but not giving the 10% of the 10% as was commanded by YAHAWAH
To rob meant 'to spoil' or 'to cheat' since it was translated from the Hebrew word 'qaba' as used in Proverbs 22 vs 23 ... different from the Hebrew word used for thief. So it would seem that, in Malachi, both the Aaronic Levite priests and the non priest Levites were cheating the widows, the orphans and the poor.
I won't be shocked if some that are reading this are surprised to learn that there were actually three Tithes mentioned in Scripture and that they were all annual Tithes (one was every three years actually) not bi-weekly or monthly as most of us have been taught or brainwashed into believing. So the first Tithe was for the Levites, the second Tithe was for going up to Jerusalem for the three Pilgrimage festivals and the third Tithe was to be given every third year (kept in a storehouse) in a Sabbath year cycle for the giving assistance to widows, orphans, the poor/needy and the stranger in need.
Here is a helpful table with references to all three Tithes:
Now, once again, for those that may not be aware of this fact, under the Levitical system, there were 3 types of Tithes:
The 1st Tithe ... for the Levites
The 2nd Tithe ... for the Festivals (3 pilgrimages of the 7 annual Feasts of YAHAWAH)
The 3rd Tithe ... for the widows, orphans and the poor (3 year Tithe kept in the storehouse)
All Tithing was done annually, not after each paycheck.
Since Tithing was a Levitical order command, YAHAWAHSHAH Ha'MASHIACH, as a descendant of Yahudah & Dawid, never collected Tithes, though He is our High Priest and King.
After numerous searches through the scriptures, and countless research, it is discovered that nowhere, not in any of the four Gospels, has it been recorded that YAHAWAHSHAH Ha'MASHIACH paid tithes. Though MASHIACH did not condemn Tithing, HE did rebuke the pharisees for the way that they had forgotten or even deliberately neglected the truly more important part of the reason for the Tithe with regard to care for widows, orphans and the poor.
The true Levitical tithe system had ceased by that time especially due to the Babylonian exile of the tribe of Yahudah which rendered what was remaining of the Levitical order obsolete. So by the post Babylonian exile return, the Levitical order was left completely in a state that was considered no longer functional anymore. This was due to living 70 years in Babylon with no temple. In fact it was at this time that the rabbinical order arose to "halt further assimilation of the Jews into the religious ways of Babylon" and remember to obey the TORAH. The place of communal prayer or worship was now the Synagogue.
Reference to Tithes in the Gospels: (Words of YAHAWAHSHAH)
Matthew 23 vs 23 ... rebuke of pharisees
Luke 18 vs 11 ... pointing out pharisee's pride
Money references:
References to money appear about 32 times in Genesis alone but money was never pointed out as what should be used to pay tithes with anywhere.
Even the book of Exodus mentioned money but with regard to a tabernacle tax that was associated with the census and was payable once a year (by men only) and yet, though money was used in the tabernacle, it was still not associated with Tithes:
Exodus 30 vs 13
Note: There are various scripture references that mention Shekels either as measurements or as money.
There were special circumstances when Money and the Tithe were both mentioned together.
This special circumstance would occur because the person or family that was meant to Tithe actually dwelt far away from where YAHAWAH chose to place His name to offer the Tithe. So the person was instructed to sell their Tithe offering for money and, due to the distance, they were to journey to this far away place with the money from the proceeds of the Tithe offering that was sold and then buy any food or drink that the person desires with Tithe offering money. They will then consume what they bought, with the money, themselves and with family and strangers they invited, at the place that YAHAWAH chose to place His Name, the place designated for giving the Tithe offering.
... Deuteronomy 14 vs 24 - 26
Money is a world system social and financial tool. It is not to be used for Tithes.
***
About the woman gathering sticks, her son, The prophet (Elijah) and the cakes of bread:
Widow obeyed 1st instruction of the prophet but this is not 10% nor FirstFruits
Widow had a giving heart
Did not give the prophet money
... 1 Kings 17 vs 8 - 16 (full story goes up to verse 24)
About the woman, the prophet (Elisha) and the jars of oil:
Widow used what she already had in the house
Made money to offset debt
Did not give the prophet money
Was not asked to Tithe from the proceeds
Kept the rest of the proceeds
... 2 Kings 4 vs 1 - 7
YAHAWAHSHAH Ha'MASHIACH used the coin found in the mouth of the fish that Peter caught to render to Caesar what was Caesar's ... a tax. (from Matthew 22 vs 15)
Hence money is a world system tool and not of His Kingdom. Hence money is not what used and should not be used for Tithes.
***
So again ... the Tithe referred to FOOD!!!
Deuteronomy 14 vs 22
Meat referred to food/edible vegetation and meat/animal flesh from the herd or flock:
Pre-Deluge ... Genesis 1 vs 29
Post-Deluge ... Genesis 9 vs 3
Tithe reference ... meat in My storehouse ... Malachi 3 vs 10
Food storehouse reference:
Deuteronomy 28 vs 12
Deuteronomy 32 vs 34
1 Kings 7 vs 51
Tithes in Torah (OT) vs Offering/Love Gifts in Brit Chadashah (NT):
Torah (תורה): The Tithe was for the Levites, Widows, Orphans, Foreigners/Strangers & Poor/Needy ...
Genesis 14 vs 17 - 23*
Genesis 28 vs 22
Numbers 18 vs 20 - 21; 25 - 32
Nehemiah 10 vs 35 - 40
Nehemiah 13 vs 4 -13
Deuteronomy 14 vs 27 - 29
Remember Abram gave tithes of all the spoils of war to Melchizedek not from his income and then returned the rest of the spoils to the King of Sodom
Lessons from Abram's & Jacob's tithing:
Romans 15 vs 4
Deuteronomy 14 vs 28 - 29
Brit Chadashah:
Giving to assist Ministers, Widows, Orphans, Foreigners/Strangers, the Poor/Needy ...
1 Corinthians 9 vs 7;13 - 14 ... provide support not pay tithes
1 Corinthians 16 vs 1 - 2
1 Timothy 5 vs 17 - 18
Galatians 6 vs 6
Romans 15 vs 26
James 1 vs 27
Acts 4 vs 34 - 35
Acts 6 vs 1
...
Hebrews 7 vs 3; 5 - 9*
Hebrews 11 vs 17
Always remember:
35 I have shewed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. ... Acts 20 vs 35
Care for your ministers. This should be a cheerful giving.
Giving to those in need is the heart of a community that thrives on love.
2 Corinthians 9 vs 6 - 9
WARNING:
Do not be boastful of your giving and let not your heart be full of Pride when you give.
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. ... Matthew 6 vs 1 - 4
So what are we meant to be doing in these times?
What should be done is giving, not tithing, which is what Apostle Paul describes about the Macedonians in the following 2 chapters or letters to the Corinthians:
2 Corinthians 8
2 Corinthians 9
If you are uncertain of what to do in the area of giving, then listen to what the scriptures say to do in James 1 vs 5 when uncertain and recall Matthew 6 vs 19 to 21 also.
And last but not least, if you are blessed by ABBA in Heaven to be doing well or if you are actually rich, then follow Apostle Paul's advice in the verses below:
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living Elohiym, who gives us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
... TIMOTHEUS RI'SHON (1 TIMOTHY) 6:17-19
So GIVE!!!
Give abundantly!! Give cheerfully!! Give obediently!! Give faithfully!! Give secretly!!
But most of all
Give in Love!!!
***
Recommendation: Listen to the following sermon ...
What's happening that people can't see
Shalom!