Tithe - God's Insurance Plan

Pastor J. R. Wilhite, author   Close Window

The tithe is sort of like an insurance plan.

You have insurance for health, car, home, even life insurance for when you die.

What about for the income you bring in? If you could insure it so no matter what happens to you, you would always have an income, wouldn't you do that?

The average insurance for health is about $380 a month; for car is about $100 a month; for home is about $20 a month for a total of $500.

So for $500 a month you expect to pay out a minimum of 20% of total bills incurred from health problems, accident or storm.

The point is if you have a heart attack and spend any length of time in the hospital, you will pay as much as $5,000 more out of pocket (depending on insurance) for your health.

So altogether you could pay out in one year $11,000 for insurance and one stay in the hospital.

What about your income? Yes there are policies that will pay a part of your income, but almost never any bonuses or extras you may count on. Plus you pay for this year after year hoping never to have to use it.

God's insurance, the tithe, is the best you can have. If paid, and paid in the right spirit, it can protect your health, income, home, prevent accidents, and more.

How?

In Malachi we are told that the tithe protects the fruit of your ground.

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.

God based on the tithe, rebukes the devourer.

Strong's Ref. # 398

Romanized 'akal

Pronounced aw-kal'

a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):

KJV--X at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, X quite.

Remember this was written when trade was the way to obtain anything, or one worked for the items needed. Money was used, but not as much as trade.

When most were farmers, herders (sheep), and so on, the worse thing that could happen was something destroyed the crop or killed the herds. Then their income was cut to almost (if not) nothing.

Now replace your income from work in place of the reference to ground because as you work you produce an income or fruit of your labors.

From a simple 10% of your gross income comes insurance that promises you a return so high you can not receive it all.

If you are not getting this you need to look at your tithe.

But first let's review the verses in Malachi.

7. Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return.

Here God is rebuking them for questioning why they should honor God.

8. Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

By not giving God what is His, the Tithe and Offerings, we rob Him of what He can do for us, and in turn rob others.

If we tithe and give offerings we are giving God control of our fruit and not Satan. God set this up to protect us from Satan and the world system.

9. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

The entire nation of Israel at the time was under a curse due to the refusal to tithe.

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.

The storehouse is where ever the Word of God is stored to be shared with others.

John 4:32. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

The tithes are offered to support those who can supply the meat for those who do not have. Yes, it can be food as well as the word, but here it is mostly the word of God.

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.

12. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

Look at that, from the tithe other nations will call this nation blessed. Think about how the USA was at one time a leader in getting the Word out (Meat) and had great storehouses of the meat (word). But as this has declined so has this nation; debt of over 5 trillion dollars, morals gone down the tube, and children killing children just to mention a few. No the USA was never perfect and had its problems. But it previously held God first.

13. Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?

14. Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?

15. And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord heMarkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.

17. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

18. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

To often people get into the legalistic part of the word or become law based, and forget this is all about the spirit and a relationship in the spirit with God.

Luke 6:2-5

2. And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?

3. And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;

4. How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?

5. And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

The tithe will bring you the following.

· Spiritual growth

· Income Protection

· Increase of the fruits of your labors

If you are going to start complaining about your money, work or fruit of your labor then first look at your tithes and offerings.

· Do give a tithe and offering ?

· Do you give it for the right reason ?

· Do you give it joyously ?

Yes, the tithe is of the law and the Old Testament, the New Testament calls on the 100% not the 10%, but you have to start somewhere. And not with a 1, 2, or 3% offering, but with a 10% tithe off the top of your income. Meaning, if you gross $1,000 a week and clear $750 a week, you do not tithe on the $750, you tithe the $1,000. SO your tithe would be $100. The tithe is before taxes or anything else.

Then comes the offerings. This is over and above the tithe. This is a showing of your love.

Who do you tithe to?

You tithe to God via the Church or teacher by whom you are fed. What ever storehouse feeds you is where into the tithe should go.

Is there just a tithe of my income?

No, there is a tithe of your time and talents as well.

Time, should be tithed to God in prayer, study, and listening to Him for guidance.

Not everyone can spend more than 2 - 3 hours a day in the word, prayer and listening, so this is why you should tithe to the person(s) who feed you or at least who has fed you the most.

It is like eating out. If you eat at Steak-N-Ale, you do not pay Red Lobster. So the same is for your tithe and offerings.

The offering is showing your faith in God and His word and is a blessing to the person(s) who feed you. It is like a tip. If the service was good you may leave more than if it was bad.

So the next time you eat out, think about the cost of the meal, and the tip. And then think about how much you are tithing, and giving offerings for the true meat, the meat of God.

Review:

Tithe is 10% of your gross income to go to where you are fed the word of God. Where you have learned the most about God.

Offerings are a way to show your love of God by blessing others, especially those who are used to feed you. A form of a tip as you would give someone who served you a meal.

Tithe can and should be of your income, time, and talents.

Bless yourself by, right now, sitting down and figuring out your tithe. Write it out and give it to the person(s) who have fed you the most. While you are at it, add in a tip (offering) If your tithe (price of a meal like eating out) is $500 then the tip (offering) should be no less than what you would give a server at a restaurant. If you give a stranger 10-20% tip, why would you not do the same for those who feed you eternal food.

Coments may be sent to the Author, Pastor J. R. Wilhite at:info@godsgifttoyou.com .

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1-27-04-113