Upwards Church

Doctors, psychologists and counselors say that the healthiest emotion is gratitude.  Gratitude will change your life, your relationships, and everything around you.

It’s no wonder that it’s a biblical command.  “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you” 1 Thessalonians 5:17.    Thirty-four times we are told to “Give thanks” in the Bible!  This passage I just referred to says, “this is God’s will for you.”  God doesn’t want us to miss the power of gratitude.  There has been much written on the power or gratitude.  Just do a Google search and you will find countless books, articles and research that says gratitude is powerful.

Our tithe expresses gratitude to God.   Proverbs reminds us to “Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income.”  Proverbs 3:9  We give appreciation or honor by giving the “first part” of our income or tithing.  It is simply saying, “Thanks God for all you have given me!”

Rick Warren says, “The number one reason we give is out of gratitude for past blessings.  We know that God is the source of all that we have.  He’s the source of our life.  He’s the source of our abilities.  He’s the source of all the natural resources.  He’s the source of everything.  We give because God first gave to us.”

I have to admit that many years ago when I first struggled with the concept of tithing — I prayed, “Are You really sure You need this ten percent more than I need it?”  In time I sensed Lord’s answer, “You’ve missed the whole point.  I don’t need your money.  It’s not your money that I want.  What I want is what it represents. Your money represents your life.  That’s what I want.”

God does not want your money.  He doesn’t need your money.  What He wants is what it represents.  He wants you.  He wants your life.  He wants you to commit yourself to Him.  Then you can give in gratitude.

We give not because God needs it but because we need to give.  It’s all about gratitude.  Giving keeps us from being selfish.  It keeps us from being Scrooges, from being self-centered and thinking we’re our own God and the whole world revolves around us.   Selfish people are unhappy and unhealthy people.  Be grateful and be happy and healthy.

So here’s to good health and happiness!   Darrell

Tithe online at www.ridgefellowship.com

When it comes to tithing, I thought it might be interesting to look at what Jesus said.  As I read the gospels I am blown away how Jesus takes any subject and gets to the heart of the matter.

For Jesus, there was no question whether a person should give to God.  The question was how much? He said things like, “look at this widow, she gave everything” (Luke 21:2-4) as he commends her before the disciples for her giving.   He says things like, “whoever does not give up everything cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33)   He said in the Sermon on the Mount, “you cannot have two masters, you cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24)

There are so many other examples but the point is, Jesus gets to the heart of the matter to reveal that God owns it all.  Giving back to the One who gave it in the first place is a given, and money cannot be first place in your life.

So what does He say about tithing itself?   We see in Matthew 23:23 where he nails the Pharisees for their hyper religion that leaves out some major issues:

23 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You SHOULD tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. Matthew 23:23

When I read this used to think, “How ridiculous!” to tithe out each item from the garden.    But then Jesus says, “You Should” He doesn’t even make fun of them for this attention to detail in giving.   This is very convicting to me.   The life, sacrifice and teachings of Jesus have impacted me greatly.

Now I am going to share what we are doing personally (and this has taken some time for us to get here).

• In our family we give our tithe from the Gross, (before the Government gets any God gets his).
• We tithe on money we receive from birthday or Christmas presents (from a $100 gift, $10 goes back to God) or any extra income, we give 10% of it to God.
• We are increasing our giving amount beyond 10% which is currently around 20%.

We are so blessed.  We have found it to be true, you can’t out give God.    Compared to what Jesus gave, what we give is really small. We also pray that we are rich in justice, mercy and faith as well.

So when I reflect upon Matthew 23: 23 and beyond to the cross… I am giving so little in return.

Thanks for stepping out in this journey.   Jesus is our example.  I pray you have meaningful, reflective and powerful walk with Christ.

Until next week, Darrell

Tithe online at www.ridgefellowship.com

PS check out the latest tithing testimony in the comment below.

Two months down, one to go.  I am so proud of you.  The stories keep coming in! Check the comment at the bottom. I am praying for God to bless you and your finances as you continue this journey called the Tithe Challenge.

Today we will look at a passage from Genesis, the first book of the bible which means “beginnings.”   In Genesis 14 we find a man named Abraham who would become the father of the nation of Israel.   This passage records Abraham’s nephew Lot and all his belongings being a captured by an invading army.  Abraham recues him and defeats the army that plundered the area.  As Abraham and his men are returning with all their loot, they are met by “Melchizedek, king of Salem who brought out bread and wine and blessed Abraham.  Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”

A tenth of all of his loot, riches, and possessions right there on the spot! Who is this? Listen as Hebrews 7:2-3 describes him, “Melchizedek means king of righteousness, without beginning of days or end of life, a priest forever”   Most biblical scholars agree that this either a type of Christ, which means it is meant to illustrate a lesson about Christ OR an appearance of Christ himself.   Abraham gives Christ, 10% of everything he just earned.  Christ brings bread and wine, a picture of the sacrifice He would one day make, “this is my body… this is my blood, which is poured out for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt 26:26-27) And He blessed him.

Notice…

• Before the Abraham had a son and became the father of Israel, he gave ten percent.
•  Before there was a nation of Israel, there was the giving of the tithe.
•  Before there was the law, there was giving the tenth.
• Before there was a recorded Bible there was giving the tithe.
• Before any of that; in the beginning there was the tithe.

So don’t let anyone try to convince you that tithing is from the law, it’s before.

Or that tithing is something the early church or modern church came up with, it’s before.

Or that tithing was only for the nation of Israel, it’s before.

Before anything, there was Christ. Before we pay ourselves, we give back to the One who has given us everything.  Christ is the one who gave His body and blood for us, the one who blesses us in every way.

Thank you Jesus for all you have given and before anything we want to give back to you.

Until next week,

Darrell

Tithe online at www.ridgefellowship.com

Today you will be encouraged by best NY times bestselling author and radio host Dave Ramsey.  In his book Financial Peace Revisited, he has a great chapter called “Understand the Spiritual Aspects of Money.”  I would like to share some great insights from that chapter.

He writes:

• The spiritual aspect of money you must understand is ‘farming.’  No farmer has ever grown a crop unless he planted some seed.  Personal growth requires that you give money away. Somehow giving reminds us that the world doesn’t revolve around us.
• Good things that cannot be calculated or quantified are set in motion in your life and in   your finances when you give; I have seen many couples make the turn toward financial peace simply by adhering to this principle.
• You need to plant some seed in self-growth, and you can do this only by giving.  I do not    totally understand what giving does to the human spirit, but I do know that I meet very few well-balanced, happy, healthy, wealthy people who don’t give money away.
• Giving helps us keep proper priorities in our lives.  It is essential to good money       management.
• Christians should give tithes to their local church.

He goes on to list references for reasons to tithe:  Genesis 14:18-20, Leviticus 27:30, Numbers 18:26, Deuteronomy 14:22, 1 Chronicles 26:20, Malachi 3:7-12, Matthew 23:23, Luke 11:42, Luke 18:12, 1 Corinthians 9:7 and Hebrews 7:8.

Thanks Dave!  And thank you for giving and taking this challenge to grow spiritually.  I am praying for you.

Darrell

Tithe online at www.ridgefellowship.com