It’s Mine and I Decide

Today, I’m taking us to the room where majority of Christians don’t want to enter but are hoping to reap benefits from. We’re talking about giving in the house of the LORD.

In Malachi 3:9-10, GOD clearly says that we should bring all the tithe into the storehouse, so there ‘may be meat in my house.’

GOD is the One talking here; so the storehouse is His.

Growing up in an Anglican Church, my parents always (every Sunday), gave each of us offerings to put in the offering bag at church. I don’t know if my parents gave their tithes back then before they started going to Pentecostal churches (but I know they gave their tithes in Pentecostal churches).

Being brought up to give to GOD and to people; it wasn’t difficult when I became a Christian to give my tithe and offering. (There were times I struggle with this when life is challenging).

And I believe most believers in Christ Jesus come to the LORD with no intention of holding back, especially their finances from the Him.

But (to my recollection), people’s perspective of giving in the church began to shift in the late 90s when prosperity messages (prosperity in terms of money and wealth) started springing up (especially in Nigeria) and we started seeing ‘preachers’ profiteering from the church unrighteously and unlawfully.

This abuse of GOD’s people and the pulpit in the late 90s and 2000s gave rise to another theology (which many Christians embraced) - the theology that the tithe was mentioned in the old Testament and only once mentioned in the New Testament. Many people of GOD resorted to not paying their tithes anymore, understandably. One of the argument was that the church was meant to use the money to help the poor anyway but the ‘preachers’ are keeping the monies for themselves, building mansions and buying big cars for themselves. As such, the encouragement to bypass the church and give the tithes to help the poor directly (my summary). (I put preachers in quote as those who are profiteering from GOD’s people are not GOD’s preachers but their own).

Talking with my aunt about this, she mentioned that she went to the LORD about the theory and He told her not to move the ancient boundary lines - Proverbs 23:10a.

I remember attending a service some years ago, and the preacher at the end of the preach called for an offering. Life was really lifing me at this time but I remember that I had £30 in my bag that Sunday.

I wasn’t convinced about this offering as the usual Sunday offering had already been taken, so I decided in my heart that I wasn’t going to give anything as I desperately needed money myself.

Though I made up my mind, I heard the Spirit of GOD clearly tell me to give the money and He said , ‘it is the LORD you’re giving the money to.’ He said that as I give my money to the LORD, if anyone then decides to steals the money, I should leave them to GOD.

That word has changed the way I see my giving in the house of GOD (when and wherever I give). I have come to recognise that each time I give (in the midst of plenty or in scarcity), I am giving to the LORD. I knew from then on that my giving was covered and I believe this will be the same for every believer in Christ that genuinely gives in obedience to GOD’s Word. (For me), Thankfully, I go to a church that I know my offering isn’t misused in any way and that also helps.

This charge is for us to go back to that place of giving in the house of GOD again, remembering that our giving is unto the LORD.

For argument’s sake that the tithe was only in the old covenant, remember that the first believers in the new covenant sold all and brought the proceeds to the feet of the disciples - Acts 4:32. The new covenant actually requires that we all have equally, if it means the rich among us sell all they have for this to happen.

If after considering that giving in the house of GOD is a commandment and you still can’t give due to past or current financial abuse by some so ‘called ministers;’ then you may need to consider the soil on which you’re planting your seeds. GOD’s word is very clear and if we want to benefit from it, we have to do it His way. You can’t just expect open heavens when you haven’t done it His way; you can’t expect the increase of your righteousness if you haven’t sown the seed.

GOD is calling the church back to His way, all the way. Remember the way of the LORD is perfect (Psalm 18: 30).

One thing I discovered lately is that GOD is the only One that knows which fish has the golden coin in its mouth and only He can tell us where to fish to our benefit.