A “tithe” is giving the first tenth of your income. An “offering” is anything you give in addition to your tithe. Based on those definitions, you aren’t giving an offering until after you have reached the ten percent minimum.
I give my tithe to the awesome local congregation of which I am a member – Valley Fellowship Church. My tithe is changing lives for God’s glory. I am thankful so many VFC members understand the importance of putting God first in financial decisions.
“Honor the Lord from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine.” (Proverbs 3:9-10 NASB)
The tithe is the FIRST part of what I earn – not the leftovers. Patti and I live out this principle by writing the check for giving our tithe before we pay the rest of our bills. We also give offerings in addition to our tithe. We give above the tithe to change lives, to support missionaries and mission efforts, to sponsor building improvements at Valley, to care for widows, orphans, and poor, and to other Christ-honoring projects. We give in expectant faith, knowing that God wants to bless us. Regularly, we use the back of the offering envelope to write down the things for which we are believing God. We have learned that as we seek God first, the things we need seek us out.
One way in which Patti and I stretch our faith is to give NOW at the level we want to be the tithe the following year. The Holy Spirit just might inspire you to try that – give at a higher rate and watch what happens. Year after year, God has meet our needs. I am so thankful for the blessings connected with tithing. Patti, Rozy, Kimberlyn, and I have been amazingly – HAIR-RAISINGLY – blessed by God!
Tithing is a minimum and shouldn’t limit your giving, but should open the door to a genuine stewardship lifestyle. An offering is an unlimited amount given as a free-will love gift unto the Lord. Tithe remains the tithe, 10%, but offerings are unlimited giving.
You will never be able to out-give your loving Heavenly Father. You need to practice both forms of giving:
- Tithe – always releases God’s blessing; will never hurt you!
- Offerings – giving over and above the tithe; plants good seed for an abundant harvest.
cialis sale uk The company will cater your needs, whether you want single or multiple merchant accounts. The stamina and strength will be viagra viagra sildenafil shared then in time of erectile condition, the veins and arteries get extra blood that helps to keep the erectile condition very perfect and long lasting. The popularity of it provided way to launch online viagra canada that website Kamagra fizz tablets, an effervescent tab that dissolves quickly in the body and starts working by improving blood flow into the penis. Typically, up to the age of 35, couples should wait for at least one year. tadalafil 5mg
“I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 3:10-12 NLT)
Do what God wants you to do, and He will take care of the rest. Your part is to tithe; God’s part is to bless! Malachi 3:10-12 lists numerous blessings. Meditate the multifaceted blessings resulting from your tithing!
#1 The Lord opens the windows of heaven (the blessing of His provision and His presence).
#2 The Lord pours out personalized, custom-made blessing upon you.
#3 The Lord enlarges the blessing beyond your capacity to receive. It spills out on others.
#4 The Lord blesses your work – gives you success in whatever your hands find to do.
#5 The Lord protects the fruit of your life (including your children).
#6 The Lord makes your life a testimony to the world of God’s incredible goodness.
#7 You confidently stand in the assurance of the Lord’s continued blessings.
If you have never tithed before, why not take God at His Word and test His promise for ninety days? Commit to give at the 10% level and watch the blessings that result from tithing.
“Once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to fulfill your promise to the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 23:23 NLT)
If you are currently tithing, are you utilizing God’s prosperity for His purposes? Are you seeking the Lord for how much to raise your level of giving? Don’t settle for the tithe minimum; give offerings to allow lives to be changed. God wants you to be generous and wants you to help fund the expansion of His kingdom on earth.
