The Secret of Tithing!

I am filled with so much joy because I have a God and His name is Jehovah Jireh! The goodness of God just makes me want to do crazy things at times, like shouting out loud with praise in public places! Let me just go straight to the point, shall I? In February my mum became jobless! I don’t know if she resigned or her visa expired, all I know is that God placed her at a breaking point where she had to understand her identity, who God is, and what He can do for her! Where do you go when you don’t have enough money to give to your children? Who do you turn to when all your friends and family have left you because you are now jobless? Whose advice do you seek when you don’t have enough money to visit a psychologist who will only lie to you? God places you at a point where it is imperative to say, “My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.”(Psalm62:5)

The past couple of months, yea, were tough for my mother, for us as well because we are her dependants! I don’t like talking about money issues but the only way I can get this message across is if I truthfully testify! My dad’s salary isn’t that much and we had to depend on him for those few months! From the beginning of the year I got 600 rand every month from him! Now for somebody who’s not materialistic that was enough for me until I re-dedicated my life to Jesus because that was when I had to start tithing, gave offerings, became compassionate to those who asked, and got involved in church activities that required money! Yes, 10% of 600 might not be a lot, but I could do something with it! Like buy more bread or a 2kg chicken pack! I just could not understand why I had to take the “little” that I had to the church, but God places us at a point where you discover that it is not about the church or the pastor but about your relationship with Him!

When I re-dedicated my life to Jesus I started to tithe! I did it with such a grumpy attitude because I did not really understand the secret behind it! I would skip some months on purpose because it was not as important to me! It’s only later in my spiritual journey when the Holy Spirit was really frank with me and opened my eyes to the seriousness that God has towards a tither! I’d take my money; put it in the envelope, open Malachi chapter 3, and start reminding God about His promise! For some reason I did it because I felt compelled to do it and I wanted something in return! I wanted more money, more blessings because that’s what I was promised! It’s not a bad thing to do something for God and expect Him to fulfil His promise; in fact this is what this is all about! But, God places us at a point where genuinely loving Him matters most than getting something from Him! 

When my mum could not send us money, it was not easy! I want to emphasize on this because it’s vital that you understand that God steps in when you think that things are not easy! When you have to go through the whole week relying on your friend’s lunchbox just because you bought yourself a ticket to attend a church conference like Dream week! When you have to rely on the food your sister brings from school just because you had to take your tithe to the church just so that there may be food in the store house! And in the midst of all that, God still wants you to be generous and give to those who are in need!  God places you at a point where you discover that feeding your spirit with His Word is more important than filling your stomach with food! God places you at a point where you can’t afford to pay the gym because He doesn’t want you to seek your identity from the gym but from Him! 

One day I got money from my dad and I spent all of it in an hour or so, and was left with hundred rand! The story is under the title, “Money pays all things!” God still required me to tithe and I did so, adding extra money to it! The following day my mum sent me two thousand rand, and yea, you know the whole story! What do you do with the “little” that you have? God is not concerned about the amount but your obedience regarding this tithing and giving matter! Since that day I gave extra money to God, I haven’t gone a day without a rand! There were days when I had to impatiently wait for the 15^th to approach, while I borrowed money from people and got myself in debt! But I knew that the moment I started tithing I would never lack and God proved to be faithful because to the faithful, He shows Himself faithful! “Put me to the test!”  My dad did not get a promotion at work but he moved from sending me 600rand to 900rand! A week later my mum calls me and says, I’ve sent you one thousand rand, buy anything you want! It’s not only once a month, but twice a month! You see, when you tithe it affects those around you! Your family will be financially blessed because of you! Your company, your ministry, everything that revolves around you! In your period of lack God is testing your character! Can you stand to be blessed financially? You no longer put 60 rand in the envelope but 90rand! Not only once but twice because He increases your payment weekly! 100 rand inside the envelope! No more with grumpy attitude but with a joyful heart, an act of worship! Can you stand to be blessed friend!!!?

I’m reminded of a story in one of the books I once read, not sure if it’s Chip Ingram or Mike Flynn! One of them was at Sunday school with the little kids and gave each one of them a sweet! Knowing how kids love candy, he told them not to eat it just yet! I can imagine them salivating waiting to gobble it up, but he told them, “one of you give me back my sweet!”  Now no child will give anybody candy, because we all know children, they love candy! Now imagine having to be the one giving while everyone around you will be enjoying theirs! A little girl however did give back the sweet and Mike or Chip, gave her two more other sweets! He asked again, somebody please give me back my sweet! The little girl gave again and Mike gave four more other sweets! When the children noticed that when you gave you were given even more they all now wanted to give! This is the whole principle: “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” God says, give me my 10%, and I will double your finances! God doesn’t want you to be a borrower, to live in lack, He wants to pour upon you a blessing that you won’t even be able to contain, but it starts first with you! 

Now, God knows that money is such a sensitive issue to some people and I think that’s what Jesus meant when he said in Mathew 19:24, “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Jesus is not saying that Christians must be poor, he’s probably asking: who do you love more? Money or God?  When my mum told me she sent me 1000rand I did not run to the bank and rush to the mall, I ran straight to my room to spend time with my God! He refined me in those months and brought me to a point where money means nothing if I don’t have Him in my life! Yes, money is good, I can buy myself a nice pair of shoes, I can go back to gym if I want to, I can change my hairstyle, but what value do these things have if I don’t have Jesus in my life? Reach that point friend! God says in Jeremiah 9:23-24, “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this:  that they have the understanding to know Me that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight, declares the Lord.”

It is God’s desire to bless you financially, but you have to be faithful in the small stuff! Now I’m only getting money from my parents, but very soon I’d be in the real world and who knows one day I would be putting a million in that envelope? :-) 

 Psalm 34:10

The young lions do lack and suffer hunger,but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing!