Thanks for looking into Prosperous Life Newsletter today. We have prayed that this article will edify you with the TRUTH of God's Word and cause your FAITH to grow stronger (Romans 10:17).

 

As you know, this series is about thanking God. THANKSGIVING connects us to God's GRACE and when we receive His GRACE through FAITH, we're empowered to overcome the difficulties in life that continuously try to come against us. Those difficulties usually come from the World, from the adversary and/or from our own poor decisions and choices. Contrary to some teaching these days, under the New Covenant God doesn't send bad things against us; He only sends good things. But when we're experiencing difficulties in life God helps us get through them and turns them into something good for us. For that He deserves THANKSGIVING and in exchange for the THANKSGIVING we receive more of His GRACE.

 

Over the years we've written a number of times about the subject of TITHING. This newsletter after all is an outreach of a financial counseling ministry. Consistently we've held to the position that under the New Covenant TITHING is something Believers can benefit from but that it should be a VOLUNTRY act for the purpose of honoring God and giving Him first priority in our lives. In addition, voluntary TITHING is a wonderful opportunity to THANK God for all that He does in our lives. The Lord doesn't need our money but we do and when we use it VOLUNTARILY to express gratitude, it makes a powerful statement. So in this article we want to look into tithing again and find some new illumination on this important subject.

 

Abram the Example

 

The first time TITHING is mentioned in the Bible is in Genesis 14:20 when Abram give a tenth of all his battle spoils to Melchizedek the King and high priest of Salem. There was no Law at that time saying he had to do this; there was no curse hanging over his head if he failed to TITHE. He just did it, on purpose and voluntarily because he was grateful to God for the victory the Lord had given him over the various kings that had attacked him and kidnapped his household. The Bible says that it was God who had delivered Abram's enemies into his hand and both Abram and the High Priest acknowledged this publically in order to give God the glory.

 

After Abram had given his TITHE another King who was present that day, the King of Sodom, offered to let Abram take over all the remaining spoils. Remember that "spoils" represents the portion of Abram's conquest over and above what had originally been stolen from him. But Abram made another public announcement that he didn't want the spoils because he had decided to put his FAITH in God's provision (Genesis 14:21-24). Thus, Abram combined his voluntary TITHE with FAITH. In effect he was saying "now that I have TITHED to the most High God, I am CONFIDENT that He will supply all my needs." In the very next verse (Genesis 15:1) God told Abram that he would receive a great reward for the way he had conducted himself and the fact is, Abram who later became Abraham increased and was continuously blessed for the remainder of his life. It turned out that voluntary TITHING by FAITH is a very powerful duo that produced an EVERLASTING Covenant between God and Abram (Genesis 17:7). EVERLASTING MEANS FOREVER!

 

Descendants of Abraham

 

People get all confused about these days TITHING under the Law of Moses and how that relates to the New Testament Body of Christ. TITHING was indeed a part of the Law but it wasn't voluntary. It was compulsory; the Law was compulsory. That's why it was called the Law. Compulsory tithing under the Law started almost 500 years after Abram made that first voluntary TITHE to Melchizedek. Under the Law if someone didn't TITHE it was considered an act of disobedience which opened the door to the curses in Deuteronomy 28:15-68. But eventually the Law came to an end thanks to Jesus; the fact is it was cancelled because it was weak and useless (Hebrews 7:16) and it was replaced by a better covenant (7:22).

 

But the Bible says that the Law was just a temporary interruption of the EVERLASTING Covenant God had established with Abram: "The Law does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God nor does it nullify the promise" (Galatians 3:17). This is why in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham could come to the Gentiles (Galatians 3:14). The EVERLASTING Covenant survived the Law and was still in effect after the Law passed away. So, if you belong to Christ, then you are now a descendent of Abraham and an heir according to the promise (Galatians 3:29).    

 

Friend, we have inherited the blessing of Abraham and within that blessing is the empowerment to be fruitful (increase) and multiply in every area of life (Genesis 17:6). You can receive this by FAITH and then confirm your gratitude to God by your ongoing voluntary TITHE just as Abram did almost 4,000 years ago. If you're grateful for God's provision, there's a special Word-based way to express your THANKSGIVING and that's to combine your voluntary TITHING with your FAITH.

 

The Principle of Cheerful Giving

 

So many local churches insist on teaching that if we don't TITHE we'll be cursed with a curse. They get that from Malachi 3:9 which was appropriate under the Law, but somehow those folks are overlooking the point that the Law has been cancelled. And they're overlooking that the work of Christ on the Cross of Calvary REDEEMED us from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13). All of that curse stuff has been CANCELLED unless we just insist on having it, in which case we can put ourselves back under it if we really want to. But the blessing part from Malachi 3:10 is still active because it existed BEFORE the Law which is BEFORE not TITHING became subject to the curse. Was Abram cursed with a curse before he TITHED that first time to Melchizedek? The answer is NO. Genesis 13:2 says Abram was very rich in livestock, silver and gold and that was BEFORE he TITHED in Genesis 14:20. We need to keep these events in order because we're descendents and heirs of Abraham's estate (Galatians 3:29) through that original EVERLASTING Covenant that started BEFORE the Law.

 

There was no compulsion on Abram to TITHE that day because there was no threat from a curse. Abram TITHED because he was happy and THANKFUL to God for the favor he had received. So Abram was a CHEERFUL giver and we see his example in the New Testament guidelines for giving from the Apostle Paul:

 

"Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7).

 

Make no mistake about it: God has always LOVED cheerful givers, folks who're quick to give when the need/opportunity arises and who give out of their free will, not because they have to but because they love God and want to honor Him. You can find even in the Old Testament when tithes and offerings were under the Law that God preferred the "willing" free will giver. Check it out for yourself in the following verses: Exodus 25:2, 35:5, 35:21 35:29 and 36:3. If there were a curse that would come on us if we failed to tithe and give then our giving would be under compulsion and that's not the way New Testament giving is supposed to be. No, TITHING under the New Testament is supposed to be an act of THANKSGIVING and FAITH just as Abram did it that first time.

 

Cheerful giving under the New Covenant multiplies back to the giver in accordance with the degree of our giving (2 Corinthians 9:6) the same way it did to Abram when God rewarded him for his voluntary tithe by faith (Genesis 15:1-2). The voluntary tithe opens the windows of Heaven (Malachi 3:10) so God can pour out a bountiful blessing. To not tithe is to miss out on the opportunity for such a blessing; we can voluntarily not tithe but why would we want to?

 

May the Word bless you today and we'll be looking for you again in three weeks on August 20. In the meantime, expect a miracle of multiplied harvest in response to all your cheerful tithing and giving.  

 

Sinners' Prayer

If you've never invited Jesus to be the Lord of your life, you can do so today just by saying the following simple prayer:

 

Jesus I declare today with all my heart that I believe in you and that God raised you from the dead. I receive forgiveness for my sins and I ask you to come into my life today and be my Lord and Savior. Thank you for salvation and eternal life.

 

If you were sincere as you prayed this prayer, God has already come into your life and you are a new creation, a totally new species recreated in His image. Now ask the Lord to lead you to a good faith-based, bible-teaching church where you can be equipped to fulfill your potential in the Kingdom of God.

 

Donations

 

If you've been edified by Prosperous Life Newsletter, would you consider making a SEED FAITH offering to support the Ministry (Galatians 6:6-7)? PLN is a non profit gift to the Body of Christ so your financial offerings will usually be tax deductible (consult your tax advisor). Simply go to the secure Shopping Cart on the Cornerstone web site by connecting to the following link. God bless you for your love and generosity.

 

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Prayer Requests

 

If you have a Prayer Request, please connect to the Link below and follow the promptings. The PLN staff members pray over Prayer Requests every Tuesday morning at 10:00 AM eastern time. God bless you.

 

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