Money and possessions are mentioned
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
A Tithe
Tithe is derived from the word “tenth” and it is found very early in scripture. We find in Genesis 14 Abram giving “tithes of all” to Melchizedek the priest of the most high God. (Genesis 14:17-20) We also see Jacob (Israel) vowing to give God a tenth if the Lord would bless him. (Genesis 28:20-22) This was before the law of the tithe had been given at Sinai (Leviticus 27:30-32).
When we, the church today, read the Old Testament we must do so in light of the completed work of Jesus Christ —Pastor Scott
The people of God should give
Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
C.S. Lewis used the phrase “six pence none the richer”. He was talking about a child asking his father for money to by his father a present. The father is no better off than he was, he has not gained anything. He bought his own gift. For Father’s Day my kids bought me a coffee cup that says “three reasons I love being a dad” and it has each of my kid’s names on it. They don’t have anything to buy that with, it came from my wife and I’s budget.
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
What I would like to suggest is for those of us who do not currently have a budget, that we would make it a priority this week. In order for us to plan to give to God or seek to give more, we first have to know how we are spending our money. It is amazing how quickly money can disappear. Five dollars on a coffee here, eat an eight-dollar lunch there, by this little trinket and next thing you know, you have spent twenty extra dollars you haven’t really budgeted for.