BLESSED BE THE TITHE THAT BINDS!

Remember the Pink Floyd song with the lyrics "Money, money, money, money - money"? Well, it seems as if everyone wants more - never enough. Someone once said on the Dave Ramsay show, "We buy things we don't even need with money we don't even have to impress people we don't even know". Well, the reason I bring this all up is because I am preaching on tithing this Sunday - you know, the dreaded "T" word. But why are so many people so afraid of the word or so afraid of the discipline? I think it's because of a lack of belief and trust. Most don't really believe that God will provide for their needs (different than wants). Oh, many say they believe it but saying and acting upon it are 2 different things. This lack of belief ties into a lack of trust in the One who is the "giver of all good things".

Really, think about it. Do you trust God to take care of you? Do you really sing "great is thy faithfulness" with full conviction? Do you see God as your provider? Do you really trust God that in Jesus he will never leave you nor forsake you? We will only give back to God in accordance to who we believe God to be. If we don't believe he will provide, we won't give or will do so reluctantly. If we don't trust God to be true to his promises, our response will reflect that lack of trust.

However, if we do believe, if we do trust, we can with full confidence be "cheerful givers" and give out the abundance that has been given to us. We then become generous because God himself is generous. This, of course, implies that we may have to take a look at our priorities, review and reflect upon where we are spiritually in relationship to God through Christ, and ask him to guide us in the way we respond to him.

God gave us his best in the giving of his son Jesus. He has set the bar, no doubt. I encourage you to respond to his giving by giving back to him. You can be sure you can't outgive God. And know this, you will be as blessed as those who receive.