I believe that the only reason why individuals do not give is due to the misinterpretation of the information that they have received. For if a person truly understood the importance of giving the lack of money and resources could not stop them from not only giving but giving abundantly. There are several benefits of giving and allow me to list a couple for you before we move on. First, God promises to reward those who are faithful in their giving (Proverbs 11:24-25). Secondly, giving increases your intimacy with God for Matthew 6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Jim Elliot, a martyred missionary, said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Meaning, the money and resources we receive while we are on this earth cannot be kept when we go into heaven. However, God promises us blessings in heaven for what we give on earth. Sounds like a great business transaction to me.
The Bible “… does teach us to give in proportion to the material blessing we have received, and it especially commends sacrificial giving. What I like about the tithe or any fixed percentage of giving is that it is systematic, and the amount of the gift is easy to compute. The danger of the tithe is that it can be treated simply as another bill to be paid. By not giving out of a heart of love, I place myself in a position where I cannot receive the blessings the Lord has designed for a giver. Another potential danger of tithing is the view that once I have tithed, I have fulfilled all my obligations to give. For many Christians the tithe should be the beginning of their giving, not their limit.” (pg. 78 Your Money Counts, Howard Dayton)
Throughout scripture God promises to bless those who give with a cheerful heart. My experience has proven to me that the reason why individuals do not give is because they do not understand the principle. Do not consider giving, as though you are losing money or that the payment to the church is another bill. The tithe is deposited to God’s spiritual bank which is the church. The spiritual works just like the natural, where you deposit you may also withdraw. The Bible declares in Mark 4:8 that the minimal return you can get from giving is a 30 fold return. 2 Corinthians 9:6 says, “…he that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully.” (Disclaimer: that does not mean that you can always expect a financial harvest in return for what you give or that you can demand that the church pays your bills if you get into financial problems.)
However, in all of our giving we must submit our feelings to wisdom. At times God will speak through your pastor asking the congregation to give a specific amount of money. If you do not have the money in your account to give then God is not speaking to you. And just because you might have the money in your account does not mean that you are at liberty to write the check. For if the money that is in your account is set aside for bills, that money is not yours; it belongs to the electric company, the cell phone company etc. Not only does God not bless those gifts (Matthew 15:4-6) but you will not have the money to pay your creditors.
Historically and presently secular organizations and pagan religions have understood the importance of tithing. The government rewards you through tax deductions while the pagan religions from the past paid tithes to their pagan gods. King Demetrius of Syria commanded the Jews to pay a tithe, in honor of his god, in addition to the taxes owed to him while they were under Syrian rule. Herodotus recorded that the Greeks, “having brought all the loot together, they set apart a tithe for the god of Delphi.” Even these secular nations gave a tithe of their earnings and spoils of war as an act of worship. How much more should we give to a living God who gave His Son for us?
Can you tell me who did your layout? I’ve been looking for one kind of like yours. Thank you.