Tithes & Offerings Pt 2

Last week we looked at some of the reasons that people do not tithe and give offerings, and we also learned what tithes and offerings does in your life, for example it brings blessing, keeping provision flowing, and offers protection. We encouraged you to walk in obedience to the Word and give God your best, just as He gives you. Today we are going to look at our motives when we give our tithes and offerings.

As we tithe and give our offerings we have to look at our hearts. Why are we giving, what are our motives? When we tithe are we doing it so that we will get something…

I tithe so God will bless me

I tithe so the windows of heaven will be open over me!

I tithe because it says God will rebuke the devourer for my sake and I don’t want the devil trying to touch my money.

Are we tithing out of fear…

Well if I don’t tithe then I’m robbing God and I don’t know what will happen to me if I do that.

Are we tithing just out of obligation…

I have to tithe because the Word says to.

Of course as we learned last week, we are to obey the Word, but it’s so much more then that, we are to tithe out of a love and reverence for God. We are supposed to follow His example, He loved us so much that He gave to us (John 3:16), His only motive was love. Our motive must be the same. Let’s look at some scripture concerning giving…

Exodus 25:2 (NKJV)
“Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering.

So we are supposed to give willingly with our hearts; that is the type of offering He receives.

2 Corinthians 9:7 (KJV)
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

Now let’s look at 2 Corinthians 9:7, broken down, everything in bold is the Greek meaning of the Words…

Every man according as he purposeth (bring forward) in his heart (the centre and seat of spiritual life), [so let him give]; not grudgingly (out of sorrow, pain, grief, annoyance, affliction), or of (out of) necessity (calamity, distress, or needs): for God loveth a cheerful (joyous, prompt to do anything) giver.
When you look at it, it kind of makes you see it differently, we are to give from our hearts, and for no other reason, we should not be giving out of need or our circumstances or situations, we are not to give out of grief, or because we would feel sorry if we didn’t give. God wants us to be joyful as we give, and obviously if you really love then you are going to give to the one you love out of a heart of joy.

So let’s sum it all up, as we learned last week when we obey Gods Word regarding our giving we will experience everything that He says is offered as a result. But, as we learned today our motives aren’t to be to seek those blessings because there already given, we are to give out of love.

I pray this has been a blessing on your lives.

Tracy Houston
Kingdom Vizion Ministries
www.kingdomvizion.org