Thursday, February 25, 2010
I have stopped tithing to my local church
I was once a faithful tither to my local church in Penang for 2-3 years, giving 10% of my income every month. But since November 2009, I have stopped tithing as I need the money for my retirement. My local church has more than 3 million in its coffers and is quite rich already. Recently, it has upgraded the pavement for parking in its compound just before Christmas. No matter what, no church that I have attended can be compared to New Creation Church in Singapore - it is so annointed and blessed. I still buy message CDs and songs from www.newcreation.org.sg, the web site of New Creation Church that sells message CDs and tapes online. New Creation is a healing centre and financial centre in Asia. The sermons are broadcasted live all over the world with satellite TV and it is reaching the masses worldwide.
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It may sound like a valid reason to withhold from God because the church\ministry is already bless. However, God requires faithfulness in every area of our sacrifices. I understand the feeling of "they already have enough" and "I could make better use of it", but the Word makes it plain about keeping the tithe from the ministry God has provided for you. He called it stealing from Him.
Godly character is represented in our faithfulness. God can help us to do SO MUCH MORE with the 90% when we are faithful with giving 10% to the ministry.
I encourage you to start again. This is NOT a praying matter. It is a matter of obedience to His Word. It IS a matter of prayer to ask God to provide you the increase you need, as long as you are faithful in giving to Him. It is irrelevant if the church\ministry currently has funds or not. JUST BE FAITHFUL! God will prove Himself to you. His Word does NOT lie.
The best way to insure your retirement is to ensure you tithe.
I have been through terrible financial attacks/challenges and I know what helped me come out on top was to stand on Malachi 3 and ask God to rebuke the devourer who was coming to take my money away from me because I had brought the whole tithe into the house of God.
Do not look at it like you are tithing to your Church. Look at it like you are tithing to God. I know people who have not been treated well in their local churches but they still tithe because they know they are tithing to God through the Church and He will take care of them.
In accordance with the Bible, I have decided to feed myself with my own tithe so that I can honour God:
Deuteronomy 14:23
"Then go to the one place where the Lord your God has chosen to be worshiped; and there in his presence eat the tithes of your grain, wine, and olive oil, and the first-born of your cattle and sheep. Do this so that you may learn to honor the Lord your God always."
I have also decided to obey the Bible and give my tithes every 3 years to the poor, the foreigners, orphans and widows -
Deuteronomy 26:12
"Every third year give the tithe -a tenth of your crops- to the Levites, the foreigners, the orphans, and the widows, so that in every community they will have all they need to eat."
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