‘… for God loves a cheerful giver’ [2 Corinthians 9:7 TLV]
‘Spiritual blindness’ by the enemy, is the root cause of our problems, setbacks and, afflictions in life. Brothers and Sisters let’s look around and, we will see someone that needs the little we have. Why give all to the Church when a relative, friend or neighbour is sick with no money for medical treatment? Or perhaps a nephew or niece is out of school because of poverty; our own parents or grandparents are abandoned; living a lonely life and, crying to sleep every night due to sickness, hunger, or rejection? “Our 10%” has more grace, blessings and salvation directly at the source of need [read Mathew 25:31-46]; than given to the church! [read Hebrews 7:1-28]. Christ Jesus is the High Priest forever. We no longer have Levi Priests; all believers are now called to be Priests! [1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10].
Abraham and Jacob gave their 10% freely before the mosaic law with ‘Faith’ and got blessed [read Genesis 14:18-20; Genesis 28:20-22]. Believers can now choose to give freely:- LESS OR EVEN MORE THAN THIS 10% WITH ‘FAITH’ and MUST not be limited to this law; for we are no longer under the law but under God’s grace [read Romans 6:14-15]. Why don’t believers of Christ Jesus-Yahusha, all over the world follow the 613 Jewish commandments/laws [mitzvot in Hebrew]? The answer is simple, we are now under the new covenant where ‘Faith’ is required to put a demand on the Anointing – ‘Grace and Mercies of God in Christ Jesus name’! However, many scripture teachers have taken the Torah [Old Testament] out of context to bring about doubt, guilt and pressure on many believers when it comes to giving [tithes, first fruits, sowing a seed or offerings] for selfish reasons. “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and the most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself’ [ Matthew 22:37–39]. We will all be judged with The Ten Commandments [Exodus 20:1-17], make no mistake and ignore these laws.
Yes, Christ Jesus-Yahusha, said we should give tithe in Matthew 23:23, but he was talking to the Jews people at the time under the law; NOT to focus on tithe and neglect the other mitzvot. Before the new covenant came in, take note of Matthew 5:17, where Christ Jesus- Yahusha said, ”Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them”. When we look at the next verse Matthew 5:18, Christ himself was operating under the law until is all fulfilled [read Galatians 4:4-5]; at the same time, giving the way for the Grace and Mercies of God that was coming, because He became the sacrificial lamb. When Christ Jesus-Yahusha, said ‘it is finished’ on the cross, in the book of John 19:30, not only did this put a stop to the need for weekly sacrifices at the temple but also a stop to the law. We can now be bold as believers and inherit the ‘Glory’ placed upon Christ Jesus- Yahusha by our Lord God, YHWH with ‘Faith’; because sin does not rule over us anymore [read Romans 7:5-6].
Tithing and first fruits were required under the law and not under the Grace and Mercies of God. Under the law, you get blessed when you give and cursed if you don’t. These were the messages proclaimed by the Prophets at the time in the Torah [Old testament], in line with ‘the deeds of faith demonstrated by Abraham and Jacob’; because the whole tribe of Levi and the Priests were instructed by God to do the works of the Tabernacle [Temple] and, MUST not work or even own a land. So, if this is the case, how do they feed themselves? The other 11 tribes of Israel MUST bring a tenth of everything to the Temple! [please read Deuteronomy 18:1-5]. Giving freely from a willing heart is required under grace with ‘Faith’ yet is not a law. Let’s take a moment and meditate on what Christ Jesus- Yahusha said, about the widows offering in Mark 12:41-44. Showing love to others is not necessarily, giving them money or material things; our presence, smile and care may bring that inner peace to the lonely, needy, and most often those that feel rejected and abandoned in the society: Elderly, Widows, The Disable, Prisoners, The Sick, and Orphans.
Christ Jesus -Yahusha, warned us to, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves [Matthew 7:15] and they will perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect [Matthew 24:24]; That time is here! These false prophets deceitfully use some scriptures as psychological weapons to bring about doubt, guilt and pressure on many believers for selfish reasons. Don’t be deceived when they start misquoting the Prophets of the Torah [Old testament] who were also under the law at the time, such as Leviticus 27:20, where it reads, ”And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord”. Another, ‘psychological scriptural weapon’ these false Prophets use is from the book of Malachi 3:8; where it says, “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings”. Then they go on and use the ‘psychological scriptural bomb’ by misquoting out of context, Malachi 3:10, where it says, Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven. And pour out for you such blessing. That there will not be room enough to receive it”. What these false prophets don’t tell believers of this generation is that this was the law at the time! Now, to the intellectuals, you will be deceived by these false prophets when they misquote 2 Timothy 3:16, ”All Scripture is God-breathed …”; in addition, tell you that, ”God is not like people, who lie; He is not a human who changes his mind. Whatever he promises, he does; He speaks, and it is done”[Numbers 23:19]; if we still not convinced then they drop what I call the ”intellectual psychological atomic bomb scripture”, and misquote the great Prophet Isaiah when he said, ”God’s word will not come back to Him void” [Isaiah 55:11].
This is a promise from our FATHER, if you give yourself to the hungry, and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness, and your gloom will be like midday. Then Adonai ELOHIM will guide you continually, satisfy your soul in drought and strengthen your bones. You will be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never fail [Isaiah 58:10-11]. My friend, Prophet T B Joshua once said, “The beauty of life does not depend on how happy you are, but on how happy others can be because of you”. Moreover, ‘Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever’ [1 Timothy 5:8].
The gospel to the Community [Church] is simple, call it ‘Partners’, ‘Church Building Fund’, ‘Offerings’, ‘Generous Giving’ and, so forth; to allow believers to give freely and truly worship God, the creator of the heavens and earth. Stop the deception of Ha’Satan out of greed! REPENT, Judgement is near! The Holy Scriptures tells us in the book of Jacob [James] 3:1 that, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, since you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.” Christ Jesus- Yahusha, sent us to preach the ‘Good News’ in Mark 16:15 and not the law! Have we forgotten the repeated warning by the Apostle Paul to all preachers of the Gospel in Galatians 1:8-9? it says, ”But even if we or an angel from heaven should announce any “good news” to you other than what we have proclaimed to you, let that person be cursed! As we have said before, so I now repeat: if anyone proclaims to you “good news” other than what you received, let that person be under a curse”! When it comes the teaching and preaching the Gospel, Apostle Paul teachings and writings are the standards to which all will be judged!
To be ignorant about the truth and be deceived is a sin often times destructive. Could it be because many believers have been following these laws and traditions all their lives that’s why they can’t get blessed? Romans 4:14 tells us that, ”For if what God promises is to be given to those who obey the Law, then faith means nothing, and God’s promise is worthless”. Now you wonder why many community [Church] leaders leave this scripture out when preaching about giving! In the new covenant, when we give by the law is worthless; is now time to give by FAITH! ‘My People’ [Those that God has sent me to], pick up the Holy Scriptures [Bible] yourselves and read all the scriptures have identified in this devotional; the Ruach Hakodesh [Holy Spirit] will teach and guide you. Then, ”you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” [John 8:32]. ”Many miracles and wonders were being done through the Apostles, and everyone was filled with awe. All the believers continued together in close fellowship and shared their belongings with one another. They would sell their property and possessions, and distribute the money among all, according to what each one needed”[ read Acts 2:43-45]; Do you see these happen in your communities [Churches]?
Brothers and Sisters let’s look for opportunities around to give willingly the little we have today! Apostle Paul made it simple and said, ”You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully” [2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT]. ”But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” from Christ Jesus- Yahusha, in Matthew 6:3. Now sit back and watch the WILL of God in your life manifest miraculously; Breakthrough, Deliverance, Healing and Salvation shall come in Christ Jesus name.
It is well; now we can see 🙏
Amen, Amen, Amen.
Further Reading
Acts 4:32-37; Acts 11:27-32; Galatians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8:1-9 ; Galatians 1:8-10
