What does it do to a missionary who is already in adverse circumstances, in enemy territory, cut off from family and friends, subject to danger, disease and discouragement, to be told that their living allowance is being cut?
I think many people now in Alliance churches do not have the Alliance background and teaching and they are not properly informed of our reason for being. Also, in my opinion, I think the people are sometimes being misinformed. I've heard it said that tithing was under Law and now that we are under Grace, l0% is not necessary but just whatever we can afford. Even if that were true, if the Law required 10%, under Grace it should be so much more!
The Pharisees tithed everything, even their spices and used it as an opportunity for pride. Others viewed tithing as a harsh duty. But when their hearts were right with God, (Exodus 36:3-6) the people had to be restrained from giving. But the truth is that tithing was in vogue hundreds of years before the Law was given. (Abraham – Genesis 14:20, Hebrews 7:6-9 and Jacob – Genesis 28:22). Proverbs 3:9 tells us that it is wisdom to honour God with our giving. Malachi 3:8-10 speaks not only of giving but of blessing. We need to get it through our thick skulls that God is not broke and giving is for our benefit. Anyone can give to charity. It is the awesome privilege reserved for blood-bought sinners to be able to give to Almighty God, to be able to invest in eternal treasures.
More than 82% of Ontario adults buy lottery tickets. Of course no Christians would be included, would they? Tithing is a good place to start but it is just a start. No matter how much or how little we have, no true believer can afford not to tithe. Jesus talked about taxes and tithes, about Caesar and God. We all know that Caesar taxes us on the gross amount. Jesus linked giving with obedience and what God has joined together, let none put asunder. $100.00 from a grudging grouch has $100.00 worth of buying power of course. So, why does God love a cheerful giver?
Because a cheerful giver reflects God Who continually gives cheerfully.
After tithes and love-offerings, there is the delight of special gifts and treats for Jesus, such as buying Him a ticket when you go to a play, a meal when you go out for dinner, get one for Him when you buy something for yourself.
Of course it is obvious that I mean to give the amount of such things as a special, intimate love-secret between you and the Lord. The cost of the food we miss while fasting can also be given as a sacred offering. The entire amount of the first installment of a salary increase can be given as a first-fruits offering. If there is something you want with such a great desire that it distorts your Christ-centred focus, there is nothing so joyous and liberating as denying yourself and giving the cost price of that item to God. None of these things are necessary and that is what makes them so delightful, so personal, so heart-to-heart with Jesus.
We are all aware of our need for repentance but I think our greatest need is not mostly repentance for the sins we are aware of, but for those things in which we don't even recognize our need for repentance. These could include the sins of greed and not giving. Do we ever recall the old Alliance days when tithing was just the starting point and sacrifice was a regular part of our financial involvement?
Will we ever experience the joy Moses felt when the people's hearts were so right with God that they had to be restrained from giving (Exodus 36;3-6)? Also, I believe we need to repent of the sin of prayerlessness. People would be horrified if told that all prayer meetings would be cancelled in Alliance churches but perhaps the most horrified would be the ones who never show up for a prayer time. Jesus told us to DO the truth. If what we say we believe does not affect our lives, then we also need to repent of the sin of lying. If knowing God does not change me, I don't know Him. If knowing God does not change my giving, I don't know Him well enough.
To bring us to repentance, I think we need two things: a deeper understanding of the cost and the meaning of Calvary; and a deeper understanding of what Hell really is. I pray that God will raise up a VOICE in the Alliance to bring us back to the reality of our roots and our reason for existence.
Armin Gesswein said that Jesus took only one thing back to Heaven from this earth -- WOUNDS; and He left only one thing behind -- A LITTLE PRAYER MEETING.
On the basis of those Wounds, the little prayer meeting changed the world.
Years ago, a Bible College Teacher said that many people are going into a lost eternity and most Christians don't give a damn!
I may be taking Ezra 8:21 out of context to use it here but certainly, I am not wrong in applying the principle.
"Seek from God a right way for us and for our little ones and for all our substance."
From personal experience I know that you can never outgive the Lord but you can have a lot of fun trying.