Why is tithing important?

The Importance of Tithing

honoring God with the firstfruits of your income

The tithe is 10% of your income, and it should be given to God faithfully. Tithing honors the Scriptural principles of generously providing for religious leaders, giving to those in need, and laying up treasures in heaven.

Throughout Scripture, we are encouraged to give the first part of our resources to God as an expression of honor and gratitude. “Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9–10).

Understand the Biblical Basis for Tithing

Tithing is mentioned throughout the Old Testament, particularly when God commissioned the Israeli tribe of Levi to serve by caring for the tabernacle and providing spiritual leadership for the nation of Israel. Since the tribe of Levi was given these two unique responsibilities, God did not assign to them a portion of land (as He had assigned portions of land to the other tribes of Israel), but He instructed the rest of the Israelites to bring tithes of their increase to provide for the priests and Levites. (See Numbers 18.)

In the New Testament, Jesus affirmed the practice of tithing (see Matthew 23:23), and the Apostle Paul encouraged Christians to give to those in need and to those who were ministering in the Gospel (see II Corinthians 9:6–15). When you tithe today, you enable those whom God has called to serve as pastors, missionaries, and ministry personnel to faithfully build up the Church and expand the kingdom of God.

Put It Into Practice

Tithing is one way to worship God—to honor Him as your provider and remind yourself that all of your resources belong to Him and are provided through His grace. As you give away that first 10% of your income, you set your course to honor God in the way you handle the rest of your finances.

• When to Give
  Consider your pay schedule, and establish a pattern of giving when your resources increase. This habit allows you to regularly remind yourself of God’s faithfulness and to express gratitude to Him by giving to meet the needs of others.
• Where to Give
  Typically, the tithe should be given to the local churchwhere you worship. These gifts support your pastor and ministry staff members who are actively serving you, and they help maintain the work of the church in your community. As God prospers you and directs you, additional gifts can be given to other ministries that are advancing the Gospel.
• What to Give
  The tithe is 10% of your gross income. In addition to giving 10% of your monetary income, consider giving God the firstfruits of other resources as well, such as your time (giving Him the first part of your day in a quiet time and taking one day in seven to focus on worship and rest) and energies (investing your gifts and abilities in your church and community).
• How to Give
  Your motives for giving are important to God. “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (II Corinthians 9:7–8). Give with the expectation that God will faithfully supply whatever you need so that you can abound in good works!

Grow in the Fear of the Lord

The practice of tithing provides a regular reminder of your dependence on God. In good times, tithing helps you remember that God is the source of all blessings, and it allows you to demonstrate your gratitude for His care. In hard times, tithing motivates you to remember God’s faithfulness, and it enables you to demonstrate trust in God to provide for all of your needs.

In Deuteronomy 14:22–23, God instructed the Israelites: “Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed . . . . of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always.” Whatever your current situation, tithing is a key to learning to live in the fear of God.

Store Up Treasure in Heaven

As Christians, we are challenged to set our hearts on what truly matters, not on the frivolous things of the earth. (See Colossians 3:1–2.) Jesus challenged His disciples, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19–21).

Giving a tithe and giving beyond the tithe are ways that you can honour God and reach out to meet the needs of others. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it”(Malachi 3:10).

True Letter

As we are celebrating 1 year of Connect, we have made a letter about what has happened in this first year of our church! 

But we have just shared the blessings, yes we have had a full year of miracles, blessings beyond what we could expect. But we didn't share all the trials and difficulties that we have faced to get here today, everything that we have passed to be able to share these blessings with you!

To be honest we have done it on purpose, as we are celebrating all the good that has happened to us, and we want you to take that with you, but in fact it helps us to reflect on one thing: we only show/tell people what we want them to know/see in us/about us.

I confess that we have done it with this letter, although it is all true don't reveal all that happens behind the scenes. 

How many times in our lives we do precisely the same? When someone asks: How are you? Not bad (What does not bad mean? ; or we affirm that we are okay when in reality we are very far from being good/feel right. The truth is, we don't like to expose ourselves, for many reasons – maybe we feel ashamed, embarrassed, depressed with our own reality… desperate. I don't know why you hide your feelings, thoughts, situation, I understand why I sometimes hide mine, but here is the deal: 

We usually don't share the full story of our own lives, the whole truth but we seek for it – we hunger for the truth, for a guidance, for stability, for leadership, for order from chaos – look around you – there are so many different religions, political party, diets, movements all seeking the same thing: the truth – the real one! Do you know why they are asking for it outside and not within themselves? Because we all know that 'we don't have what it takes'. We are not owners of the truth.

The bible says in Jeremiah 17:9 that our hearts are deceitful – I cannot trust in my own heart. I don't know about you, but I change, oh yes how I change! Most of the times on the same day! I wake up happy, and by lunchtime, I am fed up, in the afternoon I have cried, and in the evening I am very excited about planning my life for the next year ahead! 

If you are a bit like me, there is no way we could have all the answers, no way we could hold the truth! 

So we do need to seek the truth in another source apart from ourselves. Right? The good news is there is the truth – the fact that's real, unchangeable, eternal and this truth has a name: Jesus! He is the truth, the way and the life! And the fantastic thing is that everything that we need to know, the letter that God has written and given to us it's real. The bible doesn't tell us only the blessings, but tell us what comes behind it, tell us about people like you and me that messed up, made wrong choices but have found a way out through Jesus Christ! 

Despite all the lies that you see on TV, all the half-truths that people tell us or we tell them, all the untold stories there is ONE truth available to us – Jesus – and there is ONE letter – that we can read and trust – the bible!

If you crave for what is real, what will endure, what is entirely true I want to challenge you to dive in the word of God to discover more about Him and more about how to have a relationship with Jesus! 

Today I want to give you 3 reasons to read the letter that God has left for you:

It's real

Some people may say that the bible is a Love Letter; I think it is a lot more than that! It is a Real letter, with real people, real struggles, real messy, real mercy, authentic restoration, real healing, real lessons, tangible and practical way to achieve the real joy in this life surrounded by trials.

A love letter is primarily about the recipient. It's all about that person! – When Luiz and I were dating, I use to write long love letters to him  - telling him how special, unique he was/is, how my heart would beat and still beats when I see him coming towards me…

Don't get me wrong, it's undoubtedly addressed to us, and we can locate ourselves within the sacred words. The bible is also for us, able to teach, reveal, instruct, rebuke, and encourage. (2 Timothy 3:16)

The bible is for us and not about us! The Bible Is A Love Letter From God…About God…to us, and how relieving is to know that?! The bible is trustworthy; it's the truth because it's not about me! It teaches me, instructs me to be more about Him!

It's unchangeable

I believe today people are craving to find the truth. Look what is happening in this nation! When we turn on the TV in the morning it's on thing-one 'truth', but when we come home from work, and we turn on it again what she/they have said, what was 'the deal' it's not the truth anymore, it has changed! 

Let's be honest; it is tough to live in times of uncertainty, not knowing what will happen next!

And these uncertainties are everywhere, even in our diet! I was doing some research about a food that has been the most discussed of all times: the egg – hero x villain. I found 2 different articles from NHS talking about the egg – on the first one said that egg is right for you as it is a good source of protein, in another article from the same NHS the title of it was: Eating egg yolks as 'bad as smoking'! Can you imagine? And still talking about food the same happens with Fat – hero (Keto diet/Low Carb-High fat) x villain (Low-fat diet).

Sometimes I wish to live in a world more stable, confident, secured…but it will never happen if we still putting our trust, our belief in what is changeable! The truth is that we are unstable, we change our minds, and we may even twist the truth to make it convenient for us. But God is not like us, like our society, like our rules, like the thinkers of this era! The bible says in Numbers 23.19  that: God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind.

Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil?

We change our minds, but God never changes His.

It's eternal

Do you know the name of this ring? It's called the Eternity ring also knows as infinity ring. Is a woman's ring made with precious metal (usually gold) set with a continuous line of identically cut gemstones (usually diamonds) to symbolize never-ending love, usually given by a spouse to their wife on the occasion of a significant anniversary, typically after 50 or more years of marriage. 

Unfortunately, nowadays we see many women wearing an eternity ring in a destroyed or ended marriage. Nowadays pictures posted on social media shows that the relationship it's for real, it's for all eternity, but the reality is very different. There is a saying in Brazil that says: "May it be eternal while it lasts." 

But what will last? We all know that we will not live forever, the things that we have, all the earthly things will pass. People that we love will leave…20 years ago my dad passed away, and last year I saw my mum in an Intensive Care having a heart attack in front of me, while she was recovering from bypass surgery. 

Eternity never felt so far, we live as we will exist forever, we think that our parents will live forever but when you face a situation that confronts you with the reality that we are limited, that we are not eternal, makes you really think. I remember while I was on that Intensive Care I felt terrified, afraid, hopeless but after all these feelings that came at once, I started to talk to God and ask Him to hold me in His arms, to believe in His truths, to trust completely in Him. I remember I felt eternity fulfilling my heart, not a false feeling that we will live on this earth forever, but an assurance that I had the eternal God in me!  And then I felt that Jesus was right there with my mum and me and didn't matter what could happen, I knew that I could trust and rely on Him because He never changes and He is always good! 

In 1 Peter 1.24-25 says: "For All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever."

  

Conclusion

Secure/guard the word of God in your heart, so when difficult times comes you will have where to go, you will remember what you have read, listen, and you will be able to use it, to declare to yourself the truths that can really comfort, guide, teaches you!

Today if you want what is real, what is truthful and what will last forever stop trying to seek it in what is not. Stop trying to find the truth, the meaning for your life in other people, in philosophy or in religion. But start to open your eyes, your ears, your mind, all of your senses, your heart, your soul to the ONE that is the truth in itself, that is the word since the beginning of times, that is the light of the world that destroys all darkness!

Written by Daniele R. Cardoso.

The 5 W’s of Church planting

Whether a person believes that they are called to plant a church in the denomination of which they are a part, or in a new movement altogether, there is a lot to think about.

The truth is that it can be very overwhelming for a person to even accept that they are called to church planting. Although it can be an exciting time, it can also be extremely challenging, with the excitement of the call being followed by much questioning and uncertainty about what to do next. This can feel like being in the midst of a crisis before the job of planting has even begun.    

For anyone wanting to move forward with church planting, it will help to consider the 5 W’s. This simple but powerful process of discernment can make a real difference and can be used as a checklist by those who feel called to plant a church.

1)    Where

The first and most crucial assurance that the church planter must have in the process, is to know where God is leading them to plant a church. The planter needs to be clear about which community will be reached and transformed.

I believe it is rare for the location of a church plant to be randomly chosen, for in the majority of instances God will put a love and call for a specific area into the heart of the planter; or God may start to open doors with one particular group, and through this process, clarity about location will come.

We cannot forget that we will only make an impact where we are, if we understand our community as the “holy land” that God has given us. And I don’t mean “holy” in the sense of building or streets, or even the location itself, but the people that are already there and will come to that location.

Church Planter, my recommendation to you is that you must love the place and the people where you are planting, and if you don’t love them yet, or if you don’t like them enough, please get on your knees and pray! Ask the God of love to help you to love the people that you are supposed to serve with a similar love that Jesus had for the church and for the people He saves.

2)    When

The second most important question in the process of church planting is - when should things happen? What is the right timing?

Anticipated blessing is not yet a reality, so a planter needs to be open to hear from God as to when they should start what God is asking them to do.

God may reveal to you a call to plant a church in a certain area, but His call might be for you to start planting in one, five or even ten years. There could be many reasons for this time of waiting as God may be working inside of you to prepare you; or He could be raising a group to go and help you. It is also possible that God is preparing the place where you will plant the church for the amazing work that He has in mind.

What is important here is that the church planter should go with God’s timing, so that they do not miss the opportunity that He is giving them by moving too quickly or too slowly.

Remember that Jesus came to earth and only started His ministry when he was 30 years old. We might think that if anyone was ready before that age, it would have been Jesus himself, however, this apparent delay teaches the church planter an important lesson: God may be preparing things, and the best time is His time.

Please don’t allow the anxiety about timing to destroy your call and potential for ministry. Many people are called but because they cannot wait until it is God’s time they lose a fantastic opportunity to experience and be part of the work of God.

If you are looking to plant, please pray and listen to the important “When?” question, that you may have a blessed ministry.

3)    Whom

The third “W” stands for whom! There is no such thing as ‘lone ranger’ in God’s Kingdom because if God is sending you somewhere he will prepare a team, or at least a “house of peace”, for you to start the work in that place.

I am not saying that people who went alone in the past, or even those that go today to some unreached country as missionaries, are doing wrong. I respect their call and pray that God helps them to fulfil it. But my recommendation for the majority of church planters who will plant a church in their country, is that they should pray for a team or at least a family with whom to share the work in the beginning.

Ministry can be a lonely place, and trying to get to know locals at the same time as you are looking to start a movement or church plant may be too much to ask of one person, that is why even Jesus sent people together in twos to proclaim the Kingdom in the cities around Him.

4)    Why

In an ideal world, everyone would know very clearly why they are going to plant a church, but in reality, there is often a lack of understanding about why a new church is needed, especially in a city where there are a lot of other churches.

Nowadays many churches are born because of division, or because the ‘leader’ wants to do things in their own way, and not be accountable to anyone. That is wrong, and the only person that is honoured with such an attitude is our enemy, the devil.

The vision to plant a church should come from a desire to meet the necessity of reaching more people with the message of salvation.   We need more churches which can reach and engage people with a variety of “forms” in this increasingly pluralistic world.   

We need to communicate the unchangeable word of God in a fast-changing world, and that is only possible when we use new initiatives to spread the gospel of Jesus.

A church plant should begin with God’s call, and be affirmed and blessed by the wider church. If this sense of connection is broken, then there is a real risk of isolation and other problems which may potentially destroy the plant.

I cannot see any Biblical basis to prevent a church from planting and blessing a group to start a different ‘movement’ if that is God’s call. But that must be prayed through, talked over and the process of sending and blessing should continue in the same way.

This is certainly not about building our own empires, but rather about building God’s Kingdom! And in the process of building His Kingdom we may multiply the number of churches in our own denomination but may also plant new movements outside of that denomination. It should be clear that honesty and transparency are vital to any church planting process!  

Ultimately though, the “Why?” of church planting will always be rooted in the desire to share the truth “that whoever believes in Jesus will be saved”.

5)    What

This is the last but not least important “W” of the church planting!

You might say to yourself “OK! So God called me to plant a church, and He has already shown me where to plant; my leaders are a blessing and I am being sent with a group of Christians to plant this new movement.”  

It might seem that all is great, but many people forget the last of the 5 W’s – this is the “WHAT?”

What are your team developing in the new location? How will the process and movement look?

Many church plants are just reproducing a bigger and more established church in a new location and on a smaller scale.

I would like to encourage church planters to go and pray and fast, asking God what He has in store for that new location and through that original group.

The ethos and meaning can still be the same, but new church planters need to avoid falling into the same trap as others have done in the past – that being, that if we only create the same style of churches, logically we will only reach the same group of people.

So… Don’t forget the “What?”

God is leading you to a new place to reach new people in a new way. It may that you are being called to do something in the same way as you have done it before, but that new life will come because the call is specific to you for that location. It is a journey to discover what God is willing to do, only through you and your team, in that place.

Now you have heard – pray, and go in His blessing!!!!!!!

“As you come to him, the living Stone —rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”                                                      1 Peter 2.4-10

Poem from a young soldier

"Lord God I have never spoken to you

But now I want to say, "How do you do?"

You see, God, they told me You didn't exist

And like a fool I believed all this

Last night from a shell hole I saw your sky

I figured right then they had told me a lie

Had I taken time to see the things you made

I'd have known they weren't calling a spade a spade

I wonder, God, if you'll take my hand

Somehow I feel that you'll understand

Funny I had to come to this hellish place

Before I had time to see Your face

Well, I guess there isn't much more to say

But I'm sure glad, God, I met you today

I guess zero hour will soon be here

But I'm not afraid since I know

 you're near

The signal!

Well, God, I'll have to go

I like You lots, I want you to know

Look now this will be a horrible fight

Who knows, I may come to Your house tonight

Though I wasn't friendly to You before

I wonder, God, if You'd wait at Your door

Look, I'm crying, I'm shedding tears

I'll have to go now God goodbye

Strange now, since I met You, I'm not afraid to die"

Love Letter to a Lesbian

Dear ______,

I just want you to know that I understand.

I understand how it feels to be in love with a woman. To want nothing more than to be with her forever. Feeling as if the universe has played a cruel joke on your heart by allowing it to fall into the hands of a creature that looks just like you.

I too was a lesbian. I had same-sex attractions as early as five years old. As I grew up, those feelings never subsided. They only grew. I would find myself having crushes on my female best friends, but I was far too ashamed to admit it to them — let alone to myself.

At the age of seventeen, I finally made the decision to pursue these desires. I entered into a relationship with a young lady who became my “first.” The first time we kissed, it felt extremely natural, as if this feeling is what I had been missing all along. After her came another woman and then another woman. Both relationships were very serious, each lasting over a year. I enjoyed these relationships and loved these women a lot. And it came to the point that I was willing to forsake all, including my soul, to enjoy their love on earth.

In October 2008, at the age of nineteen, my superficial reality was shaken up by a deeper love, one from the outside — one that I’d heard of before but never experienced. For the first time, I was convicted of my sin in a way that made me consider everything I loved (idolized), and its consequences. I looked at my life, and saw that I had been in love with everything except God, and these decisions would ultimately be the death of me, eternally. My eyes were opened, and I began to believe everything God says in his word. I began to believe that what he says about sin, death, and hell were completely true.

“All things I had heard before without any interest became the most glorious revelation of love imaginable.”

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And amazingly, at the same time that the penalty of my sin became true to me, so did the preciousness of the cross. A vision of God’s Son crucified, bearing the wrath I deserved, and an empty tomb displaying his power over death — all things I had heard before without any interest had become the most glorious revelation of love imaginable.

After realizing all of what I would have to give up, I said to God, “I cannot let these things or people go on my own. I love them too much. But I know you are good and strong enough to help me.”

Now, at the age of 23, I can say with all honesty that God has done just that. He has helped me love him more than anything.

Now, why did I just tell you about this? I gave you a glimpse of my story because I want you to understand that I understand. But I also want you to know that I also understand how it feels to be in love with the Creator of the universe. To want nothing more than to be with him forever. To feel his grace, the best news ever announced to mankind. To see his forgiveness, that he would take such a wicked heart into his hands of mercy.

But with that in mind, we’re in a culture where stories like mine either seem impossible or hilarious, depending on the audience. Homosexuality is everywhere — from music, to TV, even sports. If you’d believe all that society had to say about homosexuality, you’d come to the conclusion that it is completely normal, even somewhat admirable. But that is far from the truth. God tells us that homosexuality is sinful, abominable, and unnatural (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:18–32; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; 1 Timothy 1:8–10). But if I were to be honest, sometimes homosexual attractions can seem natural to me.

I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that this may be your dilemma as well. You see what God has to say about homosexuality, but your heart doesn’t utter the same sentiments. God’s word says it’s sinful; your heart says it feels right. God’s word says it’s abominable; your heart says it’s delightful. God’s word says it’s unnatural; your heart says it’s totally normal. Do you see that there is a clear divide between what God’s word says and how your heart feels?

So, which voice should you believe?

“The struggle with homosexuality is a battle of faith. ‘Is God my joy?’”

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There was a time in my walk with Christ where I experienced a lot of temptation about falling back into lesbianism. These temptations caused me to doubt God’s word. My temptations and desires began to become more real to me than the truth of the Bible. As I was praying and meditating on these things, God put this impression on my heart: “Jackie, you have to believe that my word is true even if it contradicts how you feel.” Wow! This is right. Either I trust in his word or I trust my own feelings. Either I look to him for the pleasure my soul craves or I search for it in lesser things. Either I walk in obedience to what he says or I reject his truth as if it were a lie.

The struggle with homosexuality is a battle of faith. Is God my joy? Is he good enough? Or am I still looking to broken cisterns to quench a thirst only he can satisfy? That is the battle. It is for me, and it is for you.

The choice is yours, my friend. I pray you put your faith in Christ and flee from the lies of our society that coincide with the voices of your heart — a heart that Scripture says is wicked and deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). Run to Jesus instead.

You were made for him (Romans 11:36). He is ultimately all that you need! He is good and wise (Psalm 145:9). He is the source of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3). He is kind and patient (2 Peter 3:9). He is righteous and faithful (Psalm 33:4). He is holy and just (1 John 1:9). He is our true King (Psalm 47:7). He is our Savior (Jude 25). And he is inviting you to be not just his servant, but also his friend. If lasting love is what you’re looking for anywhere else, you are chasing the wind, seeking what you will never find, slowly being destroyed by your pursuit.

But in Jesus, there is fullness of joy. In Jesus, there is a relationship worth everything, because he is everything. Run to him.

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Article by  Jackie Hill Perry

Jackie Hill Perry (@JackieHillPerry) is a writer, poet, and hip-hop artist whose latest album, Crescendo, released in May. She is also the author of Gay Girl, Good God.

Text above was accessed at https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/love-letter-to-a-lesbian on 25 April 2019