Tithing part four

     So I hope you see now that when leadership tries to convince you that tithing is a commandment from God for you today - it is a fleshly, soulish ploy to get you to give when they ask for money - equating your obedience to them as obedience to God, when in fact tithing is not a part of the New Covenant you have accepted from God.
     They often teach that you give in order to get in return. I've heard pastor's even teach that a nice car and big house are the surest signs that God is blessing you because of your giving and if you have a trailer or mobile home or old car it is a sign that you aren't walking in faith or that God isn't blessing you. They tell us to fix our prayers on gain, on getting more and more. This sounds really good in Babylon but in the New Jerusalem, in God's kingdom, it doesn't fly. Jesus said "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth". "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, or what ye shall put on". yet in our modern day Babylon (USA, the world), we are consumed with thoughts of food and drink and clothes and material possessions. Focus instead on what you can take to Heaven - Souls! Yours and others. When Jesus sent forth his disciples with no money in their purse, he was testing their hearts - he was seeing if they were in the ministry for money, for what they could gain in material wealth "For some, supposing that gain is godliness (prosperity teachers) from such withdraw thyself; but godliness with contentment is great gain". The very same disciples that went forth with no money in their purse later had people selling their land and homes (by so doing, declaring their allegiance and hope in another world - the world yet to come, without end) and laying the money at the apostles feet, who did not covet or lust after it but redistributed it among the poor and needy, the widows and orphans. God had tested their hearts previously and knew he could trust them. (Acts:4:34-37).
     Many today are like Simon - who think money can purchase the gift of God, who think money can buy favor with God (Acts:8:20&21). No "Thy heart is not right in the sight of God". Many, many pastors have no faith in God to provide for them so they fleece the flock as often as possible for as much as they can get - and not being content with godliness alone, they keep coming up with new reasons for fleecing the people - typically a new building project so they can gather more people together so they can get yet even bigger offerings. They will always have one more reason for the people to give to them. Of course, giving to the poor and to fund projects God has inspired are good but even then believer, give as God leads you too. The answer to the call to give money may be more than ten percent or it may be less. At times, it may be nothing at all....God's people are inherently generous, loving, giving people because he lives in them. They know without being taught it is better to give than to receive. They naturally delight in giving and Satan takes advantage of this by encouraging them to give to ministries and projects he is the author of, fleshly, soulish ministries that want you to support them, who are not there to support you - thereby wasting vast amounts of money. "unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain that build it".
     When God sent our family to Ireland, he told us to never mention money when people invited us to minister. He told me he was our provider, not men, and if he put it in the hearts of his people to give to us, that was between him and them and it was none of our business. We stuck to this rule for four years, only taking up offerings in our own services, not for ourselves but for guest speakers or those among us who had a need. God took care of us wonderfully as a result, for four years we lacked for no good thing- we were given three cars, amazing homes to live in and his love poured out on us through precious saints across the land who gave their homes and hearts to us - feeding and clothing us when we lost almost all we had in a fire. I will treasure our time there forever. Well, thanks for reading this far, I trust you'll be rewarded with wisdom in your heart and mind and eyes opened wide.
     Remember, when Jesus said "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets, I am not come to destroy but fulfill" he was not saying "keep the law", he was saying he was the only one who could keep it - for the law dealt with sin and death and Jesus, hallelujah, conquered both! He said the law would not pass away till all be fulfilled (Mt:5:17&18) and he fulfilled it as he just said in verse 17. Now we live under Romans 13:18 - "Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law". Instead of following and trying to keep 666 separate commandments which Israel, bless their hearts, proved is impossible, we must need only to follow Jesus - who is love - who will always urge us to love one another. In God's kingdom, therefore, money isn't necessary - only love, for if I see a need and I can fill it, I do so, as God approves. Then, in his glorious kingdom, there are no poor or rich nations defined by money, but rather we are poor or rich defined by how much love we have in our lives - from friends and family and strangers and the poor and our enemies, eventually, pressed down, shaken (shared) together and running over shall men give, return - love back to your bosom, to your heart. By giving your love away you will continue to be filled back up again with the love of others. This is true richness. This stores up treasure in Heaven. As Michael W. Smith said "Love isn't love until you give it away". Selah.