"WHAT DOES GOD SAY ABOUT TITHES AND WORSHIP?"

Don't forget to check and see how you did on the Bible Challenge from last night. The answers are at the bottom of this post.

Good Evening to You All!

I am continuing in my quest of Holiness and Christian Living, however I am going to do it a little differently. I fear that I may have tried to give too much information at one time for anyone to digest all at once, so I will try and shorten each subtopic up a bit, and cover more than one.

Just so you know, I will be including some of the actual word for word scriptures, but for length's sake, only some of them which are 1 or 2 verses. Any long passages I will just give you the scriptures and hope you will look them up. As my Pastor has always said, it's not good to just take a person's word for "gospel". Always read it for yourself as well. Check it out to make sure what that person is saying is true.

The first being the fourth subtopic of this discussion and it is the Giving of tithes and offerings. Tithing began before the law of Moses and continues after it. Abraham and Jacob paid tithes. Tithes are ten percent of "increase" (income) and are used to support the church. Offerings are any additional freewill gifts. Let me just add a little to this. When it says "income" it means any increase. For example if you get a one hundred dollar Christmas bonus, then $10.00 of that 100 should be given for tithes. If you get twenty five dollars as a gift for your birthday, then 2.50 should go to tithes.

The scriptures which back this up are Matthew 6:1-4; ; 1 Corinthians 9:7-14 as well as the following:

"Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down and shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." (Luke 6:38 NKJV)

(10) He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. (11)Therefore if you have not been faithful in unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? (12) And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's who will give you what is your own? (13) No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other . You cannot serve God and mammon. (mammon being wealth or money)
( Luke 16:10-13 KJV)

(8) “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, in what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. (9) You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. (10) 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. (11)“And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” says the LORD of hosts; (12) And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,”says the LORD of hosts.
(Malachi 3:8-12)

I know this is a touchy subject. My husband even gets aggravated when I make the mistake of mentioning paying my tithes. The thing is, this is not my money to begin with. I wouldn't have it if it weren't for God. He provided me with the jobs, and makes sure that the clients have enough money to pay me. Therefore it doesn't kill me to give 10 percent for His purpose. After all He has allowed me to keep 90 percent. It's not like someone is going out and blowing all the money taken in. It goes to support the church in different ways and a small percentage goes to the "shepherd" as his wages.

The second subtopic tonight is Worship. According to God's Word Christians must worship in spirit and in truth. Scriptural expressions of worship include private devotions, group worship, praising with loud noise,, singing, playing musical instruments, praying aloud, raising hands, clapping hands, weeping, and dancing before the Lord. I must say I like the way that first sentence is worded. "in spirit and in truth". I have heard people talk about this verse and reference the word "spirit" as in the Holy Spirit. If you will notice, the word spirit is NOT CAPITALIZED. It is talking about our spirit. He wants us to worship with passion and vigor. Just as a person would show "spirit at a football game, God was the same spirit and passion shown when praising and worshiping Him. After all, He has done a lot more for us to get excited about than any sports game or concert.

The scriptural references are : Psalm 100:1-5; 1 Corinthians 14:26-33, 40; 2 Corinthians 3:17.

Praise the LORD! I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation. (Psalm 111:1 NKJV)

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24 NKJV)

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2 Corinthians 3:17 NKJV)

Psalm 22:2-3; 47:1; 141:2; 149:3-5; 150:1-6; Acts 4:24-31 .

I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; (1 Timothy 2:8 NKJV)

(18) And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, (19) speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, (20) giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (21) submitting to one another in the fear of God.
(Ephesians 5:18-21 NKJV)

Needless to say these are just a few verses which call on us to praise and worship, in demonstrative ways as well as in quiet reverence. When I was a child, I used to attend churches that were very "stiff" in their worship. You notice I didn't even use the word praise. It seemed like EVERY SONG WE SANG was a sloooowwww beat. (if there was a beat at all). Now that was in the adult church. In children's church we sang fun songs like "Do Lord", A Wise man built His House upon the Rock, This little light of Mine and so on. I never understood why the the difference.

Anyway, as I got older, I moved and changed churches (and denominations), but it was the same. Very quiet and subdued atmosphere, and very slow songs.

No wonder people are shocked (in a good way) when they visit our church. We ENJOY praising God. We ENJOY Worshiping. We put our hearts and soul into it and give Him our all.

I have to say though that I have heard that even some of the "denominational' churches are finally understanding, and even some receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues. I think that is so neat! God's Word says in Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:"

The answers to last night's Bible Challenge "Who Was I " Part 1 are as follows:
1. d) Sanson's (Judges 16:4)
2. b) Naomi's daughter-in-law (Ruth 1:3-4)
3. b) Jeremiah's ( Jeremiah 36:4, 45:1)
4. b) temple musicians (1 Chronicles 6:31-44)
5. a) King David's wife (1 Samuel 25:43)
6. c) Saul (2 Samuel 3:7)
7. d) Joab (2 Samuel 19:13-20:13)
8. c) Ahasuerus (Esther 1:19)
9. a) the high priest's servant whose ear was cut off as Jesus was being arrested (John 18:10)
10: c) helped carry Jesus' cross (Matthew 27:32)

I hope you enjoyed doing this challenge as well as doing well on it.

Good Night to All and May God Bless!