The Tithe principle....

[LifeHiscost]

Far too often, we train people to treat the tithe like any other financial investment. You put in this much. You get that much.

It has been my understanding for a long time that it is the Holy Spirit Who does the training. And that still makes God the One Who invites to "prove" Him, whether by tangibles or intangibles. It seems to me the person most involved with material success would be the one most apt to determine whether God was the One Who "proved" them when they took Him up on His invitation.

"“And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day."Deuteronomy 8:17 NKJV

"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers."

3 John 1:2 NKJV

"The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days."

1 Kings 3:10-13 NKJV Emphasis mine LHC

However, you may be correct, I may have totally misunderstood what it was that caused you to see another brother's testimony as something to elicit a "cringe".

The fact that Solomon had the experience of using his wealth so poorly under certain circumstances, does seem to reveal the danger, known by God, of placing large amounts of wealth in fallible human beings hands.

If one, so blessed of the Lord could fall so far, despite the fact that He had given Solomon "....a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you", it should give pause to anyone who asks the responsibility of great riches.

"But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”

Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then."

Matthew 19:22-30 NLT

Perhaps this is the reason Jesus spoke these words,

"You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."Matthew 26:11 NLT

God blesses!

[fccool]

I think the real question is not how much we give. The real question is how do we give to God in this day and age. Can we honestly stretch the OT establishment and apply it to an institution governed by the corporate law of the land and has to employ a small army of lawyers just to be "legal".

[doug yowell]

I think the real question is not how much we give. The real question is how do we give to God in this day and age. Can we honestly stretch the OT establishment and apply it to an institution governed by the corporate law of the land and has to employ a small army of lawyers just to be "legal".

Why not? The Jesus had no problem with the tithe/offerings institution in the NT. And this was in the face of the publicans who had to employ a small army of army men just to be legal (and alive)."Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's." "These things you ought to have done without neglecting the other things."