Tithe & Business

[Dr. Shane]

The other day I was watching KTV and they had a program about Little Debbie Snacks and thier faithfulness to God. Here are a few more stories:

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As William Colgate, of the great Colgate-Palmolive Corporation, started out in business, he said God, 'I must be faithful to You.' He began tithing, and God blessed him. John D. Rockefeller, was a known tither. Henry John Heinz, of Heinz Ketchup fame, began paying tithe. The story of James Cash Penny is an amazing story... As he started out in business, his business was going poorly, and he had a physical collapse. He was up in a little sanitorium, rebuilding his health, and walking down one of those corridors in that little health rehabilitation center, he heard someone playing hymns on the organ. J.C. Penny walked in there, bowed down and said, 'Lord, I'm giving my life to You.' He was convicted that, even in debt and poverty, he should begin returning tithe to God --- he did, and J.C. Penny department stores have sprung up all over America. Take R. Letourneau, of Letourneau earth-moving equipment...he was determined to tithe and God richly blessed him. Whether it is James Kraft of Kraft Cheese or Milton S. Hershey of Hershey Candy, basic decisions early on in business were made to be faithful to God and follow that tithing principle.

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[cricket]

That's good.

[darlene]

I can confirm that God does bless when we give tithe faithfully. Though I don't have the amount of money that those people you mentioned, Shane, God's blessing has been proved to me over an over. He means what he says!

[Barbara]

For me I have been alot better paying tithe. I think I have only missed pay tithe twice this year. It has been hard for me to let go of the tithe amount I think if I did pay it we could put more on our credit cards and pay off one of them sooner. I have stumbed, but it is getting easier to let go and trust that we can make it thourgh to the next check.

[Nicodema]

It's difficult sometimes to pay tithe when you're barely scraping by and every penny counts. But I have honestly seen myself do better financially -- on very little income -- when I return my tithe as opposed to when I neglect to do so. I believe everything belongs to God and just as He can set up and depose kings and rulers at will, so He can arrange opportunities for work, for business, for employment, for increase, and He has promised to take care of us -- even to open the windows of heaven and pour out a greater blessing than we are able to contain -- if we will trust Him and be faithful to Him in this area.

[Dr. Shane]

I think it is difficult to pay tither regardless how much you make. The IRS statistics show that the more money a person makes the less % they give to charity. The IRS statistics also show the poorest per captia states contribute the most to charity. Those two statistics seem to indicate that it is more difficult for the rich to pay tithe than the poor. With good reason Christ warned it is difficult for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

[cricket]

Another reason that richer people might not give as much to charity is because they feel they've worked hard for their money. The philosophy: let the poor make their money the hard way--by earning it.

[Robert]

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darlene said:

I can confirm that God does bless when we give tithe faithfully. Though I don't have the amount of money that those people you mentioned, Shane, God's blessing has been proved to me over an over. He means what he says!

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Malachi 3:8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed Thee?’ In tithes and offerings. 9 “[:"red"]You are cursed with a curse[:"black"], for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you!

The terms of the "old covenant" were, Obey and live: "If a man do, he shall even live in them" (Eze. 20:11; Lev. 18:5); but "[:"red"]cursed[:"black"] be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them." Deut. 27:26. [RH 10-17-07 The Two Covenants]

Deuteronomy 28:10 “Now it shall be, if you will diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 “And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the Lord your God.... 11 “And the Lord will make you abound in prosperity [if you obey all the law]....

Mark 10:24 Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them [the disciples], Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches [i.e., the blessing from obeying the law] to enter into the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, [if a rich man blessed of God for his law obedience can't be saved] Who then can be saved? 27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

[Ellen]

Any of you who have children should get them off to a good start by helping them count out the tithe from money gifts. They should see you filling out the envelope adding offereings.

My folks never hesitated to return tithe and offerings and taught me to do that and now I don't ask myself, am I going to put in tithe this week, but make sure to write out my cheque or put aside the cash right at the first before I have spent any of my pay.

I always wish I had more money and didn't have to consider whether I can buy things I want, but know it is for my good that I am at the financial level I am. God gives us what He can trust us with.

Of course, you can wonder how the rich who don't return tithe get to prosper - that's another discussion.

[Dr. Shane]

Actually in this program on KTV the other day, the gentleman beig interviewed said when they started their business they were not being faithful with the tithe. He said they had some good years and some bad years. However since they decided to pay a loyal tithe they have yet to have a bad year.

[LifeHiscost]

Quote:

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Shane said:

The other day I was watching KTV and they had a program about Little Debbie Snacks and thier faithfulness to God. Here are a few more stories:

Quote:

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As William Colgate, of the great Colgate-Palmolive Corporation, started

out in business, he said God, 'I must be faithful to You.' He began tithing, and God blessed him. John D. Rockefeller, was a known tither. Henry John Heinz, of Heinz Ketchup fame, began paying tithe. The story of James Cash Penny is an amazing story... As he started out in business, his business was going poorly, and he had a physical collapse. He was up in a little sanitorium, rebuilding his health, and walking down one of those corridors in that little health rehabilitation center, he heard someone playing hymns on the organ. J.C. Penny walked in there, bowed down and said, 'Lord, I'm giving my life to You.' He was convicted that, even in debt and poverty, he should begin returning tithe to God --- he did, and J.C. Penny department stores have sprung up all over America. Take R. Letourneau, of Letourneau earth-moving equipment...he was determined to tithe and God richly blessed him. Whether it is James Kraft of Kraft Cheese or Milton S. Hershey of Hershey Candy, basic decisions early on in business were made to be faithful to God and follow that tithing principle.

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[:"red"] "And He sat down opposite the treasury and saw how the crowd was casting money into the treasury. Many rich [people] were throwing in large sums.

And a widow who was poverty-stricken came and put in two copper mites [the smallest of coins], which together make half of a cent.

And He called His disciples [to Him] and said to them, Truly and surely I tell you, this widow, [she who is] poverty-stricken, has put in more than all those contributing to the treasury.

For they all threw in out of their abundance; but she, out of her deep poverty, has put in everything that she had--[even] all she had on which to live." [/]

Mark 12:41-44 AMP

[:"red"] "Always remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you power to become rich, and he does it to fulfill the covenant he made with your ancestors." [/] Deut 8:18 NLT

[:"red"] "What have you that was not given to you?" [/] 1 Cor 4:7 AMP

[Pockey]

Should I be returning 10% pretax or after my employer takes out taxes?

[Dr. Shane]

Sid,

Since this thread is more about business owners paying tithe, I will answer that from a business prespective. A business owner paying tithe on the business income will pay tithe only on the net profit. He may purchase a product for $50 and sell it for $65 so his net profit would be $15 even though his gross revenue is $65.

On personal income there is a line of thought that says one needn't pay tithe on the gross income because the government takes a portion. The thinking is that the "increase" is only that which the worker sees in the form of cash. Others argue that since the worker recieves benefits from his government, the amount taken from his check is an "increase" and thus the worker should pay on his gross.

If indeed the second reasoning is correct, we must also ask ourselves if we should pay tithe on the health insurance benefits our employers pay us. Should we pay tithe on the portion of our social security matched by our employers? Should we pay tithe on any other benefits we may recieve that do not show up on our paychecks like company uniforms, the use of company vehicles, free coffee or bottled water, cell phone use, etc. We are also faced with the issues of unfair taxation. The lower and middle imcome do not pay enough taxes to cover the government services they use. So should they pay extra tithe for those services?

It all comes back to the means and methods of salvation (Rom. 9:32). If we pray, study the Word with a willing heart to obey, God will reveal to us what His will is for us. In some situations that may be different than what it is for our neighbor. God may convict some to pay tithe on their gross, others to pay on their net and still others to pay a double tithe.