Category
108 Offering and Tithes
Think about this: Christ loved us so much that he gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering to God.1 He made the ultimate sacrifice for you on the cross, loving you to death and beyond. Even as time marches on, His love stays constant.
It's so important for you to grasp that the biggest sacrifice has already been made. But now, you get to be a pleasing offering to God, too. Let your service, your honor, and your giving be a delight to your Heavenly Father. Know that Jesus has given you everything, and anything you offer pales in comparison to His love.
Giving to God, supporting His work, it's an expression of love. Don't see it as a burden or an obligation, but as a response to God's love and Jesus' sacrifice. It's a way of saying "thank you" for everything Heaven has poured into your life.
1Ephesians 5:2
“And their sins and their lawless deeds I will no longer remember.”Now where there is forgiveness of these things, an offering for sin is no longer required.
These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple area; and no one arrested Him, because His hour had not yet come.
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and put Me to the test now in this,” says the Lord of armies, “if I do not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.
And Jesus *said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your master.’“Now the one who had received the one talent also came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed.
Each one must do just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
And Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and began watching how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large amounts.And a poor widow came and put in two lepta coins, which amount to a quadrans.Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury;for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”
‘Now all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord.
But I will sacrifice to You With a voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the Lord.”
who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deeds.
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
Everyone shall give as he is able, in accordance with the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.
Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”
For if the willingness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.
‘Take from among you a contribution to the Lord; whoever is of a willing heart is to bring it as the Lord’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze,
Ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name; Bring an offering and come into His courtyards.
“But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given to You.
Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
“You shall certainly tithe all the produce from what you sow, which comes from the field every year.You shall eat in the presence of the Lord your God, at the place where He chooses to establish His name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always.
On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save as he may prosper, so that no collections need to be made when I come.
And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).And blessed be God Most High, Who has handed over your enemies to you.” And he gave him a tenth of everything.
It goes well for a person who is gracious and lends; He will maintain his cause in judgment.
There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in poverty.A generous person will be prosperous, And one who gives others plenty of water will himself be given plenty.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.
Now He looked up and saw the wealthy putting their gifts into the temple treasury.Then He continued by saying to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom,and there will be massive earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrible sights and great signs from heaven. “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, turning you over to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors on account of My name.It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony.So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves;for I will provide you eloquence and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to oppose or refute.But you will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, other relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death,and you will be hated by all people because of My name.And yet not a hair of your head will perish.By your endurance you will gain your lives. And He saw a poor widow putting in two lepta coins.“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are inside the city must leave, and those who are in the country must not enter the city;because these are days of punishment, so that all things which have been written will be fulfilled.Woe to those women who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land, and wrath to this people;and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.“There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves,people fainting from fear and the expectation of the things that are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”And He told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees:And He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them;as soon as they put forth leaves, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near.So you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near.Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place.Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.“But be on your guard, so that your hearts will not be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that this day will not come on you suddenly, like a trap;for it will come upon all those who live on the face of all the earth.But stay alert at all times, praying that you will have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”Now during the day He was teaching in the temple, but at evening He would go out and spend the night on the mountain that is called Olivet.And all the people would get up very early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.for they all contributed to the offering from their surplus; but she, from her poverty, put in all that she had to live on.”
They faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the consecrated things; and Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge of them, and his brother Shimei was second.
In everything I showed you that by working hard in this way you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
And whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
“Is this not the fast that I choose: To release the bonds of wickedness, To undo the ropes of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free, And break every yoke?“Is it not to break your bread with the hungry And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
¶Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it.Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it to you,” When you have it with you.
The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.
Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
“Tell the sons of Israel to take a contribution for Me; from everyone whose heart moves him you shall take My contribution.
“Then it shall be, when you enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you take possession of it and live in it,And now behold, I have brought the first of the produce of the ground which You, Lord have given me.’ Then you shall set it before the Lord your God, and worship before the Lord your God;and you, the Levite, and the stranger who is among you shall rejoice in all the good which the Lord your God has given you and your household.“When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the stranger, to the orphan, and to the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.And you shall say before the Lord your God, ‘I have removed the sacred portion from my house, and have also given it to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, in accordance with all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not violated or forgotten any of Your commandments.I have not eaten of it while mourning, nor have I removed any of it while I was unclean, nor offered any of it to the dead. I have listened to the voice of the Lord my God; I have acted in accordance with everything that You have commanded me.Look down from Your holy dwelling place, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel, and the ground which You have given us, a land flowing with milk and honey just as You swore to our fathers.’“This day the Lord your God commands you to perform these statutes and ordinances. Therefore you shall be careful to perform them with all your heart and with all your soul.Today you have declared the Lord to be your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His ordinances, and listen to His voice.And the Lord has today declared you to be His people, His personal possession, just as He promised you, and that you are to keep all His commandments;and that He will put you high above all the nations which He has made, for glory, fame, and honor; and that you shall be a consecrated people to the Lord your God, just as He has spoken.”that you shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground which you bring in from your land that the Lord your God gives you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to establish His name.
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,for he was still in the loins of his forefather when Melchizedek met him. So if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron?For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.For the one about whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses said nothing concerning priests.And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek,who has become a priest not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life.For it is attested of Him, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”For, on the one hand, there is the nullification of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness(for the Law made nothing perfect); on the other hand, there is the introduction of a better hope, through which we come near to God.to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace.
Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, In heaven and on earth, in the seas and in all the ocean depths.He causes the mist to ascend from the ends of the earth, He makes lightning for the rain; He brings forth the wind from His treasuries.
Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
But you are to remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, in order to confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
Since I know, my God, that You put the heart to the test and delight in uprightness, I, in the integrity of my heart, have willingly offered all these things; so now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here, make their offerings willingly to You.
“Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor does a moth destroy.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
“So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they will be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then, if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they?And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span?And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth,yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you. “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.so that your charitable giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
And this stone, which I have set up as a memorial stone, will be God’s house, and of everything that You give me I will assuredly give a tenth to You.”
For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.
So Moses issued a command, and circulated a proclamation throughout the camp, saying, “No man or woman is to perform work any longer for the contributions of the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing any more.For the material they had was sufficient and more than enough for all the work, to perform it.
Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar?So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.
Jesus said to him, “If you want to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord from the fruit of the ground.Abel, on his part also brought an offering, from the firstborn of his flock and from their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering;but for Cain and his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his face was gloomy.
¶Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples, Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name; Bring an offering and come into His courtyards.
One who goes here and there weeping, carrying his bag of seed, Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
Through Him then, let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips praising His name.
“You shall bring the very first of the first fruits of your soil into the house of the Lord your God. “You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”
The elders who lead well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle the ox while it is threshing,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion,So that I will not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?” And that I will not become impoverished and steal, And profane the name of my God.
And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’
You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone;for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.
The Lord is my shepherd, I will not be in need.He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
One who gives to the poor will never lack anything, But one who shuts his eyes will have many curses.
In addition, in my delight in the house of my God, the treasure I have of gold and silver, I give to the house of my God, over and above all that I have already provided for the holy temple,
And if you offer yourself to the hungry And satisfy the need of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness, And your gloom will become like midday.
Blessed is one who considers the helpless; The Lord will save him on a day of trouble. ¶But You, Lord, be gracious to me and raise me up, That I may repay them.By this I know that You are pleased with me, Because my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, And You place me in Your presence forever.¶Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, From everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.The Lord will protect him and keep him alive, And he will be called blessed upon the earth; And do not turn him over to the desire of his enemies.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.“So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they will be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work, and in all your undertakings.
He has given freely to the poor, His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted in honor.
Now, brothers and sisters, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it.But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the willingness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability.For if the willingness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.For this is not for the relief of others and for your hardship, but by way of equality—at this present time your abundance will serve as assistance for their need, so that their abundance also may serve as assistance for your need, so that there may be equality;as it is written: “The one who had gathered much did not have too much, and the one who had gathered little did not have too little.”But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness in your behalf in the heart of Titus.For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord.We have sent along with him the brother whose fame in the things of the gospel has spread through all the churches;and not only that, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our readiness,that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift;for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of other people.We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you.As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ.Therefore, openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you.For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily,begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints,and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.
And blessed be God Most High, Who has handed over your enemies to you.” And he gave him a tenth of everything.
Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord wholeheartedly, and King David also rejoiced greatly.
or the one who exhorts, in the work of exhortation; the one who gives, with generosity; the one who is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
Who executes justice for the oppressed; Who gives food to the hungry. The Lord frees the prisoners.
When I arrive, whomever you approve, I will send them with letters to take your gift to Jerusalem;and if it is appropriate for me to go also, they will go with me.
One who is gracious to a poor person lends to the Lord, And He will repay him for his good deed.
you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.
And the work of righteousness will be peace, And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.
So if you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
¶Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap.
Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the garbage heap,To seat them with noblemen, With the noblemen of His people.
Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils.