Stewardship, Giving and Receiving

Stewardship: Giving and Receiving

Deuteronomy 8:18 But you shall remember Yahweh 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 at this day.

Job 1:10 thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

Money is vitally important. The love of money, not money, is the root of evil. 1 Timothy 6:10.  Ecclesiastes 10:19 says money answers all things. The Bible refers to the theme of money more than any other theme. In fact God owns all the gold and silver. The problem is of wrong reasons and methods of obtaining money. Daniel 5:16, 17

Handling of resources and finances is basically guided by knowing that God owns everything and that we have received from him to care and increase what we have  for the sake of the gospel.

Ownership:

God owns everything. 1 Chronicles 29:11; Psalm 24:1; Haggai 2:8; Deuteronomy 10:14; Ezekiel 18:4; Revelation 22:13, Job 41:11. He has a claim on everything including our very lives because he created us.

Stewardship

There is nothing you have which you have not received from God (1 Corinthains 4:7). For we brought nothing into the world, and we certainly can't carry anything out (1 Tim 6:7). God owes you nothing. You owe him everything. God has given everything (Romans 8:32). Gods work is supported by the giving of Gods people.

TITHES and OFFERINGS

The subject of tithing is often misunderstood. The Bible clearly teaches the principles of tithing and offerings.

Definitions:

Tithe – the first tenth of one’s income or harvest belongs to God and should be given back to Him. The tithe in the Old Testament was for:

           a)  The support of the Levites, because they did not receive a land inheritance, Numbers 18:21-32

           b)  The Lord’s feasts and sacrifices, Deuteronomy 14:22-24

           c)  The poor, Deuteronomy 14:28-29

      Offering - that which is given to God’s work in addition to the tithe. Offerings were for uses such as:

Provision for the Tabernacle – Exodus 35:5       

Provision for the Temple - 1 Chronicle 29:1-9    

Upkeep of the Temple - 2 Chronicle 34:8-10.

      Tithing was there before the law of Moses. Genesis 14:17-29; 28:22

      Tithing was there under the law. Leviticus 14:17-20; 2 Chronicles 31:5; Malachi 3:8-12.

      Tithing was there after the law.  Tithing is a Biblical principle from which Christians benefit immensely. The reasons for which it was given in Old testament still apply – the church has financial needs and the needy still need to be helped. The principle of Gods work supported by the giving of God’s people still holds.  Also if under the law 10% was expected, under grace everything is expected. So tithe is only the minimum we should give to God’s work. Mark 12:43-44; Acts 5:3-4. Mathew 23:23. ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law - justice, mercy, and faith.’ But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. Jesus came to fulfill the law not to abandon it (Mathew 5:17).

General Giving Principles:

1)   God owns everything. We are managers of God’s resources. Stewardship implies accountability. The steward shall one day give a report to the owner (Mathew 25:15-28; Luke 16:11). We are stewards of what belongs to God. Giving to God is for our good. To come out of poverty we must work, invest, be wise, be informed and GIVE. Giving is the way to break the curse of poverty. In general, give from what you know, what you have, what you do and what you are.  Your time, treasure, things, ideas, strength/effort, affection, forgiveness etc.  Giving breaks satan’s power over a believer.

2)      The one who withholds tithes and offerings robs God of the opportunity to bless him/her. God wants us to give so that he can have an excuse to give us the harvest. God said non shall appear before me empty (Exodus 34:20). Our gift to him paves the way for favor from him.

3)      We are commanded to give in order to receive:  The law of giving and receiving is universal (Philippians 4:15). Freely you have received, freely give (Mathew. 10:8; 1 Timothy 6:17-18). Give and it shall be given unto you....( Luke 6:38).   Degree of sacrifice matters (Mark 12:23). The receiving is proportional to the giving (2 Corinthians 9:6-10). Withholding from giving causes heaven to withhold its favour. A closed hand is a closed heaven (Proverbs 11:24). Often we are afraid of what will happen even when the little we have is not enough to keep us anyway.

4)   Give with the right attitude:  Before giving things to God first give yourself to God (2 Corinthians 8:5). Give with the right motives. Mathew. 6:1-4 When (not ‘if’) you give alms - do it in secret. God loves a willing and cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 8:3; 9:7).  Be cheerful during giving as well as after. when you murmur and complain about giving you dig out the seed before it takes root.

5)      What you do with money reveals your spiritual condition. It is a barometer of your love to God. It reveals your faith in God and who your source and your confidence is. It shows your thankfulness to God. If you don’t use your gold to build the tabernacle of God you will build a golden calf  (an idol) with it. Exodus 32:24. 1 Timothy 6:17-19. Balance: Don’t neglect other Christian faith disciplines – prayer, love, serving, holy living, etc.  They all work together.

6)      Sowing and harvesting: 2 Corinthians 9: 6-10 - Count the number of ‘alls’ in this passage. It is God’s nature to give. John 3:16. We are called to be like Him. Christian giving is to be willing, voluntary, abundant, cheerful and with a sense of accountability to God.

7)      What you receive from God is seed. God gives seed to the sower. Harvest is what you spend on your self and seed is what you give in obedience to God. The enemy wants you to think you have nothing. It’s a lie. Everyone has seed. There can not be a harvest when there has not been sowing. The more you sow the more you reap. To reap continually you need to sow continually. Philippians 4:19; Galatians 6:9

8)      God honors giving. Acts 10:2-4. ‘Cornelius, your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up for a memorial to God.’ Acts 20:35 ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Being given an opportunity to give is a greater blessing than being given something. A rejected opportunity to give is a rejected opportunity to receive. Don’t be sorry to let the poor give.

9)      Give God first. Seek first his kingdom with your substance. Mathew 6:33; Proverbs 3:9-10. When you give your best expect his best.. God gives back multiplied. Where your treasure is that is where your heart is (Mathew 6:21). Like in putting together pieces of a puzzle, if you do not  put God first nothing else will come together.

10)  Give to your store house: Give to God’s work beginning at your local church (Storehouse – Malachi 3;10). Support where you are regularly fed spiritually. When you receive spiritually give back or respond by giving material things. Romans 15:27.

Read an Example: The widow of Zarepath 1 Kings 17:7-16

Message by Dr. Kurai Chitima.

Faith Ministries – Johannesburg Faith Life Center.

Ground and First Floors Sunset Bay Building,

204B Bram Fischer drive,

Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa