Should We Tithe Today?

Is tithing obsolete? Do we need to tithe today? I don't mean today, I mean nowadays. So, many say that tithing is something of the Old Testament, and now we're in the New Testament, we're not under the law, we're under grace, and after all the law was changed. So, the question I have today is, should we tithe? And what is the biblical basis? But even more important, possibly, is what is the spirit and attitude when we tithe? Now, tithing is a law, and even though it is a law, it is a way of giving.

Indeed, it's an act of giving, and that's why quite often we say we give you a tithe. It's a law, but it's an act of giving. Look with me, please, in Leviticus 23, Leviticus 23, right at the end of the book of Leviticus 27. Right at the end of Leviticus, Leviticus 27, verse 30. Right at the end of the book of Leviticus says, And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's.

And here is an important point that I want to highlight. It belongs to God. It really is God's, and it's his decision of where to put it. It belongs to him. And you read a bit further in verse 32, says, And concerning the type of the herd or the flock or whatever passes on the rod, The tenth one shall be holy to the Lord. So basically, in our modern society, is the tenth of our income belongs to God.

It doesn't belong to me. It doesn't belong to anybody. Say, I'm talking about myself, my income. A tenth doesn't belong to me. It belongs to God. So indeed, it is a law. And God gives us everything. I mean, God gives us the brain to think. God gives us the eyes to see. It's a miracle for us to be able to see. He gives us the hands so that we can work, and the brain and the mind, we can have a job.

He gives us that. And all that he says is giving back a tenth. It's not ours, it's his. And so, tithing, besides being a law, therefore, it's a way of worshiping God. Let's look at that in Proverbs 3 verse 9. Proverbs 3 verse 9. The third chapter of Proverbs. You would not think that it would get a principle about tithing in Proverbs, but anyway, it's a principle, yeah. Look at it. Proverbs 3 verse 9 and 10.

It says, Honor the Lord with all your possessions. With the first foot of your increase. So we honor God with all our income, with all our possessions, and in the law says, you've got to pay a tithe. And you know, a number of you, you have little farms, or not farms, but little gardens, etc. And you give a little bit of the first fruits, because that's a Godly principle. Give a little bit of your first little vegetables, or whatever it is you give it to somebody else.

That is Godly. And then he says, there's a blessing with it. In verse 10, So your bonds will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. And so, there is a promise that will be blessed for worshiping God in this way, that we respect that it is, and we give it to him, just a fraction of what he gives us. So, it is a form of worship. In other words, it's, in a sense, an attitude of the Spirit above our mind.

And so, do we give our tithes by saying, I'm giving God my heart. I'm giving up God my honor. I'm giving God gratitude. But I am not going to give God the tenth that is his. Well, I'm giving everything. I don't have to give God the tenth. Is that what God wants? So these, or I say, well, God wants a tenth, I pay it. But you know, I had to work.

It was my work. It was my labor. But I'll give God a tenth. That is kind of a wrong attitude, isn't it? It's a wrong attitude. So, what does the Bible say about tithing? So, we want to look at that subject a little deeper. So, the human reasoning then says, oh well, that was in Old Testament.

Because in the New Testament, we read in Hebrews 7 verse 12, and let's just go there to Hebrews 7 verse 12. And usually these people just pick up a little section. So, let's just pick up that little section. Hebrews 7 verse 12. At the end, it says, oh well, let's read all things. For the priesthood being changed, yeah, our priest is not the Levitical priesthood, that's Christ. Therefore, it's the change of the law. The laws be changed. We don't need to tithe. They tithe to the Levites. You know, now the law changes. It's Christ. So, I give my heart to the Lord.

I've given my whole heart. I give my honor. I praise Him. I'm grateful. I don't have to tithe. You see, it's a matter of the heart. You know, so my heart, I'm giving my heart to God. And, you know, we're under grace. So, I don't have to keep that Jewish law.

So, when we're confronted with a question like that, the question might crop up. Is it really necessary to tithe in the New Testament or under the New Covenant? Is there a scriptural basis? And yes, there is, and we'll see it a little later. And what sort of attitude or spirit are we to tithe? We'll also see that a little later. But let's now draw the big picture for today, for the New Testament age. What is the big picture? Our pictures, we're all part of the spiritual body of Christ, of the spiritual body of Christ, and God as given to us as the spiritual body of Christ, a mission, a responsibility. And that is in Matthew 24.14, in and out of our heart. But let's look at it. So, we're really reading it from the Bible. Matthew 24.14, it says, And this gospel of the kingdom of God will be preached in all the world.

So, how does this gospel get preached in all the world? Well, it requires an organization, it requires teamwork, it requires us putting our shoulders behind this team, and it requires financial support. So, no questions about it. So, the Church has a mission. Are we supporting this mission? Sure. But people say, oh well, it's just pray and pay. Well, that's a cynical view, because yes, indeed, we need to pray and we need to pay. Pay? What is the law, says? But in addition to that, we need to be an example, we need to practice by being a light. That is a very important point. But what I'm focusing today is in the tithing law, so let's continue in that. So, we need to support God's work, because the work has a mission to do. Now, we looked in Leviticus 27, a little while ago, it says that the tithe belongs to God. Right, so the tithe belongs to God. And now, let's look at Psalm 24 as well, because it's still under by looking at this big picture, Psalm 24. Psalm, Proverbs, Psalm 24, and we're just going to read verse 1. Psalm 24, verse 1. Now, the earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world, and those who dwell therein, everything belongs to God. Everything belongs to God. Why? Because it created a law. So, everything belongs to God. So, whenever we get an income, it actually belongs to Him. He could say, I'll take 100% of it, it's mine. But it says something different. It says just a tenth. You see, that degree, which is of what we to give back to Him, is ordained by God. That's what God wants us to return to Him, to honor Him, and to recognize that He gives it all. And He's just like saying, okay, yes, a gratitude for what we have. Then, when we give it to Him, God then decides who to give it to, because He doesn't need it. Well, God is not taking it to heaven. He says, well, I'll take this money now. He doesn't need it. So, He then passes it on to human beings to do His job.

And therefore, looking at the big picture, in the Old Testament, He passed it on to the Levites to do a job. In the New Testament, He passed it on to the new priesthood after Christ to do their job, which is preaching the Gospel to the whole world as a witness. That's the big picture, very simply. You see, so that is a big picture. And our attitude should be to give it to God. It should not be one that says, it's all my job and it all belongs to me. Yes, you and I have to work. And it's good for us. God says He works, and Christ said, I work, and my Father works. It's good for us, because we work so we can give. Think about it. We work for our families to give to our children. We work to give. And God is teaching us through this tithing law, the Spirit of Giving. But it's easy to get into that attitude that says, it's all my work, it's my labor, I'll keep it all. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 8. Deuteronomy chapter 8 verse 17 and 18. Deuteronomy chapter 8 verse 7 and 18.

Well, if you read it, but he says that he's humbling you to test you. And then, then you say in your heart, my power and might of my hand have gave me this wealth. You know what? People in the Old Testament had the same attitude. I've worked hard, it's all mine. Why must I give it to the Levites?

You know, it's the same attitude. Mankind hasn't changed. Leviticus 8 verse 17. It says, don't say it in your heart, my power and my might of my hand have gave me this wealth. Don't say it. We are great people because we worked and we brought it and all the other nations. No, we've been blessed with a brain, with hands, with capability to work, whatever, all that. We've been blessed because he says, verse 18, you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the power to get wealth. You see, we've got to remember and be grateful to God that he is the one that enables us to maybe have knees that can work, that can, you know, you know, when we get older, our knees bother, we can't go up and down the stairs or our hip bothers. Well, when we're young, we've got all this health. God has given it to us. Don't say, I'm doing it because I'm great and I'm so good. Yeah, maybe you are great and good, you know, but give God thanks.

It's easy to think, oh well, it's all because of me. So, it's an attitude people may have, which in fact, they had it in Old Testament because yeah, it's saying, don't think that way. Look at Deuteronomy 28 verse 47. Deuteronomy 28 verse 47. Now, you probably know this chapter because it's the chapter of blessings and cursings, but in the section of cursings, and in verse 27, it's basically explaining why you're being cursed. Deuteronomy 28, big upon verse 47, verse 47, 4-7, Deuteronomy. Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of art for the abundance of everything. In other words, your attitude was not right. And if our attitude is not right when we give and serve God with the right attitude, we're going to be punished. I mean, yeah, it's a strong statement about showing thanksgiving. I mean, it's a godly, good thing to give God thanks. And therefore, it's important for us to give willingly and with a good attitude.

So, where does starving come from? Well, people say, well, it comes from the Old Covenant. Do you know what? Abraham tithed and it was long before the Old Covenant. Oh yeah, then they have a reasoning, yeah, well, whatever it is. Well, okay, then let's look at another example. And that's Jacob. In Genesis 28, verse 22, there's Abraham's grandson. And I think, correct me, that he was long before Moses. Of course, he was. I'm just getting a bit subtle here. But Genesis 28, Genesis 28, verse 22, so it was long before Moses, which means it was long before the Old Covenant was made with the Israelites in Mount Sinai when they left Egypt. So it was long before the Old Covenant. Genesis 28, verse 22. If I just get to it, it says, Jacob is talking, this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house. And of all that you give me, of all that I receive from you God. And you know what? Hour in time, yeah, you could be from your company, whatever it is, but it actually is from God. All that I receive, I will surely give you a tent to you. I will surely give a tent to you. I will surely tithe.

So, where does the starving come from? From the Old Covenant? No. The tithe was instituted. Then, when the Old Covenant came, the practice of tithing was incorporated into the Old Covenant, but it already existed. And God said, give the tithes to the Levites, because it sees, so he decreed where to be given a two. Look at Numbers 18, Numbers 18, verse 23 and 24. Numbers 18, verse 23 and 24. It says, but the Levites shall perform the work of the tabernacle of the meeting, and they shall be the iniquity, and it shall be a statue forever throughout the generations among the children of Israel, and they have no inheritance in the land. So, when the land was divided through the twelve tribes, the Levites had no inheritance. Verse 24, for the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as a offering, as a heave offering to the Lord, I have given to the Levites as inheritance. So, instead of they receiving a piece of land as inheritance, they received the tithes. Among the sure of Israel, they shall have no inheritance. So, God decides where the tithe goes to, and in the Old Covenant, the law said, give the tithe to the Levites. Now, how good tithes were they? There were terrible tithes. They neglected everything. They disobeyed God, and they did not tithe. And that's why you see many times the Levites just disappeared, because they had to go out and work. Look at Nehemiah chapter 13. Nehemiah chapter 13, that's when they came back from Babylon. And in chapter 13, Nehemiah is, yeah, record something. Read it in verse 10 through 12. I also realized that the portions for the Levites had not been given them. I was going to see you guys are not tithing properly.

For each of the Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to his field. They had to go back to work. Why? Because the tithes were not being done. They were being neglected.

Look at verse 11. So, I contended with the rulers and said, why is house of God forsaken? In other words, why are the Levites not doing their work? They're not doing their work because you are not supporting them financially.

He says, and I gathered them together and set them in their place. And then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain. In other words, he gave them a little verbal hiding. Let's put it this way. And then they said, okay, fine, we better do what we're supposed to do.

Look at chapter 10 of the same book. Chapter 10, verse 37.

And he's saying about how the covenant was resealed. A new agreement is signed, a new agreement and they assign responsibilities to bring in verse 37, to bring the first fruits of your dough and your offerings, the fruit from all kinds of trees and your wine, etc., to the storerooms of the house, and to bring the tithes of your land to the Levites. For the Levites should receive the tithes in all our farming communities.

And the priest and the center of Aaron shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive the tithes, and the Levites shall bring a tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the rooms of the storehouse. So the Levites themselves were to tithe to the priests of the of the tribe of Aaron. And so they knew very well, this is what had been installed or set up, they had redone this commitment, they just redone the commitment, and we just saw that three chapters later, Nehemiah is saying, you guys are not doing it! So, tithing, even though we can say, oh well, that was an Old Testament, the problem with these relights, they never obey their own laws. So, he has the same spirit. People will not obey him. So, let's go back and re-summarize the big picture. Tithing is given to God, belongs to God, and God can allocate to whom he wants to do his work. Once you've given it to God, it's not your job to say it's being used properly or not properly. It's up to those that the responsibility is to use it properly, because then God is looking at those, but it's not for you and I to tell. But tithing, therefore, is a form or a vital form of our worship to God and a vital form of our worship in the Church of God, because it encourages us to be humble, encourages us to put trust and confidence in God, and encourages us to evaluate very carefully how we're going to use our physical resources, because now, quote-unquote, you've got 10% less. So you're going to be very controlled and disciplined how you're going to use it. But regardless how much you earn, whether you earn a million or you earn 100, it's still 10%. So you've got to be very careful. And it shows us that it's necessary to have a right attitude. It was a balanced and a proper attitude in our relationship with God, because we're not giving it reluctantly. We're giving it because we want to. Not just because it is a law, yes it is a law, but we want to do it. However, when we don't tithe, and we know it's supposed to tithe, it's got a negative effect. To what? To how we worship God. And the result is it has long-term consequences in us individually, because God is a God-says-you'll-bless-you or not. And blessing is not just financial, it can be blessing many different ways. And for the blessing and a capability for the Church to do its work.

So how does God look at the situation of tithing? How does God look at it? I've seen that that it is a law. How does God look at it about those people that are not tithing? And let's look at the Malachi chapter 3 verse 8 through 10. And yeah, we have a section in Malachi. And interesting enough, brethren, Malachi is actually a prophecy written for us, for the Church today. Because there in Malachi, it talks about right at the end that you will send somebody in the spirit of power Elijah to do a work. And he says, before the coming great of the day of the Lord, he'll turn the hearts of the fathers to the sons and the sons to the fathers, let's look at the structure. So it really is a book written to us. And in chapter 3 verse 8, we can see how God feels about the people that don't tithe when they know they should tithe. And he says, yeah, in verse 8, will a man rob God? Well, if you go to a shop and you shoplift and you are caught, it's a serious interaction.

But you know what? Doing it to God? Do you think his cameras are not looking at you? He knows everything we do. So will a man rob God? Yet you rob me? People say, oh, how's that? Because you say, people say, in what have we robbed God? People say, no, I've not robbed God. How come I've robbed God? And God says, in tithes and offerings. Now notice not only tithes, offerings as well. And the outcome, you are cursed for curse, for you rob me, even the soul nation, everyone. So, tithing, when we tithe, that 10%, which we call the first tithe, belongs to him. And God gives it to whom he wishes to give it to benefit his work on earth. On the Old Testament, was given to the Levites. And so what has changed in the New Testament? And therefore, now we get to Hebrews chapter 7. Hebrews chapter 7, which we referred to at the beginning. What has changed?

Hebrews chapter 7. Look at verse 11. He says, now therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood, if you and I could be achieved perfection. In other words, if you and I could achieve the goal that God asks for us, that says, be you perfect, like I am perfect, be you holy like I am per holy. And that's our goal. And we need to do that through the help of God's early Spirit and all that. But if that was possible purely by the Levitical priesthood, because under the Levitical priesthood is how the people received the law, that's the Israelites, what further need would be for another priest after the Order of Melchizedek? If the Levitical priesthood was all we needed, why do we need another priest? In other words, Christ, our high priest, why do we need Christ? Obviously not good enough, because even the Levites, you know, they had to offer a sacrifice for themselves first before they could offer a sacrifice for the people. They had to clean themselves. And therefore, the change in the priesthood is that it was the Levitical priesthood, in the words, the priests, which are Levites, were of Aaron, of the descendants of Aaron. So it was in the order of Aaron. But now the priesthood is in the order of Melchizedek, which is Christ. So continue in verse 12. For the priesthood being changed from the order of Aaron, the priests, Aaron priests, which are children of Levi, they now, they are of the order of Melchizedek, which is Christ. But you see, Christ was not a Levite.

What was Christ? A Jew, not a Levite. So according to the law, he could not be a priest, because they had to be able to travel the Levite and what's more, of the children of Aaron.

And that's why, let's read the verse 12. For the priesthood being changed from Levite to the order of Melchizedek, which Christ, the ministry of Jesus Christ, which is physically speaking from the descendants of Judah, there has to be a change of the law.

And look at verse 14. For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning the priesthood. That's what I said just now. So Christ is from Judah. Look at verse 21. For they have become priests without an oath. It was the Levites. There was no oath, no promise, no swearing from God, no oath. But he, Christ, with an oath by him who said to Christ, the Lord has sworn and will not relent. You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. And that's to whom Abraham tithed.

And look at verse 25. Therefore, because Christ is now giving us a better covenant, he is also able to save to the utmost those who come to God through Christ, through him, since he always lives to make intersection for us. He is our defense attorney, is our defense advocate. When you and I are in a difficult situation and Satan is accusing us and whatever pressure it is, we go to our defense advocate and we talk to him and he will fight our case for us. Who is our defense advocate? Christ! Man, do you want a better advocate? Do you want a better advocate?

Since he always lives to make intersection for us. For such a high priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners and has become higher than the heavens. Yes, it's become higher than everything. Verse 27. Who does not need daily as those high priests to offer sacrifices? You see, those high priests had daily offerings and when they did those daily offerings, they had to offer first for themselves to clean themselves because they were impure. Christ does not have to do that for himself. He says, they have to do it daily as those high priests to offer up sacrifices first for his own sins and then for the people's. But Christ, he did not did once for all, for all of us, when he offered himself. It's a perfect sacrifice. It only has to be done once, done. And so that's what the promise is eternal life. So the change of the law was the change instead of being a Levitical priesthood is a Christ's ministry. Think about it. It's Christ's ministry according to the order of Melchizedek. And Christ himself said, we have to type. Christ himself said, we have to type. Look at Matthew 23, 23, when he's criticizing the Pharisees and calling them hypocrites. I mean, he was not politically correct with his wording. In today's world, they say, oh, you're being politically incorrect. Well, he was not. He just don't worry about that. He said in Matthew 23, 23, he says, woe to use crimes and Pharisees. You are a hypocrite. For you pay tithes of the smallest little thing, a little bit of mint and things like that. We're not even talking about potatoes or watermelons. Talking about little mint. You pay tithes of little things, but you've neglected the big matters, which is justice. In other words, being and doing and fulfilling God's laws and having God's justice, God's righteousness and mercy, showing mercy to people and absolutely walk in trust and fight as you do that. These you ought to have done. These are the big issues, justice, mercy and fight. And you've neglected them. So you should have done these without leaving the others undone. In other words, you should still tithe, but do the big things.

So as we look, the tithing law was changed. Christ said we still have to tithe, and in 1 Corinthians chapter 9, and as we heard in the sermon, they had a lot of problems there in Corinthians, but Yah is addressing some of the problems they had. 1 Corinthians chapter 9.

Verse 11 to Bay of Parrab, verse 13 through 14. 1 Corinthians chapter 9, verse 13 and 14. Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple? It was, don't you know that the Levites are working at the temple and they eat out of the things of the temple, out of the tithes that you are receiving, that you pay? And those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar. In other words, so those offerings, they were part of what they would eat and that. That was the Levitical priesthood. But look at now, in verse 14, talking about the priesthood of Christ, the ministry of Christ. Even so, the Lord has commanded, Christ has commanded, that those who preach the gospel, should live from the gospel. Those that preach the gospel should live out of the tithes that come as you preach the gospel and people tithe, as they freely give of the tithe, as they learn they need to do that, it's okay.

And that's how the work is done. So, members of the Church, as we can see, of the Church of God, they continue tithing. But instead of tithing to Levi, the law has changed and they tithe to Christ's ministry. Just like Abraham tithed to Melchizedek, we now tithe to Melchizedek's order, which is Christ's. Look at 2 Corinthians 11.

Verse 7-9. Now Paul is speaking to the Corinthians. Brethren, we in the Church preach the gospel to the world free of charge. We don't charge any money. And therefore Paul said, I robbed other churches, taking wages from them.

Paul received tithes from other churches to minister. And when I was present with you and in need, I was a burden to no one. For I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia, supplied. So he says he robbed other churches in other words. He got tithes from other churches, but now he's referring to one specific situation that he got from the brethren in the area of Macedonia, which is like northern Greece today.

And in everything I kept myself from being a burdensome to you. So I'll not keep myself. For instance, I go to Brazil and I serve the brethren in Brazil. Not one cent of the Brazilian tithes support the work I'm doing there. Not my work, it's God's work, but you know what I mean. But I'm putting no burden on them, because we're preaching the gospel to them free of charge. It's the brethren in the states, through the mercy and the tithes of the states, that the work is being done around the world.

In Italy, the work is done because of tithing from the states.

In South Africa, the work is done. Yes, they've got their own tithes, but the states does help in some areas as well, with some costs. And you look around the world, the states does help to one greater or lesser degree, depending on the country how much they need. So, we can see that in this case, he was receiving help from Macedonia. Now, one of the churches in Macedonia is Philippi. So, let's look at the letter of Philippians in chapter 4.

Philippians chapter 4.

Verse 14 to 18. Philippians chapter 4 verse 14 to 18. Nevertheless, you have done well that you shared in my distress. Now you, Philippians, know also that in the beginning of the Gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving, but you only.

So, when he was in that region, the Philippians were the ones that were helping him with their types. For even in Thessalonika, you sent aid once and again for my necessities.

Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your count. Not that I'm saying, well, I want the tithes for me. What I want is that you will be blessed because you're doing that. Indeed, I have all in abound. I am full, having received from Epiphrudites the things sent from you. It was the tithes. A sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. When you and I give our tithes to God and the ministry then decides where to allocate it, God sees that as a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice. And for many of you, yes, you need every little bit of money you have. But to God is a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And that's why it's going to reward you. It doesn't mean that He's going to reward you financially now. You're going to be a multi-millionaire in the Second Bill Gates. No, but it means that He will reward you. And your reward is when Christ comes back. That's the reward we wait for. See, brethren, when we tithe, we're lining up our attitude with God's attitude.

Why? Because tithing teaches us to give. Yes, it is a law, but it teaches us to give. And God is the great giver. God wants to give of everything. He's so gracious. His grace is so great. And He wants us to therefore be part of His team, helping the work to be done at this end time, to preach the Gospel as a witness. So, yes, tithing is important. It doesn't mean that all you have to do is pray and fight. No, because all you need to do is be a good example. How good it is that if you are tithing, but you're being a terrible example as a father, as a husband, or as a wife, or whatever it is, or with other people, or getting angry, or whatever, or saying things which are not true, whatever, people are going to say, well, is this what a Christian is? So our attitude and our good example, our conduct, our faith, our example of faith, when things are tough, other people notice. And that is probably the most effective way of preaching Gospel. I think it's probably the way that we in the Church have neglected the most.

What do I mean by that? Because quite often we said, well, the preacher of the Gospel belongs to the ministry and to the Church and to Beyond Today program. Yes, it does. But you preach the Gospel loudly by your examples. And when your friends ask you a question, don't be afraid of saying why you are who you are. That there are many people in the Church that are in the Church because of the personal example of other people in the Church. There is a powerful witness. I'm not saying go in the street and I'll start proclaiming the street, whatever. No. But I'm saying your example, your light shining, will cause other people to notice the light shine and they'll come and ask you the reason of the hope that is in you. And you don't be shy of telling them, or don't give them like a fire hydrant and you know. But answer what they want to know. And when they don't want to know more, you just leave and go and then they'll come back and they'll ask for more. And that is very effective and that's how God wants you to help. So it's not just pray and pay.

But back to the point of tithing. Christ stated to us that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Now you can read maybe from Matthew to John and you will not find that statement from Christ. But you'll read it in Acts 20 saying Christ taught us this. Turn with me to Acts 20 verse 35. Acts 20 verse 35. So it's not written in the Gospels, but there are a lot of things that Christ did inside that are not written in the Gospels because you're reading others that says if it were possible there would not be enough books to contain it. All that he said. So look here in Acts 20 verse 35.

And when he said, and I've shown you in every way by laboring like this that you must support the week and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, the words of Christ that he said it is more blessed to give than to receive. This is what Christ said. Brethren, we're going to be blessed for giving in many ways, in many ways. In many ways. Might not be financially. Might be just with that. Have you ever had that feeling of peace that you can't explain? You are in the sea of turmoil as if you're crossing the Red Sea. Everything is going. You're just going against you, but somehow you have this inner peace that is inexplicable. That's a gift from God through his Spirit. The love that we receive from God that we share it with others. It's a gift from God. Our spiritual family, our brothers and sisters here in church, that they pray for us when we need and we say, please pray for this. And you pray the effectiveness of the prayer of the just has much value. No questions about it.

And you know what? We'll be blessed, ultimately, with eternal life. Many blessings God gives us. So we've seen tithing is a law, but is that it? Is that all? No, because it says also, when you go to the place that God shall choose, you read that in the Autonomy 12 and in the Autonomy 14, you will take the tithe and you will eat it. You know that.

Now, how can you take the tithe and eat it? Because you've given the tithe to God. It belongs to God to do his work. So how can you take the tithe and eat in the place that God chooses? Because there's a second tithe. And that second tithe is for you. God is teaching you a second principle. The first principle is to give, and the second principle is to save. Very important in the society, people don't save. He's teaching us a principle to save, and he says you use it to go to the feast. And he says, you know the scripture that says three times a year, you'll keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread and Pentecost and the Tabernacle. It was three seasons, three periods. You will keep those pilgrim feasts that you have to travel, that you, and particularly in the sides, particularly the Feast of Tabernacles, where do we travel? So we're going to leave our homes and keep the Feast of Tabernacles with other brethren of the same faith that are far away. Some of them may live thousands of miles from each other. The only opportunity they have to be with other brethren of the same faith is at the feast. And some of them may not even have money to go to be at the feast.

And you know what? There are brethren in the Church that have learned to give and provide assistance, so that the ministry sees that those brethren are making a commitment, but they don't have enough to go to the nearest feast site. I'm not telling you, well, I don't have enough money to go to a feast in France or whatever it is. No, you go to the nearest feast site and then the Church, seeing that you've done your bit, will help you with what you don't have. Why? Because other brethren have given and the Church helps you. Obviously, the minister will want to check your budget that you're not just misusing the money, you know, but the point is we want to help people.

And that's why it says when you go to the feast, you'll rejoice. Why do you rejoice? Because you now are living in a condition that is better, or a feast should be better, than your normal condition. Because think about you are saving 10% of your income, of your annual income, to use on eight days, seven days of the feast and eight days. 10% of your annual income to use in a little bit more than a week, fast travel day, etc. Obviously, you're going to live in a condition that is better than your normal daily condition. That's why it pictures the world tomorrow. It pictures a time that things are better. It pictures something of peace and happiness and joy in the kingdom of God. That is the intent. You see, brethren, tithing is a law. Tithing is a law. On top of it, there's offerings as well. Oh, no! But you see, tithing is a law that says it's 10%. When you go to the place that God has chosen, like during the holy days, which is the only time that we ask for an offering, because you know you've got the tithe and you do it of your own free will, and nobody's checking up with you. I don't know who tithes or doesn't. Yeah, I really don't know. I don't have access to that information. There's only one person, maybe two, that know that, you know, in a home office. And that's it. Even Mr. Cubick or Dr. Ward, they don't know who tithes or doesn't. We don't need to know, because then we'll be biased how we treat people. We don't need to know. And I'm glad I don't know. But offerings, it's when you come to the Lord and it's read at every feast, the tranamis 1616, three times a year, you come, don't come empty-ended. The point is you come, and when you come, don't come empty-ended. The point is it's a holy assembly. It's a commanded assembly. But don't come empty-ended, so that there's an offering there. So we've seen, brethren, that there's a law. The tithing, the first tithe is given to the Lord, belongs to the Lord. It's used by the Church to preach the Gospel. We've seen that it was a change in the law, yes, because of the ministry. We've seen it's used. That's how God be created. We've seen that it tests our attitude, our hearts before God. We also briefly touched there is a second tithe for us to use for the feast. So as now we approach in the festival seasons, it's always time to actually start checking how we're doing, whatever it is, review our budgets. I'm doing that and see how much money I've got towards the feast and all this. So it's good to do that. And obviously we also see there there's offerings. The difference between offerings and the tithe is the offering is voluntary according to your ability. So it's not an amount, or it's not 10%, it's not 1%, it's not 5%, it's what you can give. And God knows, and you know, and it's like the widow's might, it's what you're able to offer, and that's it. And if it's only one cent, it's what you've got. That's okay. Nobody's looking at it. Nobody's looking at it. Nobody sees. But God is seeing your heart, and you've got nothing, but you've given one cent. And to God that one cent is a lot more than somebody that's got a million dollars and maybe whatever, a hundred dollars or something like that. To God that one cent is far more valuable because He sees your attitude. You see, what is our attitude is key when we give, when we tithe, whatever it is, our attitude is key, and God is looking at it. Turn with me to Jeremiah 17 verse 10. Jeremiah 17 verse 10. Jeremiah 17 verse 10.

I the Lord search the heart. I test the mind. There's many ways God tests and checks our hearts. In many ways, how we treat people, what example we are, when we down, how we react, how we trust in God, when we up, how we treat people, are we arrogant? All these things God's testing us, all the time. But there is another way is how we give. And what's our attitude when we give? Is it an attitude of giving? Because we want to give and because God has blessed us and we want to serve? And why does that? So that He gives every man according to His ways, according to the fruit of His doings. God is analyzing your heart and our mind and our hearts and our minds. And He's going to reward us accordingly and far more because He's a giver, far more that you cannot even comprehend. Because when Christ comes, it says, you'll come with the reward. And man, what a happy day that will be when that reward will be given to us and says, I don't deserve it. But thank you.