Solomon's Advice
"This Page dedicated for Financial Encouragements"
So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. 1 Kings 10:23
Am I Average?
Finances are probably one of the most talked about and stressful points in a person’s life! The value of the dollar has declined over the years, but the old saying, “money talks” is still alive and well. We are taught from an early age, and from a worldly standpoint, that the more money we have the more power we can obtain. We are bombarded daily in the media about a person’s earnings and how much tax they should be paying. How multiple year contracts are signed by athletes and CEOs for millions of dollars, and the truth be known, they probably were greedily asking for more during the negotiations. Unfortunately for many of these people, money is the only thing they have in life that brings them some any sort of a satisfaction. The Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 6:10“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” It doesn’t say if you have money you’re evil, but the love OF money is the root of all evil. So many times we will see an athlete negotiate a large salary or even a person winning the lottery (saving this lottery subject for a later discussion) come into a large amount of money and it is soon wasted on immoral living and bad investments. When a person focuses only on money, he will lose sight of the valuables he is surrounded with.
Let me clarify my stance on money. I am not against anyone who may have money and live life a bit extravagant. I have numerous friends who are very wealthy and have made good investments with the money God has allowed to enter their lives, but I also have friends who have squandered a fortune on prideful and immoral living. It is not wrong to have money and make the proper investments to provide for your family as long as you are honoring the Lord also. The Lord tells us He will provide for us and hopefully as He gives us to be stewards over, we give back to Him. It is wrong when you idolize over your money and it begins to make the decisions for you and your family. How you spend your money is between you and the Lord, I only encourage you to pray about your finances and how to be the best steward with what God has provided.
The Bible has plenty to say about money and finances, but today I want to point out an item that doesn’t get discussed very much. God’s tithe, that’s right – it’s God’s tithe and not ours. Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. The tithe belongs to the Lord and He considers it robbery when we don’t tithe on what He has given us to be stewards over. We live in a prideful world where we strive to be “king of the hill” and we take credit for everything we accomplish, regardless of the subject. As Christians we should recognize first of all that everything we consist of comes from our Heavenly Father. We don’t get anything accomplished or completed without His working hand being involved. Yes, it does appear as though some people are reaping more than others in the financial realm, but God knows what is happening and He will deal with each person accordingly in His time and not ours. Let us at all times keep our eyes focused upon our life and not the lives of others and perhaps we can grow nearer to God as we examine ourselves in comparison of Jesus Christ.
What is the tithe? Numbers18:26 Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe. The tithe is 10%, ten percent of what God allows us to be stewards over. If we gross a $100.00, then our tithe should be $10.00 to the Lord. It doesn’t sound like much does it? The latest figures show that the average church member contributed approximately 3.0% to 4.0% of their income to the church. WOW! What a difference the church could make in spreading the Gospel if the average church member would tithe the 10% or even doubling up to 6% of their income. Many churches are struggling to get the Gospel to the lost and dying world because they are spending too much time having to watch the budget. Let’s say the average member grosses a salary of $25,000, his tithe would be $2,500. But based upon the national average of tithing at 3%, the amount is reduced to $750.00. That is a difference of $1,750.00, just think how many tracts can be purchased or missionaries sent to proclaim the Gospel. You may be reading this and muttering to yourself that I don’t understand anything about your church. Your right, I don’t know anything about your church but I do know about my church and I would imagine they are very similar.
There are three types of tithers. Some members will never tithe, some members will only tithe the 3% national average, and some members will give more than the 10%. Churches have members that give when things are going the direction they feel they need to go, and some members will not give when they disagree with the churches expenditures. There a various reasons why church members don’t tithe consistently, but ultimately, it is between them and the Lord. If you are not tithing because disagree with the preacher, you actually are putting yourself between a rock and a hard place. You will have to answer to the Lord because you are to tithe to the Lord as commanded, and what happens after that is between the church leaders and the Lord. When you have tithed, you have fulfilled your responsibility and hopefully the leadership will fulfill
their responsibilty and God will be pleased with the church as a whole.
Pray about your tithe giving and prove the Lord on His promises.
Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house,and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
As Christians, our faith is in the Lord and His Word of supplying us with our needs. Unfortunately we have a difficult time separating our needs from our wants. Pray that the Lord will give you a tithing heart and a heart of contentment as you follow God’s commands.
As you mature in your faith and giving of tithes and the Lord is blessing, pray about giving over and above the tithe amount through love gifts and faith promise. Every church has multiple needs that require the tithes of its members, but there are needs outside the church walls that the Lord wants you to help fulfill. Pray how God can use what He has given you to further His church through tithes and offerings.
In Christ Name,
Bobby
Finances are probably one of the most talked about and stressful points in a person’s life! The value of the dollar has declined over the years, but the old saying, “money talks” is still alive and well. We are taught from an early age, and from a worldly standpoint, that the more money we have the more power we can obtain. We are bombarded daily in the media about a person’s earnings and how much tax they should be paying. How multiple year contracts are signed by athletes and CEOs for millions of dollars, and the truth be known, they probably were greedily asking for more during the negotiations. Unfortunately for many of these people, money is the only thing they have in life that brings them some any sort of a satisfaction. The Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 6:10“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” It doesn’t say if you have money you’re evil, but the love OF money is the root of all evil. So many times we will see an athlete negotiate a large salary or even a person winning the lottery (saving this lottery subject for a later discussion) come into a large amount of money and it is soon wasted on immoral living and bad investments. When a person focuses only on money, he will lose sight of the valuables he is surrounded with.
Let me clarify my stance on money. I am not against anyone who may have money and live life a bit extravagant. I have numerous friends who are very wealthy and have made good investments with the money God has allowed to enter their lives, but I also have friends who have squandered a fortune on prideful and immoral living. It is not wrong to have money and make the proper investments to provide for your family as long as you are honoring the Lord also. The Lord tells us He will provide for us and hopefully as He gives us to be stewards over, we give back to Him. It is wrong when you idolize over your money and it begins to make the decisions for you and your family. How you spend your money is between you and the Lord, I only encourage you to pray about your finances and how to be the best steward with what God has provided.
The Bible has plenty to say about money and finances, but today I want to point out an item that doesn’t get discussed very much. God’s tithe, that’s right – it’s God’s tithe and not ours. Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. The tithe belongs to the Lord and He considers it robbery when we don’t tithe on what He has given us to be stewards over. We live in a prideful world where we strive to be “king of the hill” and we take credit for everything we accomplish, regardless of the subject. As Christians we should recognize first of all that everything we consist of comes from our Heavenly Father. We don’t get anything accomplished or completed without His working hand being involved. Yes, it does appear as though some people are reaping more than others in the financial realm, but God knows what is happening and He will deal with each person accordingly in His time and not ours. Let us at all times keep our eyes focused upon our life and not the lives of others and perhaps we can grow nearer to God as we examine ourselves in comparison of Jesus Christ.
What is the tithe? Numbers18:26 Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe. The tithe is 10%, ten percent of what God allows us to be stewards over. If we gross a $100.00, then our tithe should be $10.00 to the Lord. It doesn’t sound like much does it? The latest figures show that the average church member contributed approximately 3.0% to 4.0% of their income to the church. WOW! What a difference the church could make in spreading the Gospel if the average church member would tithe the 10% or even doubling up to 6% of their income. Many churches are struggling to get the Gospel to the lost and dying world because they are spending too much time having to watch the budget. Let’s say the average member grosses a salary of $25,000, his tithe would be $2,500. But based upon the national average of tithing at 3%, the amount is reduced to $750.00. That is a difference of $1,750.00, just think how many tracts can be purchased or missionaries sent to proclaim the Gospel. You may be reading this and muttering to yourself that I don’t understand anything about your church. Your right, I don’t know anything about your church but I do know about my church and I would imagine they are very similar.
There are three types of tithers. Some members will never tithe, some members will only tithe the 3% national average, and some members will give more than the 10%. Churches have members that give when things are going the direction they feel they need to go, and some members will not give when they disagree with the churches expenditures. There a various reasons why church members don’t tithe consistently, but ultimately, it is between them and the Lord. If you are not tithing because disagree with the preacher, you actually are putting yourself between a rock and a hard place. You will have to answer to the Lord because you are to tithe to the Lord as commanded, and what happens after that is between the church leaders and the Lord. When you have tithed, you have fulfilled your responsibility and hopefully the leadership will fulfill
their responsibilty and God will be pleased with the church as a whole.
Pray about your tithe giving and prove the Lord on His promises.
Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house,and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
As Christians, our faith is in the Lord and His Word of supplying us with our needs. Unfortunately we have a difficult time separating our needs from our wants. Pray that the Lord will give you a tithing heart and a heart of contentment as you follow God’s commands.
As you mature in your faith and giving of tithes and the Lord is blessing, pray about giving over and above the tithe amount through love gifts and faith promise. Every church has multiple needs that require the tithes of its members, but there are needs outside the church walls that the Lord wants you to help fulfill. Pray how God can use what He has given you to further His church through tithes and offerings.
In Christ Name,
Bobby
