Financial Freedom - Tithing

I had a financial freedom class at church this morning and as we talked about how we each thought of tithing, I voiced what I used to think of it and the perspective I have on it now. I didn't see it as an act of worship to the Lord, I saw it as a bill. Like I said, I didn't see it as worship, I saw it as "paying" to the church what God required of me to do and I was determined to be obedient in doing it.

Now, even though my perspective and mind frame towards it was not right, God still honored my obedience. Maybe I've missed out on something "more" because of my attitude towards it, but nonetheless, God still honored His Word and did what He promised to do in Malachi 3:10-12.

Well, as I was reading the required book for this class; Your Money Counts, by Howard Dayton, I had several light bulb moments. One of them concerned tithing. To give is to be obedient, true. But to give is also to worship the Lord. It is also to say thank you Lord for trusting me with your money, I lovingly worship you by being obedient to bless you with the 10% you have asked of me, so that I may do what you ask of me with the 90% without worrying.

Bishop Jakes always says, it is a best to have a blessed 90% than a cursed 100%. God honors our obedience.

I recall of times on paper, we had more bills than money. However, after tithing we had paid all bills and purchased other necessities and there was still money left over, when in reality there should not have been any.

This is the way God's economy works. I want to be a part of that economy and not the one that we see around us in reality, newspapers, and news reports.

No longer am I "paying" God, or the church (as I used to think). What I give is an act of worship, this is what I was made to do, to worship my God in ALL areas of my life.