There comes a time in the life of a Christian when almost everything doesn’t seem to go right; at least that’s how it seems. It’s natural that the Christian feels humanly frustrated especially when issues are hitting him from all sides… school, home, work, friends, finances, relationships, choices etc… when all he can do about the situation is just pray. But that human sense yearns for something tangible beyond his faith to assure him all is well but then all he can do is pray and wait upon the Lord. I felt no different that night. I don’t know how it all started, but suddenly all my challenges flooded my head, then everything around me that minute seemed so not right and any friend I tried contacting was either busy or couldn’t attend to me… I needed someone to talk to yet no one was there… Then I didn’t even feel like talking to anyone anymore… the feeling was itchy and uncomfortable, hadn’t felt that before. I tried to calm down for a while but then the neighborhood was so noisy and I was feeling so uneasy because I couldn’t get hold of myself. I took a long walk... a very long walk… hmmm. Afterward, I returned to my apartment to relax and sleep. Then I started to pray while uncontrollably crying my worries out… then I slept off.
God spoke to me in a dream and I never realized it until I woke up to reflect on it. The dream was amazing… one I’ve never experienced. I mostly experience series of dreams before morning but this was just one time. I slept about 9:30pm and woke up about 5am. I’m doing my best by using close to appropriate words to describe that experience. It was like watching a documentary with me in it, yet not seeing the narrator. Likewise, it was like a one-on-one sermon. Coming to think of it, why did God not talk to me about something rare, or prophesy, why this? Why tithing? This is a summary of my dream:
“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” Malachi 3:10.
Tithing is not just a whole one tenth of your income but the first and best of the one tenth of your income or earnings. If you take out some part of your income and later cut out one tenth, it is not tithe. Just like taxes, it’s extracted before you get to spend, save or do whatever you want to do with your earnings. The narrator made references to the day I had an unnecessary argument with my mother about tithes. My argument was that I’m not a worker. She told me I didn’t need to be a worker to give God his money else I am being selfish with my money and being disobedient. Again, He took me back to the day when my mother asked if I was being honest with my tithes. She explained that the only way by which I can manage my finances is when I’m honest with my tithes. I couldn’t comprehend but the dream made it clear. After that scene, I was taken to the moments when I actually wasn’t honest with my tithes and had issues with my finances. It was as clear as crystal.
The narrator in my dream told me something that actually struck me. He said that He does everything for us and doesn’t ask much in return but just a whole tenth of our income, the same money he gives, He puts us to the test by asking for a little amount and even when given to Him, are accompanied with treasures and immeasurable blessings. God tests our responsibility in managing valuables that do not belong to us... that belong to him. Are you passing the test or failing? If you fail, you are irresponsible in managing the little things, thus He cannot entrust heavenly treasures and blessings to you.
In a very emotional tone, He said that for all He does for us, the least we could do is to cheat Him and that where there is love there are sacrifices.
“If you’re ready to love, be ready to sacrifice, however, the joy of the consequence of the sacrifice cannot be compared to the sacrifice in itself”.
Whenever one hears there’s been a robbery and even when a thief steals your possessions, how do you feel? Take a look at how the mob attacks a thief…we see robbery as a serious crime and something to frown at, yet we rob God of His own property. “Will a man rob or defraud God? Yet you rob and defraud Me. But you say, in what way do we rob or defraud You? [You have withheld your] tithes and offerings”. Malachi 3:8. The Lord uses specific choice of words; he uses “rob” since robbery is actually taking something that does not belong to you.
He made me understand that Tithing is not that of a big deal but Christians are making it seem otherwise. It is not an offering where you can give any amount to Him. Don’t misunderstand Tithing and Offerings. Offerings are willing amounts or treasures you give to Him after deducting your tithe. If your tithe is not an honest amount, it is better to keep it than to give it out. Instructions are to be followed and not to be misconstrued. The income comes from him… it is His, the talents and skills you work with to earn that money comes from him and yet he asks for 10% and tells you to keep a 90%, isn’t He being generous?
Then he took me into a church room “bring all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be food in My house…” obviously where we pay tithes is the House of God which is the Church. He made two distinctions of this scene; the tithes is food for the church as a building which is best understood by the leaders of the church, and that every church has his unique way of feeding the church (as in the building), It could be in the form of funding the preaching of the word of God, supporting the needy and the like, but it looked like they are all following the same pattern. Then comes the other part of the church which is the body… tithes helps the body to grow… the spiritual body. I didn’t understand it but as I meditated on it, I had this insight; let us take a look at a farmer. He practically lives on those small seeds he plants in the soil, without sowing he cannot reap. I’m making reference to the GIGO principle (Garbage In, Garbage Out). In today’s world, money is used for everything and God in His own wisdom knowing money is necessary to survive on earth, He tells us to give Him a part of His money so He gives it back to us in immeasurable measures. He is not foolish and His Word is life and is true, meaning every word in the Holy Book. The tithe that is meant for God eventually becomes ours because he uses it for our own gain, to build us up, to shape our finances, to bless us that there may not be room enough to receive it, and to rebuke the devourer for our sakes. I don’t know about you but if I have this assurance from a God who’s held me up and kept me till now, I wouldn’t think twice in obeying such a simple principle.
The last scene was when I was praying and crying in my room the night before I slept. He made this clear: being a Christian and a believer does not guarantee a problem-free life… we will be persecuted in several ways and the only tool is our faith. Any man without faith in God and His Word is dead. He knows we love Him and need Him… we say it… we sing it, yet when he creates an environment where we will need him, we cry and complain… we are so human! I looked at myself and laughed. How silly I’d been. Then I smiled and said ‘Thank you’.
Tithing is a test of our faith, financial management and obedience in God. The money and everything is for the Lord (Haggai 2:8amp “the silver is Mine and the gold is Mine, says the Lord of hosts”) and He has more than money can purchase. He doesn’t need money for anything. It comes back to us in an enormous increase anyway. It is not about how much you give. My 50p tithe could show my faithfulness and obedience to God than the GHC5 tithe you forgot to pay last week so added GHC5 to it. Who are you deceiving? If you want to give more to Him, it’s in your offering but give Him his part of the money. It is His. Luke 6:38Amp says “give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you”.
I woke up and realized I just had an answer to my questions. What else was all that for?
