Paycheck to paycheck

[greenessa]

Just wondering... what if you can't afford to tithe to your church? We just bought a townhouse, and I ended up being out of work for longer than I had expected. We also have a lot of other debt ie. vehicle, credit card payments, medical expenses for our daughter. I don't know where I could take away from the other expenses to do this. What do we do?

[ZiSunka]

First of all, God knows your heart, that you would like to tithe, and he's not mad at you.

Second, it's time to get on a debt-reduction program. Your hole is just going to get deeper and deeper until you do.

Third, when I first got saved I learned an important lesson--the more I give away to his good purposes, the more he gives me to give away. I used to live on the edge of poverty, I was even homeless once, but after I got saved I started giving what I could, not just whatever is leftover ('cuz who really has anything leftover), but a little bit off the top of the paycheck. Give 50 cents or a dollar if that's what you can give. See if he doesn't bless that by letting you give a little more next time, either by providing more or by making something cost less.

Being faithful with finances is one of the signs of maturity and of obedience to the Lord, and he rewards obedience, never punishes it. Sometime if you get the chance, pop over to Crown Ministries' website and read and listen to the testimonies of people who were in your same position and started to give and found that the Lord blessed them for it and eased up on their finances until they were able to give the whole tithe and then some.

[Iam4Jesus]

I have been out of work since November with no income coming in. I should be recieving Worker's Comp payments, but I haven't yet.

Anyway, we decided that we would tithe the same as we always have 10% of gross. I have yet to go without the things I need and money comes from unexpected sources in a most peculiar timing. ;)
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart.
You cannot out give God.

[SonOfThunder]

Just wondering... what if you can't afford to tithe to your church? We just bought a townhouse, and I ended up being out of work for longer than I had expected. We also have a lot of other debt ie. vehicle, credit card payments, medical expenses for our daughter. I don't know where I could take away from the other expenses to do this. What do we do?

Hi :wave:

It's not easy to give when so much gets in the way.

God wants you, not your money. If He has you. he will have your money also. Giving yourself to God involves being willing to :-

BE anything God wants
Do whatever God says, and
Go wherever God leads

May I ask you to perhaps read the Scriptures with reguard to this issue of tithing? Be led by them, not by others or any pressures.

God does know your heart, your very motives.

Giving is done out of LOVE first.

2COR 5:12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.

2COR 5:13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.

2COR 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

2COR 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Obedience second.

1COR 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come

God has promised to meet our daily needs and bless us with spiritual riches

MAT 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

MAT 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

MAT 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

MAT 6:27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

MAT 6:28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

MAT 6:29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

MAT 6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

MAT 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

MAT 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

MAT 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

MAT 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof


please look up these and relax.... He knows your heart

1 Cor 16:2
2 Cor 8:1-5,11,12
2 Cor 9:7
Romans 8:31-32

These Scriptures tell you what giving does for you

2 Cor 8:8-9
Mat 6:19-24
Luke 12:34


Remember we are not under the law, we are under Grace... I have heard some say this...Romans 6:14b

This is how I see it from The Bible

It was commenced by Abram............

GEN 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

GEN 14:19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

GEN 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all

It was continued by Jacob......

GEN 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

GEN 28:21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:

GEN 28:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee

It was confirmed by Moses

LEV 27:30 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: it is holy unto the LORD.

LEV 27:31 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.

LEV 27:32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.

LEV 27:33 He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.

LEV 27:34 These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai

It was commanded by Malachi.....

MAL 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

It was commended by Jesus....

MAT 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples

MAT 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone

It was commissioned by God

1COR 9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

1COR 9:10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

1COR 9:11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

1COR 9:12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ

1COR 9:13 Do ye not know that they which mi
nister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

1COR 9:14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel

It was confirmed by Paul

1COR 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come

1COR 16:21 The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand


This is for you to read and come to some decision yourself. No other should judge you, or inform you of your decisions. Please just pray about these lean times also.


James

[SumTinWong]

Wow James, way to go!!!

God does want our first fruits, but that can and does include our time and efforts!

[SamInService]

You might also want to check out Dave Ramsey--he has a nationally syndicated talk radio show regarding money, and his big thing is getting out of debt so that you can live with peace and give more. He is quite unequivocal in his biblical foundations. His website is www.daveramsey.com.

Here is a quote from his mission statement--"The Lampo Group, Inc. is providing Biblically based, common sense education and empowerment which gives HOPE to everyone from the financially secure to the financially distressed."

Very much worth taking a look at.

God bless,
Sam

[TwinCrier]

The Lord will provide.
Psalms 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

[FaithWeaver]

Remember the woman in the bible who was about to starve to death, but she gave all that she had. She never went hungry again. I'm not saying give everything, but I do believe that it is very important to tithe. Before you pay your bills, write a check for 10% of your gross income. Pray and have faith and just sit back and watch God work. Don't rob from him. He gave you what you have, and all he asks for is ten percent. Don't pay him what you have left over. God wants your best. Have faith and he will take care of you. Just be obedient. :hug: May God Bless!

By the way, I am talking from experience. There have been times that I didn't know where my next meal would come from or how I was going to pay the bills. God always provided. If I didn't tithe to Him, then my finances somehow got into deep trouble. When I give to him, he gives back 10 fold. Praise God:clap:

[Agape4u]

I read this scripture yesterday and thought it might help you...Habakkuk 3:17-19.

[Gwenyfur]

If we are faithful, He will be faithful. He's promised to provide our needs. I've promised to supply the Church's needs.

I've watched God stretch money to cover more than it conceivably could, and all because I remained faithful in my tithing. But, God knows your heart...it can't be given grudgingly...He loves a cheerful giver.

He's never failed to provide a need for our family...

God Bless