Tithe

 I also discovered that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, so that the Levites and the singers who performed the service had gone away, each to his own field. 11 So I reprimanded the officials and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" Then I gathered them together and restored them to their posts. 12 All Judah then brought the tithe of the grain, wine and oil into the storehouses.

Neh 13:10-12 (NASB95)

Why is the tithe so import for Christ followers to practice?  You may be asking that question yourself.  It is a practice not done as regularly as it should.  Understand that God does not require a portion he requires it all.  That is stewardship.  God owns it all and we give as He asks of us.  He may ask for 10, 20 or 50 percent.  That is another lesson for another blog.  Again why is the tithe so important?  There are two important aspects to the tithe.

First, is personal for an individual Christ follower.  When we tithe or choose not too it speaks to our obedience and to our priorities.  It tells us whether we have placed something in a position of importance greater than God.  If we understand God expects us to give and yet we refuse to do so we have made it clear that God is not first in our lives.  He is at best second or third, or fifth, you get the idea.  It also speaks to our priorities.  If serving God in obedience or financing Kingdom work is not important enough to do it shows us that our priorities are not where they ought to be.  A Christ follower will place obedience to God and priority of Kingdom work above personal aspirations and desires.

Second lesson for us is corporate or has to do with body of Christ.  We tithe so that God's Kingdom work can be done.  God has made a decision that through our tithe, our giving, He will finance the work of the Kingdom.  Here Nehemiah is distraught because Kingdom work is not able to be done because the tithe has been forsaken.  If every Christ follower were to give a minimum of 10% of their income can you imagine the work that could be done, the missionaries that could be sent and the ministries supported.  There would never be a lack for finances in Kingdom work.

So Christ follower that is why we tithe: obedience, priorities and Kingdom work.  Are you being faithful with the money God has entrusted you with?