Prisoners Practiced Tithing

   Soviet Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, the author of Tortured for Christ, suffered terribly for the Lord.  Yet he said that even while in prison, he saw fellow Soviet believers practice generous giving. "When we were given one slice of bread a week and dirty soap every day, we decided we would faithfully 'tithe' even that.  Every tenth week we took the slice of bread and gave it to the weaker brethren as our 'tithe' to the Master."

The Sevenfold Blessing of the Tithe

 1. It blesses the heart by making it receptive to God's will.
 2. It blesses the life by lifting it to a higher plane of grace.
 3. It blesses the hands by making them willing to do God's work.
 4. It blesses the mind by giving it the satisfaction of doing the right thing.
 5. It blesses the nine-tenths that remains because God has been honored.
 6. It blesses the individual by giving him a part in God's worldwide program of work.
 7. It blesses the church by enabling it to carry out a greater ministry.

See:  2 Cor 9:10-15

A Matter of Fact

   I have never known a generous person to complain about how much money it takes to run a church. Poor givers gripe about how much it takes; generous givers express concern that they don't do more.
   I have never known a family who tithed for any length of time who quit.
   I have never known a generous family that was not generally happy.
   I have never known a stingy, miserly family that was not generally unhappy about many things.
   I have never known a person who was critical of most things, mad about many things, who was generous.
   I have come to believe that most people who feel we talk too much about money, never really want to talk about money at all. Generous people enjoy talking about it.
   I have come to believe that there is a direct connection that exists between a person's faith and a person's generosity. Those who give generously tend to become more faithful; and the reverse is true in both instances.

(copied)

See:  Prov 11:24; Eccl 5:13; 2 Cor 9:7-8

 Jacob's Pledge

   When candy manufacturer John S. Huyler started out in business, he took Jacob's pledge: "...of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee" (Gen. 28:22). Going to the bank, he opened a special account which he initialed "M.P." Into that fund he regularly entered a proportionate amount of his income. When anyone asked what the strange label meant, they were told that it stood for "My Partner." As he kept God uppermost in his mind in all his transactions, his industry grew at a phenomenal rate, and each week the "Lord's treasury" received increasingly large sums. His gifts to worthy causes and private individuals amazed his business associates. These contributions were always accompanied with the request that the donor should not receive any thanks or glory for his actions. He asked each recipient to offer praise to God alone, for he said, "After all, the money isn't mine; it's the Lord's!"

See:  Luke 6:38; 1 Cor 16:1-2; 2 Cor 9:7

A Dollar Birthday

   The greatest surprise of Mary's life was receiving a dollar on her fourth birthday. She carried the bill about the house and was seen sitting on the stairs admiring it. "What are you going to do with your dollar?" her mother asked. "Take it to Sunday School," said Mary promptly. "To show your teacher?" Mary shook her head. "No," she said. "I'm going to give it to God. He'll be as surprised as I am to get something besides pennies."

See:  2 Cor 9:7

Convenient Debts

   A man received a sharp letter from one of his creditors demanding payment. He wrote back to the firm and said, "Dear Sir. Every month I take all the bills I have and put them on the table, shuffle them, and pick out six, which I pay. Now, if I have any more trouble out of you, next month you'll be out of the shuffle entirely." Have you shuffled God out of your giving?

See:  Mal 3:8

I'm Glad My Church Needs Money

   I'M GLAD MY CHURCH NEEDS MONEY! If it didn't it would mean it wasn't supporting missionaries and preaching the Gospel in other places and has no missionary zeal.
   I'M GLAD MY CHURCH NEEDS MONEY! If it didn't, it would mean it wasn't doing anything to support the homeless and needy and had no compassion.
   I'M GLAD MY CHURCH NEEDS MONEY! If it didn't, it would mean it wasn't interested in providing wholesome activities for our teenagers and had no concern.
   I'M GLAD MY CHURCH NEEDS MONEY! If it didn't, it would mean it wasn't interested in teaching children in those impressionable years and had no future.

See:  Gal 6:6; 2 Cor 9:10-15; 1 Tim 5:17-18

 The Church Treasurer Resigns

   The day the church treasurer resigned the church asked the local grain elevator manager to take the position. He agreed under two conditions.
   That no treasurer's report would be given for the first year.
   That no questions be asked about finances during that year.
   The people were surprised but finally agreed since most of them did business with him and he was a trusted man.

   At the end of the year he gave his report:

   * The church indebtedness of $228,000 has been paid.
   * The minister's salary had been increased by 8%.
   * The Cooperative Program gifts has been paid 200%.
   * There were no outstanding bills.
   * And there was a cash balance of $11,252!

   Immediately the shocked congregation asked, "How did you do it? Where did the money come from?"
   He quietly answered: "Most of you bring your grain to my elevator. Throughout the year I simply withheld ten percent on your behalf and gave it to the church in your name. You didn't even miss it!"
   "Do you see what we could do for the Lord if we were all willing to give at least the tithe to God, who really owns it?"
   And so the new treasurer had made his point.

    -- Adapted from A Sourcebook for Stewardship Sermons, by James E. Carter.

See:  Mal 3:10

The Devil's Reason for Not Tithing

   In January because of Christmas bills due.
   In February because of fuel bills and car upkeep.
   In March because of income taxes.
   In April because of clothes for Easter.
   In May because too much rain threatens the crops.
   In June because too little rain threatens the crops.
   In July because of vacation expenses coming up.
   In August because of vacation expenses to be paid.
   In September because of the children's school needs.
   In October because of winter clothes and doctor bills.
   In November because of the Thanksgiving trip.
   In December because of the Christmas shopping.

See:  Mal 3:8; Col 3:2

Welfare Tithe

   If every church member in the United States were to suddenly lose his/her job and went on welfare, and yet were willing to tithe from the minimal amount received from public assistance, giving in the nation's churches would immediately increase over 30%!
   Love of the right use of money is the root of all good.

   -- The Herald of the Covenant

See:  1 Cor 16:1-2; Titus 3:14

Tithing, And Didn't Know It

   The day the church treasurer resigned the church asked the local grain elevator manager to take the position.  He agreed under two conditions.  That no treasurer's report would be given for the first year.  That no questions be asked about finances during that year.  The people were surprised but finally agreed since most of them did business with him and he was a trusted man.  At the end of the year he gave his report:
   The church indebtedness of $228,000 has been paid.  The minister's salary had been increased by 8%.  The Cooperative Program gifts has been paid 200%.  There were no outstanding bills.  There was a cash balance of $11,252!
   Immediately the shocked congregation asked, "How did you do it? Where did the money come from?"  He quietly answered:  "Most of you bring your grain to my elevator. Throughout the year I simply withheld ten percent on your behalf and gave it to the church in your name.  You didn't even miss it!"  "Do you see what we could do for the Lord if we were all willing to give at least the tithe to God, who really owns it?"  So the new treasurer had made his point.

--James Carter

Famous Tithers

J.L. Kraft, head of the Kraft Cheese Corporation, who had given approximately 25% of his enormous income to Christian causes for many years, said, "The only investment I ever made which has paid consistently increasing dividends is the money I have given to the Lord."

J.D. Rockefeller said, "I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithed my first salary, which was $1.50 per week."

W. A. Criswell, A Guidebook for Pastors, p. 154

The Man Who Couldn't Tithe

W.A. Criswell tells of an ambitious young man who told his pastor he'd promised God a tithe of his income. They prayed for God to bless his career. At that time he was making $40.00 per week and tithing $4.00. In a few years his income increased and he was tithing $500.00 per week. He called on the pastor to see if he could be released from his tithing promise, it was too costly now. The pastor replied, "I don't see how you can be released from your promise, but we can ask God to reduce your income to $40.00 a week, then you'd have no problem tithing $4.00."

W. A. Criswell, A Guidebook for Pastors, p. 156

The Committment

 Years ago a young man knelt with his pastor and prayed as he committed to God his tithe. His first week's pay was $10.00 and the tithe was $1.00. As he grew older he became more prosperous and his tithe was $7.00 a week, then $10.00. He moved to another city and soon his tithewas $100 a week, then $200, then $500.

 One day the younger man sent his old friend a wire, "Please come see me." The pastor arrived at the man's house. They had a good time talking over old times. Finally the man came to his point. " You remember that promise I made years ago to tithe. How can I get released?"

 "Why would you want to get released," asked the pastor?

 "It's like this," replied the man, "When I made the promise I only had  to give $1.00, but now it is $500. I can't afford to give away money like that."

 The old pastor looked at his friend. "I am afraid we cannot get  released from the promise, but there is something we can do. We can kneel and ask God to shrink your income so you can afford to give $1.00 again."

       Author Unknown
       Marvin Krause
       WIT & WISDOM - October 28, 1998

There Goes God's Nickel

Submitted by Rocci Hildrum

There was a young boy who lived with his elderly grandmother in a small town. Every Sunday  the grandmother would take the boy to Church and after they would go downtown and get an ice cream cone, which was a special treat. On one particular Sunday, grandmother was not feeling well. She told the boy that he would have to go to Church by himself today and she gave him two nickels, one for the offering plate and one for an ice cream after Church.

Now as it happened the boy needed to cross an old wooden bridge in order to get to Church. As he was crossing the bridge that Sunday, as boys wil do he was watching the river below, skipping, hopping - generally not paying attention. All of a sudden he dropped on of the nickels. The  nickel fell to the bridge and as luck would have it found a small crack through which it fell into the river below.

The boy dropped down and put his eye to the crack. He watched helplessly as the nickely fell into the river below. As the boy got up and put the other nickel in his pocket he said, to no one in particular, oh well, there goes God's nickel.

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