Some are tempted not to tithe because they feel the church is misusing God’s money. Tithe is holy money that belongs to the Lord (Leviticus 27:30). When you tithe, you tithe to Him. Your responsibility is to tithe. The unfaithfulness of others should not cause you to stop returning to God what is His and rob yourself from His blessings.
The Lord said, “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. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts” (Malachi 3:10-12).
God says, “Prove me now” and see if I will not “pour you out a blessing” too big to receive. This is the only time in the Bible that God makes such a proposal. He is saying, “It will work. I promise you.” Hundreds of thousands of tithers will gladly testify to the truth of God’s tithing promise. They have all learned the truth of the words: “You can’t out-give God.”
The Bible teaches, “Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:13, 14). God’s plan today is that tithe be used to support those who work solely in gospel ministry.
But you may need to ask the Lord to direct you as to where you should send your tithe if you feel your church is misusing your tithe. There are so many genuine needs for supporting ministers in His vineyard. And the Lord promises that He will give wisdom to all that ask for it (James 1:5).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
