The Bible does not give us an order of service for worship. But it appears that at least four things are present in worship services. In the New Testament this list includes study/preaching, prayer, music, and tithes and offerings. Three times each year the men (and families) of Israel were all to appear before the … Continue reading –>
Read Deuteronomy 16:17. What criterion does God give as the basis for the amount of our offerings? Our offerings are an acknowledgment and expression of our gratitude to God for His abundant gifts of life, redemption, sustenance, and constant blessings of many kinds. So, as we noted in the passage above, the amount of our offerings … Continue reading –>
We love God because He first loved us. Our giving is in response to His amazing gift to us, Jesus. In fact, we are told, “The Lord does not need our offerings. We cannot enrich Him by our gifts. Says the psalmist: ‘All things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee.’ … Continue reading –>
Sabbath Afternoon Read for This Week’s Study: 2 Corinthians 9:6-7; Deuteronomy 16:17; Psalm 116:12-18; 1 Chronicles 16:29; Mark 12:41-44; Mark 14:3-9. Memory Text: “What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me? I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows to the LORD now in … Continue reading –>
Sabbath Test in Malawi By Sheron Ndhlovu A college in Malawi created consternation among Seventh-day Adventist students by scheduling final exams on the seventh-day Sabbath. Lucy was distressed. She and other Adventist students at the state-owned Karonga Teachers Training College had received scholarships to become teachers. But now their future seemed uncertain. The Adventist students … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White’s most comprehensive tithe document in volume 9 of Testimonies for the Church, Pages 245-252. Study Section III of Counsels on Stewardship, Pages 65-107. “If all the tithes of our people flowed into the treasury of the Lord as they should, such blessings would be received that gifts and offerings for sacred purposes … Continue reading –>
Read 1 Corinthians 4:1-2. As children of God and stewards of His blessings, what kind of people are we asked to be? So, what does it mean to be faithful with our tithe? This week we have reviewed several of the constituent elements of the tithe: The amount — which is a tenth, or 10 percent, … Continue reading –>
We calculate our tithe on our “income” if we are paid by the hour or by a salary, and we pay on our “increase” or profit if we are self-employed and have our own business. In many countries, the government takes out taxes from the worker’s pay to cover the cost of services done for … Continue reading –>
Read Leviticus 27:30 and Numbers 18:21, Numbers 18:24. What does God propose to do with the tithe? Because God is the owner of everything (Psalm 24:1), He obviously doesn’t need the money. But because the tithe is His, He tells us what to do with it, and that is to use His tithe for the support of the gospel ministry. … Continue reading –>
Read Malachi 3:10. What can we learn from this verse about where our tithe should go? Though specific directions are not given in the text, it is nevertheless evident that God’s people knew what He meant by the word “storehouse.” God does include in His directions, “that there may be food in My house” (NKJV). His … Continue reading –>
