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   How generous is God to tell us the tithes (tenth) is the Lords! (Leviticus 27: 30). If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise Galatians 3:29. Abraham was the first tithe payer on record Genesis 14:20. Abraham's grandson, Jacob paid tithes Genesis 28:22. The scripture says that Levi, Abraham's descendant and the father of the tribe from which the priesthood came, paid tithes in Abraham Hebrews 7:9. As a child of Abraham let us acknowledge it by paying of tithes. Jesus said to the Jews, "If you were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham" John 8:39. We pay our tithes off of our gross salary as a spiritual descendant of Abraham, the father of the faithful.

   Some people say, "Oh, we do not pay tithes, because tithing is under the law." That is not a sufficient reason for not paying tithes. We give our tithes because the principles of the law are written in our hearts by the Spirit of God. We give willingly and liberally because the Spirit movitates us to give what God has said is His. For someone who truly loves the Lord, the tithes is only the beginning of your giving. You will not only tithe, but also give offerings, not grudgingly and not of necessity, but cheerfully with love. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus did not criticize the Pharisees for paying tithes. he commended them. he said it was something they ought to have done. It is expected for a believer to pay tithes.

   Malachi 3:8 says, "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me in tithes and offerings." How sad it is that people who are honest in business and who pay their debts to the bank, the store, and to the government will not pay God what belongs to Him! Sometimes people squabble about whether they are "paying" or "giving" tithes, both terms are appropriate. The tithe is the Lord's and He expects us to pay it to Him, all at the same time. He does not give us authority to use His tithes for other purposes, but we have the power to spend it as long as it is in our hands, nevertheless, a person is condemned if he/she spends God's money.

   "So hath the Lord ordained for people to be saved by the preaching of the gospel. In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel I Corinthians 9:14. Tithing is God's way of supporting the ministry. "Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me Malachi 3:9. God said the whole nation of Israel was cursed because they had not given God His due. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse 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 Malachi 3:10. I do not want God to curse my blessings. I will give Him His tithe.