The 10:90 rule.

Continuing on with our series on faith, another aspect through which our faith must be met with corresponding action is with tithes and offerings. In Malachi 3:8-10 says, “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it”.

We can’t say we love God and are His children and yet secretly rob Him of what is rightfully His. Any increase we get in our lives comes from God. Everything that is, was created by Him and for Him (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Hebrews 2:10). He doesn’t ask us for everything we have, just 10% of our income so there can be food in His house. I call it the 10:90 rule. First 10% goes to God and I can make it rain with the 90%, responsibly of course and put some money away, you get it. The 10% goes to the church where you are planted. I once heard that if you can’t live off 90% of your income there is a good chance the 100% is still not enough. So why short-change yourself of the blessings you need by robbing God?

To be clear, the Church does not want your money. God wants your heart and He gets to your heart through your money. The Church then gets to use the money for whatever is needed. The Church may not be a business, but it doesn’t mean its devoid of bills. The Church has bills and they differ in nature and magnitude but I can imagine they may need, pay roll, electricity, water, gas, rent or mortgage payments to be made etc. We expect the lights to be on when we show up but someone has to pay for that.

God doesn’t just ask for things randomly He has purpose in everything He asks us to do. When God asks us for our tithe it is firstly so He can bless us and release to us the things we need. It is also so the work of the Kingdom can continue without hinderance. I find it a privilege that my small 10% plays a part in keeping the church doors open so people may come and have an encounter with our wonderful Jesus!

Now forget all the above regarding what the money may be used for as it really is besides the point. What really matters is that God considers it robbery when we don’t bring our tithes to the church. The tithe is what God has declared to be His. It does not belong to us that’s why He asks us to “bring” it not give it. You are not being generous when you tithe but you sure are being obedient.

God says when we bring the tithe, He throws open the floodgates of heaven and pours out blessings. Meaning when we rob Him, the floodgates of heaven are closed and the blessings we have been praying for have no way out of heaven.

We can’t believe what God says when it suits us. We can’t pick and choose which aspects of the Bible apply to us. The tithe is not just an Old Testament thing. Even Jesus talked about tithes in Luke 11:42 and He said, “What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.” So Jesus said we should tithe and that is recorded in the New Testament.

We can get bogged down with things that don’t matter. Our role is to put our faith in God, choose not to rob Him and do what He has asked us to do. What happens to the money after we have tithed is really not up to us. The moment we bring our tithes, we discharge our duty to God and He will honour and reward our faith. He will throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out blessings into our lives. Your tithe does not work any more or any less based on what it is used for in the church. It works when you bring it to the church. Don’t just leave it in your purse too. “Bring” has an implied handing over or giving aspect attached to it! No loopholes here!

God is waiting on the other side of your faithfulness to reward you with the open windows of heaven that you might receive blessing in your life. Blessing is not limited to money and praise God for that! It includes salvation, healing, deliverance, provision, peace, joy, freedom, whatever you may need is included in that word blessing.

We must have faith that if we do what God has asked us to do, He will meet us with what He promised to do. Ultimately God is after our hearts. So it boils down to this, who has your heart? God or money? Let’s start storing up treasures in heaven by being obedient to God’s word (Matthew 6:19-21). God does not want us controlled by our money but to be in control of our money. The first step in that is to obey what He asks us to do with our money and the rest will come.   

P.s. if you want to read more on this subject there are two good books by Robert Morris, The Blessed Life and Beyond Blessed. They really unlock what scriptural giving looks like especially in the area of tithes and offerings.

Love and blessings,

Melissa Tsingano.