1 Timothy 6:18-19 (NKJV) Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
Born again Christians have the nature of God in them. Because His nature is loving, caring, and sharing, He would also expect us to do likewise to the people around us. Christians are the body of Christ and a channel of His blessings. Therefore, He will instruct His body through the Holy Spirit who lives in us by prompting us to give and help those whom He impresses upon our hearts. We are a steward of God and God wants us to be rich in good works, ready to give, and willing to share. The act of giving is an expression of our trust in the Lord based on biblical financial principles.
Malachi 3:10 (NKJV) Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.
Tithing is still applicable today. The twofold purpose for tithing is that it is a form of honouring God as the source of our provision, but the tithe also provides for the work of the ministry in the church. Faith is developed when we tithe to the Lord, and He provides for us faithfully throughout the years. He told us not to rob Him of the tithe but to try Him in whether He will provide for us as we tithe faithfully.
Trying Him does not mean playing “show hand” with God through a one-off giving in a “do-or-die” situation. Rather, it is a lifestyle of trusting and expressing our dependence on God by obeying His instruction to tithe 10% of our income and profits. There is no need to panic or be anxious when things aren’t going well. As long as we have been tithing, we can be confident that the Lord who has been providing for us throughout the years will see us through.
We will only struggle to tithe if we have been holding onto the secular worldview of success based on meritocracy without God in the equation. Though we may struggle initially, our faith will be built up little by little as we practise these biblical financial principles.
God is just. He has established the tithing principle as a form of worship unto Him, but it also gives Him the opportunity to honour His covenant with us. When we give as His covenant partner, we are sharing with Him in the work of the ministry, and as our covenant partner, He will richly provide for us through our jobs and businesses, and we will experience His grace, mercy, and protection from wrong investments when we consecrate our lives to Him.
Sermon Series: Freely Received and Freely Give
做上帝金钱的好管家
提摩太前书6:18-19 又要嘱咐他们行善，在好事上富足，甘心施舍，乐意供给人， 为自己积成美好的根基，预备将来，叫他们持定那真正的生命。
重生的基督徒有神的本性在他们里面。因为祂的本性是爱、关心和分享，祂也希望我们对自己周遭的人也这样做。基督徒是基督的肢体，是祂祝福的渠道。因此，祂会通过住在我们里面的圣灵来指导祂的肢体，鼓励我们给予和帮助那些祂在我们心中留下深刻印象的人。我们是神的管家，神要我们在善行上富足，愿意奉献，愿意分享。根据圣经的财务原则，奉献的举动表达了我们对上帝的信任。
玛拉基书 3:10 万军之耶和华说：“你们要将当纳的十分之一全然送入仓库，使我家有粮，以此试试我，是否为你们敞开天上的窗户倾福于你们，甚至无处可容。”
十一奉献今天仍然适用。十一奉献有双重目的，一是为了荣耀那供应我们的神，二是为了教会的事工。当我们将十一奉献给神时，我们的信心就会得到培养，祂会在我们的岁月里始终信实地供应。祂告诉我们不要在十一奉献上夺取祂之物，而是当我们信实地缴纳十一奉献时，试看祂会否以同样的信实供应我们。
考验神并不意味着在“孤注一掷”的情况下，通过一次性的奉献来与神“摊牌”。相反，它是一种生活方式，通过遵守祂的指示，将我们收入和利润的十分之一奉献出来，来表达我们对上帝的信任和依赖。当事情进展不顺利时，不需要感到恐慌或焦虑。只要我们一直奉献十分之一，我们就可以相信，多年来一直供应我们的神必会帮助我们渡过难关。
唯有当我们一直坚持世俗的世界观，认为成功是建立在没有上帝参与的精英管理的基础上时，缴纳十一奉献才会成为一种挣扎。虽然我们最初可能会挣扎，但当我们实践这些圣经的财务原则时，我们的信心会一点点建立起来。
上帝是公正的。祂已经建立了十一奉献的原则，作为敬拜祂的一种形式，但这也给了祂一个机会来履行祂与我们所立的约。当我们作为神的圣约伙伴来奉献时，我们就是在与祂分享事工。作为我们的圣约伙伴，祂会藉着我们的工作和事业来丰富地供应我们，当我们把生命分别为圣献给祂时，我们会 经历祂的恩典、怜悯和保护，使我们免于错误的投资。
讲章系列: 白白的得来，白白的舍去
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