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"The payment of tithing is a test of our faithfulness and loyalty."Henry D. Taylor
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January 1, 2009
 
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The Beginning of the Tithe
Last month I was present when a friend of mine relayed the story of sit-ting in church on Sunday morning. When the offering plate would passby she would reach up to her mom or dad for some money toput in.Today she realizes that was a sacrifice for her parents, not for her. Godwants us to put something in the plate thatcosts us something.Read 2 Samuel 24:18-25Why did David want to purchase the threshing floor?Why did Araunah offer to give the items to David?Why did David refuse?
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Exodus 25:28. They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and forthe anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. 29. All the Israelite menand women who were willing brought to the LORD freewill offerings forall the work the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do.30. Then Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the LORD has chosenBezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur,of the tribe of Judah, 31. and he hasfilled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in allkinds of crafts--32. to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver andbronze, 33. to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in allkinds of artistic craftsmanship. 34. And he has given both him and Oho-liab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. 35.He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, design-ers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, andweavers--all of them master craftsmen and designers.2 Samuel 24: 18. On that day Gad went to David and said to him, "Go upand build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Je-busite." 19. So David went up, as the LORD had commanded throughGad. 20. When Araunah looked and saw the king and his men comingtoward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face tothe ground. 21. Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to hisservant?" "To buy your threshing floor," David answered, "so I can buildan altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped." 22.Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take whatever pleases himand offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are thresh-ing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. 23. O king, Araunah gives all thisto the king." Araunah also said to him, "May the LORDyour God acceptyou." 24. But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying youfor it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that costme nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paidfifty shekels of silver for them. 25. David built an altar to the LORDthere and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then theLORD answered prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israelwas stopped.
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Exodus 35: 4. Moses said to the whole Israelite community, "This is whatthe LORD has commanded: 5. From what you have, take an offering forthe Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the LORD an offering of gold, silver and bronze; 6. blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen;goat hair; 7. ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows; acacia wood; 8.olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant in-cense; 9. and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephodand breastpiece. 10. "All who are skilled among you are to come andmake everything the LORD has commanded: 11. the tabernacle with itstent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; 12. theark with its poles and the atonement cover and the curtain that shields it;13. the table with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the Pres-ence; 14. the lampstand that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oilfor the light; 15. the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil andthe fragrant incense; the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to thetabernacle; 16. the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its polesand all its utensils; the bronze basin with its stand; 17. the curtains of thecourtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to thecourtyard; 18. the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, andtheir ropes; 19. the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctu-ary--both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments forhis sons when they serve as priests." 20. Then the whole Israelite com-munity withdrew from Moses' presence, 21. and everyone who waswilling and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to theLORD for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for thesacred garments. 22. All who were willing, men and women alike, cameand brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and orna-ments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord. 23.Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or finelinen, or goat hair,ram skins dyed red or hides of sea cows brought them. 24. Those present-ing an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord,and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of thework brought it.25. Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she hadspun--blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. 26. And all the womenwho were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. 27. The leadersbrought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod andbreastpiece.
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Of the things in your life...what would be the most difficult for you togive up? People, places, things, time?Why?
Sometimes it’s a great exercise to evaluate what we are hanging onto that
God wants us to release to Him. Take some time to pray about what youvalue...is there something that God would have you turn over to Him?Do you have the courage to obey?
“The world asks, ‘What does a man own?’ Christ asks, ‘How does he use it?’ ”
AndrewMurray
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