18plus: money, money, money
24th June 2010 by Mark Soper
Money, budgets and finances
Between the ages of 18 and 25 we never seem to have enough money, and there always seems to be something we have to pay for. Money seems to leave our hand faster than it comes into our hand!
In my devotions this week I read: "Everything in heaven and earth is yours O Lord ... Wealth and honour come from you; you are the ruler of all things" (1 Chronicles 29:11-12).
If we believe this and acknowledge that everything – including our finances – belongs to God and that he is the ruler of all things, this will impact the way we handle our finances.
I remember when I was 16 and my Grandfather sat down with me and we wrote out a budget. I thought it was useless at the time because I didn't have much money. But, I've discovered it is one of the best things I could have done with my money.
Breaking it down
I would encourage all of you to write a budget. Knowing your current financial situation is essential in getting on top of your finances:
Income: Any money that comes into your hands e.g. work, Centrelink payments etc.
Expenses: Things you spend money on.
Fixed Expenses: Rent/board, uni/TAFE fees and expenses, car repayments, insurance, petrol, rego etc. These things are needs, not wants
Variable/Optional Expenses: Movies, holidays, going out for dinner, buying the latest gadget e.g. iPhone. These are things you can go without, but would like to have. They are more wants than needs.
Tithing, heard of it?
What category does tithing fall into (i.e. giving God 10 per cent of the income we receive)? Is tithing an optional extra, something we do just when we want to?
My Grandfather put tithing in the Fixed Expenses category because it was non-negotiable. He believed this to be more about obedience than anything else. Tithing shows spiritual maturity.
People will often say that I'll tithe when I have more money, but it is those who are faithful with a little who will be faithful with a lot.
The 90 day challenge
I'm in the process of reading 40 Day Spiritual Journey to a more Generous Life by Reverend Brian Kluth. In his book he puts out a 90 day challenge to those that are nervous about giving 10 per cent of their income back to God's work. In Malachi 3:10, God invites people to test him in the matter of tithing.
I want to challenge you to take the 90 day tithing challenge (tithe the first 10 per cent of your income for 90 days) and see what God has in store for you!
I pray that as you think about your finances and write a budget, that God would open your eyes to the many blessings you can receive when you are faithful with the money he has given you!
God is in the business of using obedience in small things – such as our tithing – to do extraordinary things in and through our lives!
Mark Soper is the Ministry Assistant at Menai Salvation Army, where he oversees the youth ministries amongst other responsibilities in the corps.
Mark has previously been youth pastor at Hurstville Corps and has also worked on the Street Outreach Service at The Salvation Army's Oasis Youth Support Network. He loves seeing God grow churches from Christians meeting community needs. Mark is married to Lauren.
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Comments
Thanks for this post - a great and important challenge - particularly the point about placing tithing in the 'fixed expense' category!
I happened to be looking at my budget and making some decisions about tithing this week. For myself I find it hard to determine what should make up the 10% tithe. Do I count money given to charities or hours volunteered as part of my tithe, or do I literally donate 10% of my financial income to my church regardless of what I've offered in other forms? I think this is very much up to personal choice/opinion but for me I do tend to take these things into account when determining how much I will give. Not that I want to weasel my way out of giving heaps of money, but just that I believe these are valid ways of giving back to God, as well as - not instead of - donating to church.
I'd be interested in hearing any other views out there!
Tithing is probably one of the most misunderstood topics in the Bible.
The first time tithe is mentioned in the Bible is Abraham's tithe of pagan spoils of war, and Abraham kept NOTHING for himself. This was NOT an act of worship. The goods that Abraham gave the tenth from didn’t even belong to Abraham:
Genesis 14:21 (NIV) - The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.”
Notice in verse 21 the king of Sodom didn’t ask Abraham if he would give back to him the people, but rather said GIVE ME the people and keep the goods for yourself. The way that is worded indicates that the king of Sodom was claiming that the people and the goods belonged to him and those he represented.
Genesis 14:22-24 (NIV) - 22But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath 23that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share.”
Notice in verses 23 and 24 Abraham also acknowledges that the goods belonged to the king of Sodom and those he represented.
Therefore, it is clear that both the king of Sodom and Abraham acknowledged that the spoils of war did NOT belong to Abraham, yet he gave a tenth of the spoils to King Melchizedek. This would seem that Abraham did something wrong, if not even illegal, but Biblical historians agree that it was custom in Abraham's day to give the king a tenth of the war spoils. Had Abraham not given the tenth, he would have gone against custom.
Conclusion: Abraham did NOT give a tenth of his income, or his wealth. Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils of war that didn’t belong to him. That is NOT an example for Christians to follow today.
The next mention of a tithe is Jacob's VOW to tithe. Jacob set the conditions, not God. Nowhere in The Word does it tell us that Jacob actually tithed. Genesis 28:10-22
Next is The Lord's Tithe. God gave His definition as a tenth of crops and animals which came from God's hand, not man's income. God NEVER commanded anyone to tithe on anything that man made or earned. Leviticus 27:30-33.
The ordinances (instructions, or laws) for The Lord's Tithe are in Numbers 18. God gave strict orders to take His tithe to the Levites. God NEVER changed that command. Anyone who takes God's tithe to anyone other than the Levites is being disobedient to God's Word.
There are others tithes in the Bible such as the Festival Tithe and the Tithe for the Poor. It is The Lord's Tithe that churches pattern their teaching after.
Church leaders ignore God's definition of His tithe, and ignore God's ordinances for His tithe. They change the words to fit their pocketbook. This is nothing but manipulation of God's Word. They are false teachers.
The Bible CLEARLY SHOWS that the tithe ENDED at the cross in the Book of Hebrews. In the first nine verses of Hebrews 7 the words tenth or tithes appears SEVEN TIMES. The ONLY place in the Bible, after Calvary, that tithing appears is in Hebrews 7.
In Hebrews 7:5 we are told that Levi (the Levites) took the tithes under the law. In Hebrews 7:12 we are told that when the priesthood changes, the law will change. Hebrews 7:18 is telling us that Numbers 18 was disannulled. Numbers 18 established the Levitical priesthood, and part of that establishing included tithing. When the Levitical priesthood ended (at Calvary, or at least in the year 70AD when the temple was destroyed), all laws that established that priesthood were canceled. If Numbers 18 wasn't canceled, we would still be under the Levitical priesthood.
Those who argue they didn't have money or income then really need to study the scriptures. They had money and wages, even in Genesis. The farmers had income from barter exchanges, and they had markets to buy and sell as proven in Deuteronomy 14:24-26.
Those who argue Malachi 3:8, robbing God, need to start with verse 7. God is talking about His ordinances in Numbers 18 which we learned were disannulled according to Hebrews 7:18. Also, if you start with Malachi 1, you will see that God is speaking to the priests, not the people. The priests robbed God of the tithe (Nehemiah 13) and the priests robbed God of the offerings (Malachi 1).
The New Testament teaches generous, sacrificial giving, from the heart, according to our means. For some, $1 might be a sacrifice. For others, even 50% of their income might not cause any sacrifice.
Wow! Thanks for the insight Gary.
I guess its up to each of us to determine what a sacrifice is to us and how far we are willing or able to go. If it is a sacrifice for us to give our time and talents then I think they are just as valuable as our money.
I think I will always be challenged by how much is enough, and always have the niggling feeling that I could be giving more.