By the title of this article one would think that I'm going to bring forth an article on tithing. Tithing will be included in this article but it is not the main theme. There are many ways to rob God and tithing is just one of them. I'm a firm believer that we must pay our ten per cent and also a good offering. I also believe that we should use good wisdom where we and to who we are paying those tithes and offerings. We need to check how that money is being used. To many times that money is given with a good heart to be used in the work of the Lord and most of the offering goes elsewhere and very little to the winning of souls. A lot of money is being wasted on things that do not please God. The money should be used for the up keeping of the church, the necessities of the pastor and his family, the churches missionary program, and the outreach programs of the church and church related things.

A lot of Christians think and it is preached to them the more that one gives the more they will prosper. In other words paying tithes and giving offerings is what they think is going to help them get rich deal. It is not. We are not giving what is ours; we are giving back what already belongs to God, which if done with a loving heart does mean that gone will supply all our needs. That is a fact. Please listen to the following.

I have always since becoming a Christian paid my tithes and whatever I could for offering. During all this time I never once was without. I might have been without a job but I never was without, the mortgage being paid. A car to go in and gas to put in it, food to eat, or anything else that I needed because Jesus Christ is the way maker and I'm sure many of you reading this will say the same thing. My God has always supplied my needs. He owns the world and the fullness there of. He never let me go without. When you give with a love of God and because you want to, God will abundantly supply your needs. His word cannot lie. Many people who read this will say amen because God has abundantly supplied their needs as well. Then there are those of you who will not agree with me and will pass the plate with your eyes closed. You are robbing God.

Once when I attended The Park Lane Church of God there was a evangelist there holding a revival and needed a new tent for his ministry. There was a offering taking up for him and even though I had only money that I needed for the closing cost for a house that we were going to settlement on the next day the lord spoke to my heart and I give a hundred dollars toward that mans tent. I thought not about not having enough money for the closing cost after giving the hundred dollars but just the fact that I was able to give for that tent. The next day the real estate agent called and said the price or the house was going to be lower than first stated, the monthly payment was also going to be lower and we would not need to by a washer and dryer because the sellers have decided to let it go with the house. There was more savings. It pays to listen to God's voice and do as he says. Just look at the many folds blessing that I received from that hundred dollars that was giving because I wanted to see souls saved and for no other reason. Now that is what I call: "GOD AT WORK". He will do the same for you.

Now let us look at some other ways that a Christian can rob God. If we give more time to the foot ball game, the baseball, game, basketball, golf, fishing, or any other entertainment than we do to God's Work then we are robbing God. We are robbing God because our heart is somewhere else than doing God's work. Now let me say this there is nothing wrong with the sports that I have mentioned above as long as they do not come before God. God must be before anything else in our life and everything else must be second. One of the definitions in Encarta dictionary for robbery is: "to deprive somebody of something due, expected, or wanted." Isn't that what we are doing when we have a choice to do for God, but rather do something else?

Most Christians will keep their home in top notch shape. They will keep their lawns, automobiles, and everything else that they own in tip top shape. That is good and the right thing to do, but do we give God any of our time to clean his house, to do his yard work? How does your church look? You do not have to have a million dollar church to want to talk care of it. It may be only a building but make it look right. My last thought is this: "Don't rob God. Put Him first in everything that you do. Let everything else be second. Remember He put us first when He went to the cross. We were on his mind and our mind should be on Him and the cross. God Bless

Bill Patchett

February 21,2009