Living In The Light

May 6, Tithes Sacredly Reserved For The Ministry

“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.”
—Malachi 3:10 LL 136.1

Christ has purchased us by the price of His own blood. He has paid the purchase money for our redemption, and if we will lay hold upon the treasure, it is ours by the free gift of God. LL 136.2

“How much owest thou unto my Lord?” (Luke 16:5). It is impossible to tell. All that we have is from God. He lays His hand upon our possessions, saying: “I am the rightful Owner of the whole universe; these are My goods. Consecrate to Me the tithes and offerings. As you bring these specified goods as a token of your loyalty and your submission to My sovereignty, My blessing shall increase your substance, and you will have abundance.” . . . LL 136.3

God has given special direction as to the use of the tithe. He does not design that His work shall be crippled for want of means. That there may be no haphazard work and no error, He has made our duty on these points very plain. The portion that God has reserved for Himself is not to be diverted to any other purpose than that which He has specified. Let none feel at liberty to retain their tithe, to use according to their own judgment. They are not to use it for themselves in an emergency, nor to apply it as they see fit, even in what they may regard as the Lord’s work. . . . LL 136.4

Some have been dissatisfied and have said: “I will not longer pay my tithe; for I have no confidence in the way things are managed at the heart of the work.” But will you rob God because you think the management of the work is not right? Make your complaint, plainly and openly, in the right spirit, to the proper ones. Send in your petitions for things to be adjusted and set in order; but do not withdraw from the work of God, and prove unfaithful, because others are not doing right. . . . LL 136.5

. . . Let the work no longer be hedged up because the tithe has been diverted into various channels other than the one to which the Lord has said it should go.— Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, pp. 245—250. LL 136.6

Further Reflection: Why do you think God is so particular about the use of tithe funds? Why has He claimed these funds as His own? LL 136.7