Our God controls our economy
WE often hear many people say, “I don’t understand God’s economic system.” God’s economic system simply means that our Lord God controls the economy of the world. He controls our income too. And in God’s economy, there is no such thing as “fixed income.” Our income is controlled by our giving. It is heartening to note that during our life in this world, we all have something to give as our heart dictates – in abundance, too. But unfortunately, many of us would rather withhold than give to others.
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The Holy Bible is replete with verses that reaffirm the statement that our Lord God controls our economy. In Deuteronomy 8:18: “But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth…” In Haggai 2:8: “‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” In Psalm 50:9-12: “I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.” And we find in 1 Timothy 6:17 the following: “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”
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There are two families in the Holy Bible. One is the family of God and those who obey God’s mandates are His children. The other is the family of Satan. Two destinations, too. Heaven and hell. Children of the family of God are the heirs of God and therefore inherit God’s wealth. The supernatural abundance of God’s wealth is awesome. But despite this abundance of wealth, our Lord God commands us to tithe. To acknowledge His Lordship and ownership of all. Refusal to tithe is rebellion against God.
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What is tithing? It’s simply the act of giving the tenth part of one’s income to the Lord. The origin of this Christian practice is not known. What is certain is that tithing originated long before Moses was born and before the Ten Commandments were given to Moses on Mount Sinai. It started even before there was ever a Hebrew nation.
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In the Book of Genesis, Chapter 17, we get a glimpse of the first case of tithing. We see Abraham, the father of the Hebrew nation, coming from battle where he defeated Kedorlaomer and the other kings allied with him. Melchizedek, the King of Salem, offered bread and wine and blessed the victories of Abraham. In reciprocation “Abram (Abraham) gave him (Melchizedek) a tenth of everything.” (Genesis 4:20)
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It is not true, as some claim that tithing is an Old Testament practice and is no longer applicable in this modern age. I believe this is a very strange theory. By believing this statement, one is actually saying that while God claimed the tithes of the Jews and the other early Christians, God exempts Christians of this modern generation from tithing. It may also be worthwhile to note that tithing is also mentioned in the New Testament. (See 1 Corinthians 16:2) In 2 Corinthians 9:7, we find the following: “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” There are many well-known businessmen who have tithed far more than a tenth of their income (like the founders of Colgate-Palmolive and Quaker Oats) who prospered financially because they tithed generously. Confirming that prosperity is always linked to tithing and giving. Reaffirming that when we give our best to God, He gives us the best of everything. The problem with many of us is that we are stingy tithers. Investing more for the shampooing of our poodle and other pets than in our tithes. Spending more for tips than for our tithes. Good tippers but not good tithers. This is a sad situation since all our money is God’s money and therefore every spending decision should be a spiritual decision.
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Can we rob our Lord God? Yes. In tithes and offerings, Malachi 3:8-10 says: “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse – the whole nation of you – because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”
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This column continues to give out copies of the Holy Bible for free to those who cannot afford to buy their own copies. If interested, please send your letter-request to Ms. Nelly Favis Villafuerte, 5233 LRV Building, Fahrenheit St., Palanan, Makati City. Kindly mention if it is the Tagalog, English, Cebuano, or Ilocano Bible that is preferred.
Be joyful and forgiving!
(Comments may be sent to Ms. Villafuerte’s email: villafuerte_nelly@ yahoo.com)