The Secrets of Blessing (4)
Reading Scripture: Malachi 3:8-10
Verse to Memorize: Malachi 3:10
Reference: Matthew 6:21 Goal: to help believers understand that the authority of all material things belongs to God the Creator and to explain how to receive true blessings through giving whole tithes and offerings Tithe is the indication of acknowledgement and belief that the authority of all our material possessions including our income belongs to God the Creator.
While living on the earth, we can manifest our love for God by offering up money which may be likened to our life itself. Giving a tithe is a deed of faith that shows the giver is God's child just as keeping the Sabbath is. In other words, it is a proof that demonstrates before God he has faith. Therefore, a tithe is related to salvation.
- 1. The Importance of a Tithe
A tithe is 'a tenth'. It is a tenth of our income derived from our sources of income such as our business or workplace. It is paid as a contribution to God. All creation was made by God and every industry is based on the things God created. Thus, we give a tenth of our total income as recognition that all gains are given by God though they seemed to be earned through our efforts. This is the will of God and an action that indicates recognition of God's sovereignty over all material things.
The biggest reason that we have to give a tithe is that it is a proof saying that we believe in God the Creator. Conversely, if we do not give a tithe, it serves as an evidence of unbelief in God, so whether one gives a tithe or not can work as the standard that decides his salvation. God gives us all things, yet He asks us to give Him only a tenth in return. Nevertheless, if we do not give the tithe, it is robbing God. Malachi 3:8-9 reads, "Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, 'How have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you!" The gravest sin among many sins is the sin of not believing in God the Creator and Jesus the Savior.
God sent His only begotten Son to the earth for our salvation, and Jesus showed His love by giving up His own life for us. Then, what is the way we can express our hearts to God? By giving our valuable material possessions, we can exhibit our faith in and love for God. Of course, we can do so by worshipping in services, praying, praising, and working faithfully for His kingdom, but giving offerings is an expression of our love and faith because many people cherish money such that they identify money with their life (Ref. Matthew 6:21). If you truly believe God, the minimal evidence of your belief is to give the tithe. Some people give a tithe just to receive blessing. Some others teach people that a tithe leads to blessing though it does not affect us.
But even if we are faithful in volunteering for God's kingdom, if we do not give a tithe, we cannot be saved. In the case of a new believer who has little faith, if he does not give a tithe, he may receive salvation but it will be just a shameful salvation. The second reason why we have to give a tithe as a child of God is that we can receive blessings through this. The God of love does not command us to give a tithe because He wants to cause difficulties for His children. God says in Malachi 3:10, "'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test 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 a blessing until it overflows.'" It tells us that God wants even people who doubt, have a lack of faith and reluctantly give offerings thinking, 'Is it really true?' to believe in God the Creator, to obey, and to receive blessings from Him.
The financial support of the church that comes from the offerings must be directly connected with the ministry for souls' salvation. It covers the salary of pastors and church's full-time workers and the expenditure for mission works, events, sanctuary maintenance, and charitable works.
- 2. How to Give a Whole Tithe
To give a whole tithe, first of all, we need to set aside a tenth of our total income. Let's just suppose one's salary is 10,000 dollars. But tax, pension, and insurance premiums are deducted from the paycheck, and a take-home pay that remains after the deductions is just 8,000 dollars. If you deem the 8,000 dollars your earnings and offer up 800 dollars as a tithe, it is not the properly calculated one. You have to consider the full 10,000 dollars as your income.
Additionally, the total income includes not only your cash income but also every kind of commodities that you gain. So, you must offer up a tithe if you are treated in dining or receive gifts and presents from others. Also, a tithe should be given separately from thanks offerings or other offerings. If you give your tithe with the title of other offerings, it means that you treat what is God's as your own. You must consecrate your tithe above all else when you make earnings. It is the fundamental rule of giving a tithe that you earmark money for tithe "off the top" first. If you reserve a tithe immediately after you gain earnings, you can stop yourself from skipping giving a tithe. And you should give a tithe to a church that offers you spiritual bread. The church does not refer to the church building where you attend, but it is the place where you grow up spiritually.
Of course, as for other offerings such as thanks offering and offering for the construction of sanctuary, you can give them to any church where your heart is willing. In principle, you need to give a tithe with the giver's name. If the money is your husband's, you have to give it with his name on it and if it is the wife's, it should be given with her name. This is because in Heaven the land, mansion, and rewards will be given to each individual. But if a married couple runs a business together, they can give a single tithe in both names. Children should also give a tithe because they also receive special allowances and gifts on birthdays and holidays. They also get regular allowance from which parents should teach them how to give a tithe. But when they receive money for tuition fees or school materials it is not their earnings, so they do not have to give a tithe of them. It is better for you to give the tithe at least once a month so that you won't forget about it but you can give the whole tithe. It is good to give the tithe whenever income is produced or to give a tithe more than once a month.
If you are a farmer or you have no fixed income, it does not matter to give a tithe once every few months and once a year. What about a housewife who does not have a regular income? She may have some money for personal spending for time set aside with friends or enjoying leisure time. The expense has no direct link to housekeeping expenses, so it is her income. Thus, she can give a tithe of it. God promises us to pour out for us a blessing until it overflows, and protect our home, businesses, and workplaces if we give a whole tithe and offerings. Then, what is the way to giving perfect offerings to God? 'Offerings' relate to all offerings we offer up to God aside from tithes. God tells us that not giving offerings as well as tithes is to rob God. This is an evidence of an absence of true faith.
Some people say, "I have nothing to offer up because I am penniless." But no matter how little it is, if you give an offering with your love and heart, it is accepted. We must give God unflawed offerings just as we give unstained and spotless presents to others. 'Giving a blameless offering' means that the heart of the giver and the offering itself should be blameless. If you coercively and sparingly give it, God is not able to accept it joyfully. When you have a wall of sins against God, or when you are in conflict with brothers, your offering cannot be a source of joy to Him. Therefore, if you have committed sins or have transgressions, you have to repent first, turn away from them, break the wall of sins, and make peace with neighbors. Then, you should give offerings.
Also, not only the heart but also the offering itself should be without spot or blemish. It is desirable to exchange creased, ripped, or stained currency for new and clean bills. Also, it is not right that you give money that is 'left over' after you have spent as you please and that you give insincerely. You should set aside offerings from the outset of receiving your pay. In giving offerings, we need to keep in our hearts that we must give them with an unchanging heart. If you reserve some money for thanks offerings you have to give it as thanks offerings, and offerings for the construction of the sanctuary as offerings of the construction.
If you give to some donations with the money you assigned as vowed offerings for construction, you have not given the vowed offerings. Offerings should be moved to the altar and receive a pastor's prayer with his hand on it. When the pastor prays for it during the service, he consecrates it to God, and seals it as God's. God can then accept it and give the offering-givers complete blessing.
Siri za Baraka (4)
Usomaji wa Maandiko: Malaki 3:8–10
Mstari wa Kukariri: Malaki 3:10
Rejea: Mathayo 6:21. Lengo: kuwasaidia waumini kuelewa kwamba mamlaka ya mali yote ni ya Mungu Muumba na kueleza jinsi ya kupokea baraka za kweli kwa kutoa zaka na sadaka kamili. Zaka ni ishara ya kukiri na kuamini kwamba mamlaka ya mali zetu zote, pamoja na mapato yetu, ni ya Mungu Muumba.
Tukiwa duniani, tunaweza kuonyesha upendo wetu kwa Mungu kwa kutoa fedha, ambazo zinaweza kufananishwa na maisha yetu wenyewe. Kutoa zaka ni tendo la imani linaloonyesha kwamba mtoaji ni mtoto wa Mungu, kama ilivyo kuitunza Sabato. Yaani, ni ushahidi mbele za Mungu kwamba ana imani. Kwa hiyo, zaka inahusiana na wokovu.
- 1. Umuhimu wa zaka
Zaka ni “sehemu ya kumi.” Ni sehemu ya kumi ya mapato yetu kutoka kwenye vyanzo kama biashara au mahali pa kazi, nayo hutolewa kama mchango kwa Mungu. Mungu aliumba viumbe vyote, na kila shughuli ya kiuchumi hutegemea vitu alivyoviumba. Kwa hiyo, tunatoa sehemu ya kumi ya mapato yetu yote tukikiri kwamba faida zote hutoka kwa Mungu, ingawa zinaweza kuonekana kuwa zimepatikana kwa juhudi zetu. Haya ndiyo mapenzi ya Mungu na tendo linalokiri mamlaka Yake juu ya mali yote.
Sababu kuu ya kutoa zaka ni kwamba ni ushahidi wa imani yetu kwa Mungu Muumba. Kinyume chake, kutotoa zaka kunakuwa ushahidi wa kutomwamini Mungu, kwa hiyo kama mtu anatoa zaka au la kunaweza kuwa kigezo cha wokovu wake. Mungu hutupatia vitu vyote, lakini anatuomba tumrudishie sehemu ya kumi tu. Hata hivyo, tusipotoa zaka tunamwibia Mungu. Malaki 3:8–9 yasema, “Je! Mwanadamu atamwibia Mungu? Lakini ninyi mnaniibia Mimi. Nanyi mwasema, Tumekuibia kwa namna gani? Mmeniibia zaka na dhabihu. Ninyi mmelaaniwa kwa laana, maana mnaniibia Mimi, naam, taifa hili lote.” Miongoni mwa dhambi nyingi, dhambi iliyo nzito zaidi ni kutomwamini Mungu Muumba na Yesu Mwokozi.
Mungu alimtuma duniani Mwana Wake wa pekee kwa ajili ya wokovu wetu, naye Yesu alionyesha upendo Wake kwa kutoa maisha Yake kwa ajili yetu. Basi tunawezaje kumweleza Mungu yaliyo mioyoni mwetu? Kwa kutoa mali zetu zenye thamani tunaonyesha imani na upendo wetu Kwake. Bila shaka, tunaweza kufanya hivyo kwa kushiriki ibada, kuomba, kusifu na kufanya kazi kwa uaminifu kwa ajili ya ufalme Wake. Lakini kutoa sadaka ni ishara ya upendo na imani yetu kwa sababu watu wengi huthamini fedha kiasi cha kuzilinganisha na maisha yao (tazama Mathayo 6:21). Ikiwa unamwamini Mungu kweli, ushahidi wa msingi wa imani yako ni kutoa zaka. Wengine hutoa zaka ili tu wapate baraka; wengine hufundisha kwamba zaka huleta baraka ingawa haina athari kwetu.
Hata tukijitolea kwa uaminifu kwa ajili ya ufalme wa Mungu, tusipotoa zaka hatuwezi kuokolewa. Kwa muumini mpya mwenye imani ndogo, kutotoa zaka huenda kusimzuie kupokea wokovu, lakini wokovu wake utakuwa wa aibu tu. Sababu ya pili ya mtoto wa Mungu kutoa zaka ni kwamba kwa kufanya hivyo tunaweza kupokea baraka. Mungu wa upendo hatuamulii kutoa zaka ili kuwatia watoto Wake katika shida. Malaki 3:10 yasema, “Leteni zaka kamili ghalani, ili kiwemo chakula katika nyumba Yangu, mkanijaribu kwa njia hiyo, asema BWANA wa majeshi; mjue kama sitawafungulia madirisha ya mbinguni, na kuwamwagieni baraka, hata isiwepo nafasi ya kutosha, au la.” Hii inaonyesha kwamba Mungu anataka hata wenye shaka na imani haba, wanaositasita kutoa sadaka wakijiuliza, “Je, kweli ni hivyo?” wamwamini Mungu Muumba, wamtii na kupokea baraka Zake.
Msaada wa kifedha wa kanisa unaotokana na sadaka unapaswa kuhusiana moja kwa moja na huduma ya kuokoa roho. Unatumika kulipa mishahara ya wachungaji na watumishi wa kanisa wa muda wote, kazi za misheni, matukio, matengenezo ya patakatifu na kazi za hisani.
- 2. Jinsi ya kutoa zaka kamili
Ili kutoa zaka kamili, kwanza tenga sehemu ya kumi ya mapato yako yote. Tuseme mshahara wa mtu ni dola 10,000. Kodi, pensheni na malipo ya bima yanakatwa kwenye mshahara, na anabaki na dola 8,000 za kuchukua nyumbani. Ukihesabu dola 8,000 kuwa ndiyo mapato yako na kutoa dola 800 kama zaka, hesabu hiyo si sahihi. Unapaswa kuhesabu dola 10,000 zote kuwa mapato yako.
Zaidi ya hayo, mapato yote hayajumuishi fedha pekee bali pia kila aina ya bidhaa unazopata. Kwa hiyo, toa zaka ukialikwa chakula au ukipokea zawadi kutoka kwa wengine. Zaka inapaswa kutolewa kando na sadaka za shukrani au sadaka nyingine. Ukiitoa zaka kwa jina la sadaka nyingine, unachukulia kilicho cha Mungu kuwa chako. Unapopata mapato, tenga zaka kwanza kuliko matumizi mengine yote. Kanuni ya msingi ni kuitenga “juu kabisa” mara moja unapopokea mapato. Ukiitenga mara moja, utaepuka kusahau kutoa zaka. Toa zaka katika kanisa linalokupa chakula cha kiroho. Kanisa hilo halimaanishi tu jengo unalohudhuria, bali mahali unapokua kiroho.
Bila shaka, sadaka nyingine, kama sadaka za shukrani na za ujenzi wa patakatifu, unaweza kuzitoa katika kanisa lolote ambalo moyo wako unapenda. Kimsingi, zaka itolewe kwa jina la mtu aliyeipata. Ikiwa fedha ni za mume, itolewe kwa jina lake; ikiwa ni za mke, itolewe kwa jina lake. Hii ni kwa sababu Mbinguni ardhi, makao na thawabu vitatolewa kwa kila mtu binafsi. Lakini wanandoa wanaoendesha biashara pamoja wanaweza kutoa zaka moja kwa majina yao wote wawili. Watoto pia watoe zaka kwa sababu hupokea fedha za matumizi na zawadi siku za kuzaliwa na sikukuu. Wazazi wanapaswa kuwafundisha kutoa zaka kutokana na fedha hizo. Lakini fedha za karo au vifaa vya shule si mapato yao, kwa hiyo hawahitaji kutoa zaka juu yake. Ni vizuri kutoa zaka angalau mara moja kwa mwezi ili usiisahau na uweze kuitoa kamili. Unaweza pia kuitoa kila unapopata mapato au zaidi ya mara moja kwa mwezi.
Ikiwa wewe ni mkulima au huna mapato ya kawaida, unaweza kutoa zaka kila baada ya miezi kadhaa au mara moja kwa mwaka. Vipi kuhusu mama wa nyumbani asiye na mapato ya kawaida? Huenda akawa na fedha za matumizi binafsi kwa muda wa kukutana na marafiki au kujifurahisha. Kwa kuwa matumizi hayo hayahusiani moja kwa moja na gharama za nyumba, fedha hizo ni mapato yake na anaweza kutoa zaka. Mungu ameahidi kumimina baraka hata zifurike na kulinda nyumba, biashara na mahali pa kazi tunapotoa zaka na sadaka kamili. Basi tunatoaje sadaka kamili kwa Mungu? Sadaka ni matoleo yote tunayompa Mungu isipokuwa zaka. Mungu husema kutotoa sadaka pamoja na zaka ni kumwibia. Hiyo ni ishara ya kukosa imani ya kweli.
Wengine husema, “Sina cha kutoa kwa sababu sina fedha.” Hata ikiwa ni kidogo kiasi gani, sadaka inayotolewa kwa upendo na moyo inakubaliwa. Tunapaswa kumpa Mungu sadaka isiyo na dosari, kama tunavyowapa wengine zawadi safi, isiyo na doa wala kasoro. “Kutoa sadaka isiyo na lawama” kunamaanisha kwamba moyo wa mtoaji na sadaka yenyewe viwe bila lawama. Mtu akiitoa kwa kulazimishwa au kwa ubahili, Mungu hawezi kuipokea kwa furaha. Ikiwa una ukuta wa dhambi mbele za Mungu au unagombana na ndugu zako, sadaka yako haiwezi kuwa furaha Kwake. Kwa hiyo, ikiwa umetenda dhambi, tubu kwanza, uache dhambi hizo, uvunje ukuta wa dhambi na upatane na jirani zako. Kisha utoe sadaka.
Si moyo pekee unaopaswa kuwa safi; sadaka yenyewe pia isiwe na doa wala kasoro. Ni vyema kubadilisha noti zilizokunjamana, zilizochanika au zilizochafuliwa kwa noti safi na mpya. Pia si vizuri kutoa tu fedha “zilizobaki” baada ya kutumia unavyotaka au kutoa bila moyo. Tenga sadaka tangu mwanzo unapopokea mshahara. Unapotoa sadaka, kumbuka kwamba unapaswa kuitoa kwa moyo usiobadilika. Ukiweka kando fedha kwa ajili ya sadaka ya shukrani, itoe kama sadaka ya shukrani; na fedha za ujenzi wa patakatifu zitolewe kama sadaka ya ujenzi.
Ukitumia fedha ulizoweka kama nadhiri ya sadaka ya ujenzi kwa michango mingine, hujatimiza nadhiri hiyo. Sadaka zinapaswa kuletwa madhabahuni na mchungaji kuziombea huku akiweka mkono juu yake. Mchungaji anapozibariki wakati wa ibada, anaziweka wakfu kwa Mungu na kuthibitisha kuwa ni Zake. Kisha Mungu anaweza kuzikubali na kuwapa watoaji baraka kamili.