Should I Tithe on my Gross or Net Income?

A board member of a a church I served was always insistent about finding the best value for our dollars. His personal life was much the same. I nicknamed him, good-naturedly, Frugal Joe. I admire frugal, I do not like cheap. My uncle, who loves international travel, said he was going to spend the extra money to upgrade to business class on a flight to Egypt. The extra cost of the wider, leather seats for such a long flight was valuable to him. A frugal person knows that the value of a product is not necessarily measured by its cost. So, when he makes a purchase, he looks for the product that will best serve his needs within a range of costs. A person living on the cheap looks for the lowest price, sacrifices quality just to save a dime.

Do you try to serve God cheaply?  Are you trying to enjoy the joy of knowing His blessings but with minimal cost to yourself? Christianity on the cheap is about ‘religious duty’ and lacks appreciation of what it means to delight in the LORD.  This kind of Christian shows up late and leaves early, so to speak.  When it comes to loving and serving God the idea of “good enough!" has no place. How can we think we can truly serve God on the cheap?

The people of Jerusalem at the time of Malachi’s ministry, were enjoying an era of prosperity and peace. As happens often in such circumstances, their devotion waned, their love of Self grew.  They became half-hearted in devotion, practicing a kind of ‘cheap’ worship.  What did the LORD think about that?  Malachi preached that He was insulted!  “The Lord Almighty says to the priests: "A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. I am your father and master, but where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have despised my name! ... "You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn't that wrong? And isn't it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!" says the Lord Almighty. ... 

"I wish that someone among you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not at all pleased with you," says the Lord Almighty, "and I will not accept your offerings. ... "you dishonor my name with your actions. By bringing contemptible food, you are saying it's all right to defile the Lord's table. You say, 'It's too hard to serve the Lord,' and you turn up your noses at his commands," says the Lord Almighty. "Think of it! Animals that are stolen and mutilated, crippled and sick-presented as offerings! Should I accept from you such offerings as these?" asks the Lord. "Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the Lord Almighty, "and my name is feared among the nations!” Malachi 1:5-14 NLT Their worship was a matter of obligation rather than love. What should have been a privileged honor,  became a burden. They did the minimum required to keep up appearances. Their hearts were not in what they did! God was offended by what He saw as contempt for His Person!

Christianity on the cheap is an insult to the Creator, Provider, Savior, and Lord!  If we cut corners in those things we do in service to God, if we go to prayer and think about everything and everyone but the Lord, if we sing songs of ‘worship’ as a matter of rote recitation, if we go to church but mentally walk the golf course – we are offending the One who deserves our best, our ‘utmost for His highest.’  (Oswald Chambers).

Jesus says that cheap devotion (an oxymoron) is unacceptable.  He commands us to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’" (Mark 12:30, NIV) Anything less than our best - in thought, word, and deed- is an offense to the King of the Universe.

Let’s get practical.  When you write your offering check, is it a minimum amount or a generous gift that honors God?
When you go to corporate worship do you come exhausted or do you come with a focused heart that is ready to sing, to pray, to hear the Word?
In your daily worship what is your motivation- to adore the Lord or just to check off the box that says, "Duty fulfilled"?
Only a fool tries to offer God anything less than his best: because He demands and deserves it.

Here’s the word from the Word - "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13, NIV)

By the way, that title question misses the point of giving to God, don’t you think?

_______

All I once held dear,
Built my life upon,
All this world reveres,
And wars to own,
All I once thought gain
I have counted loss;
Spent and worthless now,
Compared to this.

Now my heart's desire
Is to know You more,
To be found in You,
And known as Yours,
To possess by faith
What I could not earn;
All surpassing gift of righteousness.

Oh to know the power of Your risen life,
And to know You in Your sufferings,
To become like You
In Your death, my Lord;
So with You to live, and never die.

Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You,
There is no greater thing.
You're my all, You're the best,
You're my joy, my righteousness,
And I love You, Lord.
Knowing YouKendrick, Graham
© 1993 Make Way Music (Admin. by Music Services)CCLI License No. 810055

A Done Deal!

Do you ever find yourself wondering if you can trust God?  None other than Abraham did!  The LORD promises him that He was going to make him a great nation, bless all the earth through him, giving him descendants too numerous to count.  At age 80, there was still no heir!  He questioned God, "You have given me no children, so one of my servants will have to be my heir.” (Genesis 15:3, NLT)  “O Sovereign Lord, how can I be sure that you will give it to me?” (Genesis 15:8, NLT)  His questions were formed around a heart that loved and trusted God, none the less.  This is the amazing statement that we read about God’s response -"And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord declared him righteous because of his faith." (Genesis 15:6, NLT)

His performance was far from perfect. The very next chapter tells the story of his choice to father Ishmael with his wife’s servant, a kind of attempt at surrogacy to ‘help’ God fulfill the promise. He lied on several occasions when he was fearful, yet God saw his heart and said, “That’s my friend, a man I say is all right with Me!”

Christian, do you trust the LORD with your life, your soul, your destiny? Are you attempting to play ‘Let’s Make A Deal’ with God, hoping that by being good enough, praying enough, saying enough religious things – that you can find His acceptance and gain His favor? Take a lesson from Abe. You cannot buy God’s love. You cannot earn a place at His table.  You trust Him, believing His Word, and He ‘credits’ your account.  What freedom we find when that revelation gains traction in our spirit.  No, it does not release us from responsibility to live a holy life. His grace does not exempt us from the harvest of acts of disobedience.  That is why we continue to work out the implications of His salvation in daily life.  But, at the foundation of our relationship with God is faith, not hard work!

A passage in Hebrews seems to be a garble of tenses, but the Spirit inspired it to remind us that our right relationship with God is a done deal.  Of Jesus Christ, our High Priest  before God, the Father, we read -  "when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." (Hebrews 10:12-15, NIV)  He completed the work that assures us of God’s acceptance and now that declared status is being worked out in us every day.  If we look at only ourselves, we likely will become fearful and doubtful like old Abraham.  “Lord, is it going to happen? Can I trust You?”  Why do we do that? Because we are works in progress, our experience on this side of Heaven very much incomplete.  When we look to the Cross for our hope and trust fully, we see no debt outstanding for we are recipients of righteous credited to us by God, through Christ, our Lord.

Is this all just ‘theology,’ detached from real life, church stuff only? Not at all!  The "real and eternal life, more and better life” (John 10:10, The Message) Jesus promises to us has no other foundation.  We believe, God loves, and He becomes, as He promised Abraham, "your shield, your very great reward.” (Genesis 15:1, NIV)

Here is the word from the Word - "By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus.And that’s not all:We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise. There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit! " (Romans 5:1-5, The Message)

__________

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.

O what a foretaste of glory divine.

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood!

This is my story, this is my song;

Praising my Savior all the day long!

Fanny Jane Crosby | Phoebe Palmer Knapp

© Words: Public Domain

I am glad that you are sad!

Parenting is not a job for the faint of heart.  It takes guts to stand up to the fury of a child whose will is frustrated. It takes patience to keep saying the same things over again until they become part of the child’s life. And then there is that famous parenting line: “You know this hurts me more than it hurts you.”  Only when a child grows up to be a parent can she understand just how badly it hurts to cause sorrow with the goal of creating positive change.  Observing my adult children parenting their little ones with love and discipline makes me glad that I was willing to look past their tearful protests 25 years ago!

Paul, the spiritual father of the Christians in ancient Corinth, sent them a letter of correction that called them on their abuse of spiritual gifts, their immature divisions, and their lack of love for all. His words were strong. In his second letter he tells them that he had heard that they are making changes and he says, “I am glad that you are sad.”  Is he gloating? Is he sadistic? Not at all!  “Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corinthians 7:8-10, NIV)

Has the Lord disciplined you?  He does, you know.  His grace and mercy are deep and wide, but they do not cause Him to turn a blind eye to our willful disobedience. He loves us too much to allow us to destroy ourselves without challenging us.  I know when I have grieved God’s Spirit because I sense His disappointment.  That sense of peace that I know when He is with me lifts and I feel alone.  Confession and repentance restores the relationship. David knew that feeling, too.  In a Psalm that is a most heart-wrenching cry of godly sorrow he sings, “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.” (Psalm 51:10-12, NLT)

Paul tells the church that failing to recognize Jesus as Lord, abusing the grace of God, can bring sickness and even death to us. (Be careful about judging yourself or others too quickly on this point!  God also uses these things to show His glory.)  When everything is going wrong, when we are continually sick, when depression stalks us –  we are wise to ask the Father if we are living in ways that invite His discipline.  If He reveals choices, words, thoughts that are rebellious, there is only one thing to do:  repent! “The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. A broken and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17, NLT)

Even as I write this, I know that some will misunderstand and turn these words into a reason for condemnation or pride.  God is not petty nor petulant. He is good and kind.  The Scripture is clear that not all of the outcomes of life are direct cause and effect, at least from our limited perspective.  Godly people often suffer and sometimes the wicked prosper.  But, we cannot ignore the fact that God, our Father, desires obedience and corrects us for our own good.  He is glad when we are sad if that sorrow leads us to deeper devotion and sincere change of heart.

Are you troubled by the silence of God?
Is life filled with troubles?

Wisely, humbly, and with times of quiet prayer evaluate your ways.  Haggai told the Lord’s people that they needed to take a second look at the way they were living. They were ignoring the Lord, while serving themselves, but God would not bless them. “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” (Haggai 1:4-6, NIV)

Here’s the word from the Word. “My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live?While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best.” -The Message, Heb 12:5-10

You can be an amazing person!

When Bev was diagnosed with serious illness a year ago, we wanted the best doctor for her.  Imagine if the physician we selected told us “I do surgeries occasionally.  I spend a few days a week working on cars and my real passion is creating computer networks, but I dabble in medicine.”  Do you think we would have let him care for her?  His credentials included years of study. He attends conferences to update his knowledge. His expertise is narrowly focused on one field of medicine so he is able to provide the best care. He’s amazing because of his dedication.

Want to be amazing at something?  It’s going to cost you – time, effort, and focus.  Remember that old phrase, ‘jack of all trades, master of none?’  It’s about a man with multiple areas of competence, but no single area of expertise. If you want to be a stand-out, then choose a field, and focus.  

Amazing Christians who influence those around them with love and God’s Presence, are passionate about  Christ Jesus and His kingdom. They don’t just dabble in worship every now and then. They won’t allow sin and selfishness to hang onto chunks of their soul. They are holy.  That word is for all of us, not a select few. Being holy is about belonging to God and dedicated to His work.  Here is how one passage speaks of the choice: "So leave the corruption and compromise; leave it for good,” says God. “Don’t link up with those who will pollute you. I want you all for myself. I’ll be a Father to you; you’ll be sons and daughters to me.” The Word of the Master, God. With promises like this to pull us on, dear friends, let’s make a clean break with everything that defiles or distracts us, both within and without. Let’s make our entire lives fit and holy temples for the worship of God." (2 Corinthians 6:17-7:1, The Message)

A week ago, Bev and I sat with a couple in their 80’s whose lives are about one thing. They live to make Jesus known to others and have lived on this task for more than 6 decades. Their devotion has cost them in many ways, but their clear focus has also allowed Stuart and Jill Briscoe to influence thousands to trust Jesus with their lives, to become disciples of Christ. They are holy people.  None of the caricatures of that word stuck to them. They were filled with joy, their faces creased with smiles. They had a rich sense of humor and were capable of making fun of themselves. They were transparent about their humanity, yet the brightest part of who they are is Jesus. He shines through!

What adjectives describes you?
Does “Christian” top the list, shaping all the rest, as in Christian husband/wife, Christian father/mother, Christian (fill in your vocation), Christian neighbor, Christian . . . ?

The word from the Word is long today. It may even be familiar as it is an oft-quoted text, but read it as if you were exploring it for the first time.  Do so with the prayer to become amazing in the work of the Lord, adopting the singular focus of a holy person. "Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God’s law, but I trust Christ to save me. 

For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. As a result, I can really know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I can learn what it means to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that, somehow, I can experience the resurrection from the dead! I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven. " (Philippians 3:8-16, NLT)

______________

Father God, there are so many voices,

So many offers, so many temptations,

So many good things that distract us from

The One Thing we need to own – You and Your purpose!

Give us the wisdom to choose wisely.

Spirit of God, give us discernment that lets us

Give things their real value and invest in those that

Return the rich, eternal rewards.

Savior, keep us near Your heart,

Fearless, Faithful, and Fervent

In the service of God and good.

In Jesus’ holy Name, Amen.

Will you build bridges or walls?

I walked away from a conversation recently feeling good.  Our words were pleasant. Thinking more about it sometime later I felt the Holy Spirit’s correction. “Jerry, you made it about you and lost an opportunity to turn his heart towards Jesus.”  I had not said anything wrong in that exchange. I had not been coarse, or unkind, or anything of the kind.  The focus was wrong and that displeased the Lord.

Who will occupy the center of your conversations today? Who will be the focus of your actions this week?

A Jesus-first life does not mean that all we talk about is church, the Bible, and religion.  Christians can be interesting people, with fully developed personalities, a good sense of humor, and well-rounded interests. In all of those things the Spirit-filled person will center on Him. Nothing will be allowed in our lives that feeds Self, that creates divisions, or that detracts from Him.  If that sounds like a challenge, it is. We love ourselves and, taking the natural course of living, we will look for ways to feather our nest and/or enhance our reputation.

Paul teaches us about the importance of the attitude that says “Jesus first in all things, at all times.”  With enemies attacking his character, his ministry, and his message, he tells the Christians in Corinth: “We try to live in such a way that no one will be hindered from finding the Lord by the way we act, and so no one can find fault with our ministry. In everything we do we try to show that we are true ministers of God.”  (Minister does not mean full time employee of a church. The word just means one who serves God.)   Did Paul have a right to be angry? He did.  But, he knows that there is more at stake that his reputation. How he lives can either build a bridge or a wall!  The same is true for us, friend.  What will your actions create today where you work? Will they invite others to know Him?

True faith shines most brightly in the moments of frustration, if our focus is “Jesus first.”  I know, from personal experience, how quickly temper can create ill will, how easily words that are something less than godly or loving can slip from our lips, how we can close doors instead of opening them.  I aspire to live, by God’s power, as Paul did.  He goes on to say, “We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. . . .  We have proved ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, our sincere love, and the power of the Holy Spirit. We have faithfully preached the truth. God’s power has been working in us. We have righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and to defend ourselves. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. . . . Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.” (2 Corinthians 6:3-10, NLT)

Make it your aim to patiently prove the power of the Spirit. Pray like this:  “Lord, I want to be a bridge-builder, not a wall-builder.  I want my life to enhance Your reputation. I want my words and actions to be proof that You are at work in me.  Create patience in times of difficulty, purity in times of temptation, dedication to the truth when tempted by compromise, and joy in it all.  May people who pass by see You.”

Here’s the word from the Word. “God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.” The Message, 2 Corinthians 5:19-20

___________

Higher than the mountains that I face!

Stronger than the power of the grave!

Constant in the trial and the change!

One thing remains,

One thing remains.

Your love never fails,

It never gives up,

Never runs out on me.

On and on and on and on it goes.

It overwhelms and satisfies my soul.

And I never ever have to be afraid.

One thing remains,

One thing remains.

Your love never fails,

It never gives up,

Never runs out on me.

One Thing Remains (Your Love Never Fails)

Brian Johnson | Christa Black Gifford | Jeremy Riddle

© 2010 ChristaJoy Music Publishing (Admin. by Bethel Music Publishing)

Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Vineyard Music USA)

Bethel Music Publishing

CCLI License # 810055