The Greatest Financial Practice in Existence

This article is going to focus on money; I will have many articles on this subject and will teach you many techniques to help advance your financial life. In particular, I am going to cover a financial practice that is so powerful, so effective, and so remarkable, that if done properly it will have a bigger impact on your financial destiny than anything else. This practice has changed my life for the better and has improved the financial lives of everyone else who I have seen truly apply it correctly. Out of everything that I will ever teach you about money, no technique will be as effective as what I am about to share with you now. This is why I am giving you this lesson first in regards to the topic of money. The thing that I am going to share with you is called tithing.

Tithing, or tithe, means ten percent or one-tenth. This is a biblical term found throughout the Bible. I have most commonly heard it referenced in the book of Malachi: "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 there will not be room enough to store it." (Malachi 3:10 NIV). This verse is very special because it is one area where God specifically says to test him and he will show you His works. You cannot out give God - try it and see for yourself! Although this concept is most often discussed in the Old Testament, Jesus does mention it in the New Testament as well. If you are interested, you can turn your Bible to Luke 11:42.

If you doubt the existence of God, tithing will give you evidence that he is real. That’s not just my claim, this is a biblical statement. I speak from experience when I tell you about this, there is nothing but truth in Malachi 3:10 and Luke 11:42, and for that matter, all verses of the scripture.

In the old days, people used to bring ten percent of their harvest to the church.  This was used as their tithe. In more modern times we bring money because that is primarily how the world is able to function. Money keeps a lot of things up and running, including a church. It costs money to keep the lights on, to feed people, to send people on mission trips, and to do work for the community. The Bible instructs people to bring your first fruits to God. This means that you give your best batch and that you tithe before you do anything else. It should never be, I’m going to pay my bills, get groceries, and go on a shopping spree and if I have money left over, then I will tithe. No. Tithing should be the first action you do when you get paid. When you give God your best, he will take care of the rest.

My Testimony

I started tithing around nineteen or twenty years of age. I had just gotten back from my first overseas deployment and I tallied up all the money that I earned during that time. When I was done counting, I made out a check for ten percent of that amount and I sent it to the Church that I grew up in. This is the same Church where I was baptized and where learned about salvation. From that point forward, I began tithing on every paycheck that I earned. At the end of the year I also made sure that what I tithed to the church matched what my annual income was before taxes. By tithing, I am certain that this has enabled me to keep myself on track for the past decade.

I have to say that my favorite thing to do when it comes to money is tithing. I love to give and a love to give to God. God has always blessed me as well. I have always had a roof over my head, food on the table, a bed to sleep in, unless of course I was training or in the field. Once my training was complete, all of these things were waiting for me. During my tenure as a Soldier in the US Army making an enlisted man's salary, I've managed to live a debt free life. This was also while achieving all of my personal financial goals which included: owning a vehicle, saving for retirement, investing in the stock market, and paying for annual vacations to some of the best destinations that our country has to offer.  And at the same time, I was also able to cheerfully give away a substantial amount of money to many of those in need around me including friends, family, and even strangers. I don’t regret tithing one bit; my financial life has been a team effort between God and I. Trust me when I say this, when you side up with God, miracles happen.

I have literally seen people that started tithing get promotions that they have been waiting years for. I have seen people's debt disappear when they started tithing. I have also seen job openings and other opportunities appear when people started tithing. I have seen business grow once they started tithing. I have even seen a Church that tithed on the money that they received, grow from thirty-three people to over ten-thousand people (and they are still growing to this day). It’s truly an amazing phenomenon to see what happens in people’s lives when they start tithing.

It's Simple: Tithing Works

The reason I place so much emphasis on the tithe is simple: it works. It’s a biblical law. A law that God has promised is something that can’t be broken. God always keeps his word. Many people in this world, and even in the Church, get uncomfortable when the tithe (or the offering) is mentioned. Even some preachers are afraid to speak about it because of fear that they will lose members of their church. A common phrase is, “The Church is after your money.” It saddens me to hear that this is the outlook some people have on the Church when they call for the tithes and offerings. I am not a preacher telling you to give away money. One day I plan to pastor a church, but right now I am a fellow human being and a Christian telling you that tithing works. It works for me and everyone else I know who actually does it.

I hope that you start applying this to your life. The tithe is for the church, but it is also for you. Jesus talked about money more than any other subject. The reason for this was because he knew the struggle we will all face when it comes to God and our money. Many people put their money before God and it’s sad. All of it is God's money, he created it, he created us, and he created the entire universe. When you tithe, it shows God that he is more important to you than a paycheck. When you tithe, it keeps your relationship with money healthy and it enables you to rule it and not let it rule you. God can tell how spiritually mature we are by how we handle money. If you want to take charge of your financial life, then tithing is the first step in the right direction. Once you start there, everything else will be ready to fall into place.