Highlights of topics we will cover:
1. God didn’t ask us to give so we can get in return
2. Tithes were designed to be eaten twice in a 3 years by the owner
3. Prophet Offering is Pagan culture and has no roots in Christianity or Christ Followers
4. If you give to tap into the grace of someone else, you are cursed.
5. You cannot sow money and reap money.
6. The reason why you are struggling financially is because you have been giving money to people who are rich.
By God’s grace at a Church I pastor, wee have been teaching a series on the Truth in the last 9 weeks. We have talked about the Truth about Prayer, Grace, Sin, Faith – core doctrinal issues, we have also talked about the truth about money, about sex and about giving!
It is the truth that has the capacity to set free. When you struggle in any area of life, it’s because you do not yet know the truth. Just like we can’t tell the north without taking a frame of reference outside the earth, and we can’t tell time without looking at universal coordination, we also can’t know truth based on our frame of reference or perspective. The truth is beyond global, it can only be defined from looking at God’s perspective. God’s perspective is captured in the word of God! God’s word is however subject to multiple interpretation, except you look at it through the paradigm of God’s expression in human form – Jesus Christ. He declared in John 5:39 – that the Pharisees search the scriptures thinking they can find eternal life, not knowing that the scriptures point to Him. The way to the father is through the Son. The son is revealed by the Holy Spirit.
The truth then is the Word of God viewed through the lens of Jesus, activated and revealed by the Holy Spirit. It is only when you are able to capture God’s perspective about a topic that you have the truth.
If you want to listen to all the series on truth, you can find them on hccc.org.ng . You can also get access to over 140 messages preached over the course of the last 1yr. These messages are timeless and are valuable to anyone seeking a deeper and better relationship with God.
The truth about Giving has however raised a lot of issues that I believe need to be addressed. The truth is so scarce out there, that those who know it can’t afford to hide it.
The truth is not what your Pastor says but what your Pastor says can be the truth. The truth is God’s perspective, not mans perspective. The truth is not what is popular, it’s not what you believe, it is what the word of God holds to be true. Reality can be a lie, for as long as it is not in alignment with the truth. We can do nothing against the truth, only for the truth!
In this article, I just want to take down 1 lie, there are 6 more lies coming up.
Lie 1 – Give and it will come back to you, good measure pressed down shaking together and running over. When you give to the Lord.
One of the most popular songs I learnt when I was growing up in the faith which I’m sure has been heard by over 100million people is Ron Kenoly’s album titled “Lift Him up”. It had an album track – Give and it will come back to you. If you don’t know the song, you can get it on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqaOEVx7y9I.
I don’t intend to castigate Ron Kenoly on this, he is not alone and it’s not more his fault than it is mine. Many Churches, even the most conservative of them have used this verse over and over again to collect offerings. I believe he probably also just believed his pastor, who quoted the scripture and used it to achieve his end outside it’s context. I learnt from my pastor that when a man takes text out of context what is left is con. The body of believers has been conned or fleeced for many years with many scriptures just used for advantage!
What is the origin of this song? Luke 6:38. “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you”
Let’s read from verse 37 and honestly, what is being given, and what is being received? Money? Or Judgment?
Now here is what Jesus said, beginning and end of quote…
“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Is that clear that Jesus wasn’t talking about money at all?? In case you still don’t’ understand, read the verses that Jesus uses immediately after to reinforce the lessons by using a parable. Read from vs 39.
39 And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. 41 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that isin your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that isin your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.
If you are still confused, why not read Matthew’s account of the same event in Matt 7:2. Read from 1-5 so you can have it in context.
“Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank isin your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
The underline was put there to give emphasis.
God is not a lotto machine! He is not Baba Ijebu. He doesn’t give more to those who give more. It is not based on the more you give the more you get. He is not the more you invest the higher your chances of winning. We do not command God’s blessings by giving to him. God does not want your money, He has his own money! His money is in the hands of the people that are sold out to Him.
Those who give to God this way, are in danger of God’s punishment. I will soon show you in scriptures.
What if what you have been taught over and over is error? The bible commands us in Mark 4:24, to take heed of what we hear. Please read the verse and read it in context!
21 Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25 For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
If you don’t pay attention to hearing the truth, you will eventually receive lies. Many today have already received lies because they have been preached lies for decades.
The next articles will be the truth about Tithes, Offering and First Fruits, Tapping into Grace, Prophetic Offering, Sowing and Reaping and all such lies that we have learnt because we have not endured sound doctrine. You who hear, more will be given! And those who don’t, even what they have will be taken!
Yes, I don’t expect you to simply hear this and accept, I intend to light the candle on a stand, so it rocks your darkness! You can’t serve God and Money! Neither can you buy, bribe or placate God with tithes and offering. Tithes were meant to be eaten twice in three years… coming soon.
You can join us for Bible Study on Thursday at 5:45pm at Heaven’s Citizens Christian Centre, 7 Olufunmilola Okikiolu Street, Off Toyin, Ikeja, Lagos as we break God’s word down on the truth about Giving. You need to learn how to give, before you start wasting your resources! Better to be out of prison and confused, than to be locked up in prison and think you are ok.