There be Taxes in Heaven

Life is so unfair. Here I am with a blessing on my life 10 times my size yet there is someone out there who not only needs it more but deserves it much much more than me. I have blessings coming out of my nostrils and backside yet a man with 3 kids has not even a quarter of what I have been given as my life stands right now.

I sit and ask myself,” Am I more worthy than they who are not as fortunate as me?”
And the answer is NO, I am a sinner even much more than they are, I am a fool much more than they are and I am not as deserving as the millions across the world who will starve because they cannot buy food today. Yet it has pleased the Lord to pour out such a blessing on me that it has now started to make me uncomfortable. It has pleased the Lord.

The reason people move to a new job or work at all is so they can get a good salary/income to help their various needs in life. When the money starts coming in, month after month, there is the usual excitement: too much to do and too little money,  or too much money and too much to do. But a man or woman whom the Lord has blessed not only with a job but with the opportunity to enjoy the money that comes in as fruits of their labour must not forget to acknowledge Him: with the fruits of our labour.

These men who are wise in the ways of our God will tell you He requires that we give Him one-tenth (1/10) of that which we make as fruits of our labour each month. This is what is called the tenth or the tithe. Out of the 10 we make in a month, He asks us to give unto Him 1 out of 10 (that’s 10% of what you made).

The tenth applies to all men. If you are a farmer then you will give 1 out of ten of all that you produced in a harvest. If you work in an office then you give 1 out of the 10 you make as your monthly wage. And if you do not deal in food, fruit or money then out of what you produce occasionally God asks you  to give 1 out of 10 to Him. Weigh and measure it out properly until it represents a tenth of all you have per a season or occasion (Deuteronomy14:22-26).

To this point all that I have said has been simple and clear. Some people however tend to try to be clever when giving a tenth of their salaries. If let’s say for example they receive MK100,000 before taxes, when they are taxed they will end up with probably MK70,000 or thereabout. The MK70,000 is the money they get to spend so this is the money they take a tenth out of. Thus MK7,000 is taken out of MK70,000 as a tithe.

What is wrong with this sort of tithing is that you are giving God less than the figure he requires of you. Look at it this way: If you get MK100,000 then MK30,0000 goes to taxes, pension scheme or medical schemes. This leaves you with MK70,000. Remember now that the taxes, pension schemes or medical schemes are your expenses so therefore that MK30,000 is money that you use. So in total MK30,000(which you will use to pay taxes etc)+MK70,000(which is left after taxes) adds up to MK100,000. You should therefore be removing your tithe from the MK100,000 and not the MK70,000. Thus you should give MK10,000 and not MK7,000.

What is happening here is that you are taking the figure you have before taxes are removed (the gross) and removing 10% from it. Remember, taxes are the rent you pay the government for you to stay in this country so this is money that you get to spend and is a part of your salary. Why should God have to pay for it? Taxes are your burden not his!

When people are told to tithe they are quick to ask what the benefit from the exercise will be. How about

just giving God the money/tithe because He asked for it? God doesn’t need your money. His government doesn’t need your donations to survive, it is self-funded for years exceeding your puny lifespan. This also goes for all of you who run away from paying your tithe, giving clever excuses and reasoning yourself cleverly out of it. Jehovah doesn’t need your money! How much of it is there after all? Can you buy life with it, an ear or a tooth? Do not be foolish, fear the Lord.

The question now arises:” If He doesn’t need it why does he require me to give it?” It’s simple really, to Him it is a form of worship. When you can part freely with a tenth of your hard-earned possessions in His name then you have honoured Him. Apart from that He is God and so I believe He has a right to demand of your life what He will, so give Him what He requires in faith that He knows what He is doing. You have free will, He requires you to give your tithe but does not force you, at the end of it all it’s your decision to show Him honour or not.

 

To those who wish to give God his tithe: Separate a tenth from all you have made this month (salary plus any allowances that you received). Pray over it then take it to church and drop it in the offering basket. If it pleases you, you can alternatively take it to a man of God who will pray over it on your behalf and receive it on God’s behalf. I don’t think it matters much, I believe God sees when you dedicate a portion of your produce, separate it, and give it to Him. As long as in your heart you know you have freely given it to God it will be acceptable in His sight. God help you all. Taste the Lord and see that He is good!