There is a line of teaching floating around Christendom that says that if you have financial problems, just tithe or give what you have to God and He will sort the rest out for you. I know people who have (under guidance from their pastors) tried to tithe to get themselves out of debt but because their finances were in such a mess all they did was put their tithe on their credit card each week and worsen their already overburdened debt problem i.e. they just got into more debt. They thought they were doing the right thing, they desperately wanted to be out of debt but they were just making things worse for themselves – tithing was not helping their finances!
Maybe your situation isn’t as dire as the one I have just mentioned, however the principles working against these poor folk are quite possibly still working against you…
It is important to point out that I am a firm believer in tithing and offerings. Tithing is a principle I have applied since I first received pocket money and will continue to apply until my last breath.
The causes behind debt can be complex, and like sickness there is no magic formula which will automatically bring about financial abundance. There are many and often deep issues that challenge us around “financial abundance” and “freedom from debt”, so this is the first of a series of articles addressing some of these causes.
Today’s article is about “Source”, the question is: “WHO is your source?” The reason I have highlighted the “who” is because whether you realise it or not you are depending on someone for your provision, and that someone is one of two spiritual entities.
Whilst we all like to think we are dependent on God for our supply, and we sing songs and pray prayers to that effect, when the rubber hits the road and the preacher asks for an offering, what is the first question that enters our head? If you’re like me, it’s along the lines of “How much have I got in my wallet?” or “How much is in the cheque account?” In doing this I have just asked someone how much I can give – and to my shame as I ask along these lines I am not asking God.
Personally, I am trying to get into the habit of asking the better question of: “Lord, how much do you want me to give today?” That is a much scarier question. The point of this example is not to talk about giving offerings at a meeting, the point is to show WHO our source is, and if we are brutally honest we have to confess it is usually not our Lord (the One who actually does provide for us each and every day).
So if it isn’t God, who are we bowing down to? The spirit we are looking to for provision is the spirit of mammon. mammon is the spiritual power who hides behind our money system. He is a very high ranking principality/power.
Money in and of itself is not evil, it is just a tool, much like a spade makes digging the garden easier, money makes the transfer of goods and services between people easier. However when we fall into the trap of believing we need money to survive we have just prayed “O mammon I need you, you are my source.” We have taken our eyes off God (our true Source) and replaced Him with something fashioned with our own hands…
If you feel as if you are living with God as your source and/or are in a relatively secure financial position, my last statement may seem somewhat extreme. That was why I used the example of the preacher’s offering because it reveals who we turn to when we have to make decisions about money. If you’re automatically seeking God whenever there is an offering opportunity, awesome, you have overcome one of the major spiritual hurdles facing us from our finances.
May God richly bless you as you meditate on these things.
This article is provided for educational and edificational purposes only. It does not constitute and is not a substitute for professional advice. If you require financial advice or assistance please contact a suitable professional adviser.