Why Christians Should or Shouldn’t Tithe, Part 1

Tithes and Offerings are not the same
There's a blessing for tithing and there's a blessing for giving, the two are not the same. The blessings for tithing are (1) Open doors of blessing (2) God rebukes the devil for the "tither's" sake, (3) God prevents Satan from destroying the fruits of our ground (i.e. fruitfulness in our various endeavors such as education, business, etc), (4) We receive recognizable blessings; the scripture says, "And all nations shall call you blessed!" (See Malachi 3:10-12).

The blessings for giving on the hand had appeared in several places in the scriptures. One of it is 2 Corinthians 9:7-8. My favourite scripture about the blessings of giving, however, is Luke 6:38 where God said, "Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again"
Tithes and offerings are not the same thing. The Tithe is one-tenth of our income while offering is anything that we cheerfully give to God after honouring Him with one-tenth of our income. God himself in his rebuke to the Israelites stated that they have robbed Him both in tithes and in offerings (see Malachi 3:8).

Does all who tithe receive blessings from God? The answer is a bold YES! God is not a liar and He always stand by His Word to perform it. Any ‘tither’ who is not blessed is probably not "counting his blessings" (see Psalm 103). Blessings come in different forms – both small and big. Sometimes it takes real humility to recognize our blessings and accept that they're coming from God.

The new covenant objection to tithing
Now, I want to talk about the “new covenant” objection to the principle of tithing. Many of us are tempted to hide behind this ideology to object to valuable and fundamental aspects of our most cherish Christian faith. As Christians, it is our duty to embrace the Bible in its totality. The New Covenant, also known as the New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ does not in any way do away with the old covenant. The New Testament came to complete the Old Testament. In football, we have two halves; the New Covenant is the second half of God's relationship with mankind. There would've been no New Covenant if there was no Old Covenant. Jesus himself said emphatically that He didn't come to put away the Law (the old covenant), but instead to fulfill it (read Mathew 5:17).

In the Old Testament there were laws like "do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not worship any other god, and, respect your parents" (see Exodus chapter 20). Can we say that it's okay to kill another person, commit adultery, worship idols, or disrespect our parents, because as it is we are no more under the old covenant? Similarly, in the old covenant God complained that His children (Christians) were robbing Him in tithes and offerings, and even went further to tell them that if they do not repent and pay their tithes then they will be cursed. But if they repent and honour Him with their tithes then He will open heaven's windows and bless them greatly.

Dear friends, God does not change. In the Old Testament God's children were called Israelites, and today they're called Christians. Our identity had changed but our God hasn't. And God's Word about tithing applies to every Christian today. Christians who refuse to tithe are stealing from God and amassing curses on themselves. And Christians who tithe will receive the blessings of God just as He has promised (Malachi 3:8-12).

So, instead of arguing about the principle of tithing and trying to find scriptures to justify our disobedience, we should rather pray for God's mercy and His grace. This will help us to be obedient to our loving God and be able honour Him with our tithes and receive the blessings that come with tithing.

List of Christian Denominations That Won’t Make it to Heaven

Contrary to the title, I wish to emphasize that this post is in no wise an attack on any particular denomination. I choose this title to address a very serious issue in the church today; the issue of denominationalism, that is, the division of the Church of God into several denominations.

Many church folks today love and would rather associate with a particular denomination rather than the Christian faith. We love to say we are Catholic, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Adventist, Jewish, etc., instead of saying “I’m a Christian.” I have seen many stickers on people’s cars telling how the owner is “Proud to be a Catholic,” “Proud to be a Methodist,” “Proud to be a Presbyterian,” “Proud to be a Jewish,” etc. and only very few saying “I’m Proud to be a Christian!” Besides all these, I feel that the Church is currently experiencing a new and more severe form of division where people side with one man of God, and despise and criticize other men of God and their followers.

As Christians, I believe we should first and foremost identify with Christ! We are Christians first, and church members second.  Second Timothy chapter one verse nine (2 Timothy 1:9) teaches us that Christ saved us first before calling us into a particular ministry or church. In essence, we are to see ourselves first as Christians.

While denominations in themselves are not wrong, it must be noted that prioritizing them over the Christian faith breeds divisions and contention. In the Bible, the word “Church” is used to refer to the entire body of Christ. The scripture says, “… Christ love the Church and gave himself for it” – Ephesians 5:25. By this scripture, I believe the Bible was not saying that Christ died for only the congregation of the Church of Pentecost, or Trinity Baptist Church, or T.D. Jakes’ Church. Jesus sees all churches as one, so far as He is the center of concentration. As a matter of fact, Christ’s aim on earth was to build a Church, not churches. Jesus said He will build His Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
Denominations that would not make it to Heaven

While on earth Jesus taught on many issues, pivotal among them was how to make it to Heaven. As it turned out, belonging to a particular denomination or another does not guarantee entry into the Kingdom of God. The following denominations will not make it to Heaven: Pentecostals, Charismatic, Calvinists, Adventists, Catholics, and all other denominations you know on this earth, including yours. There is only one denomination that will make it to Heaven, and it is called “Christians.” Yes, Jesus emphatically taught that the only way to make it to Heaven is to accept Him as your Lord and Saviour and become a Christian. In effect, only CHRISTIANS will make it to Heaven!

The Bible has an interesting story on this. A man named Nicodemus, who belonged to a very notable denomination called the Pharisees, went to see Jesus to inquire of his eternal destiny as to whether or not he will make it to Heaven. As their tradition was, Nicodemus started his inquiry by raining some praises on Jesus Christ hoping to prove to Jesus that he was very religious, because he belonged to the then famous and most notable denomination. However, Jesus, who is all knowing, knew exactly what Nicodemus had come to find out and said to him without hesitation, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” – John 3:3.

Dear friends, we cannot go to Heaven based on our affiliation with any particular denomination but only by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. Our Lord Jesus Christ was very explicit on this, He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6 NLT. We should therefore learn to identify with Christ and with the Christian faith first. If indeed we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, then we must always see ourselves as Christians and one body and not allow our denominational differences to divide us.

Effects of Secular Music on People and Society

I remember meeting a girl from Chicago, in an online chat room who told me, “Over here we dress and do things like hip hop.” People tend to practice what they hear more than what they see. There are many people out there who will argue and say, “Oh yeah, I listen to secular music, but it has no effect whatsoever on my life. I just listen to it and that’s it.” You can’t just listen to something without it having an impact on your life.

Oftentimes we start acting out what we hear before we know it. How did we become educated? How did we learn how to talk and speak the various languages that we speak? It all came about as we sat in classrooms and listened to teachers who imparted knowledge into us. How did that happened? It happened as we listen to what our teachers said and acted out what they consciously and unconsciously instructed us to do. The Bible says faith (to believe), comes from hearing. As you hear you believe, and as you believe you do according to what you believe. That is what it is. A lot of young people engage in casual sex, crime and other social vices because that is what they hear in the songs they listen to. A large number of hip hop songs cover sex, money, crime, whoredom, and hardcore (stubbornness and rebellion). Innocent listeners, with time, begin practicing these things and become threats to their own societies.

Do you believe the News?

Many people worldwide use the News provided by the Media agencies as their main source of information. Do you believe the News you hear? I am sure you do. The same media that provide the news also provide the hip hop and R&B songs that we listen to. It is therefore not justifiable for any of us to say that we believe news has effect on our life but don’t believe that hip hop and R&B and other secular music do. What we listen to influences what we believe. What we believe influences what we do. Thus, our actions are a product of what we listen to and what we believe. Remember “faith comes by hearing” – Romans 10:17.

Does The Dead Really Rest In Peace? A Case Study On Whitney Houston's Death

Whitney Houston has been one of my favourite musicians for a very long time. It was her sweet and powerful voice that drawn me to her songs in the first place. But as I listened to, and watched her videos, I found myself being enthused with her stage performances. Whitney has a great deal of stage control and stage power, and I admire that about her.

As my relationship with God through Christ kept growing, I came to a point in my life where I had to put away secular music completely. So I sidelined a good number of secular songs and secular artists, and Whitney Houston fell among the list of artists I had to put away. (I have written a couple of articles about why Christians should not listen to secular music. Here is the list to check some out). The truth is that there is a BIG difference between good music and godly music. Godly music goes beyond just good lyrics, and looks at the life of the artist in question as well as the inspiration behind the song.

The news of Whitney Houston’s death is a sad one, not only because I used to be her fan, but mainly because I am concern about where she may be right now as you read this post. I received the news of her death via Facebook when The New York Times posted it on their Facebook page. Just below the NYT’s post, a friend of mine posted, “Whoa that actually hurt my feelings -_- RIP Whitney Houston” See the photo below.

 “R.I.P Whitney Houston,” millions of people have already said and ‘tweeted’ this same statement and similar ones since the news broke out. As I thought about that statement for a while, the question that kept ringing in my mind is: “Does the dead really rest in peace?”

What does the Bible say about the dead and death in general? In Hebrews 9:27, the Word of God tells us that, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” 

There’s an ultimate statistic that says that ten out of every ten people die. What this simply means is that, everybody dies. Some die young and others die old, but they die all the same. And how old you are depends on when you die. If you are 20 years today, and you know for certain that you won’t die until you’re 70 years, then of course you can say you are young. On the contrary, if you’re 20 years today and you will die tomorrow then you’re already old. Would you say that Whitney Houston died young or old?

We’ve all at some point in our lives had a relative or a friend die and all we said to bid them farewell was “rest in peace.” But ask yourself; are they really resting in peace?

When you walk out of this world, what do you think is out there, what do you think is after death? This is the question I have been asking people I meet on the street, in buses, and wherever I get the chance to pop it out. And I must confess to you, many people have no idea where they will go after death. This includes Christians and non-Christians alike. Kindly read our article on “what happens after death” if you honestly don’t know where you will go after you die.

And if you do know where you will be going after death but are not sure, then you might want to read this other article to be sure. God bless you. Share this article with your friends and anyone you think will find it helpful.

Should Christians Celebrate Valentine’s Day?

I cannot think of any holiday or anniversary that is surrounded by so much controversy like Valentine’s Day. In his award-winning book, Hamlet, William Shakespeare writes:

To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day,
All in the morning betime,
And I am maid at your window,
To be your Valentine…

History of Valentine

The original history of Valentine’s Day can be traced as far back as 500 A.D.  The original story is linked to three martyrs:  

“Valentine of Rome (Valentinus presb. m. Romae) and Valentine of Terni (Valentinus ep. Interamnensis m. Romae) Valentine of Rome was a priest in Rome who was martyred about AD 269 and was buried on the Via Flaminia. His relics are at the Church of Saint Praxed in Rome and at Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland. There’s a third martyr/Valentine who is believed to have died in Africa” –Wikipedia.

It is interesting to know that the Christian martyrs were referred to as Valentine. It was sort of a title for them; just like we have Bishop, Pastor and Reverend for today’s ministers of the Gospel.

It is believed that the above mentioned Valentines were commemorated and celebrated yearly on February 14. The original celebration of Valentine’s Day did not have the linkage to romantic love as we see in modern day Valentine’s Day Celebrations. The celebration marked support and affection for the Valentines who even at death held steadfast to their faith in God.

Romantic Association

How did Valentine’s Day become associated with love and romance? The attachment to romantic love as we see in modern day Valentine’s Day celebration is believed to have come about as a result of a romantic poem which a duke, Charles, duke of Orleans, wrote to his wife. This of course is not the first recorded romantic association with Valentine’s Day. The first recorded romantic association to Valentine’s Day can be found in the Parlement of Foules (1382) by Geoffrey Chaucer.

Meet ‘Serious’, A Christian Rap Artist From Brooklyn, N.Y.

Well the normal trend I do see in rap music is to see ladies sing, and guys rap. So whenever you see a guy sing, and a lady rapping in a rap song, then of course you can tell that song is serious. Did you just say “Serious?” Well good. ‘Serious’ is the name of the Christian rap artist I am about to introduce to you.

She is not called Serious for naught, she is really serious and her lyrics and confidence show for it. Just take a look at her below, and read on for more about her.

 

After 10 years of battling with the idea of rapping for Christ, Serious’ music ministry finally got birthed in Johannesburg, South Africa. “She was at an evening evangelical meeting, sitting in the stadium chairs, waiting for others to minister in song when a reverend called her out and said ‘you're going to get on stage and sing and rap for Christ.’” DaSouth.com said about her in a review. She responded positively and ministered that night to the glory of God.

Is The Holy Spirit A Person Or A Thing?

So you have read our previous article on what or who the Holy Spirit really is, where we shared over 30 names and attributes of the Holy Spirit. This article will go a step further by proving with biblical evidence whether the Holy Spirit is a person or a thing.

Growing up, I have always thought of the Holy Spirit as a Dove. Do you remember the baptism of Jesus? The Bible says the Heavens opened and the Spirit of God descended on Him like a Dove. So after all, it wasn’t wrong to think of the Spirit as a dove. And if a dove, then it is possible to conclude that the Spirit is a thing; not a person, right?

Until recently, I have always thought of the Spirit as a ‘thing’ and used the pronoun ‘it’ whenever referring to the Holy Spirit. Thank God I know better now. The truth of the matter is that the Holy Spirit is more than a dove. In fact, the Holy Spirit is a person; not a thing.

Here are some evidences in the Bible that prove the Holy Spirit is a PERSON not a THING:

1.    1. There are three in Heaven

In 1 John 5:7, the Bible says, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” Although the Bible did not clearly say the ‘three’ are persons or things, we can easily figure that out. How? We know the Father and the Word (Jesus), are all persons. So obviously the third entity (the Holy Spirit) is also a person, not a thing.

2.     2. Jesus categorically used the pronoun ‘he’ for the Holy Spirit

-         He shall testify of me… (John 15:26)

-         Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. (John 16:13)

-         When he comes, he will reprove the world of sin… (John 16:8)

-         He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine… (John 16:14)

3.     3. The use of ‘him’ and ‘himself’ justifies that the Holy Spirit is a PERSON.

-         He shall not speak of himself… (John 16:13)

-         … the world don’t know him (John 14:17)

-         … but if I depart, I will send him… (John 16:7)

In view of the above references, it is evident that the Holy Spirit is a PERSON, and not a THING. He is the third person in the Godhead.

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What or Who Is The Holy Spirit?

Growing up in Christ, the true personality of the Holy Spirit (also called The Holy Ghost) had always been confusion. So the question, “Who is the Holy Spirit?” used to be a big blow to me. In this post, I want to cover who the Holy Spirit really is, and whether the Holy Spirit is a person or a thing. Let’s go…

Who is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit, also referred to as the Holy Ghost, is the third entity in the Godhead (the Trinity). The Holy Spirit has many attributes or names. Most of these names are as a result of the functions or roles that the Spirit plays in our lives.

Below is a list of some names of the Holy Spirit and their references in the Bible.

Some names and attributes of the Holy Spirit

Comforter (John 14:16, 26; 15:26, 16:7)

Spirit of Truth (John 14:17, 16:13, 1 John 4:6)

Holy Ghost (John 14:26)

Promise of the Father (Luke 24:49, Acts 2:33)

Breath of the Almighty (Job 33:4).
Eternal Spirit (Hebrews 9:14).
Free Spirit (Psalms 51:12).
God (Acts 5:3, 4).
Good Spirit (Nehemiah 9:20; Psalms 143:10).
Holy Spirit (Psalms 51:11; Luke 11:13; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30).
Power of the Highest (Luke 1:35).
Spirit of adoption (Romans 8:15).
Spirit of burning (Isaiah 4:4).
Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9; 1 Peter 1:11).
Spirit of counsel (Isaiah 11:2).
Spirit of glory (1 Peter 4:14).
Spirit of God (Genesis 1:2; 1 Corinthians 2:11; Job 33:4).
Spirit of grace (Zechariah 12:10; Hebrews 10:29).
Spirit of holiness (Romans 1:4).
Spirit of judgment (Isaiah 4:4; 28:6).
Spirit of knowledge (Isaiah 11:2).
Spirit of life (Romans 8:2; Revelation 11:11).
Spirit of might (Isaiah 11:2).
Spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10).
Spirit of revelation (Ephesians 1:17).
Spirit of the Father (Matthew 10:20).
Spirit of the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2).
Spirit of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2; Acts 5:9).
Spirit of the Lord God (Isaiah 61:1).
Spirit of the Son (Galatians 4:6).
Spirit of understanding (Isaiah 11:2).
Spirit of wisdom (Isaiah 11:2; Ephesians 1:17).
Spirit (Matthew 4:1; John 3:6; 1 Timothy 4:1).

(List provided by: Embassyofheaven.com)

Where Will You Spend Eternity - Heaven or Hell?

Does life ends at death? This question comes up because death is inevitable. Every human being once born is bound to die one day. In a previous post, we talked about a very important question: What happens when you die?

In this post, we want to look at the two destinations beyond the grave – Heaven and hell. Where will you spend eternity, Heaven or Hell? Many people, especially atheists and evolutionists don’t believe in a hell or Heaven. While it is possible to live a life of disbelieve in hell or Heaven, such unbelief does not change the reality of these two destinations beyond the grave.

Dr. Donald Whitaker, a physician atheist-convert who had a near death experience, acknowledged, “It is easy to be an atheist, but it very difficult to be an atheist on your death bed. You start to think, ‘What if truly God exists and there is a hell and a heaven?’” Dr. Whitaker after considering the possibility of a hell and a heaven repented and received Jesus Christ as his Saviour at the hospital and got healed from a deadly disease.

Heaven and hell are very real. Let’s consider this true story:

      There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 

 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 

 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 

 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 

 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 

 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

                                               -          Luke 16:19-31

New Year, New Resolutions... Same Hope, Same Jesus!

Days passed and the clock ticked, like a journey we made a ‘successful’ end to 2011. Although I couldn’t achieve all I planned to achieve in 2011, I am grateful to God for the mere fact that I made it to the end. If we look back, we will be greeted with the fact that we began 2011 with so many people who did not make it to the end. So for a fact, I am grateful to God for His Mercies, Love, and Grace showered on me throughout the past year.

How was New Year’s Eve with you? I was at church on New Year’s Eve. And few minutes before we entered 2012, a friend shouted, “Two minutes more.” Then we began to pray; thanking God for His goodness and mercies. We prayed our way into the New Year, and crowned it with singing and dancing to the glory of God who had dealt wondrously with us.

With all the anticipation and anxieties, 2012 is finally here and we’ll have to live it out. It is New Year, and of course, new resolutions. I don’t know about you, but I did not achieve all I wanted to achieve in 2011. But that is not keeping me from making new resolutions.

Talk of new resolutions, this question keeps crossing my mind: "Does the devil make New Year resolutions too?" I think he does. Think about this more seriously; what’s the number one thing that hindered the achievement of your resolutions for 2011? The Bible said, “The thief comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy, but [Jesus] came that we might have life and that we will have it more abundantly” – John 10:10. And if Jesus be for us, then no one can be against us. So as it is New Year and we are making new resolutions, the devil too will probably be making new resolutions against us. But No weapon formed against us shall prosper!

This year is the year of God’s divine governance. No weapon formed against us shall prosper, and every tongue that rises against us in judgment shall be condemned in Jesus’ name. The Lord had said that those that trust in Him shall be like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved nor shaken (Psalm 125:1). That is our portion for 2012; we shall not be moved nor shaken in Jesus’ name.