“‘You shall not steal.'” Exodus 20:15 (NIV)
The Eighth Commandment connects with me on a deeper level as a result of our family vehicle being stolen during my son’s baseball tournament in May of 2010. When something is stolen from you it makes you feel violated and reminds you how vulnerable you really are to the fragments of living in a fallen world.
Stealing dishonors God, deceives other, and defiles your testimony. The Eighth Commandment teaches us to delete deception. One way to delete deception is by being honest with our financial resources. God expects us to be good stewards of all that He has blessed us with. Biblical stewardship includes tithing our income. Giving ten percent of our income to the Lord’s work brings honor to God and benefits others. Tithing demonstrates our trust in God’s provision and is a reflection of our submission to His Lordship.
- “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 you will not have room enough for it.” Malachi 3:10 (NIV)
- “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” 2 Cor 9:6 (NIV)
Test God by tithing your income and trust God to meet your needs according to His riches in glory. Be a good steward of what God has given you and respect what God has given to others. Sow into the Lord’s work so that others can come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ around the world. Delete deception by being a generous giver for the global glory of God.
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell