Author Archives: KCM

Learn five reasons to be a tither and discover Is Tithing Right for You?

Have you ever thought, What’s the big deal about tithing? Or, What is tithing, anyway? Do I have to tithe? As with all the promises of God, you don’t have to do anything. Obeying a promise of God is completely your choice. But you might be interested to know that tithing is the only subject on which God offers you the right to put His promise to the test.

The Lord says, “‘Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, ‘I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!’” (Malachi 3:10). God says you can put Him to the test. In other words, God says, “Try Me now in this” (verse10, NKJV).

With the following five reasons to help you understand what tithing is and what it will do, you can put God to the test and discover Is Tithing Right for You?

Reason #1: Tithing opens the windows of heaven.

‘“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,’ says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, ‘I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!’” –Malachi 3:10

God said if you bring all your tithes into the storehouse, He will open the windows of heaven for you, and pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! That’s exciting!

First of all, what is a tither? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a tither is “one who pays tithes.” Christianity.com defines tithing as the following: “In biblical terms, tithing refers to the practice of giving 10% of one’s income or resources to support the church or religious community.” You are a tither if you give the first 10% of your income to the place where you receive spiritual food—your church or religious community.

God promises that when you do, the windows of heaven will open. This implies that without tithing, the windows of heaven are closed.

There’s plenty of evidence in the Bible of God’s blessing on those who tithe. Remember when Jacob was running for his life from his older brother? That night, he had a dream of a staircase stretching into heaven and angels going up and down. The Lord spoke to him and promised, “I am with you, and protect you wherever you go.” Jacob answered, “This memorial pillar I have set up will become a place for worshiping God, and I will present to God a tenth of everything he gives me” (Genesis 28:15-22).

Put God to the test. Go ahead—watch as tithing opens the windows of heaven in your life!

Reason #2: Tithing rebukes the devourer.

“And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” says the LORD of hosts.” –Malachi 3:11 (NKJV)

Who is the devourer? It’s the devil. He has several names, but devourer indicates his overwhelming desire to destroy everything that God created, then set up his own kingdom! He wants to attack you and destroy everything that belongs to you, including your family and your life. Jesus made it plain when He said, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10).

What happens when the devil comes to steal, kill or destroy a part of your life? Do you just sit down and watch him? No! Not if you are a tither and know what the Bible says. As Kenneth Copeland says, “You have tither’s rights.”

For example, you may hear about downsizing or cuts at your job. You can stand up in faith and declare that as a tither, the devourer is rebuked! You can take the Word of God and stop him from instigating his plans. You can say, “No you don’t, devil! I’m a tither, and you cannot steal from me! In Jesus’ Name, I stop your plan in the Name of Jesus!

When the devil attacks, you can stand up with tither’s rights and rebuke the devourer on your own behalf. First Peter 5:8 says, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him and be strong in your faith.”

You can stop the devil and his plan with confidence, knowing you are a tither!

To learn more about your rights as a tither, read 3 Tithers’ Rights Every Christian Should Know.

Reason #3: Tithing honors God.

“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.” –Proverbs 3:9-10

When you honor the Lord with your wealth and the best part of everything you produce, you are tithing. Do you honor someone by bringing them something old and discarded, or do you honor someone by bringing them your very best? Hopefully, you honor others by giving them something that shows your best.

The same is true with the Lord. You bring Him your best. To tithe is not just putting the top 10% of your money in a bucket at your church. It’s an attitude and a lifestyle. It’s an expression of your love and appreciation for Him. Tithing, like all of God’s promises, is a matter of the heart.

You are saying, “God, I am obeying You in this matter of the tithe. I am giving You the top 10% of my income as a way of honoring You. All that I am and all that I have belongs to You! Because of You, I am saved and will get to spend eternity in heaven with You. One way I honor You is by giving You the tithe. And as I do, I believe what You say in Your Word—You will fill my barns with grain and my vats will overflow! In other words, You will take care of me! Thank You, Lord!”

As a child of God, you are family! Tithing honors God and opens the door for Him to do more in your life!

Reason #4: Tithing opens the door to God’s blessing.

“If you will fully obey the LORD your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today…. The LORD will guarantee a blessing on everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.” –Deuteronomy 28:1, 8

When you fully obey the Lord in tithing, He guarantees a blessing on your life. He is not just talking about the blessing of finances. God wants to bless every area of your life, and you open the door to blessings with your tithe.

What areas of your life need God’s help? Your family? Your job? Your finances? Your health? You can step out in faith and tithe; and as you obey God in this way, He promises to bless you.

First Samuel 15:22 says, “But Samuel replied, ‘What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.’”

God doesn’t need your money. And when you tithe, you are not paying for any blessing. But you are doing something that pleases God. Obedience pleases God. Obeying God brings Him on the scene of your life. It takes faith to obey God, and stepping out to obey God in tithing opens the door to God’s blessing.

Watch Gloria Copeland and George Pearsons discuss The Blessing of Increase for Tithers.

Reason #5: Jesus addresses tithing.

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.” –Matthew 23:23

Jesus talks about the tithe in the New Testament. What does this scripture mean? Does Jesus want you to tithe or not?

Jesus says, “You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.” Jesus is telling the religious leaders of His day not to forget to have justice, mercy and faith operating in their lives toward others, in addition to tithing.

Don’t let tithing be a religious duty, but a joy and delight in honoring God. In your walk with the Lord, don’t forget to love others by demonstrating mercy, love and kindness. Romans 13:10 says, “Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.”

Have you decided Is Tithing Right for You? Understanding what the Bible says about tithing gives you the confidence to step out in faith. Tithing is not an experiment you try for a week. Neither is it a hobby nor something to brag about. Tithing is a lifestyle, and God wants to give you evidence—He wants to prove to you—that He keeps His Word!

Related Articles:

Tithing 101: The Top 20 Bible Truths You Need to Know

10 Scriptures About Tithing

Choose these 4 Ways You Can Depend on God’s Covenant and receive confidence that what you ask of the Lord you will receive.

Do you remember using the “pinky promise” as a child? If you wanted something and your parents agreed to it, you wanted to ensure that what they promised would surely happen—that you’d get to stay up late, or go to a friend’s house, or receive the new toy you desired. In an effort to ensure that you would not be disappointed, you reached out your pinky finger and said, “Pinky promise?” If your mom or dad reached back with their pinky finger, you knew that you had what you desired!

As a believer, you have a more sure word of promise than a pinky promise. Jesus said, “But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!” (John 15:7). God established a covenant for you by sending His Son, Jesus, to the earth, and you entered into that covenant with God when you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines covenant as “a usually formal, solemn and binding agreement.” A covenant is the most powerful and binding form of agreement there is. God made a covenant with man through Jesus. By remaining in Jesus and letting His words remain in you, you can discover 4 Ways You Can Depend on God’s Covenant.

#1: Immerse yourself in God’s covenant Word.

“This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” –Hebrews 10:16

How does God put His laws in your heart and mind? Every time you read God’s Word, it is deposited into your heart and mind. Take time to read God’s Word slowly, out loud, thinking about what you are reading. One verse read prayerfully, listening for revelation from the Holy Spirit, is much more beneficial than reading several chapters. One word from God can change your life forever.

For more understanding on the power of God’s Word, you can purchase One Word From God Can Change Your Destiny by Kenneth & Gloria Copeland.

In your busy life, it takes planning to immerse yourself in God’s covenant Word. Here are some suggestions:

• In the morning, get up a few minutes early and read something from Psalms.
• Then as you get ready for the day, think about what you read and listen for the voice of the Lord to explain how what you read pertains to you.
• In the evening, finish the day by reading a few verses in John or Romans until you have read the whole book.

Again, pray for understanding. The Holy Spirit inspired the writers, so He knows how to explain scriptures to you (2 Timothy 3:16). There are many Bible reading programs you can use; or simply read out of your own Bible so you can underline and make notes for yourself. By immersing yourself in God’s covenant Word, you are choosing to allow God’s words to remain in you, and this is one way you can depend on God’s covenant when you need it most.

#2: Meditate on God’s covenant Word.

“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” –Joshua 1:8

How do you meditate on God’s covenant Word day and night? The word meditate is defined as “to focus one’s thoughts on; reflect on or ponder over” (The Merriam-Webster Dictionary). You can meditate on or think about God’s Covenant word by being quiet and listening to what the Lord wants to say to you.

Find a peaceful place, turn off distractions, quiet your mind and listen. Listen for the inner voice of the Lord. He has many things to say to you, and He has promised to share His will and desires with you (Jeremiah 33:3).

God thinks about you, and He wants time with you. Psalm 139:17-18 says, “How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!”

God’s perspective is quite different from your limited view; your Father knows all and sees all, even the end from the beginning. He is willing to share His vast knowledge and wisdom with you when you meditate on God’s covenant Word.

#3: Pray in faith based on God’s covenant Word.

“Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, “May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,” and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.’” –Mark 11:22-24

One key to receive answers to your prayers is to pray in faith based on God’s covenant Word. Praying in faith is believing that God’s plan for you will happen. Abraham and Sarah believed the promise of God for a son, and he and Sarah received the ability to have a child (Hebrews 11:11). Like Jesus said, “If you believe (stay in faith) that you’ve received it, it will be yours” (Mark 11:24).

Faith begins where the will of God is known. And you find out the will of God when you read His Word and meditate on it. Everyone has questions, and to find the answers, go to God’s Word. He will reveal the direction you should go, what you should do, and how to do it. Then you can be sure you are praying God’s will and you will see results. That’s praying in faith based on God’s covenant Word!

For more about answered prayer, read 3 Guarantees God Will Answer Your Prayers.

#4: Participate in God’s covenant Word.

“But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him.” –1 John 2:5 [H5]

To participate in God’s covenant Word means to obey Him. You have to do something! First John 3:24 says, “Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them.” Put action to your faith. As soon as you read something in the Bible and understand it, it’s time to apply it to your life. Ask the Lord how it pertains to your situation.

For example, when Kenneth and Gloria Copeland got saved, they began to focus all their attention on God’s Word. They found the scripture, “Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another” (Romans 13:8). That seemed like an impossibility, especially since Kenneth had been in debt for years. But Gloria said, “If that’s what the Book says, that’s what we are going to do!” They believed God would help them to obey His command. They prayed for God’s help, and they determined to pay off each debt. After 11 months, Kenneth paid the last payment on the last debt. They resolved to pay cash for everything and never go into debt again.

Watch Kenneth Copeland explain how to have Faith In God’s Covenant Promises.

These 4 Ways You Can Depend on God’s Covenant assure you of God’s intention to do you good. You can depend on God’s covenant. It’s His Word, His bond. He will not go back on His Word. Because of His great love for you, He turns His attention to you and listens to every prayer, every word and every thought you have. He doesn’t rebuke you; He guides you to a greater understanding of the situation.

Instead of looking back and wishing you could “pinky promise” your way through the situations in life, you can look to God and His covenant Word to lead, guide and direct you in all the affairs of your life!

Related Articles:

Your Covenant of Protection

The Covenant vs. the Contradiction: Which Side Are You On?

7 Covenant Prayers To Pray for Others

Experience a brand-new identity with these 4 Truths About Who You Are In Christ!

Have you ever wanted to start over? Things weren’t going well, and you thought the solution would be to stop what you are doing and start over in a new direction. If that’s you, the good news is that you can start over!

It doesn’t matter what someone else has said about you or what you have said about yourself. You can start over by choosing to believe what God says about who you are in Christ. Who you are in Christ isn’t based on your education, experience or family. Who you are in Christ is based on what Jesus has accomplished for you.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” When you believe on Jesus, you come into the family of God and receive a brand-new identity. Read below to discover 4 Truths About Who You Are In Christ and begin to see yourself as a child of the Most High God!

Truth #1—You Are a Child of God.

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God.” –1 John 5:1

The first truth about who you are in Christ is that you are a child of God. It’s so wonderful that God offers you the ability to be in His family and become a child of God! It’s a spiritual position for all eternity. He wants to be your heavenly Father. 

In addition to your position with God, you also have a position with God’s Son, Jesus. Jesus told His disciples, “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15, NKJV). As a child of God, you are positioned as a friend of Jesus. As a friend, Jesus confides in you, telling you what the Father says; you can experience that level of friendship by reading the Word of God.

Paul also emphasizes that you are not a servant, but a son, an heir. “Therefore, you are no longer a slave (bond servant) but a son; and if a son, then [it follows that you are] an heir by the aid of God, through Christ” (Galatians 4:7, AMPC). A son, or an heir, has benefits a servant doesn’t have. You can draw on all the benefits of being in Christ.

Watch Gloria Copeland and Pastor George Pearsons to learn what it means to be Joint Heirs With Jesus!

You are a child of God with all the rights and privileges of His family.

Truth #2—You Are Accepted in the Beloved.

“To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” –Ephesians 1:6 (KJV)

The second truth about who you are in Christ is that you are accepted in the Beloved. What does that mean? The Beloved is a Person, one loved by God. In this case, the Beloved is God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ!

You are accepted when you are born again into God’s family. God made you acceptable to come into His family with rights and privileges, including the right to come boldly to His throne. “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16).

Don’t listen to the lies that say you are not good enough, that your past keeps you from God, or even that God doesn’t love you. Lies, lies, lies! That’s why Jesus died on the cross. His blood was shed to cleanse you from all your sin—past, present and future. You have free access to come to God and ask for what you need. God sees you as accepted in the Beloved.

Truth #3—You Are Complete In Christ.

“So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.”—Colossians 2:10

The third truth about who you are in Christ is that you are complete in Him. You are so loved! God loves you, Jesus loves you, the Holy Spirit loves you; and as you experience that love, it makes you complete (Ephesians 3:19).

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary gives one definition of complete as “having all necessary parts, elements or steps.” That is, all the parts have come together, like when you complete a puzzle or a project of some kind. God has provided all the parts you need for victory in this life. As you read and study the Word, the eyes of your understanding will be enlightened, and you’ll see more about who you are in Christ (Ephesians 1:15-23).

To learn more about who you are in Christ, read 15 Verses for Finding Your Identity In Christ.

If you discover anything in your life that seems incomplete, you can go to God to get what you need. Any ability, skill or wisdom missing in your life can be acquired by calling on God and asking Him for wisdom. You can call on the Lord for help in any and every situation. James said, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking” (James 1:5). He doesn’t get mad at you for asking!

In Christ Jesus, you have access to the One who has all the answers. Call on Him, and He will answer you, showing you how to walk in complete wholeness in every area of your life.

Truth #4—You Are Protected by God

“This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” –Psalm 91:2-4

The fourth truth about who you are in Christ is that you are protected by God. All the pictures you can think of that represent protection—a mother holding a child, a father holding his child’s hand, a police officer stopping traffic—lead you to the image of the unwavering protection of God. God’s protection takes many forms, but all are operated by your faith in Him.

First, God alone is your refuge and place of safety. You can run to Him when you are in distress of any kind. Second, God will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. In fact, God will even reveal traps of the enemy ahead of time so you can be ready to hold up your shield of faith. Finally, God will shield you, hide you and shelter you with His wings. This can look many different ways, but sometimes when you think you’ve been overlooked for something, it is God’s protection working on your behalf, moving you toward His perfect will for your life.

No matter what the enemy brings against you, you can live in peace and safety, knowing God is your Protector because you are nestled snug in Christ Jesus.

These 4 Truths About Who You Are In Christ explain your brand-new identity as a believer. You may have been saved for years but never realized all the benefits of being in Christ. You don’t have to wrestle with any sense of unworthiness when you realize you are loved and accepted by God!

Related Articles:

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