The poor you always have with you: Correcting an error

‭‭John‬ ‭12:3‭-‬8‬ ‭NMV‬‬

[3] Then took Miryam [waters of strength] a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Yeshua [God is Salvation], and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. [4] Then says one of his disciples, Y’hudah [praised] From K’riot [cities], Shim’on [he has heard]’s [son], which should betray him, [5] Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? [6] This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bore what was put in it. [7] Then said Yeshua [God is Salvation], Let her alone: against the day of my burying has she kept this. [8] For the poor always you2f have with you; but me you2f have not always.

As I read this Bible verse, I can't help but see the answer to a big question on my mind that is also always directed to me by different people and that's with regards to the issue of giving in the church. By giving I mean tithes, offerings, pledges or first-fruit offering. 

I have been asked questions such as I use my tithe to help the poor people. Our comments such as, why should we give tithes to the church when most pastors are abusing the funds or the poor are not benefiting from it. Of a truth, the level of poverty is increasing at a depressing rate and not considering that is a big mistake. However, the means of solving this issue should not deprive us of the blessings of God, which in all honesty is the approach some of us are using. 

With regards to the tithe I have always maintained to people according to the scriptures in the book of Malachi that tithe should be paid directly to the church we worship. We shouldn't be worried about what the pastors do with it, for tithe is an obligation for all Christians for the provision of resources in the house of God. Now, if the pastor is squandering the funds, he or she will be accountable to God at the end of time, that's if we at least have a Phariseetic view of resurrection after death and not a Sadduceetic view of death being the end of the journey. So if we have a believe that we will be raised at the end of the day, we shouldn't be too worried about pastors that are mismanaging tithes.

The point where I have erred and allowed my human nature to have a huge influence is with regards to offering. Since offering is a voluntary obligation (note the word voluntary obligation) and seeing that one has flexibility in either bringing it or not, in recent times I have often erred by not giving offering whilst using it for many charitable endeavours in Nigeria and some parts of West Africa. I feel this was a justified move to curb the mismanagements caused by the church. However, I will be wrong not to share the insight and corrections given to me by the Holy Spirit while reading about the perception of Judas of K'riot about Mary's expression of gratitude and devotion to the Son of God Theos. What Judas said to the human ears and understanding wasn't wrong, but it was a fallacy in the spirit realm because the real intent was to do the biddings of Satan which is to steal, kill and destroy (John 10v10). Which the Holy Spirit revealed to be synonymous to my erroneous stance on offering. As my endeavours though commendable were fueled by anger and bitterness towards corruption from governmental authorities, church leadership and prosperity preachers, which never glorifies God. Yes the Bible in Proverbs 19v17 says "He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given." but the Bible never mentioned that he who steals from the Lord nor he who deprives the Lord. For the only reward for those who engages in such endeavour is a curse (Zech 5v4). Please note that offerings are of prophetic significance and until they are giving directly to God by way of taking them to the church they will not ascend to God as a sweet smelling savour.

Deut 16v16b says “all men must appear before the LORD your God at the place he chooses, but they must not appear before the LORD without a gift for him."

I will still maintain to all that the issue of seed sewing shouldn't be an emotional thing. For the patterns used by some pastors borders on emotionalism and ignorance of the believer. The Holy Spirit is the revealer of when and what to give. Not a pastor. Oftentimes, the call of the pastor is for a particular person, not for everyone. But some could out of obedience coupled with cheerfulness benefit from such calls. Any given that's devoid of honouring God is devoid of the aroma that makes it a sweet smelling savour to God. Hence a waste and nothing but an enrichment to the pastor. For majority of the givings done in the church (today) are not to God Almighty but to mammon or a magician or worst the god of gambling, for we often give with the expectation of (on a minimum) doubling our giving. Which is erroneous and should be repented of. As highlighted by Pastor Robert Henderson in his small book on obtaining a restraining order from the court room of heaven, he mentioned that Satan uses even our wrong givings against us before God the righteous Judge in the court room of heaven. So all should repent of such givings so as not to suffer from its consequences any longer. I tell you that making that prayer of repentance was harder for me than the prayer of repentance I made when I rededicated my life to the giver of life (Yeshua Moshiach).

To round off, I say pay your tithes to your church and stop being a robber. Give your offerings cheerfully to God and stop being an unlawful giver. Let the Holy Spirit lead you in all your givings so they can ascend to God as a sweet smelling savour which triggers His joy for creating us in His image. So I stand here to correct my errors and also to share with all that would listen to the voice that cries in the wilderness saying this is the way walk ye in it (Isaiah 30v2). 

Shalom aleichem brothers and sisters

Babasile Daniel I