A friend of mine wrote this piece with so many truths.

THE TRUTH ABOUT GIVING TO GOD. PLEASE MAKE OUT TIME AND READ THIS.
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As the disciples watched Jesus lifted up into the skies, their hearts were heavy with sorrow. They thought he was gone from them; little did they know that as he disappeared from their sights, he appeared in their hearts through the Holy Spirit and in the needy around them.
Look what Jesus himself taught his disciples - not what your pastor taught you - on the basis on which he would judge their giving to him when he returns.
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Matthew 25:34-46
25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
25:42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:25:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
25:44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
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God is not in any building. The concept of God being amongst us is not about building, it's from the fact that wherever two or three are gathered in his name he said he would be in their midst: whether that is in someone's house, in the office, on the streets etc.
I've heard people say that their priest or pastor said giving to God is different from giving to the poor. Now I've shown you where God spoke for himself. God does not need a public relations officer, he spoke for himself in the Bible. Read the Bible for yourself and hear him out first hand.
You see, if you want to give to God, give to those missionaries in villages, give to those churches that really really need help, give to widows, the needy, pay the school fees of a child from a poor home, pay the hospital bill of someone who can't pay - this is the giving to God that will receive a reward according to Jesus.
One of the funniest things I've heard in a church is that giving to God is not the same thing as giving to the poor. I will tell you this: if your neighbors children can't go to school and are hungry, and you take your tithe and seed to your church to build university and buy private jet, you're a wicked man according to the Bible.
This was the same act for which Jesus cursed the Pharisees Matthew 23:23, "woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have ommitted the weightier matters of the law, judgement, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. "
The only place Jesus ever mentioned tithe, he condemned the Pharisees for forgetting the most important ingredients of religion which are mercy, judgement and faith.
Look at how James summarized religion in your Bible:
James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
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Be bold enough to read your Bible people of God. Study history if you can too.
Historically, the building of churches started around 300AD, these tithe thing started around 600AD. Generally in the early church out of love they gave their offerings to God which was even bigger than 10%, and whatever they brought in were shared amongst the brethren according to Acts 4:32-39.
I normally challenge people with this, if tithing and first fruit are the backbones of the gospel like is seen today, how come Jesus didn't care about it? Even when he was giving the last instructions concerning the church as recorded in the Bible, he never made mention of it. Also, how come of all the epistles of the apostles, they didn't care so much as to make mention of these things? Even the one Paul wrote to the gentles. Something this important?! Come on, it should have occupied at least 30% of the New Testament!!!
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Why is it that every other tradition of the Old Testament is given a spiritual interpretation today, except those concerning money? Those ones must be done the way the Jews did it, lol. The only place first fruit was mentioned in the New Testament, the Bible described it as something spiritual in Christianity. The first apostles were a kind of first fruits to God from the fruits - Christians - produced by the work of salvation by Jesus. That's what the scriptures taught in the New Testament. Read these passages : Rom 8:23, Rom 11:16, Rom 16:15, 1 Cor 15:20-23, 1Cor 16:15, James 1:18, Rev 1:18. Argue with the Bible after reading them.
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Do I pay tithe? yes, by not out of compulsion. I give more than 10% out of love for God's work to missionaries, inner city preachers that need money, and the needy.
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Do I pay First fruit? No, I don't. I believe in the first fruit according to Prov 3:9, which is First fruit of your increase: meaning something like I get a new Job, I give God my Verizon first salary; I get a promotion, the first difference between my old salary and my new salary I give it to God. Now, I'm not doing it out of compulsion, but in gratitude to God. I'll also give it to missionaries and those that really need the money. This was the kind of First fruit the early Christians of the time of our parents practised in the 20th century.
Suddenly, this Rhema of January salary came up over night. No scriptural basis.
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JANUARY IS COMING SOON, CARRY YOUR HARD EARNED INCOME AND GIVE TO THEM AGAIN AS FIRST FRUIT.
BY DECEMBER, IT WILL BECOME THE TOPIC OF ALL MESSAGES.
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I have given myself to showing you the truth from the Bible. Read the Bible and acquire sense: Deut 14:22-29, Deut 26:12, Acts 4:32-39. James 1:27. All these places are in your Bibles, they will never tell you about ten, but I will.
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Looking back at the heresies flying around, I thank God I grew up under Scripture Union and Assemblies of God, they taught me well. I also thank God for people like Kumuyi, Foursquare gospel church and others who have refused to give in to this concept of January salaries to church. If you want to do it, see, it's not bad: but do it out of love for God, not as a biblical teaching or doctrine because it has nothing to do with a Christian.
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The whites look at us and laugh at us.
A. Winner C

ibnchokomah:

A friend of mine wrote this piece with so many truths.

THE TRUTH ABOUT GIVING TO GOD. PLEASE MAKE OUT TIME AND READ THIS.

One of the funniest things I've heard in a church is that giving to God is not the same thing as giving to the poor. I will tell you this: if your neighbors children can't go to school and are hungry, and you take your tithe and seed to your church to build university and buy private jet, you're a wicked man according to the Bible.

This was the same act for which Jesus cursed the Pharisees Matthew 23:23, "woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have ommitted the weightier matters of the law, judgement, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. "
The only place Jesus ever mentioned tithe, he condemned the Pharisees for forgetting the most important ingredients of religion which are mercy, judgement and faith.
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The whites look at us and laugh at us.
A. Winner C

Awesome ibnchokomah, keep up the good work of educating the masses of the truths most pastors hide from their innocent congregations.
Thanks for revealing these powerful truths here, Sir. While the OP is powerful enough to encourage life long debate, the suffering masses urgently cry out for practical evidence that their chosen beliefs can provide them with the greatest benefit and reward.

The manufacturers of cars don't have to endlessly debate the historic and Philosophical significance of automobiles. All they have to do is provide practical evidence their cars provide a greater value to the masses than others.

The product and services religions offer is primarily SPIRITUAL. That is what religions should be based on - Practical spiritual education

If world religions were honestly working in the spiritual interest of the desperate masses they would continually demonstrate the practical manifestations of the spiritual education they market.

The Rhatiep of Islam is an example of their deity, Allah manifesting demonstrable spiritual power. The question could be fairly asked, "What is the practical value or benefit to the suffering masses ?

The healings, demonic deliverance and mind-blowing blessings of true Christianity is also an example of their deity, Jesus Christ manifesting demonstrable spiritual power. The question could be fairly asked, "What is the practical value or benefit to the suffering masses ?

Genuine spiritual leaders should learn that honest and effective marketing of their doctrines focus on the true practical benefits for the follower. No historic and fancy philosophic arguments will do.