Am in a bit of dilemma here, I need good and sincere advice.

I've just received a huge lump sum of money that could easily enable me to conveniently pay for a new two years house rent.

However since I mentioned the fact about the money to the ears of my pastor, he has been using the "Tithe thing" as his message theme every sunday.

If I pay the tithe, I will be short on the required amount and my present Landlord needs his apartment.

Please what can I do?

Stop being hypocritic here,

everyone readin this knows your mind is already made up, so go ahead and do what it tells you, lest you say we advised you wrongly.

Lol, if it were me I would pay the rent first and pay the tithe over time. I dont think there are any principles that govern the timeliness of giving in church. The only thing is that a delay may mean that the person doesnt really intend to give; their heart is not in it. But if that is not your case then do what I would have done.

Tonye-t:

Stop being hypocritic here,

everyone readin this knows your mind is already made up, so go ahead and do what it tells you, lest you say we advised you wrongly.

Thank you o my brother.

@iliugunboy
Your pastor is a crook, I suggest you stop going to his church as true christians are not required to tithe.

Tonye-t:

Stop being hypocritic here,

everyone readin this knows your mind is already made up, so go ahead and do what it tells you, lest you say we advised you wrongly.

Why you dey vex?

@Zikkyy.

No need to ask that. The guy is just expressing an opinion which he is free to do.

However, I dont know when it has become a crime here on N/L  to seek a sincere advice.

"Broda" Tonye-t, since you are here to pass judgment and apparently you are a mind reader, why no just keep quiet and pretend you can't see this thread.

@ilungunboy
do a poll and let the poll decide.

^^^^^. I will do just that.

Sometimes, people might be a bit lazy to type and they will just rather prefer to click the vote button and move on.

A poll will not solve your problem. Do another poll on whether to stay clean or play dirty on your babe - the results may mislead you, lol  

On a serious note, if I were in your shoes, I would just ignore that Sunday blarring about tithe from that pastor and pay my two year rent pronto. How is it that only when your pastor 'heard' of your fortune that he has been honking on the tithe message?

Don't let anyone put pressure on you to give out money whether by tithe or freewill offering by any means of mechanical prodding. The 'giving' by the believer is supposed to be from the heart - and this principle is what obtains in both the OT and NT (see e.g., Exodus 25:2 and 2 Cor. 9:7).

Again, if you have determined to do a certain thing especially with regards to landed property (sale, rent, mortgage, lease, etc), you are absolutely within your own determined right to do as you please! Let the example of Acts 5 speak to your heart - it fits in here with the question of "part of the price" (see v. 2). Ananias could not make up his mind and had to suffer for it - a salutory lesson for many believers who think to impress God with coerced giving.

What did Peter say to Ananias in Acts 5? Here - "Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power?" (verse 4). I like the way EMTV puts it: "While it remained unsold, did it not remain yours? And after it was sold, was it not in your control?"

Bro, you are perfectly alright to determine for yourself what to do with money set aside for landed property - whether selling, buying, leasing, renting, mortgaging - the Bible says it is in your control! To me, I sense that God very early showed us the seriousness of coerced giving - it results in double mindedness and brings with it all sorts of sad results.

So, don't feel pressured to fall into the trap of "part of the price" (see v. 2) - no matter how the pastor brings new Sunday messages about tithes, or freewill giving, or sacrifice, or anything else. I am not saying you should not give by any means; but what I am saying is that you should not be pressured into a situation where giving becomes (and remains) a problem to you.

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, . . . not grudgingly, or of necessity - 2 Corinthians 9:7. Bless up.

^^^. God will keep blessing people like you on Nairaland.

Read ur bible on tithes and do the needful.

Again, if you have determined to do a certain thing especially with regards to landed property (sale, rent, mortgage, lease, etc), you are absolutely within your own determined right to do as you please! Let the example of Acts 5 speak to your heart - it fits in here with the question of "part of the price" (see v. 2). Ananias could not make up his mind and had to suffer for it - a salutory lesson for many believers who think to impress God with coerced giving.

What did Peter say to Ananias in Acts 5? Here - "Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power?" (verse 4). I like the way EMTV puts it: "While it remained unsold, did it not remain yours? And after it was sold, was it not in your control?"

- - -

So, don't feel pressured to fall into the trap of "part of the price" (see v. 2) - no matter how the pastor brings new Sunday messages about tithes, or freewill giving, or sacrifice, or anything else. I am not saying you should not give by any means; but what I am saying is that you should not be pressured into a situation where giving becomes (and remains) a problem to you.

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, . . . not grudgingly, or of necessity - 2 Corinthians 9:7. Bless up.

Wow. Viaro said all that i was going to say. God bless you, sir / madam.

In addition, whenever one starts asking if he ought to give a sum of money to the church or not, it's just better for the person to keep it because God will send in resources from other quarters to meet the needs of His church.

Remain blessed.

If I were you, I will pay my tithe first, and expect a bigger miracle. Patapata make part payment of my rent .

The Message Bible:
Pro 27:23  Know your sheep by name; carefully attend to your flocks;
Pro 27:24  (Don't take them for granted; possessions don't last forever, you know.)

Personally, I don't think it was right for that pastor to start stressing the topics of giving and tithing because he knew the sum was available.

We need more pastors that will augment the house-rent of some members of their congregation or even pay the full sum, rather than collect the little that they have.

A pastor is a shepherd, a "sub-shepherd" under the master Shepherd Jesus. Working with the flock of sheep, he should be diligent to know the state of the flock at every single instance.

Amplified Bible:
Pro 27:23  Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and look well to your herds;
Pro 27:24  For riches are not forever; does a crown endure to all generations?

What does this mean? When you know your flock by name, you know the ones that are hardly getting by with their small salaries, and you know the state of their affairs; just like you know that of the ones that have enough and to spare (even if they will not agree that they do).

Yes, the "poorer" ones may be faithful to give to the ministry, but if the Pastor / Shepherd is truly working in love, and he is diligent to know their affairs, he will work out a way in which the church funds (courtesy of the richer members of the flock) are able to well cater for the needs of the distressed but faithful giver.

When someone gives to the work of God, where will the "more abundant blessing" that will reward the person come from? The VERY same church! We may not have a physical "common purse" like the early apostles did, but we have a common purse, even if it is distributed in various bank accounts. We are all parts of one body, and if nutrients get to the head at the expense of other parts, the human body suffers marasmus.

I believe that is how the church should be, and not a place where all pockets are stressed out because the ministry will advance. May God bless us all.

@poster
I laugh in ten different languages I had been in you shoes b4 I neva fell for it. when I was very young I fell for it my uncle came from england and he gave all of us pound sterlings, That was the first time I will get pounds everyone used theirs to buy reasonable things I dropped my own in the offering bag waiting for blessing, guy I hear wehn, Its took some more years to get another pound sterling, but this I worked for it. no one can lure me into rubbish giving anymore in the name of tithe, 1st fruit or any other bullshit name they may call it either here in england or in nicaragua

My piece of advise.

@traugot
You are absolutely correct, I hope pastor agbaje would learn a thing or two from your submission and introduce it to his "ministry" and his jerry curled/ bleached Oga.

Itching ears, please use cotton-bud. It's just 20naira in my friend's kiosk.

If you pay the tithe and it so happens you run out of money and can't make rent, would the pastor help you pay the rent?

@Annunaki and Tudor: Thanks. Please note that I never made reference to any church in particular, and I never said one should not give, but remember the words of Christ as repeated by Paul when he said it is more blessed to give than to receive:

Act 20:35  In everything I've done, I have demonstrated to you how necessary it is to work on behalf of the weak and not exploit them. You'll not likely go wrong here if you keep remembering that our Master said, 'You're far happier giving than getting.'"

The Amplified version says it makes one happier and more to be envied to give to the WEAK than to receive from them.

The previous verses say:

Act 20:33  "I've never, as you so well know, had any taste for wealth or fashion.
Act 20:34  With these bare hand[/b]s I took care of [b]my own basic needs and those who worked with me.

That was a spiritual head taking care of the physical needs of himself and those with him.

I know many pastors give, but instead they give to other men of God in "higher" spiritual standings of leadership above them. Rather, they ought to give to the (financially or otherwise e.g. those from a broken home) weaker members of their congregation.

It is more blessed for the pastor to give to the weak in their congregation, than to receive from them. How will the pastor get what to give, can he cater for so many from his own pocket? Maybe not, that is why it is more blessed for the congregation also to give to the pastor (who is "weak" to attend to so many people at once, and "burdened" with the gospel) than to receive from him.

In summary, the weak bring their widow's mite, the stronger bring their lump sums, and the pastor ensures (through the work of the deacons) that the weak are also financially catered for appropriately and the financially strong are also not over-burdened. That is how everyone gets blessed, giving rather than receiving as such.

We are the blessed of God.

Pay the tithe.God will pay your rent.

Can you see what overbelief and overdependence on the doctrines of religion has turned some nigerians into?Overgrown babies still in diapers. . . 

We're in deep deep sheit.

ilugunboy:

Am in a bit of dilemma here, I need good and sincere advice.

I've just received a huge lump sum of money that could easily enable me to conveniently pay for a new two years house rent.

However since I mentioned the fact about the money to the ears of my pastor, he has been using the "Tithe thing" as his message theme every sunday.

If I pay the tithe, I will be short on the required amount and my present Landlord needs his apartment.

Please what can I do?

This is BULSHIT, You mean with different threads on tithing you will still allow one self aclaimed pastor to trick you of your hard earned money?

Pay your rent oh. Then go to an orphanage near you and pay school fees for two or three children with the rest. God will recognioze you more when you care for his children, the pastor does not need another jeep

Tudór:

If you pay the tithe and it so happens you run out of money and can't make rent, would the pastor help you pay the rent?

Good question!

And the answer is a clear NO.

Traugott:

@Annunaki and Tudor: Thanks. Please note that I never made reference to any church in particular, and I never said one should not give, but remember the words of Christ as repeated by Paul when he said it is more blessed to give than to receive:

Act 20:35  In everything I've done, I have demonstrated to you how necessary it is to work on behalf of the weak and not exploit them. You'll not likely go wrong here if you keep remembering that our Master said, 'You're far happier giving than getting.'"

The Amplified version says it makes one happier and more to be envied to give to the WEAK than to receive from them.

The previous verses say:

Act 20:33  "I've never, as you so well know, had any taste for wealth or fashion.
Act 20:34  With these bare hand[/b]s I took care of [b]my own basic needs and those who worked with me.

That was a spiritual head taking care of the physical needs of himself and those with him.

I know many pastors give, but instead they give to other men of God in "higher" spiritual standings of leadership above them. Rather, they ought to give to the (financially or otherwise e.g. those from a broken home) weaker members of their congregation.

It is more blessed for the pastor to give to the weak in their congregation, than to receive from them. How will the pastor get what to give, can he cater for so many from his own pocket? Maybe not, that is why it is more blessed for the congregation also to give to the pastor (who is "weak" to attend to so many people at once, and "burdened" with the gospel) than to receive from him.

In summary, the weak bring their widow's mite, the stronger bring their lump sums, and the pastor ensures (through the work of the deacons) that the weak are also financially catered for appropriately and the financially strong are also not over-burdened. That is how everyone gets blessed, giving rather than receiving as such.

We are the blessed of God.

You make much sense. . .

Add to that; Its equally blessed to have a roof over your head.

Thanks Tudor. Very true, it is blessed also to have a roof over your head. When there is a place to rest, it will be easier (for those who desire to do so) to concentrate on one's walk with God.

How does it augur well for one's family when they have to roam the street homelessly because the person put them in jeopardy in a bid to "stay righteous"?

1Ti 5:8 Anyone who neglects to care for family members in need repudiates the faith. That's worse than refusing to believe in the first place.

Recall that Jesus healed on the Sabbath, his hungry disciples harvested grain to eat on the Sabbath, hungry David ate the holy fresh shewbread.

Mar 2:23 One Sabbath day he was walking through a field of ripe grain.
Mar 2:24 As his disciples made a path, they pulled off heads of grain. The Pharisees told on them to Jesus: "Look, your disciples are breaking Sabbath rules!"
Mar 2:25 Jesus said, "Really? Haven't you ever read what David did when he was hungry, along with those who were with him?
Mar 2:26 How he entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, with the Chief Priest Abiathar right there watching--holy bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat--and handed it out to his companions?"
Mar 2:27 Then Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made to serve us; we weren't made to serve the Sabbath.
Mar 2:28 The Son of Man is no lackey to the Sabbath. He's in charge!"

None of the spiritual principles in God are cast in stone. The motive and the process is ALWAYS what God looks at, and not always the results.

pastor will be smiling in his mansion while u roast under the bridge.

the poster is out of his mind