praying effectively: Tithes, Offering and Giving (Num., Deut.)

(Numbers 18:25-29)  Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 26 “Moreover, you shall speak to the Levites and say to them, ‘When you take from the sons of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present an offering from it to the Lord, a tithe of the tithe. 27 Your offering shall be reckoned to you as the grain from the threshing floor or the full produce from the wine vat. 28 So you shall also present an offering to the Lord from your tithes, which you receive from the sons of Israel; and from it you shall give the Lord’s offering to Aaron the priest. 29 Out of all your gifts you shall present every offering due to the Lord, from all the best of them, the sacred part from them.’

(Deuteronomy 12:5-6)  But you shall seek the Lord at the place which the Lord your God will choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come. 6 There you shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the contribution of your hand, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock.

(Deuteronomy 14:22)  “You shall surely tithe all the produce from what you sow, which comes out of the field every year.

(Deuteronomy 26:10-14)  Now behold, I have brought the first of the produce of the ground which You, O Lord have given me.’ And you shall set it down before the Lord your God, and worship before the Lord your God; 11 and you and the Levite and the alien who is among you shall rejoice in all the good which the Lord your God has given you and your household.

12 “When you have finished paying all the tithe of your increase in the third year, the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the stranger, to the orphan and to the widow, that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. 13 You shall say before the Lord your God, ‘I have removed the sacred portion from my house, and also have given it to the Levite and the alien, the orphan and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed or forgotten any of Your commandments. 14 I have not eaten of it while mourning, nor have I removed any of it while I was unclean, nor offered any of it to the dead. I have listened to the voice of the Lord my God; I have done according to all that You have commanded me.

Reminder:  "praying effectively" involves knowing God's will.  When we pray in His will (in His name), He may choose to not answer those prayers in the time period that we would like, or HOW we would like - but He will answer those prayers!

It is God's will:
- that we tithe faithfully
- that we give gifts and offerings as we are able
- that we give gifts to our missionaries, spiritual leaders, orphans and widows
- that we worship and thank the Lord

Today's prayer: 

Dear Lord, thank You so much for everything You have provided and given to us.  You are so good!  It is an honor to give back to You (at least) ten percent of everything that You have so generously bestowed.  And I know, as I have done that, You are faithful to make sure that I always have whatever I need.

Help me to recognize what is surplus for me, in order to give extra gifts to our missionaries in the field, and to the needy.  Thank You so much for Your generosity.   Help me to be more like You.  Amen.