Excerpt from Sunday School Teachings at Dallas Metro Parish by H/S/E Akin Ogunleye

God is faithful to all His promises. He becomes obligated in fulfilling His promises to all who obey the Voice of the Lord. We as sons of God, also have several obligations we must fulfil towards our Father; to mention just a few -faithful and diligent worship; obedience to His words and humbly walking with Him; financially (support of the Ministry). God has ordained that His work be sustained in:

1. Tithes
2. Offerings

HISTORY OF TITHING.

Heb. 7:1-2 The Bible records Abraham as giving .. .... a tenth part of all" to Melchizedek King of Salem, priest of the Most High God. (Fen. 14:17-140).

Jacob made a vow at Bethel: (Gen. 28:20-22) He vowed giving to God out of all that God gives him - "... and all that thou shall give me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee". Moses reminds the Israelites of their binding duty to God -(Lev. 27:30-33 and Num. 18:21-24).

FUNDAMENTAL BASIS OF PAYING TITHE:

1. The requirement of tithe paying rests on the reading in Ps. 24:1 ... "The earth is the Lords, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein".
2. All our wealth comes from The Lord - Deut. 8: 18 . . . "But thou shall remember the Lord thy God; for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth.

CURSE OR BLESSING:

Of what is one guilty who withholds the tithe and freewill offering? (Malachi 3:8) The Lord's claim of the tithe is followed by His promise of great blessings (Mal. 3:10-11).

In these verses, we read one of the most extraordinary claims in all Holy Writ. Here follows the only place in the Bible we told to prove God - "Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

God allows Himself to be placed on trial by us, and tithing is a process of proof. Malachi appears to mean more than a spiritual blessing (Malachi 3:11) - "I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit, says the Lord Almighty". This is a clear indication of prosperity at material level.

This word of promise is not exclusive to Malachi. Paul takes on the same line (2 Corinth. 9:8-11). The Bible is full of similar promises: Prov. 3:9-10; Lk. 6:38; Prov. 11:24. We have now learnt that Tithing is a christian duty. Remember the admonition of Jesus Christ in Matthew 22:21 ( .... give unto Caesar, Caesar's and unto