COMMITMENT #7 The Whole “Tithe” to your Storehouse

We trust by the time the Lord has called you to join our Ministry Team that you have and continue to fully surrender this area of your life as a way to honor Him.

Spiritually Fed

“‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be [spiritual] food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes,” says the LORD of hosts. “All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land,” says the LORD of hosts.” Malachi 3:10-12

Women around the world need to be fed spiritually, and just recently we’ve had a huge influx of women in poverty ravaged parts of Africa.

So my question is, why would you and I consider withholding and not bringing our whole tithe to our storehouse so there will be spiritual food for those who are desperate for it? But not only will your whole tithe feed the women who find their way here, but also what will ultimately spiritually feed their families, friends, and neighbors who will also be given hope.

Erin, how did you become so passionate and obsessed with tithing? 

It is due to the fact that at one point I lost all that I owned, then was given back DOUBLE from what was taken from me. In addition to experiencing it first hand, for 3 years He took me to several third world countries that are much more open to hearing the truth than the United States is. Each of these experiences changed me, so now it's extremely easy for me to no longer care at all about money or personal possessions. In addition, this also gave me the right heart.

Instead of the natural concern of most ministries and churches, He turned my focus to YOU. What matters to me now is how not tithing will affect YOU and as a result, will affect each and every woman around the world. Women who will lack the hope and love that each deserves to find because of you failing to tithe. How this small act of ignorance or rebellion will open the door to the devourer entering an open door to our ministry and Ministry Team. 

“‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be [spiritual] food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. 

"Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes,” says the LORD of hosts. “All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land,” says the LORD of hosts”—Malachi 3:10-12

When we began speaking to women about the need for them to tithe, making this principle very clear, we often continued to see destruction in their lives and were baffled. Later on the Lord uncovered that they were NOT bringing their WHOLE tithe, but sadly were withholding their full tithe, instead giving a donation. I was usually oblivious to this, because without knowing how much women are receiving as an “income” and also due to some women who were still attending a local church (and thus tithing there), there was no way to know and encourage them to heed the warnings—again for their sakes and those who would suffer.

Now due to the Encourager that we send every day and the FREE lessons that each of our MTM are required to take, there is no way that any local church could possibly be spiritually feeding anyone more than we are feeding them—thus RMI becomes their storehouse. Therefore, we are able to at least be in the position to encourage tithing more than we had before.

This was His doing and not mine. If I had set out to use the Encourager and lessons as a means to “get” anyone's tithes, then I would see everything we’ve built and been blessed with simply fly away!

“Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.” Proverbs 23:4-6

Question: Are there exceptions to not tithing?

Answer: Yes, if you receive no income. This is most often due to you living with your parents or your husband who pays all your bills. Because a “tithe” translates and actually means “a tenth of your in-come”—money that comes IN.

If you are in a situation where you believe you are exempt— please let us know the circumstances so we can SG with you. #8 in your Check-in asks you each month since things could change in your situation. So make sure you carefully read and answer everything in your Check-in each month—makING sure you acknowledge that He is right there next to you and you continually ask Him about everything.

Acknowledge. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5–6

Listen. "Your ears will hear a word behind you, 'This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.'" Isaiah 30:21

Remember, we want YOU to be safe and also when working on the Ministry Team we want to make sure each member is safe. We want you to be assured that the devourer is being rebuked, as do we for our ministry's sake and those we hope to minister to—certain everyone is safe and protected based on His promise to us.

"Whole tithe...then I will rebuke the devourer for you”—Malachi 3:10

If it's your church you’re tithing to, that's clearly a conflict of interests. If you believe your church is where you belong and they are able and willing to begin to feed you spiritually on a daily basis, in order to give you what you lacked that caused your marriage to crumble (and/or die through divorce), then that is where you should tithe and serve, and therefore, not remain here with us. Rereading the previous Lesson #6 NO OTHER MINISTRY or CHURCH Conflicts would be helpful for you to reread and journal.

However, unless it is your husband who is taking you to church, then you should be spiritually fed here, not in a local church— because you and your family need to make room for your husband to be the spiritual leader. If it's your husband who is at home, and he has asked you to accompany him, then more than likely, he will be tithing to his church. One ministry leader who was restored experienced this situation but when she SG for wisdom, she was led to ask if her tithe could continue to go to RMI. He not only allowed her to do so, but he also began tithing to RMI after he learned about the ministry that had changed his wife, and was led to begin going through one of our men's resources A Wise Man and he used it to teach their two sons. 🙂

What I believe the Lord has also begun to do is to alert women about their lack of daily spiritual nourishment and the truth that their church did NOT give them, which is why they became vulnerable to suffering from a spiritual heart attack and/or their husband’s spiritual cancer, immorality. This is why women are led to RMI because of their desperate need to be fed spiritual nourishment by us, making our ministry their spiritual storehouse—at least for the duration of their time here. This helps us to better see when they may still be failing to tithe and as a result, allowing the enemy full reign to continue to steal from them. 

Yet as important as this is for the women we minister to, how much more for the women like you and me who are part of the ministry and her leadership? Many of you are our most faithful who tithe, and therefore this commitment will be easy for you to commit to and fulfill. God has already taken you through His refining fire as He had to do with me—not due to not wanting to tithe, but due to me not being willing to set aside how I felt. Prior to losing everything I actually cared more about what people “thought” of me if I spoke too much about their need to tithe. In other words, by me worrying what others thought of me, being labeled as being too obsessed with tithing, which would translate as me wanting their money, I let far too many women (and men) be wide open to the devourer stealing and robbing them blind. Without a doubt this was pure selfishness on my part and what I had to repent of. 

Prior to Him having our family stop tithing, which resulted in us losing EVERYTHING, because I knew I had always held back from teaching strongly against NOT tithing, I had been very eager to share all the ways He was blessing me/us, because I/we tithed. God faithfully “opened the windows of heaven” over my life and the lives of others who were faithfully tithing. But I didn’t press the issue in regard to everyone else tithing—for fear of them thinking I wanted their money. 

*Though you or someone else may still believe or feel this is my motive, as I said, it took me/us losing everything to get me to the place that I was willing to stop caring what other people MIGHT think—and begin to care enough about others— to spare those innocent souls who would be destroyed by this lack of knowledge. 

How did it happen that we stopped tithing?

In 2005 we were told by a world renown minister that as a “ministry” we were exempt from tithing and if we did tithe from the ministry, on top of us tithing as a family, we would not be able to stay in business and we'd lose everything. The truth is, a ministry is FAR from exempt from tithing, though he was right, we weren’t able to stay in “business.” So because He works everything for our good—we became a “ministry” rather than a “business” after going through the refining fires and losing everything. From the time my EH returned, we had tithed as a family and any tithe on the profits from RMI. It was in 2005 that the devourer came and took everything.

After He revealed the truth, and I began to tithe again, learning the principles I document in Poverty Mentality, we recovered but to receive double what was lost He set me up with a divine appointment. On a flight I met a young medical missionary who shared that the most influential man he'd ever met, who he said gave so much that the IRS (the U.S. government agency) would literally go over his records every year thinking some sort of fraudulent act was going on. I got excited and told this young man I wanted to do the same thing! Give more and more and more. So I began with increments of 10% each time He led me to increase our “offering.” Remember, tithe means 10% so anything above is considered an offering.

When I personally began researching this sort of excessive giving, I began to see countless people who gave to that extent and as a result, who only continued to gain more. As far as tithing, our ministry tithes and gives several different offerings, at times, He led me to give more than half or 50% of what came in—each time as He led me—showing me just who He wants HIS money to go to. 

We are committed to giving to outside ministries and missions and for these we post each month on Where We Invest. And as a result, more income continues coming in. Isn’t this exactly what He promises? It’s not enough to just tithe, which rebukes the devourer from stealing, but it’s when we continue to grow in His truth, and begin to give more, which is what is called the offering.

“Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed Thee?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you!” Malachi 3:8–10

“Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Luke 6:38

My children and friends and acquaintances have often commented on my generous nature, which of course comes from remaining so close to Him—so that His blessings overflow to anyone who gets close to me. Again, it begins by first making sure the devourer is rebuked, tithing personally and from the ministry, then increasing the offering as He continues to lead. So I will gain more of His loving and giving nature—to the point that anyone who comes close is also blessed by His love and His generosity running over.

Interestingly, this morning when I woke up I couldn’t shake off how it’s not the Christians who are leading the way with generosity and excessive giving—it’s the people who are still in need of a Savior. Just yesterday I watched an interview with one of the wealthiest men in the world who said his wealth increases faster than he can give it away! In the interview he was asked when this is what his life’s work changed from “making” money to giving it away. He said it was after he walked away from a fatal plane crash.

There are more and more millionaires, billionaires and even trillionaires who have pledged to give away HALF of their income—and the more they give away, the more their income continues to rise. It has to. Because His promises are for anyone and everyone who follows them. 

“...for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Message “He gives His best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty.” Matthew 5:45 MSG

Did you know that millionaires never set out to “make” money—it’s simply that they LOVE what they’re doing, which is why their money doesn’t fly away (Proverbs 23:4-6). Then, should they begin to give, they find their income increases, which often turns them into a philanthropist, and giving their money away becomes their job. 

Prior Training. The last year my father was alive, he called for a team from his bank who came in order to turn his money over to me—for the sole purpose of taking care of my mother and older (special needs) sister when he passed away. My mother was one of the most generous women ever (to a fault), so he decided if she was left with my father's money, he believed it would be gone within a year. 

Within weeks of my father passing away, almost all of my siblings approached me for a loan. Each time I said, "No, the money is for Mom" and I would be cursed at and not spoken to by each who asked. But I knew my father entrusted me with his money for what it was intended for—taking care of my mother and older sister. It was not mine to “loan” or give away.

My father’s money ran out a year prior to my mother passing away, and just before it ran out, my husband (at the time) wisely told me to speak to my three older brothers about caring for her. Two began giving me money every month for my mother to live as comfortably as before until she passed away. Then after she passed, my older sister was left an orphan (she’s emotionally only 4-years-old), but thankfully, I was blessed to be able to care for her about 5 years after* my mother's passing—due only, I am sure, because I continued to honor my father and God by tithing and giving increased offerings as He leads. 

*Another of my other sisters cared for Aunt Patty Cake for the first 5 years after my mother passed away, and then we moved her to live by us. I cared for her financially and two of my children also cared for her in ways I never could. “I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in Truth.” 3 John 1:4

**Since this was written Aunt Patty Cake is forever enjoying Paradise— passing away in February 2019.

The truth is our Heavenly Father has entrusted each of us with HIS money, and has told us clearly HOW it is to be used by first paying our “assurance” payment, our tithe, so He can rebuke the devourer for our sakes. Then, just as I’ve been led to do, the rest we need to come to Him about—every purchase, every gift and especially an offering—everything!

Just yesterday I was able to help a **widow who is the mother of my daughter-in-law who is gravely ill. I’d been made aware of a huge financial need the afternoon prior, and even though I felt an instant desire to meet that need, I waited overnight to make sure it was His plan and not mine. The closer I am with Him, the more I become like Him (and His generous nature in giving love and in every other way), so to make sure it’s His leading and not simply my improved nature, I wait until He confirms His plan.

*May I add too that since giving to this widow, her family has begun to heal and mend and reconcile—restoring this family to becoming a family again. And though I am thanked, I continue to assure them everything is from HIM. Then for a season, rather than me only giving to the orphans and widows, He began to have RMI add this to the list of “Where We Invest” based on:

“The worship that God wants is this: caring for orphans or widows who need help and keeping yourself free from the world’s evil influence. This is the kind of worship that God accepts as pure and good.” James 1:27 ERV

"And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

“Do NOT store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

*We do not have a savings account or 41K, nor do we invest in stocks or bonds, because He says we are NOT to store what He can use today.

"You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied ; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk ; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes." 

"Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Consider your ways! "Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified," says the LORD.

"You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?" declares the LORD of hosts, "Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house."  Haggai 1:6-9

“Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Luke 6:38

"When the people He fed were filled, Jesus said to His disciples, 'Gather up the fragments so that nothing will be lost.'"  John 6:12

**Since this was written this widow, my daughter-in-law’s mother, is also forever enjoying Paradise—also passing away in February 2019.

As I’ve mentioned, a Ministry team Member, even more is at stake when you fail to bring the whole tithe or 10% to your storehouse, which must be RMI. Because if the DEVOURER has access to you and your life, which is entwined in our ministry (and you are either volunteering or you’re an Independent Contractor with our Ministry Team in any capacity), then the devourer can also follow you in and steal from US through you! 

*PLEASE do not fail to bring the WHOLE tithe to your storehouse or if you sense this is not a commitment you are able to commit to, PLEASE have the heart to care about so many OTHER women who will suffer due to you. And because you are also a leader, you easily become a Pharisee, a whitewashed tomb, if you tell or encourage others to tithe and are not fully tithing yourself.

* PLEASE also let us know in your Check-in should the amount of your “regular” tithe be far less than you normally give. Once again, we care NOTHING about how much money or how little you tithe —all that matters is that it’s a true tithe, the full 10% of your IN-come, not just a “donation.” ONLY a true tithe keeps our ministry safe from the devourer. 

So if we see you’ve been giving a certain amount, and it decreases, we can’t be sure if you don’t understand a tithe is not how much you “can” or “are able” to give, and why it makes it difficult to know how safe the ministry is. Remember 10% is a tithe, no matter what your finances look like. 

If your donation decrease is due to you losing your job, please begin by submitting a Prayer Request letting us know so we can agree with you in PRAYER and PRAISE the Lord with you. Be sure you let us know by way of your monthly Check-in. Also, if you take time off and aren’t paid, just let us know in your Check-in. Again, we care nothing about how much money we take in, the only thing that matters is keeping you, your team and our ministry protected from the devourer—so that the innocent women we hope to minister to have a ministry that’s still around and is growing 🙂