Casting pearls- tithing

             Do you give ten percent of your income, things, time,attention, family time, to the Lord?
If you have a house, have you given ten percent of it's use to the Lord? If you have a car, have you dedicated ten percent of it's use to the Lord?If you have any free time away from work, have you dedicated ten percent of that time to the Lord? Heva you given ten percent of yourself to the lord?
              Hebrews 7: 1-6, Ten percent of all we have is all the Lord God asks. He gave us all we have and all He asks is that we give ten percent back to support the Church of His children. Abraham gave ten percent of all he had to Melchesidek, who was the king of Salem at the time, because he was the priest of God the Lord in reverence for the priests blessing, as was further reenforced by 1st Samuel 8: 10-18, where Samuel warns that if he appoints a king over them, they will have to give this man ten percent of all they have above the ten percent they already have sworn to give the levites as priests of God most High. It was the policy of many contemporary kings in Canan to require ten percent from his subjects. Ultimately, we only have one King, Jesus, who requires us to consecrate ten percent of our time, energy, and money to God's service.
              In Numbers 18: 25-28, Moses is instructed, by God, to tell the Levites, the jewish group called to be the priests of God, to not only gather a tithe from the people of Israel. But also, to take for themselves, ten percent of the people's tithe to live on.  You can also see Hebrews 7:5. The Bible states in Leviticus 27:30 states that all we have belongs to God. In Numbers 14:22, the Bible says that we should give a tithe of all our increase. For without God giving us things and abilities in the first place, we would have nothing to invest and use to have increase. Matthew 23:23 The Pharasees are called hypocrites because they called themselves holy and good, while ignoring the other 'weighter' matters of the law of God. We do the same today, trying to appear good to those around us, while ignoring the more important things of God in our lives.
              In Luke 18:10-14, The Bible tells us though a parable that Jesus tells, a pharasee and a publican both went to the temple to pray before God. Not only is the Pharasee wrong in his assumption that he is better than the publican. He is also wrong in assuming that he is okay in God's sight. Even if we tithe of all the things we possess , we still fall short of tithing everything if we don't give at least ten percent of ourselves as well. Before anyone can say, what about you, I am guilty of this as well.
               Matthew 6:19-20 we are told, Do not put your focus on laying up of things for yourself here. Lay up riches in Heaven, where moth and rust will not destroy, We and all things in this world were made from dirt and rocks being formed into things we use, all things in this world will eventually go back to being the dust they came from. If your heart on the things of God, you will gladly help others in need and give freely of the gifts God has provided you.
               The Bible tells us in 2nd Corinthians 13: 4-5 that Christ was crucified for us, through His meekness and humble nature, and yet He lives again through the power and strength of God. We can have that strength through Christ who strengthens us. So we are called to examine ourselves on a regular basis, to prove to ourselves and to God, that we are living still living for Him and not for ourselves. Without God, we will always fail the test. Yet in His meekness and strength, we will always prevail.