READ: 1 Kings 17:8-16
“…Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” – 2 Chronicles 20:20
People do not pay tithes because they are suspicious and accusative.
It is important to believe in the prophet of God who has been sent to you. It is not difficult for pastors to recognize the untrusting and suspicious nature of some church members. They believe in God alright but they do not believe in the pastor. They suspect him of stealing money. They accuse him of using their money to live luxuriously.
They constantly discuss the pastor behind his back. They do not see why the pastor should have certain privileges. Some people in the church have an unspoken standard of living, which they expect their pastor not to cross. Most people have a mental picture of how and where they expect their pastors to live. They reason, “After all we are sponsoring him.” They always remember the phrase, “as poor as a church mouse”. Anything related to the church must be poor or poverty-stricken; including the pastors.
Such negatively-minded people will not pay tithes. It is important to become a positive person who believes in good things. Optimism usually breeds success. Positive-minded people are achievers, and are often chosen over negative people in almost every sphere of life. A positively thinking person will pay his tithes knowing that he is using his money for a good cause. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he”
(Proverbs 23:7).