Tithing, Almsdeeds and Finances

Just wanted to tell you how wonderfully blessed I am by all of your messages. The Lord led me to choose messages that would give me more of a foundation in your ministry. I have just listened to A Time for Resurrection, and The Harvest (again), and now Questions and Answers in Festac, Nigeria. It's so amazing to know that the Nigerian people have the same questions that I do! You speak all about the carnal mind and witchcraft, how people can use witchcraft on another by forcing them to do something contrary to their own will, even if it's a subtle suggestion. I am so happy to be finding out these "secret sins" that I never would have guessed were coming from me. I do these things all the time to my children, and probably to friends and my husband too. I recognize them now and confessed them to the Lord. It's such a relief to purge these sins that have burdened me for so long, sins that I never would have been aware of had I not listened to your tapes. All I can say is thank you so much for showing me the sins of my carnal mind, and I pray that each tape I listen to will reveal more and more and more until righteousness begins to reign in me.

Also, I have had revealed in me greed and materialism, which is another thing I don't think I would have guessed was at extreme proportions. As background, I came from a rather poor family, we had 4 children in the family and my parents never had enough money to buy us any luxuries, just the absolute bare essentials. When I got married and had my first child, I also didn't have much, but was content. When I got divorced 4 years later and another child later, I was almost destitute, living from paycheck to paycheck, fearing I'd be evicted from my apartment, have my car break down, etc. There was always fear, yet I never yearned or desired for bigger or better things. Now that I am married again, I have more or less taken advantage of that new found financial freedom, thinking nothing of spending the money on what I wanted to (not extravagantly, but spending freely). Anyway, much to my horror, I realize that I am overspending! I looked at the amount I have spent on books and things for myself, and I felt sick to my stomach. I have to confess this to my husband and also to God. I now know that I have fallen into a trap of the enemy and must now learn to stop being so compulsive. I have squandered away a lot of our savings on useless items, many times buying out of compulsiveness, not even using the things I had bought. I have rationalized the purchases to myself many times saying that I deserved it (what PRIDE)... Now I see just how black my sin really is. I don't think I could have had this revelation without your help, your dedication and commitment to helping people discover the sin in themselves. I appreciate you so much, because now I know that I can be an overcomer. I am really appalled at myself.

Pastor Vitale's response:

It is a good thing that you are so willing to confess your sins, but beware of self-condemnation. To that end, I share my own testimony with you:

In the early years of my life, before I came to the Lord, I pretty much had everything that I wanted, but my desires were carefully limited due to a very rigid financial upbringing. In those days, I had no problem restricting my desire for things that I thought I didn't need, but I always had what was most important to me, clothes, for example. I had no compassion whatsoever on "poor" people, who came into money and spend it on cars and other extravagances, instead of investing it. The key to what I'm trying to tell you, is that even though there were not many extravagances in my life, I still had everything that I wanted, and had never experienced "deprivation" or the emotional pain that deprivation causes.

I may have told you that I went through a period of poverty, when the Lord first called me to preach, and during this period of poverty, I experienced "want" for the first time. It was very painful, although I openly admit that it could have been much worse. I was never without food, shelter, or transportation. However, I did not have everything that I desired, not only financially, but emotionally and spiritually. This was a time of great loss of the things of this world for me. the Scripture calls it fasting.

Well, much to my surprise, when the Lord restored me in this area, and some extra personal funds were available to me, I found that a large measure of myself control in financial matters had gone up in smoke. I struggle with this, even to this day.

I now understand that what appears to be wisdom and self-control in many wealthy and middle-class people, is really a form of legalism which is empowered by their carnal mind, and that any "strength" that we have through our carnal mind, will be revealed as "weakness" when tested in Jesus' purifying fire.

So this strength that I had that enabled me to resist any expenditure that I thought I should resist, which was based upon a law that my parents instilled in me, was proven to be a lie, because any strength that exists only to its breaking point, is not a strength at all, but a borrowed ability to accomplish one's goals for a designated period of time.

So, I have found out that the exposure of the lie -- that I can be strong by the strength of the carnal mind -- is the first step towards building the only true strength available to mortal man, the strength that arises out of a righteous mind.

So I now see that the financial strength of my early years was coupled with a condemnation of those who did not have this strength, and a miserliness towards the needy, which I now recall the shame. But I also see that financial self-control and responsibility is now available to me through the strength of Christ Jesus, my new, inner man, along with compassion and understanding for those whose self-control is weak because of previous deprivation, and a willingness to give to every legitimate cause, as righteousness requires it.

So, by all means, continue to look at your sins, but look at them through the eyes of Christ Jesus, because looking at your sins with your carnal mind is just as much the sin of pride as spending money irresponsibly. Looking at sin through the eyes of Christ Jesus builds up the life of your New Man, and reforms your personality in the righteous image of Jesus Christ, who cannot sin, but the eyes of the carnal mind produce only more legalism, condemnation and death.

XXX continues:

You talk about the anointing being so thick in the meetings that your eyes close and you can feel the presence of the Lord. What does that feel like and when does the Lord reveal Himself to you this way? Many times I have asked the Lord for a confirmation of His presence and I have not gotten a response. Is it a warmth, or the feeling like a blanket is enfolding you, or is it more a feeling of peace, of calm or tiredness? Just curious. I don't think I have any envy about it, but I do wish to know why some people can actually feel the anointing and some can't.

Pastor Vitale's response:

You ask about the anointing that I talk about. It is produced through the union of Christ Jesus in me and the glorified Jesus Christ who is above. It is the Spirit of Christ, as opposed to the Holy Spirit. It is warmth, peace, calm and tiredness, as opposed to the excitement of the Holy Spirit. This is because the Holy Spirit ministers to the Old Man, who experiences EMOTIONAL joy, but the Spirit of Christ ministers to the New Man, who experiences the joy of EMOTIONAL STABILITY.

This is a great mystery. Many who are experiencing the emotional joy that the Holy Spirit gives -- which is a good thing -- misjudge those who have the emotional stability which is in Christ Jesus, as being unwilling to "praise the Lord." But this is an error, because the true "praise" is a mind that is in the image of Jesus Christ. And, although emotional experiences are acceptable to God for the season that the Church is still carnal, Christ Jesus does not engage in activities that stir up emotionalism. But, on the other hand, to deny oneself the emotional experiences which are available to the Church through the Holy spirit because of legalism, or a religious spirit, is the sin of pride, and is not profitable for spiritual growth.

God bless you.

Love, Pastor Sheila

Hello xxxx

I am writing in this email to try to explain what, you may have perceived to be, my strange response to your generous offer of financial assistance.

The head of an organization which is supported by donations is in an awkward position. His predicament arises out of the paradoxical conflict between the spiritual principal of "right order of authority" and his need of finances to run the organization.

The principle of "right order of authority" states, more or less, that every communication between the head of a ministry [the giver of benefits] and someone who is benefiting [the receiver benefits] from the ministry, must reflect this order.

In our materialistic society, where money is power, most people think that they can choose whether or not to support a ministry, or a particular aspect of a ministry. This line of thinking leads to an unconscious "reversal" in the relationship between the head of the ministry and the donor, who might at some point be tempted to exercise the power that such a donation would bring in the world. But even more important, the spiritual reality of such a situation is that a hidden spirit of pride in the donor, "attempts to reverse," or "does reverse" the Godly relationship between the giver and the receiver of ministry benefits. If successful, pride makes the donor the giver of benefits, and the head of the ministry, the receiver of benefits.

No ministry that is truly in Christ can survive such a reversal. Although it is a paradox to the world, the head of the ministry must take the position that the Lord Jesus Christ has moved upon the donor to support the ministry, and therefore the donation is not a gift, either to the ministry or to himself, but an act of generous obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ to support His work. Jesus said it this way:

Mark 7:11-13

11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.

12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

13 MAKING THE WORD OF GOD OF NONE EFFECT through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. (KJV)

"To make the word of God of no effect," means that the motive of an act, giving money for example, can either cause you to reap the positive benefits which come from obedience, or the judgment for pride, which is destruction.

In your case, I believe that your intention was to bless the ministry and to bless me, but I could not accept your offer because of the spiritual terms upon which you made it. I understand that you didn't know that you were doing anything wrong, and were probably hurt by my response, but the spiritual warfare that Satan wages from under the cover of our unconscious mind is very real.

Had I accepted your offer as a gift [and your words presented it as a personal gift - would you like some extra money], I would have compromised my spiritual headship in Christ. This means that to receive your gift, I would have had to abandon by spiritual position as the giver of the benefits which the Lord Jesus Christ supplies to you through me, and become the receiver of benefits from the carnal mind through you. Such an error on my part, would not only cause me to backslide, but would deprive everyone who receives wisdom from me through this ministry.

You have told me that you rarely hear from God. This may be true. I would be more inclined to believe, however, that he speaks to you often, but that you do not recognize His voice. For example, a desire to be generous could be Christ speaking to you.

The general rule is: the elder gives gifts to the younger out of the storehouse of Christ Jesus, and the younger honors the elder and the ministry that he runs, because it is the right, and a good, thing to do [obedience].

It is possible to be the elder in one relationship and the younger in another. You were the elder in the case of your recent gift to xxxxxx, for example. In the case of two disciples, that is, neither having authority over the other, the disciple through whom Christ Jesus gives the gift, has the authority over the other disciple in that transaction: you gave the gift [and are blessed for your generosity], and now there is a disciple in xxxx [and all of his friends] who have already blessed you, and will pray for you whenever you are in need, because Christ Jesus will lay you on their heart. Money can come from the giver of benefits or from the receiver of benefits, but authority and the spiritual "bestowing of gifts" is always in Christ Jesus. This means that spiritual authority is not necessarily in the one who actually hands over the cash, which is a radical concept to the world.

Jesus put it this way:

Matt 6:3-4

3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

The left-hand is your carnal mind and the right hand is your Christ mind. You tried to do a good deed, and it may very well have been Christ motivating you, but your carnal mind rose up and stole the glory by causing you to present your offer as a gift. This is a perfect example of how understanding defeats Satan. When you internalize the spiritual principles that I have laid out in this email, you are not likely to make the same mistake again.

4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. (KJV)

This verse does not mean that you shouldn't put your name on your check. It means that all of your donations, prayers and helps, etc. as well as money, should be done humbly, as a sacrificial act of love, unspotted by the pride of your carnal mind.

Ideally, donations should be sent directly to the ministry, with no personal reference to the minister, or his "wanting or needing them." In this way, your reward comes from your Father in heaven, and not the mortal minister -- a much better deal according to the way I see it.

God bless you,

Love, Pastor Sheila

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UPDATE TO MESSAGE # 012
WITCHCRAFT, TITHING & OTHER TIDBITS

Pastor Vitale's Testimony

Fifteen years ago when I preached this message, I was caught up in the false teaching that the Church was to pay alms deeds rather than tithes. The Lord subsequently taught me that the ability to pay alms deeds is an aspect of the nature of Christ Jesus, which must be developed in the individual. Shortly after I switched from tithing to paying alms deeds I found myself praying over every paycheck to ask the Lord how much money I should give to the Church. I became very frustrated early on because the Lord was not answering me, and I simply didn't know what to do. Finally, one day, as I prayed in desperation, the Lord spoke to me, saying, "10% sounds pretty good to me." I was completely confused at this response, so I began to seek the Lord about the difference between alms deeds and tithes.

I found out that alms deeds is a level of spiritual maturity which causes one to respond to financial issues in the same way that Christ Jesus would respond. I found out that anyone who is truly ascended into the spiritual level of alms deeds gives much more than 10% of their gross income, because alms deeds is an attitude of the heart. It is the response of Christ within us to any call for help, which very few in the Church attain to. The truth is that most people in the Church who give beyond a straight 10% of the gross of their income do so out of the spirit of pride, while alms deeds is a distinct move of the Spirit of Christ from within the individual.

I had been tithing 10% of my gross income for many years, when I realized that, despite my sincerity and hard work my income was wholly inadequate to support a middle-class lifestyle, so I went before the Lord with a great complaint.

I cried before him with bitter tears, and one day, despite my very small income, there appeared in my heart a desire to feed the hungry. At first I thought I would donate some canned goods to a Thanksgiving Day collection, but I soon recognized that the Lord had other ideas and was challenging me to donate some of my small income to feed others who were less fortunate than I.

The Lord then led me to a local ministry that goes out into the streets to feed the poor. At first I gave them a single donation, then I committed to a monthly donation, and after that, much to my surprise, I found the desire in my heart to give to another ministry, and then another ministry.

I was very concerned about what was happening to me, because I did not want to be financially irresponsible. So, I prayed and I prayed, until the Lord spoke to me saying, "Sheila, don't be afraid to do what is in your heart." Then I made a fleece with the Lord, saying, Lord, I will give all that it is in my heart to give, but the first month that I cannot pay my bills, I will withdraw from all of these commitments.

Well, that was about two years ago. (Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you that the Ministry was barely paying its bills, and it was not unusual for us to be in the red at the end of the month, even though the Ministry was tithing 10% of its gross income also.)

Well, last year the Ministry gave away 15% of its gross income, and the Ministry income is greater today than it has been at anytime in the past 15 years. I have not calculated what percentage of my personal income I gave away last year, but it was well beyond 10%, and my income today is greater than it has been at anytime since I gave up my secular job. Glory to God!

I thank you Lord for everything you have taught me, and for the opportunity to pass this knowledge onto others.

E-Mail Concerning Tithing And
Pastor Vitale's Response:

QUESTION: I have read the subject matter concerning, "Gifts, Tithes, Alms deeds, etc," from the Question & Answer section of your web page. I have also listened to Message #12, Witchcraft, Tithing & Other Tidbits and I am confused.

PASTOR VITALE: I am sorry for the confusion that this message may have caused you. I preached it 10 years ago, at a time when I was offended by the pressure that was being put on the Church to give money. At that time, many Kingdom preachers were preaching that the tithe is under the Old Covenant, and many preachers still preach that message today.

It is true that the tithe is under the Old Covenant, but it is also true that this is only half a message. The whole message is that either you give because the Law demands it (tithe), or you give because your conscience demands it (alms deeds). The fact that there are many unscrupulous preachers in the Church today using mind control to get money from God's people, does not change the Law of Sowing & Reaping.

I was shocked to find out that the majority of the people who heard this half message (that you only have to tithe if you are under the Old Covenant) were keeping all of their money for themselves, and that many were going into destruction. It was after this that the Lord revealed the Gospel of Giving to me, which I have been preaching now for many years. I will post this email as an addition to the transcript of message #12.

QUESTION: Are you saying it is okay to tithe because we are still under the Old Covenant?

PASTOR VITALE: Yes. As I told you in the interpretation of your dream (Ascension & Finances), the New Covenant is a face-to-face relationship with Jesus Christ. The problem that most Christians have today is that they do not understand that we can have a face-to-face relationship with Jesus Christ in some areas of our life, but not in others. We are under the Old Covenant In the areas of our life where the Lord speaks to us through a mediator, a teacher for example, and we should tithe to the priest (the teacher/pastor) who covers our sins by instructing us in righteousness..

QUESTION: And that when we are led by the Spirit of Christ, we are giving alms which is above the tithe amount?

PASTOR VITALE: When we are led by the Spirit, it is very likely that the Lord will lead us to give more than 10%, but the bottom line is that we do what He, our renewed conscience, tells us to do. Those of us who have experienced giving alms deeds as a result of a face-to face relationship with Jesus Christ, have found out that, in this area, He always asks us to give more than we think we can afford.

There is a great misunderstanding in the Church in this area. The truth is that, according to the Spiritual Law of God, the way we increase our finances is to give away a portion of what little we have, in the form of tithes and free-will offerings. But, this makes no sense to the carnal mind, wherefore, the people who are usually in the most need of financial assistance, follow their carnal mind, rather than Christ, and give away very little, or nothing.

The tithe is not a penalty. It is a carnal law which, when followed, defends us against the destruction of the Sowing & Reaping Judgment (which is enforced by Satan), until Christ Jesus matures our conscience in the area of finances (because it is not right to drink at someone's well and take no responsibility for replenishing that well).

Psalm 37:21. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth. (KJV)

The above Scripture verse does not mean that we are wicked. It means that this is the way the wicked carnal mind thinks, but the Mind of Christ does His part to replenish the well that dispenses the mercy of God.

If we are not under the spiritual law of Christ (New Covenant), whether we know it or not, we are under the Law of Sowing & Reaping (Old Covenant), which is mediated by Satan. Under this Law of Sowing & Reaping, we receive back what ever we put in. If we give nothing, our source of income and blessings begin to dry up. Experiencing loss helps us to learn that we do not have gainful employment, health, etc., because of your own righteousness, talents, skills, or hard work, but that promotion comes from the Lord.

Psalm 75:4-7

4. I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:

5. Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.

6. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.

7. But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another. (KJV)

This truth sounds unfair to some who may think, "I know many who do not tithe, and they are prospering." Wherefore, it is a great mystery that judgment falls swiftly upon those whose heart is turned towards the Lord, but may take two or three generations to fall upon those whose heart is turned away from Him.

QUESTION: On the tape, you say that Malachi was not talking about tithes, and Jesus did not instruct us to tithe. Could you clear this up for me?

PASTOR VITALE: It is true that Malachi was not talking about tithes in that Scripture. Actually, he was indicting the pastors for not bringing forth the life of God in the people. There is no New Testament Scripture that tells us to tithe. Yet, pastors and ministers need money to run their churches and ministries, so, unfortunately, many ministers use that Scripture to pressure people into tithing. But pressure and the misuse of Scripture is witchcraft. The only legitimate way to solicit money from God's people is to educate them by instructing them in righteousness. If they do not respond to our instruction, it is up to the Lord to deal with them. As far as the pastor or minister is concerned, all he can do is ask the Lord to supply his needs and speak to the people. If the Lord does not supply his needs through the people, or otherwise, the pastor or minister should get a job.

QUESTION: Correct me if I am wrong. As long as we have a dual nature (the carnal mind and the mind of Christ), we are to tithe. However, when we are functioning with the Mind of Christ, and are led by Christ Jesus to give, then it is alms when we give.

PASTOR VITALE: Yes.

QUESTION: Is the Church in error to teach that to give tithes means you should expect something, in return?

PASTOR VITALE: The answer is yes to the way thithing is being taught today. I remember once when I was a young Christian, and very short of money, I attended a Church revival where a well-known international evangelist was preaching. To make the story short, he preached that if you put in $10, you could expect $20 in return. Well, I put my last $10 into the offering, but no money came to me the next day or the second day, and I had no money left for food for the rest of the week. This is irresponsible preaching.

As I told you above, tithing comes under the Law of Sowing & Reaping. This means that you tithe out of obedience (sowing), and the Lord provides your needs (reaping). That is, a job, transportation, food, home, health, etc. The carnal mind leads us astray when she tells us that we have the necessities of life (job, etc.) because of our own abilities, because this is not true. Everything that we have -- breath in our lungs, a healthy newborn child, skills that qualify us for a good job, legs that work - are all gifts from God.

According to this formula, there are many in the Church today who should not be prospering, but God has mercy on the unjust as well as the just, and upon the ignorant. Mortal man is a spiritual criminal because of his carnal mind (1 Timothy 1:9). God has mercy on the ignorant, but is angry at the powers and principalities that live through our carnal mind all the day long.

Psalm 7:11. God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. (KJV)

He delivers the righteous [we are the righteous because of Jesus Christ] from the influence of the wicked [carnal mind] by instructing (judgeth) us [out of the Christ mind, either in us or in a teacher/pastor].

QUESTION: So we all are to tithe?

PASTOR VITALE: If the desire to give is not strong enough in us to cause us to give at least 10% of our gross income, we should put ourselves under the Law of Tithing for our own safety, and for the preservation of our family, until our conscience matures in the area of finances.

QUESTION: What is the purpose of the tithes?

PASTOR VITALE: I think I answered this question above.

QUESTION: Does it matter where we give our tithes?

PASTOR VITALE: Yes, you should give to the ministry that is supplying your spiritual food, and satisfying your spiritual needs.

QUESTION: Some of my other questions have been answered from reading the materials. Do you have any other information concerning this subject?

PASTOR VITALE: I think I have covered it all between this and my other emails. God Bless you.

Sincerely in Christ,
Sheila R. Vitale,
Pastor, Teacher & Founder
Living Epistles Ministries