I've always had money issues. I mean, unless you're a celebrity, who ever has enough of it? Bills are always due. Living paycheck to paycheck has become the norm. Having a side hustle has become necessary to survive. But how much of our money issues do we put on ourselves? I believe in God and I believe in His word, but I'm not always a do-er or follower of His word. One of those things that has always been a struggle for me is tithing.  Growing up in church, they always recited the same scripture during offertory:

Malachi 3: 8-10 (King James Version)

 ⁸ Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. ⁹ Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. ¹⁰ Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and 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.

I can almost recite this in my sleep. Yet, I have not been a faithful tither in years. No seriously....five plus years. My rationale is that I don't see how giving tithe benefits anyone else but the pastor and/or conference. I understand that many believe that you will be blessed from giving the mandated 10%, but how proven is that? I have plenty of friends that have always been faithful and are still broke. And others, that do not tithe but receive all kinds of financial breakthroughs and blessings.

My questions about tithing are:

• Is the purpose of tithing still effective?
• How is it beneficial and to whom?
• Is it ok to only give offering?