Tithing: Would you like to have God's wallet?

I got to work today (incidentally I also got paid today so was thinking about money) and found in my inbox a mail on tithing. This doesn't happen every day (fortunately) so I open it and found a note from a collegue asking me to read it and give her my opinion. She said, it was really long and hadn't read the whole thing (it is really long and I've read the whole thing. If you want to read the whole thing - 13 pages - go here)

It got me thinking about tithing again (I've posted about it before here so won't rehash what I said there) and wondering how ministries and churches can be so manipulatory when it comes to giving. The last paragraph especially struck me:

"Let me make this simple. We are at the end times. God is getting ready for a massive revival. That's going to take big bucks. Who do think he wants to fund this revival through? What does that mean about your banking account? Would you like to have God's wallet? Then you have to have God's heart. The word "give" in one form or another is found over 1276 times in the bible. Any questions?

Rev. 3:15 "I know thy works."

I don't know about you but that last line sounds a bit like a threat to me, "Tithe or else...God is going to get you!" To be fair some of the article was covered in grace. They said if you can only afford to tithe 3.76 % (that's taken directly from the article in case you're wondering) God will still bless you (what a relief!)

I think the first thing that worried me about this way of thinking is that it once again puts us in a position where we have to do something to earn God's favour/blessing/love or whatever Christianese word you want to give it. Whatever happened to unmerited favour? Whatever happened to God loving/blessing/favouring us just because he thinks we're the coolest thing he ever created?

Secondly, when did we start thinking that God needs something from us to do anything? Let alone, God needing our "big bucks" to make a massive revival happen...how small have we made God that he needs a bit of paper with a man or animal or building printed on it to do something in the world? I somehow don't think God needs tiny-small-invisible-me to bankroll his revival.

Thirdly, I already have God's wallet (and he has mine!) Everything I have is from him, belongs to him and needs to be given back to him.

I'd love to hear your thoughts (because mine are still forming and a little raw) so please add to the conversation...

The image was used with permission from freedigitalphotos.net and was taken from graur codrin's portfolio which you can find at: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=982