Tithing and Savings

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Mythran

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I have a problem with tithing and savings...I never do either!

I was thinking about it more recently about tithing and always believed that 10% was not only too much but also never "saw" that it said 10% in the Bible..anywhere....

Well, recently I found it in the Bible (I believe in Malachai) and since have been pondering a loooooot. I asked my grandmother what she thinks about me giving roughly $400.00 a month to the church...and she flipped a lid. She started going off on me about giving to the church. She said that if I have $200 a month to give to the church, then I should start paying her for all the help she has given me over the years (putting me through college by paying rent and bills).

Now, mind you, I do not have $400 extra a month to give to church or savings. Me and my wife, Celsa, are barely making it by without dropping too much into the red each month. With a mortgage (not my own) payment in place of rent, all the bills, car payment, insurance payments, retirement, and food, we just don't have any extra money to give out.

I have been convicted, or at least feel that I have been, to give the money to the church and to place some $$$ away into savings. The more I think about it, the more it hurts not to. The more I don't think about it, the more I keep coming back to think about it more....<did I just say that?>

So, what would YOU do if YOU were ME? (always better for me to give advice when it is NOT me who is the recipient of the advice).

Thank you,
Kip Potter
Programmer Analyst
County of Merced
 
You should tithe if you do not that is between you and GOD but here is your answer


Deuteronomy 15:10 Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

Tithes

Dt 14:22 Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year.
23 Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always.
24 But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the LORD will choose to put his Name is so far away),
25 then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose.
26 Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice.
27 And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.
Dt 14:28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns,
29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.



2Co 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
 
Ummm... I should have added that on my last post....
Here is what our Pastor said when he preached about tithing. If you not a tither start out slow give maybe 2% trust me it will make you feel good and the rewards that you will receive is amazing. The next year add more or even say in six month. God will Bless you if you do.

RED
 
Myth,

Tithing is faith in God, Where your money is where your heart is. I have tithed and on the very few times I did not I have been convicted. I would urge you to tithe.
Here is a page I think will help.

Tithing

I believing in tithing it forces you to trust God and see how you have cared for HIS resources. I had to go thru a very pain reevaluation recently because before I was a Christian I was in the red. As my son got in trouble and my family situation changed and I stopped traveling for a living I took a 20k hit this last year which took my financial situation totally red.

But I have done my best to tithe, and look at what I was doing wrong financially. To tithe is to say I did this with you Lord and my home church deserves this because you called me to tithe. Its obedience and trust in God.

You may have to go without, you may pray to God with tears in your eyes because you do not know where that final hundred dollars will come from. You may find yourself the product of a financial miracle due to your faith in the Lord.

I would push you to tithe.
Matthew 22:21-22 21“Caesar's,” they replied. Then he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's.” 22When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.
I think that sums it up, we are commanded to tithe; The web is full of illustrations. Reaper lots and you will sow lots.

Tithe, it will bring you closer to God, it will shift you and bring you to the threshing floor. You’ll come out of it purer and a better Christian because of it.
 
Myth and Ansley,

Since everyone here knows that I do not have a Christian husband, I will tell you what I do do. I am unable to use his income as a referrence just my own. I feel very strongly about this as my husband feels it is like yet another tax. Over the past few years I have slowly increased what I do give. With my own personal moneys, I probably give between 5 and 6 % of my total income closer to 9% of my take home income. I also give at least 10% of my total bonus that I get each year. I give the money freely without even thinking about it. I also give of my personal time and talents. I've done this more then any of my money. From singing, to VBS, to helping with the gargage sale, etc. Do everything with a joyful heart and pray strongly over this. Also this is a commitment between you both and God not the rest of your family. Do as you are led to do, it is none of their business. If your grandmother gave you money as a loan then try to repay her, but if it was a gift that shes just fussing now about for no reason that imo is just petty. Just how I feel about everything. Blessings,"Angel"
 
Tithing, Again

Here is what I believe about tithing, please correct me if I'm wrong:

1.) Tithe means "Tenth" or something like that?
2.) Tithing means giving of your personal income. Let's say I do not belong to "a church". What qualifies as a church? Then again, if I was going to answer the previous questions myself, I'd tell myself...Tithing doesn't mean "giving to a church", but moreso, giving unto others a tenth of the income you have received. So, giving a tenth to some organization (such as ToJ) would be considered tithing as well?
3.) When tithing from personal income, you are "supposed" to tithe 10% of your GROSS amount, not the NET. This is because the GROSS is what you earned. You still earn the money that is taxed, even if you never get it in your hands to spend it.

I partially understand the "Give to Caesar's what is Caesar's..." passage. I understand that we are to give ourselves to God. On the front of our Quarter (and any other U.S. currency) is an image of a dead leader (or someone else dead). According to the above passage, we are to give the money back to the State. Now, if you flip the coin/bill, you'll see "In God We Trust". Now, can you imagine me cutting the coin/bill in half, horizontally to give to whom it should go to? How about those coins/bills that have "In God We Trust" above or beneath the image on the same side?? Anywho, just a catch-22 I was thinking about.


:) Thanks so far for the help! ;)
 
Sorry, that was just one of my stupid off the wall comments and not really related to anything. I apologize to everyone :), please forgive me.
 
Yes I think you got the jest of tithing. But I would suggest, that if you belong to a church, thats where your tithe belongs. I could not explain in any justice why, but I am sure Pastor Whirl or Itchus could explain why much better
 
Yeah, but of course, I post something while Icthus isn't here :(

Hope he is doin' well on his trip...

Mythran
 
I don't have anything to add with the good counsel here. I would just like to share that very honest, loving, and well meaning friends and family will try and discourage you from tithing if they know your financial situation seemingly cannot bear it. It really doesn't make a bit of sense in the world to give when you are in need. Nevertheless, I promise you, if you will strive to tithe, you will be amazed. He truly will give back as He promises and you will find He does this in variety of exciting ways.

God encourages us to prove Him here...I take it as sort of an, 'I double dog dare you to trust Me on this one!' He really will give sweet surprises!

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. Malachi 3:10

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:38


Mark 12:41-44
Luke 21:1-4
 
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