Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Talk About Tithing

Hey bloggers,

Hope you had a great Labor Day, and thanks for all the cool comments from Sunday. I hope to hear from more of you about it, especially because so many of our people were out of town for the holiday weekend, and because it was such an important day for the future of CITN. Here's a partial repost of something I ran in the early days of this blog that I think is pertinent to where we are right now...

As I have already alluded to on this blog, when you visit the websites of some of the experts on ultimate reconciliation or “Christian Universalism”, you’ll see that they nearly all have articles posted about how tithing is not required of New Testament Christians. Now, I not only agree with most of all they say on the subject, I have said the same things at CITN…and yet I, personally, am a tither, and always will be. I started tithing on my first little paycheck when I was fifteen, and I believe that that is the reason that I am prosperous today. I don’t believe that I would be under a curse if I didn’t (and I don’t tell anyone else that they are cursed if they don’t), but I do believe that I am blessed because I do.

I don’t beat people up with Malachi 3:8-12 any more, and I don’t accuse non-tithers of being “God-robbers”. I understand why these webmasters/ministers that I have mentioned want to liberate people from the letter that kills. But I want people to give to the church because they love God and want to worship him completely, because they understand the concept of sowing seed for their futures, and because they believe in the vision of the CITN community and want to be investors in it.

I refuse to argue about what the Scriptures say or don’t say about prosperity through tithing, because I think it’s a bigger concept and idea than what the Bible says about it. Please listen carefully, and understand this with your heart…I love and follow Jesus, but “Christ” is a bigger concept and idea than “Jesus”. I worship and honor God, but the “I AM” is a bigger concept and idea than “God”. I trust and believe the Bible, but “truth” is a bigger concept and idea than “the Bible”. I trust that my readers can grasp what I mean by that.

When you google “tithing”, you find access to hundreds and hundreds of articles, both pro and con, on the subject. There are all the old school preacher sites telling you that you are under a curse if you rob God, and there are just as many sites supposedly “exposing” those preachers for taking the Scriptures out of context and manipulating people with them for their own selfish agendas.

But what I see and say is that when Abram/Abraham initiated the whole thing by tithing to Melchizedek in Genesis 14, he was not instructed by God to do it, and he never made it a rule for anyone else to follow. Abraham, the visionary “star-counter” somehow tapped into a law of the universe that we now call tithing, 450 years before the law, because what he did that day transcended law...it was a spiritual revelation! If you study it out, you’ll see that there were people like him in every ancient culture who practiced tithing, and got results from it, and they knew nothing of the Hebrew Scriptures.

In their best-selling book, The One Minute Millionaire, Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen discuss proven techniques and provide useful tools, which they refer to as “Ahas”, for becoming an Enlightened Millionaire (TM). One of these “Ahas” is about tithing, or “sharing the wealth” in layman terms. They define the act of tithing as when a monetary donation (typically a tenth of one’s income or tithe) is made to a charity and/or church. Enlightened Millionaires follow two rules of thought regarding tithing. First, that abundance comes from making others better off. Second, the primary reason for obtaining wealth is to be able to give more of it away. In fact, Enlightened Millionaires DO commit to tithe the first 10% of their income.

Here are some quotes from Hansen and some other success-oriented authors who are not coming from a solely biblical paradigm...



“Every individual’s purpose in tithing is to open up his/her awareness of universal laws. Tithing opens you, to you. You are an unlimited individual, deprived of a fuller, richer life partly because of lack of the tithing experience and expression in life.”


"Why is tithing something that so many already successful people believe in? It could be because they recognize the cycle of the universe that says that in order to make room for more, we have to let go of some of what we have. It’s a classic Win/Win for everyone involved. Many children practice this, and here's an example. Let’s say Sue and Jane are playing. They both come inside for a drink. Jane runs outside, trips and spills her fruit punch. Sue takes the remainder of her punch and pours it into her friends' cup. Her mom sees this act of kindness and brings her a full glass of punch. Sue has just been rewarded for her selflessness and in fact received more than she gave. Tithing is based on the same principle, substituting money for fruit punch, of course!"

“As a tither you automatically become solution-oriented rather than problem-oriented.”

- Mark Victor Hansen






“If you as parents cut corners, your children will too. If you lie, they will too. If you spend all your money on yourselves and tithe no portion of it for charities, colleges, churches, synagogues, and civic causes, your children won't either. And if parents snicker at racial and gender jokes, another generation will pass on the poison adults still have not had the courage to snuff out.”

- Marian Wright Edelman, American Children’s Rights Activist






“I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithed my first salary, which was $1.50 per week.”

- John D. Rockefeller, Sr. (1839-1937), American industrialist and philanthropist





“You hear a lot of strange things about tithing. Some say it is a church tax, and they expect me to pay it and that is the end of it. Others say that when I give God one-tenth of my income, He blesses the nine-tenths that is left to the extent that the nine-tenths now goes as far as the whole thing used to go. This isn’t really true, is it? Suppose a farmer had 100 bushels of corn in the barn and he decides to plant 10 bushel in the ground. What multiplies? Is it the 90 bushels that he has left in the barn? Oh, no. All of us ‘farmers’ know it is the 10 bushels you put in the ground that multiplies. Similarly, it is the 10 percent you give to God that multiplies.”

- Stanley Tam (1915-), American businessman and philanthropist and author





"Over the years I have found that many of the richest people in the world began their lives with the habit of tithing."

- Robert Kiyosaki, motivational speaker, author Rich Dad, Poor Dad





"I absolutely believe in the power of tithing and giving back. My own experience about all the blessings I've had in my life is that the more I give away, the more that comes back. That is the way life works, and that is the way energy works."

- Ken Blanchard, author The One-Minute Manager





"I have observed 100,000 families over my years of investment counseling. I always saw greater prosperity and happiness among those families who tithed than among those who didn't."

- Sir John Templeton, Chairman of Templeton Funds


__________________


That's what I posted before, and I stand by all of it...but I also want to reiterate something I said Sunday, and this only comes by revelation, and it transcends theology... THE TITHE IS HOLY.

Selah.

35 comments:

Unknown said...

I decided to check out today's AYITN while waiting for the post. "Treasure Hunt". Hmmmm.

So I think I will take notes from the quotes (make a "map") and cogitate some more on Holy tithe.

#6 Enjoy the adventure of hunting for buried treasure. It just seems like there's something more here. What is it, Lord?

["I'm Blessed" by the pics, Bishop!--smile]

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Glad to see you returning to regular blogging...not the same here without you...and I just read what you wrote under 8/31...confirmation to what I was posting at the same time...cool!

Anonymous said...

The tithe being holy, changes everything.

Holy is like being pulled,

Cursed is like being pushed.

Holy, is like cause you want to,

Cursed, is like you have to.

Holy is like coasting down hill.

Cursed is like climbing up hill.

Holy rocks.

NTL

Son of Zadok said...

I graduated last week from school and am getting back to work now. My tithe will be soon coming. I am going to give half to my local church, Paradox, and half to CITN; so much also my church, which from I value much, and have such fellowship and synchronicity with after the Spirit.

I’d like to give one last reminder to you Tivo’ers or early risers regarding the Katherine Kuhlman, I Believe In Miracles broadcast, which airs Wednesday mornings at 5:30 a.m. on TBN. I believe that level of anointing is relevant regarding this ministry.

"Try to understand this point. Rational creatures such as men and angels possess two principal faculties, a knowing power and a loving power. No one can fully comprehend the uncreated God with his knowledge, but each one, in a different way, can grasp Him fully through love. Truly this is the unending miracle of love; that one loving person, through his love, can embrace God, whose being fills and transcends the entire creation. And this marvelous work of love goes on forever, for he whom we love is eternal. Whoever has the grace to appreciate the truth of what I am saying, let him take my words to heart, for to experience the joy of this love is eternal life while to lose it is eternal torment."

I've lived in both. Have you the same?

I say this with the best of humility that I am able. This is a truly special group of saints God has placed here. Were it not for the deep things of God manifest here, I would not lay these pearls, this burden out before you. However, I feel led to spend my time here the next few weeks sharing a work with you that I believe somehow falls into unison with the leading of the Spirit for this church and some in this body, each to their own degree. Whether ITB or in Cyber-CITN. What I want to share with you is simply the introductory chapter of a 14th century work by an unknown Christian "mystic". I realize a word like that can illicit false ideas of its meaning. However, if it is revelation we seek, we would be wise to rediscover our roots. I would surely classify Paul as a mystic. Even so, as much as the true gospel would even be considered mystical by the standards of today's religious doctrines and dogmas. So please indulge me a daily section, the introduction to this book, or maybe better described an invitation to this work, for a short season. And if you so feel led, I would direct you to a copy of the work itself.

Introduction:

Recently times have witnesses a revival of interest in Western mysticism. It is as though the West, long exposed to Zen and Yoga and the spiritual systems if the East, now searches for its own tradition and its own spiritual heritage. Strangely enough, the interest in mysticism is not just academic. It is also practical. Many people are anxious to read the mystics in order to practice the doctrine they teach and to experience the states of consciousness they depict. In short, interest in Christian mysticism is part of a widespread craving for meditation, for contemplation, for depth – a desire to get beyond the changing phenomena and the future shock and the global village into a deeper reality that lies at the center of things. Mysticism is no longer irrelevant; it is in the air we breathe.

verword: hazle

Is that the color of an iris or the cloud/haze of unknowing God is bringing His bride through to this glorious love?

An evil and adulterous generation craves a sign, let us seek after God. Let us seek after love.

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

NTL, I'm about to crash, but I just read what you wrote (I think you sleep less than I do, if that's possible)...anyway, that's good stuff (as was what you wrote about Sunday)...I may quote you on that...

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Thanks, SOZ...we apparently posted at the exact same time...congratulations on your graduation...

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

One more thing...I was looking for a Suze Orman quote on tithing to go with the other secular quotes because I know she is an advocate of it, but all I could find was this off of someone else's blogsite...


"Suze Orman and Tithing"

As usual, I spent part of yesterday evening with Suze Orman. (The Suze Orman Show is on at 9 p.m. on CNBC.) She offers a lot of sound financial advice, and I've picked up some helpful tips over the past year. My favorite segment of the show is "Can I Afford It?" in which callers request Suze's "approval" to make purchases. Last night, a woman caller wanted to support her and her husband's churches by giving $3,000 to each of their capital campaigns. She said they were each currently giving $21 a week, yet their combined take home pay was more than $7,000. Suze urged her to donate the money, and pointed out that a true tithe was a much higher percentage. Good girl, Suze.
A tithe is one-tenth of your income, so that couple should've been giving at least $700 a month to their churches. And if they were to tithe their gross pay, it would be more than that. Our pastor has pointed out that we should also tithe our time. It's fairly easy to remember to tithe our income, but time is hard to come by sometimes. So, I need to make it a point to give much more of my time to God by praying, serving, and reading the Bible more. Great idea!

Anonymous said...

A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD. (Lev 27:30)

Son of Zadok said...

Sun Makes History: First Spotless Month in a Century...

DailyTech.Net

The sun has reached a milestone not seen for nearly 100 years: an entire month has passed without a single visible sunspot being noted.

The event is significant as many climatologists now believe solar magnetic activity – which determines the number of sunspots -- is an influencing factor for climate on earth.

According to data from Mount Wilson Observatory, UCLA, more than an entire month has passed without a spot. The last time such an event occurred was June of 1913. Sunspot data has been collected since 1749.

When the sun is active, it's not uncommon to see sunspot numbers of 100 or more in a single month. Every 11 years, activity slows, and numbers briefly drop to near-zero. Normally sunspots return very quickly, as a new cycle begins.

But this year -- which corresponds to the start of Solar Cycle 24 -- has been extraordinarily long and quiet, with the first seven months averaging a sunspot number of only 3. August followed with none at all. The astonishing rapid drop of the past year has defied predictions, and caught nearly all astronomers by surprise.

In the past 1000 years, three previous such events -- the Dalton, Maunder, and Spörer Minimums, have all led to rapid cooling. One was large enough to be called a "mini ice age"

tracy said...

I too feel the tithe is holy and do not know where we would be right now if it weren't for the tithe. We have been walking out some pretty tough stuff in our business and then with David being ill. I know without a shadow of a doubt- had we not tithed we would be homeless right now. We have ran a very profitable building business for years now and due to the "economic slowdown" and of course some personal mistakes-there have been weeks lately that we did not know how we would feed our kids. EVERY single week God comes through whether it be a gift card at our doorstep or a check in the mail or even just an encouraging word. Nobody has known the depth of what we were going through in our finances, yet God put it in the hearts of the people we are in covenant with to sew into us. That has to be holy, that has to be a benefit of the tithe. I am not telling this now for any other reason except to let God shine through it, Lord knows I don't like anybody knowing my business unless there is a positive spin on it. And in this, I know our situation will turn around, I don't know when and I don't know how-I just know. As I have said here before-we have always tithed above the 10th for the simple reason we have always walked outside the box and we want to see God manifest Himself in a big way. When we make more we can give more, and we live to give. Not FOR the blessing- but to BE a blessing. So do I say we would be "cursed" if we do not tithe, no- I can't say that, but I can say that if you don't pay your light bill- it's gonna get pretty dark. It may appear to everyone on the outside that it's pretty dark for us right now- but I can tell you this God is still shining on the inside and we are going to be just fine-better than fine, and so is CITN.

tracy said...

SOZ just read your post and found it very interesting that you mentioned the last time this occurred(the no sun spots) was 1913. I just read in Newsweek that the last time the economist saw the economy like this was in 1913. Sounds like a cooling trend is coming....

Anonymous said...

tracey and soz,

cooling trend, winter, Christmas

cooling trend, winter, snow, Christmas

cooling trend, winter, snow, white, Christmas

OMG, ya'll have got me dreamin' of a WHITE CHRISTMAS - THANK YOU!!!

WHOOO HOOO

Tracey, we all would love to hear Baileys reaction if that were to happen.

NTL

Anonymous said...

tracey,

and yes this will be the best Christmas,

and yes it's going to turn around,

and yes you and David are made of the good stuff,

and yes all of your seed will see a harvest,

and yes CITN is making it,

and yes, yes, yes and amen.

NTL

and yes I hope we have a blizzard.

Sweepea said...

Avatar, I am constantly amazed at how the daily reading for AYITN so often mirrors what's going on in the life of CITN and in my life. What a sign of the work of the Spirit, huh? How mightily Bishop was used to create this living document.

Tithing has never been an option in our household, through ups and downs, separations, reunions, income losses, you name it. I can attest to the miraculous nature of the covenant it creates, because year after year we have achieved more than we can ask or think with our incomes. I pray more people get with it so this body can achieve all that God has for us to do. I can't imagine how frustrating it must be for you Bishop; I want to grab and shake those non-tithers who have the audacity to come week after week and not contribute. Can I slap them (in love), please, please?? OK, guess not - but I can pray they get with the program, that Sunday's experience at last got through to them. Come on people, time's a wastin', there's too much to do. Ante up!

tracy said...

I know I seem to have alot to say today, but I really feel led to post this. I have heard people refer to mine and David's TEMPORARY situation and other businesses we know, as a bucket with holes in it. Meaning to them that they did not think it was a good place to put their money, financing , backing...whatever. I just want to say that if that is the mindset of anybody when it comes to CITN and the TEMPORARY situation, you definately are not seeing correctly. That would mean that Street Jam and P Scott & Lindsey are a bucket with holes, Jane and John Conyers, Robyn Darby, Pastors Jim and Robin, Bishop & Pastor Debye, P Joshua and Kasey, Kidzone, The Fall Fest, Everybody else employed there and everybody we support-Safehouse, Joshua Foster, Pastor Tommy and his beautiful family----all buckets with holes. I don't think this is the case so don't let what is temporaty cause your perception to be impaired. Don't call us a bucket with holes unless you are using it in the terms of holding it over a garden to water it.

Anonymous said...

Bishop, your word today is not just vital to the church but delivers liberty for the abundant life that is a gift from God through Christ.

I have also been a tither from childhood as taught by my parents and encouraged by the teachers and preachers that I subjected myself to. There were times that it was just a matter of following tradition and those times were perceptually tough. The best times however, have been when it was a matter of obedience to what the truth in my heart called for and those times are always cheerful.

This is not easily explained and would be wordy to say the least if attempted but our giving this year so far has exceeded our income. Some may ask how this is possible but we know that with God all things are possible and that we can do all things as we are strengthened by Christ.

I know people that have lived with near minimum wage salaries, that have not been raised for the last nine years, who give beyond a tithe regardless of the circumstances around them and their lives like ours is mystical in abundance.

There is not a concept that shows more tangible evidence of God's goodness than obedient giving and recieving. This law of reciprocity is undeniable in the lives of those who practice it. Even if the Bible were to be totally debunked tomorrow, I would still be obedient to the truth in my heart and would still reap the same if not better reward as those who hold to the Bible's principles as the law for life.

CITN will not just survive but will flourish and not only because of the giving of its members to support this ministry but even more because of the giving according to obedience to the truth in their hearts.

God must be worshiped in truth and spirit and God prefers obedience to sacrifice. Sacrifice is often the response to the ideals of man but obedience is all God and all good.

JB

Anonymous said...

On the Tithe
If you don't tithe to the Lord you will tithe to something else
When you go out to eat you give a tip/ tithe and it's usually 15%
The Lord only ask 10%
With the tip it ends there
With the tithe blessings follow
When you go out on the town you may come in contact with a valet
You give a tip/tithe and it's usually 15% or above
The Lord only ask for 10%
With the tip it ends there
With the tithe blessings follow
If you stop to think about it what is 10%
It's not much to give to the One who gave & gives it all for you.

Anonymous said...

Praise to the lord for his love and Faithfulness

It’s good to give thanks to the LORD,And to sing praises to Your Name, O Most High;

3- O LORD, how great are your works!
Your thoughts are very deep.
A senseless man does not know,
Nor does a fool UNDERSTAND THIS.
Psalm 92:1, 3

I wanted it to quote Malachi 3:6-10 so bad. But when I go back to the
The beginning of chapter one, I have receive a new revelation of Malachi! God said: the OFFERINGS WERE POLLUTED. (Ma.6:14)
God does no want us to complain when we are giving to Him. Before
Some we give to the Lord,we complained so much about,How we don’t even have enough to pay the lights bill, the gas, the car payment, to put gas on the car, the insurance etc. Before we take out your tithes and offerings we complaint that way. And we say to ourselve maybe instead of the $200.00 we can give 150.00, 150.00
Goes down to125, 125 to 100.00! If we were God will we accept
This polluted offerings.To give to Me, GOD; out of duty, not out of
Love!

I give not because I am in fear. 1- I give, out of REVERENCE TO MY FATHER WORK TO BE DONE! 2- I give because it gives me a sense of BELONGING. To something REAL, and IMPORTANT! 3- Because I love my HOUSE, and I love what my SPIRITUAL PARENTS are doing to make me feel good,so that when one
of my friend's(firsttime visitors) comes to visit. 4- I give, because
When ABRAHAM had made his offering sacrifice to the LORD by offering
his son (ISAACK) somehow he knew if he killed his son the MIGHTY GOD
will revived him (his son) back to him. So, when I give, I know without A shadow of a doubt my GOD MY FATHER WILL RETURN BACK TO ME A
HUNDRED FOLDS! If not more!

You probably think that was on Abraham time & Old Testament times oh no: Jesus gives us many examples of giving: on the book of Luke He gives the Parable of the Sower,The Parable of the Growing Seed; the Parable of the Mustard Seed!These Parables did not only represent the Word of God. They also Represent our Trust to GIVE and to KNOW as we TRUST GOD to GIVE like Our forefather Abraham did, our God our Father is much More than ENOUGH to give us more!

WE proclaimed how we love CHURCH IN THE NOW and how we love our
BISHOP and P.DEBYE! I believe we do, now let’s stop saying it with
Our mouth and start showing our love with our giving into the Ministry!
They know that we love them. But what they are asking now: DO WE TRUST AND BELIEVE IN THEM AND THE MINISTRY, LIKE THEY DO?

Again I say to you “Don’t defeat yourself by entertaining, if I pay my tithes and give my offerings I won’t be able to pay my bills, rather, take GOD at HIS WORD. You’re in a normal situation; you can endure; you will escape! Give, act, walk, and speak in the light of this promise.
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish,And it shall be done for you” (John 15:7)

We know we are not ROBBING GOD (I hope not!). But God say Give So, that there may be food in His store house. On top of this He also made a promise to us! He said:
“TRY ME IN THIS,” IF I WILL NOT OPEN FOR YOU THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN AND POUR OUT FOR YOU SUCH BLESSING THAT THER WILL NOT BE ROOM ENOUGH TO RECEIVE IT.” Not my promise nor Bishop or Pastor Debye. BUT GOD!!!

Anonymous said...

Tithing to me has always been a no brainer...I was raised in a home that whatever we made the first fruits always went back to where it came from, which was God...My problem was trying to figure out which church I was to give to ...my Dad was Catholic & my mom was from THE CHURCH OF GOD (of Cleveland Tennesse)...had to add that part Bishop..they know they are the only TRUE church of God (HA,HA) "Now that's religion"

first job was babysitting at .25 an hour. I made a big .75 and I felt like I was rich.. I had to make sure I covered all my bases & gave a quarter to the Catholic church & a qurter to the Church of God ..I was going to make sure I didn't miss out on any blessings God had for me no matter which one was right.. Then I couldn't wait to get to the candy store...

God HAS been & ALWAYS will be our provider...We give with a grateful & joyful heart.. not because we have to but because we want to! I never want to forget who our real source is...
We are commited to do more..for this REALLY is Our Home...24/7

Here to Worship..Serve..& Tithe!
P.Deb

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Hey bloggers...great stuff here today...

Sunday I said that 2 families had kept their building fund pledge, even after I released everyone from them, but Lori Collins just sent this to Deb and she sent it to me (and I'm glad she did). If there is anyone else that I overlooked, I'd really like to hear from you about it...

I don't think Todd and Lori will mind me posting this...


Pastor Debye,

We also kept our building fund commitment even though we knew Bishop had declared to all that we did not have to keep it. We paid it in full within the original time frame. We felt that it was important to keep paying it since we made a vow to the Lord.

Lori


Thanks for letting me know...it gives me strength...

DoubleBack Alley said...

Sahib,

Don LaFontaine just passed away. Wonder who's doing the voice-over for his entrance into heaven.

Ain't God Good?

tracy said...

Not to split hairs, but we also met our pledge. We actually exceeded it, but that was only because we wanted to test God in it and we did and of course
He went above and beyond we could ask or think. It was one of the best years we ever had. To the point that we exceeded the same pledge the next two years.

Sweepea said...

Bishop, I kept paying my pledge after you released us, until I left full time employment 2 years ago. I must have exceeded the original pledge by a goodly amount, and it was my pleasure to do so! Thanks for giving me the opportunity to say so.

Sweepea (Sandra Rosser)

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

DBA...yeah, I heard that. Movie trailers will never be the same...

Tracy, it's not splitting hairs...as far as you and David are concerned, I know that you have been beyond faithful in your giving...but this is good information for me to have...seriously...it makes me feel better about the level of commitment and support of this community...thanks for letting me know...

And since we're on the subject, I guess I should say that Debye and I also met and went beyond our pledge, as well, beyond our tithes and offerings to the ministry...I forgot to mention that Sunday...

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

And thanks, Sweepea (I already knew who you were)...again, the faithfulness of you and Vic has been awesome from the very beginning of this ministry...but I'm glad for the 411...

For the record, the only way we knew if a pledge was paid was by the envelope, and we trusted that when the family wrote "pledge paid" that it, in fact, was...we are so grateful for all who continued even without us knowing!

Son of Zadok said...

Hey Again All,

I'm also not trying to split hairs, but due to my own struggles, I wanted to share this. My whole christian life I've heard this verse and it's troubled me.

Samuel said, "Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.

1 Samuel 15:22 (NAS)

I've always had a hard time understanding it. A long time ago I settled on the idea that has been popularized in the church I guess. That to do what God tells you to do, (obeying) is better than working up some Cain-like offering to the Lord (sacrifice) in your own flesh. This never really jived with me, but it's the best I thing I had. I can't tell you how I rolled this verse over and over again in my head and heart through the years and never really felt as though I could grasp it's true meaning.

This year that finally changed. So I wanted to share here what I believe lies in it's meaning.

No matter what, the atoning blood of Jesus covers a multitude of sins. Where sin abounds, how much more does grace abound? This work at the cross is the propitiation for our sins, and not just ours only, but the sins of the whole world.

However,

To Obey,

Is better than sacrifice !

Wow!

Praise God for the cross, but we can choose to walk in obedience and not have to constantly be reapplying the blood into our lives. To our loss we are crucifying the Son of God all over again. I've been guilty of that.

As I've said before, I really feel the best way to understand sin is doing something the Lord does not want you to do, or not doing something He tells us to do. This includes God's drawing us into a giving lifestyle.

Love Ya'll

I just love that verse and wanted to share my final peace with it.

tracy said...

Thanks Bishop- honestly the only reason it has even been on my mind is because in our TEMPORARY situation I have been "bringing to God's remembrance" the promises we have kept to Him and "bringing to His remembrance" promises He has made to us!

Anonymous said...

You know I didnt know it was important until today reading this that when I have given a offering, instead of marking the envelope building fund, I just mark it offering or put it in the buckets. Now I see, how else would you know? I never stopped giving my fund, just stopped marking it correctly.Why did I do that? Not sure.
The point is I am committed to this ministry. I tithe on every dime. I lost half my yearly salary 4 months ago due to a new job, but, I still tithe like I had the old salary. I cant not tithe. When I didnt have a church many years ago, I sent my tithe to my grandmother. I want to do better, beside marking the envelope correctly, I want to give more. I am looking for a way.

Anonymous said...

Through out today, I have heard from several who have paid their pledge and there is no way to tell you the hope that gives me. As Bishop said, we would only know if you paid it by indicating it on the envelope. However, God knew it all along and HE is the ONE that provides the increase!!! We add our agreement with yours for favor, debts cancelled, provision made and a release of all that has been "held up"....For such a time as this!!!!!

I also have heard from several today that did not complete their pledge but are recommiting to do so! I salute you and trust that God sees and hears your heart and gives seed to the sower!

Thank you to all who "got it" Sunday! The TITHES and offerings were in the ballpark of where they should be (In spite of it being a Holiday Weekend and many were out of town)! We have a "recovery plan" with the bank and they see that we are willing to do what it takes to "SEE this thing through"!

I believe that Bishop reversed what was needed and the blind eyes see and the deaf ears hear! No more will we draw back from what we know is HOLY and of the Spirit! It is a gift and blessing to tithe to God and we will not hide it! Not because of fear of the curse or fear of going to hell but, because we are so thankful to God for the life He has given us. We are honoring HIM! CITN is full of blood bought, Spirit led, Tithe paying, Serving and Giving people who walk in the LIGHT as HE is in the LIGHT! Prosperity of the Soul has been unleashed in CITN!!!!! We prosper as our SOUL prospers!!!!

Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty! We are a free people who worship HIM in Spirit and in Truth!

We have truly be "reborn"!

linda said...

I believe in tithing, no longer because of "if you don't tithe, God will take it out of your hide" but rather as another way to honor God. I always come more boldly to the throne of grace when I know that I have paid my tithe reminding myself that God never left me or my children without a way. When I think of how many months we could have been without lights or food and yet we never once went without it is only the faithfulness of God.
Thanks Bishop for Sunday,

Linda

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Thanks, everyone...your comments just get better and better...

SOZ, I don't remember exactly when it was, or what the name of the sermon was, but I've taught that sometime within the last year...glad you got it by the Spirit...

Tracy, I hear ya...along with getting back to where we need to be in this area, we also need to make a demand on receiving the harvest of the seed we've already sown!

Anonymous said...

Praise God!!! I am so excited about our wonderful church and all the beautiful, loving, giving people!! All I can do is cry and worship the Lord.

Tithing and giving have saved our lives many times. God is soooo wonderful to His children!

We commit to givng more and just because of that, I know He will provide more!

Mayflower

Anonymous said...

Amen to that!

Teezy313 said...

So...
Back on campus...found out that I start my work-study job again sometime this week...which means in two weeks or whenever I get back ITB my tithe will be coming in!!!

For me tithing is a very intimate form of worship....nobody knows what's in the envelope except for God(and of course the financial staff)but it's not like in regular worship where everyone can see my outward expressions....this form of worship is so intimate that words can't really put it into a proper perspective...i guess the only way you can get it is by revelation thru the Holy Ghost...

Hoping all is well with those who were affected by Gustav and hoped everyone's Labor Day was blessed!!

Luv
Teezy

P.Debye.....still working on the signifigance on the number 9 btw....

Unknown said...

Bishop @109--confirmation is most cool and thanks. very much. it matters. sometimes its really challenging for me to get out of my head and spirit what makes perfect sense in there but ends up being cryptic or wordy or disjointed when it comes out! Also, I often think that thoughts the other bloggers share are mine too somehow. Is that weird, y'all? Do you do that?

Sweapea, double AMEN on AYITN!

SOZ and Tracy on the sunspots. What are the chances ya'll would both find those facts? Time to innvest in the sweater industry? (smile)

We arrived just after the Future Is Now campaign and I remember hearing stories about the day everyone pledged and wondering how to join in. Asked God what amount we would have put but never went beyond that. Thinking about it now makes me think of the elementary school projects where we planted seeds and watched them grow--on sponges, in between paper towels, in soil and tearing off the paper cups to see the roots. I've wondered what a giving experiment would look like. Maybe that's the thing I was supposed to find. Did anyone who kept their pledge keep track? or would that have the same effect of yanking up a plant to check on its roots?

Anon @617--your "I want to give more. I am looking for a way." softly sings a powerful song.

Oh, my, Teezy--"others can see my outward worship, but the tithe form of worship is too intimate for words." That's really cool too.

I'm longing for an Izumi/joy list. Whatcha got IZ?

Today's Tithe Talk (funny--my word ver ended in 3 t's) has been one of my favorite days on the blog.