loosechickens said:Throughout life we have seen so many grasping people with the mental disease of "not enough". Sometimes they were even people with a great deal of money. The discipline of giving away money and practicing generosity is a wonderful antidote for that. It creates a feeling of abundance in your life, and a secure feeling of having enough.....in fact, having such an abundance that you are able to give a portion of it away. Nothing does better for that fear of "not having enough" than this practice.
samclem said:One note: if giving less cash today gets you to ER faster, you may be able to start giving more time at an earlier date. That can be a valuable commodity to some charities.
Deetso said:I've found that once I started making money to the point where I was buying more than video games and pizzas- and actually started saving it and tracking it that I really enjoy being able to give it away. I dont make much now but I give away more than I save at the moment. (that doesnt count paying student loans which i do more than saving or giving away). My giving habit started out as soley... give 10% to the church... and has expanded to something even more. My habit has turned into a lifestyle- its been great.
I think it is quite freeing and actually I feel better about giving my money away (be it a charity or tithing) than anywhere else I put my money. I find myself second guessing purchases (I dont really need more socks- i can wear those ones a little longer) but if I give my money to a child in Ghana, or buy some clothes for a girl down the street- there is nothing better.
I credit LBYM for allowing me to do this. I couldnt do this with the latest cell phone, ipod or HDTV. Saving for my future and helping someone get to theirs is better than any toy.
Not only that- I have found that I am well ahead of my peers when it comes to saving as well. Even though I give I still always seem to have money to put away. Its a wonderful system, its quite difficult to explain to some people- but that is another post...
Ok- Ive gone on for long enough...
jbbaab44 said:The levites could receive tithes because they had no increase, but had to trust God for their inheritance. The other Israelites gave tithes because they had an inheritance, but had to trust God for an increase. Today, the "laymen" still have to give a tithe and still trust God for their increase, but the "church staff" receives the tithe and takes inheritances among the people. Somehow our leaders have taken the doctrine of tithing and fit it into the gospel the comfortably fits their circumstances.
The NT way of giving is supposed to be only by freewill offerings, because we all are priests, and are only wandering in a wilderness waiting to cross the Jordon to receive our eternal inheritance. While in the wildreness, Israel only gave freewill offerings. they did not give the tithe until they crossed the jordon and entered the promised land. So it would make sense that as God's chosen people we give our offerings freely and cheerfully, and then when we receive our eternal inheritance in heaven of jewels and crowns then we throw them at the high priests feet.
tithe offerings