Welcome to week six!
As always, the new week brings a new memory verse. Here is an image I created that you can print out and use to help you memorize the verse this week (just click on it to get the large size image, then save it on your computer, and print away 🙂 ):
Tithing has always been a touchy subject with me. Yeah, you read that right!
It’s not that I have issues with giving got his fair amount, but I have had problems with more than one church making demands and wanting to see tax records to make sure I was giving the right amount. When I was pregnant with my oldest child, and was not able to keep my tithing pledge because I ended up on bedrest due to complications, one church even had people call me and ask why I haven’t given them the money that I stated on the paperwork they made me fill out! That wouldn’t have been so bad, but NOBODY came to my house to pray with me or bring me a meal or do anything to assist me in my time of need. 🙁 (Not that it is EXPECTED or REQUIRED, but to call and demand money instead was crushing to me – Especially since I served as a youth leader for almost 5 years before I wound up on bedrest). So it’s not tithing I have the problem with – it’s a man-made rules and corporate paper work that I don’t feel belong in the church. What I tithe and when I tithe is between me and God, and I don’t feel that I should need to submit tax records to do so. I’m pretty sure God isn’t going to look at them! {OK – Enough of my rant! lol.}
Having said all that, I really enjoyed this lesson. It reminded me that I can tithe to organizations other than a church if that’s where I feel I am being led to give to. It was refreshing to have that reminder and know that I can still give to God but paper work and tax records are not required.Keeping this in mind, I know in my heart I can be a more cheerful giver and the bad experiences regarding tithing will not be so painful.
I haven’t yet decided who I would like to tithe to since I currently don’t have a church that I attend regularly because of my immune system problems. There is a local Christian radio station however, that is always in need of donations. I’ll have to look into that.
For now, since money has been really tight in our household, I am planning on tithing from the money that I make with my online work. Later on, when I can get my husband on the path with me, we can tithe out of the family household income rather than just my income. It’s a good place to start. 🙂
Great stuff – wow your church treated you like that? I would have called them out the Church’s name – I also think this would spark me to write to them and share my experience with them in hopes it would make them take a close look at how they treat their attendees.
I agree about the amount – that is between God and I, it says that we have to pay our debts so not to have two God’s and then tithe, I take that to get out of debt and while doing so pay what you can and be a JOYFUL giver!
I am with you on finding an organization, we have a feed the families facility here I used to volunteer for and they are always in need of food donations to help other families, I can work on being a better shopper and do that. I think I am going to start giving to my church Heart of The Canyons again – I think they put an online payment button for tithing and giving.
It was my old church in NJ – when the senior pastor retired and one of the younger pastors took over, things went downhill quickly. 🙁 I did write them, but it did not make a difference. My car even broke down once in the church parking lot and that new pastor saw I was struggling and kept walking. It was heart-breaking.
An online payment button is awesome! I found the radio station I listen to online and they have an automatic recurring payment option. I am not giving much right now – just 10% of my invoices that come into PayPal – but it is a start since I haven’t been paying anything.