It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God
We have talked about this before but here it is coming from Jesus own lips, being rich may feel good here on earth but it makes it hard to get to heaven. We are certainly rich in the US and I would suggest even within the US we are rich, so we must be onguard to prevent thinking our worldly riches are worth hanging onto. This is why I think tithing is important for the giver not the church. If we are not able to give back out if our first fruits at least 10% what is truly his to begin with I would suggest we are holding on to tight. I'll admit there are moments when I think wow if I would not be tithing I could afford some of the stuff others have or could be way ahead on retirement..but where do I want my riches to be stored up? I can really see why its a must for me to continue to tithe and beyond. I think the saddleback pastor locked in a cost to kive by and gives all else away and now he is living on a small % of earnings. Food for thought.
Knut
spot on brotha. If its his to begin with anyway....then by withholding it we are stealing from him and his work. I think this is really a tough one. I think it even ties into the paragraph before it where he is talking about the children, and how we need to come to him like a child. Children understand their need for others. They aren't control freaks. They see a need for complete dependence on others to care for them, and they are ok existing that way. I think that's how God wants us to look at him. But, as we age, especially here in the wealthy US of A....we become too self reliant. We think we have it all under control. It seems the more wealth we amass, the greater the feeling of self dependence.
ReplyDeleteI wrote in my notes, yesterday that sometimes I'm not sure that I'm really giving it all back to him....for him to do whatever he pleases with it. Tithing is a great, significant move in the direction to make sure my intentions are where they need to be.
peace out.
Happy New Year!
Can you believe its 2015? Max reminded me last night that 2015 is the year that Marty McFly went to in the future......too funny.
that is crazy, i want my hover board! I'm just catching back up here after the break and now being a bit under the weather all this week but I'm in the game.
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