Day Twenty-five of Count Your Blessings 2013
Today I'm grateful for the gift of literacy. My parents are both readers, especially my mother. She read to me before bed many nights until I was about twelve. She didn't "do voices" but she had an interesting voice and good inflection. I went to college, completing about two years worth of work, but I consider myself an educated person because of all the reading I've done. My favorite section in the library is non-fiction! There are so many interesting subjects to learn about.
The second thing I'm grateful for (I keep missing days!) is the law of tithing. This is another gift from my parents. They taught by example and words that obeying the law of tithing brings blessings, just like it says in Malachi: "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) I've seen those blessings in the life of my parents, among my family and friends, and in my own life. It takes faith to pay tithing FIRST, then the Lord blesses us, not the other way around.
Jesus set us free from the law. You have your choice - you can either continue following the Old Testament laws, OR you can accept the grace of God. One or the other.
ReplyDelete1 Timothy 1:8-10 (KJV)
8But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
9Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
If you believe you can buy blessings from God, you have missed the New Testament teachings.
When reading Malachi 3, why not start with verse 7? Malachi 3:7 (KJV) “Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ORDINANCES, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?”
Now read Colossians 2:14 (KJV) “Blotting out the handwriting of ORDINANCES that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;”
One more point - God NEVER commanded anyone to tithe from their income. Why can't people just accept what the scriptures say rather than trying to change God's Word to suit themselves?
THE FIRST TITHE
Leviticus 27:30-33 defines this tithe as a tenth of crops and animals in herds and flocks.
Numbers 18 gives the ordinances, or instructions, for this tithe, and commands this tithe be taken to the Levites.
Purpose of this tithe: to support the Levitical Priesthood.
SECOND TITHE
Deuteronomy 14:22-27: aka The Festival Tithe - a tenth of crops, plus add to that the firstborn animals, and take to the yearly feasts.
Purpose of this tithe: “that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always”
THIRD TITHE
Deuteronomy 14:28-29: aka The Three-Year Tithe aka The Poor Tithe - a tenth of crops, kept at home, and invite the Levites, widows, orphans, stranger to eat.
Purpose of this tithe: to feed the poor.
Now, tell me. Which of the above three tithes commanded by God does anyone follow today?
Well, Gary, I believe in a living prophet and continuing revelation, so when the Lord reveals the law of tithing to his modern prophets I take that as a commandment and I obey the law. You can learn more about this at mormon.org.
ReplyDeleteEven the Book of Mormon says you tithe on INTEREST, not wages. But do as you believe, and I will do as I believe.
ReplyDelete