Okay, not really. But I’ll be happy to get that rebate check from the guv’mint – especially if it arrives before we leave for Disney.
I’ll also be happy to receive back our tax return, as paltry as any return we get may be.
I’ll also be happy if we have a certain receipt in our possession that could result in a product refund of a few hundred bucks, if not a thousand. More on that later if it pans out (the less people that know about it, the better – so you won’t hear anything in detail from me until AFTER the cutoff date).
And while PPP has been paltry lately (you anti’s should be happy that I’m only doing PPPs every few days instead of every day – so quit yer complainin’), I’m hopeful that my art website will soon be approved so I can do posts over there for a few months.
Also – I have a tithing question. I’ve committed to giving 10% of my gross salary in 2008 – I usually do NOT give anywhere CLOSE to the full 10%. Sadly, it’s more like 2%. But this year I’m committed to doing 10% of my gross salary. However, I wonder if I HAVE to give it to my current church? My old church in NoNJ is a smaller church and in need of the funds much more than my 3,000+ member church here in NC/SC. Also, my former NoNJ church now has a fledging plant church in Hoboken that could probably use the money as well. Am I bound to tithe to my church here in SC, or can I send it along to NoNJ where it could really go far in helping those smaller churches do their work?
First, that’s going to kill me not knowing about that refund.
Second, I’ve just about stopped checking PPP just because everything has been so bad lately.
Third, as for the tithe, don’t take my word for it but I’ve always heard you take your tithe to the “local storehouse” meaning you’d need to give it to your church in SC. The best advice I have though is to search Scripture yourself for your interpretation and pray about it. God may be moving you to give it to the NoNJ church for a time. I’m no expert…
Amy@P2P’s last blog post..Oh, Sandra Oh, What IS That?
“guv’mint” – you’re getting a Southern accent – ha!
Good for you in committing 10% gross!
2 Cor 9:7
cristan’s last blog post..Tonight’s dinner, brought to you via 1989
I’ll disagree slightly with Amy@P2P. The most famous passage on the tithe is in Malachi 3:10, where the prophet recorded, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,†says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. ” In Nehemiah 10:37-38, the guidance is, ” “Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our [grain] offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and oil. And we will bring a tithe of our crops to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work. [38] A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury.” In that passage clearly tithes were gathered in one place and sent to another. And in Deut 12:26, God says, “But take your consecrated things and whatever you have vowed to give, and go to the place the LORD will choose. ” So, it would seem to me that you can send your tithe to NoNJ just fine, if that is where God is choosing for you.
The way I see it is, you guys (from your blog) always seem to be in the need of a little extra money. If you God is as understanding as you say he is, he wont mind going without your 10% this year.
I’m not the tithing expert but there is plenty to read on the Net on the subject. Here are a few links:
http://www.gotquestions.org/tithing-Christian.html
http://www.thebiblepage.org/biblesays/tithing.shtml
The majority of what I read seems to say that tithing is old school (testament) and giving is new school (testament).
The floor is open for discussion.
Ace – that’s the exact opposite of what God wants. He asks us to tithe because what we have comes from him. He asks us to tithe so that we can be blessings to others through our giving (after all, our tithes go to help spread the gospel around the community). He asks that we give our first 10% to show that we know the money is not ours, but His, and that we are trusting in Him to provide for our needs. I can tell you many stories of people who had less money than we do who faithfully tithed their 10% and somehow not only made ends meet but had a surplus of blessing throughout the year. So if anything, Ace, He wants us to give our first 10% to show that we are absolutely trusting that He will provide for us in ways we can’t even imagine.
Denis – tithing and giving are the same thing, in my mind. It’s just that tithing (Old Testament) is specifically a tenth. But it stands to reason that even with the New Testament we are still entreated to give 10% even if that specific amount isn’t mentioned.
Ok…. so let me get this straight. Lets say someone makes $100K a year. If you “tithe” that means you would be giving $10,000.00 back to the church/God?
**faints**
Imagine if everyone gave $10% of their salary to their Church… Mind you, there are a ton of Religious people in this country not to mention all over the word. TONS! Not to mention that this money that you give the Church is non taxable. That is a Boat Load of Money that they church is getting.
Let me break it down into smaller numbers… lets say you have 300 adutls (not including Children) who attend your church. Average income is $40K of the people who attend your church. That would mean your church would receive a total of 1.2Million Dollars a year of non taxable funds. WOooosh! Please tell me they don’t pass a collection plate around at each service as well?
Ace, yes, if a person makes $100K then $10K should go to the church. And tithes generally go into the collection plate. =) And bear in mind – the tithes given each week cover salaries for church staff, their benefits, new building construction and equipment, supporting missionaries all over the world, planting new churches, radio/tv programs (if the churches air their services on radio/tv), donating to charities, providing programs in the community.
My church recently did an offering wherein ALL the money went to a mission group in Guatemala. Our goal was to raise over $250,000 in that ONE offering between our three church campuses. And that was accomplished with ease. My church also supports a group that specific provides aid to those suffering in the Sudan. We have send MILLIONS over there to provide basic needs to people in the Sudan. Looking at my church’s website, there are 12 local groups that my church works with in various ways – including monetary donations. And they have nine international opportunities set up in 2008 that include construction of churches, providing medical clinics and supplies, and straight community outreach.
All of that is what our tithes go towards.
Also, as far as the collection plate, we specifically tell visitors and guests NOT to put anything in the collection plate unless they are led to do so, but that as our guest, we’d prefer for them to just sit back and enjoy the service.
Ace, the bottom line is, if every single Christian in the U.S.(and the world) tithed just the minimum 10%, there would be no need for welfare. Churches would be able to fulfill one of the most important missions God has charged us with ~ to share His love by feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, healing the brokenhearted. God has proven His faithful provision for us for over thirty-five years of tithing. Investing in others’ lives ~ that’s the best investment plan out there!
And yes, we do pass the collection plate at each service as well. You can’t out-give God!
D, tithing is not just an OT lesson, and my belief is that our gifts and offerings come from the “overflow” after the tithe which is the “first fruits.” Did I use too many quotation marks? 🙂
What Marmie said. God intended for the church to help the needy, not the government.
It is so true that God will richly bless if you’re faithful to tithe – even if it’s not the full 10%. It’s amazing to see how He provides when we trust Him by giving first.
Let’s get rid of income tax and go to a thithing plan instead. But how will Bush fund all his wars?
Maybe Georgie hasn’t read about turning the other cheek.
“‘But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.” – Matthew 5:39-40
I know he wants to get rid of frivalous law suits.
This oughta stir the pot.
George Bush created the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives on January 29, 2001.
I think the NT position is that tithing 10% was THE LAW, and under the new covenant we are to give what we can (Widow’s Mites) but give cheerfully.
cristan’s last blog post..The Earth Laughs in Flowers – Emerson
Point 1. If everyone was obedient to tithe, we COULD get rid of the income tax for sure! We wouldn’t need hardly any gov’t programs. Seriously. A sales tax on durable goods would probably suffice.
Point 2. Let’s see, if we had turned the other cheek when Pearl Harbor was attacked or when Hitler sought the domination of Europe, or when the Russians built up an arsenal in Cuba, or when Saddam invaded Kuwait, just to name a few instances, what would our lives be like now?
Matt 10:34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
Not everything Jesus said was lovey-dovey. He called it like it is. His admonition was about not seeking retaliation, not about not defending yourself. The US doesn’t seek retaliation, just defense. Had 9/11 not happened, neither would have Afghanistan or Iraq. WE didn’t attack anyone, nor are we retaliating. Just defending.
Oh, yeah, one more verse, quoting Jesus:
Matt 24:43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
Note that “would not have let his house be broken into.” That’s what we’re trying to do–not let our house get broken into.
Although 10% is a goal I haven’t reached yet, I don’t think all of that 10% has to go to one place, i.e. the church. For example, I give over 1% of my annual income, through the Combined Federal Campaign, to ACCA, the Annandale Christian Community in Action, supplemented by food donations during the year. I consider all this to be tithed money.
Next up–tithing our time.