What I was surprised to discover was that my confidence was in the wrong things: I thought that a job would come soon to alleviate bills. Health insurance wouldn’t increase. The washer would continue to function.

When these things (and others) went wrong, it shook my confidence. What I found was the driving need to focus on the present; not on confidence of what would (or would not) happen in the future.
For me I discovered a Creator who wants us to be intently addressing the people around us with 100% of our attention. Suddenly that verse about “Don’t worry about tomorrow” became more than a mental mantra.

I found hope in the smallest of miracles that I had overlooked when I was secure and planning each day before it even dawned.

So I agree, that as Christians, our hope is in His care. But for me that doesn’t mean spending money or expecting anything from the economy. It means being His hands and feet to other people. Today. Right now.

I am trying to get in contact with Paul Rose Jr.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Thanks

Jessica

Jessica Basile
Tangible Vision
320 Billingsly Court Suite 50
Franklin, TN 37067
jessica@tangiblevision.net

When i try to explain anything to anyone, my patience is one of the things that hinders my effectiveness. If they don’t get what i am trying to say, i get frustrated easily. I think over time my study and outreach about tithing has taught me more patience. Anyways, don’t know if you feel the same way. Thanks for your post, it was a good read.

Just to be clear, I believe wholeheartedly that we should follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. I never said otherwise – we must follow the Spirit’s prompting, as you say. Otherwise, I would have never written this article. Yes, it was inspired by the Holy Spirit. And while I have no problem with Spirit-led giving, your reasoning is severely flawed.

For starters, before following any Ramah word, you must test it against the Logos word. Otherwise God is contradicting Himself – and that just doesn’t happen. Why else would the Apostle John write in his first epistle, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

God is NOT a God of chaos, but of order. You refer to the tithe as an assignment. Not true – it is a spiritual law, so why would the Holy Spirit contradict it? Think of it this way. You can write a beautiful, Spirit-inspired worship song, but if the song does not follow the rules of rythym, meter and musical progression, then it is not really a song.

While we should be led and inspired by the Spirit, God didn’t give us His inspired word for no purpose, either. The Logos word provides structure for understanding and following the Ramah word. If the two are out of alignment, then either the Holy Spirit has been misunderstood or the spirit who spoke was not God.

You talk about the cycles of giving. But you failed to do your research. If you read Numbers 18, you’ll see that while the Israelites did give their tithes to the Levites, the Levites ALSO gave a tithe from that tithe. And I don’t know where you were taught that we are all priests/levites now. Both Ephesians 4 and I Corinthians 12 dispute that theory.

The writer of Hebrews also disagrees with you (chapter 7), establishing that the tithe should be a voluntary release, and it originated in the time of Abraham. Jesus then established a new standard as part of the renewing of the law to offer a better hope. You see, Jesus came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill and renew it.

Matthew 5:17-18 – “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”

Galatians 3:21 – “Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be!”

Your first problem, I think, is in assuming that a discussion about stewardship can begin anywhere but with the tithe. That shows a somewhat imature understanding of stewardship and God’s spiritual provisions.

Finally, the tithe has NOTHING to do with pastor’s salaries, church budgets or related expenses. This shows a profound misunderstanding of the nature of stewardship and its place in God’s plan for us. God’s covenant is faithful. Though we depart from Him, he still remains.

My biggest concern is that you say the lessons we must obey (nevermind the fact that you learn from lessons, you don’t obey them) are stewardship, faithfulness and sacrifice, not tithing. Except that tithing is stewardship and faithfulness. For some it is sacrifice For all of us, is obedience. And not being obedient, once you know how to obey is sin.

I hope I’ve clarified some things for you. God Bless.