Proof of the existence of a loving creator.

[Deborah]

Proof of the existence of a loving creator.
When reading the book of Deuteronomy it was refreshingly wonderful to find a plan that included everyone.

Deuteronomy 14:22-29 speaks of the tithe.
This is what it has to say.

22 Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. 23 Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always. 24 But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the LORD will choose to put his Name is so far away), 25 then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose. 26 Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice. 27 And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.

Here it states to feast once yearly with a tenth of all your produce,
And eat it in worship and praise of your LORD god your creator.
But it doesn't stop there. This plan does not exclude outsiders, infact it is quite obvious that the LORD god intended all to be taken care of those who follow his commands.

28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

The book of Deuteronomy proves to me that the LORD god my creator is a god of love and careful planning.
The failure is NOT his, it is ours.
How can we possibly have gotten that passage so wrong!
My pastor speaks of the tithe we are required to make to the church. I am disappointed and disgusted. Must we prove our love by giving a tenth of our wages? But that does not prove our love of god. We cannot buy salvation no matter how many good deeds we do or how much of a tithe we give to our churches.
I do not see much of a difference to this to how it was in Dr Luthers (1483 — 1546) day when the Roman Catholic church sold salvation to Peasants who could not read the word of god for himself or herself.
Our salvation is a gift from the LORD god; it cannot be bargained with and should not be used by churches to get guilt money out of us.
Another paster said “give a tithe for 3 months and I guarantee you will get more back” Well I am sorry, god doesn't bargain, he doesn't say give me a tithe and I will save you. To me this is greed because you do not tithe to get something better from god.
You get what you get, you only ask for what you NEED, nothing more nothing less. Anything more is simply greed and God doesn't reward greed.

This to me is proof, that the LORD god loves humanity.
Humanity needs to love him back, because our loving creator deserves to be worshiped, praised and loved by all of his creation.

Deborah

[Felgar]

I agree with you Deborah. Though I still think we need to support our churches, I dont feel that tithing should be only to the church. I think that part of that tithe could be set aside to fund one's own mission trip, for instance. Note that it says for you and your family to actually eat the tithe.

I also agree that the failing is ours. If all of Canada and America gave 10% of their earnings, then I dont think we'd have much poverty at all.

The Lord giving back is biblical though. It is said that whatever we give, we get back ten-fold (I thinik). Someone would have to look up the verse because I gotta get to bed. Night.