Paying Tithes and Offerings
The foundation principle here is repent and be obedient. If you find yourself thinking “I can’t afford to tithe,” let me tell you you can’t afford not to tithe!
http://www.kcm.org/real-help/finances/apply/how-take-communion-over-your-tithe
As I track my expenses I’m learning where I can be more frugal and where I could actually be spending and donating a little more I’ve discovered I spend way too much on take out and now pack my own lunch at home.
So how are repentance and obedience tied to self-reliance? First, we need to stop thinking of repentance as being sorry or remorseful about things. True repentance means changing into our true selves as we shake off the shackles of dependence on societal programs or governmental aid or even the shackles of an old way of life before the Gospel became a reality to us. Obedience to Heavenly father frees us because he has the best plan for us and knows the secrets that will bring us happiness.
A great BLESSING I received recently was when I quit smoking. I knew I’d need nicotine replacement therapy to help me quit but all i had was my tithe money. I could purchase the NRT or I could pay my tithe. I chose to obey Heavenly Father and tithe. I prayed for relief from the obsession to smoke and in a few days I was introduced to the STOP Program, which provides FREE NRT for six months! That’s more than my tithing money ever could have bought and I know this happened because I’m receiving the one-hundredfold BLESSING that the Lord promised us.
From D&C 130:
20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—
21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.
Now there are more BLESSINGS for which I’m praying, including money refunded to me from the federal government which owes me years of back pay from my Disability Tax Credit. I also want to be utterly debt free and have a good credit rating again after my addiction led me to squander a small fortune on my credit card. This is why repentance is so necessary. For now paying my bills on time and putting money in my savings account are helping me toward those goals.
This is the self-reliant approach: As soon as you receive money, pay your tithe. Pay the rent or pay your tithe? Pay your tithe. Pay the bills or pay your tithe? Pay your tithe. Heavenly Father will not abandon you. Secondly, pay your future self. Put money in your savings account and leave it alone. Finally, pay for your current needs and wants.
The Personal Finances Book has an experiment that i actually carried out. Take a jar, some rocks, and some sand. Pile the sand into the jar and then try to fit the rocks in. You absolutely cannot do it. Now put the rocks in the jar, laying down a solid foundation, and the sand fits in all around the rocks.
I admit this process is uncomfortable at first. Paying tithing and savings first will change your life in a good way. You learn the necessity of self-discipline and where to trim the fat.
The widow gave her last meal to Elijah because she recognized him as a man of God and knew obedience would bring her a BLESSING. I know I’d have to pray about that because years ago, when I was first getting involved with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I was also involved in other churches as I searched for the truth. A false prophet had been writing me, comparing himself to Elijah and demanding that I give certain “pre-ordained” amounts of money to his ministry. I did a lot of praying and consulting with my Elders about that before finally concluding that my tithes and offerings belonged to Christ’s true Church. (Thank you, Elders Johnson and Sommers!) However, if President Nelson asked for my last meal I’d give it to him. Imagine the BLESSINGS!
In what ways has personal inspiration guided me to change my own circumstances?
I no longer buy anything on credit. I tithe every portion of my income now, including gifts and rebates. I tithe my groceries by donating to food banks. I pack my own lunch and I use my juicer to make homemade vegetable and fruit juice rather than buy juice at the store. I save the pulp and blend it in soups to thicken and flavour them.
I’m also taking fasting more seriously. I used to eat on fast Sunday and pay a fast offering anyway but I realized that wasn’t being totally honest with the Lord or myself. AS I train my body to go without food for a couple of meals I learn to be more austere in other aspects of my life. It fits in with my new life as I get closer to the Temple with every bad habit I give up and every good habit I take up.
BLESSED BE!
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