As You Tithe So You Prosper
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LESSON TWO: WHAT IS TITHE?
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L. E. Meyer
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It is impractical to advise people
specifically concerning tithing. Tithers
must learn to rely on their own indwelling
spirit for guidance. The tithe is not a
personal matter or a matter of giving
personal gifts. It is laying aside regularly
and faithfully one-tenth of one’s income and
using it impersonally for the support of
God’s work. The prosperity of any nation,
organization, or individual that practices
tithing is on a firm foundation.
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Our responsibility in
partnership with God is to give our hearts in love. We may tithe
of our wealth without measure, but it is the gift of our love
that truly blesses. Our wealth merely returns what is the
giver’s own, but our love is the gift of the free will returning
to do the Will of God
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Tithing is practical and matter-of-fact but,
nevertheless, spiritual and scientific. As
we said in Lesson One, it is based on a
definite law of harmony and rhythm. We must
manage our tithe correctly to maintain its
harmony in expression and reaction. The
practice of giving for purely spiritual
purposes, without self-interest, brings us
into direct contact with spiritual life,
substance, and intelligence. Daily
consecration to the service of God opens
channels to divine good within and without.
We are related to the law of supply through
individual consciousness alone. This law
works from within outward; hence, we must
establish inner unity with the law if it is
to work spontaneously. |
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The innate life that sustains bodily health
and vigor, rebuilds worn-out cells, removes
waste matter, cleanses the bloodstream, and
energizes the nerves is a creative,
spiritual principle. It is a divine gift to
humanity designed to do God’s bidding. It is
lifted up and becomes a light to illumine
and guide us in the right and happy way. |
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The secret of supply lies in honoring God
with the tithe of the inner substance of
feeling and thought, which always finds
expression in its outer counterpart. The
first lesson in tithing, as in living, is to
know the inner true self and to be wholly
devoted to God. The second is to express
that knowledge outwardly by being true to
the God in others. When we have been
inwardly still enough to know that we have
received and, therefore, must give, then we
can and will give. |
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The tithe is like the farmer’s seed for his
coming crops. He specially selects and
protects it. When we release the tithe
willingly and freely, as we have purposed in
our hearts, we sow as the farmer sows: his
best seed unreservedly on good soil that he
may receive an abundant, good harvest. When
we tithe, we know that we are being made
richer in giving. |
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Through prayer and blessing, we give special
attention to the tithe and send it forth to
increase, multiply, and bless. By words of
truth we free all our symbols from all the
limitations placed upon them by untrained
minds. We can think of the tithe as a
messenger sent from God to free all the
people who are in bondage to limitation. We
can think of it as going to supply the
demands of all the needy. Like a great
stream of water, it meets the needs of
countless thousands. We can tell the tithe
just what it is to do; give it to understand
that it is God’s servant. We can direct it
to serve God, making it clear that it no
longer belongs to us but to God, our
omnipresent, silent partner. |
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Our responsibility in partnership with God
is to give our hearts in love. We may tithe
of our wealth without measure, but it is the
gift of our love that truly blesses. Our
wealth merely returns what is the giver’s
own, but our love is the gift of the free
will returning to do the Will of God. It is
not so much the giving of the tithe as the
attitude in which it is given that blesses
both the giver and the receiver. Tithing
simply to free our minds of obligation means
little. Such tithing yields indifferent
results. Just as planting of seed without
cultivating it brings small increase, so
does tithing from a sense of obligation,
without the impetus of love. |
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Our tithe-seed should be watered by faith
and love. Give freely, lovingly, and gladly.
An essential in tithing is the willingness
to give. Nature yields her increase to the
cheerful giver. |
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The belief in lack must be denied. Faith in
God’s ever-present substance must be
affirmed. God’s presence fills the heavens
and the earth. God is the presence of
substance, and God is at all times in all
places, all about us as the air we breathe.
We breathe into our minds the consciousness
of this all-sustaining presence. |
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Let us tithe in gratitude for all the
blessings God has sent into our lives. There
is no limit to the amount of love and joy we
can send with our tithe. |
