I came across your site by accident and I think it was truly of the Lord's leading. I have to thank you. I do not care how angry you may or may not be, all I know is that there is much to be said for 'rightly dividing the Word of Truth" here.
I have just began reading your site and can not say whether I agree with all you say, but I will say this. At one time, I very much was a cheerful giver. Everything I had and have is from the Lord and we would have wonderful times of giving to people. NOt to churches and televanglist. In fact, I felt lead by the Lord to go to a resturant which I did not like, and yet I felt complelled to go and I was to give. I went 3 or was it 4 times. And truly God was right. He had me give generously to 3 people there. Each had a distinct need, each knew it was from God, and I continue to pray for them. ANother time my daughter and I felt lead to go to another resturant (one I like) and I gave generously to the waitress who started jumping up and down praising and thanking God and telling everyone that God had answered her prayers because she had just bought a used car that had broken down!
I have been blessed with abundance at times and other times did not 'know' where my next meal would come from. When I attended a local church for a short season, they 'fed the hungry' every Saturday. I offered to cook something and bring it. To my DISGUST I was told to just put my left overs together! I said NO! How can I think to give them my leftovers if I can affford to buy myself groceries.So, I bought special groceries and paid a chef to fix a large meal.
And yes that same church was hounding those poor, homeless people to give their pennies!
ANother time, when I 'tried' another church for a short time, there was a family of a woman and her 3 teenage daughters. They announced in church one night that someone needed to help them because they were losing their home and would be out on the street the next night. I was ill and poor at the time. I literaaly had no groceries and no money to buy any. What I did have was a 2 bedroom duplex and one bedroom was empty since my daughter had moved out. I heard NO ONE with their houses and excess of money offer to rent them a place, put their things in storage and let them stay - no one said anything. I said Lord you don't have to ask me twice - it's all i have but i will offer it. And I did . For almost 4 months we all lived in my duplex. Moreover, there was NO ONE in the church who would bring us groceries. I called several times. So, I called a friend of mine in the neighboring state and asked for help. H e brought us groceries and I cooked and we ate throughput the time they were there.
Many years ago - the late 70's when Oral Roberts and PTL were big, I gave, and then I needed help. Know what I got ? A letter telling me to give.
I think you are correct about the bondage of tithing. I find much greater freedom and actually give much more when I know it is all His and I get to have fun with Him giving as He directs. Recently, though I had someone tell me very strongly and persuasively that I was to give where I got fed and so forth and so on and I felt a stonghold of bondage -- yet I also never felt 'free" or released from God to give to them.
So when I ran across your site, and as I read I thought "yes Lord, to YOU LORD JESUS YES to all I have again for it is YOURS and I missed YOU and giving with YOU!"
And it is important that you, Ray, know that I am thankful to you and your labors.
So thank you and God bless you.
Vicki
