So I just got back from the kick-off of our church's annual giving campaign. I pledged a tithe for 2009. This is my third year of tithing, and it was quite easy and unremarkable this time - no hand-wringing or second thoughts at all. Since I've begun tithing, my monthly income has roughly doubled. But I'll stop - this post wasn't meant to be about tithing.
I'm going to go right at this one. Direct and uncensored. So hold onto your hats.
I believe Consciousness is cause. That Spirit is the source of all Good. That the results we see in the world (we'd also call them "effects") start from Intention, and from the field of Possibility. They start in, and are made from the field we call..........God.
God is everywhere, and in everything.
So, guess where your clients come from? They come from God.
Where does your good come from? God.
And your abundance? Your personal economy? Also from God.
I've proven this to myself over and over again - changing nothing in my marketing, changing only my attention and intention and watching the phone ring and ring, or stop ringing.
I know that right now there is a lot of fear in the air. Great anxiety, and belief in scarcity. I know it will be bad for a lot of people. I know it doesn't have to be bad for you. I have faith in this. What should you do?
Turn your attention to Spirit. To Truth. To the Goodness of God. To your connection with Source. Turn inward and focus attention on the ultimate Goodness and Abundance of God. It's infinite. It's all around you. There is no scarcity here. That's just an illusion. Scarcity only comes in the believed separation from God. Instead, envision your thriving practice helping people. Open up to & accept your Good. Open up to this experience - it may be quite different from those around you. Have more faith in Spirit than in the economy.
You see, you might think your clients come from referrers, or from the web, or from your Yellow Pages ad. But I know your clients come from God.
I give great thanks for all the blessings of life. Namaste, Your Grateful Guy
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5 comments:
While you are boasting about tithing you probably should be giving 20% in order to give sacrificially as the NT teaches.
Friend, May I offer an alternative interpretation of Malachi for your study.
From: Tithing is not a Christian Doctrine
www.shouldthechurchteachtithing.com
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
Malachi 3 is the Most Abused Tithing Text in the Bible. The “whole” tithe never was supposed to go to the Temple!
A. Malachi is Old Covenant and is never quoted in the New Covenant to validate tithing (Lev. 27:34; Neh. 10:28-29; Mal. 3:7; 4:4).
B. In Malachi 3:10-11 tithes are still only food 1000 years after Leviticus 27:30-34 and Numbers 18:21-28.
C. Malachi’s audience had willingly reaffirmed the Old Covenant (Neh.10:28-29). The blessings and curses of tithing are identical to and inseparable from those of the entire Mosaic Law. The rain in Deuteronomy 28:12, 23-24 and Leviticus 26:1-4 is only obtained by obedience to all 613 commandments. Galatians 3:10 (quoting Deu 27:26) “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” Trying to earn God’s blessings through tithing only brings curses for failure to keep all of the law. See also Galatians 3:19.
D. Beginning in 1:6 “you” in Malachi always refers to the dishonest priests and not the people (also 2:1-10; 2:13 to 3:1-5): “Even this whole nation of you --priests” (3:9). In 1:13-14 the priests had stolen tithed animals vowed to God. In Nehemiah 13:5-10 priests had stolen the Levites’ portion of the tithe. God’s curses on the priests are ignored by most tithe-teachers (1:14; 2:2 and 3:2-4).
E. Point #12 of the essay. The Levitical cities must be included in a correct interpretation of Malachi 3:10. Most tithe-recipients lived outside of Jerusalem.
F. The 24 courses of Levites and priests must be included in a correct interpretation of Malachi 3. Normally only 2% of the total Levite and priest work force served at the temple one week at a time. Subtract wives, males under the age of 30 and daughters. Therefore 2% did not require all of the tithe. See 1 Chron 23-26; 28:13, 21; 2 Chron. 8:14; 23:8; 31:2, 15-19; 35:4, 5, 10; Ezra 6:18; Neh. 11:19, 30; 12:24; 13:9, 10; Luke 1:5.
G. Nehemiah 10:37-39 is the key to understanding Malachi 3:10, The people were commanded to bring their tithes, not to the temple, but to the nearby Levitical cities. Verse 38 says that the priests were with the Levites in the Levitical cities when they received the tithes.
H. According to Nehemiah 13:5, 9 the “storehouse” in the Temple was only several rooms. The real “storehouses” were in the Levitical cites per Nehemiah 10:37b-38. Only the Levites and priests normally brought tithes to the Temple (10:38). Two rooms in the Temple were far too small to contain the tithe from the entire nation and 98% of the Levites and priests lived too far away to eat from them.
Therefore, Malachi 3:10’s “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse” only makes contextual sense if it is only commanding dishonest priests to replace the tithes they had removed from it or had failed to bring to it.
While the 3:10 of the Law in Malachi is so important to tithe-teachers they ignore the 3:10 of the Gospel in Galatians and 2nd Corinthians. Perhaps those wanting to enforce the 3:10 Law of Malachi should also enforce the 3:10 Law of Numbers. They share the same context.
Christian giving is freewill, sacrificial, generous, joyful, regular and motivated by love. That is enough to provide the needs of the Church.
I really enjoyed this post, Peter, and felt an immediate elevation in my spirit as you brought me back in touch with Source as the source of all things, including clients. Such a nice reminder and an important antidote to the fear and fear mongering so prevalent today.
Wow, Russell. With all due respect, I found myself reacting with offense to your initial judging comment. While you are certainly entitled to your response and your opinion, your tone assures I will be numb to any discussion which follows your confrontive opening gambit.
Being inspired to give from our abundance is an expression and an affirmation that there is plenty of all things in the world, including resources, money, and clients. Giving is a committed practice many experience as rich in rewards of the heart, as well as in placing oneself in the flow of abundance. To me, it only seems appropriate to give to the institutions and individuals who nourish us.
I have less than no interest in a legalistic argument, (so lacking a compassionate, charitable, and loving tone) that fails to acknowledge or respect my own or another's direct experience of their spiritual practice, Christian or otherwise.
Although i disagree with what you are saying about tithing, I agree with the spirit of what you are saying here. I have read russell kelly's materials, and i agree with what he has written about tithing. It does seem that he comes out very strong about what he's saying. I think he's just very passionate about spreading the truth, which can be overbearing in his effort to influence others to search the scripture.
-jared b
Wow, didn't know I was going to start a big hubbub about tithing here.
My spiritual community is neither Christian nor Jewish, so I'm not going to get too worried about Biblical citation.
I give to where I am fed spiritually. I believe there is a power in flow, there is a law of divine circulation.
Those reading this - you don't have to tithe. It's your business. I don't even care if you are Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Pagan, Universalist, or New Thought.
But, I believe in God, and am going to keep speaking about what I do that works for me. You can try it, or not.
We're all fellow travelers on this road. We're all fellow Spirits.
Namaste, Your Grateful Guy
Hi Peter,
Love your blog! When people ask me who my referral source is, I always say G-d. Of course I make my human effort, but He is the source!
Melissa
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