What is a Tithe?

"Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."  II Cor. 9:7

     Technically, a tithe means a tenth, and most of us who have been to church know that when you hear the word "tithe" that means that you are expected to give ten percent of your income that week to the offering plate, and offerings on top of that.

     There was a time, a short period of time, when I believed what I was told, that God expected me to give that ten percent, and I would be "cursed with a curse" (Malachi 3:9) if I didn't give it. God expected it, and that was all there was to it. I had no choice in the matter, no free will about it. The only choice I had was choosing which "church" to give it to, but, of course, I was told that should be the one I was attending at the time.

     When my husband was saved, twenty-five years ago, we began to study the scriptures together. Now, he is very good at asking questions, so he began to ask about this practice of tithing. Where was the command to do this in the scriptures? I was sure I knew the answer to that question, so I began to show him all the scriptures I had been taught about tithing, but as we really began to study these scriptures we realized that all was not as we had been taught.

     In my next few posts I would like to address some of the scriptures that we typically hear being used regarding tithing. It is important for us to understand what the scriptures have to say on this subject. Be a Berean! Acts 17:11 "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32

Fifteen Weeks on the Gerson Therapy

     Hello again! It's been over a month since my last post. I have been very busy doing my therapy. It is extremely time consuming, and I can understand why people would not want to do it, but I can testify that for me it has been totally worthwhile. So far, I have avoided having a costly, risky, painful surgery, possibly losing half a lung, then probably having chemo and/or radiation, and we all know what kind of side effects those can cause, and I would still have no guarantee of a cure.
    
     I am still convinced, at this point, that God has led me to do this therapy. I am feeling more healthy all the time. I am working 20 hours a week right now, and my energy level is good. I am not feeling toxic like I did at the beginning, which is a sign that the cancer is on the run. I really have no symptoms of lung cancer, no cough or shortness of breath. It has been six months since I had that first CT scan that told me I had a problem. If the cancer was spreading I would surely be feeling worse by now. At this point, I am guardedly optimistic.

     The blood work I had done after four weeks on the therapy showed my white blood cell count to be a little low, but after ten weeks of the therapy it was in the normal range, although at the low end of it. I will have more blood work done sometime in July, and I expect the results to be even better.

     I am so thankful to God for leading me in this direction. I would recommend the Gerson Therapy to anyone who has any kind of degenerative disease, not just cancer, as it works by boosting the immune system. It is known to cure many other diseases besides cancer. We don't give our own immune system enough credit or support. God made a body that can heal itself if given the right raw materials and care. I am disappointed in the medical establishment that they have neglected to investigate this alternative. I don't think most doctors are even aware of this possibility.  

     On the  spiritual side of things, there are two scriptures that have been especially dear to me in the last few weeks, Psalm 23 and Psalm 91. I take them personally! God is so good!!

     In closing, if you want more info on the Gerson Therapy, watch these videos on Netflix, or they may be available on YouTube:
                                                        The Gerson Miracle
                                                         The Beautiful Truth
                                                          Dying to Have Known
                                                          Food Matters

Can We Be Sure of Our Salvation?

     The same preacher who said regarding salvation, "You didn't do anything to get it, so you can't do anything to lose it." also said "You are safe. Don't let there be any doubt in your mind."

 

     It is dangerous to try to assure someone of their salvation when they are not sure of it themselves. Perhaps we should remind them of the true gospel message in case they are confused about it. They need to know that salvation comes not by their own works, for self-righteousness is like filthy rags before God (Isaiah 64:6) but by our faith or belief in Jesus; however, once the true basis for salvation is made clear to someone, and they have decided to follow Jesus as their Savior, then begins the process and the journey of their making sure of their salvation. Paul admonishes us to examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith. (II Cor. 13:5) This is a necessary process, and we should not be discouraged from doing this very healthy self-examination. By it, we adjust our lives constantly to conform them to the image of Christ. (Romans 12:2) Certainly, we should not live our lives in constant fear of losing our salvation, for in order for that to happen, we would have to forsake Christ, but we should always be encouraged to move closer to our Lord in thought, word and deed, rather than be given the license to do as we please, with no possibility of ever losing our salvation no matter what we do. Unfortunately, this is the extreme to which some have carried the doctrine of OSAS.

          If someone is unsure about their relationship with God, is it really up to me to assure them? Do I have that right? Do I know their heart? Why are they unsure? Have they moved away from Christ? Once someone begins to slip away from the Lord, it is not an easy path for them to make their way back. All the more reason to encourage believers to stay close to Him for Paul told Timothy, “Some have already turned aside to follow Satan.” (I Timothy 5:15)  People need to hear the warnings that are in the scriptures. Isn’t it much better to err on the side of caution and warning rather than to err on the side of license and assurance? Wouldn’t you rather make someone uncomfortable here in this life by challenging them to make sure of their salvation if it meant that he or she would be forever in heaven with the Lord rather than to give someone comfort and peace of mind falsely here on earth only to see them in torment for eternity? These are the stakes, and they are high, higher than any other issues we face in this life.

          Yes, we can have an assurance of our salvation. Romans 8:12-17 tells us, “So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh- for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.” In Galatians 4:6-7 we also read, “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” Does your heart cry out to God as your heavenly Father? Yes, God has provided a way for us to know that we are His, that we belong to Him, and that nothing can separate us from His love. (Romans 8:35) The witness of His Spirit in our own spirit and heart assures us that we belong to Him.

          So, it is not necessary for anyone else to assure you that you are on the road of salvation. Only the Holy Spirit of God can truly give you that assurance, and when you live your life for Him, as He asked you to do when he said, “Take up your cross and follow Me,” then no one will be able to keep you from having the assurance that you desire. The fellowship that you have with Him will speak louder than any other voice. Don’t look to man to tell you that you have a home in heaven. Go to God, and seek His face with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength, and He promises that when you seek Him, you will find Him.

          “And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” I Peter 1:17-19

You Must Believe

     "and after he brought them out, he said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' And they said, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.'" Acts 16:30-31

      I once heard a very popular preacher say regarding salvation, "You didn't do anything to get it, so you can't do anything to lose it." This is the extent to which some preachers are willing to go to justify the doctrine of OSAS; however, if you think about it, logic will tell you that if you didn't have to do anything to receive salvation, then everyone must have it, because God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34); so, if He saved you without you having to do anything, then He must do the same for everyone else, unless He is the God of the Calvinist who believes that God arbitrarily picks out only certain ones to save, but that is a topic for another day.

      My argument against this preacher's statement is that there IS most certainly something you MUST DO to receive salvation. You must BELIEVE! Does everyone receive salvation? The obvious answer is no, unless you happen to be a Universalist. According to the scriptures, only those who CHOOSE to believe and put their trust in the atoning sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross will be saved. That is something each individual person must actively and willingly DO in order to be saved! Anyone who believes otherwise has not read their bible very closely. Also, as I stated in a previous post, we must CONTINUE to believe if we want to be saved. 

     In John 6:28-29, Jesus was asked the question, "What shall we do that we may work the works of God?" His response was, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." My prayer for you today is that you WILL BELIEVE!!!!

If We Hold Fast

     "Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain." I Corinthians 15:1-2

      "Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called 'Today,' lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, for we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end;" Hebrews 3:12-14

      In my previous post regarding apostasy, I said that my next post would be about salvation being conditionally based on our continuing in the faith. As you know, if you have read the posts that followed, my plans were interrupted. I have been dealing with other issues, but I am ready to return to this very important topic once again. There are a few more scriptures I want to share with you on the topic of OSAS, just to be sure you understand that the scriptures abound with warnings to believers that we must continue in the faith in order to be saved.

     There is a parable that Jesus told that gives us a picture of what happens when different people hear the word of God. It is commonly called the Parable of the Sower and is found in Matthew 13:3-23, Mark 4:3-20, and Luke 8:5-15. I would encourage you to read the whole passage in all three of these gospel accounts. In this parable the seed is the word of God, and the soil is the heart of man. In all three accounts, after telling the parable, Jesus says, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." Not everyone responds to the preaching of the word in the same way. Some people hear the word, but their heart is so hard that it goes in one ear and right out the other. It does not take root at all, and Satan snatches away what was sown in their heart. Another group of people hear the word and receive it joyfully. Luke tells it this way,"And those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away." Luke 8:13. Mark 4:17 says of the same group, "they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away." A third group hears the word, but "the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful." Mark 4:19 The last person in the parable is "the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit, and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty." Matthew 13:23 This parable teaches us that not everyone who initially receives the word of God continues to follow after Christ. I definitely want to be in that last category, don't you?

          There are other scriptures that tell us that we must endure to the end in order to be saved. Paul tells us in I Timothy 4:1, "...the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons." Jesus, when speaking of the last days, told His disciples, "And at that time many will fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many. And because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end shall be saved." I Timothy 6:10 speaks of those who have "wandered away from the faith," and I Timothy 6:21 speaks of those who have "gone astray from the faith." What does that mean? I think I will play it on the safe side and believe it means just what it says. I do not want to be found anywhere but IN the faith when I come face to face with Jesus! I hope that is your goal also, so keep on keepin' on! Don't get sidetracked! Don't let Satan trick you! Listen to the Holy Spirit, and be obedient. It will all be worth it some day!!!!
         
         

Easter or Passover?

          In Chapter 12 of Exodus, God told the Israelites how to save themselves from the last plague which He was about to pour out on the Egyptians. That plague was to be the death of all the first-born in the land. The Israelites were told to take a one year old, unblemished male from the sheep or the goats into their house on the 10th day of the first month, the month of Nisan, and they were to keep it with them in their house until the 14th day of the month, at which time they were to kill it and eat it. That sounds quite cruel, doesn't it, to take this young, innocent animal into your house, make a pet of it, and then kill it and eat it? They were also told to put its blood on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the house so that the death angel would "pass over" them. This is where the Jewish feast of Passover originated.
          Skip ahead in time about 1500 years to the time of Christ around 30 A.D.  When John the Baptist saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29  John was proclaiming to all the world that Jesus was the ultimate fulfillment of the Passover which the Jews had been celebrating every year for about 1500 years, ever since they came out of their slavery in Egypt. Jesus was the ultimate Passover Lamb who would keep the death angel away from the door of all who would trust in Him for salvation from their sin.  Those who believed would never know spiritual death. The physical death of the ones who trust in Christ would only be a passageway into eternal life with Him.
          There is so much more meaning in the Passover celebration which I won't elaborate on right now, but I just want to express my disappointment that the church today is mostly ignorant of the meaning of Passover. Instead, I see churches celebrating something called Easter, named for a pagan Babylonian goddess of fertility called Ishtar, with chocolate bunnies and colored Easter eggs, symbols of her fertility. How it must grieve God's heart to see those who call themselves Christians openly celebrating a pagan holiday and yet, ignoring the very feast that He instituted to point to His Son, Jesus, as our Passover Lamb.
          It is true that some Christians have tried (mostly in vain) to change the name of Easter to Resurrection Day, but wouldn't it be even better to teach our children about Passover so they could learn the rich meaning behind it? The only way we will rid ourselves of the pagan aspects of Easter is to make a clean break from it. Unfortunately, even the Jews who still celebrate Passover don't understand what it is all about, but Christians have not helped in that department either. Maybe if we Christians understood the true meaning of Passover, we could better help the Jews to see that Jesus is the Savior they have been looking for, since it is their Passover celebration that points so dramatically to Him.
          I am challenging all Christians to do some study regarding Easter and Passover to see which one truly honors God. I believe we would all be blessed if we would do this. "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32  You may never want to call it Easter again!

Temporary Body, Eternal Soul

          "Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And He answered and said to them, 'Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but, unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.'" Luke 13:1-5

          What is more important, the temporary physical body or the eternal soul? We spend our lives catering to this physical body, feeding it, clothing it, possibly exercising it, nursing it when it is sick, pleasuring it ....etc. Is that wrong? That is certainly what comes naturally to us. We all have that innate self-centered, self-serving, self-preserving programming that tells us what to do all the time, but, as a Christian, I believe I must get past that. The flesh is not supposed to be in control! It is the spiritual side that must be exercised, nurtured, and strengthened. Gal. 5:16-25
          Yes, it is important to take care of the body God has given me. It is a temple of the Holy Spirit, and God expects me to treat it as such, but there is something about me that is much more important than my physical body, and that is my eternal soul. This physical body that my soul dwells in is only going to last at the very most about 100 years. None of us will get much past that, if we even get close to it, so shouldn't we be preparing for what comes next, after our physical bodies have given out? Shouldn't we spend at least as much time cultivating the spiritual side of life as we do caring for the physical? What is 100 years, more or less, compared with eternity? It is the snap of a finger!
          I think that is what Jesus was trying to say in the passage quoted above. Don't we realize that sooner or later our life here on earth will end? That is inevitable, but what comes next? This is a very important question that we would be foolish not to ask. Not contemplating what comes after physical death would be like blindly walking off the edge of the Grand Canyon with no thought of the obvious consequences; only worse, because eternity is forever, and forever, and forever.....
          "A voice says, 'Call out.' Then he answered, 'What shall I call out?' All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field, the grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass, the grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever."  Isaiah 40:6-8
          Let's do all we can to be sure we will be with the Lord forever! Believe! Have faith! Submit and be obedient to His voice. Walk with God.