Getting Beyond Ourselves

For the past several months I have been naughty. I havn't been tithing the way im supposed to. Whenever the offering plate would come around to me id say oh i forgot this week or in my mind I would tell myself that im still just a kid and I dont make that much money and God would understand.

Of course God does understand he understands that I was using excuses to hang on to something that was rightfully his. The problem is that ive just been greedy I have a new house and I have stuff that I want to put in it. I allowed myself to get away from reading the Bible every night and greed crept back into my life.

So when pastor John preached on tithing on sunday it was like every word that he said was directed completly at me. Now I'm not really excited about the whole refund thing, to me that seems like it defeats the purpose but at the same time I understand It's purpose. So I have decided to take the tithing challenge but to make sure I do it with a joyful heart im tithing in cash only so no record can be kept and a no point can I go back and say that it didn't work out and that I want a refund.

Something that we all have to look out for is the sin inside of us that will creep in, because that sin will prevent us from living the life and experiencing the glorious path that God has set before us.

The verse that really sums this up for me is Hebrews 12
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race taht is set before us.

Please study this verse and look into your own heart for the sin that clings closely to you.