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The Blessings of Tithing (Mormon)
First Presidency Message ^ | June, eo11 | Henry B Eyring

Posted on 06/05/2011 11:25:15 AM PDT by greyfoxx39

The Blessings of Tithing

By President Henry B. Eyring

First Counselor in the First Presidency


Henry B. Eyring

God’s purpose in giving us commandments is to bless us. He wants to give us eternal life, the greatest of all His gifts (see D&C 14:7). To receive the gift of living with Him forever in families in the celestial kingdom, we must be able to live the laws of that kingdom (see D&C 88:22).

He has given us commandments in this life to help us develop that capacity. The law of tithing is one of those preparatory commandments. The law is that we give to the Lord one-tenth of all our income. It is simple enough that even a child can understand it. I have seen children hand a bishop a tithing envelope that contains one-tenth of the coins they earned.

There we must be able to feel that aOne of the blessings that comes from paying a full tithing is developing faith to live an even higher law. To live in the celestial kingdom, we must live the law of consecration. We are and all we have belong to God.

There are at least three ways that paying a full tithe in this life prepares us to feel what we need to feel to receive the gift of eternal life.

First, when we pay our tithes to the Church, our Heavenly Father pours out blessings upon us. Anyone who has consistently paid a full tithe knows that is true. The blessings are sometimes spiritual and sometimes temporal. They are given in the Lord’s time and according to what He knows is best for us.

As those blessings come, our faith is increased that God is the source of everything that is good in our lives. It becomes easier to see that consecration simply recognizes the truth that all of God’s creations are His. It makes us feel gratitude that He asks only 10 percent of what He has already given us. So we are better prepared to live the law of consecration when it will be asked of us.

Second, all of us who have paid a consistent full tithe feel greater confidence in asking God for what we and our families need. He has promised blessings even greater than we can receive when we have been faithful to our covenant to pay our tithes (see Malachi 3:10). So one of the great blessings of tithing is confidence in what the future holds. Whatever our circumstances may be, things will work out for the best. As we keep our promises, He will keep His. A feeling of peace is one of the great blessings of paying a full tithe. Those who have kept the commandment of tithing can testify that the blessing of peace is real and precious.

Third, those who pay tithing feel an increase in their love of God and of all God’s children. That increase of love comes from understanding how the Father uses the tithes we offer to bless people in this world and for eternity.

Through His authorized servants, He expends the tithes with great care. The tithe payer helps the Lord build temples, where families can be sealed forever. The tithe payer helps Him send the gospel to people everywhere. The tithe payer helps Him relieve hunger and suffering in His own way through His servants. Any of those servants can tell you how love increased because tithing was used to bless people. And so can the faithful tithe payer.

Tithing settlement is months in the future. I pray that you and your family will begin now to plan and prepare to qualify for the blessings that God pours out on all those who can declare to Him that they are full-tithe payers.

Teaching from This Message

Youth

Enough Money

met the missionaries when I was 17. At that time my older brother and I lived together. Our mother had passed away the year before, and life was difficult. When the missionaries taught me, I could see that this Church was the church I had always sought. But the influence of my friends prevented me from going to church on Sundays.

One time I went to a Church activity during the week. Seeing all the young people laughing and playing brought me great joy. The missionaries, with the youth, took that opportunity to teach me a gospel lesson, and I felt so good I resolved to be baptized.

But even after I joined the Church, I faced challenges. I was the only member of the Church in that part of town and lived far away from the meetinghouse. My nonmember friends no longer wanted anything to do with me. When I felt alone, I prayed and felt the love of the Lord.

Each month, I received a small allotment of money from a fund my mother left. It was difficult to sustain myself with so little money. But I determined to be obedient. I paid tithing and also had to pay for transportation to seminary and Sunday meetings. I didn’t understand how, but at the end of the month, I found that there had been enough money to do it all.

I know that I have been blessed by paying tithing. Obeying this commandment helped me gain a stronger testimony, serve a mission, and recognize blessings so I can strengthen new members who are facing challenges.

Children

I Can Pay Tithing

Paying tithing means giving 10 percent of what we earn to the Lord. Look at these three children doing jobs. On the first blank space by each drawing, write how much you think each child might earn for the job. On the second line, write how much the tithing would be.

children earning money(click to view larger)

Bonus question: Which of these tithe payers would receive the most blessings? (Hint: See the last paragraph of President Eyring’s message.)



TOPICS: General Discusssion; Other non-Christian; Religion & Culture; Theology
KEYWORDS: christian; inman; lds; mormon
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To: SouthernClaire

Darn it, Reag. I needed to get some stuff done this afternoon, but now I am going to the site you posted. (When my husband comes in, I’m going to blame you. :) )

- - - - - -
Tell him he can freepmail me if he’s too mad. LOL.

And we have reached some here on FR, 2 who were LDS have left because of the ‘antis’ on here and one person who was thinking of joining the LDS church thought better of it after reading these threads. And we don’t know how many lurkers have been affected. Praise God people are being reached!

Thank you for your kind words, sister.


61 posted on 06/06/2011 12:26:43 PM PDT by reaganaut (Ex-Mormon, now Christian - "I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see")
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To: Elsie

should have been more clear.

Christians call it heaven (being with God the Father for eternity).

Mormons (who have 3 levels of ‘heaven’) call it the Celestial Kingdom (being with God the Father for Eternity).

short form is Mormon CK = Christian Heaven


62 posted on 06/06/2011 12:28:48 PM PDT by reaganaut (Ex-Mormon, now Christian - "I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see")
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To: Elsie

And we are ALL doing that, for sure!
Thanks again for your words.

‘Face


63 posted on 06/06/2011 12:54:55 PM PDT by Monkey Face (Nothing is so bad that a good dose of chocolate can't cure it.)
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To: MayflowerMadam

64 posted on 06/06/2011 1:03:55 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: reaganaut

I don’t.


65 posted on 06/06/2011 1:04:24 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: reaganaut

And that deLicious kosher ham on Thanksgiving is to DIE for!!


66 posted on 06/06/2011 1:05:22 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: Elsie

chuckle. Missed u els.


67 posted on 06/06/2011 1:08:06 PM PDT by reaganaut (Ex-Mormon, now Christian - "I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see")
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To: reaganaut; Elsie
I have no context for it...who said it...or circumstances...it came up on a cached search: “A person who would tithe before feeding her own kids doesn't deserve to be pissed on if she were on fire. No different than buying crack instead of paying rent.” Tithe before feeding

Is this it? (Who originally said it?)

68 posted on 06/06/2011 5:45:16 PM PDT by Colofornian (I already have a God as my leader. Why do I need ANOTHER one as POTUS?)
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To: Colofornian; Elsie

No it was a GA who said it at conference, they told a story about a woman who paid her tithing rather than feed her children and she was ‘blessed’ for it.

I’ll keep looking, I have it somewhere in my archives.


69 posted on 06/06/2011 5:58:51 PM PDT by reaganaut (Ex-Mormon, now Christian - "I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see")
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To: reaganaut

Howdy! Where have you been?


70 posted on 06/06/2011 6:20:53 PM PDT by Utah Binger (Inman FReepers Meet July 23 in Southern Utah JR Too!)
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To: reaganaut
I’ll keep looking, I have it somewhere in my archives.

Until you do; I found this interesting tidbit...


<snip>

Those opposed, if any, may manifest it.

<snip>

 

 

</snip>

It appears that the sustaining has been unanimous in the affirmative. Thank you, brothers and sisters, for your faith and prayers.

</snip>

 

http://lds.org/general-conference/1998/04/the-sustaining-of-church-officers?lang=eng

 

 

 

71 posted on 06/07/2011 4:58:51 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: reaganaut
Is THIS what we are looking for?
One of the first things a bishop must do to help the needy is ask them to pay their tithing.
Like the widow, if a destitute family is faced with the decision of paying their tithing or eating, they should pay their tithing.
The bishop can help them with their food and other basic needs until they become self-reliant.
.
.
.
President Hinckley taught them that if they would pay their tithing,
they would always have food on their tables,
they would always have clothing on their backs,
and they would always have a roof over their heads.
http://lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/tithing-a-commandment-even-for-the-destitute?lang=eng&query=tithe
 
 

72 posted on 06/07/2011 5:09:38 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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To: reaganaut
  The LDS penchant for recording EVERYTHING is a wonderful source of data!
 
http://lds.org/general-conference/2004/04/earthly-debts-heavenly-debts?lang=eng&query=tithe
 
 
      There are those among us who have been blessed abundantly with enough and to spare.
      Our Heavenly Father expects that we do more with our riches than build larger barns to hold them.
      Will you consider what more you can do to build the kingdom of God?
      Will you consider what more you can do to bless the lives of others and bring light and hope into their lives?
 

Yeah!!  We can build MALLS!
 
 

73 posted on 06/07/2011 5:13:57 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going)
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