Chapter 17: Myth—Giving 10% Is A Tithe

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Myth—Giving 10% Is A Tithe

The result of a true faith like that of Abraham’s is a true love for God

Almighty. What we feel inside of us for everyone we deeply love, we now feel that same power in our soul-spirit for God. We understand that His love is and will always be “our first love.” This isn’t a chronological first love; this is a prioritized “first love.” Indeed, my love for Jackie was first in my

heart chronologically, but it took second place in my heart when I found true faith and love for God. This didn’t mean that I started to love Jackie any less. In fact, I became more in love with her. God doesn’t take away a drop of love from your heart. Instead, He fills you and becomes your resource for

an unlimited quantity of quality love. When God gets into your heart, your heart plugs into an unlimited love energy source just like a light plugs in an unlimited electric energy source when you plug its socket into a wall outlet.

When you get God into your heart, He will give you an unlimited love

for others in your heart. That will allow you to execute the second great command of loving your neighbor “as you love yourself.” God will show you how to love yourself and others once He gets inside your heart. All this love stuff doesn’t make you a patsy anymore than it does God. True love

executes discipline when it is required. True love is a tough love. All God wants is what the Apostle James taught. He yearns for His Spirit to be welcomed into your heart with a jealous love from the bowels of your soul.

Indeed, once God has a home inside of your heart, your soul will desire to get truly acquainted with Him and His perspective on human life. You will study all His Law. You will learn what pleases and displeases Him. While you no longer have to obey the ritual Laws, you certainly want

to do what is right in God’s eyes to the best of your human ability. Your jealous love for God’s indwelling Spirit will drive your righteous behavior. The conundrum is then solved, isn’t it? Once He is truly in your heart, the Law becomes irrelevant. It is because you have become the new person that

Paul talks about in Ephesians 2:15. You have morphed into a person of faith and are no longer conformed to the things of this world or the things of men; you are conformed to the things of God and of His Son. Yes, we do make mistakes and even sin, but God knows that our heart of faith always tries to

do right even if we botch it. That’s when you will truly feel forgiveness. Do you get it? Faith starts with the simple decision of your heart to love God!