KATHY PRESLEY

What if we tithed 10% of our time to the LORD like we give 10% of our money?
Hmmm, that would be 2 hours and 24 minutes every day set aside for communion with the God of Very God. Men, women and children setting aside 2 hours and 24 minutes every day to spend with GOD.
What would that mean?
What would we have to give up? A couple TV shows? A game on the Ipad? Facebook? Sleep? Housework? Work?
How much of our time do we waste when we think we have no time? Kind of like, how much of our money do we waste when we think we have no money?
When would we do it? Early morning? Late night? Lunch hour, plus breakfast time, plus break times? Drive times? Times when we would normally sleep in?
What would we do? Pray? Actually read the Bible? Hear the Bible on CD DVD Phone Aps? Write about the Lord to others, would that count?
.....What if we actually read the Bible? Not just a snippet here and there from a book that someone guided you through or a pamphlet that your church or religious order provides but what if you actually read it? Like someone was going to give you a test over what it said and you needed to pass that test.

Oh I know many of you have been told that the Bible was written by men. It was. Imperfect men. Just regular old guys like us. They say that they were inspired by the God of Very God who created the earth and the heavens.  Who told you it wasn't actually true? Wasn't it men that said that? Weren't they just imperfect men? Weren't they just regular guys like us? Who inspired them? Did they say?
Some say it contradicts itself. You really wouldn't know if that was true or false if you hadn't read it... fully...contextually...cover to cover.
What if it is like the rain in Florida? It can be raining and a block over not raining. So the person that didn't mow because it was raining may look like a liar to the guy looking at a sunny sky a mile over.
What if there are idioms and metaphors in there, like we use today. It doesn't really rain cats and dogs but we all know that means it rains really hard. But its still true that its raining very hard. And no one thought there were ever cats and dogs coming down out of that rain but everyone knows what you mean by that statement. That is why there are language scholars around to help you with those difficult passages. Is the real deal that we do not want to invest the time in trying to understand what we read?

What if the information in the Bible was a matter of life and death and contained the secrets to life here and now as well as eternal life or eternal death?  What if it even addressed the fate of those who want to ignore it or ignore GOD? Would it then be worth some if not a lot more of your time?

There is a currently lot of participation in the "Ice Bucket Challenge" to bring funds as well as awareness to research for ALS. A very  worthy cause. It is not a charity I personally give to because I give to others and frankly, I have limits to how much money and time I can give away.

What if there was a challenge to take God seriously?
Not just to fit Him in an hour a week. Not just throw a twenty in the plate. Not just pray when we are scared or in trouble. Not just talk about Him. Not just participate in our rituals in His name.
What if we needed Him and he did not need us but stooped down to be mindful of us?
What if there was a challenge to know who Jesus Christ really is?
What if you found out things were not what you thought?
What if it made you love God more or hate Him more?
What if the beliefs you have had are not correct?
What if they are?
Whatever at least you would be making an informed decision.

Does the thought of setting aside 2 hours and 24 minutes every single day make you a bit tense?
Does the thought of going to a movie make you tense? The movie lasts a couple hours. It takes about twenty minutes to get there and ten or fifteen minutes to get your treats and get seated.
Does the thought of playing a round of golf make you tense?
That's 4 hours not counting drive time.
No we don't play golf or watch a movie every single day.
So what if you began by 2 hours and twenty minutes a week and built from there.
Often when folks tithe their money they have to begin less and grow into a tithe as a goal. What if this worked the same way?

This challenge is not a legalistic one.
This challenge is one to examine ourselves.
Especially those who claim to be Christians.
But most especially to me.