Pay And Pray

Here are your alternatives:
1) pay and pray
2) pay and don^t pray
3) don^t pay and do pray
4) don^t pay and don^t pray

Let^s analyse what each means starting from the last.

4) Don^t pay and don^t pray.

If you don^t pay you either have no money or you think that you are above paying for some reason. If you have no money you are either a parasite, lazy or unemployed due to a slump in the economy. Or you could be too young to be earning money yet, which is excusable in some cases.

If you do have money and don^t pay a tithe (10%) of your increase regularly then you do not belong to God because the scriptures state that God^s people should pay tithes and the scriptures are from God. So if you do not obey God or pay your tithe then your mind is set against God or you are ignorant of His ways.

If you don^t pray then you either think that your prayers are ineffective or you don^t believe in God so then there is no one to pray to. Another reason not to pray is to show no respect for God. Or perhaps you wish no better life for yourself or for others, you don^t care, you don^t seek God^s help in any way. Basically you deny His power and influence on matters and His desire to hear prayers.

In this category are many atheists.

3) Do not pay and do pray

If you pray but do not pay then you are in danger of praying to a God that you do not respect or obey whole heartedly. You are acting on half measures. You may even be praying to the wrong god, a god that you imagine not a reality or the true God. Your prayers may be of no value either just like your money.

In this category are many professing Christians who do not practise their religion.

2) Pay and do not pray

This I think is a case of relying on others to pray for you. It is a lack of a sense of the value of prayer. And it is a lack of maturity in prayer rendering your few thoughts ineffective.

This represents those who affiliate themselves with a church but only half heartedly or at a distance.

1) Pay and Pray

When you pay you obey. Remember the old widow who gave every cent she had, two cents, Christ valued her contribution.

When you pray you realize the value of prayer and of communicating with God. It is a gift from God.

This is the best combination. It shows that you are physically and spiritually in tune with God.

2009 Jacques Gauvin

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