"Good and Plenty"

"That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store; that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets:" (Psalms 144:13)

  To the manner of store, it too is very much about the matter of the heart; because God surely does love a cheerful giver, which is the type of giver who knows from where all blessing flow! Talk about something that is increasingly getting a bad rap, the giving of tithes and offerings is really not meant to be something that is any sort on an issue; it is meant to be something that is as much a part of our worship, as singing praise, or just acknowledging God for all of His mercy and grace. Whenever I can, or whenever God gives me the opportunity, I love to share about the importance of giving. Not that my life has no financial problems, because there are issues and problems that I have with money. But what I do not have is any worries when it comes to God's provisions and my obligation to give my tithes and offerings. And yes, I said obligation! If I expect to be cared for by God, then I am obligated to give Him at least ten percent of everything I receive; it is more than just a commitment, it is a responsibility. I have been dealing with IRS problems since 2003; actually, maybe since the very beginning of starting my business in August of 1990. Paying taxes is also our responsibility, but if you are structuring a budget to base your needs upon, you have got to remember to include tax payments into your budget! I might have overlooked that little item in the list of expenses and needs; probably because they were something that was previously just taken out of my pay, so I never really had to write a check for paying taxes. Anywho; the forms that they give you to fill out, when you are structuring a settlement, do not have a line in the expense column for giving tithes or offerings. I really could not believe it, but it just was not anywhere on the form; so I wrote it in and listed it as if it was an expense, the same as food and housing. The agent that was working with me tried of object, but I was very persistent that it needed to be part of my expenses. In fact, I assured him that it was not going away; and if I did stop paying my tithes, chances were, I would not be successful paying off my back taxes. So I made him and offer, saying, I will pay you a monthly payment equivalent to the amount I put in there for my tithe; but I will still pay my tithe, and I will let God work out the difference. The amount was not really the concern, because I knew that God was more than faithful; but the offer was excepted, and within no time at all, God was supplying all of my needs, and then some! There are somethings that God expects us to just trust Him on; things like working out all of our trial and tribulations: but there is one thing that God wants us to prove Him on; to test Him and see if what He says is not true. It surely isn't jumping off of a building, or drinking poison, or walking into traffic; but when it comes to giving of that which you have been given; let's just say, test and see for yourself. What have you have got to lose, is nothing compared to what you have to gain...

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:10)