The Father has a way of testing us and usually by loss, the loss of the things we hold the tightest. The tighter the grip, the higher the possibility He will test. In actuality, those things we hold the tightest are usually the idols in our lives that have taken the place of the Father, and His only desire is to regain His rightful position as the Center and Only in our lives. Personally, I have felt the sting of loss, the loss of loved ones, of friendships, of exercise, of health and of finances. He has seen idols arise and He has broken them down. But through it all I have realized that the Father is only testing to prove me sufficient for accomplishing His will, He is only testing to create a perseverance in me. He is testing to assure when hardships arise He is my Center and He is my Only. And He is testing to know that in times of plenty He can trust....He can trust that I will give, that I will serve, that the love of money will not crowd the vision He has placed, that the love of money will not be the root that drives, but that in times of plenty I will give and in times of need I will give.
The more I read the Word, the more His teachings on rich and poor, plenty and in need, love of money, giving of all you have are brought to light. Scripture after Scripture after Scripture teaches how hard it is for the rich to enter heaven, how we are given much to give away much. And all The Son's teachings culminate in Acts, where the church was given the command and the desire to live in common and to live as one. Acts 2, Acts 4 (and I have not gotten past Acts 4 because I am in awe of the first four chapters, the power of the Holy Spirit and the church living as one)...the church devoted itself to fellowship, breaking of bread, no one was in need, selling their possessions, living in common, living as one. What if the modern church lived as the church in Acts? What if I lived as a member of the church in Acts? Would no one be in need? Would not debt be paid and freedom be found? Would not finances be restored? Would not others be free to minister and serve here and overseas without lack of finances and worry of provision? We are so quick to hoard and save. We are quick to purchase and live out of the abundance and first fruits and not out of the remains and "left-overs." We are so afraid to live a life of giving because we are worried about not having, not being able to provide. The last few years have taught me, the more I give the more the Father provides. I have had moments where I wondered how I would pay my bills, how I would survive and I have never once not had exactly what I have needed. I have had pennies to my name and have seen the Father provide. I have made it a discipline to tithe even when according to my budget tithing is impossible. I have made it a discipline to continue to give to missionaries and ministries even when according to my budget I should not. I have made it my desire to spend time with others, travel to see those I love, even when I would have to give up purchases for myself. These past few years have shown me, have produced in me the less I have the more I desire to give; the less I have the more I desire to have because I desire to give more. The Father has created in me a hunger to give out of my need and to give out of my abundance. I want abundantly so I can give abundantly. And when I see the love of money taking root, the Father takes away. Not because He desires me to be in want, but because He desires me to be in Him. He desires to be my Center my Only whether in need or in abundance. I do not say these things to make myself look great or to make it seem like I am perfect. I am far from it. For years I desired to live in abundance to have for myself. Yes, I have always loved to give, I love giving to others it is an overwhelming desire in my heart, but there was still that inner battle of I wanted the nicest car, the prettiest clothes, the newest gadgets, the best of everything. When all was taken away I neglected to tithe because financially my budget said it was not possible. When I was in need I neglected to give. Then the Lord blessed me again financially a few years ago, for only a year. It was in that year I realized I was given to give, whether in want or in abundance I was given to give. So when the Father took everything away the following year, I knew I was to continue to tithe, continue to give, continue to minister. And He continued to take away and I knew I would be provided for. And He continued to take away and I doubted and I struggled but I knew I would be provided for.
The Father desires to bless and there is nothing wrong with wanting nice things, for desiring to have a nice outfit, a nice house. He wants to bless us but for the love of money, we must desire these things out of the remains not out of the firsts. We must give and give until we do not see a need and then what is left is for our enjoyment our pleasure. When we see the love of money growing root in our hearts, we must give it away and recenter our hearts. There is nothing wrong with wanting more, for desiring to have financially, if our hearts are truly pointed to the cross, if our desire to want more is in order to give more. He gives so we can give. To those much is given, much is expected. Tithe, offer, give and see how He provides our daily needs, see how He provides the little blessings of a new outfit a nice house. We must desire these things not for our pleasure but for the glory of Him and to bless others. May our hearts ever be turned toward giving. May we desire to live as the church in Acts. May the Father be the Center and the Only in our hearts in our lives in our finances in our churches. For the Father gives and the Father takes away, yet through it all blessed be His name.
The more I read the Word, the more His teachings on rich and poor, plenty and in need, love of money, giving of all you have are brought to light. Scripture after Scripture after Scripture teaches how hard it is for the rich to enter heaven, how we are given much to give away much. And all The Son's teachings culminate in Acts, where the church was given the command and the desire to live in common and to live as one. Acts 2, Acts 4 (and I have not gotten past Acts 4 because I am in awe of the first four chapters, the power of the Holy Spirit and the church living as one)...the church devoted itself to fellowship, breaking of bread, no one was in need, selling their possessions, living in common, living as one. What if the modern church lived as the church in Acts? What if I lived as a member of the church in Acts? Would no one be in need? Would not debt be paid and freedom be found? Would not finances be restored? Would not others be free to minister and serve here and overseas without lack of finances and worry of provision? We are so quick to hoard and save. We are quick to purchase and live out of the abundance and first fruits and not out of the remains and "left-overs." We are so afraid to live a life of giving because we are worried about not having, not being able to provide. The last few years have taught me, the more I give the more the Father provides. I have had moments where I wondered how I would pay my bills, how I would survive and I have never once not had exactly what I have needed. I have had pennies to my name and have seen the Father provide. I have made it a discipline to tithe even when according to my budget tithing is impossible. I have made it a discipline to continue to give to missionaries and ministries even when according to my budget I should not. I have made it my desire to spend time with others, travel to see those I love, even when I would have to give up purchases for myself. These past few years have shown me, have produced in me the less I have the more I desire to give; the less I have the more I desire to have because I desire to give more. The Father has created in me a hunger to give out of my need and to give out of my abundance. I want abundantly so I can give abundantly. And when I see the love of money taking root, the Father takes away. Not because He desires me to be in want, but because He desires me to be in Him. He desires to be my Center my Only whether in need or in abundance. I do not say these things to make myself look great or to make it seem like I am perfect. I am far from it. For years I desired to live in abundance to have for myself. Yes, I have always loved to give, I love giving to others it is an overwhelming desire in my heart, but there was still that inner battle of I wanted the nicest car, the prettiest clothes, the newest gadgets, the best of everything. When all was taken away I neglected to tithe because financially my budget said it was not possible. When I was in need I neglected to give. Then the Lord blessed me again financially a few years ago, for only a year. It was in that year I realized I was given to give, whether in want or in abundance I was given to give. So when the Father took everything away the following year, I knew I was to continue to tithe, continue to give, continue to minister. And He continued to take away and I knew I would be provided for. And He continued to take away and I doubted and I struggled but I knew I would be provided for.
The Father desires to bless and there is nothing wrong with wanting nice things, for desiring to have a nice outfit, a nice house. He wants to bless us but for the love of money, we must desire these things out of the remains not out of the firsts. We must give and give until we do not see a need and then what is left is for our enjoyment our pleasure. When we see the love of money growing root in our hearts, we must give it away and recenter our hearts. There is nothing wrong with wanting more, for desiring to have financially, if our hearts are truly pointed to the cross, if our desire to want more is in order to give more. He gives so we can give. To those much is given, much is expected. Tithe, offer, give and see how He provides our daily needs, see how He provides the little blessings of a new outfit a nice house. We must desire these things not for our pleasure but for the glory of Him and to bless others. May our hearts ever be turned toward giving. May we desire to live as the church in Acts. May the Father be the Center and the Only in our hearts in our lives in our finances in our churches. For the Father gives and the Father takes away, yet through it all blessed be His name.
