Did God pass the "test"?

Malachi 3:10 (NKJV)   

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,     That there may be food in My house,     And try Me now in this,”     Says the Lord of hosts,     “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven     And pour out for you such blessing     That there will not be room enough to receive it. 

Back on September 1, 2013 I told you about my wife and I double “tithing” (or giving back God 20% of what He has given us during the month) in order to show our two sons that God comes through on His promises.  God promises in Malachi in the last book of the Old Testament of the Bible that He will throw open the windows of heaven and pour out so much blessing that we will not have room enough for it, if we give Him back His 10% of what He gives us.  Since we were already giving God back His 10% we decided to give Him back 20% in the month of September to give God the chance to show our sons proof that God can be trusted.

God has blessed us by giving our sons neighbors to play with after school.  Jesus has helped me to see more quickly when I’m wrong and apologize to my wife.  God has enabled us to go to church together, which is very sweet because it hasn’t happened often lately.  My younger son has been walking away from the antagonism of others, which takes great strength and I am proud of him.  God provided a mini-mentoring session for my older son through a Christian friend of a Christian friend who was cleaning my carpets (he did an excellent job with my son and the carpets – ask for referral information).  My son tithed five weeks at church tonight (partially ahead of schedule) and was totally pumped, ready to see what God would do to bless him.

Monetarily, God did some off-the-chart things for us, as well.  First, He provided a perfect stranger to pick up our dinner check at a restaurant.  Next, my wife got paid for work that she wasn’t planning on getting paid for.  Our family received a free hotel stay, including mileage, breakfast, pool, and exercise room.  I interviewed for a new job and quit my then current job on Thursday, September 5th, 2013 and got paid for the next two weeks.  Last Monday, September 23, 2013, God gave me the job I interviewed for making twice as much as I did before plus unbelievable benefits.  This fits perfectly with my wife going from 40 hours per week to 20 hours per week (which is welcome).  And as far as God’s timing, my job starts the same day my wife’s job goes to part-time.

To me, God has indeed opened for me the windows of heaven  And poured out for me such blessing  That there is not room enough to receive it.

Ephesians 3:20 – 21 (NKJV) 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,  21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. 

Spare change can change your life…

Luke 12 NKJV

13Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”14But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of £covetousness [greed], for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”16Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ 20But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’21“So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

 Your life can be as rich and sweet and full of joy as any millionaire’s, or even more so.  And a millionaire’s life can be as bankrupt as anyone in bankruptcy, or even more so.  Jesus said our life is not determined by what we own.  Money can solve some problems, but it can bring even more of its own, (like the desire for more money).  I was never so greedy as when I had more money (and depended on money).  I’ve never felt more free to give than when I didn’t have a job (and depended on God to provide).

Have you ever noticed that some people are strong and some are weak?  Some rich and some poor?  Some are blind and some can see?  Some are brilliant and some struggle?  Some are healthy and some are sick?  The early followers’ of Jesus had a solution to these problems.  The strong helped the weak.  The rich helped the poor.  The blind were healed or helped by those that could see.  Those who could think well helped those who couldn’t.  The healthy healed or helped those who were sick.

God didn’t give the Rich Man in the parable plentiful crops so that he could “take [his] ease; eat, drink and be merry” for many years.  I believe when God gives me more than I need it is to serve with it, not to indulge myself with it.  I find more fun in meeting someone else’s need in the name of Jesus, than in buying myself something that I don’t need.

For about the price of a coffee, roughly $1.33 a day, you can change the life of a child by sponsoring them through

Hope for Children part of World Hope International at:
http://www.worldhope.org/page.aspx?pid=511

or Compassion International at:
http://www.compassion.com/

You will give them education, nutrition, and medical care.  And the opportunity to meet Jesus.

And giving that $1.33 a day just might change your life as much as your child’s.

Courageous Christian Father

A Christian Blog about the Bible, Theology, God, Jesus Christ, Christian Music, Christian Movies, Family, Cats, Odd Holidays and much more.

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And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. Daniel 7:14,27

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