SELFISH!!!

“GOD doesn’t need us to give HIM our money. HE owns everything. Tithing is GOD’S way to grow Christians.” Adrian Rogers

Have you ever had a random conversation with someone and realized that the conversation actually had a message that you needed to hear?  You know like when you go to church and think that the sermon is directed at you.  That is how I felt when my Twistician shared she’d experienced some situations that caused her faith to wean and after speaking with a friend, recognized that she’d become SELFISH.  The more I listened to her story, the more I realized that I too have been SELFISH.  Are you SELFISH? Do you have SELFISH ways? I know I DO!!! So for this week’s blog post, let’s talk SHIP about being SELFISH!!!!  

Last week, my hair appointment quickly turned into a testimony and a praise session.   After exchanging pleasantries and catching up on life since our last visit, my Twistician was eager to testify and jumped right in.   She mentioned she’d been struggling financially and had considered canceling her cruise to the Bahamas.  Even though it was already paid for, she stated that it made no sense to go on a relaxing vacation while worrying about the unpaid expenses and bills that would be waiting when she’d return home.  She acknowledged that her life was financially out of order.  After speaking with a friend, she turned inward to talk to GOD and realized that she’d not been a good steward of her finances.  Although she knew she had been blessed, she hadn’t been giving GOD the FIRST fruits of her labor.  She hadn’t been tithing and knew that this SELFISH act was the reason why her finances were out of whack.  

Listening to her, I knew this was a conversation that I needed to hear because I, too was slighting GOD.  I wasn’t tithing?  I wasn’t giving GOD the FIRST fruits of my labor either.  I was being SELFISH too!   Blessed to have worked throughout the pandemic, but I was too SELFISH to show my appreciation by sharing my money.  Fortunate enough to pay off my debt, but too SELFISH to pay GOD what I owed HIM.  Despite me always asking HIM to bless me and to provide me with opportunities that would enhance my finances, I’ve been too SELFISH to share 10% of what HE’S already given me.  For the past few years, I’d been too SELFISH to share with GOD. 

As we continued to talk, we admitted that our finances were out of alignment because we’d been SELFISH and weren’t in accordance with GOD’s WORD as described in Malachi 3:10. Where it tells us to “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 a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it”.  Having both been strong tithers, we fully understood the power of sowing seeds and had directly benefitted from the blessings it brings.  But somehow, we began to let life’s demands direct us financially, NOT anymore. That was about to change.

My Twistician indicated that after realizing her SELFISH ways, she began to set aside money to give GOD HIS due first.  After a month of tithing, she indicated that blessings were coming from everywhere.  All of her immediate needs were met and she was able to go on the cruise.  She testified that not only were her household expenses and bills fully paid before leaving she also had pocket money for the trip.  As for me, I had received my paycheck the day before and knew that I needed to stop being SELFISH.   I knew that I had to put GOD first in my finances too. The next morning, before paying my bills, I gave GOD HIS due first. I resumed tithing and can honestly say, it felt good not being SELFISH and sharing with GOD what HE has lovingly and SELFLESSLY given me!!!

 SHIP TALK:  Have you been SELFISH with your finances? Do you tithe?

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