From Pastor Marvin (Longer post because of story) In the winter of 1981 (I am dating myself), around 4 p.m., two thugs robbed me. I went downtown Chicago, purchased my mothers Christmas present, and took the elevated train back near my house. Instead of going home, I walked past my house to the Walgreens on Cicero and Madison (West-siders will know the exact location) to buy some pencil wave cream for my hair (Its a long story). I purchased it, and was walking home, when two guys began to walk on either side of me, said they had a gun and a knife, walked me to a large court-way building (a building with many apartments), and began to divest me of everything I had: my watch, my favorite blue suede jacket, the sweater I had underneath, the jewelry around my neck, my mothers Christmas present and my pencil wave cream (that angered me more than anything). To add insult to injury, one of them slapped me. I ran home in tears, with just my t-shirt and jeans. I felt vulnerable, violated, and victimized. Now, before you are drawn in to this narrative and begin to feel sorry for me, I need to fill you in on a small but very important detail. I believe just as God prepared the big fish to swallow Jonah because of his disobedience, I believe God prepared these two thugs to rob me because of my disobedience. Huh? Well, when I became a believer, at thirteen years old, one of the first Christian principles I learned was to honor the Lord with my wealth and with the best part of everything I produced (Proverbs 3:9). I had learned and had been faithful in giving ten percent of my income to the Lord, and as a natural consequence of my faithfulness with my money, I saw God bless my life in multiple ways (v. 10). You know that pencil wave cream I purchased, that was money that I had set aside to honor the Lord; it was the best part of what God had allowed me to produce at work that week, and I spent it on myself. But, I rationalized in my mind that the Lord wouldnt miss a few dollars (he owns everything, right?), and plus I believed he wanted my hair to look good - for the ladies. : ) I was disobedient and I believe God wanted to teach me a valuable lesson very early in my life: honor Him with my resources, and the way I handle and relate to money is a practical barometer and test of my godliness and maturity as a follower of Jesus. Lord, couldnt you have taught me this lesson without the armed robbery thing? Yeah, I probably could have, but I am not certain the lesson would have stuck, Marvin. So, how do we honor God with our wealth and the best part of everything we produce so that we experience the favor and blessings of God (Proverbs 3:9-10)? 1. Acknowledge that all money belongs to and comes from God; it is a gift from Him. Thank God for all you have. 2. Practice radical generosity; God loves cheerful and extravagant givers. 3. Support gospel work; money makes missions happen. The spread of the gospel deserves to be resourced. 4. Remain humble. Live with open hands, posturing ourselves to give to and receive from our heavenly Father. 5. Refuse to trust, set our hearts on, and serve our money. We release our our wealth to and for God, not because we are looking for a financial blessing, but because we love Him and want to express our gratitude for His generosity toward us. Questions regarding this post? How did Proverbs 3 speak to you today?
Posted on: Thu, 03 Jul 2014 11:53:56 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015