Guest blogger this week: Karissa
I'm not going to get into anything majorly complicated... no deep theological truths except to say that the Lord provides. Now that everyone has collectively said, "well, duh." Moving right along.
June was a ridiculous month here at Downing Ministries. The van was in the shop twice totaling almost $2,000 in repairs, my GPS went out, my cell phone croaked, my computer had to be replaced because of a $3 part, and we would typically have 12 or more concerts / events scheduled in a given month... no, not June 2016. How many did we have? 3. T-H-R-E-E. Tres. Trois. As in 4-1. I'll say it again; June was ridiculous.
To be honest with you, there is no way we should have pulled through the slump. On paper, it absolutely doesn't add up. Been there? We had some wonderful friends of this ministry who stepped up in a big way. You know who you are, and I thank you ever so sincerely. Even so, things still didn't add up. So what makes it work?
Ann and I are both firm believers in God's economy. The Bible says we should tithe 10% of the first fruits back to the Kingdom. Obviously, your pastor doesn't need bushels of wheat, 3 fatted calves, and a peck of corn these days. So what do we do? We tithe the first fruits of our labor in the form we receive them today... dollars.
I'm not telling You that if you give 10% to God that you'll automatically be without debt and accidentally strike gold while mowing your lawn, but if you give out of an abundance of gratitude for what He's provided and out of a heart that yearns to be obedient, You'll be amazed how many times God will prove that with Him there is no such thing as an impossibility.
I'm not going to get into anything majorly complicated... no deep theological truths except to say that the Lord provides. Now that everyone has collectively said, "well, duh." Moving right along.
June was a ridiculous month here at Downing Ministries. The van was in the shop twice totaling almost $2,000 in repairs, my GPS went out, my cell phone croaked, my computer had to be replaced because of a $3 part, and we would typically have 12 or more concerts / events scheduled in a given month... no, not June 2016. How many did we have? 3. T-H-R-E-E. Tres. Trois. As in 4-1. I'll say it again; June was ridiculous.
To be honest with you, there is no way we should have pulled through the slump. On paper, it absolutely doesn't add up. Been there? We had some wonderful friends of this ministry who stepped up in a big way. You know who you are, and I thank you ever so sincerely. Even so, things still didn't add up. So what makes it work?
Ann and I are both firm believers in God's economy. The Bible says we should tithe 10% of the first fruits back to the Kingdom. Obviously, your pastor doesn't need bushels of wheat, 3 fatted calves, and a peck of corn these days. So what do we do? We tithe the first fruits of our labor in the form we receive them today... dollars.
I'm not telling You that if you give 10% to God that you'll automatically be without debt and accidentally strike gold while mowing your lawn, but if you give out of an abundance of gratitude for what He's provided and out of a heart that yearns to be obedient, You'll be amazed how many times God will prove that with Him there is no such thing as an impossibility.
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