Tithing

     I have listened to testimonies from people on The 700 Club who were struggling with so much debt they could see no way out; yet, they decided to tithe.  By placing God first, they began to see changes.  Their lives and their fiances did a turnaround.
     I was reminded of these testimonies as I studied our church Sunday school lesson.  Haggai tells us how God's people were building homes for themselves and neglecting the rebuilding of God's house.  God finally told them to "Think carefully about your ways:  You have planted much but harvested little.  You eat but never have enough to be satisfied.  You drink but never have enough to be happy.  You put on clothes but never have enough to get warm.  The wage earner puts his wages into a bag with a hole."    
     Do you ever feel like that?  Yet, are we willing to place enough faith in God to give Him His fair share of what we earn?  What steps of faith are we willing to take in order to live for God's glory and see fruit being produced in our lives.  God has the ability to blow away all our hard work, and what we have to remember is that it all belongs to Him in the first place.
     We might ask, "Why does God ask for a title?"  I believe Deuteronomy 14:23 provides the answer.  The King James version states, "that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God."  The Living Bible version states it like this, "The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first in your lives." 
   

Founding Fathers

     I am sure that when the Founding Fathers gathered to "cuss and discuss" the Constitution there was adversity, much like we have today.  Let's face it, our Founding Fathers had flaws and family issues just like we do.  Even back then, as throughout the previous generations, there have been questions whether we are truly a Christian nation.  Our words and actions surely have not shown it. 
     In reading the Old Testament and God's instructions to Moses for the Israelites, God repeated time and time again for the people to "commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.  Repeat them again and again to your children.  Talk about them when you are home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.   Tie them to your hands and wear them on your foreheads as reminders.  Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." (Deuteronomy  6:7-9 NLT) 
     In order to be that committed to following God's commands and to be that dedicated to teaching them to our children, we must first follow His instructions found in verse 5, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.."
     What are our words and actions showing our children today? 

    

Daily Quiet

     I believe there is a natural determination within all of you to get ahead.  We want to stay on the fast track of achievement, not letting anyone catch up or get ahead, must like a race.  Yet there is a time in each day when we need to slow down, at least long enough to listen diligently to the voice of God.

 Deuteronomy 28: 1-2  
"And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:  And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God."