Do you want to shape the course of history?
When I invest money in The Gospel, I am shaping the course of history. When I see a ministry that manifests good fruit, they are subject to my family’s support as The Holy Spirit leads. Good fruit promotes more good fruit. Each of us gets to assign our resources to Eternal tasks to further the Kingdom of GOD.
As I wrote yesterday, do not allow yourself to be manipulated or coerced to give. Have I been manipulated in the past? Absolutely! Once my wife and I finally became confident in giving by being led by The Holy Spirit, we could no longer be manipulated or coerced into parting with our money. We won’t support personal kingdom building under the guise of establishing FATHER’S Kingdom.
Jesus spoke in Luke chapter 6:
38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Jesus continued as He likened people to trees:
43 “You’ll never find choice fruit hanging on a bad, unhealthy tree. And rotten fruit doesn’t hang on a good, healthy tree.
44 Every tree will be revealed by the quality of fruit that it produces. You will never pick figs or grapes from thorn trees.
45 People are known in this same way. Out of the virtue stored in their hearts, good and upright people will produce good fruit. Likewise, out of the evil hidden in their hearts, evil ones will produce what is evil. For the overflow of what has been stored in your heart will be seen by your fruit and will be heard in your words.
If you spend enough time with a person, you can identify the type of fruit they are producing. We can’t judge a person’s heart, but we can judge his fruit.
Generosity is a heart attitude, and every person is positioned to give something. Giving smiles and compliments are ways of giving. This means that you are not focusing on “self” but instead you are focusing on others. We are thinking in terms of making a difference everywhere we go. When you live a life of generosity, everything changes.
The tithe came from Abraham, who is called the father of faith.
Moses recorded by The Holy Spirit in Genesis chapter 14:
18 And Melchizedek, Who was both a priest of the Most High God and the king of Salem (peace), brought out to Abram bread and wine.
19 He spoke over him a special blessing, saying, “Blessed is Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.
20 And blessed be God Most High, whose power delivered your enemies into your hands!” Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all he possessed.
It is interesting that the two major events associated with blessing Abraham were: Holy Communion and the tithe. Think about it!
Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit about Abraham being the “father of faith” in Romans chapter 4:
16 The promise depends on faith so that it can be experienced as a grace-gift, and now it extends to all the descendants of Abraham. This promise is not only meant for those who obey the law, but also to those who enter into the faith of Abraham, the father of us all.
17 That’s what the Scripture means when it says: “I have made you the father of many nations.” He is our example and father, for in God’s Presence he believed that God can raise the dead and call into being things that don’t even exist yet.
Abraham had faith in both Communion and tithing. I do too. By faith, Abraham changed the course of history. His willingness to give was an integral part of his faith in GOD.