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Proverbs 3:9-10

9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

Verses 9 and 10 refer to the principle of tithing, giving a tenth of your gain back to God. This principle, or actually a command, is first given in Leviticus chapter 14 and chapter 27. The command to tithe is one that is misused by some today in order to ‘fleece the flock’. It doesn’t take long flipping through television stations until you find someone preaching the prosperity gospel. They will tell you that if you will plant a seed with them that you will be returned amazingly wealth. They use the command to tithe as a get rich quick scheme. BUT …. the Lord know the thoughts and intents of the heart. If you give of your money or goods solely for the purpose of getting more, well it will never happen. The tithe given from a clean heart, with pure motives,  is blessed. (more…)

Have you ever asked God for something and it seems you got just the opposite of what you thought you wanted? You ask for help in the midst of a trial and it seems your troubles are compounded?  Have you then felt like God had thumbed his celestrial nose at you?

Following is a short photo series I received in e-mail today. I don’t know the original author, I would like to credit them and see what other works they have. If you know, please let me know. (more…)

I’ve had a lot of contemplations on Giving Up lately. No, not giving up on life or giving up on this blog that I’ve just started. About giving up for the cause of Christ. When I started this blog I went in with the decision that I would do the initial funding to set it up and place ads to offset costs and maybe make a little money in the process. I also made the decision that any profit made I would give a tithe of it. Exactly where, whether my local church or a worthy ministry I haven’t decided.

This past week our Pastor lost an uncle in Alabama. At the last minute our Interim Minister of Education was called upon to deliver this morning’s sermons and tonight’s. As is often the case when such happens, God delivered through him a set of fresh timely messages.

As a full-time Pastor, our Pastor often has a message series that is planned over a several week period. Nothing wrong with that, it builds continuity into the direction that the Lord has placed on his heart the church should be going. But often when an Associate Pastor, Interim Pastor or Layperson is called on in a crunch the Lord will deliver a special message through them. (more…)