The Reward for Surviving Rough Seas

The Reward for Surviving Rough Seas
We are all like sea shells tossed about in rough waters and being re-shaped in wondrous ways. But have you ever contemplated the notion that sea shells have to complete their journey through the rough waters before they get to rest on the shore? Yeah, we are ALL like sea shells and Heaven is The Great Shore.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

It Is Impossible...

Greetings Everybody,
This morning I want to talk about how God Blesses His Kids When They Seek and Follow His Will.


Are you familiar with this one?
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." Malachi 3:10


God gives us a challenge in this scripture and I am here to tell you that He is UP to that challenge and has blessed 
my family again and again.



Ok, let's talk about this for a bit.
First of all, this morning I am rejoicing that God has once more proven this scripture to be true.

Without going into too much personal detail, my husband and I have been helping others to the point of sometimes draining our own accounts.

It's a privilege to be able to help, and I want to help, but the reality is that often we find ourselves needing to tighten our financial belts a little in order take care of our own needs.

Simply put: We try to bless as we have been blessed.

It's a good way of life, but it is not always easy. 

It's always tricky to share something like this with others, because the intent can be misinterpreted.  So Please Know that I am not telling you about our giving to others so that we can gain your praise, but Rather I share it in order to point out how God blesses those who help others.
It's about GOD, not about us.

So back to the topic of financial belt tightening...there is nothing wrong with doing a bit of that. In fact,we could probably USE a little financial belt tightening, truth being told.  

Yet it is one thing to tighten your financial belt because you decide to do so on your own volition, and it is quite another thing to realize that you have no choice but to  do so.

Still, the constraint is worth it to us, because We Believe that we are doing what The Lord wants us to do. 

Furthermore, my husband and I are united in the belief that the money in our bank account is a blessing that is only "on loan from God to us". We believe that It's all HIS anyway, and that we are only being allowed to use it.

I told you all of that, to get to this:

Yesterday,when hubby and I were facing the need to tighten that financial belt one more notch, yet another financial blessing arrived.

No, a million dollars didn't fall from the sky...it's not like.
As it turns out...somebody else, blessed US.

Pretty cool HUH?
They did not realize how much we needed it.
Yet suddenly we were just taken care of.

It was ENOUGH to cover our needs.
And ENOUGH was ALL we needed.

We have been married for over 30 years and EVERY SINGLE TIME that we have come to such circumstances, God Has Provided For Us.


The Bible speaks quite a bit about giving and generosity.


There are lots of scriptures that talk about these topics.


"There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want." Proverbs 11:24

"He who is generous will be blessed, For he gives some of his food to the poor." Proverbs 22:9

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap." Galatians 6:7

"Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary." Galatians 6:9



"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,not reluctantly or under compulsion,for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:6-7


I guess it comes down to this these 3 things:


1.  My parents taught me a very important lesson as a child.


2.  And I was fortunate enough to marry a man who had parents who taught him this same lesson.

3.  "It is Impossible to Out-Give God!"


Just thought I'd share:)


In Him, 
Grace

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am exactly struggling with this issue, save opposite - I never give very much because I never seem to HAVE very much.

None of us in our house have had secure, reasonable employment in a long time, though we can count on income amounting to 1/2 of what will meet our expenses and are able to (barely) make the rest -

I have been functioning from the mindset that it makes no sense to help others till you have helped yourself, my spouse agrees with me, but have been wondering if that is wrong?

Certainly there's money I use on nonsense like 'buying extra coffee' or in general not being particularly thrifty - a lot of the wasted money could go towards those I acknowledge are needier than us. I firmly believe there's such a thing as giving too much, but a person can always give something, right?

in any event thanks for this post, it gives one food for thought

Anonymous said...

Very inspiring post : ) Thank you for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Hi!
Thanks for stopping by A Porcelain Rose. I enjoyed reading the post about giving. Been doing that myself! He is SO faithful!

Cloudia said...

thank you for thoughtful exposition of important matters. God Bless you



Wishing you a pleasant thoughts &
Aloha from Waikiki
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Paula said...

WOW~ I needed this today. I've known this all along, but I needed a reminder!
Wonderful blog!