rev dw embry
Hag 1:4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?
Hag 1:5 Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
Hag 1:6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.
Hag 1:7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
Hag 1:8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.
Hag 1:9 Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts.
Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.
Hag 1:10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.
Mat 6:32 (
For after all these things do the Gentiles seek
for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But
seek ye
first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and
all these things shall be added unto you.
Not speaking of tithe (10% of money coming in) I see that you needs are first. When you get money, God is not your first thought, but what you need is first. Money is a great test to see what is first in your life. God's things or your things. Putting your things first did not work for those in Haggie and it sure won't work out to your best interest now.
Putting the Kingdom of God first, is letting go what is most important to you. Right now, it looks like Money is more important to you. God promised that everything else will be added to you.
When money comes in, Our children are not considered first, our bills are not considered first, God is first. What do you need Lord, this is what I have. I can't count the times we have sown to others by the direction of the Lord, and had no money left for bills. Not one time has the Lord not come though, and all bills paid. Not once. This is a trust issue. We are not in that position anymore, and able to sow more and more.
Just recently we sowed our brand new 800 dollar bed to someone that had no bed, we also sowed 1,000 to someone, and that money was set aside for a power bill, and rent. Someone else came in and paid that for us, and we found money we did not even know we had. God has to be first though.
Unless your a major giver, You will never have to be concerned with any tax deductions. The amount you give is tracked by the church so that they have records in case they are scrutinized. In this day and age, it is for their protection, and if your entitled to any tax deduction (Thousands of dollars given) then take advantage of it, because that is money the Government is giving back for God. That is good seed for our Government.
Jesus Is Lord.