Tithe and Offerings

[Guest shadow2b]

-How do you continue to hold on to those promises when you feel like you are at the end. I know what both of us feel God is saying to us about giving and the words that have been spoken over us are right but when you've been trying to get through for so long how do you keep going.

-ahhhhhh-- ROSE---CHEER-UP--ROSES ARE BLOOMING

-WE know exactly how you feel---been there---done that---When I became disabled in 1985,after

-working in the pipeline industry since the age of 15--WE had a 1979 pickup-welding-rig--lincoln200

-welding machine--cutting torch{victor--naturally}a tool-box across the bed A u-haul trailer{small

-one}with a king-size mattress & box-springs-clothes-one 9inch.tv & little else----we came home &

-lived on 10 acres my mother had bought--8 acres my sister had bought--one power-pole with a

-110 plug-in, which we parked beside for lights & tv to work....A water line with a faucet on it & a

-plastic water-hose----NOTHING-ELSE--BROKE--DIS-couraged--SCARED-big-time---couldn't figure-out

-what was WRONG with ME--physically--{mentally--IM crazzy}-you don't have to be,but living on

-this planet---it helps--somewhat-----oh yeah I HATED DOCTORS-PERIOD--didn't trust them-PERIOD-

-Anyhow A friend recommended his doc, so we went & he did a bunch of tests--x-rays-couldn't find

-out what was causing all the pain-losing my balance-legs just buckling-like a light-switch had been

-turned OFF--suddenly--caused a lot of skinned knees--arms---SO he sent us to Houston--

-M.D.Anderson..they did MORE tests--like STICKING LONG-electrodes in my legs--& saying BE-STILL

-NOW while they watched a monitor?--well,anyhow these EXperts sent me to another EXpert --in a

-wheel-chair--HE had suffered from POLIO & wound up in the wheel-chair--so--they diagnosed me

-with-post-polio-myletis-muscle-atrophy-polio is a virus that attacks muscles & nerve-endings-which

-caues the muscles to have cramps & a lot of pain--That is after it KILLS some muscles & nerve-

-endings..SO they{the EXperts}discovered after 30 or 40 years the muscles are worn out because

-the muscles that were not{killed?}by the polio-have been working overtime doing the things the

-dead muscles couldn't do & are just plain worn-out----SO they{the EXperts}told me that if I didn't

-want to wind-up flat on my back, unable to do anything for myself-I had to do absolutely nothing

-beyond exactly what was necessary to get thru a day--like shower-shave-eat-other than that I

-should not do anything-at all-they gave me a bunch of pills for pain--& muscle-relaxers--so here we

-are---unable to work--broke{in constant pain}--living in two tents a friend gave us the money

-for$200.00--living on land that didn't belong to us...very discouraging situation--My mothers

-husband--was a framing contractor-expert-perfectionist--HE built us a 20x20 room to get us out of

-the tents--very nice guy--but an alcoholic--we lived in that 20x20 room for over a year---Then

-Patsy went to work in a nursing home-& got me on ss-disability--which I was the first one of the

-polio-survivors to be allowed on ss disability,soooo we moved down to the little town where the

-nursing-home was,paid down on a trailer-& 10acres out in the country 2miles from her work----

-WE lived there for 5 years until Patsy came down with{something I can't even pronounce let alone

-spell??}She got on ss disability for 3 or 4 years untill an administrative judge kicked her off of that,

-go-figure that?WE had to move back to that same 18 acres & 20x20 room which my mother had

-to add a 40x40 onto & we wound up with a 2bath-2bedroom house to live in{with a 20x20 living-room}

-still a very discouraging -situation--now since my mothers husband died of cancer she has come

-down with alzheimers,NOW wanna continue to compare problems??{jes-kiddin}NOW my sister

-has taken over the rent houses of my mother & has to take care of all that stuff--rent-repairs-& is

-putting some of that money in a separate bank-account--you can't have more than $1,000.00 a

-month in the bank for three prior years to qualify for going into a nursing home under ss rules....

-& the drs.said when my mother advanced to the last stages of alzheimers which is aggressive-

-violent--she would HAVE to be put into a nursing home..SOooooo here WE are trying to take care

-of my mother & still let her have "some"freedom & decision-making on her own----which is fast

-becoming impossible--she has been writing checks as rental-receipts--filled out like a cashable

-check--which none of the renters have cashed--so far---praise the LORD----SOooooo my sister &

-Patsy had to go to each renter--explain the alzheimeres to &-show the power of attorney legal

-papers to them & tell them to pay the rent to her & NOT to call or send any rent-checks to my

-mother any longer.-----shhhhheeeesssshhhh--SO I reckon GOD in HIS infinite wisdom has US in the

-place where HE wants us to be & that we can be usefull in.....SO ROSE don't be DIScouraged----

-& don't feel like you HAVE TO TITHE---tithing is UNDER-THE-LAW--& JESUS FULFILLED ALL THE LAW-

-EVEN INCLUDING THE LAW OF TITHING--YES??-hmm?-SO-YOU CAN BE A CHEERFULL GIVER BUT YOU

-ARE -UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO "TRY" TO KEEP THIS ONE-POINT OF THE LAW--IF YOU KEEP THE

-LAW OF -TITHING{one-point of the law}THEN YOU MUST"KEEP"ALL--EVERY-POINT OF THE LAW--

-YES??hmmMMm??--SO get out of the mental-state of bondage--trying to keep one point of the

-already FULFILLED LAW----GIVE WITH A CHEERFUL HEART-----GOD LOVES YOU & SO DO WE---YOUR

-BROTHERS & SISTERS IN THE LORD----TRUST THE LORD HE HAS YOU WHERE HE WANTS YOU--SO HE

-CAN DELIVER YOU & THERE WILL BE NO DOUBT WHO DID THE DELIVERING---GOD-BLESS-& please

-excuse my lengthy-rambling-but well-meaning post-----Gary--

[GymRose]

No lengthy rambling Gary, I enjoy learning about others. And I do believe we learn through each others suffering and trials.

I really appreciate you sharing and being willing to share your life with me to be open and sincere. I know you certainly do mean well. Thank You.

[Matthitjah]

God Bless you Gary and Patsy,

The Lightest Cross

by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

"And he went out carrying his own cross" (John 19:17).

There is a poem called "The Changed Cross." It represents a weary one who thought that her cross was surely heavier than those of others whom she saw about her, and she wished that she might choose an other instead of her own. She slept, and in her dream she was led to a place where many crosses lay, crosses of different shapes and sizes. There was a little one most beauteous to behold, set in jewels and gold. "Ah, this I can wear with comfort," she said. So she took it up, but her weak form shook beneath it. The jewels and the gold were beautiful, but they were far too heavy for her.

Next she saw a lovely cross with fair flowers entwined around its sculptured form. Surely that was the one for her. She lifted it, but beneath the flowers were piercing thorns which tore her flesh.

At last, as she went on, she came to a plain cross, without jewels, without carvings, with only a few words of love inscribed upon it. This she took up and it proved the best of all, the easiest to be borne. And as she looked upon it, bathed in the radiance that fell from Heaven, she recognized her own old cross. She had found it again, and it was the best of all and lightest for her.

God knows best what cross we need to bear. We do not know how heavy other people's crosses are. We envy someone who is rich; his is a golden cross set with jewels, but we do not know how heavy it is. Here is another whose life seems very lovely. She bears a cross twined with flowers. If we could try all the other crosses that we think lighter than our own, we would at last find that not one of them suited us so well as our own.--Glimpses through Life's Windows

If thou, impatient, dost let slip thy cross,

Thou wilt not find it in this world again;

Nor in another: here and here alone

Is given thee to suffer for God's sake.

In other worlds we may more perfectly

Love Him and serve Him, praise Him,

Grow nearer and nearer to Him with delight.

But then we shall not any more

Be called to suffer, which is our appointment here.

Canst thou not suffer, then, one hour or two?

If He should call thee from thy cross today,

Saying: "It is finished-that hard cross of thine

From which thou prayest for deliverance,"

Thinkest thou not some passion of regret

Would overcome thee? Thou would'st say,

"So soon? Let me go back and suffer yet awhile

More patiently. I have not yet praised God."

Whensoe'er it comes, that summons that we look for,

It will seem soon, too soon. Let us take heed in time

That God may now be glorified in us.

--Ugo Bassi's Sermon in a Hospital.

Keep Glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ!

Peace,

Dave

[GymRose]

That's great Dave.

I wouldn't want to bare anothers cross though, mine is enough and I know it is all about learning and growing. All I was meaning is how do you just keep going when you feel like you are at the end of it and see no end in sight or any of those promises you believe God has spoken into your life happening anytime soon. How do you continue without giving in, when you feel like God has abbandoned you. (you know he hasn't but it is hard to carry on)

For us we've been challenged to tithe and I believe tithing is correct as well as giving over that. We're just going through a learning period I suppose and at the time I posted this thread felt over whelmed by our desire to be able to give more to our church ( not through the preaching or legalistic persuasion ) in certain areas which we did and things have gone down hill from there. We do believe we did what God wanted us to do, we went away seperatly and prayed about the amount, prayed together about the amount and then told each other what amount we felt to give at exactly the same time so we did not infuence one another. If we had the same figure we'd give that amount if not we'd pray more all the time giving our tithe.

We don't feel pressured through legalism or leadership in any way, we just have a strong desire to give in abundance and have been told on many occassions by visiting speakers and members of our own congregation God will bless our business to give more to those in need. We are both strong believers of the prophetic and when it is so many who don't know us or each other it has to be God. This has been over many years and yet we still struggle week to week. Don't get me wrong I know we are blessed and have more than others do. What I am talking about is a strong desire that I believe has been placed there by God for his purposes and the frustration that comes with the waiting.

I suppose I haven't explained myself very clearly, I suppose the only example I can come up with is like Abraham waiting for his son.

Today I feel secure in him and a little stronger to continue to hold on even though today has been a tough day already and it is only 9:30am . Sometimes it is hard and I was just wanting to know how others hold on for the promises of God when they never seem to come.

Someone elses cross, no thank you. Mine is enough.

I will certainly hold onto that though. It is a beautiful piece and somthing to hold close and remember.

[Matthitjah]

Grace to you,

Gym Rose,

That was meant for Gary LOL

It was meant that he is Glorifying the Lord by shouldering a cross made exactly for him.

The Lord knows our limitations. By what I see from Garys testimony's he is shouldering a burden most of us could not. God bless him!

As for your problem.

When you place yourself smack dab in the Lords Will? Tribulation will come. Stand fast and Cling to Christ. He is your tower of Peace. Be Faithful in the little things. Then you will be entrusted with the larger.

1Pe

[Guest shadow2b]

-We are both strong believers of the prophetic and when it is so many who don't know us or each other it has to be God. This has been over many years and yet we still struggle week to week. Don't get me wrong I know we are blessed and have more than others do. What I am talking about is a strong desire that I believe has been placed there by God for his purposes and the frustration that comes with the waiting.

-ROSE---WE too believe in the "prophetic" word of GOD==& in HIS prophets---however--doNOT

-place too much"trust"OR faith in "MEN--WOMEN"that offer prophesy or prophetic words to you--for

-you--from GOD----whether it's one {1} or 100 is of little difference--ALL 100 could be WRONG!!!

-I'VE often thought--IF so many are saying {the very same thing}so many different times---

-occasions--"THEY" must be RIGHT----uhhh???? nope--ALL could be wrong & I AM the only one RIGHT

-I have FOUND ---they were WRONG---& I had been RIGHT NOT to listen--believe--rely on-- trust

"their" -words....IT IS SO much harder to STAND ALONE when the "crowd"is just right across there--

-IF you KNOW that you KNOW--that you know--that you know--THEN STAND--ALONE if necessary

-BUT STAND...Look at JESUS HE stood ALONE--alone-rejected--denied--despised--hated---How do

-WE measure UP to those aspects of being---------ALONE--------??

[Guest dove2]

Gymrose, Gary did not finish the story. The Lord saw to it that all was in order before his mom got so bad that she could not take care of herself. We are in the process of fixing up a little apartment in the house his mom is in to take care of her.

I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and am in remission. I believe I am totally healed. It is said that stress causes the exacerbation of MS to resurface. If that is the truth then I am under enough stress for that to come about and it has not. Therefore, I believe I am healed. The Social Security office still has me on the books as being disabled without receiving a check. I don

[Guest shadow2b]

-The Lord knows our limitations. By what I see from Garys testimony's he is shouldering a burden most of us could not. God bless him

!

-awwww--you bless me bro.more than I deserve--my{cross??}IF it is a cross at all is no more than

-anyone elses--just-a different one{cross??}maybe-Your posts are so edifying--loving--kind-uplifting

-scriptural--YOU are one-Amazing Brother--even in a rebuke --correction--you don't know for sure IF

-you're being corrected---rebuked or receiving instructions on brotherly love or all three

-Praise the LORD--pass the -ammuntion-& keep up the great mod-squad-institute-for-higher-humor-

-technological-advancement-& theological-endeavors---

[GymRose]

Thanks Guys I really do appreciate the input and the part of yourselves you give away by sharing with those that need to here your testimony.

You are both a true blessing. I appreciate your honesty.

"To Tithe or Not To Tithe" could be a very interesting thread.

[Guest shadow2b]

-"To Tithe or Not To Tithe" could be a very interesting thread.

-"Interesting"---spelled--KAAAAAAA---BOOOOOOOOMMMMM--EX-PLO-SIVE--

-You are both a true blessing. I appreciate your honesty.

-HONESTY??--HONESTY??duhhh??uhhhh??WeLL,?uhhh??ohhhh-honesty?---ohhh-uhh?WeLL??-O.K.

-thank you-- I think??--------I'M kiddin ya know?

-Thanks Guys I really do appreciate the input and the part of yourselves you give away by sharing with those that need to here your testimony.

-Appreciate your Appreciation--you really think someone might be helped by our sharing our lives

-otherwise known as ----the trials & tribulations of the fabulously BROKE-UNPOPULAR-& PLAIN??

-SAAAAAAAAaaaayyyyyy--maybe there's a book--movie or tv series there somewhere yas reckon??

- look out hollyweed--- two-cool-dudes-1-dude-1-dude-ess-