"Okay, God, You're Scaring me."

[Trusting Jesus]

Yep....I have seen God's hand in my finances/life often. The latest one happened a few weeks ago. We live on a very small income so extra cash coming in is very welcome. My husband had been asked to fill a pulpit a couple of times and was paid for it. I put the money away for emergencies. Well, a young couple in our church are having some problems -- he is having some terrible problems with his lungs and may need a transplant. He can't work and while they were waiting for other financial help to come about they were needing some help. Our Sunday school classes took up a collection to help them, but since my husband was preaching at another church we weren't there. The next Sunday they were going to take up another collection for this young couple and their daughter and my husband said he would leave it to me to decide how much to give. Well, for two days the song "Jesus paid it all..all to Him I give..." kept running through my mind. So....we gave them all that my husband got for preaching. Did we need to money? Well, we haven't missed it one bit. Actually until right now I had forgotten all about it! It all belongs to Jesus anyway.

A bit of advice, though. Don't lend them the money. Give them the money. That way if the pay it back that will be nice, but if they don't, well, you gave it to them freely and there will be no hard feelings.

<>< ><>

Nathele

[browneyedgirl2]

I know how important it is to tithe, and I know how God will bless... This year has been an awful year for me financially... I can't get a grip on my finances to pay bills, much less tithe... I enjoy tithing, I love giving back to the Lord, what is his anyway... I'm just afraid to let go, and trust.... I guess that's what it is... I've been in the situation this year that I didn't have food in the house, and I've run out of gas in the car, and I could go on and on... I've prayed so much that GOD would help me to get it all staightened out... I love to give not just to church but to others that need... Now it seems that I'm in the need... I am on a fixed income and my utilities have been disconnected this year, my phone has been turned off once, and I'm in trouble other places... I applaud all of you that do what is right in spite of your troubles... You've come out winners... I ask that you pray that I can get straightened out that I can once again obey the LORD in this manner... Thanks...

[Iryssa]

A bit of advice, though. Don't lend them the money. Give them the money. That way if the pay it back that will be nice, but if they don't, well, you gave it to them freely and there will be no hard feelings.

Oh, yeah, when I say "lend," for me that means the money's gone until proven otherwise *grin*

I've just never "lent" anyone this much money before. Especially not when I've had so many other things that money needs to go to...for instance, baby stuff for the new baby, and those car repairs that should have been done months ago. I probably wouldn't have been so freaked out if I'd still been single and childless...but hey, God has my family in His hands too, not just me personally. (I have a feeling that's a lesson I'm going to have to re-learn pretty often...especially once my kids are teens and start driving )

[EricH]

Just this morning I felt God leading me to give money that took me outside my comfort zone. I did it and it felt like a jump into the unknown

[Guest]

[LIVN4JC]

Dear One not one soul can out give the Lord. He always takes care of His own. Matthew 25: 37-45. How the angels sang as you followed in obedience to the Lord's command. Blessings.

[stacey c]

Wow this brought back something that happened some years ago about my car. My first husband and I had 3 small children and I found out I was pregnant again. I had a really nice Beretta GT that was sweet, my own little sports car, I had quite a lead foot back then. Well we knew we would be needing a larger car eventually, but hey I could keep my little car cause it was paid for. Well there was a single mother in our church whose car was shot and she need it to work to support her son. My husband came to me and said the Lord told him to give her the car. I said praise God, as soon as I get my new car she could have mine. My husband said, no God told me to give it to her now. Needless to say I was not over joyed about that!!! But I went along with my husband, did what we were told. So we went looking for a new car (used as we had no money or credit) we were turned down everywhere. One day my husband took one of his employes to a car lot to look at trucks. The sales man talked my husband to drive around one of the new vans instead of waiting around for his employee. My husband did not go there for himself, we had no money or credit, I had a brand new van the next day. And God knew what He was doing, a few weeks later we found out I was having twins, those smaller cars we looked at first would not have been big enough.

[AnnaMoodley]

Okay, so a couple weeks ago I was listening to a podcast about family finances from Focus on the Family, and after I heard it I felt convicted about me not giving up my finances to God...so I prayed "Lord, okay, I'm trusting you with our finances. Teach me to use money wisely, not the world's way, but as You would want me to use it."

Yeah, that's one of those "dangerous" prayers, isn't it? I mean, not literally dangerous, because it IS in God's hands and He is faithful, but man, it FEELS dangerous.

So, my friend calls me yesterday, and tells me that she's stranded in the city (she lives in my old college town) because her radiator's shot. I get some engine coolant to her and follow her limping car to the repair centre. They do an estimate, and the rad and all the hoses need to be completely replaced, coming to about $640.00, which they don't have...not even close.

Now, it's been a long time since I've felt God telling me something so clearly, but I'm telling you it was so clear to me it was practically audible. God was telling me "help them out and lend them the money for their repairs."

"Seriously, God?? We can't afford that right now!! We have vehicle repairs of our own needing done and it's almost Christmas and--"

"Pay for their repairs."

"Okay..."

Anyway, I asked my husband what to do, and he must've been feeling the same leading, because he immediately agreed to do it (like I said, we can't really afford it, and he knows that).

So...anyway...my husband's on his way to do that now.

And now I'm FREAKING OUT.

I mean, talk about jumping into the deep end!! I was kinda hoping God would let me start small...you know, hand a guy ten bucks for a meal on the street, or something like that. Haha. Yeah, not so much.

Anyway...has anyone ever had something like that happen??? I really need some faith-building stories here, because this is a HUGE leap for me.

Hi

I'm new here so i hope this reaches you properly:-)

I just want to encourage you by telling you about the mission i fellowship at - most of the people living there gave up their secular jobs so that they can be missionaries. So they live by faith alone. Sometimes there'll be no food left so the ladies in the kitchen will pray and just then someone will show up with a truck load of food- we serve a great good who meets all our needs. Remember the great song (which is my favourite by the way), "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you". So it's great that you've given your finances to God..just trust Him because His ways are much Higher than ours. Material things can vanish easily so it's good that you're learning not to hold onto it...rather let our treasure be in Heaven where it will last forever-moth cannot destroy.

May God give you great spiritual blessings.

[nebula]

I have a question though...You claimed that people gave up their "Secular" jobs. Is any kind of work that is not directly going out and spreading the gospel to be considered secular?

God needs people to do other things too besides being a missionary, DOESN'T hE?

Our Wesern culture likes to separate sacred and secular. It goes back to some greek mindset principle.

But in truth, anything given to God is sacred. So you are correct in your question.

But it is easier to describe work that is non-ministry/ non-missionary/ etc. as "sacred" anyway.

But let us not sidetrack this thread with this discussion/debate, OK?

[kross]

I know how important it is to tithe, and I know how God will bless... This year has been an awful year for me financially... I can't get a grip on my finances to pay bills, much less tithe... I enjoy tithing, I love giving back to the Lord, what is his anyway... I'm just afraid to let go, and trust.... I guess that's what it is... I've been in the situation this year that I didn't have food in the house, and I've run out of gas in the car, and I could go on and on... I've prayed so much that GOD would help me to get it all staightened out... I love to give not just to church but to others that need... Now it seems that I'm in the need... I am on a fixed income and my utilities have been disconnected this year, my phone has been turned off once, and I'm in trouble other places... I applaud all of you that do what is right in spite of your troubles... You've come out winners... I ask that you pray that I can get straightened out that I can once again obey the LORD in this manner... Thanks...

There have been times when I was stretched past my faith level. I think they were a test to see if I could swallow my pride and ask for help. Usually when I did ask someone, then the LORD would come through with surprise money.

This may not have helped you and I do not know if you have asked your church for help but it is one of the ways GOD has broken me of my pride.