Some years ago my wife and I were committed to a Christian cause which we were determined to financially support. The first year went by without a hitch. We were able to faithfully support this cause and you might even say that we were proud to do so. When the second year approached we were faced with a financial hardship which left us with a difficult decision. We could either continue to support this good cause, which we were so proud about, or we could tithe to our local church. This decision was compounded by the fact that we had become very presumptuous and even arrogant about this specific cause. But God had a way of humbling us. He made us realize that it would be inconsistent to give to this cause while neglecting a basic principle of Christian giving, giving of the first fruits to our God as tangible acknowledgement of God being the source of all good gifts. After confessing our pride to our Merciful God and Savior we decided that we would no longer be able to support this endearing cause. No
sooner had we come to this conclusion than our financial situation began to improve. God provided in such ways that not only were we able to give to our local church but we were also now able to support this good cause as well.
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

This is something that happened last year and profoundly changed the way I think about everything I have coming from God:
In the past, I received a job that I didn’t even apply for, and I considered it a gift from God. I was able to keep a lot of money in savings I had thought I would have to spend, so I decided that I should give a thank offering of an extra 10% of my annual earnings on top of my regular tithe.
However, I decided to wait until the end of a year to do so. During that year, I applied to several graduate programs, but the one I wanted to go to was not forthcoming about funding information. I agonized about whether to plan on going to the program whether or not I received funding, using up my savings and taking out loans. I remembered my earlier decision to give an extra 10%, and after awhile I decided that, because I had received the first job as a gift, I should give the thank offering before finding out about whether I would get funding, so that I would truly be relying on God for the future. About an hour after I put a check in the mail for my thank offering, I received an email about the funding and tuition waiver I was offered from the program I wanted to attend. After being in the program, I realize that there was probably little question of me receiving funding once having been accepted. Because of this, I in no way think that I got my funding because of my thank offering. Instead, I think that I was profoundly blessed that God so clearly showed me that all good things come from Him, and the best thing I can do is trust in Him to take care of me. This continues to bring me peace on a daily basis, and I worry about the future a lot less than I used to.

When we signed up for Christ Community’s Capital Program Faith to Sight (F2S), we took a detailed look at our budget and prayed. We felt strongly led to give generously to lower the debt and increase CCC’s ability to “outgrow the church” and spread God’s love and glory to the community. There was a safe number would could commit
to that would barely be possible given our current income level and budget. To meet this goal, we would have cut back one discretionary
expenditures that would be essentially trimming fat. After some prayer, we felt led to double that number which essentially made it impossible meet our goal without additional income revenue. Within 2 months of committing, God provided additional income via a long-term consulting opportunity that will enable us to exceed our commitment.
This not the first time God has provided for us in such a manner after our committing to his kingdom financially beyond our resources. The first time that we did this we were led to do so by Proverbs.
“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” (Proverbs 3:9-10)

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest.
Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried and were rescued;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
All who see me mock me;
they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
“He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him;
let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”
Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts.
On you was I cast from my birth,
and from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
Be not far from me,
for trouble is near,
and there is none to help.
Many bulls encompass me;
strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
they open wide their mouths at me,
like a ravening and roaring lion.
I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
it is melted within my breast;
my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
you lay me in the dust of death.
For dogs encompass me;
a company of evildoers encircles me;
they have pierced my hands and feet—
I can count all my bones—
they stare and gloat over me;
they divide my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.
But you, O LORD, do not be far off!
O you my help, come quickly to my aid!
Deliver my soul from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dog!
Save me from the mouth of the lion!
You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!
I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,
and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
For he has not despised or abhorred
the affliction of the afflicted,
and he has not hidden his face from him,
but has heard, when he cried to him.
From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
my vows I will perform before those who fear him.
The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;
those who seek him shall praise the LORD!
May your hearts live forever!
All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before you.
For kingship belongs to the LORD,
and he rules over the nations.
All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;
before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
even the one who could not keep himself alive.
Posterity shall serve him;
it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,
that he has done it.
(Psalm 22 ESV)

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.
The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the LORD always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
(Psalm 16 ESV)

“Oh that my words were written!

Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
Oh that with an iron pen and lead
they were engraved in the rock forever!
For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
yet in my flesh I shall see God,
whom I shall see for myself,
and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
My heart faints within me!
(Job 19:23-27 ESV)