Sowing and Reaping

Today our Pastor Dave and Pastor Fred did a tag team effort on their sermons about tithing.  Both pastors brought great insight and knowledge about what tithing is and isn't.  One thing that is very clear in our tithing, is that we need to do it for God and not for ourselves.  What I mean is that when we give, if we are giving to get something from God, we have already lost what we were hoping for.

We need to give out of an abundant heart of love towards God, not for what we can gain.  I have always loved tithing, and I even had some trouble once, because I gave some pennies, and for some reason, it was a problem.  I don't know why, I just remember everyone asking me if I had given that money, and I told them, "yes, I did, but I didn't understand what the problem was."  I guess it might have been a specific amount given that blew them away, or I have no clue, but it left me with a determination to give, even if no one else understood why I gave, or how I gave.  I was going to give, like God always led me to give.  Freely and completely.

There is a verse in the Bible that talks about us reaping what we sow.  The world calls it "Karma", but it has been in the Bible a long time.  It is a truth that many of us are just learning about, but it is true nonetheless.  I have been led by God to give flowers from time to time.  I never know why He has led me to do so, but I have done it in faith.  In the years since I have done that, I have reaped lovely bouquets of flowers of all kinds.  Star of Davids, fresh flowers from gardens, these lovely Narcissus blooms that a friend gave me for a birthday gift.  Flowers from my husband and children, tulips, and so many more precious blessings.  I have found that the kindness of remembrance to ease a hurting heart, has been more than replenished in my life, at times when I, too, needed those lovely blooms to help me along.

What have you sown lately?  Good or bad?  Truth or lies?  Help or a turned back?  Have you sown into God's Kingdom by tithing?  Truly that is the most awesome gift given to us.  I recently sent a tithe to someone who God had laid on my heart to give to.  This person ministers to the Lord, by helping others with no hope of being given payment for her time and effort.  God told me she is His minister, and that I was to seed into her life.  The gift I gave to her, has enabled her to get a computer to help in even more ways.  She had been trusting God for the money, and Isolino and my obedience, helped her to do that.  Now, we have a part in her ministry, because of that seed that was sown.  When we give to our local church bodies, we help them to help others that need help.  Because of our little church body, people in disaster areas have been helped.  We have a few husband and wife teams that go out and help in these disaster areas and their help is vital to those in such need.  One husband went to Haiti a few times, and his sharing of that time was tremendous.  We are part of that, through our fellowship together, and how our church seeds into this ministry.

You may not always agree with how the money is spent or what its going for, but your job is to not give to the church because you agree with them, but because God has placed you there, and you are called to support your local body.  You are to be giving to God, not man anyway.  So, if you think you are giving to man, by tithing to the church, then you have already gotten it wrong.  What the people of the church do with that money, is even a greater place of obedience.  You see, once you give, they are answerable to God in how they use that money.  You are the one that has acted in obedience to give as God lays on your heart to give.

Dreaming Of The Future

I love magnolia trees, especially these purple and white ones.  They have a wonderful fragrance as well.  Ever since I found out about magnolia trees, I have been a bit in love with them, and wanting them for myself, in my own yard.  This weekend, on our road trip, I saw so many gorgeous magnolia trees, and this one, that I took a picture of, was one that Isolino stopped especially for me to capture.  Thank you, honey.

My kids were sick of hearing me say, "There's a magnolia tree", and at the end of the trip, I told them I wouldn't talk about the magnolia trees for the rest of the trip.  I think I failed at that, as I did mention about one tree I saw, but it was a gorgeous tree with a full bouquet of magnolias on its limbs.  But that is what our dreams should be for us.  We should be talking about them, dreaming about them, and praying about them.  If God has given you a dream, a promise, or a Word to hold onto, you should be holding on to that with all you have, and meditating on what God is doing.  It is like what I sense with the magnolia tree.  I may not have one now, but someday, I am dreaming that I will have a garden full of the plants and flowers and trees that I love, that will be a blessing to all who come and visit there.  It is like what I get to do, when I go to my good friend Cindy Winn's house.  She has a garden that is tended with such loving care.  She has plants that she has tended for years, and is now seeing the fruit of her labors, and she shares this delight with her friends and church family.

This garden is full of whimsical designs and plans, and she has given lots of thought and care to how and where things are planted, to give them the best chance of survival and the most delight to her garden.  She has water features all over the garden, as well, and to hear the soft movement of water while you walk in the shady places, is like a chorus for your soul to burst out singing psalms to God in.  Each time I have visited her lovely garden, I find new delights to flood my senses with.  Each season has been planned for, so each season you visit will have its own treasure to take home with you.  This is how we should tend the dreams, promises, and Words that God has given us.  We should plan for each season of their lives, before they come to fruition.  Plant that seed deep in your heart.  Water it, tend it, prune it, love on it, with the words God gives to you to hold you to the vision.  Watch it grow.  In God's Word we read that "My people perish for lack of vision".    Where there is no vision to implant God's plans, we will die spiritually.  If we do not have something to work towards, we lose hope in a good future.

God has given me some big dreams to hold onto.  I don't know how He would do what He says He is going to do, but my job isn't to worry about how all of it will come about, but to believe Him.  To trust Him to work the details out, while I work on keeping close to Him.  I know many of you have been given dreams to hang onto.  Things you can't share, but that God has placed in your hearts to believe for.  Hold onto Him.  He is Faithful and True.  He will hold you to the course, as long as you don't give up.  Believe me, you don't want to miss out on what He will do.  His plans are always more than we can imagine.  Whatever He has placed in your heart to believe for, it will be more than you were told to believe for, because that is how God is.  He is BIG.  I am sure you've heard the term, "You can't out give God"?  Well, I believe that is true.  He is always giving more than we can even dream of expecting.

My dear ones, may you be blessed with your dreams exploding within you.  May you have hope flooding you, even during this time of economic upheaval.  Let God restore your dreams to your heart.  Let your task be to open yourself up to having dreams again.  My dear ones, without hope, our hearts and minds get heavy with all the distractions around us.  We lose heart to believe for a better future.  Don't let that happen.  Tend to those dreams with the love of God in your heart.  Let Him guide you on the journey of making those dreams come true.  God bless you tonight.