Well - here's the big revelation. I'm not positive every minute of every day. (Sorry to disappoint you!) There are times that circumstances start stacking up in my life, just like they do in everyone's life. I feel twinges of anxiety and then negative thoughts start flooding my brain. I guess the difference is that I don't allow myself to stay in that mind-set. I decide to believe what God says about me instead of what the circumstances say about me.
One of the most common worries people have is about money - and boy, oh, boy - do I know about money worries! I was a single mother for 8 years, putting myself through college working weekends at a hospital and relying on grants and loans to take care of my tuition and many of my living expenses. Once I started teaching, I was only making $2000 a year more than I would have if I had stayed at the hospital doing secretarial work, plus there were student loans to pay. After my husband and I were married and added another child to the mix, the two incomes didn't seem to make that much of a difference. Everything I did to try to improve my financial situation seemed to be like pouring water into a bucket with a hole in it. No matter how much money came in - more went out
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Four years ago, my pastor began teaching a series on tithing which has since been written into a book: The Melchizedek Key. I had just begun attending this church and these were the first messages I heard there. It's not like I had never heard of this concept before, but I'd never fully committed to it - and tithing "every now and then" is not tithing at all.
Pastor Farley's teaching explains the connection between tithing and the covenant promises that God made to Abraham. Christians inherit these promises because the Bible says that if we are Christ's, we are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. (Galations 3:29) There are blessings connected with tithing that don't come into our lives in any other way.
Tithing isn't a "get rich quick scheme" or a formula for success. It's an expression of a relationship with God that says to Him, "I will put you first." Since I've begun this practice, I've found that the 90% that God leaves in my hands goes a whole lot further than the entire 100% did when I was the one in control. My financial circumstances, my walk with God, my sense of purpose in life, my peace - all of these have been transformed by my decision to be obedient in tithing. It's not all about money - there is so much more.
Do I still have money issues sometimes? Sure. In fact, I just had one of those money anxiety moments this past week, which led me to write this particular post. Most of the time, it's because of a decision that I made hastily without consulting God's wisdom so I have to repent and ask for new wisdom to correct my mistake. Sometimes, it's just life - and I can still count on His wisdom and his intervention to make it right and give me peace in the situation.
I can't preach Pastor Farley's message or type out his book in this blog post, but if you struggle in this area, I would strongly encourage you to read his book or watch the sermon series. Both are available at http://www.stewartfarleyministries.com. Click on "store" and check out what is offered there. (And if you don't know who Melchizedek is and what he has to do with all this - you'll find out!)
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