Dear One,
Money may be the most sensitive issue any spiritual leader has to address. I’m not thrilled to have to deal with this subject but feel compelled by HS for love’s sake. What I’m striving for is honesty, simplicity, and clarity with a good dose of grace and charity. Please read the whole article, and deal with the issue between you and Him. You may not agree with everything, but I promise you on my integrity that the incidents are true and the conclusions are grounded in the Word to the best of my knowledge.
Love you! KRP
MIRACULOUS PROVISION
by grace and financial stewardship
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. Mal 3:10 NKJV
When we got married, over forty years ago, we had nothing: a broken-down car, a tiny refrigerator and a ‘twin’ bed, a bed designed for one person (I suspect that’s how Aaron came along so quickly!). We were living on love and coffee! But we had jobs and we tithed faithfully with love and expectation. Our first financial breakthrough came that first fall when I got a job with a life insurance company. They offered to pay for the pregnancy and delivery of Aaron before I ever qualified for the benefit – a price of several thousand dollars because RM spent five days in the hospital. The next miracle happened when we filed our taxes that year. We made $6000 that first year, but our son qualified us for tax credits that gave us an extra $6000. Woo-hoo!
Finally, we were pastoring a small group of house churches in Buffalo, NY. Our houses had professional athletes involved from both the Buffalo Sabres hockey club and the Buffalo Bills football team. One hockey player got traded from Buffalo to Detroit. My wife and I were praying about living in a home when we had the same idea at once – why not ask our hockey brother if he needs someone to ‘house-sit’ for them during the season? The hockey season would end the same month we had already planned to leave Buffalo. The result of that RHEMA word to both of us was that we lived in a five thousand square foot mansion, fully furnished, with dear friends for the final nine months we lived in the city, for the price of one dollars rent. Windows of heaven, indeed!
…but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack — that there may be equality. 15 As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.” 2 Cor 8:14-15 NKJV
God makes provision for His ministers. The purpose of the tithe under the law was to provide for the tribe of the Levites, the full-time ministers of the Lord. There were twelve tribes. If each tribe tithed roughly ten percent of their income, and the Levites also tithed to the high priest, then, allowing a little wiggle room, everyone, including the fulltime ministers, had about the same income. Seems fair, doesn’t it?
The value of full-time ministers doing their work well is nothing less than the value of civilization itself, period. Studies have proven with quantitative analysis the amazing effects of Christianity and the work of His servants, effects that bless ALL people. The HS through the body of Christ and His ministers keeps the lid on hell…for now. I want there to be full-time ministers for my children and grandchildren, and their children! How about you?
People criticize the tithe saying it is OT law, and we are not under the law. Tithing did not originate in OT Law. It predates the Law. By the way, do you keep the Decalogue, the Ten Commandments? Aren’t they included under the Law? Malachi 3:10 is one of the most astonishing practical promises in all Scripture, and we have proven it true time and again. What I’ve noticed is that people who criticize the tithe tend to give 1% rather than 10%, and they are always needy!
We were married in ’81. We went full-time with Lightbearers in July of ’96 when we moved to Oregon. We had incorporated the ministry months before that move. I had started a house church in the Valley at a dear brother’s house in West Hills. The first nights were just the two of us, reading the Word with me answering questions. He got born again, and then met the love of his life and I did the wedding. He owned a small construction company and the Lord told him to start tithing so I could be in full time ministry. Today he still tithes to Lightbearers…and – oh my goodness! – the Lord has opened the windows of heaven for him!
Today we tithe joyfully and go beyond that in our giving in our personal lives, and Lightbearers tithes and gives also!
But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you – Let me say a word about receiving grace. We all have different capacities of receiving grace. You can stifle grace through jealousy of others. You can increase your capacity to receive grace through humility and thankfulness and rejoicing in the success of others. Romans says that they that receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17). So, dance when your brother wins!
Also, take time to work with your imagination. Poverty and unbelief are strongholds in the mind that must come down. Imagination is a function of the soul that prepares the mind and heart to receive revelation. Imagine yourself receiving the promises of God. What would your new home look like? Can you walk through it in your mind and describe each room? What would it feel like to walk down that aisle to marry your beloved? Imagine yourself receiving the promises of God, the desires of your heart. He is able to make all grace abound, that you always have what you need to do every good work. Marriage? Good work. House? Good work. Job? Good work. Children? Very good work!
10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.
Now get this great word – ABBA supplies the seed we have and bread for food. Then He multiplies it as we use it wisely. He supplies, then multiplies! Remember our taxes? He supplied our need for jobs which produced the $6K in income, then doubled it, so that we were enriched in everything to His glory! Hallelujah!
12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, 14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Cor 9:6-15 NKJV
Today Lightbearers is touching the lives of thousands of dear ones in dozens of nations, supplying the needs of the saints in teaching and training in the Word and the Spirit of God. We had over eleven thousand graduates of our six month, twelve course schools last year! By 2030, we will have schools in every nation on earth (then we will go to Mars to find Elon and get him saved…somebody has to!) 😉
We, you and I, bring civilization wherever we go. One time, a Marine Corps Colonel shook my hand and thanked me for going to the nations because, he said, “where you go, we don’t have to go (to fight the bad guys)!” He understood that where Christianity prevailed, there was civilization, peace and sanity. His gesture touched my heart! Tithing helps the full-time ministers bring civilization to a lost and dying world. So, you want to tithe but you are in credit card purgatory for the next twenty years! What do you do? Get ready to receive grace!
Here is a basic spending plan that can get you out of trouble with patience, love, expectation and faithfulness. Let’s say your income is one hundred shekels.
10 shekels goes to the tithe.
10 shekels goes to savings.
Yes, even if you are deeply in debt, the first ten goes to the tithe and the second ten goes to savings. Next you pay your fixed expenses: rent, mortgage, groceries, utilities, clothing, credit card debt – outstanding debts; pay off the smallest ones first and then tackle the big boys. In all this you must not incur new debt. New debt means you are living beyond your means and that is a trap. So, we allow say…
70 shekels for fixed expenses.
Finally, you have a little bit for discretionary spending – fun money – but only if you’ve covered tithing, savings and fixed expenses. You must save even if you are in debt because that is the money that keeps you out of debt in the future. Do you understand?
10 shekels for discretionary spending.
If you are married, come into agreement with your spouse about your spending plan. Maintain communication and accountability. Remember that the Lord gave the revelation about the hockey players’ house to both of us simultaneously. The Lord will do similar things for you because you are heirs together of the grace of life. If you are single, work out your plan and find a dear saint to help you stay accountable to the plan. It’s all about attitude!
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 2 NKJV
Money is power. Debt has power over you. The Bible says not to owe anyone anything. You need spiritual power, physical power in health, and financial power. We’ve talked about spending your money. We haven’t talked about EARNING money, but the Lord can help you there as well because, remember, He gives us the seed then He multiplies it. He gives you money through work that He then expects you to share a portion of that with His ministers in the tithe. As you are faithful to the little He gives you then He will give you more. He will multiply it! The only regret you will have is that you didn’t start this plan sooner. Amen? Love you!
Remember dear ones, we must be about our Father’s business…