The Best Life

I am one very proud Principal.  We have just returned for another year at SURFCiTY College.  Student numbers are the highest they have been in many, many years, possibly ever.  This week was our first week of Chapel. I love chapel – a short, impacting one hour service run entirely by our students.  Everyone did an amazing job – the College Band, the MC and the Preacher.  I was thrilled to be there and could not have been prouder.

David Bright, one of our students, shared a great message on tithing and giving.  I have included an extract from his message below.  Now you must remember, this is a brand new student and our first chapel service, so he’s not had a lot of practice.  In fact, he’s overcome a pretty rough past to get to where he is today.  If, like me, you were impressed, leave a comment and I will pass it on to him.

I want to speak to you on Tithing and Gods heart.

What we give over, God will take over.  Malachi 3:10… Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. It doesn’t say lets have a debate over this. It simply states ….Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse.
Why? … Because it demonstrates that our trust is in God

Many think when it comes to a tithe message we are just trying to get the church’s hand into your pocket.  Well…NO!! I am actually trying to put your hand into God’s pocket, where you are able to prosper, not in the accumulation of things, but in the expansion of God in all things within your life.

What you withhold from God, you isolate from His ability to inhabit and multiply.

But you may say, “I don’t make enough to tithe; I’m going to run out of money.”
Well if you think you’re going to run out anyway… run out… into God’s arms, run out trusting Him, because He promises to open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing until it overflows.

God says He will rebuke the devourer for you.  Many are suffering from a spiritual devourer – an enemy that drains away energy, time and resources so that you never seem to have enough.

The Lord is saying, “Now turn your finances over to Me and I will turn over my resources to you and destroy that very thing which is destroying your prosperity.”

Whatever we get from God we need to sow back as Gods gift is a gift that keeps on giving.  Let me recall a story in 1 kings 17 that exemplifies this principle.

During a time of terrible famine the Lord told Elijah to go to Zaraphath, as He had commanded a widow there to provide for Elijah. Notice the Lord did not command a wealthy businessman to provide for him, but a destitute widow – a woman facing starvation who was about to prepare her last meal for herself and her son and then die.

God’s way to activate her faith and to bring her into a supernatural provision was to require her to give over the little she had to fulfill the purpose of God.
What seemed like an insensitive, even cruel command, Elijah ordered her to feed him first and then take food for herself. Although she didn’t know the plan and provision of God, Elijah knew and he urged her into both faith and surrender. As a result, God provided for her miraculously: “The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty” until the famine broke (v16).

Remember Jesus fed 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 Fish from a little boy

When I hear people say, “I can’t afford to give,” I immediately think, “You can’t afford not to give.”

When faith is activated and surrender perfected, God steps into our lives.  We need to have a testimony of God’s supply, where each of us can say, “God came through for me.”

God multiplied the widow’s provisions during a drought. Maybe it’s in the times of need that we need ‘surrender’ the most.  Our faithfulness with money shows Jesus that we can be trusted with greater things such as miracles.

Why live in the pitiful little realm of unbelief when we can have the provisions of the Most High?  Ask yourself, “How is it Jesus always had what He always needed”?
John 17:10 reveals, “Praying to the Father, Jesus said …. “All things that are Mine are Yours…””

Jesus surrendered all. As a result, He could continue with confidence in His prayer, “And what is Yours God is Mine.””  So also with us – make this same act of surrender.

Whatever we have was God’s in the first place anyway.  To those who give all to Him, He says, “What’s Mine is yours.” We exchange our little for God’s much. Whether it is with our finances, our families, our future or our past.

The key to unlocking the destiny of God is faith and surrender.  What we give over, He will take over.