Morning Moments

BEFORE YOU READ THIS - PLEASE UNDERSTAND ONE THING: These are MY Morning Moments and you do not have to agree, applaud, argue, nor appreciate them:) Now go and do the right thing:)

Yesterday we talked about Family Crisis with Abram. Lot was taken, Sarai and Hagar had big trouble, not to mention his offering of Isaac. We barely scratched the surface, but we must forge ahead. Today is what I am calling Financial Crisis. It is a different kind of crisis for Abram. Read Genesis 14.

"After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is the king's valley). Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought...and blessed him. (NIV) Now here is the focus: "Then Abram GAVE him a tenth of EVERYTHING".

Here is where I want to rest for a moment and explain why I refer to this as a financial crisis. Abram had just returned from war with sweet victory. He met Abram in the VALLEY. It was customary to take the spoils of war. Now he was already an amazingly rich man and was about to be approached by Abimelech with "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourelf." To which Abram refused.

There is no record that Melchizedek asked for anything. He was the King of Salem, which is to say he was the King of Peace. He appeared between Victory and Vice. So in between Victory (winning the war) and Vice (Abimelech) is VIRTUE. Don't miss this!

Victory appearls to our pride and vice appeals to our possessions. The balance is PEACE and that alone is where we meet the KING. So what then is the Financial Crisis?

All my life, even as pastor, I have heard, "you owe God ten percent". That is a financial crisis because it is NOT Biblical. Do your homework and you will discover that the Jew actually GAVE about twenty three percent over all, and the Church is NO WHERE commanded to tithe ten percent. We are to give as God has prospered us. We are to give as we "purpose in our hearts". We are to give "liberally and abundantly". I am compelled to continue this, so if you are offended, be patient with me and search the Scriptures.

The major reason preachers ask for "the tithe" not "tithes of everything" is to support our kingdoms, our beautiful buildings, and our big budgets. Forgive me but if we really wanted to obey God, we could meet in houses as did the early church and give for the FURTHERAnce of the GOSPEL. We do not send missionaries to build American churhes, but fellowships of believers with the CULTURE of the other country. But that is not our culture nor our custom. One day, we may see our big beautiful building as empty as the European cathedrals, because we prefer to build kingdoms than build men of God.

YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW I HATE SOUNDING SO NEGATIVE, but what I am saying to you is true. We are facing the greatest financial crisis in American history and we spend more on dog food than we give to missions. So, forget the dime of the dollar and give the dollar. HE not only deserves but HE demands it all. Here is the Financial Crisis for Abram and for us: Don't give anything until you give yourself and all that you have and are to HIM. THEN, give as the Lord prospers you. END OF STORY!

PRAYER: Lord, help me not be misunderstood by what I have shared, but help us to see that we are often wrong in our demand for ten percent of one's money when you want a hundred persent of our lives. Then teach us to give liberally and cheerfully and becaue we LOVE YOU.