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For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one
who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” (2 Thes. 3:10)

The problem here is, we humans tend to think this applies to “earning a
living”. NOT! If you’ll bear with me….

“But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability
to produce wealth…” (Deut. 8:18)

God has given you and me the ability to “produce wealth.” Again, it is a
God-given ability. “Earning a living” and “producing wealth” are two entirely
different things! For most of us, “earning a living” is just barely squeaking by.
“Creating wealth”, on the other hand produces exesses of wealth that we can
share with others. What’s the difference and what can we do about it?

Most of us were raised with the mindset that “earning a living” means getting
a job, working hard, competing for pay raises, eventual retirement and so on.
I’m convinced our well-meaning parents THOUGHT they were doing us a
valuable service, but I’m also convinced they were wrong! (Said with all love,
guys!)

The internet marketing world uses the word “job” as an acronym for Just
Over Broke. For most of us, that’s very true…we’re Just Over Broke, while our
employers are producing wealth at our expense! I also find it interesting that “job”
and Job (the suffering servant in the Bible) have a lot of similarities and parallels for
a lot of people! MOST honest and hard-working people are actually in a state of
“suffering” induced by “earning a living”!

Think about it next time you’re stuck in traffic. Look at the peole around you…at
their faces. Stress. Tension. Anger. Why? Because they’re running late, trying to get
somewhere they don’t want to be in the first place…their job. They are suffering!
Why? Because they (like us) were taught they had to “earn a living”…to just get by.

Another interesting point…have you ever stopped to consider that we (as employees)
are nothing more than hired servants? Paid slaves? We are told when to arrive, when
to leave, how to dress, what duties to perform, how to act…there is no freedom in
“earning a living”…and yet, Jesus came to set us free! (John 8:36)

Jesus came to give us life more abundantly (John 10:10)! Yet, here we are enslaved,
suffering and Just Over Broke for our efforts! Even more cruelly, we have been convinced
that this is the Christian way…

“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” (Prov. 14:12)

FREEDOM IN JESUS-JESUS AND MONEY

While we’re on the subject of money…let’s take a quick look at how it deals with freedom in Jesus! This one particular aspect of freedom in Jesus could be studied for a good long time, as can each of the others. For the sake of time, we’re gonna look at some basic information here, but try not to get too terribly bogged down, so we can move on to some other things that are just as important, if not more so!

First of all, we all know that money is NOT the root of all evil…the LOVE of money is (1 Tim. 6:10).

“Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income…” (Eccl. 5:10).

Money, itself, is not “evil”…rather, it’s a tool that can be used for either good or evil, depending on who is in possession of it and how they choose to use it. With that said, it’s also fairly evident that God loves to bless his kids with prosperity. In the last post, for instance, it was pointed out that Abraham was a wealthy man. Abraham was not, by any means, the only wealthy man in the Bible. In fact, the list of wealthy followers of God is a long one that includes Jacob, Job, David, Solomon… countless others…great men of God that were blessed with great wealth! There’s a passage in John that hints that Jesus, himself, may have been blessed with a degree of wealth.

“When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.” (John 19:23)

In today’s society, even with so many things done by machine, how much would a seamless garment cost you (assuming you could even find one!)? A seamless garment. Think about that for awhile…how was it made? Who made it? How did Jesus come by it? Either someone thought enough of Jesus to offer him this garment, that was surely an expensive article of clothing…or Jesus bought it for himself. If it was given as a gift, Jesus didn’t refuse to take it because it was expensive…he accepted it! If he bought it for himself, then he obviously had enough money to buy it! Now there are all kinds of directions we could go in here, and all of them would make interesting studies, but for the moment, just realize that however he came to possess it, Jesus owned that seamless garment!

In other words, it’s perfectly acceptable for kids of the King to have and enjoy nice things without feeling guilty over them. At the same time, we’re warned against greed and selfishness, and encouraged to share what we have, whether a lot or a little, with those in need. The gospels proclaim the fact that it’s hard for a rich man to enter heaven. How come? It’s not because he’s rich…but because he’s selfish and greedy! Wealth is perfectly acceptable in the kingdom of God…in fact, as we shall see, it’s not only acceptable, but it’s a promise from God to his kids! (Noooooo, this is not a “name it and claim it” type teaching, and it’s not promising everyone great riches…lol…it’s simply a look at what the Bible says about wealth!)

For instance…

“The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.” (Prov. 10:22)

Now, I realize that that’s only one passage from the entire Bible, but this post isn’t about our prosperity as Christians…it’s simply taking a look at whether or not it’s ok for us, as Christians, to have wealth. The reason? So many people, Christians and non-Christians alike, think, for some reason, that having wealth is a bad thing or sinful. It’s not! NOT having wealth isn’t a bad thing either! It’s not what you have, but how you USE what you have, whether it’s a little or a lot. I really don’t want to hang around and dwell on this thing too much longer, cuz there’s so much more to learn about so many other things!

Before we move on, though, let me repeat one more time…wealth is not a bad thing. Lack of wealth is not a bad thing. Hopefully, in the next few posts we’ll be able to see how this ties in a little with the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world!

LEGITIMATE FREE HOME BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

The age old question: Are there such things as  legitimate free home business opportunities? The answer may surprise you! First of all, let’s look at the reason you’re investigating this avenue in the first place. Maybe you were laid off and in today’s economy, it’s pretty tough to find a decent job…or even a not so decent job. Maybe with the economic turmoil, you just need a little extra cash! Don’t despair…and don’t run around throwing money at a lot of different programs that promise to bring the cash rolling in with the click of a button!

Back to the question: Are there really such things as legitimate free home business opportunities? There are a surprising number of “free” home businesses, that (not so surprisingly) really aren’t free. They may be free to join, but they often require you to upgrade or maintain a certain dollar amount in monthly purchases to qualify to receive your money. The money YOU earned! In spite of those guys, there really and truly are a few legitimate free home business opportunities on the internet! We’re not talking about the survey thing, or the clicking ads for pennies type thing, but real, true, honest-to-goodness home business programs that can earn you a substantial income!

Most of these offer upgrades too, but don’t REQUIRE them, like many other “free” opportunities. Of course, the upgrades offer the potential to earn even more money, but it’s a choice that YOU make. You can honestly remain “free” as long as you like and still receive your earnings…and with a little time and effore, those earnings can be rather lucrative!

Likewise, you can spend as much as you want on advertising or promoting your new business…but it’s really not necessary if you’re willing to put in a little time and effort in learning about the free ways. Yep, it may take a little longer and require a little more effort, but it’s just as effective, and in the long run, the advantages lie with the free ways. They can self-produce for you over a very long period of time, simply by putting in a little work in the beginning.

Even the free home business programs may cost a little bit to start up, though. We’re not talking about a major investment, but even with a free affiliate website, for instance, you’ll need a place to host it. There are tons of hosting services out available for very little cost…usually less than ten bucks a month! And you might be interested in getting your own domain name…another small investment. It’s really easy to find those for well under ten bucks, too!

A lot of internet business folks recommend autoresponders, as well. Do you HAVE to have one? Not at all. Especially if you’re selling affliate products! That’s a choice you have to make for yourself, but it’s an investment that you might want to consider at some point down the road, especially if you’re selling your own products or trying to build a list. Another twenty bucks of so a month. You can easily do without the autoresponder, as many affiliate programs will have their own, but even if you go all out right off the bat, with the domain name, the hosting and the autoresponder, you’re looking at forty dollars or less a month to operate your home business. There’s NOWHERE else where you can do THAT!

Are there really such things as “legitimate free home business opportunities“? You bet! You just have to take a little time to find it…

WHY I PROMOTE HOME BUSINESS PROGRAMS

I suppose it would be easy to assume that the #1 reason I promote home business programs is for the money. In truth, that’s a valid reason, but it comes somewhere down the list. The #1 reason, however, has nothing to do with money. Neither does the #2 reason. If you’ll allow me…

From a strictly secular standpoint, when we work for someone else, they have total control over when (or if) we work, how much money we make, the hours we may or may not work, etc. In other words, they control an awful big part of our lives. They control what time we wake up…after all, we don’t want to be late! They control the amount of time we spend with your family. For most of us, they control a large portion of what we can or can’t enjoy in our “off” time, simply by controlling our wages. In other words, in a sense, we are slaves of a system that throws us a few scraps every Friday to keep us coming back for more!

Job security? Years ago, maybe, but it’s a thing of the past. Again, it’s in the control of the powers that be. From CEO to parking lot attendant or dishwasher. You never really know. Aside from that, we spend a large portion of our lives frantically trying to get somewhere (that most of us don’t want to be in the first place!), so we can perform duties (that most of us don’t wish to be performing!), just so we can catch a few scraps on payday! Then we wonder why we’re stressed out!

There are great artists working as prison guards. Writers working in gas stations. Folks that would be great at decorating your home working in a factories. And there is nothing wrong with that…IF that’s what you enjoy! I remember reading an article in the newspaper (I live in Virginia) about an elderly man in California that worked as a Walmart greeter, and how he had influenced the community…his story was in newspapers across the country! He was doing what he was put here to do…be a greeter at Walmart! He was where he belonged! He wasn’t enslaved by the system, he was completely free!

But how many of us can say that we are doing what we’re supposed to be doing?

If you hate working in the bank, then WHY ARE YOU? Start your own home business! It doesn’t have to be on the internet, although there are advantages to it. You don’t have to have a lot of money, or a lot of time to START. Start small. Start slowly. Just START! And be patient. Be persistent. Do what you were put here to do! Enjoy life. Enjoy work. Enjoy your family and your off time! LIVE FREE!

If you would like more information on a great home business that you can start today…and for free…please click here!

MY FREE HOME BUSINESS PROGRAMS

I’ve got two favorite free home business programs, and they’re favorites because they work if you apply yourself! With that said, there are all kinds of ways to make money from home! I, personally, prefer to battle my way through to wealth on the internet! I have a much larger potential customer base! With that said, I really don’t want to be too repetitious, so instead of copying myself here, I would much rather just send you to “My Free Home Business Blog” for those who might be interested in it! That way, I won’t waste your time, or mine, by sharing something you may not be interested in. Sooooo… if you’d like to take a look and follow along, simply click the link that says, “My Free Home Business Blog”! Just don’t forget to open it in a new window, or to come back here when you’re done!!!

“…if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

Wow! Faith. This is a subject that will end up with it’s own category simply because there’s so much to it! For now, though, let me ask you a question. What is the single most important decision you will ever make in this life? If you’re a Christian, that decision was to accept Jesus as your Savior. Actually, even if you’re NOT a Christian, it’s still the most important decision you’ll make because it affects your entire eternal future! To accept Jesus as your Savior, Paul says this:

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

Think about this for a moment. If you “confess with your mouth” and “believe in your heart” that Jesus is Lord and that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. That is the single most monumental decision you will ever make (or not!). With that in mind, if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart the insignificant stuff, wouldn’t they, too, become just as real for you? For instance: “I can’t afford it.” If you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that you can’t afford it, then you can’t. “I don’t have the money.” “I’m broke.” “I’m poor.” “I can’t pay my bills.” “I don’t make enough.” If you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart…

And if you’re confessing it with your mouth, then you’re believing it in your heart, as well…because:

“…out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” Matthew 12:34

I’ll be the first one to admit, that sometimes the appearance of things makes it seem that we can’t afford it…or that we have no money. (This area of study, too, will have it’s own category…things are not always as they appear!). The thing is,”…my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19). No matter how it APPEARS, God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus! What most of us experience here on earth, is not lack, so much as it is deception. And we fall for it! Everything belongs to God. He’s given it all to Jesus. We’re co-heirs with Christ! So the problems don’t lie with God’s provision. They lie with our lack of faith and mis-management of the provisions he’s given us.

For example, it’s not how much you make that gets you in trouble. It’s how much you spend. If you make $10,000 a year and spend $8000 a year, you’re doing well. If you make 10 million a year and spend 12 million a year, you’re in trouble. It’s true that few people could live off of ten grand a year under their own power. But when you throw Jesus into the equation, manage your money wisely and depend on HIM rather than your own resources…well, you can literally move that mountain of debt. Read that verse again…it says YOU can say to this mountain, “move” and it will move! But it takes more than just speaking. It takes faith…not in your own abilities, but in his!

Please bear in mind, that this is not a prosperity based ministry, or a name it and claim it ministry. I don’t necessarily endorse either one as a whole, though they each DO have some Biblical validity in part. That, too, is for another time and place, though. For the moment, I would ask you to reflect on the thoughts and ideas behind this faith thing…the power of faith, and the power of the words we sometimes speak without thinking. If we truly realized that “…out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks,” we might ALL be more careful of what we say!

Just as a reminder…what is faith?

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

That’s all faith is. Being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. We hope for prosperity, but maybe we’re not seeing it right now. There are two choices we can make. We can accept the fact that because we don’t see it today, that it must not exist for us…or we can believe the promises of prosperity that God has already given us, and be sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see because God has promised us these things. Again, we have to use a little wisdom and follow his guidance…but at some point, by following these principles, by following his guidance…by keeping our faith…we shall say to the mountain of debt, “Move from here to there” and it will move.

Keep in mind, too, that it doesn’t require a great deal of faith. It requires only the faith as small as a mustard seed.

“…the infant of the poor is seized for a debt.” Job 24:9

“Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts…if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.” Proverbs 22:26,27

“Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.” Matthew 18:25

“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” Proverbs 22:7

Starting to get the idea? It’s not a good idea to be in debt! It’s ironic that we shudder at the thought of giving 10% to the Lord (when it all belongs to him anyway!), but we think nothing of paying our credit card company 12% or more in interest every month. Even more so, when you stop and think that I’ve actually seen credit card bills, that if you made the minimum payment, you’d actually be LOSING money, because the interest is more than the principle payment! We won’t even talk about finance companies and their 30% or more! Or the rent to own companies, cash advance, etc.  (Now, I know that rent to own companies don’t charge you “interest”, but when you end up paying $800 for a $150 television set…well…something’s wrong.

We are surely the slave to the one we owe! Owe the bank? Don’t pay ‘em and see what happens. You’ll do whatever they say to keep from losing your home. They are your master until your debt is paid. Why do you go to work in the morning? Because your lenders want their money. We’re slaves alright. Slaves to a worldly system…which is what this site is all about. Setting ourselves free, not just from debt, but from the worldly system! Debt just happens to be the first one we’re dealing with because it’s so entwined with our way of life!

It’s strange that the man with money that pays his bills on time can pay off his debt. The man with no money, who is late on his payment, pays a late fee. They demand MORE money from him for not having money to pay on time in the first place! Why? Because we are slaves to those we owe. Because they can. They are the masters.

If you’re like most of us, it’s probably too late for you to stay out of debt. But there are ways you can reduce it and eventually eliminate it. For instance, pay a little extra on your smallest bill and try to pay it off a little early. Then take that money and apply it to the next smallest bill…work your way from there. For a lot of us, it’s hard to find even a few extra dollars, but maybe you can try some of the free ways of making money we have listed on this site. None of them will make you rich fast, but with a little time, patience and sharing with others, you can build yourself a stream of extra income that you can use to apply toward your debts…and they are free.

We’ll be having a post on some other ways to earn money, as well. Ways that take into account the gifts that God has given you to use for the blessings of others. You don’t have to make extra money online. You may not have to make extra money at all. But it would be wise (like the ant) to 1. tithe 2. save 3. give 4. reduce or eliminate your debt. If you can do that without extra income, you’re in great shape!

Control your spending! It’s not how much you make (or don’t make). It’s how much you spend in relation to what you make. There are folks pulling in hundreds of thousands of dollars a year that are just as much in debt as the guy making $15,000 a year! Why? Because they spend more than they have to spend. Debt. Plan a little. Make a budget. It’s Biblical.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?…” Luke 14:28

God has a plan and a purpose. He didn’t just slap together a bunch of stuff and see where it would end up! That means it’s ok for you to plan too! Do you realize why Joseph stored up grain in Egypt for the upcoming famine (Gen. 41:48)? He was planning ahead! Plan what you NEED…then cut where you can, or try to make a little extra on the side. Then start working on getting rid of the master of debt!

Jesus came to set us FREE, my friend! It’s our own doing and our own devices that keep us enslaved, simply because we don’t understand the differences between the way the world works, and the way the kingdom of God works. That’s why you’re here! So stay tuned!! :0)

May the Lord bless you abundantly!

“Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” Matthew 5:42

With that, we have principle #3…give!

Here we have a very important reason to live by Biblical principle #2…because how can you give what you don’t have yourself? On top of paying yourself so you’ll have the necessary funds for unexpected things that pop up in life, you want to pay yourself so you can have a little something to give to others! Why? Because it’s sharing the love of Christ in a way that can be understood. A hungry fellow on the street corner may not be in the frame of mind to understand that Jesus loves him, because he’s blinded by his circumstances…but give him a sandwich or a hot meal, and that, he can understand!

“…Freely you have received, freely give.” Matthew 10:8

Granted, this verse (at least to me) is not referring to money or material things. But it’s just as true of money as it is of the spiritual things. We have freely been given far more than we will ever deserve or earn. It’s our responsibility to give to those who have less. At the same time, we have to use a little wisdom here. For instance, it’s not very wise to go into debt in order to be able to give! Debt is another Biblical principle we’ll take a look at, but for now, just know it’s not using common sense to borrow $500 from the bank or credit card, just so you can buy lunch for the people at the homeless shelter! If you have $500 in the bank from following principle #2 and that’s what you feel led to do, then by all means, do so. But don’t go into debt in order to give!

Money is a tool that the Lord has given us to put to work for him, as well as for ourselves. We are supposed to use it for his kingdom and his glory. The problem is, most churches today don’t teach us how to manage our money…or how the economy has shifted for us…from the “wordly” economy to the “kingdom” economy. So we just go with what we know (the worldly system) and try to make it work in the system of the kingdom of God. And when it doesn’t, we can’t figure out where we went wrong. Generally speaking, debt is not a good thing to get into, even if your intentions are good.

Giving is a Biblical principle. But you have to have it (by saving some for yourself) first!

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ ” Matthew 25:31-40

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38

I know you’ve heard it said that you can’t out-give God. It’s very true. But again, you have to use a little wisdom and common sense.

“Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”" Matthew 19:21

I don’t believe Jesus was teaching against prosperity here. I believe Jesus was teaching the gentleman in question, that the man was more in love with his material wealth than he was with his Lord. Anyway, with that said, if you feel led to sell all your possessions and give to the poor, then do so. But nowhere in the Bible does Jesus imply that you should go into debt to give to the poor! Give wisely and with a little common sense! But do give!

“He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.” Proverbs 28:27

Maybe you don’t have much yourself. Maybe some of it is your own doing. A lot of it probably has to do with being deceived by the worldly system of doing things. But as you begin to apply these principles…starting with #1 and #2…you will soon be able to follow along with #3. Be patient in following these principles. Be faithful. Be wise…and as you learn…as you begin to see changes in your own situation…then share it with others! Don’t stick you lamp under the basket…share it with your brothers and sisters!

The next principle we’ll touch on, is one mentioned in this post…debt! So be sure to check back soon!

Til then, may the Lord abundantly bless you!

This post probably won’t be as long as the last one! Sorry bout that, but it’s such an important principle that we need to be aware of, I could probably post two or three more on tithing. However, this post is not about tithing, but about principle #2…storing up some money for yourself. A lot of people may have the impression that this sounds selfish or unnecessary, but actually, it’s neither. While it CAN be selfish if we allow greed to creep in, it’s really not selfish at all. Neither is it unnecessary or foolish. In fact, what it is, is Biblical!

We’ll start, again, with Abraham. I could give you several verses to verify that he was a wealthy man. So was Jacob…and David…and Solomon, along with many, many others. How did they gain wealth? They gave the Lord what was required, or more. They used what they needed to use. And they saved some for themselves! If they hadn’t saved anything, how would they have obtained all the things they had? If they gave it all away or squandered it, how did it accumulate over the years? How did they leave inheritances for their kids? They saved some for themselves!

The concept of inheritance is so Scriptural, there’s no way to include all the passages in this post. God, Himself, gave Abraham an inheritance…He gave you and I an inheritance! You can’t pass along what you don’t already have in your possession. And you can’t have it in your possession, unless you’ve gotten it and keep enough of it to pass on!

There are so many angles to pursue here, and so many verses I could share! God doesn’t want you to be selfish or greedy. But He does want you to be wise. When Joseph was sold into slavery to Egypt (the entire story can be found in the latter part of the Book of Genesis), there came a point that God told him to store up provisions because a famine was coming. God told Joseph to “store up”. Understand that God didn’t tell Joseph to hoard everything he could get his hands on, or to keep it all to himself, but God did say “store up”. The reason he was to store up, was so that when there was nothing left, he could share from his surplus! Two keys here…store up…and share! Store up IN ORDER to share might be even a better way of looking at it.

Let’s look at some Bible stuff. Solomon was the wisest man to ever live, according to the Bible. It’s also interesting to note that he was “greater in riches” than “all the other kings of the earth.” (1 Kings 10:23). At the same time, he didn’t appear to be greedy or selfish. “The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones…” (1 Kings 10:27). Verse 26 says he accumulated chariots and horses. ACCUMULATED. In other words, he saved some for himself…for emergencies or the unexpected things that pop during the course of every day living!

“Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer…” Proverbs 30:24,25

Ants are “extremely wise” because they “store up” their food in the summer when it’s plentiful, to get them through the winter when it’s not!

“He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.” Proverbs 10:5

“In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.” Proverbs 21:20

Matthew 25:1-13 tells the parable of the ten virgins. Five of them, called foolish by the Lord,  used up all their oil and missed the bridegroom’s coming because they had to go buy more oil. Five of them, called wise by the Lord, took along some extra oil and entered into the wedding banquet. They had stored up enough to last through the unexpected delay of the bridegroom!

There are many, many others! We are not to be selfish or greedy…but we ARE to be wise! It’s not just ok to save some for yourself…it’s WISE! It’s BIBLICAL! Again, I could drag this thing on, but I hope and pray that you see the point! Now, you may be thinking you’re not making enough money to save any right now. You don’t have to save $100 a week, or $50 or $25…just save something. Even if it’s only $5 or $10. And most importantly, don’t touch it! Put it in the bank or some other place where it can draw a little interest for you.

This site offers some ways to make extra money that won’t cost you a single penny! Try some of them out! (There are more coming, by the way)! If you’re reading this, you have an internet connection available to you, so you can do them. You can do them online or off. Take what few dollars you might make a month and SAVE it! Use these as your savings money and let it add up. Just start saving SOMETHING!

As time goes by, we’re hopefully going to be giving you some ideas on how to use the gifts that God has already given you, not just to add blessings to your life, and help you break the chains of many forms of bondage, but also to increase your wealth. There are also a ton of free resources on the internet that will help you with these things, as well. The internet, itself, is a valuable tool…but it you have to begin TODAY to set a little aside for yourself, or none of it will help you out a lot.

It’s ok to save for a rainy day. It’s ok to save for the unexpected. It’s ok to save so that you’ll have something to share with others. It’s ok to save for the upcoming famines. It’s ok to store up in the summer what you will need for the winter. It’s ok. In fact, it’s not just ok…it’s a Biblical principle!

“Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” Matthew 13:12

This passage is not speaking of money, but the principle holds true in financial situations. Ever heard the old saying that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer? It’s a Biblical principle! The rich man can afford insurance to cover his medical expenses when he goes to the doctor, for example. The poor man goes to the emergency room at the hospital because he can’t afford to pay cash for the doctor’s visit, and he has no insurance.  The hospital charges ten times as much and the poor guy ends up even farther in debt. The rich man gets a credit card with 5 to 9% interest. For the poor man it’s 19% on up. That’s the worldly system. You know as well as I do that the above statements are true. It’s a Biblical principle. Whoever HAS will be given more. Whoever does not have, even that will be taken from him.

Pay yourself. Save something, even if it’s just a little, so that you can HAVE. So you can be given MORE. So you can share more. So that you won’t be the one that even what you have will be taken from you.

“…my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge…” Hosea 4:6

Like it or not, this is the number one dog on the list! There are a great many people that have been deceived into thinking that tithing is an Old Testament thing that has no bearing on us today. How wrong they are! While it’s true that it’s not a “commandment” or “law”, and while it’s true that you don’t have to tithe to be a Christian, it’s also true that it’s a very basic principle on which your financial foundation rests. I urge you to read this entire post carefully if you don’t tithe! I’ll even shed a little New Testament light on it for you! :0)

First of all, let me say that whether you tithe or don’t, it’s not going to directly affect me one way or another! I’m not after your money, because your tithe doesn’t come to me…it goes to “the storehouse”…or your home church. It will indirectly affect me, because your tithing affects the strength of the body of Christ…of which I am a part. Other than that, it’s entirely for YOUR benefit that this post is here!

The very first thing we’re going to look at is Malachi 3:6: “I the Lord do not change.”  He doesn’t change. He’s the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

“A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.” Leviticus 27:30

That hasn’t changed from the days of old. Remember? “I the Lord do not change.” If He claimed it as his then, He claims it as his now. A tithe (or a tenth) of everything belongs to the Lord…whether we give it to Him or not. The idea of  giving  an offering to the Lord goes back to the beginning of man. In Genesis 4, you can read the account of Cain and Abel making their offerings. The very first sacrifice actually took place in Genesis 3, when the Lord made garments of skin for Adam and Eve (vs. 21). It was there that Adam learned how to sacrifice animals to the Lord, by watching the Lord, Himself.

Moving on, there is a difference between a tithe and an offering. A tithe is simply a tenth. You can’t tithe 5% and you can’t tithe 20%. A tithe is a tenth. Anything over a tenth is an offering. Anything less that a tenth is “robbing God”.

Now, from the days of Adam, Cain and Abel, we move slightly forward to Abram (Abraham). On the way back home from rescuing his nephew Lot from some evil kings, Abram bumped into a fellow by the name of Melchizedek, who happened to be a priest of God.  Melchizedek blessed Abram, Abram “gave him a tenth of everything”  and there we have the first recorded tithe! All this can be found in Genesis 14, by the way. There are many passages that speak of offering the firstfruits, the firstborn or the best of the firstfruits. What all that boils to down is this: You can’t tithe on what’s left over, even if it equals up to a tenth. The tithe is the FIRST ten percent!

If you’re having financial struggles, the first question you need to answer is the question of tithing. In order to break the chains of bondage, you’re going to have to really study this next passage and pray about it a bit…and please, don’t get upset with ME cuz it’s not MY principle…it’s God’s! I didn’t write it, HE did!

“Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’
“In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.” Malachi 3:8-10

If you’re not tithing, you are under a curse! That’s a huge chunk of your problem right there! You are under a curse! Now before you get too defensive, let me say, too, that there are a good number of Christians who DO tithe that are struggling financially, too. We’re going to take a look at all that, as well, but step number one is to be sure you tithe…and be sure you tithe on the firstfruits. Otherwise, you’re already cursed! But look what happens if you do tithe…

“Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the Lord Almighty.” Malachi 3:10,11

He plainly tells us…”Test me in this”…and look at the rewards! Read it again. “See if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit.”  WOW! You won’t have room for all the blessing! Which means it’s gonna spill over from you to others! After all, it’s gotta go SOMEWHERE…right? Your possessions will be protected and your fruit isn’t going to rot on the tree or fall to the ground to waste away…it’s going to be USED productively! All because of your tithe!

At the same time, be warned that this doesn’t necessarily mean God is going to pour money on you from heaven. In fact, it says nothing about money. But it does say He’ll pour out so many BLESSINGS that you won’t be able to hold them all. That may include money and it may not. But whatever it includes for YOU, it WILL be a blessing. As far as that goes, I’m willing to say that there’s no money in heaven for God to shower you with. Money was created by man and the world system. All the money there is, is already here on earth. But tithing can open up the avenues for you to find your portion of it to use for His glory while you’re here.

Keep in mind, that you have a choice. You can live under the curse or under the blessing. You don’t HAVE to tithe. But if you choose not to, then why complain about being under the curse? Especially when now you know how to step out from under it? It’s not a requirement. It’s a choice. You’re no less saved, whether you tithe or not. You’re no less His child. But the floodgates of heaven are opened (or not) by your actions and your choice. IF you choose to tithe, THEN the floodgates of heaven will open…

Let’s talk a little New Testament. I know there are a lot of people that think the OT is kinda retro and really doesn’t apply to much these days (even though the Lord never changes!). Back to Genesis 12 where God first tells Abram he will become a great nation…through 13 where God gives Abram all the land he could see and promises that his descendants will be like the dust of the ground…through 14 where Abram rescues Lot and offers the tithe …through 15 where God promises Abram his descendants will be like the stars in the sky…through 16 with the whole bit with Hagar and Ishmael…to chapter 17.

“I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” Genesis 17:2

God is going to confirm His covenant between Himself and Abram. What covenant? Everything that’s happened from chapter 12 thru 16. Everything that has taken place between God and Abram so far…confirmed in the Lord in…well, let’s let Him say it in His own words.

“I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.” Genesis 17:7

God established an EVERLASTING covenant between Abram and Himself, the sign of which would be circumcision. Now that’s a good thing for Abram, I suppose, but what does that have to do with you and I…or the New Testament? For one thing, it’s an EVERLASTING covenant. Secondly:

“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galations 3:29

You’ve already inherited the promise of Jesus Christ, if he is your Savior. But in order to receive the blessings of the covenant, you have to live up to your part, too. God blesses each and every one of us every single day we’re here on earth whether we tithe or not…whether we’re even one of His kids or not! But to receive the special blessings that go along with tithing, you have to tithe. Otherwise, you’re already living under the curse because you’re robbing God.

My personal take on this thing, is that by our tithing we are opening up the floodgates of heaven for blessings. Would I suggest that you tithe regardless of your circumstances? Yes. But I would also suggest that you not tithe because I suggested it…after all, I’m no different from you. I would suggest you pray about it. I would suggest you read these words again…and I would suggest you do as the Holy Spirit leads.

“Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the Lord Almighty.”

And remember…God doesn’t need your money. He doesn’t need anything about you…or anything about me. But He wants us. And He wants our trust. And that, my friend, can be a hard road to cross at times…