Make it Rain

Those who have children can only imagine how hard it must have been for God to give up His son, whom He loved. We all know that it is hard to give up something we love. So why is it so hard for some people to tithe the 10% God has commanded us to? Can it be that the love of money makes it hard for us to let it go?

Luke 16:13 says we cannot serve both God and money. Therefore, we cannot love both God and money. Tithing is a test of our heart. Mark 12:30 says the ultimate commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and with all your mind and all your strength. “ So, if we love money, we cannot truly fulfill this commandment.

Tithing is not giving, tithing is returning what is God’s because He is Jehovah Jireh, our provider. He is God of the universe, He created everything and everything belongs to Him, so when we don’t tithe, we are robbing God from what is His.

Some of us may say that they can’t afford to tithe, I say we can’t afford not to tithe, we can’t afford not to walk in the provision of God that comes when we surrender everything to Him. How can He bless something we have not given Him to bless? 

Proverbs 3:9:10 says, "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops, then your barns will be filled to overflowing."  Understanding what 'the first fruits' really means was an eye opener to me. It is not the 10% percent after our bills are paid, nor is it the net pay, but the gross pay, the first fruits is what we should be tithing from and 10% of anything and everything else we receive.

When we honor God with our wealth, we are putting our trust in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says that we walk by faith, not by sight. Returning the wealth we think we need back to God does take faith. If you look at verse 10 of Proverbs chapter 3, it says that our barns will be filled to overflowing. We can be confident that God is faithful and he is saying, ‘honor me with your wealth and I will bless you with more than enough’, more so that our barns will be overflowing.

Malachi 3:10 says, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. 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 there will not be room enough to store it." This is the only area that God says we can test Him.

Like most people, I don't have the luxury of depending on my parents for finances. Graduating college was a little scary trying to figure out where I was going to work, where I could afford to live and how I was going to pay for the Masters degree I wanted to pursue. During this transition period I began to tithe above and beyond for the first time, accompanied with prayer and petition. Philippians 4:6

Though prayers were not answered in my timing, they were answered in what I now recognize as God's perfect timing. Things fell together at the last minute and very quickly all at once. Today, I have a job that I really enjoy, I am blessed to work with such wonderful people, my finances allow me to bless others, I live in an awesome apartment with the greatest roommate I could ever ask for, and my job is paying for my Masters program on top of so many other blessings. God faithfully came through like He said He would :).

I will praise His holy name forever and ever.

~Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than Gold. Proverbs 3:13-14~

Cheers to Being Single

I believe that many people have a fear of dying alone, which may be the reason why many people tend to view being single as something dreadful.

Many people view singleness with a sense of loneliness and anxiety for a future spouse but it’s actually a season that is so essential for us to embrace. It can be a season of invitation to genuine intimacy with the Lord. We have a tendency to want to skip over or speed through this process but it’s an opportunity to truly get rooted and solidify our identity in Christ. This is a time of great preparation, a season when we make godliness and inward beauty a priority. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is a season and appointed time for everything”, so if you’re in a season of singleness or you know that singleness is the season God wants you to be in, embrace it. Song of Songs 8:4

Since I was 15 years old, I have always had a boyfriend. My identity and affirmation came from the relationships I was in but once I stepped into a relationship with Christ, this was something that had to change. How I view myself is no longer determined by my relationships or how my significant other views me, my identity is who I am in Christ.

I knew in my heart for some time that the Lord wanted me to learn to put Him first above all else and to love Him above all. I had to learn that He alone is more than enough. It took courage and heartbreak to get to a place of complete surrender and trusting God and His ways. Being single for the first time was a little uncomfortable at first and the first thing I wanted to do was jump back into another relationship, but I knew in my heart of hearts that I would never know true love, life, peace or joy unless I gave myself whole heartedly to God. Being faithful to God’s plan requires great faith and a constant awareness that our story is actually about Him.

Ladies, stop looking for “the one” and start becoming “the one”. If you want the best, become your best self first. Fix your eyes on Jesus. If you’re walking with Him, you’re walking away from sin and the things that keep you from truly experiencing an intimate relationship with God. Your relationship with Jesus will transform you to the wonderful person God created you to be. Psalm 139

People seem to think that once they find “the one” they will be complete but the truth is, only Christ can complete you. When it comes to relationships, two halves shouldn’t make a whole; two whole people should come together so they can become something dynamic.

One day a guy might come along and you may feel like he’s “the one” but be careful not to base your relationships on feelings alone, base the relationship according to the Word. Do not be led by your feelings but be led by the Spirit. Human feelings are fickle and can change like the seasons. I've come across a few wolves in sheep’s clothing in my time. These are the guys who call themselves Christians but their actions speak otherwise. A godly man is a man of integrity. A guy that truly loves Jesus would not compromise his convictions or yours. He would fight for purity and would not put you in compromising situations. He would lead you out of the bedroom and closer to the cross. We cannot pursue Jesus and sexual immorality at the same time because sexual immortality distorts us from being able to hear clearly from God. Godly men will treat you like a sister in Christ.

Be careful to recognize if the guy you’re interested in is seeking God for you and not for himself. A woman should not be his motivator. She shouldn’t be the one dragging him to church. Also, his desire should be to please God more than you. He would be the most effective spiritual leader if he is completely submitted to Christ, so never surrender your heart to someone who isn’t pursuing Jesus on a consistent basis.

You are a daughter of the king of kings and that speaks volumes of the kind of man you deserve. Our heavenly father is a good father and wants only the best for His children, so you don’t have to settle. When your husband comes, he will pursue you. Until then, seek God and His heart, He has been pursuing you since the day you were born and will continue to pursue you for as long as you shall live, now that’s unfailing love.

If we live for His glory, we should live to glorify Him in every relationship, moment and aspect of our lives.



Your Glory by All Sons and Daughters