TOS070 Receiving Blessings by Sharing the Abundant Life (part 1) For audio TOS070: Receiving Blessings by Sharing the Abundant Life (Part I) | Listen Notes
Blessing comes forth when those who seek the Face of God share what they have been given. Patti Brunner shares how she learned to test the Lord per Malachi 3:10 and how the Lord responded with blessings and an abundant life. This story of learning to trust God through tithing shows the fulfillment of the Parable of the Talents and the Lord’s command in Luke Chapter 6:38 “Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure packed together, shaken down and overflowing, will be poured into your lap”.
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I want you to see the blessing that comes forth when those who seek the Face of God share what they have been given. We are going to talk about giving to God what is God’s and to Caesar what is Caesar’s. How do you give things to God? Surrendering (them) to God’s will is one way. Another important way is by sharing them with others. We can share our money and we can share our witness or testimony. Of course, the sharing does not stop with money or witness. Sharing the gifts He gives, sharing time and talent, sharing your faith all these open the Abundant Life for others.
Welcome to Truth of the Spirit. Today’s topic is Receiving Blessings by Sharing the Abundant Life. I’m Patti Brunner. This is going to be a two part series. In the next episode we’ll talk about the blessings that come from sharing your witness.
Jesus told us in the Gospel of Luke chapter 6, (v38): “Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure packed together, shaken down and overflowing, will be poured into your lap”; –the amount given is poured out pressed down, overflowing.
In the Truth of the Spirit episode, “Walk Among the Needy” I talked about the disciples laying the proceeds of selling their houses at the feet of the Apostles and the freedom. I shared that “The fruit of Christianity is a desire to take care of the needs of others. … Often this opens hearts to receive the real treasure, the true bread come down from heaven and the fullness of an abundant life.”
Jesus showed us the Way to be generous by sharing with us the tremendous gifts of the Spirit. He gave healing to all who asked, he gave miracles and mighty deeds, and the greatest gift of all: He laid down his life, for us, Jesus the first born Son of God. God also gives us gifts as prime examples of the kingdom principles of seed-time and harvest. We are not always aware of all that God has given us. What is sown in the dark is revealed when the day dawns. Too many think they gain riches by gathering and holding close the fruit of their labor. When you look at the lives of the saints, you find those who shared in the Name of the Lord. There are many worthwhile needs in the world, yet this world shall pass away. The most important needs are those which affect eternal decisions.
God spoke to us through the prophet Hosea, “My people perish due to lack of knowledge.”
One of the earliest lessons my mother taught me at church was to put my nickel in my envelope for the collection at Mass. Looking back, I realize how poor we should have been. My mom was a young uneducated widow with three small children, but through the years the Lord provided for us in a prosperous manner and she ended up getting a Master’s Degree in teaching for her livelihood.
I was fully grown with three children of my own before I discovered that blessings and benefits are available to those who demonstrate their trust in God and obey Him. Jesus commands us to “Give and it will be given to you.” [Luke 6:38] The Old Testament law calls it tithing. 10% of the crops and the first born of all the animals were given back to God through the Levitical priests. I spent a great deal of my young adult life unaware of the blessings of seeking God’s face and sharing what I had been given with others.
My own awareness of tithing came some years ago when I heard my boss share a parable he had heard about a farmer. The farmer inherited some rich land in the Mississippi delta and he promised God a full tithe of the earnings from his crop. Before long he became the most prosperous landowner in his county. Each season, he tithed and each year his crop was bountiful. When he retired, he sold his inherited land at high price, put all his proceeds in an investment and settled back for a life of leisure. When he sold his inherited land he did not consider tithing on the profit. He was so proud of himself and his financial security. However, something happened. His investment went sour and he lost everything. He went to the Lord and asked “Why?” Haven’t I been your faithful servant in giving part of what I earned? And the Lord answered him, “Yes, but what about a portion of what you didn’t earn but of what was given to you?” The parable pointed out that we should share even a portion of what we have been given and capital gains. The Farmer’s mistake was the change to trusting in himself and his own wealth instead of God.
This story was fairly shocking to me. I had never thought of tithing as a way to receive blessing or that God would hold me accountable for not sharing what I had been given.
My husband and I started out our marriage financially poor. But we always gave a little portion to the church, about 3% or less. Over the years we had always been frugal but also comfortable in our lifestyle. We have never had an argument about money.
I made a decision to test tithing. I measured how much we had been giving and made a schedule of our income and our net assets. Then I discussed it with my husband. He was willing to go along but we felt we jump to 10% we “bumped up” our giving a per cent at a time. Amazingly, we began to get raises and our investment in an Arkansas stock kept doubling like yeast in bread. Each increase we got we increased our giving to the church. Quickly we topped the 10% tithe goal and then went beyond. Eventually we regularly tithed 20% on our income, giving to our church and other Christian charities.
The Lord even prospered our relatives so that we received inheritances. We made a point to tithe any cash flow or profit we received. We were soon able to pay off all our loans and to forgive debt that was owed to us. Many times our net worth jumped more than our entire income for the whole year. It is true “you can’t out give God!”
When we first began tithing the promise of prosperity sounded good. I admit it; there was a small touch of curiosity, and maybe greed, in my heart that wanted to see how the Lord would respond. I am amazed and thankful for the results. Besides the financial prosperity, spiritual blessings began to change my husband and me. We understood the joy of giving for the benefit of others. Tithing helped us loose our “attachment” to money. Money is representative of other attachments that keep us from God’s fullness.
At first there was a touch of pride in our hearts as we saw others helped from the sweat of our brow. But as the grace helped us to grow toward being true Christians, that is, “having the mind of Christ”, we were helped to overcome any greed and the pride and we began to realize that God provides all. And, that all of our lives are for the benefit of all.
The simple story of the farmer challenged us to obey the command of repaying to God what is God’s. Once we learned to trust Him in the material things He gave us, to the point of trusting Him enough to give back the “first fruits of our harvest” and be good stewards, He gave more. When we behaved responsibly in these small things, He gave us an abundance of his precious spiritual gifts. We are amazed at the blessings of the Lord in our lives.
The Lord allows us to test him with tithing, read Malachi 3:10, as we test the Lord in our tithing we learn our trust in him. We test ourselves. The Lord wants to get us ready to receive his Kingdom, but we must first learn to be good stewards. He doesn’t need the 10%. He provides for all our needs. But by obeying his command, we learn to steward. And thus we are prepared to receive his kingdom.
The Lord let me test him. And He passed with flying colors. I now find myself giving extra out of love. We no longer test the Lord, but no matter how much I give, the Lord continues to outdo me in generosity.
Do not wait to give from your plenty. Remember the scripture: Matthew 25:15; “To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one–to each according to his ability”. In this the 5 and 2 doubled; the one given only 1 talent buried it in the ground. When the master returned, he took the one and gave it to the others. For how can the Lord return to you ten-fold if nothing is given? Trust in the Lord. If He gives us a little we need to use it without fear because He knows what we could do if we just try.
Don’t wait to start giving. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 8:12-14 NAB to be generous and eager to give it now. “12 For if the eagerness is there, it is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have; 13 not that others should have relief while you are burdened, but that as a matter of equality 14 your surplus at the present time should supply their needs, so that their surplus may also supply your needs, that there may be equality.”
I don’t remember hearing much about tithing in my Catholic education. Yet, my mother tithed! In the Old Testament, at least seven of the books talk about tithing–giving 10% of crops, animals or money. In the early Christian church shown to us in the New Testament, nothing is held back to provide for the community. In other words, as a Christian everything I have is the Lord’s and can be used for the kingdom of God as He sees fit. In Chapter 4 of Acts (31-35 SS) we read: “They were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God’s word with confidence. The community of believers was of one heart and one mind. None of them ever claimed anything as his own; rather, everything was held in common. With power, the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great respect was paid to them all, nor was there anyone needy among them, for all who owned property or houses sold them and donated the proceeds. They used to lay them at the feet of the apostles to be distributed to everyone according to his need.”
In our world today it is hard to find many Catholics that even obey the Old Testament 10% much less share of everything they have. In this world it doesn’t make “sense” but in the kingdom all are eager to share everything they have with others. Those in the kingdom understand the Father has provided all and when all is given it is replenished. By giving you receive. The more you give, the more you have room to receive, and not just material things or wealth but spiritual things also.”
Let me repeat what Jesus told us in the Gospel of Luke chapter 6, (v38):
“Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure packed together, shaken down and overflowing, will be poured into your lap”.
I am quick to volunteer when someone is needed to talk about money at church. I remember one time when we were part of a traveling team putting on Life in the Spirit Seminars and we would usually take a collection to pay for our equipment and travel expenses. One time the Lord told me that if the people were already tithing that I didn’t have to give my money talk. So I had everyone in the auditorium to stand and then anyone who wasn’t tithing to sit down. Only the members of our team were left standing. So that day I gave my talk.
We can only share what we have. The more you give, the more you have room to receive. I believe one reason for the command of tithing and good stewardship is to teach us to take care of the gifts God has given us. Once we can learn to trust Him in the material things He gives us, to the point of trusting Him enough to give back the first fruits of our harvest and be good stewards, He gives more. Then when we have behaved responsibly in these small things, He will give us an abundance of spiritual gifts. Jesus tells us in John 10:10 “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” By learning to trust God, we can choose to accept everything He offers to us. Jesus tells us in the gospel of Luke chapter 16, “10 The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones”. Material wealth is a small matter. Spiritual wealth is a great one.
You’ve been listening to Truth of the Spirit, I’m Patti Brunner. I invite you to subscribe and come back again because there’s more. With the Holy Spirit there is always more!
