GODventurez in Giving

GODventurez is about opening a door of opportunity that GOD has orchestrated, and then stepping through boldly. It's about the privilege of adventuring with the indescribable Maker and Giver of life.

This recent GODventurez in Life 101 is about giving...beyond tithing. Malachi 3:10 says, Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in My Temple. If you do, says the LORD Almighty, I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let Me prove it to you!

Pastor Baize gave a message at Midway about tithing and putting to the test Malachi 3:10. It was during Midway's World Outreach Week, with missionaries from the Philippines, China and Africa asking the church to help make a difference in those countries. i was impressed with the mission outreach called Impacting Asia, with Luke and Kelly Lyons (along with Marc and Jessica Buxton, of Honest Deceiver) who help plant churches in metro Manila, Philippines.

GOD provided this door of opportunity to be of help -- so i gave them the $100 my sister gave me towards their evangelizing efforts in the Philippines. To some, $100 is not much; but to me, with no regular income to count on, it meant much. But GOD lit a fire in my heart for this mission...and i was glad to give. SPIRIT filled me with joy -- He made me a cheerful giver!

After CHRISTmas, i received monetary gifts...enough to buy that digital camera i was eyeing at CostCo. But GOD checked me...He asked, What about your glasses? i've been putting off getting new glasses (the prescription was four years old). And i really wanted my own digital camera, especially after deleting all of Mom's pictures while trying to "fix" her camera. Having a camera to illustrate my blog(s) was very important to me. GOD knew that...and He also knew how much fun i got from doing photography.

Again, i obeyed GOD...i followed His guidance -- prioritizing need, versus desire. GOD provided the new glasses -- after all, He is the bottom line Source of all that i have, all that i am. AND...

On the day i was at CostCo to get my eyes checked, i was at the display case of digital cameras, yearning for that low-priced, pocket-sized digital Canon, when i overheard that this Mexico-born German, Herman H, was looking for a lens for his Canon digital body. As he was walking away, i called him and told him that i had what he was looking for!

After a couple of criss-crossed e-mails (even trashed), we met at CostCo. My used Canon lens was priced at $300+ new, and Herman's asking price was $150; i countered with $175 (though i had prayed for $200). i also gave him zoom-extensions i didn't need anymore. And praise be to GOD, Herman gave me $200! (Bless his kind heart.)

Instead of buying the Canon, i bought a higher priced Nikon. i had just enough cash in my wallet for the required tax, even down to the 11 cents. GOD kept His promise in Malachi 3:10 -- i did my part by obeying when He prompted me to give...to let go that $100 i was holding on to. And i trusted Him to keep His promise -- He gave me what i needed (new glasses) and even what i desired (my own digital camera). The LORD is my Good Shepherd, i have everything i need. (Psalm 23:1, NLT)

Of course, the true blessing was not the new glasses or digital camera, but that SPIRIT grew my faith in CHRIST through His orchestration of these events. Who but GOD could have put all the pieces in place so that Herman and i would meet at that very exact moment that we did so that both our prayers would be answered? Who else could have engineered such perfect timing?

Pastor Charles Stanley says, GOD is responsible for the consequences of my obedience; and i am responsible for the consequences of my disobedience.

i'm having a lot of fun with the Nikon CoolPix GOD provided. i've already tested it to document my San Diego Trolley ride into downtown and Balboa Park (including a gad-about in the Botanical Garden, which showcased these orchids), as well as trying my hand at shooting a video (rln's FirstEverVideo).

And the best consequence of my obedience is a closer, deeper, more intimate fellowship with GOD, in CHRIST JESUS.