like whoa

So my wife is watching the 90210... i'm not really interested so i figured i'd give this thing an update.

Malachi 3:8-11

8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’
“In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 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 you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the Lord Almighty.

So Heather and I have discussed about tithing. We know its the right thing to do. But seeing how much tithe, it would pay for my classes that i am going to take. It would seem to make things easier. But yet at church, we started a Poured Out Fund, where we pledge to give more than just tithing and that money will go towards helping others. For five weeks there was a mention of it before every service and the goal was to reach $25,000.
After the first service the church donated $9,000, pretty amazing stuff. But the weeks that followed were as productive, the following climbed to 13,000 then 17,000 with only two more weeks left. Heather and I had yet to give anything.

In our heads we had an amount that we thought we would give for a couple weeks but hadn't pledged yet. So with that amount in my head I thought, there is no way that small amount could make a difference in reaching the goal. They had to be other people to give and they would make up for us. But like stated earlier with only two weeks left were 8,000 short, so our pledge couldn't bring us all that closer to the goal.

Flashback to younger days: I had once heard that you can't outgive God, that whatever you give he'll do even more than you could imagine. Just like what verse 10 states Test him, and he'll open the flood gates of heaven.

So being selfish i always thought well i'll give my entire savings account and let Him bless me in ways unimaginable. I always that tithing and giving money God blessed ME.

well with two weeks heather and i decided to pledge. In my head I was testing God. I thought lets see you open the flood gates and bless ME and MY wife. we pledged an extra $300 for the year, which is a pretty big deal for us.

The following week we found out that the church not only reached the goal but passed it. at first i thought cool we passed our goal, and if we didn't pledge $300 we still would of passed it. but the next morning in the shower i got to thinking on this. Thought that God did open his flood gates and out gave me. I tried my best and he still out gave. I gave $300 he gave over $8000. He crushed me. yea i know that other people gave, but didn't God have to place on their hearts to give, like He did to us.

Instead of blessing ME like i was expecting, He blessed what we were giving for.

stupid selfishness

o yea good news i get to go skiing monday and i am officially prestige in call of duty world at war and i hate fifa i think the game cheats.