Thought for today is all about discipleship.  Consider your way each day of your life.  Today and everyday of your life remember that there is no trouble too great or too small to seek for help.  Set yourself in agreement with God’s Word and see the windows of Heaven open for you.  Malachi 3:10-12 says to bring the tithe to the storehouse and promises are included with this obedience.  In Luke 20:25 Jesus directs us to render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and unto God the things which are God’s.  Have you ever told God that you are trustworthy and asked why He did not just open those windows of Heaven for you?  The Word of God is powerful; it is full of promises that are available to all that will believe.  Today dare to take God at His word.  That means, “Prove me now herewith,” and the Lord says that He will rebuke the devourer for your sakes.

Today the thought that I want to share is this:  If you are without and the promises of God are not revealing themselves or being a witness to you in your life, then judge yourself.  Ask yourself if you are a good steward.  A good steward will always follow the commands that are required.  For example, a good steward will take the tithe from the first part of the increase, dedicate that tithe, and deliver it to the House of God with a grateful attitude honoring the Lord with it.  The reason we give the tithe first is because without the increase, we would be at a loss; but thanks be to God we are not at a loss; we have increase.

We do not give it out of the middle, because out of the middle we are thinking of ourselves and meeting our needs.  Placing the tithe last, we are no longer looking at the increase, we are considering maybe even waiting to give it next time just in case we have an emergency (Mark 4:19), and God does not want us to be without (Philippians 4:19).  Although this is a faithful saying remember to obey is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22).  He wants to increase you more and more in His Word and in His ways; He wants us to increase in our trust toward Him.  The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6 that without faith (believing), it is impossible to please God; and He provides for us according to His riches in Heaven.  God does not want us to live on barely-get-along street; He wants us to increase.  To increase we must first learn to be a disciple of His Word (2 Peter 1:4-13).   Be a good steward (Luke 12:42), and believe that God supplies all of our needs (Philippians 4:19).

If we are going to obtain the promises of God, we must be a good steward over all the provisions we have received.  We can begin with our tithe, a tenth; a penny from every dime, a dime from every dollar.  Repentance takes as long as a decision.  Determine today to make that change in your path, and the windows of Heaven will be opened to pour a blessing upon you so much that you will not even have room enough to receive it; and you will have your cup running over to give to all those that have need.  We are His body on the earth (1 Corinthians 12:27); may we all be taught to do His will (Psalm 143:10).

How do we receive the promises?  We receive or claim the promises that are in God’s Word by reading the Word, finding the promises, and claiming them into your life.  Then we will be a good steward, mature, able and obedient to do His will.  We are able to overcome all the trials and circumstances that surround us by the Blood of Jesus and through the word of our testimony (Revelations 12:11).

The scriptures tell us that we will prosper and be in health even as our souls prosper (3 John 1:2).  Prospering is not limited to a single area, prospering includes every area of life.  Seek to prosper in the knowledge and wisdom of God; the promise is that you will be enlightened to know the hope of His calling and to know the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints (Ephesians 1:18).

Do you remember ever claiming a seat in the car?  Or calling the pulley bone?  They were not yours, but you claimed them and if your brother or sister tried to take them after you called it you would say “It is mine; I called It” and then you took possession of them.  If you took a trip on an airplane and they misplaced your luggage, do you know where to go to claim that luggage?  They have a dedicated place for luggage claims.  If the luggage is lost, your suitcase, your valuables, are not in your possession; and if you do not go to the claims department to claim your luggage, it will stay in storage.  If you go and stand in front of the baggage claims your suitcase will not just show up for you.  We claim or proclaim the promises of God the same way.  God wants each of us as believers to believe Him and act upon His word.  The only way we can act upon His word and it be real to us is if we believe Him.  The Bible says that without faith (believing), it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6).

When you are without you are not able to, completely, fulfill the call that is upon your life.  We are all called to be a disciple, and to be a disciple we are to learn the scriptures.  We are to feed the hungry, take care of or look out for the widows and orphans (James 1:27).  God wants us to have sufficiency in all things so we can have more than enough in order to be His hands to give to those who are without.  When we decree the promises in our lives we are placing ourselves in position to give to others of all that we have, and received by doing this we are following God’s will for our lives.  God calls those things that be not as though they were.  Speaking His Word, decreeing, proclaiming His Word in our lives, we claim those same promises for ourselves.  (Hebrews 10:23) “Let us hold fast the profession {or confession} of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised.”

W, being good stewards, begin to receive the benefits of a good steward and by doing this we put ourselves in position to give into the ministry, to give to those who are without, to be a living testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We are to be Christ-like or like Christ so the work of the Lord will go forth (James 1:25).  (Ecclesiastes 2:26) We do not gain or gather to heap upon ourselves all the riches that are in the world; (Luke 6:38) we give and it is given unto us again.  We are blessed so that we may be a blessing to others.

It is a testimony for us to be fruitful, to abound in every good work (Colossians 1:10).  It is a testimony to the world that our Lord Reigns (Revelations 5:10).  “He has made us kings and priests of a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9).  We are sons and daughters of the living God to fulfill His work on the earth. What is the work on the earth that we are called to fulfill?  We are called to spread the gospel, the good news (2 Corinthians 5:18,19) (Hebrews 2:17) that we have a High Priest in Heaven that has reconciled us to the Father; we have been given the ministry of reconciliation; we are to let others know that we are reconciled to God and God is to be reconciled to them.  We are to lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.  We are to judge or watch over the orphans and widows in order that they will have provision and direction in their lives.

We are to be a witness by words and example.  Our lives are to be a testimony that we are Christians, living and abiding in Him.  We who are American are known as Americans in other parts of the world.  If you are the only American in a foreign land you represent America; every decision you make, every action you take, speaks to the world that this is how Americans do things.  (Galatians 2:20) We are to live by the faith of the Son of God, brothers and sisters in Christ.  We are Christians and all of our words and actions are judged by the rest of the world.  Follow His beliefs so we may show ourselves approved a worker worthy of his hire (Matthew 10:10).

I pray today that you will see yourself as a representative of the living Christ.  I pray that you will know and understand the depths of the Love of God so you may bring to him the inheritance from the earth.  That we may all live a life of the believer that others will witness the life that abounds in our hearts and lives.  Be faithful and true to all things that represent life and godliness.

“Thank you, Father, that we can judge our actions by your Word in all of our leadings by your Spirit.  Thank you that we can know, have knowledge and impartations from your Holy Spirit to do a good work for you.  In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.”

~~~Freddy~~~

Be a sower