Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: ENOUGH (01/07/21)
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TITLE: IF / THEN | Previous Challenge Entry
By Ramona Cook
01/14/21 -
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In our 21st Century minds of logical reasoning, we pass over the accounts of real life reports in the Scriptures that detail to us the many times that God did this multiplication thing that only God can do and continues to do today.
Some times it was with food, at times it was with strength for the battle. At times it was with life, or with bodily healing that was needed. God has no limitations of what He can provide to us.
God has made promises to us in the Covenants He makes with us regarding His provision to us for all that we need.
However, as we read the texts of Scripture we learn that God likes abundance. He is not a stingy God. He wants to bless us with more than enough, so that we have some to share with those around us, who have not yet learned how to receive all they need from our Great and Loving Father.
Yes, God is a Giver and He gives to everyone on Earth. Even so some find themselves in need and think it is God’s fault. “God did not provide,” they say.
Well, there may be a reason. Perhaps there is information needed in the understanding of that person.
When I was taking a B.A.S.I.C. computer course, back in the last Century, I learned about the IF/THEN command that the computer needed to make it’s determination of whether to do this or that.
I must tell the computer, “IF this is the entry made, THEN do this.”
God has given us His Word, The Holy Bible, and within it’s pages there are many IF/THEN statements by which we must program our lives, IF we wish to THEN have success.
Yes, I learned the IF/THEN statements for the computer programming and I thought how cool they were; I thought I had never seen those statements before that time.
I had, but I had failed to comprehend what I was being told by the Scriptures.
I knew about tithing, having grown up in the Church, but I had never understood that IF I did not tithe, THEN I had laid myself open for the devil to steal from me.
I did not understand that God makes a Covenant with us on this subject. A Covenant is also known as a Contract, an Agreement, a Testament. It says, “IF you do this THEN I will do that.”
God gets so detailed on the subject of tithing as to say, “Test Me.” If you tithe, THEN see IF I will open the windows of Heaven… Read Malachi 3: 10 and 11.
There are those who reject the Malachi 3: 10, 11, text because it comes from the First Testament, or Covenant. I would perhaps be one of those persons except that Holy Spirit had a conversation with me about it, and I shall never forget it. I will also never say that the Covenant is not for today.
There was a time when my life was coming unglued, everything seemed too big and too much. I had a responsible position in a hospital ICU and we had many patients on ventilators. It was understood that you will not be absent from work for any excuse other than your own death.
One morning at 5:30 a. m. my car would not start. We had no taxis and no bus system available. I had no phone. I had no money, but I was trying very hard to earn money for my needs.
Placing my head on the steering wheel I yelled, “God, I am being robbed blind!”
I heard, “Herein have you robbed God in tithes and offerings.”
I was a bit taken back but stiffened up straight and yelled, “How can I tithe when I am being robbed blind?”
I then heard these words, and they were yelled back to me in the same volume I had spoken, “A tithe is a tenth of WHAT YOU’VE GOT!”
I don’t ever want to do that again, and I had no idea that Holy Spirit ever raised His voice, but I will never forget it.
Tithing is expected of me, IF I want to have all I need, and prohibit the Devil from stealing from me.
I have TESTED God. God does it!
non-fiction
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