That is such a huge question. Not easy to explain. But I will try.

In a nushell: My faith teaches that what I have is not mine. I did not bring it into this world and I can't take it with me. It all belongs to God. He is simply intrusting his wealth to me while I'm here. Not to spend until it is gone. Not to hide it away for a rainy day either. But to invest it wisely. The better investments I make the more he intrusts to me. (I'm not talking stock market investments either.)

I didn't believe that crap for many years. No way. I work hard for my money. It's mine. Enjoy it while I have it.

Throughout the bible God always states not to test him but to just trust him. Except one time. Money. He dares you to test him. "Test me in this, 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." Malachi 3:10 ish

I took that dare several years ago. I now have no debt, money in the bank, my retired parents barrow money from me and I have a fun good paying job.

My life: (Typical)
When I started looking at the new Honda roadster that was coming out I wanted one. Very badly. Lustfully even. But the price with dealer markup was too high. The more I looked the higher the price seem to climb. I finally realized my lust for the car was higher than God wanted it to be. So I said "OK God, I'll give it up. I won't buy one and I'll stop looking". Week later I received a call from a salesman that I had talked to before. They had a S2000 coming in that was previously special ordered, but the buyer was not ready to take delivery. I could have it for MSRP. It was even the color combo I wanted. Salesman didn't know that.

God gives me far more than I could ever give him. Best friend I ever had.

"Me and God... we be mates." - Crocodile Dundee

 

very true Ken....

 

Charlie...my brother....i am starting my own parrish if you would like to donate 10% of your earnings to me

by the way...10% of nothing..in my case..(i haven't worked for about a month now)...is....NOTHING!!! Hell... i go 100% just for kicks.

AMEN!

Scot (southern baptist in training...hallaalluuuuya...)

 

My wife was talking about how we should contribute more, but I think you should give 10% of what you could live without. I don't think we should be burdened with financial stress.

We're we also suppose to sell our S2K and everything else and follow him?

 

i'm not too big on the "it's gotta be 10%". give what you can as it depends on where you are in life.

for some, that means a dollar a week, for others, it's $1,000. it is not the amount, but where it comes from (the heart). there is this story that a man offered a bag of money and a widow offered two bits... who gave more? the widow. why, the rich man gave just a tiny portion of what he owned, yet the widow gave all she had.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by KenS2K
[B]

 

Just to really bring this off-topic... I've studied many of the worlds religions and have drawn my own conclusions from them. While I feel that humanity is better for the existence of organized religions, I personally have no use for them.

Religion, or lack thereof is a personal experience between a man and his world. I personally do not understand how bricks, pews and collections plates add to this experience, but to each his own.

Growing up, I can remember the church volunteers coming to my house to get you to commit to a yearly contribution. They would then send you preprinted collection envelopes with your "amount due" on it. To this day I cannot imagine the rationalization of these people. Oh well, everyone I've met uses church as a social outlet or to further their business practice so what do I know...

 

The only franchise I donate to on regular basis is Wendy's.
Somehow I always get a nice spicy chicken sandwich in return.
The only thing I donate to church are old computer equipment.
That's pretty generous for an atheist. If I have time, I prefer donating to schools.

 

Thanks, couldn't have said it better myself. He is all things to all people if they only knew. I had a similar story. I just thought about owning one one day. Not now but later. I retired and knew that I would probally never get one. So I just forgot about it. I had just put new rubber and wheels on my Type R and drove past the dealer. There was a new red one loaded, sitting on the lot. Pulled in and the sales man asked me what I wanted for the Type R. I said that he would have to give me at least 18K. He said ok, and I drove off that day. The rest is history. As palsm 23 says,"my cup runneth over!" I trust him explicity. I make to much money, which I don't deserve, so I give it away to those who are in need. He also says that man cannot serve two masters, God and mammon, I choose to serve him the rest he provides abundantly as he promised. The next time you say "Thank God for this or that, just say thanks God! He's my Father don't you know!!