But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. 
Philippians 3:13

PURSUING INTIMACY WITH GOD THROUGH DISCIPLINE

One of the values my parents instilled in me when I was a kid was the principle of tithing.

When I was in preschool, I looked forward to the part of church when everybody gets up to drop money into the offering box at the front stage. My mom and I had a drill, she would get a coin out of her purse, hand it over to me and I’d go prancing to the front. I do not remember when I transitioned from that to me giving from my wallet out of my own will.

10% of my allowance or salary is always reserved for God. I’ve tried and tested this: the more faithful I am in giving, the more sufficient my money is. But whenever I try borrowing or re-directing my tithes for personal purposes, the more I lack funds.

This is one view from my current workplace. I remember the first time I came to the UAE, working in the basement of a mall where my view was the ceiling and the wall. Back then, my salary was so low that I was tempted to keep a portion of my tithes. By His grace, I remained faithful and God proved that if I give with a cheerful heart, He will take care of my finances. Today, my tithes is almost the same amount with that first salary I had.

“God says that anything that you give up for his sake, anything you sacrifice for his Kingdom will be returned a hundredfold. You know how much a hundredfold is? That’s 10,000 percent interest. Do you know any stockbroker that will guarantee that? Only God and his Son can do that. They’ve been doing business with people like you for 2,000 years.” – Rick Warren.

He has promised to bless you exceedingly when you give. The way you give to others is the way He will give to you. To reap a great harvest, you must plant generously in faith. You can never out-give God.

“Give, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands —
more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap.
The way you give to others is the way God will give to you” – Luke 6:38