Chapter 10: Losing My Rights to My Money

There is so much to gain by reading this chapter, so if you get a chance pick up this book and read it.  It was hard to decide what to share with you today.

Quote from the book Gaining Through Losing. Evelyn:  page 146

Confidence.  The Bible gives a tremendous reason why we should be free from the love of (one of those three little terms—WANT, LOVE, LONG FOR) Money.  Why?  Because it produces confidence.

Let your way of life be free from the love of money, being content with what you have, for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my Helper, I will not be afraid.  What shall man do to me?”  Heb. 13:5-6

Am I content with what I have?  I might say I am, but am I really?  Am I happy with what I do have and not LONG FOR more money for something else?  I need to search my heart for the truth.

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

Evelyn shared a wonderful “act of faith” that has inspired me with my own writing.

Quote from the book Gaining Through Losing. Evelyn:  page 151

Gamblers for God

It seems that without the willingness to risk losing, there can be no great gains in God’s economy.  Retired Bank president Chester Eggen said to me, “I’m thinking of doing some seminars on the spiritual application of ‘There Is No Gain Without Pain.’  As a bank president, I know we must let go of our profits in order that we can earn more profits.”

The following is what touched my heart.

Our Nonprofit United prayer Ministries organization decided to test that principle.  From its inception, the love offerings had never quite paid the travel, publicity, and mailing expenses.  So, after much prayer and with our treasury still in the red, we voted to launch a giving program –free books, tapes and leaders’ guides to missionaries and prisoners.  To our surprise, at the end of that fiscal year, we had enough money left over to buy a typewriter and a desk –and the trend has never reversed itself.  It worked.

The old saying, “I cannot out give God,” is true.  Do I dare try this in some way?  It will take some thought and a huge portion of courage. 

Maybe there is someone out there, right now, going through a financially hard time.  You are not alone.  God is with you.  Can you trust him?

I remember a time in my life where our money seemed to run out before the paycheck came.  We had always practiced ‘tithing’ from the first of our income and God always provided.  Then there came a time where we were really tested. 

We needed extra money for something real important and we contemplated using our tithing, but instead just trusted God to provide in another way.  We were faithful and so was God.  He provided more than we needed in another way.

God is so faithful.  We can trust him today with whatever we are facing.

Dear God,

Please go before me today.  I want to lose my right to gain any money for my work.     I leave it all in your hands.  Thank you for what you are going to teach me.  In Jesus name, Amen.