Blog 4
One additional thing God told me concerning money that day was to catch up on my tithes. I’m to pay my (back) tithes that I had decreased. When I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, the principle of tithing was easy for me. I had complete control of my checking account. Either I did it or I didn’t. As a baby believer it made sense to me give to get so I thought. Test God?? I can do that. (Malachi 3:8-11) I learned this from watching Dr. Fred Price Senior testimonies and others of our faith.
Approximately two years ago, I joined Crenshaw Christian Center and young Dr. Frederick Price has a different position on this teaching than his father. He teaches the principle of tithing is not mandatory. Praise the Lord! I discontinued tithing more than 50% and was on my merry way, even though I did notice some mishaps concerning my living expenses. I began misplacing money that I knew I had because I had recently withdrawn cash from the ATM. Nonetheless my frustration led me to placing it to the back of my mind.
On Sunday January 21st God told me to figure out the difference I had robbed from Him and give Him back His money [His title]. Please remember this is my experience. It may not be the same for you. I just know that tithing has worked for me. I have since learned that in Malachi when it states, “will a man rob God?” It isn’t like we have the ability to put a gun to God’s back and rob Him. He is telling us that we are robbing Him from His desire to bless us, and to rebuke the devourer for MY sakes. God our Father has the ability to “pour us out a blessing beyond our wildest dreams. (Malachi 3:10 MSG) Why? I do know this…this is just the way He has certain blessings set up for distribution for His people.
On with “CRAZY FAITH”, I awaken Monday morning by a text from my brother to watch a YouTube video by Jerry Savelle. Before I did that, I went to my computer to transfer funds from the online savings account into my checking account. I had a balance $6000 and I transferred $3000. With that taken care of I decided rather than use my phone to watch the video Kev sent me, I would watch it on the larger screen. I scrolled to what I thought was the YouTube video my brother sent me, but it was a different video. Surprisingly, the one I clicked on included a testimony about Jerry Savelle Ministry. He tells a story about how financially his ministry was struggling and God told him to plant a seed of $1000 from each department of his ministry into Kenneth Copeland ministries. I don’t remember how much he sent, but I do remember it represented each of his departments. When I saw and heard that testimony, I was so excited and jumping for joy. I’m just humming and happy as can be. It was truly a moment of utter joy. It was a moment of confirmation that God told me to give the $3000. My thoughts were singing in my head I’m gonna get paid. I’m gonna get paid for planting this CRAZY FAITH seed. Lord God help me!! (lol)
I text the lady to set up an appointment at a coffee shop but she suggested that we meet at my friend Mary’s house. I know that won’t work because this should be done in private. I thought if she wanted to tell Mary after I gave her the money okay, but what I did know for sure this was to be a private blessing for her. I responded “no” that wouldn’t work for me. How about if we meet at a restaurant close to her house? She replied that she would have her husband bring her to my house the following Saturday when she got off from work. “Cool” we have a plan! On Thursday, I went to the bank to get the money. I withdrew $2000 in hundreds, $500 in fifties and $500 in twenties. When I got home, I realize I have painted Mason jars around the house, so I say to me “God didn’t say how to give it to her…so I grab a jar and began folding the money into squares and stuffing them into a Mason jar.
I place the jar back on the island counter in my kitchen along with the other jars and wait until Saturday for her arrival. She texts me on Saturday and says she has to work late, and can we do a phone meeting. In my mind I’m thinking heck no lady, I need to see you. What’s going on? I texted back “no worries.”
I would like the meeting to be in person. I’ll come to your house this evening. What time works for you and what is your address?
You guys I am so excited to do this and get it over with because I know the Holy Spirit is working something out and I want to see what will materialize. I want to be mightily blessed (keeping it real yall, these were my thoughts) When I got the text with her address, I noticed she lives 32 miles from my house and I’m going to be in Los Angeles traffic on a Saturday at around 5:30pm, great!! I leave my house with my precious Mason jar cargo and start the trip. Thank god for Google Maps. I put the address in and decide to listen to an audio book by Mike Todd for the long drive out there. I get a little turned around (even with Goggle Maps directing me). Yall, please pray for my sense of direction. When I’m about five minutes from her house the audio book I’m listening to starts teaching a lesson about the woman from 2nd Kings 4:1-5, I started shouting and giving God praise. Mind you this teaching surely at this particular time while on my [mission trip] was heartwarming and a confirmation indeed. It felt like an embrace from God Almighty Himself. I appreciated it and needed it right then and there. The Holy Spirit speaks my love-language. It’s usually something that wouldn’t mean anything to anyone but me at the time He tells me I am His own.
I have a speech in my mind that I’m going to give the lady when I get there. BTW I still have not looked at my contacts to remind myself her name – I just kind of think of her as “CRAZY FAITH.” I finally get to her house and by this time its dark outside and I can’t see the address on the house so I pullover; phone her and tell her I’m on her street, but I can’t find the address. She and her son walk out, and I pulled over in front of her driveway. I became so emotional as I’m walking to her porch with Mason jar, I tell her I don’t really want to hire her, but that God sent me to give you this jar. I go on to tell her that He sees you and that He loves you! I then get back in my car and drive away.
At this point I still didn’t remember her name, but as I’m getting on the freeway, she phones me and asks me in broken English what’s going on? Why did I give her a jar of money? Then her son gets on the phone and says my mom doesn’t understand. I tell him to tell her that God loves her, and He sees her and her struggles. I said to her son to tell her if she wants to she can tell my friend Mary, if not then she doesn’t have to. I for sure won’t tell her. She gets back on the phone and says my son can’t believe this is happening to us. I really hadn’t paid much attention to the son until this point and I began to think…was this for the mother or was God sending a message to her son. I don’t know for sure, but it could have been both mother and son. GOD KNOWS!!
