To excel means to be good at, master, be proficient, skillful, talented, be the best, improve upon, outdo, outshine, outstrip, shine, surpass, transcend—at this grace of giving! When it comes to giving, we’re to be the best we can be!

To excel at giving means we’ve got to engage in it intentionally. Skillful giving doesn’t just happen. We need to deliberately set out to master this grace of giving! To excel at giving is not an after-thought or the “seventh level” of following Jesus. To excel at giving is right there with excelling in faith, love, and following Jesus.

What does excelling at giving look like? Here’s what excelling at giving looks like according to 2 Corinthians 8 & 9:

• Excelling at giving results from surrendering ourselves to the Lord
• Excelling at giving means to express our love toward God and others
• Excelling at giving embraces giving as a privilege and a joy—something we do cheerfully, eagerly and with enthusiasm!
• Excelling at giving imitates God’s generosity toward us
• Excelling at giving clearly recognizes that we are conduits of God’s grace, depending on him to enable us to give
• Excelling at giving also requires diligence in planning ahead, setting funds aside and following through
• Excelling at giving compounds thanksgiving and praise to God exponentially
• Excelling at giving amounts to a life-long adventure with God!

©2010 Rob Fischer

Christians often ask the question, “Is it wrong (e.g., is it a sin) to go into debt?”  But this is the wrong question to ask because it does not get at the cause of debt.  Self-inflicted debt is a symptom of the disease, not the cause. 

Our indebtedness has both cultural and personal roots.  Unless we have traveled the world extensively, we probably have no clue just how well off we are in North America.  While some of us struggle with what we see as serious financial challenges, few of us can relate with much of the world’s peoples as they rummage desperately for their next meal and a shelter for the night.

The point here is not to make us feel guilty for that which God has richly blessed us, but to acknowledge his provision with gratefulness and adopt a more realistic perspective about true needs.  Richard Foster pleads with us:

“We really must understand that the lust for affluence in contemporary society is psychotic.  It is psychotic because it has completely lost touch with reality.  We crave things we neither need nor enjoy.  We are made to feel ashamed to wear clothes or drive cars until they are worn out.  The mass media have convinced us that to be out of step with fashion is to be out of step with reality.  It is time we awaken to the fact that conformity to a sick society is to be sick.

This psychosis permeates even our mythology.  The modern hero is the poor boy who purposefully becomes rich rather than the rich boy who voluntarily becomes poor.  Covetousness we call ambition.  Hoarding we call prudence.  Greed we call industry.” (Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline. San Francisco:  HarperCollins Publishers, 1998, pp. 80-81.)

Self-inflicted debt is merely a symptom of the disease worldliness.  Worldliness is a term that runs so counter to our culture that it usually conjures up images for us of nerdish naivety, or monk-like asceticism. Truthfully, the concept of worldliness is counter-cultural!  That’s Paul’s point in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Some worldly mindsets that lead to self-inflicted debt include:  malcontent, complaining, ungratefulness, greed, envy, covetousness, desire for and a preoccupation with things or self-gratification, insecurity and anxiety. 

Watch out!  Our culture, through the media and advertising, has deceived us into subtle patterns of rationalization that mask these worldly mindsets.  We bury ourselves under immense debt under the guise of buying a safer vehicle, or moving up into a bigger, better house, or securing the best education, or simplifying our lives with the latest gadgets.  But in the end, we find ourselves living to service debt. 

“A man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.”  – 2 Peter 2:19

© 2005 Rob Fischer

But there is both a non-giving and a giving that dishonors God. Not giving simply fails to honor God. Not giving demonstrates that we treasure our wealth and possessions above God. Not giving to God withholds honor from him and hoards that honor for us. By not giving we deny that all we have comes from God and belongs to him. Not giving also fails to show gratitude and thanksgiving for all God has blessed us with. So, not giving dishonors God.
 
As I said, there is also a giving that dishonors God. Giving that dishonors God is a giving that emerges grudgingly from our hearts out of duty or obligation. According to 2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT, we are not to “give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully.” One reason that reluctant or stingy giving dishonors God is that he desires that his children mimic his character (Ephesians 5:1). God does not give grudgingly or reluctantly! He lavishes his love and gifts on his children (Matthew 7:11).

But when we give reluctantly or tight-fistedly we dishonor God. Our motives betray that we are self-centered and money-focused. “The world is not impressed when Christians get rich and say thanks to God.  They are impressed when God is so satisfying that we give our riches away for Christ’s sake and call it gain.” (John Piper) “God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.” (2 Corinthians 9:7 MSG)

Once we realize that genuine giving honors and pleases God, our natural tendency is to ask, “How much should I give?” Unfortunately, this question quickly degenerates into legalistic, duty-based thinking. We’ve already seen that our motives for giving matter as much to God as the act of giving itself.

Remember the two rich men in Luke 18 and 19? The rich ruler in Luke 18:18-23 was looking for another commandment that he could keep to fulfill an obligation to God. When Jesus told him to sell all he had and give the proceeds to the poor, Jesus’ request was not primarily about giving, but about whom or what this man served and loved. So, when Jesus asked him to choose between God and his money, he chose what he truly loved and lived for – his money. The price was too high and he went away very sad.

In contrast to the rich ruler, we find Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10. Here is another rich man, but when he meets Jesus, there is no contest this time between God and money.  Zacchaeus chooses God! He honors Jesus (God) before all by voluntarily giving half his wealth to the poor and making four-fold restitution to those he had cheated! Jesus gets excited about Zacchaeus’ response because it clearly demonstrated a changed life in submission to God. Zacchaeus honored God in his giving and in the amount he gave.

So, again, back to the question, “How much should I give?” My response: give an amount that is God-honoring. Give an amount or percentage that you know brings honor to God and demonstrates that he and not money is supreme and treasured in your life! As Paul told the Corinthians, “If you are really eager to give, it isn’t important how much you are able to give. God wants you to give what you have, not what you don’t have.”  (2 Corinthians 8:12 NLT)

Jesus called his disciples over and said, “The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. All the others gave what they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford–she gave her all.” (Mark 12:43-44 MSG)
 
© 2009 Rob Fischer

Marlene’s husband was saddled with the responsibility of going to work every day and then coming home and taking care of the household, the children, and his invalid wife.

The pressure of this situation continued for 12 long years until one day when Marlene turned to Jesus Christ and asked him to heal her. She desperately longed to be the wife her husband needed and to take care of her children and home.

The Lord Jesus responded to her plea. Her excruciating pain and other debilitating effects began to subside and soon she was able to function in an ever-increasing capacity at home and at work. But after 12 years of hardship and deprivation, Marlene’s husband gave up and abandoned the family. Suddenly she was faced with responsibilities and challenges she had never before experienced.

At this time, Marlene started attending church and turned to her pastor for help. In particular, she needed advice in managing her finances. So as a first step, the pastor asked her how much income she had to work with each month and then listed all the routine expenses. From this data they drew up a spending plan.

After reviewing the spending plan, Marlene asked in a troubled voice, “But where do we account for the money I give to God? I want to give him ten percent of everything that comes in.” To which the pastor responded with empathy, “Marlene, I’m afraid you can’t afford to give. The money just isn’t there after your basic expenses.” She had barely enough money to pay the mortgage, utilities, put food on the table and gas in the car.  That was it. There wasn’t even anything there for clothes or school supplies for her boys, much less for any emergency or contingency that might come along.

Marlene continued to implore her pastor that there must be some money somewhere she could give to the Lord. But her pastor insisted, “You can’t afford to give away one cent, much less a tenth!” Marlene responded, “You don’t understand. God has given me my life back. I love him and want to honor him with my income. You cannot deny me this joy!”

Her pastor, realizing that she was bound and determined to give to God, set up an additional account page in her ledger and titled it, Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Her pastor then instructed her, “Every time you need something in your day-to-day activities and you don’t have the money for it, get on your knees and tell God what you need. And ask him to meet your financial need to give back to him. Rehearse with him what he’s promised you about meeting all your needs, and every time he provides for you, enter that amount on this page in your ledger.”

Three months later, Marlene came back to review her spending plan with her pastor and to update him on how things were going. By far and away, the page in her ledger with the most activity was the Philippians 4:19 page. Line after line she had recorded all the things and all the ways God had faithfully answered her prayers to meet the needs of her family and allow her to give back to him a portion of it.

“When we give money away, we not only neutralize its power over us, but we also bring it under the domain of the Kingdom of light.  Nongrace is turned into grace.  God is honored, and His lordship is confirmed.”  – Richard A. Swenson, MD

“Our giving is a reflexive response to the grace of God in our lives.  It doesn’t come out of our altruism or philanthropy—it comes out of the transforming work of Christ in us.”  – Randy Alcorn
 
2 Corinthians 9:8, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

©2009 Rob Fischer

As a 12-year-old I received a dollar per week for my allowance, so I couldn’t simply divert what was already coming in to my giving. I prayed that God would give me opportunities to earn enough to meet my pledge of $4.00 per week for the next year. I still remember how excited I was that morning in church when I turned in my pledge card. I knew I was embarking on an adventure with God and I could hardly wait to see how he would work in my life!

That afternoon I began going around to our neighbors asking them if I could mow their lawns and do other yard work or odd jobs. God went before me and I found several neighbors who were willing to employ me weekly around their homes. When fall came I raked leaves and in the winter I shoveled driveways and sidewalks.

Sometimes I would begin a week not knowing how God would provide that week, but he always did! In fact, God provided $4.00 per week faithfully all 52 weeks of that year. I cannot describe the joy I experienced to be able to give “beyond what I was able” by trusting God to give through me.

Watching God provide like this also catapulted my faith and trust in him. I began to see what a BIG God we have and that nothing is too hard for him. Growing in my faith and trust in him back then was like exercising a muscle. I saw my faith muscle begin to grow and looked for new ways to exercise it.

In 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 Paul describes how the followers of Christ in Macedonia “gave beyond what they were able” because they had trusted God to provide through them. They also gave in the context of extreme trouble and even poverty. The secret to their ability to give like this was their trust in God to provide through them (2 Corinthians 9:10). Giving like this produces in us extreme joy, glorifies God and generates thanksgiving by those who receive the benefits of our giving!

Paul urges us to “excel in this gracious act of giving” (2 Corinthians 8:7 NLT). Let me invite you to step into a great adventure with God–especially during these times of financial uncertainty. Get to know how BIG our God is and trust him for things beyond our ability.

©2009 Rob Fischer

“Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best part of everything your land produces.” (Proverbs 3:9 NLT) To honor God is to show our regard, esteem, value, respect, and prizing of him. When we give to the Lord, we demonstrate to him, to others, and to ourselves that he is supreme in our lives.  When we give, we attest that he is our most valued treasure. Giving shows that our hearts are set on him and not on our money or belongings. Giving honors God as supreme. Giving to him is an act of worship.

But there is both a non-giving and a giving that dishonors God. Not giving simply fails to honor God. Not giving demonstrates that our wealth and possessions and not God are truly what we treasure most. Not giving to God withholds honor from him and hoards that honor for us. By not giving, we elevate our wealth and possessions above him.  So, not giving dishonors God.

“The world is not impressed when Christians get rich and say thanks to God.  They are impressed when God is so satisfying that we give our riches away for Christ’s sake and call it gain.” – John Piper

As we said, there is also a giving that dishonors God. Giving that dishonors God is a giving out of duty or obligation. According to 2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT, we are not to “give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully.”

Consider a man who takes his wife out for their anniversary. During the evening it becomes clear to her that this date is not a result of his love and desire to honor her, but because of some rigid sense of duty he has toward her. Once she discovers the motives behind his actions, she would probably feel more hurt and betrayal than if he had not taken her out at all. Regardless of the cost of the evening, she would feel dishonored by her husband. Why should we think our relationship with God is any different?

“God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.” (2 Corinthians 9:7 MSG)

Giving to God must be a voluntary choice to honor (worship) him. Therefore, if we give merely out of duty, then God is not honored because our motives are faulty. Our motives betray that we are indeed self-centered and preoccupied with meeting our so-called obligation, instead of being centered on him and desiring his honor. Also, since our duty-based giving does not honor God, then whatever cost we spent meeting our obligation is irrelevant in terms of its worth as a gift. As one old sage put it, “If your parakeet is dead, buying it a more expensive cage will not help.”

Once we realize that genuine giving honors and pleases God, our natural tendency is to ask, “How much should I give?” Unfortunately, this question quickly degenerates into legalistic, duty-based thinking. We’ve already seen that our motives for giving matter as much to God as the act of giving itself.

Remember the two rich men in Luke 18 and 19? The rich ruler in Luke 18:18-23 was looking for another commandment that he could keep to fulfill an obligation to God. When Jesus told him to sell all he had and give the proceeds to the poor, Jesus’ request was not primarily about giving, but about whom or what this man served and loved. So, when Jesus asked him to choose between God and his money, he chose what he truly loved and lived for – his money. The price was too high and he went away very sad.

In contrast to the rich ruler, we find Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10. Here is another rich man, but when he meets Jesus, there is no contest this time between God and money.  Zacchaeus chooses God! He honors Jesus (God) before all by voluntarily giving half his wealth to the poor and making four-fold restitution to those he had cheated! Jesus gets excited about Zacchaeus’ response because it clearly demonstrated a changed life in submission to God. Zacchaeus honored God in his giving and in the amount he gave.

So, again, back to the question, “How much should I give?” Our response: give an amount that is God-honoring. Give an amount or percentage that you know brings honor to God and demonstrates that he and not money is supreme and treasured in your life! As Paul told the Corinthians, “If you are really eager to give, it isn’t important how much you are able to give. God wants you to give what you have, not what you don’t have.”  (2 Corinthians 8:12 NLT)

Jesus called his disciples over and said, “The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. All the others gave what they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford–she gave her all.” (Mark 12:43-44 MSG)

© Rob Fischer 2005

Because we are prone to let money rule over us, God uses the “money test” to determine where our hearts are with respect to him (and others). When John the Baptist appeared on the scene urging people to turn their hearts back to God, he explained to them that a heart in submission to God would produce “good fruit” in their lives (Luke 3:8). But good fruit in one’s life comes only as a result of a right relationship with God, and not the other way around. We don’t come into right relationship with God by producing good fruit. In fact, apart from a relationship with him it’s not possible to produce good fruit (John 15:5).

A variety of people asked John the Baptist what this good fruit would look like in their lives. They asked, “What should we do?” To the crowd he responded that they should share food and clothing generously with those who had none. He told the tax collectors to put away greed and dishonesty. And he told soldiers not to misuse their power by extorting money from others but to be content with their pay. In each situation, John challenged them to align their lives with God by changing the way they viewed money. The “money test” in our lives reveals our true relationship with God.

As you reflect on the above passages and truths, what personal choices do you need to make to align your life with God’s character and promises, making him your desire? If you were to ask John the Baptist, “What should I do?” how would he respond to you in terms of your hold on money or material things?

Written by Rob Fischer
Copyright © 2005 by ChangePoint

Wealth poses an undeniable magnetism, lure, attraction, seduction, enticement, sway, hold, control and rule in one’s life.  Because of its great allure, Satan singled out the pursuit of wealth as a chief ploy in tempting Jesus! (Matthew 4:8-10)  The Evil One continues to play this trump card in his attempts to deceive us, knowing how vulnerable we are to its enticements. (See 2 Timothy 3:1-2.)

The Proverbs reveal that greed for money, wealth and possessions perverts justice; promotes cheating, lying, fraud, envy, lust, oppression, bribery, extortion, and dissension.  Greed for more makes one stingy, pleasure-seeking, and unrestrained. Wealth gives one a false sense of security and can supplant God as Lord of our lives. (See Proverbs 3:27-28; 11:24, 28; 14:31; 15:27; 16:8, 16; 20:10, 17, 23; 21:6, 13, 17; 22:16, 22; 23:4-8; 28:8, 22, 24, 25, 27; 30:7-9.)

We are spiritual beings compelled to worship.  We must worship someone or something.  To worship is an unavoidable drive.  We are programmed to worship.  Our need to worship is like gravity.  We feel its pull and arrange our lives around the fact that it’s there.  But if we don’t focus all our energies on worshiping God, we will – no, we must worship someone or something else. When Jesus said, “You cannot serve both God and Money,” he is not speaking about an issue of priority but of singleness of heart (Matthew 6:33).

Think about it:  In what ways has money, the pursuit of it, or things it can buy distracted you from your pursuit of God? 

© 2005 Rob Fischer

When Chris met Ann, the girl of his dreams, she was away at school healing from a severed relationship with a boyfriend who was not a follower of Jesus. So, in order to win the favor of Ann and her mother, Chris knew he would have to pose as a good Christian man.

Chris had grown up in the church, so he had mastered Christian customs and lingo. His parents had made him go to church, but he neither knew God nor that he could know him. Chris saw himself as a man of the world who would do almost anything for a buck or to get what he wanted. And right now he wanted Ann.

Hiding behind the anonymity of a long-distance courtship and being unknown in Ann’s hometown, Chris managed to dupe her, her family and their pastor into believing he was a Christian. They married and moved far away from Ann’s family. As poor college students, they postponed any idea of a honeymoon. Chris resumed college and evening jaunts to the bar while Ann went to work to support them.

On their first year anniversary, Chris and Ann decided to make up for their lost honeymoon by going to Las Vegas. Chris became so allured by gambling that he sent his bride to bed then gambled and drank away three weeks’ worth of wages that night. Then, he “doctored” the checkbook in an attempt to hide his losses from Ann.

Over the next couple years, Chris’ life was characterized by an insatiable desire for pleasure, never finding satisfaction, and always wanting more. He bought things on credit that they could not afford and did not need. One time he purchased a pistol “he just had to have,” instead of much needed furniture for their apartment. Ann continued to work full-time as he continued with school. A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree. – King Solomon, Proverbs 11:28 (MSG)

In college, Chris had strategically designed and pursued a degree program that would maximize worldly wealth. He was so focused on accumulating wealth, that he incorporated the dollar sign ($) into his signature as a symbol of his identity. Graduation launched him to pursue his goals. With its low taxes, high wages, an annual permanent fund distribution, and the opportunity to fish and hunt to his heart’s delight, Alaska beckoned Chris as the perfect place to begin building his dream.

After moving to Anchorage, Ann convinced Chris to take her to church again. Additionally, they started attending a small group Bible study that met in a home. Chris continued to reject the truth of God’s Word, however. He was still confident in his own plans and abilities to pursue a meaningful life. Then Ann became pregnant.

Chris was thrilled with the prospect of becoming a father! But problems developed in the pregnancy. At one point, after an emergency ultrasound, the doctor told them he feared the baby was malformed and would not live. Chris was confronted with a problem for which he had no power or scheme to solve. He was totally helpless and began begging God to save their baby.

One month after the ultrasound, Hunter was born prematurely weighing only 3 lbs, 13 oz. But he was a healthy, normal boy! Chris was overwhelmed with the love and mercy that God had extended to them in giving them a healthy little boy. Through Hunter’s birth, God overwhelmed Chris with the reality of his love in sending his Son, Jesus, to die in our place for our sins.

Several months later, Chris and Ann attended a stewardship course sponsored by their church. Because the desire for and pursuit of money had been Chris’ god, the One True God challenged and defeated Chris’ god head-on in this course. Again, Chris realized the awesome power of God.

After the course, God continued working in Chris’ life and on Chris’ heart. His relationships with Ann and others began to grow in a genuine and loving way. God steadily changed Chris’ desires away from the empty things he had pursued to becoming enthralled with God. Chris became hooked on God’s promises and principles for finances and other areas of his life.

One clear example of the work of God in their lives resulted from the conviction that they needed to pay off their credit card debt as quickly as possible. This was the first time Chris recalls ever partnering with his wife to pray with her, calmly discuss and agree on a financial issue, and then watch God work on their behalf.

Ann was a stay-at-home mom and Chris was earning a humble salary. They owed $4,752 on a Visa card due to poor past choices they had made. But they owned two cars outright and thought they could sell one of them for about $4,800. So they decided to put that car up for sale. But when it sold, they only got $4,600 for it. They were a bit disappointed that they would still have to make up the remaining amount to pay off the Visa, but the sale of the car had knocked down most of it. Then, unexpectedly, they received a refund for $152 from their insurance company for dropping a car and the Visa was paid off in full to the dollar! Chris and Ann saw the $152 as God’s loving and faithful provision on their behalf.

Shortly after they sold their second car, God met their need for a second car in a very creative way. A friend of theirs who was leaving Alaska offered them his older, but functional car for $5. That car served them for three years, which allowed them time to save for a mini-van for which they paid cash. God was pleased to meet their needs as they trusted him.

The work of God in his life was obvious to Chris. God was indeed faithful and kind. As a result of God’s kindness, Chris came to a point of true brokenness in his life. He denounced his false gods and boldly proclaimed Jesus Christ as the Leader of his life.

As Chris and Ann trusted Jesus and followed him, they began moving away from the bondage of materialism toward freedom in Christ. Their goals began centering on advancing the work of God in others’ lives. Where there had been greed and living on credit beyond their means, now there was contentment. For the first time, they also experienced the joy of giving generously to God’s causes.

Chris also found himself working harder and more conscientiously for his employer instead of just trying to claw his way up the corporate ladder. His hard work paid off in steadily increasing promotions and raises. And he found new freedom from worry about his reputation, since he was now living with integrity.

Today, Chris and Ann have four children and have experienced God’s faithful provision time and time again. One of the things that excites them most is sharing their story and watching God change others and meet their needs just like he has for them.

Written by Rob Fischer
©2005 by ChangePoint

“God ordains suffering because it displays to the world the supremacy of his worth above all treasures.”  – John Piper

When Linda and I got married, I had one more year left to serve in the US Army in Berlin, Germany. At the time there were at least three good reasons for us to stay in the military. First, the military was providing a steady income, while the US economy was in recession. Second, my job classification was in high demand and the Army offered me a $10,000 bonus to re-enlist. (This was a lot of money in 1975!) And finally, after seven months of marriage, we had decided to start a family and Linda was now pregnant. To stay in the military meant full health coverage for Linda and the baby. To leave the military would leave us without health insurance.

This may seem like a pretty straightforward decision—except for one thing. Linda and I had sensed God’s clear leading in our lives to serve him as missionaries on a foreign field. In order to accomplish this, I needed to leave the military and go to Bible college. After praying, seeking counsel and being unified in the decision as a couple, we embarked on what we viewed as an adventure with God. We left the military and headed for Bible college.

God had begun to pave the way for us even before we set out, although we didn’t know it at the time. For when we landed in Chicago, Linda’s grandmother surprised us with $1,000 that bought us our first car and the gas to get us to Spokane, Washington, where we applied to a Bible college.

In Spokane, we found a modest apartment and had just enough money for the deposit and first month’s rent, but not enough money for phone service. A telephone booth a block away served for out-going calls. I had built our furniture that summer using tailings from a local lumber mill and masonite that I had picked up on clearance for ten cents a sheet. We had no TV, but a radio provided some entertainment.
 
As soon as we landed in Spokane, I began diligently searching for a job. The job market was extremely tight and I was turned down time and time again. Ironically, I was eligible for VA benefits for college, but the Bible college was so new it was not yet authorized by the VA to grant benefits! Yet we were sure God had led us to this school.

Right before the semester began, I explained our job and financial situation to the dean of the college. He told me that if we were willing to trust God for the funds, then so would they. The day after we registered for school, the Lord gave me a part-time, seasonal job in a feed warehouse. This job paid just enough to cover the rent on our apartment.

Meanwhile, we found a doctor and Linda went for her first checkup. We learned there that she had pre-eclampsia, a dangerous condition threatening both hers and the baby’s life if not kept in check. The doctor prescribed strict bed-rest for the last two months of her pregnancy. So I took on responsibilities as nurse, chief cook and bottle-washer as well.

Over the next two months, Linda and I had the privilege of experiencing first-hand the truths of God’s promises to take care of us. Funds were so tight that I’d walk over to the phone booth to make a needed call, praying as I went that God would provide a dime for the call. God always provided. He would provide a dime on the sidewalk, in the parking lot, on the floor of the phone booth, or in the coin return.
 
Another time, a particularly large bill arrived from the doctor. I remember it was almost as much as our monthly rent. We had no money to pay it, but we prayed asking God to meet our need. A day or two later we received an anonymous cashier’s check for the exact amount of that bill! This provision of God was particularly amazing considering the fact that we knew no one in Spokane and had not yet been able to find a church home due to Linda’s illness. We were constantly overwhelmed with the goodness and provision of God!

One day, Linda needed to fill a prescription, but again, we had no money. We prayed together that God would provide for the prescription and then I drove to the grocery store convinced that God would somehow provide. As I pulled into a parking space and opened the door to get out, I looked down at a large pile of change in the parking lot. This change was just enough to cover the cost of Linda’s prescription!

During these two months, people kept dropping by our apartment leaving us fresh vegetables from their gardens. I had shot a black bear in early September, which provided surprisingly tasty meat for us. God just kept on meeting our needs, often in very creative ways.

Two weeks into the fall semester at Bible college, the dean approached me and asked me to consider serving as the interim speaker at a small nearby church. Scared but willing, I agreed to speak for them over the next few months. But a couple of weeks later the church invited me to be their pastor and insisted that I continue attending school full-time. I accepted the job.

The church offered the us a parsonage to live in. The house was nearly 100 years old and had sat vacant for seven years. It was in pretty bad shape, but we eagerly agreed to fix it up and the church providing the materials.

My new job at the church more than doubled our income and provided a home. At the end of October, our baby was born healthy and strong. Also around this time, the Veteran’s Administration authorized the Bible school to process VA benefits for eligible students. This occurred three years ahead of normal VA protocol! Because of my military service, my schooling was now paid for in full.
 
In fact, God so graciously provided that we were able to pay off our entire doctor and hospital bill for our baby by the end of January, just three months after our son was born! Isn’t God good, gracious and loving!!! “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20 NLT

©2009 Rob Fischer