Therefore, we wait on the Lord in quietness of spirit and assurance of heart because we know that He is "faithful who has promised" (Heb. 11:11). We remain in complete calm and tranquility because, like the prophet Isaiah, we know that this is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and that our righteousness is of Him (Isa. 54:17).
And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham...And the Lord appeared unto him (Isaac), and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father. Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him.Here we see that while many others were seeking refuge from the famine by fleeing to Egypt, Isaac was instructed by the Lord to stay in the land and sow in the midst of famine.
(Genesis 26:1-3,12)
The result of his obedience was a hundredfold return on what he sowed.
That is God's solution to financial famine. Not to withhold, but to give, to sow in time of adversity. Once again, we see that God is seed-minded, not need-minded.
I believe that is the way you and I are going to come out of our financial crisis: by remaining in the land of promise and faithfully sowing in time of famine.
Do you remember the incident that took place at the table during the Last Supper? Jesus knew that Judas was making plans to betray Him to the Jews.
During the meal, He turned to him and said, "What you must do, do quickly" (John 13:27). The disciples heard this exchange between them, but thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus was instructing him to go and give money to someone in need. Obviously Jesus had a reputation for giving.
That is the kind of reputation the Lord wants you and me to have as His children. He has promised that as we remain "in the land," (in Him and in His Word and will), He will provide for us a multiplied return - a bountiful blessing - if we are faithful and obedient enough to continue to sow in time of famine.
Giving is a Lifestyle, Not an Experiment
When the Lord told the children of Israel to "prove" Him, to "put Him to the test" in this area of giving, He did not mean that to be a one-time incident. He meant that if they were continually faithful to him in their tithing and giving, He would be continually faithful to them in His abundant, overflowing provision for their needs.
What God is asking us to do is to make godly giving a lifestyle - not just an experiment. Many people try this principle for a few weeks, then if they don't see immediate results, they decide it doesn't work, and give up.
When the overflowing blessing doesn't appear instantly, they quit giving. They don't understand that this is a lifestyle to be adopted and maintained.
Several years ago I wrote a book entitled "Giving: the Essence of Living." That title says it all. That's what living is all about - giving. A lot of people live their whole lives "on the take," always trying to get something for nothing. That is not the lifestyle Jesus introduced into this world. The Christian lifestyle is one of giving.
Jesus told His disciples: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). Now the expression "lay down his life," in this verse, does not always mean to die.
To "lay down your life" for another person means to put the other person's will, desire, and well-being ahead of your own. To do that, you don't necessarily have to die physically. You simply have to be willing to dedicate your life to working for that person's welfare and benefit, rather than for your own.
Jesus says that kind of unselfish giving of oneself is the greatest love known to man. It is the lifestyle which He introduced, displayed and modeled for us, and it is the kind of lifestyle He calls us to adopt. That is God's ultimate solution for need.
Excerpt permission granted by Jerry Savelle Ministries International