River of Life Blog
  • Pastor Todd Weston's Blog

RLA Pastor's blog

Moses

10/30/2012

 
When you hear the phrase, “mountain men,” you probably think of someone like Daniel Boone or Davy Crockett tromping through the woods clad in buckskin, crowned with a coonskin cap, and toting a black powder rifle.  You probably don’t think of the biblical character Moses.  However, Moses was quite a mountain man.

There was the Mountain of Revelation, otherwise known as Mount Sinai, where God revealed Himself to Moses and delivered the Law containing the Ten Commandments.  The lesson learned on this mountain is that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Deut. 8:3). 

Later on came the Mountain of Intercession.  It was upon this nameless mountain Moses stood with arms raised interceding for the army of Israel as they battled the forces of Amalek.  As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed.  The lesson learned on this mountain is that the Church prevails by prayer. 

The last mountain in Moses’ life may surprise you.  It’s the Mountain of Disappointment.  In Deuteronomy 34 Moses climbed to the top of Mount Pisgah where God showed him the land promised to Israel.  Moses was forbidden to enter because of his disobedience concerning the water of Meribah (Numbers 20:1-13).  Moses saw the land in the distance, but died having never stepped foot in the Promised Land.

I wonder how many hopes have died on some mountain of disappointment. 

Amazingly, Moses’ story doesn’t end there.  About 1,500 years later we find Jesus Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration located in the Promised Land (Matthew 17:1-1-3).  Joining Him there on the mountain were Elijah and…….you guessed it, Moses!  He made it!  Not only did Moses make it, but he had the privilege of standing on the mountain with the Son of God.

Maybe you find yourself on some mountain of disappointment today.  Be encouraged.  The story of your life is still being written.  Stay faithful.  For as Moses learned, God’s disappointments in the end will prove to be a greater blessing.

Pastor Todd Weston

Tithing

8/19/2011

 
If you read the financial section of the paper or listen to the experts, it appears the economy is slowing down. Stocks are down.  Values of existing homes are down.  Gas prices are up.  So is unemployment.  Everything I’ve read recently tells me the outlook is more of the same.  In the midst of this so-called recovery, the economy doesn’t appear to be recovering.
 
So we turn from the financial reports to the Word of God for some good news.  And we find it in Proverbs 3:10, “So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.”  That is Solomon’s way of saying your bank account is going to be full and your investments are going to perform well. What a wonderful promise!
 
But before the promise of v10 is the command of v9, “Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase.”  A problem arises when we want the blessing of the promise, but are not willing to obey the command.  If you want the blessing of v10, you have to obey the command of v9.
 
The command is to give to God first.  Notice, the writer did not say we should wait until our barns are filled with plenty and then give to God.  He said we should give to God first and then our barns would be filled with plenty.  The act of obedience is what triggers the blessing.
 
Honoring God with the firstfruits of all your increase is called tithing.  Why is tithing important?  It’s the primary way we acknowledge that God is first.  Tithing requires faith because it means not just giving to God, but giving to God first before you see if there’s going to be enough money left to cover your financial obligations.  God honors faith,
and He honors obedience.  When we give to God first, He blesses the 90% left so that it actually goes farther than
the 100% would have gone!
 
I honestly believe the way to survive the financial crisis that has hit our nation is to honor God with your money.  Do you want to see a turn-around in your finances?  Then start tithing now.  But Pastor Todd, I cannot afford to tithe.  All the more reason to start.  Along with exercising biblical money principles, tithing is the way out of your personal financial crisis.  Put God to the test on this one (Malachi 3:10).  He will not fail you.  

Pastor Todd

    Pastor Todd

    Lead Pastor
    River of Life
    Assembly of God

    Archives

    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011

    Categories

    All
    1 Timothy 4:12
    9/11
    Accountability
    Bible
    Bitterness
    Blessing
    Blessings
    Cheerful Heart
    Choices
    Christmas
    Church
    Church Ministry Center
    Comfort
    Commitment
    Compromise
    Confidence
    Connection
    Courage
    Courageous
    Creativity
    Criticism
    Daniel
    David
    Deceitfulness
    Direction
    Discernment
    Drifting
    Economy
    Elections
    Endurance
    Esther
    Faith
    Father
    Fear
    Fellowship
    Finances
    Forgiveness
    Generosity
    Gifts
    Gospel
    Grace
    Great Commission
    Greatness
    Haiti
    Heaven
    Hebrews 12:14
    Heroes
    Holiness
    Home
    Hope
    Israel
    Joseph
    Light
    Mary
    Media
    Mercy
    Miracles
    Missions
    Moms
    Mothers Day
    Motivation
    Natural Gifts
    New Year
    Obstacles
    Options
    Outreach
    Overcome
    Peace
    Perspective
    Planning
    Power
    Priorities
    Race
    Rapture
    Read
    Renew
    Rla Connect
    Running
    Servant
    Sin
    Sing
    Spiritual Gifts
    Success
    Time
    Tithe
    Trials
    Truth
    Unity
    Variety
    Vision
    Voting
    Wedding
    Willing Heart
    Word
    Youth