We’ve covered who Stephen was in relation to the early church and how he contrasted with Ananias during the same period, and we’ve talked about how this relates to tithing and your financial situation. By this time, it’s my hope that you’ve begun the process of testing God regarding His promises regarding your money—namely, that He’ll open the windows of Heaven and pour out blessings if we pay our tithes as commanded (see Malachi or the previous posts if you have questions about this). Now, let’s talk about becoming a Stephen in an Ananias world.

Are you sure that you want to be a Stephen?

When we make a commitment to God, it is much like a legally binding contract in that we are required to keep our end of the deal. If we don’t, we cut ourselves off from some amazing blessings, whether it comes in the form of knowledge when we need it most (should I invest in THIS?), financial gain (often unexpected), or other forms of prosperity. Christianity is mostly an all-or-nothing deal, because Revelation 3:15-16 reminds us: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. “ (NIV) If we aren’t living for God, but we are claiming to be, then we’re neither hot nor cold, but instead lukewarm.

Before deciding whether you want to be a Christian, think about this carefully—are you ready for the commitment that goes along with it? Better to commit than the alternative, obviously, but you don’t ever want to be classified as lukewarm and spat out of God’s mouth. Dedicate yourself whole-heartedly to God, including tithing, and watch as He does incredible things, even in your finances.

Promises and encouragement

This has been a thought provoking series, full of opportunities to make the easy choice and walk away from Christianity and the promises that God makes. He keeps His promises, so I encourage you to search the Bible for everything related to your finances, and pray about how these affect your life. He’ll be by your side, never leaving or forsaking you, and will guide you as you begin the process of getting out of debt. You may have gotten into the mess without His help, but that doesn’t mean He won’t offer His guidance for getting out of it. As mentioned before, just don’t expect a miraculous bank error to get you out of debt immediately—this almost never happens, and it won’t teach you anything which is even worse.

I also want to encourage you to dedicate the future of your family’s money to God, allowing Him to make all spending decisions from this point forward. Pay tithes, give offerings as often as possible, pay bills and get out of debt, save for the future, make smart investments, and be generous; He honors these decisions, and He’ll help you make each one if you will just listen.

In closing, we’ll continue with Revelation 3, but move to verses 18 and 19, which state: “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.” Wow! Here’s just a glimpse at one of His promises to help us become financially secure if we repent for our financial sins and turn away from bad decision-making. I challenge you to repent earnestly, to turn away from the bad choices that make a mess of your money and leave you broke and feeling hopeless. He’s just waiting for your prayers…

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