I am a co-heir with Christ!

Thank you Sharon Jaynes for this mornings post http://sharonjaynes.com/the-horsehead-wallet/#comment-16251!  It is simply the ribbon on top of the package that the Lord has been building in my heart for this post.
In a recent small group (Navigators 2:7 series-I highly recommend this!) we are working on our testimony in 4 minutes.  One of our senior group members shared a wonderful tidbit from his life.  He said he and his wife were struggling financially because of some medical bills at one time.  It came down to the fact that if he paid his tithe for this particular month, it would literally take their bank account to a zero balance.  Being the provider of his household, he really struggled with the decision.  But he went for it, paid the full tithe, and lived on faith!  Of course, they survived and never looked back!
Then yesterday a dear friend and I were visiting and this same subject came up.  She and I both have experienced being a single parent in our lives.  One story she shared was a memory she had about $6.  That was her tithe from a $60 paycheck.  She had diapers to buy.  But on Sunday it just so happened that the $6 was all she had left.  She prayerfully placed the $6 in the offering plate.  On Monday her tax refund check arrived - 3 weeks early!  We both laughed at that story!
In thinking through my testimony, I was reminded of a time early on; literally the first time I realized God provides... allow me to explain.  I had two children and was really struggling financially at the same time that the Lord was calling me.  I had begun attending a biblical church right after a time that I had swallowed my pride and actually applied for food stamps-only to be denied.
The Lord was truly dealing with my hardened heart at this point in my life and He began to soften me to the point I could trust Him.  I wasn't the type of person to ask for help easily and I never let on to anyone about my struggle.  But lo and behold, the next month (after starting to faithfully attend church) my food stamps came through!  Now let me tell you, I had literally been to the point where the only means I had for food was WIC vouchers.  I will never forget the envy I felt when grocery shopping and only being able to get the items listed on the vouchers while others filled their carts.  So when those food stamps came through I was thrilled and realized that they had come straight from the Lord!  This was the first time that I gave God the credit He deserved!
Despite these stories of trust, my friend and I both shared memories of times that we didn't tithe... literally gave in to the temptation to not tithe.  We both agreed that those were always the l-o-n-g-e-s-t times between paychecks!
My husband always reminds me that God doesn't test our faith so He can see if we have any.  He tests our faith for our benefit, so WE can see if we have any!
Does God need our tithe?  Well no, he owns the cattle on a thousand hills! What He does want is our trust and our devotion and our willingness to serve Him with the bounty (financial and physical) which He provides.  Nothing is ours, it is all His.  Once a Christian gets a firm grasp on that reality; I believe that's a pivotal point in ones faith experience.
Our selfish hearts wish to have us believe that we earn the money, we hold the talent, we have the knowledge.  But the truth is, God provides all of it!
So today I am going to remember this every time I pay a bill; thank you Lord.  When I fill my gas tank; thank you Lord.  When I meet a deadline; thank you Lord!  It's all for His glory!