Giving God’s Way

By Bazil Howard-Browne

Dedication

I would like to dedicate this book to our team, Diane, Debbie, Chris, Fred, Jodie, Mareah, and John. Thank you for all the love and support you have all shown Ann and myself in helping us to do what God has called us to do. I know that God will bless you for it. We appreciate you all.

Copyright

Copyright © 1997 By Bazil Howard-Browne

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Amplified Bible.

Foreword

Dear Reader:

I invite you to come and walk with me on the water in a journey of faith and abundant blessings. God is standing even now, waiting on you to step out of the boat in obedience to His Word, that He may pour out a blessing you will neither believe nor be able to contain.

God is a God of more than enough. He desires that you learn how to Give His Way, that you would experience the wonderful financial blessings He has for you in the here and now....

Be willing dear friend to change your mind; your ways and act upon the Word of God so that you may come into His full provision for your life.

God Bless you,

Bazil Howard-Browne

Chapter 1, Giving of Your First Fruits

Proverbs 3:1-4 says: “My son, forget not my law or teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of a life [worth living] and tranquility [inward and outward and continuing through old age till death], these shall they add to you. Let not mercy and kindness [shutting out all hatred and selfishness] and truth [shutting out all deliberate hypocrisy or falsehood] forsake you; bind them about your neck, write them upon the tablet of your heart. So shall you find favor, good understanding, and high esteem in the sight [or judgment] of God and man. ”

Put God First

If you look at what the Bible says, the first thing the Bible talks about is God. How many of you know that God wants us to put Him first? So many times we go around looking for favor with man first and try to please him. I know some preachers who just want to please man. They will do anything to please man. There is no way you can please every person but, you can always please God.

Do not look for favor with man. Look for favor with God. Seek first the favor of God, then He will give you favor with man. Now, man might not like you. Favor does not mean that they are going to like you.

I remember back in Africa when I was working for an insurance company, (I remember this very clearly because the Holy Ghost really spoke to my heart), we went to see an insurance broker as his company was doing phenomenal business in insurance and our company wanted to get some of their business.

We showed him all of our products. As we started to leave he walked with us to the door and said, “Look gentlemen, I don’t really understand why I’m doing this. I have told you in the past I don’t want to do business with your company.” I was not with this company in the past; this was the first time I had gone with them to see him. He said, “I told you in the past I don’t want to do business with you and I do not know why I am saying this now, but I am going to do business with you.” As he said this, the Holy Ghost prompted me on the inside and said, “I know why he is doing business with you.”

He may not have been serving God like he should have been. He might have been serving the devil, but his business was a good business. He did not really like me or my manager, but God gave me favor.

God did not say, “I am going to get everybody to like you.” When everybody likes you, then you are probably doing something wrong. Especially as a minister, if everybody loves you then you better know that you are doing something wrong. If you do not get the odd letter coming through telling you what a paluka you are then you had better start looking at yourself closely.

God says He will give you favor with man. Do not try to look for favor with man, look for favor with God. When you get favor with God, favor in His eyes, in His sight then He will give you favor with man. Put God first.

God in Your Finances

Proverbs 3:5 says: “Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. ”

Many times we are looking at ourselves, weighing the pros and cons. Some people do not want God to get involved with their finances. You say God wants to get involved with your budget? Yes.

God will lead you and guide you. He will show you exactly how to use your finances wisely. God is interested in every area of your life, including your finances. God wants every one of His children to prosper. God wants every one of His children to be blessed financially, but many times we hold God back and say, “No God, you can not take care of my finances.” Many times people are scared that if God takes care of their finances then they are not going to have any money.

Cast Your Cares

Let me tell you something, when God takes care of your finances you will be so blessed. What we are trying to learn, God has always known. What we will probably never, ever learn, He knows. Above all, He knows what tomorrow holds. We do not know what tomorrow holds. He is going to lead and guide us step by step when it comes to our finances. Every area of my life, I do not care what it is, I give it over to God because He can take care of it.

Do not lean to yourself. Do not always look at yourself and say, “I’ve got to get it sorted out.” No, give it over to God. Cast your cares on Him because He cares for you. He really cares for you. You might say, “My financial situation right now is so bad. It does not really look like God cares.” You take the little that you have and you give it to God. Then, He is going to take that little, turn it around and make it much. Put Him first. I do not care what your situation is. If you put God first He will begin to bless you. God is the only one who can get you out of the hole. You have been trying for many years and it has not worked. Now it is time to give God a chance.

Giving of Your First Fruits

Proverbs 3:6-8 says: “In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.

Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn [entirely] away from evil. It shall be health to your nerves and sinews, and marrow and moistening to your bones. ”

Proverbs 3:9 says: “Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the firstfruits of all your income. ”

Not the leftovers. Not the last bit. The first fruits. Put God first. I know of people who have been in the meetings with ten or twenty dollars. That is all they had. They had nothing else. As God directed, they took the money and put it into the offering. God abundantly supplied their need and they were blessed. Every need they had God began to meet.

It Is Not the Amount

It is not the amount that you put in. Some people say, “Well, God, I’ve only got five dollars. That is not going to help any. ” It has nothing to do with the amount that you put in. It has everything to do with your heart and your motive. One person can put five thousand dollars into the offering, while another person can put five dollars into the offering. God sees the five dollar offering as more than the five thousand dollar offering because He looks at each person’s heart. The person who gave five thousand dollars gave out of their abundance, while the person who gave five dollars gave out of their lack. It was the last five dollars that person had.

“Check” Your Motives

There is more to giving than just putting your money into the offering; there are your motives. You have got to check your motives. Ask yourself, “Why am I giving tonight? Am I giving because there is pressure? Am I giving because this guy needs an offering? Or, am I giving because of God’s Word?” If you give because of God’s Word; God will bless you.

Do not give because you see a need. Do not think that just because you give a little bit, God does not notice it, He does. God notices everything you do. He knows your motive and He knows your heart. If your heart is pure before Him and your motives are right, God is going to bless you. Give the first fruits of all your income, putting God first. Acknowledge Him in all of your ways by putting Him first.

The All-Sufficient One

Proverbs 3:10 says: “So shall your storage places be filled with plenty, and your vats shall be overflowing with new wine. ”

How many have room in your storage place? God is a God that is more than enough. The All-Sufficient One. God wants to bless you abundantly. Not only for your benefit, but so you can be a blessing to others. God’s Word says the more you give to Him, the more He is going to give back to you. The more He gives to you, the more you can be an even greater blessing to others. God will never let you down.

Do Not Settle Bills With Your Tithes

If you have not been tithing you need to start tithing. The next time you go to your church, tithe. So many times people look at their budget and think, “God if I take my tithe and sink it into my bills just over the next six or eight weeks I can settle all of my bills. Then just think how much I can give to you, Lord.” God has heard that prayer over and over. He knows that one. He is so used to hearing this because so many children have prayed that in the past. It is the same old story.

Thank God for who He is. If He was one of us we would probably send a bolt of lightning down from Heaven. If one of us were God we would probably say, “Give me a break. That old dog won’t hunt anymore. I know that excuse.”

What Is Your Excuse?

When it comes to tithing we always have some kind of an excuse. “God if only...God, I promise you when I am out of debt.” God has heard all of these excuses. Sometimes we think God was bom yesterday.

We come up with something that we think is phenomenal. This is the best excuse I have ever heard, “God knows my heart, I can get myself out of debt over the next six or eight weeks, then I am going to give to Him. He will bless me. God, I will make a deal with you that you cannot refuse.” I have news for you, God is not interested in your excuses or your deals.

Cut Any Deals With God Lately?

How many of you have cut a deal with God in the past? I am sure it was refused. God is not in the “Let’s Make A Deal” business. There is no such thing as making a deal when it comes to tithing. Your tithe comes into the local church; your storehouse.

Every time you get paid; tithe. The blessings of God will be there for you. God will open up the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing upon you that there will not be enough room to receive it or contain it. I guarantee that. God’s Word will never fail you.

I have heard people say in the past, “Well, I have been giving based on God’s Word and it has never worked for me.” No, you have not been giving based on God’s Word. If you were giving based on His Word, it would have worked. Do not give because you see a need, give because of what God’s Word says. Do not pray about tithing, just do it. I guarantee God will start meeting your every need and bless you abundantly. That is what His Word says. Your storage place will be filled with plenty, your vats will be overflowing with new wine.

Chapter 2, Self-Sufficient in Christ9s Sufficiency

Philippians 4:10-12 says: “1 was made very happy in the Lord that now you have revived your interest in my welfare after so long a time; you were indeed thinking of me, but you had no opportunity to show it. Not that I am implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am. I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want. ”

You Get Two Offerings a Day

A lot of times people look at ministers and preachers, and try to evaluate their life; their walk with God. They will look at a minister and say, “Well, look at him. He is wearing a beautiful suit. He has a beautiful watch on and look at those nice shoes that he has on. Look at the car that he drives. I know why he is blessed like that, it is because he is a preacher. He gets two offerings a day.”

Be honest. How many have thought this in the past? Some people Eire always looking at preachers and trying to work out why they should be blessed. Then people think it is because of the offerings. Let me say something to you, all the offerings that come in, do not come to me. They go into the ministry. We take a salary just like everybody else.

Looking at the Preacher?

Many times we look at preachers and say, “How can they have that?” I could not stand up in front of people and tell them my God is supplying my every need if I had holes in my shoes, if my belly was so big that my double-breasted suit would not even close around the front, if I walked out into the parking lot and got into an old junker and it bellowed out smoke all over the place and then, some of the congregation members had to push the thing to get it started.

Then I stand in front of everybody and say, “You know what? God’s Word works.” You would say, “If that is the way God’s Word works, I do not want it.”

Cockroaches Leave

If God’s Word is working then something has to be happening. Something has to be different. If you speak to ninety-eight percent of preachers, you will find that all of them have gone through hard times. I know some preachers, including myself, who were so poor they could not even pay attention. I am talking about being very poor. Even the cockroaches did not hang around in our house. There was not enough food for them to eat.

Faith Bible School

I knew from a child that God had called me into the ministry, but I knew there was a time of preparation. After I graduated from school I went to a faith Bible college. You would think just hearing the word, faith, alone is going to put you right over the top. Just because YOU are going to a faith Bible school you think that God is looking down and saying, “Hallelujah, he is going to a faith Bible school.” Now you think everything is going to be just fine. All of your bills are going to be paid. Money will just fall out of heaven. All of your needs will be met. How many have found that to be false in the past?

During my first year of Bible school, I had the hardest year of my life. I was working for the church and they paid me two hundred dollars a month. My rent on my apartment was two hundred dollars a month. So, two hundred minus two hundred leaves how much? ZERO.

Bread and Cabbage

My parents would send me finances every month to help support me. I would take that money and put a bit of gas in my “green machine” and with the rest of the money, I would buy some food. I would go out every week or two and buy a cabbage and a dozen bread rolls. Now when bread rolls have been in the refrigerator for six or seven days and you open the refrigerator, drop them on the floor and they bounce right back to you, you know these things are finished.

I would come home from college at night and make myself a big cup of coffee, dunk the rolls into the coffee and eat them like that. I would really drink the bread roll. You could not eat them because they were so hard.

Then, once a week, just to get greens in my body, I would come home and take half of a cabbage and cut it up fine. I spent a lot of time on this because this was all I had to do. I actually mastered the art. Then, I would sit down in front of the television and eat the half of cabbage I had cut up. You know it does wonders for your system.

Eating Hot Chocolate

In the morning I would go to work for the book department in the church. When I got there I would go to the coffee vending machine with my cup to make myself hot chocolate. I would drop a lot of powder mix into my cup filling it up almost three quarters full. Then I would pour in hot water and mix it up like a paste and I ate that for breakfast. When ten o’clock came, I would eat some more. When two o’clock came, I would eat more of the same. It had a lot of sugar in it and that kept me going.

Just Have Faith

At night I would come home after college and sit down to a four course meal: three dry rolls and a little bit of cabbage. Now, all of this time I was in a faith Bible school. I would go to the deem and say, “I am leaving the school. I can’t even pay my school bill.” They would then tell me, “No, God has a call on your life and you should not leave.”

I said, “How does God’s Word work for you?” They would tell me, “Have faith. Just have faith.” I said, “Sure, what do you mean have faith?” They said, “Believe God’s Word.” I said, “I do believe God’s Word.” Then they would tell me, “Well, have faith in God’s Word.” I said, “I do. What do you mean?” No one could tell me. They could not break down the word faith and tell me what it really meant.

Rodney Comes to Town

One day, my brother, Rodney came to town. He came down to see the apartment where I was staying. He walked in and said, “This is great.” Then he walked over to the refrigerator, opened the door, looked inside and said, “What are you eating?” I said, “Whatever you see in the refrigerator.” He said, “No, I asked you what do you eat?” I said, “Whatever you see in the refrigerator.” He said, “I see some dry bread rolls and some cabbage.” I said, “There you go.” Now that was not too hard. He said, “You cannot sit and eat this all the time. Let’s go to the store.” So he took me to the store and bought me a cart full of groceries, anything I wanted. There was cheese, milk, you name it, but no bread rolls or cabbage. I was so excited.

When I came back to the apartment I had about three dry rolls left. I took them and threw them into the garbage bin. I said, “Your days were numbered.” I tossed the half of a cabbage that had been there for a couple of days into the garbage bin also and said, “You are finished with.” For the next three weeks I ate like a king, but then I was back to eating dry bread and cabbage. Why? Because I had not learned how to believe God’s Word.

Hard Times

When I am telling you that we have been through some hard times in our life, I am talking about really hard times. You get a hold of somebody and say, “How are you doing dear brother?” He says, “Oh, I am scraping the bottom of the barrel. ” That is how down he is.

I can remember the days when the barrel was on the top of my head. We were already digging underneath the barrel. I can remember my wife going to the store with a bag full of Coke bottles to get the deposit back so that we could buy some bread. At that moment, I was not God’s man of power for the hour.

No one ever explained to me what to do. No one ever told me, “This is what you have got to do. ” I even remember the automobiles we used to drive. “My God help me.” When I think of those things, I do not even know how they got us from point A to point B, let alone to point C. You could spot them easily because of all the smoke that would bellow out the back.

Driving a Junker

How many of you think a Mercedes Benz is a wonderful car to drive? Be honest. We used to drive one in Africa. The only thing that was nice about the car was the name. It was one of those dogs. The front seat was broken so that we would have to sit at an angle to drive down the road. People thought we were snobs with our noses in the air. We did not have a choice in how we sat because the seat was broken.

We used to go to a very large church in South Africa and park the car on the other side of the parking lot. After the car was parked, the oil would settle through the engine. Then, when we started it, it would bellow smoke out all over the place. We would be so embarrassed.

When we got out of the car, we would close our front door, lock it and there would be no problem but, when we tried to open it, we would turn the key as much as we liked but it would not open. We would have to go around to the other side, open the door and get in. We had to kick the inside of the door which would dislodge something on the inside to enable us to unlock the door. Then we would start the car, smoke would bellow out and we would drive off.

The fan belt squealed nonstop. I would have to tighten it every time we stopped. Eventually, we just thought of it as a part of the car. It just makes a noise like that. How many of you can relate? Yet, if you look around, you will still find that there are people who are worse off than you are.

Some people do not have problems with their fan belt because they do not have a fan belt. Other people’s doors do not open because they do not even have an automobile.

Keeping Me Humble

Some people say, “Well, dear brother, Hallelujah, God has given me this car. Bless His Holy Name. This automobile is keeping me very humble.” I have news for you, it is not keeping you humble. In actual fact, you are probably full of pride.

One thing used to frustrate me in South Africa. I would drive down the interstate and every old junker on the road would come by me. As it passed by me the bumper sticker read, “Protected by Psalms 91 Alarms,” or “Jesus Is My Provider,” or “Are You Ready for the Rapture?” One bumper sticker read: “When I go up in the rapture, you can have this automobile.” I do not think the person reading the bumper sticker really wanted it. Oh, you still say, it is keeping you humble. I pray that the car gets taken away from you and God gives you a bicycle. That would really humble you.

Learning a Lesson

People say, “God has given me this car to teach me a lesson. I’ve had it for seven years.” You sure take a long time to learn a lesson or God just teaches very slowly. I have said all of that to say this: Do not look at preachers and think, “Look how well he is doing. How dare he do that well.” Go and talk to them and you will find out that they were not doing so well at one stage in their life. Because of where God had them they have had to believe God and say, “God I believe your Word.” Then they had to start doing something based on God’s Word.

Fulfill Conditions

Faith, in God’s Word, is doing something based on His Word. You can quote Philippians 4:19 until you are blue in the face. If you are not fulfilling the conditions of all the scriptures, Philippians 4:19 is not going to work for you. So many times we take the promises in God’s Word and stick them to the refrigerator door. That is where we go most of the day, you know. Every time we get there we just quickly quote a scripture. It is still not going to work for you. You have to do something. You have to fulfill the conditions of God’s Word in order to have the promises of His Word work for you. Then you can quote those promises. They will become a part of you, they will get down into your heart and they will start working for you.

Philippians 4:13 says: “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency]. ”

God wants to make you self-sufficient. Do not let anyone come along and tell you that God wants to keep you in poverty. That is not from God. It is a lie from the pit of hell. We keep ourselves in poverty. We keep ourselves locked down. We tie God’s hands because of what we do and say.

Without faith it is impossible to please God. You cannot come to God with a big sob story, “Whoa is me! God if you do not help me then I am finished.” You come to God with His Word, you come to God in faith. Everything you do for God you do it in faith. Your whole life is a life of faith. Do you want to please God? Operate in faith.

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What do you mean, operate in faith? Do what God’s Word says you have to do. Act upon His Word. God’s Word says “Give and it shall be given unto you.” So give and it shall be given back to you. The only way you can get God’s Word to begin to work for you is by doing something His Word tells you to do.

Harvest of Blessing

Philippians 4:17 says: “Not that I seek or am eager for [your] gift, but I do seek and am eager for the fruit which increases to your credit [the harvest of blessing that is accumulating to your account]. ”

Every time you give to God, He is going to give you back an increase. Sometimes people give to God and think they have done God a favor. Then they wonder, “What is the problem? Why isn’t God blessing me?” How many of you have seen people give to God and two or three days later they are blessed? I have seen that happen. Many times we look at that and say, “Why God? I have been giving all the time. You never brought me out of the hole.” Maybe you are giving just to get out of the hole. We need to make sure that our motives are pure and holy.

What Is Your Motive?

Ask yourself, “What is my motive for giving?” First of all, give to be a blessing. Give to be seen of God. I know of some people who will write their check out and hold it so that people around them can see. They have received their reward. Do something in secret and God will reward you openly. Our motives need to be right. When you give to God, make sure your motive is right. I am giving to be a blessing. I am giving to be seen of God. I am giving because of what God’s Word says, not because I have a need.

Fulfill Conditions

As I fulfill the conditions in God’s Word, the promises are mine. Every promise in God’s Word will work for you. God is not a respecter of persons. He does not have favorite people. You are His children who He loves and cares for so much. He has given everything for you. He even gave His only Son for you. That is how much He loves you. Yet, we have a pity party and blame God for things that are happening to us. Think about this carefully.

The Promise

Philippians 4:19 says: “And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ”

People, I do not know of any other way for you to see the blessings of God than to be a doer of God’s Word. You have to go to God in faith. Everything we do is in faith. Faith is an action; it is doing something. When you got saved, you raised your hand, came forward and you said the sinner’s prayer. It was an action.

Having Faith

How many of you saw Jesus giving the altar call when you got saved or saw God personally with your eyes? You said, “That is who I want to serve.” I am going forward to give my heart to Jesus. Now, I am sure there are some people who have seen that in the past. Although, it is not very common. What did you do? You had faith to receive God into your heart. You have to operate in faith.

When you stand in the prayer lines you are operating in faith. When the anointing comes, you mix your faith with the anointing.

When you lay hands on somebody you have faith that the anointing of God inside of you is going to flow out and touch those people. You know something is going to happen. Something is going to take place. Faith is doing something.

Being a Doer

Now isn’t it amazing when we finally get to our finances how we throw faith out the window. No, everything we do for God we have to have faith. Do not be a hearer only of God’s Word but be a doer of God’s Word.

I guarantee God’s Word will work for you. It has worked for me, it has worked for my wife and it has worked for so many others that I know. If God’s Word can work for me, it can work for anyone. If God’s Word can work for me and get me to where I am today, receiving the blessings of God, then God’s Word will work for you. But do you know what? We had to do something, we had to start giving.

Rodney Is Your Brother

People look at me and say, “Well, your brother is Rodney. You are not going to have a problem.” I have news for you, God is looking at my heart, not his. When it comes to me, God is looking at my heart. Being Rodney’s brother does not give me the right to receive the blessings that he is receiving. God is going to look at my heart and check me out. He will see my motives, what I am doing and how faithful I am. Then, based upon that, God is going to start blessing me.

This is the truth. I want to see people be set free. I know what God has done in my heart. If he can do it in my heart, He can do it in yours. We just have to take God’s Word at face value and do what His Word says. I promise you God’s Word will work for you. He will come through for you every time. He will never, ever let you down. You will let him down but He will never let you down.

Chapter 3, God’s Abundant Provision

2 Corinthians 8:1-3 says: “We want to tell you further brethren, about the grace (the favor and spiritual blessing) of God which has been evident in the churches of Macedonia [arousing in them the desire to give alms]; for in the midst of an ordeal of severe tribulation, their abundance of joy and their depth of poverty [together] have overflowed in wealth of lavish generosity on their part. For, as I can bear witness, [they gave] according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability; and [they did it] voluntarily. ”

According to Your Ability

Now, here is the key. They gave according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability. So many times as Christians we are not even giving according to our ability. We are always looking at our circumstances around us to see exactly how much we are going to give to God. Can you imagine if, when Jesus was going to die on the cross, He looked at His circumstances? Do you know what? He would not have died on the cross. In the natural He would not have done it. Jesus gave us everything He had. In actual fact, He gave us His life, but the Body of Christ cannot even give Him a tithe or give offerings to the church. People cannot even part with a little bit of their money. They are always looking around at their circumstances.

Check the Budget

Let me tell you what a lot of people do. When they give to God, they check to see their budget first. If their budget allows them to give to God then they give. It does not matter what God says. God could come along and say, “Give this.” They will say, “No, God, that does not tie into my budget.” It is the truth. We are always looking at our circumstances. A lot of us give below our ability.

God wants us to give at our ability and sometimes beyond our ability. When you step out beyond your ability then you are really operating in faith.

Because you see, you will be way out there extending your faith and if God does not come to your rescue, then you are done for anyway. It is like when people say, “This is my last twenty dollars, how can I put that into the offering?” Now you are giving beyond your ability. How far is twenty dollars going to get you anyway? One day, maybe two days? You might as well trust God. You might as well believe God. You might as well use your faith and trust Him.

Comfort Zone Religion

God wants us to step out of our comfort zone. Many times people come to church and get into a comfort zone. I thank God with this revival, people are getting so stirred up that they are getting out of their comfort zones. You cannot spend a week in revival meetings and stay in your comfort zone. If you want to stay in your comfort zone, do not come to the revival.

Normally the people who want to stay in their comfort zone are religious people. Religious people do not want to change. The only people who get offended by the revival, by the move of God that we see right now, are religious people.

If you get offended by the joy or the drunkenness, if you get offended by what God does, then you are religious.

The other thing that religious people are offended by is the offering teaching. Sometimes while I am teaching, I look out and see a religious person. You say, “How can you see them?” They stick out like a sore thumb. When I see them I teach even longer because I know that they are getting offended. We have people leave during the meeting and I say, “Thank God that some of them left because they were religious people. ” We are not going to stop the move of God for a handful of religious people. There are more hungry people than there are religious people in the meetings.

Begging to Give

2 Corinthians 8:4-5 says: “Begging us most insistently for the favor and the fellowship of contributing in this ministration for [the relief and support of] the saints [in Jerusalem]. Nor [was this gift of theirs merely the contribution] that we expected, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us [as His agents] by the will of God [entirely disregarding their personal interests, they gave as much as they possibly could, having put themselves at our disposal to be directed by the will of God]. ”

Sunday Christian

They gave themselves to the Lord first. God wants us to always put Him first. God does not want to be second in our lives. When we serve God, we serve Him twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Our whole life revolves around God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost. There are so many Christians today living a Sunday Christian walk. They get up on Sunday morning, put on their suit and look spiritual. Then they put this religious look on their face, go to church, shine up their halo’s, stand in the front row and lift their hands to heaven. It is really a form of religion; that is all it is. We should not even have religion, we should have a relationship with God.

The Box Mentality

People come to church on Sunday and then they get all offended by the move of God. They get upset with what God is doing. Some churches place a box at the back door to receive tithes and offerings. At the close of the service, as the people begin to leave, the pastor announces “Please everyone, don’t forget to put your tithe and offerings in the box.”

Some preachers are embarrassed about finances. We do not have to be embarrassed about finances. God spoke about it in the Bible. Jesus spoke about it in the Bible, it is there. Whatever is in the Word of God we can teach and preach from the podium. God’s Word has been written for our correction and instruction. It is something that we can follow.

The Word Mentality

God’s Word can instruct us on a daily basis. So many people are looking for a word from the Lord. “Oh, God, give me a word!” Oh, Jesus, you know if you do not give me a word, I do not know which direction to go. I do not know what to do Lord.” They go to church sometimes only looking for a word. You can open God’s Word and see what He says. “That is too much like hard work, Brother Bazil. I do not have time for that.” You mean, you do not have the time to serve God? If you switch your television off every night and get rid of that hundred channel cable dish you have, you will gain some time to start serving God. You will find the time to do what is really important to you. There is always time to serve God.

Long Offerings

People come along and say, “You teach too long on the offerings. You just keep going on and on about the offering. Can’t you just cut it down a little bit?” No, but I could just go on a little bit longer. How many of you need a financial miracle? Should I stop? I believe with the revival we are seeing right now, part of it is God setting people free in the area of their finances. I believe it because we have seen so much of it. We have seen much of it take place since January 1994. It has been amazing. People’s lives are being turned around. It is from teaching what the Word of God has to say about finances.

Barely Get Along Street

I know what it is like living on Barely Get Along Street. I know what it is like eating dry bread and cabbage for a whole year. It is no fun. I know what it is like not to have money to put gas into your gas tank or not be able to buy food.

I was so tired of going out to eat with friends who wanted to eat a big meal because I had to make an excuse like, “We are not really hungry.” An excuse is often a lie in disguise. I was tired of lying to my friends. Inside, I was half dead. I was tired of telling the gas pump attendant, “Just put in two dollars, I left my money at home and I need just enough gas to drive home.” Two dollars was all that I had. I never had money at home. I had some Coke bottles, but no money.

I could not get gas for Coke bottles. I could get money for them but not gas. So I know what I am talking about when I say that there have been times in our life when we had absolutely nothing. God had to come through for us.

1-800-Get Rich

One day I said to my wife, “I have had enough. This is not right. There is something wrong in our lives.” You know, we always look at other people thinking they are to blame for our lack. If there is something wrong in our lives we point our finger at other people or we point our finger at God. We say, “Oh, God’s Word does not work. Do not come along and tell me His Word works in the area of finances. I have tried it so many times and it does not work.” Well maybe you have not tried it the right way. Maybe your motive for giving is wrong. Maybe you are just trying to give to get rich.

This is not a quick get rich scheme: Dial 1-800-GET RICH. No, not at all. If you want God’s Word to work just for yourself, for your benefit only, it is not going to work. God checks your heart and He checks your motive behind your giving.

Your Storehouse

When you give to God, give to be a blessing to someone. There are some people who give for recognition. They give to somebody because they want to get in his good books. They say, “I am going to make that man my best friend. Then they wonder, “God, I am giving all of the time, why am I not being blessed?” You are not giving based upon God’s Word. The person you gave to is not your storehouse. Your best friend is not your storehouse. Your storehouse is not a traveling Evangelist. Your storehouse is the local church that you go to. You have to give your tithe to your local storehouse.

God’s Word Is Simple

You cannot expect God’s Word to work for you if you are not doing what His Word says. God’s Word is simple. God’s Word is so simple but we always want to complicate it. We make it out to be what it is not. Life is complicated enough. Why try to complicate God’s Word. Why don’t you just take it, read it and do what it says? If God’s Word says, “Give and it shall be given unto you,” that is it. Give and it shall be given unto you.

Directed by God

2 Corinthians 8:5 says: “Nor [was this gift of theirs merely the contribution] that we expected, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us [as His agents] by the will of God [entirely disregarding their personal interests, they gave as much as they possibly could, having put themselves at our disposal to be directed by the will of God].”

When you give to God, always be directed by God. Never get direction from people. Always have direction from God, especially when it comes to your finances.

So many times people say, “God, I surrender all to you, I give you my whole life. Just don’t touch my money.” You are not surrendering all to Him. God does not even want your money. He wants you. Because when God has you, He has your money. I could not think of anybody better to have my money than God.

Abundantly Supplied

2 Corinthians 8:9 says: “For you are becoming progressively acquainted with and recognizing more strongly and clearly the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, (His kindness, His gracious generosity, His undeserved favor and spiritual blessing), [in] that though He was [so very] rich, yet for your sokes He became [so very] poor, in order that by His poverty you might become enriched (abundantly supplied).”

Jesus was so very rich but He became so very poor in order that by His poverty we could be enriched or abundantly supplied. That is something to rejoice about. Jesus has taken our every care; our every burden.

Cast Your Cares

The Bible says, “Cast your cares upon Him for He cares for you.” What we often do is take our burden and go to Jesus and say, “Here you are Jesus; here is my burden. You can take care of it, I do not want it. I cannot do anything about it, I just give it to you. I leave it at your feet, Lord. ” Then as you walk off you pick it up and say, “Oh, I wonder how I am going to pay that bill.”

Jesus said, “I thought you left it with me.” Oh, yes, “Here Jesus, you are right. Just take it back. You can have it, Lord. I do not want it. I surrender it to you.” Then the next morning you wake up and say, “Now, I wonder how I am going to get that bill paid?” Where is the burden? It is back with you. Jesus does not have it. He does not even have a chance to get it worked out. You will not give him a chance to work it out.

Can You Do It?

I heard a preacher say that he needed about fifty thousand dollars in the morning for some television equipment. He was pacing up and down in his hotel room because he did not know where he was going to get the money. Moaning and groaning, he prayed, Oh, God, I do not know what I am going to do. ” God stopped him and said, “How much can you come up with by tomorrow morning at eight o’clock?” He said, “Nothing, Lord.” So God said, “Well, quit worrying about it and I will take care of it. You cannot come up with anything so what are you worrying about?” That is the truth. God wants to abundantly supply every one of our needs. God is the God who is more than enough. He is the God of abundance.

Bucket Plunkers

There are so many Christians in the Body of Christ who are bucket plunkers. When the offering bucket comes by they just plunk their offering in. They say, “Oh, it is offering time again. Now I have to give money again. Let’s just get this thing over and done with. Come on now, bring that bucket here.” Plunk. “All right, God, I gave to you now. Do something in return, Lord.” Should He?

Glorify God

We worship the Lord with our giving. In everything we do, we should worship God in it. Even the job that you work everyday. You can do that job to the glory of God. As born again children of God we should set an example in the workplace. I know some unsaved people who will not hire Christians because the Christians take them for granted. This is really sad, we are suppose to be setting the example. The only example we are setting is a bad one.

Let me tell you, at times, the worst person you can employ is a Christian. They come to work late saying, “Oh, dear brother, I was fasting and praying and was so deep in the spirit that I woke up at quarter to nine. Hallelujah.” You will probably find out that they were so deep in sleep; not in the spirit.

Let me ask you this question, “What glory does God get when you cannot pay your bills?” None at all. “What glory does He get when you drive down the interstate and your car is bellowing out smoke?” You pull into the parking lot, get out, begin to witness to people and say, “Oh, Jesus is my provider.” They look at you and say, “Oh yeah? We can see that. We do not want Him to provide for us. Look at the things He provides you with.”

God does not want you to drive around in an old dog. Maybe you still want to drive around in an old dog. “But brother Bazil, you do not understand, this keeps me humble.” I pray God takes away the car and gives you a bicycle. That will humble you. Have a revival and let ten people ride up on their bicycles at half past eleven at night.

That is a lie from the pit of hell. It is a lie that the devil has come up with just to keep you in bondage. If you drive an old dog right now, do not have a pity party. Just start giving based on God’s Word. Tell God you are sick and tired of driving the old dog and tell Him you are going to give based on His Word. Be faithful. Just keep giving and God will turn your whole situation around. If He can do it for me He can do it for you. You can just shoot that old dog in the head once and for all, thank God. If God can meet my needs then He can meet your needs. There is no difference.

It Is God’s Anyway

God’s Word is not only for preachers. God’s Word is for everybody in the Body of Christ. If you believe, you will receive. God’s Word is for you for everyday of your life. Put it into practice. Start doing what His Word says you have to do. This is the time to rejoice.

We are on the road to victory. We are just learning how to put God’s Word into practice and how to get set free. That is what we are doing. I am so excited about God’s Word. I am so excited to see what God’s Word has done for us this year and we will never be the same. I have said this over and over again to people, I have said this to God, and I will say it again, “Everything that God has blessed me with, everything that God has given me, except for my wife and my three children, I will give it away. ” Because the same God that gave it to me in the first place will give it back to me again. In actual fact, I could really shut the whole ministry down, close the office in Brandon, give everything away, go out and start believing God, and God will just give it back to me again.

Excitement

We have to be very careful when God blesses us. We have to be very careful not to make a god of the things God gives us. It is very easy to make a god of your automobile. It is very easy to make a god of things God blesses you with. God does not have a problem with you having things. God says, “All these things will be added unto you. ” God has a problem when those things have you. You say, “How will I know when things have me?” When you cannot give something away, that thing has got you. I rejoice when God brings someone across my path with a need. I rejoice to be a blessing.

If you are not a giver you will not know what I am talking about. If you are not a giver this is going to go right over your head. The Bible says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” To a non-giver that does not make sense. To someone who does not give, it is probably better to receive. That is not what God’s Word says. When God tells you to give to someone and you give to them and see how blessed they are, you do not know what that does inside of you. It creates such an excitement on the inside of you. It is a joy to give.

Joy

It is a joy to give when you are directed by the will of God. You are directed by the way He wants you to give. He will direct you to people. He will show you what to do. He will even give you the amount. When He does, just go ahead and do it because many times these are tests that God puts you through and you do not want to fail one of them. When you fail one test, you are going to have to go back to the beginning and go through the test all over again.

Action

God’s Word works. Let us put God’s Word into practice. Let us see God’s Word working for us in these last days. I do not care what your financial situation is; God can set you free. God can turn it around. You will think you have died and gone to heaven. Watch God’s Word work for you.

Sinner’s Prayer

Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. Lord, You said in Your Word if I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and that God has raised Jesus from the dead, I would be saved. So Father, right now I confess Jesus, You are my Lord and Savior. Come into my heart. Take out the stony heart and put in a heart of flesh. Change me, Lord. Change me, Lord. Let me never be the same again. I thank You, Lord, from this moment on that You are my Father and I am Your Child. When You come back for me, I’ll be ready and waiting. I love You, Jesus. Thank You, Lord, for saving my soul, for making me whole, for setting me free. Use me, Lord, in these days. I ask this all in the name of Jesus. Amen.

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, I would like to hear from you, that I may rejoice with you and pray for you. I would also like to send you a tape that I believe will be a real blessing to you.

About Bazil Howard-Browne:

Bazil Howard-Browne is founder and President of Bazil Howard-Browne Evangelistic Ministry, Inc. He along with his wife, Ann, have been called by God as missionaries to the United States from South Africa. In 1992, they and their three children, Bradley, Kayley and Jessica came to America. Bazil worked alongside his brother, Dr. Rodney Howard-Browne, in the ministry for one year. God's power and anointing continued to increase in his life to minister the Word under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit with signs and wonders following.

Beginning January 1, 1994, he has carried Revival across the United States, spanning from Florida to Alaska, and from California to New York and Hawaii. Many have experienced the healing restoring power of God in Bazil's meetings. Witnessing many salvations, the churches are being stirred up to bring in the lost and the backslidden in heart as they are witnessing the Power of God to save and restore lives in these meetings.

There has been a special anointing over this ministry in seeing people come into financial freedom and the abundant provision God has for them. There have been countless testimonies of financial breakthrough in the lives of people, as they have acted on the Word of God in sowing and reaping. Church finances have doubled and sometimes tripled after a week of revival meetings. The truth holds within itself the power to free up finances in the local church. As the Word is sown in truth, the harvest has been financial breakthrough for the church corporately and the people individually.

For a listing of audio, video and books visit www.bhbem.com

Table of Contents

Giving God’s Way

Dedication

Copyright

Foreword

Chapter 1, Giving of Your First Fruits

Put God First

God in Your Finances

Cast Your Cares

Giving of Your First Fruits

It Is Not the Amount

“Check” Your Motives

The All-Sufficient One

Do Not Settle Bills With Your Tithes

What Is Your Excuse?

Cut Any Deals With God Lately?

Chapter 2, Self-Sufficient in Christ9s Sufficiency

You Get Two Offerings a Day

Looking at the Preacher?

Cockroaches Leave

Faith Bible School

Bread and Cabbage

Eating Hot Chocolate

Just Have Faith

Rodney Comes to Town

Hard Times

Driving a Junker

Keeping Me Humble

Learning a Lesson

Fulfill Conditions

Harvest of Blessing

What Is Your Motive?

Fulfill Conditions

The Promise

Having Faith

Being a Doer

Rodney Is Your Brother

Chapter 3, God’s Abundant Provision

According to Your Ability

Check the Budget

Comfort Zone Religion

Begging to Give

Sunday Christian

The Box Mentality

The Word Mentality

Long Offerings

Barely Get Along Street

1-800-Get Rich

Your Storehouse

God’s Word Is Simple

Directed by God

Abundantly Supplied

Cast Your Cares

Can You Do It?

Bucket Plunkers

Glorify God

It Is God’s Anyway

Excitement

Joy

Action

Sinner’s Prayer

About Bazil Howard-Browne:

Table of Contents

Giving God’s Way

Dedication

Copyright

Foreword

Chapter 1, Giving of Your First Fruits

Put God First

God in Your Finances

Cast Your Cares

Giving of Your First Fruits

It Is Not the Amount

“Check” Your Motives

The All-Sufficient One

Do Not Settle Bills With Your Tithes

What Is Your Excuse?

Cut Any Deals With God Lately?

Chapter 2, Self-Sufficient in Christ9s Sufficiency

You Get Two Offerings a Day

Looking at the Preacher?

Cockroaches Leave

Faith Bible School

Bread and Cabbage

Eating Hot Chocolate

Just Have Faith

Rodney Comes to Town

Hard Times

Driving a Junker

Keeping Me Humble

Learning a Lesson

Fulfill Conditions

Harvest of Blessing

What Is Your Motive?

Fulfill Conditions

The Promise

Having Faith

Being a Doer

Rodney Is Your Brother

Chapter 3, God’s Abundant Provision

According to Your Ability

Check the Budget

Comfort Zone Religion

Begging to Give

Sunday Christian

The Box Mentality

The Word Mentality

Long Offerings

Barely Get Along Street

1-800-Get Rich

Your Storehouse

God’s Word Is Simple

Directed by God

Abundantly Supplied

Cast Your Cares

Can You Do It?

Bucket Plunkers

Glorify God

It Is God’s Anyway

Excitement

Joy

Action

Sinner’s Prayer

About Bazil Howard-Browne: