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I understand this principle of giving making room for more, because I've been operating by it for more than twenty years. My wife and I started giving when we didn't even have one barn, so to speak.

We had a tepee! I mean, we didn't have room to receive much. I have to explain this, because, many times, people who don't quite understand it think they have the capacity to receive how ever much God send them.

But, no, that's not really true, because if an individual doesn't have the preparation - the spiritual guidance in order to handle the crop - it will wind up spoiling him.

I'll give you a prime example. Years ago, back in the days when the church I pastor was real small, I could do what I can't do today. I could get to know each one of my members personally. You see, when a pastor has a hundred members, he ought to be able to sit down with every member and talk to him or her at some time or another.

I mean, any pastor with a hundred members who just sits in his office with his feet on his desk and doesn't get to know the people isn't going anywhere because he isn't willing to work.

Some preachers ask me, "How did you get to where you are?" I got here by working. While others were asleep, I worked. I prayed while they were in bed. There's nothing mysterious about that.

Years ago when I was still able to counsel each individual member, a particular man in the church, who has since passed away, came to me wanting to learn how to believe God for finances. At the time he came for counseling, this man didn't have two nickels to rub together! I took the time to teach him, on a one-on-one basis, how to believe God.

This man began acting on the Word of God and became very wealthy. He had learned about finances - about planting seed gifts and getting a return. He'd learned about seedtime and harvest.

But, unfortunately, he didn't take the time to develop the rest of his spiritual life. So when he got the bumper crop - I mean, a huge crop - he didn't have the capacity to receive it. The only thing that money did was lead that brother away from God.

Before long, that man was all over the world on vacation, some for months at time. Those vacations turned into boats, yachts, planes, homes, cars, and so forth, until he forgot about God, backslid, and died. He didn't have room to receive the crop, because he hadn't grown enough spiritually to put things in their proper order and perspective.

It's unfortunate, but some people get so enamored with the gift that they forget about the Giver. There are some people who come to my church just because they think I'm going to teach them about prosperity. And that's all they want. Those kinds of people are going nowhere.

You see, even if you do receive the manifestation of God's Word on a subject, you're going to wind up being spoiled by it if your first motive isn't that you love God. Your first motive ought to be: "I love God, and I'm seeking Him, not the blessing."

There is nothing wrong with being blessed with things if you keep them in the proper context. People who get the gifts and forget the Giver haven't developed yet as they should. You need to be developed spiritually to be able to receive all that God wants to give you.

I'm glad that the blessings I'm receiving today are happening to me now and not fifteen years ago, because I wasn't as mature fifteen years ago as I am today. I can handle things today. My head doesn't get big because of blessings.

Fifteen years ago my head might have gotten big if I pastored a church as big as I do now and had jets and all the other things I have. I might not have been able to handle all of it at twenty-five years of age.

But now that I'm at a wonderful age, glory to God, and have some maturity, I understand where all this stuff fits in life - nowhere! It all comes from God. It has nothing to do with me - to God be all the glory!

Remember, we're talking about a man's gift making room for him. It will open up opportunities. Because of the seed my church as sown, room literally was made for us. Because we've sown heavily into good ground, such as Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin's ministry, God gave us a building years ago supernaturally and created more room!

Actually, we got a "double tap" on it, because this "more room" that God gave us then made it possible recently to get another even bigger "room" - a bigger building - ten minutes away. Our gifts made room for us - gave us great expansion and opportunity!

Source: Making Room For Yourself By Keith A. Butler
Excerpt permission granted by Word Of Faith Publishing

Author Biography

Keith Butler
Web site: Keith Butler
 
Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center. He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).
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