Leighton Farrell was the minister of Highland Park Church in Dallas for many years. He tells of a man in the church who once made a covenant with a former pastor to tithe 10 percent of their income every year. They were both young, and neither of them had much money; but things changed. The layman tithed $1,000 the year he earned $10,000. He tithed $10,000 the year he earned $100,000, and he tithed $100,000 the year he earned one million. The year he earned $6,000,000, he just could not bring himself to write out that check for $600,000 to the church.
He telephoned the minister, long since having moved to another church, and asked to see him. Walking into the pastor’s office, the man begged to be let out of the covenant, saying, “This tithing business has to stop. It was fine when my tithe was $1,000; but I just cannot afford $600,000. You’ve got to do something, Reverend!”
The pastor knelt on the floor and prayed silently for a long time. Eventually the man said, “What are you doing? Are you praying that God will let me out of the covenant to tithe?”
“No,” said the minister. “I am praying for God to reduce your income back to the level where $1,000 will be your tithe!” (from sermon by Bob Younts, eSermons.com)
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