The Law of Reciprocity

Are You a Prisoner of Your Finances?

By Gorman Woodfin
The 700 Club

CBN.com - Joseph and Melanie Harding love the freedom of riding their motorcycle on the open road. It reminds them of their new-found financial freedom. The Hardings live in the heartland of Michigan. Today, they are successful entrepreneurs, but they've known their share of hard times.

Melanie was a computer drafter and Joseph was a restaurant cook. Still, like many Americans, they lived paycheck to paycheck. She recalls, "It's a struggle, it's a day to day and I think it's fear, you know. You lay awake at night wondering where that next $10 is going to come from. So you can have gas to get to work or just food to eat. It's just basic needs." Joseph remembers, "It makes you feel like a prisoner. Makes you feel like you're never going to get ahead."

With the struggling economy Melanie says they had to make some tough decisions. Melanie recalls, "Do I have gas in my car to go to my friend's birthday party or do I have to stay home so I can get to work tomorrow? Two days before the paycheck, I might not be able to pay my utility bills, so I'm going to have to choose to pay a late fee in addition to that or maybe have my utilities turned off."

After suffering a back injury, Joseph had to leave his job. As he recuperated. he started watching The 700 Club every morning. That's where he learned about the importance of giving. He says, "Just be obedient and just, you know, give God what's already His. It belongs to Him anyway."

Melanie says, "Watching The 700 Club, and hearing the stories is what really spoke to him. Real people sharing how their lives were changed in their finances and businesses were changed from tithing. So he got that message from CBN."

Melanie had grown up in church and already knew about tithing but had been inconsistent. She started watching The 700 Club with Joseph and soon they began giving as a couple.

The company Melanie worked for suffered in the economy, too. She left her job and developed a home-based business into a full-time commitment. When Joseph got back on his feet he started selling items he bought at estate and garage sales on eBay.

Joseph remembers, "A lot of times, I'll buy things that I don't even think might be worth something. And I'll buy it and come home and I spent $4 or $5 on it. It's worth $300."

Melanie states, "In a three-year time frame, our income went from–it multiplied by 10! I guess that's a 10th we give and now it comes back to us, and it just keeps growing."

Melanie and Joseph love giving to CBN every month. She says, "CBN follows the Word. When I watch the show, I just know that God is the center of everything CBN does. And so I really want to support an organization like that."

Joseph says he no longer feels like a prisoner to his finances. He says, "I just feel a peace ever since I've been tithing. I've never had to worry about bills. There's always money to pay the bills."

Melanie states, "God doesn't need our money; It's for us. Tithing is for us and it is an investment. It opens the door for us to be blessed financially so that we can bless others."

Being obedient to God's truth made an incredible difference for Joseph and Melanie. They made themselves available for God's love to flow through them to others, and they are reaping a blessing themselves as well. Join them in partnering with CBN. You will make a difference in lives around the world, through medical missions, food and clothing programs, humanitarian outreaches and so much—all in the name of Jesus. Please join today.

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