ANOINTED WORD MINISTRIES

WHAT IS YOUR HEART REFLECTING?

I had a friend tell me one time, “I don't believe God is interested in our money. He just cares about our hearts."

While it is true that God is interested in our hearts, the Bible also makes it clear that as far as God is concerned, what we
do with our money is a reflection of the condition of our hearts.

In the book of Malachi God said the cold, backslidden condition of the people was revealed in their offerings. Instead of
bringing God their very best they brought Him their junk. They wouldn't give Him their time or their quality stuff.

Just like in Malachi’s day, some people today don't want to hear that kind of preaching. So they speak derogatorily about
ministers who talk about giving.   They snidely mention “those prosperity preachers.” There have always been
unscrupulous and selfish so-called preachers who try to use this message to get rich and to prophesy money out of
others' pockets into their own, but that is not God. People blame God for man’s selfish deeds.

That does not change what the Bible says and it doesn't change love. The fact remains that we have a New Testament
commandment to love one another. The greatest expression of love is giving.

I don’t mean you should give away everything you own to the first person you see. You need to be led by the Holy Spirit.
Following His leading will mean that no matter how small your gift may be, it will be a great blessing both to you and to the
person who receives it.

On my own, I have given gifts that people didn’t even appreciate. They were like, “Oh thanks, whatever.” Not only where
those people unappreciative, but it affected the blessing on the gift and on how I felt about giving that gift. Then there
were times I knew I was hearing God’s voice, I gave some small thing, telling the person that I appreciated them and
wanted to bless them. That person not only received and appreciated the gift they felt God’s love in the gift. That's
really what giving is all about.

Don't just give in legalistic obedience to the Word of God. Don't even give in legalistic obedience to the promptings of
the Spirit.   Give because you are full of God Who is love. Give because you want someone to experience that love.

In 2 Corinthians 8:8, the Apostle Paul challenged the Corinthian church to "prove the sincerity" of their love through
giving. I believe God has offered us that same challenge today.

Let's stir ourselves up to rise up in the Spirit and meet it. "...Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in
truth" (1 John 3:18).   Let's give with the knowledge that we are expressing and demonstrating God's goodness and love.