WHEN WE GIVE

Sometimes in our lives there comes a time when we feel like life’s roller coaster is a bit too much and we cry, "Stop the world, I want to get off!" And I was going through that season. But the Lord was quickening His Word to me and it was rumbling around inside. I knew the process. I could feel His heart percolating on the back burner ready to bubble out on paper. And I was thinking, "Here comes another newsletter."

But I was dragging my feet. After sending newsletters for several years, I knew the cost and sacrifice behind the scenes. And sometimes when we are hurting, the cost is just too much to give. I was in that passionate state of feeling His Word come to the surface, but humanly saying, "I can’t do it this time." Well, the joy of His Word won the battle over my weakness and I began to write one more time. As I began, I felt His passion rise up in my heart, I heard His voice very clearly. He said, "I appreciate any portion you can give." Those Words were like warm honey pouring over my heart. I felt like a melted blob.

To think that we as human beings can actually touch the Father’s heart and give HIM something, is not only a privilege but also amazing. He is Almighty God of the universe, and yet He has needs too. And what He wants most is our heart in all that we do.

This article shares some foundations that the Lord has taught me in giving and I pray they will make a difference in your life, as you reach out and give a portion of Jesus to those around you. I pray these concepts will become as liberating to you, as they have become to me.

WHAT IS IN YOUR HAND?

"Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for God is with you." (1 Sam 10:6-8 NKJV)

I really love that verse. Samuel was telling Saul after he had been anointed, that the Spirit of the Lord would come upon him and after that, his instructions were to do whatever the occasion’s need was at the time. When I was younger, the Lord continually gave me that scripture when I sought Him for guidance in giving. I had this preconceived idea that I was supposed to be following His commands like a robot. Therefore, I was immobilized if I could not hear Him or did not have some supernatural gift to give.

What the Lord was trying to tell me through that verse is that He is infinitely practical. When Moses was complaining to the Lord and saying he wasn’t qualified, and who would believe him anyway - the Lord answered him by saying, "What is in your hand?" (Ex 4:2) The Lord asked Moses for what he HAD, not for what he didn’t have. Moses had a stick and so that is what God chose.

"Give whatever you can according to what you have. If you are really eager to give, it isn't important how much you are able to give. God wants you to give what you have, not what you don't have. Of course, I don't mean you should give so much that you suffer from having too little. I only mean that there should be some equality. Right now you have plenty and can help them. Then at some other time they can share with you when you need it. In this way, everyone's needs will be met. Do you remember what the Scriptures say about this? "Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough." (2 Cor 8:11-15 NLT)

BE REAL

David was a man after God’s heart and He chose him to become king over His people. One of my favorite characteristics of David was that he was a genuine person. If David was miserable, he said so. If he was gloriously rejoicing, he did that too. David’s Psalms to the Lord were full of misery and victory. One time, David had so abandoned himself in joy that God’s Presence was returning to him via the ark, that he danced uncovered without shame. (2 Sam 6:16, 20)

When God’s Presence touches us and we experience Him personally, how much more should we be real? When we uncover our own humanity, of not just the joys of triumph but the miseries of loss, and yet shine with the glory of God… then we share a doubled edged sword. We share our own TESTimony of how we are tested from the fires in our lives, and we share how we overcome because of Jesus’ work on the cross.

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." (Rev 12:11-12 NKJV)

NOT BY OBLIGATION…

"Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock…" (1 Peter 5:2-4 NKJV)

Other words for serving under compulsion are giving by: obligation, force, constraint, compelling, coercion, pressure, duty, etc.

I have a pastor friend who once saw a picture vision of a wet spaghetti noodle and a large hand come down and push it across some glass. The noodle only piled up instead of moving forward. Then he heard the Lord say, "My people are like wet noodles, you just can’t push them. You have to draw them." Then he saw the same hand take hold of the noodle and pull it. The noodle became straight again.

We have all seen a little child "perform" when they do not want to. Whether it is to do their chores, or say they are sorry, or whatever - they usually make it quite clear that their heart is not in it. I have heard people say, "The Lord told me I am supposed to give this to you." Maybe they think that this is a tactful way of not receiving glory for the gift.

… BUT BY LOVE

However the first thing I think is, "But how do YOU feel about it?" A good portion of the joy in receiving a gift is robbed when someone says they gave because they were told to. The action appears without love and without a human heart behind it. When God chose to touch the world, He chose to touch it through a man. It is still the same today.

"For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' Then these righteous ones will reply, `Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?' And the King will tell them, `I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'" (Matt 25:35-40 NLT)

CHEERFULLY

"You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully. And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others." (2 Cor 9:6-9 NLT)

The word cheerfully means hilariously prompt or willing. Can you imagine asking your child to do something, and they become so excited that they smile from ear to ear and jump in with two hands and two feet, until the task is complete? That is cheerful giving. To give Him any less, to give people any less, lacks the joy and rewards of giving with the right heart. In these days, I am seeing increasingly more crabby and tired people giving because they believe they are supposed to give, but lacking all that is genuine in doing so. And the world watches - and knows genuine when they see it.

CHRIST IN US THE HOPE OF GLORY

"To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Col 1:27 NKJV)

As we grow in an inner communion with the Lord, with His anointing, with abiding in His Presence, we come to know that awesome mystery of Jesus living in us through His Spirit. When we become immersed in Him and when His Presence becomes immersed in us, we become so aware of His Spirit within us, that we recognize His Words in where our eyes glance, what our hands touch, what our heart feels, what our nose smells, what our ears hear, etc. He wants to live in us and move through us, as SUPER AND NATURAL people.

The closer we come to the Lord, the more we hear His Word through a blending of His supernatural quickenings that are superimposed over our natural senses. When I first became a Christian as a young person, I was told that we were Jesus’ hands and feet on earth. How true that is! He lives and gives through us, as we simply be who He has called us to be, and express that through our own personalities! What could be more simple and refreshing than that?

And so as we consider our giving let us not be weary in well doing. If you are tired, remember His Words to me, when He said, "I appreciate any portion you can give." Let it liberate you into giving only what you have and not what you do not have. Let it liberate you into giving because it gives to our heavenly Father something He can not give to Himself - our willing and cheerful heart to touch people that He dearly loves.

I will close with a Word to Ponder that the Lord gave me in the 80’s.

Lovingly,

Sandy

BLENDED - WORD TO PONDER

We are one. You and I. You will begin to recognize this as I confirm your ways. I pour Myself into you and blended, we reach out together.

Did you think I wanted puppets for sons? Yes, willing and movable vessels. But not wooden. It is YOU I desire, ALL of you. Have you ever thought I actually LIKE you? I gave you a personality as unique as your fingerprint. No one can match your mold. Together, we blend and touch others.

I do not want to strip you of your personality as you seek to do My will. As you empty yourself and wait, you forget I MADE you human. I could have made you an angel, but I made you a living person and send you to other living people. Together we will move. Words are lifeless without My Spirit. You speak it, I quicken it. I go before you and prepare hearts. We will work together.

"...For the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married." (Isaiah 62:4)