« Free Music | Main | Boundless Interview »

God Wants Your Heart

Floating%20cash.jpg

Today I'm preparing a sermon about sacrificial giving and living for the sake of advancing the gospel. Our church is focusing on sacrifice as we prepare to give to our "Go Forward Fund." This fund was created to accelerate our mission in four areas—debt reduction, world outreach, training new pastors and church planting.

I'm convinced that the main reason God has had me preach on giving over the past ten years is because he wants to convict and change me. I hope someone else gets something out of it, but even if they don't God is doing his work in me. I need to be challenged to live for more than me. I need to be challenged not to hope in money. I need the Spirit of God to take the crowbar of the Word and pry my fingers off the stuff of this world.

The following quote from my friend Randy Alcorn's book The Treasure Principle captures what I am praying for in myself and in our church:

As surely as the compass needle follows north, your heart will follow your treasure. Money leads; hearts follow...Do you wish you cared more about eternal things? Then reallocate some of your money, maybe most of your money, from temporal things to eternal things. Watch what happens. God wants your heart. He isn't looking just for "donors" for His kingdom, those who stand outside the cause and dispassionately consider acts of philanthropy. He's looking for disciples immersed in the causes they give to. He wants people so filled with a vision for eternity that they wouldn't dream of not investing their money, time and prayers where they will matter most.
Wherever you are, and however little or much you have, I pray you're immersed in the cause of the gospel and that your life and your giving reflects this.

Posted by on May 12, 2007

Comments (3)

"I need the Spirit of God to take the crowbar of the Word and pry my fingers off the stuff of this world."

Thank you for this post - it was very timely for me. I don't usually think of myself as a materialistic person, but this week, for some reason, I've been so materialistic and thinking constantly about how nice it would be to be wealthy. This is not what I should be living for. Thanks for the reminder.

Posted by Anna | May 12, 2007 2:11 PM

I need to grow in this area to. I view every pay day as an opportunity to be less selfish. I fail many times, but I always ask my Lord to help me overcome this.

I will never forget what Randy Alcorn said (which John Piper quoted in one of his sermons): "God raises my standard of living to raise my standard of giving." An increase in my income is a chance to increase my giving..

Posted by manet | May 13, 2007 7:02 AM

Giving, etc.

When one is laid off from a job, you really learn what is really valuable. Not to say I didn't know that before. You realize things like books, and photos, are not all that important. Having a roof and food on the table is what is needed. That is what God said he would provide for us.

Also giving to others in all ways. I dont know how to say this but it is very emotionally helpful when one can give even when one doesn't have money to give to God.

I have always wanted to give and I know I can when I receive it.

I am not looking for any praise far from it.

Just sharing.

Judith
39

Posted by Judith | May 13, 2007 10:47 PM

Post a comment

Please enter the letter "x" in the field below:

All content on this site is © 2007 Josh Harris